Put the tea on, I have stories!

I don't know why now, but I've decided to go back to college. It's been gnawing at me for a year or so, and I've ignored it with some success. I came to the point where I felt stagnant again, and I didn't know what to do about it.

Really, what it was is, I've doubted my intelligence and felt that I was essentially letting my brain atrophy with useless knowledge. All of the things I'd been pretentious about since out of college seemed silly. And while I know that's not true, (I have a great deal of things to be pretentious about ie: political affiliation, morality and sense of humor, etc) I couldn't shake the feeling of uselessness and purpose of being on this planet.

After a few months of battle with Clark College (thanks for the tenacity check Universe AND the financial aid department at Clark), I was able to walk in Monday morning the first day of class and register for the math class that I really needed. There was another class that I really wanted to take too. I don't need it, but I wanted it.

Choir.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to sing. It started when I was young. My father has an amazing voice. He always had a song for any situation, and was unashamed to break out in song anywhere, much to my embarrassment occasionally.

I don't have an operatic voice. It's more of a clear tone without any vibrato. Ripe for the picking of refinement with the right person, or group.

For the most part, I've been satisfied with it. Recently it has betrayed me. My voice would hurt when I'd sing, or I couldn't hit the pitch to match the song. It has made me furious and self-conscious of using it outside of a punch line for a joke, in the car (I have no shame there), or with the children I work with. My voice was something I could count on. Singing is one thing that without fail can always bring me true joy. I secretly prided myself on being able to stay on pitch without any formal training, and now, it was slipping away.

So instead of continuing to be angry (rest assured, I did go through the anger cycle with this one), I found as much information that I could online about vocal training, counting rhythm and printable sheet music. A while back, I had vocal lessons through Parks and Recreation at the Lupeke Center in Vancouver. I liked the teacher well enough, but I felt that I wasn't really going to do anything with my voice, so I discontinued taking lessons.

But now, I have an opportunity to train for a purpose. Clark College is now offering a evening choir class. It's as if the heavens opened up, and offered me this on a silver platter. I work a 9-5, then add a 5-8 on top of that Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I don't begrudge it, it pays the bills and allows me to live the life I've become accustomed to. But you can see where the scheduling conflicts come into play.

Anyways, I called today and talked to the director. She asked me my experience, and really, it's been about two years since I've sung in an organized group. Perhaps it's been three years. She invited me to join the first half of class, and audition during the break. She's looking for a second soprano or alto. I told her that I was willing to do either.

So, it's time to pile on the crazy. 8 credits of school and two jobs. I'll be loving my weekend time. I'm excited. Whoo! Do you know who else is excited?

MY MOM!

Seriously, though. She is.

This morning when I was leaving my 7AM math class, I was feeling a little nostalgic of the days when I took classes with Josh at the crack of dawn.

Miss you Josh!

Mahalo for reading!

-Laura Borelious

Places or things mentioned in post:

Rhythm counter: http://www.philtulga.com/counter.html
Music theory: www.musictheory.net
Voice lessons thru parks and rec:
https://recconnect.cityofvancouver.us/econnect/Activities/ActivitiesAdvSearch.asp

Port Townsend Day 2

I'm so glad that I took so many pictures, or I would've forgotten about this little gem...

 Port Townsend Safeway

Christine and I decided that we didn't want to go to a restaurant two meals in a row. Since I brought a cooler, we decided to buy things to make sandwiches. I saw that the stoplight was flashing when we turned into the parking lot, but I didn't really pay it any mind. 

When we entered the store, I looked around and noticed that we had mood lighting. Half of the store was on auxiliary power. The refrigerated/freezer aisles were blocked off with shopping carts, but did not impede our shopping experience. 

 Point Wilson lighthouse

The second morning we went to Fort Worden. I HIGHLY recommend this state park. If I had an RV, I would stay here. They do have Officer's Row housing which is incredibly beautiful. They also rent out the barracks.

 View from the front of the lighthouse

 I find driftwood shanties quaint, because I don't live in one.

 Rock people, rock people!

 Beach at Fort Wordon

 This is for Andrea. 

 Marine Science Center!!!

 These sea critters are in WASHINGTON STATE OCEANS!

 Look in the right corner. That is a sunshine starfish!

I absolutely LOVED the marine science center. My mind was continuously blown looking at all of the brightly colored sea critters that live on OUR coast line. It was as if their mere presence was reassuring me that yes, I live in the best state ever. 

There were four or five tide pools where you were able to touch the animals. I wasn't really interested, because mostly I didn't want to hurt them. However, the scientist who worked there convinced me to touch the sunshine starfish, sea cucumber and the sea urchin(s). She said that the sea critters were used to being touched anyways.

