Making Mondays Matter

"Everyday may not be good, but there is something good in everyday." -Author unknown

I know Mondays are not the favorite day of the week, but are they really that bad? I was looking online for happy Monday quotes and most of them were negative quotes about Monday. I couldn't even find a positive one about Mondays that I liked. One even said "Mondays are a lame way to spend 1/7 of your life." What makes Monday sooo bad?? Sure, the weekend has just ended and you now have to get back to the grind of work and/or school, but it could better be thought of as a fresh start. Each Monday we are given another chance to live and breathe. Isn't that good enough?

Try to imagine Mondays as just another day of the week and not as the "lame way to spend 1/7 of your life." Make your Mondays Matter! If everyone threw away their Mondays because of the "lameness" of it, then 52 days of your life would be gone. That's a waste. Instead, make those 52 days worthwhile. I mean, look at ESPN, they are a good example of this. They made Mondays positive by instituting "Monday Night Football," which gives football fanatics something to look forward to every Monday! haha :)

Taking Things For Granted...

"When something does not insist on being noticed, when we aren't grabbed by the collar or struck on the skull by a presence or event, we take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." -Cynthia Ozick

Today made me realize how spoiled most of us really are. The hot water in four of our buildings at the apartment complex was out for maybeee 2 hours and the phones were ringing with people that were annoyed of the outage and they were asking when this problem would be fixed.

Some people don't even having running water in their house. In the grand scheme of things, isn't it silly to complain about your hot water being out for a maximum of 2 hours? I mean, I can't lie, I'd probably be annoyed if my hot water was out too, but today for some reason it made me think of how lucky we really are and how much we take for granted. I'll be the first to admit that I don't wake up in the morning and think "Oh, how blessed am I to have running water, an opportunity for education, a car to get me places, etc." But how much greater would our outlook on life be if we all just tried to be grateful for the little things?  Just a thought...

How do you want to be remembered?

"The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards. They are the ones who care." - Unknown

Take out a piece of paper and a pen. We're going to take a quiz... well more like 2 quizzes. I have this book that I absolutely love titled "Where will you be five years from today?" and its just an inspirational book. I came across this quiz in it and it opened my eyes and I'd like to share it with you. So here we go... I'm serious about you getting out a piece of paper and a pen!

See how you do on Quiz #1:

1. Name the 5 wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last 5 Heisman Trophy winners.
3. Name the last 5 winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name 10 people who have won either the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

Ok, now draw a line across your paper and try Quiz #2 below it:

1. Name 3 teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name 3 friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name 3 people that have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Name 5 people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Name 3 people that you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

How'd you do? Hopefully Quiz #2 was easier. The point is: "None of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners." Now re-read my quote at the beginning... its true :)

Spring Break

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature."

- Anne Frank

Well, spring break is almost to an end :( But I've enjoyed it, so I can't complain. Me and Cole decided to take a mini-vacation to the Kerrville/Fredericksburg area. And although it was not the typical spring break vacation to Miami or South Padre, I still loved it. It was nice to just relax and spend time with someone I love.

While we were in Kerrville, we got the chance to go to Mo Ranch which is a church camp I've attended for several summers. It is my absolute favorite place to go to because it's so beautiful and I have such happy memories there. I showed Cole all around the camp and showed him all my favorite places. We had such a good day just being surrounded by nature. We sat at the rapids for a while, we canoed down the river (it took us a while to figure out how to steer lol), we played tennis, we walked the labryinth... we had fun. It was gorgeous weather and it made me happy to just be outside all day.

Other than going to Mo for a day, we just hung around Kerrville and Fredericksburg. I think I looked at EVERY store in Fredericksburg and said "Look how cute this is Cole" about everything I saw. They have such cute little shops on Main Street. I could've spent every dollar that I had. All in all though, we had a great time. It makes me happy that I have a boyfriend that enjoys spending time with me no matter what we're doing. Most people would think that going to a sleepy town in the hill country would not be the ultimate spring break trip, but we enjoyed relaxing and taking in all of the beauty that surrounded us. It was great :)

What am I waiting for?

