taking a break...

Not sure if anyone is reading this anymore, but I'm officially taking a break from the blog. Ironically, my lack of postings is not an indication that nothing is going on, it means I am so busy I can't find time to write about it...ah! Love and cupcakes for now :)

bears, orcas, hiking, crew leading...

Hello!! Long no post, let me try and think about everything I've been up to...busy time of year, that's for sure! I guess I'll start with my most recent adventure: a weekend of backpacking in the North Cascades! We hiked out about 6 miles, set up camp, jumped in the river, sunbathed on a bridge, then hiked another 6 miles to see some glaciers. That evening we were attacked by mice as we tried to eat dinner and relax...as you can imagine, I was kind of freaking out as the mice were running around at our feet, and running along the logs we were sitting on. Eeeek! Once safe and sound in the tent, it was a very lovely evening, until the next morning when things got exciting again...while walking along the trail back towards the bridge by myself, I stumbled upon a bear!! Yep, a big black bear, very near to the trail...we looked at eachother, I freaked out inside, he turned into a bush, and I quickly walked/lept down the rest of the path to the bridge, where I stayed until Isa magically appeared to rescue me and walk me back to camp. Crazy!





And on to another unforgetable animal enounter...I went on a weekend getaway to San Juan Island, because we heard that orcas had been seen there all week. We sat out all day Saturday, from 10-6 and didn't see any whales, left for an hour to go get a pizza, and sure enough they had passed by while we were gone. Go figure. But then the next morning we arrived at the same spot about 9 am, and the show had already begun!! There were 2 pods, about 60 whales, jumping and cartwheeling, and surfacing all around us!! For about a 1/2 hour we watched then, and had 2 large groups swim about 50 feet in ront of us, along the shore...it was amazing! Dream come true, for sure :)






As for hiking adventures...the end of June, I decided to go out on my own and tackle once again the dreaded Mailbox peak. I did this hike back in the spring with Isa and Gina, when there was still snow, and it was the most steep and painful hike I'd ever done...not quite sure why I decided to put myself through that again...turns out I was dying after less than an hour, and about to give up, when I am greeted on the trail by my friend Laura (and her bf)! We are friends from high school, and she had been living in WA the end of last year, until she moved to California. Turns out she was in Seattle for the weekend, and happened to be doing the same hike :) It was crazy...and with her company, I made it to the top!


Went on another great hike with Isa and my former coworker, Kym. Out to Annette Lake, where we were eaten alive by bugs. Other than the bites, it was stunning.



And one other trip we did a while back, with Gina as well, was to Lake Quinalt on the Olympic Peninsula. No hiking that weekend, just swimming in the lake, sunburn, the "world's largest spruce tree", campfires, and ice cream cones :)





I guess that leaves my final update to be about my new job as crew leader! I am really loving it...I feel like I have 5 children, and I constantly worry about how to keep them happy, and safe, lol. It's a lot of fun to see the magic sparks as they connect, and learn to work together...we've still got a ways to go, but that's part of the fun! And this is in fact our last week in Seattle before 2 week on Mt. Rainier!!! Plenty of time for bonding then :) Last weekend I got to attend a Wilderness First Aid class down in Portland...it was really interesting, and useful (other than almost getting knifed by my practice partner! eeek!). And another quick/funny story about that trip...I got pulled over for running a yellow light, and the cop gave me my first sobriety test ever! Of course I hadn't had a drop to drink, but the test took forever, because apparently my eyes have this wacky condition called nystagmus, that makes them shake and look like I've been drinking and/or on drugs. Pretty cool, huh? haha...

And the sad/happy ending to my current position is that I will have to leave my crew come September...the crew leader I replaced will be back with a healthy arm to take over, and I have since been hired again by EC to be a crew leader for the ECG program! So I will switch programs, and start at the beginning again...this program runs Oct-Aug, but is essentially the same as what I did last year with ECI. I will get the full 4 weeks training this time, and start with a crew of just nationals for 4 month...then get internationals in Feb. I am so happy to be able to stay on with EarthCorps!!!

I'm exhausted now, but that's the latest :)

Surprise!

So...long time no post, but major changes all around...most of you already know this I'm guessing, but as of last Thursday I'm a crew leader at EarthCorps!!! Surprise! Turns out a leader from the current ECI program (my friend Juan) broke his arm, and needed to be replaced. Even though I'd only just begun my VISTA year with SW, I couldn't help but dream about the idea of returning to EC...then before I knew it, 4 days later, I managed to quit my job and be hired on!

I talked with SW and my VISTA people last Tuesday, my final day was Wednesday, and I started at EC on Thursday, phew :) It was sad/hard leaving my SW team so quickly, but there wasn't really another way of doing it...after 4 days of whirlwind training, Thursday and Friday of last week was international retreat, and now I have my crew! Tada! Introducing...

