I have spent the past 37 minutes online trying to find a statistic on how much of Jamaica's economy is tourism. Not as easy as it sounds.
The closest I could get was this from CIA Factbook:
"The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from tourism"
Golly gee! Thanks!
On the other hand I used my Melodrama line from this summer - "Dark Clouds...Foreshadow of Things to Come" - as the title of the paper I'm writing. hahahaha
ok so I had to change it a little...
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
MUSICAL EL NINO
Interesting Occurrences Today:
1.My Geo professor busted out Abba (yes, as in the Swedish pop group) in lecture. We were learning all about El Niños(the weather phenomena, not the Christ Child)when he clicks to the next slide and Abba starts blaring and he starts singing. But he's not singing the right lyrics, below is a sample of the lyrics he sang:
Have you heard about El Niño?
Pacific Ocean waters warming up again this year.
Best be ready for El Niño
This winter will be hell because
the weather will be weird
And if you own a house upon the beach at Malibu
You should be scared.
It went on from there with three more verses and a chorus all about El Niños and El Ninas. Now in most 300 person lectures this would have been met with dead silence and bug eyed stares. But remember this is a geography class (meaning it's full of people like me) so the whole class busts out laughing and cheering. And my lecture essentially turned into a party until suddenly we were moving on to Atmospheric Stability.
2. On the walk home from the Abba filled Geo class, a man on a bike with a motor goes past. Yes, you read that right: not a motorbike, but a bicycle with a motor. The guy just pedaled along like nothing was out of the ordinary. The continuous sound of a car backfiring harmonized with a metallic whirring was perfectly normal. The fact that he only had to pedal about half as often and the giant gas tank balanced on the cross beam was totally ordinary. In fact, having to concentrate on balancing and carrying a bike that weighs about 125lbs is what all cyclists have to deal with.
3. Musical Ergs. Today I sat down on one erg (1), traded with Katie (2). Alison and Misty switched (3). Misty and Katie traded (4). I swapped with Alex (5). and then Alison traded with Alex (6). Did you follow all that? It's a little unclear why this went down. But it is HIGHLY unusual. Normally we all sit by certain people on certain ergs on certain workouts with a slight factor of when you show up playing into the equation, but today it was all chaos. In the end everyone was happy.
4. I know people! I went and visited one of my TA's in the Geo building during her office hours. My TA wasn't there but I came across five other people I know: My professor from last term, my TA from last term, my professor from this term (the Abba singing one), and this kid I know. This is exciting, people! What's it going to be like when I'm a senior in this building?
5. I've run out of interesting occurrences for the day.
6. I'm going to valet park tonight.
1.My Geo professor busted out Abba (yes, as in the Swedish pop group) in lecture. We were learning all about El Niños(the weather phenomena, not the Christ Child)when he clicks to the next slide and Abba starts blaring and he starts singing. But he's not singing the right lyrics, below is a sample of the lyrics he sang:
Have you heard about El Niño?
Pacific Ocean waters warming up again this year.
Best be ready for El Niño
This winter will be hell because
the weather will be weird
And if you own a house upon the beach at Malibu
You should be scared.
It went on from there with three more verses and a chorus all about El Niños and El Ninas. Now in most 300 person lectures this would have been met with dead silence and bug eyed stares. But remember this is a geography class (meaning it's full of people like me) so the whole class busts out laughing and cheering. And my lecture essentially turned into a party until suddenly we were moving on to Atmospheric Stability.
2. On the walk home from the Abba filled Geo class, a man on a bike with a motor goes past. Yes, you read that right: not a motorbike, but a bicycle with a motor. The guy just pedaled along like nothing was out of the ordinary. The continuous sound of a car backfiring harmonized with a metallic whirring was perfectly normal. The fact that he only had to pedal about half as often and the giant gas tank balanced on the cross beam was totally ordinary. In fact, having to concentrate on balancing and carrying a bike that weighs about 125lbs is what all cyclists have to deal with.
3. Musical Ergs. Today I sat down on one erg (1), traded with Katie (2). Alison and Misty switched (3). Misty and Katie traded (4). I swapped with Alex (5). and then Alison traded with Alex (6). Did you follow all that? It's a little unclear why this went down. But it is HIGHLY unusual. Normally we all sit by certain people on certain ergs on certain workouts with a slight factor of when you show up playing into the equation, but today it was all chaos. In the end everyone was happy.
4. I know people! I went and visited one of my TA's in the Geo building during her office hours. My TA wasn't there but I came across five other people I know: My professor from last term, my TA from last term, my professor from this term (the Abba singing one), and this kid I know. This is exciting, people! What's it going to be like when I'm a senior in this building?
