tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90849279492871423602024-03-05T00:19:20.510-08:00Alex Andrea GarrettAlex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-62217300724947850092012-07-08T18:25:00.000-07:002012-07-08T18:25:04.237-07:00New BlogSince I started this blog, I've been toying around with changing the name. I've started a new blog, and I hope you'll join me at AlexAGarrett.blogspot.com. I'll continue to share some of my personal life, but will focus on my work and professional life a little more.Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-41360734393127539692012-06-10T16:58:00.004-07:002012-06-12T19:35:02.383-07:00Attempt at slowly catching up...I've been slowly writing this, but haven't had much energy to do anything, let alone spell check, proof, and post (or upload pictures...) but here we go. (On a side note - I think my cold is gone!)<br />
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<i>June 8 - What are your favorite decorative items/household pieces?</i><br />
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I'm still, slowly, building my home. And knowing that we probably will move again, and again, and again before settling into our own home makes this a little more complicated. But, I have a few pieces that I will look for a home for everywhere we move.<br />
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This chair is ridiculous. It can fit me; my dog & me; my dog; my cat; or (most importantly) me & my coffee & a book.<br />
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This print is of Brandon's favorite vacation spot. It's one to highlight, so it always gets an up and out of the way location in our apartment - we love it.<br />
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This table was our first piece of furniture we bought in Chicago, and we love it. It's the perfect size for just a few items, and accents well with our other furniture. (I guess I also have to shout out to my Scentsy warmer, which I also love.)<br />
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This is my favorite painting in the world. It's by my uncle, and it is awesome.<br />
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I think in my future life, I'll have throw pillows everywhere. For now...no throw pillows.<br />
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<i>June 9 - What skill have you learned in the past year that you are proud of?</i><br />
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This past year has been a challenge for me - learning to let go, to move on, to accept that some things you can't change. But recently, I've gained a (very useless) skill that I hope I don't have to use again.<br />
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I decided, with 15 days to re-sign a lease, to start looking at apartments. I can now describe any apartment/condo to you before seeing pictures based solely on the text. Examples...<br />
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cozy - small. Generally about 400 sq ft smaller than you think it should be.<br />
vintage - dark wood (peeling wood) with old, white cupboards and paint<br />
view - if they are using this as a selling point, it is a view of a parking lot.<br />
large living space - most of the square footage is the living areas. SMALL bedrooms (possibly closet sized.)<br />
comfy - again, small.<br />
cheery - white. EVERYWHERE.<br />
sunny - ground level unit, a lot of windows. (this can be a good thing.)<br />
garden - underground, there will be small windows.<br />
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So, I wouldn't say that this is a skill to be proud of, necessarily, but will probably be useful in a year-ish when I decide to move. Or, maybe you bookmark this to help you when you decide to move. Who knows. All I do know is that I'm pretty certain that I will just be re-signing my lease. Hopefully this newly acquired "skill" will be to plan ahead.<br />
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<i>June 10 - What was your hardest partner moment?</i><br />
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Our biggest challenge in general is communication. There isn't one specific example of this, but all of the discussions/arguments we get into stem from just not communicating well.<br />
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This is a hard one to fix. I talk SO MUCH (at work, at home, etc.) that I assume that he knows what I'm thinking, or that I've already told him something. (Example: It took me 2 weeks to tell him that the bank sent me a new debit card, because I thought I'd already told him. Not a big deal, but 2 weeks is a long time.)<br />
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He, on the other hand, can keep things to himself. While we make an effort to talk through our days, our plans, and our life, sometimes he just keeps things in, or I don't think to ask the right questions.<br />
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It's been a challenge, and almost six years in, it's one we still battle with. But, I think we're moving forward...<br />
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<i>June 11 - If you were to play hooky from work today, what would you do?</i><br />
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Go to the beach with Ellie.<br />
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Ellie (my dog) and I have been together nearly as long as Brandon and I have. Living in Chicago has been hard - no lunch walks, no runs outdoors, and no quality time. It kind of appears that Chicago doesn't like dogs. I know this is not the case, but living in the city with a dog can be quite the challenge.<br />
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If I could take the day off, I'd go hang out with her there. In fact...that might be what I do with my Friday. Thanks for the mini-vacation idea, Broads.<br />
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I'm blogging daily-ish with <a href="http://blogspot.reverbbroads.com/">Reverb Broads</a>. Join us!Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-56143560123705290892012-06-07T10:34:00.002-07:002012-06-07T10:34:54.393-07:00I'd be lying...<i>June 7, 2012: List 8 reasons it is okay to lie.</i><br />
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I'm home sick today (and probably should have stayed home yesterday, too,) so I've had a lot of time to think on this one. I've also had a lot of time to watch killers on CSI/Law & Order/Any other cop show that does daily marathons lie, so I've had some practice watching liars.<br />
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1. If it saves my hide (and I can still fix it.)<br />
I'm a to-do list kind of person. I generally don't forget to do things, but when I do, I think it's okay to lie. I generally will run back to my office/computer/phone to fix whatever it is I forgot to do, but if I can claim that I did something and it gets me out of trouble, or doesn't make me look incompetent, I think that's okay.<br />
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2. If it makes you feel better.<br />
People are constantly looking for validation from those around them on their fashion or purchases or decisions. If I know that telling you the truth will break your heart (like telling a student that I think their tee-shirt design is ugly, or telling a bride her colors are hideous), I will lie and make you feel a little better.<br />
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3. If it fixes the situation.<br />
I can be super picky on some things. If I know that my picky food choices will complicate the situation we are in, or that my opinion on a topic for discussion in a meeting is going to turn it into a <a href="http://whatshouldwecallstudentaffairs.tumblr.com/post/24552447014/when-someone-asks-for-announcements-at-the-end-of-a">Marathon Meeting</a>, I'll lie.<br />
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4. To kids. (yes, <a href="http://www.juliaduhan.com/">Julia</a>, you are spot on with this one.)<br />
We lie to kids all the time, and sometimes its just easier to lie than break their heart so early in their lives (Santa, Tooth Fairy, the list goes on.) Click over to Julia's blog to read about the Music Truck. I may use that one, too.<br />
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5. When it makes my life easier.<br />
"I can't meet at 9 a.m. on Monday. How about 10:30?" Not just work related. To the doctor, the dentist, etc.<br />
I can't function at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, after 4:00 p.m. on Friday, or on <a href="http://whatshouldwecallstudentaffairs.tumblr.com/post/24472600358/when-someone-tries-to-plan-a-sunday-staff-meeting">Sundays.</a> Of course, if it's a make or break I can make it happen. But I can't go to that concert because I'm busy (translate: I can't stand that band), etc.<br />
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6. When it's about money<br />
I have no desire to talk about money (on a personal level), so I won't. If I can't go to that concert because of money, I'll say I'm busy, or I don't like them, or whatever. My friends always want to talk about how much you pay for rent (they pay $1000 less than I do, because I live in Chicago), or how much their car payments are, what their weddings cost, and I always manage to evade/lie/just completely avoid the discussions.<br />
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7. When it avoids more questions.<br />
When you become an adult and you spent more time at work than you do at home, you sometimes have to deal with personal things at work - like scheduling doctor appointments, receiving packages, and taking phone calls. I will tell you that everything is totally fine if it means that you will leave me alone and not make me continue to talk about whatever is going on. When I'm ready, I will share.<br />
