I've Got the Music in Me

Today's #Blogtober14 post is about the one thing I can't live without. This one was easy as I have one thing integral to my life and happiness - I'd go crazy without music. I'm the kind of person who constantly needs to hear it in the background. I always have Pandora or Spotify running on my phone and it's that not available, I make my own music. Most of the time I don't realize I'm singing or humming until someone points it out. It used to drive my siblings crazy when we'd sit down to do our homework together at the dining room table. 

My parents say I started singing when I was 3 and I haven't stopped since. I was in multiple choirs for 15 years and I've been a church cantor for the last 9. Music has always been a huge part of my life. It's helped me make friends, build my sense of confidence, and process emotions. 

cantoring for my cousin's wedding

One of my favorite quotes is "music is what feelings sound like." I'm convinced that there are songs for every situation. Music enhances every aspect of life. We walk down the aisle to music at weddings and graduations, dance to music at parties and work out with our favorite playlist. What would horror movies be without scary music or rodeos without someone singing about a truck? Hell, even elevators have music. 

People who know me, know I need my music. Music is my life. Music is me.

Make sure you link up with Helene and Taylor!

The Worst Things in Life

Any other week, I'd be more than happy to split my time between the couch and my bed watching movies and eating pudding all day long. This week is not that week, although I did do all of those things. It's a whole different experience when you've got 4 gaping holes in your mouth and feel like you've been kicked in the face by a donkey wearing ice skates. This is one of the things I'd file under "things I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy" otherwise known as THE WORST THINGS IN LIFE.

Obviously, there are much more horrible things that could happen, like losing a loved one, cancer, car accidents, and missing jets plummeting into the Indian Ocean (still don't understand that). The following list is made up of the kinds of things that make you want to go back to sleep for the day.

The Worst Things (in life):

// when your pen runs out of ink halfway through a sentence.

// stepping into a puddle in socks
// stubbed toes
// hitting every red light when you're running late
// chipped nail polish
// when you order medium rare and your steak comes out well done
// getting your wisdom teeth out
// Walmart shopping carts (or Walmart in general)

If this post is a little to much of a downer for you, you can check out my list from last month when I wrote about the best things in life. 

 

What kind of things make you say "that is the worst"

Catchup

Remember how I disappeared for a month? Well, I'm baaaack! Lots of things have happened since I last updated the blog world on my real life. Here's what's happening.

WORK // I love, love, love my job. Courtney and I have finished our training and are waiting for our certificates and raises. We're now starting to have our own appointments for patient emergencies. We can troubleshoot hearing aids and send them out for repair, as well as clean and check them. The old people (pretty much everyone) love us. Oh and Courtney is now on my list of favorite people because we spend all week together and she hasn't gotten sick of me yet.

FAMILY // Lauren turned 21 and Christian left his old band and joined a new one. Lauren, my cousin Britney and I saw Christina Perri in concert, which was ahhhmazing! And my siblings and our significant others all went to brunch with  my parents on Easter.

 

ME // I finally got my diploma in the middle of March. I chopped off all my hair and switched my winter wardrobe for spring clothes YES. I also went to 3 Flyers games in a week and drank moonshine for the first time (woof). I also got my wisdom teeth pulled, but you already know that.

Now that I've got you all caught up, I'm gonna go ice my face now. Peace.

Now I'm a Little Less Wise

Wow, blog. I haven't seen you in a while. I'd like to say I was busy doing other things, but it all boils down to me being extremely lazy after work and watching tv instead of blogging.  I have a ton of ideas written in my blog notebook, but I couldn't bring myself to type them out and upload. I'll try to do better, I swear.

What brings me here today? Well, I've had a lot of free time the last few days on account of getting four wisdom teeth brutally ripped out my my face hole. Fun times, let me tell ya. The one that hurts the most was the one that was "growing in" COMPLETELY SIDEWAYS. My mouth kinda felt like this.

At least I didn't have to go through it alone. My sister also got her four wisdom teeth out yesterday. Her surgery went fine, but I just got more and more anxious the closer it got to my appointment time. 

While waiting for the doctor to finish with his other patient, I was hooked up to a heart rate monitor and a blood pressure cuff. I could literally see on the screen how nervous I was. I opted for general anesthesia because there was no way in hell that I was going through this shit awake. Well general anesthesia means that I needed to have an IV put in my arm. I don't like needles. Like I really don't like needles. Guess who's blood pressure and heart rate dropped  as soon as they put the IV in. Mine. Then they had to put an oxygen mask on me until I was back to normal. Meds in and I was out. 