5. I've run out of interesting occurrences for the day.
6. I'm going to valet park tonight.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
PRODUCTIVE SILENT BACKFLIPS
I sat down to do homework today. First on my list to do was Assignment #1 for one of my geography class. Oops teacher still hasn't posted it online. Can't do that.
Next, personality type test for my Comm class that needs to be filled out by someone who's known me forever. Call five different people to try and get someone to fill it out. No one answers. Moving on then.
Third on my list: Read a journal article from Emanuel Nature all about why hurricanes have gotten more destructive since the 1940s. The first two paragraphs I get through no problem, and then I hit an equation with a double integral, theta, a couple absolute values cubed, and then three other variables.
huh?
Let's move on then.
Need to do some reading for my other Geo class. But the library is three blocks away. All I have to do is muster the energy to but on pants, because although Oregon is rather liberal wearing bright yellow boxers with hula girls on them still probably isn't really acceptable.
Oh wait, I'm hungry. Quesadilla first. Suddenly we hear running feet and "fire! fire! fire!" I guess the combination of cheese and tortilla in a microwave had set off the fire alarm. Oh but wait, this isn't your normal fire alarm. It's a silent one. One that only people at the front desk know is going off. Um, anyone else see a problem with this setup?
Back to homework but it's not really going anywhere; let's watch a movie. Batman Begins (note all the Chicago scenes).
Basketball game tonight. FYI this will be the third night in a row I've gone to Gill for a sporting event. Hopefully tonight our team will do better then it did on Thursday where they were ahead the whole game, tied at the end, and lost in OT. Great, just great. Our gymnastics team made up for it though by beating #5 Arkansas last night on the last floor routine of the last rotation. We won by .025. Crazy.
Next, personality type test for my Comm class that needs to be filled out by someone who's known me forever. Call five different people to try and get someone to fill it out. No one answers. Moving on then.
Third on my list: Read a journal article from Emanuel Nature all about why hurricanes have gotten more destructive since the 1940s. The first two paragraphs I get through no problem, and then I hit an equation with a double integral, theta, a couple absolute values cubed, and then three other variables.
huh?
Let's move on then.
Need to do some reading for my other Geo class. But the library is three blocks away. All I have to do is muster the energy to but on pants, because although Oregon is rather liberal wearing bright yellow boxers with hula girls on them still probably isn't really acceptable.
Oh wait, I'm hungry. Quesadilla first. Suddenly we hear running feet and "fire! fire! fire!" I guess the combination of cheese and tortilla in a microwave had set off the fire alarm. Oh but wait, this isn't your normal fire alarm. It's a silent one. One that only people at the front desk know is going off. Um, anyone else see a problem with this setup?
Back to homework but it's not really going anywhere; let's watch a movie. Batman Begins (note all the Chicago scenes).
Basketball game tonight. FYI this will be the third night in a row I've gone to Gill for a sporting event. Hopefully tonight our team will do better then it did on Thursday where they were ahead the whole game, tied at the end, and lost in OT. Great, just great. Our gymnastics team made up for it though by beating #5 Arkansas last night on the last floor routine of the last rotation. We won by .025. Crazy.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
V OF GEESE
Today a flock of geese flew by.
That in itself is not very interesting. What was interesting was that there were hundreds of them. Hundreds of them flying in a giant V overhead. There were so many, they spanned the width of campus. And the squawking was ridiculously. Ridiculously loud. Everyone's attention was called to it. I've never seen so many loud birds in one place.
That in itself is not very interesting. What was interesting was that there were hundreds of them. Hundreds of them flying in a giant V overhead. There were so many, they spanned the width of campus. And the squawking was ridiculously. Ridiculously loud. Everyone's attention was called to it. I've never seen so many loud birds in one place.
Monday, January 12, 2009
CLAUSTROPHOBIC NIGHT
It is now 12:04am. I am out of bed. I have been in bed for the past two hours trying to fall asleep. All I've done is toss and turn. Every time I toss or turn the bunk bed moves, shaking Jenna awake.
The bed is in The Cave. It's a tiny room only wide enough for a set of bunk beds and a tiny walkway. There is a small window on one wall who's sill we sit in when we talk on the phone. But in general the room would not be considered a open space.
Most night I'm fine in there but every once in awhile I get claustrophobic in there. Especially sleeping on the bottom bunk.
At the ranch I slept outside all the time. On a rock, a picnic table, a grassy field, a mountain top. I'd fall asleep to thousands of stars and wake up to the sun peaking over Sheep's. I love that feeling of burrowing into the sleeping bag, staying warm with the trapped body heat. and then that brush of cold air as I got up in the morning. It would make sense if that cold air was a harsh wake up call but in reality it was a good morning greeting that made me excited for the glorious day ahead.
