Document Your Life | Summer 2016

Ten Facts About Me [Top Ten Tuesday]

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they update their blog with a list of ten things that have to do with a predetermined topic.

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This can be a terrible quality to have sometimes, let me tell you. I hate it when things are out of place, messed up, or beyond my control. I despise change, disorganization and getting things wrong. All of these things tend to work together to constantly mess with my anxiety and throw me into an I MUST BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE THINGS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AROUND mode, and I get really upset with myself if I can't make a situation better, do something wrong, or experience a change.

 

The best time of the week for me is when I can plan for the next one. I color-coordinate everything, map it out, and am always aware of what is happening at least a week ahead of time. Is that weird?

 

Anytime I go somewhere or meet someone new, they are always, always, always caught off guard when I get comfortable enough to joke around, and are never prepared for how sarcastic and cynical my sense of humor can be, especially because I am usually very quiet and reserved.

 

I was always afraid I was going to get into an accident or that I would get hurt/mess up somehow (thanks, anxiety), but last summer I finally decided that I would put all of my worries aside and go ahead and try for it. I am still unwilling to get behind the wheel of the car sometimes, but I really enjoy the freedom that comes along with having my license now, and the fact that I can go to the bookstore anytime I want without having to talk someone into giving me a ride!

*book shopping

We have a puppy preschool class at my place of employment once a week, and my coworkers make fun of me because I will literally swoon every time a dog walks by. I can't help it! They are so adorable, and I want about fifty of my own. I also freak out any time I see a rabbit, whether it be wild or in a store, and I have been known to go into a pet store for something and come home with a baby rabbit (seriously. this has happened twice). I currently have three of them, and the sad thing is, I don't show them or enter them in anything; I just think they make great pets!

 

Harry Potter relaxes me, so whenever I find myself with a day off or a bit of free time, I will pop in one of the movies (usually the first or second), and clean/do stuff with it playing in the background.

Yep. It's kind of sad, now that I think about it. The first time was my freshman year of high school, and my family and I went to Florida on vacation. I had so much fun visiting new places, lounging about the beach, and exploring Disney World! The second time I went out of state, I was was with my choir, junior year. We went to Chicago to partake in a national competition and won six trophies, which was cool. That was my first ever trip without my parents, and my very first time in a big city. I had a lot of fun and would LOVE to go back soon! Actually, I would like to go anywhere soon, just so I can bump that Times-I-Went-Out-of-State number up a bit.

I was very, very sick my senior year of high school, both physically and mentally, because my immune system decided to work against me that year. Add that to my regular, every day anxiety, plus the anxiety that accompanies senior year and all of the worries/problems from missing so much school, and I fell into a deep depression. When I wasn't physically ill, I would be so tired and stressed and anxious and worried and in a dark, dark place that I couldn't drag myself out of bed and made the situation even worse. I missed most of the year, my good grades plummeted, and I was not able to graduate with my class. I didn't end up graduating until almost a year later. It was not a fun experience.

I always say it's the summertime because I love the heat, but after working outside these last few months, I have changed my mind. Please don't tell my mom; I've made a pretty big deal about loving summer and the heat pretty much every single day of my life. I just love the colors, the warm-but-not-too-warm weather, and wearing comfy sweaters.

THE SMELLS ARE EVERYWHERE! I am constantly having to excuse myself from situations because people are putting on lotion, perfume or hand sanitizer. My mom and sister are awful about spraying way too much perfume and chasing me out of a room because the smell is so overwhelming that I start experiencing an allergic reaction. I cannot wash my clothes in certain detergents or fabric softeners, which makes the static unbearable, and I can't go into places that sell scented bath items or have burning candles because my allergies freak out and try to murder me. Basically, vanilla is the only scent I am 100% okay with.

What are some things you would like me to know about you?

Document Your Life | Spring 2016

May, in Photographs

This month I explored a park, my mom and I stumbled across a beautiful wooded part of our town, and I finally created a Snapchat!

April Rewind

» This month I.... «

▫ Enjoyed some beautiful spring weather by opening windows and eating ice cream - finally. It has once again turned cold and rainy, but I am looking forward to the sun and warm that are sure to follow.

▫ Finished one term and started another. Only a year left!

