hi hi hi

Emily, this is the first time our blog has been an actual blog. We're both writing posts within a few days from eachother! omg omg omg

All right. I thought Id write a blog about what I've done so far in Costa Rica because I'm too lazy to sign out of their yahoo account and tell my mom via e-mail. Although she doesn't check this so I don't know how she's going to read it.
Anyways... I've been swimming every morning in their pool because mornings here are gorgeous. Warm but not hot, sky is clear, you can see the mountains and their backyard is like a jungle except with an exotic yippy dog. They also have a parrot who, as I'm swimming, says "Hola Gordita". It's a sweet bird. Anywho, the afternoons are polar opposite of the morning. It gets humid and you can see the rain clouds coming over the mountains because every afternoon it absolutely pours.
I've also been doing errands with Marta (the abuelita of the famfam) because Manuel (her husband) calls her his taxi. When he told me this he was laughing and laughing but she just looked angry. Then again she was driving and driving here is a terrifying experience. Especially since she's not a good driver and because her car was in the shop, she had to borrow her daughter-in-law's which was a manual. She said she would keep forgetting to shift. Which I'd notice when we were driving 20 miles an hour in first gear for a good fifteen seconds.
Wednesday, I swam and then Marta dropped me off at a zoo (I was already burdening her) But the zoo was pretty bitchin' and they had this iguana section of the zoo where the iguanas were just walking around. But since I hadn't been reading all the signs that told me this I was horrifed when there was a huge iguana in my path so I turned around and found a tour group to tag along with. But then I decided I wanted to go on my own again. Of course, when I left the tour group there was another iguana in front of me. Both my ways out were blocked so I just decided to suck it up and walk past them. I was considering how to take it on if it turned around and attacked. But all it did was run away, and if you've ever seen an iguana run, it is too funny. I looked ridiculous laughing and chasing an iguana alone. But it was quite the experience? Then Marta and I picked up the ol' granddaughter, Fernanda from school. We took her to french lessons (she's seven and oober cute. Even though I think I scare her). At the lessons, I met Marta's friends and had quite the awkward moment with one of them because she went in to kiss my cheek but I thought she wanted to shake hands, so I ended up grabbing her hand and shaking it. Then later in the car, Fer was eating a snack and offered me some of it. But I thought she said she was done so I ate like... half of the bag. She looked relieved when I handed it back to her. Then yesterday, it got so humid, that as I was walking around the town, my hair just poofed and curled and it probably made me stick out because everyone's hair is magically not frizzy here.

So ultimately what I'm saying is I've been having a sweet time and I'm writing because I'm just waiting until noon because then we're going to the farm on Lake Arenal. Then I hope to go ziplining there. We'll see what happens.

Peace

You walked in with a little come on, come on, come on in your walk

Hi homeboyz, 

KK is in Costa Rica right now! She left yesterday and she will be there until the 29th. I'm super duper jealous but I hope she's having a great time and I'm excited to hear her stories when she gets home. I'm sure she'll write a blog post about her trip, but if she doesn't, I will. 

Right now I'm sitting on the couch in Dunn Bros drinking iced chai and I WAS reading Catcher in the Rye until I decided to start blogging. I love that book so much. This is the 3rd or 4th time I've read it and it never fails to impress me. After the fifth page I always start thinking like Holden and continue to do so until I finish it. Sorry if this blog is really scattered today, I'm also listening to music. I'm listening to 66 by the Afghan Whigs right now. If you haven't heard that song, check it out right now. This is the best link I could find, I apologize for the Katherine McPhee montage... it really has nothing to do with it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw_3QvwVcsU&feature=related But anyways it's a really sexy song and I've been jammin out to it for a couple days now. 

I just got really disappointed. I was sitting in the coffee shop counting how many people have their cell phones out on the table, just waiting to be called upon and distracted. I could only find one girl who didn't have her phone out on the table, and then her's rings from inside her pocket and she starts talking on it and gets up and walks out. Things like that really disappoint me. 

