Wow. So I haven't actually really blogged since fall break. What the heck is going on? Whenever I stop to write something it just seems that there is nothing to be said. It's just the same old things. Things get really shitty and then things get really great and it basically rides between those two extremes constantly. But hey, that's what makes life exciting I suppose.

I can honestly say, that right now I feel amazingly positive about everything in my life. I've decided to stop mopping and fretting over things. And once I decided that I became instantly refreshed and things seemed to start going my way.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

And somehow I *still* haven't said anything in this post. So here's some random stuff that has happened to me lately in case you wanted to get caught up

White Sox swept the fucking World Series!!! It is still a bit surreal but holy crap. Fantastic! Now I think it would be extraordinary if the Cubs won in next year. And that is a White Sox fan speaking.

I have been spending more time with Jamie and that is phenomenal. I missed her.

I cannot wait to live in our house next year, craziness and all.

I am working at the Disney Store over Thanksgiving. What the fuck am I thinking?!?

I am looking forward to thanksgiving break to see friends and family. and stuffing! mmmm!

Johanna visited me the other Saturday and it was fantastic I love her.

I made Joe watch the notebook mwahahaha

Okay, I'm done.

************* POSITIVE ATTITUDE******************

I never thought I would miss high school drama so much ...

it sure beats college drama right now.

Partially a test to see if this new Picasa/Blog button works.

Partially to say that damn, we are hot.

That's all ;) 

So, I'm basically the luckiest girl in the entire world. :D

So, it turns out that I have really really missed home. I don't know what it is about this place, but it just gives me warm fuzzy feelings. The past few days of fall break have been so refreshing.

I miss my family. Johnny and Sheila are both so much older than they were when I left. Johnny is a SENIOR, which I conveniently forget every 5 minutes and have to realize all over again. Sheila is 13! She both looks and acts so much older than that 10 year old that I somehow always view her as. Pretty soon she's gonna be a 'real person' or something. I love spending time with my mom and dad, who just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary Tuesday which makes me feel so incredibly grateful for my family and our closeness and goofiness.

Speaking of family time ... I came home and looked in the fridge to check out Diet Coke situation and what did I find? 12 bottles of Bud Select with a note reading "Hi Mary, Be good. See you when I get home from work. PS Cheers! Love, Dad" I had mentioned that Bud Select was my favorite beer to my dad last time I was home. I was a little confused on how to take that, but it led to my first beer with the family Saturday night. I think that my dad was actually really excited. God, we are such an Irish family ....

Saturday night I also went to Joe's grandparents 50th wedding anniversary dinner. Happy and Sappy emotions ensued ...

I was able to grab lunch with Caryn on Sunday, I miss that girl. So that was fun. We stopped in to visit Marty at Linens and Things too. I'm so glad that I caught him, I would have been sad not to see him while I was home. I also spent a good portion of yesterday with Mary Rehor and we might be planning a St. B's reunion of '99/'00/'01 classes this summer. Hm, interesting ...

So my point was I saw a lot of friends while I've been home, and that is worth smiling about.

I've also seen Joe every day, It's only semi pathetic that we can't go one day of fall break not seeing each other, mostly I'd like to think that it's sweet.

This past year and a half ish has been one strange trip. I went from the extreme of being overly obsessed with high school friends/relationship/drama, to being emmersed in Bradley and the growth of the crew. And now, I feel at a middle point. Everything at school is so different than last year, and I have realized that it really will never be the same as last year. But some good things remain, and other great things are still being discovered. And when I come home it isn't so much worrying about who I will see and how this will be weird/different, but enjoying what is the same and seeing people I care about. I'm not as completely centered on one world or the other this year. School is great and home is great. It's all sort of merging into my life. Not old and new. But just here and there. I just took a really long time to say all that. Basically I am just feeling very content. And that's a nice feeling.

I'm sure when I get back to school something will come around and shake it all up ... but that's what makes life interesting, now isn't it.

I walked outside this morning and it was Autumn. Sort of as if God just turned a switch and we went from summer to fall. And just walking out into the air I was blasted to the last time that I found myself on Bradley's campus in that crips air. The entire texture and experiences of a year ago washed over me all at once. The naivity and innocence, the first college crushes (or crush, um yeah ...), being completely new to campus, just the entire feel of that time that can't be described in a sentence. And then I thought. Holy Crap. That was ONE YEAR AGO. A year is a long time! And then I started thinking about what one year ago was to me last year. And how that is now TWO YEARS AGO. Time moves freaking fast when you look back. I can still place myself in the mindset of one and two years ago, and it's insane how different each is. A year ago I was just getting to know my roommmate, and 'her friends', I didn't know Denise from any other KD pledge, hadn't a *clue* that Joe even existed, and was truthfully still wrapped up in high school drama. My emotions and feelings were still highly affected by the happenings in the blogosphere, high school relationships, and high school infatuations. This year, while I still care *immensely* for my friends from home, my mind is more concerned with the here and now of the troubles and experiences of my Bradley friends. Who would have thought that a crisp autumn chill could cause so much of a mental process ...

