The Recap I Always Do

Alright, how should I write this.

The year started off beautifully. New York, in love, champagne, surrounded by my boyfriend’s friends, all of whom I liked. At that time, it was the perfect beginning of my year.

The year will end surrounded by my friends, mixed drinks, karaoke, food, and all the New Year’s kisses I can reach for. At this time, that is perfect.

Everything that has happened in between is a blur of sorts. My biggest accomplishment was school, seeing as I finally finished Brookdale and was accepted into Rutgers. This was a goal of mine (to finish and find a new school). At times, it really stressed me out. I remember crying in the library, so unsure of where I even wanted to go. But I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that I wanted to also be with Joe, so I was considering places in other states when in actuality, Jersey is best for me right now. I did, also, realize that when in a new place you appreciate things about it that the locals take for granted. So put those rose colored glasses on when you’re here, at home. You’ll find a lot of beauty.
I didn’t do everything I had hoped to do this year. I didn’t pay off my credit card, but I’m so close it’s going to be done before I know it. I didn’t quit smoking either. And I never visited Shari. But a few things didn’t happen that I’m fortunate for. My mom didn’t move. I didn’t have to get my own place. I did, however, learn more Spanish. If 2007 was the year of business, and 2008 was the year of intellect (that’s how I worded it last year, and I’m always right) then what can I brand 2009?
2008 held change for me yes, but it was more a preparatory year. I had to finish up with the loose ends of Brookdale. In that time, I was indecisive and at times crazy but overall, I did what I had to do. So I was in love, and then I wasn’t. I had my friends, and then some of them weren’t my friends so much anymore. I think 2008 was a year that held a lot of intrinsic value. I became more confident and did what I wanted, because I stopped caring about the opinions of others. Sometimes this worked against me, but I don’t mind. I also allowed myself to live off of emotions for a bit, which is always beautiful, though also always retarded. By the end of 2008 I was very thankful to God. He has done a lot for me, and recently has been reaching out to me. I learned more about God this year than I have in a long time.
So, 2009.. where would I like to see you? 2009 just may be the year of adventure. Oh, that’s exciting.
Adventures include: New school, internships!, England, possible road trip with Sharkey..
I think just the fact that my future is coming into focus makes me excited. I really am anxious to get my hands on this English major. I am really glad that I’m following my gut doing what makes the most sense. So my goals for 2009.. I’d like to stop procrastinating and gossiping, I’d like to pay my credit card, go the gym, and I’d like to be content with myself. Physically and internally. Also, I struggle with my writing identity, so I’d like to find it. And lastly, I’d like to earn really good grades because this is my last chance at a super fly GPA, and I’d like to intern.

Why are these things an adventure? Because it’s new, uncharted territory for me.. it’s exciting terrain I’ve yet to explore.

Good bye 2008. I feel like 2009 is going to take me out of my comfort zone, and I think I’m going to be kind of an adult by the end of it (kind of). We’ll see. Here’s to the unknown, by far one of my favorite aspects of life.

1)I saw Demetri Martin’s indifferent graffiti, “Toy Story 2 was okay!”, in a New York bathroom,
2) I got a B+ in my winter class.
3) I went to Florida.
4) I convinced far too many people that I was engaged.
5) He surprised me in the mall
6) I had a valentine
7) I spent Valentines day in Philly
8) Lost
9) Joes emotion fueled drive to Jersey
10) Mark got knocked up and I promised to never call him again
11) I bought rollerblades
12) Joe graduated and is finally moving back
13) I played in a poker tournament and wasn’t first out
14) Snoop Dogg watched me dance
15) I talked to the lead singer of Bouncing Souls and he looks a lot older than I expected
16) I got a guitar pick from mxpx.. and gave it to Joe
17) I got all A’s and B’s in the six classes I took in the Spring
18) Mamma got her degree
19) Britt moved back home for good!
20) I saw the spill canvas again
21) I saw Jaime
22) Me and Joe broke up
23) My friends came through
24) rock climbing
25) I started bartending
26) beautiful sunday
27) Went to one of dad’s softball games
28) Saw Barbie and Ken
29) I finally found a new church and started going regularly
30) Having insurance on my electronics paid off twice
31) I saw rainbows. Even a double rainbow. I never see rainbows.
32) I saw the best fireworks in my life, and I always hate fireworks.
33) I met Gavin Schmidt
34) I was able to see Brie and Andrew again
35) I raised my GPA by a higher percent than initially goaled for
36) I saved money!
37) Joe and I tried again, but it didn’t work
38) I bought NutriSystem and lost weight
39) I saw Against Me!
40) I started boxing and kick boxing
41) I made my first Craigslist purchase
42) I got into Rowan
43) I got into Rutgers!!
44) Got in touch with Chris Lezcano
45) Reacquainted with my cousin Andrew
46) Reacquainted with Aubrey and Chelsea.
47) Saw the tree in NYC. I don’t know if I have ever done that.. maybe once.
48) Lost the $100 bet to Josh
49) Hung out with old high-school friends on their 21st’s
50) Had an amazing Christmas
51) Did a secret santa, actually gave a gift this year
52) Bought a gift for my last year’s secret santa, to make up for not getting one for her last year
53) Saw Robert Randolph and the Family Band
54) Became much closer with Kari
55) Had a last festivus at Josh’s, which we all needed
56) and I never mentioned my date with Jesus haha

Blah blah blah

I gossip too often.

Tomorrow is the last day of 2008. This year was a true success. There’s nothing I’d change or do over, and nothing more that I could ask for. I think I’m exactly where I need to be, and I believe 2009 will be just as good if not better. I will update about my year eventually, because I do that every year, but not right now. Maybe ill come back to this.

*
Ok, I’m back. I have pretty much decided to just let loose these final weeks of break. I am like used to not being able to drink or go out a lot, so like last night when everyone was going to Josh’s, I was like “Eh, I’ll stay for a few hours..”
No. Last night was the rowdy-dow we’ve all been looking for.
Sunday night Britt and I went to the beach and had an impromptu photo shoot. Those are always fun and it rekindled the happiness in my heart. I love unplanned photo shoots. Then Kari slept over. Sleep overs are far too uncommon.
Then of course there was the Electric Factory saturday. I’m just trying to make a point. I drank Saturday night, Sunday night, Monday night,
and that’s good! I needed this week. Not because life is so hard, but because I’m going to enjoy this break!
Tomorrow is New Year’s at Nics. Tonight Josh and Justin are being gentlemen at the Kusher house, and I might join. Or I might go to bed. I’ll probably find a happy medium.

RR

I spoke to Andrew and we reconciled last night. Thank goodness. Matt is putting AC on his card for Brittany’s 21st.. thank goodness.

Robert Randolph was okay last night. He didn’t play the one song I wanted him to. I got hit on a lot, and so Sharkey was my pretend boyfriend at times. I haven’t been hit on in a while, at least not that blatantly, so I found it pretty funny. I texted kari at one point and she is too cute. I had to drive to Philly.. me.. and when we left I wasn’t drunk but I wasn’t sober either.

Anyway. Im going to go get lunch.

Errands

It’s frustrating trying to use a Mac for the first time. I plan on using it solely for my little film projects. But I cant even figure out how to turn this stupid camera on. Sigh.

We’re going boxing in an hour. Today we got a bunch of passport stuff done but missed the actual passport office by a half hour.

Tomorrow Shark and I are going to see Robert Randolph in Philly. That’s awesome. I’ve liked RR since Tennessee days, and there’s not a single other person I know who would go to shows like that with me, let alone be the one to find out about them. So, thank goodness for Shark.

Beautiful

I’m going to England May 13th for ten days. The ticket was in my stocking. I’m going with Britt, and my mom and step dad (who is from england).

We are going to Paris for a day, and to Stonehenge (which I’d say I’m most excited for), the Louvre, everywhere.

