Hello, My Old Friend

Or my old vomiting bucket. Yes? Yes. Let's just call the kettle black, shall we?

A new chronicle of my life. 

Because I need another one of those, right?

Well, actually, I need one that I don't really need to edit, and one that I can kind of blurt my emotions into, and keep track of things like weight and beauty and self confidence without feeling like a thirteen year old searching for pity. And so here I am. Just sending myself out into the universe so I can laugh at me later.

I want to not be conscious of my body. I want to be able to put on clothes, look good in them, and walk out the door without really thinking about it. Healthy is always important. Is it okay to want to be healthy for the vain reasons? I want to have nice skin and a lot of energy. I would like to fit into the jeans I own, much less jeans smaller than the ones I own. I would like to go bathing suit shopping and not end the trip in tears. I'm proud of who I am as a person (for the most part), and I would like to finally be proud of who I am physically. 

Today, I ate 250 calories too much. I tried that new things where you rinse your hair and comb it so that the natural oils from scalp get distributed throughout so your hair is supposed to look amazing. And it kind of does. Mainly my entire head feels greasy. Tomorrow is a hair wash day, thank goodness. Also, after googling "French Beauty Secrets" (to the chagrin of my roommate, more on that later), found out I'm only supposed to wash my face at night and simply rinse it with cold water in the morning to get rid of dead skin cells from the evening of beauty rest. Which has worked fine so far. Just hoping I don't break out soon. But my skin has been so dry from the heating, that I'm hoping this works.

So, my roommate rolled her eyes after she heard what I was researching so intently. And she said that Europeans are just interested in natural beauty. Making their hair look beautiful instead of dying it, making their skin clear and beautiful instead of caking on make up. It takes a little bit more time than the artificial American stuff, but it also lasts longer and helps you age well. So, that's my new research task. That, making sure I lose a ton of weight. 

Goals

1. Create a publication with my friends. Their art work, both writing and visual. Their opinions. Things that annoy them, things that inspire them. I want to put this together and have it be a beautiful representation of these people. I'm afraid I'm losing them. I want to have a living shadow box that I can pull out when I'm missing them to death.

2. Intern at charity:water. Just sometime. Preferably soon. Maybe after I graduate. Just to have time with an organization that has made me who I am.

3. Live in Europe. This probably means missions. I want to invest in missions for five or so years.

4. Work in Africa. Or on behalf of the Global South. Probably for life.

5. Grow hair long enough where I can braid it down the side.

6. Run a 10K

7. Live at the beach. For like a week at the very minimum.

8. Finish my knit blanket.

9. Finish reading the Chronicles of Narnia

10. Half the things I own. Without any exceptions. Well, books being the only exception, cut the number of things I own in half.

11. Create a give away library. If the book isn't attached to my heart, then I will give it to someone who will love it. Or needs it. Or both.

Playlist of the Week 2.3.12

1. Over My Head (Cable Car), The Fray
2. P.Y.T., Michael Jackson
3. Wash Me Clean, Shawn McDonald
4. Different Kinds of Happy, Sarah Groves
5. End of Time, Beyonce
6. Starry Eyed (Russ Chimes Remix), Ellie Goulding
7.Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay
8. Hurts Like Heaven, Coldplay
9. Turn Me On, Norah Jones

A little more variety this time, Buddy, which I hope you'll be excited about. Also, I made a Valentine's playlist...Daniela and Monica and I are putting on a small party where we watch The Lakehouse and eat pink cupcakes. Sounds exciting, I know.

Glad to hear that track is going well, and I hope you got some great shoes! Love you!

Em

The Week's Playlist

Hey, Buddy. I love you!

Listened to a ton of Coldplay this week...

1. Hurts Like Heaven, Coldplay
2. Lights (Jabberwocky remix), Ellie Goulding
3. Restless, Audrey Assad
4. Paradise, Coldplay
5. Holocene, Bon Iver
6. by this river, Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto
7. Food Chain, Erik Hutchinson
8. Your Song, Ellie Goulding
9. Sydney (I'll Come Running), Brett Dennen
10. Every Time You Go, Ellie Goulding

Love you!
Em

Playlist 1/20/12

For Buddy,

1. The House That Built Me, Miranda Lambert
2. Neon, John Mayer (Live at Nokia Theatre)
3. Love On Top, Beyonce
4. New Hampshire, Matt Pond PA
5. Free Fallin, John Mayer (Live at Nokia Theatre)
6. Delicate, Damien Rice
7. Better, Regina Spektor (Piano and Voice)
8. Beautiful Things, Regina Spektor
9. Blindsided, Bon Iver
10. Listzomania (spelling?), Phoenix

It's snowing, and most of these songs reflect the last few days. I'm going through a slight Beyonce phase (finally, I know), but I only put my favorite song on the list because I know you wouldn't really like a lot. You should seriously listen to the John Mayer songs you will love the guitar parts.

Love you!
Em

Procrastination

Big time.

Here's a list for what Southern people need when they move to Chicago/Illinois/the Northern Midwest:

1. A long, puffy coat. Whether it's synthetic down or goose feathers, it doesn't matter. It just needs to be a furnace. You're going to need a furnace.

2. A scarf. They function like earmuffs, face guards, neck warmers, and fashion statements. Must have. And not those fru-fru ones that are made of polyester and aren't warm at all. You're going to need cotton or wool or fleece.

3. Mittens/Glittens. They are more helpful than you can imagine.

4. Hat. Did you know you lose something like 98% of your body heat out of your head? You're going to want that heat.

5. Boots (and Wool Socks). Imperative. You'll never know how warm they are until you're wearing danskos like an idiot.

6. Optimism. Because it's really not as bad as it seems. In fact, it's beautiful if you allow yourself to see it.

Happy Snow Day,
Em

Playlist of Last Week

I've been a little late this entire week...luckily it's a long weekend and so I have a little grace. :)

Alright, James. Here's what I have been listening to a lot. I

1. He Doesn't Know Why, Fleet Foxes
2. Don't Stop the Music, Rihanna
3. On the Floor, J.Lo
4. Snow Day, Matt Pond PA
5. Precious, Esperanza Spalding
6. Race You, Elizabeth and the Catapults
7. You Don't Have to Believe Me, Eric Hutchinson
8. We Found Love, Rihanna
9. Girls, Beyonce

It's been a pop music week. It helps me run, and that's typically when I listen to music, unless I'm trying to memorize vocab or whatever for classes.

Love you, Buddy!
Em