that damn travel bug. time for some honesty: all i can think about is korea.
to be honest, i feel like i've never exactly felt at home in minneapolis. it's a great place and people are nice, but from day one i for some reason don't feel like myself here. i'm generally a pretty positive person, but between work and lack of community, i've been feeling downright negative and depressed lately.
and in some thorough life evaluations and help from some angel cards, i've realized that my happiest time in life (aside from college) was korea. i felt the most comfortable, most on top of life, most adventurous there. and not that i live by what cards predict, but the angels and fairies have constantly been telling me new location, safe travels, new opportunity, retreat, and stress management. at first i thought it was because of my job, but now i'm realizing i just may to relocate myself.
there, now two people and the blogging community know my secret.
still not sure what will come of it.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
worth a thousand words
my life here in minneapolis will no longer be illustrated with mere words. i've finally gotten a cord to upload my pictures to my computer.
we'll start with last week's trip to duluth. al and i left on saturday night, and the first stop was toby's for a famous caramel cinnamon roll.
we stopped at fitgers upon arrival where i was finally able to try the wild rice burger al had been raving about since, well, forever. and it was amazing, moist, perfection. my apricot brew washed everything down nicely.
after the food, we found the secluded beach area to call it a night. i wasn't sure what "sleeping on the beach" would really entail, but i was picturing looking like a sand monster in the morning. in reality, the beach was a bunch of flat rocks, perfect for laying down a blanket and hitting snoozeville. unfortunately, i had to tie kimchi to me because he refused to sleep soundly in his crate. a chihuahua attached to my waist makes for a hard night's sleep.
we spent most of the morning after reading, sunning, drinking coffee, and painting rocks. when noon came around we realized we were starved for some good beer. unfortunately it was sunday and all of the liquor stores were closed. a wisconsin beer run was the only option. we brought our beers in an ice bucket to another beach where we continued to bake away in the sun. note to self: when using 15 spf, you still must reapply like you would with 8 spf.
hours later and hungry for dinner, we picked up some sandwiches and iced coffee and went to a creek. we tried to enjoy the rest of our time as much as we could, but alas 5 o'clock rolled around and we had to head on back.
my impression of duluth? it's definitely nice but surprisingly industrial. really, nothing beats the adirondacks or the east coast beaches.
we'll start with last week's trip to duluth. al and i left on saturday night, and the first stop was toby's for a famous caramel cinnamon roll.
we stopped at fitgers upon arrival where i was finally able to try the wild rice burger al had been raving about since, well, forever. and it was amazing, moist, perfection. my apricot brew washed everything down nicely.
after the food, we found the secluded beach area to call it a night. i wasn't sure what "sleeping on the beach" would really entail, but i was picturing looking like a sand monster in the morning. in reality, the beach was a bunch of flat rocks, perfect for laying down a blanket and hitting snoozeville. unfortunately, i had to tie kimchi to me because he refused to sleep soundly in his crate. a chihuahua attached to my waist makes for a hard night's sleep.
we spent most of the morning after reading, sunning, drinking coffee, and painting rocks. when noon came around we realized we were starved for some good beer. unfortunately it was sunday and all of the liquor stores were closed. a wisconsin beer run was the only option. we brought our beers in an ice bucket to another beach where we continued to bake away in the sun. note to self: when using 15 spf, you still must reapply like you would with 8 spf.
hours later and hungry for dinner, we picked up some sandwiches and iced coffee and went to a creek. we tried to enjoy the rest of our time as much as we could, but alas 5 o'clock rolled around and we had to head on back.
my impression of duluth? it's definitely nice but surprisingly industrial. really, nothing beats the adirondacks or the east coast beaches.