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8. When I know that it won't hurt anyone.<br />
Sometimes, it's okay to cover for others - if a lie helps someone else out, makes someone look good, or is just a helpful "fib," I think it's okay.<br />
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So, this is a lot of things. I feel like a bad person for saying I'd lie so much - I'd prefer the term fib. I'm generally going to opt for the truth. But...sometimes, just sometimes, it might be okay.<br />
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I'm participating in a daily blog prompt with <a href="http://reverbbroads.blogspot.com/">Reverb Broads.</a> Join me!Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-38002525275062648402012-06-06T05:54:00.001-07:002012-06-06T09:18:12.348-07:00Recipe Share!<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">June 6: Share a recipe that is a summertime favorite.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I LOVE a good burger. I wouldn't say it's my favorite food, but I love finding alternatives to the traditional burger. Where I currently live in Chicago, I don't have any outdoor space, so I can't grill. I've tried baking burgers (delicious!), but I also found this lovely recipe for an alternative to beef burgers - ChickPea burgers!</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sassy Chickpea Burgers with Lemon Aioli Sauce</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Burger Ingredients:</i>2 cloves garlic, minced (I actually use <a href="http://www.aldenmillhouse.com/">Garlic Lovers from Alden Millhouse</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 small onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 green bell pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 can chickpeas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 large egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/4 cups soft bread crumbs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tsp black pepper (I actually use <a href="http://www.aldenmillhouse.com/">Miracle Blend from Alden Mill house</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/3 cup flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 buns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lettuce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">tomato<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Aioli ingredients:</i>2 cloves garlic, minced</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tsp grated lemon zest</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tsp lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/3 cup mayonnaise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Peel the onion, cut into quarters and place in a food processor bowl. Cut the bell pepper piece into quarters and add them to the food processor bowl. Pulse food processor until onion and pepper are finely minced (not mushy). Place into a medium-size mixing bowl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To make the Burgers:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Peel the onion, cut into quarters and place in a food processor bowl. Cut the bell pepper piece into quarters and add them to the food processor bowl. Pulse food processor until onion and pepper are finely minced (not mushy). Place into a medium-size mixing bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. Drain the liquid from the chickpeas (set aside, do not discard.) Pour chickpeas into the processor bowl. Add egg and 2 tbsp. of chickpea liquid. Process until chickpeas are chopped but still have texture. Add to the onion mixture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. Add bread crumbs, salt, and pepper to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are well mixed. Shape the mixture into patties</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. Spread the flour on a plate and dredge the chickpea patties lightly in it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. Heat the oil in a deep skillet. Add the patties and fry until golden brown.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. Split the buns and lightly toast them in the toaster. Serve with lettuce, tomato and a dollop of the lemon aioli.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To make the aioli:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Place garlic in a 2 cup bowl. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. Add the mayonnaise and oil and stir well to blend. Serve at once or refrigerate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't make food to take pictures of it, so I stopped (a long time ago) taking pictures of my meals, but I promise you this is an excellent new take on your traditional burger!</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">---</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm participating in a daily blog prompt through June with <a href="http://reverbbroads.blogspot.com/">Reverb Broads</a>. Join me!</span>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-41032050100996707382012-06-05T19:52:00.003-07:002012-06-06T05:31:39.255-07:00Amendments<i>June 5: Come up with a new constitutional amendment.</i><br />
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I'm a little fired up about politics right now (Wisconsin, Gay marriage, equal pay, the list goes on...), so I'm trying not to take this super seriously.<br />
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All persons must spend at least 1% of their day laughing.<br />
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Think about it. You have 1,440 minutes in a day. Doctors think you should sleep for 480 (8 hours) of those, leaving you with 960 minutes. If you laughed for 1 minute every hour you were at work (assuming 8 hours,) and then laughed nearly 2 minutes while at home, your day would be so much lighter.<br />
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Yes, there are times that it may be inappropriate to laugh, but laughter can cure so many things. Laughter makes us feel lighter, makes us see things in a new light and (according to Mark Twain, I think) is instant vacation.<br />
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We all have seen those inspirational quotes (either online, on boards, printed in offices, etc.) We should <i>Live well</i>. We should <i>Love much</i>. But most importantly, we should <i>Laugh often</i>.<br />
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<i>Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls</i></div>
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I'm trying to tell you something about my life,</div>
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Maybe give me insight between black and white.</div>
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<b>And the best thing you've ever done for me</b></div>
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<b>Is to help me take my life less seriously,</b></div>
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<b>It's only life, <u>after all.</u></b><br />
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I'm participating in a daily blog prompt group, <a href="http://reverbbroads.blogspot.com/">Reverb Broads</a>, through the month of June. Join me!</div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
</div>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-77724224550243186652012-06-04T20:41:00.000-07:002012-06-04T20:41:10.913-07:00I totally forgot it was June...I was 100% planning on jumping back on the blogging bandwagon with June 1st, and the first of the Reverb Broads 2012 posts. And then all of a sudden it was June 4th. I'm still going to participate, just in a short version: catch-up style.<br />
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<i>June 2: What gives you nightmares?</i><br />
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I used to say flying, because I used to have nightmares (of plane crashes, naturally) for the week leading up to my flight. Then I was hired as the Graduate Assistant for the College of Aviation at WMU in 2008...and that went out the window.<br />
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Meet Parker (the cat) and Ellie (the dog.) I love these two animals, but unfortunately, I can't always take them with me. Periodically I have to leave them, either alone or with friends, and I can't say I've had the best luck in that. Ellie has slashed her leg open, been very sick, and had a lot of vet visits around the times of our vacations. Parker has been lost (in the basement it turns out) and also seems to hate us after a vacation.<br />
I'm getting ready to leave them - with one of my students at the end of June - again, and I can't say that the nightmares haven't started. I generally dream about my Condo burning down (which is not very rational, but is what happens,) but it always stems from leaving them alone.<br />
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<i>June 3: Who are your role models?</i><br />
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I recently had this conversation with a colleague. It seems that a lot of people have mentors and role models, and it's not really anything that I ever latched on to - not necessarily because of disappointment, there just weren't people that I looked up to over a period of time.<br />
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I do, however, look up to my mom. She moved from Olympia, WA to Fernley, NV (and now has settled elsewhere) with my dad (and my brother and my sister) to start over. They've started a theater company and, while they've faced their (unequal) share of challenges, they keep pushing through. AND, through all of that, she has also found the time to take time out for herself and work towards some personal goals that I know mean a lot to her.<br />
