ciao.

i'm nostalgic right now and i haven't even left yet.

things i'm going to miss:
mornings at my house. whist. crisp weather. compulsively calling my mom, dad, or sister every time i'm walking somewhere. anime peace sign pictures. conversations when i wake up. dinkytowner brunch. the running commentary on life i have with john. having my own space. wednesday night coffee parties. thunderclouding 24/7. the pink house. sara & claire's couch. my paisley couch. kark culture. you.

things i'm not going to miss:
paper all-nighters. a freezing cold bathroom in the morning. stress. writing intensives. slush.

these lists are both going to be continued. and continued. and probably continued even further, you lucky blog readers, you.

yours truly is boarding a plane to houston at 5 pm tomorrow. after arriving there, i have approximately 37 seconds of layover time to sprint to my next flight, a 14 hour joyride to buenos aires.

dinner with my mom at kafe 421 tonight was lovely. it was exactly the night i wanted.

the next time i write in here, i will be 5925 miles away. that's 9535 kilometers in case you were wondering. (the metric system is going to be interesting to get used to.)

current emotions: a;skdalsdkjfalsdkfj

america (with the a)

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace."

- Barack Hussein Obama

I have a good feeling about the next 4 years.

giddiness

I've been contemplating and trying to plan a study abroad experience for the last, oh say, 5 years or so. And tonight is the first time it hit me that this is actually real. I'm leaving in 3 days for a different country. On a different continent. For 4 months. Essentially by myself. I'm no longer just talking about what I'd like to do. I'm leaving and I'm doing it.

My processing of this fact may have been sped up by reading my friends' blogs who are already starting their own adventures. (And thanks for the solitary picture, Sara..that was epic.)

And the fact that today I received information about the apartment I'll be staying in. It's in the heart of downtown, in the Microcentro, about a block away from Calle Florida. Calle Florida is a huge pedestrian street that's supposed to have some of the best people watching in the city, which is right up my alley. My apartment looks pretty nondescript, but nice. I am most intrigued by the promise of breakfast delivered to my room every morning.
Home Sweet Home?

If it's possible to be in a tizzy, I am in one right now.

You will not regret clicking on this.

Calle Florida.
Glad to see the McDonald's golden arches in the distance.
I was super concerned about that.

get it on.

(Notice the reoccurring peace sign theme?)

I've officially said goodbye to Claire and Sara, the two resident thunderclouds in my life. When I was typing 'said' the first time, I accidentally omitted the i. Freudian slip? It amazes me how easy it was to fall into a friendship with these two and am so so thankful for it. Sara and I's mutual stalking paid off and I'm more than happy Claire and I managed to get past our awkward, single encounter at the beginning of freshman year. (Hey! It was great to meet you! -- Yeah! You too! -- fin) I read too much as a child, but Anne of Green Gables would probably call them kindred spirits. Cape Town and Florence are going to be phenomenal. Have fun, my friends..you are pure potential. I love you.

Skype has been a lovely new addition to my life the last few weeks. Even though I'm a compulsive phone caller (Hi Mom, it's me again. I have 4 blocks to walk. Talk to me please), seeing someone's face as you talk to them is 58x better.

A little Mum/Elle team Facebooking session.
It's little wonder I'm as creepy as I am when these are the genes I have.

My house is 57 degrees. It makes me wish I'd invested in a Snuggie.

My lifetime goal of having eyes bad enough to need glasses has finally been realized. I think I am happier about this than I should be.

This spot for Durex condoms is being frowned upon by a lot of people, but I love it. It's the first original thing that's been done regarding condoms in a long time. The smart play on words 'Get it on' as their slogan doesn't hurt either.

Currently listening to: this Fleet Foxes cover

i hope you see things that stop you

For what it’s worth, it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit... start whenever you want... you can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I'm ready to leave.

bench ads i'm loving on

"use only what you need" - denver water conservation

"donated by slim fast"

kit kat - this is so simple and effective.

a bench promoting ikea in japan

my personal favorite.
becherovka, a czech liquor with the slogan "get closer". brilliant.

new year's resolutions

New Year's resolutions are complete and utter crap. I know this. However, even the fact that approximately 85% of resolutions fail is not enough to prevent me from self analyzation every January.

Maybe New Year's goals/ideas/aspirations instead of resolutions?

In no particular order:

1. become fluent at spanish.

2. write more letters.

3. learn to appreciate good beer.

4. (attempt to) get 8 hours of sleep a night.

5. become more outgoing.

6. run a half marathon with my dad.

7. start a journal

8. celebrate carnival in rio de janeiro.

9. actually use my netflix subscription/watch the hundredsome movies in my queue.

10. wear lipstick more often.

11. shut off all the technology once in awhile and just be.

12. learn how to cook.

13. be less judgmental.

14. learn how to make small talk.

15. find love.