When Christmas Comes to Town....

For a "green" Christmas, it was definitely a good one.  Playing games nonstop with the siblings and eating the best meals I have had in months.  I got a Beyonce CD, in hopes that this is bringing me one step closer to becoming her someday (hey a girl can dream can't she).  

Although this year is coming to an end, I couldn't be happier.  2011, was a rough year for me.  A lot of challenges and a roller coaster of emotions.  Not only am I happy that I overcame these challenges, but I'm happy I came out on top.  Even with an RA job, a work study job, establishing a new sorority at Clarkson and managing time for friends, My GPA went up.  But as always there are things to improve on and I'm hoping 2012 will bring me to that success.

In 2012, I will turn 20, I can't believe my teenage years are coming to an end.  But that makes me want to be in the best shape physically and mentally for my 20's.  And yes I know new year's resolutions are cliche, but a new year means a new improved me.

So 2011 its been great and its been fun, but 2012 has more in store for me I just know it.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and is getting ready to bring in the new year.


Anybody with me?

Memory all alone in the moonlight...

Lately one of the main things that has been running through my mind is memories.  As I sit here In my college dorm I wonder how I got here, who made me the person I am today, and what will my future bring.  Yeah they sound like typical SAT essay writing prompts but lets get real , no one truly knows the answer to these cliche questions.

As I am awaiting break, ( a much needed one at that) I have been taking walks with my friend Adam.  On these walks I have been thinking about childhood memories, and I can't help but fill him in on them.  Memories like,the way my sister, Sarah and I would wake up every morning to watch my mom head to work and wave to her as she drove down our street.  The way we used to flip our living room chair over and pretend it was a pirate ship.  The "fling your shoe game" off the swing set waiting for mom to come home for work so we could have dinner (something I miss the most my Dad's meals!).  Or silly T.V. rituals, like watching Saved By the Bell before going to school in the morning.  It honestly feels like just yesterday my Dad was dropping me off at Little Friends Nursery School, me with my little knapsack on my back ready for a day of coloring and pasting lol  Those are only some of the many memories I have from my childhood, Hey when you grow up with 5 siblings everyday is a new adventure.

I recently just watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and it taught me a life lesson.  I love when movies have a message, and for me the message was a much needed reality check.  The life lesson I learned (from what started as a boring movie but ended up being inspirational) was "Memories whether good or bad are not meant to be forgotten".  Yes, there are parts of your life that don't go as well as planned but those are the moments that justify those SAT questions.  If you let one bad memory or event take over your life how do you plan to start having good memories again.  The future can only bring what you allow it to bring, and you choose happiness, happiness doesn't choose you.  
 
As a child happiness was so easy to obtain, because stress didn't really play a factor on my life.  As a child your innocent to the world not having to make decisions for yourself.  Sometimes I wish life would slow down because I'm still not sure what decisions to make or what to do with my life.  But my biggest advice to myself and friends lately has been "Whatever decision you choose make the best of it, in the end your only decision is to choose happiness, if you always wonder how life would be if you chose the other path then you didn't make the wrong decision your just choosing not to be happy".

So with the holidays coming up and Thanksgiving right around the corner,
I am thankful for happiness and choosing happiness..


Is anybody with me?

I came to win, to fly, to conquer, to thrive

There is always that one song on your iPod that when you hear it at the gym or when your on a run you instantly have a smile on your face.  Fly is my song.  No matter how bad my day is or how stressful it is becoming an engineer, I know that I came to Clarkson to win.

Lately, I haven't been, (as Charlie Sheen would say) "winning" at this game called Life.  I have been in what my mom would call a "rut".  But this weekend, as unproductive as I was, gave me time to think and time to realize I just got to do it! So I have been back up with hitting the gym, an hour a day "doing work" on the elliptical in hopes to be able to run the Canjo Turkey Trot when I go home for thanksgiving.  With the help of a wonderful care package from the Adams Family, I am getting out of my rut and getting pumped for the holidays.  Although it is at that time of year when it gets dark at 5 and the weather in Potsdam is extremely bipolar, I can't let stuff like that get me down.

