Got my first Nerd Shirt!

Last weekend I got to go to the Dallas ComicCon...yes, yes, I know, it's not the "real" ComicCon, but it was still quite the nerd fest if I do say so myself. Please note, I use the word nerd here as a term of endearment...not in a mean way whatsoever. I've pretty much accepted the fact that I'm part nerd, so I might as well embrace it, right?! Anyways, so my dad partnered up with a friend and they got a booth together to sell all their comics/toys/autographs/games/etc. My dad used to own his own Comic Book/Sports Memorabilia store back when I was really young, it was a great place where the jock and the nerd could come together in peace and happiness...okay, I don't really remember it much, but I like to think that that's the truth! So of course, 20+ years later, my dad still has quite a collection of stuff to sell, which he's been trying to do at various flea markets, comic book shows, toy shows, etc over the past few years. This was his first "big" show. By big I just mean there were more people that actually came to this one than anything else he's been to.

I grew up watching my dad act as basically a giant kid at heart. He plays video games, loves random German made board games. He even joins my friends and I in our weekly D&D games. When my brother and I were younger, instead of reading us the typical childhood stories, we were read Bone (the amazing comic book, look into it!) My love of these things definitely comes from my dad, and seeing his excitement at being at the Dallas ComicCon made the entire weekend entirely worth it!

There were some of the most interesting people I've ever seen there. Please remember, I haven't been to any sort of Comic Book convention before, so I'm sure it's old and everyone knows all about the intense fans that dress all crazy and what not, however, this was my first, so it was all new to me! Sadly enough, the most interesting outfit (a guy that was dressed as the galaxy of Star Trek...he was a big black circle with lights for the stars and different star trek ship minis hanging off of him) walked by when I didn't have my camera. One day, when I learn how to post photos in here...I'll show you all the ones I did get!

It was quite the fun weekend. I met Thomas Jane...I guess he's well known for his Punisher, but I know him from an episode of Arrested Development. =) I saw Amanda Pays and John Wesley Shipp from The Flash tv series. And I saw...drum roll please... Stan Lee! Of course, I couldn't get a photo of him...that'd cost me about 50 dollars or so, but it was still pretty awesome to see him! Carrie Fisher and Leonard Nemoy were both there, but they were hidden up in rooms where you had to pay to get in. I can appreciate being a fan, but no, I will not pay $75 to see a famous person sign a photo for me. =)

And...I also got by first nerd shirt. It's an old school X-men one. If I had to choose a group of super heroes, X-men are possibly my favorite. I love my new shirt and had a great time. Maybe one day I'll go to the REAL Comic Con! =)

And Happiness Is Coming...

After typing this particular title I thought, "Well...that sounds a little depressing, but with hope!" In no way is it meant to be depressing, I've been happy all day long! I was off work today, got to spend some quality time with some quality friends. So maybe a better title would be "Happiness is...and happiness will be", but now I've already discussed the title and to change it would take away this paragraph of description...and I've worked too hard to get it to here. =)

Happiness is coming down the road (up the road?!) from Texas in less than 24 hours. I will get to see my lovely and wonderful Disney, whom I haven't seen since February at her surprise birthday weekend. A lot has happened since we last were in the same state. I haven't changed much, and maybe she hasn't either, but life sure has. Many things in my small town have that I am sure most people haven't noticed, but she will. It's going to be somewhat of an eye opener to her, and somewhat sad...but overall, there will be happiness that she is back here, what I consider her true home.

Excitement is too small of a word for how I am feeling about getting to see her. She's an amazing individual and I'm just so glad to call her friend. Happiness will come...in less than 24 hours! =)

Travel Bug Got Me

I want to go somewhere. I want to travel far far far away. Anywhere really. Ideally, back to South America, or to Europe, but I'm really not picky. I almost feel as if I'm stuck here with no where to go. Thankfully, I have a great family and great friends who keep me grounded...but sometimes, I still want to get away.

Anyone up for a vacation? Soon? Somewhere not here? I'll drive, fly, swim...whatever. Just wanna go...

There's a Hole in My Back

That's right, a hole. Quite literally, a hole. Okay, maybe it's not so much a hole anymore, because the doctor stitched it up and what not, but I'm gonna go ahead and say, there's still a hole.

