Mountain biking inspiration

Videos like this make me hungry for more mountain bike rides. The accomplishment a rider feels after having made it through a tough section of trail, the rush of zipping through the woods... SO MUCH FUN.


10 Things I have learned about Mountainbiking from Filme von Draussen on Vimeo.

Pinterest!

I've joined Pinterest, and like so many other online things, it's pretty addictive. I joined Tumblr a while back and was basically doing EXACTLY what people do on Pinterest - sharing interesting images that link to other blogs (about crafts, food, fashion, whatever... it's like a virtual corkboard/bulletin board) - and then I came across Pinterest somehow and was like, "Whoa! Somebody anticipated my need for this!"

Anyway, feel free to check out my "pins" here. I wanted to share one that I found particularly funny and I suspect to be true...

Source: fashionandcoffee.tumblr.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

I'm telling you, this Pinterest thing is really fun...

Flower crowns

Came across this on craftgawker and thought it would be a nice follow-up to a previous post featuring the flower chain I made. The post that this photo came from gives tips on making flower crowns!

Under Pressure

Yep, because that's the title of this entry I feel compelled to post this video as well:

Okay, now for the real reason for this post's title. I'm job hunting. *Wah wah* It's not fun, it's not fast, it's just a lot of hard work. I don't know if I've ever done so much referring to my school "archives" (the notebooks, worksheets, etc. that I've kept from my classes). I'm glad to have resources I can trust, though, rather than having to Google everything... because there are over 7 MILLION RESULTS when you Google "job hunting tips." Part of this process was creating my own basic portfolio website. Putting it together was fun and satisfying because I love to figure things out, and it encouraged me to "package" my past work (complete with visuals) and update my resume. 

Perfectionist that I am, I want to create a "perfect resume," a solid brand of myself, an amazing portfolio website... but on a regular basis I am reminded by peers and life experiences that endless tweaking and "perfecting" is almost as bad as waiting and doing nothing. It's easy to get in that rut because it feels safe-- there isn't a risk of rejection. However, being safe and comfortable has never been part of landing a great job in the past, and I don't think it ever will be.

Blah, blah, blah. On to the fun stuff!
My formation team performed at the Twin Cities Open! The fact that it was our last performance makes me sad, but I'm so happy to have met this fun group of people and dance at least once a week for the last six months.

I also saw my friend Amy perform in the professional show, which was awesome!

That weekend, I headed home to Wisconsin. One morning, my mom asked me to pick up my younger brother from an event at which he was helping to serve breakfast. When I arrived, I found that it was a mountain bike race. I was geeking out so hard, checking out the bikes and wishing I'd known about the event so I could see more of the races! I was lucky enough to see the start of a youth race-- look at these kids go!

Later that day I attended a family reunion. It was fun to see my extended family, some of whom I haven't seen in 5-10 years! Now that we've all exchanged contact information, I hope to keep in touch with them. After all, I do love writing letters and making cards.

Fingers crossed that I'll find a full-time gig by the time I write my next post!

French braiding... not just for hair.

Flower chain I made while hanging out at the park yesterday.

"Snuggling is not a crime."

Love this card and the other work of this photographer/designer on Etsy.

Peanut buttery cuteness!

These are adorable, and seem pretty easy to make. I'll have to give this recipe a go the next time I have a hankering for some cookies!

Oh joy, it's June

I've finally started photographing again! Hooray for you all because now (hopefully) I will ramble less and just "show" more. Without further ado, some June happenings in the life of me...

I spent a couple hours mountain biking two weeks ago, and I found "Minne" the Lake Creature. She has her own website! I'm hoping to get back out on my bike again soon, but there's been too much rain lately. 

I mentioned in my last post that my room was being painted. Behold the transformation!

Spent a lovely afternoon sipping iced coffee, listening to music, and carefully cleaning my favorite "recreational vehicle"...

...had the privilege of spending a different afternoon with Millie, a dear friend and ex-roommate visiting from England...

