Christmas

I'm leaving tomorrow morning to Idaho. I won't have internet, that I know of, so I'll be spending my time skiing, petting dogs, and taking pictures. Have a merry Christmas, everyone!

Stars on my Ceiling

I've managed to stay off the internet for quite a few days now, I'm kind of proud of myself. At the same time, I could have given myself some entertainment if I'd somehow thought of the internet (I'm not sure why it slipped my mind).

Today, in an e-mail from my school concerning the construction that is, in a way, taking over a large portion of the campus, I read the following:

"Dedicated flagger will control pedestrian traffic flow"

The flagger in the place they are referring to have to be very dedicated. They control the "pedestrian traffic flow" for about three to five trucks, and especially now, I can't imagine there are all that many people walking around campus. I've always wondered what a flagger does while they have nothing to direct.

Anyway, I thought that since I am not really doing anything at all, I really have no excuse not to post anything.

Don't you think "stars on my ceiling" would make an excellent story or book title? Maybe I'm the only one that thinks of things that way.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I'm going to go on an adventure. I'm tired of being a hermit that hides inside all day. I love winters, why am I trying to hide from them? Mostly though, I need to take pictures, it's more than a desire, it is a need. And there really isn't anything I'm interested in taking pictures of inside this house.

Isn't the light in this photo beautiful?

source

Maybe

Maybe I'm looking at everything wrong. Maybe I don't really know anything at all.

My fingers look so fat.

Thinking Hard

When it comes to giving gifts, I'm just plain awful. I always am looking for the perfect thing, something to show someone exactly how much I care for them. That can be a hard thing to find. As the holidays are approaching, I've had to start thinking of gift ideas for people, it isn't going all that well. I know that I'll find something for everyone on my list, but it's a difficult thing for me to do. And most of the time I feel that my gifts aren't really everything I want them to be. However, I do love wrapping things. Give me a pile of gifts and I will wrap them all, I don't guarantee their attractiveness, but they usually turn out decently and I enjoy myself.

Stupidity and Excitement

Let's have a discussion of some of the many stupid things I have said lately (some of them may have to be put into context):

"The point is, you don't look creepy weird." -to Shawn

"That isn't a real mountain, it doesn't go above treeline and there isn't any snow. What's wrong with you?" -not so recent, last year when visiting southern Oregon with a southern Oregonian

"I don't close my blinds because I don't want to live in a cave, like some people." -to the person whose room I happened to be standing in (while their blinds were closed)

The point is, I say stupid, mean things. I don't mean to, I don't like coming off as mean, but I do sometimes. It's something I used to try to keep from doing, but more and more I've realised that that is just part of who I am sometimes. As unfortunate as that can be at times. I don't know why I'm discussing this. Mostly I'm trying to kill time while my sheets dry, I've got a while.

In other, not very exciting news, I fit my hair into a ponytail today! It's only an inch and a half or so long and most of my hair is in pins, but the point is... it's in a ponytail!

I guess I'll get back to getting ready to go to Bend tomorrow. It's not very exciting though, but neither is the internet right now.

Today

Today I cleaned everything, well I'm still cleaning, but it will all be done before I go to bed. Right now I am drinking chai (yes, I do somehow plan on falling asleep later) and just finished putting up some Christmas lights, even though I am leaving for Bend tomorrow. Christmas gives me mixed feelings, I have a lot of really great childhood memories from the holidays, but lately, they aren't always so great. But we won't get into that. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about gifts this year, I love giving gifts (even though I feel like I am really horrible at it) but I'm really low on funds right now. Any ideas? Anyone?

Busy, busy

It's been a busy busy week, but it's all over with now. My finals were finished with this morning, so no more worrying about getting things done and studying. It feels so nice to have it all done with, though I have to admit, I am dreading my next term. I'm not going to have much time for anything, but I have three and a half weeks to relax and not worry about it. I can't wait to get back to Bend, there is snow on the ground right now. I am envisioning a winter break full of snowball fights, sledding, skiing, snowman building, and maybe a little ice skating. I'm not really sure how much of that I'll actually do, but I can always dream, right? I'm also hoping to see if I can get that canon camera up there to work, but to do that I need to get film... which I've been meaning to do since September, but with no more school, I might actually get around to it.

Color: Grey

Maybe there is a connection.

Maybe grey is the right color for this time.