****Warning: I might get a little graphic here, so if you get queesy or woozy about medical stuff, you might not want to read. =) *******

I've led a pretty "lucky" life as far as injuries go. ***Knock on wood!!!*** The most damage I've done is sprain my ankles a countless amount of times thanks to playing basketball from 4th grade until I graduated high school. When I was 16, I got my wisdom teeth taken out, and that had been my only "surgery" until today.

Okay, maybe I'm making this a bit too dramatic. I had a cyst, all right? Just a cyst:

"Cysts are noncancerous, closed pockets of tissue that can be filled with fluid, pus, or other material. Cysts are common on the skin and can appear anywhere. They feel like small peas under the surface of the skin. Cysts can develop as a result of infection, clogging of sebaceous glands (oil glands), or around foreign bodies, such as earrings." - Webmd.com

Luckily, mine was just a clogging of a gland, I guess...right smack dab in the middle of my back. It didn't bother me until it ruptured underneath my skin. That's right...it ruptured. So my dermatologist decided to cut it out! Ah! I went in today and he just cut me right open and...leaked out the pus and fluids and man...this is gross. But you know what, hearing your own skin being cut open by surgical scissors is pretty gross as well. Then, hearing the doctor cauterize the open blood vessels on your back? That's pretty gross too. Also, after it's all said and done, and you're stitched up, ready to go home, and you see a chunk of skin from your OWN back, slightly bloody, laying on the table next to you? Yeah...gross.

So that was my day today. I got some antibiotics, and some pain meds! Hopefully I won't need them too much, but I've never had stitches before, or a wound this size, so I don't really know what I'm in for. So far, it's just been really itchy...with a dull pain, getting a bit worse. Time to pop a lortab and go to bed, I have to work tomorrow. =)

Memphis Rocks My Socks

Hello world. I realize it's been awhile since I've posted. I'm sure you're all upset and whatnot that I haven't had anything exciting to talk about in weeks. =) But no more of that sadness! Put a smile on and sit back as I bore you with details of my solo road trip out to Memphis this past weekend.

My best friend, The Stage Manager, moved to Memphis last fall. She was offered a job at a theatre in Midtown, right there in the heart of Memphis. She's the assistant stage manager and I'm oh so proud of her. Anyways, I hadn't seen her since the Christmas break, and that's just too long for us to not be around each other, so I decided to make the road trip out to see her. The drive was only about 7 hours or so...sigh. I used to love long car rides...I now realize that's only because I didn't have to drive when I was younger. I got to sit in the back seat and read a book, listen to my personal cd player, do word search puzzles, or watch movies when my mom got the cool van with a dvd player in it. But no, driving 7 hours alone, is not something I thoroughly enjoy. Luckily, my friend Disney kept me occupied for a little over an hour of the journey, I also talked with Dad, Grandma, and a few other friends. I listened to NPR for the first time in who knows how long. Listening to other people have conversations definitely helped keep me occupied.

I arrived in Memphis around 11pm Friday. After getting off at the wrong exit, and driving around downtown Memphis for 20 extra minutes, I finally found the theatre where the Stage Manager works. I was so excited to see her! There was nothing too exciting about the evening, other than the constant hugs and squeals of joy at me just getting to be in the same city as her. We had a late dinner and crashed pretty early.

I was amazed at how teeny tiny her apartment is! I remember when she moved in and she called me crying because it was small and dirty and...small. I honestly don't think there's a better representative of an apartment for the starving artist. These interns get paid very minimally and their living quarters are minimal as well. She shares this small, 2 bedroom apt with some guy who also works with the theatre. They get along well enough, I guess, but it's obvious they just try to stay out of each other's way. Her bedroom could definitely be 2 of my closets. Her closet is in her living room. It was so small! I was amazed...but I guess that's the life you have to live if you wanna do theatre. That's how you gotta start out in this biz'ness. =)

Anyways, Saturday rolled around and she took me to the cutest cafe next to her apartment. She says that it rarely looks the same inside because the owners always rearrange the tables, putting different games, table cloths, flowers or other things on the different tables. It was a very eclectic little cafe and the coffee was delicious!

She had to work a little during the afternoon, so I spent my time looking through an old bookstore and going to a local mall to buy a new pair of jeans! Which I did successfully. =) I met the Stage Manager for her dinner break, then she had to go back to the theatre for the Saturday night show: August: Osage County! I had seen the show once on Broadway a couple of years ago. It's definitely a great show, even better if you think you have a crazy family, it will make you feel better about your own life. Such a great show.

