On my mind...

Where to start...

This is the last week of regular classes, and then exams start on the 12th. I am very ready to be done with Biology, but it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I am glad that I only had to deal with it for a month, although that's a lot of learning crammed into a short period of time, which tends to add to the difficulty level. Both of my professor's are extremely intelligent, it's obvious in the way they speak. They are very different, seeing as how one is like 27 and the other is probably in his 40's, but you can tell they are both very smart. My lab professor, the older one, is quite funny and very soft spoken. Combine that with his accent and he is very hard to understand sometimes. He said something the other day though, that really made me think. He said there are no smart or dumb people in the world, only prepared and unprepared. He was telling us that there is a certain way the brain learns things, and that like anything else, you have to train it. He said focus is the most important part of learning, and that once you can train your brain to really focus, you can learn even the most difficult things very quickly. I'm paraphrasing here, his explanation was much more detailed and made a lot of sense. The problem is learning how to really focus. I have a hard time with that, and I'm not sure how you go about training yourself to really focus, but I'm going to see if I can figure it out.

I heard a quote the other day that I really liked. It said something like, the most successful people are not always the most talented, but the most passionate. Again, I'm paraphrasing. So I guess the key is to figure out what you're passionate about and make that your career. It's harder than it sounds. I think I know what I really and truly am passionate about and what I want to do with the rest of my life, but I keep talking myself out of it. Whether it's fear of failure, or a lack of belief in myself, I'm not sure, but something keeps holding me back. I think in the end, it's going to be pointless to go to school and end up back in a job I don't have any heart for. If that's the end game, I might as well just bail on the school thing and get into a job I hate now. It would just save me the increasing financial aid debt. It would be amazing to wake up everyday and go to a job that you love, to get to be a part of something everyday that makes a real difference, something that you really believe in. I have some ideas, and I know the path that I have to take to make these things a reality. For now, I'm going to keep them to myself, but I think it's time to stop lying to myself and start down the path I really want to be on. It's not going to be easy, but the best things never are. So I'll leave you with my new motto, and new favorite quote...

"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says "I'm possible". -Audrey Hepburn

On my mind...

Can you truly appreciate home if you've never had the chance to miss it?

Bucket List...

Ok, I realize it has been 5 months since I last blogged and I'm sorry. However, you should be used to it by now.

I was recently reading my good pal Andrea's blog and she had posted her "Bucket List". I have been keeping a running "bucket list" myself on my good ol' iphone ever since I saw the show the Buried Life. That is a great show and if you've never seen it you should go to MTV and look up the episodes. Anyway, after reading Andrea's list, ours have many similarities btw, I decided I should post mine as well. So here is my list to date, in no particular order:

Write a children's book
Learn to surf
Swim w/ dolphins
Change my own oil
Play catch on a major league baseball field
Dance with Maks
Finish my brother's scrapbook
Swing on a trapeze
Learn to sail
Attend a taping of Ellen
Workout with Bob/Jillian
Go to a World Series game
Cook with Curtis Stone
Search for buried treasure
Explore a sunken ship
Snowboard
Graduate college
Buy a house
Be debt free
Take spur of the moment road trip
Lay on the beach of every major ocean
Visit every continent
Hug a baby bear or tiger
Get married
Learn another language
Visit all 50 states (especially Hawaii)
Own a house with a big porch overlooking the ocean
Build a house with Habitat for Humanity
Go scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef
Watch them change the floor at the AAC from baseketball to ice hockey
Open a summer camp for kids

This is an ongoing list. Obviously some of these items are a bit more ambitious than others, but whatever. I think they will all be fun. If anyone would like to help me accomplish any of these goals, let me know :)

Dear Texas Rangers...

