More Playing With Illustrator

I drew it. Then I vectorized it. It looks kinda silly.

But not as silly as the "Hand Drawn" filter makes it look.

Here's my drawing

Final Design? 

Blood Sugar / Travel Woes

I probably have a really high blood sugar going on right now, which is not helping the fact that I just got an email with all the names, emails and colleges of the people I'll be in Thailand with!

It's kind of hard to grasp. I'm one step closer to knowing the reality I'll be experiencing in Thailand. There are 26 students, and at least 5 of them are male. I'm going to be meeting 25 new people, and by the end of 4 months, I'm going to know them all really well. 


Though I've been running countless errands this summer, it's starting to come in to focus what I'm really going to have to bring in order to survive.


I've definitely all but completely checked out of my class and my internship, but I'm not emotionally ready to check out of my life here. I want to hang on to everything I have.


I wish I could remember how I felt at the beginning of college. I'm definitely not as nervous, but I feel like I should be. I will be able to bring almost no stuff, and I'll be in a new climate far away from everything. At least I have the familiarity of my mom's friend Tom, the knowledge that I can survive by myself to some extent, and the confidence that I've already done something like this before in starting college.


I'm really dizzy. Either I'm consumed with nerves or I can't tell if I'm low or high. Curse you diabetes. Please don't be shitty in Thailand.

City Living

I just got home from spending a long weekend in Seattle (it was actually 5 days! wow, it really doesn't feel that long!)


Here is the soundtrack to my weekend and the stories behind them.

Winds of Change by Fitz & The Tantrums

Right after I bought my tickets to Seattle, my friend who I  was staying with pointed out that I would serendipitously be arriving during the CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY. A three day music festival in the heart of capital hill. Turns out I'm not cool and the only band I knew was Fitz & The Tantrums. But turns out I am cool in that I'm related to the drummer, John Wicks. I hadn't ever met him, but I got my dad's cousin who knows John to set it up, which in turn set me up with a back stage pass to go meet him. 

It was amazing! We're very distantly related, but he was so warm and friendly to me. He pointed out how many of the folks in my dad's generation including Dad, John, and Aimee, my dad's cousin, all make their living from doing their craft. John drums, Dad composes and plays guitar, and Aimee paints. Not that that is what I want to do with my life, but it made me inspired to get back in to art. Seeing him on stage was amazing. He looked so happy up there. The band was amazing too!

Some Nights by FUN.

I met up with some Whitties including my dear friend Nick. We listened to this song. It makes me happy. That's not much of a story, but it was wonderful to see some people from Whitman again. I've forgotten what their kind of energy is like, but I missed it. Everything is fun, and nerdy, philosophical topics conversations are always welcome.

It was a wonderful weekend of firsts. I felt very independent, with my backpacking bag and sleeping on my friend's floors. The only time I really freaked out was when I couldn't find the bus stop to get to my friend Nick's house because it was underground. What.  

I learned that Seattle is a crazy city! I only ever spent time with my reletives, and they were always the ones in charge of getting us around, but having to navigate the city by myself I realize that it's really disorganized. I'm now much more appreciative at how reliable Portland's grid system is. 

Its hitting me that I leave for Thailand in less than a month (AKA 2 weeks???) and I really should be freaking out... and it's not like I havn't already, but this trip has had a calming effect on me. I feel competent. But I'm definitely not sure if I'm competent when it comes to not spending money or not eating way too much food, because I definitely was not good at that this trip... but now I know. 

Tonight; The Sky

On my walk home with a friend of mine tonight, the sky was absolutely gorgeous. We had to keep stopping to look at it in awe. It kept changing, getting darker and deeper, until it heaved into full on muggy rain and lightning and thunder. I just wanted to share some of these pictures, but they don't even begin to do it justice.

Building a Future

It was a really exciting week at work!


For one thing, KidsBuild, our extremely cool exhibit, opened. I got to take some pictures of it, and play with the giant lincoln logs (see exhibit A)

Exhibit A: Giant Lincoln Logs are really cool.

The Blazers came and did some PR. There was free Fro Yo for an afternoon. The marketing team and I went on a field trip to make pressed pennies at the Forestry Center and the Zoo. We also took a look around the Forestry Center which is actually WAY COOL. I think they've remodeled since the last field trip I took there in probably fourth grade. 

I also finished (hopefully for good) the write-ups about craft projects for the newsletter. I ended up writing about 2 years worth of crafts, assuming they get put up once a month. Next week I get to move on to writing press releases again.

I'm starting to feel really included at the Museum. A member of the development team, relayed a conversation she had with my super-boss wherein they both stated they wish I could stay working there. She also was wishing I was a senior in college so I could just work there already. Aw, shucks.

It feels really good to be familiar with this institution. I got to sit in at a brainstorming meeting and it made me see how creative and cool an institution like the children's museum is. We're a nonprofit, and our goal is to serve the community. It became really apparent to me how we do try to operate that way. By serving the needs of children, we are incorporating present day hopes and dreams of what we want our future to be.  I only wish that the museum had a wider audience, not just children and parents. I want us to be a cool institution for all ages, instead of just a place for parents to keep their kids busy.

I'm not sure if the Children's Museum is where I could see myself in the future, but I'm a really big fan of what we do.

Lazy Summer "Pad Thai"

I'm slowly (slooowly) starting to grasp some knowledge of Thai. I learned a tongue twister that means "who is selling chicken eggs" but is pronounced Krai kaai kai gai. Or something like that. It looks like this:


ใคร ขวย ไข่ ไก่


Anyway, I think that what little I know about Thai is creeping into my subconscious because I found myself craving pad Thai today. I didn't want I go buy any because they always give you too much. So I decided to improvise a single serving of Pad Thai for myself. It turned into the perfect summer lunch! Rice noodles, carrots, zucchini, fresh peas, Spicy pad thai sauce, thrown over some lettuce? Awesome.

My cats were good company during the entire experience as you can see. Otis, who was napping happily, jumped up when he heard the rattle of the produce drawer.

I just needed to be a little more patient with the noodles. After letting them soak for about 10 minutes (they need about 30 to 45), I gave up and microwaved them. They were a little chewy but they definitely didn't fuse into one big lump of rice noodle as I feared they might.

Also I was worried about protein because we didn't have any tofu, but luckily I remembered that there is egg in pad thai too. Cracking it in is definitely the most fun part.

Also, we had fresh peas! I was so happy to find them. Lots of fresh veggies made this dish especially yummy.

I actually ate this in the shade, because it's hot, as the napping cat proves.

I got a new phone

And I've been spending too much time on it... We're on a first name basis.

Forgetting; to be scared.

Last night I had my first Thailand dream...


I was getting ready to board the plane, and having profound realizations about all of the things I forgot to pack. I think my Passport was one of them.


I also had to say goodbye to my parents. I feel like I missed the chance to say good bye... They were just suddenly gone.


Then I was on the runway. I think I road a bus there with a whole bunch of other college-aged people. We all stood around on the runway. Girls were putting on their swimsuits. I think I had also forgotten to pack a swimsuit. 


They were talking about how we would have a layover for several days on this resort island... The airline was paying for everything so we could just party. I didn't want to. I was scared. 


This is obviously some sort of anxiety dream, as well as my subconscious being more prepared and thinking ahead more than my conscious self is.


God, I'm terrified.