You all know my best friend, Skye :) We have a "To-Do List Before Belgium" which is kind of like a bucket list.. but it needs to get done before she goes off to Belgium in August. I've never had another fellow blogger do a guest post, so I put it on the list... Please put your feet up, your laptop on your belly (I know I'm not the only one that does that on a lonely Sunday night!), and enjoy her humor :)
1) I woke up at 5:00 am this morning to do a work out class then run 2 miles
2) I had left over ice cream for lunch
3) there is no more ice cream....
4) I have to twerk to get my jeans on *side kick. Side kick. Twerk. Twerk. Upside down twerk*
5) All of my friends are so different... that I'm afraid if we all ever hung out there would be a crazy girl fight
6) I hope to see a crazy girl fight in real life ... just kidding. I have!!!
7) Whenever I am lonely I write letters that I never send
8) My best friend is a Mexican and I am Asian. And that is pretty unique I mean when was the last time you saw a Mexican and Asian not killing each other???;)
9) I have 7 pet dogs. Not to mention all the cats and chickens...
10) I am going to Belgium to study abroad for a year #YOLO
11) Which means I am going to a country where I don't speak the language #DOUBLEYOLO
12) I'm obsessed with saying yolo and holla. I couldn't stop if I tried
13) I am currently obsessed with chocolate milk
14) I am lactose intollerent.
15) I try my hardest to speak Spanish to Abbey... and she gets mad cause I know more cuss words than actual words
16) I actually have a job I love
17) chivalry
Yeah, I get that it's an easy conversation starter and it's also an easy way to learn about someone's interests.. but it's also a simple question that has infinite answers.
Mine is-- "I have no idea."
I hate when the questioner takes a step back and stares at me with shocked eyes at my response. I'll be lectured for not knowing, especially since I'm graduating this year. However there are those few people that give me a soft smile, grab me gently by the shoulders and say, "That's ok. You have the rest of your life. Plenty of time." Thank God for those people. I feel bad for everyone my age who is pressured into knowing exactly what field they want to go into, exactly what school they want to go to. So what? Some have an epiphany, which is said so often that I don't even know if I believe it anymore. It seems too easy. One just wakes up one day and knows what they'll do for the rest of their life? I've learned through experience that applying your interests and skills to find the right career path is much harder that it sounds. The expected answer is some sort of career where your best skills are applied and your identity is given. I don't know who I am yet, but I do know that whatever I do... I want to impact lives. I want to work with people and help them. I feel like adults and kids my age think that our life is going to travel through a perfect story arch. That we're going to have some epiphany of our perfect career, go off to college (because it's expected to go, right?), get that perfect job and end up with a nice 4 bedroom house. No. For a long time I've dreamed of the day that I will be answer that over asked question. Now I know that I might not for a long time. "It's actually quite crowded on this island of doubt and ambiguity" (Alexis S). But I am going to pay more attention to the activities I love doing. I want to find that hobby that makes me so happy I lose track of time. And I'm grateful that my generation is flexible unlike the past. They were in it for life. You went into pharmacy and did that until your retirement...or your death. These days, we can and are expected to jump from job to job until we find the one. We have a chance to find where we're comfortable and happy. We're going to switch jobs and have to adapt to change. Research shows that the average person changes their job 7 times before they hit 30. (Insert "wow" here). So let's get after it and hope that I'll make enough money that I can get Morgan Freeman to read me bedtime stories every night. Hahaha but really...
Let's all admit it. I'm sure almost every girl has thought about their future.. about what their house will look like, how many kids they'll have.. more importantly, the qualities of their future husband...aaaand what they're going to name their kids!
I don't have any idea "what I want to be when I grow up," but about this stuff..? Oh girl, I know what I want.
House: When I was younger I wanted to be an engineer of some sort. So, I was constantly drawing out floor plans. I remember I would show my parents and they would be proud and say, "You better marry a millionaire with that dream house." haha.
Now I tell them that if I don't marry a millionaire I'll marry a contractor. haaaa jokes, jokes.
Every girl needs a millionaire. Realistically however, I dream of having a home with a nice view.. I've always really liked colonial style houses.. I guess we'll see about the house!
How many kids: Two. Why? I think I've had my fair share with three younger sisters. I would like to have either 2 girls, or a boy and a girl.
