Terra Incognita

30 Before 30

2011-05-14T13:56:00.003-07:00

Back in January, my friend Mindy posted on Facebook a list of things she wanted to do before turning 30 this year. This inspired me to create my own list, which I'm calling my "30 Before 30." Some are big; some are minor. A handful I've already completed by the time I've gotten around to composing this blog post. Here they are (with commentary).

1. Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
DONE! A major thank you goes to my friend Kendra for being the impetus to get this to happen.

2. Fill up my passport pages
I have three squares left in my passport, which expires next fall. I'll need to purchase a new one by February (6 months before it expires), so that means I have about 8 months to get this done. I'm hoping to check this off the list when I go to eastern Europe this summer. If not, I might need to make an impromptu trip south of the boarder. :)

3. Learn how to make a good mojito
DONE-ISH. My friend Gino taught me his secret recipe for making mojitos when he and his family were visiting at Easter. Now I just need to practice a few times to make sure I have it right. I'm looking for volunteers. ;)

4. Run a race
DONE! I competed in the Warrior Dash (a 5K with crazy obstacles) a couple weekends ago. Sure, I ended up having to walk half the race because I tore some ligaments in my ankle scrambling down the pyramid of hay bales, but hey, I completed the race!

5. Ride a Segway
Provided plans don't fall through, I'll cross this one off my list tonight! My friend Amy and Dylan and I will be rolling around Tempe Town Lake on a Segway tour. Can't wait!

6. Buy a house.
Eeks! This is a big one. I'm slowly getting the ball rolling...we'll see what happens.

7. Plant an herb garden
The next few items on my list rely on me accomplishing #6, so hopefully that one works out well!

8. Make a compost bin
Because that's just a good thing to do!

9. Stockpile the necessary ingredients for a well-stocked bar
It seems like a grown-up thing to do.

10. Go scuba diving again
It's been a year and a half since I went diving in the Great Barrier Reef. I need to find another excuse to go diving again!

11. Bake bread from scratch
No bread machine allowed.

12. Put together a book of photos and blog posts from my 3 months of travel around Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia in 2007
There's no excuse for why I haven't done this already. My favorite pictures from that trip need to live somewhere other than online albums.

13. Finish putting together my video of photos from said 2007 travels
On a related note, I need to finish the project I started a long while back of compiling ALL the photos I took into a stop-action video.

14. Visit a winery with friends
I've been to one in Washington with my parents before, but I think it'd be a different experience with friends.

15. Read my grandfather's book, Pappy's Boys
My grandfather played quarterback for the Cal Bears when they went to the Rose Bowl in 1948. He helped put together this book about the coach, Pappy Waldorf.

16. Interview my grandparents
This is really just a fancy way of saying I want to learn more about their story.

17. Spend some time shooting alongside a professional photographer
I love taking photos, but there's so much that I still need to learn about controlling my camera settings, getting good lighting, and setting my focus. I'm hoping one of my photographers friends will be amenable to spending an afternoon or something, to impart some wisdom my way.

18. Go to a drive-in movie double feature
I've been once before to see a single movie. I want to kick it old school and see a double feature sometime.

19. Learn to surf
I hear there's a water park in the Phoenix area that has a wave simulator where you can learn how to surf. If that's not true, I'm going to have to find an ocean somewhere where I can learn!

20. Watch all of the West Wing
I just finished season 3, so I have a little more than half-way to go to finish Aaron Sorkin's masterful tv show.

21. Write a will
Because all grownups should have one.

22. Get my fortune told
I wonder if a psychic would be able to tell me if I'll complete everything on my 30 Before 30 list...

23. Go roller skating at a roller rink
I haven't done this since elementary school and I so badly want to go again!

24. Take a cooking class
I don't really care what the topic is. I'd just love to learn how to make something tasty.

25. Eat snails
DONE! I told a client of mine about my 30 Before 30 list, and when she heard I wanted to try escargot, she said we had to order them off the menu at the French restaurant where we were meeting. Butter and garlic make anything taste good!

26. Go see the original London Bridge at Lake Havasu
This has been on my must-do list since I moved to Arizona. I still can't believe they moved the original bridge all the way from London to crazy Arizona.

27. Visit the Phoenix Farmers Market
This is another Phoenix Must-Do item that I've never gotten around to doing.

28. See an opera
Opera seems like a grown-up thing to do, too. I either want to attend a performance put on by the Phoenix Opera, or see one of those performances from New York's Metropolitan Opera, projected live at a local movie theater.

29. See a drag show
I'm all about exposing myself to culture, as you can tell. :)

30. Go camping with friends
I've definitely been camping before, but I've never gone with a group of friends.

Why I Travel: To Make New Friends

2010-09-11T15:30:00.007-07:00

#5 in a series.

From Budapest

I get a lot of strange looks when I tell people I travel by myself, but the truth is, I'm rarely alone. And I've never gone on a solo vacation where I didn't make at least one new friend.

When I travel alone, I enjoy the time to focus on myself. I can be selfish in just about every decision I make. Don't feel like spending another day in a museum? I'll picnic in the park instead. Need an impromptu coffee shop visit? Sure! I'm on no one's schedule but my own.

The thing is, I am a social person at heart. When I travel by myself, I need to find people with whom I can talk, share stories and laugh. So I've learned to relish small group tours and hostels.

Three years ago I was in Paris the day the Tour de France arrived for its triumphant final stage. That morning, I woke up in my hostel, walked down to the breakfast room and asked if anyone else was heading to the Champs Élysées. Fifteen minutes later, I was in the company of a half dozen new friends from various countries as we headed out to cheer on the cyclists. It felt like we were a contingent of the United Nations, sharing a bottle of wine while we shared stories of our adventures.

Through the wonders of Facebook, I have maintained friendships forged while breakfasting on mangoes in St. Lucia, gorging on pho in Vietnam, and sipping beers in Amsterdam. We share photos, wish each other happy birthday (in fact, today is Volker's birthday in Germany...happy b-day, Volker!), and celebrate life's passages with notes of congrats on weddings and new babies.

The secondary benefit of these far-flung friendships is the collection of couches I have slowly accumulated across the globe. In a previous entry in this series I discussed that one of the reasons why I travel is to visit friends. Making new friends as I travel is a wonderful excuse to have new places to visit and couches to crash on. Ahh...what a fabulous circle.

On this ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, I'm reminded even more of how important it is to create friendships with people of different nationalities, faiths, politics, and beliefs. Naive as it may be, I truly believe my international friendships are positive efforts toward foreign diplomacy. Peace, one friend at a time.

Why I Travel: To Strengthen My Skills in Handling Adversity

2010-05-20T22:19:00.011-07:00

When traveling, I've learned that there are two words that are bound to hit me at some point:

Scheisse Happens

From Around Lima, post wedding

It is inevitable that something will go wrong. Whether it's something little like forgetting my toothbrush on a business trip (done that), or something that threatens my chances of entering a foreign country like being detained at Heathrow in London (done that, too). It doesn't matter, I've learned that somewhere along the way something will test my patience, my sanity and my creative problem-solving skills. My history is a tad demoralizing:

+ I got separated from my friends, stuck on a train in Italy and ended up in Milan instead of Venice

+ I came down with some kind of intestinal issue for 3 days in Vietnam, one night of which I spent convinced I was being eaten up from the inside out

+ Through some computer glitch, I booked an non-existent flight to Cusco, Peru; then my replacement flight was delayed due to weather, and I ended up never leaving Lima to visit Machu Picchu.

+ I somehow completely forgot to arrange for a visa to visit Australia until the gentleman at the United Airlines counter asked to see mine.

+ Most recently, bipolar British Airways has been putting my emotions through the wringer as I prepare to fly BA to Europe for Elise & Matty's wedding. Since March, the BA cabin crew has gone on strike, off strike, threatened to strike again, canceled their strike under government pressure, and now has gone back on strike just in time for my departure next Tuesday evening.

Surviving and getting through each of these hassles has helped me to learn how to work through adversities of many kinds. I've learned how to roll with the proverbial punches and take on a "this too shall pass" attitude toward various stresses in my life. That's not to say that I don't get worked up a little now and then. Happy hour with my girlfriends tonight was mixed with not-so-happy concerns as soon as I got a text from a friend telling me about the on-again BA strike. But a few deep breaths, and some positive encouragement from my friends kept me from going into stress-mode. And sure enough, when I checked the status of my flights when I got home, all my flights to Europe were confirmed to fly as scheduled.

Hallelujah!

My return flights back to the States? Those are up in the air (or will they be? ba dum ching) for now. I will depart Phoenix for London, Amsterdam and Oslo next Tuesday, without the confirmation that I will be returning as scheduled. Looks like I'll continue to roll with the punches until those flights are announced on June 1. And that's ok by me. I've had plenty of practice so far.

Why I Travel: To Visit Friends

2010-03-01T21:08:00.006-07:00

From Last Night in London

I don't need much of an excuse to travel somewhere, but my favorite is to visit friends. Taking full advantage of this excuse, the past few years have taken me to:

Boston (cousin Molly)
London (Megan & Jon)
LA (J-Dub)
St. Lucia (Meg & Jon again)
Denver (Sarah)
Brussels (Simon)
Lima (Laura & Gino)
London again (several friends)
Sydney (Meg & Jon...again)

From Brussels

Having friends scattered about this planet is convenient for someone with my sense of wanderlust. And crashing on couches is by far my favorite method of visiting a new city. I love that it mixes the freedom of solo travel with the structure of a working professional and the invaluable insights of a local. When I visit friends, I enjoy doing my own thing during the day, but relish the social company of a companion in the evening. Plus, you can't beat the price: a place to crash in exchange for salsa/Reese's peanut butter cups/Girl Scout Cookies/whatever favorite American/Southwestern treat my host requests.

From London in a Weekend

In 11 days I leave for my next friend-inspired destination: NYC to visit Sarah, Joel and hopefully a half-dozen other friends who will meet me somewhere in the Big Apple for happy hour. I can't wait to do a little adventuring mixed with catching up on each others' lives, swapping stories, and experiencing someplace new with old friends. Doesn't get much better.

From London in a Weekend

Why I Travel: Because I Love Places of Transit

2009-12-22T21:57:00.007-07:00

From Photo Class

Airports. Train stations. Subway systems. Ferry ports. These places fascinate me. I love the comings-and-goings, the people-watching, the hubbub of movement as travelers board, disembark and hurry on their ways. This weekend my sister and I went to see Up in the Air. Some of my favorite scenes were in the various airports. I liked trying to identify the different terminals I'd been through.

From Sydney

Next time you're in an airport or train station, take a moment to observe how such hubs of transport portray themselves to the people passing through. From the architecture to the tchotchkes for sale in the knick-knack shops, I believe you can learn a lot about what locals value and want to share with visitors. The train station in Cambridge, England is positively swamped with bicycles outside. The subway system in Prague is like a city-wide art exhibit. And at 8am every day at the central train station in Bangkok, they play the national anthem while everyone in the station faces a giant portrait of the King and all hustle and bustle halts.

I just love soaking this stuff up.

From Cambridge

From Czech Republic

From Bangkok

It's best when there's a little humor involved:

From London 2007

Between my work and personal travel, I spend a lot of time in airports, so it's a good thing I enjoy them. And it's a good thing I don't get flustered by all the frenetic activity at such places, as most of my travel mishaps have happened at airports or train stations:

2003: got separated from my friends on a train in Italy, ended up in Milan instead of Venice
2007: detained in Heathrow for describing my job as "unemployed" (stupid, stupid. I should have at least said "freelance designer")
2009: purchased a non-existent LAN flight from Lima to Cusco and thus had my hopes to see Machu Picchu dashed, but got to spend a lot of extra time in the Lima airport
2009: forgot to register for an electronic visa to Australia until I checked in for my flight

I tend to collect "oops" moments in such places. At least I can get some good people-watching in while addressing the issue.

Which is it? Exit? Or No Exit? From Sydney

Why I Travel: To Take Advantage of Amazing Subject Material and Improve My Photography Skills

2009-11-23T21:35:00.004-07:00

A trip is a great excuse to take pictures because, really, how can you resist capturing memories when the Eiffel Tower/Reclining Buddha/Sydney Opera House is the backdrop? Not only do such landmarks make great subjects, but so do fellow travelers. The adventures, foreign cultures and genial camaraderie combine to make people more open to being in photos.

As I take more photos, I continue to learn how my camera works and how to capture a great shot. I have also had the pleasure of meeting and traveling with other photo nuts who impart tips and tricks that make me a better photographer.

My recent scuba adventure provided me the chance to try underwater photography for the first time. It was equal parts challenging and exhilarating. As if I needed another excuse to go diving again, now I hunger for the chance to take my camera beneath the waves again.

Why I Travel: A Series

2009-11-21T16:27:00.015-07:00

Remember back in the day when I used to blog all the time? Back before Twitter came on the scene or Facebook went mainstream? Well, brace yourself, because I have a series of posts headed your way that will make it seem like 2003-2007 all over again. I'm starting a series called "Why I Travel" where I will attempt to make sense of the tug that yanks me out of this country and across this planet. Here's the first:

It's in My Genes
My love for travel and interest in foreign cultures began before I ever had a passport. I have my maternal grandparents to thank for that. As the head of the University of California Alumni Association, Granddaddy led overseas tours for Cal alumni every year. And every year he and Mamu brought back little dolls from the countries they visited (pictured). The ever-growing shelf of international figurines was a constant presence in my childhood. In this way, my grandparents were my first tour guides. I listened to their stories, reveled in their photographs and treasured their dolls and other souvenirs.

