good good day

I wanted to talk about something slightly inappropriate today, but decided against it...maybe another time.

Today was a good day.

It was Latte Wednesday......wait. You don't know what Latte Wednesday is?! It's kind of a big deal in our office.

Latte Wednesday is the day of the week when any size latte at Espresso is $2.25...holy guacamole.

So, naturally, it was a good day.

Also, the new Mumford and Sons album came out yesterday and I'm in love with it.

Aaaaand I had dinner with Claire tonight so that made my day happy.

Aaaaaand JP and I found out that we are allowed to have a coffee maker in our office. Holla! Totes gonna run to GoodWill and grab me one of those asap.

Aaaaaaand Father Rocky from Relevant Radio came by SJCNC tonight to talk about Media and Religious Freedom.

A good day. A good day indeed.

is this real life?

ever seen this commercial?

it pops up A LOT on Hulu and every time I see it, my reaction is somewhere between disgust and laughter.
disgust because...well, seriously?
"oh look, women! we're making it more 'green' to kill your pre-born children!"
and laughter because it just sounds dumb...
"prefers her paint lead free...prefers her coffee caffeine-free...prefers her baby-killing device hormone free"

sign me up!
NOT.

this ad is just about as not-funny as this trailer

you have GOT to be kidding me.

just when you think that our society can't stoop any lower....

"someday..."

I, like many others, use Pinterest to find and share unique and interesting ideas.
I, like many young women my age, have a "Weddings" board.
Only, mine is actually named "Weddings" whereas many others are named "maybe.someday" or "A girl can dream, right?" or my personal favorite "I just need a man & a ring..."
Seriously?

Now, I'm not trying to call out all those ladies who name their boards ridiculous things...that's not my point. Neither am I condemning those who have "future wedding" boards, because I think that Pinterest is great and if/when I ever do get married, it will definitely be a necessary resource for me.
But the fact that these boards are actually named those names makes me kind of sad because I think it reflects a greater truth about our society.

It's like when I was in college and me and all of the people I knew were constantly talking about "when we graduate" or "when we pay off our loans" or "when we all are married" or "when we all have kids" and once in awhile I'd sit back and wonder "What about today? What about right now?"
I mean sure, we're bound to make plans and have goals, those are actually really important things to do...but being in constant future-thinking mode isn't healthy because I think it tends to make us lose track of the here and now.

Right now is what's happening today.
Right now is what I'm living.
Right now is when I can make a difference.
Right now slips away so easily when you're always thinking about the future.

And so for the past few months, I've really been trying to live for today. Live in the moment and enjoy it! I mean, I won't be single and 100% independently on my own forever. (hopefully ;)
I'm definitely nowhere near being a pro at this and I still get caught up in wondering/worrying about loan payments and when Mr. Right will come around and how many kids I want, etc etc but I think the point is that you need to try.

Try to enjoy today and what's happening right now because it goes by really fast and you're only going to be exactly right where you are right now for a certain amount of time.
Embrace it.

p.s. lo siento on all of the deep posts lately. I'll try to throw in some more up-beat, brainless posts soon :)

who are you, really?

I was hanging out with a couple of my favorite people yesterday (Claire and Emsh) and I found myself saying things like "oh my gosh you sound JUST like your sister" (which I would know because Claire's sister is one if my bbfs), when I realized that I was also saying things that sounded like Kunk. Huh.

And it got me thinking about how many of my mannerisms and personality traits seem to resemble different close friends that I've had over the years.

I won't bore you with only slightly descriptive descriptions of these many wonderful people, but among them include Kunk, Liz, Kiley, Tyler, Carol, Taryn, Lori, etc. And many many more.

Now, what do all of these people have in common? Well, they're all mostly women (which is good...that I'm becoming more like women and not men...) but on top of that, they have strong personalities. And over the years of knowing them, I've picked up certain things that they say or do.

Examples:
"Deuces" -Kunk
"Not a big fan" -Tyler
"Your team" -Liz&Kiley
"Cray cray" -Carol
etc etc etc

[it's actually reallllly hard to sit down and pick out what specifically you've picked up from different people, but there are maaany others, to be sure]

"ok, ok. so your friends have rubbed off on you, who cares? that probably happens to everyone!"

THAT is EXACTLY my point!

People have said all my life to "be aware of who you surround yourself with because that's what you'll become" and sure, I take it seriously, but there were times (especially in high school or early on in college) when I thought "ah, whatever...I mean, sure these people aren't exactly what I want to be like, but I'm my own person...I'm not going to change just by hanging out with them..."

