New Year.

Resolutions.

Nope. I can't think of any.

Well, glad that's out of the way!

I got a new camera. He is my new best friend. He takes sweet pictures like the one up there. I am learning new things about him every day. I love spending time with him. Why do I compare everything to relationships. This is not normal.

I am using him to help me create my portfolio for the transfer scholarship. I need to create 10 more things by January 29. Oh my lanta. If anyone wants anything made for them (cards, posters, image collages, banners, anything!) seriously let me know. Making things for fake companies isn't as fun.

Also, I got Toms for Christmas. I'm pretty excited to wear them, but I definitely don't want to wear them in the slushy snow. They need to look nice and new for the summer. Oh, summer. You seem so distant. Come to me.

(I'm sorry if you clicked on that link. All of your ads online will now solely consist of Toms, taunting you until you go crazy.)

You know how you see someone with a nifty tied scarf and you wonder how they tied it? My friend and I often wonder this. One day, after seeing a rather fun scarf tie and instantly wishing I could do it, I remembered that there is this device called Google just waiting to be utilized. So, I finally did that, and now I can tie my scarf like a pretzel! I don't know if I like it, but it sure does look impressive!

School is back Monday. I tried swatting it with a stick, but it didn't go away. I am determined to make this semester fun, though, since it is most likely my last semester there. Most of my classes are Art classes, though, so this is good. Are your classes good?

There was this song on the radio. I know, how cRaZy. But really, I kind of liked it and didn't recognize the voices. Then I heard it again, and they still didn't tell me who it was. So (i was driving) and quickly typed some lyrics to ChaCha. I typed, "All I wanna do is trade this life for something new." I didn't have time to type, "What song are the lyrics ... from?" But, I thought I'd try anyway. The guy from ChaCha texted back, "Well, I just got a new mug, wanna trade?" This made me smile. I want to work for ChaCha. Anyway, I looked the lyrics up online and found out it was a Linkin Park song. Really? Linkin Park? Really? Well, I like it, and it's called Waiting For The End. Have you heard it?

Okay, just thought I'd post this little ditty.

Hope all is well!

Merry Christmas... is that okay?

lol.

Two years ago I read a book called Dateable. It was a buzz of conversation with the staff I worked with, and I was literally hearing reviews across the board. My opinion on the book could fill another blog post entirely, but I want to talk just a little about one of the chapters. It's titled "Way It Begins = Way It Ends." It talks about how if you start things fast and furiously and find yourself jumping right in to a relationship, the end of your relationship will be the same way. You may not see it coming, it will be sudden and short. It will hurt a lot at first, but you'll usually be able to fully get over it in due time. If your relationship develops slowly, the end will come slowly, as well. It will be painful for a long period of time and be quite difficult to fully get over without giving it plenty of time.

So, naturally, let's talk about Christmas.

I'm not talking about the true meaning of Christmas, I'm talking about the season. I feel like Christmas season is like a bad relationship. First of all, it starts slowly, which is good and fine! The problem is that it ends like a brick wall. This is not how I (well, we!) are built to emotionally handle things! On the 26th of December it becomes no longer to engage in any Christmas cheer! Decorations go from festive to tacky in a mere 48 hours! And before you know it, mentioning Christmas is as unacceptable as wanting to discuss Hitler!

I feel like it's the ex-boyfriend of a friend that you're not allowed to bring up at certain times, when at other times all she wants to DO is bring him up. You know how it goes, someone in any month besides December mentions a countdown to Christmas and suddenly you can hear the whole room audibly groan and glare at you. But noooo, in December if you express any distaste for the season people react as if you had just stepped on a basket of kittens!

I feel like this would be extremely confusing to someone from a culture who doesn't celebrate Christmas. They come to the U.S. having prior knowledge about how much Americans love Christmas. Then they mention it in conversation, have less than enthusiastic responses, and are embarrassed until someone helpfully whispers, "We don't talk about that right now." Kind of like when you're with a group of friends you haven't seen in a while and you ask a friend about a boyfriend who, God forbid, just had a horribly messy breakup with that friend. Everyone kind of just shuffles their feet and looks at the ground until someone kindly whispers to you that they broke up.

