Great Weekend!

This weekend was wonderful.  To celebrate my 22nd birthday Chris took me to dinner at Saucebox in the Pearl.  But before I could go I had to find something new to wear.  Like the amazing shopping companion he is, I drug him to any place I could think of that might have the perfect little dress.  I finally ended up going back to Urban Outfitters and getting the first one I tried on- typical of me.  Back to the evening- Everything was incredible from the wine selection to the red lantern and dragon sushi.  After dinner we walked in the freezing cold to a martini bar where I tried my first chocolate martini.  Then we finished the night off with dessert.  And I have to say my boyfriend looked rather dashing :-) 

Long lost airport romance

I wish the airport could be the way it use to be.  Dropping someone off meant waiting with them until they boarded the plane.  Waving and watching the plane take off as you feel you already miss them.  Picking someone up meant anticipating seeing their face as strangers exit the jetways until finally it is them.  These "olden day" traditions of airport exchanges seem so romantic- as seen in movies.  I wish it could still be this way.  

Happy Inauguration Day!

How funny is it that iTunes released a 49 song compilation for President Obama titled "Songs About Obama?"  Pretty comical, yet cute.  

Or, that there is a website full of tips of party ideas and themes to hold on inauguration night?

Or, that there is a beer glass with this imprinting on it?

Tonight I am working a banquet event hosted by the country club.  It is a dinner and dancing in celebration of the inauguration.  I think it will be fun.  Except for the setup... damn napkin folding :)  I love parties, especially if they are in support of something as cheery as change and optimism (or should I say hope?).  

It is just cool to see everyone coming together.  I am very sentimental.  

Finally, I wonder how many times they will show Oprah crying?  Haha.  I mean, come on, you had to have noticed during his acceptance speech that the camera flashed to her emotional state every two minutes.  But, go Oprah, I cried too!

Cheap Date Night

There has to be something said for cheap date nights.  Even though nothing seems cheap right now.  Maybe its the casualness?  Or the spontaneity? But, eating homemade nachos, drinking cheap Cristalino champagne (that took us forever to decide on at Freddy's), and seeing My Bloody Valentine 3-D a bit giddy on Saturday was so fun.  I love seeing scary movies (even if that wasn't a good one) with my boyfriend.  I react to everything- the dramatic music, blood, a startle, a scream- and he enjoys watching me freak out and holds my hand tighter.  :) Love that.

Start the Fire

Upon searching for my next editorial to critique for my writing class, I stumbled onto this little number by New York Time's Opinion Columnist Roger Cohen.  He introduces the piece by saying "With apologies to Billy Joel, who’s more of a chronologist, and in tribute to a president, Barack Hussein Obama, representing a new post-cold-war generation of 21st-century Americans."  The column is less of a column, but more of a statement in my opinion.  It provoked a lot of thought in me and maybe it will do so in you.  But, it left me thinking, what is he really trying to say here?  How is this a tribute?  What do you think?  

We Didn’t Start the Fire

Bill Clinton, Tina Fey, capitalist China, O.J.,
Asia rising, Facebook, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Dick Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ugg boots, Seinfeld
West Bank, Gaza City, Tupac Amaru Shakur

Mohamed Atta, W.M.D., Harry Potter, Reality TV
Tom Cruise, American Beauty, MP3, Oprah Winfrey

Schwarzenegger, YouTube, America’s got organic food
Armstrong, blogosphere, Monica Lewinsky

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

Vlad Putin, Medvedev, Assad, Posh-and-Becks
The West Wing, Y2K, massacre in Falluja

Britney Spears, Spike Lee, Kurt Cobain, Sarkozy
Mia Hamm, Heath Ledger, Viagra, Napster

Lindsay Lohan, skinny jeans, Boston’s got a winning team
Lehman Brothers, A.I.G., subprime, Ponzi scheme

Rwanda, Darfur, Bosnia, and a billion poor,
Tehran, Hezbollah, trouble with the jihadis

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

New Orleans, Bolaño, Sarah Palin no-go
TiVo, Hu Jintao, and the vegan-eco crowd

Tony Blair, Paris Hilton, Princess Di, Bin Laden
Pyongyang, the renditions gang, Roger Clemens in a cloud

ACT UP, Infinite Jest, O.J. Part Two, Johnny Depp
iPhones, Federer, Who Let the Dogs Out?

Halle Berry, cloned Dolly, and another Kennedy
Jon Stewart, American Psycho, tsunami, Danger Mouse

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

Sedaris, Unabomber, Girls Gone Wild, Nasrallah
Jay-Z, Shanghai, shock and awe in Baghdad

Amy Winehouse, Imus, gases of the greenhouse
Kelly Ripa, Maureen Dowd, Ted Williams gone mad

Outsourcing, Mumbai, so many didn’t have to die
David Blaine, human rights, and Napoleon Dynamite

Mandela, Madonna’s ex, abstinence, safe sex
Rabin blown away, what else do I have to say?

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

BlackBerry, global mall, Hillary Clinton standing tall
Tiger Woods, Barry Bonds, MySpace, The Corrections

Rushdie, Starbucks, Channel Tunnel, Spurlock
American Idol, Black Hawk Down, Miracle on the Hudson

Sopranos, Cougars, Da Vinci Code, life on Mars
Saddam hung, Mugabe, traumatic stress, mission creep

Social networks, match.com, iChat, Amazon,
Terror cells, endless war, I can’t take it anymore

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

Hawaii, Kenya, Kansas and Jakarta
Harvard, finding God, social work, Axelrod

Red state, blue state, unity can no longer wait,
A time to reap, a time to sow, we will close Guantánamo

Iowa, Yes We Can, McCain was just an also-ran
I Have a Dream, Bush out, a black man in the White House

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire ...

Spring Break!

Yay! I think we are doing another Spring Break in Florida! I'm so excited to get some sun, hang out with my friends and relax!  Definitely something to look forward too.

Getting over my Photo Booth Phobia

When I worked at Apple showing people the features of Photo Booth was definitely one of my least favorite activities.  Kids and teens especially would come in asking to be shown the application as a way to pose in amusement for hours.  I on the other hand I hated it.  I avoided at all costs to be in the frame- partially due to the lighting in the store and partially due to my occasional fear of having my picture taken.  But, tonight as boredom set in, I conquered my fear and took my first Photo Booth picture.  Here they are.  I should title them: Christine and Her Homework Escape.

Having the Marble, Being the Sculptor

We have all heard of the couple who broke up because one or both of them needed to be single to find themselves.  In the past I have understood this as a valid reason.  In fact, I heavily avoided any relationship involvement for a number of years with the intent to "find myself."  I lived on my own, attempted to find my own faith, took up independent hobbies, worked to support myself, and reflected often.  Wasn't this the proper criteria to discover myself?  Seemed like that is what external sources like magazines and movies were telling me.  I am glad I did all these things, but none of them really helped me in my journey.  I don't want to sound like finding myself is a means to an end.  I fully understand we evolve with age and discovering yourself is a gift we get to keep opening for the rest of our lives.  But, there is a point where you start to uncover who you are, what you are good at, and what you want for your life.  And mine didn't come alone.  Although, I will say in contrast I am not speaking for everyone when I write this.  Other, more dependent people, might need their own time to figure our their identities.  But, for me, my identity was found the opposing way, since I had always been this "do-it-yourself" type.  It wasn't until I was in a healthy, committed relationship (I smile saying this) that I gained perspective, understanding and confidence in my life.  My ability to trust someone as much as I trust myself was a huge step for me.  I no longer have to go about things alone.  I can reveal my insecurities, fears and stresses to someone more supportive than I could ever treat myself.  It has always been one of my weaknesses to be too hard on myself, so it is so comforting to have an opinion I value as much as my own to believe in me.  Through these months I have learned just as much about myself as I have about my boyfriend.  This process has helped me become comfortable and balanced in who I am, learn what I want to do and believe in myself to achieve these things.  I am happy.  As I said before, having a partnership is not beneficial for everyone in adopting satisfaction in their lives.  Some need to be alone to internally reflect and gain a voice for themselves.  But, as I will conclude, don't think you HAVE to be alone.  Some of us need to let the RIGHT ones in to really learn about ourselves.  

I am in love with this quote on love.

To love somebody is not just a strong feeling- it is a decision, it is a judgement, it is a promise. If love were a feeling, there would be no basis for the promise to love each other forever. A feeling comes and it may go. The desire to love is not itself love. Love is as love does. Love is an act of will- namely, both an intention and an action. Will also implies choice. We do not have to love. We choose to love.

I highlighted this quote while reading The Velveteen Principles.  

New Music Recommendation

Rosi Golan's The Drifter and The Gypsy has been the only thing playing out of my iTunes/iPhone all week.  Her voice is gorgeous.  You might recognize her song Shine from a shampoo commercial.  The upbeat little tune puts me in a great mood every time it plays.  

Here is one of my favorites (amongst tough competition).  Hazy  featuring William Fitzsimmons.

Entrepreneurship: nature or nurture?

As I am contemplating changing my business concentration from marketing to entrepreneurship the question nags at me, do I really need to learn how to be more like myself?  I really like my Introduction to Entrepreneurship class and I feel the course is catered to assuring me that all the traits I possess will amount to something great.  But, is that what a major should do?  Should a personality type gets its own major?  I'm unsure of the answer.  A degree in entrepreneurship can teach future entrepreneurs many things I am sure- financing, marketing, innovation, etc.  But, if the person possessed the creativity, passion, vision, obsession, crisis-management, stress craving, independent, network capable personality traits wouldn't they figure out these things anyway?  On the other hand, it seems a perfect fit.  Hmm...

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Go see it.

Christine's Book Club

I just got done reading Tuesdays With Morrie tonight.  It is such a beautiful, simple book that came to me at just the right time.  I love how books somehow have the power to do that.  It is heart warming and heart breaking at the same time.  I hope it is able to find its way into everybody's hands- maybe when they need it the most.  It made me realize how valuable friends and mentors are in our lives.  It made me do some introspection and call myself out at being terrible at initiating and maintaining these important relationships.  It taught me that being open and emotion-full is the best and only way to be.  It reminds me of the things I know to be true but insist on fighting anyway- that money, power, and recognition mean nothing in our short stay on earth.  And that love, compassion, and relationships mean everything.  Now, I just need to apply these principles... always.  

I would put Tuesdays With Morrie at the top of my book favorite book list.  Others I would like to add are At Home in the Vineyard: Cultivating a Winery, an Industry, and a Life, The Velveteen Principles, and A Whole New Mind.  

At Home in the Vineyard: Cultivating a Winery, an Industry, and a Life by Susan Sokol Blosser

I initially was interested in reading this book once my boyfriend brought up the idea of him attending wine making school.  I wanted to find out more about an industry that I find so fascinating and so close to us that live in Oregon.  It is a book about entrepreneurship, passion, and life.  It is written by the winery owner herself and shares with us in a story-like setting what it is like to pioneer as a woman and as a business owner.  

The Velveteen Principles: A Guide to Becoming Real by Toni Raiten D'Antonio

This book was given to me as a gift by the wonderful Mr. and Mrs. Lucas.  I postponed reading this book for close to a year.  I was unsure why, but then I realized why when I picked it up and found it was just the message I needed at the time.  It is a book stemming from the principles of the children's classic The Velveteen Rabbit.  Precious book about how to be REAL in your life. 

A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future by Daniel Pink

I am unsure if I am a right brainer, although I would like to be.  Maybe I am only 60% right brained, who knows.  But, this book was a great, eye opening lesson for me to teach me how to value my abstract talents in such a concrete world.  It also talks about how that concrete world is shifting and that creativity is the way of the future.  We are out of the computer age and into the innovation age.  This book gave me a lot of inspiration and belonging when my life seemed so molded to the traditional view that wasn't fulfilling me.

I am definitely the type that likes a few different types of books as you may or may have not of noticed.  I always gravitate towards nonfiction (which I think is a fault most of the time) and also leach on to books that will improve me.  I don't use the title self-help, because I am not self-helping, the books are.  Please give me your recommendations as I am always looking for new books to read (remember this post).  I am becoming quite the little book worm, which I never saw coming, but I am throughly enjoying.  Stay tuned for more book reviews.  

My version of the CHRISTMAS LETTER

Hi Friends, Family, and People I don't know,


I have never allowed my mom to write up one of these. My reasons being who really cares about what is going on in our lives, we aren't young children anymore, and she is lacking in the writing department. I want to sound as cliche as I can in my inaugural Christmas Letter, so let me open with this. Wow, another year winding down. And what a year it was.

The year started as me being a junior at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. Never a fan of the school, I barely attended and instead filled my days with working at The Apple Store, Bridgeport Village and doing Bikram yoga (you know, the 107 degree, smelly, most amazing thing ever?!). I decided not to play golf, which was a tough and agonizing decision, but turned out for the best. I did turn 21. Woohoo. I am not a baby anymore. But, I do wish to stay at this age forever.

I was very fortunate to study abroad with a George Fox program to Italy. I travelled with, what was it again? 20 girls? I can't even remember. We left at the end of April and flew into Rome. Overall we visited 15 cities, plus other passerby cities- Rome, Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, Capri, Orvieto, Assisi, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Bolzano, Florence, Venice, Moreno, Bureno, and Milan. My friend Ariel and I were treated like royalty (or treated like skanky girls, however you want to look at it) for our blonde hair. Which meant being cat called and grabbed at all times by the true to reputation, Italian men. We also got our share of train travel, expensive European prices, and gelato. Yes, it is true I got caught drinking in Italy. Now, I laugh and think of it as a Rite of Passage. I want 21, but my conservative college didn't care.  Seriously, great story and it was just the thing to send me over the edge to decide to leave George Fox. Oh and even better, yes, I did get kidney stones in Italy. I was struck with the most horrible nausea and pain one morning in Venice. After a few hours of visiting pharmacies and wrestling around with the idea of going to the hospital. My body finally brokedown in the lobby of a hotel, while I waited for the "water ambulance" to paddle and "wheel borrow" me to the island hospital. After finding out I didn't have appendicitis, the Italian only speaking doctors and staff released me and I rejoined the group in Milan. But, the freedom didn't last long. I made it too Milan long enough to stuff myself with pasta and then go home and regurgitate it all up as I spent the night thinking I was going to die. After two unsuccessful trips to the pharmacy, I gained control enough to walk to the hospital to find I had kidney stones. The Milanos took great care of me. I was termed, "The Americano." Sure, the whole situation sucked. I didn't eat for a few days thanks to the confusing dietician. I didn't get to shower for five days. The most technical machine they could offer was an ultra-sound, thanks to the European's negative views on radiation. But, finally I got a medical release to fly back to the states where I was readmitted to the hospital. Yay! The conclusion was I passed anywhere from 15-20 kidney stones in two weeks.

Upon return and recovery, I started working as the bar cart girl at Creekside Golf Club. Pretty cush summer job. Sun, booze, and friendly people. I also continued to work the summer away at Apple. Oh, and my baby brother graduated high school...awwwwwe.

I got to take a trip to Vegas this July. Loved it, but three days was enough.

I started dating a (I wish I could think of the perfect adjective to describe him, but I will settle) totally amazing guy named Chris. We met working together at Apple, but kinda funny that I didn't like him until the third time we hung out. I have so much fun with him, constantly smiling and laughing. I value his support, friendship, and incredible kindness so much. Along with his awesome music sense.  

During this time I made the decision to transfer from George Fox University to Oregon State University, keeping my major in Business Marketing. I moved down to Corvallis in late September, which concluded my 5 and a half month summer holiday. I live in a house with four other girls and it is going smoothly. Corvallis is a little bit of culture shock for me, being the low key, small, not close to any large metropolitan area that it is. But, I am dealing and it is nice to go to a large school and participate in things like football games, liberal classes, and sleeping until ten.

With all my free time in Corvallis, I have developed some new habits. I have become "clean." Besides the occasional laundry build-up, I have kept my room sanitized and organized. I have become quite the bookworm. I love the therapeutic and time-wasting capabilities of the Corvallis Public Library. I prefer nonfiction, but I do force myself to read a little fiction in there for the balancing affect. I also have become addicted to watching CW television. Laugh. Please laugh all you want, but there is something in my body, maybe a chemical imbalance, that craves Gossip Girl, Privileged, and One Tree Hill (in that order). Okay, once again, laugh. Please laugh.

Of course the term was not without its drama, as it never is with me. During my finals week I got kidney stones again and made a few visits to the hospital. Thats right, twice in six months. I passed about four kidney stones with the help of some very strong narcotics :) I took my finals all on Thursday and Friday, which was very frustrating. The grades I worked for dissolved pretty quickly, but circumstances are always present. I'll have to get my grades up to get into the "Pro School" now. But, I was more pissed that I missed selling my textbooks back!

Now, I am home. Enjoying time with the family as we are snow/iced in and isolated from the rest of the world up here on Summit Loop. I have acknowledged to myself once again that I hate when the snow comes to me. It is always and inconvenience. Hopefully, but doubtfully, it will pass soon. I still have to do some Christmas shopping!

Thanks for bearing with me as I express and get you up-to-date in my life. I will now conclude with a closing remark as cliche as my introduction. Here is too another great, eventful, hopefully graduation producing, loving, new year!

Happy Holidays!

Love,

Christine Marie Collier

Anxious

All day long I have had this huge knot in my stomach. Knot might not be the right word. It is the feeling of nausea and getting the wind knocked out of me. And I know what the emotion stems from. I just can't believe I can convinced myself to feel this way with no reason. I fool myself into believing that my boyfriend doesn't like me at all and all day long I rationalize and agonize over the thought. It gets to the point where I run the conversation over in my head about asking him about it. I dream up situations and analyze them. I know I say this a lot in my blog, but I am pathetic. I think entirely too much. Way too much. And I have too good of an imagination. Way too good. And I'm crazy. Way too crazy :) I also want to put a disclaimer that my boyfriend is awesome and I have no premise to think or feel this way. It is just a quirk of mine. Hopefully, admitting it will make it stop.

The Night Before Finals

And all through the house everyone is studying except Christine... didn't think mouse, blouse, or louse would properly fit, so I am done with that sentence. Finals week has arrived (14 minutes ago). I would say I studied the same amount as usual. Meaning maybe a few hours of reading, but nothing too heavy, because I lack interest. I'll pick the biology and women's studies books up the night before those tests, but in the meantime I will enjoy the vacant campus of Oregon State. Its amazing how the gym will be completely empty this week. Sweet deal.

Nothing new has really been going on. I've been doing a lot of reading, but not of any good books. I recommend to refrain from anything Donald Trump has written. His writing is at the skill level of a fifth grader and his books about getting rich or thinking like a billionaire are not even close to self-help or inspiration. They are more along the lines of gloating and stating the obvious. He has a whole two pages written about how he doesn't like to shake hands during a business deal because he is fearful of the spread of germs. Awesome Mr. Trump, thanks for giving me the great advice to make a buck- don't shake hands.

Does an hour and fifteen minutes away from a girlfriend or boyfriend constitute for a long distance relationship? Certainly seems that way lately. Circumstances make life miserable. Conflicting hours do as well.

I need to work more to stay busy. I also plan on starting to volunteer to take away all this free time I have during the weekdays. I was thinking SMART or having a little buddy I hang out with once or twice a week. I could be a good mentor. Even though, I am sure the kid would be doing just as valuable of things in my life. I was also thinking I could help out at the library. I have a new love for the Corvallis Library. First off, its a real hit with my budget and no longer buying books (one of my lifestyle changes to help me save and end wasteful spending). Second, it is a great way to spend the afternoon (unless you forget change to feed the meters and are paranoid of your car getting towed). Third, it is non-committal. I like the fact that if I don't like a book I check out than I just return it. I don't make myself finish it because I didn't pay for it.

I think my eyebrows are growing faster lately. Drives me crazy!

In other news. Hmm... I have no other news. In fact, this wasn't news that I shared to begin with. It was just a way for me to pass the night away until I feel like sleeping.

My purpose driven life?

My day consists of the same things everyday. I skip any class before noon (sometimes I skip all my classes) or I might go to a 10 a.m. class and then crawl back in bed for a few more hours after. Then I persist working out daily, because thats when I get the most learning in. I read 100 pages yesterday out of the book "How to Get Rich" by Donald Trump. Followed by talking to my amazing boyfriend on the phone every night. Occasionally, I will work for shifts about 4-6 hours. But, thats it. I feel there is no purpose to my life right now. Maybe there really isn't? I'm not fully convinced. I fill my down time with sleep and watching internet tv. Sounds pretty cush, huh? I don't think this is the life. No responsibility. No accountability. No potential. I'm a hypocrite. I would be furious allowing someone waste away like this. What am I waiting for? To get out of here?

The overwhelming feeling of standing still is my source of depression today. It seems like I will never get to the end. And when the end does become foreseeable in my undergraduate degree, I question if I even like my major.

So Thankful!

Seriously, could my smile get any bigger? This was my most favorite Thanksgiving holiday ever.

Dead Week?

Dead week might be an appropriate title for both my academic week and me personal week. I don't really understand the purpose of Dead week. A week to catch up on homework before the term is over? Hmm... nope, everything was due before Thanksgiving. A week to study for those big, bad finals? Hmm... nope, who is going to really study a week before their finals? So really, it is just a literally dead, boring week.