Grad Finale

Last week, I attended Grad Finale which basically lines you up for everything you have left in order to graduate on time. You start at the first table and work your way around to the 12 stations. There were a variety of different things I had to get checked in order to graduate in May. They checked my library fines. They gave me a pamphlet about short term medical insurance (which I hadn't thought about yet). I also got information about my student loans. The lady asked me questions about if i knew when the loans started kicking in after I graduated, and what forms to fill out to delay those loans. I ordered my cap and gown. I had to check my name on a card to make sure everything was spelled correctly. This lady tried to get me to order a class ring but I didn't get one because for one, they are expensive, and two because I'm not sure if I would wear it. I don't want to spend that much money on something that would go to waste. I also got a magazine about how to find a job in the business world. My parents ordered my graduation announcements. And as a gift to me, The Mount gave me an alumni license plate frame. How thoughtful lol.

Competitive with Almost Everything

It all started when I was little. I was around 5or 6 and my family and I were playing Trouble. Everyone had their guys out of base and I had all four. I was not happy. I got them out one by one, but everyone else almost had their players home. At the end of the game, I ended up winning and of course I was happy. As I got older the competitiveness continued. I played a number of sports: soccer, volleyball, basketball, dance, tap, ballet, gymnastics, basketball, swimming and softball. In everything that I played I wanted to be the best. In soccer, I was the striker and scored goals. In softball, I was the pitcher and struck people out. Those are just a few examples of how I played on the field. I also am competitive with video games, card games, pool, goofing around, almost anything. When I play Euchre, I have to have a good partner, or things do not go well. Kyle beats me at everything we play together. He always tells me it's just a game, and I know that, but it still bothers me that I lost. Often, we play pool at the bar and if I'm not shooting very good, everyone knows it. But, if I'm winning, or I'm playing well in anything, then I'm fine and I'm happy.

All of this competitiveness I have is because of my dad. He was the same way. I can tell you that, my family can tell you that, and even my dad can say it too. I blame in on my father! =]

Hell's Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen used to be a show as I'm sure most of you know already. But it is also a video game and I got for a Valentine's day gift from my boyfriend. I know it kind of sounds dumb but it's not really. It makes you think. I love to cook, so I enjoy it. You start out as an Apprentice cook, and move your way up. There are 5 weeks total. Each week is a different level cook. The best is a Super Chef. I'm just at Chef, which is pretty hard! There is a single player, multi player cooperative, and multi player competitive. Kyle (boyfriend) and I played tonight on both cooperative and competitive. Cooperative, we did well together, competitive however, he beats me. Therefore, he is better than me...along with almost everything else we play together. I'm competitive and I hate to lose...anyone would know that about me =]

Now, a week later, I am a Super Chef and it's pretty tough. It probably won't take me too much longer to beat the game but then I can just move on to something else lol.

Valentine's Day =]

I know that a lot of people say that Valentine's Day is just a "hallmark holiday," but I think it's a chance to show how you appreciate your significant other. Prior to my relationship now, I didn't like Valentine's Day because I never had anyone to appreciate before. I had relationships here and there but not one of them lasted long enough for Valentine's day. I have to work all day on Saturday, so Kyle and I will celebrate on Sunday. We will most likely go out to dinner and exchange gifts as well. We will be together for a year and a half at the end of this month. I got him a little gift, some candy and a card. I have no idea what I'm getting! I sure it's a thoughtful gift though =] This will be the second Valentine's Day we will spend together, and I'm sure there will many more to come!

Work Out Buddy

A friend of mine asked me to go work out with her about a month ago. I was skeptical at first because I haven't worked out with a trainer before. But my friend reassured me that I would be fine and would get results. When we got there, I filled out some paper work for my safety and to make sure I would be okay if anything happened. I filled out a sheet answering questions about my health history, and what I want to work on. After working out for the first time with the trainer, I felt that if I continued to work out then I would get the results that I wanted. She was right and I joined her gym. I really like having someone to go with me. It gives me something to work towards. She gives me some competition and she pushes me to do better. Since I've joined, I've been working out at least twice a week. It's hard to juggle school, work, and exercise for me. I'm so busy during the week, but somehow I manage to fit it all in. If it wasn't for my friend forcing me to go with her, I'm not sure I would work out on my own. I've also tried to eat better, and not drink as much pop either. I know that I have to eat better in order to get the results that I want. So I just want to say thank you to my friend, if it wasn't for her then I would be sitting on my butt not doing a damn thing!