Another random note:
I bought an address book at Hallmark the other day (because I like to waste my money on pretty things that I really don't need, god damn working in retail!) ... ANYWAYS, I was filling it in with friends from high school that I had in my old book, and it occured to me, that I really didn't have an address for a few people. People who are in transition and things. And then I started thinking that really ALL the addresses I had in there were temporary transitory addresses. For most of those people, they will soon be moving out into apartments on their own, or in with significant others in some cases. Either way, it is scary to think that in not too long of a time, I will be updating all those addresses with 'real life' residences of some of my friends. IN just a few short years some of us may not be living with our parents anymore .... and that was just mind blowing to me to realize. So I decided to share ...

I'm going home this weekend, and I am really looking forward to it actually. It will be nice to have a break from Bradley. Everything is just so different this year and I just want to be home and relax away from thinking about it all ...

I'm gonna make Joe listen to country on the way home from Bradley hehehehe ... or at least try to.

The only other thing I want to say is that I am so thankful for all the friends in my life. The past couple of weeks I have been preoccupied with worrying about my lack of frienships in certain places ... but I have been over looking the fantastic friendships that I haven't been putting that much effort into recently. So to all of you guys, I love you, and I appreciate you guys so much more than you know! I am a lucky lucky girl ...

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Well, I've been 'tagged' so I guess I have no choice but to post another survey :) I think I did this sometime last year, but why the hell not do it again ...

10 years ago I was:
- Happy and didn't know it.
- in Mrs. Cavanaugh's 4th grade class, she made the 4th grade fun.
- playing soccer and softball. My how interests change from grade school ...


5 years ago I was:
- Breaking up with Katie. (if you know the story... well then you know) Wow, that made me sounds like a lesbian. That's really not what I meant. I'm gonna shut up now.
- Still thought I was in love with Brandon Scodius (Oh Mary ...)
- unaware that my friends were planning a surprise 16th bithday bash for me under my very nose. (I was still a dumbass back then too)

1 year ago I was
- Still caught up in Fenwick drama.
- just starting to hang out with Jamie and 'her friends'
- a freshman for probably the last time ever.


Yesterday I
- Went to Bennigans with Smu and Denise
- studied my ass off for Com219 (why do i procrastinate again and again?)
- Watched Walker with the sae boys, they are so delightfully entertaining.

I enjoy
- steak and shake milkshakes
- dinner dates with friends
- Power Hours with the Crew!
- making new friends

5 Songs I know all the words to:
- God Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flats
- Just to See You Smile - Tim McGraw
- Since You've been Gone - The fabulous Kelly Clarkson
- Keg in the Closet - Kenny Chesney
- The entire Phantom soundtrack ( I couldn't choose just one song!)

5 things I would do with 1 million bucks
- Buy a bunch of cool stuff
- put some towards studying aboad next January
- Give the rest to something worthwhile, like charity or something.

5 places I would run away to:
- G910
- Anywhere a kind listening ear was
- Ireland
- Hawaii
- the past

5 things I would never wear:
- Croc shoes, we sell them at Hallmark, and apparently they are comfortable and a new trend but I think that they are UGLY and I'm sticking to it!
- High Heels, I get yelled at
- hats, I look horrible in them!
- ?
- ? I'm too tired for this survey, clearly


5 favorite t.v. shows
Well, I never really watch tv anymore but ...
- The Daily Show
- Dawson's Creek
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- I love the ... (insert decade here)
-The OC

5 bad habits
- GOSSIPING
- eating when I'm not hungry
- judging others
- being a non smoker smoker
- biting my nails, I STILL haven't outgrown it

5 biggest joys
- realizing just how many amazingly awesome friends I have
- Seeing a new friend request on facebook, just kidding (okay, well maybe not)
- A really good nap
- Seeing a friend or group of friends for the first time in a while and picking up right where you left of
- Being able to vent and relax with Joe

5 fictional characters i would date
- Dimitri from 'Anastasia'
- The guy from futurama, come on, he's cute. Okay, I guess I'm just a sucker for funny guys.
- Seth from the OC
- Noah from the Notebook
- The guy from Garden State.

Tagging: Jamie, Katie, Sara, Denise, and ... Susie. All the friars have already been tagged!