What Even Is My Life?!

I feel like I've been vague-posting on Facebook, and I wanted to let you know what I've been up to. There's a lot to cover, so hang on and here we go!

But before we get too far in, I just want to say thank you.  If you're reading this, thank you so much for your support! Whether it's in-person encouragement or an online boost, it means so much to me to have you in my corner. 

So, what's been going on? Long story short, I'm finally {finally!} pursuing my writing dreams. I was laid off from my office job back in February. After floundering a little bit and applying to a bunch of jobs without getting any interviews, I decided that I was going to go for it and put my college education to good use. Since then I've been writing like crazy, building up my portfolio and looking for opportunities. 

Most recently I entered a short script hosted by NYC Midnight. The draw is that you're given 3 story guidelines - a genre, a subject, and a character - and a week to turn in a 12 page script. It was tricky, and I was writing way out my comfort zone {fairy tales are hard, yo!} but I feel good about the story I submitted. If you're interested in reading it, let me know and I can send you the file. I'd love to share it and get your feedback. 

I'm still trying to figure out my next move, but I've set some lofty goals, and I'm excited to work towards them. 

Again, I want to thank you for sticking with me. And if/when I have news to share, you best believe I will be sharing it everywhere. 

Because Spring, That's Why

Since I don't live on the East Coast, the weather this winter has been, to put simply, mild. Warm, even. But not quite so warm that I can pretend it's spring. And it's driving me crazy. I want to wear a light jacket and cute flats and sleep with the window open and eat ice cream outside, dang it! So here are some pretty pictures that remind of spring. 

This colour palate is so perfectly springy. Plus ice cream! And sprinkles! 

via design seeds

Spring seems like the best time to try out this fancy blackberry limeade, right? 

via Cook Like a Champion

I'm really loving this simple dress. It's not very colourful, but I think the floral lace makes it count as an Easter dress.

via JCPenny

And these little bowls are perfecct for Easter candy, er, I mean fresh berries. 

 

via ModCloth

I want a little English country garden so bad! Nothing seems more spring-like than that.

via Chatelaine

Back to Regular Scheduled Programming?

Since leaving for New York {and even a bit before that}, I've been focusing solely on that particular adventure. At the time, it made sense, since that's what I was doing with my life. But now, looking back, I wish that I'd written more personal anecdotes in addition to the travel-related posts. After all, that's what a blog is for, right? So for those who are interested, here's some random nonsense that I feel like writing just because. 

I've been going through phases of wanting to set ALL THE GOALS and then deciding that maybe taking things one at a time is going to be much more productive. Or maybe just not setting any goals at all. 

It feels really good being at home and not having any major events coming up in the near future. I've had some good adventures, and now I'm ready to not have any. Well, maybe just some mild adventures. 

At 25, I still feel like I'm still trying to figure myself out. Some days I wear old band shirts and jeans, and other days I wear maxi skirts and cardigans. Sometimes I do yoga, and sometimes I see how many muffins I can eat in one sitting. At one point, I thought it was a quarter life crisis. But the more I think about it, the more I think that maybe that's just what life is - trying different things to see if you like them or not. 

I've been reading voraciously since getting back. We've been home almost a month, and I'm on my 5th book. It feels so good. 

BYU's graduation is this week, and then most of the students will leave for the summer. It's my favourite time of year when the city empties out. 

Lately I've been feeling very cautious. Not scared or afraid, just, like I'm doing things too deliberately. As if I'm taking myself too seriously. I need to not do that. Adventure and mistakes make things interesting. 

I pinned a funny cat gif on Pinterest, and people have been re-pinning it and following me like crazy. I feel like a very minor celebrity. And now I feel dumb for typing that out.

_________________________________________________________________

Our First Week in NYC

Well, we've been in the city for a week now {give or take a few hours}. We haven't done anything super exciting, since we're going to be here for such a long time. Most of my adventures are related to figuring out how to live my life in a new city. But here's what we did, if you're interested.

Monday: arrived in the city. Went out for pizza at a place down the street. Got metro passes. 

Tuesday: slept in. Luke's first day of work. I ventured down to the Asian market for some groceries. Later in the day, we went out to find the closest Target. This was my first time riding the subway. 

Wednesday: Luke worked a long day. I stayed home, unpacked a bit, and went on a walk with one of our neighbours. 

Thursday: I went into the city with Luke. On my way home, I got lost and ended up in Times Square. Which is large and kind of intimidating when you don't know where you are. 

Friday: I stayed home all day, catching up on work. 

