Day 30-a picture

Day 30...the epic conclusion to this month of challenging blogging, and the theme is a PICTURE?!?! I have posted several pictures throughout this month (ok, really it was 2 months) of blog challenges, and now I am asked to end it all with a picture? Well a picture of what? And of whom? And how am I supposed to narrow it down to one picture?!?!?

Well fortunately, it happens to be Christmas Day, so I'll share with you the joy of the PHrathouse.
Have a very Merry Christmas, enjoy the greatest day of the year (ok second to my birthday), and enjoy the great traditions that this holiday has created.

Day 29-3 Wishes

Isn't the number one rule of wishes that you're supposed to wish for more wishes?

1. I wish that I would end up with no regrets in life. Having experienced, traveled, done, helped in every way that I could, and there was nothing that was ever out of my reach.

2. I wish for a library in my future living quarters. A huge one beauty and the beast style so that I can always enjoy books.

3. I wish for a world that has a future...

AND 100 MORE WISHES!

P.S. this is my 100th post

Day 28-Something that stresses you out

Well this is an easy one...everything. But more recently, I'd say my future stresses me out. Collecting the necessary parts of grad school applications, writing personal statements, deciding on the right program and the right next step in life...all of these things cause me copious amounts of stress.

The end of college is an interesting time in life. Turning 18 and going directly to college was the obvious answer; I was simply supposed to choose where. Graduating from college is entirely different. For the first time there is no obvious next step. And unfortunately whatever I choose will be highly specialized and specific, and I may have to face the fact that I chose the wrong thing. Getting a B.S. in Psychology is essentially BS; I have no desire to enter into any field of psychology. But in college, that was ok. In grad school there are no extra courses, and wasting money is twice as bad as wasting money in undergrad. Getting a job is essentially the same--minus that waste of money, which I guess is a perk. But you face the adult world, something no one is ready to do yet.

Of course, all this stress doesn't even begin to incorporate those other big life steps--marriage, family, settling down. Those things get no place in my current stress. They are definitely something future Emily is better equipped to deal with.

Day 27-Pets

I feel like a person who has had millions of pets. Fish, cats, dogs, the bugs I picked up off the ground when I was little...it just never seems to end. Recently I discovered the fostering program at the Alachua County Humane society. That landed me with this pet:

Callie. My love.

Callie was in a litter of 4, none of whom lived. I fostered her in early 2008 and we instantly fell in love. Freshman year, Callie would sleep on my shoulder every night, and had a little bed on the other side of my bed. She has a chronic cold, and you can hear her coming all the time. She has a tiny white tip on the end of her tail that I think is adorable. She acts like a dog, and loves to clean my face. She still sleeps with me, although now that she is not a kitten she has to sleep around my head instead of on me.

Day 26-Picture of your family

My mother's side. Me and my sister singing the blessings at her bat mitzvah while my mom and Bill watch.

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

At the current moment my ipod is in the car. But a few days ago I knew this post was coming up, I tried it to see where it would go and here's where we ended up:

1. Undo it-Carrie Underwood
"You stole my heart now I want it back, I'm starting to see everything you lack. Boy you blew it, you put me through it, I wanna u-u-u-u-ndo it!"

2. Leaving on a Jet Plane-The Armageddon Version
"Already I'm so lonsesome I could die. So kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me. Hold me like you'll never let me go"

3. Man in the Mirror-Michael Jackson
"A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart, and a washed-out dream. They follow the pattern of the win ya see cause they got no place to be that's why I'm starting with me"

4. Taking Chances-The Glee Version
"You don't know about my past and I don't have a future figured out, and maybe this is going too fast, and maybe it's not meant to last."

