ATTENTION: I began writing this post the week of my birthday and left it sit for months without finishing it. So although it sounds like my birthday is coming up, it really was nearly 4 months ago. Oops.
Yesterday I went to pick up my prescription from the pharmacy and as protocol they make you confirm your name and birth date. As I said my birthday aloud, I thought to myself --Oh my god, my birthday is in less than a week! When did that happen??--
As we grow older birthday's become less... exciting? important? celebrated?
I guess maybe not for everyone, but it seems to be a common trend among me and my close friends. Not saying that birthdays are completely forgotten about or go uncelebrated, but they just don't have the same type of excitement and recognition as when you were younger (& by younger I mean every year up through your college years). Don't get me wrong, I'm not whining about it and I don't expect some huge party thrown in my name, I'm simply just observing the way things seem to change. Instead of making a big deal out of every year it becomes every year that ends in '5' or '0'... and then it turns into just the years ending in '0', but if you are lucky enough to live for many, many years people will again start celebrating the years that end in '5', and if you live to be very, very old [think 93,94, etc.] you might even get big celebrations every year again. Interesting how that works, isn't it?
As we all know, January 1st is the start of a new calendar year. That is when we set out to accomplish the goals we have chosen to conquer over the next 365 days. We view new calendar years as a blank slate, a clear board, that we can design and fill with whatever we choose. For example, I did just this when I made my list of 15 by '15. I made a list of fifteen things I was determined to complete by the time January 1st came around again. Now, being nearly half way through the year, I should have about half the list complete..right? Well, I don't. Looking back and reading over what I set out to accomplish I realize that I will probably fail at completing my list. I won't be able to accomplish all fifteen of the things I wanted to, whether the reason be time, money, or I simply lost interest in what I once wanted to do (just a mere 10 months ago).
Many of us give ourselves a second opportunity each year to look at the future with clear eyes and full hearts. With that day being our birthday. Some people post on social media something along the lines of "I don't know about you, but i'm feeling 22!...excited to see what this next year has to offer" while others may be thinking similar thoughts, but just not posting it on the internet. I wouldn't say I necessarily make goals for the next year in age that I am, but I do sometimes wonder how I will look back on that year of life. For example, how people say "I think 19 was the best year" [or whatever age you believe to be true for you].
It's interesting really how we use the term year when referring to not only calendar years but birthday years as well. We can say '2012 was the best year of my life thus far' or '21 was the best year of my life thus far'. I think it's important to celebrate and recognize both of these new years. I'm not saying you need to make to-do lists or set goals each time these milestones come around... that isn't for everyone, but for some people it works. It is important to feel rejuvenated for the future as well as being able to reflect on all the amazing things [and not so amazing things] that have occurred in the past.
--Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose--
xo, Kaila
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Things That I've Learned... (about me & about the world...okay, just me)
- In order for me to get anything done it needs to be written down on a list. My plans for the day, the errands I need to complete this week, the things I need (want) to buy... etc. etc. As long as it is on a list it has a much higher chance of getting completed than if it isn't on one. Oh, and I can not make said lists on my phone. It just doesn't work like that. Handwritten til the day I die. Scribbled in my planner, on post-it notes, a receipt I found on the floor of my car, the Dunkin' Donuts napkin I got with my medium pumpkin-white chocolate iced coffee (the day they return will be glorious)... really anything that the ink of my pen will show up on is fair game. & yes my pen. No pencils. Ever.
- Okay, my lists vary from things I need to get done to cute puppy names, places I want to travel, topics I want to do some Google research on, and all the Spanish words I know & can think of (I did this one a couple weeks ago on my lunch break). I guess I just really like lists.
- I also really like things to be in order. Sharing a desk at work is one of the hardest, yet eye opening experiences. An experience in which I wish I did not have to partake in. I didn't realize how much I need things to be in their place and how everything needs to look neat. Yes, this means the stapler needs to be put back exactly where it belongs [precisely 2 centimeters to the right of the tape holder].
- Life is expensive. Life is fucking expensive.
- Traveling is the most worthwhile and satisfying thing that I can invest in. Seeing new places, observing new groups of people, hearing different accents, and trying different foods are a few of the benefits. Traveling produces memories that you will always have. You may even find a place that better suits your personality than the place you reside in currently. Traveling leaves you with tons of pictures as well as those moments (my favorite) when you see something on the news/in a movie/on a show and you can say 'I know where that's at! I've been there!' I swear those moments are just the greatest.
- When I find a song I like I go to Youtube and play it over and over. Then for the next 3 weeks I'll continue to put it on repeat while I try to fall asleep at night.
- Topics blow up on social media... from harmless little videos to the latest global news stories. Regardless of what it is, everyone always has an opinion. No harm in that, I am included in this. I just choose to keep mine more under wraps than some others. It's not because I am ashamed of my opinions, because I am not, just as you shouldn't be of yours. I just will not blast it all over my social networking sites. Unfortunately, more often than not, the people that consistently post their opinions on the internet are the same people that read one article and think that they know everything there is to know on the topic.
- Speaking of social media and videos... anything remotely heartwarming has me in tears. Whether it be a video of Will.i.am paying for 4 boys to attend college or the video of those 2 humans reuniting with Christian the lion... all tears over here.
Okay guys, I have lots more from where that came from, bbbbbutttttttttt I've been staring at a computer all day and I don't currently have eye insurance (post-grad life) so I really can't afford to need glasses anytime soon.
Good vibes to you & yours
-xo-Kaila
Monday, May 26, 2014
An Apple A Day...
Doesn't keep every doctor away.
About a month and a half ago I got my very first doctors bill in the mail (Yay for being a grown up!).
First off, can we just talk about how I saw a chiropractor that practices out of my doctors office? I was unaware that 'specialty' doctor visits were not covered nearly as much as other doctor visits. For starters, they charged me 35$ to lay there for ten minutes with a heating pad on my back.... & that was only part of that bill. Needless to say, I am no longer partaking in any specialty doctor visits- even if my back is broken--not happening.
BUT, while I can avoid those types of doctor visits, not all others are quite as optional.
To my lady readers, you all know what doctor I am talking about... the wonderful gynecologist. Just can't get enough of 'em can ya?!
Excuse me if I offend you with my talk about gynecologist visits & lady parts- no wait- excuse yourself if that's the case.
So lets rewind and go back to a cold day in January. I woke my happy ass up on my day off to take myself to that special appointment that comes around once a year. [If you were lucky enough to experience this past winter in the Midwest you know how enjoyable driving was. On my way to the office my car decided it wanted to try out figure skating, especially through intersections.] Anyway, once I made it to the office I of course got the luxury of sitting in a room all by myself for a good 30 minutes before being graced by the presence of my doctor. --I seriously love my doctor, she's the best, so all is forgiven.
At my doctors office during the yearly checkups she automatically tests you for STD's if you are/have been sexually active. She doesn't ask whether you want to be or not, it is just part of her gynecological checkup exams. Maybe other doctors offices do it differently, but as far as I know that is just how it goes. No big deal, she does what she does, tells you everything looks good, and you are on your way. A week or two later I got an email telling me that I didn't have any STD's (I wasn't worried to begin with but I guess it doesn't hurt to have confirmation).
So fast forward to receiving my bill a couple months later. As I was reading over my $300 doctor bill (this included my chiropractic visits, gynecologist visit, and multiple visits to Urgent Care for bronchitis), I was pleased to see that they broke down the fees for each test... it's always nice to know what you are paying for (even if it's 35$ for ten minutes of heat). As I was scanning the page I saw the fees for the gynecology appointment. Mind you, a large portion is covered by insurance, but I still did have to pay for portions of my visits.
I got to thinking and didn't find it very fair that us girls get tested once a year and have to pay for a portion of it out our own pocket. We all know that guys do not willing go get tested once a year (if ever). So, now I propose to you my brilliant idea for us girls to get some of our money back. When your tests come back negative you can send a letter to your sex-partner(s) from the past 12 months that goes something like this:
Dear Johnny,
Congratulations, you didn't give me an STD! Celebrate by sending me $25.
Yours Truly,
xxxxxxx
Now if you have to make quite a few copies of this letter with different names inserted at the top then you should probably skip the whole thing because you're a slut and you should take sole responsibility in paying for your tests. & if your tests came back positive... well save yourself some humiliation and just focus on taking care of yourself.
Ladies, I hope you find my idea to be brilliant and that you consider using it in the future. Stay safe out there.
--Kaila
[P.S. I'm totally kidding, I would never actually send a letter like that... or would I?]
About a month and a half ago I got my very first doctors bill in the mail (Yay for being a grown up!).
First off, can we just talk about how I saw a chiropractor that practices out of my doctors office? I was unaware that 'specialty' doctor visits were not covered nearly as much as other doctor visits. For starters, they charged me 35$ to lay there for ten minutes with a heating pad on my back.... & that was only part of that bill. Needless to say, I am no longer partaking in any specialty doctor visits- even if my back is broken--not happening.
BUT, while I can avoid those types of doctor visits, not all others are quite as optional.
To my lady readers, you all know what doctor I am talking about... the wonderful gynecologist. Just can't get enough of 'em can ya?!
Excuse me if I offend you with my talk about gynecologist visits & lady parts- no wait- excuse yourself if that's the case.
So lets rewind and go back to a cold day in January. I woke my happy ass up on my day off to take myself to that special appointment that comes around once a year. [If you were lucky enough to experience this past winter in the Midwest you know how enjoyable driving was. On my way to the office my car decided it wanted to try out figure skating, especially through intersections.] Anyway, once I made it to the office I of course got the luxury of sitting in a room all by myself for a good 30 minutes before being graced by the presence of my doctor. --I seriously love my doctor, she's the best, so all is forgiven.
At my doctors office during the yearly checkups she automatically tests you for STD's if you are/have been sexually active. She doesn't ask whether you want to be or not, it is just part of her gynecological checkup exams. Maybe other doctors offices do it differently, but as far as I know that is just how it goes. No big deal, she does what she does, tells you everything looks good, and you are on your way. A week or two later I got an email telling me that I didn't have any STD's (I wasn't worried to begin with but I guess it doesn't hurt to have confirmation).
So fast forward to receiving my bill a couple months later. As I was reading over my $300 doctor bill (this included my chiropractic visits, gynecologist visit, and multiple visits to Urgent Care for bronchitis), I was pleased to see that they broke down the fees for each test... it's always nice to know what you are paying for (even if it's 35$ for ten minutes of heat). As I was scanning the page I saw the fees for the gynecology appointment. Mind you, a large portion is covered by insurance, but I still did have to pay for portions of my visits.
I got to thinking and didn't find it very fair that us girls get tested once a year and have to pay for a portion of it out our own pocket. We all know that guys do not willing go get tested once a year (if ever). So, now I propose to you my brilliant idea for us girls to get some of our money back. When your tests come back negative you can send a letter to your sex-partner(s) from the past 12 months that goes something like this:
Dear Johnny,
Congratulations, you didn't give me an STD! Celebrate by sending me $25.
Yours Truly,
xxxxxxx
Now if you have to make quite a few copies of this letter with different names inserted at the top then you should probably skip the whole thing because you're a slut and you should take sole responsibility in paying for your tests. & if your tests came back positive... well save yourself some humiliation and just focus on taking care of yourself.
Ladies, I hope you find my idea to be brilliant and that you consider using it in the future. Stay safe out there.
--Kaila
[P.S. I'm totally kidding, I would never actually send a letter like that... or would I?]
