It's Friday

...and guess what that means? One week until I'm on official Thanksgiving break!!! Yah! I am very excited, this week went by super fast:) I am done with classes for today and I am planning on spending the rest of day, drinking a chaider (java house twist of apple cider and chair:), writing my travel story, practicing some Chinese, attending a photography gallery, and shootin the shit possibly later tonight. Not much more exciting news. This weekend I am going to book my plane ticket to visit my sister in Lake Tahoe, California (fingers crossed-hopefully:) Zaijian for now!

It's been a long, long time....

I've been....Well I'm back. Absent for a few days with my new obsession of stalking photos on flickr. That along with facebook. But I'm in remission now! I have some goals set for the next two weeks before THANKSGIVING BREAK!!! It's quite exciting! Some include: getting a job, staying away from facebook (1 check a day), staying positive, reading (newspaper, Foreign Babes in Beijing), and running five days a week! I had to restrain myself on the facebook, but all in all, it's not bad;) Breaking news in Iowa City, however, the 21 ordinance passed....and then failed, due to technical errors. So I guess the downtown will still have their "music." It was still quite a close vote 57% to 43%. In other news, I was extremely bummed earlier because my two rolls of film from Halloween didn't develop correctly:( None of it was usable. I was really, really excited to see the results too. No robots holding hands picture:( I wanted to cry a little, or punch something really hard.

*TGIF*

Yay! It's Friday and really at the moment...I don't have anything to do this weekend:( This is a first for the semester. I don't even have much homework. Gasp! Ohh, but I just had a thought I could rent a bike from TE and bike around Iowa City on Saturday. Maybe I will do that:) Otherwise current plans include sushi tonight! Yummy! Night games Saturday night and movie and hanging out with friends Sunday. Not bad, but I really want to road trip somewhere! Today I am going for a walk/photoshoot. I am hoping to catch the pretty fall colors before it all fades. Although at the moment, it is rather chilly. boo. Random note: I can't wait to see what my pictures turn out to be, especially my Halloween robots holding hands picture. I am going to take photos tonight at the "Saved by the Bell" dance in Currier....80's costumes and out of control nerds. It should be fun! Well, I must go because I have to practice with my Chinese partner for class. Today is italian cappincuno, fall, leaves, sushi, photos, hikes...ooohhhh I'm excited:)

Inspiration:) + Happy All Saints Day

Inspired by my scrapbooking idol, Elsie Flannigan. I wish I could link this. Here I will try: http://www.abeautifulmess.typepad.com/ Just maybe that might work;) I'm not tech savvy, yet somehow I was elected for web master of the Invisible Children University of Iowa Chapter. I, in no way, expressed that I wanted this position. I didn't even attend the meeting. Nevertheless, I added a link to Elsie's blog because posed an interesting question. Who is your hero? I would have to say....my older sister Ingrid. She is my role model in life. She is driven, determinded, and works harder than anyone I know. Plus, I feel like at times, she is the only person that really understands me:) She's my bff. In the scrapbooking world, it would be Elisie though:) Who is your hero/idol?

Happy Halloween!

Creepy and scary, it's finally the day where eating loads of candy isn't percieved as an eating disorder. So far it has been a mildly depressing Halloween, I followed around little kids trick or treating and then typed out two papers and now I am sitting here in my room, looking at pictures on flickr and writing on my blog. hmmm....yes, there are better things to do on Halloween:( Later I am going to scan downtown and look for costumes for my photo assignment. It should be interesting. I am all bummed out with no exciting news. Sorry.

