Something I've never done before: compete in a triathlon

So, back in April (I know, I know I'm behind. Finishing out school kept me busy) I competed in a triathlon. I didn't do the whole thing. I did it as a relay with a couple of my friends so I only did the running part. I've been wanting to get into the triathlon scene, but with this whole moving to China thing, completing the whole thing/getting the gear and in shape for that, isn't going to happen too soon. But it was cool to be involved and see how it worked so that when I am able to do it, I won't be totally lost. Other than being sick (did not make this fun) and dehydrated/overheated from not drinking enough water the day before, it was fun and I hope to get to do it again in the future.

I also discovered how awesome these athletic tops are compared to t-shirts (I always hate having sleeves when it's hot outside...).

the correct usage of the word "whom"

In case you needed to know...

Ryan: What I really want, honestly, Michael is for you to know it so that you can communicate it to the people here, to your clients, whomever.

Michael Scott: Oh okay.

Ryan: What?

Michael Scott: It's whoever, not whomever.

Ryan: It's whomever.

Michael Scott: No, whomever is never acutally right.

Jim Halpert: Nope, sometimes it's right.

Creed: Michael is right. It's a made up word used to trick students-

Andy: No. Actually, whomever is the formal version of the word--

Oscar: Obviously it's a real word- but I don't know how to use it correctly.

Michael Scott: [to camera] Not a native speaker.

Kevin: I know what's right. But I'm not gonna say. Because you're all jerks who didn't come see my band last night.

Ryan: Do you really know which one is correct?

Kevin: I don't know.

Pam Beesly: It's whom when it's the object of the sentence and who when as the subject.

Phyllis: That sounds right.

Michael Scott: Well it sounds right but is it?

Stanley: How did Ryan use it, as an object?

Ryan: As an object.

Kelly: Ryan used me as an object.

Oscar: Is he right about that--

Pam Beesly: How did he use it again?

Toby: It was, Ryan wanted Michael, the subject, to explain the computer system, the object--

Michael Scott: Thank you!

Toby: ...to whomever, meaning us, the indirect object. Which is the, the correct usage of the word.

Michael Scott: No one, uh asked you anything ever so whomever's name is Toby, why don't you take a letter opener and stick it in your skull?

Sarah's Birthday

Last Thursday was my roommate, Sarah's birthday.

We surprised her with a rose petals and a piñata.

rose petals and candles...

and some more

this is him...lil' buddy

more rose petals

us and lil' buddy

"rock me mama like a wagon wheel..."

lil' buddy and I

Sarah's cake

Cowboys and Indians battling it out on the cake after they escaped from the piñata

Sushi Night

So I didn't quite make it to Japan (see my earlier post here), but I did get an opportunity this week to make my very own sushi.

My friend Julie put on an international student hang-out, and we all made sushi. It was a huge success (way to go Jules! thanks for being such a great hostess) and the sushi actually tasted like it does in the restaurant. Now I can save a ton of money, and be able to eat sushi when I move back in with my parents for a month since there is no sushi restaurant in my hometown.

Here are some pictures from our fun:

bamboo mats and seaweed

some Asian snacks :)

crab meat and rice for inside the sushi

cutting avocado

me with my sushi

me and some friends

LiuLiu with Oliver

My Bucket List

When I went to Mexico, somehow we all got inspired to write out a bucket list. I don't know if it was fear of impending death on those Mexican streets (from the driving I mean not the drug gangs...) but somehow it started with a few people

...and spread to a few more people...

and then we all got together to read aloud the list we had come up with and were almost backed over by a van. Oh how ironic it would have been for us to all die during the time we were discussing all the things we wanted to do before we died. Luckily, however, we all made it out alive and now after sharing my list with them, I will share it with you. This list is not complete (I'm sure I will continue to add to it throughout my lifetime) but here is what I came up with while riding in a loud, crowded van on a bumpy highway in Mexico.

1. Be fluent in Chinese
2. Be fluent in Spanish
3. Own an international coffee shop/bakery (gotta dream big :) )
4. Backpack through Europe
5. Go hot air ballooning
6. Visit the Greek Isles
7. See penguins in South Africa
8. Crush grapes (I Love Lucy style) at a winery
9. Go on a cruise to Alaska
10. Visit Monticello (I know I'm a nerd but I'm a big Thomas Jefferson fan...seriously)
11. Do something for someone without expecting anything in return
12. Scuba dive off the Great Barrier Reef
13. Run a marathon (already done)
14. Read the whole Chronicle of Narnia series
15. Learn to make legit tamales (inspired by being in Mexico)
16. East scorpions on a stick at Wang Fu Jin
17. Go to a Dallas Cowboys game
18. Go skiing in the alps
19. Live overseas
20. Go to the original Starbucks
21. Roast coffee beans in Thailand and/or Cambodia
22. Learn ancient Greek
23. Learn to play the guitar
24. Learn to play the violin
25. Learn to play the cello
26. Adopt a child
27. Ride a camel
28. Ride the Orient Express (if you're an Agatha Christie fan you know what I'm talking about)
29. Learn curling (or in the words of Michael Scott...curdling)
30. Get a Master's degree
31. Learn to Tango
32. Visit the Harry Potter theme park (I know, I know...don't judge me)
33. Eat gelato in Italy
34. Go on a Lord of the Rings tour of New Zealand
35. Finish my bucket list (in other words, more to come another day)...

Where I Want to Travel: Japan

So, sorry for the delay in posts. School took over my life once again, and when there is a 12 page paper to be done, I can't do anything else.

Except maybe watch the office.

And maybe be on facebook every once in a while...

And bake a ton of cookies....

But other than that, it was all about my paper (and my other paper and test...gross I know). Luckily only being super busy twice in one semester is not that bad. I got really lucky with all the classes I picked.

But anyway...I'm back, and was inspired by Bing's homepage yesterday. If you use Bing.com you know they always have really cool pictures for there homepage, it this is what I came upon yesterday...

wedded rocks

Needless to say, driving to Galveston to watch the sunset will no longer cut it. All I want to do is hop on a plane and go to Japan. This is not the only sight to see, but this...

cherry blossoms

and this...

Mt. Fugi

and this...

sumo wrestlers

Ok, maybe not necessarily that but you could if you wanted to. And I apologize. It came up in the Japan search and I just couldn't help myself.

Also, you can eat authentic Japanese sushi...

(food, of course the real reason I want to go...)

So, yes, I want to go to Japan. Another place to add to my bucket list (which in writing that sentence I realized I should write a blog post about that! Check back soon...). Maybe since I'll be not so far away in the next coming months, I can take a detour and stop for some sushi and sightseeing in Japan :)

And again, sorry about being absent for so long. I promise it won't happen again...or at least not until finals roll around.

Johann

Earlier tonight, Johann and I had a moment.

I tried to capture it; however, it didn't last long...

...eventually we kind of got back to where we were, but it wasn't quite there.

This is as close as we got...