Being the list maker that I am, I thought I'd do something a bit different for this post. Instead of making a traditional bucket list, I thought I'd make a list of the things I'd be happy to skip in life (or avoid ever doing again). Some are serious, some are more on the silly side. Hoping this doesn't jinx anything!
1) Get arrested. I don't want to speak to soon, but I feel like if you make it past 25 without getting arrested, you're sort of in the clear. Orange will never be the new black for me.
2) Get punched in the face. If I were to get punched in the face, I would seriously need to have a coming to Jesus meeting about the people I was surrounding myself with or the situations I was putting myself in. Plus, I'd probably cry instead of defend myself which would just be embarrassing.
3) Get a tattoo. I sort of went through a phase where I was seriously considering getting a tattoo. I've had some cool ideas, but nothing that I've thought to be so awesome that I want to get it permanently inked on my body. Some people just love to get inked; more power to them. Personally, I'd like to think that if it's important enough, I can just think of it in my head without needing to look down at my tattoo to be reminded. Also, it just seems like everyone has them these days. I'm not going to hop on that train.
4) Date someone/have a relationship just because. Never good, never healthy. I know it's easy to settle or look past certain things that would normally bother the heck out of you, but it's best to avoid that death trap. I'm at the age where everyone I know seems to be getting married or having babies. Timing is different for everyone. Don't feel pressured to force something just because you feel like you're never going to have it if you don't have it right here and now...or at the same time as the people around you. Good things come to those who wait.
5) Be a snob. It's one thing to have your own standards and to be proud of your accomplishments, but a completely different thing to be a real you know what (and I'm not talking about a female dog!). Let's all just be nice, people.
6) Get a disease that doctors don't know how to treat. Oh gosh, would't that just be the most horrible thing?!...for obvious reasons.
7) Give into peer pressure. Past that point in my life. I've seen what kind of damage it can do. Unless you feel pressured to be awesome, then walk away from it. You are much cooler being your own person, and you know what you want and don't want to do. Plus you'll feel a lot better about yourself and the things you do if it's a true reflection of who you are on the inside.
8) Twerk. Twerk. Twerk.
9) Post a ridiculously depressive status update on Facebook (as long as it's around at least). This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. It's one thing to post something inspirational or a tad bit sad. It's a completely different thing when I read a post that makes me want to start counseling even though I'm not the one experiencing it. People have their own fair share of drama in their own lives...they don't need mine too!
10) Judge or disrespect someone for who they truly are. There's a lot to be said about being comfortable in your own skin. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade. I can choose not to like someone and let that be that; never see them again if I choose. However, I would never be disrespectful towards someone or overly judgmental just because we're different.
11) Let the term yolo escape my mouth in a serious manner.
12) Get into an underground dog fighting club.
13) Watch the SPCA Sarah McLachlan commercials without crying or having to change the channel. My heart will have to freeze over before I can watch that commercial without becoming a blubbering idiot. It just makes me want to adopt all the little animals in the whole wide world.
14) Wear stilettos to a lawn party.
15) Cheat on my significant other.
16) Be with someone who's cheated in the past.
17) Sign up for a pole dancing class as an alternative to the gym. I think I'm good with the gym.
18) Re-create the movie Taken. As much as I love to travel, that would be a really horrible twist. Nothing puts a cloud over your vacation more than that. Although I wouldn't mind Liam Neeson coming to my rescue. ;) Be smart and use common sense while traveling, people. Also, trust your instincts. If you feel nervous or unsettled about a situation, there's probably a good reason for it and not just complete irrationality.
19) Let somebody make me feel bad about myself. Ain't nobody got time for that!
20) Date my best friend's ex. Just awkward no matter how you spin it.
21) Do drugs. Just say no, it's a much better idea.
22) Become a famous actress and then swap to music, or vice versa. Let's be honest though, I probably would if I could. Mama would be making the big bucks.
23) Run for political office. Being French Club president at OU was the peak of my political career, and I'm perfectly happy with that.
