A last...

Tonight is my last night in Seattle.

When I moved back to my hometown two years ago, I never thought I would leave. Seattle is where I want to get married, raise a family. I loved growing up here, with all the green and the water. I didn't know any better at the time that rain and gray skies aren't the norm in other parts of the country.

It's strange to think that tomorrow I'll be in a different state.

A state I swore I would never live in again. 

I'm definitely eating my words. :)

Change is good, and I've never been one to shy away from a new adventure. Take a look at the last five years of my life...I moved to Taiwan twice, moved to DC twice, and lived in Seattle twice. 

I guess that's why I'm surprised with my conflicting emotions. Excitement and fear. Positive and negative. There are so many things in Salt Lake that I'm excited about--awesome new roommate, super close friends from teaching in Taiwan, mission buddies, BYU friends, and old roommates. But I'm sad to leave my family and friends I have here. 

And I'm sad from all the things I'll be missing out on!

But that's life. Life moves on, and you learn to move on with it. 

So here's to change and adventure! To looking forward to the future, not knowing what it holds. To good friends and family who love generously and endlessly! To life!

Seattle Music Pride Fo Sho

I definitely have pride in my hometown. I mean, Seattle is pretty awesome. And Macklemore & Ryan Lewis seem to agree. They released their video for Can't Hold Us this morning, and it's ah-maz-ing. Appreciate the sweeping views of my city. Because it really is that cool.

 

Please help if you can...

Hi lovely friends. I know it's been quite a while since I last wrote. I can't believe November is almost half-way over! I have much to be grateful for. Life is good.

But this post isn't about me.

It's about my friend, Camilla.
A friend who has battled  anorexia for the majority of her life.

Camilla is one of the kindest, most thoughtful people I know--truly beautiful on the inside and out. She has sought treatment several times before, but her eating disorder (aka Frank), always sneaks back. This time Frank has become so severe, the only treatment that will help is full-time residential care.

Camilla has raised enough money through selling baked goods, and through generous donations to pay for one month of treatment. The only thing is, she needs to stay for six.

Camilla's story caught the attention of the local KOMO 4 News, and was picked up by ABC. Since then she has been featured in the UK's Daily Mail  and Italy's Pianeta Donna.

This is where I hope you can help.

Please visit Camilla's blog, The Night Baker,  and donate if you can. Even $5 would help tremendously.
If you aren't able to donate, please consider putting her button on your blog.

And for those in the Seattle area, a silent auction/benefit, plus a 5k are in the works to gain awareness, and hopefully raise funds. More details to come.

Get your button here!

<a href="http://www.millathenightbaker.blogspot.com" target="_self"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwx0YHznKj5399nO3CsHY8Dumd1DftF83Hg7pprLlrWsTFArWwu9XWlxSvPVOXZiGS-UFyKQuEu_-Onc_3cqFNoF1AsX7N32QV9vWOenHQr9b_XpySZil6qG0r7nHZghu9MLYQ7jsne8d/s139/thenightbaker.jpg" alt="millathenightbaker" width="125" height="125" /></a>

Fakt.

View of fall colors from South Fork Park, Provo Canyon.

Citi jako podzim. Fakt.

It feels like fall. Truly.

Fall is finally here, and I guess I'm ok with it. I was reluctant to say goodbye to summer, but since returning from my trip to Utah, I'm ready for it all--the crisp air, the vibrant colors of the leaves, pumpkins, squash, Halloween, the smell of burning brush fires in the backyard. All of it.

As I've mentioned many times before, as the seasons change, so do my musical selections. Fall equals acoustic awesomeness, and other soul-searching sounds. Bloc Party has recently come out with a new album. I have to admit that I don't care for most of it, but their ballads are once again spot on. And Kele...his voice slays me. Please enjoy this gem of a song called Truth.

What Saturday nights are for

Unfiltered shot of sunset across Lake Washington.

Friends jammed into one vehicle.
Lake Washington.
Sunsets.
Bats disjointedly flying in the air.
Great conversation about love, life and religion.
A late showing of The Odd Life of Timothy Green.

Exactly what Saturday nights are for!

Summer is nearing it's end up here in the Pacific Northwest, yet September has not been a disappointment. No, not at all. The days are indeed getting shorter, but the days are warm and gorgeous.

I live about 10 minutes from the lake, and I kick myself that I don't take greater advantage of my beautiful surroundings. Luckily, a few friends felt the same way. To the waterfront we went.

Walking along the Kirkland strip is one of my most favorite things to do. The memories are rich and plentiful--feeding the ducks and Tim Noah concerts as a kid, cruising with my friends as a teenager (we thought we were sooooo cool), and now, as an adult, strolling and taking it all in. And did I mention the sunsets are spectacular?

I love the Pacific Northwest!

A new beginning.

Man has it been a month. Not one of my best, I must admit. Despite that, I'm beginning to see a small ray of light through all the dark clouds. Continually, I'm learning how my body reacts to different foods, levels of exercise and insulin, and how stress and hormones can throw everything out of whack. Hormones are not to be messed with!

I am blessed with extremely patient friends and family. Angels, I tell you! High blood glucose levels make me irritable and cranky, and unfortunately there have been quite a few of those moments of late. If any of my dear friends are reading this, to you I am grateful. Grateful that you have not done an about face and ran in the other direction. (Sometimes I'm good at being a storm cloud. Almost too good).

Through all this, I've been reading a TON, trying to figure out how to be healthy and happy. Many times I have wanted to throw in the towel, and give up (hence some of the high blood sugar episodes). But I've come to realize that throwing in the towel won't help. I'll either end up in the hospital (boy, I do not want that to happen!) or seriously depressed. How fun. So I'm choosing not to give up!

I've come to realize that the first thing I need to do is learn how to truly love myself independent of my successes or failures at work, in my love life, church, etc. And to love myself, I think I need to get to know myself again. It's been a looooong while since I've done this. Sad, I know.

On this new-found quest of self-discovery, it's kind of become my very own Happiness Project. I'm just in the beginning stages right now, gathering all the data on how to proceed. I'm excited for new goals, and for becoming the best version of myself ('cause right now, I'm not it).

Here's to starting over! And to figuring what life is all about!

This made me laugh...out loud!

So I know I haven't written in a very long time. I have so much to write about, but haven't had a ton of time to do so. But in an effort to stay current, I had to post this.

You all know how much I love Korean drama's and K-Pop, right? Well, if you didn't, you do now. Psy, a somewhat controversial Korean rapper, did the almost impossible. His song Gangnam Style is a HUGE hit here in America. Gangnam Style made it big during the Olympics, and it's everywhere. Even SNL. I came across this clip today, and it had me rolling on the floor.

 

When I saw all the hype, I wanted to figure out what it was all about. I came across this article by The Atlantic, which I thought explained the significance of Psy's hit. It was also interesting to read the comments by the other readers of the article.

So, if you're wanting to watch the original video, I have to warn you that parts of it may be seen as inappropriate. But I still found it to be hilarious!

You guys...Canada is cool!

 I love Vancouver! I know as an American, I'm not supposed to admit that I love Canada, but I really do.  I would live there if I could. Gasp! I know. But seriously, Vancouver is like a cooler Seattle (and I probably shouldn't say that either).

I've been up north a handful of times. In high school, my band director was cool enough to let us go there on a band trip. My friend Alana and I were determined to get a picture with some cute Canadian guys. By the time we had the guts to actually ask, it was our last day, right before we had to board our bus. They were definitely cute, but definitely not Canadian. "We're not Canadian, we're Norwegian," the boys told us. Bummer. But not quite.

Three summers ago I attended the LDS Temple open house for the Vancouver Temple. My friend Joseph, whom I taught with in Taiwan, came out from Spokane and we drove up with my lovely friend Lyndsi. We spent most of our time in China-town, which I definitely did not oppose. It felt like I was back in Taiwan.

A few weekends ago I went up again to BC with some of my friends.My friend Kyle is an amazing artist and put together this gem of a video of our experience.

