Downhill Falling... I mean Biking...

On Sunday Jon, Noelle, Sean, Nina and I went to Grapevine to go mountain biking. It was crazy fun!!!

Within 5 minutes of strapping on our helmets, squeezing into our bike shorts and hopping on the saddle... I had flown of the front of my bike. Now you might think that I am being dramatic because sometimes I have a tendency to, let's say, embellish a few little details of my stories (the otter)! But this time I am dead serious. I thought that I was doing really well and that this whole biking thing was not as bad as I had pictured when I rounded the first bend and realized that I was very wrong.

My first segment of rocks and roots were quite terrifying... they started to taunt me and laugh at me as I rode up to them. I heard "Your gonna fall, your gonna fall" over and over again. Low and behold, I made it through. With my new found confidence I continued on the path of doom and went down a steep embankment with rocks and roots only to turn very sharply to the left at the bottom. The elation that I felt as I thought that I had cleared the series of high tech maneuvers (for a beginner atleast) quickly dissipated as I snagged the back tire on the side of the log and my bike stopped. No, not in a smooth "oops" type of a stop but a violent jerk which sent me pummeling over the handlebars and crashing into dirt, roots, rocks, and blood (produced by me of course).

Furtively glancing around, I made sure that no one saw me. I jumped back on my bike and continued on with a few scrapes and bruises but totally fine. As I pedaled on, Nina yelled back to see if I was okay and then she waited for me for a few seconds. I caught up with her and told her that I was fine and just had a little bit of a spill... after all, it's not like I almost died or anything!

I speed past her and decided to take the lead... bad idea! With Nina behind me she could see everything that I was doing. I came upon an 6 inch ledge that I popped my front tire up and over. Yes, I thought! Yet... things don't usually work out the way that I want them too. My back tire, again, snagged the ledge and violently stopped my bike and where did I go? Up and over... once again uncomfortably close to my friend the ground. More blood, scratches and bruises thought that they would join my ever swelling flesh.

To make matters worse, as I was brushing myself off and grabbing my bike, two "real" bikers came upon us and slowed down to see if I was okay. "I am fine" I said with a lot more confidence than I was feeling at the moment as I laughed it off and hopped on again.

On we went as I let Nina go in front of me so she could not witness my demise. My next fall came about because of a complicated series of rocks and crevices. My back tire... no just kidding, it was the front... fell into a crevice and I went careening over my handlebars. Noelle and Jon came up behind me with concern. Up until now I had portrayed the perfect beginner attitude with humility and respect. Now, I was angry!!! Every time that I got going I would end up with new rocks embedded in my skin and a mouthful of dirt.

After I had calmed down and continued on things got much better. Jon and Nina went on and got a "good ride" in. Noelle, the kind sister that she is, waited on me and turned back early so that we would have time to get back. We talked and joked the whole way back. I laughed so hard and smiled so much that, in the end, my cheek muscles hurt more than my "cheek" muscles.

The rest of our journey!

The next thing that we came upon was a town... err city?... which was out in the middle of the wide open plains. All you could see for miles was absolute nothingness and then all of a sudden... skyscrapers!

Now the point of building the ever so expensive skyscraper is to build up when there is no room to build out. I promptly turned to Dad and in a high pitched whiny child-like voice I said "Mommy, I went to be a real city... one with skyscapers!"

We stopped in El Paso to spend the night and when we got there I really wanted to go work out. I joined a very old man as the only occupants of the workout room and we proceeded to get into a deep conversation for over an hour... strange how things happen sometimes!

When I went back to our room Dad told me that there was no sample shampoo or conditioner. They had a bar of soap and that was all. I went and bought a sample bottle of shampoo out of the vending machine for $2.

We had to get up at 5:30 so we went to bed early. I layed in bed for three hours contemplating issues of life and was finally about to fall asleep when Dad started snoring. I don't just mean an irregular short snort every once in a while but the loud obnoxious kind that you hear in the movies. Are you kidding me? After he finally started to quit down and I was falling asleep a train went by really close to the hotel. So the rest of the night was a series of Dad snoring and the trains going by.

We got up at 5:45 to find that I had accidentally not packed any clothes to wear. How does one forget to bring clothes might I ask you? Anyway, I ended up wearing a pair of sweatpants and one of Jimmy's really big sweatshirts. Ehh... whatever!

The event was soo much fun. Dad and I had such a blast!!! As soon as we download the pictures I will post them.

First phase of trip!

Last weekend Dad and I went to New Mexico to go to the X Prize Cup! It is an event where private companies, as well as reps from NASA, put on a big event getting people interested in space and space travel. The idea is to start regular travel to space by private companies rather than just government funded programs.

We started off our trip late because I each a science class on Friday mornings. We left at 11:00am and headed west. After about an hour of driving the scenery changed drastically... and not for the better. Now I am not one to complain too much but Texas is not a state that is known for it's scenery. Actually, having grown up with atleast trees, I find this state quite ugly! West Texas is worse than just flat like where I live... it's flat and has no buildings or living organisms to break up the perfectly straight line of the horizon. Dad and I got in to a deep discussion about the implications of living there a hundred years ago. Yeah... not so much!

Despite the wretched atmosphere, Dad and I were both in great moods and enjoying ourselves immensely. When we had been on E for about 15 minutes and I was starting to experience a very small dose of Jimmy's intense paranoia about running out of gas we stopped for gas. It was the smallest town I think that I have ever seen. We could not figure out where anyone lived or where they ate or shopped or anything and mind you, there is not much landscaping to block you view of these things.

I went in to go to the bathroom and I had been driving so I tossed the keys on the front seat. Dad finished up pumping the gas and, figuring he would make a quick stop in the bathroom as well, promptly locked the car door and went inside. Yeah... we were in the middle of Texas, 4 hours from home and again... smallest town I have ever seen.

We looked up a locksmith in the phone book, maintaining our high spirits the whole time, and called him to come help us out. We were a little worried about the cost but it was only $35 for him to come out. We got the car open and were on our merry way only $35 dollars down when Dad realized that he had left his sunglasses on the roof of the car. So what had only been a $55 dollar stop, including gas, turned into a $155 dollar stop. "Oh well" Dad said... "I really want some of those new [insert high tech verbiage] sunglasses anyway!" Apparently they are made with NASA research data and are supposed to be really good. So, still in great moods, we continued on our trip!!!

I found it!!!

It's official... I am now a virgin!!!

Today, Summer and I went shopping and I have been looking for my virginity for quite a while now. I went through the last few years of my life in pursuit... traveling, shopping, eating, sleeping, working and nothing ever quite seemed to fit!

But, low and behold, today of all days... I have found it. Now, one would ask "why today of all days?" And one would answer "I have no idea!"

So I am hear to say thank you to my family, my roomies, my friends, my fans and the academy for supporting me in my decision to hold out!

So today I spent $30.00 on a ring that represents something that it is priceless!!!

Phenomenon

"WAKE UP... THE STREETS ARE FLOODED!!!"

This is what I woke up to this morning. Mom came rushing through the sorority rooms (Summer's, Meg's and mine) yelling for us to grab our keys and move our cars. If you don't already know, I am not the most alert person in the world when I first wake up! I had no idea what was going on and for just a half a second... I considered that Mom might actually be going insane. After all, we live in TEXAS... the land of no rain!!!

I slowly got up and, after acquiring the intense sense of urgency that the rest of the house seemed to have plenty of, I ran downstairs to observe the damage. As I stepped outside I could not believe what I was seeing... the street was covered in a foot and a half of water... not exaggerating!!!

What in the world? Summer and Meg had just moved their cars when I got downstairs and Sean was moving his as well. Sean's car was at the lowest point in the cul-de-sac and his car was flooded when he opened the door. Summers door skimmed the water as she carefully opened her car door. Thankfully, only Seans was flooded!

Very shortly after I got outside, the builder showed up and went pummeling across the body of stagnant water on our street. It was the first time that the street name, Stone Lake, actually fit!
He asked where the drain was and I directed him to the spot. He had to kick around to find it because the water was so deep and dirty that he would never have been able to find it otherwise.

He finally found it and proceeded to pull up the mesh grating that covered the drain. Because we are in a new subdivision there is a lot of dirt and not much grass. The grating was there to stop dirt from clogging the drain but instead, it stopped the water from draining.

When he had pulled it up the water from the whole cul-de-sac drained within 45 seconds. I considered getting up and going to class and then decided that it was time to go back to bed!

TV

Tuesday was my birthday and my family, including Summer, threw me a little party! We had so much fun. They grilled and and cooked for hours and the food was amazing.

Things have been really crazy lately but I am sure that is not news to anyone. I am working a lot and trying to keep up with school. I have this great opportunity to teach a science class to some kids from my church. I am really excited and can't wait to start.

Has anyone seen the new LOST? I am just going to say that shows that leave you hanging and not understanding anything suck. This is why I like Stargate! The show starts and concludes and is rarely to be continued. I LOVE Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, and Stargate Atlantis!!! I am so excited for Battlestar to start up TOMORROW!!!!!