Tuesday, December 28, 2010

no resolutions. just progress.

it's that time again. that time when you evaluate the past year, in hopes of making the next one better. but let's be real - how many people actually keep their resolutions list around, let alone fulfill them? not many. and definitely not me. instead, im going to try and make progress in my life.

my past year was extremely eventful - a rollercoaster, to say the least. the loss of a loved one shook my whole life around. but then i met an amazing man. and in may, i graduated college. in october, i moved to a different state. now, i am living with a boy. and working a big girl job [which is a pain in the butt, but a total blessing].

in between the crazyness and stress of the past year, i seemed to have forgotten about myself. so, this coming year is all about... ME. well, sorta. it's basically going to be about making me a well-rounded human being instead of a lump on a log. case in point - adam and i got a wii for christmas [thanks mom!] and the day after we played the boxing game, i was sore. like, old lady/can't move kind of sore. i learned that i am waaay outta shape and need a workout routine asap.

there are other things i want to work on too - like my finances. my goal is to get out of debt [minus my $33,000 student loan, of course (fml)] by the end of the year - in addition to opening one short term and one long term savings account and an IRA. and now that i have a little medical insurance, i really want to build a support system in this city while i am here. that means finding a good doctor, dentist, chiropractor.

so... 2011 isn't going to be about making promises i won't keep - it will be about making lifestyle changes & eventually seeing progress within myself and the life around me.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

fa la la la.

here's a little holiday cheer for you :]





Saturday, December 18, 2010

adulthood.

as i rolled over in bed and looked at the clock this morning, the past week snowballed onto me and i immediately realized that i had finally entered adulthood.

a] my sleep schedule has become 10-7. every day. even today - a saturday - my day off. i went to bed at 1030 [on a friday night - who am i?]. woke up at 7. tossed/turned until 8. lame.

b] i don't really remember the last time i went out with the girls to dance and get my drink on. maybe for graduation? i just cannot hold my liquor anymore - four drinks and i am donezo. i don't have the energy to go out until midnight, let alone 2am. who am i kidding - i don't even have the energy to go out unless the sun is shining. so lame.

c] on wednesday, i get a humongous paycheck. what am i going to doing with it? pay bills. and more bills. what's worse is that i am looking forward to it! i have all of my bills lined up on my desk, and as soon as my direct deposit goes through, i'll start checking them off my list with glee. double lame.

don't get me wrong, i still have little kid tendencies - i am eating captain crunch as i write this, & im uber excited to go to the zoo on sunday - but in the end, i have turned into an adult. an adult i don't recognize.

Friday, December 10, 2010

one year.


it has been one year since my first love/best friend passed away.

we didn't have the best falling out when we broke up, but we still remained amazing friends. we would talk on the phone frequently - each of us complaining about the person we were dating and the city we were living in at time, and then making a pact to be together as soon as we moved closer together. why couldn't we do a long distance relationship? well we tried it when we went off to college, but we both needed daily attention and love, so it never really worked. but every time we would see each other, even if only for a day, our feelings would always pick up where they left off.

he was the most attractive boy i ever dated [sorry, guys] - and not just because of his looks, but because of his personality too. he was confident [and cocky], strong willed, funny and goofy, romantic, opinionated, sexy, determined, etc. he was also the smartest person i had ever met.

we always used to say that we would have two twin boys [even though twins didn't run in either of our families]. they would be named logan and landon - and they would be wrestlers, just like their dad. it pains me to hear those two names now.

even though we took completely different paths, my thoughts always went back to him - and still do. i had always hoped that we would be reunited again, and that our relationship would be better and more mature a second time around. but, of course, that never happened.

after a year, though, it has gotten a little easier. there are times when i see the sun shining through my window, or hear a song that reminds me of him - and i'll either smile or i'll cry. but i don't think it will ever be easy. knowing that he is not here, growing, learning, aging, experiencing... that's the most heart-wrenching of all.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

drum roll please...

some of you already know my HUGE news via facebook & twitter... [i don't know how to keep secrets or contain myself sometimes] but for those of you who don't know, or would just like the scoop, here it is :]

a] i got a job! remember that catering/event company i have been yapping about via my blog? yup - you guessed right! mj catering and events is my new employer. and i... am their new event planner :] they decided to hire two planners since their company is growing so exponentially - so we will be partners in charge of all the planning and events for our clients in the evanston/chicago area. i will start training full time in december - learning about the company and the employees themselves; trying all of the food that will be on their new menus [yum!]; meeting all the vendors and clients; etc. aka big time shtuff. i have orientation on monday, which i am totally excited about, so i will be able to learn more about what exactly i will be doing.

b] i won two free tickets to the joshua radin concert the night before thanksgiving! right now, i am the only one going. lol. so.... if you're interested, let me know! it's at the vic &  should be an amazing concert :]

c] i got an iphone4! for those of you who know me - i have wanted an iphone for... forever. my momma just couldn't hold out till christmas [see where i get that whole bad-at-secrets thing?], and she figured i would need it for work, so she gave it to me when i was home! im still trying to figure it out... but am loving it so very much.

these past couple of days have been insanely good. it is crazy how things can change so quickly...

i am so very thankful for everything that has come my way the past two months <3

Thursday, November 11, 2010

motivational lip-syncing.

it's my day off today. this morning i decided that i should just relax and be lazy allll day. i really don't 'relax' that much because there is always something that needs to be done - and i hate having idle hands [i get it from mah grampa]. so, after two hours of reading/watching the today show & rachael ray, i had had enough. what did i do instead? go on facebook. and twitter. so unoriginal. then.. i came across a lil' video that gave me a little motivation [and a giggle fit i might add] to get up, take a shower & start laundry. so much for my lazy day. but, alas, here's the video. enjoy :]





Monday, November 1, 2010

bibbedy. bobbedy. boo.


a couple days ago, adam told me that he wanted me to be happy - with whatever i do, he just wants me to be happy. he tells me this all of the time, but for some reason, this time it resonated with me because i had read an article earlier that day entitled "being the grown-up the kid in you always wanted". the author said that "some psychologists suggest that the ages from 8-10 are a time when we are our most authentic selves". imagine that. the years when i wanted to be a vet and own a house full of animals; the years when i wanted to morph into kelly kapowski; the years when i loved barbies SO much, that i wished every single day for the clothes to grow ten times bigger. and as i watched the trick or treat-ers this weekend, i realized that the author was right. children that age seem the most innocent, confortable and happy. she then wrote a list of things we could do to encompass that eight year old mentality into our everyday lives:

1] stop smoking. i never even started. done.

2] follow your own fashion rules. i've been doin' that since i was little - except for the days when the popular group thought doc martins and colored shoelaces were cool. i wish i could take that back. as i get older, though, i am realizing that quality > quantity. i am learning that well-made key pieces can last a lifetime. so my goal is to stop buying five shirts just because they're on sale. if i don't see myself wearing them in five years, then i shouldn't get them.

3] go outside and play. being close to the train has been a blessing for me, because i just walk everyone. but still, this is something i need to work on - especially once the winter months get here [ugh].

4] do your homework first. well, no homework for me anymore. sadface. but this can apply to my everyday life, too. for example, i tend to tidy up the house every day, just so it doesn't get majorly cluttered. and i normally try to keep myself updated on the news - whether it be about the country or about my friends. but alas, sometimes the college procrastination still gets the best of me.

5] play 'make believe'. this one is my favorite because i used to love to make up plays and songs - i even had an imaginary friend named pony. when you get older, though, it gets really hard to use your imagination, especially when your world kind of becomes a routine. sometimes adam and i will play board games or watch cartoons - but i still yearn to do more.

6] live by your kid conscience. "if you live your life by the rules of your younger self, chances are pretty good you'll be doing the right thing, acting with dignity, honor, and politesse". i tend to feel that i am a good person and i do the right things - but i also feel that this is something we all have to work on.

7] do what you love. i love photography. i would love to take a photography class someday. & i love books. i actually just joined a book club in evanston - which im pretty excited about. i also love going to concerts and traveling, but that isn't quite the cheapest thing to do. maybe i could make a goal to visit a new place one a week, whether it be a restaurant or store.

8] believe in magic. this is the one thing i need to work on. because of some of the things that have happened in my life, it has always been hard for me to believe in magic and faith. but the author says to believe in yourself, too: "summon that eight-year-old scrappy self-confidence and remember that you wanted to be a part of making the world just a little bit of a better place."

want to read the article yourself? :] go here!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

noh8.

ya know, i really only like to post blogs once a week or every other week - so not to bore any readers or even bombard them. but, while reading some of my "friends" status' on facebook [i admit, im a junkie] and some blogs online, i became extremely frustrated. most people either a] did not know what today was, b] didn't care, and/or c] bashed what today stood for. here are some of the idiotic things i have read already:

~ yet another color/ribbon for some "cause." enough already.

~ what's up with all this purple? did someone die?

~ you people need to get over yourself, we are people and should not be defined by our sexuality. maybe, if you kept your private life private (as I do) I do not go around parading that I am a hetrosexual, so shut-up.

~ stop the madness! there are other groups of people in the world who are suffering - not just the gays! open your fucking eyes.

~ there is no reason to honor someone who killed themselves.

i understand that some people do not stand for equal rights amongst homosexuals [i don't understand why, but that's besides the point], but shouldn't ALL people stand for no violence?

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

fotos!

i love love love taking pictures. recently, i took some senior pictures of my lil' bugaboo morgan. it is crazy to think that she will be graduating high school soon and attending college! i feel so old. BUT - the sesh was so much fun. here are some that i just edited :]

 

like? let me know if you need pictures done - i'd love to build my portfolio :]

Thursday, October 14, 2010

hello evanston, illinois.



it has been eleven days since we moved in - but it feels longer than that because we have both been so busy. we like it here though. it's a college town just like grand rapids, so there is always something to do. plus, it's close to the lake and the city :]

our apartment: a second floor one bedroom - with a huge living and dining room. the bathroom is tiny, but we're getting used to it. the kitchen is small, too, but it has these awesome built-in cabinets. very handy. the day after we moved in, we decided to paint the cubed rails on our dining room [aka our office] walls yellow. it looks so good with the dark brown trim! after everything is unpacked & i've decorated more, i'll post pics :]

our neighborhood: so cute and fun. we're uber close to the L [which takes us into downtown evanston, and into the city], to a starbucks [score!] and to a jewel and whole foods. plus, within a short walk are a ton of antique & book stores - my fave. there is also a studio with zumba, another studio with jazzercise and a couple of restaurants nearby.

downtown evanston: reminds me of grand rapids, but with an american apparel and an urban outfitters ;] oh, and a ginormous university on the lakefront. there are a ton of little vintage shops and boutiques - and i actually got a job at one of them. it is called asinamali, and they sell clothes, shoes, bags & jewelry. some of their lines are even fair trade and/or organic!

downtown chicago: only a 20-30 minute train ride away. we're going there for the day on saturday & then watching the fireworks that night on navy pier <3

it's taken a lot of getting used to, but i am liking it here. i could see myself staying for at least a year ;]

Friday, October 1, 2010

goodbye grand rapids, michigan.



though i have grown to know myself in this city, it is time to move on and grow even more.

but here are some of the things i will miss:

being a laker in a city full of lakers. my mother. late night trips to yesterdog and/or coney island and/or sonic. walks around eastown. farmer's market-ing. college. tuesdays at montes. artprize. the bitter end and biggby. our very cute third floor grandville apartment. revue magazine. going one place and knowing at least four people. sunday fundays. gardellas. the downtown skyline. katie/jess/whitney/caitlin/diamond/fran/erin/margaret/cortney/morgan/colby. thursday night martinis at rockwells. having a zoo, a lake and apple orchards in such close proximity. san chez. knowing my way around the city. gaslight village.

luckily though, g-rap will only be three hours away from me - so i won't have to go too long without these things :]

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

healthy eats.

the other day, a close friend of mine came into town from traverse city. we had lunch and walked around grand rapids for artprize - it was great :] while catching up, she confided in me about her crazy work schedule and her recent weight gain - saying that she never has the energy to make anything healthy, or the funds to buy it either. i gave her a couple suggestions of things i eat, and have had a couple days to think of some more. so if you have the same worries or questions, hopefully this helps.

normally when i go shopping, i get the exact same snackies like: rice cakes, fruit/veggies, hummus, special k and whole grain bread. rice cakes are great for when you have the munchies - i normally get the cheddar flavored ones, but all of the other kinds are great too! fyi: the apple cinnamon ones are delish with peanut butter. fruit and veggies are essential - but only get ones that are in season, because they are the most flavorful. for example, right now you can get apples [great with nutella or caramel], blueberries [terrific in almost any kind of cereal] and asparagus [which is one of the easiest and yummiest veggies to cook - stovetop, butter & salt]. also, get some special k. i don't care if you don't like it - get it anyway! because the whole grains are great for you and it's filling at the same time. the vanilla almond kind is my fave - i put berries in it and honey on top. yummmmmm :]

get some protein too - aka beef, chicken, tilapia, turkey, roast beef, etc. ham is fattier, so skip that. if you like fish, salmon is really good for you, too. eat the deli meat on spinach or tomato wraps, with veggies and italian dressing. skip the mayo if you can. grill the chicken and fish in lemon juice and pepper - which makes it so yummy and light. red meat [for burgers, steak and tacos] can be healthy too, but in moderation.

try to cut pop out of your diet. if you can't, try drinking pepsi zero, root beer or diet coke. drink more water - it will make a huge impact. if you have a sweet tooth [like me!], buy some 100 calorie puddings and desserts. i can't live without ice cream, so i get the lactaid kind [no dairy] - and normally make root beer floats or small sundaes :] don't forget kettle corn, too! a mini bag can definitely satisfy a craving.

so hopefully this little blurb gives you a some guidance. remember not to starve yourself, or even deprive yourself of the foods you love. just eat them in moderation. healthy eating!

Monday, September 20, 2010

have you ever

applied for SO many jobs, that when one emails or calls you, you have NO idea who they are or what you applied for?

umm yeah. just happened to me.

oops :]

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

dun dun dun

so i have news. big news.

i am moving.

where to?



chicago!

actually, north chicago. the evanston/glenview/northbrook area. but its only a thirty-forty minute train ride to downtown. and a thirty-forty minute drive to adam's work. he got a lateral supervisor job in mettawa, and since it's a new warehouse he'll be able to move up in management more quickly. very exciting. as for me... i really have nothing here, anymore. i have nothing holding me back. so why not move? chicago has a ton of opportunities, i have a lot of contacts and if we live in evanston we are right next to northwestern university [aka i could go back to school!]. the kicker? we move october 1st. one month. one month to find a job or two for me & an adequate apartment for us. plus, finish my internship & the papers - AND to downsize and pack all my crap. hah. overwhelming.

so... yeah. yippeeeeee for a new chapter! :]

Saturday, August 28, 2010

book review time



"things usually work out in the end."
"what if they don't?"
"that just means you haven't come to the end yet."

jeannette walls gives us a deep look into her abnormal past and upbringing as the daughter of an alcoholic father and a carefree mother. her story takes us through all of the hardships her whole family incurs - burning her face cooking hot dogs at three years old; not having running water or electricity at many of her homes; dumpster diving; going days without food as a child; etc. after being fed up, jeannette finally moves to new york to follow her older sister, and her dreams. consequently the rest of the family follows, leaving each child with the burden and decision of helping or not helping their parents overcome the life they had been living.

after hearing many recommendations, i decided to finally give the book a try. it took me only two days to read it, i couldn't put it down. her description's were so raw & her experiences made me cringe - but they intrigued me as well. i wanted to know more - whether or not her father would get over his addiction; whether or not she would actually move to new york; etc. the book was extremely inspirational to me too - especially at this time in my life, it was a great read & a great motivational push. walls even made me consider writing a memoir in the future.... lord knows i have a lot of experiences to write about.

if you haven't read 'the glass castle' yet, i suggest you do. great read.
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