day 217. [college kids]

Kristen and I hung out today. We were just being college kids, haha. Not really. We just baked some cookies. I cracked the eggs and I added the two cups of sugar; it's a step up from last time we made them ;)

We also did a photo shoot. Take a look at the photos on my flickr account!

day 216. [10+10+10]

My brother is officially 30 years old. I'm officially 20 years old. We're definitely not the little kids that I, for the longest time, remember us being. We're growing up and getting old.

I definitely wouldn't ask for someone else to be my older brother :)

He's kind of the best!

day 215. [jar-head]

Jessica Andrukat, you might be considered the best sister someone could have. You totally put on this surprise party for Jared and the best part was ... IT WORKED!! He was totally surprised.

It was tons of fun. I wish everyone could have been there. The photos will definitely be uploaded onto facebook, BUT for better quality of the photos go to this link right here and there should be instructions on how to download the original ;)

day 214. [game time]

Got together with the old team. We're all in college now, but you know what, we still can play a pretty mean game of volleyball. It was so much fun to get to play with the old team. It was more fun to see what we've worked on since we all last played together during senior year.

Later that evening we watched the actual team just whoop butt on another team. You guys rock!

day 213. [old friends]

I had the opportunity to go out to lunch with an old friend, Kendra. It was fun to honestly just catch up. Honestly, ask us both the last time we spoke to each other today and it might go a little something like this ...

Someone: Rick, when was the last time you talked to Kendra?
Rick: *thinking* ... I think 8th Grade. That's unless you want to count this one time in the parking lot during Junior year.
Someone: Wow ...

Lunch turned into us moving over to Starbucks so we could chat more. It was worth the 2-3 hours that we hung out, haha.

day 212. [upgrade]

I had an upgrade on my cellphone. If you knew how much my other phone was kind of out of shape, you'd also know how bad I needed this upgrade, haha.

I present to you though my third Blackberry! This one is the Blackberry Bold 9780 ;)

I should also mention that I've finished up 7 months worth of Project 365 ... CRAZY!!

day 211. [christmas!!]

Not living at home anymore my parents and their friends have all of a sudden become clueless as to what to get me for Christmas. The presents and cards are definitely becoming less and less [granted I've only had two Christmas' since I've gone to college]. My Christmas has now become the 26th of December when my parents and I go out and get me stuff that I need/want.

That's the thing though, not living at home I've definitely started to see that Christmas isn't about the gifts, especially how many you get. It's definitely about the time spent with those that you love and mean the world to you.

Not having that many presents to distract us this year, my family was able to have some good laughs with each other. Let me tell you, it was like reliving good memories from when my brother and I were much younger than we are now. Time flies!

day 210. [emmanuel]

You gave us your only son to lift the darkness out of our hearts. I wouldn't want it any other way ;)

Be sure to check my flickr out for a little something-something, haha.

day 209. [pam]

I had to opportunity to meet up with Pam at DQ, like usual. It's awesome to know how far we've come with our Project 365's as well as how far we've come with photography period.

day 208. [graffiti]

It was a sunny day so I decided to hit up West Beach and maybe do some HDR stuff. I definitely did, ha. I also did some light stuff with glowsticks [like day 080] with Steven Welch tonight. Be sure to check out my flickr for the HDR shots as well as some of the shots I did with Steven.

day 207. [homemade]

Today I made homemade Christmas cards for two really good friends. They better like them because they were made from the heart!

day 206. [coffee]

People from school: Rick, what are you going to do when you get home?

Me: You know, rest, hang out with friends, meet up with people. The usual thing I would do during break.

People from school: That's it?

Me: Well, you know what? I'm looking forward to having breakfast with my good buddy Jordan. I'm pretty sure we'll have breakfast over coffee at Starbucks. I'm also pretty sure that we'll be there roughly around 8 in the morning. On a Saturday maybe? It's kind of tradition. It's one of the things I look forward to during break other than going to Living Word!

Unfortunately, Saturday didn't work, so we had to do it on a Monday. Also ... I picked him up. WEIRD, ha.

day 205. [photography]

Just thought I'd do some work with the macro lens. While working with it, I realized just how much I'm in love with photography. It's definitely become an important thing in my life. It's become something that just relaxes me (now at least). It's a love of mine :)

day 204. [lenses]

Thanks Mom & Dad for the "Merry Birthday" present ;)

At this very moment, I've got all the lenses that I could ever need :D

Be sure to check out my flickr for some of the shots that I did while messing around with my new macro lens!!

day 203. [sophomores]

A lot of the group photos I take now with friends are with those from the University of Portland. This is probably the first group picture I've taken with a group of people I graduated with it.

Did you know that the Class of 2009 graduated pretty much a year and a half ago? Crazy!!

day 202. [nostalgia]

If you were to ask me what I miss the most from high school, I might not say the sports. I might say the fun times I had with people, but in all honesty these are the days I miss the most.