24) Not do something just because I'm afraid.
25) Buy a UT shirt. Boomer Sooner. The end.
26) Eat Spam.
27) Cannibalism. Nobody is ever THAT hungry.
28) Go to a Nickelback concert.
29) Get sick of Gilmore Girls. Not going to happen.
30) Make another anti-bucket list.
What are some of the things that would be on your anti-bucket list? Thanks for reading this silly little post. Hope everyone has a happy Friday!
Salut tout le monde! Other than posting the highlight post from my trip (last night, ha!) that was meant to be posted months ago...things have been pretty quiet on my side. I have not been keeping up with this blog the way I originally intended to. In the honor of it being a new year, I'd like to welcome 2014 by sort of starting over with my attempt at this whole blog thing. 2013 was an amazing year for me. Here's a little re-cap at some of the major things that happened: 1) Graduated college---I will update you all about how things are going shortly, but let's just say it was a long time coming. I have never felt so proud of anything else in my life, so that's pretty big. 2) Applied and got accepted for the study abroad trip---this was sort of a long drawn out process but I was so lucky to have had the opportunity I did. I'm glad that I did it, and it's something I can sort of cross off the bucket list...although I would't say I'm done exploring or traveling. I feel like this is just the beginning. 3) Lived in France for the summer---yeah, sort of goes with #2, but it still feels surreal that it even happened. 4) Got to see Meike on her stomping grounds---Holland was amazing. Can't wait to go back. 5) Lady Victoria in England---the first time I've seen Lady Victoria in her natural habitat. A memory that can't be traded for anything. 6) Grew a backbone---I'm still learning how to use it, and sometimes I make mistakes...but hey, I've sort of reached the point where I'm not scared to stick up for myself, others, and what I feel is right. Not to say that I was ever a push over, but there's something to be said for going to sleep at night unhappy about a situation because you didn't know how to confront it vs. having the peace of mind that you don't have to tiptoe around anything. That's a pretty big accomplishment I think. I've always been strong willed and a sort of independent thinker...but I look back at myself a year ago and see a real evolution. Still lots to work on, but let's call the new me Taylor 2.0. There have been a lot of memories made this year, a lot of hard things, and a lot of really amazing things. I turned 26 this year. I'm not exactly where I want to be yet, but I can feel myself getting closer and closer to that person I have in my head. I've been lucky to be surrounded by some great people, new and old, that have sort of helped me out in different ways along the way. I've come a long way from the sort of mess of a person I was in my late teens/early 20s. I've got a ways to go, but I feel like this is going to be the year that everything comes together for me. My goal is to make this year better than last. It's a heavy order, but I'll just have to make sure it happens. I always love the idea of New Years resolutions. It's refreshing to be able to start over and try to make improvements. I have quite a few this year. Most are pretty general...but some are a bit out there. 2014 resolutions: 1) Listen to more music---not just the stuff on the radio. A few years back, I went through a phase where I was really exploring new music. That was a lot of fun. There's so much amazing stuff that's just out there waiting to be heard.
