Flapper Girl

I realize I've been blogging an excessive amount lately. But as luck would have it, I am stuck in the SLC airport until 4:00, and my flight was supposed to leave at 12:50. I'm bored out of my mind, so blogging I am.

You know how people ask you when you would choose to be born if you could pick?

For as long as I can remember, I've always said either the 1920's or the 1940's.

I'm not sure why. The entire idea of flapper girls and women a la Rosie the Riveter has always fascinated me. I guess I liked them because they weren't afraid to break out of cultural/societal norms and be something that was slightly scandalous at the time. You don't like the idea of me making guns in factories? Too bad. You don't want me to cut my hair? Oh well. The hair cutting and smoking and drinking of the 1920s might not seem like a big deal. Actually, it might sound kind of like a bad deal. But I guess what I'm getting at is that that was one of those moments in history where women decided they'd do what they wanted to do, not just what society said was proper. I'm not saying they were necessarily happier as they were, but at least they made some kind of conscious decision as to what kind of person they wanted to be, even if it was a little out there.

To tell the truth, sometimes I rather feel like a flapper girl--a little out there--in this BYU bubble of Mormon culture.

But hey, what the hell?

I wouldn't change it.

trekking through bryce.

In the last package I got from my mom, she gave me a little something something with a note that said, "Treat yourself."

I treated myself today and went for a hike in Bryce Canyon National park. It took forever (like almost four hours) to get there. The roads were awful (once you got off I-15) and even on I-15, thanks to the semi-trucks that continually blew dirt and slush and salt all over my windshield (and the rest of my car), I could barely see half the time. Sidenote: my car is dirtier now than it has ever been before. Somewhere on this journey, I also lost my debit card. Twas a rather frustrating journey, to be completely honest.

However, once I got on Highway 12, things started looking up. For one thing, I finally woke up all the way. And secondly, the views got 1000x better than they had been before.

Somewhere along Highway 12, nearing the park.

Also somewhere along Highway 12. 

I got to the park itself, paid the fee, and realized that the trail I was originally going to hike was closed. So I drove to Sunset Point (one of the vantage points in the park) and decided I was going to wing it with the help of the trail map. I found the trailhead to one of the trails and just started walking. It was such a good decision. The views were breathtaking and besides one couple (who I got to take a picture for me), I didn't see another soul. I went on whatever trails I felt like, just because I could. It was cold enough so that the water would freeze in the mouthpiece of my camelbak, but thankfully, moving around kept me plenty warm. It was just me and the park and it was all so so so pretty that I almost wouldn't have had it any other way.

Note: I did try to find a hiking buddy, Mom. Unfortunately, everybody was either home already or unable to go. And I did have Mace with me. Among other things. Just in case.

Parts of the trails I used had the snow beaten down already. However, the last two miles or so that I did consisted of knee-deep powder. I think one person had been on it before I used it, which was good, because it was easy to see where the trail was supposed to be by their tracks. The bad news is that their footprints were so wide apart I couldn't walk in them so I waded through knee-deep snow for the last two miles. That was when I realized how grateful I was for underarmour and the the thick wool socks I was wearing. I was also breaking in my hiking boots for the first time, and I'm pleased to say that they worked out very well.

the skyline.

self-portrait. it happens when you're all by yourself. 

beautiful. 

thank you, random couple. 

adventure is out there!

I hiked until about 4:30-5:00ish. That was about when my feet started to get really cold and also about when the sun proceeded to sink lower and lower. So I hopped back in my car and made my way safely back to Provo, thanks to my brother and my mom, both of whom talked to me on the phone while I was feeling particularly sleepy.

I thought Bryce was stunning with the snow. And honestly, trekking through the snow was kind of fun. However, someday I'd like to return in the summertime. There are so many more trails over the summer and your time wouldn't be limited by how much cold your feet can take.

And note to self: don't ever forget to charge your camera battery before such happenings, or there's a very good chance that your camera will die halfway through. 

trail life. 

