There are only 2 more days of class for Fall Semester. Then we have study period and exams. I’m pretty darn excited. By the time Friday rolls around, I’ll be done with my term paper and I’ll finally be able to get some sleep. Also on Friday is LipDub, the campus wide music video that is shot in one take. There are some great examples from other schools from around the world online. BU hopes to have the biggest one in the US. Unfortunately we won’t be the first because Suffolk beat us to it. But I have a feeling its going to be fun. Then theres a hockey game on Friday too. After the hockey game, I’m participating in cleaning up the arena for a fundraiser with the snowboard team. Its going to suck but hopefully we get a lot of people there and it isn’t too bad.

I’m going to leave Boston in 2 weeks to go home to Detroit for to 2 weeks. Then I’ll be back to Boston to hang out in the apartment alone for a week. We’ll probably have 2 new roommates because that’s just how housing works– when there are empty rooms, they get filled. I’m hoping no one moves in but that isn’t something I have control over so I just have to make the best of it.

For that week in Boston I’m going to do fun things that I don’t get to do when I’m bogged down with schoolwork. That includes possibly reading a book for fun, watching movies, strolling around the city (I haven’t gotten to do much of that this semester due to my heavy workload), and doing research about the snowboard industry. When I go to the SIA Snow Show in Denver this January, I want to well-informed. I have to impress the bigwigs so that I get a job when I graduate. I’m going to do an internship for Shredunion.com so that I can get a pass for the show. I’m super stoked.

I’m thinking of buying the domain name for my blog. I could set up an email account that is associated with the blog. I could probably put advertisements on it (and therefore make money off of it). I could change-up the colors more. Finally, the site would be traveloutloud.com, which excludes the WordPress bit– although I’m fairly certain this blog will continue to look like it does presently for a while. I’d be pretty thrilled to have a new and professional looking blog (especially if I can figure out how to create it myself). Maybe I should ask for a “Dummies Guide to Website Design” book or something for Christmas.

I’ve been thinking about it for a while because this blog has been getting more and more traffic. I use my Twitter quite often now that I have an iPhone so that helps get people to the site. If owning the site could help me get more exposure and get the big wigs at snowboarding companies to want to hire me, then perhaps its a good move. I could also potentially make money at the same time.

Obviously I need to look into it a little more. If I decide to purchase it, I should also spend more time on content– I’m talking more stories, more photos, more interesting links and reviews. I think I’ll make a decision during my winter break and if I decide to go through with it, come up with a plan to really get it going.

Leave me a comment if you have any thoughts on this and/or how I can make this blog better.

I recently read an article about a rider’s goals for the snowboarding season and I thought I’d write my own. I can’t remember which website it was on, I just followed a link on Twitter. It was a legit snowboarding site though (as far as I can remember).

1. Rails & Boxes- I plan to get better at boardslides (frontside and backside). I have to work on spinning on them and curved stuff too (so far I’ve only done straight forward flat and down rails).

2. Spins- I plan to throw spins like a maniac and actually land them. I’ve been working on the body motion and shoulder rotation on my longboard so hopefully that’ll help me.

3. Jumps- I plan to gun it and freak myself out on jumps. I’d rather not case them but knuckling sucks just as much. Landing has never been a problem for me, its more the enthusiasm to not take speed checks.

4. Competitions- actually try to do well, not just show up. Also, along with slopestyle, try the boardercross on for size.

Bonus- get a job in the snowboarding industry (contact me!)

Its been a really busy few weeks. I traveled to Cincinnati for the CISV USA National Board Meeting. It was great to see old friends and network with people in person. We often talked about how it was great to put a face to an email address. Oh the joys of technology.

Speaking of technology, my friend told me he joined Twitter recently so now his life is totally integrated. I told him I’ve been on that plan all year. Its a good way to keep track of things and share whats going on in my life or things I’m finding out on the web or (gasp) in the world. I’m hoping that all this online social media will help me connect with someone who wants to give me a job.

Speaking of jobs, I heard back from Teach for America. I actually bypassed the phone interview and was invited to the final interview. I definitely support the cause that we need to close the poverty gap but I’m just not sure I’d like to teach. I’m going to keep researching it and figure it out.

