eleven things

There's this little ditty going around the blog universe, and I figured...why the heck not?

the rules

1) post these rules (check)

2) post 11 random things about yourself (check-check)

3) answer the questions of the person who tagged you

4) create 11 new questions for whoever you tag (that's everybody reading this, p.s.)

eleven things you probably didn't know about me

1) I go through "phases" when it comes to music artists, meaning I'll listen to all of a certain musician's stuff on repeat. Summer 2008: The Beatles. Summer 2011: Mumford and Sons. Last fall: Bon Iver. Recently: Florence+the Machine. They can last for days, weeks, or months.

2) I bake my own bread, pizza dough, pita, tortillas, and make my own yogurt. I'll never go back to the store bought stuff. I think the only processed food I own is Triscuits. What a rebel.

3) I hate dirty feet. Even if I'm camping, I've gotta have some baby wipes with me to keep those feetsies clean. I know I inherited this from my mother.

4) I think it's attractive when the opposite sex isn't afraid to use big words or correct grammar.

5) I have never broken a bone but I have gotten lots of weird injuries because I'm a klutz and a glutton for punishment. I have scars from a snowboarding collision, slipping on ice, falling during a race, falling on tide pools, giving a meat slicer a handshake, and slamming my car trunk door onto my hand.

6) I talk to people in other cars while I'm driving. And when I say "talk" I don't mean "Hey, how's it going?" More like, "Hey, why are you going so slow maybe you should get in the slow lane thanks!" Yeah, more like that.

7) I wouldn't mind living in Mexico or another country down south. Wouldn't mind at all.

8) I'm from Utah, but in my heart, I'll always be a Pacific Northwest girl.

9) I keep every letter/note/card that I receive.

10) I love old movies like nobody's bidnez, and most of my celebrity crushes are dead

(*cough* Marlon Brando)

11) I can play four instruments and am learning how to play a fifth!

questions Brandilyn asked

1. what did you have for dinner last night? A green smoothie.

2. what celebrity would literally bring you to tears if you saw them in person? Marlon Brando, because he's dead, so I'd probably cry out of joy/fear at seeing a ghost.

3. do you like your handwriting? I sure do!

4. how would your dad describe you? He would say, "Oh Kenz. You're something else." At least, that's what he's said to me in the past.

5. what's the last book you read? the last book you loved? Last book I read: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. Last book I loved: Old Man & the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

6. how many pairs of shoes do you own? I'm going to say 20...

7. how often do you shave your legs? armpits? Legs: hahaha. I don't even know. Arms: at least three times a week. That was kind of fun to answer.

8. what do you order when you go to mcdonald's? (if you tell me you don't go to mcd's i will call you a LIAR!) Okay, call me a liar, but I do not remember the last time I went to Mickey D's. If I ever had to eat there, I'd probably get an egg McMuffin.

9. what's your earliest memory? watching Mr. Roger's Neighborhood on the TV when I was three.

10. have you ever won anything? what? I've won some writing contests/scholarship moolah. Does that count?

11. what is your worst habit? your best habit?

Worst habit: listening to music almost all the time. Best habit: eating healthy.

11 questions for whoever reads this:

1) If you had to live in the mountains or by the ocean, which one would you pick? Why?

2) What is the funniest movie you've ever seen?

3) Taco Time or Taco Bell (if you say "taco bus" I will love you forevah)?

4) If you could be really talented at something, what would it be and why?

5) Tommy Boy or Zoolander?

6) What is your favorite thing about summertime?

7) Favorite Beatles song (if you don't have one...that's a little sad)?

8) If you had to read/re-read one book for the rest of your life (excluding the scriptures, cuz that's a no-brainer), which one would you choose?

9) How do you feel about ugly sweater parties?

10) When was the last time you wrote a letter?

11) What is the best thing you have ever eaten?

Ready, set, go!

sometimes I want to cry, but I do my homework instead.

man-oh-man I wish studying was still this fun.

Most people like Fridays. Fridays are free days; at 5pm you get to bust out of the doors singing a song about how much you love life. And that should mean something even if you are in college and taking 12 flippin' credits of English. Twelve. Credits. Of. English. Twelve. Doce. A dozen. As in, a dozen eggs, or six omelettes, which I wouldn't have time to make even if I wanted to. Ya dig?

Every time I tell someone I'm taking English 495 and English 450 at the same time, they give me this weird look like, "Did you just break out of the local women's correctional facility?" or "Have you been drinking eggnog shots lately?" or "You suck at telling jokes." And then I have to go, "Yeah...hahaha that was dumb. But seriously. I'm taking both of them."

For the record, I did not have a choice. I couldn't register for either one until this semester. Then there's the other two English classes I am in, which require a minimum of one paper a week. And then Spanish class, which I tried to make my "fun class" because it's the only one I don't have to write papers for. But then we had a test with ten essay questions. So never mind about that.

This is the first semester where I will not go home a single time because the weekends are strictly homework time. It's okay though, because as soon as April 6th rolls around, I will finally have a summer to myself, without daydreaming about doing summery things while being held hostage by the library. What a blessed thing it shall be!

A few random bits:

• the letter-writing thing is going swell. That's what Sundays-after-church are for: baking bread and writing letters. If you want a letter from me, leave me a comment saying so.
• I'm thinking about doing an FAQ page, but in order to do that I need questions. And in order to have questions all of you lurkers have to come out of hiding and actually ask me stuff. And that means...DUN-DUN-DUN...leaving a comment.
• I just made chocolate-chip blondies with garbanzo beans in them. Because I really wanted to eat a lot of them without feeling guilty. Now I just feel like I shamed those chocolate chips. I guess I'm the kind of girl who likes her desserts to actually have butter, cream, eggs, etc in them. /end rant
• This week has been the week of double-napping. That should describe the entire week for you.
• I got a glorious package this week from Forever21 (my favorite store, btw). I forgot how awesome new clothes are.
• Reconnecting with old friends is bombtastic.

Thus ends a very random post, mostly about homework and comments and garbanzo beans. Man I am weird.

peanut butter cookies & car explosions

Let's get inside my head for a moment, shall we?

Yesterday I took a 3-hour nap (yeah, it was dumb to the tenth power). During this nap I dreamt that the apartment was a disaster. Dishes were piled everywhere, even on the floor. But I was determined to bake my Sunday loaf of bread. And some peanut butter cookies too, because why not? I would like to add that in my subconscious mind, the "mess" in the kitchen was still somewhat organized. All of the wooden things were stacked on the stove (um, not safe) and the metal stuff was in the sink. I also dreamt about someone...being my roommate, which would not be honor code savvy, but I gave him some cookies anyway. Next, I went to a house I didn't recognize and gave the strangers inside cookies too. What does this mean? 1) Cookies are always a good idea and 2) they will make anybody your friend.

Well, I took another nap today (ok dad, so I take a lot of naps, but they are never 3 hours long...except for that one time yesterday....ahem). And I dreamt that the apartment was a big mess again. Only this time it wasn't just clutter. There was mold and other things growing on the walls. Gag. Also, in this dream I was looking out my window and witnessed a realllllly bad car wreck, in which the car blew up. I have dreamt this dream more than a few times lately. What in the world is my dream mind saying? I'll break it down for you.

1) do not go see the Vow. oh wait...that wasn't really what my dream mind said. I'm just telling you for future reference.

2) I am afraid of car accidents (truth)

3) I like to bake (truth)

4) I will bake even if the kitchen is a mess (false)

5) I hate messiness (true)

6) I like giving food away (true)

7) I should stop taking naps (probably true, but I'm ignoring it)

What have you dreamt about lately? Anything that made you go, "what the fweak just happened?!" when you woke up?

PLUS

= a typical McKenzie dream

man, my head hurts.

seventh circle of ____ (insert insanely hot place here)

This week. has been. insane. you can. probably tell. because. I am. splitting up my sentences. like a. robot.

The other night, when I was laying in my bed and trying to induce sleep, which shouldn't have been hard because I was riding on five hours, I realized that this week has been like finals week. And so was last week...and the week before. And then I had this scary thought: what if the rest of the semester is like this? What if by the time I leave Rexburg I can't wait to get out of here?

That's kind of sad, you know. Because I always liked it here. It's been my home for about 4 years, and now I'm supposed to move to another city? A place I haven't lived in since I was a toddler and don't really know anything about? Um, whose idea was this again? Anyway, all of these thoughts like to creep into my head right when I'm trying to fall asleep. And then the vicious cycle repeats itself: try to make it through the day without a nap, fail, take a 20 minute nap, walk around like a zombie, try to do homework, 20 pages of reading puts me to sleep, wake up, mckenzie as a zombie: the sequel, is it midnight yet? Ok I'll sleep...oh wait, I have so many things to worry about. Nevermind.

So far the only cures for this intense senioritis have been the following things:

• smoothies for breakfast...like, everyday. Normally I don't do this, especially in the wintertime, but it's basically spring here anyway. And blueberries are my comfort food. Amen and amen. Also, I've been going through avocadoes at an alarming rate lately. I regret nothing.
• listening to classical music very loudly.
• taking at least 2-3 hours on fridays just for myself. Then, after work ends at 4pm, the homework marathon begins again.
• naps. I used to shun them because they made me wired at night, but now I consider them an absolute necessity. Funny what 12 credits of English will do to your REM cycle.
• having meaningful conversations with people every day, to remind me that school is not everything.
• opening my window at night to let some cool air in. This fools me into thinking it's summertime and that I'm hot and need my window open. But then again, when it is summertime for real, I won't be here (*happy dance*).

I know that about a week after I leave Rexburg for good, it's going to hit me how much I miss it. And I know that that feeling is going to return when I move to Provo and don't know hardly anyone. Or where the best food is (please tell me there is a taco bus there. please.). Or where the park is that everybody likes to hang out at during the summertime. Or the best frozen yogurt place. Or the best place for shredding the ivory really loud. Or the best field for playing soccer. Or the cheapest place to see a movie on the weekend.

But guess what...that's one of the best parts of moving. And also the scariest. So bring it, April 6th. I'm ready for you to come anytime now!

surefire cure-alls for whatever ails you

(be it senioritis, winter blues, or a bad case of the mondays)

write a letter.

watch the office, preferably an old episode.

eat an avocado w/ toast.

listen to some vernon.

heart-shaped plate

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”

- George Bernard Shaw

Guys. You know I love food. LOVE it. My roommates have nicknamed me "the granola" or "pumpkin" or just plain old "ultimate chef" (huh?). More than once, I've had a roommate hover over my breakfast/lunch/dinner plate and ask me what I did and how I did it and can-they-please-have-a-bite? Then they ask me what the secret ingredient is. Well, love is always the answer. Duh!.... And..... practice. If you want to like what you eat (and if you want your body to like it, too), you have to practice. Figure out what you like, and eat it. But make sure it's real food. Real food always tastes better. Seems like a no-brainer, but in this world of processed foods, we sometimes forget. Did I just admit to being a food snob? Why yes, yes I did. And I have no shame.

Sooooo anywho, the ultimate foodie, amy mathews kunihiro, has asked me to do a blog about food...specifically food for valentine's day. I do not own a fancy-schmancy camera, nor do I live in a place with great natural light. Therefore, I will probably be breaking some kind of copyright laws when I use pictures from other bloggas. But hey, I'm just sharing the wealth with you all. Here are some deeeeericoius foods I have been needing to make lately. And ones I think you should cook for your lover, if you happen to have one. I set it up by meal, because I'm just that nice.

for breakfast....

pancakes of course. these ones look taaaaaaasty-tasy. joy the baker has a zillion pancake recipes. aka we are breakfast-soulmates. I betcha didn't know that breakfast soulmates existed. Well, guess what, they do.

pumpkin spice pancakes

oatmeal cookie pancakes

buckwheat baby with salted caramel syrup

for lunch...

a yummy soup perhaps? and a roll or some other kind of carb. hey, it's valentine's day. I never said carbs weren't real food. Try these sweet potato muffins..they're flippin' good.

white bean and kale soup.

this sounds like it would be healthy (which it is) and therefore gross (which it's not). I lived off of this for a week...mmm. Really good with freshly-grated parmesan cheese on top.

for dinner...

chicken gyros with tzatziki sauce. homemade pita is optional...but honestly, it shouldn't be. storebought pita=cardboard. whole wheat homemade pita=a soft, nutty pillow of utter and insane deliciosity. OR there's chicken tikka masala. jamie oliver's is da bessst. seriously, favorite meal. or there's italian food. I know someone in Hawaii who is particularly fond of pasta...

spaghetti with lemon and olive oil

dessert must include chocolate. MUST. when you are brave enough, you can try them all. oooh just looking at them makes me esssited.

chocolate cheesecake squares

salted fudge brownies

glazed chocolate cake with coconut flakes

peanut butter pie with cookie crust

(sounds like pure insanity because it is)

what, you aren't full yet? don't worry, here's some nummy-nummy side dishes!

mini cheese tarts with blackberries

sugar and spice candied nuts

caesar salad deviled eggs

sweet potato fries

Alright, I think this is enough to induce a food coma. Happy Valentine's Day to all of you! Love yourself and eat something tasty.

okay, ew

I'm gonna use this blog for something I rarely use it for: venting. You may or may not enjoy it.

1) those commericals on TLC about weird addictions. seriously, gag me with a spoon. so sick. why are they on public tv? I'm still gagging.

2) soggy sweet potato fries. Red Robin, c'mon, if I'm gonna pay you 79 cents to be a little bit healthier, you better make those fries CRISPY. As in, I should hear a "crunch" when they enter my mouth.

3) two pairs of acid wash jeans spotted on campus this week....on both boys and girls. ack.

4) rags. I am a paper-towel kind of a girl. And the rags in our sink multiply like rabbits. I don't even bother using them...if I see one sitting there looking all moldy-like, I just carry it back to the washer asap. I guess I'm a rag supremacist.

5) when people eat foods together that should not be eaten together. I guess this is just the foodie in me or something, but f'real, you can't eat graham crackers and canned corn for lunch! what?!

6) please, for the love of all that is good and right in this world, stop wearing holey sweats to the grocery store. Holey in all the wrong places, too. I think that you're confusing the produce aisle with...your bed.

7) when your hair is so thick that you have to blow-dry it for so long that you start to break a sweat and then your hair sticks to your neck and your shirt sticks to your back and it's like, why did I even shower after that workout? There was no need.

8) that thing when people hock a loogie (thanks dad) in their mouth and then...and then...they...they swallow it. {kid history reference} And the worst thing is, we all know it, because we heard them hock the lugie, and then nothing happened afterwards!

9) sorry for that last one, it was pretty dang gross. but while we're on the subject, can all of the boys at this school please stop spitting everywhere? kthanksbye. (I realize that this pretty much contradicts the last thing I said, but hey, there are bathroom sinks and kleenex and other things. am I right?)

10) THIS

list of happiness (gasp!)

Did you just choke on something you were eating? Sorry! It's been awhile since I did a happy list...I know. And it's not even Monday, for cryin' out loud. That doesn't mean I can't make a happy list, though. Happiness is not limited to one day, young jedi. Make happy list for every day of the week, you can.

1) being in da mood to cook, and I mean seriously... it's like the Food Network up in hur, all day long. In the past month, I made: kale and white bean soup (two times, it was yummy), banana shakes up the wazoo, sweet potato muffins, pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip muffins (ok now inhale), homemade pizza, sixtygagillion loaves of bread, homemade yogurt like a pro (also two times), egg sandwiches, lemon salmon+roasted zucchini, chicken gyros with tzatziki sauce and homemade pita bread (*dead*)...that's all I feel like remembering right now. Would you like to hire me as your live-in cook? Okey-day! (you only get to offer me the job if you're Batman/Christian Bale, aight?)

2) being so zoned out in Spanish class today that when the boy behind me said "Okay McKenzie, let's trade seats" (so we could gather in our groups) I just stared at him for 10 full seconds. And then he said, "Uhhh" and I said "Oh!" And jumped up out of my seat really awkwardly. I'm surprised my head didn't hit the ceiling! Oh wait...no I'm not. I may have amazing reflexes, but I'm still five-two.

3) because of number one (plus good old-fashioned exercise, duh), my clothes. don't. fit. any. more. In a good way. But I'm too stubborn (or is it poor?) to buy new ones. So I just have to pretend that I like my pants to be super-baggy and stuff. There's nothing wrong with wanting to bring the 90's back.

4) re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird for my superheroes literature class. The first time I read it, I was ten years old...so it definitely made more sense to me this time around. It's still just as stupendous as it was back then. Oh, and the movie? If you haven't seen it, stop reading this and go watch it now. NOW.

5) using a thesaurus to find "stupendous" so I wouldn't have to use "awesome" again in that last paragraph. Oh yes I did.

6) the weather, which constantly fools me into thinking it's almost spring. I have gone lots of mornings without my coat because by the time I get home in the afternoon, it's really really nice (okay, probably 35-40 degrees, but still). In the meantime, I freeze my nalgas off. Lovely.

7) a lovely email from student records saying the following:

Mckenzie,

We have reviewed your graduation application and it looks like with the completion of your courses this semester you will be able to graduate this semester. I am forwarding your graduation application on to the Dept. Chair for his approval. Let us know if there is anything we can help you with or answer any graduation questions you might have.

BOOYAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't even care that they forgot to capitalize my K. That's how happy I am.

8) the hot pad I bought to make yogurt, which also doubles as a "make McKenzie fall asleep about ten times faster" tool. The only downside: I have a harder time waking up. I literally feel like I'm buried under ten quilts and man, it is just so niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice under there. I think it might also be making my dreams weirder (didn't know that was possible).

9) when a boy I thought was cute actually dropped the h-bomb today ("let's hang out"), he became ten times less attractive. I was surprised at my reaction. I guess I really am maturing, huh. I wondered when that would happen.

10) automatic cure-all if you are having a bad day: make a happy list for yourself, eat a smoothie or something with pumpkin in it, take a walk/go for a run/just go outside, read from the Book of Mormon, smile at someone, smile at yourself, listen to a good dancing song. And dance to it. I mean really dance.

letters 'n things

I've decided writing letters is becoming outdated. And that makes me sad. Because writing letters and receiving letters is probably one of the most bombtastic things ever.

I love imagining people's faces when they get a letter from me. Especially if they didn't know one was coming. It's lovely to imagine that the last person to hold that letter was your friend, and they were thinking of you when they sent it.

Letters may not be an instant message, but they sure get the message across. I'd venture to say they more than get the message across--it means that somebody took some time out of their day to have a conversation with you, to put pen to paper, and fold it up nicely and seal it in an envelope. And then they walked outside in the chilly air for just a few seconds to put that envelope into the mailbox and send it off on a little adventure. I may or may not be an English major...can't you tell?

One of my goals this year was to write a letter every week. So far I have succeeded. If you count packages, too...which I do.

If you comment on this post maybe you'll get a letter from me. If I know your address, that is. Whoa, did I just bribe you for comments? Guess so. Ever since I got rid of facebook nobody reads this anymore. Sigh. I'm still here!

confesh sesh

there is beauty in this confession session. am I right or am I right?

1) I said "confesh sesh." Meaning I spoke in abreev. Do you want to know the last time I spoke in abreev? Well, chances are it was probably when Chelsea B. was still around. She and I were flu in that lang.

2) Since I went grocery shopping on Tuesday, I have eaten one and a half of my avocadoes...and oh yeah, I bought five. Five avocadoes. FIVE. Ok...so we're good here, right?

3) This week has been yet another one of staying up wayyy past a reasonable hour. And by the way, I've always wondered what that phrase meant. How can an hour be reasonable? Does it think rationally and make decisive arguments? I've been in Rhetoric classes for wayyyyyyyyy too long.

4) Because of my insane load of homework, I have had to learn to let some assignments go....and that is something I have never done. It's pretty weird. You know what else I've had to let go of? My Friday nights. Goodbye, lazy weekend. Until we meet again!

5) Last night I had a dream that everybody (well not in the whole world...but a lot of us) was in this giant warehouse and there was a huge blizzard happening outside. Then, dad wanted me and Ike to go drive around in it. I woke up right before that really bad decision went down. Why do I always dream about apocalyptic things?

6) I have more freckles now than ever before. Or maybe I'm just noticing them because my skin...is finally clear! I have waited to say that since I was pubescent. Also, I've always wanted to use pubescent in a sentence. Two birds, one stone, people.

7) When it snows, I get really excited, because then I get to let the snow land on my hair. And puddle-jump. Because so far, the snow this winter has not consistently stayed snow. So much for Rexburg being a "dinosaur" in the wintertime.

8) I straightened my hair not once, not twice, but three times this week! This is cool because I haven't straightened it for awhile. I've been wearing...um...fish-tail pigtails to class. Whoa..two animals in one braid. I'm so weird!

9) When I can't fall asleep, I make up recipes. Sheep-counting does nothing for my taste buds, okay? Why count when I can create?!

10) Ever since Isaac uttered the words "taco bus" on Tuesday, I've been thinking about it. Ever. Since. I may or may not have a problem. And the problem is that the taco bus is not parked in my apartment's parking lot.

11) Today I got really excited for spring for the following reasons: short-sleeved shirts, running outside, leg-freckles, and all things lemon. Are you excited now? Oh yeah...and GRADUATION.

12) I've been listening to this dude a lot lately. Take my advice and do the same.

13) I think oranges are the yummiest fruit in the winter time. Cold, juicy oranges. Mmm. This confession session has been mostly about food. Which I think is a confession in and of itself.