To Whom It May Concern: It's All Happening.

There is something to be said for those people that are ambitious, driven, and take their lives and their circumstances and mold everything producing impressive results. I think that this type of person is epitomized when Kerouac decided that the only people for him were the mad ones. These roman candles have lives that explode fabulously across the night sky. They do everything that they've ever wanted to do. Copy-cats. I am taking life into my own hands. Below you will find things that I will do, things that will happen, and changes that will take place. Push has come to shove. And not a moment too late.
A new direction necessitates a change in academics. No more and no longer will I push music away. It's time to embrace my abilities and turn them into those roman candles--they'll become firecrackers to me that can't help but explode. Welcome to my life Music Minor! I'm glad you finally made it.
My career as an essayist needs to take a backseat to my career as a wedding planner. Hello, harried fiancees! I've been waiting for you! My penchant for traveling will be realized without sacrificing $10,000 on a study abroad. Hello Sicilian beachhouse! I'll be seeing you!
My roommates and I will find a delightful house with cheaper rent and better landlords. This house will be close to campus and my room will be big enough for my bed. Hello working fireplaces! You'll never know how much I really love you.
There's a definitive positive energy, almost tangible, that comes from making statements about your life that will happen because you're going to make them happen. It's having those rose-colored glasses, but also the dedication and knowledge that you don't have to take them off. Life can happen exactly as you planned it. Dear important and wonderfully idealistic realizations: Stick Around. I'm Lovin' You!
I will make the most out of every dollar I earn. Saving your money is not lame. It proves I'm not impulsive and have the ability to wait for the things I really want. To my anxiously-anticipated tax refund: Not Even Tempted. My iPod is fine. And changing the songs on it every week because it's only a 4gig doesn't bother me in the slightest.
Diet Coke, darling. You're not going anywhere.
M&M Jar in my Room...we might need to talk.
Exercise, exercise! Everyone can benefit from movin' and shakin'. Therefore, yoga class? You're safe. More than just yoga class? I'm working on it. But to that dumb little machine that pulled an unknown yet highly useful muscle in my leg: you're so out!
I've really enjoyed cooking at home recently. I've decided to make a better and bigger effort towards healthy eating, which is why the M&M jar might need to be ousted. Sorry room visitors! Sorry late-night munchies!
It would be smart to resolve to try harder in school. All right, all right. British Literary History, Part 2- I'll start with you. Your big, scary Midterm is coming up, and rather than scoff at that part of my To-Do list, I will open my books, remember my lectures, and get an A. Just for you, Brit Lit. Just for you.
Dear Wardmembers, I will practice my Hymns. Just because I caught one of you sneering at me when I messed up the Bass line and I got embarassed and felt bad for screwing up your front-row, really-loud singing for the girl seated next to you. In the blue tie. With the brown hair. Jerk. (Just kidding. But seriously. Don't Look at Me.)
Dear Cold Feet, I will warm you up soon. Spring is just around the corner and you can finally wear those flats you wore the other day without seriously regretting your choice after walking outside for two minutes. Dear 48 degree weather: Stop fooling me into thinking you're warm.
Dear Anemia, I will get you under control. I've been trying so much harder this week! Get ready to donate some plasma. I need groceries.
Dear Italy. I will come! Lower your expenses and I'll love you forever.
Dear Rationality, I will do it!

little yellow spider

On Friday afternoon I sat down in English Language class next to a girl with a very obvious swollen lip. I wanted so badly to ask her what happened- bee sting? Allergic reaction? Despite my tendency to be a little nosy in situations like those, I went with my better judgment and did not ask but rather smiled in her direction and got ready for the lecture. Not five minutes later, she asked the teacher if she could make an announcement to the class. She stood up and proceeded to explain to the class exactly what I had been wondering- how she received such a battle wound. I thought I knew what she was going to say: something along the lines of "my roommate and I were having a pillowfight and my lip caught her hand during an intense moment", or even "ultimate frisbee got a little out of hand at Family Home Evening." But No. She told a sordid tale of some karate-chopping grizzly bear that hit her in the face. The story could've stopped there, but No again. She explained that the grizzly bear had been beamed in front of her apartment by a pack of up-to-no-good alien invaders, and she, being the most brave and kindhearted of her apartment, went outside to save the day. It was a heroic effort, but the sheer mass and strength of this black belt bear was too much for her to overpower. She took one massive hit to the lip and was knocked out. She then cautioned everyone to watch out for flying saucers and then took her seat.

I felt really good about that story, especially because the truth is still unknown. Her lip has since returned to normalcy, which is boring. I thought for a split second about hiring someone to dress up in a bear suit and give her a black eye just so I could listen to another story. I still might do it.

You'd Better Recognize

How do you get to a point in your life where you can't accurately describe how you feel? This isn't what you think it is. It is ambiguous. It is sitting on a fence and deciding between passion and ineptitude but remaining nonchalant. It is wanting to be more than you are but lacking the determination to change an acceptable (albeit mediocre) character. Who wouldn't want to capitalize on trading something good for something better? The start of 2008 means 2009 is already here.
My New Year's Resolution is to live. And do I know what that means? Not really. I'd like to think that living, and really, truly living, is finding something you need and actively pursuing it. It is finding joy in the everyday mediocrity, yet yearning for the ability to make tomorrow more excellent. Living is learning to adjust and adapt so that every day contains some element of bliss. It is changing; it is laughing at the mundane. It is sharing highs and lows. It is creating your own definition of happiness. It is seeing the world through rose-colored glasses yet achieving a balance of rationality. It is enjoying the time spent trying to make yourself a better person.
I thoroughly enjoyed 2007 and can't really remember all of the things that have changed. Here's to 2008 and living the better life.

it's a cold north wind: from the north.

Last night the temperature on every car themometer read the same as we approached our cabin. -7 degrees. Not even zero! Not even two!
We woke up early this morning and went skiing in a slightly warmer climate, as the car themometers climbed steadily until reaching 6 degrees. Not even eight! Not even twenty! It is probable that I looked like this all day long:






Just to add to the frozen festivities, I forgot the necessary face protectors and instead had to wrap my head in a scarf I had in my purse. I have never washed it before, so the combination of my hot breath on a cold piece of cloth not only froze the scarf solid, but also caused the scarf's colors to bleed together. My green and white scarf is now looking horribly grass-stained. And the best part? The dye got all over my face. It is more than likely that I'll look like this for many moons.

before you read this one, read the one i posted about ten minutes. you'll need that preface to fully understand what i'm talking about here and now.



so, after viewing what is probably the funniest thing i've seen in the last two hours, i couldn't resist trying it for myself. here's a link to my own elf-yourself.


booyakasha

we're elves. with attitude.

My friend Dave Brewer sent me a random link the other day which I neglected to open until just moments ago. Big mistake. Huge!


a team thunder christmas

Candidate Match Game

I have some serious studying to do before I can make an educated and informed decision about upcoming elections. This little online quiz asks you 11 different questions dealing with issues ranging from same-sex marriage to health care, and according to your answer they give you the top 3 candidates that have similar ideals. I took the quiz twice and both times ended up with Giulani as my front-runner. I need to read up on his platform.
My extended family will be so sad to hear that I am not a raging Romney supporter.

Quiz