Hard as a rock

Surrounded by Iowa farm lands the plains disappeared from view and forged to create a forest where Iowa's best rock climbing sprawled. For a first time climber, the challenge was more than enough, as I stared up at the rock trying to imagine being strapped to the ropes hanging idle from the 60 ft. rock. As soon as we placed our backpacks filled with food, homework that would never be touched, and a plastic bag with toilet paper (for obvious reasons), the instructor invited all those to the challenge, I stepped back a few feet. I would climb, there was no doubt, but I didn't want to go into it blindly, I wanted the comfort to see those before me mistake. It was a very selfish reason, I can't deny. After a few rounds, my confidence wavering, I began my first ascend. My heart was pumping like mad, my leg shaking like thumper, and at moments, I didn't breathe. At recovery points, I would rest for a moment, remind myself to take a breath, and attempt to calm my twiting leg(s). Only the first two were successful. While on the rock, I worried and stressed not out of fear of the fall or my life, but of failure. I wanted to be one of the best. For others to admire and for the instuctors to acclaim. In my mind, however, I never thought I could place my foot in the hold or grab the hook, yet I continued out of the pursuit of satisfaction. If I didn't accomplish what everyone else could do and if possible above the average, I would feel like a failure. I passed the flake on the first time, even though at certain points I rooted myself to a hold for longer than a reasonable shakeout. The second climb was much more frustrating, failure occured when I attempted to jump up and could force myself to get pass the difficult section. After the lunch break when I came back to it, I finally climbed to the hook and graced the crevice in the least gracefull manner. My belayer commented on my ability to lodge myself in cracks in very unusual ways. Not sure if it was a compliment. Because of my weird narcotic mannerisms, I had to at least touch the final, third climb, to rest my mind. I knew then, that I had to find a way to come back. As we left the leaf frosted grounds of the Monticello forest, I didn't feel like the best, but I had one more credit and the satifaction of learning to climb. I vowed to myself to return to the rock climbing wall within the next week, to practice and practice, and maybe I would master the rock.

Blur

This weekend went by way too fasttttttttttt. I haven't even touched my homework today. Or yesterday. I believe that is a first in my college career. Mark it. I'll be paying for that later this week. As an overcap, Friday evening I went for a run/walk around Iowa City, it was a beautiful fall day and the leaves were gorgeous. I found a cute street called "Friendship" I really, really wanted to take a picture:) Then I got some groceries at New Pioneer, ate half of them, and fell asleep for a "mini" nap that lasted 5 hours. I awoke at 10 p.m. visited a friend's house, had an awkward experience and then at 7:30 walked to the climbing gym for intro to rock climbing. The class was fun, but somewhat boring until we started climbing and belaying. I failed my first three attempts at the harder climbs and then felt my forearms forgo me. Rock climbing is a funny, odd sport. Not meant for super strong, but then again, one cannot describe the "ideal" build or inherent qualities. However, if there was a guideline, I don't believe I would fit it. Then I watched the second half of the Iowa Hawkeyes football game, in one of the most exciting. Somehow we won in double over-time and managed to bring our season record to 4-5. The students rushed the field in a manner of screams of forgiviness for the Hawkeyes past wrongings. The last weekend's embarrassing loss is erased off the slate. This was followed by another nap and then what seemed like a two hour session of preparing for Halloween. Clue came alive. I crimped my hair, applied two pounds of makeup, and shaved my arm pits. Big steps in my world:) The night wasn't a highlight, but taking silly pictures was fun. The weapons also were essential in creating the "ambience" (sp). Besides taking 45 pictures for my final project (still 20 short), I spent my time on the couch people staring with the fellow Clue gang. One word: Lame. I crawled in my bed at 2:30 a.m. until my alarm buzzed only a few mere hours later at 6:50 for rock climbing. To be finished later...

The Candlestick in the Kitchen

Might I add, Ms. Peacock is in action. After I handed in my paper, which I didn't think was going to happen, btw. I skipped the optional movie and went to the mall, an unusal thing to search for blue and feathers. $50 dollars later, I have a blue dress from Ann Taylor, peacock earrings from Claires, and a long gold necklace with a huge blue stone encrusted within from Gadzooks. The best part, my $5 used, blue, bowtie, grandma shoes from the Goodwill. A few more necklaces and Ms. Peacock will be born:)

Now I can breathe

The stress of this week is subsiding. If this weren't true I probaly would gain 50 pounds and have a face characterized with pimples and zits. Did I mention the crack eyes? Stress does not wear well on me. One test to go today and then meeting with my Chinese friend for an interview. Based off this one person, my group is going to conduct our approx. 18 minute panel discussion, according to Judy. Really though, at the moment I just really need to nap and shower, then when I have enough energy, run. That really should be reversed, but that is how sleep deprived I am. I just know a headband covered my greaseballed bangs can only be wore so many days and can cover up only a portion of my hair. As far as my face and eyes, they still haven't invented a socially acceptable paperbag.

