EVERYTHING IS MADE IN CHINA!!!! (aka a new years resolution update)

I thought I would update you on my resolutions. I've done pretty good eating my fruits and veggies. I'm holding on to try an ween off gluten til I feel like I have the fruits and veggies thing down (and til I eat the massive amount of couscous I have in my house!) 

The main struggle has been not buying things from China, because usually that is the only option. I have two examples. One of the tumblers I take to work broke, so I wanted to replace it. I looked at Target, Ross, JoAnns and the gift shop at work- all the tumblers sold at each of these stores were from China! I finally found one at World Market that was made in Taiwan, but it didn't have a lid. A little research led me to Bed Bath and Beyond where they sell Tervis (made in America) tumblers. A bit more expensive, but I like knowing the product was made here.

The second item I struggled to find was a day planner. I know I could use my phone but every year for many years I have had a planner, and I love looking through the designs and picking out my favorite. So I went to Barnes and Noble today-there were plenty of cute designs to chose from-at least 50 different styles to chose from, but from those 50+ options, 3 (only THREE!!) were not made in China! Luckily I liked one quite a bit, but still. I had never paid attention to where my products were made before. It is so hard to find items not made in China, let alone made in the USA.

I think everyone should try not to buy products made in China, maybe even just for a month just to see how dependent our economy is on foreign labor. It's unreal! 

I did read this article today though that makes me have hope that I won't be totally ostracized while shopping forever =)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/01/22/265080779/as-overseas-costs-rise-more-u-s-companies-are-reshoring

New year resolutions

I have 4 resolutions this year. One will be fun, therefore easier to keep. We'll see how I do!

1. Learn to sew

I'd like to earn some extra money and it would be nice if it was for something i enjoyed doing. I've wanted to learn to sew for a while and hopefully I can get good enough to make some money on the side by it :)

2. Try to buy more products made in the US and stop buying things that were made in China

This one might be hard! I don't really pay much attention to labels...

3. Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day

I did this one year and felt a lot healthier once I got started. I know it's supposed to be 5 different types of fruits and vegetables a day but I think that might be too difficult so I am shooting for 5 servings from 3 different sources.

4. Only eat one serving of gluten a day

This one will be the hardest because I love bread so much! I actually for a period thought I had a gluten sensitivity and didn't eat it for a few weeks. I was hungry all the time but I felt mentally sharper so I'm going to try to limit the amount of gluten I take in.

Wish me luck!

Kitty love!

I have gotten a kitten! I've had him for a day but am already so attached to him! The vet said he is 4 to 5 weeks old and just weighs a little over a pound, which means he is extra adorable! My favorite feature is his tiny soft little ears!

Anyway, I have decided to make a list of his likes and dislikes, enjoy =)

Likes:
Drinking milk
Sleeping
Cuddling
Towels
Attacking his litter box
Hiding behind the toilet
Cleaning himself
Hissing, purring, growling,  meowing and making tons of cute little noises

Dislikes:
My feet
His carrier
His jingly-ball toy
The toilet when it flushes
His shadow

Well, as may have already noticed, I'm already a big fan! He's just so stinking cute! Hope everyone's having as good of a weekend as I am!

Birthday wish list

This is mostly for my parents, but if anyone else wants to use this to get ideas for a birthday present to get me, feel free!

1. Target Gift Card
2. Amazon Gift Card
3. Old Navy Gift Card
4. Limited Gift Card
5. Singing in the Rain DVD
6. Happy Endings DVDs
7. New makeup brushes
8. Ice cream maker- I used to have one like this that I liked!

9. I have some posters from Spain I'd like to get framed, so I guess money for that or a Joanne Fabric/Hobby Lobby/Michaels gift card (and your Sunday coupon!) to help pay for it
10. This bracelet they sell at our gift shop, probably in green.

11. I also would eventually like to get new racquets, I liked the one Dan got free to write about for his blog when I used it. I think it was a Head racket.

losing touch

I had a friend from college pass through town this week, and even thought it was great to see her, it actually made me sad. We had been such good friends 5 years ago, and now we barely know what's been going on in each others lives since then. And honestly, if Facebook didn't exist, neither of us would have any idea what's been going on in the others lives.

And I feel like this with so many people who at one time I would have said they were some of my closest friends. How does this happen?

Think I'll take the time to say hello to an old friend and hello to several friends who I don't want to fade to acquaintances.

new years resolutions

Every year I seem to make resolutions that I never keep, but this year I'm hoping to break this trend- but I'll need your help!

I have lived in so many different places and have so many wonderful friends and family living all over the world, but I am not very good at keeping in contact with people. I want to change this. So, I would like to do better at regularly talking, texting, skyping, emailing, writing etc all the wonderful people in my life that hold a special spot in my heart.

If you are interested in talking with me on a more regular basis, please message me your preferred method, and I will make my very best effort to communicate with you a more regular basis!!

Please help me keep my resolution!!

__________________________________________________________________________

 Los Propósitos para el Nuevo Año

Cada año hago los propósitos pero nunca los mantengo, pero esto año quiero cambiar con tu ayuda.

He vivido en muchos sitios distintos y tengo amigos y familia en muchos partes del mundo pero no tengo capaz mantenerme en contacto con vosotros. Quiero cambiarlo! Por favor, mandame tu numero móvil, email, skype, dirección postal o lo que se, y intentaré mantenerme en contacto contigo!

Gracias por tu ayuda!! Besos!

my #1s of 2012

It's the last day of 2012, so I thought I would update you with my favourite discoveries of 2012! =)

#1 Musical artist - Gaby Moreno - she sings in Spanglish and her music has a lot of different influences which gives it a very fun vibe!

#1 Song - Florence and the Machine-Shake It Out - Such great lyrics, inspires me to be stronger.

#1 Movie (Kid) Brave (with Wreck-It Ralph as a close second) I saw Brave 2 days before I left Scotland, so maybe I was a bit more reminiscent realizing how much I was going to be missing Scotland, but I still think it has a great storyline and worth seeing.

#1 Movie (Adult) - Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Great movie and it challenges you to change some of your perspectives. Watched it on the plane, not in theaters, but it definitely made the flight more enjoyable! Also enjoyed Bill Nighy in a serious role.

#1 TV Show - I have 2 new shows I really enjoy; the first is Happy Endings. I think I started watching it because a lot of the shows I watch were taking a break so I didn't have anything new to watch, and I had heard this show was funny (which it is!) Very light-hearted, and usually leaves me in stitches! Here is one of my favourite clips!

The other show I like is Once Upon a Time. It has a lot of connections to LOST which is a series I really enjoyed, plus it has nearly every fairytale character you can think of!

#1 Book - Mindy Kaling-Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? - I have to admit I've started a few books this year and haven't finished any of them. This is the book I've gotten the furthest in, and every chapter is filled with laughs! =)

#1 Travel Destination - Tie between Stockholm, Sweden and San Sebastian, Spain (That's a lot of S's!)
Stockholm was amazing, I can't wait to go back and visit more of Scandinavia!

San Sebastian was one of my favourites too! I loved everything about it! It has beach, mountains, art, architecture and great food! Can't wait to get back there as well!!

Although I enjoy all the above, what really makes my life great are all the lovely people who I've gotten to know, I've spent time with and who have made me laugh! Hope you all have a wonderful New Year filled with happiness!

Merry Christmas!

(Or happy merry Christmas as my 4-year-old niece would say!) I hope everyone has a great day celebrating with family and friends!

I saw this picture on Pinterest today of baby moose! So cute! Quasi-Christmas related so I thought I'd share =)

New Job

So I haven't be too vocal about my new job, but I was offered a position to be the assistant curator at the Derby Museum around Thanksgiving, and I will be starting this Wednesday. I am really excited about the new job! I will still be working as a tour guide 2 days a week, but I am really excited that I have my first big girl job in the museum sector!!

I am also excited that I will be able to pay off my student loans! Hahaha =D

I'll update you on the job once I start!!

I'm back! (sort of)

So it's been over a month since my last update, and although I don't really have much to say, I feel obligated to post.

I have been home for over a month now. Culture shock is weird, but it is even weirder when you experience it when you return to your own country. I am slowly getting adjusted to being back, but I still have very little desire to be social. I hate going out in public (part of this might have to do with working with the public 5 days a week keeps me from wanting to be social the rest of my free time.) I also hate meeting up with people because I know they are going to ask me "How was Scotland?" and it is really difficult to sum up an entire year of experiences in a few sentences.

But slowly I am getting readjusted to being back, and I keep trying to make myself get out of the house a few times a week so I won't turn into a hermit! Haha =)

multiculturalism

I think one of my favourite things about having lived abroad is the way it opens up the world. I have had 2 experiences this week that I have loved and make me feel 'it's a small world after all' isn't too far off from the truth.

The first was from the beginning of this week when I uploaded my last photos from Scotland. The father from the family I stayed with while studying in Costa Rica saw the pictures, shared them with his friends on Facebook and wrote that he hopes to be able to travel to this part of the world soon. How cool! Through facebook, an American was able to share her photos of Scotland and inspire a Costa Rican to travel- the internet can be incredible sometimes!

The second was from today. I am currently staying with my pastor and his wife, who are missionaries from Brazil. Today for dessert we had home-made strudel and my friend Lesmi joined us, so I am in Spain, eating a German pastry with my Brazilian and Honduran friends! I love my life right now and am going to miss being surrounded by so many cultures when I return to the States.

It's my last day in Scotland =(

Today is my last day (for a a while anyway) in Scotland. Sad times =( I've had a wonderful year. Here are some of my favourite photos from this year!

Cathedral

 Smoked fish

 Rory MacIlroy

 Rainbow in Edinburgh

 

 The Americans on Thanksgiving

 Christmas ball, I love that Fraser is sharing his icecream with Santa! haha =)

 Northpoint

 Jamie and I

 Sonia and I

 Our exhibition team

 Nautical Knots to Knitting Needles

 Me and Liu

 Ready to see the pandas at the zoo

 Zoo- meerkats (haha, spell check wants me to change it to beermats!)

 Holyrood Palace Abbey

 Panda!!

 Kentucky Derby

 Highland Fold Museum

 Organ

 Sheep!

 Rachel and I in Sterling

 Highland Games

 Me on Isle of May (not sure why this picture isn't with the rest from Isle of May)

 Old Course

 Sunset in St Andrews

 Hotpot!

Me and Holly

 Cliffs on Isle of May

 Isle of May lighthouse

 After turning in our dissertations

Heather

I had a few more pictures but the internet in the hostel isn't working very well. 

Puppy Love

You know how some women have this moment when they realize their biological clock is ticking and suddenly have the urge to have children? Well, I feel like that except instead of a baby, I want a dog. If you are my friend on Facebook or follow me on Pinterest, you probably have already realized this.

I know full well this is because I am a bit depressed getting my dissertation finished, packing and saying goodbye to so many wonderful people I have met, and all that sadness/stress/mental fatigue has left me wanting to have a puppy around me 24/7 that I can play and snuggle with! These are all the dog related photos I have downloaded to my computer in less than a week (no joke!)

 

 I think this one is my favourite. Look at the that little ball of fur!! I want it!!!

 

Seriously! How cute are these dogs?? So basically, if you want to give me a dog for a graduation gift, I would totally be cool with that =)

Also, these two photos are (relatively) older, but still so so cute!!