tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76843667918472267792024-03-06T00:49:04.031-07:00le loraxloraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-85992281645249019112010-10-24T19:39:00.002-06:002010-10-24T19:39:55.496-06:00Listen Guys,I know the Lorax and I have been gone for a while, but this kind of action really wasn't necessary.<br />
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<br />loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-30918545288785508152010-09-16T19:55:00.000-06:002010-09-16T19:55:32.129-06:00Hey.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Don't worry guys. </div>
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Sometimes the most is said by what is not there. So, while I transition to a new city/school and try to stop being a hot mess, fill in my absence with fantasies of your own rendering about my adventures.loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-38198557663326361032010-08-27T10:43:00.001-06:002010-08-27T20:29:18.071-06:00My Shoes Took Me So Many Miles And They Never Wore OutFollowing the <a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/08/cadillac-ranch.html">previous entry's</a> pit stop at Cadillac Ranch, I eventually made my way down to Austin, Texas to spend time with one of my <a href="http://ifeelyoujoanna.blogspot.com/">best friends</a>. Our schedules are so jam packed that the only opportunity we were going to have to see each other this summer was if I drove fourteen hours to help her move in to her new apartment.<br />
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So I did<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urjJ06T_Dms">.</a> And it was awesome.</div>
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I previously went to school just outside of Austin and have therefore come to love it there. The art, the music, the weather. Oh wait, not the weather. Definitely not the weather. It was 108 when I started my journey back from Austin. Not okay.</div>
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While I was there, we hit up all of the classic Austin spots including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barton_Springs_Pool">Barton Springs</a>, <a href="http://www.drafthouse.com/">Alamo Drafthouse</a>, <a href="http://www.torchystacos.com/">Torchy's Tacos</a> and, of course, the Lorax wanted to see Daniel Johnston's <i>Hi, How Are You? </i>mural at the corner of 21st and Guadalupe.<br />
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<br /></div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-6806153020841356602010-08-18T21:34:00.003-06:002010-08-18T22:49:42.355-06:00Cadillac RanchI spent today driving nearly ten hours from Santa Fe to Dallas. Ok, three hours. My mom did most of the driving.<br />
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I spent today <s>driving</s> in a car for nearly ten hours.<br />
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How's that?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely didn't notice the message on the second car from the front when I was actually there. Haha, how nice.</td></tr>
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Along the trip from New Mexico to Texas is Cadillac Ranch, the art installation from the 70s in Amarillo, Texas that features different models of Cadillacs stuck into the ground.<br />
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I remember driving past this on family trips a million times when I was younger. Except, I never really knew where we were on family trips so I didn't think we were passing the same place every time. I thought it was just something some farmers did across the nation. Place up-ended cars into the dirt of their fields and paint them funny colors. Seemed normal enough to me.<br />
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Having never actually stopped to look at the cars up close, Lorax and I decided to finally check it out today. Unfortunately, it was a rather spontaneous decision so we didn't have any spray paint with which to leave our mark (anyone can spray paint anything onto the ten Cadillacs, but the place is so popular that messages don't stay visible for very long... and that may be another reason I can be excused for not recognizing the site when I was younger since the exteriors of the cars are always changing... nah, there's no excuse for me). We tried searching a nearby shop (aka the only shop in this middle of nowhere site) for some spray paint, but to no avail. Hopefully, we'll be better prepared the next time we pass by, which should be in only a few days time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTd8uKcTx50H75bKBYYKfSj5HPq6xRimWMYG9qUrGIIQ-TbLOZ8uq-n0UkInCiyPAJn_qdxOBiiBecFFSp1TYQCK_hXT8E1sKtLEtESB13lVmY4vSv95jZdb6OJjCmXxGiFkbQlEWP_CA/s1600/IMG_7014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTd8uKcTx50H75bKBYYKfSj5HPq6xRimWMYG9qUrGIIQ-TbLOZ8uq-n0UkInCiyPAJn_qdxOBiiBecFFSp1TYQCK_hXT8E1sKtLEtESB13lVmY4vSv95jZdb6OJjCmXxGiFkbQlEWP_CA/s640/IMG_7014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-2762041544936144412010-08-14T15:00:00.002-06:002010-08-14T16:27:57.250-06:00You Holla, We Follow Our Favorite JockAnyone been keeping up with the <a href="http://twitter.com/mtvtj">MTV Twitter Jockey</a> thing? Yeah, me neither.<br />
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So, anyone who is friends with me on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/birdacious">twitter</a> knows that I follow about four times as many people as I am followed by. This is something I actively tried to avoid when I first got a twitter. No, seriously, I did. I felt it would be strange to be following so many more people than I am followed by. I felt like people would judge me for it. I mostly thought this because <i>I</i> judge people for it.<br />
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Why the judgement? I honestly have no idea.<br />
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Maybe it's something about appearing to want to have lots of friends, but really only managing to have a few. Or appearing overeager. Or desperate. Or something... Really, I can't pinpoint the reason, but it definitely bothers me.<br />
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However, something has occurred to me lately. Couldn't it be seen as <i>better</i> to follow more people than you are followed by? Wouldn't that show that you care more what other people are saying than who is reading what you say? Sort of like being primarily a listener rather than a talker.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I am pretty vocal on twitter and have <a href="http://twitter.com/birdacious/status/18300901355">more than</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/birdacious/status/18015274980">my fair share</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/birdacious/status/20434102207">of</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/birdacious/status/17877143352">completely</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/birdacious/status/16432409261">pointless</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/birdacious/status/15821812967">tweets</a>. Yet, I think my unbalanced follower-following ratio indicates that, despite frequent tweets like the ones linked to above, my predominant use of twitter is to see what other people are saying.<br />
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Assuming the paradigm that the only people I'm directing my tweets to are the people I actually know, the following chart implies that I am doing much more reading than tweeting and that my main use of twitter is to keep up with the world, not to broadcast my life to it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who I Follow On Twitter</td></tr>
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I keep my twitter page open whenever I'm online and check it on my iPhone compulsively, but I don't actually post a message every time I check it. I look at the trends to see if there's a huge news story I'm missing (remember last summer when there was a new deceased celebrity in the trend everyday? I <a href="http://twitter.com/birdacious/status/19311592869">still freak out</a> anytime I see the name of a celebrity I admire in the trends in case it means they died) and scroll through my feed for announcements of events happening around town, concert ticket giveaways, contests and typically some brooding quotes from <a href="http://twitter.com/yokoono">Yoko Ono</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/Shakespeare_quo">Shakespeare</a>.<br />
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A few months ago, I blogged about <a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/04/shakespeares-birthday-and-lovers-on.html">Such Tweet Sorrow</a>, which put <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> into a modern day context and tweeted the play as if in real life with actors tweeting each of the characters. <a href="http://twitter.com/AcimanandRensin">Aciman and Rensin</a> have also live tweeted books in a more modern day context and now there's a <a href="http://twitter.com/biblesummary">man</a> taking three years to tweet the entire Bible by summarizing a passage each day.<br />
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There's so much to do on twitter besides tweeting about <a href="http://twitter.com/birdacious/status/20986267209">my salt and vinegar addiction</a> that, at this point, I don't even know how I could be expected to garner as many followers as accounts I follow. All of the people who I follow that I actually know (i.e. not internet celebrities or companies) follow me in return. I mean<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kK9Bpc7zdQ">,</a> I'm not famous or anything so why should anyone who doesn't know me have any clue that my twitter account even exists?<br />
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At any rate, this is just something I've been thinking about lately as I try to justify breaking 200 in my following list and barely scraping a deck of cards worth of followers. What can I say? As much as I don't like that new "who to follow" feature, it kind of sucked me in.<br />
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</div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-36627019606857452842010-08-07T00:25:00.000-06:002010-08-07T00:25:09.547-06:00Rosewell, NMLast week, my friend, Josh, the Lorax and I took a day trip to Roswell. The town was the site of the 1947 alien autopsy. In 1995, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Santilli">Ray Santilli</a> made a fake version of the alleged footage and sold it to broadcasting networks around the world. How do I know about Santilli when I was only five at the time the footage aired? Because <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_sJmIQrH54">Ant and Dec</a> were in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_Autopsy_(film)">movie</a> about him. How else do I learn anything these days?<br />
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Roswell itself was pretty disappointing. I mean, I didn't expect much from it, but I at least expected some cool and amusing things at the UFO Museum. I was envisioning something like a children's science museum, but with "alien artifacts" and crazy people wearing antennae à la <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW2RlaC6nAs">Muppets from Space</a>.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the Lorax outside of the UFO Museum. Notice the cryptic alien scrawls on the underside of the flying saucer above his head. </td></tr>
