Weather can cause all types of problems, but one man died in Pittsburgh due to bad weather, and inefficient services. Read all about it HERE

The past few weeks have been almost nothing but stress. Why I chose to go and take 18 credits is often beyond me. Between doing schoolwork and finding a job for the summer and next school year, I have been going insane. Looking for ways to relax, I will exercise or watch some tv. My new favorite show came to me during a relaxing time. Call it my new guilty pleasure.

RuPaul's Drag Race has brought a smile to my face. If you haven't watched this show, you should! It is hilarious, and some of the girls look so real!

Shhhh

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

Or so we are told. In my opinion, I think it is a great way to be, and I aspire to be like that. Why? Because at times, I have diarrhea of the mouth, and cannot seem to shut up when need be. My parents raised me to be polite and true to myself, unfortunately, everyone else was sarcastic and spoke their minds. It seems that here in Philadelphia, it tends to get me into trouble with my friends from time to time. I needed to give something up for lent, maybe it's my abilities to be a total asshole. I just have those moments, where afterword I am like OH SHIT I should not have said that. Then I end up kicking myself for about a week afterwords. If anyone has a cure for foot in mouth syndrome, I would love the solution!


Credit
http://annonce.deviantart.com/

Love Someone Today

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Not everyone has a significant other to celebrate it with (Guilty!)

Although I am technically spending it "on my own," I have found that there are many other ways I could be celebrating it. I have gotten some ideas from online, and kind of admire, how people have chosen to reinvent the holiday.

Click > COMPASSION. FUN. LAUGH.LEARN. GIVE. HELP. REMEMBER < Here

I just want people to also remember those who will not be able to make it to Valentine's Day, ans the families who are forced to live without them. On this day of Love, it is important to remember them too. Have a great day everyone, and remember that someone loves you!

SNOW

Snow has hit Philly pretty hard, and smart me, thought it wouldn't be a big deal. Yesterday I woke up, and it looked like I was back home! The big difference is, that at home, we are used to the weather, so when something like this happens, roads are cleared up quickly and in a timely manner, but down here, it isn't as expected. Instead of running around, I spent my day watching movies, and completing the Underworld series. If you ask me, it is a great way to spend a day snowed in.

Bathroom Confessions

I went out into the city the other day, and had lunch in a diner with my friend. Before braving the cold, and remembering that there are no free bathrooms in Philly, I stopped to use the toilet. Apparently, no matte how nice the place, the bathroom will ALWAYS have something interesting about it.





If the bathroom wasn't so dirty, I would have stayed longer to read these bathroom confessions. It was definitely something that I wasn't expecting to see, most of the bathroom writing I read is extremely inappropriate, but some of these seemed kind of personal. I wonder if people ever walk out of something as mundane from a bathroom, feeling better after making some sort of confession.

Okay, so I was excited about pretty much nothing. I didn't get the job that I had interviewed for, and I am pretty frustrated, not sure about what to do. I am a college kid fighting adults with degrees for a job. How will I fair? Things are probably sure to get better, but right now, I am kind of discouraged.

I have an interview!!!

Photo credit: http://www.visioncoachinginc.com

So my first winter break is not as breakish as I had hoped. I have spent a good amount of time applying for a summer job. This year my fingers are crossed and my heart is set on working at a camp for kids with emotional and behavior disorders. Very extensive applications, which is what they don't tell you. Hopefully I get everything done though, anyways, here is a little clip!








Credit: http://resumeprescreen.com/resources/DeskFilledWithResumes.JPG

Yes, I know it seems like a large thing, but I saw this movie, and I feel like it is something to recognize and remember. So often we take the time to make an opinion and keep it, but sometimes we just need to stick it out, and see. It was a wake up call for me. Can be watched at Loombo. Just watch it, it's awesome.

Picture Credit: Tribute

I am absolutely flustered when...

I make an off the cuff judgment, or lose my temper and then someone says, "That's not cool, aren't you planning on being a social worker?".
That one phrase drives me crazy, for some reason it makes me feel like I should become this zen master Buddha and deny any form of anger, frustration, excited feelings and what not. Take everything with a grain of salt and just be like "Whatever happens, happens, let's go hug a tree..." It's like I am some super hippy that should love everything, but I don't. If it makes me a bad social worker, then I guess someone should suggest a new career path, but I think that I am only human, and I can't be perfect, especially when I am but a young freshman.

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Home For the Holidays

This is the milestone in being that it is the first year that I am coming home for an extended holiday in my college experience. Some people see it as a rite or passage, maybe growing up and experiencing a new path in life, but to me, it shows a shift, a symbolizing of growing up and moving on. Honestly, it is a bit scary sometimes. I am the youngest child, and so to come home for the first time after an extended absence from home feels strange. The elders are getting ready to move on in their lives, and at this time next year, we may not all be together the same way that we are now. A few years ago, I would have probably had a full blown anxiety attack, but now, I am starting the accept the changes, maybe not as gracefully as I would like, but I am accepting them.

For example, when did my parents start to look so tired? I know that a part of it is due to taking care of my grandparents, but the age is starting to show on their faces. They are no longer the invincible pair that I once saw. This year, I may be watching tv show marathons with my siblings, but they will be graduating soon, and I could possibly be braving this four week vacation by myself, without a job.

At the same time, I cant help but rejoice in life moving on. I am finally studying the area that I wanted to study as a student working with people. For once, I am at a school, where I don't hate myself or the people as much as I used to just a few years ago. People are starting to see me a little faster than they used to, and I am growing even deeper in my relationships that count. Even though the environment of this year may not be the same next year, I can smile and know that no matter what, I will have these memories and deepening relationships with the people I know and love.

Tis The Season

The most stressful week at the end of the semester is the one before finals. It feels as though all of the professors have realized that they have a crapload to catch up on. This is not one sided of course. Every student realizes that the assignments they were supposed to be working on all semester will be due in about three days time. I would say that coffee distributors make a lot of money during these times, although I personally do not drink it myself.

My workload is not too bad, but at the same time, I am trying to finish all of my Christmas shopping for the best type of values possible. It is a not so very nice task, and I really would enjoy taking a nao, but I think I can pull all of this work off, well I kind of don't have a choice, merit scholarships come with GPA requirements. I swear the roomie has less than I do. I barely see her going to class and in her spare time she has been playing farmville and making like 20 candycane decorations and hanging them on our door outside. How she manages to have enough time to do soemthing like that is beyond me. The most mysterious wonders in the world begin in my head. Only one and a half more weeks and I will be home.



Credit: Refracted Moments at Flickr

Living in Filth

Okay, so I just spent the better half of my day cleaning my dorm room. I usually pick up my stuff and then dust, but today I went even farther and vacuumed as well. What I have just realized is that despite the fact that my dear roommate has all of the cleaning supplies, she has failed to clean anything since we have arrived. She goes home a lot of weekends, but during the week, when she is not in classes, chances are she is in the room on facebook. Now, if she did not have time, I would understand, but seeing as she had all the time in the world to paint a big ass turkey on our window, I think it is safe to say that she has time. Her vacuum is also about the size of a cat, so you know, it's an effective time saver...
When I first came to college, I was worried about being the messy roommate, but now that I am here, I see that I am the cleaner one. This in itself is a massive revelation, and I hope that I can keep it up.
As for the shy boy who liked me, I am not sure what will become of that one. I hear he has been denying that he likes me and no longer acknowledges my presence any longer when we pass each other. My friends are probably more upset than I am, but that's how life works I guess.

Today is the national day for To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA). I have done my duty for support. The only downside to actually having the day in November, is that it is too cold to just walk around with an exposed arm. For those of you who have no idea what I am even talking about, TWLOHA is a non-profit organization supporting people who struggle with depression, self injury, addiction, etc. A really good cause, and if you missed the day this year, there's always next year!

The Roommate

I realize that colleges try to match people with their roommates based on personality, but in my opinion they screwed up with me. Before I went to college, I e-mailed my roommate and through e-mail thought we would be good friends. Come move in day, I found it wasn't the case. My roommate was not what I expected, she was awkward and quiet, and I just didn't feel comfortable at all. It only took a few weeks for me to have a good group of friends, and yet she had none at all. She took to following us around, inviting herself to dinner or any activity we were going to.

It would be unfair to say that she is weird, but she is definitely someone I would never hang out with. Her stories are not funny, and after she's done with them, the whole room will go quiet on account of having nothing to say. Coming into college she had a boyfriend, but I never really heard much about him. She was never even on the phone. When they broke up, she was sad, but I had a hard time feeling sympathetic. How can you show sympathy for someone who won't even talk to their significant other on the phone?

She never leaves the room unless she's in classes. She does eat with other people sometimes, but it's at the point where I can barely stay in my room. The case of the awkward roommate. Hopefully next year will be better.
Credit: ehow.com

The Cost of Simple Living

First off, Happy Halloween! I hope that everyone has had a chance to join in on the celebration and dress up! I admired the awesome costumes I saw on the street. Quailman, Gumby, Scuba diver and the kid from Where the Wild Things Are. Completely creative. Some of the other ones, not so awesome including anything with the word sexy in it. I saw a whole lot of unwanted ass today.

Other than that, I have found that in college, girls have made it a habit of spending $30-60 for about a foot of fabric just so they can make guys look and maybe touch if they have consumed enough alcohol. If I crack the window open, I can hear drunk people partying it up on the sidewalk outside, listening to them scream about how they stumble. It's becoming the soundtrack of my weekends.

This year I have chosen to stay out of the festivities. Due to illness and no desire to take part in this ritual, I went into the city with one of my friends and ate, did some shopping, and wandered around. Now we sit in my room watching Law and Order SVU; life could not get any better. I am aware that this sounds like a boring Halloween, but I am happy with what I have chosen to do. There is one wrinkle in my night though; since when were there prices on bodily functions?




My friend and I had to use the bathroom, and ended up walking three blocks before we found an available restroom. Every store had told us that there was no bathroom. It was like seeing water in a drought. We were so happy. Unfortunately, there was a catch; we had to buy something first. I am a freaking college student! Where is the money going to come from, my ass? I really had to go, so I paid the price. I essentially paid $1.75 to piss. To top it all off, it was the world's grossest bathroom, I am pretty sure it broke some standards. Grafitti on the walls, toilet paper on the floor, well you can see for yourself, but the smell. Old dirtied disinfectant. I am unsure what is worth my disgust, the fact that I spent almost two dollars to pee, or the fact that I peed in a bathroom that probably gave me some sort of infectious disease. The argument could be made that they didn't want drug users in the bathroom, but my only reasoning is that they do not desire freeloaders. What has this country come to that a person cannot even demonstrate their own human bodily functions freely?

Credit:ecorations.com

This Awkward Dance

So, there always comes that time in college, you know, the time where the opposite gender gets involved. An awkward dance starts, and the ritual begins, except my ritual is not the same as everyone elses' (of course).
I have been in school since the end of August. Luckily, they have upper classmen to help you move in for your first day. My mover was this nice quiet kid, I swear, most movers take a thing and move on, but he just kept comign back to help me. I tried to talk to him a bit, but he wasn't much of a chatter. When I got into my room, I just didn't think much about it. It turns out this kid is on my floor, and I see him at least a few times a week, and he always waves and smiles. Hell he's even jumped over a row of chairs to sit next to me. Unfortunately that has been his only bold move.
Over eight weeks I have been here, and I just got his number, after I gave mine of first. And so, the dance begins, what beat will it end at? Where will the crescendo grow so soft,that we can't feel the awkwardness anymore?

Credit: ibtimes.com

Living It Out

So my mission in college is to do things that make me nervous or uncomfortable. Here's what four weeks have done for me:

1) Church
I attended a Catholic church service, and that's a big deal. I have always been scared of it.

2) Applying to a service trip
Usually anything that requires me to apply and such makes me nervous because I never feel like I am ever good enough to get in. I handed it in just a few minutes ago, so keep me in your prayers and thoughts!

3) Volunteering
I volunteered at a homeless shelter, and I was scared, I don't know why, it just scared me, not the people necessarily, but the other volunteers weren't as... um cheerful

4) Retreat
I spent a night in the woods with strangers, and it was the best choice I have made since I have been here!

What are things that scare you? Have you accomplished them?