Where I’ve Been: 2012

2012 had more re-locations than actual leisure traveling due to the fact that I started the first semester of Big Dawg Graduate School. I am here for the next 2 years with the expected graduation of 2014.

I went from rural to a smaller city, one that seems to have fit me just fine. Here’s a little peek into the rural life.

https://vimeo.com/52804120

Where I’ve been in 2012:

March 2012 (Montreal, Quebec, 2nd visit)

Snowy Wonderland

View from the top of the hill of the City…

Entrance to University Bed&Breakfast

My ex’s name was on the Welcome list, creepy…

Bed & Breakfast is highly recommended: University B&B is the name

Stairwell in B&B

Stairs to the largest Basilica in Canada…

Known as St. Joseph’s Oratory

View from the top

People climb the stairs on their knees in prayer, in belief that ailments will be healed.

C.R.E.A.M.

The place that sold the cheapest Poutine around…

What is poutine? It’s only heaven on Earth. A fast food delicacy of french fries topped with gravy and cheese curds.

Montreal’s greatest treat: Poutine

Poutine Bliss…couldn’t get enough

June 2012 (New York City, summer) Read my Summer shenanigans post!

July 2012 (Evanston & Chicago, Illinois) Full post about my adventures, read here.

August-November 2012

(transition to Small City, USA)

I cut my processed hair off in August and am now 100% natural again!

From this…

To this!

No plans to travel for December 2012 since I want to invest some money in certain important matters, more on that later!

Any travel plans for the holidays for you? Do you like travel during the holidays?

She Celebrates

I’m ready for my photo-op with Mrs. Obama…

Today, I’m 27. *Slaps cheeks* for Home Alone scream(!!!!)

A couple of weeks ago, I put together a superficial birthday post but as today drew close the Cancerian in me needed to exponge something deeper. Something worth re-reading. A year ago this time, I only needed a picture to remind me of how I spent my 26th birthday. I entitled that post, Gozar es Bailar or Joy is Dancing. Dancing is one of those simple joys in life. DANCING IS… energy, colors, anticipation, desperation and escape. As I celebrated my 26th birthday last year, dancing salsa represented freedom, lust, self-love and release.

This year, I’m not dancing salsa on my birthday. Instead, my fingers are dancing across this keyboard as I reflect how I turned wishes/words into actions.

Last fall, I went back to school for my pre-requisites in a Speech Language Pathology accelerated program.

I finished said Certificate with a 3.6 GPA.

I applied to 4 grad schools, got accepted to two, one of them being my dream school.

This fall, I’ll be starting my Master’s in Speech Language Pathology at my dream school, in a new City.

In essence, I’ve already got the best birthday gift this year even before July 10th rolled around. I got ACCEPTANCE. I don’t take ALL the credit for that because I’m humbled by how God works. Just when I’m already formulating Plan B, C, and D… God reminds me that Rejection is not the where the story ends.

27 is the year I’m focusing on my career and moving to an amazing new city. I’m ready to leave my mark somewhere new. It’s a huge year of transition, one that I pray is followed by stability– a home of my own, a new community, a challenge for growth and perseverance, peace of mind and a fulfilling professional and personal network.

Someone once told me not to trust anyone by anything but their footprints. Footprints represent action. Think about it- no one thinks footprints. I recently re-blogged an awesome reflection post from Uzair Ahmad entitled “I’ve Learned.” The author shares his realizations about life. I have been slowly digesting the small nuggets of wisdom shared in this post, and I thought I would reiterate those that speak to me the most today. Maybe one will leave an imprint in your heart, mind, or spirit.

(From Uzair)

I’ve learned . . . .
that love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned . . . .
that no matter how much I care,
some people just don’t care back.

(From Globe Tracer)

I’ve learned. . .

that during bad times, put on your best face.

that anyone who tells you they don’t want anything from you, lies.

that what you focus on, increases.

that you’ll never be as young as you are right NOW.

that sometimes we need to put our LOUD worlds on mute, and take in the simple joys…

that no matter how much I want to my birthday to go unnoticed and be like a normal day, I LIE!!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Thankful to God for another year at life,

She

Bullet Points are my friend

School is officially over, all my grades have been posted and I’m in a writing slump. I’m not sweating it. It happens to even the best of us. So for the time being allow me to indulge in lists and bullet points. Bullet points are at times a blogger’s best friend. You ever think about how appropriate the term bullet points are… A bullet can at times be final and it gets people’s attention. A bullet point basically summarizes for you what I want to say in endless paragraphs. Basically, all the hard work is done for you. Now look at the time I saved ya!

Image from WeHeartIt.com

• Grandma’s Home-cooked meals
• Rainy days when I can sleep in
• My father celebrates his 50th birthday
• Coming back to my old neighborhood and seeing how the hood hasn’t really changed
• Meeting blogger friends! (Make sure you check out Channing In The City)

• The genius behind Animal Farm by George Orwell
• Quality time
• Not being attached to much except my laptop and inflatable bed
• External mouse for said laptop
• Activating faith and not being plagued by fearful thoughts
• Having the free time to do things, but not the money to fund them
• The pampering one could only get from a grandmother
• New hairstyles discovered by mistake.
• Thinking you may love someone you thought was strictly a friend
• Memorial Day weekend barbq’s!
• Sights that remind you why you love your city

• Nail polish that lacks longevity
• Humidity when your hair is straight
• When you realize it’s time for a hair change but are indecisive about what to do
• Sketchy job postings on Craigslist
• Sleeping in a room surrounded by boxes and luggage
• Booking a trip but feeling limited
• Feeling like you’re neither here nor there
• Having the free time to do things, but not the money to fund them

What are you FEELING/NOT FEELING this week?

Happy 3-day weekend (Memorial Day),

She