I'm obviously running out of things to write about so I'm going to give you a quick update on the basics: I'm on break right now in between spring and summer semester. I'm really trying to enjoy it because this is shaping up to be a pretty busy summer. School ended well, I did decent on all my finals so I can relax about that. Work has been fun also, I experienced the first death on my shift yesterday and that went much better than expected. Some guy just picked up my receipt from the table and went to throw it away. He didn't realize it had my gum stuck in it. Oops. 

On that note I'm going to go. 

Love, EmEm

so... hello

Normally I'd be in my psychology class right now and I wish I was because I really like that class, but my ovaries were punching me all night last night and I got about three hours of sleep. So here I am writing a blog post because it seemed like the appropriate thing to do.
Let's see... Today's cinco de mayo! If I didn't have work, I'd seriously consider doing something related to Mexico, Mexicans or Mexican food. I'll probably end up celebrating by contracting swine flu! Zing! lawlz... But in all actuality, I'll probably end up going to Taco Bell after work and chanting "Mexico" as I order my one dollar chalupa.
Segway! I'm going to Costa Rica in exactly two weeks from today. I hate planes though so I'm more nervous about crashing in a fiery ball (tee hee) then anything else. But I'm excited for the possibility my plane will land and I'll actually get to do stuff in Costa Rica. Like teach the locals about the "wrong way" and the "American way" and suggesting they need more McDonald's and guns.
Another not as great segway! Guess who got into a cat fight last night with his lady friend?... my cat. Although my mom thinks the other cat is his man friend and she keeps calling him gay. She's also been calling him a slut lately so who knows what he is. Anywho, I heard Taz meowing outside, so I stuck my head out of my window and I started calling him inside, and he came running to our house. It was then I realized I was calling him into my bedroom window, which was two stories high and he looked at me like I was an idiot and walked away. :-( But he got inside somehow because I'm forcing him to snuggle with me right now.
Speaking of my upstairs windows, I got Will to remove the screen from one of them so I can crawl out my window onto the tiny roof over our porch. (I feel confident sharing this because I know my mother stopped reading this after our first two days in Chile). I tried crawling out last night and first off, I am the least graceful person, so I was somewhat shocked I didn't fall to my sure death or sprained ankle (it can really only be one or the other). And when I stepped onto the roof, let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if I fell through because it sort of squishes when I walk... but that didn't stop me from lying down! It was really nice out last night so for a split second I considered getting a pillow and just sleeping outside but then I realized I'd look like a homeless person.
And now to bring this full circle.
My ovaries are in a boxing match at the moment so I'm going to try going back to bed.

There you go Emily. A precious blog post.

-KK

Even the man in the moon disappeared, somewhere in the stratosphere

I am in one of the worst moods I have ever been in today. If you're in a good mood right now, do yourself a favor and stop reading. If you're in a bad mood, then read on and feed off my bitchiness. This blog has pretty much turned into a monthly ranting about what's going on with me (and sometimes KK when she works up enough energy to write on here) so I'm probably going to regret writing this TODAY of all days, because over all it's been a pretty good month. I quit Sunrise for various company-related and back-related reasons and I'm working with my mom at the hospice now. That's actually been going really well. I'm training in for the last time tomorrow night and then flying solo on Wednesday morning for the first time, so that should be interesting to say the least. School is getting the best of me. I honestly have no idea how I'm going to make it through the next year without a break. I'm taking classes through out the summer because I'm in a time crunch to get my pre reqs done... but it's only April and I'm totally burnt out. I worked this morning and then skipped class today and slept for 3 hours. Other than those two things (work and school) that I'm somehow managing to keep in relative control, everything else is a mess and a half. Promises are being rewritten and my relationships with the people that mean the most to me are proving to be more complicated and messy than I ever thought possible. I'm more unsure of them than I ever thought I would be. It makes me think that maybe I've had my priorities in the wrong order. Actually it's pretty much proof that my priorities ARE in the wrong order. And that I've been selfish and focusing too much on the future rather than the present. I don't know how to find a balance. I don't know if I can. Today I was thinking about how great it's going to be when I'm 80 and everything has been written and I can just sit in a huge recliner somewhere in Tahiti and know that there's nothing left to worry about. Is that weird? I think that's weird.  But when I'm sitting there, what am I going to look back on? A super amazing career, experience traveling the world? Or a close family and close friends, but putting my career in the back seat and maybe staying in MN for the majority of my life? Who the fuck knows because right now it doesn't feel like I can have both. I know some people can, I just don't know if I can because the two are both so incredibly important to me. It feels like an impossible balance. 

