100 Push Ups

On Monday I decided that was a thing I wanted to do. So about 9.5 weeks from now, I'll be able to do 100 push ups. How cool is that?

I've made goals in the past related to exercise, working out and improving my physical self. Some have stuck. Some have not. I've got a really good feeling about this one, though. I think it has something to do with my deep-seated desire to have nice looking arms/biceps. I'm sure it's not surprising that ShayCarl had a hand in this idea as well. (My exercise goals always seem to come back to him.) It also probably has to do with the fact that I can't do a full pull up. I figure I should be able to do at least one pull up in case I ever fall off a cliff and have to pull myself back up onto firm ground.

College has been a great time overall for improving myself as a person. A lot of it has happened, I believe, somewhat unintentionally and unnoticeably. That's just what happens when you have awesome roommates and a wonderful group of friends. Some things I've consciously worked on, but I think my favorite improvements have been the ones that really have come progressively over time.

So here's to 100 push ups and all the other lifestyle changes that undoubtedly will come with every new semester.

Speaking of new semesters, winter semester, in some ways, is just around the corner. There are only seven full days of classes left and after that only a few days of exams. I'm stoked to head home to Wisconsin in just two weeks from Saturday. And then I get THREE FULL WEEKS in the lovely Midwest. I almost took an early mini vacation to Iowa this weekend, though. BYU is playing Iowa State in basketball, and my best friend Kate happens to go to school there. I may or may not have checked for flights from Utah to Iowa . . . Had I found something for $250 or under, it's safe to say I very likely would have gone. But alas, the airline ticket gods were not so kind.

What I'm most excited for before heading back home is my apartment's Feliz Navidad Cheertastic Christmas Fiesta. It's going to be half salsa party, half Christmas cookie extravaganza. I think we're even going to make people take awkward family photos in front of our Christmas tree. Basically, it's going to be fantastic.

Have a great end of the semester, my friends.

Last YouTube video I watched: Disney Princess Leia

Christmas Break: At Home By The Numbers

Number of hours spent in airports or on a plane: more than 9 but less than 10

Number of orange sherbet pushups I've eaten: 3

Number of new hats I got: 2

Number of times I've had deliciously wonderful thin crust pizza: only 1, but by the end of break it'll be at least 3

Number of episodes of White Collar I've watched: 8

Number of times a day I check to see if any grades are posted: 15

Number of times I threw up before 10 am yesterday: You don't want to know

Number of cookies I've eaten: A lot. I probably shouldn't say, thought it's unrelated to the reversals of fortune I endured the other day

Number of hours of CTFxC I've watched: At least 4

Number of hours of other YouTube I've watched: Well, including the 4 or more of CTFxC, it's somewhere along the lines of I've completely lost track and you'd be surprised in the worst way because the number is pretty exorbitant

Number of presents I've wrapped: 0 (This will be changing once I finish this blog post)

Number of tweets I've tweeted: Only 10

Number of days that were made better after @shaycarl responded to me: all of them

Number of views I got on my How I've made Happiness a choice post: 98

Number of dollars I've earned on Sky Burger: $7760.24

Number of dollars I had to shell out to fix my MacBook: 0 (Product defects FTW!)

Number of Christmas presents I bought for myself with my dad's credit card with him looking on: All of them

And I suppose that's enough numbers for now, eh? It was quite fun to think up those things. Not all of them are too Christmasy but meh. I really hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy spending time with your family and thinking of Christ, the real reason for the season. For realsies. Go read from the book of Luke in the Bible now.

Last YouTube video I watched: Wise Men Still Seek Him

St. Nick

So Wisconsin is full of Germans. I myself am easily over 50% German heritage-wise. It's awesome. Germans are so legit. And here's one reason why: St. Nick coming on the night of December 5th and finding treats the morning of December 6th.

I used to know the whole story of St. Nick and why he comes on the night of the 5th but I no longer remember. We seriously learned it in elementary school. A few times. From what I do remember, kids would leave out their shoes and then the next morning there would be little treats in them. And by little treats I mean candy and other things filled with sugar. Thanks to Wikipedia, I now remember that it has to do with the Feast of Saint Nicholas. I don't think I ever actually learned why he was a big deal and I don't really care to, though I probably should since it is my heritage and all.

And at 20 years old, I am proud to say that St. Nick still comes. And my 23 year-old brother feels the same way. Over the years we've gotten various toys and treats but a few things always stay the same: huge navel oranges and candy from a small candy shop downtown. Since coming to college, another thing has been included: a gourmet caramel apple from Amy's Candy Kitchen. These apples are beastly and easily weight a pound or two. Mine are always covered in dark chocolate and cashews. It is so goodly and delicious.

I'm not writing this to brag. Well, maybe I am a little bit. But basically I just wanted to publicly announce  how awesome my parents are for still doing this stuff. My brother is practically engaged and I'm not exactly a kid anymore myself, yet they still keep it going. It's pretty much the best tradition ever, one that I will totally be using in my own family someday. And somehow every year I never cease to be surprised by how well my parents know me, especially my dad. An additional gift this year is wool socks. In my family, nice winter socks are sought after. It's totally normal, even expected, to get multiple pairs of socks for Christmas. In a package I received back in October, my dad even included a container of chocolate frosting, because I like to participate in the delicious habit of eating frosting with a spoon. Disgusting? Yeah, maybe a little. But so worth it. I don't think I've mentioned my love of eating frosting straight up in years, but my dad is totally on top of things.

Do you guys have any family/heritage/Christmas traditions? As finals approach, I know I will be even more thankful for these little tastes of home. Yeah, I'll be home 10 days from now, but that doesn't stop me from loving having Wisconsin things in Utah.

Last YouTube video I watched: The Biggest Shake-Up in YouTube History: Explained

Fact.

Because as good as kissing feels, nothing feels as good as the anticipation of it.

I've been seeing this quote a lot lately, both on Twitter and Tumblr, so here it is for all you folks who haven't read An Abundance of Katherines or any of the other books by John Green.

And just for good measure here's another gem from a John Green book, this time from his portion of Let It Snow. I haven't had a cheesy waffle yet but I sure hope to in the near future.

Cheesy waffles, I was thinking, taste like love without the fear of love's dissolution

You're welcome.

In other news, last night I bought my plane ticket for Christmas! I am quite ecstatic. I'll be leaving on the 15th and returning on the 3rd. I'll be in Wisconsin for more than 14 days! Which actually has not really happened before; usually Christmas break for me has literally been two weeks. All you chumps who have month long winter breaks . . . What a joke.

Last YouTube video I watched: 27 Part Video