21 things by 21

i'm borrowing this idea from the wonderful jordan over at oh happy day!, who posted a list a while back of 30 things she wanted to accomplish before her 30th birthday. i love the idea of listing and sharing goals, big and small, as a way to stay productive and hold myself accountable. (not bad timing considering the myriad resolutions everyone is making this time of year anyway!) without further ado, my list:

1. do something with my hair

2. pack sensibly for france

3. see as much of europe as is humanly and financially possible

4. ...and take thousands of pictures

5. spend valentine's day with boyfriend in paris (february 14)

6. plan boyfriend an amazing birthday getaway (may 1)

7. apply to at least ten internships (january and february)

8. secure a french internship for the month of may

9. secure a paid internship for the summer (or second job if internship is unpaid)

10. pennsylvania trip to paint bedroom of senior year house (july)

11. decorate bedroom of senior year house (and stick to the budget!)

12. create a better photo display for upstairs hallway at home

13. update family address book

14. read 12 new books (one per month, recommendations appreciated)

15. blog here five times per week

16. comment on at least one other blog per day (this shouldn't be too hard considering i follow about 13 trillion others)

17. start a study abroad blog to keep family and friends updated

18. stay a vegetarian (could be challenging considering language barrier and cultural customs in france)

19. get all a's and b's during semester abroad (is this too easy? too hard? not sure what the classes will be like but i'm sure the distraction of travel will be a recurring issue)

20. throw a 21st birthday party in new york (august 9)

21. end my twentieth year feeling more independent, more worldly, happier, healthier, and otherwise better!

i'm borrowing this idea from the wonderful jordan over at oh happy day!, who posted a list a while back of 30 things she wanted to accomplish before her 30th birthday. i love the idea of listing and sharing goals, big and small, as a way to stay productive and hold myself accountable. (not bad timing considering the myriad resolutions everyone is making this time of year anyway!) without further ado, my list:

1. do something with my hair

2. pack sensibly for france

3. see as much of europe as is humanly and financially possible

4. ...and take thousands of pictures

5. spend valentine's day with boyfriend in paris (february 14)

6. plan boyfriend an amazing birthday getaway (may 1)

7. apply to at least ten internships (january and february)

8. secure a french internship for the month of may

9. secure a paid internship for the summer (or second job if internship is unpaid)

10. pennsylvania trip to paint bedroom of senior year house (july)

11. decorate bedroom of senior year house (and stick to the budget!)

12. create a better photo display for upstairs hallway at home

13. update family address book

14. read 12 new books (one per month, recommendations appreciated)

15. blog here five times per week

16. comment on at least one other blog per day (this shouldn't be too hard considering i follow about 13 trillion others)

17. start a study abroad blog to keep family and friends updated

18. stay a vegetarian (could be challenging considering language barrier and cultural customs in france)

19. get all a's and b's during semester abroad (is this too easy? too hard? not sure what the classes will be like but i'm sure the distraction of travel will be a recurring issue)

20. throw a 21st birthday party in new york (august 9)

21. end my twentieth year feeling more independent, more worldly, happier, healthier, and otherwise better!

My Name is Mackenzie and I am an Addict

...to my computer, that is. over christmas, my 82-year-old grandmother regularly lamented the attachment to a machine that me and my siblings, cousins, even parents seemed to be “suffering” from.

dear grandmother, if this is suffering, then bring it on. i love you to death but this baby gives me music, news, pictures, blogs, and all other good things in this world. i can’t tell you how much i missed this sucker while i was in puerto rico (i’m sure that sounds bad but first let me say i did enjoy myself while i was at the beach and poolside and spending quality time with my girls) but i sincerely missed the couple hours a day where i get to kick back and read about other people’s lives and get inspired by what’s going on in their worlds.

i’m going abroad next semester (to tours, france — and i'll be blogging!) and we were all cautioned against spending too much time texting, skyping, watching tv (and don’t get me wrong, i intend to relish every moment of my experience) but my computer provides my “me time” and no one, not even my beloved grandmother, is going to take that away from me.

now take a look at these computer setups and tell me they don't just do the trick:

{photo credits in image titles.}

...to my computer, that is. over christmas, my 82-year-old grandmother regularly lamented the attachment to a machine that me and my siblings, cousins, even parents seemed to be “suffering” from.

dear grandmother, if this is suffering, then bring it on. i love you to death but this baby gives me music, news, pictures, blogs, and all other good things in this world. i can’t tell you how much i missed this sucker while i was in puerto rico (i’m sure that sounds bad but first let me say i did enjoy myself while i was at the beach and poolside and spending quality time with my girls) but i sincerely missed the couple hours a day where i get to kick back and read about other people’s lives and get inspired by what’s going on in their worlds.

i’m going abroad next semester (to tours, france — and i'll be blogging!) and we were all cautioned against spending too much time texting, skyping, watching tv (and don’t get me wrong, i intend to relish every moment of my experience) but my computer provides my “me time” and no one, not even my beloved grandmother, is going to take that away from me.

now take a look at these computer setups and tell me they don't just do the trick:

{photo credits in image titles.}

do pardon the delay

but i was on vacation! that's right, i joined the leagues of trite new englanders who pack their bags and head for warmer climes for the holiday vacation. we went to puerto rico and it was glorious.

we stayed here:

woke up to this:

did yoga here:

and did lots and lots of this:

but i was on vacation! that's right, i joined the leagues of trite new englanders who pack their bags and head for warmer climes for the holiday vacation. we went to puerto rico and it was glorious.

we stayed here:

woke up to this:

did yoga here:

and did lots and lots of this: