tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27705388620340905872024-03-15T18:09:45.808-07:00All About Me, Maura!An inside look at a SMC student...MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-73272587761469110972014-05-08T12:23:00.000-07:002014-05-08T12:23:55.254-07:00Emotions of a Graduating SeniorSo here it is, the final couple of days left living at St. Mike's. It has definitely become my home over the past four years. I will definitely miss being at this place everyday. Anyways here is a photo shoot my friend did one night when my emotions were all over the place.<br />
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My friends calls this: <br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Woes of Maura</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>In the wilds of the Upper Room of the Chapel, the subject in question, Maura Grogan, age 22, expresses different stages of emotions in the span of an hour.</i></b></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZL3rR33NzP_gI6CocUhe7eohZjxE2ez7huH3I-Ksu3tziv1bpGAnSDxwwBcTaUJ_8_ULklxJ_lFRV6pBVuKMeMM0r5hqt78mVJZGB40dp78TRHm2OpZ7wtoF7khJh2_kXeJW-iUl_bM_N/s1600/10168012_876526145706323_2783851142948642487_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZL3rR33NzP_gI6CocUhe7eohZjxE2ez7huH3I-Ksu3tziv1bpGAnSDxwwBcTaUJ_8_ULklxJ_lFRV6pBVuKMeMM0r5hqt78mVJZGB40dp78TRHm2OpZ7wtoF7khJh2_kXeJW-iUl_bM_N/s1600/10168012_876526145706323_2783851142948642487_n.jpg" height="273" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Disheveled seniors at the end of a long four years - and we match!! (unplanned)</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPKph3RI1PbjLVCQECwCBaMS_vFKqm8-QTojEAknSK8UCJz58CdS4Xw_BBqYoZq80JJ7F1vr3D0dZ3I-ClVG7MjPc3Rz_tjUDoUyUsbA2Vl0TihSAnXh0mIAxTiXWtg9SJhj2IRqLphEo/s1600/10291846_876526122372992_5190058256270020252_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPKph3RI1PbjLVCQECwCBaMS_vFKqm8-QTojEAknSK8UCJz58CdS4Xw_BBqYoZq80JJ7F1vr3D0dZ3I-ClVG7MjPc3Rz_tjUDoUyUsbA2Vl0TihSAnXh0mIAxTiXWtg9SJhj2IRqLphEo/s1600/10291846_876526122372992_5190058256270020252_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Saying a goodbye</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUU0WSSHUXDk0I6N72soCFSWn39hJjl2gFeLVZiRw34hl1hha87JgbufLmak71V6_BpW4_5fhfBfcTXQ4pYccTL027FUXKLf7PBatvomkwbOFS8wmOoBT0YFOts6rlx2v8lXgWyh0sLlS/s1600/10291763_876525949039676_2671911391503253672_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUU0WSSHUXDk0I6N72soCFSWn39hJjl2gFeLVZiRw34hl1hha87JgbufLmak71V6_BpW4_5fhfBfcTXQ4pYccTL027FUXKLf7PBatvomkwbOFS8wmOoBT0YFOts6rlx2v8lXgWyh0sLlS/s1600/10291763_876525949039676_2671911391503253672_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Not believing people are leaving</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xILciSpZA0N02FVRdXCkWrnpEzIFS85f5Xh60O8qEore5hWFz9ZAyzofQGkp_luZGwCIGdo7bxwCu8n7x8ufwwioR1Jb0SPm86gC6_J5whlC_tQCWtEvqlocRUM0iQvKpb0OCQKGH_E8/s1600/10289985_876525919039679_689201434693794588_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xILciSpZA0N02FVRdXCkWrnpEzIFS85f5Xh60O8qEore5hWFz9ZAyzofQGkp_luZGwCIGdo7bxwCu8n7x8ufwwioR1Jb0SPm86gC6_J5whlC_tQCWtEvqlocRUM0iQvKpb0OCQKGH_E8/s1600/10289985_876525919039679_689201434693794588_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">KATE AND I CAN'T HANDLE THIS!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3s7n8YbrcGt-UkEFptPTcgg4_Czqzf1-tCszPopvxUklrsBRg1GdWikdvIa03NuGVm1XZDkMdD2M1oUXT2fmzsB5GuxNj8GRZVsOIcXNMYZbadMWxHK_kzc30im8W-w9BsOHsCpNjbHTJ/s1600/10171721_876526002373004_3180097691856012688_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3s7n8YbrcGt-UkEFptPTcgg4_Czqzf1-tCszPopvxUklrsBRg1GdWikdvIa03NuGVm1XZDkMdD2M1oUXT2fmzsB5GuxNj8GRZVsOIcXNMYZbadMWxHK_kzc30im8W-w9BsOHsCpNjbHTJ/s1600/10171721_876526002373004_3180097691856012688_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">"Don't worry, Maura, You'll be fine."</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_6Gnvep-bJkBFnPokn8OUp7RTiYiBekHMC0puVhAZGVxbeE43bE4P1QXKQFkrFXxLzDNiyCk2Ep6UvrU4Zt0NwhjpqWICAMnRXcYWJoRrLPWdIv6KzWvxi-gfU_7vKZ3kv4EPf6Rax7e/s1600/10271482_876526059039665_7094213325965896045_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_6Gnvep-bJkBFnPokn8OUp7RTiYiBekHMC0puVhAZGVxbeE43bE4P1QXKQFkrFXxLzDNiyCk2Ep6UvrU4Zt0NwhjpqWICAMnRXcYWJoRrLPWdIv6KzWvxi-gfU_7vKZ3kv4EPf6Rax7e/s1600/10271482_876526059039665_7094213325965896045_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">"We still love you!"</td></tr>
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MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-58182319434451834572014-05-03T09:00:00.000-07:002014-05-03T09:00:00.376-07:00A Final P-DayFor those who don't know, P-Day is short for Preparation Day. It is designed to give students one last fun weekend to celebrate a successful year with friends and relieve some stress before finals start. It normally kicks off with the Senior Symposium on Friday followed by the <a href="http://whatthefuckshouldimakefordinner.com/">MLK Talent Show</a>. Saturday is a long day with a trike race, bouncy houses, lots of food, and a comedian. This year they spread out the symposium over both Friday and Saturday and just pushed back the events on Saturday.<br />
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It was still a good weekend. I presented my senior research on Friday afternoon at the symposium. I was very relieved when it was over. However, I ran straight to the <a href="http://maurasmc2014.blogspot.com/2014/04/one-last-time-celtic-knights.html">Celtic Knights</a> performance at the talent show. But I made it through!! It goes without saying I went to bed right after because it was the first night I could sleep without my mind racing in twenty different directions.<br />
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I got up fairly early on Saturday to see my roommate present her senior research. She did amazing! I was so proud of her! After hearing speak, I of course went home to go back to bed so I was well rested for everything later that day.<br />
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When we finally all got together for some fun, it was a blast! My roommates and I went to check out the bouncy houses and got some food. Let me just say - I ate a lot! There was Papa Franks, Ben and Jerry's, Skinny Pancake, and many more! I had to try it all! Afterwards my roommate, Buttface and I challenged each other on the bouncy houses. She beat me through the obstacle course but in the bungee cord race I won. I can't really explain it so here is a picture of my friends doing it:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTANmRJL9uVreSJ0GcLKK7i35nuXNACjYdUIO7w-tTtFInECKt3B9gRQbUaP0YlhNlF2C-Lop5n-o2VYH5gl1bajEKp1RLsSNUif21XgMeHJ49kPdOe0mzD7VctEqM6L0IUwcTCwxFZDL/s1600/DSCF6743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTANmRJL9uVreSJ0GcLKK7i35nuXNACjYdUIO7w-tTtFInECKt3B9gRQbUaP0YlhNlF2C-Lop5n-o2VYH5gl1bajEKp1RLsSNUif21XgMeHJ49kPdOe0mzD7VctEqM6L0IUwcTCwxFZDL/s1600/DSCF6743.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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After those festivities we went to see Senior <a href="http://kitrivers.com/">Kit Rivers</a> perform at the comedy show. She is amazing and her show is so relatable to campus life. After the comedian (about 11pm at night) there was a BBQ and dance party thrown by St. Mike's on the 300s field. Goes without saying I slept well that night (and the next as well).<br />
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Anyways, here are some selfies with friends throughout the afternoon:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LQaXYKuossDoH16PotIqYReH9OklhzCTaMkzBj8QbrcW3pWulPvZGRHst-cHX_6lVnpQTt8tHH5n731j0XT2GZfsr91KAfeQQByIW0W7CsNrAP_RvkoUJekqiZmAqtVdRTaeufbdIyBu/s1600/DSCF6734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LQaXYKuossDoH16PotIqYReH9OklhzCTaMkzBj8QbrcW3pWulPvZGRHst-cHX_6lVnpQTt8tHH5n731j0XT2GZfsr91KAfeQQByIW0W7CsNrAP_RvkoUJekqiZmAqtVdRTaeufbdIyBu/s1600/DSCF6734.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buttface, myself, and Ariel<br />(Buttface is my roommate, she calls me Butthead - it is a loving relationship)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1_lWAwx6xefnnQ_HjMFMHKZYOUGOiyYIdNoqmwsoX2GCKus-8rlXMnsYkN0ba8B9tdjjW-obBM1wCQv77o7mzROWWqo4fiHOh7iTrxJuI2VVxtq1brSthCSOFx5oG6T_DuXi6au2_Gzd/s1600/DSCF6736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1_lWAwx6xefnnQ_HjMFMHKZYOUGOiyYIdNoqmwsoX2GCKus-8rlXMnsYkN0ba8B9tdjjW-obBM1wCQv77o7mzROWWqo4fiHOh7iTrxJuI2VVxtq1brSthCSOFx5oG6T_DuXi6au2_Gzd/s1600/DSCF6736.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex, Me, and Buttface</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQT5ma2dR1B67Yf_BnEllzbz8elG1RxxQXraLDcelareFqMMTN56JK4MuQriMRHi7rSQhspziw8M5OXFt1s_fmzZhp1yJRIcLAgFksFTrFGCuvp4ixvB1boaSTF0KqsX2LeZjIPuRojjG/s1600/DSCF6754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQT5ma2dR1B67Yf_BnEllzbz8elG1RxxQXraLDcelareFqMMTN56JK4MuQriMRHi7rSQhspziw8M5OXFt1s_fmzZhp1yJRIcLAgFksFTrFGCuvp4ixvB1boaSTF0KqsX2LeZjIPuRojjG/s1600/DSCF6754.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My roomies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZVsZFNwBg3N86GTt-SSOkU7-tMWWDsqV2mHbW2yQIhtjm3vToJ5EvwN0myamg1IZHszgLPZ2H4-St6mlDKquA0ZJnSDGWomNxCOAwKSsAzTx00JEXpLIYw-6LDjcLKB_MbLIwmTiaiMI/s1600/DSCF6757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZVsZFNwBg3N86GTt-SSOkU7-tMWWDsqV2mHbW2yQIhtjm3vToJ5EvwN0myamg1IZHszgLPZ2H4-St6mlDKquA0ZJnSDGWomNxCOAwKSsAzTx00JEXpLIYw-6LDjcLKB_MbLIwmTiaiMI/s1600/DSCF6757.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TH 402</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKiuMwIXO83G9mWcCfy82Sd-l9DnPtgTVQKRs4nn3mbt8fbblPc0Di3x_Bc01frDMluG1HKkqIyRzi-dPKHGXWtnO6gRtjf0s3WO3kpZkE2jELvn_zSyUgkGj8BQnmggYTFebJal5RdOf/s1600/DSCF6759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKiuMwIXO83G9mWcCfy82Sd-l9DnPtgTVQKRs4nn3mbt8fbblPc0Di3x_Bc01frDMluG1HKkqIyRzi-dPKHGXWtnO6gRtjf0s3WO3kpZkE2jELvn_zSyUgkGj8BQnmggYTFebJal5RdOf/s1600/DSCF6759.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going to miss this place</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvy2yjLxrMujvbE4-SG-YevSggDYMHhFTL8MLeNLhtEPtKruyslM-VKFCdY8MrRRhsALfGd50BT1PZGmDxNUhD-p1YhnPTZHYFZ3IgdPS2TaPO1NO9t4KwGFhDJCSJeKGBp-vZ02E8MWE/s1600/DSCF6766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvy2yjLxrMujvbE4-SG-YevSggDYMHhFTL8MLeNLhtEPtKruyslM-VKFCdY8MrRRhsALfGd50BT1PZGmDxNUhD-p1YhnPTZHYFZ3IgdPS2TaPO1NO9t4KwGFhDJCSJeKGBp-vZ02E8MWE/s1600/DSCF6766.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love my friends <3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BXw2s3DrjJI5a_SxzzGl_caRYh17MwN73rHJjCJL5mTQ9t7ChabkqCMQ8-mW5tkEUKSi4B_7-2VSc4Dgrp6jiXkfl61nW2ZmbkjDveQDLx_ylk_bcUMzHpP2Z_Wuvt8N0E-66T0Tb7eG/s1600/DSCF6775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BXw2s3DrjJI5a_SxzzGl_caRYh17MwN73rHJjCJL5mTQ9t7ChabkqCMQ8-mW5tkEUKSi4B_7-2VSc4Dgrp6jiXkfl61nW2ZmbkjDveQDLx_ylk_bcUMzHpP2Z_Wuvt8N0E-66T0Tb7eG/s1600/DSCF6775.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carly and I</td></tr>
