Oh, Canada!

Well folks, this is it. I'm currently sitting on my bed in a hostel in Victoria, BC. It is weird to think I am in a different country than my beloved U.S. of A., because quite frankly, I glance out my window and it looks, sounds, smells, and acts like any other part of a clean, major city. But I do have three Canadian quarters now, so ... I guess this is legit. :) And I have to admit, while going through customs, I was really tempted to ask the guy if he knew the one and only Robert Michael Jack, but I figured it wouldn't be the best interaction to start out our tour of the country. :) (AKA: Canadian Border Patrol.)

It was fun to ride the ferry again; I have very little recall from the last time I rode one (To Vashon Island for a family reunion), but being on the boat brought back a lot of clear memories. The San Juan Islands were beautiful to ... drive through? float through? eh. whatever. they were pretty with the fog and such.

Priscilla and I enjoying the wind and wet of the ferry. woo.

I can't believe this is day 18 already. Time fluctuates like no other on this trip. Sometimes it feels like I've been on the road for a year, and others like we only gotten to take a breath and then moved on (like in Seattle. How sad to only spend 1.5 days in Seattle.)

The famous gum wall. Disgustingly fascinating.



This little man makes all the sweets inside. He was sweet.



Unfortunately, my tripod decided to live up to its $15 standard, and fell apart a little bit. It'll last me the rest of this trip, and with a little super glue, it will last me as long as I would like to keep money in my pocket. But it was creating some camera shake, and this is the best one I got. :( Next time, I guess.

What have I learned thus far? A lot about perceptions. It has been eye opening to realize just how many people live a different lifestyle than my own. I still get a kick out of the lady that worked in that dinky little restaurant for 30 years in Gerlach. I wish I had felt safe enough to talk to the homeless people on the streets of Seattle. I hope to remember the impressions of the souls of the people who are wandering through their lives, whether they think they have a direction or not. The world really is made up of all sorts of people.

On a more artistic level, I've learned about nature photography. I finally get things like shutter speed, f-stop, iso, etc. That part of this trip has been soooo fun.

I've learned exactly what I need to do to get into the BFA graphic design program. Which is this: if I want it, I've got to sacrifice and work my fingers to the bone, because in all honesty, it is the integrity of the work put in along with the design presented that acquires approval. So the next year of my life is going to be very intense, but I'm okay with that. Let's get it on.

I have to say, this being now my second experience in a hostel (my first being just two days ago), I like the adventure associated with hostels. It is crazy. Tons of strangers living together from unique walks of life with an uncertain amount of trust given or taken from each one. And for good reason. Seattle had some shady faces.

But I love this idea of strangers just hanging out! It is really great. People are generally kind and like to smile, because we're all in this together.

Victoria is a neat place; I haven't had a chance to really explore it yet, but the China town was interesting. The hardest part about this trip has been the rule of sticking in groups. If anyone knows me, they know how much I looooooove to be dependent on other people. ;) But I'm following all the rules, so no worries mom.

I have to say, I'm missing my friends and family and bed a lot today. Probably because it was a really stressful experience getting parked (sometimes I drive the van. I didn't today, but I was still really stressed out) and I don't like tense situations. But after a nap and some peace time things are great.

And, in the last three days, I was able to see three old friends! Daniele Vickers and a friend roadtripped up to Portland for the long weekend, and she surprised me, Stephanie (also a former roommate) and others that she knew on our study abroad. I remember hearing someone come into the room where I was trying to sleep, and being so annoyed at whoever the stranger was, because it was obviously a stranger with how she was whispering to someone, and then I heard her say "Where's Carrie Carlson?" I ripped off my blanket and sat straight up, and stared right at Daniele. It was awesome. :) Thank you for coming to visit me Daniele, what perfect timing. We even got to stay up and chat like olden days.

And Jennifer Brookes and Nicole Lopez are current Seattle-ites, after living there for almost a year. I was able to meet up with them one night and then Nikki and I toured the SAM (Seattle Art Museum) together, as well as parts of Seattle. It was great to see people I knew.

