So I've been slacking on my posts for the past few days. I hope this video sums up why I haven't spent much time with my computer lately. Family, friends, food, and the sunny warmth of Alabama were so much more important! I hope everyone had an amazing break no matter where they were!
I am currently high above the clouds in a plane on my way
home for Thanksgiving. Flying is by far not one of my favorite things to do. I
guess I’m just not completely comfortable dangling up so high in the sky. Being
in a plane is also a situation in where I have zero control over everything
which I don’t typically handle super well. Anyways here I am and the ride will
definitely be worth it when I step off the plane and see my amazing boyfriend
that I haven’t seen in four months.
So far my flight has been quite interesting. I arrived at
the airport with plenty of time to get through security. And thank goodness I
came early because there was a lady in front of me in line that decided while
getting dressed this morning that it would be a super idea to wear as much
metal to the airport as possible. Seriously people…come on. You’re going to the
airport. A pair of sweatpants, sneakers, and a sweatshirt wasn't good enough?
If everyone in line had the capability to lazar people with their eyes that
lady would be boarding the plane as a cup of ashes. Ok. Maybe that is
harsh. But it is so true.
Anyways, I am
currently sitting next to a lady with a baby Chihuahua on the plane. I didn’t
know that was allowed. Maybe next time I’ll take my pet fish to keep me
company. On my other side is a little girl who is quite the coloring champ.
Maybe next time I fly I should bring a box of crayons. I’d ask her to share but
she seems pretty intense. I am also sitting next to an Asian couple who feel
the need to make comments on everyone’s clothing choices. I still pity the poor guy who walked down the
aisle and got the comment “1992 called….they want their outfit back”. I don’t even
want to know what they were thinking about my clothing choices.
Here’s hoping the rest of this flight is nice and smooth. I
can’t wait to land in beautiful sunny Atlanta!!!
When you live on a ramen noodle,spaghetti, cereal college kid budget you learn that appreciating the special nights when you and your roommates all band together to make a nice meal is rule #1! This doesn't happen as often as we would like it to but today we made it happen. We originally wanted to do turkey for our dinner together but then we remembered college kid rule #2. Always take what is free. And that turned out to be a chicken from Caitlyn's family. Our pre-Thanksgiving chicken dinner turned out awesome complete with mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, and green bean casserole. That's right be jealous. I am thankful for yummy food, but most importantly I am thankful for an amazing group of girls to eat it with.
Peter Gabriel's Book of Love has an incredible way of making something so complicated sound so simple.
Book of Love- Peter Gabriel
The words and ideas in this song are complex and meaningful but the music itself is so simple. Honestly the music and vocals are so beautiful that I never really took a lot of time to even examine the lyrics until just recently. Once I began to really study this piece of music I realized why I connected with it so much. On the outside I am such a simple person. Put me in a crowd of 100 people and I bet you wouldn't be able to find me. But on the inside it's a completely different story. My thought processes, the way I understand, interpret and hear music, and the way my brain works in general is definitely pretty complex. I can be simple on the outside because what matters most is the complexity of the inside. And just because the music is simple doesn't mean it's not beautiful. A lot of times simplicity is the most beautiful quality about something.
Of course I had to re-write this song and give it my own personal twist. I hope you enjoy it.
This is what girls night looks like at H4. I have the most amazing friends ever. The best part is that my amazing friends also know how to make amazing food. I sure do know how to pick them! Anyways last night was fantastic eating large amount of unhealthy food, watching movies, dancing to N'SYNC, watching Ellen, playing board games and other assorted shenanigans. You guys are awesome. This is truly one of the things I am going to miss most when I move back down South. Can't wait to start planning our next event! :)
It seems like lately I've been asked by A LOT of people what
I plan on doing with my life when I graduate. And to be honest with you when I
get that question I just stare at the person like I've just seen an alien. The
thing is I don’t know really know where the next chapter of my life is going to
lead me. I've actually been questioning myself about why I decided to major in advertising
and if that’s what I really want to do with my life. Don’t get me wrong, I love
my major and I think I would be very happy working in an agency somewhere. But
at the same time I feel like God has a bigger plan for me. Like I was meant to
do something big, something that will impact people in a way I can’t even begin
to imagine.
Then tonight for whatever reason Requiem by John Rutter
popped up on my IPod. I had the amazing opportunity to perform in Carnegie Hall
accompanied by the New York Symphonic Orchestra and under conduction of the
amazing John Rutter himself. At the age
of 16 standing on that stage that night I realized for the first time that nothing was impossible for me. I mean come
on, how many kids get the chance to perform in New York with a modern day Mozart.
It was the most empowering experience I
have ever had in my life.
Lauren and I after our first rehearsal with John Rutter
I don’t know why we choose to limit ourselves. Maybe it’s
because we don’t have the confidence to think we are pretty enough, talented
enough, or just good enough in general to do something. I've struggled with this my entire life. I’m
sure I’m not the only one. But tonight I was reminded of the fact that I am in
charge of my future and I have the power to do what I want with it. At the very
least I can try. For whatever reason this epiphany lifted a huge weight off my
shoulders tonight.
So from now on I’m going to dream big, try new things, and
most importantly just be myself because that’s the best thing I can ever be. I
encourage you to do the same. I pray every day that my life will be used for a
bigger purpose. I also pray that I will always be happy with what I’m doing and
have endless opportunities to experience new things. But I now have an answer
to everyone’s question and the next time I’m asked my response will be simple.
My answer will be that I don’t know what I’m doing after I graduate, but I do
know that eventually I will be doing great things. Simple as that.
When life gives you
marshmallows….make cereal bars!
For those of you that
know me well you understand that getting me to eat breakfast is a challenge.
Reasons are as
follows:
I would much rather sleep an extra 15 minutes
than spend that time eating breakfast.
I’m just not that hungry in the morning.
I eat cereal for a lot of meals so it’s not
super appealing for breakfast.
I am broke as a joke so I try to focus my
grocery allowance on lunch and dinner.
I’m just overall not that interested in breakfast…obviously.
So while wandering around my apartment today I came across a
box of cheerios that my mom brought me from home. Note: my mom came to visit me
in June (I think) so it’s been awhile. I also noticed the stash of marshmallows I've had lying around for quite some time now. Why I had so many marshmallows I
have no idea. But the awareness of these two objects led me to a brilliant
idea! Rice Crispy Treats … except with Cheerios! A stick of butter, box of
cheerios, a bag of marshmallows, and a ½ tablespoon of coconut oil later I
discovered Cheerio Cereal bars! In case you were wondering I added the coconut
oil because it is a natural energy source and very tasty as well!
Anyways, this morning I only had to get out of bed about 15
seconds earlier than normal to grab a cereal bar before I headed out to face
the day! The new motivation I have found for breakfast is crazy. I mean
honestly who wouldn't want to eat a Cheerio crispy treat for breakfast?
Recipe:
About 2/3 a box of
cheerios
¼ stick butter
1 bag marshmallows
½ tablespoon coconut
oil
Follow the same
instructions you would if you were making Rice Crispy Treats J
I know this sounds like an oxymoron. But upon waking up from
a text from my Dad my Monday was off to a fabulous start. Four simple lines of
text brightened up the start to my week.
It is now officially
8 days until I board a plane that will take me home for Thanksgiving. This was
a reminder that I definitely needed as I forced myself out of my comfy bed and
got myself ready for a long day of cold weather and classroom lectures. As long as I can survive one more week I will
soon be home enjoying some warm Alabama sun on my skin and indulging on massive
amounts of home cooked food. It’s been a while since I've been able to go home
for Thanksgiving. I believe that is going to make this one extra special!
You know when it's Sunday afternoon and you still have all of that homework that you need to get done from last Friday. And you're really not focused or have any motivation to get it done at all. Hence while it is all still waiting there to get finished. Yup, that's how my weekend has gone. Luckily I do have one trick that has been proven to not only motivate me but help me focus when this becomes a problem. The magical musical stylings of Lindsey Stirling. It's the perfect combination of upbeat and happy instrumentals without the lyrics that I find myself getting distracted with. I am grateful for awesome music that I can rely on to help keep me on track. And how can you not smile while watching this music video.If I had as much energy to do homework as Lindsey has to dance I'd have a PhD by now!