Saturday night we went out to a nightclub. It was...interesting. And that's really all I can say about that.

Sunday, more work for the Stage Manager. In true theatre form, her only day off is Monday. So while she did her managing of the stage, I went to her theatre's sister and watched Grey Gardens, another show about a crazy family. It was...interesting. The lead actress was phenomenal, and the supporting cast was good. It was great for a free show, but maybe not something I would see again? It would have been much better had it not been a musical. =)

Sunday night, the Stage Manager and I went out to a fancy dinner. It'd been awhile since I'd gotten all dressed up and I was so glad to be doing it with my best friend. After some yummy spinach artichoke ravioli and a huge chunk of chocolate cake, we decided to hit a local hangout spot with some of her intern theatre pals. It was a fun night, getting to meet everyone and learn more about these people who have been "taking care" of my best friend. I am so thankful for them being there for her, especially since I live so far away from her.

Monday was my last day, and it was a sad/happy day. As I mentioned before, it was her day off, so I was glad to be able to spend most of it with her. She took me to my new favorite home-style restaurant. I ordered hot cakes and they were oh so delicious! Not to mention, the cook added "ears" to them, so they looked like mickey mouse heads! My grandma used to do that when I was little, so happy memories were floating all around me, even up to the wood paneled walls, just like in her house. =) We then did a little shopping, had frozen yogurt, and went to the University of Memphis where we looked at an Egyptian exhibit in their museum. We met an Egyptologist who told us the story of the real mummy we saw (it had spent time in a pawn shop before being studied!)

It was a beautiful day, but ended sadly with me having to drive all the way back home. I already miss the Stage Manager, but knowing that I get to see her again in a few months makes things a little better. She's been with me through so much, and even though we've only been friends for a couple of years, I know we'll be friends forever. So here's to you Stage Manager, I love you and had a great time with you this past weekend. I can't wait to see you again!

Saw A Favorite Today!

Band that is... Somehow convinced Dpad to travel to OKC with me tonight to see He is We, one of my favorite bands. I discovered them first semester my senior year at OBU while in the scene design studio. I was working late late hours trying to finish my scene design homework, playing random music on Purevolume.com (great site by the way, you should check it out, it's a great place to find up and coming musicians). He is We started playing and I fell in love. Sadly, my love for them has only spread to a couple of my dear friends, who are (of course!) now not living in this state to go see the band with me!

Luckily Dpad was willing to go, despite never really listening to the band. I've always had a hard time at concerts listening to the openers, because for one, unless you know the songs, it's somewhat hard to hear what the lyrics actually are, so you basically hope that they're catchy enough to follow along. And for two, you go to concerts to hear the bands you want to hear...and just get stuck listening to the openers. (By the way! Not trying to out down the opening bands. Musicians have to get their start somewhere. I've even discovered some great music because of openers...I'm just saying, their usually not why people go to a show.) Anyways, so yeah, sometimes listening to bands you've never heard of is somewhat...not fun, so I don't even know why Dpad agreed to go, other than to be a good friend. =)

The show was held at The Conservatory in OKC...the place is shady! It's in the middle of this worn down part of town and the sign on the building is so hard to catch from the road...we drove past it twice. It's a really small venue and I was surprised that shows would even happen here. But it worked. The crowd wasn't completely overwhelming the music wasn't horribly loud and what not. I will say that I definitely felt out of place as far as "looks" were concerned. It's a very "hipster" type atmosphere. Guys with beanies, plaid shirts, semi-long hair. Girls with flowery tops, skinny jeans. Everyone with TOMS shoes, ear gauges, and hair cuts I could have given at the age of four...again, not dissing this in any way...it's just a style I'm not really a part of.

Luckily, I wasn't there to be part of the hipster scene, nor did I really care about where the location was...I just wanted to see my band. And they were amazing. As opposed to the other 3 groups that played that night, the crowd seemed to know every song that He is We played. They screamed the loudest for them, and demanded "ONE MORE SONG" at the end of their set. When the band left the stage after an amazing set, the crowd seemed to disappear, either out the door or to the merch table to get autographs and photos with the lead singer and guitarist...and the head liner of the show got a smaller crowd! I was so proud of He is We. The performance was great, the crowd loved it, and Dpad said they were actually pretty good. =) I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them!

