" I want to scream and shout and let it all out"

I was holding out for a blog post to announce some exciting news. BUT little did I know, life changes and some of those changes are out of your control. I thought I would be heading to Miami but with a change of plans I decided to turn it down. Later I thought I would have an opportunity like no other in California which also fell through the cracks.

Sometimes you work so hard to get away from your problems that you are forced to face them.

The weather in DC right now seems to be a direct correlation with the status of my life. The blizzard is fierce along with my feelings about my job. I have learned some of the best life lessons from this week, along with how important it is to be able to talk to people. If you are delivering news to someone it's important to consider their feelings and their career goals. In general communication is key in construction.

Let's just say I am a bit frustrated this week. Frustrated because college didn't teach me when in my career, I am valuable  enough to stand up for what I want to do. Frustrated because things didn't go my way. Frustrated because I work hard and put a lot of heart in to what I do. Yes this may sound immature and a bit like a pity party. But I full heartedly believe that every twenty something who is trying to figure out the working world feels the same at some point in their career.

Before this blog post sounds like a diary entry from a middle school girl that just got dumped, I understand that things happen for a reason. Some of those things are out of my control. Sometimes things just get under your skin, or rub you the wrong way. I am grateful for all my lessons learned on my current job and will also have many more lessons learned when I start my quality control role.

I will use this weekend to reboot and get my determination and drive back.

Sometimes you just need to scream and shout and let it all out,

Anybody with me?

"Hello.... How are you... "

Yes Adele's new song is pretty baller.

As many of you might know or might not know,  for awhile I was thinking about leaving DC. I had given up on the nations capital for its expensive, fast moving, and overwhelming atmosphere. I got through the honey moon stage and really convinced myself that Washington, D.C. was too much for Mary G. I started visiting my friends and looking into other places to live.

Until....

I realized the life I made myself here is too great to give up. I would have too many regrets if I moved. As many hours I put in with Clark, I wouldn't want to put those hours in somewhere else. I work with some of the best people. My roommate hasn't missed a single speech competition I have been in. My coworker and partner in crime Megan, includes me in so many of her plans and our trailer jam sessions.  My superintendent challenges me everyday and also gives me fresh vegetables from his garden. I know he thinks I'm crazy but at least he thinks I'm funny. I get to solve problems and make people laugh especially the Clark Civil team I work with. I'm sure they think I'm a clown but I show them work can be fun and productive. I get to play on multiple sports teams where I meet really great people. Johanna Hsu, one of my biggest supporters, is going to NYC with  me this coming up weekend to watch me crawl over the NYC marathon finish line. Through Jo I met Roxy who is a hoot!! I spend only a little time with her on Sunday's but it's one of my favorite hours of the weekend.

Although I am far from my family and my closest friends from college. There is something about the places I go that make me feel so welcome and that I belong.

Sometimes you just focus to much on the bad that you forget about all the great things going for you. Like people that love and care about you. The people like Liz Crowley, who messages me to tell me my future with Clark is beyond bright. Little does she know, she was a great role model for me. Or Kyle who reminds me to step back and realize our jobs our truly amazing. I could never forget my first cube mate Nell, her note sits right over my laptop "stay strong".


I don't know about you guys but I am quite a lucky girl. All these people support me and I can only hope I show enough of my appreciation to them.

Also I am a week away from the NYC marathon. I am going to be honest with y'all and myself. My goal is to finish. Please make fun of my time or remind me how much training I should have done. I am very aware of how I dropped the ball. Once I make it through this Houston will be my redemption, to myself and all the haters.


Cheers to an honest post.
This week thank someone who makes your day just a little brighter.

Anybody with me?
MG

Now watch me whip, now watch me nae nae

 So I'm sure you weren't expecting this song choice but you will see why.

This weekend I went to Boston Massachusetts. There's something about catching  up with friends that that makes you think. First of all I had one of the best weekends I have had in a long time. Even though I lost a jacket and spent most of my time dancing in rain boots, I crushed it.

 Although  I am over a year out of college I still feel like I am very new to the real world. Or "adulting" is what I like to call it. When seeing my fellow classmates I can't help but reminisce about all of our crazy times in college. A part of me really misses those times and how close I used to live to my friends. It was almost heartbreaking to have to say "see you soon" or "until next time".

I think it's hard to be in your twenties. You aren't sure where you are is where you want to be. You want to try something new but not because of a "grass is always greener" mentality. You want to make sure you are giving everything a chance before you make a big decision. The scary part is these decisions have to be made by you, which is a lot of responsibility .

