Why You Shouldn't Get a Pet

During Grad School, I was convinced that the only thing I ever wanted or needed in my life was a dog. My brother had just died and I was living 1,800 miles away from home and the idea of having someone/something to come home to in the evenings sounded so good.

BUT my mother (and grandmother) insisted that I could not possibly handle a dog at that point. How was I going to afford one? And then there was having to walk it in the snow and/or at night. Plus, I was not home enough to have a dog. I told myself I would be committed to a dog and be home more often and take care of it well, but I listened to their advice.

Just look at that cuteness!

Fast forward three years and I have my very own puppy. Eloise the Chiweenie is 6 pounds of love and cuddles and fur; in short, everything I hoped for when I was wanting a dog. I'm in love with this little girl! She is so precious to me! She's my fur child and I am fiercely protective of her. She has helped me through an incredibly tough year and she's my favorite part of my day.

Looking back, I'm incredibly glad that my grandmother and mother were so adamantly against me getting a dog. I still feel like I would have made more time for a dog and I would have budgeted a little better, and I would have handled the weather BUT it wouldn't have been better enough. Now, I can look at Ellie and know how much more she deserves than what I would have been able to give at that point in my life.

I'm not saying that a grad student couldn't handle a dog (Or even an undergrad). I'm saying that at that point in my own life, I wasn't prepared enough for a pet. Ellie and I live in an apartment with a roommate and 2 cats. This roommate is past grad school, but completely incapable of caring for her cats the way they deserve. If anyone took care of Ellie the way those cats are taken care of, I think I would murder them for neglecting her.

What I'm saying is this: If you have a pet, you have a responsibility to them. That means buying everything they need (I know you're thinking food, but there's also toys, clothing/leashes/collars, waste disposal [poop bags aren't exactly cheap, litter is at least], vet visits [I regularly drop a couple hundred bucks taking Ellie to the vet. I'm somewhere around $700 for this year], etc.).

That means committing time; your pet doesn't care what hour of the day it is, it cares that it needs to go to the bathroom; it needs petting even if you've been at work for 15 hours already that day and just want to sleep; it means time spent cleaning up after whatever accident or mess that they made (No animal is perfect and you can't expect that of a pet). It means time throwing a ball or pulling a tug of war toy because they're tired of sitting around all day waiting on you to come home.

That means making sure your pet feels safe in its own home. If you bring home a second animal that doesn't get along with the first, you better be keeping them in separate rooms and paying equal attention to them. I have sat this semester and watched the cats beat the crap out of each other and their owner does nothing. I'm not a cat person and I feel bad for them.

Then there's the whole issue of having someone to take care of your pet when you can't. Going to visit your parents for Christmas? Flights cost a minimum of $125 for a pet who fits under the seat. Boarding is going to coast even more. Leaving the pet with a friend? You have to make sure that the sitter has everything they need. I had to go get cat litter at 9 o'clock one night because there was none and I was pet sitting the cats for the week.

Don't get me wrong, Ellie is the best part of my life right now. I love my job but I love it more when I leave work and go home to her. And I love cuddling in bed on lazy Saturday mornings. And I love playing on the beach with her. She is worth every bit of hard work/time/money I spend on her.

Go ahead, get a pet! Just make sure you give your pet EVERYTHING it deserves!

Power Ball!

I didn't get a chance to buy Mega Millions tickets a few months ago so I made sure to buy 5 tickets with the Power Ball being so high this week. I read a news article that said you are "20,000 times more likely to die in a car crash than hit the lucky numbers." If those are the odds, i think my family probably has pretty decent odds due to the obvious lack of a brother in my life.


So here's what I'm doing with my winnings:

1. Tithe. Simple enough. Deuteronomy 12:6-7 says "bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you."

2. Debt. I don't regret for a second taking out student loans to graduate or having a loan for my car, but I'd love to be able to pay those off. Not to mention the money I owe my parents for helping me survive college. I'm also going to make it a point to pay mom's way through her Master's degree. She's given everything to me so there's no way I would walk away from the one thing she wants! While I'm at it, I'll help my parents with the small amount of debt they have.

3. I'll help my Uncle finish his house. He has been a really huge help to me the past few years and I'd do anything to pay him back for all that trust/support/help.

4. I will take my family on the vacation of a lifetime: All 7 continents! (My dream vacation would be to Antarctica, if I can't reach all 7 continents). But we won't go crazy. We'll bargain shop for hotels/tickets/meals/etc.

5. I will purchase lifetime memberships with SFA Alumni Association, UNH Alumni Association, and NIRSA. 3 communities filled with wonderful people that I care about.

6. I have a few bigger items that I'm in need of but haven't purchased yet: Bedroom furniture, a new laptop (My old one still works but is starting to fall apart. Not sure how much longer it will last. I want a MacBook Pro so badly!), and a diploma frame for my SFA diploma. I'll spread those out over the course of the next few months. I don't want to get greedy and lose all my money.

7. Charity: I will be donating in $10,000 increments to the following groups:

• DZ Zeta Psi 
• SFA Campus Rec’s scholarship fund
• The SFA Alumni Association
• UNH Campus Rec
• Charity Water
• Driving Jacks (They'll get a double or triple donation)
• Moka's Dog Rescue
• the Make a Wish Foundation
• the Allen Eagle Escadrille
• the NIRSA foundation 
• The Team Mizzou Scholarship Fund

Each of these organizations has touched my heart in some way or another and I can't think of a better way to spend my money than helping others. I already give back as often as I can, but to be able to make a HUGE difference would be cool! (May I give graciously of what is mine! - DZ Creed)

8. The Breast Cancer 3 day. I'll sponsor myself and anyone else who wants to join me! I've always wanted to do this!

I'm not going to lie, I'll probably splurge and move to a one bedroom in Lincoln Park. But the rest of the money is going into savings and my retirement plan.

