Saturday, January 21, 2012

New Year's Resolutions 2012

QOTD: What is the longest amount of time you have spent writing a single blog post?

I hope all of you are having a wonderful weekend so far! First I wanted to start out with some news that is circulating around the blogosphere: 

Mia Hayson is requesting guest bloggers over at Literary Jam and Toast, one of the funniest and best writing blogs ever. This is a great way to meet some new bliggity friends, share your unique skills and knowledge with others, and meet the lovely Mia! Over at Confessions of a Bookaholic, there's a giveaway for all you To Kill a Mockingbird lovers! Finally, a good friend of mine has started her adventures as a journalist at The Constant Interview . Caitlin Byrd is an amazing writer and has always been an inspirational role model to me. Check it out--you will learn so much from her. 

In fact, I found this on her blog: 

Let's all try to keep this in mind as January gradually draws to a close and we start to embrace the second month of 2012. It's strange...I don't even feel like 2011 is over yet. I don't think it has hit me. Perhaps I'm still caught up in everything that happened last year--all the things that changed who I am and all the things I did or didn't do. 

Here's a look at what helped define 2011 for me: 

Year in Review
  • Became a reporter for my college newspaper
  • Became social media savvy (joined Twitter and tumblr!)
  • Chose my career pathway (clinical psychology)
  • Completed my first social media & marketing internship
  • My turtles grew up into full-size (ish) adults! Yay!
  • Got rid of acne with regular skincare
  • Reached 160 blog followers, created TRA's Facebook fan page and hosted my first blogfest (and now there are email subscriptions! Look right.)
  • Bought my very first Moleskine journal
  • Became aware of current news and world events
  • Grew more comfortable with speaking in crowds (aka: I no longer get weak or shaky)
Now that I am reflecting over my old New Year's resolutions, I think I did pretty well. I got a lot done. It was a good year for me. A lot changed, but so did I. A small part of me misses where I was (figuratively) at the beginning of 2011, but there is no doubt that I am where I should be right now. 

Do you feel like you accomplished the things you set out to do at the beginning of 2011? If not, are you planning to continue that journey this year, or are you starting fresh?

Speaking of goals and such things, these are my NEW aims for 2012:


I'm kind of a sucker for organization and planning tools, so I always love New Year's. There's something about the idea of starting a new year that makes one feel inspired all over again...as if this year is going to be "it." The big one when everything that's supposed to happen happens. There's promise and excitement and possibility. 

As I browse through this new list, I find myself nodding my head multiple times and thinking, Yes, this is what I want to accomplish in 2012. I've been adhering to most of these so far, though it's going slowly. I know some of these will be tough--especially #8 since I'm a slow reader--but even if I don't accomplish all of these goals at least I will have tried my best. That's what counts, right?

My favorite part of goal-planning is the actual process of completing them. It's fun and actually feels fulfilling. And once we've reached the finish line, we can begin a new race and start all over again. 

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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Winter Break Recap: Harry Potter World 2012

QOTD: If you could donate one million dollars to any organization, which would you choose and why? 

Happy Sunday, everyone! I apologize for my unexpected absence from the blogosphere. I've spent the last week and a half mostly bedridden due to a nasty virus I picked up over winter break. I have literally felt like a walking snot burger (so unattractive, I know). Good news is I'm back now and hope to catch up with blogging, schoolwork and writing! This is not a great start for my new years' resolutions, but better to start late than never, right? 

So how are you doing with your new years' resolutions? Have you gotten into a regular daily routine of working out/gardening veggies/meditating/whatever-you-resolved-to-do, or are those goals already long-forgotten? (And if the latter is true, I don't blame you. I can't even remember my weekend homework assignments.) 

Whether you're struggling to keep up with your resolution plans or have already worked them into circadian habits, check out my Resolutions Guide to make sure you're on the right track! 

I spent winter break in Orlando, Florida. My family and I joked that we experienced a hot Christmas! The most amazing part of my winter break was getting to experience Harry Potter World for the first time. Enjoy! Check back soon for my New Years' Resolutions 2012.




The truth is that you don't need any of the generic traditions like snow, presents or even Christmas trees to make Christmas unforgettable. It's the people you spend it with that make the holiday special. 



Fun Fact: One of my most popular nicknames as a kid (and sometimes even now) was Wendy Lu-Who (like Cindy Lou-Who from Whosville in The Grinch).


Hogwarts!!! I screamed. Loud. We went in and the features were phenomenal. Talking portraits, dragons and magic exist! I saw it all with my own eyes!


The entrance into Hogsmeade, people. I screamed even louder. It really was a mini town with shops (we ate dinner at The Three Broomsticks!) and were just like the ones from the books and movies! 



Could they...be? Yes! CHOCOLATE FROGS!!!!!!!!


Butterbeer: one of the sweetest and most positively peculiar things I have ever tasted. Butterscotch and sugar cookies with a light, creamy froth on top. A real lip-smacker. 

All photos were taken by me. 

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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

"A Mustard Moment": 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest


Thanks to Frankie, 55 bloggers and I have had an awesome opportunity to participate in the 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest yesterday! My apologies for posting my entry one day late, but better late than never, right? The idea of the blogfest is pretty self-explanatory--
"Write a scene or post one from your favorite books, movies, or tv shows that show the almost kiss-- the rising, crushing, excruciating, longing, tension that comes  when two characters get oh-so-close to kissing that you can just feel it, want it, NEED it....and then...they don't!"
For the blogfest, I've decided to go with a scene between Will Schuester and Emma Pillsbury from the musical comedy, Glee. Sadly I couldn't find the scene on Youtube, but the scene is from Episode 6: "Vitamin D" in Season 1. Enjoy!

Lunch period was Emma's favorite time of the day. 

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy advising the children about sibling troubles and relationship woes and the unimportance of popularity (convincing them that the positively linear relationship between boob size and social life didn't matter was tough). 

Quite the contrary, in fact. 

Emma loved being a high school guidance counselor and listening to other people talk about their problems. She liked helping people. 

She especially liked helping Will Schuester, Spanish teacher and director of Glee Club, during lunch period.

Today, the topic was Glee Club. 

"The kids have gotten really complacent," Will was saying now, waving his sandwich around in frustration. "It's like their fires have totally gone out." That's when Emma spotted a smudge of yellow mustard on his chin. She repressed a snort. Seeing the mustard didn't bother her as much as it should have. It looked so funny.

That was one of the best things about Will. When Emma was around him, she felt more comfortable. Her OCD wasn't as big of a problem and wasn't as big of a controlling factor. She could enjoy herself.


Emma cleared her throat and looked down. "Um," she said. "Um, I'm sorry. You've just, ah, you've got a little mustard on your...well, your cute Kirk Douglas chin dimple." 

Was she blushing? Maybe. It did feel a little warm in the room. Emma could never tell what she physically felt like when Will was around. All she knew was that when William spoke to her, she couldn't focus on anything. And for Emma, that was saying something. 

"Wha-?" Will swagged his tongue over his chin and gave Emma an inquiring look as if to ask, did I get it? He laughed and her heart skipped a beat. 

"Um, well, ah..." She reached out one of her plastic-gloved porcelain-like hands over to Will's chin and swabbed the mustard off. "There."

Her fingers rested on his jawline. She smiled, and then noticed that he was looking at her. Really looking at her. His hazel eyes were electrifying. He hadn't looked at her like that since last month when they were alone cleaning Miss. Hoffmire's classroom and he'd brushed chalk dust off of her nose

She told herself, don't look at his mouth, don't look at his mouth. She looked at his mouth. He was staring at her, too. her heart began pounding inside. It was like the daily high school stampede into the cafeteria all over again. 

Will whispered, "thanks." 

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Happy New Year!


Yayyy we've survived another 5,250,600 minutes. Here's to you, 2012! Wishing all of my followers an amazing year. I have a feeling this is going to be a special one (and not just because it's a leap year ;)). Happy New Year everybody!


Also - my entry for the 3rd Annual No Kiss Blogfest, hosted by Frankie, will be posted sometime today. Check back soon for my blogfest entry, followed by a reflection and page updates. Thanks so much for your patience!
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