I'm almost done.

I'm going to go bungee jumping this summer, and sky diving and hang gliding. And I'm going to ride my longboard every day. And I'm going to parasail on a super windy day. And maybe cliff jumping, but I don't know if that's really available in MN. And in between all that I'm going to go to my classes, and keep moving forward, because really, there's nothing else you can do. 

Mac Lethal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjGW2hxcbfw

Hi Mom

Chello reader,

I'm not making that plural because I'm pretty sure the only person still reading this is my mom. So... hey mom. Right now I'm sitting in the study area in the science building of MCTC trying to look busy so no one asks me to give up my spot. I'm feeling way too lazy to do any real work. Mmm anyways I'm just waiting for Doty to get out of class so we can go get some noms. 

In recent news, I got a new job! It was the second place I applied to and the one I wanted most. It's an assisted living center only 1 block away from my mama's hospice, and I'm going to be working the night shift on the Alzheimer's/Dementia unit. I'm really, really excited!!! I start training over spring break, so next week. I've already done a day of job shadowing there and the residents are so sweet. I love all of them already and I can tell that I'm going to be very emotionally invested in this job... I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing yet. Maybe a little bit of both. But I've been reading a zillion books about the different types and stages of dementia so I can have greater understanding and, hopefully, provide better care. As for the nursing program, I'm still working on my prereqs and I'm planning on taking a couple of summer classes just for funsies... and to get them out of the way. 

Ummmm what else. I think I need a haircut. I have a gift certificate for a massage that I got for christmas from my cousin and my mom that I need to find the time to use soon! My mom, Eric and I went up to Lutsen with the Tuomisto family a couple weeks ago and that was a lot of fun. (Happy Birthday Rog!) Chris Brown beat up Rihanna and now they're back together, in case anyone cares. Alright... I think I'm out of things to write about. I'll update you guys again after my first week of work! 

Love, EmEm

25 Random Things

Hi gang, 

Amelia gave us a super idea, so I'm going to take the liberty of posting 25 random facts about each of us that you really don't want to know anyways:

Facts about EmEm:

1. I have a 2nd degree black belt in karate... yeah, I'm kind of a big deal
2. If you call me up in 6 years and ask what I'm doing, I'm going to be an emergency flight nurse working for CALSTAR
3. I am the ultimate facebook stalker... watch out, kids
4. I need to maintain a 4.0 for at least the next 3 semesters
5. Sometimes I miss middle school.
6. I was born 2 weeks late with a broken collarbone, which leads me to #7...
7. I was the fattest baby you'll ever see.
8. I got my earring ripped out while surfing two summers ago, and the second I got back in the water I couldn't feel any pain. I truly believe that the ocean is healing, and there is no where else I'd rather be than in the water. 
9. I have ocd, and it bothers me when people say they have ocd just because they're organized or they don't like germs. That's not it at all.
10. I love taking naps.
11. I'm a Certified Nursing Assistant
12. I worked for a week as a Student Nursing Assistant on the Alzheimer's/Dementia Unit of a nursing home. It was the single most humbling and life changing experience of my life.
13. I went to Chile and Argentina last summer with my bff KK. 
14. I'm a pack rat. I save everything. 
15. My role model is my momma. 
16. My favorite number is 31 and my favorite color is green.
17. I'm a Twins fan!
18. My brother and sister mean everything to me and I'd do anything for them.
19. My dreams are almost ALWAYS vivid, and I can usually remember them...
20. ...Last night I dreamt that I was camping with my family and there was a forest fire, so we had to swim to the middle of the lake until the helicopters could put it out... but it turned out that the fire could travel through the water, but when it touched you it didn't hurt so bad after all. We finally found a clear spot in the lake and stayed there until the fire was put out.
21. When I don't wake up on time my little brother comes into my room and puts ice cubes down the back of my shirt :(
22. It bothers me when people mix up your/you're, there/their/they're and to/too
23. I had an unhealthy obsession with Aaron Carter in grade school. 
24. And yeah, I have been to one of his concerts... wanna fight about it??!
25. My faith is what defines me.

