A New Puppy?

So, my sister's neighbor has puppies that she's giving away. They are black lab/pit bull mixes. Like the one here:


That's not one of the puppies, of course. Just an example. But they're so adorable! And I'm seriously considering getting one. Here are the complications: I'm kinda a busy person, so I don't know if I'll be home often enough to care for the dog. My roommate has a cat that she's extremely attached to, and may freak out if I brought in a dog (I'd of course run it by her before getting the dog). Our place is a little bit small, so there's not a lot of room for the dog to run around.

Regardless of all these reasons, I still want the dog. For purely selfish purposes, I'm sure. The pros to having a dog? Never feeling lonely, someone to play with, an excuse to take walks around my neighborhood... Like I said, all selfish reasons. What do you all think?

Living Downtown=Great Mornings

My favorite thing about living downtown so far? The mornings. I wake up at the same time as I did when I lived at home, which means I have 20 extra minutes every morning. And it's amazing. I get to sit by our front window on our comfy couch (since we lack a table, or even space for one) and eat my breakfast and sip hot chocolate while watching our quiet street. It's perfect. And with yesterday's beautiful snowfall, our street has been painted white.

Cold autumn mornings refresh me and make me so much happier all day. I'm probably crazy, but I love them. And I love that Halloween is in 3 days! I don't have a ton of exciting plans, but Halloween is just fun. Then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, just around the corner! Man, I love the holiday season.

My Place

It's a crap picture, but here's my new place:



I'll get a better picture up soon with more details. But I love it! I'm really getting into the groove of downtown life, and my roommates and I get along well. It's been awesome so far! We'll see if I still feel like it's awesome when I'm writing the next rent check... And when I'm clearing my car of snow every day!

Dear J.L.K.

My New Year's Prediction is quite possibly coming true this week... Dang, we're good at this. We should all become gypsies and tell people their futures.

She left her heart in old Paris... or maybe Cinque Terre.

My trip to Europe... It was fantastic, of course. And I loved every moment. I know a lot of people think it's crazy to drop $2,500 on something as fleeting as a vacation. I mean, when it's all over, all you have left are memories. But, oh, the memories! They are so worth it!

Our first city was Bruges. It's a quaint place, full of charm. It's all about soaking up the atmosphere. And eating the waffles and chocolates. THE WAFFLES!! To die for... Here's Bruges:



This picture was taken on a Saturday morning, just after 9 am. You'd think the place would be bustling by that time, right? But no. Nicole and I went walking for about a half hour that morning, and saw maybe 10 people. At the most. It was the most beautiful, silent morning and we had the place all to ourselves. Awesome.



Our second stop was Florence. I had heard great things about the gelato, and those rumors are true! But Florence is more well known for their beautiful art. And man, is there a lot of it! Among my favorite Florence sights were the Boboli Gardens and Ponte Vecchio. And the Arno River all lit up at night... Not to be missed:



Michelangelo's David was my other favorite thing. Believe me, it sounded slightly lame to me at first too. It's just a statue. How cool can it be, right? But, oh man!! That thing is beautiful! Man at his most ideal! It's probably wrong that I got a little turned on by the slab of marble, right? His body is perfect. And the details, down to the veins in his hands, were just jaw-dropping. So cool.



Next up, Paris! Or, as my Little Sister would say, Pairee! She just could not believe that I was going to Paris. And her sister said, wow, you must be really rich! I explained to her that it took a long time to save up the money.

I was probably most excited about seeing the Versailles gardens in full bloom. And man, was it worth it! So beautiful. That Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV really knew what they were doing...






And, of course, the Eiffel Tower. Such an awesome structure. Seriously. I could stare at it for hours...


Goodbye Paris... Probably for a long while. I can't keep spending good travel money on places I've already seen. But someday, I will return.

Our next stop, and the one I was anticipating the most, was Cinque Terre. And it exceeding my expectations a thousand-fold. It is the most beautiful place I have ever visited. Absolutely perfect. If I had all the money in the world, this is where I would honeymoon. This is where I'd have my yearly vacation home. This is where I'd live as an old woman.

