Lifetime Achievements TBA

Inspired by my cousin, Kerry, and her new blog Finding Your Healthy Haven.

I want to live my life and make a splash, not just be a spectator as it spins on its axis and makes waves as I sit on my couch.  My life of things I want to accomplish...

Complete an art project/ Rock climb outdoors/ Read a book instead of watching t.v./ Travel to Australia and learn to surf/ Be patient and wait for the love of my life/ Take a cooking class/ Buy front row tickets to my favorite concert/ Stick to a healthy routine/ Actively strive to be a better OT professional/ Send surprises through the mail to my niece and nephews/ Make a destination running race/ Workout for a 6-pack/ Host a cousins night at my home in Baltimore/ Go to the Sundance Film Festival/ Buy a nice camera and capture my life with a flash/ Camp out for a weekend music festival/ Bake a cheesecake/ Run a full marathon/ Go on a vacation with my roommates/ Buy a house/ Furnish my home with handmade or vintage pieces/ Live like Paris for a day with baguettes and jam, black and white films with subtitles/ Complete a Tough Mudder/ Be part of a flashmob/ Do a Random Act of Kindness at least once a month/ Give a generous amount of money to a homeless person without prejudice/ Send birthday cards and gifts on time/ Lie on my deck and watch the stars/ Learn to play the guitar/ Sing a duet with my brother on stage and sound good/ Love completely without expectation of love in return

... just to name a few.

Inspiration from the Internet

24 INTERLUDES OF LIFE

1
Don't go for looks, they can deceive. Don't go for wealth even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile.

2
There are moments in life when you really miss someone that you want to pick them up from your dreams and hug them. Hope you dream of that someone.

3
Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want in life.


4
May you have...
Enough happiness to make you sweet
Enough trials to make you strong
Enough sorrow to keep you human
Enough hope to make you happy
And enough money to buy gifts.

5
When one door of happiness closes, another opens. But we often took so long at the closed door, that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.

6
The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch, swing with, never saying a word and then walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you've had.

7
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

8
Always put yourself in other's shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably does hurt the person too.

9
A careless word may kindle a strife;
A cruel word may wreck a life
A timely word may level stress
A lovely word may heal and bless.

10
The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves and not to twist them with our own image, otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.

11
The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along the way.

12
Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we should know how to be grateful for that gift.

13
It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

14
Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched and those who have tried. For only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

15
Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, the romance and find out you still care for that person.

16
A sad thing about life is that when you meet someone who means a lot to you only to find out in the end that it was never bound to be and you just have to let go.

17
Love starts with a smile, develops with a kiss and ends with a tear.

18
Love comes to those who still hope even though they've been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed, need to love those who still love, even though they've been hurt before.

19
It hurts to love someone, and not to be loved in return but what is most painful is to love someone and never finds the courage to let the person know how you feel.

20
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

21
Never say goodbye when you still want to try;
Never give up when you still feel you can take it;
Never say you don't love that person anymore when you can't let go.

22
Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back. Don't expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their hearts but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

23
There are things you love to hear but you would never hear it from the person whom you would like to hear it from, but don't be deaf to hear it from the person who says it with his heart.

24
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life to the fullest so that when you die, you're smiling and everyone around you is crying.

All in How You See It...

Looking into your past is like re-reading a novel. The story doesn't change, but the perspective can.

Life is a Chapter Book

As my story is written, I didn't realize that this time in my life was only meant to be a chapter in the novel of page turning events.  To be honest, I think from the beginning I was skeptical that he would be a main character.  He definitely played an important role and I have done more adventurous and fun things with him by my side.  There was something very bittersweet about our mutual feeling that all we really are are friends.  On the one hand, it's a sad feeling that neither one of us could look at the other and feel more.  On the other, it gives me hope that there is something more in store for me; a relationship of friendship AND love.

And the story continues...

"People see what you do, but God sees why you do it."

40 Days

Lent can either be a rewarding challenge or agonizing disappointment (... except Sundays). It seems more practical than the impossible New Year's resolutions, tho. But for only 40 days of my life it has the potential to be a game changer. I am hoping one new challenge will turn into a habit. I am giving up giving in to temptation. And it's not just the 'giving up' but what will take its place. I hope to live each day with Honesty, Humility, and Sincerity.

