Butterflies, Music, and Resolutions

Happy New Year errybody!

I just got back last tonight from being in Houston this weekend and figured that a New Year's Eve post was a must. Some stuff about the weekend first.

We visited the Johnson Space Center on Saturday and the Houston Museum of Natural Science yesterday. Then I visited my very special friend Howard in Pearland and was introduced to some of his super nice friends. The Butterfly Center at the museum was probably my favorite thing ever, other than seeing Howard of course. It's amazing how careful I have to be while writing this blog now because of certain people reading it. I would just hate to switch to a personal journal though because I've fallen in love with this format and love getting feedback from friends.

Anyways, some photos. Well, they're all of butterflies because that was amazing.

 

I LOVE MY CAMERA. Normal digitals can't do this as well I think. Super zooooooooom!

Yesterday my friend and I made a bet to motivate ourselves to read organic chemistry. He's going to be in Orgo 1 next semester while I'll be in Orgo 2 and we decided that starting today, we'd bet to see who read the most pages of orgo in the next week until it's time to get back to school. The loser has to smell Howard's feet for 5 seconds. Deadly, but definitely motivating. Although, I feel like there's some level of unequality because the second half of orgo is probably more difficult than the first, right? Right? It's kay. I got this.

I really have to stop listening to Taylor Swift on repeat. It's unhealthy. Oh, I just heard a few songs by Kina Grannis and fell in love with them. And I share. 

Something that I found on one of my friend's blogs which you can find here was a list of resolutions and reflections that seemed very appropriate for the occasion of New Year's. This is me attempting to do the same.

My 2013 Resolutions

• Have at least a 3.55 GPA by the end of my spring semester. At least. Seriously though. It's so bad.
• Complete another 365 like the one I did in 2011. If anyone doesn't know what this is, it's when you take one photo for every day of the year and compile them. My one from 2011 is up on Facebook somewhere, but I really enjoyed it and want to do it again!
• Get into fewer arguments with my parents. Try and understand them more. Make sacrifices.
• Think less. Not underthink, just... not overthink.
• Get more involved in my sister's life. Be nicer to her? Make sure she's headed down the right path.
• Be more confident in myself.
• Laugh more. Be happier. I need to be what I preach.
• Learn things.
• Do something worthwhile for me and the people around me this semester, this summer and next semester.
• A lot of other things. I feel like you just can't say until the time comes. And I'm bad at thinking of things on the spot, you know? I'm better at reflecting than planning. See below.

My 2012 Reflections

• Although Disney lies to young children in telling them that all of their dreams will come true, sometimes, wishes do come true sometimes. The world works in really unexpected ways, but things do work out for the best. I probably don't have enough life experience to speak for everyone, but from what I've gathered, if your mind is set to the right things, what's meant to happen will happen. Getting into a good school: it wasn't Princeton, but it was Duke, and it happened even if it wasn't the way I expected it to. It ended up making me very very happy. Not being forever alone: it frustrated me for years, but that resolved itself too and made me very happy as well.
• Writing a blog was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I never realized how much getting thoughts down in words and all concrete-like helps in clearing my thoughts. It's been amazing getting feedback from people on the things I write about too. I'm so glad people can relate and I hope you'll keep sharing your own thoughts with me, either on Facebook or in the comments!
• International students are awesome.
• Organic chemistry is a bitch.
• I have yellow fever so hard. The urban dictionary kind, don't worry.
• I haven't seen the world at all. So much more exists than what exists in my immediate surroundings. The meteor shower was such a striking example of how much we are distracted by the artificial, superficial things around us. So much more exists both around us and inside of us. 
• Our lives are what we make of them. We shouldn't wait for change, we should go seek it out. Change is important. Having a comfort zone is good, but always staying inside of it doesn't allow us to see what else is outside. I also need to be what I preach.
• Moving halfway across the country seems like an awful thing at first, but it's not half bad. I miss things, but I also have gained many other things. Like, Whataburger. 
• Boys aren't the problem. The girl's mind is the problem. But then again, sometimes, boys are the problem. 
• Everything that's been on this blog since July. And more that I can't recall right now. 

Have a wonderful new year everyone. Make it count!

I'm stealing this from my friend over here. I've mentioned her before but she's incredible to read and I swear we have the same mind sometimes except she's wayyyyy more musically talented. 

You are in high school. You dropped out of high school. You live within 20 minutes of your best friend. You live within 20 minutes of the last person you kissed. You live within 20 minutes of your ex. You have been to the movies within the last week. You have hugged someone in the last 48 hours. You have had 3 or more boyfriends/girlfriends just this year. You have been a designated driver. You have broken merchandise and not paid for it. You have played strip poker. You are Catholic. You are Atheist. You recycle regularly. You have dated a blonde. You are friends with a redhead. You are taller than your mom. You have a bank account. You’ve written a check for less than $5. You have visited the Statue of Liberty. You have visited the Eiffel Tower. You have visited Big Ben. You have visited the Colosseum. You have visited The Great Wall of China. You have never been out of the country. You have been a waiter/waitress. You own a Bible. You own something with a Pentagram on it. You have used a Ouija Board. You have been a witch for Halloween. You have been a zombie for Halloween. You have your eyebrow pierced. You have a Monroe piercing. You have your nose pierced. You have no tattoos. You have more than 5 tattoos. You straighten your hair. You have worn a dress in the last 3 days. You live somewhere that gets snow. You celebrate Hanukkah. You were at your own house last New Year’s. You were at a bar last New Year’s. You can’t remember last New Year’s. You slept through last New Year’s. You have worked on Christmas Eve. You have worked on Christmas. You have been told ‘I love you’ by someone today. You were told by someone who’s not family. You slept in your own bed last night. You are dating the last person you kissed. You regret kissing the last person you kissed. You are wearing a necklace right now.You are wearing something red. You are wearing something blue. You are wearing something purple. Your phone number ends with an even number. You have kissed the last person you called/texted. You are currently listening to music. You are waiting for something. You don’t like seafood. You have eaten deer sausage. You have given a complete stranger your phone number. You have been hit on at work. You have been hit on by someone more than 20 years older than you. You have been whistled at. You have been creeped out by it. You were dating someone in December of 2008. You are still dating that person. You have cheated on someone. You have been cheated on.  You have been on a cruise ship. You have camped out in your own backyard. You are wearing something that doesn’t belong to you.You are a Pisces. You are an Aquarius. You are a Leo. You wonder what will happen when you die. You are afraid of the dark. You have been told you have nice handwriting. You have had a song written for you. You have had a picture drawn of you. You have curly hair. You are wearing a watch. You are wearing flip flops. You wouldn’t date someone who smoked. You know someone with the same birthday as you. You slept in past 10 am today. You have big plans for next weekend. You are thinking of someone right now. Your job is stressing you out. You don’t have a job. You have never had a job. You were fired from your last job. You know sign language. You will usually try something at least once. You have been swimming in the last month. You are pessimistic by nature. You have taken a ballet class. You have taken karate. You have taken gymnastics. You wish on shooting stars. You wish at 11:11. Your birthday has already come this year. You have been in a relationship that lasted longer than a year. You ended your last relationship. Your ex ended your last relationship. You aren’t over your ex. You have gone after someone you knew was bad for you. You were/are a teenage mom. You were named after someone. You like your name. Your last drink was water. You have visited somewhere said to be ‘haunted’. You have skipped school just because you didn’t feel like going. You have taken medicine when you ‘feel a headache coming on’. You are self-conscious about your body. You have a hangover. You have a pet fish. You have had a Jehovah’s Witness show up at your house. You have godparents. Your parents are still married. You have step-siblings. You are the oldest. You are adopted.You have a twin. You don’t want kids. You want more than four kids. You have a bad temper. You usually make the first move in an intimate situation. You have made out with a complete stranger. You have worked with a Kayla. You have gone to the movies with a Jared. You have hugged a Lexie. You have held hands with a Marcus. You have dated a Rachel. You have broken your arm. You have had to get stitches on your face. You have had an MRI. Your fingernails are painted. You like to draw. You like to sing. You can play an instrument. You keep a lot of secrets from people. You don’t think people would accept you if they really got to know you. You don’t trust people easily. You borrowed something you really need to give back to someone. You drive a car older than a 2002. You have lost a friend you never thought you would. You know a child who died of cancer. You know a teenager who died in a car wreck. You have done something illegal in the past 24 hours. You have cut your hair in the last week. You wear glasses. Your favourite season is Autumn. Your favourite colour is orange. Your favourite animal is a dolphin. You last rode in a car with a relative. You last rode in a car with a girl. You last rode in a car with the person you are dating. You regularly watch Asian dramas. You love Chinese food. Your best friend is older than you. You have to go to school/work tomorrow. You answered every question truthfully.