A Glimpse Into My Mad-ness

Day 31!

2010-01-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

I have officially made it a whole month of being a vegetarian! Well.... I guess if you want to be nit-picky I am now a pescatarian, since I had to start eating fish and shrimp in Mexico because they didn't have Anything to get the protein I needed, I almost never found rice or beans while in Mexico... MEXICO! What up with that?! (just had to add that link in, since I kinda love these silly SNL skits.) I still don't really love fish, I never have, though I do like shrimp, but I am not as morally opposed to the way fish are raised as I am to the way cows/chickens/pigs are, because fish don't have the same mental capabilities as the mammals and birds do. Maybe my logic is all wrong and I'm just trying to make myself feel better while eating them, but oh well. Being a pescatarian is still much healthier than eating all that meat and it works for me, plus it's not like I'll be eating fish and shrimp for every meal, it's still maybe once a week, usually less.
I think since this first month of my veggie diet was so easy (I have felt great and normal all month) I will shoot for another month , I'll just continue to see how I feel and I could probably end up staying this way for a long time... but we shall see.

Day _____

2009-12-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

I got sick of writing about my daily eating habits, especially since no one reads this blog anyway, plus I'm going on vacation and will not be inclined to post while there. But I'm still a vegetarian, feel great after almost two weeks, and look forward to the rest of the month.

And in other news. I just got an internship at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans!! It is an AZA accredited zoo and actually one of the top in the nation, so it'll be amazing on my resume. Also the best part is that I'll be working in the Asian Domain section with: Tigers, Amur leopards, Malayan Sun bears, Babirusa, Asian small clawed otters, Lions, Camels, Barasingha, Elephants, several species of Asian tortoises and 2 species of cranes, Bar headed goose, Indian porcupine and Milky storks. I start in March, and will be there for at least three months, maybe longer. If anyone has family or friends there, please let me know, I'll need a place to live!

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!

Day 7

2009-12-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

Another day of work, sitting on my butt alone in my room, booking flights, getting yelled at, and wishing I wasn't so bored all day. At least my desk is up against the window and I get to stare at the amazingly beautiful mountains and watch bald eagles and a great blue heron fly by all day long and land in the trees in my back yard. Today for my vegetarian meals I had a breakfast of raspberry yogurt mixed with granola, an apple as a snack later, for lunch I made a really good taco salad with my flavored tofu and some salsa, my spicy blue chips, wingers sauce, and some other amazing things. It was really really tasty. After work I went to Applebee's with Julie and didn't have many options there for anything without meat, so I just got this pasta without the meat, which was really bland and not worth what I still had to pay. Then went and played with Colter and we watched Bruno which was really disgusting and completely hilarious. I'm still a little disturbed by it actually.. but there were some really funny parts.
And I have officially made it a whole week as a vegetarian, no problem at all. I wonder if it'll get easier or harder from here... I guess we will see.

Day 6

2009-12-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Long long day today. I worked from 8:30 in the morning till 9:45 at night, with a couple short breaks mixed in between. For breakfast I had cereal again with almond milk, an apple as a snack, and then for lunch I had my left over mu shu stir fry (which was still really good). After work ate some left over thai curry with rice, but since there wasn't that much I decided to try one of my veggie burgers as well, and boy was that an interesting experience. I reheated it in my toaster oven and then fried it on the stove since it was still pretty soft and falling apart a little bit. I made a lovely burger with great toppings, lettuce, cheese, and lots of sauce. But upon biting into it I discovered that the texture was just too weird. The taste wasn't too bad, since the ingredients are mostly just vegetables, I think carrots being the main ingredient, but it was just too squishy and weird. I mean I could maybe get used to it (I'll have to since I bought a box that has 6 patties), but after these I probably won't be doing veggie burgers as a meal... at least not on a bun, maybe just cooked and eaten with some rice or something, or crumpled up in a salad.
Later that night I munched on some great chips and wonderful salsa and guacamole before taking a bath and going to bed early.
Again, another easy day being a vegetarian... I thought this was supposed to be hard?!

Day 5

2009-12-12T10:43:00.001-07:00

Today was another great and easy day. Started with my usual cereal and almond milk and a cappuccino to keep me awake during my review session. Then went to Saigon Cafe with friends and got this amazing moo shoo without the pork.

Had an apple later as a snack, and went to SLC with some other friends and had some really great/fancy mac & cheese at this place that I forgot. I also had a scare when I took a bite of my friend's salad and was chewing and realized I had gotten a piece of chicken, so I promptly spit out the whole mouthful and just picked through the half masticated blob to pick out the lettuce and avoid anything that could be meat.
After dinner we went to see An Education at the Broadway, which was really great. and drove home in the snow.

