Inconsistent

My my, it seems like I am pretty terrible at consistent blogging. 2012 has been an interesting one to say the least. New job, sickness, new boss, death, hating job, being laid off job, ex-boss "quits", searching to job. How can so much happen in 10 months? I wish I had an answer.

Reflecting on 2011

Woah, I'm writing this on January 1, 2012. I kind of can't believe so many years have passed by. I remember when we were just entering the year 2000 and everyone had the Y2K freak out. Now it's twelve years later. So how was 2011 for me? Well it was definitely a year of triumph and towards the end trials. I got to do some wonderful things that I've wanted to do for a long time (i.e. Hawaii) and had to deal with some very painful revelations towards the end of this year. I got a full time job (still waiting on that staffing CPS) which is something I've longed for. In a way it's kind of okay that I haven't gotten staffed yet because I know now that I will be starting my new year with a new job, new goals, and new responsibilities. I always enter the year more enthusiastic and positive. I know I will lose some of that positivity at some point but it's still good to have for a little time.

Anyway, as the year starts off I'm hoping to make some changes to myself and move in a more positive direction. I'm aiming for more spiritual growth and maturity within my relationships. I definitely know that I've got a lot of stress and struggle coming up in 2012 but I'm ready for it. I've been broken down and risen from the ashes before so I'm confident I can do it again.

So here's to hoping that 2012 will see more triumphs, better health, more traveling and new friendships! Happy New Year to the few people who read my babbling blogs. I love everyone.

Aja aja Fighting!!!
-Lauren, aged 24.

Really....

I've been mulling this over for a long time. Often times in my everyday life I come across incredible situations that make me say "really?!". So after a long hiatus from the blogosphere I'm here with my first installation of Really?!

It's taken from my everyday life, some of these have made me laugh or made me shake my head. Others make me wonder about the state of humanity. Without further ado I now present:

Really?!

Let me set the scene for this one because I was absolutely floored. Here I was, breakfast in hand waiting for the light to change so I could cross the street and random guy selling the Chicago Tribune looks at me and smiles. Okay cool, I'll take a smile.

Random guy: You're very pretty

Me: *smile* Thank you

Random Guy: Can I have a kiss?

Me: *smiles and laughs awkwardly* Nooo

Random guy: Just on the jaw...

Me: No

Random guy: Your husband won't know.

By now the merciful lord has allowed the light to change so I walked off to the safety of my job. But all I wanted to say was, really?! Who does that? Why is this an interaction? Is something wrong with me that I attract strangely odd and completely inappropriate men? Why do homeless guys hit on me after asking for money and think it is okay?! Ahem...I'm okay now...

On to the next! 

I love working for my job. I always hear the most ridiculous things. We have a front reception desk which of course sees all types of human oddities. I'm not allowed to work this desk. It's probably for the best. My face would give away all my thoughts and people would be angry. So imagine my delight when I got this tidbit 

Coworker: OMG!!! this butt ugly man just came over & said I got my face "painted up nicely." LOL! This front desk... gotta love it.

Me: wow... 

You got your face painted up nicely? For real? Painted up nicely like some sort of Claude Monet or Van Gogh?  Maybe that's just an old school saying and I'm woefully out of the loop. Yeah let's go with that.


Those are my really?! moments for the day and I'm sure there will be tons more to come. Let me know your really?! moments, because after all we all need a good laugh.


-L

Ladies and Gentlemen

* I just decided to go ahead and post this since I had already written it up.

Finally I'm back to continue writing about my Canada trip. It's been a much longer space between posts than I meant but hey life happens.

 Even though I hate hills, I've got to say the reward at the end of the trip is definitely worth it. Most of the time you hear the falls before you see them. They're just that loud. Hearing them though is nothing compared to seeing them. As expected there are tons of people looking at the falls. Plenty snap pictures and some just stand and stare. I liked doing both. Even though I saw these same falls last year it was still all new. The experience of going with both of my sisters this year as opposed to just one was much more exciting to me.

American Falls, R. Green 2010

Though these pictures are of the falls in the day time we actually didn't go see the falls until it was getting dark. The day my sisters and I flew to Canada there was so much drama. One sister forgot her passport and we were separated for many hours. My trip basically began with a headache. I was not able to relax or be content until knowing my sisters and I were all in the same country! Despite the headache and the craziness of the day, once we were all together we were able to begin enjoying ourselves.

We had a kind of crappy dinner of Wendy's and hot dogs. Personally I hate to go to another country and eat the same kind of food that I can eat at home at any other time but hey you gotta compromise sometime. The only thing that really kept me from writing off my first day of Canada as a crap shoot was the lovely surprise that we experienced while at the falls. We were just waiting for them to turn on the colored lights but were met with something much cooler.

FIREWORKS!!!!!!!! Last year we missed the fireworks by one day so it was definitely cool to come and see it this time. I don't know why there were fireworks. It was off schedule but hey I'm not complaining. It made for some really cool photos.

Reflecting on 2010

So it's December 31, 2010 and I haven't written a blog in two months. I feel bad about that but that has just motivated me to write this. It is very important to look back and think about what has happened over the course of the year.
The majority of this year has been stressful. Between looking for a job and trying to pay my loans on non-existent money I've been super stressed. My anxiety has gotten worse and led to many a panic attack and argument with people I love. I've been deeply disappointed and saddened by near misses of jobs I've really wanted. I've heard no after no after no. It's jaded me quite a bit, given me a tougher skin and an even more cynical attitude. However, it has also taught me how to take rejection, how to be thrifty, and how to appreciate the little I do have. Getting through the first 10.5 months of 2010 without killing myself (and I mean that seriously) wouldn't have been possible without my family. They've helped me out and supported me and I can't express how much they mean to be.