And I'm not quitting my job. Working with students makes my heart happy :)

The Best Christmas Parade We Had Never Seen

This weekend, Megan and I decided to do the Magnificent Mile Festival of Lights and Parade. We felt like it was a Chicago Experience we had to do at least once. Her parents and GF joined us and we had a BLAST! After the weekend ended, Megan's dad wrote this poem to commemorate our experience:

 

The Greatest Christmas Parade We Have Never Seen

In mid November in that town they call Chicago

There's a famous Christmas parade that thousands go to you know.

So Kathy and I packed up the Taurus.

And headed North to see Megan and company of course.

We used Siri on the I Phone as our directional goddess.

And wouldn't you know we got to Megan's crib in record time and not in Skokie and hopelessly lost.

It was good to see her and to meet Betsy from Kenosha, Wisconson

Max was stylin in his dogie hooded sweatshirt that was well done.

We made our plans to get downtown for the parade and the fireworks.

Living in Chicago, although windy, can still have it's perks.

So we all got together on November 17, 2012 in the year of our Lord.

Went to the red line station and on the "L" train we did board.

We all had our gloves and our hats and our mittens.

Hoping that we wouldn't with cold be smitten.

Got downtown after a few stops and our Christmas parade adventure was about to begin.

Megan got on the phone and got hold of her co-worker Kathryn.

Now it sure was a treat for me to be in the company of these four fine looking ladies.

We chose to walk to the parade instead of taking the Mercedes. (don't have one but it rhymes)

Everyone was feeling a little hungry so we hooked up some burgers and dogs and Mister J's.

When it was time to get a drink refill for 75 cents I said no f#@^ing way !

We followed it up with a Starbuck's stop and some warm delicious liquid treats.

I had to wait on the ladies awhile because there was a long line for the bathroom and only one seat.

What a great night out is was, quite warm for this time of the year.

The sun was setting in the west and the skies were clear.

We got down to Michigan Avenue and the crowd was beginning to form as a throng.

The further south we went it was clear that something was wrong.

All of the good spots were taken and the parade route was at least 5-10 people deep.

Kathy said "We should have got a hotel room" but I replied "It wouldn't have been cheap"

So we moved down the avenue like fish going up a crowded stream, people as far as could be seen.

Except we weren't salmon, more like sardines.

It took quite a while to go just a few blocks moving amongst the common folk and high rollers.

Trying to get to a good spot and not get run over by baby strollers.

Our goal was to get as far South on the Miracle Mile as we could to see the parade and the pyrotechnics.

But it soon became clear weren't gonna make it and we considered bailing out for drinks.

But we pressed on taking small steps as we moved as one with the crowd.

I bet the people in the front row on both sides of the street felt pretty proud.

Finally we just came to a stop, there was no possible way to advance or further go.

We chose to stand our ground at the intersection of Michigan and Ohio.

We huddled together as a group, vowing not to get separated or pushed out of our position.

But with a thousand parade wanna be viewers it was a difficult proposition.

The parade was coming we hoped because the sky had turned from blue to red to black.

Kathryn and Kathy held down the front, me in the middle, and Megan and Betsy had our back.

We stood our ground as we were pushed, shoved and generally moved around the sidewalk.

It was pretty clear we weren't going to see the parade so we might as well talk.

And then off in the distance we saw some spotlights and we knew we were soon going to have good parade viewing luck.

Then along came the Illuminating devices in a "light duty" truck.

( I was proud of that pun)

We looked across the street at the people in their apartments and rooms looking down on the parade with a heck of a view.

Because we were surrounded by many we weren't sure what we could do.

The little kids had the best look at the action from the tops of their Mom's and Dad's shoulders.

We might have seen better if we had some ladders or at least some big boulders.

The people around were generally funny and nice and not a bunch of jerks.

Except for that one bitch woman who said "get out of my way, I am late for work"

Now what kind of dumbass would choose that time to fight the crowd which wanted to linger ?

We will never know, the bitch just went on and shot Betsy the finger.

And now the parade was in full swing as displays and marching bands came along.

Although, however, we were 0-5 on them playing us a song.

Still, their drum cadence sounded pretty good and was kinda all of that.

The bad thing is were were so far back we could only see the top of their hats.

The first hot air balloon came by, it was Rudolph and we could clearly see him as he came by our spot and passed.

We all had a laugh as we saw the duct tape on his helium filled ass.

There were lots of Disney characters from Minnie to Micky to Goofy.

Although from our vantage point far away he kinda looked like Snoopy.

We continued by the crowd to be pushed, and shoved and probed like a proctologist.

When what we really needed was to have better vision and a visit from our oncologist.

Most of the people had manners, said "excuse me" or "sorry" they weren't to rude.

Although there was that one guy in front of Kathryn, that 6 foot four dude.

What else could we do there was no moving around.

Couldn't see the damn thing, most of it we experienced by sound.

I think we were there for quite a while, it was definitely over an hour.

Experiencing the parade on the Miracle Mile in front of Eddie Baurer's.

And then finally Santa came by, the traditional end of the parade and the end of our non viewing experience.

Pulled by a sleigh of twelve reindeer as down the avenue they went.

Now Katherine challenged my Santa reindeer knowledge, I said twelve and she said eight in a holler.

I felt confident in my memory and I bet her a dollar.

Then they shot off the fireworks and there were a bunch of them, quite loud.

