Here Comes The Sun, Do Do Do Do

Well, it's May.  Singing birds and sunbeams wake me up every morning through the gauzy curtains on my bedroom window... spring has sprung, and I'm happy to be experiencing all the splendor of a glorious new season here in western Michigan.  Lots to write about!

It's been almost exactly 4 months since I've last written... and ironically, the point I was making in my last post was that I enjoy blogging -- keeping family and friends updated -- and that I would continue to write.  Guess I dropped the ball on that one.  I am going to begin writing again.  I've got loads to tell, and wonderful things happening in the world of Lanie.  Life is good :) 

My Point Exactly

This past weekend, I attended a family Christmas party hosted by my mom.  And yes, I know it was the second weekend in January.  Uncles/aunts/cousins from all over Michigan (and even out of state) showed up.  I love seeing my extended family, especially the out-of-towners, whom I don't see very often.  We were all so engaged with one another, and it was like no time had passed since we were last together.  It's always great to meet with family and friends, and events like holiday parties/weddings are a great way to catch up on what's happening in everyone's lives.

I had anticipated the inevitable questions from my extended family (What have you been up to?  How do you like Kalamazoo?  How do you like your job?  Where are you living?  What are your roommates like?).  Sometimes it seems boring, having to answer the exact same questions twenty times in a row.  Little did I know that I had sufficiently covered all my bases without even realizing it.  Blogging is indeed a great outlet to let family/ friends stay up to date with everything that's going on in my life.  Well, not everything (it is, after all, a public blog).  But nearly everything.  It was very entertaining to hear my family throw MY stories back and forth like they were discussing a sitcom.  Entertaining and a bit of an ego boost, actually. 

Someone asked me why I initially started writing a blog.  I thought I'd mentioned it in my very first post, but I guess not.  The credit goes to my eldest sister Elizabeth.  About a year ago, I was recently graduated, practically unemployed (occasional substitute teaching), living with my mother, bored to tears in Michigan's Little Bavaria, and in dire need of a project.  Liz, knowing my passion for writing, told me to start a blog.  It would give me something to focus on and perhaps prove to be entertaining/informative for my friends and family.  Lo and behold, I think it's done its job.  My dear blog has in fact proved to be a remarkable outlet for me-- through which I'm able to voice my triumphs, my losses, my frustrations, praises, likes, dislikes, etc. 

Friends, family, strangers, anonymous coworkers: thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts.  It's hard to believe that my life can seem interesting enough to make for enjoyable reading.  As I learned this weekend, though, I've left some stories rather open-ended.  For example, what makes my one roommate so odd?  (There isn't enough free space on the WWW to fully describe her oddities... but I'll try in another post.)  Why do I like movies like Indiana Jones and Star Trek so much?  (I can't believe I've never confessed this:  I've NEVER seen an Indiana Jones movie, or Star Trek, or Star Wars, or Superman, or Batman, or Transformers, or the show Band of Brothers.  My infatuation is solely with the theme songs.) 

I guess I'll keep on keeping on with the blogging.  My life is apparently quite entertaining, so I'll keep sharing my stories-- crazy roommate and all.  Happy reading :)

Day 21: A Work in Progress

"Life is half spent before one knows what life is." --French Proverb


Day 21: I made it.  I like setting goals for myself.  What's more, I love reaching those goals (bonus points if I exceed my own expectations).  21 days of blogging didn't seem so hard.  Did I take into account the fact that I never wake up after 6:00am and often find myself dragging through yet another 14-hour workday?  Probably not.  If I look through the last 20 posts, I can without a doubt pick out the ones that I wrote after a long day (no need to look at the time it was posted... just need to read through the first few lines).  I can even pick out the blogs I wrote in between nodding off to sleep.  Diligent?  Yes.  Reader-worthy?  No. 

Making a commitment to write a blog every day will indeed turn that person into a true blogger.  A true blogger will live every waking minute of his or her life, thinking the entire time, How can I write this in a way that might interest my blog audience?  It's like trying to take every single life experience (even the uneventful ones) and finding a way to recount the story so that every reader, despite his background or interests, will be captivated by the story you tell.  It's not easy.  I found myself driving home for Christmas, thinking of how I could turn that lnely 2.5-hour drive into an interesting blog.  NOT EASY.

Goals are great-- fulfilling any goal you set for yourself will yield an incredible feeling of accomplishment, no matter what it is.  I  was thinking today about my goals in life.  What is it that I want?  If you would've asked me five years ago, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" I would never have guessed that I'd be where I am today.  Five years ago... where was I?  I was a pre-med student at MSU.  My goal back then was actually to be a gynecologic oncologist.  Funny how things change.  Imagine me pursuing a career in medicine.  Me, the girl who nearly passes out when I get a paper cut!  Clearly not the right option.  I quickly changed my major to International Studies/Business-- probably a much better (and more enjoyable) choice for me. 

