21 by 21

So I'm stealing this little idea from my sister over at jagged little life.  Her husband turned 25 last year, and she knows that in about a year and a half she will be hitting the same mile marker.   So she came up with a list of things she hopes to do before turning 25.

Well, I have a year (EXACTLY) before my next mile marker, and a big one at that...

In January of 2012 I will be 21 years old.

But, I still have a lot of life to live until I get there.

So I thought that a list of 21 things to do before I turn 21 would be appropriate...

1. Learn to play guitar.

My brother actually gave me his old one not last Christmas, but the one before,

and I told myself I would have time to teach myself this summer.

[I was wrong.]

So hopefully that I will find the time in the near future.

2. Develop a healthy lifestyle.

It's not just me, but I do need this more than some.

My sleeping schedule is...better but could use some work,

I eat irregular meals almost every day,

and I have a hard time finding time to work out.

This little problem brings us to...

3. Harness some time management skills.

I should be able to accomplish so much more in one day.

I just somehow find ways to waste time.

(enter Facebook, naps, and tv)

With some discipline, I can have my cake and eat it too.

4. Be on the road to graduating on time.

I am working my butt off to guarantee myself just 4 years of college.

I'm hoping the the maximum credit hour load each semester

doesn't kill me.

So far, I've survived,

and I've dropped my second major,
so life should be easier.

5. Do some mission work.

I went on a mission trip with church every year of high school.

We went to New Orleans, Mexico, 

and Pennsylvania (Mon Valley and Philadelphia).

I miss these trips so much.

My friend Sarah wants us to plan a
trip abroad to an orphanage.
I'm going to start researching
here real soon!

6. Introduce myself to what else is out there.

My dreams take me out of this town to...

well, I'm not quite sure yet.

I used to think it was San Francisco.
Now I've even thought of Cape Cod.
But I'm also learning that it's important to
follow opportunity, not just look
for a dream location.

7.  Steady my finances
While I don't have that much to take care of,
I know that in the future I will be on my own.
And right now, I suffer from impulsive purchases,
and am not very good at saving my paychecks.
It's a work in progress...

8. Pay attention to the world
News sites are not at the top of my reading list.
I can be so ignorant to what's going on in the world,
which sounds terrible coming from a journalism major.
I just want to be more aware.

9. Take an impromptu road trip
Sure it's something my friends and I
always joke about, but I'm serious.
I want to drive,
no map,
no agenda,
and just see what I encounter.

10. Become a cooking guru
I'm living in an apartment next year,
so I'll get to cook a lot more.
And I love watching Food Network.
It inspires me.

11.  Learn to drive a stick
My sister attempted a short lesson with me
last time I was in Vegas.
I swear I burnt up her clutch horribly.
I'm scared to try again,
but I really want to learn!

12. Expand my literary interests
Right now I just read whatever
pop-culture gurus tell me is good,
or what friends and family recommend, etc.
Right now I'm starting to revisit
the classics I disliked so much in school.

13. Take classes just because
Of course I am enjoying a lot of my required classes,
especially my design ones,
but there are some things I want to study
that aren't required for my degree.
Still, I plan on filling space in my schedule with some of these:
Astronomy, Personal Finance,
and Young Adult Literature.

14. Get my ears double-pierced
House rules were first ear piercing at 11,
and then no more until 18.
I just haven't gotten around
to my second set yet.

15. Sing karoake...in public?
Maybe.
It's something that always seemed fun.
But only with lots of ridiculous friends around.
We'll see...

16. Watch the Star Wars movies
Everyone looks at me in awe
when I say I haven't seen them.
I figure it's time to watch them.

17. Reconnect with old friends
Over the years, I haven't really necessarily
'lost' friends, but some really have
drifted away quite a bit.
I know it's nearly impossible
to stay close with everyone for always,
but I want to at least stay connected.

18. Create a portfolio website
I've been meaning to do this,
but haven't found the time.
And I'm super excited to come up with
a design and display my work
for future employers.

19. Go to King's Island
It is absolutely ridiculous
that I still have never been.

20. Jetski on the ocean
I've always wanted to drive a Jetski!

21. Learn how to live for me
I always take into consideration
how everything I do will affect others.
I rarely do things just for me.
Not that it isn't bad to think of others,
but sometimes, you just have to live for you.


