Organizational Guru: Episodes from the filebox

Episodes from the movie file: The Vow

2012-02-13T18:28:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. That special day where love reigns supreme. I started the celebration early by going to see "The Vow" with my girls Friday night. This story is about a couple who's life is forever changed by an accident that leaves Rachel McAdam's character with a traumatic brain injury. This injury results in memory loss and she does not remember her husband at all. Here is the trailer:

What makes this story even better is the fact that it is based on a true story. Click here to see a recent interview with the couple: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/46366079#46366079.

What I absolutely love about this story is that it shows what marriage should be, the way God created it to be. God created us to not be alone and so when we marry it was meant to be til death do us part. In our world marriage is something to be tossed around (Hello Kim Kardashian) and given up on whenever one gets bored.

Now, I know I am not married or even in a relationship currently but I pray that when and if the day comes that I am that lucky enough to have a marriage like this one. To wake up and not remember parts of your life is unbelievable but even more to be the husband who has to make his wife fall back in love with him. He could have given up but instead he fought for love and his wife. He truly took his vows to be truth. To see in this video how much Kim loves his wife just makes the romantic in me so happy.

So regardless of your thoughts on Valentines Day I hope you are inspired by this story of true love and for all those romantics out there Happy Valentines Day!

Episodes from the sermon file: Jill Briscoe

2012-02-12T09:14:00.000-06:00

Thursday I was given the awesome and amazing privilege to spend three hours listening to Jill Briscoe. Everytime I hear her speak I feel like my soul is refreshed. Both Jill and her husband Stuart have worked in youth ministry for many, many years. Stuart was the head pastor of Elmbrook and now they travel around the world evangelizing. They have led a remarkable life and I count Jill as a huge Christian inspiration to me.

The first time I heard Jill speak was when she and Stuart were the commencement speakers here at Trinity the year I graduated, 2005. I remember how enthralled I was with their life. Today, as I sat and listed to my English Grandmother as I often refer to her, I literally felt as though I was being spiritually dunked. What I mean by that is what she shared with us literally felt like as if my soul was being fed.

I have pages of notes from our three hours but what really struck out to me was her ministry of presence. Jill said that in order to reach people who are unreachable you need to do the following:

Be a presence
Listen
Build credibility
Speak into it

This quote sums the above up: "You have to listen, if you listen to them they will know you love them. If they know you love them, they will listen to you." This quote has been so true in my own life. I remember growing up wishing someone would listen to me about what was going on with my family and whenever someone did and invited me into their life they made the most impact. I try to do the same for the students I impact now because I know how transforming simply listening and sitting with someone can be.

Lord, thank you for calling people like Jill and her husband to you and how they bless so many throughout the world.

Episodes from the financial file: credit card debt

2012-02-12T09:05:00.001-06:00

As of February 10, 2012 I am officially out of credit card debt!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a huge accomplishment for me as it has been a long haul to get rid of it. I was by no means in financial trouble but did not like having such a huge burden over my head. Some of my friends have asked me how I did it and what worked for me was paying more than my minimum every month (often double) and making additional payments when I had the ability to.

This was just one of the goals I wanted to accomplish before my 30 birthday and I am glad it is over. Now......onto my school debt......sigh!

Episodes from the music file: Blake Shelton

2012-02-08T07:23:00.001-06:00

This entry was inspired by a conversation that my dear friend Sarah and I had yesterday in my office.

I like country music. Now before people begin to throw things at me and run me out of town I will respect your music tastes if you respect mine. Truce?

Now, like I said I like country and one of my favorite artists has to be Blake Shelton. Not only does he have a great voice but that man is sexy! He is tall, well-built, good looking, and hilarious (anyone who knows me that being funny is a deal breaker for me). Every week when "The Voice" is on I look forward to seeing the new talent but more so for the banter between Adam Levine and Blake because it is always a good time.

I like Blake's songs because you can tell he really loves music and the things he is singing about which often times involve Miranda Lambert. Miranda Lambert (another favorite of mine) is married to Blake (lucky girl) so he is not available (I would never go up against her because she is scrappy!). Their relationship actually inspired one of my favorite songs: God Gave Me You (see the music video below). In the song Blake is singing about how his partner is the better of the two of them and he cannot believe she would pick him. It reads like wedding vows at times. I hope that someday I can have someone in my life who makes me think of them when I hear this song and someone would want to write a song like this for me. Until then I guess I will have to settle on Blake Shelton............sigh!

Miranda Lambert is speaking about their wedding right before the music video and it is precious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCf2PoTuh4Q&ob=av3e

Here are the lyrics:
"God Gave Me You"

I’ve been a walking heartache
I’ve made a mess of me
The person that I’ve been lately
Ain’t who I wanna be

But you stay here right beside me
And watch as the storm blows through
And I need you

Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
And for when I think I lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you
Gave me you

There’s more here than what we’re seeing
A divine conspiracy
That you, an angel lovely
Could somehow fall for me
You’ll always be love’s great martyr
And I’ll be the flattered fool
And I need you

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
And for when I think I lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you

On my own I’m only
Half of what I could be
I can’t do without you
We are stitched together
And what love has tethered
I pray we never undo

Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
And for when I think I lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you, gave me you.
He gave me you.

Episodes from the hollywood file: Celebrity satire

2012-02-06T19:05:00.000-06:00

Okay being a movie buff that I am you must also know that I am a celebrity junkie. Most mornings I am checking my triumphant of celebrity sites: People, E-online, and TMZ. My friends text, tweet, or email whenever they have a celebrity, TV, or movie related question and most times I either know the answer or can find it out pretty quickly. In high school my friends thought I should become a celebrity agent or assistant.

Now, before I hear from everyone how superficial and shallow this hobby is, hear me say that I know there are more important things in this world then which Kardashian sister is pregnant or divorcing her husband or how Lindsay Lohan has once again violated her parole but for me it is a small escape for a bit and some celebrities actually use their connections for good (George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, etc). I too, am just as annoyed by the decisions/actions of celebrities at times which brings me to the point of this entry.

While on Pinterest (my other escape) I found a reference to a blog called Suri's Burn Book. This blog is written from the point of view of Suri Cruise, child of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, and basically like in the movie "Mean Girls" Suri comments on other celebrities and their children. It is hilarious and when I am having a bad day it is guaranteed to make me burst out into laughter or at least smile.

Here is the link for you to take a gander: http://surisburnbook.tumblr.com/

Thank you Suri for these wonderful entries, in the words of Angela and I "I'm awesome, you're welcome! "Enjoy!!

Episodes from the Sermon file: Hebrews 12

2012-02-05T09:54:00.000-06:00

Those of you who know me, know that I spend much of my time in Lake Geneva, WI. Whenever I am up there I attend Calvary Church. The Pastor Doug Anderson, recently gave a sermon on Hebrews 12:1-2 which is our theme verse for 2012. If you would like to hear it I encourage you to watch it via this link (it is the Running your Race well sermon).

In this sermon Pastor Doug broke down the cloud of witnesses into the following four groups:
1. Angels/Demons
2. God, the father
3. The Ancients
4. Watching World

The Ancients are those who have gone before us and modeled what our lives should look like. In the time Hebrews was written that would have been the Biblical heroes, Abraham, Moses, David, etc. Pastor Doug asked us who those people would be for us. For me they are:

My Grandma Nemeth: My grandma Jean (whose name is my middle name) was a pinnacle of faith in our family. We used to joke that she had a direct line to God as whatever you asked her to pray about she did without ceasing and it usually came to pass. I remember always feeling God whenever I was with her.

My mom: Some might be surprised by this given the rough relationship I have with her but my mom has been an example of what faith looks like. She has suffered with bi-polar my entire life and before that but throughout that suffering she has always turned to the Lord even when that has been hard and she cannot see him. Through this example I have seen what it means to trust in the Lord even when things look the most dark.

Rick Minwegen: Rick, I met through my extended family, the Hopkins. This man embodied Hebrews 12:1-2. Having suffered with ALS for years, watching his family fall apart, Rick always drew people to the Lord and truly showed us what it means to live in faith. Even as he lay dying this past December he was more concerned about others, especially his boys. He always made you feel valued and a part of his family. He was Jesus to many and we miss him greatly.

The Hopkins family: As I mentioned above the Hopkins are my extended family. I am best friends with their two daughters and they have included me in their family which I greatly value. Each member has had a significant impact on me in ways they know and they may never know. They pray with me, they laugh with me, and most of all they show me that God blesses us with a very large family apart from our blood relatives.

There are many more people who have influenced me and I am sure many more will. I pray that I can be a model to those who pass through my life. Lord, thank you for those who have gone before me.

Episodes from the personality file: attitude

2012-02-03T06:42:00.000-06:00

Attitude: challenging manner: an arrogant or assertive manner or stance assumed as a challenge or for effect ( informal )

Okay so this topic has been on my mind for a while and so I finally decided to do an entry about it. Attitude......man does it affect everything about us! If we let it one small thing can set our attitude on an avalanche downhill quickly! Now, I try as much as possible to have a good attitude and let things roll off my back but however when a bad attitude is given to me or something sets me off it's all over. This has happened a lot lately and last night after getting an attitude laced email in my inbox I had it!

Ever since I was a kid I have been sassy. My father tells me that I speak sarcasm as a first language. I remember when I broke my pinky finger when I was 10 and the PA who came in said to me "Well, it's definitely broken" I quickly responded, "What gave it away? The X-Ray, or the fact that it is hanging off my hand?" Granted, I was in pain and a smart-ass kid but sometimes that little sassy girl takes it overboard and the mean girl takes over (I like to refer to her at Alexandria).

Attitude has many causes and manifestations. It comes in my life via people who want things the way they want them and when they want it and that is NOW (also called entitlement). I cannot tell you how many times a day I encounter that.

Now, attitude for me at least is caused usually by my lack of patience and once it has started good luck. I become a person that I would not want to be around which I think only fuels a bad attitude because I get frustrated and disappointed with myself then. Usually, the only way for me to cure this is to either speak to one of my friends who will kick me pants and knock me back to my normal self or to give myself a time out. Another thing that helps me is prayer. I often have to go to God when I am not being the person I want to be and ask him to correct me. Believe me there is nothing as humbling as when God puts someone or something in my path that reminds me that short of him I have nothing and am nothing. It's almost as if the Lord grabs me by the shoulders, looks me straight in the eye and says "Alicia Jean, you will knock this attitude off right now, there are more important things in this world!" I am thankful for a God who will do that for me.

In my apartment hangs a plaque that has 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV); "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." My roommate and I purposely hung it by the door so when we are having a bad day we can read it (out loud, or scream it as we often have) before we leave the house almost as an attitude check. So, if you happen upon me when I am having a bad attitude (and I am sure you will even reading my blog) please ask me to remember this verse and smile!

Episodes from the relationship file: Matchmaking

2012-01-28T10:08:00.000-06:00

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match......

Something that few people know about me is that I have done a little matchmaking in my time with three of these relationships ending in marriages. So, on this Friday night as I sit in my apartment after a long week an idea struck me for a potential match for a friend. Her name is B.

B is a fun-loving, intelligent friend of mine who most of all is a bit michevious. Her manta is "Be michevious, it feels good." Now, let me reveal her soulmate. His name is......Rob Dyrdek.

For those of you who do not know Rob he is a pro skater boarder most known for his MTV shows, Rob &; Big and Fantasy Factory. Most episodes find Rob on interesting adventures whether that is raising a mini horse, playing with sharks or having fun making up games in the fantasy factory ( a giant funhouse basically) where his offices are located.

I think the thing that makes them so perfect for each other is how they enjoy getting people to do stuff they normally would not be comfortable doing. Think of it as life coaching if you will. They see it as a positive while the rest of them see it as crazy. They also both have huge hearts helping people around them, especially their family. One of my favorite Fantasy Factory episodes ran last night. Drama (Rob's cousin Chris) just broke up with his girl and was feeling down so Rob went out and found him a new girl.....a bulldog puppy! It's that zest for life that would make them a match made in heaven. So Rob if you are out there B's waiting! Now........to find my match.

Episodes from the education file: Life-long learner

2012-01-26T20:04:00.000-06:00

Tonight while browsing I-tunes I discovered a new feature: Courses! Basically, you can take free classes from multiple universities on your i-pod or i-pad. I am not sure what course I would take or that I even have the time to do so but I really want to!

This brings me to the topic of being a life-long learner and education. Most of you know that I am an avid reader, usually reading multiple books at once on various subjects. This love of education and reading started at a young age. I remember going to the library and checking out literally 20-30 books each time, some being books on tape. I love to read! The scene in Beauty & the Beast where Belle is given the library literally makes my heart skip a beat because to me knowledge is the best gift.

I have been working in higher education for several years now and that has just increased this love but also has created a great respect for it because of how much my students have to do to complete their education between working and other circumstances that life throws them. I put myself through school and know how expensive it is for our students but something I have always tried to impart on them is that education is an investment in yourself and one that no one can take away. They can reposs your house, your car, etc but no one can take your education away.

Now on that note I am off to read a book for work and hopefully later some reading for fun.

Episodes from the career file: Mentoring

2012-01-19T21:23:00.000-06:00

One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the ability to be a part of a my student's lives. I get to mentor students each and every semester, seeing them through many challenges and joys. I have been privileged to see their graduations, weddings, relationships. I get to laugh with them, cry with them, and most of all pray with and for them. Each of them is a treasured friend.

Today to start the semester off we gathered the leaders on campus for a chapel service. The service was much needed from the message to the FANTASTIC worship but my favorite part had to be when the staff gathered at the front to pray with students. We did this a few years ago at our retreat and it was extremely powerful. Three students who I mentor came up to me but the most amazing thing was that each of them came up to pray for me. This touched and made me feel so honored because I was not expecting that nor did I realize how much I needed that. I was very encouraged and cannot thank each of them enough.

Thank you Lord for providing me with a job where I am blessed on a daily basis, never let me forget it.

Episodes from the love file: Hopeless romantic

2012-01-11T19:21:00.000-06:00

My name is Alicia and I am a hopeless romantic (hi Alicia!).....

The inspiration behind this blog entry came from this blog I follow, Green Wedding Shoes. This is a site that features weddings and the stories that inspired them. The particular entry I am that inspired me was the story of Rapunzel.

Now I am a sucker for fairy tales and all things romantic. This photo shoot just screamed romance with everything from the costumes to the lighting. I love a good love story, get lost in novels, cry in romantic comedies, and Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors.

Currently, this is all the romance I have in my life as I am a single lady but I will not give up on my prince charming coming one day........

Episodes from the me file: 2012

2012-01-02T11:41:00.000-06:00

The new year is upon us which of course means that we are flooded by the new year resolutions and year in review posts, tweets, etc. New Years is one holiday that I really do not see the big deal about. I would rather think of improving myself and remembering the events of my life on a daily basis not just at the end/beginning of the year.

That being said I do have a few goals I want to work on this year that will hopefully will help me to accomplish what I said above about continually evaluating/improving myself and here they are:

Blog at least once a week

Workout (in some fashion) 2-3 times a week

Drink more water

Read more, I read a lot as it is but I enjoy it so much

Develop new relationships & cultivate current ones

Journal daily

The last one is something I really want to work on because growing up I used to journal everyday in some aspect and it was really helpful to me dealing with the stress of my family life as well as just a way to decompress after the day. I miss it.

