Hello from Omaha!! Today we drove from the Mall of America, down SE to Dyersville, IA. I drove first. We went to Dyersville to see the Field of Dreams movie site. It was pretty cool!! The only thing I was bummed about was that there was no corn field because (duh) it's not in season. So throughout our ENTIRE drive down to Omaha, there were no corn fields. After Dyersville we attempted to find a Bass Pro Shop in Altoona but we couldn't find it. So we headed out to Council Bluffs via Des Moines. After a quick stop at Bass Pro we headed over to Omaha. I was able to hit the old market and pedestrian bridge as well as meet up with Emily from Dance for the Child for dessert.
Now we're at the hotel getting ready for bed. Tomorrow we're going up to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. We'll be staying near Crazy Horse and heading out the next day for Yellowstone National Park. It's going to be a fun day in the sun tomorrow so I have to remember to drink lots of water (I tend to forget to do that a lot). Keep checking back for more updates!! Until then... Laters
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
On The Road: Day 5
Well technically we weren't on the road (and yes, I am posting a day late because I was so tired yesterday that I forgot to post last night). Yesterday we shopped until we dropped... LITERALLY!! It was the day for Mall of America. We woke up, ate breakfast, and went to the mall by 10am. We picked up our tickets for the amusement park. It used to be camp snoopy but now it's Nickelodeon Universe. We rode rides for about 2 hours before beginning to shop. The mall if 3 levels of shops and food and on the fourth level is mostly nightlife activities like clubs and bars. There's a sea life aquarium and a miniature gold course. We decided that the aquarium and the golf course we could do without so we focused mainly on the park and shopping. Overall we ended up staying from 10am to 5pm (felt like a full work day). Our feet were sore and we had done enough shopping (yes, I bought quite a bit). We headed back to the hotel and dropped onto the beds. Took a nap and at 8 went back to the mall for dinner. As much fun as I had at the Mall of America, it's still second place to Disneyland.
Today we hit the road again. First we're going to Dyersville, Iowa to see the movie set for Field of Dreams. Then my cousin is obsessed with this chain of stores called Bass Pro Shops so we're going to go to two of them--one on our way to Des Moines and one on our way to Omaha--to make him jealous and buy him a shirt. One of them has a bowling ally so we may bowl a game before moving on. So after visiting the Field of Dreams, Bass Pro, Des Moines, and Bass Pro, we will arrive in Omaha. I'm pretty excited to see a bunch of corn fields because secretly I'm a farm girl. I love wide open spaces where someday I will live so that I can buy a horse and ride until I get lost and have no idea where my house is (believe me, it WILL happen). I will be sure to update you once I get settled at the hotel, so keep checking back, thanks for reading, and sorry for the late post!! Until then, Laters.
Today we hit the road again. First we're going to Dyersville, Iowa to see the movie set for Field of Dreams. Then my cousin is obsessed with this chain of stores called Bass Pro Shops so we're going to go to two of them--one on our way to Des Moines and one on our way to Omaha--to make him jealous and buy him a shirt. One of them has a bowling ally so we may bowl a game before moving on. So after visiting the Field of Dreams, Bass Pro, Des Moines, and Bass Pro, we will arrive in Omaha. I'm pretty excited to see a bunch of corn fields because secretly I'm a farm girl. I love wide open spaces where someday I will live so that I can buy a horse and ride until I get lost and have no idea where my house is (believe me, it WILL happen). I will be sure to update you once I get settled at the hotel, so keep checking back, thanks for reading, and sorry for the late post!! Until then, Laters.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
On The Road: Day 4
I almost drowned today. Here's what happened: We woke up in Terre Haute and hit the road by 8am. We drove to Chicago and saw Wrigley Field (home of the Cubs), United Center (home of the Bulls), and Soldier Field (home of the Bears). Well we sort of saw all those places. It was raining very hard and I could barely see 5 feet in front of me. After getting out of the city we stopped at a HUGE rest stop. It was literally like a food court in a mall. After getting some food and stretching our legs a bit, we headed back outside. At this point it was pouring buckets, lightning, and thundering outside. I was absolutely drenched after a second of being out from under the covers. I like storms, but this was just crazy!! I hopped in the back seat of the car and bundled up in hoodies and jackets and passed out.
I woke up an hour later to find out that we were in Wisconsin filling up gas. It was cloudy but not raining so I was a little disoriented for a while. I passed back out and woke up an hour later when we were at another rest stop. I moved to the front of the car and became navigator for the remainder of the trip. Just shy of two hours later we were in Minnesota looking at the Mall of America. It is GIGANTIC!! There are no words to describe this mall. You just have to see it. I can't wait to go in it. We got here after 7 and it's Sunday so we only have one day at the mall. Tomorrow we spend all day riding rides, shopping, and having fun in the mall. Then we spend the next night here again and head out to Omaha the next day.
We are well on our way to the west and I can't help but think about the fact that with each day I get farther and farther away from the place I called home for the last four years but closer and closer to the place I called home for 18 years before then and the place I will call home in the near future. It's weird to think about where I've been and the adventures I still have waiting for me (which you will get to read about!!). I can't wait to experience them and write them all down here. For now, I best be getting to bed because I have a full day of shopping to do tomorrow!! Until than... Laters
I woke up an hour later to find out that we were in Wisconsin filling up gas. It was cloudy but not raining so I was a little disoriented for a while. I passed back out and woke up an hour later when we were at another rest stop. I moved to the front of the car and became navigator for the remainder of the trip. Just shy of two hours later we were in Minnesota looking at the Mall of America. It is GIGANTIC!! There are no words to describe this mall. You just have to see it. I can't wait to go in it. We got here after 7 and it's Sunday so we only have one day at the mall. Tomorrow we spend all day riding rides, shopping, and having fun in the mall. Then we spend the next night here again and head out to Omaha the next day.
We are well on our way to the west and I can't help but think about the fact that with each day I get farther and farther away from the place I called home for the last four years but closer and closer to the place I called home for 18 years before then and the place I will call home in the near future. It's weird to think about where I've been and the adventures I still have waiting for me (which you will get to read about!!). I can't wait to experience them and write them all down here. For now, I best be getting to bed because I have a full day of shopping to do tomorrow!! Until than... Laters
Saturday, May 28, 2011
On The Road: Day 3
Lucky me!! Tomorrow is the Indianapolis 500 and that means that EVERY hotel within a 70 mile radius from Indianapolis is full. I had no idea that this was going on so I booked a room last night for a hotel in Terre Haute, IN. The original plan was to stay in Hoosierville, IN. The reason I wanted to stay near Hoosierville was that I took Intro to American Studies with Professor Nathan and we learned all about the history of basketball. Ever since I took that class Sophomore year and saw the movie Hoosiers, I've wanted to visit Hoosierville. Well, I tried to look up hotels in the area and nothing came up on priceline, expedia, or hotwire. So I expanded my search, found a place for about $65 in Terre Haute. Not bad, right? I figured, I just want to see Hoosierville and then we can be on our way, so staying about 20 minutes away wouldn't kill me. I'll get to why I'm lucky in a couple paragraphs.
So here's what happened today: In the morning we woke up at about 6am, ate breakfast at our hotel in Harrisonburg, and hit the road around 7am. Now, I'm a HUGE fan of chick-flicks so I suddenly remembered that Win A Date With Tad Hamilton took place in Fraziers Bottom, WV. Naturally, I just HAD to see it. We took about 3 hours to get there and took a couple pictures of things that said Fraziers Bottom on it (needless to say, there's not much too look at. It's very country, complete with cows, sheep, and horses. Oh, and LOTS of green). We needed gas so we took that opportunity to stretch our legs and switch drivers. Then we continued driving to Cincinnati, OH. We stopped in Cincinnati for a 4pm dinner (we skipped lunch because we were driving so we were pretty hungry at this point) and then got back on the road. So far, we've only spent a maximum of 4 hours in the car at a time (I think).
Now here's the funny part of the story. We got in the car after dinner in Cincinnati and headed to try to find Hoosierville. We got to Brazil, IN with hardly any trouble. They were doing some construction on the highway so we missed our exits a couple of times, but nothing too bad. Then we drove around for a while in what looked like a residential area. We used our phones to look up Hoosierville since my GPS did not recognize that as a location. The phone showed Hoosierville as literally a block of land that we drove around in less than 5 minutes. I think Skidmore is bigger than Hoosierville!! There were no signs that said that where we were was Hoosierville, so I'm not entirely convinced that it was (it didn't look like the movie setting). After driving around and seeing cute little cottage-like houses we gave up and headed for Terre Haute for the hotel. Hoosierville was an EPIC fail.
OK, so why am I lucky?? When we got to the hotel and checked in, the lady at the front said, "We're glad you're here and we're glad you could get a room." I asked why and she explained the situation, which I explained in the beginning of this post. Sure enough, after I had checked in I heard a few people asking if they had any vacancies in the hotel. Wow!! I would say that makes me pretty lucky to have a place to stay tonight.
Tomorrow we have another long day of driving ahead of us. The plan as of now is to leave Terre Haute around 8, have a late lunch/early dinner in Chicago, IL before arriving at our final destination in Bloomington, MN at around 7 or 8pm. We will be spending two nights in Bloomington so that we have a full day to shop at the Mall of America without having to worry about where we're staying or when we're leaving. After that, it's off to Omaha, NE!! Be sure to check back to see what randomness we encounter tomorrow :) Until then... Laters.
So here's what happened today: In the morning we woke up at about 6am, ate breakfast at our hotel in Harrisonburg, and hit the road around 7am. Now, I'm a HUGE fan of chick-flicks so I suddenly remembered that Win A Date With Tad Hamilton took place in Fraziers Bottom, WV. Naturally, I just HAD to see it. We took about 3 hours to get there and took a couple pictures of things that said Fraziers Bottom on it (needless to say, there's not much too look at. It's very country, complete with cows, sheep, and horses. Oh, and LOTS of green). We needed gas so we took that opportunity to stretch our legs and switch drivers. Then we continued driving to Cincinnati, OH. We stopped in Cincinnati for a 4pm dinner (we skipped lunch because we were driving so we were pretty hungry at this point) and then got back on the road. So far, we've only spent a maximum of 4 hours in the car at a time (I think).
Now here's the funny part of the story. We got in the car after dinner in Cincinnati and headed to try to find Hoosierville. We got to Brazil, IN with hardly any trouble. They were doing some construction on the highway so we missed our exits a couple of times, but nothing too bad. Then we drove around for a while in what looked like a residential area. We used our phones to look up Hoosierville since my GPS did not recognize that as a location. The phone showed Hoosierville as literally a block of land that we drove around in less than 5 minutes. I think Skidmore is bigger than Hoosierville!! There were no signs that said that where we were was Hoosierville, so I'm not entirely convinced that it was (it didn't look like the movie setting). After driving around and seeing cute little cottage-like houses we gave up and headed for Terre Haute for the hotel. Hoosierville was an EPIC fail.
OK, so why am I lucky?? When we got to the hotel and checked in, the lady at the front said, "We're glad you're here and we're glad you could get a room." I asked why and she explained the situation, which I explained in the beginning of this post. Sure enough, after I had checked in I heard a few people asking if they had any vacancies in the hotel. Wow!! I would say that makes me pretty lucky to have a place to stay tonight.
Tomorrow we have another long day of driving ahead of us. The plan as of now is to leave Terre Haute around 8, have a late lunch/early dinner in Chicago, IL before arriving at our final destination in Bloomington, MN at around 7 or 8pm. We will be spending two nights in Bloomington so that we have a full day to shop at the Mall of America without having to worry about where we're staying or when we're leaving. After that, it's off to Omaha, NE!! Be sure to check back to see what randomness we encounter tomorrow :) Until then... Laters.
Friday, May 27, 2011
On The Road: Day 2
Touch down in Harrisonburg, VA. I am EXHAUSTED. Here's what we did today...
We woke up in Philly around 7am and left for the city around 8:30. We took a tour of Independence Hall, saw the liberty bell, and walked around the city from 6th and Market to 3rd and South. We ate at Steaks on South. I had a real Philly cheese steak sandwich. It was amazing. Then we had Rita's Water Ice for dessert and headed back to the car to start driving to Virginia. We stopped in DC for a small snack at Current Sushi because one of my friends from Hawaii works there. I haven't seen her in 3 years and it was nice to catch up a little. By 8:30 we were back on the road. I kept a watchful eye on my phone since I get twitter updates from the Bruins sent to my inbox. I followed the whole game on the drive down the Harrisonburg from DC. I yelled and sat on the edge of my seat most of the drive because up until 6 minutes before the end, the game was scoreless and power playless. Then the Bruins scored and won the game!! I'm so excited that I will get to hear all about their next games for the Stanly Cups (I'm a pretty big Bruins fan). In the down time that I wasn't reciting Bruins updates, I was singing to my favorite songs on my iPod. I'm just going to say, there's a reason I dance!! My singing is terrible!! But it kept me up to help navigate while my sister drove from DC to Harrisonburg.
Now we're at the hotel and about to go to bed. Tomorrow we're headed up through Cincinnati, OH to Hoosierville, IN and spending the night there (we're leaving at 7am). We're trying to get to Bloomington, MN by Sunday so we have to drive a lot tomorrow and the day after. After tomorrow we're going up through Chicago to get to Bloomington, MN. Of course, we will probably stop at random places along the way but at the moment, our goal is to get to Mall of America for Memorial Day SALES :P Keep checking back for more updates!! Until then... Laters.
We woke up in Philly around 7am and left for the city around 8:30. We took a tour of Independence Hall, saw the liberty bell, and walked around the city from 6th and Market to 3rd and South. We ate at Steaks on South. I had a real Philly cheese steak sandwich. It was amazing. Then we had Rita's Water Ice for dessert and headed back to the car to start driving to Virginia. We stopped in DC for a small snack at Current Sushi because one of my friends from Hawaii works there. I haven't seen her in 3 years and it was nice to catch up a little. By 8:30 we were back on the road. I kept a watchful eye on my phone since I get twitter updates from the Bruins sent to my inbox. I followed the whole game on the drive down the Harrisonburg from DC. I yelled and sat on the edge of my seat most of the drive because up until 6 minutes before the end, the game was scoreless and power playless. Then the Bruins scored and won the game!! I'm so excited that I will get to hear all about their next games for the Stanly Cups (I'm a pretty big Bruins fan). In the down time that I wasn't reciting Bruins updates, I was singing to my favorite songs on my iPod. I'm just going to say, there's a reason I dance!! My singing is terrible!! But it kept me up to help navigate while my sister drove from DC to Harrisonburg.
Now we're at the hotel and about to go to bed. Tomorrow we're headed up through Cincinnati, OH to Hoosierville, IN and spending the night there (we're leaving at 7am). We're trying to get to Bloomington, MN by Sunday so we have to drive a lot tomorrow and the day after. After tomorrow we're going up through Chicago to get to Bloomington, MN. Of course, we will probably stop at random places along the way but at the moment, our goal is to get to Mall of America for Memorial Day SALES :P Keep checking back for more updates!! Until then... Laters.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
On The Road: Day 1
Well, it's official!! I'm on the road en route to Oregon. Of course with me, everything is an adventure, and my family and I aren't just driving to Oregon. Here's our simplified route. Saratoga, NY--> Boston, MA--> Farmington, CT--> Philadelphia, PA-->Harrisonburg, VA--> Hooserville, IN--> Chicago, IL--> Bloomington, MN--> Omaha, NE--> Mt. Rushmore, SD--> Yellowstone National Park, WY--> Bute, MT--> Spokane, WA--> Bend, OR. Of course, there is always room for additions, deletions, and extensions. We essentially have until June 16th to get to Oregon.
So far, we've left Saratoga and explored Boston for my birthday (yes, I'm 22 now. How scary is it to know I'm growing up?!). My birthday in Boston was absolutely fantastic!! I walked the entirety of the Freedom Trail and enjoyed yummy Boston foods. Not to mention took tours of my favorite ballpark, Fenway Park, and this year I even got to visit the home of the Boston Bruins and Celtics, TD Garden!! I was very disappointed that the Bruins lost game 6 on my birthday, but with my family NOTHING feels like a disappointment. This morning (May 26th) my mom and dad said good bye as they boarded their plane to go home to Hawaii while Auntie Sandy, Rendi (sister), and I loaded up the car once again. Loading up this car is getting to be an adventure in and of itself!! We keep buying more and more souvenirs. Another great adventure: Toll roads. We have fun scrambling to see who of the two passengers in the car can produce the exact change first. It's even more funny when we produce the wrong amount and have to scramble again to get the right amount to the toll collector before they get mad or the people behind us get mad. Hawaii sure has spoiled me with nice people and free roads!!
We drove for two hours and stopped in Farmington, CT for lunch at my favorite restaurant, The Rainforest Cafe. I try to eat at every Rainforest Cafe I see, even though they have the same menu at each location. Once we had eaten more than enough and walked around a bit, we hopped back in the car and hit the road en route to Philadelphia. We got stuck in traffic three times: once in the Bronx and twice in New Jersey. Both New York and New Jersey drivers scare me!! My sister drove to Philadelphia while I panicked that we were going to get hit by crazy drivers next to us. We finally arrived in Philadelphia around 8 and after checking in to our hotel we went to have an experience at Sonic. We had never eaten at Sonic but we always see the commercials. It was weird having people come to our car. This really puts a whole new worry in my mind regarding the laziness of Americans. At least I can say I ate there!! Then we drove into the city center to see the city lights. We walked around the Philadelphia Museum of Art and I ran up and down the famous Rocky Stairs. I ran up first for a photo (of course!!) and then I ran down thinking that I forgot my own camera in my bag that I left at the bottom of the stairs. I really wanted to take a picture of the skyline from the top of the stairs. Once I got to the bottom I realized that my camera had been in my pocket the whole time, so I ran back up the stairs to take the picture. Can I just say that it's 84 degrees and humid here?! Running up and down those stairs was not the best idea I've had. Regardless, I had fun.
Tomorrow we're exploring around Philadelphia a little more and then we're headed down to West Virginia. We'll spend the night in Harrisonburg and then head on to Hooserville. I can't wait to see what adventures await us!! Check back tomorrow and I'll let you know what troubles we get ourselves into :) Until then... Laters.
So far, we've left Saratoga and explored Boston for my birthday (yes, I'm 22 now. How scary is it to know I'm growing up?!). My birthday in Boston was absolutely fantastic!! I walked the entirety of the Freedom Trail and enjoyed yummy Boston foods. Not to mention took tours of my favorite ballpark, Fenway Park, and this year I even got to visit the home of the Boston Bruins and Celtics, TD Garden!! I was very disappointed that the Bruins lost game 6 on my birthday, but with my family NOTHING feels like a disappointment. This morning (May 26th) my mom and dad said good bye as they boarded their plane to go home to Hawaii while Auntie Sandy, Rendi (sister), and I loaded up the car once again. Loading up this car is getting to be an adventure in and of itself!! We keep buying more and more souvenirs. Another great adventure: Toll roads. We have fun scrambling to see who of the two passengers in the car can produce the exact change first. It's even more funny when we produce the wrong amount and have to scramble again to get the right amount to the toll collector before they get mad or the people behind us get mad. Hawaii sure has spoiled me with nice people and free roads!!
We drove for two hours and stopped in Farmington, CT for lunch at my favorite restaurant, The Rainforest Cafe. I try to eat at every Rainforest Cafe I see, even though they have the same menu at each location. Once we had eaten more than enough and walked around a bit, we hopped back in the car and hit the road en route to Philadelphia. We got stuck in traffic three times: once in the Bronx and twice in New Jersey. Both New York and New Jersey drivers scare me!! My sister drove to Philadelphia while I panicked that we were going to get hit by crazy drivers next to us. We finally arrived in Philadelphia around 8 and after checking in to our hotel we went to have an experience at Sonic. We had never eaten at Sonic but we always see the commercials. It was weird having people come to our car. This really puts a whole new worry in my mind regarding the laziness of Americans. At least I can say I ate there!! Then we drove into the city center to see the city lights. We walked around the Philadelphia Museum of Art and I ran up and down the famous Rocky Stairs. I ran up first for a photo (of course!!) and then I ran down thinking that I forgot my own camera in my bag that I left at the bottom of the stairs. I really wanted to take a picture of the skyline from the top of the stairs. Once I got to the bottom I realized that my camera had been in my pocket the whole time, so I ran back up the stairs to take the picture. Can I just say that it's 84 degrees and humid here?! Running up and down those stairs was not the best idea I've had. Regardless, I had fun.
Tomorrow we're exploring around Philadelphia a little more and then we're headed down to West Virginia. We'll spend the night in Harrisonburg and then head on to Hooserville. I can't wait to see what adventures await us!! Check back tomorrow and I'll let you know what troubles we get ourselves into :) Until then... Laters.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Lovin' Boston
Boston truly is my favorite place to be. I turn 22 tomorrow... WEIRD. And I'm still loving being in Boston. My family and I did so much these last two days. In no particular order, we visited Harvard, toured Fenway Park, walked around The Garden, visited the Museum of Fine Arts, hung out with Matt, played candle pin bowling, and SO much more. We've walked around so much and have done so much that I couldn't possibly put them all into words here on one blog. My post would go on FOREVER. Although, I do have to confess that thanks to Bessey I'm officially a hockey watcher and now thanks to Boston, I have a team to cheer for. The Bruins are where my energy is now going toward. Red Sox will always be my first favorite Boston team. Celtics came second, and now I have the Bruins to love. My parents are trying to get me to love the Patriots but to be honest, I don't like watching football in the slightest. So that may not happen... But it's nice to have a focus ;) I have a deal with Bessey and for all you reading this, you may serve as my witness: He is going to try his hardest to make it onto the Bruins. When he makes the team, I will buy EVERYTHING with his name and number on it (I mean, he IS #1) and he will get me free tickets. Hopefully he won't forget the girl who took him home after Jr Ring and went to every home game to support him playing in the '10-'11 school year at Skidmore, because I know I will never forget my English class with him where he first told me that he was branded as a hockey player. Ever since that class, he has been my hockey boy.
Haha, anyway, I'm exhausted from another exciting day in Boston. I think we're going to the aquarium tomorrow... not quite sure, we kinda just play it by ear day-to-day. Regardless, I know with my family I will have a lot of fun. We laugh so much when we're together. I will be sure to update you every day when I hit the road again. Until then... Laters.
Haha, anyway, I'm exhausted from another exciting day in Boston. I think we're going to the aquarium tomorrow... not quite sure, we kinda just play it by ear day-to-day. Regardless, I know with my family I will have a lot of fun. We laugh so much when we're together. I will be sure to update you every day when I hit the road again. Until then... Laters.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
School's Out!!
Hey everyone!! So it has been a while since I’ve updated this (AGAIN >_<), so here’s the abridged version.
Classes ended and I made a new friend :) His name is Matt and he's awesomely weird lol. We get along because of our weirdnesses. We had one class each semester together each semester and we only started talking when classes were done. He has SAD so I was very interested in talking with him about it (since that's what I wanna study and work with professionally). We became a lot closer than I ever thought possible in just a week. Then again that's how I felt about Chris when I met him in November. I just meet my best friends late in life... case in point fab 5 arose senior year of high school :/ What is wrong with me?? Don't answer that. Anyway, I didn't have finals so I got drunk a lot with other people who didn't have finals because we were just SO unbelievably bored. Finally it was senior week!!!
Senior week… Aiyayai that went by way too fast. Although I didn’t go to many events, I still had a lot of fun.
Friday was the kick off and because I was exhausted, I decided to ditch that after getting my wristband.
Saturday was senior fun day and I didn’t go to that either. Raisa and I decided to play just dance 2 on the wii instead. I did wanna go check it out but we were tired after playing and it was raining so Raisa said she didn’t wanna walk in the rain. I refuse to go to it by myself since I had too many enemies on campus.
Sunday my housemates didn’t wanna go bowling so we ditched that too, although we did get absolutely TRASHED. Matt also stopped by with Chris and we played doubles ruit. It was so much fun because we all won one and lost one. Matt and I made a pretty good team but then we got raped by Raisa and Chris.
Monday was the Booze Cruise and oh man was that fun!! There was a dance floor on the second level and I had the time of my life. I didn’t drink anything because of the rough night the night before but I still had a lot of fun ;) Monday was also Freshman dorm night. That was absolute crap because half the places were non-existent or not open, or unaware that we had something going on. Most people hit up Tavern after 1 or DA’s before that but Putnam Den was where it was really at. Again, Matt neglected to buy me my drink for losing his bet, but whatever.
Tuesday was supposed to be a movie night but it got canceled due to the rain. To be honest, I really can't remember what we did on this day/night.
Wednesday was the commencement rehearsal and Senior Formal. The senior formal was AMAZING!! I couldn’t believe that regardless of having to leave early I had the best time of my life.
My CBEST test was Thursday morning at 8am and I got back to campus around 11. I slept until 3 and then had to get up to pack. Raisa, Maria, and I ate at Ravenous (HIGHLY recommended) for dinner and then took the rest of the night to pack up since my family was just getting in to NY. I went to a late dinner with them at Hattie’s. Then I brought them back to my house to play just dance wii (HILARIOUS!!). Then I went off to my friends’ birthday parties. Natalie and Alex Costa had their birthday parties on Thursday with a rubix theme. It was a very entertaining party. Matt was supposed to meet me at the party but FELL ASLEEP!!!!! So I was mad at him…. Well actually that’s a lie. I wasn’t mad, just drunk haha.
Friday morning I woke up and got ready for the Senior athletic luncheon at 12, then the brick ceremony at 3:30 and the meet and greet for my department at 4. Then I had my last dinner in Nwoods with my favorite people. We cleaned and packed and pretty much got a massive headache from it. Matt came over and hung out with me for the last time :’( and then it was time for bed.
I had to wake up early so that I could pack up my car. My family met me for the last breakfast in Dhall. And finally it was the hour of graduation. I went early to catch people who were getting their diplomas. Took lots of pictures, walked, took more pictures, celebrated, you know the usual. My family loved it, I loved it, I’m sure my friends loved it. I said my good byes, packed up the last of my things, and headed out.
In the next post I'll tell you about what I'm up to now. Until then... Laters.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
What FightClub Has Taught Me
Tonight was an intense meeting (yes, I'm writing this at 1am while it's still fresh in my head). People yelled at each other. People cried or were on the verge of crying. People talked. People argued. People defended themselves. People heard what was being said. But no one was listening. From this meeting I learned a few things being the silent secretary for the mediators, who reluctantly stepped in with high hopes that the group would be able to work things out for themselves. Unfortunately, things rarely work out as you plan, nor do they ever go as you would hope. My stomach twisted more and more as peoples' voices raised to the point where I thought we needed to physically break up the fight. I thought I was going to pass out or throw up. Conflicts scare me, but I learn from them. Here is what I learned tonight:
1. If you're here to make it easier, you're here for the wrong reason.
2. Learning starts where discomfort begins.
3. Too much of a good thing, can be bad.
There is a lot more that I learned tonight. I will continue to learn with each mediation and yes, I will admit that I am afraid of leaving the club the way it is, but sometimes you have to trust that everything will be OK. As I've often said, FightClub is my new born baby. At this point right now, I'm leaving my baby at day care for the first time. It's hard for every new mother to do but she has to trust that her baby is in good hands. I trust that this club will thrive because so many people are so passionate about making it the best club that it can be. Some day I will hear about the club on the news because they will be saving the world one conflict at a time. Some day I will be sitting in a mediation thinking to myself, "Compared to FightClub, this is not a problem." But right now, I'm sitting in my room on edge because I'm terrified that something bad will happen. So... because I've learned so much from you all, I would like to pass on some words of wisdom that hopefully you'll remember the next time you're in need of a mediator:
1. A title means nothing. People will recognize you (no matter how much you try to make it anonymous). No one will go unnoticed. Even when no one else recognizes what you did, you know what you did and that's one more person that that event had noticing it than it did before you did it.
2. An e-board has to be a team, not just a group. Work together and encourage each other but most importantly, keep each other in check. Don't take things your teammate says personally. He or she is just looking out for the chemistry of the team.
3. Listen to each other. Everyone has things to say. Think about how it feels not to be heard. Don't make anyone else feel that way. When in doubt, STFU. Physically take one step back from each other, take a deep breath, and then start again when all the noise has quieted down.
I want to see this club bloom. This is but a seed in a pot just beginning to root. We have a small stem but no leaves yet. I'm a girl, I want flowers. Keep it alive long enough for a flower to bud and bloom. Then send me a picture so that I can cherish it for all eternity. Please don't let your passion die, because I might go with it. Keep learning from each other and don't forget, I'm always here to keep you updated. Until then... Laters.
1. If you're here to make it easier, you're here for the wrong reason.
2. Learning starts where discomfort begins.
3. Too much of a good thing, can be bad.
There is a lot more that I learned tonight. I will continue to learn with each mediation and yes, I will admit that I am afraid of leaving the club the way it is, but sometimes you have to trust that everything will be OK. As I've often said, FightClub is my new born baby. At this point right now, I'm leaving my baby at day care for the first time. It's hard for every new mother to do but she has to trust that her baby is in good hands. I trust that this club will thrive because so many people are so passionate about making it the best club that it can be. Some day I will hear about the club on the news because they will be saving the world one conflict at a time. Some day I will be sitting in a mediation thinking to myself, "Compared to FightClub, this is not a problem." But right now, I'm sitting in my room on edge because I'm terrified that something bad will happen. So... because I've learned so much from you all, I would like to pass on some words of wisdom that hopefully you'll remember the next time you're in need of a mediator:
1. A title means nothing. People will recognize you (no matter how much you try to make it anonymous). No one will go unnoticed. Even when no one else recognizes what you did, you know what you did and that's one more person that that event had noticing it than it did before you did it.
2. An e-board has to be a team, not just a group. Work together and encourage each other but most importantly, keep each other in check. Don't take things your teammate says personally. He or she is just looking out for the chemistry of the team.
3. Listen to each other. Everyone has things to say. Think about how it feels not to be heard. Don't make anyone else feel that way. When in doubt, STFU. Physically take one step back from each other, take a deep breath, and then start again when all the noise has quieted down.
I want to see this club bloom. This is but a seed in a pot just beginning to root. We have a small stem but no leaves yet. I'm a girl, I want flowers. Keep it alive long enough for a flower to bud and bloom. Then send me a picture so that I can cherish it for all eternity. Please don't let your passion die, because I might go with it. Keep learning from each other and don't forget, I'm always here to keep you updated. Until then... Laters.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
I am an inspiration
Most of you know that I am, among other things, a chameleon and a mirror. I try to blend in as much as possible while still being unique. I mirror everyone else's energy and personalities so that I get along with them as much as I can. Last night at our last FightClub meeting we had a compliment car wash for the seniors. Everyone said that they loved my energy, dedication, and commitment to the club and in everything I did. I found that to be touching but also kinda funny. I don't think of myself as a particularly energetic, dedicated, or committed person. I do what I'm told because it's what I was told. Sometimes I add my own flare with it (OK, most times) but for the most part, I'm just doing what I feels right. I matched the level of energy that I felt in the meetings and carried it out from day to day making sure I was never without the support of my conflict coaches, my mediators, my friends. I never in a million years would have called myself an inspiration but almost everyone wrote that on my shirt.
Parents in my old dance team used to tell me I was a role model for their daughters or I was someone they wanted their children to grow up to be. At the time they were telling me that, I would always think to myself, "yea if you knew me outside of the dance setting, you would NOT want your daughter to be like me." I'm exceptionally uptight, neurotic, and I worry about the little things too much. After attending a college 6,000 miles away from home and going through about 4 different personalities before settling on one I could live with for the rest of my life, I finally realize what people are talking about when they compliment me. I've managed to turn my views of who I am from negative to positive using the same personality traits. While I am still uptight, neurotic, and worrisome about the little things, that is what some people would call dedication. In my senior year, I learned how to have fun, how to live, how to love. I would not have been able to do that without my club supporting me.
Now back to that mirror image I gave you in the beginning of this blog. I mirror what other people are. You know that saying, "treat others as you would like to be treated"?? Yea, well, I live by a similar motto: Live the lives you see and like, then do it better (I'm a VERY competitive person). I see who others are and I mimic the ones I like. Then I take it to the next level and make it noticeable to you. We learn this in mediation, sometimes it takes another voice to tell you what you said before you realize what you said. If you all are calling me an inspiration, it's only because I am projecting what you are in a way you can see it. I am only as happy as the person I am with. You see me as happy-go-lucky?? You're probably the reason I'm like that.
So, with all that said, I would like to dedicate this blog to my beloved FightClub. Seniors, you already got my compliments last night so I'll leave with this last message, "Go shine, Go mediate, Go fight for what you believe in."
Everyone else, good luck with this amazing club. Keep me proud. I look forward to talking with you and hearing how everything is going. Keep me posted. Until then... Laters.
Parents in my old dance team used to tell me I was a role model for their daughters or I was someone they wanted their children to grow up to be. At the time they were telling me that, I would always think to myself, "yea if you knew me outside of the dance setting, you would NOT want your daughter to be like me." I'm exceptionally uptight, neurotic, and I worry about the little things too much. After attending a college 6,000 miles away from home and going through about 4 different personalities before settling on one I could live with for the rest of my life, I finally realize what people are talking about when they compliment me. I've managed to turn my views of who I am from negative to positive using the same personality traits. While I am still uptight, neurotic, and worrisome about the little things, that is what some people would call dedication. In my senior year, I learned how to have fun, how to live, how to love. I would not have been able to do that without my club supporting me.
Now back to that mirror image I gave you in the beginning of this blog. I mirror what other people are. You know that saying, "treat others as you would like to be treated"?? Yea, well, I live by a similar motto: Live the lives you see and like, then do it better (I'm a VERY competitive person). I see who others are and I mimic the ones I like. Then I take it to the next level and make it noticeable to you. We learn this in mediation, sometimes it takes another voice to tell you what you said before you realize what you said. If you all are calling me an inspiration, it's only because I am projecting what you are in a way you can see it. I am only as happy as the person I am with. You see me as happy-go-lucky?? You're probably the reason I'm like that.
So, with all that said, I would like to dedicate this blog to my beloved FightClub. Seniors, you already got my compliments last night so I'll leave with this last message, "Go shine, Go mediate, Go fight for what you believe in."
Everyone else, good luck with this amazing club. Keep me proud. I look forward to talking with you and hearing how everything is going. Keep me posted. Until then... Laters.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