Me, Igor from Russian, Tolulope from Nigeria, Mark from NJ, Sona from Armenia, Juan, and Hollis from CA

Next week starting Tuesday is work skills week, then the following week we're off to the field on our own! I'm so excited to see how everyone gets along, and works together...I see so much potential in everyone, and am anxious to start. As of right now, I'll only be working about 2.5 months until Juan can return. About 4 weeks of field work, then 2 weeks of trail intensives on MT. RAINIER!!! (same trail as last year!) 3 more weeks in the field, then my final project with the crew will be another mini-intensive, hiking about 8 miles and spending a week at Gravel Lake, working for the US Forestry Service doing campground maintenance. It's gonna go by so fast!

What's next you ask? I have no idea....I hope to stay with EC in some way, shape or form. So we'll see what's available come September! In the mean time, there's too much fun and excitement just beginning...being back only a week, already I feel my way of thinking shifting back to the way things were last year...in terms of riding the bus around town, and being more aware of my impact on the planet in general. Being around smart, intentional people is inspiring! I've still so much to learn...

Everyone on staff and in the corps has been SOOO supportive, and showed so much confidence in me. I hope to live up to all the expectations :) I'm delighted to be back, that's for sure. I get to work with 3 other amazing crew leaders, including my friend Joe (from Chicago). More pics from retreat:

doing the same spider web activity we did last year!
(as pictured in my blog header image)

And one last note of change, I MOVED! ha ha...this is my 4th place in Seattle already :) I'm loving it so far. I have a room in a 6 bedroom house, it's pretty cheap, but clean, and the roommates are great. Unlike my past living arrangements, these are people I hope to spend more time with!

All is well, and I'm happy as can be...change is fun!

awesome and amazing are my favorite adjectives

My Memorial Day weekend was incredible!! My friend Nick was in town, and he joined me and 6 friends on a road trip to Oregon. First we drove to Portland, and enjoyed a sweet concert by the one and only Avett Brothers! It was a really long show, high energy, and the venue was a ballroom with springy wood floors....lots of fun for bouncing as part of a giant crowd! Then I dropped off Nick and the rest of us made our way east for a day of hiking Eagle Creek trail, near the Columbia River Gorge. It was awesome!! Pictures will do better justice than my words...it was even more stunning than I expected. Walking along sheer cliffs, past waterfalls, over suspension bridges...we hiked, then swam in the freezing glacial water, and finished out our 6 miles walking behind Tunnel Falls. Of course that left us with 6 miles to hike back...it was beautiful. We then camped out at the good ole KOA, and met some interesting folks there, haha :) And Monday made our way out to the ocean! We stopped in Tillamook for some delicious, cheap ice cream, then hit the beach. A few of us immediately jumped in the ocean, and it was amazing...felt like a drug or something, I couldn't stop smiling, and twirling, and leaping through the waves, lol. Cold, but delightful.

See photos...













We're actually so excited about the sunny 70 degree weather a group of us are headed back to the coast for a day and night of sunning/swimming/camping. I love being this close ocean, mountains, etc. etc.

In other news, work is going well! Some days are better than others, but this week was a good one. We're all getting ready for a big event coming up in 2 weeks. They feel bad for the hecticness of work lately, so we got to leave early yesterday, and today they bought us pizza and drinks...they take good care of us VISTAs :) And Kym and I discovered that if we walk outside our office up a few flight of stairs there is a balcony with a killer view of Mt. Rainier. So that's our new favorite lunch/sun break spot!

I am happy. So happy. I love Seattle. I love my friends here...and now I am in the process of moving to a new house. I will find out tonight if I got one room in particular, and if so (my fingers are crossed!) I'll move this weekend. It's cheap, and cute, and clean, with a beautiful back yard, in a great neighborhood. We'll see!

Happy almost-summer to everyone, I hope you'll be in touch if you read this :) Hugs and smiles...haha, that is so hokey I know. But I mean it!!!

climbing mountains in my socks...

so much happy...

wow, so much fun stuff going on these days!! my friend from isu, nick, is in town right now and i'm taking tomorrow off to show him some seattle mountains! and then saturday we leave on a big road trip with 6 others to portland. we'll go to an avett brothers concert, then hike around sunday and camp, then possibly explore the beach monday on our way back home. the forecast for the next week is PERFECT, i am so excited :) sunny....70's....how delightful.

work is going well, and keeping me very busy. swing dancing is still awesome, and our lindy class is fun, too. in between the lesson and social dancing we have an hour where we practice sign language...sundays are my new favorite day of the week...and it's always interesting to start my monday mornings at the office after staying out dancing the night before, lol. totally worth it!

this is a quick post, but after the holiday weekend there will be lots of fun pictures to share! hope you're well :)

TULIPS!

Last weekend Isabelle, Aaron and I made our way north to Mount Vernon, WA for a Tulip Festival! As you can see....fields of tulips! It was pretty stunning :) Was a fun little road trip, followed by an evening of swing dancing!! My friend Sibyl was also in town to join in the dancing. She moves out here in about a month, and turns out we work about 5 blocks apart from one another. Looking forward to many a lunch date with her, how happy. This weekend will be a great one as well...tomorrow Aaron and I are volunteering at Marra Farm for the afternoon, then Sunday will probably be hiking, and our first Lindy Hop class!! I am so excited for that, followed by sign language practice, ice cream, then hours of dancing...love it :) I'm exhausted right now, but had to share these colorful pictures, and wish you a delightful weekend!