Friday, June 22, 2007
new directions
today, june 22nd, marks the day that i put in my two weeks notice. in two weeks i may or not be a bum living on the streets, which is completely dependant on my finding a new job. overall, i'm feeling good about it. i wasn't passionate about the job like i should be. the mall isn't my kind of environment to work in, and it will be nice to not have to stress anymore over the things i shouldn't have to stress about in the first place... snooty customers, stolen money, missed shifts, etc., etc., etc...
i am thankful for how smooth the job made my transition to minnesota, and i still love the company, but it just isn't for me. i don't think i'll be getting the financial aid that i need for hamline, but in worrying over this i've come to the conclusion that i'm not so sure it would be worth throwing down thousands of dollars for a degree in something that isn't my life goal. i still love the idea of teaching esl, but i've said from day one that i don't think i would want to do it forever. i think the right path for me is to pursue journalism and get into the fields of publishing, copyediting, and eventually perhaps become a travel journalist. i desperately want to have our cookbook published and see where things go from there. i think leaving p.b.loco and pursuing journalism will open up doors to what i really want to do... namely working with words and writing and traveling.
if by some strange chance anyone associated with the university of minnesota is reading this, what i really want to do is get a job with the u and take a free class or two. that way i can get the official journalism and computer training i need to branch out and make this work. i'd also be able to save money and hopefully get my master's sooner or later. keep your fingers crossed. ah, the quarter-life crisis. it sucks.
and now for something completely different...
p.b.loco was featured on thepalestra.com as a stop on their college tour. watch the video below and see me in my natural state of dorkiness. thanks to tori, arthur, and steph for pointing out my resemblance to smalls from the sandlot wearing my hat. i really appreciate it. i do. the good news is i only have to don it for two more weeks!
http://www.thepalestra.com/summer_tour2007.php#
i am thankful for how smooth the job made my transition to minnesota, and i still love the company, but it just isn't for me. i don't think i'll be getting the financial aid that i need for hamline, but in worrying over this i've come to the conclusion that i'm not so sure it would be worth throwing down thousands of dollars for a degree in something that isn't my life goal. i still love the idea of teaching esl, but i've said from day one that i don't think i would want to do it forever. i think the right path for me is to pursue journalism and get into the fields of publishing, copyediting, and eventually perhaps become a travel journalist. i desperately want to have our cookbook published and see where things go from there. i think leaving p.b.loco and pursuing journalism will open up doors to what i really want to do... namely working with words and writing and traveling.
if by some strange chance anyone associated with the university of minnesota is reading this, what i really want to do is get a job with the u and take a free class or two. that way i can get the official journalism and computer training i need to branch out and make this work. i'd also be able to save money and hopefully get my master's sooner or later. keep your fingers crossed. ah, the quarter-life crisis. it sucks.
and now for something completely different...
p.b.loco was featured on thepalestra.com as a stop on their college tour. watch the video below and see me in my natural state of dorkiness. thanks to tori, arthur, and steph for pointing out my resemblance to smalls from the sandlot wearing my hat. i really appreciate it. i do. the good news is i only have to don it for two more weeks!
http://www.thepalestra.com/summer_tour2007.php#
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
minnesota strange
i'd heard about "minnesota nice" before my midwestern move, but no one had warned me about minnesota strange. over the past week i've encountered a few situations that i can't help but chalk up to being just plain weird.
situation 1: party of the century.
i went to a party thrown by al's boss. the theme? sex and the city meets entourage meets dr. 90210. not knowing what to expect, i showed up in my sunday best. of course we showed up just in time for the botox demo! i wasn't entirely interested in seeing what all the fuss was about, so while everyone scurried away to watch the volunteer youth away before their very eyes, i opted to stay inside and check out the wines brought by the south african wine distributors. but the fun doesn't stop there... after the demo people were encouraged to get botox of their own. who woulda thunk that you could get a little slice of los angeles right here in good ol' minneapolis?
situation 2: banana hammock on wheels.
after the botox party, al and i needed a bit of sanity, so we headed over to grumpy's for a few bloody marys. picture this: two girls wearing nice cocktail dresses walk into a bar full of people wearing nothing but underwear. "you guys look way overdressed" was a severe understatement. but thank you for noticing anyway, mr. thong man. upon al's explaination, i discovered that there is a bicycle group in the twin cities that arranges to go out once a month(?) and ride around in nothing but their underwear. and apparently grumpy's was a spot along the way. of course, it definitely made for some good eye candy and conversation pieces. and alisun and i couldn't help but wonder what we would be wearing if we were brave enough to join the group. but alas, before you could say "hanes her way," the group was off and cycling to their next party spot.
