Visions of Sugarplum Fairies and Being Thankful

Well, it's over. I am no longer a college kid.  I am a graduate.  Even though I did partake in half of a victory lap, it flew by fast.  I never thought I would start saying things like that, but it's so true.  I feel like it was seriously just yesterday when I was coming home for my first Christmas break... but my education is not over.  We never stop learning, right?  Yes, and I am starting that Grad school thing in Jan. so I have not been thrust into the real real world quite yet.  One step closer though. Scary.

I am happy to report that I passed Spanish 3 with a lot of room to spare and ended up feeling very good about my final capstone project.  You should definitely check it out here:

http://momandy.tumblr.com/

I also wanted to report that I received an amazing graduation gift from my parents - a new macbook pro laptop!!! Ahhh! I'm so excited to set it up and start editing photos, etc.  I feel like it's my baby, I am pampering it. Thank you mom and dad!!! I love you!  My parents have been so supportive of everything I do and I appreciate it more than I show.  We actually had a heart to heart tonight about life, growing up, etc. and they gave me some really good advice: take care of yourself and be who you want to be first then everything else will fall in line.  Words I need to live by.  Lately I have been really wrapped up in things going on around me that I have been failing to see the value of myself and the little things in life.  I've always valued the little things the most and lately I have lost track of that.  Especially, now with Christmas rapidly approaching, it is very important to take some time and reflect.  Reflect back on how lucky I am to have amazing friends and family.  I'm lucky to live in the good U S of A and to have love in my life.  I'm thankful for my MIZZOU education and the fact that I get to continue at the school I love so much.  My last day of class I walked out of Jesse Hall into a snowy filled yard where 5 squirrels were playing.  The quad looked so pretty and right then I realized how much I have came to fall in love with Mizzou (and the fuzzy squirrels!).  The weather this week is actually calling for snow and I hope maybe we can have a white Christmas :).  Snow just makes everything look so much prettier.  Did you know that December 25 was possibly picked as the date to celebrate Christmas because it coincided with the winter solstice, which was a huge celebration, and that way people would remember Christ's birth? Read my tumblr project to find out more....

And lastly, I wanted to say that I have yet to make Bakerella's cakeballs, but I think tomorrow is the day... along with finishing up shopping and sleeping in of course, it is break...

Goodnight, I hope visions of sugarplum fairies dance in your head!

Wait, what day is it?

I’m not sure how it came to be December 6^th, but here we are…

A lot has happened in two months.  I have been working my tail off at trying to not look like a complete fool in Spanish 3 (not sure if I succeeded…), took the GRE, was happy with my score, applied to grad schools with spring admission and did what I told myself I wouldn’t do.  I am staying in Columbia.  As much as I would love to strike out on my own to some new place for an exhilarating adventure, I am not sure right now is my time to do that.  I figure that I will most likely have to move when (if, fingers crossed) I actually get to my career so I have the rest of my life to live somewhere new.  But most importantly, the Truman School of Public Affairs is an amazing school and the price is definitely right compared to the other places I had offers from.  So CoMo is where I stay for two more years.  Currently, I am finishing my last week of undergrad – thank the Lord!  I loved college, but I am ready for something else.  Too much busy work, too many things to study that I no longer care about, too many kids born after 1990 in my classes.  I am so excited to start grad school in January and learn all about public policy!  (nerd alert)  My dreams are probably getting the best of me but it will be nice to see my goals actually set into motion.  I still want to write, and I have really enjoyed my English degree and my Non-Fiction emphasis, but writing is something I have always thought I would do in my free time (see BLOG) and not as my career.  I am looking forward to having a more narrowed focus toward a career goal in grad school.  Right now I am actually procrastinating from studying for a test I have tomorrow…. Opps.  But I always hate it when I follow blogs who never update and I told myself not to be like that and I have been feeling very guilty about not taking the time to not write something, although I feel like all I have been doing in the past weeks is writing.  My Non-Fiction portfolio is due tomorrow, which I feel good about.  I really liked my manuscripts this semester and I learned a lot.  My teacher also made us do “book reports” which is very trivial and the complete definition of busy work, but I actually reread the Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and I am so happy that I did.  I last read it in like 4^th grade and as a pseudo-adult I had such a different take on her life this time around.  I bawled my eyes out at the end.  World War II has always fascinated me and it was very interesting to read Anne’s young take on her life again.  Tomorrow is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor and I know no veterans will probably read this, but if any of you do, THANK YOU!  It is very important we remember the sacrifices our troops have made and continue to make for our Nation’s safety.  Next week I will be turning in my capstone final project, which is over an eating habit (yay food writing!).  We were required to use different medias so my project is on Tumblr (sorry I cheated on you blogspot) and I will be posting the link.  It is fun and I like it so much I want to share it!  Because of my capstone course was about food writing and I was required to follow food blogs for class, I have become unhealthily obsessed with a few of them.  Reading recipes has become my new favorite pastime.  I am scaring myself.  I have a running list of a ton of things I want to cook and even more gadgets I wish to acquire (like a home treadmill to run off said things I want to cook).  I have also been dreaming of writing a cookbook… This weekend I am going to visit Mike in Joplin and I honestly – I swear I’m not lying- have a working spreadsheet of recipes and websites dedicated to the things I want to make while I am waiting for him to get off work.  My only final (damn you Spanish III!) is next Thursday so I am taking a mini-vacay to JoMo because the next weekend graduation happens, we have an engagement party to attend, then Christmas, he only gets one vacation day and BOOM the holidays are over!  I am looking forward to slowing it down and cooking while attempting to memorize verbs and si clauses and the entire vocab of the chapters associated with natural disasters and politics (maybe that will come in handy in that career thingy I want, si?).  The weekend after next I will have a college degree and be opening up Christmas presents 7 days later.  Time is flyyyying.  One time my grandpa told me to do everything I want to do in life because time truly does go by fast.  I hope I am doing that.  Another reason I am looking forward to next semester is that I hope to have a little more time to spend with friends and not a Spanish book.  I am also looking forward to going home to Ktown and spending time with my family and the puppies and Oliebear!  My mom kidnapped her so she has been ruling the roost (and the dogs) at home since Thanksgiving and I can’t wait to see her again!  

