Links Post

Alex of Unicorns for Socialism has compiled a collection of quotes and drawings asking Who told you that you were unworthy?

Recently I decided that I need more square silk scarves in my life.  These would do nicely.

A Day in the Life of a Modern San Franciscan.

Also, awesome snack ideas.

And, because I've been reading far too much fanfiction this past week (not to mention the fact that I'm a huge nerd), a picture guide to actors who have been in the Harry Potter movies and been on Doctor Who.  You're welcome.

It Has To Be Done

I wasn't going to do a Harry Potter post.  I really wasn't.  Only, now it's 1 in the morning and I've been on Tumblr for hours.  I think this sort of has to be done because how else am I going to get past it?  The short version: I got there at 6:30 and didn't get home til 4, and I wouldn't change it for the world.  From waiting in line for ages, all the way through unexpected friends and a crowded bus ride.  (Spoilers under the cut)

W.I.P.

About my favorite thing to do in the world is check everything off of my to do list.  Making the to do list and finishing the to do list.  Sometimes the actual doing of whatever is on the list isn't as fun, but checking it off the list makes it so much better.  There is such satisfaction in seeing little check marks next to a whole column of things that I've done, books that I've read, even tv shows that I've watched.  Half the reason I set goals is so that I can check them off my to do list.

To do list are (of course) kept in planners.  I've had a planner since I started third grade and it's probably my favorite thing in the world.  Each week has a page with a column per day to write a massive to do list in.  My planner is the only thing that helps me to remember what needs to get done and reminds me what that phone number is, and what my student id number is when I forget.  Newspaper article to give to a friend: paper clipped into my planner.  Record locator for my flight home: written on the day of the flight.  Random quote of the week: came with the planner.

On another note, I'm a huge fan of post it notes.

How do you keep yourself organized?

20 Before 20: Take a Hike

This one was so easy, but it took so long for me to get around to it I was almost afraid it wouldn't get done.  My parent's are going to climb half dome at the end of the summer and in preparation Mom and I have been going on hikes.  Sort of.  So far we've only gone on two.  Better than none though.

In looking more and more at the number of posts that I have to do for my 20 Before 20 project I'm realizing that I'm not going to be able to write a post on all of them before my birthday (September 13) without feeling crowded.  So, I'm going to choose some of the best ones that I've done and then the rest will be summarized in a larger post closer to my birthday.  There will be a handful that don't get done which will be the basis for my 21 Before 21 list that I've already started writing.

Around the World: Montreal

This past weekend was a whirlwind trip to Montreal with my family.  We ate yummy food at farmers markets, and had way too much gelato.  We traipsed all over the city, shopping, wandering, searching for maple flavored things, taking public transit (my favorite thing about almost any city), and going to a concert at the Basilica next to our hotel.

While we were there I thought about the most Candaian thing I could possibly buy.  I landed on a winter jacket.  Of course.  In the middle of summer.  We were the only ones in the store.  We felt a little foolish.  I regret nothing.

I came home on Monday evening to be able to go to my summer class on Tuesday afternoon.  I spent way too long in the Chicago O'Hare airport doing homework.  It's actually kind of weird that I spent so much time there while I sort of live there.  Oh well, that's a thought for another post.

Anyway, some pictures from my trip.  Amazing how I thought I took so many pictures, and yet I have so few that I'm actually happy with.  Boo.  Oh well.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Ironically when I went through my pictures to find something patriotic to use for this post the only ones that even slightly qualified were taken in another country.  Fail.

Interestingly enough I'm actually flying back to San Francisco from Montreal today, so I wont really be celebrating.  It's alright though, fireworks in San Fran aren't much to look at (too much fog).  Instead, let's list some of our favorite things about the good old USA.

-BBQ
-TV shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Law &Order and pretty much any good old American TV
-jeans and plaid (I know that neither of these were made in the US, but they're American to me)
-Cowboy hats
-a Pioneering Spirit
-Baseball
-Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

I'm sure there's more, but for now that's all I can think of.  Feel free to add on in the comments and let me know of ones that I've forgotten.  And don't worry, pictures from my trip will be coming up a little later this week.

And I'm Off

I was told once that I'm not allowed to say that I'm a world traveler if the only country outside of the United States I've been to is Canada.  Well, I'm not claiming to be a world traveler (yet), but by the time you read this I will be on my way to Canada.

Going to Canada has been my sisters dream vacation for the past I don't even know when.  This is really her vacation.  In fact, I'm not even going on the whole vacation.  While I come home to San Francisco on Monday, the rest of the family goes on to Quebec (we'll be flying into and staying in Montreal).  It should be fun, interesting to be traveling with my whole family.  I can't even remember the last time that happened.

See you on Monday!

20 Before 20: Go to a Real Concert

Let me first say that I am slightly embarrassed that I am almost 20 years old and have only recently been to my first real concert.  My dad may contest with this, but somehow going to a concert with your parents don't feel "real" even if it is a Van Morrison concert (it was great, just didn't seem quite right).  I feel like this should have happened ions ago.  I should have been sneaking out at night to go to concerts that my parents didn't want me to see and paying far too much money for crappy seats where I couldn't see anything.  I guess I just didn't have that kind of a childhood.

I did however, go to what I feel was a real concert this past April.  A friend of mine who used to go to a school right outside of Chicago called me saying I should come and visit her for the concert her school was having.  I agreed somewhat reluctantly as I had just spent all day on a shoot for my final project.  All I wanted to do was fall down and collapse into bed, but I decided to say yes anyway.  Funny that what I feel was my first real concert almost didn't even happen.  Hmmm.

Anyway, I got on the train and texted her saying I was on my way.  Her imediate reply was "Yeah!  Plain White T's!!!"  Wuht?  I was so excited that I didn't even remember how tired I had been only moments before.  I was going to see a real band at a real concert!  It got even better.  After a shady walk to her school's campus as I half stalked a guy to be sure I was going the right way, I found out the concert was free!!!  How much better could it get?

The concert was awesome!  We squished in to get as close as we could to the stage.  We cheered.  We sang as loud as we could and still couldn't hear ourselves.  We drooled over concert t-shirts and sweatshirts we couldn't afford, and then stopped each other from buying them.

Near the end of the show Tom Higgenson left the stage.  Everyone was so confused.  We knew it wasn't over yet, he had promised us Hey There Delilah.  We stood there, breathing down the backs of each other's necks, wondering what he would come back with and why he left while the band kept playing.  All of the sudden there's a spotlight behind us and he is standing on a chair by the audio board saying, "Come on over here and we'll sing Delilah."  It was incredible.  Instead of him singing Hey There Delilah he played guitar while the crowd sang.  So awesome.

At the end of the night I left with a few photos (not the best quality, sorry about that) and an awesome memory.  Even though I was exhausted I had trouble falling asleep because I was so hyped up.  All in all definitely worth it (I would have paid money for it too, but free was even better).  I can't wait for my next concert.  Hopefully then I'll be a little more prepared.

Around Town: Hello, Golden Gate Bridge!

Last week, after meeting one of my besties at the crack of dawn to go rock climbing I climbed back up the hill to catch the bus and was greeted with this lovely view.  The Golden Gate Bridge!  Oh hello!  How are you this morning beautiful!?  I immediately took out my camera to take pictures.

I had never taken that route before (I usually get a ride partway) so I was totally caught off guard by the beauty that is San Francisco.  I could not be more excited by the fact that I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  Sometimes I forget how amazing this place is.  I miss it when I'm at school, so much.

I hope that I will never forget how blessed I am to live in such a beautiful place and have so many people who love me.  Thank God for all the wonderful things he has done!

__ Before __

So, I'm not even sure when I started writing a list of __ before __.  Based on where it is in my book of lists (between a list of Nancy Drew Mystery games I've completed and a list of reasons to watch Doctor Who) it probably was around my birthday last year.  Which is logical, why didn't I think of that before?  I definitely made this list after having followed Sarah Von of Yes and Yes fame for a while.

Without further ado, my list of 20 Before 20:
1.  Have a fancy tea party.
2.  Try out a crown braid.
3.  Knit a hat.
4.  Bake a pie.
5.  Read the whole bible.
6.  Sew a pair of pants.
7.  Grow a herb garden.
8.  Go on a hike.
9.  Go to a real concert.
10.Learn to navigate by bike
11.Send a care package.
12.Organize a clothing swap.
13.Learn to apply make-up.
14.Be in a performance.
15.Go to a Critical Mass ride.
16.Teach myself to play a song on the piano.
17.Post poetry online.
18.Skip class and go out to breakfast.
19.Try yoga.
20.Go camping.

I'll admit that not everything is exactly new.  But there are some things on my list that I haven't done in a long time and really want to get back to.  Some are more long term goals that I made more of a conscious effort to reach over the year (my birthday is in September).  So, for the rest of the summer I will be occationally posting on the things from this list that I've done (and some that I haven't).  There is still half of the list to do and I'm running out of time, so I know that not everything will get done.  The things that I don't complete will be my basis for next years list.

Of Summers and Playdates

Remember when you were little?  How when you finished school summer stretched out before you like an open playing field.  Summer was the time of dreams.  You would be free from school, free to do whatever you wanted.  No one was going to stop you from having a great summer.

Then summer actually came and you spent the first month of it relishing.  You slept in as late as you wanted.  You went to the playground and mastered the monkey bars, nothing could hurt you.

All of the sudden it hit you: summer was actually really boring.  There was nothing to do.  Sure, in a few weeks you were going to camp, but that was only for a week.  Maybe you were going to go visit Grandma and Grandpa for the 4th of July, but that was just a weekend.  Before you knew it, you were counting down the days until school was going to start.

In the meantime, Mom made you start doing chores.  You went out for playdates with people that you would see every day during the school year.  You spent a lot of time with the children of your parent's friends (which was fine if they were nice).  For the most part you sat around at home and played by yourself.  You watched movies with your siblings and argued over what games to play.  If your mom was anything like mine you also did a worksheet of math and reading every day so that your brain didn't deflate.

Now the weird part, is that I'm in college now and I'm doing the same collection of stuff.  About once a week I go rock climbing with a friend or two from high school (playdate).  In a few weeks I'm going on a family vacation (4th of July at Grandmas, figuratively), but I'm only going the weekend because I'm taking a summer class at City College (worksheets).  My sister and I are watching our way through Buffy the Vampire Slayer (movies) and occasionally we go shopping (which sometimes leads to fights).  Last week I volunteered for my church's Vacation Bible School (camp).  And today, I went out to lunch with my mom, mom's friend and her daughter (parent's friends children).

Now granted, I'm actually pretty okay with this.  My summer so far is pretty awesome.  It's just fascinating how little has changed in my summers.  I have gotten to reconnect with friends and been able to do things for myself, and that's enough for me.

In Which I Prove I am My Father's Daughter

During my last few days in Chicago I decided that I wanted a cheese plate. This is significant mostly in that I would constantly make fun of my Dad for always having a cheese plate as an appatizer. But I had some cheese left over from what I call a "Farmer's Market Lunch" a while back (more on that in a future post) and I didn't want it to go bad.

On the way home from church my last weekend in town I stopped by Pastoral, a Bread, Cheese and Wine Shop in my neighborhood. I was imediately overwhelmed by the options. I just kind of stood next to the cheese counter with my baguette and looked needy. The man behind the counter asked if I would like to try the wine and cheese pairing of the day. Why yes thank you, I would.

A bit of confusion at the register, a girl asking me where I got the dress I made, and a short walk later I was in my kitchen slicing bread. Resulting in this picture which proves, in a roundabout way, that I am my Father's daughter. Funny that it takes cheese to prove that.

Happy Father's Day Dad!