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The museum, it turned out, was kind of like a pre-school with no budget. And I'm not just talking about the fact that I'm pretty sure no one in there was actually literate. It was simply a big open room with various newspaper clippings, photographs and artwork pinned onto those cork board room divider things. And they charged us $5 for that.<br />
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To be fair, they charge because they're saving for a <i>real</i> state of the art museum. If that ever happens, I'll return, but not until then.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The museum included highly informative documents like the one above</td></tr>
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As for the rest of the town... well, it reminded me a lot of Forks, Washington. Forks is the town where the<i> Twilight</i> series takes place. The actual town part consists of a three block strip of stores, restaurants and hotels. That's it. Seriously. There aren't even any other roads. Just the one. And every single establishment on that road is plastered with Edward Cullen photos, using <i>Twilight</i> as a means to boost visitors. Sadly, but truly, <i>Twilight</i> is the only thing Forks has going for it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I spent all of ten minutes in Forks so I didn't take very many good photos</td></tr>
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Roswell, though significantly larger than Forks, was the same story. Aliens were painted on every corner and the street lamps were even made into alien heads like the <a href="http://image48.webshots.com/49/7/56/38/2053756380040158146vhQinf_fs.jpg">Kiss street lamps</a> in Hershey, PA.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click on the collage to see the images up close</td></tr>
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Even though I knew I couldn't like go to the exact location where they found the alien, I had still been hoping something equally awesome would exist in Roswell. Maybe a tour of all the important locations during the autopsy. Or a museum that doesn't look like a storage unit. Or something.<br />
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At the very least, I can now say I've been to Roswell, which is something, right?<br />
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Also, because it is amazing, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kokm6ACqvB8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kokm6ACqvB8</a>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-42230306658309107532010-08-04T20:56:00.000-06:002010-08-04T20:56:16.782-06:00Young Me/Now Me<a href="http://www.zefrank.com/">Ze Frank</a> has started a new project called <a href="http://www.zefrank.com/youngmenowme/">Young Me/Now Me</a>, where he asks people to email him photos of themselves as kids and then another photo re-enacting the situation, or in the same position or place.<br />
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I posted my <a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2009/12/some-things-never-change.html">favorite coincidentally similar photo set</a> of myself last winter, but here's another one from Summer 2003 and this past spring. It's not the one I'm going to submit to Young Me/Now Me because I have better plans for that, but it's still fun for now.<br />
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So glad I got rid of those bangs.loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-57275535564438463282010-07-26T21:33:00.002-06:002010-08-14T15:03:50.027-06:00Unlike MIA, I Like Ginger(s)Today I decided to try a recipe for homemade ginger ale I had bookmarked from <a href="http://www.greenissexy.org/2010/04/18/do-it-yourself-ginger-ale/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+greenissexy+(Green+is+Sexy)">Green Is Sexy</a>. For refusing to experiment with more than one batch, I think it turned out pretty well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wWcA-bREi2Vr1f64c0k1LMyqfSMhXYYH0tXogMaPZ5z8tICtqWIxt6BVudw-WCMh8gueqosmWjZgjSopx54FzIVCEb69ZY2reo6vBk7Dr-HZHSxjrafFcBXCPIS5CnBUFVN80jgp_yw/s1600/IMG_0106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wWcA-bREi2Vr1f64c0k1LMyqfSMhXYYH0tXogMaPZ5z8tICtqWIxt6BVudw-WCMh8gueqosmWjZgjSopx54FzIVCEb69ZY2reo6vBk7Dr-HZHSxjrafFcBXCPIS5CnBUFVN80jgp_yw/s640/IMG_0106.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 tsp. Sliced or powdered ginger<br />
24 oz. Carbonated water<br />
1 Lemon<br />
Optional sugar<br />
(all measurements estimates)<br />
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The first thing to do is make ginger tea using your sliced or powdered ginger. I opted for the powdered ginger because I<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeMvUlxXyz8">'</a>ve seen my brother slicing and chopping fresh ginger before and it seems like more effort than I am willing to exert. I did, however, take the time to snap a photo of the fresh ginger at Whole Foods because it looks so cool. It reminds me of food hobgoblins might eat or, as my mom said, it looks like mandrakes.<br />
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So, boil some water like you're making tea, but instead of adding bags or leaves, throw in the ginger. I don't know if this is exactly what's supposed to be done because the "recipe" I used didn't really say. I put in two teaspoons of ginger into 24 ounces of water and stirred it up as best I could.<br />
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NOTE: Ginger apparently congeals in water super fast and is pretty hard to get off of stuff once it dries.<br />
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I let the ginger "tea" steep for fifteen minutes. Less time would probably be alright. I've been steeping things longer because I'm at such a high altitude.<br />
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After steeping, you need to strain the ginger. This is one reason why I should have opted for slices of ginger, rather than powder. Unless you have a very fine strainer, it's going to be hard to get all of the powder out. This means all of it is going to settle at the bottom of the pitcher. If you don't mind giving it a shake each time before you drink it, the powdered stuff is fine, but if you're not down with that sort of thing, I'd recommend going for sliced ginger.<br />
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After letting it cool a bit more, it's time to add the fun stuff. I used Perrier because I really enjoy it and it gave me an excuse to drink whatever was leftover from my ginger ale. Again, I came up with my own measurements. I ended up doing half and half. So that's 24 ounces of carbonated water. Following that, I squeezed in half a lemon and topped it off with four teaspoons of sugar. This is really the phase where you should just add and taste until it turns out how you like it.<br />
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Overall, mine turned out quite strong and little too lemony, but I kinda like it like that. It also has that whole ginger powder sinking to the bottom problem. But for not really knowing what I was doing, I'd say it turned out quite well. Let me know if you guys try it and if you come up with any tricks for preparing it more properly!<br />
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<br />loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-42440507855244707772010-07-24T13:24:00.000-06:002010-07-26T18:16:15.094-06:00What Happens In Downing Stays In DowningThat's what my friends and I used to say to each other (and carved into a lecture hall desk) when we studied at Cambridge University in 2005. We were all having ridiculous boy problems and agreed that when we left Cambridge, it would be all over. Our problems would stay at Downing, the college where we lived.<br />
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When I went to England this past April, I had planned to keep a video log of my travels. After recording a video at the first place I visited, I promptly forgot about my plans. In fact, I completely forgot I had even recorded that one video until I dug out my camcorder last night for some good ol' YouTube filming. I guess you could say that the video refused to break the rule of disallowing anything that happens in Downing to leave Downing.<br />
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For your mild and punitive entertainment, I have broken that rule. Just like I did in 2005.<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pa80ugfZuBg&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00">
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<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pa80ugfZuBg&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-22673979140327450482010-07-20T13:56:00.000-06:002010-07-20T13:56:54.934-06:00Now Taking Suggestions For 21 New Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://morphinebliss.tumblr.com/page/1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">via</span></a></div>
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I'm at a standstill in making my list of 21 new things to try before my 21st birthday in May. I have about twelve right now, which include running a 5K, making candy sushi and doing some left overs I didn't get around to last time.<br />
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So, please leave your suggestions here or on twitter or IRL! I think I'm mostly going towards crafty things this year and maybe picking up new skills. I'd also be up for places I should go to/things I should do in the New York area. But any and all suggestions are welcome. Hopefully I can get started before the end of the summer. Until then... Moustache Party!<br />
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"<i>You draw on your mustache while I powder my nose... Rose Robert, together we make quite a remarkable pair."</i></div>
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<a href="http://alphabette.tumblr.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">via</span></a></div>
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I think this is what happened to the Merry Pranksters' bus when the seventies hit. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://theasteria.xanga.com/729897470/thelovebus/">via</a></span></div>
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10 points for a mug I desperately want. 20 points for awesome British YouTubers.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">property of </span><a href="http://twitpic.com/25posq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Charlie McDonnell</span></a></div>
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baby hipster</div>
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<a href="http://roccothegreat.tumblr.com/page/10"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">via</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.myspace.com/mustachemade"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">THE MUSTACHE CLUB MUSIC!</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div>
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(featuring several of my brother's high school best friends who I totally crushed on as a twelve year-old)</div>