Friends are the soul of life. Does that make sense? Probaly not, suan le (forget it-Chinese). I am on ultra speed stress mode and I am writing on my blog. Who knows what propels me to do such absurd actions. In approximately one hour and ten minutes, I will be seating in front of my Chinese T.A. answering her questions. No big deal, except that I will be graded on my pronunication, sentence structure, and reply. However, the language isn't English, but rather Chinese. Slightly more tricky. After that, I am calling and interviewing some random people about my entreprise story that is due tomorrow at 4:30. Outdoor recreation in Iowa City. 700-800 words and at the moment I have zero. Whoops. Just a slight procrasination. But tonight I am taking a rock climbing course that I finally got into because there was an opening. So excited!!! Yes, I want to jump up and down a few times, but I am restraining myself since I am in the Currier ITC and people already think I am unusual. I don't need to add more adjectives to the list.
This weekend I will stalking anyone with a chicken suit (only kidding). But I am looking for Halloween costumes to photograph for my final project. Festivals in small town America. It's going to be awesome! This week is slightly odd.

Xianzai (now)

School is stress. I=stress. Certain recent events in my life have led me to my current mood and feelings. Maybe it is a cycle, but I need to get out of here. It doesn't neccessarily mean Iowa either. I want to disappear from my present situation. Since I don't have a car and I have class in 30 minutes, my best solution is to go rock climbing this weekend. Let me rephrase that. Learn how to rock climb. If I didn't have social obligations, this weekend, I actually would skip out on Halloween completely. At the moment, I am supposed to be Ms. Peacock, a Clue character within the group of 6. Not that I want to look "sexy" but I really don't want to spend ample amount of money on grandma clothes, something that I won't ever wear again until I'm 70, maybe. Not exactly worth it. In addition, I feel hostility from too many people (1) amping my frustration. I'm not going to point because it isn't neccessary, besides sometimes I enjoy the motivation. The anger fueld the 6.3 miles I ran last night and that distance still didn't feel like enough, I could have ran 10 and felt perky and still slightly bitter. I function better this way, I determined. The general feeling today is, as my facebook status quotes, Anna is....wanting to be far, far away from here...maybe California.

It's been a long, long, long time...

It was 12 midnight and I was in a bored distration clicking on my "favorites." Not fully intending to, my mouse stopped with a force of a click on Blogger. Almost with regret, my flag whippled as it arrived as its destination. Guilt plagued me for a moment then a wave of interest, hmm....I can still blog even if it has been almost three absent months. So here I am today, 8:15, tired and groggy and craving some ceral with a banana:) Stay tuned there will be more.

A rough guide of the trip as of now...

June 3, I arrived in Tokyo after a 11 hour plane flight. Took a bus ride to another airport in Tokyo, where I used another currency for the first time- yen! Proudly paid 300 yen for the bus ride around the outskirts of Tokyo, although the only famous landmark I saw was Tokyo Disney. The flight to Okinawa was two and a half hours and I fell asleep before we passed over the city lights. While waiting in the airport, I felt my first experience of culture shock. Immediately as I set foot out of the doors of the airport in Naha, Okinawa, I understood where vets of the island meant by constant humidity. The air felt like a suffocating blanket mixed with a light mist. Still tired and groggy from the 13 hours of flying, I rode another bus ride, however, this time through the city of Naha. The only lights that flashed at 2 a.m. in Naha, were the bright neon lights of the casinos. Once past Naha, the bus abruptly stopped inside the gates of Camp Foster. With passport and permission permit of occupucy in hand, all the Camp Adventure uniformed people overloaded the small convient store called the Shoppette. Quipped only with a basic idea of what we needed and what our living facilities entailed-mini fridge, bunk bed, microwave, and a claset, we opened the door with the customary ding and searched for the cheapest breakfast. For me that was a carton of skim milk and two gallons of water. Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the boring beige building. The front two doors framed by two tall palm trees- something different for a girl born and raised in Iowa. We walked up the two flight of stairs to floor two to find our new home for the next two and a half months. AFter we unlocked teh door, we found a shrinked version of a dorm room- one with broken blinds and a brown rug that tripped you 75% of the time. The next orning, I woke up from a deep sleep from the bright light filtrating through the inefficient shades. Without an id to provide access to live on the base and its ammenities- commissary, px, library, gym, or most importantly to return back into the gates once you have left the land of beige buildings, uniforms, and salutes, and entered a foreign land-literally. Since we didn't have the golden ticket or more accurately the authorized white id card with the unflattering picture. Before our four hour wait for the computer and the military man behind it, we met with the entire Camp Adventure staff for the first time. After a brief awkward meoment that comes with meeting people for the first time that you will be working and living with for a long time. Everyone introduced their name, school,k and major. I met more than 60 counselors and relized I only retained two new names and a few faces. The leaders forced us to embarrass ourselves by showing our "character" and perform a dance move while shouting our name to the group, each additional person in line had to remember all the names in from t of tehm, Julie, Terri, Stephanie, disco, twist, spin, booty shake. As gracefully as I could manage with my 14 years of dance experience, I extended my arms and quickly (to get the eyes off of me) spun around as I shouted "Anna." Two long hours passed and we took turns leading camp songs and messing them up- "Can you iggle, can you wiggle and so on- until it was finally lunch break. We were released and then we took our passports and permits to get Subway. Munching on my toasted Chicken breast sandwich with "the works" minus jalenpenos. I felt like I was back in the states. After that moment, I swore to myself to never return back to Subway unless I had no rights or choice. Unfortantly, four days later I was forced to eat a six inch or go hungry. The next day on Tuesday, with my new id card in mand, I walked happily out the gate and into Japan. I was greeted with Jpanese signs everywhere, if there was English, teh words were listed second underneath the Japanese characters. Never having left the U.S., seeing English as a second language if seeing it at all, was something new to me. Crossing traffic, wandering through small allies, jumping scared from barking dogs, we walked until we saw the clear blue of teh ocean. At that moment, I was reminded again why I chose Okinawa over Italy, Germany, and mainland Japan. A block further, my eves landed on the white (imported) sands of the beach. More to Continue.

The Beaten Path...

One last Bounday Waters story before I start on my adventures in my current local...Okinawa, Japan, the poor man's vacationland (as I have recently learned), or to me- the adventurous.A map can bring many emotions, joy, confusion, and in my case in the heart of our trip in the Boundary Waters- anticipation of exhaustion. After just paddling for 15 minutes, I realized the neccesity of packing a map in your canoe. Not just smart, but essential in survival. Every "different" body of water looked too oddly similar. I found myself repeating the same dialogue with little vairation, again and again like a curious five-year-old, "Did we just go in a circle, because that rock looks very familiar?" "Are you sure we aren't in the same place?" After the first five questions, the answers shorten "I don't know" until they became nonexistent. This however, was only the beginning of my love/hate relationship with the laminated, roll of paper. The abhorrence truly began, with the start of day two. We packed up camp, pushed off the large rock, and only five strokes of paddling later, the rain that would continue to tinkle annoyingly the rest of the day, began. We touched dirt and then treked up the rocky landscape to view the magnificent "Root Beer" Falls. In Meg and I's opinion, it looked as if root beer was flowing from a tap and this is where the phrase "bottled at the source" was coined. Our next stop, unfortantuly, was not so spirited, the first long portage of the day and trip. The map read 250 rods. A novice in the Boundary Waters and canoeing lingo, I had no idea what rods translated to, but I was not looking forward to finding out, after I saw my seasoned father of 15 trips, silently grimmace. Later I learned the concern was not directed toward the first portage of 250, but rather the cumilation of the warrior title worthy length of the three portages. The three came to a total sum of 840 rods. 320 rods equals a mile. Then if you calculate into the equation the double portages, the total is sickening to most anyone who has emerged from the BW, especially considering the individuals were two old men and three college girls. But the task needed to be done. The portage demanded focus, strength, and endurance. Hauling the giant blue bear-proof food tub and two buckets transformed from cat litter containers, I struggled to reach the half-way point without breaking my shoulders from the hefty weight. But after years of sitting idle observing children swim in the Logan pool, as a lifeguard. I was trained to entertain my mind for hours. In that moment, I began a mind game with myself that would continue the rest of the portage and trip. Not so much as a game, but a story. As I gingerly stepped among the mud piles and wolf scant, I began telling stories in my mind, ones that would land my pen name and picture in the national publication proudly. I'm saving my next personal challenge to brainstorm my alias, aka Nellie Bly style.

My thoughts...at the moment.