Day 4

2009-12-10T18:38:00.003-07:00

I feel great today! Got a long night's sleep, and after class this morning I went to zumba for a great workout. After the gym I went to Walgreen's to purchase some new eye drops and some other stuff, then went to Sunflower Farmer's Market to buy some needed groceries.
WOW
I don't think I can afford to be healthy, it's Expensive! They have so much to choose from, and a great array of items for vegetarians, but man, some of the stuff costs a lot. I purchased: salsa, guacamole, tortillas, yogurt, superfood 'green machine' juice, granola, hemp-milk ice cream (sounds weird, but really really good) hummus, blue chips, feta cheese, carrots, broccoli, apples, veggie burgers, imitation ham (nervous about how that tastes, but I REALLY love sandwiches), and some tofu: some flavored, and some just plain that I can cook with. I ending up spending almost $100 bucks, and hope that this stuff lasts me a while so I don't go broke by trying to cook more at home. I will say though, my salad for lunch today was wonderful, and the garlic and herb flavored tofu in it tasted pretty good.

Tonight I think I'll have a southwestern veggie burger, with some of my salsa and guac... mmmmm

*Update* My veggie burger was in the toaster when I was invited to the hospital cafe (the same one I had just spent the night in) for dinner. So of course I popped it back into the freezer and opted to spend time with friends and eat gross unhealthy food instead. Well my grilled cheese was good, just not very healthy.... neither was the strawberry shake I had after, but it sure was tasty. And another day down without meat, and still doing really well, it's actually been quite easy.

Day 3

2009-12-10T15:08:00.003-07:00

Today I woke up after a grueling night writing my paper, and made it to class at 9 to turn in my paper. I had a bowl of cereal after class, and then drove to SLC to pick up my parent's car from airport parking, and on the way back I stopped to get some cat food at Petco and then got a cafe rio salad for lunch/dinner. The salad was great of course, but I was tempted to get it with pork like I usually do, since their pork is amazing.

Day 2

2009-12-09T21:41:00.004-07:00

Day two was rough. But only because I was at school literally ALL day working on my final paper and then had to take pictures for and have our last chamber choir concert. I had a great salad in the cafeteria, it's build your own and only costs .30 cents an ounce. But while I was enjoying my salad with a couple friends from choir (love you A and HT) A's friend joined us, and then That kid and his friend proceeded to interrogate me on my new vegetarianism. I had quite a few points on which to defend my new decision, and did so quite well with what I have learned this past weekend, but I still have a lot of things to research so I can have a better basis to back up this new switch. I didn't really have any cravings for meat at all, but got a little sad during lunch and again at dinner when HT mentioned sandwiches and some other things that I really love. Usually it's not the Meat part of the food item I like, but many things I love wouldn't be the same
without the meat. Top item: cheesy gordita crunch and chicken quesadilla from taco bell.... I'll miss you.
After my concert I went back to the library till it closed at midnight and then at my friend's suggestion I went to finish my paper at the Provo hospital's Cafe West which is open all night and has good cheap food (though limited veg items). My greasy grilled cheese and fries were perfect to keep me going until I left at 2:30 in the morning.

Day 1

2009-12-07T12:36:00.001-07:00

This morning started with my favorite cereal and some almond milk
(which I already love). And now this wonderful salad for lunch. I was
giddy while making this salad, thinking about all the animals I'll be
saving (or at least not contributing to the meat industry and their
deaths) by this new life choice. I have a feeling this change will
actually be really easy. Bring it on!

This shirt is from jr high and has always been a favorite, so since it still fits I wore it to my presentation in ethics today on animal rights. I also brought my cute dog Tink along, to more easily sway the audience to my side. The presentation went really well.

Go Veg

2009-12-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

After studying for a presentation on Animal Rights for my ethics class I decided I am going to be/NEED to be a vegetarian. It's the right thing to do, since animals are treated horribly and abused on factory farms. Also the amount of grain that is used to feed these animals could be used to feed Africa. The farm animals are also heavily contributing to global warming from their carbon emissions (burping/farting). Overall I know I will be a healthier and happier person by respecting nature and the creatures that reside with us. I am really excited :)

Cool quote from philosopher Jeremy Bentham:
"Other animals, which, on account of their interests having been neglected by the insensibility of the ancient jurists, stand degraded into the class of things. ... The day has been, I grieve it to say in many places it is not yet past, in which the greater part of the species, under the denomination of slaves, have been treated ... upon the same footing as ... animals are still. The day may come, when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those rights which never could have been withholden from them but by the hand of tyranny. The French have already discovered that the blackness of skin is no reason why a human being should be abandoned without redress to the caprice of a tormentor. It may come one day to be recognized, that the number of legs, the villosity of the skin, or the termination of the os sacrum, are reasons equally insufficient for abandoning a sensitive being to the same fate. What else is it that should trace the insuperable line? Is it the faculty of reason, or perhaps, the faculty for discourse?...the question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? Why should the law refuse its protection to any sensitive being?... The time will come when humanity will extend its mantle over everything which breathes... "

Happy Jetting!

