Job Searching...Again

Well, it has been a year since that short-lived stint at a local ice cream shop (a few weeks; the manager/boss said that I "wasn't a good fit" for the company :(  ).

And I haven't had a job since then.

I have started the job search process again, though. So it's not like I haven't been doing nothing since the Cold Stone job (I volunteer on Fridays at the local library as well, which at least gets me out of the house once a week).

I had gone out to luch with a friend, on Thursday, and she offered to help me make an updated resume, to help out in the job search. It is just about finished; I have a few more things to add, and then it will be ready for those jobs that ask for a resume upon filling out job applications.

To be honest, I am glad my friend got me to fill out a resume this week, as I don't know when I would have done it if she hadn't.

I am mainly looking at bakeries/restaurants, or places that have bakeries, as that is my field of study in school (baking and pastry), but I am also looking at places like grocery stores, pet stores, the local library, etc.

I am hoping that I get another job soon, as it felt good to actually be doing something, and to be able to earn my own money, to buy things that I need and want. I jsut want to feel that independence again.

So, here's hoping to successfully landing another job, and keeping it a lot longer this time!!

101 Things in 1001 Days

I heard about this a while back. I read a few blog posts from people who made their own lists of things they want to do in 1,00l days (or 2.75 years). I was immediately on board in making my own list, and took a few days to think about what I really wanted to do in that amount of time.

So, without further ado, here is my list of 101 Things in 100l Days:

 

Start Date: Friday, July 1, 2016

 

End Date: Friday, March 29, 2019

1. Post a video on YouTube
2. Buy a full size (4/4) violin, and play it regularly
3. Get a job I will love
4. Get my driver's license
5. Buy a Wii and Wii Fit
6. Attend a Zumba class
7. Get my baking/pastry degree
8. Go on a Joni and Friends Retreat as a STM
9. Go horseback riding
10. Be in a loving relationship
11. Get/start photography degree
12. Clean up & redecorate bedroom
13. Start, keep up an essential oils routine
14. Make and stick to a regular workout routine
15. Improve my posture
16. Learn sign language
17. Learn to sew
18. Buy a DSLR camera
19. Have a picnic with friends/family
20. Hand write letters to friends and send them
21. Go on a photo shoot with me in front of the camera
22. Go on a photo shoot with me behind the camera
23. Make at least one new friend a year
24. Dye my hair blond
25. Take a cooking class
26. Get a second ear piercing
27. Get nose pierced
28. Attend a Bulls game
29. Donate unwanted clothes, accessories, books, etc.
30. Watch all seasons of Lost
31. Watch all seasons of Downton Abbey (finished watching this before I finalized this list, so I changed it to another show) Watch all seasons of Hawaii Five-O
32. Watch all seasons of Game of Thrones
33. Swim with dolphins
34. Unsubscribe from all unwanted email lists
35. Make sweater for dad (knit or crochet)
36. See the Bean in Chicago
37. Go to local Farmer's Market
38. Make a vision board
39. Read the entire Bible
40. Make at least one loaf of bread from scratch
41. Get certified in First and and CPR
42. Leave 101 inspiring messages
43. Grow out my hair really long
44. Go for a walk (up to thirty minutes each) 5 times a week
45. Host at least one game night
46. Get a new bed and bed frame
47. Get better at cake decorating (a LOT better!)
48. Take a one week vacation from Facebook
49. Create/update resume
50. Buy a laptop
51. Learn how to juggle
52. Take a picture of each letter of the alphabet
53. Learn how to apply makeup
54. Visit Navy Pier again
55. Put together and send as many shoebox presents as I can to Operation Christmas Child
56. Become fluent in Italian
57. Volunteer at a local animal shelter
58. Go to an Andrea Bocelli concert
59. Eat at seven new to me restaurants
60. Blog every day for one month
61. Take a trip by myself
62. See a live musical
63. Make homemade gifts for friends/family
64. Relearn and become fluent in Spanish
65. Learn to grill
66. Take a self-defense class
67. Create a list of 50 things I love about myself
68. Learn how to tie a tie
69. Decorate a picture frame for a Father's Day gift, and give it to my dad
70. Get a facial
71. Start drinking tea on a regular basis
72. Go to a h.s. football game
73. Participate in an Escape Room adventure with friends/family
74. Buy a new bike helmet
75. Buy a new pair of roller blades (my dad threw out my last pair, which were STILL GOOD)
76. Do at least one thing out of my comfort zone
77. Get my eyes/vision rechecked
78. Buy something from Etsy
79. Go ice skating again
80. Go to bed by midnight
81. Wake up by 9 am
82. Try one recipe a month from Pinterest
83. Try one craft a month from Pinterest
84. Try five new foods
85. Go on a mission trip
86. Get down to my goal weight, and maintain it
87. Make pulled pork
88. Go paintballing
89. Start and maintain a dream journal again
90. Visit Lincoln Park, Brookfield Zoos
91. Visit Springfield, Illinois
92. Visit 3 states I've never been to
93. Get a credit card
94. Try archery
95. Go to Medieval Times
96. Visit the Shedd Aquarium again
97. Buy good running shoes
98. Host/have a Friendsgiving at least once
99. Get new glasses
100. Get rid of my acne for good
101. Create another 101 in 1001 list

Five Minute Friday: Miss

Yes, I know it's Monday, but I was busy on Friday, and too tired to blog then.

But, I still wanted to participate in this week's FMF, as it is perfect for how I am feeling right now. So, here is my Five Minute Friday post.


It is around this time of the year that I am missing my mom.

She has been gone 6 1/2 years. 6 1/2 years since I said goodbye. Since she died.

Life has not been the same without her here, and I miss her more and more, each passing day.

I miss our morning talks, talking about everything and nothing in particular. I miss our outings to restaurants.

I miss her bringing home movies to watch from the library (she worked at our local library).

I miss her comforting me when I would have a panic attack.

I miss her voice.

I miss her.

She had a love for all types of food, something which she passed down to me.

We have a recliner that was 'her' chair, and it took a long to get used to her not being in it anymore. She loved the recliner.

Even though her health wasn't the best for years, she always wanted to be doing something (she loved going to work every day).

She is always missed, by many. Not just by me, and my family, but from her work, and the neighborhood. I will always miss and love her. Always.

50 Things That Make Me Happy

I got the idea for this post here, from Thirteen Thoughts. It was such a good idea, that I thought I would make my own list of 50 things that make me happy.

1. My family, especially my niece and nephew.

2. My cats.

3. Harry Potter (I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan!!)

4. Baking. I am going for my baking and pastry degree, and I hope to be able to work at a bakery someday.

5. Online shopping (especially on Amazon). I don't like crowds, so I go online shopping as often as I can.

6. Reading. I love to read, and try to read as often as I can.

7. Writing/blogging.

8. Photography. I am an avid photographer, and tend to take photos every time I go out.

9. Sleep.

10. Rainy days.

11. Alone time.

12. Bike riding.

13. Music.

14. Volunteering with my local library's home delivery program. We deliver library materials to those who can't physically come to the library, due to illness, or disability.

15. Thrift stores.

16. Hot chocolate on a cold day.

17. Lemonade on a warm day.

18. Violins. I played the violin in elementary school, and I hope to be able to pick it up again someday.

19. Doodling/drawing with creayons, markers, and colored pencils.

20. Hanging out with my friends.

21. Long hair. I currently have short hair, but I am planning on growing it really long, so I can donate to organizations that make wigs for those suffering from cancer, or other illness.

22. Knitting and crocheting.

23. School/office supplies. I don't know why, but I just love them.

24. Bullet journaling (you can find out more here).

25. Nature.

26. Walks in local parsk.

27. New shoes.

28. Girl Scouts. I was a scout in elementary school, and absolutely LOVED it.

29. Making lists.

30. Operation Christmas Child (you can find out more here).

31. Cheesecake.

32. Traveling, especially to new places.

33. French Silk Pie.

34. Banana Cream Pie.

35. Arts and crafts.

36. Dogs

37. Horses

38. Candles

39. Planners/calendars

40. Flowers

41. Magnets

42. The color purple

43. Sunflowers

44. Strawberry banana shakes/smoothies

45. Pasta

46. Sitting on the porch during warm weather days

47. Brimmed hats

48. Eggless cookie dough

49. Quotes, lyrics, poems that speak to me.

50. The sound of rain.



Five Minute Friday: Alive

I was originally doing these five minute Friday posts with another blogger, but she stopped doing them.

When I saw that it was happening with another blogger (here), I was very happy. I loved doing these five minute Friday posts, and have missed it.

Today's Five Minute Friday is Alive.

Like Meg from Still That Girl, I am going to do a list of things that make me feel alive.

1. Bike riding
2. Delivering library materials to patrons who are unable to come to the library, and them telling me that they really appreciate it.
3. Journaling/blogging, as it allows me to write what's on my mind, what I can't say out loud.
4. Listening to my favorite songs/artists.
5. Laughing until I cry.
6. New experiences.
7. Photography.
8. Baking.
9. Knitting and crocheting
10. Making prayer shawls for others.
11. Seeing flowers bloom in spring.
12. Friends who truly care for me, and help me in a time of need.
13. Long walks.
14. My favorite foods.
15. Arts and crafts (I LOVE making things!!)
16. Animals.
17. Going to places I have never been before, and making new memories.
18. Road trips.
19. Warm showers.
20. Getting to live anotherr day.

Make Today Great

Yesterday, I saw the above saying written on a sidewalk near my church. It was an unexpected, yet next little experience for me.

It's unexpected little reminders like this that remind me to truly enjoy life. That life is precious, and should be loved; it should be truly lived. Not just survived.

Each day should be great, not just ok, or good. Each day should be lived to the fullest.

I love these kinds of reminders. I shows me that there are still good, decent, beautiful people in the world, and that they want to enjoy life as well.

Don't give up hope on life. It is worth living, even if it doesn't go the way you planned or hoped. That is what life is all about. Taking the unexpected with the expected.

So, make today great!

Bullet Journaling

I just found out about something called bullet journaling (I think from a post on Facebook), and I have become instantly obsessed with it!!!

The post I saw on Facebook was from Boho Berry, whose website you can check out here.

As described on http://bulletjournal.com, it is:

The Bullet Journal is a customizable and forgiving organization system. It can be your to-do list, sketchbook, notebook, and diary, but most likely, it will be all of the above. It will teach you to do more with less.

 Note-taking and traditional journaling take time; the more complex the entry, the more effort is expended. The more effort expended, the more of a chore it becomes, the more likely you’ll underutilize or abandon your journal. Rapid Logging is the solution. Rapid Logging is the language in which the Bullet Journal is written. It consists of four components: topics, page numbers, short sentences, and bullets.

Bullet journaling was created by Ryder Carroll, and I think he is a genius for coming up with it!!

I love to write, make lists, and all that, so bullet journaling is perfect for me. I can't wait to get started with my own bullet journal!!

Not All Disabilities Are Visible

A while back I saw this post on Facebook, where a woman was accused of faking a disability, because it wasn't visible.

To those who do not have disabilities, please know that there ARE invisible disabilities, and people with invisible disabilities are NOT FAKING IT.

Some cause pain, some cause shortness of breath, and many other ailments.

This quote from the woman's article sums invisible disabilities pretty accurately:

Just because you can’t see someone’s disability doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

Invisible disabilities are just as real as visible ones, and should be taken as seriously.

So, please, do not judge someone just because they are different from you, just because they aren't able to do some of the things you are able to do. Do not judge what you know nothing about. You do not know what they are going through.

Be more open-minded when coming into contact with people. More compassionate. It doesn't take much to be nice.

My Finished Prayer Card

My church had offered a prayer card workshop for anyone who was interested in making a prayer card.

I decided to check it out, and to make one for myself.

The workshop was divided into two parts, spread out over two weeks: the first part/week was figuring out what prayer/quote/saying/etc. we wanted to use, what materials we wanted, what colors we wanted, and to figure out how we wanted our card to look.

The second part/week was to actual make the card.

I really enjoyed this process, and am very happy with how my card came out.

This is what I chose to do:

The woman who was in charge of this workshop brought in lots of different fabrics, different types of paper, and lots of different decorations for us to choose from.

I chose Amazing Grace, because that was my mom's favorite. Although, at first I was debating between using Amazing Grace and The Lord's Prayer, because both were/are favorites of ours. In the end, of course, I chose Amazing Grace because of my mom's love for it.

It was a fun process, and I hope to be able to do it again next year.

I Am Not What I Have Done, I Am What I Have Overcome

I saw this quote on Instagram (which you can check out here), and I loved it so much, that I thought I would share it.

I think this quote is absolutely true.

People are always making choices, whether good or bad, but that doesn't define who they are. Who they are is what they have gone through in their life. And that is what makes them beautiful.

No one has the the same experience as anyone else, and that is what makes life worth living. If everything was the same, life would be boring, and not as beautiful.

Don't be ashamed of what you have overcome. It is what makes you unique; it is what makes you, you.