And look where I am now, working in the artwork group for a packaging engineering department.  Did I ever guess that I'd be doing anything with graphics?  No.  Even so, I still have no idea what i want to do with my life.  I can rule out certain occupations (clown, heart surgeon, engineer, etc.) but I feel like I'm left with far too many options to allow me to whittle the list down to a few of the things  I do want to do.

In the past week, I've been given career suggestions from a few people.  A good friend told me to quit my job and just start taking pictures because I've got "mad skill."  Another friend told me it seems I have the talent to earn a living with my writing, and asked me if I'd consider that.  A coworker suggested today that I open a bakery.  Interesting-- all three are activities that I absolutely love: photography, writing, and baking.  Funny how that works, isn't it? 

I don't know where I'll be in ten years; I'm not sure where i'll be in five years.  You know, I'm not even sure where I'll be in one year.  My life is an ever-evolving work in progress, constantly reshaped to fit me and my world.  Goals?  I really don't have any specific long-term goals for my life.  My only stipulation is that I'm happy and secure in whatever I set my mind to.  Joy and security-- what more could you ask for?  I'm a work in progress, yes, but someday I'll have an idea of where I belong.  Looks like my blog is quite appropriately named: "Finding My Way." 

Day 20: 7 Days vs. 7 Years

"So I'll continue to continue to pretend my life will never end." -- Simon & Garfunkel

I know you've heard the question "What would you do if you only had one week left to live?"  Sure, everyone has their own special list of activities if they could plan their last days.  But then you've got the list of typical "live like you were dying" actiivities:  skydiving, traveling, spending time with family/friends, etc. 

A week isn't much time.  If someone told me that I could plan on dying next Thursday, I'm not sure I'd have enough time to do everything I wanted to do.  Of course, I could get some ideas from one of my favorite books: 2,001 Things to Do Before You Die by Dane Sherwood.  No, the title's not one bit misleading.  This book is indeed a giant list of things to do before you die.  Some of my favorites:

• Call heads and tails.
• Hold up an attention-getting sign outside the "Today Show" window.
• Shatter the glass ceiling.
• Skate the lead in the Ice Capades.
• Survive.
• Debate deconstructionism, Sartre, objectivism, and the definition of art, preferably in a smoky cafe.
• Drink mulled wine on a snowy night in Prague.
• Lie naked on a wide open field beneath a brilliant moon.
• Claim you were at Woodstock.
• Bake brownies.
• Meet the love of your life's ex, and shake his or hand and say "thank you."
• Attend a Star Trek convention.

As you can see, some of the 2,001 Things are very simple, some metaphoric, and still others are very specific and/or strange.

It was a joke for a while (and a morbid one, I'll admit) that I didn't want to live past 30-- that way, I could live a healthy young life and I would never have to grow old.  And don't worry, Mom.  I don't joke about this anymore.  I'm hoping for much more than an additional 7 years. 

It might be somewhat easy to decide how to spend your last 7 days on the earth.  However, what if you were told you had exactly 7 years left to live?  That might change things.  It's an interesting twist on the classic question.  Sure, there are plenty of things you could do in 7 years... but would you want to?  What would be worth it?  Might some things be a waste of time? 
For example, you could easily get a college degree in less than 7 years.  But if you're not going to be able to use it, what's the point?  Some people might see it as a worthless investment of time.  Another example: 7 years should certainly give you enough time to plan a wedding and be married.  But you might ask yourself-- Is that selfish?  Some would call it unfair [to your significant other] to have such a short-lived relationship.  Is it fair to develop feelings for someone, have him/her feel the same way about you, and nurture the relationship together, only to see it end in just a few years' time?  Imagine marrying someone, knowing you'd be losing them in less than 10 years.  It seems incredibly unfair.  In a similar sense, 7 years is definitely enough time to spawn-- and more than once, too!  However... is it right to bring someone into the world, knowing that you'll be leaving him/ her in just a few years?  What about your job?  Would you continue to work? Do you think you'd get bored otherwise? You've got some time yet... and those bills aren't going to pay themselves for the next 7 years. 

How would you even begin to separate those things that are worth it from the things that aren't?"  Suddenly all these rules come into effect when you're playing the "live like you're dying" game. 

Think about what you would do if you had 7 days left to live.  Climb Pike's Peak?  Go whitewater rafting?  Eat nothing but Ramen noodles and French toast?

What if you had 7 months left to live?  Would you still work?  How far/often would you travel?  Would you go somewhere remote and just find peace and quiet for your 7 remaining months? 

Million-dollar question: what would you do if you found out you had 7 years left to live?  Would it make a difference in how you were living?  What would you do?  What wouldn't you do? 

(For the record, I'm going to try and beat this into my acquaintances' brains one last time: I don't want to die before I'm 30 years old.  How will I ever build a Post-It note castle in 7 years?  I'll need at least 8 more years.)

Day 19: Don't Cry for Me, Argentina (or DomRep, or Guatemala, or Ireland)

I love to travel.  For me, the one and only disappointing part about traveling is that it's nearly impossible to accurately describe the experience to someone who wasn't there.  For example, I was incredibly frustrated when trying to share a few months' worth of Argentina experiences with my friends and family at home (of course, my travel blog helped a bit).  Same goes with the other places I've explored (Ireland, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and so many more).  Here are some of my FAVORITE spots in the entire world.

Below is a photo of me in El Calafate, Argentina, near the Perito Moreno glacier.  Can you believe this is South America?  Many people forget about the south of South America.  Argentina is a long country.  Its northernmost point is approximately the same distance from the equator as Cuba (so it's warm).  And it stretches all the way to the very southern tip of South America, where you'll find the southernmost city in the world: Ushuaia in Cape Horn (Tierra del Fuego). Ushuaia is cold, even in Argentina's spring/summer (our fall/winter here in Michigan).  The Perito Moreno glacier (below) is one of the most peaceful places I've ever been.  The magnitude of that sheet of ice is astounding-- anyone would feel dwarfed standing near it.  Silence fills the air, and the only sound is the wind rolling through the mountains that surround the glacier.  Every so often, an automobile-sized ice chunk falls off the glacier, and the sound that follows is unexplainable-- it shatters the silence. 

The next photo is an attempt to photograph the entire glacier (however, its 20-mile length and 240-ft height [above the water... it extends 558 feet below the surface of the water] make it difficult to capture the whole thing).  I did my best:



The next photo is on the same trip, but a bit further south, in Ushuaia (southernmost city in the world).  They call it "Fin del Mundo," which means "The End of the World."

Look closely and you can see Antarctica (haha, not really... but I was very close!).  This is an island in the Beagle Channel, and lounging around on said island are sea elephants (similar to seals/sea lions), cormorants, and penguins-- three things I would never have expected to see in the wild. 

The next photo is from the same boat excursion-- through the Beagle Channel-- the evening sky was unreal, which made for some of the most phenomenal photos I've ever captured.

Now let's head to the northern part of Argentina (closer to the equator); specifically, Iguazu Falls.  Fewer layers of clothing are needed, and visitors are certainly more comfortable without a scarf and mittens.  Iguazu Falls, third largest in the world, stretch for 1.7 miles along the Iguazu River, and some are a whopping 270 feet high (Niagara Falls, impressive though it may be, has absolutely nothing on Iguazu Falls).  There is very little concrete in Iguazu National Park (which encompasses an area the size of Panama), which adds to the feeling of being in paradise.  And that's exactly how I felt when I saw the falls.  I can only think of one word to describe Iguazu Falls, and it's PARADISE.  Majestic waterfalls, palm trees, sunshine and rainbows as far as the eye can see?  Yes, please.  Keep in mind that each of these falls are 200-300 feet high.

It's impossible to get a bad picture of the falls. 

Okay, we're still in Argentina-- in Rosario, the city I lived in.  This photo was taken from the balcony off my apartment, and I promise that it wasn't edited at all.  This is just an example of the sunsets that happen in Rosario.  Rosario is a very artsy city, with beautiful architecture (looks like old New York, with an Italian flair).  Very few people know this, but there's a HUGE  Italian influence in Argentina (every meal consisted of pizza or pasta with some wine... not bad!). 

Here's La Boca (a very colorful, musical, ecclectic neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina).  There are street musicians, mimes, tango dancers, and artists on every corner.  The streets are lined with brightly colored shops and houses.  It's magical.

A bit further north, to the Dominican Republic: give me 16th century buildings (did you know this is where Christopher Columbus landed?), cobblestone streets, ancient lamp-posts, and beautiful people, and I'm happy.

Travel west and just a smidge to the south, and you'll run into Guatemala, where I've left bits and pieces of my heart over the years.  Green-green-green mountains (including active volcanoes), the best coffee you'll ever taste (and coffee plantations too!), Spanish colonial architecture, tropical plants (and fresh fruit like you wouldn't believe), and beautiful people make this country magnificent.  Traveling cross-country is best done via bus, which takes a while since you're winding your way up and down narrow mountain roads, but with the right amount of Dramamine it can yield some spectacular views.

