Reverting Back to a Wide-Eyed, Giggly Childhood

Guys...seriously, I can't even explain how much I love this movie. When it came out in theaters in 1997 I saw it...no joke...11 times. I kid you not.

15 years later, and am I seeing it in 3D this week? YOU BET!

What Would You Do??

Looks like I didn't win that mega millions...darn. I even shelled out a whole dollar for the group ticket everyone at work bought, just in case, but alas, no $640 million. Even so, money continues to creep it's way into my brain now and then, way more than I wish it did. But haven't we all thought about what we'd do if we happened to win a whole lot of money? Here's what I'd do, trying to balance selfish and selfless...
-pay off my student loans
-buy myself a small but beautiful house so that I'd always have a place to live that's all my own
-give some to my family, especially my mom
-donate some to charities and/or people that I know need a little help
-travel, travel, travel!
-go back to school and study anything I want, for as long as I want
-live comfortably but not lavishly for the rest of my life

I'm not sure there's much else I would need in this world. I think it's better to come from "humble beginnings" and come into some money later in life (if I were ever to be rich) because I HOPE that I'd have enough sense now to know what's important in life and what's really NOT important. I am actually currently living much more "humbly" than I ever did growing up (as much as my dramatic pre-teen self would hate to admit it). I make about enough money to get by each month (even that has been a struggle some months) and that's about it. I'm not sure I need $640 million but having enough money to not worry about rent and food anymore wouldn't be so bad. It's good though, to know that I AM taking care of myself and paying for everything I have by myself. And speaking of which, when did I become such a grown up anyways?! It's a sneaky thing that you don't realize until it's happening. Not that I need to always act like a grown up :-) I try to play and laugh and have fun as much as possible too. I'm definitely known to frolic, twirl, dance, and sing on occasion and THOSE are some great things that money can't buy!

Having no money means you must be very creative, that's for sure. It seems like the lack of something often feeds creativity when you look at the most creative people out there, past and present, so that's reassuring. At least I'll have my creativity next month when I need to pay my rent!

But seriously, I'm ok with not winning the lottery. I have health, friends, family, a place to live, a car to get me places, and plenty of Ramen soup to get me by!

If any of you out there DID happen to win the mega millions, though, just remember that I was your friend before you became rich :-)

Round The World

Here are two videos that I absolutely love and they make me want to travel and see as much of this world as possible in my life! The first one I've watched many, many times over the years and the second one I just discovered recently from my awesome friend Jess! Enjoy :-)




Time is Nothing // Around The World Time Lapse from Kien Lam on Vimeo.

Old Year/New Year

                                     

2011 has been done and gone for almost 2 weeks already?! Before it's too far in the past to remember, I want to try an exercise in remembering all the ups and downs of the year that's passed. In no particular order, here's what I've got...

In 2011 I...
-met a totally amazing guy, then a couple weeks later got to be his girlfriend :-)
-traveled to Maine, Oregon, Washington, and California (also brief, accidental mini-adventures in Boston and Texas)
-turned 24
-moved twice
-lived in Denver
-discovered zumba
-attended two weddings of childhood friends
-ran around the beach on both coasts
-completed my 12th Bolder Boulder
-learned how to make, sell, and appreciate wine
-worked four different jobs (sometimes at the same time!)
-did a lot of slacklining
-saw the Avett Brothers, Iron & Wine, the Head and the Heart, and Alexi Murdoch in concert
-got to be in the same room as James Franco
-worked two paid and one volunteer photography jobs
-reunited with long lost relatives
-learned to snowboard
-had the worst travel experience involving airplanes, delays, missed flights, and Texas that you can possibly imagine
-survived the above travel experience
-made lots of new friends


What does 2012 have in store for me? Here's what I've got so far (some are confirmed, some are hopefuls)...
-anniversary/valentine's day/awesome trip to NYC with Anthony next month
-celebrating 1 year with said boyfriend :-)
-more photography jobs?
-photography classes to improve those skills!
-more snowboarding (more skills to improve)
-another big trip later in the year...road trip around the west coast/Canada? Europe? Japan? Not sure yet.
-getting better at budgeting and saving my money

Hopefully many more adventures, travels, photos, and surprises to come!

