In the attempt to get myself together and be a real adult this year, I've been trying to put together a binder of things I should keep track of. Among these things are posts for this blog, shopping lists (because if I'm going to move out of my parents' house, I need to get on top of my own spending), and travel.
My sister, Courtney, and I were talking a couple of weeks ago about how big of a year this is going to be. With her getting married in June (yaaay!) and moving to Oklahoma, there will obviously be a trip for me this year. She and I were both hoping to have me visit her before the two of them come back up to Connecticut for the wedding, but after she heads down there in a little over two weeks.
In addition to the trip (or two) to Oklahoma this year, I wanted to go on an actual vacation if it was at all possible. Although the window for vacation time seems to be dwindling with the upcoming move and inevitable job switch, a few friends of mine and I were thinking of going up to Michigan to go camping, more specifically, Cheboygan. Unfortunately, with switching jobs, I would lose any vacation time I had, so this particular trip may be set to a more local area, such as Rhode Island... But either way, it will be nice to do something other than work for the entirety of the summer.
My bestbian (yes, bestbian) lives in Virginia, and is moving into her own apartment this year! I am so excited for her and I really hope the move goes well (especially so we may be reunited and have slumber parties in her big girl apartment!)
Oh! I almost completely forgot! (See? This is why I need this organized binder!) I am going to New York this year. I know it's only two or three hours from where I am, but this year, I have promised myself that this is the year that I finally make it to IMATS. For those of you who don't know what IMATS is, it's the International Makeup Artists Trade Show. I had planned to go last year but the strangling feeling my bank account gave me made me stay home, but not this year! I don't care if I can't buy anything, I just really want to go this time.
And lastly, for now, Zombie March 2013! Boston is only a few hours from me now, but this is one of the best events I do all year. This year will be the fourth year in a row that I will be heading to Boston to be part of the horde, but this time is a little different because Tom and I are going as survivors for the first time. I wish I had a clear picture to show you of our super awesome survivor duo outfits, but the pieces haven't all come together yet, so it will just have to be a surprise. This year's event is especially exciting in another way for me, that reason being we have a huge number of people we know going this year. The last few years we went with two other people we know, but this year the count (including the two of us) seems to be more like eight or nine people!
Those are my (current) plans for the year, and I am sort of hoping I can find more little things to do and go to this year. Do you have any travel plans for this year?
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Etsy and RAOK #4
As part of my Random Acts of Kindness quest, I wanted to give someone some sort of art/craft through their mailbox. This one will take more than a week to do, but it will be well worth it. Hannah and I have been talking about opening an Etsy shop for a while now, but last night, we finally got down to work, gathered up everything we had done so far and posted a few things to our shop page.
I know we aren't the best artists in the world, but I figure someone may like that about us. Please, check out the shop, and I will explain more about this Act of Kindness when it develops more thoroughly. Stay tuned =)
I know we aren't the best artists in the world, but I figure someone may like that about us. Please, check out the shop, and I will explain more about this Act of Kindness when it develops more thoroughly. Stay tuned =)
When I Feel Like a Real Person...
I dress like this!
Last Sunday, I won't lie, was one of those days where you wake up feeling like junk, but then everything just seemed to work out well. And besides the dirty towel on the floor behind me, almost all of my clothes were clean and I dressed like a real human =) Good days are so nice, aren't they?
RAOK Week #3
This is the random act of kindness that I wanted to post last Sunday (1/20/13) but my laptop charger was am hour away. I wanted to share a comic strip with you. I chose a Calvin and Hobbes one, and even though I never really read a lot of them as a kid, I've been reading them more often and even found a few of the collection books at Savers when I went before Christmas.
The one I chose, the final comic in the series, holds a lot of meaning for me, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
The one I chose, the final comic in the series, holds a lot of meaning for me, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Postponing
Unfortunately, today's post and the post I had planned for this upcoming Wednesday have to be postponed until next Sunday (1/27) because I left my laptop charger at a house about an hour away and can't get it back until Friday night. However, I plan to post 3 entries (this week RAOK,the Wednesday blog, and then the regularly scheduled post for next Sunday) over the course of the weekend. Hang in there, we all know I'm not the most organized, hence the new calendar I made today..I will be back this weekend for further updating, have a great week!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
RAOK Week 2
This week's Random Act of Kindness was #4: Donate clothes/toys.
For the past couple of weeks, my mind has been basically eating itself from the crazies and I've been trying to just make everything in my 10X10 room disappear. I have a lot of things sitting in boxes, waiting to be moved out ASAP, and the other 80% of my room is just hanging space for everything else. It's a huge mess. So I gathered up a bunch of clothes I almost never wear, some shoes, and a couple little stuffed animals and stuffed them into a bag to donate.
For the past couple of weeks, my mind has been basically eating itself from the crazies and I've been trying to just make everything in my 10X10 room disappear. I have a lot of things sitting in boxes, waiting to be moved out ASAP, and the other 80% of my room is just hanging space for everything else. It's a huge mess. So I gathered up a bunch of clothes I almost never wear, some shoes, and a couple little stuffed animals and stuffed them into a bag to donate.
And I was off to Savers.
It felt good to get that little load out of the way of everything else. Hopefully someone wants my old junk, but like they say, my trash is someone else's treasure. Maybe someone really just needs that blue sweater...
More blogs to follow, I have a lot of ideas today!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Weight Watching
If you've ever tried to be on a diet, I'm sure it's no surprise to you when I say: Dieting. Sucks.
Lucky for me, I'm not on a real diet. Nothing fancy at least. One of my goals for this year was to eat better than I had last year, and so far, even though we are only ten days in, it hasn't been too bad. However, today, I couldn't handle it anymore. I had a bacon double cheeseburger and a hot fudge sundae AND pretzel m&ms.
I don't feel guilty for what I did, like some people on diets do, but now I know I have to work all of that back off =P so that's my own fault. I hate diets, I don't feel they're realistic, especially considering I'am always hungry and nothing short of a miniature Thanksgiving dinner can quell the hunger. But I'm sure that's just me (not).
Either way, that's a small update on how one of the many goals is coming along. Be back Sunday for my RAOK for the week. (Speaking of which, I need to actually pick one off the list x_x)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
RAOK Week 1
Okay, so this is just the start of the project, and I can honestly say that getting started was the hardest part.
I had been thinking about it since Thursday and going over my list of things to do and it was really hard for me to pick one and just commit to it and get it done. That being said, I finally just grabbed what I needed and went with it.
I started off with #5 on the list: Leave an old book of yours with a note in it for someone to find.
I grabbed an old book that I haven't read since I was in 5th or 6th grade, but for one reason or another held on to.
And went down to the local library where there is a bench under a roof (in case the weather gets nasty) and left it on the bench.
I had been thinking about it since Thursday and going over my list of things to do and it was really hard for me to pick one and just commit to it and get it done. That being said, I finally just grabbed what I needed and went with it.
I started off with #5 on the list: Leave an old book of yours with a note in it for someone to find.
Wrote a short little note to go along with it...
And went down to the local library where there is a bench under a roof (in case the weather gets nasty) and left it on the bench.
After I kicked myself into getting the metaphorical ball rolling, it was really simple, and I'm kind of proud of myself for actually starting it on time (especially if you know how great I am at putting things off).
Thursday, January 3, 2013
52 Random Acts of Kindess
These are the Acts of Kindness (in no particular order) that I mentioned in the previous post:
1. Leave change at a vending machine.
2. Send flowers to someone.
3. Pay for the person behind you in the drive thru.
4. Donate clothes/toys.
5. Leave an old book of yours with a note in it for someone to find.
6. Pay for someone eating alone in a restaurant.
7. Give a cashier a small gift/note.
8. Leave a cheerful note for someone to find.
9. Give someone homemade art.
10. Give a random gift to someone through their mailbox.
11. Leave chocolate for a coworker.
12. Give a note with ($5,$10,$20) in it to a stranger.
13. Give a lollipop to a child.
14. Leave the mailman a letter.
15. Push all the stray shopping carts into the designated area(s).
16. Give a lottery ticket to a stranger.
17. Surprise someone with a vacation.
18. Leave small gifts for coworkers when spring comes.
19. Leave an item placed where it could be used (i.e. umbrella near a door when it's raining)
20. Send an anonymous 'thinking of you' card.
21. Make a CD for someone.
22. Share a comic strip.
23. Leave a note of praise with the manager of a helpful employee.
24. Drop coins on the playground for kids to find.
25. Give someone a bottle of wine if you think they need it.
26. Donate to a charity jar in a restaurant or outside of a store.
27. Plant a tree.
28. Leave a nice note on someone's computer screen.
29. Babysit for free.
30. Give blood.
31. Leave a big tip.
32. Adopt an animal.
33. Leave coupons near their items in the store.
34. Donate to a food bank.
35. Send an edible arrangement.
36. Leave a cheerful note on someone's car.
37. Give someone random a balloon.
38. Send the principal of a school flowers.
39. Give a child a sheet of stickers.
40. Buy food for a homeless person.
41. Send a note to a former teacher.
42. Leave $5/$10 at a gas pump.
43. Leave a gift with a note for librarians.
44. Hide Easter eggs with prizes in them.
45. Hide dollars with notes in the toy section of the dollar store.
46. Leave a gift card in a book at the library.
47. Make someone dinner.
48. Make a treat for coworkers.
49. Leave a box of sidewalk chalk on the blacktop at a school.
50. Leave a positive message on a sticky note on the bathroom mirror in a public place.
51. Donate an animal or to a cause such as http://www.worldvision.org/.
52. Find a penpal.
1. Leave change at a vending machine.
2. Send flowers to someone.
3. Pay for the person behind you in the drive thru.
4. Donate clothes/toys.
5. Leave an old book of yours with a note in it for someone to find.
6. Pay for someone eating alone in a restaurant.
7. Give a cashier a small gift/note.
8. Leave a cheerful note for someone to find.
9. Give someone homemade art.
10. Give a random gift to someone through their mailbox.
11. Leave chocolate for a coworker.
12. Give a note with ($5,$10,$20) in it to a stranger.
13. Give a lollipop to a child.
14. Leave the mailman a letter.
15. Push all the stray shopping carts into the designated area(s).
16. Give a lottery ticket to a stranger.
17. Surprise someone with a vacation.
18. Leave small gifts for coworkers when spring comes.
19. Leave an item placed where it could be used (i.e. umbrella near a door when it's raining)
20. Send an anonymous 'thinking of you' card.
21. Make a CD for someone.
22. Share a comic strip.
23. Leave a note of praise with the manager of a helpful employee.
24. Drop coins on the playground for kids to find.
25. Give someone a bottle of wine if you think they need it.
26. Donate to a charity jar in a restaurant or outside of a store.
27. Plant a tree.
28. Leave a nice note on someone's computer screen.
29. Babysit for free.
30. Give blood.
31. Leave a big tip.
32. Adopt an animal.
33. Leave coupons near their items in the store.
34. Donate to a food bank.
35. Send an edible arrangement.
36. Leave a cheerful note on someone's car.
37. Give someone random a balloon.
38. Send the principal of a school flowers.
39. Give a child a sheet of stickers.
40. Buy food for a homeless person.
41. Send a note to a former teacher.
42. Leave $5/$10 at a gas pump.
43. Leave a gift with a note for librarians.
44. Hide Easter eggs with prizes in them.
45. Hide dollars with notes in the toy section of the dollar store.
46. Leave a gift card in a book at the library.
47. Make someone dinner.
48. Make a treat for coworkers.
49. Leave a box of sidewalk chalk on the blacktop at a school.
50. Leave a positive message on a sticky note on the bathroom mirror in a public place.
51. Donate an animal or to a cause such as http://www.worldvision.org/.
52. Find a penpal.
This Is Just The Beginning
Alright, so as promised, I have come up with a list of goals (no, not resolutions, goals) and a whole project that I want to get started. So, here are all of the ideas I have been thinking about for the last week.
Goals for 2013
- Keep better track of money (possibly save some..)
- Get organized
- Get in (better) shape
- Manage my time more wisely
- Eat as well as I can
- Go back to school
- Keep a jar of good things (this will be explained)
- Move out (also to be explained)
- Be positive
- Take a REAL vacation
- Keep my room clean
- Read more
Okay, so to explain the "Jar of Good Things" - I was one Tumblr, or Pinterest, or something... and I saw an idea to keep a Jar of Good Things that happen during the next year. You start off with any container, really, but they said a mason jar. When good things happen, no matter how big or small, write it down on a piece of paper and stuff it into the jar. Next New Years Eve, open the jar and read all of the great things that have happened over the past year.
I decided to start doing this to help out one of the other goals - Stay Positive. I know I'm usually the first one to complain about just about everything, so I want to start being more positive and keep myself from being such a pain in the ass all the time. Argue all you want, I know my bad habits... But, It's only been three days, so we will see how this goes. =)
To also be explained, moving out! It's been the topic of many, many, many conversations over the past few years, but I think this is the year that I finally move out of my parents' house and into a place of my own (at least mostly my own). I'm turning 22 this year and I have been dying to leave since before I turned 18, so I am hoping (and praying) that I can get out of here and into a new place and try to, essentially, 'start over'. Although I will be living with and near people I know, it will only be a handful of people and I will be getting a whole new job with new people. Really, that sounds both terrifying and fantastic at the same time right now. Either way, I know it will be the best option for me, and I can't wait to get all of this started.
And now, for the project that I'm starting. I had only heard of this last summer (2012) when a mother of one of the children in the preschool class I taught did it for the month of her birthday. The Random Acts of Kindness project, I've found, is generally done during the month of someone's birthday and that person does one random act of kindness a day for the whole month. I, being lazy and knowing I couldn't keep up with it, decided that I would do the project, but with one act of kindness every week for the year. I know, out of seven days in the week, one of them can be the host of the project tasks. I feel like I'm going to shoot for Sundays, since it's already almost Friday and the first week of the new year is almost over, I had three options (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday). I listed out the random acts I plan to do, but I feel like I will make a separate post for it so that I can edit it as I go along and not mess this one up.
Happy New Year!
Goals for 2013
- Keep better track of money (possibly save some..)
- Get organized
- Get in (better) shape
- Manage my time more wisely
- Eat as well as I can
- Go back to school
- Keep a jar of good things (this will be explained)
- Move out (also to be explained)
- Be positive
- Take a REAL vacation
- Keep my room clean
- Read more
Okay, so to explain the "Jar of Good Things" - I was one Tumblr, or Pinterest, or something... and I saw an idea to keep a Jar of Good Things that happen during the next year. You start off with any container, really, but they said a mason jar. When good things happen, no matter how big or small, write it down on a piece of paper and stuff it into the jar. Next New Years Eve, open the jar and read all of the great things that have happened over the past year.
I decided to start doing this to help out one of the other goals - Stay Positive. I know I'm usually the first one to complain about just about everything, so I want to start being more positive and keep myself from being such a pain in the ass all the time. Argue all you want, I know my bad habits... But, It's only been three days, so we will see how this goes. =)
To also be explained, moving out! It's been the topic of many, many, many conversations over the past few years, but I think this is the year that I finally move out of my parents' house and into a place of my own (at least mostly my own). I'm turning 22 this year and I have been dying to leave since before I turned 18, so I am hoping (and praying) that I can get out of here and into a new place and try to, essentially, 'start over'. Although I will be living with and near people I know, it will only be a handful of people and I will be getting a whole new job with new people. Really, that sounds both terrifying and fantastic at the same time right now. Either way, I know it will be the best option for me, and I can't wait to get all of this started.
And now, for the project that I'm starting. I had only heard of this last summer (2012) when a mother of one of the children in the preschool class I taught did it for the month of her birthday. The Random Acts of Kindness project, I've found, is generally done during the month of someone's birthday and that person does one random act of kindness a day for the whole month. I, being lazy and knowing I couldn't keep up with it, decided that I would do the project, but with one act of kindness every week for the year. I know, out of seven days in the week, one of them can be the host of the project tasks. I feel like I'm going to shoot for Sundays, since it's already almost Friday and the first week of the new year is almost over, I had three options (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday). I listed out the random acts I plan to do, but I feel like I will make a separate post for it so that I can edit it as I go along and not mess this one up.
Happy New Year!
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