I would just like to know what your plan for next season is. So far your offseason moves are less than thrilling. Rudy Jaramillo is the best hitting coach in baseball and you just let him walk away. Omar Vizquel is amazing, and a great veteran presence for our young guys. He filled in everywhere he was needed last season and with more talent and ability than some team's starters. He too is now gone. Pudge coming back last season was one of my best moments as a Rangers fan. I know that I'm not the only person who felt that way, and now you let him go as well. He is one of the best catchers the game has ever seen, and more than capable of playing everyday. He brought out some of the best performances our young pitchers have had. He knows how to win, and how to win in the postseason. Now the newest press release is how the rangers are looking for veteran catching. Really? You had that in Pudge, a better catcher than you will find in the free agent market, so that makes zero sense to me. Now we trade Millwood. The guy who led the way and set the example for the young guys with the new system and expectations placed on them from Nolan and Maddux in the offseason, which led to one of the better pitching seasons in a LONG time. We trade him for a guy with a losing record and a 7.27 ERA last season? Now I see we also were trying to free up some money to aquire Rich Harden, who is a talented guy but has been hampered with injuries the past few seasons. Now, Mike Maddux is an amazing pitching coach and he definately changed things in Texas last season, so maybe these guys will be everything the management hopes them to be, but right now I'm not thrilled with these moves. Marlon Byrd is another guy we may not see back in a Rangers uniform next season and I think that would be a big loss. No one plays harder than him, he gives 110% with everything he does. Period. And he wants to stay in Texas. He would be the 3rd guy who wanted to be a Ranger who was sent away this offseason. Millwood and Pudge are the other two. I hope that I'm wrong and that these moves pay off next season. We have amazingly talented young guys, with some great "older" guys in Young, Kinsler, Hamilton, etc... It would be a real shame to take the progress we made this past season and start going backwards once again. Anyway, I just needed to vent a bit, I'm pretty sure none of you care, lol, but thanks for reading. :)

Busy month ahead...

So I realize it's been two months since my last post and I'm sorry. As I mentioned last time, I'm terrible at this, so you are just going to have to lower your expectations of me.

A super fun thing happened to me today. I was running errands and while I was at the mall I decided to go up to the food court and get some Chick-fil-a for lunch. The cashier took my order then handed me my receipt and a typed letter without ever taking my money. The little note said I was chosen for a random act of kindness and instead of paying it back I was to pay it forward. It also said to remember "He is the reason for CHRISTmas". I love that. I don't know if this is something chick-fil-a is doing, or the just the cashier, but I thought it was awesome. It totally brightened my day and now I am on the lookout for an opportunity to pay it forward!

I had a great Thanksgiving, and hope you all did as well. My mom, brother, and I went to my aunt and uncle's house in Stephenville with my mom's side of the family. It was good to see everyone and catch up, and of course play with all the sweet kiddos. There are some awesome kids in my family, that's for sure! My mom and I went shopping on Black Friday. We did not get out early for all the crazy doorbusters, but we headed out about 8am. We found some good sales and had a good time, and I am actually done with my Christmas shopping already! I have a few little bitty things to pick up to finish off a couple of gifts, but otherwise I am finished! I have never finished my Christmas shopping early. I am usually still shopping on Christmas Eve so this is quite an accomplishment. :)

Saturday Riss and I went to our good pals, Sarah and Jason's, house. Jenni Powell came over to catch up since she was home for the holidays! It was sooooooooo good to see her. It's hard when you grow up and people get busy with life and work and family and you tend to lose touch with people who were are very important to you. We spent a few hours chatting and catching up. It was definitely the highlight of my holiday weekend and hopefully we won't wait so long to see each other again!

This is the last week of this semester for me! I have both finals next week, so wish me luck. There is a very good chance I can get an A in both classes, which would be wonderful. Next semester is going to be much more difficult, but its just another step towards the finish line. I have learned this semester that I do not like online classes because I am not good with self motivation. I tend to forget to even go online and check what's going in my classes so the fact that I'm doing so well is quite a mystery to me, but I'll definately take it!

It's now December 1st and Christmas is in full gear! Our house is completely decorated and beautiful. :) Also, I would like to throw a little decorating shoutout to Jason Miles. Your house looks wonderful as well, I really think the added color in the bushes really finishes it off, lol! Obviously whoever gave you that idea is a genius. Coming up on December 12th is Traci's big birthday bash. It's a 1920's gangster/flapper theme and I'm really excited! Traci throws awesome parties and I've always wanted to do a murder mystery dinner. I can't wait :) Then comes New Year's and it looks as though Andrea will be coming to town, and we like her so that should be a good time. Then, a week after we kick off 2010, I will be heading to fabulous Grand Cayman for 8 days! It's been far too long since I've seen the ocean and I am so ready. Of course after a week of paradise it will be back to reality and school will start again. BOO! At least for now there are lots of great things coming up and I am really looking forward to the next month.

I am a terrible blogger....

So like the title says, I am a terrible blogger. I really thought I would be better at this, but it doesn't appear so. I apologize for my lengthy absence.

There is nothing major to discuss here today, so I will just give a little update of the past few weeks...

First off, I would just like to say that I got an A in my algebra class! That's a big relief. I am actually quite proud of myself, I was really just hoping for a C, but as the class wore on I realized an A was an actual possibility and I really wanted it. Good grades came very easy for me in high school, so learning to study is still pretty new for me, but I got it done and came through with my A! I just started the fall semester and I am taking two online classes. General Nutrition and Personal Health. So far, so good. Online classes are very different but it seems to be going well right now. I really like the nutrition class!

I am still looking for a job. That's not going well right now, but I'm sure something will pop up. If anyone knows of anything, especially in the McKinney, Frisco, Plano area please let me know.

Three weeks ago the Miles family and I decided we'd hit up our old youth minister's church. He is the pastor of Crossridge Church in Little Elm. I've gone on occasion over the past few years but just a random Sunday here and there. I live in McKinney so the church is not far from me and now that the new toll bridge is open its pretty close for Sarah and Jason also. So the first Sunday we went Marc and Kim were on vacation so I was a little bummed because I was looking forward to seeing them. However, there were plenty of old FBC Corinth pals there to say hello to. Marion literally ran out the doors to greet us as we came in, lol. Then we saw Jason Lee and his wife and 3 children! And also Ben Venable and his wife, and Amy Wiese (Stark) and her family, including her new precious baby girl, so that was fun. The past two Sundays have been really good, you can tell God is really working in that church and Marc is an amazing pastor. We were very lucky to have him and Kim in our lives growing up.

Technically it is now September 1st, which starts my favorite time of year! September is full of wonderful things such as, National Courtney Day (the 21st) so mark your calendars people! Also, all the good t.v. comes back on, lol. And Hockey, Basketball, and Football come back to us! Hooray! It's the only time of year I can see all 4 of my teams at the same time. AND if my little Rangers will pick it up a bit, we may actually have some October baseball in these parts and that will be FANTASTIC!!!!!!! Also in September I will be going with my bff's to see Brad Paisley. I LOVE him and I am very excited because I have missed him the last few times he's been in TX. Of course after the wonderful month of September starts the holidays and who doesn't love the holiday season? Riss and I are going to see Kings of Leon in October and hopefully some Ranger playoff games! Then comes Halloween, Thanksgiving, and my personal favorite...CHRISTMAS!!! Today starts the best time of year and I couldn't be happier about that! And this year I won't have to be sad when the holidays end because in January I am headed to Grand Cayman. If you haven't been there, I suggest you go. It's a little slice of heaven!

So there you go. As you can see nothing terribly exciting is happening in my life, but I guess that's not always a bad thing. :)

School :(

I have officially gone back to school. I'm only taking one class and it's only a month long. How hard can it be right? Well it's been almost two weeks now and it's kicking my butt! I haven't been in college in about 4 years and when I was there I didn't take it seriously, which is why i'm having to go back now. High school was easy for me, I never had to study and I breezed through it. I loved that then, but looking back now I realize how completely unprepared I was for life past high school. I've been wanting to go back to school for awhile now, it's always bugged me that I didn't finish, so when I got laid off in May I figured this was my oppurtunity. I'm taking Algebra, which I haven't taken since the 8th grade. I took it in the 8th grade instead of my freshman year becuase I was "advanced" in math. Ha! I don't feel too advanced these days. We had our first test yesterday and I studied a lot. I felt relatively prepared and hopeful. After taking the test I thought I did pretty well. This concerned me a bit becuase I always tend to do well on tests I think I bombed and vice versa, but I remained hopeful that I did alright. Unfortunately that trend seems to still be in effect. I got a 60 on my test, needless to say, not what I was hoping for. Apparently the whole class did horrible with the exception of the usual one or two geniuses, but I don't take a lot of comfort in that. We get to drop our lowest test score so all I can do now is stop dwelling on it and work even harder so that this is the lowest one and it becomes a non issue. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it!