I Simply Remember My Favorite Things

To view more of my favorite things, go here.

These are a few of my favorite things:
1. Making paper cranes with prayers in them for other people.
2. Being fully submersed under water for a split second. I used to hate hate hate water, but I am getting better.
3. Watching people dive into water.
4. When dads take their child out to dinner at Sushi Q.
5. Natural light in my bedroom.
6. Well worn sweatshirts.
7. Warm cookies that just came out of the oven.
8. Appreciating things that deserve it.
9. I like not saying I love you right now.
10. When people do thoughtful things for me.. I'm a simple creature.

Question of the blog:
What is one thing that you did today that you just love doing?

Sunshine

Today, I woke up on the right side of the bed. So today's post will be about 4 people I really like and that I am so incredibly grateful for.

I am thankful for my parents, who love and care for me no matter how many mistakes I make. They have a wonderful balance between holding and lenience in my life and lessons, and have always given me room to learn how to grow, even if it may hurt a little bit on the way.

Miles, who undoubtedly knows me better than anyone else on this world and probably more than I know myself. He has been one of my very best friends since freshman year, and I have learned so much about myself through him. I am so blessed to have Miles in my life, a friend who cares for me at all times and pushes me to be the person he knows I am.

Jillian Downs... My one and only<3 style="text-align: left;">So, thank you for being wonderful people in my life. Know that you 4 have made a difference in my life and that your inspiration and support has helped me become the person I am today. Thank you for the love you give me. The end.

Question of the blog:
Who in your life has been an inspiration to you? Who is one of your best friends and what have they done special in your life?

And Just Like That...

Brian Preece left today as a missionary for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He is serving in Canada for two years.

He is gone.
I'm going to miss you, BP my BFF. I will see you soon.
I love you be careful.

Story Of My List. I Mean Life.

Well my friends, you can now stalk me on yet another website.

Alexandra On Listography!

Read about my lists, and if you are cool, you should help me succeed in completing what.. I list?
Okay bye. Today is weird.

Looking Back

I am so glad I am not in high school.

Letter To A Friend

Dear Body,
Sorry I don't appreciate you as much as you deserve.
Feet, I'm sorry I put you in uncomfortable shoes sometimes, but they look cute on you so I hope you don't mind too much. Thank you for taking me where I need to go.
Shins, I know you've collided too much with foreign objects such as tables and the occasional rock. Sorry I didn't shave you a lot in the winter time.
Thighs, I don't blame you for your size, I blame the Hershey's milk chocolate. This summer I will help you out.
Right now, I am sort of bitter to you three though, because you are all asleep on the right side and it's really bothersome.
Hips, forgive me for constantly bagging on your epic proportions. One day I will thank you when I am giving birth to a centaur baby, or something...
Belly, I know I don't show you off very often, but your tendency to look like you are pregnant is not my favorite thing about you. Thanks for your ability to hold mass quantities of food.
Back, I'm sort of mad at you for hurting for the past 5 months, but I understand that stress and everything really makes you ache.
Shoulderblades, I'm sorry I make you hunch all day long. If it helps, one day if I ever get a tattoo, I'll probably put it on you. But don't keep your hopes up because if it ever happens, it's going to be decades and decades from now.
Arms, thanks for being bendy. Sorry I hurt you in fifth grade, little right elbow.
Hands, you are beautiful. Don't tell anyone else, but I think I love you the most. I appreciate your forgiveness when I paint your nails black... You just look so sleek and sexy.
Neck, thanks for popping in the afternoon and relieving my headaches. Thank you for being long, I don't really like short necks.
Lips, you're cool. I don't have much to say about you.
Teeth, you are beautiful. Be glad you are in my mouth and not someone elses, I probably take care of you more than any other 19 year old takes care of their teeth.
Nose, sorry for piercing you that one time... But you did look really awesome. I'm mad that you are runny sometimes.
Eyes, I appreciate that you work, and that you go well with my favorite colors. Thank you eyebrows for being pointy and full, and high. You are generally nice eyebrows and don't get appreciated very often.
Hair, sorry I have dyed and straightened you so much, but I just want you to go well with Face.
All in all, thanks for being awesome. I'll work harder to make you hotter. Help me help you.
Love Always,
Alexandra Seal

Question of the blog:
What is your favorite part of your body?