Check them out!!! He is We Music.com OR at PureVolume.com =)

Sending a Blog from My Ex's House...

Most people would think it strange that I hangout with my ex-boyfriend Dpad on a regular basis. There might even be some friends who say it's a "bad idea". Sitting on his couch, playing on the computer while he plays his new video game...it's not something most exes do...

We've always been something of an anomaly when it comes to the rules of dating and breaking up...and dating and breaking up. We've been friends for years and I guess you could say that despite the break-up, we didn't want to lose that friendship. We enjoy spending time together, we make each other laugh, I'm pretty sure we've both made the other cry...I mean...he's never cried, he's a man! They don't cry, right?! =) We've been through so much together. There have been days when I've felt like he's the only person I can go to with my troubles. I'd like to think he's had days when I'm the only one he could go to. We're great at reading the other, I don't necessarily need to really try and act like I'm upset or happy or extremely bothered by something because he can tell by looking at me in about a second, which I guess is a good thing but it makes it really hard to lie...not that I'd want to...*cough* =)

When I started typing this particular post, I didn't really know what I wanted to say, or even that I had anything important to actually write about, but I thought it'd be a fun idea. Especially once Dpad turned around in his "gaming" chair and asked, "What are you doing?", took one look at my face and assumed I was up to no good. I said, "Typing in my blog!" and he responded with, "About me?" See? He already knew even though I wasn't planning on telling him, because, as you might have noticed, he's the only person that actually follows this blog at this moment., so he'd eventually read it.

To this day, I guess neither of us really knows what to expect when it comes to us, but luckily we both roll with the punches and just wait it out to see what happens next.

Ooh...I just realized the point of this post. Being friends with your ex is, in fact, possible. I realize that Dpad and I are definitely a special case, but we've both decided that our friendship is worth the work, despite that awkward "...oh yeah...we've dated". He's truly a great guy, even if he doesn't quite realize that every day (which he should!!!) I'm super thankful for the friendship I have with him and wouldn't trade it for anything...short of a million dollars... =)

Reminded of His Power

These past couple of days have been pretty rough, especially for a certain few of my friends. They've dealt with doubt and inner pain, frustration, nervousness... Yesterday was THE day for one of my good friends. While I can't go into detail, I am happy to say that the cards that were dealt to my friend were much...better than we all originally thought. We left happy, hugging and crying, smiling and just thankful for God's mercy. I realize that this might make no sense to those who have no idea what I am talking about, and for that I apologize. However, that isn't necessarily the point of this blog.

Throughout this whole experience with said friend, so many prayers have been offered up. My prayers, his prayers, prayers from friends, family, even my family, even from my own friends that don't even know him. People who I didn't even know prayed...they did as well.

I've always accepted "God's will" in my life. Sometimes, I realize full well that I have not been following what He would have me do in life, other times I can see His hand in exactly what I am doing. In this particular case, I knew that whatever the final decision, it would be what God would allow, but never in all my dreams did I expect the Mercy that God showed us yesterday. God's grace and love showered over my friend and our friends and his family like I hadn't seen in a long while. In a situation where anything could go terribly wrong, where many could have been hurt or upset, where the final decision could have broken our hearts, God gave us a tremendous sense of hope.

And that's ultimately what this blog is about: God's power. It's a beautiful thing. When you're completely down, He can take care of you, He can love on you, He can let you sit on His lap and just cry until the bad feels a little better. There's a song that has always been such a comfort to me, in the bad times, even in the good times:
-------------------------------------------
When I cannot feel, when my wounds don't heal
Lord I humbly kneel, hidden in You
Lord, You are my life so I don't mind to die
Just as long as I am hidden in You

If I could just sit with You a while, if You could just hold me
Nothing could touch me though I'm wounded, though I die
If I could just sit with You a while, I need You to hold me
Moment by moment, 'till forever passes by

When I know I’ve sinned when I should have been
Crying out my God and hidden in you
Lord I need you now, more than I know how
So I humbly bow, hidden in you.
-------------------------------------

There's always been a great comfort at the idea of being able to go sit on My God's lap and share with Him all my problems and just cry out to Him and let Him hold me. I love the idea of a strong Father to hug me tight. And that's how I felt yesterday. I know that's my friend help, and I'm hoping that's how everyone there felt as well.

