Still Round the Corner There May Wait, A New Road or Secret Gate -J.R.R Tolkien

I'm writing this blog as a way of letting everyone know what is going on in my life, and also as a way to tell everyone at one time what has been happening and what is happening soon. Please don't be offended if you feel I should have told you this stuff personally, but I haven't talked about it with a lot of people because I wasn't sure if things were going to work out or not.
To preface this blog, I'll give a mini update on my life since graduation. I graduated with an English degree almost two years ago. I moved back to North Carolina (my hometown) and worked for about 6 months, then decided to move back to Tennessee for awhile until I figured out what I wanted to do. I spent the year after graduation applying and interviewing for multiple "real world" jobs, and even debated on moving to D.C. or N.YC. for a change of scenery and to attempt to get a good job. While I still might do that one day, I couldn't seem to shake the itch that I've always had to travel for awhile before settling into a serious job. I spent a semester in England traveling around the UK and Europe, so the urge to travel like that again was compelling me to look into a job that would take me abroad once again.  Everyone I talked to seem to say the same thing: Don't wait! If you wait until you're working in the real world, you'll never go!
I took all of this advice to heart. I continued to look for jobs, but my heart wasn't really in it. In the back of my mind was always the idea that I was supposed to be somewhere else.
I'll sidebar here to say that I've never known what I wanted to be "when I grow up." I was never someone who had plans or even ideas of what I wanted to do after school. The only thing I have ever known is that I love to travel, I love South America, and I have a heart for mission work and helping people in need. I've been on several missions trips to various South and Central American countries, and every time I always wanted to stay longer.
Fast forward to a year ago, when I began to wonder why I was still living in Tennessee when the only desire I've ever really had was to live in Latin America and help people in any way I can.
I began looking into programs that would help me get to South America on a more long term basis than just a short missions trip.
I talked to some people about potentially teaching English as a profession for awhile. I learned that it is a very versatile job, because once I'm certified and have a little experience I can virtually move anywhere in the world to teach.
The country I couldn't seem to get out of my head was Chile. I researched it; I looked at blogs, pictures, conversion rates, apartments, cost of living, transportation, food and local culture. I had quickly fallen in love with the idea of living in Chile, so I filled out an application to become an English teacher in the capital city of Santiago.
And....drum roll please....I'm so excited to announce that yesterday, I received my acceptance letter to join a group of other Americans wanting to teach English as a second language in Santiago, Chile! So now that its official, I can tell as many people as I want to about it! I'm extremely excited to travel and to live somewhere where the culture is different than what I'm used to in the States.
As for the details, I leave in March. I'm originally contracted for a job for 8 months, so I'll reevaluate where I want to go and what I want to do when that time is up.
I'll be working for a company called the Language Company, teaching English to non-native speakers. I'm beyond excited to be able to tell everyone that its actually happening, because its something I've wanted to do for so long!
As for the preparation beforehand, I'm having to save a lot of money! I do get paid as a teacher while I"m there, but I'm going to need a lot of money at the start of the trip to pay for the program fees, flights, and expenses before the job starts. So my main concentration right now is to work full-time, saving every penny, and I'm also doing some side projects in order to try and raise more funds. Those of you who know me probably know that my heart is so completely missions oriented that one of my main concentrations is finding ways I can help the people of Santiago. I've volunteered in orphanages before, so a big hope of mine is that I'll have the opportunity to do a lot of volunteer work with children while I'm there.
So that's that! If you have questions or just want to be excited with me, I greatly appreciate any comments, calls, texts, whatever method you want to use to chat! I'll be posting pictures of projects I'm working on in order to raise money, so if you want to buy anything or request something please don't hesitate to ask! I'm an open book when it comes to this new adventure, and I would love to answer questions if anyone has them.
I've had a few people ask about donating money, so I might be starting a fund-raising site in the near future in order to help me get to my goal.
Thank you for everyone who has supported me so far with kind words and prayers, and I apologize again that this might be the first some of you are hearing about this. I didn't want to talk about it too much and have it not work out, so I've been keeping it a little on the down-low.
I'm sorry this blog post is so long, and that it lacks a certain amount of wit and humor that I usually like to incorporate into my writings.
I promise to keep you all up-to-date through this process, and I will definitely be blogging a lot once I'm living in Chile.
If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading this and taking an interest in whats going on in my life! I'll post an update soon! I can't express how excited I am to be going on a new adventure!!


PS: Here's a visual aide, this is Santiago:

Mini Vacations: A Remedy for Anxiety

People always say, "Don't sweat the small stuff."
While this is great advice, the reverse can also be said about being thankful. We SHOULD remember to be thankful about small stuff in our lives; in fact, it can make the difference between a good week and a bad one.
It is easy to become overwhelmed, especially in today's society full of social media. Not only do we have our own lives to worry about, but we are constantly in a state of attachment to our phones/ipads/laptops/whatever that leads to us almost obsessing over other people's lives. I'm not condemning social media at ALL (those who know me know my love for the ol twitter and instagram) I'm just making an observation about how overwhelming our lives become when we forget to take time for enjoying our blessings.
The weather outside, while still scorchingly hot, is beginning to have that slightly crisp breeze mixed into the stuffy humidity in the air. When I see a few dead leaves on the ground, blowing in the slight wind that comes through the breezeway in my apartment complex, I feel nothing short of relief. While summer is great and full of beaches and vacations and pools, I still can't help but feel that as the summer gets hotter and hotter throughout July, I'm practically holding my breath in anticipation for the day the heat finally breaks.
This type of weather always bring a lot of pensive and reflective thoughts my way. Before we know it, Thanksgiving will be upon us, and that means reflecting on things that we should be thankful for in our lives. I'm starting this process a little early this year and trying to take time to be thankful.
For those of you who don't know, my life has been a bit of a struggle these past five years or so, trying to figure out what direction I want to go in and what things I want to pursue. I've been examining myself closely, trying to define what exactly it is that makes me tick and what my desires are for my life. Yes, it is extremely frustrating, but my dad reminded me today that even though it doesn't feel like it, God is working a plan together for me.
I whine about not having a "real world" job (I'm a freelance writer and I work full time at a local frozen yogurt shop in TN) but my Dad pointed out that I am able to pay all of my bills, I have a flexible schedule, and an owner that is the best person I have had the pleasure of working for, well, ever.
I whine about not knowing what I'm going to do or where I'm going to be 6 months from now, but my Dad reminded me that nothing is more exciting than having no ties and no plans. I can go anywhere, be anyone and do anything I want to at this point in my life.
And to make things better, God has given me an opportunity to serve lunches to homeless people on Saturdays. Serving the less fortunate has always been a passion of mine, and I'm very grateful that I have this opportunity to give back to my community. Not to mention its a ton of fun, and the food is delicious!
My point in saying all of this is that sometimes I think we need to remember to take time to appreciate the little things, and I mean VERY little things in order to not get overwhelmed in our lives.
I have a lot of stress and anxiety (its just my personality) and even though I'm a "chill" person, I still get extremely anxious about stuff. For this reason, I have to take lots of what I call "mini vacations" every week, and I'm convinced that without them, I would go crazy!
I've made a little list of some little things (mini vacations) I like to do to help my mindset get reset when I feel overwhelmed. Here are a few of them:

