25 Days of Birthmas Day 2: Stuff I Want

Okay so normally I'm not one to ask for a lot of presents because, I feel bad asking for them. I would much rather people donate to the ARL (Animal Rescue League), participate in Toys for Tots or make donations to the local food bank. However, since I need to fill up 25 Days of Birthday stuff, I suppose I can share with you some crap that I wouldn't mind having.

(Kindle Fire)

Yes I want the Kindle Fire. Don't try to sell me on your iPad. Drew has one. It's neat, but this does everything I need it to and only costs $199. Please donate the extra money it would have cost to buy an iPad to one of the above mentioned charities.

(North Face Denali Jacket)

Mine is sadly about to bite the dust. I have worn the shit out of this coat and I love it to death. Also I can wear a child's size XL. They're cheaper.

(New Balance 1520 Gore-Tex Trail Shoes)

I hope to run up a mountain in August so these would be very much appreciated. 

And last but not least

(The North Face Terra 35 Pack)

I also would like to start doing multi-day hikes. So this is necessary. 

What? You were expecting sparkly pretty pageant girl things? Sorry. I'm quite diverse as you now know. Also, I love The North Face. Don't hate. 

Stay tuned for more Birthmas fun!!!!!!!

Cheers!

Marisa

Hit it hard every yard for ISU!!!!

Oh hey. Remember me? The girl who's been traveling non stop for the last couple of weeks, yeah thats me. 'Bout time for a GD update. So here it is. I survived camping. AND I actually had fun! Tettegouche State Park was absolutely beautiful and the weather could not have been more perfect nor could my company be any better :)

(Camping essentials...I still don't know what half of it is)

We pitched a tent, made a fire and I called upon my gathering skills and collected twigs for the fire while Drew was in charge of the food. Also I think it goes without saying that we gorged ourselves on S'mores. I forgot how awesome they are.

(Campsite view of Lake Superior)

In the morning we got to watch the sunrise over the lake while eating oatmeal and drinking our coffee. Then something happened that made my entire camping trip. While eating breakfast I looked down over the bluff to see not one but FOUR river otters playing about in the lake. For an animal lover like myself it was the best morning ever.

So moral of the story being if you can get yourself to Tettegouche in the fall because it's absolutely amazing even if you're not the biggest camper.....yet.

So what the heck is with the post title. My Iowa friends know...some may be cheering along...some may be crying in their beers still. This past weekend was the BIGGEST weekend in football in Iowa. The Iowa vs Iowa State game. Iowa is considered the powerhouse football team in the state. Big Ten blah blah blah. However the game was held in Ames this year and of course we were up there at 6:30am cracking open a cold one and cheering on our alma mater. It was an INTENSE game with not one but THREE overtimes with the Cyclones coming out victorious. Seriously I never enjoyed seeing so many faces in so much misery as I did at the bar when Iowa State scored the winning touchdown. The Iowa fans were being particularly rude and well typical Iowa douchebags so it made it all the more amazing. I also may have gotten angry and threw an empty beer can into the crowd at one point. Whatever they were jerks. Anyways, from what I can recall it was a great day and all I need to remember is that the Cyclones won and Iowa City can suck it.

How about everyone else? Any other football victories this weekend? Anyone else throw some beer cans at douchebags?

Cyclone Cheers!

Marisa

Camping Anxiety??? Oh No Wait...Just The Regular Kind

Last night I was all Monday is going to rock and I"m going to get my ass to the gym at 5 (I did) to start my half marathon training and then at night I won't have to work out and I can relax and blog. After my workout I was feeling pretty good, got ready for the day and headed to work. Somewhere on that drive everything went to shit. I don't know what my deal is today but I haven't been able to shake this sense of impending doom. It's crushing me like a ton of bricks and for the life of me I can't quite figure out why. I am so rigoddamndiculously happy right now and Des Moines is not filled with raging flood waters, and I'm not going weeks without food like the children in Somalia, and I'm most certainly not getting blown up by suicide bombers so WHAT in the world do I have to be all anxious about?

Okay so I mayyyy have a slight clue. I may be soooo happy that it is causing this anxiety. I know first world white girl problems. I hate myself for even saying it because really you're so happy that it gives you anxiety? I would probably tell myself to piss off if I ran into me right now. However I feel like Charlotte in the good SATC movie, where she has everything she's ever wanted and is afraid something bad is going to happen to her. That's how I feel. Unfortunately for me I didn't shit my pants this year, so I guess I'm not done. 

Perhaps it's because things are starting to feel real. Like it's official, people know. Hey everyone I have an amazing boyfriend who is the bomb and gives up his 2012 Ikea catalog for me. So perhaps now that everyone knows, now that I can say "this is my boyfriend...." I'm so afraid of losing it. Does that make sense? Or am I being a ridiculous whiny little bitch who needs to man up? 

I'm sure it will pass but until it does, lets just blame it on the camping shall we?

Cheers

Marisa

30 Before 30: Camping....Like For Real Camping

So I have a lot of fun stuff coming up the next couple of weekends. Most importantly seeing a lot of Drew. The super fun thing I've got to look forward to is camping in Tettegouche State Park over Labor Day. Camping (for reals camping) is on my 30 Before 30 because....well.....in my 26.5 years of existence, I have never ever been camping. And here is why. 

This is my idea of camping:

(Shelley Long in Troop Beverly Hills)

I know I know I know you all saw me being a bad ass mountaineering woman in Colorado but here's the deal: That was about 5.5 hours in the wilderness. Not all day all night. Sleeping on the ground with possible bugs crawling on you and quite possibly the worst thing ever: PEEING IN THE WOODS!

No, I have never peed in the woods. Shocked? I know most people are. I would rather rupture my bladder than pee in the woods. I am not an outdoorsy girl what can I say. But, I"m determined to do this and to do it well. I may be a pageant doing, makeup/fashion obsessed, bug fearing ,river hating, dirt loathing, break into a cold sweat when on a lake, girl who hates sweating but I WILL successfully camp just as well as any Amazon who pees in the woods and eats bark. I WILL survive with out my concealer and bronzer and my straightening iron, and I WILL NOT call for room service...unless you can actually do that. Then I totally am. 

So this post was not a cheer me on post. This was a heap a lot of praise on Drew and send him good luck vibes and well wishes. He has undertaken a big task and is well aware of my camping/outdoors shortcomings. Luckily he is an Eagle Scout and I'm pretty sure Camping with Whiny High Maintenance Girl is like a patch they have to earn. No? Well then just keep him in your thoughts and prayers. 

Camping Cheers!

Marisa