Monday, March 24, 2014
Become Something Bigger.
If you know me, you know that I love reading and learning about different cultures and about the experiences people have when interacting with people that are 'not like them'.
Freshman year of college I took a sociology course and the teacher made us read an ethnography. The one I chose to read was about girl gangs in different cities around the United States. On one of the days that my professor couldn't make it to class he had his grad student TA tell us about her experiences in Central America during her time in the PeaceCorp the year before. Needless to say, this was my favorite course I ever took in college and it was so valuable in the sense that I learned what I love learning about.
I have spent plenty of time looking up and down the aisles of non-fiction at the library searching for ethnographies/memoirs (if you have ever aimlessly scanned the non-fiction shelves you know how hard of a task this is). Last week, when I went to the library I happened to check the 'Just In' section and ran across a book called No Greater Love by Levi Benkert. I read the back cover and decided that it was most definitely something that I would enjoy reading. Long story short the book was about how a young man from California went on a two week trip to help start up an orphanage in Ethiopia (the orphanage was for mingi children--children who were killed for a variety of ludicrous reasons that stem from the superstitions of the tribes that live in the rural south of Ethiopia). The two week trip turned into him returning back to California to sell his home and belongings and to pack up his family (wife and 3 small kids) to turn around and head back to Ethiopia indefinitely. The book explains their struggles and their triumphs with the orphanage and with their new lives in Ethiopia. In the end they were unable to accomplish setting up the adoption process for these children due to government restrictions and international adoption agencies that do not hold the child's interests to the highest degree possible. --No worries, the orphanage in rural Ethiopia has nannies that dedicated their lives to taking care of the mingi children.-- Levi and his wife and kids ended up moving to Addis Ababa (capital of Ethiopia) and now run their very own organization Bring Love In (link--bringlove.in). Bring Love In's mission is to create new families from widows and orphans in Ethiopia. It is such an amazing organization and their journey is an incredible one, I highly recommend everyone and anyone to read it. The moment I finished the last page I was signing online to send an e-mail to Levi expressing how fortunate I felt to have read his book.
Anyway, the purpose of this post was to not summarize my latest reading for you, but instead to explain how moved I was after reading it. First off- I was ready to board the next plane to Ethiopia if it weren't for that fact that I don't have a passport.
In the book Levi talks about how he and his wife both knew that they were supposed to go to Ethiopia, it was their calling... they knew that they were made for so much more.
They had both done humanitarian work in various countries when they were a bit younger and pre-kids. Once finishing the book all I could think about was how little I have completed compared to these two amazing souls. I know that I want to help people, I want to stretch my arms out across cultural barriers, and I want to make a difference. I want to help people that are less fortunate than I am and I want to learn about them while doing so. That is my passion. I want to be the one writing down my experiences in a journal that someone years from now picks up and is able to learn something about the world through my words.
I know I don't have to cross oceans, or even state lines in order to partake in my own journey of helping others, of becoming something more than I am.
I don't think I can adequately express how this book made me feel... but I must leave you guys with a video off of his website. It's one of those that really make you think about your life compared to the lives of sooo many others. Hope you enjoy.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bDinseiC4y8)
--Kaila
Freshman year of college I took a sociology course and the teacher made us read an ethnography. The one I chose to read was about girl gangs in different cities around the United States. On one of the days that my professor couldn't make it to class he had his grad student TA tell us about her experiences in Central America during her time in the PeaceCorp the year before. Needless to say, this was my favorite course I ever took in college and it was so valuable in the sense that I learned what I love learning about.
I have spent plenty of time looking up and down the aisles of non-fiction at the library searching for ethnographies/memoirs (if you have ever aimlessly scanned the non-fiction shelves you know how hard of a task this is). Last week, when I went to the library I happened to check the 'Just In' section and ran across a book called No Greater Love by Levi Benkert. I read the back cover and decided that it was most definitely something that I would enjoy reading. Long story short the book was about how a young man from California went on a two week trip to help start up an orphanage in Ethiopia (the orphanage was for mingi children--children who were killed for a variety of ludicrous reasons that stem from the superstitions of the tribes that live in the rural south of Ethiopia). The two week trip turned into him returning back to California to sell his home and belongings and to pack up his family (wife and 3 small kids) to turn around and head back to Ethiopia indefinitely. The book explains their struggles and their triumphs with the orphanage and with their new lives in Ethiopia. In the end they were unable to accomplish setting up the adoption process for these children due to government restrictions and international adoption agencies that do not hold the child's interests to the highest degree possible. --No worries, the orphanage in rural Ethiopia has nannies that dedicated their lives to taking care of the mingi children.-- Levi and his wife and kids ended up moving to Addis Ababa (capital of Ethiopia) and now run their very own organization Bring Love In (link--bringlove.in). Bring Love In's mission is to create new families from widows and orphans in Ethiopia. It is such an amazing organization and their journey is an incredible one, I highly recommend everyone and anyone to read it. The moment I finished the last page I was signing online to send an e-mail to Levi expressing how fortunate I felt to have read his book.
Anyway, the purpose of this post was to not summarize my latest reading for you, but instead to explain how moved I was after reading it. First off- I was ready to board the next plane to Ethiopia if it weren't for that fact that I don't have a passport.
In the book Levi talks about how he and his wife both knew that they were supposed to go to Ethiopia, it was their calling... they knew that they were made for so much more.
They had both done humanitarian work in various countries when they were a bit younger and pre-kids. Once finishing the book all I could think about was how little I have completed compared to these two amazing souls. I know that I want to help people, I want to stretch my arms out across cultural barriers, and I want to make a difference. I want to help people that are less fortunate than I am and I want to learn about them while doing so. That is my passion. I want to be the one writing down my experiences in a journal that someone years from now picks up and is able to learn something about the world through my words.
