Hey look, my blog!

May of 2014, I wrote a blog post.

A year later, I wrote another one. Oof.

Last time I wrote I told you all about how excited I was to join Urban Teacher Center. Now I'm writing about how I haven't had time to write because of Urban Teacher Center. Don't get me wrong, I'm still happy I joined this program, but WOWZA. I never could have expected what this past year had in store for me.

Everyone told me, "This program is really hard, the first year is especially rough, teaching is hard, blah blah blah." Take that and multiply it by 100. This year has been physically, mentally, emotionally,  and any-other-way-you-can-think-of exhausting. Teaching is hard, grad school is hard, and goodness gracious I can't tell you how many times I've felt (who am I kidding, still feel) like I'm losing my mind. And yet, I'm still here. I love my students. I still want to teach. Does that mean I passed the test? Can I graduate now?

Also, I literally just made the statement that I'm going to buy all the Marvel movies with my first paycheck. I think I'm a little tired.

(To be fair, The Avengers is on TV right now, but still - who wouldn't want to watch Captain America whenever they want?)

Honestly, though, I didn't come on here to tell you all about how tired I am or how hard this all is, but really just to check in, and how, at the core of everything, I'm really happy with what I'm doing. Every time I start hating my life over the fact that I'm submitting a paper at 11:58 PM when it's due at 11:59, I remember the fact that I'm actually doing something that I care about. This always strikes me at the core, especially after having previous jobs that I didn't care about at all. I love working with my students, working with people, and starting my career in education.

Grad school, you can end anytime now. Kthanksbye.

(One more year - but fewer classes!)

Also, I just need to get back into writing again. Now that the first year of grad school is winding down, I might - might - have the opportunity to do it a bit more. I need to start somewhere, so why not begin right where I left off? I'm sure teaching will continue to come up as I write, but I also want to be sure to continue using this blog as what it's always been - a place to just chat about life and the quirkiness that it is.

And Captain America of course.

Starting the Journey Towards Teaching

For those of you reading this post that are my Facebook friends (which I would assume is most of you - I don't exactly have a large reader base), you might remember that last week I posted a status about being accepted to a teaching program called Urban Teacher Center. Well, per Facebook status promise, here is the "blog post with more details!"

Many of you may know that the job I've had for the past three years hasn't exactly been a dream, and I've been trying to get out of it for quite some time. When I first started looking for new jobs, I wasn't looking for anything particularly spectacular. Most of what I looked at were jobs very similar to what I have now, admin type things. To make a long story short, I submitted application after application, went on interview after interview, and wrote more cover letters than I care to admit - and still, nothing. Finally, after one last "thanks but no thanks" after an interview early last fall, it was like the light bulb finally went on. I suddenly realized that the jobs I was applying for meant absolutely nothing to me. I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I at least had to pick a solid direction to move in. Choosing a career path doesn't have forever vows like marriage or religious life - you can always change your mind later. I just needed something that I had an interest in NOW, and the first thing that came to mind was teaching.

Following the advice of a friend I decided to take a month off from official job hunting. After basically making it a second job for almost a year, it was hard to just STOP job hunting, but I knew it was the right move. Instead I used that time to think about what I wanted to do, particularly to investigate what it meant to be a teacher. I reached out to every teacher I knew, asking to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. The more I listened to what they had to say, the more I wanted to do it. And, interestingly enough, the more people I told that I was thinking about teaching, the more I heard things like, "Oh that's so great! I think you'll make a great teacher!" It wasn't just polite encouragement either - I could tell these people really meant it, especially since many of them were very close people in my life. I didn't know how the path was going to play out or that I would even find a way to become a teacher, but I knew what I was working towards.

A few weeks later I got an email about a grad school fair happening in DC. I kept it in the back of my mind, but wasn't sure I really wanted to go. If I remember correctly, I didn't actually make the decision until that very day. It was definitely one of those Ugh I don't WANT to go, but FINE, I will. At the very least I knew that I was looking for education programs, so that was helpful. This fair was HUGE. I spent over two hours there and only got to half of the schools. I found a lot of British schools that made me go Oh yay! A chance to travel again! (And FYI for everyone out there - I may not have chosen that route, but if you're interested, it's a LOT cheaper to get a master's overseas than here. Something to look into if you're interested in international study/travel). But as exciting as that was I continued to snake through the rows to other American schools as well, being interested in, but not blown away by, my other options. By the end of my time there my feet were killing me, my bag was breaking my back, and I was ready to go home. I decided to make one last quick pass down the final row - and that's when I found Urban Teacher Center (UTC). It was the very last table in the very last row. I heard the representative talking to another interested person and literally stopped as I was walking by and turned back. The last table on the last row. After more than two hours.

This might be a good point for me to pause and explain what UTC actually is - it's referred to as a teacher residency program. The best comparison I can use to introduce it is to say that it's got a similar concept to Teach for America, but it's also very different. UTC is a four-year program instead of a two-year program, and you don't dive right into teaching your own classroom. You spend your first "residency" year working with a host teacher and taking grad school classes, and then the last three years you have your own classroom. The first year is unpaid, but the program gives you a free dual Master's in general and special education from Lesley University as well as certifications and incredible coaching, support, and preparation. It's a fairly new program (started back in 2010) and currently only has cohorts in DC and Baltimore, but it's already showing amazing results of producing excellent teachers.

It took me a little while to decide to apply (I don't even know why, could have something to do with my constant indecisiveness), but when I finally did the rest was history. And it was fast! I applied, and within a few days got an invitation to do a virtual interview (very weird - you record answers to questions on your webcam instead of interviewing with a person directly, but it helps replace phone interviews). About a week after that I had an invitation for the final in-person interview that would be taking place a month later. I had a great interview day, and within a few days found out I got accepted. WHAT???!!! Is this for real??? I was so excited, but also nervous. Everything felt right, everything had fallen into place, but I still wanted to be sure this was the right move. Then I started flipping through all the documents that had been sent to us, and came across the "Letter to a UTC Resident." It was like the last paragraph was written just for me:

"The next year will not be pretty—I assure you. I often wondered to myself “Are these people serious?” But the work that is ahead of you is a marathon race of utmost importance. No one smacks their feet to the road and sets out to run 26-plus miles without rigorous training. Your training begins now."

Those of you that know me know that running is a big part of my life and that I've trained for and run a marathon. Those of you that really know me know that running is also a very big metaphor for me in many parts of my life and faith. So when I read this quote, I literally just looked up to heaven and thanked God for showing me the sign I needed to see - His version of a thumbs up to go for it!

A few days after I found out I was accepted to the program I came home to this wonderful surprise from my amazing roommate Maura:

We even had a little cake-cutting ceremony with my tiny sword letter-opener to help her "practice" for an actual cake-cutting ceremony that she had to plan. We then proceeded to sit at the kitchen table, shoveling down cake and talking and giggling about who knows what. Roommate bonding time at it's finest.