2009-12-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

Though I often complain about how much I hate my job, tonight proved to be very satisfying. I was able to use my PTO hours and get the weekend before Christmas off, which gives me five extra days of travel! Now I will be able to spend a day in San Francisco with my family, jet to NYC and spend a day or two there, and then jet to Jamaica for a few wonderful days.... lovely.

My Friday Night

2009-12-04T20:13:00.001-07:00

Staying awake with zipfizz energy shots, mini vanilla wafers and a
sucker from sundance. But this library is Way too cold.

*UPDATE*

The ticket I just got for NOT being a wussy, lame ass driver like the car in front of me was. MERRY CHRISTMAS... FML!

It's Christmas

2009-12-04T12:53:00.003-07:00

My choir performed at temple square and I got to enjoy the wonderful lights.

My beautiful baby

2009-12-03T16:37:00.001-07:00

is time the enemy?

2008-07-24T18:38:00.002-06:00

I often wonder if time is purposefully flying by, or if I've just gotten better at ignoring it as I get older. I keep shocking myself when I think back to high school and realize that nearly five years have gone by. I get a little nervous seeing what all my friends and acquaintances have been doing or accomplished. Have my years been wasted? with the traveling and bumming about, the random move to NYC, the never ending line of jobs I've started and quit. I mean I don't Think of myself as a failure, but it's a little scary sometimes seeing how far some people have come, with me feeling like I'm just starting. But I won't regret the path I've taken, if anything it's made me a much stronger person, with deeper insight into this world, the people in it, and especially myself. Really what more can a person ask for? True graduating from HS would be nice, and a degree even better, but those things will come, and I've finally realized the importance of an education which is a great start. I'm not sure how I'll fare the next coming years, with my endless wanderlust and continual boredom for the norm. I have lots of school and volunteering in my agenda, but I may end up back in NYC, or better yet living semi-permanently in Asia or some other fabulous country, working with animals and furthering my goal towards a steady and prominent animal career. I guess the most important thing for me is to just relax, enjoy the moment, learn as much as I can, and work hard at whatever it is that's in my life at the moment.

I think my mom's fridge magnet sums up my feelings best in this moment:
"Everything will be ok in the end, if it's not ok, it's not the end."

Packing sucks

2008-05-15T01:10:00.002-06:00

I loathe packing. I'm even starting a few days early, and already have one box full of coats, a rice maker, rain boots, and some other random items already sealed and ready to ship. But still, I find ways to distract myself and not focus on the task at hand and just get it DONE. Ugh, I wonder how much my boxes will cost to ship. And I'm just worried since I don't know where the best place to put stuff is. I just filled my bigger carry on full of books and cd/dvd cases, thinking that I might as well put heavy stuff in there since they don't weigh that, and that way I won't have to ship it. Yet still I have yet to pack most of my closet of clothes/pants/other items, or any of my 20 pairs of shoes I have here..... Man I don't know how I managed getting here in the first place.

I'm so so so sad to leave this city. I love New York.

Party!

2008-03-15T16:27:00.001-06:00

2008-03-15T16:26:00.001-06:00

2008-03-14T22:36:00.001-06:00

Dance!

2008-03-14T22:35:00.000-06:00

Paul van Dyk show !!!

A little strange?

2007-12-28T17:06:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's quite strange seeing myself like this... I was kinda embarrassed standing here for this picture. But it's a fun one :D

Guac and trees

2007-12-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

Here I am at the Lincoln Center tree. It's pretty since it has lights underneath that change colors every couple minutes and so it looks really cool, and is just a block down from the Manhattan temple. Before this I went to this place called Rosa Mexicana which was SO good. They make the best guacamolé there, and do it right in front of you. They have a stand with tomatoes, spices, peppers, and a big bowl of avacados and they mix it all with a motor and pestle after you order it, and you can get it as spicy as you want which is great-the hotter the better. It also comes with these cute tiny tortillas that you shove full of salsa and guac and it's So good. I was also the coolest person there, amongst my friends and their tequila shots and me with my Shirley Temple (sprite and grenadine) to drink. :)

Cooking fever

2007-12-09T19:28:00.000-07:00

Here's the main reason I didn't have Thanksgiving at my apt. :

