Monday, July 11, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Adventures and Water Falls
The “Midwest” is a concept I’ve never quite understood. To me, it has always been a bunch of corn squares I fly over that somehow generates 90% of the food I consume. For Michael (the...you know...GUY...who..you know...I've been DATING for over a year now), it is home.
The “road trip” – what is this quirky little concept? When you leave the county you reside in to do something OTHER than going on a school field trip involving vomit, heat exhaustion, altitude sickness, or other “education,” or a time-sensitive task, most of which involves traffic, I think that what WE are doing is the ultimate way to explore world up close and to connect with the land (and also polluting it with exorbitantly-priced gasoline). Many of peoples’ most wild, simulating, and memorable stories come from road trips. We are hoping for similarly memorable stories, but if nothing else some entertainment. Everyone is invited to live vicariously.
So, happy graduation to us. With our common love of hitchhiking (we met that way in fact), Michael and I have been inspired to actually go across this land together.
(Just kidding.)
Throughout these next few entries, I will be bolding little sections called Note to future travelers. Here’s the first one.
Note to future travelers: Get friends that get married in the middle of the country so you can have an excuse to drive across it.
This is Lia, my good friend from college. She's getting married June 25th in Helena, MT and I am a bridesmaid.
So here’s the itinerary: Boston to Niagra Falls to Cleveland to Chicago to Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone to Helena, Montana (Lia’s wedding) and then finally to Seattle. Then, we fly to Kansas City (Michael’s home) for a week. Then we fly back to Boston. Make sense?
Okay, so here’s day #1:
On the way to the rental car place, the train got delayed because someone had a heart attack, two women got into a fist fight, and it was also pouring rain. Once we got there, my credit card was declined, then accepted, Michael’s AAA # was not enough to waive the fee for the extra driver, but after almost an hour of logistical hell, everything actually worked out.
Later that evening, Michael and I went in search of dinner in Niagra Falls, NY. We didn’t plan on driving over into Canada at that time (and thus left our passports at the hotel) but somehow ended up taking a wrong turn into the line for customs at the Rainbow Bridge, right on the border. Turning around was not an option, according to the person in the booth, because then we would be arrested. Half an hour later, after being searched and questioned by four different armed officers, going into the customs facility, and telling almost our entire life stories, we were turned around, hungry and a wee bit cranky.
Note to future travelers: Don’t do that. Also, don’t go to the casino for the food. Go for the second hand smoke.
The next day we crossed the border successfully and spent the afternoon amongst this amazing natural wonder. Grand, powerful water falls, gorgeous scenery. This was actually the first site of power generated from water. Such a great place for the first stop on this journey.
At the Riverview restaurant, $16/person got us spoiled ranch dressing, rubbery pizza, grainy macaroni and cheese, spicy fruit and bread that might have taken a bit of enamel off our teeth.
Note to future travelers: If you find yourself in a bad restaurant because it is in a tourist trap and you are just hungry enough to eat anything, ask for your money back. They just might give it to you.
So now stay tuned for our next stop, the home of rock n’ roll, Cleveland, OH.
For some unjust reason, I cannot upload videos to this blog anymore. That means you cannot listen to us singing 99,999,999,999 bottles of beer on the wall. I'm really sorry. :( But I'm working on fixing the problem.
To read about the rest of this cross country road trip, go here.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The Plight and Flight of the Zebra
The best thing to do during Superbowl XLV is to update your blog. Since I'm not into the football, I deserve credit for paying attention enough to change the channel during the commercials.
Newscaster says: “you may not like this, but there is MORE snow on the way!”
I throw down the bag of chips, swallow, and spew out my emotional reaction to her insightful reporting (along with a couple crumbs):
"That's BULLS&*^!"
A video of my journey home the other day during the 5th blizzard in 6 weeks:
Aside from not being able to really walk anywhere, there is lots of fun involved in a winter like this. My neighbors dump their snow on my car and scream at me when I park anywhere near their house (on a public street). Roofs are collapsing. I’ve gone through 4 pairs of boots in the last 3 weeks. When I'm president, I'll invent the boots with traction, water proofness, warmth, AND fashion, all for an affordable price in order to attract the student population...perhaps some who spend 2 hours digging out their car in 3 feet of snow turned slush turned solid ice in order to drive 60 miles to teach private flute lessons once a week in the deep suburbs of Boston, just to begin fueling the fire for what will be the beginnings of a career.
The bright side is that I finally found a pair of boots with at least 2 of those qualities.
Then I realize that screaming at the TV is a sign of something not too good (Elvis, is that you channeling me? I don't do the gun thing...).
So when the commercials are over I think about other things. Like how the lack of sleep, occasional outbursts at the TV (when I have time to watch TV), and other sometimes concerning side effects of just putting my soul into forging my life's purpose out of this program have actually rendered some good results.
http://classical-scene.com/2010/10/27/rising-star/ (I am mentioned at the bottom)
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/11/19/gunther_schullers_85th_sounds_rare_notes_at_jordan_hall/
Then, there was the completion of my master's recital, in two locations. Thanks Dad, by the way, for fixing my dress when it fell apart right before.
The first at Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, Mayman Hall:
And the second in Williams Hall at the New England Conservatory in Boston:
The real accomplishment is shown in the people who were there to support me. Not just the people in the pictures to follow, but you too. Yes, YOU who are reading this wacky little particle of cyber space real estate.
College buds Kim (left) and Lia (right) who flew 3,000 miles just for the weekend of the recital, and to do my hair and makeup. Everyone should acquire friends like this.
A moment of joy with Aunt Becky right after the recital ended:
(Thanks to Kim & Lia for capturing)
At the after party, thrown by Aunt Becky & Uncle Nick...one of the best nights ever.
L to R: Cousin Leigh, Uncle Nick, Liz, Michael, Aunt Becky
The traditional jumping picture:
Yes, I had to wear them at the party. L to R: Chung my pianist, Liz, and Stephanie my bassoonist (before the cream puff exploded on her shirt).
After the after-party. L to R: UO Ducks reunited...Kim, Becca, Lia, and then Liz (where you can see the "after" part of the after-party in full swing).
And with all that's happened in this chapter, new chapters begin. Tomorrow I turn a quarter of a century old. Thanks dad for 2 chicken pies, a honey baked ham, flowers, chocolate, and fruit, each in a separate delivery.
I am also more than 3/4 done with grad school. With both of these milestones, here are a couple lessons I've learned:
On getting around:
1. No matter how many times in a row you press the elevator, button, it won’t come faster.
2. By train, plane, automobile, or foot (zebra feet), just enjoy the journey.
On success:
1. “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.” –John Wooden
P.S. I just learned not to change the channel for the commercials, because apparently they are the best part. That's what boyfriends are for...to educate. Everyone should acquire significant others like this. If not in person than online.
To conclude, some further documentation of one of the worst winters New England has ever seen. Ever.
A walk in the park?
Poor California Carolla-lita:
Icy road:
Me:
Newscaster says: “you may not like this, but there is MORE snow on the way!”
I throw down the bag of chips, swallow, and spew out my emotional reaction to her insightful reporting (along with a couple crumbs):
"That's BULLS&*^!"
A video of my journey home the other day during the 5th blizzard in 6 weeks:
Aside from not being able to really walk anywhere, there is lots of fun involved in a winter like this. My neighbors dump their snow on my car and scream at me when I park anywhere near their house (on a public street). Roofs are collapsing. I’ve gone through 4 pairs of boots in the last 3 weeks. When I'm president, I'll invent the boots with traction, water proofness, warmth, AND fashion, all for an affordable price in order to attract the student population...perhaps some who spend 2 hours digging out their car in 3 feet of snow turned slush turned solid ice in order to drive 60 miles to teach private flute lessons once a week in the deep suburbs of Boston, just to begin fueling the fire for what will be the beginnings of a career.
The bright side is that I finally found a pair of boots with at least 2 of those qualities.
Then I realize that screaming at the TV is a sign of something not too good (Elvis, is that you channeling me? I don't do the gun thing...).
So when the commercials are over I think about other things. Like how the lack of sleep, occasional outbursts at the TV (when I have time to watch TV), and other sometimes concerning side effects of just putting my soul into forging my life's purpose out of this program have actually rendered some good results.
http://classical-scene.com/2010/10/27/rising-star/ (I am mentioned at the bottom)
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/11/19/gunther_schullers_85th_sounds_rare_notes_at_jordan_hall/
Then, there was the completion of my master's recital, in two locations. Thanks Dad, by the way, for fixing my dress when it fell apart right before.
The first at Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, Mayman Hall:
And the second in Williams Hall at the New England Conservatory in Boston:
The real accomplishment is shown in the people who were there to support me. Not just the people in the pictures to follow, but you too. Yes, YOU who are reading this wacky little particle of cyber space real estate.
College buds Kim (left) and Lia (right) who flew 3,000 miles just for the weekend of the recital, and to do my hair and makeup. Everyone should acquire friends like this.
A moment of joy with Aunt Becky right after the recital ended:(Thanks to Kim & Lia for capturing)
At the after party, thrown by Aunt Becky & Uncle Nick...one of the best nights ever.
L to R: Cousin Leigh, Uncle Nick, Liz, Michael, Aunt Becky
The traditional jumping picture:
Yes, I had to wear them at the party. L to R: Chung my pianist, Liz, and Stephanie my bassoonist (before the cream puff exploded on her shirt).
After the after-party. L to R: UO Ducks reunited...Kim, Becca, Lia, and then Liz (where you can see the "after" part of the after-party in full swing).
And with all that's happened in this chapter, new chapters begin. Tomorrow I turn a quarter of a century old. Thanks dad for 2 chicken pies, a honey baked ham, flowers, chocolate, and fruit, each in a separate delivery.
I am also more than 3/4 done with grad school. With both of these milestones, here are a couple lessons I've learned:
On getting around:
1. No matter how many times in a row you press the elevator, button, it won’t come faster.
2. By train, plane, automobile, or foot (zebra feet), just enjoy the journey.
On success:
1. “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.” –John Wooden
P.S. I just learned not to change the channel for the commercials, because apparently they are the best part. That's what boyfriends are for...to educate. Everyone should acquire significant others like this. If not in person than online.
To conclude, some further documentation of one of the worst winters New England has ever seen. Ever.
A walk in the park?
Poor California Carolla-lita:
Icy road:
Me:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)