situation 3: stop or i'll shoot.
the day following botox and nearly-naked biking proved to be no-less interesting. after i opened the store, a group of five men came walking in. and these men looked like they were on a mission. i almost wanted to make a joke that they looked like a group out of the sopranos, but caught myself before i realized that they were in fact four bodyguards protecting one unidentifiable man. the four men spread out along the store and took their positions looking out into the mall while their client tasted some peanut butter. i still can't figure out who it was, but i am assuming it was some sort of politician because he definitely didn't look like an actor. so if anyone can help me identify who it was by the following description, i'd be really grateful. he was middle-aged, balding, brown hair, short/average height, sort of chubby. kind of generic, don't you think?
situation 1: party of the century.
i went to a party thrown by al's boss. the theme? sex and the city meets entourage meets dr. 90210. not knowing what to expect, i showed up in my sunday best. of course we showed up just in time for the botox demo! i wasn't entirely interested in seeing what all the fuss was about, so while everyone scurried away to watch the volunteer youth away before their very eyes, i opted to stay inside and check out the wines brought by the south african wine distributors. but the fun doesn't stop there... after the demo people were encouraged to get botox of their own. who woulda thunk that you could get a little slice of los angeles right here in good ol' minneapolis?
situation 2: banana hammock on wheels.
after the botox party, al and i needed a bit of sanity, so we headed over to grumpy's for a few bloody marys. picture this: two girls wearing nice cocktail dresses walk into a bar full of people wearing nothing but underwear. "you guys look way overdressed" was a severe understatement. but thank you for noticing anyway, mr. thong man. upon al's explaination, i discovered that there is a bicycle group in the twin cities that arranges to go out once a month(?) and ride around in nothing but their underwear. and apparently grumpy's was a spot along the way. of course, it definitely made for some good eye candy and conversation pieces. and alisun and i couldn't help but wonder what we would be wearing if we were brave enough to join the group. but alas, before you could say "hanes her way," the group was off and cycling to their next party spot.
situation 3: stop or i'll shoot.
the day following botox and nearly-naked biking proved to be no-less interesting. after i opened the store, a group of five men came walking in. and these men looked like they were on a mission. i almost wanted to make a joke that they looked like a group out of the sopranos, but caught myself before i realized that they were in fact four bodyguards protecting one unidentifiable man. the four men spread out along the store and took their positions looking out into the mall while their client tasted some peanut butter. i still can't figure out who it was, but i am assuming it was some sort of politician because he definitely didn't look like an actor. so if anyone can help me identify who it was by the following description, i'd be really grateful. he was middle-aged, balding, brown hair, short/average height, sort of chubby. kind of generic, don't you think?
Thursday, June 14, 2007
those dang fairies
i've been playing a lot with those fairy cards, courtesy of al. yesterday and today i've done a lot of "soul searching" and continuously came up with the same card, but until now i didn't have the booklet behind the meaning. i won't reveal my specific question, but i can safely say that many times i had a question with the same result: "problem resolved." i couldn't help but find myself wondering "what does that even mean?" to the card. after looking the meaning up, i discovered the following:
"you're on the cusp of experiencing welcome relief from a problem that's been bothering you. the fairies want you to know that you have reason to smile, as heaven is working on a solution that is so creative that you'll chuckle with delight at God's sense of humor. basically, it's a win-win for everyone.
you'll soon be receiving good news, such as the healing of a strained relationship, an unexpected financial resource, a resolved health issue, a happy addition to your home, a new career opportunity, or a romantic proposal. please don't strain to figure out "how" this solution will be achieved, or in what form it will manifest. instead, let yourself enjoy feelings of excitement and gratitude as you allow heaven to help you."
we shall see, fairies. we shall see.
