getting the heck out of dodge

As far as I'm concerned, when your best friend gets her heart broken, it only means one thing: it's time to get the hell out of dodge. It also means being joined spontaneously by your other best friend and road tripping home to Idaho. When you have parents that offer up being designated driver for the night, buy breakfast and dinner, and provide a cozy place to have some serious girl talk time, there really is no better cure than a week long escape from Montana with da girls. Key words: no boys allowed.

It's hard to watch people you care about go through hard things. It's hard to lend your own perspective knowing that when you've been there before, you know that nothing anyone says is really going to help or make sense right away. The only thing to do is listen. And drink a few margaritas. And dance. A lot. And enjoy the heck out of your friendship with your fellow gal pals. Because damn it, is there anything girls can't accomplish together?

p.s. I have no idea why I look so pregnant in this photo. I am definitely not. Note to self not to pose like this again in the future in front of a camera.

ready for December

Tomorrow is December.

December is one of my months. I have special relationships with the months of May, October, and December. They are my jam. Or something. And whenever we get to December, I can't help but start to feel a bit nostalgic that my favorite month of all is here and it's going to be over before I know it. Usually that makes me a little sad; like another year has come and passed by again before I realized it had even arrived. Sometimes I get sad before things even begin because I'm not ready for them to feel over.

This year feels a little different.

No, it's not the end of the year yet. But the fact that Thanksgiving is now over and winter break is just two weeks away, I'm already in the "winter" mindset. There's snow on the mountain tops of Missoula surrounding the valley and this year, it feels like winter should be here. It actually feels time for a new season. It feels like I experienced every season this year completely and as much as I could. I lived in the present and didn't let the days pass me by too quickly so I enjoyed the heck out of every day of every season as much as possible. This year feels so complete. Like I can kick back this month and enjoy it before time restarts.

How great of a feeling is that to be able to say going into the end of the year? To not feel rushed or thrown into it, but rather relaxed and happy to come full circle to what was maybe one of the best and most rewarding years of my life?

How great does it feel to feel capable of embracing next year as a new year and not needing to look at it as a fresh start, but as another opportunity for even more things to find and conquer?

I feel armed and ready with what I've gained this year and ready for the next.

I ended November with one of my favorite people in this world who is one of those parts of this year that was simply magical. DEBOOBRAH, this year wouldn't have been half of what it was without you.

Who gave me a gun...?

In retrospect, didn't we all know this was coming?

Can you live in Montana and like, not shoot a gun at some point? I can't lie and say I wasn't excited about the idea. I was very excited. Albeit, I screamed every time I pulled the trigger and squeezed my eyes shut at the same time. I definitely only hit one target one time that was four feet in front of me. And I can't say I went with people who I had met before and knew anything about.

... But we lived to tell the tale?

And if you're going to shoot a gun with anyone you don't know, chances are if those people are from Montana, your chances of survival should be pretty high considering the ratio of guns to people in this state?

These are things I'm telling myself to sleep at night. But seriously, I held a gun. I shot a gun. I wore a Carhart and my Uggs.

In retrospect, no one should have let this happen.

misSOULa

As I adapt back into the routine of being a regular 21 year old college student again in Montana, my time away from Seattle and my life with an "adult" schedule has given me so much more perspective about my life in Missoula.

A month into my summer, I was ready to take a year off of school to establish residency, keep my internship, work like a maniac, and become a permanent "adult". I loved my summer. It was absolutely the internship of my dreams and being in Seattle was undoubtedly the place I was meant to be for where I was in my young adulthood. I have no doubts about why I was meant to be there when I was. 

