Day 20: Life is Beautiful

Today the Reverb Broad’s Writing Challenge asks “Life is a work of art, or so they say.  What beauty do you regularly appreciate/revere in your life?”

This about sums up how I feel about life and art. Appreciate as much of it as you can and do your best to make your life and the lives of those around you beautiful because we are all connected. Take the time to do lovely things, even if it’s just adding a smiley face to your signature, a flower to your hair or a nice text to your friend. Everything is connected, so if you look at the world as a magical thing, it will be that way. Appreciate as much as you can because once you start you’ll be amazed at all that you see.

And that’s all I have to say about that.

Day 18: At the Dinner Table

Today’s Reverb Broad’s prompt asks “Who would you most like to meet and why?”

I’m going to tackle this “If question” style, because I always like to ask new friends which five people they’d want to have a dinner party with. My answers are ever-changing and vary depending on my mood, the time of day, how much caffeine I’ve had and/or how inspired/uninspired I’m feeling. There are a couple of people who always make the cut, but the others vary. At that moment, here are the five people I’d love to have around my dinner table, noshing on baked brie, prime rib, and cheesecake.

1. Tina Fey: I have adored her since her time at SNL. Before her I didn’t realize how truly dorky, intelligent and hilarious women on TV could be. She inspires me like nobody else and I would give my right arm to meet her. Consequently she’s been a regular at my dinner table roster since I was 19.
2. Lady Gaga: She’d be invited just for her outfit alone, but that fact aside I can’t even begin to explain how much this woman inspires me. A part of me wants to be her. Another part just wants to spread the gospel of Gaga (which, in fact, I’ll be doing during a training session for students where I teach them about leadership lessons we all can take from Lady Gaga).
3. Walt Disney: personal politics and conspiracies aside, this man created an empire that has inspired millions of children and encouraged crowds to always dream, always hope. The Disney effect reverberates deep within me, far beyond my yearning to be a princess. Visit Disney World and you’ll see what I mean when I say his vision encourages and inspires many. Every detail in his parks are intentional, creative and inspiring. I just want to pick his brain. And see what kind of creative debate him and Gaga would get into.
4. Jane Lynch: She’s snarky and hilarious. I think she’d be a dark horse in the conversation category. I’d love to hear about her life and her choices for her movies and TV. I want to know where her inspiration for Sue Sylvester comes from.
5. Paul Rudd: Oh man. He’s my forever crush. He’d be the eye candy at my party.

Day 3: Growing Into Myself

Day 3 question:  How did you become more of a grown-up this year? Or did you pull a Peter Pan and stubbornly remain childlike?

At four years-old, I had no concept of what grown-ups did. I knew that my mom stayed home and cooked and played with me. I had no idea what my dad did when he left every morning. I could only assume that he was heading to a playground to hang out with friends. At the wide-eyed age of four I assumed that when people got big, they got to do whatever they wanted and have fun all day. I couldn’t wait to get through the inconveniences of school so I could swing into the sky day after day, forever and ever amen.

By all accounts, I am now a grown-up. Except I occasionally have this moments where it’ll suddenly hit me–”oh shit! People think I’m a grown up!” I mean…I sometimes don’t feel like a grown up. I live with college-age students and I have a consistent bedtime of 1 am. I eat cold cereal for dinner on a regular basis. I have no stock options and I’m don’t plan on buying a house at any point in the future. And yet? I am a grown-up.

While I sometimes exhibit behaviors that are a tad irresponsible (I hate chores and likely always will, so anyone wanting to put a ring on it better enjoy taking out the garbage and cleaning), I’ve been discovering that being seen as a grown up has some advantages. The conversations I have with my friends are no longer about which bars are the best but rather where our journeys are going and how we can support each other. Students come to me for advice about everything from clothes to life choices. I’m learning how to calm my mind and look within to find the root of my thoughts and fears. I’m not afraid to question things. I’m not afraid to use my voice. I’m not afraid of my future, though it at times seems to be nebulous, because I know that I’ll take it on with zest and energy because of what I’ve weathered in my past. These are all new developments that began to bloom in the past couple of years.

I am growing into the person I want to be. I’ve cultivated my love of reflection and questioning. I’m just as happy to spend a quiet evening at home with a good book as I am to grab dinner and rock the mic karaokeing.  My voice is ever evolving. My laugh comes easily (though sometimes at inopportune times). My passions continue to grow wider and deeper as I discover more abut myself. These are all important pieces to who I am that I’ve discovered as I’ve grown. At the same time, there is an inner sense of wonder I will always want to honor. The little KP within will always squeal at twinkly lights (YAY CHRISTMAS!!!), get giddy when someone gives me a gift, dance whenever I hear a good beat or a fun song, continue to collect Disney movies and will never give up the dream of wanting to be a princess (I have several tiaras to prove this point).