Okay, enough procrastination writing and more note-reading!  And, btw since I haven’t posted a recipe for sooo long here is a smattering of what I want to cook this weekend:

http://www.acozykitchen.com/salted-caramel-thumbprint-cookies/

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/muddy-buddy-or-puppy-chow-cookies/

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/sugared-cranberry-pecan-shortbread/

http://asoutherngrace.blogspot.com/2010/11/bogged-down.html

http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=3221

http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=800

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/baked-fresh-chili-fries-ranch-dipper/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/crunchy-parmesan-chicken-tenders-recipe/index.html

Sweet dreams!   

DISCLAIMER!

I WILL NOT BLOG UNTIL AFTER I HAVE TAKEN THE GRE ON OCTOBER 12.

I. HAVE. TO. STUDY......................................

Applesauce and Cookies, Looks Like a Dangerous Combo....

RECIPE of the WEEK!

I have been wanting to try out an applesauce cookie. (I can't get wanting to bake cookies off of my brain.)  After much internet searching and a lot of negative comments, I found this recipe on a blog called "Soupbelly" that looks pretty good and the pictures she took look so enticing I have to make these soon! (there is that good camera thing again)

Chocolate chip cookies baked with applesauce (makes 24)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup applesauce, drained
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain applesauce using a fine mesh sieve over a bowl.
2) In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, applesauce, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and egg together.
3) Add chips to batter, mix until well combined. Place spoonfuls of batter evenly apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Take out of oven and place cookies on a cookie rack to cool.
___________________________________________________________________

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain applesauce using a fine mesh sieve over a bowl.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, applesauce, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and egg together.

Add chips to batter, mix until well combined.
 
Place spoonfuls of batter evenly apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.

Take out of oven and place cookies on a cookie rack to cool.

Monday Confessional... on Tuesday

I wanted to start a new tradition, a Monday Confessional, a sort-of get it all out before the week- type of thing, but gosh darn it's so hard to blog on Mondays!  Monday nights inspire little motivation in me, I'm usually still mourning the weekend and sore from working out because somehow I can never get my car to drive me to the gym on Sat/Sun :) Let's just pretend I posted this yesterday...

Monday Confessional:

1. Sometimes I wish I could just quit school.
2. I found out that I like Joplin, MO.
3. I miss my boyfriend. and my friends.
4. I sang out loud for about 2 hours out of my two 4 hour drives this weekend.
5. I have been daydreaming a lot about living on a ranch lately...
6. I am fighting the urge to make cookies.
7. I keep telling myself that working out everyday is getting easier
8. I really reallly want a bangin camera, like the kind that would make every picture I take look professional.
9. I left Olive home alone all weekend and she didn't tear anything up... that I have found yet...
10. I secretly hope someday I have enough money to redecorate my parents house... haha. Just for my mom.

phew! sometimes it just feels good to get it all out!

Is it Friday yet?

I am a "super senior".
I have not taken a Spanish class in 3 years.
I am currently in Spanish 3.
I have a test tomorrow.
I'm screwed.

new discoveries daily

Have you looked at the Daily Olive yet today???

Anyway, today I discovered the magnificent power of HDMI chords.  Now I not only have 4 TV channels, but I have full computer capability on my TV screen!  Hello bad MTV episodes, goodbye extra studying.  Speaking of studying, after the long weekend I am finding it very difficult to get back into loving school- the new has officially worn off.  My second discovery of the day was a nice ear infection that woke me up with throbbing pain.  Apparently if you have allergies and don't take your allergy meds your ears don't appreciate it very much.  After Dr. prescribed doses of Sudafed (I can't spell it correctly and the autocorrect wants me to change it to sedated, ironic?) I am officially loopy.  Life is hard sometimes, maybe Thursday will be better....

As much as it kills me to admit, I may be a little behind the times...

1. I have just discovered something that has transformed my life: RSS feeds.  How sad is that?  Well, now that I have one, I am addicted to how much info is just, right there at my fingertips! I have added it to the blog, so if there is anyone else on Mother Earth who enjoys the same things as me (very few probably) like farming law and policy and cooking and writing, I have started a nice little list I think.

2.  I have added a new page that I have been wanting to do for a long time: The Daily Olive.  Olive is the bestest cat in the whole wide world (most of the time, when she isn't breaking into/knocking things over) and she needs her moment in the spotlight just like anyone else. Check it out.

3. I think I will also be posting a new recipe of the week, weekly (duh).  Living solo (unlike riding solo) has been slowly turning into the culinary inspiration I always dreamed it would be.
Here is  one for an "antioxidant, clear complexion" drink I saw while watching "The Dr.'s" (I only get 4 channels, it's not like I have much of a choice in the afternoons).  I haven't tried it but it sounds like a good one to me:

• 1 bottle red wine
• 1 bottle sparkling water
• 1/2 lemon sliced
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• 3/4 cup blackberries
• Agave nectar - sweeten to taste

Combine ingredients, chill overnight and serve on the rocks. 

OLIE BEAR

Olive the Cat is quite the character.... follow her antics here

Fear is Stupid

I have decided that fear is stupid. Fear of failure is a huge hurdle for me. I was born a shy little girl and I have been working for 22 (almost 23) to get over this, so since this is my new age of exploration, a time to stand up and stand out as an individual I am putting fear,- which encompasses everything that is bad- including shyness and fear of failure, IN THE PAST. I will not be scared of the dark anymore, I will not be scared to be myself. I like the country, I like weird music, I like animals in an obsessive manner and I will not be scared to tell everyone about it. I had this great epiphany when I stumbled upon my new favorite blog, The Pioneer Woman. I have always been slightly obsessed with the "pioneer days" and she has this amazing site that just instantly makes me want to be a better person and move to Montana. (or the South, like the original plan, who am I kidding, I have no idea where I will be in four months, but I do have a blog!) Anyway, the point is, fear is no longer going to exist in my life anymore. Welcome to the funnier, sassier, easier going Mandy! Now I have to go religion class... Fear God. That's probably a fear that I shouldn't erase....

and it begins....

I am back to my native land and it feels good. I must say I missed the land of free flowing soda and my cat. I have been back about 20 days and Manchester is now far enough away that it looks like a shiny, golden spec of dust where nothing bad could happen. I am very happy I can now say I have "studied abroad" officially and have seen most of the highlights of England. My report is that I loved the English countryside and that London was pretty hardcore for me. Pocahontas likes to see a little greenery and wildlife every now and then. Too bad I don't have a wise willow to tell me what my next move should be now...

I am honestly going to try harder with the whole blog upkeep thing (it's harder than I thought, or maybe I just get embarrassed, I don't know). Even though no one on earth reads what I write, I don't keep a journal even though I know I should so maybe this will be a more contextual and easier way for me to track myself and my writing. Bluntly, I am attempting to throw myself "out there" in hopes for something to happen. I have too many writers I admire that got their start randomly to not believe with a small part of my being that it could happen to me. And, let's be honest, not much happening in America's job market right now, it can't hurt.