I want to see Stonehenge, I want to go to Liverpool, I want to see the roundabout that’s in the opening scenes of the British office. I want to go to a pub and get a beer with my sister and talk to strangers. I want to take 1000 pictures.

I think this trip is exactly what I’ve been in need of.

Most Wonderful Christmas Ever

This has been the best Christmas I can remember in a really long time.
I literally got everything I asked for AND more, which is a new thing. Seeing as we were never rich or anything, we always got a lot of great stuff like clothes we wanted and such, and Christmas was always good, but I never expected anything like today.
I got:
My navigational system
All new speakers for my car
A new digital camera
3 months of my gym paid for (that’s a lot of money)
A lot of money
Mick’s Mac (because he got another one)
but the most amazing gift of all (besides everything else)
A 10 day trip to England, including a one day trip to Paris! Britt and I both are going with my mom and mick in May. I can’t wait! We’re going to go to Stonehenge and the Louvre and up the Eiffel Tower for drinks. Stevenage where Mick is from (that’s where we’re staying. It’s supposedly kind of rough and loud at night in the streets and lined with pubs), Cambridge, to his nephew’s wedding.. and all over the place. Really, this is like a dream trip. I’ve wanted to go to England for so long and I can’t believe they paid for us to go, including the bus to Paris. I leave the last day of finals, on May 13th.

I’m so grateful. My mom and Mick are too amazing.

Now to shower and get to Dad’s. Later to the movies with my sissy, and then Moe-Dub’s for the newest holiday tradition; games and presents Christmas night with my best friends.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

Thank you Jesus that my family is thriving despite the economic crisis. I watch so many people get laid off, go bankrupt, and struggle horrendously. I am so grateful that you have taken care of my whole family and that we are always able to make ends meet, and we are always blessed. Thank you for being so gracious and merciful, so loving and giving. I love you.

Unburied

So the semester is over. Has been. I have a 3.3 right now, still waiting on two grades to come back. I just set up my Rutgers ID and all that but the e-mail isn’t working. Registered for my orientation. Looked up technical writing classes. There’s a lot of literary history classes I’m supposed to take.. but we’ll see how that goes with the major I’m pursuing. English Comp or whatever variation they have there.
Finished Christmas shopping today. Spent a lot of money this year, but I feel really good. Today I did some last minute, unplanned shopping, but it was the right thing to do. Just needed to get a few more things for some people, and some gifts for others that I wasn’t planning on getting anything for initially.

The boss Lauren I’ve been complaining about lately is transferring out of our store.

I work New Years Eve. Sucks. I close, but I should be GONE by 11 and on my way to Nic’s.

This year is wrapping up quickly. Did I do everything I wanted to do? Yes, I believe I did.

Also, the other day my mom came into my room and said, “Can you un-bury yourself?”
She was referring to the piles of clothes on my chair and ottoman. But I like the way that she worded it. I’d say I’m pretty unburied right about now in my life. That’s a good thing.

Let’s all stay light and on top of things.

Recently

Friday I went out with some friends from highschool. Steph, Rachel, Ashleigh, Alex Galli and Brittanney Dickerson. So in highschool I was closest with Ashleigh and Steph, and then Rachel, lastly Alex and Brittanney. In fact I probably didn’t talk to them hardly at all.

It was nice to see Ashleigh because in the Fall of 2006 we had a class together and hadn’t seen eachother since June 2005. In the middle of the semester she just disappeared and blamed it on mono. The truth is she had become pregnant. She was telling me about her baby, and motherhood, and the young immature father. Her attempts to be with him for her son’s sake, his mother threatening to sue, her getting a job in the city so she can look established to a judge. It’s strange to hear my friend talk like this. I do remember her being young, chubby and punk. Now she’s still young, but very very thin and glam. Anyway, it was fun seeing all of them and talking. Afterwards I went to the Jester and met up with Maureen (and Matt) Dave (and Amanda) and Josh. There, I felt so at home. There is such stark contrast between hanging out with my high-school friends and then hanging out with my present day friends. The high-school friends are all so nice and sweet and I like hanging out with them. They remember stories from my past and we share experiences. We all have taken our own paths and so it’s nice to sit with the girls you knew when you were 15 and talk about different things that are happening now. We laugh over stories we can all relate to, and sit in amazement over our differences.
But my friends of present day.. with them I am so comfortable. I couldn’t be more comfortable. They know everything about my recent history and don’t judge. They truly love me. I appreciated them a lot after seeing how like-home they feel.

