Nicholas Stories

Summatime

2011-05-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

This summer is shaping up to be absolutely incredible. I'm sitting here daydreaming about it hard, and I absolutely should be writing more of my results section for my thesis (I have my goal for today, and I won't have any problem hitting it for today). Here's what's on my mind:

-The girl <3
-Going to Galveston, IN this weekend for Ronnie's wedding and reception
-Then coming home for my graduation ceremony and celebratory dinner with the fam + <3 :)
-Ft. Wayne next weekend to see JOSH, possibly go see a band live, meet parents ;), hang out with the girl's fam, go to a baseball game, have some delicious coneys, and other shenanigans
-Michael's bachelor party and then WEDDING in Nashville, TN!
-My brother's 21st bday!
-COTTAGE weekends, as much as possible
-Movies on the lawn at the IMA
-Indians games
-Gearing up to teach organizational communication & speech in the fall
-Planning wonderful things together with her
-Mug N' Bun, Summer runs, tennis, soccer
-and hopefully generating some $$$ here and there!

I absolutely cannot wait. Life is so beautiful right now! :D

Hey Juliet :D

2011-05-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

LMNT - Hey Juliet

Hey Juliet
I think you're fine
You really blow my mind
Maybe someday you and me can run away.
I just want you to know,
I wanna be your Romeo.
Hey Juliet
Hey Juliet
H-h-h-hey Juliet

Perspective

2011-04-27T10:35:00.001-07:00

Did you ever...

2011-04-24T20:17:00.001-07:00

...just get the feeling that you could be a completely different person if you had made a different choice in a given situation? Perhaps chose a different path, chose not to make a decision? It's such a unique sensation, to see versions of yourself. I see them in different people at different points in their respective lives - some from high school, some from undergrad, some from grad; but I see the multiplicity of choice unfolding before me like so many dominoes awaiting their fate. I wonder some days what this multiplicity means; and yet I am completely enthralled with my current path. I would choose no other, nor have I, and that concerns me. If I am completely content on my path, then why haven't the others seemed to fade or degrade to me?

Don't get me wrong, I am EXTREMELY thankful for the road that I've walked on thus far, and I can only hope that road continues to amaze, impress, challenge and inspire me. But it's as if I can't shut off the view of other roads and paths, even the undesirable ones; they pop-up randomly and without notice, but there are distinct in their view of what I could have become. Perhaps they serve as markers, no different than road signs along a winding path, encouraging me to continue on the journey. I must admit, with each view, I don't feel envy, jealousy, or longing; I feel comfort, and gratitude, and release. Maybe TinyBuddha is helping me out after all :D

There's always gonna be another mountain,
I'm always gonna wanna make it move //
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose //
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side...
It's the climb
-A certain artist ;)

Recentness

2011-04-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

I am currently directly in the midst of authoring a rather wonderful thesis if I do say so myself, but unfortunately that happens to be sapping most of my creativity :( In that vein however I thought I would drop a quick update on things that are going on:

-Graduation is in 3 weeks, roughly. In that time frame, goal is to complete the thesis and defend, then worry about binding and publication. But hustlin' hustlin' hustlin' :)

-My cousin is moving out in 3 weeks. So weird to see him go, but pretty pumped for his new life - he's going to love it :D New roommates coming and going all Summer...excited to be living with my brother, and a fraternity brother.

-I'm finally healed from various ailments. I had the broken collarbone, and it'll be 7 weeks on Wednesday. No pain whatsoever, but my sources tell me 8 weeks to complete (relative) heal, then 1 year out it'll be 100% bone formed. It's so nice to be typing and not worrying about where my posture is :) On the dental front, my wisdom tooth extraction was just cleared a few days ago. No infection and a complete heal over with new, healthy gum tissue. I am excited to be back at full strength before beginning running seriously again.

-Haven't even begun to think about relocating to ABQ yet. That time will come soon enough (and potentially a 21+ hour drive out west, rar), but instead I'm focusing on Summer: income, cottage shenanigans, running obsessively, thunder storms, top down wind, no class worries, and just being excited about life in general. Here's to one hell of a future Summer :D

-Recent songs: Shawty Lo feat. Wale & Twista - Pocahontas, Young Jeezy ft. Lil Wayne - Ballin', Adele - Rolling in the Deep, Travie McCoy - Need You (listening to currently), Jacob Latimore - Like 'Em All (feat. Diggy Simmons), Game ft. Lil Wayne - Su Woo, Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne - Motivation, Shakira feat. Kid Cudi - Did it Again, Wynter Gordon - Dirty Talk (+laidback luke mix), LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem, 2AM Club - Nobody's in Love

-I visited Boston, MA and Fitchburg, MA (Fitchburg State University) for a weekend conference on The Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) Theory. I went with John and Natasha, and had an absolute blast. We did the Freedom Trail, caught a Sunday afternoon game at Fenway (Sox vs. Jays), saw Quincy/North/South Markets, explored the Prudential Center, and I had an awesome night out with new friends in Fitchburg. Great people, great city, and a great/useful theory. Pics below :)

Sox game @ Fenway!!

Sometimes you want to go, where everybody
knows your name :)

Boston public burial ground, downtown

The Freedom Trail :)

Boston Public Library

North Market

Paper titles through the years

2011-03-29T05:32:00.000-07:00

I recently volunteered to be a reviewer for the Communication as Social Construction division of NCA (National Communication Association). I logged-in for the first time yesterday and was presented with a few papers and abstracts with varying tittles. This stuck in my mind, and as I was driving around earlier this week I happened upon a curious thought: what would some of my paper titles (that I now lovingly type and review) have been in my younger years?

PAPER TITLES:
-Bike-riding and masculinity: gendered construction of danger
-Love as we know it: group theory, definition, and implications
-The price of intelligence: social costs and benefits of being the 'smart' kid
-Race and grade schools, or why recess is inevitably grouped accordingly
-No, I don't want to go on family vacation: adolescent development of the self and other
-Hip-hop and rap music in the 1990's: not understanding the lyrics but loving the beat
-I'd rather run - The social meaning of running athletics in post-secondary education
-Half-life or double-life? Computer gaming as an outlet
-The technical community: learning social and practical language
-Boys don't cry (unless they get kicked): youth soccer and parent coaching norms
-Growing up Indiana: cultural sensitivity awareness
-Valentine's day episodes and their cultural rammifications

:D

The University post

2011-03-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

I will be attending The University of New Mexico this fall.

Wow, it looks crazy even to write it =) But that doesn't make it any less true. I am excited, nervous, ecstatic, thrilled, honored, privileged, anxious, and many more adjectives that escape my vernacular right now. I formally accepted their offer not too long ago, agreeing to pursue my Ph.D. in Intercultural Communication at their campus, and also accepting an offer to teach two classes per semester. I won't go into the financial details (you can ask me if you'd like ;), but suffice to say it is a full-ride for a number of years and I couldn't be more happy to receive it. I also just completed my housing application to live in the graduate-only area (depends on demand, but I'm hopeful) and my email is completely set-up.
It was a long process to get to this point, filled with a lot of ups and downs; I was outright denied from an institution, I was accepted at another, and a third I am still waiting to hear from, although I have obviously decided to cast my lot with UNM (I applied to 4 in total). I also considered Michigan State University, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Washington State University, and Pennsylvania State University, but chose not to apply to any of those.

There were many issues to consider, and I definitely had help from faculty here at IUPUI in ultimately choosing UNM. I'm confident that I made the right choice based on fit, experience, and ultimate benefit to me as a scholar and practitioner. Nonetheless, I still get a lot of amusement from the following:

Dear college,

I have received your rejection letter by mistake, and I will be attending your school in the fall, as planned.

Sincerely, suck on that.

I received this courtesy of Dear Blank Please Blank, an absolutely hilarious site that has short letters to and from interesting parties. Check it out if you haven't already :) In all seriousness, I am very pleased with my new University. I am going to a school that has major FOOTBALL!! and basketball, campus traditions, thousands of students, on-campus housing, an excellent health insurance plan, a large department with many opportunities to meet students, a family member who lives in the same city (very excited for that), and much more to offer. It's an entirely new adventure in a different part of the country that I cannot wait to do :)

I end with this, my newfound school mascot: The LOBO (wolf)

Tiny Wisdom

2011-03-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

I want to be someone who cares. I want to be someone who chooses not to cause myself pain but isn’t afraid of hurting if it’s the price of loving fully. I want to be someone who does what I believe is right, even when it’s hard. Today, I will, in action and with all my heart.

-TinyBuddha <3

Movie Review: 7 Pounds

2011-03-16T22:50:00.000-07:00

After reading the Wikipedia summary and reading some of the reviews for this movie, I was expecting some pretty bad acting and short-sighted directing. Instead, I got what amounted to a trip to the museum, and a couple very noteworthy tear-jerking moments. 7 Pounds, with Will Smith, turned out to be a highly emotional movie which resembles an art piece. It is a movie that plays closely on themes of guilt, worth, redemption, focus, and human frailty. I won't spoil the entire plot, but let's just say that Will Smith does something bad, and then spends the movie attempting to recover from that one instance. I found his performance, especially in his conflicted moments, particularly riveting; you can see the inner-discussion and temptation of straying from his determined path throughout the movie. His counterparts, mostly oblivious to his master vision, do a well-enough job to carry the movie forward. Overall, this movie resonated in a humanistic way, and I do recommend it :)

The DL and Lent

2011-03-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

INJURY UPDATE (AP / Reuters): Indy Indoor saw an unexpected injury this past Tuesday. Monday Nighters combo position player Nicholas N. was injured during their make-up game Tuesday night. In the first period, about 17th minute, Noblet was playing goalie and going for a bouncing ball in the defensive backfield. The as-yet-unidentified opposing forward was running the ball down, jumped into the air and collided with Noblet's shoulder area. X-rays confirmed a broken right clavicle, requiring a brace and healing within 1 to 2 months. He has reported on the disabled list (DL) and will seek rehabilitation over the coming weeks. The Monday Nighters played tough after the loss but ultimately fell in the final minutes to the team.

example of broken clavicle

This is what my news write-up should've been :D Broken shoulder, a month - 2 rehab, but at least the guy didn't score! It got me thinking about other injuries I've suffered over the course of 25 years, and I came up with the following:

-Broken clavicle
-Fractured bone in right hand with open exposure
-Left pinky finger severely bruised and immobilized
-Left leg scarring from a bike peg contact
-A section of my upper leg torn out down to the muscle; 8 stitches
-Two front teeth partially rebuilt after shattering parts of them on ice
-..and minor things here and there :D

So, besides giving up right arm movement for lent, what else am I giving up?

Any and all types of coke, which means Pepsi, and other brands that are carbonated. Milk, juices, tea, all allowed, but no root beer, fanta, sprite, etc. :( Missin' it already!

Idioms of Practice

2011-03-12T12:39:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading this book for my computer-mediated communication course:

...and in it the author refers to idioms of practice, or rules/guidelines for mediated interaction. She discusses any type of mediated interaction, including text messages, Facebook, phone calls, website comments, anything of that nature. We did an exercise in class that made us share our rules, so I thought I'd post some of them here :)

Facebook:

I will not accept you as a friend unless I have met you in person OR we have initiated some form of substantive contact. An example would be initiating an email convo, agreeing to meet up, chatting, etc. If you are just randomly adding me and have no interest in any other form of communication beyond stalking my Facebook page, we are NOT friends.
On that same level, I like all of my Facebook friends (or at least I think, have to confirm). I don't share my digital info with people who I don't care for, or at least don't have a nice relationship with. So just because you know of me, or we conversed at one time, doesn't mean we are facebook friends. If we aren't physical friends, why are we connected digitally?
DO NOT CONSISTENTLY UPDATE STATUS OR OTHER THINGS I CAN SEE IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Alsooo plz wetch yer spelin becuz in my opinion it doesn't present you in the best light :(
Facebook chat = productivity / time-wasting killer. Even if I want to slack off, I can't do so when 6 conversations are brewing simultaneously. On the flip side, it distracts me immensely from watching time, and being mindful of what I want to do. Therefore, I typically don't get on it unless you ask me :)

Other mediums / modes:

I don't worry about how long it takes you to respond via text. I understand life happens, you are busy ordering Chinese takeout and can't hit the letters on the touchscreen because of the soy sauce, etc. But if I choose not to answer immediately, don't assume the reason. Just assume I'll answer you in a timely manner :D
I almost NEVER send someone to voicemail. I will absolutely silence the ringer, but I feel like that's a loaded action. When someone I suspect is free sends me to voicemail without explanation, I feel slighted :(
I don't answer unknown numbers. EVER. If it's important, a voicemail will be left; if not, I delete the number just as quickly. Although I do Google the number to see if it comes up ;)
I understand that everyone has these rules/guidelines/idioms of practice, and I can't assume that other people share my exact way of using and understanding each medium. Sometimes I think those rules highly influence people's emotions and interpersonal relationships without the people in question ever realizing it.
My dislike of the Facebook chat above extends to other programs as well - Skype, etc.
Skype calls are fun and dangerous - I've had so many drop right off my screen. Therefore I tend not to expect much :)
Facetime on my iPhone 4 = sorely under-utilized. I just want to do that more!
I enjoy seeing comments on my blog and commenting on others - seems more thoughtful than a wall post or other things.
eHarmony, Match.com, zoosk.com, and other online matching sites weird me out. Yes, I know people who are married / engaged / dating because of those sites. Yes, I think it's becoming more socially acceptable. Yes, I can certainly understand the arguments for. But it's, just...so...inorganic. I feel as though being matched based on an algorithm, even if it works, is so out-of-hand. Even if you are just browsing, I don't like the implicit social contract of looking for someone, even if I am. Granted, this isn't well-thought-out, but it's just a feeling :)

After reading mine, think about what yours are :D

This movie is growing on me

2011-02-19T16:08:00.000-08:00

Sloan: It a choice, Wesley, that each of us must face: to remain ordinary, pathetic, beat-down, coasting through a miserable existence, like sheep herded by fate - or you can take control of your own destiny and join us, releasing the caged wolf you have inside.

What the fuck have you done lately?

Word Find!

2011-02-17T14:33:00.001-08:00

My three: past, dream, passion :)
[Stolen from MelRo - she has some damn interesting stuff]

Makes me miss undergrad...great art :D

2011-02-16T19:56:00.001-08:00

Negotiation Tactic

2011-02-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

I was reading through news stories on the NFL and The Players' Union negotiations, and I was struck by an idea: the 18-game season, in all its contradictory glory, is a simple tactic to gain leverage in negotiations.

Let me backtrack.

As you probably have heard, the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is set to expire in March. After that point, the owners will lock the players out of the facilities until a new deal is reached. This is important because players use the facilities all year-round, for rehab and conditioning especially. Currently, the union and the owners are trying to reach an agreement. There are many contentious points, but a lightning rod of sorts has been the extension to an 18-game season. The logic is simple: 2 more regular season games nets a whole bunch of money, and can replace less-lucrative preseason games. Obviously, the players are against this; as they should be. 16 games is already pushing the physical limit of most players, and that's not including playoffs. Preseason games, while less lucrative, provide an opportunity to shake rust off on the field and allow for back-ups to get reps on the playing field. This isn't as entertaining (See Peyton Manning vs. Curtis Painter, for example), but useful. To illustrate this point, take a look at the Colts Injured Reserve list when we lost to the Jets; it's almost a complete starting NFL team in itself.

I was listening to commentary on this topic today and realized, if its true, the genius of this proposal. Say the owners, in their wisdom (after all, NFL franchises aren't cheap to own), know that negotiating with the players will be difficult. Say they understand that the American public isn't fond of propping up multi-millionaires and billionaires, and that they are going to need some help to keep the revenue coming and satisfy their own egos. (PS, I heard a great quote on NPR regarding this, as the reason for owning a sports franchise is simple - ego and equity) So, the owners create a proposal that is absolutely ludicrous, but somewhat believable, and especially debatable. They market this widely, and let all the media outlets and fans get wind of it. They solidify and close ranks around this lightning rod, trying to provoke a reaction from the other side. They succeed, and the debate ensues. The debate itself legitimizes the original proposal; the fact that the conversation came into existence demonstrates this.

Here's the damning part: even if the owners have no intention of going anywhere past 16 games, as I think they might, they propose 18 games and stand behind it simply to have an ace-in-the-hole on the bargaining table. Now, if they concede on the schedule, perhaps the union views this as good faith, and concedes on splitting the money more towards ownership, or adjusting contracts.

The owners have then successfully created a poker chip out of nothing; nothing but thin air. Legitimized by their own adversary at the conversation. Now I'm not saying the Union isn't using this same tactic, but it's brilliant.

Impressive.

2011-02-15T14:10:00.000-08:00

How I'm feeling right now :)

Bullying & Humanity

2011-02-14T12:52:00.000-08:00

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=6120346

REPOSTED from ESPN (One of the many reasons I love sports):

--------

Among the burdens of an American male are to provide shelter, put food in the cupboards and occasionally sit through showings of "The View."

Which is what my wife and I were doing last week when we saw something that made it hard to speak, much less drink our coffee.

A 13-year-old boy named Nadin Khoury told about how he'd been attacked by seven bigger schoolmates, kicked, beaten, dragged through the snow, stuffed into a tree, and hung on a 7-foot spiked fence, all while adults watched.

The boy was only 5-foot-2, but he'd made up his mind to stand tall no matter how much of his pride bled out. As the brutal video played on a screen behind him, his collar stayed buttoned, his spine straight, but his bottom lip quivered.

"Next time maybe it could be somebody smaller than me," he said, loud and clear, like the Marine he wants to be someday. "Maybe next time, somebody could really get hurt."

That's when host Elisabeth Hasselbeck said, "There are some guys here who want to tell you just how brave you are."

“
Khoury seemed at once shocked, overwhelmed and redeemed. Where once his chin stuck out as best it could, it now fell open in wonder.
”

From behind the curtain came three Philadelphia Eagles -- All-World receiver DeSean Jackson, center Jamaal Jackson and guard Todd Herremans.

Khoury seemed at once shocked, overwhelmed and redeemed. Where once his chin stuck out as best it could, it now fell open in wonder. He looked like a kid who'd forgotten it was Christmas morning. He wept without wiping his tears. Jackson sat as close to him as possible, as if to make the two one. He praised the boy for his bravery and added, "Anytime ever you need us, I got two linemen right here."

Nadin's mom cried, Whoopi Goldberg cried, my wife cried and I cried.

Why would a superstar athlete up and fly to NYC from LA with one day's notice to support a kid he's never met?

Rewind four months:

Eighth-grader Nadin has just moved to the Philly suburb of Upper Darby with his sister. Their mom Rebecca had lost her Minnesota hotel-maid job. That makes him the strange new kid at Upper Darby High School. That makes him prey. Walking down a steep hill to catch the bus, kids start taunting him about his mother, an African refugee who fled bloody Liberia in 2000.

"They were calling her names," Khoury told me. "Talkin' about her 'booty.' I didn't want to hear that so I told them to stop. They pushed me down and dragged me down the hill. I got up and fought one of them. ... The next day the other kids got on him about 'How you let a little kid beat you like that?' And I could see that it really made him mad. It bottled up in him until he was ready to explode."

[+] Enlarge

Rob Tringali for ESPN.comNadin Khoury hugs his mother, Rebecca, who has supported him through his fight against the bullies.

