I'm not a "Hippie", I'm a "Free Spirit"

I can now say that I haven’t used real shampoo or conditioner in my hair for about four months!  Instead I have been using baking soda and water as my shampoo and apple cider vinegar and water as my conditioner.  Hooray for being natural.  I’ve been doing a lot of research and my outcome is this: shampoo is bad and conditioner is excessive.  Shampoo harshly strips your hair of ALL of its oils (even the good ones that moisturize and make your hair shiny and pretty),  so your scalp goes into overdrive to replenish those oils.  Add the replenished oils to the conditioner you put on after you shampooed and you have one greasy head.  Then the next day, you see how greasy your hair is so once again you wash it (strip it) and then condition it.  It is a vicious cycle.  So the reason most people have to wash their hair every day is because they wash their hair every day.  Make sense?  Also,  shampoo has ingredients that are quite bad for you.  Here is a link that will explain more.  Most people who transition to the No-Poo movement (that is seriously the name of it, I couldn’t make that up) experience a nasty and greasy transition period because they aren’t stripping their hair anymore but their scalp is still in overdrive mode creating all those oils.  If you know me at all, then you are probably well aware that I’m not the most hygienic person.  I never washed my hair that often, therefore I had no transition period.  I was a perfect candidate.  Also, I have received so many compliments on my hair since I switched!  No, my hair does not smell like vinegar after I shower.  It has no scent.  That is the only thing I miss is having my hair smell like shampoo. There are also less extreme ways to help your hair such as using shampoos that have no sulfates or parabens, or you can start washing your hair less often.  

So I get to check something else off of My Life's To Do List.  I finally completed a quilt.  About time.  I actually finished the quilt in May, then I decided to hand embroider Céo's name onto her quilt.  I procrastinated and finally gave it to Ivan and Ariel to take home two weeks ago.  It was so great to spend time with them and see my beautiful niece again.  She is soooo smiley.  You just have to look at her and she will give you the cutest grin.  She is easily entertained like me....and Ariel...and Ivan.  It is a good trait to have. I love her so much.   

While I was in town I got to go to the Razorback game.  It made me realize how much I miss going to the games.  Someday I hope to have season tickets. Hooray for the Hogs.

Here are some pics of the quilt I made for little baby Céo.

Thanks to Staci Hurst for taking pics for me!  

I've already started my next quilt, but I'm really excited about my new art project.  Here is a pic of my inspiration.

This is what I'm trying to create

 Thank you pinterest for the idea. Today I drew the pattern on my canvas and tomorrow I'm going to start cutting it out.  Hooray for creating. 

I've been stretching every night this week which makes me feel healthy and tomorrow I'm going to try a new workout.  We'll see how it goes.  Maybe I'll become one of those people that works out every day  and feels bad if they miss a workout...I doubt it.  My room has stayed relatively clean so far this semester.  That's a plus. 

Well, thanks for tuning in.

joie de vivre

Well Summer is over. I came back to Little Rock yesterday. School starts on Thursday. I actually frowned when I typed that last sentence.  I had a nice vacation in Fayetteville all summer.  Here are some tidbits from the summer.  As I have previously mentioned I got to go to Wakarusa and see Mumford and Sons.  That is a probably number one on the list of Summer Highlights.  Such an experience.  Speaking of lists, I have been working on a list entitled "My Life's To Do List."  Just like a Bucket List with a more Arielle title.  I keep adding new things to it and I hope I never stop.  Well, this summer I have been able to cross off two things off of my list.  That is an accomplishment.  One of which was to do Karaoke.  That's right.  I had never sang Karaoke.  I love to sing, just not for people. I'm constantly singing obnoxiously when I'm by myself and it slips out a bit around people but I try to spare them.  I can't actually say I sang during my first time seeing as how my debut song was duet to "Baby Got Back" with my friend Becky. It was a pretty awesome performance.  The second one I crossed off was skinny-dipping.  Sorry mom.  Don't worry, no boys were looking.   Part of me wants to post my entire to-do list on my blog but part of me wants to keep it a secret.  I think I'll keep it a secret for now.
 I read ten books over the summer.  I love reading.  The book I read while I was in Florida was Tuesdays with Morrie recommended by my friend Hartleigh.  I feel like everybody should read that book.  It is full of life lessons.
I attended my friend Libby's wedding and she definitely gets the award for best wedding reception EVER.  So much fun.  Jordan Hurst also wins an award for super fun plus one.  So many of my friends were there and it turned into a crazy dance party.  When I was leaving the reception, an older man in a bow tie came up to me and said "I don't know what kind of drugs you were on, but it sure was a pleasure to watch you dance up there."  I'm taking that as a major compliment since that statement is the opposite of this statement: "You sure are boring."  I'll take what I can get.
I've been thinking a lot about not just going through life but actually living it and taking advantage of it.  That is why I've been working on my list.  I think the biggest fear for my life would be mediocrity.  How dull.  Hopefully, by working towards crossing things off my list, when I look back on my life I will view one that is full of experiences and worthwhile memories.  One memory I have from this summer that will stick with me came from Florida.  While at the beach I saw a dolphin jump completely out of the water.  It was very magical.
One of my new favorite TV shows is No Reservations on Travel Channel.  I like living vicariously through Anthony Bourdain. (yes I realize that last sentence completely contradicts the theme of this post.) It gives me ideas of where I want to travel.  Everybody keeps asking me if plan on going back to Fayetteville after I graduate.  I don't really want to, not right away at least.  I'm yearning for adventure and I don't see that happening in Northwest Arkansas.  But I do see it happening in...let's say...Barcelona for example.  The grass is always greener on the other side.  I'm sure there are some Barcelonians out there wishing to experience the thrill of Fayetteville.  Since travel costs money I don't see it in my near future.  I guess it is just up to me to start some adventure no matter where I am.