Not only did I feel so incredibly loved by Maura's gesture, but it was also a very strong reminder - a reminder that I have the best family and friends a girl could ask for, and a reminder that I'm so incredibly lucky that I have them nearby as I begin this new career path. I'm so excited to be starting this new path with UTC, but it will by no means be easy. The first year in particular will be incredibly difficult, since I'll be in the schools all day, then going to my own classes in the evenings, then homework and lesson planning and somehow still having some semblance of a life. Oh yeah, and did I mention the first year is unpaid? It's going to be tough. But then I remember that I have such an incredible support group, and a support group that's close by. For a long time I talked about possibly moving to a new city, and someday I would still like to try it. But considering the fact that the best teaching option I found was local, I think that's another sign from God that I'm meant to stay here from now. He knows how easily I can get stressed, and He knows that I'm the kind of person that will really need and appreciate having my friends and family close by.

So, this new journey will be a challenge. In the last couple years I've gotten very comfortable with my 9-5 job and having my free time for myself and planning all kinds of social events. But I'm not going to be quite so flexible anymore - let's face it, it's probably going to be a bit nuts. I apologize and ask you all to forgive me in advance if I have a hard time fitting everyone in, if I feel too busy or tired (or poor) to do things. But know, too, that I'm going to try my best and that I love you all and am so happy to have you in my life. I'm not much of an "asking for prayers" kind of person, but if you could please keep me in your prayers as I start this new chapter, I would really appreciate it - I could use all the help I can get! In the meantime, I officially have less than one month left at my current job, then I'm taking two weeks off before the fun begins on June 23rd.

This is just a name tag from a recent event that I attended, but it makes me feel so official!

Become a Tourist - At Home

This post was actually written a couple days ago, but I've just now gotten around to editing it and posting it. Enjoy.

Tourists can be really annoying. They overrun our home towns, take pictures of landmarks we’re all-too-used to seeing (or pictures of something so much less spectacular, like a pigeon), stand on the left of the escalator (dang escalefters), and are generally just a big nuisance. At the same time, while we all complain about tourists, we all, at some inevitable point, ARE tourists. Even if you are one of less annoying travelers who is respectful of other people, avoids the tourist traps, and tries to blend in like a local, the truth is undeniable – any time you visit a city or country that is not your own, you are a tourist. We are all, at some point in our lives, that annoying visitor that gets in everyone’s way.

But despite their bad rap, I think we can all learn a little something from the tourists that come to visit our hometowns. Did you ever notice how tourists are always smiling and the locals are always grumpily or absent-mindendly walking past them? The tourists are exploring what’s around them, while the locals rush by their everyday surroundings as if the local violinist playing on the street corner wasn’t even there. Sure, those tourists are on vacation - they're supposed to explore this town, they have time to pay attention to the new and different. Being on vacation means breaking out of the norm – seeing things we wouldn’t normally see in our daily lives, trying something that we wouldn’t normally try. But when we're not on vacation, we seem to slip back into robot mode. Why? Why does that sense of adventure only have to be when we’re visiting another city? Why can’t it be in our daily lives, on our way home from work, in our hometown?

I write this message sitting outside Cosi/Panera (cause, you know, in DC sometimes the closest thing we can get to sidewalk cafes is putting chairs outside major restaurant chains). For the first time in what feels like forever, I’m able to sit outside and enjoy the warm weather while munching on my sandwich and doing a bit of people-watching. About 25 feet ahead of me, there is a violinist and guitarist playing duets together outside of the Dupont Cirle metro station – and they sound amazing! They’re playing mostly classical tunes, but just wrapped up a beautiful arrangement of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” I walk into this metro station every single day, and I can tell you from experience that I always – ALWAYS – walk past the musicians that are playing there. Today I have the privilege of having a bit of time to kill before Theology on Tap, and thus the privilege of listening to these two gentleman serenade the evening commuters.

Just a short while ago, there was a small group of what were clearly tourists walking past the musical duo. What seemed to be a mother and her grown daughter from the group started dancing together to the music. They were in the middle of a public sidewalk, without a care in the world, and with the biggest smiles on their faces. Their smiles showed nothing but joy. They danced to the music while their family members cheered and documented the scene on their cameras. It was wonderful. And yet, there were other families, other couples walking by, who did not stop to dance. Why not? Most likely because of the same reasons I would give you on a normal commuting day – they’re too busy, they have a bus to catch, a dinner date to make it to. All of these are perfectly legitimate excuses, and I will tell you that I make them all the time. But what if one day we didn’t make them? What if we stopped in the middle of our ordinary day, became tourists in our home town, and paused for 30 seconds to stop and listen to the music? 

Don't get me wrong, I know that having a routine and being busy is part of everyone's lives. I know that sometimes vacation is the only chance we have to break out of the rat race and breathe. We can't always just stop our daily lives. But when we get too caught up in that routine, we can often miss some of the beauty that is right here in front of us every day. Maybe pausing for a few seconds to notice something at home will help make our crazy lives just a little bit less stressful and a little bit more peaceful. Maybe if we take just a bit more time to look and listen, we'll begin to see and hear things that we might normally miss.

P.S. I know that street musicians aren't always the greatest, but those guys were GOOD. I'm happy to say that they're tip box was quite full.

A Healing Experience

It looked like a makeshift field hospital. Black curtains hung over individual "rooms" with temporary dividers and unique numbers to distinguish them from the others. The line of patients was staggering - it extended down both sides of one corridor then curved into a perpendicular hallway. Before long, additional "doctors" rushed to the scene - they had smiles on their faces as they quickly ducked into their own little rooms. The line of patients started to move quickly and healing was happening at an astonishing rate. 

The scene I've just described is one that I witnessed and experienced firsthand. But it wasn't a makeshift field hospital - it wasn't even a hospital. While it was a makeshift set-up, it was for a different kind of healing. 

The black-curtained rooms were all temporary confessionals. The doctors were priests. And the patients were hundreds of people - most of whom were teenagers - waiting to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Now some of you may be wondering - where was this extraordinary (or maybe to some of you - strange) setup? It was at Mount St. Mary's College for the Mount 2000 retreat for high schoolers. I had the privilege of being a chaperon for this retreat for the second time, and it was a wonderful experience. While it's a little bigger than the type of retreat I typically prefer (it has 1700 participants), it's a retreat that, for the last 19 years, has had a positive impact on thousands of teenagers. One of the most unique aspects of Mount 2000 is that it offers Confession almost around-the-clock. Sometimes only a few priests are hearing confessions; other times they have to call in reinforcements when the line gets as long as the one I was standing in. It turns out that this year set a Mount 2000 record - over 1300 confessions were heard over the course of the weekend. 1300. Wow. 

Some people may ask - why? Why did Reconciliation - the one sacrament that tends to make people feel super awkward - draw such a large crowd? Why was that crowd composed mostly of teenagers? Why would anyone in their right mind want to tell everything they've done wrong to a total stranger? All very good questions. In order to answer those questions, I think we need to go to one that's even more general. Why do we go to Confession at all?

