I always make New Year's resolutions. Sometimes they stick, but mostly I'm frustrated with them by about January 10th. One of my favorite professors, Dr. Bernstein, told us that he used to make resolutions too, but would get frustrated and end up getting depressed and down on himself when he couldn't achieve his goals. He told us that a few years ago he changed his approach and made resolutions that A) were easily attainable and B) would make him feel good about himself. Last year, I believe his resolution was to use more colored paper when making copies. Another year it was to remind his students "Don't do drugs" at the end of every class. This practice taught me a valuable lesson (probably even more valuable than Advanced Political Socialization): Find the beauty in the small things in life. Sure, lofty goals are great, but sometimes, the little victories of everyday life are what give us strength to conquer the larger goals, and make us smile when the big battles seem overwhelming.

So here's to 2009: to smiling more, laughing more, taking more pictures and spending more time with people I love. And my New Year's resolution? To find one good thing about every day and write it down. Oh and to use more colored pens... Thanks Dr. B.

Ok so I'm almost DONE!!!!!!
I have a paper about Bill and Hillary Clinton and their personalities due Friday, have to write up my research from my group presentation on gender and campaign finance last week and my Campaign Politics final on Tuesday.

Next semester looks awesome:

Digital Journalism Seminar with Tracy
Writing, Style and Technology Online with Krause
Political Analysis with Laverty
History of American Journalism with Pinson
Conceptual Sociology with Orrange (hopefully my future grad advisor!!!)

Super PUMPED...

This is the first semester that I didn't leave everything to the absolute last minute and am not really freaked out at all. So now finals feel like a cumulation of the semester instead of (F@&!* I Never Learned That S@#$%). Good feeling.

MY BABY HAS A JOB INTERVIEW ON WEDNESDAY!!!!!!!!!!

I finally get to see my baby tomorrow... I am so freaking excited you have no clue...

Only. one. more. day.

Is it sad that I was watching the Office with Meg tonight and I was almost as excited about Jim flashing Pam's ring as if it were for me... like seriously I was so excited it was ridiculous... time to get a life ::head desk::

Got Department approval for my Research Fellowship today!! One more selection committee and I'm in!!!

Article Review: 3 pages
Grant Proposal Draft for Bernstein: 14 pages
Grant Application for Sidlow: 5 pages
Relational Model Paper for Hill: 4 pages
Personal Evaluation Paper for Hill: 6 pages
Term Paper for Bernstein: 10 pages
Thesis Draft: 91 pages (and counting...)

Oh and Greg wants me to write up a year-end report for SG... 15 pages... Like that's gonna happen...

...is just a game... yeah, well the Grand Canyon is just a hole in the middle of the desert...

http://www.dooce.com

This woman is HILARIOUS... and her blog is so amazing that so many people read it that she and her husband quit their jobs because they could live comfortably off the proceeds of advertising on the site... crazy awesome!!

If you have a problem with me or make a decision that directly affects my life... I really appreciate being told up front and to my face. Because I can't read your mind and if I'm doing something that really gets under your skin, odds are, I don't know I'm doing it or I wouldn't. And if you don't tell me something, odds are I'll find out another way, making the ultimate conversation kind of awkward for everyone.


Oh and don't tell me you love me unless you really mean it.


Thanks.

A - Available: Absolutely Not!
A - Age: 20
A - Annoyance: Annoying people

B - Best feature: Boobs.... haha just kidding
B - Best friend[s]: Bryan, Meg, Alli, Catie, Josh, Matt
B - Beer: not a fan
B - Birthday: Oct 24

C - Crush: Bryan
C - Car: cavalier
C - Career: who the hell knows
C - Cell phone: it's silver idk what kind it is

D - Day or night: Night
D - Dream Car: A Jeep
D - Dogs or Cats: Both

E - Egg nog: Nope
E - Easiest person to talk to: Josh
F - Favorite color[s]: pink
F - Favorite food: idk beef haha
F - Favorite month: October

G - Gummy Bears: yes. yum.
G - Giver or taker: a little of both? i love giving though.

H - Hair color: brown.
H - Happy: yup.
H - Height: probably shorter than you

I - Instrument: i used to play piano
I - Ice Cream: mint choc chip

J - Jewelry: sometimes pearls
J - Job: HBIC
J - Jail: hopefully never.

K - Kids: someday
K - Kick boxing or Karate: kickboxing is so BA. or as apparently i'm supposed to say "BAMF" now. haha.
K - Kindergarden: eh

L - Longest Car Ride: Michigan to Texas...

M - Milk flavor: chocolate
M - Most missed memory: Fourth of July with Uncle Keith
M - Movie last watched: Becoming Jane

N - Number of siblings: a lot
N - Number of tattoos: nope
N - Nickname[s]: jess

O - One wish: world peace
O - One regret: PFU...

P - Piercings: ears

Q - Quote: Current favorite "I mean I'm not gonna be a Columbian drug lord for Jesus" - My brother Joshua

R - Reason to smile: lots of things

S - Song last heard: I was listening to the Shins last night
S - Shoes: YES YES YES

T - Time you woke up: 11
T - Time Now: Midnight
T - Time for bed: whenever i am sleepy.

U - Unpredictable: not exactly. i wish i was sometimes!

V - Vegetable you hate: Zucchini
V - Vacation spot: Disney
W - Worst habit: freaking out about inconsequential things
W - Weather right now: disgusting
W - Where are you going to travel next: ORLANDO to see my baby!!!

X - X-Ray: don't wanna talk about it

Y - Year it is now: 2008
Y - Yellow: Submarine

Z - Zoo Animal: Giraffe


1. How long have you been with your boyfriend/girlfriend?
Almost 7 months if you count his way. 9 if you count my way. whatever. In the interest of world peace we'll say 7

2. Have you told anyone you'd marry them?
Kyle Wallner. 4th Grade.

3. Have you ever liked someone so much that it hurt?
Yeah

4. Have you ever made a b/f or g/f cry?
Yep

5. Are you happier single or in a relationship?
Depends on who the relationship is with... Bryan... oh yeah...

6. Have you ever told someone you loved them and didn't mean it?
I don't think so

7. Have you ever had your heart broken?
No... shattered up pretty good though

8. Have you ever broken someone else's heart?
Um yeah... but seriously guys he was a loser

9. Are you scared of anything?
dying alone.

11. If you could go back in time and change things, would you?
yes

12. What do you miss right now?
Cuddling with Bryan... being with Megan... craft night with Alli... talking to Catie...

13. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?
Yes. Unless they have done something totally evil...

14. Ever liked someone else's boyfriend or girlfriend?
Yeah oops

15. Like anyone right now?
Mhm

16. Do they know?
Yep

17. Anyone like you?
He says he does...

18. What are you going to do tonight?
nothing

19. How do you feel right now?
tired

why are these things so entertaining?

So it's break and my mom is making me clean up and pack up my room because she wants to move stuff around. So I'm going through all this stuff. And it's like I'm going through the stuff of a stranger. I don't know this person anymore. Did I really honestly actually believe all the stuff that this person apparently did. Who have I become. Because I don't even know

33 Credits.

Then I'm done.

Good-bye EMU. Good-bye Michigan. Good-bye drama.

Hello to a new life somewhere.

Hello to starting over.

Hello to grad school...

...Indiana...Wisconsin...Ohio State...Florida...

Who knows.

...Just have to hang in there for 33 more credits...

So Maurizio DiGiandomenico is officially my lifesaver.....

First...

When people were being stupid and making valentines for everyone except me he made me a huge card and put it on my desk...

Second...

When we didn't have enough volunteers for trashketball he totally stepped up and drove a bunch of volunteers and stuff out in his vehicle

Third...

He totally picked up a very dropped ball and agreed to be Megan's formal date! Woo!!

I just wanted to write a special note about a special girl named MEGAN BUEHLER!!!!

She's pretty much one of the most amazing women I know and she pretty much no idea how amazing and awesome she is. I'm just so happy she's my pseudo big and that I have her in my life because things would be a whole lot less interesting and fun without her. She always has my back no matter what and has been there to support me through the craziest things ever. But it doesn't matter to her because she's just there for me anyways. Like when we had to go get the t-shirts from this crazy ghetto place in Ypsi or when I got my very first Coach!!! I love her soo soo much and I hope she knows how special she is.

Oh and if you break her heart. I'll break your face.

Yes. That was for you Matt.

There is definitely a reason she is going to be getting called to standards in the very near future and it's because she's an amazing person and she inspires me every single day.


wuv u mista.

...Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away...

because we're still picking up the pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQjyHXfw0kc

...Is my nemesis.

But I will not allow it to control my mind.

It's called "bitter." It will make you feel better.