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It is sad to think it was my last P-Day but life keeps moving and I have to try and keep up with it!MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-15899773251770956392014-04-30T06:09:00.000-07:002014-04-30T06:09:01.280-07:00One Last Time: Celtic KnightsLast Friday night was the MLK Talent Show at St. Mike's. It was also my last performance as a Celtic Knight. It is really sad to think about and I almost cried during my last pep talk to them. It has been a great honor being their president and working with a group of such talented ladies. From all the laughs, to stressful nights, to amazing performances - it has been great time!! I know my senior year would not have been as memorable without them.<br />
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Throughout March and April, we worked very hard to choreograph a routine to blow people away at the talent show. Our first goal was to pick a theme. It was quite difficult because there were some good ones. We ended up on deciding on a 20s theme. The next step was to choreograph the actual routine. This year we consisted of girls with past dance talent and we were able to incorporate some Swing and Charleston into our dance. It was definitely quite interesting to learn. Here are some pictures of us during practice. We definitely all worked hard.<br />
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Yes, it looks like we are standing around a lot, but we would stop and discuss different sections, talk about the count, and remind people to smile. I know I have to be reminded to smile a lot because I'll tend to stick my tongue out when I concentrate - don't worry they took no hesitation in calling me out on it!<br />
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Here is what the final performance looked like:<br />
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I'm so proud of all them and the hard work they put into this performance!MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-22173444892427557752014-04-11T04:59:00.000-07:002014-04-11T04:59:02.987-07:00Jeanmarie Hall, my second homeSome majors have one building where many of your classes are held. After my four years, I have to say mine would be Jeanmarie. Jeanmarie is one of the three main academic buildings that are connected on main campus. It has three floors with many different classroom styles and computer labs. <br />
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One room which I have become acquainted with fairly well is the Linux lab. I've had three Computer Science classes in that room and have spent a fair amount of time there for my other Computer Science classes as well. I'll say we have a love hate relationship for that reason as well. I really love my major but occasionally, there were those assignments that I wanted nothing to do with again after that semester.<br />
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Some the department offices which are housed in Jeanmarie are the Computer Science, Mathematics, and Business departments. There are some other professors scattered in there as well but for the most part if you are in any of these three majors, you will frequently visit Jeanmarie for advising meetings, to hand in papers, and for extra help during office hours.<br />
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If you stop by campus, be sure to check out the place I've come to love and know! And to help you out here are some pictures of this place as well:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeanmaire Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Windows Computer Lab</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Linux Lab - generally only computer science majors<br />only have access to this room </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One style room for lectures</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another type of classroom, I really like this one because<br />it is easier to spread out!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A setup for a more discussion based classes</td></tr>
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MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-50963978681561547502014-04-05T13:50:00.000-07:002014-04-05T13:50:00.100-07:00We knew it was trouble...This semester I'm taking an Artificial Intelligence course. It is an interesting course because unlike the past courses I've taken where we knew our programs would work in our controlled environment, there wasn't a controlled environment. We still used a set of test variables but a lot had to do with our external environment.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Team Trouble</td></tr>
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Our big project we did was right before spring break. We broke off into teams to create a robot to remove toxic waste, or soda bottles which is what we used to represent the waste. Our professor set up an obstacle course which consisted of us going down a ramp to remove a door before entering a ring. Then we entered the ring and had to find the three soda bottles and remove them. Once our robot removed the bottles, it had to head back up the ramp and shut off at the end.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trouble, the robot</td></tr>
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It was a tiring process. We built our robot out of a LEGO Mindstorms kit. It was slightly exciting for me since my brother used to make anything I wanted out LEGOs and I had no real skill for it. We spent a lot of hours on this project because one thing this taught us was how difficult it would be to factor in external environments. For example, if the color sensor missed the red dot on the floor, our robot would drive off the course. Or if the touch sensor didn't registrar the bottle was in its grasp, then the robot would keep pushing the bottle around. It was a bit frustrating but I learned a very important lesson during the process.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trouble removing the door. We built a lever to hold the door <br />until it was outside the circle and dropped it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trouble had a touch sensor and bars on the side to remove<br />a bottle from the field.</td></tr>
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We did fairly well during our presentation. Our main problem was the search field was so big that it took awhile to find all the bottles. Anyways take a look at this video one of my teammates made that shows Trouble completing the required tasks:<br />
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MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-6154802306895211912014-04-02T14:17:00.000-07:002014-04-02T14:17:00.746-07:00NYC MOVE TripIn my last post (<a href="http://maurasmc2014.blogspot.com/2014/03/birthday-shenanigans.html">Birthday Shenanigans</a>), I mentioned that I went on a MOVE Extended Service Trip to NYC for Spring Break. It was an exhausting but well worth it trip. I had an amazing group and met some really great people while helping them out in anyway we could.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Group <3</td></tr>
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All our days were long but it was well worth it. We traveled mostly by subway and foot since it is the most convenient in the city. For the most part we mastered it, only after we lost two people on a platform on the first night. We all made it in the end and we laugh about it now.</div>
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Our mornings normally started out working with <a href="https://www.glwd.org/">God's Love, We Deliver</a>. It is similar to Meals on Wheels but at a much larger scale. 3 out of the 4 days we worked there, we help package food. Me and 4 others in the group chopped 200 hundred pounds of onions while there. We helped prepare other food and also organize the bags to be delivered. On the last day, we each got paired up with a van driver to deliver food to the people. It was quite an experience to meet the people in need and I think that affected me the most in the end.</div>
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On the odd morning (my birthday actually) we went to help sort inventory at <a href="http://www.handcraftingjustice.org/">Handcrafting Justice</a>. It was a different experience since we only interacted with the people who handled shipping. We had fun anyways.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorting backpacks</td></tr>
