A compliment a day goes a long way.

Every so often I like to give my friends a compliment.  Not your typical "You are funny" compliment.  These compliments are odd.  They are way out there.  One thing for sure though is they get a laugh, and despite being odd, they tend to make people's day.  So pick one from the list below or make up your own and send it to a friend.  Cause despite being odd it will make someone's day, guaranteed. 

A little bit of wisdom.

There are so many things I can say to inspire you.  So many words I can speak to tell you what you want to hear.  But lets be honest, I am only a woman.  You won't listen to me.  So instead I will let these great minds, these very influential people, give you inspiration.

Mi familia.

There is one thing in the world that we cannot choose.  One thing that is truly ruled by fate: family.  Everyone has one.  You may love them or you may hate them.  You may see them everyday or they may no longer be with you.  But the one thing everyone shares is that at some point or another they had a family.  Now my family is not perfect.  We are loud, we fight, we are crazy, and extremely dysfunctional.  But on rare occasions you can see us all together laughing and having a good time, and it's actually genuine.  I might not talk to my family everyday and I might not always express how I feel, but one thing is for sure, I love them with all my heart, even my brother and my sister.  I did not choose them but I can honestly say that I would not change them for the world.  I may not always agree with what they say, but they give the best advice and are always there for me.  So I guess what I'm saying is that if you still have family around tell them you love them.  If you do not talk to them, just give them a call.  Family is the one thing that will never leave you.  You may fight, you may fight to great extremes, but they are your flesh and blood.  They love you even if they do not say anything.  So never ignore or put your family on the back burner.  Also remember that one day you will have a family of your own.  So love them with your heart, but also make sure you give them some space.  Your a child right now, so remember if/when you have your own children treat them how you want your parents to treat you.  But like I have said time and time again, love your family.  They are the only thing that will never leave you, even if it seems like they have.  I'm telling you a phone call will let them know how you feel about them and make their day.

My family.  They may be a little embarrassing, but I love them just the same.

Photo taken by Jane Hasty Photography.

Here is a link to other photos of my family!  http://www.janehastyphotography.com/?p=7899

More for me and less for you.

So I haven't written for about four days now.  I figured I should start again mainly because writing helps me get things out.  It helps me get my feelings and emotions out.  Every post I write is somehow related back to me and my daily experiences.  While you might not know it, each post is personal.  I throw myself into my blog.  It is the only way I can truly express myself.  It is hard for me to be my full self around people.  It is hard for me to trust.  I am shy and timid.  I do not like to speak in public.  I read books.  I like to go to Bingo on Sundays with my mom.  I try to be creative.  Emphasis on the try.  Some of the things I have done were just straight up train wrecks.  My six year old niece is better at arts and crafts then I am.  But the one most important thing about me is that I do not give up.  If I hurt, I smile.  If I want to cry, I hold it in and laugh.  It is hard for me to let others in for I fear that one day they will leave.  While some people have showed me that they are here to stay, I have had more people then I thought leave me.  Everyone tells me that I am just a fun-loving, happy, vibrant person.  While that is true, there is a lot that people do not know.  Simply because I chose to not show it.  Some people know the real me.  The whole me.  But in order for that to happen one must prove they are there to stay.  So I guess what I am saying is that while I appear one way, there is another side that you have yet to meet.  My question to you is, are you willing to get to know me or will you just be like the others and leave?  The choice is yours.  Choose wisely.

Why can't we have nice things?

So if you go to Marquette you know that the apartments and houses there are okay.  They are 'livable'.  I use that word very loosely.  The only nice place to live is the 2040's.  So I singed my lease for one of the nicer apartments.  Not the 2040's because those are crazy expensive, but one of the other few nice apartments.  Pretty livable I would say.  Well anyways, I came to Chicago today for the weekend.  I am spending it with my friends from high school.  They go to DePaul University in Chicago.  Well DePaul has way more livable quarters then Marquette.  These apartments they live in are even run by the school, not just associated with it.  I walked in and literally said "Wow rich people must live here."  It was that nice.

Can you spot Sean?

The best lesson ever taught.

A professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.' One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'  

This is by far the best thing I have ever read.  I thought I would share it with you.  

One year ago.

If someone would have asked me a year ago where I thought I would be, this is not it.  I would have said I would be in the Speech Pathology program, have a great group of friends, a steady relationship, some sort of job, and a car.  Well surprisingly, none of that is true.  I dropped my major, lost friends, am as single as a Pringle, jobless, and I currently ride a bike with a flat tire.  The thing is, while my life sounds super depressing, it isn't.  I figured out that my major was not suited for me and am now on my way to putting criminals in jail.  So if you plan on getting arrested stay out of Milwaukee, otherwise I will arrest your ass.  I lost many friends, but I made so many new ones.  I would not change that for the world.  While being single is not ideal, I have started focusing on my health and started getting into shape.  I am really happy for this new me. The job?  HAHA GOOD JOKE! Hopefully, fingers crossed, I will get my first steady job this summer.  Finally my whole car situation.  Yeah I am not getting a car anytime soon.  While the bike is not ideal right now, once that tire gets pumped up I will be unstoppable in the city.  So yeah, my life is not what I thought it would be, but I would never change it for the world.  I am surrounded by amazing people and am on the way to my dream job.  Oh that reminds me, if anyone has a bicycle pump, I would love to borrow it.  It is the only thing stopping me from getting where I want to be in life, literally.  So if you ever think your life is not what you thought it would be, do not look at it like it is a bad thing.  You are exactly where you need to be in life.

One year ago.

Just last week.