Make Your Mark Heavy and Dark

I personally love lists and checking things off. It's a sign of the planner in me I think. I feel so relieved and accomplished once I can truly check something off my list of things to do. Sometimes those types of feelings and ideas transfer to my personal life as well. I certainly don't think of traveling to other countries as something I want to experience just to "check it off my list," but I do think it can be really cool to map out where you've been. I saw this recently and I really love it. Check it out here. http://www.youandmetheroyalwe.com/prod-map.html It costs far more than I'd ever want to spend, but perhaps I could draw my own version. I'm no artist, but this is somewhat like tracing in that I would only need to draw the relative shapes of the countries. Perhaps I could in fact trace a world map loosely and achieve similar results. For now I use an online version of the same idea. The site links with facebook and allows me to easily mark where I've been from wherever I am so perhaps it is the more practical option anyhow, not to mention free. :) You can also make note of where you'd like to go, upload travel photos, or include a map detailing the places you've visited on you facebook profile. Pretty cool. http://apps.facebook.com/tripadvisortravelmap/?session=true&partner=FBUS7

Can you tell that I have travel on the brain?

Rainbow Cake

Yesterday I made rainbow cake for no other reason than for the pure joy I knew it would bring me. I know I know, I'm a dork and a twelve year old, I'm aware. :) I first stumbled upon the idea at http://www.omnomicon.com/rainbowcake and knew right away that I had to try it out. I have always been a fan of color, but I never would have thought that this would be possible or that it would turn out so perfectly! I have recently been seriously thinking about becoming an Au Pair in Italy for a year after I complete my internship this summer and this is definitely a recipe I would take with me and put to use if I do decide to do that. This would be the perfect cake to bake for a little girls birthday or you could even vary the color choices to make it perfect for a little boys as well. It's super easy, you just separate the batter into equal amounts based on the number of colors you plan to use and then add the die to each. Then you just kind of plop each color into the pan one by one on top of one another without mixing and they'll naturally spread out and stay separated making a perfectly delicious rainbow. It's a really quick and easy twist to boring white cake mix.

It's Official.

This is such an exciting time for me! This morning I had my placement meeting over the phone with a EUSA representative to make sure they know exactly what I am looking for in an internship. In about a week when they finish up with all of the placement interviews for the other participants of the London program, they will begin the search for my placement! My meeting went really well and I feel so great about everything. Today I also purchased my plane tickets! It's all really happening! In less than two months I will be on a plane and heading for London! I don't usually let myself focus too much on the future because there are too many wonderful things happening in the here and now that I don't want to miss, but for today I made a tiny exception. I am just so happy. I am so blessed. :)

My First Caricature

Some friends and I went to Late Nite here on campus last night for the first time this semester. I'm happy to report that it was a huge success! We were some of the first to arrive and because of this, there were no lines for some of the really fun things we wouldn't usually want to wait for. We were able to have a caricature drawn by a local Muncie artist hired by the Late Nite staff. My roommate Emily had the wonderful idea to have him depict us as Mermaids. I couldn't be more happy with the results. I think mine really resembles me which is so cool, and Derek's is dead on as well (not to mention hilarious). My mother's an art teacher, it seems unfair that the artistic trait didn't carry over to me. I can be crafty in my own sense, but I certainly have no aptitude for drawing. Oh well, art wouldn't have much value if we were all capable of creating it. I'll just have to find my own niche.


Currently watching Richie Rich. Classic flick. I know you're jealous.

Running from the "real world."

Far too many times in the course of my life have my parents started a sentence with "In the real world..." Fill in the blank with some dreadful sounding 9-5 work your whole life away and never really experience anything nonsense(sorry mom and dad). The unfortunate truth in this world is that money is necessary. If you're lucky it's relatively easy to come by, but no matter who you are, it's much easier to rid yourself of. I'll admit that I have always been a lover of things. I have endless amounts of stuff. Clothing. Accessories. Shoes. Books. Essentially just crap, well....except the books. There always seems to be an infinite list of things that I want and money is definitely helpful in attaining those things, but eventually you become a slave to this cycle. Acquire money to acquire stuff.It seems the more you have, the more you want. What I want in this life far more that worldly possessions is to actually see the world. The real world that God created and the beauty he imprinted on it. I want a glimpse of Him in the heart's of his people from all over the world. I want to experience new cultures and make friends everywhere. I'm discarding my parent's view of the world and going out in search of my own. I'm terrified, but I cannot wait for all that's waiting for me....whatever that may be. I know that money will still play a huge role, but I'll find a way to make it that is not just bearable, but something I am truly joyous about. There has to be a way. Let the search begin!

For now...livin' it up in my last month at Ball State. I can't believe that's all I have left.