So up next on the Mandy show is a little trinket of spittle I produced today with a prompt to write about an object, any object, as long as it isn't over 10feet (?) It's pretty indicative of where I am at in my life at the current moment, hilarious, but maybe just to me.

The Skeleton and The Cat
The skeleton isn’t mine. It stands up there all day every day and sometimes I wonder if she ever takes it down. Can a skeleton help you study? I’m not sure. I’m not a med student. I also wonder if the cat has noticed the skeleton yet. We’ve been here four days and she seems to have infiltrated every other nook and cranny, but then again she isn’t very good about looking up. She’s more of a close-to-the-ground-type of cat, if that’s possible and I’m pretty sure it would scare her. I wish the skeleton could tell me what she does all day, the cat I mean. I know what she does when I am here, but what about when I’m gone, after I’ve shut the door, locked the deadbolt, felt guilty about leaving her by herself, started my car, and driven to wherever I am leaving her for, then what does she do? I bet she walks around and meows. She does that sometimes when she thinks I have gone out because she doesn’t like being alone. I usually guide her back to me by yelling, “I’m right here Olliebear!” and she will come running, relieved to find me in the next room. Aren’t cats supposed to like being alone? This feeds my curiosity even more about what she does in the condo all day long.
The skeleton just stands up there on top of the bookshelf staring down at the tiny room. I don’t understand why it’s there; I mean do people give these things as gifts? If you get into medical school do you automatically get a skeleton as an entry prize? Or is this the type of skeleton she thought would look intriguing as a decorative piece but turned out not to match the rest of the antique décor and now is banished to the study? Why didn’t she take the skeleton with her on her away rotations? Wouldn’t it be useful in a hospital setting? She could simply say, “point to where it hurts”, but then again brain surgeons probably don’t ask a lot of questions. She didn’t even think that maybe the cat and I wouldn’t want to live alone with a skeleton. Maybe I will hide one of my brother’s wildlife cameras in its ribcage and when I leave it will take a picture of any movement in the room. Then I could know what the cat does. Or maybe, I should focus on not becoming a twenty-two year old cat lady. But perhaps I want to be a twenty-two year old cat lady? Screw it, I love cats.

Scotland and London Literary Tour

Paris!

The Lake District

The Rainy Trip to Haworth...

Liverpool!!!!

Manchester Museum

Salad Cream is NOT Salad Dressing

So, apart from clothes I also like food? And, Northern English food leaves something to be desired to put it nicely. There are a lot of heavy, bland creams, which to my experiences so far, do not add flavor, just calories it seems. Our dorm food is fine, it’s dorm food and I was never expecting a five star restaurant, it’s just funny to me how Americans seem the ones most interested in food. Restaurants are huge in the US and while, yes, there are tons and tons of restaurants here; something just seems a tad different. Americans may get the fat and dumb card, but geeze at least we get to taste the deliciousness of our ignorant caloric intake. Our dorm is also right on the curry mile, which is a loooong stretch of everything Indian you could ever imagine, yes, including curry. I would say there are open curry restaurants every 2 doors. It is baffling to me how they all stay open with so much competition. Here is where I really really wish I could like curry. I have tried it over and over and there is just something about the mushiness of it that I can’t get over. I think the turmeric taste also gets to me, that sort of bitter, sweet, dry-mouth-causing taste that lingers in the air just doesn’t taste satisfying to me, but I wish it did because my meal choices would get a lot easier, and a lot closer. Taking the bus the whole length of the curry mile is a very interesting experience because it does not feel as if you’re in England. Manchester is a big city with many different cultural influences, but the Middle East, India and parts of Asia are the most dominant. Dotting the curry mile is store after store selling brightly colored cloth adorned with beads, saris, and any kind of sandal one could imagine. (going back to fashion)
North of where our dorms are located on the curry mile is the city centre, which as I mentioned the other day, I am in love with. The grand hotels and gothic buildings make an awesome skyline mixed in next to the very English looking buildings with different colored shutters. Plus the English department stores are so awesome. Marks and Spencers, for example is what I would compare to a Dillards, but with a supermarket in it! Come get a new outfit for work, or a cocktail dress, need any groceries while you’re here? Such a different kind of store. Then there is Primark. I have yet to see something I would deem “expensive” at Primark, and I’m cheap. Primark consists of three wonderfully large floors packed to the brim with extremely cute clothes, millions of shoes, etc. all for an average of $10 each. When I first entered the double doors off of Picadilly square I was overwhelmed by the vastness of cuteness, and stores don’t overwhelm me often. Ahh, I just love it. Anyway, where I was going with my city centre speech, trying to stay on my topic today about food, is that also downtown is a China town. I have yet to see it with my own eyes, but I know it exists and I cannot wait to explore this unknown gem (and maybe get some sesame chicky?).