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<i>June 4: What did people tease you about growing up?</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
To be honest, my memory says that this list is endless. I did not fit in (not that this should surprise anyone.) I was a musical theater kid, with an awkward birthmark and a weird voice. I also had a boys name - what is there not to pick on there? I'll work through this backwards:<br />
<br />
When I was growing up, the common girls name was Sarah (I can think of at least 4 that I went to school with since elementary school, but probably more than that.) It seemed that the common boys name (at the time) was Alex. Unfortunately, my first name is Alex, and I'm not a boy. I got teased about this - AND there was a boy in my class whose last name was only one letter off from mine, so that made the teasing a little bit more intense.<br />
<br />
Ever since I could talk, I've had a "unique" voice. In my adult life, I've had people ask if I'm sick (Nope, this is always how I sound,) tell me it's a turn on (that's rather awkward, and no you can't buy me a drink,) and hang up on me on the phone, only to call back and say they couldn't understand me. In my young life, I only remember wishing I could clear my throat and be done with it.<br />
<br />
When I was born, I had a tiny pink splotchy birthmark on the inside-lower part of my left arm. As the arm grew, so did the birthmark. As a child, it looked like a rash (sometimes, if I'm cold, it still does.) I had people tell me they didn't want to play with me because I was "sick" because of a rash...a rash that didn't really exist. For me, it was embarrassing, because it would flare up when I was cold (sometimes turning a deep, dark red instead of the usual light pink), so I'd wear long sleeves for as long as I could.<br />
<br />
This post makes me feel like I hated my childhood - I didn't. I had a wonderful musical theater company that embraced me (birthmark, weird voice, name and all), and I made some of the best friends I'll ever have through that. But...it still makes me worry about what my children will go through; as we all know, childhood is not the easiest...Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-88968651109811749592012-05-18T18:33:00.005-07:002012-05-18T18:33:54.085-07:00Moving (& what our space means to us)We are really attached to stuff. I know that's not a very profound statement, but think about it: we are attached to lucky charms (although haven't seen anyone carrying a lucky rabbit's foot anytime recently), we're attached to houses (I remember being on the verge of tears when my childhood house was sold), and we're attached to certain rooms/pieces of furniture (Mine's a chair in my living room.)<br />
<br />
Where does this attachment come from? It mostly comes from our comfort - we feel "lucky" (comfortable) because something good happened to us when we had that omen with us; we were comfortable in the house we grew up in, and we're comfortable in places that are safe for us.<br />
<br />
Moving can be a thrilling experience. We get placed in a new location; this environment is charged with new energy, new experiences, and new ideas. I started the process of moving offices (I'm moving down eight offices by the middle of next week) today. As I started the very initial process of moving today, I received a lot of skepticism from passing students and staff.<br />
<br />
As I talked about it (there are some really good reasons behind my move), everyone started to get on a better footing with it. I'm really excited about the move - as I cleaned my soon-to-be old office today, I found thank you letters from students who graduated last year. I found old program flyers, and I was given the opportunity to go back through conference notes from the last two years.<br />
<br />
I'm very excited to move - while I will miss my space, I will have the opportunity to re-develop my office, re-organize, and re-claim that space.<br />
<br />
When was the last time you fully embraced a change?Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-77291100677377321622012-04-28T19:07:00.000-07:002012-04-28T19:07:07.408-07:00Homemade Chick-Fil-ABy no means is this perfect, but it was exactly what I was looking for when I didn't want to head all the way into the city.<br />
<br />
1) The sandwich ingredients:<br />
2 chicken breasts (cut in half to fit on a bun)<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
2 tbsp. water<br />
1 cup flour<br />
1 tsp. paprika<br />
1 tbsp. sugar<br />
1/4 tsp. baking soda<br />
1/4 tsp. dry mustard<br />
pickles<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350.<br />
<br />
Mix the egg, milk and water in a bowl. In a shallow dish, mix flour, paprika, sugar, baking soda and dry mustard. Dredge chicken pieces in the egg mixture, then the flour mixture. Place in a shallow, greased baking dish.<br />
<br />
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour.<br />
<br />
2) The sauce ingredients:<br />
2 tbsp. honey mustard<br />
2 tbsp. BBQ sauce<br />
1 tbsp. mayonnaise<br />
<br />
3) Assemble the sandwich.<br />
<br />
I put mine on a pretzel bun because...what's not to love about a pretzel bun? Cut the bun in half. Layer the bottom bun, three pickles (dill or sour pickles,) the chicken breast, sauce and the top of the bun. Serve and enjoy.Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-33189275940304643342012-02-04T15:11:00.000-08:002012-02-04T15:26:39.512-08:0011 ThingsMy internet friend, Julia of <a href="http://www.awholelotofumph.blogspot.com/">A Whole Lot of Umph</a>, tagged me in this 11 things post. I hadn't seen it yet, but I'm excited about it. It also helps to get me BACK on the blogging bandwagon, which I failed at in January.<br />
<br />
1. Post these rules.<br />
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.<br />
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.<br />
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.<br />
5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.<br />
<br />
<b>11 Random Things:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
1. <b>11 is my favorite number</b>. I have always had a favorite number, since I was 6, and it is (still) 11 or 2. If I can't make a simple decision (between ice cream flavors, or what to have for dinner) I base it around numbers.<br />
<br />
2. <b>I have a ridiculous obsession with the TV show Law & Order SVU</b>. I have watched <u>every</u>, <i>single</i> episode of EVERY season. I remember most of every episode, but that doesn't stop me from re-watching episodes.<br />
<br />
3. <b>I love dogs more than most humans</b>. I'm sure this is not normal, but I could spend hours, days or weeks alone with my girl, EllieDog, or any dog, without any human contact. Additionally, if I lived in a HOUSE (and not a condo with a pet limit) I would probably have a gazillion dogs.<br />
<br />
4. <b>I started a new job in January</b>, and I love going to work every day. I have no desire to take a sick day, because I love seeing my students and getting to do all the fun things that my new job comes with.<br />
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5. <b>I love office supplies </b>SO much. They can be fun and interesting, like the red high heel tape dispenser I have, and the rainbow colored sharpie's I have.<br />
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6. <b>I could not be more proud of my brother, my mother, my father and my sister</b>. My parents moved to Nevada (who knows why), started their own theater company, and are going after their dreams. They dragged (willingly) my brother and sister with them. My sisters voice and talents have grown SO much in her time as a musical director, and my brother is currently competing in various theater competitions. So proud :)<br />
<br />
7. <b>I love to read, and will read everything in sight.</b> I love children's books, young adult fiction, fiction, adventure non-fiction, biographies, and pretty much everything in between. I rarely start a book without finishing it, and I imagine someday I will have a library in my house (but probably not with my 15 dogs.)<br />
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8. <b>I thoroughly enjoy Angry Birds.</b> I have angry birds in my house, angry bird pens, and I'll be playing interactive angry birds with 150 high school students on Thursday. Obsession? No. Enjoying it? Yes.<br />
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9. <b>I love brunch</b>. Unfortunately, I've committed to a partner who doesn't like breakfast foods. Which means that I buy a lot of Groupon's for brunch and have to BEG someone to come with me.<br />
<br />
10. <b>I am part of an awesome online support group</b>. Every day, I join "Friends Helping Friends," my community on facebook, to talk about protein shakes, good meals, and how to get through the stress of life while still being healthy and trying to tackle those extra pounds.<br />
<br />
11. <b>I own more clothes that reference an educational institution</b> (primarily IIT and WMU) than I own clothes that do NOT reference an educational institution. This is part due to being an over-involved undergraduate student, and being in a field where I will never leave college.<br />
<br />
<b>11 questions from Julia</b>:<br />
<br />
<b>1. Best moment of your life?</b><br />
When my partner agreed to move to Chicago with me, with no job prospects for him.<br />
<b>2. What is a lesson you are having a hard time learning?</b><br />
Currently, I'm capable of being SUPER patient at work, but I get home to take care of personal tasks (paying bills, cooking dinner, etc.) and I get super frustrated with the smallest things.<br />
<b>3. Guilty pleasure?</b><br />
Eating Chocolate & Salt (ritz crackers covered in chocolate. Salted Hot Chocolate. Popcorn with chocolate.)<br />
<b>4. Goal for 2012?</b><br />