I know I don't have to cross oceans, or even state lines in order to partake in my own journey of helping others, of becoming something more than I am.
I don't think I can adequately express how this book made me feel... but I must leave you guys with a video off of his website. It's one of those that really make you think about your life compared to the lives of sooo many others. Hope you enjoy.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bDinseiC4y8)
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Blogging & Check Marks.
Hi,
I've been wanting to write for weeks (probably months) now. I haven't written for a few different reasons. At first I didn't have anything to write about or by the time I had a moment to drag out my outdated laptop I had already forgotten what I wanted to write altogether. Lately I've been thinking about my blog, partly because I had a brief conversation with a friend who isn't a fan of them, and it got me thinking that maybe my blog wasn't good enough, maybe I shouldn't be sharing my thoughts or feelings or pointless banter, maybe my writing is not of good enough quality, maybe when people are reading it it is just a waste of their precious time.
Eventually I started pushing those ideas out of my head and began trying to remember why I started my blog in the first place. Not saying that the reasons above aren't true[--maybe they are at times], but the reason I blog is because I like writing.
No one is forced to read it. People are entitled to their own opinions, but when it come down to it you cannot allow others opinions to stop you from doing something (especially when this 'something' is as harmless as writing!). I am someone who is affected by how other people feel about things, so at times it is really hard to muster up enough self confidence to publish my writing for all of you (however few or many of you there are) to read. But, I need to remember that pleasing everyone is impossible and not everyone will like you or care about what you have to say. So with that being said, I'm sorry if I have wasted time in your life that you will never be able to get back, but I'm not sorry that I have a blog, and I will not apologize for writing about the things that interest me or anything I feel like sharing on my blog for that matter.
Okay, on to lighter things... I wanted to update you with the progress of my 15 by '15 bucket list!
1. Spend an entire day phoneless.
-About a month ago I turned my phone off before 8am and didn't turn it back on until 9:15pm (mainly because I needed to set an alarm for work the following morning). It is honestly so weird how much we rely on our phone to keep us company throughout the day (sounds sick, right?). For the first hour or two I kept grabbing for my phone before remembering that it wasn't with me. I kept thinking 'Oh, I should check twitter', or I would want to look to see if anyone was texting me [I also had decided that if I was going phoneless I couldn't use the internet either]. It's like we just check our phone out of comfort or something, & of course it is a habit. Thankfully after the first couple hours I was used to not having it on me and no longer was reaching in my purse to feel around for it. The rest of my day was actually pretty productive (imagine that) and it was honestly nice without it. Although I went the majority of the day without my phone, I will not officially be checking this item off until I go a full 24 hours. But I know that I can do it & even enjoy it!
2. Find a new job.
-Yep, nope this one has not happened.
3. Get a passport.
Look what I picked up on Friday!!
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I'm headed in the right direction with this one :)
4. Reinvent my wardrobe.
Last week I went through my closet, again, to try to donate more clothes that I no longer wear. I got rid of a handful of things--thank god because I need any extra closet space I can get. While going through my closet I was also trying to bring the spring/summery things to the front. By doing so I realized I have no spring/summery clothes... so in order to solve this problem I have done some shopping. I also knew that I wanted new clothes for my California trip in June, so my collection has been growing and I love it!
5. Become a Big Sister.
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I set up my interview with Big Brothers Big Sisters in January to become a Big Sister and received this in the mail a few weeks later! I have completed everything on my end, so now it's just the waiting game until they find a suitable Little Sister for me. So excited for this :)
6. Go on a shopping spree.
No big shopping sprees for me yet, but I have been buying clothes and shoes lately so I'm just preparing myself for the big one ;)
7. Go on a wintertime vacation.
Although winter is still lingering around in the Midwest, I don't plan on taking a wintertime vacation until the end of the year. No planning has started since I still have quite awhile but I am hoping this one still happens!
8. Redesign my room.
I've actually become really OCD with the cleaning and organization of my room, which I am not complaining about. I have ideas with new paint colors and artwork and whatnot, just a matter of time until I am ready to break up with my purple walls.
9. Make new friends.
I wouldn't say I've necessarily made new friends. yet.
10. Read 15 books.
Pretty impressed with myself on this one. Currently reading #13 too!
11. Pay more of my loans off than the minimum requirement.
Although I've only had two months of payments I can proudly say I've paid over $150 extra both months.$$$
12. Plan a trip to somewhere new.
Well, in June I will be traveling to Santa Barbara, which I have never been to. It looks gorgeous and the hotel and beach are only separated by a two lane road! Can I go tomorrow??!
I've also got another trip in mind that I'm hoping takes shape soon.
13. Build/create something.
Actually kind of forgot about this '15 bucket list item. I guess I should sign onto Pinterest after I'm done with this post.
14. Explore somewhere new-locally.
Haven't done this yet, mainly due to the weather. We are lucky if we see the temp's get higher than the 30's! I really want to explore new outdoor places so I can't wait for the nice spring weather that is hopefully on its way.
15. Take a class... or two.
Hahahaha, so I decided that maybe I wanted to take a yoga class. I have never done yoga before so instead of jumping in head first and showing up to a class without any idea of what I was getting into I decided to buy myself a Beginners DVD. Can I just say Best Decision Ever. I would have been mortified if I hadn't... I totally suck. I'm pretty horrible and honestly I just can't really get into it. So I thinking I might have to think up another idea of what I want to take a class in.
--
As you can see I really cannot officially check off any of my year's bucket list items. When I think about it, it kind of freaks me out because I feel like I am failing, we are already 3 months into the year for godsake! I just have to be motivated and confident that I will be able to complete most of them, if not all, by the end of the year.
