Christmastime is here...

[these are not my photos]

let’s go to sleep with clearer heads and hearts too big to fit our beds.

~Ingrid Michaelson

I feel bad about ignoring this blog....

I've been spending a lot of time on Tumblr lately!

But just for the heck of it, I'll share one of my tumblr posts here:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnewser/2009/12/charlie-gibson-signs-off-from-world-news.html

Charlie Gibson has retired from being the anchor for ABC World News, after over 40 years in the business. I was sad to hear this…he has been a wonderful, trustworthy journalist and a real inspiration. He was warm and highly-respected but objective, too, and told it to us straight. I’ll miss his signature sign-off each week: “I’m Charles Gibson and I hope you’ve had a good day. For all of us here at ABC News — have a good night.”

tumblr! new blog! YAH!

I'll come back to blogspot, too, but for the moment, I'm enjoying posting my spaghetti brain/butterfly moments on my tumblr page. Check it outtttttt

tonight

***
do it.

burst
scream
hair down.
hands up.
*
*
hang on or hang up.
*
*
too much

pretending
shaming
mocking
nagging

leave it behind
*
*
livewithoutregret.
*
*
so much so much
feeling.
so much so much
life.
so much so much
love.
*
*
never leave me.
*
*
dreams
passion
burning
love.love.love.
*
together always
let’s run away
leave this town
*
*
never look back
*
*
growing pains
heartbreak
facing the truth.
facing the clichés.
*
*
giving up.
not giving in.
*
*
the night pulses
the energy never dies
feel my heartbeat
*
sparkling
forever
invincible
tonight.
*
*
closed ears.
open heart.
*
*
this is now.
***

[LIVE to the point of tears. -Albert Camus]

It's a fine time for a reunion

...with my blog, that is. I suppose. :]

I've got lots to talk about, so, being a professional spaghetti brain, I of course sporadically think of these things I would want to write about whilst walking down the street or eating yogurt or hanging upside down from monkey bars, then forget about them, then remember them more vividly than ever, then possibly write it down on a sticky note that isn't sticky, then lose that note, then type it on Microsoft Word, then go have a really hectic, wonderful time and not have time to write about it, then get really tired and put it off until tomorrow a la Scarlett O'Hara.

...Meaning, I've taken a hiatus, which has meant I've had quite a summer since we've last talked. Lots of great times.

So we'll talk later, okay? We'll catch up. Give me a call.
Life is too delicious to live it vicariously.

Blogger's Block

I have Blogger's Block.

I knew it had to hit eventually. But hey!
I'll just write about pointless things until worthwhile
things show up! Interestingly, I'm on summer vacation now,
which is the time that I'd said I'd be much more
able to write blog posts of note. Back in the school year,
I did as much as possible, but it was always when I was
supposed to be doing something else. So I apologize simply
because I feel bad for my poor Blogger account suffering due
to my somewhat-recent hiatus. I'm strange. The spaghetti is
more mushy right now. I'm sure that if I think really hard
(or maybe if I don't think at all)I'll have lots and lots of
spaghetti to share with my multitudes of readers.
Hah! Anyway, I suppose I'll update you...
1. School. is. finally. done! I really was not the biggest fan of
this year- at least the school portion. Outside school was pretty
good. And I don't mind hard work and working hard at all - it was
just non-stop. I'm really looking forward to next year, though!
2. My best friends graduated - which is bittersweet :/
They're all so amazing and so I congratulate them, but
I will miss them all terribly.
3. I might possibly hopefully have a job. Hoorah!
4. I've been watching lots of great movies I suppose I could write
about later on. My sister's been doing that faithfully ever
since she came home: check it out here!
5. I have plenty of boring little things that people might
often blog about but that is what a diary is for, I think,
or Twitter, which I think is sort of stupid, or Facebook,
and so I will refrain.

SUCH AS this: let's talk about Facebook. More specifically,
those RIDICULOUS Facebook quizzes. Yes, I've always thought
and still think they're absurd. (Also those surveys...)
However, I've done a few now that it's summer, I'm ashamed
to say. I suppose what annoys me most, though, besides the
fact that obviously, they're rigged, is when people always
publish their results onto the homepage- even if they're
completely embarrassing quizzes! (Let me tell you, there are
some pretty bad ones out there. I just don't understand why a)
you would take them, and b) why you'd want people to know you
are.) Anyway, I've taken a few that interest me. If the results
are in fact, *gasp!* true, according to Facebook I...

-am Hispanic (my "true ethnicity")
-am Swedish (my "true nationality")
-am British (my "Euro-persona")
-should live in Paris or Japan (two different quizzes)
-am Mia Farrow ("vintage beauty")
-am Audrey Hepburn ("classic actress")
-am Jasmine ("Disney princess")
-am Jane Eyre ("literary heroine")
-will be played by Angelina Jolie (in the the movie of my life)
-am a lyrical dancer ("Which type of dance are you?")
-belong in the 60s ("Which decade most suits your personality?")

