It’s Ian, back from Vacation!

So, I was going to make my video today, but I have a lacking in microphone, so I did as many challenges as I could without sound. Enjoy.

I had a blast up north, I’ll try to get a little montage up later on my youtube and/or facebook. My mom’s side of the family (8 siblings plus children, plus fiance of one, and two friends of others, about 40 odd in total) gets together every year around this time, and spends a week near Petosky, MI. We’re actually situated about halfway between Petosky and Harbor Springs, so we got to see TWO different fireworks.

Among other things, we had a marshmallow gun fight, movie night, capture the flag, beach days, and a poker game. (Now with real money! )

I’m sorry I missed Saturday, but I had limited interwebs last week.

If I missed any questions, please tell me, and I’ll add stuff in. I’m terrible at remembering things.

Ian

Back from across the pond, it’s Sunday!

I’m a little concerned that Ian hasn’t posted yet, but hopefully he’ll have some stuff up eventually? Or maybe he just has no internet access (didn’t he say he needed someone to cover for him this week?). Needless to say I feel a little bit intimidated by the responsibility of being the sole representer of NerdU’s weekend update BUT I WILL STAND STRONG IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.

I almost wrote “diversity” there, that would have been a rather embarrassing mix-up. Anywho.

I am back from England! Sadly there is no picspam as such yet, there is a small picpuddle in our flickr photostream. I will link to the picflood most likely in next week’s update, when I’m done changing the monstrous pictures so that they can actually fit on the internet.

The answers to the questions I didn’t get to in the video: Best family vacation.. I’ve had about five million (ok well not that much, but I’ve been travelling since I was a toddler which is a little awkward when my parents are like “Remember when we went to Germany? Oh oh nevermind, you were 2.” Italy was pretty fantastic though.

Pirates V. Ninjas, if you mean who would win in a fight, I’m all for ninjas. I just think ninjas are probably a lot more efficient at the whole combat thing seeing as that is what they do by default. And pirates are defaulted for looting and pillaging. So if it was a looting and pillaging contest, then pirates, totally. Otherwise, ninjas*.
*=excluding of course Captain Jack Sparrow because he is the hero and therefore would survive any attack, ninjas or no.

My favourite glue.. is.. um.. elmer’s. Cause it’s the only kind I have.
ohmigod. picasso and raspberries. HOW AWESOME WOULD THAT BE. That’s all I really care about though.

OH MAN. I forgot the baby pictures, they will be coming eventually, I promise, I never put off an opportunity to show off the baby picture of me in a dryer.

Random Fact of the Sunday: “Bug” is actually a scientific word regarding an insect that can suck.

OH. And in College news, I got the name of my roommate on Wednesday when I came back! Unfortunately she doesn’t have a facebook that I can see and she hasn’t replied to my email yet but I am TOO SCARED to call her for now….so I ended up googling her (that’s embarrassing, but then when your roomie’s got a name that doesn’t ping ANYTHING on facebook, you figure that it will be fairly easy to find who you’re looking for). And she is the “historian” of her NHS, or was. I found that more comforting than anything else, seeing as I was dreading someone much more hyped up about… say, shopping. Or something less nerdfighterly.

I think I forgot something else in this post (surprise surprise), but it’s 6:30 and I figure it’s time to publish the darn blog!

You’ll hear from me next week anyway.

-Katie

Wednesday brings frustration….again

Disclaimer: This post is rather long

Again it’s Wednesday and again I’ve spent hours fighting with my computer and editing software to put together a video and again I am not sure that I will be able to put it together. However, I have finally figured out that the problem is with the camera I’m using and not my computer or editing equipment. There is a long technical explanation of the problem that I’m having that I’ll spare you all and just say that I’m still working to fix the problem but that I’m also planning on acquiring a new camera that will rid my life of this misery and woe in the next few weeks. So with any luck at all I’ll be able to post a video soon.

