Kelsey's Favorite Things (Part 2)

As I sit here 1 week after my 26th birthday my mind starts to wander over how great this last week was. Paintball, Kinect, Table Rock, Bardenay, Tim McGraw, game night, bonfires and The Sandlot. This was an awesome week of fun, and I won't forget it.
My friends are rad. Boise is rad. The world is rad. Things are just awesome. That's pretty much what I have to say about it. Another year has passed, and I hopefully will make this one as great as the last 25.
So, as promised, here is the second half of "Kelsey's Favorite Things."

14. Quoting Movies and T.V. Shows

I know some people that aren't impressed when people can quote movies or t.v. shows. I however am not one of those people. I love it. I can quote Anchorman and The Big Lebowski for days. Literally. (That right there is a quote from Parks and Recreation.) I dunno why, it's just something that I do. It sucks sometimes cause then I have to explain my jokes, but still, it's something that I enjoy lots!

15. Americorps

The best year of my life was spent in Americorps. I did it for 2 years, but the year that I worked at Whittier Elementary here in Boise was the best year ever. That job was hands down the best job I've ever had. I have liked all the jobs I've had, but this job taught me so much more about life than I was ever expecting to get from it.
For those that don't know, Americorps is basically the U.S. version of the Peace Corps. It's a government funded program that sends ordinary people into different parts of the country to assist in several different things. Some may be environmental, some may be educational, some may be medical related. You get paid peanuts for what you do, but the experience is MORE THAN WORTH IT. If I could be in Americorps for the rest of my life I would do it in a heartbeat.
I got to work with K-6 graders teaching them basic math and English. I think I would have enjoyed any school I worked in since I was able to do what I love, which is teach, but Whittier made the experience so much more special. The kids that attend Whittier are the poorer kids in Boise, and over 60% of them are Hispanic. When I was there 98% of the kids received free lunch. Not just reduced, but straight up free. I have never worked with kids that were more eager to learn or happier to be at school than the majority of those kids. Also, the teachers and the principal were so welcoming to us, (I had worked at another site before, not at a school but at a Boys and Girls Club and while I got along well with my supervisor, the rest of the staff didn't seem to enjoy my presence and it was just a very stressful and critical situation) and it was so refreshing to be appreciated for the job that I was doing. I learned so much more from the kids and teachers there than they ever learned from me, and I am soooo thankful for them.
And I'm not only thankful for my experience in Americorps, but I am thankful for the program itself. It has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and is helping people grow in positive ways still. I will continue to support this program until my dying day, it has done so much for me and those associated with it. So thanks Judy, Nina, Jana, Char, Nate, Brittney, Amanda, Stacey and Richard for everything!

16. Bardenay

Oh Bardenay. You are my favorite restaurant in Boise. Possibly ever. The food is delicious, the portions are huge, and the price is cheap.
The setting in the Basque block is perfect for Spring and Summer evenings and the Eagle location has an awesome river front patio. I've never eaten anything there that wasn't good, and I have the menu memorized I've been there so many times.
They also have a huge drink menu, which for most people that is awesome, but since I don't drink I have no idea how great they are. I bet they are awesome though, cause nothing there is bad. Oh, and they distill their very own vodka rum and gin. I honestly don't know if that's something cool or not, but it sounds rad to me!

17. Hyperbole and a Half

Holy shit balloons (thanks for the term April) this is the funniest most amazingest thing I've ever read. Chanel introduced me to it, and I love it! It's creative, it's hilarious, it's full of fail and it is just all around entertaining. It's a blog written by Allie Brosh where she retells stories of her past and present and animates it with pictures and massively exaggerated hilarity. There really isn't a lot to say about it, just know that it's amazing.

Hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com. Check it out.

P.S. Some favorite blog posts include, but are not limited to the following:

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/07/dog.html

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/texas.html

and finally, http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2009/09/allie-gets-drunk.html

18. Quiet Time With God

I love Jesus, and I love spending time in the word of God. It helps me feel closer to my creator, and helps me with everything in my every day life. To just sit outside in the sun and read my bible or to turn on some music and read or to just sit quietly and think and pray. I love everything about it. It is something that I have to admit I can do more, but I absolutely love doing it. Reading the word helps direct me in my life and helps me grow as a person. It also helps me to understand those around me and how I can reach out to them. Really what it does is solidify the beliefs that I have in my heart and I helps me remember how lucky I am and how amazing my life is.

19. Photography

It's pretty simple, I like to take pictures. I always have a camera with me, no matter where I go. I have a point and shoot I carry in my purse for the unexpected moments and I have a DSLR that I bought a few years ago. One day I will be a good photographer I hope and will be able to make a some small pocket change off of the pics that I take. Time will tell.

20. Jimmy Johns

I love sandwiches. SO MUCH. I have tried to make delicious roast beef or turkey sammies at home, and it never turns out as great as the restaurant sammies. Jimmy John's IS SO FREAKIN GOOD. It also helps that they are right downtown, they are open late, and they deliver. I think it's the bread that gets me, it's so chewy and delicious. If you have a JJ's in your town, you best get to eatin there!

21. Youtube and Break Videos

I used to never care about Youtube. I knew what it was, but it didn't seem like a fun way to pass the time. I'd rather do anything but watch people on my computer. And then I started working with Christian. This kid spent his days sending me links to random videos that were awesome. Anything from breakdancing videos to trailers for new video games to daily vlogs of people I'd never heard of. I started to really get into the whole Youtube idea and now I love to look up random stuff on there.
Along the Youtbe lines is Break.com. Break videos are more focused on pranks or being funny or shocking. I love it. Break is where I saw the Bed Intruder song for the first time, and where I can watch hours and hours of Parkour fails. Basically, the internet is awesome, and it helps pass the time while sitting at a desk for 10 hours a day. (Just don't tell my bosses that haha.)

