Life is good...and other notes from my new desk

I've got to be honest, in August it seemed there was a never-ending amount of "bad" going on in life...in my life in particular.  Then, in the blink of an eye things all started to change!  It's funny how life works.  If I had to guess why life was on the upwards, I would say it has a lot to do with finding the silver lining.  About a month ago I realized I had no choice but to find the silver lining in life, in every moment...the good and the bad.  Doing so has helped me appreciate the small victories in my life..which last week included getting Starbucks on a busy day.  It's helped the circumstances and it's felt good to rebuild and reboot myself after all this time.  Find the silver lining guys...it's how everything eventually falls into place.

ANYWAY.

I'm writing you all from my new desk, which is particularly exciting because it's my own.  At my last internship I sat at a conference table often having to move around the normal hustle and bustle of the office.  Nope, not this time!  I have my own desk, phone and Mac...I'm also doing what I love.  I'm pretty sure today is the best Monday I have had in a very long time. 

In other news, last week also kicked ass.  I landed an awesome freelance opportunity, took a babysitting job, had an amazing dinner with two of my very best girlfriends, went to Hoboken with a girlfriend from home and then hid the rest of the weekend, slept and watched Harry Potter.  That's only to name a few.  BAM.  I win.   Small victories and silver linings included, last week was fantastic. 


I was sitting reading the October issue of Real Simple last night because I am all about fall these days and I came across a quote I thought I'd share:

"With great power...comes great need to take a nap"

Preach.

Also, from Pinterest:

"A well read woman is a dangerous creature"

Preach.

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Think about those.

Sorry for rambling, but thanks for listening <3

Getting on with the motions

I think it's time to go back to school...or move on with the motions of life at least.  Summer is winding down and in roughly two weeks I'll be back at college.  I typically dread this but I feel like it's time to get senior year over with.  I'm excited for this time in my life.

These next two weeks are so busy and frustrating for a multitude of reasons.  For starters, things are so busy for Tim and I that we will hardly get to see each other before we head back to school.  I have a hard time missing Tim, I always have.  My happiness and my home is with him and so I think it's just hard to be away. Not sure if that even makes sense...but whatever.  I feels what I feels people. 

Aside from that, these next two weeks are packed with tons to do.  Aside from getting ready for school, I have a crazy amount of work to do for several of my jobs on campus.  Holy moly....I just can't.

Regardless of all the crazy there are some amazing things happening these next few weeks and I think it's a good time to sit down and acknowledge them:

1. Tim's sister and fiance are getting married this Sunday!  I am soooooo excited for them.  I love weddings no matter what but it's so much better when the two people getting married are people you care about.  Sending wedding blessings their way this week!
2. On August 10th, Tim and I will be together for a year and a half.  Typically people don't celebrate "halves" and we aren't planning to either, but we acknowledge it and are thrilled.  Tim is my heart and soul and each month I am just reminded of how blessed I am that he picked me.  
3. Senior year is starting!  Normally going back to school just sucks but when it's senior year I feel like it's hard to hate it.  
4. At the end of the month my uncle and his fiance are getting married.  Two weddings in one month....can't even wait.  
5. I'm starting a fantastic internship on September 9th.  I am so excited for this in particular.  I have been looking for something in the food and beverage industry that does PR and after looking hard enough I found a phenomenal opportunity.  I am so eager to start.
6. Fall.  I don't think there is too much to say about this that you guys don't already know.  I love fall...like a lot.  Apple picking, fashion, food, family, etc...perfect. 

I could probably go on and on about about all the good things happening and that is a great thing <3

New York, I will always love you

Back in February, New York City started feeling different to me, like I was falling out of love with the city streets that once caught my eye.  As a girl, I was enamored with the flashing lights and the idea that this city never, under any circumstances slept.  Soon after pursuing a job in Manhattan, those city streets that once enamored me only made me sad.  Granted I was commuting during one of the coldest winters, but regardless, it was tough to find myself second guessing the place I thought I loved so much.

I think it had a lot to do with the people.  New York City is home to millions of diverse people, which for me, was what made it so appealing in the first place.  Yet, with all of those people comes a lot of sadness and struggle.  The more I frequented New York, the more I saw and the more I began resenting the city. My heart ached for those people...it still does. I've learned a lot since that internship ended and I've especially learned to love New York again for both its pluses and minuses.  The people are what make New York and their experiences are what keeps it going.

I recently stumbled upon a truly beautiful project called Humans of New York where Brandon (no last name given) photographs people on the streets of New York and gives their picture a home on his increasingly popular blog.  The photo's are accompanied with quotes from those pictured usually prompted by Brandon, but if not, he adds his own commentary.  It's truly a beautiful blog, please check him out.  Here are my favorites:

"I like that she is super strong and tough, but that sometimes she just likes being 'a girl'."

"The Australian Consulate asked me to give advice to an incoming group of Australian immigrants, so I'll tell you what I told them."
"What's that."
"It doesn't matter how good you are, or how hard you work.  There will always be someone in this city who's better at your job than you are."

"I'll give you the same advice that I give everyone."
"What's that?"
"Have a short memory for offenses, and a long memory for kindnesses."

My life lately

Well I'm home and it feels bittersweet.  I am a mix of emotions with an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Work this past two and a half weeks has been phenomenal and while I really miss my friends, It's nice to have a home cooked meal ;)

This year I moved back to school for work incredibly nervous.  My friends had graduated and aside from Tim and a select few others, I felt like I had no one.  Gosh, I was wrong.  In general, it helped me open up and foster new relationships, all the while learning so much about myself.  It was my favorite year doing this job by far.

The job itself is a weird environment, almost like camp.  We all move in to a dorm and spend 24/7 together and for a relationship that can be tough.  Not because spending 24/7 together is hard, it is because we can't. In front of our bosses we keep it professional and outside of the job we pay careful attention to creating new friendships.  Despite, what can be a difficult environment, Tim and I had a great time and I think the highlight of my time with him this past two and half weeks was this past Sunday.  We went to church in the morning and then went out for brunch.  There's nothing I love more than going to church with Tim and a close second would be just sitting and talking to him.  I got a two in one deal that day and I couldn't help but feel on top of the world.  Having him in my life is the most phenomenal thing and watching him work and interact with others make me so proud of him.  I love him more than life itself.

Overall, work this year taught me to expect change, to open my heart, and above all else to love myself.  A couple of weeks ago I talked about some things I wanted to accomplish this summer and making myself a better person was one of them.  I think these past few days I have really started to hit the nail on the head...although I would really still love to work on my anxiety but that will be an ongoing project.

Here are a few pictures!

Some of the PA's at beach day!

Ronnie and I!  I'm wearing a name tag here that took me 4 days to realize it was spelled wrong...

The only beautiful night we got when we went to camp...it poured the next two...

Just the greatest roommate :)

Date night with these three boys!  Clearly I am the fourth wheel...

Two of the girls at work surprised me and bought my Saint's medal...so overwhelmed and blessed to have them.

I just can't handle this photo....

 Seniors <3

I'm alive I promise...

I feel like a bad mom who has neglected her child (the blog being my child, of course.)  I probably should have warned you all or maybe even prepared better for what's been going on, but alas I did not.  Every summer (although this is my last) I go back to school for 3 weeks for work.  It's an incredibly rewarding job but it's also time consuming, demanding all of my attention and energy.  It's not that I haven't thought about the blog, it actually has made me sad to think that my little corner of the internet is collecting cob webs!  I promise to be better the next two weeks...I'll at least try.

Life has been good, stressful but good.  With two jobs pulling my creative juices in opposite directions, I think I just feel drained.  Being at work for these 3 weeks is both exhilarating and difficult.  We don't really have much time to do anything else except work and spend time with the other employee's and so it makes for some really interesting situations and emotions.

I've been doing this job for the last two years and so this is my last summer of work for them.  My coworkers are some of my best friends and this experience has brought such wonderful things to my life...it even brought me Tim.  So, the fact that this is my last summer doing it makes me sad.  It's really the first of many lasts that I am going to experience this year as a senior and it's pretty bittersweet.

For now, I'd love you all to check some pictures out from this week.  I am going to be putting content up throughout the week since (I think) I have my head on straight now.  Stay happy and healthy :)

 Seniors <3

Do bloggers really need to pick a theme?

Everything I read about blogging in preparation for this journey tells me to stick to a specific theme with my writing.  If you like to cook, write about that.  If you are a mom, chronicle your families journey through life.  If you design, detail your ideas for readers.  What I am finding an issue for me is that I have a lot of interests...a lot of blog themes, if you will.  I love to cook and do often.  I can't wait to marry my boyfriend and eventually start our family.  I working for a fashion and beauty public relations firm so I am sure I will have my fair share of input on that topic as well.  I keep trying to find one word to describe this blog and everything I hope for it to be down the road, but I just can't do it.  What I can determine now is that this blog will be a meeting place of ideas.  For me and for you, my readers. Oh I so hope someone's reading.  

The thing is that for years I have admired other peoples writing, humor and zest for life.  I often found myself thinking that I could do the same thing.  When I tried the first time I found that my voice wasn't there, perhaps I wasn't investing the time in my blog that it deserved.  But I'm older now, a lot wiser, and perhaps in need of a therapeutic escape on the weekdays and weekends that allows me to talk openly about what life throws my way.  I think this will be fun and I hope that someone stays around long enough to enjoy it with me.

Happy Monday!  Hopefully most of you are off for the holiday!  Any thoughts on blogging and what has helped you?  I'd love the input :)