City Lights.

I'm currently on a mini-vacation with my best friend, and seeing all of the lights at night never ceases to amaze me. It's not even like we're in a big city with a giant skyline. It's just a small city, but I find the lights so beautiful.
There's something exhilarating about the buildings. I love it. I want to see so many more cities and skylines. I just want to see everything and go everywhere. The more I travel, the more I want to travel.  The wanderlust is strong today.
Anyway, I'm going to get back to relaxing and eating way too much pasta.

Favorite Movies of 2014.

I watch A LOT of movies. Some would say too many. Here are some of my favorites that came out in twenty-fourteen. Also, they aren't in order.

1. The Lego Movie.

2. 22 Jump Street.

3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

4. Mr. Peabody and Sherman.

5. The Purge: Anarchy.

6. X-Men Days of Future Past.

7. Godzilla.

8. Let's Be Cops.

A Little Me Time.

I think it's important to take a little time for yourself every now and then, and that's why I'm not going to post a Thursday post this week or next. It is, after all, the holidays. I'm still going to have Tuesday and Saturday posts, just not typical Thursday posts.

I hope you all have fun with your families, and may they not ask too many personal questions about all of your deepest insecurities. You all know what I'm talking about. Now, go eat pie, and watch some Netflix. You deserve it! 

Small Talk.

I've never been good at small talk. Maybe it's because I really am interested in the weather. In another universe, I'd definitely be a meterologist. Either way, I'm not good at keeping things on the surface. I just find it boring and because I know I'm not good at it, I get nervous. It's a vicious circle. I think that's why I like people who also aren't good at small talk, It's like a mutual agreement to allow the weirdness until things level out. After that phase things are great.

Travel Necessities.

I haven't done a significant amount of travel in my nineteen years of life, but I've done enough to figure out what it is I can't live without.

1. Hand Sanitizer. The amount of times that you'll find yourself in an situation where you wished you had hand sanitizer is truly alarming.

2. Tissues. I don't know what it is about traveling, but I will inevitably get a runny nose at some point. Also, why do they even make tissues without lotion in them nowadays? I thought we were past that.

3. Snacks. Some delicious S'mores granola bars are one of my favorites. And, don't forget, it's never really a road trip until you've consumed some kind of processed meat product.

4. Lip Balm. Burt's Bees Mango somethin'-or-other is my lip moisturizer of choice.

5. Lotion. Kind of like the tissues, your will for some reason always feel oddly dryer in a new destination.

6. Mp3 Player. Music is integral to any travel experience. Some song will become the song of your trip. Now, are you going to take that decision into your own hands or let some DJ choose for you.

7. Finger Nail Clippers. Nails break at the worst times.

8. Pen and Paper. You never know when you're going to need to write something down. From an idea to directions, it'll be useful at some point.

9. A book. I usually never end up actually reading the book, but in some weird way it gives me comfort.

10. GPS. The gps on my phone recently stopped working. I've never been so lost without an app. Heh. Puns.

11. Dr. Pepper. Or your drink of choice. For real though, I'm addicted to the stuff. Also, its probably why I feel dehydrated when I get where I'm going. Real time realizations.

12. A Sassy Sidekick. Or a partner in crime, depends on the tone of the trip really.

13. Dry Shampoo. I'm not convinced it really does anything yet, but it definitely makes you feel fresher after a day of traveling.

14. Gum. Gum is especially important if you're going to be changing altitude at any point. The ear popping will, otherwise, drive you insane.

15. A Good Attitude. Yup, ending this with a little extra cheese. It's a cliche, but it's one of the good ones.

Changes. Choices. And Challenging Yourself.

Change is one of few universal constants we can count on. It's inevitable, and that's scary, but the changes don't have to be. When they're embraced they can be a good thing. It's the only way to move forward.
As of late, I've been feeling very reflective. I realized that I want a more exciting life than what I currently lead. Now, that's a pretty common thought to have, but it's not an easy thing to achieve. Living a bold life means making bold choices. It means taking the opportunities that come your way even when you're not entirely sure what the impact could be. It's risking comfort for adventure. I'm ready to take that risk.
I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to my life, maybe that comes from being an anxious person, I'm not really sure. One thing I do know, is that I'm tired of letting that hold me back. I'm prepared to go out on a limb and hope that it can support me. If it doesn't, then I'm going to embrace the free fall.
I think this is something everyone around my age goes through. We all come to a fork in the road eventually. We all have to decide what kind of life we want. Are we comfortable with mediocrity or do we something more?  I want more.
For so long, I thought what I wanted was comfort and stability. I didn't have a lot of that growing up, and maybe that part of me is a little broken, and that's okay. But I've come to figure out, I'll never feel truly fulfilled living that life. I have to keep moving, keep learning, keep growing. It's who I am.
Two years ago, I was faced with the decision of applying to community colleges or taking a chance as a writer, and giving it my all. I chose the second option. The scary option. I didn't fully understand why at the time, but it felt right. I get it now. I get that I didn't want to trade a part of my creativity, my voice, for a little more guarantee in life. Because taking the chance is worth it.
Now, maybe when I'm fifty, and I'm looking back at this moment in my life, I'll think differently. I might regret this later, but that's life. At least I'll have this post to remind myself that, for at least a little while, before the world had time to turn me jaded, I believed in myself. I had an unshakable confidence. After all, that's what this blog is for, to document to moments of certainty in an uncertain life.
I don't really know what the purpose of this post is, or if it'll even make sense to anyone else, but it's something that's been weighing on my mind lately. Originally, I was going to talk about something fashion related today, but this felt more important. Thanks for listening.
-Jenn

P.S. I have a cold right now, and I just don't feel like doing any Robitussin induced editing right now. Excuse all of the grammar and punctuation mistakes, please. I'm going to go hide under my blanket now.

