A Christmas Wish List

I’ve never done one of these Christmas wish lists posts and to be honest, it feels a little weird. But I’m still posting this because I’ve loved reading what others are wishing for this Christmas. I absolutely love Christmas and creating a wish list is part of that excitement. I mean, what other time of the year do I get to lay out a list of things I’m currently coveting?

Without further ado, here is my list!

1. A new cover for my Kindle
When I got my Kindle this Spring, I bought a hot pink cover to go with it. After 7-8 months with it, it’s getting worn out and I’m a little sick of looking at it. Amazon itself has nice covers, but I’ve had my eyes on a few cute designs from Etsy.

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L - R: ServicePartner Kindle Hardcover Cover ($27); dobeeubags “Plum Antiquity” ($42); dobeeubags “Aviary 2 Sparrows Bark” ($38); ServicePartner “Woodgrain”, personalized ($31)

2. Running capris
I’ve been coveting fitted running capris for a while now and I think I need them in my life since I’m running (ha!) more regularly. The pair below is from Lululemon, the Run: Inspire Crop II. They are $86. I do not believe I need a pair of EIGHTY-SIX dollar pants that I’m just going to sweat in. (Unless, of course, they will cure my ankle pain to help me run longer and faster.) Target offers a similar pair for under $30. I like that option better.

3. A new pair of boots.
I own a pair of Fuggs (fake Uggs). I love my Fuggs. And while Florida has been HOT lately (it was in the 70s for Thanksgiving), one always needs to be prepared. And I need some nice boots to wear to work on those (infrequent) cold days. My favorites from Zappos.com are below.

L-R: Report Footwear “Divan”, Christin Michaels “Marlah”, Madden Girl “Zeda”

4. An umbrella
Umbrellas are those purchases you never think to make until you need it (read: a rainy day). And goodness, what kind of boring Christmas wish list is this? An umbrella? I guess I really am turning into an adult. This one is my favorite:

5. Frames for my diplomas
My wish list is getting very boring. But these are things I NEED and never think to buy for myself. So these are going on the list.

6. Vera Bradley
I have a slight obsession with all things Vera Bradley and really could care less if you think her designs look like something your grandmother would have. Just a few of the things on my wish list:

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L-R: Hipster in Mocha Rouge ($58), Laptop Sleeve in Happy Snails ($38), Pleated Tote in Purple Punch ($60)

7. Amazon Gift Cards
I feel like gift cards are “cheating” for Christmas but seriously, I could put these to so much good use. I use the “1-click” button on Amazon frequently.

What’s on your list this holiday season?

Ten on Tuesday (Vol. 42)

1. Do you were glasses, contacts, or are you one of those perfect eyed people?

I wear glasses currently. I want to switch to contacts when I go for my next eye appointment (in January) since glasses get in the way when I’m exercising or running but I think I look better with glasses than not, so I’ll probably always wear them for the majority of the time.

2. What is the next item you are going to purchase?

Currently, my brother’s Christmas gift. I don’t think he reads my blog but I won’t mention what it is, just in case. It will be my first Christmas gift purchased and I can mark him off my list. Yay!

3. Have you ever watched Judge Judy or any other real court show?

Yes. I watched them all the time in the summers when I was younger. Whenever I think of those shows, I immediately associate them with my dad and Velveeta with tuna fish. :)

4. How do you feel about fake nails?

They’re not for me but almost every woman in my office has them. I just don’t feel the need for them, personally.

5. What is your favorite sport to watch?

Football. NFL football, especially. I could watch it all day, every day.

6. If you could create your own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor, what would it be and what would it be named?

Oh, gosh. I am so not original or creative enough to think of a good answer to this question! I do say that “Half-Baked” comes pretty close to perfection.

7. Do you have any scars?

None! Does this make me lucky... or boring? I’ll go with lucky! ;)

8. Does your pet’s name fit them? Is there a more appropriate name?

I think it does. I’m not sure I could come up with a better one, at least off the top of my head.

9. What is your favorite television show theme song?

I think we can all agree that Friends had the best theme song. Anytime I hear it, I get so happy. I also loved the theme song for Growing Pains, which remains as my favorite family sitcom. “As long as we got each other, we got the world spinnin’ right in our hands...”

10. What was your favorite activity on the playground?

It’s a toss-up between the swings and the monkey bars.

On Turning Twenty-Four

Last year, writing my post on my twenty-second year* didn’t feel good. I had to be very honest about my feelings and where I was in life. I wasn’t happy. I felt very stuck and I knew I needed to make some big changes. I wanted 2011 to be a year where I stepped out of my comfort zone and made a conscious effort to be happy. I recently read this quote in a book and there is so much truth in it:

We each make our own happiness. If one is not happy, then one is to blame for it and not a circumstance. Happiness is not something that can be put off for a future time or acquired like a new tie. One either is happy or one is not. (Kissing Adrien)

My twenty-third year was a good one. There were rocky moments and peaks and valleys, just as life is. But there were also really good moments of happiness. Of growth. In last year’s post I wrote that I wanted my life to look completely different than it did a year ago. There were specific avenues I wanted change to happen in.