▫ Passed my driver's exam and did lots of solo driving! Oh, freedom.

▫ Nearly had a heart attack when Oliver, the git, got himself stuck behind one of our furnaces. We eventually got him out, but I am forever scarred.

▫ Started a new, week-in-review segment on the blog. Check it out.

▫ Our car broke down and we were all stuck without a way around for about a week before we were finally able to purchase a new one. Thankfully, I like this new vehicle much better.

▫ Freaked out over the season finale of Scorpion.

▫ Eagerly awaited the arrival of the final book in Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle series, The Raven King, only to be emailed by Amazon on the day of its release saying that it would be another few days before I would get it. Freaking out, I cancelled my order and drove out of town to pick it up at Barnes & Noble. A bit crazy, maybe, but it was worth it.

▫ Celebrated my dad's 60th birthday a few days early.

▫ Wrote a Walter/Paige fanfic.

March Snapshots:

» Book(s) I've Been Reading «

» Movies/Shows I've Been Watching «

I finally sat down to watch Divergent this month, and wow. I am eager to see what happens next. Also, I was absolutely certain I would dislike Theo James as Four because he seemed a little too macho and was definitely not my type, but my mind has been changed, hello.

Until the episode that aired a few weeks ago, The 100 was becoming a little unbearable. Everyone was dying, the plot was shit, and there was no substance. Thankfully, all of my wonderful delinquents are back together again, fighting side by side, and things are finally starting to make sense. I've been getting that season 1 feeling, and I love it. I really hope it continues, particularly the Bellark/delinquent scenes. 

The season 2 finale of Scorpion premiered on the 25th of this month and wowza. I thought season 1 ended on a pretty big cliffhanger, but this last episode has it beat. I cannot believe I have to wait until the end of summer to get new episodes and find out what happened after Walter left the garage! There were a few times this season when I felt like the episodes were repeating themselves or didn't seem as interesting, but I would definitely have to say that Scorpion is one of my favorite shows despite this, with one of my favorite pairings, and I cannot wait to see where it goes from here.

» Songs I've Been Listening To «

Please Don't Say You Love Me by Gabrielle Aplin

 Home by Gabrielle Aplin
 

» Other Favorites «

- NONE -

» What I've Been Up to On Youtube «

25 Bookish Facts About Me

▫ Intimidating Books | T5W

▫ Favorite Mother Figures | T5W

Spring has arrived

The change a week can make! The snow is mostly gone and the weather has warmed up considerably. I take immense joy in throwing open my bedroom window every morning and allowing the sweet, flowery smell of spring to fill the house.

Overall, this week was an easy one. Not much was going on, so I was at home for most of it. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent the same way as last week - working, grocery shopping, and cleaning. On Thursday, the stress set in. My family has had a very difficult year and a half, and Thursday was the day something would be presented to people who could help us out. Though they have yet to make their decision, Thursday was the beginning of what we hope is the end, and everyone in our house was feeling it. In an attempt to distract myself, I made the mistake of browsing the organization and decor tag of Pintrest during work that morning, and the rest of the afternoon/evening was spent moving things around in my room and breathing in a lot of dust. I did take a break to watch the new episode of The 100; it was wonderful. I'm so glad my little delinquents are back together again!

Friday was kind of a bad day. I woke up in an awful mood for no reason and spent the rest of the day alienating myself from everyone else and basically taking offense at any and every tiny, unimportant thing. That morning, I ran to the store to pick up some containers so that I could finish my organization project. Normally, this would have been fun, but I had to work the After School program, so everything was kind of done in a rush, which only made my mood worse. I generally don't enjoy working after school, because the people that run it do not speak or joke around much and the kids can get kind of crazy. I got to leave a little early that day, though, which was nice. Once I got home, I had to call my academic advisor so that we could figure out a way to get my textbooks before the evening was over and found out that I had been paying for my schoolbooks out of pocket for the last three years when there were book vouchers available, and no one had told me about them. Uhg. Then, because I was down in the dumps, I decided to treat myself to some ice cream. This ended with my mother and I driving around town looking for a cheap place that sold some, and waiting in line at the park for half and hour behind a bunch of high school girls. My mood worsened.

