May 24: Worst Traits

Day 24: Your top three worst traits

I'm not sure these are my worst traits, but they were the first three to come to mind.

1. I'm a worrier. I worry. A lot. My nickname by my friends in high school was "mama Mel" because I was constantly telling my friends to drive safe, be smart, or to text me when they got home. I know it doesn't bother some people, but I've also been told that it can be incredibly annoying.

I can't help it if I care! :)

2. I'm really good at making up reasons for why every day is a special occasion. This sounds like a good thing, but it's not. It means that every time I try to eat healthier or commit to working out six days per week, I fail. For example - today is Friday (that in itself is special) and it's the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. Everyone else is taking the day off, so I deserve a cookie.

Logical, right?

It happens every. single. day.

3. When I'm mad or when I just simply don't want to be talked to, I get scary.

No, really. I get scary.

You can ask some of my closest friends or past roommates.

It's a silent kind of scary where I don't say anything, but I have the "look."

But don't worry, I'm working on this one :)

May 17: Favorite Picture

Day 17: A favorite photo of yourself and why

I feel kind of vain doing this blog post... :)

Instead of finding a favorite (because we all know I'm terrible at picking favorites...) I decided to find one that was candid, random, or just a fun photo of myself.

This was taken in our limo to dinner for my Senior Prom.

I love this picture because it was almost a completely candid shot, but at the last minute I looked up and smiled.

My senior prom was by far my favorite high school dance.

The group was great, my date was great, dinner was great, the dance was great, and our little after party was great.

I'm glad I got this fun picture out of it :)

May 6: What do I do?

Day 6: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question "what do you do?"

Wow, what a loaded question.

So, what do I do?

Being honest (and this isn't a cop-out), I am a student.

I've always really loved learning, even more so when the learning is in my particular area of interest.

I'm not just a student at a university, I'm a student of life (is that cheesy? Oh well!).

But seriously, I feel like I'm constantly learning about myself, about the Gospel, about other people, and about the world. 

To prove that this isn't just a cop-out, I'll share some potentially nerdy facts about myself:

~I am addicted to TED talks. I've mentioned this one before, but seriously, TED is amazing.

~I listen to General Conference talks every night in bed while I fall asleep.

~I'd rather read an autobiography or something non-fiction over Nicholas Sparks or Jodi Picoult (though those are amazing too, and I do take the time to read them ;) )

~It's not uncommon to find me spending a Saturday night watching a documentary on Netflix.

~Top Gear is one of my favorite shows. Hey, it's educational in its own way :)

In short, there are a lot of ways I could have answered this question, but I will forever be a student even long after I have my degree and have left college campuses and textbooks behind.

My fourth grade teacher would be so proud that I really have become a lifelong learner :)

May 3rd: Oh So Uncomfortable

Day 3:

Things that make you uncomfortable

~The words crusty and moist

~Watching Mariah Carey judge on American Idol

~Any talk of bodily functions

~ People who stand too close to me

~Being late

~Those who argue in public

~Poor grammar

~Watching Taylor Swift perform

(I still love her music though!)

~Panty lines

~Twitter

~Going to the bathroom on an airplane

~Having to play any type of sport in front of a guy. I'll watch you play, I'll watch your favorite team with you every single time they play, and I'll honestly love it, but good luck ever getting me to play any sport. It really isn't pretty.

That's enough for now :)

Blog every day in May - May 1:

I decided to do this "blog every day in May" thing.

I have a feeling I may regret it, given the fact that I'm working 40 hours a week and taking 14 credits of classes....

BUT...

Once upon a time I did a Project 365 through my busiest year of high school and first semester of college.

It was so worth it and is so fun to look back at, so I'm hoping this will be something similar.

If not, at least I'll allow myself a tiny break each day just to write.

It's theraputic :)

So, Day 1: 

The story of your life in 250 words or less

I was the piece that completed the puzzle when I was born on January 28^th 1992 to two loving parents and two older sisters. We moved a lot, from Utah to Washington, then Minnesota and Illinois, and back to Washington. When I went to college at BYU-Idaho in 2010 my parents moved a year later back to Utah. I am unable to decide where I “grew up” and consider home to be wherever I’m living at the time.

I’ve always had a passion for the arts, mainly music. I have a lot of interests, minus anything involving math. I’ve changed my life plan over a million times and am still figuring out what I want from my future.

I prefer a few close friends over a lot of acquaintances.

I love getting out and experiencing new things, but prefer good quality time at home with those I love.

I have big plans for my life but am still working on believing I can make it all happen.

I’m a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though I didn’t always believe it. Struggling to find a testimony on my own made me stronger and allowed me to stand more convicted of what I have faith in and what I believe.

I want to spend my life making a difference in someone else’s.

I’ll get there some day :) 

My brain on painkillers

One of my biggest fears is putting on slippers (with bare feet) and a spider being in there.

Healthy habits are so expensive. I have to fork out the money for floss and toothpaste, simply because I am OCD about it and I can't fall asleep without flossing and I can't leave the house without brushing.

The greatest invention in the world would be a standing bathtub. Picture a standalone shower, but with bathtub-like walls all around, and you have to climb up a ladder to get in or something. I don't know, I don't have all the details worked out, I just know it would be amazing. I don't like my bare bum sitting on the bottom of a bathtub.

Plain potato chips dipped in mustard is a sure way to satisfy one of my salty cravings.

Chocolate covered macadamia nuts make me swoon. Sometimes I look up how expensive flights to Hawaii are just so I could get some of the best in the world.

Painkillers have adverse effects on me. Hence this random blog post and wanting to go to bed at 6:00 in the evening. It's also messing with my gym schedule and my appetite. Who would voluntarily take these things?! On a side note, ultrasounds are kinda fun. Maybe I'll become an Ultrasound Tech. Or a Dental Hygienist. The possibilities are endless!

I really love herbal tea, especially when I get to drink it out of this super cute mug my sister got me from Anthropologie.

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Lessons I've Learned Thus Far in 2012...

1. I am so so so so so unproductive when I have a day full of free time

2. You would think that I would finally get around to finishing Anna Karenina or get a head start on homework (I'm taking a two credit class online this Winter...), but instead, I prefer to sit around and watch Friends, The Big Bang Theory, The Office, and countless other things all day.

3. I don't do well just lounging around for more than one day. Just for the record, what I mentioned in #2 has only happened one day, and I was going insane by the end of the day. I wound up on the floor complaining to my mom that I was bored out of my mind and I need a job, or 25 credits of classes or something!

4. I hate job hunting. Especially when I'm only home until April and no one wants to hire me.

5. It's incredibly freeing to not have to do your makeup, hair, or get dressed in anything other than sweats. Unfortunately, after two days of this I itch to get dressed up and go out in public, looking half-decent.

Exhibit A: Melissa going insane

So it's apparent that I do much better when I'm busy, sleepless, and stressed.

Who would've guessed?!

So maybe today I'll get around to blogging about New Years Eve and Christmas in Rexburg with Jen and Eric.

Or maybe I'll get some homework done, go to the gym, and get some applications in at a few more temp. agencies

Wish me luck, because right now I'd rather watch another episode of The Office.

Help!

Christmastime is Here!

The greatest time of the year!

Here are a few of my favorite Christmas songs to enjoy :)

^ This really is one of my favorites... :)

What is your best Christmas memory?

One of my favorites was sleeping in the same room with my sisters on Christmas Eve and coloring until we could fall asleep.
*My sister has corrected me: We used to color in the morning when we woke up, until we could go upstairs to wake mom and dad up. I've apparently been remembering wrong for many many years!*

What was your favorite Christmas present of all time?

I don't think I have one.

What do you really want this year?

Unrealistic: An SLR

Realistic: A whole plethora of things from Deseret Book :)

Hot chocolate or apple cider?

Hot chocolate, for sure.

Cookies or Brownies?

Oooh, tough one. Christmas cookies usually win though.

Candy Canes or Chocolate?

Chocolate.

What is your tree decorated with?

Lights, beads, and ornaments

Favorite Christmas Song?

Last Christmas by Wham!

No joke... I love George Michael ;)

Do you have any family traditions for Christmas?

We have a million. I'm the tradition keeper!

My favorites are watching Christmas Vacation, opening pj's on Christmas eve, and our delicious Christmas breakfast after opening presents.

Favorite Christmas movie?

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

It's a tradition :)

Ice skating or caroling?

I've never really been ice skating, so caroling?

Giving or Getting presents?

I don't care so much about getting presents anymore. I like shopping for my nieces and nephews!

White or colored lights for your house?

White.

White or colored lights for your tree?

White.

A Christmas Carol or How the Grinch Stole Christmas?

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Is Christmas stressful for you?

Nope. You just have to enjoy whatever your means are, and think about the true meaning of Christmas.

Right Now I'm Loving...

Getting in bed every night, utterly exhausted

Running and doing ab workouts (great stress reliever)

Facebook in Pirate language

Lucky Charms every morning, while doing my hair and listening to country

Speaking of country... country music,

more specifically, Crazy Girl by Eli Young Band

Falling asleep on my bedroom floor, under my desk as a result of printing millions of papers

(I keep my printer under my desk...)

My Child Development class. I literally LOVE it, and doing the homework

Funfetti frosting and FlipSides

Not together, of course...

And last but not least,

FOOTBALL SEASON!

Call Me Old Fashioned

Whatever happened to writing letters?

Why do I have to be so surprised when a car door gets opened for me?

I don't think I've ever had someone other than my father, or a waiter, pull my chair out for me before I sit down, though I would absolutely love it.

When a lady leaves a table, the men should stand up.

I love when I hear someone (men and women) say "ma'am" or "sir".

Maybe this is all too much to ask.

Sometimes I really do think chivalry is dead...

...and then someone does something to remind me that there's still hope.

Bucket List

Yesterday I started a bucket list.

Here's an inside look at a few of the less personal ones...

and I promise I have more meaningful ones on there too :)

1. Watch cars on the Autobahn without ever getting on it myself

 3. Live in one house for more than five years

9. Write an entire song, music and lyrics

10. Spend Fourth of July in Washington D.C

 13. Cut my hair short, chin length short

16. Run a quarter marathon

19. Paint something to hang in my house

This should be interesting :)

It's a Passion

Today I woke up, ate a hearty breakfast of banana bread that I made at midnight last night, and then got to cleaning.

 I spent just under four hours cleaning my apartment.

I cleaned every room (besides the other girls rooms...), washed the windows, and even cleaned out the refrigerator and freezer.

I don't know what it is...

Maybe it's that I can just zone out and focus on my music, usually Frank Sinatra or Adele radio on Pandora.

Maybe I'm a little OCD and I just love the feeling of making things clean.

I do know...

I was raised in a very clean household and since moving out, I've inherited my mother's traits of keeping a home clean.

I feel so much better about everything when I'm living in a clean space.

I'm excited for my parents and my older sister and her family to come visit and see me living in my apartment. Maybe that's what possessed me to spend an entire day cleaning.

It was a good day.

It made me happy.

Everything is clean.

Now we'll see how long it lasts...

What Dreams May Come

Hold fast to dreams

for if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly

Hold fast to dreams

for when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow

-Langston Hughes

________________________________________________________________

I dream that I can be a stay at home mom, playing with my kids, cooking, cleaning, baking for the neighbors, doing crafty things that make all of my friends jealous.

I dream that I can be a working woman, getting up early in the morning and exercising before putting on my pencil skirt and heels and driving to my office in the city.

I dream that I can go on a mission - somewhere foreign - and teach, convert, and baptize.

I dream that I can go to grad school or law school or dental school or med school.

I dream that I can travel the world - a new adventure every break from school I get - to India, Greece, Italy, Bali, Argentina, France, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, and on and on.

But most of all...

I dream that I can be happy, successful, content and in love with wherever life leads me.

I dream that I will do the best that I can do in whatever I end up doing.

I dream that I can have trust and faith in the plan that there is for my life and that I can be patient with the things over which I have no control.

I dream that I can spend my days honestly happy and able to focus on the things that truly matter.

________________________________________________________________

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens. 

Circumstances and situations do color life but you have been given the mind to choose what the color shall be."

John Homer Miller

Pet Peeves...

We all have them...

These are some of mine:

Crumbs and/or water on the kitchen floor

Knocking on the door for your roommates

to open the door when you have your key

(Don't worry, my roommates are all aware of this one)

When drivers don't use their blinkers

People who breathe too loud in the mornings... 

This one is an inside joke ;) 

Nearly getting taken out by bicyclists

Rexburg wind:

Comparably, Chicago doesn't live up to its name

That one kid that says something completely

irrelevant multiple times every class period

When you're in the car with someone and
they talk on the phone for more than a few minutes

Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates

I've spent this entire semester stressing over what major I was finally going to decide on. After countless phone calls to my parents (some of them in tears), I decided to just let it go. The answer will come when it needs to come and it's not something to stress over. So what if it takes me five years to get a degree. How long it takes doesn't even matter. 

That worked for a week, maybe two. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't avoid thinking and stressing about it - but not just which major to choose - it was whether there even was a choice to be made.

You never know what you're going to get in life, and sometimes what's best may be exactly what you've been resisting all along.

In high school, music was my life. I was a great student but my day revolved around the three hours that I spent in the choir room. I loved it, adored it, yet I had decided music would not be the path I would take in college unless as a minor. 

Life as a music major is hard. It's a challenge. You're constantly having to prove yourself. I'm not competitive, so it just didn't match up. 

It didn't match up until I realized that music is what I do best. Music is my passion. I would be foolish to think music wasn't what I needed to do.

Don't ask me exactly what I'm going to go into, though I think I've narrowed it down to Music Therapy or just a general Music degree. I have some talking with an academic adviser to do and inevitably some more research and stressing left to do. 

This choice may bring more changes than expected, like having to transfer to Utah State University to get a degree in Music Therapy, but I'm prepared for whatever may come my way.

I realize life as a music major will be hard. I'm going to be busier than I've ever been and in the end four people may determine that I can't continue along in the program.

For now, I don't care. It's what I love and it's what I'm going to do.