Day 1 - Recent picture of yourself and 15 interesting facts...
15 Facts about me (some not quite as interesting as others):
I have been to over half of the States, and I have lived in two of them. I have been to five countries outside of the States (six of you want to count Scotland and England as separate, but technically they aren't). I am going to Guatemala over spring break as well.
I'm an English major, but there are times where I still suck at spelling and grammar.
I studied in London for four months during my sophomore year. I had an amazing time, and I want to go back to see some more fantastic places!
I have a huge obsession with books. I do not rent them or borrow them from the library. I have to buy them. One of my goals in life is to have a great big library in my house.
I'm sarcastic. And I love when people understand my sense of humor. But, it is fun every once in a great while to run into someone that doesn't understand and to poke fun at them.
I'm afraid of failing.
I love to sing and dance, but only in my bedroom or in front of people I know. I really do suck at both. I have absolutely no rhythm, and I can't sing to save my life, but I still love to do it.
I hate the cold. And I hate when it's warm. If I could find a place that was 75 degrees year round, no wind, or major disaster, that would be my perfect place to live. I really just can't win.
When I get bored, I color. Yeah, I still do that...I'm not 21 or anything. Or I read. Or watch a movie.
I would rather have a night in watching a movie with my bestie than go out and party. Maybe we have a glass of wine while watching the movie. Or two.
I play volleyball, and I love it. I feel most at home on a volleyball court. I would give anything to be able to keep playing after college.
I have a great family. My mom and dad are awesome, and my brothers are pretty cool in their own right. I don't know what I would do without them.
I almost spend more money on books than clothes...no joke.
I love to write. I don't really have a lot of my own stuff, but if I had more time, I would try and write something productive. But, I really prefer to edit stuff that isn't my own because then I don't have to come up with something original. ;)
My meaning in life: do what you love and love what you do. I don't think there is anything that you ever do that should contradict that statement. Okay...maybe school, homework, chores, jury duty, laundry, or paying bills really fall under that category, but you have to do those. So, my motto for that kind of stuff: suck it up and do it.
When I was messing around on my computer, I came across this challenge for bloggers. It is 30 days of me, and each day has something new that I have to post. I decided I wanted to take the challenge, so starting tomorrow I will be posting everyday. Here are the challenges by the day...
day 1- Recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- The meaning behind your blog name
day 3- A picture of you and your friends
day 4- A habit you wish you didn’t have
day 5- A picture of somewhere you've been
day 6- Favorite superhero and why
day 7- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
day 8- Short term goals for this month and why
day 9- Something you're proud of in the past few days
day 10- Songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- Another picture of you and your friends
day 12- How you found out about blogger and why you have one
day 13- A book you are reading now and why you like it
day 14- A picture of you and your family
day 15- Put you iPod on shuffle...first 10 songs that play
day 16- Another picture of yourself
day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- Nicknames you have and why you have them
day 20- Someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future
day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- What makes you different from everyone else
day 23- Something you crave for a lot
day 24- Give a bucket list
day 25- What I would find in your bag
day 26- What do you think about your friends
day 27- A page of favorites
day 28- A picture of you from last year and now...how have you changed since then
day 29- In this past month what have you learned
day 30- Why did you decide to do this challenge
The past few weeks have been hectic to say the least. It has been difficult to find the time to do anything that I actually wanted to do, and today is the day I officially can. I am done with my first semester of my junior year, but it hasn't come as quickly or without stress and heartache.
Almost two weeks ago, my grandfather passed away. I found out just two days before that he was in the hospital and was going to have surgery for intestinal blockage. The surgery did not go as well as planned. The surgeons had no idea how blocked his intestines were until they were actually operating. He went into the ICU immediately after surgery and just never woke up after he developed an infection. I had been receiving updates from my mother, and I knew when that phone call came, that I would never get to talk to my grandfather again. It was the first loss I have ever had in my family with someone that I was close to.
If I hadn't had my family and friends around me, I don't know how I would have taken it. But because I have such an amazing support group in my volleyball team, I was able to make it through the funeral knowing that my grandfather is in a great place. I know my family took the loss hard, and of course, we will continue to feel his presence in our lives. There is nothing I can do now but pray that my family makes it through this holiday season with my grandpa in our hearts...I loved him very much, and I will miss him more than he will ever know. But, I do know this: as tough as it is to admit, life goes on. He wouldn't want us to mourn him forever, but to live our lives and to remember him through fond memories.
Through my tears, I smile because somewhere up there, he is having the time of his life playing a round of golf, riding his Harley, and enjoying some fishing. Thanks, grandpa, for being a fantastic man and a hell of a guy. Thank you for loving me and your family. We miss you very much.
So, I'm not entirely sure as to who will be reading this post, but I figured I would give it a go anyway. I am going on another Alternative Spring Break trip next semester. I went on the very first one Central hosted two years ago to Moab, Utah and had a fantastic time. So, I decided to apply to go to Guatemala, and I was accepted into the program.
Alternative Spring Break has been a program at Central for three years now, and is growing each year.This year, a trip was added to San Jorge La Laguna, Guatemala and will be held March14-21, 2011.I will be volunteering with eleven other Central College students in a school.This school has begun an environmental/sustainability program and is working to teach the children the importance of things such as recycling, reusing, and reducing as well as global environmental issues.The school receives no funding from the government, so they are doing what they can with what little they have.We will help support this program by helping to build an ecological classroom out of recycled materials as well as other activities to support the school.
We are looking for donations to help us make this trip a success. If you or anyone you know would be willing to make a donation, have them get in contact with me via this blog in the comments or my email: griegerc1@central[dot]edu (just remove the word 'dot' and put an actual one there. I don't want to be spammed by some computer!).
Also, if a Central student happens to be reading this, we are selling the "Go Dutch" t-shirts still! They are just $10 and all the profits go to help us in Guatemala!
I can't keep in my excitement!! Last night, I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1!!! *insert fan girl squeal*
I had heard rumors that the movie was a bit slow, and reviewers weren't all that thrilled. But hell, I could really care less about what movie reviewers say. I've been a fan of HP for over ten years, and there was no way a bad review was going to stop me from loving every second of the two hours and 26 minutes of that movie.
Liz and I sat outside for about two hours with a ton of little middle schoolers that were really starting to piss me off, but I kept it cool. Liz and I speculated as to when they were going to cut the movie, and we were right. Kudos to us.
Even as a fan, I have to admit that there were points that I thought, Okay, it something going to happen now? But the good part was, that there were a lot of little high points that kept it interesting. I was on the edge of my seat most of the time. I even knew what was going to happen, but I wanted to know how they were going to show it visually. Of course, there were parts that were left out of the movie, and some things happened differently, but I have always been a big advocate that the movies and books are two separate entities. As long as the main storyline is kept in tact, I will be happy with the result. Obviously, I don't want something that didn't even come close to happening in the book to put in, especially when it is unnecessary, but I understand the need for drama.
The main actors, Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson: props to you all! Their acting has gotten so much better throughout the years, and this film is no exception. My favorite scenes involved them doing simple things: Hermione and Harry dancing, Hermione in her home at the beginning, Ron and Harry's fight. There were so many more, but they all have matured so much. It is difficult to believe that I was their age when all this started.
Other actors that really deserved a round of applause: Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix), Alan Rickman (Snape), and Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort). The badies are always so good. Carter is just deliciously evil. Rickman, although he wasn't in it much, was essential. If you know the ending to the story, you can really tell that Rickman played his part well. Fiennes, well, he is just plain creepy. I literally could have nightmares about his performance. He's calm, yet frightening.
Part 1 is definitely a build up to the next one. But, that is how the book is as well. The first half of Deathly Hallows just annoyed me because I wanted something to happen. I think that Harry Potter and the Prolonged Camping Trip was its secondary title. Despite that, David Yates did an excellent job bringing it to life, particularly visually. I'm so amazed by the stuff they can do in movies.
This movie is a roller coaster of action, emotion, and darkness. One second you are in a light-hearted moment, the next you are in the thick of the action. Could they have done a better job with the plot? Probably. But I'm not complaining about what they gave us. I LOVED IT! I'm biased, I know. But I don't care.
If you are a fan of the books/movies, you are gonna love it. I don't know exactly what they are going to do for Part 2. But this is guaranteed: I will be seeing it at midnight. In IMAX. I'm going out with a bang when the last one rolls around. It's almost over. In just seven months, this monster of a franchise will be ending. I don't think I'm ready to let it go just yet. So maybe I'll go see this movie one more time. Or five more.
10. You're multitasking--watching reruns of Friends and writing a blog is so multitasking.
9. You watch random YouTube videos (aka Marcel the Shell).
8. You re-watch random YouTube videos (A Very Potter Musical/Sequel).
7. You fill empty Gatorade bottles with water and food color them to make a rainbow.
6. You read...any book but the one you must read for class.
5. You stay up late, not doing anything remotely productive. You could have been sleeping.
4. You annoy your roommate...a lot.
3. You sleep.
2. Facebook. Enough said.
And the number one way you know you're procrastinating...
Hi all! So today is my 21st birthday! I'm getting emails left and right from Facebook. I woke up this morning and I had over 20 emails! I feel very special to have such amazing friends and family. Thanks all!
Since I'm still in volleyball season (no drinking), I will be celebrating with some virgin daiquiris with my friends tonight. No practice today as well! What a great fall day to celebrate 21 years!
I will be updating about DC...eventually. I really need to get on that. Ciao! :)
