What is a blurb blog?
- It’s just like my daily blog but a bit less structured meaning it’s all over the place. Every week or so I write a little blurb of what I did or free write.
12.25.23
I am currently listening to McCartney while my legs warm up beside the heat. My favorite necessity of ice-cold water has slowly become warm chamomile tea. Thoughts roaming throughout my mind tend to be consistent, and I remind myself of them.
Past holiday emotions: was I sad, happy, or terrified? At times, I feel the holiday season does not take over my soul as it once did, but this allows me to appreciate it even more. The cheeriness of this season shall not go to waste, and instead I applaud the callous errors I have made. Errors allow me to become who I desire to be; at the moment, I think these typical or atypical mishaps are the basis of who one can grow to be.
I don’t express enough gratitude for the state of my life. Years earlier, I would desire more, because one is told more is better. Learning this led to an unsustainable drive to be a materialist. I am aspiring to become a thinker and not a promoter of some idiotic logo. Bringing in the season with praise for my past, future, and most importantly, the present. This year I realize how fortunate I am, as the cycle of being the sufferer is endless and can be predictable, although if one coincides with another, it can change the trajectory of one’s outlook. Therefore, my drive is people around me; there are some portions that scare the rest of my livelihood, but the impact that I feel afterwards is unexplainable.
The purpose of Christmas, or the holiday season, is to be cheerful with family and friends. As a child, I was intrigued by the presents under the tree. I was impatiently waiting for the day to come in order to unravel the paper that neatly rested on the sides of the gifts. Currently, I am with my family, with a roof over my head, a healthy beating heart, and a functional body. Now, I can conceptualize the purpose of my holiday season, which is the action of gratification with a side of Christmas and cinnamon.
lousy leader
11.20.23
Influence
The fallen shall conquer thy thought.
Supremacy thou taketh ov’r the soul,
Shan’t thy has’t control ov’r thyself.
Pretend all is glory,
While shan’t beest the truth.
Only one shalt beest mine light.
Vines shall grow,
Thou shouldst followeth.
Beest mine vaward,
One knoweth better,
But doest not presume’t.
ludicrously loud
10.09.23
The markers scratch the board with numerous thuds until the agenda is written. From my rear view the pen clicks too many times to count, while others chomp on a minty piece of gum. Another coughs every so often and the taps that every pair of shoes makes is extraordinary. My mind cannot concentrate at the moment when I should be writing a thesis for my class.
Being in the first row, I feel almost rushed to plan my essay out or at least have something on paper. The class itself felt endless, my body was fused to the seat, I held my head on one hand while the other rested to the side of my lined paper. My heart racing as my professor paces from row to row. The mind is blank with thoughts on the task at hand, instead one thinks of the next meal they will have or the vitamins they did not take that morning. Eventually one brings themselves back to their physical state and reads the question again. I understand, but cannot formulate the thoughts on paper.
The tapping of everyone becomes an unstoppable rhythm. I cannot control the exterior and so I digress. Inhaling and exhaling in order to start jotting down the possible approaches to this paper. Automatically one begins to come up with a claim when annotations are made to the text. The bell rings right when the plan is in motion, although now one knows the objective.
Afterwards, I find a familiar face as they wait for me at the door, we exchange a distressful smile. The passing period allows one to have a brief conversation of the class prior. Both expressing how we despised the various sounds around us during that hour or so. Nevertheless now one knows that one can get through a ludicrously loud class.
wuthering winds
08.13.23
The clouds animated themselves into familiar figures until one notices another figure taking form. These are some things I noticed when putting effort into myself by going outside. I think it’s funny that many concentrate on their surroundings whenever they are practically forced to, that can be an emergency of sorts, vacationing, or outdoors with friends/family members. Even though one becomes used to our everyday routine, breathing in the cold air of the Alps doesn’t seem efficient.
This past week, I changed the narrative, seeking to become a person of the outdoors. Stroke by stroke, moving ahead through the water was fulfilling, but before this, the four-hour road trip had to commence. The engine of the car roared to initiate the journey ahead. To my surprise, the plethora of musicians soothed my ears and made the ride quick. We all entered the small town and cabin with ease. The day was set, rest was next on the agenda.
The following morning, everyone sought to venture into the breeze and trees of the lake. Laying in the sun with food in hand was the ideal situation for some, but before I wanted to do so I ought to be splashed by a wave. Thus, dragged the luscious red kayak to the edge of the dock. Paddle in hand, I hopped in, but a bit unsettled as I had forgotten how paddling truly works. But with a few errors, I was able to become a beginner in the sport. Although the real beauty was the water craft also known as a wave runner. The vehicle traveled fifty miles an hour while swerving the enormous waves, my hands would not bear grabbing onto the handles after a certain amount of time. Hence, we all took turns between each activity and the balance was key to a horrid hand cramp.