And no matter how my day goes, I can always count on my residents to put a smile on my face.  Although at times being an RA is more work then I want, I live with 50 wonderful people who keep me laughing all day and night (us kids on Brooks 3 never sleep).  My family also keeps me going, knowing that my little siblings are proud of me puts a smile on my face.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner!!!..and I can't wait till I can start blasting Christmas music and getting Brooks 3 in the holiday spirit!

Getting pumped for the holidays

Anybody with me?

Theres something, something about this place....

After a hell week in the life of an engineer, I decided to surprise my family with a visit home.. It was one of the best feelings of my life being able to see their faces in such excitement and love.  Even though I came home to realize my sister has used my bed and her bed to make a super bed, I just told her I hope shes ready to snuggle lol.  Being home reminds me of my huge support group and nothing beats the feeling of being in the place you grew up in for ump-teen years.

But also being home gives me time to do a self evaluation.  I have completed more than a month of being a resident adviser on Brooks 3 ( the best floor in the quad by far), I have taken all of my first round of exams ( this semester is going to be a fun one =P), I have continued to stay at a balanced weight while I have been at school ( i'm in a zumba class and i take daily walks with my friends).  But I still realized I can be better, I can do better! There is no sense in being content with life when there's always room for improvement.

We are one third of our way through the semester, and for the other two thirds i'm stepping up my game even more.  Although my sleep schedule is already at a maximum 4-5 hours a night, I can still do it! I'll accept the challenge, (as most of my residents have).

As the weather is getting colder, I have to keep my drive and determination, well and a sweater too . lol

I refuse to let anything or anyone bring me down

Anybody with me?

I took my love and I took it down I climbed a mountain and I turned around

There comes a time in a person's life when they have to make life changing decisions....

During the past 2 weeks I have done alot with my life, I have made 50 new friends (my new residents), I have built a family on Brooks 3, became single, worked harder on homework than I ever had, and had a self evaluation.

Lately life is hectic juggling 50 residents, a sorority that's in progress of becoming official, work study job and oh wait yeah my own personal business.  But I wouldn't trade this hectic life for anything, my residents are great supporting me and each other, and we have so much fun together. The sorority keeps me in touch with excitement for upcoming success. Work Study is great always has been, can't beat the wonderful ladies I work with.  Then when it dwindles down to me, my personal business is shared with 50 other people haha, no secrets on Brooks 3.

So far I have been trying to keep up with the healthy lifestyle but I'm ready to take life as it comes

Anybody with me?
MG

so long,farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night i hate to go and leave this pretty sight

I felt like this would be a good time for a new entry, mainly because this is my last week of summer and I will be heading back to Clarkson University on the 20th.  From my last entry I have done more zumba, more running, more races, and lost more weight.  All positive things, but of course with the positive comes some negative.

So lets start with the bad news as my mom would always say when we had news to tell her.  For the bad news its not really totally bad more like bittersweet news.  Summer is soon to be over and I will have to say goodbye to my zumba friends, racing buddies and on Saturday my family, (that one is always pretty tough, the look on my little brothers face makes my heart melt). I just personally am not a big fan of goodbyes, and I am pretty sensitive when it comes to leaving my family no matter how much I love Clarkson.  But thanks to this summer I have a new positive outlook, its not a goodbye its a "See you Later" , but that's easier said then done.

But even with bitter sweet news, the positives just keep rising.  I will go back to school this semester with a new outlook, an outlook on a healthier lifestyle.  I will second guess myself when reaching for that cookie in the dining hall, because in all honesty I worked my ass off this summer. I have lost about 25lbs, and its only a notch in the belt.  My overall goal is to be able to wear a shirt without having to worry about having a roll or two and my arms flapping in the wind.  Not only is this engineer working towards a healthier lifestyle but she has brought her other engineer (my bf Jon) into the works too! When Jon and I head back we are working to train for the Vermont Marathon next year, which we hope to run as a relay.

To complete my races this summer with the Canajoharie Crew, we did the Warrior Dash at Windham Mountain, and when they say its the "craziest frickin' thing you have ever done in your life", they are not kidding! If you want to know what I'm talking about, hit up youtube and type in Windham Mountain Warrior Dash 2011. I think everyone should at least do it once in their life, I know I can cross it off my Bucket List.

But I have a lot more races and challenges left on my Bucket List, and I am up for the challenge,

Is anybody with me?
MG