Sunday, March 16, 2014
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Spoleto, Italy, the sister city of Charleston. My soul yearns to visit. To enjoy a month of Italian food, history, art, architecture, and maybe some Italian guys (Or at least fantasize about Italian boys and write tons of short stories about them).
There's more to Italy than all of that. There is the experience of being in another country and best of all having nothing to do but write. I have the opportunity to go on a month long study abroad trip to Spoleto in May of 2015. I would be writing and studying, and enjoying the sights of Italy. How amazing would that be?
It would be probably the most amazing thing I've ever done in my life thus far.
But then reality sets in, and it's a heavy one. The trip comes in at about $7,554.00, that's the trip and tuition for the classes I'll be taking. Plus about $500 for fun money. That's a lot! It's gonna take a lot of work, but I could do it.
The problem I struggle with is that there are a about a million other things I could do with about $8000.00 dollars. Buy a car, go to Disney World, pay off all of my credit cards, or some other practical thing.
But I don't want to be "realistic" or "practical". I want to be frivolous and adventurous. I want to soak up the sun in another country. I want to breathe the air filled with history. I was to walk on the ground where one of the greatest civilizations stood.
That's why I have finally made up my mind. I'm going to Spoleto, Italy in May 2015. I'll never have another chance in my life to spend a month just writing in another country. Once I come back I will have to face the reality of the world outside of college coming closer as I enter my senior year. I'll have classes to finish, graduation to plan for, apply to Master's programs, study and take the GRE, and worry about getting a car.
To prepare for the financial part of Spoleto, I've been looking up scholarships and crunching the numbers furiously. It's gonna be close, but it is doable.
Also, in preparation I have been Pinning furiously every tip for traveling. I've also make a wish list on Amazon to keep up with the stack of things I will need or want for the trip.
Ciao! Buon viaggio! (This means goodbye, have a good trip in Italian).
There's more to Italy than all of that. There is the experience of being in another country and best of all having nothing to do but write. I have the opportunity to go on a month long study abroad trip to Spoleto in May of 2015. I would be writing and studying, and enjoying the sights of Italy. How amazing would that be?
It would be probably the most amazing thing I've ever done in my life thus far.
But then reality sets in, and it's a heavy one. The trip comes in at about $7,554.00, that's the trip and tuition for the classes I'll be taking. Plus about $500 for fun money. That's a lot! It's gonna take a lot of work, but I could do it.
The problem I struggle with is that there are a about a million other things I could do with about $8000.00 dollars. Buy a car, go to Disney World, pay off all of my credit cards, or some other practical thing.
But I don't want to be "realistic" or "practical". I want to be frivolous and adventurous. I want to soak up the sun in another country. I want to breathe the air filled with history. I was to walk on the ground where one of the greatest civilizations stood.
That's why I have finally made up my mind. I'm going to Spoleto, Italy in May 2015. I'll never have another chance in my life to spend a month just writing in another country. Once I come back I will have to face the reality of the world outside of college coming closer as I enter my senior year. I'll have classes to finish, graduation to plan for, apply to Master's programs, study and take the GRE, and worry about getting a car.
To prepare for the financial part of Spoleto, I've been looking up scholarships and crunching the numbers furiously. It's gonna be close, but it is doable.
Also, in preparation I have been Pinning furiously every tip for traveling. I've also make a wish list on Amazon to keep up with the stack of things I will need or want for the trip.
Ciao! Buon viaggio! (This means goodbye, have a good trip in Italian).
Friday, February 14, 2014
Ten Reasons Being Single is the Best
Today is Valentine's Day, which literally means that I'm consuming about 4 times the normal amount of chocolate today. It also means that every radio station is playing sappy love songs or those breakup songs that remind you how awful and pathetic your love life is.
As usual I'm surfing Facebook and an article from Cosmo pops up in my newsfeed. I've reached that stage in life where I only learn current events from Twitter, Cosmo and my mother. Otherwise, I am blissfully ignorant to the world.
This article was about being single on Valentine's Day, and I got to thinking that being single isn't too bad. Cosmo's Single on Valentine's Day article made some decent points, but I have my own.
Here are my Top 10 reasons why being single is amazing.
1. You can buy your own candy. No worries about seeming like a bitch when you mention that you only eat Hershey Hugs, and that Hershey Kisses are okay, but it better be Hershey Hugs or you'll throw the bag at them.
2. You pick how much candy you get. None of those tiny little heart boxes that cost $5.00 for the tiniest and most disgusting piece of candy you have ever been forced to consume.
