Thursday, December 19, 2013

Way behind!

So I may or may not have totally forgot about this blog. School's finally out for the semester and I was thinking about blogging again, and then I remembered this 101 in 1001 list and that I knew I had some more of them done. I also want to revise my list a little. So much has happened over the past 8 months, there's no way I can catch you up in one post. Here's just a little tease to say that now that I have an entire month of free time, I will be posting more, and no, I have not died ;) In the meantime, have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

101 in 1001: #61

Eat at Waffle House after midnight.


So Karasyn, Jesse and I went to Waffle House at 12:30 the other night. Jesse was hungry and I wanted to get something checked off this list. So there, ya have it! I'm not sure what I will do next with my list, but I'm thinking about revising it. The night went to Waffle House we also watched Pride and Prejudice, which is an amazing movie! Loved it! I can't wait to get the piano book, I might do that on my break this afternoon.

Right now, I'm just loving life and trying to do my best in school and everything. That's all I can do, right? Well, for now I must depart. For there are many tasks ahead of me today.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

101 in 1001: #24

Write a letter to my 16 year old self:


Dear 16 year old Brianna,

Congratulations! You made it to the year when you officially become an almost adult! You get to drive now and have so much more freedom and you are probably totally excited about that, but don't forget that just because you can drive now, does not mean that you have complete freedom. Mom and Dad still have rules and don't get mad at them for telling you to be home by 10, 'cause it's totally reasonable and she doesn't even know your friends that well, 'cause you're stupid and hang out with people you just met. You're doing good in school, keep it up, but don't forget that it's important to have fun too. Also, the counselors will tell you that you need to be involved with a lot of things to get into college, and have perfect grades, but let me spoil the ending, you're going to get into a really great college and once you do that, all of those extracurriculars don't mean a thing except for memories. So choose to be involved in things that matter to you and not just for a resume builder. I guess I'm telling myself that, because guess what, you still struggle with trying to be too involved. Yes, you still are a busy bee. Yes, you are still going to school to become an ophthalmologist. Yes, you have a ton of friends, most of which you don't even know right now. Unfortunately, yes, you're still single. I know that's kind of sad to think about, but I know you. I was there. You will have comfort in knowing that. You will be able to focus more on school and having friends than a stupid boy, because trust me, any of the guys you know now are NOT WORTH IT. Just trust me. Don't like them. Don't waste your time obsessing over having a boyfriend. Just live. Enjoy your life, don't fret about school, know that where you are now is totally different from where you will be in five years, but not that much has changed. Karasyn is still your best friend, you're actually going to be going to church with her. You two are going to share the best times of your life together! You are still playing the violin, you are playing keyboard at your new church and you will still be pursuing the same career. Here's an interesting thing you might like to know as well, you now work at a funeral home. I know you said you never would, but you do! It's great, though. A good experience and great for med school.

Now that I'm remembering where you are, I think back to what I wish I still had. I wish I still had two years of high school to discover myself. I wish I still was as motivated in school. Maybe I lost my boost, I got burnt out. I'm trying to find it again. I'm wishing that I hadn't wasted all the time in high school that I did just to get into Drury and not waited until I was actually at Drury to get serious about school, but I'm glad I'm realizing it now and not in Med School. I hope that you don't get too upset about things that don't matter. I heard Steve say one time that there are two things you shouldn't worry about; things you can't change and things you can. Just in case you don't get it, that's everything. If you can't change it, let it go. If you can, do. That's my best advice. Don't fret, yet. Enjoy high school while it lasts and have a great time!

Sincerely,
21 year old Brianna

Saturday, February 16, 2013

101 in 1001

I usually like jumping on the bandwagon of blog fads and then slowly fade away, but I'm hoping I don't do that with this one, 'cause it's actually really really cool! It's long term though, so I'm going to need help keeping up!!

The idea is that you create a list of 101 things to do. They can be dreams, they can goals, they can be accomplishments. Anywhere from graduating from college to traveling to doing something new in your hometown. I was inspired by Yelena's blog and I am going to join in!


The thing I really like about this challenge is that this list of 101 things is to be completed in 1001 days (about 2.75 years, or 32 months) and everytime you complete a task you are to take a picture and post it on the blog, as well as putting $10 in a jar for every time you finish something on your list. I am really excited for this!!

I'm setting the beginning date of this project on my birthday!
Beginning date: February 26, 2013
Ending date: November 24, 2015

