beating heart

I'm in desperate need of a new journal. I just finished one and I'm going through withdrawls because I have not found a new one yet. There is something about writing things down on paper that gets me going. I love to write.

I was in a class the other day where we were talking about women's roles in other countries, and I realized how much I take the country I live in for granted. There are few places in the world where women are treated as equally as they are in America. I can voice my opinion and not be shunned like I would in other countries. I'm not looked down upon as the lowest class and considered property. I'm more than that!! Every woman is more than a piece of property and should be valued.

I really am glad to be from America

giving in...

So practically ALL of my friends have created a "25 things about me" list and I'm jumping on the bandwagon late, so I think I'd rather post it on my blog instead of my facebook. 25 people will probably not read it, and for some reason, I feel better about that.

1. My parent's used to call me "Taryn the Terror" when we had to drive places, I hated car seats and the only way I would not be screaming is when they drove on windy roads or were 4 wheeling (aka off-roading). One of many reasons why I always fall asleep in the car.
2. When I was 3 my parents lost me in a mall and later found me in a Department store talking my head off to the employees.
3. Before preschool, I never liked to wear clothes.
4. I love Looney Tunes.
5. It takes an incredibly long time for me to let people in...I don't have a good explanation for it.
6. Once I start reading a book, I can't put it down. I love to read and used to be teased for it as a kid because I would have to most random ideas for things to do.
7. My dad gave me his "old" digital camera when I was 11 and so I took family and school pictures of all my Barbies...my mom still thinks I should send them into Mattel
8. My dream job would be to work in a foreign country, living with the people, and helping them improve their way of life.
9. I tend to dance while putting books away in the library. I can't sit still when listening to music!
10. I LOVE CHOCOLATE!
11. I chuckle a lot when people are talking....but it's because it reminds me of a quote from a movie or a cartoon. It cracks me up when people ask "What is so funny?" and you ask, "Well did you ever see this movie?" Confused, they say "Huh?" What are you, a sheep?! (someone name THAT movie).
12. I really want my passport so I could travel at any time.
13. My mom made me wear dresses a lot when I was little and I loved the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland. So whenever someone would ask me to do something, I would curtsy and say "Yes, your majesty."
14. My brother, sister, and I would put in 1812 overture, roll up the carpet, put socks on, and dance/ slide to the music on our wood floors.
15. On road trips, my siblings and I would get board and pretend we had super powers to save the car and our family from destruction.
16. I secretly love video games and played Final Fantasy with my brother (esp. FFVII, when the movie came out he was so excited to show it to me).
17. I am a klutz, I fractured my big toe one year in a water fight...I got in a fight with a door and the door won.
18. If blood is gushing, I tend to turn pale colors.
19. I love walking to campus, listening to music, and watching the world pass me by like intros to movies
20. I own 6 cameras! I have an obsession, it's cool.
21. I'm a roller coaster nut--I love amusement parks! So much that my family has gone to a roller coaster park in Ohio twice (Cedar Point).
22. I love card games and can sometimes be too competitive for my own good.
23. I once found a lobster in my toilet.
24. I've backpacked to Havasupai which is GORGEOUS.
25. Sometimes, I really miss being a kid.

If you read all of this, I am totally impressed because it took forever to think of things!

p.s. I changed my mind and put it on facebook. oi.

burrr!

I'm starting to realize more and more how much winter and I are not friends. i don't mind colder weather, but when I have to wear 2 or more jackets I feel like I should remind myself why I chose to go to a school that is in such a cold place!

With the fantastic family fitness challenge, I have been terrible this past week. By the end of today, I'm hoping to be tons better.

If and when I get to go to New York, I'm going to find this place called Bonita (it's a Mexican Cafe)
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/bonita/

I hope I can go with my family in August!!

me vs. alarm

I found this on another blog and thought it was AWESOME!!

Start the day with a BANG! Gun O’Clock from Bandai is alarm clock and target range all in one. Every morning you can wake up to one of three games. When the alarm goes off, the Gun O’Clock target pops up, and you have to grab the gun in time to shoot it to turn the clock off! It’s a great way to bring you to your senses when the snooze button simply isn’t an option.

The set features three game modes for when the alarm goes off: In Quick Shot mode you have to pull off five perfect shots within 3 minutes. Time mode is a battle for speed each morning to see how quickly you can wake up, react, and blast the target away. Finally, Random mode changes up the timing, making for an unpredictable stand-off with waking life.

Hamburgers, Cake, and Ben Kweller

Yesterday was AMAZING!!!! Not only was it Friday the 13th, but it was also my birthday! I have some really awesome friends and wonderful family.

To end the great day, I went and saw Ben Kweller at The Depot. The second to last song he played was my absolute favorite "Fallin'"! :) Yeah for birthdays!

Super Plankton

I found this in my google reader and was hysterically laughing. Court, I know you will appreciate this...and Cody would laugh so hard at it too!

I <3 Naps

I love to nap. My appreciation for it, though, was not until going to college. Naps are essential in order to survive in college. I found an article that proves how important naps are!! :D

How to nap

It is more of a simple diagram that shows the best way to nap and why it's important. Check it out.

Holga is her name...

I'm in love with a camera.

Sometimes, I miss being a kid

At this very moment snow is falling outside. To be honest, I think falling snow is very pretty; as long as I'm able to sit at home and enjoy it. Lucky for me, today is Monday. These are the times that I miss Laguna. In the area I lived in, there were so many parks with in a 5 mile distance that my friends and I would hop on our bikes and go where we pleased. One particular park wasn't within bike riding distance (well, it always worried my mom) that was a jungle gym/ playground that the community built together made of wood called Miwok park. I loved walking around this one area where tons of people had decorated tiles with their names and drawings of family. Although, this picture doesn't show either of those things (it's a pretty big park). I think it is one of the most picturesque areas in Laguna.
Sometimes, I really miss being a kid. I wish that I could just hop on my bike and go play games on a nice, warm day. Where there are only a few marshmallow clouds in the sky to block the sun every-so often and the trees are so big you can't get your arms around it to climb them. Things just seem so simple when you're a kid, why does life start to feel more complicated the older you get?

I have a predicament.

I was invited to go to a concert on my birthday. It would be a TON of fun, but I was kind of hoping to hang out with a bunch of friends...y'know?! What should I do??

I know, I know...

I found this picture rummaging through one of my other friend's Facebook pages and I think this is one of my favorites of the night.

On a totally different subject, the Fantastic Family Fitness Challenge has begun and it is HARD!! Eating on time and with smaller amounts is what I'm going to have to fight. I will have to make it an important habit to pack a lunch (or two) when I go up to campus. Man oh man!

I am definitely ready for it to be the weekend.

The Greatest News EVER!!

OH MAN I'M SO EXCITED!! It is official. I will be graduating in the Fall of 2009! It only took an extra couple of semesters, but it is finally set in stone! I'm not sure I can convey all my excitement through words. If you could only see me now, my face is permanently stuck in a smile. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! My cheeks are killing me. :D

Just me and my shadow

Every February 2, Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog comes out of his little hole in the ground to see if his shadow has been found. Shadow= 6 more weeks of winter, and Phil saw his shadow.

So I'm preparing to actually feel the warmth of the sun in six weeks..

You aren't still angry about that whole "Murder" thing, are you?

This past Friday, I was for the first time able to participate in a murder mystery dinner. It. Was. AWESOME. I just love having an excuse to dress up and go back in time to live in a year when two of my grandparents were not even born yet.

1936 Hollywood, to be exact.