Hello again

Well, hello again blog readers!! (if there are any left)

I have many updates, and I've been thinking of trying to start this up again and post on a regular basis.

I would like to know: what day of the week do you most like to read blogs?
I will try to post at least once a week with an update. Right now, I'm not posting a big update since I'm not on a computer.

However, just wait for me to post about a lot of new things that have been happening this past 6 months.

This is The Year Of Change.

-A

Things that I've done

Hey all!

I haven't posted in a long time, but that's only because I've gotten busy and I haven't had much luck crossing things off of my list. However, here's an update of some NEW things that I've been able to do the last year.

• Go Skydiving
• Finish school with my bachelor's
• Witness a bar fight
• Having said bar fight over me
• Travel to Australia (only 3 more continents left!)
• Feed a kangaroo
• Get a picture taken with a koala
• Be a bridesmaid in a wedding

That's pretty much summed up the last year. I haven't really made any sort of dent in my list, and I'm basically just trying to stay sane with the holiday season coming up, and all the extra hours I'll be working. I promise I'll try to do better.

-A

Time and reflection go hand in hand

Wow, i haven't posted in over 2 months.

I have been busy with school and work and planning a birthday/graduation party. I will be officially done with school in 14 days. I'm really excited to finally be done.

While I sit here in my bed, with my cats snuggling by my feet, I am so happy to be done with school. I started right after High School, 9 years ago. I thought I wanted to be an interior designer, so I went to school for graphic design thinking it was the same thing. Turns out it is not.
After wasting a whole year on a degree I wanted to do, I changed to Administrative Assistant A.A.S, with a diploma in Medical Office Assistant. I really wanted to do what my mom did.
In my second year of school, I thought that a boy was more important than school, and got on academic probabtion, then suspension for the Spring semester. Only being allowed to return in the fall at part-time, I realized that school was more important than anything and worked to finally get my degree, all while working a full-time job.
I finished my associates degree 3 years later, and decided to take a year off to work and see if I wanted to go and get my bachelors. I decided to go back and finish what I started. Now, after working really hard, taking MORE than the max credits per semester, working full-time and trying to have a semi social life, I am proud to say that I am so close to being done that I can taste it.

I have been able to do a lot of different things, and learn so many different things.
I have experienced heartbreak, loss of loved ones, gain of loved ones, my first ever move, and many other firsts that have shaped my life to what it is today. I am ready for more firsts and for someone to share my life with.

I want to thank everyone who has helped me on my journey, and put up with me, I wouldn't be here without you all. Especially my family, immediate and extended, who have supported me no matter what I wanted to do.

Here is to hoping the next couple of weeks go by quickly!! <3

-A

She keeps on running....

I ran my first 5k with my sister on this past Sunday at the Susan G. Komen's Race for The Cure. I finished with the time of 41 minutes and a couple seconds. My sister finished much sooner than me, but she's been running for longer.

A few minutes after finishing

That is really not that bad considering I had barely trained the last month. Also, I had set my bar very low with the goal to finish within an hour, and I did. So I'm going to call that a win. I will be trying to beat that time from now on.

Charlie being cute during the walk

Afterwards, my sister and I walked around the area that you can get free stuff, and got a bunch of free food, water and COFFEE. It was amazing. We didn't have much time to soak it all in, because we were also doing the 5k walk with our other sister and niece. It was so packed for the walk, that we weren't able to walk very fast, but it was nice to stretch out after the run.

The crowd behind up

The crowd in front of us

After we finished the walk, it was actually one of my other nieces' birthday and we were having a party later that day at my sister's place. It was fun. I took a small nap on the couch while everyone else was talking. The nap was glorious. The beer that I had with our dinner was even more glorious. My niece got her own "smash cupcake" to eat. She loved it.

Clara eating her cupcake!

We didn't stay too late, and I went to bed super early to go back to reality.

-A

P.S. I was SO sore on Monday.

Update

So, I have been a little busy with the end of the semester and all, but I have been working on some of the items on my list. Such as:

I have bought a sky-diving Groupon to go sky-diving with my cousin.
I have registered for my last class, which I will be completing this Summer and then I will be done with my bachelors. (super excited)
I have my first 5k tomorrow (May 10th), that I will be trying to run the whole thing.
I put 5 inspirational messages inside books at my local Barnes and Nobles, in hopes that people will buy the books, find the pieces of paper and feel good.

I'm still looking for people to help me with some of the things on my list, even if it's recommendations on where I should start looking or where I should go to do the activity.

I'm looking forward to having some more of this "free time" everyone keeps talking about, and exploring some new "hobbies" (whatever those are).