We couldn't see them but we were impressed by the sound.

As the crowd dispersed we continued to hold our ground.

Hoping for at least one more unit or a band to come by but none was to be found.

So we headed west in search of a bar to get a drink, a beer, a stop for a pop.

Decided to hang out at the bar at the Rock Bottom Cafe's rooftop.

Ordered a round and we staked out a great spot away from the human rat race.

Put our feet up, started sipping and enjoying the fake fireplace.

We felt like we were on the top of the world, we had each other and our heart's desire.

Drinking with each other, telling stories, and being warmed by the fire.

We were kinda hungry after our walk and the parade so a couple of huge soft pretzels sounded pretty great.

But were were told the kitchen was behind and the roof top food closed at eight.

So we got back on the red line train and we began our journey north to home this time in Chicagoland.

The train was crowded, Kathy got a seat but the rest of us had to stand.

It took a while to get to our station because we had a lot of stops of course.

Eventually the crowd thinned out when we got to our station called Morse.

Having been shut out on pretzels we were ready for some dinner.

Based on prior experience Mama Leone's was the winner.

Awesome food, great atmosphere our waitress was amazing, our experience was the best of our choosing

I asked the waitress, Mary, to help settle my reindeer bet without losing.

Alas, she had to verify that there were eight and not a dozen, I was out of luck.

I manned up and paid Kathryn her buck.

As we said our goodbyes at the end of the night.

Although things didn't go according to plan we still got it right.

A special evening for the memory banks if you know what I mean.

It was The Best Christmas Parade We Had Never Seen !

a poem by

Steve Morris

Blessings

Last November, I decided to post once a day about how Thankful I was. I wasn't quite able to finish, but I'm going to try again this November.

• Nov 1- I am thankful for my mother. I don't think she realizes how strong and beautiful she is. She's an inspiration to me and I hope to one day be even half the woman she is!
• Nov 2- I am so thankful for my job. Last November I was struggling with a job that just wasn't for me. This year, I laugh every single day. I see when I make a difference. I have several mentors that I know I will be close with years from now. 
• Nov 3 - I am thankful for the students I get to work with. I learn from them and in turn I get to see them learning/growing/succeeding!  One of the students I had the opportunity to mentor as an upperclassman at SFA just took the time to tell me how much I meant to her and that touched my heart. The Grad student we have here at Loyola is headed to NYC on Monday to help with Hurricane Sandy Relief. While I can take no credit for this, I am inspired by her!
• November 4 - I am thankful for the little fur child of mine. She makes me laugh and gives me kisses and cuddles with me. She has a way of making me feel better when life sucks.
• November 5 - I'm thankful that I have food in my belly. This week is Loyola's Hunger Week; the Loyola Community is doing all sorts of activities to raise funds for those who go without food. I might not eat the healthiest and I might not have steak every night, but I have never once in my life had to worry about my next meal.
• November 6 - I am thankful that I have the right to vote! There are so many people out there in the world who don't have the right to vote or risk their lives to vote.
• November 7 - I am thankful for productive days. They make me feel good about myself.
• November 8 - I am thankful for Grey's Anatomy. Maybe this is a little silly BUT it brought me sister/mother/me together as well as a roommate and I closer together. And it makes my Thursdays! If it makes you happy, its worth being thankful for.
• November 9 - I am thankful for Chicago. I really love living in this city. I do new things every day and meet new people almost as frequently!
• November 10 - I am thankful for Saturdays. I really get to relax and catch up with my life on Saturdays. Plus, extra time to cuddle up with Ellie (who WOULDN'T want that?!).
• November 11 - I am thankful for Christmas. It gives me an excuse to shop. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE when I can find a really awesome present for someone (Bonus points when it's on sale). Toons definitely has some Owl Nesting Dolls going under the tree this year.
• November 12 - I am thankful for ways to give back to my community. My department adopted a family for Christmas and we are definitely fighting over who gets to buy what. I'm all about our 13 year old girl. Bring on the purse and PJ shopping!
• November 13 - I am thankful for Tuesdays and Private Practice. I don't watch a lot of TV but between Grey's and PP, I always have something to get me through the week. I can handle Mondays because PP is on Tuesdays. I can handle Wednesdays bc Grey's is on Thursdays. And then it's Friday/the weekend.
• November 14 - I am thankful for new friends; specifically, Sarah, who invited me and Megan over for dinner tonight. She even let Ellie come hang out, too!
• November 15 - I am thankful for an awesome boss. Starbucks/chat time made my afternoon. Skinny Peppermint Mocha? Yes, please!
• November 16 - I am thankful for Fridays. Leaving work on Friday afternoons always makes me feel a little bit lighter, a little bit less busy. And I love my job so that's saying something.
• November 17 - I'm really thankful for the experiences I had today! I got to be a part of a huge parade in the middle of an even bigger city. Chicago, you did not disappoint me. The Magnificent Mile Festival of Lights Parade was a bit like what I think the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade must be like.
• November 18 - I am thankful for Post Secret. I'm amazed by how many lives are being changed through this blog. It definitely pushes me to think about big picture things.
• November 19 - some days I struggle to find one thing to be thankful for; today, I have many! I am thankful for lunch (My boss treated me to Chipotle, yum!). I am thankful for opportunities to serve others. I took Ellie to a nursing home tonight to play. I was nervous and awkward but Ellie had no problem loving on the people there. And that brings me to my third thankful for: Ellie (yes, again) for showing me how to care for people regardless of any disabilities/ailments/age. She's a top notch dog.
• November 20 - I am thankful for hot tea to calm me down.
• November 21 - I am so very thankful to have a God who loves me without fail!
• November 22 - I am thankful that the older I get, the better I get along with my cousins.
• November 23 - I am so thankful for my second family, Cori, Caitlin, Jimmy, Andre, and Hank. You guys mean so much to me and I wish I got to see you more!
• November 24 - I am thankful that I got to have a brother for 22 and a half years. This week really made me feel blessed. Some people never go to know Bry and all his fun but I got to have him as my brother! Nothing in the world could be better than that!
• November 25 - I am thankful that my dad chose to go to work even earlier than normal so he could take me to the airport at 4 in the morning. He gave up his lunch to have an extra 45 minutes with me and I cherished those 45 minutes! They were filled with conversation about nothing important but they mean a lot.
• November 26 - I am thankful that Ellie has so many people who love her, including my parents. They are taking care of her for 4 weeks and I miss her terribly. They're having fun fattening her up, cuddling, playing, and going on walks.
• November 27 - I am thankful for the city I live in. Chicago is so full of life and it makes me happy.