To connect with past friends, current friends, new friends, and others through conferences, social media, and other not-yet-determined means.<br />
<b>5. Biggest pet peeve?</b><br />
Bad pet owners. It's not hard to take your dog for a walk, and to clean up after them. I'm pretty sure it's embarrassing for a dog to have a non-attentive owner, because then the dog looks messy and lazy.<br />
<b>6. Something that blows your mind?</b><br />
Video chatting. I still am not very used to it, because it blows my mind that I can SEE my whole family while I am talking to them from the other side of the country.<br />
<b>7. What would you save if your house/apartment were on fire?</b><br />
EllieDog, Parker (my cat), and the box of recipes from my great grandmother.<br />
<b>8. Biggest fear?</b><br />
Losing my footing in life.<br />
<b>9. Favorite place in the world?</b><br />
Lake Tahoe. It's beautiful.<br />
<b>10. How do you move forward from a challenging situation?</b><br />
I generally talk to my Mom. Most people I know (especially at my age) only talk to their parents once every few weeks, but I talk to my mother on a regular basis and she helps me through some of those challenging moments.<br />
<b>11. Favorite hangover cure/food?</b><br />
Sleep. I do not recover well. I don't want to eat, and I have no desire to drink anything. So I curl up under my heated blanket and SLEEP<i>.</i><br />
<br />
<b>My 11 Questions:</b><br />
1. What is your favorite dinner meal?<br />
2. What is your favorite sports team and WHY?<br />
3. What did you always want to be when you grew up (or when you grow up?)<br />
4. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?<br />
5. What is one questions you wish you could ask our President?<br />
6. Do you subscribe to any magazines? If so, what?<br />
7. What is your favorite moment in the last year?<br />
8. What article of clothing could you not live without?<br />
9. What is one thing you want to accomplish in the next year?<br />
10. What is the most daring thing you have ever done?<br />
11. What is one thing you miss the most from your past?<br />
<br />
<b>Tag you're it:</b><br />
1. <a href="http://toadinc.wordpress.com/">Mom</a><br />
2. <a href="http://itsaflatheadthing.blogspot.com/">Jenelle</a><br />
3. <a href="http://zienainthechi.blogspot.com/">Ziena</a><br />
4. <a href="http://mallorydowd.com/">Mallory</a><br />
5. <a href="http://cairnsfam.blogspot.com/">Alyssa</a><br />
6. <a href="http://busythatday.blogspot.com/">Erin</a><br />
7. <a href="http://tricia-everydayisanadventure.blogspot.com/">Tricia</a>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-52133422751641052162012-01-07T10:24:00.000-08:002012-01-07T10:26:00.866-08:00#oneword2012: Connect<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I did not choose a word in 2011, and I'm not sure why that was. 2011 was a fun and challenging year, but I don't think I was ready to commit to any one word. I could pick a lot of words that would sum up my 2011, but this post is about looking forward to my 2012.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
For 2012, I'm joining a bunch of #TwitterFriends with #oneword2012. I mentioned my word in my January 1 blog post, I hadn't taken the time to sit down and think about what that meant to me, how I would work towards that word, and what I'd need from those around me.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVE08V8doSqIKaSUFno2DvZOcTSlX0vQ3f-yn2iri4z9Cif-vH_aZb_wXyMPX20Tpt9Y-AMK1xaLtPLNvdXuzN5OB9RUBX-7sCoH82P9HmBCQg2gOpGWw8Uju6-nERkpfa4h6YY16knE/s1600/Connect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVE08V8doSqIKaSUFno2DvZOcTSlX0vQ3f-yn2iri4z9Cif-vH_aZb_wXyMPX20Tpt9Y-AMK1xaLtPLNvdXuzN5OB9RUBX-7sCoH82P9HmBCQg2gOpGWw8Uju6-nERkpfa4h6YY16knE/s400/Connect.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I say <u>CONNECT</u>, I mean a lot of things. I want to connect<b> on campus</b>. In my new position, I'm responsible for outreach from the Office of Campus Life to other departments. I want to enhance relationships with other departments (in and out of our division) and have great connections between us and the rest of campus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I want to connect </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">professionally</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. My 1 year as a Full Time Professional in student affairs was August 2, 2011. I'm now transitioning into a completely different type of role (from doing finance and working with #SGA to working with #FYE, our programming board, leadership, outreach and student workers) and I know that connecting on that professional level will help. I want to increase the professional development opportunities I take advantage of. This year, I'll be attending an FYE conference, as well as at least one conference with our programming board. At these conferences, I hope to connect and network with other professional staff.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I want to connect </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">socially</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. I've been on Twitter since August 5, 2008, but I didn't really start connecting and networking until last year. This year, I want to participate in #sachat more (even though this means skipping out on lunch with my fabulous office staff), and I want to connect with other professionals through this amazing tool. I also want to encourage my campus to connect socially; we are not a Twitter campus, but we are getting there.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Personally</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, I want to connect with friends more this year. I have a lot of friends in the Chicago-ish area and we just did not see each other in the 2011 year. I hope this year changes that, but I also hope I'm able to re-connect with lost friends, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I also want to connect more with </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">family</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Between B and I, our families are so scattered that it's hard to make it a priority to see all of them every year. I hope 2012 is the year we are able to see everyone, on both sides of the family, at least once.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I want this to be a year of growth, and I think by using my connect #oneword2012 I can really enhance my growth on both a personal and professional level.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>What is your #oneword2012?</i></span></div>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-85985893217631448542012-01-01T08:18:00.000-08:002012-01-01T08:22:33.304-08:002012 - Goals & One WordI <i>really</i> struggled with the end of my 2011. It was an okay year, but the end of it was full of challenges, anxiety and a lot of negative experiences (especially for those close to me). I worked really hard to not let it get me down, but it got me distracted. I missed the end of #ReverbBroads, but I've done the last post at the bottom of this one.<br />
<br />
A friend of mine, who has had a LOT of challenges in 2011, does 1 goal a year (instead of resolutions) for every year she is old. I'm going to attempt that this year. I like the idea of goals - it's kind of similar to an "I want" list. I know I won't achieve everything, but by making small goals, I may be able to achieve above and beyond some of the goals, too.<br />
<br />
1. Walk more often - at least once a day, everyday, even if it's only for 15 minutes.<br />
2. Try one new recipe every week.<br />
3. See my parents at least twice in 2012.<br />
4. Get my sister to visit me in Chicago.<br />
5. Explore Chicago - do one tourist-y thing a month.<br />
6. Complete one item on my Bucket List.<br />
7. Run a 5k.<br />
8. Learn a new language.<br />
9. Connect with my distant family more - letters, GChat, Skype, etc.<br />
10. Save.<br />
11. Use my treadmill at least once a week.<br />
12. Read a book a week, again. <i>I did the #52in52 challenge in 2011 and I loved it. Lets see what new stories 2012 can bring. If you have a suggestion, please share!</i><br />
13. Take more photographs.<br />
14. Connect with old friends, more than just a Christmas card once a year.<br />
15. Eat more fruit & vegetables.<br />
16. Keep my house cleaner, more consistently.<br />
17. Get rid of some (more) of my clutter.<br />
18. Blog more - not just to blog, but to share my 2012 with friends, families, and others I've connected with.<br />
19. Have a discussion about when/how/why to get a Ph.D (or Ed.D)<br />
20. Pay it Forward.<br />
21. Read more journal articles and research studies about college students.<br />
22. Attend more Professional Development opportunities.<br />
23. Volunteer at least once a month, somewhere in Chicago.<br />
24. Be positive in my everyday actions.<br />
25. Help my students create change on our campus.<br />
<br />
The final #ReverbBroads post of the year was <i>What is your one-word? One word from 2011, one word for 2012.</i> I didn't pick a word in 2011, but I will be picking one for 2012.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Connect.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">I have lots of opportunities coming my way in 2012, and I couldn't be happier. Great things have come into play, but I think to take advantage of it, I need to connect. I need to connect at conferences, with my students on a daily basis, with other professionals in my field, with my family, through social media, and beyond. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeJq54zn5614m0uOOI0Y6xmvApbdJNXA6br8XXNRAh0rT-CWcKqidnQ5_8q4kz6rOQhbXlUZdsC5JVFJbYEs1WQPSb4SV_dvj8xWPdx0uMV-nhWaL76MXxg2QUOvceF-90gje7tQ-nBM/s1600/IMG092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeJq54zn5614m0uOOI0Y6xmvApbdJNXA6br8XXNRAh0rT-CWcKqidnQ5_8q4kz6rOQhbXlUZdsC5JVFJbYEs1WQPSb4SV_dvj8xWPdx0uMV-nhWaL76MXxg2QUOvceF-90gje7tQ-nBM/s320/IMG092.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>In looking forward, what are your goals (or resolutions, if you must) for 2012? What is your one word?</i></div>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-10910808801778804132011-12-21T19:12:00.000-08:002011-12-21T19:16:36.403-08:00ReverbBroads11 - College Life<i>If you haven't heard that I'm blogging with #ReverbBroads11, you may be a little behind my life story. Today's prompt: </i><b>If you could return to college, what would you major in and why?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
I pretty much planned my life out from the day I was born. That may sound like an exaggeration, but I'm certain my mother would agree. (Anyone in my regular life DISAGREE with this statement?) Therefore, the day that I realized that my Public Relations Bachelor's degree was not for me (that date was August 18, 2006) was a pretty dreadful day. I completed the internship, without telling Beverly that I wasn't going to be going into the field, and came back to Kalamazoo, MI, feeling kind of in trouble.<br />
<br />
I did other internships and ended up teaching a First Year Seminar course (like the world knew how my stars would align in December of 2011) and doing an internship in LGBT Student Services. Those two things led me on my path to my Master's in Higher Education Student Affairs Leadership, so I'm not sure I would have changed my major, because I know my PR experience is what got me my Graduate Assistantship in the College of Aviation. My English minor is what kept my sanity (and still does, to this day.)<br />
<br />
I would have changed my Social Work minor. I added it to give me an additional semester in college, as I wasn't sure I wanted to start a grad program in January, and I knew I'd need to do that if I graduated in December. If I could go back, I would have minored in a language. I took French in high school (honestly, for my chosen career path and life, it was a waste.) But, if I was smart, I would have taken Spanish.<br />
<br />
Currently, I'm trying to find someone in the Chicago area that is interested in taking Spanish with me. I don't want to take it alone, but I think it would be the best thing for me as far as my career path goes.<br />
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Are you wondering why I remember August 18, 2006? That's the day that Snakes on a Plane came out. Want to know more? Just ask. It's a...spectacular story.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mnbyBelgSJo6qilpsP20hyphenhypheny6b9jL6TErZkvWm1xTDvK9WqinQNQGzqdx-Gtesdc4Vy-0Mn4gC2CbDUKQOKI9L-gF3T1UetAZ7p_0svZBRsTnh2ymJgWK2vfxVrerErAN0A7wviA54go/s1600/SOAP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mnbyBelgSJo6qilpsP20hyphenhypheny6b9jL6TErZkvWm1xTDvK9WqinQNQGzqdx-Gtesdc4Vy-0Mn4gC2CbDUKQOKI9L-gF3T1UetAZ7p_0svZBRsTnh2ymJgWK2vfxVrerErAN0A7wviA54go/s1600/SOAP.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And no, I've never seen the movie.</i></div>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-4666524510681806672011-12-19T18:59:00.000-08:002011-12-19T18:59:44.986-08:00#reverbBroads11 - Flashback Photography<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqW-us2K7lnxG-8lXNpmKDd-M1Y92tJxSt60wzng_EJ_K0wzXPIuIQ17-rRI6PmHEwcXM_EZ0GflZcX7EqVvJA4o7CyVgM_jiQHXmVOmyNqYskIWdnlBSMgVypRUc_vPSQg1DrHK4Sr0Y/s1600/622152209942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqW-us2K7lnxG-8lXNpmKDd-M1Y92tJxSt60wzng_EJ_K0wzXPIuIQ17-rRI6PmHEwcXM_EZ0GflZcX7EqVvJA4o7CyVgM_jiQHXmVOmyNqYskIWdnlBSMgVypRUc_vPSQg1DrHK4Sr0Y/s1600/622152209942.jpg" /></a></div>This is a REALLY old photograph of me. It was taken with an old friend in Canada my second year of college. I don't use it much anymore, but it's probably my favorite photo of me. It captures me, a little bit in my essence. This is probably one of the last photographs I've taken without Brandon.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Talkative</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm mid-sentence in this picture. I couldn't tell you what I was talking about, but it was a good story. Don't worry, they all are. ;-)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm also laughing. As I mentioned in many posts, laughter is the most important part of life, and it's ridiculous to spend too much time down or sad.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Wannabe Fashionista</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know a lot about fashion, but I attempt to pretend I do. I have lots of great shoes, many pairs of glasses, and tons of jewelry. Additionally, the photo is in black and white, and that makes you a little more classy, right?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Friendly & Welcoming</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">That night, I met a bunch of my friend's friends and, while I didn't know them before that night, we had a great time. I am not in touch with many of them, but I do what I can to get to know everyone and make sure everyone is enjoying themselves.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What would your self portrait say about you?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>If you haven't heard, I'm blogging daily through December with #ReverbBroads11. Today's prompt: </i><b>Self-portrait: Post a picture of you that you like, write about yourself, post a video - what do you want your self-portrait to say about you?</b></div>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-30284745301975499182011-12-18T20:12:00.000-08:002011-12-18T20:12:17.029-08:00#ReverbBroads11 - Let's meet!<i>If you haven't heard, I'm blogging daily with other #ReverbBroads11 through the month of December. Today's prompt</i>: <b>Who would you most like to meet and why?</b><br />
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I am not going to give you just one person, but I'm going to try to structure this in a way that makes sense. At least, it will make sense to me. I participated in (and exceeded) the #52in52 project this year, which guides a lot of this, but this is also a question that I've been asked for years, and some of those answers still exist.<br />
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<b>Authors</b><br />
I'm a bookworm. During college, I lost my love for reading (I think I just lost the time, honestly) but I re-discovered it when I moved to Chicago, thankfully. Through my #52in52 project, these are the authors I'd love to meet:<br />
<i>Greg Mortenson</i><br />
His book truly inspired me. I read it on the recommendation of my friend, <a href="http://littlebeachbum.wordpress.com/">Kate</a>, and fell in love. I did read, later, Three Cups of Deceit by Jon Krakauer, but I still would love to meet Greg. If I did meet him, I probably wouldn't even mention Three Cups of Deceit, as Greg's story is truly a wonderful one. If you haven't read this, please pick up a copy of Three Cups of Tea.<br />
<i>Judy Shepard</i><br />
I knew that I would cry when I read this story, but I decided to take it with me on the train, anyway. I became "that girl" the one that you try not to stare at as she is sitting there, by herself, sobbing in public, and it was okay. Judy and the Shepard family have gone through so many challenges, but she continues to stand for what she believes in, and to never be a silent bystander.<br />
Additionally, I've always said I want to meet <i>Shakespeare</i>, and I still stand by that. I think it would be quite the dinner conversation. In one of my English courses in college, I was told that my interpretation of some of his sonnet's was incorrect. I would probably ask him about those, videotape the conversation, and then go and find her to prove that I'm right. (I'm stubborn, obviously.)<br />
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<b>Musical Group</b><br />
I went through a period of time in high school when I thought I <u>loved</u> punk rock, and I'm glad that I grew out of that, because I never would have been able to see the Indigo Girls live. While I have seen them live, a few times, I would love to sit down and have a beer with them. They have been together forever, and now that Amy is doing some individual performing on the side, I'd love to know how that is working, and if that has any negative effects on them as a duo. Having performed that long with one person, I wonder if they are still good friends, and how they are still coming up with new music.<br />
I find them fascinating, and I'm sure most of my questions for them would catch them off guard, but I imagine that we would be great friends, after they could get over my obsession :)<br />
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<b>Down to Earth</b><br />
There are many famous people I'd love to meet (Ellen, Rosie, The Obama family & The Clinton's, to name a few) and many famous people that I hope I never meet. But if I could go back in time, with my family, I would love to meet my grandmother and my Papa when they were college-aged. I don't remember my grandfather very much, but I think that would be an excellent time to sit down with them and pick their brains about life, love and happiness.Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-17995512438883529272011-12-17T08:56:00.000-08:002011-12-17T09:20:55.334-08:00#ReverbBroads11: Least Favorite<i>For those of you who don't know, I'm attempting to blog once daily with #ReverbBroads11, following a daily prompt schedule. Today's prompt: </i><b>Instead of a list of your favorite things, write a list of your least favorite things, e.g. Worst book you ever finished, the color you hate, bad songs, bad romances, bad recipes.</b><br />