Surprise!

Hooray! It's a surprise blog posting.  I'm starting to feel like a dork constantly posting my blog updates on Facebook so this one is unannounced.  That way I can get a feel of how many people have my blog listed in their bloglines and don't rely on facebook. My blog is going global.  People from other countries are starting to read it.  I do actually know some people living in other countries which include Ireland, Germany, and South Africa and their countries are listed.  But other countries are included in my audience that I have no connections with such as Austria, United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Singapore.  I'm pretty pumped.  They probably came across it by accident and didn't even stick around to read it, but I'm going to pretend that I'm an international blogging superstar.
My fingernails are light purple and I LOVE IT!  I can't stop looking at them.
I have to take a major test in August called the Advancement to Candidacy Exam.  I have to pass it in order to continue on in the Masters Program. Therefore I've been spending a lot of my days in the Public Library.  I'm surprised at how many other college students are here studying as well.  Yesterday when I was leaving and going down the stairs to the parking garage I passed a guy who looked about my age climbing the stairs and he was carrying a toddler aged little girl.  I smiled at them and right after I passed them I heard the little girl ask, "Is that my mom?"  The guy started laughing and said "No, that's not her."  Poor girl can't even remember her own mother's face.  The guy carrying her might not have even been her dad. He could have been a kidnapper.  Either way, I feel like she is in good hands if he is taking time to take her to the library.

Wakarusa, Little Baby Céo, and bits of a quilt

Hokay...I went to Wakarusa and it was pretty awesome.  I mostly went to see Mumford and Sons and let me just say they rocked my world.  They sounded just as good live as they do on their album and they played a lot of new songs that have me looking forward to their new album. Me, my friend Rebekah and her boyfriend Nick went and had a great time. Bek and I brought hula hoops to fit in with the other girls.  

When arriving at Mulberry Mt.  Cops were EVERYWHERE.  But once you get inside Wakarusa gates it is a free-for-all.  I've never seen so much illegal activity in at one time.  Drugs were not a secret.  It smelled like pot throughout the entire event and everybody smoked it openly. Anytime I made eye contact with someone smoking pot they would hold it out to me ask me if I wanted a hit.  I would politely reply  "No thanks, but that is nice of you to offer."  Bek, Nick and I were probably the only drug free ones there.  Back at our campsite offered us his ecstasy that he wouldn't be able to finish.  Once again, "No thanks, but that is nice of you to offer."  Also, shirts were an option for women.  Apparently body paint is the same thing as a shirt to these girls.  No bra, no bikini top, nothing but paint.  

Wakarusa had the best food ever.  Probably because they knew everyone would have the munchies, but they really provided.  They didn't just have the normal corndog/funnel cake stand.  They had vegetarian stands, Asian stir-fry, Greek food.  I had the best gyro of my life.  Mumford and Sons played at 6.  Ben Harper was next.  I wasn't too familiar with him but he was really good.   After the concert we met a guy tripping on acid and then went to another stage to listen to more music.  The band at this stage was very electronic/trance type music.  I had the most fun when me and Bek got in the middle of the crowd and danced like we were on drugs with the rest of them. So fun.  Glad I went.  It was an fun experience.  I think I would only go back next summer if a good band was playing.  

Now on to my niece Céo.  I finally had the chance to meet her this weekend when my brother Ivan and my sister-in-law Ariel came to Fayetteville. Let me just say she is one of the prettiest babies I've ever seen.  I don't think it is a biased opinion either.  Everyone who sees her comments on how pretty she is.  To me, most newborns are all blotchy and weird.  Check out this pic of Céo the day she was born. 