Living Life Slightly Scared

It sounds strange, but I'm trying to live life slightly scared.

Scared, to me, is good. 

It means that I'm getting out of my comfort zone, that I'm really experiencing life the way I want to experience it.

The first time I ever left the country (that I can actually remember) was when I went to Mexico in 2010. It was scary. First international flight on my own, minimal Spanish skills, no friends, no travel experience whatsoever. 

Riding the train from Barcelona to France and realizing that it was pitch black outside and we really didn't have any clear idea as to where our hostel would be? That was kind of scary.  

Getting kicked off the train in Mbeya at 11:30 at night due to worker strikes definitely caught me off guard. 

The reason I love all of these moments is because they made me go into something slightly scared and come out of it slightly stronger. 

So recently, I've actively been trying to do things that intimidate me. 

The second time we came back to Stone Town (Zanzibar), I decided I wanted to explore it on my own. Stone Town is unique in that you get lost every time you try to go anywhere. It's also full of interesting characters, both good and maybe some that are slightly less-than-ideal. I went out, I did get lost out of my mind, I had a man grab my arm and tell me he was going to follow me home unless I bought something from him, and granted, during those couple hours, I did feel slightly more vulnerable. I got back to the hostel though and I felt good. I did it. 

At Victoria Falls, I decided I wanted to go bungee jumping, precisely because it was something I always thought I'd be too scared to do. It was actually terrifying and a split-second before I jumped, I thought, What if this is a horrible, horrible mistake? But it wasn't. I survived, it was the experience of a lifetime (so so beautiful), and maybe most importantly, I had proved to myself that I could do things I was scared of, that I was capable of jumping off a platform into the unknown. 

the moment.

As I've been thinking about all the things I want to learn and do in the future, I've realized that a lot of them are going to feel a little bit like those hours in Stone Town or those seconds on the edge of the bungee jumping platform. They'll scare me a little bit. Hiking/backpacking (what if I get lost? or hurt?), rock climbing (what if I make a mistake? what if I fall?), skiing/snowboarding (What if I break my neck? and since when did this mountain get to be so high?), running a marathon/relays (What if I physically can't do it?), traveling alone (What if I get robbed/attacked? Will I be lonely? How am I getting from Point A to Point B?)--adventures in general are supposed to be scary, I think. But I never want to stop having adventures, so I guess right now I'm resigning myself to a life of slightly scary things.

It's so worth it. 

This fellow right here is a rock star and writes an awesome blog about all his backpacking adventures all over the world. Take a look at what he's go to say about embracing fear: http://onestep4ward.com/motivational-monday-its-scared-travel-alone/. 

"Apathy will be the death of all of us if we're not careful, and that's what our comfort zone represents. So don't be apathetic, get lost then find your way. Be scared then find your courage. Hit the road, embrace your fears and live your life. We only get one of them."

It's good stuff. 

Seaside and Cannon Beach.

Our last day in Oregon, Jenny and I went to the coast. 

I've practically grown up on the beaches of Lake Michigan. The Oregon coast is entirely different.

Maybe it's the fact that we visited in the end of November, but it felt so much wilder. The rocky crags, the waves, the wind, the wet sand, the lack of people.

First, we went to Seaside. Here's a couple shots.

Approaching the beach.

Jenny running into the ocean.

Stick people doing stick people things. 

A lone couple and their dog walking on the seashore. 

Next, we headed to Cannon Beach. Before we headed to the beach, we got some food because we were starving. Cannon Beach is a charming, if rather touristy, town, and we found a cozy place to get burgers and clam chowder. Cannon Beach itself was breathtaking. Take a look.

Cannon Beach.

Jenny and the ocean and the sun.

Me & the beach.

Pure rock. So incredible. 

I really do not have too much more to add to this post in terms of additional words. I feel as though the pictures rather speak for themselves as to how beautiful it all was--and a picture is worth a thousand words, right? Honestly, I could have spent hours there, bundled up with a good book and a thermos of hot chocolate or something.

