!!!

Oh my goodness, blog!

I've missed you. I have just turned in my last application and am nearly done with my financial aid application. Thank God. 

Can't wait for some quality Melissa + blog time. 

Coming soon.

Today's Horoscope

"Like aggressive weeds, commitments are taking over your social life right now, and your fun free time is at risk of being completely blocked out. This cannot stand. Prioritizing fun over responsibility might seem counterproductive, but it's not. Remember what all work and no play does to a person? Make more of an effort to put balance in your life. Pull-back on the work-related duties and free up more of your time -- to get the solace you need, get the time you need."

Ha! Laughed when I read this. Social life? What's that? I'm calling BS on this one. I will not be hangin' with friends or being social much at all. FB is goin' out the window next week, methinks. Yeah, I'm definitely going into hiding for at least the next week: LSAT next Saturday and I hope to get most of my applications in by next Sunday evening (2 weeks past my initial goal while studying for the LSAT isn't too bad, IMO). I'm also going to be coaching ALL WEEKEND, but at least I get to spend a couple days in beautiful Santa Barbara (hopefully I won't be too stressed to enjoy it).

Goin' off the grid. Time to get fired up! See you in about 10 days, blogosphere!

Then...It's time to FULLY enjoy the Holiday season :)

Viral Love Letter?

Love this!

And the story is even better: "I Hope This Gets To You: A Viral Love Letter" (via Gizmodo)

I'm a hopeless romantic who is in love with social media. If a guy did something like this for me, I'd probably spontaneously combust or something. So cute - love the song, too!

Wintersleep: "Weighty Ghost"

I may, or may not, be doomed. We'll have to wait and see. Read this piece from the NYT:

THE FEMALE FACTOR: Keeping Romance Alive in the Age of Female Empowerment

All I can say about this is that I remember bringing up this topic with a particular ex and it was like I opened Pandora's Box of insecurity. He became angry and threatened because I insinuated that I might out-earn him someday. I mean, I didn't get my degree for nothing (and I'm definitely not working to get into law school for nothing). I have always planned to have a career and support myself, and if I get married to someone else who out-earns me, fine. However, I have no problem being the breadwinner and I honestly don't think I can be with someone insecure enough to care about that sort of thing anyway. Let's be honest, I'm 6 feet tall and have an intense personality. I'm intimidating (I frighten myself sometimes). You have to be secure to be interested in me in the first place. I think a lot of women in this country are just looking to be taken care of (I am obviously not on that page), but nothing is guaranteed for them. Of course I want to get married and have a beautiful family, but what if something were to happen to my husband? I want to feel fully capable of supporting my family comfortably, on my own. 

And let's be honest: On SATC, Miranda probably struggled with men because 1. she's a tall redhead who's awkward as hell and 2. she's actually a lesbian. 

Happy Birthday.

"I am so lucky that my life is filled with people who constantly remind me that the world is filled with more good than bad, more hope than doubt, and more love than pain."

‎"Believe. Decide what is true for you, what brings you joy, what allows you to live passionately, and then believe wholeheartedly in those things. Remind yourself of what you truly believe in and why. Once you know what you believe in, your faith will be unbreakable."

"Love. Do it all the time, under all conditions, without restrictions or limitations. Don't hold back your love; constantly remind the people you love that you do. Talk about things you love, books you love, places you love, food you love, people you love, experiences you loved. Don't waste time criticizing or complaining, there is no time for that."

-Jill Costello

---

Happy Birthday, Jill. My heart feels heavy today because I miss you. We all do...But your legacy is doing so much everyday. I am blown away on a regular basis. So many people are working hard for you, and they are working to spread the word about lung cancer so that young, healthy, incredible people like yourself will never have to suffer the same fate. It is really making a difference. Thank you for reminding me to live and enjoy my wonderful life. Every moment is beautiful and we are not guaranteed many more. Our lives are truly great and we should focus more energy on the good, and less on the bad. You made the very most of your life and inspire me to do the same. You are an amazing person (I can't talk about you in past tense because your presence is very much still here!). Thank you for inspiring the world. Rest well, my love.

Giving thanks...TODAY.

Yes, I already wrote a Thanksgiving post. But that was a general post. It's only noon and I have already had a fantastic Thanksgiving. I wanted to get it down so that I can never forget.

I love that whenever my family gets together, hilarity ensues (even if it is a dry and very Wheeler-esque type of hilarity).

I am thankful for my mom waking me up at 8:30 instead of 8:00, because it is Mountain Time here and it feels extra early. 

I am thankful for my Grandparents because they are quirky and awesome.

I am thankful for my Grandmother for going to great lengths in order to accommodate our gluten free lifestyle (she even found a way to bake the Wheeler egg-casserole with gluten-free bread crumbs!)

I am thankful for the gluten-FREE muffins and DONUTS we had with breakfast this morning. 

I am also thankful that my Grandmother insisted that we drink prosecco with breakfast because it reminds her of living the 'good life' in Italy.

I love that my Dad and Grandfather refer to watching football as the "Audio-Visual" part of the holiday.

I enjoyed that my grandmother asked me to google engagement rings with her. It's heartwarming that she believes someone will want to marry me someday, I used to be unsure.

I also love that when I asked for my Grandfather's new gmail address, my Grandmother said not to send him any nude photos of anyone because it would "send him into a tizzy". My Grandfather just apologized for her strangeness and that I was forced to share her genes. 

I love that they've been married for 50+ years. 

I love that we spent an hour googling Arne Jacobsen egg chairs, and that my Grandfather might seriously purchase a purple one.

-

Most of all, I love that we googled ridiculous cat videos for the better part of a second hour. I love my family.

Happy Thanksgiving!!! (Part deux)

"Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel."

What am I thankful for?
Much more than a blog post could ever do justice, that is for certain.

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” -W. T. Purkiser

2010 has been incredibly good to me:

• It has been a year of learning, growth and second chances. 
• My family is in good health and everyone is flourishing. 
• I have maintained my most incredible friendships and have welcomed many new people into my life this year. 
• I am so grateful that I got a chance to live in Australia and support myself doing what I love. 
• I have heaps of friends living on the other half of the globe that I am so keen to visit again :) 
• Some old friends have come back into my life in a big way and I couldn't be happier. 
• All of my friends are doing incredible things and I am so proud of them. 
• I have found new friends (and the like) in the most unlikely of places.
• I am grateful that I have had the courage to put myself out there when failure was likely. 
• I am also grateful that I have kept my heart open, no matter what has crossed my path. 
• I am grateful that I am still able to work towards my dreams and believe that I have the support and capabilities that I need to be successful.
• I am healthy and have nearly made it a year and a half without health insurance, without problems.
• I am thankful that I will be re-enrolled with great coverage in January!!!
• I lost a friend this year, but her legacy lives on and she will undoubtedly help millions beat or avoid lung cancer. For that, I am thankful. (Miss you and love you, Jill)

*If you haven't read this amazing piece on Jill Costello and her incredible journey in Sports Illustrated, please do: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1178822/1/index.htm


I am thankful for each and every aspect of my life - good and bad. I am just so thankful to still have my life and my health. I cherish my future everyday and I must say, my life is pretty fantastic. I am content and things seem to get better everyday. My life is full of love and laughter - I am so blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving