Stuff in the Works

Today, I waited in line with a bunch of old people for about an hour to vote for the future president of the United States :) I felt all grown up. I got the "I Voted" sticker and everything. Best part was a really cute old guy telling me I didn't look old enough to vote lol. Glad I don't look like an old maid yet. 

Also today, I got the glasses for my Dwight costume for Halloween :) 

They are amazingly perfect. Only problem is, I can't get the lenses to pop out. I bought reading glasses from Walgreens, so they're prescription, and I need to get them out. If anyone knows how to pop them out without breaking the frame let me know :) The rest of my costume should be coming in the mail tomorrow or the next day so I'm stoked. 

Since I really want to go to Ireland, I was looking on Groupon to see if they had any good deals. I found an AMAZING deal for a six-night trip for $999, which includes hotels, rental car, and air fare. I couldn't believe it. I don't have the money for it now, but maybe they'll have another deal like that when I can go :) It would be awesome. 

My roommate is hysterically laughing and screeching in the next room, and has been for the past 3 hours straight. I think I should be worried. That's all :) 

Luck O' The Irish

Not many people know that the popular saying, "luck o' the Irish" is an ironic phrase. Since I'm part Irish, that's probably where my sarcasm comes from. "Luck o' the Irish" means bad luck, not good. It comes from history where bad luck kept falling on the Irish people. I have really bad luck with Utah men. I only realized today that every time I see a really, really attractive man on tv or in movies and I look him up, it turns out he's Irish! It's happened enough times to make me realize it's probably not a coincidence. My Irish heritage is probably where this uncontrollable attraction to Irish men comes from. Here are some of their beautiful faces. 

Exhibit A:

Alex O'Loughlin

He was born in Australia, but the name "O'Loughlin" comes from Ireland, so he is of Irish descent. (The Australian doesn't hurt either, they're super attractive too.) 

 He has dark hair and beautiful eyes, plus a gorgeous smile. What more could a girl want?

Exhibit B: 

Colin O'Donoghue

Born and raised in Ireland :) Pictured on the left as playing Captain Hook on the tv show Once Upon a Time. 

Beautiful eyes, beautiful hair, beautiful face. 

Probably a beautiful personality too lol.

Then there are the more well known ones like:

Colin Farrell

Also born and raised in Ireland.  

 I wouldn't mind if my future husband looked like this :) 

And the older ones like

                      Pierce Brosnan

and

                                                                 Liam Neeson

Apparently Ireland just produces a lot of really attractive men. So I have come to a conclusion. After I graduate, which is sooner than I thought it was going to be, I am going to go to Ireland. I have wanted to go for years, so I'm gonna go. I will go and photograph the beautiful landscape and experience the awesome culture and admire the locals lol. Sounds like a pretty good graduation present to myself. And who knows, maybe I'll find a handsome Irish man to marry in a castle :) Only time will tell. 

National Geographic Has Stolen My Heart

For those of you who don't know, I am obsessed with National Geographic. My ABSOLUTE dream job would to be a photographer for them. I know that people can submit photos to their photo contests and such so I guess that's a start.

In the May 2012 edition, Klaus Enrique, a photographer based in Mexico City and London, recreated some of Giuseppe Arcimboldo's paintings. Arcimboldo painted portraits of people using plants to make up the faces.

  
 Arcimboldo's painting "The Vegetable Gardener" 1590

Enrique's photograph recreation of "The Vegetable Gardener"

Arcimboldo's painting "Summer" 1563

Enrique's photograph recreation of "Summer"

Arcimboldo's painting "Winter" 1572

 

Enrique's photograph recreation of "Winter"

Arcimboldo's painting "Spring" 1573

Enrique's photograph recreation of "Spring"

While these aren't my favorite paintings, or photographs, you do have to appreciate the creativity and hard work that went into creating them. Both artists spent a great amout of time planning out what objects and colors to use to create their images. The idea of using small objects to make a huge object is what sculptors use all the time, with awesome results.



