Dear Blog,

So, I really do have an excuse of why I haven't been blogging. We got rid of the internet at our casa...which is rather liberating, but also limits me from doing things that I want to be doing, such as blogging and reading other people's blogs!!! I'm blog deprived. Sad, I know. Okay, now that I have explained such atrocities, I will write something real.

Lately I have been feeling as though I am in somewhat of an 'early-life' crisis. I have been questioning everything, feeling a little depressed and exhausted, and I think that I have been pushing people away. I keep trying to figure out why I have been feeling this way and how I can fix it and I don't think that there is much that I can do except keep myself busy because I think the reason I'm feeling all of this is that I'm stressing myself out too much over miniscule things that I should just let be. But how? How do you stop yourself from worrying over things? Is it even possible?

I've also noticed that I have been losing what seems like myself. I don't do things for me anymore. I don't sit and watch the sunset and read or go hiking or whatever! All I do is worry about school and go to work and by the time I am done I am so exhausted that I just go home and lay in bed. Whaaat??? Not okay. I need to be more active. I just don't feel...alive. I wonder if anyone else feels this way.

Maybe I just need a change.

I think the moving thing will be good for me. Jessie and I will be moving in with Bri and Aisha for the summer (which I'm really excited about) and then after that Jessie will be moving to Phoenix (which I cannot bring myself to think about otherwise I will be in tears in seconds), and I'll be moving in with my sweet Lynda, which I couldn't be more excited about.

I'm going to start making myself day-by-day plans to distract myself from this depressive mood I have found myself in. First thing? Yoga. Tomorrow. 6:45am. Which means I will be going to bed EARLY tonight.

And now, after much rambling, I bid adieu.

I love...

PostSecret. I think it's the greatest thing ever. I think this world needs more honesty, even if it is anonymous.

I also love discovering new things about yourself, even if they are silly or stupid, things that you've always known but could never put your finger on or perhaps something that is going to help you be happier.

I really love a good book with an imaginative story. The kind of book that you cannot put down and the kind of story where you finish a chapter on your way to class and you spend the rest of said class daydreaming about what it would be like to be living in that book, in that time, with those characters.

I love the idea of feeling wanted or needed. The idea of finding someone who wants nothing but you and would devote themselves to you. I think that would be nice.

I love boys with long hair. But also boys with short hair. Shoot. I think I just love boys. But seriously, boys who can rock the long hair, definitely attractive. On that note, I also love beards...and stubble/scruff/unshaved faces.

I love to travel. But not the fly to New York City and stay in a fancy hotel travel. The uncharted traveling. The kind that you just go - and figure it out from there.

I love this quote:

"A traveller.

I love his title.

A traveller is to reverenced at such.

His profession is the best symbol of our life.

Going from - toward;

It is the history of every one of us."

-Henry David Thoreau

I'm Alive!

I have been awfully anti-computer lately. I swore I was going to get better about the whole blogging thing and it just didn't happen! Well, things are a-changin'! I will be better now, I promise! I'm in a bit of a rush at the moment...I have to finish some Chem homework (bleh), shower and get ready for work and eat some lunch before I die from starvation. So, instead of a long writing entry, I'll just resort to a couple recent-ish pictures!

This is what I do on a Friday night...how sad.

This is my new watch! I looovvveee it. That is all.

And last but not least, baby Snitch (AKA my god-kitten) it getting so much bigger!

Oh right, I have a blog.

Dear blog, (where the hell did the term 'blog' come from anyway?)

I have been neglecting you so. I am quite sorry. I will now begin to update you on life in 2011.

I think I left off on how amazing my job was...and I am so happy to say that I still adore every aspect of it. Except of course when people come in and order drinks that Starbucks makes up and when I tell them we don't have that they roll their eyes at me and I want to tell them to fuck off and go drink their sugar across the street.

Christmas wasn't very exciting, however it was lovely seeing my mom and brother and the Baker's.

I got a new phone. Droids are way too much technology for me to handle.

Janae and Baby J came to see me for a night. I love it when they're here.

New Year's kind of sucked for me. I went to my friend Jill's which was fun, but it also marks a year that I haven't seen my dad. Bleh.

I have an entire stack of books to read and I am so excited for them. I'm reading Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris now and it is hilarious! The Notorious Dr. August is next, followed by The Picture of Dorian Gray (one of my favorites) and a few others. Have I mentioned how much I love working at a bookstore?