The view from the window of our hostel in Cinque Terre:


Told you it was gorgeous. I just could not get enough of this place. Amazing mountains, check. Ideal beaches, check. Fascinating locals and tourists, check. I loved everything about this place.

The crazy beautiful beach of Monterosso...


Vernazza's beach was even more beautiful (see my blog heading picture for proof), but we didn't get the time to swim there.

Saying goodbye to Cinque Terre was a little soul-rending. Of all the places we visited, this was the only one I was truly disappointed to be leaving. I enjoyed my roommates, it's pretty much the most beautiful place in the world, and we barely even scratched the surface. But leave we did...

Our next, and last, stop was Rome. I enjoyed Rome the first time, but I probably would not have visited it again if it weren't for Nicole's desire to go. But one thing I'll always enjoy:



The Trevi Fountain... SO beautiful! And even more beautiful at night. I know it's a bit cliche to have my favorite place in Rome be the Trevi Fountain... But what can I say? There's a reason it's so iconic! But I was really excited to be able to visit the Mouth of Truth as well while in Rome. I didn't get to see it when I went last year. I was a bit too excited, probably. But Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck have been there!

Overall, the trip to Europe was amazing. How could it not be?! But there's truly no place like home, and I'm happy to be surrounded by family and friends again. And yes, I'm working on planning my next trip.

P.S. I just noticed that all but one of these pictures have some sort of water in it. Well, I guess that was a theme this trip... And that one picture with no water would have had the ocean in it if only the camera was angled just a bit more.

The Perfect Morning?

Going to Banbury Cross donuts before work...

And picking a yummy donut! Today, strawberry...

And being served that yummy donut by the hot donut guy, Ryan...

Then coming into work to find your co-worker has bought you a Banbury Cross donut to celebrate your birthday....


Alright, not exactly the perfect morning

(which would actually consist of going into Banbury Cross,
being swept off my feet by Ryan who has confessed his undying love,
being hand-fed a delicious donut by him,
being carried out the door as we both play hooky from work,
and driving to the beach for a long walk...)

But it does make for a pretty fantastic start of a new day!

Start Spreading the News...

...I'm leaving today

I want to be a part of it - New York, New York.
These vagabond shoes are longing to stray
right through the very heart of it - New York, New York.

So, my trip to New York. It was fun and fantastic, relaxing and exciting, and simply great. We left on our red-eye, got to NYC at 6:30 am, found out our hostel had cancelled our reservation for that morning, and dropped off our luggage to go exploring on literally zero hours of sleep. But you know what? Who wants to sleep on a day like this...

We started in Central Park where it was an absolutely beautiful day (even if a bit too hot and humid...) After a long stroll through the Park, we headed to another park, Battery, to take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Well, once we got there, we weren't about to wait in a half-mile long line. So we took the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue from a near distance. I slept through nearly the entire ride because, let me remind you, red-eye flight+zero sleep+walking for miles= ...well, you get it. After checking into our hostel and taking a much needed shower, we headed out for dinner at Mama Mex and a night in Times Square. Here was our view from Top of the Rock:


New York City is just amazing; the energy and the lights and the history... So cool. Here's the group, popping a pose.

In case you're wondering who I'm traveling with, this is Alan, Tyson, Miranda, Sarah, and me. It was a fun group, and we got along very well. No complaints whatsoever! Which, how often does that happen with a random selection of people?


The next morning, the boys took a train to Flushing, and us girls spent the morning at the Museum of Modern Art, one of the better modern art museums I've been to. I've gained a new appreciation for modern art. Sometimes it annoys me because, come on, my 8 year old nephew could have made that! But you know, that's not the point. It's beautiful because it's a one of a kind. It can never be repeated or duplicated by human hand. It represents one point in time in one person's life, caught on canvas. And that is something to marvel at. One human life, one moment in time, one inspired thought or jerk of the hand, and you've made history with a piece of captured space. One of the more popular inspired moments in time...

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. Beautiful.


That night, we hit up Broadway to see 9 to 5. A different kind of art, and a different kind of great. I laughed a lot and loved it. The show will soon be off broadway and on tour, so if it comes to a city near you, I'd recommend it.



Sunday morning, we hopped on the Long Island Rail Road to Long Beach.


I didn't take the best photos in the world at the beach because I was too busy enjoying the sun, sand, and surf. It is such a beautiful beach with the most ideal sand in the world. We spent our time tanning, wading, walking along the surf, and gathering sea shells. If you know me, you know I don't spend my vacations relaxing. So it was such a welcome wake-up call to realize that I could lay for hours on the beach with nothing to do and it was okay! That's a normal vacation for most people! I really appreciated the relaxation time.


That night, we hit the town for Thai food, shopping at H&M, and a bar with live music called Prohibition. The bar/restaurant was a really cute place. The live music that night was a guy called Keith Ward who played the piano, along with a bassist and drummer. They played covers and some of their own chill music, and it was a great evening. Here's me double fistin' at the bar...

Of course, it's all non-alcoholic. Cranberry juice with lime, and Diet Coke with lime. Two of my favorite bar drinks!


The next morning, our last day, we ate at Tom's Diner, made famous by Seinfeld and Suzanne Vega (ya'll know the song Tom's Diner, if not by name then by sound, I promise). Then we saw St. Paul's Cathedral and played cards in Central Park. I had to say goodbye to Sarah (miss you already, my roomie!), and the boys and I took a subway to the Manhattan temple. It was Monday, so it was closed. But it's still so fascinating to see a temple sitting right smack in the middle of a bustling city.

Last order of business in New York? Eating a Gray's Papaya hot dog, of course!!

Now, I'm home again, home again. Loved having the time off, and look forward to Europe in... 22 days!

Bathrooms, Jack's Mannequin, and Aerosmith

So, if any of you remember our downstairs bathroom, you know how shabby it was. I'm pretty sure it's the only room in our entire house that has not been re-done in some way since we moved in. Aysia came to steal all the previous decorations (that were hers in the first place) to use in her new place, so I got the opportunity to redecorate. And ran with it...

I ended up spending nearly $200 on everything. Which, yeah, that's a lot of money, but I figure I'll take it all with me when I move and can have all this fun stuff for quite a few years. I got the shower curtain first and used that as my inspiration. And the two pieces of art, which I found last, pulled everything together. I'm quite happy with how it turned out.


At last minute a couple weeks ago, I decided I could not miss seeing Jack's Mannequin again. So Nicole Nelsen (with whom I'm going to Europe) and I decided to purchase tickets to see Jack's and The Fray at Usana Ampitheater. It ended up being a really great show. I LOVE Jack's, so it was awesome to finally see them. He puts on a great show, and I'm just so jealous of McMahon's skills on the piano.
I'm fairly certain that Jack's Mannequin plays the music of my soul. That music seriously makes me insanely happy.


And last weekend, guess where I went...
Yeah, that's right. AEROSMITH!! I've been dying to see them in concert for a long time, so I've fulfilled another long-time wish. Yay. Life is good!

These pictures are awful because they came from my cell phone... But whatever. That blurry white blob at the end of the runway in this picture is Steven Tyler!!! He was amazing to watch. Awesome dance skills, throwing around his scarf-wrapped mic all over the place. And his voice sounds amazing still. This man is freakin' 61 years old. And he's still sexy. Yeah, I said that. Also, the day we were there, July 25th, is Slash's birthday (Slash from Guns N Roses). And he made a surprise appearance and played on stage.
You can see him on that middle screen above--with his crazy hair, wearing a hat and sunglasses. Slash, man. I sang happy birthday to him. It was awesome.

Anyway, life is great. I got to talk to Jamilyn last night for over an hour, and she's the one who reminded me I needed to write in my blog. So this one's for you, my friend. I loved talking to you, and I miss you like crazy. And I totally looked up prices for a flight to Chicago or Kalamazoo or Grand Rapids. I'm coming soon, I swear. Love you!