Husband: Tall and handsome. Nuff said. Jokes, jokes. I dream of a tall, dark-haired gentlemen who either speaks Spanish or learns it for me :)
Baby Names: I want my kids to have long, traditional and possibly unpronounceable names like mine, Erendira. For a girl I'm thinking, Celeste, after my best friend who moved away a few years ago, maybe Lucero...?
However I promised my best friend Skye that I would name my kids Lupito and Lupita if she died before she got to see them. Ridiculous I know, but a promise is a promise.
-Abiguelita (Everyone has started calling me that after Skye turned it into a habit)
Growing up, I've always believed and tried to make everyone happy. I have always put others before me and made sure they were alright. A recent incident has caused me to think... What if my putting others' feelings before mine is affecting my own happiness? Should I let it go that far?
About a month ago my two best friends gave me a good ten minute lecture on my happiness. They said I have good habit to put others before me.. but when their being happy affects my being happy.. I've crossed a line for myself. They said I need to make the right choice for myself and not let the opinions of others influence me. At the time I thought it made some sense... so I tried their theory. Now I know that that's not me. I always put others before myself and I have gotten along great. My friends are hurting and I need to fix it. However a problem still remains. By making them happy I would sacrifice my happiness.. Where's the line? I've been told that if they were true friends, then they would understand... but if I were a true friend I would understand... Is this one of those situations where everyone must be hurt and end up unhappy? What's the right choice here?
#lifesucks #amioverthinkingthis #ilovemesomehastags
Before you call me crazy for not watching this movie when it came out, let me explain myself. I have this rule where I need to read the book before I go see the movie. And Girl, I keep my promises. I've been really busy lately so I didn't get to read it until the other week. I read it on a rainy Monday afternoon. I was grounded and couldn't leave the house. So I read it in one sitting haha. So good. Wow. If I can watch this trailer (this trailer is my favorite by the way) over and over again and not get sick of it.. then the movie is gonna be dang good. Aaaand my homeboy Leo is in it. I'd see it just for him.
There is no explanation needed for this one. We all know how obsessed I am with the first one.. aaand the Potato Song.
Monsters University- Because I've waited ten years.
Pitch Perfect-Because I feel left out with all my friends quoting this movie and if it has Melissa McCarthy in it.. it's got to be hilarious.
The Grey-Just because
Lincoln- Because 1. It's a Stephen Spielberg film
2. It won 2 Oscars, Movie of the Year and so many more awards
3. Sally Fields is in it. Isn't that enough??
Skyfall
Titanic 3D-Because I am one of the biggest Titanic and overall Leonardo DiCaprio fans out there
---Awesome---
-The Voice. I was a little resistant to the thought of having Usher be a coach, but he has done so well! My favorites go Michelle Chamuel and Danielle Bradbury (tie between those two), Sasha Allen, Swon Brothers and Amber Carrington. There is so much talent on this show. I get blown away every single episode.
-Michelle's I knew You Were Trouble performance
-Danielle's Please Remember Me
-Sasha's I Will Always Love You performance
-I now close the store at ten, right? But when the doors shut we all run around haha. No idea where all the energy comes from
-Skye texted me the other day at like 6 in the morning.. crazy, but for good reason! Her host family contacted her! She now knows what three towns/cities she will be staying in when she goes to Belgium... and the best part.. each family has younger siblings for her! I prayed to God everyday that she would be blessed with the experience of younger siblings. I know how bad she's wanted that. The first family has two twin 9-year old girls and a boy about our age. Don't freak out. The boy will also be doing foreign exchange in Florida while she's there. Her second family also has two kids, one boy and one girl. 9 and 12 I think? Her last family has one 17-year-old girl. I can't believe this is really happening!! (I just convinced her to start a blog too!)
-Sam, a new coworker, thought I was 23 :) :) I always make people guess how old they think I am. However I usually get that I look younger than I am. Oh well. Everyone says I'll really like having a young face when I get old.
-Finding your favorite sports bras literally underneath the hamper... but after the tennis tournament. of course, of course.
-Eating multiple slices of pizza, brownies and salad and then going to the carnival #YOLO.. and not throwing up :)
-And the best but not least... Yesterday I got a very special phone call at work from Dennis Ambriz!
He said he just got home from his vacation and is going to mail me a special package including an autographed picture and his movie! I died.
