3o Days of Truth: Day 19: views on religion.

Its almost funny - Lydia wrote about this very topic yesterday. And it seems, she and I share the same views.

As a Christian, I want to share my love for God; I want people to visibly be able to tell that I am a Christian, I want to lead a life that will one day be a good example for my kiddos.

As a Christian, I should have this passion to share Christ's love with others. And don't get me wrong, I really want to. I have a passion for people who don't know about God. But I also know that there is a time and a place for things like this. And I also can tell when someone doesn't want to hear it, I don't go off continuing to shove my religion on them.

A lot of what Lydia said, I agree with completely. So just go read her blog :)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 30: picture of something.

Yesterday after school, I decided to take the long way home. It was so beautiful. The weather was absolutely perfect. I appreciate days like this, especially when the weather lately has been so dreary and cold. Is it too soon to say I am ready for spring? :)

...this is the part where i ramble a whole bunch.

So in the past few days, I've gone into freak out mode. I have realized, I don't know what I want to do with my life. I don't know what kind of career I want. Over the past few years, I've changed my mind so many times (I mean, seriously. I wanted to be a mortician at one point. GROSS). Some days, I still want to work for a magazine doing page layouts. My days in yearbook really sparked in interest in that. Other days, I want to plan weddings. Why? I don't know. I've been to like, 2 weddings in my life and one of them was for my best friend's grandma & her new husband (sexy Rexy! So many jokes came from that weird, weird wedding). But anyways, I have an interest in weddings. I have a huge interest in all things handmade. I like to bake. No, I love to bake. I have so many different passions. I just want a career out of all of these loves that I have.

I was having a conversation similar to this the other day with Colby, and we both decided we just want to move. Get away from this small town we've lived in our entire lives, and just go. Me, to New York, Colby to London (with cutie little Blake. Blake spent the spring semester studying in London, and it seems that he left his heart there. I'm jealous). I so badly just want to live. To not have a set career, or even a set home. I just want to go and travel. Experience all these different places and cultures. I want to have kids and raise them to be well educated, cultured kids that have an appreciation for all things creative.

I used to want the cookie cutter, perfect wife/perfect mom life. Sometimes, I think it is what fits me best. They always say that you turn out to be like your mom... My mom was just that. She stayed at home for nearly 17 years before getting a "real" job, my junior year of high school. I appreciate everything she did when she was a stay at home, and always hoped that I would be half as good of a mom as she is. But in the recent months, I've found myself drifting further and further away from that ideal. Maybe this is just my independence I'm finally gaining. Or maybe I'm just getting antsy and I'm ready to leave Missouri. Who knows. I sure don't.

good morning:)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 29: 3 wishes.

These are very silly wishes. But this is what I want riiiight now:

1. Someone to get one (or both) of these cuuuuute puppies.
2. to move to NYC asap. I watch all these silly movies that are set in the city, and I just get insanely jealous! I miss New York beyond belief. I can't wait to go back.

3. to go see Warpaint in a few weeks when they come to Missouri. But alas ... I am not. I'm going to see the new Harry Potter at midnight. :)

(the Undertow video was directed by ultimate girl crush Shannyn Sossamon, who was the original drummer of Warpaint. in love in love in love)

30 Days of Truth: Day 18. I think: views on gay marriage.

I don't really know how I feel about this topic, actually.

Based on religious belief, I shouldn't be ok with gay marriage.

My best friend is gay, so obviously I don't have a problem with gays. But gay marriage is an iffy subject for me. Because I'm just really apathetic about it. I probably should have an opinion about it.. but I don't. Ha.

Most amazing giveaway ever? Yes, I think so:

I'll probably win, just saying.

:)

xoxo Haley

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 28: something that stresses you out.

School. I really underestimated how stressful community freaking college would be. I really, really dislike OTC, and can't wait to transfer. My parents want me to wait it out another year before making the move to Southeast, but ... I really don't think it's worth it. Laaame.

30 Days of Truth: Day 17: A book that has changed your views on something.

I'm not sure if this book changed my views on much, but it has definitely been very influential in my life as a reader.

I first read The Giver when I was in 4th grade. I was 10, I think. I have read it at least 4 times in the past 7ish years. Every so often, I just have to read it again.

The story is set in this "perfect" town (very Pleasantville-ish to me, everything is black and white, with zero color, and everyone is practically perfect), but throughout the book, you realize this town is not perfect at all. The government is all for what is called "Sameness" in which everyone is the same; the have predetermined careers that are given to them at a certain age, they have rules to follow, and everyone is completely void of emotional depth.

The central character, Jonas, is presented with the job of being "The Giver" who is there to aid the government in any decisions that may come up. The previous Giver teaches Jonas of the town before "Sameness" and presents him with a much larger world outside of his own. Jonas experiences feelings of true happiness, pain, love, etc.

I'm not sure why this story affected me the way it did, but I have loved it for many, many years. It is definitely one of the most influential books in my life.

I was put in charge of getting all of the winter clothes put away - I was super angry that I had to do this at first, and then I happened upon a pretty, pretty quilt in the bottom of one of the boxes. Holy cow, I was so in love with it.

I immediately put it on my bed, and I really can't wait to go to sleep tonight because of it. It has the most perfect fall colors and its just.. pretty. I'm in love. ♥

Oh! And there's the owl pillow I got at Funtiques a while back for 5 bucks. Best. Ever. It says, "Gee, but I'm lonesome."

I also found this too-cute crochet baby jacket in the box, too. I'm not too entirely sure of why it was in the Winter clothing box, but... I'm so keeping this. Haha:)

other silly things from my week:

we had an assignment in my Safety & Sanitation class to eat a buffet and "observe" what was going on at the buffet and such. Well, my partners (2 dudes I hardly know) and I decided we weren't going to eat at some gross buffet, so we chose Hemingways in Bass Pro. Yup. Seafood all the way. We also noticed there was absolutely nothing wrong with the way they were operating the buffet, so now we have nothing to write our paper on. Haha. But, while at Bass Pro, we decided to get a picture of me with the bear to prove that I have been in Bass Pro (no one in my class believes me). Best photo ever. I absolutely love Red Velvet being 2 minutes away from my school. I can see that making quick trips over to RV for Bubble Tea between classes is going to become a very bad habit. I love it.

Have a happy Sunday :)

xo Haley

P.s. I watched The Room last night. Verdict: So. Effing. Retarded.

But I loved it so much I watched it again this morning.

:)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 27: pets.

Really, I don't have any pets.

My dad has a fish, we call him Freddy. But that's it.

Over the years, we've had fish, hermit crabs, and 2 dogs. My first dog was Wallie (because we got him at Walmart). He got really, really big, and we had to get rid of him. He was growing much faster than the kiddos in the family.

Our second dog was Sam. He was a chihuahua. For the most part, the entire family really disliked him. So after a few years, we gave him to my 6 year old cousin. Her dad let Sam out one day, and Sam never came back. Too bad.

30 Days of Truth: Day something. I don't know: something you could live without.

- caffeine.

- a guilty conscious.

- college.

Tonight, I'm watching The Room with one of my friends.

I. Am. Stoked.

I have been hearing about this movie for over a year now, and I finally decided to put it higher up on my Netflix queue .

:)) have a good night.

-haley

P.s. whip yo hair.

I have a lot to say today.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 25: iPod shuffle.

So, here are the first 10 songs that played on my iTunes with shuffle on. All are very good songs:)

1. "Tiny Circle" - Wolf People

2. "Fever Dreaming" - No Age

3. "Live to Tell the Tale" - Passion Pit

4. "The Wolves (Act I & II)" - Bon Iver

5. "Always Where I Need to Be" - The Kooks

6. "Atlas" - Fanfarlo

7. "Take on the World" - Wavves

8. "Always on My Mind" - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

9. "To Be Alone with You" - Sufjan Stevens

10. "Peach, Plum, Pear" - Joanna Newsom

30 Days of Truth: Day 14: a hero that has let you down.

I can't really think of a "hero" that has let me down. I've never really had a hero character in my life.Other than God.. and he's yet to let me down.

In other, more exciting news:

Lil Wayne has been released from jail, yo. I thought about wearing my Lil Wayne shirt in honor of this awesome day. But decided against it. And then, my friend Rolo suggested that everyone skip class in honor of it. I think that is a satisfactory solution to celebrating his release, right? ITS WEEZY BABY. (ok, I'm done being ghetto now)

My favorite "photoshoot" I've ever done, e.v.e.r. was with one of my close friends, Jordan. She lives in Chicago, I'm a month older than her, but she graduated a year before me, and she has a cool boyfriend named Tony. Life is pretty grand when she's around. These photos were taken on December 31, 2008... So almost 2 years ago. Time has flown by. My hair was also ridiculously short 2 years ago.... and I'm cutting it again soon. :) (all photos by Anna Kicker)

Enjoy your lovely day. It is beautiful outside!

