back to school bucket list revisited

At the beginning of sophomore year, I made a "back to school bucket list."  Let's see how well I did...

• Make more friends.  I'd say yes, I did. Mostly I realized that the friends are there for me to have, but I am introverted and it's hard for me to put myself in situations where these friendships tend to thrive (like a party), so it feels like I don't.  There are a few people I am really excited to get to know better, and I am obviously stoked to bond with my London trip.  Progress!
• Bake more treats (this will probably help with the friend-making).  I'd say I made a fair amount of treats!
• Force my friends to have holiday parties with me (even if it's just me feeding them baked treats in my decorated room).  YES.  Claire and I had a lovely Valentine's Day get together.  Now that I will be living in a house, the holiday parties will be essential this fall.  I can't wait to decorate the house!  
• Save money & budget.  Doin' alright. 
• Go on fun & cheap dates with Ted.  We definitely cut back this year, but still had a ton of fun.  Lots of awesomely free musicals and theatre.  
• Have more girls nights.  I still need to initiate more of these, but I had my moments--like when Claire and I watched 500 Days of Summer and ate a whole frozen pizza from Maggie's or when I had the room to myself and watched The Devil Wears Prada and painted my nails.  A girl needs nights like these in the midst of stressful schoolwork!
• Write for the school newspaper.  I didn't do this, although I did join the Literary Review.
• Get more involved.  I'm definitely getting more and more involved in the theatre department--I designed for a dance piece in the fall, and a senior thesis show in the spring.
• Speak up more in classes.  It's a struggle, man. I'm working on it.
• Eat healthier so I have more energy.  I got myself to like salads!  I consider this a personal victory.
• Go hiking and enjoy the beautiful nature around me.  I didn't much, but it happened!
• Go on an outdoors trip.  I did!  It was great!
• Exercise. (You guys, I have never set foot into a gym... Embarrassing.)  I went to yoga for two hours once a week.  I am still trying to develop a personal routine.
• Write more.  Somewhat.
• Sketch more.  YES--I was in Drawing I this spring.  My favorite was figure drawing, which thrilled me because that's what I came to improve!  I am super stoked for Drawing II, which is focused on the figure.  I do need to get into a habit of practicing, practicing, practicing! 
• Be more confident in my work.  Getting closer.
• Call my family and friends more (not that I didn't last year, but you can never have too much love in your life).  I'd say I am pretty good at this.
• Become more direction-savvy.  Please.  I try really hard, guys.  And the past couple of weeks I have even started driving in Portland for the very first time!  It's basically everything that stresses me out about driving--pedestrians, rain, hills.  Woo hoo!

Half way done with undergrad.  What a crazy thing.

fashion break: anna sui fall 2013

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I just had to share this post I found, because it's so on point--this collection has Blair Waldorf written all over it and I am in love.

10 things that make me happy

 

Dates with Ted.  I love hanging out with this guy.  We always have so much fun whatever we're doing--even if it's packing. But it's SO nice to take a break for an hour and get some sushi.  Especially when we are in the midst of packing.  Also:  I officially get to see him again in less than a week!

 

My newly-discovered love of Ben & Jerry's "Chocolate Therapy" ice cream.  IT IS SO GOOD.  I have never been a chocolate ice cream person, but when Claire found an abandoned melted one of these outside a dorm kitchen fridge and grabbed it for us to eat that night (that's college for ya, folks)....well, it was love at first scoop.  I insisted that I buy some to power through the packing with Ted the other night. It worked.

Arrested Development. Yes. So stoked for the new season!

Eating outside.  Monday was beautiful, but of course Portland has been raining the rest of the week. It's been raining almost constantly.  Oh well.  Monday was a lovely day, and I soaked it up as much as possible.

Time to read books for fun!  I have this book to finish (I started it over Spring break!) and a pile of more books to begin.  So thankful for summertime reading.  Monday I read outside a good amount--a great way to spend an afternoon.

I get to go home soon to my lovely family (!!!!!)...

 ...and cuddle this cutie.

Daydreaming about London.  Posts like this one make me swoon.

A dog visit.  This is the dog of the landlord of the house I am currently living in.  Buddy was pretty sweet (not as sweet as Izzy though).

