For some reason, the last two days I've been thinking a lot about the fact that I am not a nurse. I had decided to become one once in my adult life. I kept to that plan for about a year and made several major life decisions based on it, but ultimately decided against it (obviously). But the path that it put me on even temporarily was a good one. And since making the decision leave that path, I have not really thought of it again. Until now. Not that I'm second-guessing myself-- I really really like where I am now and my future plans. But I am having this inexplicable longing towards nursing. It is a very interesting, peaceful, unfamiliar feeling that I've never experienced before that I can recall. Don't worry (or hope, Mom)-- I am NOT making any plans to pursue a career in nursing (although websites with NYC programs have been consulted). I am taking this sudden wave of feeling as a sign that there are many paths I could have taken in my life and all of those would have made me happy and trained me for the various roles in my life. That there is not one set course for my life. And no matter what I can and will be happy.
Also, I find my inexplicable desire to blog about this strange feeling interesting.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Empowered!
Subtitle: all residual Montauk issues resolved
Some of you may recall from my last post that my beloved bicycle was broken during my Montauk adventure. Although it looked bad:
I figured "No biggie. One trip to the bike shop should fix this. I'm still under warranty and all."
But my story turns out even better: I fixed it WITH MY OWN HANDS. Not with my own knowledge, mind you, but nonetheless I am very very pleased with this unexpected turn of events.
The hero of this story is Marcus, my official go-to guy for all things bicycle related.
After sending Marcus a digital picture of the problem, he said I would be able to fix it myself. I'll confess that although I consider Marcus to be a trustworthy person, I did not believe him. But we got on speaker phone, learned some vocab words ("cable", "cable housing", and others that I was taught but did not learn) and with much reassuring ("don't worry, you're NOT strong enough to break the cable") Viola! it was fixed! Good as new! It was incredible! I still find it hard to believe that I, ME, Holly Bluemlein, was somehow involved in the process. I feel like I can do anything now!
Some of you may recall from my last post that my beloved bicycle was broken during my Montauk adventure. Although it looked bad:
I figured "No biggie. One trip to the bike shop should fix this. I'm still under warranty and all."But my story turns out even better: I fixed it WITH MY OWN HANDS. Not with my own knowledge, mind you, but nonetheless I am very very pleased with this unexpected turn of events.
The hero of this story is Marcus, my official go-to guy for all things bicycle related.
After sending Marcus a digital picture of the problem, he said I would be able to fix it myself. I'll confess that although I consider Marcus to be a trustworthy person, I did not believe him. But we got on speaker phone, learned some vocab words ("cable", "cable housing", and others that I was taught but did not learn) and with much reassuring ("don't worry, you're NOT strong enough to break the cable") Viola! it was fixed! Good as new! It was incredible! I still find it hard to believe that I, ME, Holly Bluemlein, was somehow involved in the process. I feel like I can do anything now!
Monday, June 23, 2008
The best laid schemes of mice and men.
Saturday I had pretty much the perfect day planned. I feel like anyone who has talked to me in the last several weeks is probably very aware of my excitement over volunteering for the bike ride to Montauk. Instead of riding the 144, 100, 66, or 30 miles there, I volunteered to drive a truck and bike around the city and then drive a passenger van home. My new roommate and long-time friend Ashley came along as a fellow-volunteer.
For anyone out there who doesn't know, Montauk is the farthest tip of Long Island (here's a map of the route Manhattan to Montauk):
This was my planned schedule for the day:
2:30am Wake up
4:25am Arrive at Penn Station and help bikers load their bags in my truck
7:13am Leave for Montauk
10:30-11:00 Arrive at Montauk, eat the picnic, play in the ocean, bike ride around
1:00pm Drive passenger bus of bikers back to Manhattan, pick up my bike, return van
4:30pm Attend Lilly's wedding reception
7:00 Attend Tamara's birthday party
Here was my actual day went:
2:30am Woke up
4:15am Arrive at Penn Station and start loading my truck with bags
7;10am Volunteers biking the 60 mile route (almost all of them) leave to catch their train
7:11 Remaining volunteers realize there a major flaw in the planning and about 200 bikes are sitting in front of Penn Station waiting for us to load them unto trucks we do not have.