    

Highlights of the trip included"

•  A super cute and tasty creperie
• Catching an awesome sand volleyball game
• Testing my hands-free metro skills on our way into the city
• Everyone crossing the street and leaving me on the other side.
• Empenadas
• An amazing suspension bridge
• Great gelato (I made sure I had some!)
• And an epic geography game on the road trip home
• A drunk 20-something jumping off his balcony (it was on the 1st level) to evade some cops. He landed in some bushes near where we were staking out our spots for the fireworks show, and he couldn't understand why the police would want to arrest him. He was scratched pretty badly, and was oblivious to his wounds. It was funny and sad at the same time. 
• Visiting the Vancouver singles branch
• Eating poutine (it's actually quite good!)

Oh, and did I mention the fireworks? They were better than the 4th of July!! Way to go Vietnam!

Here's to Vancouver and all it's great goodness!

A Few Things...

I've been thinking about this list for the past couple of weeks, and have been meaning to write it down. There is so much to be thankful for! I'm grateful for:

• Blackberry picking with my mom. I think blackberries are my favorite. Add them to greek yogurt...enough said. 
• Fans that keep me cool at night. Had it not been for my fan the last couple of weeks, I wouldn't have been able to sleep. At. All. It's been hot up here!
• Vegetables. I'm recently obssessed with roasting bell peppers and sprinkling them with Mrs. Dash. No oil needed!
• Living near an LDS Temple. 
• The love and support of family, friends, roommates and church leaders.
• The peace that comes from reading the scriptures.
• The enabling power of the Atonement. Still don't understand quite how this works, but I know that it does! And it's blessed my life tremendously. 

And that's about all for now!

3 golds!

source

I think this was my favorite Olympic moment of this week--Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings winning their third Olympic gold medal. Amazing!

Both teams played incredibly well (and both were from the USA!). There were a few times I wasn't sure if Misty and Kerri would pull ahead, but never fear! They always did.

It's hard to believe that Misty is retiring--what will Kerri do? In the interviews you could see how close they've become over the years, and how this is going to be a MAJOR change for them both.

P.S. It's a bit ridiculous how easy they make sand volleyball look. Seriously. Running in the sand is not easy. Can you imagine jumping in the sand? These athletes don't get all the respect they deserve.

P.P.S. Did I mention that I love the Olympics? 

Sometimes I go to the movies by myself...

It's true.

Sometimes I do go to the movies by myself.

But it is a rather recent occurrence. It wasn't until I read this blog post from Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo, that I had the guts to try it out.

My first movie: Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1.
I know, I know.
I couldn't find anyone to go with me, and I really wanted to see it. So one evening I decided to just do it. I was a little self-conscious at first, sitting all by myself, but it ended up being the most enjoyable experience. I was able to enjoy the movie without wondering if my friends were thinking it was dumb or lame, because it was a bit. But I think that's why I liked it so much.

Last night, I was really in the mood to see a movie. I'm waiting to see Dark Knight with a roommate, and she wasn't feeling it last night. As I was looking at what films were in theaters, I saw that Step Up Revolution was still playing. It's another one of those movies that I knew I wouldn't find anyone to go with me, so I went on my own.

The acting was bad, but the dancing was amazing. And that's all that really matters in the Step Up series anyways. Even better, a ton of dancers and choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance were involved. Twitch! Mia Michaels!!! Need I say more? There is one scene that is filmed in a museum, and swear I almost cried it was so cool. Dance makes me emotional, okay?

The more I go to the movies on my own, the less awkward I feel. It's empowering!

Have you ever been to a movie by yourself?

On my day off...

I saw some of these:

Fed this little beggar some french fries:

And ventured here:

And it was glorious!

Last Friday was declared a company holiday, and I did not protest. My mom and I ventured into the city for a day of fun. Those are the very best kinds of days!

To start out, we headed across the good ol' 520 bridge to Madison, the dwelling place of City People's Garden Store. And boy oh boy what a treat this place is!  I'm a sucker for nurseries, and this one did not disappoint. Beautiful (cheap) plants, cute garden accessories--what more could you ask for? And I happened to find some pretty slick cat-eye sun glasses. Always a bonus!

Our next stop was Leschi Beach to stake out a spot for the BIG EVENT. And by BIG EVENT I mean the Blue Angels practicing for their Seafair show (which is pretty much exactly the same as the practice runs). The planes flew right over our heads!  Dogs barked, children cheered, umbrellas were bountiful (but not because of rain), and most everyone got sunburned.  It was joyous!

Because we were already in Seattle, and already paid the ridiculous toll (I'm not a fan), Mom and I decided to head down town, and act like tourists. With our car parked near Pioneer Square, we strolled along the piers where we watched the ferries come and go. We ate fish and chips at Ivar's, and fed the pesky seagulls. We checked out the new Ferris Wheel, and decided it was a little pricey for what it was.  

Then we hiked up the hill to Pike's Place--quite possibly my favorite place in the city. Tourists were everywhere, and I then remembered why I almost never go down town during the summer. What is it about tourists that make one claustrophobic? 

Mom, a true Seattlite, had never seen the infamous gum wall, so it was a must on our list of things to do. It's pretty disgusting, but amazing at the same time. Don't you love how my shorts match the wall?? 

It was a wonderful day spent with my lovely ma. I'm so glad I moved back, so I could be close to her and the rest of my family!

Here's to family, the Blue Angels, and Seattle in the summer! Hurrah! 

My Olympic Favorites

Oh, how I love the Olympics! Religiously, at 8 o'clock every night, I've been downstairs in front of the TV. I don't know if that means I'm pathetic, or really cool. But it's undeniable that I love the Olympics, I can't bear missing any of the events.

There is so much I have to say about the London games! But if I wrote about everything, you would be bored. Really, I promise. So I've decided to jot down a few of my favorite--mainly athletes and moments.

Favorite Athletes (so far)

I think Gabby Douglas has been my favorite athlete to watch so far in these games. She's an amazing athlete, and has such a positive attitude. I love seeing the pure joy she has when she competes. And did you see her on the bars during the all-around? They don't call her the "Flying Squirrel" for no reason! And I also have to say that I love that when she won the all-around she gave all the glory to God. That isn't something you see very often nowadays.

Missy Franklin is right up there with Gabby Douglas. Not only is she an amazing athlete, but she genuinely seems like a good person. I love how she's so down to earth, and is a good sportsman (sportswoman?). When she hasn't won gold, she's always congratulating those who do win. I love how she lives the with the true spirit of the Olympics. I'm excited to see her in the next Games!

I have to admit that men's swimming has been my favorite event to watch so far. What amazing athletes! And we hardly give them the credit that they deserve once the Olympics have ended. I also have to admit that I like Michael Phelps. So many of my friends dislike him because he was a bit cocky in Beijing. I guess living in Taiwan at the time did me some good, as I wasn't able to watch any of the swim meets. If he was cocky back then, I feel like he's matured into a respectable athlete. My favorite athletes are those who treat their teammates and competitors with respect. He cheered for his teammates in their personal heats. And you cannot deny that he is the best Olympian around--22 medals, and 18 of them gold!

Nathan Adrian.

Need I say more?

This kid is adorable! And he's from Bremerton, WA, and he respects his mama. And did I mention he won gold in the 100 meter free-style? And that it was an amazing? And that he's a smarty-pants as well as athletic and good looking? Well, he is.

Favorite moments so far

The US men's and women's relay swim teams winning gold!
US women's gymnasts winning the all-around.

Duchess Kate talking to the US women's gymnastics team after the individual vault competition. How amazing would that be? She has such class. I would die to meet her!

US gymnast, Aly Raisman's parents. I don't think I've as hard as when I saw the play back of her parents' reactions while she was on the uneven bars. Now that's what I call intense! Watch the full reaction here.

I have to admit that I took a little time off this weekend to enjoy the fabulous weather we've been having up here in Seattle, but I'm looking forward to more women's gymnastics and all the track and field events. What I've seen so far in those events is making me excited!

Hope you all have been enjoying the Olympics as much as I have!

Hello Olympics!

osource

We not the Opening Ceremonies absolutely fabulous?!
Well done, Danny Boyle, well done!

I am so pumped for these games.Despite the well covered glitches (thanks American media) that have led up to the 2012 Summer Olympics, I think London is going to show the world a good time.

I was in Taiwan during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Funny enough, in Taiwan they cover different sports and countries than they do in the States. Fancy that! More ping pong and the martial arts, less of the sports I really wanted to see (beach volleyball, gymnastics, etc). And all the commentary was in Chinese. I don't know why that was such a shock, but it was. It made for a unique experience.

Back to London.

I loved the transitions to the different eras of time--from the more pastoral era to the industrial age and then to the digital age. Amazing music (I think all the best music comes from the UK or is at least influenced by other artists from the UK). And that love story? So cute.

But my favorite part of the ceremonies was the parade of the nations. I loved seeing the athletes from the smaller, lesser known countries, bear their flags with such pride. It was interesting to see the athletes from the warring countries in the middle east that have been through so much, and yet are able to compete. I loved seeing Bolt carry the Jamaican flag. I loved that the Czechs were ready for the rain (those rain boots and umbrellas!). And I loved seeing "Chinese Taipei" march, despite not being able to participate under their real name--Republic of China.

I love the hope, the camaraderie, and the spirit of the Olympics. It's infectious! And I hope that London 2012 won't let me down. So far I'm pretty convinced it won't. I mean, they did chose Muse's single, Survival, as the official Olympic song. Can it get any better than that?


Muse - Survival - Official Music VideoMuse - [HD] by AceVideos

Homesick for Taiwan

I've been missing Taiwan this week. My cute students, the simplistic life-style of an English teacher, the people, the food...

Yeah, pretty much all of it.

I posted as much on FB, and one of my former students wondered if that meant I was coming back. So sweet! But, no. Not at this time.

While I was there in 2008 the film Cape No. 7 was released. It became so popular that it was hard to escape it's effects. It wasn't the most amazing film that I'd ever seen--I had some issues with the main characters--but it captured much of the Taiwanese spirit and culture. For that reason, I love it.

I remember coming to class one day and telling my students that I'd seen it. They then burst into song (I'm sooo not kidding). Each of them started belting out the song shown below. It was an amazing memory, of my wonderful time in a country I love.

Please enjoy.

A few things...

Three weeks!
We've had summer weather for three whole weeks!

That is definitely one thing to be grateful for...I think we had two weeks of summer last year, and then we went back to the frigid drizzle typical of the Pacific Northwest. Though, rain is what makes this place so beautiful!

A few things that made me happy this week:

The glorious sunsets. The one pictured above I captured on the way home from visiting my bro in Monroe. The sun's rays were absolutely amazing. I have never seen anything like it. Sunsets make me happy. Their beauty reminds me of how much God loves us, and that life is a gift.

Ilene. I can never say enough about this fabulous friend. We met while playing softball in 4th grade, and have been friends ever since. It's mind-boggling how long that has been. She's seen me through it all--junior high, high school, college, post-college living in DC/NY (she was in the Big Apple while I was in our nation's capital), and now back in Seattle. I'm lucky to have a friend like her. As she was giving me a much needed pep-talk this week (I've been struggling with post-diagnosis weight gain, and post-break-up life), she reminded me how much she knows me. And it's true. She truly does. We have history. She's one of my people. I'm grateful for her straightforward demeanor, for her talent of "telling it how it is." I'm grateful for her kicking my butt. I'm grateful for her making me realize how amazing I am, and that I deserve the best--things I know that are true, but are nice to have reinforced every once in a while.

Answers to prayer. Since my diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, I've received answers to several prayers. Yesterday was another witness to me of God's love. I went to Institute (a scripture class), and the class I chose was discussing Matthew 8-10. And it was exactly what I needed. In these particular chapters the Savior heals those with certain diseases and illnesses. I loved the discussion we had about those who were healed, and the great faith that they had. Miracles are evidence of our faith--a tool to reinforce it. Not that I expect to be healed of my diabetes, but it's amazing what the Lord can do if we have faith in Him.

Technology and medicine. I go in for my second eye surgery today (Hurrah!), and it's amazing to me that it is a 15 minute procedure. Only 15 minutes! I'm grateful to live in a country that is so advanced in both technology and medicine.

Running. I got the go ahead by my ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) to start running again, and I realized how much I missed it. It clears my mind, and I just feel good afterwards. After today's surgery, I'll have to wait another couple of weeks before I can run again, but I'll be looking forward to it! (This reminded me of this awesome book that I read by Ann Patchett called Run. Read it. You won't be disappointed).

Here's to life and it's wonders!

Once, my sister got married...

And it was great.

And I got a new brother in law.

That was great too.

It truly was a beautiful day, a sweet ceremony, and a rockin' party. Sadly, I didn't take many pictures. Luckily, I was able to snag these two, even though they aren't the greatest of the day.  

I'm so happy for Linds and Jason, and wish them all the best in their future together.

Here's to love and marriage, and all that mushy stuff!

Sometimes I do cool things...

But only thanks to Living Social.

I kid, but only a little.

A bit ago I found a great deal for a glass blowing class at the Redmond School of Glass, and jumped on it. I persuaded my friend Windy to join me (it wasn't too difficult--this sort of thing is right up her alley), and we had a fabulous time!

At the very beginning. I don't know how to take self portraits yet, can you tell???

I got up bright and early that Saturday morn, anxiously anticipating the grand adventure. I was not disappointed. Our class met up at 9 am in the showroom of the school. Various pieces of blown glass were on display, and we perused the displays until it was time to start. 

Our instructor gave us a quick tour of the studio, and then showed us the process we'd be using for making the glass ornaments  that day. Might I add that he was VERY attractive? In that moody, artistic, sort of way? Well, he was. 

The machine used for heating up the glass. It was boiling!

The whole process was a lot more complicated (and heavy) than I thought it would be. You have to be quick, and exact, and the actual blowing is a two person task (three for us beginners). 

Windy shaping her ornament while I blow.

It was an exhilarating experience, and highly addictive! Windy and I are already planning when we can go back. 

Here's to trying cool, new things!

A few things...

from here

Hello, Summer!!!

The usually grey Seattle did not disappoint at the start of this season. Hallelujah! It felt so good to go outside without a jacket on and to not freeze. That's how life has been for the last week and a half. Drizzzle, mist, rain. We saw it all. Even some fog. FYI--not summer OR spring weather.

That brings me to my list...

SUN!!! I never realized how much I love it until it disappears for days on end. It's in those moments I realize how much I crave it. Maybe I should look into living somewhere else? (Just kidding. I love Seattle too much for that at the moment. But who knows what's in store?)

The sense of sight. Being able to see is a very important thing. Along with other health issues this past year, I've developed cataracts. No, I'm not 65. But the good news is I'm having eye surgery tomorrow! I will be seeing the world in technicolor once again! I'm interested to see how my vision will be different. Fake lens vs.original lens. Hmm. I can't wait. I'll be able to drive at night again! Hurrah!

Fresh peaches and blueberries. I think I've died and gone to heaven. I realized that apples have too much sugar in them, but blueberries and peaches are fair game. And they are sooooo good right now.

My mom. Seriously. She's amazing. I know I say that all the time, but it's so true. I'm so not worthy! My mom celebrated her birthday this week, and to mark the occasion we saw Madagascar 3 Let me tell you, go see it! It was hilarious! And I normally I don't think I like animated films. I'm always pleasantly surprised after the fact, but I wouldn't shoose to see one in the theater unless others came up with the idea.

Men who ask women on dates. I went on a really fun date last night. Low key, kind of random, but refreshing.It was just what I needed!

What has made you happy, or has rocked your world  this week?

Summer, is that you?

Yesterday started out crummy--rain, mist, the whole shebang.

And then, about 4pm it cleared up. The sun shone, and it was warm. Gloriousness.

A friend and I took a walk around the Seattle Temple after institute last night. The sun was just starting to set and it was casting a pink glow on the building. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Happy first day of summer to you all! I wish you all sun, and heat, and beauty!