The End is Here!!!! Day 14

I'm not even to my first standing pose of GSP on our very last morning, and James comes over to talk about my hands. He did that earlier but I guess I had no idea what he meant. But apparently I do a hand "wiggle" showing a lack of focus? I've never noticed, so now I'll have to see if I can catch myself doing it.

My handstand is so perfect, he starts having me drop my elbows to dismount out of it. Far harder than they make it look....

At the end, Mathew again comments on how much I've progressed over the past two weeks, and seems super genuine. Ok, so maybe by the end of it, I actually kinda like the kid. I just really needed to see his method and see him open up a bit first.

Our last session together was even shorter than the end of the 300, the business lady was back, and she gave us some charts to fill out for goal setting. Still hot off the hot seat, I pretty much just sat there. I guess I did write down that I need an IRA....does that even count? In the end I made two lists. One i would have made prior to Wednesday, and one for after. I'll let you guess which waa more productive. I just wasn't in the mood, at all. Thank god it was fast.

Overall, very anti ceremonious goodbyes, got our certificates and see ya. Mathew was really the only person we even said good bye to, and that was even a hug.

But the two weeks ended in tradition. Lunch at Jason's and packing up the car. I mean, if I hurried, I could make the last Gauntlet, and trust me, I had some aggression to work out.

Just like last year, the two weeks took forever and flew by all at once. Intellectually, it was light years easier, much less information to actually learn. But emotionally it was that much harder. Thank god I had a solid friend going through it with me and I wasn't playing hear say all the time to share my stories. Definitely saved my sanity.

Day Seven: End of 300, Start of 400.

GSP was middle ground this morning. My awkward flailing arms couldnt decide which wau to go, making it mediocre. And when it was my turn to assist, I only got to two in my portion. 

"We aren't trying to change our personality, but whittle away the negative aspects" - Janes thought on the process, something I thought was perfectly worded.

The afternoon session was on Uddiyana Bandha and Nauli Kriya. Not quite breath work, but related. Involves sucking in the stomach and sealing it basically, and the latter being to move it in a circular pattern. It's an advanced practice, but fun to try. Although there's a very fine line between doing it without consequences and then becoming extremely nauseous. 

That being said, this practice led a vast majority of our class into a very awkward TMI talk about their pooping habits. UN-necessary. 

Last session of the 300hr yoga teacher training was all on business aspects. Aka, going around the room and telling everyone about our proposed yoga future. During my turn, I learned that Pauline pays her brand new instructors $25-30 a class. And they don't have the studio maintenance to do that I do. Or be there an hour early. I'm getting screwed. This is the first time James actually bring up the idea of a more varied business model for me, aka build my own NLXF. And I flat out said no. It wouldn't work successfully, and even if it would, and even if it makes me bad at business, I'm not fighting their business. Not after all they've helped me with. No. 

But that was it for the 300, we got our certificates, said out goodbyes, and that was that.

The 400hr started later that evening. 7 of us stayed from the 300, and 7 more new people came in. It was kinda funny, we completely stayed on one half of the room with the newbies on the other half. 

Sarah from my 200 came and joined us, and a lot of GSPers that Nate knew. LD is in Cedar Rapids, owns a dance company and is a really good guy. Another Sarah owns a dance studio in DM, an older lady, a girl from Portland who went to the Olympic Diving finals, an older Asian woman named Jane who had my eyeballs completely out of their sockets when she told the class that her son is the CEO of Pinterest. And how could we forget Ann, Nates favoritest in the world. Ok maybe not. They work at the same studio and she goes to GSP (I'm actually the only one besides Angie in the 400 that doesn't attend GSP). He tried to not taint my view of her before we met, but holy cow it OOZES out of her. Just not my type of person. I like my friends real and not whipping themselves into humility to look amazing. If she thanked James a single more time for sharing his knowledge with us.... I mean yes, somehow he deserves credit, but we ARE paying him a rather large chunk of change for him to teach us this stuff. He doesn't need to be publically worshiped every two hours. My story was by far the least interesting of the whole class. 

