So not only did the last motel not have internet (which I had hoped was becoming a standard), it also didn't have breakfast of any sort (except for coffee), which I had thought was a standard. Fortunately we planned ahead and brought some cereal and milk. Unfortunately, we didn't plan far enough ahead and forget to get some bowls and spoons. It was one of those mornings.
Yesterday, we did a bit of hiking in a some state park (probably Calvin Coolidge State Park) and that was pretty fun. Except for some weird Fungi (Is there such a thing as normal Fungi?) we didn't see a whole lot, but I still enjoyed it. There was also a neat Farmer's Market in Woodstock with tons of very delicious looking food.
It's hard to remember most of what we've been doing the past couple of days as it has mainly consisted of driving around to places with things to do. I had originally intended to go hiking around a place called Texas Falls today, but the road to the falls was closed, meaning we had driven a whole 45 minutes for nothing. We ended getting a bit of hiking at another state park, but some of the fun was taken out of it. I have discovered that driving around in the morning kind of irks me for some reason. Probably because once I'm awake, I have a decent amount of energy and I want to use that energy doing things that aren't just sitting.
In other news, I got a haircut today, which is nice. I'm not too sure when I'll be able to get another one, so I got it cut to the length known as "the length of hair that always prompts my friends to complain about how short my hair is now." Actually, that happens pretty much everytime I take any more than 1/4 of an inch off the top, but whatever. The point is, I got a haircut and I'm rather happy about it.
We also went to a farm today, where they make Maple Syrup and Cheese (which is incredibly delicious). That was quite fun and kind of made me want to work on a farm. Something I'll probably look into one of these summers. I tried some four year old cheddar and have to say it was probably some of the best cheese ever. If, for some reason, anyone out there feels compelled to get my cheese for some special occasion, aged chedder would be a good choice. Also Wensleydale, but only because I've always wanted to try some.
We're currently staying at a bed and breakfast in South Woodstock, Vermont (I'll bet you had forgot about that bit by now). They have good internet and breakfast, which is a huge step up from the place we were yesterday. I'm currently posting this from up in my little loft bed about six feet above the floor. Of course, due to the 'heights are really scary' effect, it looks more 15, but I'm not one to let the idea of falling at least six feet to the floor and potentially breaking a few of my favorite bones (like the ones in my neck) deter me.
Tomorrow is the last full day of being with my mom here in Vermont. After that, I go camping for nine days and probably won't have any contact with anyone here on the internet. Of course, I haven't really had any contact with anyone anyways, but that's beside the point. Until Friday, there is at least potential for contact; after that I'm on my own. Except for the nine other people on the trip of course. I think we will unfortunately have to do some shopping tomorrow, because I just checked the list of stuff I need for the trip and I don't even have half of it. The real tragedy is that some of it I did have at home, I just didn't bring on the trip with me because I didn't think I would need it until school actually started. Totally forgot to take into account the fact that caves are cold, and sometimes wet. Oh well, I can usually make do without everything on the list, but there are a few things I think I will need to buy tomorrow.
That's all I got for now. I'll try to post one more time before I leave, but no guarantees. See you around.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
In Manchester, Vermont
As the title subtly suggests, I'm currently posting from the town of Manchester, Vermont. Well, probably just outside the town of Manchester, Vermont to be more accurate. I'm in a motel called Northshire Motel (or something to that extent), which is pretty much the same as any relatively cheap motel. It has a pool, which I probably won't use, a small selection of videos you can rent from the main office (for free), some coffee which tasted a tad gritty to me, and no room #13.
The last couple of days have been pretty crazy by my standards. I don't think I got any sleep on the flight here, which I pretty much expected, but I forgot to take into account the fact that it's a little too warm to comfortably drink coffee here. I still do of course, at just about every opportunity I get, but it's just not very comfortably. The first day here (yesterday) we did some shopping for school supplies and the like. I pretty much just got whatever supplies I thought I might need (like a 60 pack of really cheap pens), though there are a few things I still want to get, like some socks, underwear, disposable razors, and probably a couple other things I can't think of right now.
After the shopping, we went to the Ben and Jerry's factory, which was sort of similar to the Tillimook Cheese factory, but more crowded. And with less cheese. It was super-high calorie fun! Seriously, I'm pretty sure I took in so many calories yesterday that I could have gone all day without eating today except for the occasional snack here and there. I think my favorite part about Ben and Jerry's was the Flavor Graveyard, which was a small mock cemetary of flavors they had discontinued. I think I mostly liked it because it was the least crowded place on the property, probably on account of it also being the place furthest away from the factory (except for some parking).
It also went nicely with Vermont's theme of having a lot of cemetaries everywhere you go. In Oregon, we have lots of space, so we just set aside huge areas of land for burying dead people. In Vermont, they have signifactly less space, so they just have a lot of little cemetaries. Also, most of the cemetaries here are older than a lot of the topsoil in Oregon. Not that really ancient topsoil you find in places of the state that don't get a lot of rain, but a good percentage of the topsoil nonetheless.
We stayed the night at a quaint (you'll probably see me use that word a lot) little bed and breakfast in Castleton, Vermont. They had a cat there that was the same breed as Polly, smallish and black with hints of white in certain areas. It seemed to be mostly run by a scottish lady, who was very nice and fit the place perfectly. Her husband was also around and did the cooking for breakfast, but he didn't seem so interesting in actually interacting with people. I had meant to get up early and go for a walk around the area, but that plan got kicked in the head when I passed out sometime around 10 (I think) and woke up sometime around 8. Earlier than I used to get up at home (during the summer at least), but not early enough to really experience the morning.
Most of today was just spent driving around to various places and eventually ending up in the Manchester area. I would have liked to do some hiking, but by the time we got around to finding a place, it was too late to really get any done. I'd like to do some tomorrow, but we'll probably be spending most of our time driving to Woodstock, Vermont, so we'll see.
Anyways, I think that's all the writing I have in my right now. I've still got some sleep to catch up on, so I'm going to do that now and hopefully I'll be able to post here tomorrow. Goodnight.
The last couple of days have been pretty crazy by my standards. I don't think I got any sleep on the flight here, which I pretty much expected, but I forgot to take into account the fact that it's a little too warm to comfortably drink coffee here. I still do of course, at just about every opportunity I get, but it's just not very comfortably. The first day here (yesterday) we did some shopping for school supplies and the like. I pretty much just got whatever supplies I thought I might need (like a 60 pack of really cheap pens), though there are a few things I still want to get, like some socks, underwear, disposable razors, and probably a couple other things I can't think of right now.
After the shopping, we went to the Ben and Jerry's factory, which was sort of similar to the Tillimook Cheese factory, but more crowded. And with less cheese. It was super-high calorie fun! Seriously, I'm pretty sure I took in so many calories yesterday that I could have gone all day without eating today except for the occasional snack here and there. I think my favorite part about Ben and Jerry's was the Flavor Graveyard, which was a small mock cemetary of flavors they had discontinued. I think I mostly liked it because it was the least crowded place on the property, probably on account of it also being the place furthest away from the factory (except for some parking).
It also went nicely with Vermont's theme of having a lot of cemetaries everywhere you go. In Oregon, we have lots of space, so we just set aside huge areas of land for burying dead people. In Vermont, they have signifactly less space, so they just have a lot of little cemetaries. Also, most of the cemetaries here are older than a lot of the topsoil in Oregon. Not that really ancient topsoil you find in places of the state that don't get a lot of rain, but a good percentage of the topsoil nonetheless.
We stayed the night at a quaint (you'll probably see me use that word a lot) little bed and breakfast in Castleton, Vermont. They had a cat there that was the same breed as Polly, smallish and black with hints of white in certain areas. It seemed to be mostly run by a scottish lady, who was very nice and fit the place perfectly. Her husband was also around and did the cooking for breakfast, but he didn't seem so interesting in actually interacting with people. I had meant to get up early and go for a walk around the area, but that plan got kicked in the head when I passed out sometime around 10 (I think) and woke up sometime around 8. Earlier than I used to get up at home (during the summer at least), but not early enough to really experience the morning.
Most of today was just spent driving around to various places and eventually ending up in the Manchester area. I would have liked to do some hiking, but by the time we got around to finding a place, it was too late to really get any done. I'd like to do some tomorrow, but we'll probably be spending most of our time driving to Woodstock, Vermont, so we'll see.
Anyways, I think that's all the writing I have in my right now. I've still got some sleep to catch up on, so I'm going to do that now and hopefully I'll be able to post here tomorrow. Goodnight.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Leaving on a Jet Plane (I think)
So if everything goes according to plan, I leave tonight at 10:10 on US Airways flight 924. I'm having dinner with my family somewhere at the airport (at least I believe that's the plan) sometime around 7:00 (probably) and will hopefully pass through security sometime around 8:00 to 8:30, though that's a rough estimate.
Mostly I'm writing this down so I can remember what I thought was going to happen and compare it later to what actually happened (to be covered in a later entry).
Mostly I'm writing this down so I can remember what I thought was going to happen and compare it later to what actually happened (to be covered in a later entry).
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Still in Portland
As of right now I am still in Portland, Oregon, but in a little more than a week I will be flying to Vermont in order to go to college. It's a tad scary to tell the truth; I knew it would be a change, but for the most part I just pushed it out of my mind. I'll probably be staying in Vermont until Winter Break in mid-December, which means over three months away from everyone and everything that makes Portland home. Of course, I do prefer the country to the city, so that'll be nice. It's also a pretty liberal area, so I'll probably be around roughly the same kinds of people I am over here, though I'm not too sure how good of a thing that is. At least it'll be familiar.
One of the things I will be doing in Vermont (one of the first things actually) is going caving for nine days. Nine days camping and exploring caves with people I have only had the briefest contact with in the past. Hopefully it won't be more than nine or ten people, otherwise the social aspect of the trip will diminish somewhat and I'll feel like just another face in the crowd. I've never really been on a trip like this before without someone I know fairly well going along with me. So far I have talked to one person who is actually going on this trip, but I don't know her too well at all.
I kind of hate knowing that I'm going to leave for a really long time, but still being here. It's hard when I'm hanging out with people and I'm thinking, "in less than a week and a half, I'll be on the other side of the country and won't be able to see these people again for a long time." It's kind of like dating someone and knowing you're going to break up with them soon, but for the moment you're still with them. It's just harder to enjoy being around them as much. Of course, it makes personal problems a little easier to deal with, though I haven't had a whole lot in the past month or so. Still, whenever something does come up, I can just say, "Whatever, I'm gone in a week. It doesn't matter."
Still, I want to pack some living into that week because that's what you do at a time like this. I ain't about to just fade away.
One of the things I will be doing in Vermont (one of the first things actually) is going caving for nine days. Nine days camping and exploring caves with people I have only had the briefest contact with in the past. Hopefully it won't be more than nine or ten people, otherwise the social aspect of the trip will diminish somewhat and I'll feel like just another face in the crowd. I've never really been on a trip like this before without someone I know fairly well going along with me. So far I have talked to one person who is actually going on this trip, but I don't know her too well at all.
I kind of hate knowing that I'm going to leave for a really long time, but still being here. It's hard when I'm hanging out with people and I'm thinking, "in less than a week and a half, I'll be on the other side of the country and won't be able to see these people again for a long time." It's kind of like dating someone and knowing you're going to break up with them soon, but for the moment you're still with them. It's just harder to enjoy being around them as much. Of course, it makes personal problems a little easier to deal with, though I haven't had a whole lot in the past month or so. Still, whenever something does come up, I can just say, "Whatever, I'm gone in a week. It doesn't matter."
Still, I want to pack some living into that week because that's what you do at a time like this. I ain't about to just fade away.
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