Saturday, December 17, 2011

HOME.

Home. 
home-home. 
really home!!!

this place where I grew up. 

this place that welcomes me with open arms, hearts....and refrigerators...
who's love I welcome, with open arms, heart...and stomach...

this place where I'm never singing alone...
where the harmony is always perfectly in key...
and the guitar always sounds beautiful...
along with the piano...

the place where "cheese" can really mean almost anything...
and "peach pit" is a term of endearment...

the place where everyone knows every quote that everyone else says...
and by 'everyone else' I mean my dad...
and 'everyone' usually excludes my mom...
but 'every' really means 'every'...

this place where we sometimes cry over spilled milk...
because no one's perfect...
and I can't even say that it always get's cleaned up either...
because that's kind of what cat's are for...

this place where sometimes no one mows the lawn... 
nor rakes the leaves...unless it's into one BIG pile
nor shovels the snow...
but that's ok too...
because the cats stalking through that long grass...
the epic jumps and flips into that giant leaf pile...
and those snow angels (but mostly snow ball fights)...
are worth more than just a pretty lawn...


this place where something's always broken...
but where there's always a quick-fix...
apparently because we're Norwegian?

the place where not a soul is awake at 10 on a Saturday morning...
but evidently a casual pan of bacon can revive almost anyone...



this place where people freak out sometimes...
but where people laugh out loud most of the time...

the place where people just aren't allowed to use big pans...
because they'll just make bigger messes...

this place where the sound of my mom's laughter echoes off the walls...
the best sound in the world...

the place where I learned how to listen...
and how to interrupt...effectively...

the place where I learned to try new things...
and how to stick to the old things...


the place where I've fallen down so many times...
and where I've been picked back up again...

the place where I've learned things...
the place where I've taught things...

the place where I learned how to be myself...
because being anyone else wouldn't be nearly as great...or easy...

the place where I was urged to be creative...
where now, my creativity hangs on it's walls...

the place where I can come to for help...
with the people I know how to help the best...

the place that frustrates me the most...
the same place that loves me the most...

the place who's walls I helped to knock down...
and who's walls I helped to build up...


the place where sometimes minds are spoken, even when they shouldn't be...
where sometimes ideas are shot down, slightly insensitively...
where sometimes people are angered, with a just cause...of course...
but a place where everyone is loved...
and when it comes down to it...
love is really the only thing that matters...


 

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Hack.

Hacking.... computer hacking more specifically, can be seen as both a positive, and a negative thing... usually by whomever is doing the "seeing".
However. there are other types of hacks.....



and then there's PICNIK hacks...
For those of you know, {or don't know....?} picnik is an photo editing website. There's bunches of cool effects, and little tips and tricks that you can do to your pictures to make them look kinda professional... 

one problem with picnik is that you have to upgrade to *premium* in order to do some other cool effects that are slightly more professional than the others.

HOWEVER!!!!!
I'm very proud of the fact that I have discovered how to use many of the effects to create other effects. 
like the "tint" effect. MY WORD, I can use that thing for like everything. 

can't use the "custom eye color" effect? use the tint!!!!!! tint your eyes blue, or purple, or brown..? whatever you want!!
can't use the "eye sparkle" effect? use the tint!!!!!! use white, and the "hardlight" tint effect, and apply it just on your eyes! thennnn use the white and the "add" tint effect, on just your pupils. it's a win. 

this is an exaggerated example so you can actually see the change.
















basically.... it's really fun.
it's also free.
WIN.
go have fun.
suck on that picnik!


 
**UPDATE: picnik is now owned by Google {but honestly... what isn't...} and I'm not quite sure how it's worked out, but now picmonkey is the website they suggest, and frankly, I like the interface better! It has all the same effects, but better! enjoy!**

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Decorating! {my room: college dorm}

Usually, I'm not such a big fan of decorating... or rather, I WAS not such a big fan of decorating.
I never had any "fun" ideas, and never any inspiration.  
and... I still kinda don't, but I have pretty things, and when I put them in places, it makes those places pretty.....
like this earring/jewelry tree!


And: this little mirror, those sticks in a teeny-tiny pot from France, that wooden dolphin knick-knack, that flowery headband, and...


THESE necklaces!!!!!!

that was just at the beginning of the year. 
My roommate and I got the smallest room in our suite 
{WHYYYY???? jk it's actually not bad at all.}
but it DOES mean that we have very minimal aesthetic space.... because it all has to be functional.
THEREFORE, we had been dealing with our lack of prettiness anywhere.

until christmas {cue chorus of angels!!!!!!}
{...............no, really....}
Then we put up lights!!!!!!

HOORAY FOR AESTHETICALLY PLEASING LIGHTS!!!

{ummm and thanks for $1 little tinted blue glass bulb TREASURES from good will}

Next up in the decorating series... {my other room: home}

 

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Roomie!! Thanks for...


  • showering.....occasionally
  • doing your laundry..... every couple of weeks...
  • using fabric softener so the entire suite smells like fabric softener... the fancy kind.
  • being a princess.... and for loving all the other princesses too
  • marrying Justin Bieber. 
  • always waking up super quietly and letting me sleep since I dropped my morning class.
  • loving snacks.... so there's always snacks in our room.
  • going all the way to the dining hall with me at 11 pm so I can get food, with no other motivation than just being a great roommate! (i know you get a chocolate milkshake while we're there.... but i know you totally just go because of me....)
  • never leaving puddles of water on the bathroom floor after showering.
  • having lots of headbands..... and I get to wear them.
  • that funny face that you puts on after you messes up your nails AGAIN (that I've just worked so hard at painting)
  • saving me from unhappy dinners....
  • ALWAYS just wanting pasta at MJ. (sometimes chicken fingers, but whatever)
  • for letting me borrow your clog-shoe-things because you know I don't have any slip-on pairs of shoes.
  • knowing that I wouldn't mind you using my makeup.....so you do so
  • ^laughing and giving me that look after I told you"you know you can use my makeup any time you want"and then saying "oh.... well i did :)"
  • your killer fashion sense....when she's NOT wearing sweatpants or coming back from the barn
  • never telling me the ending of Bones or Law & Order SVU, even though I know you've watched every single episode.
  • yelling at me when I'm not doing my homework
  • watching the lion king 8 times that one weekend (it might have been more though) and tolerating me singing "nnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatsinfenyaaaaaaaaaaaaahabaviiiiichibavaaaaaaaaa" and all the other songs..
  • getting scared very easily (it's SO fun chels!!)
  • being SUPER ticklish
  • preferring a 2:1 peanut butter to jelly ratio on her pbj sandwich
  • having 11 blankets on her bed. and letting me re-make your bed when it just looks awful
  • letting me wear her sweaters when I get bored of my clothes
  • promoting comfy clothes.
  • NOT promoting me not showering for 3 days... sorry chels.
  • cheering for me when i DO shower, laughing at me when I forget deodorant, and telling me I smell delicious on those days when I just got it all together.
  • feeding our fish every night
  • having a great mom who bakes us awesome cookies sometimes.
  • being super nice, and smart, and having a great work ethic..... I cannot begin to count the amount of time I've spent on hulu or skype while you're out on the futon busting your butt, and learning lots of new stuff.
Chels, you're pretty cool, and I'm surprised I haven't gotten sick of you yet!!!!! [heh] You're the best roommate ever, and I'm glad we ended up together this semester. 
Sorry the lights fall down occasionally.
Sorry my Christmas decorations are a lil ghetto..... with the duct tape and all.
Sorry I never do any work and thus ruin your work ethic.
Sorry I sing really loudly
Sorry I walk weirdly sometimes when I'm in a funky mood
Sorry I get the lyrics wrong to songs sometimes... I'm learning
Sorry I said that "to infinity and beyond" was from Star Wars today.... forgive me?

you're cool. you pretty princess you...


Love,
 

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Appreciation





Lord...
I appreciate the way the sunshine wakes me up each morning, persistently shining it's rays through my window blinds, mocking their inability to maintain the cavern of darkness that had kept me so blissfully asleep.


