What's up Phoenix, what's Up? Phoenix, Jump on it, jump on it, jump on it!

“The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.” -- Benjamin Franklin

This weekend has been the most inspiring, motivating, amazing weekend to date!    Saturday I spent the day cleaning my apartment... to most people that doesn't sound inspiring, but you would be amazed the amount of crap that we allow to build up in our lives!  Just having a clean shower made me feel so much better.  But I legit went through everything.... every cupboard, drawer, closet, everything.  Started to find things that I didn't want anymore and posting them on craigslist.    I got rid of the vinyls that I was going to use for the wedding that never happened.  It was like a weight was being removed.  I never have to look at them again and remind myself of what might have been.  Thank god!  I also got rid of a dresser mirror that I hate.  I'm not one for mirrors anyways, but with the giant ballet mirror in my living/dining area, I needed to get rid of it.  Now on to the dresser!   And then this guy at work text me to tell me about this great documentary about women discrimination throughout the world (including the US), and I ended up watching the whole thing.  The documentary came after the publishing of the book with the same title: Half the Sky.  Check it out.  It's on Netflix.  It's incredible, and took me on an emotional roller coaster.  I was crying, pissed off, and empowered all within the four hours I spent watching it!   Sunday, I went and had "coffee" with some people (coffee is in quotations because the coffee shop at the bookstore was closed... for good).  I sold some books to the bookstore, and the rest I donated.  I had great intellectual conversation with the girls I met.... lots of political ideals and speculations!  Afterward, I went geocaching (which if you know me, it's my biggest obsession in the world).  I found 10 geocaches and some of my favorites to date.  I will post the photos at the end of this post. Then it was time for softball.  I asked our captain to put me infield, and so I got to play 2nd base.  I sucked at it, but I had a blast.  I even got a run!  That's a huge thing for me, because I've never been athletic.... ever!  We won the game, and I cannot wait for next week!!!!!!!!!    Today -- I am thinking I might get dressed and do some more geocaching... or lounge around all day working on homework and dissertation topics.  Who knows?  And who cares?  I am happy, and that's all that matters.   Find something that makes you happy, and hold onto it until your knuckles turn white.  Then hold tighter.   -R.

Everybody dance now!

It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes.  Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live, and let's change the way we treat each other. -- Tupac



I've been battling this horrendous cold all weekend, so I've had a lot of time to think about this post.  I keep getting asked how I occupy my time, now that I have no one to answer to, or share my time with.  It's kind of funny the way people say this to me, because they try to do it in a sensitive way, but more often they should like assholes because of the way it comes out.  I'm completely over the relationship that way, and am beginning to find happiness in my daily life... something that I haven't been able to do in a really long time.

So allow me to share what I'm doing to occupy my time.  Maybe I can spark a new interest for some of you, even without the heartbreak.

• I've reached over 100 finds geocaching.  I absolutely love doing this, and am kind of sad that I'm sick this weekend, otherwise I would have spent the whole weekend looking for treasures.

             

 

• I've been working on some new artwork projects.

• I've created my bucket list (and managed to cross some things out).

  

 

• I've begun my (one of many) Smashbook(s).

           

 