Yeah, those are plates and a bowl covering the pots and frying pan. I was making a lovely dinner of potstickers, rice, and some broccoli (since homemade dinner is cheap and that's the way I roll), and I had to improvise a few lids since I don't actually own any and all the items called for them... Don't worry though, I only steam-burned my knuckles a Few times while trying to lift the plates off using a hand towel as an oven mitt. Oh and don't forget me trying to make sure the steam doesn't make the plate slide right off the pot and onto the stove or ground, that's always a fun thing for me to do while cooking :)

Old to do:

2007-12-07T22:20:00.000-07:00

I just opened up the Stickies program on my mac which I haven't used in ages. Here is my list from September 17th:

To Do:
find fedex center for my box/price for USPS
job
learn subway
see Annie
search for Nanny jobs
search for promo jobs
search for bank jobs

Well I guess the good news looking back is that I got a few things done, (though a nanny job that pays 400 a week would still be a bonus at this point.)

Haircut again!

2007-12-04T16:13:00.001-07:00

I'm really sad that the blonde is gone. It's weird in a way going back to plain old 'normal' Madison hair. It's ok though I guess, it still looks good and I added a little craziness in there for good measure.

Boston

2007-12-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Boston where I was visiting my friend Krystyna who is living there. I decided to play my sick card again and get out of my host job for NYC night club on Saturday night like I did last week when Krystyna and Tyler were staying with me. Well it worked, and since I WAS still sick it wasn't like I was lying or anything. Anyway, Friday morning I bought a ticket on the Fung Wah bus in Chinatown, it is only $15 dollars to Boston and the same coming back. It took about four hours to get there, but the ride is wonderful and absolutely Gorgeous! Going through Connecticut was awesome since we were along the coast a lot of the way and the water and old boat houses and sailboats everywhere were fun to see. I would really love to live here in the East, and not be in a big city. The city is fun don't get me wrong, but the hills and trees and wonderful old houses out here can't be beat! Well I got to Boston fine, left the bus station, fount the T- which is Boston's subway system- and went on the Red line, switched to the Green line and met Krystyna at her stop coming from work and we rode to the end of the subway line and then took a bus to where Krys is staying. Can I just say.... W-O-W! The whole neighborhood and city is fantastic! The houses are so old and colonial and just exude this awesome presence, I mean I've seen stuff hundreds of years old and REALLY ancient around the world, but for some reason, seeing these houses that were some of the first real proper cities and towns in our country is really cool. I love the colonialism, with it's squareness, all the windows each house has and All of them with shutters. Love the big yards and old trees that abound there. I would LOVE to be able to walk about there a hundred years ago with all the proper ladies in their dresses and the men in their suits and hats, riding around in carriages, it's such a silly thing, but one I think would be fun to see.

Well back to the trip.... Friday night we went back into Boston proper and had dinner at this great little burger joint called B-Good and then found this great faerie and gnome shop. Our favorite purchases being our magnets with three gnomes and the caption, 'chillin' with my gnomies' hahaha so funny!
Krys also found out that my idol Christopher Guest, the director and star of movies like 'Waiting For Guffman' 'Best in Show' 'A Mighty Wind' and star of 'This is Spinal Tap' was receiving an honorary music degree from the Berklee College of Music. And in his honor they were doing this concert and he was to play in it. It was $30 and we weren't able to get tickets online or from the phone number provided, so we just showed up half an hour early to see this huge line outside. Well we were looking for where to go to get tickets and this guy right by the door saw us and just gave us two free tickets! We were SO happy, and just stayed there at the front and got inside fast and got great seats. It turned out to be SUCH an amazing show. This small orchestra had rearranged songs from his movies that he wrote and did different versions of them, and then they backed him up and he played and sang on a bunch too. It was so amazing. He is such a genius and is so talented at whatever he does. He plays the guitar and mandolin and did so for us. And then after he was nice enough to sign autographs and talk to some of the people that were waiting around, and the other cool part was that his wife Jaime Lee Curtis was there and I was lucky enough to be one of the few people to get her autograph, right next to her husbands. It was such a great night, which ended with us watching and falling asleep to Best in Show back at her house.

Saturday morning came cold and Windy, man, the wind makes life so miserable that's for sure. Well we took the T into town and went to breakfast at this really popular place called The Paramount. It's done Cafe Rio style, wait in a long line and order at the counter and get food and find a table in the tiny place. Well The Paramount was famous for their breakfast and for good reason. I got strawberry pancakes with fresh strawberry slices cut and cooked right into the batter. I Can't believe I've never done that! It was SOO good! They also had apple cinnamon, chocolate chip, and other flavors. The omlettles looked great too, but since I don't really like eggs I passed. Well after breakfast we were going to go walk around the Freedom Trail that follows all the famous sites in Boston that happened during the revolution and all that, but it was really windy and super cold so we passed on the and decided to see a movie. Well we saw that there was a sneak preview of The Golden Compass (my favorite book turned into a movie) that night, so we cunningly arranged on FOUR shows to see, ending with Compass. First we saw Hitman, pretty lame, then August Rush(second time)- which is great. Then Enchanted (my second time)- also great, and managed to talk our way into a whole different section of the theater without tickets to get where The Golden Compass was. Even though it was sold out we walked in and found some great single seats and got to see it. The whole day was actually really fun and we weren't even tired of movies by the end of it and probably could have stayed for more had we wanted to.

