“Knowledge is ancient error reflecting on its youth"

Finals are quickly approaching and my brain is melting.  

Friday is the day when I don't have any classes and I use the time to work on my online class, but also to relax and prepare for the weekend. Today, however, I got up early, filled my backpack with books and pencils, and headed to the library.  I wrote papers, took a quiz, and worked on several projects. I feel incredibly productive today.  Seriously, I'm getting things done and it feels so good.

When I consider where I was last December, I've come a long way.  This past year has been such a tumultuous one, with huge ups and huge downs.  I've said it before, but this year has been my year.

Highlights

• Starbucks.  This place was such a fun job.  When I went home for Thanksgiving, I had lunch with my manager and visited with a couple of my former coworkers.  I forgot how much fun I had at that job.  I made life long friends, met some celebrities, and learned the art of coffee making.  I think steaming milk to perfection will always be a part of my nature now.  

Cleaning the ice bin

• Erik.  This guy is one of my best friends ever.  Having him home, living only two blocks away was what saved me from utter despair for a good part of the year.  I'm lucky to have a fun, reliable, trustworthy friend.  

Erik is a pretty, pretty princess

• Moving to Idaho.  Seriously, this was the best thing I could have done this fall.  I had to choose between staying  at home to save up enough money to move to France and moving to Idaho and spending the France money.  I gave up France for Rexburg, Idaho.  A lot of people would see that as a lame choice, but for me it was the better choice.  I have a great apartment, I have great roommate.  

My apartment

• Grades.  This is my best semester ever.  In fact, this is the best I've ever done in school.  I have straight A's.  I am the bomb.

Midterm grades.  Still going strong

I could go on and on about the awesome things that have happened this year.  True, there were some low points and I could go into those, but instead of viewing those things as negatives, I chose to look at the way they've changed me and helped me become who I am today.  

2011 has been a year to remember.  I look forward to it's close and the beginning of 2012.

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans”

I've found that as soon as things kick into gear, this blog goes dead.  Completely.  Sometimes I even forget that it exists.  As for the 50 days thing?  Yeah, I'm over it.  The facemorph was weird and then I just got bored and it started feeling like an obligation, not something enjoyable.  Back to regular blogging.

Today, on my day off, I went out to the outlets with Erik, to the mall to fill out rehire paperwork for Brookstone (I will never really leave them...this is the fourth time I've gone back, even if it is just for one week), and then we went roller blading.  Holy. Cow.  It was such a simple little thing, skating from Erik's house to the bike path through the soccer fields, but I got my trash kiiiicked.  Hills are not my friends.  Going up them is not fun.  Going down them is a death trap.  However, I only fell once, so that's got to count for something.

Roller blading is rad, but it's exhausting.

Check out these bad boys.  Their previous owner was an eleven year old boy.