Facts about KK:

1. I'll be surprised if I finish this list
2. I believed in Santa until 5th grade.
3. Sadly, I love finding out if people facebook stalk me
4. I love foreigners! And cute little accents.
5. http://www.raincitystory.com/flash/screenclean.swf gross...
6. Gael Garcia Bernal would make me drop my pants in an instant
7. I like helping my grandma with our family tree. Ultimate definition of cool.
8. I have to plug my ears during any scary scene in a horror film. Or else I'd scream and cling onto the poor person sitting next to me.
9. I like roaming grocery stores especially blind or pregnant...
10. My favorite color is red or purple. Depending on the day.
11. My favorite number is eleven! and seven and found out later I weighed 7 lb. 11 oz. Fascinating I know.
12. I've moved eleven times and been to seven different schools. I used to live in Santa Rosa and Millbrae California... and Hopkins, MN.
13. Here's my angrier tidbit. I don't like stupid drama and a lot of people's inability to confront whatever/whoever it is that's bothering them. I also don't like people without a sense of humor. They make me uncomfortable. Sorry?
14. I like the human touch. Aww yeah
15. My least favorite smell is burning rubber
16. One Thanksgiving when I was eight, I got the pleasure of sitting by my grandpa who told me a story about how he witnessed a man fall out of a building from so many stories that his spine went through his brain. Now I think about that story at least once every Thanksgiving. Works up an appetite.
17. I have to finish chewing my food on the left side of my mouth before I can swallow it. twss?
18. I used to really want braces in fourth grade because I thought it would make me look cool. I never got them.
19. I wish I were bilingual
20. I'm not a huge fan of any other kind of chocolate except dark.
21. I tell everyone I meet but in case I don't know you; without my contacts or glasses I'd be legally blind
22. I sing in the shower and I sing and dance when I'm cooking alone. Extreme multi tasking. Oh, and I sing and dance in the car too whether I'm alone or with friends.
23. I do not like my calves, I like my hair. I hate my arms, I like my hips. (Clearly running low on things to write about)
24. I used to have baby acne!
25. It took me way too long to write out this list.

So anyways, there you have it. I know... we're fascinating. We actually just baby-sat my old neighbors Theo and Raina tonight so that was fun. Yesterday was Ellen's 19th birthday so we went to Mystic Lake to play cosmic bingo which was really fun! But right now I am sexhausted so I'm gonna get to bed... actually I probably won't go to bed for another few hours but I'm too tired to keep writing this. I'll update you all more later! Ciao.

Besos, EmEm

Happy Birthday Carolyn!

*Ahem* It's been awhile since I've posted, so I'm taking the liberty of updating you all since I know KK isn't about to. First of all... Happy 20th birthday Carolyn!!! We celebrated my sister's birthday last night with the famfam, her friend Sai, and my boy toy Alfie. Carolyn cooked for us all and did a really great job. We had falafels, pasta, salad, and homemade vegetarian pizza. My Mom made a cake too, it was really delish. 

Right now I am desperately trying to avoid reading for biology. It 's not that I wouldn't LIKE to read, but honestly, how am I supposed to focus when I have important things like this to do? 