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For three of the afternoons we worked at The Mercy Center hosting some after school games for the kids who went there for homework help. It was a lot of fun because the kids were great and entertaining on their own! Our last stop of the day was the Covenant House. We all really enjoyed going there because we got to hang out with people our age. We played pool, air hockey, basketball, and a lot of cards. It was interesting since a lot of us were from different areas (including the people there), we all had different games and such to teach each other.<br />
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One of the coolest things we did was on the vernal equinox. There is the old tale where you can stand up an egg. We actually did it!<br />
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By the time we got home at the end of the night, it was probably about 10pm. After the second day we decided to nap anywhere we could, if we had time:<br />
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I wouldn't go back and change the schedule even though I was running on fumes by the end of the day. I really enjoyed meeting new people and getting to know more about the different types of people in the area. It was definitely a rewarding experience.</div>
MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-30117287746837670602014-03-29T17:07:00.001-07:002014-03-29T17:07:39.121-07:00Birthday ShenanigansAbout a week and a half ago I turned 22. The sad thing about my birthday is it has fallen during spring break. On one hand it means, "NO SCHOOL!!!" but on the other hand it means, "no friends." Yes, I have visited with friends in the past, but there is nothing like walking around campus getting "Happy Birthday!!" shouts from everyone.<br />
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This year, because my birthday was on spring break, my roommates decided to throw me an early birthday celebration. My mom brought up some presents for me and hid them with my roommates so I couldn't touch them until a determined time. I have to say they were pretty good about hiding them. For me to find these gifts, they set up a scavenger hunt. I was so excited and couldn't contain my excitement!! Most clues were in our townhouse but they sent one to a campus printer which caused for a mini-field trip to Alliot (that's where they made me go to print). Anyway it was a fun time and I couldn't ask for better townhouse-mates!<br />
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For spring break I had gotten accepted on a MOVE service trip. I was excited to be doing service this year for my birthday. It was just something I wanted to do. Our trip was based in NYC. It was a great experience and I'll blog more about it later! My birthday was a pretty good day. We spent the day pretty much doing our usual service. However, a few people on my trip took to making fun of me or calling me, "Birthday Girl."<br />
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When we got home, I was kind of tired but still pumped up. We dispersed to our rooms for a couple a minutes to throw our coats or change if we choose. Every time I walked out of my room to go to the bathroom or give someone something, people would stop running down the hall and give me a stupid grin and say, "Hi, Maura." I was really confused. When I finally made my way upstairs, I realized half way up the walls were decorated with present pictures. I stopped and called out if it was alright for me to proceed. I was given the okay and when I got to the kitchen, the door was completely covered with happy birthday in large letters:<br />
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When I opened the door, balloons fell on me. It was quite unreal. Then everyone sang me Happy Birthday and they had cupcakes as well. I asked them when they had time to pull all this off and they said they didn't. They Faith Community we were staying with decorated everything and rigged the balloons. It was so nice of them.<br />
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It was definitely one of my top birthdays. And I'm really thankful they did all that for me. I couldn't have asked for better people to go on the trip with!MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-81976071213410533782014-02-08T12:42:00.000-08:002014-02-08T12:42:50.360-08:00Penguin Plunge!!Today was the day I jumped into Lake Champlain for the third time! The Penguin Plunge is held in 3 different locations in Vermont during the middle of winter. It raises funds for the Vermont Special Olympics. The Burlington Penguin Plunge raised over $400,000 alone. I'm proud to take part in this event and appreciate all the support and donations I get for it. For this year's plunge the air temperature was 23<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">°</span>F and the water was 32<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">°</span>F. In the moment I tried not to think about it at all which helped me be able to plunge. Check out some pictures from the event:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hole in the ice is where everyone took the plunge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit better view of how frozen everything was</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MJ2vsBnM0n7uO4B907IEkUd7eG8mOf5vxKLBlwn2msimkg04BDyCBbqVhcHtJx7ej7Du4fCIzfVrp7vl27W-DSdWpjxk4AuTEWVIBTB44_endnzrmQe1bpcUy7_Och3Ei8CrVJM_6IoF/s1600/DSCF6603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MJ2vsBnM0n7uO4B907IEkUd7eG8mOf5vxKLBlwn2msimkg04BDyCBbqVhcHtJx7ej7Du4fCIzfVrp7vl27W-DSdWpjxk4AuTEWVIBTB44_endnzrmQe1bpcUy7_Och3Ei8CrVJM_6IoF/s1600/DSCF6603.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see me peeking out in the right side</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the fact - my clothes were already frozen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY11_PBYeYR_wvaapPwNZkBXQ2UXm_hDwdJFA_NB8LkrHe5T6T6FY3VTFGXYqMO0GEFCX3cduLtMYpCwyKPEPIrRJyj4mOjcQUHOBiYR_PGlip-n1syeInzaU6vTup1etJfvYIjPvrF85E/s1600/DSCF6593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY11_PBYeYR_wvaapPwNZkBXQ2UXm_hDwdJFA_NB8LkrHe5T6T6FY3VTFGXYqMO0GEFCX3cduLtMYpCwyKPEPIrRJyj4mOjcQUHOBiYR_PGlip-n1syeInzaU6vTup1etJfvYIjPvrF85E/s1600/DSCF6593.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Officially a penguin for another year</td></tr>
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<br />MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-73782243494179646492014-01-15T16:30:00.000-08:002014-01-15T16:30:57.491-08:00School, Work, Social LifeAHHHHH!!!!! It has finally happened! It is my last semester at St. Mikes. I don't want to leave this place in May. Out of sight, out of mind. Right?<br />
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Moving along then...<br />
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Last week I started an internship at Systems and Software in Williston, VT. I worked full time before classes started to get trained and my feet wet without more than one thing going on. So far I really like it there! I'm learning a lot and gaining so much experience. Apparently I'm getting rave reviews because today my supervisor was out of the office so these other people stole me to help them out. Don't worry they are allowed to that. One big thing about this company is sharing knowledge and resources. Apparently I'm a resource.<br />
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This week started classes. I'm taking three classes along with my internship. I'm taking Computer Architecture, Artificial Intelligence, and Critical Thinking and Communication (aka a business class). I'm really looking forward to some of the projects I get to work on this semester. For example, I get to build a robot in Artificial Intelligence! For my business class, I get to design, market, and sell a product! We'll see how they go. I'll have updates of these more in the second half of the semester when they actually start up.<br />
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So someone might say, when do you have a social life? I tell them: on the weekends. It is true. I went away last weekend to St. Anne's Shrine - St. Mike's retreat center - and the weekend before that I went skiing. Here are some pictures from the beautiful clear day:<br />
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I do try to get outside on the weekends because it is so nice to be outside. It does make me tired so you can generally find me asleep by 10pm.<br />
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I'm really excited for this semester and can't wait for some of the fun times that are planned! It should be a busy semester but a good one.MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-10155135708853076622013-12-20T17:34:00.003-08:002013-12-20T17:34:40.242-08:00Christmas, Grogan-StyleIt's that time of the year - Christmas time. No two families celebrate the holidays the same way, and my family is no different. We change our strategy per year depending on people's schedules. It is never a surprise the decorations don't really start going up until I come home because I have the most flexibility around the holiday. I'm also glad because as much as I complain about decorating, I love doing it! I'm not too good at it (you can tell by my wrapping) but put on some Christmas tunes and I'll do it all!<br />
