Day 31: One Word

Rounding out the project and the year, the last prompt of the year for the Reverb Broad’s 2011 Writing Challenge wants to know “What is your “one word”? One word for this year, one word for next year.”

Here’s a little backstory for those of you not in the know: the One Word Resolution began last year as a reflective question in a blog for professionals in my field last year. To better understand it you can click here.

OK then. That explanation took a lot less time than I thought it would. Moving on…

For 2011 I wanted a word that expressed my inner diva, drive and inspiration. For 2011 my One Word Resolution was “shine”. I chose the word because I liked the definition I found online: “1.) to give forth or glow with light; shed or cast light. 2.) to be bright with reflected light; glisten; sparkle.” I wanted to inspire my students and those I loved; I wanted to help illuminate lives and reflect my happiness and light onto the world. I wanted to challenge myself to be a positive presence in everything I did. I used the word to guide my work and my life.

For 2012 I’m taking my One Word in a different direction. As much as I love words like “shine” and “focus” and “grow” I want to shake things up in my life. I need a word that encompasses my hopes and dreams for this year. I need something that’s going to motivate me to dig deeper, go further, and push myself.

So for 2012, my one word resolution is this:

GAGA.

The Lady stands for everything I admire and want to be: creativity. Passion. Drive. Commitment. Loyalty. Grace. Determination. Future-focused. She doesn’t just sing a song, she creates a vision and follows through with it. When she’s penning lyrics, she’s envisioning the music video, the choreography and the costume she’ll wear for it onstage for that song. When she believes in a cause she uses her voice to inspire change and her power to move the world. She’s one of the biggest pop stars on the planet yet she’s humble about her success and uses her popularity to push her towards bigger things. She’s driven and motivated in ways I rarely see. Any fear she feels, she uses as a catalyst to propel herself forward to do good, dig deep and achieve more. She’s so much more than a singer in my book. She’s my inspiration for my new year.

So this year, as I anticipate some twists in my journey of life, I’ll channel Gaga. I’ll use my fear to push me forward and become a better version of myself. I’ll use my creativity to learn more about myself and hopefully inspire others. I’ll focus on my passions so I can better serve others. I want to grow in new ways this year and take on life in ways I never thought possible. I don’t want fear to rule my life–I figure one way I can help achieve this is to ask what Gaga would do given my journey and choices.

I don’t know what 2012 holds for me, but I’m excited to see how my journey unfolds. And with Gaga as a guide–how could I not win at life?

Day 30: See the World

Reverb Broads want to know “If you could go on a trip regardless of cost, where would you go and what would you see?”

I want to see the world. I long to see the world. I need to see the world.

I grew up in a very isolated area. The Upper Peninsula is beautiful and I feel blessed to have grown up on the shores of Lake Superior. At the same time, I lived in a small community and there wasn’t a lot to do outside of outdoorsy activities (I am in no way an outdoor enthusiast). So I spent a lot of my time reading. I had a deep love of learning and I soaked in as many stories as I could when I was young. Through books I was able to travel to all of the places I couldn’t see because I was held back by my age, my family’s money (we had none) and my location. Books (and later movies) helped me to compose a large bucket list and helped me to cultivate a longing to travel and a zest for life.

I want to go everywhere. One of my life goals is to set foot on all seven continents. This is also the reason I wanted to travel to Russia this past summer. It isn’t necessarily an obvious tourist destination but it was a place my heart wanted to be. I have a huge bucket list and a lot of dreams for traveling. A few of my big goals in life include:

• Traveling through Italy to taste the different foods and wines of the various areas. I also want to take a gondala ride through Venice and see the sites in Rome.
• Experiencing Carnivale and/or Mardi Gras in Brazil and/or New Orleans. I want to feel the pure joy of celebration vibrating through the streets.
• Traveling through Europe with my sister doing the Sound of Music tour. Cheesy? Yes. A dream since we’ve been children? Oh yes. This will happen! And in the process we’ll also explore as many castles and cathedrals as we can. It’s a shared dream.
• Beholding the wonders of Easter Island. I’ve been fascinated with them since I did a report on them in tenth grade. It’s a unique destination and it’d be amazing to see them up close.
• Wandering gardens in Japan. I don’t know a lot about Japanese culture but I want to experience it and immerse myself in it for a short period of time.
• Road tripping through the US. Route 66 and a convertible are calling my name. Hitting a bunch of diners and cheesy tourist destinations are definitely bonuses here.