2) Read more---books that is. My goal for this year is to finish a book once a month. I think that's a pretty realistic goal. I'd also love to read Anna Karenina. I've always been a bit intimidated by those Russian classics. I'm going to do it this year. 3) Read my bible more/get more involved with church---This is something that is important to me. I'm not the perfect christian, but I love being around believers that believe so fully and make me question my own faith. 4) Learn something new---I'm taking a photography class now. I'm also learning Italian. I guess this resolution is already finished, but I'm going to keep it going. I've got a guitar, maybe I should pick it up. 5) Finish things I start---I get very restless and easily bored with projects. In a work/academic setting, I'm great at finishing tasks. For hobbies, not so much. I just have to many interests than I can keep up with I guess. For example, I'm notorious for starting a knitting project and not quite finishing it. I will start a book sometimes, but switch to another project and not get back to it. This blog is another perfect example of my project ADD. I will get better at this! 6) Call my dad more---I am an adult now, and should work harder to have a better relationship. I know it's not all me, but I'd feel a lot better if I was doing what I can on my side. 7) Let go of unhealthy things---this means people, ideas, etc. 8) Eat healthier---self explanatory. 9) Dance---take a class, any style. I just miss it and need to get back into it. 10) Go on a mother-daughter trip---We haven't ever gone just the two of us. It'd be about time for something of this nature. 11) Get a new stamp in my passport---yes, please! 12) Save those dollars---or else I'll never be able to retire one day! (That is after I finally start working!) 13) Get a big girl job---start my career that is. 14) French---speak or read a little french every day. I've worked so hard to get to where I'm at with my French. I don't want to lose it while I'm in this transition period. 15) Look presentable every day---(weekends don't count!) but it's a lot easier to stay motivated when you actually get up, get dressed and make yourself look nice. In college, it's easy to get by wearing sweat pants every day. I'm going to try to move away from that. My inspiration---Melanny. This girl used to come to class every day with her hair done, some cute outfit on, etc. I won't be hearing the heels she does, but I will take a few fashion tips for sure. This list is a bit long, but nothing is impossible. I'll keep you all posted on my resolution progress. :) General life update--- I've been applying for jobs. Haven't found the right one yet, but I'm still optimistic. It's hard finding a job where I can use my French in Oklahoma. I've applied for a couple of positions I'd really love to get. Still in the process of all of that though. We'll see how it goes. Fingers crossed!! I'm going to give it a bit more time. I'm working and saving money at the moment. If I don't have any luck a bit down the road, I'll have to just take a look at what I need to do next. I'm trying to be smart and not just sit around forever, but it's just hard to find a job right now. I know I'm not the first recent grad who's going through this. I'm interested in teaching, and have applied for a program that would be a great experience. Things are just sort of moving along though. I will just see where things go here. I know I'm a dreamer, but I'm not one to give up. Other than job stuff, my life has been pretty boring. I will definitely be keeping this thing updated on a more regular basis. I hope you all are doing well and having a great 2014 so far. Bisous! -Taylor
January 2014 update: yes, I realize that this post should have been posted back in September or so. However, I had it all finished except the last bit of pics and never got around to publishing it. So, better late than never I guess. New years resolution: Finish projects in a timely fashion. :) As I said in the previous post, this is mainly for me at this point. I'd like to be able to write about the highlights from the trip while everything is somewhat fresh in my mind. I can't believe that it's been a month and a half since I got back to the states. I've almost been home as long as the amount of time I was there. Time goes by quickly, that's for sure.
Highlights from Amiens
The Cathedral
It's hard to think of Amiens without picturing this amazing cathedral. There were times while I was in Amiens that I would go out of my way to see the cathedral. I would walk back to our residence hall from centre-ville just so I could pass by it, even if just for a few seconds. It's such an incredible sight. It's bigger and more majestic than you could ever imagine. Being there, standing in front of it, evokes such a strong sense of history and almost pushes you to be some kind of believer. What I mean by that is this: religious or not, there is a strange haunting feeling you get while here (at least for me) that almost demands some sort of spirituality. It really makes you think of time and how quickly it passes. Shawn and I had a pretty deep conversation in front of the cathedral about 3/4 through our time there. Him and I were talking about how we were both surprised about how many emotions you go through when you're residing in a foreign country (especially in one where English isn't the native language). I realize we weren't there for a super long period, but we were living there, short as it may be. At this point, we were both happy to be there, yet homesick in a strange sense. There were definitely ups and downs, and lefts and rights for that matter, during the trip. Shawn said something that really stuck with me. He was talking about how being in France was better in some ways and worse in others than he thought it would be. We had all been taken so far out of our comfort zones without ever even realizing what was happening. As great as it is to be from the good ole' États-Unis, being in a place where history isn't just something you read about in a book has the power to change who you are. Here we were in a place where the past is tangible. You really look at things differently. Anyways, Shawn was talking about how even though being able to see history right in front of you is incredible, there is also a certain sadness that comes with it. We both agreed that this sadness comes from the experience of being in a place where the past and modern culture are separate, yet the same. You can feel the past, almost as if it's haunting you, yet you're not necessarily a direct part of it. We also talked about how the feeling of isolation and "sadness" sort of perpetuates itself for us, being there in France. That feeling of always trying to fit into your surroundings, but always being estranged. If you haven't gotten this by now, Shawn is one of the deepest people I know. That's one of the many things I love about this guy. What I took from this conversation was actually anything but sadness. It was the opposite actually. It made me really think about myself and the type of person I want to be(come). I want to be the type of person who is known for doing what she loves and for living the kind of life that leaves a mark on this world, however big or small, for people to see one day. Needless to say, this little talk left a big (cathedral sized) impression on me, and at the time I felt the need to just go and sit in the cathedral and soak it all in. Thanks Shawn!