When I took my first trip abroad to France in 1996 at age 14, Mamu and Granddaddy sent brochures and maps of their favorite places in Paris and beyond. When I spent a semester in London, I carted with me a token from my grandparents: a folder of pamphlets, a list of England's hot spots and my great-grandmother's personal account of the Chelsea Flower Show. They were my own personal Lonely Planet guides.

This year the roles were reversed for the first time as my grandparents sought my tips for a good time in Hanoi, Saigon, and Bangkok. It was a moment of pride for me. I was finally able, in some small way, to repay them for all their years of inspiration and advice. But I can never thank them for the fostering in me a love for travel, curiosity of foreign cultures and desire to pack up and go see the world.

My First Scuba Adventure

2009-10-13T21:36:00.003-07:00

Breathe in. Breathe out. That's all I had to do. You wouldn't think it would be such a challenge. But tricking my brain into accepting that I really could breathe underwater took some convincing. Especially when the last time I talked my brain into such an ordeal the following happened:

A) I descended into the murky waters of Lake (un)Pleasant where I could only see about 2 feet in front of me.

B) My dive instructor, Andy, took me through (what felt at the time like) tortuous training procedures such as turning off my air supply and making me flood my scuba mask with water.

The last time my brain did anything like this, my air supply was (momentarily) cut off and my sight was (temorarily) taken away from me. Can you blame my brain for objecting to sinking below the waves? I fought that first descent; I didn't get even a half meter below water before I kicked wildly back up to the surface, nearly hyperventilating. It was a true mind game to force my brain to accept my commands to breathe slowly--in...and out...in...and out--as my shoulders, then my mouth, my nose, my eyes, the top of my head sank beneath the surface of the ocean. I was underwater, and my lungs could handle it. Finally, that brain of mine stopped protesting and started to absorb the total awe of the setting. And, oh, how great it was once I convinced my brain to cooporate, to forget about the fact that humans aren't built to breathe underwater!

Scuba diving felt like the most primative, and yet the most hi-tech thing I have ever done. Surrounded completely by water, the only thing I could really hear was the regular in-and-out of my own breathing. Seriously, how primal can you get? And how soothing. Yet this simple act, the very first thing we do without effort or thinking the moment we enter this world, requires complicated, carefully assembled devices, monitored with a computer, and proper training. There I was, 15 meters below water, and I could breathe!

Once I wrapped my mind around that little miracle, I headed off through the waters of the Great Barrier Reef, following Alan, one of the dive crew. I felt quite clunky on my first few dives; I bounced around the Great Barrier Reef like a yo-yo as I tried to get control of my buoyancy, struggled with equalizing my ears, and spent more time thinking about myself than the sights I was seeing on the reef. However, by day two of my dive trip, I had gained confidence enough to really enjoy it all.

It's truly amazing to be in the middle of a world that is so very foreign. It reminded me a bit of standing on a street corner in Hanoi, Vietnam, watching the cars/buses/motorbikes whiz by, completely clueless as to how the system works. I felt so totally out of my element, yet so totally consumed by the experience at the same time. It was all my high school biology textbooks come to life. It was an IMAX movie in 4-D. It was REAL, live fish and turtles, rays and coral, SHARKS(!) and baracuda! And I was in and amongst them. It was simply exhilerating.

I can tell that scuba diving is addictive. There absolutely no way I can let the Great Batrier Reef be the only scuba experience I have. There must be other trips, more adventures, more bio textbook pages come to life for me. I'm hooked.

Tweets from Oz

2009-10-13T08:39:00.003-07:00

My blog has really suffered a lack of attention since I took up Twitter. Short bursts of commentary at Erica2point0 have pretty much replaced descriptive passages of experiences here on Terra Incognita. Since I knew my wifi access would be limited during my trip to Australia, and thus my Twitter access limited as well, I thought an appropriate plan of attack for sharing my thoughts and experiences in Oz would be a hybrid approach. I used my iPod Touch to write 140-character tweets that I would normally have posted on Twitter; instead of posting them immediately, though, I saved them in the iPod Notes application. Now, I present them to you in blog form. This way you can feel like you're experiencing my Aussie adventure at my side. Enjoy, mate!

30 September

Completely spaced getting an electronic visa to get into Australia. Oops! Thank God (& my sis Ally!) it processed immediately!

Fun day in San Francisco with my aunt. The California Academy of Sciences is way cooler than it sounds. I highly recommend it!

1 October

Thanks to crossing the International Dateline, the day of October 1, 2009 will never have existed for me. So trippy!

2 October

14.5 hours. Longest flight I've ever taken. Amazingly, it wasn't the excruciating torture I expected.

It's fitting that I flew through San Francisco to get to Sydney b/c SYD totally reminds me of SF just w/ a lot less fog.

4 October

Who cares about the cloud cover? Gloomy weekend on the Hawksbury River w/ friends is wonderfully relaxing.

This has been the easiest round of fighting jetlag I've ever had. Hope it repeats for my trip back.

Jon & Steveo have been navigating our houseboat using iPhone apps. This makes me smile.

Playing the role of 7th wheel. I rarely feel the urge to hurry up & get hitched, but the Tidds, Lords & Wheelers make it look fun.

5 October

Being around a boatload of Brits causes me to lapse into a weird Yank-Brit accent. Biscuit, anyone?

I've been trying to teach little British toddler Elsie an Americanism. So far, "What up, yo" sounds more like "Dudda woah".

I do not row row my boat very gently down the stream. In fact, I'm rubbish at manning the oars of a rowboat.

Finished the second Twilight book while on the houseboat this weekend. I begrudgingly got TOTALLY sucked into the story.

My goal to exercise every other day has been replaced with eating every three hours. Oops.

It's a bit disconcerting to weigh myself on a metric scale. The # looks way too small, considering all the food I packed away this weekend.

The crew has introduced me to an Aussie favorite: chips (chunky fries) dipped in mayo and sweet chili sauce. Yum!

Burned the top layer of taste buds off my tongue: a hazard of trying to eat tasty hot chips too fast.

Love the Aussie toilets that give you the choice between a Number 1 or Number 2 flush. A #1 uses less water than a #2. :)

I keep forgetting to check out the way water swirls the in opposite direction down the drain here.

6 October

It's Tues but feels like a Mon (yesterday was an Aussie bank holiday) but not too much like a Mon since I'm not doing the whole "work" thing

Brilliant! Virgin Blue has passengers board from the front and back of the plane at the same time!

There's a woman across the aisle from me on my flight to Cairns wearing combat boots, a corset & strumming a ukulele. Hm.

Despite all the prep I did for this trip, this has to be the most disorganized I've ever been while traveling.

Resolved: I will breakdown & buy a pair of skinny jeans when I get home.

I'm repeating in my mind "'Cairns' sounds like 'cans'" over and over yet that pesky "r" keeps inserting itself when I say it.

Stumbled upon a Nando's. This vacation just keeps getting better!

When I travel like this, I feel like I'm doing what I was MADE to do.

Took a quick night class about the history & life of the Great Barrier Reef when I got into Cairns. So glad I did. Learned lots!

Did you know (DYK): the Great Barrier Reef is 1/2 the size of Texas!!!

DYK: Nemo is an anemonefish. Get it? An aNEMOnefish.

DYK: if Nemo's mum had died in real life, his dad would have changed sex to become female, & Nemo would've matured quicker to mate w/ "Dad".

DYK: coral is made up of calcium carbonate, which is essentially limestone. Interestingly, coral is an animal, not a plant.

DYK: coral is naturally white in color. It gets its pretty hues from the algae that live on it.

DYK: the first color to disappear from the spectrum as you descend in the water is red.

7 October

Australia really is a dry country. There are several patches of brush fire outside of Cairns as we head out to sea.

Wow. Just surfaced from my first dive. This is going to require a proper blog entry. 140 characters won't cut it.

Three dives in. Favorite sight so far: an awesome green turtle. Have also seen stingrays, giant clams & some really amazing fish.

I haven't seen any sharks so far, but several others on the boat have. A couple even spotted a barracuda!

I was really nervous about doing a night dive and almost didn't go, but now I'm so proud of myself that I did it.

It's not a true adventure out on the open waters until you use a seasick bag, right? Well, consider this an adventure now. ;)

8 October

My underwater camera only goes 10 meters down, so I rented one for one of my dives. Underwater photography is TOUGH!

End of Day Two on the dive boat and still no shark sightings for me...

I'm the slowest eater ever; always the last to finish my plate. Or maybe I just talk too much during meals? ;)

Don't know why but I get a kick out of hearing Aussies say "Good on you" instead of "Good for you".

9 October

I saw my shark!!!! And 3 barracuda! AND a rare eagle ray! Totally worth the 5:45am wake up call.

Just came up from my last dive of the trip. Saw another shark! And joined a green turtle for his lunch. Love this scuba stuff!!!

I snorkeled for the last dive since Queensland law says you can't fly if you've dived in the past 24hours. It just can't compare to diving.

Total number of dives in 2.5 days: 10.

I am so hooked on scuba. Got a 10% off voucher for my next booking with ProDive. Hmmm... Do I really need to go home?

I'm off the boat but still feel the room rocking around me. I'm hoping a couple of drinks w/ my dive friends tonight will counterbalance me.

Um...not sure if the drinks counterbalanced me or unbalanced me. Either way: fun night out with new friends.

10 October

Ugh. Slept funny on the hostel bed last night & now my hip is all out of joint. Please don't tell me I'm becoming an old lady already!

Woke up in the middle of the night thinking I was underwater watching fish swim by.

Glad to see that my gaydar gets reception across the Pacific. :)

Somehow I made it all the way through check-in, security & boarding at the Cairns airport w/o ever showing my ID. Not exactly comforting.

There's too much Comic Sans in Sydney!

Pretty sure I've never had so many cups of tea as I have this week with all my Aussie & British friends.

11 October

Kookaburra sighting! It was sitting right outside Megs & Jon's back window!

Sun finally came out for the afternoon of my last day in Sydney.

Lunched w/ Jo & her parents at Ripples, the restaurant at the Olympic pool, looking out over the Harbour Bridge & Opera House. Lovely!

I think nearly every conversation I've had w/ friends this week has included a discussion of America's abysmal vacation policy.

2 weeks of holiday is just not sufficient!

12 October

Wish I had brought my big backpack instead of my huge suitcase. I find it much easier to handle.

Props to the United check-in agent who didn't charge me for my overweight bag!

It looks like everyone's boarded the 13.5-hour flight to LAX & so far no one's joined me in my row. Can this be true?!?!

Score!!! 3 seats all to myself! Maybe I'll treat myself to a glass of Champagne & pretend I'm in first class. ;)

Bugger. Another man has joined me in my row. There goes my glass of Champagne.

Tip for anyone flying out of Sydney: get a seat by the window on the right side of the plane. You get an awesome view of the Harbour!

Yay! My fickle seat mate has changed spots again so I DO get the row to myself. Just in time for beverage service!

Never mind RE: Champagne. Apparently it really is only for first class. A mini bottle of Cab will have to do.

Water in the bathrooms on my United flight circles clockwise, the northern hemisphere way. Wonder if it goes the opposite way on Qantas. :)

Goal: attend my workout boot camp 3 hours after landing in PHX. That means it's time to catch some Zzzs now.

Got sent to 3 different security checkpoints at LAX. So unorganized here!

Back in PHX. 1 load of laundry done. 2 more to go. But first: off to boot camp! This will be interesting.

Oct. 12, 2009, has been the longest day of my life. Literally. From midnight to midnight, today will have lasted 42 hours for me.

Back to work tomorrow. Really wish I could take another day off to recover, but I have to be in Denver Wednesday. Back to the grindstone.

Overall: one of the best vacations EVER.

Funny Sentences in My Inbox, version 12

2009-07-13T23:03:00.004-07:00

I'm going to ease back into the blogging realm with a new edition of Funny Sentences (Without Context) in My Inbox. Enjoy.

So yeah, now I'll have to go unspread the word.

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Personally, I believe that this printer is plotting against us and though it has won this battle, the war rages on...BTW just in case the printers do eventually win, let me be the first to put it in writing that I welcome our printer overlords and look forward to their benevolent reign.

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Macs are largely immune to these problems so those of you with Macs can continue to feel smug.

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we are in luzern switzerland and will be home late the 30th. < i am reachable by my cell phone right now but would be best to start after i am back if possible. Thursdazs and < mondazs are great weakdazs for me and weekends . < this kez board is hard to manage...sorry..

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One of my friends is in charge of hiring an intern at his (non-journalism-related) job. This is a cover letter he got. From a grad student.

"chris,

i saw ur post about a intern on the [company] website. if u are still looking for someone id like that job.

see ya,
[his name]"

Apparently this gentleman has a degree from loltech. I weep for humanity.

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If you require wireless access today for whatever reason, please contact [that guy] or [this guy] for support. We can set up a series of smoke signals and carrier pigeons to provide rudimentary connectivity until we have the problem permanently solved.

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How often do you get to say, "There's a kid in a gold boxing robe next to a chick singing Mariah Carey?"

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The recruiters at Glacier were more than happy to hire anyone who could speak rudimentary English and had basic motor skills. Luckily, I fit the bill. Two weeks later I was on a train from Chicago to Glacier Park with 3 boxes clothes and only a slight idea of what I was getting into.

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But will there be a good crowd?? Lots of cute boys for the single ladies? That is important. Maybe moreso than the food.

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My golf game turned out much better than I thought, in that nobody died.

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I have tried to study Spanish and am feeling overwhelmedo and very stupido

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Uhm....your royalties will consist of complimentary air and sunshine....at least once every other leap year. Does that work?

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As far as I'm concerned the state of Oklahoma is only good for musicals and tornadoes (aka I'm still in denial).

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There is nothing more depressing than calling the unemployment office and having the cheerful automated voice tell you, "Due to high call volumes, you must call back Tuesday. Goodbye!"

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My dog's name is Bob. If you shout M-I-Z during the games, he will bark Z-O-U. I'm not sure he likes having "big cats" on his collar most days, but he gives it his all on game days. :-)

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But what if I don't wanna pull the president's face off ... ? :(

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I can think of two stories (the spitting cobra or the horny elephant...), in particular, about nearly being eaten / smooshed (three if you count the time I was chased off site by a lion - not really as dramatic as it sounds, and four if you count the time I chased a lion - also not very dramatic, nor intelligent, but necessary at the time, I assure you...).

---

My specialty is geeking out over numbers and data and research.

---

If you're in the market for a great TV stand that has glass doors, a deep drawer and doesn't talk during your favorite shows, keep reading. If not, you're done. Thanks for your time; I'm sure you have other emails to read.

---

I'll be sneaking out a little early this afternoon to catch Barack at ASU. Pending an invitation to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, I'll be back in the office bright and early tomorrow morning.

---

You probably noticed that the two photos I sent yesterday looked amazingly similar. The technical term for this condition is "human error."

Thinking about getting back in the blogging saddle

2009-07-05T19:25:00.001-07:00

It sure has been a while. Contemplating a return. Maybe.

The Bride

2009-01-15T22:52:00.001-07:00

...oh, and a bit more alcohol.

From Laura & Gino's Wedding Reception

Cafe

2009-01-10T10:28:00.005-07:00

I'm slowly going through the process of uploading my pictures. One of the detriments to taking 1,200+ pics is that then I spend way too much time sorting through them to pick the best shot. And one of the curses of knowing my way around Photoshop is that I also want to touch up and color correct every picture I post. I've tried to limit myself to Photoshopping only a handful of pics. Here are a few of my favorites. More still TK.

Peruvian espresso. From Around Lima

Enjoying said espresso. From Around Lima

On the rocky beach. From Around Lima

Entering Detox Mode

2009-01-07T20:45:00.008-07:00

Oh the irony of that previous post. After I gushed about the joy of travel, I managed to sustain one of the most disappointing travel experiences of my life: I missed the opportunity to see Machu Picchu. There are details I'm still trying to figure out, but right now it looks like the LAN flight I purchased to Cusco (the small town where people start their journey to the breathtaking Inca ruins) never actually existed. It was some kind of glitch in the computer system at the moment I purchased my online ticket. LAN, the airline company, hasn't said as much, but they put up no fight when I requested a full refund for my round-trip tickets, claiming that the time had been changed for my flight and I was never notified. The interesting thing is, the LAN timetable is quite consistent. Every day in January, the latest flight to Cusco is 15:00. My flight was supposedly scheduled for 16:45. Other details just don't jive, and I'm hoping it will support my case for a full reimbursement for the costs of the tour and hotel I had booked. I'm not holding my breath, and it'll probably take a bit of a fight (they're not answering my emails so far), but I'm not going to give up without trying. After all, no reimbursement can replace the wondrous experience I missed out on because of their error.

Overall, though, this was a fabulous trip. Much needed. It had been 15 months since my passport had been inked by an immigration officer, and I think it (read: me) was feeling a little restless. Oh, it was a great trip. People think I'm an odd one for taking trips like these on my own when I don't really know the people I'll be meeting up with. But I love getting to know new people. And besides, when it's a well-oiled meeting (read: plenty of alcohol), the ability to make new friends is infinitely easier. A couple of pisco sours (the local Peruvian drink of choice) and everyone's out salsaing on the dance floor with their 20 best friends.

The Dance floor. From New Year's Eve Peru

To give you a sense of how much alcohol was consumed, I kept a loose tally of what I drank during the week...and I was the lightweight of the group. I'll preface this by saying that everyone was safe, no one drove and no one (that I heard of) ended the nights hugging the toilet.

Empty glasses. From New Year's Eve Peru

Here's my week in drinks:

Champagne
Champagne
Rum & Coke
Rum & Coke
Champagne
Pisco shot
Rum & Coke
Pisco shot (I think this was a half a shot...Gino knew I was nearing the end of my night)
1/2 bottle of Pilsen beer
Cusqueña beer
Champagne
Champagne
Hazelnut/coffee drink thing
Strawberry pisco sour
Maracuya sour (passion fruit-flavored pisco sour)
Maracuya sour
Maracuya sour
Cusqueña
Pisco shot (small)
Maracuya sour
Maracuya sour
Rosé wine
Rosé wine
White wine
Maracuya sour
Cusqueña
Maracuya sour
Malbec
in-flight red wine (Lima - San Salvadore)
in-flight red wine (San Salvadore - LAX)

I will repeat again: I was the light drinker of the week. All those pisco sours (well, the passion fruit-flavored pisco sours) with the white of a raw egg in each one might have been the contributor to my digestive issues at the end of the week. Oh well. The sacrifices one makes for a good time...

Pilsen Beer (one of the local faves) and some salsa. From New Year's Eve Peru

I have to sort through my 1,200+ pictures. Hopefully I'll post those by the weekend. To hold you over for the rest, I've provided a few previews from the New Year's Eve Party.

The Bride (Laura), her mom (Cheryl) and her sister (Shannon) ring in the New Year. From New Year's Eve Peru

Joy

2009-01-03T11:50:00.003-07:00

About a month or so ago I got tagged twice to do a whole post about things that give me joy. I don't have much time before my flight from Lima to Cusco leaves, but I was thinking this morning about the joy I get from traveling and exploring. I've felt very much in my element the past few days. It's been a great combination of being surounded by people I know, people I've never met but who have become fast friends (even if a few of them are Jayhawks), and the anticipation of setting out on my own for a little trekking around Machu Picchu. I feel so invigorated on this trip, even as I'm exhausted by all the salsa dancing and pisco shots. Pictures TK.

More Viviane at Christmas

2008-12-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

From Viviane Christmas 2008

Christmas Cheer

2008-12-24T22:15:00.001-07:00

Yeah, yeah. I'll get around to posting a real post soon.

From Viviane Christmas 2008

Election Reflection

2008-11-27T13:25:00.008-07:00

From Election Night 2008

I’m a bit delayed with this post. Then again, what better time to discuss the election outcome than on the day designed for the whole nation to take time to give thanks?

I vividly remember where I was when Barrack Obama first entered the national stage. It was just a couple days before my mom and I moved to Arizona to join my dad. We were in a neighbor’s living room to watch that night's Democratic National Convention speeches, and I was standing toward the back of the room. I remember being enraptured by his keynote speech, his presence on that stage. (Watch that speech in full here.) A year later, when Obama came to Tempe to stump for Senate candidate Jim Pederson, I knew I had to be there. The crowd seemed huge then (read my account here), but by the standards he set this past election, it was downright intimate, and I was able to press my way to the front to shake his hand and say, “Thank you for all your hard work, Senator.” Five years ago I wrote up a list of things I want to do before I die (a “bucket list” before they were called that), and near the top of the list is “Meet the President”. I’m half-tempted to check that off thanks to my fleeting connection with our now President-Elect, but I have a greater hope that our brief contact is only a foretaste of a future meeting.

A girl can hope, right?

From Election Night 2008

On election night, I had a few friends over to watch the results roll in. When the election was called in favor of Obama, I expected the tears to flow like they had when I watched Michelle Obama speak at this year’s convention, like they had when Barrack graciously accepted the nomination. But somehow the tears didn’t come this time. I think by then it felt so natural, he looked so Presidential, the tears seemed better fitting for Jesse Jackson and Oprah. The only thing that flowed at our watch party was the bubbly, and that was quite sufficient.

From Election Night 2008

In short, on this day of Thanksgiving, I add this to my list of things for which I am grateful:

I am thankful for the inspiration Barrack Obama has brought to our country.

PS - I'm also very thankful for my sister, Ally, whose birthday is today! Love ya, Sis!

Slowly catching up

2008-11-10T23:14:00.002-07:00

I'm going to try to catch up over the next few days with pictures and thoughts from the past month or two. First, a couple pictures from Megan & Jon's visit:

Real men drink strawberry milkshakes

From Megan & Jon Visit Phoenix

Megan!

From Megan & Jon Visit Phoenix

We had fun

From Megan & Jon Visit Phoenix

Obam-ha-ha

2008-10-17T08:08:00.001-07:00

Best laughs of the day –scratch that– week came from this 10-minute video.

Recent snapshots

2008-10-11T01:42:00.003-07:00

Megan and Jon get into town tomorrow (today, I guess). Hijinx will ensue. In the meantime, enjoy these pics from scattered events throughout the end of summer/beginning of fall.

Viviane might be up to something here...

From General Arizona Fun 2008

Melissa gets some lovin' from Max, the newest pup in town

From General Arizona Fun 2008

Trying to play with Max & Bandit. They were probably too busy nipping at each other to pay Viviane much attention.

From General Arizona Fun 2008

A client's kitty.

From General Arizona Fun 2008

I love this shot of Juma.

From General Arizona Fun 2008

Downtown Phoenix can be simply beautiful on the rare day that there's no brown cloud

From General Arizona Fun 2008

Juma again

From General Arizona Fun 2008

CoMo Photos

2008-10-05T21:55:00.003-07:00

Finally, here's a few more pics from Columbia. Link to the albums is at the end. Enjoy!

Indulging in a Missouri staple: Toasted Ravioli!

From Return to Mizzou

I did a lot of walking in these shoes to, from and around campus. Gotta love a pair of comfy AND stylish kicks!

From Return to Mizzou

I spotted Margaret!

From Tiger Game Day (vs. Univ. Nevada)

Matt can't say no to classic stadium food

From Tiger Game Day (vs. Univ. Nevada)

Group shot

From Tiger Game Day (vs. Univ. Nevada)

Truman!

From Tiger Game Day (vs. Univ. Nevada)

Return to Mizzou

Tiger Game Day (vs. Univ. Nevada)

Old Missouri, Fair Missouri

2008-09-24T22:44:00.006-07:00

Here are a few more teaser pics. Hopefully Friday I'll get the rest uploaded to write out some captions. In the meantime, enjoy!

From Return to Mizzou

Shakey's! Please ignore the silly expression on my face. I was in frozen custard bliss right then.

From Return to Mizzou

Dan snaps a shot of Matt & Elise in one of the amazing new RJI rooms.

From Return to Mizzou

Trying to look cute. It's amazing how many practice shots it took until I got something decent.

From Return to Mizzou

This one's for Pat.

From Return to Mizzou

Good ol' Lee Hills Hall.

From Return to Mizzou

My freshman year dorm room. This is where it all began.

From Return to Mizzou

Dinner with the Daugherties!

From Return to Mizzou

The new Mizzou Arena

My visit to Missouri for the MU School of Journalism Centennial in Bullet Points

2008-09-15T06:50:00.007-07:00

Thoughts, reactions and commentary in bite-sized chunks. Convergence-style! [picture album TK]

From Return to Mizzou

Signs I’d Arrived in Missouri/on the Mizzou Campus:
+ The potholes that were there when I left 4 years ago were still there…and had grown in size.
+ Rain lasted longer than 15 minutes.
+ Banners for Boulevard served as wallpaper in the local bars.
+ Half the business establishments had “Tiger” in their names.
+ Coeds were wearing flip-flops, jeans and t-shirts instead of high heels, miniskirts and tube tops on campus. [see: Arizona State campus]
+ The trees were tall! And green!
+ There was significantly more community support for the local Cardinals.

Terp talks about his fondest J-School memories

What’s Remained the Same:
+ You can’t cross campus without being diverted by construction blocking your path somewhere.
+ The J-School still enjoys patting itself on the back (and rightfully so, of course). =)
+ Nothing beats toasted ravioli as an appetizer.
+ The red washcloths used as napkins at Shakespeare’s Pizza are still way better than paper napkins.
+ The Shakey’s on the north side of town still has the “y” in their name!
+ The joy of rivalry when a communal roar erupted downtown CoMo (I still feel weird trying to call it The District) when South Florida made the field goal in the final seconds against kU.
+ Lee Hills Hall still smells like stressed students, newsprint and overworked computers, and the hallway that has the bathrooms at the Artisan still smells like the building where I went to dance class throughout my elementary years.
+ There are way more eager student journalists than there is news to cover.
+ Johnny’s presence is still felt in FARC.

3-minute tour of the Reynolds Journalism Institute. You've gotta check this place out!