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This year I got home and my dad surprised me by asking if I wanted to go to a Christmas tree farm and chop down a tree. I surprised him by saying yes. He wouldn't let me live it down the entire Saturday. We, of course, went tree hunting on the brink of a snow storm. It is normal for us to pick the worst day to do outdoor decorating around the holidays. It was just my dad and I who went out and we have now been banned from being alone to pick out our Christmas tree. Take a look:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfz8C0tPcKNmyOIU2xBVlZjak0GOkmfVvfZgl9fGljrClGugQQhbcoK72e9953O2FcpqS0QYS_q7DLHHRuWZ5PWb0CWjYth8vgbfPPwyU96ezL9j_no4Huc80sx0c1tEuXVcNDSkZu2qa/s1600/DSCF6493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfz8C0tPcKNmyOIU2xBVlZjak0GOkmfVvfZgl9fGljrClGugQQhbcoK72e9953O2FcpqS0QYS_q7DLHHRuWZ5PWb0CWjYth8vgbfPPwyU96ezL9j_no4Huc80sx0c1tEuXVcNDSkZu2qa/s320/DSCF6493.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to chop down the tree (no I didn't use the saw, my dad did)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLQatCiT29wFCpOUa1TpZHJvzLKWrRwqqxfQpqjricjQFFT6rGh-hwj427NkHf795KyScmVXtQyxOUb8y7AqYt9zQr5ioIhdRbeJGDQAeySEOYNwqHNsySu2pWcgCVpglL7hmm2bo9wAW/s1600/DSCF6497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLQatCiT29wFCpOUa1TpZHJvzLKWrRwqqxfQpqjricjQFFT6rGh-hwj427NkHf795KyScmVXtQyxOUb8y7AqYt9zQr5ioIhdRbeJGDQAeySEOYNwqHNsySu2pWcgCVpglL7hmm2bo9wAW/s320/DSCF6497.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The suburban comes in handy, our tree fit right inside!</td></tr>
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It took two of the tree workers and my dad to put it through the netting. We should have know something was going to be wrong at that point...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JusDlL2DHc_HoEeuT269TJbk0MI6IRr4Jr9Kgmxgrp14lFFyjXXEqA17Wq7AQNZUV_fodiO3A0TCWw3agJIVmiDGRzZLH1FScJwqRizC8A8vM7oXT3BZ54RU_shRTqWs3OJcJjyOx2SH/s1600/DSCF6503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JusDlL2DHc_HoEeuT269TJbk0MI6IRr4Jr9Kgmxgrp14lFFyjXXEqA17Wq7AQNZUV_fodiO3A0TCWw3agJIVmiDGRzZLH1FScJwqRizC8A8vM7oXT3BZ54RU_shRTqWs3OJcJjyOx2SH/s320/DSCF6503.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guys carrying in our Christmas tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGVjtIJ2cY5D5_l3hL1Z2cQPab-0_5s-a3vkFKhUNdZdSAJgDxiW6UAVo-k7jL2uKa4R3wWT0-I7dco7MTdPFCctHMtoEcvWIL4jxGNCwv_1A_HbGUgFooIDlx9m7SxBo_ot4t_3L40h1/s1600/DSCF6509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGVjtIJ2cY5D5_l3hL1Z2cQPab-0_5s-a3vkFKhUNdZdSAJgDxiW6UAVo-k7jL2uKa4R3wWT0-I7dco7MTdPFCctHMtoEcvWIL4jxGNCwv_1A_HbGUgFooIDlx9m7SxBo_ot4t_3L40h1/s320/DSCF6509.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upright, it just fits.<br />
(Don't mind the hand my brother just did the tightening of the stand)</td></tr>
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It finally clicked something may be off when we realized we needed to buy a new stand because the trunk was too fat for the stand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_0LaNTA1eo9NMLJy7waXnwMg4Qkx2FctzWV1J6mhX-xAqn7aiUPs3-DeKBDhfnSecIRggvF7hiXuWOeZPTnvfi2qxkL8f-Pgl9kLwxC15yZXIwMgJfffOSyU563CLIe6gcN-50oEXQ-l/s1600/DSCF6513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_0LaNTA1eo9NMLJy7waXnwMg4Qkx2FctzWV1J6mhX-xAqn7aiUPs3-DeKBDhfnSecIRggvF7hiXuWOeZPTnvfi2qxkL8f-Pgl9kLwxC15yZXIwMgJfffOSyU563CLIe6gcN-50oEXQ-l/s320/DSCF6513.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, our tree just fits in the living room</td></tr>
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Our tree just barely fit in the living room. We had to move some furniture around so it would fit and people could still sit and enjoy the tree. You just can't sit on opposite sides of the room because you won't see each other!!<br />
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I put 12 strands of lights up. There are now 11 strands because one strand completely blew and I had to rework the strands after the ornaments were up so the lights would still come on. Anyway here is the completed tree:<br />
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My aunt sent us a mini tree which we decorated and put up next to the big tree. Now you can enjoy either a small tree or a large tree, depending on your preference.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatCJtpfvS7J34Y6HO80sJG-JmdCRdJBkp_oleu7dW3fqrDy2HgLPdyZphOrlbNPehOHZ4sTKldX50jW_88swD3W-Yc2o5fjcv-o7csOmlYXvyehAicv8bL9540UWDXEJyjPtXt_nWqdAp/s1600/DSCF6520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatCJtpfvS7J34Y6HO80sJG-JmdCRdJBkp_oleu7dW3fqrDy2HgLPdyZphOrlbNPehOHZ4sTKldX50jW_88swD3W-Yc2o5fjcv-o7csOmlYXvyehAicv8bL9540UWDXEJyjPtXt_nWqdAp/s320/DSCF6520.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mini tree decorated, lights and all!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take your pick: large or small?</td></tr>
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We also decorated the outside of our house right after a snow storm. My dad braved the weather to hang the wreaths up on the front of the house. I decorated the railings to look like candy canes and we put a big red bow up on our front tree.<br />
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We're getting there to being prepared for Christmas day, but never the less a disaster may occur. Last year I <a href="http://maurasmc2014.blogspot.com/2012/12/baking-failures.html">ruined</a> a pie pan, cookie sheet, and ice cream scoop before Christmas. Cross my fingers that doesn't happen again.</div>
MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-90399985853402896702013-12-13T09:50:00.002-08:002013-12-13T09:50:38.712-08:00A look back on an amazing semester!A lot has happened and I can't believe the semester is over. I only have one more semester left at St. Mike's before I start a completely new chapter in my life. I have to say, no matter how stressed this semester was, how annoyed I got at things, or how fed up I was with college at points, I'm so glad I made it through because a lot of positives happened which definitely out weighed the bad. Here's a look back on all the amazing things (and maybe not so amazing things):<br />
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<ul>
<li>I was reunited with my two besties at St. Mike's! We hadn't seen each other since December 2012 when we split up for the holidays till we saw each other during move-in. Katie and I both went abroad for the Spring.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> I got to be part of an AMAZING VITA team this year to help plan some AWESOME campus ministry events.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yhFxY9133mUMfziklVjpVRKEtZG3sPM6VyuqnpsejGVGz_G3rvlpDG576e_vsRHHm0fosLk7so5xGdjG7asViJ8LX0YVHDYilGqdXS7GPL4ei73khj9_0VCZF0xoCoHfjpXUh_nHFCXP/s1600/pic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yhFxY9133mUMfziklVjpVRKEtZG3sPM6VyuqnpsejGVGz_G3rvlpDG576e_vsRHHm0fosLk7so5xGdjG7asViJ8LX0YVHDYilGqdXS7GPL4ei73khj9_0VCZF0xoCoHfjpXUh_nHFCXP/s1600/pic+2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li> Went on small hike/adventure with some friends before classes began. Lake Champlain was beautiful!</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> I broke so many kitchen utensils and began to learn the art of cooking. I am thankful for my roommates through all of this because we were occasionally without something until I went shopping. And for taking me to the ER when I sliced my finger for stitches (don't worry I'm alright, it was an accident and it only happened once!).</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> My brother came to visit for the first time since I started St. Mike's.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7ZWRrHk9ssD-gQIHmQC1vI7f-y1JV8p2jNUDIiXADXdzdW2f0GdhC7IS_PPsd93PeYlGl3Pn4IJY09rtmQwRdKw7CivniYA4Qr42K1WDyy4jEfxOc-2JBOZEIwvwEDpzE9CIokPwdftH/s1600/pic+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7ZWRrHk9ssD-gQIHmQC1vI7f-y1JV8p2jNUDIiXADXdzdW2f0GdhC7IS_PPsd93PeYlGl3Pn4IJY09rtmQwRdKw7CivniYA4Qr42K1WDyy4jEfxOc-2JBOZEIwvwEDpzE9CIokPwdftH/s1600/pic+5.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li> I got to go to a wedding for my AMAZING Family and Faith's son and new daughter.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> I got to play in a corn maze.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> Got to visit the Proctor Maple Center Weather Station during prime leaf peeping season.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> I dressed up as a mouse and Alex dressed up as a cat. And then this happened:</li>
</ul>
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(it was Halloween)</div>
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<ul>
<li>Put on a successful performance with Celtic Knights. These girls and guy worked so hard for me and I appreciate them for all their hard work!</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>My brother graduated from McGill University with a degree in Mining Engineering. So proud of his successes!!</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> We baked over 70 pies to raise money to help out a family that is a huge part of the St. Mike's family.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> Got to meet Loni Love (and look good while doing so).</li>
</ul>
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<li>I dressed up as Santa and my best friend dressed as an elf for a Christmas party!</li>
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<ul>
<li> I got to play in a river for one of my lab assignments!</li>
</ul>
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Fall semester of 2013 is finally done and I'm thankful for all that it brought. It gave me so many memories that I'm grateful for. It is bitter sweet for it to end but I'm ready for Spring of 2014 - it is going to be a roller coaster of a ride!MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-82846445301446917702013-12-08T19:24:00.001-08:002013-12-08T19:24:33.048-08:00River Lab Science ExperienceFriday marked the last day of classes for the semester. It is a bitter-sweet moment since it means I only have one more semester at St. Michael's College and that makes me sad. However, I am excited to go home for the holidays at the end of the week!<br />
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My very last class of the semester was my lab science. I choose Physical Geography as my lab science because it was something different from what I have taken. I've enjoyed this course a lot, especially the hands-on lab assignments. And Friday's lab was definitely hands-on.<br />
