Things are looking up!

Picture found on crossingilandmono

So things are looking up.

I may have mentioned before that I am feeling a bit lost. (Ha that has been all this has been about)Now quite sure that I am doing what I should be doing. Well I have had a few things come into my life recently that I think may help me to figure out more about myself and be able to do some of those things that I enjoy.

First I went to an Arbonne party last week. Many of you may not know what Arbonne is. It is an organization that is shared through network marketing, it has skin care, make up, nutrition, body care, something for truly everyone.  yes similar to Mary Kay, but the product is of higher quality. (sorry Mary Kay) I never thought that I would be doing something like this. I feel weird even putting it out there that I am considering it. But my favorite job that I have had thus far was working at The Body Shop. Being able to help women and men find the products that were right for them. Help them to wear make up the correct way in order to make them feel more confident and better about themselves. I actually have been thinking that my dream job would be to have meetings with women, preferably middle aged, and help them, if they need it, with their fashion, hair and makeup to revive them in a way, I hope I am not offending anyone. But so many times I see women who are absolutely beautiful on the inside, and with a bit of help could build on that confidence with something new.

You may be thinking but that is superficial self-esteem, but I do not believe so. If I am wearing a new outfit that is a bit on the unique side, I wear that thing with so much confidence. It builds my confidence and makes me walk with my head held high. Do not get me wrong I am not some girl that has low self esteem and needs makeup to hide behind or clothes to make me feel good about myself. And to those that would think negatively about people that do feel that way, we all fake it till we make it right. But I truly think that my clothes, make up, and hair are a way for me to extend my personality and I can convey exactly the person that I want to be through every piece of my life. Some people may think that fashion is not important or that it is all a conspiracy, we wear what they want us to wear, but you tell me the shift in self esteem when someone is wearing something a bit out of their comfort zone, not too much out of it because then they may feel uncomfortable.

Wow if that is not a tangent then I do not know what is. I may also have talked in circles but welcome to my world.

Another thing that just happened which I am pretty excited about. I received a call last night from my mom's best friend. I thought she was calling to contact my mom, but nope she was calling me. She said that the mission's board at our church is looking for younger people to be apart of the team and my name came up. This is huge. I have a bad insecurity of not being thought of. It rears its ugly head every once in awhile. I do not deal with it that much anymore, but every once in a while it comes back. But here is an affirmation that I am thought of. Out of everyone in our church I was thought of, because I do value missions. I could possibly see myself living in a foreign country at some point in my life. So to be part of this team is amazing. I will be able to have a hand in missions even though it is not me directly being in a foreign place. This is almost like God saying to me "Until the time is right, I give you this." Well thank you. I needed this.

So I guess sometimes you just need to be patient. My whole life has not been decided. (of course not) I still do not have a good idea of direction, but I am going to take a step in the direction of Arbonne and the mission's team and we will see what happens.

Keep on keepin' on

Just Stop It!

I realized it has been over two weeks since I posted last and that is just unacceptable.

I have been very busy, and not in a good way.

I picked up a second job, cleaning. I realized that I do not like it. Now you may be thinking, "Well if you need the extra money, beggars can't be choosers." But I beg to differ. I have spent the last 2 years doing a job that I hated, because it paid well and was what I went to school for. It negatively affected my entire life no joke. So if you do not like a job you are doing, and it just does not seem worth it, then stop doing it. Seriously your happiness and well being in life is not worth the torture you are putting yourself through now.

I read this so much over those two years of, excuse my French But, hell. "You are young, stop doing a job that you hate." But it really is true. Just stop it.

I could not actually just quit my job as they commanded me to do, but now that I have left I am beginning to get back to normal, I am still not quite there yet. I have some residual affects. But I am getting there.

Anyways I have already given them my two weeks notice for cleaning. I am cleaning at my school and have been in discussion with them about my struggles with it. So it was not a surprise to them. They already know I am spoiled and entitled. ha ( I do not feel as though I really am) But I guess in many ways I am very human in that I want to make more money doing the least amount of work that I possibly can. But I know that is not actually realistic.

I was able to spend some time with a few of my friends this weekend that I am not able to see all that often. I came to realize that I love my friends. They are absolutely great people. I may be uncertain about a lot in my life right now but I am not uncertain about my friends. I was chatting with my college roommate and she gave me some encouraging words, she said that I was brave to be questioning my career path. I have never thought of it that way and I am very grateful for her words, I know they are from God because they are exactly what I needed. I have been feeling so lost and uncertain about my life, and her words transformed. I still feel lost but I also feel as though I am on the right bath, bravery is only necessary when there is risk involved and things that are worth having sometimes require a great deal of risk. I received a letter and postcard from other friends that are immensely encouraging. I realized this weekend, even though I've known it for a long time, that I have great friends. Maybe even the best friends that anyone could have. 

I guess my great friends are a testament to myself as well. Great people are not going to be friends with mediocre people. So I guess the fact that I have great friends, must mean I am pretty great too. So think about your friends and if they are as great as mine are, then you are pretty great as well.

Taylor Haugen Foundation-Football Cause

Photo by THF

New awesome cause to get involved with. My mother told me about this story she found in her Guideposts magazine. This high school boy had died while playing football. If you read my last post about Football you know that I very much enjoy it, okay that's an understatement. But anyways. My attention was completely gotten. So I inquired, how in the world did he die. I know that football is not the like table tennis in how safe it is, but it has come a long way from the leather wraps they used for helmets. She told me that the boy was hit in his abdomen and lacerated his liver and they could not fix it, so he died. WOW.

So the parents heard about this compression shirt that could have protected their son's midsection and also could have prevented his death. They have started a foundation in their sons name. Taylor Haugen Foundation.



This Evoshield shirt is the shirt they are trying to get into all high school football teams, so that this might not happen to other boys. High school is far too young to be losing a child while playing a game. If you would like to join in seeing this dream become a reality for these parents that have found a solution to a problem that should have already been in play please click on the foundation link to join in the cause.

Get your head in the game!

So if any of you know me at all and we get talking about sports, football and hockey mostly, I cannot shut up. I am a Green Bay Packers fan, now please do not close this window so soon, hear me out. I was born in Wisconsin and oh who cares, I do not have excuses they are a great team, with some great guys, I hope, and I just love them.

Now Hockey has not always been a favorite, but living in Canada for 5 years can turn you into a hockey fan. (I went to school in Canada) I was a horrible fan when I first started attending our university's, don't mock me saying university its just what they say, I would yell flying V, because hello I'm American and the only exposure most of us has had to hockey is all of the Mighty Ducks movies. I thought a power play was simply when one team was coming on strong the goal. (some of you might still think that is what a power play is) but truly hockey is awesome it is so fast paced and it can turn on you in a second. You think your team has it in the bag and then oh no the other team just scored 3 points and we lost. Now I am from Illinois so of course I am a Blackhawks fan. I was a fan of the Blackhawks before they won their first Stanley cup, but I will confess I have become a bigger fan since they won their last Stanley Cup. Wow I get off on tangents.

Anyway. Back to Football because that is the only sport that is important that is playing right now, sorry I'm not sorry Baseball (my Cubs are not in it anyway). And back to the whole reason for this post. I have done something that has created me to talk about football even more. I text my brother about it constantly, I tell whoever is listening about it, and I know they do not care. I look it up, and seriously, as my mom puts it, just stare at the screen, but really I am checking everything out.

I joined a Fantasy Football League.

I am not sure why I have not done this sooner. It could be because I knew what it would do to me, I'm already kind of obsessed, so now what am I, what word means more than obsessed, I cannot think of one. But I actually think it is because I did not have anyone asking me to join their team. Well this year I am in an all girls league, maybe a good way to start off. I absolutely love it. I am fixated it on it. Of course I had no idea what I was doing in my draft for players. I got a kicker in like the 4th round, thats a no-no, I did not know that. I got a defense practically right after that, also I have no clue what I am doing. I have a bunch of Wide Receivers I do not know, but hoping for the best. I ended up getting a B- from the fantasy experts or whoever for how I drafted, which I take as pretty good. That was practically the grade I got all through university, (side note, not sure why but I always want to capitalize University when I write it, see, I just did it, I think its because it sounds so much more proper, ha, a liberal arts education)

But anyways I won my first week and I was not suppose to, I am the underdog this next week too, Lets see if I can create an upset again? Fingers crossed.

Recap of my 27 things before 28!

So in January I made a post of the 27 things I want to do before I turn 28. Here is the post if you would like to see it. 27 things before 28.
I thought I would share my progress on this. I turn 28 on February 28th, Wow my Golden Birthday, I gotta do something amazing!. So I am about half way there, or a little over.

My first thing was to read 10 books.

1-Someday, Someday, Maybe-Lauren Graham
2-Speak-Laurie Hanlse Anderson
3-Sharp Objects-Gillian Flynn
4-The Fault in our Stars- John Green
5-The Next Best Thing-Jennifer Weiner
6-In Between Days-Andrew Porter
7-Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children-Ransom Briggs
8-Hollow City-Sequel to above-Ransom Briggs
9-Coming Home-Karen Kingsbury
10-If I Stay- Gayle Foreman
11-Fan Girl-Rainbow Rowell
12-Bossy Pants-Tina Fey
13-Attachments-Rainbow Rowell
14 The Interestings-Meg Wolitzer


I Love anything by Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor and Park, Attachments, Fan Girl, I need to read Landline. They are so good and interesting. She really knows people and how they think.

I think that Ransom Briggs is going to be in some ways like Jk Rowling. I can already see this being a huge series. He mixes vintage photos in with the books and it makes it much more visual for a reader. Even when there is a twist in the first book and you may think I don't know about this, keep going, you will get so attached to the characters and it will keep you going.

Gillian Flynn writes psychological thrillers like none other. They are so good and there is never just one twist there are multiple. You think its one person and then its not, but is it?

I would say that each of these books are must reads, I liked every single one of them.

I died my hair purple.Check.

I have gone to four sporting events. 1 Brewers, 1 Red Sox, 2 Cubs

I have gone to 2 out of the three concerts, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, No Shame.

I have disconnected from all screens for a month pretty much.

I work out at least three times a week

I have visited 2 out of three states I haven't been to. Massachusetts and New York.


Things I need to continue to work on. Decluttering my wardrobe. Sewing myself a piece of clothing. Crafts. SAVING MONEY!

What Egress means to me.

Photo courtesy of koffeinszerelem

 

I thought it was time to explain the title of my blog. So here it goes.

I first encountered this word when I was teaching a book called City of Ember to a class of grade 6 students while I was student teaching. I really liked the word. I was simply drawn to it, I cannot explain it. I am not sure what it was.

As I thought about it more and more I found that it had several meanings to me. Here is number 1.

The idea of Egress, the act of exiting. It is not an exit, a noun, a thing that you search for. It is a verb, it is the movement of exiting, leaving. The exit may not be important but how you are going to get through it is. Simply put we are not going to be on this Earth forever. We will leave it, so many of us focus on how it will happen. Will I die of old age, in a fire, a car accident, etc. But I think what is more important than the instant you leave, is the entire process before it. How will you exit, how will you live you life while you are moving toward the exit. Will you merely by time until the time comes or will you live it to the fullest extent a life can be lived. (you may be thinking, wow you're stretching it, but really am I, AM I? sorry I get passionate)

Another meaning that Egress has to me is that in life you should be constantly progressing, moving forward, exiting your old life repeatedly so that you can become the person you were meant to be. If you did not continue to improve yourself you will be living at home with your mother, oh wait I am doing that. HA. Completely kidding. Because if you have read even a sentence in this blog, well maybe not the post about bugs on the windshield, you would see that I am constantly contemplating life, maybe too much, but that is up for discussion.

I would rather be someone who thinks too much than not at all.

So that is Egress to me. What is Egress to you? Think about it and message me to tell me what Egress is to you.

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