change is inevitable

if you haven't noticed already, i can't focus on any specific thing for too long...

i like to give a little bit of spice to my life.

(unfortunately i constantly keep forgetting the things that i have done in the past... and then a year later will look back and think - oh yeah! i wanted to do that!)

yeah.

anyone else out there like that?

i think part of it should be attributed to the fact that i love change.

a week after i get a haircut i am already thinking about the next thing i want to try...

i move the furniture in my room,

(i would move my bed, but it is bolted to the floor. sad day.)

i collect recipes and rarely try the same one twice,

i love meeting new people,

and new clothes...

in short, i don't want to be the same person tomorrow that i am today.

winston churchill said, "to improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often."

'nuf said!

but i already knew i was perfect... ;)

soooo i've decided that i am extremely bored.

and i need something to do.

here's the catch:

it's rainy

gross

windy

gray

cold

and dreary outside...

what is there to do? all of my snow is gone!

(and *gasp* i've given up cooking for the next few weeks!)

anyway, here is a movie that i think is hilarious.

enjoy and i'll talk to you soon!

(maybe this will ease your boredom too!)

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wednesdays rock!

(i actually spelled wednesday wrong earlier... i swear i haven't spelled it wrong since, like, the 1st grade when i would say WED-NES-DAY every time i would write it down... talk about a blow to the ego!)

i want to go fishing.

real bad.

noir

happy sunday!

i am being bombarded with the scent of baking bread. and cake.

as if i really need to be tempted any more than i already am? geez... i have such awful

roommates... i so don't mean that!!! (just in case any of my wonderful roommates happen to read this...)

actually that's usually myyyy job!

i have to say, i am getting so excited!

i leave for a semester in jerusalem in a little over a month!

excited???

yes.

scared?

very.

knowing that it is going to be the experience of a lifetime?

heck yes!

sometimes the future can seem so daunting. but i like what alan kay said: "the best way to predict the future is to invent it." so true.

growing up i was scared of everything. don't laugh, but it pretty much lasted until my freshman

and sophomore years of college. [i'm almost a senior now, so you can see how recent this has all transpired!] but i finally decided that it wasn't doing me any good to be afraid of people!

so i decided that it didn't matter what people thought.

yes.

i am the weirdo that will sit by you in class if you are sitting by yourself.

i will make you talk to me.

and i don't care.

will you be my friend please? :)

recent developments:

1- it doesn't happen very often, but i had a break down on thursday.

the cause? too much boy drama in my life. (and not enough "letting go" happening...)

2- i've decided on a major!

the cause? nursing wasn't working out... call it laziness, call it a sign from heaven, but i've decided to stick with my original plan and graduate in exercise physiology. then on to more

school! yippee.....

3- hair experiment this morning failed.

i tried to use a scrunch-spray and let it air-dry... (note to self: do not try this again.)

4- i have the coolest friends and best roommates of all time.

we have wickedly awesome photo shoots. check this out!

have you ever heard of robert doisneau? (i hadn't either...)

one of my friends had to do a photo shoot and imitate some of his style (we took a ton more pictures of everyone else, but what can i say? i'm vain...)

just so you understand this picture a little better...

i am 6 feet tall.

is this boy tall?

just a little bit.

he's 6' 6".

too bad he's younger than me... ;)

we made a friend.

his name is snowflake.

we were trying to come up with poses, and jameson said,

"jess, come sit on my lap... you look like a very classy lady!"

i don't know if that meant picturesque...

or naughty librarian?

this is one of my favorites.

robert doisneau's original is here.

am i really riding a bike in a pencil skirt?

yes. yes i am.

don't worry... i planned for this...

(psssst! i'm wearing spandex underneath!)

i love my crock pot.

actually, correction: i love my roommate's crockpot.

i do actually have my own, thank you, but come on? who really needs two crockpots? (don't get me thinking about that one... it could get ugly...)

i was feelin in the mood for somethin easy and quick...

i'd been wanting to try this for a while, so i actually had hamburger buns on hand.

perfect!

zesty slow cooker chicken barbecue

ingredients:

6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce

1/2 cup italian salad dressing

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

directions:

place chicken in a slow cooker. in a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and worcestershire sauce. pour over the chicken.

cover, and cook 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.

this was good! (i wanted more... even after i went back for seconds!)

kind ended up being like a chicken sloppy joe... definitely gonna make this again!

i saw this video today.

i think it is really weird, and yet i find it amazing. i think i've watched it 4 times already. i think she's my favorite right now.