This trip enhanced my love for being adventurous and outside. I have always been trapped in a routine and instead of saying no to certain things or activities, one must accept our challenges. One can begin with a small gesture, but it all requires time to demonstrate growth of some kind. Accordingly, I will now tend to be in nature and conquer wuthering winds.
hesitant hikers
08.02.23
The ultimate challenge when texting in a group chat is the planning to make sure everyone is on the same page especially when it comes to an activity of sorts. Once every individual agrees, one must carry out the scheme. The discrepancy between one’s feelings and the event itself is quite interesting at least for me, at times I believe that I back out various plans as they are inconsistent with my agenda which really shouldn’t be the case. This year I questioned the purpose of flaking on plans and the result that I came up with is the fact that I should not fear inconsistency. Alternatively, I can trick myself into becoming an alter ego of myself by choosing a character from a show or book series to evoke the same attitude.
Thus, when fellow scholars were intrigued to go on a group hike, I complied to follow through with it. The group was eager to make sure everything was agreed upon. Initially, we believed to head out at around ten in the morning, little did we know that my poor sleeping habits wouldn’t allow that. Therefore, I suggested we meet an hour later and so we did (to some extent). As manic as weekdays get, some of us were running a tad bit late due to family-associated setbacks including myself, but through communication, we were able to meet up thirty minutes after our pre-scheduled time of eleven.
Each of us was quite a bit scared to start the treacherous trail near a small neighborhood of a well-off town. There were two trails that one could navigate, one wrapped around the beauty of the lake, while the other was a steep trail that led to the unknown. We decided to venture out of our comfort zones by selecting the steep pathway. Oh well, what can go wrong? Fortunately, everything went as planned except for the poor endurance we had discovered after the hike. Hence, I would recommend taking part in the hesitant hiker community.
concussed with cupcakes
07.29.23
Chaos was bound to happen this week, the last week of the program I was assisting for the summer academy. Most were dehydrated and drained when the clock hit noon, but staff sought to turn those frowns upside down through a compilation of jokes or games. The last day of classes was the showdown with various activities and so I made it heard for the students to become a bit more excited to finish the day on a better foot.
Before the last day of the academy came around, Monday had to start off the week of classes and to my surprise, it was the most unforgettable day for a horrid reason. Why? Well, I decided to make some glazed lemon cupcakes for the operations team and was fairly excited to bake as it is a way to cope when being stressed. Thus, I had finished up the cupcakes themselves the night before and had decided to put them in the fridge before glazing them in the morning (rookie mistake). The moment that I finished baking, I headed to bed to get ready to see everyone in the program. Once I woke up I headed straight to the fridge to pull out the cupcakes and then you guessed it, I glazed them. The final step was to put them into a container. I was prepared to put all of them in with pride, but unfortunately, the glass containers were all on the upper row of the cupboard. My impatient self did not seem to care for my well-being at that moment and decided to not use a stool to properly retrieve the Tupperware. Therefore, thinking I securely grasped two containers, another came out of nowhere, and rather than dodging it I stood there on my tippy toes and took the damage of the hit. The tupperware fell to the ground shattering into fine pieces of glass after deflecting off the noggin. The damage was done, my head hurt quite a bit, but I was most eager to bring those cupcakes to my coworkers. And so I did.
Once I told my fellow coworkers about this incident, they laughed with me and we all recounted times where we could’ve been mildly concussed. Luckily, they enjoyed the treats, at least I hope so. The first day of last week was fairly uneventful but memorable.
The last day came around quicker than I thought and automatically felt saddened by not being able to have the same day-to-day routine, but know that all good things must come to an end (especially summer). At least I can say that I was concussed with cupcakes.
the elegance of escaping
07.23.23
Escaping is a term utilized when one would like to flee an area that has become either harmful to them or needs a change of scenery. However what if others paid to escape, also known as infamous escape rooms? The thrill of being trapped in a small corridor can lead to many obstacles, but if done for an hour or so it can be quite an adventure. The only question when confronted is what can the strategy be?
I have entered a riddle room twice in my lifetime and all I can say is as you exit this so-called room you will be a bit humiliated by the amount of time one spends on one puzzle versus another. The puzzle itself can be either complex or obvious with no in-between, however, the mental state that brings you into an emotion of trepidation is the theme or storyline behind the room itself. Storylines can consist of various elements such as horror, suspense, and/or the interconnected component being mystery. For example, the two rooms that I have entered have consisted of a mysterious component to draw in the members of the party even more. Then, one was based on a bunker and how one needed to seek to retrieve all the key components to “escape.” The other room was based on an alchemist attempting to retrieve different types of subjects to exit the corridor. These stories being kept in mind can make one uneasy to think of what strategy to take down the room by finding every clue.
After the uneasiness has settled in, the game truly starts (around ten minutes into “exploring” the room itself). Riddle by riddle, one starts becoming a bit discombobulated with opening the final door. The first few puzzles are quite simple, but from my experience one attempts to overthink each clue or object in the room as a potential source to that specific dilemma.
Right when the time goes out on the last few riddles, your heart skips a beat. But one’s time is over meaning the staff will enlighten one with how the riddles would have been solved. Therefore, I can safely say that when entering an escape room one will look like a headless chicken running all over the place so there is no elegance of escaping.