The bullying gets worse. Alley ambushes. Pushes and slugs and draggings. And then comes the attack on Jan. 11 by what Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood calls "a wolf pack." "I was afraid for my life," the boy recalls.

When one of the pack posts the video on YouTube, Nadin's mom has her proof and presses charges. The Upper Darby police ask if the family will bring the case public.

Rebecca thinks about the rebels in Liberia. Thinks about how they found her family hiding and dragged her father into the streets and murdered him there. Thinks about standing up to bullies, even the ones with AK-47s.

"I say to my son, 'Are you ready for this? This is not going to be little. This is going to be big.' And he says, 'Yes, Mommy.' And I say, 'Are you ashamed of anything?' And he says, 'No, Mommy.' So we do it."

The Philadelphia Inquirer writes a piece. A staffer at "The View" reads it. She finds out Jackson is Nadin's favorite player and reaches out to the Eagles. The Eagles call Jackson.

Jackson thinks of his childhood in South Central LA. Thinks of the bullying that went on in his childhood, the kind that ends in mothers flung across coffins. Thinks of Desmond, his 13-year-old brother.

"He's a small guy too," Jackson says. "Nadin reminded me of him. When I thought of kids doing that stuff to my little brother, man, that really got to me. Made me want to get my hands on those kids."

[+] Enlarge

Ida Mae Astute/ABCPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson presents Nadin Khoury with his signed jersey.

Next thing you know, Nadin is on a couch with his favorite NFL player at -- and on -- his side. Jackson takes the jersey he's wearing off his back, signs it and gives it to the kid. Then he gives him his cell phone number to back it up.

It only gets better from there.

Jackson starts an anti-bullying nonprofit -- DeSean Jackson Against Bullying. The family receives Eagles tickets, 76ers tickets, jerseys, T-shirts.

The director of admissions at Valley Forge Military Academy, LaToro Yates, sees "The View." He thinks of the bullies in his childhood. Thinks of the boys who terrorized him for the way he looked, the way he talked, the way he dressed.

Next thing you know, Nadin is being invited to the VFMA campus, where men like General Norman Schwarzkopf and J.D. Salinger and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald once walked.

"I admire this young man's courage," Yates says. "It takes courage just to come to school the next day. But to step up and go public with it to help other kids? Wow."

The academy is "working diligently to make the young man a cadet at Valley Forge Military Academy starting this fall," says Yates. Free.

The Upper Darby police, meanwhile, do a little dragging of their own. They walk into Nadin's school and drag the alleged attackers off in handcuffs. Eventually, charges were dropped against one but the others will pay for their bullying of Nadin. Their cases and final charges are still pending.

The fear isn't entirely gone in Nadin's house -- his mom still sleeps in the living room at night in case "somebody's coming to get my son," she says -- but for Nadin, stepping up for others has been the best thing he's ever done for himself. He's already turned down $1,800 for the jersey. "I'm going to give it to my son and he'll give it to his son."

I keep thinking about why I cried that day. I think it's that when the biggest and fiercest and most famous of us takes time to stand up for the smallest of us, it makes me proud to be a sportswriter, proud to cover these athletes, these men.

But I'm prouder still when a young, poor boy like this stands up with no idea any help is coming.

(Oh, and a note to the wolf pack: If you think Eagles players shouldn't be messed with, wait until you meet the Marines.)

New Google Feed

2011-02-10T10:33:00.001-08:00

Very rare that I add a site to my Google reader, but i'm giving this one a try:

http://tinybuddha.com/

Fitness 2011

2011-02-09T11:43:00.001-08:00

This morning began my fitness journey for 2011.

...at 5:15AM.

I woke up early for boot camp at Westview Healthplex, and met Katers there. We dropped our stuff and prepared for a workout, but HOLY HELL wasn't expecting one like that. My laptop is currently hurting my legs just by laying on it, and I am certainly feeling the burn. We decided to do this 3X week, and honestly, I couldn't be more excited :D Beyond fitness boot camp, I have soccer on Monday nights, yoga on Mondays and Thursdays, and running at least once a week. I want to strong man my winter unhealth back to health :)

I was pondering what I wanted my fitness goals for this workout season to be, and I think I have a few good ones:

1) I currently weigh 190lbs. LET ME REPEAT THAT: 190 POUNDS.

Simply unacceptable. I know I slipped on working out consistently, but this is ridiculous. I used to be in runner-shape, able to go long periods without respite. Now I'm in University Library shape, more knowledgeable about people such as Pearce and Miner, but less able to run miles upon miles. I'm shooting for approximately (love that I looked up the definition of this word BTW) 10-15 pounds of weight loss, preferably more, but I'll be happy with 5 weeks @ 2-3 lbs/week, or equivalent progression. I know I have some muscle to build, so a little fluctuation here and there is quite beneficial.

2) Eating healthy.

This, for me, means cutting out the financial and health-draining fast food. Or at least limiting my choices away from Burger King, McDonald's, and other terrible offenders. Some Jimmy John's, Subway, and others will have to do :) ALSO: more salads, less frozen meals, more water, less flavored drinks, more veggie snacks, less cookies - you get the picture ;) (alcohol notwithstanding)

3) Spiritual growth

I distinguish from religious and faith-based growth here. I'm talking about getting back to peace, calm, and serenity. Getting back to a constant smile on my face, unwavering and true. I had it for a while and lost it in the torments of life, but that's what I used to love so much. I want to be back there, and I have a plan to get there. I am doing yoga, taking time to myself to observe and be quiet, and have identified things that are unproductive to me. Clenching my teeth in frustration, disparaging others, not building others around me, and not checking in on my happiness have harmed me. I'm glad I noticed it and I'm heading back in the right direction, but it will be a journey.

Lyrical

2011-02-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

Lil Wayne has some of the most entertaining lyrics out there, and a recent fav of mine is below :D

Too many women, and not enough time
Im a cool cat, but im on life nine.
Pimping aint dead cause I be the life line
And I don’t buy the bar cuz it don’t sell white wine
Gon’ let that light shine
ballin’ for a life time
Smoking on a nice pine, Weezy baby flight flyin
You can call him your husband
Call me at night time
And even though women change
I will always like dimes
And yeah im quite fine, but shawty much finer
And I just get behind her
And smack it like E. Honda

...anyone that references Street Fighter II is a winner lol :D

THE Dashboard Confessional

2011-02-05T14:24:00.000-08:00

Currently listening to:

2. Screaming Infidelities
3. The Best Deceptions
4. This Ruined Puzzle
5. Saints and Sailors
7. Standard Lines

Things I'm Craving

2011-02-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

Leather flip case for iPhone

Need some ASAP

GREAT movie

2011-02-02T10:10:00.000-08:00

During a power outage with the wind roaring outside :D

THE SHINING

Snowpocalypse :D

2011-02-01T18:35:00.000-08:00

What I'm doing with the wonderful ice storm:

Beautiful ice in the front yard

JJ #9 is where it's at, IN SPEEDWAY!

Dewey doing what he does best ;)

Best recent purchase - EXTRA comfy pants!

Perpetual Deja Vu

2011-01-31T06:51:00.000-08:00

As I was walking from my car to the library this morning, my thoughts turned inevitably to my past exploits and adventures on this campus.

It's as if I'm walking through the past, with vivid detail - I can see everything that's happened, people that were there.

I walk through the garage at Barnhill, and I remember scrambling for a spot when it's raining or snowing. I walk out through the parking lots, and remember the Bowers building; I remember that the Campus Center didn't even exist until I graduated undergrad. I walk across University Boulevard in-between Lecture Hall and Cavanaugh Hall; remembering how many times over Summer I waited anxiously for students to walk that same path.

I walk into University College (now called Taylor Hall), and remember that it was THE place for students to eat lunch and hang out together. Now, it's something so new that I barely recognize the interior. I open the doors to the stairs, which haven't changed, and remember climbing up one floor to the OTEAM office; two floors to the Honors lounge and office. I pass Eric in memory (he's wearing his OTEAM uniform, with walkie and hurrying off to somewhere on-campus), then pass the present Eric; we say hi and catch up real quick. A part of my visualization came to life, and it's scary with such precision. I open the second floor doors, and walk towards the library.

I pass through the BS building to the glass corridor, and remember all the students who smoked so much on the landing. I enter The University Library, and feel strangely at home; not much has changed here. I still think back to the 24-hour IT lab, my undergrad home for late-night work sessions; now ULIB is my primary area. Even IT didn't exist until winter of my freshman year; the Mary Cable elementary school was my building before I got here. Now it is a parking garage.

It's a strange feeling of constant deja vu' when I am here, and it's something I can't shake. All the memories, all fond, flood me as I walk from place to place; I feel incapable of making new ones. I have invested so heavily in this place, and I've been so happy with the results.

During my last semester here, I am certain of one thing: my time here is finished. Work, almost done.
A job, well done.

;)

Reposted

2011-01-28T11:38:00.001-08:00

I think this applies to both men and women - great quote by MelRo :D

“Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.”

- Lady Gaga

Greatness

2011-01-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

Keep away from people
who belittle your ambitions,
small people always do that,
but the really great make you feel
that you, too, can become great.
-Mark Twain

Alone Together

2011-01-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

Currently Watching: The Bourne Identity, Casino, Vanilla Sky, and State of The Union Address

I'm currently reading sections of this book:

...and I'm fascinated by its contents. Aside from being an assignment, it appeals to my background and social study of technology, especially considering I corresponded with an MIT professor a few years ago about graduate education. Of course, I've moved on to international study, but I will always have a soft spot for technology and its implications.

One thing that jumped out at me is how disconnectedly connected we are. Ms. Turkle tells the story of a younger woman, who works thousands of miles from her mother. She used to always call to communicate, which was costly and had to be brief. Instead, now she uses Skype, and talks for hours...only to feel that she is communicating less. She knows that the webcam can't show her fingers, and she multi-tasks the entire time, checking email and speaking with other people through different means. I felt some connection to this story, not as the younger woman but as the mother; ostensibly aware that the other end is not really 100% there. I've had conversations lately with two of my closest friends, only to know that each person is either texting or typing while talking to me. I'm not suggesting I'm above this behavior, but I do know how it makes me feel: insignificant. It's as if I'm not worthy of full attention, or that some other person or matter is more pressing. I find myself doing this same thing I abhor from time to time, and I consciously try to stay in the moment, away from all those things which distract. It is tough, but something I feel is paramount; to grant those with whom you are in the moment with your full attention.

On the other hand, I can recall just a few hours ago, that I was sorting laundry and putting some in while on the phone...and I have no problem with this emotionally. Is it because the conversation appears limited to me only when the other person conducts multiple conversations simultaneously? Or is it that certain people have certain abilities that are mindless, such as laundry, or walking around, or cleaning, and can truly multi-task conversation? Something to ponder :)

Another related thought is that of the duality of digital friends. I recently had two people add me as a "friend" on facebook, which for anyone who has heard me rant on this topic, knows I take seriously. I understand the playful and less serious side of Facebook, but I enjoy the physical realm. I enjoy knowing that if I saw you out at a club, or passing me in the street, that we would say hi, and know something about each other. These two people I have met within the past decade, but I haven't had any conversation or contact with either person in at least 5 years in one case; 7 in the other. So what makes me want to accept the request? Because at one point we were civil to each other, not even considered friends in physical realm? What does that mean for the medium itself - that on the individual level, "real" connection is not a requisite? I harbor no ill feelings towards either individual, but I must admit - I have NO clue who either person is today. All I have is a fading image of a person I met several years ago. If you want to establish a connection with me, "friend" me in real life; send me a personal message that shows thought, an email, anything that takes longer than 2 seconds and bares some connection to the physical realm. Ask me how I'm doing, what I'm up to, and begin the conversation. Maybe that is my requisite; that a conversation must occur BEFORE the disconnected connection of Facebook.

Re-connecting with established friends and relationships? No problem. Re-connecting with someone who meant little or nothing to you as a person? Why? For what end?

Finally, I confess that this post was HOURS in the making. Not in the execution of writing, but the thought process that produced it lasted through multiple movies, reading multiple chapters, food, words with friends, a phone conversation, laundry, dishes, trash, and other tasks. I had so much depth on one topic when reading; then took a break, and was inspired by movies; then took another break, and was inspired by conversation. It seems frustrating at times that the way I choose to live my life does not allow for deep (read: time-consuming) reflection, in the way that I envision it; instead, I am shown what amounts to a preview with each flash. I am trying to become more reflective and deep, but that also means quieting my world and letting time pass while my mind works through things. I have become happier as of late, especially with the clarity that Yoga provides along with the power of reflection, but I still have a ways to go. It's a journey, every day, learning to be here now, and not somewhere else.

There is nothing quite like the present; for that is where everything is made. The past and future are merely products of the present; so be here now :D

And listen to this song: Ray LaMontagne - Be Here Now

Tonight!

2011-01-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

So Excited to be back snowboarding @ Paoli :D

Current

2011-01-21T00:27:00.001-08:00

I suppose this could be a stream of consciousness carried over from my seminar earlier, and the movie tonight. I'd like to think it's simply current, carrying thoughts and feelings across the digital divide =)

GREAT movie. Many critics have said things in the vein of characteristics of the "Facebook" generation, such as narcissism, self-absorption, individualism, the famous want, and others. I echo these, as the movie is not merely a story about the formation of the site but a critique on the hubris of the characters and the generation involved. The portrayal of the women in the story was unique, especially the groupies and their reactions throughout parts of the movie. Also potent was the University feel, and the way the college itself was shown. Definitely recommend this film...Plus, LOVE David Fincher.

Recent song list:

Chris Brown - Yeah 3X
David Guetta ft. Rihanna - Who's that Chick?
Britney Spears - Hold it Against Me
Daft Punk - Derezzed (from TRON Legacy soundtrack)
Joey Arroyo - Sleep Well
Nikki Minaj ft. Drake - Moment 4 Life
Savvy - Dance With Me Now
Chris Brown ft. Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne - Look at Me Now
Lauryn Hill - Everything is Everything
Iyaz ft. Hannah Montana - Gonna Get This
MIKESCHAIR ft. Lecrae - Keep Changing The World

Pictorals that are on my mind:

More to come :D

Creativity

2011-01-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

Be daring,
be different,
be impractical,
be anything that will assert
integrity of purpose and
imaginative vision
against the play-it-safers,
the creatures of the commonplace,
the slaves of the ordinary.

-Sir Cecil Beaton

Augmented by one of my favorite Collateral quotes:

"Someday, someday my dream will come?" One night you'll wake up and you'll discover it never happened. It's all turned around on you, and it never will. Suddenly you are old. It didn't happen, and it never will because you were never going to do it anyway. You'll push it into memory, then zone out in your barcalounger, being hypnotized by daytime TV for the rest of your life. Don't you talk to me about murder. All it ever took was a down payment on a Lincoln Town Car, and that girl... you can't even call that girl. What the fuck are you still doing driving a cab?

Life is now :)

New Year 2011

2010-12-31T16:51:00.000-08:00

Reflecting on the year that has just past is something I aspire to do each NYE, especially given the amount of change and variety I've experienced and yet to experience. Going back through my Outlook calendar was a trip.

I must admit, 2010 was one hell of a year.

It started off with celebrating the fact that I was stateside for the first time in months, just getting back from Den Haag. Then being with Kate stateside :D Then it was heartbreak, knowing my chances of living in Russia on behalf of IUPUI were cut short. Then confusion, figuring out what my altered path would be through my M.A. degree. Then signing up for boot camp. Then classwork, and figuring out that it isn't the end of the world to be home completing my classes. Then POLAND, to a country and city I love, doing independent research and loving it. Then the Indiana State Fair, long hours, corn dogs, forklifts, and sun. Then my QUARTER-CENTURY birthday, celebrated at Bower Cottage. And more Bower Cottage. Then classes, one easy and one independent study. Then Chicago for a Yankees game. Then running a marathon and finishing for the second time. Then Monday night indoor soccer, running, and doing pull-ups. Then Brian Regan and Daniel Tosh. Then Ph.D. applications, in full swing. Then San Francisco, and meeting all the people judging said applications. Then Christmas.

And now, New Year's Eve.

I have so much coming up in 2011, it's daunting already: finding out about Ph.D. programs, boot camp part II, soccer, Russia decision, potential Foreign Service exam, figuring out summer work schedules, departing for a new destination in Fall, the birth of an addition to Kate's family, getting a wisdom tooth out, fixing my car, and much more. I could be in a new city, new state, new country, new career - all of it in the next year.

I'm going to enjoy this ride :D

On My Mind: Imagery

2010-10-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

Volgograd, Russia

IUPUI University Library - my new home (ugh ;)

Thesis & research fellowship shizz

Mad Men Season 4 Over, and STILL on my mind

Uhm yeah applications

Place I haven't been to in awhile :(

Still trying to get back to running after THIS

Listening to this, reminds me of being overseas for some reason :D

Trying to set-up another season :)

Waht I'm currently on

What I did this Summer

2010-08-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

Did you ever write those narratives in elementary school entitled "What I did this Summer..."? Here's my shorter version :D

Employer: Indiana State Fair Supplies Department
Period of Employment: 3 months
Vehicles driven: 2 (Ford Industrial VAN, Jeep Grand Cherokee that overheated)
Average Commute: 25 minutes
Favorite Pairs of sunglasses lost: 2
New Record of hours-worked in a two-week frame: 150 hours
Days of the Fair: 17
Certifications gained: Forklift, drove a Kalmar AC and Caterpillar
Pairs of clothes split from overwork: 2 - my tennis shoes (destroyed), my lightweight khakis :(
Fair Food consumed: 1 corndog, 1 lemon shake-up, 1 INSANELY LARGE greek gyro, 6 Wisconsin cheese sticks
Time without weekends: 1 month (4 weekends)
Longest day recorded: 7:30am - 10pm
Miles driven: Thousands
Unique Wal-Marts visited for pickups: 4
Vacation Days during Fair: 2 (Spent at the Bower cottage on the Tippecanoe River)
Instances of time clock errors: 15 - I was terrible at remembering to clock in and out
Golf-cart(s) pushed to the limit: 2
Golf-cart(s) stolen and then recovered: 1
High-speed [exaggeration] chases engaged in: 1
30-foot American Gothic statues seen: 1
Backstage concert access: 1, KISS concert
Summer-ending mood: Awesome :D

Thought-provoking

2010-08-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

It takes a lot of courage
to release the familiar and seemingly secure,
to embrace the new.
But there is no real security
in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security
in the adventurous and exciting,
for in movement there is life, and
in change there is power.
-Alan Cohen (from Ripples Archive v9.44)

Where I've Been Lately

2010-08-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

Magnificent

2010-08-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

Don: I could tell the minute she saw who I really was, she never wanted to look at me again, which is why I never told her.

Go Netherlands!!

2010-07-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

World Cup 2010! So wish I was there right now, MuseumPlein in Amsterdam was NUTS and I'm sure the square in Den Haag was going crazy as well :D

Why Hello Don!

2010-06-30T17:29:00.000-07:00

Link: http://whatwoulddondraperdo.tumblr.com/

What WOULD Don Draper do? :D

Skinny Jeans & Sequined Shirts...Concert Go-er! :D

2010-06-30T05:35:00.000-07:00

Last night I went and saw The Olympians, Paper Lions & The Spill Canvas at Emerson Theater. Let me say upfront: it was incredible! :D Starting at 6:30pm, I left my house to go to the show. I ended up going with Intern Nathan, who works in IT at the Fairgrounds. It felt like I was driving back through time to get there, as most of the surrounding area look preserved from the 1970's. The all-ages venue is a (very) old single-room theater on east 10th street. There's a very simple entrance and then the room, which had black paint coming off the walls and no AC. I ended up wearing skinny Guess jeans and a sequin-ish shirt, and let me tell you, I fit in fine :D I was sooo stoked to be in there, as the entire area couldn't have been more than fifty feet back from the stage. We were 6 rows back, and had a CLEAR view of each act that came on....