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We went out to a branch of the Winooski River, about 15 minutes from campus, to learn about water movement. Part of the assignment was to determine the speed of the current. I can't tell you the exact speed because I was in the water conducting the tests! Everyone on shore was measuring the time. After class, I grabbed the data from my friend but I haven't had a chance to calculate and study the data myself. I should have the answers for that day shortly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuL7cuBNab_NxFyyH9c8quIGD098wLCBVj6goGmQq5tfWMRnl3FuO7QZ9sHsfVYNc14hdNNSNfpv7ch9UpiM9nl0gEU96yLY4oOpwmMy0r-lQJa7_FJrsowC-NpNJnWa4Q56DTDnXoaY7F/s1600/DSCF6448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuL7cuBNab_NxFyyH9c8quIGD098wLCBVj6goGmQq5tfWMRnl3FuO7QZ9sHsfVYNc14hdNNSNfpv7ch9UpiM9nl0gEU96yLY4oOpwmMy0r-lQJa7_FJrsowC-NpNJnWa4Q56DTDnXoaY7F/s320/DSCF6448.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rubber Ducky Launching</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGSywzh3CgE6u-9l7KYhHOh9Fgu8OKlaeVVmdMDcnWcx-QpWBGSt4W6Jvw4WTKJAclNWhFe0XxsW1al66o2flbFOsApSzqXFd977S9qhDVHt16K12Jb5Xj7IbsVStXLueYmn46TRyZDbT/s1600/DSCF6453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGSywzh3CgE6u-9l7KYhHOh9Fgu8OKlaeVVmdMDcnWcx-QpWBGSt4W6Jvw4WTKJAclNWhFe0XxsW1al66o2flbFOsApSzqXFd977S9qhDVHt16K12Jb5Xj7IbsVStXLueYmn46TRyZDbT/s320/DSCF6453.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi!</td></tr>
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I enjoyed playing in the river and it wasn't too cold. We also talked about the type of landscape and which rocks were probably shaped by the river and which probably had been carried. Also, we determined what type of glacier passed through based on the U-shaped look to the slopes surrounding the area. Because the glacier can't follow all the twists and turns of a normal stream, it eventually erodes away the bends forming the U-shaped look. <div>
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I love the hands-on experiences in the lab because I definitely gained a lot more understanding for this concept.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My class</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQGCyO80-8G14nrPvG-nNzKqMZAGQiRRXjJ4ZY1k5CvedaOUO2MmFN0LrqLKQURfKZcWoJ_9jAWHg3qA_CtXp4XJpa_G93wisDlbqI2E6VZDcUSrBSnwYY6Rt86PM-pE7yTpNmXAyP_M9/s1600/DSCF6461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQGCyO80-8G14nrPvG-nNzKqMZAGQiRRXjJ4ZY1k5CvedaOUO2MmFN0LrqLKQURfKZcWoJ_9jAWHg3qA_CtXp4XJpa_G93wisDlbqI2E6VZDcUSrBSnwYY6Rt86PM-pE7yTpNmXAyP_M9/s320/DSCF6461.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brave river experimenters!</td></tr>
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MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-85539050181754558602013-11-23T18:12:00.000-08:002013-11-23T18:12:47.338-08:00Celtic Knights at the International FestivalThis year marked my third year performing in the International Festival with Celtic Knights. However, this year marked the first performance I put together for Celtic Knights. I was excited to take on Celtic Knights as president this year but as the performance drew closer and closer, I became more and more nervous. I never had to put together a whole performance together on my own and I was so worried something was going to go wrong!<br />
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I schedule extra practices as the festival got closer so everyone was more comfortable with the dances. I also double checked time and costume materials so I wasn't missing anything. I was getting pretty confident and everything was falling into place. The night of the performance came around and we were all excited. I introduced the group and the dances as they came up. I even came up with a cool fun fact for the audience:<br />
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<i><span style="color: #274e13;">Irish Dance Masters used to travel around Ireland performing for people. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #274e13;">There wasn't a lot of room for them to perform so they danced on top of </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><i>barrels </i><i>and table tops. Arms at the side added a skill level.</i></span></div>
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All in all we performed well. I'm proud of my dancers and all the hard work they put in. It really paid off! Check it out:<br />
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<br />MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-44200621670592472632013-10-23T20:04:00.001-07:002013-10-23T20:04:06.694-07:00Long Weekend AdventuresThis past weekend marked the long weekend up at St. Mike's. I didn't make it home but I had lots of plans going on in the Burlington area which kept me plenty busy (besides the school work I had to do!). Anyways here is what I did:<br />
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<i><span style="color: purple;">Saturday:</span></i><br />
Saturday was the annual VT Tech Jam. The Tech Jam is an awesome event to go to and learn about what local companies are doing in the area. It is also a great place to network if you're a computer science major. I attended the past two years with the intent on an internship but this year I was looking at a full-time job come graduation in May. <span style="color: red;">(pause to scream)</span> I got some good pointers from people on how to go about looking for a job and getting my name out there along with handing out a few resumes for possible jobs. We'll see what happens.<br />
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<i><span style="color: purple;">Sunday:</span></i><br />
Sunday was a fun because I got to hang out with my family in faith! I've mentioned them a few times before and they are AWESOME people. I attended a wedding recently where their son got married and it was beautiful. This weekend I got to hang out with Carol and Kaitlin for some Halloween fun. One of Carol's friends is an arts and crafts person and she was hosting a party for some kids with edible arts and crafts. My intention was to only help out if needed but otherwise to stay out of the way with my luck in the kitchen. However, the first task was making mummy Oreo's and my task became painting them white at one point. I'll say I made a bigger mess then the kids did.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attempting to decorate (notice the frosting covered hands)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product, they didn't turn out too bad.</td></tr>
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Anyways after this task I was given a reprieve and just took pictures of the kids decorating cupcakes and pretzels which was a bit safer for me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTilZaNjhtLbz670oHLUrjRk47kBQKTrASOzPGGQZCigZ_lM3jDESPSrZExXGNYKBqZevrI122IojT2_fDHZu6sxPqoA7diSFKyYsFphFsVJRXOavnVcb-JZIMUElU0gC2oDN7JBMZy_e/s1600/DSCF6207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTilZaNjhtLbz670oHLUrjRk47kBQKTrASOzPGGQZCigZ_lM3jDESPSrZExXGNYKBqZevrI122IojT2_fDHZu6sxPqoA7diSFKyYsFphFsVJRXOavnVcb-JZIMUElU0gC2oDN7JBMZy_e/s320/DSCF6207.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Kaitlin</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gang<br />Kaitlin, Carol, Maria, Patti, Me, and Kristyn</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: purple;">Monday:</span></i><br />
Monday was a pretty uneventful day. I dedicated this to work and cooking. I had some school work to catch up on and get ahead on. I will say I was pretty successful in that department. I also attempted some cooking and was actually very successful. I made Apple Fennel Stuffing, Broccoli, and Chicken all thanks to Betty Crocker. I followed the directions and didn't ruin any dishes or fingers during this process.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Meal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKm79NxlMtUDJBfvzuukJZ0BOa1_yS0CtCcp5PfRIX4YEyDdOYlMSuaFxAQkXYqxTeUgaivdpopODgeOaAPxwVvi5W1tVLZVhfzT1Q_W3XwzWjrYssdM3xVchwN79rfJPfpnivdTAs7UM/s1600/DSCF6239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKm79NxlMtUDJBfvzuukJZ0BOa1_yS0CtCcp5PfRIX4YEyDdOYlMSuaFxAQkXYqxTeUgaivdpopODgeOaAPxwVvi5W1tVLZVhfzT1Q_W3XwzWjrYssdM3xVchwN79rfJPfpnivdTAs7UM/s320/DSCF6239.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping in classy with milk at the coffee table</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: purple;">Tuesday:</span></i><br />
Tuesday, the last day of break. The morning was basically errands in Burlington I needed to accomplish that I didn't get to on Saturday. I was successful in most but still have stragglers that I need to get to this weekend...hopefully! I also patiently awaited arrival of some friends to come back and studied hard for a midterm I had this morning.<br />
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All in all it was a good break and I should plan more fun weekends in the near future because it sure made school more tolerable.MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-40954251470590180872013-10-06T10:32:00.000-07:002013-10-06T10:32:33.481-07:00Enjoying FallOne of my favorite things about living in Vermont is the Fall. I love when the trees are shades of reds, yellows, oranges, and browns. I think it is one of the prettiest things nature does. Watching the changing colors, apple cider, and pumpkin make it enjoyable.<br />
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I'm taking a Physical Geography class this semester to fulfill one of my required courses. I originally took it because it was something different from what I ever done in the past; however, I am enjoying the course a lot more than I thought I would. For the first third of the semester we spent it talking about weather and the changes which happen seasonally. Our lab on Friday was a field trip to the <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/?Page=PMRCstaf.html#Miriam Pendleton">Proctor Maple Center Weather Station</a>. It was a beautiful Fall day with a little rain.<br />