Chain Restaurants and Pancake Yearnings.

As I grow up and I go to more places, that I've never been, I've really grown to appreciate restaurant chains. It's a strange thing to be fond of, but I am. I find it comforting that in a city I've never been to, there's guaranteed to be at least one place I'm familiar with. As someone who's a naturally anxious person, I find solace things I know, and this is really just an example of that. For instance, I know that I like the blueberry pancakes at Ihop, When everything else is new, the the pancakes are the same.
I think this is kind of a common theme for people who are anxious. It's a constant search for things we know and like in the unfamiliar. A constant yearn for the pancakes.

Winter.

Winter and things I love it for.

1. The clothes. I think every one can agree that there's nothing like cozy-ing up in big hoody.

2. The beverages. Tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. 'Nuff said.

3. The colors. I love the cool blues and silvers. It makes everything look more ethereal and beautiful.

4. The food. Soup and chili are some of my favorites. Not to mention all of the baked goods. Delicious.

5. The weather. Snow is one of the most magical and whimsical things to ever exist. 

6. The TV specials. I just recently watched Rudolf with my mom. It's so amazing to know that we've both watched every year for as long as we can remember.

7. The scents. Pumpkin, apple, and pine. They have a way of bringing about such pleasant feelings of the past.

8. The holidays. Whatever it is you celebrate, you know you're looking forward to it all year.

9. The lights. They add such a wondrous glow to everything around.

10. The people. It's the time of year when you're able to be with your loved ones that you, otherwise, don't get to see.

Road Trips. Ya Gotta Love 'Em.

In March of 2014, me and my friend, Brittany, went on a road trip. It was our first official vacation where we were completely on our own. It was kind of a big step for us, and definitely a learning experience. We drove from her dorm room in Manhattan, Kansas to Denver.
The trip started with my family traveling the four hour journey to Brittany's on an early Friday morning. It was a run of the mill drive there filled with gas station pizza, sketchy restrooms, and more road kill than I'd like to remember, but it was fun none the less.
We met my friend in a Wal-Mart parking lot, and I parted ways with my family. After eating way too much pasta at Noodles and Company, Brittany and I, spent some time going over our plans and packing her Jeep with more things and do-dads then we could have possibly needed. We went to bed knowing by that time tomorrow we'd be able to see the mountains.

The following morning, we grabbed our noodle leftovers out of the mini-fridge and set off an adventure. The sun was blinding and we were experiencing some minor car issues, but we pressed on. Nothing short of divine intervention could have stopped us at that point.
 If you've ever traveled I-70 through the state of Kansas, you know that there's not typically too much to look at. So we decided to make a few detours along the way.

We took a little trip down a scenic route about and hour or two outside of Manhattan, and we were not disappointed. It was one of those beautiful places that a picture can never truly do justice for. The rolling hills and steep valleys were stunning.

Our second detour was to Lucas, Kansas to see The Garden of Eden. It was closed at the time so we just drove around it and looked at all of the amazing albeit slightly strange art. Personally, I love places like this. One of a kind, that's for sure.
After our first two detours we traveled for quite awhile with nothing to look at other than the prairie. And let me tell ya, huge expanses of nothingness are about as exciting as they sounds.

Eventually, we started to see the wind farms that western Kansas is known for. They were surprisingly awesome. To see so many giant wind turbines and to know that they are providing energy is pretty cool.
It was about this time in the trip that we started to get a little bored. Traveling through that kind of terrain is like watching a cartoon western with a rotating sheet of scenery in the background. It can get a little dull. We knew it was just a waiting game though. Soon we'd be able to see the mountains.

There's something so wild feeling about the Rockies. I don't know if it's the jagged edges or just the sheer size of them, but it's definitely something everyone needs to see at least once in their lives. When the mountains first came into view, I'd be lying if I said I didn't jump up and down in my seat. It renewed our road trips spirits.
The trip seemed to move faster from there on out. Before we knew it we were checking into our hotel, and readying ourselves to explore the city the next day. It was an amazing experience, and to experience it with my best friend is all I could ask for in an adventure.

Play That Funky Music

Do you ever have those days where you just need to sing? I know I do.
There's nothing like just singing at the top of your lungs. It's the ultimate stress reliever. The song, or even the genre, really don't matter. It's about letting go. Every note that flows out takes a bit of the weight of life with it. It's such a beautiful thing. Personally, it's one of my favorite things about life.
Unlike all of the other things we do when we're freaking out, it's actually good for us, and I think that's great.

Fly Me to NYC. (Stream of Consciousness Tuesday)

I wonder what New York is like this time of year. I bet Central Park is beautiful. I bet the coffee shops are especially cozy. I'm not deluded enough to think that the city slows down this time of year or anything. I just think everywhere is more beautiful this time of year. New York just seems like one of the most intriguing places to me. I've never been, but lately it's all I can think about. I'm starting to get a bit stir crazy I guess. Living in the mid-west will do that to you. For years writing has been my goal. Being a published writer has been my dream. Somewhere in my brain being a published writer and living in New York just go hand in hand. Maybe dreaming of New York has just become my way of mentally running away from anything bad in life. But it's important to have your happy place, even if it's somewhere you've never set foot.

P.S. It's technically Wednesday, but I haven't been to bed yet. So, to me, it's still Tuesday.