Fearless.

As much as I DO NOT like Taylor Swift, I actually really like this quote. I think it's worth sharing because it speaks a lot of things to a lot of people in a lot of situations.

"'FEARLESS' is not the absence of fear. It's not being completely unafraid. To me, FEARLESS is having fears. FEARLESS is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, FEARLESS is living in spite of those things that scare you to death. FEARLESS is falling madly in love again, even though you've been hurt before. FEARLESS is walking into your freshmen year of high school at fifteen. FEARLESS is getting back up and fighting for what you want all over again... even though every time you've tried before, you've lost. It's FEARLESS to have faith that someday things will change. FEARLESS is having the courage to say goodbye to someone who only hurts you, even if you can't breathe without them. I think it's FEARLESS to fall for your best friend, even though he's in love with someone else. And when someone apologizes to you enough times for the things they'll never stop doing, I think it's FEARLESS to stop believing them. It's FEARLESS to say "you're NOT sorry," and walk away. I think loving someone despite what people think is FEARLESS. I think allowing yourself to cry on the bathroom floor is FEARLESS. Letting go is FEARLESS. Then, moving on and being alright, that's FEARLESS too. But no matter what love throws at you, you have to believe in it. You have to believe in love stories and prince charmings and happily ever after. That's why I write these songs. Because I think love is FEARLESS.""

-Taylor Swift

Why I Want to be a Comm Major

I am applying to the Communications Major this week. I have to write an essay on why I want to be in the major and what personal and professional goals a comm degree would fulfill. It got me thinking a lot about why I actually want to be in this major. I have switched around so many times looking for something fitting but when I finally decided on Communications it hit me: passion.

I have never really been passionate about anything. I gave 12 years of my life to the sport of springboard diving but ended it because of lack of passion. I never really enjoyed it. Singing is something I feel very passionate about, but I guess not enough to try for a career at. But communications.. It's something I do every single day and love every single day.



I love interacting and conversing and writing and tweeting and blogging and COMMUNICATING! I like to keep in touch with people and write emails and write about my feelings and talk on the phone and text and everything imaginable. I am constantly connected. Most of this seems technology based which is why I am also thinking about switching my minor (English) to Media and Technology studies. How fitting!

I am so passionate about doing this and I hope that my essay will convince the school that this is the right thing for me. Without it, I don't know where I will head because this is it. My passion and my life. Communicating.

A Single Man

I saw "A Single Man" last night with my family. I went into it only knowing that it took place during the 60's and was about a gay man. This beautiful creation of a film was so deep and touching and was not only about the struggles of being a homosexual, but about love and loss and it's enormous effects on people, something I think anyone can relate to.

It really touched me to see how someone who was so happy in life could have been handed this struggle to have his life changed 180 degrees in one phone call. How often this can happen in real life is something I am sure we have all experienced. How we deal and how we move on is what is unique to each of us.

It got me thinking about how each individual person's experiences are so incredibly different. We may have lost the exact same friend, but the relationship we have lost is completely unique to us. Our feelings about each situation are our own. And although we can try to sympathize and understand what one might be going through, can we ever really?

I don't have the words to say what a great film I thought this was, but if I can recommend seeing a movie this year, so far this is the one I would say. It was so deep and touching and emotional and beautifully filmed.

Hope for Haiti

I am watching the Hope for Haiti telethon on TV right now. I think it is so beautiful how people choose to come together during times of great need. This is a devastating tragedy for the people of Haiti, people who live in a third world country and barely have the money to stand on their own. A lot of us are struggling financially, ourselves, but it is so great that we are able to come together for a great cause and help people who cannot help themselves.

Some of my favorite performances so far that were really touching, gave me chills and inspired me are:
-Coldplay
-Beyonce
-Christina Aguilara
-Justin Timberlake
-Mary J. Blige
-Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, and Keith Urban

Sometimes, this world gives me hope. And I love knowing that.

The Lovely Bones

I read "The Lovely Bones" over winter break in hopes of finishing it before the movie came out. I did, and I enjoyed the extremely compelling story. The author is not one of my favorites, but she does know how to come up with an interesting story line.

