Erin swims the Channel

Rewriting headlines

2009-11-23T12:07:00.000-08:00

CNN says " With dissension in the ranks, healthcare bill moves ahead"

Erin says "Despite differing opinions, Dems come together for healthcare reform"

mine is so much more optimistic, no?

Some things I love and will miss about SLO

2009-10-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

Riding home from school on a cool night. Its fun.

SLO manages to have beautiful sunsets most days

Not ever worrying about safety

Some of the very important people in my life here

Small town friendliness

Fog rolling in

End of another era

2009-06-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

School is ending, and though I'll be back in the fall, almost everyone I know here is going to be leaving!

Its hard to believe its been two years already. I am definitely ready to move on, but I will have about 6 to 9 months of moving around and stuff. SF for le working in the summer, SLO in the fall, some trip or back to work in SF after that?

Then I will be looking for a real job. Maybe I will move somewhere. Its hard to decide. I guess I will see what I get! I dunno, kinda wanna move back to europe...hmmm...big decisions....

2009-05-29T19:18:00.001-07:00

The project that has taken up to much of my life since October is finally done! It is so ingrained in my head that I haven't fully comprehended this yet. I've never been such a large part of such a serious project.

I want to go and celebrate this finish so much, but I'm sooooooooo tired! So I'm going to sleep.

Moving back to the bay in a couple weeks...going to England in September....I'm excited for a nice change of pace.

Once a foreigner, always a foreigner

2009-04-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

This is something I've felt since I moved back to the US, I just don't fit in. I pretend I do, people don't notice, but I just feel like such a foreigner.

Its the same feeling as when you are a foreigner, people talk about stuff and you don't understand, but because all of the non-foreigners understand, they assume you do to.

Once you cross that boundary, and who knows when it is, you can't go back. You come to a place where you are never content to stay in one country - which is an expensive habit - and you really only feel a connection with other people like you.

Today in class, one of my professors who has moved around a lot said it best -
Once a foreigner, always a foreigner.

Thank God I'm not the only person who feels this way.

2009-04-25T12:03:00.001-07:00

Last night was so fun. I made a bunch of food and sangria, we ate and drank and danced! Then decided to go out to the bars.

I have been having fun lately. Teaching 15 minute dance lessons in my living room. Cooking a lot of good stuff! Listening to good music! And trying not so hard this quarter to keep up with my work!

Erin was not made for spring quarter - my brain shuts off after spring break!

Mistakes

2009-04-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

People seem to get so angry at mistakes but I think they are the most necessary part of life.

I like to think of mistakes as recalibration. We keep making mistakes, and recalibrating until finally we have the right calibration and we are successful!

Things I hate about SLO

2009-04-14T17:29:00.001-07:00

people don't know how to ride the bus, always taking their sweet time, asking the bus driver questions while a line of people are waiting behind them to get on, etc

people are too polite, a driver can see you coming from a mile away and stop to let you cross the street when they have plenty of time to go themselves

nobody moves quickly or thinks about efficiency, or at least getting out of other people's way, like they do in other places

Easter

2009-04-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

This has been such a beautiful and relaxing weekend.

Yesterday we had a real Easter dinner with lots of folks at our house. It gave us a chance to really clean up, now the house looks beautiful.

Today we had an Easter egg hunt in Los Osos. To my surprise, it was actually really fun. People are more creative at hiding the eggs when you are older.

And I'm heading to church in about 10 minutes. Finished all the important work for the upcoming week. The house is just quiet and peaceful.... :)

... but a big decision looms....

2009-04-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

This is from a good song:

"I spent half my life on bended knees, begging somebody to change, and the other half praying to God that they never would."

2009-04-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

Cleanliness of room: 8 (upgraded from 6 because I cleaned)

this is one exciting blog!!!!!!!

but really, I was so pleasantly surprised when I came home and my room was really clean for the first time in like 6 months!

Spring break - CANCUN!!!!!!

2009-04-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

I recently went to NY to visit a friend and chill.
I hate having plans when I'm on vacation because I have plans and times and appointments all the rest of my life.