But coming back to Montana after spending a summer with more responsibility than I've ever had has made me see, too, that the real world is always there. It's never too soon to start on your dreams and I definitely couldn't agree more on that front, but there's also something about enjoying this time in my life that's important, too. I was so anxious to find some sort of direction for myself and felt such a strong urgency to get started on some sort of idea of what I wanted my future to look like. Now that I've gotten that sense of direction for myself and know that the "real world" is there, I don't feel the same urgency to fret about my future. I have everything lined up for myself set in a direction I'm excited about. I'm working the hardest I've ever worked in school because I'm excited about what I'm learning. I value my education more than I ever did, too. And instead of being worried about what happens after college, I'm excited. But I also don't really feel myself counting down the days until it's over or want it to go too fast.

Missoula has been a treat this semester. I've enjoyed this little city more than I ever have in 3 years of living here. I missed the intimacy of this community. Leaving Seattle and coming back to Missoula has allowed me to value so many things about Missoula I didn't see as being a luxury before. Like having a 15 minute bike ride commute to school but still having a Target and a strong music culture. Like having mountains in my backyard to hike at a moments notice. Like a downtown that's small and cozy. Like a group of friends that are fun and easy to hang out with. 

I love this place. I still love Seattle. I still want to move back there. Just not yet. 

TedXUMontana!

Have you ever heard of a thing called Ted Talks? Maybe? Perhaps?

Yesterday I got to attend Montana's Ted Talks hosted on my own very own campus, the first of its kind here! At the end of the summer, all of the university students got an email saying that the event was very small and tickets were given out lottery style- completely random. Well, low and behold, I was a lucky chosen ticket receiver! Even though my biology major was downgraded to a minor, I still obviously harbor a deep love and appreciation for the sciences. As I should, since being a science writer is my end goal. Anyways, it was such a great and inspiring night. We heard talks from a professor who studied the correlation between language and improved memory, a professor who studied cultural anthropology and spent time in Nepal observing polyandrous marriages, a professor who established local organic farms here in Missoula, and a professor who studies the beetle kill issue in North American forests. Every speaker was hilarious and fascinating. It made me feel so lucky to go to school with such innovative and awesome thinkers!

I think my favorite part of the whole event was seeing how these scientists and researchers were able to communicate their work to be interesting and intriguing to many people in the room who didn't have backgrounds in science. Obviously, a few did, but the event was also broadcasted throughout the state of Montana. I know not everyone is science brained as not all people are english brained and we all have our own respective areas of interest but the fact is many of the topics covered are things that when communicated the right way could be interesting to even someone who hated biology. I think that's why I love Ted Talks in general. All of these things are applicable on some level to everyone and are things that should be talked about and shared. I think out of the experience I gained insight about how pursuing some sort of career as a science writer is actually important to communicating these awesome ideas to the public and well, just freaking cool. 

Also, there were complimentary cookies and wine. 

cheap entertainment

The thing about Seattle is that it's expensive. Sure, I could spend my whole life there and never get bored going to museums, zoos and aquariums, soccer games, and eating out every other meal but there's no denying that by the end of the summer my bank account was emptied almost entirely of its savings.

Worth it? Yes. Because of museums, eating out, zoos and aquariums, and soccer games. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to do everything I could in a city after never spending any time in a city. Plus, #yolo.

But the thing about Missoula is that it is CHEAP. My bank account feels full and happy. Entertainment is found by sitting on the steps of the City Hall building and watching squirrels get in wrestling matches. Entertainment is driving five minutes to your nearest conveniently located mountain and within 20 minutes gaining 1,000 feet of elevation. Entertainment is going to Walmart on a Sunday night that starts with dinner and a side of homework and a, "Hey does anyone need to go to Walmart? Cuz, like, I do. I need a bike lock."

Entertainment in Missoula is the people you find at Walmart on a Sunday night. Men older than my grandfather checking out the Sex and the City DVD collection wearing Tweety Bird pajama pants, a camo hat, and questionable facial hair. Ladies in stilettos asking the single Walmart employee where the lubricant is (I really could NOT make that up - I blame my friends for abandoning me and not being with me at that present moment to die over Neutrogena face wipes with me.) 

Entertainment in Missoula is your good friend Danielle saying for all to hear at 10:15pm in Walmart on a Sunday night, "Blistex is on sale! I'm buying some for my nose! Do you want me to grab you a stick?" 

Because for a week, you've both been sick and there is some serious skin damage to your tissue blowing counterparts. 

pizzzzzzza

Have you ever seen me eat pizza?

No.

Okay.

Let's proceed.

I don't have an extremely broad food palette. It's broadened into eating asparagus, yams, and the occasional salad but it's usually fruit and carbs for me. The couple who I lived with called me the "bird eater". 

But when it comes to pizza, I turn from bird eater to grizzly eater. I. Love. Pizza. I could eat it every day of the week. In fact, I'm pretty sure there was a time when I lived alone this summer that I made pizza leftovers last a few days before buying a new one when the old one ran out. Honestly, pesto pizza is my favorite main dinner dish. 

The first time I came to Montana to check out the University of Montana, I wasn't completely sold. I loved the campus- but Montana? I was convinced I couldn't live anywhere more desolate than Idaho. Then I came to The Bridge purely by accident on my way home and it wasn't just the pizza, but it was the atmosphere. It was in that moment I "got" Missoula. It's where college students, families with croc wearing babies, hipster conjoined lovers, and the 1960's secretary glasses wearing older ladies come together. And then, because of scholarships and the campus under the mountain and of course- The Bridge! that I decided to go here.

I love going back here because it's one of the only places where I can remember Missoula from before I moved here. Most of my opinions and memories of Missoula were formed after. I don't have a lot of first impressions of Missoula from a purely objective standpoint. And whenever I eat at The Bridge, I sort of remember that high school senior who crept in here with her dad and wondered what it would be like if I moved here. Who would I meet? Would it feel like home? Would I ever eat here again? Would I hate it? I had no idea that this life would be mine and that it would become everything I wanted in so many ways I didn't expect.

The night I was a dead hipster

Last week, on a THURSDAY nonetheless, my friends and I went out on the town. Mark going out on a school night as things I swing as an English major that I could never do while being pre-med. I swear, it's a whole different life- and by that I mean, there is a life to be had apart from the papers due every two weeks! In Missoula there is this well known thing known as the "Dead Hipster" party at a club downtown which I suppose does attract the occasional hipster and to my dismay, I discovered that in fact a hipster is not sacrificed to the Gods nor is there a dead hipster at the center of the dance floor. So. Whatever. It was actually quite the evening and a fair introduction to the 21 life in Missoula. Boys shorter than you asking to go to the bathroom WITH you when you try to get away from them, shots expelled from the stage straight out of the bottle, a dance-off with your very homosexual friend witha boyfriend that created a circle of people around you chanting- exactly the kind of scene you'd expect me to be at, I'm sure. Maggie!? At a club?

Here's the thing: I'm somewhat confused by the fact that it seems like most bloggers can't mention the words "alcohol" or "drunk" on their blogs (unless it's a fancy twee drink or something). Am I any less of a blogger and/or person because oh em gee, I may have drunk before and I go out semi-frequently? Why is this such a taboo topic? It doesn't mean it's a main source of blog content that I should talk about weekly because it's obviously not something I do frequently enough to make up a big part of my life but even so, I would hope even that choice could be something a blogger could be respected for if it was less of a hush hush topic. Not that I want to read about it constantly, either, but there are exhausted topics I get sick of and sometimes I wonder what these bloggers do on Friday and Saturday nights. For what it's worth, I respect everyone equally no matter how they decide to spend their weekends. 

So, yeah. I'm very intrigued about this general topic in the blogging world. And since this is a blog about my life, I should think that one post representing the occasional night I go out won't kill anyone.

Anyways, I had a blast with five of my favorite people in Missoula that I met through my Intramural soccer team as freshmen/sophomores. These are people I've been friends with for almost three years now and played casual soccer with for that long, too. One of the things I'm so glad that I did as an underclassmen was get involved in the Intramural program on campus because I never would have met these people that were outside my major otherwise. 

