This is going to be my year!

Happy New Year!! (Just a few days late)

Well, seeing as it has been over a year and a half since I've done anything with this thing. Now's as good a time as any. Thanks to my coworker who has totally got me in the blogging mood with her new blog - The Not So Modern Family. Read it! It's awesome.

Times certainly have changed since my last post. My body's gotten larger (along with my debt), my bank account has gotten smaller, and everyone around me is growing up. Can you believe I will be one-quarter of a century old this Februay!! I'm very excited although it is a bit surreal. I still don't feel like I'm 24. Life seems to be stuck in age 16 but everything around me is forced to age. I will say that I am very pleased with my life and how it has turned out thus far. I do not have any children at the moment but that is my choice. I cannot possibly bring a child into this world when I don't even have things figured out for myself as of yet. I know one day I will be a good mom - just not now. Still have some growing up to do.

Speaking of growing up - my best friend asked me to join her in the Great American Apparel Diet. I asked her what in the world that was. I wish I hadn't .... you have to go one year without purchasing a single item of clothing for yourself. That is such an ABOSLUTELY INSANE concept!!! Whoever came up with that obviously has not met me. Although it would be nice to have the extra money I would normally spend on clothes, I do believe it would only go towards some other expenditure. My version of the Great American Apparel Diet - do not buy clothes the months that end in "Y". January, February, May, July. But since my birth month is February I would have to swap it for another month. It would be unfair to myself to ban clothing shopping during the month of my 25th birthday! (We'll see how well that goes.) ;o)

2010 was indeed a year of first. Things I did for the first time in 2010 - snowmobile ride (through Yellowstone), kayak down a river, rode a horse, and received a promotion. Not too bad eh.

However as my titled states, this is going to be my year. Reasons to believe this -

1) My rockin' 25th birthday!

2) I have a gut feeling that my relationship with the man of life might be taking another step closer to marriage

3) Hopefully I will be able to purchase a new car

4) I have visions of being thinner and tanner this summer

5) Momma's completely cancer free!

6) I'm sure there's more but I can't think of them at this time.

I guess it's just one of those feelings. Strange as it is, I really do believe this will be an awesome year. I sure hope to God that I'm not proven wrong. I've learned a lot in the past year and look forward to taking those bad experiences and turning them into positive ones. Here's to 2011!!











.... make a wish.

So ...

Life's certainly different from my previous (and only) post. I'm no longer in school. I finally graduated after four and a half years with a BBA in marketing. I feel relieved to be done but still miss it. I think the thing I miss is the most is the actually learning aspect. Challenging yourself to learn new concepts. That part was fun. And seeing people my age. That never hurts either.

I'm working full time now at R-Ranch in the Mountains in Dahlonega, GA. It's not too bad of a job. The people I work with are great. The location is probably once of the best places in Dahlonega. I love being able to look out the front windows and see the mountains. It really makes you take a breath and thank the Lord for creating such a beautiful place. I finally have insurance! I joke with my mom that I'm a grown-up now. I have insurance and holiday and sick leave. Yippee!

Speaking of my mom ... She was diagnosed earlier this year with breast cancer. Just two days after her 52nd birthday is when she got the news. It's been absurdly hard for me to deal with. You never imagine that anything like this could happen to your parent at such a young age. However, her positivity has definitely been the backbone of my strength (what little there is.) I got the opportunity to meet my parents in Marietta and we went shopping for hats and scarfs for my mom. She hasn't started her chemo yet - due to a nasty case of staff - but she's already preparing for her hair to fall out. It's really scary to think about and I constantly have to tell myself that I need to be strong for her. I can honestly say that she is the most amazing woman I know. Overcoming the psychological aspects of cancer is half the battle.

On a lighter note, I am moving in with Seth this month. I've technically been living with him for almost two months now but my stuff will actually be moved over there as well. It's pretty exciting. Some people have already asked me "Do you expect a proposal anytime soon?" My answer, not so much. The boy just bought himself a supercharger for his car. That kind of put a dent a in his bank account. But .... you never know. ;o) It seems everyone around me is married, getting married, or have a better chance of getting engaged before me. For example, I know 3 people getting married just this month. Tell me that doesn't suck for someone in my position. Seth's grandma even told me that I was one of those people who's "always a bridesmaid, never a bride."

