Sunday, November 30, 2014

Self Portrait (48/52)


Today Ally & I took a walk down Michigan Avenue to window shop, so a selfie was necessary! More pictures tomorrow...

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Saturday, November 29, 2014

2014 Goals Update: November

333/365

Only month left in 2014! As most goal setters, I am so ready for next year. Ally and I bought Passion Planners for each other, and I'm so excited for it to arrive so I can organize my year. Already thinking about all the changes I'll make in blogging next year!

This morning Ally, Marika, Leslie, & I trekked to Chick-fil-A for breakfast, then to Ohio & Michigan to see Mockingjay: Part One! I found $7 tickets online and now Ally wants to go every weekend. Um, we'll see about that. It was great, though! The movie as well as the reclining leather seats. Oh, yes.

1: one self portrait (per week)
Success! 
week forty-four | week forty-five | week forty-six | week forty-seven | week forty-eight

2: compose photos (every day)
Nope. I know I missed one day for sure, made up for it, and probably missed another. Whatevs. 360 of 365 days would be fine with me.
305 | 307 | 308 | 312 | 313 | 315 | 317 | 318 | 319 | 322 | 323 | 325 | 326 | 328 | 329 | 331 | 332 - which is at the top of this post | 334

3: read the Bible (every day)
Nope. I binge read it while working on my Old Testament paper...

4: journal (daily)
Nope. Definitely not even a priority even more.

5: blog (daily)
Nope! These last few days are being posted early-December. I'm still writing the posts, obviously, but it's a bit less authentic when it's not the actual day.

6: walk
A little bit! I can't think of any time I did a ton of walking, but it's the city so you definitely do more walking than when at home.

7: bike
Nope.

8: 52 projects
Heh. It's Christmas project time. Not even sure I finished any projects this month. I do have a few projects I've finished this year that I haven't blogged about and there's no guarantee they will ever be blogged. Shrug.

9: 52 books
I finished another book this month! For the first time, I forgot to do a monthly reading post, but I only finished one book, so I can just toss it in with next month's post.

10: experiment with photography
Oops. That didn't really happen this month. Boo! I'm so bummed to realize this.

11: make six new meals for the family
A little difficult 900 miles away...

12: learn to play the keyboard
Nope.

13: at least one photo book
Not yet!

14: travel
Once again, it's just about exploring the city.

- rl

Previous 2014 Goals Posts:
Original List
January Update
February Update
March Update
April Update
May Update
June Update
July Update
August Update
September Update
October Update

Friday, November 28, 2014

100 Days Here

332/365

Today marks 100 days since moving to Chicago! That is crazy. Tonight I made popcorn in Ally and I's new hot air popper that we bought off a girl from two floors down. I'm looking forward to many movie nights with popcorn from this machine. You can see Marika's machine behind the bowl, which is the one Leslie always uses. She has shown me the fine art of making popcorn and I'm looking forward to perfecting it over the years. (;

100 days. I love it here. It's not perfect, but it's pretty great. I'm definitely a lot more familiar with the city and how it all works than I was on that first day. There is still so, so much to explore of this place (i.e. pizza!) but that will come slowly, which is really how it should be. Right now I am especially looking forward to seeing all the Christmas decorations come up around the city.

More than anything, though, I'm looking forward to hauling my stuff all the way down the Orange line here in a few short weeks to the airport on my way HOME. Three weeks, y'all.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Thanksgiving 2014

331/365

Eating on Wednesday definitely has its benefits at Thanksgiving! We were able to relax all day on Thursday, which means we slept in and watched lots of movies! Ally made fettuccine Alfredo with turkey and it was good. We bought the ingredients so she can make it again sometime next week. It was so, so nice to just hang out with Ally and Laura all day. 

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Friendsgiving 2014

Today we had our Friendsgiving Feast! Although, I think it can only be considered a Friendsgiving if you're having a Thanksgiving at a later date, but whatever. Ally and Laura did a lot of work to pull this all off, and it went fabulously!

First, just some perspective on the view we had while preparing the lunch:

Ally started with the mashed potatoes. 
The list of everything that had to be done. 
She needed a little bit of soy sauce, so instead of wasting a ton by buying a full bottle, she used the little bit she had gotten from the Chinese delivery the night before.
 
Laura with the sign she had put on the oven door late last night.
Laura and I made cute little envelopes for the butter for our bread! 
Very full stove top! 
Our main view: my iPad with Christmas (yup...the chef's orders!) music + watching Ally prepare whatever item she was working on at that time. 
Laura posing by the tree in our lounge.
Our spread downstairs part one...
two... 
three...
& four!
 Laura and Ally set up the table really cute, but I forgot to get pictures of it before. Here's after, though, with most of us seated.
Ally is a Children's Ministry major...so we had some activities (: 
The mess to clean up afterwards... 
involved a decent amount of dishes. We finished fairly quickly, though, and were on to House Hunters within an hour!

It hasn't quite set in that I won't be with my family tomorrow, but there's only three weeks to go! I'm not sure I'll ever go home for Thanksgiving (because it's just so close to Christmas break!) but if I don't we're already hoping to do this annually!

- rl

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Making A Choice

329/365

Right now I am itching to finish this book so I can read one of the many others I have waiting for me on my shelf. I'm trying to make sure I read for a little while before bed each night, because two books a semester is not okay. So tonight I told myself I would read a set number of pages, only being slightly distracted. (; Not sure if I mentioned it already, but I'm also dealing with a slight cold or something, which means I'm sniffling constantly. Fun.

Officially on Thanksgiving break now! I'm free for the next few days, with only plans to hang out with friends! Yippee!

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Monday, November 24, 2014

How I Stay Sane

328/365

I love piling stuff on my bed throughout the day. I know it isn't helpful for a lot of people, but this is the only way I can make sure that things get put away before I go to bed each night. I'm getting into a routine of watching something on YouTube while putting it all away, so it gets done pretty quickly. I've been doing this for a few years now, and I'm curious to see how this translates next semester when I'm on the top bunk!

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Self Portrait (47/52)


Tonight we had our bro/sis Thanksgiving feast!

I was in the kitchen for a few hours this afternoon working on my contribution (funfetti cookies!) and spent the time chatting with girls on the floor. We all headed over around six and were greeted after getting out of the elevators by our bros! We took the food we had brought into their lounge then went back to join the little photobooth area they had set up.

We had tons of fun playing the opposite of Charades (one person leaves the room while everyone else decides on a motion, the person comes back and has to guess it: hilarious), ate, then heard an epic tale by a few bros. Crazy!

Most everyone got all dressed up for the occasion, some bros even in partial suits (not sure the technical term for that...but ya know). Laura did my hair, pictured above. Epic, right? She rebraided my hair after I showered tonight so hopefully it will be a pretty wavy after she fixes it up tomorrow.

College ain't too shabby.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Friendsgiving Shopping

326/265

This afternoon Ally and I went grocery shopping in the city!

We weren't 100% positive of where the grocery stores were that we wanted to go to, but we figured it out! We did get a little bit of a workout, though. Thankfully it was actually nice out today, aka like 45F. We were able to borrow a fancy grocery rolling cart contraption from a girl on our floor, which made the walk back pretty easy. However, walking through the aisles of Jewel-Osco was such a pain. Why are the aisles so small?! Anyhow, we were able to store most of it in my room, so we only had to put the rolls in the community freezer. So excited! I won't be doing much cooking, but I plan on sitting in there to be of assistance to my friends who are cooking!

Also, that is not wine or any sort of alcohol you see in the first picture, but sparkling cider! I saw it and mentioned how funny it would look to have that, so we grabbed a couple bottles! We're so fancy. (;

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Friday, November 21, 2014

Cherry Coke + Crochet

325/365

Only 40 days left of 2014?! How is that even possible?

Today I've been sipping on this bottle of Cherry Coke from class the other day. Our professor had us going on a scavenger hunt, and it wrapped up with us getting a drink (put on his account) and meeting him to discuss. Pretty sweet. I'm thankful for the professors I've had so far + the fact that the north seems to be into Cherry Coke as much as I am!

Tonight I had to tear out at least five rows of my current crochet project because my count was off. Marika and I watched The Hunger Games, and hope to rewatch Catching Fire before making time for Mockingjay: Part 1 at some point soon. I worked on my crochet while she worked on hers, which involved learning some new things for both of us. She was able to get the hang of it, though, which is awesome!

Now I've got some counting to do to get this project sorted out before I go to bed. I absolutely cannot sleep knowing it's all messed up.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Throwing It Back


My first, but certainly not last, Throwback Thursday. TWILIGHT. I just happened across a video on YouTube of a fellow Twihard talking about how this third week of November always makes her feel nostalgic, so I had to find pictures from the last midnight premiere! I went to all five with my sister and her bestie (in the bottom picture) and it was so, so great.

Oh, Twilight. I seriously need to re-read it. I (aka Diana) was able to track all four books + the illustrated companion at a big book sale in May so I've been wanting to reread them since then! Maybe over Christmas break...

So maybe Twilight isn't the most theologically sound thing, but it was a huge part of my late middle/early high school years, so when someone starts to bash it I get upset. Don't diss Twilight in front of me...I'll get sad.

- rl

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Making a Mess

323/365

Tonight I got off work a little early, then joined the girls on my floor in decorating our lounge for Christmas! It's a little early for my tastes (I'm a day-after-Thanksgiving! kind of girl), but it was still so much fun to get together. It's not done yet because we have a (fake) tree coming this weekend.

I'm so excited!! I FaceTimed with my parents when I got back to my room and we booked my plane tickets home! Only four more weeks! I can't wait! So many exclamation points!

Now I'm chowing on my nighttime snack and watching (more) House Hunters. It's on Netflix and I watched way too much today. Leslie is crashing on my floor tonight because she's going to wake up really early to work on homework and setting her alarm loud in here won't bother me like it would other people..like her roommate!