Even though Manchester’s food is just short of awful, I still like it ☺ and I’m warming up to the fact that I am in a city. An actual, gritty, industrial, city, pretty much alone. This fact is kind of nice for me to reflect on because this will probably be one of the only times in my life I will be a live-in explorer in a foreign city alone. Yes, I am a little lonely, I miss Michael, my friends, and it kills me to not be with my family, especially yesterday at my grandpa’s funeral ---- Rest in peace Pa --- but a funny thing is, that I came here with a slight inclination that I would be exploring alone. I don’t know how I felt it, but it turns out our group isn’t the sort of “buddy buddy” kind, and it’s nice because I think Manchester has some things to teach me; I already feel like I’ve learned so much. How to get around on public transit, for one. The last time I saw my grandpa I said, “I’m sorry but I won’t be able to see you for a month” and his reply, in his “teach me something voice”, was, “That’s okay, that’s not a big deal, don’t you worry about me. Amanda needs to take care of Amanda.” And that line stayed with me, I thought about it the next day, I thought about it on the airplane, and I thought about it when I got here, because it’s so true. You have to figure out who you are first and be okay with that person, and now how to handle yourself in any kind of situation life throws at you before you can add anyone else in the mix. This is why I feel so grateful for having the opportunity to do this kind of study abroad, I am teaching myself how to be me in a place that doesn’t know me, where no one knows me, my teachers don’t know me, and (to borrow a line from my professor), it’s kind of great! I did have this similar experience in Costa Rica, but every tiny detail was planned out there and we were constantly working, here it’s just me for a little while. I also should mention how wonderful my professors are so far. Our poetry teacher is absolutely hilarious, while at the same time so inspiring. I like to think of him as a disheveled English man/yoga teacher/comedian/person at a random bus stop that you could talk to like an old friend.

Speaking of old friends, Morgan and Katie come to visit next week and I can’t wait to show you guys around!!

I am posting a slide show of pics from the Manchester Museum I explored by myself the other day and I loved it. Tons of animal exhibits and the Egyptian wing was fab. I can’t wait to go back. Cheers!

Manny 1st Day Pics!

"My Lord that's a gigantic case!"

I made it!!!

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m an English major, or if it’s because I am (do I have to say “was”?) a Tridelt, - we love some good slang- but one of my fav. things about Manchest-a so far are the new words and abbreviations i keep hearing. “Quite” is used ALL the time and I love it. The title of this post is what our RA guy said to me at 7am when I came walking up the cobblestone street to our dorm dragging my bright red luggage. Hilarious. Just listening and people watching is the most amazing thing ever to do here. I never realized just how much of a prude I am, but walking down Oxford Street, it’s become typical to almost catch a view of someone’s privates. Everyone is so free here, and fashion is most def. a huge outlet for self-expression. I want to do a post just on street fashion as soon as I get the time. It’s funny how my posts keep coming back to fashion? Weird. Anyway, our dorm is rather old, but quaint in a cute way, minus the bathrooms, and everyone has been super nice. I had my first TopShop experience today (again with the clothes, yikes I may have a problem) and it was awesome! I bought 8 pairs of earrings for 2pounds and the shop girl goes, “Oh, I just bought the same pair for me mum!” I kid you not. Told you the words are amazing, I especially like hearing the word “dodgy” while walking down the street. Tomorrow starts class, so I have to go to sleep! The rain has started, quite lovely to sleep to, cheers!

So Why Am I So Worried About "Fitting In"?...

because I don't look like this:

<<<<<<< enter very emo-grunge-hipster-eclectic-British people here in your mind because I can't get the link to work> (or go to search Manchester looks in google to see the blog I so badly wanted to show you) >>>>>>>

or have much of anything to help me look like these people, which is apparantly the "norm". I have heard from random people that Manchester is electic and so not like the US, and while I spent roughly 8 hours yesterday in my room, STILL staring at my closet, I came to the realization that I need to do some major rethinking of how I put my wardrobe together. No, I don't really care if I stand out as the obvious American because once I open my mouth and my Missouri dialect comes out my cover will be blown, it's just that a lot of my clothes are uber American. I would rather feel emerged in their culture, not stick out. I'm trying to remember that Brits don't wear shorts, which is fine because I hate shorts anyway, but I hope they appreciate a good legging because I'm bringing 5 pairs. Anyway, I have so much still to get done today before I head to StL tomorrow for my flight on Saturday, I just wanted to take a moment and reflect on where my fashion choices are at now (while I seem to be unable to move my mind past packing at this point), and where they may be when I get back in a month. Who knows? It will be an interesting experiment.

I don’t have a countdown, but I have a lot of clothes. Is that bad?

I am sitting on my twin-sized bed in my home in Ktown staring at the piles of stuff around me. Moving everything I had collected as a packrat in CoMO over a four year span was not easy. Harder still is finding a place for it all back at home. My parent’s basement now looks like a compartmental dissection of all the apartments I have lived in while in college. I am forcing myself to organize the masses and find places for all my clothes in my closet; the problem is no closet is ever big enough. But actually, my biggest obstacle right now is packing for England. I have NO CLUE what kind of clothes to bring. Help? I am a notorious over-packer and the multitudes of choices of outfits for outings, events, clubs, hiking, exploring, train-riding, and all the other random things I will be partaking in are making my head spin. It’s not like I’m picky or anything… But if anyone knows what an acceptable outfit would be to go out in Manchester, please let me know. (apparently my biggest qualms about studying abroad are how I will look and where to party, I promise I am not that shallow, I just want to get the most out of this trip ☺ ) I just keep asking myself questions I don’t know the answers to: Will I get cold? Just HOW rainy is it really? Weather.com isn’t as helpful as it seems. How many pairs of heels should I bring? What do I wear to a poetry reading? I hate jeans; can I wear a skirt on our Lake District hike? Will I have room for a blankie?! (I am a little scared of the “dorm sheets”). I know I am totally rambling, but this is how my brain is functioning as my departure time creeps closer. I also know I have been a bad blogger – I personally get annoyed when I try to follow blogs that are never upadated in a timely manner, so sorry (that is if anyone actually reads this besides Katie Car, love ya sis). I have been avoiding a post because, honestly, I am scared of England right now. Every now and then I get that shiver of excitement and anticipation, and I truly am stoked to go. It’s just that in my mind I keep comparing packing, flying and arriving in England to my first solo abroad experience in Costa Rica the summer after my freshmen year and it scares me. Going to Central America knowing no one made me feel very alone at times during the month I was there and I am a little terrified of jetting off again to a foreign country to a group of strangers. Granted, Manchester is going to be a complete 180 from my 3rd world Costa Rican jungle abode doing tropical bird conservation, humanitarian work with an indigenous tribe and working on an iguana farm experience, but I am still a little scared. Costa Rica taught me a lot about myself and I know I will be fine; the anticipation for the unknown is really the worst part. I haven’t been counting down the days and my flight Saturday has really snuck up on me, but I am confident I will get to Manchester, love my classes, let my inner-explorer out and make new friends (positive thinking in action). I have so many blessings to be thankful for and many new adventures to look forward to, I just have to decide what to bring first. Beware of daily posts from here on out….. I’m going back to sorting outfits….

Testing, 1. 2. Testing, this is a pure experiment.

So, as a nerdy person who sometimes enjoys reading her own ramblings, I have wanted to start a blog for a while; especially after I realized that A LOT of people I know already have blogs. Yes, most of them are married and have kids and the whole point of the blog is to "keep in touch", but even if I am a 5th year college kid (stop judging me, blahh) most of my friends did all just graduate and maybe I want to keep in touch? So, this is an experiment, in part because I wanted to pick out a really cute background, but also because I wanted to see if anyone would actually read what I write (or just look at my blog for the sa-weet background I choose, thank you shabbyblogs.com). I don't really have anything that extraordinary to say or ramblings that are praise worthy, but I will be studying abroad in exactly ONE month to Manchester, UK and I have decided this will be my excuse for shoving myself into the blog-a-sphere.

P.S.: Please excuse the actual web address, I just really love Missouri and everything else cool was already taken :(