"you're on the cusp of experiencing welcome relief from a problem that's been bothering you. the fairies want you to know that you have reason to smile, as heaven is working on a solution that is so creative that you'll chuckle with delight at God's sense of humor. basically, it's a win-win for everyone.
you'll soon be receiving good news, such as the healing of a strained relationship, an unexpected financial resource, a resolved health issue, a happy addition to your home, a new career opportunity, or a romantic proposal. please don't strain to figure out "how" this solution will be achieved, or in what form it will manifest. instead, let yourself enjoy feelings of excitement and gratitude as you allow heaven to help you."
we shall see, fairies. we shall see.
and all i got was this lousy sunburn
enough said.
in other news, i finally got around to watching oldboy. only about a month and a half after i received it from netflix. amazing, as expected. amazing photography, amazing twists and turns (which, unfortunately, came as no surprise because i had heard about them), and an altogether amazing storyline.
in other news, i think i'm finally realizing more specifics on what i want from a job and what i want in a job. that's good, right?
in other news, i finally got around to watching oldboy. only about a month and a half after i received it from netflix. amazing, as expected. amazing photography, amazing twists and turns (which, unfortunately, came as no surprise because i had heard about them), and an altogether amazing storyline.
in other news, i think i'm finally realizing more specifics on what i want from a job and what i want in a job. that's good, right?
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
and continuing right along...
i am *trying* to relax right now by watching so you think you can dance. i get sharp pangs of nostalgia when i watch this because i was watching it last year in korea. in fact, this day last year, i vividly remember having a nice meal of kimchi jjigae and then meeting salsa to see the omen. after that we met al and walked around the park by her apartment. and the night before was rika's last meal, when we hiked that abandoned building. oh how simple life was.
strange note, i talked to salsa on the phone the other day, after her trip to ny. i told her about how at one point last sunday, while handing a customer a sandwich, a jolt rode through me and i thought specifically about how i'd be spending my sunday in korea, probably walking to emart to get cheese and wine, then meeting salsa or al for a movie or downloaded tv or a trip to the mountain or whatever we really felt like, and i missed it like no other time before. not to sound like we're reading too much into it, but i had mentioned it to al earlier and she said she got that same feeling on sunday, and even more strangely, salsa said she got it at a specific time on sunday on the plane. she thought about how she'd meet me at a corner to see a movie and maybe just wander around the city. i like to think some entity made us all feel that pang at the same time. a korean god, perhaps?
oh how i wish i could go back in time.
strange note, i talked to salsa on the phone the other day, after her trip to ny. i told her about how at one point last sunday, while handing a customer a sandwich, a jolt rode through me and i thought specifically about how i'd be spending my sunday in korea, probably walking to emart to get cheese and wine, then meeting salsa or al for a movie or downloaded tv or a trip to the mountain or whatever we really felt like, and i missed it like no other time before. not to sound like we're reading too much into it, but i had mentioned it to al earlier and she said she got that same feeling on sunday, and even more strangely, salsa said she got it at a specific time on sunday on the plane. she thought about how she'd meet me at a corner to see a movie and maybe just wander around the city. i like to think some entity made us all feel that pang at the same time. a korean god, perhaps?
oh how i wish i could go back in time.
things i like
red wine
lazy mornings with coffee and the news
finishing a long run
feeling connected with a book
a good cry
time with my family
beach days
dinner in a nice restaurant
ordering in
laughing while laying on my back
thunderstorms
exchanging hellos on a neighborhood walk
flying
coming home to a dog
accomplishing goals
little kids being goofy
fresh cilantro
exploring a new part of a city
french movies
things i don't like:
customers who say "give me"
i am too diplomatic to write the rest
lazy mornings with coffee and the news
finishing a long run
feeling connected with a book
a good cry
time with my family
beach days
dinner in a nice restaurant
ordering in
laughing while laying on my back
thunderstorms
exchanging hellos on a neighborhood walk
flying
coming home to a dog
accomplishing goals
little kids being goofy
fresh cilantro
exploring a new part of a city
french movies
things i don't like:
customers who say "give me"
i am too diplomatic to write the rest
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
just keep truckin' on
summer is fast approaching and work is largely unnotable, aside from staying until midnight removing paint from the tiles last night by order of the health inspector. not fun, and i think i now harbor a hatred for paint remover. i'm finding myself living for my days off, and in general, they've been largely productive so far. my running is getting easier and easier and i'm pretty much in the same shape i was in last summer- i was going to take it easy today and just do a three mile run, but as i started going i felt the need to keep going and explore the city a little more. i found lake nokomis, which is beautiful and crammed with beach-goers. i'm excited at the prospect of a new lake to run around (according to wikipedia, which is *always* reliable, the distance around is about three miles). not too far off from a lake calhoun run. that three mile run turned into a six mile run, which is good because i've fallen behind with my trip home and everything.
speaking of productive days, i failed to mention my day off last thursday, where i cleaned the apartment top to bottom (something that hasn't been done since moving in here because of the lack of a broom and floor polish). after that, i painted the kitchen chairs, so they finally match the yellow table. still feeling inspired, i took the broken red window just sitting in the basement, cleaned it up, knocked out the broken glass, and hung it in my bedroom. finally, i treated myself to veggie sushi and sake with rick. all in all, i felt very accomplished.
as for today, i grabbed some lunch at turtle bread, bought some bottles of wine (10% off on tuesdays!), and am relaxing for the rest of the day. i wish everyday was a day off.
speaking of productive days, i failed to mention my day off last thursday, where i cleaned the apartment top to bottom (something that hasn't been done since moving in here because of the lack of a broom and floor polish). after that, i painted the kitchen chairs, so they finally match the yellow table. still feeling inspired, i took the broken red window just sitting in the basement, cleaned it up, knocked out the broken glass, and hung it in my bedroom. finally, i treated myself to veggie sushi and sake with rick. all in all, i felt very accomplished.
as for today, i grabbed some lunch at turtle bread, bought some bottles of wine (10% off on tuesdays!), and am relaxing for the rest of the day. i wish everyday was a day off.
Friday, June 01, 2007
back again
and i'm back in the great state of mn after a long but all-too-brief weekend home. i flew in on friday morning to surprise celeste for her graduation from ccc. she wasn't completely surprised due to some slips of the tongue, but it was still a great present (not to toot my own horn) from my parents nonetheless.
more importantly, it was my first full weekend off since starting work here. and it was much needed. so i flew in on friday, went straight to celeste's, played some guitar hero, went to her graduation, and slept the best night's sleep i'd had in a while (thanks to the absence of the air mattress i'd been sleeping on since february.) saturday we went to diane's for the graduation party. played the ladder game, drank dad's home brew, and taught the parents how to play guitar hero. got back to celeste's to play more guitar hero while celeste and chris counted out $300 and some odd dollars in change from chris' coin jar. on sunday celeste and i lounged around a bit, went to barnes and noble for some grub, and then headed over to bainbridge to meet my parents at the dog races. i drove back home with my parents, got some good ol' richie's pizza, and met up with jeni, jude, matt, and joe. we played some games, chatted for a few hours, and i was back in slumberland only to wake up bright and early, say goodbye to my parents, and head to the airport. i arrived back in mpls monday night and wasn't feeling quite ready to be back.
and now some random thoughts:
i love minneapolis pizza delivery guys.
river phoenix in stand by me still gives me chills.
i need a legit vacation.
ok, i suppose that's all i have from the thought department for now.
more importantly, it was my first full weekend off since starting work here. and it was much needed. so i flew in on friday, went straight to celeste's, played some guitar hero, went to her graduation, and slept the best night's sleep i'd had in a while (thanks to the absence of the air mattress i'd been sleeping on since february.) saturday we went to diane's for the graduation party. played the ladder game, drank dad's home brew, and taught the parents how to play guitar hero. got back to celeste's to play more guitar hero while celeste and chris counted out $300 and some odd dollars in change from chris' coin jar. on sunday celeste and i lounged around a bit, went to barnes and noble for some grub, and then headed over to bainbridge to meet my parents at the dog races. i drove back home with my parents, got some good ol' richie's pizza, and met up with jeni, jude, matt, and joe. we played some games, chatted for a few hours, and i was back in slumberland only to wake up bright and early, say goodbye to my parents, and head to the airport. i arrived back in mpls monday night and wasn't feeling quite ready to be back.
and now some random thoughts:
i love minneapolis pizza delivery guys.
river phoenix in stand by me still gives me chills.
i need a legit vacation.
ok, i suppose that's all i have from the thought department for now.
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