...and the show was FANTASTIC! Paper Lions (link) were the best, as they had a great set and were very friendly and fun on-stage. We ended up missing out on The Olympians (link), a local Indianapolis band who performed first, but I still got one of their T-Shirts for two reasons:

-Concert cred
-It looked Freakin' SWEET

If you ever get the chance to check out some bands &
acts performing at the Emerson Theater, definitely do so!! :D

Love this venue :)

At the back of the theater

Paper Lions!!

Spill Canvas warming up

Solo song

I'm ALL Over You! :D

Videos!

Paper Lions RAWR

Spill Canvas - You can hear me singing along :)

Movie Review: Get Him to the Greek

2010-06-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

This movie is actually funny. From the previews I was only mildly interested, but chose to see it with Mark on a Friday night before heading downtown. The basic premise is that an assistant has to get a rock star half-way across the World in 72 hours. Obviously, stuff happens along the way, but the dialogue and sort-of reflective nature of the movie itself carries the plot through dry spells of humor. There were genuine moments where I laughed harder than I have in awhile, and P.Diddy does an admirable job in his role (overacted a little). Jonah Hill and Russel Brand are excellent, and Peggy from Mad Men is Ok (definitely belongs on television, her performance seemed lackluster).

Overall Grade: B+
Worth Seeing in Theatres: yes

If you ask me...

2010-06-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

[Alicia Keys]
If you ask me I’m ready…

[Drake]
Ugh, Tez keeps telling me he just turned 30
having dreams of being single forever he’s getting worried
and I’m scared too because I’m in the same boat
good women are rare too, none of them have come close
me I haven't changed much, you know how I play
better safe than sorry
instead of searching for substance at every single party
baby being part of this life
I feel like I’m bound to end up with somebody
that’s been with everybody
I need you to rescue me from my destiny
I’m trying to live right and give you whatever’s left of me
cause you know life is what we make it and a
chance is like a picture, it’d be nice if you just take it
Or let me take it for ya
I’m just down to ride
or we can roll around the city until we finally decide
I got more than a thing for you, tattoo and ink for you
right over my heart girl I do the unthinkable

[Alicia Keys]

Moment of honesty
Someone’s gotta take the lead tonight
Whose it gonna be?
I’m gonna sit right here
And tell you all that comes to me
If you have something to say
You should say it right now
(Drake: You should say it right now)

You ready?

[Bridge]
You give me a feeling that I never felt before
And I deserve it, I think I deserve it
(Drake: I deserve it, I think it deserve it..Let it go)
It’s becoming something that’s impossible to ignore
And I can’t take it
(Drake: I can’t take it)

Heaven.

2010-06-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

Finally.

Times to Laugh at Yourself

2010-06-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

Tell me I'm not alone here. When something ridiculous happens, when the hamster in the wheel inside your head decided to take a five-minute break, when you just weren't paying quite enough attention. I've had a few of those moments recently...

1) Taking FIVE MINUTES to determine a golf cart key was inserted UPside DOWN, thus rendering said golf cart immobile. Picture this: two college-eductaed young men, one an undergraduate, one a graduate. Both staring at a golf cart, trying to turn the key to the 'on' position. "Do you think there's another switch??" "What about pressing down the gas?" "Maybe we should ask [name]? (that's my favorite, calling in reinforcements because 2 guys wasn't enough). Priceless.

2) Three weeks of passing a small trough near a supplies building. The conversation went like this:

Me: "Man, what is in that water? I swear it always has such a strange complexion"
Co-worker: "You mean that trough?"
Me: "Yeah, you know, it has that strange coating on the top of it?"
Co-worker: "That would be a pane of glass. There's no water in that trough."
Me: "Haha, yeah...moving on..."

3) Asking my girlfriend for directions to the Steak'N'Shake nearest my house. You know, the one who has lived 40-minutes south of Indianapolis all her life. I figured she's a better authority on the subject than a person who has lived IN DOWNTOWN for 3 years, in speedway for 19 years. I'm beginning to think it's a miracle I get in my car and don't immediately stare blankly at the road, asking it where I want to go :D

Even Better...

2010-06-22T05:41:00.000-07:00

====================
Dear Apple Store Customer,

You recently received a Shipment Notification email from Apple advising you that your iPhone has shipped.

This email is to confirm that your delivery will occur on June 23rd. Although Apple and FedEx tracking information may currently indicate a later date, you can check the FedEx website the morning of the June 23rd to track your package to your doorstep.

In the event that you will not be available to accept delivery on June 23rd, it may be more convenient to use our pre-sign delivery option by visiting our Order Status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.

Sincerely,

The Apple Store Team
================

:D

2010-06-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

"A list of things I take very, very seriously"

2010-06-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

Props go to Melanie for the inspiration :D

My iPhone
Showering
fresh air
Being happy
Running distances
Google Reader each morning
Laptop batteries
Relationship time
The future
Seeing my family often (Grandma & parents)

What about you?

Updating To Update [Updated]

2010-06-14T11:27:00.001-07:00

Life has been pretty spectac as of late (shoutout to Kate for that word ;)

-NEW PHONE COMING SOON: (can't believe Apple dropped in with this price point BTW). Uber excited, because i'll finally be back able to call people when I want, text them where I want, have my calendar ready, apps, and internet on-demand. :) UPDATE: Just pre-ordered my 16GB black Iphone4. Sooo PUMPED. I thought about getting the apple care plan or whatever for $70, but honestly, having the protection plan isn't really important to me. I feel as though it's a license to not be careful (which i learned with my original phone) and I can probably fix any damage that occurs. Meh :D

-I, Kate, Megan, Gregor, Madison, Brian, Lindsey, and Bexal visited Italian Fest this past Saturday. It was delicious - I ate a canoli and a meatball sandwich :P It quickly turned dark though, as 8pm the church bells rang and the storm rolled in. By the time I got home with the group it was storming pretty well - perfect ending in my opinion :)

-Before Italian Fest, Kate and I babysat Bexal together for the first time. We changed diapers three times (and I got the easy part - distraction), watched him run around, and were generally wore out by a 1-year old. Definitely not ready to be a Dad, but ready to watch a small child every now-and-then. Also, Mike and Holly, no Brutus-like swinging the child around ;)

-Speaking of being worn out, I think Kate and I are signing up for this... :D (pumped, I've ran this marathon before)

-State Fair work is still going well. Today I worked on generating a price list and this week's outlook is more of the same. Getting paid to be on the fairgrounds and enjoy work is not a bad thing :D Quick highlights:

*Dinner with Areef on Tuesday! ...and it was delicious. I had a cheeseburger with PEANUT BUTTER on it, and you know what? It wasn't bad :D I immediately felt very fat but still, was aboslutely delicious. Would probably order a standard burger next time, but not bad ;) The weather was absolutely incredible on the way back also. Rainbows on both sides of the highway with orange sky, intense rain, and gorgeous lightning!
*Working at the house on Thursday! ...potentially. Still no confirmation on this, but we shall see...
*Soccer & Wine Wednesday night!! ...leaving work early to hang out and enjoy some minor work before soccer, then celebrating Kate's successful presentation with wine :P
*Finally paid for my summer class!
*DANIEL TOSH Tickets! November 9th, ground floor, row M. With Kate <3 Gonna be an amazing show!!!
Busy fun week!

-Currently on the beginning of Season 3. Just finished season two, damn Duck Phillips, that's all I'm saying. ...And now the clients are leaving left and right while Don and Betts deal with a parent in the home! Rar! :D

-Haven't really been struck by any deep interest to write about various topics, although I was recently on the topic of merging your selves together as time goes on. What I mean is that I've noticed I present different selves to different people, based on my interactions and expectations with them. While I don't think this is negative, I do think merging these would be beneficial...not quite sure of the usefulness though. More to come on this later =)

-New Song on repeat:
Young Jeezy ft. Plies: Lose My Mind

-New CD on repeat: Drake - Thank Me Later

Experience

2010-06-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready right now for my third day of work for the Indiana State Fair. I must say, it's been quite an enjoyable experience so far. I'm helping out to set-up a storage area (basically getting to use my hands, finally :), and make sure we are ready for the intense fluctuations in supply and demand that the fair normally experiences. It's been a learning curve, granted, but I think I'm finally starting to feel comfortable and ready to really make an impact :D

Speaking of making an impact, my 2Do list somehow keeps growing, but here's a current version:
=======================
-Spending time with my love <3
-Working on my academic to.do list for Poland
-Planning my GRE re-take
-Investigating financial strategies and planning, including initial risks and investments
-Beginning house work for Phi Psi + volunteering there
-Running & Working out, training for a marathon
-Hanging out with as many people as possible before July / August work picks up
-Beginning my research assistantship work and scheduling
-Getting ready for a semester abroad in Russia
-Scheduling my work for the GCC for the Fall and planning my impact
-Preparing an FMP proposal to the IUPUI Communications faculty
-And, seeing these two movies :D ...

Takers

Inception

I Smell Like Campfire!

2010-06-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

I just returned home from a weekend out around Delphi, IN at Mark's cottage. Me and him left Friday night and got back Sunday afternoon, and it was absolutely glorious. I am thoroughly convinced that later in life, regardless of what continent and what country(ies) I reside in, I will have a cottage / cabin near water and forested area, maybe even slightly mountainous :D

What makes going out there such a good time? Many things. A chronological recap reveals the simpler pleasures in life:

-Left Friday night with a packed bag, liter of vodka, slight headache, swim shorts, phone, laptop, and positive attitude.
-1.5 hour drive, including an appetizer stop at Dairy Queen and a grocery stop at Wal-Mart.
-Unpacking, building a pretty good fire, eating 3 cheddar brats a piece, and drinking 1/4 of the vodka (he was working on Jack & Coke). Discussions about life, time spent abroad, meanings, relationships, friendships, futures, and finances. Wonderful.

-Saturday: Waking up 3 different times to rainfall and birds chirping, deciding to four-wheel it through the overgrown forest, re-starting the fire for hobo pie lunches, doing a 20 minute float down the river, getting a small bit of writing in while grass and hill are weed-whacked and cut, clouds clear and sun sets in, deciding to do an hour float down the Tippecanoe River, making it back just in time for more hobo-pies (sandwich cookers filled with bread, marinara sauce, cheese, and pepperonis) and 1/2 of the alcohol, watching thunder and lightning roll in and watching the fire chew through a foot thick tree, heading inside to watch the lightning illuminate the riverbed, listening to the sirens go off 3X and loving it, passing out...

-Sunday: Awaking to blue skies and a warm breeze, having left over donettes for breakfast, packing up and rolling out.

I have scratches and mosquito bites all over me, a few good marks of sun, and an absolutely satisfying smile across my face.

:D

Poland: Visuals III

2010-05-30T01:17:00.000-07:00

A few more snapshots before my departure on Monday :( Beautiful Wroclaw!!! :D

PACKED club InSomNia

Delicious Fried Sushi

Yum Rolls :D

What up Gravitacia!

SWINGS at the BAR!

Insomnia in the front!

Me + My Mentor at Karaoke ;)

Good summary of Polish karaoke :D

Papardelle (looked like Tagliatelle tho ;)

Represent for the CPC!!

Dancing fools at dinner :P

Beautiful artwork in a church

Other side!

Sculpture inside

The ceiling of the church

Grandeur

Seen in a park :)

Meditations in an emergency

2010-05-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

"Now I am quietly waiting for
the catastrophe of my personality
to seem beautiful again,
and interesting, and modern.

The country is grey and
brown and white in trees,
snows and skies of laughter
always diminishing, less funny
not just darker, not just grey.

It may be the coldest day of
the year, what does he think of
that? I mean, what do I? And if I do,
perhaps I am myself again."

-Meditations in an Emergency by Frank O'Hara

Coming off of Episode I Season II of Mad Men, at the very end. Brilliant.

:)

Tonight has been beautifully challenging and intriguing. Excellent conversation and an understanding of the best gift I can give to my parents and grandparents - myself :) Longer post coming soon on a discussion I had tonight that sparked some interest! Do widezenia!

Today's MMT (Makes Me Think)

2010-05-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Today, as I read through my childhood journal for the first time in 15 years, I got to the section in my life when I had seriously considered suicide as an option. And tears began rolling down my cheeks because I saw desperate ideas and words that I could barely even remember thinking.

MMT. Link here: http://makesmethink.com/view/Miscellaneous/7594

You Smile...

2010-05-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

...I smile :D

(Song stuck in my head... enjoy)

I'd wait on you forever and a day
Hand and foot
Your world is my world
Yeah
Ain't no way you're ever gon' get
Any less than you should
Cause baby
You smile I smile (oh)
Cause whenever
You smile I smile
Hey hey hey

Your lips, my biggest weakness
Shouldn't have let you know
I'm always gonna do what they say (hey)
If you need me
I'll come running
From a thousand miles away
When you smile I smile (oh whoa)
You smile I smile
Hey

Baby take my open heart and all it offers
Cause this is as unconditional as it'll ever get
You ain't seen nothing yet
I won't ever hesitate to give you more
Cause baby (hey)
You smile I smile (whoa)
You smile I smile
Hey hey hey
You smile I smile
I smile I smile I smile
You smile I smile
Make me smile baby

Baby you won't ever work for nothing
You are my ins and my means now
With you there's no in between
I'm all in
Cause my cards are on the table
And I'm willing and I'm able
But I fold to your wish
Cause it's my command
Hey hey hey

You smile I smile (whoa)
You smile I smile
Hey hey hey
You smile I smile
I smile I smile I smile
You smile I smile
Oh

You smile I smile

You smile I smile...

:D

Balance Sheet

2010-05-28T03:14:00.000-07:00

Money and finance have been things that intrigued me for some time now, but things I've never really felt comfortable with. Beginning in high school, I learned what it meant to work for my money and know how to spend it. I worked when I was 16 years old, and haven't stopped since. I bought my first big purchase, a computer made by me, in high school. I never worried about it though. Even when my parents were struggling to find money for me and my brother, it never became a tangible worry. I heard all about people who worried about their money, in turn causing them more stress and unhappiness. I heard my religious instution bemoan the material focus of society, and praise the (what I thought was) disattachment from money. All these things led into my college life, and made my view on money basically non-existent.

Throughout college, I wasn't necessarily reckless with money, but I certainly wasn't watching it either. Frugality came to me when it was en vogue; for example, using freeCycle to acquire unwanted possessions in Indianapolis. After all, I had a full-ride, and all of my work money went towards paying for my living expenses. What was the issue?

But now that I'm beginning to approach a quater-century of age (actually sounds cool :D), I am feeling a new sense of responsibility and concern for it. I do think it's because of being with a finance major, and being partner to someone who has always been very money-concious. It's weird in a way because I still refuse to worry about it, even though the debt is piling up:

$10K auto loan (granted: this car has been everything I wanted and more. I attach a lot of emotional value here, which can't be quantified, but it's certainly helped a lot. Plus overall I did get a good deal, but still - the loan speaks for itself in terms of payments)
$20K student loans (granted: I lived abroad with this money, and worked for the US State Department, as well as having an experience that I may never get the chance at again)
$4K credit debt (this is the one area that needs more control. While I have a good credit history and solid foundation to pay on, using debt in this way hasn't helped me)

...and I still have at least one more loan to take out before my PhD study (my semester in Russia, but good news - my dormitory, what i thought would be the most expensive, is only $400 / YEAR = awesome). I think it's beneficial to be at this mental place where I'm beginning to watch myself a bit more closely in terms of finances, but frustrating to think that I was only in credit debt two years ago.

Now, onto the book I'm currently reading: Total Money MakeOver. It's a book Kate recommended just by the principles it espouses, and while there is certainly merit in some, I disagree with others. The central mantra of the book is "Live like no one else now, so you can live like no one else later". From an Aristotelian point of view, it's deviating from the medium in the extreme now, so you can experience a much higher swing from the medium in the opposite direction later. I am certainly future-focused, I don't think that's in dispute, but the present is essentially all we are given. Today is a journey, and tomorrow has never been promised, so why bank on the future? Is it likely, of course, and to some extent the startegy is sound. But the deviation from the mean now may well impact other areas in the future.

(And to be fair, I enjoy a lot of the book. For example, he says most millionaires buy a car that's a few years old with upfront cash. Brilliant idea, although I prefer to wait a bit longer. He also has excellent advice on insurance and setting up an emergency fund, which I will definitely heed).

For example, mental health. While this can be put down as not important or not a determining factor, I truly believe it is, at least for me. The stress of working two jobs (as suggested) along with other obligations may well make you plenty of money and even your balance sheet, but cause irreparable damage to interpersonal relationships and sanity. I need down time, I need time to relax, and this strategy monetizes that time in favor of gains. In short, I rather make less money and be happy doing so than make more money and lose other things important to me.

On a more personal note, I've been spending a lot of discretionary income lately on randoms, including these:

http://www.dkny.com/nshop/product.php?view=detail&productid=DY-N3921291&startColor=220&section=mens&category=&groupName=MFootwear

While useful and well-priced, I still feel slight guilt at getting them. That's a good thing. I need that guilt as moderation, otherwise I'd continue spending without balance. Perhaps that's what I need in some regards, a little balance sheet to help me out visually in understanding my current accounts. Because honestly, my account wouldn't be too pleased with my bottom line. If I were a stock, it wouldn't be a top preformer.

Yet.

I can feel fiscal responsibility coming on. I can see my investments and Roth IRA account, as well as a Medical HSA and managing my investments. I want a financial empire, not a mom-and-pop bank account and a worry the rest of my life. I want to make everything flow from me and in turn be under my control, and that will greatly benefit me later in life. I just have to buckle down and get to it (debt snowball, for example, is another great principle).

I have incomings.

Summer work is slated to earn me somewhere above minimum wage, with plenty of hours available. I also may have the option of retaining a fall position with the State Fair if my preformance is on-point, which would be incredible. I have a research assistantship which pays for my tuition, pays me a stipend, and takes care of insurance. I have more scholarships I need to apply for, as well as the Bepko Fellowship incoming semester grant. I have a potential $1800 Service-Learning grant that should come in later this Summer (if at all), and of course, I have my ingenuity at figuring out other frugal ways to generate funds. My balance sheet may be looking up, after all :)

Poland: Visuals Pt. Deux

2010-05-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

More visuals from my two week research trip to Poland!
PS, Found out that I'll have two cumulative publications from this conference (one this year + last year)!! So Excited :D

The IUPUI Grads @ Communication & Culture Conference!

Conference presenters / leaders / organizers

Presenting at the Communication & Conference! :D

Intercultural Communication: Polish Graffiti Presentation

Absolutely Delicious pizza place!

Hot plate cooking next-day pizza (from above ;)

The Big group in Wroclaw

Me & the Conference Organizer Natalia!

This guy's...funny :D

Classy Picture Pt. II

The Grads / Belarus / Alabania group playing CityGame!