She is only three months old.  She makes extremely funny faces.  She can already raise one eyebrow and give you a quizzical look just like her daddy.  She is the squirmiest baby ever and has a very sweet smile.  Let’s look at her some more.  

 I love her and I can't wait to see her again. (FYI her name is pronounced Say-O hence the accented e in her name.)  In the background of the last picture is the her baby quilt that I created.  I will blog about it more when it is completely finished.  

Hot Time Summer in the City

Memorial Weekend is over. That means I have been in Fayetteville for two weeks.  Yay.   Here are some highlights of my time so far: 

My friends Staci, Erin and Melissa were hired to make cupcakes, the groom’s cake and bride’s cake for my friend Barnes’ wedding.  I helped them make them…not really but I did put sprinkles and flowers on over 150 cupcakes.  They turned out really well.  The girls did a terrific job.

Only a portion of the cupcakes we made!

Barnes and Kerry’s wedding on Mt. Magazine on Sunday.  It turned freaky foggy half way up the mountain.  We LITERALLY could not see ten feet in front of us.  It was like the twilight zone.  The wedding got moved indoors due to the fog.  Kerry looked lovely and it was the shortest service I have ever attended which was a plus.  It was really good seeing everyone at the wedding that I hadn’t seen in a while.

On Thursday I went to see Hangover 2.  It was good and bad.  It was exactly like the first one but not as funny (but it definitely had its moments) and much more gross.  I would recommend renting it instead of going to the theatres to see it, unless you are a boy, then you will probably love it.

My friend Drew Swayne had an extra ticket to Silver Dollar City so I went there on Friday.  It was awesome.  The Barbeque and Bluegrass fest was going on so I got to hear banjos at every corner.   My heaven will have banjos at every corner, that is how much I love them.  If any of you are going to SDC anytime soon I would recommend the Big Barn Swing ride.  It rocked my world.  It sounds like a kiddie ride, but I assure you, it is not for the faint of heart.

Pic of the ride I stole from the Internet to show its extreme intensity.

On Saturday my sister and brother-in-law came in from South Carolina and will be staying with us til Tuesday.  Yipee! I usually only get to see her over Christmas.  I also painted my fingernails light blue.  That is pretty crazy for me.  I’m pretty proud of myself. 

Yesterday was absolutely lovely so I took the doors off of my jeep for the first time this week. Rain is not in the near forecast which means I don’t have to put them back on any time soon.  That always gets me excited.  It was also extremely windy so I decided I would go to Wal-Mart to buy a kite.  They had a lot of options: kites with Disney Princesses on them, Dragon Kites, Train Kites, Box Kites.  I decided to get the Pterodactyl Kite so I could make screeching noises when I fly it and pretend to attack the birds.  (I had no idea Pterodactyl was spelled that way until I bought the kite.  I would have spelled it Teradactle…you learn something new every day.)

I’m currently reading the Chronicles of Narnia. I’m on the fourth one.  It is taking me three days per book so It shouldn’t take me too long to finish them.  Next, I’m going to read the Hunger Games.  I have heard excellent things about it. 

I have lost ten pounds since I first moved to Little Rock.  That is bad.  So my goal this summer is to gain it all back.  I’ve already gained 3 of them since I’ve been back so I only have 7 more to go.

Music Update:  Taylor Swift’s new album Speak Now is pretty amazing.  Me and Mom watched Never Say Never and now I have Bieber Fever.  

P.S. If you know Hunter Buwick, you should write on his facebook wall and say “I’m on Team Kennedy Wing.”  Don’t ask questions, just do it.

So close I can taste it!!

Summer is almost here and I can't wait. I just turned in my last paper for the semester.  Now I have to wait an entire week for a final next Monday then I'll be home free...literally.  I'm going to be in Fayetteville for the whole summer and I can't wait.  I can't wait to be familiar with EVERY part of the city I live in.  I can't wait to drive around all summer with no doors on.  I can't wait to do things with my friends...hopefully a lot of water activities will be included.  My goal is to try and volunteer at all of the art galleries/Crystal Bridges during the summer so I can fill my resume up with sweet experience.  That way I'm doing something productive while still getting to experience my last real summer vacation. I'm trying my best to avoid growing up, but maturity and responsibility won't leave me alone.  Since I have an entire week before going home, I will spend my time packing up what I'm going to take with me back to Fayetteville, this is not going to be easy.  I came across an amazing playlist online the other day and I listened to it literally all night last night (besides a 30 min power nap at 5:00am) and it rocked my socks off.  It is perfect for summer. Classic rock combined with country songs that everybody knows.  I'm not really a country music fan but these are the goodies.  I finally finished Wicked and was disappointed.  The plot between the book and musical was very different and I personally liked the musical better.  I've never been one to paint my fingernails, but that is going to change this summer.  Me and my friend Nellie are going to be manicure buddies and paint our nails all of the fun colors that are trendy this summer. I'm really trying my best to think of things to say.  I ordered a pair of Ray Bans for $20 on ebay.  They said they were new with tags but that is awfully cheap for the real deal.  Either way they looked pretty in the picture.  I've recently gotten into the habit of eating waffles for dessert.  I eat my dinner, then wash my plate and load it back up with delicious syrupy waffles....yum..........what else...I'm going to three weddings this summer, one of which is in Florida.  My room is clean.  Now I'm going to see what movies are coming on tv.  I watched the LOTR trilogy last week and I have the slight urge to watch them again.  I'm going to do nothing all day but nap and eat and watch tv and look for good bargains on ebay.  This is how I celebrate finishing a paper.  I'm excited about life at the moment and it is truly a wonderful feeling.

