"I'm young and I love to be young,I'm free and I love to be free"

It's been forever since I have published a blog post, since July almost. So much has happened to me in  2016, some good and some  bad. I think the number one thing I learned is happiness. Not how to be happy but the importance of knowing what makes you happy. For instance little things that make me happy, like when almond butter is on sale because that shit is expensive. The big things that make me happy, being appreciated at work or home. Little things like an old friend reaching out and talking for hours on the phone (Thanks Evan!). Big things like being able to reconnect with an old friend and going on a trip to Mexico (Thanks Rachel!) I feel that most of my friends would tell you if they had to describe me in three words it would be sarcastic, funny and happy. Sadly 2016 was not a very happy year.

At times I regretted moving to California from my friends and family. I felt alone and sad. At times I hated my job especially losing my summer to working nights. But in 2016 I traveled to Houston, Boston, Potsdam, California, Portland, Connecticut, Arizona, Mexico and of course Canajoharie. I hiked the Grand Canyon with my sisters, ran races with friends, and laughed and laughed. I learned that life is well spent traveling, especially to visit friends or wonders of the world.

I went on dates, some really good and some super bad. I became a California blonde, and lost 17 pounds. I welcomed a new Adams, my niece Ally. I faced hardships with my family being 3000 miles away.

What I'm trying to say is a couple things. Never regret any opportunity you have taken. Make the best of it, even if making friends outside of work is hard. Never let anyone dictate your happiness because it is solely based on you. Don't judge someones life by their social media, reach out to old friends. They need you! Travel, travel, travel!! Life is way to short.

Here's to 2017! More traveling, finding more happiness and maybe someone to share that happiness with. Hey a girl can dream!

"You know I'm always on the night shift, and I can't stand these nights alone"

Woof, its been awhile since I have sat behind my computer to blog. Where do I start? As some of you may have heard from my consistent complaining, this past week was my 3rd week on graveyard shift. And let me tell you, I can't hang as well as I did in college.

The night shift is very interesting. First of all you feel like you are at work twice as much. You are there in the morning and then again at night. You go to work when the sun sets and you try to leave work when the sun rises but you are there until about 10am. You tend to lose track of the days because everything blends together, and you also want to be a person on the weekends. So you power through Saturday with a little bit of sleep so you can have friends. I am alone on nights which makes it kind of hard also, when I come back from my shift my entire staff is ready to start their day together.This can make one feel isolated or forgotten.

But the night shift makes you think, I mean what else are you going to do when all of your friends and family are sleeping while you are demolishing a concrete floor.

Lately I feel all over the place. It could very well be the fact that getting used to this sleep schedule has been a huge adjustment. But also the night shift helps you find out who your real friends are. The people that still invite you to things even though you could be sleeping or might only be able to stop by. The people that know I am available on Saturdays and Sundays and make an effort to make plans. Thank you to those friends. The friends that realize my schedule isn't great but its manageable.

It is hard enough moving to a city that you know no one. Then being put on a shift that you operate at completely different times then everyone around you. So I have to make my weekends count! I can't thank the friends I have met here enough for continuously making an effort to get me to attend things even though I have "designer" bags under my eyes.

Although I complain about the night shift I really do enjoy running my own work and trades. I get to supervise a project and see it come to life. What more could a girl ask for, as I'm covered in concrete slurry and for some reason always manage to get some kind of black shit on my face.

I love construction.

Here's to thanking those friends that look out for you when you don't ask for help. But they know its important to check in on you and make sure you are okay. Also a huge shout out to my bed, we have become huge friends these past 3 weeks.

Now if you don't mind, its Sunday so I'm going to the beach!

Anybody with me?

I can't stop the feeling.....

Justin Timberlake's new song is a happy go lucky hit, although this blog post will be somewhat melancholy. I can't complain about the beautiful California weather and some of the best tasting fruit I have ever had. But as my siblings are hitting life milestones it's hard being so far away.  When I was home I wouldn't even miss a little league game but now I'm missing college graduations, proms, honor society inductions and next month I will have a niece.  It is very hard at times to be 3000 miles from home and plane rides are even farther than my 45 minute flight from DC. 

Don't get me wrong, I don't have any regrets about moving. I am proud of myself for taking such a huge leap across the United States. I'm proud of myself for moving to a place with no family members or college friends. I took on a challenge not just at work but in life. 

