The things I've loved

There's a song by Jenny Lewis that talks about the things that we love being more important than the things that love us back.




It kind of describes my feelings about coming home for Thanksgiving this year, and most holiday family-togetherness time. There have been some hard moments and some really really retarded, irritating ones. I've been super frustrated and annoyed and overtly delighted too. It's been a whir- nothing unexpected there, I guess.

Anyways. I've been working on this little project of focusing on the good things that happened. I've been communicating these things to a few friends of mine via text. I've decided to share them with you. I don't usually indulge in lists, but these things are worth writing about, and probably best communicated in list format. They are in no particular order.
This isn't going to be a traditional list of holiday things, but they are the things that really meant a lot to me over this break from school. There will be no mention of turkey and stuffing your face til you can't breathe- those things are never as good as the events that surround them anyways. My family is a little on the dysfunctional side of things right now. It's hard, but I think it's a good time to reflect on the things I have to be grateful about.

1. Beach Hair. The kind when the day is sunny and perfect, and you just get the tips wet because you were splashing in the waves, and some drops surprised you. And then the ocean breathes its salty air through the locks and you get the PERFECT texture. Then you leave and the air is humid and simultaneously beautifully dry. The best hair day ever.

2. Roller coasters. On the beach. This one in particular. I know it sounds silly to pay six dollars for one minute and 45 seconds of bliss, but it was worth every penny. Maybe it's because it was with my mom. Maybe it's just because of my deep-seated love for anything fast and dangerous. Maybe it was the contrast of the 75 and sunshine to the 35 and clouds from the previous day. Regardless, it was good.

3. A faithful dog who still remembers me from 4.5 years ago and intermittent, sporadic visits.

4. ANY family tradition that involves this, which ours did this year.

5. The ocean. The great Pacific.

6. The fact that my mom's new place is kinda nice, and it smells like her.

7. High school best friends who just want to talk over a cup of hot liquid in a cozy, cool little coffeeshop in the city. Perfect.

8. Breakfast with my dad.

9. Too-long discussions about post-apocalyptic survival tactics and people watching.

10. Parties with drunken old Mexican men.

11. Staying up til 4:30 am talking to my sister.

12. Evaporation pools and tall piles of salt and minerals.

13. Driving like you are from a city, and knowing that other drivers feel the same way. They're fast, concise, decisive, and kind in a nonchalant, realistic and efficient sort of way. And they seem to understand that the passing lane is for a.passing, or b. going faster than the rest of the cars. The camaraderie of the road is built in the city.

14. Free oil changes.

There were other good things too... Maybe I'll talk more about them when I can get my brain wrapped around them.

Hi, awesome opportunity.

I got accepted to the BYU Art History Study Abroad 2010. I am the most excited I've ever been. Ever.

My itinerary:

Greece

Italy

Austria

the United Kingdom

the Netherlands

Belgium


and France.

In other news, This woman is my hero. I love the things she says. She sort of set up the stage for a lot of the things that I believe in and study. You should watch her and listen to her speak. She like 85 years old. Kind of amazing. She is credited with setting much of the foundation for feminist art history. I hope it works. I love you.