Nerdish Delight

DISCLAIMER:  This is going to be a very nerdy blog.  If you don’t understand some of the references, then I feel sorry for you because you are missing out.  Nerdiness=Awesomeness.  This is just an inside look at my typical train of thought and the types of things I think about…Usually a delightful mix of sci-fi and spirituality.  ;)

I just watched Limitless and it blew my mind; but untapped brain potential is not a new thought for me.  I remember the day in 9^th grade when my teacher said that scientists thought that Einstein used 3% more brain power than the average person.  3% and he was able to accomplish all of that?!  Ever since then I thought about using our full potential and what wonders we could unlock.  My first thought was that telekinesis would be possible.  Mutant powers would be at our fingertips if only we could gain access to our brain’s full ability.  I always wondered why God didn’t make me with the ability to use my full brain potential.  What’s the point of having a brain with parts that I don’t use…like tonsils and wisdom teeth.  If we stop using parts of our brain, as a human race, will our brains slowly evolve over eons to where humans in the future will have a brain half our size?  That is why every time something is out of my reach e.g. cell phone, remote, cookie….I try to use the force to get it into my hands before actually reaching for it.  Just testing the ole noodle’s skill level.

Back to thinking about the full potential, I think it is like Jean Grey.  She had her power blocked because she was a danger to herself and society; Phoenix was outta control.  So maybe Professor X is to Jean Grey as God is to the human race. He put those blockers there for a reason? I don’t really know; I’m grasping at straws here.

  But just to have one day to see what it would be like to have 100% BRAIN POWER! I know what I would do:  I would finish all of my assignments and papers for grad school by noon and then have the rest of the day to ponder life’s deepest questions and most likely figure them out by supper. But if I used the drug used from Limitless, NZT, I would feel extremely dull and worthless the next day so I would have to take it again so I wouldn’t feel so gross.  This is no good since I’m not a fan of addictions. So my next thought brings me to Felix Felicis (Liquid Luck from Harry Potter).  This potion does not have withdrawal side effects. One sip of that golden elixir and I would have the innate sense of what my next step in life is supposed to be and what direction I need to go.  That was the best part about the NZT and Felix Felicis, the guys immediately knew what they wanted to accomplish and how to get it done.  That’s all I want, just some guidance.  Just an inkling of an idea of what God has in store for me.  It is very frustrating not really having an idea of what my future may hold or what direction I'm headed in.  While the upside of not knowing my future is that it gives me hope of thinking I was meant for great things, and not a dim life in a crack house. I know that is an extreme example, but it’s all about seeing the glass as half full. So I guess I would rather not know my future, so I can make it as awesome as possible instead of knowing I was stuck with a life that was only mediocre. 

I came across a list of List of 120 ways to boost brain power that should get both sides of your brain working.  You guys should check it out.

Here are some simple ones

1. Cultivate ambidexterity. Use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth, comb your hair or use the mouse. Write with both hands simultaneously. Switch hands for knife and fork. ( I did the teeth brushing one,   It was surprisingly hard and felt like I was brushing my teeth for-e-ver before I was satisfied with the job I did.)

5. Block one or more senses. Eat blindfolded, wear earplugs, shower with your eyes closed.

22. Learn to juggle

37. Change Clothes. Go Barefoot. (Booyah!  All those times I’ve looked like a shoeless hillbilly, I was actually becoming a genius!)

104. Mix your senses. How much does the color pink weigh? How does lavender scent sound?

My goal is to try all 120 on the list.  The juggling one might pose to be a problem since God chose not to grant me the gift of hand-eye-coordination.  You should include some of these into your daily life as well. It couldn’t hurt.

P.S. My daddy came to visit me in Little Rock so therefore I was forced to clean my room.  Finally. Now I am currently admiring the general splendor of my bed chamber.  

