An Ode to Monica

Thats right ladies and gentlemen, I chose a fierce Ginger. Monica BY FAR has one of the best personalities I have ever come across in my entire life. She is freaking hysterical. Shes a raging red head - which def makes her extra fierce. Monica is the type of person where if you happen to be having a lame day (ie: did not get to perform morning dance off, sat in hid traffic, and have way too much to accomplish in 45 min) she will throw a bit of Monica wit on your situation and make you feel fierce once again. Her undying love for hooker heels, jcrew and the rage cage allows her a very special place in my heart. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for such a wonderful person - I just hope she keeps her all arts & sciences love under wraps. Get 'em Monica, you man-eater you!


Some of Heather's bridesmaids at one of her bridal showers!
Monica is the super hot ging with the gorg locks. OBVS




I know all of you are sitting on pins and needles waiting for your turn to be chosen. But just wait, your time will come my loves...if you are fierce enough.

Ps. if you want something extra hysterical to read to go along with the morning dance off I suggest you read my friend Orchid's blog at http://twirkid.blogspot.com

sorry for my lack of skills inserting the link. i couldn't figure it out and im short a cup of coffee today!

An Ode to the Morning Dance Off.

...before I crush this post I first want to take care of two things.
1. Recent lack of posting. To be honest, haven't really felt it. But hopefully that fierce spark will be reignited.
2. Dedication of this post to Ms. Erin Jeffress & Ms. Samantha Laraia. Erin has embraced the dance off from another state (love it)! Sammy has seen the morning dance off in all of its glory. Let me tell you, its life changing.

Now, the morning dance off. It should be noted that I crush it in the morning, however sometimes other times are quite necessary. Therefore, I urge each and every one of you to try it. Simply just put on a fierce mix. Sometimes I crush to 80s music. It really doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that you belt your little heart out. Have an intense dance off with yourself. Challenge yourself. Forget in that moment that long list of things you have to do that day, that week...

Enjoy your own presence. Laugh at your ridiculousness. Love every moment of it. Sometimes, I get carried away and it makes me late. But you know what? Being a few min late is worth the moment. It sets the tone for your entire day. So my little fiercys...dance your butts off. Do it to a song that you would normally be too embarrassed to jam to. Do it to a song that is older than you are. Do it to a song that you barely know the words to, but think you do. But most importantly do it to a song that makes you happy.

An Ode to Midterms

I would like to thank midterm week for the following:

1. weight loss. thank you midterms for allowing me to survive on coffee. so much coffee that is, that i am not hungry.

2. super hotttt bags under my eyes. sleep is has not been much of an option. i have woken up many times and had to write down something regarding my midterm paper.

3. failing bank account. coffee is pretty expensive theses days.

4. pile of laundry higher than i have ever seen. i even wore a top i HATED the other day just because i am running out of clean clothes.

5. hair that needs big time color work. chipped nails. back desperate to get a massage. no time to get it done.

6. an absence to a class. i know, big nerd over here shouldn't care. but i do. i skipped class to study! how lame am i?

7. a to-do list that is more than one page. now that, is so not fierce.

8. an empty blog.

i am too overworked and tired to think of numbers 9 & 10!

However, one last shout out to midterms for making me miss my friends :( cant wait to get back into the real world starting next week!! Here's to you midterms...ya jerk!

French Toast Casserole

Yesterday was my fierce friend Gerard's birthday. Since we did not work yesterday, we all decided to celebrate today at work. I know how much we all like to eat, especially breakfast as soon as we get to work so I decided to make a breakfast dish for everyone! I made a delish french toast casserole thanks to my dear friend Ms. Heather Stager! So fierce! Here the recipe!

1 loaf French Bread (12 pieces), cut into 1 inch slices
8 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups half and half
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping
3/4 cup softened butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1 1/3 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Heavily butter a 13x9x2 baking dish, Fill pan with bread slices to within 1.2inch of top. Set aside. Mix eggs, milk, half and half, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour mixture over bread slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Make topping by combining all ingredients, set aside until time to bake and then place on top. Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes until puffed and golden. (shield top with foil if top browns too quickly)

I made the icing last night too and had that sit in the fridge also. It wasn't too good of an idea because the icing was very thick this morning and I couldn't spread it around as much as I would have liked. I did once the dish had been in the oven for a few min though.

No Title Necessary

You ever just have a random thought in your mind? A simple thought that spirals into something much bigger? It then goes from something big to something you swear is going to be life changing. Im sure most of you have. As for me, that has been sparked by being snowed in for what feels like weeks. I dont have the deep life questions of, "who do I want to be", and "what do i want out of life". I know what I want, and I am comfortable with continuing to learn who I am. I know who I do not want to be. I am more questioning "what kind of people and things do I want to surround myself with"?

I know I want to surround myself with people who are goal-oriented, filled with a passion for life, laugh more than they cry (or cry with laughter), and people who will be there.

I heard this poem in class last Thursday that I had never heard before. It certainetly stirred up a lot of thought. Anyway, here is the poem, I found it here.

The Invitation
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreamsfor the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closedfrom fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us tobe careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.

If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand on the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."

It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after a night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will standin the center of the fire
with meand not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.I want to know what sustains you
from the insidewhen all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

...if that isnt truly an ode to getting real, then I do not know that is. all jokes aside, i love everything about this.

An Ode to the Snooze

...this one's for you Gerry!

At work today, I was approached with a fantastic question: "Where would we all be without the snooze button?" I can tell you where I would be. In a foul mood that's for sure! I feel that I underestimate my NEED for frequent snooze sessions. I hit the snooze at least three times every morning. Who created this wonderful concept? I would love to shake his or her hand. Thank you snooze for allowing me to function at work from that last 5 min of awkward half sleep.

I am lucky...

I woke up this morning, and realized how lucky I am. I typically wake up and rage on my alarm clock, fighting for every last second of sleep possible. Not today. I sat in traffic for over an hour. I typically spend that time raging at the randoms on the road, who in my eyes "caused the traffic because they dont know how to drive". Not today. I sipped my sugar-free redbull (thanks heather) and laughed at the radio talk host. I have so much going on, so much that i feel like I dont even have time to just sit and think about how lucky I am.

I decided that if I write a list of all of the reasons that I am lucky then it will make it more eye-opening, I can see it in front of me instead of the thoughts dancing around in my head. I have totally rejected the idea of punctuation, capitalization, spelling - etc in this post so its more real and natural for me. So without further a due, I am lucky because...

1. i have fantastic friends. i know i say it a lot but I really mean it. I feel like I have the most amazing friends in the entire world. Example? I was a little sour about my birthday this year but a few of my friends made sure to get me in the right mind set for it, and threw me a small early bday surprise dinner. best.present.ever. the thoughtfulness that these individuals put into everything they do is unbelievable.

2. i have a fantastic education. and i love it. i am lucky to have my previous degree and i am even more lucky to be at Johns Hopkins pursuing my Masters. I love the program, the professors and the classmates that I have met along the way. The bond between us at times can be extremely intense, being in a counseling field. I am lucky to experience that.

3. I have had many, many life experiences. Hurt, loss, joy, suffering - all of it. I am lucky to have had these experiences. These experiences do make you stronger, and do help shape who you are and where you will go.

4. i am in good health. i may not be the healthiest person, but i have my health. i have recently learned that for many people that is not something we are all blessed with. my father is very, very sick with progressive diabetes. watching what poor health can do to a person physically, emotionally and spiritually has been a very hard experience. but, it has taught me to realize that i am lucky to have my health.

5. i know what i want. i am so lucky to have that. so many people in life, especially people my age do not know what they want. but i do. i know what i want in my career, love life, family life, social life - and what values i want lead my life by. i know exactly what i want. i may beat around the bush, i may seem unsure of the minor details of life. but the big picture? i know exactly what i want. i know i may not get it, but that is not going to stop me. i am lucky to have already have figured that out.

6. i have people that support me no matter what. my family has watched me fall and make some mistakes but they supported my learning process. my friends (past & present) have done the same. the people that are in my life at this moment? unconditional support. un-freaking-conditional. i am sure i have done things more recently that has made people close to me say, "what is she thinking?!" but they supported me. i am so lucky to have that.

7. i have a roof over my head and a comfortable living situation. im 25 and i live at home. i hate it. but, its there. its home - for now. i am not on the street, i am not forced to move out before i can find the right place and time.

8. i have someone right now who has given me the ability to let go and have fun. keeps me on my toes. makes me feel lucky. spontaneous. reminds me to have fun and quit being so serious. helps me realize how lucky i am to have everything i do have. its a pure feeling.

9. i have opportunities. so many of them. they are going to take me far, and i cannot wait to enjoy the ride.

10. i have my sanity! haha no, but i feel lucky to be ME. i am who i am. and i have finally realized that THAT IS OK. its better than ok. it's fierce. and boy so i feel lucky to be fierce.