Word of the day: threnody \THREN-uh-dee\, noun; 1. A poem, speech, or song of lamentation, especially for the dead; dirge; funeral song.

Sandy Toes. All the Time.

Being a landlocked lady all my life, I'm not used to the feeling of sand constantly in between my tosies. That has been a feeling I've enjoyed time and time again the last few days. :)

We had a specTACuLAR (As John Telford described it) sunset we had an opportunity to photograph the other night out at Haystack Rock. I'm not used to shooting on the beach, so that was a challenge. Good thing we're on the beach for almost the rest of the trip. woo

Today we visited some waterfalls, and while we were up there getting ready to photograph we got harangued into helping someone propose to his girlfriend on the bridge. That was interesting.

A visit to the beach was in order, so my friend Stephanie and I walked along Cannon Beach (it goes for 7 miles) until we felt like we should go back, and then I walked out into the waves a little bit.

This house that we're staying in makes me laugh, because right now it is 1:27 AM, and I'm sitting at the dining room table. There are 9 other students up right now, with the majority of them editing their photos. I can count 4 different art projects just in my eyesight, and I can think of two more upstairs, not counting everyone's personal space. There are tripods, macs, and powercords at every junction, and the fridge is packed full with various foods tucked away in every nook and cranny. We're definitely college students.

The following are the photos I chose for my second nature critique tomorrow; I wasn't as satisfied with this section as I was the last, but I guess that is what learning is for.

I also bought a graphic design book today. I've got some things in the works for that, so as soon as I finish them I'll post those as well. Keep your fingers crossed!

We went out and did light painting on the beach. It was really fun, I plan on doing it again. This took a lot of practice ... one of my favorite bloopers is "I love Team Carl".

Word of the Day: waxing \WAK-sing\, verb; 1. To increase in extent, quantity, or power. 2. (Of the moon) to increase in the extent of its illuminated portion before the full moon. 3. To grow or become.

Pigs, Cheese, and Candles in Cannon Beach, Oregon

Happy Birthday to me ...

This morning I treated myself to a hot shower at 7 AM before we left Coos Bay at 8 AM. I guess some presents to yourself are a little more practical than others.

Wow has this week flown, and taken forever! I can’t believe how much we’ve done since the last time I had an adequate connection. Today, day 11, is the first time I’ve had REAL internet, fully functioning with access to everything. It is great. Although I have to admit, not having regular internet connection has also been a beautiful experience. Life is so much BETTER without a continuous connection to the digital world. Says the graphic design major.

Where do I even start?

After Reno we drove to a little rainy town in Orick, California. Our motel was the flashiest building in the city, with murals all over the back of the building. Oh man. Little towns have a whole new meaning for me.

During our stay in Orick we visited a beach, the Redwoods, Fern Canyon, and a city called Trinidad. I think. Things are starting to blur together, but I’m doing my best.

After Orick, we drove to Coos Bay, Oregon, and stayed in this cute camp ground with yurts. Yurts are like the happy medium for people who like to be in nature, but not in tents. And they like their electricity and heater, and bed. We had bunk beds and a futon in our yurts. :) Happy campers, indeed.

In Coos Bay we spent time at various beaches, dunes, gardens, and little fishing towns. I had fish and chips for the first time in my recollection, and it wasn’t too shabby. I’m still not a fish person, but to my credit, I’ve eaten a lot more stuff than I normally allow myself to eat. ( I, Carrie Carlson, ORDERED tomatoes on my subway sandwich outside Eureka, California. I’m a changed person.)

Today I got a lovely rendition of “Happy Birthday” and we drove to Cannon Beach, northern Oregon. We’re staying in this MASSIVE house. It is awesome. There are 18 beds, even though we have 28 people. But there’s plenty of room for all of us. I love it!

So this is just the dining table. (Obviously.) You get the point about the size of the house, yes?

On the art respect, we had our first nature photography critique, which turned out to be an informative experience. I really like that class, I feel like I learned a lot, and I’m really excited to learn more. Here’s some of the photos I’ve taken:

(Keep in mind ... I am just under 2000 pictures taken thus far. And it takes a million years for me to upload them because I haven't changed their format yet. Once I get around to doing that, a lot more pictures will be going up. I admire your patience. ;)

And for my 480 class, Joe Ostraff helped me redirect my ideas and now I’m really pumped to getting ready for the BFA application next August. So those updates will come as I get them.