5. Wannabe-Spice Girls
"And as for me, ha you'll see. Slam your body down and wind it all around!"

6. Need you Now-Lady Antebellum
"And I wonder if I ever cross your mind, for me it happens all the time"

7. California Gurls-Katie Perry
"Sun-kissed skin so hot we'll melt your popsicle"

8. Dynamite-Taio Cruz
"I wanna celebrate and live my life"

9. Can I Have this Dance-High School Musical (not embarrassed)
"Won't you promise me that you'll never forget to keep dancing wherever we go next"

10. Let's go to the Mall-Robin Sparkles
"it'll be just him and me, but don't forget the robot"

I think it's safe to say that this is a fairly accurate soundtrack to my life. Let's go to the mall even came on when I was driving to the mall (Total Barney Move). Most of these songs are from this summer, representing the turbulent times I went through leaving people for one place and then leaving those to go back home, returning to a place that had managed to keep moving when I had not. Many of these songs are from camp and remind me of the painful end, while some are from the fall and represent a happy time of roadtrips and vacations (I think it's safe to say that Dynamite was played over 100 times between here and New Orleans). But this is also accurate because it shows my extreme varying tastes in music (all we're missing is some Mozart). Music is a huge part of my life, and though some would claim that I am not into searching new music and discovering new artists, I am always very happy when a song speaks to me or for me.

Day 24-Something you've learned

I think for more elaboration you should see my post on timing.

Furthermore, I have learned that you cannot control the things that have happened or the things that will happen. They are all just things that help you get to the point you are at, whether you want to be there or not. I have learned that it is easier to look from the outside in than the inside out, and that when you are on the inside the path to the outside looks like it has no end. But one day you will find yourself in a completely different mental place; a new career, a new love, a new passion, a new life path, or maybe a new physical place, and you won't be able to remember what it was like to be inside looking out anymore.

Day 23-Favorite vacation

Dream vacation or real vacation? I'm going with dream for the moment.

I would love to travel across Europe and see all of Italy and all of Greece. Two years ago when I started Latin I had this grand dream of reading the classical works in the countries they came from. I would love to travel around and learn all about the history and the food. For a long time; a nice break from reality.

Day 22-Favorite city

I assume this refers to a city you have visited, not just a city that you dream of visiting. So I guess I'll have to go with my new default, Charleston, SC.

Charleston appears to have it all to me. It is about the right size, falling around 300,000 (not too big but not too small either). It sits on water, making it much more temperate than other inland cities. Most importantly, Charleston is a beautiful southern city with the right kind of houses and the right kind of people. In Florida, it is difficult to find a real southern city on the water, because the coastal cities, and especially south Florida, lose some of that southern charm. But Charleston is full of places that cook good food and the atmosphere is pleasant and cheerful.

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Didn't we do this on the first day?
Oh well... here's me with our fine italian cuisine that my roommates and I cooked up one night...in our onesies.

Day 20- Nicknames

I actually haven't been given a lot of nicknames in my life, something that has always made me upset. There's been the occasional Jonesy, EJ...but nothing that ever sticks. My roommate calls me Emmie sometimes, but its normally in a baby voice. Every so often I get Em, which ironically I've found only comes from males, never from females (except sometimes, that same roommate). I've been called EJo after JLo coined that, but it also never really went anywhere. At one point a group called me Jew-Lo but that also had no lasting effect.

I guess it's kind of hard to nickname me because I have so many different groups of friends that don't converse. Thus any name has no lasting effect because it is only promulgated by the group it begins in.

Day 19-Something you miss

Reading.

I miss reading the newspaper. I miss walking into starbucks and adding one to my purchase.

I miss reading quickly. Being able to sit around for hours and finish a Harry Potter or a Narnia book in one sitting. I miss being able to read for hours on end and see a substantial difference in where I was in the book when I finished.

I miss having all my books with me. Seeing them over Thanksgiving break was a huge tease, and I'm ready to install a bookshelf large enough to cart them all over here.

Buying books, and going to the bookstore to peruse for hours.

Reading for fun and not for school. Or at least having time to do both.

Day 18-Something you regret

My college resume is dotted with things that I regret having not done in college. It would be difficult to show, as my resume looks full and complete, but it takes a true insider to be able to pick through what is there and what isn't.

The first mistake occurred when choosing a college. Don't get me wrong, there is no part of me that regrets going to UF. But the attitude that spawned that decision, one of indecision and lack of effort in pursuing the right school, is one that I am not proud of. The outcome happened to be one of the best things I have ever done, so I was lucky on that account.

The second major regret I have is not having lived in a dorm freshman year. Not only did I miss out on really being a freshman, but I lived so far away I missed out on most social gatherings and rarely went to class. Being that separate from the campus did not benefit me in any way.

Going into rush with a negative attitude, much like that of college, was another thing I regret. Again, the outcome was more than favorable, and I can't imagine myself anywhere else, but I wonder if it would have had an impact on my future in the chapter I'm in if I had gone in really wanting to be in a sorority.

I regret that I never attended a FL/GA game. Though this was a personal choice in my last two years, I wish that I had foreseen my involvement in the Speech and Debate tournament and gone my first two years. I don't regret a single moment about joining Speech and Debate, except perhaps that it didn't occur earlier, but I wish I had at some point made the effort to see the largest cocktail party.

I regret not having attended more school events. My Tradition Keepers book is lacking, and I am going to have to make a major push to fill it before the impending graduation occurs.

I regret never applying myself to one thing, but spreading myself out too thin. I sometimes have felt that I had to pick and choose where I would succeed and it is only through my eyes that you can see those places lacking.

Most importantly, as a spring graduate, I regret having no idea what I want to do with my life, and the feeling that I wasted four years in a meaningless major and that I might have to do it all over again.

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

The end. I know it's stupid because I should be treasuring this, but I'm looking forward to the end of college. I am done with homework and reading. If I've learned anything in college it's that you can learn more from real world experience than from a classroom. I am looking forward to working and the real world, as much as it scares me. I am looking forward to leaving all this behind and making another new life for myself, keeping only the things I want from this one and ditching the rest, just as I did in high school. I am looking forward to my own place; a grown up place. I am looking forward to new adventures, new ridiculousness, and new stories, because my life will always be full of them. I am looking forward to living for myself, and not for how people want me to live. I am looking forward to a new season of Florida football, because this one was far from exemplary. I am looking forward to the rest of my life, because this certainly isn't it.

But despite all of that, I am also looking forward to coming back, to visiting, and to being a new person here.

Day 16-Dream house

Well, first and foremost, it is large.
Has a library in it.

Is a very simple, country style. Nothing modern or fancy. No spanish or greek style anything.

Has a huge yard for multiple animals to run around in.
Hard wood floors and lots of windows to make it spacious.

A kitchen with an island, a gas stove and lots of storage.

Day 15-Favorite Bible Verse

Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your eyes, O Lord, my strength and my salvation.
Pslam 19:14

Day 14-A picture you love

Dolphin stadium after the gators won the national title in 2008. One of the defining moments of my college career and my life as a gator fan. We're definitely in a point where I have to remind myself, in all kinds of weather, but win or lose I will be a gators for life.

Day 13-Goals

What an ironic day to land on as I sit here procrastinating the large pile of work sitting next to me.

Goals are interesting because the general ones linger, but the specific ones change on a fairly regular basis. I guess I'm about at a point where my goals are going to become my reality soon, or that is the ideal, but I don't know how to classify them.

I can say with certainty I have the general goal of making a difference in the world. At one point, I wanted it to be a measurable difference. But as I looked back on my recent volunteerism, I think it's safe to say I am well on my way to achieving this one, or possibly already have. In more specific terms, I would like to look back on my life and think that I have had a positive impact on the world. And while not really more specific, some ways I have thought this would play out were Doctors without Borders, pursuing public health policy, working for a non-profit, and most recently perhaps doing Americorps or the Peace Corps.

