Tag Archives: Lists

09.07.14
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Writing Prompt #4: Music and Identity

Music is so powerful. It takes a person through so many life stages. There are countless quotes, research, studies, and so on about the benefits of music and how amazing it is for the soul, the mind, brain development, and more.

I played piano for about five years and then switched to viola for eight years. Even though I was trained in the “classical” instruments, I enjoy music with lyrics a bit more than classical pieces.

Photo Credit: music-lessons-pa.com

Photo Credit: music-lessons-pa.com

I love having conversations with my friend Justin. I know we are friends for life because we can literally talk about anything and everything, at any time. He’ll tell you that we were chatting on Facebook very early one recent Saturday morning, until almost 4 a.m. We’re always sharing things with each other, whether it be a story, a news article, research, or something funny.

He shared something amazing with me recently: The music video for Kelly Clarkson’s “Dark Side.”

Before Justin shared this with me, I had only heard snippets of the song on the radio. I’m so glad he shared the video with me. How powerful.

I’ve always found music lyrics to be incredibly meaningful and powerful.

Case in point:

Everybody’s got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody’s a picture perfect
But we’re worth it
You know that we’re worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

It takes incredible talent to write something like that, and then have it be listened to thousands, if not hundred of thousands or millions, of times over. The “Dark Side” video on YouTube currently has over 21 MILLION views. It was uploaded to her channel on May 24, 2012. Wow!

The reason behind Justin sharing this with me stemmed from this weekend – Al and I got together with Justin and our friends Katie and Drew for most of the day on Saturday. We played through the whole deck of Cards against Humanity, and then the conversation changed over to music and relationships (Justin’s girlfriend, Heaven, is in her last semester at Longwood). Katie and Drew have been together the longest of the three couples – They’ll be celebrating 7 YEARS in October! That’s amazing! (Al and I just celebrated 4 years together this past Thursday, and Justin and Heaven are approaching their 2-year anniversary very shortly)

Anyway, the topic shifted to weddings and dancing, and the like. Katie and Drew asked Al and I if we had a song for us – and we were a bit stumped. Al and I like a lot of different music! Unlike us, Katie and Drew’s is an Eric Clapton classic.

Justin shared “Dark Side” with me with the thought that I might identify myself with it, in regards to my relationship with Al. After listening to it, it doesn’t just apply to me! I consider this to be a “blanket song,” or one that a lot of different people can relate to or identify with, across the board.

I love songs like this. It’s not exclusive to just one person or a specific couple / category / identity. I’ve noticed a lot of mainstream music is becoming less and less blanket-like, with certain genres in particular.

Take country music, for example. I hesitate to try to identify myself with a lot of it, although I like listening to the genre in general. To showcase my point, have you ever noticed that a lot of the girls in country music songs tend to all be blonde and blue-eyed?

Yep. That’s not me, literally. Total brunette and hazel-eyed over here.

There’s a difference in listening to music and identifying with music. Music affects all of us in some way, shape, or form. And if it doesn’t do that for you, I’m very suspicious.

Anyway, see below for the songs that I truly identify with.

1. “You Raise Me Up” – Josh Groban

2. “Here I Am, Lord” – Dan Schutte

3. “Don’t Stop Believin'” – Journey

4. “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” – Kelly Clarkson

5. “The Way” – Clay Aiken

6. “Who I Am With You” – Chris Young

7. “September” – Earth, Wind & Fire

8. “I Knew You Were Trouble” – Taylor Swift

9. “Shine” – Clay Aiken

10. “Hooked on a Feeling” – Blue Swede

11. “Dark Side” – Kelly Clarkson

12. “You’re the Inspiration” – Chicago

13. “Fire and Rain” – James Taylor

14. “Carolina in My Mind” – James Taylor

15. “Smile” – Uncle Kracker

16. “Haven’t Met You Yet” – Michael Buble

17. “Against All Odds” – Phil Collins

18. “As Long As You Love Me” – Backstreet Boys

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject!

Happy Sunday, all. Welcome to September!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.31.14
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Commentary #3: “10 Things Every Woman Should Know By 25”

I have a love-hate relationship with these types of lists. On one hand, I love them and think they’re great. On the other hand, I have great disdain whenever I see a new one (cue the eye rolling) and think about how the female population is being put into a box, so to speak. More on that later.

