12

I think humans are really funny. We sometimes don’t believe something is possible or good until we do it ourselves. I mean, why is something as easy as writing every day something I find difficult?

Well, I guess you could call this my wrap up. It’s been thirty days and however many minutes (no time to calculate) since I tried this. Now, on to the next thing.

A few observations to myself:

I skipped day 11. Or forgot to post it. Or lost it somewhere.

I wish I could develop a better habit of consciously remembering moments and events when they end up happening rather than so far after the fact.

Writing takes a lot longer on an iPad. I got so sick of my laptop after last semester that I only opened it four times in the course of winter break.

Americans are obsessed with being productive and finding “the secret” to things. I don’t think there are a lot of actual secrets. I don’t think reading any more life help articles help to actually make us better at things. I think the way things work is by doing work, not just analyzing how something works.

To the above point, I think people are scared of that – myself included. I think we have a perception of failure and it paralyzes us to even comprehend messing something up. But how many things are gray areas anyways and not actually “failures”? If I set a high expectation for myself and don’t meet it, is that actually a failure?

People are really really different and are so many bundles of opinions.

I backdated a lot of my posts because I either didn’t feel like writing or forgot on a certain day.

One thing’s for sure: you don’t (fully) learn if you don’t do. Thanks for teaching that to me, journalism professors.

Oh, another thing’s for sure: mornings and new days are tiny pieces of redemption and opportunity.

___

And now, a toast to these pieces of things I learned: To mornings, for being a completely new start to every day. To technology, for making projects happen. To traveling, for not being the whole purpose of life. To family, for hilarious life moments. To knowledge, for the promise of never fully being attained. And to all of the above, for being possible.

10

So after getting into Salt Lake City at 2 am body time (12 MST) dad and I headed out early to Brighton. Salt lake is absolutely beautiful because of being in a bowl and surrounded by mountains. We’ve been here a few times because of my grandpa living here and I love driving up the mountains. It’s not quite peak season with not much fresh snow yet but there were still plenty of people taking advantage of the gorgeous weather today.

I love Brighton because of its well groomed runs and different options with some trails through the trees. I’m pretty sure it’s the tallest resort (maybe besides Alta) in the area. I also absolutely love snowboarding with dad. He’s the best skier I know and his skill really shows especially on the moguls. His few times beating me down harken back to his racing days too.

Unfortunately had to cut the day short a bit because I got a migraine. Of all the things to happen this past week this was one of the most frustrating. I actually think Brighton might be cursed. When we came here a few years ago Stephen got really sick and dad had to hang out with him at the lodge for the majority of the day. Next time out here I’ll definitely choose a different place.

All in all though, as if I needed any more assurance, I know I’ll live somewhere in the mountains someday. Mark my words, self.

9

Remember yesterday? Today was a step worse. With the hopes and expectations of nothing being as ridiculous as yesterday, Hannah and I got to the airport for round two. We realized that Hannah didn’t have her ID which only turned out to be a minor problem and a little extra frisking in security. Once we boarded our plane we breathed a sigh of relief, a bit in awe of us sitting together in the first row.

Within the next 15 minutes of being in the air we hear the flight attendant say we’re turning around to go back to Cincinnati because of a mechanical malfunction. Next thing we know she’s saying brace for impact on landing and chanting “heads down lean forward” for the entire descent. At first Hannah and I were laughing but she kept chanting it and we were immediately reflective. Honestly for 15 seconds I thought, “Hmm, what if I end up dying?” In that really brief moment I realized a huge sense of peace and even immense gratitude of not only the life I’ve lived but the solid hope of forever being in the presence of the Lord. Once that feeling faded, probably because of having a pilot dad and understanding nothing was seriously wrong, Hannah and I went back to being a bit incredulous.

We missed our next two flights and hung out at the airport for our last possible chance to get out west. We were really low on the standby list and had no hope of getting on but might as well have tried. After everyone boarded the gate agent called my name and said I had the last seat. Meaning I’d have to leave Hannah behind. And in that awful moment when I decided to go out and meet my dad I saw what an incredible friend I have in her. Who deserves someone who puts your desires above their own graciously, kindly and even enthusiastically? Hannah, I don’t deserve you.