On Saturday, our car broke down. Thankfully, it didn't happen while I was driving because, as a new driver, I have no doubt I would have freaked out and made the situation worse. Because of the gorgeous weather, I had just gotten back from walking in this little wooded area at the edge of town with a friend, her daughter, and our dog, Copper, when my mom and brother decided to go and get something to eat. The car broke down while they were out. Unfortunately, it was not the first time the car has done something like this and, at this point, we are all feeling a little hopeless when it comes to getting it back in working order. Someone is supposed to come today to look at it; fingers crossed he can do something. I had myself a little movie night on Friday and also managed to finish reading The Book of Ivy, which was amazing.

All I did on Sunday was lay around. The weather was beautiful, but I had zero motivation to do anything about it, so the afternoon was spent filming videos and starting/finishing Hyperbole and a Half, a book I had originally read back in 2014. Once I was done with that, I finished up my schoolwork and was free for the rest of the day. I have been trying some new time management techniques and I've found that they really seem to be working for me. Usually, Sunday is spent trying to catch up on a week's worth of schoolwork; I quite enjoy not having to deal with the shame that accompanies that level of procrastination anymore.

Today will be spent much like last Monday was; I have to work in the evening and then will end the night with a new episode of Scorpion. It is rumored that Walter and Paige will kiss tonight. I'm looking forward to it.

New ideas

In an attempt to keep this blog alive, I have come up with a few new ideas including more reviews, and this: a weekly life update, just to name a few. We will see how it pans out.

Oh, Ohio weather... I would hibernate from the final stages of autumn until early summer if I could. I never could handle anything under seventy degrees, and the fact that there is three inches of snow on the ground right now, during spring, is killing me.

Tuesday morning I had to drag myself from the comfort of my warm blankets and head to work, bleary-eyed and groggy, in order to set up for Bounce and Play, which my place of employment hosts twice a week for young children, allowing them to kick balls around and enjoy a bounce house if they so wish. After work, I had to rush off to the eye doctor in order to pick up my "official" contacts. While there, the woman ringing me up tried to charge me an additional $100 for an eye exam I had already paid for two weeks prior, and I only managed to catch the mistake at the last moment, rescuing my bank account from an empty belly. Tuesday was also the final day of term, so most of it was spent simultaneously stressing out about an English paper that I had yet to finish writing, and laying around with zero motivation.

I had Wednesday off from work, but it was anything but relaxing. I had failed my driver's exam a week before and spent the last seven days stressing out about five orange cones and my inability to reverse properly when under pressure. (I did ace the actual driving part, though.) I had been sick to my stomach with nerves the past week and despite the fact I did it perfectly during practice, I was sure I would fail maneuverability once again and forever be driver's license-less. 3:15pm rolled around, my hands were shaking on the steering wheel, the instructor sat beside me, pen poised, and sure enough, I knocked over another cone. I was devastated. Thankfully, she must have noticed how nervous I was because she let me do it again, and this time it was executed perfectly. Success!

I worked a split-shift on Thursday, and both shifts required me to set up and take down a plethora of bounce houses—the first time was for Bounce & Play, and the second was for a Preschool family night we were hosting—so I did nothing but watch the new episode of The 100 when I finally got home. The show is not doing that great, in my opinion. Everyone is dying/being killed off, and I find the characters a lot less likeable than they were a season ago. Thanks, writers.

Friday started off great, as I finally got to drive around town by myself. I hit up the Library and Walmart, and was actually able to listen to my own music for once. Why I decided to wait ten years before attempting to get a license is beyond me. The day took an unexpected turn, however, when one of my rabbits, Oliver, decided to wedge himself behind our furnace and could not get out. We spent an hour and forty minutes trying to get his feet back under him and coax him out, but nothing seemed to be working. Finally, when we were just about ready to give up and I was practically dehydrated from crying, I had the great idea to place my female rabbit at the end near his head, and try to convince him to come out and get her. It worked! He finally managed to squeeze himself out of a barely-two-inch gap, and seemed to be none the worse for wear. The same could not be said of me.

Saturday was when we received the three inches of snow, and since I had to walk to work, I was not a happy camper. Birthday parties were hosted and Family Night was had. Since I was working another split-shift, I was able to take the car to work for Family Night that evening, and I quite enjoyed being able to close a door to the cold and immediately turn on the heat that night, rather than waiting for a ride to show up.