Considering I just crossed the threshold into my late-20s, I thought I’d look at this list and see where I am in terms of what the writers at this flagship/legendary magazine believe I should be.

 

I’m going to post the short list here — “10 Things Every Woman Should Know By 25,” according to Cosmopolitan:

1. Get a Clarisonic.

2. Cut the social fat.

3. Stop judging your friend’s dickhead fiancée.

4. Buy a full bed!

5. Stop not knowing when your period is coming.

6. Not everybody has to wear foundation.

7. Make the transition from talking shit to doing shit.

8. Invest in a black blazer.

9. Date a type of dude you would have never dated before.

10. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. Stop worrying.

Here’s my take on these 10 things:

1. I’ve seen Clarisonic in the department stores. I’ve received the sales pitch and how beneficial it would be to my face, especially at my age. So, unless you want to shell out well over $100 for this “toothbrush for your face,” fine by me. Personally, some good face wash and a washcloth (heck, I normally use my hands in the shower in the a.m. and over the sink in the p.m.) have worked me for YEARS. I was blessed to not have terrible acne, and I’ve learned through lots of trial and error what products are best for my face. I currently use a combination of Clearasil and Clean & Clear.

Photo Credit: mojosavings.com

Photo Credit: mojosavings.com

For the record, I recently purchased a Clarisonic-like device from nomorerack.com for a lot less than the name brand. However, it’s been sitting in my linen closet, unopened, for over a month and a half because I haven’t finished using my current product line-up. I’m certain I’ll get around to using it, but I believe in finishing what you started in terms of products. Also, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

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2. This one was interesting. I’ve done this a couple of times with Facebook, mainly because my friends list was well over 1,000 people, and that was slightly insane to me. My advice: Go through your friends list at least once (it doesn’t matter what age you are though) and determine who you talk to/interact with and who you don’t. You’ll likely be surprised about how many people are in the latter category. Plus, if you un-friend them and they decide that they want to better their friendship with you because of it, that’s great.

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3. Ah, engagements and weddings. Wonderful, crazy times. The point of this one is simple: Treat your friends with respect, and that ALWAYS includes their S.O./fiance/spouse/partner. Fake it if you absolutely have to in their presence.

Please also apply this rule to your friends who are single – Please stop judging them about whether or not they’re dating, or even looking for someone. I’ve been on both sides of this coin, and it SUCKS. For the love of humanity, be kind and don’t be a nosy neighbor, so to speak.

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4. This list was originally published in September 2013, and I remember first reading this around that time. For this one, at that time, I shook my head and scoffed a little. I was in my apartment then, and sleeping just fine on the twin bed that carried me through nearly 15 years of my life.

Fast forward to moving back home in May 2014, and I asked my parents if the queen-size guest bed could be in my bedroom. They agreed, and everything changed. I started sleeping better! I have more room! I don’t feel like I’m still in college. You are not limited to a twin mattress!!

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5. I laughed at this one. For me, I have always known when my period is coming, thanks to being on some form of birth control since before I was a teenager.

Clarification: My periods were absolutely terrible in the beginning – I put my poor mother through hell. We quickly knew something was wrong, so we went to the doctor and they advised that The Pill would help regulate everything. I think I started around age 11 or 12, so it’s second nature now. I was mortally embarrassed in the 7th grade – One of the blonde cheerleaders had somehow found out that I was on The Pill and then asked/yelled (in front of the entire grade), “Laura Beth, are you pregnant?” I realized later that it didn’t make any sense, but at the time, I wanted to melt into the floor.

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6. When it comes to make-up, I’m like my mom; I’m very minimal. I only use foundation or concealer if I have a bad breakout, which is usually during my period. I realize that many of my friends aren’t as fortunate, and I feel sorry for you!

My make-up routine is very simple:

Daily moisturizer with SPF: Clean & Clear Morning Glow

Photo Credit: bourbonandgloss.com

Photo Credit: bourbonandgloss.com

Mascara: Cover Girl Natureluxe

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Photo Credit: http://www.amazon.com

Eyeliner – I like Bonne Bell and Mary Kay, but the Dollar Tree has some great options, too!