Ingrid Michaelson "The Way I Am" (music video) by Ingrid_Michaelson

i hate my phone.

and love it at the same time.

i am sorely tempted to turn it off for a while...

then people would have to talk to me.

interesting notion.

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i love church!

and sunday afternoon naps...

(it was only an hour but it was diviiiiiiiine!)

i've decided that this next week is gonna be awesome!

i'm just gonna make it that way.

i like simple things

i admit it... i found this and stole it...

but try and tell me that they don't make you happy!

the 30 most satisfying simple pleasures life has to offer:

they say the best things in life are free. beyond a shadow of a doubt, the list below proves that statement to be true. life is filled with simple pleasures, the little satisfying effects you never really anticipate, but always take great pleasure in. they are the gifts of life that we each subconsciously celebrate in our own unique way.

here are 30 of the most satisfying simple pleasures life has to offer:

1. sleeping in on a rainy day – as the rain beats lightly against the window, you nestle your head deeper into your pillow. the sound is soothing and your bed feels like a sanctuary. there is no place you would rather be.
2. finding money you didn’t know you had – you reach into your pocket and find a $20 bill from the last time you wore these jeans. you aren’t rich, but you are richer than you were a second earlier.
3. making brief eye contact with someone of the opposite sex – you pass him on the street or in the subway. he glances up at you momentarily, making direct eye contact in a way that seems to communicate a subtle curiosity. for a split second it makes you think… and then it’s gone.
4. skinny dipping – there is something mysteriously liberating about being naked in a body of water. you are naked, but it feels natural, a sense of unrefined freedom.
5. receiving a real letter or package via snail mail – e-mail has become the primary source of written communication. most snail mail these days is junk mail. when you check the mail and find a real letter or package from someone you know, excitement overtakes you as you tear into this rare gift.
6. making the yellow light - it’s one of the most common simple pleasures, the act of beating the pack. as you blaze through the yellow light you glance in your rearview to see all the cars behind you stopping at the red light. YES! you made it!
7. telling a funny or interesting, true story - one of the most enticing roles you lead in life is that of the storyteller. you love to share stories, especially those that will captivate your audience with deep curiosity and humor. there are few things more satisfying than telling a true story that others enjoy listening to.
8. seeing a friend stumble over himself/herself – as you walk across the street with your friend, they fail to accurately address the curb on the other side. they trips and stumbles around momentarily before regaining their footing, then swiftly attempts to play it off like nothing happened. this can be a hilarious sight if the moment is right.
9. hearing the right song at the right moment - it doesn’t matter what the setting is, hearing the right song for that moment is one of those simple pleasures in life that instantly lifts your spirits. you could be driving home from work, hanging out at a bar with friends, or jogging. when the right song rattles your ear drums the entire meaning of life seems crystal clear.
10. the first sip of a beverage when you’re thirsty – you just finished mowing the lawn or taking a long jog. the only thing on your mind is an ice-cold glass of water. when you are really, really thirsty, that first sip of any liquid beverage is sheer bliss.
11. seeing a very attractive member of the opposite sex – shirtless guys on the beach? can i say more?!
12. saying the same thing simultaneously – there is a moment of silence. then all of the sudden you and your friend blurt out the same exact set of words simultaneously. this rare occurrence is something to smile about.
13. the pull-through parking spot – you pull into a parking spot and are delighted to see the availability of the parking spot immediately in front of you. you pull through to the spot in front so that when you return to the car you can drive forward out of the parking spot. why? because driving backwards is a pain in the butt.
14. realizing you have more time to sleep – something abruptly awakens you and you think it’s time to get up. then you squint over at your alarm clock and realize you still have 2 more hours to sleep. a warm euphoric feeling shoots though your body as you glide gracefully back to your dreams.
15. people watching – sitting there on your bench you can see people in every direction. tall people, small people, thin and plump. blond, brunette, and redhead alike. each of them has a different stride and a unique expression. as you drift from body to body you are mesmerized by what you see.
16. putting on clothes straight from the dryer – as soon as the dryer buzzes, you pull out your clothes and put them on. they feel soothingly warm on your skin and emit a fresh-scented aroma into the air. a sentiment of ease comes over you as you head out to conquer the day.
17. a familiar smell – you just pulled into your parent’s driveway and opened the car door. you haven’t been home in a long while. you smell familiarity in the air, the scent of a large pine tree in the neighbor’s yard. as you head through the front door, more familiar smells consume your senses. gosh, it feels good to be home…
18. the feeling you get when your idea works – you have been struggling to resolve a complex problem all day and you just can’t seem to get it right. filled with frustration, you decide to exercise one last idea before calling it a night. you’ve had many ideas before that failed miserably… but this time it works.
19. fresh, clean bed sheets – you yank at the corner of the bedspread to create just enough space to slide your body under the freshly cleaned sheets. the sheets feel cool to the touch. everything seems so clean, like nobody has ever slept in this bed before.
20. a beautiful view – as the car veers around the side of the mountain you gaze out the passenger window. it’s a clear, sunny day and you can see the entire valley below filled with wild flowers and bright green vegetation. the scenery reminds you of something you once saw in national geographic. but here it is live, right before your eyes.
21. reminiscing about old times with your closest friends – pink floyd once said “the memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime”. there is no simple pleasure more satisfying than recounting the greatest moments of your life with your closest friends who lived these moments alongside you.
22. receiving an unexpected compliment – it’s been an average day. nothing really great has happened, but nothing terrible occurred either. this monotonous day has put you in a dreary mood. unexpectedly, an older, attractive lady taps you on the shoulder, calls you “handsome” and says she loves your shirt. the day just got a whole lot better.
23. having a good laugh – laughter is the greatest cure of all. life is extraordinary in the moments when you are laughing so hard you can barely breathe. these moments of deep laughter are divine in the sense that they cleanse your mood and set your mind on a positive track.
24. the feeling after a healthy workout - it’s a giddy feeling of self accomplishment; the one true activity that actually makes you feel better and look better simultaneously. when you walk out the front door of the gym you are on top of the world.
25. the celebration in the instant something makes sense – even now that it has explained to you for the third time, you just don’t understand how it works. everyone else seems to understand but you. then out of the blue the dots connect in your mind. you finally get it, and it feels great!
26. relaxing outdoors on a sunny day – as you relax sprawled out in a lawn chair, the sun warms your skin and a light breeze keeps the temperature comfortable. birds are chirping merrily in the trees behind you. you are at complete peace with the environment.
27. holding hands with someone you love – every time he grabs your hand you are overcome with an awareness of how much he means to you. holding hands is sensual and physically intimate, yet subtle. there are few people you allow to hold your hand, so when it happens you can be sure that the moment is special.
28. playing in the water – water marvels people of all ages. from jumping in puddles as a child, to doing cannon balls in the pool as an adolescent, to enjoying a cocktail in the jacuzzi as an adult… water is enjoyable.
29. making someone smile – i don't feel more successful than when i know that i've helped make someone's day. a genuine smile is the best reward.
30. finishing what you started – you just finished up a big project you’ve been working on for the last few months, or maybe you just finished your first marathon… either way, you finalized what you set out to accomplish. the feeling of self accomplishment you get when you finish what you started is by far one of the most rewarding simple pleasures life has to offer.

who doesn't like the simple things in life?

i think that they are what really define our lives... i mean, the big stuff is important too, but i think how you spend the little moments when you can't be hiking mount everest is what really make you you.

...like listening to music.

go out and do something that you love. every day.

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bright red anything.

yellow anything.

basically happy colors are the bomb.

lazy days

so you don't get much of a post today...

i have this overwhelming feeling of apathy and i am sooooo unmotivated to do anything..........

it's kind of depressing.

so searching the internet for a mood-booster, i found this gem.

i just have to say thank you to whoever wrote this.

thank you thank you thank you!

from letters i'll never send:

you.

you. yes, you. i am writing this for you.

i know you are reading this. and i want you to know i am writing this for you. no one else will understand. no one else knows. they think that this is for them. but it’s not. i am writing this for you.

i want you to know, life…it’s hard. every day can be a challenge. it can be a challenge to get up in the morning. to get yourself out of bed. to put on that smile. but I want you to know, that smile is what keeps me going some days. you need to remember, even through the tough times, you are amazing. you really are.

you should be happy. you are gorgeous.

i know that the weather might not be perfect. you might have to turn your back to the wind or feel the cold nipping at your nose. but you know what, at least you are there to feel it. at least you can enjoy the sun’s warm rays on your face. or that cold february wind biting at your cheeks. you know what that means?

you are alive.

everything will be okay.

pretty cool huh? i love reading other people's writings. i think it helps me write better.

and this little ditty is a pretty accurate description of today too.

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what am i grateful for?

cookbooks, ben and jerry's phish food, chocolate licorice, falafel...

fat day anyone???

ways to get there faster...

i've decided something.

i can't focus without pressure.

i mean, i've sat in the library for at least 2 hours already... and have done all of the homework that i feel inclined to do. especially because none of it is actually due until friday.

doesn't particularly motivate me to get anything done...

i know i am going to regret this later.

now i wanna know-

does this actually work???

"how to use an elevator..."

too bad there aren't any elevators nearby or i would try this right now.

forget the homework.

...but i would need an elevator with more than 2 floors to make this worthwhile!

next time i'm in an urban metropolis (like idaho falls??? har har har...) i'll give this one a whirl.

ooooooh i'm burning with curiosity right now!

and i've decided that i fail on a few things:

(you know those little new years resolutions that you get so gung-ho about for the first week of the year? yeah... i found it yesterday.)

i'm telling you so that you can hold me accountable now.

failed resolution #1: write my best pal on his mission in canada every week.

failed resolution #2: memorize a poem every month... i am still going to do this! i just have to make up for january and february.

failed resolution #3: using the snowshoes that i got for christmas. i blame school. otherwise i would be out there right now instead of very uneffectively trying to study.

failed resolution #4: stop caring about boys. as much as i try... i don't think that this one is possible.

failed resolution #5: blog 3 times a week. ooops. i will be working on that one though!

i promise!!!

so i'm pretty sure that there are more of these little puppies that i've missed, but that's ok, at least now you know that i'm not perfect. cuz i know you all though that i was, you awesome people you! sorry if your whole world is crashing down around you now.

i always feel like i have to make smaller goals.

new years resolutions aren't really a good thing for me, because i get too overwhelmed...

weekly and daily planning are much more my thing.

what are my rocks?

i am talking about an analogy, but probably not the one you were thinking of.

not stumbling blocks, but priorities.

i love stephen covey.

being the goal-driven, plan-everything type of person i am, reading "the seven habits of highly effective people" was heaven-sent.

i mean, he tells you how to be effective.

not doin so well with that one today, but i'll live i guess...

get this:

A man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers, and he said,

"Okay, time for a quiz." Then, he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar

and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized

rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is

this jar full?"

Everyone in the class said, "Yes."

Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of

gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel

to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

Then, he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time, the class was

onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered.

"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand.

He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks

and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted. Once again, he said, "Good!" Then, he grabbed a pitcher of

water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then, he looked up

at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your

schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us

is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

What are the ‘big rocks’ in your life? A project that YOU want to accomplish? Time

with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your finances? A cause? Teaching

or mentoring others? Remember to put the BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get

them in at all.

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask

yourself this question: What are the ‘big rocks’ in my life or business? Then put

those in your jar first.

what are my rocks?

i am usually fairly good at organizing my time, but lately i have definitely been a little on the "fly by the seat of my pants" kick.

not doin so hot.

(even though i thrive off of stressful situations, being unorganized is not part of that procedure...)

this is what my "bucket of rocks" has looked like recently.

i need to take mr. covey's advice.

big rocks first.

then i can fill in with the other "fluff" later.

deal? deal.

oh, speaking of things i've done with my time...

i made these little beauties...

pumpkin spice scones

(do they not sound divine? trust me... they are.)

and super easy too!

1 C. all purpose flour

1 C. cake flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground allspice

1/4 t. ground ginger

6 T. unsalted butter

1/2 C. raisins (optional)

1/3 C. pumpkin puree

1/3 C. heavy cream

6 T. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Get out a baking sheet and line with parchment paper (not required but makes cleanup easy!). Cut the butter into small pieces, put it in a small bowl and put it back in the refridgerator. In a medium bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, salt, and all spices. Whisk together well. Place bowl in freezer (refrigerator is fine if you have no room in freezer).

2. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, heavy cream, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk together well. Put this bowl in freezer (or refrigerator) and take the other bowl back out. Get the butter pieces out of the fridge and dump them into the bowl with the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or rub it in with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins if you are using them.