8

Welcome to the most ridiculous day of the week. Hannah and I had been planning on going snowboarding in Utah for a couple months and headed to the airport to start our trip. On our way to the airport we somehow weren’t paying attention and drove 30 miles in the wrong direction. Once we turned around and got off at the airport exit Hannah’s transmission went out and we were stuck. Brooke was with us because she was going to drive Hannah’s car back to Oxford. However, after calling AAA and realizing we’d have about four hours to wait, her mom came to the rescue. Before she showed up, a kind police officer gave us a ride to the airport in his car. Once we got there, we realized there was no way we’d make any of our flights (the joys of flying standby).

Feeling a bit defeated we went to a hotel lobby to grab food while waiting for a tow truck. After it came, we were trying to find a gas station and Brooke’s gps led us to a water treatment facility down a winding road in Kentucky. Afraid we’d run out of gas and continually saying “just our luck,” we ended up finally finding one and getting back to Oxford. Time to try again tomorrow….

7

Since life consists of one class for the next couple weeks, Brooke and I decided to do a puzzle. Once we started putting the edges together we realized the puzzle doesn’t match the picture. In addition there were too many edge pieces on one side that instead of a rectangle it turned out to be a trapezoid. Poor manufacturing but a good laugh.

This ridiculous cold is reminding me of spending some time in Sweden. We were there on a sustainability class trip for about a week. One day we went to a spa/sauna at a city on the North Sea. We realized it was tradition to be in the sauna completely naked then go jump in the North Sea (note: it’s March in Sweden so it’s absolutely freezing). One of the oddest experiences of the trip and absolutely hilarious. All the Europeans ere frustrated by us of course because we’re Americans who can’t stop laughing.

6

Wow only six more days of this. It’s odd only having one really easy class. People clearly have New Years’ resolutions because the rec was muy crowded.

Instead of a travel story I think I’ll reminisce on the things I’ve lost while traveling:

The world’s best water bottle is somewhere out there in the Swiss Alps.
Various life necessities stranded in San Francisco.
My phone, wallet and ID left at home more than once when coming back to Oxford.
Favorite towel in Sweden (possibly on that overnight boat ride.. Oh that’s totally my story for tomorrow)

Well that was possibly the least interesting list of items I’ve ever read. Sorry.

5

Joys of fifteen week classes smashed into three weeks. Oxford is. A bit like it was in the summer although I think more people are here this time around.

Yet another story from abroad: the first freezing cold weekend of traveling the Miami pack went to Brussels and Bruges (a fairytale of a city filled with chocolate shops). One night instead of listening to the odd Canadian electronic duo light show performance on the first floor of our hostel, Anna and I decided to get waffles and wine at midnight. It was our first weekend away and I wouldn’t trade that little “dinner” for anything.

I also remember the first time we got off the train and into. A city where. We didn’t know the language, had no phones and not a big sense of how to find our hostel. It was the most victorious feeling getting to the hostel using just a paper map.

4

Today I drove back to school.

Now a story: when in Ocean City I went to NYC a few times. One of the trips we went boating in Central Park and ran into friends, oddly, at the shake shack. Classic tourism.

On our way back from the city all six of our phones died and we didn’t know how to get back. So naturally we stopped at the sketchiest gas station in the middle of nowhere. A large scary man in the only suburban in front of us volunteered to take us back to a highway. We said yes but then made sure to get as far away from him as possible.

Moral of the story: when going to nyc for one day only, put your phone on airplane mode if you’re taking photos. Then you won’t get lost in the middle of nowhere.

This song brings all those memories back. “It’s like a piano doing hurdles.”

3

Last day home ever for a break. Weird.

I know I’m not supposed to think ahead for stories, so I didn’t. Although these shorter day posts make me tempted to. For example, right now, all I can do is think of is a massive pile of places instead of specific stories.

Oh! In seventh grade my family went to the Grand Canyon and rented an RV. it was a blast. We stayed in Sedona for a bit too. My mind is blank.

2

Sitting by a fire and planning on making some sort of delicious food with Anna’s cilantro.

Wow most of my travel stories involve Anna. When we were freshmen we drove to Washington DC with some other friends. It was snowing like crazy when we were driving through the night and we got lost in Accident, Maryland ironically. I also remember wandering through the business district of DC and randomly finding a delicious seafood restaurant. Funny how that’s the only thing that comes to mind.