Style? Really?

OK, I know I don't get to blogging very much these days, and for some reason, I really am feeling to post something. I got sidetracked on the best and worst dressed slideshows from the MTV movie awards last night. And I mean, really? REALLY? Here are some of the conundrums...

Now, I love me some Hermione Granger, don't get me wrong, but Emma... Oh, Emma, really? You're only missing your surfboard accessory. I KNOW the MTV awards are nothing compared to like the Oscars, but you might wanna consider a little more class and a little less surf n' turf. I just can't figure out how something like THIS ended up on the BEST dressed list when Kristen Stewart's monstrosity was on the WORST dressed list. I think they're BOTH bad, check out Kristen and see - what do you think?

see what I mean? Now, granted, I didn't watch the show and I'm just looking through these slides, but I didn't even know who most of these "starlets" were, and believe me, the vast majority were rightfully on the WORST dressed list. Now, look at this next one... What list do you think she was on?

This is Louise Roe, whomever that is. THIS was on the WORST dressed list because it's "ill-fitting." I think it's waaaay classier than the other crap that was there! The color is great on her, and it looks COMFY, and I think it's waaaaaaay better than this next diddy that WAS on the BEST list.

Enter Shailene Woodley. Who is she anyway? But really? This is SO BURNT! i.e. UG-LAY. I may have a conservative eye when it comes to fashion, but at least if *I* were a stylist, the people I dressed wouldn't look like ridiculosity.

*sigh*

Lost Love Songs

Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be a LOT more songs these days about lost loves? Here is a list of some of my recent and not so recent favorites: The One That Got Away - Katy Perry; Not Over You - Gavin Degraw; Hear Me Out - Frou Frou; Lips of an Angel - Hinder; The Harold Song - Ke$ha; Simple Together - Alanis Morissette. I'm sure my list could go on and on - what are some of your favorite Lost Love Songs?

Hello out there!

Just trying to make some noise through the crickets which have been around this neck of the blogosphere. I guess I simply haven't felt all too inspired for writing regularly. But I suppose it is quite over due!

I have had a few ideas for posts that would fit into the category of the premise of the blog itself - related to relationships (the lack thereof) and what not. I should also fill in a tidge on my current goings-on. I have just had a birthday - quite a monumental one, I guess. I've decided it's no longer fun to say that I'm halfway to such and such a number :) Halfway to 70 just doesn't quite have the same ring as halfway to 40, for example.

In any case, although I may be a 30-something I seem to be living the life of a 20-something, being a full-time college student and all. We are nearing the end of the semester, and so I'm sure that things will soon be getting quite crazy with end of the semester projects and final exams. It has been great, though! I've thoroughly enjoyed my field experience class - getting to spend time in the classroom with students and learning more about being an educator. I definitely loooove the 5th grade classroom I've been able to experience. I've favored that grade level previously, and when the kids in the class guessed my age at 20 or 21, I think it kind of made me even more in favor of fifth graders (lol).

The fall semester will find me in Advanced Study and therefore even more field hours. The plan, of course, is that KSU will place us in a variety of age groups and schools and situations to prepare us. So it will be interesting if nothing else!

One of the classes I've been taking this semester is Education Psychology. We were recently learning about learned helplessness, that is an expectation of failure due to past experience with failure. As I was driving to class one morning contemplating this, the thought occurred to me that I think I suffer from learned datelessness. I must say, I cracked myself up :) But seriously, in the past 6 or so years I have hardly even met anyone that I would even consider dating, and so... I've learned datelessness. C'est la vie, right?

I will be busy this summer with school as my goal is to be student teaching/graduating by preferably fall 2013, but spring '14 at the latest. And lo and behold, I have been asked to be a leader at Girls' Camp this year. You read that right. Me. Camping. So, that will be entertaining, to be sure. And if any of you have any tips or advice on being able to combat the extreme love that mosquitos seem to have for my blood, please, share. I will try to update a bit more frequently... until then, to quote one of my new favorite songs (Brokenhearted) by the new group Karmin; uh, cheerio!