P.S. Here's another song I can't stop listening to right now:

From my Ears to Yours

I'm currently stuck on these two songs by Florence + The Machine! They make me happy :-)

Happy Birthday! (And Merry Christmas)

Today (Christmas day) would have been my Grandpa's 90th birthday!
We went to the cemetery to sing happy birthday and leave a wreath on his grave (I also left him a cookie, as that was one of his very favorite things to eat)

Today was also a really great Christmas spent with my family! I seem to have made out pretty well in the gift department which also caused me to just be grateful for such amazing family, friends and boyfriend regardless of what they give me on Christmas, they give me love and joy every day (as cheesy as it sounds)!

Nostalgically Yours

Semester at Sea LipDub Ship Tour from Semester at Sea on Vimeo.


Seriously, guys, if you've got 10 minutes to spare, watch this video made by the Fall 2011 Semester at Sea students. It really cool and it gives you a great look at the SAS ship and just how cool the people are that participate in the program. Even though the kids in the video aren't from my voyage (was mine really 3 YEARS ago?! Yikes) it is SO representative of the energy, creativity, and adventurous spirit that it still made me tear up a little to see the ship again and all the students hanging out aboard the good 'ol MV Explorer!

Wait...3 years ago?! It's been 3 years since I traveled around the world on a ship? That's hard to believe. The good news is I'm still dreaming of more travel and adventures, I am still in touch with many of the amazing friends I made on that trip, and I am forever changed for the better because of that time in my life! I plan to have many more incredible adventures in my life but I know that Semester at Sea was one that is unrepeatable. I'll never get that same opportunity again. Saying that makes my brain say "dang, I wish I'd done more on the trip and seen more and I wish I hadn't gotten annoyed at my roommate that one time and I wish I had signed up for that one activity and hadn't spent so much time missing the boyfriend I'm not even dating anymore..." but this is where I remind my brain that for every little thing I regret on that trip there's 100 things that were amazing and far more worthy of remembering.

Just  a few of these... involve spending an entire day in an African sand dune playing in the sand with my friends, hiking to the top of Table Mountain in South Africa, playing volleyball in the "Sea Olympics" on the ship, staying with an incredible family in India (homecooked Indian food anyone?! YUM!) going to a hookah bar in Chennai, riding in crowded taxis and rickshaws - being jostled about on foreign roads hoping I end up at the right destination and trying to remember that the journey is the destination, listening to jazz music in a Vietnamese jazz club, eating pho, visiting the homes of two famous jazz musicians in South Africa, getting lost in Shanghai, Japanese subways, Disney World Tokyo at 6am, eating stingray in Malaysia, walking the streets of Langkawi in pouring rain to find a hotel (and finding one right on the beach for unimaginably cheap), having deep conversations with my roommate (miss you Estes!) and the rest of my worldly friends (Kristene, Betharoo, Roy, Kristene, Alison, Paul and more!), sailing through the Panama Canal and learning about locks, riding horses and ziplining in Costa Rica, Thanksgiving on the beach in Hawaii, playing spoons on the ship, taco day, movie nights (especially watching Elf in the union) and so so so sooooo much more!

If a kid entering college asks you for advice tell them what I always say: STUDY ABROAD! Just do it. No matter where you go (athough I would recommend SAS, of course) just study abroad. It will add to your education and change your life forever. You won't regret it. Or...if you're not a student, GO ABROAD! Work, volunteer, backpack Europe, just travel already!

If I had the money right now I would be traveling. Right now. But not to worry, because I know I'll get there! The second I have enough for a plane ticket to somewhere new I'm on it. It doesn't take a fortune to travel, guys! It really doesn't. Money is NOT an excuse for not traveling. When I'm not actually traveling I'm reading and dreaming about it and planning where I will go and always looking at ways to make it happen. Just make it happen! This world is huge and I intend to see as much of it as I possibly can while I'm here. You can always come home again after an adventure. Don't be afraid to leave home...it will always be there waiting for you when you return!

Happy Travels, all you beloved friends and family of mine :-)

p.s. here's a sort of related thought for the day: comedian Demetri Martin said "The definition of 'adventure' depends upon how boring your life is"...He is so right! I'm definitely inspired to always strive for greatness in my life AND my adventures!