Interesting things of note:

Tillamook Cheese Factory has much more interesting ice cream than actual factory. Just go straight to the ice cream, is my recommendation.

I saw a pig today. In a stroller. Similar to how we like to walk with our babies, except, it was a pig.

Rain happens. Just deal with it.

I haven't blow-dried my hair all week long. And I think I lost my brush in Reno. So I'm getting more and more pocahontaseque every day.

Man I feel like my literary abilities are FRIED, for whatever reason. Probably because I’m trying to summarize an entire week of intense, visual, aesthetic, and mind-probing experiences into one post. That’s a difficult thing to accomplish.

Let’s be honest. You were all dying to see the pictures rather than read the words anyway. :) So I don’t feel as bad not talking as much.

But!

My "Vancouver Family", as they've been dubbed, threw me an excellent, spur of the moment, 30 minute party. I loved it. Somehow they figured out that my favorite cake is red velvet cake and my favorite ice cream is the alaskan moose tracks chocolate whatever the delicious that is. (You know you're an adult when you have ice cream THREE SEPARATE TIMES in one day ... and you're fully aware of those decisions. :)

They forced me to go to the store so that I could get my own groceries and help gather the groceries for our dinner group, and they made a red cake out of a white cake mix, box of chocolate pudding mix, and some other few things. When we drove back up, they lit the candles. But the candles were stuck into a very hot cake, and the wax melted, leaving just the wicks, and so the candles burned up really fast and started to burn the cake before I could get inside and be surprised, so they were hurrying me inside and it was obvious what was going on, and I laughed my head off. It was all very hilarious, and I loved it. My lovely friend Dawn made me a beautiful paper crown to wear, and they sang a brilliant Happy Birthday, and I just felt a lot of love. And I got my red cake! I can only remember one birthday where I didn't have a red cake.

Look carefully and notice the different-colored wax holes ... that's all the wax that melted into the cake. Oh man. What a way to celebrate.

And they made me this card. Truly, it has been a great birthday with people that I might not have known all my life, but I can call very special in my heart.

Word of my birthday: adumbrate \a-DUHM-breyt\, verb; 1. To foreshadow; prefigure. 2. To produce a faint image or resemblance of; to outline or sketch. 3. To darken or conceal partially; overshadow.

Word of the day I post: shivaree \SHIV-uh-ree\, noun; 2. an elaborate, noisy celebration.

(P.S. did I mention how WEIRD it is to be officially out of the teens? I’m thrilled. :)

P.P.S. I will upload a lot more pictures this week, when I get a chance. Just FYI.

Days One, Two, and Three

So, I tried posting in Gerlach, but the connection was too bad. So I'm trying again, sitting outside Saint Mary's Hospital just a block over from Circus Circus. I am my father's child, and refuse to pay for internet when I can find it for free. :) I just wish he were here war-driving with me, this would have been a lot easier.

Day One:

After 12 hours in the van, several art-appreciation stops, one very loud train that I could see from my motel window (about ... 100 yards from my bedroom), and one very stinky (of the urine kind) said motel room, I have made it through my first sleep of my venture.

I could go on for decades about everything! But I'll be brief, because time is of the essence, my friends.

1st interest: The Tree of Utah. This thing is massive, and I had no idea it existed, and I can’t even really tell you where it is. But it’s really funky. It was fun taking pictures of all the pro photographers. I don't get the art of the tree, so don't ask. :) It was built in the 1980's and is made of concrete, steel, and thousands of pieces of tile.

2nd. Van driving is fun! I got to drive for about 6 hours, and it was well worth it. Not for any particular reason, it was just really cool. Thanks mom for always letting me drive on the highway during our numerous trips between Colorado and Provo, that helped out a lot on the one-lane strip and the windy roads and other highway hazards. :)

Also, did you know how mountainous northern Nevada is? I had no idea. There were substantial mountains the entire time we were driving. Fascinating. It was quite enjoyable; nothing like Glenwood Canyon or the beloved Rocky Mountains I know, but still rather pretty, in its own bland, desert way.

