Goal Number 8: Successfully transfer to a college where I feel comfortable - Complete!

Today when I got home from work, there was a big white envelope addressed to me from Emmanuel College in Boston.

My heart started racing.

My palms started sweating.

I started screaming to my boyfriend, who was outside working on his car. "Ben! Ben! Ben! I got a letter! It's thin, that's supposed to be a bad sign. OMG OMG OMG OMG."

He climbed out of the back of his car (where he had just finished ripping up all the carpet) and looked at me freaking out with a curious expression. "Open it."

So I did.

The first thing I saw was "This is your place. Welcome." written on the front of a folder. This wasn't enough for me to believe I was in. Inside the folder was an letter congratulating me (!!!!!!!!). I'm in! I'm into my dream school!

I'll be honest. I began to cried as I was jumping around, screaming for joy. Ben hugged me and jumped with me and congratulated me, and tonight we went out with our friend, Ethan, to celebrate. Tomorrow night I'm celebrating with my best friend.

I still cannot believe it.

Goal Number 155: Own a wardrobe I'm proud of - Completed!

I finally have a closet that I don't mind picking through to find a good outfit. It still needs work, and I plan on trolling through eBay (latest addiction, I think so!) to find some Spring-y looks for the coming months. Some girl in my Early Childhood Education class was bragging about how she found an entire wardrobe at a thrift shop for $50. I was amazed but skeptical. Anyway!

A picture of my full closet:

My closet has never looked so goooooood.

Goal Number 151: Look like an American Eagle model - Completed!

I'm wearing a striped navy and white sweater, American Eagle dark wash jeans, and a white scarf (technically from Forever 21, but no labels make it look like it could be from American Eagle).

Ahhh clothes. I feel like I finally own a collection of clothes that I'm proud of. Hey, wasn't that another goal?!

Goal Number 106: Do something romantic for Valentine's Day - Completed to the best of my ability.

I had to work a nine hour shift on V-Day, and Ben worked too. So we ended up going out for ice cream with my sister and her boyfriend, which wasn't romantic, but it was something.

Goal Number 105: Get an article published in a magazine - Completed!

See? This is what I get for neglecting this blog.

I was actually published a month ago. I wrote an article for my mama's business and it was published in Cape Cod Life. I don't have the link for you right now, so you'll have to take my word for it. :)

Goal Number 111: Grow my hair out past my shoulder blades - Completed!

I haven't had my hair this long in a million years. Ever since I can remember, I've loved the short cut for how light it is and how easy. I've made some serious cutting mistakes that I'll forget someday, usually involving Procuts.

This was my favorite short haircut, back when I was a junior in high school. I had dyed my hair red and I was a fresh little monkey. If I had as much confidence then as I do now I probably would've scared my boyfriend away.




I'll probably rock this look some time in the future, since I have the confidence to make this a part of me, rather than something to hide me.

(Ugh. One of the comments on my old Myspace pictures is from my exbf. I was trying so hard to forget his mean Canadian existence.)

Anyway, my long hair!



Yeah. That's the same heart as in the last picture. My boyfriend was having fun with window markers back in June 2008. Above the heart is I ♥ SG, and on my window there's BZ+SG in a heart with a little 'aw!', plus an evil hamster.

Just noticed I have the same cell phone too. I think it's time for an upgrade.

Goal Number 38: Not Criticize My Body - Completed!

Did you know that your weight is as programmed in your genetic makeup as your height is? No, really. Look around to your family, your mother and your sisters and your cousins. Maybe there's one really lucky one who's tall and slender (my sister is). But really, look at their body types. Don't you look pretty similar?

I've known for my whole life that I resemble my mother, my grandmother, my great-grandmother, and my great-great-grandmother. There's a picture in the basement of the five of us taken when I was only a baby. Obviously, my resemblance isn't apparent, but theirs is. And we all have the same body type. Good enough, but we have the bulge around the hips/stomach area.

I was reading an article today in my English textbook. It was really interesting. It talked about how exercise and how it doesn't always help with weight loss. However, it still has it's benefits. Those who completed the study of a good diet and exercise not always lost weight; those who didn't lose any still lowered their cholesterol and blood pressure.

I mean, think about it. I know that I've been on diets before, and they've worked (Prom Dress Disaster Diet of 2009 was the most "successful"), at least for the time being. But after I stopped dieting, the weight came right on back, and the fat seemed to have brought it's friends. According to the article, dieting causes your body to think it's starving, and when you stop dieting, your body stores more fat than it would normally.

So today, I was able to look in the mirror at my hips and what I affectionately call my 'Buddha belly', and think that it wasn't my fault. Sure, my eating habits could improve and I'm not going to stop exercising, but I'm happy not to criticize myself for something that isn't my fault.

Goal Number 26: Build a fire on the beach in the dead of winter - Completed!

Today, my child psych class was cancelled. So Ben and I decided to do something fun; we headed to the beach.