Laura and I came to this conclusion:
New York is so 10 years ago - (think TRL after school, yeah, you know it). These days, what you find in NY you can find in any big city. It was still fun and cool of course.

I found NY relaxing, I always feel pretty at home in a big city.

Back in SLO! and enjoying life!

California: 9
Personal/Social Life: 9
Not having City of Guadalupe take up every ounce of free time: so weird
Future: 9
Cleanliness of room: 6
Excitement and adventure: i'll just have to wait and see!
New Baby: not here yet

Back by popular demand

2009-04-03T19:33:00.001-07:00

Yes - people love reading my blog (Erin says ever so modestly)
no, not really, someone wanted to read my funny quotes that's all.

So enjoy - i left some of my old silly posts up for reading when you are very bored.

Life is busy

2007-02-12T23:52:00.000-08:00

So, just incase you guys still check this, here's a life update

my sister is getting married and I have realized how little I ever thought about weddings before because I'm clueless with all this stuff, but I'm getting used to it
applications are taking so much of my time and effort...
money...oh yeah, that's right...all gone...
work...i'm exhausted today, ask me about it on a good day
the constant question...what is the next step...but i will find out soon
i want to visit everyone! i really do! how can i manage this...i may be in europe in may
i need to work more and make more money
a couple fun weekends coming up

how I'm feeling about california: 7
californians: 2.5
life: ?
i kinda feel like i'm the hide of a freshly skinned animal being stretched on those pegs to dry. how many more directions can my brain possibly move in at the same time?

International School is expensive

2007-01-30T16:08:00.000-08:00

I have to pay like $200 to get documents from Roehampton verified. Sometimes I think the cost of studying abroad never ever ends! And the benefits....that I feel like I no longer belong in American society...hehe...in a good way!
How did I come up with this idea again?

I think he achieved exactly what he intended...

2006-10-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

My dance teacher from this summer - the one who helped all of us to prove to ourselves that there really aren't any limits - he said the reason he talked so much in class was because he wanted to be the voice in our heads. And it worked, whenever I'm exercising I just hear his voice saying I can do more, how far will I push myself today, everything is possible today, is this what I want to do with my life, we can change ourselves right before our very eyes. He just doesn't leave my head very long, and its so inspiring, and I when I remember him I keep thinking, do more do more do more! You are capable of more... (Is this a really American way of thinking?)
I can't believe that in all my years of dance, it felt like so little change, and finally this summer, it all changed, and I was able to see for the first time, for myself, why I had been told times before that I could be professional. I know I'm not, but in a way I feel it.
I guess it made me feel like day to day problems are so useless...when I realized that these simple problems are not even problems, and they can all be overcome simply with strength of mind. Then we can focus on real problems. Real things that must change. Not just surface things. I hope I never forget this, I hope I never look back and wallow, never am intimidated, and focus on reality.
I guess achieving your dreams is as simple as pushing reality a little bit further into the unknown each day. I hope I will never be afraid of the unknown - that fear is the only thing that can stop us.

Second school visit

2006-10-09T16:09:00.000-07:00

ummm...it was cool. I like my freeform "I think I will go see a school today" approach. I wander around, find the right building eventually, chill, talk to some people, and peace out of there.
Gosh...being back on campus at a university, really....I don't feel American anymore! Its SO funny! I mean, I know I am...but I really don't feel like it! Its so weird....

Travel?

2006-10-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

Anyone want to join me for a quick trip to Texas?

Nervousness!

2006-10-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

Dude..living abroad can hecka screw up your life unless you intend to stay there. And then it can destroy the life you had before. Not that this is disappointing...its just, I was thinking how slow to start so many of us are after returning home, well, compared to those who have been in the same country who seem to have everything organized, worked out, and easily accessible.
But, I suppose those three things right there are some of the reasons I chose to leave. I like it when things are difficult.
And as I went on my first 'school visit' yesterday...I was feeling so nervous about going to school in the US... how funny is that? I'm literally nervous because of the American education style and meeting all American people, will I fit in? I can't wait to go join the international society or japanese society or england society or whatever they might have. At this point, I would feel so much more comfortable if I went back to school in the UK...that would be so easy. hehehe, my lifes all backwards...
I'm planning my second school visit for Monday!

2006-10-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

So, God willing, my little stint as a housewife is coming to an end soon! Yes, my time here, trying to clean-up the bit of mess that was left behind when I went to uni (though not my mess), has been really rather successful, only to the detriment of my own career. But, what's one year?
And as disappointing as it is to my feminist friends, I didn't mind being a housewife one bit, and I didn't get turned off to the idea. I do have to live in reality however...I don't think I will be able to afford this luxury for most of my life. There is one thing for sure...and this is partly why its time to move on, I don't want to live in someone else's life. I really want my own. I think I'd prefer to live alone than with other people because I want everything to be perfectly organized, I want things to be clean, and I don't want any extra junk.
So, my future feels exciting at last. I think I narrowed down my grad school choices, I decided, if I'm gonna stay in California, I want to be relatively close to home and snow, so I don't think I'll bother to apply to any schools in LA (Can you really imagine me living in LA anyway?). But, I do plan to do some 'study abroad' if at all possible. Doesn't that sound unique and exciting..like the opportunity of a lifetime??? an experience you'll never forget.... ;) ;) hhehehehehee

Oh, and I have some news I shouldn't blog...but you guys would NOT believe! So catch me online and I'll tell you!

Fun

2006-10-01T21:44:00.000-07:00

It was fun, saw Half-Dome (very famous) at sunrise, wasn't even cold, found a great place to camp, didn't get eaten by a bear, hiked and didn't get sore...all in all...great weekend.

And fall is starting, it was raining! I love the cold weather, I can't wait for winter!

Should I shut up a bit?

2006-09-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

I've been writing so much lately because I keep realizing stuff. Everyday I realize something I never noticed or thought of, or I put two or five things together and figure something out.
What did I realize today?
That my personality and interests directly reflect my ethnic make-up.
Funny.
The white part of me is the logical, sensible, philisophical part.
The hispanic part of me is the overly emotional, overly caring, overly family and friend oriented part.
The native american part (and yes, I recently found out that I can technically be considered native american, and therefore open a casino, cool huh!) cares about the Earth and the animals and loves being outside.
Hehehe.

The inherent problem in blogging...

2006-09-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

You know how you always come to a blog wanting to write what's really on your mind, and then think about the people who read it...and realize you can't say half the stuff you wanted.
Same applies to me, so though people liked the 'candidness' of my blog, and I must admit...it was fairly candid...the composition itself was something like 50% truth, 50% lies to make the truth not sound so bad.
I might have brought up things I really wished to talk about, but in reality, from reading my blog, you wouldn't know anything more about me than you did before, unless you knew me really well to begin with. You would have to be able to distinguish between my truth and my cover-ups.
That is why my blog dissatisfied me, that is why I wanted to get rid of it, and I will still update you on what's happening, what I'm thinking about. But, as we end up doing anyway, its probably better for us all to just talk, rather than blog.

Life

2006-09-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

As I often say...life in California is boring. Not for lack of things to do or people to meet. But it just seems that each encounter is rather predictable. Among Americans, though I may feel like a foreigner at times, I'm rarely surprised, shocked, misunderstood, or enlightened. I rarely feel that I have met a new person, I feel like I've met another person.
I guess its something like having been skydiving, or doing something rather dangerous, and once you do, its hard to go back to living a normal life. I loved living abroad because I never knew what was coming next, what I would experience, what I would learn, what types of opinions I would come across. Almost every conversation, every day, contained a point of view I had never imagined before. And I felt...as a foreigner...that the world was huge.
I wish something completely unexpected would happen...I wish for a way to make that boundary into the unknown world closer to me, even in a society that I know inside and out. I think, I will have to strike out on my own.

Quote of the next 1.75 hours of my life

2006-09-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

"Before you make a big decision its important to do something relaxing. Buddhist monks like to listen to rocks grow. I like to go fishing."