3. You don't have to go overboard looking pretty. Let's be honest, they aren't concerned if you spent 2 hours shaving, waxing and primping. They're just gonna take you to a cheesy restaurant where every other cheesy couple is, and you'll smile and post it all over the Internet. *Grimaces at the camera for the millionth time*
4. You don't have to compare your date and relationship to your friends. Her boyfriend bought her the biggest flowers, or her boyfriend took her to the nicest restaurant. Guess what? My boyfriend is soft and cuddly. He also has claws which he digs in my feet at night (my cat, Artemus).
5. You don't have to take off from work. I work Friday nights and it would be hell to take off for Valentine's Day, or to go out after work when I have to open at 7:30am tomorrow. I like my sleep, and if I had a boyfriend he would understand that without sleep I am the worst person on earth. Just give me my damn bag of Hershey Hugs put Clue! or Winnie the Pooh on for the millionth time this week and let me sleep.
6. Never worry about going overboard. I had a boyfriend for two Valentine's Days. The first one we celebrated almost a week late, but it was nice. The second one I went all out and he didn't even send a stupid card. I feels it's kinda important to be sorta equal. Damn, if all you get me is a card and candy (again, Hershey Hugs) then that's cool. But get me something!
7. Benefits of Singledom are pretty nice. I have more money to spend on myself, which at twenty is nice. Hello to that sweet Lane Bryant dress.
8. I don't have to listen to a guy complain about how overrated Valentine's Day is. Yeah, I'm single and I'm always complaining that if you love somebody you don't need a specific day to do it. Of course, being a girl when I'm in a relationship I except that my boyfriend acknowledges the day, no matter how stupid he feels it is.
9. I can continue my love affair with Netflix. Angel, Spike, Booth, Mulder, and Castle are the best kind of guys. Cute, sweet, smart, quirky, hot and best of all, fictional. When I'm bored I just turn the TV off.
10. I CAN BE ME. If that's bitchy, loud, snarky, sarcastic then cool. If I wanna be sweet, silly and smart, even better. But I don't have to stress myself out trying to impress some guy.
Tomorrow I'm gonna stock up on chocolate and continue to enjoy being single.
As usual I'm surfing Facebook and an article from Cosmo pops up in my newsfeed. I've reached that stage in life where I only learn current events from Twitter, Cosmo and my mother. Otherwise, I am blissfully ignorant to the world.
This article was about being single on Valentine's Day, and I got to thinking that being single isn't too bad. Cosmo's Single on Valentine's Day article made some decent points, but I have my own.
Here are my Top 10 reasons why being single is amazing.
1. You can buy your own candy. No worries about seeming like a bitch when you mention that you only eat Hershey Hugs, and that Hershey Kisses are okay, but it better be Hershey Hugs or you'll throw the bag at them.
2. You pick how much candy you get. None of those tiny little heart boxes that cost $5.00 for the tiniest and most disgusting piece of candy you have ever been forced to consume.
3. You don't have to go overboard looking pretty. Let's be honest, they aren't concerned if you spent 2 hours shaving, waxing and primping. They're just gonna take you to a cheesy restaurant where every other cheesy couple is, and you'll smile and post it all over the Internet. *Grimaces at the camera for the millionth time*
4. You don't have to compare your date and relationship to your friends. Her boyfriend bought her the biggest flowers, or her boyfriend took her to the nicest restaurant. Guess what? My boyfriend is soft and cuddly. He also has claws which he digs in my feet at night (my cat, Artemus).
5. You don't have to take off from work. I work Friday nights and it would be hell to take off for Valentine's Day, or to go out after work when I have to open at 7:30am tomorrow. I like my sleep, and if I had a boyfriend he would understand that without sleep I am the worst person on earth. Just give me my damn bag of Hershey Hugs put Clue! or Winnie the Pooh on for the millionth time this week and let me sleep.
6. Never worry about going overboard. I had a boyfriend for two Valentine's Days. The first one we celebrated almost a week late, but it was nice. The second one I went all out and he didn't even send a stupid card. I feels it's kinda important to be sorta equal. Damn, if all you get me is a card and candy (again, Hershey Hugs) then that's cool. But get me something!
7. Benefits of Singledom are pretty nice. I have more money to spend on myself, which at twenty is nice. Hello to that sweet Lane Bryant dress.
8. I don't have to listen to a guy complain about how overrated Valentine's Day is. Yeah, I'm single and I'm always complaining that if you love somebody you don't need a specific day to do it. Of course, being a girl when I'm in a relationship I except that my boyfriend acknowledges the day, no matter how stupid he feels it is.
9. I can continue my love affair with Netflix. Angel, Spike, Booth, Mulder, and Castle are the best kind of guys. Cute, sweet, smart, quirky, hot and best of all, fictional. When I'm bored I just turn the TV off.
