Highly Impressionable Transitioning Female... Beware.

I am in an impressionable transition period this summer.

• I graduated.
• I moved to Portland. 
• On more than one occasion I have looked into getting a cat, an Old English Sheep Dog, an ancient RV, a plane ticket to anywhere for under $200, a plot at a community garden, a pool membership (even though I can't swim), and an historic farm house in the middle of nowhere Oregon.
• I've learn to not despise the 7 a.m. hour.
• I've gone on vacation, but I still feel that itch for a vacation.
• I thought I knew what I wanted a career in, but now I don't.
• I studied, but not enough, for a sommelier exam that I take soon, but now I find I despise memorizing things. Isn't that what Google is for?
• My ENTP really seems to be shining- Innovative, neglectful to prepare, and moves quickly to the next challenge when things get boring.  
• I watched all five seasons of Weeds (in about 5 days) and fell in love with Nancy Botwin's character. I think we'd be best friends. And we drink similar quantities of Diet Coke when stressed.
• I have realized I hate confrontation, phone calls, grocery shopping and checking bank statements.
• I have become a firm believer in astrology- really. Aquarius with Libra rising confirms my ways.
• I had a psychic do a reading and she said I would go to culinary school and someday own a restaurant. I can see the ownership thing, but cooking? More than eggs and microwavable burritos? Cool. 

Look at all these questions, confusions and realizations. I think I need a road trip.

Up, Up and Away!

Waking up at 3:45 a.m. to get to the launch site on time was beyond worth it... 

Thats Chris helping inflate the balloon with 225,000 lbs. of air. Isn't that blow torch insane?

 

Then all 10 of us climbed into the ballon and off we went. That morning three balloons launched, so these pictures are of our neighboring balloons. We got up to about 1,000-1,2000 feet high. I learned that hot air balloon pilots actually have to have a full pilots license. 

We flew over beautiful wine country and the Willamette River. We even got to do a "splash and dash," where our balloon touched the river. 

What an incredible way to start the day and our vacation! We flew with Vista Balloon Adventures of Newberg and I would highly recommend them. The company is run by the very passionate Roger and Catherine (waking up that early four months out of the year takes a lot of passion). Plus when you land they have a fantastic brunch waiting for you. They typically fly May-October, weather permitting.

This is going to become more than a once in a lifetime thing!

No Impact Man

I just finishing watching No Impact Man and I am ready to give up electricity and toilet paper. Well... maybe not, but I did get some great ideas to apply to my life like further reduction of my plastic use and homemade cleaning products.

I started reading Colin's blog and I'll probably get around to reading his book soon too. But, I thought this post he wrote on March 10, 2010 was beautiful, inspiring, optimistic, and true. It seems fitting to post it on Independence Day- lets break-free.

Thoughts I come back to when thinking about environmentalism 2.0

1. Happier planet = happier people.

2. You make a difference.

3. Our culture is broken.

4. The personal is political.

5. Economic growth ≠ Life satisfaction growth.

6. Jobs are paramount but we should work to make our planetary home better not worse.

7. The concept of zero sum game is for people with zero sum brains.

8. There is a better, happier system out there.

9. If thine eyes (or thine economic system) offends thee, pluck them (or it) out.

10. It’s not about having less. It’s about having more. The question is: more of what?

11. There is dis-ease in our culture. People yearn for something better.

12. People are trustworthy and altruistic and good and will do the right thing if you let them.

13. This does not deny the fact that normal people act abnormally in abnormal situations.

14. Love and good company, the chance to be of service and to matter, connection to something bigger, the use of our most prized talents—these things make most people happier than stuff.

15. Being responsible for the world is not a burden. It is freedom from victimhood!

16. My happiness cannot be complete unless you are happy, too.

Oil Can Christine

The other day I was getting an oil change and disgust came over me when the guy started reading the "recommended" services. Yeah, yeah, yeah- I know my transmission fluid is black instead of pink, my air filter is full, my radiator needs coolant- but I'd rather buy a new dress than spend money on car maintenance.

Then I got empowered! How hard can these things REALLY be? Sure, I have never opened the hood of my car. But, isn't that what YouTube videos are for? I searched for a video on how to change my transmission fluid and found a step-by-step tutorial (I love social media), then I recruited two boys, and simple enough... we did it... and it only took 10 minutes!  Not only did I save $120, but I yelped "girl power" during the process.

Yes, we used my mom's dishes as drain pans :)

Strawberry Shortcake Stand

I have a new goal in life to own a Strawberry Shortcake Stand just as cute as this one.

E.Z. Orchards - Salem, OR

College... Check!

I'm officially done with college today! After 5 years and 3 schools, I finally did it. It is bittersweet, because no matter how much I complained or how many classes I skipped, I enjoyed being a student.

I will be graduating with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Entrepreneurship from Oregon State University.

My boyfriend Chris is also graduating from winemaking school this weekend. So, I have double reason to celebrate:

Kooza and Oba - Two words I don't know, but love nonetheless

Yesterday Chris and I went to the Portland Waterfront go see Kooza by Cirque du Soleil. It was a mind-blowing performance of acrobatics. The standout set for me was of three girls that bent and tangled in ways I didn't know the human body could move- I think they had vertebrates removed.