Sundays are usually for homework, but since the new term had yet to start, I was able to relax for most of the day. I did have to run a few errands and pick up seventeen pizzas for my mother, who was hosting a dinner for the youth at our church but, all in all, it was a relatively quiet day. I decided to introduce my two male rabbits again, now that Oliver is fixed, and it went surprisingly well. Hopefully I can put them together soon and Louis can get the peace she deserves.

Which brings us to today. Term has started again, but I probably will not make any sort of attempt at homework until Wednesday. Instead, I will edit a video, work, and maybe watch that new episode of Scorpion that is supposed to air tonight. If only the weather would warm up...

The Answer

That moment —

you know the one I'm talking about, right?

The one between sleep and awake when

suddenly,

you have a thought.

A perfect, simple little thought,

that exists on a plane untouched by the trials of life and hardship.

A thought to solve that problem

- the one that has been plaguing you all week - 

 a way to end world hunger,

to invent time travel,

meet a difficult goal.

To your exhausted mind, it is world changing,

life altering, problem-defying.

It is there, glaringly obvious at the front of your mind

for one, precious moment.

But, in the second

between one, slow blink and the next,

as your mind becomes aware of your body,

it disappears

or is attacked,

as they always are,

by logic and reason.

Conscious, the thought seems less like an answer

and more like a naive musing.

But, for that one moment,

it was powerful and hopeful,

and exactly what you were looking for,

and you spend the rest of your life

trying to get that feeling back.

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 27

What You Wore Today:

Clothes:

• A white, collared dress shirt beneath a gray pull-over sweater
• Black jeggings
• Black socks
• Gray, high-heeled booties

Jewelry:

• A gold pendant necklace with a tree on it

Nails:

• Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in “Trouble Maker,” (500 (plum))
• Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat in “Clear,” (960)

Hair:

• Straight (because if I don't straighten it, it is puffy, curly and VERY annoying...)
• A “headband” made out of french-braided hair, parted to the left

Makeup:

• Mabelline Dream Pure BB Cream in “Light/Medium Sheer Tint”
• Almay Smart Shade Concealer in “Light/Medium,” (020)
• Covergirl + Olay Eye Rehab Concealer Cream in “Light Pale,” (330)
• Revlon Photoready Translucent Finisher
• Neautral smokey eye created with the Neutrogena Eye Quad
• Winged eyeliner with the Mabelline Master Graphic Liquid Eyeliner in “Striking Black”
• Mabelline Lash Sensational Mascara in “Black” on lashes
• Physician's Formula Blush/Bronzer duo in “Warm Nude”
• Salon Perfect Brow Defining Kit
• Mabelline Great Lash Mascara in “Clear” (for eyebrows)
• Covergirl lipstick in “Flame,” (300 (red))

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day Seventeen

Bullet-Point Your Day:

• 7:45am – First alarm.
• 8:00am – Second alarm.
• 8:30am – Finally managed to pull myself out of bed and began getting ready for work.
• 9:05am – Packed my purse and played around on my phone after having finished with my makeup and hair.
• 9:25am – Left for work.
• 9:30am – Clocked in and began putting up the bounce house. We have Bounce & Play every other Tuesday/Thursday, where little kids can come in a jump in the bounce house or goof around in our indoor soccer field. It's a lot of fun, but the bounce house is VERY difficult to set up; especially when you're by yourself.
• 9:45am – Finished setting up the field house; sat down in an attempt to REGULATE MY BREATHING, OMG.
• 10:10am – Only two families have shown up so far—oftentimes, it is a hit or miss—and after having walked around a few times saying good morning, I am hiding out in the recreation office. Parents get weirded out if you stand off to the side, smiling at and watching their kids for two hours, even if it is your job.
• 10:30am-12:00pm – Walked a few rounds every fifteen minutes or so, making sure everyone was getting along and that the fans/seals keeping the air inside the bounce house were all secure. Quite a few more families showed up; probably the most people I've had in a while.
• 12:00pm – Bounce & Play is over! Began cleaning up all the toys and putting the bounce house away.
• 12:15pm – Clocked out and headed home; stopped to get a Dr. Pepper from Circle K on the way.
• 12:40pm – Sat down to eat lunch and rewatch last night's episode of Scorpion with my mom.
• 1:15pm – Went upstairs to lay in bed; checked various social media sites and drifted in and out of sleep.
• 2:15pm – Prepared my rabbits' lunch and dinner.
• 2:40pm – Left for work. Again.
• 2:45pm – Clocked in.
• 2:55pm – Usually, at this time, I would be heading over to the school to pick up our after-school kids, but they had early release today and were already at the center. Instead, I walked in to chaos, as someone had decided to let 40 kids put on roller-skates and topple over one another in the gym.
• 3:10pm – Took the kids over to one of the classrooms and worked on homework. More chaos.
• 4:30pm – Helped out with art.
• 5:00pm – Switched over to monitor the batting cages and had a “vending machine dinner,” which consisted of a Dr. Pepper and some chocolate, coupled with a bag of crackers I brought with me from home. After dinner, I kept an eye on the batting cages and finished reading “Adulting: How to Become a Grown-Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps,” by Kelly Williams Brown. A really helpful and insightful book!
• 7:00pm – Put away the batting cages (the machines are heavy and I probably almost knocked myself unconscious a few times while moving them) and hung out in the recreation office, waiting to see if anyone would show up for open gym. They didn't.
• 8:00pm – Clocked out and headed home (usually I have to walk home on Tuesdays, which I HATE doing after dark, but today I got a ride); stopped to get a Dr. Pepper from Circle K on the way. I drink a lot of Dr. Pepper...
• 8:15pm – Chatted with my parents for a bit about our day's activities and then fed the rabbits their dinner.
• 8:45pm – Began working on my online Math exam for school; today was the last day of classes before the next term—which begins in two weeks—and the exam was my final assignment. So, SO happy to be done with the course; Math is my least favorite subject.
• 9:40pm – UHHHHHHHHG, MATH........
• 10:15pm – FINISHED MY EXAM, YESSSSSSSS!! Unless I totally bomb the assignment, I should pass the class with a C. Not too bad, given my history with the subject. After a celebratory dance, I wrote up a few blog posts and played with the rabbits for a bit.
• 11:00pm – Took a shower and did all the obligatory before-bed stuff.
• 11:30pm – Climbed into bed. Usually I am already there, as I save the 10:30-11:30 hour for reading, but I did not have time tonight. I spent the next half hour checking social media and watching Youtube videos.
• 12:00am – Created tomorrow's To-Do list, plugged my phone in to the charger and shut off the TV. Goodnight!

. . . .

I will be participating in the 30 Day Writing challenge every day this month, but will not be posting all of them. If you're curious, you can view the list of challenges here (I switched day sixteen and seventeen).

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day Eight

A Book You Love and One You Didn't:

As someone who has spent the majority of her free time reading these last few years, this is a very difficult question. I have read and loved a great number of books for many different reasons. I love the Harry Potter series because it embodies growth—from youth to adulthood—and reminds me of my childhood. I love A Series of Unfortunate Events because not every person you meet in life will be kind, and The Night Circus because sometimes you just need to believe in something, and that something is magic enough. I love the Mara Dyer trilogy because I enjoy reading about girls who are not afraid to get their hands bloody dirty, Percy Jackson for the quests and adventures, and The Darkest Minds trilogy because sometimes super heroes make bad decisions, too. I love the Infernal Devices trilogy for its representation of love that transcends time and the Across the Universe trilogy for hope that transcends galaxies. The Chaos Walking trilogy is a great representation of the harsh realities of war while modern contemporaries like Amy and Roger's Epic Detour discuss relateable issues like death, stress, love and loss. Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children romanticizes peculiarity in a world where everything outside of “normal” is strange, and The Lunar Chronicles brings to life the classic fairy tales I knew and loved as a child with a modern twist; sometimes the princess needs to save herself.

There are so many more that I could name, but each of the above books and series has made me feel something at one time or another and that is why I love them so much. As for a book/books I did not love, it usually makes the list because I got nothing out of it – no feelings, emotion or personal attachment to either the story or characters. Sometimes this makes a book a quick, light read that I can enjoy for a few hours but, more often than not, I like my books to have a little more substance.

What are some books you love?

. . . .