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</div>This is not a hard post to write, however, I do feel a little guilty about some of these things. If you like these things (foods, recipes, songs, actors, etc.) please don't feel that you have to hide it from me. In fact, you can share why you like it with me - especially with food. I'm willing to try to like things, I promise. That being said...<br />
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1) <b>Being called Mr. Garrett is the worst.</b> My first name is JUST Alex. So, when most people see "Alex Garrett" they feel the need to respond to Mr. Garrett. All I will say on this is: If you are unsure of the gender of the individual you are addressing, the Mr., Ms., & Mrs. can be eliminated.<br />
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2) <b>Keanu Reeves is dreadful.</b> I hadn't thought about him until yesterday, when we ended up talking about The Matrix at lunch, but I cannot stand him. I just looked him up on IMDB and I am shocked to see that he has movies and all sorts of things through 2013. Find me a movie where he was good, please.<br />
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3)<b> I hate being disrespected. </b>This applies to life, but most of my examples are work related. When students ask me one thing, but decide my answer is either wrong or they don't like it, so they go to my co-worker to get (hopefully) a different answer, I die a little inside. I do everything I can to make the Earth move for my students, but these little disrespectful acts get me down. Additionally, I hate when I'm talking to some bill payer (about changing service, additional fees that randomly showed up, etc.) and I'm not getting anywhere, when I give the phone to Brandon and he accomplishes it in less than 10 minutes.<br />
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4) I don't want to know where my food came from. I am pretty sure I would be a vegetarian if I lived alone and had different hours at work. I don't want to know that Blue Cheese is molded for a few months, right before I shove that spicy sandwich in my mouth. I don't want to know the process for getting that steak, that pork, or the chicken onto my kitchen table. If I think about it long enough, I won't be able to eat it.<br />
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5) <b>Christmas music is classic.</b> Don't mess it up by making it Country, or Rock. If you are going to cover a traditional holiday song, please cover it appropriately. And sing Deck the Hall, no S.<br />
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6) <b>I love giving my opinion.</b> But if you ask for it, and don't really want it, that's annoying. Please only ask for input if you need it, not just to justify your own decision making, or to make you look better. Additionally, that's all it is. My opinion. We all are entitled to have one, and most of the time, your opinion cannot be wrong, so please don't tell me that it is.<br />
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What are your least favorite things?Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-68298229994998274152011-12-17T08:35:00.000-08:002011-12-17T09:21:21.182-08:00#ReverbBroads11: Pet Peeves<i>If you haven't heard, I'm blogging with a group of awesome people, following #ReverbBroads11 and posting with a prompt a day through December. Today's prompt: </i><b>What are your biggest pet peeves? </b><br />
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My sophomore year in high school, we had to give a speech on this very topic. I'm pretty sure I got mocked for what I did it on, but it still stands as one of my pet peeves. As I was growing up, my parents kind of let me be free to make my own choices (leading to mistakes), but were of course there to help me pick myself back up. Something that irritates me is over-protective (& do-everything-for-you) parents. You can call them helicopter parents (who really are just very concerned about their child, which is appropriate), or whatever else you want to call them, but I've met so many people who don't have basic life skills (laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, etc.) because their parents have planned, structured, and done their whole life for them. I don't have children, and my thought on this may change, but it just bugs me.<br />
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In addition, (this shouldn't come as a surprise) grammar errors irritate me. In re-reading some of my OWN blog posts from the past, while writing on my iPad, I have found some and that is very frustrating. Spell check and grammar checks exist for some reason, so at least use that.<br />
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I also cringe at bad pet-owners. I'm not the exemplary pet owner, and I know that, but basic pet training (generally applying this to dogs) is not that complicated, and is necessary.<br />
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It also drives me crazy when we put ourselves down, for whatever reason. Whether we are fat, ugly, our hair sucks, our clothes are stupid, or we are stupid, I can't stand to hear those around me put themselves down. We all live a rough life, and we need to remember that we are who we are for a reason. On that note, say 1 nice thing to someone a day and I promise you'll feel tons better.<br />
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What are your pet peeves?Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-28364304692769005842011-12-15T20:14:00.000-08:002011-12-15T20:14:22.841-08:00#ReverbBroads11 - All Caught up with New FlavorsI really began to challenge myself in cooking this year. Sometimes this is hard, because I get home at 7:00 after a super busy and long day and the last thing I want to do is chop, dice, sizzle, and stir. But, with Brandon's assistance, we've made some pretty awesome discoveries.<br />
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- We tried MANGO (fresh, not a syrup) for the first time. I loved it, but it took 3 mangoes before I figured out how to cut it. I'm not sure if I could even do it again without watching the YouTube video of how to cut a Mango. I never even asked Brandon if he liked it, because I know it's a keeper.<br />
- I started using Dill Weed (a spice, whether or not Brandon believes me.) I'm still not sure it actually does anything, but I've used it.<br />
- We tried polenta, and may or may not have hated it. It is not making a return to our house.<br />
- I had Mochi and (the second time around) loved it. See <a href="http://movingoninchicago.blogspot.com/2011/08/brandonbirthdayextravaganza-actual.html">Brandon's Birthday Extravaganza for pictures</a>.<br />
- B and I ate at Chick Fil A for the first time and while I loved the TASTE I've recently decided I don't know how much I can support the CHAIN. (Want to know more? Just ask!)<br />
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What new flavors have you tried this year?<br />
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<i>If you haven't heard, I'm blogging with #ReverbBroads11 and a prompt a day through the month of December. Today's prompt: </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><i>Did you taste any new flavors this year? Did you love or hate them or something in between? Will you incorporate these new flavors into your life? </i></span>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-33826337327033435992011-12-15T20:03:00.000-08:002011-12-15T20:03:40.908-08:00#ReverbBroads11 - VolunteeringWoah - Nothing can ever prepare you to take a week off of work (even during finals week). I thought I'd be all ready to stay up to date on #ReverbBroads when I got back from vacation, but I've spent some quality time with my couch and my bed. I've been exhausted, which I guess happens when you have to respond to 240+ emails.<br />
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I don't volunteer, and I don't know why. I did some volunteer work in high school, and I worked at my Grandma's work for awhile, too, but once I got to college I never could seem to get back in the groove of volunteering, but I want to.<br />
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I really want to do something in my life to give back to the community, like volunteering at a homeless shelter, a women's shelter, or working with kids, but I'm not sure how to get involved. If you are in the Chicago area - do you volunteer? Where, and how often? If you don't currently volunteer, do you know of places that could use volunteers?<br />
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The biggest question is why haven't I, and there are a few reasons. One reason is time - I'm still working on balancing my personal life and my work schedule (even after a year and a half in my job). Going along with this, I'm sometimes not willing to give up my Saturday or Sunday morning sleep, which is something that has to change. Finally, I'm not always comfortable going outside of my comfort zone, and I don't know many people in the Chicago area that volunteer, so I can't just tag along with a friend or colleague. I'm hoping I can find somewhere near either work or home in the next year that I can help out at.<br />
