I don't have to be "cool."
I don't have to be silent.
I don't have to be her. 
I don't have to be loud.
I don't have to be loved by him to be okay.
I don't have to be happy all the time.
I don't have to agree to be accepted.
I don't have to hide.
I don't have to have the answer.
I don't have to be perfect.
But I do have to be me.

The. Greatest. List. Ever. (volume 2)

1. Away We Go. One of my all-time favorite movies. Definitely in the top 5. 
2. Obviously Diet Coke. 
3. Dizzy Dean said, "It ain't braggin' if you can back it up." Well, I can SO back this up. I make the best chocolate chip cookies on this planet. 
4. To Make You Feel My Love, as sung by Adele. I honestly think this version is the best version of this song ever sung (though my step-dad would just say, "Oh, another world record. Great.") 
5. Strawberries with brown sugar and sour cream. My roommate recently introduced me to that lovely treat, and it is to die for. 
6. CHI's 44 Iron Guard spray. How else do you think I keep my hair this soft?  :)
7. My mom ROCKS. 
8. Bath & Body Works' White Citrus spray. It's divine.
9. Chalkboard spray paint, a cheap foam board, chalkboard markers, scrapbook paper, and a bottle of Mod Podge. A great craft night. 
10. Across the Universe. Also in my top 5 favorite movies.

Happiness

I was making pancakes yesterday...my favorite. And I was totally lost in stirring and smoothing the batter, smelling the vanilla, and feeling the warmth of the stove. Then I realized, at that moment, I was truly happy. And I thought about all the other times I have been truly happy, and those times are almost always when I am cooking (or handwashing my beautiful turquoise Paula Dean pots & pans set). Somehow, no matter what is going on in life, whether I'm worrying about the electrical deposit, budgeting money for milk, or thinking about when I need to do my laundry or clean the shower, I know that I can always stir flour, eggs, and vanilla and I will have delicious pancakes. Sour cream and brown sugar are delicious on strawberries. Boiling butter, cocoa and milk on the stove and adding oatmeal will always give me delicious no-bake cookies. It's cut-and-dried, it's logical, it's consistent.  It's effortless, straightforward, and uncomplicated. I have complete and utter control. It's a few minutes of priceless and exquisite peace. And nothing else compares in this universe.

"Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music."  -Julia Child

apartment!

Here's some pictures of my lovely apartment.  :)

We'll start here...

as we go down the hall...

This is our living room! That couch is amazingly comfy.

I love our kitchen!

Cute color scheme, huh? I think we accidentally continued that throughout the apartment.

My room. My bed is on the left :)

My side of the room! Desk, posters, and all :)

We think we might submit our apartment to Better Homes & Gardens magazine. As far as college apartments go, ours is pretty darn stylish. But this bathroom (one of two) is our crown jewel.

Pretty, huh?