Besides getting to know eachother, James just went over the week's plan. warning us about the Hot Seat on Wednesday so we would have time to think and stew about what we have to share and ask about our business futures.

Capturing some yoga moments from the 300hr Training...

Back to Day Four: 300hr Yoga Teacher Training

Day Four

Nate set himself up right beside me for GSP. Completely proving that he messes me up, because my practice sucked. I messed up the transition immediately and I couldn't even hear my own breath with his dinosaur breath going.  But then it just went downhill from there. 

Three minutes in, the assistant decided I not only needed a push up lesson, but to downgrade my cobra push-up to plank to down dog, to keeping my knees down. And after the scale this morning, that just put everything into a tail spin. We all know my personal dilemma with push ups; so you can only imagine how that registered into my head alone. My flow was completely killed with frustration. I couldn't figure out my first and second side, I was moved to lizard position before 90 degree pigeon (aka reduced to more remedial), I completely forgot to do King Cobra, and my two passes at wheel weren't even worth breathing through. I only got three passes at handstand (out of eleven), super late in the practice. The last one was decent, but still. Not the greatest 45 minute experience. 

Next session was Yoga Wellness Coaching, which we'd started to learn in the 200hr, but we refreshed it all and how it should lead to GSP (wishing that was realistic for me). This older woman came in to be a guest speaker with James and she just rubbed me the wrong way. Her attitude was just, I'm all for positivity on aging, but there is something to be said about realism. And being prepared for the inevitable negative, I feel, can actually keep you more positive overall. 

Afternoon was GSP assisting and adjusting. At first we rotated partners to learn the assists, and I got Matthew a lot. So not much to assist. 

James called me out on my natural inclination to make Spock fingers when I expand my hand. 

Then we were to partner up to assist the whole sequence after dinner break, Nate assists handstands so he had to partner with an equal level. And before I knew it, I was the only one without a partner, aka I got Matthew again. Before we began, I was warned that he's an overcorrector. And thank god I got the warning, because even with it, I was ready to just completely give up halfway through and start crying in a hidey hole. Still not perfect at the choreography, if I didn't have finger placement correct, I had to do it again, let alone get the poses in the right order. I did almost everything twice, with full assists to everything. And after a full GSP already, and learning the assists, the body's in some turmoil. Nothing I did was good enough. I was far and away the last one done.  I'm pretty sure Nate was ready to punch him I was so upset with the whole thing, but the problem is that there wasn't an ounce of meanness in him. He just wanted everything perfect immediately. And he was patient and nice about it, he just was going to keep telling me what was wrong and have me do it until I was closer. 

When it was time for my turn to practice my assists on him. James whispered that I should "correct the shit out of him". Problem was that he was flawless. Didn't even fake nothing for me to practice adjusting. Granted, I was in such a funk, I just wanted to leave anyway. 

Day 3: Colorado Wanderlust

Despite every class being on "Wanderlust"  time they sure are nazis about where you put your mat. 

Joel Kramer:

Pusher- gets to a goal by ignoring bodily feedback

Essentialist- has a goal, but listens to body, plugs in to bodily feedback

Basically we all need to balance ego with kindness.

"Grin on your chin is more important than your chin on your shin" - Eoinn Finn

Eoin was a cold water surfer up in Canada, so he has a hard time hearing, and someone told him they were on the pale diet, but he heard pale ale diet. "I'm not losing any weight…but I don't give a shit" (while slurring).

On the topic of teaching and money, "As a yoga teacher, you'll make tens of dollars. Plenty of green in the forest, not in the pocket"

Eoin spent a full month in NYC, and made it a goal to make eye contact with one single person in the subway. It was not accomplished. 

Fun fact: In medieval times, people were punished by the rest of society refusing to give them eye contact. It proved more punishing than even banishment.

"Replace tightness with lightness"

"Keep your clown chakra open"

"You gotta let the wahoo side be bigger than the oh shit side"

Eoin had us partner up and do handstands. Not my forte. Beyond not my forte, I can't do them unsupported and getting into a supported one terrifies me. My partner struggled a bit, but was successful. My turn comes and I think I'm going to kick the girl in the face. And then I feel Eoin basing me, ready for kick back. I float and there I am. Floating on my palms. Holla that.

Next he calls out forearm stands, I get excited cause I think they are fun, but that's not saying I can do them any better than handstands. Nevertheless, he sees my excitement and calls me into the middle mat of a group of 50 Wanderlusters, most far more accomplished than I. Crap. Here it goes. Set up dolphin. Pressure on forearms. Lock shoulder girdle. Float feet. Heels pushed to sky. I could have burnt a hole in the ground as hard as I was focusing on it. But I did. And I held. Eoin's hands went away and I got a solid five seconds before I got so excited that I lost all focus and landed. That's a win right there. 

If you are ever told about a pose entitled IT Love. It does NOT love your IT….its a LIE!!!!

In Blissology, its all about loving everyone and loving life. You always start class by hugging someone. And you can end class with a puppy pile savasana. And I love every part of it. 

When you are at a yoga festival, there is nothing held against anyone. Find a partner means no awkwardness or self conscious behavior but smiles and love and a new friend to sweat all over ;-) 

It also means in Love Revolution with MC Yogi, that my partner Daniel and I did a half rotating squat holding hands so fast that there were full moments of complete suspension not holding on to anything and it was fabulous…..until the quad cramps kicked in from severe lack of oxygen at mountain level. 

Amanda (MC's wife) led part of the sequence, and it got to this crazy part in the playlist, and she had all of us (several hundred) literally jumping up and down and dancing all over the place for a solid two minutes (check back with that whole lack of oxygen in the mountains thing) so we had blood pumping, hearts racing, near pass out energy going, and then all of a sudden she yells out TREE! And with amazing balance and grace just lands and pulls into a perfect tree pose. We all chuckled for about half a second before we realized we were expected to do the same after such sheer chaos. Following suit, it created a very weird group energy. 

Theres always the guy, at the very front of the stand by line, that has been then FAR before the second person in line, and he always feels the need to inform everyone of information they already know. But very rarely, does this guy stop the guest of honor (MOBY HIMSELF in this case, as if he was trying to cut the line). Oops. Little egg on your face there buddy….

Moby totally outted this guy Eddie, who had a mohawk, who used to sell drugs to NYU students. And that was only the beginning of his fascinating stories. And yet, somehow, it always wrapped around to the theme of using music to heal (kinda). 

But it was hilarious because he had just taken the class that I had taken with Eoin, and he felt "like he was on a special k bender" but "trust me, I'm fine to sit" 

"70s jazz is just musical masterbation"

I gotta admit, hearing that Moby's favorite movie is Southpark, was quite surprising. 

"Is that coffee? This is what recovering alcoholics do. Oh god. I just want to look at it"

Fun fact: Playing music in waiting rooms and operating rooms reduces recovery time by distinguishable amounts. 

Fun Fact #2: Stroke victims, when played their favorite song from before the stroke, they will be able to sing and dance along, despite complete physical immobility otherwise. 

Fun Fact #3: Music therapy given to those with early onset alzheimers, have the possibility of being completely discharged.

"Stress hormones aren't good when you're waiting in line at Whole Foods. What mother fucker can't figure out it's their turn to pay for their tofu cups?!" - Moby

"I shouldn't like that shitty Britney Spears song, but we do" - Moby

"That was his name, Mr. Buddha, he's in the yellow pages" - Moby

Moby's life advice. Don't do it because someone says to. Don't dismiss because someone says to. You know you. 

"Does anyone do public speaking here? Do you ever finish and wonder, I have no idea what I just said?" - Moby

"Do you know the band Pantera? Sometimes I listen to Pantera and it just calms me down… " - Moby

Apparently approximately 10,000 people attended Wanderlust Colorado this year. 