Maybe I was right when I wanted to be wrong.

Headless

Thinking is not a good idea tonight. I'm getting lost. In my missing head. It's so foggy in there.

So Fantastic!

Just popping in before the studying extravaganza begins... Fantastic Mr. Fox: not only one of my favorite books anymore; now... one of my favorite movies. I can't contain my excitement as I was just looking at screen shots. I think everyone needs to go see it! NOW!

Isn't it over?

It seems this term of school and all its reading has been going on forever. Luckily, I only have a week and a half or so. I can't wait for winter break to start, having a break from schoolwork will be so nice. As will going skiing... of course. I'm not going to be around much until my finals are over with.

sources: 1. 2. 3.

Home and snow

I went back to Bend for Thanksgiving and today it snowed for just a little bit, I was so excited I jumped up and down in circles while squealing. It's stopped for now, but I still am happy to have seen it.

Friendly Mail

Today I received a letter in the mail for my participation in my good friend's over at Table B5's new project "Try It Tuesdays." It was probably sitting in the mailbox for a while, but since I don't check my mail very often, I just found it today. It was so sweet and I have to say that it's a very fun idea, so everyone should go and try it, as of yet there isn't one for this week up yet, but I'm sure it will be just as fun as the past couple of weeks have been.

Thanks Rachel for such a sweet note it made my day, and thanks to both Rachel and Nicole for making Tuesdays a little more fun.

How to...

...avoid homework:

Build a fort and hide away in it. Everyone knows Sundays never exist under blankets and chairs.

Winter

I know it's only November, it hasn't even been Thanksgiving yet, but I feel like autumn is over and winter is here. I think part of it is that the winter rains have started and back in Bend, there is snow. My family went skiing today... it must be winter. When I think of winter I think of hot cocoa, cozy blankets, and reading (in a relaxing, recreational way). Unfortunately, this winter I am set to take a very full schedule so the only reading I'll be doing for a while will be for school. This isn't always a bad thing, but I do enjoy my novels and have quite a collection of unread books sitting around that I want to tackle. The light that winter brings, especially here in Portland, makes me want to procrastinate and avoid my homework (or maybe I'm just making up excuses for myself). There is a stillness in the cold grey light of winter that I don't think I've ever really found anywhere else, it is quite magical actually.

Being a girl

It seems that as much as I want to wear dresses and skirts and girly clothes everyday, I can't. This isn't just because I don't have enough dresses or skirts or girly clothes to wear everyday but also because, well, I love pants. But some days I need to be girly. I was pretty girly today, I even wore heels... crazy.

While I was gone...

Lots seems to have happened since I decided to take my break. I caught the flu-cold thing that's been going around. Shawn came to visit, as did my family. I also made some chicken noodle soup that turned out fairly well. I've finally managed to get over being sick and I'm excited to see my family some more during Thanksgiving next week. Taking my break from the world of blogging made me realize some things about what I want this to be in the future. I also managed to catch up, for the most part on the giant and seemingly ever-growing pile of homework in my life. Anyway, I'm loving the cold weather right now and I can't wait to see snow soon.

Enjoy these bits and pieces...

My warm sweaters and cozy scarves are out again and ready to be worn, it must be getting close to winter. There was ice out today, my shoes felt slippery on the frozen water as I walked through the crisp air of late October. November is coming soon and with it first snows and bitter winds. A ring of ruby and gold surrounds the trees, it is soon to be lost and their bare branches will be left to stand starkly alone in the cold landscape. Only their reflections on the frigid ponds and lakes will remain to keep them company, and one day even those reflections will be lost to the ice that allows no thoughtful penetrations into the depths.

Goodbye

I think I might take a break from here. I'll be back eventually, when I have some things figured out. I just wish I had a better oven for baking these cookies, and that I didn't have a class so early tomorrow. Darn my late night baking!

Yum

I'm in love with these. Wallpaper of trees and plates of the sky? Yes please.

(from Anthropologie)

A Rant

Today I'm going to sit here and rant about a couple of things that don't really matter, but drive me crazy. So, if you don't want to read about this, don't. I won't blame you, it is, in fact, simply to make myself feel a little bit better.