Sunday we got up late and just drove around and I got to see Harvard and MIT and more amazing houses and neighborhoods. Then went to Krys' singles ward at two, stayed for all of church (though I ditched priesthood and went in the basement to the nursery and just played hymns on the piano, and BTW playing a piano for the first time in months felt so great). After church we stayed for the dinner that they have each week and then for this dating forum thing they bishopric was doing (I played more hymns in another room). And left the building to find a half inch of snow outside! It was so fun having one of the first snows and it being Christmas time. It was super cold and we both were freezing, but we stopped to walk around Longfellow's house and wonderful yard and garden, and then took a 'shortcut' to the street we thought we were parked on. Our shortcut actually turned out to be a long confusing walk back to the truck but it was fun walking around in the beautiful silent snow, taking pictures with the disposable camera that we had to buy since neither of us has a real camera (how lame are we!?). We got home, watched Andre Rieu's symphony event on PBS and then fell asleep to Phantom of the Opera.

Morning dawned too early, and the world was snow ladened and we had to leave early so I could get to the bus station by eight and Krystyna to work. Well we managed just fine, though I was sad to part with Krys after such a great weekend, but work was needing me. I got my ticket at nine instead and boarded with my Mcdonald's breakfast and then slept two of the four hours back (which was great) and was actually really happy to see my city skyline from the Bronx and Brooklyn. This has in a lot of ways really become my home and I really fit in and love it here.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a bad blogger, I know. But forget that and check out some pictures from my exciting last week!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2015605&l=a9950&id=203000326

Tis a gift to be simple...

2007-10-20T16:04:00.000-06:00

Is it sad that I take such utter delight and joy in seeing something as simple as a bumble bee? Well I do.... This is the first and only bee I've seen since moving and for some reason it means a lot. Passing the flower markets at all the deli's is usually the highlight of my day. It feels like my spirits lighten every time I get to smell a new scent or see some new color or creation. I think it's the simple things that keep me going out here. Like how I always go out of my way to walk past the south side of the Baruch College building on 24th because there is a specific vent in the wall that always has warm pool air coming out. Yeah I love swimming and all, I guess I just never realized how Much. It takes moving to a smelly city to realize how much the simple smell of a swimming pool and all the memories that brings would make me happy.

Each day can be hard, and things might not always go as planned but at least I can take time to breathe, time to relax, time to remember how blessed I am and be grateful for each new experience. Truly life is beautiful, just have to see and find beauty in unexpected places.

It's sights like this...

2007-10-14T23:45:00.001-06:00

The Empire State Building on a cool cloudy night. It's been raining all day, then leaking into my room since the alley between buildings where my room is was 7 inches full of water. The super and his other Polish friends got the drain out there unclogged and luckily the water drained and the leak into my room stopped. Hopefully the water under the floorboards dries and doesn't ruin my floor...

Is that even legal?

2007-10-06T00:49:00.000-06:00

Oh the joys of NYC... On the way to the club I got to see someone fishing around in a fountain for the coins, then someone peeing against a building, then of course all the crazy people at the club. This picture shows my tan shirt that is now Dark tan except along the bottom from steam/smoke/sweat/drinks. Oh what fun it is to be young and crazy in a city such as this. After a delightful VitaminWater and a street vendor hot dog, I feel much better and think I'll make it home without taking a nap on the sidewalk. Sweet dreams!

Hair Time

2007-10-04T21:11:00.000-06:00

Before the haircut... All that work of bleaching and burning my scalp and I'm just about to go and cut it all off.... We'll see if it looks good!

And here is the new hair! (this is pretty scary since I'm wearing a hat and my hair is nuts underneath)

Walking home ruminations.

