An Adventure For Champions

Do you have a favorite picture that you took this year? What was the story behind it?

My alarm went off at three o'clock in the morning, and I boarded a train by five. Every passenger was like herded cattle, where all the seats were taken up and I had to brace myself up against a wall in order to stay standing. The train ended up making only three stops afterward due to nearing capacity, so I made it to the city a lot quicker than expected. Right away I knew that this was one of the few days that Chicago collectively woke up before dawn. And being that this was my first time at any sort of sports-related championship celebration, I knew I had to be somewhat cautious. My mom had spent the days beforehand fretting about my safety, in which I reassured her that I had bopped around enough to where I had some idea of what I was doing. After meeting my friend inside the train station, we began making our way through the already-crowded streets toward another's apartment. 

"You look like a woman on a mission!" She was referring to the determined look on my face.  

"Well, it's not every day we get to see the Blackhawks raise the Stanley Cup!"

 Granted this was the third time in six years, but not until now was I motivated enough to stand among thousands and cheer for it. The parade would take place first and then follow with a rally shortly after (we would only attend the second part because we had highly coveted tickets for it). Regardless, I felt like a little kid at Christmas, and was determined to be there even if danger was a possibility.

By the time we made it into the stadium a little before noon, both the temperature and humidity had risen a bit, and I was a little bit desperate for water. I'd chosen to forgo alcohol for safety purposes, and because I wanted to experience this with a clear head. I can't remember how long we waited for it to actually start, but we did pass the time with people watching and eating french fries. 

It didn't take long for the atmosphere to electrify, so much that at one point I simultaneously had goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes. It wasn't just about winning or history; it was about being surrounded by well over thousands of people who rooted for and were passionate about the same team. Not to mention we were all crazy enough to be here in the first place. 

I felt happy. Alive. Absolutely alive is the only way to really describe it. And I knew right than and there that it was something I would always savor.

Call me a fair-weather fan or bandwaggoner, though I only avoided watching the playoffs because I get way too anxious. I'd like to think of it in the sense that sometimes you don't appreciate something until you open your eyes and really look at it. 

I was beyond exhausted by the time I got home, but couldn't even take a nap because of the excitement and adrenaline. I'm fortunate to have been able to experience something as incredible as that, particularly in the midst of such a crazy summer. 

My grandfather and I now have tradition of watching the games together (and yelling at the TV a lot). It's one of those little things that make me light up. It's competitive, it's aggressive, but it's also something that I can share with people that I care about. 

And that's the best adventure of all. 

Music Lovin' Monday

Better-Maggie Rose

If there's one song that sums up every emotion, feeling, and thought that I've experienced this past summer, it's this one. I plan on writing a post on it at some point, perhaps in a few weeks. If you've ever lost somebody, I'm sure you'll be able to relate to this. I love how simple and honest it is, so I'll let the music do the talking for now.

Take Back The Night-Justin Timberlake 

When I first heard about the N'Sync reunion on the MTV Video Music Awards, the inner teeny-bopper in me gave a little bit of a squeal, but at the same time 1.) I'm more partial to the Backstreet Boys, and 2.) I more of a fan of Justin as a solo artist rather than as a member of a boy-band. And after watching him last night, I have to say that he gave a phenomenal performance! After Miley Cyrus left made face-palming and wondering what popular music is coming to, he certainly made up for it.  In regards to this song in particular, he could have been a little bit more sensitive with the song title. But I love the overall city-vibe of it, given that I'm very much a downtown girl myself. It might be just another substitute for carpe diem, but it's a funkier (and classier) version of that other one. 

Heart of Life-John Mayer

An oldie-but-goodie; I was making dinner the other night when this came on my easy-listening Pandora station. I love the message of it, and the way the guitar sounds is so calming.

Light Me Up-Hunter Hayes

This one is less popular and slightly different, but still good. I wish he had played it at Country Thunder, but unfortunately he had to cut the show short due to the rain. 

Days of Gold-Jake Owen

I want to end this on a positive note, so I will say that this one is just awesome! I can bet that this will be one of the defining songs of my senior year of college. And if I ever do make a playlist describing these last four years, this one will definitely be on it!

All video content can be found on Youtube!

photo credit: el patojo via photopin cc

Stream of Consciousness #13

I may sound as though I'm bragging when I say this, but I consider myself to have a pretty good memory. Not necessarily in the sense that I have the ability to remember the answer to every single question on a test, but more or less that I can recall the smallest of things from a particular memory. For instance, in some cases I remember vivid details of meeting certain friends, from the exact date that it was down to what we were both wearing that day. 


I have always wondered why that happens; why some memories get stuck in my head and others just simply fade away. It is some kind of omen that whoever is a part of that memory will become a significant person in my life? Or does it just occur for no specific reason at all? 


There was a time when I was afraid to say that I had a best friend or a group of best friends, because I didn't want anybody in my life to feel excluded. I wanted all my loved ones to feel like they meant a lot to me, because I once knew what it was like to think that no one cared at all. But then I began to understand that it's not always possible to be insanely close to every single person that you know; you're not always going to mesh with them, and some don't turn out to be trustworthy. 


The more I think about it, the more I realize that there are definitely people that I would prefer to be stranded on a desert island with more than anyone else. There are specific things that I sometimes wait to do, simply because I want a specific person(s) with me when I do it. You get the idea, right?


People say that you should learn to be your own person before you choose to be with someone else, and that you should know how to survive on your own. There is truth in that, but only to a certain extent. 


I'd like to think that having people in my life doesn't necessarily fill me, but it does make happier to have them there. I don't completely imitate them, but they do make me want to be a better person in my own right. And there's just something about them that brings a smile to my face; they have a type of energy that makes me want to be around them all the time.