I was recently told by my friend Hannah, one of the best analogies. A city is like a relationship you have to test it out and see if you like it. You have to find out what works best for you. This involves finding out what you like and don't like.

The best part about your twenties is you have options. You don't have anything holding you back from trying something new.

One thing I love to do is dance. I don't have to have drinks , just some sick beats and a decent dance floor. I don't care what people think of my dancing and it makes me feel free. I think there are times in your life when you don't feel "free"and you have to do something to change that. The feeling of freedom and having choices is why we live in 'Merica, am I right?  ;)

If you are unhappy, find your solution to set yourself free.

To happiness and a dance floor.
Anybody with me?

P.s. I have won some dance offs in my time.

Something has changed within me, something is not the same...

I never watched Wicked but this song has been stuck in my head all day. I spent the last month pretty sad,stressed out and a bit overwhelmed. To most people this sounds awful and depressing, and most people are right. I stopped working out and training for that marathon. I came home from work everyday to eat dinner and the go to bed so I would wake up for the next day. Life seemed to be that motion of sleep eat work, and then repeat.

But why?

There are two parts of construction. You can work in the office; estimating, budgeting, and purchasing jobs. You can be in the field; actually watching those jobs be built. All I ever wanted to do was to be on site till I realized I knew nothing about being on a job. The first thing I noticed was earlier hours, second thing: everything is time pressing and can impact the schedule, third thing: you make a lot of mistakes. There are a lot of things about construction I don't know. I couldn't get over the fact I didn't know enough. But instead of having confidence in myself I was losing sleep about all the things I had to learn.

How do you get over the fact that you are going to make mistakes? You have a superintendent tell you that you are going to make them your whole life but you better learn from them. Then you own up to your mistakes and find a way to fix them.

The saying "nobody's perfect" is not just a song by Hannah Montana, but something that I needed to stop being so immature about. When you are given a responsibility like managing different subcontractors you can either take the challenge or run and hide. I think I lost my confidence somewhere due to the fact I was so scared to make a mistake.

Here's a lesson to you recent college grads or just anyone in general. Take every task you are given as a challenge. Own it, ask for help, and know that you will make mistakes. Mistakes will help you learn.

I am back to marathon training and doing more after work then just going to bed. I am learning everyday how to deal with new issues and most importantly I have met another person that has played a key role in helping me grow in my career. Megan and I call him Ter-Bear, but don't tell him that. But most importantly if you don't take away anything else from this post, take away this: Terry Moore is the man. With over 30 years of experience compared to my puny one year, I am reminded everyday, I have a lot to learn and there is nothing wrong with that.

To taking on challenges and making mistakes, because chances are you probably don't know everything.

Anybody with me?

Guess who's back back again......

It has been awhile since I decided to write a blog post. For awhile I felt as if blogging wasn't for me anymore, I lost my followers/supporters, and that what I wrote just wasn't interesting anymore. But most importantly I got caught up in a little thing called work. 

Recently I decided I need to change two things about myself.

 1) When someone asks how I am, or how I have been doing; I need to stop responding with busy. Everyone is busy with themselves, work, family, etc. Busy is such an interesting word, it is almost empowering to feel busy. Busy gives someone a sense of worth or importance. Oh sorry I can't go, I have been so busy. Listen people! Everyone is BUSY. It is almost as boring as telling someone "I'm good". 

2) This brings me to another thing I want to work on: keeping in touch with friends. We rely so much on someone else using their phone to text/email/call/facebook message, that we get so caught up in the moment we lose friends. Recently I sat down and made a list of 8 people I haven't talked to in forever and wrote them cards. It has brought me such joy this week to get a text from them thanking me for the card and reaching out. I still have more cards to send out, but it was nice to know I could make someones day.

Sometimes just hearing something nice from someone will get you out of your rut. I was recently told by one of my very good friends Curtis that this quote reminded him of me "the purest of people do the purest things and in return have the purest of lives".  Then he reminded me that blogging is a part of who I am and I blog to become a better version of myself.

Sometimes you just need someone to kick you in the butt to get yourself back together. 

I recently clocked in my 1 YEAR at Clark Construction, in which I told people I felt like I have been working forever. This is coming from the girl that has a sign on her desk that says "born to party, forced to work". A year in, I still feel like a new hire sometimes at Clark. They pile on the responsibilities and challenge you everyday. Along with a challenging work atmosphere you meet some amazing people. 