Saturday: Luke was feeling sick, so I took him to the doctor. We spent the rest of the day relaxing at home. Later we went out for pizza and doughnuts. 

Sunday: Luke wasn't feeling better yet, so we stayed home. 

At first, I had a hard time with such a slow week. We didn't get out much or do any sightseeing. Then I remembered that I live here now, and that by taking a few days to relax and get my bearings, I'm making it easier for myself in the future. Hopefully this week, I'll have some better adventures to share. And hopefully some pictures, too.  

The Big News: New York City

Big news!  I've been sitting on this sort-of secret for awhile now, but since it's official, I can say this with confidence. We're going to be living in New York City for a few months at the start of next year!

{Source}

The long story is that Luke's company, Owlet, is enrolled in a training program based in NYC.  Okay, so maybe it's not that long of a story. But it's been in the works for several months now, so it feels like a long story. To me, at least. 

At this point, though, we don't have a whole lot planned. We'll probably end up renting a small apartment in Greenwich Village while we're there, although this is still up for debate.  We know we're going out sometime the first week of January, and will finish up and move back the first week of March {yes, Utah friends, we will be back}.

I'm excited for this. Living in a new city, especially one as big and exciting as New York is going to be fantastic. I've already started a list of all the places to see, stores to shop at, and restaurants to eat at. But I'd be lying if I didn't say I am also a bit nervous. We have so much to do before we go, plus it's a huge city I've never been to. 

In the meantime, I'll be packing up our apartment in Provo, trying to figure out what to put in storage and what to bring with us, and learning as much as I can about living in The Big Apple. Starting with why they call it The Big Apple. 

{Not} Going Back to School

Most everyone I know is back in school, or headed there in a matter of days. As for me, this is my second September not enrolling in some kind of education system. Growing up, I always longed for the time when I wouldn't have to go back to school. 

Now, though, I'm seriously reconsidering this. I miss going back-to-school shopping for new jeans and a better backpack. I miss stocking up on fresh notebooks, pens, and markers. I miss sitting in the living room and watching my dad label all of my supplies with my initials in his perfect penmanship. 

If I was going back to school, here's what I would get: 

Cute notebooks 

from: Target 

bigger notebook

from: Staples

my favourite pens 

{Bic Round Stick in black fine point}

from: Staples

this perfect {sold out} bag 

from: ModCloth

and this perfect back to school outfit 

{comfortable, easy, and polished}

original source, as much as I can tell: here

The only thing that keeps me from feeling too sad about this is that I don't have to worry about the stress of finals, or worry about writing 5 papers at once. Still, it's nice to have a time of year dedicated to starting a new phase of life with the right tools for the job. 

Almost Caught Up...

Okay, other things to catch up with...

I came home from my trip. I had two-ish days, and then we were off to visit with Luke's family for a weekend. We had a great time, and got to celebrate two birthdays. I had made plans to sort-of get some projects done while we were there, but instead I just enjoyed relaxing with family. Luke and his dad fixed our car, so that's something. 

When we got back Sunday night, I was exhausted. Travelling can sure take a lot out of you, even if you're only going short distances. At least our car is working now. Did I mention that before? A few weeks ago our car stopped working. But it's fixed now. 

Now that our travelling is done for a while, I get to go back to real life. That means the gym. And last week was the worst. Normally I don't mind going. Sometimes I'm even excited. But not lately. 

Along with our upstairs neighbors, we're starting a garden! I'm really looking forward to having fresh vegetables right outside my door. And I'm also excited that I won't have to do all the work myself.

Perhaps these recaps are only interesting to me. Sorry folks. Maybe someday I'll have interesting things to say. But probably not. Writing about my real life is the easiest thing to write about. 

Where I Am

I don't know who said this, or where the image originated from. But if my life was a movie, and needed a tag line, this would be it. For right now at least. 

There are lots of ways I could go. But for now, I'm still deciding. 

As an added note, I don't mean for this to sound like I'm sad or anything. My life is good. Eventually I want to find my place in the world. But I'm content for now, to just try and decide where I would rather be. 

As an extra added note, if this applied to physical location only, I wouldn't need to decide. I'd have a flat above Russell Square in a heartbeat. 

November...

I went on a walk in the leaves today.  It was warm out, and the weather was perfect. 

Also, I think I might have a job.

Other Fall Things I Love

Like I said, here's a post about other autumn things I love. 

1. Cozy blankets...

{Source}

2.  Cozy fall clothes 

{Source}

3. More fall clothes 

{Source}

4. Pumpkin Steamer 

{Source}

Women's Expo

Katie and I went to the Women's Expo last weekend.  I love a good expo! There were free samples! And swag {Stuff We All Get}. And contests to enter.  Turns out I really love chocolate covered cocoa beans. 

I had a chiropractor analyse my posture. I guess my posture isn't so great, and now I'm super self conscious about it. If any of you comment negatively about it, I will give you the stink eye.  To make myself feel better, I found a booth with free mini-massages.  And possibly made me consider spending money on a real massage. 

The last few days I've been getting calls from vendors at the expo, telling me I've won a prize. Oh, my excitement! Then I found out that their idea of a prize doesn't match what my idea of a prize is. One lady offered me 50% off one piece of jewelry from her shop. But she had to come to my house so I could claim it.  I don't like having strangers in my house to sell things. 

On the bright side, I still have lots of coupons, two tubes of lip gloss, a nail file, a few pens, some stickers, and a granola bar. I had some cotton candy, but I ate that already. 

Change

School has started. But not for me. I still feel the winds of change, though. There's just something in the air. And I can feel it. 

Yesterday I was reading through my church notebook. A few months ago, I'd written about moving. How I was nervous to pack everything and start somewhere new. I'd also listed all the good things about moving - how we'd be closer to school and friends, and have more space, and a washing machine...

Reading back over what I'd written, I was struck with a new appreciation for our place. Sure, it's a bit dark and basement-y. But it's bigger, and in a nice part of town. And close to the library. I really stopped and thought about the great things that I have. 

In turn, this new way of thinking has branched over into the way I think about a lot of things. I feel more energized, more willing to be the person I used to be. More excited about things. More drive. For the first time in a while, I feel motivated. 

So, thanks, past self for your motivating words. When you wrote them, you probably didn't think you'd be reading them again. But you did. And it's stretching you into a better person. 

Good Things to Know About Living in Provo

With the start of the school year almost upon us, and thousands of students moving back to town, I thought I'd do a little write up about the best things to be found in Provo. 

There's not a whole lot of order to this, so take it or leave it. 



FOOD
The best places for dessert are  The Cocoa Bean (for cupcakes, hot chocolate, italian soda) and the Malt Shoppe (for milkshakes). 

If you're going to be out late, there aren't a lot of options. I prefer Denny's. They're open 24 hours, and have pancakes. And unlimited hot chocolate refills. Some people like IHOP, but it's far from campus, and I just don't like it as much. 

If you're going to be on BYU campus and need something to eat, the CougarEat is your best bet. For something healthy, try L&T. The best burgers {in the county, in my opinion} are at Scoreboard. Note that their fries are not as good as the burgers. 

Also on campus, the cafe at the MOA is fantastic, but only open for lunch. And Sugar and Spice is the best place for treats. I love the brownies, but I hear good things about the rice krispy treats, as well. 

Brick Oven is good pizza and great root beer. But you'll want to go on Monday's. Root beer is free {and unlimited}!

Frozen yogurt seems to be pretty popular here in P-town. I haven't been to very many places, but I've noticed that the cheaper the place seems, the better the yogurt is. 

The best Chinese food used to be from the booth at Smith's {the grocery store}. But they've been disappointing lately. So, it's probably a tie between Panda Express and @12, a local place. 



GENERAL INFO
Drivers are kind of crazy. Pedestrians are crazy. But cyclists are the worst. Watch out for them. 

Walmart is cheapest for groceries, but far away from campus.  There's also Fresh Market, but I find it's more expensive. Smiths and Macey's are tied, and I switch between the two based on what's closer. It used to be Macey's. Now it's Smiths. In case anyone cared where I do my shopping. 

I'm pretty sure the DI here puts new things out on for Wednesday. So that's the day for thrifting. 


That's about all I can think of for now.  Any suggestions from you, dear readers? Or questions about anything? 

Quick Updates

I haven't been posting a lot lately. Mostly because it's summer, and things move slower.  Plus, I'm pretty boring, so there's nothing to update on. But I think I can scrounge up a few things. 

We have a washer/dryer in this new place. So I use it sometimes. However, the dryer isn't the best, so it usually takes a cycle or two for clothes to become properly dry. I often forget to turn it on again. And then my clothes sit around wet, and they start to smell bad. So then I have to wash them all over again.  

