Nicole And That

A Tragic Disappointment

2011-09-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

I got over my pet peeve of eating in my car on September 24, 2011. It wasn’t just one incident but the various interactions that all added up to the whole thing not being worth the potential damage that could be done to my car, or more importantly, the things that i kept in there. It all stared off with a great day, visiting both Sundance and Park City for the first time and seeing just how lucrative other people lived and how unimpressed i seemed to be with them. I felt the day was a colonial success. I think me and Brandy (full disclosure of the actual name of the person I was with has not yet been permitted because they are currently playing wake boarding on the wii and cannot be interrupted so i substituted it with the black friend I always wish I had) had established we were hungry but did not want to pay $14.75 for a sandwich that we would later regret. However, if I could have known what the evenings outcomes were going to end up like, I would have payed the $14.75 gladly and kept what little hope i had built up in humanity since i realized i missed the Hall & Oats tour the previous month. Anyway. We had decided on waiting until we reached Salt Lake to grab something to eat. We went over what we felt like and we ruled out pizza and pasta. We were lingering on hamburgers when we saw a Taco Bell off in the distance. I have always been a sucker for what we refer to back home as the Taco Bizz. It could be because I am always impressed by the way they have 2,37,895 different options for the same thing. Beef, cheese and some form of beans. Bravo capitalism. As we pulled in, the question was pitched and I took advantage of the knuckle ball. I parked the car and refused the “convenience” of the drive through. I ignored the 2 men who had what looked like a garbage bag full of junk, but quickly thought to myself ‘some people live out of bags, i shouldn’t judge people just because they feel the need to bring their homes with them everywhere.’ sometimes i wish i had my personal belongings by my side getting in the way of my bike wheels. As we continued in we got to the front counter and established what we wanted. I ordered first and then Jill. I mean Brandy. As we got seated and waited for our food to be called we realized we were not alone. There had been a boy who was watching me get some taco sauce packets that I paid no mind of him until we sat down and he maid a point that he could see us. And by us I mean Brandy. I wasn’t sure at first why she was so uneasy but then i turned and looked and he was in the booth behind us. He had a goofy grin plastered on his face as he shamelessly gazed in our direction. I turned and was even more uncomfortable that he gave what I know was a horrified look on my face zero consideration. I turned back and was unfortunately able to see him in the reflection of the window. If he had any clue as to what disgust and repugnance was, he didn’t show it. I moved so the back of my head blocked his view to Brandy but I clearly saw him shift so he could see around me. Eating became the first priority. I have never enjoyed a taco less. Which is not okay when eating at Taco Bell is the closest to a real Mexican I can feel at times. (which is another reason I may have a soft spot for the Taco Bizz. we are both masquerading like we were made form south of the border.) We were nearly done when a lady with a cast up to her mid bicep came in. she seemed a little shook up but I brushed it off as a normal habit people who entered this particular Taco Bell would have. She wandered around a little before she ended up at us. “do either of you have a cell phone?” she asked. I looked down in front of me and there lay my phone, fully exposed. I didn’t even say anything, I just handed it over. Luckily she stayed put and explained to us quickly that there was “ a black man out there with a little girl who seemed to be getting violent.” I looked out the window quickly but saw nothing. Which I was both comforted and concerned by. She had called the police. She was explaining our current location and what people were waring and within a few minutes they arrived. I wasn’t sure what to say or do but before we could really say or so anything they were gone and off investigating i suppose. As we threw away our things and got to my car I realized there could be a good reason people invented a way to get food without having to leave the comfort and safeness of your vehicle.

We Play Photos

2011-07-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

Photo Shoots: Faces say what we can't.
This Face Says...

...Hey wanna go shred the slopes?

... I get beat up everyday at lunch too!!

... I can be inconspicuous if I need to be.

...who says perms are out of style??

... standing on a frozen lake is a bad idea.

... no. i didn't just do that.

... this is where we stop. collaborate. and listen.