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Getting Ready

322/365

College is a little messy. This was my floor this morning after I had borrowed Marika's hair dryer. I got ready for the day and ended up settling up on an outfit which was exciting because I was wearing leggings! I kept them on while I worked and felt super cozy.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Monday, November 17, 2014

Maybe Finally STICKING

321/365

While finishing up my Old Testament paper this afternoon I had to get a picture of the snow that was falling! Like I said yesterday, it isn't really sticking, but it will soon, I'm sure! It's in the teens here today, but my $20 Costco jacket has been keeping me toasty on my way to and from class today.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Self Portrait (46/52)


This is me at 3am eating macaroni and cheese made by Leslie. I'm not sure when I'll be sleeping, but I have two papers and a test due tomorrow...so there's that.

It was snowing today! Only flurries, but there was a little sticking which was fun to see!

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Settling In

319/365

Once upon a time I made friends with the girls across the hall. We are great friends now, which is code for "it's not weird at all that I took over Marika's bed all afternoon to do homework". The tape there? I used that to put some info on her wall for a paper I'm writing. She laughed at it when she walked in, and I made sure to take them down before I went to work.

I say I'm settling in, though, because this is the room Ally and I are (Lord-willing!) moving into starting next semester. I spend a lot of time in there already. "A lot" as in people go there first to look for me and not even my own room. (:

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Friday, November 14, 2014

Snacks & Secrets

318/365

Tonight I'm snacking and finally starting a project I've meant to for months, which feels amazing. It's probably my most intense project to date, but I won't be able to share it until after it's gifted at Christmas. ):

Now I've got a weekend full of homework and attempting to focus. Boo! House Hunters is on Netflix, though, so I suppose I'll survive...

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Licensing Relief

Lines on the wall before 4pm. What even, Chicago?
317/365 - the turkey decoration my mom sent my sister with for me decorate with! so cute

It has almost been one year since I officially opened my Etsy shop. I never sold anything on there, which was only slightly disappointing. I never put anything else on there once I started knitting and crocheting this year because I wasn't sure about the legalities of it all. I had seen the designers specify on some patterns, but not all. For whatever reason, I only just now did a little bit of research, and was very pleased with the results.

Note: this is my understanding of it all after reading some comments, etc on Ravelry for the US. I definitely plan on doing some more research and if you know anything please let me know!

It's a matter of licensing, not copyright. By designing the pattern, the designer has the rights for the pattern itself, including the words and images. They do not have control over what I make with the pattern, however. So if they say a pattern is for personal use only, I cannot charge someone for the pattern because it's not mine. I can, however, make the item they provided the instructions to and then sell that product.

This has been the thing holding me back from using Etsy more. I was very purposeful with my business cards, I used the phrase "custom knits" so then it would come from the angle that people would find a pattern they liked then have me make it for them, therefore making it personalized and custom, not just a direct product from the pattern. I'm not sure if that even makes sense, but it does in my head so I stuck with it.

Now? I'm not sure. I know I want to sell things I make, but not necessarily at such a level that some do, especially while I'm in school. I am able to get a decent amount of knitting in, especially with classes, etc., but I don't really want the pressure to have to keep a shop fully stocked.

No matter how I go about my knitting now that I have this knowledge, I want to make it clear that I will always make it clear that it is not my pattern. Maybe I will one day make my own patterns, but I'm not seeing that happening anytime soon. Maybe a few tweaks here and there, but not from scratch.

I still have ideas for from the Maker. It is a collaboration I dream about daily, but one I'm not quite ready for. It will be a baby step thing, which is fine by me.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

WIP Wednesday


It's been two weeks since the last WIP Wednesday, but I don't think I've made too much progress. The hat I'm working on (aka the mobile project) is almost done despite only being worked on during chapel and classes. I just started the decreases in my 8am and will be continuing during chapel and my noon class. (:

My shrug is SO CLOSE to being completed and I really need to finish it. It's driving me insane. I also cannot decide whether or not it's possible to finish the backpack before/during Christmas breaks, so we'll see. These baby booties, though...I don't even know. I hate straight knitting.

- rl

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Putting It All Together

315/365

Tonight I'm attempting to put together all the resources we've received in college writing to work on a short definition essay. I can't say I'm feeling so confident on this one, but aside from this essay type I'm feeling pretty well equipped thanks to this class. It's another late night...shocker. I think it's going to be a week of those. Christmas Break is for sleeping, right?

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Monday, November 10, 2014

Late Night Games

314/365

Tonight I came back from work to find Leslie asleep on my floor. She was working on her Romans paper, so after she woke up an I showered we played Monopoly Deal, a current obsession for the both of us. College, man. Who knew it involved card games?

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Sunday, November 09, 2014

Self Portrait (45/52)

313/365

Today was nice. I did a little bit of homework, but more importantly I made some fun memories with friends. I ended the night with ripping back on the shrug I am this close to finishing, then watching Gilmore Girls and snacking. Guys, I really want to finish this shrug soon! Christmas projects need to be started!!

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)