One time, in second grade, I started humming Jingle Bells. The teacher said, "It's not Christmas season!" I think she wanted me to stop. I don't think I did. Why is this so unacceptable?!

Now, I'm not asking for it to be a social norm for Christmas trees to be sold in April and Santa to be in malls in June. I'm simply asking to take my sweet time getting over the Christmas season. We all get over breakups in different ways. This season started slowly for me, so I need it to end slowly. Slowly, I will listen to less Christmas songs. Slowly, I will drink less eggnog. Slowly, I will stop watching Christmas programs. Slowly, I will get over the fact that nobody kissed me under mistletoe (speaking of, does anyone actually put mistletoe up in their house?) Remember how we enjoyed Christmas? Yes. It never did anything to us. We need not be haters.

Then WHAM. Here comes the rebound, New Years Eve. But the rebound ends as fast as it starts. Seasons are like relationships, people. I'm tellin ya. We're just doing Christmas season wrong.

Sigh. I'm going to go find an open fire and roast some chestnuts on it. You know, CHRISTMAS season stuff.

I hope you all had wonderful Christmas celebrations. Go listen to a Christmas song. :]

We're Your Worst Nightmare, Elves With Attitude

Since I Have Been Home on Break I : A List

- have been in a giant, scary snow storm.

We weren't home, but when we did get home, we were told that the power in our neighborhood had been out for 13 hours due to a branch falling on a powerline in our backyard. Well, it turns out it wasn't just a branch. It was more like 1/3 of the tree. Whoopsie. Sorry about that, neighborhood. I apologize for any sour food, loss of christmas cheer, or lost time otherwise spent shooting bubbles on your desktop. [picture]

(Also, here's a link to the roof of the metrodome (Vikings stadium in Minnesota) collapsing, just because it's... well... an epic fail. [oops] )

- spent a good amount of time with the nephews

Andy turned 1. :]

- started reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

I'm quickly taking full advantage of the fact that I have no assigned reading (and very few friends home yet), and may read whatever I please at whatever pace I choose and retain whatever information my brain happens to retain without overanalyzing.

- watched a ton of Gilmore Girls

I really, really, really enjoy that show.

- had a sleepover with the best friend

Enough said, i think. :]

- watched Going The Distance, again

(Drew Barrymore and Justin Long)

Loved it, again. decided Justin Long can and does get cuter even when you are convinced it is not humanly possible for more cute to spew out of that boy.

- kind of unpacked

- made birthday plans for friday

Artsy/random/fun day with the best friend in the city to celebrate that the day that I turn a new unimportant age.

- got this scarf in the mail for my birthday

... from an awesome awesome person. It's even prettier in person, I promise. It matches everything. :]

- had more egg nog than probably healthy

- was reminded of the fact that I had a very large crush on this elf from The Santa Clause

... and probably still do. I think I can comfortably call The Santa Clause my favorite Christmas movie.

- found out Zac Efron is single, seen Miley Cyrus smoking a bong and learned that the sales of saliva, the drug in the bong, have skyrocketed since the video leaked online, learned that Kate and Charlie from lost dated each other in real life, and found our that the girl who plays the accordion in Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros plays Katherine in Greek.

Phew. Pop culture is exhausting.

That's all I've got for now. Keep me updated, I'll do the same!

A Tuesday in December.

Artist/Song of the moment:

King of Spain by The Tallest Man on Earth AND Marrow by St. Vincent

Quote of the moment: "It was one of the best days of my life, a day during which I lived my life and didn't think about my life at all."

Fun website that sells pointless things of the moment: Fred

Days till home: ONE.

I've been absolutely obsessed with NPR's music page and All Songs Considered. So much good music is out there. I like finding it. It's kind of like a never-ending treasure hunt. Not never-ending because you never find what you're looking for... neverending because you are able to keep finding what you didn't even know you were looking for. These are the best kind of treasure hunts - curious, aimless ones.

