Day 120 - A photo from when you were happy

This was from tonight. And I know that I'm not in the picture, but it was the best I could do.

This is my mom and brother. Together, sitting at the table in our breakfast room. Eating M&Ms and playing Gin Rummy. I believe this was the game that my mom trounced my brother, but it doesn't really matter.

Tonight my brother came home to have dinner, and my dad flew up for the weekend. It was amazing to have everyone back together for the first time in too long. I think it's been since Christmas, unless you count the random Saturday night dinners we would grab in Ann Arbor. And though I understand that it may not have been more than that (my brother was here for about 5 1/2 hours), it seemed like more. Probably because I wasn't picked up at the dorms, and wasn't dropped off after the meal ended.

My brother just left, and my dad leaves early tomorrow morning (before I'm awake). But I've learned to appreciate the time we all have together: it's the times that I can watch my brother get trounced in a card game, or listen to my dad watching TV in the basement, or sit upstairs in my room on my bed, listening to Gilmore Girls while knitting a charity sweater and look outside and see my dad and brother assessing our fleet of cars.

It's times like these that I'm happy. Honestly and truly happy.

Day 119 - A photo of someone you find attractive



I have to confess something: I am slightly obsessed with former Michigan hockey player Carl Hagelin. He's from Sweden, and my mom made a giant handmade Swedish flag to honor him. He was amazing. Really.

And, I'm sorry, but isn't he cute?? All this year, I kept hoping that I could see him off the ice, just once. Walking to class, riding back from practice, getting coffee, buying groceries. Anything. I just wanted to see him in person, instead of with a sheet of plexiglass between us.

Alas, I didn't see him. Unless you consider me seeing him through a bus window a success (I don't). But anyways, here he is, in all his Swedish glory.

It's been a pleasure to watch him play, and I'm definitely going to continue to follow his career (he's now playing in the NHL) for as long as he plays hockey.

Ja, jag vill leva, jag vill dö i Norden!

Day 118 - A photo of what you ate today

So my mom, cousin, and I went out to dinner tonight to a Mexican restaurant that's about three blocks away. Granted, I don't think that it's authentic Mexican food in the least, but it certainly was good after being forced to eat the remnants of the dining hall for the last week (they didn't seem to want to buy new food, so most meals were leftovers presented in a new way ...).

I had my usual: two beef enchiladas a la carte. They were delicious. The salsa was super spicy, the chips were crisp, and the company was fantastic. Overall, it was a very good meal.

Day 117 - A photo from last summer

I'd like to preface this picture by saying that this is the only photo that I could find of myself that was truly from the summer, and wasn't a photo via Skype (my friends and I like to play around with screenshots)

This was taken two days after I came back from Baton Rouge - I had been gone for around a month, and came back to him, as well as a group of friends who couldn't (wouldn't) wait to see me.

We were at a bonfire at one of my friend's houses, and she was leaving for college the next day. My mom and I certainly planned it nicely for me to get back in time to say goodbye to everyone (one of my friends left the day that I came back, but luckily she left in the afternoon and I arrived in the morning). The bonfire was fun, the memories are even more fun, and the summer was unforgettable.

Day 116 - A photo from your favorite weekend

Well, I probably should have read the prompts before posting, because the photo from a night I loved also signifies one of my favorite weekends. But here's another:

This is a photo of me at my uncle's old house. The house was gorgeous: a huge stone "mansion", with a wide open yard in the back, complete with a little stream, deer, and a pool with a waterfall. The weekend this was taken it was the very beginning of summer, or, rather, the end of spring. Both of my cousins (my uncle's daughters) were in town, so I drove over to visit with them for a bit. We had so much fun just sitting and (attempting) tanning [I think the picture shows just about how unsuccessful we were]. The water in the pool was freezing, but we threw my cousin's boyfriend in and he screamed like a girl. It was hilarious.

Day 115 - A photo of a night you loved

You can see my right ear, but that's not important. This was the second Senior Night of the 2010-2011 hockey season, and that giant flag? My mom made it.