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It was pretty cool to see all the weather equipment in action due to the light rain. A handful of the equipment was used to track rainfall and sediments in the rain so they clicked on while we were there. It was a good afternoon.<br />
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Yesterday, I went to my very first corn maze. It was a VITA run trip and you can check out my friend, <a href="http://alexandrasmcbloggers.blogspot.com/2013/10/it-was-cornmazin-smc-girl-goes-to-corn.html">Alex's blog</a> to hear her take on it all! I enjoyed the afternoon once I found the place. I had driven one of the St. Mike's Vans and ended up getting lost, badly. But I found it with the help of my passengers! Anyways we got to the corn maze and had a blast! It was another perfect day and quite warm as well so we didn't need a jacket.<br />
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There was also a small harvest carnival at the farm as well so we spent some time there. There was some delicious ice cream, apple cider, and cider doughnuts as well. It was a great weekend for experiences.MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-63830451068760845302013-10-01T08:22:00.000-07:002013-10-01T08:22:39.227-07:00It is a learning processEveryone says you learn from your mistakes but sometimes I wonder how many mistakes I can make in the kitchen before I get it right and don't have to put a cooking utensil on my shopping list. I've talked about my cooking blunders <a href="http://maurasmc2014.blogspot.com/2012/12/baking-failures.html">before</a> and I still keep making them.<br />
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I'm living in a townhouse this year and I'm cooking basically all my meals on my own. I've done a few microwavable dishes for the nights I'm running around crazy but I've also done a little experimenting. Some things which I've made successfully are cheese burgers, macaroni and cheese, chicken, and ice cream sundaes. However when you leave me in the kitchen too long I do things such as break a corkscrew, disfigure an ice cream scooper, and melt my Rubbermaid to the stove top.<br />
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My roommates have started decorating a wall with pictures and descriptions called "<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What Not to Do in a Townhouse</span></i>: <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Experiences by Maura.</i></span>" They've expended it from beyond the kitchen when they realized I'm learning elsewhere in life. Some other instances on the wall are getting hit in the face with a bag of chips and having tie-dye explode on me.<br />
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They say college is a place for learning in and outside of the classroom. I have to say in my 3 full years and the start of this fourth, I definitely am learning a lot and I'm having fun in the process.MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-29843521131725081042013-09-18T11:35:00.000-07:002013-09-18T11:35:14.668-07:00Senior YearI hate to say I'm a Senior at St. Mike's. However, my friends and I are attempting to make it the best year here. I'm living in a townhouse this year which is SUPER sweet! I'm cooking for myself (or at least attempting to). I've taken on a bunch of different responsibilities in addition to the ones I have; such as President of Celtic Knights, Coordinating Masses, running Taize, tutoring, and just having fun. One thing I luck out on is not having a thesis to work on so I do have a bit more flexibility as a Senior. However, I have to make sure I stay on top of my projects (group and individual) and start to think about career opportunities. But I'm going to make it through!!<br />
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One of my favorite things this year has been the quote wall in our townhouse. I got the idea from one of the Campus Ministers and it has been a lot of fun to do. We already have half a wall covered with quotes. There are a few rules to the quotes that go on:<br />
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<ol>
<li>They have to be said in the townhouse or in a townhouse setting.</li>
<li>They can be something stupid or something that just doesn't make sense.</li>
<li>Anyone who enters the townhouse can be put on the wall (so watch what you say if you visit!)</li>
<li>You can't catch yourself.</li>
</ol>
It has been a lot of fun catching people saying stuff. I also stop by it if I need a laugh during the day. Here are a few of the quotes that made it (I've blacked out the names to respect privacy):<br />
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Hopefully these give you a laugh because I know they did for me!</div>
MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-49083604562304788642013-07-13T16:42:00.000-07:002013-07-13T16:42:02.872-07:00Crazy SummerHey all! It's been awhile but I've been super crazy at work! I'm back working at a Residential Summer Camp so most of my time has me focusing on my campers. I'm still working on a short video montage of my trip abroad but I probably won't finish it until August by the looks of my work schedule. Until then here are some tips about how to make the most of summer:<div>
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1. Travel. Go somewhere. See family. Don't waste these holidays by sitting at home. You'll miss out on a world of AWE and you won't be missing classes.</div>
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2. See friends. It is the perfect time to hang out with friends without the worry of stress. You can just laze around or plan an exciting day and not worry about that huge paper hanging over your head.</div>
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3. Read for fun. It is the perfect time for this. Reading during the school year is hit or miss. During the summer you can pick up that book you've been dying to read and not all of a sudden be hit with a book you have to finish by Friday.</div>
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4. Do something you love. I love being crazy when I can. I'm spending this summer wearing mouse ears at camp and dressing up as Sacajawea on the odd occasion. Just get out there and do something you love to do!</div>
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5. Get a job. Some people like lounging on the beach or by a pool all summer but this is the easiest time to earn some extra cash especially if you're a busy college student. It doesn't have to be a full time job but at least something that gives you fun money during the semester.</div>
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Until next time...</div>
MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-42785015760956436462013-06-30T11:45:00.000-07:002013-06-30T11:45:00.636-07:00One Last London AdventureRight before heading home, Adrianna and I took our last train out to London. We were both flying out Heathrow airport on the same day about 15 minutes apart so we decided to travel together. We figured going out the day before our flight would be the safest bet just encase trains got delayed or we missed our connection. We also figured it wouldn't be too bad since the place we were staying at was right near a local train stop. However, we were far from being correct...<br />
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We got into Euston station just fine but had to make our way over to Paddington Station for the local trains. You would think these being two major train stations there would be lifts and such to help people, right? Well we couldn't find the lift in Euston and then later learned it was across a highway where we had to walk a distance to cross. Then there wasn't a lift up at Paddington from the tube (or subway) but there was thankfully one down to the train. When we got to the station near our hotel, there again wasn't a lift. Thankfully we met some very nice people who helped us out with going up and down the stairs. The joke, "You should learn to pack lighter" got old very fast. We were carrying 5 1/2 months worth of stuff!!<br />
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After we checked into the hotel Adrianna and I then headed back into the city to see Wicked. Adrianna got us 6th row seats for only about $30 because they claimed to be an obstructed view. We really didn't miss anything. I've seen it on Broadway and it was interesting to compare the two different styles. I can't say which I preferred better because they were both so good!<br />
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The next day brought our sad departure from Heathrow. However, I do have some exciting news! My dad pre-booked my seat for me so I wouldn't be stuck in a middle seat in coach the hole way home. When I handed the woman my boarding card it beeped and showed I had been upgraded to business class! It was very exciting! I had an asile seat in a two seater so it wasn't a bad ride all the way home at all! I thanked my dad as soon as I got off the plane because without him I probably would have been stuck in coach!<br />
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One last post to come on my trip! Look for it soon!MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-69860213922597447852013-06-29T10:00:00.000-07:002013-06-29T10:00:00.485-07:00Goodbye WalesDuring my last few weeks in Wales, I tried to spend as much time as I could outside. I took in everything one last time and found some places I hadn't before. Adrianna and I took a few walks along the different roads because we knew we would miss it as soon as we stepped on that plane. We kept telling ourselves and each other we were ready to go home and see our families but we knew after a short time we would wish we were back there. Here are some pictures from our last few walks around our home in another land:<br />