My advice: Take care of your face (see #1) and add some mascara every day – It makes your eyes look more open. And, whatever you do, absolutely wash and moisturize your face before you go to sleep each and every night – I’ve heard of ladies getting terrible eye infections from not washing off their make-up, plus your skin will be softer!

Anything beyond that, go for it!

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7. Guilty as charged. We all do it. I love this one because of this: “We talk shit because it’s easy, comfortable, and cathartic – but nobody will know, and nothing will change, until you speak up.” PREACH!

But seriously, go live your dreams. Save some money. Travel the world. Go back to school and get that degree you’ve always wanted/needed.

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8. This is one of the easiest ones! I have one from Kohl’s (Apt. 9). I have a matching black skirt too, and when I wear it at work, I get tons of compliments. Don’t go to Starbucks for a couple of days/weeks, take $50 or so and go get one. It’s professional and stylish!

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9.  I speak from experience here. The three guys I dated B.A. (Before Al) were all from my church. I expanded my social horizons first by taking the plunge into IB in high school, and then again when I went away to Longwood. Despite all of that over so many years, I never realized that such an amazing man would literally be in my own backyard. Before Al, I had never been on a true “first date” – I fell into dating the other guys because we were in church and youth group together.

Al wasn’t raised in the church, and that was so refreshing for me. Sometimes you just need the slightest change in perspective (and possibly a persuasive younger brother – Here’s looking at you, Nick!). Take a risk. Go out of your comfort zone – You never know what you’ll find.

And here we are, celebrating 4 YEARS next week!!  I can’t believe it.

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10. Again, guilty as charged. It’s so hard not to worry – There is so much that stresses us out. But I’ve seen the ill effects of worrying – How it makes people physically sick and debilitated. As the list says, “Everything will work itself out.”

Your world won’t end if you get drunk one night and your friends have all the ridiculous stories to share – It was just one night. Life marches on. You’ll laugh at yourself down the road.

Your world won’t end if you can’t find your dream job right now – Be brave and take the part-time job at McDonald’s or Michaels or the local day care or Bath & Body Works for their seasonal staff. Who knows what might happen? Working somewhere is so much better than sitting at home, no money and bored stiff – Trust me!

Well, there you have it. Is there anything that Cosmo missed? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.15.14
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Writing Prompt #3: Confessions

I took this idea from a dear friend and sorority sister, Amy. Check out her blog!

Like Amy, I found this exercise to be therapeutic. It brought an incredible sense of relief and peace as I started to pour them out on paper.

Like Usher croons, these are my confessions:

1. I confess that I’m very content with my life right now. And I kind of feel guilty about it, knowing that so many people around struggle day-to-day. In spite of the guilt, I’m very much at peace, unlike my feelings a few months ago!

2. I confess that I feel like I’m not as supportive as a daughter, friend, and girlfriend as I should be. I’ve worked very hard to love myself and pay attention to me, and not everyone else all the time like I used to. However, I feel like that I’ve been selfish.

3.  I confess that my true passion is writing. If I could quit my job and write full-time for the money that I make now, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Heck, I’d do it for less money! I love writing on this blog and I would be over the moon if I’m able to publish at least one novel in my lifetime. For now, though, as I work and get through my paralegal degree, I resign myself to write as much as can and faithfully participate in National Novel Writing Month every year …

4. I confess that I relish, thrive, on alone time. I’m definitely an extrovert, no doubt about that. But after a while (several hours is starting to become my upper limit, but it truly depends on who I’m with), I need to close the door behind me and be able to breathe again. I secretly hate the fact that I don’t have an office at work, I just have a cube. I wish, just once a workday, that I could close a door!

5. I confess that, related to #4, I’m terrified that my alone time will simply disappear and never come back when Al and I get married. I was virtually by myself for 10 months in my apartment, and that was fantastic. Now I’ve been by myself in Mom and Dad’s house for a significant portion of the summer, and I don’t want to give it up!

6. I confess that I’m struggling to keep the momentum going to finish my paralegal degree. I know that I’m doing the right thing by going slowly and not overloading myself with full-time school, but it’s been immensely frustrating to see my credits add up little by little. I wish I was able to take a full load like I did at Longwood, but then I wouldn’t have the time or energy for other beautiful things in my life.

7. I confess that I’ve altered my Sunday morning routine, almost as quickly as I wrote the blog post about it. I went on a mission trip the week after I wrote that post, and it re-awakened my senses. In the span of a week and a half, I knew that I needed to go back to church. And since I have, my life has changed for the better.

8. I confess that I want to travel. I wish I could take an extended leave from my current life and just up and travel the world! I have been blessed to have been able to cross the Atlantic several times before the age of 25, but I don’t want to stop. I desperately want to see all 50 states, and visit all of the lighthouses in the U.S. at some point.

 

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a great day and an awesome weekend!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

05.13.14
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Writing Prompt #1: A Few of My Favorite Things

I want to pick up writing prompts again. Years ago, one of my dearest friends, Melissa, turned me onto “The Pocket Muse.” This little gem is a great resource for writers who may be suffering from the horrors of writer’s block, or just need something new to put pen to paper, or fingers to computer keys.

I’ve done a few of these lists through Facebook, but I wanted to expand upon a few of my favorite things. Besides, I thought it was time for a new blog post, anyway. Enjoy!

Favorite TV Show: Glee — I’ve been a “gleek” since the pilot aired five years ago. I own almost all of the soundtracks. I sobbed when the CNN Alert on my iPhone showed that Cory Monteith had died of an overdose last summer. I pre-ordered the very first soundtrack through a Facebook ad and was pleasantly thrilled that my “surprise gift” was an 11″ x 14″ poster of the cast, and signed! That poster, now framed, is one of my most treasured possessions.

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Favorite Cuisine: Italian — Hello, my name is Laura Beth, and I’m a pastaholic. I love Olive Garden’s fettuccine Alfredo. I frequent the Fazoli’s on Jefferson Avenue at least twice a month for lunch. There are several local restaurants in Newport News that also serve excellent Italian – Tuscany, Al Fresco, and Azzurri!

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Favorite Place to Eat: Applebee’s — They have such good food! I usually order something different every time.

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Favorite Dressing: Ranch — That obsession started with Mom giving me baby carrots (and celery, as shown below) as a kid.

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Favorite Time of Day: Evening — Especially in the spring and summer, when I can sit outside and listen to the crickets and frogs. Sunsets have been a big part of my life as well. As a photographer, I’ve tried to get better at shooting them better. Thanks to Al, I’ve also become more interested in night shooting. When we went out to his parents’ farm in early April, we took our cameras and attempted to get shots of the stars. I can’t wait to go back and visit – Their farm is located in one of the darkest places on the Eastern Seaboard! To view Al’s photography and videos, check out his website!

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Favorite Flower: Roses — It was really hard to pick just one. I’ve loved flowers for forever. But roses have a special meaning to me. Red roses are romantic. I was given purple roses once. And yellow roses are the flower of my beloved sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau.

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Favorite Pizza Toppings: Veggies! — I love supreme pizza. My favorite combo is peppers, mushrooms, black olives, and onions.

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Favorite Color: Purple — I’ve always liked purple. My parents let me paint my walls lavender when I switched bedrooms. I think it’s a romantic color. My go-to purse from thirty-one is purple. And the Longwood chapter of AST has purple as a local chapter color – Our old unity letters were emerald green, gold, and purple.

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Favorite Movie: Forrest Gump — Hands down. I remember watching this movie on TV for the first time, a few years after it came out in theaters. I love historical movies, so this movie is a great reflection of several important events. Since that first TV block, I’ve watched it pretty much every time it’s aired. Ironically, I currently don’t own a copy of it on DVD, but I think I can make that change.

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Favorite Vacation: Europe in the summer of 2005 — This was one of my best trips ever. I traveled with my high school classmates and teachers to England, France, and Spain over the course of 17 days. I had the opportunity to see all the great sights, to learn a lot of history, and put my Spanish studies to use. I learned a little bit of France, which was beneficial when I returned to Paris three years later! One of the best memories was that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (the book, not the movie) was released on our last day in England. We were staying in London, so a bunch of us went to Waterstones (England’s equivalent of Barnes & Noble) for the midnight release. Because of this, I own the hardcover British edition of the book. As a bonus for attending the midnight release, we also received a copy of Lionboy, which is the first book in a great trilogy. In addition to London, we went through the Chunnel to Paris, explored Nice and Monaco, drove over the Pyrenees, and experienced Barcelona and Madrid before returning to the States.