A lot of people, including many Catholics, wonder why we have to go to Confession. One of the biggest ways people ponder over this is, "Why do I have to tell my sins to a priest? Why can't I just tell my sins to God?" I'm no theologian, so I'm not going to try and answer that question. However, Father Robert Barron is a theologian, so here's a bit of his input on the matter: 

Fr. Barron gives us an excellent start to the theological side of Confession and why we should go. I know that there are even more helpful resources out there to explain this sacramental phenomenon, and I look forward to learning more about it (and I hope you will, too). As a starting point, I found a couple more helpful videos to explain Reconciliation:

Confession Explained - Catholic Diocese Richmond
Sacraments 101: Penance (why we confess) - Busted Halo

You could read (or watch) as much as you want about why the Church "makes" us go to Reconciliation. But some of you still may not be convinced until you hear about it on another level - how this sacrament impacts us personally and spiritually. It's important to think about why we would want to go to Confession, not just why we have to.

Those teenagers didn't get into that line at the Mount because they were forced to by their parents or chaperons. They didn't get into it for the sole reason of feeling like they had to please someone or because the Church made them do it. They stood in that line because they were seeking something. They were seeking forgiveness, healing, humility, guidance - the list goes on and on. Above all, they were seeking a greater closeness to Christ. To some people, this concept of wanting to go to Confession may be a difficult one to grasp. But let me tell you - if you go to Confession with an open heart, an open mind, and seeking something more...you won't be disappointed. 

I can say from personal experience that, when you decide to walk into that confessional with openness, you will get SO much more out of it than you could ever imagine. Every time after that will get easier and easier as you realize all the gifts that this sacrament has to offer. We do need to go to Confession, but not in the "because I said so" sense. We need to go because we need the healing that Christ provides and to continuously grow closer to Him. 

So to my fellow Catholics, do me a favor and consider going to Confession. Whether you go regularly or haven't been in years, it doesn't matter - Christ welcomes us back with open arms no matter what, and He is more than ready to forgive our sins and forget they ever happened. 

Life Updates - Because I Like To Pretend That People Like to Read About My Life

Last year my New Year's Resolution was to write a blog post every week. I would have to say that for the most part I did pretty well - at least up until the summer. As things got busier my posts got fewer, and now it's been since September since I've actually managed to publish a post...oops.

Still, making it through half the year really isn't too bad. Besides, considering the fact that I haven't been posting is because I've been keeping busy, I'd say that's a pretty good reason - I've been doing things to keep me from staring at a computer screen constantly! I'm always up for less time behind the screen. Plus, I think it's a good sign of how this past year has shown a lot of change for the better.

When I made that resolution last year, I was in a bit of a funk. I needed something to get me out of it, to make something my own, to have something to be committed to. Now, I have lots of things to keep me busy! I've also had the opportunity to take a look at the troubles that adult life throws our way and how to make the best of them. It's been a very eye-opening and growth-filled year, and I hope to keep that growth going.

Now, to fill you in on some new updates! First, I guess I'll follow up on the update with my fundraising - I've gotten no where. Sorry to disappoint, but fear not! I have not forgotten. As I mentioned, things got really busy, particularly in the fall, and I'm planning to start fundraising this spring. I've also decided to fund raise for Wounded Warriors instead of Catholic Charities. As a Catholic, I would love to raise money for this faith-based organization. But I also want to stay true to my commitment to raise $500. Since I'm running Tough Mudder in the spring, I have a simple way to raise the money and a secure place for donations to be made. It might be the "easy way out," but with how crazy things have gotten, I'd rather raise the money in a way I can actually manage than take too long trying to figure out how to do it and not raise the money at all. So check out our team donation page and donate what you can! Every little bit helps! Here's a link to the page to make it easy: TM Wounded Warrior Fundraising

There have been a lot of family changes, as well. On a sad note, my beloved grandmother, Rose Phelps, passed away on October 30th. We will miss her dearly, but she lived a long and happy life that we will all remember. But despite this sad event, our family has recently experienced a lot of joy as well. Three of my cousins had babies (bringing my grandmother's great-grandchild count to 10), and they are all the cutest babies you have ever seen. And most recently, my dad and Kathy got married! Between babies, a step mom, 3 step siblings, and a step sister-in-law, my family has grown a lot! All in 3 months!

And now an update on the job front. I am able to write openly about this since my boss is actually very well aware - and supportive - of my latest decision. For those that don't know, the job that I've had isn't exactly what I want to be doing the rest of my life. I've spent the majority of my time there trying to figure out what to do next and what I want to commit my life to (no biggie). To make a long story short, after applying to a lot of jobs that truly meant nothing to me, I had an epiphany moment that I had to pick a direction. The first thing I came back to was a career I had always thought about throughout my life - teaching. An even longer story short, I decided to pursue that career and am currently awaiting the results of my application to a teacher preparation program called Urban Teacher Center. It is a four year program in DC and Baltimore that would hopefully help me to become the best teacher I can possibly be. I thought about holding off on writing about this now since I only have a few days before I find out whether or not I got in. But no matter what the result, it has been a very important process for me (and actually has a very interesting story to how it began) and has shown me how much I want to pursue this career. Hopefully I will be telling you a positive result in a few days, and either way I hope to tell more of the full story to how I got here.

There are a few other random new things, but I think I've blabbed on enough for now. I guess I'll end with this - I most likely will not be able to continue a consistent once-a-week blog post. I don't even have a New Year's Resolution for 2014 yet. Maybe I'll make an official one, maybe I wont, but either way I hope to continue to grow, reach new goals, try new things, and live life to the fullest.

And the Winner Is...

Ladies and gentleman, the results are in. The poll is closed and votes have been cast for which charity I should raise money for. 

And the winner is...

(drumroll, please)

Catholic Charities!!!

Thank you all so much for casting your votes and helping me to make this decision. Granted I only got 21 votes overall, but it was hard enough to get that so I guess I'll just go with it. Don't worry, other charities, I won't forget about you and will raise money for one of you next time. 

Now the tough part begins - the actual raising of money. As I mentioned in my previous post, I really don't know about fundraising and ensuring that the money I collect is safe and secure. While I'll be researching this in the coming weeks, I also have a lot of other stuff to focus on as well - family events, youth group, moving, career planning/research - and that's just the beginning. If anyone has more information on fundraising and can save me a bit of research time, I would really appreciate it. I might even bake you cookies for your trouble! :)

Also, start brainstorming challenging/fun/goofy things I could do to raise money! The best ideas will be featured in a future poll for votes!

Leave your comments or private message me!

Inspiration: Turning Fun Nights Into Fundraising

Earlier this summer I went to a candle party. For those of you that don't know, it's kind of like Pampered Chef or Mary Kay, just with candles. A consultant comes to your home, shows you their products, and you and your friends order what you want. I had such a great time at my first candle party that I decided to host one of my own. Not only would it be a good excuse to get friends together, but when you host a party you get host credit when people place orders - a.k.a. free stuff! I'm always up for free stuff, so I figured, "Why not?"

I had my candle party earlier this month, and while only a few friends could make it, we still had a great time. I anxiously awaited the moment where I would find out how much free stuff I would be able to get - only to find out that my party didn't get enough sales for me to get anything. I didn't realize how much you needed to get host credit!

"Not to worry," my consultant said. "People can still place online orders so you still have time to get the host credit!"

Well as it turns out, she was right. People did place enough online orders for me to get host credit. But man, did I have to work for it! No one else from my party wanted to order anything, so I had to reach out to other people that couldn't make it to see if I could convince them to buy stuff. I was scrambling all the way up to the last minute, ultimately waiting for someone to make one $7 purchase so that I could meet the sales goal for host credit. I eventually got that last sale and got to pick out my free products, but those products certainly weren't as easy to get as I thought they would be.

When the candle whirlwind finally died down, I took a moment to pause and look back on it all. I had achieved my goal - but something sort of irked me inside. And then I realized - all that time I had spent trying to get people to buy candles, I was only thinking about me, me, me. I hosted the party so that I could get free stuff and in the end I had to work harder than I was expecting to so that I could get candle products for myself. There's a lot of Is in there, don't you think?

Now don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything wrong with buying or selling these candles or any product that's sold in a similar way. It's something fun and it's a way that we can treat ourselves and spend time with friends and family (and even meet new people). But like everything else in life, there has to be a balance. When I had to work so hard for those candles, I felt like I no longer had that balance. I spent so much time thinking about myself and my candles that I forgot about the more important things in life.

That humbling moment was an eye-opening experience for me. After I had achieved my sales goal, I found myself saying to several people, "I feel like I should raise money for a charity now." Well, I've decided to do just that. Even though I had to work a little harder to get my candles than I thought I would have to, I was in fact successful at finding people to help me meet my sales goal. I figure I can use that motivation to help other people, for a cause bigger than my candle collection.

That's right, I am officially starting a fundraising project to help a worthy organization. I'm still not sure which worthy organization I am going to raise it for just yet, but I've determined that my goal amount to raise will be $500. Some of you may think of that as a low amount, some may think it's a high amount. There are reasons that I chose this particular number and those reasons are:

1. It's a realistic sum for me. I've never really tried to raise money for anything before, so I don't want to aim for a number that's too high. Sure I have family that can help out, but most of my friends are in the same place I am - with low budgets. This is a challenging number that is still achievable. And hey, if I go over, even better!
2. It's double the amount of money I needed in sales to get host credit for my candles. In order to get the host credit, I needed people to buy $250 worth of candle products. I figured this would be a good way to represent the series of events that motivated me to fund raise in the first place. Plus candles are cool, but charities are cooler ;)

Picking a monetary goal was the easy part. Now for the first challenging part: picking a charity. This is where I need your help! I have several charities that I would love to give to, but I can only pick one! I want your votes on which charity you think I should donate to. I only ask two things with the selection process:

1. Please don't make additional suggestions. I know that there are a lot of great charities out there, and maybe some day I can fund raise for each of them. But given that this is a small starter project, I would like to keep my list as short as possible, particularly because it is already hard to choose from these charities that are all important to me (hence the voting).
2. Please don't ask me to remove any of the options.  If you don't support a particular charity, don't vote for it. Each of these was chosen for a certain reason. ONLY if you know me and my belief system well enough and know something that I don't about the organization (like they do something that contradicts my morals) may you then contact me privately. I think they're all pretty neutral options that anyone would be open to donating to, but you never know when someone might oppose something for some random reason so I feel the need to throw this out there.

If you would like to learn more about any of these organizations before making your vote, you can click on each one and it will link to their website. If you'd like to know why I chose them, feel free to ask me! I'm happy to tell you why I selected each organization, but don't have the time to spell that out here.

And the charities, in no particular order, are (drum roll, please):

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
• So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.)
• National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC)
• Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation
• Wounded Warrior Project*
• Catholic Charities

You can vote for your choice on the right-hand side of my blog - there's a poll that lets you choose from each option. I will keep the poll open until September 14th. I don't know why I picked that date specifically but I guess that doesn't really matter. So cast your votes! Once the polls close we can move on to the next step: What will I have to do in order to raise this money (or once my goal is achieved)? Should I run another marathon? Dye my hair purple? Walk around in a Gumbi suit? This is the part where I am open to suggestions so please feel free to comment or private message me with your suggestions. My narrowed-down options will be featured in a future blog post for another round of voting. I'll work on some ideas as well, so start brainstorming!

Once all that's done, the real grunt work will finally begin. I not only have to raise the money, but I need to be sure that I can collect it safely and in a way that people know I'm legit. My friends and family know me well enough to know that I'll hand over every penny I receive to the charity of choice, but if I have to reach out to strangers I want them to know that their money is secure and is going to a legitimate cause. Not to mention that even if it is just my family and friends I'd really rather not keep a collection of $500 sitting on my bookshelf. If ANYONE has more extensive fundraising experience and can point me in the right direction I would be SO APPRECIATIVE. I might even bake you cookies for your contributions.

Now that I've spent so much time writing this post, let's get started fundraising! Cast your votes! Send me your ideas! Pull out your checkbooks! And if you have a good name that I can call this fundraising operation of mine, please send that on as well! We all know how I sometimes have challenges naming things :)

* If the Wounded Warrior Project is the winner, my fundraising activity will be to train for and run a Tough Mudder, since proceeds from that event already support this particular organization. I plan on running a Tough Mudder someday no matter what (hopefully next spring), so even if another charity wins the vote for this little project of mine, Wounded Warrior Project will still get money when I run the race. Just something to keep in mind.

Real Life 103: Just Laugh At It

I might be a teensy bit behind the times here, but I have just recently gotten completely hooked on the show Friends. It might be borderline obsession, but everyone goes through that with a show at some point in their life, right? It turns out that Maura was holding out on me all four years of college and actually owns all 10 seasons, and once we moved into the apartment it didn't take me long to start watching along with her. I recently decided to catch up on the show and start all the way from the beginning...square one...Season 1, Episode 1. And now I can't stop. Maura's friend Kristen (who also loves Friends, now all three of us can bond over its awesomeness) introduced me to the term "binge-watching" - watching episode after episode of a show for hours on end - and that's pretty much what I've been doing. Such. An. Amazing. Show.

The first thing that got me hooked on Friends was that it literally made me laugh out loud. It still does, as a matter of fact. I can rarely watch shows that aren't funny, but this one easily makes the cut. I've found myself doubled over at times with how much it made me laugh, and in a busy, stressful life, sometimes you need something like that. 

But there was something else as well. I found that Friends was oddly relevant to my own life. Maybe not the exact scenarios - my roommates and I haven't sat around in wedding dresses and I haven't (and never will) bet away my apartment. Still, the underlying themes are there (English major nerd moment, woo!). For instance, take the first couple lines of the theme song:

"So no one told you life was gonna be this way

Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A."

Uh, could you say it any better? Basically my life. And can I emphasize the fact that no one really did tell me (or anyone else for that matter) that real life was like this? Not saying that it's bad, but that it's really not as glamorous as any of us would have expected it to be. After talking to my friends, it seems that all of us, no matter where we're at right now, are completely clueless about life. What's going to happen next? Why is this so much harder than I thought it would be? Why am I so anxious about what I'm doing or what the future will bring? The list goes on and on...

But you know what, that song helps me to laugh about it. Friends as a whole helps me to laugh about it. We really have no idea what the heck we're doing and it must be hilarious for the fly on the wall watching us try to figure it out. I have to say, though, I may be able to sit and laugh about it now, but this has been a long time coming. I certainly wasn't of that mindset two years ago, and I definitely wasn't in the laughing mood when I first moved into my apartment back in November. 