This morning when I checked out the website to find a picture of the gumby-girls I saw a tab for job opportunities. Now the idea is planted in my head to join the traveling cirque... Maybe the hula hoop lady could take me as an apprentice?

We caught the afternoon showing just-in-time to make happy hour at Oba! in The Pearl. What is better than fish tacos and blood orange margaritas on a warm Spring day?  ... I can't think of much.

I hope you had a great weekend!

Another new home: ChristineCollier.com

Dear readers,

You're probably not shocked at this point that I have a new project! But, I am excited to bring it on... and I do enjoy a full plate!  

I have a new site http://christinecollier.com focusing on my life of wine. Right now since all my free time is consumed in studying for my upcoming Sommelier exam, most of the posts will be sharing my newly gained wine knowledge with you.

The new site is definitely in its infancy, so bare with me on design and learning wordpress.org.

Thanks for following me around the interwebs!

Christine

Love Pinot Noir? Win a Trip to Oregon Wine Country!

My work is hosting this contest and I wanted to make sure everyone knew about it!

Back by popular demand, Willamette Valley Vineyards is giving you the opportunity to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Oregon! We’re asking Pinot Noir lovers from around the country to tell us, in about 100 words, what they love about Oregon Pinot Noir. Our staff at the winery, from all departments, will choose their favorite entry and the winner will enjoy 4 days and 3 nights in the heart of Oregon wine country. Your trip will include great meals, great adventures, and of course, great wine.

To participate, just send your entry to contest@wvv.com or visit http://www.wvv.com/contest.

The winner will be announced July 6, 2010. I hope to see you in Oregon!

The New Wine Nook

Our Saturday project was to "de-ghettofy" our wine collection. Our original idea was to buy a standard metal rack, but they all seemed so sterile (our bottles deserved more). We came across these simple pine wine racks at Cost Plus World Market and figured a little "do-it-yourself" wouldn't hurt us. 

We chose a Mediterranean Olive colored stain. 

BEFORE (sickening, huh?)

AFTER (Ahh... Much Better!) 

We might need a third rack soon...

Wine "School" Here I Come!

Pencils and paper are packed! Wish me luck as I am traveling up to Seattle this weekend for my first Court of Master Sommelier exam. I will be spending two full days (8 a.m.- 5 p.m.) learning about wine and wine service and then take a 70-question exam on Monday.


About the Court of Master Sommeliers: Established in 1977 to promote excellence in hotel and restaurant beverage service. Though its members worldwide come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, they share a proven mastery of the art, science, and history that informs a sommelier's work.

I am very eager to formalize my wine knowledge!

'Me' Day

Today I took a well deserved 'me' day! I...

- Caved into cravings and ate margarita pizza at 10:30 a.m.
- Organized my room while listening to a new iTunes playlist then reverted to some Fiona Apple
- Went on a Target shopping spree buying every hygiene/cosmetic item I swear I can't live without (and a few cute tanks)
- Indulged in more salty carbs
- Watched two indie romance movies (Peter and Vandy is good... other one was...meh)
- Drank more Diet Coke than water
- Took a cat nap in the afternoon sun
- Didn't answer my phone
- Promised myself I'd workout, but didn't feel guilty that I never got around to it
- Fought off temptations to go rescue a cat
- Browsed Etsy

And I did it all with unwashed hair and no makeup.... today was all I could have ever asked for :)

Obselidia at The Ashland Independent Film Festival

Originally posted on The Southern Oregon Wine Blog, I feel it is worthy to share with more people! 

This weekend was the epitome of spontaneity and that means many blog posts are coming out of it.

On Friday we pulled up the schedule for the Ashland Independent Film Festival, saw a 12 o'clock showing, got in the car making it just in time to be let into the Varsity Theater to see Obselidia.

Synopsis: Believing he's the last door-to-door encyclopedia salesman in the world, George decides to write The Obselidia, a compendium of obsolete things. George believes that love, among other things, is obsolete. In his quest to document nearly extinct occupations, he befriends Sophie, a beautiful cinema projectionist who works at a silent movie theater. Sophie believe that nothing is obsolete as long as someone loves it. When they interview a reclusive scientist who predicts 80 percent of the world's population will be obliterated by irreversible climate change by the year 2100, the two must fact the question, if the world is going to disappear tomorrow, how are we going to live today?

I couldn't have written anything I agree with more than this review from Variety, "From the striking title cards to the beautifully composed visuals and unusual collected items that litter the protagonist's home, Obselidia has the look of a hand-crafted piece, something meticulously sculpted or painted in an artist's studio."

After the showing, Diane Bell, writer and first time director, got up in front of the audience for Q&A. Previously a yoga instructor in Barcelona, Diane moved to Los Angeles to pursue writing. After feeling dissatisfied writing Hollywood horror movies, Diane started working on Obselidia with inspiration from encyclopedias and climate change. Filmed in 17 days, on an extremely low budget of $500,000, and casting literally off the LA street, Obselidia was a Sundance Film Festival selection. This showing in Ashland is only the second festival the movie has been involved in, but plans to participate in film festivals in Texas, Florida, and in Diane's home of Edinburgh, Scotland are next up for the indie film. Hopefully the film gets picked up so more can enjoy its message, but if not, Diane and her husband, Chris Bryne, talked about taking the film a more viral route.