But you do.

It doesn't happen instantaneously, but gradually, over time, the people who you surround yourself with begin to change the way you think, the way you feel, and the way you act. For better or for worse.
Yes, you have the choice of whether or not to hang out with these people in the first place, but the social modifications that occur aren't always in your control. They just happen.

And I've seen first-hand how real it is. In some ways, it's good...like in the different phrases or mannerisms I've picked up from different people. But in other ways, I've noticed that sometimes I change for the worse. Like, if I hang out with someone who is totally negative all of the time, I end up feeling and acting negatively. Or if I'm hanging out with someone who swears a lot...I tend to also begin to swear more. Etc etc etc....

I think that this concept is something that is important to keep in mind throughout our entire lives because we're always meeting new people and experiencing new situations and those new surroundings can either help us to be a better version of ourselves or someone we don't want to be. The choice is always ours, but it's the subliminal changes that occur when we don't think about our choices are what we need to keep an eye out for.

To close, I'd like to leave you with a quote from my first chaplain at ISU, Father Antonio Dittmer:

"If you desire to be holy, surround yourself with holy people"

In other words, surround yourself with what you desire to be, because that is what you will ultimately become.

i'm awesome.

totes mcgotes.

Reason #74: I can eat and ride a bike at the same time

yuuuup.

now, is this safe? no.
is this smart? probably not.
but is it efficient and delicious? fosho.

I've gotten strange looks from many a person in my lifetime, but none compare to the ones I got today whilst eating my [[delicious!]] pear on the way home from work/the library today.

Hey, if people eat/apply mascara/talk on the phone while operating a motor vehicle, why can't I eat while riding my bicycle?

I mean, really. What's the worst that could happen?

my sentiments exactly.

copycat

So, for lack of inspiring material, I decided that I'd copy one of my most favorite bloggers and do a link-up.

For those of you who weren't aware, I read A LOT of blogs. Some theology-based, others just for fun. And I like to recommend my favorites to people I know.

[for less experienced internet browsers, to go to what I'm talking about below, click the blue words]

unrelated pic of me and lovely Liz from this past week :)

To start off, just so it's out there in the open and everyone is totally aware of how much of a weirdo I am, check out my very favorite blogger [and the inspiration for this post], Grace. I'm totally obsessed with her blog and want to be bffe&e with her. She's too funny and her kids are just the perfect combo of "are-you-freaking-kidding-me-they're-so-cute-it's-not-fair-to-the-rest-of-the-world's-children" and hilarity.

And here's a link to the cutest video on the interwebs. EVER.

If you're REALLY interested in knowing what I'm doing throughout my day, check out my Instagram. Loads of pixelated entertainment!

Another great blogger is Lauren. She's a student at the U of I and she's great. Super hilarious and awesome. Chris is another U of I student who writes about Catholicism. They're both super inspiring.

And if you're really into a sometimes satirical, yet realistic view on the world and thought-provoking theological discussion, check out Marc from BadCatholic.

This is one of my newest favorites. She's hilarious.

And Ana is Scott Hahn's daughter-in-law. And she's crazy funny.

Have a super-tastic Monday!

"so....do you play sports?"

This is a question I get a lot....and no, it's not because I'm in impeccable shape (definitely not) but rather because I'm taller than average (5'10.5'' for those of you who were wondering).

I don't know in what universe "tall" became an indicator for "athletic ability" but I am living proof that this is not always the case. See, I like to say that I am "athletically challenged"...and for good reason. Let me walk you through my sporting history......

My first memory of sports is when I was in co-ed soccer...I think I was about 5? My dad was coaching the team and he so earnestly desired that his first-born would be the athletic prodigy that every father dreams of.
Sorry to disappoint, Pops.
My only motivation to even participate in the practices and games was that I had a crush on the other coach's son. He was blonde and dreamy and so you can understand why my young heart was a crushin'. I specifically remember that my dad had written out nametags for one of the first practices (because who can keep 10 youngsters straight?) and in an attempt to get the attention of the young man my heart longed for, I took my nice-and-sticky nametag off and put it over my mouth, pretending that I couldn't talk...hoping he'd think I was funny. He, of course, fell for my tricks.....aaaand so did the rest of the team. Pretty soon the entire practice was down the toilet due to the coach's flirtatious daughter.
Again, sorry Pops.
Nothing else about my soccer career sticks out other than the granola bars we got at the end of the game and the fact that I hated running because it made me tired.
It only goes up from here!