I actually agreed with most of the descriptions, surprisingly.
I got British and Angelina Jolie solidly; I took those quizzes
several times with different answers and they didn't change.
However, I don't really know what the difference is between
the first three quizzes I listed. And I was quite
happy to get Audrey Hepburn as a result. :)
So there, isn't that spectacularly exciting?

I think yes.

I can't believe I resorted to talking about Facebook quizzes.
This post was a fail. Possibly an epil fail.
I suppose the underlying goal was to let you know...
I'm here :)

Progress!

GO NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Read more.

for the moments I feel faint

..what a perfect title. Basically, I'm in a giant "rut" in so many areas of my life. And I listened to this song for the first time in a while and it exactly describes what I'm feeling. I love when God somehow speaks through music.

Am I at the point of no improvement?
What of the death I still dwell in?
I try to excel, but I feel no movement
Can I be free of this unreleasable sin?

Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong

I throw up my hands
"Oh, the impossibilities"
Frustrated and tired
Where do I go from here?
Now I'm searching for the confidence I've lost so willingly
Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fear

I think I can't, I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
I think I can't, I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
Gather my insufficiencies and
place them in your hands, place them in your hands,
place them in your hands

("For the Moments I Feel Faint" by Relient K)

Portraits

beam.

golden light seeps in through the curtain
i'm lying in that in-between state
bridging sweet dreams that i wish would not end
and the serenity found in mellow awake

here we are again...

Tomorrow is Memorial Day for the United States, but beyond that for remembering worldwide catastrophes, past and very present. How we have engaged in the mindblowing impact of war to have our lives turned upside down and parts of us chipped away with the loss of loved ones is something that will probably never make sense to me. People have been bruised and left alone- the healing process often left at the physical blood-and-bones level. Tonight I watched the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington D.C., and this time, things were a bit different. I'm Canadian, living in America. I've lived here much longer than I did in Canada, but I feel conflicted as to where I should call my country. Somehow, it hasn't been America, so Memorial Day has felt a bit awkward for me in some ways. I wasn't born red-white-and-blue, my dad hasn't served in the US Military, I don't know anyone really close to me who has died serving, and I'm not from here. But when I watched that concert tonight, I was very moved- and proud- to see the emphasis they put on this time. They emphasized the importance of being there for our loved ones who have been torn apart - quite literally - by war. There was the story of a soldier named Jose Pequeno, whose mother was told that he would need a miracle to survive and would become a vegetable, essentially. Jose's mother and sister didn't leave his side and gave up everything to make sure of that, and they believe that is why he is living. (Following, there was powerful and touching music, including Katherine McPhee singing "Somewhere" from West Side Story and Colm Wilkinson - the original Jean Valjean - singing "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables.) The message was quite simple this year: the power of love = the power of healing. I think that was such an important reminder as we're struggling to end this war Mr. Bush signed us up for. Especially now, we have to love each other no matter what.

Dancing spirit

Tonight my sister got me hooked on Dancing With The Stars. Of course, I only got to see the season finale, which was fantastic. Regardless, I'm amazed by the level of talent and by how much they can learn about the art of dance in such a short amount of time. By this finale, they have accomplished so much that you can't tell who is the professional and who isn't. I'm passionate about dancing, so I loved watching it. Actually, I can't believe I stopped dancing - it's one of the few things I told myself I'd never quit! It's just something that I feel strangely connected to, if that makes sense- it doesn't matter what I look like when I dance or how good I am. For me, I think, dance becomes a spirit and an outlook on life, and that is reflected in the movement. And, despite what you see on DWTS, you don't have to be a professional to be a lover of this beautiful expression, because as Martha Graham put it, "Dance is the hidden language of the soul."

COMIDA

Okay, so because I just seriously love food…I’m going to tell you about some of my more recent (or non-recent, for some) discoveries…they’re all delicious and the majority of them are either organic or somewhat healthy! :)

1. Bear Naked Granola. I’m completely obsessed with it! Amazing, organic, “bear”ly processed, all natural granola. I eat the Fruit & Nut kind…good with cereal, yogurt, trail mix, ice cream, and certainly on its own! Go to bearnaked.com to learn more.


2. Stonyfield Yogurt (Fat free/organic.) I eat the plain kind on my cereal, and my favorite flavored kind is chocolate- hands down.

3. Café Au Lait. My favorite way to drink coffee. Half milk (warmed,) half coffee, cinnamon, and a bit of sugar or cream if you want. Never drink it in a rush – you must have time to enjoy it; for instance, I recommend saving it for a Saturday or Sunday morning, on the porch. I figure it’s the best way to ease yourself into drinking straight up coffee- that’s what I did. Except now I still prefer it over coffee- unless I’m on two hours of sleep – then café au lait just doesn’t cut it.