9:30 After loading 7 bikes into our truck already full of bags, Ashley and I take off toward Montauk, leaving about 3 volunteers with about 200 bikes and NO trucks.
10:30am I almost kill us in the Queens tunnel. After navigating a 60ish minute traffic jam, Ashley takes over driving, thank heavens! (I hate driving.)
12:30 Arrive at the Southampton Rail Road station to drop off the 7 bikes. The riders there have already been waiting for their bikes three hours. The truck with the majority of their bikes (which left an hour before us) has not yet arrived.
2:30 While driving towards Montauk, Ashley and I realize we were suppose to have LEFT Montauk an hour and a half ago. We also realize that we have been driving 4 hours. We start getting a bit goofy.
3:00 ARRIVE IN MONTAUK. We report in to the transportation desk. They do not know when or how we will be leaving but assure that they do need us. We decide to detach with love. We hand the keys to the truck over to them and decide to just enjoy the rest of the day.
3:30 We eat the picnic, bike into town, play in the ocean, bike ride taking in the lovely scenary, eat some more food. No matter how much of their picnic food we eat, we cannot get full, so we ride into town to get fish-n-chips and coconut popsicles (well, ashley has fish-n-chips because I don't eat fish and I have a coconut popsicle because ashley doesn't eat sugar, but you get the idea). The afternoon is going well, other than the fact that I am very sad to realize I will miss Lilly's reception and Tamara's birthday party. This was on consolation:
7:15 The transportation department still does not know what they need us to do. (The passenger van we are supposed to drive home apparently do not, in actuality, exist). The last train leaves at 7:37 and at 7:15 we are given the option of taking the train home or staying to have dinner with the "organizers" and being designated drivers to get them back to Manhattan. We choose option A. Ashley checks in our bikes and I get our train tickets and we are out of there.
On the train on the way home we reflect on how perfectly our day has turned out compared to everyone else's. I mean, the morning was crazy and I did miss those two major social events, but other than that things had been great! The train ride is pleasant, although much longer than expected.
11:00 Arrive at Penn Station. Our bikes are actually there! Mine is broken (the rear break had been knocked off of the handle bar and doesn't work), but is it still ride-able. We rejoice. We find our friends Christi and Jenn who did the 60 miles ride. They left Montauk two hours before we did. They are still waiting for our bikes. They report that over 100 of the 60 mile riders NEVER GOT THEIR BIKES and did not get to bike at all =(.
11:30pm Ashley and I head home, deciding to ride our bikes the 8ish miles back to our apartment. We learn later that Jen and Christi waited at Penn Station until 1am and when they left, Jen still didn't have her bike.
1:30 Arrive home, shower, discuss how thankful we are that our day worked out miraculously, go to bed.
Did this blog entry drag? Sorry. It really was an extra fun day (accept for the missed reception and b-day party). Ashley and I feel so thankful that in the midst of so much disaster our day somehow turned out practically postcard perfect. To prove my point, other miracles that happened: Ashley lost her cell phone and found it, my brakes were not working in the morning and Ashley fixed them, Ashley found my missing saline solution, and let me reiterate how miraculous it is that we never waited for our bikes.
So, all in all, a good day, although Ashley and I are re-evaluating our goal to train and go on the 60 mile ride next year.
For anyone out there who doesn't know, Montauk is the farthest tip of Long Island (here's a map of the route Manhattan to Montauk):
This was my planned schedule for the day:
2:30am Wake up
4:25am Arrive at Penn Station and help bikers load their bags in my truck
7:13am Leave for Montauk
10:30-11:00 Arrive at Montauk, eat the picnic, play in the ocean, bike ride around
1:00pm Drive passenger bus of bikers back to Manhattan, pick up my bike, return van
4:30pm Attend Lilly's wedding reception
7:00 Attend Tamara's birthday party
Here was my actual day went:
2:30am Woke up
4:15am Arrive at Penn Station and start loading my truck with bags
7;10am Volunteers biking the 60 mile route (almost all of them) leave to catch their train
7:11 Remaining volunteers realize there a major flaw in the planning and about 200 bikes are sitting in front of Penn Station waiting for us to load them unto trucks we do not have.
9:30 After loading 7 bikes into our truck already full of bags, Ashley and I take off toward Montauk, leaving about 3 volunteers with about 200 bikes and NO trucks.
10:30am I almost kill us in the Queens tunnel. After navigating a 60ish minute traffic jam, Ashley takes over driving, thank heavens! (I hate driving.)
12:30 Arrive at the Southampton Rail Road station to drop off the 7 bikes. The riders there have already been waiting for their bikes three hours. The truck with the majority of their bikes (which left an hour before us) has not yet arrived.
2:30 While driving towards Montauk, Ashley and I realize we were suppose to have LEFT Montauk an hour and a half ago. We also realize that we have been driving 4 hours. We start getting a bit goofy.
3:00 ARRIVE IN MONTAUK. We report in to the transportation desk. They do not know when or how we will be leaving but assure that they do need us. We decide to detach with love. We hand the keys to the truck over to them and decide to just enjoy the rest of the day.
3:30 We eat the picnic, bike into town, play in the ocean, bike ride taking in the lovely scenary, eat some more food. No matter how much of their picnic food we eat, we cannot get full, so we ride into town to get fish-n-chips and coconut popsicles (well, ashley has fish-n-chips because I don't eat fish and I have a coconut popsicle because ashley doesn't eat sugar, but you get the idea). The afternoon is going well, other than the fact that I am very sad to realize I will miss Lilly's reception and Tamara's birthday party. This was on consolation:
7:15 The transportation department still does not know what they need us to do. (The passenger van we are supposed to drive home apparently do not, in actuality, exist). The last train leaves at 7:37 and at 7:15 we are given the option of taking the train home or staying to have dinner with the "organizers" and being designated drivers to get them back to Manhattan. We choose option A. Ashley checks in our bikes and I get our train tickets and we are out of there.
On the train on the way home we reflect on how perfectly our day has turned out compared to everyone else's. I mean, the morning was crazy and I did miss those two major social events, but other than that things had been great! The train ride is pleasant, although much longer than expected.
11:00 Arrive at Penn Station. Our bikes are actually there! Mine is broken (the rear break had been knocked off of the handle bar and doesn't work), but is it still ride-able. We rejoice. We find our friends Christi and Jenn who did the 60 miles ride. They left Montauk two hours before we did. They are still waiting for our bikes. They report that over 100 of the 60 mile riders NEVER GOT THEIR BIKES and did not get to bike at all =(.
11:30pm Ashley and I head home, deciding to ride our bikes the 8ish miles back to our apartment. We learn later that Jen and Christi waited at Penn Station until 1am and when they left, Jen still didn't have her bike.
1:30 Arrive home, shower, discuss how thankful we are that our day worked out miraculously, go to bed.
Did this blog entry drag? Sorry. It really was an extra fun day (accept for the missed reception and b-day party). Ashley and I feel so thankful that in the midst of so much disaster our day somehow turned out practically postcard perfect. To prove my point, other miracles that happened: Ashley lost her cell phone and found it, my brakes were not working in the morning and Ashley fixed them, Ashley found my missing saline solution, and let me reiterate how miraculous it is that we never waited for our bikes.
So, all in all, a good day, although Ashley and I are re-evaluating our goal to train and go on the 60 mile ride next year.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
I am SO mad at you M. Night Shyamalan!!!
That is exactly what goes through my head every time I see this:
What happened M. Night Shyamalan? I thought we were on the same page, you me and Alfred Hitchcock. The scary stuff is the stuff you don't see. Why do you have to put things in your movie to make it rated R? We've had a good run! I had a BIG party for your last movie. And I completely forgave you for the fact that it was a rather bad movie. I was happy to show you my complete support for this new endeavor. And then you turned on me. Why M. Night Shyamalan, why?
