New Year Revolution!

So, I happened to come across this challenge called New Year Revolution. For 31 days, you are sent a challenge that you must complete each day. There are three different Revolution categories. There is Stop Wasting Money, Get Fit, and Try Something New. I decided to go with Try Something New. Really, I would like to do all of them but I feel like Try Something New might be the most fun at the moment. ANYWAY. I will attempt to do all 31 challenges and hopefully blog a bit about each, or at least ones I feel that impacted me the most. I will make the effort to try to write about each, but we will see. I'm excited to see what is thrown my way and will keep you updated! If anyone who happens to read this wants to check it out, or join one of the Revoluitons here is the link http://revolution.channel4.com/

Challenge 1:
The challenge I received today is to read a magazine that is targeted for the opposite gender, or a readership very different from yourself.

I decided to pick up a copy of Esquire Magazine. I really wanted to get American Cowboy Magazine, but I actually might pick up a copy of it, depending on what kind of mood I'm in. It's all about contemporary western lifestyle, which seems kind of interesting.

ANYWAY.

I chose Esquire partly because it seemed like a dudes magazine, and partly because I really didn't want to pick up a magazine about cars or deer hunting. Also, when I skimmed through it I saw that there was a small interview with Gary Oldman, and he's pretty boss. So when I got back and started looking at the magazine, one of the first advertisements was about sportswear at JCPenny and on the side of it, it had instructions on "How To Make Your Pecs Dance" which made me laugh. Also, there were A LOT of advertisements for watches...like...a good 10+ advertisements. I guess guys like watches? I was surprised to see that there wasn't that many photos of women, or scantily clad women. Although, interestingly enough, there was a large advertisement for diamond jewelry, that only featured women's jewelry (you know rings and such). Which, on a kind of side note, who decided that diamonds are to be the poster child for the stone to buy women?  I mean, maybe it's just me, but diamonds aren't all that awesome as far as stones go. Personally, I think emeralds are a pretty rockin' stone. Anyway...MOVING ON. The big article in the magazine was an interview with George Clooney entitled George Clooney's Thoughts for Today. It was pretty basic stuff with photos of George playing basketball and sitting in a large armchair.

Overall, Esquire was a pretty basic magazine. Seemed like the guys version some women's magazines I've seen. Well, I'm interested to see what tomorrows challenge is, and will keep you posted!

P.s. this is a pretty cool song. Check it out.

The Fault In Our Stars

So, last night I finished a wonderfully good book called The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. Now, John Green writes young adult fiction, but his books, and this one in particular, always conquer some big life questions. The Fault In Our Stars is about a 16 year old girl named Hazel, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and boy that she meets at a cancer support group named Augustus (or Gus) who has also battled with cancer. Throughout the story, they battle with the questions of life, death, and love (yes, there is a bit of a love story put in the mix). What struck me so much though is the things that Hazel and Augustus have to  endure, and the kind of questions that they start asking themselves, and how they both deal with death. They both (well more so Augusts) struggle with idea of not being remembered after they die. They wonder if or how they will make some sort of lasting impression on the world, so that after they are gone, that someone will remember them. They also struggle with whether or not their lives, and deaths, have meaning. Also, Hazel and Augusts both share a rather raw, and very honest view of having cancer. They don't fluff it up to be this epic battle that they have fought, or try to romanticize anything about cancer. Something that is repeated in the book is how certain things are just a side effect of dying, rather than a side effect of cancer.

Anyway, this book got me thinking about how I might handle everything if I was in their shoes. How would I deal with the possibility of dying, and what kind of perspective would I have on life, and death, if I had cancer? I don't particularly fear death now, but if I were to be diagnosed with cancer, would I fear it? Would I fight? Would I give up? Would I be angry? Would I just accept it? It's an interesting thing to think about.

Well, I don't believe I can really do this book justice by my little post here. It's a wildly good, and moving story. I will admit, I cried like a baby at the end, but I have no shame! haha

I thought I would end this post with a quote from the book that I enjoyed. In this part of the book, Hazel is sitting on the couch with her father, and she has asked him if he believes in the idea that everything happens for a reason and that in the end we all go and live in the clouds and have a happily ever after kind of story, and at first, he says he is not sure what he believes, but then a few moments later answers with this:

           "That's what I believe. I believe the universe wants to be noticed. I think the universe is improbably biased toward consciousness, that it rewards intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its elegance being observed. And who am I, living in the middle of history, to tell the universe that it-or my observation of it- is temporary?"
                     -John Green, The Fault In Our Stars

Why I like rainy days

Rainy days, are possibly my favorite days. I've heard that some do not like them because it feels depressing, or gloomy, and I can understand that idea, but it has a very different feeling for me.