Blogging about a Blog

2011-01-10T13:48:00.000-08:00

So there is an awesome new blog you should check out! Its called Post Dream. You get one paragraph to tell a dream you have had in your life. Could be good could be bad could be ugly. No matter what type of dream it is its an awesome thing. So head to http://writepostdream.blogspot.com/ and get the ball running. Some pretty awesome people are running it so any help would be simply marvelous.

Happy 2011 everyone.

N.

Also, here is my photo of the day:

It vs. Nips

2010-06-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

There has been a debate about which of these products is better. I am here to put an end to the madness. Cheeze-it are made with cheese. Weird. Cheese Nips are also made with "cheese" ew. Im pretty sure iv never tasted cheese like that. Cheese nips were made by Nabisco (yeah, the company who made things like Chicken in a Biskit and Fudgee-o). Whereas Cheeze-it is made by Kellogg, the same company who brought you Apple Jacks and Eggos. I think the conclusion is obvious. Choose the right people.

VS

How We Get Educated

2010-05-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

Most of the time we are studying studiously and working our wee fingers to the bone getting good marks and working with tutors. However, those short periods of time when we decide to wrench away from our homework, we do things like this. We are usually those people you see in public and think "I don't know weather to laugh or to be really worried." Well sleep easy. We are completely harmless*.

We take the couch to the park.

We are absurd.

Caterpillar and Rabbit.

Attacking the red queen.

We are wonderland.

We are so good at photo shooting.

*On most, if not all, occasions. Excluding taggle*.

*A mix between wrestling and tag.

We Play School

2009-11-01T21:32:00.000-08:00

Some adventures of absurd, yet still highly invested, college students.

Ryan tells scary stories.

Detective work on Halloween.

New hobbies. Love it.

Footballing. Injuries included.

Sardines group. Check the elevators.

Oh Tim and Dustin...

The rocking couch. No really, it rocks back and forth.

After we woke up while camping.

Every day we try to make the next day better. So far so good.

As it happens.

2009-08-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

Let us say that perhaps one day we will look back on everything we have done. Will we be satisfied with our past? Can we accept everything we knew we missed? Will we or will we not wish we could do it all again?

Some people fear death, some people fear rejection. All I fear is this simple fact: Wishing I could relive what I have already had the chance to. I do not desire to ask for something I have already been given so freely. I have decided now that want such a life that if someone were to ask me if I feel that I have lived solid, full, and splendid years, I can look at them in all ernest and say ‘yes’ with all confidence.

In this wide world we are all so eagerly a part of, there is much more to see than what most people believe. The seven wonders of the world, the great art of history and the ancient words written on the subway walls hold no light to the miracle of waking up and having the potential to discover all of them and so much more. We know, surely, in our hearts and minds, that it is not where you have been but who you have seen them with. Such a gift should not be experienced alone.

So let us say that perhaps one day we will look back on everything we have done.

Will we be satisfied?

Nicole Plays Work

2009-03-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

Whilst working at the Ron Wilson Center (for effective living) there are many things that are to be taken seriously. When working with people with disabilities their safety, well being, and personal preference for activities is a very high priority. Fortunately I work with clients and staff that counter the seriousness wonderfully. These are some of my favorite moments and/or quotes.

One client I work with has a small job at the local grocery store putting food away and organizing displays. He loves rock 'n roll and enjoys dancing just as much as the next person. One day while organizing the front wall we had a growing garbage pile that needed to be disposed of. I suggested that he should throw it away before it got too big to carry and he looked at me and said "I can't, I broke my legs." and walked a little ways away. He looked back and smiled and came back to take it to the trash. As he left he threw up a peace sign and chanted "Peace, love, and rock 'n roll" as he made his way to the garbage.

A typical moment at Monmouth 1 house:

Darren is watching Star Wars (episode 1 only) and nodding off every few seconds.

The phone rings.

"Hello?" Darren says tiredly. There is a long pause for the reply.

"Yes." he said.

"Uh huh." He seemed a little indifferent and bored.