So, yeah. I started running out of ideas at the end,
but this is my list nonetheless.

1 year,
21 items...

it's go time!

Let the good times roll

So I've noticed that whenever I am at school, I always just have sporadic catch-up posts. I spend my free internet-roaming time reading other blogs instead of writing mine. And that time is extremely limited. So as for the last 2 1/2 weeks of my life — here goes.

Everything is going so well right now (for the most part) that I keep looking for the pothole that shake me up. [Metaphorically, that is. Well, I guess literally, too. My car is pretty fragile.] Anyways, while I still battle some procrastination, I am actually handling my work load better than I ever have before. I think that's why I always like to keep and extremely full schedule; when there's less time to get stuff done, I'm better at making time for it. While 18 hours of school seemed like a lot last semester, this time I'm in 19 hours, plus 20 hours of my internship each week. But I'm faring well with it all and still upholding my 2 nights a week and the university paper. I'm only lacking in my AAF attendance, but I'm working on it.

Speaking of my internship, I just finished my second week and I'm feeling really good about it. I'm catching on fast and am hoping to pick up speed so I can give my full design potential. I'm working on getting comfortable and meeting everyone. Still, it never fails to amuse me that when I step on the elevator with Star Press employees that haven't met me, and they automatically hit the 3rd floor button thinking I'm an Ivy Tech student. Then after they ask, they are surprised, apologize, and introduce themselves. I guess it's a good way of meeting people. ;)

In other internship news, summer internships that is, nothing is developing on the LV Sun front. But, I did just hear that I may or may not have a 50/50 shot at a design internship with the Louisville Courier-Journal! Nothing is definite and the circumstances are strange — some of our professors have been shuffling some interns around and think I'm a good fit for Louisville — but hopefully I will hear soon about what's happening. It's a great internship and I would be lucky to get it! In the mean time, I'm applying to the LA Times and Cape Cod Times, for back up.

Well I think I've about exhausted this post, but here's a few random things I'll leave you with:
— Emilee, Kelsey, and I finally have a fourth roommate for our apartment next fall! It's one of our current suitemates, Kristin. :)
— I got a new parking spot today that is closer to my dorm so getting to my car to go to work will be less of a hassle. Very exciting.
— Some of my family is coming up tomorrow to take me out to eat for my birthday, which is on Monday!
— I am hoping to finish a 21 by 21 post for my birthday that I started, oh, probably last summer. I just think it's appropriate for my 20th birthday. :)
— Some friends and I are planning a mission trip to an orphanage in a foreign country to embark on in a few years.

And lastly...on my honor I will try to be a better blogger.

Snow, math, and syllabi

All kinds of randomness here today.

First, I woke up to a world of white,

and too much still coming down from the sky.

SO MUCH SNOW!

I don't like it.

And because of it, the start day

for my internship has been

pushed back until tomorrow.

Anyways, I got to thinking today

about how much I am putting

on myself this semester.

Let's do some math...

There are 168 hours in a week.

I have:

19.5 hours of class

20 hours of internship

12 hours of work at the Daily News

4 hours of AAF meetings

[every week]

So, 168 - 55.5 = 112.5 hours

If I average 6 hours of sleep

a night during the week,

and 10 hours on the weekend,

that is 50 hours.

112.5 - 50 = 62.5 hours

Take out 3 hours a day for meals,

and another 2 hours for

showers, getting ready, etc.,

and that adds up to 35 hours.

62.5 - 35 = 27.5 hours.

That's my homework time.

27.5 / 7 = approx. 4 hours a day.

...hopefully that's enough...

[but probably not]

All I know is have a quite a few

project-based classes

and extensive reading

and/or writing classes.

Plus I didn't factor in travel time

for my internship,

or meetings that pop up...

Bottom line:

This is going to be a tough semester.

On a lighter note,

today was Syllabus Day, part 2.

Got to love the beginning of the semester :)

Happy Syllabus Day(s)

First day of the new semester...

and I can't complain.

I think it's going to be a good 16 weeks.

As for the title of this post,

get up to date with your college slang.

The first days of class are always called

Syllabus Day,

because quite honestly,

all you do is go over the syllabus.

[And get out early!]

Coming up this week:

I start my internship tomorrow....

EEK!!!

I'm nervous and excited

all at the same time.

Then this weekend I'm heading home,

even though it's the first week back,

because my sister and nephew from

Vegas are flying in for a visit.

So, Pampered Chef Party

with my other sister,

some family bonding,

and celebrating December and January birthdays

on Sunday.

And then...

no classes on Monday!

[Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day]

I'll be sure to let you all know

how my first day at

The Star Press goes!

In honor of my parents

So it's my parents'

31st wedding anniversary

today!

So, I am being a good daughter

and cooking them dinner,

as well has doing the dishes

and taking the trash to the street.

On the menu:

Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers

from Rachael Ray

It's a recipe from her

"Guy Food" cookbook

that my mom has.

Sweet Potato Fries

[I heard my dad mention

them the other day.]

and Caesar Salad.

[From a bag, but still good!]

I told my mom I wanted to make dinner,

probably because I've been watching

way too much HGTV, Food Network,

and DIY Network during my days off.

But, more on that later...

bad genes want good jeans

So like I said,

no resolutions.

Just goals,

and improvements.

So...

HEALTH

I feel a battle with my genes every day.

Not sure I can blame them,

but that's partly it...

right?

No matter, 

I have my work cut out for me.

A few simple things

can take me a long way...

More of these:

And less of these:

]

Oh, and lots of:

...or maybe crunches 

on a homework break?

I'll work this out somehow.

Healthier me...GO.

All good things...

...must come to an end.

So they say.

Hopefully I can keep the good times rolling

with some balance in life when the new semester begins...

IN SIX DAYS!

Oy vey.

So as I mentioned in my last post,

New Years' resolutions and I

don't get along.

So instead, 

I'm just carrying over goals from the past,

and hoping for improvement

[this time around].

So my plan for

organization.

First, I got one of these nice

desk calendars for Christmas:

Hopefully I can get in the habit

of writing out everything on it.

That way, I can keep everything straight,

between work, classes, and...

everything.

[I just need to keep my desk clean enough

so that I can see it every day!]

Also, last semester, I ended up with

a huge mess of a notebook.

It functioned as a folder,

a notes system

and a doodle pad...

for every class.

I'm hoping to clean up my study act

with using the notebook for

NOTES ONLY,

plus doodles in the margin. ;)

As for the mountain of papers I had to

sift through whenever I need to

find something,

a binder or folders should do the trick.

Still, my biggest struggle,

is organizing my time.

Finding time for all my classes,

and homework,

and work,

and, oh yeah, SLEEP,

can be tough.

Hopefully by psyching myself up now,

I can pull through better this spring.

Here goes.

To New Beginnings

2011.

It's here.

Thank God.

I realized I have failed as a blogger.

I just can't seem to harness the discipline to keep it up when I am busy.

So no false pretenses this time,

no promises to post once a day,

but a hope to at least post within reasonable time.

But before the year to come,

some catch up on the end of the year of past...

Break has been the relaxing escape I needed,

with some work days mixed in.

But it isn't going to be long enough.

Only one week left.

Christmas was amazing.

Wonderful time with the family.

And we had a Skype gift session with the Vegas crew.

After the holiday, I pretty much tore through the Hunger Games trilogy like is was nothing. It was definitely one of the best series I've read.

I've also been trying to catch up on my TV shows,

but so far I haven't made much progress.

Oh well, I'll finish sometime.

And earlier this week,

I got to go see Wicked with my roommate.

I was such an amazing show!

And we found free parking by the theatre :)

My New Years was spent down at IU,

ringing it in with some good friends.

Also, I have put in my 2 weeks notice

at Old National, for I'm done next Friday.

And so ready to start my new internship!

Now, as everyone always does,

I am ready for a fresh start.

But as for resolutions,

they never seem to work out,

do they?

So I'm just resolving to be happy,

to improve in all aspects of life,

and just live for now, and for me.

Period.

So 2011,

welcome.