I woke up what felt like 5 minutes later and 4 teeth lighter. And chatted through my gauzy face the whole way home. When I got home and my mom changed my gauze, I almost passed out again. Big surprise. Dad and Bud had to carry me to the couch where I spent the rest of Wednesday watching movies and trying to get pudding into my face and not on it.

In case you're wondering, my sister is a much, much better patient than me.

My poor mom, dad, and brother have been catering to my our every whim. And making sure we take our meds on time. I've never had to take so many pills in my life. Penicillin at this time, Percocet and Zofran an hour later,and 600 Ibuprofen two hours later(or something like that). I'm glad my mom has it all written down.

So my cheeks are huge right now, and the Percocet-Ibuprofen combo is doing wonders.

I'm gonna try to crank out another blog post before my mom and I turn on Despicable Me 1 & 2. Did I mention doing nothing on the couch all day is incredibly relaxing? Yesterday I watched Fried Green Tomatoes for the first time, Frozen, and Up.

Oh and I'm having mashed potatoes for dinner. YES.

If I Knew I Could Not Fail

HEY GUYS TODAY IS THE DAY. Here I am once again only blogging because there's an awesome linkup to write about. Last week, Jordan wrote a really cool post inspired by her coffee mug. So cool in fact, that I practically begged her to make it a linkup so I could write my own post about it.Good news is that she already thought of it before I asked!

So here it is.  What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?

I'd buy a lottery ticket(and win the Mega Millions)

I'd get married tomorrow.

I'd become a career blogger who actually posts more than once a week and learn to make money off of it.

I'd get my doctorate and open my own audiology practice.

I'd get Kris into grad school at Drexel.
I'd convince Mom-Mom to get hearing aids.

I'd bake blueberry macarons.

I'd audition for The Voice, mainly so I could meet Adam and Blake. They'd love me and I'd win and Carrie Underwood would ask me to go on tour with her. We'd be unstoppable.

When I get bored with that, I'd play Queen Elsa in the Broadway adaptation of Frozen.

I want to know all about what you'd do. So go link up with Jordan!

XO - Monny

The Best Things in Life

Short sweet post...ready set GO!

Every once in a while, you realize that you only need the little things in life to be happy. It isn't often and it's hard to see among all the bad things we see on the news and read in the paper and on msn's homepage. But I'm not here to dwell on the bad stuff. I'm here to spread sunshine and tell you all the little things that make me happy. 

+ the first sip of tea in the morning 

+ watching the last piece of glitter settle in the snow globe

+ homemade mashed potatoes

+ fresh school supplies

+ overhearing someone say something nice about you

+ seeing shapes in clouds

+ new socks

+ being caught up on your favorite shows

+ link ups with your blog friends. Make sure you pop over to Jordan's blog and read yesterday's post because it's going to be a link-up next THURSDAY! 

What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

That Time I Wrote a Post About Shoes

I'm not writing a weekend recap because my weekend was about as exciting as watching paint dry. I cleaned my disaster zone bedroom on Friday night and threw out 2 trash bags worth of stuff and went dress shopping with my cousin for a little bit on Saturday before going to Kris's house and falling asleep on his bed...yet again (I blame the memory foam). 

Anyhoodles, as I was cleaning my shit up on Friday, I finally decided to let go of my favorite pair of boots. I haven't been able to wear them in months and they were just collecting dust in my closet.

This year one of my goals is to simplify and I knew that getting rid letting go of my boots was a step in that direction. 

I begged my sister to buy these for me as a Christmas present and I was so happy when my Forever21 box arrived with them in it. They instantly become my favorite, and I hadn't had a  pair I liked more than these until right before this Thanksgiving. These boots have seen everything that's happened to me in the last 5 years. They were with me when I finished my first year of college. They saw me get my acceptance email to Temple. They were on my feet at my first rock concert and they were there 3 years later when I met my favorite band. These boots have been stepped on, rained on, and worn until they had holes in the bottom and the snow was seeping in. These boots were loved. 

This post is completely random and I know it's a weird way to start your week, but I just wanted to show someone before I let them go completely. If you're still with me, thanks for reading. I'm sure you think I'm a nutso by now, but thanks anyway.

Times Are Changing!

No, I'm not changing my blog design or name. I not going to be writing about anything too different from what I've written in the past. The change I'm talking about is one of employment.

In the beginning of December, my mom found an ad on Craigslist for an open audiology assistant position. For those of you who don't know how to work the Google, an audiologist (AuD) is a hearing doctor - AKA what I want to be when I grow up. Seeing as how I wasn't prepared to apply to grad schools this year, my goal was to observe in a few AuD clinics while studying for my GRE so I could get some more exposure to the field and improve my chances of getting into the school I want.

