Get To Know Me ABC’s

I saw this over on crowleyparty.blogspot.com and thought that I’d do this too.  It’s the “Get to Know Me ABC’s”.

Age: 26
Bed size: Full
Chore you hate: Cleaning the bathroom.
Dogs: We had a goof-ball rescue named Shasta.  For a long time we thought she was a mutt but then we thought she might have been a flat-coated retriever who’d had her tail docked.  Either way, she was fantastic.

Essential start of your day: An extra hit of the snooze button!  Haha.  That and morning purrs and snuggles with Dixie.
Favorite color: Recently it’s becoming purple but I always love a good green.
Gold or silver: Silver because I think that it looks better with my skin.  But white gold is a good pick too.
Height: 5'8"
Instruments I play (or have played): Besides the recorder which everyone learns in elementary school I’ve played the saxophone.  Haven’t played for a long time though and I had to pick between band and art at one point in school so I chose art.
Job title: I am a sales associate.
Kids: Nope.  My child is four legged and has a tail. haha
Live: In Oregon!
Mom's name: Mary Jane
Nickname: Kimmers, Kimbers, Kimmer, Kimber, Cajun Ninja.  The last one I was recently honored with at work.  It was just Cajun to start and then Ninja was added.
Overnight hospital stays: When I was born, you know the norm.
Pet peeve: Rude people, and especially when they are knowingly rude.
Quote from a movie: Tough one, anything from The Princess Bride is always good, and from Young Frankenstein.  Most of my favorite quotes are from Psych, but since it’s a television show it doesn’t count for this.

Right or left handed: Right
Siblings: One younger sister.
Time you wake up: I’m a night owl, like to sleep, and am one of those people who need more sleep.  So generally around 10 am if I’ve been insomnia free.  But I am often woken up earlier than that by Dixie wanting some pets.
Underwear: Not sure what it’s asking here…yes?  Cute?  I own some?  :)
Vegetables you dislike: Aspara-gross.
What makes you run late: Pressing the snooze button that extra time.  Or just forgetting something on my way out the door.  Or getting stuck waiting for a train  (that’s happened to me twice since I’ve moved up here).
X-rays you've had done: Teeth, my right ankle when I pulled my ligament (OW!) & my wrist(s) a few times.
Yummy food you make: According to my former co-workers: cake.  They practically would lick the pan clean!  And I think that my lemon chicken stir-fry is pretty yummers.  And thanks to Grandma’s recipe my meatloaf has gotten rather good. 
Zoo animal: Giraffes!  And sea otters because they’re so cute!

Lost: Ideas, Please Email if Found! No Reward

Two nights in a row I have thought of really cool post ideas while laying in bed drifting off to sleep.  But because I’m in final shut-down mode I don’t pull out my phone or scrap paper to jot a note to myself.  And when I am sitting with my laptop I cannot remember what that brilliant idea was…so I think that I need to stop having brilliant ideas so late, or stop thinking that they’re brilliant because odds are, after midnight no idea is brilliant.  But at least it’s an idea and there are some days where I really, really need an idea.

I think that I need to start leaving notepads and pens all over my apartment so that I can leave myself reminders.  Oh wait, I already do…guess I need to start reading them or remembering to use them.

So until I catch an idea…

Loves.

CuppaYo

I have a confession.  I love frozen yogurt.  Like, a lot.  It’s delicious and fairly good for you considering it’s a treat.  Plus the self-serve froyo places are so cool!  But sometimes I get slightly overwhelmed by the topping choices.  It’s hard enough sometimes to decide which of the eight flavors you want to enjoy (or how many of the eight…) but then to decide if you want Fruity Pebbles (highly recommend) or fresh fruit or chocolate chips or granola or nuts or whatever else for your toppings…it’s crazy!

The other day I went and I got lemon bar and outrageous orange yo and threw some yogurt chips on top, so yummy and perfect on a warm day.  I was going to take a before photo but I got too distracted by how much I wanted to eat it.  So here’s an after shot.  :)

 

And check out the orange couch they have in one of the rooms, looks just like that couch from Nickelodeon.  You know, back in the 90s when they had the coolest shows ever.

Next time I go to CuppaYo I think that I’m going to try their Huckleberry yogurt.  Sounds delish.

Loves.

Books!

I have become a reading machine.  Although I get much more enjoyment than a machine would most likely get out of reading.  Unless it’s a super cool machine that has feelings and experiences joy.  And if that machine (nee robot) exists then I want to know why it’s a big secret.  Heck, they made a big deal when they made a robot that “runs”, to me it looks like it’s having a bathroom emergency.  Right!?

The last month or so I’ve read about a book a week, sometimes more, and I’m enjoying having reading time again after having had relinquished that luxury to school work.  But because I’m reading so much and so fast (and I only read before bed so it’s not like I’m intending to power read) I’m looking for new and good books to read.  More recently I’d been reading books from my usual authors and series but I’m desiring something new and different.  I’ve been reading books that aren’t what I’d assume to be my “cup of tea” because people with good taste in books strongly recommend them.  For example, I finally read The Hunger Games because two different people assured me that they were 1) fantastic and 2) worth the trip into a genre that I normally avoid.  And they were so very right.

Anyway, the point of this post is not just to tell you that I’m reading a lot but to ask if you have any recommendations for me.  I feel so out of the loop on good fiction recently, so please tell me what you’ve read or have heard good things about down in the comments.

Loves and happy reading!

Pouring Brews

Last year when visiting Bend, Dad and I attended Bend Brewfest and I posted about that here.  This year I decided to volunteer for the event!  I knew that I wanted to attend but I’m not much of a beer drinker so I figured that volunteering would be the best solution.  Not only did I get to still check out the event, but I also got a free shirt, mug, and tasting chips.  So basically, you pour drinks for five hours and you get some drinks on the house!  Actually I got extra drinks on the house since I worked a closing shift (Thursday 6:30-11p) and after taps closed all of us volunteers went back-stage (literally) and we were poured some of the specialty beers that cost extra chips to taste.  I tried Gilgamesh’s Mint Kolsch and it was pretty good, I like that it had a good mint flavor without a weird aftertaste.  Added bonus, a super low IBU aka bitterness rating.

When I arrived to check-in as a volunteer I was randomly assigned to pour for Maui Brewing.  My card read “Maui Brewing.  Bikini Blond Lager.”  And yes, I made a joke referencing how I’d have planned my outfit and hair color better had I known beforehand.  I was also asked a few times while I was pouring where my grass skirt was.  My standard response: I left it at home since I knew it’d be breezy that evening.  I was supposed to pour with another person at Maui Brewing (all pourers were volunteers, no brewery representatives poured) but we weren’t busy/popular enough so they took him to another area that was getting much more attention from the drinkers.  I then became Bikini Blond Lager girl and Mana Wheat girl.  Which was fine with me, because it was a bit crowded in my corner.  Maui Brewing sent over cans rather than kegs so I had a large plastic tub behind me filled with cans and ice.

Mana Wheat, Bikini Blond Lager

After about an hour of pouring I wasn’t as thrilled with having cans.  My fingers were cold from reaching into the ice tub and my index finger on my right hand was not happy from popping so many tops.  I swear my finger still hurt two days later!

I really wanted to try the Mana Wheat because it was brewed with pineapple juice and a lot of people asked me about it.  But as long as I was wearing my green volunteer shirt I was prohibited from drinking any beer.  If I did I could get in trouble and the event shut down.  It got tiring to explain to people why I didn’t know more about the beer than what was written in the beer guide that everyone was given.  Especially when they 1) obviously had tasted a few brews already and 2) didn’t understand that I was not from Hawaii or Maui Brewing.  Not sure what part of my “tan” screams Hawaiian…  But most people understood once I explained that I can pour or I can taste, I can’t do both.  In those cases they were happy to hear which one I was pouring more of and the feedback I’d gotten.  (Bikini Blond started strong and stayed strong while Mana Wheat got popular once people heard it had pineapple.)

The guy pouring the next station over and I chatted and laughed about the characters we saw throughout the night.  We spotted a guy with neon MC Hammer pants and neon sunglasses….hard to miss.  Then there was a bachelor party group that was dressed up as scouts (both boy and girl) and uber-nerds (cowlicks and pocket-protectors included).  Great people watching event.  I had a lot of fun and would seriously consider volunteering again next year.  But if I work another closing shift I’m remembering a light jacket, it got cold at about 9:30!

I still haven’t gotten to try either of the beers I poured but next time I go to Whole Foods I’m buying a can of each!

Loves.

Water Dogs

My work is right next to a section of the Deschutes River so on nice days I like to spend my break outside.  I get to watch all the people floating down the river, and envy them a little bit because I haven’t gotten a chance to do so yet.

The other day I was enjoying my Strictly Organic vanilla chai (one of the best I’ve ever had) while walking the path along the river and watching everyone on the river pass by.  Suddenly I spotted a stand-up paddle boarder coming up river.

I quickly pulled out my cell-phone to get a shot.  I love that she took her dog along with her.  Though I’m not sure if the dog loved it quite as much, it looked a little unsure about this hobby.  Doubt Dixie would join me when I go paddle boarding.  Haha!

Three days later I spotted a group of people and one dog lounging on a large raft going down river.  I didn’t realize that so many dogs here enjoy water sports!  Don’t have a photo of that one because I wasn’t as quick with the phone.  I’ve got to start taking my real camera on my break with me!

Loves.

Crooked Dealings

Not too long ago my dad, uncle and I took a quick drive to Crooked River to check out the steel arch bridge there that was build in 1911.  Ok, so you’re thinking what’s so cool about a hundred year old bridge.  Well 1) it’s 100 years old and still in use and 2) there is a lot of air between the bridge and the river below.  Check it:

Could you even imagine working on building that?!  No fear of heights allowed!

And here’s a view of Crooked River, aptly named don’t you think?

The bridge above was constructed for trains and is still used.  There is also a bridge for the highway, and the old bridge for the highway.  Here’s a shot of the two of them, followed by the old highway bridge which can now be walked across.  The closer bridge is the old one, the farther one is the new one.

Hello narrow bridge!!!  I think I’d stop breathing if I was driving across this at the same time a semi was coming across towards me.  How can a truck and car fit!?  And let’s not even go into those crazies that would bike (as in bicycle) across this thing.  (Not that I have anything against those that chose to bike, but I fear for them sometimes because cars don’t always pay as close attention to them as they should.)  The new bridge is much wider.  Oh, and check out those awesome clouds!  That’s without playing with the image!

Loves.

I’ve Changed My Name

Because my blog was named “Adventures of This College Girl” and I’ve since graduated, I felt that I ought to change my blog name to be a bit more accurate.  And the description of me blogging about my experiences transferring from community college to university is now also inaccurate.  So, I’ve changed my blog name slightly and updated the description.  And hopefully I’ll get around to posting more often.  Or even remembering that I should be posting.  I’m planning a few local outings to better acquaint myself with my new city so hopefully I’ll have some fun stories or good photos to share.

Loves.

Hello From Oregon and an Oregonian!

I am officially an Oregonian!  I have ditched my California ties, and have moved north to the land of the Pacific Northwest, Mount Hood, Crater Lake, and The Goonies.  Sure I could have mentioned something obvious like rain, or the end of the Oregon Trail, but that’s boring.  Though I was checking out the official state symbols out of curiosity.  Check it:

• Animal: Beaver (and if I get into OSU I shall be a state animal)
• Beverage: Milk (hey, it does a body good)
• Bird: Western Medowlark (hark! a lark!)
• Dance: Square Dance (good thing I learned how to promenade and do-si-do in 3rd grade)
• Flower: Oregon grape (guess it’d be rude not to pick the flower with the state name in it)
• Insect: Oregon Swallowtail (flutter-by!)
• Motto: Alis Volat Propriis “She Flies With Her Own Wings” (pretty, I like it)
• Rock: Thunderegg (do you think when it hatches it produces Thundercats?)

I’ve already gotten my Oregon driver’s license and let me tell you that it has far fewer security features than California’s.  And I’m not even talking about California’s super new license design which must take for-ev-er to make.  Here, I took the test on Wednesday the 20th (only missed three questions, which I feel were dumb questions to ask me anyways) and received my license on Monday the 25th.  What, did it take like 4 hours to make?  You know most of that wait time was for it to go through the mail.  I’m just happy that my license photo is actually up to date.  I was 15 in my CA one!!  When being ID’d they’d ask me if that was me, not so effective.

Now all I need to do is get my car switched over to being an Oregon resident…and you know I’m going to get the special plates that make a donation to Crater Lake.

Loves.

Project Runway, Graduate Edition

Now that I’ve graduated I have a dilemma…I don’t know what to do with my graduation gown.  It’s mine, I had to pay $46 for the cap, gown, and tassel and I feel that is too expensive of a one time use.  So do I turn the gown into a painting smock?  Use the cap to practice my balance technique by placing glasses of water on top of it while I walk?  Rip apart those polyester seams and crudely sew it into something slightly more flattering?  Or a slipcover for my desk chair?  Decisions decisions…any suggestions?

Loves.

I Did It!