 Random Victorian building

Another Victorian building

The long and short of it is... 3 days isn't enough time to explore the wonderful city of Port Townsend. I don't think there was anything about this city that I didn't like. There was ample FREE parking. A HUGE plus for me! Everything you could want was within walking distance of our bed and breakfast. The people in the town were friendly, and it seemed as if it was a happy town. I would highly recommend Port Townsend for a vacation spot for anybody who loves Victorian era architecture, with access to modern accommodations a few miles outside of town. I will be back next summer!

Links mentioned in post:

http://www.parks.wa.gov/fortworden/
http://www.ptmsc.org/

Mahalo for reading!

-Laura Borelious

Big Sexy: It's Anything But

I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a TLC junkie. Say Yes to the Dress, What Not to Wear, A Baby Story, and occasionally 19 Kids and Counting. It’s TV that doesn’t require much brain power, mildly entertaining and helps pass the time.

While watching one of the fine programs that TLC has to offer, they were spamming the commercial breaks with their “GROUNDBREAKING” new show “Big Sexy.” It’s a show that will be following the lives of five plus size women and their attempt to enter the fashion world as plus size models and/or designers.

Being “plus sized” myself, my interest was piqued.

I think you should to know that I don’t identify myself with the “girl power plus size” crew.  I don’t love the fact that I’m a plus sized woman, and I don’t hate it. I take it for what it is. The status of my body is due to years of emotional eating. I used food as my drug of choice to suppress my anxiety, sadness, anger, and even joy. I used it as a cop-out to not live a full life. Now that I’m aware of this, I am learning to treat my body with kindness, as often as I can remember I am taking ownership of my choices, and how my body has turned out is because of MY CHOICES.

I DON’T have a debilitating condition that requires me to be sedentary for long periods of time. I don’t take medications that made my weight balloon up. I’ve been fat my entire life. My brother and I like to call it being constant. We’ve been this way our entire lives, so it’s socially accepted among our friends and family.

One thing that really pissed me off was at the beginning of the show, one of the characters (and I say characters because all people on reality television are playing a role that is more likely than not scripted)

“All fat girls don’t wanna be skinny. Did I just blow your mind?”

 No, dear. You did not blow my mind. Because the insincerity behind that statement is written all over your countenance.

You give me one fat girl who wakes up in the morning and says, “Sweet! I get to carry around 300+ pounds around today.” Or a woman looks in their full length mirror with their cellulite and rolls staring back at them and thinks, “Damn, I look good. This is what men are attracted to!” And I’ll give you me that says you’re full of shit.

It’s your body. You own it. You should treat it with love and kindness. And when it’s not within its natural weight, it is a direct representation of what is going on inside of you. Which is not love. Or happiness. It cannot be.

Another thing I found fraudulent about this show was a scene where one of the women was getting dressed. She put on 3 types of body shapers.  Um, where is your confidence in you curves, ma’am?

Many plus sized women and regular sized women do wear girdles, shape wear, and an array of undergarments to smooth out their mid section, legs and back fat. It’s understandable why women do that and it can make clothing fit better.

I found it ironic, I suppose that these ladies would have any use for a garment that is used to mask or change their natural body shape.

Another scene in the show that aggravated me is when they went to a club, and were refused entrance for a period of time. Two skinny attractive women and some men were admitted in front of them. They were not required to pay the cover charge. The bouncers later returned to the plus sized ladies and requested that they pay a $30 cover charge. And they had the gall to be offended. Seriously, ladies?

I’m gonna say it.

Clubs are for young, attractive, skinny people.

And sometimes even young, attractive, FAMOUS skinny people aren’t admitted into a club. Exhibit A: Seth MacFarlane. (http://www.tmz.com/2008/11/15/seth-to-crown-bar-i-can-buy-you-b-ch/)

Why would you go to a place that will openly discriminate against you? It would be like me going to a Mason Lodge and demanding membership. It’s a fraternity. I’m not going to be admitted. I could scream and cry foul, but it is what it is. There are organizations for all types of people. Why make yourself a target? Unless of course, you crave the negative attention. Because even negative attention is attention.

It’s really frustrating to me how some people think they’re SPECIAL. And because they are SO special, they deserve to have whatever they want, when they want it. And when they don’t get it, IT’S A SOCIAL OUTRAGE!

Let me say this. You’re not special. Not anymore special than the person who rides his bike to work instead of driving. Or the person who spends Christmas morning feeding the homeless. You don’t deserve preferential treatment because you have an eating disorder. People need to get off their pretentious high horse and get back to their lives.

This show isn’t groundbreaking. It’s just like any other reality show. With fat chicks. They should be embarrassed.

Perhaps it’s the American dream for fatties and twigs alike to live stupid, artificial lives alongside each other.

 

I thank my intelligence and upbringing that I don’t have to belong to a special group to shape my identity and build my self confidence. That comes from knowledge, self love, healthy relationships (platonic and romantic) and joy.