Praise God Who loves us, even when it's hard to love ourselves. Praise God Who is constantly watching over us!

Movin' On Up....

As mentioned awhile ago, there was talk of me moving to Dallas for my job. I haven't heard anything yet, so I'm highly doubting I'm going to even have to worry about it. The fact is, I'm glad I at least tried. Makes me even a little proud of myself. Also, I'm slightly relieved. I don't really want to move to another state for a job...not just yet in my life. Maybe one day, but not right now. So, whew. =)

However, there has been some more news as of late for a "new" job. There is a possibility of me moving up at my current location as a shift manager. The position would help me add to my resume. I can actually say I've managed people, which looks good on any resume and is definitely looked at in the Human Resource world...which is where I one day hope to be.

Nothing is set in stone, but it's a very high possibility. I'm excited about the idea, and also a little nervous about learning new things and wanting to be great at the job I'm given every day. So say a little prayer for me and let's hope that whatever is supposed to be, will be. =)

Dark Humor...sometimes it ain't so bad...

I like to think of myself as a positive and uplifting person. I enjoy laughing and having a good time. I realize that some things aren't funny. Some things are rude, and shouldn't be laughed at. Some things are considered to cross the line...this comic might come close to it...but I've loved Cyanide and Happiness for years now...so hear ya go. =)


Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Despite Not Being in School Anymore...

After being a part of some form of learning environment from preschool to college for approximately 20 years I finally decided it was time to end my career of academics. I even went back to school after I graduated because my alma mater now offers classes for free for graduates. I've always enjoyed school. The tests and papers were never really that difficult for me, although of course I complained about a heavy workload more than I ever really should have. I liked to think of myself as the student who would go home to mom and dad and say, "Hey, did you know this?..." It's always been fun to learn new things and therefore, make myself a more intelligent and well-rounded person.

After graduating college and going back for an extra semester "just for fun", I decided it was time to stop. There needed to be more focus on getting a career, which would be hard to do if I was in class all semester long. So that was my "big" decision this year. I was somewhat sad because of course one of my first thoughts was "now I don't get to learn anything...anymore...le sigh". Of course that it just ridiculous thinking. And I know that, but could never really understand why until I came across this quote:

"There is no difference between living and learning...it is impossible and misleading and harmful to think of them as being separate." - John Holt, author

Isn't is beautiful?! If you haven't noticed by now, I occasionally enjoy quotes...and then reflecting on them. So this was my quote for today. =) I enjoy the thought of learning, no matter what the classroom, because the classroom is anywhere you make it. I meet new people at my work every day. Many of them share stories or little tidbits of life. Many of the older men that come in have fun little jokes to share. I love hearing the "when I was your age milk cost a nickel" and that sort of thing. Learning can be anywhere and you don't have to learn "book smart" things. I don't necessarily need to learn the exact date of that exact battle that happened in that exact country...but I always can if I want to. I learn more about myself every day in the hardships I've faced and how I've dealt with them. So many of my friends are struggling with so many different obstacles in life, and some others seems as if they are at the highest point they've ever been at and they keep growing in their success. I watch them and I learn more about who they are on the inside, and I learn about who I am as a friend. Whether I learn how encouraging I can be, or how lousy of a friend I can sometimes be as well, I am still learning!

I think it's a beautiful concept. Learning is wherever you are, you just have to open your eyes, no, your mind(!) and see all that's around you. And as if this couldn't be any cheesier, learning can be fun...just learn about the things and the people that you love. =)

Thanks for Indulging Me

Tonight was an important evening for the stars and starlets of Hollywood: The Oscars! I've always had this strange fascination with awards shows...any of them. From the Oscars, to the Grammys, to the Golden Globes etc, etc. Maybe it's the pretty clothes, the red carpets, the overall "star studded" night, I don't know. It's fun to be a part of awards shows, (like our beloved Dorland Awards at OBU, the end of the year awards show for the theatre department) and to watch them, but I'd never been a part of an actual watch party. I usually watch by myself, or maybe me and one of my friends, which is of course, a fun time...but this year, I decided I wanted a party. And thanks to my friends, I got one.

A few days ago, I casually mentioned the idea to Dpad, who thought that sure, it might be fun. I invited our wonderful group of friends over and Dpad printed off the Oscar ballot so we could vote on everything and hopefully win and have the bragging rights from it all. Sadly, two of our friends, Angel Cole and Smart Musician could not make it to the event due to food poisoning. =( And they were truly missed. But the night still turned out well. Dpad won the bragging rights of choosing the most winners, I'm sure he's oh so happy thanks to his competitive nature. Overall, I think this is something that this particular group of friends either never really wanted to do, or just never really thought about it, but to all of you, I thank you for indulging me. Thanks for helping me have a fun night watching the Oscars. Maybe one of us will be on that stage and we can be there for real!!! Hey, I can still dream, right?! =)

Possible Changes...?

I've been working at my current job for over a year now and I absolutely love it. I enjoy the people I work with, there is always something to do and it is a fast paced environment which I love. I never really pictured myself sitting behind a desk for the rest of my life, although I gladly would if it was a good environment and paid the bills!

Anyways, my job as a pharmacy technician, however much I love it, can probably not go on forever. It isn't a career for me, which is hard for me to really even think about because I enjoy it so much. For right now, I'm single, living on my own and don't have an insane amount of bills to pay or a crazy amount of debt to pay off (yet! Student loans are coming...I can feel them lurking around the corner!). Therefore, it's a great job for now...but times will be changing soon. I can feel that almost as much as the loans.

My current boss, who is wonderful, sees the great potential I have. I'm a college graduate who really wants to use my degree at some point. And The Pharmacist would love to see me excel in my field of communication. Without me even asking her, she found an open HR position for the company that lines up with what I want to do in life! It was so exciting to hear about and when I read the job description I got even more excited just thinking about. I am almost 90% sure that I am not even remotely qualified (to work in HR, you have to have HR experience...and this position requires quite a bit...which I just don't have yet), and yet for some reason, The Pharmacist truly believes that I am destined for this job.

Of course, there are always downsides...for example, the job is in Dallas. Dallas...is about four hours away from home. I would be leaving my family and some amazing friends behind for this job. And for those who don't even remotely know me, I don't know how I could survive without my family or friends. However, Dallas is not so far away that I could never visit and what not.

Sigh, I don't know why I am even thinking about it so much yet. In all likely hood, I won't even get this job. But I won't know until I send my resume in and just try. If anything, it's at least me taking that step towards my future, whatever my future holds!

I have another quote to end on:

"Don't be afraid to give your best at what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves." - Dale Carnegie

I like to look at it like this: even if I have a job that I won't be doing for the rest of my life, I am going to do it as if I will be there forever, constantly striving to be better at what I do, making contacts wherever possible, coming up with ideas to improve the atmosphere, making things easier and better. If I can accomplish even the small things, I can move on to do better and greater things, whatever they may be. And that...that's what will keep me going. No matter where I end up or what I do with my future, I will be happy and accomplished, making life easier for at least one other person as I do it. =)

Best Surprise Weekend Ever

I had been waiting on this past weekend for so long. My dear friend, Disney, has been stuck far far away in her home town and hadn't had the opportunity to see many of her friends for months. Our friend, Red Head and I decided what better way to throw a birthday weekend than throw a surprise party for her?! We'd been planning for about a month. The basic plan was that Disney and I would both drive down to Dallas (where Red Head lives and a great central location) from our home towns and spend the weekend doing girl things and just having a good time. Both Red Head and I have been fortunate to spend time with Disney a couple of times, and we're always thrilled to spend time together. But, we both thought, what if we invite a few more friends down for the weekend but not tell Disney about it?! Surely that would be a great idea...and oh how it was.

Dpad and I drove down Saturday night. When I arrived at Red Head's, I asked Disney to come outside and help me with my bags. She happily agreed, opened my car door, where Dpad joyously yelled, "AHH!!!" Disney responded in kind with another "AH!!!" then burst into the happiest tears I think I've ever seen. Hearing her cry "What?! What are you doing here?! Are you actually here? What?!!" over and over again with such excitement made me even happier about events that were still to come.

Sunday morning we all decided to go shopping at Target to pick up a few things that a few of us had left behind. As we're looking through the store, a gentleman walks up behind Disney and says, "Can I help you with anything?" She jumped, turned around and saw our friend San Antone standing there, to which she jumped again, cried out in happiness and started yet another great cry.