Here's the story:

There's a Swedish hockey player on the UM hockey team, and his name is Carl Hagelin. He is absolutely amazing, and the entire student section loves him. So about two years ago, my mom hand-sewed a flag so we could fly it in the student section when Carl scored. Everyone loved it, and it got a fair amount of media attention.

Anyway, Carl was a senior this year. And so during the last home game, the entire student section (around 400 kids) signed the flag with sharpies. After we won the game (Carl scored a goal with about 15 seconds left in regulation to tie it, and then scored again with 5 seconds left in overtime to win it - just to explain some of his skill), each of the seniors got a UM flag, and skated around Yost for the last time.

But Carl got two flags, for we folded up the Swedish flag and handed it off. It was emotional for everyone - the passing of the flag signified the end of an era: the era of Carl, the era of Swedish domination, and the era of one of the favorite players.

We lost a lot of seniors, all of which holds a special place in my heart, but Carl was something else. He was amazing, but different too. He wasn't supposed to be a hockey superstar. In Sweden, he probably wouldn't have made it this far. But he came here, and he made a name for himself, so much so that he'll have a giant Swedish flag to take with him wherever he goes.

This is, undoubtedly, one of my favorite nights from this year, if not one of my life.

Day 114 - A photo of you that your hair looks nice in

This was at the Research Symposium that I presented at the other day. The other two girls (on the left and right) also presented, and they worked in my lab, though we all did other projects. The Symposium went well, even though I did pull two all-nighters to finish the poster that was there. A lot of chemicals, time, money, and tears went into that project. Mostly tears. After long days of work and hearing that none of my experiments worked.

I had my last day on Friday, and it was bittersweet: it was really nice to get out of there, because I didn't absolutely love the project (it was pure chemistry, which I had somewhat lost enthusiasm for after the first semester), but the people were so amazing. A couple of them even came to support the three of us at the symposium, which was so sweet. There was a guy who was a teddy bear, though huge. He and I would just talk for a while, while I was dissolving things and he was wrapping up experiments (he left on Friday as well). And there was a girl who worked in the chemical hood across from me. She was really sweet, and would always ask me how my day was going. I'll miss them.

This day was amazing. I got a "good job" from my supervisor (who was also the person to tell me to redo my poster in the first place, which led to many tears and the all-nighters), and aced the presentation. I laughed with the other girls, and met their families. And the best thing of all? I was able to actually show people what I've been working on all year, what I've been giving my heart and soul to for hours each week, skipping meals with friends and plans with classmates for. But it was worth it, because I know that I helped the research, and got pretty nice paychecks too.

Day 113 - A photo of your friend as a baby

This post is rather strange, and, given my circumstances (me being at school, as are some of my friends that I've known for long enough), I can't really get a baby photo of them. I guess this post is somewhat lame, and I'm sorry. But I refuse to Facebook-creep on any of my friends to get a baby photo of them.

Sorry!

Day 112 - A photo of your town

Well, there are three:

Current Town
The one in which I am currently sitting at a desk, looking around a dormitory room that is half empty (not half full), and debating if I actually want to study for finals. It has been my home for the last eight months, yet I have to leave it in just a few short days. In this time, I need to write a paper, take a final, finish packing all of my junk, and, probably the hardest, say goodbye to most of the friends I've made throughout the year. That's going to be the toughest, because these people have become my family - they're the ones who are always around, who I can go to and cry, or go and raid their closet. They're my best friends, my surrogate siblings, and my role models.

(please ignore the arrow - it was pointing to a specific building)

In 4 Days

I'll be moving back to my historic home - well, the actual house isn't historic, but I mean that this is where I grew up. This is where I've spent the last 18 years of my life, but it isn't necessarily my 'home' anymore. Yes, we have a house there. And yes, I do go and visit. Yes, my friends live there (some of them, for some of the year), but no, I don't think of this place first when someone asks about my home. That's coming in a little bit. It was wonderful to grow up here - the parks and water were soothing, the schools were excellent, and nothing bad could happen. Really. I was so fortunate to live here, and not a day goes by that I don't wish that every child could have the childhood that I had.

In 3 Weeks

This is home. Or at least, this is where I think of when I think of home, even though I've only lived here for 2 years. I love the history of the South, and I love learning about it. I love feeling like the people did who lived in the plantations, or walking where so many things happened. Certainly, not all of these things are good, but not all of history is good, either. I love the people, with the slow drawl and their always-polite manners. I love the formality of everything, and the way that there are things that haven't seemed to change for years. There's more to my love of Baton Rouge, but I can't put it into words. This is where I want to be, and this is where I go when I dream.

Day 111 - A photo of you standing up

This is a random request, but alright then:

Today was Easter, and my mom flew up from Baton Rouge to take my brother, friend, and I out to dinner. It was at a nicer restaurant, in the old train station, and so I wore what I considered a Spring-y dress.

I got the dress a while ago, and it's one of my 'go-to' dresses for business casual-style places (restaurants, meetings, interviews, awards ceremonies). I paired it with black ballet flats, pulled my hair back with a clip (it was also straightened, so it looked decent), and (of course) my fleur-de-lis necklace.

Day 110 - A photo of something you enjoy doing

Lately, this has been what I've been doing, almost 24/7. Knitting. I had this crazy idea to start a sweater during finals week, and haven't been able to put it down!

It's my first real 'project,' and I've never purled before, but I think it's coming along quite nicely - there aren't any holes (yet) nor uneven stitches (yet). And I'm hoping to keep it that way.

This past week has been crazy (hence the whole not posting thing), but it's so relaxing to be able to sit down and just knit a row or two of the sweater if I need a break. And I don't feel guilty after it, unlike watching a TV show, or just wasting my time away on the Internet.

No, knitting is relaxing. And in the end, I'll have a (hopefully) nice sweater out of it.

Day 109 - A photo of you on a school trip

Unfortunately, I haven't gone on any school trips, unless you count three days in 8th grade going to Washington D.C., which I can't find any pictures of.

The closest I've gotten to school trips would have to be Quiz Bowl meets sophomore through senior year of high school. Every week, for about five months, we would drive to random schools and play Quiz Bowl, which is kind of like Jeopardy! but without any chance for choice.

I loved all three years of it, even though the meets would give me mental whiplash. But it was great to bond with my teammates, and cheer each other on while we flaunted our knowledge.

Sometimes I miss it. But then again, I enjoy having my Wednesday nights free to do what I want.

Day 108 - A photo of one of your classes

So this if from last year, in my AP Physics class. We had a student from Venezuela (he's the guy in the green shirt near the center), and he wanted a photo with everyone before he left.

The man in the very front was our teacher. He retired last year, and it was probably for the best. He was a bit scatter-brained, and didn't teach too well. But we loved him anyway. He insisted us call him "coach" and we were not in AP Physics, but rather "Varsity." It was quite interesting.

I didn't enjoy the class much while I was in it, because we only did busy work, and didn't learn too much. But looking back, I guess it was pretty fun. I mean, certainly the labs became boring after a while, but I remember more about physics from those labs than from his lectures. So maybe it was a good thing that we worked in groups most of the time.

Day 107 - A photo of someone you couldn't live without

I'm sorry - I've blown it. I know that. But it's also finals week, and I've literally pulled a couple of all-nighters to finish a darned poster that holds all of the research I've been doing all year. Basically, it's a big thing. And needed lots of attention (it was needy). But, here we go:

These are the founders of Starbucks, and based on the last couple of days, I really wouldn't have been able to survive without them. Granted, I've tried to be responsible, tried to curb my hot cocoa addiction, but they just make it so well. And they make it my way.

I sometimes feel bad about my oddly specific hot chocolate - 3 pumps mocha, 2 pumps peppermint, 1 vanilla, nonfat, extra hot, no whipped cream. But they're accommodating, and don't make me feel bad for liking things a specific way. And I like my hot cocoa when I'm feeling bad, or stressed, or happy, or just about any other emotion.

So thank you, Jerry, Gordon, and Zev. If you three hadn't founded my Haven, I wouldn't be here today. And please know that I'll be calling on you during finals week. Be prepared.