 

Day 28: Romancing the KP

The Reverb Broads today want to know “Do you consider yourself a romantic person? Do you prefer fancy dinners, roses and chocolate romantic, or are you more non-traditional? What’s the most romantic thing you have ever done for a loved one or had done for you?”

Once upon a time, there lived a little girl who grew up on a steady diet of the Disney movies. She believed that she’d befriend cute critters, have a pitch-perfect voice and be swept off her feet by a handsome prince who not only fell in love with her at first sight, but would innately know who she was and what she wanted and needed.

This belief last until well into her 20s, as she continued to believe that love was all a woman needed in order to feel complete. She no longer had any illusions about her singing voice (though she continued to rock Sir Mixalot in karaoke) and little critters made her squirm, but the ideals about love and a perfect soulmate persevered though the only men in her life were either gay or too dumb to realize what a catch she was.

She continued to believe in True Love through her first relationship. She held onto the belief that love could conquer anything even though the fighting became anxiety-inducing and her partner didn’t support her decision to pursue a Masters Degree. She keep hoping that her love could change a bad man into somebody good.

And then he hit her and left a bump on her wrist from where he bit her during a violent attack. The heroine realized that love can’t fix a broken relationship or change a monster into a handsome prince. Sometimes love means having to stand on your own and press charges against a villain.

Today, I harbor no illusions about love or romance. To be clear, I still sigh whenever I see something sweet on a romantic comedy. But I won’t harbor any huge expectations about romance and love. Because I had breath-taking moments in past relationships–scenarios that felt nearly unreal because of how perfect they felt at the time but that inevitably led to pain and heartache in the long-run. I want breath-takingly beautiful moments of romance where emotions are declared and roses and diamonds are presented. But I’ve learned that I don’t need that.

I now know that real romance lies in the little things: the good morning texts that let me know he’s thinking about me when he wakes up. The dinners he cooks because he wants to prove he’d be a good partner and roommate. The random cards that come in the mail assuring me of his love. Him waiting for me at the airport–THAT is true romance. Seeing the one you love at the end of a long plane ride; the hugging and kissing that comes with being reunited after being apart. Disney princesses don’t realize that a kiss after long journey is so much better than a midnight rendezvous with someone you barely know. Luckily I’ve come to realize that it’s a thousand small things and not the big, grand gestures that spell real romance. The little things help my passion to burn. All of the little things will someday lead to my own happily ever after, one day at a time.

Day 27: Very Telling

For Day 27 of the Reverb Broad’s 2011 Writing Challenge the bloggers want to know “What does your office/home/bedroom tell others about you?”

Enter any room of my home and you’ll notice that you’re surrounded by photos. Pictures of me grinning with friends. Pictures of the various places I’ve been in my life: London, Paris, Moscow, Disney World. Pictures of moments captured from my past that I remember fondly. Collages adorn my walls, frames are covering almost any flat surface. I am a Picture. Person. I can’t resist buying cute frames and I love grouping pictures together on dressers, entertainment centers, tables or anywhere I want to have a bit of flair. One of my favorite areas is in my kitchen, where a french memo board is covered with postcards and snapshots of my friends and I. It’s a burst of happy every time I head for my fridge.

The other thing that abounds in my space is books. Books of quotes, books about goals and bucket lists, memoirs, the Harry Potter series, tomes about things that inspire me and push me to be my best….all piled and grouped on bookshelves, my coffee table, and towering nearly above my lamp on my night stand. I have a tendency of reading three to four different books at a time, so they’re scattered around, waiting for me to pick up my flavor of the moment.

What do these things tell people about me? I’m a girl who lives in the moment and who treasures the people she loves. It’s clear in the photos I frame and display in my apartment and office. I want to show off the amazing people in my life so they’re everywhere. They also keep me from feeling lonely on the rare long day that leaves me drained and feeling homesick. As for the books, I am a Lifelong Learner. The books occupying my life are mostly non-fiction and aimed at either inspiring or encouraging me in some way, shape or form. I don’t have to look far to challenge myself to grow–all I need to do is pick up a book from my shelves, curl up on my couch under my favorite Scottish wool blanket and let the learning begin. Essentially I’m a loving, lovely bookwork. I have no issues with this.

Day 26: Sparkling and Bookish

Reverb Broad’s challenge for Day 26 asks “Write about the things you collect, include photos, tell why these items are cherished by you.”