I can't believe it's senior year. College flies. One second you're a senior in high school and then you're 21 and blogging about drinking. Oy vey!

playing catch up (with photographs, even)

Today is a rest day. Designated rest days MUST happen approximately every 18.3 days in my Seattle world. As in, I need to spend on day on the Island not in Seattle and preferably outside on the deck reading for an entire day, eating home-cooked meals, and taking a really long time to drink my morning three cups of coffee. After two weekends of day to night activities back to back all day long and 21 experiencing, it was due. In fact, I could blog about what I've decided about the bar life but I'll leave that for when I've been to more than just one. I don't think I'd be doing nightlife a service judging all bars by one country bar in Tacoma that was only fun because I was 21, you dig me? I've seen those real Montanian cowboys and I barely like them, so the fake ones, well, don't get me started.

I guess I'm the sort of person that has friends that fly to visit me so for the last two weeks I had friends here sharing the adorable Jack and Jill style bathroom in the house I live in with me. That meant voyaging via bus to the most exciting parts of the city because, and I can promise you this, if you visit me, I will try to give you the best bang for your Ticketcity-plane-ticket buck. There was the Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle Center day, there was the Fremont Troll and Gas Works day, there was the Queen Anne Kerry Park AND Bhy Kracke Park day, there was the UDistrict and UVillage day, there was the Tacoma bar night, there was the Capitol Hill thrifting day, and finally the Bainbridge Island days. 

This is why I have to deny all plans thrown at me on the occasional Saturday. I can't keep up with myself. And I can't really afford it- especially when I play personal shopper for my sister and buy her trooper olive green slouchy jackets that are too perfect for words. 

And here's where I admit that I took zero pictures with my camera for any of this. Are we still friends?

I got to spend time with my friend who flew here from Montana and got to see for myself what a new-to-the-city-Montanian looks like and probably what I looked like when I first got here. For example, when she saw a cute dog, she voiced how adorable it was and how it reminded her of her own very loudly hoping the owner would stop so she could pet it. He didn't bother glancing at us let alone stopping and I had to tell her that is not how the city works. Then there was the time we saw protestors stopping pedestrians to sign their petitions and I told her to keep her head down and ignore them- guess who got stuck listening to their speech for thirty minutes? And then I got to hang out with none other than the funniest person I've ever known. Sydney has a heart of gold and I like to think she fell a little bit in love with Island life, too. I know she liked Island driving (if you visit me, I might make you be my chauffeur when I have an expired license, too.) 

The highlight of these past two weeks was laughing, effortlessly and completely. There's nothing like giving yourself to a full hearty laugh, you know? No walls, no worries- that sort of thing? The kind of thing you're hesitant to do when you're among friends you just met at work who you're afraid won't invite you to sit with them at lunch if you're too weird too soon. 

Anyways, I need to find a job. Or SOME jobs. I'm mostly to the not so homeless thing now but I need some bucks and I'm worried about what I'm going to do if I'm not as busy as I am now during the school year. 

the best birthday of my life

I was sitting at my desk yesterday around 3pm, only just starting to do some work after a birthday party was thrown by my office in complete Michael Scott style, between three bouquets of flowers next to my computer, two packages, and a flood of notifications and texts on my phone wishing me happy birthday when it just sort of snowballed at once how remarkable it was to be sitting there. Last year, I had a good birthday, don't get me wrong. I had the low key of all low key summers and it was good. But a year later and I'm sitting in an office as an intern having the time of my life in SEATTLE living a dream and the people in my life are nothing short of amazing hard working people I'm proud to be friends with- how is this my life just a year later?!

