The Deal With Wisconsin

Here is my deal with Wisconsin:

As much as I have said I'm not going to return to Wisconsin, I also love the state.

I can't count the number of beautiful beaches and stunning sunsets I saw before I was ten years old. On a clear night sky, there are more stars than you could ever count (which I dreadfully miss, now that I'm in an urban area). With my family, I hiked through thick forests, stood in the spray of waterfalls, and played in some of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. I'll always be grateful to my parents for exposing me to the natural beauty of nature and teaching me to appreciate it. Wisconsin is full of beauty that will never cease to remind me of the abundance and power of nature.

I have so many memories from my childhood in Wisconsin that I never want to forget. After 21 years, however, I know that those memories can only be enriched by creating new memories in new places. My curiosity has always gotten the best of me. If I never went, I would always wonder what I was missing in other places. I know that's partially due to the curiosity instilled in me by wondering what was beyond the next curve in the road as my family drove through Wisconsin years ago.


Wisconsin will always be my home and there will always be a piece of me there. The experiences I had growing up there will be a source of my appreciation for the world around me. My childhood has taght me to be unafraid of exploration and curiosity. The trip is only enriched by not knowing what comes next.

(And you can't forget the cheese.)

Cartier Winter Tale (short version)

I want a baby panther.

Life itself is the most wonderful fairytale of all.

-Hans Christian Anderson

I hope you have a wonderful day!

All I Want for Christmas Is...

A pair of pink shoes.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Listening to this song this afternoon made me wonder why being home for Christmas is important for so many people... So deserving of a song.

Image credit

Since I started college, and moved away from Wisconsin, I've wondered where my home is. Initially, I thought my home was simply where I was living, so I began to consider school my home. There, I had the bed I slept in, my belongings, friends, and my life, but I was missing something - my family. I missed the smell of the house, the noise we'd create talking around the dinner table, doing my homework with my brother in the kitchen while my mom made dinner, working on projects with my dad, and saying goodnight to my parents every night.

When I see my family now, I realize it is their company that I consider my home. My home has become as much of a sensation as a location. For me, home has become a place where I am comfortable, where people care for me, and where there is an endless amount of love and friendship.

I think it is for this reason that when I was in college, I referred to my dorm as my home, now, my apartment has become my home, when I am at a hotel with my family, I often refer to our room as our home, and when I am in the house I grew up in, I am also home. (Needless to say, I tend to confuse those around me when I refer to my home, as I consider all these places to be my home.)

Someday, I hope to have a family of my own and together, we will make ourselves a home. For tonight, I am with people who love me, and I feel at home.

 

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Oh Computers...

I have such a love/hate relationship with computers that is summarized here.

 

... Maybe it's more hate

Razzle Dazzle

I saw these glitter brogues in the store the other day and it took me a moment to think straight. They are absolutely splendid. Unfortunately for me, they also carry quite the price tag ... sigh... And then I saw these black heels and I was all but done for.

 Images clockwise: Miu Miu,  Miu Miu, Costume shoes, Keds

Can we have a dance party?

Hi there,

This has been a busy week, therefore, I think it's time for a break. Let's dance!

First, we can't forget Gaga.



Up next, not quite the same, but fabulous none the less.



Third, don't you wish your aerobics class would break out in singing and dance every once in awhile?



Finally, if you have ever used the excuse "I can't dance," just be glad you don't look like this guy.