This year I also will be turning 30........gulp..........this is the age that I was always scared of. However, due to some people in my life I am beginning to see this in a new light and I am beginning to get excited about it. I know this much I want to do something really special to celebrate that birthday. I am not sure exactly what I want to do but it may involve a trip of some sort, we will see.

So 2012 get ready because I'm coming!!

Episodes from the hobby file: To e-read or not to e-read

2011-12-29T19:45:00.000-06:00

That is the question indeed. As a devoted, and avid reader I love the feel, the look, and even the smell of a good book (you know there is a smell). My goal is to have a wall to wall, floor to ceiling library in my home. I can curl up all day, anywhere and just get lost in a book for hours which often means carrying books around with me. This is not a problem if the book is small and paperback. It is however if it is a hardcover and can result in my back being sore for a long time.

We are now in a world of technology where I can have information at my fingertips within seconds, including the latest bestsellers. There are now Kindles, Nooks, and iPads etc where I can have as many books as I want in a small handheld device. This brings us to the epic battlefield: to e-read or not to e-read.

The reason I am having this internal debate stems from "The Hunger Games." I have heard about how amazing these books are. I have had friends stay up all night to read them. Wanting to read them myself I discovered that as a bonus of my Amazon Prime account I have access to the Kindle app and the Kindle lending library which allows me to borrow e-books for as long as I want for free and since I know have an iPad a whole new world has been opened for me. Do you see my problem?

I have always said I will be a purest and not enter the land of electronic reading. Yes, I know I read all day on the computer as a part of my job and as a part of life so why not read for fun on one too? I just have had an issue with it because I feel like I am cheating on my books and that Jane Austen would slap me across the face but I may be changing my mind. Of course I will always prefer hard copies to electronic but maybe I can partake in the free books that are available to me for when I travel etc.

Sigh.........what to do?????

Episodes from the movie file: Meet Me in St. Louis

2011-12-26T09:56:00.000-06:00

As a part of my Christmas holiday traditions I ALWAYS watch "Meet Me in St. Louis." I simply ADORE it! The story, the costumes, each character, and Judy Garland singing.

The story takes place in St. Louis in the year 1903, right before the World's Fair made it's way to St. Louis and centers around the Smith family who have four daughters and one son. The main character is Esther (Judy Garland) and centers around her love for the boy next door, John Truett. However, the real story is about the love of family. You see their frustrations with each other, their happiness, and their sadness. I will not spoil the whole story because I want you all to go out and watch it and I really hope you do because there is just something about older movies that endear them to my heart. A small piece of movie trivia here: Vincente Minnelli is the director of this movie. Judy and Vincente fell in love while filming this movie and later married. If you notice throughout the movie Judy is often framed whether in a window or the camera centers directly on her. It is because of his feelings for her that this occurs.

One of my favorite scenes is when Esther sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to Trudy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g4lY8Y3eoo

Every time I see this clip, I cry and it makes me feel the holiday spirit so yes today is the day after Christmas but I really suggest you find this movie and watch it. If you remember it is #3 on my top ten list.

Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis meet me at the fair............

Episodes from the Holiday file: Where are you Christmas?

2011-12-24T11:22:00.001-06:00

I am not sure why but lately I keep asking myself where is Christmas? Now, I know I share very few things with Cindy Lou Who besides the fact that we are both short but I can relate to her wondering where Christmas is. It just does not feel like the holidays. Maybe it's the weather being so mild or all the craziness of the last few weeks but I feel a little lackluster about the holidays.

Growing up the holidays were not always the best because my mom's bipolar would often flare up at that time of year. Despite that it has always been my favorite time of year & a time of tradition. The Christmas tree wouldn't go up until after my birthday. Christmas Eve we always attended mass before going over to my Aunt & Uncles for the annual family party with my mom's side of the family. I remember playing with & watching my cousins as well as the books our grandma would give us. Some years we would attend midnight mass as well. Christmas day activities varied with a mix of just our family and sometimes visiting my dad's family.

Fast forward to today and these traditions have changed. We don't get together with the family anymore because all of us are grown up and scattered. I spend Christmas eve watching all of my favorite holiday movies & then head to my parent's house for Christmas day. All in all things are much more quiet.

Being a person who values family,entertaining, and tradition I think I struggle with being in a place of transition in my life. Right now i am in a place where I am establishing myself as a single woman & I need to create new traditions & memories with my friends & family. Christmas is a time of love and I want to embrace that so Merry Christmas to all the people in my life. I wish you a holiday full of love.

Episodes from the movie file: Upcoming movies in 2012

2011-12-22T13:20:00.000-06:00

As 2011 comes to a close and we look forward to ringing in a new year I can tell you one thing my money is going to be spent in the movie theaters this new year.

Here are a few movies that I will be seeing:

The Avengers

The Dark Knight Rises

Breaking Dawn Pt. 2

The Hobbit

The Vow:

The Lucky One:

So pumped!!! Here's to you 2012!!!

Episodes from the television file: Food Network

2011-12-19T20:56:00.000-06:00

Come into my house on any given day and you will usually find one thing on my tv and that is Food Network. I love Food Network and could literally watch it every day if I had my way. I often think of starting my own bakery and have mentioned that on this blog and watching this network creates inspiration in me.

Some may find an entire network about food and food prep to be boring but I do not, I love it! Some of my favorite shows include:

Chopped (A show where four chefs must utilize mystery baskets full of ingredients to create a memorable meal.)
The Next Food Network Star
The Next Iron Chef
Barefoot Contessa
Everyday Italian (Anything Giada does I adore)

Nothing gives me more pleasure than to sit and enjoy a marathon of one of these shows, jotting down recipes and overall just getting hungry and with that I am off to see what my favorite chefs are cooking up now.

Episodes from ongoing file

2011-12-19T20:45:00.000-06:00

Lately, as I read the blogs of my friends and family I have begun to notice a theme. Most of them have fallen behind on their blogs and I am no different. I started this blog with very good intentions. I wanted to use it to be witty and to share things that I am interested in and that interest me as well as to provide an outlet when life gets crazy. Surprise, surprise life got busy and my blog has suffered.

This time of year is full of the normal schedule of meetings, work, and to-do lists compounded with holiday events, shopping, and just being plain tired. One of the things that helps me unwind ends up on the back burner.

So, my goal is this I will post at least once a week and as I think of blog topics I will write them down so I do not forget. Readers, help me to keep this goal by letting me know if you have not heard from me in a while.

Episodes from the reference file: Journaling

2011-12-05T21:09:00.001-06:00

I just had to share this entry from a very brave women who has been through a lot. The entry is about journaling which is something I am wanting to start doing again.

http://teachingtuckandty.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-journaling-isnt.html

Episodes from the blessing file: My co-workers

2011-12-03T19:07:00.001-06:00

Last night I was at my work Christmas party (well one of them there are several since I have several positions) at my boss Felix's house. I had so much fun playing with his kids, eating so much delicious food, and just being able to fellowship with some pretty great people as well as get some pretty sweet kitchen items in our gift exchange.

I love how our office staff are so supportive of each other and genuinely care about what is going on in each others lives. I am supported in my gifting, challenged in my weaknesses and loved which I value greatly. We talk about Heather's pregnancy and the changes that will bring, we discuss Felix's dissertation topic, and hear funny stories about Kate's brothers. Whenever I am in a meeting with Heather, Kate, or Felix I usually am laughing really hard as we value professionalism with fun.

All in all I am blessed to work with each of them but even more blessed to call them friends.

Episodes from the recipe file: dill dip

2011-11-22T17:54:00.001-06:00

Here is a recipe that I like to make when I want a quick, easy, and cheap snack. I mix some whipped cream cheese, and dill (fresh or dried will work). I eat it spread on Triscits or with pita chips. It is absolutely delicious and creamy.

Episodes from the hobby file: Pinterest

2011-11-20T11:45:00.001-06:00

My name is Alicia and I am addicted to Pinterest! They always say admitting the problem is the first step to recovery right? Well, this is one problem I do not mind.

For those of you who do not know what Pinterest is let me explain. Basically, people upload photos, recipes, blog enteries, etc and you can "pin" it on your boards. Each person has several boards (you can make a board for whatever you want). I have a board for recipes, clothing/beauty, home decor etc. It is a great place to file things you want to try but also for inspiration. I am usually on it once a day if not more adding pins and seeing what others have pinned. It is an invitation only site so if you would like one please let me know and I will send you one.

And now back to pinning.............

Episodes from the encouragement file

2011-11-17T23:26:00.001-06:00

Today to be honest was a blah day for me. I am not really sure why but I was feeling pretty discouraged and not myself. I try to be a fairly happy and positive person but I am human and have these days too. Thankfully, I have a God in Heaven who provides his encouragement and love in many ways seen and unseen. I was extremely blessed in the following ways by people in my life:

A student I mentor told me how much they like having me in their life.

A friend told me how strong I am and how I helped her through a rough few months.

My best friend told me how much she loves me.

My professor encouraged me to take more graphic design courses because he sees my potential in the field.

Laughter during my night class.

and finally when I came home from class and was working on some stuff at my desk I saw my "This is why you're hot" jar which made me think of my dear friend Ali. You might ask what a "This is why you're hot" jar is and so let me tell you. My friend Ali made me this small jar that contains slips of paper with attributes (physical and character) of mine, fun quotes we share, etc. I was instructed to pull out a slip whenever I am having a crappy day and then read it out loud. This jar has come in handy on several occasions and today is no different so thank you Ali for giving me that gift especially since you are not on-campus anymore to provide daily hugs and coffee. I LOVE YOU! Also, thank you God for providing me with people who speak truth and love into my life.

Episodes from the music file: A Thousand Years

2011-11-12T20:05:00.001-06:00

Those of you who know me know that I am a fan of the Twilight movies and with the release of the newest movie coming in a week a new soundtrack has been released. I have been very pleased with the soundtracks of the other three movies and this one does not disappoint.

One of the songs on the soundtrack is rapidly becoming one of my favorite songs ever, "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri. The song is about the love between two people and was written about Bella and Edward. Being a hopeless romantic, I personally love the message and if I ever get married this song will be incorporated into wedding for sure. Here are the lyrics:

(Verse 1)
Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How do be brave
How can I love when I'm afraid
To fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt
Suddenly goes away somehow

(Pre-chorus)
One step closer

(Chorus)
I have died everyday
waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more

(Verse 2)
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything 
Take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath, 
Every hour has come to this

(Pre-chorus)
One step closer

(Chorus)
I have died everyday
Waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a 
Thousand more

And all along I believed
I would find you
Time has brought
Your heart to me
I have loved you for a 
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more

(Pre-chorus x2)
One step closer

One step closer

(Chorus)
I have died everyday
Waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid,
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more

And all along I believed
I would find you
Time has brought 
Your heart to me
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a 
Thousand more

I also highly recommend the music video as it is beautifully shot.

Episodes from the childhood/video game file: Zelda

2011-11-07T21:28:00.000-06:00

Being a child of the 80's I played video games just like my friends. We however were old school, we had Nintendo. We progressed to Super Nintendo and then Nintendo 64. Now, I am loyal to all things Super Mario Bros (we doesn't love those Italian plumbers?), and Donkey Kong (I used to play for hours at sleepovers) but my tried and true favorite has to be Zelda.

I have played almost all of the versions of this franchise but without a doubt my favorite has to be Zelda; Ocarina of Time. Whenever I needed to unwind I would make myself comfortable in my beanbag chair (yes I had a beanbag chair) and settle in to helping Link save the Princess. Ocarina serves as a prequel to Zelda and tells the story of the creation of the Tri-Force and Hyrule. The story line is as follows: We begin with Link in the Kokiri Forest, where he discovers that the Great Deku Tree is in danger due to a great darkness. Upon meeting with Princess Zelda and the Great Fairies he discovers that Ganondorf is plotting to steal the Triforce. Using an Ocarina (musical flute) you make your way through different lands following and trying to stop Ganon.

Now I still have my Nintendo 64 and will bust it out old school style however thanks to the genius that is Wii I am able to download the game and play it whenever and they are releasing a new game that serves as a prequel to Ocarina. The Legend of Zelda continues...............

Resources for Zelda fans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMSbwLvDMEg (Original game trailer)

http://www.zelda.com/skywardsword/ (newest game)

Also the entire soundtrack to Ocarina is available on Grooveshark if you are wanting to listen to Epona's Song, Zelda's Lullaby, or Soria's song.

Episodes from the celebration file: 100th entry

2011-11-05T23:04:00.000-05:00

This entry marks my 100th blog entry and what better way to celebrate then to write about the gift of friendship and life. Today I attended the baby shower of my dear friend Hillary. Some of you remember me writing about Hillary in a previous entry and so you know what a major part of my life she is and how sad I am since she moved away. Hilly is expecting a little girl in January and I could not be more excited for her and the mother she will be or to meet this little girl.

One part of the shower that I really enjoyed was during gift opening we each told Hilly the things we see in her that show us she will be a good mother. It was such an honor to be a part hearing from all the women who have been touched and have touched Hilly's life. I know my friend will be a wonderful mother and her little girl is so lucky to have her as her mom. I spoke on how constant and fun she is but others highlighted her wisdom, her caring spirit, and her loyalty. With Hilly in my life I am a better friend and person.

Having children has always been something I want to do. I feel like I have a huge motherly instinct and love being around children. I see being a mother has a gift and a privilege and one that I do not take lightly. Through the years I have had many friends who have miscarried or struggled to get pregnant. Some of since had children, adopted or given children up for adoption and some who are still struggling to conceive. I have celebrated, mourned, laughed, cried and prayed with and for each of them. The Lord knows each of their stories and is orchestrating their lives as well as the children that may or may not come into them. I can only pray that if I have children I can be as good as a mother as Hilly and the other women in my life are.

Thank you to each and every women who is or has been a part of my life. You have made my life more rich and full of blessing than you can ever know. I am the women I am today because of you.

Episodes from the television file: Once Upon a Time

2011-10-31T21:18:00.000-05:00

So the last thing I need is another show to watch. I mean I already have the following lineup:

Mondays: Gossip Girl, Castle
Tuesdays: Parenthood, Glee
Wednesdays: Modern Family
Thursdays: Grey's/Private Practice

Before you all get concerned about much time I watch television know that I use my DVR and watch things when I can. That being said I have officially added a new show: "Once Upon a Time."

"Once Upon a Time" is a show from the same writers as "Lost" and so there are a lot of similar aspects. The story follows Emma Swan, a woman who on her 28th birthday is reunited with the son she gave up for adoption 10 years prior. It turns out her son has been living in Storybrook, Maine, a town full of surprises for you see Storybrook is a parallel world where fairy tale creatures have all been trapped in time and have forgotten who they are. The Evil Queen Regina as a form of revenge against Snow White, has unleashed a curse that destroys all of their happy endings. Now, before you go, "Alicia this is weird" hear me out. The show is so good!!! Now, I am huge fan of fairy tales and fantasy and have always enjoyed using my imagination so this is right up my alley.

I will not divulge anything further and the show is only on the second episode so head over to ABC.com or http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/once-upon-a-time to catch up on episodes that way I can have people to watch & discuss the show with!

Episodes from the cooking file

2011-10-30T16:17:00.000-05:00

The pinnacle of many an at home baker/cook is the kitchen-aide stand mixer and it has been nicknamed "The Holy Grail" by me. I always said that the minute I get engaged and can start registering for gifts that the first thing I register for will be the "The Holy Grail." Well, friends I am now the proud owner of a kitchen-aide mixer!

Friday night as I browsed the racks at my local TJ Maxx I turned the corner and there it was, an all metal & white mixer. Here is the beauty:

Needless to say the mixer was too good of a deal to pass up and it is now home with me and I am so excited it feels like Christmas for me. Aubrey, my best friend, has a similar machine and so now we are twins!!!

I cannot wait to make cookies, whipped creams, potatoes and tons of different foods so if you need a couple pounds of potatoes mashed let me know. The only thing I have to get next is for my mixer is the pasta cutter attachments. So excited!!!

Episodes from the charity file: St. Jude's

2011-10-23T22:41:00.000-05:00

The Lord has placed on my heart a great love for children but also a great pain when I see them suffer. From the age of three I was going to be a doctor, specifically a pediatrician. I wanted to help sick children feel better. Doug Ross (George Clooney's character on ER) was my inspiration (for that & many, MANY other reasons). It was during my senior year of high school that I decide that was not my path. Simply put I thought it would be too hard to watch children be in pain and to die. It would kill me!

Fast forward some years and I still have this burden on my heart and it is because of this that I decided to become a Partner in Hope with St. Jude's Children's Hospital. All of you are familiar with the charity St. Jude's but they are truly a remarkable organization. Through their efforts childhood cancer survival rates have increased leaps and bounds and no family is ever turned away if they cannot afford medical services. This is no easy task as it takes millions of dollars to support these patient's and their families. For more information on what the hospital does visit: http://www.stjude.org/about

To be a Partner in Hope means that each month I donate $20 which goes directly to helping the families who come to St. Jude. This might not seem like a ton of money but it really does help and I will gladly give this and more if it means a child is cancer free. Each month I receive stories of patients who are currently at St. Jude's or have been there. Each year I receive a calendar full of patient art and stories which makes me smile each time I look at it. I also have St. Jude checks which a portion of their sales go to patients and helps bring awareness to others whenever I use them.

I highly encourage you to consider donating to or becoming a Partner in Hope and if you are interested please St. Jude's website today.

Episodes from the education file: Wedding planning

2011-10-23T22:20:00.000-05:00

In high school I was student body president, in college I was an event planner, my job currently is Coordinator of Graduate Student Affairs and Events. Planning and organizing events has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid I liked to plan the wedding of Barbie and Ken over and over again, I had a Fisher Price wedding cake that my friend Lindsay and I tore apart and rebuilt more times than I could count. So is it any wonder that I want to be an event and wedding planner?

I have known for awhile that I have wanted to do event planning either as a career or at least on the side. Yes, it can be stressful at times but planning events excites me! My dream would be to event plan for an organization like St. Jude's but that is a long way off. A few years ago my friends and I were thinking about opening our own company that specialized in the wedding experience: I would wedding plan, Aubrey would have the dress shop and Britt would handle the business ends of things. That idea has been but on the back burner temporarily however it will still happen for me. Earlier this year I decided to take the next step and enrolled in a wedding certification course. The course I am taking is at home course where you study the materials on your own, take some exams and then you are certified. The course also provides resources to start your own business (which was a main reason why I choose it).

Now, I have been going non-stop since early April with various things (most of which have been talked about in this blog) and so I have not been as diligent as I should have been with my coursework but tonight I finished one unit (about 85 pages) of reading and I am excited to continue the reading (500 pages total) and put one more foot on the path toward event planning.

I will keep you all posted on my journey but if anyone has any advice or knows anyone who is an event/wedding planner please let me know.

Episodes from the organizing file: OneNote

2011-10-22T12:24:00.000-05:00

OneNote is a program from Microsoft that is basically a virtual binder. The program allows you to add websites, photos, documents, you can type in it etc. I LOVE it. I have been using it for a few years to keep my decorating ideas and ideas for my event planning business but now I am using it for work. I have a binder that has all my meeting minutes, resources, and other odds and ends in it. We also use the program for New Student Orientation planning including room diagrams, to-do lists, etc. It is an invaluable resource to anyone who either is or wants to be organized.

As I said above I hope to use it in my event planning business and tried it out with my best friend's wedding. I used had a page for each major event in the wedding and it really helped me keep things in order.

OneNote does not come standard unless you buy the full version of Microsoft but really encourage you to do so. And now off to organize..........

Episodes from the random file: Cemeteries & stories

2011-10-17T20:59:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago my best friends and I spent an afternoon together which lead to us taking a walk in a cemetery. Now, before you all begin to question my sanity we went there because they are peaceful places full of history and stories. Read a similar blog by a wonderful writer I follow to further understand the beauty in a cemetery. Stories are the way I get to know people and being a history book I have a natural pull to the past.

I remember being a kid and visiting my grandfather's grave and seeing my cousin Tim's (who only lived 12 hours) grave. I wish I could I have known them but they both passed away before I was born.

That day as we walked amongst the graves I saw grandparents, mothers, fathers, wives, and children. One grave stuck out to us. It was for a little boy who died when he was two years old. His toys were left there and the grave was well tended. You could almost sense the loss his family must be feeling and how often they must visit. My mind often wonders back to that little boy and what his life must have been. It made me sad but also gave me a peace.

Cemeteries are often characterized as being dark, and spooky but they can also be full of stories and history. So the next time you pass one maybe slow down and think of the stories behind the people there not just the potential ghost stories. Here are some of my favorite pictures from this particular cemetery:

Episodes from the career file: ARD

2011-10-04T21:52:00.000-05:00

In 2006 I was faced with a decision. A position had opened up at my Alma mater in Residence Life as an Assistant Residence Director. I was unsure what I should do for multiple reasons but one of those was the fact that I did not have any residence life experience. Needless to say I accepted the position and it was one of the best decisions of my life.

As an assistant residence director my main role is to be a part of the student's lives and the job is very relational. I have had the privilege over the years to see many students cross my path some as RAs, some I have mentored due to discipline issues, and some who I have lived life along side. I have seen the joy of new relationships. experienced the pain of ones that ended, laughed til was I in pain, and cried. I love when one of them calls/texts me asking for advice or to share a funny story and love that I am still in contact with those who have moved on. At times I have been frustrated by them but most times I have felt extreme amounts of pride.

This morning as I sat in my staff meeting the feeling of pride came up for my current staff. Having been in this role for almost six years I have enjoyed each team for different reasons and this one is no different. I have been very honored to hear about each one of their lives and cannot wait to continue getting to know them. Each of my RAs brings something unique to our team but despite their differences they are supportive and would drop anything to help each other out. Our team is truly a family and I would not have it any other way. It's this type of team that makes me love my job and that I am so thankful for. Thank you to all the T-hall teams past and present. You are much loved and I would not be the ARD or person I am today without you.

Episodes from the misc file: sleep

2011-10-03T21:40:00.000-05:00

Sleep....ah sleep. Something that many of us strive for but do not get enough of. I personally wish I could spend more time on this hobby. There are days when I could curl up in my favorite spot on my bed, close my eyes, and drift off.

I remember in high school and college bragging about how I could survive on 3 hours of sleep. Many of you are probably asking how 3 hours of sleep is surviving and let me tell you it is not! One of the things I try to instill in the students I oversee and mentor is the value of sleep and rest. We should not be bragging about how little sleep we get. Sleep and rest are things are body not only wants but desperately need to function. God rested and he values it so much that is a commandment.

During SLR this year my friend Cooper did a workshop on spiritual disciplines and brought something to my attention that I had not thought of before. Sleep as a spiritual discipline. When he said that I was like what? how? He went on to describe how when we sleep we rely on God completely. Without him we would not be woken back up, without his protection any and all harm could come to us. The world continues to spin but as we lay there with our eyes closed we are protected completely by our father and that to me is one of the most beautiful images and one that makes me feel so loved. Just as a parent comes in during the middle of the night to check on their child to make sure they are breathing and peaceful God does the same with each of us. I can imagine him smiling as he watches us sleep.

Getting enough sleep is still something I struggle with but knowing that when I do I honor God makes me want to strive to do better in it even more. Right now I think I hear my bed calling me........

Episodes from the disappointment file: Selfish September

2011-10-03T21:18:00.000-05:00

September has come and gone..........

I looked forward to it for so long, people asked about and made comments about it After the summer and a chaotic August I looked forward to doing whatever I wanted, sleeping more, getting a pedicure, etc however the month has gotten away from me in a flurry of wedding preparations, and work. The busy-ness has continued. Don't get me wrong I have thankfully gotten rest this month and have had many fun memories but the usual Selfish September festivities were not nearly as festive. Oh well, there's always next year........

Episodes from the wish file: Singing

2011-09-26T20:38:00.000-05:00

Tonight I am sitting in my apartment watching "The Sing-Off". For those of you who do not know what "The Sing-Off" is it is a show where a cappella groups compete for a record deal. Having always loved music I have always loved a cappella music because of how simple it is. That being said I thought I would share with you a thought from my "I wish" file.

If there is one thing I wish I could do in life it would be sing or at least sing better than I can. I have watched Phantom & wished I could be Christine, and every time I hear Indina Menzel I get excited. There is something about music that just calms me and helps me focus. Ask anyone I know and they will tell you that I ALWAYS have music on. Getting ready, at work, cooking, reading, sleeping etc. I can pretty much memorize lyrics after hearing it a few times and usually can identify a song within seconds of it playing (ask my roommate she plays this game with me all the time). I sadly do not have much musical ability. I am not horrible but I am not good either. I have contemplated taking piano lessons and still might do so. As for singing well I guess I will have to keep that for when I am alone in my apartment or worshiping at church.

Episodes from the relationship file: Good guys vs. the bad boy

2011-09-22T07:53:00.000-05:00

So, one of my friends posted on Facebook that he realizes that girls don't want a good guy, they all prefer the jerks. I would have liked to scream "NO WE DON'T" but instead I simply stated not everyone women is like that.

Yes, there is something attractive and a challenge about a bad boy. Women think they can change the bad boy when in fact all we do is get tired of dealing with them and then we look for the good guys. Bad boys are fun/exciting but the good guys make you feel like you are the most important thing in their world. They care about you, they make you feel safe, and most importantly they do not treat you like a doormat.

A few years back a book came out called "He's just not that into you" that discussed this topic. Now, before you make any comments or judgements hear me out. The book is written by a guy and basically he goes through telling women what they deserve and how they should be treated. I read it for the first time in college after I had a pretty bad "break-up" (the situation was complicated, we will leave it at that) and the contents of the book really helped to put me in a better place. It is a secular book but there is a lot of good advice in it as well.

Now, I am not saying that all bad boys are the same and that none of them change, that is simply not true. I have seen it happen but it's few and far between. I myself, am looking for a good guy so good guys don't give up just yet we are out there! I want and need a guy I can rely on, one I can trust. Hopefully, he is out there somewhere and if you know of anyone let me know.

Episodes from the college file: State school vs. private school

2011-09-21T20:45:00.000-05:00

When I was applying to college I was looking mostly at state schools here in Illinois (Northern, UIC, etc). I ended up at Trinity because having visited here I felt less like a number and more like a person. I mention this because last Friday I headed to Madison, Wisconsin and visited University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison is very much a college town. The preferred mode of transportation is mo-ped or bicycle, Sorority/Fraternity row beckons, and there are more bars/restaurants to hang out etc.

It was fun to people watch as we explored the city, hung out in the union and I was energized by the hustle and bustle of city, college life. Attending a large, state school provides variety in academics, TONS of things to do, and exposure to many different types of people. However, I also think that attending a school as large and as spread out as UW would have stressed me out. Just getting to class can take 30 minutes (I never want to hear my residents complain about how hard it is to get to class when they get up 5 minutes before). I am familiar enough with city travel and living that after a while I would get used to it but I think I would also not had the same opportunities that being at Trinity allowed.

I would not be able to feel like the faculty and staff could invest in me, I most likely would not have gotten involved, and I think I would have been lonely. At Trinity I found a place where I belonged and could help others do the same. I do not believe my education suffered by going small and yes it cost me more financially but it is one experience that I would not trade for anything and it was so shaping for me that I have chosen to work in higher education.

So for all of those on their college search remember big or small does not matter as long as you feel like the school is the right fit for you.

Episodes from the history file: 9/11

2011-09-11T20:43:00.000-05:00

I remember exactly where I was the morning of September 11, 2001. I was a freshmen at Trinity and was in my Trinity Experience class when Beth, a classmate of mine came running into the room saying that the World Trade Center had been hit. Our small group prayed together for what was going on and then our instructor dismissed us. I ran back to my room & turned on the news, pushing record on my VCR. My roommate Charity was napping and woke up thinking it was the Sears Tower. We watched in horror as the second plane flew into the tower erupting into flames. I could not believe what was going in front of my eyes.

Classes were canceled and as our community gathered in the Chapel to pray for those who had fallen as well as for our country as a whole since no one knew what would happen next. My group of friends & I would often gather at the gazebo on campus and that night as we sat there I remember very vividly how eerie it was to not hear a single plane above us in the sky. Growing up in the Chicago area and going to school so close to O'Hare planes overhead were always a familiar sound.

Today, ten years later our world is still being shaped by the events of that morning. Our soldiers are still fighting & dying for our freedom, the very heroes from the 9/11 events are now discovering that they are fighting health issues, and families are still grieving their loved ones. Osama Bin Laden might be gone but the threat is still there. Thank you to all the men and women who bravely died, helped others, and still fight. I pray that we never forget that day and remember that even though evil may exist God is with us.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you. (Psalm 5:11)

Episodes from the family file: Health scare

2011-09-07T21:53:00.000-05:00

This weekend my dad had a mild heart attack...... Thankfully, by God's grace he is out of the hospital already and seems to be doing okay. On Monday morning my dad was taking a nap when he woke up with a start as if from a really bad dream. He was in so much pain my brother said he was crying. They called 9-1-1 immediately (in our house chest pains big or small we call) and he was admitted to the hospital for observation and some tests. The tests came back with nothing alarming but from the description of the pain the doctors still will not rule out a heart attack.

My father has a heart condition (enlarged heart actually) coupled with emphysema from working in the steel mills and he is also almost 79 years old (yes my I said 79, my dad was 50 when I was born). Growing up hospitals were a common thing for myself and my brothers so much so that even to this day I am not a huge fan of them. In 2004 (my junior year of college) my dad had triple bypass surgery due to blockage in his heart. That was a scary time for me as I knew there was an all to real chance that my father could die. That thought came back into my mind with this weekend's events. When you father is older & has health issues you think in a different way. Thoughts cross my mind as to whether or not he will walk me down the aisle, see my children, etc.

Now, for those of you who know me you probably think I was worried and stressed out of my mind but the funny thing is whenever something has happened to my dad God seems to give me a peace and calmness in the midst of the scary. It's as if he says, "Alicia I have your father in my hands." Now, I was scared and worried but not paralyzed by it which is very comforting and reassuring. We are not out of the woods with my dad's health but are in a good place right now. I do appreciate your prayer in this situation however.

Episodes from the me file: guilt

2011-08-27T13:47:00.000-05:00

Guilt

Guilt is a tool which can have major ramifications when used and has often been used in my life. Growing up in the family situation I did where I had to take care of others I often felt guilty when I did things for myself. This was especially an issue with my mom as a part of her illness results in her making me feel guilty because her life is not 100% the way she likes or wants it to be. I am happy to say this is less and less of an issue since I moved out on my own but is still a button that when pushed can sway my decisions.

This week I have been dealing with a situation where guilt and disappointing others has been a theme. Whenever I get into situations like this I have to remind myself that it's okay and necessary for me to take care of and stick up for myself. I cannot be a doormat for others and it is not fair for everyone around me to dictate my life. As I dealt with this situation I stood up for myself and voiced my opinions, this resulted in a compromise being made that everyone could live with. It might be a small step but I know it is a step along a path that I am trying to travel that will result in me being a more happy, balanced person.

God has created me as a loving, helpful and responsible woman but he also has created me to be able to enjoy the life he has given me and not to be taken advantage of. I am by no ways perfect and I know I will disappoint someone sometimes but am trying to improve and grow more in Christ and into the person he created me to be.

Episodes from the work file: The days before the storm

2011-08-19T20:39:00.000-05:00

So, it's the eve of NSO (New Student Orientation for those of you not in the college environment) and here is what has happened already during this crazy week:

It took me 2.5 hours to print 150, 2 sided name tags

I was on retreat for four days and so out of the office during this busy time.

Was dubbed "Goddess of Trinity" and it has been decided that I should have my own website titled askLeash.com.

I gave a presentation on communication that despite a few outside hiccups went very well & boosted my self-esteem greatly.

The ID machine decided to break yesterday (it is now fixed thank God!)

I was distracted and printed an entire packet of information onto labels instead of paper.

I lost my phone only to find it locked in our storage closet.

I have consumed more Starbucks then anyone should.

I watched my boss get so excited about something that he jumped out of his desk and kicked the wall.

And the thing about this is that tomorrow is the big day of orientation so I can only imagine what will happen next.......

Episodes from the August file: Week 1 Pro-Staff Training

2011-08-04T20:58:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well August is here! This month is very busy and breaks down like this:

Week 1: Pro-Staff training
Week 2: RA Training
Week 3: Student Leadership Retreat and New Student Orientation
Week 4: Classes start

This is just Residence Life related. I have my other job responsiblities to get done too. Normally, I complain and lament my busy life but this year I am trying to be calm and take everything in stride. Everything will get done and if not then that's okay. I am human and cannot do everything. I am happy to say that my attitude is working as this is the first time in years that I do not feel nearly as stressed as I have in the past. A lot of this attitude change is a direct result of the grace & flexibility that my bosses have granted me. I am thankful to have supportive people in my life who look out for me.

Another thing that made me happy this week is getting a phone call from Hilly (she is the friend I blogged about a few entries ago). It was so good to hear her voice and made me smile.

So one week down and three to go...........

Episodes from the recipe file: Simple corn

2011-08-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

When I cook I like experimenting with what I have in the house and jazzing regular dishes up a bit. This particular side dish came along in this way and is so simple a child can make it.

Simple Creamy Corn
1 can of corn (you can also use frozen)
1/3 cup of sour cream
Salt and pepper

Cook and drain the corn. Add the sour cream stirring until incorporated. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Episodes from the relaxing file: Weekend with Kara

2011-07-31T17:51:00.001-05:00

Kara and I had been looking forward to seeing Harry Potter 7.2 FOREVER! We watched 7.1 again as a refresher and then headed off to Regal to share in the experience that is Harry Potter. We went to the 10:30 and were two of about 12 people in the show. Now, normally I am not a fan of teeny boppers at the theater with me but in the row front of us were these four 13 year old girls who were die hard fans as are Kara & I. They kept us entertained with their various comments. As we watched the weather outside continued to get worse and worse. Finally at 12:15 am in the middle of one of the most epic scenes the power went out! Insert angry shouting here.

20 minutes later the movie came on again only to go out again. We finally finished the movie and were given free passes for our trouble. We raced home in the middle of a scary storm (sky to ground lightening, pouring rain, wind, etc).

We decided we would go to the movie again on Saturday. We spent our day at Long Grove hitting up our regulars and once again discovering new places too. After Long Grove we found a new salon, Plush, and got much needed pedicures. The ladies giving us our pedicures were hilarious! I have not laughed so hard while getting my nails done ever.

What a difference 24 hours makes when you go to the same movie. First of all the place was packed and the vibe of the crowd completely different. We once again watched and loved our movie with both of us laughing at some points, and crying at others. All in all I loved getting some quality time with Kara and cannot wait until next time.

Episodes from the recipe file: Rigatoni

2011-07-30T19:48:00.000-05:00

I finally did it, I went grocery shopping! During the summer I tend to have less food in the house couple that with the power being out for 6 days & the move I literally had nothing in the house. While shopping I found Italian sausage for .99 plus a 30% coupon so it was dirt cheap which made me decide to make Rigatoni with sausage. Here is the recipe:

Rigatoni with sausage & zucchini

1/2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 box of rigatoni
1 package of mild Italian sausage
1/2 jar Pasta sauce (use your favorite brand name or make your own)
Basil
Oregano

Brown the sausage in large pan over medium heat. add the tomato sauce,spices to taste, and zucchini. Cover and reduce to low heat. In a separate pot boil the water and cook the pasta to just before al dente. Strain the pasta (do not rinse!) and add it to the pasta. Grate some fresh cheese over it and bon appetite!

Episodes from the friend file: Hilly

2011-07-29T21:57:00.000-05:00

You know when you have a friend who is so great that you want to share them with everyone and yet keep them totally for yourself? That person for me is Hillary. Hilly and I met while I was in college but really did not become friends until about 6 years ago. I started working in Residence Life as an ARD and Hilly was too. She was one of the first people to reach out to me & the rest is history!

Hilly is seriously one of the sweetest people and we get along so well because we are very similar. I mean we often have days where we wear head to toe the same color scheme. We get into giggle fits, tear up the dance floor and love to go to the movies together (especially when Greg, her husband, won't go with her). So imagine when the news hit that my Hilly was leaving!

Greg was offered a new job and so they left Trinity for Minneapolis but not only that Hillary announced that she was pregnant. I was devastated that she was going to be gone & I would not get to be close to her during this time in her life. The weeks leading up to their departure were very hard but I made sure I got good quality time with her sharing Portillos, laughter, and time during the ACSD conference we both attended. During Greg & Hillary's farewell party at work I sobbed so much that David my friend pulled me aside to make sure I was ok.

Now before you think this entry is all about me & having a pity party I want to say that I am so happy for Hilly and so very proud of her. She is amazing at what she does and is very qualified for her new role. I have a few Godly women in my life & Hilly is one of them. Bethel is very lucky to have her (and better not forget it!)

Not a day goes by since she left that I don't think about her or something reminds me of her. I am planning to visit her and vice versa plus since Greg is officating an October wedding I am in I will see her then too but it could not come fast enough.

Hilly, your Leashy loves you and misses you so much. You are a great friend to me and I am blessed to have you a part of my life near or far.

Episodes from the personal file: Solitude

2011-07-27T20:32:00.000-05:00

A few years ago I was introduced to the spiritual practice of solitude. David, our university chaplain, as a part of our Student Leadership Retreat, incorporated a daily solitude retreat. For 90 minutes we were told to spread out anywhere on the campgrounds we were staying at and just be with the Lord. He gave a lose structure but the time was basically up to us.

At first I had some trouble silencing my mind. Being a planner my mind is always going. When I was able to focus my mind and just be still I realized that it was exactly what I needed and now as become a highlight in my life. To borrow an example I have seen many times if you take a jar of river water and shake it up you can see all the chaos within in but if you let the jar sit eventually all the sentiment and different particles sink to the bottom and you have clear, calm water. My life is a that jar, full of many different things all mixed up. I need to take time to let it all settle and clear my mind so I can focus on living my life according to what God wants for me.

Solitude retreats are things I try to incorporate into my life more because I do value my quiet time so much. I am a social person by nature who loves being around people and is actually refreshed by people but I also need to re-energize and re-focus alone. Solitude allows for that. I can be with my father, having him take my burdens and refresh me as only he can.

"Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10

Episodes from the future file

2011-07-19T22:00:00.000-05:00

Here's to you Mrs. Robinson..........

It all started when my roommate Britt started signing "Here's to you Mrs. Robinson" and then said, "Leash, you need to marry a Robinson" and the rest is history. She begun to plan out my life with my children and their personalities:

Sadie Amber: Twin sister of Landon who is so deep that we will not understand the depths of her soul. She will be the child who is artistic and highly intelligent yet expressive in subtle ways. Naturally gifted in most things but will buck the system just to prove a point. She will become easily frustrated with her sister Brooklyn (who she shares a room with). However, she does have a sweet and caring side and is a dark beauty. I will call her godmother Britt when I "just does not understand her."

Landon Carter: Twin brother of Sadie. Average student with great athletic skills. He is our jock who is popular among the ladies but would rather spend time chilling with his boys and lifeguarding in the summer and who has a soft side especially when it comes to his mama. Think Finn in Glee.

Brooklyn Elizabeth: Oh Brooklyn....what can we say besides that she will be our family drama queen and fashonista. Everything will be a full on meltdown. Brooklyn will be miss popularity, involved in every activity (she will be our dancer). Her room will be adorned with teeny bopper posters and her awards and her idea of a sport will be shopping (all of these things will drive Sadie even more crazy). The sweet girl will forget that she is NOT an only child and will drive both her parents nuts despite being a daddy's girl. She will end up calling her godmother Aubrey in when she is out of control.

Asher Shea: The baby of the family who like Sadie is very intelligent but cares more about his social life and "having fun" than his grades. He is the child who will break curfew and then ask me to make him food. His mantra will be the sun revolves around him! He will have many lady friends but will not have a girlfriend (all of this will start in preschool mind you). Asher excels at individual sports like snowboarding and plays the drums. He will naturally annoy Brooklyn (breaking into her diary, spying on her sleepovers) but only does it because he loves her so much.

As for Mr. Connor Robinson he is in finance and banking, traveling for business but is a family man to the core. Connor will coach the boys little league teams, will connect with Sadie on an intellectual level and Brooklyn will have him wrapped around her finger. Vacations to Disney or cruises are a staple along with anniversary trips to Paris. Having spent some of his childhood in London still has a slight accent. Knows to keep his wife caffeinated at all times and loves her sassy, sarcastic side.

After starting my own successful event planning company I will work part time and focus my skills on volunteering with the children's school and managing our family. My family and my friend's families will get together often so that Flynn, Ryder, Finnigan, Ollie (Aub's kids) as well as Zade (Britt's son) will all grow up together.

Sounds pretty good huh? Let's see what parts of this come true...........here's to me Mrs. Robinson!

Episodes from the travel file: Iowa

2011-07-17T19:59:00.000-05:00

My tour of the Midwest continued with a trip to Iowa. We (Jake, Aubrey, Britt) headed to Jake's hometown of Nevada, IA for a wedding shower. Our road trip began with the breakfast of champions (McDonald's) on Friday morning. We especially enjoyed traveling through Beloit (sounds like a dripping faucet when you say it quickly), as well as the supermarket feel of the KwikStar gas station (they had a produce section and a coffee bar that rivals many a coffee shop).

We finally arrived in the Ames area around 3:00, checked into our hotel and then meet up with Jake's mom for dinner at Hickory Park. Hickory Park is a BBQ place that has an ice cream menu that was as big as their actual menu and they served Green River (for those of you who don't know what Green River is you are seriously missing out).

Saturday started with Jake & Aub's bridal shower thrown by his aunts. We got to meet a majority of his family and those important to him. At the shower they served Kringla which is a fabulous cake like cookie that I could not get enough of. The happy couple got some serious loot and when all was said and done we headed off to the hotel to change before heading over to his grandparent's farm.

Every weekend Jake's whole family comes out to his family farm to make repairs and spend time together. We rode gators, played with kittens, ate more food,got to know the family, watched the addition being built and attempted to not melt in the 90+ temperatures. The day was full of laughter but we were very tired so we headed to the hotel for pizza before heading to bed by 10;00 p.m.

This morning after getting Aubs and I caffeinated (believe me a 6 hr car ride with us grouchy is nothing anyone would want), and somehow getting 4 people, luggage for 4 people and all the shower gifts (it was sight) we headed home. The car ride was full of laughter despite the heat. So all in all a good weekend was had.

Episodes from the me file

2011-07-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

The past few months have left me feeling pretty stressed and exhausted. I feel like I have been going since April without a real break. If you follow my blog you will know all the different things I have done so far and still have yet to do. On Thursday the camel's back was finally broken.

Thursday brought us into the second day without power and hot water due to some bad storms that came through the area on Monday. Now, I can deal without the power but cold showers just are not okay even in the summer. The rest of the day just got worse and worse due to the length of my to-do list and the realization that I am not getting rest until September. This combination lead to one of my least finest movements. I basically had a straight up meltdown. I was near tears and began to bite people's heads off. I apologized for my 5 year old self coming out and throwing a fit. I went home at lunch, phoned Kara for a pity party and pulled myself together. This was a temporary solution to a bigger issue.

Now everyone knows that for me August is a very stressful and long month for me. Normally, I have small reserve of energy that gets me through however that reserve is gone. I ask for prayers so that my attitude improves and that I can get even small moments of rest. I am looking forward to a much needed weekend of fun with Kara next weekend that will involve Harry Potter and all things fun.

Episodes from the recipe file: Cucumber Dill Salad

2011-07-10T19:02:00.000-05:00

Not many people know that I like to cook & bake but I really do. I like to try different combos of foods and flavors. I have always been willing to try different foods (at age 6 I had frog legs, and yes they do taste like chicken). You will often times find "Food Network" on the tv in my apartment.

That being said I have decided to share more of my culinary love with you through this blog so let's get started! Each summer I get my fill of potato and macaroni salad so one year I decided to experiment with cucumbers. I have always loved cucumbers since our Serbian neighbor planted some in our garden that grew to be the size of torpedoes. I threw together some ingredients I had and the result was my Cucumber Dill Salad:

Cucumber Dill Salad
Makes 4 servings

(2) medium cucumbers
1/2 cup of dill (I use dried personally but fresh would be great too)
(2) tablespoons sour cream

Peel the cucumbers and then slice them into thin slices. Place them into a bowl.
Add the dill and sour cream.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour* (can be made the day before and refrigerated)

*As the salad refrigerates some of the water from the cucumbers might make it a little watery. If so add more sour cream to increase creamy factor.

I have also made this salad with cucumbers and zucchini using the same prep as the cucumbers. This salad is light and refreshing and will add to any table.

Episodes from the professional development file: ACSD

2011-07-05T20:47:00.000-05:00

This year I joined the Association of Christians in Student Development and as a member I was able to attend their annual conference. The conference this year was held in Springfield, MO at Evangel University.

Three co-workers and I attended the conference with Britt & I road tripping out to Missouri. We had a blast seeing the world's largest ketchup bottle, driving past more antique malls then anyone should (apparently if you clean out your garage you can call yourself an antique mall) and going through close to 20 counties. There were many hours spent in the car but all was well worth it. My friends Greg & Hilly lived in Springfield for a bit having attended school there so we were able to spend some good quality time with them.

During the conference there were many awesome speakers and workshops but one of my favorite had to be one of the opening sessions that was given by Tim Elmore. Tim is a speaker and author on the topic of developing leaders. Having worked in Student Affairs for 5 years now leadership development has become one of my favorite aspects of my job. I love to see students grow and to help mentor them so when I was thrilled to learn more on the topic.

Tim talked about the iY generation which is often called the millennial generation. This generation is made up for students born from 1980- and can be characterized as a generation that is primarily self focused. Throughout Tim's session I found myself shaking my head in agreement as he described the very students I work with and the things I have noticed. This session coupled with another on working with this generation provided a great deal of resources and insight. I plan to do further reading on this topic but if you are interested I recommend you take a look at Tim's blog: http://blog.growingleaders.com/

Episodes from the change file: June

2011-07-05T20:22:00.001-05:00

So today is July 5th and I ask myself where the heck did June go??

I mean seriously I feel like I blinked and it's gone. Sure, it was a crazy busy month. Here is a rundown of all things June:

Moved out of my apartment for two weeks so it could be cleaned (and have been living out of boxes/suitcases ever since)
Traveled through three states (Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri) in one day
Attended the ACSD conference (Association of Christians in Student Development) for work
Said goodbye to my friend Alex
Said goodbye to my friend Lydia
Said goodbye to my boss Susan
Said goodbye (and bawled while doing so) to Greg & Hilly
Threw a bridal shower for my bff
Dealt with (and am still dealing with) all the transitions at home and work

I think the hardest part of this past month has been saying goodbye to people who have been in my life for long time and whose absence I really feel and will continue to feel this coming year. People I thought would be here and turn to in times of change are suddenly not and that is hard. All of the changes come with good and I am happy for my friends and the new chapters in their lives and know that God has a plan. As we are not privy to that plan and I just need to trust and obey him.

Despite the hard things this past month I have also shared and made a lot of memories, laughed until I was literally on the floor, and enjoyed life. I know July will go by just as quickly as June and then we enter the month of August (insert foreboding music here) and that will be another adventure all it's own.

Keep me in your thoughts.

Episodes from the family file: Ryan & Brittany's wedding

2011-05-29T12:49:00.000-05:00

I have a large family. My mom is one of eight children so growing up I had a lot of cousins around me. My brothers, me, and my cousin Ryan are the youngest of the first cousins and so we are pretty tight so of course we were all on hand to celebrate his wedding yesterday.

My cousin Ryan is in the Navy and actually got married last August prior to deploying. Now that he is back he and Brittany could celebrate with the rest of us. Going into this wedding I was excited to see Ryan, meet Brittany, and be a part of the day but I was also apprehensive because whenever family is involved things can be tough. I have to say that the day went well and was actually really good.

This being the first time we have all seen each other in a long time I was really excited to catch up with my aunts/uncles, and my cousins. I got to hang out with my 2nd cousins who are all younger than me and who I used to babysit for. I just love seeing how grown up they are and getting to laugh with them. I was also really touched by how all my older cousins (who used to play with and babysit me) spoke into my life. They all kept talking about how proud of me they are and how I have been the one holding my family together all these years. Growing up in the situation I have life has not been easy and to hear my family say these things to me really encouraged me in a way I did not realize I needed. All I know is that if push came to shove my family would be there to support me and my brothers (especially my cousin Steve who threatened to hurt anyone who messes with me :)) no matter what.

I was also really glad to be able to support Ryan and Brittany especially when things got stressful due to wedding stress (it's days like this that remind me why I want to go into wedding planning). I am excited to see their life together and wish them all the blessings and love! Congrats you guys! I love you.

Episodes from the end of the year/beginning of the summer

2011-05-29T12:37:00.000-05:00

So, I have been gone from my blog for awhile due to the craziness of the end of the school year but I am back! The end of the school year here is always busy but this year seemed to be even worse than normal. I feel like I have been going since about March and frankly I am exhausted. I will not go into all the nitty gritty because right now I just want to close the door on it and move into the summer.

My summer is going to be jam packed. My brother John graduated from college, my cousin Ryan got married yesterday and this is only May! Here is a rundown of my summer:

June: Move out of the apartment for two weeks so they can clean, head to Missouri for a conference, throw a shower for my best friend's wedding, go to several weddings, work transition due to some departures.

July: Celebrate the fourth, Head to Iowa for another shower, rest & relax.

August: The insanity begins! (Residence Life and New Student Orientation)

I also need to work on the event planning course I am taking. Even though I have all this to do I am still looking forward to being able to have fun with my friends and just get some much needed R&R.

Episodes from blessings file

2011-04-30T09:56:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had a day or a week that you felt would literally never end? There were so many things to do, events to go to, work to do that the hours were never enough? I am sure we all have but that was this week for me. I will not share all the nitty gritty details because I think that will be counter productive to this post but needless to say it was a rough one.

When I finally left work I noticed I missed a call from my friend Anne. Anne & I have worked together for years and she is a dear friend to me. I did not listen to her message instead just called her back. She picks up and proceeds to tell me she called to see if I was alright because in an earlier meeting I did not seem myself. I apologized for my lack of interest in the meeting but she stopped me and said "Alicia, you were engaged in the meeting, but I wanted to make sure you were alright personally." This comment really touched me. Coming off a jam-packed week like I mentioned before I was not myself I was tired. We proceed to talk a bit longer before getting off the phone. Now, Anne has two beautiful children that I adore, Landon (2), my boyfriend and Lauryn (5 months). I decided in that moment to head over to her apartment and just get my giggly child fix (always a sure fire cure).

When I got there another friend was there too as well as Anne's husband Kelvin. Kelvin was getting ready to leave for Chipotle and asks me if I was going to stay if he could get my anything from there. I said "Sure, let me give you some cash" to which Kelvin replied "No, just text me your order" and then left. I seriously almost cried, it was a small gesture but so kind. I proceeded to sit and talk with Anne for about an hour while holding/playing with Lauryn. This convo was so needed and refreshing. Kelvin and Landon arrive home and Landon came running over to give me a hug, it was precious. I stayed a bit longer before heading home to eat dinner and relax.

Later that evening my friend Brynne threw a birthday party for her boyfriend Andy. The party had a few hiccups to overcome but we ended up with a great group of people, watching Les Mis and eating cake. It was a great end to a blessed day.

It's times like this that remind me that God has my back. With Anne and her family blessing me as well as quality friendship time it's as if God was saying to me "Child, rest, smile, laugh. Come and leave your burden." It was exactly what I needed. Thank you Lord for your blessings of friends.

By the way yes I know the royal wedding happened yesterday and believe me I will have a post about it in the coming days but first I must watch the hours of it that I recorded! Stay tuned......

Episodes from the devotional file

2011-04-25T23:18:00.001-05:00

Psalm 138:8

This verse was laid on my heart last night when I really needed it. Specifically this part "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me...."

The Lord knows everything I go through and feels all that I feel, even the hurt/pain. Most times I ask why, why am I going through this but really I should ask how, how Lord? How are you using this for good? Perhaps this experience will help me directly, or help me help someone else. Maybe it is you chipping away something to make me more in your image. Either way the Lord will PERFECT that which concerns me and that is a comfort to me when things seem to be a mess or I am worried. Lord thank you!

Episodes from the restaurant file: Il Forno

2011-04-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

As a part of my current position I am the Executive Editor of our graduate school newspaper. We have a section called "Celebrity Endorsements" where members of the staff endorse things that they think the community would benefit from. I recently contributed to this column with a restaurant review of a great pizza place in Deerfield called Il Forno and thought I would share it with you. Here is my review:

IL Forno Pizzeria
It’s a warm, summer evening around dinnertime I all I want is to sit outside and enjoy the weather but at the same time I am craving pizza. Not deep dish Chicago style, not greasy Dominos, I want thin crust and I want it bad! Where will I go you ask? Il Forno that’s where.
Il Forno Pizzeria is located at 750 Osterman St in downtown Deerfield. This local pizzeria has all the charm of your neighborhood pizza joint complete with the little league teams celebrating a win and locals in and out picking up their evening meals. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago I was raised on pizzerias like this one.
Their menu consists of various combinations of pizza toppings, my personal favorite being the SMOG (sausage, mushroom, onion, and green pepper minus the onion), pasta, burgers, salads, desserts, etc. The Italian dressing they make (and sell by the pint or quart if you want to take some home with you) is amazing! The prices are great ranging from $2 and they have catering options as well.
The restaurant is small but the decor consists of old movie posters and sports memorabilia. There is a small outdoor eating area that is perfect for enjoying your pizza and hanging out with friends. They deliver to Trinity so feel free to visit their website at http://www.ilforno.com/ or call them at 847-940-8611.

Episodes from the frustration file

2011-03-27T22:25:00.000-05:00

Ah the joys of raising parents......

This was a comment I made a few months ago when I came home after having just spoke to my parents and was stressed out by them. It came out of my mouth again tonight. Many people know that my family dynamic is far from perfect or "normal" and that I have had to support them in many ways. Having a mother who is bi-polar plays a major part of this.

I am not going to use this blog to complain or go off on a tangent but instead I am going to ask for prayer. Pray that the peace of Lord will be on both my mother and father. I know that whenever we come to the Lord with prayer he hears us so please join me as I pray to him.
Thanks!

Episodes from the high school file: 10th year reunion

2011-03-04T11:13:00.000-06:00

I received the notification that my 10th year high school reunion will be held on June 25th. This brings up a few questions:

1. How can that be? I feel so young.
2. Has it been that long?

and the all important question: Do I go???

Sure I would be able to see some people I have not seen in a long time but at the same time I see/talk to the people I want to already. Also, my friend is getting married that weekend so things might be crazy considering the wedding is in Minnesota....hmmm I will keep you all posted.

Episodes from the music/memory file: Pop music

2011-03-01T21:44:00.000-06:00

So I am going to be honest with you all......I went to see Justing Bieber's movie, "Never Say Never" tonight and I LOVED IT! Ashley, Sarah, and myself enjoy the Bieber and even celebrate Bieber Fridays. Before you start making comments and/or mocking me you have to admit the boy is talented. He can play five instruments and can sing and dance like no other. While watching the movie it took me back to my high school days and my love for NSYNC.

NSYNC was my favorite band in high school. I saw them twice in concert, had more cds than I could count, and shared the title of "Superfan" with my friend Ebony. One day during Spring Break my Jr. year my friend Jess and I took all my posters and plastered them floor to ceiling. It was awesome! Every so often I will whip out my cds and have a trip down memory Lane.

I may be almost 30 years old but sometimes the 13 year old in me takes over......and I am 100% okay with that!

Episodes from the coffee-shop/dream file

2011-02-20T14:00:00.000-06:00

It's a rainy Sunday afternoon and I find myself in Caribou. I love coffee shops in general but especially on a rainy day because they make me feel cozy and lazy. I would sit in one all the time if I could which brings me to the point of this entry. Some people know this about me but most don't, but I would love to open my own coffee shop/bakery/bookstore someday. It is something that would be on my bucket list (if I had one that is).

Everyone knows how much I love coffee, reading, and cooking/baking so why not combine them all into something fabulous. The type of shop I would have is similar to those seen in "It's complicated" and "Life as we know it." The place would be bright and welcoming up front where the display cases would be brimming with homemade goodies and the smell of coffee would welcome you like a big hug from your favorite person. I would have tall bookcases filled with every type of book with cozy nooks for reading in the back. A fireplace would of course be standard. I would imagine people coming there and getting lost for hours in a good book. There would be black/white/sepia photos EVERYWHERE (some taken by friends, some not) and the music profile would circulate between Ingrid, Regina, and other music from my "cup of coffee and a good book" play list on Pandora(if you want to listen to it and have Pandora let me know and I will gift to you)and Andy Krispin playing the piano (live of course). Ahhhh makes me want to go somewhere like now.

I would enlist my friends to work there (and several others who would be "regulars") and can think of several who would fit the bill. Emily and Jen would be bakers, creating mouth-watering treats for my customers, Kara would be running the children's book section which she could do in her sleep. My best friend Aubrey would have been in charge of decor as she is very creative with such things. Brynne would be in a corner sketching or writing. Britty, Cora, and Sarah B could be seen at tables with laptops at the ready working on many projects and I of course would be brewing coffee by the pot.

As you can see this is something I have not thought about at all (haha). It has been on my mind more and more as of late. Now, all I have to do is find the money/time/resources to make this dream a reality.....I will keep you all posted on that.

Episodes from the musical file: Les Miserables

2011-02-12T10:34:00.000-06:00

The summer prior to my senior year of high school I received my required book summer reading list. This list was a standard of the honors English program. As I reviewed the list I saw something on there that caught my eye, Les Miserables. I choose to tackle Victor Hugo's massive take on the French Revolution and fell in love! It is one of my favorite books of all time.

After reading the book I knew I had to see the musical. The chance came in 2001, my freshmen year in college. I went with a group of friends and was completely floored. I cried and was on the edge of my seat. Fast forward to 2011 and again I was sitting in the Cadillac Theater watching the story that has swept the world.

Les Mis is the story of Jean Valjean and his run from a life of crime. The story is very redemptive and stirs so many things in me. Several songs make me cry but none as much as "Bring him home." Valjean sings this song as a prayer to God to protect Marius, the love of his adopted daughter Cosette. One of the best renditions is from John Owen-Jones who played Valjean in London. You can hear the love and the pain his voice. Here is a video of John singing this song:

If you have not seen this musical I suggest you do as soon as you can because it is such a beautiful story with amazing music.

Episodes from the holiday file: Snowapoolza 2011

2011-02-06T22:14:00.000-06:00

Snowapoolza 2011

What started out as a normal Tuesday ended with the greatest news ever. In light of the impending blizzard Trinity decided to close at 3:00 p.m. and we were going to be closed on Wednesday. This might not seem like a huge deal but nothing like this has happened at Trinity in a long time.

Watching the snow fall from inside my warm apartment with the endless possibilities for what to do with my snow day was truly awesome. The roommates spent some time out in the snow taking pictures and having fun while I made them warm treats. The day only got better when my boss called to inform me that we were going to have another snow day!!! Angela & I were so excited we did high kicks and danced down the hallway. I loved Snowapoolza and all that came from it especially getting to hang out with my friends. Here are a few pictures:

Episodes from the in the moment file

2011-02-05T19:39:00.000-06:00

Right now in this moment I am feeling a bit frustrated to be honest. I had a really good day where I went to the birthday party of a 2 year old that I adore, hung out with my roommate where I got some new clothes and just enjoyed my Saturday. As you read this you are probably like "Alicia, why are you frustrated? Your day sounds good." I am frustrated by the attitudes of others especially a few people close to me.

Why is it that some people feel the need to take their bad attitude or day out on other people? I mean I know I have been guilty of this myself but I generally try not to. When we take things out on other people we make them feel bad for no other reason than to make ourselves feel better and they usually have nothing to do with what is bothering us. Why instead can we not just try to enjoy the time with have with that person and not focus on the negative? I do not have the answers to these questions but it is just something that has been on my mind the last few days.