"Always we hope

Someone else has the answer,

Some other place it will be better,

Some other time

It will all turn out.

This is it.

No one else has the answer.

No other place will be better,

And it has already turned out."

-Lao Tzu

As mentioned in my last blog, I've been blahhh lately and feeling un-alive. But on my way to Kerrville with Cole on Monday, I was reading from a good book called "The Happiness Makeover" by M.J. Ryan and I found a passage that was interesting to me and kinda woke me up... here it is:

"Recently I read All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten for the first time. In it, Robert Fulghum tells a story I absolutely love. When he was a minister, he was always flabbergasted when someone from his flock would come for spiritual counseling saying, 'The doctors told me I have only a limited time to live.' Fulghum confesses that he always wanted to shout, 'What?? You didn't know? You had to pay a doctor to tell you--at your age?? Where were you the week in kindergarten when you got the little cup with the cotton and water and seed? Life happened-- remember? A plant grew up and the roots grew down. A miracle. And then a few days later the plant was dead...The idea was for us to have the whole picture right from the beginning. Life-and-death. Lifedeath. One event. One short event. Don't forget.'

This is it--your one and only short life. How shall you live so that you enjoy it absolutely as much as possible?"

This passage made me think. I hope you enjoyed it. I'll be posting about my Spring Break next time, but wanted to share this with you because I think its very interesting. Just so you know, I appreciate all the comments that I get. However, I can't figure out how to write back to them in the comments section... should be easy, but somehow it's not letting me write... If someone wants to tell me how I'd appreciate it :)

Blah...

"The purpose of life is to live-not to exist."

-Jack London

 

"I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit."

~ Dawna Markova

For the past year and a half or so, I've been in the longest lasting funk EVER. Between going off to Baylor and not being happy there, then having a family problem that I worried about for a solid year, then making the decision to come to SHSU and give up cheerleading, then starting a new job and trying to do a second one as well...  it has just been rough. I feel like everyday that I live I'm not really alive at all. I'm always just blah. Don't get me wrong, every now and then I'll have a good day, but for the most part I just feel like I'm here and not making the most out of every day. It really bothers me, but I'm not sure how to fix it... I feel like I've already tried EVERY trick in the book. And trust me, I've tried alot...

It bothers me that I have so much in my life to be grateful for... a wonderful family that loves me and supports me, a boyfriend who puts up with my constant blah-ness and loves me more than anything, a puppy that's so cute and makes me smile, a roof over my head every night, clothes on my back everyday, a car to get to where I need to go, an education that most don't get to have, etc. But somehow I can't be happy day to day. I know that people say that you need to focus on what's good in your life, but its hard for me because little things upset me everyday that only make me realize the bad. I know alot of people have it wayyy worse off... I'm not denying that, it just frustrates me that I get mad over little things, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't. Am I the only person that feels like this? I feel like nobody understands, but I wish someone did.

I don't know how to make me come alive again. I feel like life is passing me by during the time when I should be full of the most life, yet I'm not. I see everyone else having the time of their lives and enjoying themselves, but I'm just here with no life behind me. I don't want to look back and regret these times, but I already am. Regretting that I didn't do this yesterday or that I didn't make the most of this moment... frustrating. I don't want to "die an unlived life." The quote by Dawna Markova is from the book titled "I Will Not Die an Unlived Life" and I haven't read it yet, but hoping to go buy it soon. Maybe I'll find a way to wake up and come alive from the book....

I think I have a problem...

"Candy makes life so sweet!"

Those of you that know me well, know that I am obsessed with candy. Open up my purse at any given time and there will be at least 3 different types of candy! And is it bad to admit that I currently have a 2 lb bag of sour patch kids laying on my desk in my room? lol. Idk what it is but I'm in love. I don't even think its just candy that I'm in love with though, its anything sweet. Just listen to this and it'll prove how much of a sugarholic i am. This morning, on my way to school, in the 46 degree weather, I was eating two popsicles. Then today, at lunch, what was I craving? Not food, like a normal person might crave at lunchtime, but I was craving chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.... and I ate two cups of it... lol. It amazes me that I haven't weighed in at 300 lbs yet haha.