Brianna's 101 in 1001
1. Finish this list by the start date, February 26, 2013.
2. Save $10 for everything completed on this list.
3. Make a blog post for every item finished on the list.
*4. Be president of an organization.
5. Quit my job.
6. Graduate from college.
7. Be accepted into Medical School.
*8. Take the MCAT.
*9. Finish my 135 interning hours at the VRCO.
10. Pay off my car.
11. Read the entire Lord of the Rings series.
12. Watch every episode of the new Hawaii Five-O series.
13. Participate in The Color Run.
14. Watch an autopsy. (Yes, I'm morbid.)
15. Visit Chicago with friends.
16. Volunteer at the Pregnancy Care Center once a week for a whole summer with my best friend.
17. Go on a date.
*18. Take a family vacation to Disney World with my best friend's family!
*19. Be a bride's maid for someone's wedding.
20. Get a tattoo.
21. Watch all 10 Original Disney Princess movies.
*22. Eat with Cinderella at Disney World!
23. Create a playlist of my top 101 songs!
24. Write a letter to my 16 year old self.
25. Write a letter to my 26 year old self.
26. Go to a symphony concert.
27. Move to another city.
28. Cook something with avocados.
29. Pay off my credit card.
*30. Get an Eye Exam.
31. Take/print photos of my closest friends.
32. Do yoga everyday for a month (totally stole this one).
33. Leave a 100% tip (also stolen).
*34. Participate in the 88.3 The Wind Drive-Thru Difference.
35. Give $100 Missions Offering.
36. Go on another foreign Mission Trip.
*37. Get a storage unit for all of my decorations from the Honors House.
*38. Restyle the blue dresser from Karasyn's mom.
*39. Go roller blading.
40. Go 101 days without drinking soda.
41. Sew a garment and wear it!
42. Go a whole week without internet.
43. Grow a vegetable garden and make homemade salsa.
44. Take shooting lessons and get my conceal and carry license.
45. Learn "Love Bug" by the Jonas Brothers on guitar.
46. Re-read my top 10 fiction novels. (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, The Host, The Uglies, Divergent, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay)
47. Read the rest of the Divergent series.
*48. Write a resume.
49. Try Indian food.
50. Go on a road trip with my best friend (even if it's just to Branson again).
51. Visit the local Hispanic store.
52. Follow a sports team through their entire season.
53. Get at least one person to join me on this 101 in 1001 journey.
54. See a famous person in real life.
55. Give a writen note in a bottle to someone.
56. Watch the classics I've never seen (The Breakfast Club, Forrest Gump, more to come...)
57. Try waitressing.
58. Try 10 new restaurants. (4/10) - Oscar's 2/17, Grad School 3/25, B Dub's 3/28, Crosstown Barbecue 3/30,
59. Take a photo a day for 101 days.
60. Take a train.
61. Eat at waffle house after midnight.
62. Buy a new laptop.
63. Go to a pumpkin patch and either paint or carve it.
64. Mail a present to someone.
65. Try 5 Pinterest recipes.
66. Read the entire Bible.
67. Try beignets.
68. Listen to every song on Spotify by 5 new bands.
69. Get Karasyn to try sushi. Hehe :)
70. Get a new devotional and finish the entire book.
71. Give up fried foods for one whole week.
72. Make a Chicago style pizza (the non-frozen kind).
73. Organize all of my financial documents (check stubs, W-2s, etc.)
74. Go to the City Museum in St. Louis.
75. Have my make-up done professionally for an event.
76. Aquire a super cute, vintage kitchen table.
77. Take a class at Drury that isn't in my area of study, just for fun.
78. Read a "for fun" book one hour a day for a month.
79. Study MCAT stuff 5 hours a week until the MCAT.
*80. Swim in an ocean.
81. Take a whole evening to take a bubble bath by candle light while reading a book.
*82. Photograph a scene in all four seasons.
83. Make a craft out of vintage sheet music.
84. Paint something using chalkboard paint.
*85. Observe at least 5 surgeries.
86. Pray for my future husband everyday for a month.
87. Make a parody Twitter account.
88. Take my brother to do something he really loves... maybe to the batting cages?
89. Take Meme to HuHot.
90. Buy Mom an Oreo Quicksand from the Potter's House.
91. Leave a note for someone in a random public place.
92. Beat someone at chess (AKA start playing chess again).
93. Write a letter to my future husband.
94. Acquire a designer bag.
95. Go lap swimming.
*96. Visit a new state.
97. Learn to improv on the Violin.
98. Attend or plan a surprise party.
99. Turn in library items on time everytime.
100. Give a gift entirely homemade.
101. Start a new list!!!

Exceptionally Quotidian

As I'm surfing the net, searching for anything worth my attention, I came across the blog of a friend from school. She had hooked up with a few bloggers in creating a word for the year 2013. Although we are already half way through the second month of the new year, I still think it would be a valuable thing to come up with such a word and join them. So, here is my word for 2013. Drum roll please....


 
 
This year has already presented some challenges and at first I was going to use the word discipline, but the word discipline, to me at least, has kind of a negative connotation. It is denotes error or punishment. It's definitely something that I need to work on in most areas of my life; finances, my relationship with God, time management, studying, health, etc., but I just didn't want my whole year depicted in that word. So instead, I decided to choose a more positive word that would reflect the results of discipline: exceptional. If I succeed in being more disciplined each of the forementioned areas of my life, these things could be a little more exceptional. This word is a promise to myself to make my life more exceptional, more "unusually good." 
 
Most days I feel like my life is so mundane and normal compared to some of my peers at school and such, but when I look at the majority of people that, let's say, I graduated from high school with, my life is pretty darn exciting. God's doing a lot of great things in my life and I want to embrace my exceptional, yet boring life. Thus the name of this blog; Exceptionally Quotidian.
 
(In case you didn't know the definition of quotidian is ordinary or everyday.)