After a painstakingly long day in the gym, my teammates were discussing planning vacations in the locker room, and who could blame them? Although I usually say I would only want to live somewhere that has changes in weather, January and February always seem to get me down. So, I couldn't help but do some fantasy vacating, I picked three spots...let's start with the most realistic:

1. Skiing in Vermont

It has been my goal to visit every single state, and I'm pretty sure I have 29 down, and 21 to go! Since I've been doing basketball for so long, I've never been able to attempt skiing! Though I'm not the most talented person, I have my heart set to try skiing next winter! (Though I am notoriously uncoordinated!)

2. Disney World

Despite my occasional consistent bitterness, I have always been a child at heart! I've been to Disney World twice (in 3rd grade and 9th grade), and would love to go back with my family, sisters, boyfriend, or a group of friends! And, of course, someday with kids of my own :) 

3. ITALY

photo by Stephen

This is my most extravagant fantasy-trip! Ever since one of my best friends from high school went to Italy, and I went over to her house and she showed me hours worth of pictures, I've had a longing to go to Europe! I've been to Mexico, Canada, and Hawaii, but so ends my out-of-country excursions. (Obviously Hawaii isn't technically out-of-country, but it is my farthest away travel spot, so I thought it was noteworthy).

Also, my boyfriend went to Italy the summer before we started dating - and I have since looked through his beautiful pictures too! Although I have 5 nationalities (I'm quite the mutt), I don't have any Italian blood, but this doesn't hinder my desire to eat delicious food, taste wine, and tour the beautiful countryside! And Rome! And Lake Como! I'm not even going to mention that the boys' basketball team at my school WENT TO ITALY last summer for hoops or I might explode in a rage of anger! (Title 9 my ass). 

Anyway, when February gets ya down - just dream of distant shores, seems to work for me :) 

My Style...

First off, my boyfriend just made me a delicious dinner! Just had to mention that because it was delicious, and tasted absolutely nothing like anything I ever attempt to make in the kitchen.

Second off, it's Friday, so clearly this is going to be short - but I have a bball game tomorrow so I can't stay out late or anything, but it would be a good time to use the term "cramping my style." A term I often use in relation to basketball, particularly when we have 5:45am weights Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the pre-and-post season. Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday nights my style is officially cramped.

Anyway, my word-origin-of-the-day calendar told me that this term actually dates back 1781! It was first used by an English essayist named Horace Walpole who wrote "The shackles of translation have neither cramped your style, nor rendered it obscure."

If you're a word nerd like me, that's cool stuff! If not, have a nice weekend!!

A Case of the Januaries

Is it just me, or is January one of the most depressing months of the year? I think it's so front-loaded with the holiday season that there's always that disappointing snapback to reality that Santa's back to the North Pole, and, quite frankly, not thinking about you for a longggg timeee.

Let's face it, the best holiday in January is, essentially, in December. I mean technically midnight on January first is a blast and maybe until about 2 am but after that no other days in January really live up to par. It's like when an artist comes out with a #1 hit song and can never follow their own act.

Example: I once heard on the radio that Lee Ann Womack's song, "I Hope You Dance" simultaneously made her super, super famous, and almost destroyed her career. It's hard to follow a song that's "Single of the Year," "Song of the Year" wins Grammys, etc.

She even sang it at the annual Nobel Peace Prize concert. Now that's interesting, I didn't know they had a concert for Nobel Peace Prize winners. It's like, thanks for saving the world, Mr. Noone-really-knows-who-you-are (polite clapping). And here's, THE BLACK EYED PEAS. (Crowds roar and hold up homemade "Fergalicious"signs). Not capping on peaceful people, just on the general interests of the American public (myself included).

Example: Do you know who Liu Xiaobo is? No. (NPP Winner, 2010). Do you know the song "I Got a Feeling"? Of course!

Anyway, January - yes, although it is the first of the year probably my 12th favorite month - it's just so GRAY. I do like peaceful snowfalls, but when the snow remains, gets dirty, and falls off the trees, the landscape around here can be kinda desolate. Example:

I know, it's kind of like Ethan Frome with sidewalks. Oh well, I am trying to stay positive regardless of the current month because tomorrow is Friday! And February starts on Tuesday...my 11th favorite month of the year :)

Time Keeps on Slippin...

Today was one of those days where I didn't have time to breathe. Rush, rush, rush. Meeting, meeting, class, lunch, class (3hrs), bball game.

It's days like these I wish there was more time in a day. If only I could've napped for an hour before the game, maybe I'd have some more energy. If I had 20 extra minutes here or there, I would have cleaned my room. Or read my Bible.

Either way, in regards to time (it is getting late), something to think about: In my "Elvish Writing" class today, our professor said that Terry Jones (a star in "Monty Python" and also a historian) found out that Medieval peasants actually had about 80 days of the year OFF! Like, 11 vacation weeks!

So, not only are the Europeans beating the heck out of Americans on vacation days, but so are Medieval peasants! Now, I admit, being owned by someone, and essentially not getting paid wouldn't be ideal...but it would be nice to have some time to breathe every once in a while! Apparently there's a Youtube video about it that Terry Jones made .. I wish I had time to look for it :)

I Heart Tuesdays

One key sign that a relationship is headed in the wrong direction is when it is one-sided. And, sadly, this is usually more obvious to outside observers than the people actually in the relationship and "blinded by love."

Everyone has known those unbalanced relationships where the girl is like planning the names of their children and the boy doesn't even know the girl's last name. I've even seen it happen vice-versa where the guy is claiming she's "the one" and the girl is hooking up with everyone and their brother (or sister) on the side.

Needless to say, I went to a career fair today. Not that my experience was bad (most of the people I talked to were nice). It's just, never has there been a better example of a whole roomful of unbalanced conversations. A menagerie of awkward situations, if you will.
One person dressed to the nines, worrying about every little word she says, and the other person (almost) listening. The eager student passes the (potential) future employer her resume (which she most likely spent HOURS revising) only for the employer to lackadaiscally add it to the growing pile, most likely destined to be filed away in HR till judgment day.

After giving my little pitch about my majors and class year, (all the while displaying my exquisite charismatic abilities, might I add), I actually had 2 people say to me, "Yeah, we aren't hiring right now." Which begs the question, "WHY ARE YOU HERE?" But at least I didn't feel bad when I took their free pens and chapstick.

Anyway, the job fair was in the gym - somewhere I walk essentially everyday for basketball practice. But, for whatever reason, I chose to take a different route when walking to the job fair. Perhaps I was afraid if I took my typical "practice route" I would begin boxing people out or talking about my "offensive and defensive abilities." Not sure. Either way - on my way there I saw this:

Does it not look like someone purposely "drew" two hearts with their tires? I took it as a sign to totally abandon the whole job idea and get married. (KIDDING!) But I did think it was cool. I'm going to start taking different paths to places from now on, because I feel that when I take the same route to the same places I'm like an unobservant walking zombie half the time. Just a thought! That is all. Happy Tuesday <3

Excuse Me

I did not post on Friday. When thinking of how to tell you guys how I could not possibly have posted NO MATTER WHAT on Friday because the campus squirrels crawled through my window, invaded my room and every time I got near my computer threatened to shoot me with their bazookas, I was reminded of a story my mom once told me about excuse-making.

Basically, she and a group of other people had received invitations from this guy to some event. (yeah, I’m a really good listener).

For simplicity’s sake, let’s call the guy Mr. Pitt and say he invited her plus friends to, perhaps, the Oscars.

Sounds about right. Anyway, my mom found herself running late to the Oscars. So, when she got there, she immediately approached Mr. Pitt and said, “Hi Mr. Pitt, I’m so sorry that I’m late.”

The Oscars ensued as planned. After the Oscars, Mr. Pitt came up to my mom and said, “Hey, I just wanted to let you know, every single person who I invited today was late, too. It wasn’t just you. The difference was, with every other person who came in late, they came up to me and immediately gave me some sob story about why they were late. How their car wouldn’t start, or they hit all the red lights, or they had so much to do. You were the only person who didn’t give some pathetic excuse, and I appreciate that.”

And that is why I’m not telling you that the 4 hour bus trip and hotel WITHOUT wireless internet (apparently run by Mennonites) had nothing to do with me not posting on Friday.

Snap Judgments

The first day of classes always makes me realize how we, as humans, are so prone to making snap judgments about other people. Okay, maybe it's just me ... and I do realize that I need to work on being less judgmental. If there was a way to quantify this, I might add it to my list of New Years Resolutions. 

(Though I imagine it meeting a similar demise to my vaguely-unquantifiable-on-purpose "Eat less candy" pact I occasionally make with myself. Entire bag of "chewy sweet-tart" ballish things? Didn't stand a chance this afternoon. Yes, I even eat the obscure hard-to-name candies - no discrimination.)

I mean, I'm a big believer in the Golden Rule, and no one likes to be judged - But sometimes it's like, I'm sorry, honey, but if you're wearing high heels and a dress in a snow storm, I'm not going to bet on you being the brightest bulb in the tanning bed.

But, how many of us have walked out of a first class, where all we did was introduce ourselves - thinking Man, that was awful, I cannot wait to be done with this class! Or, even more critically (and usually a little later in the semester), How does that professor have his/her PhD?

Still, our whole lives we've been drilled to "Not judge a book by its cover." But, now we are reminded constantly of the utmost importance of First Impressions.
There's even quotes like "You never get a second chance to make a first impression."
Now, I thought we were all agreeing to ignore book covers? So why are interview outfits the end-all be-all?!

Reminds me of two other contradictory quotes "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" and "Out of sight, out of mind." I think that everyone wants to believe that their long-distance relationship falls in the former category, but then, why does the second exist? In the case high school crushes, I think the first quote applies to girls (read: Facebook stalking) and the second quote applies to boys (read: watching ESPN).

Yes, I realize this post has absolutely no focus and I'm now rambling on a tangent. To add to that, here's a picture of the sweet tart candies I was referring to:

Only my bag was, maybe, 3 times bigger?

Yep, there is officially no focus to this blog post.

Please, Don't Judge Me. :)