Places to live (update)...

I wrote about the places I want to live a while back and wanted to make a more up-to-date list.  I crossed out places that are a no-go and updated the list with the stuff that's in italics.

I'm leaving Denver.  

When I graduate from UCD I plan to pack my bags and move on to the next big city, little city, any city.

So!  In anticipation of this change, I've decided to visit as many places in the US as possible, keeping an open mind and heart for my future home.

1.  Albuquerque, NM.  My friend has a gallery opening, so what the hell, I may as well give New Mexico a go.  I visited Albuquerque and decided HELL NAH to living there.

2.  Seattle, WA.  I like rain a lot.

3.  Austin, TX.  Music and vintage clothing.

4.  Nashville, TN.  Yeehaw.

5.  NYC.  Fashion, duh.  (INTERNSHIP AT MAGAZINE)

6.  Fort Collins, CO.  I love Colorado and I don't know if I can leave.  Hope to end up here someday.

7.  New England.  Never been, should probably go.

8.  CHICAGO (INTERNSHIP AT THIS AMERICAN LIFE?)

9.  ABROAD  (TEACH ENGLISH?)

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS HEEEYYYYOOOOO

These are my New Years resolutions from last year.  Resolutions are kind of a biatch.  A lot of these were accomplished during part of the year and totally abandoned in other parts of the year.  Overall, it's been a good and extremely busy year.  My brother got married and I officiated (the most beautiful and meaningful wedding of my life).  I started a membership at a yoga studio which has completely saved me!  I went to Cancun for a week with dear friends.  I skied for the first time since I've lived in Colorado.  I visited New Mexico with my lovely friend, Eva.  I planned a month long trip to Thailand.  I had an awesome time working at the Writing Center (I helped my most notable student prep for the GREs and apply to her dream grad school--and she was accepted!)  I also began tutoring independently, helping a high school student through his last few trimesters of school along with college prep.  I bought two dogs with Jeremiah.  I helped Jere's family move stuff out of their house during the Colorado wild fires.  I moved in with a fabulous roommate in a fabulous new Cap Hill apt.  I went to Vedauwoo and other locations to climb with family and friends.  I visited the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.  I got the first C of my college career.  I volunteered at the Botanic Gardens and in return spent my Thursday mornings practicing yoga with my fav teacher.  I turned 25.  I visited RMNP and hiked about.  AHHH, I know I'm forgetting a million things, but whatev, here is the end of the year report card along with some new goals for 2014:

2013 Goals:
1.  Whiten my teeth by the end of February.  YES
2.  Chop off all of my hair by the end of the year.  NOPE
3.  Find ways to better cope with stress.  NOPE/YES
4.  Get a gym membership by February.  YES
5.  Stay off Facebook for the year.    NOPE
6.  Fix my shoulder with physical therapy.   YEP
7.  Clean out my car by the end of January.  YEP
8.  Take the rest of my clothes mountain to Goodwill.  NOPE
9.  Cherish the relationships I hold most dear.  SORTA  (What the hell does this even mean?)
10.  Stop putting so much pressure on myself.  NOPE
11.  Drink more water and cut out all soda.  YES/NO
12.  Do one meaningful or productive activity each day and take the time to reflect on this activity.  PROBABLY?
13.  Start volunteering.  YES
14.  Continue journaling.  YES
15.  Get a better sleep schedule.  SORTA  

2014 Goals:
1.  Chop off all of my hair by the end of the year.  Cute pixie cut.
2.  Become comfortable hiking alone.  
3.  Travel to another country (Not including Thailand).
4.  Visit my aunt Pat in Idaho.
5.  Go skiing at least once more this season and buy a ski pass for next season.
6.  Get comfortable visiting ski resorts and skiing on my own.
7.  Find a place where I can live with Alamo (my doggie).  Become a good (single) dog mom.
8.  Continue volunteering at the Botanic Gardens.  Begin volunteering at a senior living facility.
9.  Create a bangin' CV.
10.  Graduate college.
11.  Apply for an internship in NYC BABAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY.

Vent like a motherfxcker...

Okay, this is about to get whiny.  And pathetic.  And sad.  And dumb.  And I hate everything.  And everyone.  Except that everyone is awesome and I mostly just hate myself.

You know that feeling where you just want to scream?  And cry?  And punch all the happy people in the face one by one.  Line em up.  Line those smiling faces up because I'm feeling slap happy.

I know this feeling.  I know this time of year.  I know that this is the way that I get.  Some idiot decided that 5pm was a great time for nightfall and this idiot decided that taking four literature courses at the same time was totally manageable and would be great fun.  "Sonja, the Bible is so interesting and cool and you really need to know this information!"  "FXCK YOU, SONJA.  'Bible as Literature,' my foot!  This piece of 'literature' is total crap and I want a refund."  I just wish that with this much experience, I would be better at coping with the stress that comes with this time of year.

I know that breaking up with the most significant boy of my life, moving, dealing with normal life things that aren't that big of a deal but let me tell you grocery shopping is THE HARDEST FXCKING THING TO DO and WHY will my feet not warm themselves up when I'm sitting alone in bed--I know that these things are not the easiest to deal with in the middle of the semester.  But life happens in the middle of every semester.

It helps to write out my thoughts.  It helps to talk to three different girlfriends and my mom in one day.  It helps to know that this time of year tends to creep up on everyone and if it doesn't, get in that row of happy people so I can slap you but really.

I'm glad you're happy.  And I'm actually a little more happy myself, because I'm starting to think that it's okay to feel not okay, especially during this time of year.  And hey, ya know, the Bible is really not so bad.  And grocery shopping is actually pretty fun.  And my new roommate cleared an entire shelf so I could line up all my boxes of tea and tea cups and holy shit will you look at those yellow trees outside my window and I just can't wait to yoga with my favorite teacher tomorrow and wow, I love my family so much and life!  Life is just so good it's not even funny.  

Things I like to do lately...

Things I like to do lately:

-Thrift for books on S. Broadway.  Specifically Fahrenheit Books.  They have the best books for the best price and it smells so perfect in there.  I've really been into the DRAMA section lately.  

-Thrift for clothes and shoes at Goodwill on S. Broadway.  I've been hitting the jackpot lately.  

-Watch shitty television.  America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance, Glee, New Girl.  I'm really happy I can stream all of these shows for free after a long day at school and work.

-Yoga at the Botanic Gardens. 

-School.  I'm taking a class called Nobel Authors with about seven other people and it's just so perfect.  We meet in the back of a musty Victorian which houses the Department of English and before every class we brew tea and chat about our lives.  And the books.  I don't care if I ever get a job; I will be proud to have an English Literature degree when all is said and done.

-Cuddle with my dogs and play tricks on them.  (Wrap Peaches in bubble wrap, clothe Alamo in a button-up shirt like a big boy, etc)  I also love our daily training sessions.  "Gimme paw" is my absolute favorite command because OMGTHEIRCUTELITTLEFACES they don't know what shaking hands is but heck, they'll do it to make me happy.

-My job has been killer lately!  Killer in a good way.  Like, "yeah! radical! killer, dude!"  Soooo, I'd been in a bit of a rut in my one-on-one tutoring sessions.  I'd found a good approach; students were digging it.  Everything was fairly peachy.  BUT WHAT THE HELL, MAN.  How boring.  Lately, I've been critiquing my methods and have decided I'm just not good enough.  I need to be better.  These darn Freshmen and Sophomore's and ESLers  and grad students deserve more from me.  I guess the Juniors and Seniors do, too.  So, yeah, I'm not in a rut anymore because I'm moving forward!

-I would like to blog more.  I make random lists all the time to keep me sane but I almost never write anymore.  I would reaaaaallllyyy like to blog about my brother's wedding.  It was the most stunning event of all time and my experience as the officiate was totally mind-boggling and something I'd like to share.  Until then, folks, here's a picture of happy doggies on a climbing adventure.

Swim...

Oh, J. Crew, why do I always love the most expensive item at your store??  WHY!? 

Red Rocks...

I'll be headed to Red Rocks Amphitheater for the first time to see The National and Local Native.

HEHEHEHEHE YAY!

New baby...

Look who I've been hangin round with!!!!  This little love is Peaches.  She's full of energy and loves to play but is also quite the cuddler.  We went to the dog park today and she got her first boo-boo.  She bled and everything.  Ugh, I think I was more scared than she was.

I'll let you know when she gets better, and I'll keep sharing all the cute on this blog.