The Optimistic Cha Cha

all my life i have been doing the optimistic cha cha.
for those of you who are at this moment contorting your faces all puzzled-like, let me clarify.

i haven't always had this perspective that's for sure

but now that i do, how can i possibly be sad about doing the cha cha?

i mean really.

life isn't about being perfect all at once in everything.

the only perfection one can truly achieve is this:

                perfection in learning how to be imperfect.

once you can truly say that you are happy and grateful with your flaws and imperfections, at that moment you have truly embraced the definition of perfection

let that soak in for a second

funny huh?

lets expand

i accomplish tasks given to me best when i evaluate myself first, for example:
               if i'm asked to run a marathon, there is no way i could pick myself up and just go at it right then no matter how
               determined i am.
               i have to evaluate the situation
                    how good am i at running?
                    how long will it take for me to get good at running?
               then i take the steps to reach "perfection"
               that is if i want to.
               personally, i'm not up for running a marathon. i like to go on random jogs just for fun
               and to me, that's perfection enough.

perfection isn't the same for everybody. set goals for yourself and achieve them at your own pace
nobody can tell you you're not good enough
you are always good enough so long as you let yourself see it.

so what do ya say?

wanna do the optimistic cha cha with me?

toodles

thanks to a rotten tooth

have you ever had a tooth ache before?
if you answered no, consider yourself lucky.
if you answered yes, i have shared your pain.
this last thursday i was watching an episode of house in our home theater. i have been experiencing minor tooth aches for weeks now. i get really bad cavities... :(
but this time it was way over the top. i was keeled over in pain. crying hysterically. it didnt matter what i did it just kept getting worse. i tried an ice pack, i tried chamomile tea, i tried biting my tongue to focus myself on something else. i even tried talking about it to someone whom i knew wouldnt really be able to help considering he was miles away and extremely busy.
so i got down on my knees, and i prayed.
call me crazy but i have never poured out my heart to my savior like that before.
my mom has always told me that everythign is spiritual first, so i knew immediately that this prayer wasnt just going to be about my raging toothache. it was about everything i was goung through, both physical, and spiritual, emotional and familial.
my life is hard. im sure there are a but load of people who have it harder, but for what i can handle, my life is super tough. im not going to go into details because this just isnt the place, but the moment i got on my knees and started praying to my father in heaven, it just all came out.
i was already hysterical from the pain, and more tears started flowing as the words started spilling out.
i went from thankful, to angry, to silent and everything in between.
but wanna know the funny thing? it completely turned me around.
my tooth was still roaring the rest of the night, but my heavenly father just had to get me in a time of vulnerability, and a time of need, for me to really seek him and trust him.
and it was coincidentally right before conference weekend.
i was given the opportunity that day to go to conference, and it almost didnt work out, but i went. and let me tell you. what an amazing weekend.

i got to have a heart to heart with my very best girlfriend, and man did i ever need that. i love the friends i have in alberta, i really do. but nothing comes close to Syd.
Ever since we met in grade ten she has been right by my side when i needed a shoulder to cry on, to vent to. She will always be my very best friend.
and i only have two people that i can really say that about. that i can say that i could really trust to be there in a pinch. neither of them live terribly close, but any time i see them its like nothing ever changed. we pick life up right where we dropped it. and i love it.
There is no greater feeling than that of knowing that you are loved. especially when you can reciprocate that love.

so in short. my perspective has been completely altered, all because of a toothache.
so thank you crappy teeth
thank you very much.

walk the line.

have you ever tried to walk, bike, or drive in a straight line? not too hard right?
have you ever tried it with your head turned looking backwards?
not so easy anymore is it.

there is a reason laws are put in place to make sure you keep your eyes on the road ahead at all times. despite your best efforts, its just not possible. you need your eyes to constantly re evaluate and adjust top your surroundings.

can you guess where i'm going with this one??

some of you may already know that i spent a week this summer as a youth counselor at efy.
it was an amazing week!! i met some amazing people and learnt some amazing lessons.

