today is a blah blah-g day

I'm suffering from severe senioritis. And it is painful.

I no longer can decide what I want to do with my life this summer. Something about New York didn't feel right, so I guess we'll have to figure something else out.

I am really excited for springtime/summer. This surprise winter storm last night really made me angry.

Teaching teenagers is a challenging feat to accomplish. They drive me crazy sometimes.

I miss all the outdoor activities I used to rock at: mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, kayaking, camping... this summer I'm determined to return to my outdoorsy roots. Starting with a trip to Moab in April. Who's in?

Intrusive people bother me. Sometimes, you just need to stick to your own bidness. Leave me to mine.

My senior thesis is not turning out as great as I was hoping it would. I have two more weeks to bring it up to the greatness I think it has the potential of.

I got a new driver's license yesterday. The photo is probably the worst one in the history of driver's license photos. I was smiling, she told me not to smile, and in the instant of me being surprised and not smiling she took the photo. It looks like a mugshot. Seriously, it's bad.

I'm going to Vegas this weekend for the b-ball tourney. We're gonna watch Jimmer and the rest of the Cougars kick some butt. And I get to see some great friends I haven't seen for almost a year because they decided to get married and move to California...yeah, you know who you are! I miss you kids. Excitement.

Some days (every day) I wish money wasn't an issue. I have this fantasy that this weekend in Vegas I'll put one coin in the slot machine and win 15 million dollars. Wouldn't that be fantastic?

I want to see the Adjustment Bureau. Real bad.

I'm still obsessed with the new Adele album. Her lyrics are simply brilliant. My favorites today: "I let it fall, my heart, and as it fell you rose to claim it. It was dark, and I was over until you kissed my lips and you saved me. My hands were strong, but my knees were far too weak to stand in your arms without falling to your feet. But there's a side to you that I never knew never knew and the things you'd say they were never true never true and the games you'd play you would always win always win. But I set fire to the rain, watched it pour as I touched your face. Let it burn while I cry because I heard it screaming out your name, your name..." GREAT right? Brilliance. And that's only the first part of the song. I'll say it again, if you haven't got the new album, GET IT!

I'm SUPER excited for the Arcade Fire concert in April. "We Used to Wait" is one of my new favorite songs. I've had that on repeat too.

Life is insane. There is too much to do and not enough time. And yet, here I am blogging. But this is a blah-g so I just say what's on my mind and it takes no more than 10 minutes. Justified.

Thinking about graduating in 9 months kind of freaks me out. And that's all I can say about that now, because I'm kind of freaking out.

St. Patrick's Day is next week. I don't think I'll be able to have my usual party until a week later. That's alright, right? Next week is even more madness.

I have a new favorite dessert. Remember how I love cheesecake? Then remember how I love pistachio gelato? Well, there is such a thing as pistachio cheesecake and it is, I tell you, quite fantastic. I had some on a date a little while ago and we went back a few days later because we loved it so much.

Remember how I love the people I work with? We had another staff meeting last night, and they are just so great. And fun. And hilarious. Being a dance teacher is probably one of the best ideas ever.

I've been having a lot of nostalgia for my childhood lately. I think this was brought on (as strange as it is) by driving by a dairy farm a few days ago. The dance studio I grew up in was right across the street from a dairy farm, and I was taken back to the days of living at said studio. Good times were had. Also the summer days of growing up in Draper. It is a great place. Wouldn't have chosen any where else. I miss those easy days.

Today is one of those days I just want to run away. Do you ever just feel mad at the world? I do every once in a rare while. And today I do.

I really like THIS today.

Fin.

How did I get here?

I'm sitting in my living room. It is 2:19 AM. I have 2 papers due tomorrow. How far into them am I? You ask?

Paper 1: 8.5 pages out of 15. Due at 9:30 AM

Paper 2: .5 pages out of 8. Due at 5 PM

What's running through my head?:

"I guess that's what I get for trying to juggle so many different things:

Club Style which has its showcase in less than a month

Teaching 4 classes plus extra practices because it's competition season

12 school credits

DVA student advisory council

Helping a friend campaign for BYUSA Exec. Direc.

Relationships

Figuring out what to do with life this summer

Planning a bridal shower/bachelorette party for my BFF that gets married in 2 weeks

Etc. Etc.

....well, if I fail, or more likely die, there's always greener grass on the other side. Right?"

Meanwhile I've got my extra large Diet Pepsi, wheat thins, and Adele blasting through the Beats by Dr. Dre. Survival tonight may be possible, but the repercussions tomorrow should be severe. Wish me luck, friends. I shall see you on the other side. If I make it there safely.

When opposites attract...

magic can happen.

Exhibit A:

Remember when I was saying Adele's new album is my favorite? And remember how Kyle Hanagami and Miki Emura are two of my favorite choreographers?

MAGIC!

Once I was in this music video...

So Divine Comedy asked us to help them out with their latest parody video. Can you find me? Check it out:

(p.s. if the words aren't showing up, push the red "cc" on the bottom right)

Never have I ever

been so obsessed with a new album. I have had it playing constantly since I bought it on Tuesday. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm talking about this:

Nothing moves me like music does, and this album has the mother load of moving, emotional tracks that make you want to cry but yet make you extremely happy at the same time. There isn't a bad song on the album. I can't even imagine being able to sing like this woman can. She blows me away. If you are human and you like good music, you MUST buy this album. I promise you will not be disappointed. You must experience its greatness for yourself. Here's another one of my favorites:

NYC in photos + something amazing

Radio City, Guerrilla Girl, MoMA, the Cloisters

Rothko room at the MoMA, Times Square, Carnegie Deli, Mary Poppins on Broadway

Starbucks, The Met, debating Rembrandt, Van Gogh room (AKA happy place)

Van Gogh, in front of the Met, free champagne for my day of birth, Ah! Alcohol!

Times Square, Chuck Close, Roxy's Cheesecake, Sunday on the Met steps

On another note:

If you haven't heard the new Adele album yet, BUY IT! Seriously, one of the greatest albums I've ever heard! My favorites on the album: Turning Tables, One and Only, Someone Like You, and I Found a Boy. I'm serious, BUY IT! It was worth every penny. (well, I used a gift card to buy it, but still, I highly recommend it!)

An ode to Adele:

How do you know exactly how my life is at this moment? And how can you sing about it oh so well and so clearly? Why did this album just barely come out yesterday? I'm completely obsessed. With you and your music. Please never stop being so brilliant. Sincerely, me. McKell. Lyn Forbes.

"You've been on my mind, I grow fonder every day. Lose myself in time, just thinking of your face. God only knows why it's taken me so long to let my doubts go. You're the only one that I want. I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before. Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all. You'll never know if you never try to forgive your past and simply be mine. I dare you to let me be your, your one and only. Promise I'm worth it, to hold in your arms. So come on and give me a chance, to prove I am the one who can walk that mile until the end starts."

I belong in this big city

Words can not describe how fantastic my New York adventure was last week. It was the most perfect week.

Day #1: We took the red eye flight Monday night and arrived at JFK the next morning. We took the train into the city, were able to check into our hotel, and rested for about 45 minutes in our rooms. We then went to the Cloisters, a medieval division of the Metropolitan Museum of Art clear uptown. I saw the Merode Altarpiece, the piece I'm writing my senior thesis on. That was exciting. We then got some lunch at a Texas BBQ joint, walked through central park, and visited the Frick collection. I loved this collection. They had some Van Dycks, Rembrandts, Whistlers, Holbeins, etc. etc. And the house where it was was just gorgeous. We then walked about 10 blocks to the Solomon Guggenheim museum to enjoy some great modern art. They also had a great collection of many important works. Loved it. We then went and checked in at the CAA conference and got our badges and our program guide. Right across the street from the Hilton (where the CAA conference was) there was a movie premiere happening for "Just go With It." We were able to sneak a peek of Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Adam Sandler, and Jennifer Aniston. Quite exciting. Then we got some dinner and called it a night.

Day #2: Some of us got up early and went to Christie's Education Center with one of our professors whose friend is the director of education there. She talked to us a little bit about the education program (it is somewhat like Sotheby's) and then took us to the auction house. We were able to sit in on an auction of decorative arts. It was crazy to see how fast those move and how quickly the prices can go from $500 to $20,000. I was intrigued. We then got to wander through the collection of items that were up for sale. And you can touch everything! That was exciting considering I'm used to being in museums where things beep at you if you get too close (I may have had it happen to me a few times...). I handled a drawing by the artist Guido Reni. Excitement. Then a few of us headed to the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). This was probably my favorite museum of the trip. I may have been a bit emotional when I saw Van Gogh's "Starry Night." I've mentioned that I love him, right? After our trip to the MoMA we went to a session of the CAA Conference where a Guerilla Girl was speaking! One of the founders, Frida Kahlo! She gave a great presentation, and afterward we met her and got our picture with her. One of our girls even cried. That's how excited we were. In the picture our faces look like Christmas morning. It was a happy day. After our excitement here, we went to Bubba Gump in Times Square for dinner. It was delicious. Then I went and took a street jazz and a house class at the Broadway Dance Center. I was on a high after that. It has been far too long since I took a really intense dance class. I miss it. Then I just walked back to our hotel, chilled in the lobby for a bit, then we all went to bed.

Day #3: In the morning Claire and I went downtown to see Wall Street, The Statue of Liberty from Battery Park, and Ground Zero. Claire had never been to New York so she had to see these sights. While she went to another session at the conference, I went on a hunt for some high tops. And I found some. Two great pairs at the same store I bought my favorite high tops ever last time I was in New York three years ago. Happiness. Then we went and heard one of our professors, James Swensen, present at the conference. He did a great job. Then we ran over to the MoMA for a second round, and it was just as great as it was the first time. Then Ciera and I strolled down 5th ave. and did a bit of shopping at H&M and Urban Outfitters (really we just looked. I bought a pair of great boots from H&M for pretty cheap though. and that was all). Then we went back to the hotel and hung out for the rest of the evening. It was far too cold to be outside for long.

Day #4: We got up, ate some falafel pitas for breakfast/lunch, and went to hear two of our professors, Martha Peacock and Heather Jensen, give two of the best presentations I heard at the conference. They amaze me. Then we ate dinner at Carnegie deli, where I got a turkey sandwich that had about 2 pounds of turkey on it. I couldn't finish it and felt a tryptophan overload later. ha! Then we went to the Whitney Museum of American Art to check out their collection. They had a few good Hoppers and Demuths and Scheelers. And then I went and took another street jazz dance class, hung out in Times Square, and got some cherry cheesecake from Carnegie Deli to share with my roomies.

Day #5: My birthday!!! We got up, went to see if we could get some broadway tickets, went shopping on Canal Street (all I bought were some Ray Ban knock offs for $5), ate at the delicious Europa Cafe for lunch, and then went to the matinee of Mary Poppins with cheap student tickets in the balcony. It was such a great show! At one point, Bert was dancing on the ceiling. Brilliant. We all were so happy when at the end Mary Poppins flew up right in front of us. I think one of us cried. It was a happy moment. And then after Mary Poppins we went to the Met. That place is so huge I kind of felt a bit overwhelmed, but overjoyed at the same time. I was really excited when I walked into a room full of Van Goghs. Some of the most beautiful ones I've seen yet. I love him. Did you know? After the Met, one of our local friends took us to this great Jazz club over in the Hell's Kitchen area where there are tons of great secret restaurants that I didn't know about. They had a live jazz band and dancing, and they even gave me a complimentary glass of champagne for my birthday! (No, I did not drink it. It sat on the table like the awkward child). It was an amazing meal and so much fun. We partied in Times Square for a bit afterward and ate some Roxy's cheesecake! The best cheesecake in all of NYC. Thanks to all my friends for making my birthday so fantastic! It was really one of the best birthdays to date.

Day #6: We woke up, packed all our stuff, and caught a cab to church. I love going to church in the city. So many interesting people to see and meet. I met up with two of my friends, one who lives there and one who was visiting her for the week. After church we stopped at the Hot and Crusty in the Upper East side, a really delicious bakery Claire and Brittany discovered, for breakfast. Their apple croissant was to die for. We went another round at the Met to see what we missed the night before, then went back to the hotel, changed and got our bags, and caught a train to the airport.

This trip is definitely one to remember. One of the best and most perfect trips ever. I love that city and I just felt like I belonged there. I really felt like a local walking the streets and riding the subway everywhere. I can't wait until the day that I live there for real. Wish me luck in trying to accomplish that.

I'll do another post with all my pictures soon.

A few things before I depart for the concrete jungle where dreams are made of:

Sometimes (like this last week) I just forget I have a blog. But then again, it has been an INSANE week. Here are some things that happened/are going to happen/or that I realized this last week:

1. I went to classes 2 days this last week. I'll be paying for that later.

2. I auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance, so the two days of classes I missed for it were worth it. I got a call back but was cut during the second day. Next time (if there is a next time) I want to be WAY more prepared. And actually have an idea of what I'm going to do so I'm not such a nervous wreck. Watch for me on national TV come summer!

3. I shook Will Wingfield's hand (season 4 contestant and now stars on the LXD series on Hulu). I was very pleased.

4. Nigel Lythgoe is really hilarious. And I'm actually going to miss Mary Murphy's screams this summer (she has just recovered from a round with thyroid cancer).

5. Really great friends that you can trust with anything are very rare and hard to come by. I found out about a little betrayal by a close friend of mine this weekend. It stung quite a lot. Don't try to hide things people. The person you don't want to find out these little secrets always finds out. It's better to just be open and honest.

6. On the upside of this little betrayal, where friends are lost, friends are gained. And in this case, even greater friends! I love it.

7. I found a house to live in next year! I REALLY love it. And I'll be with three really great friends from Club Style. I'm hoping we'll be able to get it. Pray for me! ha.

8. The month of love sucks. Except for my birthday (which is this Saturday...). Even when I did have a boyfriend in February it wasn't anything special. Why do we have Valentine's Day again? I guess it is a nice excuse to get flowers and pretty and nice things, and the whole secret admirer bit has been quite entertaining to see. But really, is it all necessary?

9. I really love my family. They are just great. And so supportive. I just really love them.

10. I'm headed to the concrete jungle where dreams are made of tonight. I couldn't be more excited. I'm going to take dance classes, see some great art (including the piece I'm writing my senior thesis on), and go hear some great art historians speak. It is a birthday trip of a lifetime. I will report all about it when I get back. With pictures. And stories. I CAN'T WAIT! (p.s. if you have any tips or places I need to go see in New York, those would be fantastic. I'm looking for something great and somewhat cheap to do for my birthday). PARTY!!!