CLOTHED AND BRAVE

a still shot from my personal diary camera during the fifth night - a rough one; our shelter took a beating during the storm, but we powered through. barely.
if only my partner would stop whining about his sunburn and start collecting firewood.
*rolls eyes.*

as i was reflecting on sunday's episode of naked and afraid, i had this very vivid, very seemingly-real visualization of what i would be like if i were a contestant on discovery channel's most bizarrely gripping new series. it was similar to those dreams you have on first-day-of-school eve - the ones where you're running around your "campus" (which doesn't look anything like your campus at all) and can't seem to find your classroom, or you wake up and you realize your schedule's gone missing; ridiculous and nonsensical but they feel so real in the moment and everything happening is so wrong but you've no control. in this day-mare of mine, my subconscious fear of leaving for europe in three days was talking, but instead of moving to spain, i was leaving for the filming of an episode of naked and afraid, and that episode was starring me.

i arrived at the most intimidating of locations: a burning hot, tropical beach (#palepeopleprobz) whose temperatures drop to dangerously cold levels at night time and whose coasts are crawling with snakes and buzzing with mosquitoes. i climbed hesitantly toward the meeting post where my single satchel and partner were both waiting for me. we get introductions and "first looks" out of the way (why are the contestants always so awkwardly blunt about the "look?") and he shows me the multi-usage machete/saw tool he brought. i pulled out my chosen item: a tube of chapstick.

at this point he hated me already and compared me to the man from last season who brought goggles but then refused to swim and catch fish (! offensive). why didn't i bring something useful, like a fire starter? i was hoping he knew how to start a fire bow-drill style. but! the chapstick has SPF! (fast-forward three days and i don't share when he is complaining about his sun-burnt lips).

*update!* i failed to mention originally that at the beginning of our challenge, my skills and intelligence were assessed, and i was given a primitive survival rating of 5.2. i honestly felt pretty good about this, but couldn't wait to prove i (cue dramatic jungle music) had what it took to survive naked and afraid. 

over the span of 20 days, we built a shelter, started a fire (after six cold nights sans flames), weaved a fish trap only to find it empty the following day, did a cheerleading stunt to pluck some coconuts off the nearest palm tree, ate said nuts, i got ill from dehydration, he picked firewood, i cried, we had a tussle about the roles and responsibilities of our "partnership," he cut his foot on a thorn, i caught a crab, he cried, he pouted about not being the breadwinner, i gave an over-emotional speech on feminism, we threatened to part ways but then realized we couldn't have done it without each other, etc.

on the twenty-first day, my partner and i (assuming i made it the entire three weeks, which is a stretch in itself) had to swim to the extraction point. swim.

i can't swim.

and after what couldn't have been longer than a few minutes but felt like twenty, i pulled my imaginative mind from the thought (before i got any specific ending or real closure, like any bad dream. did we build a raft? did i swim? did i make it?? WAS I EVER EXTRACTED!?) and realized, maybe a semester in spain won't be too bad after all.

i'll just be in spain. clothed. with purified water. and a trusty source of food. and a caring host family. and the opportunity to speak spanish all the time without driving everyone (my mother) loco. *quivers with excitement.*
it could definitely be worse.

granada, spain. fall 2014: clothed and brave. starring rachel.

first episode of the eighteen-week season starts this wednesday.
stay tuned!

PS: at the end of this little daydream of mine, i was dying to find out what my PSR would actually be, so i got online and took this primitive survival rating quiz. you guys, i got a 1.1. ONE POINT ONE. how is that an actual rating? does it even get any lower than a one!? scoff!! i even gave some really good, really honest answers, like of course i would take a machete as my tool of choice, and i would use my natural instincts combined with my katniss-like knowledge of all foliage to be sure the greens were safe for my partner and i to consume. i suppose my honest answer of  "i only experience nature through what i see on naked and afraid" maybe knocked my overall PSR down a few points. ;)

if you haven't ever seen/heard of naked and afraid, i'm sorry.

this is probably the worst thing you've ever read.

if you have seen naked and afraid,

this is still probably the worst thing you've ever read.

i'm sorry.

HOME ALONE: AN ACCOUNT OF A TRAUMATIZING PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

i got home from work late wednesday evening only to find that *gasp!* my entire family was gone! missing! they'd flat up deserted the home front, leaving no signs of life or promises of return! i instantly (naturally) panicked. i was quick to jump to (what felt like) the most obvious conclusion: my family had been kidnapped (looking back, i may have been thinking a tad bit irrationally in the heat of the moment. i was distressed! and i just finished reading a murder-mystery novel. i've been conditioned to assume the worst). this seemed like the only logical explanation, especially when considering my family's tendency to stay in in the evenings and/or the fact that we're constantly texting and updating each other on things (sometimes, on too many things, in too great of detail. we are that close). i tried calling each of them. no answer. from any of them. my neck prickled with sweat. breathe. after i gave it a good thought, i rationally decided i could (mostly) rule out a kidnapping, which left me searching for an explanation; they took advantage of me being out of their hair and went on a fun adventure? they took advantage of me being out of their hair and packed up and abandoned me? forever!? i glanced at the kitchen table and suddenly remembered*: the girls' soccer banquet bbq was tonight! how could i forget! i dropped down into a dining room chair and let out an audible sigh of relief, internally scoffing as i recounted my silly preceding 4 minutes of sheer worry. a sly smirk spread across my face as the realization hit me: i'm home alone. this never happens. what does one do with an entire house to themselves? i stood still, blink, blink, looked around the room, and then took off to do what all good twenty-somethings do when they realize they have a whole entire quiet, cozy, fully-stocked (mom bought groceries the day before! boomski!) human being residential space to themselves. so what is it that all good twenty-somethings do in such a situation, you ask? it looks something like this:

take a moment to soak in the glory of alone-ness, look around, assess all of the exciting possibilities for activities.

first thing's first: food. open fridge. take a bite or two of all yummy things calling out to you while you decide on what you actually want to eat. choose salad and a grilled cheese with jalapenos. easy cheesy, literally.

simultaneously cook grilled cheese and prep salad. burn grilled cheese because you got too consumed in the lettuce. shrug it off and eat grilled cheese anyways because a little extra crisp never hurt nobody.

hey! an open t.v.! let's peruse the channels, shall we? you fantasize about how amazing this t.v. will look with something other than spongebob squarepants blaring from its speakers as you dig around for the remote.

you can't find the remote because you never use it and thus, don't know its officially unofficial hiding places.

spotted! a silver remote, hidden under a mountain of blankets and pillows. use remote to turn on the t.v. and channel surf.. nothing.. nothing.. settle for real housewives of O.C.

quickly get bored of t.v. but refuse to turn it off because you have the t.v. to yourself for once so take advantage of it!

take some time to force the bruiser in your life to love you because you're the only one home so basically he has no choice (demonstrated in photo set above).

check your phone: no texts.
check the time and make a sassy remark about the family being out past curfew.

remind yourself the sassiness is just camouflaged loneliness.
miss them a little.

skim a few pages of your book. check time again.

wait! was that a car door you just heard? they're back! leap up and hug them and bombard them with love as they come through the door because you've just been reassured through experience that life is much better with company.

* - aid in remembrance provided by: a snapchat from jenna's best friend, my lifesaver, tessibop. where would i be without that girl? 

MY SUCC-Y BABY

i am tickled pink to announce that my little family of one has grown!

this is fern. she is not a fern. just fern.

isn't she beautiful? i am such a proud plant momma. i came to class gushing after retrieving her and bored my friends with the adoption story accompanied by a slideshow of photos i had just taken (i wish i was kidding. i'm gonna be one of those human-baby mommas).

speaking of me being a proud plant momma, i texted both of my parents this cutesy announcement of a photo of fern with the caption "congratulations grandma/grandpa!" as in, surprise! look at my sweet new succulent! and my father thought i was making some sort of awkward tacky earth-y pregnancy announcement and began shooting back panicked text messages saying, "what are we congratulating!?" "wait, what??" "are you telling me i am going to be a grandpa...?" COINCIDENTALLY in this exact moment my phone went berserk and decided to stop receiving text messages for a couple hours, so when my dad never heard back from me he started calling/texting/e-mailing/skyping/carrier pigeoning my mom. he was absolutely convinced i was purposefully ignoring him -- i must have been completely ashamed after announcing my big "news" -- he was going to have to leave work early for he was "given quite a start!!" all the while i was clueless, frolicking on through life in a love-struck daze of happiness. (he did finally catch on, responding with "is that my grandplant? OMG he's beautiful!!!" good answer pops. and he is a she). so that was awkwardly distressing and i learned to never make references to my parents about having a grand-anything until it's the real deal for fear of giving them an unwarranted aneurysm.

our first family photos taken immediately after the adoption was finalized.

fern and i took our monumental first-photo-as-a-family-of-two photo and then marched our way over to walmart to pick up a snazzy new coming-home pot for her.

because i am an impatient ida i changed her right over the sink immediately upon returning to my housing quarters. and even though she made a huge sprinkly dirty mess everywhere, i didn't even mind. i am blinded by my infatuation with little ferny! 

a few frames from fern's newborn photo shoot.

i can't wait to watch little fern grow and blossom in time and hopefully someday give her a little baby brother or sister succulent! i love you fern! 

this post brought to you in part by: my occasional absolute quirkiness.

SHARING A SMILE

these made me smile. i hope they do you, too.

• icke and lardee's adventures on my milk toof
• this list of 50 fun and unconventional date ideas 
• tiny hampster eats tiny burrito
• pure happiness about babies and more babies
• this compilation of paulo coelho's best quotes on life and love
• the science behind why diagonally cut sandwiches are better

oh and

if yogi dogs don't make you smile, we might have to start seeing other people.

