[Letters]

“Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.” [William Arthur Ward]

My wonderful words of encouragement(5 notecards full!). Thank you everyone, it's going to be a HUGE help!

Dear Dad- Tomorrow I start Live Simply November. I think you would've been proud of me, but at the same time I can hear you saying something along the lines of, "This is how you should be living everyday anyways!" True that. Dear Lara- I L.O.V.E.'d our conversation/skype date tonight. You make me SO wonderfully happy, and I'm glad I brought a little light into your life as well. If only we were closer... Dear Words Of Encouragement- I have gotten you from ALL OVER lately, via text, facebook, comments, and simple spoken word. It makes me so excited and thankful to have all of my friends and family backing me as I start my journey. I already have FIVE notecards filled up with the encouraging words you all have spoken/typed to me these past few weeks. 

[Live Simply November: Goals and Guidelines]

As promised, one week before Live Simply November begins, I am posting my final Goals and Guidelines. 

Before I get started, I think it would be a good idea to list the reasons I've decided to take on this challenge, so that those who think I'm just crazy can get a better idea of where I'm coming from. The first reason is that I want a challenge. I like challenges, I've done no facebook months 3 times before, and my vegetarianism started out as a one-month challenge. I want to learn something about myself or something about the things we "treasure" today in society. I am excited to have less distractions. I think it'll be somewhat easier to get my homework done with no facebook, to say hi to people on campus with no ipod, and to focus more clearly on God without all of these distractions. I also want to be less attention-deficit. I can usually focus on something for about six minutes before I check facebook, text, or pick a new artist to listen to. I want to be more intentional about the things I do, actually sitting down and accomplishing a task and not getting sidetracked by all of these distractions. The last reason I'm trying this challenge is to practice what I preach. I always rant and rave about how much I love Thoreau's philosophies, but I don't always put them into practice. Also, the title of this blog is "A Simple and Sincere Account" and I just want to make sure I'm living simply. 

Goals:
-Read my bible daily
-Blog/write daily
-Read through Walden by Thoreau
-Write 1 letter/week

Guidelines: 
-No texting(if someone texts me I have to call them back)
-No ipod
-No TV(live or on the computer... this means you modern family!)
-No movies, except in social situations(this way I don't substitute movies for TV watching)
-No beauty products(I can still shower, shave, etc, I just can't use perfume, makeup, hair product, or hair dryer/straightener/curling iron)
-No spending except for bills and $2/week for laundry
-30 Items of clothing(see this post for details!)
-Computer use for: homework, email, blogging, bank accounts, UWEC accounts only(no weather, facebook, youtube, itunes, pandora, news, google, skype, etc.)
-Only one of the following: waterbottle, washcloth, towel, hand towel, spoon, bowl, fork, travel mug

Before: Jewlery Box After: Bible, Journal, Walden, Envelopes

Before & After

Before & After

Chalkboard for the Month!

I'm extremely excited and nervous to start this challenge and to see what I will learn. As of now, the things I'm most worried about are no texting, no ipod, and no make up, so we'll see if that changes. I appreciate all forms of encouragement, whether it's a comment on the blog, an email, a letter, or even a text(I can read, just not respond) it would be a huge support. So, with 7 days left on the ticker, I'm getting pretty pumped about this challenge!

[Over the Weekend]

I had a fairly busy week, but I know how awesome it can be to remember the great little things that happened. So here are some snipets of things that made me smile last week.

Hennagir and I on the way to the Leadership Retreat, we had a lot of pixie sticks on that bus ride... 

This kid pretty much always makes me smile.

Please, who WOULDN'T smile when looking at this shirt? I was really tempted to buy it...