• Read a book under a tree. For some reason, reading outside, either on a blanket or in a hammock or chair, is one of the most relaxing activities for me. Reading by a pool is nice, and can help with the vacation mindset, but there's just something about being under shade that is just so amazing. 
• Be cliche. Don't be afraid to take a steamy hot bubble bath, complete with candles, wine and a good book. Go for it! It can be incredibly therapeutic. Although, if you have a kindle/nook like me, be extra careful not to drop it into the water! Go all out by bringing ice cream or something of a treat in with you. Listen to that new album you've been wanting to hear, and get lost in your own bubble of leisure.
• Take a walk, or a drive, somewhere you've never been. Even in your own town, no matter how small, I guarantee there are places you've never visited before. Whether its a hike, a stroll downtown, or a drive to a part of town you've never been to before, it will help you feel like you're on a mini vacation in your own town.
• Look at the local websites for fun ideas. Along the same lines as the previous one, pretend like your town is a place you're on vacation, even if only for a few hours. Check out a visitor's center or chamber of commerce and see what there is to do that you've never done before. I found a few small festivals going on in my area, and got to pretend like I was a tourist for an entire afternoon! 
• Go out to eat. While eating in is great for being healthy (and easy on your wallet!) sometimes you just need a night out. Whether you want to go out on a date with your hubby/boyfriend, have a girls night, or even fly solo, make sure that you do things that YOU want to do. Go to a nice restaurant, see a movie, walk around downtown, do whatever you feel like!
• Take a weekend trip. For me, one of my main mini vacations involves going to my parent's house, nuzzled deep in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Something about the mountain air and being home with my family is the best vacation I can have.  Whenever I have two days off, I typically go on a trip, and a lot of times I end up in North Carolina! There's nothing that says relaxing like sitting on a porch watching the sun set over the mountains. No, its not exotic and the town itself is SUPER small, but its one of the most rejuvenating places in the whole world to me. 

Do you have any other ideas for mini vacations? Do tell! I'm always looking for new ways to unwind and destress! Have a great week guys!

Lately...

So I'm going to share a little of what I've been going through the past couple of months. I've been learning a lot about myself (as one often does when one's roommate leaves for over a month and one finds herself living alone for the first time ever) and I have to say, I LOVE having me time anytime I want to. Living by myself gives me the option of always having solo time, but always having the option to call friends up to hang out also. The possibilities are endless! I will admit, I spent the first few days with zero clothes on. If you have never cleaned your apt/house/mansion/wigwam naked, I highly recommend it. Unless you live in an igloo, in which case that may not be much fun (and you could potentially get stuck to the ice furniture...ouch!).
So all of this "me" time has given me a chance to figure some stuff out about myself. One of the more recent things that my temporary roommate (she moved in for a few weeks while my roommate was gone) and I have been discussing a lot is friendship. We have been struggling over how to be a good friend, because I think everyone views being a "good friend" differently. Some might think having drinks on a Saturday night and discussing boys is considered being a good friend, while others might not feel they have fulfilled their friendly duties unless they have had a solid, deep conversation about life and goals and love. My friend Ashley, who has been staying with me, is the latter type of friend. We spent several days together, working and hanging with other friends, but she said she felt like we hadn't even seen each other because we hadn't had any good one-on-one conversations. She's a deep person; she likes to get to know people deep down. I can be that way to an extent, but I also feel like I've had some solid hanging out time with everyone in a big group of people if we all just go bowling or something. I love having one-on-one time with friends, but I don't find it completely necessary to obtain a solid friendship with someone.
The main thing that Ashley and I have discussed is this: How far is too far when it comes to being a good friend? For both Ashley and myself, we feel like being a good friend is helping a friend realize when they are being untrue to themselves, or even if they're just  making a fool out of themselves. Ashley and I both recently went through a situation where we "called out" friends that, er, didn't want to be called out. For me personally, I want people to tell me when I'm straying from my character. I want to be told when I'm not showing integrity, or when I look like an idiot. That's a true friend, in my opinion, because it shows that they care enough to tell me things about myself even though I might get mad. Something I have to remember, however, is that not everyone views friendship this way. There are people who get hurt, frustrated, or even pissed, no matter how gently I try and say something to them.
This has caused me to be a much more cautious friend. A year ago, I would have just called everyone out, but now I think about it before I do it. I try and be careful about how I say things, but of course I still mess up. I'm not perfect by any means, and me calling people out is NOT saying that I don't do the same things or act the same way. Not by a long shot. It is, however, me saying hey, I love you, and I see you actin a fool, and I want to let you know because I'm your friend and I don't think anyone else cares enough to tell you.
I dont know. Maybe we shouldn't call each other out, maybe we should, maybe its our duty as friends? I'm still struggling with this a lot.
So, if you have a friend who has you concerned with their behavior, I have a few simple rules/questions to consider before you say something to them.
1)Ask yourself, is this something that I would want them to call me out for, if I was doing it?
2)Is this something that is detrimental to them, or will make them be angry with themselves later for doing this/acting this way?
3) How close of friends are we? Do I truly feel close enough to them to say something, and have it come from a place of love?
4) Is this something that is just irritating me? Could it be bothering me because I see myself in the way they're behaving?
5) Am I willing to risk them being angry with me, potentially for a long period of time, over this situation?

Anyway, if you've considered all the options and still feel like something needs to be said, it is probably time to take your friend out to coffee and explain to them why you feel like their behavior needs to cease.

Just a little food for thought. Have a great Monday!!

Graduation Things

Well, its Spring! More specifically, its May, which means two things: graduations and weddings. Last weekend and this weekend are filled with graduation festivities, then the next few weekends are dedicated to weddings.
Success and love are both in the air people.
Last weekend was eventful.
Thursday was spent like this:

We laid around in the park on campus for a few hours before I had to head to work.

After work on Friday night, we went and picked up our little "brother" (given this term in England when we all lived together) from the airport. He's finally back, after spending the entire semester in D.C. We are all super excited to have him back! He's been living on my couch, so I get to see him as much as I like.
Anyways, Saturday morning was graduation for my alma mater, and I knew around ten people who were graduating, so we all woke up early and watched the broadcast on tv while getting pretty for the graduation festivities. Like the stealthy people we are, we showed up outside the doors of the ceremony right after it ended. This conveniently enabled to take pictures as if we had been there the whole time (see what we did there?). Unfortunately, it was raining. Like, a LOT of rain. It was really crowded and there was only a small covering, and everyone had huge umbrellas and....shew, it was intense. Pushing through all of those people was very stressful.

I went to Olive Garden in Chattanooga afterwards with about 20 family members of my friend Nicole, who graduated.

And after that, we all napped. On couches, floors, wherever.

Then, the party began. We danced, talked, socialized, played games, oh and enjoyed this fantastic cake:

Shwattttt? Yep, thats a cake. It was so delicious, even though it was so awesome looking I really didn't want to eat it at all. Yummm I want more right now just thinking about it.

Anyways, after driving home from Georgia (where the party was) I went to bed immediately. It was a long day. Sunday was spent relaxing and then going to work (why am I always working?!).

So there's the weekend, maybe I'll catch up on my week here in the next few days. But today is not that day, and I have real work I need to do.

Adios!

Lookie lookie!

I'll wait patiently for you all to peel yourselves up off the floor after the shock of me posting another blog entry so soon wears off.
You good? K. Good.
Bloggy blog blog...what to blog about today...this white box is staring at me, waiting for me to put interesting words into it that will get lots of attention...but my brain is having a battle within itself. Do I talk about real thoughts that I've been thinking?
This would include, but would not be limited to:
Adam Levine and how I'd love to allow him to sing to me all the time (I'd pay him to follow me around and sing)



Shew. I put a big space here so you can catch your breath before moving on from this perfect man.

I still need a sec...

Ok, moving on...
 Chocolate-which is weird considering I'm not a big sweets eater at all and rarely crave chocolate, but today its been on my mind a LOT



How I'm going through a weird phase where I'm wearing every last possible thing in my closet in order to avoid doing laundry, which in turn makes my room the messiest its been in a LONG time...



Or about how this is my absolute most favorite show:



Because of this man



Who plays Captain Hook, and also this guy:



known as Pinocchio.

Oh yeah, and also this man:


Who plays the mad hatter, but also plays this man




in Gossip Girl.

Very tricky and confusing, but awesome. Once Upon a Time is mostly awesome because all of the actors/actresses are incredibly good looking.

Lots of random thoughts, none of which are things I want to discuss in greater detail. Granted, my blog is usually a lot of random thoughts. Just not those.
I've been trying to cut back on my soda intake...so far today (its around 11 am) I've had exactly 1 1/2 mountain dews. I guess I'm not really concerned about cutting out ALL soda, just cutting back on the mountain dews and cherry cokes. Considering those really are the only sodas I drink very often, I'd say this is a big problem.

Ok, Katie, that was a lame thing to discuss on a blog. No one cares about your soda intake, or lack therof (woo!). Get it together!

A lot of times when I blog it is because I have something to rant about, but unfortunately no one has crossed my path today and pissed me off to the point of wanting to rant. Not yet, anyway. I'm debating going on one of my infmaous wandering sprees and just annoying everyone in the various departments. Yesterday I went on one of these and ended up collecting candy from 5 different people! Some would compare this to Halloween, but I compare it to a kid in a candy store. People get annoyed with me and just pile candy on top of me to get me to go away. Parents do this with their kids in a candy store. Kids being annoying? Take them to a candy store to get them to shut up for awhile. Granted, later on the kids are twice as annoying with the sugar rush (much like me later on at the office) but it still is a good temporary fix.
Until I'm sneaking up on their cubicles later in the afternoon trying to scare them. But that's another story for another time.

I'm pumped for the holidays! I think this mostly has to do with my undying love for food, but I'll pretend it has everything to do with my love of family togetherness. I do love family time, but really Thanksgiving is about eating so much that you're miserable, or as I like to call it, excercising your right as an American.

On that patriotic note, I'd like to encourage everyone to get out there and be an American and eat a nice juicy burger! Or hot dog, which I think it supposed to be more American.

And no, I don't know how this blog went from talking about Adam Levine to talking about American food, but you're welcome.

Every single one of my blogs starts out the same way...
First I apologize for not blogging in awhile, then I promise to blog more often, and by now you proably think those promises are fairly empty.
I'd probably agree.
However, I hung out with a friend who I haven't hung out with much recently, and she encouraged me to start blogging again.
With that in mind, I decided to give it one more shot. Its all or nothin baby, here goes!

Usually, I blog with something in mind, like a strong opinion about something going on in my life. Right now, I have zero strong opinions (mostly because its 9 in the morning, a time where I have no opinions about anything that doesn't involve my bed or coffee) so I guess I'll just ramble a bit, maybe post a few pictures or something, and then go from there. K? K.

