Day 27

Creating playlists on iTunes is a speciality of mine. I have dozens of playlists based on a particular mood, event, season or favorite songs. Music is something that I truly care about and can never get enough of. I'm always learning about new artists via friends, Pandora, YouTube, the radio, etc and I looooove getting new music, but I also thoroughly enjoy giving new music. It's better than most other presents anyone could ever give. I created a playlist today and had so  much fun clicking on songs, singing them a little bit and then deciding whether or not they made the cut for my uplifting CD. Who did I give my CD to? Whelp, that would be my wonderful roommate, Ashley.

The CD! 

Can you tell she was excited? 

You can listen too! Here are the songs:
1. Stereo Hearts
2. Honey, Honey
3. What the Hell
4. Count on Me
5. Sky Full of Lighters
6. You Got Me
7. She Will Be Loved
8. Telephone
9. Someday We'll Know
10. Never Gonna Leave This Bed
11. Airplanes
12. Pumped Up Kicks
13. Your Love Is My Drug
14. True Love
15. Take A Chance On Me
16. Rumour Has It

I hope you all have a musical Wednesday! :)

AH!

Hi everyone! I'm so so so sorry I haven't updated my blog is several days. Life has gotten extremely crazy with finals coming up and such, but I'm back and this blog is going to be stocked full of the past couple of tasks.  Ready! Set! Go!

BREATHE!!!!! This is something that I've had to remind myself to do for the past week. In fact, I'm reminding myself to breathe while I write this blog. My brain feels like it's on a caffeine overload and simply won't stop, no matter what. Sleeping, relaxing, watching a movie, eating, exercising. They haven't exactly been working lately because my brain has been too overwhelmed with all of the things I need to do instead. This message is for anyone else who is feeling overwhelmed and myself: Stop. Take five minutes - or five seconds - and just breathe. Everything is going to be okay. Deep breath!

 The Cupid Shuffle is probably one of my favorite dances. Several times throughout this semester Ashley, my roommate, and I have either done the shuffle in our room or in the hall with the other girls. We're always laughing and it's an easy way to let go of a little stress during those highly stressful moments of college. If you've never done the cupid shuffle - WHOA! - you should probably do it, which is why I posted a video for you. For those of you who have done the cupid shuffle, I recommend doing it again simply because it's a lot of fun.

I'm not a very good painter, but I still enjoy doing it. Although, I was unfortunately unable to paint anything while I was on break, but I'll hopefully be able to make up for it this weekend - that's the plan anyways. I'll upload the painting when I complete it. Hang tight! It's coming! :) 

I was on Thanksgiving Break during this task, so I was unable to walk through a cemetery with Jen and Cassi, but I did take a walk with a friend from home. We walked around the neighborhood and talked about what was going on in our lives. While it was cold, it was also a lot of fun and that's what matters, right?

Day 22

It's said that laughing cures everything and that saying proves to be true every time I laugh. So many things make us laugh from our friends and family to movies and jokes. While I didn't laugh until I cried, I did laugh until my sides and cheeks hurt. Becca and Rosemary were cracking me up today and then I watched Nick Swardson's comedy Seriously Who Farted? It's probably inappropriate, but also hilarious. Also, YouTube is a perfect source for comedy and I've posted y favorite one below. Enjoy!

Day 21

Happy Thanksgiving! Okay, so it's 1:30 A.M., but better late and never, right? Today's task was kind of a fail. First off, I'm on Thanksgiving Break right now so I'm nowhere near the girls in my hall. Secondly, the stores were closed today so I was only able to make cookies from a package. Lame! I went ahead and baked the cookies, but decided that I'll make homemade cookies for the girls on Sunday before I head back to campus. 

I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving and were able to spend it with your loved ones. I went to my great - grandma's where I ate, played Life with two of my cousins and Becca and met two of my baby cousins for the first time!! Oh, how I love babies! I usually don't like being around my family because I don't feel like I fit in, which means I dread family functions. To me, my friends are my family because I don't have the best relations with my blood family and that's my decision. However, I actually enjoyed spending time with my blood family today - for the most part. It was probably because I was able to see two of my cousins, Rosemary (14 years old) and Madison (6 years old) and I got to hold Allison, one of the babies, to my heart's content. Rosemary and Madison make me laugh and we always have a lot of fun together. Plus, Madison was super clingy today and I thoroughly enjoyed the excess amounts of affection.  

After a few hours, Rosemary, Becca and I went back home where we munched on food and watched TV. Now, it's back to watching a movie with Rosemary while Becca is zonked out on the couch. She's resting up for our late night! We're going to Starbucks at 3 A.M. and it's a 25 minute drive, but it's Starbucks and it's totally worth it. I hope you all have a wonderful night. If you're going shopping on Black Friday, take care of yourself. People are crazy! :) 

No, they aren't very pretty, but they still taste good. 

Day 20

It's 2 A.M. and last night's - November 23 - task is a little hard to read. It says, "Talk to someone you haven't talked to in awhile." Tonight, I went over to Aubrey's house. Aubrey and I became best friends Senior year of high school and she is one of the funniest and most caring people I've ever met. I love her to death, but this semester we've both been crazy busy and have sort of lost touch. Luckily, we were able to reconnect tonight. We walked to the park at 10:30 P.M. and talked while swinging - yes, it was freezing. After we could no longer feel our fingers, face or anything else for that matter, we walked back to her house. We each grabbed a cup of hot cocoa and talked for awhile longer.

Can I just say that I had such a wonderful time? I was really missing her and it felt so good to catch up, laugh, vent, drink hot cocoa and just enjoy each other's company. The two of us have been through a lot together and life has been getting me down a lot lately, so I definitely needed tonight and one of my closest friends. There's just something about spending time with someone who gets you and doesn't care how many times you vent about the same drama over and over again. They're still there, willing to listen and help you through your pain. That's a friend and I'm lucky to have people like that in my life because they're a rare treasure in this world.

I hope you have someone who you can go to in your time of need and when you need a good laugh. Some lessons I've learned/ am learning about friendships are:

1.  Friendships should never be taken for granted. 
2.  Friends come and go; it's never easy to lose a friend, but there's always a lesson to be learned. 
3.  If a friendship ends, but they unexpectedly come back into your life down the road, then they're probably supposed to be in your life. In my experience, you both needed time apart to grow, which only strengthens the rekindled friendship.
4.  People are going to let you down, that's part of human nature, but that doesn't mean you end the friendship. Don't hold grudges. 
5. Friends are another form of family.
6. Above all, love your friends because they're the ones you'll be able to call in the middle of the night when you're crying and feeling completely alone.

Here we are at the Maroon 5/Train concert over the summer 

                           

Day 19

As you can see, I edited todays task, but it wasn't because I didn't want to do it. I realized that I accidently had the same task twice - look at day two - so I decided to change it up. Watching new movies is something I enjoy doing anyways, so it was perfect. Becca and I ended up watching The Green Lantern and it was pretty good. The movie has action, a little romance and a sexy man - Ahem, Ryan Reynolds. I recommend the movie if you want something action packed to watch. Have a lovely night!

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How about a little eye candy? 

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Day 18

Receiving snail mail is probably one of the greatest feelings in the world. Knowing that someone actually took the time to get out a pen and paper rather than whipping out their phone to text you feels special and letter writing is becoming a lost art. Katie, Cassi and I attempted to pull an all nighter - Cassi was out at 2:30; Katie at 4 and me at 5. Almost made it! Oh well. Anyways, Katie asked what my task was and I read it to her. "Hm, that's two easy. Write nine friends, instead. Ooooor you could write 18 friends!" Challenge accepted. So, at 3 am I was writing letters to 18 friends - some close, others I've lost touch with. I wrapped up letter 18 with tired eyes and an achy hand, but the smiles will be well worth it. :)

18 hand written letters. I wonder who will get one?! 

Day 17

Being crafty, this is something I thoroughly enjoy. It makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile and that I have purpose. Needless to say, today's task made me feel happy simply because I was supposed to be creative. Plus, I made a really cute bracelet with bold and fun colors to add to my wrist. :) 

The bracelet! Cute, right? 

Can you tell I like bracelets? 

Day 16

Thanksgiving in next week, making this task perfect for the current season. I think we take a lot of things in life for granted and this was a good task to remind me of life's little things that I disregard or take for granted. My list is below. Now, what are you thankful for?

Today, I'm thankful for . . .

1. Good friends
2. Hot cocoa
3. Sunsets
4. Movies
5. A cozy bed
6. Long, hot showers
7. Texting (good for long distance relationships) 
8. Music that says exactly how I feel
9. Art
10. Deep breaths that remind me to slow down

Day 15

I know, I know . . . I'm behind again. Sorry! This week has been crazy busy with life, work and school. Last night, I went to see Breaking Dawn - again - and this is what we saw on our way to the theater. Beautiful, right? 

Day 14

I know it's like 3 am, but I was super busy all day yesterday, Thursday, when I did this task. I was hustling and bustling everywhere and never got the opportunity to blog about it. So, here I am hyped up on caffeine and adrenaline after seeing the midnight premiere of Breaking Dawn - it was incredible!!!

Anyways, I was trying to decide who I should invite to go for a walk with me, but then decided that I wanted to go by myself; that was a good life decision. I was able to walk at my own pace and enjoy the evening, it was after my evening class so I walked during sunset - gorgeous! It was sooooo cold outside, but worth it. I was able to clear my read and just breathe, which is something everyone needs to do at some point. I uploaded some pictures from my walk and I hope you enjoy them!

Reflection

I've been thinking about what's going to happen at the end of my 76 days, only 63 left, and I've decided that I'm going to continue blogging. I'm still thinking about all the specifics, but my goal is to maintain the idea of happiness. Maybe I'll post some pictures, quotes, videos and songs that make me happy or something like that. What are your thoughts? Any ideas? What if we somehow made this an interactive place for people to come together and share things that bring them happiness? Just a thought. I'd really love to hear your thoughts! 


Also, thank you to all of you who are reading this blog. The purpose is to help me work through some personal issues and it's wonderful to know that I'm not alone on this journey. Several of the girls in my dorm are reading this and asking me about it on a daily basis, which shows me how much support I have - Thanks, ladies! To the readers who I don't know, thank you! Simply reading this blog provides support and that's what I need right now. The world has seemed bleak for so long and it's time to work through my sadness and become happy. While this paper chain challenge has been really wonderful, it's also been difficult - I guess that's why it's called a challenge, right? Anyways, thanks for reading and going on this journey to happiness with me, you're all showing me support and that I'm not alone. I can't wait to see where this journey takes us. :) 


Much Love,


Liz 

Day 13

Hellooo. The ironic part about today's task is that last night I was looking the flowers I had at my desk - see image below - and thinking that I needed to remember to get new flowers because they were beginning to look mopey. Then today, when I checked today's task, I thought, "Well that's convenient!" With that, I headed to the store in search of some new flowers for my room. The ones I got were more similar to the old ones than I thought, but they'll do, plus I got some yellow ones! You'll see!

Flowers make me happy

A close - up anyone? 

Day 12

Painting my nails is extremely therapeutic for me; it's one of the things I do when I'm upset, stressed, lonely, etc. There's just something about painting my nails that I thoroughly enjoy and I change up my nail color on a weekly basis. The downfall? My dorm frequently spells like nail polish remover and nail polish. Ew! Regardless, I'll deal with the stench for a day if it means my nails look pretty. Don't you agree? I used this new color my sister got me a few weeks ago. It's called Army of 1 from Ulta. Cute, cheap ($6) and it dries really quickly, which is what I'm all about.

Day 11

Sweat is dripping down your face, every muscle in your body is begging you to stop and that's what you want to do, but there's one thing that keeps you going: your mind. Your mind pushes you to your limit and, at the end of your workout, you may be in pain, but knowing that you pushed yourself causes you to be filled with confidence. That is what I feel like when I workout. I'm in such pain, but a good pain, during the workout, but afterwards the soreness I feel is a reminder of something good. Today, Becca joined me on my endeavor to the gym and we kicked butt! I had such a good workout and I'm glad I went. Usually, I'll make up excuses and now go to the gym, but I recently discovered a quote on Pinterest: "There's someone busier than you working out right now." Ouch. I high tailed it to the gym and remember that quote every time I "don't feel like it." So, what's your excuse? Get out there and get fit. It will be worth it. 

 Just a little inspiration: 

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For a laugh and motivation: 

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A pumped up beat for a pumped up workout:

Day 10

Cooking isn't exactly my specialty, but I try my hardest to improve. When I read today's task, I poured over Pinterest in search of something to cook and I found it: Bite size apple pies! There was one major change, though. Rather than using pie crust, I used crescent rolls. Mmm! They're really easy to make and I highly recommend everyone trying them! 

 Look at that! Yumm - o! 

Trust me, you need to make these! 

 And here's a fun little print out I created: 

Day Nine

Simply put, caffeine is my oxygen. Tea, coffee, energy drinks, anything with caffeine, I need it to survive. While I love to sleep, being a college student doesn't exactly give me the opportunity to keep up on my sleep. So, I get through each day with caffeine coursing through my body. With that said, it's no wonder why I was excited about today's task. Becca, my sister, and I drove to Starbucks this afternoon in pursuit of my task. Once we got there, I poured over the menu in search of something new. The winner? A Caramel Macchiato. It was sooo delicious! Caramel, coffee, espresso . . .  what more could a girl ask for? So, today's task was a success both in accomplishing it and finding a new drink to enjoy at the wonderful Starbucks.

This is my new friend, Caramel Macchiato . . .

 I have a feeling we're going to be great friends. 

Just for kicks and giggles, this is Starbuck's mission statement: "Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time." I love them. 

Day Eight

"Watch the sun set. Take a photo of it." For the past couple of days, I've been feeling pretty lonely. Why? I'm not exactly sure, but then, our emotions aren't logical. I was driving while the sun was setting, so I was unable to grasp the full effect. What I was hoping to do was sit by my window and watch the sun set while I enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa in comfy clothes. Oh well. I was still able to watch the sun set and felt a small sense of peace fill my heart as I watched the colors blend together and constantly change. I love the picture I took; the moon, silhouettes and colors make my heart sing and cause a smile to appear on my face.

"Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better." 

                - Henry Rollins

Day Seven

Children's books are one of my favorite things. I love all of the illustrations and the plots are generally adorable - at least the classics. Three of my favorite children's books are The Giving Tree, The Velveteen Rabbit, and The Tale of Peter Rabbit. It was difficult to choose, but Peter Rabbit's  mischievous personality won me over. So, I cozied up in my bed and read the story. I forgot how whimsical the illustrations were and how creative the wonderful Beatrix Potter was. Everyone should be introduced to her work.


If you now want to read The Tale of Peter Rabbit, then you can read it online here. Technology truly amazes me.

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Day Six

Yesterday was day six, but I ran out of time to blog about it. So, I'm blogging about it now. I love to doodle. I find that during class, my notes to doodles ratio is pretty equal - doodling helps me stay awake in class. So, here's one of my doodles. I used permanent marker and copy paper. Nothing fancy, just a simple design of deep color. 

The finished product: 

And here's a close up: