Five Years Ago

One thing I enjoy doing when I visit my parents is go through all the old photo files on our computer. It's always interesting to see how I've changed, whether it's the clothes that I'm wearing or the length of my hair or how I present myself. I thought I'd stumbled on to all of the old photographs on my computer, but I was wrong. I found these old photographs of myself circa 10th grade; that's five years ago!

I was all jazzed up for my 10th grade band banquet (I was in color guard all throughout high school). I had no idea what I was doing with make up. In high school, the only makeup I wore was heavy eyeliner; I was into those black on black on black ensembles. I tried to get smokey eyes, so I smudged eyeliner all over my lids; I didn't know you were supposed to use eye shadow.

And I was trying to style my hair so the ends flipped out, but only the left side cooperated.

Five years later, I hardly own anything black, and my hair is significantly longer. However, I still can't apply makeup and I still can't style my hair. Oh well.

I know the photo quality is poor; they were taken with an ancient digital camera. So, here are some newer photographs so you can see the detail.

I was obsessed with flappers, so I was absolutely delighted by the fringe on the skirt of the dress!

Little secret: This dress, I borrowed from a friend of mine. But, I moved away before I could remember to give it back to her. I hope she's not upset about her dress that is now 1177 miles away from her. I hope she doesn't accidentally stumble across this site and demand her dress back, hee hee!

Happy Thanksgiving

Photo by MyLaundryStinks.

I hope ya'll (who celebrate) have a splendid Thanksgiving! What dish are you looking forward to the most tonight? Personally, I can't wait to dig into the corn souffle and the fresh green beans with bacon. Yum, yum!

Tuesday Top 10

Thanksgiving is on Thursday, so I thought I'd create a list of the Top Ten Things for which I'm Thankful.

10. Soup. I am such a soup fiend; it's pretty ridiculous. I eat soup maybe twice a week (I've cut back; I used to eat soup nearly every day when I lived in the dorms). I don't often make homemade soup, but I do have one recipe that is superb. I'll definitely have to share it one of these days. I would be incomplete without soup.

Photo by Marchissimo

9. The sun. I went to an Alternative Energy Forum earlier this semester, and the professor delivering the lecture announced Michigan is the 3rd cloudiest state in the U.S. with over 260 cloudy days. It's not so evident during summer, but during autumn and winter it is very evident. So, I'm thankful for the summer sun, and I'm thankful for the winter sun what little we get.

8. Euchre. I hadn't heard of the game until I moved to Michigan. And, once I learned, I was hooked. It became an almost-daily ritual during my freshman year of college. My friends Matt, Ian, Aaron, and I would hang out playing euchre until 3:00 in the morning on the fourth floor of the Harvey dormitory. Some of my best college memories revolve around euchre.

7. My camera. Photography has always been apart of my life. Always. I remember dinking around the house as a four year old playing with my father's Polaroid camera. And, age eight, I received my first camera; it was a Crayola Flash 110. I've upgraded in the last 12 years to a Nikon D40. It may seem nothing special, but it's one of the loves of my life.

Photo of the Crayola Flash 110 by SqueakyMarmot

6. My Factory Jobs. They made me cry. They gave me stress headaches. Every muscle in my body ached. They were very boring and physically intensive jobs that made me want to give up every single day. But, I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did (I mean, I earned a ton of money!). Also, it helped me develop a perspective on careers, it helped me develop a great respect for factory workers, and it helped me to truly appreciate my number 5 on this list!

5. My College Education. I am very thankful my parents have helped me pay for college. I do feel kind of guilty because I've kind of been all over the place with my academic career until I finally declared a major in Practical Writing and a minor in Japanese. Sometimes I second guess myself as a writer, and sometimes I wonder if I'll have a future that will require both my writing and Japanese language skills. And, I feel kind of guilty because my parents continue to ask me "what I want to be when I grow up", and I usually don't have an answer. But, I am certain my college career will ensure a successful future for myself.

Waldo Library at Western Michigan University

4. My apartment. I'm so glad to be away from the dorms. I'm so glad to be away from icky bathrooms, and drunk girls bumbling around at 3:00 in the morning screaming, "Oh My God! We're On The Wrong Floor!" Plus, I actually have to live. I have to clean the bathroom and kitchen and I have to cook my own food (I hear those are useful skills to have post-college).

3. My roommate, Brooke. Without her I'd still be living in the dorms; it was her idea to look into apartments. And, without her I'd have yet another lame roommate. Oh, and she happens to be one of my best friends. And, she makes chocolate chip pancakes that are delicious (which is pretty impressive considering I've never cared for chocolate chip pancakes).