Now, I'm going to bed before a big day tomorrow!

-A

Book signing

On February 15th, there was a special screening of The Princess Bride movie and a book signing by Cary Elwes (aka Wesley). It was my FIRST book signing, which was on my list. I went with some of my friends and my sister.

The showing of the movie was scheduled to start at noon, and the passing out of the wristbands that allowed you into the theater started at 11am. We got to the Mall of America (where it was showing) around 9am, and there was already almost 200 people in line. We sat down and got as comfortable as possible on a hard, marble floor. My sister and I went to get coffee and some food, which took way longer than expected. When we got back, our other friend, who was supposed to meet us there, still hadn't shown up and it was after 10am.

The wristband!

By around 11, everyone started to stand up and get ready to start moving and our friend still hadn't shown up. When we were almost to the front of the line, our friend FINALLY showed up. We got our wristbands and made our way to the theater and got seats.

Crappy picture of all of us

We watched the movie with a whole theater full of Princess Bride fans. It was pretty awesome. We thought that the book signing was going to be at another location, so we started to leave, when they told us to go back and sit down. Cary Elwes was going to answer questions.

He gave pretty much everyone a hug that asked a question, and I have a video of him whispering "as you wish" into a woman's ear (that I can post if you would like me to). I really wanted to ask him a question, JUST to get a hug from him, but I didn't really have a question to ask him.

After the questions, they let people file out to get their books signed. They weren't allowing pictures when we were waiting in line, but my sister actually got a good picture just by holding up her phone by her pocket. She was in front of my and got her book signed first. Then it was me.

That's when I LOST MY SHIT.

I was freaking out when he started to sign my book, so much so that he said "calm down, it's okay" and GAVE ME A HUG! I almost couldn't believe it and I couldn't even believe that any of this was happening! Afterwards, my sister shared that she was trying to get a nice close-up picture of him and got the whole interaction ON CAMERA.

When we got down to the exit, I was still freaking out, and I was crying. No idea where that came from. I had basically just met the first real-life Prince Charming that I had ever seen in a movie, so no reason to freak out at all!

Needless to say, that was probably the best day that I have had in a very long time, and it was a really good start to my week. Thank you for all that came out that day with me, and thank you to my sister who took those pictures and then sent them to me. I'm hoping that this will be an indication of how this year will be!

-A

THE HUG!

Right afterwards

He finished signing my book

Me freaking out

This Weekend

I have this weekend off(gasp!), and I'd like to go and do something.

So, I've decided that I'm going to go to either Eden Prairie Center or the Mall of America on 1 of the days and spend some time trying to get some of the items on my list done.

The biggest ones I would like to do are:
- High-five 5 complete strangers
- Leave 5 inspirational messages anonymously in public places (I mostly want to try and put them inside of some books)
- Get a book signed by the author
- Stalk a stranger
- Write a letter to myself and open it up in 5-10 years

If anyone would like to join me, or help me with any of these, please let me know and contact me to meet up. It would be so much more fun if I wasn't alone, wandering through a mall.

-A

This year in review... (with possible controversial content)

So, I have decided to kind of sum up 2014 on here. I'm going to warn you, 2014 kinda* sucked, and I'm going to just talk about EVERYTHING, even the drama. So, don't get offended, since no names are going to be listed.

My year started out with losing my cousin. She was 24 years old.

January and February continued with lots of drama, both personal and professional. I got bitched out over stupid stuff on social media by others who were grieving, and the issue was never resolved. My job got a new Pharmacy Manager, a new Team Lead, and multiple turn-overs in our department within the first few months.

In March, I thought I was getting better, by allowing myself to celebrate St. Patrick's Day (my cousin's birthday), and also allowing myself to open up and get a little comfortable with a guy that I was dating. Big mistake. The guy dumped me via Facebook Messenger early April.

Late April, early May brought an semi-impromptu trip to Mexico for a comedy festival. It was probably the best thing I decided to do. I feel like I was channeling my cousin when I booked the trip.

Late May, my oldest sister welcomed her third daughter. Also, my cousin got married, and it was a beautiful ceremony and beautiful event that was the first happy event for that side of my family since my cousin's death. The night ended with me puking my stomach out outside of the hotel, so I guess I would call it a good night!

June and July kind of blended together, with a reception for one of my good friends' wedding that they had when they went and eloped in Las Vegas on January 1st. Also, there was girls weekend.

August, I celebrated my birthday. It was a bit bittersweet with not being able to have my cousin with me, and not very many people came out to celebrate it with me. Other than that, I had a good night.