(MUST BE READ IN THE SING-SONGIEST OF VOICES): I'M BAAAACK!

after what felt like the longest summer ever (that being said with neither a negative nor positive undertone, just a downright fact ;), and the whizziest whirlwind of a half-a-semester ever, i feel like life has slowly found its groove again, and i've finally got things i want to write about and time to write them.

hence! this blog post!

last night i stayed up way too late having way too much fun reading back through the blog posts, journal, and notebook i kept during my semester in mexico. i think about my trip almost daily, but reading back through my journals reminded me of so many little details and stories i had already forgotten. at the time i felt like i was constantly posting and documenting things, but looking back i was surprised at how few posts i had actually written. it made me think of all of the little interactions, memories, conversations, adventures, thoughts, and emotions i experienced while in merida that have been left unspoken and are simply memories floating around in my (often jumbled mess of a) brain. having been back for a few months now has allowed me the time to step back and really reflect on those experiences and the simple lessons they taught my about life and myself that i will be forever grateful for. fortunately for me many of these memories are still clear as day - almost as if they happened yesterday - so i'm going to take advantage of that and spend some time sharing more stories and talk more in-depth about my journey and some of the other aspects that went along with it. i want to remember these things fo-ev-AH! you know? i hope you join me in this nostalgic virtual walk down memory lane.

and i'm sure i'll throw in some random footnotes about college life and cute fluffy animals and the challenges of being left-handed and 5'2" in such a big world dominated by right-handed people, cuz it wouldn't be rachbug's ramblings without it. ;)

have a good weekend, friends! this week flew by, but i'm definitely ready for some down time to relax, get caught up on cleaning/homework, and watching you've got mail on repeat.

adiós muchachos!

KABOOM - POW - WOWZA

when you need that inspirational kick and coffee just isn't cutting it...

1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 :: 7

there's something about the combination of words, colors, design, and meaning within these pieces that seem to be really resonating with me and where i feel i am in life right now. the power in such artistic simplicity brings me both comfort and encouragement.

and now that you've scrolled so far your finger's gone numb... :) i hope this gets you through the rest of your monday and gets tuesday rolling in the right direction. oh and hey june! welcome back!

WEDGED WAYS

i have never been one for wedges. ever. until last week, that is, while i was aimlessly wandering around target, on a mission to give my mom birthday gift ideas (and failing miserably, leaving her just as clueless as she was to begin with, if not more), signs sent straight from the shoe gods were pointing me in the direction of the shoe department, with a beaming spotlight aimed directly at the most perfect pair of wedges i'd ever laid eyes on (see wedge #4 in diagram below! #4! soulmate wedge, as it prefers to be called). it was love at first sight. and i fell head over wedge (buh-dum-chh). ever since this run-in with soulmate wedge, my curiosity has been piqued and my mind has been wandering, exploring all of the things wedge world has to offer.

i have yet to invest in a pair of wedges, for i am still debating whether i am trendy and/or agile enough to pull something like this off (and i live in small town iowa, people, and let's be honest, wedges aren't really apart of our every-day attire), but if i were (...to invest in a pair, that is), i'd go for something like this...

1 || i saw these babies at the mall in the flesh, and oh, let me tell you, they were serenading me something sweet. i may end up making them my own. that splash of neon screams summer and tan and beach and popsicles!
2 || while these are the opposite of summer-y, they're perfect for date night. if i ever were to have one. *giggle*. something about these says cat woman to me? did that just ruin it for you? date night, i'm tellin' ya!
3 || tribal.
4 || sigh, soulmate wedges. i'm a big fan of the upcoming black + tan trend. it goes with everything! what more could one want?
5 || i thought i'd throw some color in the mix (i am a neutral enthusiast) and liked the subtle peach mixed in with the black and cork.

i must admit, the one thing i like about wedges is that they bump up snazz factor like a regular pair of heels would but are so much easier to walk in, and therefore, more comfortable! and we all know i'm built for comfort, not for speed.

onto our next subject up for debate, what's your take on wedge sneakers? i'm a thumbs down on this one. but! as proven above, i'm easily swayed. i read s o m e w h e r e (as if i could ever remember, but i promise it was a trustworthy source) not to spend money on a pair because they're headed "out" as fast as they came "in." 

i never really considered them to be "in" in the first place, but you know...

guys! it's friday! HAVE A LOVELY ONE and ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND. i'll be back in a snap to fill you in on birthday festivities, my feelings on entering old fartdom, and mexico biz (ha, nope! not off the hook yet with that one). okay bye for real this time.

BREAKING RULES + FUZZY iPOD PHOTOS

this is what finals + 4 months abroad does to a girl. just look at those monster bangs! consider yourselves lucky i spared you an aerial photo of my roots... ha ha.

i'm longing to blog, but until tomorrow afternoon i have a final presentation and exam tugging at my guilt strings, reminding me i need to prepare and focus on them rather than my little home on the interweb [+ facebook, + twitter, + instagram, + my e-mail, + counting my freckles (which have multiplied thanks to my weekend at the beach:) + watching paint dry, etc. a.k.a. pretty much anything and everything else that is even slightly more appealing]. by tomorrow afternoon you can expect posts on posts on posts about my weekend at isla mujeres, my time volunteering in cholul, aaand a bunch of other random stuff hiding up my sleeve. the anticipation, i know! try and contain your excitement, please! 

i hope your weekend + monday was a pleasant one and i will be back to blogging tomorrow! 