Day 106 - A photo of you at the last party you went to

I've been really bad about posting recently, and I apologize, if you are one of those daily viewers. Thanks for continuing your support, and I am sorry for posting late. My life has been absolutely crazy lately, with research presentations to prepare for, finals to study for, and homework to do.

Because of all of that fun stuff, I haven't gone to any parties recently. Not that I usually do anyway, but I can't even remember the last party I went to, unless you call a gathering of people who all used to go to school together a party.

If you do, you're still out of luck, because I'm not in any of the photos.

Oops. Guess I was just camera shy that night.

Day 105 - A photo of you and someone you love

Even though he's not alive anymore, I love my grandpa. I called him Bepa, and he was quite honestly one of the best people I could have had for a grandfather.

He was perfect: he was a carpenter, so my brother could help him in his workshop in the garage while he was building me a two-story doll house, complete with wrap-around porch. He had the most comfortable lap, and I remember that it was always open for me to climb on and curl up in. He would, most of the time, play Mah-Jong on the computer, or sit quietly in the living room reading a history book.

Every morning when we were visiting my grandparents in Florida, he would take my brother and I out to a grapefruit tree in the backyard, and we got to help him pick his morning breakfast. He would slice it in half, put it in a tan bowl, sprinkle a bit of sugar over it (not too much, just enough to soak up some of the natural juices), and eat it with a spoon. He would eat each half systematically, always maintaining symmetry. And he ate it slowly - never gobbling it down like it was just bland cereal. He would take a bite, and seemed to contemplate over the flavor, even if he had just had the same bite a minute earlier.

Bepa was amazing, and when he died, I lost someone who can never be replaced. Not because no one can take the place of grandfather, but because no one can be as great of a person as he was.

Day 104 - A photo of one of your favorite family members

This is my brother. He's crazy, and spontaneous. And I never really know quite what he's going to do next.

Take this picture, for example. One day, it just popped up onto Facebook, and I learned that my brother was going to apply to be in the NBA draft, never mind the fact that he's not six feet tall (that I know of), and hasn't played basketball in his life.

But although it was a "he's doing WHAT?!?!" moment, it made sense. That would be something he would do, just like he tried out to be on an MTV reality TV show. And how he dressed up in different costumes at the U of M hockey games (Thomas the Tank Engine, anyone?).

My brother is a bit out there, but he's also my favorite. Not only because he's my brother, and because he's always been there for me, but because he's able to put a smile on my face at the most random times. And those smiles mean something extra, because I never know how much I need them until a photo like this pops up on my news feed.

I just hope the Pistons get him.

Day 103 - A photo of your best friend(s)

I can't possibly use all of the photos of all of my best friends, because 1) there isn't enough space 2) Blogger will only allow me to upload a certain amount of photos and 3) I know that best friends will come up again, so I'll make sure to keep rotating who I talk about, so that it doesn't get boring.

Here are some of them, in all of their weird glory.

Let's go through this in order:

Julia: she is, quite literally, my everything friend. I go to her if anything is on my mind, be it school, or other friends, or (guy) drama, or want a meal, or somewhere to sit, or a cookie. And she does the same. We knew each other in high school, and had classes together, but never hung out. I'm surprised we didn't. Because, at least it seems to me, we click. Pretty well. As in, she's sitting in my room right now, reading some book for a class, and has been here for hours. We vent together, and give each other hugs and a shoulder to lean against when things are getting hard. She's amazing. Absolutely amazing. And a fellow Pooh lover. Always an added bonus.

Elizabeth: She's quiet, but sensible. Honestly? She keeps my head on straight. She's the rational, "let's take things one step at a time and look at everything from every possible angle before getting ahead of ourselves" person. That's not to say that other people don't have traces of this, but, rather, she's the best at it. She reminds me to work hard, and that dedication can get you places in life.

Sloan: We're not the closest of the bunch, but we enjoy going down to the basement and getting drinks together (her: Diet Coke/Pepsi, me: Root Beer). We can laugh and make jokes, but unfortunately I don't see her as much as I'd like to.