Also in this edition of National Geographic, they had an article about the Manakin bird. It is a bird found in Central and South America that can make music with its wings and does the moonwalk.

Check it out:

AND

Here are some awsome photographs from National Geographic.

Archaeologists recently unearthed 3,000 Buddha statues in Handan, China that are 1,500 years old:

This is a relic of the Iran/Iraq war. It is an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, "scuttled" by Sadam Hussein to block access by sea to Southern Iraq.

This is high tide at the Indonesian island Pulau Balai. In March, 2005 a seafloor earthquake lowered the island by 3 feet, and the high tide frequently floods houses.

This is Karkonosze National Park in Poland

This is a cave painting in Papua, New Guinea

There are so many pictures I LOVE of theirs, but there is no way I could put them all on here. If you want to see more, just go to www.nationalgeographic.com and they have TONS. I could spend hours on there.

I am a self proclaimed dork. I love National Geographic, Animal Planet, Mythbusters, Pawn Stars, Discovery Channel, River Monsters, the History Channel, all that good stuff. I guess I just like learning. Oh well, knowledge is power lol.

Enjoy :)

Freedom Isn't Free

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Today is also the day that my best friend was deployed to Afghanistan. He will be in Texas for a little bit at first but then be flown over to Afghanistan. Dealing with this is possibly one of the hardest things I have had to deal with. There is a chance he many not come home alive. There is a chance he may not come back in one piece. There is a chance that he will be psychologically traumatized by what goes on over there. You never know. 

I was lucky enough to be born an American, where I have freedoms, rights, and opportunities. I think a lot of times we take our blessings for granted. I know I do sometimes. Our rights and freedoms did not come for free. Millions of people throughout history have fought for freedom and given their lives for it, like Martin Luther King Jr. I have been feeling very grateful today for all the people who have made my freedoms possible, and it really opened my eyes to how ridiculous we can be sometimes. People at work today were more concerned about getting a good deal on a snowboard instead of realizing that there are more important things to be worried about, and definitely more important things to get upset about than me not accepting a coupon that expired over a month ago. 

I wish it would be easier to encourage people to open their eyes and realize all the wonderful things they have in their lives. Yeah, nobody's life is perfect, but if it was there would be no room for growth. We go through trials for a reason. We are obviously supposed to learn from every moment in our lives, especially the bad times. It helps make us stronger as people. I know having my best friend in Afghanistan for a year is going to be tough, but I know we will both be stronger people because of it. I can only hope and pray that God will protect him and if it is his will, that my friend will return home safely. And I really hope that he does.

Getting Out of the Bubble

Traveling is something I have always dreamed about. I watch the Amazing Race and I always think, "Man, I wish I could go somewhere awesome like that someday." Well I finally decided to do something about it. There is a month and a half long Art and Design study abroad in Europe through BYU this summer and I have decided to apply. The majority of it is in London:

But there are also stops in Basel, Switzerland:

Mainz, Germany

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Edinburgh, Scotland

And Paris, France

Doesn't that seem amazing? The program includes visits to tons of museums and I would get to see all the art I have been learning about in my art history classes IN PERSON instead of in a textbook. 

This seems like the most amazing opportunity ever and I really hope I get in. I have started the application and now all I have to do is write a letter of intent.....guess we'll see how that goes lol. 

The only thing is this costs tons and tons of money. I have put so much effort into being careful with my money and not wasting it. I don't have any student loans and the only debt I have is my car loan which I always make payments on way in advance. I think if I don't try and do this I will regret it. The money will be worth it....if I can come up with $5,600, plus a passport, airfare and cost of food and personal expenses while abroad....

Luckily, my half tuition benefit will be applied to part of it, plus any financial aid I may be lucky enough to get. I have some money saved...and hopefully I can earn enough by the deadline. If anyone wants to donate to the cause I won't turn them down lol. 

I think that at this point in my life, this is the perfect time for me to do something like this. I don't have any responsibilities holding me back right now and I think this kind of experience is just what I need to get out of the rut I've been in for so long. I'm really nervous but also excited at the same time, if I get to go. 

Wish me luck :)