4. Dried Apricots. For some reason, I’ve recently fallen in love with dried apricots. It’s my new “apple a day” – two or three apricots a day. Good on their own, in cereal, in trail mix, etc.

5. Cheese: Ah, how my family loves cheese. Some of our favorites: brie, chipotle, parmigiano reggiano, camembert, honey and fig, blueberry stilton, cranberry stilton, asiago, pecorino romano…the list goes on.


6. Culinary Circle Multigrain Entertainment Crackers with Sesame Seeds. The best crackers I’ve ever had- and my family goes through a lot of crackers with all that cheese. Also: Triscuits (Rosemary & Olive Oil and Cracked Pepper) and Crispini.

7. Tea. Another thing my family loves. Honey Ginseng green tea, Yerba Maté Dark Roast tea, Yogi Tea such as Lemon Ginger green tea and Kombucha green tea, Black and Green tea, English Breakfast tea, Irish Breakfast tea, any herbal tea (like peach,) etc.

8. Nutella. Duh. I could probably live off the stuff. Good on anything! Toast/bread/bagels/croisssants/crackers…also the perfect midnight snack.

9. Peanut butter milkshake – really good. The perfect way to deal with uber-stress. Here’s the recipe:
2 scoops vanilla ice cream.
1/2 cup milk.
2 tablespoons peanut butter.
Dash of cinnamon.
Blend and drink up.

10. Kashi:
-Pizza (favorites: Mediterranean and Roasted Garlic Chicken)
-Country Cheddar TLC crackers
-Cinnamon Harvest cereal
-Honey Almond Flax Granola Bar
Kashi is such a great brand.

a melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

"Soul Meets Body"
Death Cab for Cutie

They always have such poetic lyrics...


I want to live where soul meets body
And let the sun wrap its arms around me
And bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing
And feel, feel what its like to be new

Cause in my head there’s a greyhound station
Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations
So they may have a chance of finding a place
where they’re far more suited than here

And I cannot guess what we'll discover
When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels
But I know our filthy hands can wash one another’s
And not one speck will remain

And I do believe it’s true
That there are roads left in both of our shoes
But if the silence takes you
Then I hope it takes me too
So brown eyes I hold you near
Cause you’re the only song I want to hear
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
Where soul meets body

The Paradox of Our Age

written by the 14th Dalai Lama

We have bigger houses but smaller families;
more conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgment;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicines, but less healthiness;
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies then ever, but have less communication;
We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are times of fast foods but slow digestion;
Tall men but short character;
Steep profits but shallow relationships.
It's a time when there is much in the window,
but nothing in the room.

---
All too true. I think that those of us who have been blessed with so many things have forgotten that they are blessings. So often we've forgotten our sense of values; forgotten compassion and love; forgotten to take joy in the simple things; forgotten to look beyond ourselves and to reach out; forgotten how to talk to each other and how to listen; forgotten how to treat each other as equals; forgotten how to be more than skin-deep; forgotten how to live like we have a purpose...
Where are we going?

Beauty tips from the classiest woman in history

A sampling...

As a forward note for those who don't already know, Europe is very photogenic...of course, these aren't nearly all my pictures, or even my black and whites, but I chose of few of my favorite candids of Europeans. Enjoy!

These are a few of my favorite things...

I've decided to write (each week, potentially) about 10 things I loved about that week...could also be things I didn't love. So even though last week was REALLY crappy, I'll say 10 of my favorite things anyway - some are new to this week and some have been my favorites for ages. (Oh, and Blogspot cuts off the big pictures down the middle, so click on #s 5 and 9.)

1. Food: Nutella (It's just one of those things that makes me really happy)



2. May & sunshine & warmth: beautiful this week!

3. Scent: Burberry Brit (my first perfume ever that came in today)

4. Sleeping: A lot. Specifically, napping. Mostly because I was sick, but I also just love naps.

5. My bucket list: 250 amazing things to do before I die! See post below.



6. Blogs about Paris: discovered http://www.amoveablebeast.blogspot.com (mentioned on an earlier post) and http://www.lafleurdeparis.blogspot.com , where I got the idea for this kind of list. Check them out!

7. Music: "Torero" by Chayanne (heard it in Spain!)
Click here for the very corny, very sexy music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA-LF6-qEQQ

8. EUROPE: well, that was the week before, but STILL... here are 2 of my pictures:




9. Fashion: Modcloth.com (my skirt came in!), Zara and H&M (went to both places frequently in Paris and Madrid), American Apparel (pretty awesome)




10. Black and white pictures: made a collection of my B&Ws from Europe. I'll post them soon, hopefully.

Not to not let go of the past, but...

I just realized something... it's really a shame I didn't get a blog during the 2008 presidential campaign. There was LOTS of material. Take, for example, the classic: Gov. Sarah Palin. Or Parah Salin, if you prefer. I remembered this as I was sitting here at my computer, procrastinating, and all of a sudden wondered, "Hey, where is Sarah Palin now? Whatever happened to Caribou Barbie?" So many wonderful, warm memories.
See this Oscar-worthy interview with Katie Couric:


Or, if you prefer, her [prank] phone call with Nicolas Sarkozy, rather, The Masked Avengers:



Oy. And to think that my school absolutely loves her! On the historical day Sen. Obama became President, kids in my school were not only making racist comments, but crying out, “PALIN 2012!” And if that ever happens, I promise you – I am not just leaving the country, I’m moving to Kenya, Indonesia, or Obama, Japan. Fortunately, I will probably be living in a different country by then anyway – Canada, for university, or perhaps studying abroad in France- the land of Sarkozy and Sarah’s idol, Carla Bruni. C’est magnifique!

I’ll fly away…

I’m a little bit frustrated. And torn.
Part of me is content where I am: young, friends, family, so-far-successful, no major life obstacles. Well…a quite small part of me is content with that. It’s getting old.
Then part of me wants to go to Neverland and never grow up…I sort of miss being little. But then again, there are so many amazing life experiences to have and learn from.
And then a pretty big part of me wants to skip over this teenage hump…I mean, people say you don’t have to wait til later in life to change the world or whatever, and I definitely agree, but there are so many things I want to do now that I just can’t because I’m stuck in school. Way easier said than done. Don’t get me wrong, I’m passionate about learning and feel so blessed to be getting a good education. But I can’t go anywhere or do much significant…I suppose I could, but with so many responsibilities - mostly revolving around school - I don’t have time. Argh, I hate saying that. I don’t even know what I would do here. But I have so many dreams and goals and I feel stuck in this section of my life. It’s so routine. I’m not a big fan of routine. I want to be learning about things that are really important, interesting, and relevant to me…and learning/living in a different country. No offense America, but I’m sick of you.
It’s like my favorite children’s book ever, Miss Rumphius – READ IT – there’s so much wisdom in it! Alice tells her grandfather when she’s young that someday she’ll travel to faraway places, and her grandfather tells her she must do something to make the world a more beautiful place….
“In the evening Alice sat on her grandfather's knee and listened to his stories of faraway places. When he had finished, Alice would say, ‘When I grow up, I too will go to faraway places, and when I grow old, I too will live beside the sea.’
‘That is all very well, little Alice,' said her grandfather, 'but there is a third thing you must do.'
'What is that?' asked Alice.
‘You must do something to make the world more beautiful,' said her grandfather.
'All right,' said Alice. But she did not know what that could be.
But there is a very brief line about what she had to do first…just like me. And obviously this is necessary. I just kind of want to skip over this page…
In the meantime Alice got up and washed her face and ate porridge for breakfast. She went to school and came home and did her homework.
And pretty soon she was grown up.
…And get to this:
Alice traveled the world. She climbed tall mountains where the snow never melted. She went through jungles and across deserts.”Ah, but I know it is best to be content with what you’ve got. At the moment, that’s a lit paper. Perhaps in ten years I will get to be Alice.

L'chaim!

Well hello there!
It’s been a while! So much has happened since my last post before I left for Europe. Well, kind of. I mean, I did go to Europe. That was big…so I’ll tell you about that, probably in another post. I took so many pictures, too :) Almost 2,000…I’ll post a couple on here. Oh my- European withdrawal is BAD. I miss the baguettes, and attempting to speak French, and the “F-you-I’m-French” look, and the beautiful touristy landmarks, and the horrible train ride between France and Spain, and the Spanish boys, and the Plaza Mayor, and Zara, and Spanish guitar…I really REALLY want to go back. Even though I got really sick towards the end of the trip, (actually, I’m still sick.) And I really REALLY want school to be over. And right now I’m in a really philosophical mood…which reminded me to blog about it. So it’s a “really” day.
So here we are. May 1. Finally May, one of my favorite months of the year! There are buds on the trees. It’s been gorgeous out for a week – summer, basically. Well, apparently it has…I’ve been sick indoors with a terrible cough and a fever of 102 (haha, like the Mariah Carey song…awkward) and when I went outside in my terrycloth bathrobe and sweats and sat in the 90 degree weather, I was still freezing. Quite a weird sensation. Hah, also strange: I cannot hear, smell, breathe, talk, or taste (very well), thanks to my cold. My head is pretty fuzzy (hurrah for antihistamines!) so my driving was bad and it’s super annoying not being able to hear anyone- communication is difficult that way. I feel like an old person…bad back and hearing loss. Now all I need are dentures and cataracts. I’ve missed 3 days of school, doctor’s orders, which would be great if not for the mountains of make-up work I have to do! I went to the doctor/hospital two days ago and almost immediately started feeling worse – helpful.
I do feel pretty cool, though, beyond the fact that I’m wearing rainbow toe socks right now. I counted approximately 15 people who asked me if I had swine flu. Or, shall I say, h1n1 – that’s the new name, because some countries responded by slaughtering pigs, which are not what cause the swine flu. Poor Piglet. Anyway…WHAT IS UP WITH THIS? I turned on the news and it was in every.single.story on every.single.channel. Ok, I do understand it’s a health crisis, and a horrible illness. But people need to calm down a tad and turn the freaking out down a notch. Let WHO and the MDs take care of it. Anyway, I feel cool because I got tested! Yeah! Because I have the symptoms…fever, cough, sore throat, lethargy – AKA basic flu symptoms. Oh, and I was just traveling in Spain. (I love saying that.) But I tested negative, so it’s all good. Do YOU want to know if you have swine flu? Click on this link- very accurate. http://doihaveswineflu.org/
Update: Oy, I was just watching Charlie Gibson, who announced a plane that was supposed to be flying from Munich to Washington D.C. made a sudden landing in Boston because a passenger complained of a RUNNY NOSE. Ok, I’ve flown from Boston to Washington- it’s only two hours. (Actually, I’ve flown from Germany to Boston, too -- WITH a runny nose.) *Smacks forehead.*
I’ve recently become a little bit insecure about blogging, actually, because so many blogs are absurdly narcissistic, especially the fashion ones. See also SNL’s skit “Bitchpleeze.com”: http://www.tvgasm.com/newsgasm/news/newsgasm/in-case-you-missed-it-snls-bit.php hahaha...Many are wonderful, though, including this one I just found: http://amoveablebeast.blogspot.com/. She’s a thoroughly enjoyable writer and “recent” transplant to Paris, so that’s mainly what she writes about, and it’s making me miss Paris SO much. I think I might follow her lead someday. I hope to get the hang of maintaining a good blog soon, and I have so many things I want to write about, but it takes a lot of time (that I wish I had) and effort.
Anyway, I just compiled The List of all the make-up work I have to do for the 5 days of school I’ve missed, and it’s insanely long. There are 27 things on it. And I haven’t done any of it yet because I still feel horribly sick- yesterday I was so lethargic I couldn’t move. Today, though, I’m feeling a little better – coughing, but not fever – so I’m going to attempt to tackle it. The List includes 3 tests, 2 papers, 2 quizzes, 1 project, 1 movie, and a boatload of homework – the boat being, of course, the Titanic. Sorry, I’ll stop complaining. But it’s really disheartening, especially when you’re already feeling crappy. Hopefully my teachers will be kind and also remember the rule that you have as many days as you’ve been out to make up the work.
Hah, when I wrote at the top of this blog that I was feeling really philosophical, that was actually five days ago. I wasn’t feeling well enough to blog between the time that I wrote it last Sunday and now. So that will wait until later. I remember what I wanted to write about, though: something about print media dying, my generation losing the ability to read, the politics of the Catholic church and the “holier than thou” concept, and what would happen if I didn’t bow down to the Pope or the Dali Lama or whoever.
Anyway, I will now go “back” to work and leave you with a mantra my dad and I often [regretfully] sing: “To work, to work, L’chaim! L’chaim, L’chaim, to work…” (L’chaim means “to life!”) Cheers to that.

P.S. Hope you enjoyed my rather ambitious bucket list!

My Bucket List!

This list really is mainly for me, but feel free to read it. Some of it will only make sense to me...the list is really long and varied. Some of these are what I want to learn to do, and some are principles I will continue following. Some things I've done, some I will definitely be able to do, some are big dreams. Some are practical and some are crazy. But I'm going to do them anyway :)

1. Skydive
2. Bungee jump…off Victoria Falls
3. Visit the 7 wonders of the modern world:
4. Visit the last wonder of the ancient world
5. Visit the 7 wonders of the medieval world
6. Visit the 7 natural wonders of the world
7. Visit the 7 wonders of the underwater world
8. Visit the lost city in Columbia
9. Live in a country/countries not the US or Canada
10. Get my high school diploma
11. Graduate with highest honors
12. Be valedictorian
13. Get my undergrad degree
14. Get my Masters
15. Get my PhD…in something
16. Go to an excellent school- Ivy, potentially
17. Fall hopelessly and unconditionally in love
18. Get married
19. Have children
20. Adopt children
21. Sleep on a beach
22. Sleep under the stars
23. Be a camp counselor
24. Be fluent in Spanish
25. Be fluent in French
26. Learn Italian
27. Learn Mandarin
28. Learn Finnish
29. Learn Indonesian
30. Learn German
31. Write a book or novel
32. Write a song
33. Get into shape
34. Submit photographs
35. Visit all the continents
36. Learn to be humble
37. Learn to be content
38. Learn to live on not much
39. Be in a movie
40. Be in Les Miserables – Eponine and Fantine, specifically
41. Be vegetarian for a while
42. Be a teacher
43. Grow a garden
44. Learn to cook
45. Learn to sew
46. Swim with dolphins
47. Backpack through Europe
48. Ride a camel through the Sahara desert
49. Go on a missions trip
50. Make a difference in someone’s life for the better
51. Be an activist
52. Don’t lie
53. Get enough sleep
54. Ballroom dance
55. Learn the bass
56. Learn the ukulele
57. Teach someone illiterate to read
58. Paint a real canvas painting
59. See the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
60. Get over my procrastination
61. Get over my perfectionism
62. Drive around North America in a loop
63. Rock climb
64. White water raft
65. Zip line through the rainforest
66. Hike mountains
67. Ride the highest and fastest rollercoaster in the world
68. Spend a whole day reading a novel
69. Spend a week without electronics
70. Give without expecting anything in return
71. Bike as much as possible
72. Scuba dive
73. Kiss in the rain
74. Be a DJ
75. Be a bartender
76. Be a barista
77. Run a marathon
78. Share my faith
79. Grow in my faith
80. Go to law school
81. Be published
82. Stay up all night at the beach for sunrise
83. Hike a mountain in time for sunrise
84. Dance at sunset
85. Witness a solar eclipse
86. See a meteor shower
87. See a shooting star
88. Ride a gondola in Venice
89. Scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef
90. See the Terra Cotta Army in China
91. Walk the Great Wall of China
92. Spend a month/months in Bali, Fiji, and French Polynesia
93. Escape somewhere for a while without telling anyone
94. Compose music
95. Be a lifeguard
96. Bike the Tour de France
97. Swim the English Channel
98. Host Saturday Night Live
99. Water ski
100. Horseback ride through the country
101. Go on a National Geographic expedition
102. Go on a medical mission, like Operation Smile
103. Write for the New York Times
104. Write/photograph for National Geographic
105. Go sailing in the French Riviera
106. Skinny dip
107. Learn fencing
108. Study abroad
109. Become a Yoga/Pilates instructor
110. Learn to meditate
111. Spend time in Switzerland regenerating
112. Ride in a hot air balloon
113. Go paragliding
114. Climb Mount Everest
115. Experience and learn about other religions
116. Spend time in museums
117. Live bohemian in Montmartre
118. Go in the London Eye
119. Go to the Amazon Rainforest
120. Go to Oktoberfest
121. Go to Mardi Gras
122. Go to Carnival
123. Go to La Feria de Abril
124. Take part in an archeological dig
125. See the Pyramids and ruins of Ancient Egypt
126. Make a film and/or documentary
127. Master playing Clair de Lune
128. Read classic literature
129. Read the Lord of the Rings
130. Read Gone With the Wind
131. Read C.S. Lewis
132. Read Don Quixote in Spanish
133. Read Lorca
134. Read the Iliad and the Odyssey
135. Read Thoreau in a boat on Walden Pond
136. Read Pride and Prejudice
137. Read Shakespeare
138. Read Les Miserables
139. Write and publish poetry
140. Don’t have regrets
141. Be a wine connoisseur
142. Join the Peace Corps
143. Volunteer at a homeless shelter
144. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
145. Be an EMT
146. Get a (small) tattoo
147. Get another piercing; cartilage, nose, belly button…
148. Dye my hair a different color for a while
149. Donate clothes, food, books, movies
150. Be a mentor/tutor
151. Recycle
152. Learn to take short showers
153. Plant flowers
154. Be green/organic/eco-friendly
155. Travel through Greece and Turkey
156. Travel through Austria, Germany, and Holland
157. Travel through Italy, France, and Switzerland
158. Travel through England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland
159. Travel through the Italian and Greek islands
160. Travel through Hungary and the Czech Republic
161. Travel through Spain, Portugal, and Morocco
162. Travel through Japan and China
163. Travel through Scandinavia
164. Travel through Israel
165. Travel through Australia
166. Travel through India
167. Travel through Egypt and Africa
168. Work in a South American orphanage
169. Do stand-up comedy
170. Dance tango in Buenos Aires
171. Do Tai Chi
172. Practice Feng Shui
173. Play in a band
174. Be in a Broadway play
175. Splurge on a designer bag
176. Have massages every once in a while
177. Collect art
178. Visit castles throughout the world
179. Understand economics and business/finance
180. Watch all the Oscar Best Pictures
181. Go to the Cannes Film Festival
182. Win an Oscar
183. Be in an iPod commercial
184. Go on an African safari
185. Help save endangered species
186. Participate in a protest
187. Go to a major music festival
188. Live in an apartment in the city
189. Live by the ocean
190. Live in the country
191. Live in an Italian villa
192. Live in a house with a bay window
193. Be a street musician
194. Make the world a more beautiful place
195. Run 100 meters in 11 seconds
196. Go to the Olympics
197. Play at Carnegie Hall
198. Raise my child with love, hard work, manners, faith, music, knowledge
199. Send my parents on their dream vacation
200. Take a sabbatical/take a year off just to travel the world
201. Learn to talk less and listen more
202. Spend time with the elderly and learn about their lives
203. Write letters
204. Read often
205. Get to know my neighbors
206. Take frequent walks
207. Learn how to say what I mean directly and not beat around the bush
208. Learn self-defense
209. Learn kick-boxing
210. Learn how to change a tire
211. Read newspapers, be informed about what’s going on
212. Never gossip
213. Be a good swimmer
214. Learn tennis
215. Downhill ski
216. Care about the environment
217. Learn First Aid/CPR
218. Learn how to play Poker
219. Learn Flamenco
220. Be confident
221. Make good, lasting friends
222. Don’t worry about what others think
223. Make a complete fool out of myself
224. Make mistakes and learn from them
225. Have a favorite author
226. Know about history
227. Become quicker at math
228. Be flexible always
229. Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances
230. Become better at making decisions
231. Improve time management skills
232. Take risks, get out of my comfort zone
233. Learn to make and tend a fire
234. Go camping in a tent
235. Win a Pulitzer prize
236. Win a Nobel Peace Prize
237. Improve my photography skills
238. Go on a spontaneous road trip
239. Be a photojournalist/foreign correspondent
240. Learn Hebrew, Hindi, and Arabic
241. Swing on a trapeze/learn acrobatics
242. Watch a lightning show over a lake or ocean.
243. Enjoy my career.
244. Send a message in a bottle.
245. Learn Italian cooking
246. Attend a World Series baseball game.
247. Visit all 50 US states and all 13 Canadian provinces.
248. Defy gravity.
249. Overcome my back problems
250. Overcome my asthma

viva espanaaa

buenas nochessss...im in madrid exclamation point. this is our first day here and we just got in from PARIS...haha i do not get this european keyboard. i dont have much time right now but let me tell you, its amazing here and i am not coming back. mom and dad, if you could send me over some more clothes and money thatd be great, im eloping with rodrigo in a week. i will write lots about the trip and post some of my approx. 2000plus pics...adios y mucha amor exclamation point
...
Update: Hah, I should probably explain this post– there was a computer in the Madrid hotel, but I did not understand the Spanish keyboard at all, including finding the exclamation point button.

Au Revoir/Adios!!!

Bonjour mes amies; Hola mis amigos :)
Demain, je vais a Paris! Y luego, voy a Madrid!
Je suis/estoy tan excitada para Europa!!!
Jaja, hablo espanol pero solo je parle le francais un peu.
Claro, me duele mi espalta (?) el dia antes de ir a Europa...FML.
Pues, hasta luego! Sacare muchas fotos!
Con mucho amo(u)r,
Katii :)
P.S. prayers for safe travels and my back pain to go away are much appreciated!

Oh, and you know what's cool? Every Wednesday I get Chinese food, and this year, I've had some really cool ones that have been completely relevant. Here's a few:
"The day only gets better" (taped to my math notebook, haha)
"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy"
"Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film."
there are a bunch more, and then today's:
"Expand your horizons" ...which I am doing literally - tomorrow!

Quote du jour:
Here are some pieces of "Desiderata" by Max Ehrmann...

"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others.......You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

In His time...

1. IgotitIgotitIGOTIT! Do you know what I got?
I got my license! I have to keep reminding myself of it. It’s quite a wonderful surprise each time I tell myself :)
2. Just bought: “Breakable” and “You and I” by Ingrid Michaelson (love her), “Pot Kettle Black” by Tilly and the Wall (cool stuff), “Circus” by Britney Spears (oh shut up), “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” by Oasis (good song), and “I Know What I Am” by Band of Skulls (iTunes free song of the week). + www.modcloth.com and www.urbanoutfitters.com >>trust me. (Sorry this is all fluffy stuff (actually most of this blog has been that so far- just brain farts and lists and mumbo jumbo) but once I get more hours back in my days…eventually…this will gain more substance.)
3. Oh yeah! Happy Easter everyone! He lives indeed. I love Easter…it’s so pretty and flowery and happy. The chocolate doesn’t hurt either. And the greatest gift is the joy it brings. EXCEPT I did have a very joyful day with my family, but I also had a buttload of work to do…still to do, I should say. I literally spent all day on my stupid science fair display (it’s pretty awesome, though) and now I have to finish the final draft of a major paper, finish another paper, do a rather lot of homework, and PACK FOR EUROPE WHERE I’M GOING IN FOUR DAYS! Here's something to remember through stress and hard times...I liked this from the Easter service today. It's a hymn called "In His Time" :

In His time, in His time.
He makes all things beautiful, in His time.
Lord, please show me every day,
As You're teaching me Your way,
That You do just what You say,
In Your time.

In Your time, in Your time,
You make all things beautiful, in Your time.
Lord, my life to You I bring,
May each song I have to sing
Be to You a lovely thing,
In Your time.

Oh heyy

Hiiii !
I feel like blaahging. So…updates.
1.) 8 days!!

<--Imma goin to Europe!
2.) I pulled two leg muscles - had to miss the first track meet today :( there’s another on Saturday and I really want to be able to run again! I’ve been trying javelin while I’m off running, which is cool, but it’s not the same.
3.) I discovered Tilly and the Wall and Telekinesis today! I love love them both. Tilly and the Wall is kind of…I don’t know, Tegan & Sara, The Ting Tings, etc.-esque. (Maybe?) Telekinesis definitely sounds like The Shins and Death Cab for Cutie- which would be why I like them- Death Cab is one of my favorite.bands.ever. (planning on doing a Talent Spotlight on them soon.)
4.) I spoke today at school today, for "spiritual emphasis week," about living out faith & what that has meant for me...just a slightly ambiguous topic. I talked about how this year has, in a lot of ways, royally sucked, and so that’s meant just holding on/pressing on...see 1 Thess. 5:16-18; James 4:8; Phil. 3:14. Great verses if you get stressed like I do.
5.) Linkage: http://www.thekatzes.com/index.php >>Cool. http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/. >>Definitely check out if you’re into fashion/photography. Oh, speaking of which: my bag came in and I love it! I also found a reasonably inexpensive Burberry coat so that was pretty sweet fashion-wise. Not exactly a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but hey, I’m down with it! (See picture.)
6.) I’m so sick of gossipy, shallow people. Which seems to describe my generation. Just by the way.
7.) I discovered that I cannot do those SAT bubbles! I’m just not made for it. I was made to color outside of the lines, so to speak. Hahaha.
8.) My “sister” (notice quotation marks) just got MARRIED...Oh my gosh.
9.) I love lists.
...
56.) 56!

Three cheers for consumeristic, narcissistic societies...

Oh good Lord...Generation Diva.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/191247

Read it.
Scowl.
Grimace.
Cry out in agony.
Yeah.
They'll be having Botox parties for their Sweet Sixteens.
On a happier note, the economy's going down the tubes, so kids who don't even know how to spell "Clinique" won't be spending millions ($40 million, according to the article) on their baby-butt faces, right? Right?
Remind me to rant about this (actually, about my generation,) when I have time.
Which I don't right now. So I won't. But oh, I will.

Talent Spotlight: Neko Case

For those of you who haven’t heard of her, you’re welcome. You may have heard her voice as singer for The New Pornographers. Solo, she is fantastic. She has the kind of voice you don’t hear very much today…resonating, powerful, smooth, on key (!), unique. She has a versatile quality that can appeal to varied generations, and seems both contemporary and something you might have heard at a folk fest in the 70s. Her genre is labeled generally as “Alt-Country,” but if you’re not into country, don’t let that stop you – I promise. She’s also rock, alternative, folky, indie... Neko just came out with a fifth album, Middle Cyclone, that’s gaining her new publicity, but here are my current favorites:
- “I Wish I Was the Moon” (Blacklisted) – Beautiful, and a great title/concept.
- “Hold On, Hold On” (Fox Confessor Brings the Flood) – Great song, upbeat rhythm.
- “People Got a Lotta Nerve” (Middle Cyclone) – Ditto; a hit from her new album.
- “That Teenage Feeling” (Fox Confessor Brings the Flood) – Short but sweet; I love the chorus: "I don't care if forever never comes/cause I'm holding out for that teenage feeling"
Now go listen! You won’t be sorry.

Think about it

Freaking hilarious. I love FOTC!

Slow down, you crazy child

In a lot of ways this song describes my life...here's "Vienna" by Billy Joel:


Slow down you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart tell me why
Are you still so afraid?
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only
So many hours in a day

But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

Slow down you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight (tonight)
Too bad but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself
That you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know you can't always see when you're right(you're right)


You got your passion you got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you

Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize...
Vienna waits for you.

And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through

Why don't you realize...Vienna waits for you
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you


________

March Madness

I usually hate March..but...it's actually been pretty nice, despite the stress. Here's some of what I've been doin...
1/2. !! FaV (Felix and Volcano) !!
3/4. Alycia’s 18th/girls night out!
5. Footloose
6. Baby Noah :)
7/8. Parliament and the Rideau Canal in Ottawa; the first is my camera zoomed in all the way and the other is all the way out.
9. In front of Beavertails, also in Ottawa. I'm holding an "Obamatail" which the people at that particular location created- Mr. Obama himself went there on his visit to Canada! It was tres delicious.
10. Amazing graffiti wall at UVM.