#109 - herron island 2008

i don't quite remember what i did for memorial day last year. i may have been working. usually when i am at home i visit punchbowl cemetary and give thanks. my dad's parents are inurned there. it's cool because the boy scouts put out flags and leis on each of the regular grassy graves. it's neat. this year a friend from dodgeball asked if i wanted to come up to his property on herron island. it's one of many islands in the puget sound (washington) but is privately owned so you need an invite. the island i believe is about 1.5 by .5 miles and is home to 150 year-round residents. how could i pass this opportunity up?

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in order to get to the island you need to hop on the ferry or a private boat. when we got there we just missed the ferry so i called my friend and he came and picked us up. it was one of the best weekends, filled with friends, fun, and food. we got to his trailer property late on saturday. we took the opportunity to drive up the coast and see a little bit of oregon and washington's coastline. it took a few hours extra but was a nice side trip. we were in time for dinner, which was grilled elk, cedar grilled salmon and sturgeon! it was all amazing! we then had tastings of a dozen red wines. someday i will have a better idea about wine but for now, let's just say i enjoyed them all. we were of course stuffed but found lots of room for other tasty libations. we were invited out to the dock for a bonfire and met quite a few locals there. it was a great first night. we got back, crawled in the tent and slept.
when i woke up it was raining. i looked out and saw my backpack, which i had left outside like an idiot! of course when i went to bed it wasn't raining, but this was the pacific northwest afterall. so dumb. so then i had to deal with a bunch of wet stuff. oh well. we headed down to the little community center for a little cinnamon roll and coffee action. i couldn't eat it cause it was too sweet but when we got back to camp, there were a few different breakfast casseroles and biscuits & gravy, delicious. i was craving the salty i guess. after stuffing ourselves silly it was just hanging out until kickball. we invited some locals, adults and kids, to join us in a friendly game o' kickball. i haven't played since october but i dusted off the cleats, and it felt great! we just headed out to the field by the community center with our cooler of bevvies and were ready. it was good times of course. at one point one of the kids kicked a ball and headed for first base but didn't see this other kid casually walking across the first base line. heads collided and kids started crying. boo. he recovered eventually after some tlc from mommy. after kickball we went back and decided on some croquet, but not just any croquet.
(our gracious host, scotty)
drinking croquet. in this version, the first person through a wicket gets to make a rule. then when you break a rule you need to take a drink. we had 8 wickets and some pretty silly rules by the end. and the end was ONLY four hours later. it was certainly the longest game i've ever played. rules included jumping and saying "woo" before you hit, spinning around on your mallet, scott can't talk (that was the best!), running to your ball, high fives, chest bumps, etc. it was a riot! let's just say a lot of people broke rules. four hours + rule breaking = lots of drinks. it was a pretty fun game and the "peanut gallery" of four people tried to speed it up by getting dinner ready. it pretty much worked. the hot lasagna with lots of goodies in it (zucchini, spinach, cheese, olives, peppers, etc) and garlic bread was almost enough for us to call it quits but we got through it and finished. after dinner we all sat around the campfire and hung out. it was a chill night and i was exhausted!

woke up at 5:45am to the sound of crows. they were loud, obnoxious and very awake. i laid there in my tent for awhile and tried to sleep. i eventually did and woke up for real about 9. everyone else had the same experience. some were trying to throw rocks but were not successful. we didn't do much but eat some leftovers and break camp. i did get to get another ride on the boat though, seeing a few of the other islands and driving too. whoohoo! there's nothing like boating and going over huge wakes! when we got back we went to sit in line for the ferry. it only holds 11-12 cars and goes every hour or so. since it was the long weekend there were a ton of people waiting. not to worry, we were on island time, and didn't really want to leave. it may have been a fun-filled and packed weekend but it was very relaxing. now since i've been there, i know the rules and can go anytime i want. it's a dangerous open invitation because i definitely want to take advantage of it. i love sleeping in a tent (but also having the trailer for bathroom/shower), relaxing, sitting around a campfire and next time hopefully fishing or clamming. i will be back herron island.

#108 - preparations

in exactly six weeks from today i will be on the plane to cancun. i've been keeping busy reading up on places to eat, sleep and play. it's all i can think about, it's probably all i talk about. i feel sorry for the poor people who are my friends and have to listen to me talk about it. i wish i could bring all my friends along, that would be great. unfortunately i've only saved up enough for myself. i still have so much to do...travel insurance, shots, malaria pills, buy a few more things, talk to jose, get an extra camera battery, make copies of things, get traveler's checks, etc.

packing will be interesting. they say to lay out all the things you are planning on taking, cut that in half and take twice as much money! i am a horrible packer. i bring everything i think i may need. i am usually going somewhere that weight doesn't matter though. i will be lugging my pack all around, probably every other day, crammed on "chicken buses" worrying that i'll be robbed/ripped off. so i want to bring as little as possible.

so far i've come up with a rough itinerary:

• july 1 - leave portland, arrive in cancun at midnight get through customs, etc, get bags (this is essential, i hope the airline comes through for me), hang out and head to isla mujeres as early as possible on the 2nd
• july 2-4 - relax on the beaches of isla mujeres
• july 4-6 - head to merida, hang out with jose
• july 6-7 - ruins of chichen itza!
• july 8 - travel day to flores (guatemala), probably 15 hours on a bus or something ridiculous like that
• july 9-11 - lago de peten itza, el remate and tikal (more ruins!)
• july 11-13 - coban, lanquin, semuc champey
• july 13-16 - relax and enjoy the views on lago de atitlan, panajachel and san pedro la laguna
• july 16-19 - hang out in the city of quetzaltenango (xela), hike volcanoes
• july 19-21 - chichicastenango, visit the town and exciting market!
• july 21-24 - antigua - another city and more volcanoes
• july 25 - i leave :(

it's going to be a lot of bus rides and many different hostels but i want to make the most of this trip so i'm trying to hit the main places that interest me. of course there is a lot more i want to do and see (and eat) but i've only got 25 days. when i invent the teleporter, travel will be faster.

it will be nice to be in a country where i can get a whole meal for $3 and eat tacos everyday. i just love learning about new countries, cultures and people. i've been taking this spanish conversation class and i've got two more classes left. i don't think i'll be prepared. i still have no idea how to speak spanish. i've got a few important phrases down - "una cerveza por favor" and "donde esta el bano". what else do i need to know?! i am sure i will meet lots of people so i'll have lots of chances to practice my very very limited spanish. i can't wait!!

#107 - obama rally

it's election season! primaries to be exact. i've never voted in a primary, mostly because i was an independent. this year, i decided to register democrat, cause it actually matters a lot to me and i have hope. imagine that, hope in a candidate that is different and hope for a better future for my country. barack obama has been my guy for awhile now, i don't really like to preach about politics and don't like telling people who to vote for because i wouldn't want anyone to do so to me, but it's just so exciting!

the oregon primary election officially is on tuesday. in oregon we vote by mail, so everyone got their ballots awhile ago. all you have to do is mail it in or drop it into an official box by tuesday at 8pm. i've filled mine out. it's signed and sealed, just not delivered. i'm such a procrastinator. voter registration (especially democratic) is up this year and that is such a great thing for this country. it doesn't even matter if you are a different party. although i believe that obama is the way to change this country for the better, i am excited that more people are getting interested in the future and in politics. people are sick of the same old washington. people are fed up with politics and politicians in bed with lobbyists.

today there was a rally for barack obama at the waterfront. it was a gorgeous oregon day. it was sunny and in the 80's and the place was packed. authorities estimated that over 72,000 people were there to see him. i think he was even surprised at how many people were there to support him. the first minute of him speaking was pretty much him saying "wow" and amazed at the turnout. he talked a lot of what this campaign means to him and what he envisions when he is president. he talked a lot about policies and what will change. ending the war, universal healthcare, and environmental stuff. if you really want to know more, go to his website.


i kind of got chicken skin listening to him. he is a very good speaker and i enjoyed the feeling of being excited for the future. it feels good to really care and believe. "yes we can!" he is not the usual politician that we've become used to. he is not the guy a regular American cannot relate to. he is different and will change this country, for the better.

#106 - misery

i am miserable right now. it is supposed to hit 97 degrees today! right now it's 4pm and my computer says it's 93. YUCK!! i cannot handle weather like this. you walk outside and feel like you are a pile of wet clothes in a dryer on high heat. no one should have to live like this.

luckily for me and others around me, my room is on the north side of the house and doesn't get absurdly hot. i never appreciated the placement of a room so much. 1st floor and north, without much direct sunlight. i used to think it wasn't ideal because it's sometimes kind of dark but it's all good now. i've lived in the top floor on the east side of the house, i was miserable there during hot days. i lived in a basement too and that was so nice. it makes a huge difference.

