I'm Back From Colorado!

Hello everyone! Oh how I've missed you all and this blog! It's been a crazy week, and stressful getting back into the swing of things. (I think I need a vacation from my vacation!) But it's Friday, it's a 3 day weekend and I'm soooo looking forward to relaxing. :) I will write a proper post this weekend with details but for now I'm going to share with you my hike up Bear Peak.

Bear Peak is located near Boulder, CO by the Flatirons. It has an elevation of 8,461ft, the trail is 4 miles one way and the elevation gain is 2,829ft. That may not seem to crazy, but 2400ft of the elevation gain is in the last 1.8 miles. Thats right it basically starts going straight up. I was pretty proud of myself during the hike as we made pretty decent time and I wasn't dying. However once we reached that point it became climb 10ft, stop. Climb another 10ft, stop. And so on and so on. Luckily I wasn't alone as most hikers seemed to be following the same strategy. It was all worth it in the end when we reached the summit and I got to see for miles :)

 The beginning of the trail and the task that lies ahead....Please note that there is a trail to the trail head on which I almost died. I really was worried that I wouldn't make it after that.

 First elevation shot. See those ants..I mean people down there? That was us at one point!

 I started feeling a little defeated after I was told that was where we were headed. It looked soooooooo far away.

Second elevation shot. This lifted my spirits a little as I could finally see all the progress we've made.

 Thennnnnn came the hard part. And by hard part I mean death part. AKA the climb to the top.

 Somehow I made it up this shit. I don't know how either. Obviously I didn't look down the entire time because if I had a lot of crying would have ensued.

 And success!!!!!!! A very tired, triumphant me sitting on a boulder at the summit.

 A view from the top.

I'm on a mountain bitches!!!!!

And there you have it. Obviously we came back down...which was even harder than going up. I took no pictures on the way down as it was super rocky, steap and my only focus was successfully steeping rock to rock without slipping and breaking my neck. We made it down okay save for a killer bee that was after me most of the way down. (Thats right Zoli I said KILLER BEE. And it really was after me.)

Can't wait to catch up with everyone! Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!!!!

Cheers,

Marisa

Thankful Tuesday

Happy Tuesday everyone! Just as I suspected this week is going by slooooowwwww. Which is kinda good because I'm not prepared for Saturday but I still want it to get here ASAP. Anyways here is my list of what I'm thankful for this week:

1.) Vacation

2.) Vacation

3.) Vacation

4.) Vacation

5.) Vacation

 (Hello Boulder! via)

Yeah it's all I can think about. That and the algebra/GMAT hell I've been in the past couple of days. NOT thankful for that.

What are you thankful for this week?

Cheers!

Marisa

Poverty Expirment 2011

I'm back. Still not 100% due to the crappiest nights sleep, but thats why they invented coffee, red bull and diet coke. Anyways about the title. My friend and I have decided that it's about that time to maybe be an adult and pay off our debts. This came about not long after I read an article about what living at poverty actually meant. The income for a family of 4 living at poverty is $22,350. I can barely afford myself, one person, and I make more than that! I cannot imagine trying to provide for a family on that income or imagine what it would be like to grow up living in poverty. Don't get me wrong this is not an attempt to make you feel bad for having money or spending it however you like. I work hard for every dollar I make, I'm not about to apologize for it. The stats are just what made me open my eyes that I have been wasting my money so foolishly. If a family can somehow get by on less than what I make a year there is no way I should be where I am with my finances.

(via)

I don't ever see myself buying a home because as previously stated I enjoy nothing about home ownership, but I will eventually need a new car. I'd like to start throwing more money into my 401K, and I'd like to create a nice savings so that I won't have to rely on credit cards in the event of something unforeseen. This will probably have some impact on my many random travels and shenanigans, but I'm hoping not much. I'll just have to get creative and who knows where my creativity will lead me. Oh and random, I found out today that my mom and her bf now have a house in Florida. So it's like I became a rich girl....who is actually not rich at all and poor with student loan debts and fashion related debts. However, this means I get to spend my bday not in snowy Iowa but in sunny Florida so woooooo!!!!!!!!!!

(via)

Pretty sure thats what the house looks like. I have that whole section on the left. If you're lucky, you'll get an invite to come party with me ;)

Cheers!

Marisa

Boulder, CO

So I've been getting my research on about the city of Boulder Colorado. I've never been, but heard it was pretty cool. Upon my searching I discovered this little shop.

( Tee & Cakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

(Doctor cupcakes? How cute is that?)