That afternoon we saw Red Head's play and then had a fabulous dinner at a fancy restaurant. As we got there, our friend Mr. Rational walked out from behind a statue, adding even more surprise to the weekend. I can't even explain how wonderful it was to see Disney so happy. Talking to her on the phone for months on end, I knew how down she was at not getting to see some of her friends, so I know how much this weekend meant to her. Seeing her happiness meant everything to me. It's what the entire weekend was about and I believe it was achieved successfully!

So, my challenge to all of you today is to surprise someone. Make someone smile. Send an old friend a "I thought about you today and that funny time when we..." email. Call your mom just to say hello. Show up at your friend's work place with a sonic drink! =) Think about someone else and just make them feel good. It will make you feel a little good too.

How Does an Inactive Lifestyle Cause Me to Be SO Busy?!?!

And I mean inactive. I literally work....and hangout with friends. I'm starting to realize that this might be what life is all about. Before "real" adulthood kicks in and you have to think about living with your spouse and caring for your kids...you're just an adult working...and living. There's nothing too interesting to say about it. And yet, I feel as if I have things to do all the time. Spent some good time tonight with friends: Angel Cole, Smart Musician, Dpad, Fallout Boy, and Daddio. (Sadly, the only nickname I made up out of those is Daddio...and it's because he's my dad...I'm so creative!) Tomorrow is my day off and I already agreed to make a scrap book as a gift for Army Party, a coworker who is getting deployed to Afghanistan. So that will basically take up my whole day. It seems as if little things like this constantly take up my time, and for that I am so grateful. I am starting to realize it's really the little things in life that are keeping me sane. When I stop and realize that I have no exciting stories to share for anyone whom I haven't seen in months, I have to also realize that I have been blessed with great friends who are at least willing to give me things to do...and if anything I can create a crazy story about it... =)


With that being said, I need to go to bed. But if anyone needs some tunes to rock out to, check out The Spill Canvas' album "Formalities" or you can check out the LP from The Cab "Lady Luck"...just if you wanna... 

Boldness has Genius

Continuing with the same idea as yesterday, I was emailed another quote that I have decided I absolutely love! 


"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."  - Goethe


Again, I feel as if this is one of those quotes that makes me want to go out and do something magical, something grand, something I never really thought I could do. Of course, I also realize that tomorrow I might not feel the same way, or I might completely forget that I ever read so fun a quote. Whatever the case, I still think it is a good quote to reflect on. 


I seem to know multiple people who have had so many dreams, like traveling around the world (maybe that's just me!), being cast in a Broadway show, making it in the NBA, living it up in Hollywood...and for some reason, I feel like no one ever really tries to make that happen. I have one friend, who is on her way to stage managing every show on Broadway. She graduated with a theatre degree and has worked her butt off stage managing in small theatres around the U.S. She is now working in a professional level theatre in Tennessee, and the more I talk with her the more I realize how hard she had to work to get even that far. She hasn't met her dream goal of course, but she's working at actually doing it.


So why don't we do that? The examples I gave before about people who have had these dreams, they were all real examples. I talk almost daily about how I want to travel back to Argentina, backpack around Europe, take a cruise, teach English in Spain, etc etc etc...and what have I actually done to make any of that happen? Not a whole lot. I suppose that I could always claim money issues, and it is true that I don't have the funds to just fly across the earth right now, but it's not as if I am saving money to do so either. Right now, I am too focused on making my next car payment or paying off student loans, rather than trying to figure out how to save up for a dream journey.


I have many friends who dream. And we all dream big. I yearn for the day when we can all accomplish at least something on our list, then we can look back on our accomplishments and just be proud of ourselves. 


So, new challenge for you! Dream big, but don't just dream, do something! Do anything, take at least one step closer to accomplishing something you've always wanted to do. Find that perfect hotel, find that next audition, save $10 out of your next paycheck to go towards whatever it may be. Be bold, and be relevant in the world. Go out there and DO SOMETHING.

A Little Love for Yourself, Please

There are some days where I just enjoy reflection. I hear a quote or lyrics from a song and it speaks to me something fierce. It's always been hard for me to explain why a particular song or why particular words touch me. I'll hear something and feel like it completely describes my life and yet I later discover I just wanted it to describe my life because it was so beautiful...does that make sense or happen to most people?! Luckily, there are a few quotes that I have enjoyed for years now, and I always am able to relate to them regardless of what is going on in my life. I'd like to share one with you all today!

