a definition

spotted at a cup of jo

patience: the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper,irritation, or the like. (found at dictionary.com)
Patience is something I've never been good at. And I gave up whining/complaining for lent (along with cookies/brownies). I'm trying to turn over a new leaf and be more positive. Speaking of being happy/positive, this list of 50 Steps to Simple Happiness makes me wish I lived in NYC so I could fulfill a few more of them.

random thoughts on a wednesday afternoon

image spotted at cocoa+kelly

• I have found two new books to add to my reading list. I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron (read an interesting review here) and The Possessed by Elif Batuman (read the NYT review here). Both look fantastic and I'm excited to get my hands on them.
• Speaking of good books- I had to read The Things They Carried (warning: there is a lot of language) and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for two different classes. Both were very good reads- in two very different ways. Some people's talent amazes me.
• I am dying for spring/summer. I am longing to wear dresses and skirts and flipflops and open toed shoes and light jackets- or no jackets. I wore capri pants today in hopes of eliciting some aspect of spring into this February day- but to no avail.
• My married BFF Candace and I have decided to do the Rex Lee Run this year. It's one of those things you have to do before graduating from BYU. I'm trying to come up with a list of others things I need to do before graduating and leaving Provo. A year seems like so much time, but it's really not.
• I really need to find a place to live next year. Angela and I are going to live together- we just have yet to determine where that will be.
• I finally achieved one of my college goals and got a Provo Library card. And let me tell you, I'm lovin' it. I love libraries and I love being inside the Provo Library. I think it's gorgeous. If I get married and have a reception- I would love to have it here.
• I'm getting my tax returns back soonish and I'm trying to decide what to buy. Most of the money is going to pay my spring/summer/fall tuition, but I do want to get something fun/for myself (besides an education of course). I'm leaning towards a Northface jacket. Thoughts?

hero worship

I just spent the last half an hour googling Christiane Amanpour. What an amazing lady. I read this article in the NYT which is what sparked my interest. Plus Rory talks about her all the time on Gilmore Girls, which of course gives her more credibility in my eyes :) But I think it's amazing that she worked her way up from the bottom and is now one of the most recognizable news anchors in the world. Seriously awesome. Read more about her here.

cousin zach

My amazingly talented cousin Zach is in a play that is getting rave reviews. It's playing in Midvale through February 22 and should be great. I'm hoping to make it out there next week. Go here for tickets. Way to go Zach! I love having such a talented family.

nyc

I am dying for this print. I think it's adorable and perfect. Spotted at oh joy!

prayer

all you need

"Men use up their lives in heart-breaking political struggles, or get themselves killed in civil wars, or tortured in the secret prisons of the Gestapo, not in order to establish some central-heated, air-conditioned, strip-lighted Paradise, but because they want a world in which human beings love one another instead of swindling and murdering one another."
-George Orwell