Michelle: Michelle, Michelle ... what can I say about her? She's hilarious and sensitive, hyper and lethargic, and just about any other dichotomy you can think of. But the one thing she always is? Nice. She certainly has her little quirks: she actually enjoys being banged up in sports (broomball, Quidditch), likes to speak in a British accent, and has a strange habit of "wanting to change into pants" before we go down to meals, even though she's never without the legwear ... that's just her way of saying "I want to put on a pair of jeans instead of going down to the dining hall in basketball shorts."

Nicolette: I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't friends with her. She's the fashionista, the one always looking for a bargain, the enthusiastic reader, and the one to always go on the random errands with you. But she's also the owner of a very comfy futon, which is open at all hours of the day for a vent session, or a lie down. She has the ability to sympathize with you while still offering rational advice. And she's just ... oh I don't know ... Nicolette.

One person who is missing is Brighid: She's a bit different from the others, but not really. She actually lives down the hall from me, and I've known her since high school as well (though, again, we never hung out). She has big curly hair that always puts a smile on my face, and is the tell-it-like-it-is girl of the group. Brighid can be blunt, but she's always nice about it. Which is a very good skill to have. She has her catch-phrases, like "I don't wanna go to Physics," "This is Day 1," and "I know what I'm doing with my life!" but we love her for them.

So there are a couple - but only a couple. These are the people I've spent the majority of the last eight months with, and I honestly don't know what I'd do without them. But I guess I'll find out soon enough, won't I?

Pretty soon we're going to be going our separate ways for the summer: most going back home, some going to camp, and I'll return to the South after a brief stay in Michigan. We'll talk, I'm sure. And Skype. And probably even write. But I know that I already am looking forward to our reunion in the fall.

Day 102 - A photo of you when you should have been doing something else

Well, most of my pictures are like that. Or at least a lot of the recent ones, anyways. I should be doing homework, emailing people, cleaning my room, or just being productive. But nope, a decent amount of pictures are taken just to procrastinate. But so goes college.

I took this photo about a week or so ago. I had a photo like it before, but realized that a couple of things were wrong with it:

1. It didn't have the current room arrangement. The first picture was obviously from first semester, before I had put my bed up against the wall.
2. I didn't really look like it anymore - my hair was longer back then, and styled differently.
3. Probably most importantly (to me, at least), I didn't have the fleur de lis necklace as I do now. I seriously never take it of. Ever. And something just looked strange to not have it in the photo.

When this picture was taken, I was supposed to be reading for Intro to Poetry, or for Literary Studies. I should have been working on math homework, or studying for a midterm. I should have been going over Linguistics assignments, or work information.

But at least it's a decent picture!

Day 101 - A photo of your favorite film

I switch on and off between which is my favorite: it's usually either Matilda or Secondhand Lions. A while back, it was Secondhand Lions, but now it's Matilda.

I'm not really quite sure why I like this movie so much. Maybe it's because it's about books, and a child who loves books. Perhaps it's because it's one of the few films that I believe is actually better than their book counterpart (gasp!). Or maybe it's just that I find the movie irresistibly cute.

No matter what the reason, this is one of the two movies that I can never just flip past if I find it on T.V. It's also one of the three movies I brought to college. And it's the movie that one of my best friends gave me as a graduation gift - and it was undoubtedly one of the gifts I was most excited about.

Day 100 - A photo of you as a baby

I've been thinking a lot about my grandma recently. I'm not really quite sure why. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think about her every so often, and I miss her. Terribly. But lately, it's been like she's always on my mind.

The other day I had the strongest urge to knit a sweater. She was the person who originally taught me how to knit, and whenever I sit down with needles and yarn, I feel an attachment to her. I remember sitting on her lap, with her hands over mine, guiding my little fingers to knit the ugliest potholder known to mankind. And the more I've thought about it, the more I've realized that that potholder is the only finished project I've ever done.

That's not to say that I haven't come close. But whenever I get ready to bind off a project, I just can't bring myself to do it. I just can't have it end. I'm determined to break this streak. I am going to finish this sweater.

When I sat down with the pattern, I also realized that I've never purled before. I distinctly remember my grandma trying to teach me, but my little six-year-old fingers just didn't have enough hand-eye coordination to pull it off. So I taught myself. Yesterday.

