day 1:

{introduce yourself with pictures and words}


well hi.

my name is anna. i'm a senior in high school who really likes being a senior in high school (though this feeling is quickly being replaced by the "looking forward to being a freshman in college" feeling). sandy blonde hair that is quickly growing long ("oh please!" says my hair, "cut me! i wanna be shooooorrrtttt!!" and then my director says "no, hair. stay long. we want you for the show." and my hair cries). eyes that are blue far away and green close up. freckles on my nose. 5"6'1/2. really ugly toes (i know you probably don't care about that. but they really don't look cute. in fact, feet in general are really hideous. but my feet especially. one day my sisters and i had a pretty foot contest. and i lost). 2 scars: one in my knee (stitches), and one under my chin (stitches). my hands are... big. well, i think so. i call them man hands. but they're not super manly. just as big as some guys i know. bigger than some (thank you, scott brimley). i like my appearance, as much as i haven't in the past. i've accepted my physical aspects, however, and feel quite content.

i like to act. and sing. on stage. these two combined make me happy. i also really hate math and science, and love history and english. a lot. perhaps this has something to do with the teachers i've had for each subject. maybe not (yeah, probably not. my biology teacher was great). i play the piano, though not incredibly well. it's a wonderful instrument, however, and i enjoy playing it a lot. it's also a stress reliever- when i'm angry i go play the piano (the other day my dad walked in and said "wow. that sounds like angry piano." yes, dad. it was). i like to write. sometimes i think i write well, and other times i don't really think so. probably because i'm surrounded by people who write extraordinarily well. i like dancing. not professionally, of course, but for fun. dancing rocks. especially at dances. you know what's even better than dancing? awkward dancing. yeah, i just said awkward dancing, i know. oh man it's superb. i can beat anyone. it's a regular occurrence in our home, and only two people besides my family have seen it (my mom's best friend, who definitely counts as family [she thought she could beat me - ha!], and my sister's boyfriend). don't worry, we definitely had an awkward dancing show christmas eve to the nutcracker theme. i really like harry potter. i'm rather obsessed, but not in a way that stops me from living my life like a normal citizen. i can fake a good british accent, and have several members of lehi's student council convinced i'm british (i ran into one the other day at zupas, and it caught me off guard. luckily, i slipped right into the accent). speaking of zupas, i love food. making it and eating it. food rocks. i like classy things and classy people. old things make me happy, make me smile. music makes me happy, but i don't have a ridiculous attachment to it. i do, however, enjoy old artists (frank sinatra, ella fitzgerald, billie holliday, dean martin, louis armstrong, the andrew sisters, bing crosby, etc.) and new artists (ingrid michaelson, she & him, norah jones, regina spektor, etc.). i like art. i draw and paint reasonably well, but nothing too spectacular. i wish i spent more time on this though - because i do think i have potential. i like looking at art and appreciating it. i love reading. reading is my favorite. it's amazing.

i could go on. but that's the basic. and i think that the next thirty days cover "me" pretty well... you'll probably learn a lot about me and my personal fears, aspirations, thoughts, etc.

as a side note, i'm going to vegas tomorrow. so i won't really have access to a computer (i don't think). therefore, this 30 day-ness is postponed until sunday/monday/tuesday... depending on when i get back.


....ah yes. you didn't think i would leave this post without pictures, did you?

galAAA!morous-


not so glamorous (oh, please enjoy this. i don't release this to the public with too much joy)-

...yes. i'm the one in the middle.


this is me, on a typical day. i don't know what i'm doing but i thought i demonstrated my strange faces/habits/traits/actions:


oh, look. i even got you a candid (yeah, i make air quotes when i speak):


...until sunday/monday/tuesday.

some thoughts

I feel the need to write a blog post. I do not, however, have a specific purpose or theme in this post. So bare with me. My thoughts may be a little scatter-brained.

Here's this great drawing I found:


Isn't it cute? Yes, I think so.



I have a testimony of Patriarchal Blessings! Go read yours - right now. Because it'll probably (definitely) tell you something you need to know. I read it again last night (it had been too long since the last time), and a couple things jumped out at me. Things only I need to hear. It's your own personal scripture, folks!

And relating to that (in a very roundabout way you probably won't understand), here is some architecture to enjoy!



I love art history. Like really. The name of this particular French castle is Chenonceau Chateau and resides in the Loire Valley. Fun history - during WWI, it was used as a French hospital. And during WWII, that river the castle is built over was the border from country in German possession to that in French possession. People would cross through the castle all the time and reach safety. Cool, huh?

I think so.

My last random thought: the piano. How awesome is it?!



You know, when I first started learning to play I was like every other child. I threw fits and flopped and fumbled and became frustrated like you wouldn't believe. I honestly have no idea when my whole mentality changed. One day I just realized how much I adore this beautiful instrument. It's truly amazing. I love the sounds it creates - the exquisite lullabies, the dramatic chords. So much versatility in one box. One lovely, beautiful, magical box. I love sitting down at the bench on a Saturday afternoon, and having Trina join me as we sing Broadway or Church music. Hymns. I love playing those on the rare Sunday mornings I'm ready for Church early. I love that when I'm in a bad mood, I can stomp into our beloved piano room and begin playing with too much enthusiasm. Pounding out songs is therapy like you wouldn't believe. I'm not that great on the piano. Like I said, I haven't always loved it, and that stopped me from reaching my full potential on that instrument. I'll never be a Samantha Bunderson.

But you know what?

I'm fine with that. Because the piano can still be mine. In those moments when I sit down at the keys and my fingers travel back and forth across the black and white, that piano is just for me. A bit a heaven, you could say.

...So I guess that's it. Also (last thing for real this time), Fall is here. Officially. It's been drizzling rain on and off and I love it.


Over and out.

win.

So maybe you've noticed how I now have that AWESOME banner as my header?

If you haven't, I suggest you look at it right now.

Because really, folks - let's be honest. It's pretty unreal.

I have this incredibly talented cousin named Rosie. She's pretty much amazing. And for months now I've been stalking her family blog (it may or may not have been without her knowledge). Partly because she writes wonderful posts about her life as a young mother with her husband Biff and beautiful daughter Hazel, and I enjoy it so much... and partly because I've been looking on in envy at the lovely header she had designed for their blog.

Well. She wrote a post about how she'd be willing to design banners for others, and I pretty much jumped at the idea. Because for a while now I've been trying to figure out a blog format/design that I'm happy with (maybe you've noticed the blog looks different every time you visit?). FINALLY this phenomenal header has made me a happy person. *sigh*

So please. Appreciate the beauty of my header. You have my full permission to sit and stare, give an "Ooo" or two, and maybe even offer up a sigh. A very special thanks to Rosie Jones, one of the most talented women I know.

You're the best. :)