"You just gave me lead poisoning!" "No I didn't, this is graphite."

With the craziness of the fall semester, living out of the house, being Panhel President, and FK2KXI, I haven't seen some of my friends in what feels like forever. We've seen each other in passing, but we haven't gotten to spend real time together. So tonight I decided to change that.

We spent the evening playing "Things," laughing at the answers we wrote, and laughing even harder at the conversations that came up because of our answers. There was a common theme of farts and Matilda for answers. We were also very proud of the fact that we killed a cake.

My roommates and I are in the processes of decorating our very white apartment. It's taking a long time, but we're getting there. We decided that the wall above our couch should be the wall of things we love. It's turned into the wall of randomness. I'm excited to keep filling it up.

Things I've loved as of late:

1. Cooking. Especially for others. I feel like Shauna Niequist when I invite my friends over to eat a meal I've cooked.

2. Starting my new job in the office of Student Involvement and Leadership.

3. Going on friend dates and starting my Bible study. Last week we got to know each other and made lists.

4. Visiting Leigh in her office EVERY DAY before her last day.

5. Crafting quotes for my apartment.

Taylor Swift!

Many of you know of the great TSwift tragedy of July 2011. Taylor got sick and hand to cancel her concert, leaving 8 Tecumseh counselors stranded in Kentucky, and very sad.

Sarah and I were not about to give up on our dreams of seeing TSwift in concert. As soon as we got back to Drake, we booked our tickets to see her in KC. We were super nervous she was going to get sick again. We spent the morning tweeting about it.

We heard nothing about Taylor being ill, so after Sarah cleaned my windows,

we took off down I-35 to Kansas City. Yvette slept in the back while barbie Jamie and Herman the gummy worm took turns driving.

We got home with just enough time to change into our best TSwift attire,

go to my favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner, make a pitstop at Yogurtini,

and make a new friend

before heading to Arrowhead for the concert. We arrived just in time to see NEEDTOBREATHE perform. They were so good, and it was awesome to hear them live. At the end of their set, they announced that if you bought their new album today, you would be able to meet them. So we obviously rushed to section 133 to buy "The Reckoning."

We missed the first 30 seconds of Taylor's performance, but it was so worth it. When we got back to our seats (8th row, floor section!) we were transported into a fairytale land of Taylor Swift songs. It was AWESOME.

Highs of the TSwift Concert:

1. Seeing her sparkly & purple "13" on her hand
2. Trying to figure out why she had "I hope you know that even if I don't, I wanted to." written down her arm
3. Hearing her speak. She sounds like a Disney princess
4. It snowed during "Back to December."
5. Shaking Taylor's hand. NBD.
6. The "Speak Now" Scene
7. Ballet during "Enchanted"
8. The Encore. 15, Love Story, & glitter confetti
9. Hearing mom's talk about how they loved that she skipped around during the concert
10. Trapeze dancers. So legit.
11. Meeting NEEDTOBREATHE and telling Bear Rinehart we liked his anchor necklace

Yvette, Sarah, & I had a great weekend. It definitely made up for Louisville.

Blog Hop #3

10 Pictures from Everyday Life

10 Things on your Bucket List (refer to the Life List)
1. Learn to swing dance
2. Swim with dolphins
3. Read the entire Bible
4. Live in a foreign country for a year
5. Get a cat or a dog
6. Attend a Mass said by the Pope
7. Donate my hair to Locks of Love
8. Host a wine tasting party
9. Go to Africa
10. Make somebody's dream come true

10 of the Most Important Things you've Learned So Far in Life

1. Saying "no" is okay

2. Forgiving others might be hard, but it is so necessary

3. Forgiving yourself might be even harder, but I think this is even more important

4. You can learn a lot if you reflect on past events in your life

5. Prayer works

6. Don't live your life by a strict set of guidelines

7. Everyone needs an average of 7 affectionate touches a day 

8. If you want to stay close to someone, you have to be willing to put in the work (it's worth it)

9. Everyday is full of opportunities. Take them.

10. Figure out who you are so you can stick to your values

Now, Hop. 
Overlap, As Life Unfolds, A Year of Joy, defining life, Finding Joy, Live Life In Color, Live Today Well, Little Things, Big Joy, Imperfections, Good Causes, Show Up Today

opportunities

After buying my ticket to Indiana last week, I decided to take more opportunities and be intentional about keeping in touch with my friends. My goal for the week is to have at least one conversation each day with a friend who does not go to Drake.

Today, I got to talk with Maddie.

I had so much fun hearing about her life in DC, and how she is kind of a real person right now, even though she is kind of in "Washington DC Camp." Although it wasn't the same as having a heart-to-heart under the stars on the suspension bridge over the beautiful Richard G. Marsh Lake to the sounds to our 20 campers whispering as they fall asleep to the sounds of the bullfrogs croaking, it was so great to have a real conversation with Maddie. We talked about where we are with our relationship with God and where we want it to go. We talked about the future and what we want out of life, and how sometimes letting things go can be so good, even if it's a little hard.

Then I had a surprise chat with my two best friends from BVN, Cara & Kelsey. We started planning a reunion because we're taking opportunities and haven't all been together in a long time.

I really like the theme of taking opportunities. I think I'm going to make a poster and put it right by my bed to remind myself each morning to do this. I love my to do lists but without these relationships and spontaneity, life would not be very fun.

Planned Spontaneity

I am not a spontaneous person. I plan everything out to the nearest 15 minute intervals, and have my planner and my google calendar with me at all times. 

So today, I did something very (ok I've been thinking about it a little bit) spontaneous. I bought a plane ticket to Indiana to visit my camp friends!


Every summer and every time we talk, we always say we need to visit each other. And it never happens. So, I took Shauna Niequist's advice and did it.


Talking on the phone and skyping is good and it is important to stay in contact with the people in your lives who you care about. But togetherness is essential to friendship. Just being there. So, as Shauna says, "If those faces are far away, get a weekend on the calender and get there."

Maybe planning something a month and a half away isn't 100% spontaneous, but I think it counts. This decision has made me excited, and has shown commitment to making these friendships last.


I am excited to skype with some of these women this weekend, but I am more excited to "live close and connected" to them, even if it is only for a weekend.

#40 - Make a "Love Tank" at School

Ok, so this bucket list item originally was to put a bucket list in big dorm. But I moved out of big dorm & DG before I had the chance to make a love tank. So I think it's okay that I edited it.

Last weekend was recruitment. I spent a ridiculous amount of hours with the recruitment counselors, panhel exec, and Leigh. I love and appreciate all of these women so much, but being disaffilated can be hard. It's hard when you hear your chapter singing sentimental song about your sisterhood. It's hard knowing everyone else has spent the last two weeks constantly together practicing and preparing for recruitment. It's hard when a PNM comes out of your chapter and LOVES it, but you can't share that exact excitement with them. It's even harder when a PNM comes out of your chapter and doesn't like it.

In order to keep that connection between the chapters and the disaffialtes, we created love tanks. Love tanks are paper bag mailboxes that are used to put notes about why you love someone in. We use them at camp, and they're a great way to show love and appreciation.

It was great getting notes from fellow disaffilates and the affilated chapter members. During recruitment, these love tanks served as a connection to the women in our chapters who we love and a way to encourage the other disaffialted members in what they're doing. I think it is important to recognize when someone is doing a good job and tell them why. That's why love tanks are so great.

BID DAY. It's like Christmas.

10 Reason's Why Bid Day was SO Great.

1. Seeing all of the women open their bids after a long, crazy, and stressful week of recruitment.

2. Listening to all of the new members go around the room and say what chapter they are now a part of.

3.  Being the first to welcome the new members into Delta Gamma and teaching them how to scoop!

4. Running down the stairs of Olmsted to be reunited with the chapter.

5. Dancing to "Beat It!"

6. Taking pictures outside of the house.

7. Last year, I taught the chapter how to play "The Big Wind Blows..." So today, when we arrived at Sleepy Hollow for our bid day festivities, some of the women initiated the game on their own. It was awesome.

8. Three words: OUTDOOR LASER TAG.

9. Even more camp games.

10. Being officially DONE with recruitment!