“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction”

Remember that one time I said I go with my gut?  Yeah, carpe diem seems to be the driving factor behind many of the things that I do. 

I was planning on moving to France in January.  I was really excited, I looked into a lot of costs and I dug out my old passport.  At the time, I really felt good about it because it was time that I did something.  Living at home, working at Starbucks was getting monotonous and I needed a change of scene, a change of people.  France sounded great.  France still sounds great.

I'm not where I was in August when I made that decision.  I feel as though I've undergone an internal change between then and now, understanding more who I am, who I want to be, and what direction I'm heading.  I know now that I'm a better student, more prepared for life at BYU-Idaho.  I've made some connections out here in Idaho with people who work at the local bakers and I feel strongly that I'm going to find a job for the winter. 

Yep, I'm staying in Idaho.  I've signed a contract, its a done deal.  I feel kind of bad for backing out of the France plan, but financially it wasnt going to work out.  It costs a lot of money to travel and live overseas.  Besides, living here in Idaho makes sense.  I'm doing well in school, I have solid friends, and its hard to beat the spirit in this town.  I feel uplifted by the people that surround me and I feel happy.

I'm happier than I've been in a long time.  Things are turning around and working out for me.  It's about time, life.  Let's keep things going this way.

"Starbucks represents something beyond a cup of coffee"

How Starbucks taught me to study: a tale of lattes and literature

I'm not afraid to admit that I've been a bad student in previous semesters.  My study habits, although they've existed, have been rather poor.  Sleep deprivation at night resulted in naps during class instead of attending class.    I want to believe that I was a good student and the classes were just that hard, but truth is that I really just wasn't that into school.  I did fairly well, enough to get by with average grades, but I know I'm better than that.

Here I am at a the start of a new semester after having taken two years off.  It's intimidating and huge and I'm scared out of my mind, BUT I have this overwhelming feeling that this is the semester where I figure things out and do well.  Throughout this first week of school I've been so on my game.  I've gone to all my classes on time (17 credits worth) and I've spent time in the library getting assignments done and many hours at home studying in my room instead of playing with my roommates.  Every time I open my computer, instead of opening up Facebook first thing, I open up my byui account and get a couple assignments done.  And then I get on facebook and watch kid history and laugh my face off.

What happened to cause the change?  I think working full-time at Starbucks did the trick.  I got into the habit of going to work for 9 hours, starting at 5am.  I worked hard at my job to be the best barista I could be and now I feel ask though I have a work ethic that far surpasses the one I had when I was at school before.  Basically, Starbucks taught me how to study.

This is my semester.  

"Its really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs"

This is round 5 for me at BYU-Idaho.  Two years on, two years off, now I'm back.
I'm in a new apartment with new roommates and a new (hopefully last) major.  I'm all settled in and I'm already loving my roommates.

I feel as though this is going to be the semester that I really figure out what I'm doing, and not only in school.   I think I'm going to end up with a clearer idea of what I'm going to do with my life.  I'm going to figure out what direction I need to take, whether or not I should stay in Idaho, how I'll be able to afford France, where I need to be.  I'm twenty-two and I still need some direction with what I'm doing.  There are so many options available to me, but everything has it's pros and cons.  Sometimes I'm worried about making the wrong decision.

But I really feel like things will make more sense this semester.  Hurray!

"France has more need of me than I have need of France"

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am moving to Southern France in January.  I'm going to a pastry program and internship in Le Cap d'Agde.

I.
Can't.
Wait.

“College is a refuge from hasty judgment"

I've been home for two years.  I've left home maybe three times in those two years.  This fall I am moving out again and it feels SO great to be sorting through things, busting out the dusty college boxes.

There's a level of comfort that comes with being home.  I have my own room, I come and go as I please, I do my share in the house (dinner, dishes, laundry) and in turn I don't have to pay rent or for food.  I like that my things are here and, despite being a culinary term, everything is mise en place, or, in it's place.

I'm getting ready to leave home again and move into an apartment with a roommate.  I haven't had a roommate since 2007 and I'm not sure yet if I'm ready for one.  I like having my own space, you know?  My own bedroom is a place where I can take refuge from everyone around me, where I can clear my head, relax, and regroup.  Well, things changed pretty suddenly as far as the roommate situation goes.  My cousin Hannah moved in with me on Sunday.  I had known it was a possibility, but I didn't know for sure until Friday afternoon.  I used Saturday, my day off, to clean and rearrange my room in preparation for her arrival.  Thus far, I'm okay with the arrangement.  In fact, I kind of like it.

I've never been really close with any of my cousins.  I think it's partially because I've grown up not being crazy about visiting my extended family, but also because I fall kind of in the middle of all the cousins and haven't many cousins my age.  Hannah is several years younger than me, but she's easy to talk to and gets along well with people.  I'm excited to have her here and to develop a close relationship with her.  I'm excited to introduce her to the singles ward and all the awesomeness that it can be.  I'm ready to get out of my own personal space and learn to live with someone again.

All around I'm excited.  For the summer, for Hannah, for the big move in the Fall.

“Pirates could happen to anyone"

Oh look, I'm in a youtube video

“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.