I did some maturing and by 4th grade, I was (slightly) less boy-crazy and was ready to venture into the sport of softball. Plus, teams were no longer co-ed so that was no longer a factor. Now, as some background info, my brother had been playing baseball for a couple years by now and I saw that he got to experience the wonders of the concession stand after every game....and I wanted a piece of that action.
The first year I played softball, we wore ugly maroon jerseys (definitely wasn't in it for the fashion statement) and when I even got to play, I was ALWAYS placed in the outfield. Not that I blame my coach...I wasn't very good. I only played the infield once and that was because we were short players so I had my moment to shine as shortstop...and no balls came to me. Not that I could complain, that also meant that I couldn't mess up. But no worries, next season would offer me many opportunities to make a royal fool of myself.
5th grade softball was more intense...this time it wasn't just the coach who wanted us to perform well, but my teammates were more invested. Which meant more pressure for me...and also meaning that when I messed up, it was more tragic. Like that one time that I didn't realize that you actually had to step on home plate in order for the run to count. Yeah. That actually happened. I was on third and got walked in and thought that since the run was a given, I could just go straight to the dugout...which, when you think about it, really does make sense, but nooooo the ump had to go ahead and pull my coach and I aside and grill me as to whether or not I touched home plate. Whoops. Needless to say, the run didn't count and my team wasn't too happy with dumdum me...
By the end of that 2nd season, I had realized that it wasn't just being on a softball team that allowed you to choose a treat from the concession stand, it was my mom who had to give money each week to the coach to cover my treat-getting. Aaaaand I could get concession stand food without having to embarrass myself on the field? Score.

When it came to Junior High, there were intramural volleyball teams available...no tryouts, a lot more low-key....definitely up my alley. And I enjoyed it! I was actually pretty good...and I still have a mean serve. This was when I realized that my dislike wasn't actually for athletics (although to this day, I HATE running of any kind)...rather, I can't stand that competitive pressure that teammates (and coaches) put on you as a player. Sure, I like to win...doesn't everyone? But what I like even more is HAVING FUN. And it is called a "game" after all...aren't games supposed to be fun?

Some people are naturally coordinated and skilled when it comes to sports...take my brother, the all-around athlete, or my neighbor who is a fantastic linebacker and (3rd in State)wrestler. But for those of us who just enjoy the camaraderie and (tiny tiny tiny) amount of exertion that comes with playing physical games, shouldn't the focus be on fun? Maybe that's why in High School I focused more on dance and music, but I still do enjoy a game of sand volleyball...that is, if my team can understand and respect that my goal is to have fun...yes, I'll try to do well, but if I'm not all that great, don't yell at me man! It's definitely not going to make me better.

What's the point? uhhhh....now that is a great question.

happy random wednesday

I'm enjoying The Voice auditions...partially because of the music...but mostly because I like to cry over the stories.

Weird? Yes. But would you expect anything different?

Didn't think so.

Also, I'm considering finding out how much this bus is selling for.

it's always been a dream of mine to have a VW bus

how freaking baller is that?!?!

And I also got my very first official non-family follower. And she has a great blog...check Lauren out :)

That's all.

on the street where I live...

I live on Daniel St.
Right smack dab between John St. and William St.

My Grandpa's name was John William :)

More neighborhood adventure pics...

[[Things I Love]]

[[Weddings]]

...and in-love couples :) Last weekend (Sept 1), two of my very favorite people, Patrick and Lori, got hitched in the infamous Teutopolis (fondly referred to as T-town) and the party was rockin'! It was fantastic to see some of my best friends and dance the night away!

Mr. and Mrs. Wood!

[[Babies]]

This one comes as no surprise to anyone, but more specifically, I LOOVE my friends' children. They're freakin' beautiful. It's really not fair to the rest of the children in the world.

Mrs. Wood with Lucy and Bridget

The Woods, Lucy, Anne, Eli and I

Aren't they the cutest?! Lucy, Bridg and Anne are sisters...with a baby brother on the way!!! And Eli [aka Boo] is Patrick's BFF's son. Cutest.

[[Men's undershirts]]

And by this I mean these:

mmhmmm :) But on me, they look like this:

long.modest.comfy.perf.

That's all I have for now...check out my Instagram for constant pictoral updates :)