I will be participating in the 30 Day Writing challenge every day this month, but will not be posting all of them. If you're curious, you can view the list of challenges here.

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day Four

Ten Facts About Yourself:

1. I am the oldest of six children. Yep; I have four younger brothers and one younger sister. We are all very, very close and, though they can sometimes be annoying (my sister and I still argue over really stupid stuff sometimes), I wouldn't trade them for the world. Growing up, I hated being the oldest but now I love the role and the responsibility that comes with it.

2. Though I switched my major from Early Childhood Education to English/Creative Writing when I was a freshman in college, I keep finding myself working in positions that require me to teach children. First the day care, then summer camp and, even now, my job as a recreation associate has me helping kids with their homework every day after school.

3. I did not get to walk with the rest of my class during graduation. Senior year of high school was very difficult for me for many reasons. I was constantly sick and struggled with depression, which caused me to miss quite a bit of school. This resulted in my failing two very important classes – both of which were needed in order to graduate. I received my diploma a year later than all of my friends, after completing both of the classes online. I don't talk about this experience much because 1.) it was seven years ago, and 2.) I am still ashamed.

4. I suffer from anxiety. It used to be crippling, but I currently have a much better handle on it. I still hate change, though, and it takes a lot of convincing for me to make plans that do not involve my house/family and a good book. I still have bad days, of course, where I do not talk to anyone, but they are not as frequent as they used to be.

5. I had laser-eye surgery when I was three years old and I can still vaguely remember the experience. After it was done, I still had to wear glasses until high school—which was when my vision finally started to get better—only to have to pick them back up a year or so after graduation. Currently, my vision is not great.

6. I had to have two of my wisdom teeth pulled a few months ago, at the age of twenty-five.

7. My hair is naturally very curly/frizzy. No one ever believes this, though, because I have straightened it since high school.

8. I have never had a proper boyfriend. I was too shy (and not particularly good-looking) during  high school and though I have gone on plenty of dates since then, they have never progressed past the "seeing" stage. Usually it is my fault; I get scared easily and push people away.

9. I was given a stuffed blue cat by a friend of my mom's when I was only a few days old. Her name is Whiskers and I still have her.

10. I hated to write until a third grade English project. When I didn't complete the assignment on time, my teacher made me stay in during recess to finish it. We were supposed to write a short story and, eventually, I conjured up a situation in which four siblings were whisked off to a magical land by a talking black cat. I had a lot of fun with it and have wanted to be a writer ever since.

What are some interesting facts about you?

. . . .

I will be participating in the 30 day Writing challenge every day this month, but will not be posting all of them. If you're curious, you can view the list of challenges here.

30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 2

Your Earliest Memory:

Growing up is to let things go – that embarrassing moment from middle school you thought you would never get over, your first crush, your first love, friends and moments that seemed to drift away without your realizing and, sometimes, the good memories that go along with them. You don’t mean to forget Christmases and birthdays, what your grandfather's face looked like, the name of your kindergarten teacher. It all disappears on its own – sometimes triggered back into your life at odd moments and sometimes not, but you still feel the absence of it; a great, wonderful Used To Be that is no more. I have a lot of “early memories” crammed into a corner of my mind I rarely visit, simply because attempting to sort through what actually happened and what my brain has conjured up in an attempt to fill these fuzzy holes within my memory is too great a task.

I have only lived three places my entire life; two houses and one trailer with my parents and our ever-growing family. We lived in a trailer park for the first two or three years of my life, moving out shortly after my brother was born. There wasn't a lot of room, but we didn't need it. I don't remember much from the time we spent there—I was pretty young—but I do recall a particularly fun Easter afternoon spent hunting colored eggs in our “backyard.” I relive the memory almost like an out-of-body experience; me, running through the grass in a cute Easter dress, trying to find the eggs before my cousins did. My twenty-five year old self does not find this memory particularly exciting or different (I have had many Easters since then), but, for some reason, this one sticks out in my mind.