Saturday.. the day the earth stood still.
Maureen calls me. Tells me the news. I say NOOOO. Josh looks at me, reads my mind, and begins celebrating. He high fives Dan and Britt (they are confused) and runs outside to throw snow. What happened?
Brie and Dan are engaged. MEANING I lost the 100 dollar bet I had with Josh. I said they would be engaged in 2009. He said 2008. They had until 5 minutes after New Years. Anything after that was officially 2009 we said and I would win. UGH, he couldn’t wait just a week or two! I was so confident I would win this. They’re so broke. I thought for sure it won’t happen. Maybe on their 1 year anniversary (theyve known each other 10 months). Whatever, fine. I gave him a hundred bucks because I would have taken it from him…GLADLY. Congrats to them though. Can’t very well hate on love can you.

Maureens here.

I figured it out!

I don’t do New Years Resolutions anymore, as you already know Che, since I am writing this to myself.

I don’t know, I think it’s been the past two years that I haven’t done any. I figured, if I see a change that needs to be made, I’ll make it. I don’t need January to do it. But I figured out one change I want to make in 2009, and so I might as well make it my resolution. Franklin said, never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today. That is my New years Resolution. To get rid of my procrastination.

Today I took my final final and right before the practical the lights went out, and so I had to wait an extra hour, then finally taking it (in the one classroom that had lights, hence waiting for the other class to get out) the lights go out midway. Then as we finished our last question, the dean come and said “schools cancelled!” So really thank goodness I was in the first group to take the exam, because otherwise I’d have to go back on Monday. And the Dean of Science (or what-ever) said that if we fail biology to appeal it and he’ll back us all up so that we get out grades changed. Thank goodness for that. Also, I did well on my exams today.

I finished Christmas shopping today. We spent a lot of money, but now that it’s all wrapped up it doesn’t look like nearly as much.

Tony asked me to go to AC tonight. Completely random.

I love you
(because someone just might need to hear that one day)

Now.. what to do tonight.

Some Night in Mid December

My shoe fell apart today at work. The sole, toward the toes, fell apart and every time I took a step it dragged on the floor, waiting to make me fall. I decided to tape it back together, and after tediously taping it perfectly.. it looked ridiculous. I took the tape off after 30 minutes or so and realized I had unintentionally created a perfect dome shape structure that perfectly fit over the top of my shoe, but one that did little to keep my shoe securely together. It worked, but the structure was slacking and wasn’t secure. I really just looked homeless. Sometimes you can not salvage things, no matter how hard you try.

Tonight I went out with Megan, Shark and Josh. It was a good time, because they are good, well thought people, and Megan makes me laugh. And Shark is not his name. His name is Kevin. I should acknowledge this eventually.

My sister and I just had a good talk with my mom. It started because I came home around 2, and at 2:15 my sister opened my door and told me I had to deal with a problem. The toilet got clogged today. It’s because my sister and I use too much toilet paper, but I took the initiative saying I’d plunge it, so at 2:00 in the morning my mom woke up due to the dogs barking and my sister told her I had to plunge the toilet. This created a really funny scenario. I did it wrong apparently, and my mom ended up taking over saying, “This is no longer funny! If this overflows it’ll ruin the kitchen ceiling. I am not laughing Che.”

I was.

Afterward we hung out in the hall, and eventually were all sitting on the floor, just talking and laughing.

I appreciated the time spent with my mom.