New Years Resolutions Check Up

Oh my friends, I am so behind. I have a lot of work to do.

Resolutions for 2009
1. Learn to be happy alone. - I am working on this.
2. Get better sleep. Meaning no more staying up past 12:30 on a regular basis. - Yikes.... Okay I promise tonight I will go to bed before midnight. Promise!
3. Spend lots of time with the little sister. When I was 13, I always felt very alone. - Trying, trying...
4. Improve/expand vocabulary. 'Nuff said. - I think I'm doing well with this.
5. If not work at Camp Hammer this summer, at least volunteer for 2 weeks. - Unfortunately, I won't be working at Camp Hammer this summer. But I will be working at Wolf Mountain camp, so I will consider this checked off =]
6. Learn to control my emotions. - Working on it.
7. Stay fit! - These past few months have not been the greatest for my hips, or thighs for that matter. But I am now walking every day and pumpin' iron in preparation for camp!

8. Read more books. - Yes! Doing it. I have a list of books to read, a few I already own and I few I need to borrow from the library. I should spend more time at the library.

9. Save money for new camera. Nikon D50? D80? - Yikes. Money is not going well.
10. learn to stand up for myself. Do what is best for me! - I should probably work on this.

11. Stop being afraid that people will not like me. I realized that thats just life, and some people will like you and some people wont, and I shouldn't get as offended as I do. - You know, I'm doing pretty well at this. Right now at least.

Seems as though I was not doing as well as I had hoped 5 months in. I am adding two more things to this list though
12. Get lots of more music.
13. Watch more movies that I have never seen before.
(PS I probably only put those on there because I want an excuse to do them more often and I'm doing really well at them right now. Don't tell though!)

Question of the blog:
What were your new years resolutions this year? How are they going in terms of completion?

Preparations, etc

Hi guys, I need your help BAD.
I'm getting ready for camp, and one of the requests is that I bring a modest one piece bathing suit. The only modest and one-piece bathing suit is one that rides up my butt so bad because my torso is like the length of a large horse. Do you know where I can find an inexpensive, modest one piece with a long torso? I'm looking for something less than fifty dollars right now, but if all else fails I'm willing to pay more. PLEASE I need your advice. Thank you so much.

Not So Hot

Today is not a happy day. Sorry if posts are a little late for a while. And I will continue on my photography series soon.

From the Future...?!?!

I'll be honest, I do not grasp science well.. Or life in general I suppose. Anyways, I have always thought it... Did I already write a blog about this..? (pause)
Okay I didn't find any blogs of mine that have a similar subject, so I'll continue. (play)
I have always thought it was weird that we have time zones. Because let's be honest, my friend who lives in New Hampshire, who is 3 hours away from me is talking to me from the future. I mean come on, it's not midnight for me for another 3 hours and yet she is already in tomorrow!
One time, when Mike was still at school in Idaho (one hour ahead of Nevada City), I left him a voicemail that sort of went like this,

"Hey it's Zandra... It's 2:22 here so it's 3:33 there..."

Probably one of the dumbest moments of my life.
And today, as I remembered that moment, I of course put it as my status on facebook.
My New Hampshire friend, Chelsie by name, wrote in response:

"It's 8:09 here!
(the future is talking to you)"

And I laughed out loud so hearily.
It makes me sort of sad that I'm talking from the past to her... sort of pathetic compared to the fact that she is defying all scientific law by talking to me from the future. How incredible! That just makes me smile. The end.

Question of the blog:
Right now my foot is incredibly asleep... So much that it is practically tickling me. What do you think is the worst part of your body to fall asleep? And did that question even make sense? hahaha

Thump Thump

Sometimes, my heart does this weird thing where it just dances a little bit, or tries to jump out of me for a second.. I think it's trying to say, "Helloooo! I'm still hereeee!" Because a lot of times I do forget about myself.
I'm in repair, I'm not together but I'm getting there..

