Thoughts.

I'd like to tell you all about a little green herb that makes me feel riiiilll good...

Yes. Yes, you've guessed it.

Cilantro.

Has there ever been anything as glorious as this plant? I submit that there is not. I now put cilantro in everything I make. Seriously. Ramen. So good. I put in on baby spinach with a little bit of lemon juice, and I don't need any more dressing than that! I put it in this chicken tikka-masala-type thing that I invented last Sunday.

It has become a staple in my fridge and life.

I shall probably name one of my children cilantro.

Joking.

But, really.

Here are some more thoughts from my head, I guess. I know, boring, right?

When you get new music, do you ever feel this strange sort of guilt if you attach onto one song, listen to it over and over and neglect the others a bit?

I do that.

I feel like I have this obligation to the rest of the album, and I am not fulfilling it, and I also might be hurting the feelings of the other songs.

Also, I looked at the wig I'll be wearing for Stage Door. All I can say is, I will not look like Heidi. Good luck trying to find me onstage. It would take my own mother the whole show to find me. It's blonde. Like this dishwater, greenish, dull blonde. The wig is also made of real. human. hair. It give-a me the jeeblies. It's from Korea. It was once on the head of a woman from Korea...or man. I guess I don't really know. The history of that hair.

This was random and not very interesting. Sorry.

Stop this train.

So. Sometimes being a grown-up is fun.

It's fun when you get to run around London and Paris by yourself. I learned that this summer. Being the baby of my family by a large age gap has left me without several basic survival skills, and largely dependent on others. This summer, however, when I was able to go to London, I was pleased to be able to master things and find my own way around.

The height of this grown-upness came during the travel week-end. Two friends and I decided to travel to Paris for the four day trip.

I found and booked our hostel in Monmartre. Found our way around. Mastered the metro. Spoke as much French as possible, and was really brave about speaking to strangers and asking for help and directions in French. I led my friends around Paris. They called me Tourguide Heidi. I'm bragging a little. But only because it was so new and unlike me and so much fun.

But being a grown-up kind of stinks sometimes when you have to make decisions. Decisions are not my friend. In fact, Decisions and I are enemies. But here I am. Making hard decisions. Being a grown-up. Satisfying. Also, painful. Also, confusing.

Can't I just rewind to the time I was still playing Barbies?

Oh wait...I played with Barbies until I was like 14.

Not to mention this little incident...

Which may or may not have been the summer before last...you don't know! (That's John Smith, Pilgrim Lady and Padme Amidala...yikes.)

Anyways. Even being 14 would be simpler than now. But then I guess I'd be stressing over things like no boys dancing with me or liking me ever at lame Connecticut stake dances. I guess that was pretty hard for me then.

I guess what I'm learning here is this is why we grow up. We are given challenges that we are able to handle as we go along. I wouldn't have been able to handle what I'm going through now at 14, which is why I'm going through it NOW and not THEN. I guess it's all designed to work itself out.

Though I do love those times when I can get together with some friends and watch Swan Princess and Anastasia and remember the time when all I wanted to do was be a princess...

Ebony Eyes!

Oh my gosh. My gosh.

This is my happy song of the moment.

I fell back in love with Stevie Wonder this summer. (How were we ever apart?)

And seriously, just TRY not to smile when this song starts.

I dare you.

It's enough to make me wish I had ebony eyes myself!

Try to remember the kind of september...

My life is turning all around right now. Here are some things that I am doing right now:

Taking a stage combat class....yes. Me. The girl who can hurt herself sitting on a couch, is taking a stage combat class. And injuring myself every day.

Trying to continue my running routine. I realize that I could run 4 miles. On an indoor track. In air-conditioning. At sea level. Yeah. Utah is pretty different. Also, running is a marvelous band-aid for a broken heart.

Learning that make-up is overrated.

Busting my bum in intermediate Irish dance. So hard. So worth it.

My niece is the most amazing. And I am endeavoring to have this kind of joy in my own life.

I've been cast in this play:

Ginger Rogers and Katherine Hepburn are my favorite ever.

I'm playing a couple of the fun bantering girls in the boarding house.

If you haven't seen this movie. Run. Run and rent it.

I'm going to look like this.

Or this.

I wish.

And, get this, the whole play is going to be in BLACK AND WHITE.

You heard me.

You should come and see it.

For Viv.

This is for my lovely love, Viv, as she is far away in India. She would love this. Will? Do you read my blog still, Lib?

In other news, I got my fashion bravery back! Woohoo! Also, my hair is curly and (comparatively) long now, and no one recognizes me, it's pretty fun. It's like having a new identity, only it's just new hair.

My what?

Today in Geology class, my professor was discussing the formation of the our solar system. As he was doing this, he happened to offhandedly mention the name of a certain planet...you know the one.

However, I noticed something interesting. He pronounced the name differently, not giving emphasis to the usual part. I thought "Well that's clever, he's trying to downplay the childish humor of that word."

Then I realized he had pronounced it "Urine-us."

Yup, still funny.