Hodgepodgeing Again [Finally]

Well, I did say that I was going to try and blog again with some sort of regularity. So, here goes: I'm returning to the HodgePoge with Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond because she has some great questions this week - and I needed some inspiration to write! 

Let's do this!

1. Tell us about a time you found yourself in the 'middle of nowhere.' Was this deliberate? 

I like to spend time 'in the middle of nowhere' - especially at night. It's usually deliberate for me.  There's something beautiful about being out of the city and in the world. The last time for me with this was probably either at my friend's wedding a few weekends ago or the last time I was up in Maine for work. 

2. What's something you're 'in the middle of' today or this week?

Everything? Packing, setting up a new bank account, VISA applications, TSA PreCheck Applications, etc, etc, etc. Also in the middle of The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken which is phenomenal already! 

3.  At what age do you think 'middle age' begins? What does it mean to be 'middle aged'?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that middle age is a made up period of life that only happens when you've decided that it happens. 

Act young, live young, be young - at 10, 50, or 100... 

4. What's your favorite food from the list with something yummy in the middle? 

I love me some perogies stuffed with potatoes and cheese. 

Not on the list would have to be

5. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." Would you agree? Have you found this to be true in your own life?
I'd have to agree with this man, he's pretty smart.
I think that out of adversity some of the most amazing things that can happen.
And I think I've lived to see that happen for me and others enough to believe it. 

6. What's a song you remember loving from your middle school years? Do you love it still?

Anything by *Nsync. And, yes, of course I still love it all today! 

7. May 18th is National Visit Your Relatives Day? Will you celebrate? Who would you visit if possible?

Unfortunately I can't head home today (though my dad was here this morning and left to drive home, does that count?) but will be soon! I would probably visit my parents - even though I visit them a lot, they're my favorite people on the planet and no amount of time with them is ever enough.

8. Insert your own thought here.

I cannot believe that in just over a month I will be wrapping up my time here in Montreal! It feels like I just moved here. But, moving to Italy will be amazing in ways that I can't even begin to understand right now. And I cannot wait for that adventure to begin. 

Back In The HodgePodge!

I always miss the HodgePodge when I've been away for a while.

So, here I am! Back and thrilled to be here!

1. What is one way the world has changed for the better since you were a kid?

Technology.

Seriously, just being able to get directions when you're lost

and when you're scared/worried about being lost,

from a little pice of plastic in your hand?

That's the best thing ever.

EVER.

2. And one way for the worse?

Technology.

We've forgotten how to disconnect from each other virtually

and be able to connect personally. 

And that? 

That's frustrating.

(And I'm just as guilty as the rest of the world)

3. Favorite 'star'?

I'm inclined to say Starbucks ;)

But that wouldn't be accurate.

Starlight - Shooting Stars.

I love all things star in the night.

4. Name a song that's overplayed, but you love it anyways.

'Cruise' by Florida Georgia Line.

LOVE that song. Play it on repeat, please.

5. When did you last have homemade ice cream? Latest favorite flavor?

Real, made at home?

Last summer, my friend Lauren makes the best ice cream.

But I live in New England and we're the home of 

little road-side, home-made ice cream places.

So all my ice cream is homemade :)

Favorite flavor?

Khalua Chip :)

6. What do you think is the best way to inspire or motivate people?

Treat them with kindness and respect - as equals,

and let them try things their own way,

let them make mistakes and be real, honest people.

And then help build them back up when things don't go perfectly right.

Be a leader, not a boss.

7. When was the last time you were without power?

This past winter.

New England, remember? 

Power outages are common around here in the winter.

8. Random Thought

One month of vacation time is spread out ahead of me,

and I couldn't, couldn't, be more thrilled.

Let's HodgePodge

It's Wednesday

and you know what that means.

And that means it really needs no introduction!

1. What do you think makes a good dad?

Someone who loves his family unconditionally and without reservation.

And a sense of adventure and humor.

2. What's something you learned from your father?

I kinda just wrote a whole post on this for my dad's birthday,

so you can read all about that if you want to.

but here's another life lesson:

Be proud of who you are and what you do.

3. It's your birthday, what kind of cake are you having?

Another thing I probably get from my father:

White cake with vanilla buttercream frosting

(not to be confused with yellow cake.