Plus, all good things take time... right?!! ;)
xox, Kaila
I've been wanting to write for weeks (probably months) now. I haven't written for a few different reasons. At first I didn't have anything to write about or by the time I had a moment to drag out my outdated laptop I had already forgotten what I wanted to write altogether. Lately I've been thinking about my blog, partly because I had a brief conversation with a friend who isn't a fan of them, and it got me thinking that maybe my blog wasn't good enough, maybe I shouldn't be sharing my thoughts or feelings or pointless banter, maybe my writing is not of good enough quality, maybe when people are reading it it is just a waste of their precious time.
Eventually I started pushing those ideas out of my head and began trying to remember why I started my blog in the first place. Not saying that the reasons above aren't true[--maybe they are at times], but the reason I blog is because I like writing.
No one is forced to read it. People are entitled to their own opinions, but when it come down to it you cannot allow others opinions to stop you from doing something (especially when this 'something' is as harmless as writing!). I am someone who is affected by how other people feel about things, so at times it is really hard to muster up enough self confidence to publish my writing for all of you (however few or many of you there are) to read. But, I need to remember that pleasing everyone is impossible and not everyone will like you or care about what you have to say. So with that being said, I'm sorry if I have wasted time in your life that you will never be able to get back, but I'm not sorry that I have a blog, and I will not apologize for writing about the things that interest me or anything I feel like sharing on my blog for that matter.
Okay, on to lighter things... I wanted to update you with the progress of my 15 by '15 bucket list!
1. Spend an entire day phoneless.
-About a month ago I turned my phone off before 8am and didn't turn it back on until 9:15pm (mainly because I needed to set an alarm for work the following morning). It is honestly so weird how much we rely on our phone to keep us company throughout the day (sounds sick, right?). For the first hour or two I kept grabbing for my phone before remembering that it wasn't with me. I kept thinking 'Oh, I should check twitter', or I would want to look to see if anyone was texting me [I also had decided that if I was going phoneless I couldn't use the internet either]. It's like we just check our phone out of comfort or something, & of course it is a habit. Thankfully after the first couple hours I was used to not having it on me and no longer was reaching in my purse to feel around for it. The rest of my day was actually pretty productive (imagine that) and it was honestly nice without it. Although I went the majority of the day without my phone, I will not officially be checking this item off until I go a full 24 hours. But I know that I can do it & even enjoy it!
2. Find a new job.
-Yep, nope this one has not happened.
3. Get a passport.
Look what I picked up on Friday!!
I'm headed in the right direction with this one :)
4. Reinvent my wardrobe.
Last week I went through my closet, again, to try to donate more clothes that I no longer wear. I got rid of a handful of things--thank god because I need any extra closet space I can get. While going through my closet I was also trying to bring the spring/summery things to the front. By doing so I realized I have no spring/summery clothes... so in order to solve this problem I have done some shopping. I also knew that I wanted new clothes for my California trip in June, so my collection has been growing and I love it!
5. Become a Big Sister.
I set up my interview with Big Brothers Big Sisters in January to become a Big Sister and received this in the mail a few weeks later! I have completed everything on my end, so now it's just the waiting game until they find a suitable Little Sister for me. So excited for this :)
6. Go on a shopping spree.
No big shopping sprees for me yet, but I have been buying clothes and shoes lately so I'm just preparing myself for the big one ;)
7. Go on a wintertime vacation.
Although winter is still lingering around in the Midwest, I don't plan on taking a wintertime vacation until the end of the year. No planning has started since I still have quite awhile but I am hoping this one still happens!
8. Redesign my room.
I've actually become really OCD with the cleaning and organization of my room, which I am not complaining about. I have ideas with new paint colors and artwork and whatnot, just a matter of time until I am ready to break up with my purple walls.
9. Make new friends.
I wouldn't say I've necessarily made new friends. yet.
10. Read 15 books.
Pretty impressed with myself on this one. Currently reading #13 too!
11. Pay more of my loans off than the minimum requirement.
Although I've only had two months of payments I can proudly say I've paid over $150 extra both months.$$$
12. Plan a trip to somewhere new.
Well, in June I will be traveling to Santa Barbara, which I have never been to. It looks gorgeous and the hotel and beach are only separated by a two lane road! Can I go tomorrow??!
I've also got another trip in mind that I'm hoping takes shape soon.
13. Build/create something.
Actually kind of forgot about this '15 bucket list item. I guess I should sign onto Pinterest after I'm done with this post.
14. Explore somewhere new-locally.
Haven't done this yet, mainly due to the weather. We are lucky if we see the temp's get higher than the 30's! I really want to explore new outdoor places so I can't wait for the nice spring weather that is hopefully on its way.
15. Take a class... or two.
Hahahaha, so I decided that maybe I wanted to take a yoga class. I have never done yoga before so instead of jumping in head first and showing up to a class without any idea of what I was getting into I decided to buy myself a Beginners DVD. Can I just say Best Decision Ever. I would have been mortified if I hadn't... I totally suck. I'm pretty horrible and honestly I just can't really get into it. So I thinking I might have to think up another idea of what I want to take a class in.
--
As you can see I really cannot officially check off any of my year's bucket list items. When I think about it, it kind of freaks me out because I feel like I am failing, we are already 3 months into the year for godsake! I just have to be motivated and confident that I will be able to complete most of them, if not all, by the end of the year.
Plus, all good things take time... right?!! ;)
xox, Kaila
Sunday, January 5, 2014
15 by '15
With last year ending, and the new year beginning plenty of people across social networking sites have declared what they are going to leave in 2013, and more importantly what they are going to set out to achieve in 2014. Some people chose one thing, others chose many. I know a couple blog posts back I, myself, had come up with a few things that I wanted to become better at in the new year (see 'New Year, New You?'). But over the last week or so I got to thinking and I came up with more of a 'bucket list' to set out to complete by the end of the year. You guys all know how much I loooove bucket lists, or any kind of list for that matter. :)
So, this brings us to my----
15 by '15
1. Spend an entire day phoneless.
This shouldn't be as hard as it probably will be. I've wanted to do this for quite some time now, and I'm not really sure why I haven't just yet. Oh, and 'phoneless' also includes social networking sites (since I check them regularly via phone), saying goodbye to Twitter, Facebook, and texting for an entire 24 hours will probably (& sadly) be difficult at first.
