"Snow Flurries"

So I heard this term yesterday and used some brainpower to decipher what it meant; it didn't take long considering there were snowflakes in the air but now I've looked it up and this is what I've found:

Um, OK? Ironic?

Because it isn't appropriate I will not post my other findings but if you wish to do so please type "snow flurry" into the Urban Dictionary search box and don't say I told you so. It also falls into the category of NOT what I was thinking.

Here's something someone will find amusing... and so IT (cold weather, impending snow, and consequent terror) begins. Mehr.

This is what is keeping my head above water; mostly because I rarely shower and who submerges their head under water in a shower anyway?

Pure Awesomeness.

This one particularly, for purposes of this blog. Sure, I am not in Montana but rural folks are really all the same, right?

In conclusion here's my obligatory mention that we discussed stereotypes for 3 hours in my first class today. I am going to recognize that and acknowledge it but Immagoahead and post this anyway.

New England "To-Do" List

1. Go to a typical VT fair

2. Go to Shelburne Falls to take a dip in the glacial potholes

3. Visit Boston

4. Take a tour at the Magic Hat Brewery

5. Drink my first Magic Hat and then some

6. Hit up Cathedral of the Pines

7. Maine!!! and survive without eating fishy stuff

8. Take a train to NYC

9. Go apple pickin'

10. Take a syrupy tour of some maple syrup making... whatever that means

11. Bake lots of vegan maple cookies and vegan apple pies and trick people with them ;)

12. Stay away from Ben & Jerry's (I'm living in the birthplace) and all of the cheese factories

13. Go to an east coast beach... and like it?

14. Convince at least one friend from California to visit me

15. Learn (read: attempt) to ski (without involving an ER visit)

Blood. Sweat. Tears but my first grad school TEAM presentation is...

COMPLETE!!!! :)

will it be a P for pass or a F for fail? hmmmm... law of attraction suggests:

"A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness."

The uneasy, doubtful, exhausted and terrified thoughts are sinking in, already. I try to deter from using the term "homesick" because I no longer find the application of "home" to be a specific place, but rather people. Something that seems so obvious yet it took me 23-ish years to pinpoint this feeling as having less to do with location and more to do with relationships. Relationships give meaning to places, not to betray other aspects of places such as literal environment, smells, and euphoric feelings surrounding them as I definitely believe in the importance of sensory stimulus, but memories carry that much MORE weight if someone else was there to experience it with you and/or witness your experience there and most of all, share theirs.

I can't believe I am saying this but I am hoping that this "homesickness" is actually just plain ol' sickness, of the physical variety, creeping up on me. Because that will inevitably go away. It's getting to that point where I wouldn't be shocked if we all (my peers and I) start week 2 with more than some tickles in our throats. I had a trying day of which my final resounding thought is, "I just want my camera back" as if getting my camera back would solve the problems of the world, and my particular place in it, figuratively- not literally (no complaints about physical location right now). Silly maybe, but to think that would make me feel 100 times better is a pretty weighty thought and I happen to be giving into it right now. It's simple enough; I'm not asking for much.

This brings up the aspect of relationships in another way. The fact that they can end is always a possibility but to live as if they will is sinful in my opinion. You can say that the MIA status of my camera symbolizes the end of a relationship, a friendship specifically, in my life. I'd like my camera back so that I may focus my attention on people, places, and things that deserve my attention more right now and worry less about where this material possession is and instead get back behind it in a positive way or leave it in MY drawer, whatever it may be. The person who is choosing to keep it from me is consequently keeping me from moving full-throttle toward this goal. Although this is not a poem, rather a blog post, I think if Robert Frost could observe me today in 2010 he'd sense a lump in my throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness and there are no better words to summate the impulse that motivated me to type away on my keyboard in this fashion. Right here, right now.

Some Mexican food wouldn't hurt either... haha ;)... I'm trying a (read: the only) Mayan place here tomorrow. Wish me luck!

annnnnnd here's a (non)obligatory photo (from my trusty iPhone, obvi)! I'm notorious for tying everything in together so really I could go on a tangent about how this is relatable to above posting but instead I will leave you with the fact that I have escaped to a place in my mind, many times today, where my future house looks like this in the front, red barn is a must, and the back is of course all glass overlooking the ocean on a beach, balcony included. "Quaint farmhouse in the front; party beach house in da back!" Has a sweet ring to it, eh? :) Who's with me?!?!