Speaking of research, I’m going to start researching the history of CISV USA’s Junior Branch. I thought about doing it for course credit but BU doesn’t have a good variety of 2 credit classes. I just need 16 credits this next semester and then I graduate. There is no need for me to take 18 credits, plus snowboarding (managing the team and competing), plus looking for a job, plus working on other CISV stuff. Oh right, plus its my SENIOR YEAR! so there are a lot of extra social activities that I’ll want to partake in.

Speaking of partaking in social activities, Halloween was amazing this year. I went out on Friday and Saturday night to parties. Also on Saturday I went out to Beacon Hill to check out their festivities and then there was a BU Men’s Hockey game. We lost but it was fun to be at the game in costume. Oh yeah, I was a party superhero. I called myself Captain Solo. I had a utility belt. Did I mention that I made my costume? It was pretty boss. I had a cape so of course when I ran around I had to throw the cape out. It was pretty windy on Saturday night too so I would hold my cape partly in front of me and let it flap in the wind (think, standing at attention). My powers included: making the party generally better, improving party atmosphere, making people better at beer pong, and keeping the police away with my essence. I made a lot of people smile with my ridiculousness.

Oh yeah and I saw Senator John Kerry at his house with his wife taking pictures and handing out candy.

Enough with the “speaking of” but I started the pattern and figured I’d continue it. I’ve found that since I’ve been so busy these past 3 weeks, I haven’t been able to get to the gym or go running. Literally 4 out of 7 days a week I woke up at 6:30 or 7am and immediately started studying (when I say immediately I mean after my coffee) then went to class and whatever events I needed to go to and then continued studying until around 11pm when Chelsea Lately came on. I’m so burned out. I need to work out though to increase my energy. Tomorrow perhaps but definitely Friday. I have an exam on Friday morning that I have to study for all day tomorrow. I have a short lull in the craziness and then it begins again. I have term papers due in the first two weeks of December and then exams mid December. Sounds stellar right?

Ah well, I’m really lucky to live the life I lead.

Oh! I forgot to share the celebrity sitings I had in the past month.

I went to the premiere of Whip It in Boston. Drew Barrymore was there to answer questions at the end. It was AWESOME.  Such a cool actor/director. She is pretty ridiculous but that’s part of the reason why I love her so much.

Obviously the pictures aren’t that great because this was inside a movie theatre (no natural light). The flash didn’t help me very much but I was quite close. The movie was excellent by the way!

I also saw Danny Wood from New Kids on the Block perform at the Race for the Cure 5K “Get a Running Start Expo.” I never was a NKOB fan but I can appreciate the guy. He was performing some music he wrote that had to do with how his mother died from breast cancer. That’s really unfortunate. His music sadly, was unfortunate too. If you’ve ever seen “Music & Lyrics” with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, it was exactly like the scene where Hugh plays the show at the amusement park and there is a small crowd of avid supporters but then there are way more people just moseying about doing their own thing. Danny didn’t have a live band, just a DJ/Sound Engineer to press play and make sure the sound worked out. I felt bad for the guy.

That is all… 2009 has proved to be kind of void of celebrity sitings But there is still time!

I haven’t been writing recently because I’ve been super busy with school. Well, school, snowboard team, and looking for a job. I’m trying to get a job in the snowboard industry (contact me if you’ll have something in May 2010!). I’m willing to move anywhere. I’d prefer Vermont or Colorado because I know people in those states but I’m open to the Northwest and SoCal too. To do this I’m working connections and trying to figure out how to get into the SIA conference in Denver this January.

Some updates about my life:

I visited Newton:

I ran the Boston Race for the Cure 5K near the Seaport World Trade Center:

I attended the Cool Story and Get Real premieres put on by BLVD at the Other Side Cafe:

(I don’t have pictures because it was dark and there isn’t a flash on my phone’s camera.)

I’ve read books, watched movies, attended 2 poetry readings for a class, and been to a toga party.

It was pretty sweet. I’ll try to update more often…

Some pictures I’ve taken of meals I’ve made.

Fried eggs on toast

Terriaki Tofu & Veggies

Upside down spagetti with tofu, green beans, and some cheese atop.

I’m a creative chef. I don’t use recipes.