Life oh Life

Life, for serious, is a weird and freaky thing.

Like to sit here and realize, that not only am I an adult because of my age, but I guess I do adult-ish things.

For example, I can pay my own bills. I'm paying off a loan, I pay rent, I pay insurance, I pay for my cell-phone, I buy gas and groceries, I understand a credit score and how to work toward getting a better one, and I'm trying to save for both Italy and a marriage at the same time. These are all very grown-up things.

Apart from finances I know what to do if/when I get into a car accident, I have three years of a collegiate education behind me, I schedule my own doctors appointments and understand how my insurance works, (like I now understand what a 'deductable' is), I can change a tire, (Like for reals, I've done it), I understand how stocks and bonds work... The only thing I haven't really learned yet is how to do my own taxes. My sweet and loving father takes care of that mess for me. And I know how to work and work hard. Money doesn't scare me. Even if I'm struggling for a while, I'm not afraid. So what if I'm poor for a while, I just don't buy so much and work even harder. Piece of cake really. So yeah. I guess I'm an adult.

I didn't realize it really until my roommate a while ago came to me asking advice on her credit card...

Weird.

But no, seriously, it's weird. If you know me at all, especially from high school, you'd know that this is not something you would expect from me. I had tea parties and picnics throughout all of my adolescence. I even dressed up with my friends and went out and did crazy things, just because we could. I skipped school a lot, got pretty good grades knowing they could be even better if I care, but I chose not too... like, the responsible adult thing is just so out of character for me. So yeah. It's weird and surprising.

I'm getting married!!! That's a pretty big adult-like thing to do. And knowing myself, I would expect myself to be more scared than I am, but I'm really not. I can take care of myself already, so it's not like I have to learn how to do that at the same time as learning to care for someone else.

But this is a good thing that I'm going into a marriage so prepared. Because now I won't be forced to learn too much at once. I've got all the logistics learned, so I can focus only on the relationship and the marriage. Which, I'm thinking, is a pretty cool thing.

So yeah. I guess I'm an adult. And yeah, it's weird, but not that much has changed. I'm still willing to look like a total fool in front of people and I still know how to have a good time. I've just furthered my education a bit. That's all.

So yay for life. It's always moving somewhere, and if it feels like it's not, then I would venture to say that you're probably doing something wrong...

Beautiful October Plans

I'm usually good at staying pretty chill about things. I don't get too stressed usually, (at least with the things one usually gets stressed out about), and I do get excited but most people don't really see my true excitement. Many just see me being crazy and weird. I think the reason for this is because nothing often gets me REALLY excited.

Except right now I have a pretty valid reasons for crazy out-of-control excitement. I am, as of last weekend, ENGAGED!! That's right. With a shiny ring and a hot fiancè. The works. And I have the prettiest ring. So of COURSE I'm excited. This is like, the best thing to happen in my life.

So It's going to happen in October. And it's going to be a gorgeous fall wedding. I love the autumn. It's my favorite season. And it just feels like the perfect length of engagement time for us. I'll still be going to Italy, which will be hard to be apart for so long, but at the same time, I'm going to be living in Italy, which has been a dream of mine for year and years. So everything seems to be fabulous right now.

Well, remember how I don't get too stressed? Well there are a few things for the wedding I'm going to need to have figured out before I go to Italy in a month, and I also have school. So I'm a little worried that I might actually get a little stressed out. But hopefully I will manage to keep it all under control. :) I'll just need to stop and remember how fabulous my life actually is. Huzaah!

Today's a dumb day... I scratched my eyeball taking out a contact and thus I feel excused.

It's a rainy/snowy day today. One of those days when it's snowing but it's too warm outside to stick, thus the ground looks rained on, but the sky offers snow. I don't like snow too much. Correction: I don't like snow after New Years. All of snow's value is lost when no longer associated with the holidays. Or at leas, that's my opinion.

I love rain though. I LOVE thunderstorms. But mostly I just love puddles and the fact that sometimes the earth wants to get wet. (Totally random thought, but it reminds me of an elephant throwing water with its trunk to stay cool. That what I imagine mother nature is doing when it rains.) I don't understand why so many people have this cat-like fear of getting wet. Embrace it. It's a change of pace. (Unless you live in England I suppose.)

My absolute favorite is walking outside after the rain has chilled out a bit, and while walking you look down and watch the puddles and the reflections of the sky and tree silhouettes on the ground. Tree silhouettes always make me happy, but seeing them when I'm looking down at what usually is an ugly sidewalk... that just gives me another reason to get over myself and try and enjoy the day. And it doesn't just have to be a tree silhouette. People, buildings, whatever. I just love small puddle reflections.

So I think I will. I've got to go to three more classes today, :p, but between each one I'll try and forget about the disgusting cold air, and focus on something worthy of holding my attention.

Città Bella

In April I have plans. 

Siena! As in, Italy. :)

That's right. Beautiful Siena awaits me for 

a seven week study abroad. The first three weeks I will take an advanced Italian Language class, and travel around to villages, cities, and anywhere else I pretty much feel like going.]

Siena is only an hour away from both Florence and Pisa. And two hours north of Rome. So I'll probably be hitting up Florence a lot at first. 

But my school classes only last the first three weeks. The second half I get to choose whatever the hay I want to do for an internship and I've pretty much decided on culinary. 

That's right, I will be working as an intern in an Italian kitchen where I hope to be learning the many magical secrets to an amazing Italian dish. 

My Italian teacher from last year is from Genova and she made what was pretty much just a ragu on noodles with lots of cheese, and I am SO not kidding when I declare it to be the most delectable thing I have ever to have passed over my tongue. It was... it was beautiful. I nearly weep at the memory. 

So I hope that to be part of my future. I want to be the lady whom everyone wants to invite to their dinner parties in the hopes that I might grace everyone with one of my renowned Italian dishes. It's a beautiful future!

... Just realized that this means I'm probably going to be really fat if this is my future.

Too Much Time in Front of the TV?

Who doesn't love those classic movies? 

I've been CRAVING A Philadelphia Story; you know, the one with Katherine Hepburn, Carry Grant, and Jimmy Stewart. Yeah. It's a good one. That's for sure.

And thanks to netflix, I recently saw Shop Around the Corner, also with Jimmy Stewart. You've Got Mail was based off of this one. It is also VERY good. The lines are witty as they do a fabulous job of insulting each other. And it's just cute. So if you haven't seen that one, go ahead and watch it. It's worth it. 

On a different note. I've also watched recently Easy Virtue with Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, and Collin Firth. I really like that one too. It was maddening in sort of a Family Stone way, but I loved it. Plus Ben Barnes is stinkin' HOT. And he has these huge, brown, puppy-dog eyes throughout the movie that make you wish the camera never left his face. And it is very enjoyable aesthetically. But I'm a sucker for the vintage clothing and styles. But really, it's a great one. Chaotic, but charming non the less. 

Other movies I love and have revisited lately:

Family Stone (Rachel McAdams is one of my favorites right now. And this was the first movie I actually really appreciated Sarah Jessica Parker in. 

Sunshine Cleaning (Emily Blunt is the other favorite right now. Talk about versatile.)

I've also been on sort of a Friends kick lately. So I've been re-watching a lot of those.