To me, when it rains, it's the best time for reflection. I tend to find myself reflecting on the current on goings in my life. I think about what I am happy with and the things I may want to change. It brings me a very peaceful feeling. The rain feels like a way to wash away all of the things that may be weighing heavy on my mind or things that I may be worried or stressed about. When it rains, I usually try and take that time to bring myself back down to earth and look at things in my life with a fresh perspective. Sometimes, I feel like it can be easy to get caught up in the things you feel like you can't change, and on rainy days I try and and think about how I can make the situation better. I may not necessarily solve the problem, but I try to look at it in such a way where I don't feel so overwhelmed or trapped.

Also, there is (to me) something about the rain that makes the world around me more beautiful. The trees are greener, and flowers pop against the grey sky, and the water rests on the leaves giving them a kind of gloss. I love looking at trees that have moss or fungi growing on them. The brown of the bark is such a deep color and the greenish blue of the moss just stands out in a really amazing way. I don't really do it anymore, but back home, when it rained, I usually made it a point to take a walk. It sounds kind of weird, but I always thought that was the best time to do so. It's nice because not too many people are out and about, and it makes it a great time to just soak up life and the things around you. I could probably stand in the rain for hours. I also enjoy watching birds when it rains. Their feathers become slightly saturated with water and it's cute to watch them puff up and shake of the moisture.

Rainy days are also the best movie days. I like to turn off all of the lights, open the windows, crawl under a blanket, and pop in a good movie. I tend to watch Braveheart because it always just seems appropriate. They are also the best cuddling days! I admit that I'm a big cuddler. It's probably one of my favorite parts of being in a relationship, so I miss that on days like today.

I also imagine one of the most perfect ways to enjoy the rain would be to sit out on the porch of a cabin in the mountains, in a swing of some sort, under a blanket, and just soak up the view. When I'm at home, I will sit in the garage or under the bit of covered walkway and just watch it rain. When my mothers cat was alive, she used to come up and curl up on my lap and sleep, which was always nice to have a companion. I look back fondly on those moments. I would like to, at some point in life, be able to share these kind of moments with someone. I may be a bit biased, but I just think its a really peaceful experience if you take time to look at the rain and I would love to share that with someone.

Nothing of substance

Well, its a couple of days into the second semester, and I still don't feel completely prepared for classes. Granted, I guess it usually takes a little bit before you fully get into the swing of things, but this time around, for some reason, I feel particularly unprepared.

Anyway, I have been thinking about some of the things that I would like to accomplish in 2012. Now, they're not particularly mind blowing things, most I think are fairly simple but I'm going to try and do them nonetheless.
  1. Do more things that I enjoy. I feel like a lot of things I like to do got pushed aside last year and I want to make a point to do those things. I want to hike more, and since I just got a tent and such, I want  to do that as well.
  2.Take better care of myself. I mean that in an all around sense. I want to be healthier physically, personally, emotionally, etc.
  3. Read more. I love reading but I've kind of put it to the side and I have a good stack developing that I want to get through.
  4. Go on more adventures!!!
  5. Start playing my guitar again. It's another one of the things I have let slip in the past few years and I want to pick it up again. I also, at some point, want to pick up the mandolin.
  6. Write more. I've had other blogs before and have let them go by the wayside and I want to keep this one up. So far I think I've done better than before but I want to keep the momentum going. Also, I journal so I want to make sure to write in that more frequently.

And that's all I have so far.

So, this particular post wasn't much of anything but hopefully in the next few days I will have something a bit more to write about. I have had something floating in my head for a few days and have been trying to fully develop my thoughts, so hopefully something on that soon!

Also, I thought I would include this video. I thought it was pretty cool.

The art of letter writing.

I love writing letters. There is just something about taking a pen to paper that I take a lot of joy in. Any chance I have, I try and write letters to my friends and loved ones. There is just something so personal and intimate about a hand written letter, that you just can't get anywhere else. I wish it were a more common practice. Granted, don't get me wrong, I enjoy e-mail and such, and see how it makes things easier, but knowing someone took the time to sit down and write you a letter just holds a different meaning. I guess, in a way, there is something kind of romantic about a hand written letter, no matter if it comes a friend or someone who is more than a friend. However, that is one of the ways to my heart...write me a letter and you get major brownie points.lol

I'm always on the search for interesting stationary. I also have looked at wax seals and such, but have yet to buy any of the supplies. However, maybe one day I will splurge and buy the supplies. Granted, if I do so, everyone I know may end up getting a letter from me, just so I can use it :) I wish I had better penmanship, though... like the pretty cursive you see in period films...that would be nice.

I think I may also make this one of my resolutions for this year. Write more letters. I don't know how many people really like hand written letters, but I think I will try and write more of them this year.

Obligatory New Years Blog

Well, it's a little over two hours until we ring in the new year. How have I spent my New Years Eve, you ask? Well, I walked to the grocery store, made some awesome cheese dip, napped, saw the new Sherlock Holmes movie, and now I am currently watching Ghostbusters and about to dive into some peppermint ice cream. Later, I will probably set off some fireworks with our neighbors and maybe indulge in a beer. I know...I lead a very exciting life. Really, it's slightly overwhelming. But really, I don't really mind having a low key, maybe even slightly, boring NYE. Two years ago, my NYE consisted of me cooking most of the day, and then getting in a car wreck on my way back to campus, that totaled my car, and my NYE plans. Then, last year I was so busy I made it to my ex-boyfriends place about 10 min before the ball dropped and then worked on stuff the rest of the evening. So, this year I don't really mind just kind of laying around.