The truth is, I was overwhelmed with the real world. It smacked me in the face. I had a hard time with it when I was living with my dad, but it got even harder when I moved out on my own. I had no idea where my life was going, no way to figure it out...and no way to deal with the anxiety. For the first three or four months in the apartment, I was having regular emotional breakdowns and honestly couldn't stop them, no matter how hard I tried. I won't bore you with what those breakdowns were about because I honestly can't pinpoint one particular thing, but to sum it all up I think it was generally being overwhelmed with real life. Some days it was so bad that I actually thought I was going insane. 

Now, to lighten the mood a bit, those of you that have seen me in recent months know that I'm back to my happy-go-lucky Heather self (again - woohoo!). I'm looking on the bright side of things and generally act like I could eat rainbows and poop butterflies (Horton Hears a Who, anyone?). So was it Friends that brought about this drastic turnaround? ABSOLUTELY NOT. 

Haha! Gotcha! Ok, maybe I didn't get you. Let's be honest, who can have their entire mindset turned around by a '90s sitcom? I'm a strange one but I'm not that ridiculous...

No, the turnaround came from re-igniting my prayer life, the support of my amazing family and friends (real friends this time, not the show), and making a conscious effort to end my complaints and improve my own mood. Where the show came in was after the important work had been done, the time here in the real world, and the timing was perfect. I had found myself in a much better place and I had something that not only kept me laughing, but that I could now look at and say, "OMG that's so true!" Take for instance, Monica's line to Rachel at the end of the pilot: 

"Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You're gonna love it!" 

Sure it's a little contradictory, but it really hits the nail on the head! I've already been through that first taste of how the real world can suck - and now I'm enjoying how awesome it is and I LOVE IT!! And I'm not just talking about the perfect times, but the not-so-perfect times as well. This is mostly attributed to the more positive outlook that I've had on everything, but Friends has helped to keep that positive outlook going. It helps me to take those ridiculous little annoyances that everyone has to go through and shrug them off. You know, those odd little moments like:

1. Running through the apartment screaming, "I HAVE TO KILL A BUG!!!!"

2. Smacking and kicking the washing machine to get it to work.

3. Finding a melted plastic spoon in the dishwasher then Googling "how to get melted plastic off metal rod in dishwasher."

Plus, by being able to laugh about the little things, we can handle the bigger tough moments a little bit better, too. The real world is filled with all kinds of painful and joyous moments of independent living that we all need to embrace a little bit more and try not to let them get to us too much. As my grandpa said, "Don't sweat the small stuff." After all, it's those little imperfections that keep life interesting and give us all our greatest stories.

So learn to role with the punches....and of course, laugh at them :)

$20 or Less: Bethesda Concert Series

Are you a music lover? Are you a music lover with a miniscule budget? Tired of investing half your paycheck into the latest "concert of the year" or over-sized festival? Well fear not, fellow budget-keepers!  Bethesda has something that you, too, can enjoy! They have a FREE summer concert series on Thursday nights!

I don't know about you, but I love when I hear the word "free." Free is just associated with awesomeness. Obviously there are sketchy free things that you should probably avoid like tattoos, haircuts, etc. But generally speaking, free = wonderful (you should see my coworkers and I bull-rush the break room when they put out free food). And I have to say, not only was the cost (or lack thereof) appealing, but the concert aspect was a draw in and of itself. I don't get to go to concerts all that often, so not only was it a welcome treat, but it was also something different to do - something fun other than going to happy hour or watching a movie in an apartment. So I rallied up some troops (via Facebook event of course - whattup awesome planning skills) and dragged a bunch of friends to Bethesda to check out last Thursday's performance - The 19th Street Band.

 

We had an awesome time. The concert was at this little outdoor area called Veteran's Park - which, if you're a Bethesda rookie like me, I feel the need to tell you ahead of time that it's not so much a park as it is a mini plaza. I was  taken a bit off-guard when it turned out to be a patio instead of a patch of grass, but that didn't change the awesomeness of the evening - it sort of gave it that outdoor cafe feeling. I'm glad I got there early and snagged a table, because the whole area filled up quickly - chairs, wall space, you name it.

I wasn't sure if the place filled so quickly because everyone else was just happy to enjoy a concert or if they knew that it was a good band performing - if it was the latter, The 19th Street Band did not disappoint. They were fantastic! To quote their website, "Their style can best be described as an acoustic mix of popular Rock, Country, Celtic, and Bluegrass songs" (the19thstreetband.com). They were really great performers and a lot of fun to watch. Plus they're a local band and have a lot of upcoming shows around the area, so I can't wait to see them again. 

As a bonus for the night, not only was the band fun, but the audience was something to watch as well. First of all, there were adorable little kids dancing to the music right in front of the band. But then there was another hidden gem - one of the restaurants in the park served beer, but you couldn't take it past a certain area on the patio. So of course, that's where all the dads were, rockin' out and clearly having a grand ol' time:

The guy in green was having the most fun of all. He was jammin':

 


If you're looking for something fun, different, and cheap, definitely check out the other groups performing for the rest of the summer. You can see the list of groups (and time and location) at Bethesda's website. Not from the area? Google your city and see if they have something similar! That's how I found out about these concerts in the first place - I just Googled "Bethesda, MD" and the rest was history!

$20 or Less: Everyone Can Afford A Little Natitude

It was early June. Two of my friends had recently gone to baseball games just a few days apart. I gazed into the distance with envy, dreaming of the day this summer when I would get to go to a game myself. But a tight budget and multiple June events demanding the attention of my wallet meant that even a baseball game seemed like a lofty financial goal. The summer always slips by so quickly, and here I was at the end of June without having gone to a baseball game. Oh how I dreamed of returning to America’s pastime, soaking up summertime with a game, a cold beer, and a suspicious yet oh-so-delicious hot dog…

Luckily, the Nationals had me covered with their amazing 5 Series.

 The Nats 5 Series was an idea born from pure genius. I love it, because it seems like it was created purely because the Nats care for their fans whose bank accounts may not be as fat as others. Sure, baseball games are relatively cheap to attend compared to other sports, but when you add up tickets and refreshments it can still get pricey. Not so with this epic deal. Last week my friend and I took advantage of series #2 of 5 for the season, finally making it to our first ballgame of the year. Needless to say, it was pretty awesome. 

So what's the main foundation behind the 5 Series? FIVE DOLLAR TICKETS, that's what! You want to know what else? FIVE DOLLAR BEERS. Given that we're talking about a sporting event, that's practically the bargain of the century. The beer is where the biggest catch comes in - you can only get particular brands (Coors and Miller Lite), at a particular stand, and before the first pitch. Still, who cares?! It's cheap! My friend and I only stuck to one beer a piece since we’re working off really tight budgets and had work in the morning, but if that doesn't matter to you then go ahead and stock up early, my friends.