Even with all the rain, I could see myself living in the Northwest and liking it. Really liking it. I would love to do a good hiking trip there someday, although camping in the rain has never been my favorite. I hear the rain isn't so bad during the summer though. At any rate, there's this relay race that I've wanted to do for a couple years now. Check it: http://www.hoodtocoast.com. Now that I've been to Oregon once, I'd love to go back! I feel like a race would be the perfect excuse.

Parkdale & Portland.

This past Thanksgiving Break, I visited the Northwest for the first time. It honestly took my breath away with how beautiful it was. I like road-trips, but honestly, some states are a lot harder to roadtrip through than others (see: Nebraska). However, Oregon is a completely different story. Oregon is one of those states that's ridiculously easy to drive through just because of how stunning the scenery is.

The break was a great mix of relaxing and exploring and full of good memories. Here are a couple of the highlights.

We arrived in Parkdale, OR late on Wednesday night. For the most part, we spent Thursday just relaxing (think bed, bathrobes, books, bubblebaths, and chocolate. So much chocolate). Thanksgiving dinner was eaten in a restaurant on Mount Hood. Mount Hood is just beautiful--there was snow, and the roads were so curvy and adventurous, and the mountains were wrapped up in such mysterious-looking fog.

Driving.

Bed and breakfast.

Mount Hood.

Midnight Thanksgiving celebration on the floor of our room. 

The next day, we headed to Portland. It was raining, of course, because that's what it does in Portland. Nonetheless, it was a great time. We got stopped by activists, shopped around a bit, ate some of the best ice cream I've ever had, and did lots and lots of walking around and looking. we also visited Powells, the largest bookstore in the world! We stayed there for...hours? I can't remember. Most girls buy clothes. Jenny and I--we buy books. We also bought a dozen doughnuts at Voodoo Doughnuts. It was entirely worth waiting in the long line outside in the rain.

Portland has this really cool vibe going on. It's full of things like rainboots, scarves, recycling bins, street art, and cobblestone. Old brick buildings. Trees. Layering. Hipster glasses and coffee shops. Street artists. I like it.

Here's a couple snapshots of the day.

Portland, U rule.

Portland streets. 

Ice cream at the Salt & Straw. 

Voodoo Doughnut.

Keep Portland Weird. I love it. 

After the day was done, we headed to a small, cozy hostel in Camas, Washington. We ate doughnuts for dinner and I tried being productive, but got entirely distracted (of course), and ended up doing nothing at all until I fell asleep.

this year.

Right now, I'm sitting in a really really comfortable bed in a really really comfortable bathrobe with a really really good friend. And I'm really really thankful.

This is my fourth Thanksgiving away from home, and this year, I'm spending it in Oregon with Jenny. The twelve hour drive was not bad at all, thanks to lots of good conversation, divey gas stations, plenty of junk food, and great music. We also listened to Bossypants by Tina Fey. As you can imagine, it was funny.

Right now we're in a super cozy bed&breakfast in Parkdale and it is so relaxing. The breakfasts are amazing and there's an awesome view of Mount Hood. We're here for two nights and then we'll be off to Portland for the next two.

As I'm sitting here in bed grading exams and thinking about life, I thought I might list a few of the things I'm grateful for.

Here goes! Awesome brothers, the cutest little sister to ever grace the earth, wonderful parents and grandparents, the chance to go back to Africa again next summer to do research, good books and literature, bubble baths & scented candles, chocolate, BYU, the best roommates I could ever ask for, Spanish (and the FLSR for making me speak it), big sweaters, a car, art, my heritage, patriotic Americans, our troops, Christmas lights, jazz, the gospel, world travels, friends (I have all the best ones), pumpkin pie, comfortable beds, great conversation, a solid job, passionate people that inspire me, a major that I love, Korean food, a solid eight hours of sleep last night, and the list could go on and on.

I suppose this is why I don't usually make lists.