one of those lessons was learning to let go.
i for one have an extremely hard time letting go of the past. i am constantly worrying about the past and how it affects my future... when in reality, i'm creating the problem...

back to the beginning, lets tie it all together.
how am i supposed to move forward if i'm constantly looking over my shoulder at the road behind me?
how am i supposed to stay focused on my future when im so stuck in the past?
im not.

whatever happened in my past, your past, or anyone else's past, is in the past and can't be changed or re written. so why is it that we all dwell on it?? really i dont understand! even though i am more than a victim of it i just dont get it.

so from now on i will do my best to move forward with my eyes ahead and not over my shoulder.

i was planning on this post being a lot longer but i suppose its just not the time or place because the words just arent coming haha
later guys!!!

im sorry

dear blog followers and internet surfers. i realize that i havent posted in a long time. i have had so much on my plate lately and the blog had just fallen behind in the priority list.
the weight on my shoulders has recently been lifted however, so expect a better blog experience from my end. haha hopefully i will be able to get a good long post out tomorrow, i have some good ideas.

in the mean time enjoy this. and all their other songs.
they will always be my favorite!
i hope you love them too :)

later lovelies

Cups Mashup

i posted another video on youtube.
i performed this in my ward talent show hoping to make it into the stake talent show, but because the limit per ward was two entries and our ward is massive i didnt make it in.
i wanted to post it ages ago but i kept forgetting and getting lazy and then i was sick and a whole bunch of other excuses. but yea, here she is!

please excuse the hoodie falling off my shoulder, it was too hot and humid to wear it and i didnt wanna record it in just a tank top... haha thanks!!

later
xoxo

A Box of Crayons.

I love this quote.

its spectacular.

i really hope I'm a magenta, and not a purple.

:)

Mormon Messages

lately i have been going through youtube surfing binges and they have included lots of mormon messages. i want to share with you a few of my favorites. each for different reasons, but all equally as thought provoking.

this is why i am on this journey

this is why i am striving to be my best self.

i may not have the priesthood,

but I never know when the Lord might need me

to listen carefully to the spirit.

which can only be done if i am in tune with it's promptings.

this really humbles me.

the part where the mother finds her son

on his knees

after she was screaming at him in anger

makes me cry like a baby

every

single

time.

to be like unto a like unto a child.

humble, meek, submissive.

there are so many things we will have to deal with

just trust in the Lord

he knows whats best.

this one is on a bit of a lighter note

but just as painful to hear.

would it ever suck to be that guy eh??

well guess what..

you probably are

there are SO MANY things available for you in this life!

they've been given to us to help us grow and learn

some are intense gospel truths and experiences

some are wild adventures and service experiences.

but regardless of what those privileges may be

grab hold of them

and use them to their fullest

later days

xoxo

The Workshop

So this being a continuation of the previous post, I will begin with the quote that created the segway...

the most dangerous risk of all.

the risk of spending your life 

not doing what you want 

on the bet you can buy yourself 

the freedom to do it later

Can i get an amen??... AMEN!!

So. This past weekend the annual YSA Lethbridge Conference was held. One of the workshops on Saturday afternoon was simply fantastic, imma share with you my notes and thoughts.

So this man (who's name I forget :/) focused on these three things

1. Success

2. Relationships

3. Positivity

These three things are connected, and I'm going to explain to you, what he explained to me(us) through the help of the notes I quickly jotted down

1. SUCCESS

He started off with a formula, that is commonly known among business students and multiple others. The formula for success... commonly known as this:

But the one he showed us looked more like this....

(get chalk font here)

Now I bet most of you are thinking what the heck do these random letters mean?? No worries. I did too. But all will become clear in just a moment. Here is what those confusing letters stand for...

Passions

Talents

Associations

Actions

Faith

So. To clarify that equation and put it into more simple terms.

Instead of just being passionate, and having talents, mix your Passions and your Talents. Or in other words, make sure they are one and the same. Be passionate about your talents and vice versa. Take Action and make decisions. Don't just put it off till tomorrow (going back to the segway into this post). And last, but certainly not least, have Faith that there is a point B.

now i know, i missed associations, but if you look back to the beginning of this post you will find point 2.. Relationships. which is the same thing. so.. on to point 2.

2. RELATIONSHIPS

"You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with"

                                -Jim Rohn

That can be a blow to the chest.... here's a list of questions you can ask yourself to figure out if you surround yourself primarily with the right 5 people.

     Find And Cultivate "Growth Friends"

    -How many close friends do I have??

    -How well do they know me?

    -How much do they consistently encourage me to chase my dreams?

    -How much do they provide insight, inspiration and information that challenges me to be a better person??

Some pretty intense thoughts growing in your mind huh? Yea. My mind was racing at this point. Taking a step back and re evaluating your life and the relationships within it can really put things into perspective. It can really answer some of the questions you've been asking,. Why is life so hard? Why am I constantly goin in circles? Why are my efforts backfiring?? Well. He gave us another list to help us fix this simple problem. ***Keeping in mind that I'm not saying this is the only answer to those questions, but you'd be surprised how big of a difference changing your connections and strengthening your relationships might make in YOUR personal progress***

     Define Your Ideal Relationships

    -What type of friends do I want?

    -What kind of spouse do I want?

    -What do I want from my relationships?

    -How shall I attract, keep and deepen my relationships?

    -Define Happiness and design improvement.

which brings us to point 3...

3. POSITIVITY

You get what you're focused on. simple as that.

Good Job :)

Now dance. 

Because dancing is never a waste of your time. 

Ever.

And to close off the post on a good solid note. here are some wise words:

"If I really want to improve my situation, 

I can work on the one thing over which i have control

- myself"

                                -Steven R. Covey

ta ta :)

10 sentences

i found this picture on pinterest and figured i would share it. deep thoughts. 

my favorite of these ten sentences is this:

the most dangerous risk of all.

the risk of spending your life 

not doing what you want 

on the bet you can buy yourself 

the freedom to do it later

woof. which leads me to the next post. stay tuned.

short.

Hello fellow blogger friends... today i was hit in the face with a harsh realization that i need to learn how to make friends. the ones i have made thus far have decided to do one of the following :

          -move away for the summer

          -get married

          -get absorbed in their jobs

          -get significant others

dang.  im not jealous. in fact im really happy with the direction my life is pointing otherwise. i just find myself all too often alone with my thoughts. anybody wanna be my friend? :(

oreo

this commercial is just pure awesome.

i hope you enjoy as much as i did

ta ta

a story

this week. has been interesting. good. but interesting.

to start off i made a new friend. my lovely cousins Myriam and Roxanne came down for the weekend, and along with Myriam came her friend Flemming. now it didnt take long before i realized how special this new friend was. those two short days he truly became my friend, will be two days i never forget. this guy treated me as an old friend! and that was something that i really needed.

the stage in my life that i'm beginning is a lot harder than i could have anticipated. there are so many little things that i have to learn to change and control all at once. it's hard to put into words but i will try and express it in this post. please bear with me as i start from the ugly beginning.

the beginning of my journey, and the turning of the page from what turned out to be only a brief introduction, started several months ago when i decided that it was a good idea to get counseling. which was a big deal for me. nobody likes to admit that they need help. but i did. i never once looked at myself as perfect, but i had also never seen myself as so damaged that i needed professional fixing. well i did, and i got it.

it was an extremely strange transition at first. getting time booked off work for "doctor's appointments" and essentially having a secret life for a while. i wasnt about to go telling everyone that i had a shrink. who would? the automatic response from anyone, including myself, would be to ask why. but that's not the kind of question i wanted to answer. i don't need to answer it. but i do feel like i need to share my story, because chances are, these words are going to reach someone who went through exactly what i did, or something similar, and it may just help them to take that first step in admitting they need help. it takes time. but in the end, i am so extremely grateful for the help i received in those months of counseling.