Guess what – it doesn't end there! Along with cheap-o tickets and beers, an additional deal for that particular game was $1 hot dogs. Two dogs a piece to make for a filling dinner and we were all set. Once we totaled everything up (can’t forget the $2 purchasing fee for tickets), we got a ballgame, beer, and dinner (and a fun night out of course)…for only $14 DOLLARS! An entry-level 20-something’s dream…

There will be three more series this season. I will sadly be missing the next/current one since it’s going on this week and I’m headed out of town. But if you’re looking for a fun night out in D.C. then you should definitely check it out! Plus the deals change up, too. The $5 tickets and beers are consistent for each series, but some of the games also have free concerts, fireworks shows, and even food drives.  If you want to see the deals for the current series, check ‘em out here!

The Nationals definitely got it right with this deal. Keep it up, team! Your fans appreciate it!

Real Life 102: Being a Grown-Up is Confusing

It has officially been a little over two years since I graduated college, and life since then has been...eye-opening. It always amazes me how in every phase of your life, you have all sorts of older people telling you what things will "really" be like with your next step. Sometimes they're right, sometimes they're a little off, but more often than not you say, "Psht, silly Old Person, that's nonsense"  - only to eventually realize that they were in fact at least partially correct. You then quietly walk into the corner, put on your Dunce cap, and figure out what to do next.

These past couple years, I feel like I've been the dunce more than ever before - and I know that I'm definitely not the only one (far from it, in fact). Before post-grad life, everything is spelled out for you - you finish middle school, you go to high school. You're done with Brownies? On to juniors. Our successes and failures are defined by good grades and bad grades, awards (or lack thereof), and acceptance letters to schools and programs. In some form or another, everything seems, to some extent, to be laid out in black and white. Post grad life? Not so much.*

I, along with many of my friends and fellow 20-somethings, have hit a point where, for the first time in our lives, we're sitting here wondering about what comes next. We are officially the nobodies of the work force, trying to figure out how to work our way up and learn about some sort of positive contribution that we can, well...contribute (other than successfully loading the printer with paper, which can actually be a feat in itself sometimes). We wonder why our hard work doesn't produce instant results like it used to, and wonder what in the world we're doing with our lives. Where will I end up? What do I want to do in life? How do I have fun and maintain a job and bills? Why is it so much harder to make new friends?? TOO MANY HARD QUESTIONS I DON'T WANNA GROW UP!

When I studied abroad in Spain my junior year of college (and subsequently found myself ready to take on the world - oh the naivete), my friends and I went to go see Avenue Q on our trip to London. If you've already seen it, well then you're a step ahead of the game, will know what I'm talking about, and I officially give you 10 points to Gryffindor (or brownie points for life - whichever you prefer). If you haven't seen it, then 1. You totally should, it's an awesomely hilarious musical and 2. Don't worry, I'll give you a summary and will save your brownie points for when you do see it. Avenue Q is basically the grown-up version of Sesame Street, and centers around a character named Princeton and his hysterical journey to try and discover his purpose in life after college. Toward the beginning of the play, there's a song called "What do you do with a B.A. in English?" As an English major myself, when I first saw this play I thought, "That's not me! Being an English major isn't useless!" After college? Oh, how sadly true I found that song to be (at least the first part, I don't actually think that my life sucks). I suddenly found myself thinking, "Oh crap, that's totally my life right now..."

The thing is, there's tons of college prep courses and schools to get ready for university life. Sure, those courses can only do so much and college is still an adjustment, but at least there's something. There's nothing in college that seems to even attempt to prepare you for real life. Everything seems to be going pretty smoothly, then all of a sudden you leave school and wonder what in the world you got yourself into with this whole adulthood thing. This article on Buzzfeed that I found yesterday seems to sum it up pretty well: What You Think Life After College Is Like vs. Reality.



Plus, not only are you surprised by how difficult things are in your early 20s, but you wonder how long it's all going to last. When will things finally come together? Will I ever find the right career? What about my future husband? When in the world is he going to show up? How many things do I have to screw up before something finally goes right?

Luckily, Buzzfeed (in its infinite wisdom) posted another very good article that gives all of us 20-somethings a little sign of hope. It's called 19 Successful People Who Had A Rough Time In Their Twenties.

Wait...we don't have to have it all figured out right now? There's a chance for success later in life?? Who knew...

Now, I'm not saying that we should completely give up on our twenties. Not at all. We still need to do our best to figure it out and live life to the fullest. And who knows, maybe things will come together faster than we think. All I'm saying is that, if this confusing-beyond-belief period seems to drag on a little bit longer than we might like, that doesn't mean that things won't get better down the line. We "millennials" are used to instant gratification, and I think it's about time we learn a little patience and perseverance. We still have a lot to learn in life, and from what I've heard, our 20s are one of our biggest times for growth and learning. Whether it's with our relationships, our careers, our overall life plans...everything will come together in good time.

So to my fellow lost-and-confused 20-somethings out there -- chin up! All will be well, and we'll each figure everything out (or at least accept the fact that we may never figure it out) in our own time and way.

*As an added disclaimer, I obviously know that life has not been completely black and white and that everyone has their own experiences that can be exceptions. I'm just speaking in general terms on a high level, and based on how many of my peers also seem to find themselves feeling lost

The Art of Being Silly

Last week I met up with a friend for a long-overdue coffee date. We sat there for two hours talking about all sorts of different things going on in our lives: family, boys (or lack thereof), faith, you name it. There was one topic one might not necessarily expect, though - we both agreed that lately, we haven't had enough silliness in our lives.

You all know what I mean. There's having a good time and enjoying what you're doing, and then there's being plain old silly: acting like a bit of an idiot, throwing all your cares out the window, and laughing hysterically at nothing at all. Basically, being a big kid. Like those times in college when we went on a secret mission to deliver burnt cupcakes, played practical jokes on each other, and had a feather fight with a busted pillow. What happened to things like that? Why had life gotten so...serious?

Image from hdwallpapers.in

Long story short, we both felt like we needed more silliness in our lives. It's a sad realization when you feel like you've fallen into the humdrum of a daily adult life and haven't been goofy enough, then have no idea how you're going to get back into you silly ways. Luckily, I had the help of a few old friends to jumpstart me back into the game.

This past weekend I headed up to Ohio with a bunch of my friends from high school for our friend Josh's wedding. Not only was it good to be with everyone again, but my high school friends have a way of making me laugh like no one else can. They're the ones that are just flat out goofy and get me to laugh hysterically for no particular reason at all. It's pretty awesome. Combine that overall atmosphere with a few more funny people (my friends' significant others), a road trip, and 8 people crammed into one hotel room, and you have a recipe for gloriously wonderful mayhem.

So tell me...when was the last time you asked yourself (and announced to the car), "Why is that truck's butt so weird? We should pull up and ask the driver why his butt looks weird." Or the last time you argued about whether or not mandating a Despicable Me minion for every person is a form of slavery? And have you ever been proposed to with a RING POP? At a WEDDING?! Because I HAVE. That's right. Be jealous.