If I could just simply jump on a Nimbus 2000 and fly like Harry Potter, the one place I would love to go would be...Bangkok, Thailand. Literally, two hours later of sitting in the same squishy, blue chair and impatiently searching the internet for flight intenteries, prices, locations, and photos, I have fallen in love with the country and want to conform to Buddihism (and I'm a Swedish Lutheran.) The temples, mountains, beaches, and adventure sports tempt an Iowa girl too much. One day or...as I found out 45 minutes ago, $497 roundtrip from the Narita Airport in Tokyo. So beautiful!

On the road again...

Okay so as I sit in this empty library because the rain is drizzling and the wind is horrindous (sp), I know I don't want to go back to the crowded barracks of Beige building #484. So since I only have 20 minutes left, I will write as much as I can...Back to the Boundary Waters...let's see I remember when it was the second full day of canoeing and I was attempting half-heartedly to steer down the Moose River. I was getting very frustrated ( I promise I am not an angry person) at my older and in her opionion much wiser, sister Ingrid. In my eyes, I was doing the best I could, steering, not breaking, and finally after many complaints, capturing the beauty of the surrounding scenary with my digital camera. Unfortantuly (sp) for me and the those inside the Portaging Princess, the Moose River is not very wide and after I would zoom my camera in two degrees and back out three to capture the "perfect" picture, the intersecting tip of the canoe would glide itself directly into a unforeseen clump of snake grass and a swarm of mosiquitos, knats, and black flies. The correction was simple, grab the oar and push forcibly off the dirt clump holding the obstruction together. The yelling that resulted because of the misguidance, however, was not so easy. A quick push wouldn't solve this problem. Instead my sister and I argued over who was in wrong. Although I would never admit it to my sister's face at the time nor to this day, she may not just be the oldest, but the latter that was mentioned above as well. I told you I'd never say it...

AHHHH...

Frustration...I am so filled to the breaking point at the moment. I have searched and searched my tiny little "hotel" room for my important cards-insurance, certifications, gift cards, and my library card and can't find them. I am freaking out inside. I went through training all day today and all day yesterday. I am not the type of person that likes to just sit and listen to people drone on and on about things. I have realized more about myself in the past four weeks than I think I learned about me all fours years of high school. I realized I like time to myself, I like to be in control, I am driven, I want to suceed, and I don't like group projects if they don't have control. Right now, all I want to do is scream and then go take some photos, write about my travels, lie on the beach while I read one of the latest novels I bought, oh and scrapbook. I really, really want to scrapbook:)

The Three Portaging Princessess...

Yes, after much deliberation, Ingrid, Meg, and I renamed our Minnesota III (it didn't fit our group dynamic) to the Three Portaging Princessess. The brainstorming began as we paddled away from a extremely long portage. Of course at that point, any portage seemed long when you had to take two, sometimes three trips. Those new to the terminology of hard core canoeing let me introduce you to the essential word portage in my own words. Portage: verb, using any means possible to transport you, your canoes, and all your belongings from one body of water to another to dangerous conditions, ususally involving rapids that could kill any inexperienced canoer. The portage involves muscles, gut, and most importantly endurance. Not every old daddy can carry a three man canoe on his shoulders for a mile and still have a smile grace his face at the end of the long day. No doubt, on this trip we proved ourselves as hard core. In one day, we portaged 250, 280, and one we will have nightmares about until we die, the 310 rods. To put it into perspective, 320 rods is a mile. Each portage I made consisted of two trips meaning I carried pounds of supplies and food down the trail like a pack mule then rushed back to the entrance and then trudged back again with more loads of essentials to the mouth of the mud path. However, back to the canoe. We didn't just easily arrive at the perfect name. First we vetoed many names, including a range of good and horrible, starting with the triplets (we had matching Northface beige tie capris) to the lilypads(thanks to Ingrid:) ). The three lilypads was nixed immediately, however, after we had a good laugh. We couldn't have just one named boat so next we took the executive position and delegated the name of the other boat, the Minnesota II. We were nice, we gave them two options, the Navigating Nerds or the Elderly Endeavors. Apparently they felt it didn't fit them and they opted for a new name. We felt somewhat cheated, however, when they named the boat the Portage Papas. But since they were carrying the brunt of the work (hauling the hefty canoes) and financing the trip, we felt only a little slighted. But since it is time for the library where I am posting to close, I must say Sayanara (Japanese goodbye?)