Employed at last!

2 weeks ago I was at an AmeriCorps VISTA training in San Diego...and I gotta say, the highlight of the trip had nothing to do with the event, but getting to see a childhood best friend (and her baby!). Janny and I lived just a few blocks apart until 8th grade, when she moved away. It had been about 10 years since I'd seen her, and it was just like the good old days...here we are, and me with baby Navana...



Next up: my new job! So far so good...I had a few hesitations my first day, and was a little nervous about some of the events, but everything went great in the end. We worked at a Mariners' baseball game, helped staff a corporate gardening "voluntourism" event, celebrated Earth Day co-leading a Hot Project on Marra Farm (an urban organic farm), then led a solo project painting at a daycare facility for children affected by neglect and abuse...a busy week! I think it was good to just be thrown in the mix. And oops, I forgot to mention the database entry. Oh joy! I guess this brings me back to my initial hesitations...I worry about the position's lack of visual creativity. As much as I try to ignore it, I'm a designer at heart :) Give me art! Here I am at the game, with my co-VISTA Kym. We laugh a lot, and are very thankful to have one another to share in the year's experiences/challenges/triumphs, etc...much to my not-surprise, I find myself getting bursts of uncontrollable enthusiasm for what Seattle Works does. I wish I didn't have to work there so I could take part in all their events and programs! I guess someone's got to do the behind-the-scenes grunt work...



Moving on to the newest renewed love of my life: swing dancing!! We went for the first time in Seattle on my birthday last year, and have now gone the past 2 weekends. So. Much. Fun!!! I really want to take lessons or just keep practicing so I can be awesome at it...particularly at Lindy, a more complicated style of steps I want to master...here I am with Aaron and Gina after a night of swinging...(and p.s. you recall me mentioning in my blog a favorite ice cream shop called Molly Moon's? Salted caramel anyone?? Well they just opened another store RIGHT next door to the dance place...meant to be...)


Another thing occupying my time these days...a big project for the Krista Foundation. It's still very rough from a design standpoint, but below is a preview of what I'm working on. It's a big project, but it is a lot of fun. And just like Seattle Works, the more I learn about the Krista Foundation, the more enthused I get! Such inspiring organizations to be a part of. I can't wait to have money some day so I can support them...


That's what's happening in my exciting life :) And coming up...this Friday my friend Sibyl arrives for a weekend of apartment hunting (then she moves officially in June). And in a few weeks my friend John from Iowa moves out to the Olympic Peninsula for an internship. Hopefully we'll get to cross paths a few times this summer and do some mountains/river/coast exploring!! Also in May, my AWESOME friend Nick from ISU will be coming out for a visit. Can't wait to show him around, take a day off work to hike, and then drive to Portland for a concert. In fact a big group of about 9 of us will drive down to see the Avett Brothers! That will be a lot of fun....mmmm, Avett Brothers...

And I'll leave you with that! Sweet days and dreams of music, and laughing, and ice cream...

it's about time!

so, i haven't updated in a while...that must mean i'm no longer spending my days lounging around, unemployed. yep, my new job has started! between the whole 9-5 thing, working evening events, and designing a big project for the krista foundation, i haven't had much down time the past few weeks. still a bit more suspense before i'll share stories about the new gig, but for this evening...

i'm famous!! got my picture in the paper :) check out this quick clipping of an article that used a picture of me from last year. yay for earthcorps! i get to work a volunteer event for them in may, so that will be fun, just like the old days...LOVE! (okay, i know, way too many exclamation points, but i can't help it!!!)

Spring has sprung!....kind of....

After weeks and weeks of cloudy/rainy 50 degree weather, we had 4 amazing warm and sunny days last week!! I know I go on and on about loving cold and rain, but now I will say I love the sun :) Here is the killer view of the Olympics from Carkeek Park, on Pudget Sound, and then a model shot with Isa from sun-tanning day at Golden Gardens...



Now I must say a huge "I love you!"..."thanks for coming to see me!"..."you're the best!" to my mom, who came for a visit this weekend...


Of course time flew by too fast, but we squeezed in plenty-o-fun :) ...she got in Thursday night, and we took off the next morning for Lummi Island, near Bellingham, a couple hours north. We stayed in a cute B & B called Willows Inn, on the beach with a view of the San Juan Islands. The weather was less than stellar, but the company was top notch! We played lots of Scrabble, explored the beach, and ate at the only cafe on the island...amazing food + great atmosphere + friendly locals...I ordered a delicious pizza--with feta, red onion, artichoke hearts, peppers, garlic, chicken--but unfortunately I forgot my leftovers at the Inn...so sad...but then of course our stay included a huge breakfast, which was made fresh from ingredients on their farm! On the way back we did a little shopping (okay, maybe a lot of shopping) then joined Isabelle and Gina for Thai food at Araya's!!

Now that my mom is headed back to WI, and the weather is back to rainy and cold, I am packing my bags to head south to sunny San Diego! My AmeriCorps training is Mon-Thurs, then it's back to being employed....yay, paycheck! :) I'll report back on how the trip goes...here are a few more pictures! Happy Easter, happy Spring, and LOVE to everyone...