Days like these completely frustrate me and make me wonder “what in the world am I trying to do with my life?” Everything seems so trite and obsolete. The things that worry me don’t, the things that do, shouldn’t.
Alas, here I am, beach living in Southern Florida and ya know, although I’m a little upset about the current hectic state of my life, I know that Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds came up on my Itunes for a reason. As much as I hate the cliché term “everything happens for a reason”, I guess to an extent it’s completely true. I’ve been through a lot of hard times in my life and look, here I am. I’m following my dreams and living for myself. Perseverance. My left wrist is a constant reminder of that. “Every little things gonna be all right”. Maybe not the way you planned for them to be, but that’s the beauty of life. You can screw up, and know it 100% but time doesn’t cease until time in your life stops. You can create, learn, recreate, grow, relapse, relearn and in the end these crazy hard times will do nothing but make you a better person in the end.
I’m sure this all sounds very abstract and I’m thinking/typing that way on purpose. Whether it is in your work life, your personal life, or whatever, it all rings true. Sometimes you need those crappy times to realize that life’s not about floating- it’s about learning and trying new things if the old ones fail. It seems very fitting that the Rolling Stones song- lyrics: “You can’t always get what you want” came up next on my itunes. Life’s funny but in the end it will all work out in whatever way it will so there’s no use fretting over the uncontrollable things in life. All you can do is live your life the best you can, learn from your mistakes, and try your hardest in the future to remember how to avoid the mistakes- it’s an adventure and you can’t get down on yourself- that’s not living, push through and have a good time. People will take you or leave you, but the ones that take you deserve you and the ones that leave you, don’t.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
#18: 1,696 Pages Later
I developed a love for books very early on in life, thanks to my sister who taught me to read before I entered kindergarten. As a cute little annoying kindergartener that knew how to read I was placed in the accelerated programs at school and even read to first graders every so often! Imagine that! Well something funny happened as I ‘progressed’ through the Wisconsin school system, teachers started making me read books to learn. Jamming books down kid’s throats is not a very effective way to encourage reading for fun, in my opinion anyway.
My passion for reading slowly disappeared and by high school I had probably read only one book at leisure. Actually I can tell you the circumstances in which I read this one book. I was going to swim camp in Michigan and my boyfriend at the time gave me this book as a “going away gift”. I think it was called like Home Body or something… That’s the one book I read from the time I was 13 until I graduated high school.
College deterred me from reading even more. I think by that point I even stopped reading the required pieces for class. Nope, I’m sure that I didn’t complete one book throughout my college career. But hey, guess what? I made it through and it only took me four years to graduate with three major degrees and a 3.0! Imagine that, despite not reading the required books for class I made it through. What does that tell you about the importance and effectiveness of pressing students to read? Yeah, yeah, perhaps if I would have done the required readings I would have gotten better grades, but really, a 3.0 from a great University will probably get me to where I want to be further on down the line.
As a recent college graduate I was faced with so many new freedoms. Freedoms to pick and choose my hobbies! What a wonderful world. The summer after graduation I found myself working at a coffee shop in Northern Wisconsin where I would be lucky to get 10 customers in an hour. To pass the time I would doodle and text my friends and listen to music anddddd eventually that stuff got old. One day I brought a book to work: Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut. Breakfast of Champions was my first Vonnegut novel and after reading it, suddenly books were reintroduced into my life, which was long overdue (no library pun intended).
I finished up my summer at the coffee shop and moved to Florida where life took me over again and I kind of forgot about reading. Which brings me to #26 on my list, read a book a week for an entire month.
The first book I chose was a James Patterson Novel, Cross Country. I decided May 2011 was a good time to start this whole reading thing because (I’ll be real) it’s one of the easier things on my “before 30” list and at this period in my life I need to relax and soak life in.
It was a Saturday night when I started #26. I decided to have a huge kick off event for it- complete with a bubble bath, candles, tea, and a facemask. It was lovely. The hardest part about crossing number 26 off the list was finding time to read. I became quite crafty. Sometimes I would make my class do silent reading so I could indulge in my current book. Other places I read my books included the stadium over by the dog park in Apopka, relaxed with an ice cream cone and coffee after work one evening. The beach will always be one of my favorite places to read, I did that quite a bit…well the Barrington Pool (the pool I sneak into down the road). But yes, not only do you acquire a certain knowledge from reading but it serves as a relaxation period as well. After Cross Country, I quickly finished 6 others. It was fabulous.
Here’s a rundown of my thoughts about each book:
Cross Country by James Patterson: Not thrilled, but it was a self esteem booster to finish a book really quickly.
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut: Kurt Vonnegut is my kind of guy. Life’s funny and this book re-enforces that notion.
The Stranger by Albert Camus: WTF? Camus you be one crazy man. Also- remember to live life before it’s too late and appreciate the things you’ve got before your time on Earth is up.
Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski: I think everyone should be a little bit more like Bukowski.
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby: If you like to read things without a plot or purpose read this book. If you like Nick Hornby, stick to High Fidelity.
A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut: Vonnegut’s commentaries on society are always interesting to read about. I think he had a lot of things figured out. And remember: “Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God”
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger: Society’s pressures sure can get you down. Careful what beliefs you invest yourself in… and just think anyone you meet could be the fat lady.
Lately books definitely serve a different purpose than merely a means to educate myself, they serve as a relaxation and meditation tool. Not much can top sitting down with a hot cup of chamomile tea and a good book -Epitome of delight. ☺ Take away: no matter how nerdy society deems avid readers, reading is fun. and cool. and awesome. and relaxing. and everyone should give it a chance...The End
My passion for reading slowly disappeared and by high school I had probably read only one book at leisure. Actually I can tell you the circumstances in which I read this one book. I was going to swim camp in Michigan and my boyfriend at the time gave me this book as a “going away gift”. I think it was called like Home Body or something… That’s the one book I read from the time I was 13 until I graduated high school.
College deterred me from reading even more. I think by that point I even stopped reading the required pieces for class. Nope, I’m sure that I didn’t complete one book throughout my college career. But hey, guess what? I made it through and it only took me four years to graduate with three major degrees and a 3.0! Imagine that, despite not reading the required books for class I made it through. What does that tell you about the importance and effectiveness of pressing students to read? Yeah, yeah, perhaps if I would have done the required readings I would have gotten better grades, but really, a 3.0 from a great University will probably get me to where I want to be further on down the line.
As a recent college graduate I was faced with so many new freedoms. Freedoms to pick and choose my hobbies! What a wonderful world. The summer after graduation I found myself working at a coffee shop in Northern Wisconsin where I would be lucky to get 10 customers in an hour. To pass the time I would doodle and text my friends and listen to music anddddd eventually that stuff got old. One day I brought a book to work: Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut. Breakfast of Champions was my first Vonnegut novel and after reading it, suddenly books were reintroduced into my life, which was long overdue (no library pun intended).
I finished up my summer at the coffee shop and moved to Florida where life took me over again and I kind of forgot about reading. Which brings me to #26 on my list, read a book a week for an entire month.
The first book I chose was a James Patterson Novel, Cross Country. I decided May 2011 was a good time to start this whole reading thing because (I’ll be real) it’s one of the easier things on my “before 30” list and at this period in my life I need to relax and soak life in.
It was a Saturday night when I started #26. I decided to have a huge kick off event for it- complete with a bubble bath, candles, tea, and a facemask. It was lovely. The hardest part about crossing number 26 off the list was finding time to read. I became quite crafty. Sometimes I would make my class do silent reading so I could indulge in my current book. Other places I read my books included the stadium over by the dog park in Apopka, relaxed with an ice cream cone and coffee after work one evening. The beach will always be one of my favorite places to read, I did that quite a bit…well the Barrington Pool (the pool I sneak into down the road). But yes, not only do you acquire a certain knowledge from reading but it serves as a relaxation period as well. After Cross Country, I quickly finished 6 others. It was fabulous.
Here’s a rundown of my thoughts about each book:
Cross Country by James Patterson: Not thrilled, but it was a self esteem booster to finish a book really quickly.
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut: Kurt Vonnegut is my kind of guy. Life’s funny and this book re-enforces that notion.
The Stranger by Albert Camus: WTF? Camus you be one crazy man. Also- remember to live life before it’s too late and appreciate the things you’ve got before your time on Earth is up.
Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski: I think everyone should be a little bit more like Bukowski.
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby: If you like to read things without a plot or purpose read this book. If you like Nick Hornby, stick to High Fidelity.
A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut: Vonnegut’s commentaries on society are always interesting to read about. I think he had a lot of things figured out. And remember: “Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God”
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger: Society’s pressures sure can get you down. Careful what beliefs you invest yourself in… and just think anyone you meet could be the fat lady.
Lately books definitely serve a different purpose than merely a means to educate myself, they serve as a relaxation and meditation tool. Not much can top sitting down with a hot cup of chamomile tea and a good book -Epitome of delight. ☺ Take away: no matter how nerdy society deems avid readers, reading is fun. and cool. and awesome. and relaxing. and everyone should give it a chance...The End
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
"Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my ma and pa"
Nostalgia: A sentimental longing for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.
As I begin preparing for life after Apopka I’m starting to become very self aware and reflective of the time I have spent in Florida thus far. This year reaffirmed many of my personal attributes, which I lost a while back. This year has shaped and reshaped me into who I am today. Working for a non-profit has opened my eyes to the insane immigration policies and educational systems of America. This year consisted a lot of laughing, learning, and having fun.
In the short amount of time spent in Florida, I can happily say I have made many new friends, some of which will undoubtedly stay in my life forever. I will always remember the nights that turned into mornings out on the patio, Cooter Brown’s and impromptu late night swim sessions, as well as all the crazy random adventures that I have unexpectedly found myself taking part in, but I truly miss my friends and family from back home and am excited to visit Rhinelander in August for the first time in over a year. Thinking about how all these new life experiences have shaped me always leads me to thoughts of where I began and that is what bombards me with nostalgia.
The Great Northwoods…I don’t know if I necessarily should use the word “homesick” but I definitely miss certain aspects about life “back home”.
Last August I moved to Florida without looking back. I left all my friends and family in Wisconsin and sadly the last time I visited my hometown, Rhinelander, Wisconsin was when I was driving down Rives Street on my way to Apopka.
One of the things I miss most includes sitting at my grandma’s lake with friends and family. I often overlooked and took for granted the lake that encompassed such solitude and serenity. Looking back, some of my best memories from home include sitting at the beach just chilling with my family and canoeing on the beautiful water, “treasure hunting” with Alicia. Good times.
Oh and of course, one of the best things about Rhinelander, hands down, is the ability to WALK around town, a luxury I gave up upon my relocation to Apopka.
Memories of walking downtown with my family to my favorite restaurant, The Pub, always solidified my love for the ability to walk places and the freedom that comes along with it. After work my mom, dad, and I would walk downtown and have dinner together at whichever restaurant we felt like going to then I’d meet up with friends and spend the rest of the night downtown at Bucketheads or open mic night or whatever. There were options. No worries to find a DD or committing to one or two bars because within a span of the 4 blocks of Brown Street (the main street in Rhinelander) there are about 20 (unexaggerated) bars to choose from. A person easily can jump from bar to bar and choose a bar that fits the mood of the night.
Madison, Wisconsin held a similar atmosphere as that of Rhinelander. Much like Rhinelander, walking everywhere proved the only logical method of transportation. I lived a longs ways away from campus all four years of college which forced me to walk wherever I wanted to go. The twenty-minute walk (minimum) to my destination gave me time to think/reflect, listen to music and bump into friends on the way, every day. Sometimes those unexpected run-ins with friends became the highlight of my day, and unfortunately the reliance on driving everywhere leaves no room for those unexpected meetings.
This differs so much from my current lifestyle since to get anywhere in Orlando, a city 15 miles southeast of Apopka, entails a 25-minute drive from where I live. In Apopka itself entertainment is limited and Chili’s or Cooter Brown’s offer the only spirits within reasonable driving distance. I really took for granted the awesomeness of being able to walk places.
I made the decision to live 1600 miles from that place for at least another year of my life. Mixed emotions currently flood me as I realize all the things I will be away from for another year, minimum.
Soon to be an aunt again I realize that I will not have the opportunity to see my nephew as much as I would like and that realization puts a bit of hesitation into my readiness to move even further from home. Family falls upon one of my top priorities in life and by accepting a position in Delray Beach, something I am so happy about, does not allow me to see my family- and as much as it seems like I am not a family person- I am. It kills me to know that living so far away from my hometown in a sense continues to drive a wedge between my family and me.
I am so glad that I have 5 of the best childhood friends a person could ask for back home and I will forever be grateful for all the support, love, and good times they have given me. And as for my family- I am one lucky girl to have such a dynamic set of people in one bloodline.
I feel guilty (for lack of a better word) for moving so far from my roots. It kills to know I am unable to be with my friends and family as they undergo so many life changes. I wish I could be there to celebrate engagements, new babies, new jobs, graduations, to name just a few. It also bothers me that I cannot be there to console friends and family in the hard times: family going to Iraq, breakups, failed attempts at finding jobs. I wish I could be more of a support system but sometimes distance makes that virtually impossible. On top of that I struggle with- no am terrible with communication and get so caught up in every day life and all too often let life carry me away that I forget about some really important people back home.
Although it seems at times like I have forgotten these friends and family they are with me every day and thoughts of them are never out of my mind. I will cherish all the memories I’ve had with these people as I move onto another chapter in my life.
As I begin preparing for life after Apopka I’m starting to become very self aware and reflective of the time I have spent in Florida thus far. This year reaffirmed many of my personal attributes, which I lost a while back. This year has shaped and reshaped me into who I am today. Working for a non-profit has opened my eyes to the insane immigration policies and educational systems of America. This year consisted a lot of laughing, learning, and having fun.
In the short amount of time spent in Florida, I can happily say I have made many new friends, some of which will undoubtedly stay in my life forever. I will always remember the nights that turned into mornings out on the patio, Cooter Brown’s and impromptu late night swim sessions, as well as all the crazy random adventures that I have unexpectedly found myself taking part in, but I truly miss my friends and family from back home and am excited to visit Rhinelander in August for the first time in over a year. Thinking about how all these new life experiences have shaped me always leads me to thoughts of where I began and that is what bombards me with nostalgia.
The Great Northwoods…I don’t know if I necessarily should use the word “homesick” but I definitely miss certain aspects about life “back home”.
Last August I moved to Florida without looking back. I left all my friends and family in Wisconsin and sadly the last time I visited my hometown, Rhinelander, Wisconsin was when I was driving down Rives Street on my way to Apopka.
One of the things I miss most includes sitting at my grandma’s lake with friends and family. I often overlooked and took for granted the lake that encompassed such solitude and serenity. Looking back, some of my best memories from home include sitting at the beach just chilling with my family and canoeing on the beautiful water, “treasure hunting” with Alicia. Good times.
Oh and of course, one of the best things about Rhinelander, hands down, is the ability to WALK around town, a luxury I gave up upon my relocation to Apopka.
Memories of walking downtown with my family to my favorite restaurant, The Pub, always solidified my love for the ability to walk places and the freedom that comes along with it. After work my mom, dad, and I would walk downtown and have dinner together at whichever restaurant we felt like going to then I’d meet up with friends and spend the rest of the night downtown at Bucketheads or open mic night or whatever. There were options. No worries to find a DD or committing to one or two bars because within a span of the 4 blocks of Brown Street (the main street in Rhinelander) there are about 20 (unexaggerated) bars to choose from. A person easily can jump from bar to bar and choose a bar that fits the mood of the night.
Madison, Wisconsin held a similar atmosphere as that of Rhinelander. Much like Rhinelander, walking everywhere proved the only logical method of transportation. I lived a longs ways away from campus all four years of college which forced me to walk wherever I wanted to go. The twenty-minute walk (minimum) to my destination gave me time to think/reflect, listen to music and bump into friends on the way, every day. Sometimes those unexpected run-ins with friends became the highlight of my day, and unfortunately the reliance on driving everywhere leaves no room for those unexpected meetings.
This differs so much from my current lifestyle since to get anywhere in Orlando, a city 15 miles southeast of Apopka, entails a 25-minute drive from where I live. In Apopka itself entertainment is limited and Chili’s or Cooter Brown’s offer the only spirits within reasonable driving distance. I really took for granted the awesomeness of being able to walk places.
I made the decision to live 1600 miles from that place for at least another year of my life. Mixed emotions currently flood me as I realize all the things I will be away from for another year, minimum.
Soon to be an aunt again I realize that I will not have the opportunity to see my nephew as much as I would like and that realization puts a bit of hesitation into my readiness to move even further from home. Family falls upon one of my top priorities in life and by accepting a position in Delray Beach, something I am so happy about, does not allow me to see my family- and as much as it seems like I am not a family person- I am. It kills me to know that living so far away from my hometown in a sense continues to drive a wedge between my family and me.
I am so glad that I have 5 of the best childhood friends a person could ask for back home and I will forever be grateful for all the support, love, and good times they have given me. And as for my family- I am one lucky girl to have such a dynamic set of people in one bloodline.
I feel guilty (for lack of a better word) for moving so far from my roots. It kills to know I am unable to be with my friends and family as they undergo so many life changes. I wish I could be there to celebrate engagements, new babies, new jobs, graduations, to name just a few. It also bothers me that I cannot be there to console friends and family in the hard times: family going to Iraq, breakups, failed attempts at finding jobs. I wish I could be more of a support system but sometimes distance makes that virtually impossible. On top of that I struggle with- no am terrible with communication and get so caught up in every day life and all too often let life carry me away that I forget about some really important people back home.
Although it seems at times like I have forgotten these friends and family they are with me every day and thoughts of them are never out of my mind. I will cherish all the memories I’ve had with these people as I move onto another chapter in my life.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A Story of Nothingness
I found out today that I am a human being. It was awesome. Waking up in the morning sets the tone for the entire day and today waking up was rough. Watch out world!
Getting ready for work in a hurried manor never quite satisfies my need to relax in the morning so when I realized I couldn’t find my keys anywhere I got real grumpy. I searched everywhere, high and low. I called Alisha. No good. I tore through my room. No luck there either. Living room? Nope. Couch cushions, under the couch, on the coffee table, in the kitchen, in the microwave? Nope. All right. Reconstruct the night. Ahhhaaa- Randy’s car.
As I walked to his car I heard a crunch under my bare foot. I kept walking, whatever- turns out that crunch under my foot was indeed a piece of glass. That’s funny; I have a piece of glass impaled into my foot. COOL, not. But I found my keys and I wouldn’t have much cared about the hole in my foot except it left a trail of blood all over the house and everyone knows that you can't just leave a trail of blood laying around or people might jump to conclusions...or be really grossed out that there's some random blood drops all over the house. No worries, i cleaned it up and while doing so (taking the long way around to my point): I do indeed have blood in my body, which means that I’m actually alive, and a human being. ☺ What a paradigm shift for a Thursday morning.
Getting ready for work in a hurried manor never quite satisfies my need to relax in the morning so when I realized I couldn’t find my keys anywhere I got real grumpy. I searched everywhere, high and low. I called Alisha. No good. I tore through my room. No luck there either. Living room? Nope. Couch cushions, under the couch, on the coffee table, in the kitchen, in the microwave? Nope. All right. Reconstruct the night. Ahhhaaa- Randy’s car.
As I walked to his car I heard a crunch under my bare foot. I kept walking, whatever- turns out that crunch under my foot was indeed a piece of glass. That’s funny; I have a piece of glass impaled into my foot. COOL, not. But I found my keys and I wouldn’t have much cared about the hole in my foot except it left a trail of blood all over the house and everyone knows that you can't just leave a trail of blood laying around or people might jump to conclusions...or be really grossed out that there's some random blood drops all over the house. No worries, i cleaned it up and while doing so (taking the long way around to my point): I do indeed have blood in my body, which means that I’m actually alive, and a human being. ☺ What a paradigm shift for a Thursday morning.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
"Awake my soul"
I've been thinking a lot about (ugh oh) life lately. I've done a lot in the 23 years that I've been alive and am kind of bored with the lack of excitement in my life. So, to revamp life here's a list I created.
Things to do before I turn 30
I'm sorry, mom, start a career isn't on the list
1. Skydive
2. Visit all 50 state capitals
3. Fly a kite
4. Live in Hawaii
5. Get teaching certificate or masters degree
6. Own a dog
7. Couchsurf in the US
8. Take an extensive road trip (at least a month long)
9. Live out of a suitcase for a month
10. Sell a piece of art
11. Buy a nice camera
12. Downsize my belongings
13. Live by myself in a city
14. Work as a bartender or barista
15. Travel with a band
16. Run a marathon
17. Ride an elephant
18. Write a letter to a friend every day for a month (doesn’t have to be the same friend every day)
19. Go to a music festival
20. Lay out at a nude beach
21. Get bartending license
22. Walk out on a bad date
23. Kiss at the top of a Farris-wheel
24. Live without a phone for a week
25. Go camping
26. Read a book a week for a month
27. Own a king sized bed
28. Go cliff diving
29. Learn to surf (better)
30. Snowboard on a mountain
31. Don’t make any verbal complaints for a week
32. Give up eating at restaurants for a month
33. Donate my hair
34. Learn Spanish
35. Write a book
36. Go to a shooting range
37. Attend a professional football game
38. Relearn how the American government works
39. Hot air balloon!!!
40. Make a bonfire on the beach
41. Learn to do a cartwheel
42. Go on a dinosaur dig
43. Try lobster
44. Bury a time capsule
45. Finish a whole plate of nachos from Gators
46. Ask someone out on a date
47. Milk a cow
48. Build a treehouse
49. Collect my coins in a jar for a month then give it to charity
50. Get Mickey Mouse’s autograph
51. Write a song (and lyrics)
52. Take a bum out to eat and converse with them
53. Have a penpal (write once a week for a year)
54. Run a 10k
55. Let someone surf my couch
56. Organize a fundraiser
57. Live on the beach -- soon to be completed--August 2011
58. Volunteer at a school for an entire year
59. Journal every day for a year
60. Buy a bicycle
61. Participate in a protest
62. Pick coffee beans
63. Pretend to be really good at guitar and play on the street for money
64. Sneak an encouraging note in a stranger’s pocket
65. Take a photography class
66. Make-out with Randy
67. And Alisha
68. Learn how to use a lawn mower
69. Go to Holy Land Experience in Orlando
70. Go to Gatorland
71. Quit a job I don’t like
72. Learn how to actively listen
73. Sleep under the stars in a different continent
74. Kiss a French man
75. Go on a cruise
76. Join a sports team
77. Cook dinner for my roommates
78. Play a game of adult kick-ball
79. Join a book club
80. Help dad redo his shop
81. Send flowers to my mom
82. And my grandma
83. Mentor a child
84. Apply to be on a reality TV show
85. Go to a rodeo
86. Attend church regularly for a year
87. Send my 5 favorite books to friends with a note in it, anonymously
88. Ride my bike to work for a month
89. Have a reunion with my 5 besties
90. Wake up before work and workout 3 days a week for a month
91. Patio party at 109 S. Ulysses Dr. Apopka, FL
92. Play spin the bottle
93. Jello wrestle
94. Stay in an underwater hotel
95. Munich for Oktoberfest
96. Visit a brewery in Germany
97. Raft down the Mississippi like Tom Sawyer
98. Make my own alcohol
99. Ride in a limo
100. Buy expensive cheese and eat it all in one day
I made this list last Friday, and have already completed one of the things on the list! Muy rico!
If you or anyone you know may be able to help with any of these items please contact me directly or talk to my personal assistant.
Things to do before I turn 30
I'm sorry, mom, start a career isn't on the list
1. Skydive
2. Visit all 50 state capitals
3. Fly a kite
4. Live in Hawaii
5. Get teaching certificate or masters degree
6. Own a dog
7. Couchsurf in the US
8. Take an extensive road trip (at least a month long)
9. Live out of a suitcase for a month
10. Sell a piece of art
11. Buy a nice camera
12. Downsize my belongings
13. Live by myself in a city
14. Work as a bartender or barista
15. Travel with a band
16. Run a marathon
17. Ride an elephant
18. Write a letter to a friend every day for a month (doesn’t have to be the same friend every day)
19. Go to a music festival
20. Lay out at a nude beach
21. Get bartending license
22. Walk out on a bad date
23. Kiss at the top of a Farris-wheel
24. Live without a phone for a week
25. Go camping
27. Own a king sized bed
28. Go cliff diving
29. Learn to surf (better)
30. Snowboard on a mountain
31. Don’t make any verbal complaints for a week
32. Give up eating at restaurants for a month
33. Donate my hair
34. Learn Spanish
35. Write a book
36. Go to a shooting range
37. Attend a professional football game
38. Relearn how the American government works
39. Hot air balloon!!!
40. Make a bonfire on the beach
41. Learn to do a cartwheel
42. Go on a dinosaur dig
43. Try lobster
44. Bury a time capsule
45. Finish a whole plate of nachos from Gators
46. Ask someone out on a date
47. Milk a cow
48. Build a treehouse
49. Collect my coins in a jar for a month then give it to charity
50. Get Mickey Mouse’s autograph
51. Write a song (and lyrics)
52. Take a bum out to eat and converse with them
53. Have a penpal (write once a week for a year)
54. Run a 10k
55. Let someone surf my couch
56. Organize a fundraiser
57. Live on the beach -- soon to be completed--August 2011
58. Volunteer at a school for an entire year
59. Journal every day for a year
60. Buy a bicycle
61. Participate in a protest
62. Pick coffee beans
63. Pretend to be really good at guitar and play on the street for money
64. Sneak an encouraging note in a stranger’s pocket
65. Take a photography class
66. Make-out with Randy
67. And Alisha
68. Learn how to use a lawn mower
69. Go to Holy Land Experience in Orlando
70. Go to Gatorland
71. Quit a job I don’t like
72. Learn how to actively listen
73. Sleep under the stars in a different continent
74. Kiss a French man
75. Go on a cruise
76. Join a sports team
77. Cook dinner for my roommates
78. Play a game of adult kick-ball
79. Join a book club
80. Help dad redo his shop
81. Send flowers to my mom
82. And my grandma
83. Mentor a child
84. Apply to be on a reality TV show
85. Go to a rodeo
86. Attend church regularly for a year
87. Send my 5 favorite books to friends with a note in it, anonymously
88. Ride my bike to work for a month
89. Have a reunion with my 5 besties
90. Wake up before work and workout 3 days a week for a month
91. Patio party at 109 S. Ulysses Dr. Apopka, FL
92. Play spin the bottle
93. Jello wrestle
94. Stay in an underwater hotel
95. Munich for Oktoberfest
96. Visit a brewery in Germany
97. Raft down the Mississippi like Tom Sawyer
98. Make my own alcohol
99. Ride in a limo
100. Buy expensive cheese and eat it all in one day
I made this list last Friday, and have already completed one of the things on the list! Muy rico!
If you or anyone you know may be able to help with any of these items please contact me directly or talk to my personal assistant.
Monday, March 21, 2011
"I'm just a weary soul, I got nowhere to go" Crazy Eyes - Old Crow Medicine Show
Well well well... it's been a while...
Currently I am at work working on the Annual newsletter for the center… well, I guess not currently, but you get the idea… I’m taking a little break to write this.
I’m not feeling so hot today which blows, I hope I’m not getting sick right before spring break. But of course, that’s usually how things work. For example: I got sick before the 3 week Christmas vacation and spent the ENTIRE three weeks with a stuffy nose, bad cough, etc.
The past week has been pretty crazy. Life is crazy busy, like always.
Alisha’s friend from home is in town so on Wednesday night we decided to go to Orlando for dinner/drinks. On the way there I experienced my first blown tire. That was pretty scary… driving down I-4 and all of a sudden THUMP THUMP THUMP. I didn’t know what was happening but luckily I got off the highway and into a gas station just in time and managed to pull into a gas station. Some man with an awesome fishing hat and no teeth helped me to put the spare on. I didn’t have any cash so we repaid him with an Iced Tea and "good" conversation. Since we were already in downtown Orlando we decided to stay out for a bit. We met some interesting characters, like always.
My favorite was the man who opened for The Slackers. We were at our favorite pizza place when this guy walks in holding his pizza in his hand raving about how he found a tooth in his pizza. It turns out after I inspected his mouth that it belonged to him. What a fool.
Thursday I stayed home sick. I don’t know if it’s the pollen in the air or what but this weather really messes with my head! So, Thursday was pretty uneventful- happy Saint Patty’s Day 2011!
On Friday the AmeriCorps crew went gleaning for a local food bank in Orlando. Define: Gleaning - Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest.
We picked onions and cabbage … what a beautiful smell that left on me. It was nice though, to be out in the sun that is and of course- doing it for a good cause. I decided I like being covered in dirt. It’s fun.
Friday night was fabulous, I had a tea and Forrest Gump night- those are my all time favorite kinds of nights ☺
Saturday I took a solo trip to Cocoa Beach. Equipped with a guitar, a book, charcoal to draw, and my I-Pod I sat on the beach for about 5 hours, it was perfect. AND! The water is beginning to warm up a bit, so that’s nice too. Saturday night was the Murder Mystery party hosted by the wonderful Adrienne ladies. I was NOT the killer… it was the puppet that did it…
Sunday- yesterday, was an interesting day as well. Alisha persuaded me to go to Kissimmee to watch her Alma Mater play in a softball tournament. I think they lost... Afterwards Randy, Alisha, Lindsey, and I went to some Froyo place, you know, the kinda place where you put your own frozen yogurt in a dish and top it with whatevvvvvver ingredients your heart desires. My froyo got a little out of control … vanilla frozen yougurt with Oreos, Reeses Pieces, cookie dough, gummy bears, Heath bars, chocolate and caramel sauce, gummy worms, and probably some other delicious things I’m leaving out. As we ate our frozen yogurt we did a lot of dancing and life pondering and which ultimately changed my aspirations in life. Before yesterday I wanted to go to grad school and study educational policy. Now … a whole new life goal: Be on the Real World. Randy said he’d do my audition tape for me … woo wooo!
Yesterday I went down I-Drive for the first time.
That is such a wild place. Randy and I bought matching purple baseball caps that have "Orlando, FL" across the front of it. We decided that we're going to wear them every Friday.
I wonder if it will confuse people. We spent the rest of the day wandering the streets with the hats on acting as tourist-like as possible, one of our favorite pass-times.
Last night we had a few drinks on Wall Street where of course, we met more interesting characters. This time I think my favorite was the guy across the street who was whacked out on something having a battle with an imaginary enemy. Or, wait, maybe it was the guy that was in town from DC for business. He's from the same place where Claire-baby lives! Crazy-small world. But, I'm not quite sure yet which one was more entertaining... I'll think about it and let you know later.
This Thursday I’m venturing to Kansas to visit my brother and see my parents. It should be an interesting time. My brobro is going to Iraq in May (sad) so we’re getting together one last time before he goes.
So, that’s what’s goin on in my life as of late. Pretty exciting stuff. Well, I better get back to that newsletter! GO GO BRAIN POWER!
Currently I am at work working on the Annual newsletter for the center… well, I guess not currently, but you get the idea… I’m taking a little break to write this.
I’m not feeling so hot today which blows, I hope I’m not getting sick right before spring break. But of course, that’s usually how things work. For example: I got sick before the 3 week Christmas vacation and spent the ENTIRE three weeks with a stuffy nose, bad cough, etc.
The past week has been pretty crazy. Life is crazy busy, like always.
Alisha’s friend from home is in town so on Wednesday night we decided to go to Orlando for dinner/drinks. On the way there I experienced my first blown tire. That was pretty scary… driving down I-4 and all of a sudden THUMP THUMP THUMP. I didn’t know what was happening but luckily I got off the highway and into a gas station just in time and managed to pull into a gas station. Some man with an awesome fishing hat and no teeth helped me to put the spare on. I didn’t have any cash so we repaid him with an Iced Tea and "good" conversation. Since we were already in downtown Orlando we decided to stay out for a bit. We met some interesting characters, like always.
My favorite was the man who opened for The Slackers. We were at our favorite pizza place when this guy walks in holding his pizza in his hand raving about how he found a tooth in his pizza. It turns out after I inspected his mouth that it belonged to him. What a fool.
Thursday I stayed home sick. I don’t know if it’s the pollen in the air or what but this weather really messes with my head! So, Thursday was pretty uneventful- happy Saint Patty’s Day 2011!
On Friday the AmeriCorps crew went gleaning for a local food bank in Orlando. Define: Gleaning - Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest.
We picked onions and cabbage … what a beautiful smell that left on me. It was nice though, to be out in the sun that is and of course- doing it for a good cause. I decided I like being covered in dirt. It’s fun.
Friday night was fabulous, I had a tea and Forrest Gump night- those are my all time favorite kinds of nights ☺
Saturday I took a solo trip to Cocoa Beach. Equipped with a guitar, a book, charcoal to draw, and my I-Pod I sat on the beach for about 5 hours, it was perfect. AND! The water is beginning to warm up a bit, so that’s nice too. Saturday night was the Murder Mystery party hosted by the wonderful Adrienne ladies. I was NOT the killer… it was the puppet that did it…
Sunday- yesterday, was an interesting day as well. Alisha persuaded me to go to Kissimmee to watch her Alma Mater play in a softball tournament. I think they lost... Afterwards Randy, Alisha, Lindsey, and I went to some Froyo place, you know, the kinda place where you put your own frozen yogurt in a dish and top it with whatevvvvvver ingredients your heart desires. My froyo got a little out of control … vanilla frozen yougurt with Oreos, Reeses Pieces, cookie dough, gummy bears, Heath bars, chocolate and caramel sauce, gummy worms, and probably some other delicious things I’m leaving out. As we ate our frozen yogurt we did a lot of dancing and life pondering and which ultimately changed my aspirations in life. Before yesterday I wanted to go to grad school and study educational policy. Now … a whole new life goal: Be on the Real World. Randy said he’d do my audition tape for me … woo wooo!
Yesterday I went down I-Drive for the first time.
That is such a wild place. Randy and I bought matching purple baseball caps that have "Orlando, FL" across the front of it. We decided that we're going to wear them every Friday.
I wonder if it will confuse people. We spent the rest of the day wandering the streets with the hats on acting as tourist-like as possible, one of our favorite pass-times.
Last night we had a few drinks on Wall Street where of course, we met more interesting characters. This time I think my favorite was the guy across the street who was whacked out on something having a battle with an imaginary enemy. Or, wait, maybe it was the guy that was in town from DC for business. He's from the same place where Claire-baby lives! Crazy-small world. But, I'm not quite sure yet which one was more entertaining... I'll think about it and let you know later.
This Thursday I’m venturing to Kansas to visit my brother and see my parents. It should be an interesting time. My brobro is going to Iraq in May (sad) so we’re getting together one last time before he goes.
So, that’s what’s goin on in my life as of late. Pretty exciting stuff. Well, I better get back to that newsletter! GO GO BRAIN POWER!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
"we are all just prisoners here, of our own device" Hotel California - The Eagles
Life’s an adventure. Here’s the story of Bob Harper, John, and Jason.
Last night Wekiva Island hosted an art “show” with artists appearing from all over the United States. I arrived a little late, just in time to see the auction of the paintings that these “elite artists” painted earlier in the evening. The first piece went for a large sum- around $800.00… maybe more not sure. Thinking about that makes me stomach hurt … why in the world would anyone pay that much for a painting? That’s more money than I have in my bank account. It makes me think about all the cool things I would do with $800… like travel or buy lots of Takis. I didn’t understand it.- spend that much on something that provides minimal utility to oneself. The thought still makes my stomach turn so I’m going to stop thinking about it now.
Auctioneers are crazy. Legit crazy.
Emma and I went to get a drink from the bar. We waited patiently for the bartender. Finally we got his attention and just as we were about to order - some arsehole jumps in – “I’ll have a diet Coke”. Diet Coke? Maybe I would be less irritated if he ordered something different. But he didn’t and so I wasn’t. Emma and I were next to order and that was that.
Fast forward: round two at the bar.
I go to get a drink and that same man is in my way. This time he’s more pleasant. He’s a chivalrous man and lets me order first. Pay-back. That was that. Round two complete.
Fast forward: I’m coming out of the bathroom and a shirtless man starts talking to me. Jason. “Hi I’m Jason and it’s my birthday” “Happy birthday, Jason”, followed by some small talk. “You’re cute” “Thanks, you’re shirtless”. Touché? Hm. Man #2 comes out of the bathroom. “Why don’t you have a shirt on?” That’s his “in” into the conversation. Jason went kayaking for his birthday at the springs, obviously. “Oh by the way, I’m John” “Hi John” “You’re cute” “Thanks, you’re wearing plaid”. Jerk from the bar walks by. “How was that Diet Coke, sir? Line jump lately?” “ha ha ha” – jerk walks into bathroom.
Jason: “Do you know who that was?”
Me: “Yeah, the jerk who jumped in front of me to order a Diet Coke”
John: “No. Bob Harper, you know the artist from earlier, the artist whose piece sold for the most money in the auction.”
Me: “Oh. (am I supposed to be amazed by this or something?) Neat”
Bob Harper comes out of the bathroom. He starts talking to us. He’s a decent guy. He’s nice really. I’m blunt with him. I ask him questions about life as an artist. I guess men like it when women get to the point and don’t dance around. I think it makes me mean. Life is all about perception.
We talk for a while longer. My friends leave. I don’t have a ride home. Oops. Oh well. Adventure time.
After an hour and a half of talking to Bob Harper, John, and Jason I organize a drawing contest at the bar. I make everyone sit down on a bar stool and I scrounge up some paper towels for everyone to draw on. The hard part wasn’t getting them all together- it was finding enough pens for everyone to draw with. I make them draw dinosaurs. Surprise. They do it. I laugh. These artists and John and Jason are good sports. I like them.
It’s late and raining. Time to go home… hmmmm… hm… I’m cute. I find someone who makes a deal. I have to go to his house so he can show me his cat that he’s been talking about and then he will drive me home. Deal.
We play guitar then I tell him I need to get home before my curfew. He laughs. I don’t. It worked. I make it home and that’s that.
I’m tired today. It’s raining outside and that doesn’t help much. At least it’s Thursday so it’s all-good. Only a few more days until beach time! Woo woo. Sand castles! Spring Breakers! What more could a girl ask for… at least I have my secret spot at Cocoa Beach to escape to. Fabulous.
Last night Wekiva Island hosted an art “show” with artists appearing from all over the United States. I arrived a little late, just in time to see the auction of the paintings that these “elite artists” painted earlier in the evening. The first piece went for a large sum- around $800.00… maybe more not sure. Thinking about that makes me stomach hurt … why in the world would anyone pay that much for a painting? That’s more money than I have in my bank account. It makes me think about all the cool things I would do with $800… like travel or buy lots of Takis. I didn’t understand it.- spend that much on something that provides minimal utility to oneself. The thought still makes my stomach turn so I’m going to stop thinking about it now.
Auctioneers are crazy. Legit crazy.
Emma and I went to get a drink from the bar. We waited patiently for the bartender. Finally we got his attention and just as we were about to order - some arsehole jumps in – “I’ll have a diet Coke”. Diet Coke? Maybe I would be less irritated if he ordered something different. But he didn’t and so I wasn’t. Emma and I were next to order and that was that.
Fast forward: round two at the bar.
I go to get a drink and that same man is in my way. This time he’s more pleasant. He’s a chivalrous man and lets me order first. Pay-back. That was that. Round two complete.
Fast forward: I’m coming out of the bathroom and a shirtless man starts talking to me. Jason. “Hi I’m Jason and it’s my birthday” “Happy birthday, Jason”, followed by some small talk. “You’re cute” “Thanks, you’re shirtless”. Touché? Hm. Man #2 comes out of the bathroom. “Why don’t you have a shirt on?” That’s his “in” into the conversation. Jason went kayaking for his birthday at the springs, obviously. “Oh by the way, I’m John” “Hi John” “You’re cute” “Thanks, you’re wearing plaid”. Jerk from the bar walks by. “How was that Diet Coke, sir? Line jump lately?” “ha ha ha” – jerk walks into bathroom.
Jason: “Do you know who that was?”
Me: “Yeah, the jerk who jumped in front of me to order a Diet Coke”
John: “No. Bob Harper, you know the artist from earlier, the artist whose piece sold for the most money in the auction.”
Me: “Oh. (am I supposed to be amazed by this or something?) Neat”
Bob Harper comes out of the bathroom. He starts talking to us. He’s a decent guy. He’s nice really. I’m blunt with him. I ask him questions about life as an artist. I guess men like it when women get to the point and don’t dance around. I think it makes me mean. Life is all about perception.
We talk for a while longer. My friends leave. I don’t have a ride home. Oops. Oh well. Adventure time.
After an hour and a half of talking to Bob Harper, John, and Jason I organize a drawing contest at the bar. I make everyone sit down on a bar stool and I scrounge up some paper towels for everyone to draw on. The hard part wasn’t getting them all together- it was finding enough pens for everyone to draw with. I make them draw dinosaurs. Surprise. They do it. I laugh. These artists and John and Jason are good sports. I like them.
It’s late and raining. Time to go home… hmmmm… hm… I’m cute. I find someone who makes a deal. I have to go to his house so he can show me his cat that he’s been talking about and then he will drive me home. Deal.
We play guitar then I tell him I need to get home before my curfew. He laughs. I don’t. It worked. I make it home and that’s that.
I’m tired today. It’s raining outside and that doesn’t help much. At least it’s Thursday so it’s all-good. Only a few more days until beach time! Woo woo. Sand castles! Spring Breakers! What more could a girl ask for… at least I have my secret spot at Cocoa Beach to escape to. Fabulous.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
HELP! I'm Running a 5k
No one should struggle to breathe. That is why I am running in the Fight For Air Run.
Please either join me and register for the run or make a generous donation to the American Lung Association to support our FIGHT FOR AIR.
Thank you for joining this important fight for children with asthma, teens who are pressured to start smoking, people with lung cancer and emphysema, and everyone who wants to breathe healthy air in our communities.
For Easter this year I'm not traveling to see my family or friends, I am staying in Orlando to take part in my FIRST 5k run. I'm trying to raise $100 for the cause and every little bit helps. The event is Saturday, April 23, 2011. You can contact me at hvoss1110@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to make a donation! Thank you in advance!
HERE IS A DIRECT LINK TO MY PAGE:
http://action.lungusa.org/site/TR/RunWalk/ALASE_Southeast?px=4469655&pg=personal&fr_id=2820
Please either join me and register for the run or make a generous donation to the American Lung Association to support our FIGHT FOR AIR.
Thank you for joining this important fight for children with asthma, teens who are pressured to start smoking, people with lung cancer and emphysema, and everyone who wants to breathe healthy air in our communities.
For Easter this year I'm not traveling to see my family or friends, I am staying in Orlando to take part in my FIRST 5k run. I'm trying to raise $100 for the cause and every little bit helps. The event is Saturday, April 23, 2011. You can contact me at hvoss1110@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to make a donation! Thank you in advance!
HERE IS A DIRECT LINK TO MY PAGE:
http://action.lungusa.org/site/TR/RunWalk/ALASE_Southeast?px=4469655&pg=personal&fr_id=2820
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
"how fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes..." - Awake My Soul: Mumford and Sons
My method of waking myself in the morning, hmmm it varies. Sometimes I wake up on my own and turn my alarm off before it sounds, sometimes I sleep through my alarm, and sometimes I actually wake up when my alarm goes off…
I usually alternate between two songs (as my alarm) to get me up and out of bed: “Don’t Stop Believing”-Journey and “Three Little Birds”- Bob Marley. This morning was much different though. My poor roommate must’ve had something stuck up his nose because this morning I woke up to, joking aside, 25 sneezes in a row. I never really thought about sneezing- and the noise it makes- until this morning when I was laying in bed. I've never heard such a large amount of sneezing all at one time. Let me tell you-- That is some pretty wicked noise that comes out of a person. I think I’ll stick to my alarms that I already have rather than go for the bodily-function noise.
Today has been a little hectic. Getting up and going was rough. This includes 1) Tripping over my many art projects that I have scattered around my floor in my bedroom 2) Only having time to drink 16 oz. of pure caffeine 3)Locking myself out of the house without my car keys, and not realizing it until I got into my car 4)Leaving all my important things in my classroom … usually not a problem but another class is being held in there at the moment.
Last night I went to the most bomb-ass Mexican restaurant in Apopka- Garibaldi’s. My co-workers and I have been trying to figure out ways to get us through the weeks. Too often people get stuck in the go-to-work-come-home-eat dinner-go-to-bed-wake up-repeat routine, which I have definitely fallen a victim to many times throughout my short working career. So, last night’s activity was dinner. I had a beef Chimichanga- very delicious. And of course, no Mexican meal would be complete without a few Margaritas that happened to be on sale for the low-low price of $2.00! What luck. We sat outside since it’s now warm enough to do so- thank goodness. That was a brutal winter! (Sarcasm…I grew up in Wisconsin). Well after dinner we did some Apopka “bar-hopping”. Choices were nil since Cooter Brown’s is pretty much the only bar in Apopka. So we went to Cooter Brown’s. If anyone is wondering- they are not hiring because the staff on hand has been there for six years now. Yup, it’s that kind of place. I will not tell Alisha this because it will crush her dreams and she currently has enough on her plate to be crushed about, namely, the flu.
So- that was Monday’s entertainment. Wednesday night the folks at Wekiva Island are hosting an artist night. At sunset a bunch of artists from all over are going to translate their perception of the sunset onto canvas or what-not. I’m excited to see how different (or similar) these depictions of the same event will be. After the sunset portrayal a live band will be performing. Should be a good time.
Thursday night after work I will be volunteering for a parenting class at the Hope CommUnity Center then after that perhaps another Gator’s expedition or maybe go down to Orlando, apparently Alisha’s friends from MPLS will be in town. That’d be fun to see some of her friends. Change it up a little bit.
If you’ve heard of the band Bright Eyes then you probably know about the town of Cassadaga! On Saturday (if Katie is feeling better) Emma, Katie, and I (and maybe some other lovely human beings) will be venturing there for some tarot card readings/palm readings, etc. It’s not a coincidence that I’m looking for little hints about my future ;-) Some may call it desperation, but I’d like to get a new outlook on life. Should be interesting!
Sunday, of course, is beach day! I think I will probably end up going to Daytona to see some friends from college that are down for spring break. I’m not sure yet. Hopefully Alisha will be feeling better so that she can come with. Man, it seems like everyone is getting sick these days.
It’s Tuesday. Wonderful. At least I have a lot to look forward to this week!
I usually alternate between two songs (as my alarm) to get me up and out of bed: “Don’t Stop Believing”-Journey and “Three Little Birds”- Bob Marley. This morning was much different though. My poor roommate must’ve had something stuck up his nose because this morning I woke up to, joking aside, 25 sneezes in a row. I never really thought about sneezing- and the noise it makes- until this morning when I was laying in bed. I've never heard such a large amount of sneezing all at one time. Let me tell you-- That is some pretty wicked noise that comes out of a person. I think I’ll stick to my alarms that I already have rather than go for the bodily-function noise.
Today has been a little hectic. Getting up and going was rough. This includes 1) Tripping over my many art projects that I have scattered around my floor in my bedroom 2) Only having time to drink 16 oz. of pure caffeine 3)Locking myself out of the house without my car keys, and not realizing it until I got into my car 4)Leaving all my important things in my classroom … usually not a problem but another class is being held in there at the moment.
Last night I went to the most bomb-ass Mexican restaurant in Apopka- Garibaldi’s. My co-workers and I have been trying to figure out ways to get us through the weeks. Too often people get stuck in the go-to-work-come-home-eat dinner-go-to-bed-wake up-repeat routine, which I have definitely fallen a victim to many times throughout my short working career. So, last night’s activity was dinner. I had a beef Chimichanga- very delicious. And of course, no Mexican meal would be complete without a few Margaritas that happened to be on sale for the low-low price of $2.00! What luck. We sat outside since it’s now warm enough to do so- thank goodness. That was a brutal winter! (Sarcasm…I grew up in Wisconsin). Well after dinner we did some Apopka “bar-hopping”. Choices were nil since Cooter Brown’s is pretty much the only bar in Apopka. So we went to Cooter Brown’s. If anyone is wondering- they are not hiring because the staff on hand has been there for six years now. Yup, it’s that kind of place. I will not tell Alisha this because it will crush her dreams and she currently has enough on her plate to be crushed about, namely, the flu.
So- that was Monday’s entertainment. Wednesday night the folks at Wekiva Island are hosting an artist night. At sunset a bunch of artists from all over are going to translate their perception of the sunset onto canvas or what-not. I’m excited to see how different (or similar) these depictions of the same event will be. After the sunset portrayal a live band will be performing. Should be a good time.
Thursday night after work I will be volunteering for a parenting class at the Hope CommUnity Center then after that perhaps another Gator’s expedition or maybe go down to Orlando, apparently Alisha’s friends from MPLS will be in town. That’d be fun to see some of her friends. Change it up a little bit.
If you’ve heard of the band Bright Eyes then you probably know about the town of Cassadaga! On Saturday (if Katie is feeling better) Emma, Katie, and I (and maybe some other lovely human beings) will be venturing there for some tarot card readings/palm readings, etc. It’s not a coincidence that I’m looking for little hints about my future ;-) Some may call it desperation, but I’d like to get a new outlook on life. Should be interesting!
Sunday, of course, is beach day! I think I will probably end up going to Daytona to see some friends from college that are down for spring break. I’m not sure yet. Hopefully Alisha will be feeling better so that she can come with. Man, it seems like everyone is getting sick these days.
It’s Tuesday. Wonderful. At least I have a lot to look forward to this week!
Monday, February 28, 2011
"I don't care to say what I failed to recognize..."
Let me just clarify: I am not a snowbird. I may have Wisconsin license plates but I do in fact have a Florida address. I mention this because yesterday was my first day back to the beach since December. Keep that in mind for later. Cocoa Beach, as always, was a treat but there were a few things that tried to ruin my fun. These things include:
Getting pooped on by a bird, twice. (bad luck seems to follow me. I don’t know if the seagulls are attracted to the color of my bright blue bikini or what, but man, it’s like I have a target strapped to me).
I may or may not have broken a toe while running wildly on the beach. There was blood involved, however, the sand makes for a great band-aid.
My gracelessness caused me a huge bruise from a Frisbee on my shin. At least battle wounds are awesome … they give the perception that I’m one tough cookie.