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04.03.14
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Beautiful Birthdays

I’m starting a new series of posts. I want to highlight the birthdays of special people in my life, with the goal of publishing each post on the person’s actual birthday 🙂

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I’m kicking off the series with not one, but TWO people who were born on April 3rd!

April’s birthstone is the Diamond. The Zodiac signs are Aries (March 21 – April 19) and Taurus (April 20 – May 20).

Today, these two share a birthday with writer Washington Irving, actress Jan Stirling, astronaut Virgil Grissom, Jane Goodall, President Obama, Eddie Murphy, Alec Baldwin, skier Picabo Street, and Amanda Bynes, to name a few.

 

First and foremost, is the man who loved me first – my Daddy!

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Can you guess when and where this picture may have been taken? 😉

My dad’s the best. He’s been a major role model for me. Here’s 10 of the best things about him:

1. We have an awesome relationship. He’s always made me feel loved and appreciated. He’s definitely taught me hard lessons, but every minute has been worth it. The title of this blog comes from him – He started calling me “Hot Shot” forever ago. We have no idea how it started, but it’s stuck and I love it. It’s our nickname, so to speak.

2. I can call him at any time. He’s always willing to listen and offer non-emotional advice to me, even if I’m having a meltdown at 12:30 a.m.

3. Dad made me consider (stressing the word consider) the military as a career. I’m so proud to have been a Coast Guard brat.

4. Dad taught me how to do handy things – I watched him change the oil in our station wagon for the first time when I was in elementary school and that’s what started it all. I now change the oil in my Camry like clockwork, I know how to change a tire on a car and a truck, I’m decent at driving a stick, etc. And it’s not limited to just cars – I know how to change window screens, clean gutters, build a proper fire, use a chainsaw and a ton of other power tools, paint a room, and even a little bit of plumbing.

5. Dad is mission-oriented. I have seen him give so much time and effort to both local and international organizations for over 20 years. When we joined our Methodist Church in 1992, that’s one of the first things he got involved with, and he’s never left. Everything from feeding the homeless, to wrapping Christmas gifts for kids that have incarcerated parents, to blood drives, to mission trips; it never ends.

6.  Dad has an awesome talent for music. Growing up, he dabbled in the trumpet, drums, percussion. He was in the high school marching band and I’m sure he did something musical at the USCGA. Now, he’s been one of four men in the church handbell choir for the last 15 years and loves it!

7. Dad was my inspiration to start volunteering at blood drives and start giving blood. This is one of our shared passions. First, he gave blood for me when I was born at 25 weeks – That’ll be 26 years in a few months. He’s kept a folded piece of paper in his wallet that lists the date and location of every blood donations he’s given, and that’s been since the early 70s! Fast forward to the late 90s – Dad saw a need for a blood drive and thought our church could fill it. One of our church members had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1999 and we held a joint blood / bone marrow drive for her. That was in April 2000. We went from two drives in 2000 to our clockwork drives – The second Saturday of every even-numbered month (six times per year). We’ll celebrate our 14th anniversary drive in about a week – April 12th – and we are closing in on reaching 5,000 total units collected. We average around 55-60 units per drive, so we hope to celebrate 5,000 in June or August 🙂

8. Dad’s an amazing husband to my mom. They’ve been married for 32 years!

9. Dad was my savior when it came to math (until college, anyway – I was on my own for Honors Statistics). Mom was all thumbs after I got to middle school. Plus, being an engineer by trade certainly doesn’t hurt in this department. Some of my funniest memories were when we did my homework over multiple lines of communication. Example – He had to move to Florida for a work contract when I was in 7th grade; he was gone for almost 10 months. When I brought home my Pre-Algebra work, I’d finish it to the best of my ability, scan it, and email it to him. He’d review it, and then fax it back to me at home with any corrections (or suggestions as he likes to say). One of us would call the other and we’d discuss it until everything seemed right in the math world! We repeated this process when I was in high school Geometry and he was on the West Coast for work for a couple of months. It was certainly interesting!

10. Dad was / is a great role model for keeping me active. It started in the pool. He took me water-skiing when I was 6. We rode bikes all over the neighborhood with my mom. When I started rollerblading, he and Mom would ride their bikes and when I started to slow down, he’d throw me a tow rope and he’d pull me all the way home at breakneck speed. I played rec soccer for 7 years, so there were lots of pick-up games in the backyard. I played rec softball for one season, but Dad worked with me for a couple years before that to help condition me. We played catch in New York’s Central Park. When we flew to Florida to visit my grandparents, we packed a bat, gloves, and this crazy contraption of a softball on a fiberglass pole that tremendously improved my hitting. You get the picture. Dad also learned to ride a unicycle years ago – and we still have it in the garage.

I love you, Dad!

 

The second amazing person is Michaela Leigh D’Angelo!

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This is her and her sweet doggie!

10 fun facts:

1. She has an older sister, Karen. Karen’s a year older than I am and Michaela Leigh is two years younger than me, so we’re tight. We three have been friends for literally forever – This is what happens when your moms are literal best friends that met through teaching 30+ years ago!

2. She’s an assistant at a local marina. It all started with an opportunity to sail on a couple’s yacht a couple summers ago. Apparently you can’t take the boat out of her now.

3. She loves dogs – particularly dachshunds. Her family had sweet Sadie for almost 15 years until recently. But she has Ruby now and she’s just precious!

4. She’s gone back and forth between her first name and middle name. For years, it was Michaela. For a couple more years, it was Leigh. I’m starting to abbreviate to ML now 🙂

5. She studied French language and literature in college. I’m almost certain she’s fluent too. I would call her a linguist!

6. She studied abroad in France. I was so jealous of her the entire time she was overseas!

7. She dressed up as Rosie the Riveter one year for Halloween – That’s awesome. To this day, that still is one of the most BAMF costumes that I have ever seen.

8. Her makeup is always perfect, and she’s known for her signature red lipstick.

9. She and Karen both have had the most beautiful long hair (Karen’s kept it short for a long time, but ML’s left it long and it’s awesome!). Again, I’m jealous – My hair gets weird if it grows past a certain length. But their hair – On point.

10. She learned the cello early on and was amazing at it!

 

Well, there you go. First birthday post. I don’t think that I’ll do 10 fun facts every time, but I’ll learn as I do more of these. Many more to come!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.31.14
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Hello, Spring!

Spring officially arrived on March 20th … but here in southeastern Virginia and many other parts of the U.S.A., it certainly hasn’t felt like it!

I don’t really have a favorite season. I like all four, for different reasons:

Winter

winter-landscape-tofuhaus-com-791851

The picture above says it all. I love snow and the way it touches the landscape. I love the cold breeze and when I can see my breath. I like being bundled up in warm fleece and scarves … when the calendar says it’s supposed to be winter, anyway. See below.

However, this winter has been a major exception. I don’t like all the wishy-washy, Mother Nature can’t make up her freaking mind, mood swinging changes in temperatures. Some people (like my mom) say that they love living here in SE VA because we get all four seasons. Yeah, right. We get a few minutes of spring and fall every year (maybe), then the rest of the year is all summer and winter.

“You can’t get too much winter in the winter.” ~Robert Frost

Spring

river of flowers

If I had to pick a favorite season, I’d choose spring. I love seeing the new life sprouting from the ground and the trees. One of the best things about living in SE VA is that there are so many trees and parks and places with nature. I love that I can hear birds singing almost every morning.

Don’t believe me? Check out the links below (but I highly recommend visiting in person!)

Norfolk Botanical Garden – Norfolk

Portsmouth City Park – Portsmouth

Oak Grove Lake Park – Chesapeake

Sandy Bottom Nature Park – Hampton

Noland Trail and Mariners’ Museum Park – Newport News

False Cape State Park – Virginia Beach

First Landing State Park – Virginia Beach

Chippokes Plantation State Park – Surry

And there’s beaches and rivers, too.

Also, this spring I signed up with the Hidenwood Presbyterian Church co-ed softball team. I’m so excited to get started – We’ve been practicing for a week already, and our first game is a week away from today. Play ball!

“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!'” ~Robin Williams

Summer

summer

Summer is a love-hate season for me. Summer to me means freedom – Freedom from school, freedom to travel, freedom from clothing (to an extent). However, in SE VA, it just gets terribly hot and humid. And quickly. And for a long time. It depends on the year, but usually it starts to get hot and miserable sometime in May and lasts clear to the end of September. Blech!

However, with summer comes some of my best memories. My birthday is in the beginning of August.

The annual church mission trip to North Carolina happens every July – I started going in high school and this summer will be my eighth trip. Carolina Cross Connection is a great group!

Several years ago, my friend Liz’s parents bought a beach house in Corolla. Until then, I had never traveled to the OBX, outside of trips to Kitty Hawk and a family friend’s beach house in Southern Shores. The Easterbrooks’ sunny yellow house holds amazing memories for me. Talk about freedom!

Even better, summer was the season that Al and I met. We watched “Inglorious Bastards” with his brother Nick the night before I left Chesapeake for my senior year at Longwood, and I knew that night that I wanted both of them to be in my life somehow until the end. The first two weeks of school were filled with texts, Facebook, and Skype. I brought Nick’s girlfriend at the time (a new Longwood freshman) home for Labor Day weekend, and Al and I decided that we’d go out to dinner at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on September 4th … Well, the rest is history.

“Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams.” ~Hosea Ballou

Fall

fall leaves

Like winter, the picture above says it all. The fall represents gorgeous colors as the trees prepare for winter. I have fond memories of helping rake the leaves in my parents’ backyard and then jumping in them for hours with the neighborhood kids. My dad and Mr. Porter from across the street usually put a big blue tarp down before we started, and then they’d drag us around the yard with the leaves. So much fun.

One of my fondest memories of fall was a youth group camping trip to Sherando Lake when I was a sophomore in high school. It was stunning scenery, much like the picture above. I experienced my first canoe flip in the lake (not the best moment; the senior boys flipped us! Jerks!) That was also the trip when I discovered my first high-school crush … Sigh.

Fall also means apples and bonfires. I have never gone apple-picking, but that’s on my to-do list. Plus, I want to make an apple pie from scratch one day!

“By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer’s best of weather And autumn’s best of cheer.”  ~Helen Hunt Jackson

So, there you go. My thoughts on the four seasons.

Needless to say, after the long, miserable winter I’ve experienced for the last several months, I’m stoked for days of sunshine and those days that I can put my windows down and feel the breeze when I drive. Bring it on!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.17.14
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Quarterly Review

Seeing that the first quarter of the year is almost over (already – I swear every single year gets faster and faster), I want to do a bit of a review.

As 2013 came to a close, I started thinking about the New Year. In the past, I made New Year’s Resolutions, but like 99.9 percent 0f all humans, I never followed through.

However, inspiration struck. I decided on 14 things for 2014.

2014

I took a cardboard box top and proceeded to write my 14 goals in multi-colored Sharpies.

1. Balance checkbook every month

2. Complete the 52-week savings challenge

3. Donate to Goodwill once a month

4. Find & make 14 new recipes

5. Finish 2012 novel

6. Finish 2013 novel

7. Invest in pastel painting / artwork

8. Map routes in neighborhood to walk / run / rollerblade

9. Read at least 5 new books

10. Reduce screen time

11. Take a Medical Terminology class

12. Take iron pill every day

13. Walk 20 minutes during lunch

14. Yoga

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1. Quarterly Review (QR): Work in progress. This has never been my favorite thing to do, but I know how important it is.

2. QR: So far, so good. I’ll admit, I have to write it down in my little black book (a.k.a. planner) every week; otherwise I have to go into my online banking and combine several forgotten weeks together on one Friday. However, I have been faithful since week 1. By year’s end, I will have added approximately $1,378 to my savings account! Want to know more? Check out the form that I’m using this year.

3. QR: So far, so good. This is one of the goals where I’ve actually managed to go above and beyond in these three months – I have also donated to several people in need, to a charity yard sale benefiting Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, and I’m constantly on the lookout for local charities / thrift stores in my area.

4. QR: So far, so good. I have really enjoyed this goal, especially since Al and I have a standing Tuesday night date night at my apartment. I have around an 80/20 split so far in terms of successes. Most of the screw-ups have been desserts that really needed a mixer, but Al ended up being my strong man with long-lasting arm power. Fortunately, Al’s mom was sweet enough to buy me a Hamilton Beach mixer, so problem solved! Favorites so far: Chicken Alfredo lasagna roll-ups; Oreo cheesecake cookies; and my first crack at homemade pizza last week!

5. QR: Haven’t started.

6. QR: Haven’t started.

7. QR: Work in progress. Al took me to one of the best art supply stores in the 757 – Jerry’s Artarama in Virginia Beach. I’m talking an art student’s mecca. By “investing,” I mean to invest in creating again. I loved my Visual Arts class in high school – I focused on pastel painting then and I want to get back into it. The next big project to tackle for the pastel work is finding / making a table that is large enough that I can create. In addition, I am starting a side business of crafting custom wreaths as wedding gifts – Stay tuned on that one.

8. QR: Work in progress. The weather’s been so unbelievably snotty, it’s been mostly a lost cause. Plus, I need to invest in a new helmet and wrist guards before I strap on the rollerblades. Side note – I did sign up for the Hidenwood Presbyterian Church’s newly-forming co-ed softball team; games start April 7th. I can’t tell you how excited I am. I played softball for the Western Branch Little League for one season – 8th grade in the spring of 2003 – and I never forgot it.

9. QR: Work in progress. I have several of the intended books on my headboard shelf, but I’m still working my way through book #1. I intend to post book reviews to the blog once I finish reading each selection.

10. QR: Work in progress. I was diagnosed with computer eye strain several years ago, so much so that I can’t wear my contact lenses at work. I definitely want to complete a social-media-free weekend soon and blog about that. Want to know what a social-media-free weekend is all about? Check out Nikki’s reflection.

11. QR: Work in progress. I full intend to complete this goal during the summer session of classes at TCC.

12. QR: Work in progress. I was diagnosed with anemia in college. I try to give blood at my home church – Aldersgate UMC – every eight weeks, and I have to take iron supplements to meet the hemoglobin requirement. Interested in learning more about blood donation? Check out the American Red Cross. Every 2 seconds, someone needs blood. Every blood donation can save as many as 3 lives. 

13. QR: Work in progress. See #8 – The weather has been ridiculous thus far. I will say, however, that my music on my iPhone has been great motivation. Frozen soundtrack and Taylor Swift for the win.

14. QR: Haven’t started. And I have no excuse, now that my DVD player has been successfully tested. I need to buck up, block off some time in my planner, and connect with the yogi I found at OneLife Fitness last year.

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Look for three more reviews in June, September, and December.

Do you have any goals for 2014?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.02.14
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Hot Topics: Return of the Blog

I have returned! I can’t believe it’s been almost six months since last I wrote. One of my best friends has been putting my writing to shame with her brave, fearless endeavor into the blogosphere – Against The Pull of Gravity (http://againstthepull.wordpress.com/). Please check it out and comment!

Anyway, this amazing friend has inspired me to return – So, thank you!

For months (may be closer to a year now), I have carried around a mini spiral notebook in my purse with my black-Sharpie-cursive writing on the pink plastic cover:

Inspiration. Brain Sparks. Light Bulbs. Bingos. Ideas. Writing. Musings. Thoughts.

Most of the time, this notebook has been my place to jot down reminders and shopping lists. However, I recently started to fill the pages, front and back in orange gel pen, with topics. The top of each new page emblazoned with the underlined “Hot Shot Headlines.”

Here’s the list, thus far:

1.  On The Road with Steve Hartman

2.  ”I Will Sing and Not Be Silent” – Allen Pote

3.  ”Will You Come and Follow Me” – Kelvingrove

4. “Walk by Faith” – Jeremy Camp

5. Frozen

6. Pastels / Art / Potters’ House @ HPC

7. Arriving at Hidenwood

8. Elisabeth Von Trapp

9. Jennifer Lawrence

10. “The Paris Wife” Book Review

11. Tiffany Truitt Trilogy

12. Dear America Book Series

13. The Project for 15

14. V.C. Andrews & Her Books

15. An Attitude of Gratitude

16. Lesson in Leadership (President of AST)

17. My Quest to Get on Jeopardy!

18. Walking Around My Building (The Week of January 13th)

19. My Accident (February 12th)

20. The Impossible Command of Love (Pastor Bill Lamont Sermon, February 23rd)

21. NaNoWriMo

22. Forensic Files

23. Medical Terminology / Coding

This is just a taste of what’s to come :)

Until the next headline, Laura Beth