2007-09-28T19:45:00.000-06:00

I finally just got to see Annie! It was so great. She is amazing and I'm glad she is here pursuing her acting career because she is so talented. It's great to have another friend from back home out here to spend time with too! And as I was leaving Annie's, going to the subway, I passed Spring Awakening, which is an Amazing show (I've only heard the soundtrack and seen youtube clips, but it won the Tony for Best Musical this year), one of the main characters from it was outside talking to some people. Man oh man how I wish that was me! I know I just have to work hard and continue looking for opportunites, cause nothing will happen without doing the work. But my dance classes are coming along great, it's really fun taking everything from jazz to ballet with hip hop and theater thrown in as well. I'm not sure how well I'm doing since it's kinda hard keeping up with the choreography at times, but I'm just starting so I guess I just have to give it time and practice a lot. Ok, on my to do list: keep attending all my dance classes, and actually get Good. Also make new friends there and whenever else I see other opportunities. I have to find a freakin Job, goodness! I can't be picky anymore, just find a job and take it. Oh and also find a theater school and voice teacher too... Ok this random post which I'm writing on my phone while walking home needs to end since I'm almost home now and I have Ben and Jerry's Mint Cookie ice cream (my new obsession- i've never liked large amounts of ice cream til this, it's SO GOOD, that's why I have Two pints in my freezer :-) ) awaiting me! Until next time folks!

Street Smart

2007-09-28T19:43:00.001-06:00

Yes, Madison lives on 25th. Just down from Madison Av and Madison Square Park.

Some more pics by Jia

2007-09-25T01:04:00.000-06:00

Here are some more pics from Jia's Broadway Dream project that she is doing for one of her classes at school (School of Visual Arts - SVA) and then some of my headshots that I need help deciding which to use. Leave a comment below or email me so I can choose!
Oh and you can click on any picture and it'll get bigger btw...

I'm a model, if you know what I mean...

2007-09-24T23:34:00.001-06:00

Look! I'm famous! Ok I'm just in a UVSC poster handout thing, but Hey! It's still pretty fun to see myself on print!

Ground Zero

2007-09-22T08:58:00.001-06:00

This is where the World Trade Center towers were. It's weird seeing the site so close since it happened and slightly remembering walking inside of them when I was in 6th grade.

Photo Shoot

2007-09-18T12:46:00.000-06:00

My friend and roommate Jia took these pictures of me for a school project, I think they turned out pretty well. Let me know what you think!

My Apartment!

2007-09-16T19:10:00.001-06:00

I live in Manhattan, Gramercy to be exact. and here is a link to some pf my pictures of my place. I love it here! oh ps, this link might not work, so just copy it and paste in a new window and it should?
http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/madisonchase/New%20York/

Markets with Style

2007-09-13T13:52:00.001-06:00

If you haven't noticed, I don't have a camera at the moment so all my pictures on this blog will be from my phone. Anyway this is Balducci's, the nicest grocery store I've ever seen. The building is Huge and gorgeous! Everything inside looks so tasty as well, too bad it's all so darn expensive.

Airport

2007-09-13T13:46:00.001-06:00

My wonderful friends and now roommates Jia and Teenie (Christina) picking me up at 6 in the morning at JFK.

I'm home!

2007-09-13T04:57:00.000-06:00

Here I am on the monitor in my apartment. I am such a nerd, I got so excited just being buzzed in and buzzing Jia in. I feel like I'm on Sienfield or something :)

The Move....

2007-09-10T16:25:00.000-06:00

I just bought my ticket to NY. I leave Wednesday night. Wow, that makes things seem so much more final. I have SO much to do in the meantime. Laundry, packing, getting a box together to ship some extra stuff out, copying a butt load of stuff from my desktop to my laptop, find people to take care of my animals, say goodbye to way too many people, going to the dentist, finding a job.... Will all this happen? Not really sure, but as long as I stop dilly-dallying then I'm sure I can achieve a lot more. Which means I better take off eh?

The view

2007-09-08T12:47:00.001-06:00

Here I am in Bolinas from our sweet pad right on the cliff over looking Stinson Beach. We stayed in this pretty ghetto cabin thing that my aunt's friend owns, but it was such a nice area so it was really fun.

Sailing

2007-09-08T12:43:00.001-06:00

This is out on San Francisco bay with our family friends the Botts that we grew up with here in California. Since I was little they have always had a boat and luckily take us out a lot. I really enjoy sailing, it would be a wonderful thing to learn and use throughout life.

Trees

2007-09-08T12:38:00.001-06:00

This was in the Samuel P Taylor park coming from Bolinas to San Rafael. These redwoods were so big and so amazing. I LOVE these forests and wish I could live in one like an elf.

California Vacation!

2007-09-07T20:24:00.001-06:00

I'm on my motorcycle trip with the fam. This is at my aunt's hippie town of Bolinas, down at Agate Beach. It's just really pretty rocks/cliffs and tide pools full of anenomes, hermit crabs, snails and lots, of kelp. I of course love wondering around finding new things to explore and pretty shells to collect.

shopping

2007-08-27T17:07:00.000-06:00

I am SO frustrated! I am looking for two new cameras (a nice digital SLR and just a compact digi) and also a laptop. Why have I put these purchases off? I don't know, but as the time comes for the family motorcycle trip on the 2nd and my moving to NYC the week after, I am very rapidly losing time to make these important purchases. I am also screwed because I have to fork over 900 dollars for the first months rent and then fly out and hopefully find a good job... Am I stressed you ask? Yeah, just a little! Do I have the money for all of these things? Nope.... :'(

It's late...