But 2010 wasn't all negative. I've had great things happen too. I have reconnected with and continued some meaningful friendship/relationships. I got to see Miyavi in concert, and we all know how much I love Miyavi. I've joined a gym and made excellent connections. I got to return to Canada with both of my sisters, started grad school and best of all...I GOT A JOB!

My employer of two months is Chicago Public Schools. They work me to death and don't pay me much but hey a little is more than nothing. The people there are hilarious and make the work day go much faster. The best thing that CPS provides me with is the ability to feel like an adult. I love being independent finally, able to pay my bills and buy things for myself and the people I love.

It would be easy to dismiss 2010 as the year that screwed me over but that's looking at the glass half empty. 2010 to me has been a year of growth. Going through the bad usually makes one stronger and more appreciative of the good that happens.

As for my expectations of 2011...I have none. I'm just going to take it as God gives it to me. I just pray that this time next year I am here to write another reflection blog, to tell you about the struggles and triumphs of my life. I'm looking forward to continued maturity. So see you 2010, you've been something I'll never forget.

-Lauren Green aged 23

Chronicles of LG

Well from the previous blog post I really meant to have some photos of my Niagara Falls trip up way before now. However, life kind of happened and in one week I went from unemployed with lots of free time to employed and exhausted. Still though I'm determined to post some pictures up on this blog since it is my main way of sharing. My second Niagara Falls video will also be posted as soon as I get the energy. Now that's enough of my blogger notes. Now it's time to get down with the pic spam. As always enjoy reading, make some comments, let me know that I'm not totally crazy.

Days Inn Near the Falls, this is where the magic happened. And by magic I mean mostly sleeping, sometimes eating, and watching hockey. Lots and lots of hockey. The Canucks, the Montreal Canadians, and some other teams I can't remember right now. The Days Inn wasn't the greatest hotel. The rooms were okay and the bathroom was good but other than that it was super basic. Most of my TV channels didn't work. Hence L became very acquainted with Canadian hockey.

The breakfast at this place was continental, and by continental they mean just dry bagels, toast, donuts, cereal and the most horrid yogurt in North America. I know I probably shouldn't complain so much but it's what I do and it's my blog. Anyway bad food and lack of TV aside the hotel had some good points too. It wasn't super far from the Falls and it did give me my first experience of a sauna.

In the words of my eldest sister "It's hot!". Dude that sauna was freaking hot. It felt like someone had put me in a 350F oven and was cooking me for dinner. I'm sure in reality if wasn't really 350F but still, it was hot. Going in there at first is very overwhelming. Breathing is a little hard because you are just breathing in pure heat. You inhale, it's hot. You exhale it's hot. But then after you sit for a while it gets more and more tolerable. My sister Robyne stayed in the sauna the longest. That girl has a much higher tolerance level than I do.

I'd totally go back and get in that closet sized heater again though. It really was one of the highlights of the hotel. The first thing we did was get in the spa which was warm and bubbly but a little bit dirty (gross). Then Robyne and I got in the pool while Teri lounged around. The pool was nice, cold, smelled like chlorine. Then we got in the sauna. Moral of the story. Everyone should go into a sauna at some point in their life if they can. There's no experience like sitting there with a towel over your mouth, preferring to breath in the chlorine rather than breath in the heat.


Since we were only in Canada for three complete days we had to pack a lot of things into a small amount of time. Things like eating good food suffered from the time and budget constraints but that's cool. No one really comes to Niagara Falls for the food. They come for the Niagara Falls. But in order to get to these beautiful masterpieces of nature you must go through Clifton Hill.

Clifton Hill is the loudest, brightest, gaudiest, most ridiculous combination of haunted houses, wax museums, restaurants, and hotels situated on a super steep hill that you will ever come across. It's like the vegas strip for gullible parents. You have to go down the hill unless you want to pay for the people mover that will take you down another steep hill to the falls (clever bastards!).
I will give CH credit though for having a really cool gift shop where we bought most of our souvenirs from. My sister got me an awesome carved eagle necklace from the section of the store that housed all the stuff related to the First Nations People (a.k.a Native Americans). For those who don't know I'm hugely into the NA culture. If I ever went into politics or law I'd probably advocate exclusively for their rights. I was also one of the original members of the Lane Tech Native American Club. Now back to the point. That section had this super cool totem pole looking carved sort of face. If I hadn't been so poor I would have bought it and hung it over the fireplace in my apartment. It was molto bello!
The rest of Clifton Hill though can kick rocks. It is such a tourist trap. Still though I'm glad for the experience, at least I know I'm strong enough to resist the pull of bright lights.

So at the bottom of the ridiculously steep hill (I being from the plains shall continue to complain about that hill because I am not accustomed to such things) are the falls. Wonderful, majestic, awe-inspiring, loud, and surprisingly moody, the Niagara Falls smacks you in the face and makes you feel quite insignificant.

But that will have to wait for the next post. Happy reading.

-L

Niagara Falls...again

Today I returned from my second visit to Niagara Falls, Ontario. This time both of my sisters went on the trip with me which was a great joy. If you know me, you know I took a ton of pictures and will soon be posting them on this blog. Meanwhile, until I get the energy to do so I will post my videos. Hope it's enjoyable. Leave a comment, I love to know what people think about my work.

-L