Nicole's Page

Well, this page is a utter and total mess. I forget now the reason I started one up in the first place. Back in 1997, it seemed like an interesting way to procrastinate. Unfortunately, I didn't keep things up and am now hopelessly behind on the technology. Isn't this a sad state of affairs. Anyway, I suppose I'll just suck it up, be embarrassed, and get over it, since no one really visits this page anyway. It's my place to sort things out these days.

So at the moment I'm at a little internet cafe bar in the small town of Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. I've been backpacking around Europe (Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic) for over three months. Getting a tad weary...I return to Austin on October 30, and am starting to realize that I'm ready to be back on familiar turf. Traveling has been enormously rewarding, though, and I would encourage anyone that can scrape together enough money to take off for a far-away destination at some point in his or her life. I cannot recommend it enough...I consider it a major chunk of my education.

So now I should probably introduce myself. My name's Nicole (obviously) and I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in December 1999. My major was anthropology, with an emphasis in physical anthro. I am one of those people that has a very hard time focusing on one small thing, so I picked a major that encompasses all of humanity. Forensic anthro also fascinates me. I worked for the past year at the physical anthro lab at UT, helping to create the website www.eskeletons.org. Let me just say that working with a bunch of disgruntled graduate students is not always rosy.

I've lived all over the place, and am most recently from Shalimar, Florida, where my family currently lives. I've been an enthusiastic resident of Austin for a little over 5 years now. Austin is such an amazing place to live, and I love exploring the quirky shops, museums, parks, and everything else this city has to offer. Not a fan of the traffic, though. Who is, really?
Well, I have many interests. In my time here at UT I've been involved in Alpha Phi Omega (let me stress, this is a Co-ed service fraternity; I don't believe in the social Greek system), the UT Ballroom Dance Club, Sierra Student Coalition, and UTAS (the UT Anthropological Society).
Some other interests: painting and sketching, learning new languages (I've taken courses in Spanish and Russian), writing, getting in touch with old old friends, bungee-jumping, going to Barton Springs, seeing weird obscure movies at Dobie Theater, and playing my small collection of flutes...and on and on. The outdoors is where I like to be most...camping, canoeing, hiking the glorious Texan plains (haha), swimming, ect. I strengthened my respect for nature while in Belize last summer...to an infinate degree!

Cool music: Tori Amos (!!), Ani Difranco, Phish, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Beck, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Live, Sublime, Cranberries, Tom Petty, Simon and Garfunkel, and most alternative. I went with Alea to the MTV Sports and Music Festival three years ago, which was fun, albeit commercialized. I can't STAND country and rap, blechhh. Also I hate Sister Hazel and the Barenaked Ladies with an irrational passion. I fall asleep at night listening to Enya or the Passion soundtrack by Peter Gabrial and wake up by turning on the radio. I have a special place in my heart for "classical" music and I like most of it, especially Adagio for Strings, the Moldau by Smetana, and Claire de Lune. I was a band nerd in high school so I have an especially fond ear for Overture to Candide by Bernstein and Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral by Wagner, which we played concert season one year. Candide is the most fun thing for a flute to play.

Cool movies: Three major requirements in movies: a story to tell, substance, and compelling characters. I tend to prefer movies that are bookish in form. Some of my favorites are: American Beauty, Run Lola Run, The Princess Bride, Edward Scissorhands, Fargo, Trainspotting, E.T., the House of the Spirits, Eye of God, Before Sunrise, Welcome to Sarajevo, Hands on a Hardbody (not what you think!), Life is Beautiful, and many more.

Not cool movies: Okay, I really can't stand pretentious movies, like--say-- "The English Patient". I respect the cinematography and potential of this flick, but if you ask me, the basic storyline was drivel. I just didn't feel the connection to the characters I was supposed to feel, and 2 1/2 hours takes dedication! Another movie that's on my nonfavorite list is "Legends of the Fall" (I'm probably the only female in the world who didn't like this movie, except for Kara!) I do like Henry Thomas, though (the youngest brother and Elliot from E.T.!) Rent *Niagara Niagara*! It's amazing.

As I said, I'm in the process of making a picture page. There are a few photos here, from my friends here in Austin to my travels a couple of years ago to Guam. Also, Alea has made a new page of pics that we took over Christmas break that are pretty cool, if only for the fact that I for once don't have red eye. They're a bit silly, though. :)

If you want to know what's going on in my life right at this very moment, go here. Reality above all else. :)

My family and friends...

Sister Page made for me by Alea :)

Comesay hi to my sister Alea!
Alas, Jason's page is permantly gone. It will be sorely missed! Therefore, I have begun to work on a page just for Jason
This is Morgan's page. Um, he's changed it around a bit and now it's a little scary. Morgan was one of my roommates sophomore, and is a comp science major. :)
Mandy's page. She's the only one of my friends from high school to have her own page (that I know of), and it's a good one.
Here's Garner's page. I used to drive him to school when he was a freshman. He had fun squeegeeing my car while it was moving.

Ahh, the Joy of Learning...

Check out theScience Odessey web site...all kinds of things to add wrinkles to your brain.

Entertainment...

A fanzine for Tori Amos. Not that I'm a fanatic or anything...
Here's a great place to find tidbits and reviews of the movie persuasion. Written in my great hometown of Austin by one Harry Knowles, whose name probably sounds familiar to you.
Test your knowledge of trivia and attempt to win cool prizes!

Rather sad social commentary...

The best Days site around
The Adventures of ToastyFrog

Takes me back...

Dangermouse! If you didn't watch this cartoon on Nickelodeon as a kid, you really missed out
The Choctaw High School Band homepage :)

Miscellaneous...

You can take your very own personality test.I am of the healer style, in case you were wondering.
Want to know what your name means? This wacko site will tell you.

Thanks for visiting! If you sign my guestbook, I will return the favor. :)

Oh, by the way, you are number or something to visit me. Don't ask me what's up with my counter. One day it jumped from 148 to 1480...uh...okay, whatever. Hey, why don't you sign my guestbook? You've come this far, you might as well! :)

Grace My Guestbook With Your Name!
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© 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000drano@mail.utexas.edu