...and yesterday, the boyfriend and I saw Cirque du Soleil's "Ovo" show! It was INCREDIBLE, even from the "cheap seats" (that weren't actually that cheap)! My sense of wonder has been renewed, and I really appreciate the performing artists that remind us of the beauty in the world and in what human bodies are capable of. *Sigh* For a one-minute glimpse of the show, you can check out the trailer on YouTube. Below is the stage as it was set before the show actually began, in a photo that I suppose I wasn't really supposed to be taking...

Last, but not least, some greeting cards I made recently. I'm considering starting up an Etsy account to sell my cards online (every little bit of income helps), but waiting to see what happens over the next few weeks in terms of my other jobs and my motivation to continue making cards like this.

Sweet dreams of a perfectly furnished room

My bedroom is getting painted tomorrow!
I'm envisioning a grey and blue color scheme, open to black/white and green accents. I've been looking for some decorating inspiration (thanks, Google images!), and this is one of my favorite images so far.

Hello, summer.

After spending all of last week out of town (and in a car almost the entire time), I knew I'd have a lot of work waiting for me when I came back home. I wanted to make today really productive, to kick off the week by plowing through my to-do list.

But I woke up this morning and the productivity bug just didn't bite. Instead I spent most of today trying to get as much sunshine and fresh Minneapolis air as possible. Who could blame me after logging nearly fifty hours in a car in the past seven days!?! I spent hours on my bike, went for a little afternoon walk, and the time I spent catching up on emails was near a window with the sun streaming in.

I'm so happy to be back in cyclist-friendly Minneapolis, and I welcome summer with open arms... but only for as long as I can balance in that position before placing my hands back on the handlebars. Hooray!

"Today"

I've always been intrigued by projects, like this one from Jonathan Harris, which involve taking a photo or sketching something every day, and still hope to try it for myself (probably for a month rather than a year, though). I really appreciate his comments in this video about the sort of inner tension that is created when you find yourself focused more on documenting your life than on taking time to process it and "live" it.

Wonder-ful Coffee Mug

As if I needed another reason to love Paper Source.

Seventeen and a half

Coincidentally, I am moved to write my semester countdown blog post at the same time I was last semester, with 17.5 hours of class left. In fact, there are only 17.5 hours of class left in my entire MCAD career! Next semester or this summer I will complete an externship (full-time internship) and then I can graduate in December. Woot, woot!

My Media 2 instructor introduced our class to Processing yesterday. I may have geeked out a little. Here are screenshots of some very simple things I put together during class... all in code!

The Airport of the Future

It might seem boring at first glance, but I really enjoyed this article about the future of airports.

What got my wheels turning were the mention of airports as liminal (people go to airports not to be there, but to get somewhere else) and the need for changes to systems (baggage handling in particular). I think it would be exciting to be a part of a team that makes an airport a pleasant place to be rather than a hurdle to get over in order to get to a more exciting destination... making a particular airport or an experience with a certain airline a destination itself?

Bicycle stickers? Yes, please.

This calls for a trip to Paper Source!

I'm not much of a necklace person, but I love this one by Kelly Anne.

See more of her jewelry on her Etsy site.

Benjamin Franklin's Daily Schedule

I think Mr. Franklin and I would have gotten along quite well. 

Via Information Is Beautiful / Nick Bilton.

Inspiration

You go, girl. 

Animatin'

Here's my first go at using Adobe After Effects. For my Media 2 class, we were supposed to give the 1-minute synopsis of a movie we hadn't seen in over a year. I'll leave you to figure out which movie this is about...

Speed.

It feels like life really accelerated today, like a fancy car. It has been building throughout the week, but today was one of those days where my mind was racing, trying to grasp all of the exciting things going on and all of the things I wanted to get done in addition to spending seven and a half hours in class.

For starters, it's already April, and there are only four weeks left of school. Whoa.

With the end of the semester in sight, intense final projects begin and semester-long projects shift momentum. The most striking example of this at present is that the event that my event planning class has been preparing for all semester is happening a week from Saturday. MCAD Parents' Day is becoming more real every day, and there's an anticipation and excitement that accompanies the stress our team is already beginning to feel.

The search for my next internship has also grown more exciting in the past week. Between an introduction to a co-founder of RedStamp, a visit to Space150, and the start of The Intern Game, I am really revved up about the end of the semester and possibilities this summer holds.

