I love my roommate/best friend/sister Shell and the wonderful times we've been having together

I am overjoyed by the abundant sunshine today.

Recording week starts tonight; this means a lot of singing, a lot of standing, and a lot of growing.

A couple of my classes have been rough recently...

so I'm just praying that my diligence stays up and my morale stays strong

Times spent at the piano bench this last week have been both rewarding, relaxing, and productive

And I miss my mom something terrible


just a sidenote, a lot of the pictures I use now are simply from tumblr; meaning that one) I don't claim ownership, and two) they may or may not have any relevance to what I just wrote about :)

Saturday mornings (afternoons?) like today make me happy.

slept in
worked out
didn't shower (probably should now)
ate the staple meal of wheat toast, almond butter, sliced banana, and a mug of coffee (or three)
nail-painting fiesta with the girls in the wing
still enjoying being with all of them
etc etc etc

Oo, and Fridays like yesterday make me happy too. (after classes, that is)

took an purposeful nap, which accidentally lasted 3 hours
woke up and went to my lovely friend Rachel's apartment
there we enjoyed a homemade vegan meal prepared by her, which included:

artichoke leaves & hummus
a kamut pasta dish with potatoes, black beans, squash, and tomatoes (a tex-mex feel; mm, zesty)
a fruit and hemp-oat cobbler with espresso roast coffee

our good friend Oliver showed up halfway through the meal
we all chatted and laughed and ate
then I continued to hang out with Oliver, and enjoyed a night with his apartment-mates
and at midnight we made homemade waffles with jam
(college is really all about the fourth-meal)

I just love people and food and school.

Thank you Lord for so many wonderful blessings.

fun fact of the week:
I ran out of gas for the first time, right as I coming back to Jessup. My dad will probably scoff at me. But not until my mom to stalks me and reads this, and then tells him, and then tells me.

I have been craving this for too long! When I decided to take a break from Facebook, subconsciously there was the thought that it would hopefully open up more time to blog...wrong. It actually means that I'm at my computer even less. There is plenty to share, though!

Being back at school is, no surprise here, wonderful. Yesterday I ended up dropping one of my English electives for a different English elective, and it happens to be online, so I now have a very doable, breathable, and yes, enjoyable schedule. Anything would have been better than the craziness of last semester. It's encouraging; I'm still a double-major, still at 18 units, but there is now lunch in my daily diet and at least one break a day. Who would've thought?

I'm also really starting to pursue this tangible dream of writing as a career. Yesterday afternoon, my adviser and perma-professor Sherry (I have had her every semester since being at Jessup) talked for over 2 hours in her office while sipping Whole Foods tea. That is what I love about this school. We chatted about anything and everything, and the wheels in my brain started turning at a very high speed. There is SO much out there that I can work to achieve through writing. As a start, I think I am going to be unofficially apart of the school's newspaper, where I will implement the Food/Art/Music section. I already have a plethora of ideas to share, and that in itself excites me, because in high school when I was actively involved in Journalism, my heart wasn't fully in it, and I didn't invest in what I was reporting on. Now, though, with my booming passions for [organic, healthy, pure] food, nutrition, the community, art, and writing...there is an endless amount of topics to write and share.

Already, check out this awesome, local movement.
Look at this addition of another, already well-loved coffee shop in Sacramento.
And check out this insanely healthy product to add into your diet.

Green Literature is a class that has only fueled all of this within me. We eat treats that Sherry brings from Whole Foods (such as organic dark chocolate) while discussing beautiful literature and watching enlightening videos. I cannot wait to continue to learn and really start investing in everything that is bubbling within me!

Happy Thursday, loves.

 this semester:
learn to apply schoolwork to life and the big picture; retain the information, and take advantage of it

be super diligent in piano practice. that 12-page contemporary piece is not going to learn itself...

make sure to experience everything to its fullest

and of course, keep on delving into that lovely relationship that demands all attention and focus: the Lord

And, in the words of the wise Billy Madison,

Back to school. Back to school, to prove to Dad that I’m not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don’t get in a fight. Ohhhh, back to school. Back to school. Back to school. Well, here goes nothing.

 

My life motto

Break is so long. I'm ready to get back to friends and adventures. Two days home from Seattle and already I am a bored wreck. I am embracing my messy hair though. Vacation=no need to shower everyday=glorious.

Looking forward to this weekend though! I'm finally going to make it up to Rocklin for Metro, thank you Jesus. And hopefully I can squeeze in a reunion with the gym too...if so, that will deserve a Hallelujah, thank you Jesus. Amen.

California, oh California, I am so sad to be acquainted with you again after spending 4 unbelievable days in Seattle. Let's be frank; you just can't compete with that clean, crisp air, the hustle and bustle of the city, and the ability to view all things beautiful in a mere 360° head turn—water, mountain, city, and country. Yes, Seattle is all that and more. I like you still, (since I have to, since I live here) but don't be alarmed or hurt if I leave you in the future. Love, me.

The flight was a piece of cake too, so I guess I can almost qualify myself as a world-class traveler, and I suppose this means I will be able to get back on a plane going somewhere more than 2 hours away. Good news all around, folks.

Okay but truthfully! Seattle was an absolute experience. (I sense a theme for 2011...) I fell in love. Seattle is the cleaner, nicer, classier, better version of San Francisco. I still love SF, but Seattle is just so much more beautiful. The air quality alone could win me over. It is so...breathable. New Year's Eve was the perfect time to go, too. The environment was unreal. There was enough people to feel this incredible surge of anxious, excited energy, but not so many that it was overwhelming and became undesirable (which is how I often feel in places like downtown Sac on a busy night or driving in SF). That day we walked everywhere, seeing Pike's Place Market, sipping some coffee from the Original Starbucks, (unfortunately it tastes the same) visiting the infamous 'gum wall,' and then heading to the Space Needle at night for the fireworks show! That was incredible. Beforehand we had time to kill, so inside at the Seattle Center there were tons and tons of people staying out of the cold, dancing to the live band's music, and simply enjoying the wait for the countdown! I love dancing and live bands that play hokey rock music and MJ.

The next couple days were spent in Seattle as well, where we went to the Experience Music Project Museum, which had a feature on Jimi Hendrix (much to the boys' amusement and uncontrollable joy). We went to this great swing-dancing place the second night, which was insanely fun and only cost $5, and then the next day Matt's parents took us around to sight-see! It was the absolute perfect trip, with great friends, so many laughs, and many new memories. All of my favorite things.

And now (in conjunction with some conversations I've been having about my future this last month) I am getting excited about looking into writing as a career option—possibly writing for a magazine, such as Seattle Magazine or wherever. They offer internships and I am definitely thinking about applying. To be in a city, writing, observing, interviewing, learning, eating...(food writer, anyone?) sounds right up my alley and is really quite realistic! Better start blogging more to practice ;)

Happy New Year everyone!!! Hope your breaks are treating you well.

ps I apologize for all the slightly blurry and not-too-fancy photos! They all hail from my phone's camera.