What happened M. Night Shyamalan? I thought we were on the same page, you me and Alfred Hitchcock. The scary stuff is the stuff you don't see. Why do you have to put things in your movie to make it rated R? We've had a good run! I had a BIG party for your last movie. And I completely forgave you for the fact that it was a rather bad movie. I was happy to show you my complete support for this new endeavor. And then you turned on me. Why M. Night Shyamalan, why?
Friday, June 13, 2008
Favorite Random Conversations of Late
Via g-chat:
Friend: What are you doing tonight?
Me: I'm going to a birthday party.
Friend: Remember to take flowers.
Me: I'm taking some vegan cookies.
Friend: Same thing.
(It funny because it's all plant-based. And just FYI, those cookies were AWESOME. Probably the hit of the party.)
While blowing my hair one morning:
New roommate: Where do we keep the extra toilet paper?
Me: In the cooler in the living room.
New Roommate: Obviously.
Friend: What are you doing tonight?
Me: I'm going to a birthday party.
Friend: Remember to take flowers.
Me: I'm taking some vegan cookies.
Friend: Same thing.
(It funny because it's all plant-based. And just FYI, those cookies were AWESOME. Probably the hit of the party.)
While blowing my hair one morning:
New roommate: Where do we keep the extra toilet paper?
Me: In the cooler in the living room.
New Roommate: Obviously.
Brother John, addendum
Another cool thing that happened while my brother John was visiting--
At one point we were discussing peanut butter with my roommate. John said, "One time, Mr Rogers made peanut butter by smashing together peanuts and butter. I smiled because I had been thinking of that too. Then I realized that, most likely, John and I had watched that episode of Mr. Rogers together about 23 years ago. I thought that was pretty neat.
At one point we were discussing peanut butter with my roommate. John said, "One time, Mr Rogers made peanut butter by smashing together peanuts and butter. I smiled because I had been thinking of that too. Then I realized that, most likely, John and I had watched that episode of Mr. Rogers together about 23 years ago. I thought that was pretty neat.
The talented Bluemlein
In celebration of my last post, my sister Heather photoshopped up this gem:
she's pretty awesome. Thanks Heather!
she's pretty awesome. Thanks Heather!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Contra Dancing: a reasonable answer to most of society's ills
Subtitle: The Belle of the Ball
Saturday night I discovered what is sure to be my new all-time favorite thing in the history of the universe (by which I mean, a new hobby that I will enjoy very much): contra-dancing.
If you are like I was before 11:00 am on Saturday and have no idea what contra dancing is allow me to explain: It's pretty much Jane Austen style dancing only more rowdy. You and your partner stand in a line with about a dozen other couples and do a sort-of couples line dance. You keep coming back to your one partner, but eventually you dance with every fellow in the line. There is stomping and doosy-dooing, and most especially (my favorite favorite part!) swinging. Swinging is when and your partner (or neighbor, as the case may be) hold each other and spin around, using either small steps of pivoting on one foot. It is pretty much the best dance move ever. It's just like in the movies where it shows a person's face and the world is spinning behind them. Totally wonderful.
My evening of contra-dancing was practically perfect in every way. I went with my friend Nathan. We got there early enough that the band was playing ballroom-style music. I have not done any sort of ballroom dance in more than 5 years, but luckily Nathan knew all the basic steps and reminded me. We waltzed, and two stepped and even did a polka. I had forgotten how much I love to polka!! It was awesome!!! (Apparently in high school, Nathan and his friends use to sneak into a park late at night and polka dance. Why wasn't I cool like that as a teenage?)
Then the contra-dancing instruction began. The caller would go through and explain the dance before you started and then call instructions throughout. For the first half of the evening, I danced with Nathan and I think we did pretty darn good since we were both first-timers. The second half of the evening, I decided to share the wealth and dance with whoever. And let me just tell you--if getting married was still tied with a girl's ability to flirt while dancing, I would have gotten married at the age of 12. Apparently, I have the gift! I had a partner waiting for me at the end of every dance. I had to turn men down left and right. One guy even took a picture of me. It was lovely to be the belle of the ball.