Last but definitely not least, the Emerald Isle.  If you want to experience pure magic, GO TO IRELAND.  Breathtaking landscapes, ancient tombs, the most friendly people on the planet, fantastic castles, the Cliffs of Moher (a 300-meter drop straight down), the best Guinness ever, green, green, and more green.  Who could ask for anything more?  I can't wait to go back.

Day 18: Don't smile. Don't smile. Don't smile.

It should come as no shock to you that I was listening to one of my "film score" stations on Pandora today while at work.  Amidst listening to themes from the movies Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, I had the pleasure of hearing a new song: the film score from Chaplin.  The score is an instrumental composition that sounded an awful lot like Nat King Cole's song "Smile." 

Naturally, my curiosity got the best of me.  With Google just a mouse-click away, and an impressive amount of procrastination surpassing any work-related motivation, I decided to take a break from my work and research the song.  Turns out "Smile" is based on an instrumental theme that was actually composed by Charlie Chaplin to be used in his 1936 film Modern Times, but the lyrics weren't added until1954, when the song was first performed by Nat King Cole. 

Funny that I stumbled across this song, since smiling was one of the [many] topics of conversation at our lunch table today.  We were discussing the advantages and disadvantages of smiling at every person you pass in the hallway (and guess what-- that's exactly what I do at work).  And yes, there are indeed disadvantages to smiling at just anyone.  I often assume that people that pass me in the hallway and think, "There goes that psycho blonde girl who smiles at me.  Creep."  Maybe I need to smile less often...

Why do I smile?  I smile because I've been told I look angry if I'm not smiling (this is very true; just ask me for my "pensive" look someday).  I smile because I'm trying to cover up the fact that I'm having the worst day imaginable.  I smile because I'm thinking of a funny joke someone told me the day before.  I smile because I'm in pain and I don't want anyone to know. I smile because someone left me a happy note on my desk.  I smile because I'm thinking of the GEICO commercial with the little pig squealing all the way home.  I smile because it makes me look more "approachable."  I smile because people smile at me.  I smile after someone tells me NOT to smile.  I smile because someone says something that makes me think, "That's what she said."  I smile because I'm thinking of my wonderful plans for the evening.  I don't know why I do it.  I just smile.  It makes it easier to get by when there are clouds in the sky :)

Look through the lyrics and try not to smile today. 

Smile
Though your heart is aching
Smile
Even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by
If you
Smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through for you.
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear maybe ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile
What's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll just smile. -- "Smile" by Nat King Cole (music by Charlie Chaplin, lyrics by John Turner & Geoffrey Parsons)

Day 17: A Practical Heart

Confession: I've read many books, but never in my life have I picked up anything by Jane Austen.  The other evening, however, I was bored (bored?  me?) and flipping through channels in an effort to find something to watch.

Lo and behold, I came across the movie Sense and Sensibility, which I'd never seen before-- or read, obviously.  To be honest, I'd never even taken the slightest interest in anything to do with Jane Austen.  For some reason, though, I began to watch-- and I got hooked, even though I'd picked it up about 20 minutes into the movie.  It didn't take long to catch on to the story, and I was soon wrapped up in the characters.  Not much time passed before I was rooting madly for Colonel Brandon-- will Marianne ever love him back?  And I was cursing Fanny every time she came on screen (I know, I'm super-cool like that).  And I'm sure many of you will be oblivious to the characters I just referred to.
Sense and Sensibility is a story about two sisters, one with sense, the other with sensibility.  I don't want to discuss the entire story; instead, I'll list just a few of the themes.  The story tells of unrequited love and heartbreak, as well as the importance of a relationship between sisters.  Ah, three themes with which I can relate.  Is there anyone out there who can't relate to heartbreak?  Unfortunately, it seems essential to growing up.

At one point in the movie, Marianne says, "The more I see of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love."  I feel the same way, Marianne.  It seems like you can only give so much of yourself, without receiving anything back, before you've got nothing left to give.  In other words, you can only spend time with so many losers before you decide that you're only wasting your time.  If we're only bound to get our hearts broken yet again, what's the point of trying?

Thank you, Jane Austen, for your literary work.  It exemplifies the loser-ific condition of so many suitors out there-- the exact reason that so many of us are hesitant to offer our hearts to another, for fear of their being carelessly broken once more.  If anyone can prove to me that my next suitor will, in fact, leave my heart in a wholly intact state, I'll regain my unassuming faith in love.  Until then, I'm going to be cautious and protective of my fragile heart.  There are too many "Willoughbies" out there for me to open my heart to just anyone.  O, Mr. Perfect, where art thou?


"Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable." -- The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum