My life in pictures from my cellular device.

Sunday dinner with these people. I miss them!

i don't think that i ever told about taylor and i's last date before i came back to Logan.
we went to my favorite restaurant. Old Spaghetti Factory. And i got my usual- Mizithra and browned butter. Tay did too. It was a fantastic date. 

When I got home i put the picture frame he got me for Christmas on my wall and put a picture i already had of us i had from summer in it.
 I need a new picture of us that's not so close up for this frame. dontcha think?

Once Betsy braided allison and i's hairs together. 

This is my very first french braid! not a lie. I've never been able to do them.

I am much better at doing this. I don't know what it's called. i just made it up one day.

And this is why i love my apartment.
just FYI. Allison isn't pregnant nor ever thought she was.
it was just a little funny. I hope she doesn't kill me for putting it up!

this picture kills me. It was at the Ryan shupe and the rubberband concert.
but the only reason why i posted it is because of the couple. haha

who cares how old and rusty and nasty looking your body is if you have cool wheels, right?

 I'm going to post next about the awesome Collodion photography process I learned how to do by the amazing visiting artist and photographer, Joni Sternbach.


I'm going to go and do some homework. sigh. I've had too much fun the last 2 days in the photo labs that i haven't done a single thing this week!

Oh, ya know, just a few love songs and such.

Last night I watched a movie called "one day" with anne hathaway. on the cover is a very very cute kiss. I kind of swooned over how adorable it was. In case you don't know what "swoon" means, click here. It's uraban dictionary. Which can kind of be sketchy sometimes, but I think this one is for the most part okay. Hopefully. I didn't read it all.

i just am a big fan of that kiss. 

Don't worry, i'm just kinda a hopeless romantic at heart.

I was listening to Pandora on the station "Ingrid" and these 2 songs played back to back. and then I thought, "self, I like these songs" and so here they are.

to make you feel my love- Adele

Do you like the name Adele? I think it's cute. :D

I Never Told You-

p.s. Want to know something that totally rocks? Being able to use Taylor as a reference on my resume because he was my boss! haha. I think it's grand. :) I mean, out of all my references on my resume, he knows me best.


Also, I just applied for a job that I really hope I get. :D I'll tell you what it is if I end up getting it. 

It'll Work Out

"Things work out, it isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out, don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in him, if we will pray to him, if we will live worthy of his blessings, he will hear our prayers."

— Gordon B. Hinckley

Because sometimes you need a "pick-me-up"

OH. MY. STARS!

Do you have days where they're not really that great of days?
me too.
but do you ever have days where you're somehow really happy anyway?
me too.

little things that made my day today-

• a potential job opportunity
• talking to the girls in my major today. Really though. It was great! "give me his number, I'll ask him why!"  "once you go for an idaho man, you'll never go back." "I can set you up, they could be here in a day!" it was really a needed good conversation.
• one of my textbooks came!
• Allison made french fries
• looking at workbook.com photographers
• wearing comfy clothes
• Germany study abroad application in. BS'd the essay along with my friend, Beth, and joked about copying and pasting the same essay into both applications. haha
• sneezing a bajillion times. {okay, i don't really like sneezing. but i did sneeze a lot today because I am fairly certain i'm getting a cold. naturally.}
• Betsy proposing to me. again. 
• this quote from my grandma 

"FOR GAMES CAN’T BE WON UNLESS THEY ARE PLAYED,

AND PRAYERS CAN’T BE ANSWERED  UNLESS THEY ARE PRAYED….

SO WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH YOUR LIFE TODAY,

YOU’LL FIND A SOLUTION IF YOU KNEEL DOWN AND PRAY."

• etc

well... "I'm going to go..... shave" {name that movie}

-Bri

In case you were wondering.....

I'm a big fan of my institute class. 


Here are some things that stuck out to me in the lesson that were good reminders for me.

If we allow God to guide is in our lives, we can do much more with it than we can on our own.
This, my friends, I'll admit, is hard for me sometimes. I like being in control of my life and when things don't go the way I want them to or plans change, I have a hard time. But, it's always good to be reminded I can do more with my life if He's guiding me than I can do with the little knowledge I have.

Stop letting fear govern your life. Start letting your faith guide it.
I loved this! Life's kind of scary sometimes. I feel like the more you strive to have faith the more it will grow. I need to have my faith grow.

Don't choose to be happy based on circumstances, choose to be happy all the time.
Also one that I need work on. Especially this semester, I fear.

In all things commanded, the Lord will provide a way.
ALL things.

And finally,

Create a "to be" list rather than a "to do" list.

I have never thought of this. But I like it

I've never had an institute class as big as this! Although I'm pretty sure it's a fire hazard as to how many people are in the classroom! I think it's a class with 60 desks and is sort of like stadium seating. There were at least 15-20 people sitting on the stairs and in extra chairs around the room.} I guess word travels fast as to how good the class is! My normal institute classes from past semesters are usually around 20-25 kids.

some videos to make you laugh.

this one was made here at USU. 

a spin on the one by usu. i love his fluffy duster thing on his mic. haha. 

p.s. can you all tell that i am bored lately? I have too much time. 

In case of lost camera.... here are my instructions for you.

I saw this idea. thought i'd do it too. :D

First two days, blessing, and nothing to do but blog.

"Spring" semester has begun.
woot.

no exclamation marks.

I don't think it's going to be a bad semester. And i so far feel like it's going to be easier than last semester.... but none the less it's school.

and I love school. But i am kinda having a bad attitude starting out this semester and really need to change that muy rapido. I feel like i can make my semester better if i'm actually {even pretending} to be excited about it. So, it's a new semester! WOOT!

That's better. haha

Yesterday was the shortest day i think i've ever had in the history of me going to school ever. i had 2, 50 minute classes. And one doesn't count because it's Institute. Which there is no homework in ever. Well, minus the normal reading your scriptures and such. Which isn't much different than any normal day.
Public speaking class. umm.... Yeah, public speaking and I will have a love/hate relationship.
why?
Because i want to be more confident in front of groups of people, i want to learn how present myself better, and i want to learn better persuasion skills. So, that is why i took this class {well... ya know, that and it fulfills 2 requirements in 1, and it's only a 2 day a week class which allowed me to have Fridays off of school.... but those were just a small deciding factor...}

Then i went to the gym. WOOT! This is going to be a normal occurrence to write on my blog now. Because i really need to start going more often. Betsy would try to get me to go with her last semester and usually it wouldn't work. But this semester, i'm going to go. Because i'm going to do it at the same time and day every week so it's like a class i'm in that i am going to tell myself i can't miss. Sometimes i use psychology on myself that'd never work if someone else tried to do on me.

I had nothing to do after 2. And i felt like i really needed to read my patriarchal blessing. If you don't know what this is, go here to learn more about what it is and how important it is. So, i went to grab it out of the manilla envelop i keep it in. but guess what? when packing this past summer i had grabbed the wrong envelope! instead of my blessing, it had a dumb high school award in it. So, instead of sending my mom searching through a box in the garage i called my grandparents because my grandpa made a copy of it to keep with other family's blessings. My grandma found it after a minute and read it to me over the phone. I laid on my bed, closed my eyes and just listened. I haven't listened to it since i got it on my 16th birthday {also the day president Hinckley died}. I'd read it several times, but never have listened to it. I love that every time i read it/listen to it i pick new things out that i'd never seen before. or some things have very different meanings to me. It was really really good to hear it and remember the blessings that are in store for me if i do what is right and keep the commandments.

***random side note.
I have missed the laughter of my roommates. Natalie has the BEST laugh out of anyone i've ever heard. she'll seriously laugh over nothing and her laugh is so contagious that i will always, always always etc etc etc start laughing a lot over watching her laugh. I've missed that. My stomach has already hurt over laughing so hard from this twice in the last 2.5 days. haha. As much as i wish i was back at home right now, i really have missed my awesome roommates. It's so fun living with these girls and i'm glad i get the opportunity to have them as friends. :D***


today. I woke up with plenty of time to get ready. knowing that i had plenty of time made me take my time. and guess what, i ran out of time and didn't finish my top romen for breakfast. {don't judge, i love non-breakfast things for breakfast} and still had time to get to school on time. but guess what? some big shot who runs the Aggie Bus shuttles thought they'd pretend it was April fools day and cancel one of the busses on south campus express. {just kidding i don't really know what happened} but here's the thing. that was the bus i needed to take! and i would have taken the other bus that goes close to the fine arts building but the bus for campus loop didn't show up either! so here i am, thinking for sure the bus would come for 20 minutes. finally, i decided {at 5 minutes after my first class started} i'd just walk. and right when i started walking up the hill, the bus decided to come. so now, i look like some 7th grader on the first day of junior high running to their classes, trying to catch the bus because it'd end up being faster, instead of a dignified {haha....} junior in college gracefully taking the bus to her photo portfolio class.

let me just tell you. i wasn't too happy. why? because not-a-once have i ever been late to a photo class. why? Because i hate being late. the phrase "fashionably late" gives me the shivers. especially to things that matter like photo classes where i feel like i always have to show my professor that i really do deserve to be in the program.

so, first day of class. i walk in. the class is full. and of course, the only desk chair thing that is available is clear in the back so i have to walk through everyone. So not the best start to a semester.

This class is probably going to be my hardest class this semester.

Art history {second half of the survey of western art} I believe it's called "Renaissance to post-modern" or something like that. Which is really code for- want to fall asleep in class but can't because then i'd fail. I don't understand art history. Okay, so it's kinda cool to learn about old art, but what i don't like doing is analyzing it and comparing it and telling the symbolism and importance of it. {yes, i know, as an artist i'm supposed to "find the deeper meaning" in everything art.... but i just CANNOT.} Regardless, my professor talked today about "art historiography" which is the study and history of art history.
correct me if i'm wrong,  but art history is bad enough... why would anyone in their right mind WANT to study the history of art history. Seems a little... off... to me. I guess everyone has their thing... i'm just glad mine is different than art historiography. haha

next class- independent projects in photo-alternative cameras and processing. or something like that. This is going to be kinda cool. i get to build my own cameras! I feel as if it's going to cost me a lot though. but, i'm determined to spend the very least amount of money i possibly can this semester. going over the syllabus for this class took like 20 mins max, which leads me to why i'm blogging.
Because art classes are 3 hours, i have had a 2.5 hour break with nothing to do and didn't really feel like going home just to come back in a little bit.
my last class of the day is modern photo history. I like learning about photo history. it has something to do with what i am doing. Art history has little interest to me because i don't really care that much about drawings, sculptures, paintings, etc. except looking at them if they're pretty. I'm really excited to learn more about modern photo rather than about tin types and daguerreotypes and old processes. which are really cool {and am taking a class next semester learning how to do them all} but i'm interested in the newer stuff more probably.

Well, I'm off to go watch the bachelor on HULU because i still have tons of time to burn because i don't have homework beside textbook reading. and no textbooks have come in the mail for me yet. Which is bad, but i guess good too. cause i'd rather not read them yet.

p.s. i need a good adventure up here in Logan. Does anyone have any ideas?? I have way too much time right now which makes me go into Brianna's mode of over analyzing and stressing about things i don't have control over.

p.s.s. i had a pretty good dream on sunday night. :D

welp, I'm sure i'll blog again soon.

XOXOxoxo

also, in case you were wondering, it is apx 16.5 days till i'm 20 years old. *big smiles*

Last Week of Freedom

Where to begin. First off, since i've began blogging more regularly about a year ago, my journal writing has suffered. I've written every day in my journal since the end of 9th grade. That hasn't changed. but what has changed is how well i write in it. My blog has become my journal of sorts. a lot of time i'll put a lot of detail into my blog and then when it comes to writing it in my journal I am extremely vague. I think it should probably be the other way around.....? So this year, i think i am going to work on this. I am still going to blog.... not because a lot of people read it or because it keeps my family updated on my life, etc.
But, because i honestly enjoy it. I'm a memory keeper. It's a part of the definition of Brianna. I think i've always been a very sentimental kind of girl and one of the most important things i have are memories. I hate goodbyes {and change [which is one reason Obama and i could never be friends....]}and writing things down and taking pictures help me hang on to those memories for forever. {there really is no better major for me than photography} Blogging just happens to be a way to keep them.
I want to print my blog into a book. I've heard of people doing that, but i don't know where to look. And i don't have a lot of money. {Ya know, because i'm going to germany! :D}

That was probably too long of an explanation, but, that's what i'm going to try for.

This past week has been a great one. It has gone by in the blink of an eye and for that, I am really sad. Christmas break was 3 weeks. Much has happened, i've had some great times, and tons of memories were made.

But as they say {whoever "they" are} "all good things come to an end" which is a statement i would like to prove very wrong someday. In fact, i WILL prove that wrong someday.

next item.

It's about this kid.

Is this not a handsome picture of him?

It seems that everyone has been asking me about "who Taylor is" lately {which i guess is a natural question} so I will tell you a little about this amazing man named Taylor.

I met Taylor the summer after i graduated high school. He was my new boss at work. And by far the most favorite boss I've ever had.

anyways, we gradually became really great friends over the next year. And now a year and a half later, I'd consider him one the best and greatest friends i've ever had and probably ever will have. When I'm in Logan we talk everyday on the phone. Usually for the time of hours, not minutes. Which always interferes with the recommended 8 hours of sleep i'm supposed to get, but I'm used to it now. When I'm home in Orem I'm pretty sure i take up most of his free time that he's not working and still talk on the phone the other times but i don't think he minds. And when none of those 2 are happening, we're usually texting. Thank heavens for unlimited texting.


Random facts about Taylor that I find interesting-

• He despises the taste of lemon in his water. At restaurants where you get your own water out of the pop machine, he'll let the water run for a good 20 seconds before filling up his cup because the water thing is always with the lemonade. 
• He's a horn honker in his car. He literally will honk for fun because he likes the sound of it. I always get embarrassed. 
• He loves his mom more than anyone i've ever met. Not kidding you. It's something I admire greatly about him. And his mom is darling. I am a fan of her too. He has what he calls "mommy and me day" with her once a week or so. {p.s. it's quite entertaining to see them watch judge judy together}
• you will never see his feet. In the year and a half I'v known him I've never seen them. And he assures me that I probably never will {don't worry, i will one day. It's a goal of mine}. Opposite of me. If i don't need shoes, i don't wear them. 
• He served his mission in Toronto Canada and is beyond faithful to that country. Canada is brought up far to often in our conversations and I think that i may be able to sing you their National Anthem. yes, all 4 verses. I'm pretty sure if this kid ever got a tattoo, it'd be the red maple leaf. 
• He has funny phrases that are 100 percent unique to him and loves to annoy me by answering my questions with questions of his own. And i catch myself saying them every once in a while.
• his favorite ice cream is Huckleberry. Which i got lucky and bought that one time cause it sounded good and then when i offered him some he got excited because it was his favorite. 
• He sings all the time and has a great memory when it comes to memorizing things. 
• Dr Pepper and french fries are his cravings. guess what? Those are mine too. 
• His favorite color is purple. And anything that is purple becomes his interest for that moment. Doesn't matter what it is. I've seen it from cars, to ugly dresses, to towels, to him talking about how he'd make the sky and grass purple if he could. 
• His car always smells so good. Like a mixture of his cologne {acqua di gio [yes, i do know this]} and air freshener from his {purple} air freshener owl thing in his car. I don't know how he keeps the smell. I feel like my car's air freshener lasts all but 2 weeks. if i'm lucky. He must be talented. 
• That i hardly ever take pictures of the things we do. My mom asked me why that is and i said "I have no idea. I think he just distracts me." {Taylor: we're going to work on this.}

Anyways, there's some info about this Taylor guy that I seem to talk/blog/think about a lot. The only other thing I'll say is about how happy I am when I'm with him And how sad I am when i have to say bye at the end of a date or night or when heading back to Logan. Except, Goodbye is not really what i should say in any of those cases because within about 2 minutes of him leaving or me leaving, my phone rings and it's him. Without fail. I love it. {the one time this didn't happen i thought he'd been in a serious accident and died a tragic death}

Anyways, I won't bore you with more about that. Although i could write a 200+ page book about it. haha But best stuff is going in my real journal. Because it's what means more to me. So, at 2am the morning i go back to Logan, i bid ado. 

p.s. Ashleigh and I finally got a taste of Louisiana at Bucket o' crawfish. 

we're secretely models because we are just
 that attractive in pictures like this. 

Next post will undoubtedly be about school. Sorry...

What Women Want. {not the movie} + Wedding Bouquet.

I saw this as a comment on a friend's post on Facebook and literally liked it. 

"I've decided what women want. Women seem to want contradictory things in a man. 

Women want a man who is ambitious, an achiever who is successful both professionally and financially… who’s not materialistic.

Women want a man who is solid, steady, consistent and reliable…. Who is fun, unpredictable and spontaneous.

Women want a strong-willed, decisive man who takes a stand and does not waver… as long as he flexible, open minded, and can admit when he’s wrong.

Women want a realist who is romantic.
A guy who’s serious… but playful.
Who’s confident…but humble.
Who’s horny {i'm changing this to romantic}…but faithful.

Women want a man who’s career driven…but family oriented.
Women want a man who’s smart… but not nerdy.
Caring… but not needy.
Affectionate…. but not clingy.
Protective,… but not possessive.
Emotional…but not neurotic.
Funny…but not a clown
Dominant,…but not domineering
In control…but not controlling."

I don't see the problem.... 

I feel like the in-between in all of those would = the most perfectly imperfect man. 

p.s. Ask me how sad I am to have to go back to school on Monday. 

In case you just talked to your computer screen, the answer is "way sad".

p.s.s. {or is this supposed to be p.p.s. ??} because I stalk a lot of photo blogs..... the following should not be weird to you-

I found the future bouquet for my {in the verrry far away future} wedding. I had this idea in my head for about 2 years {please don't ask me why}, but have never seen anyone do it. Kind of made me sad that someone else has done it, but then again happy to know that it really does look pretty beautiful. I'm somewhat leery to post a picture because then all of my  friends {what seems to be about half of them are engaged or will be shortly... weird} will steal my idea of my future bouquet. So I hereby say, "no touchy" because I really want to post a picture{s} of it and don't really want my idea to go "viral" as they say when it is in a youtube video. so, here goes.

i think maybe a few more billy balls in there though, and i want lace wrapped around the stems, not ribbon. but, other than that i love it. Deep deep purple carnations with yellow billy balls. my dream.
don't you think purple and yellow are good colors for a wedding?

well, there's the random "p.s.s." that has absolutely nothing to do with what's going on in my life right now. But none-the-less, it made me happy tonight to find it.