Day 16: A Difficulty I'm Facing

Note: I'm temporarily skipping Day 15 in the Blog Every Day in May challenge, since I don't have any pictures available of what a typical "Day in the Life" looks like. I'll probably get back to it later. 

All things considered, I’ve led a pretty pampered life. No, I didn’t have fancy new clothes (or even many brand new clothes) when I was growing up, I’ve never being given trips abroad or large sums of money, I’ve never had everything I wanted at any given time.

But I mean, apart from all that stuff…

I’ve always known I was loved.

I’ve always known I have it within me to do pretty much anything I want, so long as I put my mind to it.

I’ve always known that if/when I needed something, my family is right there to support me however they can.

So really, what’s difficult about that? Well, nothing, really. The “difficulty” in this post is not something for which anyone else is responsible. It’s a difficulty of my own doing, through my own laziness and lack of internal motivation.

I do not have a college degree. 

Wait, no, that’s a lie… I have an Associate’s degree. Which in some circles, is great. In no way do I mean to say that people who have an Associate’s aren’t as good as people who have a Bachelor’s degree, or that they didn’t work just as hard (maybe even harder) for their two-year degree than a lot of people do who have completed a four-year degree in a traditional setting.

But for me, only having an Associate’s is not enough. So now I am in a position where I do not have the degree I want (and need) for the career I’d like. I’m almost thirty, and I’m faced with having to complete at least another two years of school just to finish a Bachelor’s, not to mention the additional two to four years it could take to complete a Master’s.

This concept is difficult for me. The reality of trying to figure out how I’m going to overcome this obstacle is difficult. Sometimes I wish that I had completed my Bachelor’s degree at my original college in Chicago, because even though it wasn’t the degree I wanted, at least it would be done, and I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in now.

But oh well… I’m here, and this is what I’ve got, and I have to deal with it. So in my attempts to deal with it, I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what makes me tick, as it were…what kinds of occupations would be the most fulfilling and mentally stimulating for me. I have learned a lot about myself in this endeavor, which has been great. Forced self-reflection has a tendency to be an effective teacher.

And apart from that, I’m researching schools. I’m putting together degree plans in my head. I’m talking to schools about what classes that I’ve already taken will transfer, about the possibility of testing out of classes so I can avoid wasting time and money on things I already know.

Since my life is a little crazy at the moment, I’m not in a position where I can really bite the bullet and start a program right now. I need to wait until I figure out where I’m going to be, and for how long, etc. before I can really put too much more effort into anything.

But once I figure out that stuff, and the time comes for me to make a decision and get started……I will be ready. 

I will be all set to jump in with both feet and make my dream a reality.

And it will be incredible.

Day 14: Ten Things I Love About Life...

The challenge for today is to list ten things that make me really happy. Since I tend to be a pretty happy person generally, this is both an easy and difficult list to make, since so many things make me happy that it’s difficult to narrow it down to just ten! Also, these are in no particular order, so keep that in mind.

Thunderstorms. I LOVE them. Watching lightning streak across the sky, listening to it sizzle and crackle in the air…hearing the boom of thunder, and feeling the house shake from the noise…the smell in the air after a storm. I just really love everything about thunderstorms. (Unless they get too violent and cause damage..that part I don’t love.)

S’mores. I don’t know if it’s the child in me, or just the fact that it’s chocolate and marshmallow together (holy deliciousness, Batman), but I looooooooove s’mores. I have been known to actually roast marshmallows over the burner of my gas stove in my apartment, actually, and enjoy a s’more (or two or three or seven) on a random Monday afternoon. Don’t judge me.

Maxi dresses. Because I mean really, what’s not to love? They’re cute, they’re ridiculously comfortable, they’re stylish, at least for the moment, and they’re easy to pair with cute accessories like sandals, necklaces, or jackets. Also, did I mention they’re comfortable?

Reading. There is something so calming about being able to lose myself in someone else’s story, even if it’s a made-up story. I get totally involved in the books I read, and really start to feel the same emotions of the characters. That’s why books like The Hunger Games, while fantastic and highly recommended, are difficult for me to read – because I will literally go through a whole gamut of emotion in one sitting, and it’s exhausting. But I love it anyway!

Cooking and baking. I’m not all that great at either one, but I love it anyway. I like putting ingredients together, playing around with recipes, and (my favorite part) sampling chowing down on the finished product! Someday, I WILL have a fully stocked kitchen, with all the ingredients I’ll need to whip up some fun dishes and desserts spontaneously, instead of having to always menu plan and shop accordingly. I. Can’t. Wait.

Scented candles. I love candles. I love the way they look, I love the way they smell, I love the romance of candles. If I could have scented candles lit all the time, in every room of my house, I would. True story. 