"My problem isn't that drugs are bad, its that they're way too good" - Moby

Moby ended the amazingly energetic and upbeat session with a story about a barber who had his arms cut off by a gang who wanted money. It ended positively…well, as positive as an amputee story can get? 

This by far has been the best day. Totally floating on blissful cloud nine. My body feels good, my mind feels good. Everything. Is. Good. 

US Bank loves to black out my debit cards. ALL THE TIME. Ugh. 

When your last session ends at 5, but Moby concert doesn't start until 10:30, you feel like you should nap, but yet, you feel like you shouldn't too. Cunundrum. 

Moby concerts make everyone else melt away and all you want to do is move. Bass beat in your bones and move.

Cops were busting people left and right for glass bottles, but then you walked outside and theres a ton of people smoking weed and the cops just stand there and chill.

Knee twisted. Beer on my feet. Collapsed arches. Drenched. Best time. Completely had. 

Teaching the Teachers!

It's been a week since graduation, and I finally pulled out my take home tests last night to get started. I had glanced at the first page of questions when we originally received them, and had no stress about them. Well, maybe I should have looked a little harder, cause oops. They're going to take a little bit of time. And I leave on Wednesday for Boston for a few days. I gotta see my lovely girls! Its weird to think that its almost been a full year since Meg's wedding. Time has flown.

It seems almost as recent as last weekend's graduation! Although the past week seemed to CRAWL by. Every day felt like Thursday. But I got more done actually before Thursday than I did the entire two weeks I was gone. I did nothing but eat breathe and sleep yoga studies for 15 days. It didn't even feel like it at the time, but looking at my planner of my to do lists now, holy cow has it stacked up. I don't really mind though, James' teaching style and attitude was worth it to have to catch up on fifteen days right before another week away from home.

I can't say I agreed and liked James' style at first. He liked to "make our brains smoke" by throwing so much at us all at one time, just a little bit over what we felt like we could handle, and then changing the topic to something compeletely new. But after awhile, that really seemed like the best way to do it, because somehow subconsciously we kept processing everything and with practice upon practice in chunks and pieces of the sequencing, we all ended up getting it. And considering some of the people in my class, that was a totally amazing feat. Not that they weren't smart or good learners, it was just ALOT of information to process. And then to do it in front of a room of 20 people that knew EXACTLY how it was SUPPOSED to go, thats a lot of pressure.

Although, I must admit I am shocked at how good our group was. There wasn't really any negativity or eye rolling or people thinking they were better than anyone else. The energy was always positive and encouraging and uplifting, even in times of screw ups and mistakes. And James and Ann were a big part of that too. Even as the instructors, who's job it is to make sure that we know every little piece of information, they made it clear that it was ok to not know everything perfectly right away. Or even right away in that two weeks. Its not something that comes immediately, it takes time and experience, and they were so forgiving in all our little flubs, and when James would critique us he would even ask if we wanted them, because he didn't want us to think that he was insulting us and berating us with mistakes, but we all craved them. We wanted to know what he thought was wrong with our teaches and our ideas and he was open to not just saying what the problems were, but why it was that way, and what we could do to fix them in numerous ways in case one option didn't really fit our personality or style. It was all about us individually and making us be the best we could be in the way and style that we wanted to do it. And it was more motivating and productive than any strict teacher could have ever made us. We wanted to make him happy and wanted to hear what we could do better. He clearly was born to be a teacher of teachers. Striving for the best, but with an open mind that the best might be slightly different than the way he prefers it. You know you aren't going to change the way a 60 year old hippie goes into a headstand, so even though she is wrong, she can succeed in the headstand, so why bother?

His stories were absolutely crazy too. His growing up story alone was enough for me to be fascinated in him, but then to hear about all the different jobs he has continued to do, and the random hobbies and interests and even all the things that he learned from the one that taught HIM all of his yoga knowledge. Absolutely mind blowing. He has infinite knowledge in thee most RANDOM of topics and histories. Im sure he couldn't name a single city of Real Housewives, but he can go into great detail about the 100th Monkey Theory, or the SunEaters, or the buddhist retreat that involves people literally going into meditation for a full year, not eating or drinking ANYTHING, and surviving the experience. Just a wealth of information spurred on by just a seemingly random comment. I loved it. I love that kind of intellect. The amount of notes I took on things i wanted to google and research once I got home is kind of crazy. And most of them completely unyoga related ;-)

And I can't even get into how Ann has been practicing for only five years and is the most impressive yoga practitioner I have ever seen. The progress she has made from not touching her toes to going into handstand scorpion in that short amount of time just is a complete mind boggle. My brain might melt.

I suppose those tests won't fill themselves out just because I'm singing James' praise….

Ill teach you to go bendy bendy!

Well. I pulled the trigger. July 2012. Two week intensive with James Miller. Yoga will be bleeding out my eyeballs, but I WILL be certified.

More to come!

An Apology mixed with Colorado Beauty.

If you just read this blog for the pictures, go ahead and skip these nice wordy paragraphs of me blathering on and on, and go straight to the bottom of the post for the fun stuff.

I feel like I should apologize to any of the one or two readers out there in the blogworld that actually try to read this. I have done a ridiculously poor job this summer in keeping up with blogging and all of the trips and things that I have been up to. I still haven't even posted about Kenya (although thats for reasons all on its own). And when I have posted, its been in a flurry of of a hurry and without much content actually to it. And frankly, I don't know if the next few posts will be much better.

I haven't really done much all summer, but somehow felt very busy. It seems like the entire first half of the summer was dedicated to preparing and dealing with the Kenya trip, adding quite nicely to my back drama (which is totally healed, with exception of the massive scar across my back). I've been avidly working out like normal, and that takes up so much time in my day that you really probably wouldn't even believe it if i told you. However, I also spent time this summer seeking out a cause for my problems in that. I finally hit that wall where I really couldn't stand it anymore. Over a year and fighting the same battles clearly wasn't going to be able to last much longer and still have my brain on the same sanity levels that the rest of you dwell upon. So appointments were made, and finally, FINALLY, progress has been made. Months (years if you want to go to the very beginning) after this pursuit of health of mine, I am gaining information that could potentially change the rest of my life (fingers crossed). But that literally took a total turn just yesterday, so that's a post for the future.

But now, as summer winds down, now is when the actual crazy starts. Somehow, I feel like I might actually get better posts while I am getting busier, but we shall have to see, won't we? But for now, I have the family vacation to share. I mentioned in a Throwback post about how we used to go to Colorado far more than we have in the past decade, but this year the five of us made it back for a full week at Copper Mountain Resort. The resort has grown so much since the beginning memories I have of it, but its still in the perfect location and full of enough relaxation for a great week.

The first day we took the chairlift (aka contraptions of death and doom) up the side of the mountain. The boys and I hiked all the way up to 12,000 feet and retreated back down to have a great bbq lunch with mom.
It seemed like the first few days were just to get us in the feeling of being there and not at home. I can't say that the 14 hour car ride wasn't exactly the most relaxing part of the trip either. But on the first night there we ate even more delicious barbecue near our lodge at JJ's where I witnessed my brother, a full week and a half after his 21st birthday, order his first drink.
We actually got to celebrate his birthday a bit later in the week as well when he got to use his Birthday present from Tim and I, but more on that later....

Throwback Thursday: Castaway Sunshine.

This was eleven years ago. ELEVEN. I almost don't believe it. I remember going to Castaway for the first time. I don't even know how to begin to describe it though. It was always explained to kids as Club Med for high school kids. And really it was. A crazy fun experience for a week of the summer. Other than telling you to hop in a time machine and go back and experience it for yourself, I really don't know what else to say.

I remember singing Matchbox 20 with Julie during programming, entering the dining hall to Men Without Hats EVERY night, going parasailing, the banana boat, laying in the hammocks, volleyball tournaments, water fights in the dark, eating a shake of chocolate and vanilla mixed for the first time, totally chickening out on the rockwall, pool tables in the basement, falling asleep on the floor of the bus on the way home. Good times and sunshines.

Although, if you read this and got to go to Castaway, with me, or at some other time, I would love to hear a few memories that you have.

No Lightning Bolt Scar for Me!

It's been awhile since a real update, but I can't say anything extremely out of the ordinary AND exciting has happened recently. A few weeks ago Tim, Mom, and I went up to a day trip to Minneapolis to do a bit of shopping, but nothing crazy (unless you count the amount of things we got at Whole Foods, or the receipt I had from Lululemon....).

I've also had more than a few battles with the scale, which has led me to start the Skinny Girl brand of Restore and Cleanse, just thought I might feel a bit better. And it has, if by better you think I mean I feel like I want to choke all the while drinking the two packets a day. Although if I mix it with half a lemonade packet, hold my breath, chug a few swallows, then still hold my breath while I chase it with a regular packet juice, the exhale, I can handle it. Kinda. Ugh. Its gross people. Really really gross.

Along the lines of probably too much information, I have been exiled from the land of yoga for too long (a few days), hopefully ending tomorrow *fingers crossed*. This coming from the fact that I have about an inch and a half of wire sewn into my back that I don't want to be torn out by an overly aggressive downward dog. Ok, that sounds much more exciting than it is. I had a suspicious mole on my back, they sliced it off with a razor, felt that it was an even sneakier bugger than they thought and went back with what seemed like a machete and took quite a chunk out that required lots of stitching. And really, the only thing that is hindered by it is yoga. Ugh. Although yesterday and today, it has been itching like crazy. Its all I can do to not take a hairbrush to it. But I wouldn't exactly like to revisit the Covenant Surgical Center if I can help it. It was quite the experience though, the nurses came in for quite the party and I got lots of pre-warmed sheets. Not too bad if he didn't slice and dice me.

But I swear not all of my life is a physical mess! The beginning of summer is taking a chill pill (or a sweltering hot pill) in preparation for the insanity that is coming up. 10 days in Africa is looming quite soon. Not exactly the way I thought I would be feeling about it, but there isn't much to do about it unfortunately. I'll go and try not to punch too many white people in the face. That will be that. Then the day after I get back is our 4th of July party which Tim has taken charge of. So at least I'll have that to directly look forward to while in Kenya.

Then a family vacation to Colorado for a week, which will be absolutely SPLENDID. I havent been to Copper Mountain in five-ish years and I want to go now. Like, yesterday. It's going to be perfect. I can just tell now.

A wedding weekend in Fargo. Then a fantabulous wedding outside of Boston which we are turning into a week long trip involving an Incubus concert, a Cirque du Soleil show, Boston vs Yankees game, few days in Boston, capped off with the wedding and subsequent wedding bonfire.

And then athletic season starts.....the football and volleyball schedule is already out. Seems like summer is already almost over before it's begun!

Slow Down, its moving too fast....

The next six weeks are shaping up to look quite awesome. Well, a few less awesome and more just eventful. But still. Keeping busy feels nice. And then summer doesn't exactly slow down....

Week #1-Valentines Day, normally eh. But this year involves a six course dinner. 4 Queens opens. Last Mens Bball game of the season!

Week #2-Two days in St Louis of eating and shopping and Ke$ha in concert. And then getting my top teeth yanked out, thats the less than awesome event....

Week #3-Dropkick Murphy's show in Des Moines. And the last two Womens Bball games of the season!!! Yay free time!

Week #4-Get psyched up (as if I'm not already) and leave for Disney!

Week #5-Best week of the year of Nordyke family craziness at DisneyWorld.

Then June brings (MAYBE) a mission trip to another continent with mi madre. No more on that until its locked. I'm already far too excited for only being in the works.

Perhaps another summer vacay with the fam in Colorado sometime in July....

Throw in five weddings, one being in South Dakota and another in Massachusetts, and you have one poor, yet happily busy and socialized Clare!

Throwback Thursday: Weddings Ago.