As I was looking for a quote to put at the beginning of this post, I went to Dylan's Candy Bar website (by the way the pic above is when I went to the original one in NYC and almost died... I was in heaven... on the stairs it says may every step you take be sweet) and I found out that they have party rooms at most of their stores. How perfect is that for me? So, everyone be on the lookout, sooner or later you'll be getting an invite to my candy party :) lol. Oh, and just wait for my wedding! Has anyone seen how "Candy Bars" are the new thing at weddings? Where they line up a table full of goodies and everyone can pick out what they want? Well, you should DEFINITELY expect that at my wedding. Because that's a must. I'll probably spend more time consumed with what I want to be on my "Candy Bar" instead of what my dress will look like hahaha.

I am constantly watching Cake Boss and Cupcake Wars on TV, and I think it'd be soooo fun if I could open up a candy store/bakery one day. That'd be like a dream for me hahah. But I'd probably eat all of my profit :( lol. I'm determined to take cake decorating classes at Michaels. I think it'd be so fun! Maybe me and my mom will be able to this summer :) And who knows, if I enjoy it enough, I might make a career out of it. A sugar career would certainly suit my sugary life!

Anyways, that's enough about candy. I have one more thing to mention. My boo boo (baby ralph) learned how to swim last night... kind of!!! I put him in the bathtub and the water was high enough so that he couldn't touch the ground and he struggled to keep his little nose above water. It was precious. He was grunting the whole time. For him, that bathtub was the equivalent of an ocean. For now, I think we'll stick with the bathtub and not try any ponds/lake anytime soon... my baby would drown :( but he's learning. He'll be a big boy one day! Anyways, that's all. Gotta get off to work. My spring break starts after work! yayyyy

Sooo Lucky

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." -Roger Caras

As I mentioned in my first blog, I have a baby puppy that I am absolutely in love with. He is like 9 months old, approximately 4 pounds, and officially the cutest Yorkie to roam the planet. :) Here is a picture, as promised... meet Ralphie:

Isn't he the most precious thing you've ever seen?? I've never really thought I could love a dog this much! If I leave for thirty minutes and come back, he is so excited to see me and acts like he hasn't seen me in like twenty years. It's so cute. He really makes me happy happy happy! I am so lucky that he's alllll mine. Here are ten reasons why baby Ralph is the best:

1. He has the sweetest personality.

He greets everyone with a wagging tail when he sees them.

2. He acts like he is a fifty pound pit bull.

...not a four pound little weasel.

3. He loves to hang with the big dogs.

He once chased a 90 pound greyhound (a dog that could probably eat him alive lol) in circles... the greyhound was scared of this little runt.

4. He melted my heart the first time I saw him.

He was the runt with the sweetest little face... and the stupid one that was standing in his water bowl. :)

5. He's very affectionate.

He loves to snuggle and give his momma kisses. If I am holding Ralph when I go to give Cole a kiss goodbye or something, he has to kiss both of us at the same time, so it's like a 3 way kiss lol.

6. After 8 months of failing, he can now successfully jump onto most couches!!

...hasn't worked his way up to my bed yet though.

7. He is very playful.

He loves to run around and play with toys that are twice the size of him.

8. He is so curious.

When he rides in the car with me, he has to sit on my shoulder so that he can see where we're going. Or if anyone gets out of my car he looks around for them frantically as if they had disappeared.

9. He's a sleepy baby.

If he sleeps beside me and I get up and move, he moves to where he's right beside me again. He has to be touching me when he sleeps with me.

10. He's such a happy, healthy dog.

He is always so energetic and alive, and it makes me happy.