Yeah, I played volleyball, it was awesome to take 6 guys on the court and make it look easy, but when you take about 60+ people together to make music ... that's pretty awesome. Band is definitely where my memories are at. It was like family.

I don't play anymore, and that has a lot to do with the fact that I loved band for where I finished when I graduated. It was solid. I wouldn't want to do anything to taint those memories.
To the Wind Ensemble kids, it was a pleasure to get to play with all of you again. See ya next year!

day 201. [twenty]

I just want to take this blog post and say thank you to everyone who wished me a "Happy 20th Birthday!"

As I'm getting older I'm starting to realize that it's not about the presents (although those are still pretty cool) or how awesome the party is going to be that determines how great of a birthday I'll have. I honestly am just enjoying the people who are in my life that get to share this special day with me. I'm definitely starting to appreciate the time I get to spend with people as well as the relationships that I have with certain people.

Everyone who wished me a Happy 20th ...

1) STAY COOL.
2) STAY AWESOME!!

Most of all ...

3) STAY BEAUTIFUL ;)

day 200. [slinky]

If you're wondering what the picture is, it's of the slinky Kyle got me for my birthday. He gave it to me on my birthday outing with him, Sarah, and Walker. It's my first slinky I've ever owned :D
 
With that said, we played with it today after we got lunch at Thai Ginger.

Also, on December 15th, don't forget to wish me a Happy Birthday :) [20 Years Old!!]

Lastly, be sure to check out my flickr for a few pictures that aren't Project 365 related.

day 199. [finals]

The only thing that stands between me and going home is finals; four that is. Well, actually I only have two left ;)

day 198. [studying]

student + dying = studying! ...

day 197. [advent conspiracy]

"Bubbles?"

"Yes please!"

... "No thanks!"

day 196. [pizza]

Shipstad 2B and Villa 2B had a date ... a pizza date. I might not be part of 2B, but I was invited to have some pizza!

day 195. [chm278]

Dear Chemistry Lab & Lecture,

I just wanted to let you know that I stopped caring about you 14 weeks ago. Get it? That's when the semester started ...

Sincerely,
Rick Andrew Baleros

day 194. [productivity]

The kind of productivity that happened tonight wasn't the kind of productivity that needed to happen ...

• Listened to a sermon with Kyle [not bad]
• Watched God's Chisel with Kyle [again, not bad]
• Watched Alexander with Kyle [that was a dumb movie. so bad]
• Chatted with Kyle

We were productive ... in a non-productive kind of way X)

day 193. [comfort]

Today was the day to not do anything wrong to me. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

• I had the worst anxiety attack ever.

• Was late to class because I had to collect myself before going in. Got harassed for being late. I knew it was all for jokes.
  

• Pretty much felt like I was forgotten. It's a long story that you can freely ask me about anytime.

• Then I felt like I got picked on later. Again, all for jokes.
  

I wasn't mad. I was pissed ... over the smallest things. Kyle made me a bag of popcorn though, and we talked. It definitely made things feel so much better.

Thanks Kyle :)

day 192. [working]

With all the stupid things I did last year I completely forgot about how God works in us without any hesitation no matter where we are in our lives, or how far we are from him.

I had the opportunity to listen to a sermon on a podcast with Kyle. The pastor said something that pulled at all the strings in my heart. He never stopped.

day 191. [holidays]

Room 231 (Kyle Hamm & Me) received a phone call from Christmas Spirit. We definitely answered that phone call. I guess Christmas Spirit called Kyle Cochran because by the looks of it he answered that phone call too.

I love the holidays. I especially love Christmas.

Even if it has become a holiday all about consumerism ;)

day 190. [christmas spirit]

Minus the small Christmas Tree, I think Villa Maria 231 has a case of the Christmas Spirit ;)

day 189. [birthday outing]

Seeing as my birthday (December 15th, 2010) is during finals I have to do something with friends usually beforehand. Last year I had the opportunity to go out with a few friends to Old Spaghetti Factory.

Well, that's where I went this year :)

This time though I went with the best people I have in my life at this moment. Love you guys :)

The rest of the night was followed with watching Avatar with Kyle and then losing to him in a game of 10,000 :'(

As it stands though, I'm 2-1 and Kyle's 1-2. He definitely got lucky ;)

day 188. [journal]

Yesterday can be classified as an "emotional" day. I'm not kidding either. I had a serious emotional breakdown yesterday that wasn't one bit related to school. It had to deal with stuff from almost 9 months ago.

I'll say this, for the past 9 months I had honestly been so afraid to full on ball over what happened to me. But yesterday was a day well spent with God. He saves. He saved me. He'll continue to save me so long as I have faith in him.

day 187. [fail]

Physiology can go die in a hole and cease to never exist again. Don't get me wrong the class is fun and I've definitely learned quite a bit this semester. It's those darn exams that get me all the time. Hardest exams I've ever taken so far.