Music Addictions

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am still alive! I have not had many lists lately had about 10 bajillion to-do lists lately, none of which have been completed, hence the lack of posts. This also may not prove to be very interesting, but I am trying not to fall asleep in the library before my next class, therefore I decided I should put down the peer-reviewed journal articles and entertain myself for a few moments. Without further ado, here is a compilation of my current favorite songs.

"Save Me" Nicki Minaj
"Aminals" Baths
"Rumor Has It" Adele
"Afternoon" Youth Lagoon
"Bete Noire" Seryn
"Rivers and Roads" The Head and the Heart
"Slow Show" The National
"Something Goes Right" SBTRKT
"That's Life" Frank Sinatra
"Resta Con Me" Ludovico Einaldi


As I made this list, I realized it is a good transition from warm weather into the current cooler temperatures. Check these songs out, I promise you'll find something to your liking, and if you don't then by all means tell me! Time for class.

Cheers to procrastination and good music!
Becks

My Kind of Town

Only a week ago, I was in the great city of Chicago attending the Pitchfork Music Festival. I just looked through the pictures from the trip a few minutes ago, and almost cannot believe it actually happened. Every moment of the trip was beautiful. And I would like to share some highlights.

Our new friend Dave. If you looked up 'hospitable' in the dictionary, or I guess these days I should say if you googled it, you should find a picture of this kind soul. We stayed with Dave, a student at Northwestern  and someone we had not previously met, for part of our trip and he was so welcoming! He provided us with delicious breakfast, washed his sheets, gave up his room for me, treated us to deep-dish pizza, and showed us the great view of the city from the shore of Lake Michigan bordering campus! I could not have imagined a nicer, more accommodating person to stay with.

Millenium Park. Our one outing besides the festival was a trip to Millenium Park. We ate at the outdoor restaurant (if you ever go try the raspberry tea, I do not normally like tea and it was delicious!), took pictures by the bean, walked through the garden area, and made a stop at the Crown Fountain. It was just a small taste of the city that has me wanting to return and see more!

People watching. At the festival, we saw people of every age, size, hair color, etc. I have never seen a greater mix of people in my life! And hipster children are adorable! People watching may be one of my favorite hobbies, and this may have been THE prime location for it.

The music. Of course, being there for a music festival, I enjoyed many artist's performances. My personal favorites were
     tUnE-yArDs- This girl does not sound like a girl. She has a great sound, almost tribal, and was so fun to watch live! They passed out face paint before she started playing, giving the audience more of an incentive to enjoy the show.
     James Blake- The amount of bass used during his performance was INSANE. I felt like I was in another world. He is an adorable British guy, with a beautiful voice.
     Fleet Foxes- One of my favorite folky groups, they have incredible skill when it comes to harmonizing.
     How to Dress Well- Tom Krell. We actually met him on Saturday! His performance was wonderful, full of emotion, I'm not going to lie I teared up a few times. He has an amazing voice that is highlighted much better on his new EP than his album Love Remains.
     Cut Copy- Hands down, THE most fun of everyone we saw. Which leads me to my next highlight...
   
Dancing. I love dancing, probably more than any other activity. It's fun, freeing, and almost magical somehow. You can just feel the music and lose track of everything else around you. And I got to dance quite a bit at Pitchfork! Cut Copy was the most dancey, with Gang Gang Dance being a close second.

All in all, I had an amazing time in Chicago! I want to return someday, to the city and the festival. Both are well worth more exploring.

The Bored Board

In my state of boredom today when I came home from work, I began perusing the internet. I read the blog of an almost stranger and one of a good friend, twitterstalked a few lucky people, and at some point I came across the blog of a stay-at-home-mom talking about how she keeps her kids from sitting around in their pajamas all day during the summer by posting a "bored board" with different activities they can choose between.
Well I might not be in pajamas, but I certainly do become quite worthless when I get home from work. And although this Mom may or may not be using this as a ploy to get her children to do their chores, I'd like to take her idea for myself. If I have a list of things to choose from when I get home, maybe just maybe I'll do something besides sit in bed and watch 30 Rock (again) when I'm brain-fried after work!

Write a letter. Currently I only have one pen pal, but who says I can't send snail mail to anyone at any time? There are few things better than receiving a special note, whether its from your roommate or your best friend that lives too far away. Why not spread the joy? And who knows, maybe I'll get some in return!