22. Laughing

When I was in high school I remember my friends constantly getting annoyed with me for laughing. They would always say "you laugh at EVERYTHING." I don't think they meant it in a bad way, but I always felt bad about doing it. But now, I don't feel bad anymore. I love to laugh. I don't see anything wrong with laughing. Yes, there are times where it's inappropriate, but it's still fun. And who the hell likes propriety anyways? I really do laugh at everything, that is something that I have come to find out about myself over the years. And like I said, I am totally ok with that. I laugh at other people, I laugh at myself, I laugh when I get hurt, I laugh when I or anyone else farts, (especially that one. I can't fart and NOT giggle.) I laugh when I get frustrated. The list goes on, but you get the point.
I have been told by 3 different people, if not more, that they don't laugh nearly as much as when they are around me. That used to make me feel uncomfortable, but now I accept it as a compliment. I like to help people be happy, because you only have one life and you should spend it being happy and loving what you have.

23. Tiberius the Scooter

When I was 13 I drove by a Yamaha shop and saw a scooter for the first time. No, not a Razor scooter, but a gas powered 250cc "beast" of the cycle world. I knew right then and there that I needed one. I spent the next 10 years of my life pining away for a scooter. I don't know what it was about them, I just really really wanted one. I have honestly never wanted anything ever as bad as I wanted a damn scooter. When I was in high school I actually found a specific one that I wanted and printed off a picture of it and carried it around with me until I graduated. It was my dream scooter- a Derbi Predator LC. Google that ish, it was the tight hotness when I was a teenager, and I needed it!
So, for 10 years I worked different jobs and continued to pine away for the day that I could get a scooter. I moved to Boise when I was 20 and decided that it would be a great place to finally get a scooter, cause there are several months here that are scooter worthy compared to Oly. The problem with that is that I worked for Americorps making $700 a month, so there wasn't a lot of wiggle room for saving. Then when I was 23 a chance meeting with a person at church (who turned out to be BSC, but that's beside the point) referred me to a job at Supervalu. I got the job and started making bank. I decided right then and there that it was finally time to make my number 1 life goal complete. So I went down and tried to buy a scooter, but was rejected because I didn't have sufficient credit. (I still to this day don't have sufficient credit, I've never taken out a loan for anything but my car-because I had to have a car- and I paid that off in 2 months) I went home that day crushed to see my dream dashed, but knowing that it would still happen one day. Then a few days later I was at my dad's house and his in laws were there. We started talking about how much I wanted that scooter and they said that they would give me a loan for the amount of the scooter. I was ECSTATIC!! I took them up on it and I went down 3 days later and bought myself a scooter. I rode it home that day beaming and grinning from ear to ear. I had made a goal that I set when I was a kid come true.
I've had that scooter now for 3 years, and I love him so much. Tiberius is an example to me that if I put my mind to something it will happen, I just have to be patient.

24. Rap

My love for rap music runs deep. Whenever I tell people that I love rap they are surprised. Which to me is funny. I don't know why, but it makes me laugh that they are so surprised.
I love the beats and the bass and the fast rhythms. It's just so good. However,I am picky about the rap that I listen to. I like to get down to some gangsta rap from time to time, but in general I like rappers along the lines of Lecrae or Atmosphere or Grieves; rappers that I can relate to I guess. I love any one of the Rhymsayers crew, Aesop Rock, Lecrae, The Cunninglynguists and tons more.
My favorite rapper of all time has got to be Lecrae. He's a Christian rapper, which I still think is a hilarious term. I didn't even know that something like that existed until I was like 19 and I thought it was the worst thing I'd ever heard of. And then a kid at church told me I should check out a dude named Lecrae. I was older at this point, 24 in fact, and decided to give it a try. I was BLOWN AWAY by this guys talent. At first it took a while for me to get used to someone rapping about Jesus, but then I became comfortable with it and now I love everything about it. He is bringing people to Jesus through his works and it is so refreshing. His sound is so good; It's got hard beats and deep lyrics.
I love how it gets me pumpe up. I just love rap.

Some favorite tracks:

Lecrae; Prayin for You- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZNEaTWxG_o

Lecrae; Truth- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIQR9OuJ388&feature=related

Atmosphere; Not Another Day- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jEfsVHttsc

Atmosphere; Sunshine- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5So-_z-jkHE

Grieves; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aFS8EJTxIE

Grieves; Lightspeed- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5So-_z-jkHE

25. Stephen Colbert's "Friday"

Dude. I remember when I first watched this video. It was on Break a few days after it aired. And I was SO disappointed in my friends for not sharing it with me sooner. This is one of the top 10 greatest things I've seen ever. I don't even have words for it, it's just that amazing. Take a looksie here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqstF4V4Nl4

26. Birthdays

In case having an entire week of celebration for my own birthday didn't give you a clue as to how much I love birthdays, I will give you 3 more facts of how much I love them.

1. They are awesome
2. They are the 1 day a year that I think a person should be able to do whatever they want, no matter what
3. It's a celebration of YOU! Who doesn't like that?

Basically, I think birthdays are amazing. I will always make a big deal about my birthday, because it's the 1 day a year that I think I am allowed to be selfish and think only of me. And I like to make a big deal out of friends birthdays too, cause you need to be celebrated too!


So, there ya have it. 26 of my favorite things. I prolly won't decide to do this again, it took way more time that I had ever imagined. If you read this whole thing I would appreciate it if you wrote "fishsticks" in the comments section :)

P.S. I'm REALLY not as self centered as I seem. I read through this again and I'm like "man, I really like myself. I'm a db." Seriously, that's what I thought. But I really am not as conceited as I may seem. Love you! (Really, I do!)