STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

honey · Gucci

New St'er of the week...MADDIE!

blubirde · Chanel

Yay Maddie!

How have you changed since you've been in college?

How have you stayed the same?

Literary character you most identify with?

Literary character you most aspire to be like?

Maddie · Coach

Yay! I'm so excited! Thanks, honey! I just finished finals (like 2 minutes ago) so I will have lots of time on my hands.

honey...

*what has been the most unexpected part of your college experience?
The immaturity and stupidty of my fellow students. God, I'm negative. I think I thought that moving away from home, living on my own, having an intense academic experience would feel like a much more grown up lifestyle than living at home and being in high school. Strangely I actually felt like I lived a much more mature life in high school. In a lot of ways I had a lot more freedom, I had a car, would hang out with people from not just school, was responsible for a lot of stuff, and lived in a city. College is basically like academic camp. I was also worried about not being as smart as the other kids and that just really hasn't been a problem. They let a lot of dumb kids in who are good at athletics. Which is funny cause I thought I was coming to an academic institution, not a conglomerate of sports teams. Silly me.

*you're casting the movie of your life. who do you cast as yourself? who do you cast as your love interest? how does it end (you can end it at any point)? what's on the soundtracK?
As a big fan of movies and music, this is actually a question I have given a lot of though to. I would be played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. I love her clothes, she seems laidback and cool, she's pretty, but not super hot, and doesn't seem too caught up in the Hollywood scene. Plus she looks just like my mom when she was younger. My love interest would be Topher Grace. Nerdy, cute, but not super hot, fun, and a nice guy. I have strangely never thought about the ending. I love movies like Shopgirl and Annie Hall where despite being so close to perfect it just doesn't work out. I think I would end it like that. And I'd go off to live in India or something. The soundtrack would include...
Lover's Spit - Broken Social Scene (when I'm jaded and think I will never find love)
I Found A Reason - Cat Power (when I realize I love him, but we aren't together yet)
Hey - Pixies (at the start of our relationship)
Our Time - Yeah Yeah Yeahs (when we're happily together)
The Good That Won't Come Out - Rilo Kiley (as I'm sabotaging our relationship)
Archipelago - Mirah (when I leave for India)
Most Of The Time - Bob Dylan (when we meet years later)
There would also be a little of The Black Keys, The Mountain Goats, The White Stripes, Wilco, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Smog, just cause they're essential.

blubirde...

How have you changed since you've been in college?
I think I've come to understand myself better and accept myself more. My high school friends are very different from how I am. They're the sort of girls who know everyone and are friends with everyone and always have a boyfriend, etc. I used to compare myself to them and think I was worse for not being like that. My perspective on that has totally changed. I've now decided that with both friends and boys I like that I save myself for people I really connect with and care about. I'm pretty emotionally closed and I just can't open myself up to that many people. My college friends are a lot more like me and have made me realize it's totally ok and I actually like it better.

How have you stayed the same?
Hmm. To a certain extent I think I've always been the same. I can't help myself from acting exactly how I want. I say weird stuff all the time, do crazy shit. I've never been a fake person, and that's not necessarily a good thing. There are times when I should just keep my mouth shut and not let people I don't know how weird I am. Anyway, I guess I think pretty much everything is the same, the difference is I don't feel bad about it.

Literary character you most identify with?
This is a hard one. I think my favorite books aren't ones I actually relate to the characters. I love East Of Eden, but (hopefully) have nothing in common with any of the characters. Maybe Mersault from The Stranger on a bad day. Ramona from all the Beverly Cleary books. I pull Bridget Joneses all the time, but hopefully I'm a little smarter/together/mature than she is. Does David Sedaris count? I think he's my gay soulmate.

Literary character you most aspire to be like?
Totally Jo March of Little Women. She's so smart, impulsive, writer, independent. I'm actually probably a goofy version of her.

-- Edited by Maddie at 14:54, 2005-12-12

laken1 · Hermes

Ok, all those were hard questions - I'll do easy ones

Favorite movie
Favorite fast food
Do you have siblings? How many & how old - are you close?
What does a typical Maddie saturday look like?