So to catch you up with my life.. I am now back to blogging. I am working on catching up with friends. Continuously learning more about construction. Writing my book. Improving myself everyday.

Also while leaving the metro today this one asian tween tried to hold my hand. You haven't missed much world, my life is still awkward.

To stop saying "I have been so busy"

Anybody with me?

Disclaimer: This blog post isn't to scare you!

I am just putting a quick disclaimer on this post, I am not at all in bad spirits or feel depressed in any way.

Recently I read this article on this girl that committed suicide, however her depression was masked by her positive posts on social media. First of all, the article made me shed some tears because everyone's life is worth something special. This article sparked a thought though as well. Social media makes people think that your life is going swell; you have no worries in the world, and you secretly want people to be jealous of your life. It hides all of your bad experiences and paints a pretty picture or adds a filter to a pretty picture.

Well here is the truth. ... To people who think I am living the dream: my life isn't perfect.

There are days when I need to take a break from it all because well I need to. The saddest part about needing a break is that I always feel as if I need to defend myself or come up with some acceptable excuse. Some days I just need to take a deep breath and slow down. As much as my mom is a super hero (she does it all without taking many breaks, except for her power naps), there are times when I need to take a mental break day.

Recently my mind hasn't stopped thinking. Tomorrow marks the year anniversary since I graduated college. Time has flown by! I also have been kicking myself in the ass for not making more of an effort to be home for mother's day. Although time hasn't really been on my side. Two days ago I met up with James (a best friend from college), who made the effort to come down to DC. I vented to him about the different obstacles one has to overcome when you move to an area that you don't know anyone. He also has had the same experience when he moved to NH. James only reassured me with happy thoughts by telling me that I should be proud of myself for taking the big plunge. He also told me that its okay to do things by yourself, and sometimes being alone is just what you need. I like to think that things happen for a reason. I believe James came at the perfect time, to tell me to take time to myself and to just stop thinking.

As much as physical fitness is important, I believe mental fitness is important also. To the new college graduates, especially of Clarkson, my best advice is to take some time to self reflect. Be proud of your huge accomplishment and your journey has just begun. Don't forget to take days for yourself and continue to self reflect either on your happiness, your success or just to clear your mind. Don't hide behind social media; talk to a friend that might be going through the same thing and get some advice. I can promise to lend some advice whenever or wherever is needed. Well I can't help with directions because I am incompetent at that.

Most importantly wish your Mom a Happy Mother's Day, because moms are superheroes. They never stop to take a break.

To happiness and moments of self reflection...

Anybody with me?

Only rainbows after rain ...

Well if spring hasn't hit DC, I don't know what did. I do love the 70 degree weather for April. I can say I am a Facebook fan of that! It has been a while since I wrote my last post. I am trying to update you without seeming like I haven't done much with my life.

I am running the NYC marathon on November 1st, to cross another item off the bucket list. I am in the process of writing a book about my life. It will be funny I promise. The book is coming along but it is very hard to organize my thoughts.

This blog post is being centered on the world comfortable. Which to most people is a positive term, "I am really comfortable in this chair". That was a lame example but you get the point. For me I hate being comfortable, it either means I'm not challenging myself enough or I am losing motivation. Today I went to a meeting and this woman came up to me after and she said "Did you notice that out of the 4 women in this room, I was the only one that spoke; why is that?". I  stepped back and was dumbfounded. She said she heard I was in Toastmasters (an international speaking club) and she asked me to think about it.

She was so right....

Here I am getting to comfortable at work. Estimating, calling subs, running through the routine of the daily life of an office engineer. But why I am capable of so so much more. I couldn't stop thinking about this woman on the way home from work. What are the chances? People do enter your life for a reason, and when they say something to you, take it seriously.

I instantly wanted to be a better employee, open some more doors of opportunity and become a better person. I instantly got mad at myself for not contributing to the meeting, because I knew I had ideas to share or things to say.

Sometimes in life we get too comfortable, and most of our goals are to be comfortable with where we are in life. To me, that is a nightmare. I want to be uncomfortable because it is pushing me out of my comfort zone and teaching me to learn new things.

Lately I have been a huge B. I think it is because I feel to comfortable, and I want a new challenge. But I also have to work on be patient, because sometimes the best opportunities come with time.

Today was not a great day, but it was a great learning opportunity.

So if you are comfortable, try something new.

For now, I'm keeping my head up!

Anybody with me?
MG