What I Don't Know

You know, that last post got me thinking that even with my 8,564 days of experience, it's funny how much I don't know. There is so much I am unfamiliar with. Like today I found out that the little kid in Jackson 5 was Michael Jackson! Who knew? I sure didn't--I thought Michael Jackson was a rather odd looking white man who sings the Free Willy song. My cousin got a kick out of that when she realized I was being serious. Or the other day at Cold Stone, I wanted to grab some spoons for my friends to try my ice cream, because that's what friends do, right?, so I grabbed some from the container above the ice cream. My friend Lindsay looked at me strangely and said, "Are those used?" We laughed so hard!

Sprinkling of Spice

Isn't it great that I've been on the earth for 8,564 days and yet I can still do things I've never done before? Yesterday, for the first time ever in my 23 years, I swung a geniune whip around my head and split the air with a crack! It was much more exhilarating than I imagined it would be! I found myself asking, Yikes, how much to get one of these? ($120 for a good one, I learned).

We don't have to try hard--we can do things we've never done before everyday! Walk a different way to work/school, eat something you've never tried before, meet someone you don't know, or crack a whip. No matter what it be, I personally like the sprinkling of spice doing something brand new brings to the meal of my life.

Cities I've Lived In

So the other day I got the idea to write down all the places I've lived, just to see. I'm defining "lived in" as spent at least one month eating, sleeping, and going to church in that city. I was suprised to discover that I've lived in 14 cities during my lifetime! Here they are, in order of longest duration to shortest:

Everett, Washington
South Jordan, Utah
Provo, Utah
Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Sobral, Ceará, Brazil
Ogden, Utah
Basin City, Washington
Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil
Campo Maior, Piauí, Brazil
Zillah, Washington
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Fairfax, Virginia
Billings, Montana

A Tour of D.C.

Ok! It's time to get up to date on my Washington, D.C. excursions! Always as I explore and visit the various destinations, in my mind I'm taking note of interesting facts and places so that when I come back with friends or family, I can be the best tour guide. So here's your tour of D.C from Drake!

First, we gotta get downtown, and there's no better way to get downtown then the Metro! I was kinda freaked out my first time, because I had no idea what a farecard was or how to get one, but now I'm a huge fan of the Metro.
We'll get out at the Smithsonian metro stop, and arise from the depths to greet the National Mall! Our first stop: The Castle! This is the Smithsonian headquarters, where we can get maps and a list of current events and exhibitions.

So, where to next? A multitude of musuems and gallerys line the Mall--there's something for everyone! Here on the south side of the Mall, right next to us is the Hirshorn Sculpture Musuem and Garden. I spent about 5 minutes there, but hey, I'm not much of an artsy guy.

Next to that is the most popular museum in the world: the Air and Space Museum! This one's really a "blast", with everything from the Wright's brothers first plane to the cockpit of a modern airliner. A definite D.C. must! Here's a picture I took of the Spirit of St. Louis.

If we want a Native American experience, we can keep going down Jefferson Drive to see the American Indian Musuem. It's brand new, and it's got some cool artificats and exhibits. One of the coolest things about it is the architecture. Take a look!

Before we leave the south side of the mall, I've got to take you to the Botanical Garden--it's one of my favorite places. The Conservatory is a giant greenhouse, with different rooms representing different habitats. There's a jungle room, desert room, Hawaii room, even a prehistoric ferns room! I loved this particular cactus--isn't that a beautiful shade of green?

Next, we'll take a stroll past the Capitol building, and start down Madison Drive--the north side of the mall. First, the National Gallery of Art. I was happy after about 10 minutes, but hey, some people love this stuff. My favorite thing about this museum is the outside.

All right! Now we get to go to the Museum of Natural History, one of my favorites. I've already been there three times this summer, and I still have lots to see. There's an oceans hall, a dinosaur room, gems display, and so much more! You can see two really cool IMAX 3D movies, and the latest exhibit on ants, with larger-than-life photos.

Next is the American History Museum, last of the Big Three, as I like to call them (Air and Space, National History, and American History). Just remodeled in 2008, the new museum showcases all parts of American life, from presidents to transportation to wars for freedom. My favorite exhibit is called On the Water--it tells the story of ships in creating our country and sustaining America today.

Now, we've got to get off the beaten path a little bit to see what is likely my favorite museum--the Postal Museum. I like it because it's less crowded, and very interactive. You can learn about the history of mail, from the Pony express to modern aircraft. There's one room with sheets and sheets of stamps from all over the world. Below I found some from Brazil!

Next, we've got to visit all the memorials! There's the Lincoln, Jefferson, Vietnam, Korean, Washington. Probably my favorite is the World War II Memorial. One day while I was there I got to see a service for Ohio veterans (men dressed in red). It was neat to be reminded of their sacrifice.

Another fun thing to do is see the memorials at night. One Sunday evening some friends and I visited the memorials at nightfall. Here's me at the FDR memorial.

Our tour wouldn't be complete without a stop at Arlington National Cemetery. There's a spirit of reverence there as you see the thousands of headstones representing those who fought for our country and their families.

Well, that'll be all for our tour today! There's still so much more to see in D.C., so don't let this be your last visit! We've still got a lot of exploring to do! Thanks for coming!

A Few of My Favorite Things...

That felt so good. I feel so relieved--now I can blog to my heart's content, about anything I want. So, whenever I start a new journal, I always begin with a few of my favorite things. It only seems appropriate that I do so now. Here they are!

Raspberries, Christmas, people, mountains, my Grandpa's cabin, Provo, missions, Old Orchard juice, snow, the gospel of Jesus Christ, books, friends, family reunions, Disney music, fall afternoons, the first day of spring, sledding, friends, my calling, teaching, love, ballroom dancing, hiking, baking cookies and dancing in the kitchen, muscials, physical exercise, Brazil, the outdoors, home videos, camping, learning, the Portuguese language, the cherry farm, walking to church, reading, friends, game nights, Christmas music, new clothes, photography, and adventures!

Drake's Pensieve

Sometimes, you just have to begin. I've known for a long time that I wanted/needed a blog. I even created this blog two months ago, but have put off writing the first post. I didn't know what this blog would be--would it be a travel log, a journal of spiritual insights, a place to post my learnings, or just a jumble of random thoughts and ideas? I was reluctant, afraid, to begin, until I had everything figured out, until I could make my blog a marvel of organization and wit. Well, that point still hasn't come, but sometimes, you just need to start, and ideas flow.

So all I know is that this blog will indeed be a pensieve--a collection of assorted thoughts and ideas. A cross-section of Drake, if you will. It will be a place for me to reflect, to discover, and to learn. Behold, Drake's Pensieve!