A real white cake is actually white.)

4. Decision making: go with your gut or careful planning?

Depends on the decision.

And I am awful at making decisions.

Particularly those that affect more than just me.

But, usually after careful & painstakingly long deliberation

I tend to end up going with my gut decision anyways.

So, who really knows?

5. Favorite & Most Purchased dairy item?

Favorite: Cheese. Any kind.

Most purchased: Milk.

6. Something you recently discovered or would like to explore?

Recent:

A cute little British Pub downtown.

I really want to try it!

Does that count as a recent discovery?

I discovered its existence.

Explore: 

Antarctica.

I have a friend who works down there and it seems awesome. 

I've done a lot of travel in my day, 

but nothing seems like it could compare to this place!

7. Are you typical of your generation?

My generation seems to be defined by it's all about me.

And I think that partially represents me

(I mean, hello blog)

but I also do a lot of things for others

(and not in that this makes me look goo way of some people)

So, maybe yes & no?

8. Random Thought

Camp starts FRIDAY!

AHHHHH!

Half-Year HodgePodge

How are we half-way through the year already?!
Seriously, someone make it slow down!
Maybe the HodgePodge will help...

1. Have you learned more from success or failure?

I think having success has made me more willing to venture out and try new things,
but when I really stop and think about what has taught me more?

Failure, honestly.

It's a great teacher.
It points out weaknesses, mistakes, areas that need improvement.

I think if we only ever had success, we'd never truly learn anything about ourselves or each other.

2. What did you call your grandparents when you were growing up?

Grandma & Grandpa - Mom's Side
Grandmother Mary - Dad's Side

3. You're invited to a luau...what do you bring to share?

Grass skirts for everyone!
Seriously, what's a luau without a grass skirt?

4. What one person's life story do you think everyone should know?

What a tough question.
Interesting, but really really hard to answer.

There are so many interesting, intriguing, and daunting people out there.
People who we should all know so we don't let their kind happen again,
or those whose lives we should all strive to emulate.

How to pick just one that all the world should know?

5. Don't sweat the small stuff - agree or disagree?

Agree that we shouldn't,
but recognize that it's the hardest thing to do.

6. When were you last on a river? Prettiest River? Etc?

Last summer I led a canoe trip down the St. Croix river in Maine.
And I loved (almost) every moment of it -
what an adventure!

loved the Croix!

Also, I loved the Danube in Budapest.
What a magnificent river with such a rich history.
It's such a defining feature of the city too,
and I know I grew to love seeing it every day of my time there.

friends along the bank of the Danube!

7. Favorite river/river's edge activity?

Paddling or floating on it,
of some kind.

Get me off the shore and into/onto the water!

8. Random Thought:

I'm off for ten days and then it's back to Summer Camp for this girl!

cannot wait to be back in the sun & fun

But "off" is relative - doctors appointments, weddings, bridal showers,
and I have to take my car in to get fixed after I got backed into on Sunday (!!!).
Happp Summer, Y'all! 

Thinkin' About The HodgePodge

It seems to me I missed a few HodgePodges here and there.

Whoops! 

Time seems to be escaping me a lot these days.

But then, that means my days are busy and full,

and I can't really complain about that! 

1. Do you own a Bike? When was the last time you rode a bike?

I haven't been on a bike in ages.

I think I still have one tucked away somewhere at my parent's house, though. 

2. What's something you learned in school that wasn't part of the curriculum?

The incredibly high value of a best friend.

3. What's a food you've never tried and want to? 

And something you've tried but never want to try again?

I'm pretty good about not discounting a food before I've tried it,

and I'm pretty adventurous with my eating habits,

so this was an interesting and challenging question for me!

Never Tried: Anything ethnic and homemade from somewhere I've never been. 

How's that for vague? 

Never Want Again: Venetian Pizza 

Pizza in Italy is to die for. Really.

But in Venice? Their "traditional" pizza?

Capers & Anchovies?

NEVER again.

4. Have you been demanding more or less of yourself lately?

As an only child and a perfectionist,

I think it's hard for me to demand even more of myself than I already do.

However, I think in general I always have really high expectations.

That makes life complicated sometimes,

but it's who I am and how I am,

so I know how to handle it and deal.