I've been working on my reading list a little bit.  There's actually a really great post about it that I need to finish up and edit a bit. In the mean time, I've been trying to read The Sound and the Fury. It's a Faulkner, and I'm finding it very hard to read. There's no introduction of characters, or situations. It just kind of launches in. And everything is dialoge, so you kind of have to piece it together yourself. This does make for a faster read, though. I'll write about it once I'm done. 

That's about it, I suppose.  

A Simple Monday

I don't write very much about my day-to-day life. Mostly because it kind of bores me, and so I can only imagine that it would bore everyone else even more. But today had some pretty good things. 


My friend J. is up from Australia, and K. and I got to go shopping with her. Sometimes, I feel like I have no style, especially when I walk around the mall. But every once in a while, I come across a window display that looks truly heinous, and I know I'll never look that awful. 


Then, this afternoon, we went swimming. It's been so hot here, that a dip in the pool feels amazing. We bought pool toys, which makes everything twice as fun. 


This evening I made (MADE! With my own two hands!) roasted red pepper pasta. Seriously, my favourite thing in the world. But it takes forever, and it makes my hands look like I dipped them in iodine. 


The package that I sent away for finally arrived. I bought myself and early birthday present, from The Body Shop, of course.  


Now as I sit here, I smell like flowers, and I can smell dinner simmering. I'm tired from being busy all day. 

I think I'll finish the night with a round of Gilmore Girls and a Dr. Pepper. Italian soda style. 

Our House, Is a Very Very Very Fine House

There's a chocolate cake on the stove, cooling, and waiting to be frosted. 


There is a whole cabinet in the kitchen waiting to be reorganized. 


There's a living room that needs to be straightened. 


Pictures to hang. 


A dresser to clean and set up in the bedroom. 


Laundry to do. 


But the feeling that this is our space now,  it is filled with our things, it it where we live, is a feeling that I didn't think would come around so soon.  It is cozy. I like it here. 

The Bane of My Existance

Seriously. Every. Day. 

May...

... is over. Here's what I was up to: 

• working hard on my scrapbook. Did I tell you about that? How I'm finally scrapbooking all my London pictures and ticket stubs and pamphlets? Well, I am. My initial goal was to be done by the end of summer, but now that we're moving {!!!} I want it done in the next three weeks. And I'm on track! 
• apartment hunting. That might be my least favourite part of moving - the initial  tracking down of a better place to live. I can be picky, and there aren't a whole lot of options for us in our price range and ideal locations. But we found a good place, signed the contract, and now, it will be ours. 
• hiking.  Luke had to practice for his big backpacking trip.  It was pretty great, until we encountered a snake. Just a little grass snake, but it was the first one I've seen in Utah. Luke tried to get it off the path, but the snake didn't like that, and hissed at him. Later, we were walking through some longish grass, and I stumbled a bit. Apparently there was another snake that I managed to scare, and he took off past Luke. Snakes everywhere! I'm never hiking again. 
• eating lots of cupcakes
• reading some books
• watching Scrubs, 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, and Downton Abbey
• enjoying the nice weather

Moving Past

For the past....too long to count, I've felt like I'm just flailing around. I've had no purpose, no drive, nothing to work towards.  Sure, from time to time I'll make a little progress; I'll decide to take up running, or start a project that I really enjoy. But those things aren't helping me move forward with my life. Sure, it may stretch me in some small new way, but really, it's not helping me move on. 


Yesterday, I think things might have changed a little. 


We signed a contract for a new house. It's a step up, for sure. Not that we're living in squalor, but it's a small studio apartment, far from campus and our friends. Now, though, we'll be able to walk to campus, to some of our favourite restaurants, to see our friends, even to the grocery store. We will be back in a neighbourhood with people similar in age and our stage in life. Plus, this place has a dishwasher, a laundry system, multiple rooms, and lots of storage options. 


And then, we got tickets for the Vans Warped Tour. It kicks off in SLC in June, and we're going! I've wanted to go for years. It's a huge step out of my comfort zone, but it feels like the right step.  As a bonus, my favourite band is headlining the show {I don't know if bands really 'headline' at Warped, but that's what I'm telling myself}. 


I'm feeling much better about my life. I'm moving forward, I have things to look forward to, things to plan for. I won't be stuck here forever. Things may not be perfect, but they're moving in the way I want them to. I can't really ask for more than that. 

Need

Sometimes I feel like I'm living my life for other people. I want to live an authentic life. 

I want to get back to my resolutions at the start of the year. 

I need to take more pictures and write more personally. I need to record. 

I have found passions. I need to act on those. 

I need to create. To write. To read. 

I need to learn.

I need to live.