So tomorrow dad is coming to town. I'm gonna go meet him at the airport in the afternoon, we'll rent a car and then we'll be off. The plan is to go to Nashville and Memphis first, we really haven't had time to plan anything yet, but I'm hoping to find a travelguide at the library. Then we should be driving down to New Orleans and then probably a few days in Florida on a beach if we have luck with the weather. It's gonna be a couple of days in each city, but I think that's fine. It'll be a good length route for the time we have. I'm really looking forward to it, it's gonna be great to see something new!

And it's gonna be dad's birthday next week, so I'll have to come up with some nice celebration for him. At least I got him a present today. I don't think he'll be reading this before he gets home again, but to be on the safe side I'm not gonna write what I bought him. He's probably at Arlanda now, waiting for his flight... I'm glad I don't have to do any long flights this time!

I'll be back after our trip with some pics.

Saturday I and Heather went to my professor's exhibition. It was only a few blocks from the MARTA station, but it didn't feel a very safe place to walk as it was getting dark. When we were leaving and telling Özge we were taking the train, she told us she would drive us instead if we waited a bit longer. So that was really nice of her. I don't know, everyone always tells you to be carefull here, about every neighborhood, but it's hard to think like that coming from a Swedish small town. Or even from outside of town, where I easily walk through the forest alone in the middle of the night. So walking arm in arm with Heather the other night I was almost trying to make myself feel scared, because I'm supposed to. I would probably feel a little uncomfortable without an effort, but I can't really see anything happening to me, so it's hard getting used to this always being careful. I don't like that. I wanna be able to walk where I want, when I want.

Both of us got really inspired by the exhibition, so afterwards sitting at Starbucks we took paper and pen and sat there sketching. I should do that more, it's the only way to get better. Even if not drawing, I should write things down more often. I have my notebook with me most of the time to put thoughts and observations down, but I never use it. I should, even if I never use it for anything it's such good memories of those small moments I would otherwise never think of again.

A result of creativity:

These are all the books I've bought here, and that I need to read, at average one to two each week. Even though a lot of them are used books, I spent lots of money on them. There are still a couple I didn't buy yet, and a few I found at the library. My first thought was to sell the books back at the end of the semester, because there's no way I could put all those in my baggage when going home. But now I know several of them that I wanna keep because I like them. So I'll find a way...

This morning I woke up at 7 to go jogging with Heather. We're gonna be really good and go every second morning. That's the plan, and I think we'll pull it off, because despite the early start, it feels really good. Today the park was almost empty so we even went to the playground and worked our abs on the swings =). That's the most fun work out, and I can really feel it in the muscles already.

I was gonna sign up for a trip to Savannah today. It's again for the exchange students, but this time also for other international students and with a limit of 46 persons. Sign up started today and when I got there in the afternoon it was already filled up =(. I really wanted to go and now I can't... But I'll have to come up with something to put me in a better mood. Not tonight though, I have to read and research for group projects... Can't wait for spring break.

We didn't play any badminton today, but we did go jogging. Me and Heather went to the big Piedmont park, about 15 minutes away from my place. We were away for more than 2 hours, we walked a lot of that time, but did good on jogging as well. And situps. It was a really nice day, sunny and warm and the park was crowded with people. And there was almost as many dogs as persons. We saw small dogs, big dogs, tiny dogs, huge dogs and puppies and they were all adorable. I'd like to have a dog to walk with in the park!

We almost decided to go again on Monday morning, almost because I don't know if I'll be done with my essay which is due Monday afternoon. But I'm hoping to finish it tomorrow. That's why I'm at the computer right now - only I'm obviously writing my blog instead. At a complete lack of discipline...