So the next time that I see it on, I think I’ll pass.

Port Townsend, Day 1

A change of scenery is always nice.

Normally my vacations are spent in Rockaway Beach Oregon. It’s a beautiful town, small and unassuming with highway 101 dividing it into two.

A few things kept me going back there. It has a hotel a few miles outside of town for under $100 (during the off season) with two rooms, a kitchenette and full size refrigerator and gas fireplace, and partial ocean view. And they have a store in town that stays open till 10pm. That’s a big deal to me. Anyone who goes to the coast often, you know you have a window between 10am-5pm to do your shopping. That is of course if you want to drive all the way to Seaside for the 24hr Safeway.

It's in a central location, near Tillamook Oregon, (roughly 15 minutes away) and there is great thrift shopping in Rockaway itself, as well as in the surrounding beach towns.

It's also close to Hug Point State Park. If you've never been to Hug Point, I highly recommend it. You can see starfish and sea anemones hanging out in tide pools and clinging to the rocks right up close. There is also has a natural fresh water waterfall. It's truly a beautiful state park. One of my favorites.

However, I was ready for a change of scenery.  With the power of Google maps, I chose Port Townsend, Washington. It’s a coastal town, 3 ½ hours north of Vancouver. And to add a little flair, I decided to book a bed and breakfast. I’ve never experienced a B&B before.

Thanks to Google again, I found the lovely Blue Gull Inn. My sister Christine and I looked it over and decided that it seemed like a nice enough town to explore. She was looking for a small town to observe for her new book, and I wanted experience something new.

One of the nice things about the drive to Port Townsend is the straight shot up 1-5 to Tacoma. If you have more time, you can drive HWY 101 most of the way up there. The drive was beautiful. We were lucky with sunshine the entire trip. I feel I must mention that there is a long stretch of HWY 101 on the way to Port Townsend that is four lanes.  FOUR LANES. You can’t begin to fathom how much joy this brought me. Hwy 101 south of Washington can be horrendous, especially during warmer weather. We flew down the highway, keeping a steady speed over 60 mph!

Christine and I both had lunch at 123 Thai Food. Both of us were unsure of where we wanted to eat. And I knew wherever we stopped needed to have a vegetarian option. This place did not disappoint. I went with chicken slathered with peanut sauce. In retrospect, this picture does not make this meal look that appetizing. However, it was quite delicious. A few years ago after briefly being introduced to peanut sauce, I wanted to put it on everything. Imagine how my dream was realized when I saw this chicken peanut sauce-o-rama.

 It was good. I plan on trying to duplicate it!

 Christine's was a veggie tofu spicy, er... I don't remember.

Shortly after driving around for a bit, we saw a beautiful structure that was very Victorian looking. We had time before check-in, and went to find it. Christine is quite the navigator, which made it easy for me to rely on her.

This is Port Townsend's courthouse. As soon as we saw this building, I knew that we'd made the right choice.

 This is on the shoreline. Notice that it's rocks and not sand.

 Christine and I on the pier.

 Looking at the bay from the penthouse at the Swan.

 We'll take the mystery box!

Christine & Maude in front of Blue Gull Inn.

 The view from the bell tower.

 Everything was within walking distance.

 The post office. I took to calling it the Mailery.

 We saw so many deer! I believe we saw 4 all together.

 My bed. Christine was gracious to let me have the queen. She took the day bed.

Okay. I'd never seen toilet paper folded like this before. I was very excited, and told Christine to come in and check it out. My dad said that most nice hotels fold the toilet paper. Guess it means I need to get out more.

I'll post day two shortly.

Mahalo for reading!

-Laura Borelious

Places mentioned in post:

Surfside Hotel and Resort Rockaway Beach Oregon http://www.surfsideocean.com/

Larry’s Market Rockaway Beach Oregon http://tiny.cc/0hprd

Tillamook Oregon http://www.tillamook.com/

Hug Point Oregon http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_191.php

123 Thai Food http://www.yelp.com/biz/1-2-3-thai-food-port-townsend-2

Blue Gull Inn http://bluegullinn.com

Directions from Vancouver WA http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=vl

It's my first time...

Welcome all who have stumbled upon my blog. And welcome to all who have come here purposefully. I will be sharing my travel experiences, social observations, new recipes, and anything else that catches my fancy. Perhaps even video, if I learn how to use the technology.

I'm excited to start writing again, exploring the state of Washington, the city of Vancouver, and whatever comes across my path.

I'm on twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/Lauraborelious

I'm on youtube (No videos yet):
http://www.youtube.com/user/lauraborelious?feature=mhee

I'm on Facebook:
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Enjoy your stay, and make sure to drop a comment every now and then.

-Laura Borelious