Winter Wonderland.

Adjusting to the winter season is hard. Utah goes from perfect temperatures and beautiful colors to a white, frigid wasteland. I can't leave the apartment without wrapping myself in multiple layers, only to take them off once I get to school. While I don't appreciate winter weather, there is one thing I love about this time of year- the holidays.

For me, the holidays are a breath of fresh air. Each year, we get to pause our lives for just a second. Life comes to a halt as we do what is most important, spending time with the people we care about. Don't get me wrong; November and December are definitely busy. Life is packed with parties, Christmas shopping, and finals. However, none of that seems to matter in comparison to spending time with family and friends. I look forward to watching snowstorms, drinking hot chocolate, and celebrating the holidays with those important to me. This year, I am blessed to have an awesome group of people around me to celebrate the holidays with. I couldn't ask for anything more!

Empire State of Mind.

I love New York. For the unfortunate few who haven't been there, New York City is like no other city on this earth. I walk on to the island and I feel inspired. The skyscrapers, the parks, the architecture and the people are incredible. In New York I feel like if I work hard enough, any dream I have ever had can and will come true.

This past weekend, I was able to travel to New York on a trip with the Investment Banking Club. We spent two days in meetings hearing the different opportunities of a variety of different firms. This trip was eye opening to say the least. I learned more about myself than I could have elsewhere. It's funny how being put in an uncomfortable, unique situation brings more clarity into life than normal activities.

Thanks Mom and Dad for allowing me to fly all the way across the country, by myself, to experience this on my own! You are the best examples in my life. Life would be dull and horrible without you. I love you both!

Touchdown Jesus and the Windy City.

This weekend I found myself off to Chicago with my family. It was a quick trip with no time to relax. Chicago was a lot different than expected. The Windy City has wide streets, few skyscrapers, and way too much open sky. It doesn't have a "city" feel! We spent Friday morning on a frigid river tour of the city’s architecture. We then rushed to the Art Institute of Chicago for a quick run through. I saw some Monet (my favorite), Renoir, Picasso, and the beautiful Seurat (ever seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off?). We finished our day by riding around on the L, and going to the top of Willis, formerly Sears, tower. The view of the city was beautiful!

Saturday we woke up bright and early to start our journey down to South Bend, Indiana. Our day started off in style; we rode down to Notre Dame in a stretch Navigator limo, complete with pink and green neon lights and “ostrich” leather seats. After a long, rainy, windy day at Notre Dame, we walked away with wounded pride. The Utes, previously ranked fifth in the nation, had just gotten destroyed by a team of rookies, the Notre Dame Irish. Oh well, at least I can cheer for BYU with no shame now! After another long two and a half hour drive back to Chicago, it was off to CPK then back to the hotel for some much needed rest.

Now I am home and have three days to recoup before a weekend in my beloved NYC. Happy Sunday!

Word of the Day.

nacreous.

What does this word bring to mind? To me, nacreous could mean overwhelming. As in, "this is a nacreous situation." Or nacreous could be defined as "the act of being irritated." Then it would be used in the following sentence, Amy was nacreous when she came home from a bad date.

When I look at a word I haven't seen before, my imagination goes wild. Each word is a cause for an interesting vocabulary. After I learn a new word, every sentence becomes an occasion to experiment. Does the word fit here? Can I change it to an adverb, make it a noun, or use it as an adjective? The English language is full of endless possibilities. With countless words, speaking English can be a unique experience each time. Try it some time. Don't use your normal vocabulary. Stretch beyond what you know and express yourself in a new way. Sure, people will look at you weird. Sure, you will break the "status quo." But, your mind will expand and your creativity will grow!

Oh ... and by the way, nacreous by definition means lustrous and pearly. Nacreous originates from the word nacre- the shellfish that yields mother-of-pearl. I provided the word, now expand your mind! Take this word and experiment!

All Hallow's Eve.

The time of year has arrived for ghouls, goblins, and jack-o-lanterns. Today, campus was taken over by cows, fairies, and a dead Santa Claus. Halloween is here! Right now college girls everywhere are getting all dolled up. Meanwhile, college-age boys try to get their scare on. That sounds pretty great, right? Only one problem, I don't like Halloween. So where does that leave me? No only do I hate picking out costumes, but the candy always makes me sick.

My roommates think I am lame, but I can't help it. I was born this way. My parents don't like Halloween either. I honestly cannot remember the last time I dressed up. But let me tell you a secret ... I like it that way. Halloween is only an excuse to be someone you are not. I don't want that. I think being myself is pretty darn great. So Happy Fall! Enjoy the last weekend of October for all its ghouly goodness, because November is just around the corner!

Nothing

How much can you say about nothing? Nothing can describe any situation. Nothing has no prejudices and no boundaries. It fills any open space with, well, nothing. Some days fly by with nothing. I can't remember where I went or what I did, the hours just passed. If I didn't have to write 150 words for this assignment, this blog post would be full of nothing. However, I value my grade too much to do that.

How do you deal with nothing? Sometimes nothing is good and sometimes nothing is bad. Occasionally, I wish I had a little more nothing. I wish for nothing to do, nothing to see, nothing to say, just a minute alone with my thoughts ... hopefully thoughts full of nothing. Unfortunately, I am a college student, and so nothing will just have to be postponed until -- well, let's face it -- there is never time for nothing.

Rain.

There is water everywhere. Tonight on my way home the sky was crying. Not just a sprinkle, but a dizzying downpour. Something about the rain gets me in a somber mood. Its constant drone on my window. The blur of the world through the droplets. Rain clouds overcast the sky, covering the world in dark gray hues. Rain is the perfect weather for this time of year.

We are now in the second half of the semester. School is no longer new and exciting; it has become hard, overwhelming, and competitive. Students start walking around in a daze, weighed down by the immensity of two more months of school. Provo gets quieter, as all UVU students are on break and BYU students are left to more work and more tests. The weeks go by like a rainy day --blurred and undistinguished -- as we press forward to the first snow fall.

Like rain, we will move on to snow-filled days and relaxing breaks. But for now, the rain serves as a comforting backdrop to the midterm blues.