In the past people have rolled their eyes or made sarcastic remarks about these parts of me–that I need to grow up or stop acting immature. It’s not a Peter Pan complex that I’m cultivating, however. I’m sincerely honoring the parts of myself that find magic in the mundane and fun in the everyday life experiences. Life is an adventure that I want to experience as much as humanly possible. And while I may have to work in order to, uh, make a living that does not mean I cannot have fun and experience the present moment. This year has taught me that I can make peace with this lovely part of me–I can be the woman who laughs easily while asking the deep questions. I can be the one who can see the varied sides of a situation and then reference Friends or The Office. I can have Lucky Charms for lunch and then cook a Filet Mignon with mashed potatoes and green beans for dinner. I don’t have to choose one piece of myself or another. I’ve learned to grow into myself and accept all parts of me.  I am a jewel, carved and angled by my experiences, preferences and passions, shining most brightly when multiple facets catch the light.

Grown Up Wishlist

I’ve been thinking a lot about my future and what I want it to look like. I hope that I’ll be journeying through it with someone who I love while discovering more about who I am in regards to being in a long-term, hopefully married relationship at some point in my life. While I don’t know what will happen (do any of us really?) I do know what kind of stuff I want once I’m in a place where I can put down roots. The following is a collection of things that I’ve known I’ve wanted for my Grown Up Life (GUL) for quite some time now…

I don’t care how many couches or recliners there are in my Grown-Up Living Room as long as I can have a massive, overstuffed chair. Just looking at this makes me want to curl up with a glass of wine and a good novel. This is going to be the first thing I buy (well, besides maybe a bed) once I have to furniture shop for my post-live-in life.

Yes. Yes. Just…yes. Blame it on Beauty and the Beast but I need to have a room devoted to books. Yum. It also goes without saying that my GUL will include a partner who is passionate about learning and reading as well. Yes.

I’m a creative person, so I’ll need a creative space. A Creation Room where I can write, scrapbook and make things would be ideal. I’m realistic enough to recognize that an entire room may not be feasible unless I’m living in a mansion, so I’d settle for half a room to share with a partner’s office. Or something. But a creative space is necessary for my sanity.

Call it a pipedream, call it the Carrie Bradshaw syndrome, but if I could have a walk-in closet complete with soft lighting and a fabulous settee I’d be one happy girl. I need a good space for all my accessories and clothes. My wardrobe is getting to be a beast of it’s own and I’m ok with that so long as I have space to put it all. This lovely place would do nicely in my Grown Up Life.

Awww! So cuuuuuuute! Want…one….now. I’ve never wanted babies, but I do want a dog or two. Preferrably a Dachsund or a Corgi. Or, if I had the room I’d get a Husky. Either way, my Grown Up Life WILL have a dog in it because it’s killing me that I can’t have one at this point in my life.

A city life. While I recognize that this may not be as feasible if I’m in a partnership and there’s extenuating circumstances, in my perfect version of my GUL I’d live in a city. Give me culture, give me diversity, give me inspiration in the form of street fairs and random adventures and give me cute neighborhoods with small bookstores and local coffeeshops. I’ve never had the pleasure of living in a city and my heart aches because I want to experience it so badly.

I know that no matter what happens, I’ll be happy, wishlist acquired or not. But a girl can dream. And I happen to be very good at that.

Wishing and Hoping…

It’s really happening. And fast. Soon I’ll be blowing out the candles and celebrating another birthday. I’m a bit stunned because I don’t feel like a year had gone by. It seems like only last week that people were singing me happy birthday in the middle of a conference luncheon (true story–and I loved every second of it!).  While there have been one or two dark spots, overall my Golden Year (aka my 28th year on the planet) has been a glittering success. I’m going to be sad to bid it farewell in exactly two weeks. And if I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure how thrilled I am to be celebrating my final year in my 20s. I don’t feel that old. How did the time go so fast?!?