While leaving the theater, a woman asked me what movie I saw and I responded with my favorable recommendation of Obselidia and how impressed I was with my first visit to the film festival. She too saw the film and said it was movies like that which bring her back year after year to the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Next year, attending the film festival will not be a spontaneous event in my Friday, but rather a planned out trip to catch as many wonderful films as I can.

Obselidia will have one last showing at the festival tonight at 6 p.m. I cannot urge you enough to go see it. For more information go to http://www.ashlandfilm.org/.

If you miss its last showing tonight, or want to follow Obselidia success, join the facebook fan page.

Tangerine Dream

As I am stuck inside ALL day working on my final projects, I have found myself dreaming of tangerine. Maybe it is because I want to see a light at the end of the tunnel...

Piecing Together

Tonight my mom and I laid out the squares for the quilt she is making me. Isn't it beautiful? This will be a really sentimental piece, especially being of my mom's creation. I will cherish the heck out of it. We shopped for the fabrics together and after searching and searching, found this cheery collection in McMinnville. The tomato/rosy red really pops against the antique tans and creams.

Rrrrrrrrip

There hasn't been much excitement at my house tonight. Just reading, writing, and cranking out school assignments. But, then as if the gods knew I needed a laughing break, my boyfriend crossed his legs and ripped his pants! Now I have been laughing for 5 minutes straight. Highlight of my day.

DECA 2010

Last night was the Grand Awards for the 2010 DECA State Conference. All the students dress up to celebrate the end of the conference and anxiously await to see how their projects did. The night started off hot with six of the kids earning trips to Nationals in their series events. Then, a girl who wrote a 30-page Public Relations manual got 1st place in her event. Most shocking of all was that Klamath Union DECA got Chapter of the Year! Chapter of the Year is the best award you can win as a chapter. With only 20 students this year (last year there were almost double that), we never thought we would beat out chapters with over 150 members! After the awards, the kids, their parents and advisors took pictures then we go back to the chapter's headquarters for a closing meeting.

The meetings are always emotional with the students reminising over their time in DECA, the passion for the projects, and the relationships they have made. Last night their wasn't a dry eye in the room. For 3 hours we cry, we hug, we laugh, and we support each other. The seniors always talk about how thankful they are they joined DECA and how it is the best thing they have ever been involved in.  I sat their last night and felt so inspired by these kids. How common is it in life to see mediocre people, and here I am in a room of 15-18 year olds being truly moved by how amazing they are. And not just by winning, but by being a team. It is crazy to think, but I have participated in or helped DECA for 9 years, been on numerous sports teams and associations, but I have never seen a better example of a team than the past three days. The kids supported each other and genuinely cared for how the other students in the chapter competed. All of us pulled long hours each night cooperatively benefitting each other. When a member of our chapter got on stage we all jumped up in enthusiasm and  cheered at the top of our lungs. Other schools were envious- it was that awesome.

On a more personal note, last night was probably the first time I have ever felt more proud of the kid's accomplishments than of my own when I was competing. It was an incredible feeling and one that I look forward to experiencing. I came to work with Klamath Union DECA in a very unconventional way. I didn't go to high school there, but yet I am consider it my chapter. My mentor in high school went to teach there and I followed his work returning each year to work with the students on their business plans. Someone did that for me and I want to do that for these students.

There are about 220,000 high school students that do DECA annually. 1,200 compete at the Oregon State Conference and about 13,000 will be at nationals in a few months. It is an amazing organization.

Here are the kids on stage with their accomplishments:

Mr. Nielson, my DECA advisor, and I:

Pampered Wine Vacation + Me

I got home this evening welcomed by a nice sized package on the kitchen counter addressed to me! When does that ever happen? I gracefully opened it to find the goodies for my upcoming wine country getaway! If you recall I was awarded this $2,000 trip by winning the Oregon Wine Board's Photography Contest back in September. I got to choose how to spend my winnings and this is what the weekend will look like:

2 Nights at The Allison Inn & Spa

1 Hot Air Balloon Adventure

Dinner at The Joel Palmer House

Dinner at The Painted Lady

Additional money for wine

My boyfriend and I are going on March 19th during our Spring Breaks! I am the luckiest girl in all the land :)

We Are the World

I doubt I was the only one that teared up watching the new version of "We Are the World." But, I am wishing they would have taken at least $100,000 out of the Olympic Opening Ceremony production budget to help the Haitians.

Hey "Phriend," Thanks for the Birthday Gift

My birthday gift from my boyfriend:

The love of learning about obscure things is a similarity my boyfriend and I share. A few months back Phrenology, the 1800s brain science study of the relationships between skull shape and a person's character, popped into the conversation. How coincidental that while he was gift hunting for me that he found this Phrenology model at Urban Outfitters!