[i'm so, so good at cutting myself off from blogging to focus on my studies but finding reasons to blog, like writing a post about why i haven't been posting. as annoying as that is, i give myself a few claps for creativity and rule-bending. clap clap!]

SUMMER 2013 BUCKET LIST

-- go to chicago. i recently ran this one by my mom and she seemed unconvinced. she gave me a quizzical look and said "what do you want to do in chicago?" when i told her it was mainly because i wanted to try five guys she shot back an even stranger look. has she yet to learn that i make decisions based on food?
-- go to lake of the ozarks. and eat at five guys in columbus, mo on the way. guess whose idea that was? hint: not mine. but i suppose i can sacrifice!
-- eat a macaroon. if you have the memory of a clark's nutcracker bird you'll recall this is carried over from last year's bucket list. i failed! macaroons are a rarity in these midwestern parts!
-- go to the state fair. i missed it last year for the first time in, oh, probably 18 years :) due to RA training. our semester starts a week later this fall so i'm hoping i can make it. i am feeling extremely junk-food-on-a-stick deprived!
is it just me or is there a pattern forming here? hmm..
-- release a floaty lantern into the sky.
-- go thrifting.
-- read at least 3 novels.
-- volunteer. somewhere. for something. the details have yet to be determined. maybe find a place to continue practicing my spanish?
-- train for a 5k. 
-- read that digital photography for dummies book sitting on our bookshelf. i'd love to improve my photography skills {or have any skills in photography at all, for that matter} but it just looks b o r i n g.
-- put my pinterest "good grub" board and new yucatecan cookbook to good use.
-- watch fireworks with a boy. even if it is just the cute kiddos i babysit on fourth of july because their parents have more of a social life than i do. ;) hey, it works! and does this one make me sound 14, or what? i think i have fireworks issues. ha.
-- explore my town's neighboring cities from a tourist's point of view.
-- surprise someone.
-- go on a picnic. and i'm not talkin' a go-buy-sub-sandwiches-and-eat-them-in-nature picnic. i'm talkin' a picnic, with a cute basket, red-checkered blanket, the works.
-- try indian food.
-- go on a bike ride. also in nature. probs with the fam. wait, do my sisters even own bikes?
-- try yoga.
-- take mini road-trips to visit friends. because heaven forbid i wait all summer to see them.
-- get a killer tan.

LOL.
psyche.

what's on your summer of 2013 bucket list? am i missing anything? 

BLOGGER MILESTONES

proud blogger moment.
i haz discovered ze wonderful world uv picasa.

my photo went from zis:

to zis:

  

and zis one:

 to zis:

i'm practically a real photographer now.

maybe i should start my own business?

my trusty iPod camera & i.

kidding!

brings me back to 2011 when i debuted my tweenior picture photography business, rachbug's photography.

you'd hire me, right? and aren't my sisters practically the next gisele budchens?

why must i stumble upon these time-suckers (photo editing + pinterest + netflix + you name it) right before/during the busiest times of the semester? 

and it's always, always at bedtime.

(note: currently 11:54 p.m.)

it makes me wonder if these sites are actually that cool or if i'm just really good at procrastinating and seeking out distractions?

it's probably the latter.

and i couldn't care less.

NOW I'M SLOTHIN' ON THE COLD HARD GROUND

oh! oh!
trouble.
trouble.
trouble.

is this stuck in your head now? good. feel my pain! misery loves company! [MUAHAHA!]

connection: my sister once retweeted a sloth twitter account [...i know. don't ask questions.] that said "now i'm slothin' on the cold hard ground!" and it happened to be right after i learned that sloths only grace the ground with their presence once every two or so weeks to do their erm, yanno, "business," so i shared the fact with little j and she was less than impressed. i think it ruined the sloth meets t-swift mash-up for her.
giggle.

so anyways.

this lovely april 5-7 weekend of mine has been dedicated to sloths. the cugliest creature known to man.

[cute + ugly = "cugly"]

because sometimes there's just no other way to describe things?

i'm writing a research paper about sloths for my tropical ecology class, and while i'm typically anti-research papers [i mean they're not too difficult but time consuming and boooring as all get out, let's be real!], i have to admit, i'm diggin' this sloth topic. the slow little dudes are actually quite fascinating! and hideously adorable to look at.

i may have taken a break or two to go see a couple movies [jack and the giant slayer - verdict: bogus. but i got caramel popcorn so i was satisfied. + g.i. joe: retaliation - verdict: i couldn't tell you anything about the plot because i was too wrapped up in the DROOL-WORTHY CAST ehem dwayne johnson + bruce willis + channing tatum + that new hottie kid who no one has ever heard of before. so i'll give it two point five stars? out of four, of course] and consume my body weight in pasta, paninis, and a mocha oreo frappe [just soak that one in for a minute. mocha. oreo. frappe. to die for.] 

we "sprung [sprang? no bother.] forward" an hour this morning and merida and iowa are finally frolicking through time together as a synchronized pair of love and happiness, and my skype dates and texting times are back to normal, at last! i never would have imagined one little hour could be such a pain. thank goodness i'm not in spain! but now i have an extra hour's worth of sloth researching/facebook stalking/blog reading to make up for. it's back to work i go.

while i'm out, enjoy this cugly sloth video my sister introduced me to.

she's weirdly obsessed with sloths?

thirteen thoughts for thursday

1. i pass by this vehicle every day on my way home for lunch - such a nice little reminder that seems to find me when i need it the most. and in spanish! how fun is that?
2. my family arrives in merida one month from today! one month. 30 days. 4 weeks. no matter how you put it, it's sounding pretty darn good right about now. {i also worry that this may be the longest 1 month/30 days/4 weeks of my life?}
3. there was a couple camped outside of starbucks this morning {and i know this because the central house is (oh so inconveniently) located right next to starbucks, not because i made a pit stop there this morning for breakfast. i mean... ;)} in a giant VW van. literally camped. as in every window and ventilation mechanism was propped open, resembling a large pop-up camper, and i observed the pair roll out of bed (vehicle?), straighten their clothes, fix their hair in the window reflection, and be on their way. classy.
4. the temperatures are peaking to about 100 degrees on a daily basis, and therefore i will have spent my thursday at two different coffee shops before the day is done, because i learned the hard way that once it hits about 92 degrees i turn into a big worthless lump of all sorts of dysfunctional.
5. i went on a 12 mile bike ride last night and holymamajama i am s o r e.
6. with the recent news that i have been rehired as an RA for the 2013-2014 school year {and in my building of choice - double squeal} my brain has shifted into full-on dorm room/hall theme/program idea mode. decorations! team bonding! i live for this stuff!
7. negative energy is exhausting. i'm learning that intentionally surrounding myself with those that only and always make me smile is important.
8. i often find myself day dreaming about my future. about mommyhood and wifehood and jobhood. and how, while i'm anxious to arrive in those "hoods," i know i need to cherish the here and now. it's tricky sometimes.
9. have i mentioned that i found my wedding dress here in merida? ;) yes, yes, it's simply propped in the window of a dress shop in my neighborhood, calling out to me in a desperate, you-know-i'm-your-soul-dress-just-stop-in-and-take-a-gander! sort of tune. but i can't. i mustn't! because i know i'll fall in love! and i figure i should prooobably find myself a groom to fall in love with, first... maybe just slightly important? hrmph. details shmetails. but that dress is mine.
10. my toes need a-sprucin'. mani-pedi party, anyone?
11. pencils, batteries, shampoo & conditioner {they ran out at the same time this time! this never happens! i am thrilled!} -- today's shopping list.
12. i may or may not be double-posting today. depends on how big of a procrastinator i turn into. :) ...and in that case, knowing me, you could probably expect like 4 or 5. but i'll spare you!
13. i can't help but smile every time i look at this picture:

that face! i die! one more month until i can attack that furball with cuddles and kisses.

methods to getting through THAT class

you know the one.

it's the most drab of topics, at the most inconvenient of times, and it takes all your might and then some to refrain from passing out and drooling all over the place and/or throwing up your notebooks + pencils + papers in dramatic despair and marching out. 

fortunately i've found a few methods over the years to cope with the heinousness of it all. ;) those being:

+ make checklists. shopping lists, homework to-dos, souvenir lists, places i still want to visit, you name it, it's checklist make-able.

+ sleep with my eyes open.

+ day dream about ice cream/paradise/names of my future babies.

+ write blog posts.

+ make note that the majority of the dudes in class are clean shaven and baby-faced. count them. it's 9/10 to be exact.

+ apply chapstick. *spongebob voice* five minutes later. reapply chapstick.

+ doodle.

+ pick off recently-applied nail polish.

+ blink, blink, blink because my contacts are dryin' up.

+ realize there are still 20 minutes of class left and repeat the process.

how do you survive that class?

and the Liebster Award goes to...

i was so thrilled and honored when i received news from sweet chelsea at chelseaMADE that she had nominated me for a liebster award! a liebster award is one that's passed around small blogs to help them gain exposure and meet other new bloggers.

THE RULES ARE SIMPLE

+ Link back to the person who nominated you.

+ Write 11 facts about yourself.

+ Answer the 11 questions from the person who nominated you.

+ Nominate 11 blogs with 200 or less flowers. Notify them. ( You cannot nominate the person who nominated you)

+ Create 11 questions for those bloggers you've nominated to answer.

11 FACTS ABOUT MYSELF

1. i'm a 19 year old college second-year studying biology and spanish in hopes of one day pursuing a career in optometry. my ultimate dream is to be able to provide eye care in third-world spanish-speaking countries before settling down and opening up my own practice.

2. i just killed a cockroach -- something i never thought i'd have to say. ever. which leads me to number three:

3. i'm currently living in mérida, yucatán (mexico) completing a semester abroad program through my college. i've grown and learned more about myself in these past few months than i have in my whole nineteen years of existence.

4. i'm left handed. left bodied. my right side is practically dysfunctional. 

5. my bucket list includes: eating a macaroon, traveling europe, marrying my best friend, and releasing a giant floaty lantern into the sky.
6. i'm addicted to chapstick.
7. i'm a baton twirler and can juggle fire and swords. i owned my own baton studio in high school and taught lessons for four years.
8. i could not care less about politics. (i also could not understand it less than i do).
9. i'm a horrible liar. the downright worst! i can't even try to lie and try to tell you i'm a good liar. even an innocent (and false, i'm typically guilty of this) "noo, i totally wasn't the one who used up the last of the toliet paper and didn't put on a new roll..." is seen right through. to my defense, i always get yelled at for putting it on "the wrong way," because then it doesn't pull right? so there!
10. bellybuttons freak me out. i can't stand to touch mine/watch other people touch theirs. (girls tugging at their bellybutton rings is the ultimate gag session!)
11. i like to rap. here's a video.

11 QUESTIONS FROM CHELSEA

1. What is your favorite coffee /drink?

     lately i've been on a starbucks java chip frappuccino kick. it doesn't get much better than coffee 

     + chocolate chips all in one place. as long as it's got a splash of espresso and a whole lotta milk +

     flavoring + whipped cream, i'll take it!

2. What is your dream job?

     if i could be anything, anything, it would be either a professional dancer on dancing with the stars

     a coffee shop owner, or a tattoo artist. i also have this strange desire burning deep within to be a 

     sandwich artist at subway? i probably shouldn't be a subway lifer, but maybe my day job when 
     i'm on DWTS?

3. Why did you start blogging?

     my roommate freshman year introduced me to the blog of a young married couple from her church

     (it was kelsey & eric at words of williams). i instantly became fascinated by their posts and the blogging

     world, and through them found a few of my other favorites (nat the fat rat, love taza, and the daybook, 

     to name a few) and was inspired to start my own blog and give writing a shot. (update: i love it! if you

     couldn't have guessed).
4. Favorite craft?

     crafting is a rarity in these parts, but i do like me a good craft every now and then! my favorite was

     a canvas wall-hanging i made for my dorm last summer (my DIY here). i plan to do more when i return

     to the states, and want to take up knitting, too!

5. What is something you would love to learn?

    TO KNIT! i have this bizarre urge to make an infinity scarf? sewing would be beneficial, too. i also 

    want to someday learn sign language, how to take "profesh"-looking photos, and ballroom dancing.

6. Favorite article of clothing?

    my "magic pants", hands-down.

    and magic pants = leggings.

    versatility. comfortability. bam. i'm built for comfort, not for speed.
7. Song that describes your life?

    that depends on the day! come back to me.
8. Favorite book?

    oh i've read so many good books and making choices is not my forte. a few i thoroughly enjoyed:

    hunger games (1 AND 2), twilight (the book, people, the book! not the movie or anything k-patz

    related), perfect chemistry, anything nicholas sparks, or tragically romantic and totally hokey, really. 

    it's questions like these that make me stop and think, what books have i read lately? what books 

    have even i read? can i read? what's my name again? 

9. What is one opportunity you passed that you wish you would of taken advantage of?

    i wish i would have taken more free (to me) college classes in high school and gotten more gen-eds

    out of the way. could i have come up with a more boring, anti-climactic answer? hmm..

10. Favorite card/ board game?

    i'm always down for a round of yahtzee or apples to apples! besides playing phase ten as a kid, 

    i'm learning the hard way that my card game-deprived upbringing left me ill-prepared for this trip

    and life in general. i'm surrounded  by card game rockstars! ugh! go fish, anyone?

11. Where did you meet your best friend?

   my best friends forevz are my mom and two sisters. i suppose i had no choice but to meet them. 

   fortunately they turned out kinda cool! ;) ha! i kid, i kid. they're the three people in my life who have

   always, always stuck by my side, never judged me, never let me down and have loved me 

   unconditionally. i got pretty darn lucky with those guys. er, girls.

well now that you know way more about me than you ever desired, i wanna know about you!

1. what's your gas station go-to snack? 

2. what's that one movie you could watch over and over and never get sick of? 

3. if you could skip work/school/etc. for a day, how would you spend your day off? 

4. if you were the head chef in a restaurant, what would be your "chef's special"?

5. finish this sentence: i wouldn't be caught dead in...

6. what are three things on your bucket list? 

7. what's your best/most unique quality? 

8. do you collect anything? 

9. if you could have coffee with one person (or dinner... or go on a date... or be seeing exclusively... oops this is getting out of hand) who would it be and why? 

10. if you were a fly, on what wall would you perch? 

11. what's your favorite book? 

YOUR TURN!

and now, for a few favorite new blogs of mine
i nominate...

shawnee at The S Diaries 

sheree at The Hartungs

jenn at Southern State of Mind

jayda at Sing Out Your Song

casey at Mein Tagbuch

brooke at Simply Brooke

haley at Les Petites Joies

and you!

feel free to play along and link up your blog in the comments! if you don't have a blog, i'd still love to hear from you, so answer the questions in the comment box below! i'm off to spend today debriefing from my procrastination overload -- has anyone seen oz? what's the verdict? 

adios!

