To Do

Wow, I haven't posted in quite some time. I guess finishing up the term is keeping me pretty busy. Speaking of finishing things, I'm done with my TESL Certificate portfolio; after two years of lectures, observations, teaching and tutoring I can now show that I am a teacher...sorta. Also, I finished a presentation about teaching Community ESL classes that I've been working on since last winter, one I thought would never fully materialize. Well, I presented at ORTESOL last Friday, along with my partner and good friend Eman, without a hitch. Checking the things off my list of things to do leaves me with a bit of nostalgia and excitement. Some of these things have been on the list for years, some not so long. Either way I'm finding myself looking for new and interesting things to add, things that are surely gonna change, take forever to complete or turn me into a person constantly searching for that life that's elsewhere. I dunno, maybe it's just a list of things to do.

I detest following, but also leading.
To obey? Never! And just as bad—to govern!
He who wishes not to be terrified, will summon no terror for others:
Yet only he who peddles fear can lead others.
I even detest having to lead myself!
Like the creatures of the forest and the sea, I love
To lose myself for a while
In meek error thoughtfully to cower
Drawn home at length by distant things
Being enticed by myself to my Self.

-Friedrich Nietzsche

Last Fall

This is my favorite time of year in Portland; The leaves are changing, new smells are arriving, and the sky has big fluffy clouds in it. School just started, my last term at PSU, and I'm excited about the coming months. I want to take as much in as I can and really dig into it. I took this picture on top of Rocky butte and it made me think of this quote by Jon Carroll:

Bicycling, after all, is about living gently on the earth, about going slowly enough to see the world around you, about being able to hear the birdsongs and the snatches of conversation, and about being present while in transit.

Life by bike

As the seconds click by my body knows it's time to move; Forward through life still waiting for a moment where nothing exists. Is there such a place? A timeless pass where no one is being, but just feeling each memory.

I read that poem exactly two years after I wrote it down in a journal I keep. I read it when I was camping... The day after my birthday I packed camping gear into my mayo buckets, attached them to my bike rack, and rode to Estacada, Oregon. I took the Spring-water Corridor Trail, and got a flat at Gresham. How frustrating! But a routine fix for sure. I flipped the bike, took out the busted tube, and saw that I had punctured it at the valve. I replaced the busted tube and somehow punctured the new one! And at the valve of all places. I tried, hastily, to patch both tubes at the valve to see which would hold air. Neither did. A couple of cyclists stopped and gave me an extra patch. They left and then another cyclist stopped and gave me his spare tube. I pumped it up and it held fine. Oregon is beautiful, but after busting my tube I tried to save time and not stop to take so many photos. I couldn't help myself... Finally, I arrived at Milo McIver campground right next to the Clackamas River. I quickly set up camp and started making dinner. Since I was alone, I did a lot of reflecting and thought a lot about the camping trips I went on as a child. A little furry bug that lived on the picnic bench. On the way back I got a little lost in a town called Boring. Though it was nice because of all the beautiful scenery. Total trip length: 86 miles. Total time gone: 62 hours

Life is elsewhere...in America

For all of you who don't know already I plan on touring the country this Spring on the Amtrak with a shoestring budget. My first stop will be in San Francisco, then off to San Diego, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, San Antonio, Austin, New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago, St.Paul/Minneapolis, Whitefish, and then back through the good ol' Northwest. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do, where to go?

Something new

Hopefully this is something I'll keep up on while abroad and in Oregon or wherever. I wanna keep up with it so as to document the important things that are happening in my life, which may be boring but at least my mom will be happy.