Here in The Cave of the bottom bunk I feel trapped. All I see are the glow in the dark stars and astronauts Jenna put on the slats of her bed. I fall asleep to florescent lights and wake up to stray text messages. The air always seems old, stale. Even with the window flung wide open and the van roaring on high. I just want to sleep outside.
The bed is in The Cave. It's a tiny room only wide enough for a set of bunk beds and a tiny walkway. There is a small window on one wall who's sill we sit in when we talk on the phone. But in general the room would not be considered a open space.
Most night I'm fine in there but every once in awhile I get claustrophobic in there. Especially sleeping on the bottom bunk.
At the ranch I slept outside all the time. On a rock, a picnic table, a grassy field, a mountain top. I'd fall asleep to thousands of stars and wake up to the sun peaking over Sheep's. I love that feeling of burrowing into the sleeping bag, staying warm with the trapped body heat. and then that brush of cold air as I got up in the morning. It would make sense if that cold air was a harsh wake up call but in reality it was a good morning greeting that made me excited for the glorious day ahead.
Here in The Cave of the bottom bunk I feel trapped. All I see are the glow in the dark stars and astronauts Jenna put on the slats of her bed. I fall asleep to florescent lights and wake up to stray text messages. The air always seems old, stale. Even with the window flung wide open and the van roaring on high. I just want to sleep outside.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
TWO FRIENDS
I've found a friend. Or more like two friends.
One of them has just recently started hanging out with my group of friends but is going to be one of my roommates next year. I was headed to Intervarsity on Wednesday night and she asked me where I was going and then just decided to tag along. Since then we've worshiped together multiple times, went to church this morning, went to bible study together, and have multiple discussions about our faith. It's awesome to find a friend here that I can connect with on the spiritual level.
My other friend, I met on Day 1 here and instantly connected with her but then neither of us completely followed up on our friendship. But today we both just needed to get out of the dorm so we walked over to a coffee shop. We sat in the coffee shop for three hours talking about everything from what we did on New Years Eve of 2000 to decorating styles to how our OSU team relates to our old club teams to European raves. It was so chill. We just talked, munched ice cubes, and moved our chairs every 15 mins to get the sun out of our eyes.
One of them has just recently started hanging out with my group of friends but is going to be one of my roommates next year. I was headed to Intervarsity on Wednesday night and she asked me where I was going and then just decided to tag along. Since then we've worshiped together multiple times, went to church this morning, went to bible study together, and have multiple discussions about our faith. It's awesome to find a friend here that I can connect with on the spiritual level.
My other friend, I met on Day 1 here and instantly connected with her but then neither of us completely followed up on our friendship. But today we both just needed to get out of the dorm so we walked over to a coffee shop. We sat in the coffee shop for three hours talking about everything from what we did on New Years Eve of 2000 to decorating styles to how our OSU team relates to our old club teams to European raves. It was so chill. We just talked, munched ice cubes, and moved our chairs every 15 mins to get the sun out of our eyes.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
YAWN
Today has been a little wacky.
I woke up at 5:30am to my roommate leaving for practice (she's on the guy's team)and couldn't fall back asleep so I got up and slumped over to the Dixon Rec Center to do the morning workout (we had to do it by ourselves. Stupid NCAA "offseason" rules). was back in the dorm by 7:15am so went back to bed.
Woke up again at 8:30.
Grumbled at Jenna because we have a Ghost in our dorm room who has so far: bitten into a apple and then left it for us to find, stolen Jenna's banana, eaten my PB&J tortilla, and made the photo from my brother disappear. They all just POOF, disappeared. All I wanted was to eat my PB&J tortilla and it's NOT anywhere! I put it on top of my computer and now it's not there. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Anyways,
went back to bed again. Woke up at 10:15 and finally started the day.
Went to class. Nothing to note.
And then came back and took another hour nap. I was curled up in the comfy chair and shivering the whole time.
Woke up in time for practice.
Dinner. Film showing of King Henry V
and now I'm back in my room, bouncing off the wall.
It's eight minutes past my bedtime and I am BEYOND awake. and I'm hungry...
I woke up at 5:30am to my roommate leaving for practice (she's on the guy's team)and couldn't fall back asleep so I got up and slumped over to the Dixon Rec Center to do the morning workout (we had to do it by ourselves. Stupid NCAA "offseason" rules). was back in the dorm by 7:15am so went back to bed.
Woke up again at 8:30.
Grumbled at Jenna because we have a Ghost in our dorm room who has so far: bitten into a apple and then left it for us to find, stolen Jenna's banana, eaten my PB&J tortilla, and made the photo from my brother disappear. They all just POOF, disappeared. All I wanted was to eat my PB&J tortilla and it's NOT anywhere! I put it on top of my computer and now it's not there. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Anyways,
went back to bed again. Woke up at 10:15 and finally started the day.