3. Get the liquid mixture out of the freezer and pour into the flour mixture all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is just moistened. The dough will be very crumbly, this is the way it should be. Turn the mixture out onto the counter and push the pile together with your hands. It should stick together fairly well. Knead it just a couple of times until everything is together. Don’t knead it too much or the dough will get too sticky.

4. Pat the dough out into a rough circle, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Cut it like a pie into 8 pieces. Place pieces on the baking sheet so that they are not touching. Bake scones for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees. They should be light brown on the bottom, the tops will darken as they cool.

Icing: For ginger molasses icing, stir together 1 T. molasses, 1-2 T. milk, and 1/4 – 1/2 t. ground ginger (to taste). Adjust the amount of sugar or milk to make the icing the consistency you want. It should be pretty thick. For cinnamon icing, mix together 1 C. powdered sugar, 2 T. milk, 1/4 – 1/2 t. cinnamon (to taste). Again, adjust amounts to change consistency. Icing can be brushed on or drizzled.

it only makes 8...

so if you have 6 roommates

(just a suggestion)

you might want to stash the extras if you want to have any left over for yourself.

i learned this one the hard way.

so if you get to eat any of the fruits of your hard work...

enjoy!

meltation: my new word for melting snow (just cuz it sounds weird)

i know i'm late!

i was going to post this yesterday i swear!

but procrastination (mainly attributed to laziness) got the best of me.

actually, i didn't want to post anything until i got this done.

we were wandering through the store getting root beer floats

...when yours truly had a brain blast!

and this amazing stop-motion film was born!

don't laugh.

we may be 20 years old but we still like playing with playdough.

so i don't always finish the bananas i buy...

and so i have random bananas in the freezer.

i think my roommates hate me.

but i got rid of most of them yesterday!

(there are only 2 left now...)

oatmeal banana bread (or cake)

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

preheat oven to 350

in a mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon)

in a separate bowl mix together the remaining ingredients until thoroughly mixed

mix the wet into the dry

mix until well blended

grease a 9x13 in pan

pour batter into the pan and distribute evenly with a spatula

place in the middle of the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until lightly brown on top, firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean

option: chocolate chips! add about 1/2 cup once batter is mixed. that turns this from banana bread into banana cake... (i'm pretty sure that it was cake to begin with...)

so somewhat healthy... i kicked myself after i made it because i made it with white flour and i had whole wheat flower in my cupboard the whole time!

blast!

til we meet again mr. banana bread...

we also threw these little puppies together.

you really can't go wrong with martha stewart.

ever.

i just bought her comfort foods cookbook online... i haven't had the chance to try it yet, but i was looking over the recipes in there and salivating even more every time i turned the page.

cook books are not good for me.

you enable a alcoholic by buying them a drink, you give me a cookbook and i'm sunk.

just leave me alone for the next few hours cuz i'm a gonner!

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i love good poetry!

try this... or this... or the best play in the world.

and the coolest condiment

(and best color) in the whole universe!

i used to hate it.

but now i love it!

(i also went to d.i. yesterday.)

it was bad.

but ooooooooh so good!

but more about that later...

i need thick wool tights. it is 31 degrees and i am in a dress.

today i am able to focus on just about everything but my computer.

unless it meant blogging.

(you should feel very priviledged)

because the whole reason i left the apartment was to study...

it's not going to happen today.

another picture of the hair...

i was told i looked chinese.

yes?

i actually have an asian roommate.

we look like sisters now!!!

i watched megamind last night.

such a cute movie!

i freakin love it.

will ferrell is a genius...

who else can pull of saying "i feel so mel-an-choly" (emphasis on the second syllable there) and still be an evil genius?

definitely not the way that i thought the movie was going to go, but i think it was actually better! and i love how he has theme music for everything.

i think i will come up for a playlist for when i strut around campus.

just because it would be cool.

this isn't in the movie, but i think it deserves some serious respect!

(besides, when i hear it i can't get it out of my head for the rest of the day. a catchy tune like that has got to be forced upon others...)

just watch this one.

trust me.

don't tell me you didn't smile.

not just a little bit?

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people watching is bomb.

and so is trying to do homework in a highly trafficked area.

(homework completion is impossible)

and results in a date for saturday night!

waste of time?

i think not!