n.i.t.e ride pictures!

 the ride was absolutely awesome, yet exhausting! 3500 bikes!! it was definitely the most fun i've had all summer, while getting exercise! 20 miles was ridiculously far for never really riding my bike more than a mile before, but it was worth it. i was sweating from every pore. the trek started at the veladrome and rode through downtown indy (monument circle, the capitol, the war memorial) then through Butler and the IMA gardens! The hills were killer and next year, I will definitely do some training.   AND buy some padded spandex biking shorts. I am so sore from sitting on my bike seat and pedaling for about 2 hours straight.

it was so much fun to get out in Indy in the middle of the night and see things from a bike! it was so pretty and just a blast chatting with Jen and Michele, along with yelling "Hey, Lance Armstrong on your left!" hahah  with one more summer activity down, that means July is basically here - which means, china is closer! i've decided to purchase a one way ticket to shanghai. i have not found out my ending date of of my contract yet, and what if i decide to travel? or what if i stay another semester. i am not closed to that idea. you just never know what life has in store and i'm not gonna box myself in with a round trip ticket. i might be paying more money to do this, but it's what i want to do. “If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything.”

  (this was at the half way mark! mile 10!)

tonight, i bike 20 miles.

http://www.niteride.org/

check it out. i honestly don't know what i am getting myself into. other then i know i will be seen from outer space with the amount of glow sticks i'll be wearing on myself and my bike.
we wanna win the L.I.T.E up your bike contest. look out professionals, michele, jennifer and jami are here to kick your butts.

songs i have recently become obsessed with. oh, and a suitcase.

vagabond - wolfmother
here comes your man - meaghan smith
sweet disposition - the temper trap
hero - regina spektor
you really got a hold on me - she&him
lull - andrew bird
the moon - glen hansard & marketa irglova
in the arms of this low - also the amazing glen hansard and marketa irglova

you won't go wrong listening to any of these - well, at least i think so.
60 days until I leave for china. as i mentioned to my facebook and twitter friends, i am not trying to wish my summer away by any means, but, i am so ready to go to china! aug. 22nd, are you here yet? today i bought a new, awesome, super travel-y, weight conscious, blue and aqua plaid suitcase. (link doesn't have plaid pictures for some reason) this baby is like 2 suitcases in one with separated compartments. yes, it may not be super girly, but i am going for efficiency here people. if my suitcase is over 50lbs, i pay 50 dollars. you gotta give up something.
as you can see- not much more is going on in my life. i get excited over a suitcase obviously.
oh - nannying.

 i really love it. it's the best job. i took them to see toy story 3 in IMAX 3d, and got paid for it. who is complaining? not me.


60.60.60.60

thank goodness for...

margaritas.
best friends.
good conversation. no, great conversation. real conversation.
friends and best friends who would kick someone's ass for me.
kids. (specifically the kids i nanny)
swimming pools.
magazines.
good books.
china.
china travels.
china.
shanghai.
china.
my feel sorry for myself threesome- ray, glen, marketa.
my MacBook.
books.

lets just say. i've had a rough two days. without these, i might be a mess.
did i mention china?

Teach in China CIEE promo video

Here is a video about the program I will be taking part of come August!
The ones about Chongqing are just travel videos - the one that says China with CIEE is the main one!

steps closer

i took this from a blog i regularly read about china. it is the shanghai skyline: the first shot was in the 1900s and the second shot is in the present. i found this amazing! shanghai is the largest center of commerce and finance in china and by this picture it shows! it looks like new york! i am so excited to be living in a big city. i have always wanted to and hope that once i get back from china and find a job that it is somewhere a little bigger then anderson (think indy, louisville, chicago, type places). 

today i go to see my family doctor to get all my medical work done in order to live in china. I have to have a physical, chest xray, EKG and a few blood tests. pretty intense, right?  im willing to go through all of that to get to china, and with NO health insurance might i add. i actually will be getting back on my mom's plan in july, but i HAVE to HAVE all my paperwork in by july 1, no exceptions. so... looks like it will be a pricey endeavor but i am prepared. like i said, i am willing to do what it takes to live and teach in this city. money is not gonna stop me :) 

i have had a nice few days off. i can't believe that it is already thursday. only 4 more days off till its back to the 5 days a week work plan. not that its really that much work. i love nannying. its really easy and fun! heading back to nannying (after they've been on vacation) means that june is half over. that means instead of 3 months till i leave, its a little under 2 1/2.

i'm getting readddyyy! even though, i still have tons toooo doooo!!


i forgot to mention - CIEE has posted the names of other participants that will be teaching in China with me at the same school :) There are 7 other girls and 1 guy. not gonna lie, i have tried looking them all up on facebook and just straight googling them. only luck finding two of them, who of course, are really great! :) i'm excited to see i will not be alone! obviously, i knew that already, but seeing names makes me feel better!
i am still waiting on my letters of intent from new jazz so i can start the visa application process. These next few weeks are going to be busy with china stuff (sending in all my medical forms, and hopefully my visa information as well as buying my ticket soon!) excitement doesn't EVEN cover it. :)

i'm (not) a PC.

hello mac world. jami has joined your team and is very happy with the switching of sides. it was a huge huge huugggeeee purchase for me but i am glad i did it & think of it as an awesome investment as well :) i just want to keep playing on it & yes, its 2:30 am.
now to... order a case & get all my files off my Dell onto here. I've heard the external hard drive is the way to go. seems pricey to me. hopefully i can find someone with one that will let me use it.

i love my mac!

 yep, thats her :) haha

10 days off.

I am officially having my only vacation of the summer, starting now. The family I nanny for left for Gulf Shores this morning and won't be back till the 14th! That leaves me with TEN. FULL. DAYS. OF. VACATION! no picking up shifts at old navy (i quit). no anything! :) I plan to take full advantage of this vacation. I want to have the perfect mix of relaxation and productivity. I have figured out that I can no longer sleep in past 9, which is okay until about noon and then I am so exhausted.
Plan for the day - take macey on a walk, clean and organize my room, big time!, budget out my summer spending so that I can afford to get my plane ticket to china, pay for supplies I will need and hopefully, buy a new computer sometime this week! maybe even tonight!
Plans for the next ten days - doctors appointments for china trip, west lafayette trip, camden's birthday party, helping emily with her fetal pig dissection for online nursing school :) ewwww (im such a good friend!) and whatever else comes my way.

china is about 79 days away. it'll be here before i know it i'm sure!