Draw. Now, I'm no artist. And I get easily frustrated when I try to convey a picture in my brain onto a piece of paper. I'm gradually accepting the fact that I will probably never create a masterpiece, but I've become a fantastic sketcher of robots for now.

Organize my closet. At the end of this summer, I'll be leaving my apartment of two years for a house that I will share with a few girls that are very dear to my heart. I'm looking forward to having a bigger kitchen and living room, but sadly my closet will be shrinking. So here's to getting rid of that shirt I bought in middle school and haven't worn since!

Memorize the lyrics to ever Bon Iver song ever. Before I move, I'll be seeing Bon Iver, one of my favorite artists, in the lovely city of Atlanta. Based on previous concert experience, the more lyrics you know and the more songs you recognize, the more you enjoy the incredible-ness of the artist. I expect this to easily slide into my top three concerts of all time.

I should probably make this list longer for those days when I'm irritable and nothing sounds remotely enjoyable, but for now I feel like I've given myself more than enough to tackle! So kick that Summer boredom in the face, and if you have any suggestions for other boredom-busters for a cheap college student PLEASE TELL ME

Counting the days til August,
Becks

Reasons My Dad is Awesome

I try to have creative titles, but you know, sometimes you just have to go with something simple. I know Father's Day has past, but I don't try to contain my love for my parents to just the holidays dedicated to them. So here are some great things about my dad.

Quotes. If he sees a funny church sign, or something posted in an office, he will write it down and send it to me. I don't know if he knows how much I love words, but he brightens my day with these surprises all the time!

Long Conversations. I wish I could count the number of times we've sat in the living room talking into the wee hours of the morning, discussing all sorts of topics from ethical issues to comics to old memories. Let me tell you, if you ever want a good story he has plenty!

People watching. I have inherited from my father the eye for seeing visual similarities between complete strangers and people I know very well. He will grab me and say, "That man there, don't his ears look just like Greg down the street?" We don't always agree, but its pretty entertaining.

Dessert. We both have an intense craving for ice cream, and he also has created one of my favorite sweet treats! I don't think we've ever named it, but you spread peanut butter on a saltine cracker, top it with half a marshmallow, and toast it until the top is just brown. They are incredibly delicious and easy to make!

I know this isn't a long list, but I try not to go on and on when I post. To sum it up, I love my dad. He has always been so easy to talk to, and he is so kind hearted. We haven't always gotten along perfectly, but I've never doubted that he loves me too, even when I know I don't deserve it!

"She's got the smiles!"

No, I'm not quoting someone famous. This is a phrase that has been thrown around between my roommates and I during the past semester. Having "the smiles" is almost like a disease, the main symptom being of course an ear-to-ear grin that cannot be stopped! This summer I have been continually plagued by the smiles, and here are some of the causes of my sickness over the past week.

Good Food. Over the weekend, I was taken on a whirlwind tour of BamaCash locations, which led to the discovery of the cutest little lunch place in downtown Northport called Fifth & Main. It had a very fresh and local feel with a menu of mostly sandwiches, soups, and salads. I had the most delicious panini (pimento cheese and bacon) along with a side of the freshest fruit I've ever seen in a restaurant. It was an incredible way to start the afternoon!

Pool Time. Although I don't use it often enough, the outdoor pool at the Student Rec Center is a great place to spend free time when the heat of a southern summer kicks in. The lazy river is so relaxing and going down the water slide is still fun even for us college kids.

Good movies. I have watched four new (to me, at least) movies in the past week, those being The Royal Tenenbaums, Sunshine Cleaning, Black Swan and The Virgin Suicides. I enjoyed every one of them! I must say they were not the most uplifting movies and I have worked in a few episodes of 30 Rock in-between so I can have some laughs, but they were all good in their own way.

Literature. I was introduced to a few authors I had never heard of in my most recent lit class and decided to further explore their writings. So far, it has been very rewarding! I just finished reading Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson. First off, his name is awesome. He also is great at creating characters that I felt shed a new light on life.

I could go on endlessly, but alas, it is now time for something else that makes me smile: my nightly run with BK!

