note the date ^ {its 1/1/11}

It's 1/1/11! That's pretty cool, I think. {1/11/11 will be fun too. So will 11/11/11. And 11/1/11, [thank you Ale:) ] }

Ok so the POINT is: 1/1/11= new year= new hopes, new dreams, new goals, new people, new places. I feel this quote is perfect for this day, to set the tone for the coming year ::


**I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily...**
-Thoreau

{Im starting to re-read Emerson's Nature, Thoreau's Civil Disobedience and Walden...oh boy}

Really, everyday is the completion of a year. And everyday is a new year [from a year ago..haha. Follow?] It's just that we don't celebrate everyday because everyday is not super notable... maybe using Thoreau's wise words, this year we can make many notable days and celebrate their year anniversaries forever.

Hi 2011!

I love the new year because its like everybody's birthday all at once. 

In 2010 I...
*completed my terminal studio
*and {after 5 crazy years} graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor of architecture from the nation's highest ranked sustainable architecture school!
* I got to have my grandparents watch me graduate
* I met some wonderful people who have taught me so much and helped me learn and grow in so many ways
* I said goodbye to a very dear member of our family (Duchess) and still mourn her loss
* I kept up my hobby of making jewelry and learned how to refinish furniture,
* I learned how to fish
* I explored some beautiful parts of Oregon before leaving (temporarily),  and I moved to Spain to make my life long dream come true
* I went to France, Switzerland,  The Netherlands (again) AND NORWAY and traveled around Spain! * I learned how to cook
* I managed to "demagnetize" 4 spanish bank cards
* I realized the magnet from my camera case was the cause of the card demagnetization
* I discovered I actually really like kids
* I became vegetarian in 2010.

2010 was probably my favorite year {second only to 2005} but I'm not sad to see it come to an end. I'm looking forward to discovering what 2011 has in store for us :)

In 2011 I hope to:
*see the northern lights
*travel around Eastern europe
*have my family visit me in Spain :)
*continue to meet wonderful positive people with whom I can share healthy friendships that help one another grow
*be a really good vegetarian and even more dietetically healthy
*continue exercising {the problem is when?? I don't get home until past 8 every night}
*start saving money from the private lessons I teach every DAY after work
*continue making things with my hands because it makes me so happy {and learn to knit}
*continue learning and improving my cooking and baking skillz
*get a bank card that doesn't get demagnetized 
*get my architecture portfolio together and land a design job with an architecture firm in Madrid
*be healthy, and happy.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!