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It is sad to say goodbye but the memories will last me a life time...<br />
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A few more posts left from my adventures so don't think it's over yet!MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-87179708919185048872013-06-27T09:00:00.000-07:002013-06-27T09:00:05.678-07:00Houses, Knights, and Castles in Conwy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Conwy was a definite place I wanted to go before I left. I had heard so many great things about it and there were things there I wanted to see. Adrianna had been there before so she said we only really needed an afternoon to enjoy it since it wasn't too big and everything was more sightseeing then touring. So we had a delicious lunch and packed some water to head out.<br />
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Our first stop was the smallest house in Great Britian. As you can see by the picture the door only came up to my shoulder. However, once you went inside I could just barely stand up straight without hitting my head. There was a tour guide out front who answered your questions and was willing to take pictures with you...she recommended you put the hat on so you looked Welsh. What do you think? Does it suit me?<br />
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We then decided to meander around town, browsing at the mom and pop shops along the way. I did meet my knight in shining armor while I was there. (I think <a href="http://www.smcvt.edu/Pages/Get-to-Know-Us/Alumni/Mike-D-Knight.aspx">Mike the Knight</a> might be jealous.)<br />
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Conwy is also still surrounded by the castle walls which were built to originally protect the city. The are still able to be walked along (although with some safety renovations). It was cool to walk the perimeter of the town without actually having to worry about crossing streets and such. There were even some towers you could climb up.<br />
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You even got one of the best views of Conwy Castle too! No buildings, trees, or people blocking your view.<br />
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We even found some "hidden hideaways" were we had to pose for pictures.<br />
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Probably one of the most memorable or at least funny memories for the day was when we bought some ice cream. We decided to eat it down by the water because it was such a beautiful day and because we looked like we were having fun, BBC asked if they could film us for a small news segment about people enjoying the nice weather. I never saw the actual clip but if we were on it we had some 15 seconds of fame before we left!MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-38871394381522706722013-06-25T09:00:00.000-07:002013-06-25T09:00:00.627-07:00Flying in Llandudno<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Llandudno is one of Wale's "hot spots" for tourists. It is pretty central to all the other cute little towns I was visiting. It was a "hot spot" when we went there because there was a lot of hustle and bustle going on in the main part of town.<br />
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One of the major draws is the Great Orme Mine which dates back 4,000 years as a copper mine. We weren't particularly interested in the mine but rather the view from the top of the mountain it was situated inside of. Also, from the top of the mountain was a cable car, actually it is the longest cable car in Great Britain, which runs from the top of the mountain to the ocean (actually on the other side of the road).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Izzy and I on the cable car</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adrianna wasn't too keen on heights</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But she smiled anyways!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Dragon fun</td></tr>
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As we came over the last part of the mountain we got a clear view of the ocean and pier. The pier was a lot like the Bangor Pier except it had an arcade.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And of course we played some games and won some tickets. There was nothing we really wanted and we didn't have a lot of tickets so we gave then to a family as we were leaving.</div>
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It was another beautiful day and some more great memories as we headed back up the mountain to head back to Bangor.MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-22844993561694451462013-06-23T09:00:00.000-07:002013-06-23T09:00:03.395-07:00Llanberis Train Ride and Slate Mesuem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My friend Adrianna really wanted to do a steam train ride before we left so we decided to head out to Llanberis since they had a ride that went around the lake. On a clear day you can see all the mountains, including the top of Snowdon. The other neat thing was that the train ride also stopped at a slate museum which I was interested in checking out. So we killed two birds with one stone in this trip.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our train</td></tr>
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I know it's the conductor's job to be warm and friendly but our's was especially happy. He was a bit older, probably just retired and was doing this to stay busy but you could tell he loved it! Any time he drove by kids, he would smile, wave, and toot the horn. I never saw him stop smiling the entire day.<br />
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We again lucked out with beautiful weather and had amazing views along the journey. The weather was fairly warm but I still thought a sweatshirt was needed. However, some people thought it was really warm because there were some people swimming!<br />
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We got off at the Slate Museum stop and decided to have a small picnic outside. One thing I've noticed about museums in the UK is a lot of them used to house whatever they have on display. I don't remember when this slate operation shut down but it was cool to see the machinery still up and some of it actually still in operation, like the water wheel!</div>
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We had some fun with our Dragon while we were there too! Here is Adrianna posing with Deiniol with the water wheel in the background.<br />
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We also decided to play spot the dragon with the back hoe. Can you find Deiniol?<br />
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After our slate museum adventure we decided to walk out to Dolbadram Castle. It is basically a ruin and isn't too big but the view was great! I'm thinking of framing this picture to hang up in our house somewhere.<br />
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We still managed to have some fun while exploring.</div>
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We even were able to set a camera up on a timer so we could get a group picture since no one else seemed to be around at the time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Izzy, Adrianna, and Me</td></tr>
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The adventures we had in our last week were probably the best ones I had because there was no worry or stress over school work. It was like a mini-vacation.MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-74980950194587882842013-06-21T11:37:00.000-07:002013-06-21T11:37:20.180-07:00A 7 Mile Walk <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After all our exams and papers were finally complete Adrianna and I decided to spend the rest of our time exploring different places near Bangor. We only had a week before we both flew home so we decided to use it wisely. Our first trip was a 7 mile walk from our residence halls in Bangor to Beuamaris Castle. We checked the weather and picked a beautiful day to go. It wasn't too hot which was nice but the sun was shining. We left about 10am with some water and packed lunch. We looked at a map online to get a general idea of where to go but we figured we'd mostly wing it.</div>
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Our journey started off well and we only made a wrong turn when leaving Menai but a nice couple gave us directions to set us off on the right track. Their directions were better than ours but it took us by fields so if we got lost we had to ask the sheep which way to go...</div>
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...but thankfully we never got lost.<br />
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We didn't always know exactly where we were but we could always (or most of the time) see the river and Bangor so we knew the general direction we had to head in.<br />
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We were even able to judge our distance to Beaumaris based on the Bangor Pier. We knew we were slightly passed the half-way point when we passed it so we got excited.<br />
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Also, we stumbled across the coastal path at one point and we again got excited because we knew the trail head right to Beaumaris. So for the rest of our trip we played find the sign!<br />
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It directed us into a field at one point and we weren't quite sure where to go since there was nothing but trees on the other side.<br />