Konnichiwa from Okinawa!

Yes, the eagle has landed...that is in Okinawa, Japan! I have been here a week and felt the effects of jet lag, culture shock, and hot, humid air. As I sit here typing on my computer glancing at my wrist with Okinawa in Japanese characters engraved on my white, braided bracelet, I realize I already have had quite an adventure! An slight overview does not suffice, as I want to remember every moment of this life altering trip/job/adventure. I have so many pictures, thoughts, ideas, and dreams to post I am going crazy just thinking about it...But I am going to try to start with day 1...get prepared for the details. Of course first I will have to dish about my backwoods experience in the Boundary Waters with the family. I'm so excited!!! Be ready to hear about my journey of taking the road less traveled.

WOW!

Back home again from a trip across the country. This time, however, I visited Arizona. No rowing included. :) It was a super fun trip visiting family in Phoenix. A review of trip includes sooo much...Sedona (my personal favorite:) , Grand Canyon, Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Hiking, South Mountain, Flagstaff, Jerome, Scottsdale, Cameron, Navajo tacos, polka dot rain boots, talking stick, sister rings, Ba Da Boom (and the funny waitor), blood orange sorbet with balsamic reduction, Aunt Challadies, almost getting lost, Camelback, Gemstone Earrings from Indian Reservation by GC, Harvey Girls movie (Now let's all sing a song together), Sliding rock, Karen Cementary, swimming pool, golfing (ha ha jk I can't golf;), art galleries, Bach Choir concert, ASU campus, Dessert Botanical Garden, meeting the author-Charlene, early morning jog in Sedona, getting sick:( and so much more. I took so many pictures! Although the colors of the Grand Canyon didn't turn out as well as I hoped, I really enjoyed trying to capture Arizona. The Sunset over the rock formations in Sedona was amazing! I could wake up and fall asleep to those mountains any day. Now I am packing and getting ready for my next two upcoming adventures! Friday night I am driving up to northern Minnesota to make the long trek to the Boundary Waters! My dad, sister, and I are going to canoe and camp for three and a half wonderfull days. I am excited! Next I am flying off to Okinawa, Japan (my first time out of the country!) to be a camp counselor for the summer! I leave on my 15+ hour flight early Saturday morning and I will be there until a week before school starts in the fall! I will be officially a sophomore! Go Hawks! Has anyone seen Shrek 3? If I have time, I would love to see the flick that is breaking all expectations. I love that idea.

*Love

Finally....after a long day of flying, filled with delays, flat tires, and expensive airport food, I have made it back to my home, Iowa City! Tennessee was interesting, to say the least. My boat didn't do as well as expected. So no hardware to bring home, however, my boat, also named Ms. Christine B. Grant, did place the best out of *every* U of Iowa boat. :) The Grant and its eight motors, a.k.a. rowers, pulled to a place of 11 out of 22 boats! Where as the other boats, 1V8, 2V8, 1V4, and open 4 all placed 13th or higher. As happy as I was to remove the riggers for the very last time, I will be sad next year because it was my very last race. :( I will miss rowing. Or better stated, I will miss some aspects of rowing, friends, toned arms (it's true), and the feeling after you get done with a race and know that you did your absolute best. I won't miss lumberjack hands (disjusting blisters exposing the raw inner layers of skin tissue), 2ks on the erg, seat races, and gross hotel rooms that smell like fermented grandpa's pipe smoke. Yes, rowing has its ups and downs, but so does everything that is enjoyable in life. If it wan't like a roller coaster then where would be the thrill? When would you say, "I think I'm going to die!"?Then you are rescued at the last second and your life takes an unexpected, sudden surge and you continue up the tracks of life and the train keeps clicking away until the next giant drop. Or so I'd like to think:) Pictures coming soon!

FIRST DAY!

Hey! I am so excited for my very first post! I just finished my last final and I am done with my first year of college! I never thought this day was going to come. Tomorrow I am flying to Oakridge, Tennessee (my first trip to the state) for Rowing Centrals! My boat, the first Novice 8, is ranked 3rd out of 22 teams! We will be rowing our blisted hands to the grand finals and hopefully to a big, shiny medal!