Let Your Freak Flag Fly

Ugggghhhhh!!! I have 27 days until I'm done for the semester.  I have two major problems with this.  1) Those 27 days are going to take forever because when they're over, I get to move back to Fayetteville for the summer!!  2)  27 days is not enough time to finish three 20 page papers, 2 presentations, 1 journal and study for 1 final.  Yikes.
Even though the clock is ticking (Extremely loudly) I still manage to procrastinate.  Somehow the most mundane activities seem super exciting and important when I need to study.
Ooohhh! My laundry basket is full!  Now I can do laundry!!  Hooray!
I've even organized all of my library books I currently have checked out for my papers according to class and due date.  Have I read them? No. But at least they look pretty sitting on my desk in a neat fashion.

Since I'm going to be summering in Fayetteville, I'm thinking of activities I want to do.  I would like to go to Wakarusa on Mulberry Mountain in Ozark this year.  I've never been to a music festival before and from the looks of it, everybody should experience one.  I was looking at pictures of last year's festival and Mulberry Mt. seems to be the Mecca for backwoods hippies, hobos, and straight up wierdos... and it looks pretty awesome. Not only would it be fun to people watch, interact with people who truly do not care what others think, but to act like a hippie for one day.  One day to let my freak flag fly.  Also, one of my favorite bands, Mumford and Sons, will be playing.  I saw their American debut (they're British) on David Letterman last February, watched them grow into one of the top indie bands and have loved every minute of it.  Another thing that seems fun to experience is Wakarusa's Silent Disco.  Every night the bands will stop playing so everybody can sleep. But if you still want to party, Wakarusa is going to have a bon fire where they pass out headsets that will be playing techno music.  What a sight that would be!  Tons of people dancing around a fire to music you can't hear..I love it. We'll see if I go, the problem would be to find a willing companion.  :)
Well, I better get going so I can watch glee study.

Excessively Long Spring Break Synopsis

My two week spring break in Fayetteville was lovely.  My most common activity was eating at restaurants.  I pretty much dined out for every meal.  I've never really done that before, and I was surprised at how expensive it became.  I arrived in Fayetteville on Tuesday afternoon, I went straight to The Papaya to get my eyebrows waxed which is weirdly one of my favorite things ever...seriously.  Wednesday I had lunch with Tuesday Julius.  We ate at Feltner Brothers.  I had the best corn dog of my life and we split a basket of chili cheese fries.  We decided to walk off the food by exploring all of the houses right off Dickson Street. It was a lovely adventure. Then I went to the mall to find a green shirt for St. Patrick's.  FAIL.  Apparently green is not popular; however teal, turquoise, and robin's egg blue are quite the rage. But I ran into my bestest westest friend Rebekah Mann, who was there for a haircut.  I ended up buying a white shirt.   Thursday was lunch with Kate Sbarra at Common Grounds.  Yummy.  Then we went to Wal-Mart where I bought green dye, four ramekins, and a blow torch.  Went home to dye my shirt then I hung out with Corie Dawson and Rebekah for St. Patrick's.  Friday I went to Wilson Park with Nellie Beall.  But it was not park weather; it was cloudy, cold, and windy.  We sat on a blanket, wrapped up in blankets.  We had a long entertaining conversation like always.  Then I went to the mall with Staci Coston and then to Kara Moore's Birthday at Red Robin.  I love their campfire sauce.  Everybody's most used quote was "Can we get more campfire sauce?"  Saturday I went to my Dad's where I learned that Digger Bees exist and make tunnels in the ground and that my Dad's back yard has an infestation, they looked like overgrown anthills.  It looked like his yard had chicken pox.  Then Kyle Jones took me on a bike ride out to Lake Wedington, it was very pretty and fun. Then I had steaks at Staci and Corey's house.  Delish as usual.  Then went to a belated St. Patty's party at my friend Stephen and Brian's house.  

WEEK #2

Sunday, MY BIRTHDAY.  I woke up, walked into the hallway where my mom jumped out in front of me and excitedly told me happy birthday.  Then lead me to the dining room where she brought out a chocolate cake with candles and sang happy birthday and let me open my present (Vera Bradley Weekender in Lemon Parfait...super excited to use it).  So, I knew it was going to be a happy birthday since I had chocolate cake for breakfast.  Went to a new church, Grace Harbor. Kyle is on the praise team there so Staci, Corey and I went to support him.  One of the friendliest churches ever.  It felt like a family and that is what I think church should feel like. Then they took me out to Johnny Carino's for lunch.  I asked for crayons and the kid’s game menu so I got to play while I waited for my food.  Then I went home and made Crème Brulees.  It was very tasty.  Here are some pics of the torching process.