...A SUPER FUN Leadership Retreat last weekend with all of my favorites. (We still have to make our shirts...)
...Having my math class canceled.
...Being able to eat "specialty pizzas" and play nertz with Bitty.
...Watching this movie close to three times.
...Sleeping in the most comfortable sweatshirt ever.
...Receiving hand-delivered snacks, a mix-cd, and a hug when I was really stressed out and overwhelmed.
...Reconnecting with my lovely Mara Lane.
...Eating an entire bag of carrots in one evening and discovering how to make "shredded" carrots.
...Having a heart-to-heart with my sister(biological) and learning so much about her past that I never knew. It just made me realize how blessed I am to have such great people in my life to look up to and to strive to be like.
...Learning how to tell all about my day just through eye contact.
...Sprinting to Starbucks at 9:35...and getting there about 20 minutes before close.
...Having great nighttime conversations with Bitty and Meghan, even though this may have caused Bitty and I to get asked to quiet down by an RA(third time in two weeks...).
...Having an incredibly entertaining night at Telefund, complete with coloring, pledges(!), and Halloween cookies.
...TWO phone calls from the lovely Garrett, holy BONUS batman!
...Having my lovely mother come visit me!
...Getting a catch-up email from my brother and Mr. Eastman(finally...)
...Dinner at the best restaurant in Eau Claire. Veggie burgers, sweet potato fries, and cornbread made a delicious end to my Friday.
...Thrifting and finding 4 new sweaters to love.
...Getting a new warm hat so I can make it across the bridge without becoming frozen like a statue.
...My mother teaching me how to knit! I'm so excited to make a scarf like this one!
...Watching this movie with some incredible 4W girls, a loaf of pumpkin bread, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
...Meghan winning Strip Nertz, allowing me to keep my pants on...literally.
...A great deal on some new shoes, perfect for fall colors and weather!
...A wonderful Sunday morning at church with my mother and friend Heather, followed traditionally by a delicious lunch.

[Live Simply November: A Challenge]

As November approaches, talk of "No Shave November" "Movember" and "No Make Up November" fills the air. So it caught my attention when my friend Annie said she was doing Live Simply November. She explained to me that Live Simply November was something she and a few friends were trying, to see if they could live simpler lives. They decided that they would cut out things like facebook, texting, spending money, make up, and excessive clothing. I was initially frightened, and then intrigued by the idea. I have started to come up with my own guidelines for my Live Simply November, and I'm excited and nervous to start. 

I am blogging about this now for a few reasons. One is because I decided to do it today. Another reason is  that I wanted to present this challenge to see if anyone else is interested. I know for me it will take a bit of mental preparation, as well as preparing my outfits for the month. I challenge anyone who is considering Live Simply November to take an account of their own life, find the distractions or excessive parts, and cut them out for a month. I will be posting my own "guidelines" one week before I begin my challenge. 

Another goal of my Live Simply November is to blog or write everyday, so expect new posts almost daily starting in November!

[Thoughts]

Once again, I am caught up in my mind, in my own issues, in my own ungratefulness. Well it stops now, as once again I count my blessings.

I am thankful for
...friends who take me grocery shopping at one in the morning.
...an education and the means to support it.
...modern family, because it can always make me smile.
...cookies that my mother sent me. I appreciated them at least 9 times today...
...the fact that I don't have to worry about making my own meals everyday.
...Katarina, who lets me come home at all hours of the night and yell to wake her up.
...Brittany, who can make me laugh so hard, who has stellar fake bangs, and who can listen to me day in and day out.
...Meghan, who mouths things like "Relax" and writes ridiculous things on my white board.
...Katie, who always has advice when I need it. And doesn't tell me to get out of her room when she's studying and I'm obviously annoying her.
...the opportunity to sing.
...the time to nap every day since last Friday.
...music, especially on my ipod.
...opportunity

[Thoughts]

"If you look closely at a tree you'll notice it's knots and dead branches, just like our[selves]. What we learn is that beauty and imperfection go together wonderfully." [Matthew Fox]

This has been weighing on me a bit lately, I think I'm starting to slide back into my old ways because of the change of going to college. I was unsure if I should post this, but I think sharing things on my blog is a way of acknowledging it, and hopefully, promoting positive change and healing. 

I am a recovering perfectionist. I love order and cleanliness and control. I have the urge to constantly have everything be "okay." I spend hours making lists and checking emails and filling out my planner so that I can do everything and be everything and be "perfect."Life is messy and unpredictable and overlapping. "My Life" is ordered and symmetrical and color-coded. Everything and everyone in my life must have a title or a label. I follow rules set by others, but more importantly, the rules I set for myself. I skip lines when taking notes. I fold, categorize, and color-code my underwear drawer. I wear three rings and one watch, which I take off with one of my rings every night before bed. I listen to Mumford and Sons when I blog, Bon Iver when I study and nap, and The Avett Brothers and The Black Keys when I walk to class. I am routine. I am structure. Some try to pass it off as "detail oriented" but it's more than that. I struggle to allow myself a bit of breathing room. A messy desk, an unplanned event, a meal where I don't count every gram of protein I eat. It's been building up for a while, and I finally told a friend what I was feeling. He responded in this way, "We are, by our very fibers imperfect. You can strive to succeed forever and you never will. Failure and adversity are the very things that make us stronger as a person, and more interesting, and broaden our outlook and shape how we think." I'm striving to believe this is true. In my head I know that it is. I know that without sorrow I can never feel true joy. I know that obstacles strengthen me and make me more appreciative of what I have. I know that I can't control everything and everyone around me. I know that a fear of failure can rule, and ruin, my life. I am working, praying, and seeking full understanding of these truths, it is my hope that one day my eyes can truly see the beauty in imperfection. 