Netflix and Hulu. Since my life has been a bit crazy lately, and I’m not in school or working at the moment, I have found myself with a lot of random free time. You’d think that maybe I’d spend a lot of that time blogging/journaling/otherwise expressing my thoughts, but in the immortal words of Joey Tribbiani, “Turns out, I don’t have as many thoughts as you’d think.” So I’ve used some of my time to catch up on TV shows that I’ve been wanting to see, and just haven’t had time for, like Scandal, Damages, and rewatching Alias.

Walking. I hate working out. Seriously, it’s like one of my least favorite things. However, I love taking walks. They’re easy, yet effective. Plus, when you go with someone else, it gives you a perfect time to have a wonderful conversation that you probably wouldn’t have had if you were just sitting at home on the couch.

Pictures. I don’t take enough of them, but I absolutely adore going back and looking at pictures. I love seeing the looks on people’s faces, remembering what was going on in a particular moment that was captured, or thinking about how certain pictures would look in a frame or some kind of decorative wall arrangement. Is that silly? I don’t know, but either way, I don’t care. I love them. I wish I took more of them.

And last but not least, I am enjoying this blog challenge! I know I haven’t done a very good job of keeping up with it, but I’ve enjoyed having writing prompts, to help me get into the swing of things!

What things make you happy?

Oy.

I've been MIA for a few days, I know.. I'm sorry! I have had a lot of craziness happen in my life, all unexpected-like, so I'm trying to settle back down. I'll have more posts up soon! And hopefully, I'll catch up on the blog challenge, too. Yikes...I'm so behind. :-/

Hope all of you are enjoying your weekend!

Day 13: Sorry Not Sorry!

Dear Pretty Much Every Other Driver on the Road (But Mostly Drivers in Las Vegas),

I’m sorry that you received what was clearly a sub-par education in driving, since you clearly don’t understand how to use a blinker, maintain a lane while turning, or put down your stupid phone long enough to actually watch the road while you’re driving. I’m sorry that you think red or yellow lights don’t apply to you. And I’m also sorry that when I do things properly, i.e. maintain the correct lane when I’m turning, stop at an intersection when I know the light will turn red before I can get through it, come to a complete stop at stop signs, etc., it frustrates you because you have to adjust on the fly to make sure you don’t run into me with your stupid turning-into-the-wrong-lane-and-not-even-the-lane-you-wanted-to-be-in-in-the-first-place nonsense. Pay some more attention, maybe attend another driver education course, and try to do better, for crying out loud. Because really, you’re just obnoxious…and you’re annoying me, which in my opinion, is the bigger crime.

Love,
The World’s Most Perfect Driver

Dear Victoria’s Secret Fitting Room Attendant from Town Square,

You probably don’t remember me…I was the girl in the store on Black Friday, trying on yoga pants. You asked me if there was anything I needed, and I very politely asked if you could grab me a larger size of the pants I was trying on. You gave me a once-over, and then oh-so-sweetly suggested I try shopping at a plus-size store instead. So to you, I say I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you had to be working retail on Black Friday (because let’s be honest…it sucks). I’m sorry you were probably up late doing a floor set the night before, and then had to be back early in the morning for what had to be a very long day. I’m sorry for all the stress you were clearly experiencing at the time you were speaking to me. And most of all, I’m sorry that I had the audacity to take my medium sized body into your store and accidentally grab the wrong size pants. I’m sorry that you, with a body size similar to that of a twig, probably have no concept of what it’s like to be curvy, and don’t get to enjoy the comfort that comes along with carrying the soft curves of womanhood.  Oh…and also, I’m sorry I don’t shop at your store anymore. And I’m sorry that I complained to your manager.

Love,
Ms. Plus Size

In an effort to write more frequently, I decided to take part in the Blogging Every Day in 

May challenge. I know I’m coming into it a few days behind, so I’ll be posting quite a few things in the next couple days as I get caught up. 

Day 12: I'm Definitely A Country Mouse...Kind Of

I am a person who loves. I love people, I love places, I love things. I don't really do half-hearted, so anything that I like, I love, and then when I can't have it anymore, I miss it.

And right now, having spent the last ten years of my life living in a city... I find myself missing the country.

I miss the smell of the ground after a spring rain. I miss the way it looks like heaven opened up a little bit, when the sun shines through the clouds. I miss lightning bugs, and mud between my toes, and the sound of the river on a quiet night. I miss the stars.

There is something truly magical about a perfect night in the country. The air is different there, filled with more promise and less tension. The sky looks different, bigger. Spider webs are beautiful instead of annoying, because on a dewy morning, the spider webs in the fields look like diamonds.

I don't want to live in the country again, or even in a really small town. But there is something so sweet, so amazing, about being able to go back to that kind of simple beauty. When life gets crazy, it's a refreshing change of pace. At my dad's house, on a clear night, you can see the Milky Way galaxy, like a white stripe across the sky. It's incredible. You don't get views like that in the city.

What do you miss?

In an effort to write more frequently, I decided to take part in the Blogging Every Day in May challenge. I know I’m coming into it a few days behind, so I’ll be posting quite a few things in the next couple days as I get caught up.