I remember my laser-eye surgery (a very memorable experience for a three-year old), hiding on the staircase in an attempt to scare my cousin in our first house, dangling my legs out of our garage's second-story window with my father (despite my mother's protests), playing with my friends at school, threatening to run away over something silly, building my own, personal fort at the top of my closet in our second house, getting into trouble for jumping off of our deck onto a trampoline (my dad's idea), experiencing my first crush in seventh grade, cold, winter mornings in high school, playing bells at church, performing on stage with my school's choir and our backstage shenanigans during May Fiesta, our trip to Chicago, my first kiss... So many wonderful, dreadful, random memories came pouring out when I sat down to write today, and I was surprised by how fuzzy some of them have become; how difficult it was to tell reality apart from what I thought had happened. This is what you let go of when you get older – you forget the embarrassing stuff you never thought you would forget, the stuff that seemed important at the time, and hold on to things that you probably would have deemed unimportant. It's sad, but also kind of great, too. I hope there are many more of these “small” moments to come.

What is your earliest memory?

. . . .

I will be participating in the 30 day Writing challenge every day this month, but will not be posting all of them. If you're curious, you can view the list of challenges here.

Dear Future Self...

The future is a scary thing and—truthfully—I have only ever had a vague understanding of what, exactly, I would like to see myself doing in blank number of years. Obviously, no one ever really knows what will happen tomorrow, let alone ten years from now, but wandering around without a blueprint in hand sounds like the start of a hideous, crumbling disaster. Perhaps it is time I give it some thought.

One Year From Now... (26)

▫ Nearly finished with college
▫ Have some money saved up
▫ Own a driver's license


Three Years From Now... (28)

▫ Work in a job related to my major
▫ Live on my own


Five Years From Now... (30)

▫ Married
▫ Published/working on publishing a book


Ten Years From Now... (35)

▫ Have started a family
▫ Have more than one book written and/or published



It will be interesting to look back on this in a few years and compare/contrast. Hello, Future Self!

April Favorites ~ 2015

Taking a page from the countless beauty gurus on Youtube, this will be a new, monthly addition to the blog; where I will list all of the things that I have been loving, using or watching throughout the month of ____.


Below are my April favorites:

Where has this show been all my life?! And, more importantly, where have Leslie and Ben been all my life? That ship sailed WAY before I even made it to the second season (where Ben makes his grand entrance). I bought the first season in March and have been rapidly collecting/watching the rest ever since.

I read A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab at the tail end of March, but the change in month has not swayed my feelings toward this book at all. It was fantastic. I openly express my love for this author quite a bit, so when I discovered that she would be publishing another book — fantasy, set in a magical, multi-dimensional London — I could not wait to have it in my possession (it certainly did not disappoint). I kept coming back to it throughout April, flipping through its pages and revisiting some of my favorite parts. I also uploaded a review/discussion of the book on my BookTube channel, so if you would like to see that, click here.

I don't wear much jewelry, and when I do I tend to pick out a few of my favorite pieces and pair them with everything. Usually, it is my pocket watch necklace, but these two have made several appearances throughout the month. The Daisy necklace is from Deb, a shop that has recently gone out of business. The smaller, tree necklace is from Walmart.

I bought these boots about a year ago at Target and have only recently discovered just how much I love them. They are comfortable and cute; two things I look for most in footwear!

This has probably not been established here, on this blog, or anywhere online ever, but I have a slight obsession with nail polish. Now that spring has finally sprung (or as much as it will, in Ohio) I have taken a liking to the more pastel and vibrant of nail colors. These four are all from the brand Salon Perfect, which can easily be found at your local drug store, or wherever nail polishes are sold. Their names are as follows:

Haute Pink (though it definitely comes out as more of an orange on the nails)
Bermuda Baby
Lilacking Control
Perky Pink

(My absolute favorites have been the light pink and purple).

Usually I will go through phases of either not playing my DS at all or touching nothing else. In April, I rediscovered my love for Animal Crossing and it was all downhill from there. That game is the reason I did not do a lot of reading...

I have also recently rekindled my love for Better Home and Garden's wax cube warmers! These three floral/woodsy scents have been my favorite this last month; Country Sunflower, Lilac Breeze and Southern Spanish Moss.

For some reason (and I am not complaining, believe me), I have been watching the Harry Potter movies over and over again. Stressed out? Put in Harry Potter. Happy? Put in Harry Potter. Tired, sad, bored, going to bed, feeling nostalgic? Put in Harry Potter. And, out of all of them, the first one is the movie that I found myself gravitating toward the most.




What have you been loving this month?