A little Fashion.

So I really enjoy fashion, scratch that I love fashion. I love how it can completely change my mood and make me feel amazing. How when I wear something a little out of my comfort zone, I feel so confident.

I do not have a lot of money, and I find that most people who have a great sense of style, have the money to have a great sense of style. The reason they can dress amazing is because they have the money to. I do not, but still feel as though I have a great sense of style and simply use what I have to make new outfits. I have not bought anything new in quite some time.

Here are the essentials that I think every woman should have and could create endless outfits with.

-a blazer of some sort, it can go over a t-shirt and jeans to dress up an outfit, or wear it with a pencil skirt and a blouse. the possibilities are seriously endless with the blazer.

-A pencil skirt, it is a staple. It can be worn over a shirt that is tight, or over a shirt that is baggy and it still looks very professional. It can be worn with high heels or flats to dress it down a bit.

-a skinny belt to go around your waist. This is good for those of us that need to show we have curves because sometimes clothes can look like a pillow case. This works really nicely if you have a cardigan over your shirt and would like something to cinch it in and not look like you are frompy.

-a pair of flats, black and brown would be nice. These do not have to be expensive, but you will wear them a lot. with jeans, leggings, skirts, shorts, skinny jeans you name it they go with it.

-a pair of leggings. I have a few pairs, but I seriously wear them all the time. with an over-sized shirt, a dress, a shirt because I am too lazy to put on pants. I have not been buying new pairs of pants, I just keep buying leggings.

-a pair of boots, black or brown. I find that no matter what color brown they always look good, where as sometimes black boots can look very fake at times.

-Black and white V-neck t-shirt. It can go with any pair of jeans, tucked in or left untucked. You can put it with a pencil skirt tucked in. It seriously can go with anything.

-a nice pair of jeans. Just because.

-a cardigan, either short or medium or long in length. Maybe one of each. They are nice to wear over a tank top for a little more warmth, or to layer it even more and put a blazer on top, but I do not think that the cardigan should peek out underneath the blazer.

These are a few staples that I think every girl should have in there closet. Remember if you are unsure about an outfit, just be confident and wear it. I hate when people say that they might not be able to pull something off, just wear it and if you are confident then no one will say a thing.

Hunger Games. Hungar Games.

I just finished reading the Hunger Games trilogy and I do not have the familiar feeling that accompanies the ending of a series. Normally I am tormented with questions and unsure that I liked the ending, or that it truly ended at all.

With this trilogy I feel completeness that I so rarely feel when I finish a book. It ended well and with closure that was not perfect but beautiful and profound. The idea of love being something that endures and is not a utopia but completely worth it. Katniss followed her instincts and sometimes there was collateral damage, and she understands that it will be with her forever and to survive she needed the one person that could wipe away her nightmares with a touch. Because that collateral damage could consume her, could be her end.

It reminds me of what I will do if/when I have children and how I will relate to them when they seem to question society or decide to think for themselves. How will I explain my past and experience without telling them how to think. I want independent thinkers in my family, but how I will feel when they do not think as I do. (seems funny, but true.)

I loved these books, they kept me reading, I was late for work, completely consumed and am very glad that they are over, so that I can get back to life. But it is sad what it reveals about society. Coming into an election it makes me question what politicians' true motives might be, is it power or is it a new idea that they think they can be successful with for the better of the society. (I am rambling, I am sorry)

Hunger Games was set in a society that was very advanced, but yet very primitive in its control. It is very true that society does not really change, peoples' memories are short. We repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Our struggles are not new, they have been around for centuries. People trying to live beyond their means and therefore sending a ripple throughout society that affects the people who cannot afford it (the ones who did not bring it about in the first place.)

It can create some cynicism. It has created some cynicism.

On My Own!

So today I had the kindies all by myself for the morning. I knew I could handle it, but was still a little worried at having 20 5-6 year olds, 15 of them boys . I am pleased to say that they did not win out, I have the victory. We were able to get all of our work done and have some time to spare. IT was nice being able make my own decisions and not have to ask for validation. I had an aid in the room for about a half an hour and she was quite pleased with my ability to rangle them and move them from task to task. We did have a few punches thrown, one at recess and one that was spured on from reading a book about a snowball fight. That is what I get for being in a classroom full of boys. Anything seems to set them off to play fighting.

I feel a major sense of accomplishment. I can do this and have not lost my ability to teach on my own. I am very to ready to have my own classroom, hopefully this next year that can become a reality. I am waiting to hear back from the state as to if I have my provisional teaching certificate, when that comes through I will be applying for jobs like crazy.

Funny moment!

Funny Moment,

One of my kindies was crying and being grumpy and my teacher asked, "Where is your happy heart?" and he responds, "I don't have it, I left it at home." so cute said through his tears!

Misery does Love its Company!

There are times in your life that you experience things that you want to tell every single person you come in contact with, but the reality is you cannot. For example, a momentous event such as you are in love, and maybe you just realized it. You may be able to tell your mom, and a few friends, but that friend that has been wanting to fall in love for years and never seems to be able to, you cannot tell her.

Or say you got the perfect job and some of your friends hate theirs, they are doing nothing that they went to school for. You cannot be too excited when you tell them, if you care about their feelings at all.

Or maybe you are trying to get fit. You are working out and eating right, no diets or gimmicks. You have lost some weight, but every single person that you want to tell, has not had the same success as you. You want to shout it from the roof tops, but really most people would just hate you and not want to talk to you. It would be counter productive. I felt that way today, for a week I have worked out and ate reasonably well and I have lost three pounds, but today I did not feel as though I could tell anyone because I did not want to be pushing it in their faces.

The reality is that most people are not happy for you when your life is going well, or maybe even one area is going well. They do not want to hear it, if their life is not. It is true misery does love company.

Sorry to be cynical, but their are a few people that will be happy regardless, and these people care more about you than they do about themselves! These people are real treasures, keep em close!

Hey, I travel.

One night I am in New York working in a diner and living in an apartment that could be infested with who knows what.

Then I am in California watching a guy that makes his rounds to many different girls, and they all know about it.

After that I hit up Hawaii where crime fighting is ruthless. I enjoy going to the Hamptons to visit some spiteful people and watch them self-destruct.

I like the weather in Ohio and man they have some talent, signing dancing, acting.

I told my mom, "In one night I am in New York, California and Hawaii, hey, I travel."

If you have not caught on I am discussing TV shows. Going to New York in 2 Broke Girls. Watching a guy swoon girls in California is with the Bachelor. In Hawaii I see 5-0 and in the Hamptons a girl is getting Revenge. In Ohio the Glee club is present and accounting for.

I go all over the world with Pan Am and see exotic places in Survivor and Amazing Race. If I was a recluse and did not want to get off of my couch I would say that is good enough. Getting a second hand view of someone else's ohhh and ahhhh moment.

I desire to have my own ohhh and ahhh moments that are not contingent on someone else's experience. I want to see the majesty in the Taj Mahal, I want to see the blue ocean in contrast to the white houses in Greece. I want to experience the hustle and bustle of Africa.

I want to do and experience first hand, not through second rate, oops I got my finger in that, picture.

25 facts.

1. I love trivia, Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy, love it all.

2. I have a favorite wood pile, it is on the way to my grandma's and for some reason it brings me joy.

3. I know how to knit, sew, and crochet.

4. I love Bob Harper.

5. I am a huge Green Bay Packers fan, Aaron Rogers, Clay Matthews, I am available.

6. I hum a lot, when I eat, when I am bored and I generally do not notice it.

7. Like #5 I love watching football. My favorite: go to church and then grab lunch and bring it home to watch football. AMAZING!

8.I lived in Ecuador for 8 months and never ate their delicacy, qui, roasted guinea pig, I regret it.

9. I love movies that do not have a happy ending because it reminds me that life is not a fairy tale.

10. I really enjoy sad songs. I feel as though they are very real and relateable.

11. I love Canada. I miss it all the time. I lived there for 5 years.

12.I really enjoy sushi and was just informed by The Biggest Loser that it is not very healthy.

13. I love to dance and wish that I would have taken lessons when I was younger.

14. My favorite movie is Charlie/Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, both of them.

15. I love WoodChuck beer, it is the only kind I can stand.

16.I was the first to graduate from University on my Dad's side of the family.

17. I love the first snow fall of the year.

18. My favorite food is Mexican.

19. I watch about 15 different TV shows, it is ridiculous I know.

20. I love laughing it is my favorite thing to do.

21. I adore vintage one of a kind articles of clothing.

22. My favorite animals are penguins, owls, and giraffes.

23. Christmas time is one of my favorites of the year.

24. I love to talk!

25. I love teaching and being around little kids, they make me laugh so much, see #20!

One Door Closes, Hopefully One Opens!

So I found out that I did not get to the next stage of interviewing for Teach For America. I feel as though I am disappointed. I have a lot to offer, but I also had this feeling from the beginning in the way back of my mind that I would not get it. It was a weird tug-of-war. But now I know that I will not be apart of Teach For America. So now what...

I was kind of hoping that I would get into Teach For America because my next two years would be planned for me, but I guess God has other plans. I think he might want me to have to work a bit to find employment, or he wants to surprise me with something even better. I think he will show up in a way that I didn't expect because I had to trust, it wasn't just given to me.

But I am sitting here maybe 20 minutes after I found out that I did not make it into Teach For America and I have already started thinking of what I am going to do. I have begun to search for jobs in different locations, quite blindly I might add.

I am going to work at becoming certified in Illinois and then we shall see from there. I will have a provisional certificate for 2 years so that will for sure help with employment, but I feel as though I am back where I was when I graduated form University. No prospects. But hopefully something will come up and hopefully it will be perfect, maybe not forever, but at least for now.

Once Upon a Time filming in Fort Langley, BC Canada

I was so pleased to see Fort Langley, where I enjoyed coffee and boutiques for the last five years, on one of my new favorite shows Once Upon a Time. I love Fort Langley, it is so cute and small and lovely. I miss it greatly. If you ever have a chance to go to British Columbia, you have to visit Ft. Langley. (many shows and movies are filmed there).

Funny moment.

I was working at Family Video last night and I was taking a customer to the bathroom to unlock it for them. I am so used to saying Have a good night, when I hand customers their movies. When I was leaving him at the bathroom I began to say Have a go...and finished with ood time. I could hear him laughing and another customer was nearby and he started laughing. I didn't know how to rewind and take back the beginning of what I said that I just changed it a bit. I walked back the counter laughing and told my fellow employees they were laughing.

When the customer left he did inform me that he had a good time.

It reminded me of the comedian Bryan Regan, when he talks about going out to eat and the waitress saying have a good meal and you replying with you too. Funny.

"The first guy through the wall always gets bloody."

I was watching Moneyball, I got to watch it before it came out because of Family Video. It was a good movie, but one quote that stuck out to me was when Brad Pitt's character is talking with another owner he says you are getting beat up out there, but the first guy through the wall always gets bloody. It took me a bit to understand it. But it is so profoundly true.

Anyone who is a pioneer in anything gets banged up, because they figured it out. Other people know it is right, but were not the ones to come up with it. Or did not have the guts to say so. Pioneers are rare because it takes something that most of us do not have balls, And I am not meaning that it has to be a man, but the figurative balls. Courage. Most of us do not have it, or at least do not embrace it in every area of our lives. If we did then these moments would not be rare. If we did then who would follow, or maybe no one would need to because the world would be right. The world is not right so therefore we need courage. We need confidence in ourselves. Eventually everyone sees it is right and follows through the wall. They are successful too and then it is an afterthought.

Courage is something that I wish I had more of. I wish I could be someone that had my morals on my sleeve all the time. I do sometimes, but then other times I find that I am exhausted by it. Some might say that maybe I am in the wrong way of life, wrong friends, wrong job yada yada yada. But if I was always with the right friends, right job, right yada yada yada then I wouldn't need courage at all. Something to think about.

The first person through the wall always gets bloody.

Hopes for the New Year

So it is 2012 which means that it is a new year and I am looking forward to certain aspects of 2012.

First I am very excited for the Olympics. I always have them on the tele (being British) for the duration of the games. I love London (though I have never been there). Michael Phelps will return with his friend (I assume) Ryan Lockte who is so very attractive. Gymnastics is just amazing. The national pride is palpable. It is just great!

I am also turning 25, quarter of a century, which I am not looking forward to as much. I have 2 months until that looming day and I am not sure how I feel about it, or how I should feel about it. I am getting older which can have its advantages, but at the same time I am not someone who likes change or is okay with things never being the same again. 25 is a big number, not as big as 30, but still I am not longer in my early twenties I will be in my mid twenties. I still cannot believe that I am this old, I do not feel it.

I am hoping to have a full time teaching job and living on my own. Working under another teacher is nice, but there are times that I am second guessed or I do not do things as she would do them. I am ready to not have people questioning me. I know it will happen with administration, but hopefully not with my peers and also I hope that my work will speak for itself. fingers crossed this one comes true.

I want to visit some of my friends. I would like to make it to Colorado to visit a friend and also back to Washington and Canada to visit all my university friends. I miss my friends so much. And I really do miss Canada. It was a great place to live and the people were my favorite.

I want to follow my heart and passions. I have opportunities that pass by me that tug at my heart and I let them go. I do not want to be held back or feel as though I do not deserve it. I have a tendency to not give myself credit. I am quite amazing. I am worth it all, and I can have it all. Sometimes I might need to fight for it or find it.

I hope that 2012 leads me down paths that are different and maybe not foreseen, but worth the while. I do not want to merely go through this year as I did with others and live, but that I thrive. That life is not something to be taken for granted. I want to love 2012.

the new year.

I just realized it has been a little while since I posted. I will say I have been busy. Since the new year has started I have been asked what I am going to do next year. Am I going to apply for teacher jobs, am I going to stay here, or move. And once again I have the answer I don't know. I mean I sometimes wish that life could just stop for a minute for me to catch up. I thought that living at home would be relaxing, and it is don't get me wrong, but I thought I would have time to get ready for the next stage in my life and I cannot say that I have had a lot of time to think about it. Or maybe I have not been using the little time that I have to actually think about it.

I just do not know what I want to do and am kind of lazy. Is It okay to not know? but I don't think it is okay to be lazy. Welp we shall see.

One thing that I did do for the future was apply for Teach For America. I am really hoping that I could get this opportunity. I would love to be able to have my own classroom, live on my own, but almost like with training wheels, simply because I have a guaranteed job. Well hopefully I will know in a month or so.

Kids have been so rowdy this week, the first week back since break. One day, the same wardrobe, I was told I looked like a sailor, and a police officer. I was told I sounded like Justin Bieber. One boy said the B word, which just sent be over the edge. (he was not calling anyone one, he just said it). I laughed so hard, but then had to make sure that he knew it was not okay, he is 3. Crazy.