Here's to you, Gram. We'll see how this sweater works out. It may be the ugliest thing ever (even worse than the potholder), but I'm doing it for you. I love you.

Day 99 - A photo of your family

This is horrible: I can't find one.

I honestly cannot find a family photo. But I can tell you about them.

My mom is funny. She's a bit off the wall, and is unusually perky in the mornings. But she's still normal ... she can do the "mom" things, like making chicken soup when you're sick and giving the hugs when you need them.

My dad is funny, but in a serious way. I'm never quite sure whether he's joking or serious when he says something that's completely off the wall. He has the "dry" sense of humor, but is funny nonetheless.

My brother is the opposite of me, to a certain extent. We look alike, but he's taller ... and a guy. He's funny and social and gets along with everyone.

I don't really know what else to say about them. They're my family. And though I don't have a family portrait, I don't really mind it. Because even though pictures are supposedly worth a thousand words, nothing can truly describe (or portray) my family.

Day 98 - A photo of your favorite band/musician

This is hard, because I don't really have a favorite ... or rather, I have multiple favorites. But here's one:

Though I don't usually have just one "favorite," I picked John Mayer because his voice has the ability to put a smile on my face. No matter what is going on, if I listen to one of his songs, I immediately feel better.

Which is why I'm going to listen to one right now, after our hockey loss.

Day 97 - A photo of someone you love

It's my mom. I mean, what else can I say? She's amazing, and supports me in everything I do. She puts up with me, and my hyper-organization, and intense planning.

I really don't know what else to say. Other than I love her to pieces :)

Day 96 - A photo that makes you laugh

So it may seem disturbing that I find a picture of rifles amusing, but there's a story to go along with it.

Over Spring Break, there were a couple of days that I was down there with my brother and dad. It wasn't that big of a deal until one day, when the two of them decided to go to Cabela's - an outdoorsy store. The one in Baton Rouge is huge, and for some reason, both of them were intent on looking at guns.

I, on the other hand, did not want to do so much as even touch one. I had been outvoted to make the trip (I petitioned to get two votes, since I was in the gender minority), and was hoping there'd be a nice clothing section ... or at least sports section. Nope. About half the store was devoted to guns, the other half to cross-bows and (much to my disgust) skinning/butchering equipment.

But the trip ended up being alright, which is where the funny picture comes in. Quite honestly, I had fun badgering around with my brother about not touching a gun (though there was a cute pink handgun that I didn't mind looking at). And it was absolutely hilarious to see my dad, decked out in dress pants, a button down shirt, and loafers (he had left his suit coat in the car) holding a rifle, and talking to the expert about the best caliber rifle to go hunting with.

So I don't find guns funny - I really don't. I know they can hurt people, and I'm not always too crazy about what they do to animals either. But it was pretty hilarious to see my dad, a staunch tax attorney, debating the pros and cons of a 12 gauge rifle.

Day 95 - A photo of you now

This is me, really. As in, I took this photo on Sunday, but wore the same thing today (don't worry, everything was clean, and I only wore it for 2 hours on Sunday).

I am, quite literally, in love with this scarf. My cousin gave it to me on Sunday (when I saw her at dinner, after being deprived of her gorgeous face for way too long), and it's from Scotland. My friends are in love with it - it's cashmere, so it's really soft, and it's really warm too.

The outfit worked out well today - I wore Ugg boots, brown leggings (with white longjohns underneath), this off-white turtleneck sweater, the scarf, and a maroon jacket to complete the look. Though it was warm yesterday (close to 60 degrees), it ended up snowing a bit today (nothing stuck, but it was definitely snow falling from the sky).

Ahh well, Michigan weather can continue to fluctuate, because now I have an amazing Scottish scarf to keep me warm.

Day 94 - A photo of the last place you went on holiday

So I've been to Baton Rouge, but I consider that home, not vacation. So here's the last legitimate "vacation" we went on - New Orleans, LA during Winter Break.

The day after Christmas, my family and I (along with my grandma and my brother's girlfriend) drove to New Orleans to spend a couple of days.