Farewell dear readers,
Becks

Here Comes the Bride, Part II

In less than a month, my sister will be the one walking down the aisle in the white dress. As I type those words, I have trouble believing them. This girl has been with me since I was born, and put up with all my shenanigans! Now don't get me wrong, it's not like we get along perfectly all the time, and there were some years where the only times I spoke to her I said mean things. But she has been there for me through it all. You can't get rid of your siblings, but you don't have to be friends with them. It takes work. Sometimes I forget that, but I will never stop loving my sister, even when she has a different last name. I'd like to leave a few memories here, from through the years.

Camping trips with the Majors. From hikes without the parents, to "swimming" in the lake when we weren't supposed to, those trips made our younger years so much fun!

Swimming at the Davis' house. Almost every day of the summer, we would be over with Colbie and Hannah, swimming and making up games in the pool, normally followed by popcorn and Kool-Aid. Although we would all fight like sisters, we still had a good time!


Crazy summer adventures. After Abby had been in college for a year, when she came home for the summer we were much better friends than we had ever been before! We had people over to play Scattergories, watched a ton of movies, and made lots of memories. The next summer, right before I left for college, I would go visit her in Tuscaloosa for lots of card playing and laying out by the pool!


Roommates for life (until June 11). My freshman and sophomore year of college, we were reunited under one roof, and lived together until just a few weeks ago. Most people think it's insane that we could survive living together, but I wouldn't have had it any other way! I know I learned so much from her and can't wait to see what God has in store for her now!

All this to say, I love her SO much it hurts, even when I don't show it very well. I am a little scared of change, but I am so happy that she has found someone she wants to spend the rest of her life with, and can't wait to visit them all the time only a short drive from my parent's house!

The Art of Expecting the Unexpected

As my last post revealed, I started early in preparing for my finals. Little did I know they would be cancelled, due to a weather disaster. While I am beyond happy to have been relieved early of my school duties, I would devote hundreds of hours to the books to have Tuscaloosa put back in order. I can prepare for exams I dread for days on end, but no school lessons have ever prepared me for a walk through my second home-town after it had been terrorized by nature. I never thought somewhere that is so familiar to me would become instantly unrecognizable. But life goes on. Though I left for a few days, I will be returning to my school on Tuesday. I am fearful of falling back into my selfish routine upon arrival, but I will be fighting that with all my heart. I pray for a heart for the hurting, and the strength to help in whatever way I am needed. Today, there is no list. I could list things the city of Tuscaloosa needs, I could list what I hope to do when I get back, and I could list what I wish would happen. These lists would be unending and I do not want to drone endlessly. But I have a deep love for my city, my school, and I pray that Christ's love will be shone through my life as I attempt to help rebuild this place that means so much to me.

Things to Come...

As I sat in my room and studied until I felt as if my brain was using its last bit of courage to keep itself from spilling out my ears, I began to think of all the joyous time I will have this summer to NOT study. What a glorious thought. Only two short weeks until I have three months filled with--well, work! But, there are many hours between those I will spend in Government Documents, and I can fill them however I please! I may have high expectations because last summer was so wonderful, but I really do not think I will be let down. So, for my first look at summer, what I'm looking forward to the most:

My roommates. Erin, whom I live with now, will be staying for the summer and I cannot wait for more time when we can play guitar together and go running. Caitlin, a new friend this year, will be joining us for the summer. She is adventurous and ambitious, so I am sure many grand schemes will be drawn up and we may just follow through with them.

Work crew. Last summer I was able to serve high school youth groups from PCA churches at the conference Breakaway. I was on work crew, which meant lots of work, not very much sleep, and loads of fun with other college students working alongside me. I enjoyed it so much that I signed up for a second year!

New family. My sister is getting married in June, and I will gain a great brother! Also, he has two sisters, one of which is already my best friend! I will be attending many other friends' weddings this summer, and I look forward to dancing and spending time with the ones I love as they begin new chapters in their lives.

The unexpected. Sometimes during the school year I get so bogged down in all the things I HAVE to get done that I leave spontaneity behind. While I've made lots of progress this year in making time for fun, with no school work to hold me back I can say yes to more unplanned adventures. These impulsive outings could be as simple as a picnic, or as daunting as an unexpected road trip. Either way, I can't wait for the joy of SUMMER!