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<i>If you haven't heard, I'm participating in #ReverbBroads11 with a daily blog prompt through December. For today, </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><i>Is volunteering something you do regularly? If yes where do you volunteer? If not, why not?</i></span>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-5289249401518652942011-12-15T19:55:00.000-08:002011-12-15T19:55:27.381-08:00#ReverbBroads11 - 3 Best<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">On Twitter, I periodically (very rarely, actually) take part in #3best. Some days, it's hard to find 3 things that went right in a day, but I manage. This prompt, however is a lot harder. I don't like to brag, and in my constant comparison of myself to others, I don't think I'm better at much, at least not in comparison. I contemplated not doing this post, but I'm hopeful I can get every post this month (even if they are late.) But, a few days late, here we go:</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">1) I'm a really fast reader. I managed to read 52 books in the first 40 or so weeks this year. I obtain most of the information, too. In 3rd grade, I checked a book out for silent reading hour and returned it to the library at the end of the hour. My teacher asked why I didn't like the book - she had recommended it. I told her I loved it, and she didn't believe I had finished that quickly, so she gave me a quiz (which I aced.) </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">2) I'm an excellent gift giver. Honestly, I don't have a very good memory (this makes starting a new job tricky, especially when meeting students) but I latch on when people talk about what they have always wanted (like the Back to the Future trilogy on VHS), or when they talk about things they need, or had as a child that they miss (like a Wood Engraver). I love giving gifts, but don't really like receiving them, because I get nervous (something I cannot explain.)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">3) I won't go as far as saying I'm an excellent writer (again, in comparison, I couldn't finish my NaNoWriMo novel) but I'm a fabulous proofreader. Spelling, punctuation, spacing, all of it. I attribute that to my two years as my high school yearbook editor, and my high school English teacher. It's an awesome skill, but it also then irritates me when I get professional publications, emails or letters that are incorrect. I'm always willing to read things through, if you'd like.</span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">If you haven't heard, I'm participating in #ReverbBroads11, a post a day through the month of December. Today's prompt: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">What are three things you are better at than most people?</span></i>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-56921409565375602632011-12-15T19:52:00.000-08:002011-12-15T19:52:03.472-08:0012/9/2011 #ReverbBroads11 - Children's Book<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">When I was younger, I had a library. Sounds cute, right? Well, it was a little obsessive. You had to check the books out, and I'm sure I'd try to fine you if you returned it late. My parents still have most of them, but I've slowly taken the books back, especially my favorites. I loved The American Girl, The Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys so much, but in re-thinking, here are my favorites.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">1) Cap'n O.G. Read More - I still can quote this book. This cat has such an appetite for books, and whenever my own cat "comes back" from somewhere in the house, I serenade Brandon with the details of this cat and his love for reading.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61DRN22NE3L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61DRN22NE3L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">2) The Very Hungry Caterpillar - what is not to love about this colorful, fun, learning book?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">3) I Have To Go - this book is about the need to pee. Not necessarily a potty training book, but it was a staple growing up, especially on road trips. I have what a friend of mine refers to as a hummingbird bladder, so this was always enjoyable, because it was generally true.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://childrensbooksguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/i-have-to-go-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://childrensbooksguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/i-have-to-go-image.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">4) Love You Forever - My dad was military, and I remember (this could be a made up memory) reading this book, about the love from parents to children, and thinking that my dad could hear me and knew that was true, no matter where he was.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">5) In the Night Kitchen - I remember loving this book. I still have it, even if it is inappropriate with a naked child. The illustrations are brilliant, and I still enjoy this classic.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/sendak-in-the-night-kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/sendak-in-the-night-kitchen.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">6) Stand Back Said the Elephant - My dad would do the greatest voices to books. Since he was gone a lot, he made me a tape recording of him reading a number of my favorites. This one always had the best voices, and was also very, very silly.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">7) Paper Bag Princess - My mom always read this tale to me. It was ridiculous, but all I remember was loving the story and the illustrations. I don't own this any,ore, so I may need to put it on a wish list (or just buy it for myself.)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/17/The_Paper_Bag_Princess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/17/The_Paper_Bag_Princess.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">8) the Indian in the Cupboard - I recently bought this movie from a $5.00 bin and it was just as amazing I remember. I did a lot of dress up and pretend play, and I remember incorporating a magical cabinet into my play time, too.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">9) The Egypt Game - A book that I read later in my childhood, but one that I loved. I still own this, and actually bought her second novel (The Gypsy Game) recently. Of course, I read it a lot faster, but I still loved it. The friendship between Melanie and April was something that I longed for, as I remember struggling to have that long lasting friendship, especially considering how often I moved schools during elementary school.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">I normally hate to leave things at such an awkward number, but those are my nine favorites. Even if you are not participating in #ReverbBroads11, I hope you share your favorites with me.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;"><i>If you haven't heard, I'm participating (but can't seem to remember to actually PUBLISH the posts) in #ReverbBroads11, a daily prompt through December. Today's prompt: </i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><i>What was your favorite children's book?</i></span>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-62693247961285202482011-12-12T20:07:00.000-08:002011-12-13T06:26:57.234-08:00#ReverbBroads11: Guilty (Updated)Woah. I told a co-worker today that I loved #ReverbBroads because it kept me thinking. However, I was not ready for today's prompt. Then, I wrote this prompt last night about a good beer and my favorite bar (The Red Line Tap. They allow dogs - what else do you need to know?) But as I sat on the train this morning, I smelled (a good smell, for once) my favorite, most secret guilty pleasure. I'm sure Brandon doesn't even know this (although he will now, because I share every one of my blog posts with him.)<br />
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I have lots of guilty pleasures. Bad music (Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga), Bad TV shows (Glee because of my friend Derik Nelson,) a good beer over a run on the treadmill, coffee (but I gave it up for my morning protein shakes), family time, cupcakes (MORE, preferably) and I'm sure the list goes on.<br />
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Honestly, I can't live without listening to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGIMaU55430">Mom Jeans</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r4AjDl1vy0&list=FLm2r7jM9ssgtnasHKxH3y8w&feature=mh_lolz">My New Christmas Sweater</a>, but mostly, my guilty pleasure is chocolate & salt. It started last year. For those of you who don't know, Brandon worked at GameStop part-ish time last year. Most nights, I'd come home and turn on a movie, just to keep noise in the house. One night, I made popcorn right when I got home, because I was hungry and I'd normally wait for dinner until Brandon got home. I ate some of it, but got distracted (most likely by work email) and it got cold. I didn't want to throw a whole bowl away, so I peeked in the fridge and saw chocolate syrup. I drizzled chocolate syrup on the popcorn and ate it. It may sound weird, but it was amazing.<br />
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Since then, I haven't been able to get enough of salt & chocolate. I've made salted hot chocolate (delicious. Apparently Starbucks sells it?), attempted salted chocolate cupcakes, tried out Mr. Goodbar again, and had another bowl of chocolate popcorn.<br />
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I could live without this guilty pleasure, as I don't have it that often. I'll probably have to make chocolate popcorn tonight, just so that Brandon can try it. I also think that, if I was not allowed to eat this, I'd come up with another guilty pleasure.<br />
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My iPad guilty pleasure? Fruit Ninja. If you haven't played it, you need to check it out.<br />
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<i>If you haven't heard, I'm writing in December with a prompt-a-day. Today's prompt: </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"> </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Name and explain the one guilty pleasure you can't live without. ie: that cupcake shop you visit weekly, a book you repeatedly read to find solace in, etc). Then explore the idea of how you would feel if you gave that thing up for a year. </span></i></span>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-31188530226048846862011-12-12T19:48:00.000-08:002011-12-12T19:48:48.875-08:00#ReverbBroads11: Alex & KristinI asked Brandon "how am I like my mother" and he responded "How AREN'T you like your mama?" Unsure of what that meant, I dug a little deep.<br />