(Sorry if the photo is not terribly sharp, it’s a cell phone photo…and yes, those are honors cords)

After papers and busy-work and research and lectures and presentations and group projects and reading and cramming and procrastinating and writing and guessing on quizzes and setting the curve a few times and chasing the curve a few others and circling the parking lots and buying books that I did not need and selling back bargain books for more than I bought them for (take that bookstore!) and killing off many highlighters and losing more pens that I care to admit and countless hours dedicated to school…I finally finally finally graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Psychology!!!

So A Dog Was Riding In A Car…

When I was driving home today I saw something funny.  A dog riding shotgun in a Honda.  Ok, so that’s not the funny part because dogs ride shotgun all the time and in Hondas quite often I’d assume.  The funny part was that he was dressed like a stagecoach driver!

Ok, so he wasn’t dressed like a stagecoach driver.  That would have been beyond awesome!  Dang, now the real thing won’t seem quite as funny.  Oh well.  He was buckled in like a people!  No face hanging out the window, no jumping all around, he was just sitting calmly with the seatbelt pulled across his chest.  Still, gave me a smile and was super cute.

Loves.

Yes, I’m Alive…Stressed But Alive

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve posted!  This quarter has been going by so fast that I feel like I’m both physically and mentally running around trying to keep pace.  I was able to steal a few moments to try to update what is going on with me.

This quarter is nearly done, this next week will be week seven, or maybe this week that just ended was week seven…I don’t know.  But I do know that my finals are March 15-17.  And I get a whole week from my brain to stop pretending to be jell-o before the crazies start again.  Luckily spring quarter won’t have as much going on.  I will only be taking two classes, since that’s all I need and I really don’t need extra units.  I may do some volunteer work but only a couple hours a week as to not get overextended.

As you may remember, or know, or care, or not…I will be graduating this June with my Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology.  Hehe, I’m getting my B.S. degree…get it?  Sorry, anyways, I’d been planning on going straight into a Masters program to get that much closer to earning my licensure to become a certified Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT).  It looks like I will take a quick pause and start working within the field of Psychology before I start the Masters program.  This will be good opportunity for me to put what I’ve used thus far into action, not to mention the networking opportunities within my field.  Oh, and my brain could use a little break from lots and lots of homework.  :)

I am still really interested in programs that are offered in Oregon so I will probably go ahead and move up there this summer.  That way when I do start my Masters program I’ll hopefully qualify for in-state residency tuition rates and I really have no need (or desire) to stay in Bakersfield once my lease is up at the end of June.  Bleh.

Back to homework.  Yes, it’s Friday evening and I’m working on homework.  Sigh.  I am so earning a Disneyland trip!  Who wants to take me?  ;)

Loves.

Random Things Amuse Me

Take for example a lady in the car next to me at the red light while I was driving to the bank this afternoon: she had her right hand at about 10 o’clock on the steering wheel.  I found this odd.  Then I thought that maybe she was preparing to turn right at the light so she had “assumed the position” but then I thought it was silly that she’d be sitting like that three cars back from the crosswalk line.  Turns out, she didn’t turn when the light turned green.  She just drives that way!  I would think that her shoulder would get sore or tired.  Hopefully she has a short commute.

Last night I was thinking about answering machine messages.  Not the ones that people leave for you, requesting you to call back, but the ones you leave asking people to leave said message.  Follow?  ;)  It seems that fewer people are leaving fun prompts, there’s lots of “hey, I’m at work or school so leave me a message…” or the automated “no one is available to take your call…” and I miss enjoying silly little ditties when my call goes unanswered.  We used to have some really, really good ones at Christmas.  One year Dad sang his version of The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) which was hilarious and a fan favorite.  I’m pretty sure we got an unusually large number of phone calls that year once word got out of the genius lyrics such as: “Jack Frost roasting on an open fire”.

Then there was the time that I was house sitting for some of our friends in the Sacramento area and I changed their answering machine message.  They had a cool machine that allows the caller to press ‘1’ for one person, ‘2’ for another, etc.  So I re-recorded the prompts for the first two people as they were previously worded then for person three I changed it from his name to something special.  I changed it so the machine said that the caller should press ‘3’ to leave a message for “the northern California chapter of the Los Angeles Lakers ultimate fan club”.  Muhahahahahaha.  See Sacramento is home to the Kings and they are not fans of the Lakers up there, at all.

So I was thinking, what would I put on my answering machine if I were to change it?  I currently have the standard computer voice playing role of receptionist.  Late last night I came up with this one:

“Knock knock…

River…

Reversing truck goes”

*BEEP*

Hehehehehehe!  Get it?  They beep and you leave the message after the beep so I just let the answering machine beep finish the punch line!  And I’m sure you all want to use this now, go right ahead, it’s cool.  It’s too good not to share.  :)

What’s your favorite fun answering machine message?