I know that it is my goal to see as much of this world as possible. This goal worries me the most, because the world is constantly changing and there is so much of it. I have the goal of visiting all 7 continents before I die, and all 50 states before I turn 50 (a goal my cousin and I set when we were younger). There are places all over Europe and Asia that I would like to visit, as well as several places in Africa. I purchased a copy of 1000 places to see before you die last year, and I was overwhelmed the moment I opened it. Many of the places will never be within my reach, and so at some point I will need to narrow this one down so that it becomes more attainable.

I would like to do a climb for cancer and scale the seven summits. Fortunately, these goals can be combined, as well as working towards my goal of reaching all 7 continents (by the way, I have 4 down). This goal is my highest reach (no pun intended), as I would have to overcome several obstacles to do so. The first, unfortunately, is financial. These climbs are not cheap, especially Everest, which costs around $60,000 for supplies and oxygen. The second, is the fact that I am nowhere near in shape for this, and am only getting older. Living 121 feet above sea level does not quite prepare someone for any part of this climb, and although I have found alternate routes for trying to train, it is not something I would be able to try for several years (see previous blog posts for more on this goal).

I want to have a library in my house. Think a la Beauty and the Beast. Filled to the top with all kinds of books; I have started this goal and am well on my way to finding books to stock it on a regular basis. The closest I have seen is this, in my friend's house a little south of here:


I want to be successful in all ways, happiness and financial stability included. I want to figure out where my niche is and reach it, in a job that is flexible with my need to climb mountains and see the world. I think it will take a couple tries to get there, and so I am very comfortable with the idea of multiple jobs. I'm just not sure where to start.

Day 12-What you believe

I believe in God.
I believe that the ocean is better than the mountains.
I believe that we were given the opportunity to experience as much as possible, and so we should. For me I believe that means seeing the world, but for other I believe it is different.
I believe that I was put here to do big things.
I believe that people 6 years younger can change you just as much as you can change them.
I believe that I love shoes.
I believe that I have some of the best friends in the world.
I believe in constant communication.
I believe that there are holy places.
I believe that caffeine and alcohol are medicinal.
I believe in the power of thought.
I believe in the Gators...in all kinds of weather.
I believe that college is 4 years...for a reason.
I believe in Greek Life.
I believe there is more to this.

Day 11-Favorite tv shows

This one is easy because the list is short.

In my opinion the all time best show that was ever on television:

Friends is the show by which all other shows are judged, in my opinion. It is extremely difficult to get me to laugh out loud at something happening behind a glass screen, and this show is the first I can remember having that effect on me several times throughout a 30 minute show. We used to joke that everything in our lives could be related to friends, and although the effect has faded out since it has become less prevalent in my life, the jokes will always be funny and the lessons always relevant. When Friends ended, I cried for about an hour after it ended before pulling myself together and reminding myself that emotional attachment to a television show was ridiculous. But it has never been outdone in my opinion.

My current obsession:

This show is second only to Friends in its ability to make me laugh out loud. Although I think the quality of the show began to fade a little in season 5, and I am still frustrated that we haven't met the mother, this show remains a constant part of my life, and is never overdone. My biggest regret is that Neil Patrick Harris isn't readily available, while my favorite episodes continue to be the Thanksgiving episodes, beginning with Slapsgiving, the episode that originally sucked me in.

I can't even explain this one:

While I am currently have the Food Network on 24/7, nothing can excite me more than turning it on to see my favorite Italian chef cooking up something in her beautiful California home. Giada has become a household name at the PHrathouse (my apartment), and my roommate and I watch in awe her simple grace in the kitchen. Although I can't cook, nor do I ever intend to become the perfect chef, Giada makes me want to be a better cook and work to create my own special recipes. She is an inspiration.

My Guilty Pleasure:

Yes Spongebob. Spongebob has been there for me for years, and since Nickelodeon still faithfully plays it far more often than any other show, I use it as background noise, as the catalyst for a great afternoon nap, or for stupid entertainment on a weekend morning. No I'm not kidding...no I'm not embarassed.