Went to class. Nothing to note.
And then came back and took another hour nap. I was curled up in the comfy chair and shivering the whole time.
Woke up in time for practice.
Dinner. Film showing of King Henry V
and now I'm back in my room, bouncing off the wall.
It's eight minutes past my bedtime and I am BEYOND awake. and I'm hungry...
Monday, January 5, 2009
RIGGER PHOTOS
Below are some photos from training trip in Sacramento last week.
Our rigger (the man in charge of the maintenance of the boats) is also a photographer for row2k.com a big rowing website so he spent a lot of time in the launch photographing us.
Down the 2k lane line.
Catching the water. I figured out this was picture of my arms when I recognized the burn on right arm and the dark freckle on the inside of my left elbow.
Coaches (Emily on the left, Vita on the right)
Last practice of the week. Getting ready to go HIGH in the stroke rate.
Six seat-see the braids?
Never said it was pretty.
Our rigger (the man in charge of the maintenance of the boats) is also a photographer for row2k.com a big rowing website so he spent a lot of time in the launch photographing us.
Down the 2k lane line.
Catching the water. I figured out this was picture of my arms when I recognized the burn on right arm and the dark freckle on the inside of my left elbow.
Coaches (Emily on the left, Vita on the right)
Last practice of the week. Getting ready to go HIGH in the stroke rate.
Six seat-see the braids?
Never said it was pretty.
KING HENRY OF EARTH SYSTEMS
I've decided I freakin' love school.
I only had two of my classes today: Earth Systems Science and Shakespeare: the Middle Plays.
And I'm psyched.
The Geo one should be interesting even if I didn't like the subject (It's part of the major I better like the topic) just because the professor is Hilarious (with a capital H). Example: He had his son call him at exactly 11:10am right in the middle of class. He answered the phone. His son was calling to tell him to remind him to turn off his phone during class. So he had us all pull out our phones and turn them off with him.
The Shakespeare professor seems a little flighty. I mean she knows her stuff but seems like one of those naturally scattered people who has to organize every detail of her life to function normally. But at the end of class she started reading Henry V outloud and you could tell she truly enjoyed it.
So we're reading King Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Merry Wives of Windsor, Hamlet, and Othello. So kinda all over the board in terms of tradjey vs comedy.
Anyone know anything about King Henry?
I only had two of my classes today: Earth Systems Science and Shakespeare: the Middle Plays.
And I'm psyched.
The Geo one should be interesting even if I didn't like the subject (It's part of the major I better like the topic) just because the professor is Hilarious (with a capital H). Example: He had his son call him at exactly 11:10am right in the middle of class. He answered the phone. His son was calling to tell him to remind him to turn off his phone during class. So he had us all pull out our phones and turn them off with him.
The Shakespeare professor seems a little flighty. I mean she knows her stuff but seems like one of those naturally scattered people who has to organize every detail of her life to function normally. But at the end of class she started reading Henry V outloud and you could tell she truly enjoyed it.
So we're reading King Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Merry Wives of Windsor, Hamlet, and Othello. So kinda all over the board in terms of tradjey vs comedy.
Anyone know anything about King Henry?
Sunday, January 4, 2009
2008 ENDING
I wrote this on New Year's Eve but for some reason it didn't post:
I think it's ironic that I spent the last day of 2008 rowing. 2008, if anything, wasn't about rowing for me. Mel and Jane were saying that wasn't ironic at all, it was their life, they don't seem to do anything else. That wasn't me at all. 2008 meant so much more to me. It meant healing, and growing, and stretching emotionally, mentally, spiritually. In fact the physical side of life was at the bottom bottom bottom of my list of things I did this year. I have a feeling tha I'll remmember 2008 as one of my most - for lack of a better word - important years. or I guess I should say growing years. Painful at times but most definitely for the better. 2008 was not about rowing inthe least. If anything I've learned in 2008 that A LOT can happen in 365 days.
So what does 2009 have in store? Well tomorrow I'll be rowing...
I think it's ironic that I spent the last day of 2008 rowing. 2008, if anything, wasn't about rowing for me. Mel and Jane were saying that wasn't ironic at all, it was their life, they don't seem to do anything else. That wasn't me at all. 2008 meant so much more to me. It meant healing, and growing, and stretching emotionally, mentally, spiritually. In fact the physical side of life was at the bottom bottom bottom of my list of things I did this year. I have a feeling tha I'll remmember 2008 as one of my most - for lack of a better word - important years. or I guess I should say growing years. Painful at times but most definitely for the better. 2008 was not about rowing inthe least. If anything I've learned in 2008 that A LOT can happen in 365 days.
So what does 2009 have in store? Well tomorrow I'll be rowing...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