What am I thinking about right now? There's a few things. Here you go:
1) My coffee has gotten cold, which is really annoying. I'm a coffee addict, and when it gets cold I feel like a coffee drinking failure. Granted, it was an extra large, so most people would say "hey, it's fine, your coffee got cold, go heat it up!" But for me, it is a big fat failure and I have let the world of coffee lovers down. Sorry guys.
2) I'm a big fan of lists, so these will be a trend for this bloggy.
3) I'm a little annoyed with myself for how addicted I am already to my Iphone. But, you have the iPhone 5, one might say. Those are supposed to be awesome! You're allowed to be addicted to it! Ok, some might not actually say that, but I like to think some would so that I can justify having my nose in my phone most of the time. I do hate it though, mostly because BSP (before smart phone) which was really about 2 months ago, I hated when other people I was with would have their noses in their phone. So I vowed not to be that person, and I'm still trying. Its a daily struggle.
4) That's pretty much it. I thought I had more thoughts, but I don't. Right now my brain is just hearing white noise, almost like fuzz. bzzzzzzz.
Anyways. You'll soon learn, avid reader and follower of my blog(yeah right), that I'm a bit of a rambler, and everything I say is generally very random.


Oh yeah, and I never proofread before posting, because I generally decide after proofing that what I've said is stupid, and end up deleting it. So you either get my blogs with mistakes and all, or not at all. Cheers :)

Ramblings about chicken...

Ok, so most people know that I'm not very politically active, mostly because I don't plan on spending much of my life in America. Don't get me wrong, I'm not as apathetic as most people my age, but I just don't see the point in arguing on facebook. No one's opinion is going to change because of ten comments back and forth on a status update.
Anyway, so I've been seeing a lot about this Chic-fil-a nonsense, and frankly, I'm shocked. Shocked that it is such a huge deal, and shocked that people didn't know that Chic-fil-a was a conservative/Christian establishment. I mean hello, I used to get Focus on the Family tapes in my kids meals there years ago, they always have Christian music on, and they're always slightly outspoken about supporting family values.


So really, I don't understand why everyone is surprised with Chic-fil-a's statements about supporting the "traditional family".


Ok, now I'm going to get down to the bigger issue. Most of the comments I have seen made about this whole ordeal have to do with people being angry that Chic-fil-a is "anti-gay". I also saw a slightly ridiculous accusation about it being anti-women, but seeing as how that tends to be women's favorite accusation these days (he wouldn't hire me because of my vagina!...no dear, it is because you are a terrible employee, not because of your female anatomy...) I'm not even going to acknowledge that as a real problem.


The issue for me is this. Everyone wants to criticize and say that Chi-fil-a is terrible for being anti-gay. Disregarding the fact that chic-fil-a never actually said anything about hating gay people, I'd like to look at a different side of this. People want to say "they aren't being accepting of everyone, therefore they are terrible people!!" This is a catch-22 way of thinking. People are mad at them for not being accepting of gays, but in fact, those people are doing the exact same thing by not being accepting of chic-fil-a for their beliefs.


If people want to say that "everyone can have an opinion", that's fine, but don't go and bash an establishment because they have an opinion of their own. Its a double standard! If you don't like your friend's views on a subject, you can discuss them or ignore them, either way they're probably not going to change their mind. If you don't like an organization or establishment and their opinions, then don't go there or don'd do business there! But don't tell other people that they should do the same, because then you're guilty of the same thing the people you disagree with are doing. Mad that chic-fil-a has certain beliefs? Think they're trying to force them on others? Cool, don't go there, and tell your friends how you feel. But don't bash people for having a different view and siding with chic-fil-a! By telling people they need to feel the same way you do, aren't you doing the same thing as your "opponent" by forcing your opinions on others??


See what a tangled web this is? This whole mindset of "equality" has to go both ways, or it is null and void altogether. You can't say that one group of people is right, and then decide that everyone who disagrees with those people are wrong for having their own beliefs. I genuinely don't understand this. America used to be a great country because everyone was entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, but now its almost like everyone wants us all to be the same. Everyone is the same, everyone needs to believe the same things, everyone has to agree...


This mindset terrifies me. Without people disagreeing, the system of checks and balances begins to fall apart. When people are too afraid to speak their opinion because of the backlash from others, our country will no longer be the same free place it is known for. Freedom of speech is something that the States have, but not many other places in the world get to experience. We've gotten so used to being able to say anything we want, but have we taken it too far? It seems to me like people my age like to go for "shock value" (myself included) to see how far we can take things. Just because we have freedom of speech does not mean we need to tell the world every little gruesome thought that pops into our minds. Its pointless.


So, how do I feel about the chic-fil-a controversy? You'd probably be surprised of my actual opinion, considering the nature of this post. I don't think its necessary for me to put my feelings on the issue in here, because my whole point is that regardless of what side of any issue you find yourself on, don't lose sight of the bigger picture. Divided we fall, and with the way the world is right now, we can't afford to be divided much more. So, have your own opinions, for pete's sake, but accept that other people have different opinions! We're not in elementary school, name calling is way below us (I hate seeing words like ignorant and bigots being thrown around as if it makes the person calling names automatically correct) so why not actually state your opinion without bashing the other side? Have a good old fashioned debate about different issues, but do it with an open mind and actually LISTEN to the other side!


Trust me, I'm just as guilty about all of this as anyone else, probably more so. I just get so tired of seeing people assuming that people are ignorant because they have a certain opinion. Good grief.


Ok, I'm done, just needed to get that out :) Have a great day everyone, whether you are picketing in front of chic-fil-a or going there to get a chicken sandwich!

The time  has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things. Of shoes and ships and ceiling wax, of cabbages and kings, and why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings.

More than anything, I want to be happy. This is probably a strange thing to want, considering I've pretty much always been happy. My friend Josh calls it the Sagittarius curse, because I'm always content with my life and looking at the bright side of things. 

Don't get me wrong, being positive is great and all, but sometimes I worry that I'm too content with the little things, and that I should be wanting more out of my life right now. I just don't see why I should be trying to be a big successful career woman, when right now, I pay for everything on my own and have enough left over to have a fun life.

Anyway, enough about that. I've been working at an outpost store on the Ocoee, which has been the most amazing experience so far. I've met about 30-40 new people, which is awesome considering the black hole that Cleveland is when it comes to meeting new people. Everyone is so awesome, and I've pretty much been at the river for the past week. I only come back to reality when I have to work at Domino's, which is slowly but surely being phased out of my life. (Sad day!)

I will write more about my experiences at the river as I spend more time there, but for now I just wanted to give a brief update of my life. Busy busy, as always! 

Thats it! Go, be free, read the next blog, don't let me hold you back! 

Thoughts on this day

Loved by many, hated by just as many, you guessed it, today is Valentine's day! I've heard the woes of the ones who don't have a lover to spend the day with, and I've also heard the hatred from the singles (and some couples) who despise the "commercial" or "hallmark" holiday.
Personally, I have spent very few Valentine's days with a guy (I can think of two), but I'm not one to bash the holiday. In years past, I've probably uttered bitter words on the 14th of February, but not anymore. Although some would say that you should show your loved ones, especially significant others, that you love them every day of the year and not just on this one day, I find this logic hollow. The sad truth is that most people DON'T take the time to appreciate the ones they love, myself included. I think it is nice to set aside a day out of the year to make sure you inform your loved ones that they are special to you. Significant others aren't just what the holiday is for.
St. Valentine was a martyr for what he believed in, and it is perfectly fine by me that we have set aside a day to celebrate those we love.
Whether you believe it is made up by greeting card companies, or you genuinely enjoy the cheesiness of the day, the fact remains that picking a day to remind those you love of how you feel is a great thing.
Now, go on and have your candlelit dinner complete with roses and chocolate and (hopefully) jewelry.

Job Stuff...

Well, I drove down to Buford yesterday for my job interview. I woke up around 6 so that I could leave by 7:30 to ensure that I wouldn't be late. I took backroads the whole way, which was nice and relaxing. I wasn't nervous until I got there, and even then I kept my nerves in check, which was nice.
I interviewed for over an hour. He told me all about the company so that I could make sure I knew what I was getting myself into. They basically provide advertising and help with finding means for funding for non-profits (Feed the Children) and Christian ministries. It's a small company, but they have a lot of clients, and I really liked the feel of the place.
The interview went well, and he even said "I really like you" which is a plus! But he also made the point that I needed to make sure it was a place that I wanted to be, especially because I'd be uprooting myself and moving to a new place where I don't know anyone (except Briana).
I left the interview feeling great, and after a quick stop over in Athens, GA to see my friend, I drove back. It was late last night, and it was raining a little here and there, and I was in a state of constant prayer. I began to feel uneasy. If I get the job, do I REALLY want to leave all of my friends and everyone I know and move to Georgia? Is it really a company that I can see myself spending an entire year, 40 hours a week, working at? What about my lease in TN, which isn't up until August? What about Suzanne, my roommate, who would now be living alone?
Needless to say, I've been stressed out ever since the interview. I told God that I was willing to do WHATEVER he wanted, but I kind of thought that would entail moving to a foreign country and getting to hang out with cool orphans or something. I didn't really think he would give me the chance to move to a new state, with a new company and new people, all while still being so close to home and everything I've worked for.
Then I start questioning whether I'm feeling uneasy because its not the right thing, or just because it would be uncomfortable to uproot myself and start over. I keep telling God that I really am willing, I just want to be sure that its what I'm supposed to do. If I know without a doubt that God wants me there, I'll be more than happy to move and trust him (seriously!) but my biggest fear is deciding to move and then realizing it was the wrong decision.
I'm supposed to hear back from them today...It's past noon and I'm still waiting...
Frustrated, stressed, and tired....
-Katie

Games of Hunger

Ironically enough, I AM hungry, but this post is actually about the alleged "Hunger Games". Like the majority of people who don't live under a rock, I have heard all of the hype surrounding these books, and I'll admit I was skeptical (wha? me? never!) to read them because of the types of people that kept saying how amazing they were.
A couple people in my classes last year said they were an easy read, and pretty interesting, so I decided I might give them a shot one day, just to see what all of the fuss was about.
The more I heard about the books, the more I put off reading them. Then, over Christmas break, my sister gave me the first one and told me to read it. I looked at it for awhile, and I even read the first sentence, but I left home with the book tucked away in a backpack, and soon forgot about it.
Social media reminded me that I should probably get started on the book, but the more I heard about it, the less I wanted to start reading.
The last weekend in January came. I worked Friday and all day Saturday, and when Sunday came I realized I had the entire day off. I went to church, cleaned out and vacuumed my car, then set to work on my house. I cleaned, scrubbed, vacuumed, washed, straightened, folded, you name it, I did it. With everything gleaming, I decided to curl up with a cup of coffee and a book. Unfortunately, the books I recently purchased from McKays were not calling my name. Then I remembered the book that I had stuffed in a backpack, and I kept hearing that its a book that you "can't put down", so I decided a day when I had a nice block of time was a good time to read it.
And so, I started it. Now, if you know me at all, you know I'm about to give you some opinions. You can disagree of course, but this is my blog so if my opinions offend you, look away. Little disclaimer there.
My first reaction was "What the? Present tense? Terrible choice." Because as anyone whose ever taken a basic writing class knows, present tense is difficult, and it usually doesn't work very well. It was jarring, and even after finishing the book, I think present tense was not the best choice. But, she did make it work, so props to her for that. I just personally didn't care for the tense.
Also, as I read the first four or five chapters, I kept finding grammatical errors. This is a curse I was born with; anytime I read anything my mind automatically corrects the errors. I was confused; was she trying to convey the voice of the narrator by using incorrect grammar? Or were they mistakes?
So, that threw me for a small loop. But, I overlooked it, because a fellow writing student told me that despite the rough writing in the beginning, it gets better.
So, I pressed on.
I thought it was obvious that the author was setting up a romance between Gale and Katniss, so I was pleasantly surprised when he didn't volunteer to go to the games as well.
I didn't find the book particularly interesting until about halfway through the Games segment. The writing definitely improved, and the world that she set up turned out to be much more in depth than I expected. It was a strange combination of a post apocalyptic world, where the people have nothing, and the electronic future, where everything is tracked and watched and televised. Obviously I found myself thinking of Lord of the Flies several times, but the Hunger Games had a sick twist, since the children should not have been in that situation in the first place.
I appreciated how dark she let the book get; I was afraid that being in the "young adult" genre would hinder her from going into too much detail. There was a nice balance between action and suspense and description, which is hard to do.
I didn't find that I "couldn't' put it down", but I did find myself curious as to what would happen. It was a really easy read, which was a nice change, and the plot was nicely pieced together. All in all, I'm glad that I read it, but I wouldn't say that I would read it again. I'll probably see the movie, and I might even read the rest of the trilogy if someone offers me the other two, but other than that, my time with the Hunger Games is finished. I gave it a chance, it didn't dazzle me but it did entertain me for a few hours, so that is that.
Cheers!

Words...

Words are definitely high on the list of my favorite things. No, this list does not actually exist, and probably never will, but I never tire of mentally adding things to it.
Let's see...blog blog blog. Well for starters, I posted a political statement on facebook. This is what I consider to be myself evolving into an adult. Granted, the post was a little negative, but you get the picture.
Ummm. Well, I've started delivering pizzas to people, which is actually quite fun! Granted, zero degree weather or rain could put a damper on things, but tonight was a BEAUTIFUL night, and I got paid to drive around (I may or may not have been listening to a book on my Ipod) and make people happy by bringing them food. There was actually a note on an online order that said "I'm drunk and hungry, plz hurry!! This was my favorite thing tonight. Honesty really is the best policy people! No, I didn't deliver their food, but the message still cracked me up. People are so crazy.
Presidential stuff is of no interest to me, which is silly because I'm always saying that we should respect our rights as Americans and use our freedom for the greater good. I'll figure out who I'm voting for when it comes around to that time of year again (ok fine, I still get excited at the idea that I'm old enough to vote again, sue me) but until then, I mostly stay out of political stuff.
So that's that.
I've really been trying to concentrate on "the little things" in life. Now that I'm graduated, I don't have ten things due in a day or have a bunch of meetings or classes or things that HAVE to get done. Also, the sermon last Sunday was about the parable of the talents (look it up, I'm not about to explain it) and how God really wants us to be diligent in the small things before he'll trust us with bigger things.
This was a really big deal for me. I've been struggling SO much lately about not having "big" tasks in my life. I want to be changing the world, not delivering pizzas! But God apparently has other things in mind for me right now. So, I've been using my free time to "be diligent" and try and stay grounded in what is important. Yesterday was one of the worst days I've had in a really long time (and if you know me at all, you probably know that I never have "bad days") and it seem to come at the worst time possible. I was like, really God? I'm trying my best to be diligent and you throw me this crap??
And then it hit me. I can't grow, or have any sort of substantial relationship with God, if I'm not tested. God gave me his fatherly all knowing look (I always personify God in my mind) and basically told me to suck it up. I've had an amazing life, and the little things that go wrong and seem to weigh me down are really pretty silly in the long run.
I was like, okay God, fine, I see your point. I'm going to remain diligent in the small things, even when it seems like everything is being thrown at me at one time. *grumble grumble*
Because really, if we can't remain true in the small tasks when things are going poorly, how can we ever expect to have big things thrust upon us and still survive?
So today, I woke up with a fresh attitude, and I concentrated on the small things. I drank coffee, I started a new book, and I dragged my awesome comfy chair onto my porch and basked in the sun. A friend who went to Cambridge with me once told me that "the sun is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" and I believe that with my whole heart. The fresh weather, sunshine, and relaxation completely rejuvenated me! I went to work with a smile, and I've had a great night thus far. Attitude is SO important, people. So yeah. On that note...
This is me, the humbled servant, signing off for the night.
:)

FINE!

Ok ok OK people, I really and truly am going to try and blog more often. I have no idea why blogging is such a struggle for me, it makes no sense for a cynical writer to not enjoy putting her cynical thoughts down and having people read them. Maybe it is the fact that I doubt many people will read my posts, and I think it is a bit of a waste of time since I don't know how to do all of the fancy shmancy stuff with blogs that most people do. I'm going to try and start including pictures and stuff though, so hopefully that will make it a little cooler? Yes? Maybe? Arg.
What to say, what to say...
Lately I'm struggling immensely with the dreaded question: What comes next? Everyone has been asking me what my plan is now that I'm graduated, and I get extremely frustrated anytime someone asks me this. I've reverted to saying "I'm just chilling" or the ever popular "I'm going to be a writer!" (I absolutely love how uncomfortable people get when I say the latter, they back away slowly and tell me how lovely that is...haha)
The problem for me is that there isn't much that I could do that I wouldn't be happy with. Let's see, a mortician, a coroner, a nurse, a Wal-Mart employee, a construction worker, and a truck driver are pretty much the only jobs that I wouldn't enjoy. Actually scratch truck driver, that would actually be kind of awesome. I could wear flannel all day and have an awesome dog for company.
Anyways.
The point is, at every stage of my life thus far, I've been content. More than content actually, I've been happy. No matter where I live or what I'm doing, I'm always fine with it. 9 out of 10 people who ask me what I'm doing now assume that I've moved back to my hometown, which really blows my mind. Don't get me wrong, I love North Carolina, but my town is so small and really has nothing for me right now, especially when I've pretty much got the world at my fingertips.
I've considered the Peace Corps, long term missions work, teaching English somewhere random, going on and getting my masters (I would only do this if it was somewhere abroad, I'm thinking Edinburgh) or just moving to a big city and trying to find a random job. The last option is the least appealing to me, but it seems to be what a lot of people assume I'm going to do. For me, right now, Cleveland is great because I'm comfortable here, I know people, I have connections with professors at school, and I have a great job (not great pay, but amazing people and an insanely flexible schedule) that pays the bills. Also, I have free time to write, and I'm freelancing for a tax software company based out of my hometown.
But alas, I know that my college days are over, which probably means I should get out of my college town, but I just can't seem to figure out where to go next! It's not that I don't have enough options, on the contrary, I seem to have too many. I could seriously do anything and everything and probably be happy. I could live anywhere (except maybe Antarctica, but I do love penguins...) and do any job, and be content.
Anyway, those are my current frustrations. Most people seem to think I need to have some big master plan for my life, but I honestly never gave much thought to post-college life. Graduation was always the goal, and it seems so unfair at how fast everything turns on you. One second everyone is super happy for you because you are about to graduate, then suddenly, they turn into an angry mob, demanding to know what your next move is going to be. Not fair.
I'm sure I'll get bored in Cleveland, but for now I try and stay busy reading and writing and working and hanging out with my friends. And catching up on sleep ;) My first endeavor after graduation was to reread all the Harry Potter books (granted, I've read them all at least five times, but not consecutively) which I've now almost accomplished. Next, I'm reading the Hunger Games, which I'm actually dreading because of the crazy hype surrounding it.
Oh crap, I promised pictures! I need to go back through and add some fun visual stimulation, which you will have seen by the time you read this, so maybe I should just erase this sentence. Nah.
So I can't think of any images that would be appropriate for this post. I promise I'll include pictures in some posts from now on!!