 

There once was a girl very sad

Because he luck was so bad

Her clip wouldn’t play

Though she’d tried all day

The whole thing just made her mad

Well there is at least one of my challenges down… kind of….sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve written a limerick…I think that’s right. I’ve also started reading twilight. So far it’s interesting…nothing I ever wanted to read but interesting. But I’m just getting started I’ll let you know what I think as I continue. The rest will have to wait until I can procure a better way of filming and delivering my challenges to you all.

Let’s see other than that I’ve had a pretty great couple of weeks. First I went on a cruise (something I’ve never done before) with my parents, my brother, my cousin, and my aunt and uncle(my aunt and uncle live in Connecticut and my cousin just moved out to L.A. so it’s a pretty rare treat to get to see them) . We made stops at Grand Cayman and Cozumel Mexico. In Grand Cayman I went snorkeling which was amazing! We saw some absolutely beautiful fish and a real ship wreck which was pretty much amazing. I also saw the BLACK PEARL! When we went to Cozumel we went on an ATV trip through the Mexican Jungle. I also was pleasantly surprised at how much Spanish I understood…a sentence or so worth. I took four years of high school level Spanish and I have almost nothing to show for it. I’m planning on taking it again in College because we are required to take four semesters of a foreign language but I’m not exactly looking forward to it. After several long painful years of being bitterly hostile at any mention of the language I’ve come to believe that though it may be true that I do not have any particular aptitude for the language I do think that a lot of my utter failure in my Spanish classes was at least partially due to several very mediocre teachers. So I’m giving it another try.

Anyway, I bought some maracas and a sombrero and got back on the ship. After a few more days at sea we docked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and got our car and headed to Venice Florida which was beautiful. We spent the rest of our week there and in Disney World. When I was a kid we would spend about a month every year in Venice and while we were there we would visit Disney World. I don’t know how many of you have been Disney but if you haven’t make sure you make it happen. It is amazing. Yes things are over priced and yes as I heard many people bitterly commenting it’s a business and they’re trying to make money. But being there when I was young and now again after a year of college just makes me appreciate how truly magical what they do is. Yes part of what they do purely for profit. However, so much of what they do is reinventing themselves, staying true to Disney’s original vision and yet creating something that shocks and amazes people whether it be their first time coming or their twentieth.

Every night at ten they have an enormous fireworks display cued to music. On the first night I was there while watching the fireworks I noticed a family sitting behind me. There was a little girl of about four sitting looking determinedly miserable with hands over her ears. After a couple minutes of fireworks Tinker Bell flies off of the top of the castle over the crowds and when this started the mother tapped her daughter on the shoulder telling her to watch. After looking angrily at her mother the girl looked up following her mother’s finger and eventually saw Tinker Bell coming right towards her. Her mouth dropped open and a broad smile overtook her, apparently she had forgotten to be annoyed with the fireworks. It was one of the best moments of the trip for me and just reminded me what the world looked like at that age. It was open to everyone and full of magic and possibilities. Anything was truly possible.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the post I wrote before taking off for the vacation and I am more inclined to think why not? Why not go for it. I’m sure it’ll wear off in a week and I’ll start to think more rationally, especially with the economy and the country being what it is. But for now at least I’m thinking why not? I’ve also become more resolved to make my study abroad happen next year. I’m hoping to study abroad in London, a dream I’ve had for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been fascinated by the literature and history of England as well as the culture, particularly the theatre. Recently due to our crappy economy traveling to London has become even more ridiculously expensive. I’m not sure how it’s going to happen but I’m going to try really hard to make it happen.

I made it home from the trip just in time to go to rhythm and booms which is “The Midwest’s Largest Fireworks Display” which was fun and tomorrow I’m leaving to spend this weekend with my dad and my aunt and uncle up at our cabin celebrating the Forth. I’m pretty excited considering the Forth is my second favorite holiday, Halloween is my favorite!