Apparently this gives me a hipster characteristic. I am slowly becoming okay with this, I suppose.

I took my last final today! Actually, if I didn't take it, I still would have gotten an A in the class. Needless to say, I kinda winged it. It went pretty well, still. Oh! In all actuality, this story is kind of a bore, but i think it's SO smart. Let me tell you how this professor grades.

So, my professor makes his own scantrons that are about the size of half a notebook piece of paper. There are fifty questions and you "x" or fill in the circle of the correct answer. When you are done, you take it to the front of class where the professor and two TA's are sitting. They have exact same scantrons, but with the correct answers punched out. Therefore, they are able to take the answer key that lines up with your version of the test, lay it directly over your test, and grade the entire thing with you standing there within 15 seconds. Every time I take an exam in Sociology, I know my grade within 3 minutes of completing it. Isn't this genius?!

Friends, why are the most on campus activities planned during finals week? I mean, I know it's great to go off with a boom and distress, but I want to enjoy these things when I'm bored, not stressed and busy! Christmas parties, free roller-skating, free bowling, free concerts. Except all the free food. This can always happen. It's national cotton candy day, so today was free cotton candy. Last night was free breakfast (a personal favorite.) Also free gingerbread cookie decorating (allowing you to put a sickening amount of frosting and gumdrops however many you please.) Plus, I'm trying not to waste all the food that won't last a month in the vacant dorm. PLUS, I had about $175 meal money to spend in two weeks (let's just say I have bought enough wintergreen mints to keep my breath fresh for three years.)

Needless to say, I need to stop eating. Forever, maybe.

Tomorrow, back to Wisconsin. Tonight, paaaacking. Also, A Very Glee Christmas.

Hope finals aren't making you want to punch small woodland creatures!

I Like Things, Maybe You Will Too?

"Between the click of the light and the start of the dream."

- from No Cars Go by Arcade Fire

Just some things:

1) No, unfortunately, I didn't go to the midnight release. I knew one thing about the viewing of this movie, and that was that I needed to see it with my good friend Naomi, because she and I have been attending midnight Harry Potter releases together forever.... and you can't mess with tradition. The original plan of us meeting halfway for a midnight release (she goes to school three hours away from me) failed for a few reasons. Therefore, she is coming saturday and I will be seeing it Saturday night. I'm okay with this, because 70% of the midnight release fun has always been waiting with the same friends at the same hometown theater. As stupidly nostalgic as this sounds, it would have been so... weird... to go here with random college friends. So, tomorrow is the day! I am quite excited! I've heard many good things, and this is a wonderful contrast to the usual complaints. I'm terribly excited for the soundtrack, as well. :]

2) Starbucks is having a buy one holiday drink get one free from 2-5 pm yesterday till Sunday, just so you know! I'm a fan of not spending money, so I thought I'd share this lovely festive info. Egg nog lattes, gingerbread lattes, carmel brulee lattes, peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint mocha, etc. Basically, christmas in a cup.

3) Groupon is becoming bigger every. single. day. You should create an account. They just added like 30 more cities, and their nationwide deals are becoming more frequent. What does this mean to you? You don't even have to live in a big city with snazzy local dealers. Yesterday I bought a $25 Groupon for $50 worth of merchandise at American Apparel. You can use it anywhere, and the expiration dates are plenty comfortable. It doesn't expire until February! Today I think the deal is like $25 for $50 at Nordstrom Rack, and the other day it was $20 for $40 at The Body Shop. Big companies are taking advantage of this, guys. Good deals. The only thing is, I get really excited about all this money I'm saving, until I realize I wouldn't have spent the money at all without this deal. Sneaky, Groupon, sneaky. I have fallen into your trap.

4) I thoroughly enjoy Glee. I mean, I've seen all the episodes, but last season I labeled it as a "guilty pleasure." This season, however, has just been pumping out such quality material. Somewhere between hearing Damian Criss lead a heart-melting accapella version of "Teenage Dream" and Gweneth Paltrow making singing and dancing in the rain seem glamorous, appealing, and downright wonderful, I decided that Glee legitimately deserves unashamed praise. They've finally settled down their outrageously shifting plot-lines, and spent more time producing the song and dance routines. This move is so smart. Lately the new shows that are on tv seem to think if they don't have someone getting married, pregnant, or dying every other episode (often all in one) they will have a smaller fanbase. As I was watching this weeks episode on Hulu as I was working out, I was just smiling during both "Forget You" and "Umbrella/Singing in the Rain." While gasping for breath. I have this problem too often. Watching shows that make you laugh while you are in the middle of an intense workout in which you are already short of breath only makes you look like a complete dork. True story.

5) Our friends who live in the first room when you enter the hall have big, flashy mint shaped christmas lights that play jingle bells when you turn them on. Let's just say every day has its fair share of mood brightening dance breaks after coming back from blustery walks. The fun thing is, they're some of the only people on our hall that we know. This means our twirling, finger pointing, and sporadic dance moves get a lot of strange looks. :]

Happy Weekend!

(How did you like HP 7.1? Please spare the details. :])

Today is a Breakfast Day

"Harry Potter loved to sit on my shoulder while I was cooking and insult my food...

A few days ago, Harry Potter jumped off my shoulder. And maybe he forgot he couldn't fly or maybe he thought a pot of boiling water was a birdbath. All I know is that he splashed into the water, and I scooped Harry Potter out with a spoon."

- excerpt from Flight by Sherman Alexie. Harry Potter was the name of their bird.

Don't worry, this isn't going to be all about Harry Potter. You'll have to wait another week for that one.

There is officially snow on the ground, so I feel like I need a new banner. I still love fall colors, though... so the banner in all it's fall glory is staying for now. ... but now that fall is over we can enjoy EGG NOG and CHRISTMAS MUSIC without guilt. I made it until two days ago, November 15th, this year. I'm keeping track year to year. I'd say I'm okay with that. I mean, if you start too late, you don't get to fully maximize your enjoyment of the music, right?

Today I was reminded of an artist whom I really enjoy. I worked with a short book of his for forensics in high school, and my partner and I really fell in love with his stuff. He mostly makes little comics for cards, but he has a few short books. They are all so adorable, random, and uplifting. My favorite and probably his most well known is A Lovely Love Story.

"The fierce Dinosaur was trapped inside his cage of ice. Although it was cold he was happy in there. It was, after all, his cage.

Then along came the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
The Lovely Other Dinosaur melted the Dinosaur’s cage with kind words and loving thoughts.

I like this Dinosaur thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
Although he is fierce he is also tender and he is funny.
He is also quite clever though I will not tell him this for now.

I like this Lovely Other Dinosaur, thought the Dinosaur. She is beautiful and she is different and she smells so nice.
She is also a free spirit which is a quality I much admire in a dinosaur.

But he can be so distant and so peculiar at times, thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
He is also overly fond of things.
Are all Dinosaurs so overly fond of things?

But her mind skips from here to there so quickly thought the Dinosaur. She is also uncommonly keen on shopping.
Are all Lovely Other Dinosaurs so uncommonly keen on shopping?

I will forgive his peculiarity and his concern for things, thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. For they are part of what makes him a richly charactered individual.

I will forgive her skipping mind and her fondness for shopping, thought the Dinosaur. For she fills our life with beautiful thoughts and wonderful surprises. Besides, I am not unkeen on shopping either.

Now the Dinosaur and the Lovely Other Dinosaur are old.
Look at them.
Together they stand on the hill telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs.

And that, my friends, is how it is with love.
Let us all be Dinosaurs and Lovely Other Dinosaurs together.
For the sun is warm.
And the world is a beautiful place."

