Wish upon a star

Today I wish that I was here. 

but I'll stay right where I'm at anxiously awaiting the call from a person I love dearly to find out if Baby R is a he or a she!!!

waiting it out

Moving. 

we've all done it.

 the boxes. the schlepping of the heavy, cumbersome, and then the mystery of opening each one to find things you forgot you had or wish you didn't. 

So what is it that motivates us to keep straining, stressing, and relocating?

For most of us it's the ongoing pursuit of happiness -- whether it's to be closer to friends and family, to be with a loved one, or to further your education. Most importantly, I believe it's about finding a place where you just know you are supposed  to be. 

Currently my former LA roommate is learning the art of higher education paired with a brand new city -- I know the feeling, and I can only empathize with the roller coaster she's about to experience! The most difficult part of a new place, space, and no familiar face (yeah, that rhymes and it wasn't intentional) is learning to cope with the silence around you and the endless shouting that comes from inside -- and no I don't hear voices!

So over the past few years of trying to balance the silence with noise Ive started collecting the cards, scraps, and photos that really just make me smile. One that I always go back to is a card that I got in the first month I lived alone in Los Angeles. It was the first real mail I got after all the people who made me feel sane filtered back to GA. 

It wasn't a "You can do it" or an "I miss you" card, but more a 'you've been on my mind", "let me share my life experience with you" and a reminder why I was doing what I was doing card. It made my month then and again it brightened my day when I happened across it again unpacking a week or so ago. 

I am a firm believer that life needs more moments that stumbling across the simplest of cards can bring. 

Miss you! 

hurts to be so right

All day yesterday my leg couldn't shake the awesome stabbing, throbbing, pins and needles aching that is likes to  put me through 16 hrs before it rains. I left the mountains around ... ooohhh 2pm yesterday talking to my mom about how  excited I was to drive home in intense amounts of knee pain. I got home, curled up on the sofa with a bottle of Rx Ibuprofen and waited for it to pass. Driving home from work today it was 5:30 --- 15.5 hrs from when my leg started throbbing --- and this is what it looked like ...

(Roswell Rd and Abernathy Intersection)

5 minutes later, downpour. Thunder. Lighting.  The whole nine. I like being right and all, but COME ON!!!!! 

comin' round the mountain

welcome to the coziest, most serene place on earth:

Mineral's Bluff, GA

home of this (below)

(the back deck)

My parents  bought this cabin right before the winter of .... 2005? Anyhow, it's by far one of my favorite places and holds some of my favorite memories  - most which are with the crazy friends I've taken up there. Things like Spring Break 2007, The 'Danger Scale', and copious amounts of coffee, biking, hot tubbing, and alcohol. 

Some of my favorite memories to date .... 

(Maggie & Vicki and I's biking/coffee extravaganza)      

Spring Break of Shenanigans 

And now for one of my favorite NEW memories

I am absolutely fascinated by his ability to learn and grow everyday. His amazement to life inspires me to slow down and take it all in. 

full steam ahead

Ever have those days where you just don't feel like you're firing on all cylinders?

Not the bad days,but the days you feel like you are holding onto a leaky life preserver and the only thing that will patch it is a cup of coffee and a sofa? Or a bottle of cheap -- but delicious -- red wine. 

Today was that day for me. I had a fantastic night last night and an easy, learning-filled morning at work. But couldn't get myself into full gear. It was almost like my body was tooo relaxed and couldn't keep up with my brain. I think I need a break from the fast pace to collect and recharge. Can anyone say cabin? Saturday?
Deal. 

(CRASH-B indoor erg competition in Boston with a few of my former USC rowers)

Luck of the ... Scottish?

Today was a great Monday. In fact, the greatest Monday since I decided to rent a car and drive to all of the crazy amazing places that Scotland has to offer. Maybe it's because Sunday was such a relaxing Sunday? I got a roommate (she seems chill  but ambitious, like me)  then hung out with my nephew, and I actually got a full nights sleep! Today was a slow start to morning at work, but it picked up like you would expect a Monday to do. My lunch break came and went with me doing triage evaluations instead of left overs in the break room. Made it through the rest of the day no sweat, then got in a good sweat at the gym. Now .... reminiscing about Scotland.

(Glencoe, Scotland ... The Highlands)

(1st hole of the British Open in St. Andrews)

One fish, two fish

Happy 1/2 birthday to my crazy adorable nephew! His real birthday is two days before Christmas, so me being the way cool Aunt that I am decided that he would get a bday gift from me in the summer instead. (okay, so his actual half birthday was June 23rd, but i was out of town).

To celebrate his being 1.5 we went to the GA Aquarium. It was precious and I loved every minute of his shock & awe and  teaching him new things about ocean life. Love him!

Zzzzzzz's

(mock sleeping while running amuck in Cambridge)

I'm a night owl. And a morning person. I've always thrived off of very little sleep and been a very alert, healthy, functioning individual. I can't tell if it's my mind has gone into hyper-drive or if my body at it's ridiculously young, but beat up, age of 24 is fed up. I trrry to get more sleep. I'll get in bed at 10pm, set my alarm for 6am, then at 3:30 I'm wide awake just laying there. Really? Really. Going on 2 weeks of this nonsense now and my brain can't take it. Literally.

Life got flipped, turned upside down

Hi online world of 4 (probably less now), good news ... I'm still kicking! It's been a while, a long while. 


