"What are your plans this Fall?"

Hearing this question endlessly makes me realize I have more friends than just my dog. Though it's always fun to talk with people, I for whatever reason freeze up when asked about my future. Not that it's going downhill or anything, but future means growing up and moving on from the comfortable life I've been living. So if I've directed you here, read on my friend.

No, I'm not going to school. But before you give that judging what-in-the-world-is-she-thinking-she's-throwing-her-learning-years-away look, let me finish. I'm not going to school yet. When I was little I wanted to grow up and be Neil Armstrong; I wanted to be the first astronaut to walk on the moon. I also wanted to be taught to figureskate by Kristi Yamaguchi, and in my spare time, serenade people with my musical talents of the harp and flute. Oh yeah, and there was the dream of owning a corner flower shop. I've accomplished NONE of the above, and I certainly don't even know how to arrange store bought flowers in a vase. My interests have bounced all over the place and I don't even know what my 5-year plan looks like. All I know is that right now, I want to travel. I want to live away from home in a completely new place for awhile. Explore on my own before being strapped down by books at a university. 

When I was in Australia, I learned it's common to take a "gap year" which is just that, a year to do SOMETHING inbetween your high school and college careers. So whether it's the "norm" to do that here or not, that's my plan. To make it happen and fulfill my own desires I'm going to go abroad and be an au pair. I've babysat and nannied over the years, I haven't had a kid that's truly hated me, and I still feel like a kid so children and I get along pretty well. So why not?! I'm in the process of finding a family in France to go live with and in exchange of watching their children, I will experience a new culture, a new language, new foods, new sights, a place to call home, and some travel. Am I nervous? Oh I'm scared outta my skin! But at the same time I'm so very anxious-excited that I don't even care about the nerves. I'm hoping that learning the French language so in depth would help me out with getting a minor in French for when I do go to school.

Long story short, It's not the normal. But who cares? I'm ready for some awesome memories! Feel free to stick around and see where I wind up. :)

"I'm shakin' the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I'm gonna see the world. Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Colosseum. Then, I'm comin' back here to go to college and see what they know. And then I'm gonna build things. I'm gonna build airfields, I'm gonna build skyscrapers a hundred stories high, I'm gonna build bridges a mile long..." -George Bailey 

A Bedtime Story

Somewhere in the library of Hannah is a small red notebook. If you've arrived at the Nicholas Sparks section, you've gone too far. This book lies somewhere between Pride and Prejudice and Harold and the Purple Crayon. Found it yet? Good! Our story starts here.

It was just like any other typical weekend for Hannah—planless. She was much too tired to go to sleep, and much too bored staying awake! She needed something to do. So she flipped to page 3 and found a recipe for "Boyfriend Brownies". She called them that only because she thinks these would be the quick, easiest, and tastiest to make if she happened to have her [imaginary] beau over. 

People (myself included) often resort to gooey brownie mixes. So don't be alarmed when this homemade batter looks thicker than usual. I promise it will be delicious in the oven.

Hannah melted in the sounds of her favorite music, and dreamed of wearing that perfect dress she'd found to a ball. Soon enough, the beeping timer brought her back to reality, and since there's no sense in waiting for brownies to cool (does anyone actually do that?) she served them up with Tahitian vanilla gelato. Nothing fixes a craving like the way hot chocolate and cold vanilla in your mouth does.

And there we have it. Hannah once again slays boredom, and saves her weekend. Pheewww, that was a close one. The End.