"Yeah. I will." and he hung up.

"Who was that?" I asked. Curious because they don't get many calls.

"Wynter." He says. She is another staff that works at the house.

"Oh. What did she need?"

"I dunno." He said falling back asleep and taking no further interest in the matter.

One conversation with Jessie St. John:

"So Jessie, What do you want to be when you grow up?" I asked.

"Elvis." He said simply while he went out for a smoke.

My boss was giving out high fives at lunch at the day program The Center has.

But she doesn't know that one of our clients has egg salad sandwich all over her hands that i went to go get a napkin for.

Gotta be ready for anything.

Nothing like a good day at the RWC.

Nicole's Life Soundtrack

2008-12-04T22:38:00.000-08:00

I have been compiling a list of sweet tunes for quite some time now. Sadly it still not very long, but i am getting there. They are not in any particular order, i do not play favorites. These particular songs are special and have a significance i don't even know the meaning to. I hear them in stores, waiting rooms, commercials, and films and they always stand out among the rest. I don't know what it is about them but they are different. A bit weird? well yes.

1.) Green Day- Castaway
2.) Foxboro Hot Tubs- Mother Mary (Green Day)
3.) Sufjan Stevens- Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland
4.) Owl City- Hello Seattle
5.) The Boy Least Likely To- Be Gentle With Me
6.) Regina Spektor- The Call
7.) Ben Kweller- Sundress
8.) Chicago- 25 or 6 to 4
9.) Muse- Supermassive Blackhole
10.) Claude Debussy- Clair De Lune
11.) Coldplay- Kingdom Come
12.) Gabe Dixon- All Will Be Well
13.) Ordinary Boys- Lonely at the Top
14.) Rusted Root- Send Me on My Way
15.) B.B. King- Stand By Me
16.) Chuck Berry- Johnny B Goode
17.) Death Cab For Cutie- Follow You Into The Dark
18.) Jose Gonzales- Heartbeats

Nothing like a sweet beat to make the day.
Check 'em out.

Cheers.

Some Typical Shinanigans

2008-09-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

Once upon a midnight day there was a group of utterly ridiculous, completely niffty college kids playing in a dumpster. (it was cleaner than it sounds.)

Then one fell in.

After such an adventure they had a sudden burst of creativity. They soon decided what better way to express them selves than to have a tye dye party.

Once they decided they were heading dangerously close to the social "norm" they made plans to remedy that fact by playing a good old fasion game of cowboys and indians. It seemed logical enough.

Indians in their native habitat. Or something.

This one died.

Once this subsided we realized that our unique activity quota was not as full as we would like. So we declared a bike jousting tournament. (The correct precautions were taken as seen bellow.)

Fat Suit.

Before.

After.

Mexi wins.

Then somehow she made it into this tree.

After every week of ridiculously outlandish events we end them playing at the dunes and trying to build a fire and share less than scary stories.

The End.

(ish.)

Nicole goes to school.

2008-09-20T01:22:00.000-07:00

As i am back at school, this also means classes and other such commitments. My class list is as follows:

1.) Fencing- It's a lot like ballet but with 398 more ways of offending people. Even the slightest move can send people into a fury.

2.) Philosophy- Ancient Rome philosophers and the tales they told to get them in trouble. Its an interesting class to say the least.

3.) Social Problems- More like stand up comedy for an hour and a half, our proffesor makes us call him Steven. Not Proffesor Smith. We learn about how people act in situations that go against what is normal to them, and how they always leave in a more awkward mood anyway.

4.) Church History- Self explanitory. It is an interesting class, which is interestingly enough held in the agriculture building. Who would have thought?

5.) Humanities- The study of literature, music, art, film, philosophy, and also human beings. The people in this particular class are perfect example of "individuality". Interesting indeed.

6.) FA 100- Fine Arts 100 is a compilation of concerts, plays, and other such performances which must be attended as a requirement for graduating. Naturally i had no choice not to take it. Sooner is better than later i suppose.