Day 29: Work on the Southern Accent

So! Today my little adventure was to dial a number at random and read a script (which was a sort of fundamentalist Christian rant which pretty much said nothing for about 5 minutes) in a deep, thick Southern accent that I do not possess. It was rather hilarious because I dialed up a Texas number and could only imagine the person coming home, listening to their new voice mails and hearing me: feigning (rather horribly) a southern accent and rambling about the power of religion without ever really saying anything of significance.
All in all, a fun day. Prank calls are quite fun every now and then. I'm just glad they haven't called back.
Yet.

Day 22: In Ten Years' Time

Guys, I'm sorry this one came late, but I was so busy that I couldn't get to my laptop before midnight. So...Today my challenge was to make an agreement to meet up with someone that I barely know in ten years' time.
Upon hearing this, I was instantly thrilled with the idea. I've always had this sort of pipe dream to go visit each place I've lived. I have a friend, Josiah, who will be living in Minot, ND, the place I lived last, for the rest of his high school years and (maybe) then some. I don't know him that well personally, though we did go to the same school last year, and we are friends.
We decided it would be fun to meet up in ten years' time. I'll be twenty-three, on the cusp of twenty-four, and he freshly twenty-five. So strange to think about.
We agreed on meeting each other in Minot on the 13th of June in Minot. In case we've changed beyond recognition, we agreed to wear the following identifying features: Trinity-Chuck Taylors, a blue sundress. Josiah-a graphic tee under a gray blazer jeans a belt and black dress shoes
In the event that we have nothing to talk about we shall talk about: what's happened in the past few years, what music we've listened to, that guy we met on the street, and the fact that it's Josiah's twenty-fifth birthday!

Signed,
Trinity Chapa & Josiah Ranger

Day 23: PLASTIC FANTASTIC!!!

"Today consult a no-obligation appointment with a plastic surgeon and see what they recommend." 

Okay. First off: I ain't got time for that. Second off: There are no plastic surgeons near where I live, thank God. However, I tried to get to the heart of this challenge and saw that I just needed to see that I was in no way, shape, or form perfect.

You know, when you're a kid and you just kinda sit in the bathroom and wish that you had curly hair or straighter teeth or whatever it is that you don't have? I used to do the same damn thing. But after a while, as I started to get older, I stopped looking in the mirror, even though my teeth now had metal wires across them, my forehead was covered with zits, and my eyes were perpetually dark, no matter what I wished. I think, after a while, I started seeing myself as a whole: my mischievous smirk, my wide eyes that tried to capture each moment, and all that strangeness and uniqueness inside. Cheesy, I know, but I stopped seeing myself as a list of positives and negatives, and more like a person. I started seeing the beauty in myself, and because of that, I exuded confidence. 

I still wish that my face was just a little narrower, my eyes just a little more wide set, I, a little less volatile, and my stomach flatter. But I stopped wishing for this unattainable perfection, and now I couldn't be more comfortable and confident with myself.

I've been very involved with public speaking, academic projects, and such, so when a girl I admired for so long because of her effortless charm and confidence told me that she admired my own easy confidence, I just about keeled over. It means a lot to me when people say that I'm beautiful or compliment me, and I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that I've come to be accepting and loving of myself. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is not to focus on your negative attributes all the time, whether they be physical or internal. If you think you see your own beauty others will too. 

Also, you can expect yesterday's blog post some time soon. 

Day 21: Patriotism Day

Each country is extremely patriotic. I mean, you have to be! That country is your roots, your soul, the very essence of you. Right?
Today, I was encouraged to explore other countries' ways of celebrating their patriotism. I chose Russia, because I'm a bit of a Russophile. See, I had this amazing piano teacher for four years, Yana, who was Russian. She said that in her home country, everyone was so passionate. You treated your hobbies as you would your school studies. She was also a very graceful person, in every way possible. The way she carried herself was very admirable. I have quite a few Russian friends who tried to teach me the language and exposed me to a lot of the culture.
So by choosing Russia, I did a bit of research. I read some Pasternak, listened to the great Mrs. Spektor, and waved a Russian flag around like an idiot.
Good day. I ate some nice Russian candy and enjoyed pretending to be a passionate, strong-willed, intense Russian. Oh, stereotypes...
 до свидания, my friends! 

Day 20: A Day for Poets!

I've always enjoyed writing poetry. For me, poetry comes easily. I'd be writing away without even thinking twice, and my English teacher would come around to see what I'd done. I'd poop out words that somehow would thread together seamlessly. Not all of them were great, but they all had a flow to them.
Today, I got to do what I love best! Write. I was to write a single line of poetry, to be put in a huge collective poem. I was given a starting point: the first line. I know this may seem like a bad idea, but I completely disregarded it. I trusted that somehow my little donation to the endless poem would fit in like a puzzle piece.
For the first time in a while, I struggled with the words. I have a love-hate relationship with writing to begin with, but today I couldn't seem to make the words flow like the usually did. Even if it was absolute crap.
Only when I sat down here, at my computer desk, did I finally find some inspiration. So here goes my single line of poetry:

In the restless hour of midnight did I finally feel myself cracking as we shared the thoughts that had been aging like wine inside our chests. 