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We both are McSassyPants101. I'm full of sass. (Honestly, I was never sure of how to use the word sass until I meant Julia D.) My mother is the SAME way. We have the same attitude, the same response to life, and the same sass. Translation: we have a comeback to life.<br />
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We're both short, fiesty and we can't stop talking. I've worked (not very hard) to alter my talkative gene, but it's really just brought out my contagious laugh gene. My mother introduced me (at a young age, I'm certain) to laughter. I incorporate this into my love, my laughter, my work with students, and my overall life.<br />
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The most important thing in life is to make sure you laugh once a day, and I don't think I could have taken a better piece of advice from the smartest, most lovely and strong woman I know.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkEl9uuYZJhWz1G-ZGGsuAKe53YxXZKyFz1_7td8m14FXwsG8R7BlGIDvxXEagzneBWw5JB2fUTKrb0o4Zoz9eRaFNH72WnZDRpaW2HFDi8icfdZghJRRH5i0-V-fxcnuC8DRifSDlhw/s1600/Bby+Alex+and+Kris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkEl9uuYZJhWz1G-ZGGsuAKe53YxXZKyFz1_7td8m14FXwsG8R7BlGIDvxXEagzneBWw5JB2fUTKrb0o4Zoz9eRaFNH72WnZDRpaW2HFDi8icfdZghJRRH5i0-V-fxcnuC8DRifSDlhw/s320/Bby+Alex+and+Kris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-7121465802486017532011-12-12T19:38:00.000-08:002011-12-12T19:38:49.420-08:00#ReverbBroads11: Worst/Best Thing of Your LifeI think I've mentioned this once or twice (or a thousand times,) but I just returned from an eight day vacation to visit my family. This sort of answers my whole Worst/Best moments...<br />
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I took 6 days off of work, at the end of the semester, at finals week, to visit my parents at a time that can be the busiest time for an office. I've also mentioned that I'm transitioning out of one job (Coordinator of Student Life) and into another job (Coordinator of Campus Life) that I'm super happy about. The best thing in my life right now is that. I'm in a job that trusts me, and values me. They trust me, in that they are willing to allow me this type of vacation (where I'm the only one who can do my job in my current job) and they also recognize my talents and are willing to transition me into a new job (while letting me design that job a little bit.) I've struggled in my career path, as we all have, but this is a place that values what I give back to the institution and is willing to use my strengths to help advance not only my department but the university as a whole.<br />
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On the other side, I'm really far away from my family. I live in Chicago, IL and my brother (16) and sister (19) live with my parents in Gardnerville, NV (outside of Reno). While my partner and I live 3.5 hours from his parents (Grand Rapids, MI) and 5 hours from his brother and wife (Eau Claire, WI), spending every holiday (Fathers Day, Mothers Day, Thanksgiving & Christmas) with them is not always what I need or want at the holidays. Yes, we could split and spend the holidays with our families (making the holidays super expensive, as I spent $400+ on my plane ticket home), but I want to spend the holidays together. Unfortunately, it seems that we can't split holidays until we get married (an action that may take a while, as we aren't interested at this time) and that makes the holidays hard. Holidays are a rough time, especially when both of my mother's parents have passed. The holidays are a time for everyone, but I wonder how others (married, committed, or otherwise) deal with the difficulty of dividing your lives between families.<br />
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<i>If you haven't heard, I'm spending my December in a prompt-full-blog-month. Today's prompt: </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><i>What is the best and/or worst thing about your life right now?</i></span>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-5511365444445608712011-12-12T19:25:00.000-08:002011-12-12T19:25:31.051-08:00#reverbBroads11: My 12/8/2011 OopsIf you didn't know, I spent the last week PLUS in Nevada. My parents and my baby siblings live there, so Brandon and I went to visit. He stayed for 4 days, I stayed for a lot longer. I spent my internet time on my life and my iPad. While I love the iPad, I realized that I either need to change blogs (blogspot is HTML and the iPad doesn't like that, apparently.) I realized (just now, on 12/12/11) that I missed a prompt, so here it is.<br />
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I tried to start blogging a long, long, long time ago, possibly back in the days of LiveJournal (does anyone even remember that?) This blog goes back to me taking my most recent job of the Coordinator of Student Life (a job that I am currently transitioning out of. I'll post about that in January.) I started blogging for our friends - to share my life with Brandon, in Chicago, with our Kalamazoo, MI friends; with our Grand Rapids, MI, Kalamazoo, MI, Battle Creek, MI, Cincinnati, OH & Gardnerville, NV family; and with anyone else interested. Since then, the Canada family has started watching, as have our Chicago friends.<br />
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I kept blogging because it challenged me. It challenged me to stay connected, and to keep taking photos and chronicling our life. Because of my blog, I have a photo for our Christmas cards this year. I've been able to keep in touch with Barb (and maybe other Canada "family") and I've been able to savor the memories.<br />
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What I haven't done is blog about work. I'm transitioning into a job that I think (hope?) I'm going to love, love, love. And I hope that, along with the ties to family and those far away, helps me stay blogging.<br />
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<i>If you didn't know, I'm participating in an awesome blog-prompt-filled-December, #ReverbBroads11. Today's prompt: </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Why blog? Why do you or why do you like to blog (recognizing that these are not always the same thing)?</span></i></span>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084927949287142360.post-70544409901385356692011-12-08T08:13:00.000-08:002011-12-08T08:13:57.242-08:00#reverbBroads11 - Laughter is the best medicine."It's not my fault you're a boxer."<br />
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"Great. I have cheetah legs and I have to leave."<br />
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Using winter gloves to drink a mug of mint tea.<br />
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Standing in the middle of the room, discussing who the ring leader of the toys would be.<br />
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"Why are you hibernating? You're not a bear."<br />
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"You should go Tungle somewhere else."<br />
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With this post, a lot of people listed everyone (or everything) that makes them laugh. Comedians are hit or miss with me, as are stupid youtube videos, email forwards, and most television shows. However, there is one person who can always make me laugh (whether or not he is trying to.)<br />
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I always talk about being super, super serious, and it's kind of true. However, I find that I continually surround myself with amusing characters. The funniest person in my life is my partner, Brandon. He keeps me on my toes, he makes me happy, and he keeps me laughing. My life since I met Brandon, as summed up by the Indigo Girls, was "wide-eyed-laughing."<br />
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He doesn't always think he's funny, but he is. He shares cooking tips with me (like that you should wear snowboarding goggles when cutting onions,) and lets me know how overwhelming my Google calendar is (that looks like Skittles threw up on your calendar, honey).<br />
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He's also very young, and I think will always be, at heart. He loves stupid tee-shirts (this is the oldest I've ever been), toys (he gets a Toy Story toy a least once a year) and is an active video gamer. But on the side, he's the funniest person I've ever met. <br />
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Most of all, he can make me laugh, even when I'm having a super rough time in life. Our regular daily interactions involve amazing (while sometimes inappropriate) quotes (I feel like my armpit has to fart), serious questions (do you think the Energizer Bunny ever gets bored) and all around confusion (who is Erin Water and why does she have her own show?)<br />
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He regularly has interactions with the animals that keep me giggling for days (vamoos goes the dog.) but ultimately, he knows me the best. "You've gotta be sassy. You're a ninja!"<br />
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If I could take one thing from this funny man in my life, it would be this. "Easy going. It's like my life."<br />
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<em>If you haven't heard, I'm participating in #ReverbBroads11 this month. Today's prompt: Who or what makes you laugh so hard you spit milk out of your nose and why?</em>Alex Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15574357001258803740noreply@blogger.com1