NCshopper · Hermes

Here are my questions:

What are you majoring in? (I can't remember. )

What's your favorite thing about being in college?

What's your least favorite?

What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

Maddie · Coach

laken1...
Favorite movie
I have a few. Annie Hall, Igby Goes Down, Ghost World, and I recently really liked Shopgirl. I don't think I'm exactly like any of these characters, but I really relate to a lot of the themes.

Favorite fast food
Taco Time! Greatest fast food Mexican ever. It's in other places in the country, but in everwhere but Washington and Oregon it tastes like Taco Bell. In Washington and Oregon it is delicious!

Do you have siblings? How many & how old - are you close?
I have a sixteen year old sister and we are very close. We used to fight, like all siblings do, but now we get along really well. She's a lot shyer and more reserved than I am, so if you don't know us we appear really different. However, if you know us, there's no one more like me in the world.

What does a typical Maddie saturday look like?
My life at college is so boring. I'll wake up at like 11 hung over. Go to the dining hall with my friends, eat french fries and Diet Coke. We'll gossip about what happened the night before. I'll probably do something like go to Portland, a lecture, or a movie. I might go to the library and pretend to do work, but I won't cause it's not 11 on Sunday night. I'll shower, then get ready to go out. I'm sure you're all jealous of my exciting, fast paced life style.

NCshopper...
What are you majoring in? (I can't remember. )
I'm majoring in political science and minoring in religion.

What's your favorite thing about being in college?
I have a couple favorites. One is my friends. My college friends are great, they're like no one else I've ever met and we have a really close relationship. We're really similar and know each other really well.
The other would be, despite some less than impressive classes, I've had a couple really challenging, mind blowing ones that have changed my world view. Those would be the recent class I took where we studied Islam in India for five weeks, and another class with the same professor called Religion and Politics in South Asia. He's just a great professor who really teaches you how to think about things and get out of your preconcieved western ideas about politics and religion. Amazing, I've learned so much.

What's your least favorite?
Being in Lewiston, ME. Not having a car. Being in an environment that is defined by kids from just outside of Boston who have no desire to see or do anything besides go back to Boston and make babies. Despite my conviction at the time, I don't think I was actually a good candidate for the small liberal arts college experience.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
Mint chocolate chip. I also like trying weird flavors like lavender and stuff. My friend makes really good lemon basil ice cream.

-- Edited by Maddie at 02:17, 2005-12-13

sfcaligirl · Dooney & Bourke

hey maddie, congrats on ST of the week! here are my questions...

how much snow do you have up at bates right now?? it must be brutally cold by now. (i literally feel your pain- i went to colby for four years!)

i totally want to play the name game with you right now, but that might be kinda weird via an internet forum... anyway, my good friend's little sister is a sophomore at bates right now. she's hilarious and fun. maybe you know her! (sorry, that wasn't a question at all.)

what do you think of mainers? have you had any crazy run-ins with the locals in L-A?

what's your dream job?

what are your holiday plans?

shopgirl82 · Chanel

Do you like the east coast? would you want to live there after you graduate?

What's a typical Friday night for you in college?

How are things going with your roommate after your AIM conversation?

What was your favorite Spring Break, are you going anywhere this year?

Are you 21 yet? if so, what did you do on your 21st birthday, if not, what do you want to do for your 21st?

Maddie · Coach

sfcaligirl...
how much snow do you have up at bates right now?? it must be brutally cold by now. (i literally feel your pain- i went to colby for four years!)
I remember you saying you went to Colby! We actually don't have a ton, maybe four inches? And it has only snowed once so far. The cold hasn't been too bad yet, around thirty degrees.

i totally want to play the name game with you right now, but that might be kinda weird via an internet forum... anyway, my good friend's little sister is a sophomore at bates right now. she's hilarious and fun. maybe you know her! (sorry, that wasn't a question at all.)
I probably do know her! If you want to PM her name you can, I wouldn't say anything to her cause I wouldn't want to call myself out as an internet nerd. But if not, I probably wouldn't either.

