21 Things Update

I’ve been twenty-one for a day and I’ve already crossed two items off my 21 things to do whilst 21 list!

Yesterday for my birthday, my friends and I went to the Yuengling Brewery for a free tour and samples – yum! This completes item 1 on the list 🙂

In addition to that, I did get my daffodil tattoo listed in number 3, HOWEVER, I did this technically a few days BEFORE I turned twenty-one. Guess that means I’ll just have to get another tattoo this year to make it official?

The story behind my daffodil tattoo is simply that it is lovely and I adore flowers and wanted a piece that was just beautiful, more there for aesthetics than my other two tattoos with deep meanings. The reason I chose daffodils is the following poem by e.e. cummings.

“in time of daffodils(who know
the goal of living is to grow)
forgetting why,remember how

in time of lilacs who proclaim
the aim of waking is to dream,
remember so(forgetting seem)

in time of roses(who amaze
our now and here with paradise)
forgetting if,remember yes

in time of all sweet things beyond
whatever mind may comprehend,
remember seek(forgetting find)

and in a mystery to be
(when time from time shall set us free)
forgetting me,remember me”

I love the concept of the goal of living being to grow. I find this profoundly beautiful and my tattoo will serve to be a reminder to keep on growing.

I’ve also started purchasing some beers I haven’t tried yet in order to complete number 4 on the list – to try 21 new beers and document each one. So I’ll get started on that tonight 😉

Okay, so I’ve had PLENTY of the Blue Moon pumpkin ales, but the other five I have only either sipped on someone else’s or have never tried at all, so they’ll be included in my 21 new ones.

I’m off to enjoy being twenty-one now ~

She Works Hard for Her Money

Today I worked about sixteen hours. I am tired but in such a satisfied way.

I’ve had a job consistently since I was sixteen years old, with the exception of one semester my freshman year of college which I spent hunting for a job. I have always had at least one, but more often two, even three, jobs at a time. So these past seven or so months at just one full time job have almost felt lazy.

But at last, I am a workaholic again. I’m a little stressed about it but moreso excited because I’m fucking strange. I got up at 4:30 this morning to dress and run off to my first job, came home and changed, and was off to my second job (I’ve returned to Godiva as a part time keyholder, about thirty minutes away and with a nice little raise), and I just got home not too long ago (it is 10:42pm). Today I ate an apple, an everything bagel with garden veggie cream cheese, a few pieces of chocolate, some berries, and a few scoops of rice Joe had made when I got home just now. So uh, working days like this may be a good diet plan as well.

Day one back at Godiva went really well. One thing I love is that I can actually dress nice for work at this job. I can wear heels and a dress shirt and nice pants or a skirt and I can do my hair and makeup and wear a scarf and jewelry and not smell like a horrible combination of doughnuts, coffee, and sweat. If there is one thing I love it is to be fancy, and here I can. Plus it turns out the customers at this mall are super nice, which is an incredible change of pace. Really, having nice customers changes the game entirely. I didn’t leave feeling angry, at no point was I overwhelmed, I genuinely smiled and laughed a lot, I felt good, man.

To top it off, when I left the mall tonight the weather was gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, and I got to drive home listening to Chevelle and I didn’t get pulled over in regards to my tag light still being out, and I just feel really content and ready to shower, go to bed, and do it again (although fortunately I don’t head to work until noon tomorrow!).

Just wanted to shout out to the joy, pride, and satisfaction of a long workday.

 

 

Too Blessed to Be Stressed

While driving home from another long day of work, feeling worn out and blue, I was planning a blog post in my head. I was going to throw a little pity party and whine about life’s unfairness. About how all of my tires are bald and one of them is going to pop soon (I can tell because my car is doing this thing were it is bouncing up and down when I drive it, but not in a fun hydraulics kind of way, in a my-tire-is-going-to-burst way), and it still seems to have an overheating problem, and I almost die every time I drive in the rain, and my gas light just came on and I have $1 in my bank account until Thursday. I was going to complain about being in the middle of a seven consecutive day workweek because I picked up a shift on my last day off. I was going to talk about how poor I am, how I wish I had insurance, how rent is due, how I hate smelling like doughnuts and being treated poorly by customers. I was going to quote William Faulkner. Tell you how much I want a cold beer and how I’ve started smoking again and I can’t seem to lose weight. But I think I will save all that for another day.

Because I came home to find a brand new pair of eyeglasses in a box by the door. And then I found an unsecured wireless connection in my bedroom. And heck, my tire didn’t explode. Joseph (whom I adore and am loving as a roommate) and I have the money for rent (which I will be running to Amscot shortly to pay), and that makes us lucky.

Now I am listening to Bon Iver and gleefully typing on the internet and smelling like soap because I just shaved my legs. I am sitting at my desk by my pretty curtains with the sunlight coming in. I’m going to get a big fat paycheck on Thursday because I worked some overtime. I’m starting back at Godiva tomorrow after my other job. My birthday is in ten days, and I’ll be doing fun things with people I love, and utilizing some PAID time off (unreal how awesome PTO is, right?). I’m going to be okay.

Here’s to focusing on the good.

Speaking of these glasses, I have Coastal.com to thank for them. Using promo code “FIRSTPAIRFREE” all you have to pay is shipping (like $16) on a brand new pair of beautiful glasses. I just ordered them Tuesday and here they are. They came with a nice hard case and lens cleaner. Baller status.

Kickin’ it Old School

Okay maybe not old school, but middle school, definitely.

Today I decided it would be cool to do a MySpace survey. It’s pretty hilarious looking back at these and remembering how A) stupid they are, and B) how many of them I used to fill out and post in a bulletin for everyone to see. So here’s a throwback, you’re welcome.

And heck, this being a new blog, this is probably a good way for you to get to know more about me, too!

Here goes.

 

“HAVE YOU EVER SURVEY”

1. Made out for more than 3 minutes? 

Yes.

2. Slept in a different bed? 

Yes.

3. Made out in a movie theatre? 

Maybe kissed a little bit during the movie but I never went there to make out.

4. made out with 2 different people in one night? 

Yes.

5. Thought your cousin was hot? 

Lol, I do have one cousin I think is attractive.

6. Been in love? 

Yes.

7. Slept? 

Yes, yes I have.

8. Taken a shower with the opposite sex? 

Yes.

9. Gone over the speed limit? 

Erry day.

10. Painted your room? 

Just recently, actually.

11. Drove a car? 

Yes.

12. Danced in front of your mirror? 

Of course.

13. Gotten a hickey? 

Yes.

14. Been dumped?

Yup.

15. Stole money from a friend? 

Never.

16. Gotten in a car with people you just met? 

I guess so.

17. Been in a fist fight? 

No.

18. Snuck out of your house? 

Kind of?

19. Had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back? 

Duh.

20. Been arrested? 

Nope.

21. Made out with a stranger? 

Probably.

22. Left your house with out telling your parents? 

Sure.

23. Had a crush on your neighbor? 

Yes.

24. Ditched school to do something more fun? 

All the time.

25. Slept in a bed with a member of the same or opposite sex ? 

Yes.

26. Seen someone die? 

No.

27. Been on a plane? 

Yes.

28. Kissed a picture? 

Haha, yes

29. Slept in until 3? 

A few times.

30. Love someone or miss someone right now? 

Sure.

31. Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? 

Yeah.

32. Made a snow angel? 

Mhmm.

33. Played dress up? 

Yup.

34. Cheated while playing a game? 

Of course.

35. Been lonely? 

Yeah.

36. Fallen asleep at work/school 

Yes.

37. Been to a club? 

Yes.

38. Felt an earthquake? 

Only at MOSI.

39. Touched a snake? 

Yes.

40. Ran a red light? 

Yes.

41. Been suspended from school? 

No.

42. Had detention.. 

I think so.

43. Been in a car? 

…yes.

44. hated the way you look? 

Sure.

45. Witnessed a crime? 

Yeah.

46. Been lost? 

Yes.

47. Been to the opposite side of the country? 

No.

48. Felt like dying from embarrassment? 

Nah.

49. Cried yourself to sleep? 

Yes.

50. Sang karaoke? 

Yes.

51. Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t do? 

Of course.

52. Laughed till some kind of beverage came out of your nose? 

Yes.

53. Caught a snowflake on your tongue? 

Yes.

54. Kissed in the rain? 

Yes.

55. Sung in the shower? 

Always.

56. Had a dream that you married someone? 

Probably.

57. played getting married? 

I guess?

58. Got your tongue stuck to a flag pole? 

No.

59. Ever gone to school partially nude? 

What? No.

60. Been a ? 

…

61. Sat on a roof top? 

Yeah.

62. Didn’t take a shower for a week? 

Probably.

63. Ever been too scared to watch scary movies alone? 

Sure.

64. Played chicken? 

Totally.

65. Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? 

Yup.

66. Been told you’re hot by a complete stranger? 

Yes.

67. Broken a bone? 

Nope.

68. Been easily amused? 

Yeah?

69. Laugh so hard you cry? 

Sure.

70. Cheated on a test? 

Probably.

71. Forgotten someone’s name? 

Yeah.

72. Blacked out from drinking? 

Yes.

73. Played a prank on someone? 

Yes

74. Gone to a late night movie? 

Yes.

75. Made love to anything not human? 

What?! 

76. Failed a class? 

Yes.

77. Choked on something you’re not supposed to eat? 

I don’t think so.

78. Played an instrument for more than 10 hours? 

No.

79. Cheated on a girlfriend/boyfriend? 

Never.

80. Did you celebrate the 4th of July? 

Yes.

81. Thrown strange objects? 

I guess so?

82. Felt like someone? 

What.

83. Thought about running away? 

Yes.

84. Ran away? 

Probably.

85. Had detention and not attend it? 

No.

86. Made parents cry? 

Maybe?

87. Cried over someone? 

Yes

88. Owned more than 5 sharpies? 

I, what? No?

89. Dated someone more than once? 

Yes.

90. Have a dog? 

I did at one point.

91. Own an instrument? 

Sure.

92. Been in a band? 

Lol sort of.

93. Drank 25 sodas in a day? 

Probably not.

94. Broken a cd? 

Yes.

95. Shot a gun? 

No.

 

96. Been on myspace for more than 5 hours? 

Sure thing.

98. Have a major crush on someone right now? 

No. Yes. Maybe.

99. Have a religion? 

Sure.

100. Thought about what people would say at your funeral?

All the time.

 

 

Welp. That was truly terrible and an awful idea. I was exhausted by the time I hit number 36. If you read through this quickly enough, I promise you will feel like you have gone insane. I am sorry I did this to you. I should probably delete this blog forever.

Welcome ~

As I am writing this, I am sitting on the living room floor listening to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack (Patrick Swayze xoxo), drinking coffee out of a seriously adorable unicorn mug, and trying desperately to connect to some kind of wireless internet (we can’t afford our own yet). It is 10:09pm and I don’t work until three tomorrow, so I’m contemplating making this a late night, although I’m rather sleepy.

I voluntarily didn’t pay my phone bill so that my cell phone would be shut off and I would get to breathe. Like many others, I have a smart phone, so many of my thoughts are consumed by Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The unholy trinity of wasting my time (and here I am, having withdrawals, praying for an unsecured wireless network).

Over the next few days I will no doubt find myself reaching for my phone to post my random thoughts, but once that passes, I will delight in being unreachable. I might read a poem or take a bath, clean my apartment, get some fresh air. I already feel more at peace, unable to send a text even if I wanted to (I want to). Who knows what I will accomplish.

But what I really wanted to write about is autumn. In these dwindling moments of September (Someone can wake Green Day up in a few hours, looool. No? Not hilarious? Wrong.), I feel a sense of change and hope in my soul. October is without a doubt my favorite month, mainly because of my birthday, but for all the good feelings that come with it. It’s the start of the holiday season, it’s when Florida begins to get slightly less hot and humid. By the end of the month we’ll likely be able to comfortably wear tights, and maybe even have some good hair days. I could weep with joy.

For the first time in a while I am feeling really energized, creative, clear, optimistic – chipper, even! I suddenly have so much to look forward to, from my eye doctor appointment Tuesday morning to my birthday on the 16th. And then, before you know it, it’s Halloween, and then Thanksgiving, and then suddenly it’s Christmas! It’s magical.

The weather also plays a huge role in my renewed sense of joy. I don’t know if it’s strange, but I notice that my mood seems to correlate directly to the weather. When it is perfect, crisp, fall weather, I feel on top of the world. When it is raining, I don’t know what to do, what to wear, what to feel sometimes. And something about summer is just exhausting for me. Whatever the reason, this change in the air is curing me.

I have been dealing with some pretty serious mood swings, depression, blues, whatever you’d like to call it, these past few months. There have been some legitimate contributing factors I’m not going to get into, but it’s mostly been this unexplainable, nagging sadness. I’ve no less money than this time last year, nothing terrible has happened to me, if anything I’m better off than a year ago. But something in me has weakened, smaller things upset me more, and once they have, I spiral down into this pit of sad darkness, forgetting how to climb back out. Until recently, I mean. Things feel better, I can sense an upswing in my life. I’m just really thrilled about it – I’m feeling like a different person.

That’s probably the aspect of my life which I am most thrilled about right now – this transformation. I don’t know who I am becoming, and really, we are all transforming each and every day without thinking about it, I’m just very aware of it in this moment, and it’s like a deep breath of fresh air.

What are you excited about in your life right now? Does anyone else notice a bizarre connection with the weather and their emotions? Should I just go ahead and turn my phone back on? Anyone know a good place to borrow some internet?