Well let's get down to business. The most important thing that has happened to me lately is the passing of my Gramie a little less than a month ago. She developed aspiration pneumonia in the rehabilitation center, so we transferred her to my Mom's hospice where she hoped to regain her strength and return to her home. It was only a couple days before things went steeply downhill, and she died the morning of the 22nd. So that's been pretty hard on our family and I miss her a lot,  but she shows up in a lot of my dreams so I like to think she misses me too :). 

Umm what else... school is going well so far, spring semester started last week. I'm taking Biology w/ a lab, Psychology w/ a discussion section, Ethnic America, and Pilates. It's all pretty fun and I'm enjoying it so far. Plus KK and I have a lot of breaks at the same time, and as it turns out, were in the same psychology class AND discussion group! We didn't know until the first day of class when I walked in and saw her staring at me. I did a 180 and almost walked out of the room until I realized that I probably didn't have the wrong class, we had made a mistake comparing our schedules. So that has been fun and Kathryn already got in trouble for talking too much... it's 6th grade all over again =D. 

Last weekend  KK and Alfie and I went to the casino for the first time. Kathryn walked in with 20 bucks and lost 15 within the first 20 minutes. She is a terrifyingly perfect target for the casino industry. She was playing a $2 game and when I told her to stop, she looked up at some fliers hanging from the ceiling and said "But look Emily! THEY won a car!!" and proceeded to hit buttons randomly and lose more money. After that we were walking around looking for a more promising game to play, and before Alfie or I could step in KK was yelling "Ooo this one is so colorful!" and feeding money to another game. Long story short, we will not be going back to the casino together any time soon. 

Alrighty folks that's all I've got time to write right now... I'm going to go study some more and then KK and I are going on a Burger King run. We both have school tomorrow from 9-11:45, it's our shortest day, AND we get to ride the bus together!! =D 

Love, EmEm

p.s. Please comment. We are el desperado for attention. 

Paper Planes

OK, so I try to update the blog for the first time since almost a month and my computer starts freezing like nobody's business. I think it's a sign because I was listening to Paper Planes by MIA and for the lyrics "Sticks and stones and weed and bones" the computer freezes at sticks, but because of her accent it sounded like six and it just kept playing "six, six, six, six", so it was listening to the remixed version of that song, demon style. A little scary.

Anywhoozle, the past few weeks have been pretty busy with everyone back in town for a short period of time. So here is a train of thought of the things I've done the past few weeks. Um... I hung with the extended famfam for Christmas eve and Christmas day. For New Year's Eve, Emily and I went to Emma M.'s house which was fun. Katy, Ellen, Devin and I painted our faces with finger paint. It was fun at first until it started burning... And on the third, I went with Amelia for her last night to Galactic Pizza and Too Much Love. The DJ there was super fine and we saw Peter K., Tom S. and friends of theirs getting their groove on. I also got in trouble with one of the staff members at First Ave because I was washing my hands and stupidly shouted to Amelia "Look how easy these X's come off your hands!" Her marker didn't work when she tried to put new X's on my hands so she hunted me down five minutes later on the dance floor with a new marker. She interfered with my groove but what can you do?

I also saw the movies Curious Case of Benjamin Button (twice and cried both times. Pat on the back for me) and Burn After Reading. Now my only goal before school starts next week is to get school supplies... and maybe go to the casino if there's time. We'll see.

Oh, and new years resolution- to move out of my cribbb. Please comment if anyone is still reading this.

Hello? Hello? Hello?...

I'll post a stupid picture and video to encourage people to comment! I lol'd. She's so scared.

Title: My fear of mustard and pickles is ruining my life!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUk_3eKL9Xk

And a fear of balloons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jHFaOBgXBU&feature=related

^I think it would be slightly (or very) funny if these people did end up dying of their weird phobias. Choking on a pickle, getting smothered by a balloon, dying from chalk fumes...? etc.

And on that note, it's Emily's turn next time to do a blog post.