Looking up ;)

Poland: Visuals

2010-05-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

I love european clothes, even if we have the same brands back home :D

Puma Sweatshirt material sport coat :D

H&M Boat Shoes

Pull & Bear 'Girls of the World - Russia' Shirt

My Dorm room & bed

Breathtaking Church

Inside St. John the Baptist next door

Beautiful spires :)

More beautiful statues

Ostrov Tumski bridge with locks on it - neat idea!! Plus love the red one <3!!

Near flooding in Wroclaw :(

Beautiful stained glass

Church art downtown

Vapiano's in Wroclaw!! LOVE THIS FOOD!!!

The beauty of Rynek :)

Bardzo Dobza!!!

Song Stuck in my Head

2010-05-25T03:33:00.000-07:00

David Guetta ft. Kid Cudi - Memories (PS, didn't know he was from Cleveland??)

Mad Man

2010-05-25T03:26:00.000-07:00

I've had many opportunities over the past week to ponder my self and my actions with others. It's not that I feel a sense of guilt about the things I've done, but rather I'm trying to seek a deeper understanding; why do I do the things I do? What reason, concious or otherwise, am I enacting? Why are things the way they are, and why are my emotions the way they are? These are the questions I am seeking to answer, and I hope, a glimmer of some truth has come into my mind. Disclaimer: This may not be the most pleasant of entries, nor will it make the most sense, but it is something I feel passionately about and want to share. So enjoy the ride :)

I chose to focus on what I think, or what I believe, a man should be. Definitely provoked by watching AMC's Mad Men (if you haven't seen this, go watch it ASAP - it's incredible), but a valuable line of questioning none-the-less. In my actions and in my beliefs, a man should be stone. I can concretely relate to the main character of the aforementioned series, not because I am perfect stone, but because his actions and emotions show the contrast between what is ideal and what is reality. Both crumble from time to time, but face the events with caluclating eyes and understand the importance of doing so. This stems from my dad I believe, who showed me early-on that strength comes from within, and facing the storm is your option. Running away, as Don attempts to do and then realizes otherwise, is too easy.

It also brings up the notion of letting others see your internal pressure and sweat. Very often I've been told that I make it look 'easy', with going as far as my mentor and close advisor saying this. He immediately followed it up with "I have no idea if it actually is or not - you may sweat bullets", and I was fascinated by this. Do I make everything seem as though it's not a problem? If I do, why is this a bad thing? I think I choose not to let others know how much pressure I put on myself, or lack thereof, because I'm afraid that if someone knew what I do on the inside, he or she would think less of me. Truth is, I believe I've accomplished almost nothing. True, I have a Vita that's 3 pages long, I have organizations, I have grades, etc. But that doesn't persuade my self-worth or inform my ego. I am constantly at zero, proving myself to me and everyone else in high school, middle school, grade school, family, etc. I don't mind this, either - without this fuel, I couldn't do what I do. I couldn't find new ways and new ideas of accomplishing things, nor get the creative enrgy necessary to produce on a deadline. I must believe that my work influences my future, because once you start believing your own press, you dissolve into a sea of ego. The sky truly is my limit, and I plan on shooting above it.

Another idea that came to me was this quote:

"You've never worked a day in your life - everything's been given to you"
-Don Draper to Pete Campbell

Said in a context where a rich kid is working in an upscale firm, but it made me think about where I am now. The above sentiment may well persuade others that everything has been given to me - that because nothing seems hard, everything is truly easy. I feel as though I have to prove that wrong, or defend my hard work, but this isn't the forum to do so. In my head, I can show the path to exactly where I am, born out of hard work and effort. I can think back to being idenitifed as the hardest worker on the floor, or the best worker in a factory. But I don't let others see that. I want to provide that everything never gets to me, that everything is small stuff which shouldn't be sweat on. It's difficult to demonstrate this beyond what I have now, and the humility I attempt to embrace, but I hope that my attitude doesn't change - that hard work is not something I become averse to, but rather embrace, to enrich my soul and my interaction with others.

Speaking of others, the final thought that's come to me is my distance. I run long distance, but I also keep almost everyone at a distance. Why? Why do I do this? Why can't I let anyone in, except my family and significant other, who even feel distant from time to time? I think I may have begun to understand. Emotions, as anyone who knows me, are worn on my sleeve. I usually have no problem clamly conveying the emotions I feel to another person, making him or her think that I have no problem being close. But it's the opposite that's true: because my emotions are there, expressed clamly in a talking manner, I feel as though others are kept at a distance by me. Perhaps it's a defense mechanism, but I don't express my emotions to others beyond talking them into existence. The distance becomes necessary to maintain that expressive boundary, because as Kate and others closest to me can tell you, the expression is quite different than the words that go with them. If I believe a man should be stone, and yet talk my emotions into existence, how do these two things become reconciled? Where is the cognitive dissonance? The answer is this - I never let ehe expression enter into the equation. No one sees me sweat, cry, scream, or any other expression which might demean me - they simply hear about it. This integrates the two beliefs; I can still be stone while demonstrating my humanity.

Granted, this strategy has its consequences. It's like false advertising - I let others know that I have emotions, and then they don't see them (nor really hear from me). I don't call, text, or facebook chat. But the other end is always present; if I am contacted, I respond enthusiastically - and that's where the trouble comes in. I don't have a lot of close friends because it takes forever to accept this dichotomy, and not believe that I'm an aloof prick. It's my way of showing everyone that my strength lies not in the lack of emotional communication, but the lack of emotional expression. "You never let them see you sweat" - couldn't be more true. I've lost a best friend because of this, and it hurts me to know it - but I can't change it as easily as I would like. I can't be the outreaching, emotionally-expressive friend until I blieve that what I have inside is not compromised. I still don't fully understand this, but I hope that I'm getting closer.

Now, the real question: Are these good things? ;)

NOW.

2010-05-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

1) Hanging out in the Rynek.
2) Remembering the beautiful polish language.
3) Zubrovka and apple juice. Or without. :D
4) Zywiec and juice.
5) Guinness Pub and excellent conversations.
6) Boat Trip.
7) Club No Name, Metropolis, and other as-yet-to-be-determines.
8) Sadness: missing Kate and friends, but excited for her trip to France!!

9) POLAND.

On Repeat

2010-05-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

...Songs

Taio Cruz ft. Ludacris - Break Your Heart
David Guetta ft. Chris Willis - Gettin' Over You (and the LMFAO Party Remix)
Iyaz - Solo
Diddy - Dirty Money & T.I. - Hello Good Morning
Justin Beiber - U Smile
Justin Beiber ft. Sean Kingston - Eenie Meenie Mo Lover
Drake - Find Your Love (sounds like Kanye West on 808's and Heartbreaks)
Usher From Raymond V. Raymond: Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home), OMG (ft. Will.I.Am), and There Goes My Baby
Kevin Rudolf ft. Cash Money Heroes - I Made it
3Oh!3 ft. Ke$ha - My First Kiss
Teairra Mari ft. Gucci Mane and Soulja Boy - Sponsor

...Food

This is why i'm fat. Or will become if my running habit slips :D

& The Italian combo from panera:

New 'Mad' Theme

2010-05-11T18:20:00.000-07:00

Obviously you have noticed the new theme for the blog - 'mad man'. I am absolutely in love with the AMC series "Mad Men", having just begun to watch a few shows. I love the history element combined in a narrative form, so i'm easily latching onto it. That being said, I modified the show's graphics to produce this minimalist layout which I will rockin' for some time to come. If you haven't, check this series out, and credits go to them!! :D

Oh CrapJack :D

2010-05-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

-So my iPhone officially died :*(

Yup, I had it at Holly's Mortal Kombat party (which wasn't bad BTW - Holly, post pictures dangit!! :), at which it encountered a few spilled drinks and a rough wooden chair. Too much for it, and now it simply refuses 'slide to unlock'. I'm proud of the three years + it lasted, as well as the countless trips, drops on pavement and water, and other assorted fun times :)

This predicament lead me to two phones:

One of these is the Samsung BlackJack, and the other is a phone to-be-named ;) The phone to be named worked absolutely fine, albeit a bit older; so naturally i preferred the blackjack replacement when I got it.

Whoops.

Turns out I now have to call people 3x to get a usable signal, let alone dealing with receiving calls / texts and the like. I'm switching out phones tonight hopefully, so now worries there; just a minor headache I've been negotiating lately. I am waiting out the next announcement for the new iPhone (leaked here) so that the replacement white 3GS will be around $100ish dollars ;P

-Semester Grades

Absolutely dominated this semester, including a 97% in one course and an undetermined percentage A in the other. I lost my cumulative 4.0 already, but a 3.95 cum I will certainly accept. The laundry list of academic to-do's is daunting, but I'm beginning to feel the end approach; GRE re-take, comprehensive examinations this fall, research assistantship position begins soon, poland original research in a week, thesis research begins this fall, and Russia needs to be set-up this summer. Certainly a lot, but i absolutely can't wait for my final year of M.A. coursework :)

-Past weekend: Awards + Luau + Brian Foreman + Areef / Brady

I spent this past weekend celebrating the end of the Spring 2010 semester at the Phi Psi House, Union Jack's, and then Mother's Day was spent at my grandmother's. On Saturday, I had a great conversation with Areef before a delicious dinner with Areef and Brady at UJ's. Then Brian Foreman met me and we went to the Luau, enjoying a few BnM's and conversation about life, the past, and what the future holds for us. It's a weird feeling being there now, seeing everything as it is and not as it was, but refreshing to see something you began continue on in the manner it has. I even got to enjoy Phi Psi Senior Awards earlier in a formal way, listening to the seniors reminisce as I once did. Sunday quickly rolled around though, and saw Brian and myself trying to finish up splitting wood at my grandmother's. It was awesome to have him help, and I certainly miss the guys from my Senior year. I'm hopeful I can provide some impact at the house this Summer before our shared fraternity turns, turns, turns, as it always does. Amici, usque, ad aras... :)

-This weekend includes:

and more with my love :D

Today

2010-05-06T05:59:00.000-07:00

Today is a remarkable event,
a once in a lifetime opportunity,
and it is filled with countless choices.

Today, we choose to live.
Today we choose to embrace joy to magnify its potential.
Today we choose to endure difficulties to seek its lessons.
Today we choose to worry less about the things we cannot control,
and instead focus on how we can make an difference.

Today we choose to engage our bodies, stretch our minds,
and soothe our souls.

Today we intend to choose peace by creating peace,
to choose happiness by sharing happiness with other, and
to choose love by extending love to friends, enemies, and
those we have yet to encounter.

As we step into this magnificent day,we choose to:
honor the past, anticipate the future, and enjoy today.
-Paul Wesselmann

The Journey

2010-05-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

It certainly has been awhile since I've been a regular blogger, but i'm hoping to get back into the trend :) And, to start off, a list, no less ;D

Things on my Mind:

-Currently crushing HARD on University of Washington (UDub). They have an excellent PhD program, University is located in a big city (Mariners, SeaHawks, etc.), beautiful landscape, GORGEOUS campus, commuter-dominated style (although campus housing is available), and more. It's like a perfect mix between IUPUI and IUB - retaining all of IUPUI's charms but mixing in a big campus atmosphere. I'm starting to set my sights on gaining admission, and it will be a long road, but here's to dreaming :D

-I leave for POLAND in Two weeks! This will be my third time visiting a beautiful country, and I'm excited to go. I'll be doing collaborative research with Natasha Barnett, so a little different format than I'm used to, but oh-so-excited. Definitely expecting to visit Metropolis and a few other familiar places :D

-Me and Kate have been together for a solid year. It honestly doesn't feel like that, seeing as how both of us were gone an entire semester, but it's been incredible being with her. Challenging, mind-expanding, beautiful, and painful, it's been everything love is supposed to be - i can only hope for that much more :) <3

-My trusty iphone bit the dust....sort of. The bottom row of numbers went out, and after so much - traveling to Europe multiple times, being in puddles, being sat on, surviving a year in the Phi Psi house...I have a good amount of memories with that phone. Still chugging along now despite certain incapacities, although I am now in the market for a 3GS or similar phone to tide me over until next Summer...when the new one gets reduced in price :D

-I recently received the IUPUI Dept. of Communication Studies Graduate Research Fellowship :D Basically I get paired with a faculty member next year to do research and learn the in's and out's of being a faculty member. Besides that, $9000 / 10 months and insurance, plus tuition remission...I'll certainly take that :D

-Currently working on GCC items, including proposing a faculty mentoring program and social thursdays. Stay tuned for updates there - especially since I'm the new treasurer-elect :D

-I have my final year of Bepko fellowship money coming in (my final year of graduate study @ IUPUI - eek!)

-I leave for Russia in 8 months. Wow. Looks weird to type it, but that's the plan. Gotta re-work everything out with John and make sure my studies are in order (ahem, passing COMPS and GRE) but I cannot wait to go. It currently looks like i'll be rolling solo, but who knows? I'm good either way :D

-Songs to keep your head bobbin' :D
-B.o.B. - Airplanes (feat. lead singer of Paramore)
-Black Eyed Peas - Rock Your Body
-Lil Flip - You'z a Trick
-Winner (remix) Jamie Foxx ft. Justin Timberlake & T.I.

Recent Happenings

2010-02-22T21:36:00.001-08:00

The time that has elapsed since my last adventures in Europe certainly has brought some new intrigue into my life.

-Valentine's Day & My <3
...Went swimmingly. Went to Kate's sister's state diving meet, then out to dinner at Harry & Izzy's, then to the Symphony for a V-Day special show, and then crashing at home. I am really happy with the place I am at relationship-wise right now; that place where you always look forward to spending time with your significant other. We could be going out on the town, or just being near each other as we get things done, and it's the same warm feeling. We saw Shutter Island together (see it), hang out with each other's families, and more....and it's wonderful :)

-Russia Watch 2010
Looking like Spring of 2011 now. This gives me the opportunity to do some very important things here, while giving the Russians enough time to process all of the paperwork and get ready for me. This, in turn, leads to

-My Timeline
Current status: looking/applying for work, taking 2 classes, random tasks
Summer status: obtaining an internship / professional experience in indy or elsewhere, attending Poland for 2 weeks in May
Fall Status: Taking my coursework, teaching R110 at IUPUI, living at aaron's, enjoying indiana weather and fun times with friends all over the map, applying to PhD programs
Spring Status: Spending my final semester in Volgograd, Russia

-Fitness Boot Camp
Signed up for a 6 week course to whip my butt in shape...we'll see how it goes. Begins on Monday at 5:45AM, start time at Indy Healthplex. I'm tired thinking of it already :D

Overdue EuroTrip - Pictures

2010-02-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

This is the photographic record of my EuroTrip from December 14 to December 26th :D Stories below!

KOLN

Arrival in Koln, Germany!

The Dom Cathedral

Magnificent

The standard windows

Non-standard mosaic floors

Climbing to the top

...and the subsequent descent

Nighttime at the Koln train station

Saying goodbye to Koln via the Hbf

DUBLIN

Enjoying our first pint of Guinness in Dublin!

A majestic church

;)

Pub Food at Porterhouse Brewing Co.!

The Irish Train station from Malahide!

Malahide Castle

An Irish winter

Graveyard on the castle grounds

On the platform

Howth bay

The cliffs of Ireland

We <3 mornings

At the brewery!

THE NETHERLANDS

Feyenoord Stadion!

Pre-game festivities

Field pass

Being cold together :)

Snow-covered Den Haag

Plaza behind the Embassy

Amsterdam in winter!

Stroopwaffels :D

Coming HOME

A long night :D

McStory: we ordered 2 croissants, a mcmuffin, and 2 orange juices. We received: 2 mcmuffins, 2 mcgriddles, 2 croissants, and 2 large orange juices. We obviously had mcleftovers, and right as we were leaving, saw two american servicemen coming to get food. We Mcfed them, and they were mcgrateful :D

The train station at Frankfurt Flughafen

Overdue EuroTrip - Stories

2010-02-16T10:49:00.000-08:00

I barely even know where to begin. So much has happened and right now I am stateside updating my blog! I’ll try to be as succinct as possible, and include a lot of wonderful pictures :D

December 14-15
-Germany

I woke up extra early (5-6AM) on December 14th to catch the inner-city train to Amsterdam Centraal, and then the Inner-City Express (ICE) train to Frankfurt Flughafen. I slept on the way, but was so excited to get there. I immediately rushed into the airport and waited for what seemed like an eternity before Kate and Holly arrived. During my wait I spoke with a military serviceman from Texas who was waiting for a friend, but as soon as I saw them I rushed over to greet and hug both of them. We sat down to catch our breath, and Holly promptly gave me my awesome Christmas present :D

Clearly I loved it. We made our way to the regional trains, checked the departure time, and boarded our regional express to Koln Hbf (central station). Before, I must tell this story – so Holly and Kate had to use the bathroom, and I sent them downstairs to do so. HOWEVER, I forgot to mention that the bathroom would cost money – a slight surprise to welcome them to a European state of mind :D The trip was absolutely beautiful; we basically ran parallel to the Rhine River valley, and we got to see riverside towns and cities while going through different elevations. Once we arrived in Koln, we made our way to our hostel, which was only 100m from the central station and the center of town basically.

The room we got was wonderful minus the beds; while they weren’t bunked (awesome) they were hard as rock; a BIT tough to sleep on. Also, I was highly amused when Holly went to take a shower and struggled a bit to figure out the knobs; she would’ve got it eventually but it made me smile :D That night we went around Koln and just explored; we went to the Christmas market around 6-7pm and it was wonderful! I ate my first sample of currywurst and had a burrito (both were absolutely delicious!)

The next day we spent in Koln, going fully through the Christmas market, seeing the Dom Cathedral, dropping our luggage at the central station (this was awesome: they have completely automated lockers that store your luggage in a big facility, and then retrieve it for you! The states must adopt this), visiting the chocolate museum gift store, and then hopping on our ICE train to Amsterdam and then to Den Haag for the night. I’ll mostly let the pictures to the talking, as the cathedral and surrounding areas were BEAUTIFUL! Also, I must say that at this point I realized I shall have an odyssey of taking pictures of my travel companions while they are fast asleep, and many many pictures were taken :D

December 16-18
-Dublin

The very next day we boarded an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin from Amsterdam. Again, had to be awake EXTRA early, which unfortunately kind of messed up my night plans, but we made the plane no problem at Schipol. Once we arrived in Dublin and caught the cheap double-decker bus to our hostel area, we struggled for a good 5 minutes before the sleepy one (Kate) asked “Hey, is it the one that says ‘Times’ on the door?” (yes). We laughed as we walked, and quickly checked in to an AMAZING hostel. Seriously, if you have the chance, stay there – extra friendly staff, free wifi, good rooms, and great location. We dropped our stuff and then spent the day walking around downtown Dublin, looking through shops and getting food, before coming back that night to pure exhaustion. On the way, I had my first pint of Irish Guinness at a public house, and learned an awesome trick about beer (bitter taste buds are on the front of the tongue – put your tongue on the underside of the glass and it doesn’t taste AS BAD – needless to say no me gusta beer). We visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where I witnessed organ lessons being done and amazing architecture, and then finished the night at Porterhouse Brewing Co. with strawberry beer (not bad) and stew :D We made it back to the hostel, passed out, and awoke not-so-early the next morning.

The next day we took the DART (Dublin Area Regional Transport) trains to Malahide Castle and Howth. I cannot begin to adequately describe how beautiful these two places are. Malahide Castle, over 800 years old, is majestic and beautiful; the grounds surrounding it even moreso. It practically screamed Ireland, and we had a blast exploring the forest, playground, castle, and graveyard close to it. After thoroughly enjoying it, we took the train to the seaside town of Howth, and embarked on the coastal rock tour. The views were breathtaking, especially without any fences or rails; just you and the wide open space, with 30mph wind whipping around, standing on a cliff in Ireland. Unbelievable.

After finishing the tour, it got dark quite quickly, which led to us getting slightly off track – we ended up walking almost triple the distance along a highway to get to the next train station (an entire stop from where we started). Needless to say, exhaustion set in again – after a quick dinner and drinks, we made it back to the hostel, and passed out.

Our last day in Dublin was spent more around the city and its landmarks, including Phoenix Park (the largest city park in Europe, beautifully landscaped areas) and the Guinness storehouse & brewery. We went up to the Gravity bar at the Storehouse for a free pint of Guinness, and overlooked the entire city of Dublin 7 stories up.

December 19-26
-The Netherlands

Suffice to say, our trip ended on a great note. We spent the final days touring Amsterdam and attending a Feyenoord game at Rotterdam, which was FREEZING – we literally couldn’t feel our toes. The girls visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and then Holly left for home; what was supposed to be 24 hours of travel turned into 72, but she made it home. Kate gave me my Christmas gifts and we then toured around Den Haag, eating out at sushi, shopping during the day, sleeping in, generally anything we wanted to do :D She left on December 24th, and I followed her home on December 26th.

There are more funny and interesting stories to tell (The McServicemen story, among others) but this post has been way too overdue. I hope you enjoyed reading it, and the accompanying pictures :D

Update before EuroTrippin'!

2009-12-13T03:51:00.000-08:00

-Explanation of my EuroTrips
Part I was Poland Summer 2007, Part II was Ballin’ with Areef, Part III was Poland 2009, Part IV is Den Haag professional, Part V is Kate & Holly Adventures :D Seriously I’ve planned as much as I possibly can with this trip, pending just a few items (train to Bruges if me and Kate go, Holly’s return ticket, my return plans, and minor shizz), and the itinerary is already eight pages long! Makes me proud in a small way that I was able to go into that much detail for each place ;) PLUS I finally purchased the Feyenoord soccer tickets for Saturday night, so that’s all taken care of finally :D

-Roommates Leaving
Friday Anna Mari departed for home, and then immediately after she heads to Spain for a two-week vacation. Saj is taking a long weekend before heading out for a 3-4 week vacation on Thursday, meaning I’ve been rolling solo since Thursday night (that night me and Saj went out with a few friends from his work for Indonesian food [good] and a quick drink at O’Casey’s, where it was quiz night [quite hilarious]).

-Formal check-out at the Embassy
It was surprisingly hard to check-out at the Embassy. Even people who didn’t readily know me were wishing me well, asking what was happening next and urging me to stay in touch. Truly, it is a family that I will miss, as they gave me a wonderful experience that I’ll cherish for ages. I did end up doing one last good workout (awesome), as well as picking up some gifts for the family before I left though :D

-Russia Watch 2009
…Still no word. I do know that my advisor has been out of the country as of late, and will be back in on Monday…so I’m hoping by the C.O.B. (close-of-business, an embassy term I picked up ;) on Tuesday I’ll have a definite yes or no. I’m nervous as heck either way; either I need to get everything wrapped up here and prepare to re-integrate into American life, or I need to prepare myself to start an entirely new adventure in an unfamiliar place with no one to serve as an immediate P.O.C. (point-of-contact, another embassy term). I’m absolutely thrilled at either prospect, but man, waiting definitely intensifies the experience lol!

-This week in pics
Pictures before EuroTrip Part V!

Red Bull in a glass can!
Last drinks with Tom & Alex

Holly B.’s dress if she married in NL :D

Beautiful canal view on the way home

Albert Heijn trying to make me fat with
An Oliebollen stand next to it :)

Christmas tree at Grote Markt!

The gym I loved :D

Walking away from the U.S. embassy in Den Haag

Christmas lights at Cremer’s!

An inside peek into my logic

2009-12-09T01:49:00.000-08:00

Logical problem -> solution sequence:

PROBLEM: there is a mosquito in my room, which has bitten me twice so far while I am sleeping.

DETAILS:
-It's December 09th. Should it be dead by now?
-Outside temperature does not crack the 50* mark.
-Room is not that big.

SOLUTION: Impossible to find the sucker during the day. I ended up deciding to freeze him to death - I would turn off my heater, open both windows and make sure I was covered up nice and toasty. This was last night.

OUTCOME: No nighttime bites, slight case of the cold-arms-and-upper-tenth-of-body in the morning, but no worse for the wear.

I'd say case closed :D

Yes, the person is a fake :D

2009-12-08T11:43:00.000-08:00

This dead-on reminded me of many, many christmas evenings spent putting up lights :D (Miss ya dad!)

LINK: Xmas lights

Quoting from the source:
“Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas
decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after two
days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever. Great
stories. But two things made me take it down.

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they
almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed
herself putting it against my house and didn’t realize that it was fake
until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was
one of the many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn’t take
it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally
drove up my yard.”

Yes, that is a FAKE person and decoration :D

Consular Dreamin'

2009-12-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

I had my final meeting today at the US Consulate in Amsterdam, with the US Consul General there. It was a great meeting; she is a wonderful person with a wealth of experience. We just talked about consular life, and what kind of things go with a life dedicated to the US Foreign Service. On the way home (train to Den Haag from Amsterdam) I wrote down some of my thoughts, and I'd like to share them:

-Nice
She is absolutely a sweet person. She's done mostly consular work her whole career (around 18ish years), and genuinely loved the work - something inspiring to see no matter who it is.

-World Traveler
She traveled the world at a very young age, and adjusted to the climate that goes with that naturally. This position offers the opportunity to travel the entire world; see different areas 2-3 years at a time, from Washington D.C. to Skopje to Minsk to Lima and beyond.

-Must be OK with being unsettled
This was a big take-away for me. The position is predicated on the intrinsic knowledge that you will not be settled very long. Driving may not happen frequently; licenses, etc. come and go. Cell phones come and go. Houses, friends, anything that goes with a somewhat permanent area no longer applies. You may be in an area that electricity is infrequent, as are other conveniences. I really struggle with this, honestly, because I seek to establish a home. While I love change and seek it out, I need a home base to constantly improve; I want to come to a home, not to a temporary space. The unpredictability would be extremely difficult. I want to change residences and locations on my terms, not necessarily on a preset schedule.

-Know thyself
This was stressed. Knowing what I like and what I don't, and what I can handle. Probably the one biggest factor in determining success in and outside of the US Consulate.

-The Perks / Rockstar lifestyle
It does have its advantages. You get put up in housing for free; often, you don't need a car or otherwise. There's a student loan repayment program, and all of your utility bills are taken care of. Besides food and cost-of-living, you are set, so to speak. You also visit some of the most beautiful and intriguing areas on Earth; meet some of the most interesting people.

-Being a tandem
This was another area of concern for me. Spouses and family members often struggle at assignment, and it really is a situation in which the other person must be willing to go along with it. That may mean being away from family for long periods of time, or worse, not being together for a year at a time (hardship posts). I've already determined that I want my significant other to have her own profession and passion in life, and not to simply go along with whatever I do. The service, however, seems to breed that sense of go-with-the-flow, purposefully or not.

-Missing home and what goes with it
I must admit, for all that I've said I hate my hometown, I don't hate Indiana. I don't even hate Speedway. I was miserable growing up there, but that was largely due to the people around me, not the place. I love my family. I love Indianapolis, although I think I need something more. The service would place me far away from that, sometimes without the easy option of going back - not something I'm a fan of. Even though I may reside in a different state, that still allows for easy travel back home; in a different country, not so much.

-Tangible impact
The consular officers have a real impact on The United States. Every day, they determine who enters the US via Visa, and also help Americans abroad who need it most; from losing a passport to getting in trouble to just needing directions. Reminds me of time spent in orientation and admissions; every day, truly helping someone through something that seems difficult. Although, they also deal with the ones who manipulate the system, the ones without respect, and genuine American troublemakers; the good, bad, and ugly so to speak.

-Language skills
Consular officers often get better language skills than others, as they are front-line; every day they are using and improving language skills while embassy personnel speak English to each other. Small, but definite plus.

I'm not sure what to think of this right now, especially in terms of my future, but something to always remember and a wonderful conversation. Mixed emotions would be the best to describe it, but I'm leaning more towards staying stateside and taking short trips; I think that is more my preference. How that happens professionally or personally, I'm not sure, but something to investigate me thinks :) (Definitely looking for a company / place that has a student loan repayment program though ;) Also, Google Voice popped into my head as I was listening to her speak, thinking of a way to never change your cell phone number; i almost laughed out loud with how nerdy I truly am :D

SMALL Moment of realization: Seriously I am a messy eater. I've never really thought about how to eat a croissant before, but today on the train I was making a HUGE mess. I then realized instead of biting into the crust, I could simply tear a small piece off and then calmly place it into my mouth like a normal human being. I laughed as soon as this popped into my head, and now smile each time I see a nice little breakfast treat :D

I also had a really cool metaphor come to me as I was riding home. I was staring out the window at the train tracks as they moved in and out of eachother, and it made me think of relationships and professions; how lines in a person's life come in and out, sometimes expecting, sometimes not. Daydreaming fun :) Lastly, I've been sampling some Hood Internet music thanks to Melanie, and this song is incredible - makes you want to be at that party in Denver :D (off their latest mixtape, Vol. 4)

Wonderful :)

2009-12-07T05:56:00.000-08:00

I just had my going-away lunch at a traditional (home-made) Italian restaurant, and I received a certificate of appreciation signed BY THE AMBASSADOR and a bunch of thanks from my section - absolutely incredible :) I'm gonna miss them all!!

My last day at the Chancery

2009-12-04T06:13:00.000-08:00

Absolutely surreal is the only way to describe this day. It feels as though I'm leaving my newly-established family...just as I was getting comfortable in my role. The most strange part is that I'm leaving to a relative unknown; I have absolutely no idea whether or not I'll end up in Russia in January. I've planned both ways out fully, but you still cannot prepare completely until it's a go. I haven't made travel arrangements, I haven't started packing (Kate clearly has a leg up on me in this department), I am not enrolled in classes of any sort, I'm not ready.

Yet, I'm smiling. :)

This has been an absolutely fantastic (albeit quite expensive) experience that I'm going to remember as long as I can. I lived in Europe for a solid three months. I maintained a residence. I owned a mode of transportation, I had a full-time (non-paying) job. I met people from all over the world. I played international league soccer, and won. I converted to a legitimate goalie. I bettered myself physically by working out harder than I ever have, and I benefitted mentally from some difficult times. I grew in faith, and grew closer to the ones I love. I found out that despite my best efforts, I still have friends who care about me; and I truly care about them. What an amazing ride.

I can't really think of a coherent way to organize some of the past week's happenings, so of course I defer to my standard list format :D

=====================================================

1) I had a meeting with Madame Ambassador this morning on progress made on her green initiative. When she found out it was my last day, she quietly thanked me for my service. Another cool memory :)

2) Being in a political position has given me the ability to develop my analytic skills better, and I am exposed to many more of the President's speeches. I read the entire transcript of the President's military speech at WestPoint, and here are some highlights about moving forward:

"We will remove our combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next summer, and all of our troops by the end of 2011."

"In short: the status quo is not sustainable [in Afghanistan]"

"And as Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home"

"I opposed the war in Iraq precisely because I believe that we must exercise restraint in the use of military force, and always consider the long-term consequences of our actions."

"If I did not think that the security of the United States and the safety of the American people were at stake in Afghanistan, I would gladly order every single one of our troops home tomorrow."

"In the least few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders [referring to MN] who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror."

"This is not just America's war. Since 9/11, al Qaeda's safe havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali"

"And we must make it clear to every man, woman and child around the world who lives under the dark cloud of tyranny that America will speak out on behalf of their human rights, and tend to the light of freedom and justice and opportunity and respect for the dignity of all peoples. That is who we are. That is the source, the moral source, of America's authority."

Moving stuff, indeed.

3) I saw a friend of mine commenting on a book entitled "Real Education", and he insisted that the promoter of the book was cheapening college education. Now while I think college education is absolutely vital, I don't think that learning stops there - ultimately, each person must go and make his or her own way in this world through his or her resources and practices. I do think that many people never learn this lesson, and instead think that college entitles them to something (job, money, success, etc.). WRONG. The same things as always will land you what you seek; hard work and dedication. Going to college does advance your station in life, but I think that education also happens outside of it (see also: library, life experience, etc.)

4) Tuesday night I attended the Shell World Challenge 2009 event, hosted by Shell and BBC. It was a taped awards night to be broadcast on BBC this weekend, and I represented the United States by attending in the front row of the gallery. I was pretty excited, and it turned out to be a really neat and inspiring show; I may be on television, but I don't know if I'll remember to look for it ;)

The host beginning the program

Shooting the audience :D

5) The Embassy recently dedicated some art and an exhibit to John Adams, the first diplomat to The Netherlands, and I thought this artwork was particularly neat:

6) I understand I may be a bit of a spelling nazi, but when you use the word "granted" and spell it GRANITE, we have a problem. I saw this online and was instantly dismayed. Come on now, learn the difference people :)

7) Sinterklaus came to church this past Sunday! The kids loved him and I think it's neat that they separate the gifts and religious aspects here in NL; of course, I prefer the American tradition but still neat to see.

8) No word on next semester; Russia Watch 2009-2010 has officially begun. I'll keep you posted :)

9) Other randoms:

-I met an Australian woman at Shell World Challenge who was extremely nice and referred me to her friend in Russia if I go; funnily enough, the Australian girl I met my first weekend here used to work for her! How random!

-I introduced a Peruvian diplomat to the group I play soccer with at his request (met at World Challenge), and felt really good that I was able to provide someone an opportunity just as I had been afforded.

-I attended Romania national day on Thursday, which was short but good - I got to eat Vienna sausages (not sure why those were there, and if you leave them out for long periods of time they are disgusting [LORA W.]) and cabbage with minced meat in it. Yum :)

-I finished all of my thank you cards and they'll be handed out to the mission on Monday after lunch. I'm excited I got it done so quickly this time :D

-I'm investigating international volunteering, and Habitat for Humanity has a good international program that does short-term work. Hmmm, opportunities :D (also international volunteer programs for weeks - 6 months)

-Me and Kate's anniversary today :D 8 Months!!

Random Rant + Embassy Compliment

2009-12-01T07:30:00.001-08:00

RANT: I do not accept digital friends via facebook, linkedin, or any other social networking site unless I know you or have a reason to know you. We must've had some contact somewhere, because otherwise I don't view the transaction as valid. This applies to everyone - you must give me a reason to be your "friend" and it has to be decent, not simply "I'm in this group with you, therefore we should be friends"! Ugh. This all came about because I've been friended by the same person in one of my groups (not fraternity or anything like that, a social alumni group) at least 4 times, and I keep ignoring the request. Each time the person says "I'm adding you as a friend because I'm an adminstrator of a group on facebook that you belong to". Ok. I still don't know you. I'm not suggesting you aren't cool, or have an issue with you; I'm just not going to be your digital "friend" without any real life contact. RaR!

Embassy Compliment: Today I was in the cafeteria and to pass time as the chef was coming back I had a conversation with our legal counselor. We were shooting the breeze about random stuff for about 10 minutes, then I got my food and went back to my office. About an hour or so later I got a call from her asking what I was doing over the holiday period, if I could come up to work for them! Granted I said I was travelling, etc. then going to be a student, but still very flattering to be thought of that highly. I don't know that I would go up there though if offered for the Spring and everything else fell through; it's in legal (which isn't my preferred area) and I'm not sure how it would benefit me for my academic degree or personal path. But, it brightened my day, and the legal counselor is a wonderful lady who has fun (she's a Texan). Be interesting, at least :D

What I Like About Humanity

2009-12-01T02:22:00.000-08:00

LINK: We May Be Born With an Urge to Help

I love this story, not because of the science and the study behind it, but because deep down I have an innate belief that humans are basically good and want / want to help. Nice to have our assertions backed up by facts every now and then :D

Times you laugh at yourself, vol. I

2009-11-30T07:06:00.000-08:00

...When you are looking through a collection of business cards, with writing on each one describing the person, and realize your mnemonic device for recognition on one card is the following:

"guy that threatens to expose Batman"

Of course, i'm referring to a visual image from Batman: The Dark Knight, but I laughed when I read it :D

What a ride!!

2009-11-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

Well hi there :)

It’s been a quick minute since I did an update on what’s going on, so I’ll try and encapsulate Thanksgiving, current status, and Amsterdam Awakenings into one. Other small news is today is turning out to be wonderful; package from home, Awakenings this Friday, and I completed two projects at work and got a big thank you for them! :D

Thanksgiving

...I had an absolutely amazing Thanksgiving abroad. I thought it would be very low-key, but it turned out to be bigger than festivities at home (not better, mind you, just bigger)! I started the day by sleeping in until 11:30am, and then clawing my way out of the sheets at 12:30pm :) I was scheduled to go to Kate’s house, a younger (30’s ish) woman who works upstairs, as she was hosting Embassy people for a lunch at 2.

How I got invited is a story in itself; you see Kate sings for a choir that does shows around The Hague. She posted a sign in the elevator asking people if they wanted to go and could get free tickets – I, immediately on seeing the words “free” and “tickets”, emailed the Friday before Thanksgiving. She didn’t respond and the concert was for that weekend, so I assumed no-worse-for-the-wear and went about my weekend. She emailed back on Monday saying she was sick, but was hosting a Thanksgiving lunch and I should come.

So there I am, 2pm at Scheveningen Beach apartments, looking out on the water as I go upstairs to her apartment. She had two giant trays of lasagna out, and I was the first guest, so I volunteered to do dishes (Holly – old habits die hard ;), and it worked out wonderfully – right as everyone got there I finished. I had two plates of lasagna, a fake salad (it had leaves of some plant, mozerella balls and baby tomoatoes – not a real salad) and garlic bread, followed by pumpkin pie. It was really fun as almost everyone there was embassy, so kind of a “young diplomats” lunch. I got great advice about the foreign service, peace corps, volunteering, and others from people who’ve done it, and that helped a lot. Plus some great conversation about my planned Friday night in Amsterdam and living abroad generally.

After I said my goodbyes I rode home, looked up directions, and got to Winston’s at 7. He had a friend from UCLA in (Shahab) and we sat down to dinner with Steve and Dodi (the host couple) at 9PM – I was in shock it was so late. But as soon as I saw the food, I understood why – the table was about 11 feet long, FILLED with food – I swear he must’ve found a genetically modified turkey among other things. I had one plate and was about ready to burst from it all. Turkey, sweet potatoes with marshmallows (Dad I ate those in your honor lol), cole slaw salad, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. We said grace as well, and after the plate they had two pies (I had a slice of apple) and then left his house at 11:30PM! Simply insane, as at this point I could just barely move.

Dinner at Steve and Dodi's!

Plate #3 minus the turkey :D

After I got back on my bike I had told a friend of Jamie’s that I’d meet up at the square for drinks since no one else was going out, so we met up around 11:30-45ish. We went and just talked for awhile, and it’s like you meet people who are versions of you if you’d taken a different path in life, and I saw a possibility of what I avoided – someone jaded in many respects, someone who made a life based on solitude... it reaffirmed a lot of things for me, in a strange way. I’m sure the beer (ugh) and shots didn’t help either (tequila and vodka – really?!). We had about 3 drinks and then the bar closed, and I rode back home. I don’t know what it is about thanksgiving meals, but boy when you combine them with alcohol (I had 5 glasses of wine, 1 beer at the dinners, then 3 drinks/3 shots while out) it makes for a nasty hangover. I still made it to work when about 50% of the staff took the day off – the cafeteria even shut 2 hours early because they were expecting dang near no one to come! :)

But focusing on the good things, I had a Thanksgiving filled with good food (MINUS green bean casserole AND macaroni, RAR!), good conversation, and good introspection – what more could I ask for? (Besides my family, friends, girlfriend to be here, but that’s about it ;)

SIDENOTE: At Kate’s, she had put up a piece of paper on the wall asking what each guest was thankful for. I was one of the first to write on it, and mine was the following:

Good family
Good friends
Good times

And that’s never truer than right now :) I have an amazing girlfriend, wonderful friends, and a loving family, as I'm having the time of my life...incredible :D

Current Status

I've been pretty good as of late, work is slowing down and I've got a lot of things in the works for the next few weeks

I play my final soccer match on Monday (I'm playing exclusively as a goalie now, pinky finger still hasn’t healed 100% yet)

I have mass and Russian lessons on Sunday

Next week is last week of work!!!

I am surprising someone with something soon ;)

I am doing a week-long intensive workout schedule 2 weeks from now

I'm meeting with Consul General in Amsterdam

I'm attending two lunches for the department

I'm going to an awards banquet to represent the embassy at the Shell corporation (think gas) which will be televised on BBC

I'm attending Romania's national day

I'm finishing up buying tickets and making arrangements for Holly and Kate to arrive

I'm running regularly

I need to plan out food for the next few weeks

I need to begin packing, and some other stuff

Whew :D
I also just did this service, which I got from Alex Baker’s status:
http://www.letssaythanks.com/

If you have a minute, go check this out; according to him it’s legit (he’s a tech guy so I trust him) and as someone who is sort-of serving overseas, trust me, it makes ALL the difference in the world.

PS, my grandma rocks! She sent me a care package with candy and food from the US (excellent) and a very sweet card – I miss her a lot! Cannot wait to come back and see her smiling face at my graduation from IUPUI M.A. program :D

Awakenings @ Amsterdam

…I don’t think I’ve ever been to something like that, period. European parties simply are a different breed than a club in the US, that’s for darn sure. I was surprised, had an amazing time, and achieved a new personal record – I left for the party at 11:15pm, didn’t get back home until 8AM! Yes, the sun was greeting me as I shut my blinds and crawled into bed. Best part about that was I got to call Kate and we went to sleep at the same time – even though it’s 4,000 miles away I still like knowing we are together in dreams :D

Detail-wise: got ready (just threw on a tee-shirt and jeans), and then left for Centraal station at 11:15pm. Caught the 11:28pm train to Amsterdam with Inez, and we were at awakenings by about 1AM. We got frisked entering the building, and then put our stuff in a locker and went to get drinks. The building itself looks like an old gas silo; something absolutely HUGE and dome-like. We got in, got drinks (all of which were pre-mixed) and headed out onto the floor. I swear, the requirements for entry (besides the 44 euro ticket, WOOF [got for free ps ;]) must’ve included being awkward and pretending to know what you’re doing, as I fit in PERFECTLY. Maybe I’m just a European dancer :D :D

During the party we went and sat down in the upper deck to watch the lasers, and hang out in the crowd, while weaving in and out of people everywhere. I’d estimate about 1500-2,000 people there, easily. At one point it didn’t matter where you were, it was extremely tight to walk around. DJ’s came and went through the night, but were well-received and you knew exactly who was coming on stage. It was as if they were bigger than rock stars back in the States; they had the whole stage to themselves and really didn’t move much, but the focus was definitely on the atmosphere. Everyone was pretty laid back about being there though, and no one was keeping up appearances, I can definitely say that :D

We left the party at 6AM after Inez met up with a potential boyfriend (someone she’d met at a previous awakenings), and caught a cab back to the train station. Passed out on the train, woke up in Den Haag, and then basically rode home freezing to cold rain…you know when you’re so cold you just start to laugh at random things just to keep yourself going? That in SPADES on the way home. Crashed through the door at 8AM, got in bed – rest is history :D SO glad I went – don’t know if I’d spend 44 Euro to do so again, but definitely an experience worth it.

Picture and video time!! :D

Interior movement shot of Awakenings

Crazy lights

Hanging out with Inez in the deck!

CRAZY lasers

Lasers and Fog mixed

Cutting into the deck

Shot from the crowd

The outside of Awakenings at 6:15AM

VIDEOs:

Shots of the inside

The Light show

Fireworks!

The Full experience ;)

One of the best stories I'm reading currently

2009-11-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

LINK: VANISH: The story of finding a person in the digital age

Shedding your identity in the digital age

This is a true experiment, with a 5,000 USD prize, of trying to find someone in the digital age we live in. A wonderful read, won't take but 15-30 minutes...highly recommend.

Dug

2009-11-25T01:52:00.000-08:00

"My name is Dug - I have just met you and I love you"

This clip is hilarious and makes me think of Daisy back home :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8mn4Me7zxY
Meet DUG [uP]

Sarah Palin + Midwest = Hilarity?

2009-11-24T07:50:00.000-08:00

Sarah Palin just did a book-signing tour through the Midwest (where I am proudly from, Indiana! …yeah!) and a YouTube video was produced interviewing some excited readers from Ohio. Worth a watch, about 8 minutes long ;)

Memento

2009-11-24T02:00:00.000-08:00

I watched this movie last night, and it was really good – sort of a disjoint way of telling a story, as there were two distinct timelines in the film, but still very good. I won’t ruin the plot for those who haven’t seen it, but it deals with the inability to make new memories and the darker side of manipulation, through self and others.

It made me think a lot about memory and what it means to us. As you know, I live in the future; I meticulously plan out months and years in advance, trying to account for possible scenarios and set myself up for success down the road. But I also purposely sabotage some of this, as I always leave the door open for surprise; I’ve found that especially as life comes at you, things you can’t foresee will pop-up, and if you aren’t ready to accept them you may miss your chance. I may already have planned until the Summer of 2011, but that doesn’t mean I know what’s happening tomorrow, or next semester; I just have an idea of what I’ll do *if* something happens.

Separate movie, great quote:
"Most people, ten years from now, same job, same place, same routine. Everything the same. Just keeping it safe over and over and over. Ten years from now. Man, you don’t know where you’ll be ten minutes from now . . ."
-Vincent, Collateral, 2004 movie

I want to strike a balance between the two. Predictable unpredictability; I want to have a path, and walk it, while allowing for sightseeing and exploring along the way.

Leonard says this quote in the movie:
-"Doesn't make a difference whether I know about it. Just because there are things I don't remember doesn't make my actions meaningless. The world doesn't just disappear when you close your eyes, does it?"

His context is referring to an action for someone else, and the justification for it. I think I take a lot away from that, especially given my deplorable memory state (of which I’m working on better focus). Just because I can’t remember all of the details of little actions doesn’t make those same actions meaningless. I will continue to be the person that I’ve created, am creating, and will create – regardless of whether or not it’s recorded. Sort of the “If no one was looking, what would you do?” question of morality, except replace no one with you – if you couldn’t remember what you’ve done, would you still live an ethical life, or succumb to the temptations of the other side?

These questions kept me up last night, just visualizing the future and seeing what might happen. It’s fun, honestly, but keeps me focused and humble.

Into the unknown, we bravely go... :)

Food for Tought

2009-11-23T03:24:00.000-08:00

Pulled this from ArsTechnica (my favorite tech blog):

"Of course, most people can access private photos posted to Facebook if they know the direct image URL—including photos that were deleted from Facebook, as we learned earlier this year. No matter how hard you lock down your Facebook profile, a friend (or an insurance company who knows who your friends are) can expose everything you post—private or not."

LINK: Story of Creepy Insurance Company

Quoted from an article talking about how an insurance company pulled coverage after finding completely private facebook pictures online, and the legal battle that is ensuing. Yes, anyone with a moderate amount of tech knowledge can retrieve PRIVATE photos from facebook, and even ones that were "deleted", up to a month from the deletion. Knowledge truly is power, especially in the digital age - not sure how I feel about it though, and thank goodness I recently edited my friends list :D

The Daily Show

2009-11-23T02:28:00.000-08:00

Second-to-last week. It's going by so fast now I barely keep up, but I had one of those moments again this weekend:

"I ride each morning to work, passing canals and shopping streets with little cafes open, i ride by parliament and up to the embassy...each morning it becomes routine, but when you take a step back and look at it, I'm living in Europe - truly living and working."

All smiles here :)

In other news, I volunteered for Food Fair this past Saturday night doing clean-up. Basically, the parish in Den Haag holds an annual fair that sells food from every country imaginable, plus crafts and other things. There's a raffle, kids' show, etc., and it goes for about 6 hours. I got there around 6pm and we finished cleaning the middle-school sized building around 8:30, mostly mopping and sweeping. I was exhausted by the time I rode home, and fell into a deep sleep fast. I got up at 9:20am the next morning for mass, and two cool things happened:

a) We ended up raising 47,000 EURO, which translates to around 60,000 Dollars. In 6 hours. Wow! It's exciting because the parish uses that money to fund home projects overseas, including the construction of houses, schools, and other things, as well as assisting charities throughout the world.
b) Sunday was the feast of music, and as I was singing in church the woman next to me turned and said "I just wanted to say it's been a pleasure singing next to you today, you have a beautiful voice". I immediately wanted to reply "Thanks maim, but you don't have to lie to me ;)". It was very sweet, and even though she then suggested trying out for the choir (leaving soon), I was astounded that I sounded halfway decent. Maybe all of those acapella rap/hip-hop sessions in the car are paying off?!

I departed mass and made it back to the house, and then Valentinovich (my Russian instructor) came in and we practiced for a solid hour. I am beginning to get the sense of the letters, although we still have about half left (Russian has 33 letters) and I need to practice more. It's a fun language though, and i'll be excited if I get even a little bit before my planned departure (possibly).

-Fun Things 101:

*Myself and Mark Bower are currently engaged in a wall-to-wall war, in which I have recruited help. May the best man win (me), but it's hilarious so far :D

*Current songs: Jason Derulo - Whatcha say, Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz - I Can Transform Ya, Flyleaf - All Around Me, CCR - Fortunate son, Beatles - Eleanor Rigsby, and others

*Current acapella songs I enjoy singing: Kanye West - Amazing, Street Lights

*Eurotrip Part III is nearly complete, pending some final scheduling and planning! Itinerary looks as follows: (getting pumped!) PS, we are staying at some BALLER hostels and places in each city! +Nightlife and fun times with girlfriend and great friend :D :D

-Frankfurt, Germany to Cologne, Germany to Den Haag, Netherlands to Dublin, Ireland to Den Haag / Rotterdam Netherlands, to Amsterdam, Netherlands, and then fly back!

*I just found two wristwatches I wouldn't mind having, and added them to my wanted list (expensive though, $150 and $75, respectively :( - gotta start making that $$$ lol

Kenneth Cole Round Stainless Steel Watch

Kenneth Cole 12 6 Barrel Watch

Days(y) + Dazy + Daisy

2009-11-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

I seriously cannot believe that I have two weeks left at the American Embassy.

TWO WEEKS.

It even looks weird when I type it. but man, what a ride - I've had my ups and downs, my twists and turns, and I still have an entirely new adventure brewing on the horizon...no luck yet with confirmation, but I am confident that something will happen soon to confirm one way or the other. fingers crossed, as always :D

-Wednesday I visited Tweede Kamer, which is the Dutch House of Representatives.

Quick sidenote: the main square near parliament had a protest/celebration of sinter klaus, and they did this by filling shoes with carrots and putting them everywhere. Interesting :D

It was neat to hear a plenary debate on the foreign budget, even though it was obviously all Dutch language, so I could only guess my way through what they were saying :D I DID, however, find a really neat little gift table in the parliament that sells official gear, and am thinking about picking up a royal Dutch tie to take back - sort of a seal of the Netherlands and my time here :)

Dutch Parliament building as seen from across the canal!

-OLIEBOLLEN
These things are frickin' delicious! They are basically fried dough, that's sort of sweet and then dipped in powdered sugar...they cost .80 and are sold out front of parliament, which is a short walk from the Embassy...this could be bad :D

...If you make these for me I will INHALE them

-Rants & Raves
*Rant: The Snuggie. Recently, an unnamed friend of mine posted an update that he was wearing a snuggie (no I won't call you out, not yet ;). These things are everywhere, and much has been written about them, including a pub crawl that used them, among other things. I will never succumb to the snuggie. Never. Blankets > Snuggies. Just the word alone actually takes 5 points of intelligence off on any IQ test. Don't get one. If you have one, and I see you with it, not only will I mercilessly make fun of you, I may in fact try and hit you with my car and then light the snuggie on fire. :D

*Rave: White Chocalate. I don't know why, but lately, white chocalate is becoming more delicious. Don't ask how, but it's amazing; Cookies N' Creme hershey's, white chocalate covered Oreo's...anything white chocalate. Put me in the vicinity of white chocalate and it's on. Also, this may be a great nickname for me. Just saying. :D

*Rave: Not-buttoning-the-top-button-on-a-dress-shirt-while-wearing-a-tie. This is awesome. I've always struggled with feeling as though I'm being strangled slowly by a very thin snake during the day, while overheating because of no exhaust on dress shirts. Enter the solution. I can now look professional WHILE having a vent on my shirt, and if you are staring at my neck judging me, we have bigger problems to begin with. I did this while attending a seminar and it worked wonders!!

-Future
Still have so many options. I think i'm going to buy a rather large art notepad and sketch out paths with words, sort of a web of sorts of different ideas and see what can connect them. Still, Council on Foreign Relations looks promising, among other opportunities. Frustrating that most organizations won't post summer positions for a little bit, as I want to get going and nail it down, but all in good time :D

-Shorts
*Paying the rent and bills: Finally almost done. Paid ALL of my rent, and only have to procure a small amount to pay my final bills. THANK GOODNESS.

*Melro's Blog was again filled with an inspiring story, and actually a rather neat idea. She posted questions you should ask your signifcant other, about 11 of them, including past, present, and future aspirations among others. Her writing was particularly good on the topic of forming and continuing relationships, and i'm synidcating it here...

-Quoting MelRo:
"Why do we date the people we do? [...] When do you quit dating the same person you've dated forever but have grown apart from? Why are we friends with the people we are friends with? At what point do we put down the vodka Redbull and try to sustain friendships outside of Broad Ripple? When do you quit working on a friendship with the same person you've known forever but have grown apart from?"
-End quote

She has wonderful writing ability and insight, and I'm a devout reader of her blog, but it's simply interesting to see the process we all go through done on a personal and somewhat relate-able level. Also, she copied an idea about hanging up clotheslines on your wall above your desk, and then using clothespins to clip intereting papers / stuff you are working on above your area. I LOVE THIS IDEA, and may steal it. (slightly modified, of course)

*Drinks with Tom & Alex
Had another good Thursday night with drinks on the Plein. Tom, Alex, and two female colleagues whom I don't remember name-wise came, and it was great. We sat outside just shooting the breeze on randoms...even as my time at the Embassy comes to a close, I'd love to continue hanging out with each of them, as they are great.

*Funny picture
...This was taken during a lunch session on Iran & China and their complex relationship...clearly I was bit more interested in the line of food being brought into the room :D

"What are the chinese and iranian positions on my lunch? Sandwiches? or pasta?"

"About Me"

2009-11-20T06:49:00.000-08:00

I was thinking the other day what my "about me" section of any social site would look like if I were to do the anecdotal method - simply small tidbits that piece together a person in details. Whatcha think? Am I missing something?

"My name is Nicholas, or Nick, but either works fine for me. I would much rather read a blog about the smallest happy things in life than read the news of a major tragedy in the world. I run for fun. I love sour patch kids and white chocalate. I have a healthy addiction to ESPN and Internet videos. I write papers and stories. I want to look back on my life as the biggest and best rollercoaster ever, not a safe and relaxing voyage. I live in the clouds but visit the ground frequently; sometimes on purpose, sometimes not so. I am an emotional guy; they do exist. Linkin Park will be next to Justin Timberlake on my playlist. I can never decide on what my hair should look like. Bare feet are the way to go. I focus on the good in people rather than their mistakes. I can see the board from the back of the class, but street signs are always written in gibberish. I smile a lot, and hope you do too :)"

Excitement!

2009-11-17T06:59:00.000-08:00

So I'm excited for a few reasons:

a) I'm finishing up details on Eurtrip Part III, and I'm finding Amsterdam to Dublin direct flight round trip fares for $75 per person! This just means more money to spend on the fun parts of Europe and makes my two lovely guests' lives easier :)
b) I found some great resrouces for Kate on architecture! I do think it's a wonderful thing to get excited about someone else's dreams and what they are able to pursue, and I'm happy to be in this state of mind with her!! :D
c) I got a PERSONAL invite to Romanian National day from their Embassy, addressed to me, nicely written! I think it's rare for an intern to get a personal invite to a national day, so I'm pumped! Obviously i'll be clearing with my boss, but still, the gesture is awesome!
d) SOCCER WAS INCREDIBLE LAST NIGHT! I think I am actually developing goalie skills - that or my defense here is simply amazing. I had ~15 saves in :30, limiting the NATO team to only 1 goal and helping our international expatriate team win 5-1! Then I got invited to stay for the next game, and went and played offense, scoring twice in a 3-3 tie! (Should've had two more goals, but that's not the point). I'm having an absolute blast with these guys, and will be sad when the league ends at the end of the month. Absolutely worth the 5 Euro / game :)
e) My mom got BON JOVI tickets for Nashville, and she used "LOL" for the first time in an email that I've seen! I'm stoked that my parents are getting out and leading awesome lives :D
f) I emailed Lora back (she wrote me a letter) and the thought of living in Broad Ripple next year with amazing people came back to me! I cannot wait for this. It may look different than I envision, but I will try my absolute hardest to make this a reality. Broad Ripple Dreamin' :D

I'm on track for lifting tonight, then going home to a mountain of personal work, and then figuring out my russian hour per day...have a lovely Tuesday :)

This makes me :-)

2009-11-16T05:53:00.000-08:00

AWESOME things!

2009-11-16T05:32:00.000-08:00

1) I just read Kate's blog about possibly moving away, and spent some time worrying about whether or not we could make it if that were the case (for literally no reason at all - how I feel about her has not changed ONE bit, and being with her is never in question ;), only to be reassured by a PERFECTLY timed card with the sweetest things written in it. The secretary came in and dropped that card on my desk and I almost let my mouth drop and stand agape. Regardless of what dreams may come, I have a wonderful girlfriend who I wouldn't give up for the world, and I'm enjoying it immensely :D

AWESOME!

2) My mom wrote me a Happy Thanksgiving card that I got today, signed by everyone in the family - mom, dad, sugar, daisy, and Nathan. I miss the heck out of them, but the card was both hilarious (my mom tried to send me a gift card for McDonald's, only to have it say "not valid outside US" on the back) and touching!

AWESOME!

3) I got a card today from ETHAL! Yes Ethal, the hilarious wife of Fred on I love Lucy, and also a very questionable, sneaky, and downright unscrupulous character who is a good friend of mine! I am reading through the letter now, but just the thought to send it here is amazing to me - I HAVE WONDERFUL FRIENDS!

AWESOME!

4) Ok, I must give a shoutout to Anita for this wonderful site!

Link: 1000 Awesome Things!!

...Just read it. Seriously, it's awesome, and it'll make you smile! I just spent like :30 reading it :D

SYNDICATED FROM THAT BLOG:
-#685 Taking the stairs beside somebody taking the escalator
-#686 When you open your cell phone and there are a bunch of text messages waiting
-#687 Turning off all the lights during a thunderstorm
-#689 When somebody holds the elevator door for you
-#691 When you flip to a radio station just as a song you love is starting

Go be AWESOME!!!

Marine Baller'

2009-11-15T13:32:00.000-08:00

…What a wonderful weekend so far :D Right now I’m lounged out on the couch watching a GREAT football game (Steelers Vs. Bengals) and just finished enjoying some oreos and milk...how's about an update?

Friday:

-Friday was decently uneventful. I left work on time to head downstairs, and worked out until about 7pm – of course, I forgot my sweatpants at home and had to ride back with white shorts on. I always feel like a cop is going to stop me and simply ask why I’m only wearing underwear on my ride :D But I made it home fine and made myself some fresh prosciutto pizza, then had a Skype date with the gf :) After that I basically spent time planning for EuroTrip Part III with Kate and Holly, and passed out upstairs.

Saturday:

-I woke up around noon feeling QUITE good and only had a quick assignment for the day: go to V&D and then come back. I decided to take a small detour and find that darn windmill I’ve been searching for (backstory: every time I’m on the train from Amsterdam to Den Haag we pass by a beautiful old windmill maybe 3 train minutes outside of centraal station. As of yet, I was unable to find it via bike). To my surprise, I ended up finding it about 15-20 minutes outside of centrum, and it was GORGEOUS! Windmills simply scream “Holland” every time you see one, and this was no exception:

A beautiful Fall day in Den Haag!

Riding by Centraal

Windmill glory!

Pure excitement :D

Graffiti at the tunnel near the windmill

…After my windmill trip, I laughed on the way to V&D as I realized something: I was wearing my lighter black coat (was almost 60* outside this weekend) and noticed one of my gloves had fallen out of the pocket. Only thing was I was pretty sure I had zip closed both of them, but I took a look nonetheless and saw that my “pockets” I had put my gloves in weren’t pockets, but VENTS. Yes, apparently my Columbia coat has a zip liner with vents that look strikingly like pockets, and my other glove must’ve fallen out somewhere en route to my final destination. It was worth it though, to find that windmill if it only cost me a glove :D

I went to V&D and actually got a lot accomplished: replaced my watch battery on my standard H&M watch, I got a replacement battery for my remote on the laptop, and I looked for a pocket square for the dance – unfortunately, no dice on the square, which meant I was rolling with just the bow-tie from V&D – not a problem :D

After V&D, I came out to quite a surprise: the Christmas parade was rolling through downtown! I stopped in the sea of people to snap a couple pics, and also take note of the blackface the performers were wearing: a sort of Christmas tradition, but highly inappropriate for the states…just funny to see honestly!

OMG it's SANTA!

Santa rolls with a posse SON

Ludicrous crowd!

Back at the house, I got ready and then walked over to Inez’s apartment around 7pm. She was finishing getting ready and we called a cab for 7:15, arriving at Madurodam at 7:25.

Madurodam at night!

Overview of Holland!

We proceeded by the marines and she got a rose while I shook each one of their hands, which was awesome. We headed to our table and mingled before the ceremonies began.

Procession line

Main view of the ballroom!

The ceremonies consisted of a flag procession, a speech by the Ambassador, the discussion of the table draped in black, and a movie honoring the marines. It didn’t last very long but was quite moving, watching 234 years of United states Marine Crops history and tradition. After they cut the cake with a traditional marine sword, we sat down to dinner; roast beef with greens for an appetizer, veal with potatoes and cut vegetables for the main course, and tiramisu with baked pudding for dessert. Delicious!!

Finally, we had drinks to end the night (open bar) and danced on the floor with VERY awkward people ranging in age, and even though I’m not a people watcher by trade, this was too good to pass up; drunk marines surrounded by career foreign service officers. Wow. :D I was sort of disappointed towards the end because I desperately wanted to ask the Ambassador to dance (her husband didn’t come) but she ended up leaving early – probably for the best ;) I’ll conclude Saturday with more pictures!!

The lone table set for the fallen marines

Official photoshoot @ the ball!

Getting down on the dancefloor!

Just practicing for the future :D

Sunday:

I woke up perfectly fine on Sunday, actually before my alarm to get up, and rode to Church. It was misting again, but I didn’t mind too much – it’s about a 10 minute ride or so, and even though I was almost dripping by the time I got there, I always find it very comforting to be in an entirely English speaking environment. Church was good, mostly gearing up for my volunteer event next weekend (Food Fair clean-up crew) and the sermon was about connecting service to your everyday life; sort of asking what you are living for and how your actions match up with your words. I was inspired to re-examine my dream of volunteering abroad for a 6-month stint, and though it might be difficult, I’m still researching. I’d love to do the UN Volunteer Program but they look for a minimum year contract, and they don’t allow targeting of areas, which is difficult – I’d prefer to do Africa or Eastern Europe in poor areas, doing basic delivery of services (building schools, clean water, etc.). I’ll keep updating on my search, as it’s one of many searches like that, for future endeavors :D

After church I got nervous for the first time, as my RUSSIAN lessons began! Valentin, my instructor, showed up right on time, and looked like Moby! I had to laugh, but he was absolutely great – he refused payment until the final lesson is done, and suggested wonderful things to focus on. A quick :45 minutes later, he was patient, skilled, and tri-lingual minimally – I was so happy I reached out to him. Now I have to dedicate myself, at least an hour a day, to learning the basics of Russian before full immersion – wish me luck!!

I literally have no idea what this says :)

To end, here’s my week docket: Soccer Monday night (working on goalie and mid-field skills, looking off defenses), Tuesday lifting, Wednesday relax night or long-distance running, Thursday drinks with Tom and Alex, Friday lifting, Saturday volunteering, Sunday church and Russian part two. I do need to fit running in preferably at least twice, finalizing EuroTrip itenary and emailing it out, doing some Xmas shopping and preparing, cooking some bigger meals, doing my COMM. Project set-up, and of course, work fits somewhere in there :D

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

Week-End

2009-11-13T12:13:00.000-08:00

It’s been a good week so far! I feel the need to update as I was lax on my last update cycle and sure enough I spent a good 2-3 hours typing the past update :D So then, what happened?

Wednesday: Day Off

Yup, Wednesday was my first day off in awhile! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tuesday night, I stayed up until 5AM doing laundry and watching “Training Day” (movie I like a lot), and sorting my random messes before falling asleep. I woke up around noon and simply soaked it in, the fact that I was sleeping in for the first time in ages! I rolled out of bed around 1pm and got ready to run errands – picking up a bow tie for the marine ball this Saturday, eating lunch, buying 80 euro worth of groceries, getting a cheap watch because my main watch died (battery pending), and getting back. Also, I had my second “angry” lunch of the trip, and this food is frickin’ delicious, even if it’s terrible for me :D

After all of that I went to the Den Haag Dans Theatre for Hubbard Street Dance co.! It was a wonderful show, especially the second act (I depicted sort of an analogy for working life and pressure, very well-done), and I was glad I went – although I must say, in very low light I’m damn near blind, and watching them prance around on-stage I actually saw motion streaks…both neat and depressing I suppose :D

*Not taken by me but exactly the same!

Thursday: Another day, another show!

Thursday began with me failing to begin – I barely crawled out of bed at 8AM. I showered quickly, but then had a croissant that I had gotten at the grocery store the day before, it was glorious :D Got to work no problem, and did project work all day – tracking logs, research projects, drafts of letters. Nothing too terribly exciting, but Thursday night was the violin and opera performance at the theater! Free tickets + Inez + Nick (the other Nick, works at the International Criminal Court), was a lot of fun! I hoped to snap some pictures this time, as the theatre was sort of picky about that yesterday, and I did grab a few! :D

Nick, Inez and me at the concert!

Beautiful piano!

Randoms:

-This week I was sitting in on a management discussion about new embassies, and this phrase was said with sincerity: “Yeah, you know, a few embassies have stopped using grass cutting services, they just use sheep instead – maybe we can look into something like that”. I find this completely incredible, and need to see this :D

-Friday is turning out to be wonderfully uneventful: work, working out, having a fresh prosciutto pizza, then Skype date with my love :D

-I watched Training Day recently (a favorite movie) and I feel as though it’s sort of a challenge to me. I’ve been struggling for lord knows how long on finding my path in life; where it will take me, and what I exactly and specifically want to do. I made a big step yesterday in identifying a specific company to work for, and I’m going to pursue contacting them probably tonight or Monday to see how I can align myself for maximum job prospects. It’s somewhat of a specialized area (foreign relations research) but I feel as though I can definitely enjoy the work and it meets my goals for what I want. Fingers crossed the initial convo goes well, but I also want to open myself up to other options – trying to figure out this summer specifically. I may have to dedicate a large part of Sunday (after Russian lessons and church) to determining this; possibilities are including an internship with senator Lugar or Bayh, working in some government capacity in Indianapolis, working for an international agency out of Indianapolis, working for IUPUI as an adjunct prof (unsure of feasibility), working in or around NYC or DC, and others. RaR, need to narrow and go! Feeling the “wolf” mentality from the movie :D

Interesting Point!

2009-11-13T03:34:00.001-08:00

So I'm browsing through job sites for recent grads (trying to plan out my PhD and post-Master's options for AY 2011-2012) and I sutmbled upon this article, which I thought was really neat - also, the figure of unemployed was ASTOUNDING: 80% of the grads from 2009 do not have a job.

WOW.

But, check out thsi article for the unemployed - sounds like a pretty damn good year to me, granted I see no source of income during it, but what the heck:

SYNDICATED FROM: Seth's Blog

Graduate school for unemployed college students

Fewer college grads have jobs than at any other time in recent memory—a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers annual student survey said that 20 percent of 2009 college graduates who applied for a job actually have one. So, what should the unfortunate 80% do?

How about a post-graduate year doing some combination of the following (not just one, how about all):

Teach yourself Java, HTML, Flash, PHP and SQL. Not a little, but mastery. [Clarification: I know you can't become a master programmer of all these in a year. I used the word mastery to distinguish it from 'familiarity' which is what you get from one of those Dummies type books. I would hope you could write code that solves problems, works and is reasonably clear, not that you can program well enough to work for Joel Spolsky. Sorry if I ruffled feathers.]

Volunteer to coach or assistant coach a kids sports team.

Start, run and grow an online community.

Give a speech a week to local organizations.

Write a regular newsletter or blog about an industry you care about.

Learn a foreign language fluently.

Write three detailed business plans for projects in the industry you care about.

Self-publish a book.

Run a marathon.

Beats law school. If you wake up every morning at 6, give up TV and treat this list like a job, you'll have no trouble accomplishing everything on it. Everything! When you do, what happens to your job prospects?

The greatest Fantasy league ever!

2009-11-12T07:29:00.000-08:00

No joke, this just came up in my inbox per the legal team @ the Embassy:

SUBJECT: Baseball and Football so why not the Supreme Court?

The WSJ Law Blog and PrawfsBlawg announce the emergence of a Supreme Court fantasy league, FantasySCOTUS.net. The site is the work of recent law school graduate Josh Blackman, who was inspired to design the site after the Citizens United argument in September. Ashby Jones of the WSJ Law Blog explains how the league will work: “[Y]ou pick the way you think the Supreme Court will rule on its docket. You’re awarded points for picking the outcome of the case (whether the court affirms or reverses the lower court); the split (9-0, 8-1, 7-2, 6-3, 5-4, 4-1-4, or fragmented); as well as the justices in the majority and the justices in the dissent. It’s $5 or $10 to join, but the fee is waived for students, law clerks and unemployed attorneys. At the end of the term, all the points accumulated will be tallied, and a winner decreed.”

...I have a real desire to join this, not because I follow legal decisions at all NOR the justices themselves, but just to say i'm in the Supereme Court FANTASY LEAGUE!

PS, I share the same misplaced desire to join Baseball's "Umpire Ejection Fantasy League". Just sayin' :D

Explanation & Story Time :)

2009-11-10T16:21:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this is a primer on a new method of posting stories – I apologize if it’s confusing, but with so much content I wanted to break it up a bit. So, read backwards -> forwards, starting with this post entitled “Past: Thursday Fun”, then “Present: Vienna Dreams”, then “Future: US Consulate and Exposure”. Enjoy! +comment :D

Future: U.S. Consulate and exposure

2009-11-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

…I woke up, hit the snooze button, then realized I was already running late. I showered quickly and got ready, only to miss my train by about 5 minutes (missed the LATER train FYI). Just for reference, cash is absolutely king in The Hague; the ticket counters at centraal won’t take credit, and neither will the machines without a Chip (the US cards don’t have these), so ATM’ing it was my only recourse to buy tickets. Consequently, I ended up boarding the 8:58 train for a 9:30 appointment – needless to say I was late to the Amsterdam US Consulate by about 30 minutes. Frustrated was an adequate word to describe me that morning, as I had to kill 20 minutes of in-between train time. I did, however, buy 3 very valuable things: a croissant (they are 100x better in Europe than America FYI, just soft and butter-filled, YUM), and 2 cans of sugar-free red bull (my caffeine vice).

Once on the train, I placed a call to the Consulate to let them know I was running behind, which I absolutely dreaded. One thing I’ve recently adopted from Kate are sayings by Tony Dungy, which reisde on my office wall; one is “Be on time. If you’re late, it means it’s unimportant to you, or you can’t be counted on”. However, the phone call was great, and they said it wasn’t a problem at all. Feeling relieved, I settled in my seat and watched the Netherlands’ countryside fly by, while sheep grazed in open pastures.

Once in Amsterdam, I took a cab (faster) to the Museum square, where our US Consulate is located. It’s something, really, to be greeted by the security camera in front of our embassy with “Hello Mr. Noblet, can you show your diplomatic ID?” and then “Wonderful. We’re sending someone out to get you now”. It makes you feel VIP-ish :) After entering, I met up with Stuart Wilson, the consular section chief, and Valerie, the Netherlands desk officer. We toured the Consulate (built in 1912 as a mansion, absolutely neat) and then had a little bit of downtime before lunch, which I spent watching the visa line work. Fascinating, really – I came away intrigued at watching the interview process (you basically get 2 minutes to make a FINAL judgment on whether or not a foreign person can enter the US) and seeing all of the American Citizen Services the building offers.

After the tour we walked to the US Consul General’s apartment, which was 2 floors and had a rooftop terrace. Seriously, this would be the equivalent of having an apartment on the edge of Central Park in NYC; it was picaresque and beautiful. We ate homemade soup (bland but good) and sandwiches, while discussing consular life and struggles. Julie, the Consul General, is a wonderful lady and I hope to sit back down with her and discuss consular work, even though it may be much harder at other posts.

I left Julie’s house with the desk officer via Julie’s driver, and within an hour was back at the Hague. I ran my way up to the office to get to work, only to find amazing things waiting for me!!!

1) package from home!
-Includes: new duffel bag for transport, new comfy pants from Perry Ellis, my moose AnF pants, ridiculous AnF sweater, long-sleeve sweaters and thermal shirts, socks, winter coats, winter gear, dress shirts, and more! My parents rock :D

2) Two packages from Kate + Holly & Co.!!
-Includes: 2 CDs from my love, a beautiful list of a personal nature :D, Halloween candy, sour patch kids, cookies n’ cream Hershey’s, a blue day book, a card, a framed pic of me and Kate at the Indians game (our best pic in my opinion and downright gorgeous), and a framed pic of the Fab 5 at chuck E. Cheese, Training Day DVD (HOLLY WE ARE WATCHING THIS WHEN I COME BACK), and Amityville Horror DVDs! (ALSO THIS AS WELL AMIGA).

Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled. I mean, what a day – having such fun at the Consulate in Amsterdam after coming back from Vienna, Austria then finding Christmas came early! It was spectacular, and I have wonderful friends and family. After collecting all of my items, I put them all in my new duffle bag, and considered my options – should I try and ride home in one trip with about 40 pounds of stuff?

YES.

I made it no problem at all, once I tightened the strap enough to control the load on the back of my bike. I’m sure I looked ridiculous, but oh so worth it! I promptly put everything away and got ready for Monday night soccer, and you know me – which means that even though my finger still hurts from injury two weeks ago (slight swelling), I donned gloves and played goalie THE ENTIRE TIME – and made a few noteworthy saves! Scary enough, I’m actually enjoying being goalie, and who knows – maybe I’m the ultimate utility man for indoor soccer lol. Our team won by about 5 goals, and I immediately changed and rode home. My night ended by typing some of this update and falling fast asleep, getting ready for Tuesday!

TUESDAY: A List

1) Because my typing is not as up to par as other areas, my fingers are complaining of my verbose nature – I’m rewarding them with a highlight reel for Tuesday :)
2) I spent most of my day alongside our Netherlands desk officer, going from meeting to meeting, whether at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Embassy locally.
3) I did get a chance to go to centraal on my lunch break, and accomplished three very important things: lunch at Burger King (they have an angry chicken sandwich, which is frickin’ delicious, although avoid their frietssauce, ugh), fixing my bike (front brake was sticking, only cost 3 euro to fix), and then paying my rent (which cost 10 euro to do, but I paid half of my entire rent today!).
4) Despite going from meeting to meeting, I knocked out EVERY item on my to-do list, including scheduled some meetings around the Embassy and finishing a wiki project for Ben! YEAH BUDDY!
5) I got new projects! I get to do a research project for Shawn, a data flow project for David, and draft a response to a professor! Exciting :D
6) I stayed later until 6pm, then went down to lift weight until 7:30pm (no one was there again, which was AWESOME) and then headed to Subway for an Italian BMT dinner :D
8) Sometimes I have problems with numbers. No big. :D

UPCOMING EXCITEMENT:

-I get Wednesday off! Which means tonight will consist of posting all of this nonsense, then getting wine and watching Training Day or Primer, then passing out and waking up whenever :D
-Tomorrow will consist of errands, including groceries and purchasing a black bow tie for… :)
-The MARINE BIRTHDAY BASH (aka Marine Ball) is Saturday! Frickin’ excited!!!
-I’m attending the second day of Hubbard Street Dance Company (out of Chicago) tomorrow night for half price! Working for the Embassy has its perks, basically a professional dance troupe in The Hague!!
-Thursday I’m attending a classical piano and violin concert for FREE courtesy of the embassy – again, it’s for the perks that you do this job :D
-Friday I’m lifting again, and tomorrow/Thursday night I’ll be running again :D
-Everything is gorgeous & beautiful & full of life right now…just enjoying the ride!!

Present: Vienna Dreams

2009-11-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

Man, where do I even start with Vienna? I have so many things that happened, and so many things to share and think about. It was, needless to say, a beautiful trip indeed :D

After I finally had gotten the remaining items packed at home on Friday, I hopped on my bike and rushed to centraal station, and locked it up out front. I purchased a ticket and immediately found Winston, and we boarded our train for Schipol airport. Previously at home I found I had one Milky Way Midnight left, which became my appetizer before arriving at the airport :) Once there, we quickly found a place to eat (Sbarro pizza, YUM + garlic croissants!) and then proceeded to the terminal.

