My Valentine...

...made dinner [shrimp and lemon-butter sauce and rice]

and dessert [chocolate mousse parfait]

and there were candles and music and words and some l-word-mushiness that I will not admit to in public.

...and I watched a documentary about Pollock and The Man aspect of the modern art world [Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock?] and some mogul skiing and figure skating.

...made me happy.

2009: A Year in Review/ 2010: Resolutions

TOP 10 THINGS THAT DEFINED MY LIFE THIS YEAR.

1) seijinshiki.

it's basically just your 20th birthday. [feb 20.]

but it's a big deal because it means you're officially an Adult.

so in Japan, I can vote, drink and smoke.

perfect.

2) new roommates!

i moved into a new place with amazing roommates! [sept.]

kaitlin is so fun and craftsy.

sara is the best baker i know. seriously. and she is so sweet.

brynn is so easy to talk to and is super insightful.

and none of them care that i perpetually leave our place is disarray. what a perfect setup.

3) this boy.

i've pretty much seen him every day since we started seeing each other [march.]

(well, except for when i'm out of the country.)

and i like it.

4) cooking

and cooking forreals!

5) my family moved to Japan.

I got to go out there twice this year.

total of about 5 weeks.

it's wonderful.

6) reunited!

pica's practically my sister and we rekindled our real-life friendship after several years on hiatus.

she's great.

7) an elephant phase.

seriously.

they're adorable.

always smiling.

8) the Writing Center

i work there!

as a writing tutor!

and i love it!

check out our podcast:

9) blogging.

and here I am.

10) gamelan

yep, still doing it!

we had a great concert [dec.]

(photo forthcoming)

10.5) lady gaga.

what an artist.

My 10 New Year's Resolutions:

1) learn how to use photoshop

2) start scrapbooking

3) take more pictures

4) blog regularly

5) write in journal regularly (for what I won't say on my blog)

6) read more literature outside of school

7) read scriptures and ensign more

8) attend temple regularly/more often

9) learn japanese

10) finish school!

the future is always so exciting. thanks for being last year's future, 2009.

On Tuesday night, I went up to Salt Lake for a free promo screening of Adam. I'd been looking forward to this for weeks and I was not disappointed.

I went up with the boy and last minute his sister decided to come too, but Fox Searchlight apparently has an incompetent tech department so she never got her RSVP email. I'm sure we can finagle [flirt] you into the movie, I told her, so don't worry about it.

We go up to the theater box office for our tickets:

[Window girl, seeing me and Jenna-- the boy was parking]: Hi, do you need 2 tickets?
[Me]: Actually, we need 3, but we only have a confirmation ticket for 2 because--
[Window girl, nodding slyly]: That's fine. [Hands me 8 tickets.]

Well. Guess we didn't have to worry about that one.



So the movie was adorable. Not only did it start off talking about The Little Prince, AND have 2! Joshua Radin songs in the soundtrack AND take place in New York City, it was fabulously well acted and deliciously endearing. Go see it when it's in general release! Unless you live in NY or LA, in which case you can go see it NOW and I'll be jealous.

After the movie, of course we went to The Pie. I think this was the third or fourth time that the boy and I have gotten Pie pizza in the past month or so. Not that I'm complaining. I'd just like to note that 3 weeks ago when I first suggested we go up to Salt Lake to see the movie, the boy had said,
Okay, we can leave as soon as I get home from work, eat dinner somewhere, then see the movie.
At the Pie? I asked knowingly.
No, he scoffed. There are tons of places to eat in Salt Lake City, we'll find somewhere new. Some type of food neither of us have had in a while. It's good to get a little diversity.
Yeah! Like Thai? Or Mongolian! Have you ever had Mongolian barbecue...

And on.

But it ended up that on the long-awaited day he got off work late so we didn't have time for dinner before the movie. But afterwards, we were hungry so he goes, with a twinkle in his eye,
I am in Salt Lake City. You know where we're going?
The Pie?
You know it!

Had he forgotten the conversation we had had several weeks prior? Yes.
Isn't it "good to get a little diversity"? I thought so.
Do I know Brian better than he knows himself sometimes? Apparently so.
The whole situation makes me smile. Because my green pepper and red onion side of our pizza was delicious, as always.

My new favorite starry-eyed romance.