Aside from being unbelievably fun, contra-dancing is such a better way to meet people then the form of dancing that is generally used today (as much as I also love the form of dancing that is generally used today AKA booty shaking). As opposed to standing akwardly in someone's arms making small talk, you are actively engaged in a fun activity which I think makes it easier to get to know someone even without talking. As opposed to being committed to just one partner for a long 5 minute stretch, you get to dance with all the other men around you and so they get to see how incredible you are. And the spinning is awesome.
Saturday night I discovered what is sure to be my new all-time favorite thing in the history of the universe (by which I mean, a new hobby that I will enjoy very much): contra-dancing.
If you are like I was before 11:00 am on Saturday and have no idea what contra dancing is allow me to explain: It's pretty much Jane Austen style dancing only more rowdy. You and your partner stand in a line with about a dozen other couples and do a sort-of couples line dance. You keep coming back to your one partner, but eventually you dance with every fellow in the line. There is stomping and doosy-dooing, and most especially (my favorite favorite part!) swinging. Swinging is when and your partner (or neighbor, as the case may be) hold each other and spin around, using either small steps of pivoting on one foot. It is pretty much the best dance move ever. It's just like in the movies where it shows a person's face and the world is spinning behind them. Totally wonderful.
My evening of contra-dancing was practically perfect in every way. I went with my friend Nathan. We got there early enough that the band was playing ballroom-style music. I have not done any sort of ballroom dance in more than 5 years, but luckily Nathan knew all the basic steps and reminded me. We waltzed, and two stepped and even did a polka. I had forgotten how much I love to polka!! It was awesome!!! (Apparently in high school, Nathan and his friends use to sneak into a park late at night and polka dance. Why wasn't I cool like that as a teenage?)
Then the contra-dancing instruction began. The caller would go through and explain the dance before you started and then call instructions throughout. For the first half of the evening, I danced with Nathan and I think we did pretty darn good since we were both first-timers. The second half of the evening, I decided to share the wealth and dance with whoever. And let me just tell you--if getting married was still tied with a girl's ability to flirt while dancing, I would have gotten married at the age of 12. Apparently, I have the gift! I had a partner waiting for me at the end of every dance. I had to turn men down left and right. One guy even took a picture of me. It was lovely to be the belle of the ball.
Aside from being unbelievably fun, contra-dancing is such a better way to meet people then the form of dancing that is generally used today (as much as I also love the form of dancing that is generally used today AKA booty shaking). As opposed to standing akwardly in someone's arms making small talk, you are actively engaged in a fun activity which I think makes it easier to get to know someone even without talking. As opposed to being committed to just one partner for a long 5 minute stretch, you get to dance with all the other men around you and so they get to see how incredible you are. And the spinning is awesome.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Mormon Night at Carnegie Hall
Of all the super awesome performing arts events that I am lucky enough to get to attend here, I'm not sure why I'm choosing to report on this one, but I just have this urge to do so.
So, the BYU Chamber Orchestra came to perform at Carnegie Hall. Tickets were free so I went. It was so funny because it was just like at BYU--people clapped between movements and they even started with a prayer. Funny! (After the first outbreak of applause between movements, I realized I was accidentally saying to myself "don't clap! don't clap" loud enough that the people around me could hear (oops!) and they thought I was just loudly sharing my lack of satisfaction.)
Going did remind me of my happy time of seeing shows for free at BYU. It occurred to me that I haven't seen any sort of orchestra since BYU. I'd forgotten how much I really really enjoy those concerts! I will have to make it a habit to see more of them.
My roommate Amelia 's brother was the concert master so that was fun. The chamber orchestra did a good job. They played Appalachian Spring which I have ALWAYS wanted to hear in concert, Beethoven's 4th ("rightly overshadowed, wrongly overlooked" as the playbill said), a Rossini overture (did you know he wrote 39 operas in 19 years and then never wrote again even though he lived like 30 more years?), and a piece by a BYU professor who was my stake president for a while.
All in all, a lovely evening. Although I did have to chuckle to myself a few times.
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