Sunburn. Goes without explanation.
Bumper-to-bumper traffic. This is where the “not being a snowbird” clarification comes in handy. Now that it’s warm again in Florida people from all over the nation are flocking to the beach. It’s also spring break season so naturally all the college students need to come down to have a “CRAZY SB 2011, MAN!” where I’m sure I’ll hear many phrases like “dude I was so f-ing drunk all day yesterday at the beach” or “I’m totally going after that hot girl in the pink bikini”… blah blah blah. Just think, if you moved to Florida you could have those stories everyday ;-) … not that that’s how I live my life… Anyway…
Alas, my first day back to the beach was a success. Good sun, good fun, and good company!
What else is going on… hm… well I’m finally all recovered from my Washington, D.C. trip with the AmeriCorps group. That was insane. Things I learned:
-How to prevent bullying
-Ways to teach effectively
-How to live off of three hours of sleep
-DC microbreweries are fantastic
-Dinosaurs are beautiful
-You can get into the Library of Congress if you ask
-Being stuck in a hotel for 4 days can be miserable
-The juvenile correctional system is pretty whack
-How to effectively manage classroom behavior
That’s the run-down. I took some pretty bomb-ass notes in my notebook. I wish I had a scanner so I could upload those pages. My notes are filled with pure education complete with pictures and graphs ;-) Ha ha.
So, as the end of my AmeriCorps term is coming up I’m beginning to worry about my future plans. I have no direction as of yet. I was thinking about going back to school for Education Policy but I missed the deadlines for most of the grad schools that I’m interested in and oh, yeah, I haven’t taken the dread GRE yet.
The second option I was thinking about was doing a second year of AmeriCorps. But, it looks like that program might be cut from the budget anytime now. Sad day. If only the legislatures and congressmen knew how valuable AmeriCorps volunteers are. I know that if they do decide to get rid of AmeriCorps a lot of non-profit organizations will be hurting. I know for a fact that the AFLC (the non-profit I work for) will be in dire need of help. As of right now 4 out of 5 of the teachers here are funded by AmeriCorps.
It’s a wild time, let me tell you. I guess all a person can do is fight for what is right, hope for the best, and have a grand ole’ time in the mix of things.
Oh! and i linked my Flickr account to my page- check out my photos!
Getting pooped on by a bird, twice. (bad luck seems to follow me. I don’t know if the seagulls are attracted to the color of my bright blue bikini or what, but man, it’s like I have a target strapped to me).
I may or may not have broken a toe while running wildly on the beach. There was blood involved, however, the sand makes for a great band-aid.
My gracelessness caused me a huge bruise from a Frisbee on my shin. At least battle wounds are awesome … they give the perception that I’m one tough cookie.
Sunburn. Goes without explanation.
Bumper-to-bumper traffic. This is where the “not being a snowbird” clarification comes in handy. Now that it’s warm again in Florida people from all over the nation are flocking to the beach. It’s also spring break season so naturally all the college students need to come down to have a “CRAZY SB 2011, MAN!” where I’m sure I’ll hear many phrases like “dude I was so f-ing drunk all day yesterday at the beach” or “I’m totally going after that hot girl in the pink bikini”… blah blah blah. Just think, if you moved to Florida you could have those stories everyday ;-) … not that that’s how I live my life… Anyway…
Alas, my first day back to the beach was a success. Good sun, good fun, and good company!
What else is going on… hm… well I’m finally all recovered from my Washington, D.C. trip with the AmeriCorps group. That was insane. Things I learned:
-How to prevent bullying
-Ways to teach effectively
-How to live off of three hours of sleep
-DC microbreweries are fantastic
-Dinosaurs are beautiful
-You can get into the Library of Congress if you ask
-Being stuck in a hotel for 4 days can be miserable
-The juvenile correctional system is pretty whack
-How to effectively manage classroom behavior
That’s the run-down. I took some pretty bomb-ass notes in my notebook. I wish I had a scanner so I could upload those pages. My notes are filled with pure education complete with pictures and graphs ;-) Ha ha.
So, as the end of my AmeriCorps term is coming up I’m beginning to worry about my future plans. I have no direction as of yet. I was thinking about going back to school for Education Policy but I missed the deadlines for most of the grad schools that I’m interested in and oh, yeah, I haven’t taken the dread GRE yet.
The second option I was thinking about was doing a second year of AmeriCorps. But, it looks like that program might be cut from the budget anytime now. Sad day. If only the legislatures and congressmen knew how valuable AmeriCorps volunteers are. I know that if they do decide to get rid of AmeriCorps a lot of non-profit organizations will be hurting. I know for a fact that the AFLC (the non-profit I work for) will be in dire need of help. As of right now 4 out of 5 of the teachers here are funded by AmeriCorps.
It’s a wild time, let me tell you. I guess all a person can do is fight for what is right, hope for the best, and have a grand ole’ time in the mix of things.
Oh! and i linked my Flickr account to my page- check out my photos!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
"if i was young, i'd flee this town" ... Beirut-Elephant Gun
In less than a day I will be basking in the warm Washington, D.C. sun. How fabulous. Life isn’t so bad… I guess.
Things I should be doing but am not:
1. Planning my lessons for school today
2. Going to the bank to deposit checks/talk to personal banker cuz I’m poor.
3. Packing my stuff for DC (I leave in hmmm 17 hours and I haven’t even began packing yet.)
4. Doing laundry
5. Booking a ticket to go see my bro-bro and his family in KS before he leaves for Iraq
6. Sleeping
7. Reading A Long Way Down
8. Eating cheese (that’s my effing favorite)
9. Learning Spanish so I know what the eff people in this office are saying since I’m the only one that doesn’t speak Spanish in my office…
10. Selling raffle tickets for work that are due today- that I forgot at home
11. Playing my guitar
12. Eating anything. Sometimes I forget to eat … like today… wish I had food right now … all I’ve got is a damn apple
13. Making the six posters that need to be done by 6:30am tomorrow
14. Researching how to meet up with Claire-baby in DC
15. Drinking Spotted Cow… DRINKING SPOTTED COW
16. Still need to be planning my lesson for today- recess all day? Does that make me a bad teacher?
I have no motivation to do anything right now. Dammit, I wasn’t supposed to graduate college, yet. I am supposed to still be in Madison, Wisconsin, living the college life. How could the advisor just pass me along without all the required courses? I tried my best to delay my graduation. I picked up two extra majors for crying out loud! Sadly, my four years that I was allotted in Madison (and Wisconsin) has expired. I missed so many cool Wisconsin things already since the 7 months I’ve been gone. Snow days, tweeting opportunities with Kait, sauerbraten with the fam, Obama in Madison, the Badgers making it to the Rose Bowl, Packers winning the Super Bowl, sit-ins at the capitol to demonstrate the collective bargaining rights for teachers, and oh so much more. Oh Scott Walker, why did you have to come into office a year after I left?
Well I am not in Wisconsin. I am here I am at my big wooden desk at the Apopka Family Learning Center in Apopka, Florida. I am not protesting anything (besides work), or at a championship Badger game, or hearing Obama speak. I am instead eating an apple, drinking green tea, preparing myself (mentally) to teach my class of 25 students, and listening to my boss have a meeting with some woman while her 2 year old son stares at me from across the room. I’m as far from Wisconsin as I can get without leaving the country. I’m a little bitter about missing all the history that Wisconsin is making. Florida- can’t you do something interesting?
Randy says my blog is boring (indirectly of course ;-) ) and I believe him. Last night we brainstormed things to make it better. We decided that next year I’m going to travel. I am going to buy more mini dinosaurs (I’ve already given quite a few away). I am going to go wherever the wind blows me. I am going to interview people wherever I stop. I am going to transcribe my interviews and put them on my blog. I’m going to give the interviewee a dinosaur. I am going to post their picture with the dinosaur to my blog. It’s going to be sweet… it would be sweet.
It’d be sweet if I could actually afford to do it… silly money- always getting in the way. He had an idea for that too, but unfortunately, I’m not technologically savvy enough for that idea quite yet. Maybe someday I’ll reveal it to the world.
Maybe my blog is boring because my life is boring? AHHHHH when did I turn into an adult working for “the man”? oh to be 21 again…
I guess I should start working on that “to do” list …
Peace out from the desk of hvoss
Things I should be doing but am not:
1. Planning my lessons for school today
2. Going to the bank to deposit checks/talk to personal banker cuz I’m poor.
3. Packing my stuff for DC (I leave in hmmm 17 hours and I haven’t even began packing yet.)
4. Doing laundry
5. Booking a ticket to go see my bro-bro and his family in KS before he leaves for Iraq
6. Sleeping
7. Reading A Long Way Down
8. Eating cheese (that’s my effing favorite)
9. Learning Spanish so I know what the eff people in this office are saying since I’m the only one that doesn’t speak Spanish in my office…
10. Selling raffle tickets for work that are due today- that I forgot at home
11. Playing my guitar
12. Eating anything. Sometimes I forget to eat … like today… wish I had food right now … all I’ve got is a damn apple
13. Making the six posters that need to be done by 6:30am tomorrow
14. Researching how to meet up with Claire-baby in DC
15. Drinking Spotted Cow… DRINKING SPOTTED COW
16. Still need to be planning my lesson for today- recess all day? Does that make me a bad teacher?
I have no motivation to do anything right now. Dammit, I wasn’t supposed to graduate college, yet. I am supposed to still be in Madison, Wisconsin, living the college life. How could the advisor just pass me along without all the required courses? I tried my best to delay my graduation. I picked up two extra majors for crying out loud! Sadly, my four years that I was allotted in Madison (and Wisconsin) has expired. I missed so many cool Wisconsin things already since the 7 months I’ve been gone. Snow days, tweeting opportunities with Kait, sauerbraten with the fam, Obama in Madison, the Badgers making it to the Rose Bowl, Packers winning the Super Bowl, sit-ins at the capitol to demonstrate the collective bargaining rights for teachers, and oh so much more. Oh Scott Walker, why did you have to come into office a year after I left?
Well I am not in Wisconsin. I am here I am at my big wooden desk at the Apopka Family Learning Center in Apopka, Florida. I am not protesting anything (besides work), or at a championship Badger game, or hearing Obama speak. I am instead eating an apple, drinking green tea, preparing myself (mentally) to teach my class of 25 students, and listening to my boss have a meeting with some woman while her 2 year old son stares at me from across the room. I’m as far from Wisconsin as I can get without leaving the country. I’m a little bitter about missing all the history that Wisconsin is making. Florida- can’t you do something interesting?
Randy says my blog is boring (indirectly of course ;-) ) and I believe him. Last night we brainstormed things to make it better. We decided that next year I’m going to travel. I am going to buy more mini dinosaurs (I’ve already given quite a few away). I am going to go wherever the wind blows me. I am going to interview people wherever I stop. I am going to transcribe my interviews and put them on my blog. I’m going to give the interviewee a dinosaur. I am going to post their picture with the dinosaur to my blog. It’s going to be sweet… it would be sweet.
It’d be sweet if I could actually afford to do it… silly money- always getting in the way. He had an idea for that too, but unfortunately, I’m not technologically savvy enough for that idea quite yet. Maybe someday I’ll reveal it to the world.
Maybe my blog is boring because my life is boring? AHHHHH when did I turn into an adult working for “the man”? oh to be 21 again…
I guess I should start working on that “to do” list …
Peace out from the desk of hvoss
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
"without a home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone..." Like a Rolling Stone-Bob Dylan
Today has been a “spill coffee all down your white shirt kind of day…” I can whole-heartedly confess that I cannot multitask. Not even for the simplest of things, namely, drinking coffee and driving.
Life has been a bit exhausting as of late. Last week I had to coordinate another Education Angels project with 16 of the kids, who are not all in my class. Education Angels is the pen-pal program I set up to connect sponsors (people with lots of money that donate to AFLC) with a student who is in Kids In Motion. Sounds easy, right? Have a kid write a letter to some person thanking them for giving us money and updating them about their academics. However, it gets a little difficult when I need to get them all together and write to someone they don’t know. They.hate.doing.this. It’s hard enough to get everyone together because of absences and such. For February I had them make a Valentines Day card for their pen pal and include a lovely letter about how they are doing at school. Between me being sick and the kids being sick it came down to the Friday before Valentines Day; the day the cards needed to go out. So, I had to run around like crazy. I got it done though and now I have a month to recuperate and think of next months project for them.
This weekend AFLC’s golf tournament fund raiser so work has been extra crazy in that sense too. Trying to get everything together and round up donations to make the even run is no easy task. Today I had to drive out to Altamonte Springs to pick up some donated things from a golf shop. It was nice to be out of the office for a little bit! That took all morning…
The last thing (besides the kids of course) that is making life a little crazy at work is trying to figure out where to put the computer lab that we received. So I’ve been looking at the floor plans and blueprints of AFLC … trying to figure out what all the numbers mean! It’s a very good learning experience…
I was thinking about music today and this is what I came up with:
Soundtrack: i miss cheese curds. and spotted cow. a lot.
