20 Great Moments of 2013

2013 was the year I found apart of myself. I found love, laughter, happiness, and heartbreak, all in 365 days. According to Facebook I’ve only had 20 great moments worth remembering. I thought I would share what these moments were.

1. I had silly adventures finding organic lady apples, hanging out with a guy and his bird, and walking up Bay Shore.
2. Celebrated my mother turning another year wiser.
3. My bestie didn’t want to be a ride or die chick, instead she wanted to be a go to work and call you later chick 😉
4. In mid-February I displayed random positive thoughts out into the universe
5. Late March Lauren C came home and we partied like adults and not college girls at MacDinton’s Irish Pub…lol
6. Early April Lisa and I took on the Pilipino Festival. Tired some traditional food, watched some beautiful performances, and bought a few keepsakes.
7. Spent some time with my face man (Little Reggie)
8. Attending my pre-graduation event.
9. And in May although I had already received my AA Diploma, I still walked the stage.
10. Thanks Family and Friends for their support
11. Got final grades in, which were all B’s
12. Attending Lauren E’s graduation and met the family.
13. In June I started interning at Creative Loafing.
15. I celebrated turning 28 with friends, drinks, a new tattoo, and brunch… I also fell in love
16. Went on a tour of The Ledger Media Group.
17. Made the Cover of Creative Loafing
18. In October I became a part of the walking dead and attacked my mother.
19. Had my heartbroken and spent 2-3 weeks being very EMO
21. Finally saw the Chocolate Nutcracker, now known at The Nutcracker Twist
22. And Christmas Eve got a quick class on making a ring, attending a festive Holiday Party, and attending Art After Dark.

At the end of each year many of us seem to reflect on what was and what to do next. I, like many others do the same thing. I try hard not to focus on the friendships that were lost, the heartbreak that was felt and the nights of sleep I missed due to stressing over things I have no control over whatsoever. Life is an ever growing and changing internal process. All we can do is strive to do and be better. Fight for the dreams we have and prove to ourselves that we are worth more than what we may think. Stop allowing others to treat you like you are dispensable, YOU AREN’T. Value you, the person you are and align yourself with positive people who are doing positive things.

So what did I take from this year? Mostly that I have a great inner circle of friends. That the things or people we want aren’t always what we need. As I end this chapter on 2013’s 365-days I resolve to take things day by day, to not allow the little things get under my skin, and to release the negative things and people as so that I don’t carry that into the following year.

Happy New Year’s All.

Summer Internship (Did you make it count?)!!

My 1st cover for my 1st internship

One of my goals for my 2013 bucket list was to be able to intern at the incredible Creative Loafing –Tampa. Well, that’s one thing I can proudly mark off my list. It, by no means, was what you might expect. There was no filing, answering of phones, or errands to be run. Instead we were allowed to have free reign in creating our very own issue to be submitted to the world. I personally feel like we took this challenge head on and came out with something we can fully stand behind.
Many people take on internship to figure out how things may fit into the bigger picture as far as finance, culture, lifestyle, and technical experience. During this summer process many of us were able to find out if writing for a publication like Creative Loafing was indeed a choice we wanted to make. For myself, I was able to answer some major questions that have been screaming in the back of my mind.
1. Am I on the right path?
2. Can I live the rest of my life not doing what I love?
3. Do I have what it takes to write not only the fluff stories but the hard news as well?
Luckily for me I didn’t really have to worry about fluff or hard news, but I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough. Working with the other interns for the most part was a breeze. It was easy to communicate with them by e-mail, Facebook group or by text since I wasn’t able to attend many of the meetings due to my normal work schedule.

Watching the Magic Happen

Over the summer I found it helpful to keep a journal to document the roller coaster ride of thoughts as tasks were assigned and completed.(It’s also good practice to do this for the portfolio I will have to submit at the end of Fall.)
I started with a general explanation of projects/task which included what I may have done, learned, and took from the work that was done or meetings I attended.
I also had a reflection entry toward the end that outlined particular tasks, how they made me feel and whether or not I really enjoyed what I was doing.
Although my official internship doesn’t start until the Fall, I was glad that I was able to help out over the Summer and get an idea for what it will be like over the Fall. I also found some great apps/tools that were helpful in keeping me organized and ahead of the curve. Here are a few that you can try if you’re interested:
Get Organized
1. Evernote-Evernote is a great way to remember all those important ideas (and instructions!) you can’t afford to forget. Stay on top of your internship duties with notes, snapshots, and recorded voice reminders.
Cost: FREE
2. Remember the Milk -Organize and prioritize your internship tasks with Remember the Milk—or, in your case, Remember the 1,000 Things You Need To Do Before Wednesday. You can set due dates, add notes, postpone or repeat tasks, and even print relevant checklists.
Cost: FREE
Stay Awake
3. Coffee Finder (for those who love their coffee)-Those early office mornings really require a lot of caffeine. Lucky for you, this app will help you find the nearest Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Peet’s Coffee, Seattle’s Best, Au Bon Pain, and more. Almost makes that office coffee run sound like fun, right?
Cost: FREE
Stay Sharp
4. Dictionary.com-Searching for that perfect word to complete your email? Need help deciphering your boss’s crazy language? This app has both a dictionary and thesaurus (as well as useful features like audio pronunciations) to help you smooth talk your way to success.
Cost: FREE