• My health and weight
• My job
• Being more social
• Being more independent
• Writing more

I can’t say I achieved all the goals I set for myself but I can firmly say my life has taken a 360 spin from last year and I finally feel like I’m on the right path. I found areas of my life I didn’t like and I changed it. I may have not been completely successful in everything, but I finally took action. I began to choose happiness.

Over the course of this month, I’ve been a little disappointed in myself because 2011 is not the year I finally gained control of my overeating tendencies and the year I finally got to my goal weight. It’s not the year where I found love or developed a close-knit group of girlfriends or became more involved in my church. It’s not the year where I became a freelance writer or even got a head start on that novel I want to write.

But it was a year where I graduated from college, went on a fabulous cruise, grew even closer to my mother, my brother, and fabulous Internet friends, and started my career. A year when I began to make scary changes to my life, but didn’t reach out for opportunities as much as I would have liked. I watched my nephew became a little person who I can have conversations and giggles with. I’ve been able to realize that my happiness is of the utmost importance. And that perhaps what is “expected” of me is something I’m interested in doing. I began to see things in my life that were causing me negativity and make the necessary changes to remove those forces from my life.

My life is a whole lot different now than it was last year. I have a college degree, a great job, and more independence. I am happy with the way this past year unfolded. I can’t say that about a lot of my life, but I’m in a really good place right now. I hope it remains so, but even if it doesn’t, I hope I find ways to choose happiness even when my world is crumbling around me.

But I also want my life next year to look a whole lot different than it does right now. I read in a book (same book as quoted above) of a woman thinking of living the next five years of her life without any changes, just the same old, same old. She didn’t want that. I don’t want that. I want to keep growing, keep changing. I never want to be too comfortable with my life. My main focus over the next year is going to be about my health. It’s been something I’ve said I want to figure out in the past, but I’ve reached a turning point, I believe. I want to stop making excuses and letting the comfortable stay in my life.

Change happens when you allow yourself to be uncomfortable.

Age twenty-four? It’s time to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Let’s do this.

*Yeah, yeah. I know it’s technically my twenty-third year, but whatever. That just sounds funny.

Have you signed up to receive a Christmas card from me this year? Do so here!

‘Tis the Season!

Last year, I put a call for addresses to send out Christmas cards. It was the first year I’ve done anything like that and I enjoyed it so much. Christmas is my favorite time of the year but it was a lot of fun (and a lot of work!) to personally write each of you a note and bring holiday cheer to your homes.

So without further ado, here’s the form I need you to fill out! I promise not to stalk you or send out your address to strange people. ;)

(And as much as I love giving Christmas cards, I love getting them, too! Just a hint for those of you sending out cards!)

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 10

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers! I'm finishing up my "Ten Days of Thanksgiving" series with my final post.

Today, I am thankful for my mom.

I've talked about my mom a lot on my blog. We have a really close relationship and she is honestly one of the best friends I have ever had. Once I graduated from college and started my new job, the last thing on my mind was moving out. In fact, I plan on living with her for a few more years. It's cheaper and we get along. I see no reason in leaving home just yet.

I've already talked up and down how much I admire her as a person. It's a given that I am thankful for her and our great relationship. Today, I want to talk about how thankful I am for one specific, big decision she made. It was a hard decision and took a whole lot of guts, courage, and bravery for her to take this big step.

I am thankful that my mom left my dad.

I was 11 years old and in fifth grade when she sat me down to tell me she would be leaving my father. Since their relationship had been more volatile and unhappy, I wasn't sad. I was relieved. As Dr. Phil likes to say, "Children would rather be from a broken home than in one." In my case, this is 100% true.

My father had (has?) a gambling addiction. He refused to admit he did but would blow his entire paycheck on gambling. He would go to Derby Lane on the weekends (and sometimes on the weekdays) to bet on the dogs. And I guess if he was actually GOOD at it, it wouldn't have caused such a problem. (It still would be one, I think, but extra money could soften the blow, ha!) He was terrible. He almost never won and if he did, since he had an addiction, it never stopped there. He kept trying to get more and more money. My dad would promise my mom the world -- once he won. She was constantly disappointed by him.

If that was the end of his problems, that would be enough. But it wasn't. In addition to a gambling addiction, he also had a drinking and anger problem. He had a short fuse and it didn't take much to set him off. My mom bore the brunt of his anger and she was the victim of physical abuse more times than I care to think about. That's what scared me the most. Imagine being a 7-year-old little girl, huddled underneath your bed with a pillow pressed tightly against your ears to drown out the sounds of their arguing. Of the abuse. I remember silently begging my mom to "just be quiet" but also so, so proud of her for standing up and fighting for herself and for us kids. I felt helpless to do anything. My dad when he was angry was not someone I wanted to be around.

After twelve years of marriage, my mom finally made the bold move to leave her husband. To take her 11-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son and move in with her parents. It had to be the scariest, most uncertain time in her life but she knew she had to leave him. She left him for us, but also for herself. Because he was sucking the soul out of her. She was a shell of the woman she is today. She knew she deserved better than what he was giving her.

Sometimes, we muse about what our life would have been like if my mom had stayed with my dad but those thoughts make me shudder. Things may have gotten better but I seriously doubt that (as my father has spiraled deeper and deeper into trouble in the 13 years since). Things would probably have been bad. Really bad.

My mom made a tough decision that had to have scared her to death. But she did it and persevered. I can only hope if I am in a situation that calls it me to make a tough decision, I can be as strong and courageous as her.

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 9

Today, I am thankful my relationship with my brother.

Growing up, my brother and I had a very rocky relationship. We could be best friends one day and mortal enemies the next. We are just 14 months apart so we really know how to get on one another's nerves. 

I had a really hard time adjusting when he started dating his now fiance. They began dating during his sophomore year of high school and he started spending a lot of time with her. It was hard for me. My best friend and biggest male role model in my life suddenly had a life apart from my family. I had to adjust to him not being around as much.

Luckily, I adjusted and my brother and I entered into a different phase of the brother-sister relationship. It's a more mature, steady one. 

We have had some pretty awful fights over silly things or miscommunications, but we get over them rather quickly and don't let them fester. We share an extreme love for football and comedy movies and sarcasm. He knows exactly what I've been through with my dad and can connect with me on a level nobody else can. We often communicate in movie quotes. I have been known to answer the phone saying, "Brother?" To which he replies, "Brothers don't shake hands. Brothers gotta hug!"*

My brother is one of my favorite people on the planet. I get excited when I know he's coming over and revel in the bonding. He's the best male role model in my life and I honestly couldn't ask for a better one. He's responsible, an incredible father, charming, funny, and tries so hard to be the best man he can be. He's only 25 but so much more of a man than my father ever was. (Or will be.)

I am thankful for our relationship and that we have nurtured it into what it is today. He remains one of my best friends and someone I can go to about any problem. He may not have all the answers, but he's the rock I need when things are shaky. 

*If you know where this movie quote comes from, we are soul mates.

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 8

Today, I am thankful for my love of the written word.

This? This is my future bedroom. (via)

I have always loved to read. Some of my fondest memories are of libraries and stacks of books and the girls of The Baby-Sitters Club. There’s nothing I love more than getting completely wrapped up in a story, in a place far away from anywhere I’ve been or anything I’ve experienced.

I have been reading for as long as I can remember. I’ve never been much for the classics or more literary books. Those are nice from time to time, but generally I like the ones that make me laugh, roll my eyes at the cheesiness, and my sappy heart squeeze at my characters finding love. Yes, I will generally choose chick-lit or a romance novel over a literary great.

Maybe I’m not the most well-read bookworm, but I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other. The written word is the written word. Some written words are more fluid and meaningful than others, but they each have their own way of speaking to us. Maybe the classics or biographies speak to you. They don’t do much for me, but romance novels and YA lit do.

I used to be embarrassed about being a bookworm. When I was in school, the readers weren’t the popular ones. And since I desperately yearned to be popular and accepted by the elite crowd (the Unicorns, anyone?), I hid my love for reading for a long time. But as I’ve grown up, I’m starting to realize how silly it is to hide your passions for fear of not being accepted. If I’m not accepted because I love to read (or because of my choice in reading material!), then that’s okay. Those people? They are not the people I need to be around anyway.

Have you ever hid a passion, because of how the crowd would react? What are you thankful for today?

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 7

Today, I am thankful for my iPhone.

My iPhone and I have not been together for very long. Less than three months but I can’t even tell you how much I love it. My cell phone provider is Sprint and I love Sprint. My mom and I have used Sprint since I was a junior in high school (2005) and I don’t think I would ever switch providers. So I knew I was stuck with Android phones and was trying to accept this fact. But there was just something about the iPhone that called to me. I wanted that iPhone.

Imagine my surprise when rumors about the iPhone coming to Sprint began to surface in mid-August. I clung to those rumors. And in October, it happened. The iPhone was available from Sprint. I ordered my phone (also beginning my very own phone plan for the cell phone provider! It’s like I’m a real adult and everything!) and it arrived on a beautiful October day. (Okay, more like a crazy October night since I had to arrange for it to be delivered to a UPS facility and patiently wait until 7:00pm to retrieve it.)

Since then, we have become best friends. I’m a tad bit obsessed with my phone. I try real hard to not let it take over real relationships, but I won’t lie that it’s a great way to pass time and keep myself occupied. Plus, it offers me so much. I can look up anything I want and more often than not, I can think of an app I would like, search for it, and find it quickly.

I know this post may come across as silly, but I don’t really care. I love my iPhone and waited a long time for it!

And for my favorite iPhone apps? Well, I thought you would never ask!

• Words With Friends - My username is “stephanywrites”, if we’re not already playing. And we should be.
• Hanging With Friends - I will admit to loving HWF more than WWF. There’s something more exciting about it! (Same username as WWF - if we’re not already playing, we need to be.)
• Instagram - I love this for the social aspect. And they always make my photos look better than I can on my own.
• iMapMyRun - The perfect app for a runner. It works so well for me.
• SoundHound - I’ve been able to look up many songs with this app, find them on iTunes directly from the app, and download the song. (Big props to Melissa for recommending this one!)
• Things - An expensive app, but has been very helpful in managing my to-do’s and making me feel completely more organized. I downloaded this a few days ago so I’m just discovering how to use it all.
• Sally’s Salon - A fun, time-wasting game that I can easily get sucked into.
• Google Calendar - I’m realizing this is much easier for me to use than a paper planner. I can add dates either on my laptop or on my phone and it gives me reminders if I request them. I’ve been using this for appointments, bill due dates, and my blog calendar.

What is something silly, completely materialistic that you are thankful for? If you have an iPhone, what are your favorite apps?

Ten Days of Thanksgiving: Day 6

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4
• Day 5

Today, I am thankful for financial stability.

Growing up, I knew we were poor. My dad gambled away his paycheck and my mom had to make ends meet on her meager daycare teacher wage. Things were tight - always. Every year, when I would receive flyers for Girl Scouts or extracurricular activities, I stuffed them into my backpack, never to be shown to my mom. I knew we couldn’t afford extras like that, so I didn’t even ask. I knew about money problems and stressing over them way before a child should know about such things.

I hated being poor. It was embarrassing and made me feel inferior. I made a promise to myself to never put myself in that boat. I would not get into debt and I would be smart with my finances.

I can’t say I have always followed through with that promise. I was in credit card debt by the time I was 21. My mom and I moved into an apartment that was far above our living means and we struggled with our bills. It got to the point where my mom was getting check advances on a nearly regular basis and I worried on a daily basis where my next meal would come from. These are hard words to write, because it was a dark time for me. It’s embarrassing to think of how we let it get this far, how we dug ourselves into such a deep hole.

We eventually moved, cutting our rent bill almost in half, and allowing us to breathe easier. We were able to pay our bills, we were able to save, and most importantly, my mom was able to quit her second job.

I am on the road to paying off my credit card bills. After the 25th of this month, I will have three payments left on my biggest credit card and, leaving me with just my bank credit card. (Less than $300 to pay that one off.)

Once I started my full-time job, I became more responsible for the bills. (I pay my mom a portion from each paycheck.) I have my own bills to pay each month. And I can pay them. I don’t ever have to worry about not being able to pay my bills. When I get paid, I give my mom her portion and then break down the rest of my money between bills, savings, and entertainment money. It doesn’t leave me a lot left over after everything is paid, but it is enough. Money is not something I have to stress over anymore. (Other than stress of not having a lot of fun money for myself, heh.)

After spending my entire life stressing about money, it feels really, really good to be in this place. I am thankful for a job that leaves me with a good paycheck twice a month. I am thankful for a mother who can and happily does support me so I don’t have to do this all alone. I am thankful that I am not materialistic and the things I’m lusting after are things I need but are also things I’m willing to patiently wait and save up for.

Struggling with money is terrible and frustrating and scary. But you can fight your way out of it and come out on top. My mother and I are proof of that.

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 5

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4

 

Today, I am thankful for Dutch.

Dutch and I have a fairly unhealthy obsession with each other, as my mom can attest. I let him kiss me all over my face. He sleeps tucked in right next to me, buried under the covers. When I’m watching TV, he’s always lying right next to me - or ON me. I miss him when I’m away and get excited every night I come home to see him. We cuddle, we kiss, and he knows exactly how to make me feel better when I’m sad.

Dutch is my third dog. My first was Minnie, a dog my parents bought from the SPCA when I was in fourth grade. She was a beagle-terrier mix and will always have a special place in my heart. She died in June 2008 from cancer. Buford was my second dog, an adorable, feisty Yorkshire terrier who was hit by a car and had to be put down due to his injuries a little over a year after we got him. (A family friend couldn’t keep him anymore so we jumped at the opportunity to have him.)

Minnie and Buford’s deaths hit me hard. They were both unexpected and frightening and heart-breaking.

I loved Minnie and Buford tremendously. More than anything.

But I love Dutch in a deeper, crazier, consuming way. When he’s around me, I’m constantly touching him, hugging him, telling him “I love you.” I cannot imagine my life without him. I’ve actually kept myself awake at night, thinking about the day he’s gone.

I realize this post may make me seem like a crazy dog lady, but I’m perfectly okay with it. I am a dog person, through and through. And I don’t think anyone who hasn’t had a dog can understand where I’m coming from. There is something special about dogs. They are loving and loud and affectionate. They fill up your heart with love and joy. They irritate you beyond belief sometimes and the barking can get annoying and sometimes, you have to wake up in the middle of the night to clean up after them. But you put up with it all because of all the happiness they bring you. Because you love them and they love you more than anything in the world.