Yes, I'm aware it's January. Yes, I'm aware that today's high was a toasty 40. And yes, I'm aware that we're nuts.

But it was so much fun.

I got to drive on the beach, and as revenge for taking a turn too fast and slamming my head into the door (opposite the side I was sitting on), I slammed on the breaks to stop. He hit the dashboard, but no worries, I was only going 20. :)

Goal Number 194: Buy and Keep Up With a Planner - Completed!

One of my more practical goals, this was pretty important. I bought a little blue planner from CVS, which is currently sitting on my kitchen table with all my school things. I've already put all my major assignments for school in it and my week looks pretty booked. Oi.

Anyway, a planner is just what I need. I currently have a 3.6 GPA (my highest ever!) and I don't want that to drop. Maintaining that GPA is enough motivation for me to work extra hard at school, even with the additional class I'm taking and the additional hours I'm working.

I feel good, getting back on track and completing some of these goals. Winter break was a stressful time for me, but I'm much happier getting back into routine. :)

I've lost track of what week this is.

Goal Number 110: Send a message in a bottle.
Chances are, what with the currents around here, my bottle wouldn't make it very far. It might make it up the Cape, or it might go to Maine. But, then again, there's also the chance that it would make it to Canada, or even Europe.

Goal Number 186: Make another photo album.
Ben and I currently have two photo albums-one of our first summer together and one random one. The last one was completed over a year ago. Hello?! We're slacking!

Goal Number 194: Buy and keep up with a planner.
I love being organized, but then again, whenever I buy a planner, it tends to fall by the wayside. I'm determined not to let that happen again.

Goal Number 195: Buy a daily calendar for 2010.
I love those rip off ones. Maybe I'll be able to find one at the mall.

Goals Numbered 4, 44, 61, 62, 87, 135, 158, 159 - All Completed!

Goal Number 4: Swim with dolphins. - Completed!
It cost my dad three hundred smackaroos for my sister and I to swim with dolphins. Being the great man that he is, he sprung for the expensive one. The one where it was more than just hanging out, the one where we actually got to hold on to them and have a belly ride. It was sweet! We went to Dolphinaris in Cozumel, Mexico, and basically got right in with them. We spent about an hour swimming with a female dolpin named Olympia, and we got the pet her, hug her, kiss her, and hold onto her fins and was dragged across the pool. I would definately do it again, and I was so excited to share it with my sister. Muh sista muh best friiiiiend.

Goal Number 44: Swim in clear blue water. - Completed!
So it wasn't technically at a beach, but! The dolphin home was connected through a gate contraption that was part of the ocean, so if you ask me and my sister, it counts. They certainly weren't living like those poor dolphin souls at Sea World.

Goal Number 61: Do something epic for my birthday. - Completed!
I turned nineteen on December 30, 2009. I hung out with my boyfriend, my sister, and my friends Adam and Ethan. We went to eat at Red Robin and I let them drive my car. We then went to my friend Sam's house because she had just gotten back from Colorado. I had a really good time, and it was certainly better than a lot of birthdays I've had.

Goal Number 62: Spend New Years with my friends. - Completed!
Ben, Ethan and I decided that spending New Years together was better than spending it alone, or at a party with a ton of drunk people we didn't know. So we rented a scary movie, turned out all the lights and attempted to get scared. Paranormal Activity scared ME, but apparently they weren't fooled. (Sure Ben, sure.) :)

Goal Number 87: Act like the rich bitches my sister and I aren't on our cruise. - Completed!
My sister and I went around that whole week saying 'I don't like the vibe in the VIP' every time someone gave us attitude about the stuff we paid extra for. We weren't total mean girls (I doubt we have it in us) but we did get a little snooty. I think my dad was the worst, though. I think he had his nose the highest.

Goal Number 135: Have a dance party with my sister - Completed!
First night, before we even left port: Out of our excitement, we found the channel on the TV with all the music video. The Offspring's 'You're Gonna Go Far, Kid' was on. Our dad and grandmother were standing outside on the balcony. We closed the curtains and turned up the volume and danced around the room like crazy people. I was proud of her for knowing the words.

Goal Number 158: Finish painting my room - Completed!
Well technically my mom completed it. But it was done! My room went from being half blue, half green to being one hundred percent green. It looks amazing; it's super bright and comforting.

Finally, Goal Number 159: Have a real bed again - Completed!
Another surprise! I have a real bed! What was once just a box spring and matress on the floor is now a real day bed, with white iron and everything.

I promise you, I am still here!

My lack of updating is frustrating me. I have completed many of my goals the past couple weeks, and I want to give you the amount of time you deserve explaining my experiance with each one. This is the first time I've been on the computer in awhile, and unfourtunetly, I'll have to skip blogging again-I have to work in two hours and I have errands to do. Shoot, I know. But I'll be back shortly with tales of my birthday, New Years, and aboard the cruise ship Carnival Imagination!