maybe there really is hope...

I mean, if google can find Waldo, then anything is possible, right?

the long list...

of things I am apparently at least a little bit allergic to...
cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, cow's milk, lactalbumin (one of the proteins in dairy), yogurt, blueberry, grapefruit, orange, papaya, pear, raspberry, strawberry, alfalfa, celery, cucumber, peppers, mushroom, olive, onion, potatoes, tomatoes, buckwheat, corn, kidney beans, oat, pecan, pinto beans, rice, sesame, soy, chocolate, and coffee.
In case you're wondering what that leaves... I am pretty much eating nuts, meat, select veggies, apples, and bananas. In six weeks I get to start adding some stuff back in to see how my body reacts to it and what I can deal with. Doesn't that sound exciting?!? On the bright side, we may have finally found the source of Pedro...

so, how are things?

I think that I am going through a Quarter-Life Crisis. Well, maybe not completely, but it is really hard to quiet some of those voices saying that I should have things more figured out. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm intelligent and good-looking and all that good stuff, but with all that potential, I'm working 15 hours a week at a video store, barely paying rent (let alone eating). What am I really doing? I mean, really? But then I take a step back (when I can) and realize that I am more fulfilled by my 15 hours at the video store than I was this spring when I had a "good job" at a mortgage company. So who is to say that my definition of fulfilling is wrong? As long as I think I'm doing ok, then I am. I just sometimes wish that I was more consistent in my thinking that I'm doing what I should be. I guess that's what 3 days of laying in bed gets you... a lot of thoughts about the way things are or should be or something idealistic like that. Psh.
This pic has pretty well summed up my existence over the past couple days... or one with me on a toilet with a bucket in hand, but that's less appropriate.

Pedro the Lion-hearted

As seen in my earlier post, Pedro won't die. But I'm not sure if it's Pedro or nerves that has my stomach churning a little bit. I get on a ferry in about 8 hours that will contain me for the next three days and provide infinite time to question my decision and most likely make me wanna run back to Shoreline to mommy. But forward I go. I'm excited to see what is in store for me, even though it may be difficult. I am signing a 6 month lease when I get to Haines, so if things suck, it's only 6 months. You can do anything for 6 months, right? So off I go on my next adventure. I think it's time to settle down at least for a little while.

What do I do with my days?

That's a question I have been getting a fair amount lately, so I'll go ahead and answer it. I work at Federal Mortgage, the same place that I worked at through some of college. It's a pretty good job and I'm learning about the mortgage business, so that's pretty cool. Other than that, I have been catching up on movies and tv, an endeavor that will never really be complete. I have also been known to critically assess Drew Carey as the new host of the Price is Right and complain about it to some of the people who are close to me... or anyone who I think will listen.
I spent a good portion of today filling out my application for Children of the Nations to go down to the Dominican Republic, so hopefully I'll be able to head down there for a couple months in the summer.
If you asked me six months ago where I would be in six months, what I am actually doing is no where near the answer that I would have given you, but things are good anyway. I've kinda turned into a bit of an optimist, which is a little weird, but I like it.