Without the comics to go along with it, it loses some of it's appeal. However, I just love his style. Today I found a few works of his that I'd never seen before.

>>>

Anyway, that's Monkton. He's fun.

In other news, I have eight days of school left before two days of finals and then winter break. This is wonderful. Also, I'm going to Nashville in a week. This is great, too.

The author quoted above about Harry Potter, Sherman Alexie, is really funny. We had to read a book of his and also watch a movie he wrote the screenplay for. I've quoted that one quite a many times. "Sometimes it's a good day to die, and sometimes it's a good day for breakfast." :] He's pretty vulgar in his written stuff, so that's annoying, but his writing style is insanely witty.

Alright, time to go buy an egg nog shake, followed by an egg nog latte, followed by a stomach ache. A glorious, glorious stomach ache. Actually, time to go celebrate the then-boyfriend's (this is the new way a friend and I decided to refer to ex's. It's legit.) birthday with half off appetizers at Applebees.

Happy 17th! One month until I'm no longer teenaged!

Today's Forecast

"Lend me your hand

and we'll conquer them all.

But lend me your heart

and I'll just let you fall."

-Awake My Soul

Let me tell you, the amount of random stress I have been under these past few days makes me really okay with the fact that I'm not trying to write a novel on top of that.

So, last weekend. I drove to Chicago to visit Alyson and tour Columbia College. Both were very, very, successful. I'm seriously looking into transferring, if all these little picky details go my way. After tons of stubborn research, I have come to the conclusion that people just don't get a BA and a BFA. This would take years of school, because BFA programs require no gen ed's... so they have two more years of specific classes. Therefore, even without transferring, it would take forever to graduated with a BA in marketing communication and a MFA in graphic design. There are some places that offer a BA in Art with an emphasis in graphic design, but even my advisor said this is almost worthless. Therefore, I'm picking the one I want to do most: Graphic Design. I think I'm going all in. What's funny is that this is what I wanted my freshman year of high school, but I talked myself out of it. Silly freshman.

Let me tell you, that school is sure swell at capturing you on their tours. I got to tour the fashion design floor. I felt like I was walking into the set of Project Runway.* Their on-campus apartments are the most gorgeously modern apartments I have ever stepped into. Also, the fact that they went on and on about their big name internships and friends jobs kinda didn't hinder my excitement.

I'm telling you guys this before the majority of my friends. Mostly because nothings for sure, but I like telling you guys this.

Anyway, then we drove to see Mumford and Sons that same day. It was a long long day, but SO worth it. I've been struggling with giving that concert the "best concert I've ever been to" label, but let me tell you, it may have been. They played such a long set list, and they only have one cd and one ep! And you could tell they were just having so much fun. They made it seem like they haven't been doing this every night for the past two months. The middle-aged woman who was flailing her arms up and down the whole time while her husband was sitting on his iPhone didn't help things, but we bonded with the couple next to us because of the fact this man and woman were so annoying. It was just so wonderful. I can tell you for a fact, you will never be able to buy an $18 Mumford and Sons ticket ever again. My brother said they were going for $200 for the Nashville concert.

One of the best quotes I have from the weekend was when I was sitting in the waiting room for an oil change with several very elderly people. One elderly woman wasn't talking much, but when she did I'm pretty sure the whole city could hear her. She turned to her friend and said, "GEORGE, DID YA HEAR BRETT FAVRE GOT HIS FACE SLICED OPEN?!"

.... I literally had to hold in my laugh.

Twenty-one hours in the car, a concert, and oil change, and a few life decisions later... I came back to MN. Hola, school.

Inception is at the free theater on campus this weekend, so we're going tonight. Last time I saw this movie I was stranded in the Massive Sinkhole Causing Flood of Milwaukee. Yep, it's got an official title. Anyway, yaay.

Okay, I will be here more often and read other people's blogs more often. Everything will just be less stressful and back to normal now.

*This is mainly due to the fact that it was a room with several sewing machines. Project Runway has probably taught me all I know about making clothes. Translation: I don't know much.