What’s Changed:
+ They have Macs!
+ And flat-screen TVs! Everywhere on campus, but in particular in the J-School.
+ The new Reynolds Journalism Institute has a coffee and sandwich shop.
+ The main lecture hall in the RJI has two outlets and an Ethernet plugin for every seat, very comfy chairs and a skylight.
+ McDavid has A/C and conspicuously lacks a computer lab (who needs a lab when all the students have laptops?). Students enter their dorm rooms using a magnetic card rather than a metal key.
+ The national park-style signs outside each building on campus have been replaced with fancy metal ones.
+ “Save the Ground. Walk Around” signs on the Quad are missing!
+ Students oh-so-disrespectfully talk, laugh and shout while passing through the Memorial Union archway. Kids these days!
+ The Missourian newsroom is painted green and has a “Convergence” desk, the function of which was never really explained to Dan and me.
+ The J-School library looks like a hip place to hang out. However did they manage that?!?!
+ D@rwin Hindm@n still has big ears.

Don Ranly talks about his favorite J-School memories

Highlights from the Conference:
+ Truman rappelling from the ceiling of the Mizzou Arena during the opening ceremony.
+ “It’s hard to change. Change is a bitch.” –John Byrne of BusinessWeek.com
+ The big buzz words: aggregation, context, iPhone, crowd-sourcing, widgets, horizontal (as in content, advertising and planning), mobile, simplicity, loyalty.
+ Journalists/editors should think of themselves as the curator of news and information.
+ The tenants of journalism as outlined by the great Walter Williams in the Journalist's Creed aren’t what’s the matter with media today. Rather, the advertising model that has worked for over a century needs fixing.
+ The more specialized you are, the more protected you are from advertising cuts.
+ More and more journalism is going to be done by freelancers rather the news outlets themselves [see editor as curator above]. My concern is that if this is true, then the J-School needs to go beyond teaching students how to compile sources, write a great story and work with editors on fine-tuning their pieces. The school needs to start teaching their graduates how to write a winning pitch, handle their taxes, find health coverage and set up a personal 401(k).
+ Debate over the phrase: “Context, not content, is king.”
+ Dean Dean semi-jokingly extended Mayor Hindm@n the title of adjunct professor for all that he’s taught student reporters in his city government offices. Pay for his new position will be the same he’s been receiving. =)
+ Apparently there’s talk about phasing out the brand-new convergence sequence and instead incorporating the lessons taught in those classes into every sequence.
+ Overall excitement for all the opportunities now awaiting the media as technology grows in leaps and bounds…as long as the industry stalwarts don’t dwell on the past.

VOIP: Viviane Over Internet Protocol

2008-08-11T21:27:00.002-07:00

Our family has had fun playing around with Skype, video chatting with Ally back in Manhattan. The other night, we had a full house with Melissa in town for interviews, and Brooke, Chris and Viviane over for dinner, so of course we had to involve Ally in it all. Viviane was fascinated with getting to see Ally on the computer screen. She especially liked making virtual faces.

Will Jump Through Hoops for Treat

2008-08-10T23:52:00.002-07:00

Bandit has a new trick.

Peace, Love and Ringo

2008-08-02T14:32:00.002-07:00

Thursday I treated my mom to one of her lifetime dreams: seeing a Beatle in concert. And not just any Beatle, her favorite: Ringo. Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band was her first rock concert ever and I'm pretty sure she had a blast. At least, that's the impression I got from her gushing, "Oh wow. I can't believe I saw a Beatle! Oh wow. I just can't believe it!"

Family Fotos

2008-07-20T22:59:00.004-07:00

I finally finished putting together my online album from last weekend's family reunion. Below are a few of my favorite pics, in addition to the ones in previous posts. There's an abbreviated version of the album if you follow this link.

Wade wanted to play cards with the big kids

Casey goes after the volleyball

We took a fun hike to Sprague Lake for a picnic

Amend cattle were once branded with the "UIU" brand. We "branded" the younger kids to show that they carry the Amend brand on their hearts.

View all the pictures here:

Amend Family Reunion 2008

Another preview

2008-07-17T21:42:00.003-07:00

I've uploaded all my selected reunion pics, but I have yet to dedicate the time to write captions. Hopefully I'll get to that this weekend. In the meantime, here's another of my favorite shots from the weekend. It's a face you might recognize from this here blog.

Lather, rinse, repeat

2008-07-16T22:00:00.006-07:00

Just in case you didn't get the point in my last post, I kinda like these folks. This pic is from my cousin Peter's camera. I have a similar shot in the album I'll be posting eventually, but mine's from the side and you can't quite see everyone's silly expressions. So I had to share this one. Also, I nearly lost a quart of bodily fluid drooling over his wide-angle lens.

These are some of my favorite people in the world

2008-07-16T00:42:00.002-07:00

And I get to call them family. More pictures from the weekend TK.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

2008-07-10T07:37:00.001-07:00

Lots on my to-do list before I leave town tomorrow. Sorry these took a while to get posted!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

One Year Later

2008-07-06T15:59:00.002-07:00

Can it really have been one year ago today that I landed in London to kick off my round-the-world escapades? When I tell people that I traveled for 3 months on my own, I usually get reactions mixed with awe and respect. But three months seem like nothing compared to friends who have done 6, 12 or 18 months. And when I find myself having returned to the same yellow bedroom still bunking with my parents, I wonder how wide I really made my world. Was it all just a temporary broadening of my boarders?

On Another Note
I chopped my hair off. Pictures TK.

Redesign

2008-06-28T17:13:00.003-07:00

I decided this blog was in need of an update, folks. I'd been bummed that I couldn't post my pictures bigger, so I found a template that would work that way. If I'm going to take fun pictures with my new lens, by golly, I want to be able to show them off at their finest (see below).

This is Scoobie, the lucky guy I with whom I get to spend all of next week. This gig will wrap up 4 weeks straight of house / pet sitting. Whew.

Take Your Bandit to Work Day

2008-06-21T16:58:00.008-07:00

Friday was Take Your Dog to Work Day. I put Bandit in charge of helping me pick out a sanserif font for a new project. He has a fabulous eye for typography.

Bandito and me, hard at work

Amanda and Bantos, the Boston Terrier

Self-Improvement

2008-06-18T21:28:00.004-07:00

I am working hard to:

+ Sit up straighter
+ Not care that I can't be everyone's friend
+ Make my gym membership worth the nominal fee I pay
+ Go for a hike every month
+ Answer emails more promptly
+ Make plans to cross the border for a long weekend this summer/fall
+ Drink more water
+ Not get too emotional when emotion is unnecessary
+ Make time to see Sex and the City
+ Infuse my work with more feminine flair
+ Stick to my budget
+ Make excuses to take more pictures
+ Get more comfortable presenting in front of a group

On a related note...
I gave my first Toastmasters speech this Monday, wherein I had to basically just introduce myself to the assembled group. I got several laughs (yes!), and the biggest round of gasps and laughs came from this segment of my speech:

My mom was a teacher at a local middle school. Her subject? Sex ed. If I ever seem a bit odd to you, just attribute it to the scars of surviving my teen years despite memories of adolescent boys coming up to me in the hallway with the announcement, “Erica! Your mom talked about masturbation in class today!” True story.

The results are in: I have a personality

2008-06-08T20:37:00.003-07:00

During my interview process for my new job, I had to go through a battery of personality tests, and I recently got the results. Apparently I am high in the "conscientiousness" factor. Also, I:

+ am a perfectionist
+ play by the rules
+ benefit from structure
+ can easily get consumed by details, tend to over-analyze issues
+ am easily rattled by rejection, but will respond well to critiques
+ often ask "how?"
+ am afraid of confrontation, and thus can give in too easily or can not make my own needs known
+ am very loyal

I was amazed at how spot on these results were, and I would be interested to see if anything would change, were I to take the test again in 3 years. A lot of these characteristics I could have probably told you about myself, but somehow this makes them feel "official". Kinda like a diagnosis. All I need now is a prescription to go along. "To treat your fear of confrontation, I'll have you take two deep breaths per conflict. And be sure to stock up on assertive supplements."

I guess that's what therapy's for, right?

Warning: Possible Viviane overload

2008-05-28T21:44:00.007-07:00

To do my part to stimulate the economy (via ebay) I got a new zoom lens for my camera. (Thanks, W!) It arrived at work probably at about the moment my plane was touching ground in Kansas City to take me to my sister's graduation...where the ability to zoom in on her face in the crowd of graduates would have been handy. Of course.

Anyways. I had to put it to the test this weekend when Brooke, Chris and Viviane came over to celebrate Brooke's birthday. I went a bit overboard on the photo-taking (unusual, I know). I pared the 500+ pictures down to 42 to put in my Picasa album, and below are my very favorites. During dinner, Brooke and Chris related the newest favorite Viviane story:

The other night the three of them were putting together a puzzle when Viviane stood up all of a sudden and exclaimed, "You guys! I can't take living here anymore! [dramatic pause] I have to go to the bathroom!"

They say girls today are maturing faster, but who knew the teen years now start at age 3?!?!

Blowing bubbles with a fancy new bubble blower.

Viviane in our backyard

Would you believe me if I said that's her natural lip color?!?!

How sweet!

I love this shot of Brooke!

Paying attention to the conversation

Cue Pomp and Circumstance

2008-05-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a little over a week now since Ally donned her cap and gown and accepted her diploma from Kansas State. We're so proud of her achievements. Sorry it took so long to get these up! You can see more by clicking on any of the pictures, or by following the album links on the right sidebar.

Ally and her roommates from the house on Juliette

Ready to head to Commencement

Ally, the graduate!

I love this shot of Grandie & Ally!

Woohoo!

This shot of the Fryers' dog Jewel cracks me up!

Me & Amy. Yay for meeting up with old friends!

Little Sterling isn't so little anymore!

1 Bushel and 3 Pounds Lighter

2008-05-10T15:45:00.006-07:00

It was time to work on thinning out Bandit's coat for the hot summer days. Our Coat-King brush may not have the star power (or PR influence) of the Furminator, but as long as it lets me pet the dog without stirring up clumps of hair, I'm all for it.

Nothing witty to go here this time

2008-04-19T14:43:00.002-07:00

A week and a half ago my family learned that my sister was admitted to the hospital back in Kansas. I'll spare you the details (because thinking about them too much will likely bring back the tears that have finally stopped), but basically her liver was overrun with toxins and her enzyme levels were at a life-threatening level (usually your enzymes are around 50 units; Ally's were above 5,000 units). She spent a week at the hospital in Manhattan, only to find out that the special unit there was closing down that very week. Fortunately there is a great specialist in Kansas City, and that's where she is now. My parents are also in KC to be there with her. We are so very lucky and thankful that the doctors and specialists were able to help her, and we hope and pray that her body is now on the mend. Things look good, and we're still planning on celebrating Ally's graduation from K-State in one month – it will be even a more joyous celebration than planned, I'm sure!!!

Thanks to all the friends who have given their support over the past week. At this time, I'm even more grateful to have some real amazing people in my life.

The Big Ditch

2008-03-26T22:19:00.001-07:00

Ally and I visited the Grand Canyon last weekend. I've been a bit disappointed in my photo-taking abilities in recent weeks. I don't know why I'm not capturing things the way I see them in my mind. Here are a couple that turned out ok.

Photo update

2008-03-20T10:59:00.004-07:00

Pat came for a visit last week. Whee! Below is evidence of good times:

At the recreation of St. Louis's Sportsman's Park at the Big League Dreams baseball stadiums in Gilbert

A night out at Devil's Martini with Courtney

Pat and Bandit bonded

Ally's in town! Yay!

Viviane tried her hand at coloring Easter Eggs

Brooke rocked at blowing bubbles

Pat's visit!

Coloring Easter Eggs with Viviane

Inspired: A "new" set of wheels

2008-03-11T15:28:00.003-07:00

During my travels, I went bike-riding at least 5 times, which was about 4 times more than I'd experienced in the last 10 years. It was this ride in Salzburg (pictured above) that convinced me that I needed to put more bike in my life. A fellow American and I rented our bikes for the day and set out to explore. We quickly gave up trying to maneuver around the narrow, cobblestone city streets and set out on a trail to the countryside, ended up at a country pub out west of the city, and then a couple hours later, at the top of the tallest hill on the east end of the city. I decided then that once I was Stateside again, I'd look into getting myself a cheap-o set of wheels from a garage sale and do more bike-riding.

I got something even better: a bike from the dumpster. The day after Christmas, a lady was wheeling her bike to a dumpster, and upon inquiring about the bike, she said she was getting rid of it because the tires were flat and I was welcome to it if I wanted to salvage it. A few squirts from the bike pump later and I had myself a new set of wheels.

I invested $20 in a helmet and a bike chain, and it's been the best thing ever. I bike to the gym, the the bank, to the grocery store, to the salon, to Wal*Mart. And it's my goal in six-ish months to find a new place within a 5-mile radius of my FABULOUS! NEW! JOB! so I can give Yolanda the Honda days upon days of rest. Because nearly 50 miles to the gallon isn't good enough when gas is predicted to approach $4/gallon.

A fashion aside
That coat in the picture was probably the best purchase I made during my travels. My Phoenix mindset definitely influenced my packing when I completely forgot to stick a coat in my luggage. After three weeks of shivering around England and Scotland, I picked this jacket out in an Amsterdam store. I don't think I've owned any item that has received more compliments than this jacket. I'm kind disappointed that the heat is returning to the desert because I'm going to have to stick this trench in the closet for a few months now.