I liked that the movie followed the book, but not so closely that the changes told a different story. The book for instance, took place over a 10 year span, while the movie seemed to take place all within the relative year. I liked that. I liked that certain unnecessary parts were left out, and that the portrayal of the hurt it feels to lose someone was so spot on.

The film was brilliant. I loved it. I cried multiple times (mostly because I was thinking about my friend Brianna who recently passed away) and it really spoke to my mind about death in a way that the book almost didn't.

Where do we go when we die? My opinion on Heaven is much like the Heaven in the book: whatever we want it to be. Everyone might see it differently, but it would be a perfect world. I only hope that my loved ones who have passed truly are experiencing that.

Week One, Complete!

The first week of my second semester as a Buff is complete!
Love my schedule.

Happy 3 day weekend!
I'll be working on my Communications major application essay.

Boulder Bound #2

My first post about being Boulder Bound was at the end of summer when I was entering my very first semester at CU. Now, #2 is me entering my second semester as a Buff.

I still have those first day jitters of going back to school. I'm not that familiar with the campus yet, but I know that I have just made it through an entire semester at my new school, so this one should be a breeze.

At least I hope...

This semester will include:
-My final dreaded math class
-Applying to the Communications Major
-Meeting some new people and branching out
-And a whole lotta work to keep my highest GPA ever

I'm excited and nervous and ready. Here we go, back to Boulder!

1 year.

Exactly a year ago today I was on my 5th day of sitting in a hospital in Thousand Oaks, California with my family when my Grandpa John passed away. It's hard to believe it has already been a whole year, and looking back it's hard to believe what my family was going through on this exact day last year. We were all holding each other, crying, and supporting each other at this exact moment.

It's really crazy to think about how different everything was exactly one year ago. I know for me, at least, I was in a completely different place in life. And over the past year I have grown and experienced so much. I will always love and miss my Grandpa and I am so thankful for the 19 years I got to spend with him in my life.

[Grandpa John and I at my High School Graduation weekend]

[Our tribute to all his famous sayings]

[Grandpa's Niche in Camarillo, CA]

New Years Resolution.

The 15 pounds challenge starts today! My Aunt Glenna and I are doing a little weight loss challenge on Facebook. My goal: 15 pounds. Her goal: 25-30. And my cousin Chad's goal (he's 10): 5 pounds (hehe).

The deadline is my birthday, July 21st. The whole family is meeting up in Vegas for my 21st birthday, so we want to be looking good by the next time we see everyone. (That means Beach Bods!)

We have 7 months to reach our goals. It's nice to do it with someone else. Each week we will weigh in at home and report back how we are doing, and provide tips and encouragement. So far so good.

This summer I had a little struggle with my second round of Weight Watchers and I ended up quitting out of frustration. This time around, I am not going to deprive myself of anything, but I am going to excersize portion control and work out more frequently. This morning I went running at the gym! This friday and saturday I have plans to be snowboarding all day.

I'm really gonna do it, guys!

2010

Here we are! its 2010!

Not only are we 12 hours into a new year, we are 12 hours into a new decade! I had a weird thought at 11:58 last night.. 10 years ago at that exact moment, it was 1999. THE NINETIES! I can't believe how the time flies. 10 years ago I remember exactly what I was doing and where I was on New Years Eve. I was scared to death of the whole y2k thing, and thought the world was going to end when the clock struck midnight. Thankfully that was not the case, and here we are, an entire decade later.


This year I brought in 2010 with a couple of my best friends, Tyler and Amber. We played pictionary with their family while sipping on martinis and waiting for midnight. It was a blast.


My new years resolution first and foremost is to lose 15 pounds. Here is what that entails:

-No more soda. Switching to Iced Tea.
-Smaller portions. No more hoarding.
-Starting an excersize routine every day.
-Walking to class everyday.
-No more buying crap at the grocery store.

Kicking off the new decade with a bang! Time to make it a great year!