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We scanned the tree line and found and arrow off in the distance. Every time we broke through to a field we would stand there for a moment and be like, "where next?" Even on some of the trails through the trees there would be a fork in the path and no sign so we would take the one that looked most traveled. It was a pretty entertaining morning and a lot of fun. <br />
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Once, we both shouted for joy when we came out at the top of the hill which led into Beaumaris. These people who were tending sheep looked at us like we were odd but then we stared back because one of them was actually using a Shepard's staff! (We did think it would be awkward to take a picture of him staring at us)<br />
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We decided to eat lunch out by the water and we picked a good spot because they were having sail boat races that day. It was cool to watch them go back and forth through the course.<br />
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We ended up taking the bus back because we were both a bit tired but it was definitely worth the walk! We even celebrated our success with some Spaghetti Tacos.<br />
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<br />MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2770538862034090587.post-78239399849740749832013-06-19T12:00:00.000-07:002013-06-19T12:00:01.145-07:00Going Underground!Before really buckling down and studying for my exam I decided to have one last adventure. It was probably one of the best adventures I had this entire semester. I decided to go underground in a slate mine! I wanted to something really adventurous since I love doing different things. I decided on this adventure because there was some hiking, traversing, boating, repelling, zip-lining, and exploring involved.<br />
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Since I was without a car, my guide was super helpful by picking me up and dropping me off at the train station near their location! There was no real public transportation outside of the nearest town to their headquarters so it was super helpful since the day I choose it decided to pour and I wasn't too keen on walking the 2 miles out to them. It was also super convenient to go through them because they lent me all the equipment I needed and didn't bring with me (like shoes and waterproof pants). They also supplied harnesses, helmets (which I desperately needed), and a head lamp.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgjsnh_IkayoFzoyXsp5bq3MFywsY3zcrhaS2G4GXromF_-UOh1cfUW7jPgjn8zW4KMEkc0NFCLyGVGqYM1mU5wkwlUEKAO6U84SBf8SHtJVO9IUt6yHQjoFTOUw744mfajZVMGN0gsuM/s1600/DSCF5340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgjsnh_IkayoFzoyXsp5bq3MFywsY3zcrhaS2G4GXromF_-UOh1cfUW7jPgjn8zW4KMEkc0NFCLyGVGqYM1mU5wkwlUEKAO6U84SBf8SHtJVO9IUt6yHQjoFTOUw744mfajZVMGN0gsuM/s320/DSCF5340.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the mine</td></tr>
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I really didn't know what to expect when starting. One thing I learned quickly was to pick my feet up high, especially when trekking through pools of water. I don't know how people did this everyday but I give them credit. I know I'm tall and I never really notice it but I had to hunch over most of the day which means I hit my head more then I care to admit. My friends are probably shaking their head at me right now when they read this because they know how accident prone I am. But it was a really cool experience.<br />
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Our first task was taking a raft across a pool of water which used to be a drainage system but hasn't been drained since the mine shut down operation. In the middle of it they had us shut off our lamps to see how dark it really was and let me say it was dark. </div>
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Afterwards we had a lesson on traversing and tried our hand at it. During this activity, I admit, I became known as 'that girl'. I literally got tangled midway across the course and had to be rescued. I still remember my one guide encouraging me and the conversation we had:</div>
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<i> Guide:</i> "You can do it! Just take the step!" </div>
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<i> Me:</i> "I'm stuck"</div>
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<i> Guide:</i> "No you're not, I know you can do this!"</div>
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<i> Me:</i> "No, I'm literally stuck."</div>
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This led to me being rescued on the first obstacle. Our second obstacle was a zip-line where I again managed to get tangled in the ropes. The zip-line only brought you half-way and the rest you hand-over-hand it which is when I got tangled.</div>
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The rest of my day I managed to stay tangled free but everyone kept checking on me. We did some climbing and repelling which was pretty good. We stopped for a lunch break in the deepest part we made it too and had some free time to explore the surrounding area.</div>
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After lunch we started our climb up and out of the mine. The next place I got a bit tangled was when we had to climb up a waterfall. If you did it right you didn't get too wet but I ended up tumbling under the main stream because I slipped and was drenched by the time I got my bearings. I made it up and then came the last climb up a steep ladder where you saw daylight getting closer and closer to you. It was a good motivator to keep climbing because it was a long climb.</div>
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Here are a few pictures from the day:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_jaikEiT06K4LJ2lJt76SFyhY-5kmzGp4Ae3H2JRqNvv_U1IR0b8v_8S4Nu0YFI2_kNmvtAWyph0dXp93bifC9sVXcj0ohlRtTOWja4MzXxwQBVxULq_q2jW7_gMsQmUQesLqUOTLWFu/s1600/DSCF5350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_jaikEiT06K4LJ2lJt76SFyhY-5kmzGp4Ae3H2JRqNvv_U1IR0b8v_8S4Nu0YFI2_kNmvtAWyph0dXp93bifC9sVXcj0ohlRtTOWja4MzXxwQBVxULq_q2jW7_gMsQmUQesLqUOTLWFu/s320/DSCF5350.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thumbs up in the mine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaWDM-wDr_-8kcwF9q-JiO8gvOR9sYjdLnkJSX6FB_d3onwHJnpagnxUXuUT8VSkUPTig0_wjYWsvqhiaHC8dZ4tczNEY_-yzxklPcxlWGSWknTGVqHS0yV-6hLu8Dana-4x4deqAlwk0/s1600/DSCF5353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaWDM-wDr_-8kcwF9q-JiO8gvOR9sYjdLnkJSX6FB_d3onwHJnpagnxUXuUT8VSkUPTig0_wjYWsvqhiaHC8dZ4tczNEY_-yzxklPcxlWGSWknTGVqHS0yV-6hLu8Dana-4x4deqAlwk0/s320/DSCF5353.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repelling down further into the mine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXCuBidHXrDKOXUbYrDOFsjkAqUsEDvXcfok5HfSK30TkeeGkwiEmd_mQu99p0QDYv70a7PetPR53cku3k6jgEIcImAi1Beir4a3j98tXklRELz8i4iUdLhKbmMQfu8XXxDloOTqEIvGA/s1600/DSCF5361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXCuBidHXrDKOXUbYrDOFsjkAqUsEDvXcfok5HfSK30TkeeGkwiEmd_mQu99p0QDYv70a7PetPR53cku3k6jgEIcImAi1Beir4a3j98tXklRELz8i4iUdLhKbmMQfu8XXxDloOTqEIvGA/s320/DSCF5361.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The eyes which are watching you in the mine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG4sEF9uQM5dMAILN97S3-TO66ijRSHkvvsPaOy41dFLKXQFdw0hA6oEqr0vJR0bvJt43y0i2FbXqlwl1md9NLfpEo8717AU58SoIn1C0n-uHfPCxFz98BvFHyp6VoVjFD1Kh_TE_p2_F/s1600/DSCF5372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG4sEF9uQM5dMAILN97S3-TO66ijRSHkvvsPaOy41dFLKXQFdw0hA6oEqr0vJR0bvJt43y0i2FbXqlwl1md9NLfpEo8717AU58SoIn1C0n-uHfPCxFz98BvFHyp6VoVjFD1Kh_TE_p2_F/s320/DSCF5372.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ladder up to the light and fresh air</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQm8ukzrSYVOfLSnZdpYvP6W9idbZoTOG87deedHNORw-8DYPzKm-MEp2K7Yq2PqZ0SW51yAwROwjmxOW0yuKsHZSBbAxpq4JWOFh4nS57Jfn3QgcLevb0cv_RN0qjka2O-atPPmu7F8Ok/s1600/DSCF5383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQm8ukzrSYVOfLSnZdpYvP6W9idbZoTOG87deedHNORw-8DYPzKm-MEp2K7Yq2PqZ0SW51yAwROwjmxOW0yuKsHZSBbAxpq4JWOFh4nS57Jfn3QgcLevb0cv_RN0qjka2O-atPPmu7F8Ok/s320/DSCF5383.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The great adventurer!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hPApWT_uYcTTaSefcb3sgOVv9USmUSJ7y9ptbszLoRQCiUVKmYhr9c9M8mQ4oGLU-81GQ-4ygdWMe2CKk0OcI9kPkkTM4O1_RiAs_hbo13YU4UQbfwJ7pRdrWKNuJ1NTafmiT1R5g8nP/s1600/DSCF5385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hPApWT_uYcTTaSefcb3sgOVv9USmUSJ7y9ptbszLoRQCiUVKmYhr9c9M8mQ4oGLU-81GQ-4ygdWMe2CKk0OcI9kPkkTM4O1_RiAs_hbo13YU4UQbfwJ7pRdrWKNuJ1NTafmiT1R5g8nP/s320/DSCF5385.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the trail hiking back to the cars</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtH1wE2RtjEG1dLMM5BjrerlGA9xjDjBTsSMQMea-nYMgVnb2J272myFYdTqbZ025nRayeHL3uM52fney3MYn6jnWaFlLSyZajv2HCFBtyg8kMbOwNZjytWnpbGmMqyzkvUXLnjzkHc13Z/s1600/DSCF5386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtH1wE2RtjEG1dLMM5BjrerlGA9xjDjBTsSMQMea-nYMgVnb2J272myFYdTqbZ025nRayeHL3uM52fney3MYn6jnWaFlLSyZajv2HCFBtyg8kMbOwNZjytWnpbGmMqyzkvUXLnjzkHc13Z/s320/DSCF5386.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some slate statues along the hike</td></tr>
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It was a great day and I highly recommend doing it! If you want do the program I did here is there website: <a href="http://www.go-below.co.uk/default.asp">http://www.go-below.co.uk/default.asp</a> I highly recommend them because they were very informative and helpful! They also run group programs for people traveling in a group. Check them out!<br />
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MauraSMC2014http://www.blogger.com/profile/06620741944189935484noreply@blogger.com0