Myself to the left, and Brooke to the right getting married on a nice Spring day

2. Counseling. I'm actually embarrassed to admit that I went to counseling, but it's true. I spent a year in counseling, and it was one of the most important decisions I've made as a young adult. I struggled with low self-esteem and high anxiety, and I felt like I could never meet my parents expectations. Counseling helped me develop a new outlook on myself, my relationships, and well...life. (How cliche! But, it's true).

1. My family, friends, and boyfriend. They're all so supportive and understanding and fun. I don't even want think what life would be like without these amazing people. Enough said!

Even if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for?

Stressin'

It sure it pretty out, and it's not too unbearably cold. I shot this photograph from my roommate's window. I'd love to wake up and see that vibrant berry tree every morning.





I have a rough draft due tomorrow for my Shakespeare Seminar. So, I should be working on that, but instead I'm watching Tom and Jerry cartoons.

Calling All Tea Drinkers

I'm afraid this may sound a bit ridiculous, but I want to develop on appreciation for hot tea. Just the idea of tea soothes my nerves. But, I'm pretty tea-ignorant. Lately I've been sippin' on Lipton's Bedtime Story. It's kind of...well, muted with a subtle hint of spearmint.




So, to whoever stumbles over this little space, if you're a tea drinker (or, if you enjoy a cup of tea on a special occasion), what kind of tea do you enjoy?

Things I Love

Deerstalker Hats/Compliments
I love my deerstalker hat. It keeps my head and my cheeks and my chin warm when the temperature is below zero (luckily, I haven't had to deal with that kind of weather so far this semester). But, not only does it keep my head warm, it gets me loads of compliments (which is perfect when I'm having a lousy day). Today, I'm not having a lousy day, so the compliments make my day even greater. As I walked back to my apartment after class, a gal yelled from her car window, "I Love Your Hat!"

Well, I'm awfully impatient. I didn't take the time to properly focus my lens.

Taste of Africa
My roommate, Brooke, had to photograph an event called All About Africa, so I tagged along since it was right before our Womyn's Equality meeting. And, I'm glad I did because there was free food! I feel bad because I don't remember the names of the food, but whatever I ate sure was delicious. There were fried sweet potato balls, spicy rice, a spinach and feta cheese pastry, and a beef, onion, tomato, and green onion kabob that was coated in peanuts/peanut oil. The texture of the food kind of weirded me out, but it was very flavorful. I think my favorite thing from All About Africa was the Turkish Coffee. It's definitely different from the coffee I make at home or the coffee you buy from Starbucks. It was bitter and sweet (I mean, bitter, really. And I drink my coffee black).

Turkish Coffee: Sipped slowly and with the company of friends

Water
On Tuesday, a waterline burst somewhere in the city of Kalamazoo. So, there was a city-wide alert telling us not to drink the water. I never knew how much I use water until I couldn't have any. I couldn't boil my pasta, I could drink my hot cocoa, I couldn't wash any dishes I couldn't drink my hot tea, I couldn't take a shower without fear of contracting some strange, flesh eating bacteria, and I couldn't wake up to a brewing coffee pot! I don't mean to sound like a whiny brat; I'm trying to say: Water is awesome! I regret neglecting this precious source in the past. And, I'm glad it's safe and drinkable water now.


The Czech Republic
So, I've never actually visited the Czech Republic, but I've always wanted to. And, my desire to travel to the Czech Republic has only grown because my Reading Creative Non-fiction teacher talks about the Czech Republic every class. He lived there during the 80s, and he experienced the Velvet Revolution. And his (ex)wife is Czech, and his daughters life in both America and the Czech Republic. Yesterday, instead of discussing the book we're reading, Romantic Education by Patricia Hampl, which is about her visit to the Czech Republic, my teacher gave us a lesson on Czech history (and it was so interesting!)

Photo by Ramibru from the 1989 Velvet Revolution in the Czech Republic. Despite the gas masks, it was a non-violent, student lead revolution to overthrow the Communist government

My Creative Non-fiction teacher also teachers a summer abroad program in the Czech Republic. I considered participating, but eventually decided against it. It's a creative writing workshop, and a 15 page transcript is required; I don't have a 15 page transcript, and I don't think I'd be able to write one.
Oh well, there is always my graduation present to look forward too =]

Photo by faqy of Prague.