I’m not one to reflect for too long on cliche’ things; instead I choose to focus my energy on things that are more interesting. Like my wishlist for my birthday. As has become a tradition (for both my b-day and the holiday season), I like to create a wishlist of things I’d like to have because I figure it can’t hurt to send my wishes out to the Universe to see what happens. It’s not like I expect to get my own private island or a Ferrari, but that doesn’t mean they can’t go on the list just in case. So now I present to you…

My Wishes for My 29th Birthday:

• A new(er) car. Seriously, if you saw the state of Rexy, you’d be donating money to me right now. 29 is a grown-up age; I need a more grown-up car. Or, um, at least one that starts. And doesn’t have flat tires. Sigh.
• A dog. I. Want. A. Pet. Preferrably a Dachsund or a Corgi. (Of course, this will likely stay a pipe dream until I choose to live off-campus for my career.)
• To be published. In a magazine, a memoir, another short story collection–it doesn’t matter. I want to concentrate more on my writing and putting things out there for more people to read. I love seeing my name in black and white on a crisp page.
• To continue to experience love. I’m in the best relationship of my life right now and I want it to keep going down that mostly blissful path. I want to experience a healthy, loving relationship and discover who I can be inside of one.  I want to see where love can take me…and I want to be able to release my fears so I can fully experience this love and my incredible boyfriend.
• World peace. Because the world is bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S right now and we could use peace.
• Creativity. Or, more specifically, the ability to focus my creativity so I can follow through and start (and then finish fully) the project I get excited about, whether it’s working my way through The Artist’s Way, working on a multimedia art project, scrapbooking or carving out time weekly (or daily) to write.
• A pony. Because I’ve always wanted one and I’ll keep on wishing for one until I die.
• Boy Meets World. Seasons 4 through 6. Because it’s one of my favorite tv shows EVER.
• Friends. Seasons 4 through 10. Because it’s my another favorite. And my comfort show that never fails to make me happy even after a long, hard day.
• Kitchen stuff. Because apparently I’m becoming domesticated. A lovely popcorn popper (NOT an air popper) and a wok would be nice additions to the domestication. Also? Wine glasses. Because I have exactly two mismatched ones right now.
• Anything from my Amazon wishlist. You can find it here: http://amzn.com/w/2YCCW6NGQXQ2W  Yup.
• Gift certificates. Target. Barnes & Noble. Sephora. iTunes. Because this girl? Likes to shop.
• A lovely card. Or email. Or text or voicemail. My Love Language is Words of Affirmation, so any time someone says something lovely or sweet to me, it inspires me endlessly–especially if it’s in a form that I can store and look back on later. A sweet note or card from Hallmark goes a looong way with this girl.
• Cupcakes. Seriously, doesn’t that picture look divine? Mmm…cupcakes…
• Wine. After my Sonoma vacation/education (thanks, Wifey!) I am hooked. Pay no attention to the fact that I have six bottles in my kitchen already. I can never have too much wine!
• To continue checking things off my bucket list. I fully acknowledge that I lead a charmed life and that I am fully blessed. Perhaps that’s why I continue to hunger to experience all that life has to offer, so if anyone wants to whisk me away to New Orleans for Mardi Gras or go zip-lining with me, hook a girl up!

Moonlighting

My friend told me a statistic last year that she heard at a conference: within five years of graduating with a Master’s Degree in our field, 40% of people will no longer be in said field. I stared at her, mouth gaping, when she told me that. Seriously?!? FOURTY PERCENT?! Really?!? It blew my mind. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. I work in a field that I love and I have nothing but fiery passion for it. But while the field is growing, jobs in it are…not. So it’s easy to get an entry-level position, but it’s not as easy to move up. And certain areas of the field are much more accessible than others.

Because of this and a writing project, I’ve been thinking about alternative career paths. My heart will die a little if I have to leave the field because I truly love what I do–I know I’m positively impacting people on a regular basis and that feels good (though the pay is not good). But if/when I job search and move, there’s a real chance that I may not be working where I”d like. So because I want to be proactive as well as creative and whimsical, I’ve composed a list of alternative career/job choices that I can semi-seriously see myself pursuing:

• Writer. (Duh.)
• Disney groupie/Disney World worker.
• Life coach
• Karaoke DJ
• Tarot card reader/psychic (If you’ve had me analyze your dreams, you’d know that I have a pretty intuitive sixth sense that could probably be turned for a profit)
• Reality television expert, available for talk shows, news shows and those random clip commentary shows on Vh1 and E!
• Bartender
• Motivational speaker
• Nail polish color inventor
• Makeup artist
• Team/group trainer
• Reflective question writer
• Photographer

That’s what I got so far. I’m sure if I thought about it more I’d come up with others. But for now? At 1 am on a Saturday night? This list sounds pretty damn good.