Me in Mom's awesome Robo-Cop glasses. Safety first friends.

Then I went to Small Group that had a St. Patrick's theme.  I had corned beef and cabbage for the first time.  I love cabbage.  Monday...I have no idea, I'm sure I did something.  On Tuesday Staci and Corey invited everybody over and we had breakfast for supper.  So good!  Then we played Rock Band and Dance Central.  Then I drove home. (Here is the sad part of the blog)  When I got home I noticed my window was cut. Then I realized my wallet was not in my center consul, then I realized my gps was not in there either.  So I had to call Arvest, and then the Police.  I had to tell them everything in my wallet.  (Here is the saddest part)  since I had just had my birthday, I had a lot of gift cards in there.  So the thief pretty much stole all my birthday presents.  Doesn't that just sound so pitiful?

This is the cut.  I had just gotten this soft top in December.  

Wednesday: Nelle and I drove to get me a new driver's license and then to the bank where I had to close my account and open a new one.  I more annoyed at the hassle this has caused me then the fact that my stuff got stolen.  I don't like the idea that people feel entitled to the things that I have worked for.  Lame.  Then I had dinner with Libby at Farrel's. So good to see her. She is seriously the busiest person on the planet.  Thursday I had an eye appointment, when I was leaving the office (the one in the mall, next to Lens Crafters) I managed to trip over the coffee table, knock it over along with the centerpiece made of candles and rocks.  The rocks managed to go into the hallway of the mall, a leg of the coffee table fell off, I was on the floor saying "I BROKE YOUR TABLE! I'M SO SORRY" while trying to pick up the rocks. I was so embarrassed.  Then all of the Lens Crafters people came over to see what all of the commotion was about.  Then I had to assure the doctor that yes, the contacts he gave me were the correct prescription.  Then I went to Devil's Den to go off roading with Stephen Baccus and his friends.  I've never really taken full advantage of having a jeep wrangler. It was a lot of fun. I let the boys drive my jeep when we got in too precarious of situations (which was pretty much the whole time) but they did make me drive in the beginning and taught me about 4 wheel drive high, 1st and 2nd gear.  It was very exciting and educational. 

Here is Lil' Jeepie properly muddy after the day's excursions.

then I ate dinner with Corie at La Huerta and then I went bowling.  Did not do so hot in the beginning but almost got a turkey.  That would have been so cool.  Friday I had dinner with Corey and Staci, because Melissa, Drew and JP were in town.  It was good to see them.  I'm glad they are moving to Fayetteville, but I'm sad they won't be so close to me anymore.

Saturday I watched way too much HGTV with mom and then went to Cafe Delta Soul which is a catfish/creole/steak/burger place.  I was kind of nervous because usually catfish places serve frog legs and I have made an oath that the next time I'm at a place that serves frog legs I would order them because I've never had them before. I was relieved to find that this place did not.  I had the jambalaya instead. Sunday I went to first service and then to a Ladies Class that I really enjoyed.  Then a group went to Ruby Tuesday for brunch.  It was very tasty.  Who knew.  Then 12 of my sweet friends surprised me with a $250 gift card to help pay for my wallet, gps, and window.  I almost started crying, but I didn't want to because I HATE crying in public, so I didn't let myself, but it was hard not to.  I did cry on the way home. It is nice to know i have such generous, thoughtful friends.  Then mom and I did a little shopping, then I packed, went to Dad's for an hour and then drove back to Little Rock. I'll try to blog more often so the lengths of these blogs stop being so ridiculous.  Thanks for reading my blog if you made it all the way to the end! 

  

Spring!!!

I love all of the seasons.  I'm always ready for the next one to come.  Summer because of going swimming and wearing shorts, not wearing shoes, catching fireflies, shooting off fireworks! Fall because of all the pretty colors of the trees, stepping on crunchy leaves, the way the air smells, wearing boots.  Winter because of snow, getting to see my family over Christmas, opening presents, getting to start fresh with a New Year.  But the season that I hold dearest to my heart is Spring.  I am more ready for spring to come than any other season.  The first day of Spring falls on my birthday (March 20th).   People like to argue with me and tell me that the vernal equinox is on the 21st, they are mistaken.  I would know, it's my birthday people.  My birthday also happens to be during Spring Break every year.  Happy Birthday to me.  This year my last class of the week has been cancelled, therefore my spring break will start Tuesday the 15th at 10:00am and end Sunday the 27th.  That is 13th days!!  If I could have it my way, I would ship all my friends to Miami (Where I spent spring break '08, and was by far the best spring break ever!) but that would be a bit expensive, so instead I am going to ship myself to Fayetteville for 13 days.  Happy Birthday to me.  Here are some things I am excited about:
1. Seeing all of my friends!
2. Staci and Erin's bakery to make me some tasty birthday cupcakes!
3. Having my mom feed me 3 square meals a day with snacks in between!
4. I love my mom.  So does everybody else because she's awesome. SHOUT OUT TO MS. GAIL!
5. Making a birthday wish!
6. Having Tyler King sing happy birthday to me because it is obvious he sings it from the bottom of his heart :)
7. Drew and Melissa are pretty sure they are going to have a girl.  I'm pretty sure that with their genes combined, God could quite possibly make the prettiest girl ever.  She is going to melt Drew's heart, you just wait.
8. Ivan and Ariel are having a baby girl in April.  I know for sure that I am going to think she is the prettiest girl ever. I'm going to be an aunt and that's pretty cool.