Things that Make Me Feel OLD

Suddenly, within the past 2 months, I've actually started to feel like an adult. Until now, I was just a kid masquerading as an adult. But suddenly my life is overflowing with things that make me feel like a real live adult:

• I'm fully responsible for another being. A few weeks ago, I had to take Ellie to the vet. What's even more miraculous than me surviving the vet trip was that I actually had the money to pay for it!
• I'm buying all my airfare this year for the holidays. And I'm going home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I can, for the most part, afford it.
• I'm older than half of Cosmo's Bachelors this year.
• I actually earn more than either of my parents. And I have better benefits. I should probably work on paying them back what I owe them from college.
• My closet is starting to contain adult clothing. And more work clothing than non work clothing. I actually own trouser socks.
• I have a retirement account. It's tiny, but it's there.
• The things I want to purchase include furniture, hankies, and other similar, old people items.
• I'm counseling multiple cousins on college applications, scholarships, etc.
• I have a political opinion, not based on my parents' opinions. I've done my research and I'm voting for the candidate I think is the best.
• I pay to have things tailored and dry cleaned. Not often, but I never did when I was a student.
• There's a new generation of cousins in my family, all under the age of 9. We're no longer the kids, we're the parents with kids.

Next on my list of things to accomplish as an adult: Pay off my loans and start saving!

Advent with Kids

We didn't do a lot with advent growing up (We were quite a handful on our own), but there's all these great advent ideas out there. I'd love to do an advent activity a day once I have kids of my own.

Here's my list of things to do:

Go look at Christmas lights
Read The Polar Express
Participate in an Angel Tree and/or Operation Christmas Child Box
Send Christmas cards
Random Acts of Kindness: Leave the mailman something yummy, leave quarters on arcade games, etc
Bake Christmas Cookies
Go ice skating
Read the Christmas story in the Bible
Pick out a tree and decorate it
Go see The Nutcracker
Watch a Christmas Movie
Snowball Surprises: http://momsbyheart.net/100-days-of-christmas-day-98/
Read a Christmas book
Make Gingerbread Houses
Christmas Eve Church

Inspiration

Another guest post I did for Post Grad Learning

This weekend, my Aunt Beth and my mom participated in the Dirty Girl Mud Run. The proceeds from the race go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. I’m super proud of them for finding a way to have fun and serve others at the same time! This got me thinking: What have I done lately to serve my community? I can’t think of numerous times post-graduation where others have served me, but what have I done to serve others?

Post run: Mud is the new Pink

Too many of my friends change their Facebook to “support” a cause. Remember changing your profile picture to your favorite cartoon in “support” of child abuse awareness? What good did that REALLY do? I’m pretty sure the world already knew about the existence of Child Abuse and its negative effects.  And then there’s the cryptic status update every October that’s supposed to get the male population asking what it means so you can talk about Breast Cancer (Kathryn likes it on the counter. No, I wasn’t talking about sex; I was talking about where I put my purse. Segue into Breast Cancer).  But do we ever really talk about Breast Cancer in a productive way?Maybe you don’t have the money to donate to a worthy cause, but I’m very certain that each and every one of us has talents. Challenge: Use your time and talents to actually make a difference in the world. Find something you care about and support it! Me? I’m signing up for the Dirty Girl – Chicago. Anyone want to join my team?

Obama the Antichrist, Romney the Animal Hater

This past week, I wrote a guest post at Post Grad Learning . It is something I'm pretty passionate about so I'm sharing it here.

Unless you’re 5 years old or just plain dumb, you’ve realized by now that election season is upon us. And unless you have taken the time to research, you have no clue about half of what you’re voting for. Let’s face it, PoliSci 101 taught us about the branches of the government, not about how to decide which candidate to vote for.
If you were to take a guess about me, you might assume I’m conservative (obviously!); I grew up in Texas, with conservative, Christian parents who tend to vote Republican.  Or you could go the exact opposite way and guess that because I live in Chicago and I’m young, I’m obviously going to vote Democrat this year. And either way you guess, you’d be wrong.
Here’s how I’m voting this year: I’m voting for candidate whose values most closely align with mine; the candidate who is capable of handling the issues that I think are most important; the candidate who I think is capable of filling the position the best.How did I come to that decision? Simple: I did my research.  Do you know what the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act actually is? Or have you just listened to ads on TV? Here’s a summary. Do you know what RomneyCare includes? You can find information here. Want to talk class warfare or jobs? Check out the graphs here. The most important thing to do is know the facts before you vote.
Nothing will make me defriend/unfollow/stop answering your phone calls quicker than a gross exaggeration about one of the candidates. OBVIOUSLY Obama is the Antichrist, didn’t you know? And Romney? Don’t even get me started on what an IDIOT he is. He just loves animal cruelty, right? Let’s get real and start figuring out who we want to represent our nation by focusing on the REAL issues.
According to International IDEA, the United States has almost the lowest voter turnout in the world, ranked at 140 out of 163.The men and women of the Armed Forces make sacrifices everyday so that we have the right to vote. It’s not just our right though, it’s our duty as citizens to exercise that right. So get out and rock the vote, but not until you’ve done your research!

SYTYCD

I have recently become addicted to So You Think You Can Dance. Here's why:

And then there's this:

As well as this:

Drama Queen!

The past four weeks have been absolutely horrendous. Bad luck Brian ain't got nothing on me. And while I've perservered and found the good, sometimes it helps to just bitch it out. Seriously, I don't know another person with luck as bad as mine:

1. Moved to Chicago without a place to live because everyone I emailed/called never responded.
2. Found a realtor who was supposed to be fantastic. She told me to get rid of my dog AND up my rent per month.
3. Got rid of the realtor and found a company. Put money down on an apt, waited 3 days to find out I wasn't accepted. 
4. I was able to move into a dorm to get rid of the rental car I had. For keeping it 6 days, instead of 3, I had to pay TRIPLE the cost. Does this make sense to anyone else?
5. Dorm room does not have hot water.
6. Went and checked some more places out. Finally found a place and moved in but Roommate's cats do not love Ellie. We are working on this. Also roommate is messier than I am.
7. When trying to get into said apartment, I have two checks that I put into the ATM but then can't use because they are larger than 500 dollars and need a day or two to go through.
8. Bank sends me to a store to get the money order. I call ahead, yes they do money orders. I say specifically that I need to get a money order that night. They tell me to come on in. So I do. They close the register about 30 minutes before I get there. IE before I even made the phone call.
9. Manage to scrape together cash for rent and my half of deposit. End up needing to pay roommate's 1/2 of deposit as well. 
10. Finally get keys, I don't get a copy of the gate key. So Roommate and I begin sharing keys, calling each other to get in and out.
11. Toilet clogged when we first move in.
12. Dishwasher running causes nasty black liquid to guzzle up out of the kitchen sink.
13. Dropped my phone EXACTLY a week after having the screen replaced due to a (read: single) tiny crack. It SHATTERED. Pieces of the screen were missing. I cut my finger on it.
14. A week later, I dropped it in the washing machine. Deader than dead. So now I can't call roommate to share keys.
15. I wait a week to get a paycheck, then purchase a new phone off ebay in the at&t iphone section.
16. It takes another week to arrive so I'm 2 weeks without a phone. And no internet or cable at the apt yet.
17. It arrives on a Friday afternoon, a SPRINT phone. Not at&t.
18. I go down to the at&t store where they play with it for awhile and then try to make it work. They put a SIM card in and tell me that as soon as it's unlocked/jail broken, it will work.
19. I call all over the city to check prices. Every single store tells me they will jail break it. When I actually go to said stores, no one will jail break it because its a Sprint phone. Apparently those cause problems.
20. So I go back to the at&t store because I have a partial upgrade that i can use to get a new phone and just enough money in my bank account to do it. But they canceled my partial upgrade because we paid the bill late. Once.
21. Get a go phone. It says it has all sorts of capabilities, but it can only really handle texting and calling. Everything else takes an eternity. And its SO NOT user friendly like my iphone.
22. Order something from Vera, they won't deliver it because our box doesn't have our names on it. I paid the 80 bucks to get that fixed over a week ago. Also don't have our call box updated (Included in same check).
23. USPS loses 3 packages totaling close to a thousand dollars, including the new phone I bought.
24. One of my former students died in a car accident. This is devastating not just because he was one of my favorites, but also because I know what his younger brother is now going through.
25. My favorite Uncle on my Dad's side died. I'm too new to take days off work to go to either funeral. Boss would let me off but I can't. I have things that HAVE to get done.

Can I get a break here? Please?!

***Edit  9/15/12 I woke up this morning ok with life. I have the money to take care of my sick dog, the money to go and spend the day with a good friend at a fun festival, and I can get my nails done.

Chicago TDL

I LOVE LIVING IN CHICAGO! This city is one of the coolest places I've ever been. I'm still getting the hang of things, but I'm getting there. Once I've managed to find a place to live, I have a million and one things I want to do here:

• A cubs game at Wrigley and a tour of Wrigley Field (despite the fact that the Cubs pretty much suck. Maybe wait until next season and get tickets to a game against the Red Sox)
• The Blue Man Group show
• Legoland Discovery Center
• United Center for a Bulls Game
• Lincoln Park Zoo
• The Jane Addams Hull House Museum (RMP What What!)
• Navy Pier (I want to ride the Ferris wheel! Also do the Chicago Sports Museum)
• Art Institute of Chicago (I'm pretty sure it houses American Gothic and I know it houses A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. My reaction to A Sunday Afternoon can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNLJDR-XbVY)
• Adler Planetarium
• Skydeck Chicago
• Chicago Children's Museum
• Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows
• Chicago Opera Theater (I would die to see The Magic Flute!)
• Beat Kitchen
• Joffrey Ballet of Chicago (Maybe the Nutcracker again? I'll never tire of it)
• Willie Dixon's Blue's Heaven Foundation
• The Balzekas Museum of Lithuanuan Culture (It's supposed to have a good exhibit on the Holocaust)
• The Museum of Contemporary Art
• Trump Towers (Maybe visit the Spa as a splurge?)
• Winter Skating either at Bicentennial Park or  the McCormick Tribune Plaza
• The National Veterans Art Museum
• Loyola's Art Museum
• Museum of Holography
• Galos Caves (15 dollars for a 45 minute Zero Gravity Chair massage and sea salt smelling? Count me in!)
• The International Museum of Surgical Science
• The American Police Museum
• The God Bless America Statue
• The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (Apparently a really good way to learn about Commodities)
• Museum of Broadcast Communications
• National Hellenic Museum
• The Picasso Statue
• The All Saints Episcopal Church
• A comedy show at The Apollo Theater
• There's a piece of the Berlin Wall inside the Western Brown Line Station. I've already seen another piece but if I'm ever that way, I think it might be worth the stop.
• Not sure what I want to see yet, but something on Broadway (Potted Potter, Peter Pan, The Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots, Les Mis, so many to choose from! Maybe I'll do all of them!)
• Buddy Guy's Legends (Blues House restaurant)
•  Busy Beaver Button Co. Museum
• Cambodian American Heritage Museum
• Chagall's Four Seasons
• The start of Route 66
• A Chicago Fire (Soccer) Game
• Chicago Harbor Lighthouse
• Chicago Hot Glass (Hand Blown Glass Studio that offers lessons)
• Chicago Center for Green Technology
• Chinatown and the Chinatown Gate
• Crawford Steel Graffiti Wall
• DANK HAUS German Cultural Center
• Eli's Cheesecake World

 Here's what I've already accomplished:

•  The Eternal Flame on Clark St
• Chicago History Museum (It apparently has a great exhibit on the great fire)
• Tribune Tower (the tower's signature is the exterior collection of stones from other famous edifices, like the Parthenon, St. Peter's Basilica, Notre Dame, the White House and most recently, the Berlin Wall)
• Shedd Aquarium
• Museum of Science and Industry
• Millennium Park (Crown Fountain and The Bean!)
• The Field Museum
• Shop at H & M (Silly in some ways, but I've only ever been able to shop at one once and I love their clothes! It's also along the Magnificent Mile which is kind of a big deal)

And I'm open to any suggestions anyone else has. Who wants to start my list with me?

Random Acts of Kindness

I'm thinking I would like (Once I'm earning money again) to do a spree of Random Acts of Kindness. November 13th is World Kindness Day. I could do it then, or I could do 26 RAOK on my 26th Birthday. Or one a week for an entire year. There are  a lot of really cool ideas out there right now on this subject.

Random Acts I would like to do:

1. Leave something tasty for the mailman
2. Leave quarters on a vending machine
3. Take a few bouquets of flowers to the hospital for whomever the nurses think need some extra love
4. Take some flowers to a nursing home for some people who need a little love
5. Leave some coloring books and crayons in a waiting area for a hospital or doctor's office or something (preferably somewhere economically needy)
6. Collect all the random carts in a parking lot and bring them back up to the store (And offer to take care of anyone's cart)
7. Hide a few dollars at the dollar tree kid's section
8. Pay for a few people behind me at a toll booth
9. Secretly, pay for someone else's lunch
10. Clean up trash at a local park
11. Feed parking meters
12. Drop off donuts and a thank you note at the police station (Thanks for serving our community)
13. Leave a few gift cards hidden among the books at Half Price Books
14. Hand out balloons to children shopping with their parents
15. Take cupcakes and cookies to a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen
16. Play with animals at a local animal shelter
17. Buy a favorite children's book to leave in a waiting room (Maybe the Collin County Advocacy Center?)
18. Deliver some nice bottle of hand lotion to the hospital for Doctors and Nurses
19. Write a heartfelt note to manager telling about a friendly employee
20. Leave a thank you note and small gift for recycle and trash collectors
21. Something seasonal (Cold day- pass out coffee, fall- rake leaves for everyone in a neighborhood, Christmas time - angel tree, September- donate school supplies, etc)
22. Donate new make up, perfume, and cosmetics to a center for abused women
23. Free Hugs
24. Register to donate bone marrow
25. Stand and hold the door for people in a public place (maybe for an hour?)
26. Pull every trash can in a neighborhood back up after trash has been picked up
27. Donate hair!
28. Send a care package through http://anymarine.com/
29. Make a blanket to donate to http://www.projectlinus.org/
30. Pay off library fees for a few people
31. This one kind of scares me BUT I keep thinking about it so it might be worth it: Volunteer for a suicide/crisis hotline
32. I can't give blood (too little, I end up fainting 3/4 of the time) but I could help out at a blood drive
33. Babysit for free
34. Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity
35. Leave quarters around a laundromat
36. Possibly take Ellie to play at a nursing home
37. Buy hot chocolate for Salvation Army Bell ringers
38. Ring the Salvation Army bell
39. Eyebombing (Attaching googly eyes to inanimate objects- it makes people smile when they see them)
40. Put paper hearts on random windshields with notes like "Have a happy day!"
41. Leave a sidewalk chalk message: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
42. Leave boxes of sidewalk chalk at a playground for kids to find
43. Leave a few new baby toys on top of changing tables in public places
44. Ding Dong Ditch (Leave a sign telling the person something like "You are awesome!")
45. Stretchy Kindness: http://kindnessgirl.com/2011/03/20/guerrilla-goodness-rubber-kindness/
46. Ice Cream coupons: http://kindnessgirl.com/2011/09/02/guerrilla-goodness-back-to-school-treasures/
47. Leave ponchos and umbrellas (From the dollar store) around public places on rainy day
48. For Bryan's birthday, I'm going to leave a soccer ball in a local park for some kids to find
49. Valentines day cards: http://www.secretagentl.com/missions/mission-secret-agent-l-spreads-words-of-love/
50. Leave pick me ups (notes and candy maybe?) around NIRSA
51. Magnet Mission: http://www.secretagentl.com/missions/mission-the-power-of-one/
52. Leave travel games at a rest stop

Not sure how long I'll be able to keep this up but I'm going to try starting in January. I'll also be looking for RAKs to present themselves to me. Unplanned. Let me know if you have any other great ideas to add to the list.

