A New Start!

So it is a new year and like most people I know I have some "resolutions", one of which is to write on this blog more often (notice how I didn't specify how often).  I have also finally decided to get some things done which I have been putting for for years (and years and years....).  More about that will hopefully come later when I write more on this blog.  Before then, though, I write my list down so that I can keep track of my progress (hopefully on this blog).

1. Write on this blog more (got to start somewhere)

2. Lose 30lb (so I am not the fittest on the block, but after doing all these crunches at night and avoiding that huge bag of M&Ms from Costco I should be able to reach this)

3. Go somewhere exotic (I need some fun to counteract number 2)

4. Get a new job (I have one, but now that I have graduated it is about time I moved on)

5. Take a cooking class (Something I have wanted to do for a long time, but I never had the time)

6. Learn the art of framing pictures (a definite work in progress)

7. Save for a new car (mine is getting up there in mileage) 

8. Read at least 70 books this year

9. Sow something (this is going to be the hardest task as I have no talent in sowing)

10. Improve my piano playing abilities

Ten is a pretty good number of goals/resolutions.  I would like to at least complete 75% of these goals, but reality I am shooting for at least half.  While some are easy others will be more difficult.  They will also probably morph into different goals by the end of the year depending on what happens, but there you have it.  At least I am doing good on number 1 so far (dang those M&Ms).

Reflections on the Past

So I have a really hard time finding the time (and the desire) to write on this blog every week (let alone every month).  I am determined to write at least once in a while just as a record of what I had done lately.  I am terrible at keeping a journal and so here I am trying to keep a blog (do you "keep" blogs?).  Anyway, I have to admit quite a bit has happened though.  I started my last semester of college (hooray).  I can't believe that I will graduate soon!  Then I will have to live in the "real" world.  I will actually make money!  So I have that going on along with work.  Every Monday my cousin visits my family and we have dinner together.  Yesterday we went to Paradise Cafe, which is one of my favorite sandwich places (other than the Robin's Nest).  I love their seasonal lemon cookies, they are delicious!  We also went to see Contagion last night (not a movie for the germaphobic).  It was good although it ended and many of the story lines you were following were not really satisfied.  It was good though; I think I would give it a solid 3.5 out of 5.  The weekend of labor day I went camping, which is pretty rare for my family and me.  It was pretty fun although I never sleep very well when camping.   We chilled, ate food, and played games.  I got my butt kicked at Ticket to Ride (which is an awesome board game).
This past weekend has been one of reflection as it was the 10 anniversary of 9/11.  I was in 8th grade when the attack happened.  I still remember carpooling to school and hearing it on the radio.  I thought it was just an accident.  We watched it in gym class and I saw when the second plane hit.  I think at that age I really could not comprehend what was going on; that America was being attacked.  Even now it sometimes feels unrealistic although I have felt its effects.  As an American I guess I felt that our country was invincible.  People attacking it would have been something from WWII.  I watched the only thing on t.v. that had something about September 11 on.   I was surprised that only one channel had a special on the event.  All others were football (which I don't have a great love for).
This also made me reflect on the past year where I was.  I lived in China for four months as a volunteer teacher. I greatly enjoyed being in China and seeing the different culture, but America will always be my home.  There is a different feel between the two countries.  I missed America greatly and being in China gave me a greater appreciation for the freedoms I enjoy and take for granted.  I will most likely write about my experiences in China later as they have changed me as a person.
Well it is getting late-ish (okay, it is not really that late, but I am not the type of person to stay up until 1 am).  Maybe I will write in two weeks or so (keep your fingers crossed)

A Note from the Past

Today I had the weirdest thing happen to me.  I received a letter from myself...weird right?  I wrote in while in high school and I wrote what I thought would happen to me in 5 years.  I have to say that I am terrible at telling the future (especially my own).  Here is a little check list of what I thought would happen:

1. I would be married 

2. Being at a University would be a thing of the past (aka. I would have graduated)

3. My major would be Pharmaceutical Tech.

4. I would be less busy

5. My spelling would improve

6. I would like the same things

7. I would own my own car (and I quote "a mini cooper or BMW would be nice")

8. I would keep in touch with my high school friends

9. I would pass my AP Art History text

10. I would visit Disney World

I have to admit that most of those things made me laugh.  Numbers one through six are just ridiculous to me at this point.  I am not married, I have not graduated, I am not going to make thousands of the pharmaceutical industry, I am more busy, and I am still the same lousy speller.  As far as liking the same things, I have move on to better fashions and more interesting topics so no complaining there.  My life definitely didn't turn out the way I planned, which is okay for the most part.  I may not be graduating in Pharm. Tech, but I will graduate (one semester left!) in English. I don't think my life will ever be "less busy" which I am okay with.  I do have my own car (sadly it is not a Mini Cooper or BMW which is okay because I like Audi's better anyway), I have kept in touch with my friends and see them often.  Also, I managed to pass by all my AP tests (not just Art History) and not only have I gone to Disney World, but I have gone twice (I love Disney!).  It is hard to imagine that I though doing chemistry for the rest of my life was what I wanted to do. 