Thursday
I used to hate Thursdays. Loathe them. Thursday was the worst day of my week. And, my Florida high school pals know all about my loathing of Thursdays. BUT! Since I've been in college, I've learned to love my Thursdays. Thursdays are the end to my Academic week! What's not to love about getting out of class on Thursday at 4:00 and starting my weekend?
Ah Thursday, I love you.


Your turn! What's made your week lovely?
(psst, My panda got a mini-face lift!)

There is no tea in THIS cup

No Tuesday Top Ten today (aah, alliteration!).

Yesterday was Kalamazoo's (yes, there really is a Kalamazoo) first legitimate snowfall. Earlier in October, the clouds spat some snow and ice mixture, but the ground was too warm for it to stick-- which was fine with me because I wasn't ready for winter weather. But, yesterday's snowfall left me much delighted, so I decided to make a snow-inspired mosaic.

1. dianar87 2. tennyo-ceres 3. takato22
4. footosdotcom 5. frauplanlos 6. nayein
7. saligia 8. fraeulein 9. fangedfem
10. silverpoot 11. apolic 12. ohdopipedown

All this chilly weather has me craving hot cocoa constantly. So, I've been sipping hot cocoa loaded with big puffy marshmallows that are all melty on the bottom, nightly. I'm a Swiss Miss gal, but I'd really like to make my own cocoa mixture. A family friend has a recipe, and I may have to steal it from her.

I hope you're having a splendid Tuesday!

Link-Ease

Christmas Snowflake Cookies
Originally uploaded by Glorious Treats

I woke up this morning to a snow covered ground, so I thought it only appropriate to showcase these delicious snowflake cookies!

Otherwise, this post has little to do with cookies; be sure to check out these links:

If you're a sucker for literature and tattoos, check out
Contrariwise where individuals post photographs of their tattoos inspired by books, poetry, and song lyrics. My personal favorite is this Harry Potter inspired tattoo: Mischief Managed

Ever wanted a Motorcycle Cozy? Theresa Honeywell combines traditionally feminine crafts like knitting and embroidery with so-called masculine subjects like biking and tattoos.

Calculate your Carbon Footprint. If the entire world lived like me, we'd need 3.5 Earths to provide enough resources. What's your Carbon Footprint?
Then, check out this site to discover 50 Ways to Help the Planet.

Learn how to travel cheap Part 1 and Part 2 .

Also, check out these Ten Ways to Boost your Self-Esteem.

Things I Love

Thursday, you sneaked up on me! But, I'm glad your here.

Taking the Train Home
There is something romantic about trains-- probably because it is the most uncommon form of transportation here in the U.S. and we associate it with the
"old days". In fact, I kind of want to watch Fievel Goes West, now.


Spirited Away
I watched Spirited Away on Friday, and it kept me awake during the wee hours in the morning. Miyazaki films are so charming and magical. Spirited Away was the first Miyazaki film I watched, and I fell in love with it. Since then, my collection of Miyazaki films grows every Christmas.



Female Orgasm

"The Female Orgasm combines sex education and women's empowerment with a hearty dose of laughter." I Heart Female Orgasm
Every year, the Womyn's Equality Club sponsors Female Orgasm, and it's one of the most popular events held on campus each year. It's the sex education you wish you had in high school. I've never had the opportunity to go to Female Orgasm, but I am going tonight for sure! I'm very excited!

What's made your week so delightful?

Artist Plug

I am not a fan of hip hop. I don't appreciate lyrics about bitches and hoes, hustling and money. I don't like heavy bass rhythms. And, I don't like excessive booty shaking.

That being said, I cannot get enough of K-Os.

Claudia Matteau @ flickr

His music incorporates a wide variety of genres, including: rap, rock, reggae, and funk. And, his lyrics promote positive messages (occasionally, his lyrics criticize mainstream hip hop's obsession with money, fame, and glorification of violence).

I made a little mixtape for you so you can sample some of his songs:

1. The Love Song
2. Flypaper
3. Sunday Morning
4. Burning to Shine
5. CatDieseL

Unfortunately, Mixwit didn't have my favorite song by K-Os, so instead you'll just have to watch this Youtube video!



I hope you enjoy what you hear!

Tuesday Top 10

My Creative Non-fiction writing professor suggested many writers' voices are shaped by where they live. I've lived lotsa places, so I asked my professor, "What about me? Where is my voice from?"
He asked, "Where did you feel the happiest."
"Well, here in Michigan," I said, and someone in the back of the classroom scoffed.

I find most young adults and teenagers don't like Michigan (though this is true of most youngsters regardless of where they live). But, I suppose I can't blame people for wanting to get away from Michigan-- we're the third cloudiest state in the U.S., there are loads of little podunk towns that stifle the liberal youngsters, and Michigan has one of the highest unemployment rates in the U.S. Why would anyone want to live here?

Well, I'm quite possibly the only person of the younger generation to openly admit I Love Michigan! And, here are my Top Ten Reasons Why

10. The People here are awesome. This may be a weak reason, but it's sincere. I've never felt truly accepted by individuals until I moved here

9. Michigan is so awesome, Sufjan Stevens has an entire album dedicated to Michigan. (Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lake State). Okay, so Sufjan Stevens intends to create albums for all the states, but the Michigan album came first.

Say Yes! to Michigan.

8. Michigan is the birthplace of the Republican party, the automotive industry, and Motown. Even if you don't like Republicans, the automotive industry, or Motown, think of how different the world would be without them.

7. Michigan has four distinct seasons-- some hate this, some love this. I happen to love the four seasons. I love the rainy, cool Springs, the sweltering Summers, the colorful Autumns, and the ridiculously cold and snowy Winters.

Michigan also a fifth season called the "Construction Season". It usually coincides with Summer.
vxside @ deviantART

6. There aren't too many scary bugs up here in Michigan. When I lived in Georgia, we had to deal with the occasional scorpion. And when I lived in Florida, despite the meticulousness of my house, what big, scary bug didn't I have to deal with? In Michigan we have...the occasional biting lady bug?

5. So, Michigan might be full of podunk little towns. But, those towns have little light pollution. Have you ever admired the night sky without light pollution? This is one of my favorite features about Michigan; I can walk out of my house and practically hit my head on the stars of the big dipper.

Toja77... @ deviantART

4. Concord, MI produces some of the best peaches, my favorite fruit, on the face of the Earth. Georgia has nothing on these peaches!

3. Depending on what city you visit (or what part of the city you visit), the city may or may not be attractive. Ann Arbor is nice-- Detroit, maybe not so much. But who cares about cities when Michigan has a lot of untouched, natural beauty (especially in northern Michigan). It's a land of lakes, forests, and sand dunes!

Sleeping Bear Dunes and Tahquamenon Falls

2. Michigan has tons of beaches. Bet you didn't know that. I read somewhere that Michigan has the world's largest freshwater coastline. This fact makes me want to visit South Haven and swim in Lake Michigan!

1. Where else can you point to the palm of your right hand to show where you live?


So, I've told you why love where I live. It's your turn to tell me why you love where you live!

I get by with a little help from my friends

I played around with my friends, long exposures, and cellphones on Friday, and we captured these photographs. Originally, my friend, Ian, and I planned to spend a few hours playing around with glow sticks and my camera, but Ian ended up jetting off to some party two hours away in Lansing. No hard feelings though.

Some kind of devil

My boyfriend, Marty, came for a visit this weekend. It was a much needed visit. We bought a new video game intending to play it all night. But, I started asking him about his family and their traditions (he's Mexican). I felt really embarrassed asking him questions because I didn't want to seem ignorant. But, he ended up telling me all sorts of stories for over an hour, and it was really intriguing.

Later that evening, we wandered around campus. We looked at the new sculptures put up near the art building, and we read all the advertisements plastered to the cement advertising structures around campus.

I drew a light heart for Marty!

I have a ridiculous about of homework to do-- a Japanese essay, and essay on race, and three acts of Henry V. Hope you all had a swell weekend; what did you do?

A wave Goodbye

Things I Love

Jon and Kate Plus Eight
I don't get it. I don't understand why this show is so addictive, but I'm hooked!
One of the gals in my business writing class suggested I should watch the show.
I didn't take her advice until four months later during summer vacation. Every day after work, my boyfriend, Marty, and I would settle down and flip on the TV to watch Jon and Kate Plus Eight. (I'm not so sure he'd be too pleased to find out I spilled the secret of his guilty pleasure...)
Yesterday, the Gosselins went to Lego Land! And, on Monday, Jon and Kate renew their wedding vows. Dawww!

Final Fantasy VIII
This happens at the end of every semester. As teachers assign final essays, tests, and reading assignments, I always have the sudden urge to waste countless hours playing video games instead of study. This semester, I happen to be playing Final Fantasy VIII-- perhaps my favorite video game of all time.

Autumn's Colors
There are some gorgeous trees right outside my apartment. They all have bright yellow leaves that pop against the blue sky. The yellow reminds me of a tree I used to climb when I was a kid living in Ohio. Sitting in the tree, I was surrounded by yellow. Then, I'd hear (or my friend's and I would hear) the owner of the house yelling at us from below, "You get out of that tree right now! You're going to fall and break your arms!"