After a short (relatively, roughly an hour and a half) wait, we boarded the smaller aircraft and got settled. I already knew the trip was going to be hilarious, but the jet we boarded was entitled “Fokker”, and to hear that word from an English accent might as well be YouTube worthy, and it was repeated a few times during our in-flight orientation. After an uneventful (and I quickly passed out on-board) flight, we arrived in Vienna and made our way to the hotel. After getting settled, we dressed and headed out to the bar and club district, and ended up at Empire, a huge underground club in a former theatre.

The hotel in Vienna!

Welcome to EMPIRE!!

…Needless to say, it was absolutely amazing. The entire scene was vibrant, and simply alive. We posted up at the bar and listened to the music, but Winston eventually left around 1AM, leaving me to about a half of 250ml of vodka and ½ of a can of red bull and my own devices. Two hours later, I’m stumbling out of Empire to a McDonald’s, which just seems to fit the given situation, no? Anyway, I enter the McD’s, and walk/stumble/jog up to the counter to order; after a quick exchange in Dutch (which I don’t speak), the clerk hands me a Big Mac and walks away. I have no idea why he did this, but I did not look a gift horse in the mouth; I sat down and enjoyed my free meal :D After getting out of the McD’s, I cabbed it back to the hotel and promptly fell fast asleep. Night one in Vienna: complete.

I must interject here, because I had a moment on Saturday that really impacted me related to Friday night. It was in casual conversation about the events of Friday, but it really stuck with me what kind of person I am in terms of my actions without context and emotion (specifically between 1 and 3am); simply put, Friday night was me trying too hard. I ignored the environment and defaulted to something lesser, and I wasn’t 100% proud of doing it. Being drunk with your friends is one thing (and quite fun), but being drunk in a foreign (+language) club by yourself is definitely another. That wasn’t me, and that’s not who I aspire to be; based on everything I practice (taking care of my body, being a man of faith, being a gentleman at all times) I looked back at that experience as something to set my sights straight. Don’t get me wrong, there will be plenty of crazy, random and hilarious stories to come, but they will come when I am with those closest to me, and confident in my foundation. Call it a moment of clarity, you John Mayer you (another excellent song). ;)

Day one in Vienna began with me waking up around 10AM, getting ready to explore the historic seat of Habsburg Empire – Vienna, Austria. The inner-city itself is not very big, and easily connected through busses and an underground rail system, so we decided to walk from our hotel in MuseumQuarter and experience the feel of the city.

Stephan's Cathedral!!

Me at the HUGE Government building!!

Gothic building downtown

Stained glass in the Cathedral!

Vienna's main drag!

Vienna, Austria postcard style!

Beautiful sculptures in Vienna!

After some quick sightseeing we had lunch at a traditional Viennese restaurant, and they served me the following, entitled “Traditional Goulash”:

Goulash!

I know it’s a bit blurry, but basically consisted of a cube-steak like meat in a red sauce, a cut up pickle, a fried egg, and two sausages linked together. It was really good, surprisingly! :D After lunch we continued to explore the city, and stopped for dessert at a café – of course, when you are in Austria you must try the “Saccahtorte”, which is basically a piece of dry chocolate cake with apricot jam in the middle. This sampling was better than my previous one from Innsbruck, but what really stuck out to me was the hot chocolate that came with it – absolutely best I’ve ever had hands down. If you could perfectly melt a milk chocolate candy bar, that would be the taste – I almost asked for a refill lol.

Saccahtorte and amazing hot chocalate!

Among the sights we saw on the adventure, I also noticed two interesting street artists: one was calmly playing a violin, and another was spray-painting murals for interested people, right on the street. Both were very impressive, and I need the States to step up their street culture PDQ.

Street performer!

One thing I learned on this trip was more about myself and Winston. I feel as though I’ve met people who could resemble me in different futures of my life; either incredible and full of life, or cold and somewhat detached. I met someone this past weekend that fits the second description, and at first I could see myself in that, or at least someone I once was. Calculating, he simply viewed his relationships through possible gain and loss, and constantly evaluated the entire prospect, even during the discovery phase of relationships. If he ever determined the risk was greater than the reward, it was game over – simply wasn’t worth his time or the other person’s. I inquired as to the element of surprise (of which I’m a big fan FYI) and he said it’s a possibility he’s willing to forfeit. I found it fascinating, this utterly logical view – granted, fascinating in a non-humanistic way, but nonetheless interesting. It made me think of my romantic relationship now, as during the weekend my phone experienced what I would call “technical Alzheimer’s” (forgetting to show me that I received text messages) and I began to worry needlessly. However, it became apparent that as the weekend went on, I grew stronger in my resolve to stay the person I am, right or wrong – I can’t tell you what that’s worth. Here’s an excerpt I typed on my phone whilst mulling over my tide of emotions:

It’s easy to shrink away from challenge.
-I typed this in thinking about being challenged, and being someone who either responds reactively or proactively. I could let fear, anger, doubt, and other things dominate me, or I could embrace the unknown with an open heart, and let my world evolve. You can guess which I decided.

Too obvious.
-This was a shortened version of “The ending is too obvious”. Actually stems from one of my favorite posters left back at home, but it talks about the evolution of a group (in this case a relationship) and the presence of struggle and opportunity for hard work. The alternative is too obvious; the split is too predictable. The consequences easily seen, and the circumstances justifiable. But when have I ever wanted what was obvious and easy? When will I ever? I want what is uncommon, what isn’t alternative; I want everything this world offers, and I am willing to be unconventional to do so.

I am a strong caring man, and I will be there for my girlfriend…I am Nicholas, and I am everything I can and will be. I should not feel weak because I care, but rather bear the burden so that others may find themselves. It is my right and my ability to do, and I shall not waver. I love, I feel deeply, and I am handsome for that.
-Looking back, slightly egotistical, but it was a mantra that helped me through a rough stretch. It’s assurance in the person you are, and the embrace of the positive and negative; it’s facing your challenges while acknowledging the possibility of defeat, instead of running from them.

He also spoke of his career path, and what led him to it – ultimately deciding just to do something rather than nothing, and then subsequently finding validation in that. I can’t, nor won’t, do that. This life is too short. I get one shot, one chance at flying through the sky, and I’m not going to settle for a hill or a room with a view. I literally have no idea where I’ll end up or what I’ll do, but that’s the fun of the ride – if it was predictable, why bother? It’s like they say in baseball: “That’s why you play the game – the outcome is never 100% guaranteed”. Beautiful.

After a wondrous day of sightseeing, we headed back to change into more formal attire for an orchestra and opera performance at a 600-year-old hall. You have no idea how amazingly pumped I was. The history, the culture, everything culminating at one venue; I built it up a lot before going there…

Magnificent, 600-year-old Concert Hall!

Interior :D

Hallo from Vienna!

…and I was not disappointed. This performance moved me in a fashion I’ve never felt before; it was simply orchestra music with the occasional opera singer, but I experienced a range of emotion: melancholy weight, intriguing unknown, interested engagement, sublime joy, and inexplicable satisfaction. It was as if the orchestra were playing directly to me in my context, and I took away from it everything I possibly could. I recorded two samples below: one from the early performance of the opera singer, the latter near the end of the performance after intermission:

After the performance, I was on could 9, and we proceeded to walk around the city seeing Vienna lit up. Quite a spectacle, as the city is preparing for Christmas markets, and the lights were already in place (although unlit).

The Government @ night :)

blurry but wonderful!

We ended the night by catching a midnight dinner (spaghetti Bolognese for me, with fruit tea and water) and good conversation. Vienna Full Day One: Complete.

Full day two began with Winston departing to see the world-famous Vienna boys choir, while I departed to see the less famous English-speaking Roman Catholics, LIVE at Sunday morning mass! (That’s code for I went to church ;) I was going to take public transportation, but Google Maps blatantly lied to me and told me a certain bus was a certain place (not true). I did end up finding a taxi and making it to church with five minutes to spare, so no worries. I knew I wanted to experience mass in Vienna, and surely enough I was not disappointed. However, the church I was in did not invest in a heating mechanism, meaning the congregation wore full winter coats all service long – you could see your breath while singing :D During mass I was particularly moved by the father’s call to charity, and I ended up giving half of the money I had on me (10 euro) to collection. Even though I’ll never be back to see those members again, I still feel that charity is something I believe in, and will continue to do so. Afterwards, I resolved to use public transportation on the way back, and was very proud that I made it all the way back to the hotel solely from memory and reading the maps, using the underground system! It’s the little things in life, I must say ;)

My Church on Sunday!

After getting back to the MuseumQuarter and putting on warmer clothes (snow was forecast later that afternoon), I wandered around the area and found myself near the main Education hall, and in a wonderful city park – I then made my way into the Summer palace’s garden, and snapped some more pictures. (I’m presuming all of these building descriptions lol)

Public gardens, beautiful

The edge of the gardens

Fountains in Vienna, in Fall :D

that Mozart guy, sort of popular ;)

I then grabbed lunch at Vapiano’s, and seriously – this place must make its way to the Midwest. Amazing Italian food, quickly and freshly prepared qdoba style, for around $10? Come on now! I had LAMB, with campagne noodles, cut up snow peas and onions, and a dash of chiles in a red wine and marsala sauce – DELICIOUS.

Vapiano's logo & sample restaurant!

I then met back up with Winston and we headed to the museum housing the Habsburg empire’s art collection, including ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and other period paintings. I was blown away by the visuals, and I’m usually not the most museum-y person you’ll find – my favorite was a HUGE portrait of the Archangel Michael banishing rogue angels to Hell…I’ll let the pictures explain :D

The ceiling in the museum!

Main stairway heading up

Archangel Michael doing what he did :)

As you can see, I was filled to capacity with enlightenment. It only seemed fitting my time would come to an end, and shortly thereafter we uneventfully boarded the train home. Before that, we ate a local café, and I had weiner-schnitzel (not as bad as it sounds) and some lovely cake with a terrible surprise in the middle (why do Europeans insist on putting jam in cakes – just stop, the cake is already delicious, don’t surprise me with coconut and pineapple where they shouldn’t be). The train then dropped us at Schipol airport, we made our flight easily after saying goodbye to Vienna, and then caught two trains to make it back to Den Haag Centraal. I briskly rode home, caught up on some R&R then had a lovely Skype date with the gf :D Unfortunately, this led to my 2 hours of sleep for the next day! Read on to find out what happened next.. :)

Past: Thursday Fun

2009-11-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

Yes, we did it. No, I’m not gloating…but I am enjoying it :D 27 World (really? World? Pretty sure they don’t recognize it outside the US, but I’m splitting hairs) Titles, and counting. Thank you A.J. Burnett, Mark Teixiera, and C.C. Sabathia…you all rock.

Thursday actually saw me having a wonderful (albeit soggy) time, as rain consumed The Hague early in the morning. I thought it was humorous as it wasn’t necessarily cold rain, so I enjoyed my soaked ride to work :D

The day consisted mostly of project work, but the real story was after work, when I visited the British Embassy at The Hague. Why is this special? BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE BAR ON THE FIRST FLOOR. Of course, open only by invitation, it’s called 10 Downing Street, and I was thrilled by this – I of course ordered wine and 2 gin & tonic’s, and they weren’t bad at all! My first gin & tonic EVER, and I got it mixed by a Brit – I’m proud :D I also got lovely advice concerning London (Leister Square sells discount theater tickets FYI) and met fun people.

I went home and should’ve prepared for my busy day Friday – instead I promptly fell asleep and awoke quickly, without really packing for Vienna. I got it about 95% right, minus missing a charger and gloves. The day came and went, I rode home quickly to finish packing my bag and call mom, then bolted for the airport. And onto Vienna we go…

RnG

2009-11-04T10:19:00.000-08:00

I forgot how amazing running is. I just went for a lovely run, no idea how long or how far, but thoroughly loved every second - my backdrop was thunder and lightning, and I discovered new areas of The Hague while feeling great! I must do this more often :D

PS, GO YANKEES!

Untitled

2009-11-04T08:35:00.000-08:00

We all know my fondness of lists, and this is no exception: what a random set of stories :D

Little Things
I always hear “it’s the little things that make all the difference”, and I’ve seen plenty of examples to back this up, but today I had plenty of examples to make me smile:

-An Indiana postcard from Holly and Ethal, reminding me I have wonderful friends back home :D
-A good morning text from Kate…much needed and appreciated :)
-My uitsmeijer was shaped like a egg smiley, with 2 yolks as the eyes and one as the mouth :D
-I moved my other workstation to my main desk, looking much more nerdy but more productive :)
-An email from grandma and mom back home

Tandem
I was attending some fascinating meetings with my boss the other day, and a comment in particular caught my attention, coming from him; he asked the other meeting participant about spousal arrangements, and working together in the Foreign Service. What I found interesting was the manner in which both parties laughed it off, as they shared stories of mutual struggle of the other partner. I didn’t necessarily have a problem with it, I mean after all – they are together for a reason, and I’m sure the spouse makes sacrifices to that end. However, I couldn’t help but scream inside my head “I DO NOT WANT THAT”. I just can’t imagine being with someone who basically goes where you go only because you’re going there, not because she has a future and passion and career there. I want to be excited about what my significant other is doing, and I want her to go out and be all she can be, regardless of where I might end up; I expect both of us to do big things and to be together. Now, in that pursuit we many run into problems, which leads me to my next topic…

Futures
How do you reconcile two futures together? I’ve been struggling a lot with this lately, especially as I attempt to plan farther into the future than may be possible. I understand it’s sacrifice, but when do you come into the equation before your partner? When do your decisions still match up to what you want and what works with your significant other? Especially outside of marriage, it becomes increasingly complex – a fine line between sacrifice and knowing the unpredictability of the situation. I wish I had these answers, as well as the answers to other questions, but I suppose that’s the fun of finding out ;) I’m still looking into various opportunities for the Summer, but right now leaning towards the CIA, Nike, and other companies domestically – looks as though Indiana Intern really hasn’t posted too much, but I’m keeping a close eye on it.

Russian lessons
They start a week from Sunday :) I’m very excited and very nervous at the same time – I hope I can keep up and learn quickly, even before I begin formal training in Russia. Fingers crossed it sticks :D

ATMs
Getting money across the ocean is apparently very difficult. Situation: I need to pay all of my rent up-front (self-imposed guideline, just to get it out of the way). Struggle: I tried to open a bank stateside that had branches over here, only to find out that they were two completely separate banks. Ok, fine – transfer the money back stateside and I’ll use (gulp) ATM’s to withdraw the money and then deposit (this is calculating a $50 fee for transferring and converting the money). Tried to do this today, and of course, there’s a lovely daily limit on how much I can withdraw from my bank – about 200 euro. Meaning I’ll have to pull out 200 euro for 7 days straight before I get enough to cover everything. Just another lovely task on my to-do list that won’t seem to go away ;)

The Ambassador’s house
On Monday, I attended a reception for the International Visitors’ Leadership Program at the Ambassador’s house, which was quite cool. I met a career US civil servant and a staff member from the local political party D66, which was fascinating given that D66 is supposed to take a HUGE jump in parliament (from 3 seats to 25). We had wonderful discussion, aided of course by red wine and some lovely snacks…

Beenie-Weenies
This section is for Kate and Lora specifically; I actually did ingest more than one beanie-weenie at the Ambassador’s residence, and they weren’t HALF bad. I had them with spicy mustard which was delicious, although they were served cold. There, I said it. :)

Missing home
I really do. Today a colleague was asking about Christmas, and I tried my best to be strong about it, but man I’m gonna miss my Indiana home and family. I’m missing a lot, ya know – Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mom’s birthday, Dad’s Birthday, spring in Indiana, and others. More than that I’m so incredibly excited for next year; having a home in Broad Ripple and seeing everyone will be simply incredible, as I have so any great memories from the Phi Psi house and my brothers there, I know it’ll be just as good if not better. Here’s to warm fires, Christmas trees, spring breezes, and other things that I dream of at night :)

Metamorphosis
I’ve wanted to write about this for a long time, and I might’ve in another post, but it’s incredible to me to see an acquaintance of mine evolve from a young, vibrant single lady into a person who is living completely for someone else. It’s hard, because by every measure nothing is wrong with the situation; she’s living for the child she gave birth to. But to see her, and see what she was to what she is, amazes me – granted I’m at a distance, but that is an incredible weight to bear. One I won’t be bearing anytime soon :D

Hello Seattle

2009-11-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

Coincidentally, this is both the title of a wonderful song by Owl City (check their CD out, above) and the current state of affairs in Den Haag, The Netherlands - gray weather and rain all day, but I don't mind :D

"
Hello Seattle, I am an albatross
On the docks and moored boats
I sail above your inlets and interstates
Through the rain and open wind
"

Anyway, I hope each of you are having a wonderful weekend and will have a good week! I've had a good one, albeit uneventful; I spent Friday night having a Skype date with my love and calling mom, and then passing out from exhaustion; Saturday was waking up at 1pm, worrying about nothing and then realizing it after I spoke with Kate, then doing research on Kate + Holly's EUROTRIP 2009! I'm so excited, as we are literally breezing across the continent and going to have an absolute (somewhat hungover, hazy) blast! Current plan:

Frankfurt -> Cologne -> Amsterdam -> Brussels -> London -> Dublin

IN 7 DAYS!! It's going to be one heck of a ride ;) Who knows, me and Kate may also stop down in Antwerp and Paris! And this definitely requires quite the logistics, but that's why I'm not procrastinating on this one :D The night ended with me staying up to watch this guy (below) dominate the Philadelphia Phillies line-up on Saturday night, all the way until 5AM-6AM Sunday morning! That's right, Yankees UP, 2-1 in the series! Here comes title #27 :)

Sunday I went to church, and it was good as always; I recently decided to volunteer for the Food Fair in a few weeks, getting excited about that. Upon return, I've churned through a few items on the to-do list, although i'm sure i'll pick up steam after dinner with Winston (no gloating because he's a Phils fan, I promised) and get going on applications. Speaking of which, I recently did some long-term planning, and realized my Summer 2010 is currently open. RaR?!

So far, I've started looking @ opportunities, and these are on my radar for possible application and internship (thankfully, most of these PAY):

1) CIA
2) Goldman Sachs
3) Microsoft
4) IBM
5) Nike
6) Apple
7) Amazon
8) Boston Consulting Group

To be fair, I haven't done IndianaIntern or other opportunities in the capital city, so those will certainly be added and explored, but exciting times! I'm also on-track to move into a Broad Ripple abode with Holly, Kate, and others in May...simply cannot wait :D :D

OTHER STUFF ON TRACK:
-Russian lessons from a native speaker: Weekly from now on! (Probably ;)
-Next weekend in Vienna, Austria (embarrassing stories to follow I'm sure)
-Weekend after: Marine Ball!
-2 Weekends from now: Amsterdam Awakenings! See HERE for pics!
-3 Weekends from now: last weekend before work ends!
-4 Weekends from now: last weekend before Kate and Holly arrive!
-5 Weekends from now: HOLY ^&*% my love and amazing amiga are here! EUROTRIP 2009!!
-6 Weekends from now: EUROTRIP finale!
-7 Weekends from now: Planning for Russia Adventure 2010 and Moscow new year, maybe housemate-dinner!
-8 Weekends from now: transition to Volgograd and Moscow, RUSSIA (fingers crossed)
-After that: we shall see, won't we? :D