spring break is a time for complete detachment

it happened way too fast. yes, it's still technically spring break, but it feels like a normal weekend now, except with even more work to turn in because they piled up over the break. i did manage to get some rest and relaxation (finally!), but now, i'm craving for summer vacation already. i didn't get to spend my spring break in korea, but i had a lot of fun still in california. i never knew how pretty california is, and that's because i don't take the opportunity to go explore the state during the school season. the weather was super gorgeous this past week, which made the week off ten times better.i was going to take off as soon as break started, but i had to do some work on campus, so i spent the first few days of break with my freshmen. i took them to hollywood on one day because they've never been, and then we tried to go sledding on mt. baldy (the mountains closest to mudd) the next day, but the snow was mostly melted.yeah, these kids are a special bunch, but i love them. they're so much fun, and they put up with their crazy proctor!

after those few days, my friend, paula, and i took off on a four day road trip up the central coast. it was a very pleasant trip, and paula was a great travel buddy. she trusted me enough to go with me for four days without a schedule of what we were to do and where we were to go; we made up the route as we went along. we were going to camp, but we couldn't find a tent for the both of us, and i only had a one person tent with me. we were able to get free accommodations, however, from a friend in westwood and a friend i met while in new zealand who lives in goleta, just right outside of santa barbara. so we got to see a bit of those two areas.

here's proof as to what i mean by california is beautiful. look at that green hill!


we stopped in guadalupe and played in the sand dunes. unfortunately, most of that was blocked off due to plover nesting season, but we did manage to get some great rolls down the dunes. here is paula jumping up with joy on the beach, and i'm standing on the dunes (it was really, really cold). the walk to the dunes was long but well worth it!



we brought along trash bags and large plastic lids to go sliding down the dunes, but the part we were allowed to go on was not very steep. so we used the trash bags to catch the wind instead.


after the dunes, we went wine tasting. unfortunately, our timing was off so all the vineyards were closed and only the tasting rooms were opened. i had a bit too much to continue driving (the guy at the last place kept pouring a lot of wine into our glasses and didn't have anything for us to dump the leftovers in), so paula and i had to take an hour or so to sober up.

on the way back to goleta, we ran across a lavender farm! i looooooove lavender. love it! and of course, we were there after it was already closed. but luckily, the owner pulled into the farm right before we did and allowed us to come in and smelled the yumminess. i've never seen a lavender farm before. the place was so cute!


we also passed by some strawberry farms, so of course, we had to buy a whole box of strawberries. i feel bad for getting them for so cheap ($10 for a huge box that is equivalent to ten of those containers in the supermarket) because look at how hard they're working. the guy said that he had to get rid of them or else they spoil, so i shouldn't feel too bad?


at the beginning of our trip, we saw a sign that said ten avocados for $1, so on the way back to claremont, we just had to backtrack our route and hunt that stand down. we didn't find it, and of course, since we took the coastal route most of the way back, we landed in traffic once we got to la. so the trip back from santa barbara took us almost four hours, and we didn't get any avocados. :(

i can't wait until senior dead week. seniors get a week off while everyone else takes the finals because we have to take them earlier for graduation purposes. i want to do another long trip again. thank goodness this week is only four days long. i don't know how i can get back into the groove now, but i think i can manage for four days.

when plans don't fall through

today hasn't been exactly a great day. i know it's pretty early to say so considering it's only 8:45am right now, but i had to wake up really early to cancel my trip that i had planned for so long. i was supposed to fly to south korea on saturday and meet up with a japanese friend during my stopover in japan, but plans didn't fall through. it wasn't exactly the brightest of plans because i was leaving for spring break a whole week early and that's a lot of classes i'd be missing, but i needed a break. i had already worked out with most of my professors to turn in all my assignments at least a week early, except for one professor who wasn't happy with my departure. anyway, i am now really ahead in all my classes, and i think some good things will come out from not taking this trip.

i am at that point right now where i need to find satisfaction in what i do, as in, i need to believe that i will not be working in an office after i graduate, that i'll find something more meaningful and useful that i can do with my life. so i am trying anything and everything to reach that goal. when i left to go study abroad in new zealand back in spring of 2007, i had made a promise to myself that i would do everything completely from how i do it when i'm at mudd (ie. spontaneity vs. structured), and i just loved how things turned out for me then. so i want to go back to that promise and make the most of the rest of my college experience. it's a bummer that i couldn't be adventurous and go on this trip, but a lot was at stake. i'll just leave the explanation at that.

maybe my day will become fantastic by the time it ends.