And lastly, I'm happy to have been given this random two week opportunity to live "on my own" in Portland (I have an internship through school) so I get a taste of college life outside of the dorms, and most importantly, of you know, REAL LIFE.  Like...buying groceries and deciding what to do with myself each day...that weird stuff. 

Life is weird, but it's good.

thursday thrills

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Further proof that Zooey is adorable and talented.

Good news for those in the PNW:  Wet hair is apparently "in."

This bread looks really fun and makes a great "treat for every season" because the shape possibilities are endless.

One of my best friends re-vamped her blog!

I'm glad I found this toast post (hehe), because lately I've been loving toast (namely, covered in avocado and fried egg).

New HBO show:  Family Tree.  Two episodes in and I'm hooked.


Happy weekend.  xoxo

is it raining in pdx/phx

OF COURSE IT'S RAINING IN PORTLAND.  But it seems so wrong for a desert girl for me.  Sure, I'm used to summer monsoons in Phoenix, but even when those hit, it's still extremely warm.  And thunderstorm-y. 

I'm used to the 98 degrees-variety of summer. (And no, that doesn't mean spending the summer listening to the 90's boyband 98 degrees. Oh man, googling them brought back some memories.  Also, appropriate song lyrics "you're the sunshine after the rain"--that's about you, Phoenix.)  This 50 degrees stuff is going to take some getting used to.  At least I have a pile of books and a script to read for my internship to keep me occupied indoors.  

roommate staycation

Claire and I were fortunate enough to be able to stay in Ted's room for a few days after we had to move out of our room (which was AWESOME because moving out was a mess and it would have been a shame to have to say goodbye during such a stressful time).  I dubbed this our "roommate staycation" because we were roommates in a different room across campus.  We had fun lounging around watching movies and embarrassing TV online, grocery shopping, making food, and soaking up our last few days as roommates.  I'm sure going to miss this lady, but I know that we will both have a blast studying abroad and will come back refreshed and full of new experiences to take on senior year.  It's weird to think that I won't be seeing a lot of people until senior year, but I hope the circumstances help me branch out more and connect with the other people going on my London trip.  I'm just happy that this year I was lucky enough to have such a great friend as a roommate!

wanderluster vs. homebody

I have a busy summer ahead of me.  A part of me loves this, and another part of me really just wants to cuddle Izzy and watch House Hunters at my house.  I'm very conflicted in that way.  I think what I need is a good balance.  Last summer I was literally home for four months straight aside from a two week trip to California.  This summer I am going to be mobile all summer, going from one place to the other.  It's exciting, but also way out of my comfort zone.  That's good for me though--I need to get used to this real life stuff so I'm not as shell shocked when I graduate in TWO YEARS.  What even is that.  Time, you're crazy.  

Also related:  My sweet graduating friend who went on the London program last year gave me a list of things to do there and I could not be more excited.  AHHHH!

my style, then & now

then

now

Recently I started using tumblr again (as one does when finals come around), and I've realized how my style has evolved since I started it a few years ago.  I started it as a pursuit to encapsulate all that is "sweet, pastel & lovely" which eventually evolved into a place with more obsessive things like Darren Criss, Harry Potter, and Glee.  Now it's become more like my true style--colorful and classy, with a sense of humor and handmade-ness.  This is a pretty pointless post, but it's something I noticed and it makes me happy to see that my style is evolving into something I now recognize is more me.

That's all.  It's summer and I'm going to post pointless things because...

it's summer.

WHATCHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT?

Okay, bye now.

dinner at hogwarts

Every year the theatre department has a senior dinner to honor the graduating seniors.  This year, if you can believe my luck, was Harry Potter-themed.  I was also fortunate enough to be a part of the planning.  As a member of the food committee, I made some killer lemon bars (they were a hit!) and mini pumpkin pies.  Of course there were also chocolate frogs, amongst other sweets.  It was my idea to have a dessert trolley!  Everyone loved that, especially when we got the theatre department secretary (an adorable old lady) to cart it onto the stage.  Ted, being the sweetheart he is, also helped out with food and chopped 234302095 mushrooms and onions for the shepard pies.  Just because!  He couldn't resist being a part of the magic, I suppose.  