Well this job would not only teach me what I needed to know, it would pay me to learn. It would be the income I needed to start paying off my student loans while I'm waiting to apply to grad schools. It would be the experience everyone expects you to have, but that no one wants to hire you without. It would be exactly what I need to use all the information I've learned in undergrad.

So I sent a reply to the ad and 3 days later they called me to schedule an interview. It was my first interview and I was terrified. This terror only became worse when I found out that the AuDs who run the practice both went to Temple and one taught there last semester. She had her previous students applying and didn't know me from Adam. They said they'd let me know either way within 2 weeks.

I prayed. And prayed. And prayed. I prayed every prayer I'd ever learned and I prayed new prayers that friends found for me. 

The 2 week countdown ended the day I got home from Mexico. And I didn't hear anything. Another week passed. I didn't hear anything. Christmas passed. And I didn't hear anything. I'd given up hope for this job. I figured that it wasn't in God's plan for me to have this job at this time. But then I got a voicemail on Monday. They wanted to hire me! Now it might not be normal to start bawling uncontrollably when you find out good news, but that's exactly what I did. I walked in to tell my mom and sister and they thought someone died. I don't think I've ever been so happy or thankful to God as I was in that moment. 

So today I went in to discuss salary and benefits (eep!) and the doctors put in the order for my lab coats(I feel so official)! In about half a year when I finish my training , I'll be seeing patients on my own!

I honestly can't wait to start learning everything and fully immerse myself in this field. So here's to new beginnings and answered prayers. 

It's My Birthday! 22 Things

Happy Sunday! I hope you're all having a good weekend! I know I am. I've been celebrating my birthday since Thursday night, but I'll save that for my weekend shenanigans post!

I've learned a lot since I turned twenty-one 365 days ago. Most importantly, I've learned to eat before I drink so that I don't puke everywhere. I'll just leave this post here before I return to the festivities.

22 Things I've Learned in My 22 Years!

1. Not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever.
2. If something is causing unnecessary stress in your life, let it go.
3. If you find someone who puts up with your shit no matter what you do, hold on to them.
4. Eveything tastes better covered in hot sauce, chocolate, or cheese.
5. Sitting on your feet is bad for circulation.
6. Tell people when something is bothering you - bottling it up only causes major problems later.
7. Nervous breakdowns can result in huge life decisions.
8. Sometimes the weird guy from your science class ends up being your soulmate. 

   

   yes, we're doing the prom pose

9. Making your bed makes you feel like your life is together
10. Booths are always be better than tables
11. When your grandfather tells you the same story you've heard a million times, listen to him. You're gonna miss those stories when he's gone.
12. Always pour the hot water over the tea.
13. Push-up bras don't do anything if you don't have boobs to push up.
    
14. Write it down now or you will forget it.
15. Carry your phone charger everywhere.
16. Most people suck, but there are still some who can restore your faith in humanity.
17. Dust from top to bottom, then vacuum.
18. You sleep better with a clean room and fresh sheets.
19. Taking vitamins actually keeps you healthy.
20. Withdrawing from a class does not mean you're a failure.
21. Beer causes fewer hangovers than vodka.
22. If you work in a grocery store, you will get hit on by creepy men.

Retail Robin always understands

Time to go get ready for my fancy shmancy birthday dinner!

XO - Monny

Hello, July

I've finally finished my summer class, thank the Lord. I don't know how much longer I could've lasted looking at pig intestines and trying not to breathe in the smell of formaldehyde. I ended up getting a B+ in the course, which isn't great, but it's enough to boost my gpa.

As crappy as May was, June was awesome! Here's a little pic recap.

I can't believe my little brother graduated from high school! It's scary to think that just four years ago, I was walking down the same football field, diploma in hand. I thought I knew everything then, I felt so grown up. Good luck, little Buds. I wish you lots of luck in the big world of college.

Just in case anyone's wondering, I'll tell you that this is what Bradley Cooper's parents' house looks like. Yeah, one of the perks of living in Philadelphia is that I get to drive by houses celebrities have built for their parents in the suburbs. We may or may not have driven past twice.

The next lovely picture is pf my white-ass legs trying get some color in my aunt's friend's massive backyard pool. It was like a page out of an HGTV catalog, I swear. They even have a zipline. What? There was also a giant snake, but I wouldn't subject anyone to pics of that because of reasons.

This hideous picture of me in the bottom right is what my face looks like when I get on the wrong train from school, don't realize it til the second-to-last stop, and get off with no clue where I am. For the record, I was in West Philadelphia. *cue Fresh Prince reference*

We found a new frozen yogurt place last week, and lemme tell ya, it. was. delish. I made myself a tasty little  of NY cheesecake yogurt with strawberry, blueberry, and mango boba, pie crust corners, kiwi-lime sauce, and rainbow jimmies. Perfection.