Group Tour-Seeing our baby come to life

5. TED Talks-Need a little inspiration to do your best work? The TED app features over 1,000 talks and presentations from some of the world’s most interesting and insightful people.
Cost: FREE
Track the Trends
6. Flipboard -Successful interns know their industry and Flipboard makes it easy to stay up-to-date on all the latest news. Create a personalized magazine based on your favorite topics and publications (plus your Facebook, Twitter, and RSS Feeds).
Cost: FREE
Be a Team Player
7. Dropbox-Dropbox is an awesome tool for collaboration. Use this app to back up your docs, files, videos, and photos, then easily share them with your whole team. Plus, you can access all your files from basically any device that’s connected to the internet.
Cost: FREE
Manage Your Money
8. Mint.com-You’re probably not making much money as an intern, but you want to keep a close eye on the cash you do have! Mint.com lets you track and monitor all bank account transactions, gives you an analysis of your spending habits, and even alerts you if your balance is too low.
Cost: FREE
Calm Down or Rock Out
9. Pandora Radio-After a long day, you might need to shake off some pent up frustration (internships aren’t always the easiest!) or celebrate a success. No matter what mood you’re in, Pandora has the perfect station to listen to old favorites or discover new tunes.
Cost: FREE

Thought on paper (so to speak)

Sometimes you have to write to hear yourself express the things you can’t say aloud. This summer has been filled with disappointments and surprising turns.  Starting off my year of officially 28 has been a beautiful struggle to say the least.

The year is now more than half way over and as I look back at my bucket list for 2013 I don’t think I have fulfilled any of the things I wanted to do. Wait I take that back, I did land an internship at the amazing Creative Loafing Publication in Tampa.

That in its self is a blessing! (Interns Issue coming August 1)

I didn’t get my all girls trip to Miami for my birthday; however some friends went above and beyond to make sure my birthday gone wrong with slightly right…..

But there is this nagging feeling that I can’t seem to get rid of.  Maybe the things on my list were a little outlandish for all the things I need to get done in my day to day life.  So I need to refresh my 2013 bucket list

1) Visit the corn mazes in the fall ( Sweetfields Farms in Masaryktown, FL)
2) Milk a cow
3) Sit on a round hay stack (Don’t ask why, I just want to)
4) Take a Photography Class
5) Land an internship at Creative Loafing publication………………….. (DONE)
6) Dance in the rain
7) Walk all the way up Bay Shore from Ballast Point Park
8) Send a message in a bottle
9) Send an amazing care package to my friend in Korea

7 Rules

My mom sent me the 7 rules of life so that I can remain on a positive path.  I try very hard to surround myself with people who know my worth, people who appreciate me for exactly who I am.  I hope whoever is reading this can find the same and find growth from this.

 

Here’s the T (Tips/Tricks)

Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present

What others think of you is none of your business

Time heals almost everything, give it time.

Don’t compare your life to others and don’t judge them. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

Stop thinking too much, it’s alright not to know the answers. They will come to you when you least expect it.

No one is in charge of your happiness, except you

Smile. You don’t own all the problems in the world.

 

“Have a heart …

“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.”–Charles Dickens

There are many thing that can happen in a life time. The goal should be to not allow it them to change you in negative ways. Be true to yourself!!

Quote of The Day!!

“I create that which I think and I possess that wh ich I speak.”– Jermaine Andrews

There are so many thought provoking quotes out in the world. I thought I would share this one, breathe life into the things you want.

University of Tampa Presents Speaker Hoan Do: Succeeding in the Real World!

Thursday’s lecture series started off with a bang at the University of Tampa. Guest speaker Hoan Do reached out to students to discuss succeeding in the real world.

Meeting Do leaves one almost taken aback; he is amazingly friendly upon introducing himself. An eavesdropper reportedly overheard his friendly banter with a young, female student: “Hey, is everything okay? You look like you’re having one of those days, I’m Hoan.”

Do made it clear that he wasn’t there to lecture, but rather, that he wanted to be able to have a conversation about the students’ worries and concerns. Once informed of their worries and concerns, Do advise the lecture group on what he found helpful, during his college experience.

He addressed what most students are afraid of these days: job security, loan debt, being happy and staying afloat in a volatile economy. College is supposed to be the best four years of a young-adult’s life, but it is important for students to utilize their time wisely, while enrolled.

Do walked the stage, making sure to make eye contact with the audience. He told stories of when he snuck into upper-classmen lectures, and how he took advantage of amazing and worthwhile internships, landing himself with the companies and the positions he kept on his horizons, once having graduated college.

With all the hard work Do put into his interning, once he graduated, he truly was above the curve, not just by obtaining his degree, but with much needed experience under his belt. The best way to find and land the job you want is through experience.

Tips:

• Acknowledge things as they are.
• Don’t make it worse than it is.
• See things the way you want it to be and do something about it.