what do you think of mainers? have you had any crazy run-ins with the locals in L-A?
We have a theory about the Mainers at Bates. They're either totally cool or totally crazy. There is no inbetween. My ex was from Bar Harbor. This guy who lives across the hall and is constantly running into my room hopped up on every drug ever to tell me about wombats is from Freedom. This is pretty typical. What'd you think of Mainers? You're from CT or MA or something, right?
I've had so many crazy run-ins with locals. L-A as I'm sure you're aware is far from the gem of Maine. It's actually kind of depressing. I bought this woman groceries the other day because she couldn't add up how much they cost and didn't have enough food stamps to pay for them. My friend and I were also depressed the other day and went to Walmart to buy a feast. We had so much disgusting food and the guy behind us starts going off on how we're going to get fat and how our boyfriend better give us a good work out. Ummm what? Hahaha. I also had the clerk at 7-11 the other night ask me whether he should go home to his wife or his mistress. I said he should get divorced.

-- Edited by Maddie at 14:11, 2005-12-12

Maddie · Coach

shopgirl82...

Do you like the east coast? would you want to live there after you graduate?
I'm not crazy about the east coast. Except New York, I totally love New York. I also have this fantasy of my ex and me getting a house on the coast in Maine and living there. I don't think I'd actually like that though. But other than NYC and my crazy fantasy, I don't think I'd want to live on the east coast again.

What's a typical Friday night for you in college?
To be honest, drinking. That's pretty much it.

How are things going with your roommate after your AIM conversation?
Things are good-ish. She totally backed down in person and has been doing better. We did get in another fight over money recently (she's ridiculously cheap, and I'm pretty loose with my money and it was getting ridiculous), but we're good now. However, I think break is going to be nice.

What was your favorite Spring Break, are you going anywhere this year?
I have done so much good stuff for spring breaks. I went to the Amazon in Brazil last year with my aunt and my sister. I went to Costa Rica with the outing club at my high school senior year. I went to Hawaii with my marine science class sophomore year. I went to France with my French class in eighth grade. I think I'd have to go with Costa Rica.
This year I might go to California with my sister to look at colleges. Otherwise I'll probably just go home. Maybe skiing in Idaho.

Are you 21 yet? if so, what did you do on your 21st birthday, if not, what do you want to do for your 21st?
I'm actually only 19. My 21st birthday will be in February of 2007 when I hope to be studying abroad in Cairo so I have no idea. Bars and clubbing?

-- Edited by Maddie at 14:24, 2005-12-12

laken1 · Hermes

wow, maddie, you are really cool!

dot · Marc Jacobs

omg I'm so jealous you're going to Cairo! Sounds awesome!

- I know you've posted about your hair in the past.. have you ever straightened your hair? If you could have your hair look any way for one day/week or whatever.. what would you have it look like (pls post pix if you can!)

- Favorite burrito stuffings?

I will think of more later!

blubirde · Chanel

dot wrote:

Favorite burrito stuffings?

Ha! My favorite question ever!

Maddie · Coach

dot...

I know you've posted about your hair in the past.. have you ever straightened your hair? If you could have your hair look any way for one day/week or whatever.. what would you have it look like (pls post pix if you can!)
I have straightened my hair. For it to look right it's pretty extensive process. And I think it makes my face look fat. My dream hair would be like this...

in this color...

Favorite burrito stuffings?
Despite my undying love for burritos, I'm very boring with what I put in them. Beans, cheese, salsa, and rice. The type of beans can be refried, pinto, or black, it depends where I am. Different restaurants do different beans better.

laken1, thanks! You're pretty cool yourself.

luckylily · Gucci

Follow up question...What is your favorite burrito place in Seattle? How about at school?

Do you know what you want to do after you finish school?

What do you wear to class on a typical day?

Maddie · Coach

luckylily...
Follow up question...What is your favorite burrito place in Seattle? How about at school?
Oooh this is like making me choose my favorite pet. There used to be this really good place on like 1st and Cherry that I loved, but now I think it's a Japanese place. I guess I would have to say Malena's on Queen Anne (actually they're in Ballard now too apparently) and Tacos Guaymas. There are no good burrito places in Maine. The closest thing would have to be The Border Cafe in Cambridge, MA.

