Another Good Life November 29, 2007

I don’t know, I have to agree with Heather on this one because I am also kind of sick of our weekly blogs.  It’s a really bad time of the semester to have to “look for the good life”.  Maybe it’s because I’m moody with all the stuff that I have to do for school.  I thought this week was bad, ha!  Just wait till next week, I tell myself.  Then I might just very well be cursing in my blog!  Just kidding!  It’s tough right now but it will be over soon.  But for now, it sucks and I don’t feel like putting my energy into blogs.

Well, with all  the Christmas lights up and the music on the radio, I thought about how much I would LOVE to go to NYC during the holidays to see the city and tree all lit up.  I was only in NYC once or twice, and never saw the tree lit or the city at night.  I really love the holidays, and all the lights, decorating, family too.  Can’t forget family time!  Can’t forget snow either!!  I LOVE the snow.  I can’t wait to get our first storm.  I think it’s so beautiful to watch it fall.   So yeah, I would love to go to NYC and see the city this time of year.  I get annoyed because it feels like the semester is over and the next day, Christmas is here.  You barely have the time to enjoy the season when you’re in college.  At least that’s what it feels like to me.

Well good luck to everyone these last couple weeks of the semester!  I know I can’t wait to say goodbye to this one!

14 November 15, 2007

I can’t believe yesterday was 14 years since I lost my mom. It really is crazy how time flies. It still feels like it was not that long ago, I don’t know why. All of the memories flood back into my head and I remember lots of details. “Breathe Again” was on the radio when my sister and brother in law went to the hospital that night. I didn’t go, I stayed there with my two friends. It was your typical mid-November day, with leaves everywhere, on the grass, some still lingering on the trees and all over the sidewalk. The scent was fall-like, kinda like wet leaves. Then when I walked into my house, I saw this beautiful 8X10 picture of mom when she graduated from college. It’s stayed there ever since.

I have always tried to think about the happier times, but it’s hard to on days like yesterday, when so much of what’s surrounding me reminds me of memories of the tougher times.  The weather is similar each year during this time, so it brings back those memories with all the sights, scents and feelings.  There is a definite feeling of emptiness that even my body felt yesterday, and I never realized that I could actually feel the emptiness.  I guess it’s sometimes harder the older I get because I have lived so long without her, that I don’t know what she thinks of the person I’ve become.  I can only hope that she is, I guess.

Generation Y’s Good Life November 8, 2007

I came across a really great article that did a pretty good job of described Generation Y and I was completely drawn in.  It gave some really interesting stats on minimum wage, rising costs and our materialistic views.  Materialism just happens to be characteristic of what some also refer to as “generation debt”.

This article was great because it really seemed to take in different perspectives and look at things from different angles.  Yes I have to agree that college students are very often overworked and have great difficulty making ends meet.  I am one of them who is going through a very intensive program where you are highly encouraged to not work during the semester because it is so time consuming.  I also haven’t had health insurance in I don’t know how long, at least 4 years.  My boyfriend and I will also have a lot of student loans to pay off.  But the article pointed out that we have at least our basic necessities covered (something far too many of us don’t have-the basics of food, water and shelter) plus more.   We have laptops, cell phones and nice cars and at least have the opportunity to go to school.  But I do feel that a college education is becoming a luxury, as not many people can afford it.

We’re also spending more than we make, which makes me think a lot about my Dad.  He has always been so hell bent against credit cards, never wanting us to get into debt and get into the habit of spending money that we didn’t have.  I have to agree with him because I think many of us use it as a crutch, and don’t realize how far we’re digging ourselves into debt.

Good Life….. November 1, 2007

I really needed a good laugh, and needed to do my weekly blog after a really tough day.  A really really tough day.  I wasn’t in the mood to even think about the good life and didn’t know where to look for my reference to the good life either.  So I thought about how to attain this laugh.  What puts a smile on my face every time?  I thought about America’s Funniest Home Videos.

It brings back great memories for me.  I think when it first came out, with the ever so cheesy and goofy Bob Saget, it was on Sunday’s at 7 or 8 if my memory is correct.  Wonderful memories with my mom as we laughed at all the babies, oh we loved the babies and kids!  And the weddings, and the practical jokes.  Actually we laughed at almost all of them back then.  They were all good.  And now, there’s still some good episodes, but not like they used to be.  Even though it was so agonizing while Bob told jokes or asked audience members stupid questions, it was still one of my favorite shows.  I’m sure that has a lot to do with the great memories it brings back of my childhood.  Memories of mom, memories of laughing, not enduring stress, hardships and letdowns, and just not having so much on my mind.

So even though I still don’t feel like smiling, I’m gonna make myself.  I’m gonna watch this video (above in the link!  I think I finally learned!) and I’m gonna tell myself to get it all out, get over it, and always try to “Keep on the Sunny Side” just like Johnny and June told me to!

Game 7 of ALCS October 23, 2007

What a wonderful time it was on Sunday night for Red Sox fans!!  We’re going to the World Series!!  I knew in the first and seventh inning that I wanted to base my “good life” on my Red Sox.  I honestly wasn’t expecting the win.  I just wanted to make it to game 5 then 6 and then it dawned on me that we could actually take it!  And we did!

First it came when I saw people waving the Japanese flag or symbol in Fenway because Dice K was pitching.  I thought that was really nice for fans to recognize his culture and where he came from, and show their love.  Then the other came in the seventh inning when Dustin Pedroia hit a home run and hugged Big Papi coming back in the dugout.   I love seeing that  excitement and the bonding of players.

Though I am a huge Red Sox fan, I still hate looking at the opposing team after they lost.  It really makes me compassionate for the other team’s players, especially after loosing a game that like.  I saw one of the Indians crying and I had to turn it off.  I guess someone has to lose, but how can you not feel bad for them?

Well, game one starts Wednesday and I will be living a good life just because they are there.  There haven’t been a whole lot of World Series appearances for the Red Sox so I am enjoying every moment of it!  So let’s go Red Sox!!!

Go Red Sox! October 18, 2007

My good life this week is watching my Red Sox and trying my best to keep the faith. It’s been a really rough last couple of games, but I just have to keep the faith! We’ve made it so far and did so awesome during the season! The first two games of the ALCS were so close, even game three, but then came that horrible inning!! And yesterday! Back-to-back-to-back! That’s right! Kevin Youkilis, Big Papi David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. That was at least one exciting thing about the game last night.

I am very passionate about my Red Sox! I also love the Red Sox/Yankee rivalry. My mom was a Red Sox fan and my dad is a Yankee fan. I have so many memories of watching those games and series with my mom and dad growing up. My mom would have nicknames for all the Yankee players and get all hyped up during the games. And when my brother-in-law came along (huge Yankee fan), the games became even more interesting! All my memories of watching these games reminds me of the good life I had growing up, with mom still there. We’d watch the game, cheer, laugh and just spend some good, quality time together. That was the good life! Family time, watching your all-time favorite team play, listening to the Yankee fans bust the chops of the Red Sox fan and vice versa.

So Let’s Go Red Sox! I will keep the faith! We did it before and we can do it again! Let’s Go!

Fall is the Good Life October 11, 2007

The good life is taking a step back and enjoying what’s right before our eyes. Fall is such an awesome time to get in the car, take a day trip, and look at the sights of the beautiful fall foliage. There’s nothing like the sight of the many, vibrant fall colors. There are endless possibilities to choose from when thinking about how to enjoy the season, especially when you live in the northeast. There’s Vermont, Massachusettes, Lake George and the Adirondacks all so close, making for a perfect little day trip with some friends, family, husbands, whoever. It’s such a great way to take a break from whatever may be on our minds, and just get out and have fun. You can take a hike, pick some apples and pumpkins with the kids, do some shopping, take a bike ride or just take a short drive.

All too often we’re in such a rush in our daily lives that we don’t even stop to take in the beauty of nature. We get caught up with the responsibilities of school, work, and family that we don’t always catch the “good life” that’s surrounding us. During this time of year, my “good life” is a drive to Vermont, a hike in Raquette Lake, carving pumpkins with the kids, having a bonfire on a cool fall night, listening to the rainfall while sitting on the front porch, and watching my Red Sox in the ALCS!  And soon the good life will be waiting for that first huge snowstorm! But not too soon.

Another Good Life October 4, 2007

The good life is reading this article and thinking about how life used to be, way back when.  It’s sad to think about how much life has changed, and although it’s supposed to be for the better, can we honestly say that it is?

The good life is  thinking back to these days.  The days where you could spend hours outdoors playing and not worry about all of the violence that occurs in our world today.  The days where people weren’t suing everybody to get rich quick.  The days where people would actually learn to take responsibility for their actions, deal with failure and disappointment and learn how to bounce back and succeed.

I reflect on this article and think that too much is just handed to us, and many of us don’t know how to really work for it.   We live in such a pampered lifestyle, having everything under the sun to make out lives more convenient.  And sure I love e-mail and cell phones, and think they’re really important, but I can’t help but to think back to the days where we didn’t have them.  Instead of chatting through text messaging or instant messaging, we were actually with our friends.  We’d take walks, play basketball or whiffle ball at the park, play hide-and-seek and spend quality time together.  Isn’t it funny that somethings that are supposed to unite us, actually separates us physically and takes away that socialization aspect of our lives?

The Good Life September 27, 2007

As I look a little deeper into “The Good Life”, I come across a blog that is so compelling and heartfelt and makes me think even more about the importance of looking at your glass as half full. You really never know how much time is left for you and you have to embrace the life that you have, in this moment.  I never really thought about how much time we spend on things we want to do, or ought to do.  It’s just such a waste of time, and some of us just don’t have it.

This blog had me in tears, as it’s about a professor delivering his last lecture. He is suffering from cancer and only has months to live. He’s 46 and has three young children. He talked in his lecture about chasing your childhood dreams, striving to achieve your goals and to look at rejection as proof of how bad we want things.  The author lists some incredibly compelling life lessons that everybody should abide because we don’t know how long we have.  These lessons are so important and really define what life is all about.  We should never lose that inner child, never settle for rejection if it’s something we truly want and live life to its fullest!

“The Good Life” September 20, 2007

Thought widely criticized in class this week, I am choosing to base my “good life” blog on the story “Dancin in the Street” for this week.  I do agree with the class in that the story wasn’t as interesting as others we have read in class and it didn’t really draw us in, however I do feel that the moral or basic theme of the story is something that we all must consider.

Dancing was many things to Stephanie, but among the most important, it was her passion, her drive, and her release.  When she stopped dancing, she mentioned how her life had “split open by the seams and nothing else seemed fun”.  It was almost as if she had completely lost her identity when she stopped dancing, and no longer had that drive or ambition in life.  I think this is important for everyone to have.  Something that means so much to us that it truly defines us and the type of person we are on the inside.

And in the closing paragraph, I think that there was another central theme and important aspect of the story.  A “good life” is a balance of what we truly love and what we really need to do.  When dancing was her whole life, she realized that she needed more time to do other things.  Dancing had totally consumed her, yet cutting it out all together was no good either.  She didn’t have that balance.

I think we all should take a moment to discover what our true passions are, and never let that passion drift away.  It’s important to make that passion part of our identity, and what we decide to do with our passion (as in her case, she didn’t have to dance in a studio, she could do it anywhere) is ultimately up to us.