Well, I think this might be all I have to post for now. Hopefully I can keep up with this thing more now that I don't have papers or anything to really work on. Here's to next time!

Au Revoir!
Michelle



"The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want."
-- Ben Stein
(Seems easier than it really is.)

school, spring break, and life

So, school's going well I guess. It's getting harder and harder to make it to class but I have to push myself to go. I've way too many days as it is and can't afford to miss out on any more. I just want this all to be over so badly.

Dance team is finished for the moment. It was a lot fun while it was going on. Definitely some drama issues that went on but I was pretty much clueless about most of it. I guess that's what being shy and not opening up as much as you should does to you in a group setting. It was a blast though. I kind of wish that we had done more than two dances this year. Hopefully next year will be better. We've got large goals planned for next year. More routines, hosting a dance competition, spring recital, new adviser, and hopefully new uniforms. I'm pretty excited.

Photography is going well. I've shot some pretty good stuff lately. One of my pieces was actually picked by a famous artist to be in the student show. Pretty excited about that. I just am kind of at a point where I'm not too sure where I want to go with it. I need some more creative juices. It know it'll come in time though. Well, here's the picture that's going to be in the art show. It's been scanned in and watermarked.



I have to make a better quality print for the show. I think it's going to be juried too. You never know, I could actually come out with something good. We'll see.

Spring break was a blast. I went up to Hampton, Virginia. Let me just say one thing ... I am never going to complain about Georgia roads ever again. They have like mini speed bumps going down the interstate. Now who in the heck was the smart one that decided on that? But overall, it was a great trip.

I drove myself and Becca up to visit Erin and her husband. There were a few awkward moments but that was to be expected. The beach was so nice and just being around people that I love was great. Being there has made me want to invest in a playstation or Xbox or something of the sort. We played the American Idol karaoke game and some other karaoke game. It was fun. I don't usually play video games but that was my kind of game.

I think getting lost on the way back will always be memorable. Well, we technically didn't get lost. We were following a navigation system but the thing sure did put us on some dirt roads. And in the process we saw demonic dogs, leaping deer, crazy crop circles, huge buffalo, and a lovely stream in the middle of the dirt road. How crazy. What should have taken only about ten or so hours to come home turned into eleven and a half hours. It was great though.

Here's probably my favorite picture from the whole vacation.



Thank you ladies for an awesome time.

So, overall life's been pretty great. I think that moving up to Dahlonega has probably been one of the best things for me. It makes a little hard to make it to all the family events or be there to comfort my best friend when she hears bad news and needs me but being up here as helped me out a lot. I've made a few really great friends. Kind of sucks however that they're graduating this year. That always seems to work like that. I finally made some friends at MGC and I moved. I guess I was blessed with the wonderful gift of perfect timing. (Please notice the hint of sarcasm. It is present.) But life throws you curve balls and you got to deal with it.

I think the one thing I would wish for myself would be that I could figure out in the mess of school, life, and love what I plan to do as a career when I'm done with school. I'm not exactly sure. I love photography and could do something with that but I'm scared that what I love would soon turn into something I dread to do. I think I'm just going to keep that as a personal hobby for myself. A little me time.

We have this project option going on in my retailing class and we have to do some market research for this local restaurant and I'm kind of getting a little excited about it. They owners are new to the restaurant experience but are very prosperous business people. They've bought this one place that was grungy and are trying to turn in into a casual fine dining for middle aged adults to get away from the kids. And it's got me thinking. Ways to furnish, decorate, food, entertainment, ambiance, lighting, all of it. I think that might be something I'd like to do. I know it would be stressful but how cool would that be to have your own restaurant and I'm not talking about no ma and pa dining or chain restaurant. Something that you might see in Midtown. Something that you might find an article on in Southern Living magazine.

But I don't know. It's a lot of work and a big investment that could possibly crash and burn. But if Sandra Bullock has her own restaurant, why can't I. I think I could make something of it. I guess I've got time to figure that out.

Man, it feels so good to just let things out. I get so tired of talking sometimes. I like writing things down. It's easier. I feel a little more relaxed.

I wish anyone and everyone who reads this a wonderful day, evening, and night.

Cheers!