every young couple in love

Our daily problems in life don't seem so important now, do they?

the valley

It's time for vacation. The last time I went on a vacation with my roommates and best friends (Kelcy and Paige) was in January. We were in a beautiful, little place known as Hawaii. This weekend we were lucky. We were all able to get our shifts at work covered so we could take a vacation together, just the three of us. Not only are we going on vacation together, but we're meeting up and staying with our best friend, Olivia! We'll be there for three days, and that is more than enough time to spend quality time with each other all in one place while forgetting about all the stresses and drama in Arizona. While I'm also excited to see a certain boy, I am most excited to spend time in a beautiful Los Angeles with my three best friends.

I love vacations. I love LA. I love Kelky, Paigey, and Olivs < 3

confusion

I'm confused.

I thought I knew what I want. Then I changed my mind. I was happy with my decision. Now I'm doubting it.

The good thing is, I still have time. I will be happy with whichever I choose. That's what makes this decision so hard.

And if I choose not to study abroad this Spring? I have the next Fall.

Maybe I'm thinking too much. I'm going to stop thinking, stop worrying about what other people think, and start living.

"Everything is always okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end."

changing dreams

Yesterday I spoke aloud what I've been thinking inside for the past four weeks.

"I don't want to go to Milan this Spring.

I don't want to study abroad anymore.

I want to be here, living life and experiencing things with my friends and family."

Ever since I went to Rome, Italy my sophomore year of high school, I have dreamed and told everyone my dreams of going to the Bocconi business school in Milan, Italy. For five years this has been my ultimate dream. But now that the application deadline is approaching, I have found myself procrastinating on what should be a simple task. Every night for the past month I've been thinking about what it would be like to be abroad. Don't get me wrong, it would be incredible to build a life all on my own in a beautiful city, but I don't know if it would be worth all that I would lose.

I would miss birthdays, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, spring break, Coachella, even ASU's undie run (haha). More importantly, I would miss the little things: Movie nights, comforting friends through break-ups, giving advice not through a computer screen, seeing friends fall in like (or love), grocery shopping, blasting party music while getting ready with my best friends, meeting my parents for dinner, going to the movies, making spontaneous trips to other parts of Arizona or California, having morning pow-wows with Kelcy and Paige, working, making money, meeting people, the sunsets, driving my car, the blue skies, my room, Chipotle, and so much more.

I've been lucky enough to go abroad. I've seen the world. In high school, I had no idea who I was going to become or what I would want. I've held onto this dream for so long, and now I'm ready to let it go. I'm a different person than I was. I want to spend the best four years of my life with my family and the friends that have made me who I am today, and who I have grown to love. I will go to Milan. I will live abroad at some point in my life. But right now, I need to be here. Here in America with my family, my best friends, my peers, and the strangers that will soon become my family. I feel relieved and more appreciative of where I am than ever before.

an irish blessing

May you always be blessed with walls for the wind.

A roof for the rain.

A warm cup of tea by the fire.

Laughter to cheer you.

Those you love near you.

And all that your heart might desire.

california

I used to see California as my second home. When I was little, we would go to San Diego and Coronado Island to visit my grandparents summer home. When they moved a little further North, we would go to Carmel and boogie board all day, everyday. Once Kelcy and I had a car and a license, we made our first BIG roadtrip to Los Angeles to visit our brothers Blake and Reed, and then onto Northern California to visit our soon to be best friend Paige. This was the best time for me and California. We would see each other about 5 or 6 times that year. Northern California for winter break, spring break, and fourth of July. Los Angeles in June and August. Unfortunately, it's almost been a year since that last trip we took in August. I miss my brothers, I miss the drive to L.A., and I miss California.

But that's all about to change tomorrow. Kelcy and I are taking a long, overdue trip to visit our friend Olivia in the valley, and then onto Los Angeles on Thursday. I don't know if it's going to be a relaxing, beachy trip OR a Hollywood-going, late night trip like the past couple of times. Frankly, I don't really care. I just want to be in the presence of my friends and brother who reside in Arizona's greatest neighbor: California.

time to try

I've always been interested in art. One Thursday every month, my high school drama teacher would take us to the Phoenix Art Museum. It was here that we would spend two hours without direct supervision, just exploring 285,000 square feet of art work from all different eras, centuries, and mediums. The irony in all of this, however, was the fact that these museum trips sparked my interest in visual arts when I went to a purely performing arts school. Even so, I would doodle in my notebook, go to the store and buy paints and canvas, and try to teach myself how to paint and draw. Now that I am at university, I have added to my sketchbook when I'm alone, feel sad, or just get that urge to create something. Although I still really have no professional training, I look to the vast number of inspiring artists on countless websites to learn and grow.

These are some of the works that inspire me to try new mediums and get into my car and over to the art store down the street. Maybe someone there can give me a little advice.

Lastly, I'm trying to come up with my own style. Looking at P@t Perry's art, you wouldn't guess that this is how he goes about it. I hope to find my own style soon, and create a piece that can be displayed in my new house that I share with my two best friends.