Best Weekend Ever!

On Feb. 13th we set out on a weekend excursion for the long weekend and a much needed break from school. We had a 3 day trip planned, which was mostly a surprise for me since my birthday was that week. So I was lead to believe that this extravagant trip to the mountains in Angeles National Forest, just outside of LA, was a birthday gift, but it was actually much more.

I had asked to go somewhere with snow, as I was actually really missing it, and I wanted to try an outdoor activity like skiing or snow shoeing. We went with the snow shoeing, which was amazing. You can see a picture of us here on top of a mountain, quiet as could be, looking down at an amazing vista. I felt like a mountain climber, or maybe a mountain goat. So on the first day of our trip we went with a small group of people on this snow shoeing adventure before we even checked into our cabin.

James had found this cute little cabin in Wrightwood, and had booked it for the weekend. He did a great job finding this place. It came with a fireplace, full kitchen, television and board games. We did it all: roasted marshmellows at the fire place, played the board game pass the pigs, and of coarse argued about the movie Pretty Woman. And that was just the first day.

The next day was Valentines Day. We had decided to spend it at Devil's Punch Bowl, a geological site on the San Andres Fault line. The pictures I took completely do not do the place justice. I really needed a wide angle lens, but the views wasn't even the best part. As I was staring of the vista, I turned around the find James on his knee with a beautiful ring, asking me to marry him. I was shocked, surprised and elated all at once. I agreed, and we continued our hike as an engaged couple, which I have to admit was really hard not to tell everyone we passed on the hike.

I can't really remember what happened the rest of that day, except a pure state of bliss. On Monday however, we packed up our stuff, loaded the car and decided to go sledding. We found a pretty quiet spot, and thought we would give it a go. I was having second thought about the hill we chose, as it was quite steep, but James went for it. And this was one of the scarest moments in my life. As he slid down the hard ice hill his body vibrated in an unnatural way. I stood there on top of this hill thinking, I've only been engaged for 24 hours and I might have just lost my fiance. When he finally got up I raced down the hill to him to find his hands bleeding. I ran to the car to get the first aid kit and wrapped up his knuckles.

The whole thing worked out. We were both ok, so we decided to just snow shoe a little before leaving this beautiful landscape.

My 27th Birthday!

On Feb. 10th, 2010 I turned 27. I couldn't feel more comfortable and solid about this. Ever since the new year, I've been feeling that this year is going to be a good one, which it is definitely shaping up to be. I feel grounded and ready for what ever will come my way.

This year I decided to have a low key birthday, without a party or friends around. Since my birthday feel on a Wednesday I first had to go to class to talk about my thesis, which was actually a treat. Next I got home, changed into an evening dress and James took me to dinner at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Restaurant in Pasadena. The food was great, and the company and conversation even better.

After dinner we went home where James had a homemade cake waiting for me. It was chocolate with white cream cheese icing, totally made from scratch. That man is just amazing, and gaze me a wonderful day!

Fall Harvest Bounty

Fall Harvest Bounty, originally uploaded by Jamie Crooke.

Fall has arrived and so have the pumpkin patches. Pictured here is our bounty. We picked that big pumpkin out of a great big field at the Pomona Pumpkin Festival at CalPoly Pomona.

Pumpkin Patches

On the third weekend in October James and I went pumpkin picking at 2 pumpkin patches in the area. This first one was at the Calabasas festival. They had a live band, a car show, a reptile show, and we even met someone that had a pet wolf.

The second festival we went to was at CalPoly Pomona. We picked out 2 pumpkins and some squash from a huge pumpkin patch. There was also a farm exhibit were we got to feed cows and goats. One got started eating James' shirt while he was petting a donkey. It was great fun!

Robert's Visit

In the middle of September I had an unexpected visit from my brother. He had a conference that he needed to attend for his work, so I was able to see him for 2 days. It was a short visit, but a good one.

New Home

apt- outside, originally uploaded by Jamie Crooke.

As of July 1st, this is my new home in Los Angeles, CA.

Transitions.

One year ago I began 2 different blogs in another city. I had just recently moved to the Boston area from Miami, and was starting my graduate degree in Art Therapy at Lesley University. Fast forward one year later, to now, and I'm living in Los Angeles starting a new masters program in Public Art making, an MFA.

It's been a turbulent year for sure, questioning everything, feeling confused and stupid for having made mistakes. To look back now though, I am proud I made those difficult decisions, and had the courage to follow my dreams.

My motivations for going into Art Therapy was 2 fold: to become a professional, and to still be able to use art. The argument made sense to me, and I had to try it, but yet it didn't work. During the spring semester that I took off from school and worked, I considered all fields: librarian, politician, arts advocate, medical illustrator, doctor, engineer, and I'm sure there were more. I followed my partner's lead at the time, who was also looking for his dream job, and had found it a month before I decide I couldn't be a therapist.

The problem with the field for me was the idea of being a therapist. As much as I researched before, nothing prepared me for the experience, and then the outlook of doing that work for the next 20 + years. It wasn't challening in the ways that felt fulling to me.

So thus, I went back to what I considered my idea of my "dream" job, inspired by an artist lecture (Alfredo Jaar) I attended at FIU during my undergrad studies. Jaar inspired me in the way he worked. It would only take 4 years or so for me to recognize this as a possbile option for my career. Thanks to the encouragement and support of my amazing partner, I cautionly decided to give it a shot. I mean, after all, what's the worst that could happen. I diecide I don't want to do this. Well, at least I know what that feels like.

I still have urges to explore other careers like a scientist or economist, but at least I can do that as an artist. An if I get out of this program, and decide to still do those things, I can. At least I will have pursued my dreams to the fullest.