A Very Lucky Girl

10 countries. 5 currencies. So many different languages. My head is still spinning and I may possibly need another nap before I write any more words.  It feels like I've been gone from Dundee for years, but at the same time the 23 days passed in the blink of an eye. Before I fully comprehended what was happening I was on a plane in Denmark heading to London and tomorrow I'll be on a bus to Dundee. The greater European adventure of my semester abroad is almost over. It seemed like it took ages to get here, seeing as I've been planning since November. But it finally came to fruition on a chilly night in early April when Laura, Kylie, and I ventured into the unknown.  It's hard to believe it's really me who went to all of those places and had so many amazing experiences. It feels as if I've woken up from an exotic dream where I watched someone else do everything I've always wanted to do. But no. It was me. I walked the dusty streets of Auschwitz and saw ...

Blanche is Paul's sister so that makes her my aunt. I've called her Aunt Blanche up until May 23 of this year when she cornered me at Oakes' graduation dinner of take out Chinese and claimed she had a bone to pick with me. Since I refer to my dad as Paul and my mom as Sharbear, usually just in the blog, she insisted I drop the "Aunt" from her name. I acquiesced to her request.  This lady has supported me since I was born, and my middle name, Olivia, matched hers. Blanche has always treated me with respect, almost as a miniature adult (even when I used to not act like one). I admire her for that sort of interaction with me. I envy her for her perfectly arranged closet and outfit coordinations in a neat little notebook. She's successful, driven, and independent. Her minimalist approach to decorating has created a beautiful home in Baton Rouge with her husband. Snapshots of her house could be featured on Pinterest pins on people's "home sweet hom...

The other day I was texting one of my friends and mentioned that I was jealous of his life and wished that I was him at that moment (he was taking a nap. one of my favorite things in the world) and he countered with, "...but I like you for being Taylor." 1, 2, 3...d'awwww. And it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes in all the world from 27 Dresses, "Why would you want to be me if you get to be you?"  But I recently got to thinking, who would I want to be, if I wasn't me? Obviously, Jennifer Aniston is high on that list. She is one of my all-time favorite women. I love her in every single movie she stars in, but I have a secret girl crush on her as Rachel in Friends. She possesses this likable quality that I would give anything to have, her ditzy actions overshadowed by her good intentions and easy laugh. And Jen herself isn't too bad, either. I don't know her personally, unfortunately, but from what I've seen of her in the Hollywood world,...