work = my life

When I'm not at school, I'm at work most of the time. Except maybe for a rare occasion that I have something else going on that requires me to request off a certain day. I work around 25-30 hours a week every week. Most days are the same, but the times change from week to week. Generally I serve Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday every week. Lately, I've been cashing (cashier) on Mondays and Wednesdays. So with work Monday through Thursday and Saturday night, I don't have much time to do homework, and have a life! lol

I know I'm sitting here complaining about how much I work, but I know at the end of the week I've just grown more as a person and take on more responsibilities as an adult. My parents made me find a job in the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school in order to pay for my car insurance when I got my license in August of 2002. I didn't like the idea, but I knew I wanted to drive and this was the only way to make that happen. Most of my friends didn't have to work like I did. They almost had everything handed to them on a platter. I thought it wasn't fair and I would tell my parents the same thing, and they kept telling me that I'll understand when I get older. Sure enough, they were right.

As I got older and accumulated more bills, I began to understand more about what it means to work for anything you want. I couldn't go to mommy and daddy and be like "I want this," and they be like "Ok, sure whatever you want." That's not the way I was raised. I'm glad that now I understand why my parents raised me the way they did. They taught me to be independent and not lean on other people for everything. There are some co-workers of mine that don't even go to the bank by themselves! That just blows my mind. They need to grow up, be an adult, and do it yourself..lol It's quite simple if you ask me.

Now that I'm 22 years old and live by myself, I have full responsibility to pay my bills. I know now why my parents made me work at 15 years old and now I'm more responsible than a majority of my friends. I chose to move out and be independent and not depend on my parents for money to help pay my bills. I've been able to afford everything, including the recent holiday presents, and still be above the red line. It would be nice to not work all the time, but I don't know what I would do with myself!

I hate the Steelers!

Why does the one team that most of Cincinnati can't stand win the Super Bowl? Ben Roethlisberger scrambled out of 5 or 6 sacs that I can remember from the game earlier. There isn't anything nice that I can say about the Steelers, except the fact that they got rid of Bill Cower. I couldn't stand him on the sidelines. All he did the whole game was complain to the referees and field umpires about penalties that were called on the field. I'm sure every coach complains, but it seemed to me that he over-did it every game. No one wants to constantly see Bill Cower's face on the camera because he's complaining about yet another penalty against the Steelers. I can't stand how the Steelers blew Carson Palmer's chance to take the Bengals to win a Super Bowl in 2006. As almost everyone recalls, he was deliberately taken out by a steeler player. It was almost like someone upstairs in the coaches booth told the teammate to take Carson out and ruin our chances for a Super Bowl appearance. I know that might seem harsh and cruel, but that's how the Steelers are. No one will change my mind about this issue, and it's not because I'm a Bengals fan, it's because players shouldn't intentionally try and hurt someone. That is wrong and unsportsmanlike. Players should not act like this at any time during a game. It gives off a bad reputation and the media has a field day with it. That was all they talked about for weeks after it happened. I'm not a professional athlete, but hypothetically, I would want to be looked at as a role model. I would want positive things that fans can read about. Not negative things that only make you look bad. To me, the Steelers will never be looked at as a team full of role models. They will be looked at as unsportsmanlike, and players that play "dirty" on the field, and their fans will be referred to as rude, and cruel.

Stupid Snow

The city of Cincinnati has a variety of different climates and temperatures. The most recent weather activity is the sheets of ice and what seemed like never-ending snow we accumulated last week. When I was younger, I used to love snow days because we never had school...and we always used to go sled riding at my grade school. However, now I don't like snow days quite as much because I'm an adult and I have other responsibilities. We were off school Tuesday and Wednesday last week, but I still had to go to work in the dreadful weather. I was not happy to go into work either day, especially when my tires were almost completely bald and don't work very well in the snow or ice. My parents were not happy that I still went to work, but I can't call off when I have to pay my bills. Looking back, I probably should've put my safety first, but nothing happened so its ok! I recently purchased new tires for my car, so now I feel very safe driving in the snow.