September through November kind of flew by, with school, work and trying to work on myself. There was some family drama that happened at Thanksgiving, but that's to be expected with almost all families.

December, was the second worst month this year. I lost 2 friends. One, to complications after falling off of a pyramid in Mexico**, and another to an accidental overdose which none of us knew about, not even his best friends. The Twin Cities comedy scene is a lot less funny now that they are gone.

I didn't get as much done as I would've wanted this year, but I am going to be rolling over my bucket list to 2015, and continue to do those items on the list.

****************************

If I had to put my year into the context of food, I would have to say that my year was kind of like baking cookies: It sucks when you have to mix all the ingredients together and wait for them to be ready, is wonderful when you get to eat them and enjoy the deliciousness of them, then sucks again when they are all gone.

I started the year with hopes that it would be amazing. Some parts were. Some parts weren't. I'm grateful for what I have, and I'm thankful that I have accumulated many great friends that have helped me through a rough year. Thank you.

-A


Links to the Obituaries of my friends/cousin that passed this year: #1 #2 #3

* Kinda = REALLY.
** Yes, you read that correctly.

Another one bites the dust

I got my tattoo. For Erin. The last thing that I'll probably get done that was on my list this year.

This is a picture of it RIGHT after I got it done on Friday, December 26th. I had a friend come with me, and it was fine otherwise. I am falling in love with it more and more every time I look at it.

My aunt also gave all of us girls a home blown glass bead that has some of Erin's ashes in it, along with a necklace to put it on if we want to. They are beautiful and it was probably my BEST gift this year.

I'm disappointed that I didn't get more done on my list this year, but I have decided to roll it over to next year and continue with this blog to document the rest of the items on the list that I didn't get done.

I will write another post reflecting on this year in the next few days...

-A

Salsa!

So, I haven't updated in a while, but that's only because I've been busy with work and school. I WAS able to make my own salsa, although the salsa was really hot, but it was good regardless!!

I have a few items from my list that are in queue for the next few weeks, I will be going up to Lutsen, Minnesota next Saturday and I'm hoping to be able to see the Northern Lights while I'm up there.

I'm also planning on trying to do some hiking, and working on my origami!! I may even get around to doing some crafting projects while I'm up there too!!

I'm super excited.

-A

Stand-up Paddling!

Before the class!

Yesterday I completed another item on my bucket list: Stand-up Paddling, or SUP. It was really fun, and was a perfect day for being outside!!

The only bad thing was that I STARTED with my sunglasses on and ended without them.

I brought my mom with me to take pictures of me in the water, and she got some really good ones. I really want to do it more next year, and possibly even buy a board and do it during the summer. However, today I am paying for it with very sore muscles!

Here are some more pictures of me on the board:

Listening to the instructor telling us about the boards and stuff

Just getting into the water. Notice the sunglasses!

I had just fallen in for the second time and laughing at myself

Focusing on trying not to fall in!

At the end, resting. Notice the lack of sunglasses!

-A

Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival

So, this is a little late, but I was able to go to the Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival on August 17th with Lindsay. It was an amazing day, although it rained for almost the whole time we were there.

The sights were amazing, and I wished they had done the flying ones as well, but they couldn't because it had been raining. I will post some more pictures below of the whole experience. We even got to see a professional Taiko Drumming group perform. They were really good.

Another one bites the dust!

-A

Me and Lindsay getting front row seats!

Before it was dark enough to see the light from the lanterns...

The Conservatory at night

Fox Tattoo?

So, I've been thinking about this for quite some time, and I already have two of my tattoos that I want to get planned out.

However, in honor of Erin, I have been thinking of getting a tattoo of a fox. The thing is, I'm not sure if I should get it realistic, tribal(like an outline), or cute. Also, I've been thinking that I would like to get it on my wrist, so it would have to be able to be quite small. Otherwise, where else would be a good place that I could see easily?

Pictures I'm thinking about:

Just one of these

Like this or a colored

-A

Reflection

As I was walking out of the car towards my mexican hotel room for the last time, it struck me: the biggest thing that I will miss is the stars. You can see so many of those stars in Akumal, Mexico, and the more you stare up into the abyss that is space, you see more and more little tiny stars that are so far away.
I just had to stand there for a second and look up at the stars and put my life into perspective. We are such a small speck that is in this galaxy and there are people out there that are probably thinking the same exact thing, and wanting to reach out to the other planets. It's so amazing to think that all those mini specks in the sky above us could be another world that we don't even know. Or by the time we are actually seeing the light from it, that star could be dead.
I know this sounds kinda "heavy", but I've always loved staring off into the sky and just being able to see the stars and be able to find your bearings from that. That was amazing to be able to do that while down here.