We all need fun and silly moments like that. And not just once in a blue moon, we need them on a regular basis. Sometimes, though, there are so many things demanding our attention that we can forget about living out our inner child. No matter what it is, it seems like everything in life requires some sort of responsibility and dedication. Some of those things are annoying adult worries that we're officially stuck with forever (like work, bills, taxes, relationship problems, bugs in your kitchen); others are more enjoyable and have a goal of improving your life (like eating healthier, working out, spending time on your hobbies [and discovering what those hobbies are], meeting new people, growing in your faith). All of these are things we need to focus on and are good to give time to in our lives, but every once in a while we need to remember to kick back and throw all cares out the window.

It's funny, though, as I've been writing this post I've been thinking, "Okay, now how can I get more silly into my life?" - basically trying to plan it out and subsequently completely defeating the point. A lot of times being silly is part of being spontaneous, and we just have to embrace it! I think that being silly isn't so much about planning (unless you're plotting an epic practical joke) but more so about being open to it at any given moment. You never know, you could walk around the corner and find yourself in the middle of a spontaneous dance party. So kick back, relax, don't take things so seriously, and remember how much fun it is to sing along with "The Mysterious Ticking Noise":

Cooking Change-Up

The longer I've been living in my own apartment, the more I've been making my food from scratch. I used to buy all sorts of prepared food...frozen dinners, boxed pasta dishes, etc. But a combination of limited freezer space and realizing that it's actually cheaper to make things from scratch helped me to modify my grocery shopping habits. The thing is, I've still been making the fastest and easiest things I have in my pantry, so my meals have gotten pretty...boring. I've been wanting to try new recipes, but they always have random ingredients that I'm never able to use in another dish. Eventually those randoms end up sitting in your fridge, wasting away, and before you know it you're throwing out all those extra dollars you spent. When you're working on a tight budget like me, hearing those wasted tasty morsels hit the bottom of the trash can sounds more like your wallet screaming in agony. Ouch.

The thing is, when you spend your time NOT trying new recipes and sticking to the basic ingredients that you know are quick and easy, you find yourself eating multiple varieties of dull chicken far too often. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my life. I've gotten to the point where it's about time to mix things up literally and figuratively. So I pulled out the cookbooks, opened up Pinterest, and started the search for some new recipes. This time around, though, nothing was going to waste!

I started looking for recipes where I knew I would be able to find other ways to use the ingredients after I used them in the main dish. Even if I didn't usually use the ingredients, I was determined that I would keep an open mind and find a way to work them into multiple dishes so they wouldn't go to waste (including with my crazy schedule, when I normally need to make things quickly or in advance). I was also going to do all this while being healthier at the same time. Hours later, I was still trying to find recipes I was willing to risk budget-wise. I felt like I had wasted my Saturday afternoon, felt like I wasn't healthy at all, and it all just made me completely overwhelmed. GAH. 

Luckily, I eventually realized that I was taking on too much at once, remembered I don't have to change everything up all at the same time, and decided to take baby steps. I finally settled on one recipe, found a few new (but not totally foreign) items that were on sale, made my grocery list, and walked away.

Today, I put it all into action.

I started with the grocery store. I admittedly spent a little bit more than I have been lately (and more than I would have liked), but I think I'll be able to put everything I got to good use (and hopefully not let any of it go to waste!). Then I decided to make the one recipe that I had picked out, a new, hopefully-actually-healthy recipe. Other than my quick and dull dinners (which I don't consider to be "real" cooking), I haven't done a lot of cooking lately, so it was really great to dive into an actual cooking project again. I dove into the kitchen, reconnected with my inner chef, and whipped up some......

Carrot and Quinoa Muffins. 

Carrot and Quinoa?? Who would have thought I would make something like that? Until recently, I never thought I would have. But I did! With everyone talking about quinoa these days, and all sorts of people close to me like roommates and family members cooking it up like wildfire, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and give it a try (plus quinoa stores well and is incredibly versatile, so I know it won't go to waste). These muffins were simple enough to make so that I would totally make them on a regular basis, but also required enough work to make me feel like I was actually cooking. Plus, they turned out to be ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

I have to admit that I was hesitant when I decided to try this recipe; I thought that the muffins would turn out dry or grainy. But they're not at all! They're soft, moist, and delicious. They basically taste like carrot cake, and if I hadn't told you, you would never know there was quinoa in them. New breakfast/morning snack? I think so :)

I'm still working on taking the time to take good photos, but for now you get to enjoy a lovely pic of one of these tasty morsels chillin' on my awesome, fake, covered-to-look-like-granite counter:

If you'd like to try out these muffins for yourself, check out the recipe at the website Good Dinner Mom. You can also find it on my "Culinary Creations" Pinterest board. 

All This Writing is Paying Off

In my last post I mentioned that there were a lot of things keeping me busy, including a secret project that I'm sure has had you all going wild with curiosity. Well fear not, my friends, because it's time for the big reveal...

I'M PUBLISHED!!!!

That's right, someone else besides me has published my writing. I got the chance to write as a guest blogger for a travel website called Smarter Travel, and they posted my article yesterday. It was only 800 words and I didn't get paid, but that doesn't matter to me. I finally have something published!

I actually discovered the opportunity to write for Smarter Travel back in October. It was seemingly perfect timing since I had just come back from my California trip and had plenty to write about, so I pitched my story and they were all for it. Unfortunately, this was also around the same time that I moved into my apartment, and my life was a tad bit stressful to say the least. I tried to write my piece as things slowed down, but life was still a bit overwhelming and my writing skills weren't exactly up to par. But thanks to writing regularly again (and thanks to life feeling somewhat more normal), I finally felt ready to give it another go. I was worried about the delay, but it turns out that waiting was totally worth it. Smarter Travel was still happy to take my piece, plus I less stressed and I knew that my writing skills had improved. And overall, I'm really happy with how it turned out.

If you'd like to read my post on Smarter Travel, check it out here: The Budget Traveler's Guide to Northern California. 

Also, in case you couldn't tell by the fact that I have a blog, writing is something that I really enjoy and that I would like to continue to pursue. I wouldn't be able to do any of it without the support of my family and friends, and this piece is no different. It may be something small, but for me it's a huge step forward. For this piece I want to thank three friends in particular - Maura and Nicole, for reading several of my drafts before I sent it in; and Carolyn, who not only read it but used her stellar PR and writing skills to help me edit and improve it. It may not seem like much to you guys, but to me it meant a lot. Thanks a million!

Follow Me @hphelps31

I know, I know. It has once again been almost a full two weeks since I wrote a blog post. I'm sorry! But in all fairness, I've been a bit busy. Preparing for the high school retreat, job hunting, watching Avengers to prepare for Iron Man 3, training for a half marathon, running a half marathon...it's a lot to juggle! Plus I'm working on another little project that I may or may not tell you all about in good time, but for now, it's a secret. Cue cliffhanger.

As fun as all of this has been, it has been frustrating not finding the time to write. When I first started this weekly blogging thing at the beginning of the year, I had a hard time finding things to write about. Now I have all sorts of things that I want to write about, but not enough time! Go figure. And of course, rather than write a blog post on my Friday night in (I'm just that cool), I decided to spend my evening doing something that I'm still surprised about -- I signed up for Twitter.

Yes, it's true. I was a Twitter Resister for a long time, and I know that my fellow Resisters are probably scowling at me thinking "Shunnnnnn." But the truth is, I'd been thinking about it for so long, it was time to take the plunge.