10. I CAN BE ME. If that's bitchy, loud, snarky, sarcastic then cool. If I wanna be sweet, silly and smart, even better. But I don't have to stress myself out trying to impress some guy.
Tomorrow I'm gonna stock up on chocolate and continue to enjoy being single.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
I'm a Headless Chicken and I'm Okay With This
How do you handle a crisis?
I handle a crisis in one of two ways. The first, going off the deep end and running around like a chicken with my head cut off. The second, much calmer but still with the slight feeling of running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
No matter what, I'm a chicken without a head. Does that say something about my state of mind that I identify with a headless chicken?
Over the past month or so I have been extremely concerned by my flaws. Now that I've become a supervisor I have to take a lot more responsibility and that can be hard at times. I also have to work on my communication skills. For me, it's easy to come across as bossy or a know-it-all, when really I'm just trying to be productive.
I can easily list a few of my flaws. Here's my Top 5:
1. I'm bossy
2. I'm loud
3. I have a hard time seeing the big picture.
4. I can be distracted easily, sometimes. I try to do multiple things at once.
5. I like to do things my way.
I believe that flaws are only flaws if you don't take the time to cultivate them and turn them into strengths. That's what I've been trying to do for the past month. It's hard to make a flaw into a strength, but it's worth it. So here is my attempt to turn my flaws into strengths.
1. I'm a supervisor of five (soon to be six) girls. All between the ages of 16 and 20. Gotta be a little bossy to make things run smoothly.
2. I used to be a skate guard. When you have to clear the ice of over 50 people (sometimes almost 200), it helps to be able to shout. Plus my lungs are strong from blowing my whistle so much, cause no matter how many times you blow the whistle, yell or wave your arms like an air traffic controller, there are always people who look at you like you should be in the circus.
3. I'm good with details. I focus in on the tiny problems and fix those. My logic is that tiny problems will just stack up until you have this HUGE pile of problems. Plus, I make some pretty awesome signs and sheets. In the past 2 months I've made almost twenty different signs, brochures and sheets for work. Details do matter.
4. I can multi-task, when needed. Try sitting in a box, with four open walls. You have a person on your left with questions about birthdays who is trying to book a party. In front of you there is a line of you with people wanting to pay to skate. Behind you there are coaches and parents wanting keys for locker rooms. To the right of you people want to also know what locker rooms or where the restrooms are.
5. Sometimes, my way is the right way. Just not as often as I would like.
It's all about perspective. What looks like a flaw is just a personality trait, and sometimes your strengths are what bring you down.
I don't always handle situations well at the time (statistically, I'd say 65% of the time I do), but it's all about learning. Some things are avoidable, other things are not. You just have to roll with the punches and realize tomorrow is another day.
I handle a crisis in one of two ways. The first, going off the deep end and running around like a chicken with my head cut off. The second, much calmer but still with the slight feeling of running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
No matter what, I'm a chicken without a head. Does that say something about my state of mind that I identify with a headless chicken?
Over the past month or so I have been extremely concerned by my flaws. Now that I've become a supervisor I have to take a lot more responsibility and that can be hard at times. I also have to work on my communication skills. For me, it's easy to come across as bossy or a know-it-all, when really I'm just trying to be productive.
I can easily list a few of my flaws. Here's my Top 5:
1. I'm bossy
2. I'm loud
3. I have a hard time seeing the big picture.
4. I can be distracted easily, sometimes. I try to do multiple things at once.
5. I like to do things my way.
I believe that flaws are only flaws if you don't take the time to cultivate them and turn them into strengths. That's what I've been trying to do for the past month. It's hard to make a flaw into a strength, but it's worth it. So here is my attempt to turn my flaws into strengths.
1. I'm a supervisor of five (soon to be six) girls. All between the ages of 16 and 20. Gotta be a little bossy to make things run smoothly.
2. I used to be a skate guard. When you have to clear the ice of over 50 people (sometimes almost 200), it helps to be able to shout. Plus my lungs are strong from blowing my whistle so much, cause no matter how many times you blow the whistle, yell or wave your arms like an air traffic controller, there are always people who look at you like you should be in the circus.
3. I'm good with details. I focus in on the tiny problems and fix those. My logic is that tiny problems will just stack up until you have this HUGE pile of problems. Plus, I make some pretty awesome signs and sheets. In the past 2 months I've made almost twenty different signs, brochures and sheets for work. Details do matter.
4. I can multi-task, when needed. Try sitting in a box, with four open walls. You have a person on your left with questions about birthdays who is trying to book a party. In front of you there is a line of you with people wanting to pay to skate. Behind you there are coaches and parents wanting keys for locker rooms. To the right of you people want to also know what locker rooms or where the restrooms are.