I've got so much to rehash, share, and vent about. Priority one: I still don't have internet, so while this post is a long time coming, the next one might be a few more days. Now, as nice as it has been to distance myself from the facebooks and Row2k constant updates, not having access to the world wide web makes finding roommates, comparing internet rates, and even studying for my rotation at Georgia Hand, Shoulder & Elbow quite difficult. I love my Droid, but not trying to browse the internet everyday all day on it. 


As far as where I've been and where I am ... I  am currently back in Foxcroft -- my cozy little condo in Sandy Springs, GA. In the last 6 weeks I have been in Sacramento, Skellytown Texas, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, London, Cambridge, Warwick, Henley-on-Thames, Keswick (the home of Beatrix Potter!), Scotland's highlands and St Andrews ... it's been nuts and I love every minute of it. Traveling is good for my soul. 

bahh

holy crap have i been busy ...

the crazies

So in this calm moment of sunday night, I feel like I should be doing something more to prepare for the next 3 weeks to come. Chaos. Chaos that I fully intend to try to enjoy every moment of. This week alone I have to finish planning the end of season crew banquet for our so far 82 guest ... which still needs some serious TLC. My parents land on Thursday, the banquet is Thursday night, graduation is all day Friday, graduation dinner at Spark Woodfire Grill (which thankfully still had reservations available!), then Saturday AM I leave for sacramento where the crew will compete in the PCRC's and PAC-10 Championships. Straight from that race I leave with the trailor -- which I will be partly driving!! -- to go to ACRA Club National Championships in OK. So many exciting things and not enough to process how quickly they will be gone and I'll be back in GA ... oh wait, yes there is. 22 days!!!

FIN

COMPS are over! Results are in! Never thought I'd be so happy to see the #63 .... Whew. 

Comprehensive Exam Results

Results of the April 2010 Comp Exam. Congratulations to all who passed!

4 7 8 10 11 12 15 17 22 23 25 28 30 31 33 34 36 38 39 41 43 44 46 47 50 51 52 54 55 57 60 61 63 64  68 69 71 73 75 80 83 85 89 90 91 92 95 97 99 102 103 105 109 110 113 114 121 123 126 127 129 131 136 137 139 141 143 145 147 149 151 152 153 167 169 171 188 199 

Now it's time to plan a banquet, graduate with my Master's degree, sell my furniture, and drive all over this crazy country till I'm back in GA!

Starting with the sale of my semi-crappy road bike. Profited 60 bucks on it! Wooo!

Seeeeeeee ya bike!

baby sis

So my little sister is definitely all grown up ... in fact, too grown up. I'm 24 and she's 17 ... she looks 24 and I look, ehh 19? 20? Irregardless, we had a blast while she was visiting me in LA. We toured the Griffith Observatory, ate at some claim to fame mexican place called Don Antonio's, did the USC Senior Fountain Run together, spent some time at LA Live and at Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica Promenade. So glad she was able to make it out here before I MOVE HOME IN 27 DAYS!!!!

FUH-inally

Just submitted my last OT grad school paper. 

Take that OT 510: Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Occupational Data.

(My qualitative research study cover page: Exploring the lived experiences of individuals with paraplegia who are involved with an adapted rowing program)

B.F.B.

Best Friends Birthday (BFB). 

Love her. Miss her. Can't wait till we don't live an entire ocean apart again! Foxcroft, anyone??

how i feel today

down & dirty

The 2010 Merrell Down & Dirty Mud Run was awesome! There were so many fun aspects to the event, minus my inability to run uphills. By  the first 1/4 mile, you were covered in mud. Spectacular! The professions were on site taking pics of the challenges, but until then ... enjoy these!

if you want to destroy my sweater

Finally updated the Droid cell phone case! AND I LOVE IT... regardless that someone told me it looked like an argyle sweater threw up. Come on, it's cheap, it's obnoxious, it's green, and it's argyle!!!!

Also, on another note, new fav song of the day: Temper Trap's Sweet Disposition

rules are meant to be broken

I have exactly 6 days to come up with a cool costume for my Down and Dirty Mud Run next sunday which proceeds go to help Operation Gratitude to keep up the spirits of our troops overseas 

Guidelines say: 

 Think you’ve got what it takes to wow the crowd? Well then put your creativity to the test by suiting up for the Merrell Down & Dirty Costume Contest! Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 costumes as voted on by YOU, the crowd on race morning. Break out those wigs, wings, make-up and get ready to strut your stuff! First place wins $500, Second place wins $250 and Third place wins $100! An additional prize of $150 will be awarded to the best locally themed costume - starting in Los Angeles where the appropriate theme is, of course, “Hollywood”! For all you Spidermen, Marilyn Monroes or John Waynes get ready to strike a pose and walk away with a great prize. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

So far my best options have been spray paint myself as an Oscar, make leg holsters and go as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, or wear my wet suit and be scuba steve!

Any thoughts?? 

sweet darlin'

As much as it makes me cringe to be called or hear ppl called 'darlin', I love this song. (And wish I could pull off the intensely hot, stoic vibe that Zooey Deschanel can...)

When I was a little bit younger

The strain I was under could make me cry

Now I’m a little bit older,

A little bit bolder

Never so shy

Sweet darlin’, come hold me,

Just a little bit longer now

Sweet darlin’, come hold me,

Just a little bit longer now

When things were a little bit clearer

When you got nearer

I shrugged from your touch

Now that I know what I want, see,

I think that it haunts me,

I want you too much