My Labor Day

Well, as most of you were complaining about it raining on your holiday and how you had to stay inside and watch movies all day, I figured I would share my day.
I woke up at 7:00 to read and get ready for the day (drink coffee, write a few letters, watch the rain, etc). It was a really nice way to start the day.
I went to class at 9:30, yes, we have class on labor day. I've honestly never been upset about it because I've gotten used to it while being at Lee. I had class until twelve, when I got my lunch and headed home. I had a break until my class at 4, so I planned on eating, watching a movie, and possibly napping before class and then work after. I got a text, asking anyone who could to come in and help at work because they were slammed. I felt guilty that people were there in the hectic weather trying to deliver pizzas, so I decided to go help. And help. And help some more.
Suddenly, it's ten o clock and I realize that I'm still at the store. It's now twelve thirty, and I've been home for about thirty minutes. Let's just say, it was a looong day. And it isn't over.
I've got to read about fifty pages and write a project proposal for my classes tomorrow.
Here's to hoping that Lee does something awesome: CANCEL CLASSES! This would be awesome but will probably not happen. Although there are several roads that are closed, so I really could just say I couldn't get to school. That would be wrong though..Arg I'm so tired of moral dilemmas.
So yeah, my labor day was exhausting, but I function best when I'm extremely busy. I've been getting a lot more done.
In other news, I was quite happy last Thursday because I successfully paid my bills, all on my own.
Ok I really can't take any more time to blog because I have school work looming, staring at me and begging me to come do it. But my bed is also trying to convince me that I should be laying in it instead...who will win? We will find out.
I love the rain more than most things in this world. There's something very calming and peaceful about it.
What I don't love, however, is monsoons that make the roads dangerous. My friend Brittney wrecked on the highway yesterday because she hydroplaned. Its pretty serious stuff.
But I still love rain nonetheless. It makes me feel like I have a right to be relaxing.
Goodnight!

So I guess I'll do a little recap of my life the past two weeks.
I left Franklin, moved back to Cleveland. Suzanne and I found an apartment and signed the lease in one day, and we were even successful in knocking fifty dollars off our rent AND not having to pay a deposit. Yeah, we're that good. Our utilities are officially in our name, and the internet people are coming on Monday. It's a crazy feeling, being an adult. Now that I've decided to pay my own bills, life is more stressful, but also a little more satisfying. Not that I'm ungrateful or anything; I've been blessed beyond what I deserve with parents who are more than generous and willing to help me whenever I need it. Which is probably why I'm ready to do stuff on my own.
So we moved everything in, and our furniture is super cute! Suzanne's brother gave her his old living room stuff, so everything matches (including my futon, crazy!) and our kitchen is quaint, just like everything in this apartment.
In other news, my pending graduation in December is stressing me out to the max. I have five writing/reading intensive classes, which means 3 separate 20 page papers, three presentations, and two 15 page papers. Not to mention a grand total of 15 books that I will have completely read by the end of the semester. Ahhhh!! I'm trying to take everything a day at a time, so far I have successfully done at least an hour of homework and an hour of reading every night, which is new for me because usually I can do things the morning they're due and not have to read in order to get by, but I'm really trying to excel this semester, not just scrape by.
But that's boring school stuff. Unfortunately, it's my focus this semester. Part of me wishes I would have spread it out between this semester and next semester and just graduate in May, but I'm really feeling the need to just work really really hard to get all of this done in one straight shot.
Not to mention I also have a part time job (remember the whole paying my own bills thing?) which requires at least 20-25 hours a week of my precious time. Sigh.
I've never thought of weekends as a time to catch up on homework until now. I wrote two small papers today, and read 100 pages of one of my books. Who am I??? This is craziness. Instead of watching movies and napping all day until time to go to work, I'm actually being productive?? Good grief. It's like I'm an adult or something.
That's pretty much all about my life right now. I'm terribly sorry it didn't contain a lot of sarcastic observations about people or delightfully cynical insights of life. My brain feels so squished with information already (three days into the semester, yikes) that it's difficult for me to be witty right now. Hopefully I'll have some wit and charm in my next post. In fact, it will be my goal.
I worked until 12:30 am this morning, and I'm about to head back to work. At least I love the people I work with, because that makes all the difference.
Here's a quote from the book I'm reading, The French Lietenants Woman by John Fowles.
He is speaking about writers, and the reasons we write.
"We wish to create worlds as real as, but other than the world that is. Or was. This is why we cannot plan. We know a world is an organism, not a machine. We also know that a genuinely created world must be independent of its creator; a planned world (a world that fully reveals its planning) is a dead world. It is only when our characters and events begin to disobey us that they begin to live."
Word.