:)

Haley

I can't think of a clever title for this one.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 24: Something you've learned.

Let's see.. I've learned that I can't please everyone. I've tried really hard for the longest time, but I've come to terms with the fact that I can't do it. No one can.

I've also learned that I really, really love sleep. I seriously need like 8 or 9 hours to get through the day. Crazy talk.

30 Days of Truth: Day 13: A band that has gotten you through tough times.

Oh gosh - I don't know. I've been into a very wide range of music throughout my young life. In junior high, I was way into creepy rock music. My Chemical Romance & Green Day were my bands. Hahaha. Oh, how things change.

Nowadays, I listen to a lot of CocoRosie & Best Coast when I'm feeling down (they cheer me up instantly). And occasionally Modest Mouse when I'm in need of just noise.

Woody Allen love: I don't know why I waited this long to watch Woody Allen films. But, nevertheless, I'm actually glad I did. I don't think I'd have the same appreciation for them then, that I do now. I watched Hannah and Her Sisters last night...

I absolutely loved it. So good. So, so good. It made me miss New York so much (but then again - what doesn't make me miss that city?)

And right now, I'm watching Annie Hall. Every time it comes on TV, I always intend on watching it, but I never do. And finally, a friend had me completely convinced to give it a shot. So.. I'm watching it right as we speak.

So far, I like it. But I must say that Hannah and Her Sisters is better. But then again, I haven't seen all of Annie Hall yet. So, we shall see.

And tonight, I'm going to clean up my room, make some tea, and settle in to watch Whatever Works. Another Woody Allen film. Goodness me, I can't get enough. :)

Ohh, Woody Allen. :)
x0. haley.

Compliments, New York (again), and Biscuits.

30 Days of Truth: Day 12: Something you never get compliments on.

Is it bad that I can't think of anything? I don't mean that in a bad way. Its just the only thing I ever get compliments on is my eyes, and there's nothing else I feel should be complimented - if that makes any sense. Ha.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 23: Favorite vacation.

How many times can one person talk about New York City?? I can't say enough about this city. Really. Highlights included...
the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park.
Strawberry Fields, in Central Park, as well. Central Park, in general. Haha:)

Taking a text-break with my aunt while waiting on the grandma to finish reading every single informational sign at the Statue of Liberty. Although visiting the Statue was cool, it was extremely boring. I would've been just fine looking at it from land, instead of waiting 2 hours for a 15 minute ferry ride out to the island, and then another 2 hours just "looking around," and eating chili cheese fries. Boring.

The Pants Party:

Never in your life have you seen a more amazing giveaway. For real.

Look for yourself. It is awesome. Danielle reallyyy knows how to put on a good party.

Anyways... the point of blogging about this, y.o.u. can win a handmade journal by me! :) So, go to Danielle's blog, look at all the amazing prizes, tell her what you'd fill a pool up with (I would definitely choose alfredo sauce. is that weird?), check out everyone's shops/blogs, and win.

This is an EPIC giveaway.

playing catch up

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 21: picture of yourself.

This is one of the more recent photos...

Day 22: Favorite city.
I will always love New York. and someday, I will live there.

30 Days of Truth: Day 10: Someone you wish you didn't know.

....I'm going to skip this one.

Day 11: Something people compliment you on the most.

My eyes & smile. Always. I also hear that I look like Mandy Moore..? I don't see it.

This is an old picture of me - almost 2 years old. But I love it - and my collarbones. Haha:)

Halloween!

I never ever do anything special for Halloween. Generally, it is my least favorite "holiday." But this year, I went to a fuuun costume party with some friends (Colby was Frankenstein & Blake was a mummy. It was just about the cutest ever). Lots and lots of fun :)

I hope your Halloween was a fun one too:)

-haley

I should be studying.

I wore this yesterday:

and I felt cute. (owl shirts, Pac Sun; black sweater, I have no idea - stole it from my momma; high waist shorts, F21; tights, Target, I think?; boots... not sure about those either).

I love walking into work and seeing my boss's reaction to what I'm wearing. She usually says something to the effect of "you're cute... but crazy." I love her.

Today: I am so tired. I don't know why I can't ever fall asleep at night. I watch Parks and Recreation every night - that's probably what's keeping me up; as soon as I put in Donnie Darko - I'm completely out. I can't keep my eyes open during that movie, unless I'm watching it during the day. Silly.

There are so many creepy people at OTC. There was this one time that a guy came up and randomly wanted to have a full on conversation with me. I thought he was just being nice and that was cool and all. He finally left me alone - and then he came back, 5 minutes later. And then Tuesday, it happened again. This time, though, he wanted to talk about if I'd ever been proposed to before. WTF, I'm NOT going to talk about this with you, creepy guy! I don't like this school very much...

