July 2006

Yes, after two months of not blogging whatsoever, an inland move, a vacation to another country and the looming approach of graduate school, I figured it was time to get back on the wagon. Surely graduate school will usher in many an opportunity to procrastinate and put off productivity and perhaps this blog just might reap the benefits of such an arrangement. As inspired by so many of my friends who have survived graduate school before me, I shall do my best.

July…what a month!

I moved into my new house/cottage/bungalow which I pay rent for all by myself. Put it down as another lifetime first – I am without roommate! And with love in my heart for each and every roommate I have ever had (save that crazy girl* freshman year of college), I am absolutely thrilled to be on my own.



And...after the grueling and labor-intensive relocation of all my worldly crap, I took a vacation to Victoria Canada and the Oregon Coast with the Boy, Matty(*).



I LOVED Canada and the rural, unrushed beauty of Victoria Island. Complete with ferry rides, rooftop goats, waterfalls, a killer whale, Phase 10, an adorable little dog, and even more adorable grandparents, our relaxing days as honorary Canadians certainly left us wanting more. And, if you’re just eating up the details on this uber-sweet trip, you can read more about it here.



Next it was on to the Oregon Coast - Rockaway Beach, Tillamook and Oswald West State Park to be specific. While there aren’t pictures to prove it, I passed muster as a catcher, cleaner and cooker of clams on a very cool and rainy Oregon Coast morning. And as a reward, Matty and I treated ourselves to cheese curds and ice cream at the cheese factory. (Note: my new favorite ice cream = root beer float ice cream – no hassle and no mess with the combining of rootbeer and vanilla ice cream, this Tillamook specialty does the dirty work for you and puts it on top of an ice cream cone. FABULOUS!) We camped at a great walk-in campground at Oswald West and fulfilled our beach time and hiking quotas all together.



Post-Trip: It’s all Boise, all the time! Stay tuned for reports from the field covering topics such as “Is there Life After California?” and “Surviving as a progressive-liberal-type in a hostile environment.”


* = Names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent.

Taking Gulps

I saw a picture this morning that took me back to my childhood faster than any train of thought in recent memory. It was an image of a 2 year-old girl standing pigtailed in a yard, leaning over to drink water spilling straight from a garden hose being held in front of her. Instantly I found myself on the five-acre Idaho farm where I grew up, obeying my mothers orders to water any or all of the cows, goats, trees or flower beds that gave life to our country acreage. Invariably, any task that involved using the garden hose at full speed also involved the excellent challenge of trying to get down a few gulps of water from the bubbling hose without filling your nose with water or spilling it all down the front of your shirt. This one, simple memory takes me far back into the simplicity of a life lived growing up in Idaho - full of wonder about the world outside the boundaries of our "Potato State" that was/is so often confused with the likes Iowa and Ohio.

As I write this, I am 5 weeks away from leaving my life as a Californian and returning to my roots, albeit in a slightly more urban setting, in Idaho. Off the beaten path? yes. Vastly different from the Bay Area? yes. Full of adventure and uncertainty? yes. I am eagerly awaiting my return to a place I know now only from the perspective of myself as a young person. Though Idaho will certainly be different, these 8 years later, I cannot wait to make new memories there and recall exactly how it was that I began the journey of "me"...and I will begin all over again, starting with one good long, cool gulp of water from a garden hose.

Open Mic Night

I second this... and this.

My attempts to wring Berkeley for all it's worth are, no doubt, coming along splendidly.

March Update

After having been so MIA on the blog scene, I thought it only fair to give an update on what I’ve been up to. So here’s a modified version of an email I sent to some friends the other day, providing a brief summary of the month of March.

The last time I wrote you, I was feeling nearly debilitated with the weight of an impending life decision. Two roads were laid out before me – 1.) to stay in California and go to grad school, whole heartedly pursuing my career or, 2.) return to my roots in Idaho and attend a slightly less prestigious graduate school while seeking to balance my whole person with family, friends, new beau, and career. It’s likely that just by my description, you can tell which option I’m favoring. But to be perfectly honest, it’s no longer just a favorable option – it’s really what I want. It’s the road that, to be horribly cliché, is certainly less traveled. And while Idaho is the place I spent the first 18 years of my life, it is a road full of just as many unknowns as nearly any other place I could possibly go at this point. Most importantly, the road to Idaho is one that I am certain will help me bring a balance to my life that has been missing over the past couple of years - a scale that would certainly grown more unevenly weighted were I to stay put in Berkeley. Amazing how life moves…come July, I’ll be headed for a whole new chapter full of adventures and surprises.

Alright…sentimental crap over! March 2006 was a great month! It was the month of my 26th birthday and also birthday month for my cousin Jamie, who put on a great-as-ever St. Patties Day shindig. For her birthday, Cuz got this great bag in “orange bolt” from her grandma and loved it so much she had to get me one in “top banana” so that we could ooze with “English tradition that meets London underground” together. WHAT?!!!

My birthday was filled with many other surprises. My significant other/partner/boyfriend/[insert additional labels here] got several of my friends involved in a plot to surprise me and showed up for the birthday weekend and all its events. I woke up on Saturday the 25th and suddenly…I’m 26?!!! WHAT?? Naw…26 suits me well. The year started out in a fabulous way with T.O., making coffee for Jamie, Matty and I and we all sat together and welcomed the new year of life in style…slightly hung over. ☺ It’s going to be another great year…I can feel it.