2007-08-26T00:46:00.000-06:00

Just saw Becoming Jane (loved it BTW) and now resigned to sit around taking pictures of myself and sending them to my blog while my friends fight in the other room with their roommates.

Welcome back

2007-08-25T15:48:00.000-06:00

Wow, it's been a while since I last used this thing. I probably wouldn't even now, but Whitney thinks I should keep it updated and since she is my best friend I can only follow orders with haste.

Life is good, and this summer has been really nice -well besides a few tripping points where I've lost part of myself and some really good friends. I wonder if I sabotage myself, or just certain relationships in general... I'm not sure what happened, but since some things changed in June it seems like many things in my life have just gone downhill. I have been taking some amazing classes and growing a lot and gaining many useful tools to benefit myself, but at the same time I feel like a babe in a new world and really don't know how to function. It feels like kindergarten again, I've been thrust into a whole new way of life and don't know what to do a lot of the time, and it totally sucks! I feel like as I come to know myself and learn about people, the world, relationships, that I am viewing things differently. But is it a good different? Is what I'm experiencing now a useful step in my life? Well I'm sure it is.... but is it worth what I've lost, how I've been hurt, or maybe hurt others in the process? I don't know. I guess all I can really do from hereon out is just be myself and trust that everything will be okay in the end. I just need to focus on love and always coming from that space, because when I do, I know things will come easier and will flow so much better.

But will that change what's happened this summer? Unfortunately not... and that sucks because I've lost someone very dear to me, and probably hurt this person in the process. Even though I still don't really know all the factors that were involved in this loss (and I'm sure I had much to do with it, if not everything to do with it), without communication I'll never know for sure how I affected this change and what I could've done or can do to recoup my losses and bring about healing.

I guess I just have to leave it to the universe, and trust that things will work out. For I know from here on out my life will be very different than what I am used to. It's going to toss me up like a giant wave at times, and then I'm sure it'll throw me down and hold me under when I least expect it. I guess I'll just have to brace myself, be open to the new and unexplored, and take what life brings. The good, the bad, the beautiful (and the ugly if that's really necessary).

2007-06-15T19:32:00.000-06:00

With Whitney at Kilby Court between acts.

2007-03-13T15:55:00.001-06:00

Being silly with Whit when we saw Lucky Stiff at the Hale.

2007-03-11T16:41:00.001-06:00

Waiting with Juli for the fire alarm to go off so the Young Ambassador show could finally start.

2006-11-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

I think I'm too easily amused. While chatting with a friend in Japan tonight I thought it would be fun to write something in Japanese for her. I've used online translators before so I googled one and started my message... Well it turns out they weren't very good translations. After the first one she says, "Good!" So I thought, Hey this is fun, I'll write some more. No.... I should have stopped. Here are the translations of my next messages ( she never responded b/c they are so whack!):

Is straw raincoat which has us together time everything remembered pleasantly? The way we where your friend comes to dance completely, the time"

"We would like to visit the life of mayumi of my friend outside Tokyo and my and her. When I come there, the Japanese diving must be taken in me,"

"It was very good to speak with you. It is best luck of everything and the baby. Me pass the splendid day, directly in you whom you speak for the second time."

The last one she said, "Me too, keep in touch!" So I guess I got that one right. I think I'll be sending a lot more translations these days. If you get a strange email from me go here and see what I wrote, it can be our new online game (or just a way to pass time when you are bored at work), to see who can come up with the funniest emails.

~*in other news*~, I didn't get off work, Krystyna went to the concert without me. The good thing, is that Shiny Toy Guns didn't even make it from snowed in CO, they will however be performing at Sundance in Jan. so that will be my chance.

2006-11-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

I am excited... Well I'll be more excited when I find out if someone can cover my shift tonight. The Sounds are coming to town tonight along with Shiny Toy Guns, these are both awesomely fun bands so the show will be wicked! They moved their concert from a 21 and older to an all ages show. Now I just have to figure out who can take the end of my shift so I can go with Krystyna. Think positive thoughts!

*UPDATE* ARGGASDFOGSJKD %$^W$%Y !!!!!!!!!! Yes, that means I'm mad. No one is answering their phones and no one will take my shift... Why is the world so cruel to me?

2006-11-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

Since my hair is always changing... and I style it differently every day, I thought I'd do you the pleasure (or not) of seeing the,

"Life of Hair with Madison's Head"

I'll try and update every day (if it's update worthy)

today is... tall:

ps. does this . . . . . . . . . /\ look like a mullet to you? My brother asked me the other day if I was growing one. The answer is NO! why would I EVER grow a mullet?!

