Nowhere

I am a month overdue on uploading those spring break pictures. Attempt number one failed after Facebook deleted the album I spent two hours uploading. I will try again soon, I promise! And a blog post will accompany the upload!

In the meantime, I have been trying to enjoy non-school life. Which, as it turns out, simply means I can work 12 hours a day instead of 8. Lovely! And I have two weeks to pack for Florida (by the way, I'm moving to Florida for the summer. Forgot to mention that. For a full recap of my acceptance to the summer alumni program at Walt Disney World, visit my other blog HERE). And I fly out to Seattle tomorrow. I should probably start packing for that, too... But as you can see, I am more busy post-finals than when I was right in the midst of all the exams.

In other news, I have been pondering the word "nowhere" as of late. Although some may say that my blog title, All Roads Lead To Nowhere, is grammatically incorrect, I say otherwise. Nowhere, I would tell them, is not simply a state of inexistence, but a destination. For example, you see your roommate dressed up and walking out the front door.

"Where are you going?" you ask.
"Oh, nowhere," they reply, oftentimes with an anxious grin on their face.

Of course, they are going somewhere. But perhaps they are completely unaware of their final destination. Maybe that is the whole point of going "nowhere." You are not bound to a single plan, but are leaving your fate completely up to chance. Oh, the possibilities! Oh, the adventure!

This is why that is my final destination. It is the place that all the roads, at least the ones that matter most, lead.

Nowhere.

A Month of Adventure and Thanks

I just opened up my calendar and had the happiest realization. Currently, I am in Kentucky. In one week, I will be in Seattle. In two weeks, I will be in Hawaii. In three weeks, I will be in Florida.

No matter how many supposedly negative events pile up, it only takes a moment for me to truly realize all the things I have to be grateful for. I have an amazing family, once-in-a-lifetime friends, a quality education, and the incredible opportunities to travel this beautiful country we live in. A big "thank you" goes out to everyone who has endured my antics all these years, adventured by my side, and caused enjoyable trouble for the establishment. Here's to the past 20 years of no regrets, and to 80 more years of worthwhile shenanigans!

News!

Happy Wednesday everyone! It is my favorite day of the week, thus some good news is long overdue. As you all know, I love to travel. New York City, Orlando, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Nashville, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Seattle... you name it, and I'll add it to my list. This coming August, I'll be happy to add another adventure to my list: Maui, Hawaii! 

After my quarterly pit stop into Seattle to visit my mom, friends, and the rest of my family, I will happily make my way over to a vacationers paradise to visit my dad and little sister. I've already began concocting a list of to-do's for my trip. Snorkeling, hiking, maybe some skydiving? We'll see! And I get to add some more cities to my layover list (this includes cities that I have stopped in during layovers, but have not explored fully...still exciting though!) - Denver, San Diego, and Dallas. Stay tuned to hear all about this Hawaii adventure!

21-Day Challenge | Week 3

Boy do I have some explaining to do... Remember when I ran that five miles last Sunday? Well I haven't exercised since then. But you can't blame me, I'm right in the midst of finals week, and you know how grueling that can be. However, I did stick to eating well all last week, which was a plus! However, seeing as I have four exams ahead of me, I have allotted myself four days to splurge, because when I'm stressed and need ice cream, I'm willing to indulge if it means I can calm down and continue studying. Today is the last reading day where we don't have classes, and tomorrow is the first day of finals.

Only one of my finals are actually scheduled, and it's tomorrow at 8 am... Wonderful. The rest of my exams are a free for all. The way BYU organizes final exams is that you have a week to take them. When you're ready, you line up at the testing center anywhere from 7 am to 9 pm to go in and take your test. I love this because this allows me to take all four of my exams by Saturday night so that I can fly home sooner. My flight for Seattle leaves early Sunday morning, and I am so excited to be able to spend a week there before heading off to my internship!

Once finals are over, I can promise you that I will start working out and eating better again! But for now, bring on the ice cream, root beer, better cheddar's, and easy cheese.

Growing Up

Like most other kids, I was continually anxious to become an adult. I mean, that is what everything in my life was culminating towards. Fourteen years of sports, hundreds of tests and exams, numberless honors and advanced placement classes, hours of volunteer work, and more extracurricular activities than I could handle. Nearly from birth, I was working to develop skills and gain knowledge that would get me into a suitable university.

Ok, I made it. Now what?

Almost two weeks ago, I walked into the College of Fine Arts and Communications here at BYU, and walked out not three minutes later with a different major.

Last year I was making money dishwashing. Last semester I was making pizzas and frying chicken nuggets at Walt Disney World. Now I’m sitting in a small cubical typing away at my keyboard, writing updates and small articles for BYU Magazine.

In August I flew out of Seattle, not fully comprehending that it was the last time I would live there for any extended period of time. I dropped everything and moved as far away as possible within the country: Florida. And after five short months, I am settled once again in Utah.

Faster than we know it, everything is changing. Before I could even understand where my life was taking me, I was already there.

www.naijastories.com

Today I decide to take a few short minutes to step off of this high speed train and simply watch it as it shoots past me in a blur. I look around at my life, not entirely sure how I got here, and with no idea as to where the train will take me next. Yet despite all of the confusion, I am satisfied. Even though it may travel through a few dark tunnels, pass over some extremely tall mountains, endure through storm after storm, and stop to drop off a few loved passengers here and there, I feel assured that I am going to love where this train takes me. And who knows, maybe we’ll pick up a few straggling travelers in a stop or two, with the hope that some of them will stay on this train until it reaches its final destination.

Yes, I am growing up. Yes, I am traveling on a train moving at a dangerously fast speed. No, I do not know where it is going. So now what?

I look up to see the train slowing to a halt. Before it takes off without me, I step off the platform and into the coach. I find a seat next to a kind stranger, and look out the window to see the vast landscape roll by once again.

#15 - Do A YouTube Challenge

A YouTube challenge is a simple game that vloggers do with friends - in this case, the baby food challenge! All you need is a blindfold and an assortment of baby food. It works best if half the flavors are good and the other half, not as pleasant. Add some challenge to the game by including a baby food that contains multiple foods! Dez and I referred to this type as "a meal". One person is blindfolded while the other feeds them a spoon full of baby food. They then proceed to guess what flavor(s) it is. See, simple! This is also a fun game to play with friends considering baby food is very inexpensive.

Dez and I had 12 different jars of baby food and chose from them at random as we progressed through the game. Lucky me, I got stuck with a few of meat flavors while Dez's gag reflex got a good workout. To watch us do the entire challenge, click HERE!

And an update on my travel adventures: I am currently at the SeaTac airport in Seattle. My flight to Miami, originally scheduled to depart at 9:30, has been delayed nearly two hours. Luckily, I am a pretty patient person, and it gave me time to do a quick blog update! I will be sure to post again once I am safely in my hotel in Orlando tomorrow afternoon.

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#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!

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#14 - Go Geocaching

This past Wednesday, Shannon and I decided to go geocaching, as it was on both of our summer bucket lists. Compared to skydiving, we assumed that this should be easy enough! To the contrary, it proved to be quite the feat considering neither of us had smart phones or a GPS. We were able to narrow down the area enough by looking at a map, but it still wasn't sufficient. We ended up on a nice paved hiking trail in town that contained two caches. Each time we went poking around in the bushes, the passerby's reactions were a bit concerned. Unfortunately, we weren't able to locate any hidden treasures, but we did stumble upon a nice little lake and a family of ducklings that we couldn't help but share our lunch with!

At this point, I wasn't sure if I was allowed to cross this item off my bucket list seeing as we didn't find anything. This confusion quickly resolved last night when Shannon and I were at a friends house in Seattle. She remembered stumbling upon a nearby cache by accident, so we quickly sought it out and snapped a picture with it. Inside the bottle was a plastic lizard, as well as a small notebook and a pen. We mimicked those before us and recorded our names and the date in the notebook, and returned the bottle to it's hiding spot. Finally, I felt accomplished enough to cross this one off my list!

 

To view the rest of my summer bucket list, click here!

 

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#3 - Skydive

My instructor, Corey, pulled the rope and the parachute shot out of his backpack, jerking us upward as it halted the free fall. I scanned the landscape below me. I could see the Seattle Space Needle, granted it looked the size of a bean, as well as all other cities in the surrounding area. Mount Rainer and Mount Baker stood out beautifully against the clear blue sky, and I looked down just in time to see a plane taking off below us.

"Welcome to my office," Corey said. "How does it feel?"

I couldn't stop smiling. "This is unreal!"

 

Ever since we became friends almost seven years ago, it was mutually decided that Shannon and I would go skydiving once we both turn 18. Because of our busy lives, we had to postpone this plan for a year, but it finally happened! I can't decide if my favorite part was floating over western Washington, or the minute-long free fall from 13,000 feet. Either way, this was the best experience of my life!

 

Honestly, the scariest part was when we had to sign all the paperwork. Basically, it read "You might be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life, sign here. An extremely painful death may await you, sign here. You could be killed, sign here." But once we finished that, the rest of the afternoon was fear-free!

 

 

We were put in a group of about ten people and watched a short video that walked us through how the dive would go, then practiced our arching and landing positions. Shannon and I were in the first mini group, so went to gear up and meet our instructors. Us four jumpers, as well as our four instructors, then boarded the small plane. There were no seats - you just sat on the crowded floor, strapped to your instructor. Shannon and I were positioned in the back of the plane. We then took a twenty-minute scenic flight until we reached the right altitude. I was carefree and excited this entire time, but the butterflies in my stomach arrived when I saw the first jumper and his instructor fall out the door. I turned my head to Shannon, and we were both wide-eyed, but excited smiles soon followed.

 

Finally, it was our turn. Shannon went first, scooting to the door of the plane. She and her instructor waited for about five seconds before leaning forward and falling out. Then it was my turn. We scooted to the door, and without even a five second notice, we were falling at over 100mph. All I could feel was pure euphoria, laughing uncontrollably as the wind hit my face. Then Corey pulled the chute, and all was calm.

 

This was an experience I will never forget, though it went by quicker than expected. Therefore, Shannon and I have already decided when we are going skydiving again. I can already feel the addiction forming! Here are some more shots from this amazing afternoon:

 

 

 

 

 

 

To view the rest of my summer bucket list, click here.

 

To visit my Disney College Program blog, click here.

 

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A Journey East

Eastern WA, in a nutshell.

Boy, do I love impromptu getaways. So when Mollie called me last night asking if I wanted to take a weekend trip over to Eastern Washington, there was no way I could have refused! Just like that, my bags are packed, the mix CDs are made, and I'm blogging away in the little time I have before I leave. Adventure is calling my name, and it's just so convenient that a bucket list item will get crossed off along the way - stay tuned next week for what that will be!

With exactly three weeks left in my summer, I'd say it's going almost perfectly! I say almost because it is Seattle and it does still rain in the summer. However, I think I will miss the cool, clean air. Every time I mention I'm going to Florida, people always bring up the humidity. I've never actually been anywhere that was humid before, so it'll definitely take some getting used to. But it's time to kick it into full gear seeing as I'm not even halfway done with my bucket list yet! Next week is going to be busy, but I can guarantee a couple bucket list posts will come of it, so I am stoked!

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A World of Possibility

Well, we've hit the halfway point for July. This summer seems to be going by so quickly! It's crazy to think that in just four weeks, I'll be all moved into my new apartment in Orlando, training as an employee at Walt Disney World. Honestly, it doesn't feel real - any minute now, I'll wake up and start packing to go back to school next month. But it's not a dream, it's just something I've never experienced before.

Despite the fact that I have moved very frequently, I had grown up in the same general area all my life. I had the same group of friends for six years, the same teachers, the same coaches. In fact, the only places I had even vacationed at outside of Washington were Oregon, Montana, and North
Dakota (exciting, I know). So it's safe to say that I was in my own little bubble, deprived of all the inter-state and international travels that many of my friends had experienced at some time or another. Places like Hawaii, New York City, the Eiffel Tower, Australia, or even Disneyland - they could all be in another dimension as far as I knew. My family never really had the money to travel, so I accepted at an early age that I would be in Seattle for the rest of my life.

But all of a sudden, it was time for college. Hold on a second, I thought to myself, you mean I can go to school anywhere? Well, not anywhere, but somewhere outside of Seattle, and I was thrilled! Despite my scholarships, I still had to keep money in mind, so places like NYU or USC that were over $30k a year were definitely out of the question. I had to figure out my college criteria in order to pick the right place for me:

• Four-year university
• Out-of state
• Under $20k a year
• Rigorous academics
• Relatively low acceptance rate

And in the Fall of 2012, I found myself at Brigham Young University. Before my arrival, it all seemed like a dream, and I would wake up and find myself slumping through another year of high school. After a few pinches and a pile of exams, I knew this was the real deal. That's how I feel about Orlando. I've never experienced anything like it, but once I pinch myself and work my first 10-hour shift, I'm sure reality will set in.

This realization that I can have a life outside of Seattle has opened up a world of possibilities. I even hear a study abroad in Romania calling my name! So stop dreaming about your adventure, and get out there and make it happen! As Lemony Snicket put it, "If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting for the rest of our lives."

If you are interested in following my journey through the Disney College Program in Orlando, visit my secondary blog, All Roads Lead To Disney!

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#1 - Bridge Jumping

My friend, Mollie, walking across Oso Bridge.

Ok I feel completely horrible because this post is two weeks late, and I managed to misplace my SD card, which had all of my unedited footage on it... So that video will be put off for now.

Another summer bucket list item has been completed - bridge jumping! We traveled an hour and a half northeast to Oso, WA. Impatient as I am, I didn't want to wait until July to visit this hot spot. It was a bit chilly, so we weren't able to just swim around as much as I would have liked. But I always love taking people who've never been before! Personally, I've been jumping this bridge since I was about six or seven years old. I remember driving up there all the time with my family in the summer. I suppose that is where my love for a good adrenaline rush began!

Anyway, we had a great time. I ended up jumping about five times - go big or go home! We finished a great day with a midnight breakfast at Beth's Cafe in Seattle. If you ever visit, be sure to hit this place up, it's delicious! It has been open since 1954 and was featured on the Travel Channel and Man v. Food.

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#10 - Woodland Park Zoo

Thanks to some great technical support, Pinnacle Studio is up and running! And after nearly a full day of editing and getting to know the program, I have completed another video!

This past Sunday, I met up with a few friends and we all headed off to the Woodland Park Zoo in the heart of Seattle. Seeing as I had not been to the zoo in about four years, this easily made it on my summer bucket list. I absolutely love this place! It's not necessarily because of the animals (though that is a large contributing factor), but rather the fun, carefree, youthful atmosphere! Although, I was a bit disappointed that the tiger exhibit has been closed and won't open again until 2014 - that has been my favorite exhibit since I was a kid.

Nevertheless, I had a fantastic time. The fact that I was able to savor an entire cup of Dip 'n Dots may have been the highlight of the day! And here it is, a compilation of this great adventure, for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

 

To see how much of my summer bucket list I've completed so far, click HERE!

#8 - Go To A Frat Party

So I just added this to my bucket list tonight, and don't rush to conclusions before I explain myself!

Me and Jordyn at Phi Delta Theta

It's been a pretty slow week, and I was hanging out at home when a very good friend of mine, who attends Western Washington University, texted me asking if I was free in an hour. My impulsive side kicked in and I was stoked! Her boyfriend is in a dry frat at the University of Washington, and they were having a grab-a-date event and someone needed a date, so that's where I came in!

It was casino night - we all got chips and played some blackjack, 21, water pong, or pool. I had a fantastic time and got to meet a ton of great people! A group of us ended up just sitting around talking for a couple hours, and I loved hearing about the fraternity, how it works, and getting a tour of the place (it was huge!).

I had no idea what to expect initially. Of course, all that was in my head was the stereotypical frat guys, alcohol, and a mess of a house. I was pleasantly surprised - the guys were all gentlemen, the house was tidy, and I had loads of fun!

To see how much of my summer bucket list I've completed so far, click HERE!

#9 - Go To A Mariners Game

Today I took my mom and little sister to the Seattle Mariners game - it has been years since we've all been to a ball game together, so it was great! And we won, so that was just icing on the cake! Besides spending quality time with my family, my absolute favorite part was the Dip 'n Dots, which are the most delicious ice cream treat in the entire world! I purchase these at every sporting event I attend, and would probably eat them all day if they weren't so expensive.

A couple weeks ago, I constructed a summer bucket list. I'm new to the whole bucket list thing, so I tried not to make it too far fetched, because I actually want to try and do everything on it! But I decided that instead of just posting the entire list on my blog, I will tell you specific items on the list as I accomplish those tasks (there are twenty items in all). And it just so happens that I have already crossed off three items (two of the items will be linked to their related blog posts).

#5 - Visit the University of Washington
#9 - Go to a Mariners game
#18 - Buy a nice camera

Although they may seem cliche and I am totally a go-with-the-flow type of person, I believe that bucket lists are a good way to expand your horizons and push yourself to do things that you have always wanted to do. They can appear very structured, but there is a certain amount of spontaneity and out-of-the-box thinking required in order to accomplish all the tasks. And the great thing about lists is that you can always add to them!

To see how much of my summer bucket list I've completed so far, click HERE!

Pike Place Market

It has been such a beautiful day here in the great northwest! Unfortunately, that is all said to change. As the new week rolls in, so will the rain. But I was sure to take advantage of the sun while it was here!

This afternoon, I headed into the city with my friend and took a visit to Pike Place Market, which is such a beautiful place to visit in the summertime! I hadn't been to Pike Place for about ten years, so it was so nice to finally go back. We explored the flowers, made our mark on the infamous gum wall, and had the best fish and chips in the world. Then we ended the afternoon with a visit to Kerry Park, which has the best view of the Seattle skyline! And of course, I recorded our entire adventure, which you can see here:

 

And tomorrow is Mother's Day, so be sure to do something special for that hard-working woman that gave you life! As for me, I'm heading to the Mariners game to spend some quality time with the family. Let's hope it doesn't rain too bad!

YouTube Tangents

Well the last couple days have not been extremely exciting. I feel like my life is going to be pretty boring for the next month seeing as the majority of my friends don't get out of school until mid-June. But that won't stop me from going out and having a great time with the friends that are here!

This morning I headed off to play some ultimate frisbee, and the weather was absolutely perfect! It was just a bit overcast with no winds at all. Unlike Monday, which was the worst frisbee weather ever - apparently Seattle tied with Phoenix as the hottest city in the nation as it reached a whopping 87 degrees!

Then I went to watch a high school softball game at my alma mater. It was very bittersweet seeing as this was the first year that I went without playing in nearly fifteen years, and although they lost in extra innings, it was great to be back and see old friends and teammates! I think I may look into intramural softball for next spring back at school - I just miss it too much!

And last but most certainly not least, I have just heard word that my best friend in the entire world is coming up from Oregon State University to visit for the weekend! We're going to go have some breakfast together before she goes back down to finish up the term. I am so ecstatic!