Television

Over the past few years, I've formed a habit of marathon watching seasons of tv shows I like once they have already been aired, so I don't have to wait impatiently for the next episode week to week. Most recently, I watched the second season of Parks & Recreation. It was quite funny, though I don't know if I would have stuck through it having to wait very long between episodes. So here is a list of tv seasons I have watched (even though some of them are slightly embarrassing), and the ones I intend to watch next.

Already Complete:
-All previous seasons of 30 Rock
-Season 1-6 of The Office
-Season 1 of Community
-Season 1-2 of Gossip Girl
-Season 1 of Pretty Little Liars
-Season 1-4 of Bones
-All previous seasons of Psych
(there are probably more I am forgetting, but these are all I currently remember)

On my to-do list:
-Every season of Mad Men
-The currently airing season of Parks & Rec
-The currently airing season of 30 Rock
-Every season of House
-Band of Brothers

I'm sure there are many more I would enjoy, and this is a list that grows and changes continuously, but for now I have just begun Mad Men and I believe it will occupy me thoroughly for awhile. At least when I have breaks between studying!

Thats all folks,
Beckstar

But I Can't Live Without It!

Upon returning from Winter Conference three weeks ago, one of my car windows decided to misbehave, which ended with my parents taking my car to Birmingham for repairs. My dad had just gotten a job and things were about to get complicated with my parents sharing one car, so they asked to borrow mine for a little while after it was fixed. Of course I said yes, I don't have to drive most places I go, and while it is very convenient to be able to go anywhere I would like on a whim, it is not necessary. 

For the first few days, I did get a little irritated, and there was one time I forgot to ask my roommate for her keys and was almost late to babysit. But in all honesty, I almost haven't noticed a difference in my life. This huge piece of metal that I seem to think I "need" has been gone for three weeks and I haven't missed a beat. So it got me thinking. What other things in my life do I feel dependent on that I could probably easily give up and barely notice?

Air Conditioning. Probably not the best to start with, because it sounds crazy. But this year, we have turned on our air conditioning sparingly, and it hasn't been that bad. I think we are so used to living in a temperature controlled environment that we have to have it set to our exact preference, which is completely unnecessary. We were created in a world with no A/C, so would it really be that bad without it?

Laptop. It's almost impossible to imagine my life without my laptop, which I am typing on right now as I sit in the library with my friend, who is mixing music on his laptop. But you know what I would be doing if I didn't have this? I would be on one of the twenty computers lining the wall of the study room we're in. Would it be a little inconvenient? Maybe. But would it be terrible? I don't think so. 

Coffee. As an avid drinker of this morning brew, one day without is one day without productivity. Two days without is a second day with a migraine. So far I haven't made it to three days coffee free, and many days I have a second mug full in the afternoon. How long would it be before the caffeine headaches quit coming? I honestly don't want to try to find out. But should I be so dependent on something that many people function quite well without?

I feel like this list could go on forever, as I surround myself with things I consider necessities and come to feel like I depend on them. Really there are many superfluous items I could be completely happy without, but am I willing to actually give them up? 

"Originality is the art of concealing your sources."

Words. They have always amazed me. When I was younger, if I was lacking in reading material I would read cereal boxes, the Sunday comics, or even something from my dad's bookshelf until I obtained more books. I have been writing ever since I can remember, and have always been fascinated with the study of Literature. I write down quotes from song lyrics, movies, television shows, and books. I have a table covered in them, more hanging on my wall, and even more in notebooks. So today, a list of a few from the past few years.

"Love is not an affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained." -C.S. Lewis

"If only we could see the endless string of consequences that result from our smallest actions. But we can't know better until knowing better is useless." -John Green from Looking for Alaska


"The imagination is not a state; it is the human existence itself" -William Blake

"But there is only one thing that has power completely, and that is love. Because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power." -Alan Paton from Cry, the Beloved Country


"You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness." -Jonathan Safran Foer from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close


"When did we see eachother face-to-face? Not until you saw into my cracks and I saw into yours. Before that, we were just looking at ideas of each other, like looking at your window shade but never seeing inside. But once the vessel cracks, the light can get in. The light can get out." -John Green from Paper Towns


I could add so many more, but I will leave it at this. Read, and find your own quotes to inspire you and make you think a little more than usual.
Night,
Becks

"Smile! It irritates people."