1. Bend is not in Eastern Oregon, it is not the same place as North Bend either. Bend is very close (when you're looking at a map) to the exact center of Oregon. Fossil, just letting you know this, girl in my class who I'm sure doesn't read this, is in eastern Oregon. It is hours away from Bend and is completely different! Do not try and tell me where things are located, geographically, in Oregon unless you know for a fact that is where they are. Perhaps it's because I have lived in Oregon my entire life, traveled all around it, because it's easier than going somewhere else. Or maybe it's because I was forced throughout my education to learn Oregon's geography. I'm not sure how, in one of my high school classes, some of the people I had gone to school with for years, didn't know the general location of major landmarks in Oregon. Maybe I just like maps too much. I don't really know what it is, but I'm really sick of people getting central, eastern and southern Oregon all mixed up or just throwing them all into the same bag. Just because you live in Portland (and I'm directing this at people who aren't originally from Oregon and haven't lived here for years, just to let everyone know) that doesn't mean that the rest of your state is unimportant and just one big blob.

2. To the stupid kid in my class that laughs at all the professor's stupid jokes that aren't funny. WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT NOTES ON THIS MIDTERM? Somehow I have to remember general definitions for 40-odd terms and be able to answer 4 essay questions. WITH NO NOTES. Can you tell I'm upset about this? My class voted not to have a page of notes. Who does that? Honestly.

3. I had better not be getting sick at all this term. Ok, this one isn't really a rant.

I feel much better now that I've gotten these things off my chest. Now I need to study for that midterm I mentioned. I have an hour to study... we'll see how it goes.

Gee, I'm negative, aren't I?

I haven't had much to say lately. I found some old photos recently. Whenever that happens, I get reminded of who I have been and begin to consider who I have become. Self-reflection can suck. Thanks for the reminder.

Pie

This last weekend, I made pie. It's delicious! Pear and cranberry, I told Nicole I would show her how to make pie and I had to do a bit of practicing to make sure I still knew how.

Little Things

I have nothing to say, I just like how this picture turned out.

I know I shouldn't

I spent today doing nothing, this goes against everything my mother ever taught me. I like to blame my mother for a lot of the weird quirks I have (the good, bad, and just plain crazy ones) but I really shouldn't. My mother taught me a lot of really important lessons about life (though I did somehow manage to skip the "how to cook" lesson, I tried to boil water the other day without actually turning on the stove). She taught me to manage my money (thank goodness!), how to clean absolutely anything you could think of (including getting grape juice off a wicker-seated chair), and how to have fun in and enjoy the outdoors. But, I think the most important lesson that I learned from her is that I need to seek help when I really need it (this is the number one rule in her house). I don't like to ask for help, though, because somehow I also learned as I grew up to be independent and capable of taking care of problems myself. Tonight I'm thinking the key to life is the balancing of these two; being independent but knowing when you need others to help you. Thanks, Mom. I know I don't say that enough.

(oh, and I still refuse to ask for help when it comes to reaching things that are high up, unless it's not an appropriate time for me to be climbing on things)

Sleepy Times

I'm alone again, there isn't anyone here to make me rice anymore. But the weekend was glorious and fall is out in full colors. I have a not-so-busy school week ahead of me, hopefully I'll take the time to have lots and lots of fun.

I got up at five this morning and am feeling quite exhausted (I've uncharacteristically not taken any significant naps yet today). This week I don't have much going on so I plan on doing a little bit of cleaning, taking some photos of the foliage, and perhaps finding some new places to enjoy that are nearby.

Distractions

I've discovered, in my search for something to distract myself, that my windowsill makes an excellent place on which to take photos. I had a peach today, it was like I was trying to hold onto memories from the summer and bring them back. It's funny how peaches are the color of summer and autumn. They are most definitely one of my favorite flavors, and that flavor just screams of summer to me.

Happy Weekend!

So this weekend, Shawn is coming to visit. In fact he will be here in about five and a half hours. I am quite excited. I think we're going to go to a corn maze one day. I can't wait, I hope it is kind of foggy and I can convince the person driving us to go early and see the pumpkin patch or go through both the mazes. I'll take lots of pictures, I promise, but I won't be here til next week. Enjoy the lovely autumn breezes and rains! (or whatever other weather autumn is bringing your way, I hear it's supposed to be in the 70's in Bend)

Yearning

Autumn has officially arrived, but I'm still yearning for winter snows. I want some big cosy scarves and warm hats and wool jackets, but I don't want to be too warm with all of these things. Right now that is where it is.

I talk about the weather entirely too often.