I guess it's just that I'm happy and so glad to be where I am right now in life.

a tuesday.

It's only Tuesday, and it's already a busy kind of week. The kind of week where one feels rather like a tablecloth that barely covers the corners of the table it was designed for. Or like Bilbo, when he says, "I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread."

Not that I relate to Bilbo, what with his dealings with invisible rings and Sauron and all that jazz.

So not really that, I guess, but more stretched as in early mornings and late nights. A planner with no more room for me to write all the things that I have to remember to do. An inbox full of emails that need to be answered. Interviews and lesson-planning and studying and tests and homework. It's not a bad kind of stretched really. Over the past four years, I've gotten better and better at managing my time and getting everything done--and it's kind of a nice feeling of accomplishment when it all gets done.

I'm starting to put together my plans for next summer. It'll all be decided by this Friday--and I've realized that no matter which option ends up working out, I'll be thrilled. That's a nice feeling to have.

That's the kind of thing that makes all these four or five hour nights-worth of sleep worth it. I feel like doors have been opening in all the right places in all the right times.

I was talking to my parents last week and I realized how lucky I am that they've always supported me, even in some of my more rash decisions (i.e. deciding to study both in Spain and in England in the same year). Even right now with regards to next summer, they've given me some advice but are still letting me make my own decisions. It's nice to know they trust me to take care of myself.

BYU has been good to me.

I look at where I am now and remember back to my first night at BYU. I was a scared little freshman, thinking about studying elementary education (what was I thinking? I would be a terrible elementary school teacher). I've changed majors multiple times. I've studied lots of different things and had lots of wonderful teachers. I've traveled lots of places and had lots of learning experiences. I don't think I would change my college experience for anything.

I registered for classes next semester. That was originally the semester I was supposed to graduate. Although part of me wishes I could be graduating, about 70% of me is glad for the extra time. There is still so much I want to do as an undergrad!

And finally, Carla Bruni has been the soundtrack to my library studyin' adventures lately. Her French songs are awesome as well.

this is halloween.

Every once in a while we run zombie 5k's in honor of Halloween.

I look like I'm six years old and that kind of creeps me out. Kind of.

The real creepy part of the entire adventure though was that one zombie at the 5k sign-up table who got so into character that he kept trying to sniff me while growling. That was quite odd and rather awkward.

Oh, Halloween. You never cease to amuse me.

It's Utah.

This morning, Laura and I woke up at 6:30.

We threw on some clothes, grabbed blankets, and stumbled out the door to the car.

7/11 has some of the best hot chocolate around, so obviously, that was our first stop. We didn't really  have a second stop. We drove up through the mountains to the lake and watched the sunrise.

Afterwards, we headed up towards Alpine Loop. It was just gorgeous.

It just took my breath away with how beautiful all of it was. I've been in Provo for four years now and this is the first time I've checked out the mountains once all the leaves started changing. I blame that on... not having a car before?

Anyways, it was a great life decision and a really fun way to spend the morning. We got back to our apartment a half hour before conference started, which 1) rocked my world a little bit (just like everybody else though, I suppose) and 2) was just AWESOME, period. So many things to take away, and now I can't wait to see conference tomorrow!

mad world.

A while ago, a friend of mine posted this little vid. It's one of those short ones that you kind of think about afterwards for a long time. It's a good one. Watch it if you'd like. Or don't. Either way.

In other news, I've been on a serious jazz/jazz-influenced music kick lately. It's all I study to nowadays, and I seem to be doing a lot of studying. No worries, I still break out the Lord of the Rings soundtrack if the homework's really intense. Intense as in the-paper-must-be-finished-TONIGHT!! kind of intense. Forth Eorlingas!! It sounds a lot more epic than it looks, trust me.

some other neat things to do in minneapolis.

Minneapolis is a pretty neat place. If you should ever get the chance to go there, you should definitely do/experience some of these things. This is just a continuation of the other Minneapolis post that was on here somewhere.

Note: I realized that most of these have something to do with food. Conclusion: I ate a lot in Minneapolis. Fact: I eat a lot every day of my life.

11) Go to A-Z pizza. It's a farm in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin that just happens to have a hopping pizza kitchen as well. They grow all their own ingredients, and have lots of really beautiful acreage. And the pizza is delish.

12) Zip around some cornfields in an old red convertible.

13) Get breakfast at Al's. It's a little dinky place in dinkytown with a row of stools at the counter, a really long line, and some of the best pancakes I've ever had. Classic.

14) Get seafood at Stella's. They have really great rooftop seating to boot.

15) Go to the Harbor View Cafe in Pepin, Wisconsin. They have amazing food. AMAZING. Not to mention it's in Pepin, which is not only beautiful, but is also the birthplace of Laura Ingalls. You know, the Little House on the Prairie books? Please tell me I'm not the only one who read those books. Man, I loved those books when I was little. I even had a pioneer Laura Ingalls dress, I kid you not. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you definitely missed out. To be completely fair though, I was a funny kid, and I mean the kind of funny that would be totally into things like books about Laura Ingalls.

Pepin Lake

Harbor View Cafe.

16) Hike the bluffs in Wisconsin. I don't remember where they were, but they were gorgeous!

17) Some other great restaurant's: Annie's, Potbelly's, Loring's Pasta Bar, Psycho Suzie's, Chino Latino, Cafe Latte (amazing dessert).

18) Go to the Jazz Festival!! This is INCREDIBLE if you like jazz. And if you don't like jazz, it's still pretty cool. I got to see The Bad Plus, and they were INSANE. Plus, it's free.

The Bad Plus

19) Go to the Canterbury horse races. It's especially great if you go when all the food trucks are there. I got a Korean bbq burrito and it was worth every penny.

20) Go to the Farmer's Market early on a Saturday morning! I wish I could have gone more often. Lots of flowers, good food, and fresh produce.

21) Check out the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I was actually so impressed with their art collection.

22) Experience the Midwest Tomato Festival. It culminates in a large tomato fight, which is actually pretty fun despite being a little crazy.

my roommate and i post-tomato fight.

23) Go kayaking on the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes. Super beautiful and serene. Not too many people. A nice break from the city.

24) Go boating/tubing on one of Minnesota's many many big lakes. So much fun. My arms were sore for a couple days.

Everything else on this list is kind of specific to my personal experience. But hey, if you decide getting glasses in Minneapolis is the thing to do too, all the more power to ya.

25) Work related things that were kind of cool: I got to make butter and cheese on a bench-top scale. I also got to tour one of Land O'Lakes' plants in Spencer, WI which was interesting. I got lots of free butter and cheese. I love butter and I love cheese, so it was a win-win. Getting to the point here finally, I also got to work on a really cool and interesting project and present my results three different times (R&D, corporate, and Analytical).

being all science-y and stuff. 

26) Cool things I bought: new glasses, old books, a DSLR, an iPod, a real suit, and a massage. I do not regret a single one of those things.

27) Things you should avoid: car problems. I got my car towed three times while I was there. I replaced my engine and my battery. I also got cussed out for the first time for blocking traffic when my car died, which would have been kind of funny if I hadn't been so mad that my car had died again. You should also make sure you always know where you are as to avoid certain areas of Minneapolis. Every time I went running, I would see this tall building with multi-colored panels and I would always wonder what it was. I thought about running that direction one time to find out. Then I discovered that they were called the crack stacks, and that it would not be a good idea to go running in that direction. See what I mean?

Basically, if you're in Minneapolis, you should make some friends and go do stuff!

Me, Amanda, Brooklynne, Andi, and Kelly.

busy never felt so good.

I go to the library until midnight about 4 nights every week. That one night of the week I don't go is what usually reminds me of why I need to go the other four nights. 

Like right now. I have an overwhelming amount of homework to do and stuff to study that I'm behind on, and yet I'm scribbling on this blog. I think I tend to enter into a state of denial once it gets really bad. 

I'm living in the Spanish House right now. It was actually quite the adjustment at first. I don't think I was prepared for how big of a time commitment it is. I think my Spanish is definitely getting better though. Or at the very least, my Spanglish is. That's...bueno. Right? To be honest, the only-spanish-allowed-in-the-house rule really isn't too bad, although it probably helps that I have an awesome roommate who doesn't care that I tend to stop conjugating my verbs late at night. 

Anyways, getting back on track to what I really wanted to say. So living here means that every day, people ask me "Como estas?" 

And I always say, "Bien." (There's 22 people in the Spanish House, so that's a lot of "bien's.") 

Because I am. It's still good to be back, even though I feel busier than I ever have before. Every day is a busy day and every day is still a great day. Interesting, huh. That opinion might change after next week's midterms, but you know. Ride the wave while it lasts.

Well, here's me signing off and jumping back into trying to decide what I want to write my research proposal on. Here's to reading more papers on the effects of amylase on polyphenols in carbohydrates within a heating process. Here's to not falling asleep just yet.

Excuse me, what I'm really trying to say is here's a really really great song by a really really great band. 

Minneapolis is cool. Part 1.

Well, I spent the majority of my summer in Minneapolis, doing an internship and living the life. It was awesome. I lived in an old house with 11 other girls and it was actually pretty amazing, other than the mold in the bathroom and the ancient plumbing and the dishwasher that didn't work for the first couple of weeks.

My internship was for Land O'Lakes and I worked in their Research and Development department. I learned a huge amount and actually had quite a bit of fun. I couldn't have been put into a better group (I worked with SuperSpreads)--my coworkers were all really patient people who were more than willing to teach me how to do things and they were funny to boot. There was a group of LOL interns who had all relocated and we all became really good friends.

Lots of cool/new things happened. Here's a list of some of them, in no particular order. Some of them have pictures, others not so much. There's gonna be a couple of posts on the Twin Cities--mostly because they're just so great and there's just so much to do there.

1) Ate at Travail--it's a molecular gastronomy place that served us a 10 course gourmet meal. Delish.

one of the courses at Travail.

2) Indie band concert/album debut. I bet you've never heard of them. Haha, just kidding. We saw The Daredevil Christopher Wright, We Are the Willows, and Kalispell. It was actually a pretty cool concert.

3) Dave and Busters. It's an arcade. This is only significant because it was at Dave and Busters where I finally scored enough tickets to buy a giant stuffed finger that says Minnesota Gophers on it. And that is significant because about 99% of the time, I'm the girl who walks out of the arcade with an airhead and two tootsie rolls. In fact, my stuffed finger currently resides on my bed--that's how proud I am of it.

4) Running!! Minneapolis has tons of really great running trails and my roommate (Brooklynne) and I really got into that. My longest run there was 15 miles. I wanted to die, but that's a record for me!

Lake Calhoun--one of the lakes we ran around.

5) Lots of exploring dive-y lugares and finding new adventures in unexpected places. .

Karaoke.

6) Tried a Juicy Lucy. Minneapolis is famous for them. Basically, it's a cheese-stuffed hamburger. Plus, we tried them at The Nook, which supposedly has the best Juicy Lucys around and has been featured on the Food Network.

Juicy Lucy in hand.
with Amanda and Brooklynne.

7) Explored the Guthrie Theater!

the view from the yellow room.
that's stone arch bridge right there.

8) Volunteered at Feed My Starving Children--super cool experience.

9) Went to the Basilica Block Party--saw Matt Kearney, The Head and the Heart, Train, and Cake. The Head and the Heart--ohhhh my goodness, so good. Cake was also really great.

Def got rained on at the BBP.
so glad i was wearing a white shirt.

10) Fourth of July fireworks on the Stone Arch Bridge.

with Brooklynne and Amanda on the bridge,
before it got too crowded.