I can't tell you if it's the weather, or the fact that WinCon 2011 was amazing, or maybe the grass is getting a little greener on the quad. But something has me walking around campus with this goofy grin that I can't seem to wipe off. Sometimes I realize I'm smiling and start laughing, thinking about how silly I probably look, but it doesn't matter! I am loving every minute of it. So, for now, a few things that have made me smile in the past few days...

Good music. On the drive home from Winter Conference, my car-buddies and I constantly alternated ipods, picking random songs. It started with a theme of songs that make you want to cry, went through an oldies stage at some point, and even had a segment devoted to Usher. Needless to say, it was FANTASTIC!

Nature. While at WinCon, the weather was nothing less than perfect for hiking. We walked around behind the waterfall, and that is one of the greatest places to be. Very awe inspiring.

Literature. Right now in my American Lit class we are talking about Modernism. I smile at the thought of reading new (to me) short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, two of my favorite authors.

Popsicles. No explanation should be necessary, but I'll tell you I ate my first popsicle of the year while walking to the quad this afternoon with a dear friend of mine with the prospect of a glorious hour in the sun on my mind. Life doesn't get much better.

Relaxation. Now this hasn't happened yet, so who knows if I will get any rest, but I am looking forward to getting everything I can out of my first weekend in Tuscaloosa in over a month! I have been out of town for some great adventures, but I am ready to see what my current home has to offer this season.

Now, go find something to make you smile,
Becks

And Now for Your Feature Presentation

Growing up, I didn't watch very many movies. When I got to high school, I felt behind on all the good ones and I've been catching up ever since. I have made many lists of movies I need to watch soon, though I have never made it through any of these lists. But I made a new one on the way to RUF Winter Conference this weekend (which was an incredible weekend by the way!!) and I am determined to actually make it through this one... and here it is.

-Brick
-Pie
-Teen Girl Squad
-Science of Sleep
-The Royal Tenenbaums
-The Godfather
-Memento
-Lost in Translation
-There Will Be Blood
-The Shining
-Reservoir Dogs

Hopefully I'll be successful.. but we'll see about that!

Here Comes the Bride

I spent this past weekend in Destin, FL for my cousin's wedding. Needless to say, I absolutely LOVED getting to spend time with my family. It is a rare occasion that we get to spend time with our cousins, and they are pretty amazing people, so it was great to catch up with them and enjoy Sarah and Brian's special day! At the same time, my sister is engaged so I seem to be surrounded by wedding plans. While I am most definitely not one of those girls who has a binder full of ripped-out magazine pages of wedding ideas, I have thought about a few things recently. My main concern is the music. Music can make or break a reception, and I've been to a few that weren't so fun because the playlist was trashed at the last minute. The music this weekend was perfect, and it made me think, what will I want played at my wedding? So here it goes, a short list of songs that will for certain make it onto my wedding reception playlist.

"Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra
"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by the Darkness
"Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley
"Amor" by Ben E. King
"You Make My Dreams" by Hall + Oates

I realize this list is short, but it's not like I actually need to know this anytime soon, it's just fun to think about! Maybe more to come as Abby's wedding approaches.

Much love,
Becks

Procrastination.

Right now, I have a copy of Essentials of Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences sitting beside me, with a stack of notebook paper covered in words I do not fully understand. Currently, as you can tell, I am ignoring these ever present reminders of what awaits me in the morning. That's right, the first test. I am fear-stricken at the thought. Somehow, no matter how many first tests I take, I never seem to get over my nightmare that I will show up and be blown away by the complexity of the questions. Or maybe I will have studied the wrong material. Either way, it is never as bad as I imagine it will be. But I still sit here terrified. To lighten the mood, I'll put up a list of firsts that may also be scary, but end with much more bliss than a potential A+.

Your first bike ride. You remember. Being young, someone took you outside and removed the training wheels. Your heart skipped a few beats as you sat down. They held onto the seat like your own personal safety net, then all of a sudden you were flying! Yes, you may have fallen down and scraped your knee a few times, but you also had a first moment of independence.

Your first drive. You're in the driver's seat, with excitement pulsing through your veins. Ok, so your mom is in the passenger seat, but YOU are the one with the steering wheel in your hands and the pedals underneath your feet. If you were like me, you may have been overconfident in your abilities, but either way, you begin to control a vehicle that is capable of so much more than you alone. You are holding something very powerful, and it makes you feel free.

Your first night at college. Maybe you sat in your dorm with your awkward roommate whom you'd never met, and hoped they enjoyed the tv show you were playing on repeat. Maybe you went to some crazy party and saw things you never thought would happen. Maybe you broke some rules, maybe you even got in trouble, but for the first time you were the one making all the decisions.

I don't know why this ended up feeling like a "rights of passage" list, but I guess many of our firsts are things that we see as exciting when we receive them, and only later do we realize the responsibility we have just been handed. But for those first few moments, you feel invincible.

Off to study,
Becks

Caffeine Injection, Anyone?

While I enjoy the aroma of coffee brewing in the morning, I must not lie and say that I solely drink my cup of joe for its delicious hazelnutty flavor. Without my morning (and often afternoon as well) dose of caffeine, I do believe I would be back in bed by six or seven every night. Lately, I've  felt as if I would instantly fall back into a deep slumber if I let my eyes shut, even after my usual two cups. So, even the strongest of brews cannot overcome a complete lack of sleep. Over time, the body will take over and ignore the chemicals we try to control it with. For now, I will leave you a list of good reasons to go without sleep. Although I do recommend a day or two of recovery for every sleepless night.

Climbing the silo. If you don't know what this means, either you have never lived in Tuscaloosa or you just didn't know the right people when you did. I won't try to fully explain this statement, just know you are missing out on an interesting climb and a great view of the city.

Riding bikes before sunrise. In my formative years, I broke the occasional rule or two (sorry Mom!), and one night my friend and I were both still awake at four in the morning, with no signs of sleepiness. So what did we do? Naturally we rode bikes around the neighborhood for an hour or so. Though this may sound boring or silly, there is nothing better than the feeling that no one else is outside. It's like you have the whole world to yourself.

Watching the sunrise. Ok, so I've never stayed up with the intention of seeing the sun's rays peek up from the horizon. But I have unintentionally been up until that magical hour, when the whole world seems to go from black to misty gray to different shades of pastels until finally it looks like daytime. You may think, why bother with the late night when I could just watch a sunset? Well, my friend, then you are sadly mistake because the two look drastically different and watching the world light up can change the way you see it every day.

Conversation. You know those people you feel like you could talk to all day and still not run out of things to say? Well they are the best company on late night adventures, but no adventure is necessary to have a great conversation that keeps you out of bed. I can't even begin to count the number of times the B.R.E. and I have stayed up much later than we intended just because we were engrossed in a new song we heard or something we had learned that day or maybe we were just laughing at our own weirdness. It's these moments we won't forget when we've lost all recollection of that 8 a.m. lit class.

Off to find some much needed slumber,
Becks

Who are you?

During our lazy Saturday/Sunday in Atlanta we all took the Myers-Briggs Test. No, not the official one that you have to pay for, one of the many free ones. But I must say it was very accurate. This test has been a topic of conversation in all of my circles recently, and I love talking about personality and how different ones work together. So for today, a list of a few friends and what our Myers-Briggs letters say about our relationship.




ME + the B.R.E. = Cohorts. Apparently, we are "mutually drawn into experiential escapades." Sounds about right to me, we do act like idiots together sometimes. Ok, maybe all the time, but we have fun. 


ME + my dear sister = Counterparts. Abs and I "perform similar functions in totally different realms." Very true. We think about the same things and want the same things, but we go about accomplishing things in a completely different way. 


ME + dear ole dad = Complements. We have compatible strengths. If our strength is the ability to talk your ear off, they definitely got this one right. I love my dad, and if we had the time I think we could probably hold the world record for longest conversation. Many a night at home we have stayed up until the wee hours of the morning discussing everything from school to friendships to religion.


ME + Coco = Novelties. I find him "intriguingly different; interestingly so." I also find his kitchen skills to be incredible and inspiring. (Check out his blog about beers here, I must admit it's pretty intriguing.)


ME + the Duffalo = Companions.  We "bear each other's company well." True, despite the fact that the phrasing makes it sound a little heavy. But then, looking at all the descriptions, I think someone broke out the good ole thesaurus.

Here is where you can take the same test I did, and to get a look at these relationship descriptions, click here. In case you were wondering, I'm an ENFJ. Let me know how we relate to each other!


Extrovertedly yours,
Becks

ATL, the other city of champions.

This weekend the B.R.E. and I took a little adventure to the great city of Atlanta. It was nice to get away for a little while, although I probably should have been studying... who am I kidding? Would I really study when the weather is so gorgeous? We were intending to take lots of pictures to document our trip and of course I forgot my camera. So the list of the day is a few things we should have photographed.

Me trying on all of Duff's "winter gear." My friend's job takes him to the frigid town of Minneapolis every Monday thru Thursday, therefore he has a coat that could never be worn inside, unless you are attempting to create your own sauna. Along with scarf and gloves that are all too big for me, it would have been worth a few laughs.

A neon sign saying "Beck's." Who knew there was a beer called Beck's? Well this girl did not know about it until Friday night, when I saw my name in neon lights at Taco Mac. Of course I need to have a picture of this.

The elephant at The Porter. This restaurant, which had delicious food, had an adorable elephant drawn on a chalkboard hanging high up on the wall. Being the die hard Alabama girl that I am, I felt the need to document this sighting.


Though I am sure there were many other moments that would have made great pictures, these are the few I really wish I had gotten. But you know, that just means I have to go back...

Much love,
Becks

Daily Distractions

We all do it. Really important things need to be done, but instead when the internet browser opens, we go straight to a place that will keep us occupied potentially for hours. That paper that had to be done before bed gets put off until the next morning. That math assignment you needed to finish? Forgotten. I'll keep this short, but here are a few my favorite distractions.

Damnyouautocorrect.com What a fantastic place. I have never laughed so hard I cried for more than an hour.. until I found this website. I don't know what is so funny about cell phones misinterpreting our intended messages, but these mistakes make my abs sore from laughter.

whenparentstext.com Ok, I love my parents, and they are not incapable of typing on their cell phones, but sometimes they say things that just seem a little off. Apparently, this is typical parental behavior. Almost as funny as the first site listed!

Smartprettyandawkward.com This is a blog that keeps it's posts short and sweet. Each entry begins with a quote, followed by a tip on how to be smarter, prettier, and a little less awkward. It's not the shallow type of thing it sounds like, and many of the tips involve links to other interesting things that will prolong your internet procrastination.

And finally...
Passiveaggressivenotes.com Exactly what is sounds like. People send in passive-aggressive notes they find in random locations, from their front door to the fridge at their workplace. They are hilarious, and also make you think about the ridiculous-ness your own passive-aggressive tendencies.

So there you go. Have a lovely weekend, filled with new adventures! But if you have some time to kill, get distracted =)

And this is where we begin...

So I'm having a little bit of a lack of sleep, which is odd since I've been up since seven this morning, but when I can't sleep I try to do something other than just lay there... And now I have a blog? Well this has been a long time coming.
But to start, I'd like to say this blog has been created at a time when I don't really know what my life is like. I have been having the best beginning of a new year I could have ever imagined, better than I could imagine in fact because things never turn out how I expect. But at the same time, I have found myself frustrated more often than I would like. Why you may ask? Because I want to know where all the amazing things in my life are headed. Sort of odd, that I am enjoying the unexpected, yet annoyed that I can't figure out what will happen next. But for now, I will love every minute of this crazy fun life, and try to quit trying to figure out what's next.
So for now, a list of random facts.

I smile like a maniac when I run. Seriously, I hope daily rec-goers get enjoyment out of the big ole grin on my face as I run around the track. I just realized this today, and began to wonder if I look like Steve Spurrier, how you can't tell whether he is smiling or angry.

I do my homework in bed. I told myself this awful habit would change this year when I bought myself a desk and covered the top with quotes from my favorite songs, books, movies, etc. While I love the way my desk looks, when I have a cushy mattress right next to it why would I think about sitting in a wooden chair? Instead I put my cereal and coffee on the chair, and eat breakfast while writing my latest pathetic sociology paper.

I make lists about everything. I currently have lists floating around of music I need to delete from my iTunes, movies I desperately need to watch, things I need to do when I wake up tomorrow, people I need to call, and then there are the lists that take place on my dear room mate's dry erase board so we can read, laugh, and erase before anyone else sees what we actually talk about when we have bonding time.

So there. This list is rather shorter than my other aforementioned lists, but I probably should get to bed sometime in the near future, and I would like to make some adjustments to the look of my blog before that happens.

Much love,
Becks