Episodes from the music file

2011-02-04T17:49:00.000-06:00

I have written about my friends "Jenny & Tyler" on here before and wanted you to all see their new music video. Check them out here and see how awesome they are:

Episodes from the movie file: top ten list

2011-01-23T10:40:00.000-06:00

Being a movie buff I often get the question what is your favorite movie? I usually have a favorite in the moment but cannot name the all time favorite. This conundrum and the urging of my friend Sarah has led to this: Alicia's top ten movie list!!!

Here we go:

10. The Proposal: The comedic pairing of Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds (YUM!) is gold! I can quote this movie and it always makes me laugh.

9. The Secret Garden: The lush garden cinematography and timeless story of the orphan girl who repairs her family is a childhood favorite of mine. I think we rented it so many times for our local video rental place they should have just given it to us!

8. You've Got mail: Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, need I say more? The relationship development and love/hate aspect makes me happy every time. This movie is the perfect fall treat!

7. Finding Neverland: The story of J.M. Barrie, who wrote Peter Pan. Seeing Johnny Depp portray the man who was inspired by a loving family makes me cry every time! He is a genius.

6. Legends of the Fall: Brad Pitt and his flowing locks......but no really the character development and complexities as well as the beautiful cinematography makes you really feel as if you are there with the characters. Tristan is one of my favorite characters in movies.

5. The Young Victoria: Emily Blunt is absolutely amazing in this movie! The relationship between Victoria and Albert is tender and portrayed beautifully. Plus, the soundtrack is amazing.

4. Becoming Jane: Being a Jane Austen fan I was really excited to see Anne Hathaway bring her to life. To see how Jane sacrificed love is heart-wrenching but the final scene brings you to a happy place and hello James McAvoy!!!

3. Meet me in St. Louis: A classic musicial staring Judy Garland that tells the story of the Smith family. Sure they disagree but you can see the love they have for each other and I secretly want to be like Esther! I watch it every Christmas.

2. Sleeping Beauty (Disney): I have watched this over and over since I was a kid. I love the story of Aurora and Philip and the hand painted animation is unbelievable. Disney at it's finest!

and now we have made it to the end of the line. I am sure you are all on pins and needles thinking what could her favorite be? Well, here we go, drum roll please.........

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: I know it's three movies but I usually watch it in one seating and you cannot single out a part of the trilogy. Having grown up reading the story of Frodo and the one ring Peter Jackson translated the images from my mind to the screen beautifully. Sure there are a few things I would have like to see differently but every single time I watch it I am inspired and awed. Shouldn't movies do that to us?

Well, there is the full list. Now things might change as time goes by but some will always be there. I would love to hear what everyone's favorites are so feel free to comment. Until later movie buffs..........

Episodes from the funny story file

2011-01-18T20:58:00.000-06:00

So after a day where things were chaotic at work and family drama reigned supreme all I wanted to do was come home, get into pjs and watch Gilmore Girls. Britt and I decided to order pizza from Lou's since she was sick all day and my day was crap-tastic.

The pizza delivery guy calls to let me know he is here but unfortunately I do not know where he exactly is. All I can make out is "lobby." Anyone who has been to Trinity once knows that there are several lobbies on this campus, my building however does not have one. I proceed to head to Johnson Hall because on a few other occasions our pizza has ended up there. I enter JHL and no pizza guy. I ask my friend Katie who was there if she has seen a pizza guy to which she says "No". At this point I decide to once again call the pizza guy. After several times of him repeating "In the hall, the lobby" I take a random guess and say "Trinity Hall" to which he responds "Yes, in the hall lobby." I wander over there in the cold to find the pizza guy asking a confused student where 501 is (mind you T-hall only goes up to 300's), pay the pill and bring the pizza back to the apartment. What makes this story even better is that a similar situation like this ended with our pizza guy so lost he said to us on the phone "How the f* did I get here" and the manager delivering our FREE pizza himself.

Moral of the story always give specific instructions and directions to your delivery guys.

Episodes from the television file: General Hospital

2011-01-08T19:04:00.000-06:00

A guilty pleasure of mine are soap operas and General Hospital in particular. I have been watching GH basically since the womb. I used to videotape it when I was at school and then watch it when I got home from practice. I love it! My mom would always yell at me for watching it and "say no one's life is that screwed up" to which I would say "Exactly! My life is wonderful in comparison. I could be married to my half brother and not know it, have an evil twin running a muck, and have three kids by three different fathers." I cannot help it I just really enjoy watching it.

I can remember all the story lines. Luke & Laura, Sonny & Carly, Lucky & Liz. I remember when Brenda "died", all the nurses balls, when Michael was shot, Robin & Patrick's wedding where Robin went into labor with Emma etc. So many memorable events and characters.

Even if I got behind in episodes I can usually catch right up since a week in the real world is about 1-2 days in Port Charles. So, this entry is for all those closet and not so closet soap opera fans. I am right there with you watching daytime television.

Episodes from the holiday file: New Years Eve 2010

2010-12-31T18:01:00.000-06:00

So here we are about ready to drop the ball and start a new year. 2010 has been a good year all in all but has been characterized by change. The biggest thing this year I think has my new job. Despite the decision taking all time and being challenging I could not be more happy or blessed with my new job. Things were good in my former position and I learned a ton but change was needed.

The last two months I am not going to lie have been the hardest of the year for sure. My mother's bi-polar depression has been a little out of control which has caused major stress for myself and my family. My relationship with my family has always been a little rough. Don't get me wrong I love my family and always will but we never will be as close as I would like which is a hard lesson to learn.

That being said I am excited to see what 2011 has in store for me. New Years Eve plans have been changed a bit due to not feeling that great and chipping a tooth so I will be staying in tonight but I hope that all of you have a happy and safe New Year!

Episodes from the holiday file: Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T12:12:00.001-06:00

Today is Christmas Eve and here is my agenda for the day:

Watch the following movies: Muppet Christmas Carol, White Christmas, Meet me in St. Louis, Family Stone, Love Actually and any other Christmas movie I desire.

Bake: Chocolate chip bars, spritz cookies, sugar cookies, banana bread

Listen to Christmas music to further get me in a Christmas mood.

Maybe attend midnight mass like I used to as a kid.

Despite this season being clouded by stress and family drama I still love Christmas and even though I know it will not be as festive as I would like it to be or as it used to be I know that I have much to be thankful for. Thank you father for sending your son to save your children.

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23

Episodes from the musical file

2010-12-19T18:20:00.001-06:00

Acapella music is one of my favorite genres because it is so simple and often times so beautiful. Straight No Chaser is one of my favorites but lately I have been watching "The Sing Off" which chronicles several acapella groups who are trying to get a record deal. One of the groups, the Backbeats did a beautiful version of "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. Here is the video:

I grew up hearing this song played on the radio but never really listened to the lyrics. I can really relate to the message of the song and how they talk about growing up and dealing with the changes that come along with it.

Episodes from the childhood folder: fairy tales

2010-12-16T22:17:00.000-06:00

Tonight I saw "Tangled" with my friend Hilly and I absolutely loved the movie. It was super cute. There is something about watching a cartoon that instantely takes me to being a kid. When you are a kid life is competely different. It's more care free and things just seemed to be easier. Life did not seem so overwhelming. We had meals provided for us, took naps and just enjoyed every single minute. Now, life is so over-committed, stressful, and at times scary. Now, I am not saying that growing up was all sunshine and roses because believe me it was not but I think that a part of me will always hold onto my inner child.

I still love fairy tales and fantasy. I love being transported to a place where happily ever after exists and hope for something more. Watching "Tangeled" tonight I was able to forgot about some of the heavy stuff going on lately and just giggle along with the five year old in the audience, sigh when the girl/guy got together, and root against the villian. All in all I really enjoyed being a kid again and now off to far, far, away and to find my happily ever after, goodnight!

Episodes from the movie file: The Chronicles of Narnia, the Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2010-12-15T22:18:00.000-06:00

Sadly, I must start this blog post with a confession. Up until the current Narnia movie I have not seen the Narnia movies in theaters. GASP you say, I know I was shocked too. I am a huge fantasy person and for me to not have seen these movies is ridiculous.

That being said the streak has ended and I am so happy that I saw this one in theaters because it is far and away my favorite Narnia book and movie. I was very impressed by what 20th Century Fox has done with the franchise and am encouraged by what we will see in the future with the other movies. The special effects and acting was much improved and my imagination was captured for sure.

The bigger thing however that I took away from seeing this movie is the message. Quotes like this remind me of the relationship I have with my heavenly father:

Aslan: "Because there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."

Reepicheep (my favorite character):"We have nothing, if not belief"

Thank you Lord for always being there even when we cannot see you and for being a light in a dark world.

Episodes from the birthday file

2010-12-15T22:09:00.001-06:00

So I have been 28 for a week now and so far not too bad despite some family drama (never-ending really). The actual day (last Tuesday) was a great day. Yes, I had to work but that was actually part of the fun. There were flowers, cards, two free Starbucks brought to me, and lots and lots of friends coming down to see me. The celebration continued this past weekend when Aubrey, and Britt my best friends and I went to see Wicked. I have already seen it once but the second time did not disappoint.

This year I hope to accomplish many things but the most important thing I want to do is to grow more in my relationship with God and to further become the woman he created me to be. The last year has been really interesting with many twists and turns but many, many blessings. I am excited to see what is coming next so 28 look out here I come!

Episodes from the holiday file: Thanksgiving Blessings

2010-11-24T22:32:00.001-06:00

Happy early Thanksgiving to everyone.

I did not want to do the typical "What I am thankful for" post but this has just been on my heart lately. I am very thankful for how the Lord has carried me through my life. No matter what the world has thrown at me good or bad, he has brought me through it. He is the father who holds me when I need to be held, pushes me when I need to be pushed, and loves me unconditionally. He has given me an awesome support system of friends who are family to me and never cease to amaze me with the blessing they are to me. Today and everyday I am thankful for my relationship with my father in Heaven and all the blessings that come with that.

Episodes from the movie file: Lord of the Rings

2010-11-11T07:10:00.000-06:00

Aragorn: "Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!*"

Today while having a 1:1 with one of my students we (as is completely typical of us) got on the topic of Lord of the Rings. Both Andy and I LOVE those movie (yes, we consider the trilogy one movie since we have had many marathons). We sat in the dining hall quoting the movie, discussing character development/growth and talking about how amazing the films are and what they mean to us.

For me the LOTR movies remind me of awesome memories with my friends. The movies came out during finals week for three years in a row. My friend Kara and I would make it a point to go to the latest movie time even if we did have finals or check-outs the next morning. In total I saw Fellowship of the Ring and Two Towers four times a piece and Return of the King fives times in the theater. I am a movie buff so that cannot really be surprising to anyone but despite the fact that these films are extremely well done they also represent for me something more.

The LOTR movies remind me of simple things: my childhood, good conquering evil, friendship & love. I grew up reading about Biblo, Frodo, Aragon, wanting to be Arwen, and the one ring. These movies took the words off the pages of one of my favorite books combined them with the images in my imagination and the translated that to the screen. Sure some things were left out but the movies are pretty comprehensive. I would have loved to see Tom Bombadil and the downs but to see Aragon go from a wandering ranger to the regal king of Gonder is truly an awesome journey, to see Theoden regain his might yet still cling to the love he has for Eowyn and Eomer is truly to see a father, and to see Faramir (my favorite), heart broken by his father's disappoint ride out into battle still can make me cry.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the movies/books:

Eowyn: The city has fallen silent. There is no warmth left in the sun.
Faramir: [approaching her] It is only the damp of the first spring rain.
[Eowyn looks up at him]
Faramir: I do not believe this darkness will endure.

Elrond: You're outnumbered, Aragorn. You need more men.
Aragorn: There are none.
Elrond: There are those who dwell in the mountain.
Aragorn: Murderers. Traitors. You would call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing. They answer to no one.
Elrond: They will answer to the king of Gondor.
[pulls out Anduril]
Elrond: Anduril, Flame of the West, forged from the shards of Narsil.
Aragorn: Sauron will not have forgotten the sword of Elendil. The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith.
Elrond: The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth. Put aside the ranger. Become who you were born to be. Take the Dimholt Road.
Elrond: [pause]
[in Elvish]
Elrond: I give hope to men.
Aragorn: [in Elvish] I keep none for myself.

Theoden: I have left instruction. The people are to follow your rule in my stead. Take up my seat in the Golden Hall. Long may you defend Edoras if the battle goes ill.
Eowyn: What other duty would you have me do?
Theoden: Duty? No... I would have you smile again, not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed. No more despair.

Frodo: [after destroying the Ring] I can see the Shire. The Brandywine River. Bag End. The Lights in the Party Tree.
Sam: Rosie Cotton dancing. She had ribbons in her hair. If ever I were to marry someone, it would have been her. It would have been her.
[sits down and begins to cry]
Frodo: [leans over and hugs him] I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things.

Pippin: It's so quiet.
Gandalf: It's the deep breath before the plunge.
Pippin: I don't want to be in a battle. But waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is even worse.

Pippin: [singing to Denethor as Faramir leads the charge] Home is behind, the world ahead... and there are many paths to tread... Through shadow... To the edge of night... Until the stars are all alight... Mist and shadow, cloud and shade... All shall fade... all... shall... fade.

Aragorn: Gentlemen, we do not stop till nightfall.
Pippin: What about breakfast?
Aragorn: You've already had it.
Pippin: We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?
[Aragorn turns and walks off in disgust]
Merry: I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip.
Pippin: What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?
Merry: I wouldn't count on it.

Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.

Sam: [Both are overcome by exhaustion] Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they'll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields... and eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?
Frodo: No, Sam. I can't recall the taste of food... nor the sound of water... nor the touch of grass. I'm... naked in the dark, with nothing, no veil... between me... and the wheel of fire! I can see him... with my waking eyes!
Sam: Then let us be rid of it... once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!

Namarie'

Episodes from the life file: blessings

2010-11-07T09:56:00.000-06:00

Tonight I celebrated with my dear friend Anne at her pink party (baby shower). All the ladies went to grab dinner at Las Palmas in our celebratory pink outfits and then headed over to Hilly's for dessert (all of which were AMAZING!), gifts, and a time of prayer.

During our prayer time with Anne I could not help but think about how much of a blessing a baby is in this world. They provide so much and are so innocent. I could not help but thank God for all the babies that are in my life and also to question all the babies that have not come. I have many friends in my life who have lost their precious children before they even came into the world and the pain that comes with that. I pray daily for the women in my life as well as myself because even though I am not a mother yet I hope to become one in the future. I pray that you protect us and help us to be role models and friends to each other. I pray that you help those who are grieving to be made whole again in you.

Thank you Lord for the gift of motherhood and children. Thank you that I can be a part of so many children's lives watching them grow, hearing them laugh, and being the recipients of their endless hugs. Protect and keep them safe, help them grow. Amen.

Episodes from the road trip file

2010-10-17T11:43:00.000-05:00

On Saturday my dear friend Emily and I decided to road trip to Lake Geneva to spend time with our friends Britt and Aubrey. The day started out around 10:00 a.m. with Em and I in the car listening to my mix cd that she made me (which is AWESOME and I have been listening to non-stop since). We arrived early to Lake Geneva and made our way to the Hopkins family where we found a very sleepy Brando in the front yard to greet us.