Updating My Fairy Tale

I began the draft of this post weeks ago....

It is time I update my fairy tale with a modern twist. But in my mid 20s and in this world my generation has created, it seems that what I want and how I get it are opposing desires. What happened to the classic days of being romanced and swept off your feet? Maybe, I am an old soul. For one thing, I know he should be my best friend. Every other decision I make in my future will be impacted by who fate matches for me. I don't need the fairy tale that is picture book perfect. I want to write my own story.

.... Then, life happened and the pages began to write themselves.

02.20.12

Wrong Turns Lead to the Right Path

On Friday, I was rushing to get on the road from DC to the beach for a weekend celebration of Easter. I planned to grab lunch for the long drive and could not find food satisfying or convenient. So, I made turn after turn, going further out of my way and not finding anything. I drove in a big circle, only to come back to where I started, frustrated that I had to sit in traffic again while my stomach growled with hunger. Then I looked up and thought 'Ahh, I get it now.'

Mind you it was Easter... There was a crowd of people walking behind a man carrying a heavy cross.

I believe those wrong turns, or what I thought were detours, directed me exactly to where I needed to be. In God's time, opportunities are presented to us on purpose. All the little things in life that we don't plan for and throw us off our game, happen so that we can experience something better. So that we are in the right place at the right time although it does not feel that way when we have tunnel vision and only focus on what is going wrong. Live with your eyes wide open.

"When we stop looking for what we think we want,

we find what we never knew we needed."

Cherry Blossom

Credit Union Cherry Blossom

Ten Mile Run

It's finally here! My day started with a 5:15am alarm followed by a quick 9minute snooze fest, dreaming that it is too early to be functional. By the second alarm, I could not wait to get to the race. I layered on the running gear: spandex pants, breathable long sleeve shirt, shoes, watch, headband, and water belt. I think to myself, 'Damn I look official. Let's get this running party started!' 5:45 I am out the door for a quick jog to the metro and meet my fellow dedicated runners in the cold darkness anxiously waiting for the train to take us to our destination. I hop out at Bethesda to meet Kerry and Danny to drive the rest of the way. As I'm waiting, I take advantage of the nearest hotel's restroom to drop a necessary pre-race shadoobie, but not much success. Back outside, I watch the sun slowly rise between the buildings. Simply breathtaking; this moment of solitude and appreciating the symbolism of the sun awakening to brighten up the day is what life is about.

It's go time! Kerry and I decide to run the race together all the way to the end. I followed her lead as she weaved between the crowded path of people for the first 2 or so miles, with bursts of sprints into the openings. We kept a good fast pace and miles 3-6 seemed to fly by as we swapped storied about the most embarrassing college incidents. 7-8 were a bit tough for me because the cramp I was trying to ignore became more painful and made my gut swell. At the moment of a quick wince of doubt at mile 9, a stranger encouraged me, "9minutes. You can do anything for 9minutes." That kept me going. Kerry and I started our sprint earlier probably than we should have. Up a hill; people cheering; this race seemed like it was never ending. Then, just ahead, we spotted the finish line banner. Seeing that was like fireworks and we sprinted our hearts out, weaving once again. BAM! One of the best feelings in the world: accomplishment. I earned that finish.

Ever After...sure

Have you ever met that couple and asked, 'When did you know this was real?' And the man says, 'I knew the first moment I saw her that I was going to marry her.'

Really?!! I wish I had that intuition. I have this feeling that the man I am supposed to be with is not where I am. I guess this could mean a bunch of things. Is he in a different state? A different state of mind? Just in my mind? I love this journey that I am on, but sometimes I want to know what sights I am going to see along the way so I can at least stay awake for it.

I get criticized for thinking that falling in love is like a fairy tale romance. I get that I dream in a romantic-comedy inspired world. But aren't stories based on real life?

Pay It Forward

Do one good deed for another and watch as the kindness

trickles through the cracks of our heart

to fill it with satisfying joy.

The simplest things mean so much more when it is not anticipated. When you are happy, it can radiate to others around you. Today, I watched as the random acts of kindness shown to a stranger become a domino affect to those who directly receive it and those who witness it from a distance. An older woman held open the door for me. As I did the same for the boy behind me, he thanked me and walked down a different sidewalk. I strolled to my car across the parking lot and a man stopped his car to wave me along. Then, I drove my car slowly through a busy lot, motioned for a car to squeeze in line and she thanked me with a smile. And last but faithfully not least, a group of people passed in front of my car and just before the crosswalk cleared a little girl paused to wave enthusiastically at me for letting her pass safely. It warmed my heart. All this in five minutes. Imagine if you had a whole day or even a lifetime to pay it forward.

Life is Full of Lemons. What Will You Make of It?

I was watching a foreign movie on the Sundance Channel, called 'The Lemon Tree', and 5 minutes of a scene sparked a thought. Though subtitles scrolled across the bottom of the screen, they were not necessary to understand the characters and I didn't read them anyways. It's not like I chose this artistically, I was just lazy. But it was effortless to feel the simple human emotion and to see the uniqueness that perspectives portray. Two people look up at a lemon tree under the same shining light. One sees fruit, prosperity, and a livelihood while the other sees it blocking the view of the vast blue sky.

Such is the metaphor for life. Do you appreciate what you have now? OR... Do you look to the future and think that tomorrow always could be better than today? You and I will look at the same object, then paint it differently. You and I will listen to the same song, then sing it in a moment for a different meaning. You and I will meet the same person, then interpret that interaction as seen through our own eyes.

If this post provokes you to think, then its randomness has served its purpose. So, I will leave you with this question. When life gives you what you did not ask for, what will you make of it?

Awesome Music... Check It

I have been building a library of of music from random mixes and radio singles. I came across some fantastic musicians. Get ready because this is a long list of talent....

#1 Favorite... Grace Potter & the Nocturnals have been on repeat on my i-Pod all of this month. She is coming to DC at the 9:30 club March 12, 2011 and I cannot wait! (itunes album under $8... such a steal)


Caleb Lovely - He is a Pittsburgh native and that's how I heard of him. He uploads tons of videos onto youtube of originals and covers. Check out his very own 'Stay'.


Joshua Radin - Simple Love songs


Robert Randolph & the Family Band - 'Ain't Nothing Wrong with That'
This is the best song to run or work out to. It will get your heart racing with its first beats.


Beck - 'Girl'


Matt & Kim - 'Lessons Learned'


Asher Roth - 'Lion's Roar'


Jesse McCartney - I know. You're thinking, 'Wasn't he the teenage heart throb that rocked the Justin Bieber hair do before it was a national icon?' Yes and he grew up! Blast your speakers to 'Shake It' and 'Up' and my personal favorite 'Body Language'. You will be dancing around your house and sliding down the hall in your socks.

The Year of New

This new year is very symbolic of the start of the new chapter in my life. A lot of things have changed since my last, long ago, passage. There hasn't been notable, rather enough positive change in my life to write about it before today. But before I go on, let's be honest. Who really reads this but my sister? So, Bridg this is how you can stay connected to me and my living single escapades.

I am 23 and this year is all about me. This is my new motto for 2011.
"Always do what you are afraid to do." ~Emerson

I will not hold back. Odds are situations are not nearly as difficult or scary as I imagine them to be. And this motto went into full affect around 1am new year's day (Day #1). I finally built up enough courage (booze helped) to talk to the most handsome guy at the party, a friend throughout college, and to do what I have been wanting to do for 4 years. When I clued him in on my intentions, he said "You should have said something sooner." The party doesn't always have to end for Cinderella when the clock strikes 12 and I got my kiss. I probably will never see him again, but that's kinda the point. Do something in the moment without fear or expectation. I will not write a number of resolutions that I most likely will not cross off of the list. Instead, I am changing my attitude and perspective on how I approach situations. I choose to live in the present moment and enjoy today with my family and friends.

Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

You get to a point when you are too cool for cutesy costumes, too old to trick or treat, too young to stay inside and hand out candy.
What do you do?

Get Creative

Make a Fool of Yourself
Stay in Character
Firecracker.... KABOOM!




(for those who still need an explanation: cracker on fire = firecracker... get it?!)

Faith Tested

Patience is my cousin, who three years blogged about her first born, Issac's complications during delivery and in his short life that lasted 24 weeks. Her passage is worth reading. Although not everyone goes through the same tragedies, those with faith can relate to the trying times of believing and living in their faith.

http://leinolife.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/he-saw-me/#comment-911

She writes so beautifully. She is humble and honest with her struggles and revelations with the Lord. Like all of her readers for this particular blog, I am wiping away the tears from my eyes. I am crying for the darkness that she and her husband fight often, followed by tears of joy when she realizes the Jesus is with her and loves her. I am also crying because I frequently feel that lost and doubt about my relationship with the Lord. But today, her words gave me a gift and reminded me "He did not judge or condemn my weakness but rather met me in it. He saw me as I was and loved me in the midst of it" (because I could not have said it better myself).

Sister Love

I read on facebook: This is I LOVE MY SISTER week.

Do we really need a designated week to tell our sister how much we love her?

If you have a sister who has made you laugh, wiped your tears, hugged you tight, watched you succeed, saw you fail, cheered you on and kept you strong (or something along these lines), tell her today. Sisters are a promise that we will have a friend forever...

I love you, Bridget and Kirby.

Letter to Me @ 16

It’s me. Well, it’s you at 22. I have learned so much about you in these six years. Right now, you may not feel comfortable about the person you are. I am still getting to know you and appreciating even more the person you are at 16. I realize that self-discovery is a life long journey. Not knowing the future can be scary and stressful, yet you have no idea of this at your tender naïve age. If you knew then what I know now, life would still be unpredictable. When you are reading this you have no clue of how amazing this world is. All you think you know in your inexperienced 16 year-old mind is a second in time compared to what you realize this life is about. Life is about the people and the relationships you develop. You will struggle with keeping in touch with friends. You tend to be out of sight, out of mind. Remember the wonderful feeling of a friend calling you on an ordinary day just to check in and say they are thinking of you. As I write this, I am reminded of a list of people to call.

You have a blissful absentmindedness about negativity in this world. You don’t like drama and therefore your life is simple and enjoyable. The stress comes in your head and sometimes you can be your own worst enemy. You have so many wonderful qualities that you haven’t learned to be thankful for yet. Your smile is inviting. You love to laugh and have mom’s sarcasm. It can be jaw dropping how similar you two become. She is your best friend. You are sweet. You are interested in what people have to say and think that every word is important. You would like to believe the words that people say are honest. However, you sometimes doubt compliments and think people are feeding you a spoonful of horseshit. Accept them as truths; you deserve these kind words. Give them back. I challenge you to be the first to give someone the gift of a compliment. You love for others to be happy and feel beautiful because you want that for yourself.

You are beautiful. Don’t sell yourself short on your beauty; embrace it with humility. Part of your appeal and what attracts other people to you is that you are comfortable in your skin. This wasn’t the case at 16. You always compared yourself to other girls. You convinced yourself that they were more gorgeous. You were self-conscious about your stomach and the imaginary rolls that appeared over your jeans when you sat. You didn’t have them then, but you have them now. And you feel strangely comfortable in your non-perfect body.

Warning, don’t let yourself go and think that eating while watching tv all day will somehow keep your muscles toned. I tried it and this is not the case. On a side note, stop watching television. There is too much life to be lived by you. You waste the chance as you sit on your lazy ars. Like everything in life you have to work at it. You have an adventurous spirit that you are beginning to tap into. You love the outdoors, but you rarely took the opportunities to do fun, out of the ordinary things. You have to make the plans, include friends and introduce them to the excitement of life.

So a few lessons you will learn...
1. People come into your life for a reason. Enjoy their presence and learn from their absence.
2. Life is sweeter than you can ever imagine. God has a greater plan for you and most we haven't lived yet.
3. Your family is the back bone to who you are. Everyone of us will have our moments of hard times, and we will rally next to each other and love one another more.
4. You will truly believe that God loves you and it is the most rewarding Love. Accepting that you deserve love, allows you to drop the weight of expectations off your shoulders.


Joey, thanks for the idea. Here are some memorable quotes from the beautiful women who wrote letters to their 16 year-old selves...

JOEY: "But what's always true in life is that all the grace and the wisdom we need to get through something, we don't have until it's over. And the reason we don't have it until afterward is because it's the process itself that grows us up into it."

ALISHA: "Don't let your life and your actions ever be in reaction to something else. Don't be afraid of being "normal" because you crave the attention of being exceptional. I'm not saying don't be exceptional, I'm saying don't crave needing to be recognized for it."

BRIDGET: "Stop stressing about the future because no matter what you envision as your future it will not turn out how you imagined, but more than you could ever ask for."

18 year-old BLOGGER: "When the time comes to meet the man of your dreams, it will happen in the most random place. You have way more to give than you realize. But you can’t meet him until you love yourself. Take your time doing this."

Summer Travels

The summer started off slowly and with a break-up and a failed test. My solution to avoid depression is surrounding myself with family, friends, and beautiful places. I've been fortunate to travel to visit the people I love. I went back to the Pittsburgh region for two of my dear friends' weddings. These two events were my first "friend" weddings and they were so much fun. Gia's was a combination of Italian and Cuban traditions with lots of salsa dancing! You'd never believe that stereotypes an Italian family as portrayed in the movies could be true until you are in a room full of them and you're Irish. Megan's was sponsored and decorated by Vera Bradley. It was elegant and long fun hours of dancing that carried over to the hotel's bar. Both brides looked gorgeous and beaming with happiness.
After all this excitement from weddings, finally it was Ryan's turn. He and Kirby were to tie the knot in Montana, where they now live and where they first met. This is very special to me because 1. Ryan is my big brother and I look up to him in every sense of the word 2. I was living with Ryan and Kirby when he bought the ring and proposed 3. Kirby has become a best friend. She is a laugh, a hug, listens to me vent, offers great advice, and has as much trouble with word find as me 4. I get to be a bridesmaid and have the best view to watch the couple commit their lives to each other.

My favorite part of the ceremony was watching my brother say his vows to his wife. As he held her hands and looked into her eyes, he spoke calmly and sincerely. He believed every word he was saying with tearful eyes as if he was looking into her soul and pouring all of his love into it. He may not have been crying, but I was at that moment and throughout the entire ceremony. It was so personal and unique to Ryan and Kirby, that I felt an extreme amount of humbleness to be a witness to their love and commitment to each other. Another elegant touch was when Kirby walked down the staircase to meet her father. It was a wonderful night in a fun atmosphere, with great people, live music, and delicious food.

This weekend is my cousin Drew's wedding in Vancouver, Canada. It will be a first for me to need my passport to attend a wedding. Then, I will be back in DC for my cousin Kerry's wedding, in which I am a bridesmaid.

The best part of traveling is enjoying the unexpected, cherishing the little things, and making the most of the destination. Instead of flying home from Montana, my parents, Hunter, and I drove back. Our road trip took us through Yellow Stone park, the Grand Tetons, Steamboat Springs, CO and Iowa. I stayed for a few days in Iowa with the Covills. I didn't make the most of my time with Bridget and unfortunately, I left on a sour note. My Aunt Molly got me a buddy pass to fly home earlier than I planned. On my second flight, I got bumped up to business class. The perks: pre-flight drink, personal tv, reclining chair, snacks, endless flow of white wine, and a personal bottle to take with me. I have to say it was a pleasantly unexpected way to fly home.

Yellow Stone Park
Choco waiting for Old Faithful
Grand Tetons
Waterfall at the Tetons

Crisis at 22.. not really though

I thought a mid-life crisis happens when you turn 50 or so. Nope. I guess it can happen anytime you go through a big change in life and you don't know if you're playing your cards right. It's like 52 card pick-up. Everything is scattered around me and I don't know what to deal with first. I graduated and have been done college for a while now it seems. I've been enjoying my summer at the beach, cool evening runs, cooking meals with fresh picked ingredients, reuniting with friends, and enjoying family. But my see what the day brings attitude makes me feel pathetic. I realize I need structure in my life; a day planned with goals to be accomplished. So what now? How do I take charge of my life and make things happen? It could be simple, but I dread making the decisions on my own, which again is pathetic. I don't like the way I am passively living my life now. I am young and should be enjoying the freedom I've been granted. I need to be my own person and embrace this part of my life. I want to have fun!

Things I want to do this year.....
get a job (OT with temporary license, possibly?)
pass my OTR exam
run a half marathon
rock climb
get back to my pre-college weight
save money
buy a camera and not lose it
rent a house or apt

One year from today, I will have checked off everything thing on this list. This is my promise. The only thing in my way is ME.