Glorious Day

The day before yesterday was a glorious afternoon. I came home from work around 4 and immediately noticed how fantastic it felt outside. It was a mere 80 degrees with a lovely light breeze which contained the foreshadow crispness of autumn. I couldn't stand the thought of being inside any longer after working inside all day, so I grabbed my "yard laying supplies". For those of you who don't know, my top ten necessary yard laying supplies are as follows:

1. Blanket (preferably big enough to spread everything out on and lay down comfortably)
2. At least 1 book
3. Musical playing device
4. Journal and pens
5. Quote book
6. Letter writing material
7. Sun glasses or hat
8. Bug spray
9. Camera
10. Snack and/or drink

I may take all ten of these things, or mix and match a few. Depends on how much time I have. I also have to wear dirty clothes in case I decide to climb a tree. Which happened the other day, and it was fabulous, regardless of the fact that my dog freaked out and thought I was dying and kept jumping in the air, attempting to bite my foot to pull me down. Which of course was funny at first, but not so funny when he almost succeeded to pull me off the branch as I climbed back down. I have to say, it was one of the most relaxing afternoons I've had in awhile. I read a book called The French Lieutenant's Woman, which is set in England and so I read it out loud in a British accent to my cat. Yes, I did feel like Alice reading to her cat Dinah and no, I did not see a white rabbit. I've decided to have days like that more often. Even if I don't have time to do it for very long, I need to lay on a blanket outside and read a book as often as I can. It's good for the soul, and that's something you can't afford to be bad to.

This time spent outside reminded me of two things. One was an afternoon in Cambridge with Ashley and Molly spent in the park on a blanket. All three of us being English majors, it only seemed appropriate that we would bring an ungodly amount of books, journals, etc..



And we just soaked up the sunshine we had missed oh so much while living in England.

It was a magical day for us because warm days were rare, as you can imagine since we lived there from January to April!



I was also reminded of a little trip I took one day in Cambridge by myself. I went to a park that none of us ever went to since it was on the opposite side of town (bear in mind we were always on bikes!). I discovered this fantastic tree:





I mean, seriously, how stinkin AWESOME is this tree? Doesn't it make you just want to go lay under it, or climb into it? I decided to do the first idea and spent the afternoon relaxing under this magnificent tree.

I had a lovely view of a playground!

So as you can see, it was a great day in Cambridge that was spent exploring and wandering to my heart's content. That evening, there was an amazing sunset.


Ahh...talk about lovely! Man, I miss England.

That's it for now, folks. Take time to enjoy the little things!
If you want to read more about my England/European travels, check out my travel blog.
http://mydistantlands.tumblr.com/

Byeee!

Bloggers Galore

My dad mentioned to me awhile back that he was sad that I wasn’t still blogging. I replied with the obvious answer: I’m not traveling, so why would I keep up my travel blog? This answer didn’t seem sufficient for him, but I brushed it off and went about my merry way.

I’ve been really, really bored at work the past few days, so I’ve been reading a few blogs that have thousands of followers. I really enjoy reading them, but I’m beginning to notice a few things about them. First of all, these writers are young. Not young in the sense that they are under 30. I mean that about 90 percent of them are my age, if not younger. Second, the most popular blogs seem to be women (I say women even though I am their age and don’t consider myself a “woman”) with husbands and kids. People want to read about housewives! What is this about? Most of them have side jobs, but their blogs have gotten so popular that they are able to sell advertising and literally make a living off of their thoughts and musings about their daily activities! What the heck?

The last thing I’ve noticed is that while yes, these blogs are very aesthetically pleasing and include lots of visual aids, there really isn’t that much to them! They talk about their clothes, their hair, their husbands and children, and that’s it! Wah lah, they have a super popular blog that is now making them money! This is mind boggling to me, and I can’t help but think the thought that always seems to creep in my head when I’m reading most things, the thought that hey, I could easily do this. Now, I don’t mean this is in a cocky way, and I’m not even sure how it could be taken as that because these bloggers are not professional writers in any way, they are just good at getting their thoughts out. Which, in all honesty, doesn’t seem like a huge deal to me because I always tend to feel like everyone has the ability to put their thoughts down in a semi-interesting manner. But I guess that’s probably not true.

So, I guess what I’m getting at is that I’m going to use this blog as a bit of a practice blog. I’m going to force myself to write a few times a week (maybe? hopefully? we’ll see) and just see what happens. Unlike most bloggers, the thought that people might be reading does the opposite of exciting me, it intimidates me. I’ve never been one to let people read my writing or know my thoughts, mostly because I feel like I’m 90 percent crazy about 90 percent of the time. But hey, I’m 22, so I really don’t have much to lose by just putting what I think about life and random things from my day into an internet blog.

Did you think I was finished? Oh no, you thought wrong. This is my first attempt at writing about my day/week/life, so here goes.

Thoughts:

-I really hate how facebook keeps all of your friend requests, even the ones you deny (they don’t call it denying anymore though, it is the “not now” button these days). Even when you say no, it still keeps them, it just “hides” them. As if one day I might think, hey, what ever happened to that 50 year old creepy man that wanted to be my friend? He didn’t seem so bad, maybe I should go back and befriend him! Um, no. Not happening. If I change my mind, let me find the person and request them myself. Sometimes facebook tries to be too helpful.

-People seem to think that since I’m young and unsure of what I’m doing with my life, that entitles everyone and their uncle to give me advice. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it is very helpful, but the ones that got married and had kids young always give me the “stay single while you can!” speech, at the same time the ones that stayed single for a long time give me the “find love and hold onto it because it’s the only thing that matters!” talk. I used to think I needed to take everyone’s advice as signs from God that were leading me in a certain direction, but I realize now that people are just trying to be helpful and I should heed warnings, learn from others’ mistakes, but blaze my own trail and do what I want to do.

-The more I think about my future, the more I’m realizing how different our generation is from the ones before us. Our grandparents didn’t think about what career they wanted to pursue; they just did whatever job they were given and pursued it with everything they had. Women didn’t worry about being independent and staying young forever, they just married if they fell in love and had kids and stayed content with their life. People from that generation seem to be so much more content with the cards they are dealt. Today, everyone’s motto seems to be “if you don’t like your life, change it! do everything it takes to get everything you want!” I don’t know, to an extent this seems ok but for some reason it just seems better to not be constantly wanting something different than what you have.

I think that’s all I really have to discuss right now. Maybe I’ll write a blog about my family’s medical mission trip to Panama soon. It was definitely a trip worth telling people about. We’ll see.

One more thing, I never read over my writing before turning it in. It’s a nasty terrible habit I have that is the cause for a lot of spelling and grammatical errors, not to mention typos. Maybe I’ll try and be better about this. Maybe I won’t. You never know with me.

Cheers!