....just kidding...but not really.: 2011

12/31/11

this is not a new years post.

it is a post about my road trip to oregon/washington this summer. because one of my new goals is to do everything i say i will do. i realize this is a daunting task, but i'll have a go at it.

i said i would write about my trip (and many other things), and i will.

before i left the west for the east i decided to go back to my old stomping grounds in oregon and see some long lost friends. i love oregon and washington, and had a beautiful drive.

the first day i took a little detour to a small town in idaho called arimo to see this lively bunch:

then the road took me to ontario and huntington seeing these friends from high school:

i drove to salem to catch up with kyrey and started documenting my visits to the states' capitals and largest cities.

in portland i saw these people:

and in seattle i had some great adventures with my dear friend carrie. i love seattle.

driving alone was most therapeutic, and as the loner i am, almost preferred. i could stop anytime and anywhere i wanted to, could eat anywhere i wanted to, and listen to the music i wanted to. it was a lonesome heaven.

it was a reflective trip, and it made me realize that i have had some amazing experiences and met some wonderful people.

ok. here comes the new years crap: 2011 was not my favorite. granted, i experienced a lot, but it was probably the most emotionally taxing year i've ever had. and i am not ready to relive it. so here's to a more healthy (in every way) 2012.

9/10/11

not over you.

remember when i was like: should i go see gavin degraw in vegas for my birthday?

well.

i went.

it was amazing.

i walked through the casino trying to find the concert and was guided to the outside middle of the casino - the pool area. it was a lovely warm evening and a romantic atmosphere.

and there i was. me and gavin.

you know how some artists have the amazing ability to make it seem like they're singing to only you. (can't think of any other artists on the spot, but there must be a couple.) yes. it was gavin and me. me and gavin.

i was in love. his voice. his moves.

he's sexy.

well it turns out there were other people at the concert too. i was disappointed. they were there. and they were drunk. so naturally they would prefer the faster songs of mr gavin. so that's what he sang.

not my faves: more than anyone. and dancing shoes.

but it's ok.

i still love him.

best birthday present i have ever given myself. thanks.

his new album, sweeter comes out sep 20. the first single, not over you, is out. and he sang that. love. love love love.

i'm not over him.

9/5/11

ja, vi elsker dette landet.

the morning of july 22, 2011, i was waking up in my motel room in portland, or. i was on a solo road trip (more about that later).

fortunately, there was internet at the motel, so i did what every person (literally every person these days.) does when they go on the internet - check facebook.

my friend pablo had sent me a message, asking if my family was ok after the bombing in norway.

i hadn't the slightest idea what he was talking about, so i went to vg.no to check out what norway itself had to report.

i was shocked.

the little time i had before checkout was spent soaking up all the horrible information i could muster. what i gathered was that there was a bomb that had gone off in oslo, and i think, by that point, information about the shooting at utøya had started coming in. but it was only a little after 7 pm norway time. so the events were still unexplainable.

it felt so unreal. and of course my first though was that it was a terrorist attack. (there was no information online to indicate anything either way.)

this does not happen in safe, little norway.

then, as i got back on the road that day, more news was revealed, now focused mostly on the shootings, which was relayed to me by phone from my friend, aaron.

i couldn't believe it.

arriving in seattle, i spent most of the night reading everything i could online. i was in disbelief. i cried. i felt terrified.

i was in mourning.

the next few days, still on my trip, and as i came home, i couldn't stop reading. i felt so far away from my homeland.

as the entire country of norway came together to mourn for those lost, and fight hatred with love and togetherness, i did so in my heart.

i have been known to criticize, if you will, norwegians for their unfriendliness and cold privacy, but seeing pictures of strangers hugging on the streets, which were filled with roses from all the country's flowershops, warmed my heart.

i was a proud norwegian.

the monster behind these gruesome acts deserves little mention here. what is important is that we take our country back, and take care of each other like never before.

which i think will happen. these horrendous events has proven that we have great leaders that deeply and truly cares about our country's citizens and about democracy.

i am a proud norwegian.

i still mourn for those affected by this terrible tragedy, and i still pray.

may we never forget.

9/4/11

a new post.

i am getting a little bit tired of seeing the same (awesome) pictures on my blog every time i look at it, so i decided the only cure was for me to write a new blogpost.

and that has been my greatest desire for a long time. but you know when you have sooo much to write about that you just don't start. and then life goes on and gives you more blogposts to be behind on.

well. that happened to me.

so. here's my list. this is what's on the blog menu in the near future (meaning tomorrow, and maybe tuesday):

~~tragedy in norway (about time).~~
~~gavin degraw concert.~~
~~road trip to oregon/washington.~~
~~saying goodbye to provo.~~
~~graduation.~~
~~my mother.~~
~~road trip from provo to dc.~~
~~living in dc.~~

there you have it. a few hours worth of writing and picture posting. well, hopefully not a few hours.

i'm excited.

7/17/11

last 5 years.

i recently turned 25. which made me ponder. here is the result:

the last five years i:
graduated from teenhood
counseled youth at efy (twice)

road-tripped to copenhagen, denmark with my mother in a turquoise car
met up with exchange year siblings in hamburg, germany
visited my friend melanie in vicenza, italy

worked in a clothing store

spent my paycheck on clothes
learned the dangers of a mastercard
attended american college of norway for 6 months
created a facebook account
had my first "serious" relationship
turned 21

did buy alcohol once (for someone else - still, shame on me)
sang on a stage for some 700 people

bought my first laptop
experience shatterage of my first laptop's screen twice (of which only once was my own fault)

bought my second laptop and first macbook

destroyed my second laptop and first macbook with a drop of water

bought my third laptop and second macbook

vowed to keep my third laptop and second macbook for a long time

bought my first i-pod

acquired my second i-pod for free

sold my second i-pod to dani

acquired my third i-pod for also free

fell in love with apple

attended the university of north dakota for 1 semester
crashed too many lame frat parties
saw brad paisley in concert (and taylor swift at the same concert)

rocked some awesome halloween costumes

traveled to canada
moved to provo
started brigham young university
changed my major to elementary education from political science
owned two turtles - clem & skip

watched my first live general conference

ate chicken hearts

worked custodial at helaman hall for 1.5 months
kissed some boys (of which some may have been college football players - just braggin)
drank the rainbow