But I feel like I have changed a little, and I hate who that person could become. I am a little homesick at times, I'm not afraid to admit it. But I am masking it with a bitter attitude and a couple of drinks. I have never been one to mask my emotions or even be negative. I have always had a smile on my face even when wearing braces.  I believe we have all had these moments in life, you know?  When people say life is a roller coaster, it has it's ups and downs. I think it's important to be able to know when you are in the "down". This way you can work on fixing it. By even just waking up early today and meal prepping for the week I already feel better. 

I think a lot of people use social media to express only the good things that happen in life. I think it's important to realize no matter how perfect someones life looks on Facebook you have no idea what they are going through. My little sister was recently in a car accident and the thought of being so far away from her killed me. Thank god she is fine even though the car was totaled. It takes events like that to make you realize that life could change so fast.

I have to be grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the places I have been able to travel. I am still very young and although I am far from home my family still loves me.  It's time to be happy because life is to short to be upset. 

Here's to being yourself because there is no one better!

Anybody with me?

Work work work work work

Now that I got your attention with the most skipped song on the radio. I decided to give you an update on my thoughts and life in CA.

Keep in mind I haven't even been in CA for a month yet. First of all I love California's weather. Everyday is the perfect temperature not to hot, not to cold. It is hard to be upset when the weather is always on your side. Second of all I love the job I am on. I was promised I would move to California in order to be an assistant superintendent and I was given just that. I have a lot of responsibilities but I am able to spend 90% of my day on site working directly with the subcontractors who our setting the foundation for our building. The combination of the weather and looking forward to going to work is something to be happy about.

However ...

I am constantly being asked if I like California, if I see myself living here for awhile. Unlike people who know where they were born to be living, I don't know where I am set out to live. I hate the part of life where people think about things permanently. I am still pretty young, you can ask the guys on site they think I'm 12. I do not know where I want to end up, and it is still too early to know if I am in love with California. It would be naive of me to tell you that "OMG I LOVE CALIFORNIA I NEVER WANT TO LEAVE". I have been here for 21 days, would you marry someone after knowing them 21 days? If you said yes to that, please message me or email me, we need to talk.

I came out to California for the experience. To say I lived in California, to work for another superintendent who believed in me, and because life is to short to say no to opportunities.

The time difference has been pretty hard with keeping up with my family who live in the boondocks of Upstate NY. But my mom has pushed her bed time back till 10pm on some nights so I can still catch her at my 7pm.

To having dreams but also being a realist.

Anybody with me?

"You could travel the world, but nothing comes close to the golden coast"

When I was a little girl (I mean I still look like I'm 12), my sisters would always run around the house talking about how one day they would pack up everything they had and move to California. "Its perfect Mary", they would tell me. The funny thing is none of us Adams kids have even stepped foot in the state of California. I would always laugh at them because they were so serious about something they knew nothing about.

Well here I am a day away from moving to California. I am laughing at myself. I am 23 years old and never have stepped foot in the state of California. But I am embarking on a journey that will make California my home for at least 2 years. I will be 2,800 miles away from DC and farther from my hometown, the great metropolis of Canajoharie NY.

Not only am I leaving behind the Nations capital,  my home for almost 2 years. I am leaving some of the greatest people I have ever met. I can't bring myself to say goodbye to these wonderful people who have made DC home for me. I try not to cry but thinking of saying goodbye to some people makes my eyes start to water. I have a super soft spot in my heart for two people in particular. The original G's, the beginning squad, I will miss Megan Angelini and Terry Moore so so much. My eyes water thinking about leaving my first site life family.

Don't get me wrong, I am excited for this opportunity. The chance at a new position, a new state, a new project team. It's like becoming a freshman all over again. Some of you are probably thinking, Mary being a freshman was terrible. You're right it wasn't great, but its a chance at a new start! I am in need of a breath of fresh air, it doesn't hurt that its west coast air.

Luckily for me, this is "the time to move". As people are telling me "You have to do this when your young and nothing is holding you back". Well people are right, nothing is holding me to DC.

My emotions are crazy and so is my adrenaline. I am ready to try something new, but just a little sad to have to say "See you later". I will be back for sure DC! Especially for bottomless brunch! Also I'm sure you will still be able to hear me from California. My voice is very loud.

To everyone I have met in DC, THANK YOU. Thank you for weekends in the city, exploring the monuments, bottomless brunches, dance offs, and adventures. Also shout out to Liz Crowley who took me in when I was homeless and made me feel at home!

Don't forget me DC and friends, because I won't forget you.

To putting it all on the line, because what do you have to lose...

Anybody with me?

" 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