Thursday, March 31, 2011

A Challenge? Bring It On.

I'm a rules person. I don't like being told what to and what to not do, however I like following rules and guidelines. This is especially true when it comes to writing. When teachers assigned a paper in high school and gave me a prompt to follow, I was all set. Consider the paper written. If I did not have an assigned paper topic, I'm headed toward procrastination. It's a fact.
This is different though. I can think of things to write about, however finding the time to write them down is sometimes hard; however, I love my blog and want to use it! So, I've decided to participate in the 30 Day Blog Challenge. If there is one thing I learned from my childhood/brother: never back down from a challenge. I cannot guarantee that this will be the normal challenge though; it will probably end up being the 20 or so Day Challenge (What can I say? I don't like some of the topics.) So here goes....

15 Interesting Facts
1. I learned my right from my left by a "L" shaped scar on my left arm.
2. I've been up in a hot air balloon.
3. I have 24 cousins on my mom's side of the family. (Christmas is so crazy and wonderful.)
4. I'm addicted to working out.
5. I'm even more addicted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
6. If it's possible, I'm more addicted still to Crystal Bay. (The best drink you will ever taste!)
7. I have climbed a glacier.
8. I have spent the night in an authentic tee-pee
9. I have traveled to Australia.
10. I chose to come to UGA because I would be closer to my brother and because the security here is awesome!
11. I quote movies like it is my job. (I should get a raise!)
12. I am terrified of roller-coasters.
13. I have been on swim team since I was six.
14. My worst fear is drowning. (I'm a swimmer, but still...)
15. I'm really not that interesting.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Mom. Dad. I love you.

It's been a few weeks since I have posted. I'm sad at this fact, but that also means that I have not been procrastinating on my homework. However, I have been wanting to write on this specific topic for awhile and I figure now is as good a time as any.
First of all, my parents are amazing. Period. No questions asked. My brother and I had an amazing childhood, awkward pre-teen stage, and teenage years. (For my brother, I suppose this can go into adulthood, because he's officially 21!) We were trusted by our parents and disciplined when we needed to be. My dad gave me a love for laughter, classic rock, and never paying for something that you can fix yourself. My mom taught me how to deal with friends, act like a "lady," and hunt down a sale. In a quick overview, I freaking love my parents.
While I usually acknowledge and thank them for doing something for me, they deserve so much more. This year was the first year that I went on Spring Break with just a group of friends, no adults. Was it crazy? If you consider laying on the beach for 6 hours a day, cooking dinners, watching tv, and going to sleep fairly early crazy. Then, yes, we had a crazy Spring Break. On the way back home, I was going a little fast on the highway (Not ok! Don't ever do it! It's scary and dangerous!) and was pulled over. Let's just say that I was shaking so badly that I could not sign the ticket without really, really concentrating. It was my first, and hopefully my last, encounter with law enforcement. I was debating about whether or not to tell my parents. Well, I did in the end. They were not happy, I was not happy, but they helped me.
Family is there through thick and thin, good and bad. I know that a speeding ticket is not the extreme definition of "bad," but for me it was a terrifying event. They were there for me. I can't even say how much it meant to me. It still blows my mind how great they are to me. So, Mommy and Dear-ole-dad, I love you!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Thank you, Richie!

In high school, everyone is identified by what they do: academics, sports, and/or clubs. For me, it was a combination of those three. I pushed myself academically and I was a swimmer. However, I consider my defining activity to be student government, or Mane Link. Cue the weird looks. Mane Link, at my school, was one of the crucial pieces that made our school exceed and be recognized nationally. It was the best experience that I could have had. I learned so much in the two years that I was heavily involved. Although some of the things that I learned were based on mistakes that I made, I learned the most from the Mane Link sponsor and Assistant Principal, Richie. He was and still is amazing. He put all of his faith, financial and otherwise, in Mane Link. We had a large budget that we had to regulate, plan multiple events to plan, and be leaders in the school.
Now, I say leader, but what does that mean? I don't have an all-encompassing definition and neither did Richie (that I know of). Leader is defined in many ways, however my favorite definition of leadership is "a leader builds more leaders, not more followers." Richie was a leader and, at first, we followed his and the previous year's executive board's direction. Yet, the faith and motivation that he displayed shaped my perspective on my school work, my relationships, my future, and every other part of my life. (I love telling him this, because he did have such a positive impact on my life. I still don't think that he believes his impact on me, though.)
One of the best things that Richie did was praising our well planned and executed events, but always saying that we could improve the next year. I think some of my friends would like to hurt him for this because I always want to improve, do better, and help others. It frustrates me sometimes, too. If a person doesn't understand the point of something or has an awful attitude, I go crazy because I do have high expectations. I'm glad that I do, though, and I have him to thank.
Therefore, I am giving up on the thank you e-mails that I always send him, and, instead, I am dedicating a blog to him. (Highest honor, right here.) When I am asked about my role model, after the Lord and my family pass through my mind, I think of Richie. He always gave back; whether it was his energy, his money, or his time, he gave to others. I strive to make the personal, yet small sacrifices that he made to empower me and make me a better person. The right thing isn't always the easiest. Actually, I'd argue that it is pretty much never the easiest thing, but I always want to go the extra mile and do the right thing because, while my parents taught me this, Richie pushed me to that higher level. Usually, I tie in a biblical verse here, but I'm going to end this with his favorite quote.
"It takes a village to raise a child." ~ African Proverb