A walk down Kipling Road. Brattleboro, VT. 9.9.10

CA -> VT in (iPhone) pictures, well really VT <- CA as in they uploaded latest to earliest!

Crowbar, missing teeth, and Heaven

What do all of the above things have in common you might ask? Well, they are all related to my first week living in Brattleboro, VT. After living the going-ons of today and the previous 5 days I am sure that without a doubt, that you will undoubtedly be seeing a lot more quotes and random seemingly cryptic words on this here blog but do not fret I will do my utmost to describe everything. I can't say that I completely have my bearings, yet but I have done/witnessed/experienced enough to know that this place is amusing beyond what was to be expected.

1) Crowbar-
My roommate's FB status from Tuesday:
Already used to the townies. Walking home last night, had to step over an infant happily in the middle of the sidewalk outside a bar. Five minutes later: Bailey - "Hey was that baby playing with a crowbar?" Me- "Yes."


2) Missing teeth-
Summary of a conversation after a little jaunt to the laundromat (a historically fun place for me) where a local initiated conversation with me and I was unable to understand her and then finally realized she was missing her front teeth:
"Yea, WHY IS it that nobody in this town has teeth?!? I DON'T get it." -C
"Maybe there isn't flouride in the water? Remind me to look that up."- me
"Yea, but flouride in the water is NOT what makes people's teeth stay intact." -C
"Yea, I give up... I'm just worried for the children. I hope their toothless parents give them toothbrushes because the future is depending on it." - me


3) Heaven -


I finally had time to go here.... yummmm. Feel free to send me food donations.

I <3 VT

As soon as I get my camera back (hopefully), these posts will become THAT much more exciting!!!

Well, I'm not in California anymore!

So, as I'm walking around my new hometown last night (first official night in Brattleboro) I recognize the name of a yoga studio I had previously looked up. It's literally like down the hill from my house ie: 100 feet. I checked up on prices as soon as I got back to my computer and this is what I found:

"All drop-in classes are offered by donation. We accept cash, personal checks and money orders. You are welcome to pay more or less, but you must pay something. We accept any sincere offering in exchange for our best efforts as teachers. We have been known to accept home-made or home-grown food, babysitting, artwork, etc. Work-exchange (flyer-distribution, graphic-design, painting) of various sorts is also available. Please talk to us if you cannot afford classes, or would simply like to barter goods or services."

Any suggestions?

I wrote this on April Fool's Day, oddly enough... welp, no foolin' here!

I know life’s a journey and that I have a new destination

April 1, 2010 by Bailey Mannisto-Iches

SO, about 9 months ago I started an entry here that I never published… and just deleted. The decision to go to grad school in the Netherlands seemed to be an easy one but as it is so, it was NOT. Exhausting details aside I ended up denying the opportunity and convinced myself that brighter days and another, better,opportunity would find me. It’s inexplicable how it feels to go from feeling uneasy in the world w/ plenty of thoughts but nowhere to place them, to having a comfortable plan you think is set in stone, to going back to feeling uneasy and even less aligned with your world and all of the people in it. In two words: IT SUCKS. Much has occurred in the last 9 months that I am very grateful for mostly, my travel opportunities have kept me physically and emotionally afloat although the financial damage is another story. I was prepared for that though and I only have myself to “blame” for the credit card debt that galavanting around Europe will continue to cost me… experiences are priceless. I gained new perspectives, met wonderful people, and spent some R&R time with myself.

Now I am back stateside and I must admit the older and more experienced I get the easier these transitions are. The smaller the world has become in my mind the easier it is for me to sit still… if that makes sense. Dreaming and planning future adventures with the intention and conviction that I will make them happen is comfort in and of itself. I do know something, and I said it last year and had no intention to go against it, but I am definitely over solo-travel. I do love it but being alone with my thoughts is only healthy for so long! I think “home” more so describes people rather than places and I truly await the day (and hope it awaits me!) when I am able to experience some of my adventures with a loved-one by my side… the opportunity to take “home” with me wherever I go and happen to be.