I think the biggest things I've taken away from being twenty are two things and they're both two simple things I learned the hard way, as I always learn these things. Your life shouldn't be just okay. You should love the things you're doing and the people you're around. You should love every day for not just the big picture of things but for what your life is now. You get out of life what you put into it and I just wasn't putting much into it. I was thumbing through my college years thinking that what I was doing would get me a well paying job and eventual happiness when all along I knew that I should have been studying writing. I should have been starting on my life and happiness then instead of thinking of happiness as something to achieve later. There's having a goal and working towards something you want so I realize the big things don't come easy, but you also never know if everything is going to go as planned. And if you don't like the baby steps and doing the ground "grunt" work, how are you going to get there!? I get excited about writing a tweet at my internship or just writing a flyer. It's hard to be away from my friends and family but I like what I'm doing every day. I hated reading my biology textbooks. Secondly, surround yourself by people who make you a better person that you just feel better around.

Twenty was messy. I had a lot of figuring out to do as I'm sure I'll have more to sort out later. But for the moment, I've gotten this far and it's a lot further than I was last year. I've figured out where my potential can take me in the future and suddenly my life feels limitless as opposed to restricted. I got myself to Seattle for the summer. And the people I'm around are motivated inspiring people. And while I'm laying on the cheese factor, it's because of those people, those 38 MCAT scoring, Seattle Photography Intern working, and Hawaiian living beings, that I took some risks, too. 

I'm a proud cat loving creative writing major and I love my ordinary life and all the grunt work in it and I love it now. 

my intern friends! 

after this, my whole office sang and we had cake. i love my office.

ho hey, it's my birthday week!

I'm already feeling loved and it's only the first day of my birthday week. The actual day is Wednesday but just look- a new blog layout made by my gifted friend Kylee and I received a package at work today from Natalie who indulged my Redvines addiction! Seriously, these babies were consumed in just under three hours. The package said that there were only two servings in there, however, so it could be worse.

I've decided that clearly the last two weeks were only a bit rough to make way for a happy happy birthday week. That's how the universe operates, right? Alternating between eh and fantastic? Well, I'm telling myself it is. Here's to turning 21. I have a feeling about this year. I really, really do. And if I've learned anything about myself getting older, it's that I have a scary accurate gut feeling about things. 2013 has been pretty great so far, but age 20 as a whole was murky at best.

Also... at the very least, I have tickets to One Direction this weekend.

The story of three sets of sisters

It goes a little like this:

One day, I decided to coach my sister's soccer team in a small soccer tournament. We were the Tyrannosaurus Rex's and we would have won the tournament if not for one goal in the last minute of the championship. There was one tall blonde girl I distinctly remember being a little bit more awesome than the rest and her name was Danielle, who played soccer with my sister. Well, over the next couple of soccer seasons they continued to play together and Danielle remained awesome greeting me enthusiastically with the biggest smile on her face like I was Taylor Swift or something. Fast forward. Sitting on the sidelines of one of their games, I started talking to another blonde cheerful wide smiled lady watching the soccer game. We talked for the entire duration of the game about clothes and boys and boy bands and it was magical. Low and behold, it was Danielle's sister, Jacqueline, that I was talking to. That day, Danielle drove home with us and we bonded over the fact that I bonded with her sister and we were basically immediate best friends. And would be for the next few years during which time her family would become like another family to me that took me in during my lunch breaks at WSU. 

Well, little did I know, Danielle had a best friend who was also blonde and tall and cheerful. I'm pretty surprised we didn't meet earlier, actually. She showed up at my house one day with a Danielle and Jacqueline and took our pictures. I distinctly remember her complimenting my hair within 0.89 seconds of meeting me and that was all it really took. Friendship with Katy formed! From then on it was me, my sister, Danielle, Danielle's sister Jacqueline, and Katy. 