I know. It's not the best, but it felt right. The feeling of contributing to something so far greater than myself is what I loved.
Ciao, guys! And this little project for today has inspired me to do something later on with my subscribers on YouTube. Be on the lookout.

Day 19: Top Secret

Guys, today was so top secret that I can't share it with you. I've got to run before someone important finds this. Eep!

Day 16: Flip 'Em Off

Today was possibly my favorite day yet. Yeah. I got to discreetly give people the finger. Hear someone annoying in the grocery store? Use the What's In My Eye? You'd be surprised how many techniques there are.
Quite a funny little quest for the day. Alas, I must go. Have fun designing new discreet techniques, guys. Ciao!

Day 14: A Day of Compliments

Flattery can be nice. It can also be annoying when it's not genuine. So, today my goal was to compliment people and see it if got me anywhere. I told my best friend how much she means to me, how I can fangirl over just the right things with her.(T, if you're reading this, you are the frakkin' best friend I could ask for. You're vulgar, hilarious, adorable, witty. You're me in a separate body.)
I also complimented a stranger on her lovely 'do and she, in exchange, told me I had a lovely haircut myself.
Complimenting people has always made me feel like I have a small ball of sunshine in my chest. There's something about seeing someone's face light up that makes me beam. A good friend of mine once joked with me while we were doing math together and said,"Who am I kidding? Shouldn't argue with someone by far smarter than me," completely un-sarcastically. These little sentiments make our days a little brighter.
So enjoy yours and make sure you let someone know just how great they are.

Okay, enough with all this sappiness!

Day 13: Send a letter to a serial killer!

Intimidating as it may sound, I've decided to complete this task to the best of my ability. I was even provided with a list of serial killers and their addresses in the Book. So.....I could perhaps send this to one of 'em. You know. To lighten their day...or something. I will most definitely not be writing down a return address. Definitely.

Day 12: I did not realize having a daily blog would be so tough.

Title says it all, dears. I will hopefully become a little more consistent with this blogging business, but 'tis summer-the season of procrastination and un-productivity. Today my challenge was to find "my type". Now, I'm not one for labels, but when you get down to it, they are natural for humans to apply to our fellow peers. On the checklist: Beefcake, Mr. Nice Guy, Loaded, Married with Kids, Sleazeball, and Handsome Prince. All of these "types" have good and bad qualities, but I don't want a fairytale life, nor a "sleazeball". I'd hate to be a home wrecker, I don't like pushovers, or people that have good looks but no interesting things to say. So that leaves us with.....nerdfighters....?
Yes, that's the kind. The endearingly awkward intellectuals that will converse with you about Ray Bradbury and the science of sleep.
Ciao, guys!

Day 9: Rise and Shine

I am a wild insomniac. I stay up until I see daylight and then drink copious amounts of coffee to ward off sleep. But when I do sleep, it's like heaven. And last night I had a reason to.
Today my mission was to set my clock for 5 AM and take in all the beauty of the wee hours of the morning. I made myself a cup of chai tea, read a book, and watched the sunrise. And then I proceeded to scavenge the kitchen until I found sour gummy worms. What can I say? I like sugar.
All in all, very nice day. I think I'll have to start developing a normal sleep regimen because the morning isn't all that bad after all.

Day 8: Addiction-Free Day!

Today I had to give up all addictive substances. Now, I don't do drugs, don't drink, etc. But I can tell you that I am an avid coffee drinker and I go on the internet a little too much. So I gave up the morning coffee and stayed away from the computer...a little  more than I usually do. And pure I feel. Well, not really. I like me some Tumblr and lattes. But it was nice to do other things, and instead have a Dunkin Donut for breakfast. Okay, I tried! Until next time, DFTBA!

7/6/12: Perhaps it was a dream.

Last night I went to the Coldplay concert in Philly. Now, I should probably add that this was my first ever concert (Minot did not have a big music scene), and I was in a state of euphoria the entire night. Wolf Gang opened for Coldplay, and...ugh. No words. They were lively and wonderful. Next to take the stage was Robyn, "some shitty Euro-techno chick" in my mom's words. And how right she was. I have to admit that the instrumental, or more so synthesized, parts of her songs were a bit catchy. But her singing was not for me. All the while, I was talking to my friend Gaby, whom I met on YouTube, who was also at the concert. I finally got to meet the lovely lass and I couldn't have been happier.
Coldplay was transcendental. I wish I had the words to elaborate on the beauty of their performances. But there is nothing like being in that sea of people, singing along to beautiful melodies. AND THE WRISTBANDS. Imagine Christmas lights in July. Twinkling along to such beautiful music. And the unity and life that one feels only at such events. I really have never felt that way.
The first chord the guitar played in In My Place made me cry, and I couldn't even begin to tap into the emotional experience of it all. The night was such a buzzed blur of lights and beauty and harmony.
I've recently moved from my home of four years, Minot, to New Jersey. And since then my life has felt like a dissonant chord, out of harmony. But I found my major chord last night.
I found my melody.

Day 5:Out of Order-a mass social experiment

Today's adventure consisted of a Chipotle bathroom, a sign, and a mission to add some delightful chaos to the world.

The BOOK's challenge for the day was to create some mass hysteria by sticking an OUT OF ORDER sign on any infrastructure I encountered throughout the day. I chose a hand dryer in a restaurant. Now, much to my dismay, I did not get to personally see any of this freaking out, but I did see  a few kids come out of the ladies' bathroom with very wet hands.
On a side note, I will be attending a Coldplay concert tomorrow and I think I'll do a separate blog post for that all together as it will be a pretty monumental day for me: *in a whisper* first concert.
Ciao, followers! And don't be afraid to wreak a little havoc as well.

P.S. I went to the beach today for the first time in four years. It's been too long, old friend.

Day 4: Globetrotting Day

To begin, Happy 4th of July, you fellow Americans. In the words of my hero, Ron Swanson, “The whole point of this country is if you wanna eat garbage, balloon up to six hundred pounds, and die of a heart attack at forty-three, you can. You are free to do so. To me, that’s beautiful.” So, put in that context, America is a pretty cool place. Today my task was to catalogue a list of places that I've 1)Been there done that 2) Intend to go there this year 3) Intend to go there some time before I die and 4) Happy never to set foot there.

1) I've lived in Idaho (was born there), Alaska, South Carolina, Texas, North Dakota, and now reside in New Jersey. I've visited Seattle, WA (where I hope to someday live), Oregon, California (another place that I love), all along the south, Canada,and a number of other places that I don't feel are compelling enough to talk about. Tough luck. 

2) I plan on going to Philadelphia this Friday for a Coldplay concert ( w00t!). I also cannot wait to visit NYC before I leave NJ. I mean, who wouldn't? Communists. I also intend on traveling to the upper Northeast states and possibly the west coast depending on where the wind takes me next.

3) I have a large, and I mean fracking GARGANTUAN, list of places that I must see. Which includes, but is not limited to: Iceland, Brazil, all of Europe, India, Australia, Japan, and Russia (forgive me for the commie joke, even though you guys finally figured it out). I also have this dream of visiting all the places that I've lived when I'm college age. I'm young. Don't ask.

4) Though I like to keep an open mind I definitely do not want to be stepping into a patriarchal war zone, so you can scratch Afghanistan off the list, as well as Korea. 

So there you have it. I dream of becoming a writer, traveling the world (possibly with a lover [if such a thing will happen]), but my door is always open. I'm lookin' forward to wherever I get to see next. Until next time, allons-y!

Day 3: It's only when we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

My challenge today was to throw away something of mine that I like. Immediately, when I read this, I thought of Fight Club. How Tyler Durden said that "The things you own end up owning you." So, I was actually pretty eager to let go of some of the things have a suffocating grip on me. I ended up going with my certificate of Highest Honors.

Now, to begin, I have always been the pride in the family for academia. At school I can't live down this ultra smart but ice-cold persona. Elaboration: I suck at making friends. I'm painfully awkward among crowds of teenagers and so I usually come off as this aloof, snooty prick (which I'd like to think I'm not). Thus, it was immensely relieving to flush that certificate of 4.0 GPA perfection down the toilet. In school they always told us to hang on to such achievements, because it sure looks pretty on a resume. Today felt like a nice big "F U" to the colleges, jobs, and idyllic lives (that I fear most) that idealize perfection. 

If you haven't done something like this, just getting rid of things that are weighing you down, I encourage you to. There was something hugely relieving and liberating about not trying to attain perfection. 

Day 2: The Love of Your Life

Today my task was to gaze at everyone passing by, wondering whether they may be the love of my life. Now, the very thought of love walking around me without realizing it is completely flabbergasting.  Perhaps love is nearby. Perhaps love is halfway across the world. Perhaps love is in the wrong time zone. But the thought gets me all jazzed. For now I think I'll stick to music, chocolate, and movies. 

Day 1: Warming up

Here we are, folks. Day one of my ambitious little endeavor. Today, July 1st, my task was to just start warming up. Baby steps. So for round one, I learned two new songs on my ukulele. (Both are by Neutral Milk Hotel) And I decided to say "yo" to people in place of "hello".  At the moment, I'm over the moon. Not only because it is the birthday of someone really close to me, but I'm excited for this new project. Have a good one, guys. And DFTBA.