2. Find a new job.
It seems only fitting now that my hours have been cut at work. I wanted to start buckling down and applying to new jobs that will help me pursue a career once the new year started anyway, and with the extra time I will now have on my hands I hope that I can make something happen before too long!
3. Get a passport.
Never have I ever left the continental USA, but I don't plan for it to stay that way forever. I figure if I go apply for a passport and wait the however many months it takes to get it, it will be less stress to worry about in the long run. Not to mention, if I spend the money on it now, I won't have to worry about that extra expense when I am planning a getaway to Paris or Cabo. I'm not sure that I will be able to put this passport to good use this year, but I hope to in the next few years, and if it so happens to be sooner than expected, at least I will be ready!
4. Reinvent my wardrobe.
Now that college is over and my T-shirts and sweatpants can only make an appearance on the weekends, I have realized how I am in desperate need of a wardrobe makeover. I have been working a business casual job since May so it's not that I have nothing, but I definitely feel that I need more. Most of my clothes are black and grey, so I definitely need to add color to my closet. Not only do I want better clothes for work, but I want nicer, cuter things for when I go on all those dates i'll be getting shortly (at least the movies have led me to believe that that is what happens in your 20's)...
5. Become a Big Sister.
No, I don't mean my literally becoming a big sister, I am already one of those anyway. I want to become a Big Sister through the non-profit organization Big Brothers Big Sisters. Ever since I interned with them over the summer it is something I have wanted to do. I was scared by the whole '12-month minimum commitment' because I didn't know where I was going to be or what I was going to be doing. Now that 7 months have passed since graduation and I have realized that I won't be packing up my bags to move to Los Angeles anytime soon, I feel as though now is just as good as a time as ever to sign up. If I happen to land a job across country then I guess I will deal with it then, but for now I want to pursue this goal.
6. Go on a shopping spree.
The idea of a shopping spree sounds like too much fun. My shopping spree obviously won't be a $20,000 one, but I think I can still have fun with a $500 one!
7. Go on a wintertime vacation.
I want to do the whole Colorado-or-Lake-Tahoe in-the-middle-of-winter-thing. You know, pack your warmest winter weather gear, rent a cabin, ride a ski-lift, buy a pair of snow goggles, drink hot chocolate back at the lodge. I'm pretty sure I will fail miserably when attempting to ski, but it's something I want to try. I figure one day spent skiing and then the rest on the back of a snowmobile, hahaha.
8. Redesign my room.
I've been wanting to redesign my room since I moved back home in May. I've done a pretty good job at the de-cluttering and getting rid of useless things around my room. I know that I could end up in my own apartment in not too long, but my room has been the same way since the beginning of high school, or even earlier. I have an idea of what I want it to look like, and my Mom is on board, so i'm hoping once spring begins I will be able to get these plans rolling.
9. Make new friends.
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with my current friends (other than the majority of them not living in the same state as me anymore). Meeting new people and making new friends is fun, and I hope that with a new job and more volunteer opportunities that I will be able to do just that!
10. Read 15 books.
I love reading, but with being in school I didn't find too much time to do it leisurely. Usually when I find a good book I read it in the matter of a day or two, and I usually go into periods were I read 3 books in a row and then for whatever reason don't pick up another book for months. I'm excited to get back to reading, there's just something about getting lost between the pages in someone else's world. I wasn't sure what number to set for this goal, so I decided to just keep the 15 theme.
11. Pay more of my loans off than the minimum requirement.
I am lucky enough to not have to pay rent for now while living at home. I hope to use that to my advantage when it comes to paying other bills. With my loan payments looming over my head (the first payment being due next month) I hope that I can make payments higher than the minimum each month. Nothing too outrageous, maybe just $100 extra a month.
12. Plan a trip to somewhere new.
One item on my bucket list is to travel to all 50 states... if I ever want to accomplish this I need to continue to travel, travel, travel! I love going new places and seeing new cities. I want to make sure that I plan a trip to a new state, a new city, a new place within the next twelve months.
13. Build/create something.
I'm not sure what it is that I will create yet, but I want it to be something cool! I've thought about maybe building some type of nightstand or shelving unit to use as an organizer. Or maybe creating artwork that is worthy of hanging up as a main focal point in my room.
14. Explore somewhere new-locally.
Traveling is very important to me, but I think it is equally important to explore what is around you. We often forget about all the nature and different places that are right at our fingertips that we have yet to discover. Think of all the surrounding towns that are no further than 30 minutes away that you haven't even dabbled in yet. Whether it be a small town farmers market, or a bike path with beautiful scenery, I want to discover something new-locally.
15. Take a class... or two.
I haven't decided what type of class I want to enroll in yet. Maybe it will be a class through the park district or maybe through a college or maybe through an organization. Maybe i'll sign up for another Spanish course, or a yoga class, or a pottery class, or salsa dancing for beginners. The options are truly limitless and this item on my list really excites me! I'll be keeping my eyes open as well as researching what all there is out there to take part in.
Now, what's your 15 by '15?
XOXO,
Kaila
So, this brings us to my----
15 by '15
1. Spend an entire day phoneless.
This shouldn't be as hard as it probably will be. I've wanted to do this for quite some time now, and I'm not really sure why I haven't just yet. Oh, and 'phoneless' also includes social networking sites (since I check them regularly via phone), saying goodbye to Twitter, Facebook, and texting for an entire 24 hours will probably (& sadly) be difficult at first.
2. Find a new job.
It seems only fitting now that my hours have been cut at work. I wanted to start buckling down and applying to new jobs that will help me pursue a career once the new year started anyway, and with the extra time I will now have on my hands I hope that I can make something happen before too long!
3. Get a passport.
Never have I ever left the continental USA, but I don't plan for it to stay that way forever. I figure if I go apply for a passport and wait the however many months it takes to get it, it will be less stress to worry about in the long run. Not to mention, if I spend the money on it now, I won't have to worry about that extra expense when I am planning a getaway to Paris or Cabo. I'm not sure that I will be able to put this passport to good use this year, but I hope to in the next few years, and if it so happens to be sooner than expected, at least I will be ready!
4. Reinvent my wardrobe.
Now that college is over and my T-shirts and sweatpants can only make an appearance on the weekends, I have realized how I am in desperate need of a wardrobe makeover. I have been working a business casual job since May so it's not that I have nothing, but I definitely feel that I need more. Most of my clothes are black and grey, so I definitely need to add color to my closet. Not only do I want better clothes for work, but I want nicer, cuter things for when I go on all those dates i'll be getting shortly (at least the movies have led me to believe that that is what happens in your 20's)...
5. Become a Big Sister.
No, I don't mean my literally becoming a big sister, I am already one of those anyway. I want to become a Big Sister through the non-profit organization Big Brothers Big Sisters. Ever since I interned with them over the summer it is something I have wanted to do. I was scared by the whole '12-month minimum commitment' because I didn't know where I was going to be or what I was going to be doing. Now that 7 months have passed since graduation and I have realized that I won't be packing up my bags to move to Los Angeles anytime soon, I feel as though now is just as good as a time as ever to sign up. If I happen to land a job across country then I guess I will deal with it then, but for now I want to pursue this goal.
6. Go on a shopping spree.
The idea of a shopping spree sounds like too much fun. My shopping spree obviously won't be a $20,000 one, but I think I can still have fun with a $500 one!
7. Go on a wintertime vacation.
I want to do the whole Colorado-or-Lake-Tahoe in-the-middle-of-winter-thing. You know, pack your warmest winter weather gear, rent a cabin, ride a ski-lift, buy a pair of snow goggles, drink hot chocolate back at the lodge. I'm pretty sure I will fail miserably when attempting to ski, but it's something I want to try. I figure one day spent skiing and then the rest on the back of a snowmobile, hahaha.
8. Redesign my room.
I've been wanting to redesign my room since I moved back home in May. I've done a pretty good job at the de-cluttering and getting rid of useless things around my room. I know that I could end up in my own apartment in not too long, but my room has been the same way since the beginning of high school, or even earlier. I have an idea of what I want it to look like, and my Mom is on board, so i'm hoping once spring begins I will be able to get these plans rolling.
9. Make new friends.
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with my current friends (other than the majority of them not living in the same state as me anymore). Meeting new people and making new friends is fun, and I hope that with a new job and more volunteer opportunities that I will be able to do just that!
10. Read 15 books.
I love reading, but with being in school I didn't find too much time to do it leisurely. Usually when I find a good book I read it in the matter of a day or two, and I usually go into periods were I read 3 books in a row and then for whatever reason don't pick up another book for months. I'm excited to get back to reading, there's just something about getting lost between the pages in someone else's world. I wasn't sure what number to set for this goal, so I decided to just keep the 15 theme.
11. Pay more of my loans off than the minimum requirement.
I am lucky enough to not have to pay rent for now while living at home. I hope to use that to my advantage when it comes to paying other bills. With my loan payments looming over my head (the first payment being due next month) I hope that I can make payments higher than the minimum each month. Nothing too outrageous, maybe just $100 extra a month.
12. Plan a trip to somewhere new.
One item on my bucket list is to travel to all 50 states... if I ever want to accomplish this I need to continue to travel, travel, travel! I love going new places and seeing new cities. I want to make sure that I plan a trip to a new state, a new city, a new place within the next twelve months.
13. Build/create something.
I'm not sure what it is that I will create yet, but I want it to be something cool! I've thought about maybe building some type of nightstand or shelving unit to use as an organizer. Or maybe creating artwork that is worthy of hanging up as a main focal point in my room.
14. Explore somewhere new-locally.
Traveling is very important to me, but I think it is equally important to explore what is around you. We often forget about all the nature and different places that are right at our fingertips that we have yet to discover. Think of all the surrounding towns that are no further than 30 minutes away that you haven't even dabbled in yet. Whether it be a small town farmers market, or a bike path with beautiful scenery, I want to discover something new-locally.
15. Take a class... or two.
I haven't decided what type of class I want to enroll in yet. Maybe it will be a class through the park district or maybe through a college or maybe through an organization. Maybe i'll sign up for another Spanish course, or a yoga class, or a pottery class, or salsa dancing for beginners. The options are truly limitless and this item on my list really excites me! I'll be keeping my eyes open as well as researching what all there is out there to take part in.
Now, what's your 15 by '15?
XOXO,
Kaila
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Through the Rearview Mirror {2013}
As I sit here sipping on my Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice (if you know me then you know this is one of my favorite things), I can't help but think about how 2014 is a mere 3 days away. It's funny how we always say how fast time flies; before we even realize it another year has come and gone. We have seen the snow melt, the flowers bloom, the leaves fall, and the holidays pass yet again. I wouldn't argue against the idea that time flies, but as I sit here and reflect on the past 362 days I am also amazed by the degree in which things have changed and the amount of things that have happened since this day last year.
As I really got to thinking, I decided maybe I should do my own recap of year 2013 and take the time to reflect on all that has occurred in these short (yet long) twelve months.