While we're on the cathedral...another amazing fact is that the cathedral was originally painted in color. They had a light show going on while we were there. We were able to see what the cathedral would have looked like in these colors. Pretty amazing stuff. One of our good friends, Alex ("the Russian"), was saying that he prefers the cathedral without color. He thought that the color took away from the serious side of religion. I can agree to disagree, I thought it made it even more magical. Who doesn't like be-dazzled gothic cathedrals?? Russians.
My Goodness
aka home away from home. Now I know how the people from the series Cheers must have felt. Throw a couple brit and irish lads (and lady) in the mix, and you've got the place where everyone knows your name, and everyone is really glad you came. I can't even begin to describe how great the people of this bar are. They were always so welcoming to us, which is good since we were there pretty much every day. They really became a family for us. Next time I make it back, I will go out of my way to go up to Amiens to see the My Goodness crew, and I will proudly wear my Goodness crew t-shirt. These people are some of the greatest out there, not to mention that although I don't encourage spending night after night in a bar, we managed to meet some of our best Amiens friends here.
The music that was responsible for making us walk home at 3 am on multiple occasions:
Nos Amis
While we were in Amiens, we met so many great people. Everyone was from a different little corner of the world: from France, to Mexico, Morocco, Russia, UK, Ireland, and even the good ole' midwest. Our time with these amazing people is what made the trip what it was, unforgettable. We also got along so great with each other. We were certainly a family by the end of it.
The Girls: Me, Mckenzie, & Mel in from of the Arc de Triomphe.
First weekend after getting to Amiens.
Hanging with the Russian.
Teaching, duh...
There's too much to say about this. All I can say is that it was incredible. The best way to polish your french is to hang out in french schools. :)
Highlights from Holland
Top 10 List:
1) Getting to see my girl, Meike. Meike and I have known each other for years and years. Seeing as how we're on two different sides of the world, it's so easy to have our own separate lives. The thing I love about my friendship with Meike is that we always seem to pick up where we left off. We're just awesome like that. I'm lucky to call her my friend, and she's one of the greatest gals I know.
2) Amsterdam...it's not all just smoke shops folks. It's such a great place; so clean and beautiful. The people are also gorgeous if I may add.
3) Getting to continue my travels with McKenzie and Mel. Such great girls. Although we were joined at the hip for over a month...and we all had our ups and downs on the trip, we all traveled so well together. You know what they say...a true test in friendship is to travel with someone. Mel and I already had a great friendship...and it passed the travel test. McKenzie and I didn't know each other as well before leaving for France, but I'm so happy to know this lady. We'll always have that bond. Matt was in Amsterdam too. Although we didn't see him much, it was fun to run into him in the city. He's a pretty cool kid.
4) Coffee in Holland. It's own little culture we fell in love with.
5) Van Gogh Museum. We got to go here with Meike. Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists and it was incredible to see his work in person.