the most valuable thing that i learned, and i think i have discussed this on my blog before, is how to be more self aware. before counseling i was just blindly going through my day performing tasks without so much as a second thought. I would occasionally question myself, but it wouldn't end up affecting my end decision or action. bad maddie.

it is so important to be aware of what youre doing, especially if you're trying to solve a problem that, until only weeks before, you didn't realize you had. i now find myself thinking before i speak even to myself (no i'm not a loon, we've all had conversations with ourselves) and it's really quite interesting. i'm questioning everything from the clothes i wear, to the faces i make, to the lights i leave on in the house (huge pet peeve now). and you wanna know something? i'm so much happier. i can't even begin to explain the huge change in my attitude towards my life in general!

so back to Flemming. the night we first met we ended up having to stay up later than planned, and it resulted in an intense heart to heart. it was good to finally have someone to express my story to. and he knew exactly what to say. he told me some things that i didnt realize i had been dying to hear. but they got me so excited!! i was already excited but they were just that cherry on top! so excited in fact, that the next day, although spent with a dear dear friend, ended in sobs and tears. i was up till almost three o clock in the morning just crying. and im not entirely sure why. but it's all part of the journey, and i hope that some day this part of the jigsaw puzzle makes a lot more sense.

and that was my week. or more my weekend.. hah. later all!!

I miss this man.

Its another quote post today. I was browsing my facebook feed when I came across this lovely gem of a quote. I kinda wanna frame it... :)

All of us have problems. We face them every day. How grateful i am that we have difficult things to wrestle with. They keep us young, they keep us alive, they keep us going, they keep us humble. Be grateful for your problems, and know that somehow there will come a solution. Just do the best you can, but be sure it is the very best. 
- Gordon B Hinckley

Oh president Hinckley. you are so wise. I cant count on all my fingers and toes how many times this has crossed through my mind in much less elaborate words. I can honestly say that I am grateful for my trials and difficult life situations.
Now I'm not saying that had i been given the choice to map out my life the way I wanted I would throw in all the trials I have been given cuz nobody enjoys being put through tough stuff. But looking back on the trials I have been given, I believe that I have been more fully prepared for the daunting role of motherhood.
My future kids are going to grow up and enter the teens... and everybody knows how difficult it can be to raise teens. A whole new world of parenting opens up. As I have watched my parents raise me and my younger brothers throughout our teenage years, I have noticed more and more how the trials in my life have helped preparee me for my future; motherhood especially. It's still going to be ridiculously hard, but I will know better what to say and do because of my own experiences, and those of my parents.
I love my parents, with all my heart... I know they are far from perfect, and there have definitely been moments when i wished they would just change their minds on something and do what I wanted them to do. But they have always been rocks for me to lean on. They have raised me to love my Savior through shining examples, and I am so very grateful to them. I love you mom and dad :)

so precious

<3 <3 

xoxo

later gators :)

a quote a quote!

There's no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone.

amen. i can not recall a time when i did not grow from a situation that made me "uncomfortable" in any way. those situations are blessings in disguise! we have to push ourselves a little each day to grow and take that next step if we ever want to reach the "finish line" of life (even though i dont think there is a finish line:)

tall girl problems

so. being tall means a lot of the shorts that would otherwise be modest for most girls, are too short for me. so i find myself needing to be more creative while im shopping. which can be fun!!

so for today's post i'm gonna share with you one of my lucky finds!! :)

Dear Old Navy. thankyou for giving me some wiggle room with the hem on these shorts!!!

see how cute these are????

and notice that HALLELUJAH cuff??

here's a picture of one leg unaltered, and one altered.

(they are pinker in person more like the online shot)

so. i seam ripped the cuffs to unroll them, then took the inside of the short leg in about an inch to take away the nasty flare that was going on from the lack of tailoring in the folded cuff. simple!!

teehee

well that's the snipit of my journey today :) my journey to a better me :) modest, happy, spiritually giant me :)

later :)

Zach

a little inspiration for your day.

he died yesterday.

don't wait till you discover you're dying to start living.

smile always.

find that one thing that can make you smile even on your worst days, because there isn't a second you can take back or a moment you can relive. why waste precious moments in the negative when there is so much to smile about?

later ;)

The Next Chapter

Hello my friends, family and followers. Today i am going to share with you some of the bare bones of my life as of yet and in the near future.
So. last summer when i came home from my trip to toronto my mother sat me down and we had a huge heart to heart. i love my momma <3 she has always been there to help me. in this particular instance she gave me encouragement and direction into my future. she told me that the next chapter in my life was practically around the corner and that it was high time i really start getting ready for it. (namely an end to the single adult chapter of my life)
it wasn't until that day that i really realized how great it is to be single! i'm not saying it sucks to be in a relationship, but to be single is something so many of my friends (girls especially) take for granted!! don't spend your life chasing something, on the false pretense that once you've caught it everything will be fine and dandy. if you're not happy single, you're not going to be any happier in a relationship.
and i know you single ladies out there who are patiently waiting for your husbands to come along, have probably heard that nagging phrase far too many times. but just take a moment to think about it. what is a relationship to you and why is it so important that you are in one? there was a point in my life where i looked at a boyfriend as someone to answer and carry out my every whim. hmmm.... does that sound fair?? now i'm not saying that i never did anything in return for them, but i was looking at it all wrong.
I've turned my goggles around and now instead of looking at it from a "Me" perspective, i look at it from a "You" perspective. what can i do to make your life easier and your burden lighter. what can i do to put a smile on your face. and you know what, it helped. and this isn't only to be applied in romantic relationships, but also in our friendships and daily encounters.
so. back to the heart to heart with my mom. she sort of gave me a series of tasks, if you will, to prepare myself for whoever might come my way.these being: 1) become a woman of virtue. 2) find more opportunities to serve. there were a few others but i wanna focus on these for now.

become a woman of virtue.
in all things. action, thought, dress. when i decided being virtuous and modest was important, something changed. i look at myself more positively now, and i find myself grinning for no reason. black marks on my past are starting to really fade, and the future has never looked brighter. I walk with my head held high because i know who i am and where i came from. I know that I'm important and loved

find more opportunities to serve.
remember that post about alvin?? well i had been sort of conciously looking since then but that was my first real service. it completely made my day. i was smiling ear to ear, and nothing could take me down. i look forward to more opportunities to really serve those around me! maybe not in ways as big as that, but still!! making someone's day regardless of how small or large the act can be one of the greatest things you do for your self confidence and general happiness!

my testimony of service and virtue has grown exponentially since y mother's call for direction. i know that she was truly inspired to guide me!! :)

until pretty recently i have still been struggling with the smaller commandments such as reading my scriptures and praying daily. i mean everyone does, but since i have been really trying to be the best i can and draw closer to the savior, i came up with a solution. reading the scriptures before bed wasn't working, and listening to them just put me to sleep. so i decided to listen to conference talks while i wash my face and brush my teeth and get ready for bed. it's making a big difference in my attitude! i want to get a decent way through the book of mormon before christmas, (i would say finish it but i dont want to rush myself and miss inspired doctrine!!) to more fully prepare myself for the next chapter in my life!!

so I've decided to document my journey to a better me :) i want to hopefully find something inspiring every day. now i'm not making any promises but i will try my best!! i want to be able to remember this time in my life. its exciting!! im looking forward to learning and growing and whatever is in store for me :)

before i go here's a little quote i found 

that really kicked me in the keester today :)

so if you wanna join with me, stay tuned!! :)

3 Row Wrap Bracelet

here is a link to the tutorial on my other blog!! :)

a post a post!!

Here's a link to my second diy post on the other blog in case you didnt know i had it :)

this is what i made :)

Alvin.

so yesterday in relief society, our wonderful teacher shared a quote that really stuck with me. and i'm gonna share it with you.

good better best. never let it rest. until your good becomes better, and your better best. -Tim Duncan

and another that goes hand in hand.

turn your cants into cans, and your dreams into plans. -Kobi Yamada

the first one can be misinterpreted though, so i'm going to try and explain it as best i can.

I'm sure plenty of you have heard the saying Good Better Best. but i hadn't heard the second half until just yesterday. it's kinda catchy :)

So. some people when they initially read this quote might think, "well dangit, i'm not perfect, this is unrealistic" (i sure did) but it isn't about perfection, it's about reaching true potential. and everybody, no matter where they are in tall the walks of life, has room to improve on something.

It might be being nicer to your siblings. it might be getting better at saving your money. hey, it might even be as simple as just putting a smile on your face in the morning, and reminding yourself of all the things you have been blessed with. I know i have MOUNDS of room for improvement, and looking into a figurative mirror back at myself, it tends to be daunting.... but we also have to remember to take things one step at a time. I find the things in my life that worked out the best were the ones that i spent more time and effort on, and really tried my best to accomplish.

Ok. so i'm not suggesting that you grab your own figurative mirror and pick out all the things about yourself that need to be better. no. that will only wind you up between a rock and a hard place. trust me on this.... I learnt something important whilst recently seeking professionally guided advice... self awareness. I was taught to really step outside myself and figure out why it was i was doing everything the way i was. NOT EASY.

this took me a long time to grasp, and even now i still haven't really figured it out. but it's really helping. don't be afraid to ask yourself questions. and DO NOT under any circumstances be dishonest with yourself. you're probably going to rediscover some skeletons that you buried ages ago, but it isn't until you actually deal with them that you can move on and take another step towards being your best self.

Something that I discovered amidst my journey is that i am secretly very selfish. every time i was presented with a choice, my decision was based on the answer to the question, 'what's in it for me??' no. it's good to want to help yourself, but in discovering this dirty little secret, i also discovered a pretty little trick. When you ask yourself instead the question, 'what's in it for YOU??' ME benefits more than she would had she asked herself the previous question. (please ignore the awful grammar in that sentence...) So i'll close with a story.

After work one day i was sitting on the bench waiting for the bus listening to some Brigit Mendler (yaya breakup songs) and just enjoying myself. When I'm approached by a native man. He looks a little worn out and beaten, but still somehow glowing. He sparks up a conversation with me, beginning with "you look like you're going somewhere in life, what grade are you in??" at first i'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment, but i kindly reply that i'm actually in university. his face just lit up even more as he replied "good for you. we need more bright young people like you getting good jobs. keep it up, you're great" I smiled, and put my headphones back in, and turned up my music to drown out the white noise that is down town lethbridge. When another native man approached me. this one was poorly dressed and even more scraggly looking. he sheepishly approached me and asked "could you do me a really big favor? i haven't eaten all day and i don't think i have enough change for a hot dog. could you spot me?" I didn't know what to say. i thought for a second. i had enough time to grab him a hot dog and catch my bus home. so up i got. :) luckily Red Dog was just across the street. He introduced himself as Alvin (I think...), and i gave him my name, impressed by his cheeriness. then he opens the door for me. "dang this guy must have really had a great life once upon a time. he's super kind" as we approach the counter i realize i left my wallet at work (oops) so i ask the kind gentlemen behind the counter how much it would cost to buy a hot dog, and we realize that Alvin had enough change after all. i was still bummed cuz i would have wanted to get him at least two. But as i made sure he got his food, he turned to me, offered his fist for a good ol' bump and wished me a good day.

Alvin changed my outlook on life. and i wish i could really thank him for it.... He taught me to pose the second question to myself... 'what's in it for YOU'

So I'm getting better, and making my good better, my better best, and planning my dreams.
:) later

49

so. my life has become significantly less interesting. and as you can tell i have stopped posting on the good old blogalog. which may be affecting some of you  and i apologize. i just dont have anything to write hah. Here are some questions that i answered.....

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? 
My middle name according to my parents, was the first french woman to enter canada..? idk

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? 
Wednesday the 10th

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? 
Yea sure

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? 
Ummmmm i dont think i have one

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 
Nope.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? 
Yea I think so

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? 
A lot less than I used to.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? 
Yep

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Probably not.... haha i'm not really one to live on the edge

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? 
Cinnamon Toast Crunch :) or Golden Grahams. thats a toss up...

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? 
Only if I have to

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? 
Nope... hah

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? 
Cherry Cheescake

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? 
Their eyes

15. RED OR PINK? 
Pink. i dont own a lot of red actually

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? 
My lack of emotional control

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? 
My missionary friends!!!!!

18.( This question was dumb.... had something to do with a diet book.... skipped it.)


19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
I'm barefoot :)

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Gluten free crackers.... haha

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? 
The Fall Song by Bridgit Mendler

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? 
Mint Green

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Fresh cut grass, a good cologne, and barbecue season :)

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? 
Arlene Cook haha

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
Beach House at the bottom of a mountain

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? 
None?

27. HAIR COLOR? 
Golden dirty blonde

28. EYE COLOR? 
Blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? 
Not anymore. I'm too lazy to go buy new ones.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? 
SUSHIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? 
Happy endings. I HATE scary movies......

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? 
The Odd Life of Timothy Green

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? 
Grey/Silver

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? 
I prefer summer

35. HUGS OR KISSES? 
Hugs. No, kisses. No... I can't decide.....

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? 
Strawberry rhubarb pie.... mmmmmmm

37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
Ummmmm..... Cardio i suppose

38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Both

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? 
More like waiting for one to come out

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? 
N/A

42. FAVORITE SOUND? 
A baby's laugh :)

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? 
Beatles. Easy.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Hawaii.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? 
Singing??

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? 
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
........

48. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
Beige..?

49. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
N/A

50. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 50 QUESTIONS?
Not really. But oh well...

k cool. peace. hopefully life gets interesting enough for me to continue to blog on a regular basis again

riddle me this

why is it, that during the period of my life whereim trying my darndest to put the puzzle pieces together, it seems as though i have pieces from several different puzzles, and the picture makes no sense. why are my efforts only backfiring?
why cant i just fix what needs fixing and continue to grow and learn on my journey

first

oh hey. today i hit 6000 pageviews. sweet! so, this'll be a short post. not terribly informative or inspiring at all. just something that i've come to realize lately.
i've realized that no matter how many times you try to deny it, your first real love will alwaysbe important to you. i sincerely believe that i have felt real love. for however short a time i had it, it was wonderful. yea there were ups and downs and a whole lot of tears, but when i look back on it, every moment was a learning and growing experienc, and i wiuldn't change a thing. i will forever hold that individual close to my heart.
so i guess that's it. once a first love, always a first love. short and sweet.
good night everyone :)

a lesson.

this is a lesson in etiquette. retail etiquette. a form of etiquette which i believe is much less commonly known. now it's more than possible that i've already written about this subject on the blog before, but i am going to go into much greater detail. because ladies and gents...

YOU'RE ALL PIGS!

seriously though... i've worked in retail for a few years, and regardless of the store, customers are always pigs. ALWAYS! so, i'm out to fix the problem. here are a few lessons in retail etiquette, that apply to all, if not most retail businesses (though i can't think of one company who wouldn't deal with these problems, i don't wanna go to the extremes and be a liar ya know)

so. here we go.

this makes me happy.

this. does not.

Shoes. i work with a company that has their shoes hung from twelve inch hooks on the wall, color ordered and sized accordingly. but for some reason, once a wave of customers comes through, the color order is messed up, the size marked hangers are wrong, and shoes are strewn across the floor.... not ok.
-when you try on a pair of shoes and they aren't what you're looking for, hang them back up where you found them. it's not that hard. i understand if you're in a hurry and just don't have time to hang them up where they go, but really. just try. ok? takes five extra seconds of your life that i'm sure you'll do just fine without. the same goes for accessories and stuff. put it back where you got it.

this. makes me so unbelievably happy.

but this is a little more reasonable.

Pants. and more specifically jeans. in more big chain retail stores, jeans are kept folded in racks on the wall, nice and organized by size, style, and wash. to make life easier for YOU. so. when you take out a pair of jeans, put it back where you found it. try to fold it like the ones on the shelf. i understand that every company fold s theirs differently, but trust me, if you even just try, it will make a difference for whoever has been assigned to re-organize the jean wall that day (because let me tell you, it needs to be re-organized every day.... jeans are the worst)

OH LOOK!!!!!!!

Folded items. ie. shirts, sweaters, sweat pants, tank tops, leggings. if you are looking for a size and you can't find it because the pile looks like poop, this is why. every store that has clothes folded on the table organizes their piles with largest size on the bottom and smallest size on the top (because of proportions and making sure a pile stays standing. so. if everyone just followed these easy steps, things would work out fine, and you would never have an issue finding your size again (unless of course they just don't have it. in that case i'm sorry)
-ok, take the first item on the top of the pile and figure out where the tag is, cuz they should probably be easily accessed when folded. (most companies tuck them in so the piles look nicer, but just tug it out, that's an easier fix than refolding a pile)
-once you locate the tag, determine where your size might be in the pile. if you're looking for an extra small, it should be on the very top. if it's an extra large it should be on the very bottom. now here's the trick. if you want to get to the bottom of a pile, don't throw all the other nicely folded items around till you get there, carefully flip the pile over, sort of like you would a pancake (one hand under, one hand over, flip) and take the one off the bottom, that should now be on the top. then flip it back. done.
-if you need to get into the middle, then just flip halfway through, instead of from the very bottom. simple, right? ... nah. apparently not :/

aaaaaaahhh. yes.

NO.... NO NO NO NO!!!!!!

hangers.... if you want to look at something that is hung on a hanger, dont just pull it out on one side and just leave it poking out like that. please no. take it off the rack and look at it. and if you cant manage to stick it back in between the other shirts, hang it in the front, that's ok, also a much easier fix than going through and readjusting hangers that are probably snagged on collars of shirts around it. also, if something falls off the hanger because you pulled it out, please do try to put it back on. nobody likes to look through a rack of clothes that is only half put together.

please.. why...

change rooms. ok. now if the clerk doesn't ask you to bring all the items back out with you, please do anyways. and if there is no clerk, don't just leave your clothes and hangers all over the floor.. please!!! hang them up and be neat and grown up about it. there is nothing that bothers me more than someone who doesn't even put in the effort to be kind to retail workers when it comes to refolding and hanging clothes. please.

yup. that's me.

i have been a witness to customers looking me right in the eye, picking at item up off the rack, and then just dropping it... WHHAAAAAATTTT?!?!?!
are you five????????? did your parents never teach you to clean up after yourselves??? WHAT possesses you to chuck stuff on the floor and think it's acceptable?? please tell me because i have no clue. oh, perhaps the whole "oh, somebody else will clean it for me. it's somebody else's job anyways isn't it??"
no. it is not our job to be your maid. it is however our job to help make the store a clean and shoppable environment. which can get hard when every customer is oblivious to the fact that they are creating the problem they hate so much.
and don't tell me that a messy store doesn't make you uncomfortable and unable to shop. because that is at least a little bit of a lie. when i walk into a messy store, i don't want to shop. i feel like if the store associates can't keep the store clean how could they manage to sell me good products right?? wrong. it's your problem, not theirs.
and if you are one of the few who already know these simple rules, and follow them at least just a little. i thank you on behalf of everybody who has ever worked in retail. because trust me, it makes a difference.

so that's my rant. thank you for bearing with me :) and i hope you learnt something. :) later gators