Unfortunately, I was unable to go snorkeling and see the sea turtles because it was raining on the afternoon of our last day here, but I have made many memories and I will share them when I get home tomorrow.

-A

Fund me?

I'm just curious if anyone would be willing to donate to me so that I can buy a new bed?
I have been having horrible lower back pains. It's mainly because I've been at home this whole weekend sick with the flu, and I've been confined to my bed.

Honestly, I've been needing a new bed for a long time, but I can never get enough money together to buy one. I'm going to be in need of about $400, and if I do a "Crowdfunding" type of a thing, I would probably put the goal higher and donate all of the extra money that I don't use on a bed to the American Lung Association or the American Asthma Foundation in memory of Erin.

Please, let me know if any of you reading this would donate at all, or would spread the word.
I know this sounds super selfish to ask for this money for something like this, but it's something that if I don't get, I'm probably going to have to go to a Chiropractor and have to spend MORE money on trying to correct the problem.


-A

Absent part 2

In addition to my last post, I would like to share a few words.

This came from my Guncle Larry:

"However you feel and however you react is perfectly normal and acceptable given the circumstances. This is what we do these things like today when we are family and friends we hold each other up. Your aunt will need to be held up because now she doesn't even know how she's going to make it to the next minute the next hour the next day next week next month and the next year. In these situations there is never too much support or love that you can offer the heartbroken."

This came from my Auntie Joyce, posting on Erin's wall:

"Erin Elizabeth Hennes..March 17, 1989- January 5, 2014Erin's family would like to thank her friends for all the love we have felt this week. It is because of YOU that we have been able to stay strong. And, isn't that one of the best things in life; to support another when they need your help? We all can find comfort knowing Erin continues to live in others through organ donation. I will keepyou updated as we learn more about those whose lives have been made better because of Erin's generous gifts. Up to 60 people will be directly impacted because of her donations.
"Slow down, you move too fast. You've got to make the morning last, just kicking down the cobblestones..looking for fun and feeling groovy. Hello lampost, whacha knowing? I've come to watch your flowers growing. Ain't cha got no rhymes for me? Feeling groovy."
Erin made her first passage when she was born in Oregon on St. Patricks day in 1989. She 1/2 Polish with just a smidgen of Irish, but she was named Erin because of the day she was born. Erin made many more passages while on this earth. Her travels on earth took her to South America, New York City, Florida, Mexico, Colorado and all places in between. Erin passed into and touched countless peoples lives in her 24 years. Through her organ donation, she continues to make others lives better. "No greater gift...".
Erin's final passage officially occurred at 2:50pm on January 5, 2014 when she was declared dead and flew to heaven. But just because she is no longer here for us to talk and see, doesn't mean she is gone from our lives. Erin made her final passage but in no way is she gone.

I hear her singing from heaven...
"I've got no deeds to do no promises to keep, I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep. Let the morning time drop all it's petals on me. Life I love you, all is groovy."

And then, I hear Erin saying...
"mmmmm...chips!!!"

And, I hear the young Erin saying..
"Not a good place to put a booger..."
Rest in Peace, little daughter. "

That is all.

-A

Absent

Well, lately I have been absent and out of it and the only reason is that I have been dealing with the family issue that I posted about in my last post.

I promise I will be better about posting. I have been preoccupied.

I'm sorry, and I love you all!!

-A

In Memoriam

So, the world lost the most beautiful soul yesterday. My cousin Erin died yesterday after suffering a severe asthma attack and being deprived on oxygen for too long. Although this wasn't on my list, I guess this is a new thing that has happened in 2014. I'm not going to go into too much detail, since I'm already crying writing this little bit. However, I just would like to share a little bit about her and about who she was.

Erin was born on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day. She was bubbly, up-beat and a wonderful person. She was up for anything and everything, at any time of the day, no matter what it was. She and her sister were my best friends growing up, and the greatest best friends a child could ask for. You could always see her smiling at any point in the day, even if it was from embarrassment. She was an old soul, that didn't spend nearly enough time on this Earth, but the little time she did spend, she touched so many people. While I was at the hospital yesterday, there were at least 30 people who came to visit her, ranging from high school friends to old bosses. She had an infectious attitude that you couldn't help but smile when you saw her.

There will be so many people who are missing her and wanting her back. There is no rhyme or reason to why these things happened, and we must trust that these things happen for a reason. Especially this.

I love you, and I miss you

RIP Erin Hennes 

3/17/89-1/5/14