Friday, August 30, 2013

The Bucket List

Tonight, my mom and I were talking about our bucket lists. We lost my grandfather very unexpectedly in May of 2012 and we have been doing our best to live life as much as possible. Today we were deciding all of the things we wanted to do before we die.
Most of these involved travel, but it got me thinking that I need to make a Bucket list that I can keep adding to as I learn of new things to do or places to go.
1. Go to Peru. A friend and I have talked about this in great detail, but it hasn't happened and I want it to.
2. Go to Costa Rica and meet Mabel Marin, a playwright whose work I have analyzed and admired in great detail.
3. Shop in Harrod's
4. See Dave Matthews at Red Rocks
5. Hike someplace super exciting (but not dangerous...please)
6. Ride in a hot air balloon
7. Shop on Rodeo Drive just like Vivian in Pretty Woman. (I use this reference because they wouldn't want to help me either.)
8. Ride a horse on a trail without a single fence in sight.
9. Live abroad
10. Drink wine in France, either in Bordeaux or Champagne.
11. Visit the Grand Ole Opry again.
12. Watch every movie on my "to watch" list
13. Learn to make macarons the French way
14. Visit the Caribbean islands
15. Learn Russian
16. Become an expert in something
17. Write a novel (even if no one ever reads it)
18. Have an article published in a scholarly journal
19. Marry my best friend
20. Become a doctor

What is on your bucket list?

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

5 for 5 and Confessions!

I'm playing a little bit of catch up this week. I have really, really slacked on blogging since I've traveled so much this summer and haven't been around my computer 24/7. Then school started and things got equally crazy. So now I'm back, and working on awesome stuff for Sorority Stylista. I will be posting ALL of my articles on this blog, but I will start having some things published on Sorority Stylista. So excited for that.
As I play catch up I'm trying to get my bearings for what this semester is going to look like. Let's start with confessions.

1. I procrastinate like its my job. I cannot deny that my bed is my happy place. It is so comfortable and inviting. I say I'm going to just have a quick rest then get to work...and two hours later it's time to move on to the next task and no work is done.
2. I am addicted to Krispy Kreme Krispy Juniors Mini Crullers. I'd like this addiction to go away...but it hasn't happened yet.
3. I'm drowning in trying to get a handle on two internships, four classes, keeping up with the household, and planning out my future.
4. I haven't remembered my hearing aids in about 10 days...EPIC FAIL.

Next...goals! I'm supposed to tell you how I did on the last ones, but I don't even remember them if that tells you how I did.
1. Remember hearing aids every day. This is ridiculous. They are expensive and necessary, stop forgetting!!!
2. Don't fall behind in any class.
3. Try to write one blog article every day (this is a try not...definite)
4. Organize closet. When I have extra time.
5. Make a study schedule that is realistic and easy to follow.

What are your goals and challenges lately?

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Old Goals, New Goals

So last week my goals were pretty straightforward.
1. Pack for Chicago, check. I was quite successful. I did end up going home early and missing the Detroit trip because of a cold. Colds are miserable when you have vertigo or ear issues.
2. Start recording expenses, sorta check. I keep all receipts now, but I haven't been logging each expense in a notebook like I had wanted to
3. Make and stick to grocery lists, n/a. I haven't been home, and didn't want to get groceries before I left!
4. Go to bed earlier with time to read, big time no. I pass out the second my head hits the pillow lately.
5. Remember hearing aids every day, check!

This week will be a little different
1. Fix dent in back bumper of the silver bullet (aka. my Kia)
2. Read as much of the book for senior seminar as I can so I will be prepared. It's a total snore.
3. Get my guest room cleaned out and handicap accessible for my aunt to visit :) she is still in a wheelchair from a traumatic car accident, so I want her to feel welcome.
4. Get a present for Dad's 40th birthday. And make his favorite: german chocolate cake!
5. Finish putting together boyfriend's birthday surprise.
*Bonus* - try to get more than 1 blog a week in ;)
Are you keeping up with your goals??


Sunday, August 4, 2013

Goals for the Week!

This is my first time ever publishing my goals for the week, but many of the bloggers I follow every day share their goals with the world. +Lindsey Mart's goals always motivate me, so do +Carly A. Heitlinger's. So here it goes.
1. Pack for Chicago/Detroit Trip. I'm really nervous about this as it is the first time I've ever been up North for longer than a day or so. It will be quite a culture shock with native Michiganders (my boyfriend's family.) AND a 4.5 hour car ride with his dad and his dad's girlfriend from Chicago to Detroit. I always say that if you look your best, you will feel your best so packing is very stressful.

2. Start recording expenses. Target has this fantastic expense tracker made by Fivestar http://tgt.biz/12So0tq. I always have this "Where did all my money go??" feeling at the end of a month, so I want to get a better handle of where it's going. There's also a free app I've become obsessed with: Receipt Hog available through iTunes and the Play Store. You just take pictures of your receipts and it saves the amounts and locations for quick reference.

3. Make and stick to grocery lists! I waste so much money on spur-of-the-moment purchases at the grocery store because it "looked good."

4. Go to bed earlier with time to read before bed. I buy books and REALLY want to read them, but I am so busy or get caught up in a stupid movie and stay up too late. 

5. REMEMBER hearing aids every single day. I have total deaf days because I leave them on a table at home or in the case somewhere in my house and spend the whole day saying "huh?" "what?" because I couldn't remember to stick them in!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

USG Book Club

What do the most well-known blogs all have in common? A Bowl Full of Lemons, The College Prepster, Sticky Note Addict....just to name my favorites. BOOK CLUBS! So here is the Unconventional Sorority Girl's FIRST book recommendation. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to cook. Then you'll call me if you can't cook....
A good friend of mine lent me this book a few weeks ago and it sat on my night stand for a while. One sleepless night, I decided to pick it up. She said that she thought I would like it, and that there was a recipe for Pomegranate Baklava that I would just be dying to try.
She was right. At first, I though "Oh, god. Not another romance novel." Then I dug deeper. The protagonist, Elena Alvarez, suffered a massive car accident which left her body mangled. She is followed by the ghosts of her sister and boyfriend who died in the crash and finds solace only in cooking. She ends a tryst with an angry Russian chef and moves to Aspen to re-open a restaurant with a famous and rich horror movie director/writer turned restaurateur.
Then I realized why she recommended it: I have always wanted to be a chef, and the handsome restaurateur is named Julian...same name as my boyfriend. So, I gave in and decided to read it.
Little did I know...I'd be sucked in to a vortex of an amazing story. After bawling my eyes out, I called Kathryn and thanked her for recommending the book and she said: "I knew you'd like it. She reminded me of you." I said: "Well, a chef who speaks Spanish that ends up with a guy named Julian sounds pretty familiar." She said: "No, it's because you are like her; one of the strongest people I know." And then I cried again.
It is a truly moving story. This woman lost everything that she held dear to her and had to make her own life; very different from the one she had imagined before her accident. She broke her back in 4 places, shattered her hip, lost the love of her life, and her sister all at once. She was the sole survivor of the crash.
Her ghosts keep her from finding happiness until she meets Julian. Things don't just change in books and movies when you meet your soul mate, they change in real life as well.

Can't wait to see what my little thinks of it!