2006-11-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

It's snowing... at least it was a few minutes ago. I like it a lot, cold winters are pointless without some nice snow to make everything magical and white.

2006-11-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

The Bond Gods got mad. I let them down and they punished me for it. Who knew that movie gods were so vengeful? I guess the lesson learned is to always go to the movies, NEVER RENT! Otherwise this might happen to you:

http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/madisonchase/My%20Car%20Accident%2011-06/

Yes I learned the hard way, but maybe the Bond gods thought it was funny for me to do a complete 180 on the street, perhaps a preview of the action I was missing by not seeing their movie. Either way my night was sure eventful, but let me start from the beginning.

I was off to Highland to play with one of my oldest friends. I hadn't seen Juli Carter in years, so a wonderful reunion was in order. We met and fell in love (the first time) in kindergarten, and have been friends ever since. Sadly our lives took different turns and we didn't get to see each other for a while, but fate wouldn't allow that and it literally crashed us back together (well we crashed at least).

We started our fun night visiting another long lost friend named Erin, and talked to her about her troubles and then went searching for a missing sugar glider ( "href="http://netportal.de/images/content/tiere/sugar_glider/sugar_glider3.jpg" target="_self">glider picture). After looking in the closet, under the covers of the bed and all around the room we we found him asleep in his cage (you'd think that's where we would look first ), Well we touched his bed and he made the crazy robotic animal noise that sugar gliders do. I then tried to pick him up and he bit me, so realizing that he was not very happy to see anyone we left him alone.
Juli and I then drove to AF, went on a little jaunt through PetsMart (where I instructed Juli on the best cat food), and then went to dinner at the delicious One Man Band.

After that we went back to Juli's house, decided we wanted to see Casino Royale later that night, well instead I decided to just to rent a movie and go to my friend Chad's house (thus the vengeful gods begin their tirade). To pass time before heading to Chad's we went bowling, I got a 135 (pretty good for me) and Juli just a little under that (maybe the gods were punishing her too?)

After a single game we headed to Blockbuster, picked up the classic Best in Show and headed to Chad's house...

Then the chaos begins...

I was still driving in American Fork, headed north, when to my left I see an old Pontiac stopped at a 2-way stop, he was headed east. Well he pulled out to go, but then saw me coming (I didn't have any stop) so he paused for a moment, and I thought I was fine. Well either he thought it was a 4 way or just thought since he was already in the street he would just try to make it across. He didn't... Instead he slammed into my back door (luckily missing my door b/c I swerved) and we then flew into our 180 and came to a halt in the same lane we were just in, only this time facing south. Juli phoned the police, and we kinda sat there in shock until the whole crew showed up. Luckily Juli wasn't hurt, nor the other driver, just seat belt burns and whiplash for them. I wasn't in any pain yet either, just a tingling sensation from my head to my butt on my left side, but the officer thought it best to keep me immobilized until the ambulance came.

Well I thought the ambulance was a little much since I couldn't feel any pain, so I called my mom (who used to be an EMT) to see if I could just skip that part, but she and the officer both said just to go in and get checked out b/c I probably hit my head on the window and could have internal injuries. As the EMT's got there I yelled to Juli to keep taking pictures and grab my mp3 player, wallet and camera, and, "Keep taking pictures!" (yes, I wanted the whole night documented). They fit me with a c-collar, loaded me onto the very uncomfortable stretcher and away we went.

It's so surreal to go from watching shows like Scrubs and Grey's Anatomy to actually being the one they are taking out at the ER. I apologized to the EMT's in the ambulance for not being more interesting and bloody, and waited til we got to the hospital.

I got x-rayed, they didn't find anything broken, they told me I probably just suffered soft tissue damage, gave me some muscle relaxants, and a large dose of lortabs for later when they said everything would swell up and hurt a lot, and sent me home. So I was pretty grateful, not being badly injured and having friends and family there to support me (Chad, the poor guy, sat in the lobby for a long time waiting for me... what a great friend). After everything was over I needed a few more pictures to remember the eventful night.

Counting my blessings we took Juli home (she got in a wreck last week too... are we doubly cursed?), and then went home to a nice ice pack and let the relaxants do their job.

I don't hurt too badly, mostly just a stiffness in my left side that is really annoying, and just sad about my little Camry who has been so good the last few years. Now my family is short on cars (3 of them for 6 drivers) they said the damages were enough to where it's not even worth it to fix since it's older. My car is gone, but we are all safe and sound, and that is the important thing. Next time Juli and I hang out we are either staying inside the whole night or seeing Casino Royale, either way we win, stay safe, and hopefully appease the angry gods while we're at it.