January-
What better place to ring in the new year than in sunny California? I got to watch the clock strike midnight with some of my favorite West Coasters-- it really was a great way to start off 2013. We started the night at a small house party in San Pedro and soon after midnight we moved to a huge house party about a block away. We didn't know anyone at the party we crashed or even who the house belonged to but there was people of all ages covering both the backyard and the entire first floor of the house. Looking back on it, it kind of reminds me of something you'd see in a movie or music video.
For the next two weeks I got to take in so many sites around Southern California.
As I really got to thinking, I decided maybe I should do my own recap of year 2013 and take the time to reflect on all that has occurred in these short (yet long) twelve months.
January-
What better place to ring in the new year than in sunny California? I got to watch the clock strike midnight with some of my favorite West Coasters-- it really was a great way to start off 2013. We started the night at a small house party in San Pedro and soon after midnight we moved to a huge house party about a block away. We didn't know anyone at the party we crashed or even who the house belonged to but there was people of all ages covering both the backyard and the entire first floor of the house. Looking back on it, it kind of reminds me of something you'd see in a movie or music video.
For the next two weeks I got to take in so many sites around Southern California.
Terranea Beach.
Where we hiked alongside the ocean and took in the most gorgeous views.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
Las Vegas, Nevada.
Yes, I even got to take a roadtrip to Vegas for a weekend with these gorgeous girls!
Manhattan Beach, California.
This became one of my favorite beaches in SoCal. I am so glad that one of my best friends decided to take me here to show me around. The town is all on a hill right of the ocean, such a cute place, and the ocean is absolutely beautiful- per usual. We went on such a gorgeous day that it was impossible to not fall in love with this place. We walked to the end of the pier were a group of surfers were surfing very close by. It was amazing to be able to see them so close! Of course I took plenty of videos and pictures.
There were so many other places I got to experience for the first time, such as downtown Long Beach, the light and water show in San Pedro, John's Incredible Pizza, etc. This California trip was one of my favorite and best vacations yet! But, of course with the company I had how could it not be?!
Shortly after my return from LA I started my Spring semester.
February-
At the beginning of the semester I thought that I had 2 more semesters to go, with an expected graduation date of December '13. Much to my surprise, after a visit to my advisor and some research done on my part I found out that with a little hard work and some summer classes I could finish up my credits and graduate in August! I was ecstatic about this because I really did not want to have to return to Bloomington-Normal in the fall. For the next few months I tried figuring out whether I would take summer classes at ISU or if I could take classes at the local community college. I eventually went with taking them at the community college which saved me a lot of money and probably quite a few headaches. Anyway, back to February... in order to be able to graduate in August I would first need to successfully complete my Senior Experience class, which in short was a research course that involved a lot of research (imagine that), writing, stress, fear, and a few tears. At the beginning of the course I was terrified that I wasn't going to pass and that I would, in fact, have to return in the fall in order to retake this course to complete my degree.
March & April-
Consisted of me continuing to worry about passing all of my required classes, although as time moved forward I became less concerned when I saw the lack of effort that the majority of my classmates were putting into their final projects. As the end of April approached I was certain that I was going to pass all of my classes-with decent grades at that.
May-
All of my classes had wrapped up by the 8th and I was scheduled to walk across the stage and receive my fake diploma on the 10th (I wasn't officially going to be graduated until August but was still walking in the graduation ceremony). In my head I had this big idea of what graduation was supposed to be- you know, some life changing event. Maybe as you walk across the stage you transform into a new being, much like how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Unfortunately, there was no glitter falling from the sky or wings growing from under my gown. I was the same person walking back to my seat as I was climbing up the stairs to shake the University President's hand. Maybe it was because it was a rainy, dreary day, unfit for outdoor pictures, or maybe it was the fact that the car was packed with all my belongings ready for me and my parents to hit the road right after. I guess I was just expecting something inside of me to click, to go off, some new feeling to take over my body and when it didn't I wasn't sure how to feel.
I came home that Friday night, and found out Saturday morning that my Grandpa had been diagnosed with Stage 4 liver cancer earlier that week.
Then, I started my internship on Monday at Big Brothers Big Sisters. --which would end up being such an eye opening experience for me!
My grandparents made the cross country trip from Arizona to spend two weeks back in the Midwest. I am so glad that they decided to go through with their travel plans after finding out that my grandpa was sick because those two weeks were filled with family, love, and both new and old memories.
I also attending my first Chicago Cubs game in May! Cross that one of the bucket list! (I had attend a Chicago Cubs, Bulls, and Bears game on my BL)
June, July, & August-
As June began so did my two online classes. The courses were easy and quick, so nothing to complain about there. :) June also was the month that my brother got to receive a diploma as well! & my parents threw him his high school graduation party a couple weeks later. Family from all over the country came in for it (Seattle, California, Minnesota), so again I had a lot of fun with family!
In July I got to go to my second Chicago Cubs game with my Uncle and two siblings. This time we were treated to a suite! I felt like a celebrity or something... it was amazing!
In early/mid August I wrapped up my online classes and internship. My internship taught me that I definitely wanted my career to focus on helping people and being in constant communication with others. After the classes and internship ended I went to working 5 days a week at Chicago Title as the receptionist while I waited to see what I would do next..
September, October, November, December-
I actually still work at Chicago Title... it was supposed to be a temporary summer job, and still kind of is, it just lasted longer than I had originally thought it would. I am so glad and very grateful that they still are able to give me hours, because the money definitely helps!
On Veterans Day (Nov. 11th) I went to my very first Chicago Bulls game! (Check that off too!!!) I was so excited, and it lived up to everything I had imagined! I am in love with the United Center and hope that I can make it back one day soon. :)
This year the holidays (that are now coming to an end) were some of my favorites yet!
Looking back on this last year I have been able to scratch off multiple bucket list items and experience things I never would have thought. It gives me so much hope for the next year and all that it has to offer. I cannot wait to see what I will do, where I will go, and who I will become over the next 365 days.
Happy New Year to you and yours,
xo-kaila
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