And because of all that, they each have an important and special place in my heart. 


My family has often told me that I take general relationships too seriously; I fight too hard to spend time those that I care about and that I'm never willing to let go, even when they prove they don't give a damn about me. Both parts of those statements have been a struggle, but I have learned a lot, especially within the past year.


Don't expect too much, but rather cherish the time that you have. Know how to be honest and know how to forgive. Know when to fight and know when to let the friendship run its own course. 


There's no denying that friends will come and go out of your life; but the truest of them all will be standing in the doorway, regardless if you can see them or not.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

A New Chapter...Well, Sort Of

It's no secret that graduating high school and going away to college was a big change for me. I went off on my own path and was able to thrive based on the new experiences that I was having. Yet, life at home wasn't all that much different then when I left. But it may not be that way for much longer.


My brother will be leaving for the Air Force Academy in about four days. At the beginning of August, I will move into my own apartment and soon after be starting my sophomore year of college (along with staying at school for the following summer). From that point on, my sister will pretty much be the only child in the house, albeit she is turning thirteen toward the end of September.


So yes, I'd say that it's a pretty big change.


I've been up and down, back and forth, whatever you want to call it, as far as how I feel about the whole thing. When I found out that he had gotten in, I jumped for joy so much that I backed into my dresser and fell over. But since then, I've experienced moments where I've just completely broken down in tears over the whole thing; most recently when I woke up at one in the morning on the fourth of July. 


Lately I've been trying to convince myself that it really isn't a big deal; in a way, he's just going to college. Meaning, he'll be taking classes, getting a degree, as well as wrestling. He'll get a couple days off for thanksgiving and Christmas, and be allowed to come for home for a couple of weeks during the summertime. 


However, he'll be gone for about sixteen years as part of his military service. While he's there, they're going to break him down and build him back up all over again, which seems slightly scary. He's not going to be the same person that he was before he went in; which I guess happens to about everyone, regardless of where they go. But the truth is, he has been sort of like my twin/other half. Or at least he was until my sister came along. 


I have been through something similar to this; three years ago, I had a friend who was going to be leaving for the same reason, although it was a different branch of the Armed Forces. I supported his decision, but nonetheless I still wondered "what is life going to be like after this?" and "what in the heck am I going to do without you?" It was a tough time for me personally, as well as for our friendship. Add that my perception of God and faith sort of darkened, mostly as a result. It was actually right around this time, so I guess that's why I'm feeling an extra-dose of sadness; even though it's very much in the past, I still manage to recall it very well every time the month of July rolls around. 


On the other side of it all, this is what my brother has wanted to do for most of his life. I was able to go where I wanted, and now it's his turn. 


As much as I worry about how my family will handle it, there is only so much any of us can do to prepare ourselves for what is to come. In all actuality, I don't know what will happen or what won't happen. Some things are meant to be learned beforehand, and others are meant to be learned along the way. 


And unlike three years ago, I'm not stuck at home trying to bide my time while my brother flies off into the wild blue yonder. I'll be going back to school in August, and I have my own personal goals and aspirations to focus on. I can only cry for so long. 


I hope that this will be a time of moving forward in a positive way, as opposed to getting stuck in a rut and mourning over things that are, naturally, just a part of life. People have to grow up at some point. Just because you may be separated from someone doesn't mean that you have to stop caring about them or thinking about them. 


Besides, as long as you carry that person in your heart, that's what counts the most.

Stream of Conscience #10

It's the fourth day of Summer Break; I am here at home, drinking coffee and watching Shania Twain's new reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network. It sounds a little dull, but I have to say that I'm enjoying it. This summer feels different, like I'm looking at it in a different way this time around. In the past it was always about hanging out with friends every single day and doing something all the time. I think this is the first summer season where I've started to realize that both my friends and I are becoming adults and we're not going to necessarily be spending all this time together like we used to. They have jobs, and I will start working at my own job in a couple of weeks. It doesn't mean that my social life is not going to exist, it just means that I understand that the concept of summer in itself isn't really what it used to be. 


In a more positive light, I'm viewing this summer break as a time to do things that I don't always get to do when I'm away: I get to read for more than just an hour or two, I get to watch TV, I can go to church, and I can actually sit down and write without it having to be a research paper or some major assignment for a class. I want to spend time with my family, especially my brother, who will be leaving for basic training in a little less than two months. I want to catch up with those that didn't get to visit me while I was at school and actually talk with them. 


And granted, I do miss campus already to some degree; it's weird how much one has to rely on communication and planning ahead in order to do something. When I was at school I could easily just text someone five to ten minutes beforehand and most of the time a car wasn't needed in order to get from point A to point B. It's weird how on a Friday night I was at home thinking "I'm usually downtown dancing my ass off by now" as opposed to already getting ready for bed. The hardest part will be not being frequently surrounded by people to talk to. I know there will come a point, probably a few weeks from now, where I will say "I feel so isolated from everything else. I'm lonely, and this sucks!" 


But for now, I'm just trying to take this particular time for what it is; a time to just relax and recharge and not have to be stressing out about life. I'm beginning to get into a routine where I work out almost every single day and hopefully by the time the warm weather officially hits, I will be physically feeling good enough to wear a swimsuit. Note that this is not about weight; when I was away I was frequently putting all this crap into my body and it made me feel like a lug. I'm on a junk detox, if you will; but more about that in later time. 


And since I will be getting my own apartment, I have a lot of stuff to buy. So there will be shopping, (my favorite..tehehe) and I'm hoping to make some decorations and stuff for the place. I ultimately want to put my creative mind to good use. 


It's summer after all, and the living should be easy. And that is how I'm going to go about it.