Music I'm (re) discovering:
Nick Drake-anything of his. It's seriously beautiful stuff. It's from the late 60's, early 70's. But it could easily be released now and you'd never know. That stuff is amazing.
Hard to Handle-both the Otis Redding and Black Crowes versions. Such a fun song to rock out to.
100,000 Fireflies by The Magnetic Fields-Listen to this one! You'll love it, I promise. Released nearly 15 years ago, but it sounds so much like the great indie stuff that's come out recently.
Sh-Boom (Life Could Be a Dream) by The Crew-Cuts
The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie

Donuts and July

I can't believe it's already past the 4th of July! Already over half way through 2009. Crazy. I can't decide if that's good or bad. My next few weeks and months are jam-packed with fun things to do, and I just don't know that I'm ready for it all. So much planning and preparing and doing, and so little time! However, I keep taking the time to be lazy or spontaneous. Like today. I slept in until 10, did pretty much nothing all morning, went to church at 1, then decided it would be a lot of fun to make homemade donuts (doughnuts?). And that took me 2 1/2 hours. Time I could have used for other things considering all that I have to do, and that I probably won't even eat all of the donuts. But whatever, it was fun anyway... And I now have a stomachache from eating almost 3 of those bad boys.

So, what's been happening in the past three weeks? Taylorsville Dayzz was an absolute blast, as always. Best fireworks ever! :) I'm pretty sure I will be more tan this year than I have in the past 4 or 5 years. Somehow, I've managed to spend a lot of time outside, and I'm loving it. I've been trying to plan my company's yearly incentive trip, and so far, it's just been a big pain. I'm not really enjoying it, but I'm hoping once the ball starts rolling, it will be more fun. For the 4th of July, my family went camping and boating on Yuba Lake. We had a really good time, even though it was a short trip. I forget how much I enjoy camping! I hope I have time to go at least once more this year!

Upcoming... I have the house to myself all this week, so I'll be spending quality time at home with Princess. I just love being home alone!! And I'm still planning my trips to New York and Europe, when I have the time. Also, this week, I have family home evening, a concert I want to try to go to, a Bees game with Ariel, Kristin's bridal shower, the multi-stake pool party... Oh man. Here's hoping I get through it all successfully!

My Little Sister Ariel

I got my Little Sister through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program a few weeks ago. Her name is Ariel, and she's been a lot of fun! I still have concerns with the program; am I doing it right, will I mess up the kid, how much money do I spend, how often do I do activities, what's appropriate? But hopefully those kinks will work themselves out as we go.

Our first play-date was playing in Liberty Park. We played on the playground, fed the ducks, rode the tiny ferris wheel and swings, and watched the fish in the pond. We did lunch at Noodles and Co. and got some ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I think she had a lot of fun and it was a good first activity to just get to know each other.

Our second play-date was supposed to be swimming, but it was slightly too cold that day to swim. So instead, we went to the Gateway Mall and played at Discovery Gateway, Clark Planetarium, and in all the different shops. I felt like she kept expecting me to spend money on her (she really wanted a bag of gems and a Build a Bear), but I'm learning to be stern and not to give her things just because she wants them.

We're going to Raging Waters with my family on saturday, and she's really excited about it. I'm just hoping we don't get rained out!

Upcoming Travel Plans

I keep promising Katie that I'll write, and I'm just now getting around to it.

I'm planning my next big trip! Nicole Nelsen and I will be going to Bruges, Paris/Versailles, Florence, Cinque Terre, and end with a day in Rome. That's three new pins I get to put in my map!! And I'm super stoked about it. Cinque Terre is freakin' gorgeous in pictures, (see left) so I can't wait to see it in person. Unfortunately, I'm making my mom jealous because I'm going to Europe and she's not. But I keep telling her it's her own fault for not saving the money and taking the time to come with me. I'm pretty sure my mom, dad, and I will eventually plan a trip for Scotland and Ireland, because that's where they are dying to go.

New York City will be calling my name in August. I'm going to meet up with my old roommate Sarah, and I'm excited to see her again! What's with all my friends moving away? I still keep thinking that it would be awesome to move elsewhere for a year or two. But I think I'd have issues being separated from my family. Anyway, NYC should be fun, and hopefully won't drain me of all the money I'll need for Europe.

Happy Earth Day!

Just wanna wish everyone a happy Earth day! I'm gonna go see the Disney Earth movie, take a walk or two outside, and maybe follow Jamilyn's lead and plant myself a little herb garden to take care of. My parents are starting their garden outside, so I think I'll offer a helping hand there, too.

I love knowing that what we do on this Earth makes a difference. Whether it's good or bad is up to us. I'm not the most Earth-conscious person in the world, but I'm doing my best to reuse and recycle. I'm thankful to my dad for giving me important lessons about not littering. And for both my parents for always keeping a garden at our house. And for books like Chasing Redbird and movies like Fern Gully when I was little that helped me pay more attention to the world around me.

I'm thinking I might get a scooter so that I can pollute less and buy less gas this summer. I should just ride bikes more often, but I kinda refuse to ride my bike 11 miles to work every day... Anyway, I hope everyone's Earth day is organic, raw, beautiful, and awe-inspiring, just like our world.

Rock and Roll is Here to Stay

So, my trip to Cleveland was fantastic. Seeing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was seriously one of the highlights of my life. I was like a kid in a candy store the entire time I was in there. Ya'll would have been laughing at me and my reactions, seriously. I got to see Michael Jackson's Thriller red jacket, his sequined glove, the werewolf mask from Thriller; I saw Madonna's pointy-boob costume; I saw Led Zeppelin's guitar, and ZZ Top's car, and Rolling Stones stage costumes. I saw Freddy Mercury's stage costume! And John Lennon's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band outfit. And stuff from Kurt Cobain, Rick James, Smokey Robinson, Joe Perry, Jay-Z, Metallica, Flava Flav... And Steven Tyler's mic scarves!!! And Elvis's purple car! I'm telling you, it was a dream come true. So crazy...

Going to the Rock Hall inspired a 3 hour downloading frenzy in which I downloaded over a hundred songs from the Rock Hall's list of 500 Songs that Influenced Rock and Roll. I now have about 200 of them... Only 300 more to go. And seriously, I'm gaining even more respect for songs I never gave a second thought to. Some songs I've just (re) discovered: The Tracks of My Tears, Sheena is a Punk Rocker, American Girl, California Dreamin, Blue Moon (The Marcels version), Give Peace a Chance, Somebody to Love, A Natural Woman. Lots more, but I don't want to list my entire iPod library at the moment.

Oh, and best news ever, Aerosmith is going on tour!! I finally get to see one of my favorites. I'll be in Vegas on July 25th having the time of my life!

Boring... But Not Bored

I haven't written in my blog lately. That's because I have nothing to write about. My life is rather boring... But I suppose I'm okay with that right now. I'm planning a couple vacations, one to Cleveland in April, and a tentative trip to Orlando in May. Those trips are what is getting me through my day to day drudgery at the moment.

Although, I think I die a little inside each day I don't have a trip to Europe or some other far off foreign place planned. Which means I've been dying a little for the past 5 months... Not to worry, I'm doing just fine! But I will need to get that trip planned asap. Maybe I'll take it in October. Maybe to Copenhagen, Berlin, and Bern. Or maybe to Athens and Cairo. Or maybe to New Zealand and Sydney. I'll take suggestions. Or traveling partners!

I don't have much more to add. Oh, except, I had a friend tell me today that she was switching wards because ours didn't provide any guys that she wanted to date. And she has no other avenues to meet guys. And I sat and wondered... Should I be switching wards too? Because I really love my ward, and I'd hate to give up on it just because I'm not digging on any of the guys there. This is the exact reason I struggle with singles wards.

I leave you with the two songs stuck in my head....
"Your voice is small and fading, and you're hiding here alone..."
"It's interesting when people die, give us dirty laundry..."
500 points to anyone who can name titles and artists! Without cheating!