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<br />loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-89571053953089509742010-07-18T23:28:00.005-06:002010-07-19T10:58:29.954-06:00Well, That's One Way To Wake Up EarlyEarly this morning, around six, I was half awake, half dreaming about the run I was going to go for in a few hours time. As I enjoyed the morning breeze sweeping through my open window and the squashiness of my pillows, I heard screaming, tires screeching, swerving and a crash.<br />
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The house I live in is along a fairly major road. It's a two lane road, hardly wide enough for two small cars, with a river on one side and a line of houses on the other, but it is a very busy road. Our house is set back about twenty feet from the road by a gravel area where we and our neighbors park our cars. The speed limit is twenty-five miles an hour, but from the late night until the early morning I hear cars driving past at <i>way</i> faster than twenty-five.<br />
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That's what first pulled me out of my half awake state. The rush of a car going entirely too fast. I had thought two cars crashed into each other, or into our parked cars, or into our neighbor's house.<br />
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Maybe there were two cars at some point, but there was actually no crash and, at first, no car.<br />
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I ran into my mom's room first, fearing for one stupid moment that a car had crashed through her front-facing bedroom (not thinking about the fact the house would have shook or anything). She was at the window pulling on a bathrobe with haste, watching a neighbor sprint to the scene. We ran out of the house, but saw no cars. Then we saw other neighbors across the river, leaning over their fence, yelling down to someone.<br />
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A girl had swerved off the road and into the river.<br />
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Lucky for her, the river had dried up so much that it was only two feet or so deep. The first neighbor was already down in the river, pulling the girl out of the car. She was terrified, but otherwise unharmed. And, miraculously, so was the car. She had definitely driven through a line of slim trees, but her car somehow managed to stay perfectly upright. It looked like she had been hovering above the water and then gently dropped into it.<br />
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For the next three hours, medics, fire men, police and tow trucks crowded in front of our house. The girl says there was a dog in the road and that's why she swerved. Maybe that's true, but if she had been following the speed limit she wouldn't have had to brake or turn so drastically.<br />
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I'm not a saint when it comes to following the speed limit or anything, but this road is tiny, consists almost entirely of sharp turns and is just feet away from houses (not to mention the river). There's even an oversized yellow sign that the girl passed soon before she crashed that says "SLOW DOWN: BLIND DRIVE."<br />
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Even though I often go below twenty-five just to make sure I don't run into an oncoming car around the many blind turns, I can understand not heeding the signs or feeling invincible. Everyone feels that way some or most of the time. You're late for an appointment, you're familiar with the bends in the road, you <i>have</i> to return that call, you're feeling daring, someone's tailgating you or you missed the last reduced speed sign.<br />
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But at what cost?<br />
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If she had decided to swerve the other direction, my next door neighbor and his two young children could be dead now. My neighbor must have thought of the same thing because, after the road was reopened and the car pulled out of the river, a suburban zoomed past and I heard my neighbor stop the driver and shout at him for exceeding the speed limit.<br />
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I am beyond relieved that absolutely no one was harmed, but I've only been here a month. Who knows how often this happens? Who knows how many people have died on this road or how frequently accidents take place? I'd wager quite often. And who knows how it will end next time?loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-21749349601657868572010-07-16T21:39:00.004-06:002010-07-21T16:12:34.563-06:00Plugs and OutletsI haven't posted since, uhm, basically since I moved to New Mexico. But I don't like spending posts apologizing (to who?) for not posting. So I let <a href="http://saturdayjane.wordpress.com/2010/07/08/the-rat/">Saturday Jane</a> do it instead:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"I’ve been avoiding Saturday Jane a bit. Don’t worry, I’m not mad at you. I’m not avoiding you at all, and that thing you did? It’s cool now. I get it, and I don’t blame you, but you may want to see a doctor. That’s all I’m saying.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Basically, I didn’t have any good ideas for a couple of days, and then when I started having little eensy ideas, my brain went, 'NO, IT’S BEEN LONG ENOUGH THAT THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST POST IN THE HISTORY OF POSTING. HAVE YOU SURPASSED THE WORKS OF SOPHOCLES? NO? KEEP TRYING.' I would re-examine my piffling little paragraph about that time the milk went sour and go, oh, well, I guess this has very little to do with Life and the Universe, and I would start over."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Thanks Jane!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Plugs and Outlets:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Amazon is now offering free Prime memberships to all students with a .edu email address. Prime is their premium service that costs about $80/year and, among other things, gets you free shipping on just about everything (the cheapest Marketplace selections tend not to be eligible). Go </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info?tag=slickdeals&prv=slickdeals&cur=forums&ses">HERE</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"> to sign up.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Improv Everywhere's latest </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5gCeWEGiQI">video</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"> put Princess Leia, Darth Vader and a handful of Stormtroopers on the New York subway. How can I join this troupe when I get to NY? No seriously. This has to happen.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span>Lately, I've been partial to Calibri pt. 11 font, but this <a href="http://www.pentagram.com/what-type-are-you/">font video quiz</a> told me I'm New Alphabet. Which one are you?</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">If you bought an iPhone 4 (like I did), you can now get a bumper (the cases made by Apple) for free. Or if you already bought a bumper (like I did), you can get a full refund. Apple will be posting instructions for how to do this on their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone/">site</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"> sometime in the next few days.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span>Have you ever wanted to put gummi bears, Nerds and Cinnamon Toast Crunch on a dark chocolate candy bar? I totally have. Uhm, not. <a href="http://www.chocomize.com/">Chocomize</a> lets you put anything from vegetarian bacon to potato chips on a dark, white or milk chocolate candy bar and they ship it to you with an ice pack so the candy won't melt. And not all of the toppings are gross.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">And now a picture of a giant horse head in Santa Fe </span></div>
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</div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-33382919800970639462010-06-28T20:08:00.001-06:002010-06-29T00:21:43.999-06:00Exploring The City DifferentI've been in Santa Fe for just over a week now. It's interesting to be in a place that's so sunny, but not anywhere near as hot as Texas. Every morning starts out in the sixties and then it will heat up to the seventies. Sometime in the afternoon there will be a bit of rain and then it cools down again for the night.<br />
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Am I really talking about the weather? It's such a characteristically dull thing to talk about. In fact, when I'm speaking with people who I find dull or who I have nothing to say to, I deliberately talk about the weather. Does this mean I'm becoming dull? Efffff.<br />
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While I find some way to become interesting again (<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/gang-green/">Kermit the Frog jacket?</a> <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/7857179/World-Cup-2010-You-Tube-adds-vuvuzela-button-to-best-clips.html">Carry around a vuvuzela?</a>), enjoy these photos from around Santa Fe.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CpbuxID2KkH0THqLYOpuT4DVy2XMRiR7Ohu1SAaCBbxnKxWKXul6MPiNRvD-xoal8cNjNVbwhvmZl4iHx5FaNzqHH6V0Ny0jHovSqXcmUJF6SE6o38FSM2c78ndNAH9QIgw3yNXB3oI/s1600/DSCN0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CpbuxID2KkH0THqLYOpuT4DVy2XMRiR7Ohu1SAaCBbxnKxWKXul6MPiNRvD-xoal8cNjNVbwhvmZl4iHx5FaNzqHH6V0Ny0jHovSqXcmUJF6SE6o38FSM2c78ndNAH9QIgw3yNXB3oI/s640/DSCN0095.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Front of part of the house</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdc0kLQ1HXQcCcjlu0h66mZtB4BdjMmnqhKfGQXHqYCEOh4pAL6P_VeHn_-KK3-8ObL9F6SPXpdspRjMpkL7vzsvgnLZvMtu0GmEmF0npTWk-e4fZwf_HV8EYFX7SQWZGMgQ5NuHNmunY/s1600/DSCN0104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdc0kLQ1HXQcCcjlu0h66mZtB4BdjMmnqhKfGQXHqYCEOh4pAL6P_VeHn_-KK3-8ObL9F6SPXpdspRjMpkL7vzsvgnLZvMtu0GmEmF0npTWk-e4fZwf_HV8EYFX7SQWZGMgQ5NuHNmunY/s640/DSCN0104.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The river that runs through the backyard. Only, it's all dried up right now. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeOKltNv4gBiCm1d6z9qMbM-uvYMFo8pxK6aBLPX4esPMb3lR4elhEsL5jrO6aMYMNCuttAOGsOM6DsaDVPzzOxU27Itelkpn0_Moqg00K3TvzN1mRdrBR2YuLsjapn7zqf_tJKoTGVI/s1600/IMG_6866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeOKltNv4gBiCm1d6z9qMbM-uvYMFo8pxK6aBLPX4esPMb3lR4elhEsL5jrO6aMYMNCuttAOGsOM6DsaDVPzzOxU27Itelkpn0_Moqg00K3TvzN1mRdrBR2YuLsjapn7zqf_tJKoTGVI/s640/IMG_6866.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is where they filmed the opening of <i>Timeline</i>. Except not.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHxS35DuhL4LEIij03_ZVCjyrwH4EisHqVhNOPSItTPeSQA6J8MU4WGbz1xULQ3BZAazgfuxlPQ34h7TqoamY6XyEdRbCtVXWFEuyjo9rQFAAePHw2L5zo6VOFeAsZs4zbdJzgJjL1oY/s1600/DSCN0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHxS35DuhL4LEIij03_ZVCjyrwH4EisHqVhNOPSItTPeSQA6J8MU4WGbz1xULQ3BZAazgfuxlPQ34h7TqoamY6XyEdRbCtVXWFEuyjo9rQFAAePHw2L5zo6VOFeAsZs4zbdJzgJjL1oY/s640/DSCN0130.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">We invaded St. John's. I almost applied here. Kinda surreal to be on the campus.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfT8MkmklLax9JAZcZ2oUWX3cqHPVQW3LvAxi0oCR5W6m060dbw-HkPOpB93T1e3lyv3xZf2xyFgsCNLhzmw6YailT7Y-EUrmvi7N4AqdmRdPELiNzVc8u0T9nK9Y5h8mLkyXs1NiQ-RI/s1600/IMG_6869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfT8MkmklLax9JAZcZ2oUWX3cqHPVQW3LvAxi0oCR5W6m060dbw-HkPOpB93T1e3lyv3xZf2xyFgsCNLhzmw6YailT7Y-EUrmvi7N4AqdmRdPELiNzVc8u0T9nK9Y5h8mLkyXs1NiQ-RI/s640/IMG_6869.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ghost Ranch, where Georgia O'Keefe used to spend her summers. She spent the rest of every year in New York. She was born in the Midwest, but lived in Texas for a while. Clearly, these geographic similarities make me the new Georgia O'Keefe.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_F0CGBF1rUFC8wL0nf63pckwHM7YJcyE_aVSWHopFVIw1OoLg9WZn_WhU9MqHs6YwOpDJmVb1tuLi3_jcIhJGAkAZzPd2ngUF5GQ_7982qjv2pWGFWg1B7epRyASlNp1oHTlSwZ8UnWI/s1600/IMG_6879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_F0CGBF1rUFC8wL0nf63pckwHM7YJcyE_aVSWHopFVIw1OoLg9WZn_WhU9MqHs6YwOpDJmVb1tuLi3_jcIhJGAkAZzPd2ngUF5GQ_7982qjv2pWGFWg1B7epRyASlNp1oHTlSwZ8UnWI/s640/IMG_6879.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This sign was near Abiquiu Lake. I don't get it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis28DEmZ9UsMmiakeEKsqBwlfSyAkYh6bNA3IgSsS8GRXEDRnezS-_Zs1yOV8kv6HrkgSh4VD5W7ckI6qYMttBRqyqswXC8buzVybpEQ3ajcZqvDcoSJPQqbbEonGHY-Iv1N7P62-hZJ4/s1600/DSCN0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis28DEmZ9UsMmiakeEKsqBwlfSyAkYh6bNA3IgSsS8GRXEDRnezS-_Zs1yOV8kv6HrkgSh4VD5W7ckI6qYMttBRqyqswXC8buzVybpEQ3ajcZqvDcoSJPQqbbEonGHY-Iv1N7P62-hZJ4/s640/DSCN0134.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Looking a bit froggy at Abiquiu Lake. It was cloudy most of the day, but I still managed a sunburn. That's talent there. Pure talent.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">*</div><div style="text-align: left;">*</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you haven't seen the new Deathly Hallows trailer yet, <a href="http://www.mugglenet.com/trailer.php">WATCH</a>. <a href="http://www.mugglenet.com/trailer.php">IT</a>. <a href="http://www.mugglenet.com/trailer.php">NOW</a>. It's <a href="http://givesmehope.com/">giving me slight hope</a> that they've finally got it right and made the film as interesting and awesome as the book. I guess I'll find out in 143 days.</div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-88393988188770073702010-06-26T12:12:00.009-06:002010-06-26T13:32:17.856-06:0020 New Things: Over(view)!FINALLY I am finishing 20 New Things. Only two months late, which is about typical for me.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1. </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/04/20-new-things-try-indonesian-cuisine.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Try Indonesian cuisine</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - I wish I had tried it more than once to get a better grasp of the cuisine, but I did it once so it made the list!</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> 2. </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/05/20-new-things-buy-and-learn-to-use-dip.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Buy and learn to use a dip pen</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - Well, the "learn to use" part didn't pan out because I couldn't find any ink... but at least I now have a dip pen without a fake feather attached to it so I can learn calligraphy without looking like a nerd. Did I just put "calligraphy" and "not... a nerd" in the same sentence? This altitude must be getting to me.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> 3. Attend a concert in Glasgow, Scotland - </b>No go. As it was going to take so much time, money and effort to nip up to Scotland during my six day trip to England, I told myself I would only go if a really awesome band had a show on the exact night I could be there. It turned out that the Dropkick Murphys would be playing! I was beyond stoked. Then, a few weeks later,<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> they changed the date of the Glasgow show. In keeping with the rule I set for myself, I scrapped the trip to Scotland and replaced it with a trip to Stonehenge, which worked out rather well for the header, no?</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> 4. </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/05/20-new-things-spend-time-at-cafe-in.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Spend time at a café in Montmartre, France</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - Admittedly, this wasn't as cool as I thought it would be. Most of my trip to France was kind of a bust (lack of time, company of strangers, etc. etc.). However, now I at least have a mental map of the location of various <i>arrondisements</i> in Paris, which makes visualizing the city easier when I read stories set in Paris.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> 5. Go to Electric Ladyland<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - AGH! I am SO upset I did not do this. About four different times, I invited people to go with me and they bailed. I meant to go during my last week in Amsterdam, but completing my final papers took longer than expected and, before I knew it, I was back in Texas. So not ok. I was really looking forward to it.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> 6. Create a model of an Amsterdam neighborhood using food<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - So, after buying my first loaf of bread in Amsterdam, I realized that the loaves were more narrow than typical American loaves and it reminded me of the narrow houses that line the canals. I had this elaborate plan laid out that included making bridges out of stroopwafels and canals out of beer. Then I realized my grocery budget hardly allowed me to eat three meals a day, let alone construct edible versions of the city. </span></b></span></span><br />
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</span> 7. Climb to the top of Dom Tower in Utrecht<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - Why are all of the things I didn't do lumped together in this list? It's making me feel like such a fetusfailcake. Even though this would have been completely plausible to accomplish, I axed it after climbing the Belfry Tower, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. That was more than enough climbing for me, thank you very much.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> 8. Eat at the Sea Palace Floating Restaurant<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - I kind of didn't foresee how expensive this place would be. Until I'm earning an income, I refuse to eat anywhere with fixed meals.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> 9. See the cages at St. Lambert’s Church in Münster, Germany<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - this is tied with Electric Ladyland for how upset I am I didn't do this. I didn't even make it out to Germany! Further reason I need to go back to Europe and soon.</span></b></span></span><br />
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</span></b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Too many words.... Here's me with a pirate ship!</i></span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br />
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</i></span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b>10. Ride my bike through the Dutch countryside<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - <i>technically</i> this isn't my fault. The program I was studying with had planned an excursion of epic proportions in which we were going to ride our bikes all day, stopping off for a traditional Dutch lunch and some swimming in the ocean. I was looking forward to it all semester and then it was cancelled due to weather. I tried to rally support for a reschedule, but no one else was as enthused as me.</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> 11. </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/03/netherlands-versus-gryffindor.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Go to a football (soccer) game</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - FINALLY! Something I actually did! I went to the US v. Netherlands game and have been a soccer fan ever since. I completely have World Cup fever and spend my time in between matches playing FIFA10 on my iPhone. </span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> 12. </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/05/20-new-things-eat-only-gluten-free.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Eat only gluten-free foods for a day</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - I ended up giving up gluten for a full forty eight hours and miraculously lost weight during that short period of time! Prior to that weekend, I was a total breadhead. I averaged four pieces of toast for breakfast, one or two sandwiches a day and maybe some more toast with dinner. Since taking the Gluten-Free Challenge, I haven't had a single sandwich or piece of toast. I even cut back on crackers. I don't recommend a gluten-free diet for everyone, but it makes my body much happier.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> 13. Have an extended conversation with a local<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - Alright, <i>technically</i> I did do this. Plenty of times, in fact. The only problem is that when I wrote this goal, I intended for those conversations to be in Dutch and they totally weren't. I had countless conversations in English with locals, but my Dutch exchanges were limited to <i>alstublieft </i>and <i>dankuwel</i>.</span></b></span></span><br />
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</span> 14. Read the entire Percy Jackson and the Olympians series<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - I didn't feel this one really needed a full blog entry devoted to it. I also thought it was actually going to be a difficult task to accomplish. Little did I know that I would spend my first two weeks in Amsterdam powering through the entire five-book series. Ok, yeah, it's a kid's book, but I didn't expect it to be so intriguing!</span></b></span></span><br />
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</span> 15. Send a postcard to no one in particular<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - Logistically, I wasn't sure how to do this. I thought about generating a random address number and random zip code, but I couldn't figure out how to not make it creepy. So, yeah, I didn't do this.</span></b></span></span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> 16. </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/04/20-new-things-attend-film-festival.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Attend a film festival</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - I inadvertently accomplished this one. See the link for the full story.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> 17. Spend a day only speaking Dutch (or else not speaking)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - HAHAHA! Yeah right. Maybe if any of the Dutch had let me actually speak in Dutch this could've happened. Otherwise that whole day would've been spent asking for coffees and refusing plastic bags. </span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> 18. </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/04/20-new-things-eat-true-croissant-in.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Eat a true croissant in France</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - Success! I never liked croissants until this past semester, but being in Europe totally turned me into a croissant maniac. I didn't experience TOO much of a difference between Dutch and French croissants (the French will murder me for that statement), but I had a croissant in a cafe here in Santa Fe the other day and immediately remembered why I've never liked them. I guess Americans just haven't figured out the mystery of the croissant yet.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> 19. Have a no-tech day (with the exception of keeping my required emergency phone on)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - Totally disappointed in myself for not doing this one. It's being rolled over to my 21 New Things list. Ideally, I'd like to go tech-free once a month, but I'll see if I can even manage it once a year first.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> 20.</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://lesadventuresdulorax.blogspot.com/2010/06/20-new-things-leave-behind-time-capsule.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> Leave behind some sort of time capsule for the future inhabitants of my apartment</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> - Ah, I'm so glad I get to end this list with an accomplishment. Almost makes me feel successful.</span></b></span></span><br />
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</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">STATS: 8.5/20</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Not so hot. But, if you think about it, I began the project eight months late. So, taking into account I only had a third of the time to achieve all of the goals, I actually did pretty well. </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">That's what I'm telling myself anyways.</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I think the moral of my failures is to not put things off until the end of the semester, especially if you're studying abroad. My friends and I kept saying "when the weather is better, when the weather is better." But the weather wasn't better until mid-May when we were frantically writing research papers, our bikes had broken down and no one had any money left to travel or do anything besides scope out free food.</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Despite how this may look like a failed project, some of the things I accomplished ended up being mildly life-changing. I never would've had the motivation to go a whole weekend without gluten if it hadn't been for the Gluten-Free Challenge and then I never would've realized how amazing I feel when my body is cleared of gluten. I also highly doubt I would've gone to that soccer game and now I can't believe I've lived without soccer since 2000 (I spent ages three to ten as left defender for the Sharks and the Scorpions, total baller). </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I'm determined to beat my 8.5 in the coming year! </span></b>I've almost finished my list for 21 New Things and it's my hope that with an entire year to complete them, I'll be a bit more successful. </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://whi.s3.prod.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/images/2043317/tumblr_l1cu7zkpHb1qakr18o1_500_large.jpg?1272075026" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://whi.s3.prod.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/images/2043317/tumblr_l1cu7zkpHb1qakr18o1_500_large.jpg?1272075026" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://astaticescape.tumblr.com/page/2">via</a></span></div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-81104713016313281662010-06-23T22:49:00.000-06:002010-06-23T22:52:18.975-06:0020 New Things: Leave behind a time capsule for the future inhabitants of my apartmentThis is probably the last 20 New Thing I did that I will actually blog about. I just never got around to writing about some of the other ones I did and now, frankly, I don't feel like it. I will post an overview of what I ended up accomplishing (not much), but this will be the last full post (and too right it should be since I've been 20 for almost two months now).<br />
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The apartment building I stayed at in Amsterdam was specifically made for international university students. It was really much more like a dorm. We had one giant room that included beds and a kitchen plus a bathroom and walk-in closet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1324/4728532708_f403dab6cb_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1324/4728532708_f403dab6cb_b.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
The tenants each semester leave behind whatever dish ware they bought so that they next tenants have a few things to start off with (being international students, most don't pack a full set of utensils in their suitcase). Given that, I decided the best place to leave a little note for the next tenant would be inside a piece of dish ware. I'm not sure how well the places get cleaned before new students move in (if the state of our place when we arrived is any indication, not much). So, hiding the note inside the dishes seemed like the best way to avoid the note getting thrown away.<br />
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I scribbled (actually scribbled. Look at the state of my handwriting. My first grade teacher would be so ashamed.) a note on the back of a photo of clouds that had previously hung above my bed and stuffed it into an old jar of olives.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1324/4728537638_a290a6c658_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1324/4728537638_a290a6c658_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I really don't know why we had a jar of olives. When my roommate and I moved in, it soon became apparent that we had significantly less kitchen supplies than anyone else in the building. We had one butter knife, one bread knife, three spoons, two sporks (yes, <i>sporks</i>) and a peeling cast-iron pan. Other rooms had coffee-makers, full sets of utensils, microwaves, multiple pots and even sushi mats. One thing we had that they didn't, however, was an entire shelf of empty jars.<br />
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Why? I'll never know. I can only assume our room was previously occupied by <a href="http://twitter.com/maureenjohnson">Maureen Johnson</a>.<br />
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At any rate, I hope someone finds this note eventually. I never took the time to look inside the random collection of jars, but if someone does, I hope it brightens their day. Especially if they are beginning their time abroad in the winter because, honestly, Holland just sucks in the winter.loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-74663783226719928932010-06-17T15:47:00.002-06:002010-08-14T15:04:52.453-06:00Freakin it, Sweatin it, Bustin the micI've been in Texas for the past eight days trying to stuff in a summer's worth of hanging out with friends and a month's worth of packing. Said packing consists of going through practically everything I have owned since age nine. It's quite the task. On the bright side, I've found plenty of cash stuffed away in strange places (including an entire jar of Euros and Pounds, why did I not find those <i>before</i> I left for Europe??) and some hilarious journal entries/school assignments. I'll include some of the gems in this post.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMZmHqXfjXdNgwOV_nxuhgrOTYGOJTXJsA9dV9oUUWXWSm-NRRladEjwciMUrodIRKRuI8jYT3OMckYvlhr_EEoS8DjQaAlT4BU9rnjNuZPGdwC2MRac0N84X4UjEZDsnbaDDPQCUtSs/s1600/umc+hundred+years+old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMZmHqXfjXdNgwOV_nxuhgrOTYGOJTXJsA9dV9oUUWXWSm-NRRladEjwciMUrodIRKRuI8jYT3OMckYvlhr_EEoS8DjQaAlT4BU9rnjNuZPGdwC2MRac0N84X4UjEZDsnbaDDPQCUtSs/s640/umc+hundred+years+old.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I wouldn't have it any other way. Stars, noodles and chillaxing on the roof remain some of my favorite things.</div>
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On Saturday morning, I move to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Apparently, I went camping in New Mexico a lot as a child. I vaguely remember seeing a woman making pottery. That's about it. So, this move is very much my "Great Perhaps." I anticipate a rejuvenating summer of hiking, reading and finally having an excuse to wear sun hats and bandanas (that desert/mountain sun is no joke!).<br />
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Hopefully that rejuvenation will pan out, but in my typical fashion, I've already over booked myself with too many goals. I'm applying for an internship at the public radio station, I've just taken on a few responsibilities with the Harry Potter Alliance (see the bottom of the post!), I'm going to start training for a 5K, I hope to spend 20 hours<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_sJmIQrH54">/</a>week applying for scholarships and another 20 hours/week reading. Not to mention yoga/pilates three times a week, having to do dishes and laundry by hand, getting started on 21 New Things, keeping up with this blog and getting ready to move to New York.<br />
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...Yeah. Rejuvenating, isn't it?<br />
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Blogs will probably continue to be scarce for the next two weeks as I move and get settled in. Expect a ton of photos of the new place and then some left over blogs from Amsterdam. Wish me luck!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">A Note on the Harry Potter Alliance:</span><br />
The <a href="http://www.thehpalliance.org/about-us/">Harry Potter Alliance</a> (HPA) is a nonprofit charity organization. Inspired by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbledore's_Army">Dumbledore's Army</a> in the Harry Potter books, HPA works to alert the public about global warming, poverty and genocide as well as fighting for equal rights regardless of sexuality, ethnicity or gender. Its projects range from large scale successes in raising funding to aid civilians in Darfur and Haiti to small scale book drives within local chapters across the world. Right now, HPA is in second place to win $250,000 in the Chase Community Giving contest. This money would make a huge difference in HPA's ability to mobilize support and continue its fight against real evils in the Muggle World.<br />
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To vote and help push HPA into first place, go <a href="http://www.bit.ly/hpaFTW">here</a> and click on the green "Get started to vote" button. After following the instructions, click on the green "Vote now" button. Even your one vote will help, but if you'd really like to help out HPA, share the link with friends via Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. Thanks so much for your help!<br />
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<a href="http://www.thehpalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/logo400x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.thehpalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/logo400x400.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-9991980115267119002010-06-06T18:24:00.003-06:002010-06-23T22:52:31.843-06:00One Day Left!Since my last post, I've been working tirelessly on completing two research papers. Then, as soon as I finished, it was time to do every single thing I had been putting off doing all semester. Fun things, mind you. Like going to the science museum and buying souvenirs. Still, it takes up a lot of time. So, as I try to get everything done before leaving Tuesday morning, I haven't had much time for blogging.<br />
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There is so incredibly much that needs to be said about my time here. I still have several half-written blogs about Amsterdam that won't get posted until I leave Amsterdam... oops. Most likely I'll be feeling more eloquent and nostalgic once I get back to the underwhelming dead grass and superhighways of Texas. I'll write something nice then.<br />
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For now, I'm going to make some lists.<br />
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<b>WEIRD THINGS/THINGS THAT BUG ME ABOUT AMSTERDAM</b><br />
5. Wind. It is a <i>very</i> windy city and it makes biking extra strenuous.<br />
4. Conversion rate. I've been fortunate that the conversion rate has gone down since I got here, but it's still frustrating that everything is priced with the same numbers as it would be in the US, except it's really 1.25 as expensive. For example, a top at H&M might be $12 in the US and 12 Euros here, but that that really means it costs $15. Trickery!<br />
3. Streets. The streets are organized in a semi-circle, at best, and change names in completely random patterns. I still get lost anytime I go to a new place. Also, biking on cobblestone bricks = no bueno.<br />
2. Espresso. They only drink espresso. Even if you ask for filter coffee, they will inevitably give you espresso.*<br />
1. Water. Most places in Europe charge you for ordering water at a restaurant, but Holland takes it one step further. There are no water fountains anywhere here.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>THINGS I'LL MISS ABOUT AMSTERDAM</b><br />
5. Being so close to water all the time. Biking along canals is wonderful.<br />
4. Biking. And the fact that so many forms of transportation other than cars exist.<br />
3. Pannenkoeken and stroopwafels.<br />
2. Drinking in parks. Actually, being legal to drink in general. One more year before I'm allowed to order a glass of wine with dinner. A WHOLE YEAR.<br />
1. Climate. Fifty degrees in May. Amazing.<br />
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<b>THINGS I CAN'T WAIT TO DO IN THE US</b><br />
5. Have access to my Netflix account.<br />
4. Return to my full wardrobe.<br />
3. Listen to 104.9 Salaam Namaste.<br />
2. Eat Chick-Fil-A and Bedford Snoballs.<br />
1. Have epic adventures with my friends.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4675318490_4d48793916_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4675318490_4d48793916_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">My friends <a href="http://thinkingiskillingme.blogspot.com/">Rose</a>, <a href="http://rosemaryg.blogspot.com/">Rosemary</a> and I on the roof of the NEMO science center overlooking Amsterdam.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">*</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> If anyone reading happens to be in Amsterdam or going in the next few months, check out the Stumptown Coffee in Albert Cuyp Markt. They're my favorite Portland-based coffee roaster (on my trip to the Pacific Northwest last summer I tasted and compared as many different coffees as possible) and they've sent a crew of baristas to Amsterdam for three months to show Europeans that coffee is still cool and often better than espresso. Check out the baristas' tumblrs </span><a href="http://groverdoesamsterdam.tumblr.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://whoacup.tumblr.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-75348282269754807092010-05-26T05:28:00.000-06:002010-05-26T05:28:08.904-06:00A Mad Tea Party<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">After our exam, my Art History professor invited the class over to her place for some tea. We ate apple tart and she told us about the time she jumped into a lake to try to impress a male student. She also told us about her "horny" cat (quote from her, which included sound effects), who had two kittens each from a different father. She knew they were from two fathers because one of the kittens turned out to be a Persian. To which the witty Australian in the group replied, "but she's a cat. How can she birth a Persian?"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The endings are beginning. I'm gonna miss this place.</span></span></div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-30141295559250834372010-05-23T13:47:00.010-06:002010-05-23T13:59:51.231-06:0020 New Things: Eat only gluten-free foods for one dayI actually refrained from gluten for a whole weekend! This month is Gluten-Free Month and, in honor of the celebration, the <a href="http://www.gluten.net/">Gluten Intolerance Group</a> along with <a href="http://www.pamelasproducts.com/">Pamela's Products</a> ran the <a href="http://www.gogfchallenge.com/index.html">Gluten-Free Challenge</a>. For one weekend, May 22-23, people pledged to eat only gluten-free foods.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-8YBsl0-TEO2RLieKBbMcdTqCsPjZx_O4IfzMep0sv6jc_VR405SX5aGCfDaOrCHCHlDBIKOt9pNRJ6PnI_5IvOmHTFnWBEWF_7QT0uzhwdkj9_eC3axPVZV61AilZrg9OM-5uKJXNw/s1600/IMG_6740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-8YBsl0-TEO2RLieKBbMcdTqCsPjZx_O4IfzMep0sv6jc_VR405SX5aGCfDaOrCHCHlDBIKOt9pNRJ6PnI_5IvOmHTFnWBEWF_7QT0uzhwdkj9_eC3axPVZV61AilZrg9OM-5uKJXNw/s400/IMG_6740.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-8YBsl0-TEO2RLieKBbMcdTqCsPjZx_O4IfzMep0sv6jc_VR405SX5aGCfDaOrCHCHlDBIKOt9pNRJ6PnI_5IvOmHTFnWBEWF_7QT0uzhwdkj9_eC3axPVZV61AilZrg9OM-5uKJXNw/s1600/IMG_6740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Gluten doesn't just mean bread and pasta. It pops up in all manner of processed foods that you wouldn't expect because it's used in several food additives. Fortunately, the Dutch are much better at putting allergy information on food products than the US is.</span></div><br />
Lots of websites and blogs were posting delicious gluten-free recipes for people to try this weekend. Unfortunately, almost all of them required an oven or other various kitchen appliances I currently lack.<br />
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Being also dairy intolerant and reluctant to eat meat, my gluten-free weekend consisted mostly of fruits and vegetables.<br />
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Participating in this challenge was important to me because, for almost a year now, I have been fairly positive that I am gluten intolerant. I hope to finally get tested this summer upon my return to the States. Right now you guys are probably thinking, "girl! what's the matter with you? why are you still eating gluten when you know it hurts you?!"<br />
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Here's the thing, cutting gluten out of your diet pre-diagnosis is not recommended. If you stop eating gluten, your symptoms (eventually) stop and it may be more difficult to recognize in the tests. As bread is my favorite food group, I have had no problem whatsoever following the advice to keep eating gluten (my stomach kind of hates me, but whatevs, we've never been bffs). However, I do love experimenting with gluten and dairy free recipes and experiencing the utter joy of being full and not simultaneously having a stomach cramp.<br />
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As I mentioned before, my only major kitchen appliance here is a stovetop (i.e. no microwave or oven) and I don't eat meat or dairy products. In addition to those challenges, I have to go grocery shopping in Dutch. Given the language barrier and my rather small food budget (selfishly, I'm glad the Euro has decreased in value so much recently -- down twenty cents to the dollar since I arrived!), I wasn't able to visit an organic food store and purchase fancy gluten-free crackers or bread like I would back home.<br />
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Keeping all of those challenges in mind, I'd say that the weekend went by fairly easily. My meals and snacks were VERY basic, but I think they are a good indication that poor, kitchen-challenged college students have the ability to eat gluten-free if they want or need to.<br />
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Here's a breakdown of my meals:<br />
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<b>Breakfast</b><br />
Applesauce with cinnamon<br />
Banana with peanut butter<br />
(I've been waking up pretty late recently. So breakfast is pretty much a small snack before eating a full lunch an hour later.)<br />
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<b>Lunch</b><br />
Mixed green salad with broccoli and oranges<br />
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<b>Dinner</b><br />
Grilled vegetables and tofu in tomato sauce<br />
including green beans, broccoli, corn, onions, carrots and zucchini<br />
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It was definitely a challenge mentally, but not so much logistically, which is good to know if my future does include a 24/7 gluten-free diet. For now, however, all I'm thinking about is those shortbread cookies and pretzel sticks in my pantry that I get to eat tomorrow.loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-40249605274251336542010-05-20T14:06:00.002-06:002010-08-14T15:05:50.296-06:00Mrs. Baird's Fruit PiesThe alternate title of today's blog entry is "Me Not Working on my European Minority Languages Presentation."<br />
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So, I want to write about something that I was adamant would never happen to me and, if it did, I was never going to tell anyone that it had.<br />
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People tell me that when you're away from something, you're supposed to appreciate it more and see it in a way you never have before. I definitely experienced this my first year at college. Every time my friends and I got back together on holidays, it was like this incredible high. It didn't matter if our activities were lackluster in comparison to our high school adventures because we were ecstatic to simply see each other IRL.<br />
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Before coming to Amsterdam, everyone told me I would finally learn to appreciate Texas and America. The truth is, no matter what people may think, I <i>do</i> appreciate both Texas and America. I always have. I just don't particularly like everything about them and most things that I don't like about them tend to be things that I find to be very important in my life. So, I've never really liked Texas, especially.<br />
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While being in Amsterdam, I started missing a lot of things about Texas. However, most of the things I missed (Chick-fil-A, Dr Pepper*, my car) are things that I don't really view as positive. Public transportation is better for the earth and junk food should really become a thing of the past. So, I shook the feelings off as needing to adjust to a less inflated, less consumer society.<br />
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Yet, when I get away from the concept of "missing things" and think more about the feel of Texas, the undefinable aroma of a home place, I have to thrust off years of antagonism and confess that I like Texas.<br />
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The culture of cosmopolitan North Texas suburbia, so different from the stereotypically small-minded rural towns, is a large part of who I am. This Texas is not beefy homophobic men in cowboy hats, the textbook debate or Rick Perry's christening of Glenn Beck as an official Texan.<br />
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It's sunny afternoons, driving down freeways for less than five minutes to get a Route 44 Cherry Coke at Sonic. Eating barbecue sandwiches and baby back ribs. Beige living rooms and bright blue swimming pools. Buildings growing wide instead of tall. Musty bookstores. Musty everything. Live music in Mexican restaurants. White T<a href="http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bowlingforsoup/ohiocomebacktotexas.html">-</a>shirts. Faded jeans. Sweaty faces. Thunderstorms and tornadoes on days so hot the cement begins to steam. Sunsets backdropping the airport. Star gazing by the creek. Being born with larger than life dreams and an enigmatic drive for independence. That's my Texas and I've finally learned to love it. <br />
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Here is what I will be listening to for the next 14 days until my return flight. Ignore the Ohio/hopeless girlfriend plot line and this is my favorite anthem to North Texas:<br />
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*I just learned that Dr Pepper <a href="http://twitter.com/mental_floss/statuses/14294144375">doesn't actually have a period</a> after the "Dr."loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-77774949178017494612010-05-18T16:01:00.002-06:002010-05-18T16:03:41.263-06:0020 New Things: Spend time at a café in Montmartre, FranceThis blog should be titled, "Me Not Writing My Intro to Sexual Studies Report." The report is only one page on the topic of basically anything I want. Yet...my procrastination has reached a disgusting level and rendered me incapable of working.<br />
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Speaking of procrastination, I meant to post this about a month ago when it actually happened.<br />
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Oops. <br />
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I was attracted to the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris for the same reason that every cliché trying to be cultured teenager is --- lots of cool artists once lived there and it was the setting of <i>La Vie En Rose, Amelié </i>and<i> Moulin Rouge</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> The hostel I was staying at happened to be only a few blocks away from Montmartre. So, my traveling buddy and I strolled over there as soon as we checked in. On the way, we saw Moulin Rouge.<br />
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Moulin Rouge is at the base of a hill, which basically marks the beginning of Montmartre. I honestly didn't spend enough time in Paris to be able to remark on how different Montmartre is from the rest of Paris, but I do remember thoroughly enjoying my few hours spent there. Like most of Paris, the buildings are either painted in very light colors or made of light brick. This is a stark contrast to Amsterdam, where all of the buildings are dark. The Dutch like things to be dark and cozy. They call it <i>gezellig</i>.<br />
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After walking around the main streets three times to peruse the various cafés, I finally chose a café that I deemed Montmartre-ish enough to use for my 20 New Things list. What did I think was Montmartre-ish? I have no idea.<br />
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My traveling buddy and I drank our espressos alfresco, watching the locals pass by with tiny dogs, bouquets of flowers and sleeping toddlers. The weather was a perfect mix of warm and cold that my Texas upbringing has almost never known.<br />
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Ahh, just thinking about it makes me want to go back. I can even remember the smell (cleaner and more flower-y than the dank air here, especially in light of the waste collector's strike). A return to Paris (for a much longer stay) is requisite in my near future. <br />
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UPDATE: I have now finished my report.loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-3208688017473623532010-05-16T11:23:00.001-06:002010-05-16T13:44:00.389-06:0020 New Things: Buy and Learn to Use a Dip PenI said that some of the things on my list I've already done and some of them just won't happen. This is a combination of both factors.<br />
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I bought a set of dip pens while I was in Stratford-Upon-Avon. I went into one of the hundreds of Shakespeare gift shops in Stratford while waiting for the matinee of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> to begin. I can't tell you how embarrassing it was to look around the shop and realize that I already owned about 80% of the store's contents. The stuffed Shakespeares, the action figures, the Much Ado About Nothing Post-It Notes, the Shakespearean Insult Gum, it was all there.<br />
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So I bought the one thing I did not yet own: Shakespeare themed dip pens.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFSRvG_k4pMzeCEYCqKXKckeh6UfADAJd9aDpKHsqYxTKypdcO4fyQ2i6WPcvfHuBfoY0f2PA22_8Lp-KCNkCj-GADvgQIebB3F_4dxOtu-LaY8bMPQg46qszDtesPX7yanqho4dD_tk/s1600/IMG_6439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFSRvG_k4pMzeCEYCqKXKckeh6UfADAJd9aDpKHsqYxTKypdcO4fyQ2i6WPcvfHuBfoY0f2PA22_8Lp-KCNkCj-GADvgQIebB3F_4dxOtu-LaY8bMPQg46qszDtesPX7yanqho4dD_tk/s640/IMG_6439.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The only problem is that I cannot find a bottle of ink anywhere in Amsterdam. The only art supply store in the whole city is like effing Diagon Alley. I cannot find it not matter how carefully I follow my map and directions.<br />
<br />
So the whole "learning to write with a dip pen" part of this goal is going to be rolled over to next year's list as ink is a fairly crucial component to writing.loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-38575203481557543012010-05-11T10:37:00.000-06:002010-05-11T10:37:13.057-06:00Coolest toothpaste EVER!So I bought Shrek toothpaste at Albert Heijn because it was way cheaper than adult toothpaste.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCG9HEXLqypUPv1FLX3vIbPab5MU7Ug4MRhKzr1A7NHVmAzkU5KFX4l6QPc36Ee9ryzADw_qnbzVM_1uwkXpUEmOkrFNoSui1qmYO20rH5PCjyWRCtBQo-ptfPhr5I3YmiMz6zoBVFz2Y/s1600/IMG_6734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCG9HEXLqypUPv1FLX3vIbPab5MU7Ug4MRhKzr1A7NHVmAzkU5KFX4l6QPc36Ee9ryzADw_qnbzVM_1uwkXpUEmOkrFNoSui1qmYO20rH5PCjyWRCtBQo-ptfPhr5I3YmiMz6zoBVFz2Y/s640/IMG_6734.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
It turns out that there are STARS IN THE TOOTHPASTE! WTF? SO AWESOME!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbv_ACy3ZrrAa-cP2q9TG2vjKLZc5FNlCwU_6kC_zgmnKRzTeWsLo5YrLhOGnyBl80Aj7wJshbCwAwR8x5RTyRGRyzMd67qmwaL89wfNGUXinFWR40YF4dJHpci48MyBAyGVYMNwhdN1k/s1600/IMG_6733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbv_ACy3ZrrAa-cP2q9TG2vjKLZc5FNlCwU_6kC_zgmnKRzTeWsLo5YrLhOGnyBl80Aj7wJshbCwAwR8x5RTyRGRyzMd67qmwaL89wfNGUXinFWR40YF4dJHpci48MyBAyGVYMNwhdN1k/s640/IMG_6733.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>WHY WASN'T KID'S TOOTHPASTE THIS AWESOME WHEN I WAS A KID?loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-88404368393896837732010-05-09T14:45:00.000-06:002010-05-09T14:45:01.123-06:00The 20 New Things MistakeThis was supposed to be posted on my birthday, but the whole Dam Square thing was heavily on my mind that night. So, it's taken me until now to get this posted.<br />
<br />
As of five days ago, I am officially twenty years-old. By now, I <i>should</i> have completed all twenty things on the list.<br />
<br />
While this project is usually a year long, I started it in January, intending it to correspond with the semester I would be abroad. Therefore, I decided to make most of the new things deal with goals I had for my time abroad.<br />
<br />
The mistake?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.volontaire.se/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/fail-whale.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.volontaire.se/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/fail-whale.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I'm actually in Amsterdam for another month and four days (from the date of my birthday). During that month and four days, most of my classes end and my homework stops. I have way more free time in May than I have at any other point during the semester.<br />
<br />
Having made that realization a few weeks ago, I stopped attempting to complete my 20 New Things list before my birthday and decided that for this, the first time, given the nature of the situation, I will extend my 20 New Things until I leave Amsterdam on June 8th. Then, I'll start my 21 New Things after I move in to Santa Fe.<br />
<br />
Oh, have I mentioned that here yet? I'm moving to Santa Fe. Or, rather, my mom is and I'm going to live there with her when I'm not at school (what school that will be, I still don't know).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://whi.s3.leg.entries.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/20080801132312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://whi.s3.leg.entries.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/20080801132312.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2photo.ru/2007/06/05/print:page,1,kreativnyjj_zhestkach_fotograf_koen_demuynck.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> via</span></a></div><br />
There are a handful of things that I have known for sometime just cannot happen, but there are also a handful of things I completed months ago and just haven't written about. So, in my remaining month, I'll be posting those things I never wrote about and completing the other (doable) things.<br />
<br />
Yeah, it was a kind of a fail, but the whole experiment still did what it was meant to do. There were several times I wanted to be my usual lazy self and not take the opportunity to do something unique, but having the list (and the accountability of friends who knew about the list) pushed me to not spend another night cooped up in my apartment or to take the extra effort to travel even though I had essays and projects to do. I look forward to getting older when my lists will get longer and I'll have even more things to get out there and try.<br />
<br />
As I finish the list (and my time in Amsterdam), I'm already working on my list for next year and, as always, welcome suggestions. Some ideas I have so far is to learn guitar basics and cook a three course meal for my friends all by myself.<br />
<br />
Here's to an exciting month and even more exciting year!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://whi.s3.prod.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/images/1540511/tumblr_kx58h4cy9A1qzsw4qo1_500_large.jpg?1266804775" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://whi.s3.prod.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/images/1540511/tumblr_kx58h4cy9A1qzsw4qo1_500_large.jpg?1266804775" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gatekeeper.tumblr.com/post/389789841"><span style="font-size: x-small;">via</span></a></div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684366791847226779.post-54275389189338241982010-05-04T16:37:00.009-06:002010-06-23T22:52:49.118-06:00Panic In Dam Square: Or, How I Thought For A Moment That This Birthday Might Be My LastToday is <span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl"><i>Bevrijdingsdag, </i>or Remembrance Day, in The Netherlands. It is a day to commemorate all who were lost in World War II. Tomorrow will be Liberation Day in which the Dutch celebrate their freedom from the Germans. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">The Queen came to speak in Dam Square in honor of the event, which is a pretty big deal since she lives in The Hague and it seems like she'd rather visit any city except Amsterdam on holidays. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I went to Dam Square about fifteen minutes before the ceremony was supposed to begin. There were WAY more people there than I expected. Dam Square isn't all that huge so I thought there'd be a few hundred tops. From stats I heard later, there were tens of thousands of people. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I couldn't even make it all the way to Dam Square. I made it a few meters from the corner of the buildings that open into the square before the mass of people became too dense to let me through any further. I was pretty upset about this because I couldn't even see the huge tv screens projecting the speakers, let alone the <i>actual</i> podium, because the Dutch are so freaking tall. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">As I waited for the ceremony to begin, as at every high profile large event I attend, I started thinking about terrorist attacks. I know, I'm weird. I guess when you never even know what a terrorist is until 9/11 you just grow up paranoid. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I thought that if someone were to attack this event, it wouldn't be anything <i>too </i>major because, I mean c'mon, it's just Amsterdam. I had heard something about an assassination attempt on Queen Beatrix at Queen's Day last year... my morbid thoughts kept spiraling as they are prone to do and I was soon contemplating an attack during the moment of silence that I had been told would occur at eight o'clock sharp. I quickly shook that thought out of my head. Even terrorists wouldn't be so cruel as to disrupt a moment of silence, even if they are cruel enough to kill hundreds of people. The only person I could think of who would be so disgustingly disrespectful was Hitler, the man whose cruelty we owed this very ceremony to. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">The ceremony began with some music playing and (as far as I could tell from the tiny corner of tv screen I could see) soldiers laying flowers around the national monument. A few people I didn't recognize said a few words that I didn't understand because it was all in Dutch. Then, one of the churches in the town began ringing for eight o'clock.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I remember counting in my head with each bell. Practicing my Dutch numbers. Een. Twee. Drie. Vier. Vijf. Zes. Zeven. Acht. I used the moment to think of all of the people in my own life that I've lost and then thought of the greater losses of the world. I remember staring at the backpocket of the man in front of me as I thought. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">My thoughts were broken by a scream from far away, immediately followed by another higher pitched one. At first, I thought it was kids playing a few streets away, unaware of the time or the ceremony. I barely had time to think that, however, as more screams joined in. Just as I registered that all of the actual square that was beyond my view was screaming, the entire crowd to my right (on the Dam Square side) began running. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">It was more like pushing and shoving. You couldn't run with how tightly everyone had been standing. It was like falling out of a canoe into fierce, uncontrollable rapids. I saw the men around me ducking down with their hands over their heads as they pushed their way against the wall of buildings a few meters behind us. Seeing their actions, I assumed they must have been able to see what I could not because I was too short to see above the heads of the Amazonian-like Dutch. I followed their actions, fearing bullets, debris from an explosion or an approaching army of enemies. I saw the wide-eyed, slack jawed looks of terror on the faces of people sparing half a second to glance behind us. Whatever it was, it was coming our way. And fast. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">Soon, people had abandoned the ducking and were just running. I began running too. I fell down. I tried to get up, but the density of the crowd made every action take ten times more effort than it would have otherwise. As I summoned the strength to push myself back up amongst the kicking limbs, I thought <i>I am NOT going to die here. I am not going to die being trampled. I will survive this.</i> </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I pulled myself up and began to push my way through the crowd. I immediately encountered a woman who had fallen on her back. Legs bent, pale face distorted in utmost horror. There were a few people around her trying to barricade the crowd to save her from being trampled. I briefly considered staying to help, but as the crowd continued to pass me at a quickening rate, I made the selfish decision to keep going. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I noticed the open doors of a building and dashed inside, quickly calculating the risks in my head. If "it" was some sort of debris from an explosion or a toxic gas filling the air, I would be dead if I stayed in this building with its open doors. But if it was bullets outside, I would be safer in here. </span><br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl"><i> </i></span><br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I didn't need to think much longer on my decision, however, because as soon as I was in, it seemed like things were slowing down outside. People were saying it was okay. I furtively hovered in the entryway of the building for a few moments. I saw journalists standing on top of their trucks, snapping photos and recording footage, and I wondered if they had been there the whole time. I would never have the guts to do that.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I finally stepped outside the building, back into the dissipating crowd. It was apparently safe to be outside and in Dam Square, but what exactly had happened, no one knew.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzbyTXZmliFSxrBXrP68b-ffuAdrtNAxsEQZesWSfPzSiOjhQjajaXo_EGhs2SzyVSf_D7dICpeTXrWJjCUUqNOPWh6hQx9EhJwrlknJywA58fF3GB3CKtrhN_GJQWvJGFWk6p7vqz5Y/s1600/IMG_6719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzbyTXZmliFSxrBXrP68b-ffuAdrtNAxsEQZesWSfPzSiOjhQjajaXo_EGhs2SzyVSf_D7dICpeTXrWJjCUUqNOPWh6hQx9EhJwrlknJywA58fF3GB3CKtrhN_GJQWvJGFWk6p7vqz5Y/s640/IMG_6719.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl"> Dam Square post-panic</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">As I made my way out of the building, I over heard various people say it was an old woman who screamed at some horses, a huge piece of glass that had been dropped and a few people still insisting there had been a small explosion.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I leaned against a sign post and tried to digest everything that had just happened. I was far enough away from the main crowd now that I could actually see the tv screens. I resolved to stick around to hear what had actually happened. It wasn't until a few minutes later that I noticed a sting in my right knee. Looking down, I saw I was bleeding steadily through the hole in my jeans. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">When the tv screens finally turned back on, I was too far away to hear anything. So, if they told us what happened, I had no idea. I stayed for a bit longer, but, without being able to hear, it wasn't too intriguing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">I rode back home in a bit of a haze. I couldn't believe the reaction to nothing. For the first time in my life, I had genuinely thought I might die. Yet, nothing even happened. News broke in the hours after I returned home. The current information says one man was on a cell phone during the moment of silence and, when people tried to shush him, another man dropped a suitcase into the crowd while the first man started shouting. While the situation no doubt looked a little suspicious, I don't know that it merited such a response. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">Regardless of the legitmacy of the reaction, it was a terrifying situation to be in. The crowd was so huge and so dense that no one could have known what was happening. It was the people, it turned out, everyone was running from. There may have been no other danger and many people may have been aware of that the whole time, but when a stampede is coming, you don't just stand there. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">X</span><br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">X</span><br />
<span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">X</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">On a lighter note, I returned home to find that my roommate had decorated my side of the room as a surprise for my birthday!</span></div></div><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhq4dVNpzY5vVWn-tkU7joxbiW4RBieah1IRG-LHwSpx8IM846nPfrnYszr9to2qnnTJ2-dnrTHlCpZTGU7Uq4ahhI8vj5338FScs0xVm7syJfBBu4uFMTcadajyavqy1Fb9BHUs-q2E/s1600/IMG_6722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhq4dVNpzY5vVWn-tkU7joxbiW4RBieah1IRG-LHwSpx8IM846nPfrnYszr9to2qnnTJ2-dnrTHlCpZTGU7Uq4ahhI8vj5338FScs0xVm7syJfBBu4uFMTcadajyavqy1Fb9BHUs-q2E/s640/IMG_6722.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">A birthday banner Dwight Schrute would be proud of (inside joke for devoted <i>Office</i> fans)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi091hhN0eWhEz6NYXVfUQwoHp8Zh12MhIZuvxnJ4Lmel6DpNkYRHCHAtKiBPMFOobhpkKtcLyND4kRYB6fpZUczYZ4GwnPa4DqYJLyGG1Edrlo0u-ex-3jVjU95LzjkcB6YKNbecET4AA/s1600/IMG_6724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi091hhN0eWhEz6NYXVfUQwoHp8Zh12MhIZuvxnJ4Lmel6DpNkYRHCHAtKiBPMFOobhpkKtcLyND4kRYB6fpZUczYZ4GwnPa4DqYJLyGG1Edrlo0u-ex-3jVjU95LzjkcB6YKNbecET4AA/s640/IMG_6724.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">Lots of balloons! (and my very messy desk/bed area)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFcDbXvBNlItFqfXIj9uTfxhVdyEkaZmBadoA2uywqpGZnvZld5NvDN9WWo5d0og6gtMV1OcwYPnt6cjr1i4kMEAl5VogbZQ2LQ92rAuIIInIdM875n38OztWSdJXF-QJM6sUW3u0JyY/s1600/IMG_6727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFcDbXvBNlItFqfXIj9uTfxhVdyEkaZmBadoA2uywqpGZnvZld5NvDN9WWo5d0og6gtMV1OcwYPnt6cjr1i4kMEAl5VogbZQ2LQ92rAuIIInIdM875n38OztWSdJXF-QJM6sUW3u0JyY/s400/IMG_6727.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="nl" xml:lang="nl">She even took a Lorax photo of the Lorax in the birthday display!</span></div>loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129909108313764775noreply@blogger.com3