20: GREGORY DEVA 60

Stick holder

Yesterday, I went to MEC and spent half an hour walking around the store with 15 kilos (~30 lbs) inside this Gregory Deva 60 backpack. I felt like I could still hike up a mountain even with this weight on the pack and therefore concluded that I should buy it, especially since it was on sale for $70 off and had won an Editor's Choice Award from Backpacker magazine. And look, it even has a loop to hold my stick (I don't have an ice axe yet), AND a pouch on the hip belt to store my candy for easy access!

Candy holder

159: THIRST FOR ADVENTURE

Next stop: Cambodia and Laos.

Last time I had an "adventure tour" to Peru, I got altitude sickness and amoebas. I'm crossing my fingers that I avoid dengue fever, schistosomiasis, and just any sort of worm or parasite this time.

60: DON'T MESS WITH MS.BOMBSHELL

That is a limited edition glow in the dark Coca Cola bottle I am holding in my hand. If you touch it, I will poke you with my stick.

37: SELF PORTRAIT FAIL

Today I spent about 40 minutes trying to take ONE decent photo of myself and failed. I have come to realize that :

a.) My house needs better lighting

b.) I should stop taking pictures in the bathroom

c.)  I have focusing issues which can be corrected by

      i.) Getting a remote, or

      ii.) Getting a life sized manequin to sub in for me

d.) I don't like having my camera in the photo with me, but I don't have skills to keep it away from the picture

e.) Not even the stick can help make my self portrait better. I tried.

1.) Problem: I have the top of my head cut off

2.) Fixed problem 1, and took out my stick

3.) Trying different poses with stick

 

4.) I even tried putting a scarf over my head to hide my identity

 

Lesson of today: 

1.) I have very much left to learn

2.) Self portraits are very frustrating

15: CLIMBING UP THE WALLS

Here we have my rock climbing shoes hanging from a stick.

Rock climbing is one of my new favorite hobbies, but I don't know many people who can belay, meaning that I can't go very often. I'd go rock climbing all the time if I had the choice. Although, according to my mother, it does mean that my hands will get so rough from holding onto rocks that no man will want to hold my hand in the future...

9: BIRTHDAY WISHES TO A PARISIAN

This looked a lot better in my head... anyway here is a sign on a stick, in front of some lit up poinsettias. Happy birthday, Cat!

8: AN H1N1 FLU SHOT ORDEAL

Do you see that bandaid on my arm? I got my H1N1 shot today:

C: I want to use up the rest of my H1N1 vaccine. Do you want one?
Me: Sure!
C: Hmm the sleeve of your shirt is too tight, I need to get to your upper arm. You'll have to take your arm out of the shirt. We'll do it in the back so no one will see.
...We walk to the back of the pharmacy and I take my arm out of my sleeve as C brings the vaccine over. As she is about to swab my arm with alcohol, a man walks up to the counter with a prescription.
C: Oh no! I have to help him. I'll be right back!
...I hide awkwardly from the customers, partly unclothed, waiting for C to come back.
K: Arabomb-shell, I need you to come here for a counsel!
Me: Ok, I'm coming!
...I put my arm back into my sleeve, and walk up to the front while buttoning up my labcoat. T looks at me weirdly.
K: Um, why does it look like you are putting your clothes back on? What are you doing back there?
Me: ....Why didn't I wear a short sleeved shirt today???

Oh and if you were wondering, I am holding a stick that was a Christmas present to me from my friend Giosy.  The box it came in lists some examples of ways to play with this plastic toy stick:

- Put one Incredible Toy Stick on each side of your head so people think it's one stick (I only have one stick so I can't do this)
- Give it to your Dad and tell him that you're sticking it to the man
- When someone says "you can't beat it with a stick," prove them wrong
- Wave your stick in the air like you just don't care
- Dial phone numbers from far away (I like this one because I think it is useful)

Giosy, I am making use of the stick now!