"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!

"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.

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

"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!