Monday, January 13, 2014

White Hat

Guys. I am so addicted to Scandal.  I have never gotten so into a show before.. at least not like this.  I am literally finding ways to become Olivia Pope. I am about 95% convinced her character has some sort of communication background so I am obviously trying to read up on crisis communication as much as possible.  She is a great role model for women everywhere. Olivia Pope is strong, brave, a go-getter, and has a great sense of fashion.  I dedicated most of my weekend to binge watching Scandal (oops!) but let's be honest.. I don't really regret it.


Does anybody have good recommendations for what to watch after I get caught up on Scandal? 

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Brrr.



Striped Sweater  - Obsession level: too high. This relaxed sweater is perfect for lounging around the house on a cold day.  

Wool Socks - Costco has a 3-pack for $10. Total steal and totally worth it.

Fleece Leggings - stock up on these. They are magical.  

And if you really have to leave the house, don't forget the Bean Boots and Tech Earmuffs

The semester was supposed to start yesterday but lucky me, I got one extra day of relaxation.  The weather is frigid here in the midwest. I've never experienced weather this bone chilling.  I spent the day with my friends, reading books and watching movies.  It was definitely a good bonus day for us.  

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Vacation Recap

I just got back from my last real winter break! I was able to visit a lot of neat places with my family on the West Coast.  I am definitely going to make note of the cool places that I want to see more of so I can go with my friends in a few years.  Let's be real.. Vegas with your parents ? Not the ideal situation you want to be in.. Here are some of my favorite moments from this incredible last (free!) vacation.

Sitting on the border of two states at the Hoover Dam Bypass!  Very cool to be in two places at once :) AZ does not observe DST, so AZ is actually one hour ahead.  So I was also in the future and the past at the same time.  Major mind warp.  

Hoover Dam - a true testament to the hard work and ingenuity of our nation.  The history is incredible. 

Red Rock Canyon, outside of Vegas.  If you love hiking, this is a great place to go.  

A Christmas wonderland.. absolutely breathtaking view at sunset.  

First step to world domination: make friends with the minions ;)



Lucky shot! The Bellagio fountain show is one of my favorite parts of Vegas! 

We visited Death Valley on our way from Vegas to LA.  This fox was standing on the road when we drove up and then lingered long enough for me to snap some cool pics.  Also, foxes are a lot smaller than I imagined.  

282 feet below sea level y'all! 

Artists Pallette. In my opinion, the most beautiful part of Death Valley.
  
Visit La Jolla in San Diego and get up close and personal with some seals!  

Midway Battleship in San Diego - saw some cool fighter planes and really got to see first hand what it's really like living at Sea while serving. 


San Diego Zoo! 

Palm Springs. I went to Palm Springs last winter but it was too snowy to hike.  I am so glad I got the chance to go back.  The view was amazing. 


Fun fact about the Jeffrey Pines in Palm Springs - they smell like a mix between vanilla and butterscotch.  How cool?!






Thursday, January 2, 2014

My resolutions (for realskies)

A new year means a new set of rules that people will make to turn into the person they want to be. Whether that person is less selfish, more active, better read, or well traveled, we each use the new year to set an expectation of how we want the rest of the year to continue.

For me, 2014 will bring a whole new set of adventure. I will be thrown into the real world and with that comes exceedingly high expectations from myself to act like a normal functioning adult (LOL).  I already made the decision to live more this year, but that's easy to do when there aren't guidelines to tiptoe.  I think that 2014, more than ever, needs to be the year to make reasonable resolutions that will pave the way into bigger and better things in the future.



Now let's explore my previous post about YOLO-ing more: be more vibrant, be less mad, be more forgiving.  I want to live more. But to do that, I must learn to love myself more.  I must learn not to be ashamed of my body, my personality, and more importantly, my mistakes that I will make all through my life.  Taking care of yourself, for yourself, and not for the satisfaction of others is the key to sticking to these changes.  Here is what I plan to change in 2014, and why:

1.  Picking at my nails and fingers | This is a habit I have had for as long as I can remember and the one part of my body I am always embarrassed of.  Strange right? To be embarrassed and self-conscious of something so simple? I am tired of making excuses for why I pick at them and I am tired of trying to hide my hands during a particularly bad week.  My nails and fingers are definitely in much better shape than they were a few years ago, but there is still lots of progress to be made.  This is something I can easily control with a little bit of discipline. Now is the time to do it.

2.  Controlling my attitude | When things don't go my way, I sure know how to throw a nice hissy fit.   Controlling my attitude has always been a struggle for me.  Negative criticism and teasing really makes my blood boil and I can go from 0 to 10 in about 2.5 seconds.  But on the plus side, I usually get over things pretty quick and am quick to forgive.  I blame this all on my lack of patience - I'm too impatient to stay mad so I just move on (JK).  But my anger and impatience go hand-in-hand.  I get testy too soon and make sudden rash decisions that I end up regretting later.  I don't want to risk losing any friendships over something that really does not need to be made into an issue.

3.  Trash talk | Closely related to #2.  Did something to cross me? You best believe I've shamed you to all my friends and then some.  The only problem is, once I've gotten over it, other people don't think I have and that makes it preeeetty awkward sometimes.  I need a better way to blow off steam and sort through my feelings than by talking trash.  If other people can get by without doing that, I sure can.

I am eager for this year and the tests that come with it because these three are definitely my biggest demons.  I've been battling #1 and #2 since my early childhood and have become more aware of my pettiness.  When I choose my friends, I don't want someone who can get angry at the drop of a hat and I don't want someone who is going to go behind my back.  I don't need to be defined by those habits anymore.  Here is to 2014, becoming my own best friend, and living life to the fullest.