This is the good life to me

Obviously it's the first week of college so real life hasn't quite set in yet. Like the fact that I had time to go play guitar at the park today is obviously unreal. Just you wait until work and homework REALLY start. And then my days will be behind a computer desk at the library. And hopefully a little bit in the greenhouse. Anyways. So random stuff that I love.

When packing I discovered that I own a million magazines- when did I become a magazine person? But it's fine because they're all flower ones- so they're technically educational for me?

The apartment building I live is brand spankin new. So they're still waiting for some furniture pieces to arrive. Like chairs. So it's Japanese style eating for us. And while we're sitting on the floor to eat dinner we might as well use chopsticks. Is that way stereotyped? Do Japanese people even eat on the floor? I thought it was their culture anyways.

Food experiments from pinterest. 

A bit of cake batter, white chocolate, some shortening, and popcorn. Super good. Super sugary. Don't plan on eating it all in one sitting. Even if you have two movies to watch and plenty of people.

I'm sure you could look up some kind of recipe somewhere if you really wanted to get specific.

We have a "balcony". Really it's a sliding door with a railing stuck on the side of it. You can not step outside one bit. Trust me. I've tried. And the door will not close even if you stand on the railing all the way. But it's totally great for people watching and throwing paper planes off- and I can see the sun rise every morning (well, the ones with early classes) and the temple (which stays lit past midnight) and trees and a bunch of good stuff.

And this is Ali painting by it.

Stretching shoes. Me and Cara both had two pairs of shoes that were a bit too small and really hurt to wear. So challenge accepted. Luckily after a few painful days of wearing them we learned a method called 'wear your biggest socks, stuff them in your shoes, blowdry those shoes til hot, and then walk around. Repeat' And you know what? It worked ever so slightly. It was just a bit bearable to wear the lovely shoes around campus. Which is good because just the name OXFORDS makes me feel smarter.

But boy oh boy did the shoe stretching make for some awkward looking pictures.

"This wont go anywhere right?" "Please cara, you know exactly where it's going". Too good to pass up. Sorry dear.

9-11 memorial in the center of campus.

For me it was the fourth grade. My teacher turned on the news to see what was going on. And then after we were all sufficiently scared and crying she turned it off because she just couldn't bear to see it.

And when grown ups are scared you know it's a big deal.

flags and flags and flags. 

The new place is very well decorated. I'm impressed every time I see a new room. Though it still feels like a Marriott hotel and not a home yet.

Time in the gardens. Does that goofy looking satyr even know how charming his fellow statue thinks he is? Oh. She's impressed and it's not hard to tell- she's looking straight at him. And this is why I can't get homework done in the gardens.

 But really. This is my favorite spot. Maybe because it's Italian architecture-looking. Maybe because it's covered by willow trees and geraniums, maybe because I just fell in love with the statues.

And then obviously getting to read and play the guitar in the park. :) I love a day that's cold enough to wear a scarf to school in the morning and then to be barefoot in the park in the afternoon to soak up the sun.

 If any scene in life feels lovely it's this one to me. Having a park all to myself. And just listening to all the sounds it makes. And then being able to sing as loud as I want because everyone's inside eating dinner or something lame.

Mmmmmhmmmmm. I like having free time and being able to go to school and have some homework at the same time. Sometimes I wonder if this is what life would be like it I didn't take so many dang classes and didn't have a job. And then I stop thinking about it. Because how can you not take a billion classes when there is just so much that needs to be learned. There's just too much stuff to know to not be constantly learning it. And work. Well. I have a good job- so I'm grateful.

Also- because it's hard to cook in small quantities....who doesn't want to eat Hawaiian Haystacks five nights in a row? Well I like it that much at least. :)