Me in Qatar?

I really need to limit the amount of time I spend surfing the web on the weekends because without much thought or research, I've fallen in love with studying abroad in Doha, Qatar over winter break.

Studying abroad hasn't ever seemed like an option for me because I'm so immersed in my life on campus. I feel like if I took a whole semester off I would end up behind in my studies and have fewer opportunities for leadership. But still I want to explore... I think that's why the U offers these "Global Seminars" which are special classes taught abroad by UMN faculty for a few weeks during the winter break or May term. So I found a seminar called Arab Media: Al Jazeera in the Time of Revolution.

I think it would be fascinating to analyze the media coverage of the revolutions that rocked the Middle East earlier this year. And perfect timing too, I would be there less than a year after it all began!

I'm a little concerned about safety, but they wouldn't offer the program if it was too much of a risk for students. Many colleges like Northwestern University have schools in Qatar. And I also want to be a little adventurous. I want to go somewhere that I would never think to visit for a vacation.

But it actually looks like a nice place to visit? Check out this picture of Doha's Corniche which is like a boardwalk along the bay.



I'm going to meet with a study abroad adviser to talk it over, but I'm pretty sold. What do you think? Where would you want to travel if you could?

It started with a chair...

In the fall, I'm moving into an adorable single room in my sorority house with a little nook that you can see the Minneapolis skyline from so I decided I wanted to invest in a good reading chair.

I started looking for chairs online that would match my bedroom colors and checking out thrift stores for re-upholstering opportunities. But finding a chair to match my damask black, white and lime green bedroom set has proved difficult. I've had it since 10th grade and I brought it to college with me.



First, I paired it with hot pink jersey sheets which made it even more juvenile. So this summer I made dark raspberry and gray throw pillows to add some more colors to my room that might make it seem more adult. To be honest, it still doesn't look grown up enough for me. I don't want to buy a piece of furniture that will stay with me after college that belongs in a little girl's room.

So I'm growing up and buying new bed coverings so I can in turn get a new chair! Unfortunately, I've fallen in love with this adorable and expensive quilt from Anthro. I love it because it will match all of the rehabbed furniture I've been storing in my mother's basement and my eclectic art, storage, decorations, etc. I'll also be able to keep the throw pillows I made.




What do you think? Worth saving up for? Can I use this after college?

If I really want to get it, I have to start to saving up money, big time! First, I canceled my HuluPlus subscription that I never really used. I think I will end up seeing less movies this summer unless it's the boyfriend's buying. I have no idea where to go from here. I don't have a lot of necessary expenses just rent on my storage unit, groceries and food and travel to and from home. What's killing me is the amount of money I spend on beauty products/treatments. I just splurged on a summer makeup routine, I'm tanning again and I really need a haircut. Any money saving tips?

I'll keep you updated on the room changeover. I'm pretty much hellbent on it now, but only if I can comfortably afford it.

On my list: Summer Movie Time

Since I already made my first summer movie mistake by seeing Thor last weekend, I thought I'd make a list of the summer blockbusters I will pay to see and those I'd rather wait to see.

Films I'd pay full admission price for...
The Hangover Part II
The wolfpack is back. Even though there's a pretty good chance it'll never be as good as the first, Bradley Cooper is worth at least $7 and Ed Helms is pretty attractive in a sexy dad way. Zach Galifianakis and Ken Jeong shenanigans make it a good deal for my dollar.

Hesher
Another one of my favorite actors, Joseph Gordon Levitt, as the world's worst role model. Tagline: Loud music. Pornography. Burning shit to the ground. These are a few of Hesher's favorite things. Should make an awesome film.

The Green Lantern
Ryan Reynolds in a digitally created body-hugging green suit? I'm there. I'm hoping DC Comics got it right and it's not as boring as Marvel's Thor. They hook you with lots of muscles, but I'm not just interested in looks, I need substance in the plot.

Bridesmaids
I can't get enough of Kristen Wiig so I can't believe I haven't see this yet. I hear Bridesmaids is just as raunchy as the Hangover, but for women. I'm there.


Wait to rent...
Midnight in Paris
Unless the boy wants to take me out for a repeat of our awesome Vicki Christina Barcelona 1st Anniversary date. That's right. I remember.

X-Men First Class
Seems like Sky High for the X-Men series, but James McAvoy is one of my favorite actors so I'll have to watch.

Bad Teacher
Apparently Justin Timblerlake is co-starring in two big movies this summer, but I'm in it for Jason Segel. It can't be too awful if he's on board...or maybe there will be more puppets!

Skip altogether...
There's a lot of movies I won't be seeing this summer but I'm just adamantly opposed to Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
I'm not a huge Johnny Depp/Capt. Jack fan, although Michael Bolton makes an appealing case for the series, I'm not convinced this is worth my time or money.

And I'll wait to read reviews of the summer indies before I commit any further. Looks like I'm spending at least $40 at the multiplex this season. Bring on lazy Sundays and cool summer nights.

Looks like I fell off the wagon...

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of my lofty goals for 2011 was to watch Netflix less. It's true that I haven't started any new shows on Netflix. Apart from the occasional film on a lazy Saturday afternoon, I am doing well.

But I didn't account for the amount of damage Hulu Plus would do to my productivity. I subscribed to get my free week last Sunday. I watched an entire season of Law and Order: SVU between Sunday and Monday. It's just unhealthy. So this afternoon I am going to cancel Hulu Plus because paying another $10/month is a little excessive.

On a lighter note, I think I have added every single Hugh Grant romcom to my Netflix cue. After that I think I'll try John Cusack. March is going to be great.

On my list: Weekend

Depending on my week, I usually start my weekend on Thursday (never mind the three-hour Friday film class) because I work every Friday night in St. Paul. But more often than not, I don't get into what I really want to do until Saturday afternoon.

Here's what's on my list for the remainder of the weekend:

Listening to Bright Eyes' latest (and perhaps final?) album The People's Key
Finding my desk chair under the pile of sweaters I've worn the in the last two weeks
Unpacking from my trip to Madison last weekend
Checking out one of the Oscar contenders at St. Anthony Main Theatre or the live action shorts at Lagoon Cinema
Buying an enormous purse that's a bit unique...because I'm too creative (and too cheap?) to carry a Longchamp Le Pliage.

And here are tonight's top stories

I'm relaxing for the evening to celebrate the end of the week and catching up on Saturday Night Live.If there's anything journalism girls like myself love more than real news, it's the fake stuff. I mean, I love fresh whipping cream but that doesn't mean Cool Whip isn't as sweet.

Besides, how cute is Seth Meyers? Meow. He's probably the hottest of the current news satire anchors, although Colbert has great hair. I love Minnesota, but I sometimes wish I had gone to Northwestern University like Seth. If not for the Medill School of Journalism, I'd enroll in comedy classes and get good at faking it.

Back in action (hopefully)

So it's a new year and I've once again resolved to write more---in spiral reporter's notebooks, between the carefully printed lines of my canvas journal, across the backs of worksheets and meeting agendas, on napkins and coffee sleeves, up my arm and down my legs if I must. And here, of course.

As I was searching job sites looking for reporter positions, as I periodically do to gauge the opportunities out there for me upon graduation in 2013, I noticed many of the employers wanted applicants to submit links to their personal blog and social networking accounts. Probably a good idea to get on that. I think with two years of practice, I should have a solid online presence by the time I need it.

But besides the blogging, I've got some more big goals for the new year.

1. Efficiency: I want to get the most out of my days that means less wasting time making trips from work back home for food or whatever. If you have any suggestions on how to get into the routine of being prepared every day for whatever college life throws at you, I'd love them.
2. Limiting my Netflix exposure: I got Netflix in mid-November and I had watched all six seasons of Nip/Tuck by the time I came home for Christmas. I'm not quitting my TV binges...I am just going to let them interfere with my life less.
3. Extra Effort in Ethics: From what I hear, the professor for my ethics class this semester is a great instructor but tough and you have to put in a lot of work to pull a good grade in her classes. I hope to do so.
4. DIY Weekends: One project a week might be a bit of stretch...but I've saved so many links to great ideas that I just have to try myself. And I can already tell I won't have enough time this summer to get around to them.

Hopefully, this post will be the first of many blog posts for 2011.