[Thoughts]

This is sorta what studying looks like...

So when I went to college A LOT of things changed. There are somethings that I was expecting to change that didn't and some things I really didn't think would change actually did. So here's a list! As always the list is in no particular order and in varying levels of seriousness.

List #1: Things I thought about college that turned out to be false. 

Myth: Everybody forgets what jeans are and wears their hair in a ponytail everyday. 

Truth: I still strive to create outfits, get in my "six items" and although the girls on my wing sometimes call me a fashionista, there are actually a lot of people who put some effort into looking nice everyday. 

Myth: Everyone is soooo drunk allll the time. 

Truth: I found multiple groups of friends in which no one drinks regularly. This has made such a huge difference, and it really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to find. 

Myth: In college, everyone goes to bed after 1 am. 

Truth: Quiet hours start at 10, and a lot of people head to bed shortly after, especially if they have 8 am classes. I myself usually stay up until 12 or 1, but that's because my earliest class is 10. 

Myth: No one eats breakfast in college. 

Truth: I do. Lots of people do. We have unlimited access to the caf, so why not take advantage of it and eat some eggs in the morning?

Myth: When you go to college. you get fat!

Truth: I actually lost weight my first month here, and I've actually started to work out with some of my friends, so I don't really see that coming in the near future. 

List #2: Things I thought would NEVER happen to me in college, but they actually did. 

Truth: You will be broke in college. I thought I had SOOO much money saved up, and then I'd get a job, and everything would be normal! FALSE. It was hard to get a job in the first place, and then my first paycheck wasn't until October. I have been budgeting my money and watching what I spend very closely so I don't run out, but I do have to cut out all of the luxuries I used to enjoy. Plus now I have to pay for things like laundry and kleenex. 

Truth: You will do more studying in college. I had a Poli Sci test today and I spent more time studying for this than any final I took in high school. 

Truth: You will make friends quickly because everyone is really friendly. I was really worried about connecting with people here, but I can belly laugh with these guys just as much as my old friends. I love my roommate and how we can share our days together, be terrified of the bugs in our window, and laugh when I tip over my desk chair. 

Truth: You will become more frugal. I keep a weekly budget and I try SO HARD to stick to it. I don't let myself go shopping unless its something I really need. I've gotten a few coffees in social situations, but those are worth it for the company I see. 

Truth: You will miss your old friends, but it will be okay. I thought I'd DIE without my old friends, or be glad to ditch some of them, but in reality I miss all of them. I am happy I'm here and I'm really satisfied with the friends I've made, but I do miss my high school friends. What I really love though, is seeing those friends doing so well in college and really following their dreams and passions. We are all defining our true identities and I'm so excited for us to be back together again and share everything we've learned and become.

This is a long enough list I believe, for now, and I am excited to possibly continue it! I really enjoyed making this list and reflecting on my first month at college. 

[Letters]

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn." [Elizabeth Lawrence]

Rachel, me, and Matt at the apple orchard. 

Dear Dad- As tradition goes, we spent a fall weekend in Milwaukee. It was a glorious day filled with delicious food, a hike around Holy Hill (complete with youf...), and apple picking. Of course there was also talk about football, math education, and physical therapy. For dinner, we even got chinese food. We all miss you. Dear Bestfriend- Screaming and running into your arms was the perfect greeting this weekend. I loved listening to your stories, seeing Vern again, meeting your friends, but mostly, hearing your laugh again. I love your stellar advice and super-fun movie quotes. Also I love that we were able to watch Reba on Friday night and get bothered by drunk Bill. I love you. Dear Brit- I think our car ride activities were perfect. MASH, drawing portraits of our best friends, and having a little heart-to-heart about our weekends really made the three hour pilgrimage go by in a flash. (Although I think our driver may have been less than thrilled with our rambunctiousness.)

P.S. Friends are so important for advice. Whenever I have doubts, worries, or complicated situations I know I can call them up and they will be there for me. One person who has been especially wonderful is my soul sister Hannah. We met at camp four years ago and have remained close friends ever since, despite never living remotely near each other. Whenever we need a kind word, a christian opinion, or someone to load off all of our woes to we always call each other. We haven't seen each other for almost two years, but we still talk monthly and I know without a doubt that I will always have her in my life.