I was going to post another video-of-the-day type thing down here again, but when I was surfing YouTube, I got off on a completely unrelated tangent watching strings of funny baby videos. Does that ever happen to you, where you start off watching your favorite music video, then end up watching baby pandas sneezing? Well I found a video all about that! Check it out: Sam - Things We Do On YouTube

SLC -> SEA

This flew over us on the way to the airport!

Well, it's 7 in the morning, and I have managed to not fall asleep at all. I suppose that's what I get for not having any pillows. Or sheets. Or blankets. And for having internet connection, as well as a growing obsession with the YouTube channels mentioned in my previous blog post.

My shuttle should be arriving in about a half hour to take me to the airport. I really have no idea how I'm going to lug around my backpack, carry-on duffel bag, and three checked bags. I imagine this is where a lot of money and a personal assistant would come in handy. Or a third arm. Or one of those carts they rent out I suppose, if you want to be boring...

Three hours later...

It took me exactly twenty minutes to get my bags checked and go through security. I think I deserve a medal, or a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. How about some homemade cookies? Deal.

So I decided to put together a video montage of my journey from Salt Lake to Seattle. What better time to learn how to make videos than now! I got a pretty sick shot of me eating my delicious fruit snacks - that is definitely my favorite part so far. I'd like to get up and explore, maybe go on one of those flat escalators for the first time (what the heck are those things called...?), but my bags are so freaking heavy, I have no desire to lug them  around the airport. Even though I have an hour and a half until my flight leaves.

Ok let's do this.

Update (5/1/2013) - So, being relatively new to the whole iPod touch thing, I definitely shot all of my videos sideways. Unless you want a neck ache watching them, they're pretty much garbage. But it was a good learning experience! I think I'm just going to invest in an actual camcorder.

7th Inning Stretch

One of the worst feelings to experience in college is when you know the end is in sight, but you still have another hurdle to jump. I have my last final tonight, and a 2-3 page essay to write by tomorrow. I know I can do this, I've accomplished more difficult tasks before. But the fact that I can practically reach out and touch Seattle - that's how close it seems - that's what is exponentially decreasing my motivation to finish out the day.

Don't get me wrong, I've loved this year - college has been one of the best experiences for me. But there comes a point, at least for me, where you just have to revert back to your origins, even just for a little while. As you grow older, the time that you can stand to elapse between these visits will grow longer, but the need to return home will always be present. After four months, I am due for a visit.

I just hope that the time I can stand to elapse will increase by the time August rolls around. I'll be moving to Florida for four and a half months, then I'll have to fly straight back to campus for winter semester in January. Finally, after 9 months, I'll be able to return home in April. But beside the months I'll be away from home, the thing that will impact me the most is that I am going to lose a great group of friends this summer, including one of my best friends. They will be leaving for two years to serve missions for the LDS church. I am going to miss them, but I'm sure it will be a life-changing experience.

Until then, I will just enjoy the summer months I have ahead of me!

Mobile, Agile, Hostile!

I would just like to start off by saying... I ran a 5k yesterday! My roommate and I signed up for it about a week and a half beforehand, trained (minimally...) during the week prior, and successfully ran the race without passing out! Now, you have to understand that I was a year-round athlete in high school and since coming to college, I usually try to play frisbee once a week, and that's about it. It's safe to say I'm a little out of shape. But I ran it in 32:30, which is good for my first 5k in a little over a year! At least I think it is...?

But lately I've found the motivation to just try to be healthier all-around, whether its eating, exercising, or getting a good night sleep. I feel better, am more energized, and am better able to focus on my studies (when I have the motivation to do so...). And signing up for these 5k runs has helped me achieve this goal, probably because I'm paying for it, so I want to get my money's worth!

Anyway, I signed up for the 5k during the Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend at Disney World! That's going to be in early October later this
year. I also plan to sign up for a few in between now and then (most likely one before the semester is over, and a couple after I head back to Seattle).

OH! And there is officially 24 days until the semester is over!! Now, go get healthy!