And just a little food for thought:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=304135336372992

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Due to money constraints, I entered high school without ever having flown anywhere. Then, right before my sophomore year, I finally took my first flight- to Philadelphia for my Great Grandmother's birthday.

Since I went to college and Grad School, I'm astounded at the number of cool places I've gotten to travel. In the meantime, I've been to a million and one airports so I've decided to start keeping track:

• Kansas City International (I HATE KCI!)
• Washington Dulles (in DC)
• Atlanta and Savannah (One time, Gram and I met up in Atlanta during a layover... haha)
• DFW and Dallas Love
• Boston Logan (hard to get to, but one of my fave airports ever)
• Chicago O'Hare and Midway
• Detroit
• Baltimore
• LAX
• Honolulu (Contrary to popular belief, they don't hand you leis when you step off the plane)
• Houston Hobby and Bush International
• New Orleans
• Northern Arkansas in Fayetville
• Phillidelphia
• Atlantic City (New Jersey)
• Las Vegas
• Orlando
• Indianapolis
• Columbia, MO (It has one terminal only. Security doesn't open until about 10 minutes before boarding begins)
• Denver
• Syracuse (New York. I've never been to La Guardia though. Strange.)
• Des Moines (Tiny)

Sitting in the Ashes

I recently read a story about an army chaplain serving in Afghanistan. People continually ask him how he deals with not being able to answer the tough life and death questions, as well as praying over so many soldiers as they die.

I found his answer quite perfect. He calls it "sitting in the ashes." In the Book of Job, Job loses absolutely everything- all his worldly possessions, his family, and even his health. His friends choose to sit with him in the ashes of his destroyed house because they know of nothing else they can do.

I think what people don't realize is that "sitting in the ashes" is one of the best things you can do for a person. It is truly an art to be able to sit with someone and know the depths of their despair without trying to fix them. Somethings just can't be fixed, despite the fact that it's human nature to want to make things better.

When my brother died, I so often craved people to sit in the ashes with me; to not tell me cliches like "things will get better" and quote Jeremiah 29:11 and tell me not to cry. Some situations in life call for tears and grieving. Those times are made easier when you have someone who is willing to sit in the ashes with you.

Before Bryan's death, I didn't understand this. I was the first one to quote Jeremiah 29:11 (I do truly love the verse, but think about the ending before you tell someone this. Bryan didn't have a future). Even now, I'm not perfect at it, but I'm learning. I find it comforting that there are other people out there who get this concept.

Challenge: The next time someone you know needs a good cry, don't stop them from crying. Sit in the ashes with them. It'll make you a better friend!

Laughter is Good for the Soul

This is an update of my earlier post.  More to laugh at because the most wasted of days is one without laughter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NbJQw9qmm0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcqOgnQyXp4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeFI9aPZvKI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520 and in response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ezfk7s1NyY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOYMU15bjlA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuk-h2ZYNJU&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odhUPMYXpX4&feature=relmfu
OMG I LOVE them! More Sophia Grace and Rosie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJB-Wx7l8A0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skHsvM1NCyc&ob=av3e

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5jw3T3Jy70

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCF3ywukQYA

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysqh1uzqGrc


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y
and his friend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngccj6Rt4tc

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/super-bowl-thank-you-notes-2312/1383299/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UakG94tANc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UakG94tANc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_Z0uckoOR0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAFQIciWsF4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI0AfYMkXcw&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTs5eKZ0i1E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1XIm6q4r4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg

The Mega Millions

I read a news article this weekend that said you are "20,000 times more likely to die in a car crash than hit the lucky numbers." If those are the odds, i think my family probably has pretty decent odds due to the obvious lack of a brother in my life.

With the Mega Millions so high this past weekend, I thought about what i would do if I won. I Unfortunately didn't get the chance to stop and buy a ticket as I'm a slave to my job. But I thought about what I'd do with the money if I won it. Who knows? Maybe one day in the future I will win the mega millions.

First, I'd handle taxes and I'd tithe. My faith is important to me and I try to tithe but it's not something I've been good at. With that much money, there's no way I would be able to say I needed it for something else.

Next, I'd handle all of my family's loans; I myself have loans out on my teeth, on my car, and on my education. Not to mention the money I owe my parents for helping me survive college. I'd also make it a point to pay mom's way through her Master's degree. She's given everything to me so there's no way I would walk away from the one thing she wants! I'd pay for every "A" or "B" Teri got in her classes, too. She's been lacking motivation and therefore not every class has gotten the attention it deserves. I'd also buy a (used) car for her to drive. She is a better driver than anyone else I know (how on earth did we end up with both ends of the spectrum? Dad/Bry crash very 6 months or so, Teri is the world's safest driver.).

I'd help my uncle finish his house. He has put so much time and effort and trust into me. I wouldn't be where I am today without him! If I can repay the favor, I will. I intend to do this anyway, even if I don't ever win a huge sum of money.