5. Who is your favorite villain? 

He Who Must Not Be Named

It's true, I love Harry Potter and everything associated with the series.

But for a lot of good reasons (or at least I think so).

But, Voldemort? He's one of my reasons.

It's so easy to create a villain that disgusts and makes you cringe.

Or one who causes you nightmares and makes you glad they don't really exist.

But it takes a real genius to create a villain that you can understand.

One who is not the blacked of black souls,

or never had any good or light in their lives.

What JKR does so brilliantly is that she casts all of her characters in such realness

(which considering her books are about magic and fantasy is impressive in its own right).

Harry isn't all good.

Snape isn't all bad.

Even Voldemort isn't rotten to the core like so many other villains out there.

Look where he came from, what he was fighting against.

He does the things he does because he's afraid of death. 

He can't comprehend his own mortality.

 How many of us can say we don't feel the same as him?

JKR is brilliant.

Voldemort is the best villain there is.

6. How concerned are you about identity theft?

It freaks me out, a lot, but it's not usually at the front of my mind.

I try to be mindful of where, when, and how I give out personal information,

and how I dispose of things like receipts and mail.

But it's not something at the forefront of my mind.

7. Would you rather have an extraordinary home in an ordinary place 

or an ordinary home in an extraordinary place? 

I think this is the hardest question, because it matters how you define home.

For me home is a feeling, 

whereas house is the physical building.

So with that definition I'd want an extraordinary home in an ordinary place.

But if you mean 'home' as the physical place,

then I'd totally want the ordinary home in the extraordinary place.

Does that make sense?

8. Random Thought:

This is AMAZING!

If you haven't seen it yet please make sure you watch.

I want to play guitar in space! 

HodgePodge: May Day

Thank Goodness for the HodgePodge!

Joyce is never at a loss for blogging content!

1. Something that's been as easy as 1-2-3?

Saying yes to going back to camp this summer.

2. Something you may do in May?

Jump in the lake.

It's getting warmer out in the air,

but that water's still a might bit cold.

3. "The world is a tragedy to those who feel, 

but a comedy to those who think."

How do you see it?

I think that if you look for it or think about it,

the world can kind of look like a tragic place.

And sometimes it's pretty comical too.

But then,

if you think about it,

and keep your eyes open,

you can see just what a wonderful world it is.

4. How do you take your Hamburger?

(It's national Hamburger month!)

A whole month for burgers!?

My favorite:

guacamole, cheddar jack, tomato, BBQ sauce

My usual:

tomato, mayo, cheddar

5. Pansies, Petunias, Geraniums, Impatients.

Favorites? Who gardens near you?

Pansies, totally.

And my mom has the green thumb of the family.

I can keep the pets alive,

plants are a whole other challenge for me.

6. When did you last shout Mayday!?

Either literally or figuratively.

When playing a game with kids yesterday, actually.

In jest, but I still yelled it.

7. Say farewell to April in 10 words or less.

Wait, April's over?

Already?

When? How?

Wow.

8. Random Thought

I got a sunburn yesterday. 

With my sunglasses on.

Yep,

you know how amazing that is!

While I am so excited for the sun to be out in full force?

The abrupt change from cold to sunburn weather surprised me!

I need to stick some sunscreen in my bag!

Wednesday HodgePodge: I'm Back!

Oh, HodgePodge!

I've missed you so much!

Let's just get on with it!

1. What have you been showered with this month?

Friendship.

But, really, that's something I feel showered with all the time.

I really have been fortunate enough to surround myself with

an amazing and supporting group of people.

2. What is the nature of compassion?

source

I think that compassion is an interesting thing.

I do believe we are born with an innate sense of compassion,

but we live in a world that marginalizes it a bit.

Which makes it something that needs to be modeled 

(and in a sense taught as well)

to keep it fresh and present in our world.

When you see someone act out with compassion

it makes it so much easier (and more likely) to be compassionate.

It's contagious.

Look at the aftermath of the tragedy in Boston!

The compassion that has radiated out from that disaster

is truly and completely awe inspiring!

So many compassionate acts have radiated out from that city. 

I think sometimes we all just need that reminder.

3. Romantic Comedy v. Romantic Drama?

Honestly?

If given the two options I'd pick the drama.

But, give me an action/drama/sci-fi movie any day over that. 