Tee and Cakes is a locally owned Boulder bakery, custom cake and wedding cake shop. They also sell scones, donuts, cinnamon rolls, cookies, mini pies, brownies annnnndddd coffee. So basically this place is my heaven and as far as I'm concerned the owners are Jesus. I cannot wait. Seriously I've read their website like a zillion times. ( I linked it above. I suggest you do the same.) Also I may or may not be on the hunt for a pretty "tee" party dress. Just don't tell my friend. He's still not too keen on a tea party. 

Another cool place I found was a vintage store called Goldmine Vintage. 

(via)

(via)

I've never been any good at the vintage/thrifting shopping but this place looks sooooo cool that I'm feeling pretty good about it. I mean I have to find at least one thing right? If not I'll just head back to Tee and Cakes and drown my sorrows in more cupcakes. 

And with that I'll leave you with some parting facts about Boulder. Like, did you know that it's sister city is Lhasa, Tibet? Home to the Dalai Lama? Well it is and has been since 1987 which I think is pretty awesome. Also they have a really sweet theatre called the International Film Series. They are a local arthouse series that showcase a wide range of eclectic films from many different genres. If you know me and movies, you know this is right up my alley. 

I hope everyone learned something today!

Cheers!

Marisa

Miscellaneous

When you go to the grocery store for just some random odds and ends do you ever wonder what the cashier is thinking? I do. It's one of my favorite past times. Take today for example. Today I needed some cat food, razors (for shaving) and while in line I thought a diet Mountain Dew sounded tasty. Here's what I would think if I were the cashier: She's buying the Mountain Dew to mix with vodka to numb herself before she slits her wrists but not before feeding her cats one last meal. Because really, cat food and razors? How sad is that? Try it next time you're running errands. It's fun!

Also I've had an epiphany. A fourteener is actually a big mountain. Like you're climbing up into clouds. 14,000ft is the altitude people sky dive from. I've been passing it off as nbd, but really I need to take it seriously as it is dangerous and people do die on those mountains. Also the lack of oxygen. Acute altitude sickness is no joke and even at that height HAPE and HACE are a real possibility. As most who know me know that I when plan something I pllaannnn something. So I will be reading and studying until I know every one of the 54 fourteeners inside and out and all there is to know for a successful summit. 

I am currently obsessed (and I mean obsessed) with The Young Victoria and all things Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. I find their love story so endearing and real, it is now my mission to find my very own Prince Albert. :)

Alright that's all the miscellaneous stuff that I have. I shall leave you with this fact: I RAN 8.4 MILES TONIGHT!!!!!!!!! Thats the farthest I've ever run. Ever. Dam to Dam is going down!

Cheers,

Marisa

8 Weeks

8 more loonnngggg weeks until vacation. Suck. I'm so ready for some new scenery. It's been 2 months since I've gone anywhere and it feels more like 2 years. My life currently revolves around work and working out which is not cool. Not cool at all. I wish I had something more super awesome fun for you to read, but I'm afraid my life is a black hole of lameness. In 8 weeks however I will be:

1.) Eating Late Night Snack at Ben and Jerry's Scoop Shop

2.) Hiking up a mountain.

3.) Enjoying a tour of the MillerCoors brewery

4.) Not working

5.) and seeing my long lost 5th grade love. I guess that can make the list. He's pretty cool :)

So as thats about all that I can muster up at this time. Please enjoy this picture of my cats as a cop out.

Their faces accurately describe my current attitude. 

Cheers,

Marisa

Dublin vs. London

So I guess I haven't publicly declared which city won. Well  I'm here to tell you the winner is.....

 (Image via google)

The votes were in and Dublin had overwhelming support. Obviously I had the last say, but at the end of the day..Dublin has been in my heart since college and I just couldn't deny it. Haha, almost applies to my last post and well my heart won and Dublin is where I'll be. Guinness wasn't my only motivation, although you'll never hear me admit it (ever in my life....except....now) I do happen to enjoy every once and a while....

(image via google)

I don't really like whiskey in general. However Jameson along with J&B and the Captain were three of the alcohols I used to rotate drinking from my parents liqueur cabinet. Captain was easiest to down mixed with coke, followed by J&B with ginger ale or 7-Up, but the Jameson was my "fancy" drink. I'd get out my moms crystal and pretend like I was super classy. I couldn't drink much of it, but still...there's something about holding a glass of whiskey that brings back fond old memories. So, as you can see Dublin had many things going for it. So sorry all the London supporters, there is always next year. But this November as a bday present to myself I'll be kissing the Blarney Stone and pounding Guinness with the hottest of Irish men. Except the Blarney Stone isn't in Dublin....whatevs. I plan on trying to drive on the wrong side of the road so I guess that's where I'll be driving to. So as I might be kinda drunk from the latest Mug Club party, I'm going to end this now. Before you have to read any terrible "insightful" thoughts I might have at the moment. 

Dublin Cheers!

Marisa