All in all, it was interesting to reflect on the past and how much I have changed.  I have experience many things that I would never have dreamed about in high school, like: living in China, majoring in English, going on a cruise to the Caribbean, and riding a dolphin (on said cruse). I guess this would also be a good time to put down things I would want to do in the future (lets see if I can do better than 4 out of 10). Let's see...in the next 5 years:

1. I still hope to be married

2. Graduated (okay, this one is a given but I am just trying to even out the odds)

3. Go to Italy

4. Have kids (now this is scary)

5. Be an editor (this one isn't likely, but what the heck)

6. Improve my grammar (since there is really no hope for my spelling skills)

7. Read over 1,000 books (lofty goal, but I can totally manage it)

8. Go back to China (or at least somewhere in Asia)

9. Have a least 10 pairs of Converse

10. Attend Comic Con

The last one is pretty geeky, but who wouldn't want to take pictures of all those people who dress up?  It is so interesting to me.  Anyway, what goals do you have for your future (or what were you past goals)?

The Name Of The Game Is....Procrastination

That's right, procrastination is something I am very good at doing; I am too good at it in fact.  Right now, for example, I really should be doing my Spanish homework but instead I am checking out every blog I have ever known, window shopping on the web, and ultimately doing nothing worthwhile.  So if you are like me and love to procrastinate here are some websites to help rack up those procrastination points:

www.etsy.com

Because when it comes down to it what girl doesn't like to look at jewelry she can't buy

.

I love this necklace! I love the way it is balance (I am a semetrical loving type person) and surprisingly no one has bought it yet.  Now you are asking why I haven't bought it yet...well a $35 necklace is a little to much for a poor collage student :(

Seller: steampunknation

This necklace has already sold :( but I still love that beautiful shade of green

Seller: steampunknation (one of my favorites on Etsy if you can't tell)

Okay now to switch gears.  I love to read.  I am always looking for what to read next.  In fact, I could spend hours on the internet browsing upcoming books.  Usually I go to goodreads.com because they always have what books will be coming out soon (plus you can keep track of what you have already read).  They also have several lists of books that have great book covers.  Now I know you are not suppose to judge a book by its cover, but it is really really hard.

I have the first book (this is the third) and they all have great covers.  Seeing this cover just compels me to want to read it.

Here is another great cover:

I love the front of the title and the detailed work on her arm.  

Another beloved website of mine is: cakewrecks.com.  It has really sparked my interest in cakes, cooking, and blogging.  It was the first blog that I really got into.  It is so hilarious and I liked the author so much that I am know reading her other blog Epbot, which is also entertaining (and a bit geeky which is great!).  Again, I could do this ALL day!

Of course I really shouldn't do this all day.  In fact I really need to get my homework done even if it is a long weekend. Of course, before I do that I will just need to check facebook...

Are We There Yet?

So I think I will attempt to write each week (ha we will see how that goes) on random topics.  Today's topic: public transportation.  I have rode on public transportation consistently for about 5 years.  There are several reasons why and they all mainly boil down to one point: Gas is expensive when you own a Jeep. So to save my money I have risked my sanity.  I have seen everything from people fainting to people picking each others zits (so gross!).  More than once there have been issues with the train or issues with people on the train.  You never know what will happen which I guess makes it somewhat exciting.  My city's light rail train transportation is what I usually take since buses are way to slow for my patience.  I have been stuck on one for about an hour because it couldn't get up a hill.  My two favorite experiences though were: first, when the train conductor announced the next stop and then right after said "Oh crap!".  Needless to say there was a bit of nervous laughter as we the passengers wondered exactly what that meant for out futures.  Luckily it was a minor issue which required us to wait for a couple of minutes at the next stop;  Second, when they conductor announced we were having "break issues".  This is something that one never wants to hear while on a moving train.  Although we found out very quickly what exactly those issues were as we went to stop.  It wasn't that the break didn't work, it was the fact that they worked TOO well.  Every time we went to stop it was like the conductor was slamming on the breaks over and over.  So for the next half and hour I tried gracefully not to fall in the lap of the person sitting across from me.  Oh, there was also that time we hit the crossing arms with the train and got stuck.  I am still trying to figure out how that happened.  In reality I guess I look forward to my time on the public transportation since you never know what will happen.

Nonplus Life

I came across the word nonplus while doing my usual surfing around the internet.  I have to admit that I have wanted to start a blog for a while and have always been stuck on the first step (aka what to name it).  Hence, I felt this name was somewhat perfect.  Nonplus: "to render utterly perplexed; puzzle completely" (thanks dictionary.com!).  What puzzles me completely?  Well for one thing it is why I am starting a blog in the first place.  I have never been good at writing in a journal-type setting for very long, but maybe the fact that  it is on the computer will help me.  Life in general is pretty puzzling and those dang New York Times crossword puzzles are always rendering me utterly perplexed.  Of course, maybe at this point the better question would be what doesn't puzzle me completely?