Other than that I’m enjoying being home and not having classes and seeing my family but at the same time I am so ready to be back in the Twin Cities. I miss being in a metropolitan area. Madison is a large city but it really isn’t the same thing. I’ve never been someone happy to be in a small town or even content. I love the beauties of nature but for me it’s hard to beat a beautiful skyline (Although some of the Florida sunsets give them a run).

One of the things get from my vacation was that I think I could be happy someday living the laid back lifestyle that engulfs you in Florida and the Caribbean. But I think that would have to be something I’d take on after I’ve experienced other things in life. After I’ve lined on the east coast and seen what a beautiful neurotic hectic lifestyle has to offer me. I did miss the salt water though.

I also saw WALL-E this week which was amazing. You should go out and see it immediately. I read a review saying that it was comparable to the brilliant work of Charlie Chaplin which is the truth. Much of the movie is basically silent with only sounds which convey the emotions of the robot. It also has a very “live green” plot line but it isn’t like Happy Feet which pissed me off as is bashed it’s audience over the head towards the end with their earth friendly message but instead it’s humorous and woven into the plot in a way that makes you think about the message that they are sending without distracting from the beautiful story of the sweet little robot WALL-E. So basically you should all see it.

I’m sure that this is not the most linear of all posts and I will try to make my next one better but right now I’m just trying to explain some of the thoughts that have been weaving in and out of my mind in the last couple weeks. Also my brother and his girlfriend are sitting next to me playing rock band which does not aid linear thinking or writing. But they’re both playing on expert so at least I don’t hear the annoying sound it makes when they mess up.

I’m sure there are things I’m forgetting but I’ll tackle them in my next post and hopefully soon I’ll be able to post VIDEOS! For now I blog about my thoughts, complete as many challenges as I can, answer questions and I’ll post some pictures.

Ok so here are my original six facts (a little late) that were going to be in the video that mocked me over my several painful hours of work.

1. 1. I directed “The Man Who Came to Dinner” my senior year of high school.

2. 2. My middle name is Thornton…it was my mother’s maiden name…but she technically kept her name so I don’t understand why I have to get stuck with it too.

3. 3. I have the slightly obnoxious habit of quoting or referencing television, movies, and books even when I am completely aware that the person or persons that I am quoting to will have no idea about the quote/reference I’m making…I’ll make an attempt to keep that down

4. 4. My guilt-free three… well if I had to have actors as they are now I’d have to go with 1. David Boreanaz 2. Robert Downing Jr. 3. Johnny Depp …however Gerald Butler and Collin Firth are my alternates incase any of my first three are for any reason unable to perform their duties. This would be making reference to the vlogbros videos one April 23^nd and 24^th

5. 5. I bite my fingernails…isn’t it horrible?

6. 6. I’m an amateur ghost hunter.

Here are the answers to the questions:

This last vacation would probably have to be my favorite…possibly because I won $161 in the onboard Casino.

I’m going to have to go with Pirates since I saw the Black Pearl…it just reaffirmed my love of Johnny Depp. So I must support him. Also when that movie came out I saw it about 13 times in the theatres including an interactive pirates experience (like Rocky Horror) I did with a bunch of my friend when it was finally moved to the budget theatre. Oh and I went on the new (Johnny included) Pirates ride in Disney world.

I’d have to say rubber cement is also my favorite kind of glue because it is the kind of glue I used to creat my super Tetris pieces.

I think I would like to be unbeatable at Connect Four because then you could trick people into playing it and then destroy them to get out of sticky situations….

And like Mae

Piccaso & Raspberries

Beat box & Lactose Intolerant

Finally my challenge to everyone is to not be able to just pick a topic you’ve been pondering and talk about it. It doesn’t have to be deep and meaningful just anything. Not much of a challenge I suppose but I guess this way I’m making you al pick you own topics without providing them for you. Ha.

DFTBA

Brittany