Fast forward another year or so: Katy posts the most beautiful picture of herself on Facebook wearing the most beautiful prom dress I have ever seen in my life (seriously, it is my favorite prom dress I have ever seen on anyone ever). Well, I notice yet ANOTHER blonde and tall and smiley girl in a picture with her. Scrolling over this other girl's face, I see that she has the same last name as Katy and voila! I knew of Debbie's existence. However, it wouldn't be until this spring that I would discover she has a blog and is the most hilarious person in the world. Seriously. I developed a girl crush VERY quickly and one day Katy sent me a picture of her and Debbie together. I'm not really sure how but it was probably through some sort of creepy stalkerish text that she sent me her phone number. BAM! Texting friends/soulmates. 

Finally, we all got to be in one place. Three sets of sisters, all friends. All pretty loud. All chatty. All awesome.

we went to Ivar's!

We had one of those nights where every single thing we planned to do fell through. I mean, we didn't just resort to plan B, we went through plans A-D until we finally threw the towel in. And it was then that our unplanned evening turned into a fantastically unexpected low key but still fun night. I'll be honest, though, it had a lot to do with these seagulls. And I think just maybe these might be the best pictures that have ever, ever been posted on this blog or will ever. Would you just look at that picture of my face reacting to the two seagulls about to lunge for my face!? Spoiler alert: they fought over the French fry, but they never actually flew directly, erm, into my face. Like I thought.

Anyways, when going to the Smith Tower or Colombia Tower or go on the Ghost Tour or Underground Tour OR the Duck Tour ALL fell through (schedules, reservations, private parties ect.), my friend Collin said simply, "Alright, Ivar's it is." To which I thought that this plan just stunk because what was so special about Ivar's? Granted, I'm not a sea food eater, so you might feel me there, but if he had said that you ate outside and that you were allowed to feed the Seagulls that hang out with you while you eat, I might have thought differently. We laughed and screamed for a solid hour after our food was consumed as Seagulls swooped in and caught our French Fries from our fingers as we waved our hands in the air. Of course, it took me a dozen times to get it right because Jenny said, "Maggie, be careful, they have razor sharp beaks," so I was convinced my fingers would be pricked but nothing of the sort happened.

I think going to Ivar's and feeding Seagulls might be my new "thing" in the city to do whenever I'm in a bad mood and need a quick fix. If you've never squawked with a Seagull and happen to have nothing to do in Seattle, go to Ivar's. 

and now for the BEST sequence of pictures to have ever 

been posted ever:

meeting Megan & Liz, Fremont's Summer Solstice fair, and the UDistrict

So, a few weeks ago, I was caught. And I realized I've basically lost my credibility completely. Because after I eat anything I eat in Seattle, I say affirmatively, "This is the BEST (*insert food type*) I have EVER eaten!". I've had the best Mac&Cheese, Pho (!!!), cookies, scones, strawberries that took me 8 bites to finish, coffee, chai tea lattes, crepes, Indian food- the best everything. Everything is just the best here. Woops. Dillon released the cat from the bag and found me out. So, maybe, you can't really believe anything I say when I say it's the GREATEST something on the planet but I think that has less to do with it being the actual best scone or strawberry and more to do with the fact that it's all so new and intoxicating and maybe, yeah, it possibly is the best scone I've ever had because I don't have a strong background in living in cities where there are specialists for every type of food there is.

I'm just overly excited about everything. The things that are mundane to the local that are to me majestic and amazing. Maybe it'll ware off when the shock of it all wares off. But maybe not. And then I'll just have zero credibility for my entire stay here and be really annoying.

Regardless, yesterday not only did I truly discover the best pizza (it beat my previous favorite, even!) but I had one of the best Saturdays since I've been here. And I have had a lot of great Saturdays. My roommate and friend that I've lived with for three years that basically falls under the category of "family" now is here visiting me. She wanted to visit me in Seattle while I was here anyways and it just so happened a few months ago that I found out my favorite Youtube stars turned actual musicians with singles being released and an album out in a few months would be coming to Seattle. SCORE! I've followed them for three years and have followed their career from Youtube covers to recording their first songs in a studio to now headlining a tour in the next few months. I shamelessly include them in every single CD mix for my car and it's only natural that my roommate has gradually become a fan, too. What can I say? I love pop at its pop-iest.