i worked today in the air condition which was nice considering the heat outside. i really don't like the air at my work because it's pretty much stifling and i feel like the old people don't get enough fresh air. today i opened the windows up in the morning because it wasn't too gross yet. no one said they enjoyed it but i like to think that i would want fresh air every now and then. i love to open the window for a minute or two, even on the coldest days, just to get fresh air. i also like to sleep with the windows open. during the winter i think this makes me have sore throats and coughs but i still gotta do it.

so maybe this is the unofficial, official start of the summer. it's gonna be a doozy. i am not quite sure how i will handle the heat in mexico and guatemala, especially since i won't be drinking tap water. bottled water or beer, baby. no ice chips either. i've got plans for the summer:

• may 21 - underdog playoffs
• memorial day weekend - herron island with a bunch of friends and a keg
• may 31 - end of season dodgeball tournament and party (to which i might be wearing a fancy dress...)
• june 5 - kickball starts, and continues every week till october!
• june 7 - BBQ/camping out in the boonies
• june 14 - first kickball double header
• june 17-27 - watching 3 crazy dogs at the beach
• july 1-25 - central america!
• some point this summer - move into nw
• july 28-aug 29 - school, one class...boo
• august 14 - birthday!
• also in august - football season starts!!
• sept 13 - parents coming up for OSU vs UH football game

#105 - i can see through the b.s.

i am sitting in class, pretty much how i was 6 months ago. patho 2 in fall term. now i'm in patho 2 spring term. it's the same class (with different material and a different book). different teachers, different students. same b.s. we just took our second exam and coming into class this morning i hear rumblings from my fellow students about how frustrated they are with the class, their grades, the teachers, the stupid exams and the school. i can sympathize of course because i've been there. i am still frustrated about all the same things, BUT i am past caring.

don't get me wrong, i care about my education and school and becoming a good nurse. i care about knowing things i need to know to be that good nurse. i care about my future patients and giving them excellent nursing care. i care about passing this class and getting through the rest of school. what i don't care about is complaining about everything because i know it does not do good. one of my good friends in this cohort mentioned to the head of the nursing school that over 50% of the students in this class were concerned about their grades and frustrated with the teaching, etc. what does she say? basically in so many words: "f- you, figure it out together cause we're not going to help you" i was laughing to myself because i've been through this already. they SAY they want to help and they SAY they want to you be successful. yet their actions are quite different. when we asked them for help last time they said "oh well if you don't pass this term you'll come back and be superstars next time you take it." superstars.

well i didn't pass last time and now here i am, a superstar. it's a little easier the second time around. i am studying and reading and being a good student. i don't think i'll be getting an A this term but maybe if half the class fails, a B is superstar status! they tell us to get into a good study group and that way it'll be easier to learn, but it's pretty much like the blind leading the blind. no one knows what they will be testing us on. they give us a "test blueprint" which is supposed to say what the test is on, but really, it doesn't. there were questions on the exam that i don't think were written in english. their test questions are that bad. i've taken NCLEX style questions from a study book and did in the "A" range and then go to take their tests and end up more in the C range. that's just not right. where are they getting these questions?

getting all caught up in complaining about school is a waste of my time because it's not gonna do anything. i know the faculty know things. they've been nurses at some point (even if it was decades ago) and probably have a lot of knowledge. the problem is they do not teach us that material nor do they test on what they supposedly teach on. so basically when you are studying you have to guess what to focus on because it's not what you talk about in class or necessarily the reading assignments from the textbook. i feel all alone in the class and i know that i will pass somehow, but it's okay because i'm a superstar.

#104 - randomness of the day

i'm too hung over to really string intelligent words together to form paragraphs. so i will do bullet points:

• happy mother's day
• nikita passed away this morning in his sleep =( rip
• i can't wait to go to mexico and guatemala but my spanish is still non-existent
• although i don't think the "economic stimulus package" thing is going to do much for the economy, i am glad i got one. but i wonder why i only got $300
• gotta finish my mail in ballot for the oregon primary, i love this system cause i can procrastinate with voting!
• 40 oz beers and jungle juice don't mix
• $1.99 bloody sunday is such a great deal
• i've been watching interesting and strange shows
• i can't wait till all bars go to non-smoking next year
• watch "trapped in the closet"
• i have the best dodgeball team in the world - dwayne's world!!
• i've been spending too much money
• it's only 9 and i want to sleep