6) Anne Frank House. This was one of the most moving things I have ever done. I had always admired Anne and her story. It was so surreal being there. I truly believe that most people could change for the better if they could step foot in Anne's house. Anytime I start to feel too selfish or like I'm taking the world for granted/being too jaded...I'll just try booking a flight to Amsterdam (wishful thinking? Most likely...but one can hope) to visit the Anne Frank House. It's impossible to make it through the place with dry eyes and I really think that this one site has the power to make even the most jaded of people feel grateful and more tolerant.
7) Hanging out with Meike and her pals in Haarlem. Haarlem is a cute little suburb. The weather was beautiful. We got to sit by the river at a beach themed pizza joint. Drinking wine, talking with Meike and her friends...just enjoying great company. We fell in love with the Dutch language and decided right then and there that we wanted to learn it. Just one more language to add to the list, right?
I ended up finding this video on my phone. I was recording so that I could remember what the language sounded like. Not a weirdo at all. ;)
8) Meike, McKenzie and Mel know how this story starts...but I'll just say it ended with us sneaking up on top of a rooftop in old Haarlem to get the best view of the cathedral. Such a fun night. :)
9) Getting off at the wrong stop super late at night on the way to Amsterdam from Haarlem. "Wait...are we in Amsterdam?! This place looks so different." HA!
10) Just being in Amsterdam, taking in the beautiful architecture and scenery by foot. Let's just go back please!
Highlights from England
Top 10 List:
1) Lady Victoria...I don't think this needs any explanation other than: AMAZING, FUN, EPIC IN THE MOST EXTREME SENSE OF THE WORD, WISH WE WERE CONJOINED TWINS SO WE NEVER HAD TO SAY "SEE YOU LATER."
2) London town: Victoria and her sister Becky were extremely kind to host McKenzie and I. Victoria really showed us around. We were living like locals. London is such a cool town. It seems to be a theme of this trip...just when you think you couldn't possibly find a city as cool as the one you're in, you hop on a train and coolness slaps you in the face upon arrival.
By this point in the trip, London was very comforting. It was nice to be in an english speaking country after so long. We practically felt at home.
3) Harry Potter(ness): I love the Harry Potter books/films for those of you who don't know. Just being in England made me feel like I would get my letter from Hogwarts at any second.
4) Getting to go up to the Midlands to see where Victoria grew up and to meet her fam. The English countryside is as charming as you read about. Dreamy to say the least.
5) Constantly thinking I'd be lucky enough to either...a-run into Hugh Grant, b-run into Colin Firth, c- run into Robert Pattinson or d-all of the above. After all, we're in London. If there was ever a time in my life where I could casually bump into one of these dreamboats, now would be the time for it to happen.
6) Waiting for the royal heir to be born. I was there a couple weeks too early, but I just knew that baby would be born. I would then of course bump into Prince William casually and mention how I've worked as a nanny and adore kids. Job (check)!
7) Convincing Victoria's mom and dad that they had mold in the bathroom. Really Victoria and I had staged the scene and put a wedge of cheese in there. I've never been more scared in my life as Victoria's dad chases me down the hallway yelling in a Scottish accent.
8) Meeting new and wonderful people. I got to meet several of Victoria's friends who were all amazing. Making friends with random strangers is also nice.
9) Trying to make the guards laugh. I know that this is cliche, but I had to do it.
10) Tie between: a-making dance videos in the flat, and b-talking about how we would befriend the landlord and I could live with him. Just as a friend of course.
I've decided to add one more...
11) tea culture: I consumed so much tea here. It was so nice to have a little morning routine of waking up, making toast with jelly, and having some earl grey. I've tried to keep it up at home, but the tea just tastes better in England I guess. :)
The trip was incredible. I was able to really embrace the european way of life and was lucky to be able to live like a local everywhere I went thanks to a couple friends of course. Thank you for reading this far if you made it. This has definitely ignited the wanderlust in me. :)
Thanks to all those who made this trip memorable, in a small or big way. Until next time...