“Music expresses that
which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”– Victor Hugo
I’m not sure how I got lucky enough to inherit
the gift of music. I don’t believe in theory. I don’t believe that music is not
something that can be fully learned by books and piano teachers.
I gave up on them a long time ago.
Or maybe they gave up on me.
Regardless, music seems to consume my soul at
times. I hear a song and immediately have to run to my piano to recompose my
own version of it. I learn by listening and my fingers seem to magically know
what notes to play. It’s kind of freaky. There are days I spend more time with
my piano than with any of my human friends. And I’m ok with that.
Maybe it’s a comfort thing. Knowing that my
piano will always be sitting in my room waiting for me when I get home. Knowing
that a when I play a C chord it will always sound like C chord. Knowing that
after a rough day I can get mentally lost in the music I am playing. Knowing
that I always feel mentally refreshed after a nice long jam session
.
Whatever it is I am extremely lucky. Music
makes me happy and gives me a reason to smile every day. Here's a quick look at what goes on inside my head. I hope you enjoy it!
I have never done so
horrible on a quiz and yet scored 100% on it.
Today in AIMC 375 we
had a quiz over the Hunter/Jones reading. This is nothing new. Typically we
have a quiz once a week and typically everyone passes with flying colors. But
today was a very different story. The 20 something students in Jones’s Business
to Business Advertising class picked up their pencils and pens in anticipation
of conquering another 10 point quiz this Friday. Let’s just say it didn't go as
planned.
As a class we epically failed.
It was embarrassing.
After a few minutes of
watching our expressions as we drew sad faces next to all of the answers we got
wrong our professor declared that she couldn't “look at our pathetic I’m
totally failing this faces” anymore and declared we were all getting 100% for showing
up today. Anyone who knows Jones understands that this is not typically Jones
behavior. But you also know that she is fair, forgiving, and wants us to learn.
I am thankful for educators that want the best for their students and are
willing to give them a break every once in a while as we have so much else
going on in our lives.
AdGroup: A group for students with extreme amounts of
self-esteem and obviously killer good looks.
Today was T-shirt day in AdGroup, Ferris State University’s
Advertising RSO. I love T-shirt day. Why
might you ask? My answers are as follows:
1)T-shirts are comfy
2)T-Shirt day saved me about 45 this morning
because I didn't have to sort through all my dress pants, dress shirts, and
dress shoes and have to decide what to wear
3)I could wear warm fuzzy socks with regular shoes
today instead of dress shoes
4)No blisters on my feet thanks to having to wear
dress shoes
5)T-shirts are comfy
I think you get my point. And honestly who wouldn't want to
wear this shirt. I’m proud to represent an amazing group that I am honored to
be a part of and I love that I am able to help represent the group as AdGroup’s
fundraising chair. We have been through a lot as well as accomplished a lot
together this year. Representing AdGroup with a smile on my face and the
knowledge that I have done something that will positively impact my future!
I know it's a carrot company. And it's really not that exciting. But it's nice to know that someone is actually reading this blog. And it's always nice to feel special because your blog is posted on Bolthouse's website for all the carrot (and assorted juice) lovers to see. Thank you for making my day. You are awesome.
(My blog is showcased in the green box furthest to the left)
Most of you that see me everyday know that I wear my hair in a pony tail most of the time. I am hoping the "before" picture explains why. I have very long, thin, hair that is 1/3 wavy, 1/3 curly, and 1/3 straight as a pin.
Thanks Mom and Dad.
Anyway, today was the day I have probably been waiting about 6 months for. I finally had the time (and money) to get my hair cut! It's amazing what a pair of scissors, a blow dryer, and a straightener can do. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford my own personal stylist. For the mean time I will take this as a small victory and hope that the Paul Mitchell Tea Tree shampoo the stylist used in my hair has some sort of magical hair taming super powers.
