ABOUT ME

Before I left for my 6-month study abroad trip in Norway, my sister gave me a banjo. This summer, I plan to master that thing. I love music, musical festivities, art, community, food, being outdoors, a good book, summer storms, etc. etc. Living in Minnesota and Norway has taught me to value sunshine, and living in Texas has taught me to appreciate snow. I'm pretty laid-back, love to go dancing, and could probably eat my weight in ice cream.

Interests

I LOVE art. I'm no expert, but I love art museums and am currently pursuing art history and studio art degrees at St. Olaf College and love being in the middle of the art community of the college, the city, and the state of Minnesota. I'm originally from Texas and love that part of myself! But don't get judgmental--anyone who loves Austin as much as I do knows that you CAN come from Texas and not totally fit into the horse-riding, gun-shooting, conservative stereotype of Texans. Music is another passion of mine--I'm an avid attendee of concerts (indie, jazz, classical, the list goes on) and value the power of a song. And as a huge fan of NPR and public radio in generanl, I hope that part of our musical culture is something I hope NEVER becomes obsolete. In addition to music and art, I love being outdoors--hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, running, skiing, and the occasional game of Ultimate Frisbee. I love being in the mountains but appreciate all kinds of landscape and the culture that comes along with it!

• arts
• culture
• books
• concerts
• dancing
• dining
• running
• music
• jazz
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• canoeing
• kayaking
• hunting
• skiing
• art history
• history
• study abroad
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Reading is a huge pastime of mine. Most recent favorites: All the Pretty Horses, Cannery Row, Lolita, Middlesex, I Capture the Castle, A Passage to India, Sense and Sensibility, all books by David Sedaris, and (of course) the Harry Potter books.

As for music, current obsessions include:
The Hold Steady
Empire of the Sun
Animal Collective
Patty Griffin
Spoon
Girl Talk
Joni Mitchell
M. Ward
Ryan Adams
Cat Stevens
The Tough Alliance
etc.

And oh boy, do I love movies: old classics like Citizen Kane and The Sting, ones that make me feel great, like Sense and Sensibility, City of God, Ghost, Once, Elling, Spirited Away, and then recent masterpieces: The Departed, Slumdog Millionaire, and basically anything directed by Wes Anderson.