50 Questions

So, I've been tagged in a hundred notes on facebook. Instead of doing them all on there, I'm gonna do one here. I won't tag anyone, but if someone wants to do it, please be my guest!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, my middle name is after my mom's maiden name, Linton

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Hmm... Don't recall. Haha, it might have been watching American Idol. Shut up.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Sure. It has it's moments of good and bad.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Chicken. Prosciutto is quite delicious, too.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Nope. Thank goodness!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Lame question. If I was another person, how am I supposed to know what my personality is like and who I'd want to be friends with?

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Constantly.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yup

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Sure. I've already gone sky diving, so bungee jumping is small bananas now...

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Mmm... Cracklin' Oat Bran. I could live off the stuff.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope, sure don't.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Vanilla, cause you can mix it with everything! Like pralines and caramel or oreos. Oh, but Pumpkin Pie ice cream is freakin' delightful!

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? The whole package. I guess their face.

15. RED OR PINK? Red

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My ability to be so contradictory to myself.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Jamilyn and Lynsie! And Katie, since I don't see you nearly often enough. And Lina and Sarah.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? I'm not tagging anyone, so I don't have to answer this question!

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Dark blue jeans and no shoes.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Angel of Mine by Monica

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? I'd be those clickable crayons that are loaded with like 10 different colors.

23. FAVORITE SMELL? Rain, Black Chamomile, Vanilla and musky smells, grass, mountain air, cookies

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO? My dad, informing me that I should have been invited to the leadership retreat.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yup. Steph is an awesome person!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Basketball and Football. And I still really enjoy watching cheerleading... something I'll never get over probably.

27. HAIR COLOR? Blonde

28. EYE COLOR? Blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yup, sure do.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Oh, way too many to list. Mexican and curry would probably be among the top.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Both at the appropriate time. They're both so fun!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Lars and the Real Girl. So great!!!

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? a black and gray argyle sweater

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Both! That's why I love Utah!

35. HUGS OR KISSES? Both! Well, come on, we know everyone likes kisses from their special someone more than hugs any day...

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate lava cake and vanilla ice cream.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Probably no one.

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? See above...

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No mouse pad!

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? American Idol and Lost. Lost freakin' rocked my world. It always does, though.

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? Laughing, great music, August's Rhapsody, my phone ringing (it means someone wants to talk to me!), the silence in the mountains

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Stones!! Love Beast of Burden.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Rome, Italy.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Not really. What constitutes special?

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Cottonwood, UT

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Anyone who wants to respond

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER? I don't have one. Thanks for bringing that up... :)

49. IS THE CUP HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY? Both. It exists either way. The glass contains the liquid that it does. I work with it as it is.

50. IF YOU COULD SIT DOWN TO DINNER WITH FIVE PEOPLE WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? Joe Elliot, Steven Tyler, Emile Hirsch, Jane Austen, Joseph Smith. Haha, I'm not sure how well this group of people would get along, but I'd have a good time!

Resolutions...

I have put a ton of thought into my New Years Resolutions, and yet, I still don't have any specific goals in mind. For my logical, analytical mind, that's driving me crazy... Here's what's flowing through my brain right now.

I need to eat less and exercise more. Lose weight, yes, please! Feel healthier, yes, please! Eat more salads... uh, no thanks.

My sweet brother wants to volunteer more, and he's making me want to do the same. So that will hopefully get done this year.

I need to open a long term savings account. I have savings now... But my traveling depletes it pretty regularly. So, retirement, here I come!

I want to be happy. Which I already am. But there's always room for more, right?!

I need to reach out to people. Be less selfish, more compassionate, more friendly, more courageous.

I miss Europe. So much. So I've got to get there again this year. At least once. Preferably twice. Germany is already on the possibilities board for May. So we'll see.

Yeah, I have plenty of resolution ideas. I just need to figure out which ones need the most work and figure out the steps to achieve them. And if any of you, my dear friends, think I especially need to work on anything in my life, I'm open for suggestions! And a happy new year to everyone! I hope this year will become your favorite and most full in your life so far!