I Get Lower Insurance!

Everyone has a birthday every year. It's the most exciting thing, day, event as a kid, teenager and even in the early 20's. Always something to look forward to: getting to play in the big kid playground, going up to middle school, high school, driving, buying cigarettes (which is VERY BAD FOR YOU!), and best of all, having happy hour at 21+ places. But now that I've been bumped up to the other side of the 20's, I can definitely tell. Especially from this past weekend, it is proof that I am not 21 anymore.

I remember my 21st birthday being the first time drinking. I actually waited until I turned 21! I was the infamous DD and "water-shot taker." I was still standing after 12 shots and nothing phased me. Actually by the end of the party, I was cleaning!

This past weekend for my 25th, I had a total of 4 shots and ... I was done by the end of the night. The next morning I was struggling all day with Tuleng. I felt delirious, nauseous, tired, exhausted, lazy, and... out of it. I finally felt normal by 6pm. -___- Oh how different age makes it. I guess it's time to go to bed early, take vitamins, workout, eat healthier, and drink less? Anyway, all in all, I had a great weekend and thank you to everyone who showed me love whether it was via Facebook, Instagram, text and/or phone call, coming to dinner and/or Citrus! <3

I MISSED MARICEL THIS BIRTHDAY THE MOST! She flew in last year for my birthday from Vegas, but couldn't this year. She called, left a vmail, texted, and called again at the end of the night to see how I was! Sweetest girl!! LOVE YOU! :)

21st birthday at Addison's house.

Black & White Party and I wore red along with the red cups. 

Addison's parents were kind enough to let me throw my 21st there. 

I miss everyone!!! This is definitely the original group! Addison's dad was the one to get us all together to take this picture. 

25th birthday at Citrus! 

I definitely forgot to take pictures while everyone was there. But also hard cause people were in and out all night. But these were the ones that stayed til' the end for me to remember to take a group picture! 

Snow shmow fo sho

With all these constant uploads of snow this, snow that, look how much snow I have, look what I made with snow, look what I'm doing in the snow, I'll be another additive and talk about snow. haha! Okay, maybe not a lot. Just a little bit. :P

As most of us are, we are all kind of stuck inside our homes, or wherever we were at when the snow happened. And in a few days, we start to have cabin fever! Or maybe a few hours for people who can't stand to be in 1 place for a long time... Today was only my 24th hour of being stuck inside and I was itching to go out! My roommates and I decided to go out and get some fresh air, snow inside our pants, make some snow angels, and to just touch the snow. Something about the snow makes everything serene, calm, pure, precious, and quiet. The entire neighborhood lights up even though it's past sunset and the sky becomes a midnight blue the entire night.

No one really likes being told what to do. So when we have no choice but to stay home, it starts to get aggravating. Missing work/school/volunteer is fun for a day, or two, or three. But after awhile, not having the option to do what we want, when we want, starts to ....mco&(@e%@4^@#(fmvkajsdf;ljk get annoying. When we have the option, we want to be home all the time; even when we are, it's not aggravating. It's funny how we are the way we are...

Anyway, I visited my boyfriend again to LA for MLK/his birthday! It worked out perfectly. And this time, my roommate and her boyfriend joined as well! All we did this past weekend was drive, eat, drive, eat, sleep, repeat. Normally we go to Whistler every MLK weekend but this was a different year since we didn't want to plan a huge trip again!

 At Elevate for Tuleng's Birthday! 

 Santa Monica with Kujo, Krystal, and Tuleng

 The view of LA from the Getty

 Playing outside in the snow today with Allison/Krystal (roommates)!

It's rare for us 3 to be together since we're all so busy! 

STAY SAFE OUT THERE EVERYONE! If possible, just stay home and reduce the number of accidents! Heard there were over 700 accidents yesterday (Wednesday)! 

Make that Paperrr

Success. We all want to be "successful" when we "grow up." Well, most of my friends and I are considered grown ups... so I guess we should already be successful? But what does it even mean to be successful?

I believe being successful is not how much you have, how much money you make, or what you own. But rather what you have conquered, overcome and achieved in life. The short/long term goals that we set for ourselves and what we do to execute those will determine how successful we are. It's great to have goals to have lots of monies and enough of it to throw it in a club. :) But it's funny how this world has impelled us into thinking money = success. Money can get us far in this world. And without it, we really can't do much. I swear, the rich get richer while the poor get poorer (most cases). [Kind of off subject: The other day I had a customer who came in and bought 7 items from me at Nordstrom. And spent $8k like it was grocery shopping in the "Manager's Special" aisle.]

It's hard to think that we're successful when we're living paycheck to paycheck, eating crumbs off of our counters, buying food at 711 or even saving our McChicken from McDonald's for 2 separate meals. Rather that's more of a comfort level than being successful? Idk... But to a degree, YES! Success = how much money is sitting in your bank account. But it's not everything. So don't ever feel like you aren't successful just cause you can't live comfortably, eat gourmet foods, buy nice designer clothes, and spend money as if you grow it yourself.

Being content and grateful for what you have no matter what + optimism can boost your idea of what "success" is!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS! and MERRY NEW YEAR! :)

All I Want for Christmas...

So I know I'm not the best girl. Nor the nicest. However, I do think I deserve some things I want... just because I try to be green throughout the year more than some people. :)

-Pilot G-2 07 pens in black
-A new chain for my Chanel necklace. Allison got it for me as my 21st birthday and the chain is wearing out.
-Starbucks gift cards
-Grocery gift cards
-Sonicare
-Automatic toilet bowl cleaner  (they're the white things you drop inside the tank that look like a giant mint)
-Alcohol (This can always be used. Preferably Goose or Effen, please!)
-21-22" TV. Right now, this is my TV and it's been my TV for 9 years... haha
-DVD player to go with it? Currently my DVD player is broken and won't open so a Friends disc has been inside for over 1.5 years.
-Rechargeable batteries for AA and AAA
-Seche Vite top coat
-Glue gun refills
-Brita filters
-Hot yoga gift cards to this place (THIS IS SUPER SUPER USEFUL TO ME!!)
-Electric kettle. This is the one I would dream of.. but there are others that are generic brands.
-Toaster Oven. Any kind really... to make my wings and breakfast sandwiches is what I want.
-Chocolate covered gummy bears
-A massage
-Bubble bath. Preferably lavender scent. But please no other bath/lotion stuff!

Christmas is so near and this is the first time I am not prepared... I have so much to do in so little time! Happy Holidays, everyone! :)

Effortless

You get what you put in (twss = that's what she said). The amount of effort you put in is what you get out (twss. haha okay, I'll stop). Often times people sit there and wonder why their life isn't changing or isn't moving forward. Well, if you keep doing what you're always doing, you're going to get what you always get.

Putting effort into something means we have to care about it; whether it's a class we're taking, a relationship, wrapping a Christmas gift or even giving our bouquet of flowers fresh water with flower food. It's worth putting effort into something because we want it/get what we want/it's meaningful to us. And often times, the result of something will show how much we cared about it. But there's also the side of the inevitable where things just fall apart and die over time (aka flowers. And some other things).

But to encounter something where it's effortless to be great is even better! Or to make it work, be good and successful without much effort. Okay, I am rambling... But when you find something where it comes natural and becomes effortless... it's a great feeling. Kind of like those people who just know how to be a handy man and just put their hands on a broken item and in 10 minutes, it's all fixed! It's effortless to them and they're great at it. Or perhaps someone who can magically write an amazing paper in an hour when it takes me 3. -__-

I guess this can all be a category of something called passion. Once you find your passion, it becomes effortless to be awesome at it. And when that happens, it's an amazing feeling because who doesn't want to do something that's so effortless? AND enjoy it?

Then once in awhile you come across people in life where you just click and it's effortless to make it work. There's those friends where a lot of work has to be put in to even have a relationship. Yet once in a blue moon, you find people where everything falls into place without much struggle. And those are always worth keeping around. <3 People whom you can be yourself around, don't need to impress, and be comfortable around is a blessing. It's a small chance to find these good ones but when you do, put effort into the effortless relationship to keep it going. :)

I really shouldn't be blogging when I have so much to do during finals week! sigh... -__-

p.s. if you change your flower water daily with a little bit of flower food, your flowers will last 7+ days!

MAN UP!

If you did something wrong (men or women), just man up and apologize. Stop making excuses to go around it. Knowing how to apologize shows character. Learn to come to your mistakes whether it was intentional or unintentional. And apologize sincerely. The end.

Pet Peeves

Seems very anal yet minimal... But Krystal and I have conversations (quite often) about our pet peeves. Number one thing for us: GRAMMAR! It's nothing crazy. Just basics.

People, if you are above 5th grade, please know your:

-There, their, they're.
-Your and you're. Tip: You're means YOU ARE.
-Would of is actually would have.
-Lose: Opposite of win. Loose: Not tight.
-It's sepArate. Not seperate.
-A lot is 2 words. not 1.
-Anyways is not a word. It's anyway.
-Spelling words in a ridiculous way like we did back in middle skool is not kewl. (pun intended)
-Definitely does not have an "A" (definately).
-"Then" is used when talking about a sequence. "Than" is used when comparing.

There is a lot more but these are basic things that are mostly common. So, go ahead and learn. If you need help, I would be more than happy to explain everything thoroughly for anyone. :)