-Don't tell me I'm the only one that sings while they're driving... What else am I supposed to do when I'm driving by myself? Well the other day I'm driving, windows down, singing my heart out...nothing new.. I park and get out of the car to these guys clapping and whistling. #awkotaco and then they were like "Hey, girl in the red shirt!" I pretended not to hear that part and walked fast. Ladies, creepy guys like that are why we should always carry knives with us.
-So I'm dropping off Nathalia at a friend's house but we can't find the house. We're driving slowly trying to read the numbers.. I hate when houses don't have their house number visible grrr..and then this little boy is craning his neck so far he must have been possessed by a demon like in the movies when I drove by.. and another little boy must have thought I was gonna ask him if he wanted some candy and then shove him in the trunk of my car.. Of course the only house that didn't have their number out was the one.. and the boys lived there. I discovered this when I dropped her off at the front door and they answered.. talk about awkward
Last post I was talking about some really cool, inspiring people that I recently met.. and I forgot to mention that my future husband / gonna-be-super-famous-someday / homeboy Preston Leatherman replied to my comment on his new Youtube video! Eeee! I died.
I was watching "Saturday," an original song btw :) and commented, "Sweeet video... props to the editor!" and he said... "I'll be sure to tell him.....Oh wait...IT'S ME!!! TAKING MYSELF OUT TO ICE CREAM NOW!!! FA LA LA LA LAAAA" ohh how I love himmmmm
It seems like every summer I am lucky enough to recognize famous people at work. Remember last June's post where I met Vocal Point from The Sing-Off? Still can't believe I recognized those guys.. And remember last summer when I met Steve Reed, the former Yankees player? The other day I added someone else to the list :) And he is by far my favorite! He came to the gift shop Friday night and we were talking for a good half an hour. He told us about living in California and what he liked about it. He told us about his house (I could tell by the description that he was pretty wealthy, but he wasn't cocky or bragging at all. He was quite humble actually..) and the entire time I was staring at him and trying to figure out who he really was. He looked similar to Gil Birmingham and Russell Means. I knew this guy was famous.. he had to be.. So when he came back the next day I asked, "Has anyone ever told you that you looked like someone famous?" He gave me a weird look and gave me the slow and curious, "...Yes...." I told him that the night before, after he left, I googled and searched for who this guy really was. Turns out he worked with Gil Birmingham! Talk about ironic...
So he, Dennis Ambriz, told me and some coworkers about how he got started out as an actor. He raised his family in the northern part of California and was happily married. Although, he always felt like he wanted to act. So after work, he would take acting lessons. Eventually he started getting parts at local plays.. until he got the part in his first movie! Now he's friends with Gil Birmingham! haha.
He kept turning the conversation to us though. He would ask us what he wanted to do (kind of hate that question by this point in my life..) and I replied with the usual, "I have no idea." He told me that he could tell I would go far in life. We both want to save and impact lives.. He said that no matter what I choose to do I should never give up. He was really inspiring! Dennis said that we all have a part in this world. We shouldn't think of ourselves better or worse than anyone else.. and no matter how old you are it's not too late to reach your dreams. We need to pray to God and make it happen. As he was leaving he walked back to my register and asked me how he could get ahold of me... I was speechless. He said that I really inspired him and made his day... talk about backwards... so I gave him the store card and my name aaaand we took a picture together, of course. I can't wait to see what he mails me eeeee!! (Gil and Dennis in the background in the picture below. How. Cool. Is. That. Dennis even asked if he could hug me. I. Am. Lucky.) When he left a coworker came up to me and said, "I feel like Dennis is the type of guy that could convince someone out of jumping off a cliff." I love my job. And then just yesterday I was checking out this guy at the register and couldn't stop staring at his deformed body. He was really brave to be walking around in public. The skin on the tip of is nose was missing. You could literally see where the cartilage ended. His skin appeared to be burned too... As I was giving his change back a little boy came up to me and asked where the restroom was. "Just give me a second and I'll show you where it is, ok?" I said. And then he did what all kids do... He looked up and said, "What happened to your face?!" And I'm so glad he asked because the entire store was wondering... The little boy's mother made him apologize and then the guy told the little boy, "When I was in high school I disobeyed my mother and was in a bad fire." The little boy was definitely creeped out and will probably never disobey his mother again. but the rest of us were extremely inspired by all the things he said. He was a motivational speaker that travels the country and shares his story.
These past days I've also fallen in love with this song... it's been an inspiring couple of days.