Dutch has shown me what love is. He has shown me how to love. He greets me every time I come home with a wagging butt and cries and barks of “I’m so happy you’re home! I missed you so much!” (Or at least that’s what I choose to believe he’s saying, heh.) I am thankful for him, today and everyday. He may annoy me with his stubbornness, constant barking, and inability to quit licking my face when I try to talk to him but he’s given me so much love and joy that it doesn’t even matter.

I don’t know what I’ll do with myself when he’s gone but for now, I’ll enjoy the times I have with them and cherish every face lick and loud bark.

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 4

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3

Today, I am thankful for my ability to exercise.

I’ll admit I am never the one to bound out of bed in the morning to run or even to look forward to working out. I have daily debates in my head whether or not I want to go to the gym after work and have a million excuses why I can skip my workout for the day.

But I lace up my shoes 4-6 times a week and get my body moving, even when my whole mind is protesting against it.

Why?

Because I feel better when I do and worse when I don’t. Because I’m striving to live a healthy life and exercise is a part of that. Because it makes me feel strong and powerful. And because there will be a time in my life when I won’t be able to exercise. I’m hoping this time is far, far in the future but it could happen in an instant.

It was an instant for my mom. It was an instant for Ashley.

On Saturday, while my mom was on a long run for her marathon training, I got a call from her about 90 minutes into her run. She had fallen and her knee was hurting. She needed me to come get her. While her knee is fine, when she fell, she used her arms to break her fall and ended up re-injuring her elbow that she broke last year. It’s just a bruise, nothing major, but she hasn’t been able to run since then or do anything but low-impact exercise (recumbent biking and walking). When she was hit by a car, she couldn’t run for three months. She was in the middle of marathon training at this point so it severely disrupted her training program.

My worst injury to date was a sprained ankle two years ago and I was only out for a week. I couldn’t imagine having to take months off exercising or going from Ironman-fit to barely able to walk. It’s a scary thought and it’s something that could happen. So I need to take this time, when I am healthy and young, to be thankful I can exercise and to stop the complaining.

I am thankful for my body that is strong enough to carry me through weight-lifting classes, spin classes, and runs. I am thankful for healthy lungs and a healthy heart that can keep up with how I push my body. I am thankful for strong legs and arms. I am thankful for the endorphins and happiness a good workout brings me. I am thankful for sweat, racing hearts, and being out of breath. I am thankful for my ability to exercise.

*Inspired by Lisa

Book Review: Shiny Objects by James A. Roberts

***

Title: Shiny Objects
Author: James A. Roberts
Genre: Nonfiction
Year: 2011
Rating: 2 of 5 stars

***

Review from Goodreads:

In this cross between In Praise of Slowness and The Tipping Point,consumer behavior expert James A. Roberts takes us on a tour of America’s obsession with consumerism—pointing out its symptoms, diagnosing specific problems, and offering a series of groundbreaking solutions. Roberts offers practical, helpful advice for how to correct the materialistic trends in our lives, trends that lock us into a cycle of stress and financial hardship. A new The Paradox of Choice for the modern reader, Roberts’s Shiny Object is far more than a polemic against spending or a critique of capitalism—it’s an exploration of how we can learn to live happier, fuller, more productive lives today.

My review:

I could not get into this book at all. I was really excited about reading it because I loved the concept behind it. I’ve never been a materialistic sort of person. Money was something that was very limited during my childhood and watching my parents struggle with debt and money issues gave me the gumption I needed to make smart money decisions on my own. Materialism is not something that runs in my veins.

The voice of this book was very conversational and easy to understand. The author did a good job of moving the book along with his points and not spending too long on any one subject.

Ultimately, though, I could not connect with the message in this book. It’s one I believe in and hope I am doing my best to cultivate (being less materialistic, that is), but I don’t feel like I learned anything new about what materialism is, what it has done to our country (and around the world), or how to lessen the impact it has. I’m very curious as to who the target audience for this book is, because I felt as if it wasn’t a book targeted for twenty-somethings, though I believe this message is something a lot of twenty-somethings need to hear.

I was expecting a bigger impact from the message in this book, but it fell flat for me.

I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All words and opinions are my own.

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 3

I’m spending the next week and a half documenting and reflecting on ten things I am thankful for this year. (Inspired by Lisa.)

• Day 1
• Day 2

Today, I am thankful for blogging.

When I started this blog, I didn’t have any long-term goals for it. All I wanted was a fresh start and a place to just write. To grow. To explore. To not be afraid of sharing my feelings.

It’s grown into so much more than I could have ever imagined.

Not only have I found a place to talk about what I’m going through with real and honest emotion, I have found people to connect with. Friends who have let me know that I’m not the only one who has gone through something or not the only one who feels that way. I have found connection and support. Some of you have challenged me to set goals and take on things that frighten me. Some of you have been a place for me to vent to. Some of you have helped me on school assignments or offered me advice.

It hasn’t been a one-way street, though. With these friendships, I have become utterly intertwined with your lives. I have hurt when you hurt and celebrated with you celebrated. I have developed some of the closest bonds with bloggers, some of them morphing into weekly e-mail catch-ups. While I have yet to jump into the world of Skype dates (who wants to be my first?), I still relish these relationships.

