My 25th Year

I'm feeling a bit introspective tonight on the eve of my 26th birthday.  25 has been quite the year and it seems like it passed pretty quickly.  I thought I would make a list of what's happened in the past year, as I reflect on the blessings, triumphs, and trials of 25.

* Started off 25 with a new relationship........and that same relationship ended several months later.  Learned a bit about people and myself.

* Learned how to live in one house with 5 roommates.......fun times, loud times, awkward times.....

* Discovered that sometimes guilty pleasures will catch up with you.....like that time I got rear-ended in the Taco Bell drive thru.  I shouldn't have been there in the first place...lol!

* Remembered the hardwork that school demands.  I pulled a few all-nighters as I worked on my master's degree and then went to work on less than an hour of sleep......more than once.

* Became Auntie Em when my sister gave birth to my dear nephew in February.  He's so adorable!

* Got my own place and moved to Leesburg in April.  Painted it purple to make it "mine" in August.

* Struggled to know how to be supportive to my family as various trials popped up throughout the year.

* Became an ambassador for our country as I hosted a friend from Ukraine for a month.  It was fun to experience everything as if for the first time with her.

* Completed the Master's degree in July- a month early!!!  Very proud accomplishment this year.

* Snagged a new job within a week of getting the degree- something that I thought impossible.

* Learned the hard lesson of trying to do too much at one time.  I had a complete body breakdown in July and had to drop some of the balls I'd been juggling....good life lesson.

* Enjoyed the company and friendship of great volunteers at both jobs.  It's great to get paid to hang out and pour into cool people!

* Started up a new small group in my area in October- biggest blessing ever!  I am so encouraged every week by some awesome chicas as we do life together.

* Fought to regain fitness and health after letting it slide while pursuing everything else in 25th year.  That is a challenge that carries over to 26.

* Had the best Thanksgiving ever with a motley crew of friends and friends' friends.  Who else can you get caught in a traffic jam at midnight with while in the backseat you're squished like a sardine while a friend sings Jingle Bells in Romanian?  I love my crazy friends.

* Learned the valuable lesson of the ups and downs of friendship.  It's worth it to stick it out in the hard times because friends are worth so much.

* Stepped out in faith to pursue some new opportunities that the Lord is providing.  Mysterious, I know, but nothing is public yet- news to come in the next week or two.

* Most of all, I experienced God's love and mercy in new ways.  He is so faithful and He is all sufficient.  When I went through positive times- He was there.  When I was really going through the rough times- He was there.  He is always there and I am so thankful for Him.

Sunny Day, Sweepin' the Cloud Away.....

Growing up, we didn't have cable.  We lived too far out in the country to even qualify for it.  That left for lots of time to use the imagination, read books, and watch the one kid-friendly channel that did come in- PBS.  My sister and I would watch Zoobilly Zoo, Square One, and Reading Rainbow religiously.  The top favorite though, hands down, was Sesame Street.

Sesame Street has been a lifelong obsession for me.  What could be cooler than friendly furry monsters teaching you about life?  I learned my first Spanish from watching Maria on Sesame Street.  I learned how to do math from it, and how to face some of life's questions. 

When I was a kid, I remember receiving Sesame Street magazine in the mail, and that was a big highlight of my day.  As a teenager, I still obsessed over Elmo and Grover and the gang (don't judge!).  As an adult, I nearly had a heart attack when I realized that the Muppets were on temporary display at the Smithsonian, and you better believe I hopped on the first Metro and got myself down there.  And yes, I was the one who got in trouble for trying to take pictures of them.....lol.  I was like a kid in a candy store.

So as we celebrate 40 years of Sesame Street being on the air this year, I just want to pay homage to the show.  You are my all time favorite.  You inspire me and have played a role in my decision to work with children.  You are the master of teaching children with cool spoofs that even adults enjoy, and that has been the catalyst for my ideas on staging/media/etc. at my work! 

In closing, I have to pay homage to my favorite character- Grover.  Who can resist the furry lovable zaniness?

Twilight Obsession

I'll be honest.  About a year ago, I thought the Twilight fans were nuts.  They fit into the same category as die-hard Trekkies and Harry Potter fans to me.  No offense to anyone, I just didn't get it.  Nevertheless, I joined a book club and our first read was Twilight, so I got the book and started reading.  I thought it was pretty good and asked for the rest of the series for Christmas.  On the plane ride back home, I started in on New Moon.

10 months later, I was still drudging through New Moon.  That's right kids, it took me 10 months to push through the slow portions of New Moon.  Everyone kept telling me that if I just got through the middle of New Moon, I would love the rest.  THEY WERE RIGHT.

Over the last month, I have become a Twi-hard (that's the nickname for Twilight fans).  I sacrificed sleep, dreamed about vampires and warewolves, and pushed myself to finish the 700ish page final book in just a few days.  Now I totally get it.....they really are that captivating.

Yesterday Stephanie Meyer (the author) was on Oprah and I thought it interesting that she had never written even a short story before she wrote this series.  While I certainly don't count Twilight as a new classic, I think that she did a pretty good job at creating a book that has captivated kids, teens, soccer moms, and all the rest of us Twilighters!

Meatheads: Friend or Foe?

In the past week, I have taken on a trainer.  He gives me workout assignments, then I go to the gym and I do them!  It's hard work so far but I am focused on the results.  My trainer is only $5 a month and that's because he's completely online!  It really works though.  I like the variety and the specific moves I've been told to do.  Heck, I can even upload videos of my exercises onto my iPod as a reminder when I'm at the gym....gotta love technology.

As I've been taking on my new workout routine, I've ventured over to the weights area of the gym with all of the dumbells, weight benches, large equipment, exercise balls, etc.  For some reason this area seems to intimidate the females out there.  I've looked around and many times I'm the only woman over there!  What's up with that?  We have muscles too, ladies, and it's good to work on them. 

Anyhow, my most recent discovery in the gym is the meathead.  According to Urban Dictionary, a meathead is "An enormously muscular guy who cannot hold a conversation about anything other than weight-lifting and protein shakes. Gets upset very quickly when he cannot complete his own sentences and thoughts. Can be found at nightclubs wearing shirts that are 10 sizes too small (if at all). They are by far the most closely related human beings to that of apes, chimpanzees, and other primate. They are evolutionary hindered and are less capable of following directions than my dead hampster."

In a week's time, I've come up with my own observations about "meatheads".  I don't think they are actually so bad!  No, I'm not planning to date one of them any time soon, but I've discovered some good things about meatheads. 

#1:  They actually know what they're doing in the gym.  For a novice like me, there's something to be learned from these guys!

#2:  They are sometimes considerate.  Take the "meathead" I've been running into at the gym lately.  Yesterday he made sure to tell me to let him know if his crazy breathing on the treadmill was bothering me because he recently had nose surgery (and yes, he was making some crazy sounds).  Now, this dude looks like a wrestler, so I'm guessing his nose might have been injured in a fight, but regardless, it was a nice gesture.

#3:  Meatheads keep things simple.  Okay, maybe not by choice and more by IQ, but still....there's some value in a simple life and not making everything complicated.

I'm choosing to just represent the positives about meatheads.  I won't recount what I've learned about "what chicks dig" and how to live the meathead life, but let's just say I stiffled my giggles until I got out of the gym.

Disclaimer:  This is all for the sake of humor...not trying to hurt any meathead feelings nor limit the possibility that they may grow out of their meatheads someday! :)

Movie Review: Whip It

My Monday Funday (I'm off on Mondays!) turned out to be a cloudy one, so I decided to go see a new movie during the matinee.  On a tangent- I love going to the movies by myself.  It is very liberating to get out and do something I want to do without waiting for a friend to come along.  Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my friends, but when you're off on Mondays and want to have fun, you have to find it yourself most of the time.

Back to the movie.....Whip It was all I expected it to be and more.  When you have Ellen Page and Drew Berrymore together, it just cannot go wrong.  The movie was unique, as it is about a Southern girl growing up in a small town whose mom wants her to be the perfect, pageant queen, Southern belle.  Well, that girl (Ellen Page) is more into the alternative scene and finding her own identity.  When she hears about a roller derby team, she decides to try out for it, and ends up being a star.  It is a great story about small town life, longing for something more, and busting out of her family's expectations.  A coming of age tale but with a modern twist. 

Cold Medicine High

I am just now coming down from a cold medicine high.  Yes, that is right, I was high on cold medicine.....at work.  It was all I could do to sit up straight in my chair for the last 3 hours.  I thought I was doing something wise when I picked up some new meds at Wal-Mart last night....who knew it would make me feel like this?  I felt like I was under gas at the dentist's office and giggly all at the same time.  Do you know how dangerous that is when you work in a tiny cube in a quiet office?  Lol.....I think I will save that medicine for home use only. 

Perks of an Economic Recession

You cannot accuse me of not doing my part to stimulate the economy.  That's right, there are some advantages and dangers to living within walking distance to a huge outlet mall.  Today I would say that it was purely advantage.  Since the retail industry is still suffering from the recession, the sales are better than ever. 

Let's just say that I got new yoga pants and a shirt at Old Navy for a grand total of $5.  Yes, that is not a typo.

I got two pairs of $60 pants at Eddie Bauer for $12.99 each.....nice!

And the best part....I got some lovely new shoes.  Not as cheap, but definitely high quality shoes that are adorable!  Yay for fall styles.