And so, it happened! She arrived in the morning and I put on my Jeffrey Campbell booties for good measure (and because M&L are big fans of JC) and out the door we were! Keep in mind, I have never driven on roads busier than the ones in Missoula, Montana, so when I say that I was able to drive through Seattle downtown traffic in the middle of the Seattle Rock N' Roll Marathon, onto the freeway, and all the way to Alderwood where the event was, so believe me when I say that it was a BIG deal to accomplish that. We arrived JUST in time for the fashion show (... a fashion show by Macy's? *gag*) in which we realized we were definitely the oldest fans there that weren't parents. Megan and Liz only performed three songs but we skipped out after the second to stand in line for the meet and greet. I met them and we bonded over cats, big glasses, singing in the car, and nail polish- it was fantastic.

Seattle from two different perspectives- 

on the ferry (above)

from Gas Works Park (below)

Afterwards, since we had already paid the huge toll price to cross the ferry in a car, we figured we may as well explore some other parts of Seattle. The first thing we stumbled into when I had the grand idea of going to Gas Works Park? The Solstice Fair in Fremont in which traditionally, a naked parade march on bikes happens. People paint themselves and ride their bikes naked in the parade. Of course, we had no idea that there was a fair happening and so the first thing I noticed was a lone man buck naked on a bike rolling down the street. I nearly slammed on the breaks- but of course, dozens more followed after. I was just showing Jenny real Seattle culture, right!?

Because parking was impossible, I randomly took a street running the opposite direction of Gas Works and we found ourselves on the UW campus which was when I decided a spontaneous trip to the infamous UDistrict needed to happen. Because, well, we were HERE and I've never been and it's on my list of things to do, anyways! And here, ladies and gents, was where I had the best pizza I've ever had in my life that I couldn't even tell you the name of because we stumbled in mindlessly with hunger in our eyes. After, we roamed the streets and I went into a Buffalo Exchange for the first time in my life and found some amazing jewelry. We toured a few more thrift stores and ended with frozen yogurt before heading back to Seattle (and getting lost twice, but, YOSO)(you only Seattle once) and got on our ferry. Seattle turned cloudy to gloriously sunny and we basked in the fresh salty sea air outside the ferry the whole way home.

It was a perfect day. Not the MOST perfect or the BEST yet, but my days are sort of molding into perfect days on their own for different reasons. They're all just the best, you know? That's possible. I'm telling myself it is. I'm making the most of my time here while I have it.

thank you, Jenny! for taking picture since I left mine at home.

And for letting me steal most of the M&L time.

when I played "model"

I know that I'm a quasi-personal style blogger, but style blogging is different than being photographed for the purpose of making a nice picture. Personal style blogging = get a good picture that's in focus that shows my clothes. Getting a nice picture = knowing how to pose and make pretty-ish faces and not look awkward. Taking pictures of what I'm wearing is easy. Especially when I'm wearing sunglasses. I stand there and look down at what I'm wearing and that's the end of that. When I was asked to pose and be a subject for a friend of mine that upgraded her camera I was like.... Erm. I'll take photos of YOU? No, no, she insisted. And I agreed with the premise that I could take photos of her for most of our adventure since she really IS a model. She passed along the pictures of me (but I forgot my camera so she is in possession of the ones I took of her and I do not have them) and I actually was half impressed that there were some in the bunch where I might deceive you into thinking that in the rest of the frames my mouth is open and my eyes are crazy. Also, it's been a zillion years since I did post outfit photos so though I'm not a model because I lack the bone structure, height, and pointy shoulders- well, here I am! In clothing! This counts. I'm counting it. It was a fun adventure through the rain forest nonetheless.

Also, I had pizza after this. And we all know models eat pizza.