And 2012 is the year I leap into meeting you amazing people in real life. I’ve spent too long harboring jealousy over blogger meet-ups and worrying what people will think of the “real” me that I want to break out of that cycle.

And I would be remiss in writing this blog post about blogging and meeting blog friends, without mentioning a very special blog friend I met this weekend. I started reading Amber’s blog two or so years ago when she was still in journalism school. We were able to connect over classes and I ate up her posts about entering the professional world. We met at City Walk in Orlando on Saturday night where we proceeded to spend the night talking about blogging, books, language differences, and weather. (Yes, we discussed the weather. No, it wasn’t as boring as it seems.) We didn’t get a whole lot of time together but it was so good to finally meet someone whose life I had been following for years. I was nervous up until right before I saw her and then it was like catching up with a good, old friend. And now? Now I need to meet the rest of you.

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 2

I’m following along with Lisa over the next ten days, detailing ten things I am thankful for this year.

Today, I am thankful for my nephew.

Last night, my nephew came over for a sleepover since my mom is watching him today. (His day care is closed because of Veteran’s Day and my brother and sister-in-law needed someone to watch him.)

My nephew is at a great age. He’s developing an insanely funny sense of humor. He’s more independent and communicative. And he is just so much fun to be around. He’s always been fun to be around, but he seems to get even more fun the older he gets.

This morning, I got up and came out into the living room to see him playing. The minute he spotted me, his eyes lit up and a big smile spread across his face. He immediately rushed over to me, gave me a big hug and a kiss. Those moments? They melt my heart.

There’s something about being an aunt that is special. My nephew has two other aunts and they have a closer relationship with him. It used to upset me that I’m probably never going to have a relationship with him like they do. Whenever we’re all together, it’s usually to them he goes to first. But I comfort myself in the fact that we have a different kind of relationship. And I comfort myself in the fact that we will always have a relationship and I will always be that aunt he can come to for a joke, a laugh, a smile.

I always knew I would love being an aunt. I knew I would love seeing my brother as a father. But I never knew how he would become such a force in our life. Or that life before him would seem so plain.

Being an aunt is one of the best gifts my brother has ever “given” me. It’s been such a wild ride and I just can’t wait to see this amazing little person grow up!

Tell me, what is one thing you’re thankful for today?

Ten Days of Thanksgiving - Day 1

I’ve decided to join Lisa this year in her “Ten Days of Thanksgiving” series. In 2009, I wrote 100 Things I’m Thankful For and seemed to bypass the holiday completely last year so I think this is the perfect way to celebrate my favorite holiday.

Today, I am thankful for my job.

Today is my three-month “anniversary” with my job and it comes to me with a sigh of relief and utter happiness. It’s been a rocky three months, getting used to working full-time and learning the ropes but it has also been a happy three months.

Getting a job as a new graduate is not easy, especially a new graduate with very little related working experience. My marketing internship was what ultimately landed me this job so I can’t stress enough how important internships are as a college student. They can give you invaluable experience. I have many friends from college who are still searching, six months after graduation.

Going to a forty-hour-a-week schedule hasn’t been a difficult adjustment. I was doing more when I was in school, working in the mornings and going to classes in the afternoons. My nights and weekends were filled with writing papers, doing homework, and studying for tests. I do not miss that phase of my life. Not one bit.

There has been a bit of, “So. This is my life now. For the next forty years. OK then.” It’s been an adventure to navigate the professional world. The only time before this one I worked in an office environment was when I worked for a small printing company the summer of 2008. I was the office assistant but there wasn’t a lot for me to do. I basically brought my laptop and played on that the entire time I was there. This has been a different experience.

Even during the rocky moments, even when I questioned if I was the right fit for this position, I am still so happy to be here. I feel blessed with this opportunity.

I am an assistant. It is not the most glamorous job. I do a lot of filing and labeling and data entry. But it’s good. I’m not afraid of hard work. I’m young and inexperienced, I didn’t expect to have a glamorous job.

This place, though? It’s more than just a job. We’re changing lives here and I get to witness this on a first-hand basis. I get to see us raise thousands upon thousands of dollars for charities and call up unsuspecting people, telling them they have just won a prize package worth over $250,000. I couldn’t ask for a better first job.

What is one thing you’re thankful about today?

Ask Me Anything - Round 2

Why did your parents go with a Y at the end of your name? It's unique, & I like it better than the other spellings of the name.

As the story goes, my father wanted to name me Doogabock. I’m really not sure if that’s how you spell that name, but it’s his own creation. Luckily, my mom nixed that awful name and came up with the name Stephanie. Only she wanted me to have a different spelling and went with a “Y” at the end. I hated being “Stephany” for the longest time because it was so different, but I’ve grown to absolutely love it. I totally prefer it to other spellings of my name.

How long have you been blogging? What inspired you to start blogging?

I’ve been blogging since high school, although I’m not sure if you can call Xanga as a blog. Or at least how I did it. I’ve just always loved writing and writing about my life and struggles so I bounced around a lot of blogs in the years prior to this one. Since I have a tough time talking aloud about my feelings, blogging has been a way for me to release my feelings and talk through my problems.