After everyone was ready we headed into town for lunch at Potbelly's and Caribou as well as some walking and shop browsing with mom. The entire time we just took our time and enjoyed the brisk fall air as well as some laughter and teasing by my friends (they know why they did it and that is all I will say).

We drove to a few of our favorite places, Yerkes, the cemetery, Pearce's Farm Stand (yes, I got a huge bag of kettle corn). While traveling on Snake Road so we could show Emily the "Pride and Prejudice" house (see picture below) we passed a caravan of Corvettes which was pretty sweet. Our day ended with sitting on the front porch drinking apple cider and just being together sharing laughter and stories. All in all a great day in my book.

We think this house looks like Mr. Darcy should come striding out of it.

Episodes from the relationship file: 13 year old

2010-10-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

Okay so if you are friends with me you will know that my life this past year has been crazy. Many new and exciting things have happened, a majority of them having to do with relationships which brings me to this blog entry.

I have a theory. My theory is that every single person on the planet has a 13 year old living inside them. They are invisible until the age of 13 when naturally they run a muck and continue to do so for the rest of our lives. The 13 year old can be contained and often will lay quiet but then every so often they rebel, mine has been doing that a lot lately. What do I mean by rebel you ask? Well, without going into too much detail my 13 year old seems to be ruling the roost lately. I am a person who has always been able to think clearly and rationally about my relationships including male/female ones. Lately, however I feel like guys/relationships/my relationship status are/is always on my mind. Now, I am not complaining by any means but it does make things difficult. I also feel like many of my friends (both male and female) are going through similar things as I have had several lengthy conversations regarding relationships.

I am walking the fine line (the Golden Mean if you will) of wanting a boyfriend and being content with being single. I know that if God wants that a part of my life he will do it in his timing but patience in this area is not a virtue for me! I have a great life, great friends, a job I enjoy what more could I want? I like most people I know what to come home to someone who will support me no matter what, listen to me when I am being insane and dramatic and someone who loves me for me. I am not going to wallow in self-pity I am just saying this is what me and the 13 yr old are going through lately.

This past weekend I decided that I needed some me time (which worked out well since I was both on-duty and had the apartment to myself). I needed to ground my 13 year old and re-focus. I basically got much needed sleep, finished a fantastic book, and just spent a lot of time alone thinking about stuff. The weekend was so relaxing and really helped me to clear my head. Granted, I did not solve every crazy, confusing thing that is going on in my life lately but at least I got the 13 year old in check. She will continue to rebel at certain times and that is okay because as much as she drives me crazy I appreciate her too as she makes life fun and interesting.

Episodes from the weather file

2010-09-21T21:24:00.001-05:00

Storms!

How I love storms and have since I was a kid. There is something very calming to me about them. Sure I am not a fan of tornadoes and hurricanes but nothing makes me happier than a strong thunderstorm.

Growing up whenever there was a big storm I would go and sit in our bathroom with the lights off because the lightening would illuminate the entire room. I remember my mom telling us kids that the thunder and lightening were caused by our Grandpa Nemeth and God bowling, this helped us not to be scared. Today, whenever there is a storm outside I open up my window, turn the lights off, and sit on my bed to watch God's glory through the rain, lightening and thunder. Today was one of those such days.

Since I was sick today I only worked a half day. The rest of the day I spent in bed sleeping and getting some rest. When I woke up from my second nap to find the room very dark and the wind picking up I was instantly happy and felt at peace. Now, some people would say "Alicia, how does a storm make you feel peaceful?" Here is the explanation. I have always seen God's power in storms. I have seen how he flexes his muscles but also protects us during those storms. Nothing can calm me or put me to sleep faster than the sound of a storm, big or small. Recently, a friend asked me what my favorite thing about nature is and I said storms because of their power and calming affect. She said that the question really meant how I see God and my answer makes sense. I see him as powerful and calming to me in life's storms whether that be a thunderstorm outside or a rough time in my life. I know he will never forsake me and the storm will always end.

I often think about the passage in Matthew 14:22-31:

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

How often do we doubt God when life gets too hard? How often do we stray from him? All we need to do is believe in him and know that he will hold us and keep us safe during the storm. Just like Peter if we only cry out "Lord, save me" instead of trying to fix everything ourselves. He is our father and loves us more than life so why would he not help us? Sometimes he is teaching us a lesson or revealing a part of him to us but he is always there and will always carry us. So, the next time you see an awesome storm coming or are in the middle of one of life's storms think about how God is in that with you.

Episodes from the me file: Selfish September/Autumn

2010-09-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

Free at last, free at last thank God almighty we are free at last, August is over! Yes, that's right folks my month of crazy hours, lack of sleep and just general exhaustion is done. Thankfully, the month ended up better than I thought it would. I was able to balance everything and only got a slight sore throat and fatigue. With the end of August comes the month lovingly nicknamed "Selfish September."

Selfish September is something I started a few years ago to celebrate my life becoming my own again. Now please understand during this month I still fulfill my responsibilities however I also do whatever I want. I got my haircut, will be getting a much needed pedicure, read for fun, watch movies and spend any/all free time hanging out with my friends. It's basically a month where I can focus on refreshing and re-energizing myself. Speaking of refreshing:

HAPPY FALL! Okay, I know it's technically not fall until September 23rd however the cool air means that my favorite season is here! Cozy sweaters, crunching leaves, bonfires, You've Got Mail, Hocus Pocus and most of all PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES these are a few of my favorite things. Tonight, I was able to enjoy a fall favorite, I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte. My friend Emily and I made a pact that neither one of us would have one until we could have one together. We held out despite some of our friends rubbing it in that they had them. Emily, her brother Adam, and I settled into a Starbucks for some catching up and warm beverages. Nothing makes me feel as refreshed as a good cup of coffee and the laughter of some of my favorite people.

Well, I am off to enjoy the rest of this fall weekend with my friends and I hope you all enjoy it too. Embrace Selfish September, believe me you will enjoy it as much as I do!

Episodes from the travel file

2010-08-13T22:33:00.000-05:00

So I just returned from the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" with the girls. The movie centers on a women who travels to Italy, India, and Bali in order to find herself. Feeling inspired by what I have just seen I thought I would let you all in on a little secret about me. I have since I was a little kid wanted to travel and explore the world, not all of it mind you but specific places. I have always wanted to go to:

Greece, to see the ancient world
tour Italy especially Tuscany (so I could master the art of Italian cooking)
Paris
tour the entire British Isles
New Zealand
Boston
Seattle (Might be doing that soon)
Hawaii (Kona coffee, yum!)
Caribbean Islands

The one crazy (or not so crazy idea) I have had for a long, long time is to go an live in England, specifically London for a year. Something has always pulled me there and fascinated me about England. I would love to get a flat, maybe work in a small bookstore or coffeeshop and just live life in a place that I have traveled to many times through film and literature. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to wake up and wander through the streets of London and to travel to the English Countryside. Also, how fun would it be for me to pick up an accent (and/or marry a guy with one????, just a thought)?

Having grown up loving History much of my travel wish list comes from wanting to explore and learn about the people and places of the past. I was the kid who devoured Greek Mythology, anything about Medival times, and to this day will sit reading historical fiction for hours. My imagination has carried me to so many of these places but I want to walk the Tower Green who Anne Boleyn walked, imagine the ancient ruins of Rome and Greece filled with people, see how the Shire was brought to life in New Zealand etc.

Also, in recent years I have discovered a joy in cooking. I would love to explore the world eating and mastering different cuisine.

However, since money is such a major part of being able to travel and do things like those mentioned above I will have to continue to rely on my imagination, books, and films to transport me there but I promise you that one day I will check some of these off my list and who knows maybe, just maybe I will end up in Piccadilly Square!

Episodes from the end of the summer

2010-08-07T21:49:00.000-05:00

So, it's been a while since my last posting and the reasoning behind that is August has begun!! For those of you who know me, you know that my job/life becomes a million times more hectic during this month because of school starting, retreats, and staff training sessions. However, I am not going to go any further into that subject. All I know is that I will survive.

So, the end of my summer has been pretty low key. I spent the last few weeks getting settled into my new job, moving into a new office,celebrating a friend's engagement, and just hanging out with friends. It has been hotter than Hades around the Chicagoland area (not surprising) and with no air conditioning it has been interesting to say the least.

Speaking of hot.....I have a new computer! I have been really needing a new laptop for a while because my dear old Dell is 4.5 years old and so bogged down that I basically needed a peddle to run it. I went with one of Sony Vaio's new models and so far I am LOVING it. It runs so much quicker and is just more functional.

Well, other than that things are going well and hopefully you will see another post from me before August is over (that is if I am not passed out in a corner from exhaustion).

Episodes from the music file

2010-07-26T21:46:00.000-05:00

Jenny & Tyler are not only my friends but they are also fantastic musicians! Here is a link to a sneak peak (I am a poet!) for their new album, please check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6O7T4sOLPQ

Episodes from the me file

2010-07-17T13:43:00.000-05:00

If you are a friend of mine or know me at all you know that this year has been an interesting one to say the least. I have had change, new things come into my life, and have worked on some things from the past. I really feel as though the Lord is doing something big this year and have felt that way since my birthday. I remember when I turned 27 in December I thought "This year is going to be different" and so far it has been.

The most recent change that you know about from my blog is my job change. I am now the Coordinator of Graduate Student Affairs and Events and have been in the position for 2 weeks now. I have to say that I am really enjoying my new job and all that it brings with it. The decision was not an easy one but one that I am glad I made. There is still a lot I am learning and will continue to learn but I look forward to it all. It was a needed change and has provided me some stress relief. It also has me thinking about the future and what I want to do when I grow up (ha ha, do we ever really grow up?).

This year has also found me learning how to deal with my family and past. My family life and relationship has not always be good. I have often felt under-appreciated and taken advantage of. The Lord is teaching me that I can still love my family but also have boundaries with them, not an easy lesson to learn since that comes with a lot of guilt at times but one I know I have to learn. I will always love my family and be connected to them but I have also created a family unit of friends and people who support me no matter what through love and prayer. This has been a huge blessing for me as well as a humbling experience since I have never been one to let people take care of me. I have always had the "mothering" and "I can take care of everyone" attitude which is not a bad thing but can be problematic to say the least. My friend Brynne was interviewing a friend of hers and he said this "relying on people and building strong relationships actually gives you more independence than dependence." This really struck both of us and is so true. I have learned to rely on others and through that I have learned to be a better daughter, sister, and friend.

Speaking of relationships, that is another change that has started to happen this year. I have not had a great deal of relationship experience with the last one being a little rough on me and leaving it's scars. However, the Lord is teaching me to open my heart again and showing me what he has in store for me but also what I deserve and need to have in a partner. I am excited about this process and by no means do I have all the answers or know what I am doing most days but I know that I am happier than I have been in a long time which encourages me (and most of my friends for that matter). I cannot wait to see the man that the Lord has in store for me and what that will mean for the family I want to have one day.

As for friendships I have learned who my real friends are and that some relationships were only meant for a certain time in my life. I have been given a deep care and love for the people in my life and so when you are a friend of mine I treasure our relationship but I also know that these relationships take work and I know that I make mistakes and still have to work on some more than others.

So this has turned into a massive entry for me but these things have really been on my heart lately and so I wanted to share them. This year has challenged but also excited me. I feel like my brain is always going because of all the things I am thinking about (which might explain why I am so tired some days). All I can say is that as I continue to grow and work through things I hope that I can share it with all of you.

Episodes from the household file: cooking

2010-07-07T22:43:00.000-05:00

I like food, I cannot lie. I enjoy eating, cooking and just being around it. I enjoy making meals and baking especially. Nothing makes me more happy then when I have people over for food (and of course coffee) because that always leads to laughter and happy memories for me.

Like I said I like to eat food as well. I was the kid who would try any food once (within reason) and so I grew up eating brussel sprouts like candy and tried frog legs at age 7 (they really do taste like chicken). Some of my favorite foods today include sushi, seafood, and various pasta dishes.

Now, by no means am I am amazing cook but I do alright. I enjoy trying recipes or just making things up as I go. I frequent www.epicurious.com and will watch Food Network for hours on end. I was watching one of my favorite shows on Food Network, Chopped the other day when I was introduced to this blog, Grill a chef. The premise of the show is that there is an appetizer, entree, and dessert round. Each round there is a basket of mystery ingredients that much be used in that round's dish no matter what. They start with four chefs and whittle down to one who wins $10,000. This particular episode featured a chef named Josh who runs his blog, Grill a Chef.

Josh is a professional chef who features cooking/food tips for the average person. The blog is user friendly and helps me not to fear my kitchen. I highly recommend you taking a look at this blog soon! Also, if anyone has fun recipes to share let me know.

Episodes from the job file

2010-06-22T20:57:00.001-05:00

Well, there is some news for everyone to file away. I am finally full time!!!!! As some of you know, mostly the people who read this that work or live near me, I have worked three positions for the last 3 1/2 years but those three part-time positions do not equal a full time one. Here is how this job came about:

A few weeks ago I was approached about a job opening up here on campus in Student Affairs (I want to remain in Student Development and work in higher education). The position is that of the Coordinator of Graduate Student Affairs and Events. I wavered over and over about whether or not to even pursue this position but in the positives far outweighed the negatives so I applied. I interviewed a week ago Friday and was offered the job last Monday. I officially start July 1 so these weeks are busy as I prepare to transition from one job that I have worked for 3 and 1/2 years into a new position. I will continue to work in Residence Life and do this new position so even though there is a lot of change I will be working with a group of people I already know through Residence Life.

I am really excited about this new position and all that comes with it. It is a huge blessing and one that I have been praying for. Please keep me in your prayers as I tackle this new adventure. Pray that I will be able to get everything done that needs to get done in preparation but also that when the stress begins to creep up that I will remain how awesome of an opportunity this is for me. I am thankful to all my friends and family who have been supportive and encouraging to me because this decision was not an easy one for me. I love you all!

Episodes from the coffee folder

2010-06-12T11:55:00.000-05:00

Coffee: a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant (www.merriam-webster.com).

Coffee.......what can I say about it besides the fact that I LOVE it! I am not joking, I truly love the smell, look, and taste of it. Some people call me an addict to which I say "No, I am a connoisseur." My love affair with this little bean began actually in childhood (no I was not drinking it from birth despite what some people think, say). My mom used to give me a little here and there whenever my aunt and uncle would come over for coffee. From there I began drinking it steadily in high school and by my senior year I was hooked! This was due in large part to the fact that I pulled all-nighters in high school. By the time I reached college I decided to cut it out of my life completely and so for a year I was coffee free (those were dark times my friends, dark times indeed). I slowly started to drink it again and now here we are in 2010 and I am a full blown coffee drinker again. Most nights in our apartment when we have people over, the coffee pot is flowing the entire time plus our apartment smells like coffee a lot!

For most people coffee gives them energy and keeps them awake and while it does some of that for me the effects it has are slightly different. You see since I have been drinking it so long and my body is used to it I actually will get a small boost of energy and then it will at times start to put me to sleep (which is why I can have it late at night and most times still be able to sleep). Coffee also helps me to de-stress. Whenever I feel overwhelmed I get some coffee and it helps to calm me down (I think this is psychological as caffeine usually will usually make people hyper).