To be honest, I really didn't want another social networking platform to keep track of. Facebook and Pinterest take enough of my time, and for a while I honestly didn't understand the point of Twitter. To me, it seemed like it was just a long line of Facebook statuses with a character limit, and that seemed more like an annoying burden than something fun to follow. But thanks to talking to my friend Carolyn who's in PR, I came to realize that Twitter has some practical purposes, and those purposes seemed like pretty good reasons to jump on the bandwagon. Here are those reasons:

1. Twitter is a fast source for news. Headlines, sports, you name it. If you follow news agencies, summarized updates, usually with a link to the full story, will pop up on your feed. It's a great way to know what's going on in the world and have all the information in one place. And it really is surprisingly helpful with following your favorite teams when you can't watch the games.

2. It's practical...and I'm a very practical person. As I look around the job market, a lot of places need someone who's familiar with social media - including Twitter. Knowing Twitter will help me broaden my skills set and make myself more marketable for jobs. Even beyond my own job search, I've realized that a lot of businesses and organizations - that I'm a part of - communicate on Twitter. By not following them on Twitter, I'm missing out on an incredibly convenient way to receive information. Plus, at the last UMD football game I went to, they were giving away prizes via Twitter and I didn't have it. Womp womp.

3. Let's face it, it's a great promotional tool. Big companies obviously manage Twitter accounts, but so do entrepreneurs and my fellow bloggers. Since I would love for writing to become a bigger part of my life, I'm hoping that some day this blog will grow to something more. What that something more is I have no idea, but I think that posting my blog on Twitter is a great way to help that growth along.

I feel like there were more reasons but I can't think of them at the moment. And don't get me wrong, just because I'm getting on Twitter doesn't mean that I'm going to completely bury myself into the world of electronic communication and social media. Those of you that know me know that I am all about face-to-face interaction and I love being around people. As a matter of fact, after days one and two on Twitter I realized that I was spending too much time on it just trying to figure out how it worked, so I made sure to step away. But social media is not a bad thing. My friend Ben Heyman, who I worked with at camp a few years ago, is a PR student who works very closely with social media. He phrases its purpose perfectly on his website (be sure to check it out!):

"I wake up excited to jump on social media. I do not value social over face-to-face interactions.  I value them differently.  I value the ability to connect with people around the globe in a new way that was never possible before.  I value the ability to learn new things, be exposed to new things and connect with new people."

-Ben Heyman, www.benheyman.com

Using Twitter, or any social media for that matter, is about using it the right way. Not letting it dominate or take the place of real human interaction, but seeing its benefits for information and communication. 

Now, if anyone can help me figure out how Twitter actually works I would really appreciate it. 

Taxi Woes

From the moment I walk into the office in the morning to the moment I leave in the afternoon, my day is typically spent sitting behind a desk. Not counting my trips to the break room, bathroom, and my walks outside, my ass is pretty much glued to that chair from start to finish. For someone like me who likes to keep busy and stay on the move, you can imagine that this can get pretty unbearable at times. You can also imagine that when my office needed someone to run a simple work errand, I jumped on the chance to get out of the office like a frog jumps on a lily pad.

Typically, when our company needs to do business in other parts of the city, the offices we need to visit are pretty accessible as most of them are near metro stations. But of course, the office I needed to visit was no where near a metro station. If I had tried to take public transit, it would have taken me over an hour each way via train, bus, and on foot. That seemed a bit excessive - especially since I was only picking up a few things and wouldn't be at the office long at all - so to keep things simple, my boss kindly offered to pay for a cab. It would still be a 20 minute ride, but that was much better than an hour. "It'll be easy," he said. "Nice and simple," he said...

I knew I was in trouble when I got into the cab, gave the address, and the cabby said, "Where??"

No, he wasn't asking because he didn't hear me. He was asking because he literally had no idea where I was talking about. You have got to be kidding me...

Not only did he have no idea where he was going, but he didn't even have a GPS in his car. So, while he grumpily called his taxi buddies to help him out (it turns out they weren't very helpful, either), I pulled up the address on my phone and told him where to go. When we got to my location, I asked him to wait and told him I would be about 10-15 minutes. "Fine," he said, "I'll wait 15 minutes." When I came out (right around 15 minutes later) he said, "I was getting impatient!" What are you complaining about, jerk? I'm paying you aren't I?? Once again, you have GOT to be kidding me. At that point I didn't even bother having him drive me all the way back to my office. I just told him to take me to the closest metro station and I would get back from there. I didn't care that I had a rather awkward box to carry and had to now traverse the city in heels (thank goodness they weren't super high heels) -- no more crazy cab rides for me.

Sadly, this is not the first poor experience I have had with a DC area cab. When I was still living at home, there were a couple times I got home late and had to take a cab from the metro back to my house -- 5 minutes away -- and the cabbies didn't even recognize the streets I was mentioning. Sigh....

Maybe it's just my imagination, but shouldn't a cab driver know the streets of the city s/he is driving in? Are my expectations too high? Maybe I'm comparing too many of my taxi experiences to the awesome taxis I took in Spain. After all, I never took cabs on my own before living overseas, so my first experiences with taxis were when I was living in Valencia -- and I have to say, Valencian taxis are pretty awesome.

While I didn't take them all that often, Valencian taxis never disappointed me. Whether I had just missed the bus or didn't want to walk back from my friends' apartment at 3 AM, they were always very handy. They were relatively cheap, efficient, and the cabbies always knew where they were going. On the rare occasions they didn't know where they were going, they had a GPS to help them along the way (fancy that, modern technology...). And for the cherry on top, the cabbies were always really nice and were so much fun to talk to in my spotty Spanish.

When I told a friend about my varying cab experiences, she mentioned that good taxis aren't just a European trend - that New York City is another place where cab drivers actually know where they're going. It turns out that once again, my expectations really aren't too high. DC transportation is just terrible as usual.



Disclaimer: Yes, I realize this post is the epitome of First World Problems. I know that there are many more worse things in the world that could happen (and are happening) than me having a bad taxi experience. Just trying to keep things a little more light-hearted.

Praying for Boston

Ever since yesterday's horror in Boston, I, like everyone else, have been trying to make sense of it all. At this point I haven't been able to process it long enough to turn my thoughts into words. So for now, I'll keep it very short.

I did not personally know anyone at the marathon yesterday. But as a runner, I feel like there is an added level of sadness on top the typical whirlwind of emotion. The running community holds a very unique and special bond, and to see that community attacked hits a certain core. Not only is it painful to see the runners that have worked so hard be affected by it, but the spectators as well. Runners need all the support they can get to push through their races, and spectators pour out all their love and support to cheer on their loved ones. It breaks my heart to see so many wonderful people affected by this tragedy, and my heart truly goes out to the victims, their family and friends, and all of Boston.

While I may be struggling to find the right words to express this sadness, I found a few things on Facebook among my running friends that seem to capture a runner's sentiments quite well:

And finally:

"If you're trying to destroy the human spirit, marathoners are the wrong group to target."

Since all of these were found on Facebook, I do not know their original sources and am unable to cite them.