4. Bogart: "A hotdog at a ballpark beats steak at the Ritz." True or false?

True.

There is just something about food at the ballpark

that makes the world a better place.

source

5. What is something in your community/city that needs fixing?

Not to be redundant from earlier,

but I think we need to focus on compassion.

If everyone could just be kind and compassionate

to everyone they come into contact with?

We would see such a dramatic change in the world.

Oh, and a few roads need to be repaved, please.

6. Share a song about flowers!

God, I love me some Lumineers.

This is just an excellent song.

I cannot wait to play it loud with the windows rolled down.

Flowers in Your Hair

7. Do you believe there is life on other planets?

This thought both thrills me and scares me to death.

Yes, I do.

I hope there is.

But, I hope we keep our peace with them,

and don't run across them too soon.

We can barely keep the peace on our own planet,

with different sorts of peoples.

I'm not sure how we'd handle a new other in our world.

8. Random Thought:

I am getting so excited for camp this summer!
New role, new responsibilities,
but it's still camp! 

  

Springing Forth Towards A HodgePodge

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I don't know about you, but...

It's the first day of Spring according to the calendar. 

According to Mother Nature? Another story entirely!

But we'll get to that in the HodgePodge!

1. Is Spring a Lion or a Lamb in your part of the world?

My yoga teacher last week said this:

March! In like a lion, out like a wildabeast!

And? Up here in New England?

She couldn't be more right!

We were having a string of nice, spring-like days. 

And then yesterday?

At least 8 inches of snow.

view out my front window!

Ugh. 

PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL!

YOU'RE A LIAR!

2. What is the most dreaded task on your Spring Cleaning List? 

Do you have a plan of attack?

I need to go through my clothes once and for all

(or at least for a while...)

it's been plaguing me for a while,

and I just want it done.

As for a plan?

Who needs plans?

(that means, no, I don't have one, but I should)

Source: refinery29.com via Mallarie on Pinterest

3. Peas? Love 'em or hate 'em? Favorite Dish?

Indifferent.

If I'm gonna eat them I want them plain

or in a homemade-by-mom chicken pot pie.

4. Do you feel under appreciated?

At all times?

No.

But there are plenty of times when I do feel that way.

Waitressing was a prime example of one of those times.

I guess sometimes all you want is a little recognition

or a thank you!

or a good job!

or something.

But sometimes it just doesn't happen.

In the end if you think you've done a good job,

sometimes that's all that matters.

Source: Uploaded by user via GreenCupboards.com on Pinterest

5. Thoughts on Google Reader? How do you read blogs?

I think I am super not up on the times with this one,

I read my blog on my blogger homepage,

or through the links on my blog.

Maybe now that all this hype is out there about readers I'll fined one.

And, now that I think about that,

maybe that's exactly why Google Reader did this!

So that people like me would use one!

6. If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; 

if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

Agree? Disagree? Thoughts?

Agree.

Whole-heartedly.

Source: justequotes.com via Meghan on Pinterest

You have to understand/know not-good

to understand/appreciate the good.

Spring is such a joy because you're leaving winter behind,

Prosperity is such a relief when you've felt adversity,

Happiness is only so wonderful when you understand how sadness feels,

and so on.

So, yes,

I agree.

7. When did you last spring for something? What was it?

My Nook.

It's going to get a whole post on itself someday.

But, man that was expensive!

But oh so worth it!

8. Random Thought

I am missing Budapest something awful these days.

Or, maybe, I'm just missing the adventurer I was for two years.

I am clearly getting a serious, serious case of wanderlust!

I've been looking at trips on Groupon & Living Social,

tracking flights to fin and exciting places,

and looking at schools and work overseas,

because I miss the adventure and the eye-opening awe of new places,

learning how to feel at home when I'm so out of my element.

I just need to travel. 

It's in my bones.

Also, I got my first Influenster VoxBox in the mail the other day!
Post & Pictures & Reviews coming soon!

Quite The Lucky HodgePodge

Every single time I type "HodgePodge" 

since Joyce titled one of her posts

"Welcome to the HodgePodge,"

my brain starts singing: "Welcome to the Jungle"

with HodgePodge instead of Jungle.

Clearly Wednesdays are weird days in my brain.

Nevertheless, it's time for the Hodgepodge!

1. Do you play games of luck/chance with money?

I have quite a thing for casinos.

It's really all about the people watching for me,

but I still love the bright lights and the noise.

It's a fun sort of sensory overload.

I don't go often,

ore really spend all that much money.

But it's fun.

Source: flickr.com via Judy on Pinterest

Someday I'm going to learn to play Craps or Roulette,

I really want to sit down at one of those tables

(or stand, because you don't sit at either of those...)

and play a casino game with other people.

Those games are a collective experience,

that looks fun.

2. Corn Beef and Cabbage this St. Patty's Day? 

What's your favorite way to have potatoes?

I am not a fan of St. Patty's traditional fare.

Nor do I particularly like potatoes.

Give me a french fry and I'm a happy kid though.

3. What's the last thing you felt green with envy over?

This is a tough one.

Maybe my best friend and her sweet new baby boy?

Not that I want one, mind you.

I just want to be able to hang out with him all the time,

and, as his mom, she gets to!

Or, maybe all my 20something peers that,

at least on the appearance side of things,

seem to have it all together. 

Quarter life crisis anyone?

4. What's at the end of your rainbow?

Happiness;

and family & friends;

and maybe a pot of gold for fun. 

5. Do you keep any sort of journal?

Is it a childhood habit or a new one?

Yep.

It's a nice, cathartic release at the end of the day.

I'm not religious about keeping up with it,

but it's nice to be able to look back on where you were a year ago.

I kept a diary when I was little,

stopped for a while,

started again,

stopped for a while,

and now I'm back at it these days.

6. An item you own that contains every color of the rainbow?

My sneakers,

though neon,

have all the colors of the [neon] rainbow :)

Source: womenshealthmag.com via Julie on Pinterest

7. Write a limerick about yourself!

There once was a girl named Courtney,

Whose poetry was quite hard to read.

When she tried to rhyme,

she took so much time,

That she gave up before anyone could see. 

ahh,

irony and awful poetry.

Happy March!

8. Random Thought:

I am so looking forward to a week at home next week.

My stint in this public school is over,

which is sad because I've had a blast,

and I am so ready to just kick my feet up and relax.

Except there won't be much relaxing.

It's already a week packed full of meetings and stuff,

but it will be nice to have a lot of free time mixed in.

And I get to see my best friend's (aforementioned) baby again!

And my best friend too!

I cannot wait! 

And, just for fun:

What about you guys?

Talk to me!

What's new with you this March Wednesday?

Marching to the Beat of the HogePodge

It's Wednesday.

Which means it's HodgePodge time.

Want to link up too?

Well, what are you waiting for?

1. Do you fill out restaurant surveys?

Not really.

If I have a really great experience or a really terrible one I will.

Or if it gets me something for filling it out that is worth my while.

My mom is serious about doing them though.

Free donuts galore at Dunkin' Donuts for this family!

2. The ban on Women in Combat Zones has been lifted. What say you?

I say, go USA.

Seriously.

Do I like that I could get sent to the front lines? 

No.

But, for women to be treated equal to men 

we have to be treated equal in all areas of life,

and not pick and chose where we want our equality.

Women can serve and protect just as well as men,

so, why shouldn't they be given the real opportunity to do that?

I think the only thing we may see come of this -

and may is an important word, as I see this is as only being a potential thing -

is a lower enrollment of women in the military.

Source: Uploaded by user via Brittani on Pinterest

3. Favorite Post Title?

Budapest, Szeretlek

It translates to: 

Budapest, I Love You

Because, this is the moment I realized just how much I loved my city.

And, it's just such a pretty title,

and intriguing to our American English reading eyes.

4. What's worse: Overly pessimistic parents or Overly protective parents? 

What about your parents? Did they fall into either category?

This is a hard one because I don't think these are comparable things,

You're not one or the other.

And frankly a lot of parents tend to be both.

So, I think both are worse.

Overly pessimistic parents teach their kids that nothing is good enough

and that everything that could go wrong will/may go wrong.

While overly protective parents don't give their kids the opportunity to fail

and therefore don't give their kids the opportunity to recover from their failures and grow.

My parent's weren't either.

They were so optimistic for me and my life - which I am grateful.

And while protective, they weren't over protective.

They let me make my mistakes, 

and let me learn from them,

while helping me clean up whatever mess I made.

I am forever grateful for the way I was raised and the people who raised me.

5. Favorite: Candlelight/Firelight/Moonlight/Bright Lights in the Big City?

There is nothing better in the world than sitting by a campfire at night.

The glow, the sounds, the warmth.

And the people you're surrounded with when you're there.

6. Dr. Seuss's Birthday was Saturday: Favorite Book as a Kid? 

Favorite Seuss Book as a Kid?

How important were books in your childhood?

If you've read my blog, you know that reading is a huge part of my life,
and has been since I was a little, little child.

We're talking flashlight under the covers to the early hours of morning.
That's how important reading has always been to me.
Except now I don't have to hide under the covers because I set my own bedtime.
Yay for being an adult. Kinda.

But, First Favorite Book as a Child:

Other Most Important Childhood Book:

Favorite Seuss Book:

7. Share something funny you've seen/read/heard recently. 

This is my new motivation for running:

Source: lily.fi via Bethany on Pinterest

8. Random Thought:

I cannot get over how hillarious and real
Jennifer Lawrence is, seriously.
I adore her.

Welcome to the HodgePodge!

Welcome to the HodgePodge!

No fooling around, let's get going!

1. When were you last facing the ocean? One word to describe that feeling?

It's been way too long. This past summer, probably? 

It's always too long since I've been to the ocean.

It's the most amazing place in the world for me,

I recharge there, find happiness, and just relax.

One Word: Peace

2. Three sounds you hate to hear?

Kids cussing just to be cool.

Any abnormal noise coming from my car.

People chewing with their mouths open.

3. Try things on in store or buy it and try it on at home?

I try on in-store.

I find it stops me from spending a lot of my money.

4. Pistachios? What say you?

First of all..there's a national pistachio day?

I don't, generally, like any nuts.

But I have weird quirks,

for example I hate peanuts, but cannot survive without peanut butter.

Similar with pistachios:

I hate pistachio nuts but love pistachio ice cream and pistachio cake.

Weird, I know.

5. When did you last compromise with someone? Do you like it?

I think life is better with compromise.

I mean, I love to get my way as much as the next gal, but still.

Compromise means collaboration,

which is a great thing for this world. 

Last time? 

Probably last week working Winter Camp,

you always have to compromise with small people.

6. Have you ever written to an elected official.

I think in elementary school I wrote to Socks,

the Clinton's cat,

and I'm pretty sure he wrote me back.

That counts, right?

7. Something in March to make you smile?

Back to my camp/school/work!

I am so excited for everyone to come back together.

I've missed my friends!

8. Random Fact

I've become obsessed with gifs.

I don't know if you noticed my last two posts.

They're just great, great ways to punctuate a point.

Both serious or whimsical.

But, seriously?

These are way too fun.

I need to be careful about how much I use them,

that whole too much of a good thing thing.

Examples:

Also, guys?

Thank you so much for your sweet comments
on my post yesterday about Grad School crud.
Even though things are anxiety laden these days for me
it's really nice to know that a sweet group of people
(most of whom I've never met)
have my back when I'm feeling a little down.

Basically?
You all rock.
Hard core.

Thanks

What a LOVEing HodgePodge

Well, it's Wednesday again,

and you know what that means...

1. What's your deal with Lent this year?

I am giving up (like last year): soda
I am giving up (new this year): buying new books

The second one is going to be a really hard one. I can sense it already.
But, thankfully, there aren't any books coming out
in this time frame that I can't live without.
I think.

2. Pancakes?

For the most part I love pancakes.
Homemade with syrup.
Chocolate chip, blueberry, banana, or plain.
Sausage on the side, please.

Source: sexxxinthekitchen.tumblr.com via Addie on Pinterest

3. What's one love song you really love?

Silly Love Songs
by Paul McCartney

But, I also really love the Glee version.

4. What are some things you do to let those you love know you love them?

I'm a big proponent of words: you have to tell people you love them.
But you also have to show them too.
It's the combination of words and actions that proves something.

So, for me? It's little things:
- shoveling out someone's car from 3 feet of snow
- sending a card in the real mail
- making a call instead of sending a text
- listen (actually listen)
- encourage dreams and hopes
- and so, so, so many more

5. What color roses? And what flowers would you love to see on your doorstep tomorrow?

I love really odd colored roses.
Beautiful things set in a way that is unusual to their normal beauty.

Source: pinterest.com via Louise on Pinterest

As for favorite flower?
Give me something alive,
something that can last for a long while.
Lilies, Daffodils, etc.
Something bright and happy that smells amazing.
Okay? Thanks.

6. What presidential homestead would you be interested in touring?

Any sort of history is interesting to me
and I eat it up.
History MA, remember?

I've been to: The White House and both Washington and Jefferson's homestead.

Where else would I like to go?
All and any.
But I'll start with Hyde Park.

Source: Uploaded by user via Beth on Pinterest

7. Are you good at keeping secrets?

Depends on the secret and why I'm being asked to keep it.

Surprise parties? Gifts? News? Etc?
You bet I'll keep that one
(though I'll be antsy and dancing around with excitement
because I love a good surprise!)

Bad secrets?
Abuse? Self harm? Etc?
You bet I'll probably be telling someone that can help.
The person may be royally ticked off at me in the now
and we may never reconcile a friendship,
but I'll be glad that I did that good and loving act of friendship for them
for the rest of my life.

8. Random Thought:

a) Thank you all so much for your comments yesterday on the cover music post. And all the music suggestions - I love music suggestions. Keep suggesting!

b) re: The Email

Got another crappy email in the inbox last night. 

Looks like I won't be moving to New Jersey either.

I wanted to write another post ("The Email, Pt. 2")

but realized it's just basically me having a pity party for myself.

Tiny violins and all that.

But, I can't let it be that big of a deal with every email

(though, rest assured if/when I get a good email there will be a post)

because it's already hard enough for me to deal with academic rejection.

So, instead my mantra is going to be:

what's supposed to happen, will happen;

let go and jus let it happen.

A Chinese HodgePodge

It's Wednesday.

Which means it's time for the HodgePodge with Joyce!

Won't you come and play along?

1. Feb. 10 is the end of the Chinese New Year. We're leaving the Year of the Snake behind. When/what was your last interaction with a snake? 

This summer,

at camp,

I was walking to my cabin 

and a snake slithered across my foot.

It wasn't as traumatic as it sounds,

I just kinda was like,

"oh, a snake, weird"

and moved on.

Shows you how sleep deprived I was, right?

Source: mostbeautifulpages.com via Nancy on Pinterest

(thank GOD he didn't look like this guy!)

2. Red in Chinese culture = luck. Do you believe in luck?

Yes,

I believe in luck.

But I think it's a rare occurrence.

Like, you're lucky that there's still one cookie in the jar,

or that the car that swerved into your lane missed you,

or that you picked the right answer on a test question that you didn't know the answer to.

Luck is out there,

but you shouldn't rely on it. 

3. Sledding/Ice Skating/Building a Snowman? Pick One!

Right now?

I'd go sledding if we had the snow.

But, generally?

My family has a passion for snowmen.

I love to make a snowman with my mom and dad

(Mom's the queen of 9pm or later snowmen.

If the snow is the right "snowman snow" consistency,

we'll go out an make a snowman at any hour!)

Source: it.vividscreen.com via Paula on Pinterest

4. "The years teach much which the days never knew" - Emerson

Experience is strange:

you learn not to touch a hot stove because

that one time when you were a kid you touched the hot stove.

One incident = life lesson.

But most of the time

it takes a much longer time

to learn/accumulate/believe knowledge.

What's the old cliche?

Day to day you seem the same,

but when you look back a year ago,

the whole world is different.

I totally believe that.

5. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?

Yesterday.

The school's kitchen made them,
white cupcake,
pink frosting with chocolate sprinkles,

and they were on sale for $1.25

Who could say no to that?

6. What's something you can't say no to?

A cupcake.

Source: reachli.com via Plated on Pinterest

7. Are you a doodler?

Yes.

If I have a paper and a writing implement,

it will be a very beautifully* decorated paper by the end of whatever meeting I'm in.

I can't help it.

(*Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? 

I reckon my doodles are worthy of Picasso or Monet,

Promise.)

8. Random Thought:

I have been having crazy dreams lately.
Maybe it's something in the water?
Maybe it's because I'm so tired when I go to bed?
Who knows, but I'm so over it.