Walkin' the Dog

2008-03-05T21:41:00.003-07:00

Jess, Eric & I took Bandit for an easy hike a couple weekends ago. You can get to the full album by clicking on the pictures, or following the link below.

More Arizona Fun 2008

Employed

2008-03-05T15:42:00.002-07:00

Looks like that horoscope was right about "the grand design" being sketchy until March. This week I left the illustrious ranks of the unemployed. I've got a few weeks to loaf around until I start my new job. I won't include details here, because that's not how I roll. But if you're interested, I'll email you more info. I'm quite excited. Yay!

The Life and Times of Arizonans

2008-02-26T13:01:00.003-07:00

I stumbled across a few pictures I had yet to upload to Picasa. If you want to see more in the various albums, just click the pictures. Enjoy.

The Famous Amos barks again.

Game Night essentials

Viviane loves her blue dress

One of my favorite things to do in Phoenix is have a leisurely weekend breakfast at La Grande Orange.

Before and After, Round 2

2008-02-25T07:13:00.003-07:00

Yeah, this one went through a lot of manipulation. The result isn't your everyday picture, and you certainly wouldn't use it for just anything. But I like it. I was going for a superhero-type look, so I figured the over-the-top contrast, color and funky full-body halo effect would fit.

Original

Updated

Before & After, round 1

2008-02-13T09:56:00.005-07:00

I've had a thing lately for seeing if I can take a not-so-great picture and make it better. This pic was really washed out. In Photoshop I messed with the levels, the color balance, removed the circles under her eyes and cleaned up the whispy hair at the top. I was really pleased the the outcome, even though I'm not convinced I like the sun rays across her jacket.

Original

Updated

Third Time's the Charm

2008-02-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Viviane's third birthday this month. Below are a couple of my favorite pics as well as a link to the full album.

Seamus, the remaining Carroll cat

Such concentration!

Viviane's Third Birthday Party

Mid-day Express

2008-02-11T15:39:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a weekend photography class and will periodically be posting a few pictures from the class here. A couple weeks ago we did a field trip to the Chandler Railroad Museum. This shot is from the inside of one of the railroad cars.

Gotham Font: An Inquiry & Exploration

2008-02-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

Last week a friend inquired of me what the font that Obama was using for his "Change" placards was. A little poking around on the internet revealed that it is a font called Gotham by Hoefler & Frere-Jones. A little further investigation (thank you, NYTimes) revealed the origin of this font to be commissioned for exclusive use by GQ until 2002. The typeface got its notoriety, however, in 2004, when it was selected as the font to adorn the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower on the site of the World Trade Center towers in NYC.

These tidbits of info got me thinking about the implications Obama's team of graphic designers (who have earned heaps of praise for his website) wanted to suggest in the use of Gotham. These are two big points I think they wanted to make by way of Gotham (and yes, I'm sure they thought of these, good designers always think of these things):

+ Barack Obama is stylish enough to merit the use of the font that was once associated only with the style bible of American men

+ Barack Obama is strong enough to be the cornerstone of the America that is built out of the rubble of the Bush presidency

Or. Maybe they just liked that they had visions of butterflies and sprinkles when they looked at the letterform of the bold, capital A.

Related
The above-referenced NYTimes article mentions the font Trajan, which reminds me of this fantastic video. (Be careful to avert your eyes at the mention of Comic Sans.)

It's in the Stars

2008-02-07T15:58:00.001-07:00

I'm not one to hold much stock in horoscopes, even though I love reading them. Mostly I just enjoy their entertainment factor and the pause they make me take to consider my day/month. But today I stumbled on these horoscopes by Town & Country magazine. Considering my job hunt (which has been underway since, oh, mid-November), the reading for Aries seems frighteningly prescient:

Aries
Mar. 21 - Apr. 20

With hotheaded Mars, your ruler, skidding backward since mid-November, it’s no wonder you’ve been feeling fidgety and off-balance. Intriguing plans that seemed to hold such promise last fall have either petered out or gone astray. But relax, and stop gnawing at your nails for a minute. According to all the laws of astrology, your immediate future looks preternaturally bright.

Indeed, 2008 has all the hallmarks of a banner year for those born under the sign of the Ram. Jupiter is at the zenith of your chart, and it’s been twelve years since you’ve had such an opportunity to scale new heights. But until Mars turns direct at the end of January and goes back to the sign of Cancer in March, the grand design is likely to remain a bit sketchy. And if the stars hold a message for you as this New Year dawns, that message is to step back, at least momentarily, reassess your own private world, and thoughtfully analyze your prospects and goals.

Seriously, though? March? I have to wait until March?

The Endorsement

2008-02-04T15:31:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of this year's elections, I "read" the audiobook version of Hillary Clinton's Living History during my travels. I already knew much of my politics aligned with Clinton, just as I knew they also pretty much aligned with Barack Obama's before I recently started reading his Audacity of Hope. What I found in reading Clinton's story, though, was a woman who still bristled at the letters "GOP". Although I had intended on voting for her, after reading all 592 pages (23 hours), I came away with more misgivings than assurances.

Comparatively within the first 100 pages of Audacity of Hope, I knew Obama had won me over. Take page 68:

I am obligated to try to see the world through George Bush's eyes, no matter how much I may disagree with him. That's what empathy does—it calls us all to task, the conservative and the liberal, the powerful and the powerless, the oppressed and the oppressor. We are all shaken out of our complacency. We are all forced beyond our limited vision. No one is exempt from the call to find common ground.

And take page 92-93:

...the process of making law in America compels us to entertain the possibility that we are not always right and to sometimes change our minds; it challenges us to examine our motives and our interests constantly, and suggests that both our individual and collective judgments are once legitimate and highly fallible.

And also page 97:

...I can't summarily dismiss those possessed of similar certainty today—the antiabortion activist who pickets my town hall meeting, or the animal rights activist who raids a laboratory—no matter how deeply I disagree with their views. I am robbed even of the certainty of uncertainty, for sometimes absolute truths may well be absolute.

Sure, I want a president that supports the same causes I do. But I also want a president that has examined the other sides of those causes and admits that his opponents have a valid point, he just chooses to disagree with them.

Last Wednesday I saw Obama at a rally in Phoenix (you can read about the first time I saw Obama and shook his hand here). To my right was a Black single mother; next to her was a Latina; next to her was a woman of Korean descent; next to her was an elderly couple; next to them was a trio of Latinas; and a few rows in front of me was a group of 20-something Muslim girls in their hijabs, waving their posters and posing excitedly for group shots for their point-and-shoot cameras. It was as if a cross-section of America had turned out. And if that's the following that Obama attracts, that's whom I want to throw my weight (and my vote) behind.

I'm no Oprah or Scarlett or Caroline. But for what it counts, I'm endorsing Barack Obama.

Freezing Time

2008-02-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is just simply awesome. Thanks to Matt for sharing. You can read more about how they did it here.

Will Bark for Food

2008-01-30T14:43:00.000-07:00

Meet Amos, who enjoys eating the sticky notes containing my daily to-do lists that I leave littered around the house. We've been house-mates for two and a half weeks now. I'm almost used to his farting, and the 6:30am wake-up calls to whip him up something yummy in the kitchen. Ah, the joys of living with a guy. Fortunately his family returns next week. While his silly face gives me a good laugh, I don't think I'll miss the farts.

Moral Authority

2008-01-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about moral politics. After the 2004 election, there was tons of talk about "moral values voters". It was said that the right was able to talk about their politics in moral terms, and were able to capture a large segment of the population that connected with that talk. There was lots of rustling that the left should frame their discussions in moral terms.

I've been wondering about the consequence of focusing on moral politics, though. If you say you believe that providing health care for all people is a moral imperative, you leave unsaid the assumption that to take the opposite view is immoral, and are more likely to take the next step of writing off their opinion as wrong. Really, I think all people would say that the moral thing to do is to take care of the sick. It is then the job of the politicians to find the most suitable way to do so.

Just some thoughts running through my head at this political time.

By the way, wasn't Kathleen Sebelius fantastic in her response to the SOTU? It's nice to be able to be proud of a Kansas politician.

Not-so-rapid transit

2008-01-10T09:39:00.001-07:00

I did a bit of a social experiment yesterday. I recently discovered a local bus route that goes directly from my neighborhood up to an intersection right by my former employer. To think that I could have been using public transportation the whole time I worked there! Instead of falling asleep at the wheel driving 50 minutes each way, I could have sipped my coffee while leisurely reading my morning paper (and doing a lot of quality people-watching).

Except.

I tried the route yesterday. In non-rush-hour traffic, it took more than 2 hours – TWO HOURS – to get there. That distance is equal to a Sunday morning paper, including the Classifieds. Public transportation in Phoenix is a disgrace.

What I've Learned, 2007

2008-01-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

I've decided to do this year's installment of "What I've Learned" (an idea ripped from the pages of Esquire) by quoting past posts on Terra Incognita. You can read previous editions of What I've Learned here and here.

Man I miss Show and Tell. 01.02.07

It's hard to read subtitles when you're giggling. 02.19.07

To these children [in the movie Jesus Camp] faith and fear are interchangeable. Their faith in God is one that is born out of fear. And that saddens me, because the God I know and the God I trust does not rely on fear. While fear is great motivation, it tends to breed further fear. 04.16.07

If you bring the tuna down [into the Grand Canyon], eat it all, otherwise you'll smell it all the way up and the scent infuses into your backpack so much that even 5 days later you find the dog deliriously licking the inside of your pack. 06.26.07

From now on, I know to carry everything that documents my travel plans when passing through Customs. I'm just thankful that I learned this when entering a country I'm familiar with, and not, say, Vietnam. 07.07.07

It's utterly fantastic to enter a city knowing not a single soul, only to be pubbing a day later with what feels like a contingent from the U.N. 07.20.07

Americans are not the only "ugly" tourists. We get a bad rap, and some tourists give good reason for that reputation, but I've seen just as many "ugly" tourists from all sorts of countries. 08.06.07

I travel quite differently while in a group. It's nice to not have to worry about the details like where I'm staying for the night or how to navigate my way to the train station, but I've found I've become less aware of my surroundings. 08.16.07

It's strange, this feeling of great wealth -- empowering and yet burdensome. I know that my patronage of someone's shop or cafe really makes a difference, which makes me feel good -- I like knowing that what I spend helps feed a family. But it becomes a weighty decision to choose a restaurant for dinner or a stall to buy a souvenir from. 09.13.07

While standing next to an American bunker on top of a hill over looking the Perfume River on the outskirts of Hue, I realized why the Americans lost the Vietnam War: There is no way Americans are suited for the heat and humidity of Vietnam without the luxury of being able to duck into some air con. 09.13.07

I believe it's my inherited responsibility to foster good relations with our former enemies. 09.13.07

I love Vietnam for its unapologetic differences. 09.13.07

I have nearly mastered another art: that of using the squat toilet. Mostly I have learned to carry TP and hand sanitizer in my bag at all times. 09.18.07

Call me weird, but I started missing the chore of lugging my backpack through subways and side streets. It made the arrival at the hotel seem a little less like a major success when I didn't have to exert much effort. 11.16.07

One of the big lessons for me was to see how important culture was to religious experiences. How can I chastise or challenge someone on their belief structure if that's the cultural structure they know and trust? 11.26.07

I've found that I pack way more for a week of domestic travel – or even a week of house-sitting in my own town – than I packed for 3 months of trekking around the globe. 12.19.07

Makin' it great in 2008

2008-01-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

We used to have somewhat of a tradition of eating cheese fondue to ring in the new year. We brought it back this year. Yum! I made it through dinner without dropping anything in the cheese. I'm hoping this bodes well for the new year.

Christmas Eve Morn Mourning

2007-12-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

RIP Otis

I'm doing double-duty on house-sitting this week, and this morning I discovered Otis had died during the night. He was old and diabetic. Brooke had joked for years that there'd be no hard feelings if I killed their cats while they were out of town. But all the joking didn't make discovering him any easier. I'm one of those lucky people whom Death hasn't touched much at all in my 25 years. But if this is how I react to my cousin's cat, I can only imagine the flood of tears when Death hits closer.

Funny Sentences in My Inbox, version 11

2007-12-20T10:34:00.001-07:00

Wow. It's been a year since my last installment of Funny Sentences. Enjoy!

Busch is not beer. What we had at Gordon Biersch? THAT is beer. Please do not confuse the two again - it will only cause you pain.

I'm leaving soon, too. I have chills, and I really don't need to get sick. There are germs floating around all over this place. I feel like I can see them.

Me: I didn't realize it was so cold last night until I went to the grocery store in just a hoodie!
Him: Just a hoodie? Were your legs cold?
This was in front of my boss, no less. My boss! So, of course, men being visual creatures, there was this moment of silence where I know every male coworker in earshot (there were about three) were picturing me pantless. God.

Sunday: Went to the naked hot springs in Ouray with [name withheld], where we ran into my coworker WHO SAW ME NAKED, and vice-versa. As I write this, he is mere cubicles away from me, working on outdoors stories. It's awkward.

That sounds fun, and that day is good for me. Are we limited to bringing our own roommates and boyfriends or could I bring my roommate's boyfriend? Or maybe my roommate's boyfriend's roommate?