• I'm reading the Hunger Games.
• I'm watching documentaries.
• I'm working on school.
• I'm making new friends.
• I'm learning Spanish.
• I'm going to start working out again, so I created this ridiculous playlist.  Wanna see it?  Yeah, you wanna see it.
•  I Can't Do it Alone -- 3OH!3
• Tootsee Roll -- 69 Boyz
• Thunderstruck -- AC/DC
• Right Now (Na Na Na) -- Akon
• Party Hard -- Andrew W. K.
• Barbie Girl -- Aqua
• Girlfriend -- Avril Lavigne
• Everybody (Backstreet's Back) -- Backstreet Boys
• Larger than Life -- Backstreet Boys
• One Week -- Barenaked Ladies
• Satisfaction -- Benny Benassi
• Freak'um Dress -- Beyonce
• Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it) -- Beyonce
• Girl Fight -- Brooke Valentine ft. Big Boi
• Boom Boom Pow -- Black Eyed Peas
• Womanizer -- Britney Spears
• Do Somethin' -- Britney Spears
• Toxic -- Britney Spears
• (You Drive Me) Crazy -- Britney Spears
• Born to Run -- Bruce Springsteen
• Lit Up -- Buckcherry
• Crazy Bitch -- Buckcherry
• Zoot Suit Riot -- Cherry Poppin' Daddies
• Hot Mess -- Cobra Starship
• What You Got -- Colby O'Donis ft. Akon
• Mr. Jones -- Counting Crows
• Music is my Hot, Hot Sex -- CSS
• Gasolina -- Daddy Yankee
• Where Them Girls At -- David Guetta
• Getting Over You -- David Guetta ft. Chris Willis, Fergie, & LMFAO
• Ghosts 'n' Stuff -- deadmau5
• Groove is in the Heart -- Deee-Lite
• Enjoy the Silence -- Depeche Mode
• Lose my Breath -- Destiny's Child
• Jumpin' Jumpin' -- Destiny's Child
• Bootylicious -- Destiny's Child
• The Game -- Disturbed
• California Girls (DJ Envy Remix) -- Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
• Like a G6 (DJ Fletch Remix) -- Far East Movement
• Move, Shake, Drop (Remix) -- Flo Rida
• Unbelievable -- EMF
• My Name Is -- Eminem
• My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) -- En Vogue
• Go Ape -- Far East Movement ft. Lil Jon & LMFAO
• Everlong -- Foo Fighters
• One Step at a Time -- Four Year Strong
• Some Nights -- Fun.
• I Like It -- Enrique Iglesias
• The Queen and I -- Gym Class Heroes
• Bring 'em Out -- Hawk Nelson
• Call 'n' Return (Say That You're Into Me) -- Hellogoodbye
• Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn -- Hellogoodbye
• With Love -- Hilary Duff
• Jump Around -- House of Pain
• Sweat -- Inner Circle
• Together Again -- Janet Jackson
• Can I Get A... -- Jay-Z
• Are You Gonna Be My Girl -- Jet
• Sexy Back -- Justin Timberlake
• Die Young -- Ke$ha
• 22nd Century -- Kelis
• Commander (Extended Dance Remix) -- Kelly Rowland
• Let it Rock -- Kevin Rudolf ft. Lil Wayne
• Jump -- Kris Kross
• Sweet Dreams -- La Bouche
• Are You Gonna Go My Way? -- Lenny Kravitz
• Break Stuff -- Limp Bizkit
• Rumors -- Lindsay Lohan
• My Own Worst Enemy -- Lit
• I've Been Thinking About You -- Londonbeat
• The Creep -- The Lonely Island ft. Nicki Minaj
• Jizz in my Pants -- The Lonely Island
• I'm on a Boat -- The Lonely Island ft. T-Pain
• Like a Boss -- The Lonely Island
• I Just Had Sex -- The Lonely Island ft. Akon
• Mambo No. 5 -- Lou Bega
• Boys Don't Matter -- Love Sick Radio
• Good Vibrations -- Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch
• We R Who We R -- Ke$ha
• Ooohhhweee --Master P.
• Shake It -- Metro Station
• Party in the USA -- Miley Cyrus
• 7 Things -- Miley Cyrus
• Get Ur Freak On -- Missy Elliot
• Mo Money, Mo Problems -- The Notorious B.I.G. ft. Puff Daddy & Mase
• Come Out and Play -- The Offspring
• I Write Sins Not Tragedies -- Panic! at the Disco
• F**k Authority -- Pennywise
• So What -- Pink
• Trouble -- Pink
• U + Ur Hand -- Pink
• Boom -- P.O.D.
• Lump -- The Presidents of the United States of America
• Double Vision -- 3OH!3 ft. Wiz Khalifa
• Space Jam -- Quad City DJs
• C'Mon N' Ride It -- Quad City DJs
• Bulls on Parade -- Rage Against the Machine
• Give Me Your Hand (Best Song Ever) -- The Ready Set
• Automatic Lover (Call for Love) -- Real McCoy
• I Like to Move it -- Reel 2 Real
• Livin' la Vida Loca -- Ricky Martin
• Scatman -- Scatman John
• Temperature -- Sean Paul
• Romance -- Serani
• Breakn' a Sweat (Zedd Remix) -- Skrillix & Members from the Doors
• Butterfly -- Smile D. K.
• The Power -- Snap!
• Spice up Your Life -- Spice Girls
• Wannabe -- Spice Girls
• Got Your Back -- T.I. ft. Keri Hilson
• Whoomp!  There it is -- Tag Team
• Dynamite -- Taio Cruz
• Break Your Heart -- Taio Cruz ft. Ludacris
• Closer -- Tegan & Sara
• Semi-Charmed Life -- Third Eye Blind
• Riot -- Three Days Grace
• I Think We're Alone Now -- Tiffany
• Mickey -- Toni Basil
• I Do -- Toya
• Best Friend -- Toybox
• Walk it Out -- DJ Unk
• DJ Got us Fallin' in Love -- Usher
• Ninja Rap -- Vanilla Ice
• Ice, Ice Baby -- Vanilla Ice
• No Rain -- Blind Melon
• Song 2 -- Blur
• The Patient Ferris Wheel -- The Gaslight Anthem
• Inside Out -- Eve 6
• Talk to Me, Dance with Me -- Hot Hot Heat
• What is Love -- Haddaway
• Scotty Doesn't Know -- Lustra
• Where Do You Go -- No Mercy
• Marry You -- Bruno Mars
• Holding Out for a Hero -- From the Shrek 2 Soundtrack
• Be My Lover -- La Bouche
• Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom --Vengaboys
• We Like the Party -- Vengaboys
• Sex on the Beach -- Vengaboys
• Somebody that I Used to Know -- Walk Off the Earth
• Check it Out -- Will.I.Am & Nicki Minaj
• Gettin' Jiggy Wit It -- Will Smith
• Miami -- Will Smith
• Shots -- LMFAO & Lil Jon
• We no Speak Americano -- Yoland Be Cool & Dcup
• Lights (Bassnectar Remix) -- Ellie Goulding

Seems like a lot, but it's really not.  Ha!  Even with all these things, I still experience loneliness, I still experience sadness, I still experience anger.  But I live those emotions.  I work through those emotions.  I get over things.  I experience happiness.  I experience joy.  I learn to be happy being alone.... plus talking to the cat helps.

 

So I challenge you.  Find something new.  Throw yourself into it.  Wholeheartedly.  Don't give up.  Don't try.  Just do.  Try means you're giving yourself the option to fail.  Do it.  Experience it.  Enjoy it.  Complete it.  Share it.

 

 

-R.