I appreciate the way the wind nips at my face, wrestling with my loosely-tied ponytail as if in a request to come play.


I appreciate the way the pavement glistens, wet with rain in the cheerful light of the tall, immutable lamp posts.  


I appreciate the way the fog rolls in over the hills to cloud our campus in a mysterious yet comforting mist.


I appreciate the way these dark, ominous looking clouds are covering my large expanse of sky, but still allowing a small portion of sunlight to peek in over the horizon, giving me hope for today to turn into a better today later. 

I appreciate the way the sun burns away the clouds as if they're prion bars preventing it from living free and unbound.


I appreciate the way you created the sun to reflect it's blinding light off of the moon, to light up our darkest nights with the promise of a new day.


I appreciate the way the night skies proclaim your majesty, the stars cry out your praise in silent harmony




Love,
 


Wednesday, November 30, 2011

two things.

ok fine... maybe more than just two. 
the first one is epic.
the second is past; literally history.
the third is creative.
the fourth is clever.






The fifth is kinda hysterical.
the sixth is CHRISTMAS!!!
the seventh is inspiring.... and funny.
and the eighth, final picture, is eye-opening.
I would rather live my life in the joy, openness, and adventure of the first row than in the timidity, safety, and solemnity of the third.





Let's live in the third row, shall we?
Love,
 


Thursday, November 24, 2011

turquoise....turkey....


This was supposed to be posted a couple days ago...so what?
I don't even remember what I did that day, but whatever it was included ruffles, turquoise, and fuzzy socks!!!





Sweater: Charlotte Russe...a couple years ago
Necklace: Forever 21 this summer
Top: Banana Republic
Jeans: Target?
Earrings: No idea.

and NOW, on this early morning of thanksgiving... the first thanksgiving meal that my mother has ever cooked by herself, (with my help of course) we are beginning the cooking.

After watching my mom procrastinate for about 3 hours, and whine about being "so tired", I decided to take control of the situation, and get stuff done.  
Mashed the potatoes
Cleaned the dishes
Put away the food from dinner
Then poked, prodded, and motivated my mom til she finally put on her apron with a hearty "look out Mr. Turkey!"
Picked up the 18 pound turkey
put it in the sink
grabbed the scissors
started snipping the packaging away
til i heard silence, and a "how the heck..... what do i do now?"
then just 5 seconds ago... "oh there are the gizzards!!! ....they're in the other end.."
....Happy Thanksgiving everyone.


Love,
 

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Things I love

  • Getting to decorate my own cupcake after Large Group on Friday night {and then a second}
  • Eating dessert first
  • Kickboxing class {more of a love-hate relationship though}
  • Taking 5 minute showers because they make me feel accomplished
  • Singing pretty songs at nursing homes...then taking time to talk to the elderly people and hear all their awesome stories
  • The way sports stores smell {like NEW things, not sweat}
  • Buying new fuzzy socks
  • Finding out that those titanium necklaces really work
  • Testing the limits of my wardrobe by not doing laundry for...about a month.
  • The first snowfall and how giddy it makes me feel
  • Sleeping in... and then not doing anything productive for the rest of the day
  • Playing the guitar for however long I want to
  • Listening to beautiful music in French class
  • Wegman's frozen chicken pot pies {don't judge. they're delicious}
  • Staying up late for a movie night with friends
  • Snuggies with pockets
  • Optional morning classes
  • Long showers
  • Staying in my bathrobe for almost an hour after showering because all my clothes are in the laundry
  • Eating breakfast super late
  • Pinterest expressing my feelings through the various "quotes" boards. Thanks all you wonderful people.

And Last but not least

  • Being forced to wear my LARGE men's batman underwear that i bought for halloween, because all my other underwear is in the laundry. {and LOVING it...}
 

Friday, November 18, 2011

Random-stranger-kindness

I wish I could say that the title was about me doing random acts of kindness...but it's not.