Obviously, the "set" was pretty awesome.  Everything was on the mainstage--there were the four house tables, a forbidden forest, a potions "dudgeon," a common room (my favorite), and other various props like broomsticks and mirrors.  The mini stage for the skit and speakers was a quidditch field.  Of course!

I was Professor Umbridge, marking the first time I've dressed up as a Harry Potter villan.  It was pretty funny.  I borrowed the hat, skirt, and jacket from the costume shop, but everything else was mine--including the schnauzer brooch (Umbridge was a cat lover, but I didn't want to spend money/search endlessly for a cat brooch)!  I added pink tulle bows to my loafers.  Ted was originally going to be a Gryffindor student, until I got the brilliant idea that he could go as schoolboy Hagrid.  So he roughed his look up a bit and we found him a giant fluffy spider from a costume store to be Aragog.  It was pretty adorable.  

Another great thing: two of the professors (and one of the professor's husband) formed a band and played a set for us.  One of the seniors (who I worked in the costume shop with) played a SAW for one of the songs.  Classic Lewis & Clark moment right here.  

The night was magical, and reminded me why I am a theatre major--we're creative, fun people that know how to throw a themed party.  What's not to love?

thursday thrills

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This is brilliant.  I want to see more!

These shoes look delicious.

The PNW has been beautiful lately--here's a lovely outfit to match the lovely weather.

For toddlers?  More like for Kaylie.

As if I need another photo app to obsess over... But I'm super excited.


Happy weekend, everyone!  Hope your summer is coming soon if it hasn't already.  xoxo

summer angst part 2

I SHOULD BE EATING HOMEMADE POPSICLES AND DANCING TO THIS SONG IN THE SUN.

But instead it's 1:30am and I slept way too much last night/took a tiny nap today so I can't justify not working on finals stuff for at least a little longer, because we all know I'm going to sleep in regardless of when I go to sleep.  On a brighter note, I'm not freaking out anymore about the presentation.

What's up with the two posts in a night?  I swear that when I actually HAVE STUFF TO DO, I literally am all over tumblr and this blog.

Oh well.  Listen to the Blondie cover and think summer-y thoughts.

so close, but so far

taken by ted

At 4pm this Friday, I will be done with my second year of college.  Half way done with undergrad.  What.

But all I can think about is how I have to give a presentation (with a partner, thank god) sometime between those last three hours of school.  I have spoken the least in this class, so I am hoping everyone will be so shocked to hear me speak that they will be extremely impressed or not be able to focus on what I am stumbling out.

Ugh.  As you may have gathered, I'm not much of a public speaker.

But then it will be summer.  And life will be good.  And busy.  And summer.  Summer summer summer.

Things to look forward to this summer (because I need to calm down and focus on happy things):

♥ Internship in May and August assisting the costume designer for the Fall main stage production of The Marriage of Figaro

♥ Going home for most of June and July, and some of August (!!!)

♥ Hanging out with family and friends, cuddling Izzy, HGTV

♥ Being home for my parents' birthdays

♥ Time to craft, bake, blog

♥ Avocados & sorbet & 1/2 off frozen yogurt PJ Wednesdays

♥ Developing a yoga routine

♥ Leaky Con in Portland

♥ Family trip to Denver

♥ Blogger Family Meetup in Austin

♥ Actually reading for fun

♥ Arrested Development

♥ and so many other happy things

roomie date

This Friday was a "reading day" so I finished up an essay, turned it in, and met Claire at the bus stop to go downtown.  Studying is important, but so is getting in some one-on-one time with your roommate that you won't see for a year due to studying abroad different semesters (yeah, let's not talk about that). Yes, we do live together and see each other a ton, but that's different--getting out and having an adventure in the sun is crucial.

We brought some light studying to do in Tea Chai Te, but mostly we chatted and explored NW 23rd. It was warm and sunny (THANK YOU PORTLAND), so bubble tea, ice cream, and burgers were an obvious choice. We found fun vintage stuff to try on, bacon and macaron everything, and a DOG WALL--emphasis on the dog wall (we're kind of obsessed).  So it was the loveliest of Spring days.

I am very thankful for a top notch roommate, warm sunny days, and the promise of summer!  Also, burgers.