My Life as a Leo

I was born on August 16th at 3:27PM. For those of you who are into Zodiac signs, this means that I am a Leo. I recently was reading I Wore Yoga Pants to Work's blog and discovered that she too was a Leo. 

Intrigued, I explored her blog entry and learned about a personalized chart reading she had done. For those of you who know me, I am ALWAYS analyzing myself and others. I love to think about what makes each of us ... well ... us! I am talking about how our Zodiac sign, birth order, love language and so forth impact who we are as a person and how we function in society. 

I have been wanting to get a palm reading done for quite sometime, but due to my religious upbringing, I am terrified of getting it done. Therefore I marvel at my horoscope only and other tests that provide me with more information about myself. 

This personalized chart reading was soo enticing and - let's be honest - is as close to a psychic as I will ever get. As I read through my personal reading, I was absolutely SHOCKED at how the majority of the statements were about me! In the name of fun and learning more about myself/others, I will share with you some statements that truly resonated with me and describe who I am as a person. 

+ has varied interests and hobbies

+ loves the limelight in every way

+ draws people to you effortlessly

+ prideful, bold, extroverted, and fun

+ huge heart

+ compliments are worth more than bricks of gold

+ love being recognized for being fabulous

+ showers confidence, dignity, and grace to everyone

+ detaches from decisions that can weaken your character in tough situations

+ have a natural sympathy and understanding for others

+ great at calming people down by listening to their problems and encouraging them to relax

+ believe in balance, and will want to make amends if any problematic situations come up

+ have an excellent blend to be able to practically come to decisions

+ kind, sympathetic, and able to express true love

+ security in your relationships emotionally is very important to you

+ friendships will tend to last a very long time

+ some sort of physical outlet is very important for you to do; whether it is sports, working out, or running

+ always make sure you are tactful and thoughtful in your words and actions so that you do not offend people

+ have a strong desire for being a mother

+ teaching may be a great career choice for you

+ words of wisdom flow naturally

+ feels torn at times to move forward with decisions fearlessly and head on when there is another side to you that is scared shitless (this tug of war is extremely frustrating for you at times)

+ very open mind as well as a very lively and dynamic personality

+ likes challenge, and things that are new and unusual

+ loves freedom - has a scattered energy and enthusiasm for life

+ loves living life to the absolute fullest
+ intellectual growth is important for you

+ education will be important to your personal growth

+ likes to develop own philosophy in life

+ likes being a part of groups

+ getting really close to people can scare you at times

+ have a strong need to feel accepted by others

+ your need to feel loved is also very strong, and at times desperate in relationships

+ tends to really like children

+ has high hopes and enthusiasm for every relationship

+ expectations for the ones you date tend to be too high & causes you to give up on relationships way too quickly

+ it is important to you that the person you date is intelligent

+ ssometimes when rough situations come about, a lack of self‐confidence can appear. You must always remember what an incredible person you are and rise above that, even in really tough situations

+ it’s hard to talk about your faults and problems with others. Sometimes you will get a gut feeling about things and immediately start investigating why you feel that way. Sometimes you think about things so hard that you drive yourself insane.

I absolutely LOVE my chart reading! And HIGHLY recommend you looking into getting one as well :o) 

I'm the kind of girl who...

+ over analyzes everything

+ wants to be loved

+ loves to run

+ needs words of affirmations (my love language)

+ prefers to spend quality time with loved ones

+ likes to be the center of attention

+ gets her feelings hurt easily

+ takes everything personally

+ is a Leo and believes in zodiac signs

+ tries to see the good in everyone

+ is a girls girl

+ likes routine

+ panics when life throws her curve balls 

+ has a sarcastic sense of humor

+ loves to teach children

+ loves to listen to music

+ dreams of living on the beach

+ feels the most at peace when the sand is in between her toes

+ cares too much about what other people think

+ is passionate about diversity

+ has an open mind

+ always feels like a square peg in a round hole 

+ often fights for the underdog

+ eats way too much chocolate

+ loves sushi

+ drinks way too much beer and wine on the weekends

+ dances at the drop of a beat

+ is way too hard on herself

+ adores her girlfriends

+ who wants to be perfect in EVERYTHING she does

+ watches way too many reality TV shows

+ loves to eat

+ is way too gullible

+ has had her heartbroken

+ looks for red flags when dating guys ... for fear of getting her heart broken again

+ can quote every line from the movie, Remember the Titans

+ loves every kind of music

+ enjoys going to concerts

+ seeks new places to hike just because

+ is shy and reserved by nature

+ outgoing by nurture

+ is lost and trying to figure things out along the way

+ cries herself to sleep many nights

+ says a prayer every night before bed thanking God for the blessings in her life

+ is late to almost EVERYTHING

+ loves to give advice

+ loves to blog

+ wants to be appreciated for being simply me :o)

Momma to Be!

Today is a HUGE day in the life of one of my best friends!
The day of her baby shower has finally arrived! 

Natasha and I have been best friends since elementary school. We met in Mrs. Byrd's third grade class, when our desks were placed next to one another. My first memory of Natasha was her running around the recess playground, in 36 degree weather, in a pair of shorts. I distinctly remember her saying, "It's not cold outside!" The rest of us wearing hats, mittens, scarves and heavy winter coats must have been crazy, right? Ha Ha! 

We continued to stay close friends throughout the years! We enjoyed several sleepovers together at one another's houses. We joined the same girl scout troop, and remained in it third grade through senior year of high school. We played on the same soccer and basketball teams. We ran track together and played field hockey together. We were so different, yet we enjoyed each other's company. 

