XXI

Today marks 21 years since I was born, so it seems fitting to provide an overview of the person I've become so far.

My name is a palindrome, and although I've learned not to hate being called "Hannah Banana" since elementary school, I will not speak to you if you add "Montana" to my name.

I drive manual transmission and I always take care of oil changes on time; when I can use my brother's jacks I change the oil at home (he helps). I can change and have changed a tire and I usually wash my car by hand.

Someday I will own a handgun and get a concealed-carry permit... someday.

There aren't a whole lot of foods I hate, but I'm not a fan of mint with chocolate, coconut, or canned carrots. Foods I love are really too many to count, but include chocolate/peanut butter/banana in any combination, treats with graham cracker crusts, honey-roasted peanuts, fried things (but don't get crazy), and milkshakes.

I'm a junior in college studying wildlife and wildlands conservation - but no, I don't want to be a forest ranger; I'm still deciding what to do with the degree when I get it. Conservation is not synonymous with environmentalism and is not to be confused with preservation. It means proper management (which indicates use) of natural resources in a way that will allow said resources to be utilized by future generations as well. I am currently becoming a plant nerd as part of the plant identification team where we learn around 200 range plants (family/tribe, genus, and species) before going to the Society for Range Management meeting and competing against other teams in a huge plant ID test.

I don't get to read a whole lot for pleasure, but I enjoy a well-written book/story/play. As far as movies go, I like action films (with substance - not just built around the action), thrillers, classics, and anything that makes me think. There are very few "chick flicks" that I will watch, especially since most seem to follow the same plot and character profiles anyway. "Comedy" in film seems to be merging with "crudeness," but I do enjoy TV shows with good, sophisticated humor.

Laughter is one of my favorite things ever. I love to laugh almost as much as I love to make other people laugh.

I am learning to play guitar, ski, and bowl; my goal is to bowl over 200 by the end of this semester. It's one of my dreams to see the northern lights before I die, and other than that my "bucket list" needs some work.

If you are one of those "color code" people, I'm very blue with a touch of white, and my dominant "love language" is quality time. It means a lot to me when people choose to spend their time with me.

I have been single for over a year and a half, and although it's a stigma in LDS culture, I'm learning to accept, expect, and embrace life on my own as I plan a future for myself. At this point it doesn't include a full-time church mission, but who knows?

I am thankful for my parents who brought me into the world - especially my mom who brought all 8 lb 15 oz of me into the world - and kept me alive this long, and for everyone who has helped make my life a little happier and more worthwhile. Thank you for your friendships, for teaching me, and for helping in countless ways.