March was a month for pondering the bizarre concept of …babies. I attended the baby shower of, and then later went to visit, my Brazilian friend Janaina, who is now 6 months pregnant with a baby girl. I brushed up on my infant-care trivia - Did you know that doctors advise that you introduce vegetables before fruits to infants who are starting to eat solids, supposedly because they’ll be more likely to accept both foods and not just the sweet ones? Uh-huh! I also had the opportunity to improve my knowlede of pink baby shower wrapping paper designs, and Stork Parking (parking spaces reserved entirely for expectant mothers – typically located outside of stores like Babies R Us and Mimi Maternity), as well as brushing up on those strange female hormones I regularly choose to ignore. I must say, my favorite parts of hanging out with a pregnant woman were the frequent naps, the frequent stops for food and ice cream, and the choice of activity based solely on how little it necessitated actually being on one’s feet. It made for a spectacular and relaxing vacation for sure.


And now we’re to April. The countdown for my leaving California has begun. Only 3 months left for me to self-actualize in the eccentric state of existence called Berkeley. Not a moment to lose. Off I go to talk to myself while walking down the street wearing outfits composed entirely of tie-die while begging people for money so that I can buy more weed. Muhahahahaha…

A Birthday Egg

BadEgg
Originally uploaded by carrieaparrish.

My 26th birthday was this past weekend. In addition to many other celebratory acts, I went to breakfast with pals at a Berkeley breakfast hot-spot we'd never visited before. The atmosphere was great and service was excellent until... After stuffing myself full of eggs over medium and some wierd kind of red beet hash that tasted way better than it looked, I asked the waitress to box up the rest of the food on my plate. I almost quantified my request by indicating that she needn't include the remaining egg over medium that I had left relatively untouched but figured that she'd certainly use her common sense and pass on the egg. However, when she returned with my to-go bag, there it was. The egg! The egg over medium was all boxed up next to my red beet hash and starting to adopt the redish color in a slimy sick sort of way. And I must ask myself, who wants an egg to go?! I don't think I can conjure up a sicker concept than eating a microwaved egg over medium. But there it was. Happy birthday...here's your egg over medium...to go!

Top 5 Best Naps of All Time

In order...

5.) Late afternoon, Spring 2005, Stinson Beach, CA - A relatively short nap in the sand after hiking the Steep Ravine Trail and playing a rousing game of beach frisbee with four friends. It was late in the day on a windy afternoon we all crashed in near proximity and covered our heads with sweaters and bags to keep the sand from blowing in our faces.

4.) Early afternoon, Summer 2000, Beach Camp Week #5, Manresa State Beach, CA - I was a camp counselor and landed the “tough” assignment of camping with awesome high school kids on the beach for a week at a time. The kids were completely capable of entertaining themselves which left myself and the other counselors plenty of time to dig form-fitting holes in the sand to aid in our napping endeavors.

3.) Dusk, New Years Eve 2004, Berkeley, CA - The nap after which I was so well-rested that I laid in bed and understood the magnitude and importance of creating this very list.

2.) Dusk, Spring Break 2002, Santa Barbara, CA - After driving all day down Hwy. 1 with my best pal, we arrived at my cousin's house in Santa Cruz (Isla Vista to be exact) and napped for a couple hours to shake off the driving blahs before heading out for the night. It was the perfect Californian evening, the colors of sunset and a light breeze coming through the windows bringing the sound of fog horns and backyard barbeques.

1.) Afternoon, Summer 2000, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CA – a bunch of friends wanted to hang out in San Francisco for the afternoon and for some reason, I was so exhausted, the only thing I had on my mind was taking a nap. So exhausted, in fact, that napping beat out Alcatraz, Ghirardelli Square, the trolley, Union Square, the Golden Gate, every museum, and more. Around 1:00 in the afternoon we split up at Fisherman’s Wharf and agreed to meet back there at 4:00. I promptly went to the upper level of the Wharf, found a secluded park bench, set my watch, clutched my purse under my head, and napped to the sounds of tourism and barking seals for three hours of glory. Sigh…ecstasy.

All Hail Survivor

Quote of the Day (from the mouth my newest friend, Adam, who nearly beat me at a game of dominos this evening):

"If they're going to call it "Survivor," everyone who doesn't win should have to die at the end."

Key Envy

100_0371
Originally uploaded by carrieaparrish.

A friend of mine is vacationing in Florida this week and spent today on the waters of Key West. Being the honest person I am, I must admit...I am SO jealous! But...knowing myself as well as I do, when I was in Mexico this past May, I took one picture that I knew would be a saving grace for a moment such as this. It's not particularly frame or photo album worthy, but it's sole purpose was to be resurrected on just such an occasion to remind me of exactly what it feels like to spend a few days doing nothing but sitting on the beach answering the really difficult questions of life, like whether to go snorkeling (again), climb a pyramid, or sit tight and order another round of drinks. God, I really did know what I was doing when I took this picture...mission accomplished.