Track 1: Better Together – Jack Johnson
Track 2: Wedding Song – Bob Dylan
Track 3: Wildflowers – Tom Petty
Track 4: What’s Up – 4 Non Blondes
Track 4.5: Little Lion Man: Mumford And Sons
Track 5: Counting the Days – Goldfinger
Track 6: We Can Try – Between the Trees
Track 6.5: Amarillo Sky – Jason Aldean
Track 7: The Guy that Says Goodbye – Griffen House
Track 8: Kiss With a Fist – Florence and the Machines
Track 9: Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
Track 10: You’ll Think of Me – Keith Urban
Track 11: Beautiful – Eminem
Track 12: Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
Track 13: Be Okay – Ingrid Michaelson
Track 14: The Long Way Around – Dixie Chicks
Track 15: Erase Me - Kid Cudi
Track 16: Riding Solo - Jason Derulo
Track 17: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Starfucker
Track 18: Mama You Been on my Mind – Bob Dylan
Track 19: Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
Track 20: Go Girl – Pitbull
Yes, This is what I do with my life. I think of soundtracks.
This weekend I’m going to Washington, D.C. with the AmeriCorps crew. I’m pretty excited. I get to see Claire Baby! (hopefully our schedules allow us to meet up anyway). We're leaving Friday and coming back Tuesday night (technically Wednesday morning). I best start mentally preparing for this!
Also: There is a boy in my class who eats his pocket lint. I'm not sure how to go about handling that... ha ha ha laughing probably isn't the best solution...
AND I GOT SOMEONE TO CONFESS TO STEALING THE CANDY JAR! ahhhaaa the prompt worked ;-) woo woo.
That’s all the exciting news from APK FLA for today.
Hmmm…much rhyming up there.
“well so long, farewell, good-bye.”
Life has been a bit exhausting as of late. Last week I had to coordinate another Education Angels project with 16 of the kids, who are not all in my class. Education Angels is the pen-pal program I set up to connect sponsors (people with lots of money that donate to AFLC) with a student who is in Kids In Motion. Sounds easy, right? Have a kid write a letter to some person thanking them for giving us money and updating them about their academics. However, it gets a little difficult when I need to get them all together and write to someone they don’t know. They.hate.doing.this. It’s hard enough to get everyone together because of absences and such. For February I had them make a Valentines Day card for their pen pal and include a lovely letter about how they are doing at school. Between me being sick and the kids being sick it came down to the Friday before Valentines Day; the day the cards needed to go out. So, I had to run around like crazy. I got it done though and now I have a month to recuperate and think of next months project for them.
This weekend AFLC’s golf tournament fund raiser so work has been extra crazy in that sense too. Trying to get everything together and round up donations to make the even run is no easy task. Today I had to drive out to Altamonte Springs to pick up some donated things from a golf shop. It was nice to be out of the office for a little bit! That took all morning…
The last thing (besides the kids of course) that is making life a little crazy at work is trying to figure out where to put the computer lab that we received. So I’ve been looking at the floor plans and blueprints of AFLC … trying to figure out what all the numbers mean! It’s a very good learning experience…
I was thinking about music today and this is what I came up with:
Soundtrack: i miss cheese curds. and spotted cow. a lot.
Track 1: Better Together – Jack Johnson
Track 2: Wedding Song – Bob Dylan
Track 3: Wildflowers – Tom Petty
Track 4: What’s Up – 4 Non Blondes
Track 4.5: Little Lion Man: Mumford And Sons
Track 5: Counting the Days – Goldfinger
Track 6: We Can Try – Between the Trees
Track 6.5: Amarillo Sky – Jason Aldean
Track 7: The Guy that Says Goodbye – Griffen House
Track 8: Kiss With a Fist – Florence and the Machines
Track 9: Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
Track 10: You’ll Think of Me – Keith Urban
Track 11: Beautiful – Eminem
Track 12: Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
Track 13: Be Okay – Ingrid Michaelson
Track 14: The Long Way Around – Dixie Chicks
Track 15: Erase Me - Kid Cudi
Track 16: Riding Solo - Jason Derulo
Track 17: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Starfucker
Track 18: Mama You Been on my Mind – Bob Dylan
Track 19: Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
Track 20: Go Girl – Pitbull
Yes, This is what I do with my life. I think of soundtracks.
This weekend I’m going to Washington, D.C. with the AmeriCorps crew. I’m pretty excited. I get to see Claire Baby! (hopefully our schedules allow us to meet up anyway). We're leaving Friday and coming back Tuesday night (technically Wednesday morning). I best start mentally preparing for this!
Also: There is a boy in my class who eats his pocket lint. I'm not sure how to go about handling that... ha ha ha laughing probably isn't the best solution...
AND I GOT SOMEONE TO CONFESS TO STEALING THE CANDY JAR! ahhhaaa the prompt worked ;-) woo woo.
That’s all the exciting news from APK FLA for today.
Hmmm…much rhyming up there.
“well so long, farewell, good-bye.”
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
"Well, I'll go to college and I'll learn some big words, I'll talk real loud, goddamn right I'll be heard..."
I love writing lists.
Today I was going through my documents on my computer and I found this list of things I learned in college, or more precisely, my senior year of college. I thought it was really funny, probably because each one of the things on the list comes with a hilarious story... that only I will understand. None-the-less, maybe you'll find some of these things entertaining as well! Keep an open mind while reading this... don't judge ;-)
Here She Is:
What I learned in college...or senior year
by Heidi Voss on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 2:40pm
1. Living a mile and a half away from campus and forcing myself to walk to class everyday increased my happiness exponentially.
2. Working at a coffee shop was the best idea, especially during finals week and Friday mornings.
3. Choose your roommates carefully.
4. Keep your shoes on… but if they happen to get lost, backtracking the next day… or couple of days can be surprising.
5. Don’t leave researching for/writing 14 five-page papers off until three days before they are due.
6. Don’t leave dirty silverwear in a cup in the sink. Someone might think they are clean.
7. Don’t fall while moshing. Or go on stage during a concert. Or sell merch with the band. Or wander into a house thinking you’re somewhere else. Okay, don’t fall while moshing, it leads to bad things.
8. Required readings are required for a reason (usually).
9. Fishbowl races are a bad idea.
10. 1 pitcher of beer at a college bar = 1 pint at the capitol bars. (cost-wise)
11. Taking every dare isn’t always the best idea.
12. I will always love Special K, no matter what.
13. Social Science does not lock the TP roll holder to the stall… keep that in mind for desperate times.
14. Going to the basketball courts just to “shoot around” never happens. Prepare yourself for street ball and wear shorts.
15. Don’t date business men.
16. Or guys with tighter pants than you.
17. Dinner parties are amazing.
18. Good customer service needs to end right after your shift is over. Avoid regular customers in bars.
19. Everyone loves Apples to Apples.
20. Taco Heaven is named that for a reason. Go there at 4:30am and you’ll understand.
21. Farewell shots are bittersweet.
22. You don’t need anyone but yourself to go on big adventures and plane tickets are a good investment.
23. Sleep is not mandatory.
24. Do not text or call anyone past 11pm, especially on weekends.
25. If you want to do a triathlon, learn how to switch gears.
26. Learn to trust people.
27. Stick people can be beautiful, and get you a 98% on an art project.
28. Don’t be afraid to try something because you’re afraid you’ll fail.
29. Drinking wine out of a Nalgene never leads to good happenings.
30. Flabongos are awesome, thanks Joel. Whoever you are.
31. Sailing is fun. And so are sailors.
32. Sampling cookies out all day at work is a bad idea.
33. Don’t take life too seriously.
34. Everyone has a story to tell and sometimes talking to strangers on planes, trains, and automobiles, can take you to some very unexpected places.
35. Professors are (for the most part) human.
36. Living without TV is liberating.
37. You can’t change anyone but yourself, so don’t try.
38. Be careful when you tell someone you like their dreads.
39. You can make 100 different recipes from one package of Ramen Noodles.
40. Be proactive.
41. Keep your promises.
42. Give people a chance, be patient, and don’t judge.
43. Make sure you know when your graduation date is.
44. Sit in the front row during lectures and discussions, professors and TAs will like you more.
45. But if you bring Qdoba to lecture and sit in the front row be prepared to be called out in front of 350 students.
46. Be on time.
47. Love yourself first.
48. Learn how to jump for three minutes straight. And how to balance on a 12inch bleacher while doing said jumping.
49. Bucky badger is by far the best mascot.
50. College goes by fast. Live it. Enjoy it.
Today I was going through my documents on my computer and I found this list of things I learned in college, or more precisely, my senior year of college. I thought it was really funny, probably because each one of the things on the list comes with a hilarious story... that only I will understand. None-the-less, maybe you'll find some of these things entertaining as well! Keep an open mind while reading this... don't judge ;-)
Here She Is:
What I learned in college...or senior year
by Heidi Voss on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 2:40pm
1. Living a mile and a half away from campus and forcing myself to walk to class everyday increased my happiness exponentially.
2. Working at a coffee shop was the best idea, especially during finals week and Friday mornings.
3. Choose your roommates carefully.
4. Keep your shoes on… but if they happen to get lost, backtracking the next day… or couple of days can be surprising.
5. Don’t leave researching for/writing 14 five-page papers off until three days before they are due.
6. Don’t leave dirty silverwear in a cup in the sink. Someone might think they are clean.
7. Don’t fall while moshing. Or go on stage during a concert. Or sell merch with the band. Or wander into a house thinking you’re somewhere else. Okay, don’t fall while moshing, it leads to bad things.
8. Required readings are required for a reason (usually).
9. Fishbowl races are a bad idea.
10. 1 pitcher of beer at a college bar = 1 pint at the capitol bars. (cost-wise)
11. Taking every dare isn’t always the best idea.
12. I will always love Special K, no matter what.
13. Social Science does not lock the TP roll holder to the stall… keep that in mind for desperate times.
14. Going to the basketball courts just to “shoot around” never happens. Prepare yourself for street ball and wear shorts.
15. Don’t date business men.
16. Or guys with tighter pants than you.
17. Dinner parties are amazing.
18. Good customer service needs to end right after your shift is over. Avoid regular customers in bars.
19. Everyone loves Apples to Apples.
20. Taco Heaven is named that for a reason. Go there at 4:30am and you’ll understand.
21. Farewell shots are bittersweet.
22. You don’t need anyone but yourself to go on big adventures and plane tickets are a good investment.
23. Sleep is not mandatory.
24. Do not text or call anyone past 11pm, especially on weekends.
25. If you want to do a triathlon, learn how to switch gears.
26. Learn to trust people.
27. Stick people can be beautiful, and get you a 98% on an art project.
28. Don’t be afraid to try something because you’re afraid you’ll fail.
29. Drinking wine out of a Nalgene never leads to good happenings.
30. Flabongos are awesome, thanks Joel. Whoever you are.
31. Sailing is fun. And so are sailors.
32. Sampling cookies out all day at work is a bad idea.
33. Don’t take life too seriously.
34. Everyone has a story to tell and sometimes talking to strangers on planes, trains, and automobiles, can take you to some very unexpected places.
35. Professors are (for the most part) human.
36. Living without TV is liberating.
37. You can’t change anyone but yourself, so don’t try.
38. Be careful when you tell someone you like their dreads.
39. You can make 100 different recipes from one package of Ramen Noodles.
40. Be proactive.
41. Keep your promises.
42. Give people a chance, be patient, and don’t judge.
43. Make sure you know when your graduation date is.
44. Sit in the front row during lectures and discussions, professors and TAs will like you more.
45. But if you bring Qdoba to lecture and sit in the front row be prepared to be called out in front of 350 students.
46. Be on time.
47. Love yourself first.
48. Learn how to jump for three minutes straight. And how to balance on a 12inch bleacher while doing said jumping.
49. Bucky badger is by far the best mascot.
50. College goes by fast. Live it. Enjoy it.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Someone Stole the Candy from the Candy Jar... or the entire candy jar...
• Super bowl Sunday.
o Super bowl Sunday is a de facto national holiday
o Second largest day for food consumption- only Thanksgiving beats the Super bowl…
o The Super bowl is the most watched American television broadcast
o There is a competition between companies to claim the best commercial during the Super Bowl
o The winning team of the Super bowl receives the “Vince Lombardi Trophy”. The trophy was named after the Green Bay Packers coach who won the first two Super bowl games. Fun fact- there used to be two leagues – the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) (now there are two conferences) … the Super bowl was created as a merger agreement between the AFL and the NFL. The Packers were a part of the NFL and after they won the first two Super Bowl games team owners feared that the AFL wasn’t going to be competitive enough for the NFL. GO PACK GO!
o The first Super Bowl was held on January 15, 1967 against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers.
• Valentines for New Glarus
o IDEA: Beer Bottle and Poem to schmooze them into sending beer to FLA.
o Poem:
New Glarus, New Glarus
Your beer is truly the fairest
We met on my birthday tour
When I saw the cask-conditioned beer, I was sure
I love Spotted Cow
In fact, I wish I had one right now
But the stupid job market sent me out of state
And with me my lover, Spotted Cow, I could not take
My dearest Deborah and Dan
I’m positive I’m your biggest fan
Sadly, you don’t export this delicacy
Couldn’t you make just one exception for me?
Alas, the love affair will need to end
Unless to FLA Spotted cow you will send
I’d jump up and down
And be the coolest girl in town
If I could see my lover today
For the shipping I’d even pay!
Oh Deborah and Dan
Make me happy this Valentines Day
o Or write a love letter to Spotted Cow himself.
o AHHHH I only have a few days to figure this all out. Idk what to do man!
Yesterday was pretty interesting. I went for a run before work. That’s where it all started… I was running down the street and I had my headphones in …listening to some sweet tunes so I didn’t realize that I was being followed by a pack of dogs. (Okay, it was only two). Dogs are everywhere here in Apopka, I don’t understand why their owners just let them run around. Well, anyway, I didn’t notice that I was being followed until the little one started biting at my ankles! How rude! I didn’t know what to do and it totally threw off my running momentum. I just stood there looking at them and slowly walked away, after a while they lost interest in me, like most do.
That was the first interesting thing. The second interesting thing: on my running route there is a pasture with cows. Yesterday the cow was up close to the fence with his head resting over the top of it. HELLLLLLLLLO cow. MOO.
Third interesting thing: My IPod died. GOOODBYE music.
Fourth interesting thing: in Apopka it is normal for roosters to be roaming the streets. Yesterday there were two right in my path. Cacadoodle doooooo … HELLO roosters. Get out of my way. GOODBYE!
SO anyway, that all happened before 9am.
Work was a little rough yesterday too. These high school kids for whatever reason want to be tutors or help out in the classrooms. Which sounds pretty nice. But, alas, kids lose focus very easily when there are strangers in the classroom. These tutors didn’t really want to tutor, I’m sure of it. They both just sat there … like they were waiting for something- probably their ride home. I guess a heads up that they were coming would’ve been nice…
The kids were not focused at all yesterday. It was terrible. I’ve acquired 5 new students. 5 new trouble-maker students. Hooray. They are great models for the used-to-be-good students. Up until these new kids arrived I had very little behavioral issues. It’s like they’re testing me… the school Gods that it.
I took the kids out for recess and while we were out there, for the whole 15 minutes, someone stole the candy jar. Cool guys. I just spent over 20 bucks on that candy. That.Was.For.THEM! So anyway, I don’t really know how to deal with that. I’m home sick today (surprise) so tomorrow hopefully I’ll be back. I was thinking of giving them a writing prompt that goes something like this:
February 10, 2011
BE A DETECTIVE!
Miss Heidi’s third and fourth grade class was out of the room for recess. When the class returned, Miss Heidi discovered that the candy jar was missing. Someone had stolen it! Who could have done it? Write a story involving a detective trying to solve this mystery.
ALSO: Hopefully the candy will be returned or the person who took the candy (or someone who knows who took the candy) will tell Miss Heidi before tomorrow or there will be some changes to our classroom- like no more recess.
What do you think? I’ll give it a go and see what happens.
What has this world come to!? Ach du meine Güte! Was ist los?!
Good Riddance.
o Super bowl Sunday is a de facto national holiday
o Second largest day for food consumption- only Thanksgiving beats the Super bowl…
o The Super bowl is the most watched American television broadcast
o There is a competition between companies to claim the best commercial during the Super Bowl
o The winning team of the Super bowl receives the “Vince Lombardi Trophy”. The trophy was named after the Green Bay Packers coach who won the first two Super bowl games. Fun fact- there used to be two leagues – the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) (now there are two conferences) … the Super bowl was created as a merger agreement between the AFL and the NFL. The Packers were a part of the NFL and after they won the first two Super Bowl games team owners feared that the AFL wasn’t going to be competitive enough for the NFL. GO PACK GO!
o The first Super Bowl was held on January 15, 1967 against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers.
• Valentines for New Glarus
o IDEA: Beer Bottle and Poem to schmooze them into sending beer to FLA.
o Poem:
New Glarus, New Glarus
Your beer is truly the fairest
We met on my birthday tour
When I saw the cask-conditioned beer, I was sure
I love Spotted Cow
In fact, I wish I had one right now
But the stupid job market sent me out of state
And with me my lover, Spotted Cow, I could not take
My dearest Deborah and Dan
I’m positive I’m your biggest fan
Sadly, you don’t export this delicacy
Couldn’t you make just one exception for me?
Alas, the love affair will need to end
Unless to FLA Spotted cow you will send
I’d jump up and down
And be the coolest girl in town
If I could see my lover today
For the shipping I’d even pay!
Oh Deborah and Dan
Make me happy this Valentines Day
o Or write a love letter to Spotted Cow himself.
o AHHHH I only have a few days to figure this all out. Idk what to do man!
Yesterday was pretty interesting. I went for a run before work. That’s where it all started… I was running down the street and I had my headphones in …listening to some sweet tunes so I didn’t realize that I was being followed by a pack of dogs. (Okay, it was only two). Dogs are everywhere here in Apopka, I don’t understand why their owners just let them run around. Well, anyway, I didn’t notice that I was being followed until the little one started biting at my ankles! How rude! I didn’t know what to do and it totally threw off my running momentum. I just stood there looking at them and slowly walked away, after a while they lost interest in me, like most do.
That was the first interesting thing. The second interesting thing: on my running route there is a pasture with cows. Yesterday the cow was up close to the fence with his head resting over the top of it. HELLLLLLLLLO cow. MOO.
Third interesting thing: My IPod died. GOOODBYE music.
Fourth interesting thing: in Apopka it is normal for roosters to be roaming the streets. Yesterday there were two right in my path. Cacadoodle doooooo … HELLO roosters. Get out of my way. GOODBYE!
SO anyway, that all happened before 9am.
Work was a little rough yesterday too. These high school kids for whatever reason want to be tutors or help out in the classrooms. Which sounds pretty nice. But, alas, kids lose focus very easily when there are strangers in the classroom. These tutors didn’t really want to tutor, I’m sure of it. They both just sat there … like they were waiting for something- probably their ride home. I guess a heads up that they were coming would’ve been nice…
The kids were not focused at all yesterday. It was terrible. I’ve acquired 5 new students. 5 new trouble-maker students. Hooray. They are great models for the used-to-be-good students. Up until these new kids arrived I had very little behavioral issues. It’s like they’re testing me… the school Gods that it.
I took the kids out for recess and while we were out there, for the whole 15 minutes, someone stole the candy jar. Cool guys. I just spent over 20 bucks on that candy. That.Was.For.THEM! So anyway, I don’t really know how to deal with that. I’m home sick today (surprise) so tomorrow hopefully I’ll be back. I was thinking of giving them a writing prompt that goes something like this:
February 10, 2011
BE A DETECTIVE!
Miss Heidi’s third and fourth grade class was out of the room for recess. When the class returned, Miss Heidi discovered that the candy jar was missing. Someone had stolen it! Who could have done it? Write a story involving a detective trying to solve this mystery.
ALSO: Hopefully the candy will be returned or the person who took the candy (or someone who knows who took the candy) will tell Miss Heidi before tomorrow or there will be some changes to our classroom- like no more recess.
What do you think? I’ll give it a go and see what happens.
What has this world come to!? Ach du meine Güte! Was ist los?!
Good Riddance.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
When life hands you lemons, buy 24 miniature dinosaurs (to decorate the house with, of course)
Well it’s Thursday. WAAAAAHOOOO. ¬That means only a few more hours until it’s Friday.
Last weekend was a bust. I have been sick for weeks now, which is dumb. I should probably go to the doctor but those guys freak me out. Anywho- Alisha and I were going to go to Gasparilla, a pirate festival in Tampa but we weren’t feeling so good. Instead we dressed up like pirates and sat around the house watching pirate movies. It was fun.
Here's evidence:
Gnomeo and Juliet comes out next Friday (February 11). I’m excited.
I thought Jordan broke my pencil sharpener in my classroom. I was crafty and fixed it today.
Sometimes I make my kids read silently so I can read too.
Today I researched chocolate. There are, on average, 8 insect legs per chocolate bar. Gross.
The Packers are playing the Steelers in the Superbowl on Sunday. That’s exciting. Go Pack Go.
Today I’m making my children play Apples to Apples. I love that game.
Well that was a nice 5 minute spill of the randomness that’s in my head.
Adios amigos.
Monday, January 24, 2011
"as soon as you're born you start dying so you might as well have a good time"
MMMMondayyyyyyyyyyy -
//woowoo//
So. If you don’t know me that well you should probably know this about me: I like to google things. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. I have this notebook…I call it my research notebook. I write down only the most important and interesting things I research in it. Some of my favorites: how many miles it would be to go from each state capital (in a circle) in the United States … expanding on that, how long it would take and how much money it would cost for gas. Another favorite: things to do in Topeka, Kansas. Mostly the things I research are random thoughts that come into my head. You’d be amazed.
Today I forgot my research notebook at home. Work just isn’t the same without it.
Last weekend was pretty uneventful. Friday night Alisha, Taryn, and I went to THE LODGE. Our most favorite bar in Orlando- the décor much resembles that of a “Wisconsin bar”-Deer on the wall, crappy oldies music, and cheap PBR. Really, what more could a person ask for? Well so, that night was fun, even though no turkeys were drawn on the wall.
Saturday was aweeeeeesome. Jordan took Alisha and me to a Rollins swim meet and basketball game. I miss swimming. If anyone ever wants to race, let me know, we can have a duel meet…me against you. Crazy fact: Florida’s swim teams compete OUTSIDE! Imagine that! It was a little chilly on Saturday and I felt bad for those swimmers. I guess swimmers up north have it good- hot pool areas.
Well, on Sunday there was only one thing to do: Watch the Packer game. Alisha and I went to Gators for the game. That was pretty sweet. Nachos, beer, and a Packer victory, what a good combo. So, Super Bowl XLV will be held on February 6, 2011. It’ll be a good game- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers. YAY! Go Pack Go!
That’s all I have to report. I’ll have to remember my research notebook tomorrow. Life’s just not the same without it.
//woowoo//
So. If you don’t know me that well you should probably know this about me: I like to google things. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. I have this notebook…I call it my research notebook. I write down only the most important and interesting things I research in it. Some of my favorites: how many miles it would be to go from each state capital (in a circle) in the United States … expanding on that, how long it would take and how much money it would cost for gas. Another favorite: things to do in Topeka, Kansas. Mostly the things I research are random thoughts that come into my head. You’d be amazed.
Today I forgot my research notebook at home. Work just isn’t the same without it.
Last weekend was pretty uneventful. Friday night Alisha, Taryn, and I went to THE LODGE. Our most favorite bar in Orlando- the décor much resembles that of a “Wisconsin bar”-Deer on the wall, crappy oldies music, and cheap PBR. Really, what more could a person ask for? Well so, that night was fun, even though no turkeys were drawn on the wall.
Saturday was aweeeeeesome. Jordan took Alisha and me to a Rollins swim meet and basketball game. I miss swimming. If anyone ever wants to race, let me know, we can have a duel meet…me against you. Crazy fact: Florida’s swim teams compete OUTSIDE! Imagine that! It was a little chilly on Saturday and I felt bad for those swimmers. I guess swimmers up north have it good- hot pool areas.
Well, on Sunday there was only one thing to do: Watch the Packer game. Alisha and I went to Gators for the game. That was pretty sweet. Nachos, beer, and a Packer victory, what a good combo. So, Super Bowl XLV will be held on February 6, 2011. It’ll be a good game- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers. YAY! Go Pack Go!
That’s all I have to report. I’ll have to remember my research notebook tomorrow. Life’s just not the same without it.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Life is Funny.
Why hello good friends… if anyone even reads this…it’s a beautiful Thursday here in Apopka. It’s about 78° and sunny…if only it would stay this warm until the weekend. Alas, it's supposed to rain.
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve last written, not because I’m SOOOOOooo busy but I’ve just been slacking lately. Ever have a lazy day? Well, I’ve had a few lazy …weeks.
Tomorrow the kids don’t have school so today we’re going to take it easy. Read a story, write a story, and PLAY OUTSIDE! Yayayyaayy I’m excited for our day.
Last weekend I went disc golfing for the first time ever at a state park down in Orlando. It was sweet. I went with Alisha which was an adventure in itself, he he. We pulled out old CDs that I had stored in my car from high school and hit the road…man that music really brings me back to lots of fond high school memories! Anywho, the course wasn’t too hard and the scenery was beautiful. The park had hiking trails, a lake, a swimming pool, and oh so much more. SIDE NOTE: Surprisingly, Florida has a lot of beautiful nature and a lot of options if you want to spend time outdoors. Alisha and I rented discs from the park and set off on our journey… it went pretty well, we only got the Frisbee stuck in a few trees and Alisha only threw it over the fence once! I’d say my first time disc golfing was a success!
The rest of the weekend was pretty lazy (imagine that), got a lot of cleaning done and read an entire book, a feat I haven’t done in a VERY long time.
Tuesday night Eric Hanson, a friend from when I was little was passing through the Orlando area so he stopped by Apopka for a night. It was very nice to see a friend from home. It made me think about things that I haven’t thought about in a very long time. Funny, it takes a person from home to drop by in order for me to remember what home was. We spent the night talking about what life was…”whatever happened to so-and-so?”, ”where is this person now?”, “who do you think will be at the 10 year class reunion?” “are you going to the ten year class reunion?” it’d be crazy to see what came of everyone! I’ve learned in the past few years that life is very unpredictable and a person could end up anywhere, if they wanted to. In the past few months I’ve also become a firm believer of the phrase “out of site, out of mind”. It was strange to think about Rhinelander and people from Rhinelander, and I guess, Wisconsin in general. It's strange that thoughts about home don't cross my mind until someone from home is at my doorstep in Apopka. Life is funny. It’s funny how fast a person can adapt and come to live an entirely different life than they used to have. You never quite know what's going to happen-life is always surprising me :-)
Eric is road-tripping up the east coast. I am completely jealous. I guess if I really wanted to I could quit my life here and do the same, too bad society doesn’t work like that. Dumb money. My turn will come soon enough or maybe I’ll outgrow the adventure-seeking me. Who knows- like I said, life is funny.
Enough of the philosophical mumbo-jumbo… while Eric was here I took him to Garibaldi, my favorite Mexican restaurant. Randy and Alisha joined us! Like always, the food was delicious. I don’t know if I’ll be able to eat Mexican food from places up north ever again! Living in “Little Mexico” has its perks.
On Wednesday Eric came in and gave a lesson on horticulture. The kids were SO well behaved and showed Mr.Hanson a lot of respect. I was very much impressed with both Eric’s lesson and how well the kids behaved during his visit. It was like I was a proud mother of 23 kids. Shortly after the lesson Eric continued his journey, as did I.
It was a nice day outside so as a treat for behaving so well while Mr.Hanson was here, I took my class to the playground. This is where the most embarrassing moment of my “teaching” career would occur. Brace yourself.
It was a perfect day to be outside- the kids were playing innocently on the jungle-gym, playing touch football, and kicking the soccer ball around. Little did they know their innocence would soon be taken away. We had been outside for about 45 minutes and the kids were getting a little agitated with each other. They were bickering, fighting, and NOT playing touch football so I decided to end our playground time. I announced it to the class and naturally they huddled around me and swarmed me with those little nagging voices that third graders have “Miss Heidi you ruin all the fun” “Miss Heidi can’t we stay out here longer” “Miss Heidi…” “Miss Heidi…” blah blah blah. I was getting overwhelmed by all their nagging and such and kept telling them “I know, I know, I’m a terrible teacher, I take all the fun away, blah blah blah”. I figured they’d stop nagging after a while- but they didn’t, so I had my final comeback- what I meant to say was “Yeah, I know, I’m a FUN SUCKER”, meaning I suck the fun out of things. That’s not what came out. Switch the consonants of the last two words. OOPS. Man I didn’t hear the end of it for the rest of the day and as I turned bright red, I had to run away from them …needless to say they got a little bit more time outside until I could look at them without blushing.
Hopefully they have all already forgotten about how their teacher screamed the f-bomb at them. Sadly, it's more likely than not that in 10 years they will only remember me as the teacher who yelled "fucker" at them. Life is funny.
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve last written, not because I’m SOOOOOooo busy but I’ve just been slacking lately. Ever have a lazy day? Well, I’ve had a few lazy …weeks.
Tomorrow the kids don’t have school so today we’re going to take it easy. Read a story, write a story, and PLAY OUTSIDE! Yayayyaayy I’m excited for our day.
Last weekend I went disc golfing for the first time ever at a state park down in Orlando. It was sweet. I went with Alisha which was an adventure in itself, he he. We pulled out old CDs that I had stored in my car from high school and hit the road…man that music really brings me back to lots of fond high school memories! Anywho, the course wasn’t too hard and the scenery was beautiful. The park had hiking trails, a lake, a swimming pool, and oh so much more. SIDE NOTE: Surprisingly, Florida has a lot of beautiful nature and a lot of options if you want to spend time outdoors. Alisha and I rented discs from the park and set off on our journey… it went pretty well, we only got the Frisbee stuck in a few trees and Alisha only threw it over the fence once! I’d say my first time disc golfing was a success!
The rest of the weekend was pretty lazy (imagine that), got a lot of cleaning done and read an entire book, a feat I haven’t done in a VERY long time.
Tuesday night Eric Hanson, a friend from when I was little was passing through the Orlando area so he stopped by Apopka for a night. It was very nice to see a friend from home. It made me think about things that I haven’t thought about in a very long time. Funny, it takes a person from home to drop by in order for me to remember what home was. We spent the night talking about what life was…”whatever happened to so-and-so?”, ”where is this person now?”, “who do you think will be at the 10 year class reunion?” “are you going to the ten year class reunion?” it’d be crazy to see what came of everyone! I’ve learned in the past few years that life is very unpredictable and a person could end up anywhere, if they wanted to. In the past few months I’ve also become a firm believer of the phrase “out of site, out of mind”. It was strange to think about Rhinelander and people from Rhinelander, and I guess, Wisconsin in general. It's strange that thoughts about home don't cross my mind until someone from home is at my doorstep in Apopka. Life is funny. It’s funny how fast a person can adapt and come to live an entirely different life than they used to have. You never quite know what's going to happen-life is always surprising me :-)
Eric is road-tripping up the east coast. I am completely jealous. I guess if I really wanted to I could quit my life here and do the same, too bad society doesn’t work like that. Dumb money. My turn will come soon enough or maybe I’ll outgrow the adventure-seeking me. Who knows- like I said, life is funny.
Enough of the philosophical mumbo-jumbo… while Eric was here I took him to Garibaldi, my favorite Mexican restaurant. Randy and Alisha joined us! Like always, the food was delicious. I don’t know if I’ll be able to eat Mexican food from places up north ever again! Living in “Little Mexico” has its perks.
On Wednesday Eric came in and gave a lesson on horticulture. The kids were SO well behaved and showed Mr.Hanson a lot of respect. I was very much impressed with both Eric’s lesson and how well the kids behaved during his visit. It was like I was a proud mother of 23 kids. Shortly after the lesson Eric continued his journey, as did I.
It was a nice day outside so as a treat for behaving so well while Mr.Hanson was here, I took my class to the playground. This is where the most embarrassing moment of my “teaching” career would occur. Brace yourself.
It was a perfect day to be outside- the kids were playing innocently on the jungle-gym, playing touch football, and kicking the soccer ball around. Little did they know their innocence would soon be taken away. We had been outside for about 45 minutes and the kids were getting a little agitated with each other. They were bickering, fighting, and NOT playing touch football so I decided to end our playground time. I announced it to the class and naturally they huddled around me and swarmed me with those little nagging voices that third graders have “Miss Heidi you ruin all the fun” “Miss Heidi can’t we stay out here longer” “Miss Heidi…” “Miss Heidi…” blah blah blah. I was getting overwhelmed by all their nagging and such and kept telling them “I know, I know, I’m a terrible teacher, I take all the fun away, blah blah blah”. I figured they’d stop nagging after a while- but they didn’t, so I had my final comeback- what I meant to say was “Yeah, I know, I’m a FUN SUCKER”, meaning I suck the fun out of things. That’s not what came out. Switch the consonants of the last two words. OOPS. Man I didn’t hear the end of it for the rest of the day and as I turned bright red, I had to run away from them …needless to say they got a little bit more time outside until I could look at them without blushing.
Hopefully they have all already forgotten about how their teacher screamed the f-bomb at them. Sadly, it's more likely than not that in 10 years they will only remember me as the teacher who yelled "fucker" at them. Life is funny.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
A family reunion in Florida
That vacation went too fast! It was a lot of fun though. A visit from almost the entire family was very refreshing.
My brother, Eric, his wife, Lucy, and their son, Eugene came to Apopka Christmas Eve which was a nice pseudo-surprise. They arrived around dinner time so we set out to find a place to eat a nice Christmas-eve dinner. Our choices were slim but we found a nice Chinese restaurant that Alisha, Randy, and I discovered a while back. It was delicious. After dinner we just came back home and I gave Eugene his present, a dig-a-dino. We spent the rest of the night trying to dig a dinosaur fossil out of a sand box. It was pretty sweet and took us many hours and a whole lot of digging.
On Christmas we decided to go to Cocoa Beach. Eugene loved the waves and we spent our day swimming and collecting beautiful sea-shells. For Christmas dinner we ate at a beach side restaurant, another one of my beach-day traditions with Alisha. We made our way home and were pretty tired after that so we had a popcorn and movie night. I finally watched my first Indiana Jones movie!
On Sunday we went to Dinosaur World in Plant city (towards the western coast of Florida). I absolutely loved that place and I think that Eugene may have enjoyed it a little bit too!
Monday morning was a little crazy as I had to get to the airport to pick up my mom, dad, and grandma. For a morning activity Eugene made a sign for me to take with the airport. His snake drawing skills are amazing.
After picking up my family from the airport, getting the car, and finding our house in Kissimmee we were ready to start the Orlando area adventures. Monday night Eric took the family to a Pirate adventure dinner. It was a lot of fun and the food was pretty decent too.
Greta, John, and Olivia didn’t get in until about 11:00 and were sad that they missed the dinner but none-the-less they were also ready to get their vacation underway as soon as they got into Orlando.
Tuesday Eric, Lucy, and Eugene went to Sea World and the rest of the family went on an airboat tour in Kissimmee. Although it was too cold to see any alligators there was still a lot of wildlife roaming around - lots of birds and, surprisingly, cattle.
On Wednesday we ventured to Magic Kingdom, my first DISNEY WORLD experience. It was a little bittersweet because 74,000 other people had the same agenda as my family. The park actually ended up refusing people into the park because it was so crowded. The highlights of Magic Kingdom included Tom Sawyers Island and of course, the Tea Cup ride.
Thursday was spent at Downtown Disney where Eugene had a blast in Lego Land (or whatever it’s called) and we had our last meal with the entire family at the T-Rex restaurant. That place was pretty awesome too! After lunch Eric, Lucy, and Eugene started their long trip back to Kansas ☹
After Eric, Lucy, and Eugene left it was down to my parents, grandma, Greta, John, Olivia and me.
For New Years Eve we went to Sea World. That was probably my second favorite thing we did during vacation. We saw a ton of shows including shows that starred Pirates, shamoo, dolphins, and so much more! We rang in the new year while watching a figure skating show and counting down with fireworks at Sea World. I think this New Year will most definitely be one of the most memorable experiences I will ever have.
On the first day of 2011 my family and I gathered around the TV to watch the Badgers take on TCU. It was a good game but the Badgers just couldn’t take the victory. I love my alma mater regardless!
The weather was a little bit warmer than earlier in the week on Sunday so I took my family to Cocoa Beach (they weren’t here for the first round and frankly, I love the beach so I’ll take any chance). The weather was great and I think everyone enjoyed their time at my favorite place in Florida! After the beach we raced home so we could catch the Packer game. It was pretty good… I think the Packers won, but I was too busy playing with Olivia too really take note… I know, I know, I’m not a true fan.
Monday morning everyone flew back to Wisconsin and I had to get to work that morning. All the drop-offs went smoothly and I made it to work with a few minutes to spare.
So, that’s that, my vacation flew by but it was probably one of my most favorite vacations! It was very nice to see everyone. A little piece of home came to me, which is VERY fortunate for me since I got to escape from the snow and cold cold weather!
This past week was pretty uneventful- however!!! I had written a grant to IBM for new computers and/or money for computer equipment and I got it! Along with 28 computers, that’s right a whole new computer lab for the AFLC! That’s probably the most exciting work related news I have.
Today Alisha, Randy, and I are going hiking at the Wekiva State Park so that should be fun!! Woo woo!
The beach wasn’t warm enough for our pale white skin (it’s only 70degrees today) so we are going to go tanning with the alligators at the springs instead. Wish us luck. Over and out.
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