Changing the Radio Station

You know how you can be in the car rocking out to you favorite Drake song, head bobbing, that full-of-attitude look on your face, and then your song ends and you feel energized? That is until some whack Spice Girls song comes on, and you not-so-silently thing to yourself, “Wow! This song just sucked all that energy I was just feeling right out of me!”

What do you do? You change the radio station, looking for something that was as uplifting as the Drake song you just heard.

Often times, your mind is your own personal radio station, and the songs that are playing can be whack (think of those kinds of songs as negative thinking).  At this point, you need to change the radio station and remind yourself of the many things you have already accomplished, and the many things that you are already good at. With this kind of thinking in place, your mind can now filter out any other whack songs that might come along.

Do is a big advocate of saying positive things aloud, which in turn helps one to build focus and strengthen their confidence. Do offered, “Sometimes you need to hear things aloud.”

Pull Out Your GPS

In college everything is laid out for you. You know how many classes you need to take and in what area. The real world is nothing like this. Get yourself a GPS (Life Plan)

• Set Goals (What’s the promise that you’re going to make to yourself?)
• Have a Purpose (Why are you trying to obtain these goals?)
• Strategies (You need a plan A, B, C, D…etc)

 

Networking vs. Connecting

There is an old saying that goes, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” This is false. When you network with people it’s like having a bunch of friends on Facebook, but how many of those people would really go out of their way to help you?

When you connect with people, you are taking the time to get to know them, building a relationship, helping when you can, without a motive. Relationships and having experience are the keys to success.

Finally, you want to handle your PMS (Physical, Mental, and Spiritual well being). We tend to be like soda cans, we all get shaken up from time to time. Managing your PMS will keep you from exploding.

Over all, people really enjoyed what Do had to offer during his lecture. Senior Chelsea Hall said, “Do did an amazing job! He really connected with us.”

Do ended the night by putting himself completely out there, wearing a cheerleading outfit and break dancing. Tyler James said, “I liked when he danced. I can’t believe he actually wore a skirt!”

Positive Flow and How to get there: A Journey in the Making

“My Daughters are the ripple effect of anything positive I’ve ever done”-Michael Adekunle

What ripple effect will I leave behind in the world? As I’m quickly approaching 28, I have been spending time between work and class reflecting. Looking into a mirror and asking, “What have you done with life up until this very moment?” Although there were many things that I have accomplished within the year, there were also things I had to shed and give up. While leaving some things and people behind can be a painful thing, religion teaches that joy will come in the morning.
So what do you get when letting go? I got a book called A Map of the Journey. It’s a journey through Vipassana Meditation. In the beginning you must prepare the mind and have the basic skills and understanding.
Day 1: Before you can really allow yourself to meditate you need to prepare. You can think of this like farmers prepare the land before sowing seeds into the ground. If you don’t prepare your land/mind for what’s ahead, how can you allow anything to take root?
Bhavava- This word means to make something grow.
While preparing your land for growth you need to clear out the weeds. Weeds grow so naturally that at times you don’t even realize that they are there. Some of these weeds will have strong roots but you need to dig them up/out: (Drinking, dependent relationships, smoking, abuse in all forms, all are bad habits).
Day 2: Relationships- Surround yourself with positive like minded people who are on the path you want to be on or can give as much as you give. There are no short cuts that can be taken in relationships. You get as much as you give and everything in life is about hard work.
Day 3: Death- Life is short and tomorrow is not promised to any one of us. Death is something we need to reflect on. How many of us considering your age can look at our lives and know with clarity that you are satisfied with how you have spent your time on this earth? To prepare your mind for mediation you need to reflect on the shortness of life and live mindfully making the best use of your time.

“When we understand that life is short and time is precious and if we have developed some understanding of the Dhamma it becomes more precious”

Some might say that the practice of mediation might be a conflict of interest, especially if you are a Christian or practicing any other religion. If you can maintain your own belief system, while taking the positive aspect of another then I personally don’t see the harm. The point is to become a better rounded you.

The All Famous Bucket List!

There comes a time when you reflect on your life, where you are in the here and now, what you have and haven’t done. Then you decide to make changes because somewhere along the road you gave up on your childhood dreams in order to move forward into the world of adulthood.
This year and every year from here on out I will keep a bucket list and celebrate the goals that I have set out to accomplish whether they seem as far away as the stars or as close as hanging out with the friend beside me.
Bucket list 2013
1) Beach Bon Fire w/ friends
2) Girls get-a-way to Miami
3) Visit the corn mazes in the fall ( Sweetfields Farms in Masaryktown, FL)
4) Milk a cow
5) Sit on a round hay stack (Don’t ask why, I just want to)
6) Visit New Orleans
7) Visit Puerto Rico
8) Visit South Korea
9) Take a Photography Class
10) Land an internship at Creative Loafing publication
11) Dance in the rain
12) Walk all the way up Bay Shore from Ballast Point Park
13) Learn to play Clair De Lune on the piano
14) Send a message in a bottle
15) Send an amazing care package to my friend in Korea

What will you accomplish this year?