Dairy or Dare?
07.16.23
Since a youngin, I have never longed for a sip of milk nor a piece of pie a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. The aftertaste itself makes me quite sick, but when it comes to a stringy cheese pull or a neat scoop of mint chip ice cream, I comply with dairy lovers. The warmth that fills the soul with happiness comes from none other than food.
Therefore, as a foodie myself, I have been on the search of finding a rich taste of a dairy ice cream that fits my standards. The standards being without having a horrible aftertaste. On my trip to Ithaca, I was presented with the dairy bar of a university nearby. Beforehand, I had seen the striking bright five star rating and was intrigued. From that moment forward, I found it a necessity to savor a scoop of ice cream.
As I entered the dairy bar, I was welcomed by a number of amiable staff members while having a face of predicament as I did not know which flavor to choose out of the many appetizing names. Ultimately, I chose mint chip, the controversy regarding this flavor serves no business to me as I am a loyal chip connoisseur. Nonetheless, I grabbed my little dollop of ice cream and a spoon, and once the chips glimpsed at me it was gone.
Not only was it freshing, but the chocolate itself did not feel overwhelmingly sweet. This was great because I had never tasted a mint chip ice cream that was non cloying: But that wasn’t why I was there. The intention of being there was to see if the five star rating was true to my case of the sickening aftertaste. To my surprise, it was nonexistent. Due to this one should come and take a trip to Ithaca to try some dairy goodness. Although if you are a part of the lactose intolerant community make sure to bring your essentials as you don’t want to partake in “dairy or dare?”
The Prick of Packing
07.09.23
The ansiness fuels the body before one closes the car door to finish the mission of finding the correct gate and seat. However, the night before one apprehensively nitpicks what to stuff in the luggage compartment while also thinking about the weather or even if the clothes one packed will be sufficient for the trip.
Not the brightest side of preparing for a trip at least for me, I tend to procrastinate my packing due to how I have a clear idea of the attire I wear most of the time. Especially this upcoming trip that consisted of cramming all my precious items into a suitcase. Did I pack in a peaceful manner? No, I did not: I packed as if I were a chicken without a head, moving from my room to the bathroom and then back to the living room, scrambling to pick up the portable hygiene products that I had left. I cannot defeat the beast, procrastination itself is the most alarming yet satisfying game. It’s alarming at first, because you convinced yourself to be right under the wire: But it is satisfying once the adrenaline courses through the body, almost awakening one’s self to a challenge.
Of course, the thought of preparing for a trip is the ultimate downside, but once the packing portion is all over: Now, that is when the fun precisely begins. The rush of leaving can hold us back as well, but leaving a hamster cycle routine is nourishing for the soul to explore. If you retrieve any information out of this, please do not procrastinate in organizing your necessities as it is such a prick to pack.
Water Bottle Week
07.02.23
One of my favorite things ever is cold water with cubes of ice, the most classic beverage that latches on our nightstands each evening. But the most wonderful thing that can accompany this is a bottle that is insulated in order for the refreshing nature to be encapsulated for the next morning when thirst erupts.
Honestly, I can be sold on a water bottle if it follows the criteria of: being insulated, is a shade of blue and is cylindrical shaped. If the bottle checks those boxes, then the bottle itself becomes my emotional support jug. It is now an essential part of my being for everyday life.
My minty colored water bottle of three years was there with me through thick and thin. The wear and tear was present, but now that I have been on the go; the flask has added quite a bit of weight to my bag. I needed a change and looked forward to it, especially once I found one that was specialized for hikers due to how it seemed to be light as a feather.
I pulled the trigger, and purchased it in the color celestine. Not just that, but I fell into the consumer trap of the last final sections of accessories and included a pair of bright yellow socks. That pair as we speak are now in my drawer and the bottle is placed at the foot of my bed: I can proudly now say it was a successful week of fixating on “necessities”.
Red is the New Ripe
06.22.23
This lovely week was a bit hectic with a new work schedule to adapt to, but that just keeps us moving. I am now able to be more productive and even cherry pick my way through the week (at least for most of Thursday). I seemed to look at this task more as a chore or even a competition to pick as many cherries as possible to finish quickly. This method of viewing cherry picking was not the most efficient, I realized if I picked each group of cherries in a branch quickly: I would create ruptures in the middle of each cherry. Essentially, I wouldn’t end with cherries by the end of my excursion instead cherry juice would be served from the burgundy stained palms of my hands. In that case, I needed to change my ways by calmly utilizing one hand to grab onto a branch and the other pulling onto a pair of cherries via a stem in which are interconnected.
This new method of handling the fruit made me come up with the analogy that we are all cherry pickers. Why? Well, when adapting to a new environment or change in general we seek to have several trial runs to acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses similar to how picking any fruit for that matter has its own technique to not destroy the fruit itself until it reaches the hourly mist of the grocery store.
anything and everything 🌱 