Oh, Happy Cloud...

Oh, happy cloud, we are but wisps in this space. We are floating above everything, smiling from ear to ear, dancing free together. My heart is singing and I never want it to stop. This feeling is amazing. It feels like I've been traced in sliver and you hold me above it all. Safe in your arms, in your thoughts, and in your heart. Oh, happy cloud, don't let me down.

So my mood today is pretty readable I guess.

I feel set free, held together by a very thin silver ribbon... So much has happened to set my life in motion. I'm moving through my hoops and over my mountains like the conquering queen of them all.

Okay, so here's my list of things. They're probably in order but I can't keep them in line all the time. A dash of chaos never hurt anyone.

Paris is for sure. The money stuff came through and my plane ticket is being ordered. Yes, I'm going into debt but at least I'm doing it with my own flare for fun. At least I have these opportunities to show my growth and I'm not held back by the lack there of. I'm actually really lucky and I can't express the gratitude I have in my heart for every single opportunity.

The fashion show I'm in has a date finally, but I unfortunately don't have a time for it. April 7th is the date they gave me. I don't have a theme either but I did get some amazing red pumps for $20 that I'm excited to wear. We've been having practices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and I love them. I love the confidence I get from them and I love the high they leave me with. Not to mention the friends I'm making!

I'll keep everyone informed as far as the time and place because I'd love to see you there!

We had a French House dinner Thursday. It was bogus and I was not happy. People, this is the French House, we speak French here and if you don't want to even try to speak in French or try to understand French then you have no right being there. I was actually pretty frustrated. Then the fondue pots stopped working and the outlets were not conveniently placed and it was chaos for a bit. I mean, yes we as a house got things together but things weren't going our way for a bit. The chocolate part left me wanting to kick myself for giving it up but I walked away and kept my composure.

I went out to dinner Friday with my friend Taylor and it was seriously a highlight of my week.One of them at the very least because there were a good number. Taylor always knows how to turn my night or day around. She's one of those people that just make you smile no matter what mood you're in. So it was great to laugh with her and just chat like the world didn't really matter in those moments.

Uncle Dave and Mary came to BG on Saturday and spoiled me rotten. We ate at Trotter's up town and had some great conversation followed by a trip to Kohls and Meijer in Perrysburg. It was good to be out of the Rapunzel act I was playing by locking myself in my room (the tower) for the weekend. They decided that I needed good munchies so I'm thinking that it's safe to say that I'm stocked up for a while as far as snack food.

I did however forget laundry detergent so I guess I'll still have to get the courage to ride my bike to a store and get some.... It's just so cold that I've put it off until the absolute last moment.... and now I'm out.... Somehow I still have dryer sheets though.... It's like this box was designed by the creators of the Tardis and then shoved full of dryer sheets. I've had this box of dryer sheets for almost 2 years now.... isn't that scary?

This morning the universe decided to grant me the strength to let go of someone who I couldn't keep in my life. He had a place in my heart and tossed that aside but now I'm freeing up that space. I was sad for a bit that it had to end like this but he wasn't going to get me back. He couldn't put in the time it would take to win me back and he didn't understand how it felt to be ignored.

Anyway, I've moved on. I replaced that space with someone who has been my friend for a long while.

For the record, eating starburst and pretzels is not a good idea...

The Brit is coming back in a week and Cassi's birthday is super soon. Two weekends until we're partying it up in BG and having an amazing time. It will definitely be memorable.

So a great ending to this week and on to the next, anticipation of the fun ahead, fluttering inside of me.

I hope everyone feels like this at least once in their lives. It's worth feeling.

Blessed Be

Counting Down!

Okay my favorite people, my readers, I'm sharing with you exciting news this week!

I'm graduating college December 2013!

I got the reassurance that I needed last Tuesday (Jan.15) from an adviser at the very top.

And here's the countdown timer to my Paris trip!

Shown in local time of course but still exciting.

I have a couple really big kinks to work out with the university over this trip but I'm sure that by the week's end I'll have it all settled and I'll let you guys know for sure what the plan is.

I thought about creating a timer for graduation too but seeing as I have a younger brother graduating high school this May, I thought that I would be nice and not outshine him. He deserves to have some limelight too.

Anyway, this past week has been a little crazy. I have had practices for the fashion show and I'm getting really good at walking in heels. Granted, they aren't crazy high heels but I feel good walking in them except that my feet get so cold! If only my sexy boots were insulated.

I keep getting distracted by watching the seconds tick away on the timer up there...

I started an alternate ending to a story this weekend. I'm hoping to have both endings finished by Cassi's birthday on February 5th. (Now everyone has to go wish her a happy birthday. No excuses). We'll see what happens but it's coming along really well. I really like this new twist and it might replace what I have already but I want to wait until it's finished before making that decision.

The Brit has made plans to come back for Cassi's birthday! I'm kind of really excited to tell you the truth. We are going to have so much fun.

Watch out world, Cassi is 21 years old!!!

She's going to give me a dirty look for that but I think I'll survive.

Oh! I'm officially the "Girl on Fire" now. I know that many of you won't understand the Hunger Games reference in that but Ginny gave me a beautiful necklace as a late Christmas present this week (having her sister deliver it).

That's my handwriting up there in the picture, just in case you're wondering.... a sloppy mess, I know...

I also had dinner with the girls of the French House this past Friday. I felt super classy and we had some quite lovely conversation in which I was asked to display my Spanish speaking skill. I felt super self-conscious and got all read in the face of course but they believed that I was awesome so I guess that can be alright in my book.

After dinner, having been working previously on my alternate ending, I decided that a coffee pick-me-up was a grand idea. Of course my idea of a pick-me-up backfired a little when after a latte with  shots of espresso, I was falling asleep in my chair, only a couple hours later. It was a sad night for caffeine.

Pizza with my first floor Chapman girls on Saturday night, followed by Dairy Queen which left me sitting on my bed shivering while trying to watch a movie. I was so tired that I don't even remember what movie...

Sunday I passed being a princess in a tower, barely leaving my room for anything... I'm a sad excuse of a human sometimes....

Now, having done my homework (no classes for MLK day), and fished out some good stories for my other blog, I'm thinking I'll probably go back to my alternate ending and pull that out of my brain before it kicks my brain out.

As always,

Blessed Be

Back to the Grind

Hey there January, you sure came in fast.

I'm back at school, in case you couldn't figure it out from my location. Life has been in fast forward this past week so I'm going to have to catch you up on everything that has happened so far. Hold on tight and please keep your hands and feet inside the car while it's in motion.

Okay, So I finished up working for the factory on Friday the 4th. Then of course, we had to have our famous girl's night over at Cassi's house and Stanley was allowed to come with me. We had a great night of nachos, M&Ms, movies and great conversation until early the next morning upon insistence of the other two criminals--I mean girls involved...

Stanley had a great time and I always love getting together with the girls. I hope we can pull off sticking together for the rest of our lives because we have great fun together.

I arrived in BG Sunday the 6th with the rest of my family who were on their way to a college visit at Capital University in Columbus, OH. From the sounds of it my brother was really impressed and wants to attend there in the fall if he doesn't get any better offers. To get more information you'd have to talk to him but he wants to go to school for audio engineering if I'm not mistaken. I'm really proud of how awesome he is doing at this stage in his life. I could have done a lot better than I did.

Stanley decided to pose for a picture during dinner with the Brit Sunday night at Pisanello's

Monday started out alright with a ton of excitement as I found out that I could go to Paris for spring break with the school to a seminar with loads of companies and U.S. diplomats among others. I'm working on getting that all straight right now but it really isn't what threw me for a loop.

While adding this seminar to my schedule and getting the university to recognize that I'm going, I find out that what I've been told by my adviser for the past couple years, as far as classes to take and what I need to get done to graduate, is wrong. Not only is it wrong, but I'm farther ahead than I thought I was. I'm a Senior in college (scary thought). I've got it all handled but I have to go to a meeting with the college on Tuesday to fix all of my stuff around and get on the right "path" so to speak. It's just really frustrating.

Tuesday, I went bowling with friends and had a great time, though I think I was out maybe a touch too late because I didn't want to get up at all the next morning. 

Wednesday, I started a new blog for my journalism class. I'm still really nervous about taking that one but I think that if I stay on top of things that I'll do well despite everything. This new blog is going to be a challenge for me because I don't usually like to mess in a bunch of media but that's what I'm doing. I've titled it A Bit of Honey Attracts the Flies and it will feature a weekly update on international stories. Not just any stories though. These are going to be those hard to find, ray of sunshine stories. Check it out for more on all of the details. I'll be updating that again on Wednesday (1/16/13) and I've already got some really good stories lined-up waiting to be posted.

Friday, my Uncle picked me and my friend the Brit up from BG to take us to Hicksville for the weekend where we met Cassi. We had dinner of Guinness meat pie (the best I've ever had) at my Aunt and Uncle's house with my cousins. It was sooooooo delicious.

After dinner we were convinced to go out with the twin cousins. We started off slow then headed to Charlie's where things got a little crazy but not too crazy. It was a good time and I'm glad that I got to hang out with both friends and family that night.

Saturday, Cassi, the Brit and I went to see The Guilt Trip. It was a decent movie, with better company. After that, we decided to take the Brit to the most american place we could think of for a late lunch/early dinner. 

That's right, we ended up in a Cracker Barrel in Ft. Wayne with the British guy who orders a raw steak and eats the whole thing in less than thirty minutes. We're talking about a decent sized steak too, not a fillet.

Needless to say, we stayed in that night, as full as can be and content to just rent movies....

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!

While walking up town from my grandparent's house (about 2 blocks), we are crossed by a dog with a leash and no owner holding it. Of course we're a bit confused until a little boy about 13 or so comes running towards us and the now rampant dog. Half an hour and a chase scene later the dog is returned to his owner and we're at the fairgrounds, out of breath and even more tired than when we started. Looking back, I find this all hilarious.

So finally, we get the movies get back to the house, and I can't figure out the four remotes to my grandparent's television. I spent a good ten minutes trying to get it to work (yes, it was all plugged in) and the Brit takes one look at a random remote, pushes one button and everything is magically where we want it to be. The travesties of being a technologically inept girl.

We came back to BG today and I got my homework done, before deciding it was time to catch up on my blog, where we sit now. I'm sure this week will come with some more small adventures so make sure to check in again soon.

Don't forget to check out the new blog too. Every Wednesday it should have something new there for you to read. Hopefully, the stories I find are interesting enough for you. Let me know how you like it by leaving a comment too. I can only get better if you let me know what needs to be fixed.

As always,

Blessed Be