The Thrill of Movement and Location

It's Travel Tuesday! I am actually really excited about this because I haven't posted about traveling or places I want to go since the summer when I posted my images from my 2 road trips ( found here, here and here) and when I wrote about wanting to see Ireland (here).

Lately my life has been all about "the next step"; with applying to graduate schools and even just dreaming about where I would like to live, I have gotten a little too caught up in living in the future more than once in the past weeks.

I would like to show you why, though. I am listing for you schools to which I am applying, and what travel aspect I look forward to for each destination.

First up:

The University of Texas


Austin City Limits: the longest running live music television program. Austin is the Live Music Capitol of the world, and I would love every second of it. Not to mention that The University is known for having one of the most beautiful campuses in [at least] the country.


Washington State University


First of all, the city of Pullman is nestled in a thick of trees and mountains. Second of all, there are sites like these all around: this is the Palouse River Canyon.



Oregon University


Another city within a forest within the mountains. Eugene, Oregon is surrounded by sights! And some of the most celebrated National Parks are within driving distance, like Mt Rainier, and Olympic, as well as a longer drive to Yosemite. Not to mention that it's only 2 hours up to Portland.

Willamette National Forest, directly east of Eugene. Actually, you should just see all the beautiful pictures from this amazing forest: check out the Google image search here.

The University of Colorado


Are you seeing a trend yet? I really would love to live in the forest with instant mountain access. I would choose the mountains over the beach any day. Boulder is a beautiful city, in a beautiful state. Plus, Colorado is known for its arts community as an ENTIRE STATE. Wow. Plus, Boulder is located right on the boarder of one of my favorite spots I visited over the summer: Rocky Mountain National Park.

This is Odessa Lake, right in the middle of this mystical national park.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago


SAIC. Talk about a school known for its arts. Chicago is a booming city itself, but the School of the Art Institute of Chicago definitely has a top reputation in the country. Honestly, if I got in to this school . . . I would feel extremely overwhelmed.


East Tennessee State University


This is not the last university within a forest within the mountains, but it is in my absolute favorite mountains I have visited thus far. I love the Blue Ridge, the Smokies, the Appalachians ... whatever you want to call them. They are beautiful and magical.



Bald River Falls, found in the neighboring Cherokee National Forest.

Burren College of Art


Ireland. Need I say more? Burren is a land of rock on the western coast of Ireland. Ballyvaghan, Ireland is located across an inlet from Galway. I get goose bumps thinking about this place. No really. I have them right now.


Burren National Park.


Where would you vote to live? I sort of hope I only get in to one school so I don't have to decide between all these amazing programs and places.

Don't do it for anything but the love of movement and location, Or the battle is lost. - Movement and Location, The Punch Brothers

Baby, I'm Coming Home

The New Year is rolling around and despite my resistance to make a resolution for the past few years, I'm trying to decide on a few for 2013. Currently those weighing most on my mind are drawing in my sketchbook more (maybe a 365 challenge) and creating a more organized plan for my posting.

2013 is a big year for me! I'm graduating from The University of Findlay with my first degree. I am applying to MFA programs at The University of Texas, KingstonUniversity, The University of Oregon, Washington State University, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, The University of Colorado, and East Tennessee State University. There are a few more locations I am looking at but am up in the air about applying to a total of 9 masters programs.

There are so many ifs and buts floating around my head right now. What can I do but tackle each day that comes one at a time? I could be bogged down about the shear amount of work I have before me, but I'm excited about what all of that work means for me: new experiences!

In light of all this newness … here are some wonderful tracks to listen to as a reminder of the year on its way as you scroll through my roundup of Crafts I want to try from my Pinterest account.

White Winter Hymnal

Fleet Foxes

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

EllaFitzgerald

Soon or Never

PunchBrothers

The New Year

DeathCab for Cutie

Here We Go Again

RayCharles featuring Norah Jones

Auld Lang Syne

TheCast

Travel Corkboard, found on Life Blessons

Sequin Wall, found on Oh Happy Day

Sesil Coasters, by The Space Between

Wine Cork rug from Crafty Nest

Organic Art by Paul Schick on Greige

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let Your {Happy} Loose

Today is a more simple and obvious step toward happiness, or it at least seems straight forward enough to me: let loose! Too many people go through every single day being so flipping serious. There are two great ways to let yourself loosen up:

1. Laugh at the things that make you stressed or mad.

Examples: Think about something really dumb you did that possibly even embarrassed you, now laugh about it. Here's one of mine to help you out: I prize my cooking and baking skills, yet at a friends house this past weekend a dish I made took an extra hour because I couldn't figure out how to simply turn the oven on.

Now think of something that is really stressful for you, especially something you can't do anything about currently. Laugh about it. For me right now it's my toilet. The handle broke, and the first day this happened the water ran and ran while I was trying to fill out a $10,000 loan application. As I was getting more and more frustrated with the application, my eyes started watering and I made myself breathe. Then I heard my toilet running and laughed for the next 5min. It gave me the strength to finish the application and even though I was denied the loan (which is important for finishing my last year of school), I was able to walk away from the situation knowing I would figure something out.

2. Dance.

If you're good at dancing, good for you. If you're a ridiculous dancer, even better. Either turn on some music in your bedroom and get your Shakira hips on, or go out to some random bar with a couple friends you can dance with. Dancing will help you be happier in so many ways, namely in getting your heart rate going and in helping you take yourself a little less seriously.

I'll even give you an inspirational playlist:

1. Florence + the Machine – Shake It Out
2. Shakira – Whenever, Wherever
3. Christina Aguilera – Fighter
4. Justin Timberlake – My Love
5. Katy Perry – Waking Up In Vegas
6. Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger
7. A Fine Frenzy – Now Is the Start
8. Punch Brothers – Rye Whiskey

And dance like you mean it . . . especially to the last one.

Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance. ― Oprah Winfrey

It's the Original Punk-Rock

Last night my friends and I went to country night at a bar in Bowling Green. Aside from how obviously fun it was, we ended up hearing a lot of country music. Go figure. Normally I would gag at the idea, because I hate listening to country music stations on the radio, even though I actually love the genre. I just can't stand most of the crap that gets played on the radio these days. Period.

However, in light of the fact that I do love country, here are some of my all time favorite songs mixed with some newly found loves. Any of these on your all-time-favorites list?

Country music is completely punk-rock. It's the original punk-rock. - Neko Case