Judging from what my parents say about their work experiences, I've had an unusually lucky streak with people here. There are only a few people I want to kill on a daily basis, which is a pretty low ratio of annoying-to-awesome.

is Mr. Scratchy Throat still spending the evenings w/you? i kicked him out of my house a couple of weeks ago. he wasn't paying rent or utilities.

"She's had more husbands than I've had tacos."

As you probably know already, I am leaving for Tanzania in a few days to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

How can these headlines be so great if they're not referencing mid-90s songs that 85% of the newspaper reading public won't get?

Agreed. When you get an award for a headline making a Chumbawamba reference, get back to us. (realizing as I type this that [name withheld] may very well have done a hed with a "But they get up again" reference at some point)

If I'd taken a picture every time I'd seen Comic Sans yesterday (and most days in NYC), I'd have a full picture card.

It's that time of year again. Time for me to pretend I've done a better job of staying in touch, so it's not awkward when I ask for a charitable donation.

And so I should clarify: I am not selling a dildo. To the people on the listserv or to anyone else.

My boss almost used Comic Sans today - to describe a report I work on! Thankfully I was allowed to block him off before it was sent out. The embarrassment alone might have caused me to quit.

Well, it's back to normal Dutch life. Yesterday Jim saw the Queen, (who came to his building to officially open it), this afternoon Sterling is playing at the home of a Polish friend from his class, and I was told by the doctor this morning that 7 weeks to get over a deep chest cough wasn't that long, give it another couple weeks. When I told my next door neighbor this she was surprised he didn't tell me to sleep with an onion next to my head, their usual advise. Maybe I'll try it.

And if you do get this job, you'll have to write a memoir or an article or at least a J-school lecture called "How a Penis Joke Jumpstarted My Career."

Erica: nice to meet you! (shaking hands, don’t want to freak you Americans out with immediate kisses).

If you don't know Erica, it doesn't matter. By that time I hope to have her innebriated enough that she'll pretend to know you.

this week i'm enjoying the lack of estrogen in my life.

Hey, while you're there, can you stop by the second floor and see if you can find Jason and I's livers, dignities, and self-respects? You should find them in the 210 closet in a pool of cheap liquors, splashing and playing like a kiddie pool of defective clone children.

He's moving to China to teach English. Not that he knows Chinese. Or that his English has ever been stellar.

Everything that sucks at the time becomes a funny story later. Yeah. I think I want that on my tombstone.

Plus, did you see when scrolling down on that Amazon listing that there's a comment entry entitled "God Does Not Have A Penis". Now THAT is something we should be reading about. ;)

everything was great until he dropped that bombshell, and then I shrank away like a wool sweater on "tumble dry low."

Let me know if there’s anything I can do to be of assistance in the job hunt. Even if it means calling you to say, “At least you have your legs.” Or I can tell you silly jokes. Or pretend to be JFK.

Traveling Not-So-Light

2007-12-19T23:47:00.000-07:00

I've found that I pack way more for a week of domestic travel – or even a week of house-sitting in my own town – than I packed for 3 months of trekking around the globe.

Go figure.

Anniversary "Home"coming

2007-12-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

Grandie had been in the hospital for over a week, including several days in ICU. Yesterday, the morning of his 57th wedding anniversary, the doctor gave the news that he could be released into a rehab facility. Grammie and I met him at the hospital, picked up his belongings and got to Centre Avenue Rehab to set up his new "home" and to great him when he got there.

Here fishy, fishy

2007-12-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

I'm visiting my grandparents in Ft. Collins, Colo., while my grandfather is in the hospital. The other day when we stopped in at the hospital, I found a friend in the waiting room. (See above photo.)

Grandie's doing lots better and today was moved to a rehab facility, which was a great way to celebrate his and Grammie's anniversary. Today marks their 57th year of marriage!

Inspired: Downsizing my closet

2007-12-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to learn to do with less

At about week 11 I was ready to toss my 20-pound backpack full of clothes in the Andaman Sea. I was sick of rotating the same 6 tank tops, 4 t-shirts, 2 skirts, dress and 2 pairs of jeans/shorts. Every clothes store I stepped into called its siren song and it became increasingly difficult to resist (hence, one of the reasons I went a little overboard in the tailor shops in Vietnam). The thought of returning to a closet and dresser full of clothes just begging me to wear them nearly made me giddy.

And yet.

When faced with that over-flowing closet of fresh clothing, I tend to reach for what feels natural: my handy jeans, one of the 6 tanks, and (if there's a chill in the Arizona air) my comfy, trusty, stripped sweater. [Exhibit A: See above.] If I'm trying to make a fashion statement, I think it's a broken record.

I can't seem to get over that desire to accumulate more, though. The winter sales are so intoxicating, it's easy to forget the clothes I already have when something new and pretty flashes in my line of vision. I've already discarded two garbage bags of clothes I knew I wasn't going to wear anymore (that's like dumping two packs into the Andaman Sea!), but the lesson I need to internalize is to accumulate only what I need and will actually use.

The broken record I need to start playing for myself is, "I do not need a new sweater...I do not need a new sweater..."

Alright, already

2007-12-02T16:33:00.001-07:00

Some of you have already discovered the RSS link on the right that goes to my pictures from this year's Thanksgiving festivities. I didn't want to overwhelm you with tons of pictures, so I thought I'd go an album at a time. There'll be another album posted in a couple days. And then I'll probably be going through a dry spell. It's time for the camera to get cleaned from all the adventures.

Here are a few highlights from Thanksgiving.

The place settings at Brooke's

Chris carves the bird

Olivia gets a taste of Viviane's ladybug galoshes

Brooke and Ally share a funny story

Would sir desire a kibble?

2007-11-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

This is my blatant attempt at being more dooce-like. And to direct your attention to more new pictures. Now appearing in my Picasa account is an album documenting the family's visit to Arizona. Below are a few more highlights.

Bandit wanted some of Mom's Orange Sourdough Pancakes. I don't blame him as they are the Food of the Gods.

Those ruby slippers are attached to Viviane's feet.

Emily, my dad's youngest sister and my Aunt Mimi.

This is what 50+ years of marriage looks like.

Family Visit

We have spirit yes we do! We have spirit how 'bout you?!?!

2007-11-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

Meant to post this on Sunday. It's a screen shot of my Facebook friends' status feeds. Way to keep it real, Sarah.

Inspired: A faith journey

2007-11-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to be more open to experiencing God in new and maybe uncomfortable ways without losing the faith that's important to me.

While I was traveling, it was easy to seek out new religious experiences. I loved learning the histories of synagogues, mosques and temples and how the structures aide and inform worship. It was inspiring to see how similar the faith experience is across the continents, and it gave me confidence that though I will never know all the answers, I can be assured that the desire to connect to something greater than myself is universal and therefore True.

One of the big lessons for me was to see how important culture was to religious experiences. How can I chastise or challenge someone on their belief structure if that's the cultural structure they know and trust? This also means that I have to be aware of the cultural influences on my own religious experiences. And if that's true for the foreign lands I visited, it means I have to afford the same respect for the different belief and cultural structures I come across in my own country and my own faith. It's harder for me to willingly expose myself to more literal interpretations of Christianity. It was a stretch for me, then, to attend the more conservative Women of Faith conference with Beth Moore as a speaker with my visiting aunts a week ago. I was reminded, though, that while I may disagree on some of the particulars, the connection with my aunts and grandmother was wholly ecumenical.

Inspired: a new short series

2007-11-16T16:48:00.001-07:00

I'm going to try to do a brief series on things that struck me and stuck with me during my travels. This will give me some specific memories to bring up from my travels and will be a chance to share how I hope to bring the little things I experienced into my life here and now.

I'm trying to walk more

While in Europe I walked everywhere. There was one day in Munich where I went on three walking tours. It was nothing to me to spend a whole day just exploring a city step by step. It made me pay more attention to the buildings around me and the faces I passed on the sidewalks. And it was an awesome way to stay in shape during my absence from the gym. I found that when I was in Asia I did a lot less walking. The weather made it uncomfortable to expend too much energy, and the locals were too ready to take you (and your luggage) to your destination on the back of their motorbikes for 50¢. Call me weird, but I started missing the chore of lugging my backpack through subways and side streets. It made the arrival at the hotel seem a little less like a major success when I didn't have to exert much effort.

From my house, I can walk to three different grocery stores. I used to be able to walk to four, but the Albertsons shut down a couple months ago. Why, then, do I jump in the car and waste gas to go pick up a box of cereal? I am starting to try harder to rely on foot power rather than gas power. It will take a bit more time, sure. But it will also take a few more calories, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Memories in Pieces

2007-11-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

One of my biggest regrets from my travels was that I didn’t write enough about my adventures, not on here, not in my journal, not in letters home. I meant to write more; I really wanted to preserve the events in a way that I could turn to those words years later and spark memories of adventures with names and places that had faded from recall. But when it came to having to choose between capturing those adventures on paper or experiencing more adventures, I usually chose to experience more than I could record.

Or else I chose to sleep.

But this choice means that I haven’t told you about how amazing it was to feel the power of an elephant’s ears pressing my legs against her head as I rode around the jungle. Or the fun of splashing around in a Vietnam mud bath with new friends and fellow travelers. Or how I relaxed in (gifted) luxury at the Sheraton in Singapore on my last night in Asia. Or the sense of accomplishment I felt after cycling the very steep, windy hill up to the castle in Budapest. Now it’s been more than a month that I’ve been on American soil and those little memories are starting to drift away.

I know it sounds strange, but part of me doesn’t want to tell these stories because by telling them in past tense I have to admit that my stint of adventuring is over for now.

A Photo Guide

2007-11-07T09:59:00.001-07:00

One of the best things I did before the start of my trip was to buy a new camera. A big camera. A REAL camera. I never anticipated how much it would change my ability to take pictures. I felt like I captured photographs rather than snapshots. I wondered if I would want to lug such a behemoth around, but once I started seeing the pictures it took, I was convinced my Canon point-and-shoot would no longer satisfy me. In fact, of the 5,000+ pictures I took while traveling, probably only 100 or so were from the point-and-shoot.

Along the way I picked out nearly 800 pics to put in my Picasa albums, but if that still seems like a lot to look through, I've tagged a series of my favorites, which you can see here. (You might need to click on the "Erica's Gallery" link in the upper right.) I've also tagged all the self-portraits I took along the way, mostly for the sake of my mother, who I think was more interested in seeing that I was alive and healthy rather than the places I was going or the random people I was meeting. And for all the people who contributed to my "travel photo scavenger hunt" those pictures can be found here.

The last of the photos

2007-11-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

I found a set of pictures I hadn't uploaded to Picasa yet. They're from my last night out in London and they probably explain why I felt so crappy in Paris the next day.

Ally & I enjoy a cable car ride in San Francisco

Granddaddy and Bonnie (Bandit's "cousin")

My dad was recognized as a Fellow within the American Society of Landscape Architects. To be invested as a Fellow is the highest honor a landscape architect can receive in the professional organization. This shot was taken at the black tie dinner held in honor of the new Fellows.

Last Night in London

San Francisco

Dad's ASLA Fellows Celebration

Pictures for now. Words (and more pics) to come later

2007-11-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

It's hard to update now that I'm back. My daily adventures in Arizona don't seem as entertaining as my daily adventures backpacking around the world. As the pics below should show, though, I am having fun exploring the Phoenix area all over again.

Jess & Eric on the top of Camelback Mountain

My reaction to the thought of returning to the "real" world

Viviane on a sunny day

More Viviane. Check out those eyelashes!

If that's too many Viviane pics for you, then don't check out the album because there are a dozen more like them

Kendra after breaking a plate at a local Greek restaurant. Opa!

A hot Bandito

Eric & I infiltrated the bounce house at the Big XII picnic. I think we had more fun than the kids.

Albums
For more pics, check out the albums:

Hiking Camelback

Fun with Viviane, #73

More Fun in Arizona

Big XII Alumni Picnic 2007

Secretly Famous

2007-10-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I met up with Crystal at Changing Hands (better known as My Favorite Local Bookstore) to see Frank Warren (better known as The PostSecret Guy) at a stop on his book tour. He started his talk with an explanation of the PostSecret project, how it started, etc., and he used three or four postcards as samples explaining PostSecret. One he held up as an example of how the postcards are really works of art themselves. It looked faintly familiar, but I couldn't see it well from the back of the crowd (it was standing room-only). And then he read the secret. And I recognized it. And I nearly freaked out. It was the secret that belonged to one of my best friends. I desperately wanted to go up to Mr. Warren afterwards and ask to see the card in person, because by holding it, it would almost be like my friend were present there in that room. Unfortunately, I couldn't get through the crowds of people without making a complete idiot of myself. It may be strange, but I am proud to know that my friend's postcard is being shared with audiences around the country as a significant example of art and that the ironic secret s/he shared anonymously with a stranger is bringing chuckles to the people who hear it.

Tips on How to Ask Me About My Travels (Slightly Updated)

2007-10-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

As tends to happen, I'm starting to get a bit tired of answering the same five questions:

"So, did you have fun?" Nah, seeing amazing sites, meeting fantastic people and having grand adventures isn't really my thing. The $5 massages in Thailand were pretty decent, though.

"I want to hear all about your trip!" Great! Do you have an extra 3 months and the funds to pay me the living wage I won't be making while I retell every detail of my 90 days abroad?

"Are you glad to be back home?" Yes. And no. And it's way more complicated than either you want to hear or I want to share.

