Count Down

It's been a while. I suppose it's the normal excuse that I've been busy...GRADUATING that is.

Still no job, as of now but I'm continuing to grad school afterwards so I'm only 75% worried about the rest of my life and what will happen next.

So here's my countdown.

Something about NOLA

Visited New Orleans for the first time for a conference this past weekend.  
 The  streets of New Orleans are something to be experienced! It's not quite what I was expecting

(Bourbon Street, that is) but the architecture and the urban environment  
were E X P L O D I N G with culture. I loved the sidewalk restaurants with  
open doors out onto the street and the liveliness of the people  
inside. And the music! Love.  

 

There's nothing particularily special about Walgreens, but my neighborhood Walgreens certainly doesn't look like this.

Beignets. My heaven on earth. Pretty much had them every night..,just a mouth full of fried powered sugar goodness.

And my Goodwill skirt for a banquet. Why wear an old prom dress when Goodwill has something new (one man's trash is another man's treasure)?

 

The trip was awesome although just about everything went wrong. I suppose that's what makes a trip memorable. From renting a mini van (yes, six twenty-something year olds cruising in a mini van), hotel room screw-ups and toilet overflows. I can laugh at it now. Minty (which we refer to the minivan as) was pretty nice though. Eight cup holders and an outlet...nice for a road trip.

Open Road

Home for Spring Break! Finals are over, and I'm so relieved it's almost ridiculous.

There's something soothing about a long drive on the highway, up until you hit the seven hour mark, then I think it changes from being enjoyable to unbearable and it's just time to get out of the car. Or at least that's my take on road trips (when I'm driving). But the open road on a beautiful day, no traffic and incredibly loud music are nice for the most part. Gives me time to clear my head, contemplate and sing loudly (and definitely off key) all to myself while caring less if the cars next to me are judging my dance moves. 

 This week will be filled with internship applications, preparing for Paris and designing graduation announcements. And as boring as it may sound to some, I'm so excited about it! A stress-free week is exactly what I need.

Tests, Speeches, Presentations...oh my.

It's finals week! So quite frankly I don't know why I'm smiling. Maybe it's because I've conquered this ten other times (10 school quarters, wow).

The next few days will be full of tests, speeches, presentations and unhealthy amounts of sleep. That's college right?

I was contemplating the other day about the best time in my life so far. What's yours? Undoubtedly, I would say that it has been my college days. And then I thought, if I could start all over and go back to the beginning, would I do it all over again? Enjoy those crazy moments, late nights, the success, the failures all over again? I loved it, but absolutely not. I wouldn't do it again. 

I like to think of my life as a chapter book. A well-written, hilariously witty, contemplative and motivating chapter book. A possible best seller! As authors we are responsible for writing our own stories. In every "chapter" of our lives we should strive to make it the time of our lives. We should take every moment and embrace it, make it "the time I'll never forget". It makes me wonder about people who live in the past and forget to embrace the present. I like to refer to them as "17-again" individuals. The greats of high school or college even, but nothing else.

 

  This is only one section of my life story and I would hate for college to be the best time of my life. I hope know my story will only get more interesting.

A Day Late

I know that I'm a day late, but here it goes anyway. Happy Valentine's Day.

I'm such as sucker for Valentine's Day. Beyond the commercial side, the aisles of gifts and expensive flowers.

It's a day to forget that love letters are a bit mushy and embrace the overly romantic inner you that might not even exist the other days out of the year. Where cheesy handmade gifts are perfectly acceptable and cards are that much more memorable. It's a day to go out on a limb and express love to people you wouldn't have shown that much attention to otherwise. 

Remember the Super Mario Brothers, PowerRanger and Mickey Mouse Valentine's Day cards everyone used to get in elementary school? It was the simple fact that someone thought enough of you to scribble your name on that little square card, seal it with a sticker and place it in your cubby. 

So yes, I'm a sucker for Valentine's Day, a lover of love and enough of a romantic for those who aren't.

“So it's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday.”
 

― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

No Beads, Just Smiles

 Enjoyed Dallas for Mardi Gras break these past few days. I've seen wonderful buildings (as an architecture student it's kind of hard to drive around any city and not look at the buildings) , enjoyed my boyfriend and his family's company and chilled for a few days when I should have been typing this eight page paper. Getting on that now. 

I was introduced to Central Market, the grocery store with it all (no, seriously), impressed by the Dallas trolly and enjoyed some NY Cheesecake yogurt.  Perfecto when paired with chocolate!

 

Is anyone else as amped up about Valentine's Day as I am?

Run Forest

 Lately I feel like all I do is run. Not running in the sense of an athlete. Not necessarily running from, more like running to. To class, to lunch five minutes before class, to community service, to work, from work, to the architecture building, to print my project, to turn in my project, you get the point...

Sometimes life just gets so busy I don't know when to stop.

Time to take a breather! We're on Mardi Gras break for the next few days (for people like me who aren't from Louisiana, the state actually takes off for this, who knew?). Louisiana is definitely the only state that takes it this serious. But nonetheless, headed to Dallas for a little fun for a few days.

♥ Happy Friday