Over the past few weeks I've come to a realization: I love almost every aspect of my life. I say almost because not everything is where or how I want it to be, but when I look at what I have in my life, it's pretty ridiculous. I'm studying at a great school, taking really interesting (for the most part) classes, fun extra-curriculars and other activities, great people to spend my time with. I still find time to go backpacking, play cello and ping pong, and do other little things that make me happy. I keep finding new music that just clicks with me, and I'm pretty consistent with my photography. Oh, and I'm still eating vegetarian and swimming 3 times a week. So far so good. I guess you could say I'm pretty grateful to be where I am right now, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Looking toward the future, I've been looking at the possibility of studying abroad next year. It definitely seems like a possibility, and I really want to travel. Yet the more I look at programs, the more I feel like they are mostly too structured for me. Today while listening to an employee from BP try to convince some mechanical engineers to apply for a job at their program I had an idea that kinda clicked with me. Playing off of a study abroad program where you do stay with a family and help teach them english part time rather than go to school, I thought I could do something like that, but on my own and bypass the many thousands of dollars that such programs ask for.

What I want to do, and something that I see as semi-possible sometime in the future, is to travel around different countries, staying with families for a couple weeks at a time. I would spend time with them, teach conversational English if desired, and work on capturing the culture of their family, city, and country with my camera. I would move from place to place, making new friends, just living and learning and shooting. It seems kinda idealistic right now, and maybe not that possible, but it feels like the thing that I want to do most right now. Too bad I still have plenty of school left. Anyway, hopefully I'll be able to have an experience somewhat like this one day, it seems kinda fun.

During a recently backpacking trip in Stanislaus National Forest, I spent some time with my fellow hikers doing some light painting. We got a little more into it than usual - here are a couple samples:

And then I tried to do some longer shots, but it got too cold and there was too much condensation on my camera to continue, but I got this 12-minute shot out before it got too bad:

(just a side note, I didn't edit any of these, they're straight from the camera as is)