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 18: Something you regret.

I don't feel like I should regret much - after all, I'm only 19. But I think that I do regret a few "minor" things that have happened so far.

I regret not going to college at a university. I want the "real" college experience. I look at 2 of my friends that chose to go away for school and I see all the pictures on Facebook, and see all the fun that they are having, and it makes me sad that I didn't choose this for myself. Of course, I realize it's not too late. Actually, I was just reading an email from my advisor at Southeast, and she said that if I want to be at that school by January, I just need to have my paperwork done by the beginning of December. So, I mean, it's definitely not too late for me to change this. But for this semester, at least, that has been a big regret of mine.

Another is that I never really took high school seriously. To me, it was just something I had to do every day. I never saw it as something that would effect college. Which is absolutely silly (and stupid) on my part. I failed a ton of classes my first 2 years of h.s. and so that really messed me up for the first few years of college. My senior year of high school, I was in a math class full of sophomores and juniors. It was absolutely ridiculous.

30 Days of Truth: Day 7: Someone who has made your life worth living.

Easy. Jesus Christ.

Every day, I wake up, and I owe it all to Him. I am alive every single day because of Christ. He sacrificed so much that I could live. Someone died just for me, so that I could live. I owe my all to Jesus Christ - He is my rock. He makes this life worth living.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday.

Tomorrow is work day for me, and I couldn't be more excited. The little trick-or-treaters are coming and I get to dress up and hand out candy! I'm so stoked. PLUS, tomorrow my Cassie comes back! Only for the weekend though (lame). So she and I are gonna hang out when I get off work Saturday night, watch the movie Candy (one of Heath Ledger's best), and lock ourselves in a room, and paint. Just like old times. That's the fun thing about having a friend that goes away for college - when they come back, you have so much to catch up on, but its almost as if they haven't been gone at all. We've only really talked once since the last time she came back. We skyped for nearly 2 hours, and then we've texted here and there every so often. But I'm so excited to be spending REAL time with her. I've missed her :)

xo

Haley

Last Night and other thing.

Last night, I was supposed to watch these movies...

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

Moon

BUT, I only made it through Big Fish. So tonight, I'll try again. :)

Big Fish was... good. I like Tim Burton. Correction, I love Tim Burton. So this was a near perfect film for me. Everything in it was so pretty. It was just cute.

Colby tells me that Moon is confusing, but I think I'll like it... and I've seen bits & pieces of The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - my little brother Tucker loves it. He's seen it multiple times, its adorable. I wanted to wait to see this with Cassie because a) we have Heath Ledger Remembrance Days, in which we watch a Heath movie we've never seen before, so we wanted to see this together and b) TOM. WAITS. sigh. we like Tom Waits a lot.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 17: Something you're looking forward to.

Well...

• The semester to be over. I generally dislike the majority of my classes. I think my English class is the only one I have the patience to sit through.
• A trip to New York City with my best friend Breigh sometime in the (near) future.
• The return of Miss Cassie this weekend! I love it when she comes home from college:)
• My NEW Toms to get to my house! (I just found out that I won Michelle's Toms Giveaway. She's the best!) :)))
• Dressing up (as an owl!) at the Tea Room this weekend to hand out candy to cute little trick or treaters :)
• Harry Potter movie marathon with Colby, Blake & Sara!! This is just an idea I had while waiting for Paranormal Activity 2 to start the other night, and I think Blake & Sara are in on the idea too :) Colby, however... haha:)

30 Days of Truth: Day 6: Something you hope you never have to do.

I hope that I will never have to go to a funeral for one of my brothers.

This is one of my worst fears. My dad lost one of his brothers when he was my age, and I don't know how he handled that, I still don't know how he handles it today. My grandma also lost both of her brothers within a year of each other back when she was in college. It is so sad to hear her say every so often, "I wonder what Jack would be like..."

I love my brothers so much and to have to do something like that.. I don't know if I could.

I am sooo stinking tired! And I have to work today... which is a-ok. I would just like to sleep a little longer... good thing I still have 2 hours before I have to get up! :)

Enjoy your day :)

xo Haley

my week is all screwed up.

All day yesterday, I thought it was Tuesday. And today, all morning, I've been thinking it's Monday. So weird. Yesterday, I was all excited for the Rocky Horror episode of Glee, and then got super upset that it wasn't on. And then today, I keep thinking that The Event is on tonight, which really - it was on last night, and I missed it. Uh, lame. Looks like I'll be on Hulu in between classes today.