I’d donate in $20,000 increments to: DZ Zeta Psi, SFA Campus Rec’s scholarship fund, UNH Campus Rec, Charity Water, Driving Jacks, Moka's Dog Rescue, the Make a Wish Foundation, the Allen Eagle Escadrille, and the NIRSA foundation. Each of these organizations has touched my heart in some way or another and I can't think of a better way to spend my money than helping others. I already give back as often as I can, but to be able to make a HUGE difference would be cool! (May I give graciously of what is mine! - DZ Creed)

I would participate in the Breast Cancer 3 day (and invite a few folks to do it with me). I's pay triple the amount expected of fundraisers for everyone on my team, simply because I could.

I would take my family on the vacation of a lifetime: All 7 continents! (My dream vacation would be to Antarctica, if I can't reach all 7 continents). But I wouldn't go crazy. We'd bargain shop for hotels/tickets/meals/etc.

I would attend the TED Conference (and take Mom with! She'd appreciate it every bit as much as I would).

I think it’s also important to be politically active. I would donate a couple million towards getting rid of the deficit. I know that’s nowhere near enough, but every step counts. And potentially I would donate money to a Super PAC if I believed strongly in a candidate.

I would purchase lifetime memberships with SFA Alumni Association, UNH Alumni Association, and NIRSA. 3 communities filled with wonderful people that I care about. What better way to spend some money than that?

And whatever is left from there would go into savings/investments. I would like to have a beautiful wedding one day, I would like to retire one day, I would like to send my children to school one day, I would like my parents to be able to retire comfortably.

And I would still work. Working with students brings happiness to my life!

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Places I want to travel at some point in my life:

-Greece
-Germany (including some of the concentration camps)
-France (Eiffel Tower & the Louvre)
-London
-Antarctica
-Ireland
-Scotland
-Canada
-New Zealand
-Harry Potter World at Universal Studios Florida
-Australia (Opera House and Bondi Beach)
-Back to DC to do all the stuff I missed
-San Diego and LA and San Fransisco
-St. Louis
-Chicago
-Seattle

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St. Augustine

Dear Bryan

Dear Bryan,

There's some things I think you should know; some things I've been wanting to tell you.

We're doing all right. We miss you something terrible, but we're living again. We've continued some of your traditions. I bought Teri Grey's Anatomy and sent it from Lucy and Bandit for her Birthday. The dogs still give Christmas presents and we still hang your stocking.

I tried to make Mom and Dad and Teri watch Inception. I know you would have absolutely loved it and tried to get us all to watch it. I understand your frustration with us- Haha!

I have a dog! You would think she's adorable. Her name is Ellie and she likes to cuddle. And now that I'm a dog owner, I understood why you let Lucy chase after Blake all those years. Ellie chases shadow because she wants to play but Shadow is terrified of her. Part of me wishes Shadow would just man up and tell her to leave him alone. Lucy and I are the best of friends now. I know she and I didn't get along when you were alive but I don't know what I would do without her now!

Dad's adjusted to having 3 dogs in the house. In fact, he let Teri adopt a BIG dog. But the little ones were terrified of him so he had to go back. I think once I'm a little bit more financially capable, I'd like to star fostering Boston Terriers. That will be my way of carrying you on.

I wrote an awesome thesis and graduated on time. You would have gotten a copy if you had still been alive. It's dedicated partially to you, partially to Mom and Dad and Toons. I still can't believe I have my Master's Degree but I know you'd brag about it for me. And so I'm proud of that.

I'm bummed that you never got to visit New Hampshire. We would have had a BLAST! I have very few regrets in my life but I regret that I never got to show you around Boston/NH and I regret that are last conversation was about you missing the trip. We were both so bummed. Most days I can be at peace with it bc I know the fact that we were bummed proves that we were looking forward to seeing each other.

I got a tattoo for you. Mom and Dad weren't too happy, but they weren't too upset either. HA! I finally got away with something that you didn't get away with! And now I'm addicted. Scott and Amanda and Rachel took me. They've done a great job filling in as your voice. It's not the same as having you around but they mean a lot to us so we stay involved. You'd like their new house. It would be a blast to party there!

Your God Son is growing up so nicely. He's such a cute little kid! And Cori had a son. He's a ton of fun too. I get to be Aunt Katie to him and that means so much to me. Remember when we were saying that we felt behind schedule bc all our friends were getting engaged and married? Teri has informed me just how far behind I am -haha! She was sure I needed to be engaged by the end of college. Oops! Now the plan is that I have to have a kid before Lucy dies so Dad has someone to focus on.

Its weird that you will probably never meet the man I choose to marry. I mean I could marry someone you knew before you died but it doesn't seem likely right now. Remember when you tried to set Josh up with another girl? I won't ever forget it. And each guy I date, I wonder what you would think of him. If he doesn't meet what I think your standards would be, he doesn't last.

I live in Missouri now. I work at the University of Missouri. It would have been fun to take you to the 100th HC game. I think that's something you would have had fun with.

Teri has decided on a double major finally. She's making progress. And Mom is almost ready to Graduate. She's decided to go back and get her Master's Degree in counseling. Your death had effects that we didn't even expect. Leigh and Sean and I are closer now. Not as close as you three used to be, but closer than we were before. Kaylyn will get her DL next week and all I can think about is that picture you took of her when she was just a toddler.

I visit QT as often as I can. The folks in the DFW area really stepped in and took care of us when you died. They paid for a lot of the costs associated with your death and we were so grateful! Now Mom and I go a few extra blocks to stop at a QT if we need gas. And I'm addicted to their un-sweet Tea and Hot Dogs. That reminds me of the time you filled my stocking on Christmas Morning with stuff from the gas station HAHA!

I miss you. Give Blake a hug for me and find JoAnn up there too. Love you!

-kt