#11 - Messy Twister

Last week, we all gathered at a local elementary school. The paint was packed, the twister board was brought, and our clothes were far too clean for comfort. Once the classic Seattle rain died down, we set up the game and poured the paint.

"Right hand yellow."

Slap. Dezi was clearly excited to get messy, and paint splattered up into all of our faces. Let the games begin.

Mollie and I after game #1

If you don't know what messy twister is, let me explain. All you need is a twister board, a spinner, and a few bottles of paint that match the colors of the circles on the board. Pour the paint onto the corresponding circles, and have at it! You can even change up the commands to make the game interesting. Here are a few that we had to follow:

• Left ear yellow
• Forehead green
• Left butt blue
• Right forearm green

By the end of the game, we were plenty messy and decided to turn the board into a painted slip 'n slide. But to all my readers, learn from our mistake and make sure you have somewhere nearby to clean off! We couldn't get back in the car and had to walk all the way home, then hosed off in the front yard. The looks we got from passing cars were priceless. I think it's safe to say I've played enough messy twister to last me a lifetime!

View the rest of my bucket list here!

Follow this blog with Bloglovin'!

#6 - Backpacking Trip

I love hiking, and there are so many beautiful destinations in the Pacific Northwest! Two of my friends had never been overnight backpacking before, so I took them on an easy 3-mile round trip hike last summer. It took a bit of preparation and planning, but we had a blast. This year, we decided to continue the tradition!

Pratt lake is located in the central Cascades, slightly west of Eastern Washington. It has an elevation gain of 1530 feet and is a whopping 11 miles round trip. There are tons of streams and bridges to cross over on the way to the lake, and a few amazing views. Once we got about eight miles in, the trail started a steep decline into switchbacks. The entire time down the mountain, I was thinking, "Crap, I'm going to have to climb back up this tomorrow..." Luckily, it soon evened out as we started walking along a huge rocky mountainside. By this time, we could see the lake, but it was only a teaser seeing as we still had another couple miles to go.

Finally, we reached the lake, and it was beautiful! We set up camp, explored the area, and then started making dinner. Little did we know, our box of noodles needed milk and butter, but water made a decent substitute. And let's face it, I would've ate anything after six miles of hiking! After devouring some s'mores and hanging all our food up in a tree, my warm sleeping bag was like heaven on earth.

Although the hike back up those switchbacks was grueling, it's worth it for the sense of accomplishment you feel when you reach the trail head once more. Time to start planning for next year!

Video coming soon! It's all edited, but I'm just hashing out some technical difficulties in the exporting process. Stay tuned!

Follow this blog with Bloglovin'!

#19 - Go Boating, Jet Skiing, and Inner Tubing

Shannon and I on the paddle boat

Here we go, another one crossed off the summer bucket list! This past weekend I went to Eastern Washington with a great group of friends. One of those friends has a house there that his family stays in each summer, and it is amazing! One day, we all headed out on the boat with his family to a small, secluded beach. We spent the majority of our time climbing up this huge sand and clay hill. It was at least at a 45 degree angle, about 150 yards high, and the sand was burning hot on our bare feet - quite the workout if I do say so myself! After that, jumping into the cool water felt like paradise. On our way back to the house, we brought out the inner tube and took turns being dragged behind the boat. It had been about three years since I had been on a boat or inner tubing, so I was already having a complete blast! And just like that, two of the three requirements for this bucket list item were completed.

The next day, we headed out to the same beach, but this time, we took the jet ski with us! If I had to guess, I'd say the last time I was on one of these things was about seven or eight years ago. After having a boys versus girls sandcastle building contest - yes, that is the type of thing we like to do for fun, and yes, the girls won (see both castles pictured below) - I took the jet ski out for a spin! This was the first time I had ever rode one by myself, and it was the most exhilarating feeling! At one point, I was going nearly 70 mph - pure euphoria.

Boys Castle

Girls Castle

A trip out on the paddle boat, star gazing, a dozen games of Super Smash Bros., and some quality time with friends was all it took to top off the weekend. I am so grateful to have been part of this impromptu adventure, it has definitely been the highlight of my summer!

Erik giving me a run through of how to drive the jet ski

And a few words, since it is Thoughtful Thursday: Do not be afraid to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves to you. Much of the time, it may not happen when or how you expect it, but they will happen. If you won't take my advice, at least hear what Mark Twain has to say about it:

Follow this blog on Bloglovin'!

Work In Progress

Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR

Wow, it's been an entire week since I've posted! I wish I could blame that on the fact that I've been super busy lately, but alas, I am simply lazy. And because of this, I still have a ton of unedited bucket list footage. Hopefully that will be completed within the next couple days!

If you recall in my recent post, Change, I want to eventually begin filming short videos and writing corresponding blog posts/articles in an effort to raise awareness for a specific subject, foundation, etc. I am pleased to announce that my very first project is under way! I've teamed up with a very talented musician and vocalist, and we are working on arranging and producing the music that will be in the video! I am very excited, but nervous at the same time. Obviously I've never done anything like this before, and since it is raising awareness for something near and dear to me, I want it to be the best quality possible. I anticipate this project lasting at least a month, if not more, but the finished product will be worth it!

Entering the field of videography/photography is extremely expensive, I must say. I haven't even bought the DSLR camera I want yet, and my wallet is already aching from purchasing some other necessary equipment. Admittedly, I have had to dip into my college savings (it's a good thing I have a job secured for the Fall semester). However, once I have the basic equipment, I will be able to produce endless pieces that will benefit many people. Never have I been so motivated by anything in my life, and that is why I know I'm on the correct track - this is what I'm supposed to be doing right now.

 

Follow this blog on Bloglovin'!

Bloglovin'

Alright, first things first... Check out my awesome new iPod case! I've seen these before online and loved it, but assumed it would be kind of expensive for a case. Finally, I looked it up on Amazon, and it was only $1.87! It was such a steal, I couldn't resist myself. I remember clear as day playing on these things as a kid. There was no way that you could get me to stop playing Pokemon blue edition - I still have it to this day! Although I have since then upgraded to a Gameboy Advance.

Next matter of business, I have some great footage to edit from this past weekend. My friends and I took an hour drive out in order to cross off another bucket list item! But my computer is still being fixed, so I can only hope that I will get it back by the end of the week. Stay tuned!

Now, I've recently discovered this great app/website called Bloglovin'. If you are like me and have a good hand full of blogs that you enjoy reading, this is the best way to get all the recent posts in one place! Simply search a specific blog, follow it (assuming the writer of that blog has registered it with Bloglovin'), and new posts will show up in your news feed. To follow my blog, simply click the "Follow this blog with Bloglovin" button on the left sidebar right under the About Me section, or search "All Roads Lead To Nowhere" in the Bloglovin' search bar. The only downside is that I'm pretty sure you can't view the YouTube videos I post, but other than that, it's wonderfully organized! (My secondary blog, All Roads Lead To Disney!, is also available on Bloglovin'). Much appreciated! And good luck to those of you finishing up final exams, you can do it!