I know that it may be a little silly to love a dog this much, but I don't really care lol. If you knew him, you would probably be in love with him too. My dad tries to steal him from me all the time! It's funny cuz I think I tell Ralphie "I love you" more than I tell anyone else haha. Cole gets a little jealous sometimes. One time it was so funny cuz we went to this ceramic painting place and Cole was making something for me, which was typical. And I was making something for Ralph :) which is also typical lol. Anyways, thats enough about my little boy. Don't wanna brag too much and make all of you jealous haha just kidding :)

Bad Days Come and Go

"Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be." -Samuel Johnson

I had an AMAZING time at Sugarland on Thursday night and I was going to get on here and post a happy blog about how they had some inspiring songs and how great it was and all that... and then I had a really bad day on Friday at work that just made me bitter. I thought this quote was very fitting. I won't go into the details of why it was bad or anything like that, but it felt like everything was just working against me and I broke down. The problem is, when I'm in the heat of the moment, I don't think of how this experience is building me up and making me a stronger person, I just sulk in the moment and let my entire day be ruined by it. I ended up going to a baseball game later with friends and going out to eat, so it eventually turned around, but I feel as though I need to learn a lesson from this. Bad days will come and go, but I need to step back and take a look at how it might be building me up, instead of sulking and just ruining my day over something silly. I believe that my bad day on Friday at work built me up in the sense that it made me realize that I have a really good work ethic and that I only want the best for anything I put my time into. Some people (not necessarily people at my work, but just people in general) just go to work and put in their minimum effort for their minimum wage, but I feel as though I try to make it the best it can be. That's a good trait to have, and one day I'll be appreciated for it.

Anyways, enough of the bad day stuff. Like I said, Sugarland was AMAZING. Literally the best concert I've ever been to. They're just such good performers and they made it fun to be there. The next day I went out and bought their CD and have been listening to it ever since. They have such happy music :) And since my last post, I've also been to see Billy Currington at the rodeo. Me and Cole went last night and he was amazing as well! We also went and looked at all of the animals and shopped a little. And I fell in love with the baby pigs... I think Ralph could use a friend! Just kidding, they're not so cute once they grow up and they'd probably squish Ralph by sitting on him, so maybe not the best idea.

I'm glad people actually read my first blog! I didn't think it'd be a hit lol. But I'll try to keep it interesting. As I type, I'm watching Cake Boss (my favorite) and it's making me craveeee a cake or something. Since when is that new, right?! Maybe I shall go indulge in some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream that is calling my name in the freezer... I think I will :) That's all for today... gotta study for two tests this week and play with Baby Ralph! Have a good Sunday!

Currently...

"I need neither future nor past, but to learn to take today not too fast."

  ~Jeb Dickerson

So, as you can see, i've decided to start a blog. I enjoy reading other people's blogs, so I figured people might enjoy reading mine... (hopefully). I thought it'd be nice to catch people up on where I'm at these days...

I'm back in Huntsville, going to SHSU as of now. I loved and hated Baylor at the same time and did not feel like it was the fit for me, so I decided to come back to Sam. I wanted to go somewhere else, so that I wasn't stuck in Huntsville anymore, but I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go to school, so Sam was a safe place for now. I'm actually very content here (which is rare for me to be content) so it works. I'm thinking I might finish my undergrad at Sam and maybe try to do a graduate program in marketing or accounting at A&M... that's my latest plan, but we'll see how that changes.

I am working at an apartment complex, the Arbors, in Huntsville as an event planner and it's pretty fun! I've always thought I'd love to get into event/wedding planning in the future, so this'll get me prepared. I am in the process of getting a second job, which hopefully the new Marshalls here will hire me, but if not i'll be on the hunt again. I worked at TJ Maxx over the Christmas season, and I lovedddd it, so hopefully Marshalls will work out and I can do that same job again.

Other than work and school, everything is pretty much the same. I'm still dating Cole Bradley Tatsch and we're still very happy together. It's been two years now :) Look how happy we were at prom...

I love this picture! Anyways, I guess I should tell you about the other man in my life... baby Ralph. He is the cutest baby puppy in the world. I'm totally obsessed with him, ask anyone. But I'm pretty sure it's possible for anyone to be obsessed with him cuz he's so darn tiny and cute! I'll post a picture later, for some reason my computer is being weird now.

I guess that's all for today. I'm gonna try to start every blog off with a good quote. I like today's quote because I tend to worry about the past and future so much that I can't enjoy today. So I'm gonna stop. I will enjoy today because I am going to go to Houston with my sister and see Sugarland play at the Rodeo! :) How will you enjoy today?