A QUICK HELLO

it's weekends like this last one, where i spend a non-stop forty-eight hours nose deep in textbooks, notebooks, and scientific journals, alternating between studying and writing, studying, writing, that i longingly dream of a day where i could blog for a living. 

and in between the results and discussions sections and completing my sixth page of nonsense, the sad truth hits me: i can't. studying and i are in it for the long haul. fart.

writing, to me, isn't a hassle or something i feel like i have to drag myself through just to check off my list. it's something i turn to to escape, relax, and free my mind of current worries and stressors, which clearly makes it soooo much more appealing than struggling through trying to understand those big, nonsensical words that will probably just never click.

i love blogging! and it bums me out when i miss a day or two, leaving me feeling deprived and anxious to get my thoughts somewhere more permanent.

but i love eyeballs, too. ;) and yammering on in the spanish language. so right now, those things come first, and one day, all of this yucky studying business will pay off and i'll be doing more of what i love!

blogging and eye-doctoring. what a combo!

so i'll see you back here -- tomorrow! i've got something fun in the works, so stay tuned!

...and i told myself i needed to take the day from blogging to focus on getting everything done for today / tomorrow [a presentation, quiz, 10 page paper, and an exam - woofta!] but "oh, a little update to reassure everyone i'm still alive and thrivin' wouldn't hurt." ha! see what i did there? 

my trickiness capabilities amaze me sometimes.

PLAYING CATCH {is there a hyphen here?} UP

i googled: does catch-up have a hyphen? because of course if it does, and if the word pair is as big of a real-life controversy as it apparently is in my mind right now {i may be moving just a little slowly these first few days after break...} then google will surely tell me {gone are the days where i approach my father with an innocent grammatical question and receive "look it up in the dictionary" as a response. gone!}. the first result looked promising, so i clicked on the link and was taken to yahoo's ask site. the page said this:

tadertot7 {yes, i realize i should have just X-ed out of the page altogether after seeing a post from someone named after a greasy child's food.. and i mean the food is greasy, not the child. you get it.}: when do you use "catch up" and when do you use the hyphen "catch-up"?

open4one responded with: i spell it "ketchup" and use it on french fries and burgers. 

wut?

my face.

which brings me to my next point: the ketchup in mexico is out of this world. it's a bit more sour and vinegar-y, so this ketchup and i are getting along just fiiine since i could practically drink vinegar i enjoy it so much. or maybe i'm so drawn to mexican ketchup because it's the one thing that makes meal times resemble those in america? 

which in no way brings me to my next point: i'm back! shoot, i hate going long periods of time without blogging. i find myself missing it, thinking up random post ideas at the strangest of times, going through writing withdrawals {alright so writing about fun topics withdrawals.. i spent the last 48 hours cramming my brain full of illegible scientific journal research and forcing myself to try and pretend like i understood enough to fake four pages worth of a written review. the gross writing.} and feeling myself fall further and further behind on my list of things to document, while struggling to find the words to start back up again. but alas, my homework has finally been submitted and i've found time to fill you in on the important stuff, such as:

+ the 100 plus degree weather we're tackling this week 

+ my sunburn status - it's that itchy-peely-watery stage {apparently i'm the only one that goes through this? does no one else's get those little water blisters that pop when you scratch 'em? nope? i just sound disgusting now? k.} and it's barely even leaving a tan behind as a trade-off. rude.

+ i'm on the second book of this trilogy and sigh, it's getting good. i love me a good bad boy + innocent girl = forbidden romance/opposites attract with a disgustingly predictable ending.

+ little j tried out for the WHS dance squad... and made the team! she worked so hard to prepare. i could not be more proud to call her my little sister!

+ midge wore jeans today to school for the first time in.. ever. i couldn't tell you the last time i've seen her in a pair of jeans. life-altering events are taking place back home! life-altering! emphasis!!

+ i miss my family so much i have to talk about them like i've seen them more recently than 8 weeks ago.

+ spring break was ah-ma-zing, but today i'm suffering from the post-vacation crash. you know the one?

there, you're all caught up! stay tuned for stories & details from my trip throughout the week. 

fist-bump me, we survived monday!

A POEM ABOUT MONDAYS

so earlier today

i started this stagnant post.

 'twas about mondays.
{and duh, hello, obvious reason for stagnance}.
in said post

i went into mega gory graphic detail about

poor monday. how sometimes
when i'm feeling overly sensitive and sympathetic
i give monday the benefit of the doubt.
but on occasion,
mondays live up to their bad street cred.

and then i told this obnoxious story about
how i left my spanish brain in tulum,
resulting in stale conversation
over bowls of cereal
and me looking like a buffoon
because i can't even remember the spanish word for
"to walk?"

so then i chugged a convenience store frappe,
which turned me into an
ANIMATED STORY TELLER!
and mid-story in spanish class
{yes the story was relevant and encouraged by others, thank you}
my professor interrupted me all concerned-like with
"you sound desperate when you speak espanish.
we need to work on that."
to which i replied
"YEAH, DESPERATE TO LEARN!"
in my head.
fun fact:
the story was about drugs.

and after this obnoxious rant
about these minuscule happenings
that really wouldn't seem so bad
if they occurred on a tuesday,
i stopped
and stared at the screen
and thought
who am i even kidding?
i kind of like mondays.
and this is the dumbest post ever.
going nowhere.
who cares?
not i.
because at the end of the day mondays never seem that bad.
especially when they end in
the consumption of sweet bread
and your test on this thursday gets pushed to next thursday
and the 60+ pages you thought you had to read for class tomorrow
aren't actually due until next tuesday
{so you will save it
so that next monday can suck instead}
and the purchase of harry potter en espanol
and that granola you've been eyeing - but it has raisins?
so shoot, you brave the raisins and wait -
they're not so bad?
munch munch
raisins
another monday is in the books.
and life is good.
so bring it on tuesday.
and please consider this my first
of many {new hobby?} poems to come.
for it is so deep.
and pointless.
like most.
i actually hate poetry.
so i will spare you.
mustache.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY MY PINTEREST BOARD

and now for a completely random yet totally obviously relevant photo:

via

someone asked me about mexico and my emotions and how they're all melting together in a big pot of scared-ness and a bystander snapped this photo of me replying and turned it into a "demotivational" portrait. (did you know those pictures framed in black and captioned in white have names? and that name is a demotivational? me neither!)

but seriously, how punny is this?

do you ever go back through your pinterest pins and think "nice work, pinner of the past. you're such a creative rock star! you have the maddest pinterest scavenging skills of them all!"

also, do you ever ask your peers questions that start with "do you ever...?" and they just stare at you blankly, blinking, blinking, and slowly scrunch up their faces in distaste and grumble "no..?" with a quick shake of the head? because obviously whatever it is that you do so often you're sure others lives' are consumed with it too is apparently the most unique and or repulsive thing? okay yeah good, me neither...........

late night thoughts are dangerous ones

it's one of those nights when you ease into bed at an early hour, snuggle up with a good book to tire your eyes, and slowly lie down with a smug satisfaction that you're going to get a good night's rest.
but then the minute your sleepy head hits that cool pillow your eyelids repel one another like two north poles of a magnet. your eyes start a-flickerin' and your brain starts a-thinkin' and suddenly it's chanting at you i'm up! get up! it's time to play! and even though you're so, so drowsy, your head disagrees.
and maybe it has something to do with the giant coffee you chugged at 7 pm?
but probably not.
and all of your worries and thoughts and checklists come crawling out from their little hiding places amongst {which apparently is a  "dead word" now? not if i can help it!} the cranium shadows. and they creep around - a clan of them settling into a giant lump in your throat {evidently i get emotional when i'm sleep-deprived?}.
well, it happens to me, anyways.
then my thoughts start to wander to that big, bad "M" word that's forbidden to be spoken in my household because we all hate it a little right now. {fine it stands for "mexico" but SHH don't let my mother hear}. and i think about all the things i need to cram into the next 16 days. like --
--eating at all of my favorite american restaurants. there are a lot so we must start now. merida has a subway though, but what if their meat tastes different? or their menus are in spanish!?! quick, what's the spanish word for subway melt on white bread with american cheese? WILL THE AMERICAN CHEESE THERE STILL BE CALLED AMERICAN!?!
--memorizing all of the mexican no-nos: don't bring someone red flowers {or was it white?}. always have your wrists above the table when eating. don't make eye contact, it's disrespectful {thanks for totally undoing my upbringing, yo}. avoid wearing white and short-shorts. probably especially white short-shorts. lick your plate clean {doubt i'll have a problem doing that}. surely if i goof up we can all blame it on me being a foreign ignoramus, right?
--seeing my friends one last time.
--purchasing all of my favorite personal items - extra contacts - toiletries {apparently their lady products suck?} - a swimsuit {how practical is snorkeling in a bikini? sounds dangerous.} - textbooks {not a favorite, must be purchased} - toothpaste - chapstick - a gift for my homestay family - etc. blah.
--hugging and loving and talking with and seeing and kissing and teasing and helping and just simply being around my family. i miss them i miss them i miss them already and they're still so close i can hear them breathing.
just call me edward cullen.
laugh out loud.
anyways, i know soon things will all be settled and my worry will be for nothing. but when all i do is sit and wait it leaves me with no choice but to think! shoot!
in the mean time, i've got shopping to do! i was able to swiftly check a box on my list this afternoon after picking up a lovely straw hat! my dad and i are finally twinsies! mine lacks the plastic green sun-guard, however.

will i be a sunburn-free babe, or will i be a sunburn-free babe?
it's ugly in a cute sort of way. cugly, as jen would call it.

Today I choose...

... to wake up happy.

... to wear animal print pants 'cause they add a splash of life to this cold and
    grey winter day.

... find the good in all things. even those that appear to have no redeeming qualities. it's hard sometimes,
    but worth it.

... to hug my family extra tight.

... to drink coffee. it puts a little pep in my step {and feeds into my addiction. oops.}.

... to count my blessings and be grateful. for everything.

... to purchase that "ebook" i wasn't sure about. i'm a risk taker!

... to do my devotional and strengthen my bond with and knowledge of Him.

... to watch a few more episodes of gossip girl {and 90210}{and lost}{it's christmas break!}.
    re-watching the gg series has it's perks. re-oogling the handsome male cast? don't have to
    ask me twice! and my family is hooked. i'm so proud.

... to smile. they're contagious, ya know?