Flagstaff is cold. I miss summer.

I love Scrabble. Especially when played with Laiken and Jessie.

I have no other updates except that I have got to be better about this writing thing. Oh boy.

Thanks A-Latte!

Oh. My. Espresso. How I love thee.

I thought I would devote a little writing and all around appreciation to my new job that I absolutely adore. I just recently acquired a job at Bookmans, which (for those of you who don't already know) is a magnificent company that is here in Arizona. Bookmans is a place of beauty...seriously. They recycle books, music, videos and electronics by buying your hand-me down goodies and re-selling them to shoppers for amazing prices. When you sell goods to Bookmans, they either give you cash or a trade-slip that you can use anywhere in the store (even the cafe). This is the place to find the best stuff for the best prices. Being the bookworm that I am, I love browsing the shelves and finding classic authors, new authors, art books and so much more. They have something to do with everything...not to mention their insane and hard to resist collection of music. I know this is just a super short description of them and I cannot even begin to enlighten you on every wonderful aspect of this place. You can read more about this slice of heaven here.

Anyway...I work in the cafe!!! Yay! Mmmm, coffee? Yes, please. I cannot begin to express how excited this whole experience makes me. The Bookmans Cafe is a place of quality. Period. We are being trained by the most brilliant coffee connoisseur, if you will, that I have ever met. I swear, ask him anything and he knows...oh and he's an incredible teacher and has a sweet personality and a fantastic sense of humor. I'm so excited to introduced to the wonderful world of coffee and learn all these incredible things. I know this is going to sound cheesy...but coffee really is an art. (Sorry if I am rambling and not making a lot of sense...I've probably consumed too much caffeine for my own good).

So, here is what we're working with...

Intelligentsia (Holy guacamole this stuff is good.)

And our AMAZING machine from La Marzocco straight from Firenze, Italia!!!

Everything is so amazing and the people at Bookmans have the kindest hearts I've experienced. I'm so fortunate to have this amazing job and I am so excited and eager to learn, learn, learn! So come visit so I can pull you a (hopefully) delicious shot!

Here's a wonderful video from Intelligentsia that is A.) just a really beautiful video and B.) a taste of what I've been learning step by step.

Pish Posh, Applesauce

Holy guacamole. It's a Saturday night and I'm in college, yet I am sitting in my empty house in my most comfy pajamas, drinking a cup of tea, listening to Christmas music and KNITTING. Hellooo grandmother. (Although, I do give myself a little leeway because I opened for the past three mornings in a row at work and I open again tomorrow...and by opening I mean 4:15am, AKA hell).

Latest piece of interesting news? I learned how to knit via my dear Jessica. I love it so far. I just love the idea that when I'm done I'll have made something (a warm headband in particular if you were curious) that I feel confident about and that keeps my ears toasty! Oh right, and it's a fraction of the cost. I've found knitting to be rather therapeutic. It's a nice way to relax and wind down before crawling into a warm bed.

Josh Groban's rendition of The First Noel is on my holiday Pandora station right now. Fun fact.

I'm going to finish my tea and go to bed now. Its only twenty after 8. Another fun fact. I'm the complete opposite of a normal college student. More around the age of 40 if you ask me.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

I would say that walking to school in -3 degree weather officially counts as winter. It's been rather refreshing! I love the feeling of the icy air stinging your cheeks...as long as the rest of your body is warm. I've decided that good shoes are the key when trying to stay warm, and I'm not doing too good on that front. Note to self: purchase winter boots. Since I've been in such a shopping mood, I decided to share a few of my favorite [winter] things.

These Anthropologie boots are to die for. A little on the pricier side, but totally worth it in my opinion. I'm hoping to be a proud owner soon.

This totally cute hat is something I found on Etsy, which is quickly becoming my new obsession. Cute, affordable and comes in different colors? Yes, please.

Last night I was talking with my friends about our different styles, and my friend Aisha said that she always pictures me in sweaters and I always look cozy, and I kind of like that description. This sweater from ModCloth is so darn cute and I love that it's a little unique with the turtleneck and the color is one of my favorite neutrals. You can find it here.

I know there's only a few here, but they're definitely my favorite lusts for the season so far. I think I might start putting pictures up of things that I actually wear and that way I can share my favorites from my own wardrobe. But I must forewarn: I own so many neutrals it's ridiculous, so don't be surprised.