If you could go on a vacation without worrying about paying for it, where would you go?

(OK, anyone who’s been following my blog for the past year, say it with me...) A CRUISE! Of course! I’d love to go on one of those long, European cruises, hitting up dozens of spots and having incredible adventures at each. I really, really enjoy cruising. I had so much fun on my first one and I have a feeling cruising will be a big part of my future. There is so much to do and see while cruising and you really cannot beat waking up after the waves lulled you to sleep, seeing deep blue water on all sides of you. It’s absolutely perfect.

And if I didn’t have to worry about paying for it? I’d bring along some of my closest blogger friends, because I have this dream of going on a cruise with a bunch of bloggers. How fun would that be?!

 

Have a question you’ve been dying to ask me? Use the form below to ask!

Never Have I Ever...

A few weeks ago Kate posted her Never Have I Ever’s and then I saw Tina do a similar post. I loved both posts so much, I decided I need to make one of my own.

Never have I ever... owned a car.

(although I may be able to have my own much sooner than I anticipated. And no car payment to boot! Though the car above - Toyota Rav4 - is one I’ve been lusting after for a while.)

Never have I ever... kissed a boy.

Never have I ever... painted a room.

Never have I ever... participated in Black Friday.

Never have I ever... eaten ribs.

Never have I ever... owned a cat.

(I’m a dog lover by nature, although I’m not against having a cat.)

Never have I ever... run a marathon.

Never have I ever... watched an episode of Seinfeld.

Never have I ever... gone bungee jumping, sky-diving, or parasailing.

Never have I ever... been a Maid-Of-Honor.

Never have I ever... gotten a tattoo.

(Michael Scofield. Be still my heart. I won’t say I’ll never get one, but I’ve never had the urge to get one and can’t see myself getting one anytime soon.)

Never have I ever... flown on a plane.

Never have I ever... been inside of a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.

Never have I ever... been drunk.

Never have I ever... met a celebrity.

Never have I ever... been completely financially independent.

Never have I ever... been to Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, L.A., or any other big city like those.

(road trip, anyone?)

Never have I ever... climbed a tree.

Never have I ever... cut my own hair.

Never have I ever... played the lottery.

Never have I ever... swam with dolphins.

(But I’ll be able to cross this one off in May!)

Never have I ever... been to a wine tasting.

Never have I ever... smoked a cigarette.

Never have I ever... read anything by Jodi Picoult.

Never have I ever... lived in another state but Florida.

Never have I ever... been in a long-term relationship.

Your turn. What is on your “Never Have I Ever...” list?

Photo credit: car, cats, Wentworth Miller, road, dolphins

Wine and Love, V.9

Another Wine and Love installment for your Thursday. As always, hosted by the fabulous Nora.

W(h)ining about...

• Family drama. I have chosen not to get into the family drama happening in my life right now on my blog. While there is plenty I would like to say, I won’t because I’m not going to be accused of airing our dirty laundry on a public space. But there is drama and a lot of hurt. (And I just really hope my future husband has an awesome extended family.)
• Money, money, money. It’s hard being an adult, yo. I knew I would have a lot more on my plate once I got a full-time job so it’s not a shocker that I don’t have a lot of extra money to spend on clothes and make-up and fun stuff. Basically, when I get paid a portion goes to my mom for bills, $70 goes to a savings account for our upcoming cruise (to pay for my portion + excursions), and the rest goes to my own bills. Sometimes, it leaves me with less than $100 to pay around with, sometimes more. But it’s hard, because I really wanted to start saving money but it just isn’t happening. It’s all been a learning process, though, and I think I’m starting to see how to fit everything in. (Plus, only four more payments to my big credit card and then I’ll be DONE with that. That’s an extra $245 a month for moi.)
• A tough week, health-wise. This past week has just been tough, health-wise. It takes everything in me to either get up early to go for a run or go to the gym after a long day at work. There are baskets of bite-size candy all around the office and I’m back to wondering why it’s so hard for me to stick to a healthy eating plan while it seems to easy for others. I know I feel better when I eat better, but I’ve been hard-pressed to find many good-for-you meals and treats that fill me with excitement. And I like food a lot, so I need excitement.
• Friends who are hurting. One thing I love most about this blog is the friends I have made through it, but I desperately, desperately hate when my friends are hurting and I can’t be there, in person, for them. All I can do is offer them a place to talk and give them as much encouraging words as I can.

Loving...

• NaNoWriMo started! My first day went wonderfully, I wrote over 2,000 words. My second day? I decided to scrap the story I was writing and begin a new one. The one I’m writing now is flowing a lot better and just feels a lot better but I’m only at 1,077 words currently. I’m going to use the weekend to play catch-up and I’m aiming to be at 12,000 words by the time Monday rolls around. Eek!
• #twookclub. I think I mentioned #twookclub in my last Wine and Love series, but I can’t tell you how excited I am about the group. We’re at over 40 members currently on our Goodreads group and picked the book last weekend (The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard). The response has been overwhelming and amazing.
• Running. Running, you say? Under the love category? YES. Yesterday, I ran (very slowly) for 20 minutes straight and I don’t think I’ve ever run for that long without stopping before. It felt surprisingly easy and maybe a little fun? I didn’t focus on the time or how much farther I had to go, I just focused on making it through each song streaming through my ears. Before I knew it, my Couch-to-5K lady was telling me I only had one minute left and I sprinted to the end. It was an awesome feeling and I’m starting to feel more confident about the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving.
• Getting a new haircut! (Disregard my previous whine about money, ha!) I am overdue for a new haircut and I’m so excited to get my roots touched up and my hair in a style again. It’s been doing nothing for me for the past week so I’ve been wearing it up more often than not. I’ve decided to grow it out again and donate it to Locks of Love. My plan is to keep it long for my brother’s wedding in May and then cut it all off before I leave for my cruise (the following weekend). Here’s what I’m thinking about:

   

                

What are you wining and loving this week? Help me choose which picture to take: Mandy, Heidi, or Anne?

Everyday Moments: October 2011

1 - Being asked to be a bridesmaid in my brother’s wedding.

2 - Sleeping in until 11AM

3 - A really awesome run

4 - Dutch acting like we’d left him at the boarder’s for 12 days instead of 12 hours when we came to pick him up. (Our carpets were getting cleaned so he went to “daycare” for the day.)

5 - Early morning run and seeing the numbers drop on the scale

6 - Ordering an iPhone

7 - Being told to “keep up the good work” by one of my boss’s (the one who scares me the most, at that!)

8 - Taking a 3-hour nap

9 - My brother coming over to watch the 4:00 football game

10 - My first spin class in almost a month

11 - Feeling stronger and fitter when I looked in the mirror

12 - Another solid week of weight loss

13 - A day of eating comfort food while feeling under the weather

14 - Getting my iPhone!

15 - Game night with my mom and brother

16 - Watching my mom PR in her 15K and taking a 2-hour nap before the 1:00 football game started

17 - Making it through spin class, even if I had to take more breaks than usual.

18 - The reveal of the Top 16 on X-Factor

19 - Being in the room as the winner for my work’s latest giveaway was revealed - and being on the conference call when the man found out he had won. Absolutely life changing.

20 - A cold front finally making it’s way in to Florida

21 - Managing the media department by myself for one day. It was the first full day off my boss has taken since she started over a year ago and I hope this means she feels comfortable enough to take more days off!

22 - Sweet moments of laughter with my nephew

23 - Shopping for my “Keep Warm, Look Snazzy Scarf Swap” partner

24 - A lunch date with my mom

25 - Making it an entire day without any soda! (This is major for me.)

26 - Finishing up Week 4 of Couch to 5K with an awesome, awesome run.

27 - Skipping BodyPump and getting a pedicure instead.

28 - A quiet lunch by myself at Panera

29 - Buying Dutch some special Halloween treats

30 - Organizing the first #twookclub chat for November and choosing our first book.

31 - Bite-size Butterfingers. Oh, my heaven.

Ten on Tuesday (Vol. 41)

1. What is your favorite month?
November has always and will always be my favorite month. It's the kick-off to the Christmas season and features my two favorite holidays: Thanksgiving and my birthday! Thanksgiving has always been one of my most favorite holidays, although it's going to be a whole lot different this year. But I think the change will be a good one!

2. What is the best candy to get while trick or treating?
Anything with chocolate! I was always a sucker for Three Musketeers when I was little.

3. What kind of pen do you use?
I don't have a specified type or brand I have to use. I don't like gel-ink pens at all, though. I'm really simple when it comes to my pen needs. Give me a plain, ole ballpoint pen and I'm happy.

4. You go to a new Italian restaurant, what is your go-to order?
It depends if I was trying to be healthy or not. Let's go with not, in which case I would order chicken parmesan. That's my favorite thing to order from an Italian restaurant and surprisingly, Olive Garden has the best-tasting chicken parm, in my opinion.

5. If you could choose to have any celebrity’s hair, who’s would you choose?
Kate Walsh. I just love her hair. It's so gorgeous and the color is fantastic. I want her hair.

6. What’s your favorite board game?
Trivial Pursuit. My mom and brother hate it but I almost always pick it when it's my turn to pick. I'm also pretty darn good at it, if I do say so myself!

7. Do you know how to play poker?
Nope.

8. What do you think about Old Navy commercials?
I think they are so cheesy and poorly done. I really can't stand them.

9. What hurts worse- a stubbed toe or a paper cut?
For me, a stubbed toe because ever since I've started getting pedicures, my big toe will hurt like a mother if I stub it. The nail ladies go to town on my cuticles and the area is so tender for weeks afterwards.

10. What’s your favorite kind of pie?
None. I'm not a fan of pie. In fact, I could never eat another slice of pie for the rest of my life and I would be just fine. The same could be said of ice cream. I'm not sure why, but pie and ice cream don't tempt me in the least and I almost never have cravings for either.

*Questions found here