My Big, Fat, Greek Scrapbook - Part 1

I visited Greece in 2008 and I'm finally getting around to scrapbooking my wonderful trip! These pages I created of Athens are my favorites:

More to come.....

-Liz

Japan Travel Scrapbook Pages

So I finally finished scrapbooking my Japan trip......from 2008. Yea, in case you hadn't noticed it is now 2013. I took that trip five years ago this month and I started this project 27 weeks ago. I know this because I posted the first two pages I made on my Instagram account and according to Instagram that was 27 weeks ago. Not quite 40 weeks, but these pages are still my babies.

Until next time!

-Liz

My Bucket List

A few months ago I was ecstatic when my friend Tasha at work gave me one of those adult education/lifelong learning booklets that I had asked her to save for me if she got one in the mail. Do you know which ones I'm talking about? The ones that have language classes and sewing classes and all kinds of other classes in the evenings at high schools and such. Well, I was excitedly contemplating taking a French class, or a snowshoeing class (dorky, I know, no need to point that out), or a guitar class and as I excitedly browsed through the booklet, another co-worker asked me if I was bored with my life and it caught me a little off guard. I was a little dumbfounded by the question and also intrigued as to how she came up with that conclusion. Is having the desire to learn something new that could open your mind or to try something out for the mere fact that it might be fun, so unusual that you have to assume the person is bored with his or her life? I surely hope not.

It's hard for me to imagine people not having, at the very least, a mental note of things they'd like to accomplish in their lives, wether it'd be learning a new language or having a child, traveling to some exotic country or landing a dream job, because we all have goals we set for ourselves in all aspects of our lives, some small, some big, some fun, and some more serious.

All of this made me remember the list I made years ago of all the things I wished to do, see, and learn at some point in my life so I decided to share my most up to date to-do list (in no particular order) with the world, though I am certain I will cross off some things and add more, but for now here it is:

1.  Ride on an elephant;

2.  Take flight lessons;

3.  Pay off all my debts;

4.  Go to a Bill Maher show;

5.  See the Taj Mahal;

6.  Learn to speak French;

7.  Learn to play an instrument;

8.  Go to Egypt, see some pyramids, & ride a camel; 

9.  Go on a safari in Africa;

10.  Learn to speak Italian;

11.  See Machu Pichu;

12.  Go to Easter Island;

13.  Ride in a gondola in Venice;

14.  Go skydiving; 

15.  Participate in a race;

16.  Learn to ski or snowboard (whichever is easiest);

17.  Learn to sew on a sewing machine;

18.  Write a book;

19.  Do humanitarian work abroad;

20.  Read 'War and Peace';

21.  Learn to play tennis;

22.  Get in shape and stay at a healthy weight once and for all;

23.  Go to Vienna and visit the homes of Sigmund Freud and Mozart and see 'The Kiss';

24.  Visit the Amazonian jungle;

25.  Visit Niagara Falls;

26.  Walk on the Great Wall of China;

27.  Go to Fiji;

28.  Swim in Jellyfish Lake in Palau;

29.  Go on an Alaskan cruise;

30.  Set foot on all 7 continents;

31.  Own a Jeep;

32.  Read 'Don Quijote de la Mancha';

33.  Take a road trip across the U.S.;

34.  Take a hot air balloon ride; 

35.  Visit the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Michoacan; 

36.  Go snowshoeing;

37.  Travel throughout Spain and make my way down into Morocco;

38.  Go to Portugal;

39.  Go white water rafting;

40.  Become good at Yoga;

41.  See The Stonehenge;

42.  Own a home;

43.  Get caught up with all my scrapbooking projects;

44.  Learn American Sign Language;

45.  Visit all 50 U.S. States;

46.  Go to Mexico City and visit Frida Kahlo's house, Teotihuacan, the National Palace, the Museum of Anthropology, Chapultepec, and the Metropolitan Cathedral;

47.  Own a business;

48.  Visit all Latin American Countries;

49.  Help save the turtles (somewhere);

50.  Take surfing lessons;

51.  See a New York City Broadway Show, the Metropolitan Museum, and the Statue of Liberty up close;

52.  See the Arches National Park;

53.  Be part of a flash mob;

54.  Go paddle boarding; and

55.  See the Petra ruins.

Oh For The Love Of Books!

Travel Books

I don't think I can call myself an avid reader, but I do love books and I like to collect them. I have coffee table books, historical novels, college text books, books in Spanish, travel books, classic literature books, books in English, atlas books, decorating books, books in Portuguese, dictionary books, craft books, biographical books, self-help books, and even a couple of books in Italian and French (for me to practice Italian and French when I take Italian and French). I have maybe about 200 books which is really not very many (or is it?), but I would love to keep expanding my collection. I dream of having my own personal library some day, in spite of having to lug those books from place to place every time I move, which has been a lot.

College Text Books 

I know, I know, with all the great technology out there I should be reading ebooks on some gadget, but what can I say, I love holding a book while I'm reading it. I mainly buy used books anyway which saves me money and is good for the environment. Sure, ebooks are more practical. They take no space at all (except for the gadget) because they're paperless (I guess that's good for the environment too), but there is just something about books. I like having something tangible you see. I like being able to turn the pages of a book and highlight certain things I find interesting and even write in it. While I am aware I can go to a public library and check out books, I am a person that has a hard time parting with books, particularly if they were good reads or if they made me learn something (keep in mind that I don't keep books I didn't like). Besides, books make wonderful decorative pieces. I love displaying them and admiring them too. Am I being a book loving romantic or just a hoarder?

Bedside Table

Currently I have over 30 books on one of my bedside tables and about 8 or so on the other bedside table that I have not read yet. I recently counted these and I didn't know the number was that high. This is a first time confession, even to myself. I am a little ashamed to admit that I buy books knowing that I have lots of them at home that I haven't read yet. Not for lack of desire to read them, just lack of time mostly, but if it makes you feel any better I have every intention of reading each and every one of those books. Because of this I have stopped buying new books (well new to me).....for now.

Some of my books in Spanish

How I choose a book is another story. Books are often recommended to me or I'll read some fantastic review about one in a magazine or from Oprah's book club so I decide to get it, but there is also another way.........Now I know they say one should never judge a book by its cover, but I must admit I am guilty of doing this and quite often. I love going to thrift stores and yard sales and looking at books, well not just looking at them, I like buying them too, obviously. About half the time I go book hunting I find books that have been on my reading list. The other half of the time I find books that "look" interesting. If the cover and the title appeal to me then I will take the time to read the back and then I go from there, otherwise I probably won't give it the time of day. Yes, I'm a sucker for a good cover, but ultimately I know it's what's on the inside that counts.

Do you prefer ebooks or paper books? Do you ever buy books when you still have several (or dozens) to read at home? How do you select books to read?

Until next time!

-Liz

"Sometimes you read a book so special that you want to carry it around for months after you've finished it just to stay near it." -Markus Zusak

2013 Sundance Film Festival

The Egyptian Theater on Main Street in Park City

For those of you that don't know, the Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization that was started in 1981 in Sundance, Utah by Robert Redford. This organization supports, both creatively and financially, the theater and film works of independent artists. The Sundance Film Festival was started in 1984 and is positively the most well known part of the Sundance Institute. This film festival takes place in Utah every January for 10 days, giving artists from around the world a chance to showcase their films.

Now, to be perfectly honest, some of the films aren't, well.....that great. They are typically low budget films that push the limits of creativity, not just in the production sense, but in the stories that are being told. You might luck out and get to watch a moving documentary or a coming of age love story, or an eye opening historical foreign film, but you might also get a bizarre story without much of a plot. It could be a black and white film with low-tech special effects or something filmed with a shaky camera. Don't get me wrong, the whole experience is fun and very exciting, and if you live in Utah and haven't experienced it yet I highly recommend doing so. I've lived in Utah for 16 years and up until just a few years ago I had never been to the Sundance Film Festival myself (I can't believe it took me so long to go!).

Film Guide & Tickets

Of course you could walk around Park City (the main place of events) and hope to spot some celebrities (though I've never had such luck), but going to The Sundance Film Festival without seeing a film is like going to a restaurant without ordering anything. It takes some planning, but it's worth it. You must register a few months before the festival just to be able to purchase tickets for the films and that does not guarantee that the film or films you want to see will be available, but whatever is available grab it! Even if you get to purchase tickets to a film of your choice, the film may not be what you expected, but what movie ever is? Just remember to have an open mind and go for the experience of watching something unique and different from the mainstream cinema you are used to. Also, since the movies are not rated I do not recommend taking children to watch them, you could end up watching some porno for all you know, I'm kidding, but really, don't take your kids.

One of the best parts of experiencing a film during the Sundance Film Festival is that after the film is over the audience gets to meet the cast and crew and do a Q & A. This way you are able to find out how the film was made or what inspired the story for the film, or anything else you'd like to know. Additionally, at some film showings the members of the audience are given ballots to vote for the film for the Audience Awards given at Sundance, one of many types of awards given.

Cast & Crew of 'Escape from Tomorrow'

This year I only got to see one film called 'Escape From Tomorrow' and it was definitely not what I expected at all. It was weird, it was creepy, it was funny, it was dark, it was satirical, and it was definitely unlike anything I had ever seen before, but I enjoyed it very much and the buzz going on about this film has made the fact that I got to watch it all the more exciting. I'm not going to ramble on and critique this film or anything like that, but I did find a couple of online New York Times and CNN articles about why 'Escape From Tomorrow' has been one of the most talked about films of this year's Sundance Film Festival that I found interesting.

Now go! Experience the Sundance Film Festival (of 2014 that is) for yourself (or any other film festival for that matter)! For more info and to plan for next year's festival go to the festival's website.

Until next time!

-Liz

“Storytellers broaden our minds: engage, provoke, inspire, and ultimately, connect us.” —Robert Redford, President and Founder of The Sundance Institute