Natasha and I went on to graduate high school and attend the same college together. 

We decided our freshman year of college to live in different dorms, in the hopes that we would meet new people and expand our circle of friends. We kind of did that ... we met knew people (i.e. our roommates). However, we managed to bring our roommates together and hang out at the same gatherings every single weekend. 

We played rugby together in college. We attended all of those rugby parties together. 

We even moved in together for junior and senior year of college. 

Natasha and I have been out of college now for almost four years. We have watched one another go through first loves, heartbreaks and failed attempts at dating. And now I have witnessed her get  pregnant and married with her first child! 

I am so excited to spend this afternoon with family and friends ... celebrating Momma-to-be and baby-to-be. You truly know you're getting old when your friends begin to get married and have babies on purpose. We are definitely not little kids on the playground anymore, but I am excited to be a part of this baby's life and to watch Natasha easily fall into the role as a mom! 

What You Deserve ...

"Because you deserve someone who is sweet and patient, who laughs at your jokes no matter how lame they are. You deserve someone who doesn’t belittle you, who lets you know when you’re wrong but tells you so kindly and not because they want to gloat. You deserve someone who sends you little jokes throughout the day because they think it’ll make you smile, and maybe even laugh. Because knowing that you’re smiling is enough to make them smile, too. You deserve someone who wants to spend time with you, who won’t hold themselves back, who takes the risk of letting you in because they think they have more to gain than they do to lose. You deserve all the cheesy little things if you want them: all the songs that make you think of them and the compliments that make you blush and the photos you have together with grins that stretch from ear to ear. You deserve someone to ask you how your day was, and who wants to hear about it and will let you complain about your boss for hours on end. You deserve the things that read like clichés, because even these were once rooted in truth."

http://thoughtcatalog.com/ella-ceron/2014/02/you-cant-forget-that-you-deserve-kindness-too/

I want to love ... and be loved

“I’m not the silly romantic you think. I don’t want the heavens or the shooting stars. I don’t want gemstones or gold. I have those things already. I want…a steady hand. A kind soul. I want to fall asleep, and wake, knowing my heart is safe. I want to love, and be loved.” — Shana Abe

exactly what I needed

The past twenty-four hours have been absolutely perfect.

I had the pleasure of going out in Canton with two of my dearest girlfriends! Alison is getting married and made plans for members of the bridal party to link up and reconnect. While a third of the bridal party did not show <due to other engagements> the remainder of us had a hell of an evening together!

We began the night with a hubcap margarita at Nacho Mamas - a must have and a must stop if you ever find yourself wandering the streets of Canton. There was a two hour wait for a table - typical - so we ventured over to a bar next door to begin rounds of shots and drinks. After an hour or two, we made our way back to Nacho Mamas for dinner and it was delicious (per usual). Kitty girl had lost her driver's license ... and didn't realize this until we were carded at the bar next door ... so we made a deal with the bartender who served us to return immediately after finishing dinner at Nachos. The funniest part was he accepted that Kat was 26 - going on 27 - when she pulled up her face book profile to show her birth date. Oh the adventures we get ourselves into.

(notice the hubcap margarita pictured in the bottom right of the picture)

We usually bar hop in Canton ... but no can do when it's 9PM and each bar cards every individual to walk through the door. We spent the rest of the night in this unfamiliar bar - not our typical choice for a spot to hang out at - dancing and drinking. No night out is complete without a few heart to hearts ... and trust me when I say some tears were dropped and several heart to hearts occurred. Like the old ladies we have become, we called a taxi around 11:50pm, and were headed home at midnight. $61 dollars later ... we arrived back at Al's place for a late night of popcorn and Sex and the City. Or at least that's what everyone else did - I passed out within minutes of popping a popcorn into my mouth. Typical.

I spent the rest of today in Pikesville with my girls :) We all woke up around 7AM ... and then ended up passing out until 11AM, at which time we decided to get brunch. We spent the rest of the day (until 4pm) talking about life, love, happiness, friendships and marriage.

Never a dull moment with Alison and Kat.
I am beyond grateful for their friendships and the memories we have created together. 

unplug, day three

It is currently day THREE of my social media hiatus. While I am managing well overall, there have been moments when I have been tempted to log onto face book or twitter to reconnect with the world. But my will power is strong right now, and I am proud of myself for sticking to my guns! Let's see if I continue to be THIS strong over the next two weeks.

My choice to unplug has been wonderful so far. I am not anxious or crazed about knowing the whereabouts of other people ... what they're doing and why I was not invited. I am not spending endless hours lost in face book or twitter. When I am with company, I am actually tuned into the conversation and engaged. I do not have this itch in the back of my head to snap a photo with my iPhone only to post it to instagram and stalk my IG news feed. I am not distracted by some one's status update on face book, all while trying to craftily plan the phrase or words needed for my status ... all while sitting in the middle of a dinner conversation with friends. I am not scrolling through my twitter feed and laughing out loud at something someone tweeted while simultaneously missing something funny that my friend at the table said.

I am engaged. I am present. I feel alive. I feel connected ... with the people sitting right in front of me. And it's a darn great feeling. I have no urge to have my cell phone in my hand. I am living in the moment.

Near the beginning of the month, when I was in fact plugged into social media, I posted a status about divorce. The status went something like this, "Divorce your phone, your apps, your social-feeds, and engage in relationships with people that actually matter. Vow to spend a significant amount of time off your mobile-devices, unplugged, and instead get back to making personal relationships that will stand the test of time."

Here's to the start of me doing exactly that - engaging in relationships with people that actually matter.