This is an older photograph. It's about a year old and taken in my hometown.

The Election
'nuff said!

The week is almost over!

I voted

Again, it's a day late, but I did want to say, I voted, and it felt amazing!
Maybe this is really cheesy, but I really feel like I helped changed history.

The old guy that took my ballot cover sheet asked right before I walked out, "Was to day your first time voting?" I said, "Yes". And, he said, "You did a good job."

I have to say, I am totally stoked Obama won! I really hope he can bring the change we need.

My friend, Ian, and I sat on his couch from 8:00pm-11:00pm watching the election coverage. It was intense. We cheered every time Obama won a state. At 11:00pm, when they announced Obama as the winner, Ian and I walked outside, and we could hear a horde of students somewhere on campus erupt in cheers. It. was. so. invigorating.

Tuesday Top 10

How to Beat those Winter Blues
It's now November, which means, if you already haven't experienced it, cold weather is almost here. I'm kind of baffled by the weather here in the great MI (that's Michigan); it's November, and it's 69 degrees outside. That's not typical MI weather for November.

The epitome of Michigan in winter: Monochromatic.

Typical MI winter weather is freezing temperatures and grey skies-- five months of freezing temperatures and grey skies. Sunny days in winter are hard to come by, and I think it drives us Michiganders a little mad. So, here are my top ten ways to stay sane during the winter months!

10. Take care of yourself. Wintertime is a high stress time and a high illness time. Listen to your body and know when you need to take a moment for yourself or visit the doctor.

9. Pamper yourself. Even the little indulgences can boost your mood. So draw up a warm bath with your favorite smelling bath soaps, sink into the sudsy water, and read the book you've been meaning to read for the past three months.

I'm fond of the Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy line.

8. Stay warm inside. Snuggle up with a loved one on the couch and watch a movie. Enjoy sitting by a warm fire place. Drink hot cocoa or warm, spiced teas.

7. Use the weather to your advantage. It may be grey outside, but there are plenty of winter time activities to take part in. Go sledding, go ice skating, build a snowman, build a snow fort, have a snowball fight, go snowboarding. Make sure you're bundled up, but get out of your house sometimes!

Image from Tiger-Tom @ deviant ART

6. Break up the routine. Try a new hobby. Plan a card night with friends. Cook a big pot of stew. Even redecorate your home. Move around that furniture, and paint that wall a different color!

Try a new recipe. Photo from ShaiKhai @ deviant ART

5. Take advantage of the available sunlight. This may mean go to bed early and wake up early. Or tough it up on extra cold days when the sun is out and go sledding.

4. Eat healthy. Stay away from excessively fatty and refined foods. Stick to veggies and fruit and complex carbs. Also, eat Omega-3 fatty acids; studies show these fatty acids are linked to decreased depression, so munch on some walnuts, tofu, soybeans, and fish. Also enjoy the occasional dark chocolate because it releases those feel good chemicals!

3. Join a Club. Clubs will certainly get you out of the house and mingling with some new AND familiar people. Joining a club can help you forget about murky weather outside.

2. Although hibernating may sound like a good idea, don't turn into a bear. Exercise! Exercising burns off extra stress, and it releases serotonin into your system.

Photo from ichimusai @ flickr.

1. More serious cases of the winter blues, like Seasonal Affective Disorder, should be brought to a doctors attention because they require more serious treatments such as light therapy.



How do you battle the Winter Blues?

Happy Halloween!

I know it's a day late, but Happy Halloween!

Last night, I scampered over to Ian's Halloween, costume party/Brian + Greg's birthday party.

Yours truly, dressed as a fairy! It's not the most original idea, but it was still fun. I was especially fond of the glitterfest around my eyes.

Also attending the party were some Batman villains. Brooke and her boyfriend, Jason, dressed up at Poison Ivy and the Joker. And, our friend whose 21st birthday we were celebrating, Brian, dressed up as Two Face.

Kara dressed as a gypsy, and Ian dressed as a girl. A rather unattractive one, at that. But, I have to admit, he had a killer body in that blue dress =p.

And, this lovely couple dressed as a butterfly and a butterfly catcher.

As far as Ian's house parties go, this party was pretty tame. I think only 20 people showed up, and usually upwards of 50 college kiddies show up. But, I think I liked the more intimate atmosphere.

How did you all spend your Halloween? Who did you dress up as?