a nighttime story.

NOTE: this was actually the second blog post I ever wrote, about a year ago... however, it never got posted.  i just saw it again, and had to post it for memories' sake.

"at least we know nate... because if we didn't, that would be straight awkward." (direct quote.)

and you can only imagine how awkward it was: when we walked in the front door, recognized no one, and asked where nate was... only to learn that we were talking to him.

recap: the real nate smith (who we actually know) thought it would be funny to mass text a forward about a different nate smith's (who we really dont didn't know) housewarming party... and we went.

we were trapped for about an hour-- cornered by stereotypical "byu types," who assured us that "it doesn't matter you don't know anyone here! you can meet new people!," and confessed to us that "i recognize you from facebook stalking you!," and literally forced us to play ping-pong and eat pizza.
finally, we escaped.

the best part? the icing on the cake?
the fake nate smith, whose house party we accidentally crashed, is now in our institute class (which started 2 days later.)




aren't super awkward things just the best?!
anyway. today (yesterday, technically) was this kids bday. miss him!

...thats all.

i've been to my fair share of concerts but...

{photo courtesy of anonymous friend's ipone. thanks!}

...but this one was awesome.
remember how my last post ended with me, desperately wanting to go to the neon trees concert?
well i went and it was sooo superfantastic.
{let me just rant for a minute here.}

first off- the music was incredible, the band was entertaining, and they played PYT (yes, the mj song.)
we were in the second row.
i was practically serenaded by the lead singer (he literally pointed me out, its cool.)
me and my friend (who, for a rather complicated reason, must remain anonymous at this time) both got setlists at the end of the show, and i got a drumstick!
and then, to top it off....
we went to in-n-out after the show, and 2 members of the band showed up!
then they sat right behind us. the conversation went kind of like this:

my anonymous friend: hey, great show tonight!
bass player (branden): thanks! you were there?!
                                     *looks at me*
                                      oh, wait... i recognize you! you were doing some insane dancing!!
me: ....uhh thanks?

hahahahahaha. i wasn't sure whether to be flattered or just reallllly embarrassed.  (i think i was/am much more of the latter.)
anyway. if you didn't know, they are mormon and from provo, so we ended up just talking to this guy (dont worry, he's totally married and not sketchy) for a while, and it was really cool! the lead singer may have ignored us a little, but "he was probably just having a bad day, right?"
hahaha.

but wait... there's more!
then, we even got invited to a "secret show"... not kidding!  i've always wanted to go to one.
although, he did say it was for "family & friends," so it might be a little awkward when we are rocking out with their siblings & parents & bffs from high school, but its fiiiiine.
so yeah, hopefully that works out and we can go!

moral of the story: it was a fantastic night and the world was good.

p.s. coolest fact ever: the drummer was valedictorian of her class at byu. and she missed graduation for a gig. tell me youre not jealous? i am.

restless-- in more ways than one.

blah blah blogging.
you know what?!
i feel slightly guilty when i don't blog... which is funny, because, while i like to tell myself that a precious few people do read this blog, i can also be honest, and say that i do it essentially for personal (and probably narcissistic) reasons.
anyway.


currently:
-so left out of the Y-club.. wahhhhh.
-awkward moments=the best moments or awkward moments=the worst moments.
-loved "the busiest time of my life."
-the curse of having a writer's mind. {2:06 am?!}
-PRETTY LITTLE LIARS!!
-handwritten letters with an old friend.
-longing for the simplicity of a big city.
-sometimes... q33zxcmjhiygtf74d5dxfgvbikomojhgv
-perfecting my doodling (and "tattooing") skills.
-craving intellectualism.
-incredibly sick of the radio...
-any suggestions for amazing, new music?
-a long day in a library, or a walk in the park-- either will do.
-does anyone have a mango i can eat?
-must. go. to. neon. trees. concert. saturday. {anyone wanna join?... no, seriously.}




(sorry for the annoyingly long list... see #4)

one month later...

"I need another story-- something to get off my chest.
My life gets kind of boring-- need something that I can confess..."

oh, onerepublic, why are you so wise?

my lack of blogging lately stems from the fact that my life is, actually, pretty boring at the moment.  i've got school&work&school&work&nopicturesofourbuddingscottsdalesociallife.

so, ya know. 

anyway, here's a few {updated} pics of our super cute fantastic dontyoudarecallitghettobecauseweloveit apartment!

{obviouslyimlovingruntogetherwordstoday. i hope someone else can read them besides me.}

{shout out to rachel&ang for these beauties ^}

we like to think we live on our own, but lets be honest:
75% of our groceries come from our parents houses, my mom just helped me finish hanging the artwork, our parents helped us move in and provided the furniture... you get the point.
props to them.
♥

facebook love?

sooo i was facebook stalking myself earlier.
((everyone does it))
and you know what i realized?
ilovemylife.
honestly. dont get me wrong, i've always known it.
but... seriously.

my life is just perfectly... me
and perfect for me, and perfect to me.

granted, it has its ups and downs, its what-ifs and whys. there are {a few} regrets and {many} imperfections, but i have those things too.

...all of it makes me wonder:
do you make your life?
or
does your life make you?
all of those stupid adventures, bouts of laughter, silly nights, pointless road trips, hilarious mishaps-- why did they happen to me, and why did they happen so perfectly?

whatever the reason, its worked out. ♥

(this ^ ones for you only, ang. bahahaha)

phoenix... say what?!

UPDATE: i just realized how awkward this post is... sorry about that.

so here is a rundown of my last 48 hours or so:

1. chillin: "i dont even have very much to do..."
2. stressed to the max: a few hours later... "ohmygoshhh i have SO much to do!"
3. tired: 4 hours of sleep and several hours of moving things later...

4. happy:  "i'm here i'm here i'm here!!!"

moral of the story:

i moved to phoenix. i live in an apartment. it is the cutest thing in the world.

i live with a life-long friend. we love it.

thats all.

(pictures to come.)




p.s. yes i did just take those in my apartment complex's internet cafe... and there are other people in here. its fine.

one year anniversary!

london london london.
i've been thinking about it so much lately.
(i always do, but thats beside the point.)

most often, its the little things in life that remind me of my last summer:

its mcdonalds, where i made countless skype calls, advertising free wi-fi.

its eating chocolate, and being disappointed because its just not as good!

its things like magnum bars, which are new to america. {check them out, please.}

its singing hymns in church, but in the wrong tempo.

lately though, its bigger things, like angela starting her own study abroad, wimbledon happening again (check this out. best day ever!), the royal wedding taking place just a few blocks from my former home, and my adventure starting just over a year ago. crazy, right?

not only can i not believe its been a year since then, but i have difficulty believing it happened at all:
that i was so lucky to get in to the program, that i had such an amazing experience, that i saw every famous piece of art and met every incredible person and hiked through the lake district and stayed in small towns and traveled france and lived in such an amazing city.
...a city which allowed me to study in hyde park, to hang out in trafalgar square, to love the locals, to ride the tube everywhere, to eat amazingggg food (giraffe, nandos, gelato mio, frog&/orfrae), to see a ridiculous number of shows, to wander the streets alone, and to fall in love.



...with the city.
jeez, guys.


p.s. i sorta maybe feel a little tiny bad that you have to keep reading about this. im not sure it'll stop anytime soon though, because there are just so many memories. but you can stop reading for now.

a very arizona summer

so its been a bit since i have blogged, but i do have an excuse... i've been realll busy.
busy doing... arizona kinds of things.
liiiiike:
floating the river... x3

playing with friends from utah:

rappelling:

(backwards and forwards)

oh... and playing wayyy too many games of mafia and signs:

...and working.

also.

i start school again.

in two weeks from today.

i am sooo not ready for school to start.

because i am in full-on summer mode.

as you can probably tell.

gosh dang.

working girl status

so i got my first paychecks at work today.
you know what that means?
i'm officially a working girl!

needless to say, the first couple days may have kicked my butt a little.
so, without further ado:


the top ten things i've learned at work
10. it is so. much. more. complicated. than. you. think.
9. don't get in the habit of checking your watch often
8. i'm excellent at "blending" (aka: putting things where they don't necessarily belong, but look like they might)
7. the security tag remover eats metal things...
6. spaghetti straps + hangers = bad news
5. dont wear dangly earrings, but do wear comfortable shoes
4. just because shoes are flat does not mean they are comfortable
3. thinking about gas prices is never a good idea
2. the mall is much more fun if you're shopping!
and...
1. i need to be paid more! (but really, who doesn't?)



still... i'd say its going really well!
let's just say i'm happy to have a job:]
although i do sometimes feel a little like this...

ending: unplanned

i seriously, seriously want to go on a roadtrip without any plans or destination.
it just seems so... simplefunadventurouscrazyspontaneousamazing.

anyone in?