Author: approximately

approximately1 Comment
TODAY MARKED MY FIRST LONG WALK since winter. It was over 70 degrees and I needed a breather after an anxious day of last-minute things. 
School. Almost. Done. For. Now.

oreos. stat.

approximately2 Comments

It just occurred to me that I haven’t had an Oreo in two days.

So what. So what?! How did I go so long without realizing that I hadn’t indulged in one of my favorite things? How have I slept at night? How did my chocolately friends not crawl out of their box in the cupboard and drag themselves to me at 2 am as I pathetically watched Gary Busey scatter pepperonis throughout the streets of New York City before Donald Trump decided to kick David Cassidy off of Celeb Apprentice? Where was my mind?

Maybe I haven’t needed them, because I feel calm and collected. The Oreo remedy, practiced by the stressed and the hungry, the bored, the young and old, cookie crumb collectors and connoisseurs alike — eaten and enjoyed, no one dislikes an Oreo. They’re God’s gift to every kind, their greatness paralleled only by Oprah, the Slap-Chop, and toilet paper…and perhaps, Gary Busey, tossing pepperonis along sidewalks and crosswalks in proclamation, “I’m the pepperoni prophet!”

So now I’m sitting here with a sleeve of Oreos, a jar of peanut butter and a gallon of milk. I have some catching up to do.

dogs. lasers. snows. shoppings. schoolstuffs.

approximatelyLeave a comment
Life in short:
01. Lasers 
I went to NDSU to use their laser cutter on my portfolio cover, and now I want to laser cut my entire life.
02. Small World Occurrences 
I ran into an older couple in a WalMart parking lot (random) who, I’m pretty certain, own my parents’ dog Olive’s brother, Charlie (they’re both from a Jamestown breeder). (Whew.) I have Sheltie radar so I spotted Charlie from a distance. He was shy and wanted to hide behind his ma’s leg as I tried to snap his picture! 
03. Snow 
I walked out from school really late one night (or really early in the morning) to find this coating my car. Do we ever get a break?
04. Mini-Road Trippin’ 
Heidi and I decided on a whim to take a day trip to Albertville, MN to check out the outlet mall. We’re both pretty burnt out on school (I am more so, and Heidi is graduating in two weeks so I don’t feel bad for her!) so a mini vaca was in order. We perused Albertville for a bit and found a few little things, had dinner at Noodles & Company, and drove home. A perfect little getaway.
05. Tutorials, Schmutorials
For one of my classes I’m required to do four hours of Adobe After Effects training online. YAWN. Just to spite me, the tutorial’s working file was an “Explore California” animation. I wish I could!

06. Oooo! Shiny!
My portfolio case I ordered arrived in the mail today. It’s a shiny white aluminum case and it’s so sleek and snazzy, I kind of want to sleep with it tonight…or just have it impress my future interviewers.

That’s pretty much the “excitement.” The coolest thing about this week (and next) is that I don’t have a single “final” — the beauty of being a design major. The most uncool thing about this week is I have to turn in my design portfolio at the end of it (which is the equivalent of five finals. Come to think of it, maybe I’m not winning in the “finals” game?

xx
j

vicariously wednesday: the nessie edition

approximatelyLeave a comment

ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IN THE WORLD has certainly earned the title, “One of my best friends in the world.” She’s been all over this great planet just living life as she pleases. Several years ago she studied in Spain, then Prague, and everywhere between. Now graduated, she’s living life not on the road or at her parents’ (however, there’s nothing wrong with either), but in NEW ZEALAND.

Her name? Vanessa Watson, a.k.a. “Nessie” a.k.a. “Wanderlust Nessie.” She is basically my travel idol (right up there with Rick Steves.) Nessie is FEARLESS. She graduated college this past December, lived with her parents for a while and worked — three to five jobs — along the way, managing to save enough money to —RANDOMLY — buy a plane ticket to New Zealand.

To my knowledge, Nessie didn’t know a soul in New Zealand. My guess is that she went there on the premise of a) FINE WEATHER 2) tan men and III) her ability to get a job. Nessie did her homework (as she is not only beautiful but also smarter than your average former Victoria’s Secret saleswoman) and learned that it is REALLY EASY to get a worker’s permit in New Zealand. You basically apply for one, wait a few weeks for the good folk of Down Under to ensure you have a pulse, and WHAM! You are as good as qualified to serve the good island folk of the South Pacific! Now she’s living and working the good life!

Due to my strong avoidance of Facebook, I’ve been playing a pretty game of “Where in the World Is Nessie?” these past few months to keep up with her. Luckily I learned she has a blog, which, after two stagnant months, she finally posted the other day to let everyone know that she is HAVING THE TIME OF HER LIFE. (YES, I’M SHOUTING.)

As I was banging my head against a computer screen yesterday, I decided to check up on Nessie’s blog to see what she was up to. This is what I found:

“You may have noticed it has been months since my last blog post. Some would say my lack of TLC for Wanderlust Nessie is pure laziness and neglect. I would like to set the record straight that I have just been having too damn good of a time hiking, camping, bungy jumping, dancing, sitting on the beach, star gazing and enjoying New Zealand to sit indoors on a computer. Fret not, I am rededicating myself to the cause starting soon. 
Peace & Love, 
Nessie



I love Nessie from the deepest corners of my heart. I can’t wait until I can see her again. But I really, really can’t wait until this is me, following my dreams like Nessie!
Please read her blog and you will find someone so full of passion, who is living the life of her dreams, a truly inspiring soul. What a woman. What. A. Woman.
So today I’m imagining that I’m not sitting in front of a computer screen in a stuffy computer lab (where there is a nerd to my right, gaming and licking the chocolate residue from a Reeses peanut butter cup wrapper), but basking in a faraway place…like Nessie.
xo
jc

momma bear comes to fargotown

approximatelyLeave a comment
SINCE I DIDN’T MAKE IT BACK TO MINOT for Easter, my wonderful mother made a trip to visit my sister and I this weekend. It was very brief, but plenty fun!
We spent a nice morning at the fabric store, an afternoon downtown eating at a noodle place for lunch and checking out a flower shop, followed by ice cream. It’s always a breath of fresh air when Mom comes!