A few years ago I fell in love with the movie "Into the Wild". For those of you who do not know the story, Chris McCandless was tired of the material world. In a nut shell, he burned all of his money, social security card, and drivers license, donated all of his savings to charity and drove as far as his car could take him west. Once he lost his car he tramped (walked/hitch hiked) across the US, with the end goal of living in Alaska in the wild. He had many crazy adventures a long the way (which you could read about in the book "Into the Wild" written by Jon Krakauer). Spoiler alert! He eventually makes it to Alaska, and lives a few months before dying of starvation or from eating poisonous plants (by the time they found the body it was hard to tell).

Many people think that what Chris did was stupid, irresponsible, wasteful, etc etc etc. And I can agree to a point where I think that there was no need to completely separate himself from society to the point where there was no where for him to go for help when times got tough. He even admitted in his journal that loneliness was far worse than he had even imagined, and I am sure that he possibly regretted leaving his family and life behind at some points. But when I think about the adventures he had, and the life he lived, I can't help but wonder in awe of the things he experienced. He went out and did things, lived life. He met numerous people, all with their own story who fell in love with his spirit and his views on life.

While there are many things he wrote in his journal that I completely agree with and would love to share, there is one thing in particular that has always stood out to me:

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"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservativism... The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences... there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." - Chris McCandless "Into the Wild"

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Okay, did you feel it? Did you feel that slight rush come over you? Do you all of a sudden feel yourself wanting to go and do something amazing? Maybe climb a mountain, go camping, or finally talk to that old friend and forgive them for whatever stupid thing they did ten years ago? Do you just want to live life a little differently? If not, then you didn't really read that quote. It's such a beautiful way of looking at life. So many people....so many are just stuck in the rut that is their life. They hate it. They hate where they are, they hate who they've become, they hate that they didn't graduate college or hate that they have a dead end job or they hate that they have a great paying job and yet have no love for it. Whatever the case may be, so many people are stuck in this "eh" of a life. They're quick to complain or even quick to admit that this is how they live, and yet they do NOTHING to change it! Even if life is "eh", they'd rather hold on to it than actually reaching out and embracing life.

For me, it has always been more about being happy with what you have and who you are rather than trying to change everything around you. I don't think that you have to completely take the quote to heart to still get something from it. These past few months have been really difficult, with me being a college graduate, and yet I have a job where I don't really use my degrees. I love my job though and it's taken me awhile to realize that even if I don't use that education right now, it doesn't mean that I won't! I just want to be happy with who I am and I want others to be happy with who they are. I know that I personally have friends who struggle with this daily. And all I can say to them is: One day, you just have to force yourself to think positively. You have to wake up and be okay with who you are. You have to see that new sunrise and love it and realize that things could always be better, but could definitely be worse.

I guess this could be taken as a challenge. I challenge you to wake up and face the new sunrise with a smile. Even when things are going horribly wrong, you are the ultimate decision maker on what you're going to do about it. You decide if you're going to be happy or if you're going to barely make it through another day in your "eh" of a life. So I challenge you to at least think happy thoughts! Try it for a week straight and see what happens...see if you don't start actually feeling happy. See if you don't start to find some sort of contentment with who you are.

Always strive to be a better person, but love who you are in the process.

It Usually Takes a Year...

So today, after almost a year of ignoring the fact that I have a blog, or that others have a blog or that blogging is even still something that happens...i decided to post one. This could be largely due to the fact that I discovered one of my dear friends Angel Cole has a blog that she posts on regularly, or because my ex-boyfriend Dpad started blogging which reminded me that I should as well...

Whatever the case, here I am, blogging once again. Sadly, I have no fun anecdotes to share and haven't been able to travel out of the country since Buenos Aires. I did make a trip to NYC last November and got to see the Rockefeller tree all lit up and purty. However, don't let the television fool you, the tree is not as it looks...I mean, if it were in a house then yeah, it'd be huge, but it looks so much larger on tv...hmm...

Anyways, I just wanted to stop by and have a quick hello. Maybe this will lead into more posts more often, maybe you won't here from me again until next February. Whatever the case, I'm still alive, still striving to do interesting things, still striving to find the meanings of life, love and the pursuit of happiness, realizing more and more that it's hard to find the meanings of all at one time...