Never-the-less this ginormous carrot made my day. It also reminded me that in order to be noticed in everyday life you need to be able to stand out from everyone else. Which is awesome to remember because there are days I feel like I stick out like a giant carrot in a bag full of "normal" sized baby carrots and it's not always a good feeling. It's important to be your own person and love who you are and what you stand for.
The only problem I have now is that I can't eat it. It is too cool to be consumed.
Every day should be warm cozy flannel day. Maybe I have this viewpoint because I was practically raised in a barn, or maybe it's because I live in the very chilly state of Michigan where warm clothes are a necessity. Either way there is no better feeling than rolling out of bed and putting on clothes that are equally as comfortable and warm as the pajamas you just got out of.
Very rarely can you go wrong with a cup of tea. Wait, I take
that back. You can NEVER go wrong with a cup of tea. A cup of hot tea is like a
warm fuzzy caffeinated hug. And in this world most days you need a warm fuzzy
caffeinated hug. I can always count on it being there, waiting for me, in my
kitchen cabinet, tucked away into individual Lipton packages, ready to be
consumed at the very moment I need it most. Reading this you are probably thinking
that I am an addict and I have a problem, and you are probably right. But today
I made the most fabulous cup of tea after getting back from my morning classes.
Its magical powers enabled me to get the majority of my homework for the week
finished, prepare a delicious pasta lunch, and finally fold and put away the
clean laundry that has been sitting in my room for about 4 days now. All for
the low price of $3.09 for a box of 100 tea bags.
Today I had an awesome ride on Miss Tiffany. This sassy Belgium makes me smile for many reasons. First of all her attitude always amazes me. She has definitely earned the title "Miss Thang". There are days that working with her is like working with a PMSing teenage girl. Other days she is a big puppy dog that obeys every command. It always amazes me what we can learn from the animals we work with. I've only known her for about 10 weeks but every time I'm around her she reminds me of how to be a better person.
She reminds me that a gentle hand and kind words will always get you farther than using a whip, screaming, and yelling.
She reminds me that not everybody communicates in the same way and sometimes you need to take a step back and learn to listen to what they are trying to communicate.
She reminds me of how to be patient, especially on the days it takes me 20 minutes just to get her to walk instead of hopping around while riding her.
She reminds me of the importance of being able to put your trust into someone. I trust her to jump over a fence with me on her back, and she listens and trusts me to let her know when it's ok to go for it.
While my list could go on and on I think you get the point. Working with Tiffany has become one of the biggest blessings in my life. And that my friends is a reason to be thankful and smile.
And of course I can't forget to Thank Tiffany's owner that blessed me with the privilege to work with such a cool animal :)
Most days I make the long cold walk to the mailbox to find absolutely nothing...or bills. Today I made the journey to discover a letter from home! I love hand written letters. Especially when they come from my family, 843 miles away in Southside, Alabama. Thank you to everyone who wrote a little note to me on the inside! You make me feel special and loved and those feelings are so much better than the ones I get when I open the mailbox and pull out the cable bill.
So this is what I do on the nights I can't sleep. Stay up and recompose music that I enjoy listening to! This is an extremely rough cut with horrible sound quality but I hope you will enjoy it. My piano is my happy place :) What's yours?
So I was going through all my picture files on my computer to clean up my folders and I came across this little gem. And I laughed, very hard. Why this picture was ever taken I have not a clue. But it was a good reminder of the old days and how my little sister and I did a lot together when we were little. From American Girl Dolls to sleep overs in each others room we spent a lot of time together. We are two very different people that don't always see everything eye to eye but at the end of the day ( and maybe partially due to the fact that we are separated by about 900 miles of land) I realize how much I appreciate her in my life and how blessed I am to have her. Lesson of the day, appreciate the special people that are in your life.
Friends. Today I am thankful for friends. Friends that will stand outside for close to 4 hours, in 40 degree weather, while it was raining. Not to mention on Halloween night in a very creepy corn field in the dark. All of these guys are awesome and helped us to raise $170 for AdGroup, the advertising RSO at Ferris State University. Thank you, thank you, thank you.... you guys are awesome. :)