Leaping with Faith

I know, I know. I have not had time to blog much this year. It happens, right? My life has been SO overbooked this year (that is a whole blog post idea on its own - overbooking ourselves), and something has been needing to change. As most of you know, last year at this time, I announced that I was going back to school. For the past year, I've been working full-time (with a variety of commute times), I began my Pampered Chef business in November 2010 (message me/comment me if you're interested in learning more about the products or business!), and I've been attending school part-time. This was all in addition, of course to various church responsibilities as well as a desire to have some sort of social life (or something resembling one). There were times this past year when I felt like I was barely treading water. I realized that unless something changed, my academic goals were going to be a sort of "someday" hoped for goal, something that might easily fall by the wayside unless something seriously changed. Well. That something is changing. With one of the most ginormous leaps of faith of my life thus far, I have given my notice at my full-time job and in exchange I am becoming a full-time student.
*scream*
Right?! I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. I truly feel like this is the right thing for my life at this time - I've been pondering and praying about it for months upon months, and now it's actually happening. My prayer NOW is that I am able to continue on this path, accomplish my goals and still be able to provide myself with the necessities of life. There is a lot of dark space in front of me yet, but I know that I've been trying to follow the path that God has prepared for me, and as I continue to seek His guidance I will be able to navigate my way through the unknown path ahead of me!

Single Lane Traffic Next Five Miles

I've been living back at home now for five years. Close to the time when I moved home and began my commuter life, construction began on the freeway. It began with a bridge. The landscaping around the bridge was moved around and resculpted to allow for an expanded bridge. That job took quite a long time and then they began to expand the freeway itself - and several years later I'm still driving through construction every day.

The other week, I noticed a sign as I was driving on the opposite side of the freeway; surrounded by cement barriers to protect me as I drove on the wrong side of the road, the sign read: Single Lane Traffic Next Five Miles.

I kind of laughed to myself as I made the correlation between this construction zone and my single life - the only difference was that this sign was keeping me updated on how much longer I could expect to be in a single lane. At that moment, I kind of wished that there was some way that the Lord could just give me a little sign to let me know how much longer my life's road would be traveled "alone".

Evenso, as long as I focus on being on the correct road - even when it seems like I'm driving on the opposite side of where I "should" be, I will be able to arrive to my destination safely.

I think that sometimes it's just hard to roll with the punches when our life has turned out so differently than we ever thought it could. The other day, I also had a "how did my life get me HERE" moment. My life is pretty crazy right now - my job is not fulfilling, though Pampered Chef i LOVE and school as well. Those three things piled into my life on top of every other responsibility I may have has driven me kind of insane at times. But I guess the plan is unfolding... The open road lies ahead. There are twists and turns, slower speed limits and even detours at times... But the next stop is in sight. Plans are hoped for and being worked toward... And hopefully soon, the journey will not be as bumpy as I continue heading toward a two-lane traffic pattern ;)

The heart and its concept of time

Alanis Morissette once sang, "and I have no concept of time other than it is flying," and I daresay most of us can readily agree with that statement. I had a moment though, the other week. A moment when my heart seemed to go back and stand still in time for just a moment before my intellect screamed me back to the here and now.

Have you ever loved someone and simply due to circumstances it was no longer acceptable or appropriate to love them? Again, Alanis sings, "and I never dreamed I would have to lay down my torch for you like this." We move on and get through the initial pain of loss in our heart, and as Felicity (from the show of the same name) once pointed out, it's more like we just learn to live with the broken heart. I guess you could say it heals, but the scars are still there.

The moment I had the other week was simply a moment when my heart just filled with love toward this person that is really not much in my life anymore. The memory of tender times past - a time when propriety had no role in whether or not I loved this person. And I realized how much I miss having someone to love. Even if it was someone that couldn't love me back, or rather, acknowledge that love.

Regardless, it really is good to be in love. And there are moments when I really miss it. Hopefully there will come another time when propriety will be on my side.

Are you there blogosphere? It's me - Angela

Hello strangers! It has been a crazy 2011 so far. My semester is over (straight A's mind you!), which means I survived Meteorology - it was touch and go there for awhile. My Pampered Chef business is doing well, too, which I am loving. It's fun and I am earning money doing it! What a concept, I say!

I'm trying to feel out how things are going to pan out over the next while, though. Things are getting to the point where my school schedule and work schedule are not getting along very well. Definitely "does not play well with others." So time will tell... I'm at present waiting it out to see where I'm led. I've got one summer class and two in fall - at that rate it'll be foreeeeeever until I obtain my Middle School Ed. degree. So as I said, time will tell.

Other things I've been working on - I am planning to walk a 5K on June 11 with the people from my Weight Watchers group. I'm excited to officially complete an official one. I've also signed up to do the Cleveland Heart Walk 5K in August with my co-workers, so I'm working to raise money for that. If you're interested in helping, let me know via message and I'll send you the link - or I may post it to my blog actually at some point in the near future.

Basically, that's the reader's digest condensed version of what the last 5 months has been for me. What have you been up to? Hit me up in the comments section and validate me!