My Symphony

To live content with small means.
To seek elegance rather than luxury,
    and refinement rather than fashion.
To be worthy not respectable,
    and wealthy not rich.
To study hard, think quietly, talk gently,
    act frankly, to listen to stars, birds, babes,
    and sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully,
    do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual,
    unbidden and unconscious,
    grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony. 

William Ellery Channing

The end of an era

Just kidding. It's only the end of the semester, but for some reason people are acting like it's the end of the world and being all weird.

"WHERE DID THE SEMESTER GO? HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING :("
"Last Fall semester before I graduate :(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( TEARZ"
"OMG no...it can't be the end of the semester......:_("

This is how I feel:

-My brain is totally fried. It's actually, like, scrambled to bits. And I still have 3 tests and a presentation next week. HA.

-Christmas is making me low on funds. My biggest weaknesses as far as spending goes are gifts and baking treats and we all know Christmas is high-time for both of those things! Not to mention all the bridal showers I've been going to...eesh kapeesh. OHHH and then there's this thing called winter break where I don't work for a month. HAHAHAHA bye money.

-This semester did not feel short. It was about 4 months long. And it feels like it's been 4 months.

-My roommates have been going absolutely bonkers decorating for Christmas and I just feel like "MEH" about the whole thing. I care that Jesus was born and I like sparkly things but other than that...don't care.

-Since I am almost done with college I have been pretty retrospective and I figured out that I am like way different than I was when I first got to school. For example, feminism. I have also realized how not different I am. For example, partying when I should be studying. For another example, not patient. For another example, still love pizza so much.

-Diet coke is the lifeblood pumping through my veins. I feel fine about it.

-I can't wait to go to California next weekend and be with my one true love.......SPRINKLES.

(JUST KIDDING. I meant CJ. LOL.)

Thoughts for a Tuesday

Working in customer service makes me never want to be rude to another customer service person ever again. Because there are people I talk to who make me want to CRY and there are also people who make my day when they call. So I guess given the opportunity I would rather make someone's day than ruin it.

I am not excited for school to start because I h8 homework.

I am excited for school to start because:
I get to see my friends.
CJ is coming back! And I will get to see him/talk to him most days! (revolutionary)
Taking a class with Trent Hickman is always a good idea.
Spanish!
Football!
No more working full-time. Hallelujah!
I will be on the Humanities Student Council with Abby.
SENIOR YEAR!

You may be wondering, "Caitlin, what ever shall you do when you graduate???" My answer: I don't know but I would love to move somewhere cool that's not Provo or Richland. Obviously hoping that over the course of this school year my dream job will present itself with a big pretty bow on top.

I am obsessed with Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. I want ALL OF THEM. My favorite of the three I have is Smitten. It's really bright.

My parents are here to drop off McClickey for school! Last night McKay said "I can't handle Caitlin!" and he has only been here for 3 days...oops. GET USED TO IT, BRO.

There is a macaron cart in the Riverwoods now...see you guys in the next life.

Just spoke to Tagg Romney on the phone. In other words, I am pretty much famous!

I have been getting rid of stuff left and right as I'm getting ready for fall semester to start which is honestly UNTHINKABLE for me because I am a hoarder beyond repair. Guess I am putting away childish things or something like that. (Literally. Threw away my Justin Bieber poster.)

Time to kiss the best/worst summer of my life goodbye!

Circa Charlotte's mission call 2011
Remember how tan I got last summer? I think I am even paler right now than I am in the middle of winter. Guess that's what happens when you work in a dingy office all day every day and never see the sun. Let's actually not even talk about it or I'll just be mad. Snow white.

Concrete Jungle

Lately I have been really really itching to visit New York City. As much as I would love to live in Farmville for the rest of my life (see: Utah Valley, Richland) I have to admit that I am almost certain I am a city girl! (Or at least a 30-minutes-away-from-the-city girl.)

I used to think that New York was overrated and Chicago was the crowning glory of all cities (true) and that I didn't care about visiting New York because I would rather visit Chicago.

HOWEVER.

I went to New York City with my choir when I was a senior in high school and even though I'm pretty sure I was cranky half the time, I think that I have love for Manhattan still lingering in my heart. And I saw In The Heights on Broadway and I just want to see like 5 million more shows.

Second of all, if you have ever seen the show Best Thing I Ever Ate, you know that probably half of the foods they feature are from restaurants in New York City. And let's be honest, I am a FOOD GIRL and I want to try them all.

I love Provo and everything and I hope that I don't offend anyone by saying this but I am just really over white people. Like, where's the diversity at? Please?

I just want to walk down really really crowded noisy streets and eat really good food and romp around all the different boroughs. And I think a lot of it probably has to do, once again, with my Latino Lit class and the poetry we have been reading because it's all about Spanish Harlem.

But instead I think I will go to Madrid. At the end of April. And live there. Until June. AHHHH!

All I want for Christmas is for Halloween to be over.

It's Halloween and all I can think about is how I am going to decorate the apartment for Christmas...tonight at midnight...wait, I know what you're thinking. It's one of two things.
Either:
-"OMG, me too!"
or
-"HOW COULD YOU HOW DARE YOU DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS BEFORE THANKSGIVING/DECEMBER 1ST/DECEMBER 25TH/(insert other ridiculous date here) YOU ARE RUINING CHRISTMAS FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!! WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS!"

I am not being dramatic, either. In the past few weeks I have found that this issue of decorating for Christmas and/or listening to Christmas music is VERY polarizing. In fact, one of my roommates threatened to move out if we decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving, which we absolutely doing, so we'll see if she follows through with that. If you follow me and twitter (@cmacmitch) or if you have the privilege of talking to me on a regular basis, you know I am not the most gung-ho person about Halloween. I like dressing up, I love candy, and I love Hilary Norton, but for the most part I am unenthused. I hate scary movies, haunted houses/mazes/mental hospitals/boats/car washes, teenagers on Halloween, and I especially hate Halloween movies and songs. Creepy and tacky.

Maybe one day when I can make costumes for my children and dress them up hilariously, I will like Halloween a little more. But I have a funny feeling that that will just stress me out and make me feel annoyed. On the bright side, LOOK AT THESE BABIES.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Baby, baby, baby OHHHHH

There is a certain amount of risk involved with making your children's names public knowledge...

so I'm not going to. Even though basically everyone who has been my friend/roommate knows them. And I don't think anyone would steal them, but you never knooooooowwwwww! They are weird and as Abby says "ridiculously contrived."

PS Although I like a lot of the names on that postcard, I only see one that is on my list and that's CLAIRE. There. I gave one away.

PPS I'm not pregnant...if you thought that's what this meant, then I'm sorry.

Hello, hubby

Do my parents and siblings like you?

Do you hate the Los Angeles Lakers/Do you love the Chicago Bulls?

Do you love dogs and babies?

Do you like to go to the beach?

Are you comfortable with doing nothing for a day?

Do you like to dance around?

Do you wear flannel shirts with basketball shorts?

Do you like to read books?

Have you ever mooned someone?

Do you dabble in expressions like "damn straight" or "hell no?"

Can you handle outbursts of dancing/singing/crying/laughing/shouting?

Would you feel comfortable on a farm?

Would you feel comfortable in a large city?

Do you plan to make your first million in the next five years?

Are you a liberal?

Are you a music snob?

Do you weigh 500 lbs?

If you answered yes to the first group of questions and no to the second group of questions, feel free to ask for my hand in marriage.

Ten things I know to be true.

1. Every human being is a child of God, and our Heavenly Father loves all his children.

2. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

3. The Book of Mormon is the most correct book on the earth.

4. I choose to be happy or to be unhappy.

5. My mom and dad will always love me.

6. A dog is man's best friend.

7. Every person we meet has been put in our life for reason. (Please note, I did not say "everything happens for a reason." That's not true.)

8. Chocolate is the breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert of champions.

9. Creating is the essence of life.

10. This t-shirt made me laugh hysterically on the metro yesterday. I want it.