If you know me, you know that I LOVE accessories. LOVE THEM. To the point that if I could spend entire paychecks on scarves, earrings and chunky necklaces I would. I am a firm believer that the right accessories can make or break an outfit. I love that I can transform from schoolgirl-ish to professional with some sparkly studs and a printed scarf added to dark jeans and a blouse. I’m a devout disciple of What Not to Wear so I take my jewelry very seriously. Stacy and Clinton preach about the power of  jewelry on a weekly basis and I completely agree. Plus? Necklaces and earrings make lovely souvenirs and don’t take up a lot of room in a suitcase. The gold necklace on the right in the picture below is from Moscow, as is the fan (which is more for a bit of whimsy than anything).

This is only a tiny fraction of my jewelry collection. I don’t know what I’m going to have to do when I share an apartment with a partner….

That isn’t my real collection, however. I don’t always go out of my way to find the perfect accessory–more often than not they fall into my lap at the right moment. The thing I seek out, however? Books signed by people I admire. I never meant to have a collection. It just kind of…happened.

It began when Maya Angelou spoke at my school. I was a part of the programming group that brought her, so my cherished collection of poems by her was suddenly graced with her lovely signature:

Needless to say, this is now one of my most prized possessions. Since then I’ve gone to a few book signings by people I love: Anthony Rapp from RENT, Jen Lancaster, David Sedaris.  And so my signed book collection has grown:

(Note: I haven’t had the chance to meet Mindy Kaling or Laurie Notaro…yet. I found Laurie’s autographed book in a Portland bookstore while Mindy was sending signed bookplates to anyone who pre-ordered her fabulous memoir. Lucky me!) It’s a slow-growing collection, but it makes me happy. My holy grail would be if I could get Jane Lynch and Tina Fey to sign their new tomes. I could die a happy girl. Until then I have a goal to work towards!

Day 25: What Christmas Means to Me (My Love)

Day 25 of the Reverb Broads Challenge: “Silent Sunday – Just post a picture that represents your day.”

Christmas is simply not the same if I don’t get to spend it with my amazing mom and lovely sister.

Day 23: Loving It

Today, the Reverb Broad’s want to know “If you could have any job, what would it be?”

Ahh, I feel that this is the eternal question. It’s fairly common knowledge that people change careers at least three to five times in their lifetimes.  A part of me is horrified at this factoid because I spent two years spilling my blood, sweat and tears to get a Master’s Degree in a very specialized field and I’d like to get more than a few years out of the degree. At the same time, I’m delighted to hear this because it means that the world is wide open to possibilities and that at any moment you can make the decision to change your life and follow your heart wherever it may roam. I like that idea.

One of my core beliefs in life is that I could feel happy and fulfilled doing almost any job as long as I have at least a little autonomy, some semblance of security and some outlets to express my creativity. I began to believe this when I worked at Target for nearly a year after college and had a blast connecting with coworkers and working on myself in the meantime. I look back on my time there fondly. Since then I’ve had several jobs and I’m now happy in the field I’m in. But that’s not to say I’ll be in this career for the rest of my life.

Because I’m well aware of that, I’ve compiled a list of  jobs I’d love to tackle and take on:

• Writer/Blogger/Memoirist: The Big Obvious One on my list. If I could write for a living I’d be the happiest woman in the world.
• Bartender: This would be fun. And I could connect with people while coming up with fun, creative drinks!
• Barista: I’m a bit jealous of people who work at Starbucks. I think working here could be a good job.
• Make-up artist: At least a few times a month people compliment me on my makeup or ask me how I apply it. I don’t necessarily think I’m doing anything extraordinary, but The Universe keeps sending me signals that I’m put together and admired.
• Crayon Color Namer: Dude! How fun would this be?!?
• Life Coach: I’m seriously considering this as a career option.
• Workshop leader/trainer: I have tons of energy, I can design training sessions and reflective activities easily and I have a passion for learning that I want to extend to others. This could seriously be a good career option for me.
• Back-up dancer: barring the fact that I have absolutely no dance background whatsoever, I think it would be amazing to travel around and share my talents with the world. My heart aches when I see beautiful dancing because I truly feel that in an alternate world I could have been a fabulous dancer.
• Travel writer/journalist: Getting paid to travel? Yes, please!
• Psychic/dream interpreter: my friends come to me all the time to interpret their dreams and I’m fairly intuitive. While I don’t see running away to join a Ren Fest crew as a viable option, it would be fun to do this kind of thing on the side.

I don’t know what exactly my future holds, but I know that if I keep my heart and mind open then good things will come to me.

Day 22: Outside the Box

Today the Broads want to know “If someone made a board game of your life, what would it look like? What pieces would you need to play?”

This topic confused me. OK, confused is not the right word….this topic made my brain want to implode. I read a lot of the Broads’ entries, I reflected on this for a long time and eventually I’ve come to realize this:

My life would not be made into a board game.

I’m OK with this. And, no, I’m not trying to cop out on the topic. It’s really true–my life would never be a board game. And here’s why: My life is too random and fabulous and lovely to be boxed in and one dimensionalized.

Instead, here are the tools needed in order to live life the KP way:

• A sense of whimsy and wonder. View the world as if everything (or most things at least) are magical.
• A big sense of humor. Life is more enjoyable when you laugh.
• A wicked sense of adventure. Be up for anything. Say yes far more often than you say no.
• Passion. Great things (and fun things) are only accomplished with passion. A zest for life is necessary.
• The ability to use your voice. Speak up for yourself; stand up for your needs and what you believe in. Otherwise things may not be as enjoyable or positive as they could be.
• Nearly no shame. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Don’t let the fear of being embarrassed stop you from trying something new.
• Fear. Acknowledge that things may not go how you want them to go. Then take a deep breath, jump in and do the best you can. Fear is a sign that you’re on the right path…or so I’ve heard.
• The ability to reflect. Learn to make meaning from your experiences. Life is much richer and deeper that way.
• A love of learning. It goes hand in hand with the reflection piece.
• Good friends and/or a strong partner. Because life is more fun when you’re sharing a joke, glass of wine or experience together. (They, also, should have many of the items on this list.)

I’m not saying I have everything figured out. On the contrary, I feel as though I fly by the seat of my pants, hyperventilate, reevaluate and reflect on a regular basis. But I also feel like I’m in a very positive place in my life and I’m excited to see where my journey (or game!) takes me.

Day 21: Educate Me!

On this, the 21st day of December, the Reverb Broad’s prompt asks me “If you returned (or went, if you’ve never been) to college to study anything you want, what would you major in, and why?”

I never thought I’d get my Master’s Degree. It wasn’t a life goal. It wasn’t on my radar throughout my undergraduate career. A higher degree was never something I thought I wanted or needed.

And then I went out into the “real world” with a Bachelor’s in Public Relations. And wide-eyed, open-hearted, Disney-loving me quickly realized that the PR degree I’d worked so hard for was for nothing because the PR world is cut-throat, aggressive and money-grubbing–three things I am not. I had no idea what to do. So I moved away from the UP (because that’s what anyone who wants to have a career of any kind needs to do) and took the first job offer I got–as a Leasing Agent at a Section 8 property in the state capital.

To say that this job was a learning experience would be a vast understatement.

What I realized, amid the piles of paperwork, budding ulcers and prematurely greying hair I was getting from my job, was that I got excited talking to people about college and higher purposes. And I began to think that this was something that I could perhaps do as a profession. And a nationally ranked, very popular university was just down the street with a higher education program. And I didn’t need to take the GRE to apply. (That was more of a deciding factor than some will realize–I loathe standardized tests.)

And thus? I applied to this highly ranked, well-respected program. And I was accepted! And then I went on a two-year roller coaster of a journey that challenged me more than I ever thought possible. I worked my ass off, wrote more papers than I thought was possible, did more research than ever before, bled for my assistantship, tore my hair out learning about statistics (numbers and figures make me want to throw up), learned a new system of citations (APA? Uuugh.), made some of the best friends I could ever imagine, cultivated a pride in my Big Ten school that I never thought existed and earned a Master’s Degree that I am so proud of.

I didn’t consider a Master’s not because I didn’t think I could do it. Rather, I thought I didn’t need one to be the best version of myself or chase my dreams. What I realized during the application process and then relearned time and again throughout my time at Michigan State was that being open to new experiences and learning new things would help me to cultivate my best self, which would only help me to better serve others. So now, even though I can put an “MA” at the end of my name, it doesn’t mean that I’m done with the whole school thing. I may get a PhD or an EdD in higher education some day. Or I could get another Master’s in a completely different field–perhaps creative writing or life coaching. Pursuing my Master’s didn’t complete my educational journey. Rather, it opened up my destiny to many new paths and glittering opportunities. So now I’m Krissy P, MA and Lifelong Learner.

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.