For the Love of a Country

Mandy thanks for the intro to the month. I do want to add not only the love for family friends and romance but places. I just got back from Australia and seriously I am love with that country. This was the first time that I have cried when leaving a country that I have never lived in!  It was an amazing two weeks and made me think about why we love certain places, and people. I think some of the reason that I loved Australia so much is the people there and that it possesses so many ingredients that I miss in Shanghai. I do like living in Shanghai but there are certain things I miss or would like to be here.

1. The sun. Growing up in the desert I am used to having so much light and when that is lacking it can be difficult. While it was cloudy some while I was in OZ overall the weather was great and the air was clean.

2. I also felt short! This does not happen in China often at all. I felt that I was listened to and people have manners and were really welcoming.

3. It is a beautiful country. The beach is great and the views are fantastic. I have not seen all that OZ has to offer and know that I will be heading back again and again.  

4. People compliment others around them (ie I felt noticed by the opposite sex), and are super laid back. It was my first time traveling to a city completely by myself, while I met up with friends of friends there I was on my own often but was able to talk to so many people and was refreshing to be hit on. I now firmly believe that foreign women in Asia should get a trip to OZ for just resetting.  

I have now added Australia to my list of loves of countries, right after my first love: Norway. 
--Manda

A dreamy wedding proposal.

While in college I met a boy who was a pastry chef at the St. Paul Hotel.  I sat next to him every day in class until finally one day I told him I was thinking about marry him.  Tilting his head and smiling kindly, he told me his soon-to-be fiance may have a problem with that.  It was actually the upcoming weekend that he was going to propose to her.  So of course I had to ask how he was going to propose.  As I sat with my chin in my hand, staring at the pastry chef he excitingly told me his plan.  


The pastry chef explained his fiance was a chocolateaholic (what woman isn't), so he was going to bake her her favorite dark chocolate truffles and place them inside a fancy decorative box with a beautiful ribbon securing it closed.  When she opens up the box, the truffles will have the words, Will You Marry Me, delicately written on top of the truffles.  I threw my arms are the pastry chef's neck and screamed, yes!  Just kidding, I didn't.  But what a dreamy and amazing proposal!  And so thoughtful - baking her favorite truffles!  It still gives me the goosebumps thinking about it.  I haven't seen him since in college, but I imagine they had a magical wedding and hope they are still together!


Readers, if you had an amazing proposal or have a friend who did, please share it here!  -Mandy

February is Love

It only seems natural to write about love in the month of February.  With Valentine's Day, all the candy hearts, chocolate hearts, flowers, and cards all over the place, it's hard to not think about love.  Although I think Valentine's Day is a bit overrated, I have to admit that it's nice to receive a card and/or chocolate shaped heart from someone you love.  

Most of our blogs this month may indeed be about when we've fallen in and out of love, but we're also going to blog about love in friendships and love in our families.

One of my favorite movies is Love Actually.  Not only does it have an amazing soundtrack, but it's message really holds true - despite the hatred and greed we constantly are reminded of, love actually is all around us.  A quote from the movie, "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.  It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around."   - Mandy

Number 1

My New Years Resolution this year was to have a better attitude.  29 stunk, but I think it stunk because I let it stink.  I can be pretty cynical at times and it really doesn't do me any good.  I think we have a choice every day to either make it a good day or make it a bad day.  And I'm really trying to make a conscience effort to look at my life, my work, my family, etc, in a more positive lite.  I have so much to be thankful for, that I really have no reason to start the day in a crabby mood.

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it."  - Mary Engelbreit

Number 2

2.  In November, I finally joined Life Time Fitness.  Not only has the gym done wonders for my health, but it also has done wonders for my social life.  Since joining, my friends and co-workers, who have been long time members to the club, now ask me foreign things like, "will you be at CRT tonite?", "going to cardio kickboxing at 6?", "can I be your spotter?", and "can I sit next to you in the steam room?"  Well, I may have made up a couple of them, but the gym has really become a great place to meet up with friends.  Whether it's at Yoga or on the stair master, I seem to run into friends, family, Emilie's friends, Molly's friends, Laura's friends, my co-workers, and even ex-boyfriends whom I'd rather not run into.  We catch up for a few minutes, they say, "have a good work out", and I say, "I hope so, I ate 4 chocolate chip cookies today." and then I hit the Octane Fitness elliptical for 50 minutes.  Just kidding, I have never worked out that long.  Anyway, I'm glad I joined.  I can say I am now almost as strong as my nephews and have gained friends instead of pounds these past few months.  If you belong to Life Time, we should meet up!  I'd love to "save you a spot in class" sometime.  -Mandy


p.s.  The picture is from this summer.  We are Bill's M&Ms.  Molly and I's first team triathlon!

Number 3

Music of 2010: I LOVE me some good music! There isn't a lot I can't listen to. I may not choose to listen to Britney Spears or Bieber, but I appreciate their stuff....well, sorta.

I've been a faithful listener of The Current from MPR (89.3 for those of you not familiar) for a few years now and am so thankful for its existence! In 2010, the station introduced me to some of my latest obsessions including: Mumford and Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, The Temper Trap, The Avett Brothers, David Bazan! The Current also continues to play my old favorites including: Adele, John Legend, Dan Wilson, Ben Folds, Brandi Carlile! I highly recommend tuning into the station either on your radio or streaming it on your PC. You'll be thanking me, I promise.

Without music life would be a mistake. ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Music's the medicine of the mind. ~John A. Logan

5 and 4

5.  Chi Town Adventures:  To finish last summer right, three of my best friends and I took a weekend trip to Chicago.  Arriving on a Thursday evening with our Chi Town T-Shirts (thanks again, Molly), a friend of mine picked us up at the airport and immediately ordered us Chicago style pizza from the BEST pizza place in Chicago, Pequod's Pizza!  After that, we don't remember much about the trip, but from the looks of our pictures, we had a blast!  We took a walking food tour through the Wicker Park/Buck Town neighborhood that was simply amazing!  We tasted so many delicious foods from local deli's, bakeries, ice cream shops, pizza parlors, and hot dog stands!  I was in Heaven!!  My favorite?  Definitely the iced hot chocolate from Mindy's Hot Chocolate!  To.  Die.  For.  Another highlight of the trip was going to the same bar two nites in a row and not realizing it until 2 drinks in.  A big shout out to a friend in Chi-Town for being our personal chauffeur!

4.  Idaho:  (No, you Udaho.)  I know, but it makes me laugh every time.  Over Labor Day, my mom, sister Sally, and I took a road trip to Priest River, Idaho to visit my aunt Rose, uncle Kevin, and cousin Phoebe.  Although my mom was a trooper and drove 95% of the way, I will have to say it was the first and last time that I'll ever drive straight through to Idaho. Going on 1.5 hours of sleep over a period of 2 days is miserable.  Miserable.  Once we arrived at destination, however, we had a great time.  Rose's house is beautifully nestled in the mountains.  We ate well and laughed often.  Sally and I made fun of our mom and Rose most of the trip, as they have very strong Norwegian accents, especially when they get together.  Made for a funny trip.  Thank goodness Sally is as funny as I am.