3rd. Astrophotography. That’s right folks, taking pictures of beautiful desert stars. I didn't get to dabble in this as much as I would have liked because I didn’t know what I was doing beforehand, but that’s the point of learning, right? I am definitely going to practice more, you can count on that! Star trails are when you have a long exposure (the following is about 10 minutes) and it captures the rotation of the earth through the movement of the stars. And it wasn’t cold at all, it was awesome night weather.

So I was supposed to go take pre-sunrise photos that morning, and I heard 6 AM was go time. So I woke up and was ready to go at 6... mountain time. It was still really dark and I realized that though my phone had automatically made the time switch, my ipod (which is currently serving as my alarm, because a working alarm on my cell phone is too far advanced for this nokia brick I’m using) had not, so I was up and ready an hour early. What would any real trooper do? Go back to bed! So I did, but I couldn’t really sleep all that well, and so I just kinda watched the speed limit sign right outside our window get lighter and lighter.

And then I realized that what I was watching was the desired effect that we were supposed to go shoot, and I jumped up and saw a nearly-risen sunrise. So I grabbed my stuff to see if there were people outside, and to my disappointment, two of the vans were gone. Which meant I somehow missed the boat. My suspicion is that I heard half of the conversation, and that STINKS! Mostly because I was wide awake, and it is only 6:10.

But it is only one sunrise, soon to be followed by a month’s more. I’m not terribly upset. :)

Gerlach Nevada. It is so unrealistically podunk that you could make a movie out of it. It is like the place were the troubled teenage girl is sent to live with her distant aunt so she'll straighten up and hates the living daylight out of the place, and then eventually learns her lesson and doesn't want to leave her new way of living. (Or the small town that kills off any intruders by strapping them down to the conveniently located train tracks. But I try not to imagine that kind of little town.) Please do not mistake me for said, troubled teenage girl in any fashion, because I would never be able to survive Gerlach.

The only place to eat is at Bruno's Country Club: Motel, Cafe, Saloon, and Casino, and with three additional bars (all within one minute walk along Main Street) provides the only visible entertainment. The food at the cafe was fairly good, considering the smell of the saloon/casino just 15 feet from my table and through an open door was more than wafting in. I felt bad for the single waitress/busser/cashier, because she wished “they” (whoever they are) had given her more notice about the students from some university (BYU or something?) who she previously heard about coming. She was very nice and later we discovered that she started working at Bruno’s when she was 12 ... some 30 years ago. She loves Gerlach, it is her home, and could never even think of leaving. At one point I glanced back through to the kitchen and saw the only cook; his half-bald head was weary but he kept on taking our orders (our group more than doubled the customers) and producing good, small town food. Later we found out he was Bruno.

This tiny, tiny train-born town (founded in late 1800’s) is loved by its citizens. All 30 of them. I'm glad someone has some lovin' for this old, beat-up train stop.

It really baffles this city girl how adults (I think I saw one person under the age of 25) can live so far removed from any degree of hustle and bustle. But they love it, so all I have for them is admiration.

Days Two and Three:

We left Gerlach at around 10 AM after seeing some interesting environmental art. That place is a barren, barren wasteland. I think I would like to live somewhere like that if I didn't love the internet and wal-mart and people and the city. So maybe if I lived there 100 years ago, because there is a intriguing beauty about a giant, vast wasteland.

Pyramid Lake Reservation is owned by who knows what tribe of Indians, and we stopped at their lake for about 4 hours. It was such an interesting contrast with the barren wasteland that was just 40 miles another direction. It was the biggest lake I've ever seen. Maybe not as big as Bear Lake, but I don't have an accurate memory of how big Bear Lake is. And it was BEAUTIFUL. Just sitting on a vacant bench looking at this lake for 4 hours was one of the most relaxing things I've done recently. I made small chat with a few people, but for the most part, it was myself and my thoughts. A lovely, lovely change.

We pulled into Reno yesterday evening (can I just say, van driving is probably one of the most entertaining things to either produce or participate in; we had some amazing curb checks and close-calls. None by yours truly though, so don't worry. ;)

Circus Circus = overrated. I'm mostly annoyed because they don't have free internet or refrigerators, which our dinky little motel at least tried to provide. But it really isn't that bad at all, I'm just being obnoxious.

We went into downtown Reno and took some cool night photography in the city. I would love to try it somewhere like New York or even Denver. Reno really is the biggest little blip on the map of nowhere impressive. But the weather has been beautiful, so I'm not complaining. :)

Once I get a really solid connection, I'll upload some pictures. But I don't want to risk it since this connection took me almost an hour to get, and I won't have it for much longer.

We're heading to the Redwoods first thing tomorrow! The campsites are first come first serve, so wish us luck. :)

Word of the Day: eidetec \ahy-DEK-ik\, adjective; Of, pertaining to, or constituting visual imagery vividly experienced and readily reproducible with great accuracy and great detail.

Loonies, toonies, and tuques, eh?

Well, the moment has finally arrived! Last night was probably the best nights' sleep I'll get for about a month. Who ever sleeps well the night before a bon voyage? Not me.

The bags are packed and loaded, my stuff is (mostly) managed, my goodbyes have been said, my water bottle is chillin' in the fridge (it's probably have one last hurrah with the salsa ... I'm going to miss that salsa.) and my in limbo state is finally coming to a close.

In limbo is awfully uncomfortable, I've decided. Which is interesting, because in this very study abroad class we talked about LIMINAL SPACE, which is the concept of a time, space, or place without any boundaries. The best physical example: elevators. The time you spend on an elevator is entirely dedicated to waiting. People don't talk, because that's weird, even if you know some of the people you're with. You really want to rattle someone's cage, strike up a meaningful conversation with a stranger on the elevator; neither of you have the time or the emotional investment. It is fascinating to see how strangers react.

Today I was wondering what made this experience of having no responsibility or belonging or even regular interactions any different than the summers of my youth, because there are a lot of similarities: my responsibility is low, I don't have the regular system of homework, I did pretty much whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, and no one bothered me about not getting anything done.

In those summers, I didn't know anything better. I didn't know how satisfying it is to cross off ten things on your "To Do" list, or to gain educational insight on a subject, make something useful or productive of my time, or focus on service and other people. I was just a tomboy enjoying sunshine, bugs, books, and hanging out with my mom. (which I would still trade for anything, PS. Have you met my mother? You'd want to hang out with her too, making random fruit smoothies or going to Jo-Ann's. Or anything else. I can't wait to come home and hang out with you, Mom!)

That life was great, don't get me wrong. I'm sure a lot of who I am came from getting those childhood experiences. But how grateful am I to find satisfaction in the things I do now, to have meaningful interactions with the people around me and to recognize personal development. I think when we gain the ability to really control our lives, and mold the products we produce, that's when we cross the line from bug-loving summers to idea-executing existence. That's when a day vacation is great, even a week; but your intellect starts to hurt when you don't exercise it. More than ever can I relate to a fish out of water.

Isn't it amazing that with knowledge and maturity comes responsibility. Whether we recognize it that way is our own choice, but that's how the cookie crumbles. Who would have thought I wanted to put responsibility back in my life! But that is what I want. Sure I'll take the stress it comes with; I'd rather be worried about something than worried about nothing.

And now I am going to find great satisfaction in dreaming of passenger vans. Tomorrow starts a grand adventure!

Word of the day: afterclap \AF-ter-klap\ , noun; An unexpected, often unpleasant sequel to a matter that has been considered closed.

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

I don't know who Victor Borge is or was, or what his other philosophies were (are? is he still alive? I just assume he's dead because he's being quoted online. But maybe I'm about to be hugely mistaken) on life, but that is one with which I can definitely agree.

True laughter is one of those amazing, bonding, binding experiences that any two (or three, or seven) people can have if the conditions are right. Really, any degree of coherence is all that is required; laughing at 3 AM can be just as satisfying as 1 PM. A history of information, people, events, and memories is usually the breeding ground and essential to true, raucous laughter. Best friends of decades can giggle together over a completely coincidental event or instance and not give one lick that no one else understands the connection between jenga and costco-brand "crunchy snack".

Some souls have been blessed with laughter that warms everyone within earshot, while others find their laughs as malleable as breakfast's over-cooked porridge. (who says porridge anymore? It's Quaker's Oatmeal all the way, folks. Don't buy into Goldilocks. But do you know what I'm talking about? There's this phase of morning oatmeal where you've added just under the right amount of liquid, and in your bowl is this carve-able mass of oats and clumps of unstirred brown sugar. My favorite way to eat it, actually.)

I fall into this latter category. I remember getting comments on my laugh my freshman year, how it was so unique or joy-bringing or whatever. And then I noticed my sophomore year that it changed. Was it because I didn't think something was the same kind of funny? Was I trying to be a different person? Was I not satisfied or embarrassed or some other personal problem? None of these questions apply. Honestly, I think it was because I was surrounded by several powerhouse laughs, and they made an influence in how I laughed. Interesting how those same powerhouse laughers have influenced my life in a lot of other positive ways as well.

Isn't it interesting that someone's laugh is more identifiable than possibly their face? You can hide a face really well under makeup, wigs, eyebrow transformations, contacts, glasses, etc. Usually you aren't fooled, but sometimes, man. who are you? (I'm gonna make a change, for once in my life, ... Michael Jackson knows what I'm talking about.)

But I can hear a roommate's laugh from around a corner and know who it is. I could never be confused about two sisters giggling, despite being nearly identical in personality and beliefs. Even through walls, windows, snow, or people, you can always identify a friend through their laughter. And isn't is awesome how happy it makes you to hear someone laugh? I wish I had a soundtrack of the people I love laughing, because that is what brings me the greatest joy.

I just had an experience tonight of hearing some of the most beautiful laughter from someone I greatly admire and love. I heard it all the time this last school year, but tonight was the capstone hurrah. (Veins were popping and everything, and the back of heads hurt from laughing so hard.)

I'm grateful for this experience I could have, tucked away in my memory (card. Who would I be without a camera?), hearing such a jolly outburst and exclamation of pure joy.

Indeed, 2 nephi 2:25:

Adam fell, that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

I hope you can find time in your busy, stressful, demanding lives to enjoy true laughter with someone you love. Because it is the best stress ball I've ever seen.

word of the day: malapert \MAL-uh-purt\, adjective; unbecomingly bold or saucy.

Lessons to learn.

This photo sums up my life RIGHT now. I have so much time on my hands, I don't know what to do with it. This waiting around for something to happen is so frustrating, because usually things would happen to me and I had to pick and choose what I would spend my time on. Now it is spilling out my ears and I barely can swim through it to do something productive.

Last summer I had a similar experience, except worse. I went home for the summer to live with my parents, and I loved that. I also had secured an excellently paying summer job. Things were going to be great.

For the entire month of May, I pretty much wasted my time away. I spend every evening home from work doing silly things on the computer (like watching 5 seasons of a favorite cartoon show from my childhood. I know.) instead of spending time with my parents and grandfather, or being outside, or reading, writing, organizing, cleaning, serving, shopping, anything. I really did nothing worthwhile for all the month of May. But I wasn't going to back to Provo until the 15th of August, so I had some time to shape up, right?

The first week of June I had a weird tickle in my throat. That tickle turned into a 3-month, mysterious, hacking-to-the-point-of-vomiting cough with absolutely no symptoms. There was one moment in the month of June or July, I can't remember, where I really was quite sick and I slept in the room down the hall from my parents (my bedroom is in the basement) so my mom could come to my aid as I needed it. And I needed it.

I went to the doctor to get some blood tests and x-rays to see what was wrong with me. That was actually pretty cool, mostly because since I was still 19 I could go to the new Children's Hospital. But there was nothing that showed up anywhere wrong. I did learn I have kyphosis, a weakness in between two vertebrae in my upper back/neck that will lead to a humpback when I'm old if I don't do therapy now. So I'm working on that.

I had no plausible reason for being so ill. And I felt completely fine, when I wasn't coughing. But I had to be careful not to induce any of that coughing, and I couldn't sleep because I was always coughing.

My summer, MY summer drifted away while I was sleeping in a bed or being late to work because I was ill. All the friends, fun, bonfires, games, time I could have spent doing something memorable or productive fell to spending time getting better. And man did I regret the month of May.

Don't let time slip through your hands at any moment, because you really can never get it back. It is such a classic, timeless lesson (irony? yes.) but it is so true. I wish I had that month of May back. But all I'll get is the lesson I learned.

This is probably why I have a general aversion to watching TV or movies on a regular basis. I feel more relaxed when I am with friends, family, or reading a book; TV and movies are hardly at the quality to be inspirational or uplifting, so I prefer to have them use my precious time as little as possible. I am a weakling for all things internet, so that is this summer's focus. Less time online = more time greatly spent.

And speaking of time, I've got so little left to get ready for the day. ciao.

Word of the Day: iatrogenic \ahy-a-truh-JEN-ik\, adjective; A malady induced inadvertently by a physician or surgeon or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures.

(just in case you are wondering, I always get the word of the day after I finish my post, so the fact that the words always coincide with some aspect of my post is starting to creep me out.)

No one sings about Monday morning.

Why is it, no matter how many times my alarm goes off, I'll stay in bed for as long as possible on a Monday morning? Am I afraid of the week? Certainly not, have you heard about my week (weak) schedule? Class from 1-4 on Monday and Tuesday. The End.

Do I wish to continue dreaming sweet dreams? Maybe, if I could remember what they were. But I don't recall any princes, hovering couches, or Cary Grant doing the Macarena, any of which would qualify for a sweet dream.

Speaking of the Macarena. Do you remember when you learned the macarena? I don't. But I think I knew it when I was really young ... I remember doing it at Lansing Elementary (which, out of curiosity, I researched and found out that on greatschools.org it has received a 2 out of 10 rating. My second elementary school, Sunrise Elementary, received a 5 out of 10. I realize those are current ratings, but from my memory, the education I was receiving and I could have received at Lansing was monumentally better than what I got at Sunrise. Ask my mom. She'll tell ya.) (And quite frankly, I don't consider attending a school where high scores are the qualifications for a "good education" a guarantee for producing societal stewards who take serious responsibility in their education and understand the implications of their leadership and examples. But that is for another day.)

Am I just being lazy? that is a reaaaaally good question. And probably the closest answer.

Am I tired? Yes. Always. But that is a new goal of mine, to eradicate sleepiness from my life. Who needs it?

Somehow, I managed to get out of bed and still do what I wanted early in the morning. But that also makes me wonder about myself. What is it that pushes me to get out of bed? What is it that motivates action?

You can believe anything. But believing in something enough to act upon takes significantly more accountability.

Word of the Day: jnana: \juh-NAH-nuh\, noun: Absolute knowledge acquired through meditation and study as a means of reaching (in Hinduism) Brahman; (in Buddhism) a state of awareness or conceptual thought.

Mayday, Mayday, it's May Day!

Today is the First of May. This means a number of things.

1. I will turn 20 in exactly 23 days from today. 20 is half-way to 40. holy cow. (Not that 40 is old, but I used to be 6 just a few days ago.)

2. in 13 days, I'll be in a van with x amount of art people driving all over the northwest part of the country. stoked, am i.

3. Today my sister's family is driving to Colorado to live with mi padres and work my bro-in-law's internship. I'm excited for my mother, having a daughter plus two grandkiddies move in is probably the best kind of summer treat she could get.

4. There are only 7 months left in the year 2010. Technically 8, since we haven't done a lick of May yet, but ... numbers are different. 7 months.

5. The number 5 = May.

6. If you can't tell, I've been pulling really hard to come up with interesting things for about the last 4 of these 6.

Well ... that's about it. I miss my friends, but I'll see them again soon or someday, and I need to drink more water.

Word of the Day: omnific \om-NIF-ik\ , adjective; creating all things; having unlimited powers of creation.