Coffee is a big part of my life in that many of my relationships have come about or are sustained by my love of the drink. Living/working on a college campus where sleep is pretty much non-existent for my residents, coffee has created a culture for socialization. Most people when they want to catch up with a friend or do something that does not require too much money, they will go out to the local Starbucks, Caribou, or Barnes and partake in this little bean. Most of my fondest memories and funniest stories involve going out for coffee with friends.

So you might ask "Alicia, how do you drink your coffee, what is your favorites, etc?" Here are the answers to those questions:

How I drink my coffee?: I drink my coffee with creamer (flavored) and no sugar.

Starbucks or Caribou?: For me it is Starbucks but I will drink both. I enjoy Starbucks because I like my coffee to be strong. I do not drink it black so if it has a strong flavor I am happy!

Favorite drinks:
Starbucks: I have favorite drinks there based on seasons. Winter: Peppermint Mocha, Fall: Pumpkin Spice Latte, Spring/Summer: Iced Carmel Macchiato (I love a good macchiato and so it is my go to drink most times when I go to Starbucks).

Caribou: Mint Condition is my favorite or a cold press coffee with a flavor shot.

Favorite variety of coffee: Hands down I love me some Kona. This is how Wikipedia defines Kona: Kona is the market name for coffee cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona districts of the Big Island of Hawaii.......The unique Kona weather pattern of sunny mornings, cloud cover or rain in the afternoons, little wind and mild nights combined with porous, mineral rich volcanic soil, creates favorable coffee growing conditions.
My goal is to get to Hawaii one day so I can have the freshest, real deal of this coffee.

Favorite coffee shops: Beans and Leaves in Long Grove, IL or Kaffeine in Evanston (Kaffeine is open to 3am and was a favorite of mine in college).

Ground or whole bean?: I usually purchase my coffee (or get from my friends) whole bean and grind it daily for just what I am going to brew but sometimes I will grind a bunch in advance so I have it.

Coffee equipment you own: I have an espresso/coffee maker duo, permanent mesh filter, a french press, a coffee grinder, a tapper, frothing pitcher, scoop, espresso shot glasses, and more coffee/travel mugs than anyone could ever need. I could basically run a coffee shop out of my kitchen (and most people think I do).

How do you afford this habit?: Well, I am blessed to have friends who work in coffee shops who occasionally will get me whole bean otherwise I just watch for sales to buy it. As for going out to get coffee with friends I actually pre-load my Starbucks gift card with extra money I have (babysitting, sales from my Mary Kay money etc) and use that.

Sorry that this blog has become so long but since it is such a part of my life I felt that I needed to share all my thoughts about it. Leave a comment if you have questions or if you would like to share a cup of joe with me. Happy brewing!

Episodes from the work/random file

2010-06-12T11:40:00.001-05:00

So, the other day I am at work waiting for my dear friend Michelle to arrive so we can go have coffee and catch up during my lunch break. She enters my office in a grand fashion (as only she can) and proceeds to tell me that she has a present for me. The present is a frame that she made out of construction paper that is about 6 inches by 4 inches. Now, I can hear all of you say why do you need a frame that small? Well, there is a story behind it and it is as follows:

About a year ago (maybe more) my "office" (I use the word loosely since I sit in a outer space of an office flanked by file cabinets) was scheduled to be painted. Well, the day the painters arrived I had just killed an ant on my wall but I forgot to scrap it off since I got sidetracked on a project. I left for the day to work from home so they could paint and when I returned the next day I noticed something odd. Where my dead ant had been a day earlier there was now a painted over, dead ant! They just painted over it instead of scrapping it off. I laughed it off and continued to work. Michelle came in later saw the ant, and heard what happened and proceeded to laugh so hard I thought she was going to die! My painted ant baby has since become our inside joke and she thought it needed a frame to highlight it (or the insanity it represents not sure which). Here is a picture to illustrate (it was taken on my phone):
The black spot in the middle of the picture is my ant baby and the words around the frame say "This is my ant baby".

People might think this is stupid but to me it is a hilarious memory from a dear friend. I hope everyone gets to have or already has those type of memories!

Episodes from the roommate file

2010-05-31T20:51:00.001-05:00

This weekend was busy what with the wedding and the holiday but it was also very sad because Heidi moved out this weekend. She is moving to Seattle for a job and will be greatly missed. Friday night we had a pizza and packing party which lasted into the wee hours and ended with a very, very packed car! The night also involved Heidi and I trying to break into her bike lock because the key was lost. I didn't head to bed until almost 2am. Saturday was crazy as we tried to get ready to leave for the wedding plus get Heidi ready to move as she was heading out straight from the wedding.

As I cleaned things up around the apartment and saw Heidi's empty room I realized just how much I will miss my roommate. Heidi has been really great and we have had some great memories. I am really happy for her in this new job and new move but I am also really going to miss having her around. I am going to miss our spritzers, watching Glee and 17 again, estate-sales, and singing along to whatever music is coming out of our rooms. She was a great person to talk to about anything. I know I will see her soon as I plan on visiting her in Seattle but 5-0-besto will not be the same.

Episodes from the wedding files: Lindsey & David got married!

2010-05-31T20:19:00.000-05:00

Two of my dear friends, David and Lindsey got married on Saturday May 29th. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and I was happy to be a part of it. The day started off at 8:00 a.m. with our party wagon (Dex, Me, Chelsea, Kelly, Joel, Marcus and Joel) departed from Trinity and started the pre-party. When we got to the church we realized we had 30 minutes before the ceremony would start so we used the GPS to find the nearest Starbucks.

The ceremony was very small, but beautiful and Lindsey never looked more beautiful. From the ceremony we (and about half the wedding) headed off to Starbucks again since we had an hour and a half before the reception. Once we got to the reception the party began. The merriment, mirth, and meat were fabulous. The dance floor was hoppin but sadly we had to leave early to get one of our friends to the airport. On the way home we continued the dance party in the car which was a great time. All in all a great day celebrating Lindsey and David's love. Congrats you guys!

Episodes from the Education folder: Finals week

2010-05-10T17:03:00.000-05:00

The sound of keys clacking away, lights on in every room on campus, late night runs to Denny's, students walking around in a daze, the smell of coffee permeating the air. All these things can only mean one thing........FINALS WEEK!!! That's right everyone the time has come again for sleep deprivation, way too much caffeine (however, is there really ever too much?), and general stress. Now about half of my readers have passed the time for finals but the other half are in the throws of this wondrous week.

I personally have always had mixed emotions about this week. Even when I was back in college I looked forward to it but also dreaded it. I dreaded it because this week meant I had to say goodbye to my friends. I had to attempt to balance studying and finding time to hang out since for three months I would not be able to just run down the hall for a late night movie night or to hang out with the gang. Nothing has changed now that I am out of college. Yes, as my roommate/best friend Britt so lovingly pointed out last night "We graduated college 5 years ago" and here I am working at my Alma mater I still feel the double edged sword that is finals week.

I am looking forward to a less hectic schedule and having less people around. I CANNOT wait for summer weekends in Lake Geneva bon-firing it up with the fam. However, I also do not want to say goodbye to some of the students here, especially those who are graduating. It just makes me too sad. I will miss 5-0-besto gatherings, the hugs I get, people popping into my office for "therapy sessions", the laughter. I know I will see a majority of these people in the fall but still I have a heavy heart this week.

So, needless to say since things are already super busy around here I will spend the time I am not working on projects with my students making memories, mirth, and merriment even if it means I lose a little sleep. After all that's what Starbucks is for!!!

Episodes from the file box: Lazy Saturdays

2010-04-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

As many of you know I love Saturdays! (see my previous entry about them). Well this one started off with ice cream cake for breakfast......

My roommate Heidi came into my room where I was organizing my movie cabinet and said that the Highwood Library was having a book sale, $5 a bag and that we should go. She also asked if I wanted leftover ice cream cake for breakfast. The answer to both of course was yes. We both got ready and off we went on our Saturday adventure. We hit the book sale and got some good stuff. I got Phantom of the Opera (the novel that the musical is based on), The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Hobbit, and the most treasured of them all a really old version of Les Miserables that has yellow page, the old book smell, and the cracked spine (a real treasure as it is one of my favorite books and I love old books). From there we proceeded to head to Borders to get Heidi's owl bookends (she has a thing for birds) and then to a 500 family rummage sale that was more like 500 item. We had a hot dog for lunch and then tried to find garage or estate sales. Sadly, we only discovered one and it was a little creepy because the family had an obsession with bagpipers. We arrived home to order pizza and watch "The Duchess".

The evening concluded with a Jenny and Tyler concert here at Trinity. If you do not know Jenny and Tyler you should as they are awesome. The concert was great as always and I love hanging out with them especially since we are now friends in real life and not just via email (that's for you Tyler).

Episodes from the filebox: Adventures

2010-04-10T10:46:00.000-05:00

So I promised my friend Adam that I would write about this and so here it goes (enjoy!):

Everyone who knows me even a little bit knows how much I love Fridays, especially if that Friday is a payday. Fridays for me are half days due to Res life meetings and Chapel in the morning. This Friday was no different. I started it out with a workshop, a meeting with Jason and Anne and then a quick bite to eat with one of my favorite people Brynne! Not a bad start.

I headed into work then to catch up on emails and various projects that fell to the wayside due to Grad Finale and the craziness of the week. After being at work for about an hour and half I needed to run a five minute campus errand to pick up toner for our printer, simple right? Little did I know what adventure awaited me.

I step outside to discover Adam Sell riding around on his skateboard in front of the academic building in spot some lovingly call "Ware commons". We proceed to catch up and he says to me "You know what would be fun? If you, instead of doing your errand, came to Starbucks with me to get free drinks". Now, the rationale part of me said no a few times but then the crazy, Friday-loving girl inside me (man it is getting crowded in there lately what with the 13 year old that is currently screaming to get out most days) thought free Starbucks, hell yes! Needless to say I found myself in Adam Sell's car with the windows down and music blaring as we drove off campus! It was hilarious and we both thought how awesome it was (we even told the guys at Starbucks who agreed it was awesome).

After about 30-40 minutes (and two Metra trains later) I returned to my office with both the toner and a Venti, Iced Carmel Macchiato and the best part was that no one seemed to notice I was gone or asked where I got the Starbucks! Mission accomplished!

Episodes from the stress file: Accreditation

2010-03-26T18:33:00.000-05:00

Well the Nazgul have returned to Minas Morgul and the ring has been destroyed. For those of you who are wondering what is Alicia talking about? Has she gone crazy? No, I am talking about the fact that Trinity, the University I work for has been re-accredited for another 10 years!!! (the LOTR reference was because we had of team of nine reviewers just like the nine black riders)
This process as been a LONG and crazy one for everyone who works here. It has been months of hard work and I know that I am not the only one is glad to have it over. It was not nearly as bad as we thought it would be but that is because of all of our hard work and preparation. Once the team left on Wednesday morning I know that myself and Emily (one of my RAs who had a lot to do with it) breathed a sigh of relief. See you in 10 years!!!!!!

Episodes from the Spring Break file

2010-03-15T20:33:00.001-05:00

Here we are at the end of another Spring Break (Winter Break 2 as some of us call it) and the past 11 days have been quiet and pretty dead around here. I was on-duty for half of the time (Tuesday-Sunday) but with hardly anyone around campus it was uneventful.
I had a lot of time to read, relax, and just think about things. It was weird with all my friends either out of the country or in another state for the break. I have gotten used to having people over at 5-0-besto (the gang has nicknamed our apartment that) almost every night to the wee hours of the night and so all this free time was a good thing but made me miss all my friends that much more. I am glad that they are all back safely and cannot wait to hear about their adventures.
As for me like I said things were quiet and I spent the majority of the time here on campus mostly working. I did hang with Emily, Lindsey, and Natalie for Adventure Day 2010 where we did Caribou and shopping. Afterwards I headed up for a few days in Lake Geneva before starting my on-duty time. All in all I enjoyed the time "off" but am glad to have my friends back and am gearing up for a very busy couple of weeks.

Episodes from the music file

2010-03-04T20:29:00.000-06:00

Okay so anyone who knows me knows that I love music. I am always listening to it on the radio, my I-pod etc. I love how music can capture a moment, bring people together or take you to another time/place. I might not be musically inclined but I do love all things music!
Pandora is a near and dear favorite of mine when I am at work (and most days is what gets me through). I recently made a station on there called "A cup of coffee and a good book" which features Ingrid Michaelson, Lenka, Iron & Wine, Regina etc. This station transports me to another world (the one where I am at Barnes reading a book with a giant coffee or sitting in my chair in my room). While listening to it the other day Snow Patrol kept coming up and I forgot how much I LOVE them. Some of my favorite songs of theirs are Run, Signal Fire, Chasing Cars, Set Fire to the Third Bar, etc. Lately, their music just really speaks to me especially one song, Just Say Yes. Here are the lyrics:

Just Say Yes Lyrics
I'm running out of ways to make you see
I want you to stay here beside me
I won't be ok and I won't pretend I am
So just tell me today and take my hand
Please take my hand Please take my hand
Just say yes, just say there's nothing holding you back
It's not a test, nor a trick of the mind
Only love
It's so simple and you know it is
You know it is, yeah
We can't be to and fro like this
All our lives
You're the only way to me
The path is clear
What do I have to say to you
For Gods sake, dear
For Gods sake, dear
For Gods sake, dear
For Gods sake, dear
For Gods sake, dear
Just say yes, just say there's nothing holding you back
It's not a test, nor a trick of the mind
Only love
Just say yes, cuz I'm aching and I know you are too
For the touch of your warm skin
As I breathe you in
I can feel your heart beat through my shirt
This was all I wanted, all I want
Its all I want
Its all I want
Its all I want
Its all I want
Just say yes, just say there's nothing holding you back
It's not a test, nor a trick of the mind
Only love
Just say yes, cuz I'm aching and I know you are too
For the touch of your warm skin
As I breathe you in

I love this song and the message behind it because a lot of this has been on my mind lately for various reasons. I have been listening to it non-stop since I bought it. If you are not a Snow Patrol fan, you should be. Add them to your Pandora, your I-tunes etc. I am always looking for music recommendations so feel free to leave a comment with your favorites.

Episodes from the Olympic files......

2010-03-01T20:12:00.000-06:00

Okay to start off I have not been on here in a while but I wanted to write again so people did not think I had vanished (which I haven't). Lately, I have had a great deal on my mind (if you were in my brain right now you would not believe what is going on) which has been both good and bad. This week has been really crazy that is all I will say. I will keep you all posted.....but now unto other things: THE OLYMPICS!

So, the Olympics just ended last night and I am a little sad....It has brought a lot of good memories and laughs as well as some shocks. While watching the US vs. Canada game I could not believe how shocking the ending was! Another shocker was when Apolo was disqualified (he totally did not push that guy.) I thought my friend Brynne was going to attack my television! I was surprised with the Closing Ceremonies and the whole tribute to Canada (can we say inflatable beavers & Shanter?) and thought it was very interesting. Maybe you will see me at the 2014 Olympics as a Curling Skip flirting with the hogline!