Overall, I like Fayetteville much more than Little Rock. But LR has Fayetteville beat in two areas.
1. The Weather.  It gets warmer here faster.  The grass is already green and the trees bloomed a couple of weeks ago.  Also, it stays warmer waaayyy longer.
2. The police.  LR Police have much bigger fish to fry than catching people going 10 over the speed limit.  I'm not a big speeder, Lil' Jeepie can only take so much, but it's nice to know that I don't have to get nervous when I pass a cop like I do in Fayetteville.

I deserve a nice pat on the back because I have been doing ALL of my assigned reading for the past two weeks.  Which is A LOT!!! With that note I must go.  It's 11:30 at night.  I am going to make some scrambled eggs, and finish my reading for the day.  I should blog more often.  I never think I have anything to write about but I am obviously wrong from the length of this post.

On March 20, 2011, at precisely 7:21 P.M. EDT (March 20, 23:21 Universal Time), the Sun will cross directly over the Earth's equator. This moment is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.  
Get Excited.

This and That

I don't really have anything exciting to post about, but since it has been a while, I feel rather obligated to post something.  I spent the weekend in Cotter.  It was fun and delicious.  I am always guaranteed amazing feasts whenever I visit the Hurst Household.  I spent my time there stripping off wallpaper from walls, eating, painting hallways, playing mario kart, eating, laughing at jokes all of the boys made, asking where Jordan went, and eating and trying to get little JP to say "Earl". It was a success and I plan to go back in a couple of weeks.
The weather in Little Rock is lovely.  It almost feels like sandal weather so I gave myself a pedicure today.  I also thought I should do a little spring cleaning, so I put biore pore strips all over my face.  Speaking of spring cleaning, I still need to clean my room.  Every post I have written so far mentions me needing to clean my room.  Maybe when I'm old and on my death bed I will be able to post something about my room being clean.
I have found a renewed love of eggs.  I eat them all the time.  Scrambled, fried, omelettes, hard-boiled, bird-in-the-nests. Love them.
My sister sent me a lovely bouquet of flowers for Valentines day.  They are beautiful.  They came with a HOT pink vase so it spices up my room quite a bit.
One of my new favorite songs is Jealous Guy by John Lennon.  My family listened to his Hits CD during Christimas break a lot and now I youtube that song all the time.  He is a whistling Rock Star.
When it snowed here, pretty much half of my apartment complex got into a massive snowball war.  It was intense.  Me and my roommates actually ran into a strangers apartment so we could seek refuge from the fight.  We caught our breaths and then ran for our lives.  Those boys have good aim and can run fast.  My apartment complex may be on the sketch side of things but they definitely know how to take advantage of the snow. That is all I have.
Arielle

Sunshine makes the world a happier place.

I just got back from another great weekend in Fayetteville.  It was a spur-of-the moment decision to go.  I decided to go Thursday morning and left Thursday afternoon.  I'm addicted to Fayetteville and I need to wean myself from its awesomeness.  Some of the highlights of this weekend were laying in the beautiful sunshine at Wilson Park with Nellie Beall, seeing Hunter Buwick, going on a motorcycle ride with Kyle Jones, helping Jordan Hurst groom himself, and going to Fast Lanes with my fun friends.

I haven't posted in awhile, so this post might be pretty random.  

One thing I really like about my class schedule is that I don't have class Wednesdays or Fridays.  My goal is to use those days to catch up on homework.  Hopefully I'll be diligent, but I doubt I will.  One of my fortes is being a procrastinator.  

I went to the Little Rock Public Library last week.  There was no free parking so I had to pay five dollars. Lame. I applied for a Pulaski County Library card.  While filling out my paperwork, the librarian was telling me what all I could do with my new card.  Apparently I can check out 200 library books out at one time, seems a bit excessive, but I guess it's handy to know.

I stared a new budget for myself online.  Mint.com. It's pretty cool.  It's completely safe.  It looks at your bank statements and tells you where most of your money is going. It also helps you create goals and tells you how to save to reach those goals.  I feel like a grown up.

Illness came knocking on my door last weekend.  I would like to say that when my immune system opened the door, it gave it a swift round-house kick to the face and yelled "Get off my property" while holding a shotgun. But instead, my immune system was very polite and invited the illness to stay for a couple of days.  Thankfully it was only a cold, and I'm feeling much better.

There's a new health movement coming about that I'm totally going to try.  It's called No-Poo.  Its all about not using shampoo anymore because shampoo is bad.  I'll produce more info on another post.  I don't plan on doing it until I run out of my stock-pile of shampoo anyway, so it's going to be awhile.  

My room is STILL MESSY!! uuuggghhh.  My major goal this week is to clean my room.  I have to, or else I might go crazy.....crazier.

I think it's time I invest in a new umbrella.

Well congratulations Fayetteville on yet another snow day.  All we got in Little rock was an obnoxious wintry mix that did diddly-squat.  It was sleeting/blizzarding/raining on my walk to school.  The sleet was light enough so that the wind would blow it up under my umbrella and pelt me in the face.  Then the wind blew so hard, it turned my umbrella inside out AND THEN my umbrella broke off of the pole and blew away down the sidewalk.  So I ended up running down the sidewalk with my umbrella pole trying to catch the actual umbrella. I'm sure I was quite the entertainment for the people waiting at the bus stop.  Needless to say, by the time I got to class I was soaked.

 My room is a mess so I'm trying to organize everything, so I can make more room.  I've realized that I have way too much makeup.  I have three different containers.  I don't know how I have accumulated this much over my short time of wearing makeup.  One container is for makeup I never wear, the second is for makeup I sometimes wear, and the third is stuff I wear regularly. I went through all of the containers making sure they were there for a reason.  I came across a foundation from the first container that was five times too orange.  I will never be that color, and I hope I never become that color so I threw it away.  I'm sure you're thinking that if I have a container of makeup that I know I never wear, why don't I throw it all of it away?  I can't. I feel like I might need that silver glitter gel or blue mascara or lime green eyeshadow someday for Halloween.  That is how I am with ugly/weird clothes; I keep them just in case I need them for a costume in the future.  That is also why I have a hair crimper. Yes, you read that correctly.  I have a hair crimper that has come in very handy when I've needed to dress up from the 80s.  All in all, I didn't throw much away, but I did find a lip gloss in my first container that I really like, so it got promoted to the third container.  It was like finding a 5 dollar bill in my pocket.

I'm Back!

Okay!!! So as most of you know I already had a blog, but it was a secret blog.  So, I deleted it!!! Don't worry, I did it on purpose, and I saved my posts on my computer.  I wanted a blog that everybody could read.  Besides, I'm an extremely private person and my previous blog was very personal.  But I really loved blogging; it was way more fun than I imagined it could be.  My life is going through a weird phase right now, so I feel like I have some interesting stories. Also, since I am in the lonely city of Little Rock, blogging lets everybody in Fayetteville know what I do on a day to day basis. Now with my blog being out in the open, people can follow me publicly!  I'm really excited about that aspect of the blog, it's like having groupies.

Now on to my story:
Last night I came back to Little Rock from my 5 week (MUCH NEEDED) vacation in Fayetteville. I was really stressed in the beginning of December.  Grad School was getting ridiculously busy and my roommates are crazy.  One of the things my roommates and I tend to disagree on is temperature.  I prefer a chilly indoor atmosphere to a stuffy indoor  atmosphere, but if we are talking about outdoors I want it to be summer all year long.  Anyway, I like it to be on the cold side, because if I get cold, I put on a sweatshirt. If it gets too stuffy, I freak out. I either strip off as much clothing as possible (while still keeping an appropriate level of decency), run out side, or run to the fridge and stand in front of an open freezer.  I can't handle it.  I feel like throwing up or passing out.  My roommates must be frigid icicle aliens because no matter what the temperature is, they are cold.  One lovely fall day last semester, I go back to my apartment after class and the heater is set to 82 degrees. That is silly, so I turned it down to a reasonable 73.  Since then, I have fortunately kept my vent shut.  Apparently my roommates took advantage of me not being home for 5 weeks, because when I walked through the door last night it felt like Death Valley.  The thermostat was set to 90 degrees!  Not only that but the oven was wide open turned on to 400 degrees!  My apartment was literally turning into a furnace.  Even though my vent was shut it was still warm in my room. So warm, that last night I slept in shorts and a tank top, no blankets, the ceiling fan on high, and my window open even though the outside temperature was in the 30s.  Crazy.

Ok. That's it.  I'm glad to be back in the blogging world.  Follow me publicly so it will make me look cool.
Arielle