Speaking of doing things solo, here I go again! In the latter part of this summer I will be making a big move to the east coast, Vermont to be specific; Brattleboro, VT to be even more specific. What do I know about Vermont? It’s claim to fame is maple syrup and beyond that I know zilch, nada, nothiiiiiing. There are few things that terrify me: sharks, self-mutilation annnnd that’s pretty much it, until now. As of yesterday, I am TERRIFIED to make this move. Why? Well I guess it’s a mixture of things: the unknown regarding Vermont (small town? scary woods?), the winter and all that comes with it, and being so far from my family at this particular time in my life in a place I’d never imagined myself before. All of these things in small increments seem great and novel but I will be LIVING this life, E-V-E-R-Y-D-A-Y. On the other hand I am ridiculously excited; this is what I wanted. Grad school with a perfectly-fit program? AWESOME. I think the proper adjective for my state would be anxious, haha… go figure… me? anxious? nahhhhh… ;p

TBC…

If my car could speak...

It would ask me why it was rained on in the middle of August today with an air of perplexity to its tone, tell me it is exhausted and apologize for not being able to reach a speed faster than 65 mph across all of Maryland, ask me why in its 8 years of life had I never prepared it for a nearly 4000 mile, 6-day jaunt-"SD to EG and back again is nothing after that," it'd say and then finally it'd ask me when the heck I am going to empty it of my possessions and where, when and for how long. I just tucked it into a parallel parking spot on Columbia Rd. in our nation's fine capitol and before I said goodnight I thanked it for getting us here safely and comfortably, "We'll be in our new home on Thursday night, you may rust a tad bit more but I assure you it will be from snow and not saltwater, sorry; it may be our last home together as I don't know where the next 9 months will lead me, I know I've treated you badly sometimes but hopefully that stage of life is over. Most of all thanks for the last 90,000 miles little coche!"

:)

Bucket list item: Drive across the country

status: Mission Accomplished!

How'd I get to Missouri?!

I woke up in New Mexico and left the crappy Travelodge in Albuquerque at 8 am MST; I arrived at the (much, MUCH nicer) La Quinta Inn in Joplin, MO around 7 pm EST. I transcended an entire time zone and passed through 4 states in what, approximately 10 hours? WOAH DUDE! New Mexico to Texas, Texas to Oklahoma, Oklahoma to Missouri. My route has changed twice in the last 24 hours due to unforeseeable circumstances involving a familial crisis that warranted the attention and presence of my designated PIC/co-pilot, Alicia, back to Sacramento. We woke up to the sunrise in Arizona in a heavenly place commonly referred to as the Grand Canyon and by 2 pm yesterday we were bidding each other adieu at the Albuquerque airport :(, hence my detour and stay in Albuquerque last night. Yesterday was hectic, sad, and basically bad from every angle but at least we were able to enjoy the majesty of the Grand Canyon together! I woke up this morning with the intent of staying optimistic and energetic when in reality I felt lonely and disoriented. Our original route was to take us to Austin and then New Orleans and back on up toward DC (the road waaaay less traveled). I decided that because a) I am now alone and b) I left my camera in Vegas (it is now on its way back to me, YAY!) that I would just drive to DC as quickly as possible. If I had embarked on this trip alone originally I would not have opted for the southerly route but I would have gone through CO, Utah and up through Illinois etc, presuming it is safer and also because I would know more people along the way not to mention it is more direct. The most direct route to DC from New Mexico was to take me through the aforementioned states (Texas, et al.) and then Arkansas, Tennessee, etc. Sometime between phone call numbers 3 and 10 Dad#2 called me voicing his concerns about me driving this distance alone and shared a new route with me. After 20 minutes of talking logistics I was sold on the new plan. Thanks RandMcNally.com ! Thanks Dad! So THAT is how I arrived in Missouri. Tomorrow I'm headed to Indiana-Indianapolis to be exact and then on Monday I shall be DC bound.

Say What?!

California girl moving to a Vermont world in just two night's sleep, negating the one I am skipping out on now. My travels will take me through many states but my final destination looks a little something like that ^, at least before it SNOWS anyway. Stay tuned.