And finally, I have registered for 30 Days of Biking! Every day in April I will ride my beloved bicycle, and share my experience here or on Twitter. My first ride will take place later today (Friday) on this, my lovely she-steed:

Happy April!

Like a bee.

It's funny to me how having a blog creates a new sense of responsibility, like I "owe" regular posts to anyone reading this. Anyway, here I am, feeling the need to check in.

On most days, life doesn't seem overwhelmingly busy. When I sit down and think about everything I am involved in, though, it's no wonder I have been away from this for so long. What am I doing with my time?

• going to school full-time
• managing projects for an internship 
• working part-time
• helping a friend start her own business
• dancing on a ballroom formation team
• working out every weekday
• freelance writing 
• trying to maintain a social life and keep my apartment livable 

Yes, we college students lead such glorious lives.

Well, homework is calling. I'll leave you with some actual work and not just words. For my Human Factors class, each student was asked to assess their workstation, and adjust it to make it more ergonomic. The photos really demonstrate how much of a difference a few height adjustments can make!

Bicycling = a "man" thing? A marketing criticism.

Today I received the bill for a magazine I recently subscribed to. Apparently, I am not a member of the target audience for this magazine, because I also received the following advertisement:

As a woman, reading things like "Rocket your muscles to MASSIVE SIZE and EXPLOSIVE POWER!" and "HUGE in a HURRY" (apparently all-caps and extra exclamation points in ads appeal to men?) only makes me laugh. It's interesting to see how men are marketed to, and what magazines expect their highest priorities to be.

But I would also like to know where the right magazine is for female cycling enthusiasts. The bill I received today is for a bicycling magazine, but apparently their primary audience is men. In women's magazines, even fitness or health magazines, bicycling is rarely mentioned, compared to running, elliptical training, yoga, etc... 

Is there a magazine out there for female cyclists that I'm just not aware of? I would love to know if anyone out there can point me to one. Or maybe I should start one of my own? Is there enough of an audience that such a publication could be sustained? Just as a point of reference, there are 21,000+ people that "Like" Trek Women on Facebook, versus 29,000+ that "Like" Bicycling Magazine. 

Maybe I'm more worked up because I really want it to be spring so I can go mountain biking again. But I think my "wonderings" are valid... what do you think?

Media 2: Simen Johan

Today I created my first post for my Media 2 class, commenting on this photograph by Simen Johan:

To read it, click here.

Vulnerability.

After watching this, I've got tears welling up in my eyes. Reflecting on my New Year's resolution after this video and a chat with a friend/mentor, I know I can't actually "fear less"... fear is natural and happens whether I want it to or not. I can only recognize my fear and then choose whether or not fear will drive my actions. But if I choose to face fears and allow myself to be vulnerable when there is uncertainty, I will be choosing to truly grow, live and love fully.

Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability | Video on TED.com

Gah, I'm inspired. I'm going to go do a happy dance now...

Fear less.

New year. New semester. New internship. New beginnings all around.

The hope and anticipation that comes with beginnings is something I often let myself get lost in. I love to make plans, to organize the next phase of something... and make resolutions that will make the next phase fresh and amazing.

This year I resolve to fear less. Occasionally over the past several weeks I have reflected on how fear has impacted my life, what it has kept me from doing but also what it has driven me to do. I have thought about how fear will impact me as a project manager, a student, a friend, etc. I was flipping through a magazine a few days ago, and turned to a page that agreed: "Be fearless... Imagine the person you want to be and the life you want to live, and simply commit to them... don't be afraid to make a splash." 

I want to be present to the people I'm with and the things I am doing, rather than worrying or even fantasizing too much about what the next week/month/year will hold. I should not be afraid to be human, to not have every word I say or thing I do completely figured out. 

Be bold. Fear less. Be here now.

Enough mushy words. I promise I will post some work soon, once I've dug into this semester's projects!

P.S.- The project manager in me wants to add how I will assess my level of fearlessness as the year goes on. I plan to write (in my journal, and here when appropriate) at least weekly about the fearless things I do, and document such things in photos when possible.