I am headed to a wedding next weekend. Shopping for shoes for said wedding this weekend. As well as going to a wedding reception Saturday night. It shall be my first wedding of 2010. Kinda crazy that I went all summer.

The wedding above happened years and years ago, although for those of you that actually know me, you would realize that, considering that I haven't seen that groom in 5 years and my brother looks like he belongs on the Disney channel....

I definitely remember it though. Lindsie sat with us. And I had on a black long sleeve shirt that had a dragon on it, along with the same Chinesey dragon gold skirt. Weird, the things we remember....

Throwback Thursday: Castaway

Castaway circa 2000. A full decade ago. Wow....that was a good summer. I wasn't always a super big Young Life fan, but they sure know how to do week long summer camp right. Its like Club Med for high schoolers. Although, I wasn't even in high school yet, I was a rule breaker! :)

Cuckoo for Kiwis!

Well kids. It's my 300th post. And that is something to celebrate! So I will let you all in on my biggest and latest news....

Ready for it?

The picture above isn't just a pretty eye candy for you to wish upon on this wintery weekend eve, but my soon to be new residence! Well, this next one is a little more accurate....
Nonetheless, if you haven't gotten it yet, we are moving to New Zealand! Oh yes. New Zealand the country. We have 12 month work visas, who knows if we will stay the whole time or just a few months. Nothing is really set in stone. We are going to be working, but we have no jobs. When we land in Auckland, we will literally have no jobs, no housing, nothing but our two pieces of luggage and the bags under our eyes from 22 hours of flight.

We are literally insane. But as most of you have seen, we have been trying to figure out what to do with ourselves recently, and we figured. Go big. So we are. REALLY big. And its going to be absolutely amazing.

So that is that. We leave in less than a month and a half (we would have gone sooner, but Tim needs to put in two weeks after our Disney Spring Break). I am sure now that its out in the open. There will barely be a post that doesn't mention it in some way!

Post any questions or ideas or anything. I want to hear it all!

Baffling My Brain.

Can I just start this off with a big, fat, I DONT KNOW? Cause its true. We have been pondering it for awhile. Pondering it hard for a couple of months. Pondering it always for several weeks. Where do we go from here? And instead of blathering on and on for pages and pages about all the possibilities. I shall blurb it up. Mainly, because the endlessness of it all is what is mind numbing. Whoever said so many options were a good thing was clearly more decisive than me.

Summer starts.

-Boston
Pros: We can sublet for the summer, find a more permanent place, more permanent jobs, really find out if this is where we want to be, as opposed to just missing the good parts.
Cons: Paying rent. Expensive. Money in general.

-Abroad
Pros: Unique experience. Its frickin abroad. Programs look positive. Gap Year is what we are currently looking at. They help you find a place to live and work for like three months.
Cons: Programs can go awry. No kitties. Hopefully break even money wise. No potential in figuring out what to do in the fall.

-Elsewhere
Pros: Figuring out the fall, new place.
Cons: Where do we go? Where do we work? Where do we live?

-Cedar Falls
Pros: Summer in Cedar Falls is the best. Crowds are gone. Convertible, cheapest living possible, family, job, free time galore.
Cons: Its still Cedar Falls.

ARGH. Really. Making this list did not help me. Everything is just so internalized on the matter. Everything is in flux.

In my head, for a solid 24 hours, has been the song from Buffy (yes, I know, deal) after she kisses Spike and they all harmonize (the irony of "Harmony->Harmonize) does not escape me....."Where do we go, from here?"

I thought picking out my clothes in the morning was hard enough....

Throwback Thursday: Oh to be Summer again....

I would give anything to have this weather right now, if only for 12 hours. I just want to go for a run outside! Even if I had to wear that swimsuit to do it...

But I will admit, its been almost 20 here the past two days. It smells like spring. It makes me want to break out some more water proof shoes and go for that run! I know spring isn't anywhere near here, but a girl can dream of 80s pastel flower swimsuits, cant she?

I know the cat's sure are ready for summer, they talk to that rabbit outside all the time. I think they are planning a 4th of July barbecue...with rabbit on the menu....