This morning, after my first class (which gets out before 10...which means I'm waking up around 6 just to get to class on time), I had coffee with my good friend Taylor. I met him my political science class, and he's the coolest. For real, he plays tennis and works at PacSun. He's way awesome. So we had coffee and talked about my crafting skills, and my obsession with owls (he got me a shirt from PacSun with owls on it. I looove it), and he made me an origami owl. Told ya he was cool.

Right now I'm blogging in math. I started taking notes..and then gave up. I don't like this class anymore.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 16: Dream house.

I have 2 dream houses. And they are both in the town that I live in. One is just really silly, and the other, I'd legitimately live in.

(the silly one)

(the one i'd live in)

I love my town. It has some of the prettiest old houses around, and they are all in the same general part of town, so its so cool to just take a walk and look at all the pretty homes. I love it here.

30 Days of Truth: Day 5: Something you hope to do in your life.

Something I hope to do? Live in New York City.

I'm such a small town girl, I can't imagine living anywhere other than where I live now. But I know that someday I"ll have to move away, and funny enough, I want to live in a huge city where no one really knows their neighbor.

I went to NYC for a few days back in June, and I fell in love. It is the most beautiful, most exciting, most alive city I've ever been to before. It is amazing. Beyond amazing.

I'm hoping that when I'm done with college, I can just up and move, and start a new life on my own. As scary as that sounds right now, I can't wait to do this. I'm up for the challenge of being completely on my own; I can't wait.

if you could live in any city, where would you live? :) xo haley

random assortment of things.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 15: favorite Bible verse.

I posted about this verse a while back, and how it has specific meaning to me, and that I want it tattooed on me, someday (post-children, I think).

"For I bear on my body the scars the show I belong to Jesus Christ."

-Galatians 6:17

Read that post here.

30 Days of Truth: Day 4: something I need to forgive someone else for.

This is probably the hardest topic so far. I hate having to admit that I need to forgive someone, to admit that they hold something over me that causes me constant hurt. I have 3 people in mind (I'm not going to name any names) that I need to just... let go of. Over the years, my relationships with these people have gotten messy and complicated, to the point that I feel I can't be friends with them anymore, yet I still hold onto these people. One of them was one of my very best friends for a few years. She and I called each other "twin" because we were so much alike; basically the same person. Over time, we both changed. Life happened to both of us, and we were no longer compatible as friends. She moved closer to me (she lived 6 hours away when we first met), but things were still different. Slowly, we've starting talking again. I long to have that friendship we used to have, but I know that things

are way past that point and I can't have that anymore. But I'm ok with that. I need to let go of who she used to be, and who I used to be, and accept a new friendship with her.

The other two are (drumroll...) boys. Of course. One of them is a very, very important guy to me. Or was, at least. He became one of my closest friends, over time, and its hard not having him to talk to about things that are going on in my life. A lot of stuff happened between us that was definitely not okay, and crying yourself to sleep at night, is not okay either. He caused a lot of hurt, but its something that just needs to be let go of. I'll never move on if I can't truly forgive him and be okay with what happened.

The other guy? He's just a douche. Who likes parking garages. (Haha, I can only imagine how Colby is reacting to that. Hahaha)

I just really need to forgive these people, forget what happened, and move on.

Easier said than done.

Done with the heavy stuff, thank goodness!

Now, onto music..

:)

1. "Zebra" - Beach House. 2. "Agoraphobia" - Deerhunter.

3. "Home" - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. 4. "We Own the Sky" - M83.

1. "What's In It For" - Avi Buffalo. 2. "Post Acid" - Wavves.

3. "You've Got the Love" - Florence & the Machine (The xx Remix). 4. "5 Years Time" - Noah & the Whale

These are just a few of the songs that have been in (constant) rotation on my iTunes, lately. I was having a .. "discussion" (read: argument) last night, about how the band Wavves doesn't exactly fit me and the type of music I listen to. I've been a (mild) fan of Wavves since earlier this past summer, and I find it to be only summer music for me now. I can't just listen to Wavves year round now, and same goes for other music as well: I can only listen to Joanna Newsom in the fall, I can only listen to Regina Spektor or Kate Nash in the winter. I don't know why things are this way, but I can't stand to listen to them any other time of the year. But this playlist is just a mix of the songs I love (a lot) right now. Some of it is my "autumn" music, some of it is my "summer" music. It's all good. :)

-haley