Today started off pretty bad, when it wasn't even "today" yet.  It was still just a "tomorrow" and it was already ruined.

Woke up kinda late/early i call it ...learly... early enough to NOT be late to class, but late enough to not have enough time to take a shower.. awkward.
{DRY SHAMPOO! win.}

Class. blah. {hulu}. other class. blah. {notice the absence of LUNCH} then I had to finish my lab report due tomorrow.... I've never done a lab report before and I didn't even know where to start... or continue...

umm... 
then it snowed. 
a lot. 

Waited until 5 for dinner, then ate some pretty great dinner ziti with surprisingly homemade sauce!!!! {day slightly improved.} thennnnn ice cream with "les bananes flambees" {or in english, sliced bananas sauteed in butter, brown sugar, and a 'splash' of brandy then my favorite part: bbuurrrnnneeedddd. the flames were at least a foot and a half high.}
Confession: my actual favorite part..........
was eating it.

MOVING ON.
{as campus food moves up in the world? maybe?}
met with lab report buddy at 6:30 to work on said lab report... I showed up at 6 {"oh yeah i'll just get a head start! I have the time." ......15 new pins later... thanks pinterest}
he showed up at 7 ish.... sooo I got no work done until then. 
we were finally able to obtain the study room from the Occupy Geneseo student movement....
{really kids... all you're occupying right now is study room 202A, you'll have to try a little harder.}
thennnn started REALLY working at 8......ish..

finished at 11. left at 12. starving.
walked down to the dining hall trying not to break my neck on the ice...
got into the dining hall. waiting on line for a pbj sandwich. and all of a sudden this GUY
"hey man.... it's 12 o'clock"
then looks at me with a very meaningful look that basically says 
"sorry chick, you were the last one here, you're the first one out."
I think it was the look of dismay/disapproval/utter resignation that was so apparent on my face, that made him tell me to "wait" and then offer me something "for free" to which i reply.... "no. i just want pbj"
{so now he's not only mean, but breaking the law?}
he looks at me.... for a couple seconds.....
then walks over and makes me a pbj sandwich, even asking me what kind of peanut butter to jelly ratio I prefer!!!! {I just said 1:1... didn't wanna get difficult or anything} then he gives me my sandwich, I pay for it, and leave. beaming. this tummy will be happy tonight!

Walking out of the dining hall, pulling my down-filled hood over my head and tucking my hair in, hearing the wind whistle through the snow covered trees, and stomping through the slightly frozen surfaces of numerous puddles in my fleece lined rain-boots, I realized that this guy didn't have to do anything for me.  He didn't have to offer me something for free, he didn't have to make me a sandwich, he didn't even have to smile at me when he handed it over! But he did, and because of that, he made my day. my day ended with such a minimal action, yet with such significant meaning to me, that it made my today wonderful, even though it really wasn't "today" anymore. it had become a "yesterday".


 

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Pinterest speak

...and then there are those times when you just can't find any words to express yourself
and are forced to rely on pinterest...

if only people realized.





whyyyyy?
 

 


and then these :)






 

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

corn meal.

List of {really fun} things:
1.  Anthropology test tomorrow. Study. Finish book.
2.  Hungry. Lunch. Eat (ok this one is actually fun)
3.  Environmental Lab Write up. Write it up. 
4.  Classes. Register
5.  Lab class in 15 minutes. Maybe after my Ibuprofen kicks in and I crawl out of the fetal position.

Anthropology test: clarification.
This book was assigned as mandatory reading for our class:
Sun Chief; The Autobiography of a Hopi Indian, and I have to say that it is pretty great!

Well....
maybe you'd say it's great... IF
you happen to be the kind of person who likes vivid discriptions of birth rituals, human-animal sex, and lots and lots of corn meal being sprinkled on EVERYTHING, because that's what this book is about.

Needless to say I'm thoroughly enjoying it...
{^sarcasm.}

So excuse me as I go sprinkle some corn meal on my bed,
put on my {really attractive} high school gym sweatpants, size: XL,
pop some more Ibuprofen,
and take a nap.