Loves.

One Down, Nine to Go

I’ve survived the first week of winter quarter and was offered an applied experience position at my top choice organization!  Yeah!!  I’m not going to name the organization at this time because it’s not always smart to blog about work.  That’s also why I don’t share fun stories from work on here anymore.  You never know when one funny story turns into a firing.

The first day of school I had my Philosophy and Sociology classes.  Nothing too exciting there, the usual going over of the syllabus and brief summaries of chapter 1.  Though one of my professors must have been a middle-school teacher in a past life because she had us all write our name, major and a couple fun facts about ourselves on an index card so she could learn our names.  She spent about half of our class time learning our names.  While it’s nice that she is putting in the effort I’d rather just get down to business.  Yet it is fun hearing what fun facts people chose to share about themselves.  I shared that I like photography and know American Sign Language.

One of the fraternities had a table outside of the building that both of my classes were in and they were giving away free hot chocolate!  That’s right, free hot chocolate!  That sure did make for a good start to my morning.  I don’t drink coffee or tea so this is my hot drink of choice.  And it’s been rather cold here recently (seriously, it’s only been in the 40s) so my cold hands needed it.  And it was good.

My final class, Psychology, was the next day and it looks like it will be a really good one (and not just because Dina’s in class with me).  The only thing that is giving me pause at this point is the fact that there is a guy in this class that’s a giant (think Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade balloon size) slacker and is really annoying.  I’ve had quite a few classes with him before and he seriously does nothing.  I don’t know if or how he manages to pass any classes he’s in.

Turns out that my predictions about my Philosophy class being a bit more of a breeze may not be so accurate.  I don’t think that it will be difficult so much as time consuming because there are a lot of assignments.  The lecture today reinforced the idea that it won’t be hard material.  With all three classes I will have a lot of outside work.  So I’m going to enjoy all the free time I can get, starting right now!

Loves.

Fancy Fingers

I got fake nails with a fun design just before Christmas and I keep getting compliments on them.  I wanted to get them because they’re pretty and I always rip my nails so it’s nice to have nails for a while.  Even if they are thicker than real nails and make it impossible for me to open a can of soda.  Which I suppose can be considered a bonus.  I’m hoping that I will get out of the habit of trying to tear my nails so that when I remove the fake nails I can maintain my nails at a “normal” length.

The design that I got was inspired by candy canes.  With diagonal red stripes on the white tips.  Then there was the addition of silver glitters on top of the remaining white.  Very festive!  When I get my nails re-done and trimmed I will be doing a new design but I don’t know what I want to do!  Suggestions?

My Next Life

I want to be a cat.  But not one of those cats that are featured on the ASPCA commercials that make me cry.  I want to be a loved cat in a wonderful home.  Really, who wouldn’t?

You get to sleep all day!

You fit into the best hiding spaces for hide and go seek!

Playing is encouraged!

You get rewarded for taking out frustrations on your scratcher!

Yep, next life I want to come back as a cat.

Loves.

Still Enjoying Winter Break

I am keeping my Christmas lights up.  Not forever since I will be moving in June and I’ll need to pack them.  Haha!  I’m just going to keep them up for another week or so because I like them and think that they’re pretty.  None of my neighbors will know though since they’re hanging inside my apartment.  I still didn’t buy that odd adapter to power my lights through the porch light.  My outdoor decorations consisted of one of those window gels that is Snoopy ice skating.  Ok, so technically it’s inside but you can totally see if from outside since it’s stuck to my front window.  I figure that I can leave the window cling up as long as it’s cold outside.  And by cold I mean, Bakersfield cold conditions with highs in the 50s, which would be considered warm anywhere that it snows in winter.

On Wednesday winter quarter starts up so I’ll have to get back in school brain mode.  I have one class (Philosophy: Logical Reasoning) that is making up for a class that didn’t count as a transfer from community college so it’s a super low level class.  Which means two things, it’ll be filled with freshmen and probably will have lower expectations.  So possibly good since it’s my morning class and I’ll most likely only be half awake.  I’m also taking a class for my minor (Sociology: Social Services and Social Problems) and then an elective for my major (Psychology: Family Psychology and Development).  I was trying to get my applied experience lined up this quarter but nothing has panned out so far.  I’m hoping to get an internship with one of three organizations but if that doesn’t work then I may T.A. or be a research assistant.  But I would much rather have an internship because it would 1) be fun and 2) be better for applying for graduate programs.  I’ll keep you updated if I get one.

Loves.