5. Sometimes, my way is the right way. Just not as often as I would like.
It's all about perspective. What looks like a flaw is just a personality trait, and sometimes your strengths are what bring you down.
I don't always handle situations well at the time (statistically, I'd say 65% of the time I do), but it's all about learning. Some things are avoidable, other things are not. You just have to roll with the punches and realize tomorrow is another day.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
New Year Resolutions - 21 Things Before I Turn 21
Happy New Year!
It's been 2014 for fourteen days. I've spent the past three weeks thinking of what I want to accomplish in the next year. Some are simple goals, others not so simple. I did decide that I want to accomplish 21 different things before I turn 21. I've been contemplating what things I want to accomplish, some are ridiculous and highly unlikely, others quick and easy.
Here's my 21 before 21:
It's been 2014 for fourteen days. I've spent the past three weeks thinking of what I want to accomplish in the next year. Some are simple goals, others not so simple. I did decide that I want to accomplish 21 different things before I turn 21. I've been contemplating what things I want to accomplish, some are ridiculous and highly unlikely, others quick and easy.
Here's my 21 before 21:
- Finish Southern Charm
- Do something all by myself. Whether it be going to a movie, a concert or dinner at Olive Garden. I gotta do it by myself. Don't ask why, it's just a weird thing I gotta do.
- Go away for a weekend.
- See the sunrise or set at the beach.
- Go on a road trip.
- Volunteer to help others.
- Lose weight. A Lot.
- Get back into ice skating.
- Land a loop and flip jump.
- Compete in two skating competitions.
- Save $500.00 for my trip to Spoleto, Italy.
- Plan a trip to Disney World.
- Read 21 full books.
- See a concert.
- Complete 3 full series.
- Do an internship.
- Pay off my Macbook Pro (I have until October 31st to pay it off in full, or it will no longer be interest free).
- Learn a skill. Whether mechanical, crafty or other. I will learn a skill.
- Make a real effort towards deciding what I wanna do after graduation.
- Keep up with this blog.
- Fall in love.
The last one is a bit misleading. I don't mean to fall in love with another person, not that it wouldn't be nice to be in love again. I mean that I want to fall in love with myself. I want to be happy with who I am as a person. It's hard work, but I've come to the conclusion that to be able to love others, I must be able to love myself completely. This is a psychologically sound theory.
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| From Pinterest. |
Monday, November 4, 2013
Oh My Gosh...I'm almost Twenty!
Less than two weeks until my twentieth birthday! This is both exciting and scary.
I had a low period last weekend when I found out a friend of mine is engaged. That is a total of three friends who are either engaged or married under the age of 21. I'm not in any rush to be married or engaged, but if you had asked me around this same time last year I would've said I expected to be engaged by the time I turned 21. Oh how things change in a year.
Anyways, another reason I felt a bit low was because I'm 20 and I don't feel like I've accomplished much. After I wallowed in sorrow for a bit, I thought long and hard about what I've managed to accomplish in twenty short years. Here is what I came up with.
1. Key note speaker at my high school graduation.
2. I've been a mascot for a hockey game.
3. I'm a manager.
4. I've had the same job for 4 years.
5. I've won medals competing in figure skating.
6. I got a 93 on an algebra test
7. I've written two complete novels.
8. I took dual credit classes in high school
9. I've been in love.
10. I finally got my license!
I had a low period last weekend when I found out a friend of mine is engaged. That is a total of three friends who are either engaged or married under the age of 21. I'm not in any rush to be married or engaged, but if you had asked me around this same time last year I would've said I expected to be engaged by the time I turned 21. Oh how things change in a year.
Anyways, another reason I felt a bit low was because I'm 20 and I don't feel like I've accomplished much. After I wallowed in sorrow for a bit, I thought long and hard about what I've managed to accomplish in twenty short years. Here is what I came up with.
1. Key note speaker at my high school graduation.
2. I've been a mascot for a hockey game.
3. I'm a manager.
4. I've had the same job for 4 years.
5. I've won medals competing in figure skating.
6. I got a 93 on an algebra test
7. I've written two complete novels.
8. I took dual credit classes in high school
9. I've been in love.
10. I finally got my license!
I figured 10 is a nice whole number. I'm sure if I asked my parents they'd list over a million things that I've done in twenty years, but I feel these are my Top 10 accomplishments for the last twenty years.
Some of these are unique, such as being a mascot and a key note speaker, others are kinda silly, like getting my license. Still, these are things I've done.
Countdown to turning Twenty!
T-minus 12 days and 16 minutes!
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