Now, I could write about my New Years Resolutions, but the truth is, I haven't really thought about it much. I have a few things in mind that I want to do in the upcoming year, but I will keep them to myself for now. I may post in a few days about some of the things I want to accomplish, or at least attempt to accomplish but for now I will keep them to myself and ponder on them a bit.

Now that I have finished talking about New Years, I will talk a bit about my adventure the other day. I would have written about it yesterday, but I caught a mysterious sickness yesterday that had me sleeping for most of the day.

So, originally, this adventure was me going hiking with a friend of mine at Tallulah Gorge. Well, we got there bright and early to get a pass to get access into the gorge, but when we arrived we were told that passes were not being given out until 10am that day. So, with about to hours to waste, we explored around a near by town until then. Once, 10 came around, my friend called in to see if they were giving out passes yet, and was promptly told that no passes were going to be given out that day. It had rained the night before and the gorge was not dry enough to allow people to hike around. So, with this information, we decided to adventure around North Carolina for the day. We (well, I guess I should say he. My friend drove, and I just occupied the passengers seat) drove quite a bit that day, but I had a lot of fun. We stopped and ate the lunches we packed, and stopped by an awesome Toy Store ; O.P. Taylors in Brevard, NC. and explored some other cool stores. Then, when we were making our way back to GA, my friends GPS took us back by way of the scenic route...through South Carolina. So...three states in one day...I would call that an adventure! The day was fairly long, but fun nonetheless. I also could not help but admire the beautiful scenery of North Carolina. I love the mountains, and I could not stop admiring the wonderful landscape. I feel that I would be perfectly content living in the mountains for the rest of my life. It will probably go on my bucket list to live in the mountains at least once in my life.

But anyway, It was fun adventure, and will think back on it fondly, and I will hope there are many more adventures in my future! That should go on my Resolution list...more adventures!

Holiday Family Relations

Well, Christmas as come and gone. Every year I travel to Tennessee and Virginia to spend the holiday with my family, and this year was no different. Luckily,  this year I got to spend a bit more time up there than usual, which was really great. I don't get to see my grandparents and other family but one or two times a year, so any time spend with them is always treasured.

This time around, however, was a bit bitter sweet for me. This year has been a bit rough for my family. Both of my grandfathers aren't doing as well as they used to. One (who I call Granddad) is losing his memory ( I'm fairly certain he doesn't remember who I am) and the other (who I call Poppa) can't really walk anymore without the use of a walker or cane, and has some other health problems. Also, a few months back, a few days before I had to leave to go to school, my uncle passed away. This isn't the first sibling on my fathers side to pass away, and my dad and my uncle were really close, so his passing hit my dad really hard. So with all of this, at times I felt, for lack of a better word,...sad. It was hard for me to see that my Granddad couldn't recall my name, and it was tough to see my Poppa struggle to walk, and it was sad to see my father get choked up at the sight of my uncles picture, but with all of this, I saw something else too.

I saw how strong relationships could be. Now, I don't only mean romantic relationships, but the relationships between family, friends, neighbors, and with the things that we enjoy as well. I couldn't help but notice the relationships that were around me this holiday. While in Virginia, two of my grandparents neighbors stopped by to wish us a happy holiday, and I saw the bond that my grandparents shared with these people. They were so kind, and I was glad to know that they are surrounded by such kind and caring people.

Also, the relationship between my Grandmom and Granddad was infectious. He told us about the day he took my Grandmom to the mountains and proposed to her. He recalled how he told her that if she said yes, that he would never let her go, and how to this day he is keeping his promise. So, while he may not remember my name, it was so amazing to see how he could still remember the day he proposed to her. It was amazing to see that, to him, their love is unforgettable.

However, I think the biggest relationship I noticed was the bonds of family. I will look back on this Christmas and think about times I spent with my family. I will remember our long games of Apples to Apples, and being in the kitchen for hours cooking five different thing at the same time. I will also remember the time spent in the garage with 3 uncles, 1 aunt, 1 cousin, and my mom talking about kitty litter cake, poop art, and laughing so hard that I cried. I will think back on the late night kitchen talk with my brother and sister -in-law, about my grandmothers mixed drinks, the annual who's taller than who with my cousins, and many band impressions of Dorf on Golf and the movie O' Brother Where Art Thou.

I saw how important relationships can be in your life. All of these things, the good and the sad, made me see how the relationships we form can impact us, and how much they really mean. I was reminded this holiday how important my relationships are and how I should not take them for granted, and how I should treasure any time I can spend with my family and friends.