Not only did we see the cathedral, but also ate at Muriel's restaurant (it's the building on the right in the picture, you can just barely see the corner of it), Cafe du Monde (it would be behind the photographer and to the right), and just walked around.

We went to see the aquarium, with the huge fish and sharks, jellyfish, penguins (my favorite) and sea otters (Becky's favorite). And had an absolutely amazing time, really.

There are some things in New Orleans that I've fallen in love with: the cathedral, and the gardens in front of it, Cafe du Monde (the best beignets EVER), and the antique/art shops on the skirts of the French Quarter. There's also a book shop that reminds me of a place here in Ann Arbor, with the aisles filled with books, and barely enough room to move around in.

I love just sitting by the river and watching the barges go by; when I get sick of watching that, I can turn around and watch the street performers (puppeteers, artists) and horse-drawn carriages roll by. All in all, NOLA is amazing.

Who dat?

Day 93 - A photo that makes you happy

This is where I want to call home. Though I know that it's impossible. But the photo makes me smile every time I look at it - in fact, it's my computer background right now.

This house is a historic landmark in Louisiana, and it's also a plantation home. My dad and I went to see it one day over Spring Break, and I remember driving up the winding drive thinking "If only I lived here .... this seems like home."

There were open fields to the left of us, and ancient live oak trees to the right. A white picket fence lined the way, and old iron gates announced where the driveway used to be. There were beautiful gardens (including two immaculately maintained French gardens), a guest house or two, and this. The big house. With its wrap-around porch, complete with rocking chairs, wrap-around balcony, white paint, and gorgeous interior. I wanted to move. Never mind the multi-million dollar price tag that came along with it.

This photo reminds me of the South. It reminds me of the history of the place where we're moving, and how I've embraced that history (there isn't a vacation that goes by without me begging my dad to go to a plantation home). It reminds me of the sun, and of the warmth, both of which are in desperate shortage here at Michigan. But most of all, it reminds me of family, and of the amazing times I've had with my dad, and my mom, and my brother too.

This photo reminds me of home, and it never ceases to put a smile on my face.

Day 92 - A photo of yourself from a year ago

This picture was taken a year ago, almost to the day (March 29th). The two girls next to me were the other two counterparts to the "Three Musketeers." The picture was before we all went to the Sadie Hawkins dance, which was, invariably, a bust.

The girl in the middle is one of my best friends. And I miss her a ton. Even though we've definitely had our ups and downs, it seems like no matter what, we always make it through. There has been some push-and-pull moments: the moments where it seems like one of us is working more, or less, than the other at keeping in touch, but we always get it back in balance. And no matter how drastic things are, I know that I can always call her if I need to.

The girl on the left is a bit more unstable - our relationship was good, then it petered out, and now it's kind of back in the defining stages. That's not to mean that we're not friends anymore ... but more like we have to try and re-learn each other. It's been difficult. Neither of us wanted to admit that we had changed, no did we want to admit that we were floating apart. But I think that it's better now - not so much the communication part (which could always be improved), but the facing the truth. We both realize that our friendship is a bit shaky, and I guess time will only tell what will happen to it.

Day 91 - Your facebook profile picture

This is my new profile picture as of three days ago - I took it during Fall semester, but I just found it again. 

Ten facts about me:

1. I'm a mutt: I used to live in Michigan, currently live in Baton Rouge, and go to University of Michigan
2. I'm a Northern Belle - it's like a Southern Belle, but we have snow
3. People tell me I'm good at stuff, especially academics
4. I love to read - even when it's not socially acceptable for me to have a book in my purse
5. I'm obsessed with Michigan hockey. It's almost as if I become a different person when I go to the games - I want fights, and swear.
6. I love speaking Italian, and want to visit there sometime
7. I'm "dainty," "quiet," "shy," and "timid" to whoever doesn't know me - loud, giggly, and chatty to those who do
8. I've grown as a person during college - I used to be a push-over, but now know how to push buttons back
9. I'm my daddy's little princess ... and am very okay with that fact
10. I'm slightly addicted to Starbucks - it is my Haven, and the baristas know my oddly specific hot cocoa: grande non-fat 3 pump mocha, no whip, extra hot, made with love hot chocolate.