"What was your favorite place?" Vietnam. And Munich. And Krakow. And Singapore. And Sydney. And Amsterdam. And Cesky Krumlov. And Khao Sok. And the Cameron Highlands. And...well, it'd be easier if I just gave you my itinerary and you looked at that list there.

"So now what are you going to do?" Unpack. (Seriously. I've lent my backpack to a friend who's traveling Europe for the next two weeks and all I've done is lift the stack of clothing out of my pack and place it on my bedroom floor.) And maybe once I have things sorted here, I'll consider looking for work somewhere, anywhere. That is, unless I can convince each of you to pledge a dollar a day to support my next round of travels.

So, to help you get better responses from me (and to aid in my enjoyment and creativity in answering your questions) I give you a few suggestions that can get the conversation going:

"What was the best meal you had?" The cooking class in Hoi An was outstanding food in fabulous company.

"What local delicacies will you miss the most? REAL Belgian waffles and mango shakes from SE Asia. Yummmm...

"What was the biggest scare you had?" Looking up at the carabiners fastening my harness to the paragliding chute only to notice that they really weren't secure at all.

"How much beer did you drink?" More than I ever thought I'd try in my entire life. Believe it or not, I might actually enjoy a brewski every once in a while now.

"Why don't you look very tan if you spent an entire month in SE Asia?" Dude, the prospect of lugging a 20-pound backpack around the world on lobster shoulders really didn't appeal to me. I layered on the sunscreen.

"What was the biggest mistake you made?" Trying to break up with my boyfriend before leaving the country. That, and going a little crazy in the tailor shops in Hoi An.

"What handy travel tip did you learn along the way?" Carry an extra plastic bag. It comes in handy when shopping in European shops that charge you for bags, when you need to cover your drenched bicycle seat to keep from soaking your shorts, and when you want to keep your wet swim suit from contaminating the dry contents of your bag.

"When do you plan to go on another trip like this?" As soon as I save up the funds. And this time, I'm thinking 6 months. Wanna join me?

"How has this adventure inspired you? Ahhh...you'll just have to wait for another post for that answer...

All Sorts of Photos

2007-10-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm bombarding you with the last of my international pictures. Below are a few of my favorites. Following the pics are links to the albums. In total, I think I took more than 5,000 pictures on this trip. That makes the 850+ I've uploaded to share with you seem like barely a glimpse of the past 3 months. I keep thinking of stories and happenings that I've neglected to share here on this blog. I think I'll share bits and pieces here for the next few weeks. Then I'll get on with living in the present. For now, enjoy the pictures. Somewhere in there is a challenge for you (a prize can be won!). Photos from San Francisco will come soon.

Fruit and veg stand in the Cameron Highlands

Hungry monkey at the Batu Caves outside KL

Petronas Towers

Sushi dinner in Melaka

Vietnamese hooker and Jonathan in Singapore. I love the way their eyes draw you around the picture!

Mel with camera on Manly Beach

Steps up to the Sydney Opera House

Crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge by night

Playing Catch-up

2007-10-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

It was a good decision to come back to the States via San Francisco, if for no other reason than to let my sports-savvy grandparents help me catch up on all the happenings in the MLB, NCAA and NFL. Mizzou's undefeated?!?! The D'backs are headed to the Series?!?! The (Arizona) Cards are 3-6? (Well, that one was somewhat expected, anyways.) And the best news? The Suns kick off the 2007 season the day I arrive back in PHX. Suh-weet!

Pictures!
I've temporarily run out of space in my Picasa photo account, which is probably a good thing, because if I unloaded all my pictures on you at once, none of you would get any work done. So, I'll be presenting the remaining photos from my time abroad in installments. Here's your first group. These are from Thailand.

Chillaxing in the bungalow in the Khao Sok jungle

Cute kitty who had lost her mommy

Chillaxing on the beach with a good book (The Historian)

The shell-covered beach in Krabi

Bangkok

Khao Sok

Krabi

Stateside

2007-10-04T00:02:00.000-07:00

I arrived in San Francisco this morning after a 13-hour-plus United flight. Fortunately it was a monstly empty plane (80 seats available!) and I got an entire three seats to myself. This'll be a fun, family-filled stop-over as we get to celebrate my dad's recognition within his professional organization. Me, I'm relishing the chance to be somewhere for more than three days, the luxury of a washer and dryer, and the availability of high-speed internet.

The Last of the Vietnam Pics
The rest of SE Asia and Sydney to come soon.

Saigon

Good Times

2007-09-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

Last night found me and some fellow Singapore hostelers ushered through the door with the Australian emcee of a local comedy club, The One Night Stand on Clarke Quay, breezing past the line-up of stockbrokers and businessmen still in their slacks and collared shirts from work. I got to use that much-desired line, "We're with him," which waved the $50 entry fee. Jonathan was hilarious (despite -- or maybe because of? -- his jabs at Americans), and the group that followed, Edinburgh Fringe Festival winners We Are Klang, was the best sketch comedy I've seen in a long time. If the comedy wasn't enough to make it a fantastic night, the dancing that followed was. Or maybe what really sealed the deal was coming back to the hostel at 2 a.m. to join Jonathan outside having a round of beers on the sidewalk with a local Indian cabbie, a Singaporean who was either a former male gigalo or a member of the local mafia (I swear), and a hooker.

Happy Days.
(This is a phrase that Australians seem to use constantly. I think it can roughly translate to "Sweet!" or "Dude" or "Score!")

A Bit of Honesty

2007-09-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to get pretty sick of the clothes I've packed, but I've been put off shopping because everything here is either fake labels that don't do anything for me, or items I could find at home for about the same price (and I don't want to lug things like that around for the next two weeks!). I'm finding that Vietnam was a bit more up my alley than Thailand or Malaysia, if only because there was so much that was different. Thailand and Malaysia have become so Westernized that even when I'm the only Caucasian person around, I don't feel that sense of wonderment that I relished while in Vietnam.

There are only 10 days left until I head back to the States. I think I'm ready for a little familiarity -- I got excessively excited to eat at a Nando's (a British chicken fast food joint) this afternoon -- because it offered something other than rice or noodles.

I just don't think I'm ready to get back to the "real world" yet. Maybe I could consider home as a stopover on yet another travel route -- a chance to wear something other than the same five tank tops I've been wearing for the past two and a half months.

More Bathroom Etiquette
I learned today that rather than queueing up for the bathroom as a whole, here in Malaysia you queue for a particular stall. It took me a while to figure out why all these girls were cutting in front of me. Then I realized that I wasn't following the "rules".

Fast Times in Penang

2007-09-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

It's Ramadan, and Malaysia being a Muslim country, that means that I get to witness in person one of the most holy months in Islam as practiced by pretty much an entire community. Last night, we went to an Indian restaurant for my first taste of Tandoori chicken. It really interested me to see the number of Muslims who arrived and waited patiently until the call to prayer sounded the setting of the sun and signaled the chance for them to eat. This evening I visited the nearby mosque, dressed in the robe and headscarf they had to loan non-Muslim visitors. A couple hours earlier, I had been wandering the grounds of S.E. Asia's largest Buddhist temple. I love the chance to connect with so many of the world's great religions. It helps me understand myown faith even better.

New Pics
I'll get around to uploading my Thailand pictures soon, don't worry. For now you can enjoy these from Vietnam. (Siagon pics TK)

Showing off the pedicure I got on the beach

My first time with a hookah (not as hard-core as you may think, really)

Nha Trang

Stickin' It

2007-09-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

Not the most flattering picture of me, but it makes me laugh!

One sign of Vietnam's communism that I forgot to mention before: the systematic blocking of all blogspot blogs by the government Internet censors. I could post to my blog, but I couldn't view my posts. Interesting...

Speaking of blogs, if you want to read a more thorough account of our adventures in Vietnam, check out Andrea and Simon's blog. They did a daily account of our travels from Hanoi to Saigon.

Hoi An

Safe in Krabi

2007-09-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

The plane crash in Phuket was an immense tragedy here, as you can imagine. We heard about it in the jungle (the mighty jungle) of Khao Sok, several miles from the popular beach town. I had friends from the Vietnam trip who had flown that precise airline to Phuket from Bangkok the day before. Fortunately they are safe (though rather shaken).

Rain, Rain, Go Away
They don't lie when they say it's the rainy season here in Thailand. Fortunately the clouds cleared enough for us to get out to a few islands yesterday, including the island where they filmed The Beach. I am slowing learning how to master snorkeling. The first time I tried in Vietnam, I failed an attempt to take a picture of Andrea and Simon with their underwater camera. My brain could handle concentrating on one thing at a time and I chose to concentrate on breathing rather than manipulating the strange contraption that was their underwater camera.

And I thought Eastern European toilets were bad
I have nearly mastered another art: that of using the squat toilet. Mostly I have learned to carry TP and hand sanitizer in my bag at all times. The "squat and drop" part needs some work.

Just because I'm sure you were interested to learn that.

Excerpts from my travel journal

2007-09-13T00:22:00.000-07:00

From within an American bunker atop the pass on the way from Hue to Hoi An

29 August
Honking horns need translation from Vietnamese to English as much as a regular spoken phrase needs it. Horns here do not simply mean "Get outta my way!" as they are predominantly used in the States. In the States, a honked horn is akin to a four-letter word. But here, a honked horn is better translated to mean: "Hey, I'm here." And no one says it just once. The streets and highways are a cacophony of "I'm here! I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!" They sound their horn every time they want to pass, approach another driver, change lanes or just feel awkward gripping the wheel without honking the horn.

This is only a very mild exaggeration of the traffic rules I've observed in my 6 hours of being here. I couldn't spend all my time deciphering the rules of the road, of course. Sometimes I got distracted by the sights in the stores and on the streets: the beautiful table linen, the lovely purses, the random wandering bald chicken.

I've never been anywhere like this before. And I think the bald chicken sold me on this country.

4 September
...Several of us had our fortunes/palms read by a local woman. I figured I'd have a go at it just for fun. She told me that I'd live to be 85 (I sure hope I live longer, although here I'm sure that 85 is quite elderly), I'll get married at age 30 and have four kids. Ha! I think not! The next day when we were careening in a van around the winding hairpin curves over the highest pass in Vietnam, driven by the craziest driver ever, I was a bit comforted by the fact that I "knew" I'd make it to the bottom if nothing else because I was going to live to be 85.

5 September
It's strange, this feeling of great wealth -- empowering and yet burdensome. I know that my patronage of someone's shop or cafe really makes a difference, which makes me feel good -- I like knowing that what I spend helps feed a family. But it becomes a weighty decision to choose a restaurant for dinner or a stall to buy a souvenir from. Sometimes when passing one store and selecting another it feels like I am effectively selecting one individual over another to be less able to provide a living for their family. I know that I'm being a bit dramatic and that some other tourist is just as likely to make the opposite choice as me, thus together we help each shop owner. But it's hard to learn to say "no" knowing that "yes" really makes a difference.

It has become somewhat wearying to say "no" so much. I've been around many persistent vendors (the lawn of the Eiffel Tower comes firs to min -- while relaxing there I thought of writing a sign saying "Je ne voudrais rien!" "I don't want anything.") but it is nothing like some of the ladies and children working the stalls in Vietnam. Along with the honking horns, the sounds that will stick with me from Vietnam are the choruses of "Madame! You buy from me! I have your size! Many colors. What you looking for? Madame, you come into my shop! You buy something!" I do not respond well to someone dragging me by the arm just to be shown a string of beads. I wonder if they'll learn that Western tourists are put off by that? Or maybe they find their hard-sell tactics work and don't care about the tourists who dislike it.

7 September
Add to that list of tailored purchases a winter jacket and another pair of shoes. Eek! I started feeling buyer's remorse last night. Seriously? Who needs a winter jacket in Phoenix? I'd been so frugal with my spending for most of this trip that my whirlwind spending spree in Hoi An set my nerves into high-stress mode. But when I look at my budget, I really haven't done that much damage ... I talked myself out of the stress zone with the logic that I'm bound to make one big mistake in my travels, and it it's a winter coat that I can get some use of somewhere along the way (maybe I'll have to focus my job hunt to the northern states), well, that's better than a tattoo of a porcupine on my belly or a one-night stand in a hostel dorm...

...While standing next to an American bunker on top of a hill over looking the Perfume River on the outskirts of Hue, I realized why the Americans lost the Vietnam War: There is no way Americans are suited for the heat and humidity of Vietnam without the luxury of being able to duck into some air con. The other day I saw the weather report from Baghdad, and it looked even hotter than Vietnam. I'm seeing a trend here...

...I've been quick to say I'm American when people ask where I'm from. I believe it's my inherited responsibility to foster good relations with our former enemies. Tonight on the train to Nha Trang, Andrea and I walked to the back end of the train where the dining car was. The only people in there were train employees, including the manager) and the police. They asked where we were from and when I said I was American, they became real animated and did some pointing at one of the police officers. I got the feeling they were saying that he had fought in the war, but they didn't speak enough English (and my Vietnamese is limited to "hello" and "thank you") for me to understand whether they were saying he fought with the Americans or against them. He was quick to pour me a beer and offer his hand, but I couldn't tell if that was a gesture to say he'd been on our side, or a sort of peace offering. Either way, I was quite pleased to be so welcomed.

It was quite amusing to sit there and watch the conductor of the train get pissed at the back with the police. They refilled my beer (a 333 or, "ba ba ba" beer) when I wasn't looking and they kept trying to convince Andrea to have shots of vodka. But it was her turn for her tummy to feel a little uneasy, so she was the "designated walker" in our pair.

We didn't have much of a conversation outside of getting it across that we were going to Nha Trang to go swimming at the beach, all communicated by charades. They said a lot of things we couldn't understand, and they laughed a lot, and kept trying to offer us more drinks. They were really interested in my pale skin and kept pointing at Andrea's tanned arms and my pale limbs, as if amused that two White girls could have such differences in skin tone.

Night One in Bangkok 13 September
I can definitely feel the change from Vietnam to Thailand. I'm quite glad to have done Vietnam first...although, I think my perspective is slightly jaded this way. It's easy to look at all the Europeans here and feel a bit superior because I've seen a less developed, less touristy side of SE Asia. You can't turn a corner without running into some hippified European tourist here on the streets of Bangkok. In Hanoi, when you run into another Westerner, you actually make eye contact and share a bond of wonderment as you pass on the street.

I love Vietnam for its unapologetic differences: eccentricities like the motorbike driver we saw on our way to Halong Bay who was loaded up with so many chickens they were even strapped (live!) to his handlebars; the woman who beckoned me to her stall with one hand and was knuckle-deep into picking her nose with the other in Hoi An (nose-picking seems to be a national past-time there); the children eager to give high-fives and shout "hello!" as we cycle past on bikes. I'm grateful to have witnessed the marks of communism: museums that impart propaganda more than information (the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi was just a series of pictures of and quotes from the former president); community-wide radio broadcasts that come from speakers throughout the city of Hanoi at the close of the business day. As tourism in Vietnam increases, I wonder what will change.

More pictures

(updated)

Everything is a Photo Here

2007-09-04T04:26:00.000-07:00

Hanoi

Halong Bay

Postscript
By the way, I love reading your comments on the blog and my pics. Hope you're enjoying reading it, and I hope you don't mind all the pretty sunset pictures at Halong Bay!

2007-09-01T03:55:00.000-07:00

Hanoi
Crossing the street here is quite literally a walk of faith. You step off the curb, head to the other side at a steady pace and trust (pray?) that the whirlwind of motorbikes, cyclos, bikes and cars clear a path for you. And amazingly, somehow it works.

2007-08-28T16:44:00.001-07:00

In Transit
Sawasdee (trans.: "Hello") from the Bangkok airport! I'm waiting for my connecting flight to Hanoi and found cheap internet. Having capitalized on the "luxury" of many a cheap flight on Southwest Airlines in the States, I wasn't really prepared for the comparatively lavish Thai Airways. The flight attendants are so kind; everything they say is followed by "please." "Would you like coffee, please?" "Would you like a hot towel, please?" And their English is superb, barely a hint of an accent. I could only imagine how nice business class must be.

I checked the weather for Hanoi before I left Prague:

35 (Celsius) with 94% humidity

94%?!?!?! I might as well just wear my swim suit and forget anything made out of denim. I'll have to draw on my days surviving on the top floor of FARC during the hot and humid Missouri August as preparation for the hot and humid S.E. Asia. At least this time I won't have to get all kitted out in preparation for sorority recruitment parties. Trekking across campus from dorm to Greek Town trying to look cute and refreshed was futile. I think I'll avoid the make-up this time; it'll probably just come sliding off my face.

2007-08-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

New Pics
This isn't all of the recent cities I've visited. Hopefully I'll get to update the albums later, including my most recent pics of Prague. Tonight I'm sleeping (?) in the airport to be ready for my 6 am flight. Next stop: Vietnam!

2007-08-24T03:22:00.001-07:00

The More You Know...
The trains in Eastern Europe don't have conventional waste disposal systems. You "flush" right out onto the tracks. I nearly freaked out when I pressed the lever to flush and saw the trap open to reveal the ground whizzing beneath. And that is why it's actually illegal to use the toilettes at a stop. Ick!

I've made it to Budapest. Bratislava was nothing to write home about (except I wrote home to tell them that). The tour ends tomorrow. I've actually gotten used to group travel, but it'll be nice to have a few days on my own. Headed back to Prague tomorrow on an overnight train. Whee!

2007-08-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

Auschwitz
I think I came down with a mild case of the flu the day we visited this, the largest Nazi death camp. I found that to be somewhat appropriate, as my stomach pain was a constant reminder that the souls that walked those grounds before me not only experienced sickness, but in their sickness were pushed into horrors beyond imagination. I didn't bring my camera with me into the camp. I'm sure I could have captured many dramatic pictures, but I couldn't handle the thought of having to look through it all again. One visit is enough.

Krakow / Krakof
I wish I had more time in this city. Actually, I wish I had more time in most of the cities I visit. Fortunately, I'm seeing this trip as a sampling of places I'd like to visit again. When I return (there is no "if") I will soak up the city some more. For now, it's time to head back into the sun (yay! finally!) and find a place on the main square where I can enjoy a glass (bottle?) of wine.

2007-08-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

Grouping It
I've found I travel quite differently while in a group. It's nice to not have to worry about the details like where I'm staying for the night or how to navigate my way to the train station, but I've found I've become less aware of my surroundings. I've been in Prague for a day and a half now and even despite the fact that we spent the afternoon on a quick trip to a small town outside, I think that I'd have a better sense of where I am in the city if I were forced to figure it all out for myself. That's typical of group travel, I'm sure, so I'm going to have to make a more conscious effort to learn my way around because I think I enjoy a city more when I know how the streets and metros and buildings all connect and intersect.

The group dynamics are interesting; everyone is either mid-30s, mid-60s or me. There are two other graphic/magazine designers in our group of 8, amazingly. We've had great discussions of typography, poster illustrations and graphic symbolism -- not to mention all the hints and tips we've shared about getting the most out of our cameras. All this and we're in Prague -- a mecca for Art Nouveau! As I told Jana, it's fantastic to be in a city that values lovely signage.

That Which Has Become My Most-Uttered Phrase of My Trip

"That's interesting..."

Simon pointed out that I said it often (in comparison to Sarah, who apparently uses the almost interchangable "That's funny...") and now I've noticed that I say it all the time. I won't appologize for my seemingly bland vocabulary, though, because it's true. It's all interesting.

2007-08-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Adverture Fooding
While I was staying with Megan and Jon, I borrowed a book called A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain, an NYC chef. He wrote about his quest to find the 'perfect' meal by traveling the world to eat food as the locals eat it. After reading about his adventures -- including trying a deadly poisonous fish in Japan -- I figured the least I could do would be to try the local specialty at least once in each city/country I visit. Thist has meant not only absolutely fabulous Belgian waffles in Brussels and Brugge, but also black pudding (cooked sheep's blood) in Scotland. And you know what? I'd gladly take the black pudding many times more before I'll eat cooked cabbage in the Czech Republic.

Updated Album
My Munich album has been updated with the final pics. Haven't had the chance to upload pictures from Austria or the one's I've taken in Cesky Krumlov. Those'll come in a few days, I'm sure.

Munich

2007-08-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Here Goes...
I'm meeting up with my first small group tour in about 15 minutes here in Vienna. I'm admitedly a bit nervous about this. After doing the solo travel thing for more than a month, having to keep up with a group almost sounds like work. I hope they're cool, because I'm stuck with them for the next two weeks.

More Pics
Eventually I'll get around to uploading the rest of my Munich pictures and tell a few more stories from the city. I also have Salzburg to share as well. More TK!

Amsterdam

Munich

2007-08-08T04:03:00.000-07:00

Staying dry
It's raining outside on the day I was planning to spend sunning myself in the Englisher Garten. So instead, I'm catching up on all the photos I've neglected to post. See below.

Losing Translation
Most of the Internet cafes I've been in have had PCs with English operating systems, despite their foreign keyboards. The one I'm in now is all configured in German. This proved to be quite the challenge when trying to use a DVD-burning program I'd never heard of, in a foreign language I don't really understand, on a platform (PC) that totally frustrates me.

Other adventures in German include trying to figure out just what's going on with this strike. Google Translation is quite helpful, though, and I think their clunky translation of the news says that all should go to plan tomorrow. I sure hope so...

Paris

Brussels

More to come. My computer has jsut decided to revert to the era of dial-up slowness.

2007-08-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

Complications
Thursday there is supposed to be a German rail strike.

Thursday I'm supposed to head to Salzburg.

This could be interesting.

2007-08-06T05:04:00.001-07:00

Thoughts and Highlights from the Past Week+
(In bulleted format! Woo!)

+ I´m quite glad I got to see the Tour de France. It hit me that it´s just about the only completely free-to-watch competition that is the crowning challenge of a sport. Just about every other major sporting event is held in an arena or stadium and requires a ticket to enter. the only exceptions are maybe the Cambridge-Oxford boat races (and that´s not a big international competition), and the major marathons (Boston, New York, London, etc.), but there are several of those. The Tour de France is BIG. And our spot on the Champs Elysees to watch was prime.

+ Three days was definitely enough time for me in Paris. The weather was gray and drab, and as I stood at the top of Montmartre in front of Sacre Coeur that grayness and drabness seemed to be reflected in the very monochromatic city view.

+ This probablz also contributed greatly to my enjoyment of Amsterdam. I entered the city and it was lively and colorful and each building looked different from its neighbors. (That could have been partly because each building was leaning haphazardly into its neighbors.)

+ I did not actually partake in the local "delicacy" while in Amsterdam. Getting high by myself sounded to me more like a cry for help than a cultural experience, and most of the fellow travelers I met along the way were stoners there just to indulge. I´d rather be surrounded by like-minded friends than potheads if I´m going to test those waters.

+ Amsterdam was a very, very friendly city, but it´s the only city I´ve visited so far where I didn´t really make friends. I analyze this to be because most people head to Amsterdam with their little group of friends so they can all get high together rather than venture out on their own.

+ I was sitting in a cafe on the street in Amsterdam and a local guy came up trying to get me to come to some club party thing he was advertsing. He asked where I was from and I said Kansas, at which point he said, "Oh! You guys have a great football team, don´t you!" My first thought was, "Well, the Chiefs aren´t really that good, actually." But before I could say anything, he followed that with, "The Kansas State Wildcats, right?" I almost fell off my chair. I never knew anyone in Europe would have known anything about college football, but apparently this guy wanted to get away from Holland for a while and headed to California to play baseball for a small college, during which time he became a big college sports fan. I didn´t get the name of the school he attended because he was on to the next person he was trying to attract to his party.

+ After I met the Wildcat fan, I turned the street corner only to run into a Nike ad with a picture of Steve Nash! I nearly did a little dance right there in the street.

+ Bikes are awesome, although my butt the day after my bike tour was quite sore.

+ I´m now in Munich. This morning I went on a free walking tour of the city, and I´m headed in a few minutes to do another walking tour detailing the rise of the Third Reich in the city, then this evening I`m going to learn about "liquid bread" on a beer/brewery tour. Tomorrow I think I´m going to head out to the Neuschwanstein Castle (the castle Disneyland based the Cinderella castle on).

Not to Stereotype, But...Well, Yes, to Stereotype
I have found the following generalisations regarding cultural groups:

+ Americans can be easily spotted by our shoes, our baseball caps, and something about our faces. I can´t place it, but I have gotten pretty good at figuring out an American face. Maybe it´s the mish-mash of cultures that make our faces not have a distinct look and in that they become distinct. Woah, that´s getting a bit deep.

+ Germans speak very good English and when I´ve asked why, the common response is that they read books published in their original langage rather than translations. This has been the common answer I´ve received from several different Germans.

+ In playing a fun game I call "Name That Nationality" (whereby I have to try to pick the nationality of a passing tourist before I hear them speak) I have found an easy way to pick out North Africans, specifically Moroccans and Algerians: They´re the men who try to pick me up. My first week after leaving the UK I was approached by no less than 6 Algerians or Moroccans. No Frenchmen, no Dutch, and only one Belgian if you count Simon. :)

+ "Thank you" in the language of the country you´re visiting is the most important phrase to learn. "Dank ja wel" (sp?) was the only Dutch I learned and everytime I said it to a shopkeeper or restauranter, their face brightened and they looked at me with unbelief; like they were thinking, "Wow! She knows Dutch!"

+ Americans are not the only "ugly" tourists. We get a bad rap, and some tourists give good reason for that reputation, but I´ve seen just as many "ugly" tourists from all sorts of countries.

Pictures to come when I can find a place that actually lets me attache a USB cord and has software to let me view thumbnails. The console I´m currently on only lets me view the pictures full-size, and as I have nearly 2,000 pictures already, it would take my whole hour of Internet time to sort through and find a handful of good ones to share.

2007-08-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

I Heart Amsterdam
It's official, I think this might be my favorite city so far. And no, it's not for the reasons many 20-somethings like this city. Although, it may have a lot to do with the weather finally being something other than cold and dreary. More TK.

2007-07-29T16:11:00.001-07:00

Tour de Butt
I spent today with a fun group of fellow hostelers staking out a place on the Champs Elysées, waiting (sometimes patiently) for the start of the race, and watching all the action. Unfortunately for my butt, some of the action was in the form of the dirty European men copping a feel in the crowded street. Seriously? That gets old after a while.

On to Amsterdam next!