Sweet Taste of Victory!

Today, as I returned Synecdoche, New York (a very odd movie indeed) to my beloved Video Library, I got a bubble gum from the giant bubble gum machine. The only person I have ever known of getting a "winner" bubble gum (in which you receive a free movie rental) was my little sister. So jealous.
Well, today, my friends... Today was the day where I finally won a free movie rental!!!!! I am going to snuggle up now and watch Burn After Reading, which I heard was hilarious. Today, I am going to have a wonderful day. I keep telling myself that, and I have a wonderful friend who reminds me of how beautiful life is every time I talk to him. So thank you for that, if you are reading. You have no idea how much your friendship means to me.
Welllll, off to watch this movie. Have a lovely Tuesday.

Off Weekend

I am so sick of everything.
Overrr it!

Today's forecast:
Slumdog Millionaire in Synecdoche, New York.
With a slight chance of Sims 2 Deluxe
Lows in photography inspiration
Highs in anxiety
Tonight: not going to the show in Citrus Heights.
Winds North, East, and South to friends I would like to be hanging out with (Annie, Miles, Chelsie, Symone, Kyle, etc.)

The week ahead:
Unexpected weather, probably heavy showers and fog in my head that keeps me from seeing anything clearly.

Alix Andersen Photography

I have known Alix Andersen for a few years, and have always been impressed with her portraiture. She has a gift for capturing beauty in everything. Her photography inspires me to do more sit-down photo shoots with people, and explore into more black and white photography.


Alix Andersen
Photographer, 21, Nevada County
Alix Andersen on Flickr

Self-Portrait. By Alix Andersen


When did you first start photographing?
A: I got my first camera when I was 12, I've always loved taking pictures of anything and anyone.

chelsrae. by Alix Andersen


What type of camera do you use?
A: Nikon d60, & 7.0 Cannon Powershot.

Untitled. By Alix Andersen 2008


What is your favorite thing to photograph?
A: My friends, my family. Those are the pictures that mean the most to me. Especially when i capture a moment that truly shows how beautiful my friends are.

Jen Baby. By Alix Andersen 2008


How often do you take pictures? How often do you have sit-down photoshoots with people?
A: I take pictures constantly. I always have at least two cameras in my purse at all times. A film & a digital. I have sit down shoots as often as I can. I'm constantly trying to find different people to collaberate with, and hopefully when I have the money I can start building a studio.

Ade. by Alix Andersen 2009

What inspires you to continue in photography?
A: I love everything about photography, anything and everything inspires me. I feel that I have a lot more to learn with it & more to experience.

Question of the blog:
Out of the five photographs featured, which is your favorite?

Wild Weekend

Well, as wild as my life can get.
Last night I went to one of my friend's shows which was fun. This morning I was talking to my grandpa about what was new and I told him that, and he said, "what kind of concert?" and I said, "a rock concert!" He replied, "you? Rock concert?" Mean. Do I really look that girly and baby?
Last night I also had a weird dream. I have reoccurring places in my dreams, and this one shows up a lot. I'm working at Sushi Q, but the restaurant is sort of outside, and looks like it's on a private golf course or something. Anyways, I was hostessing and Kohei (sushi chef) asks me to babysit these 6 little kids instead of hostessing, and they were somehow related to the Flanigans. I felt it was needed for me to personally get to know each kid as we shopped around this Disneyland-like gift shop. But the dream just became more and more odd the longer I was asleep.
For the record: I have had two dreams about being pregnant in the past month. Creepy. This time around I was only have one child though. All I can really remember is going to work and telling Sarah (waitress) that I was pregnant and that my belly felt sooo weird, and I was only a couple of weeks pregnant but you could already tell I was pregnant. She replied with, "Gosh, it's only the size of like, Orzo or something." Which is a pasta, I believe?


Thanks for that image, Sarah. I mean, subconscious Zandra.

Question of the blog:
Do you ever have reoccurring dreams?