#103 - horse racing

horse racing has been around for hundreds of years. it's a popular venue for gambling and so-called sport. i've never really paid much attention to horse racing and don't intend to, but i heard the story of this year's kentucky derby and it really bugs me. the horse big brown won by a lot and in second came eight belles. eight belles was a filly (young female horse) and there have only been 39 before her to race at the kentucky derby. the triple crown (kentucky derby, preakness stakes and belmont stakes) is a series of three races featuring three year old horses. it is the biggest possible achievement for a race horse and it's been 30 years since a horse has won it all. although the purse for winning one of the events is very large ($2 mil for the derby), these days there is also a lot of money in selling off good thoroughbreds for breeding. street sense, who won the derby in 2007 has a stud fee of $75,000!racing horses are bred for specifically for speed, which apparently leads to a lack of strength in their bones. so what happened to eight belles? she was doing her cool down after coming in second, then she broke both front ankles. to a horse this is the end. they euthanized her then and there. i find this very disturbing. these poor animals are bred for racing not longevity and they are there to make their owners money. unfortunately these horses cannot support its weight on only three legs, let alone two so when they break it, it's over.

i doubt things will change because this is just how the sport is, but it bugs me. horses are such beautiful animals and seem very intelligent. maybe if i were a gambler or really liked horse racing i would feel different. maybe i would feel like it's a bittersweet thing and that's just how it is. then again, i probably won't ever become a horse racing fan.

#102 - corvallis

corvallis is the home of oregon state university, the best educational institution in the state of oregon. most people who live in this modest city of 50,000 people are either affiliated with the university or hewlett-packard. it's a very quiet place and there really isn't much to do if you don't look hard enough. i spent four awesome years there as an undergrad student and have been back quite a few times afterwards. yesterday i went down for a memorial service to my uncle. i went to hawaii in february to attend his actual funeral and inurnment at the national cemetary. since he was a professor at the college and resident of corvallis for almost 30 years he made quite a few great friends. they decided to have a memorial in my uncle's honor. it was a great service with lots of fun stories about him and then got together for food afterwards.

i've been back to c-town quite a few times since i graduated and it certain is changed. the old favorites are still there, like american dream pizza (now with two locations) and the beanery. then there are a slew of new stores and pseudo-strip malls. it is kind of strange. the campus is still beautiful, like the first time i visited in '98. it only took one visit to corvallis for me to fall in love. it sounds weird but i loved everything about it. going from my small-ish hometown to corvallis was a pretty easy transition despite the cold weather and rain. i spent the first couple years in the dorms on campus and eventually moved off campus to various apartments, duplexes and houses the next couple years. i rode my bike everywhere and it was just a nice place to live. yesterday i felt the same way, it really is a nice college town and i actually wouldn't mind living there again. sometimes the city gets too crazy, and portland isn't even a crazy city.

you can be sure that i return to corvallis every year, mostly to make a pilgrimage to reser stadium, home of the BEAVERS! i'm not sure if season tickets are happening this year for me but you can be sure i'll be wearing orange and black, sitting in the rain and cheering for my team till the bitter end. i took my parents to the ucla game last season (we got demolished) and they were troopers, sitting in the exposed section of the new addition to the stadium. it was so cold and rainy but they kept cheering with me, even though the team played HORRIBLE. my dad signed up for a credit card so we could get a free blanket! this season the university of hawaii WARRIORS are coming on september 13. in recent history each team has won once. the first time was the oahu bowl (1999), the first winning season for the beavers in almost 30 years. hawaii won by 6. it was my freshman year and i sat there in my orange, next to my whole family clad in green. it was great! in 2006 the beavers took another trip to hawaii, but this time they were ready. it was an exciting game, even more so because i tailgated with high school friends and they were all rooting for the warriors.

it would have been interesting to play the warriors last year when they went undefeated and went to the sugar bowl. i am a huge fan of the warriors as long as they are not playing the beavs. this season the beavers are younger, especially on defense. hawaii lost their star QB colt brennan, foursome of awesome receivers and the coach. all i know is it will be an exciting game and lots of hawaii people will be there (i hope!). my parents are planning on going and i will definitely be there.

everytime i go back to corvallis i don't stay very long. i hope i'll get to hang out a little this season. hit a couple of the old favorite bars and eat at el sol de mexico, home of the macho burrito. or maybe the all you can eat indian buffet for $6 or suds & suds (laundromat/bar) where i went "around the world" by drinking all their beers, got a shirt and my name on a plaque. mostly i want to ride my bike around on a nice spring day, pretending i just got out of class with nothing to do but enjoy life and play a little ultimate frisbee. back when life was simpler.