All of June was wonderful, but my favorite part was a tie between that day Christina Perri replied to me on Twitter and the day when I won a Vino2Go cup from Lisa over at Two Martinis.

A Not-so-bad Day

When I set my alarm last night, my phone said I had 4 hours and 1 minute to sleep. I was fed up, worn out, and run down from the ridiculous language intervention analysis project that I had been working in all week for today's due date. If you'd been assigned this project, you would be pulling you hair out too.

if  I never see another transcript summary again, it'll be too soon

Let's skip ahead to this morning. I checked my weather app and gritted my teeth at the rainy forecast, then grabbed my umbrella. When I got to the train station, the last thing I expected to see was this:

sunrise over the tracks

 I have to admit, it's really hard to hate the morning when you're greeted with a sunrise like this one.

My day got even better when 2 of my 3 professors let class out early, resulting in a spontaneous lunch date with Kim at Qdoba. YESSSS! 

At some point between lunch and 3pm, I lost my Owlcard, which wouldn't have been such a big deal if it didn't allow me to access all the academic buildings, my Diamond Dollars, and printing allocation. After freaking out for a good 10 minutes and retracing my steps, I discovered that some wonderful person found and turned my card into the desk at the computer lab. YES.

Dear awesome ID picker-upper, if you ever read this, I want thank you and hug you and tell you that I love you. Unless you're creepy, in which case I'll shake your hand, thank you kindly and walk away.

A mini coffee date with Kristo was the perfect way to end the day that I thought would be a bust.

Take-away message? Don't expect that a day will end badly if it starts out badly.

XO - Monnny

Spring Things!

It's finally that time of year! The transition from Winter to Spring has ended. Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and people are sneezing. The long-awaited Springtime is here! Before Spring Fever hits and professors assign massive end-of-the-semester projects, I thought I'd get my first actual blog post out of the way.

To celebrate the end of Winter, I compiled a list of my favorite things about Spring.

Warm Weather | Goodbye snow and biting cold air! The prodigal sun  has returned. Spring means it's time to trade in the wool socks and heavy flannel for flip-flops and cotton tees. Now I can come out of hibernation to sit outside and read a book (...or ten). You can always tell it's getting warmer when Beury Beach is packed with students trying to soak up some sun while they study.

a) pretty hyacinths  b) first flipflop day c) trees in bloom d) Beury Beach from above posted on TU's twitter

Cold Beverages | Along with warm weather comes cool drinks. Once the temps hit 50, I'm ready for Frappuccinos, Coolattas, and ice-cold sweet tea, not to mention frozen adult beverages (mango margarita, anyone?). There's nothing more relaxing than sitting on the back patio with a cold drink and my favorite people.  

a) Sand in Your Shorts from Red Robin b) Iced Chai Latte c) Frozen Mocha Coffee Coolatta d) fruity drink I made at the beach

Baseball | There's been a void in my heart since early November that can only be filled by the sounds of the national anthem playing, followed by the starting lineup on Opening Day*. I can't wait until I get out to the ballpark to see the Phillies play. After all, there's no place like home. 
*Seeing Chase Utley's butt in tight pants also helps fill the void.

a) Phillie Phanatic b) Citizens Bank Park  c) Chase Utley d) me at the game

Outdoor Activities | The best part about Spring is being able to do things outside...like actually do things. I love when it gets warm enough to go on bike rides and take walks along the river. Outdoor concert seasons start and you can do touristy things in the city because it's nice enough to walk everywhere. I'm hoping for a couple picnics in the park and  I can't wait to go mini-golfing. I just love Spring weather!

shenanigans from last Spring

What are your favorite things about Spring ???

XO - Monnny

Hi

Has anyone else realized that writing about yourself is one of the hardest things to do? 

I'm the oldest of three kids.  When I'm not being told to speak up, I'm being told to shut my big mouth.  I have a short fuse when I see people being crappy citizens or treating others like trash. I love helping people and I'm always willing to give advice. I love tea.

 Stuff I hate:

• putting money on the belt instead of handing it to the cashier
• conversations in the train's quiet car (commuter's worst nightmare!)
• homeboys who need to pull up their pants
• disrespect for elders or authority figures
• drivers that roll through crosswalks 

I'd keep going, but it would never end.

I quit choral singing after 10 years, but I still sing a ton - TV jingles, my to-do list, even midterm reviews. I don't know what it means to have a favorite type of music. I listen to hard rock one minute and turn on opera the next. 

I always race through books so I can get to the next one on my list. I procrastinate, correct people's grammar, and look at myself in every mirror I pass.

I always get a little sad when I get to the last page of a book or the bottom of a teacup.


XO - Monnny