Do you know what you want to do after you finish school?
I made up a new plan recently. I want to get a PhD. from SOAS in London in Islamic Studies, possibly with particularly regard to South Asia. Then I will go be a political advisor and explain to politicians what Islam is and how it works with politics. And advise them on how to handle situations. It's really shocking how little people in government who are making huge decisions on these issues actually understand what is going on.

What do you wear to class on a typical day?
Recently, whatever's clean. I've been preoccupied with finals. Otherwise, here is a really typical outfit...

-- Edited by Maddie at 02:22, 2005-12-13

NCshopper · Hermes

I'm with laken1. I think you're cool too.

That's awesome you want to study Islam--I totally agree that not enough people in our government have any real working knowledge of the religion. I took a class on Islam in college too and really enjoyed it.

Anyway, just wanted to say you're cool. By reading your posts, I would have never guessed that you were 19. You're wise beyond your years.

Maddie · Coach

NCshopper, thanks! Funny you should call me wise behind my years. Last night my roommate told me to wake her up to study this morning. She wasn't getting up so I played Raffi's Bananaphone really loud and threw wine corks at her. I'm so mature.

-- Edited by Maddie at 19:35, 2005-12-12

lynnie · Chanel

Maddie wrote:

NCshopper, thanks! Funny you should call me wise behind my years. This morning my roommate told me to wake her up study and she wasn't getting up so I played Raffi's Bananaphone really loud and threw wine corks at her. I'm so mature.

my little brother always sings that song- its the devil! its so annoying, but so catchy too.

ps. i've started downloading some of your soundtrack songs..will post q's later if i can think of any but i'm enjoying your answers..keep asking q's folks!

Maddie · Coach

So I'm ridiculously ADD and realized I missed some questions...

honey...

what is your favorite thing to do at home when you're on vacation from school?
I'm always at kind of a loss as to what to do. I usually spend the first four days or so lying in bed and watching TV with my pets. I used to go to lots of movies with my mom, but she hurt her back recently and can't sit for that long. My sister and I will usually go golfing. I'll go out to parties and stuff with my friends who go to the UW. My friends and I will go out to eat a lot. I think my favorite thing is really just hanging out at my house. Even though I never see my friends from home anymore, I often just don't answer the phone.

sfcaligirl...

what's your dream job?
I posted above about what I think I want to do. But I'd also love to have a magazine. My friend and I actually spent a couple of weeks this summer developing what it would be like. It would be geared towards women, but would be ambiguously sexual. Pretty much all magazines, unless they are specifically gay, are completely geared toward straight people, which is ridiculous. I like GQ and I think it would be kind of like that, but more fun. I just have a hard time finding women's magazines that I think are smart at all. Elle is close. And there wouldn't be any sex tips, there would be masturbation tips. I don't think women need another place to learn how to pleasure their man, particularly in the ridiculous ways Cosmo offers. It would have different perspectives on current events, talk about current events mainstream media doesn't. How to be environmentally friendly. We would also have celebrities make mix tapes and then people could buy them and the proceeds would go to the celebrity's charity of choice. But we would have cool celebrities making good mixes not like iTunes' current celebrity playlists. We would find cool people and do profiles on them. I know this woman who's a butcher, how cool is that? We'd have people write stories about how they lost their virginty. We'd syndicate PostSecret. I forget our other ideas, I wrote them down somewhere. Anyway, sorry to ramble, I was really excited about this idea, although I'm pretty sure it wouldn't sell.

what are your holiday plans?
I go home tomorrow! I'm so excited. I have pretty much no plans for when I'm home other than the typical family Christmas parties and the sort of stuff I just wrote above in response to honey's question. Then on the 28th my family's heading to western Mass to our family friends' house where a bunch of families get together every year. Sooo fun and I never have to worry about having cool New Years plans. Then I'm hanging out in Boston with a Bates friend who transferred to another school this year, and then on the 4th I have to go back to school.