So this is the New Year.

Happy New Year! I thought I'd write my resolutions down here so I'm constantly reminded to live up to them, because if other people know them, I'm more likely to commit.

1. Print a picture a week; either from Instagram or my iPhone, or off my Canon. I think it'll be cool to have 52 pictures at the end of the year to recap 2013.

2. Spend money on experiences, not things. Go out to eat with friends and revel in good company, don't splurge on shopping by myself. This might be especially hard when I have an actual salary, but I want to continue to live by this.

3. Read more books. I'm aiming for at least one new one a month, I know sometimes that's a little difficult, so I'm just striving to read more than I have the past couple years, which honestly wasn't much!

4. Try new things; new restaurants, new hobbies, new sports, new people and friends.

5. Be kind, be happy, worry less and smile more.

My amazing friends and I on NYE.
 Sequin blazer from an estate sale, tank from Forever 21, skirt from Ross, ring from NYC that is sadly lost on Mill Ave somewhere (so so sad about that). 

I hope you all took some time to write down some resolutions, or maybe goals for the upcoming year! This is probably going to be the most life-changing year of my life, and I am totally ready to embrace the fantastic change to come. Graduating college, leaving all of my family and friends, moving to Seattle, starting a wonderful new career. It is all so exciting and crazy I can't believe I only have a few months of class and college left and can't imagine where I will be a year from now. I hope the coming year brings lots of growth, happiness and smiles to you all.

Happy New Year!
Alex

Thankful Weekend

It's Thanksgiving weekend and I figured I'd share exactly what it is I am oh-so grateful for this holiday. I love that Thanksgiving makes everyone a little more aware of everything they have to be grateful for- what a wonderful thing!

I am most thankful for the wonderful people I have surrounding me. The most loving family that has been supportive of every new venture I go after, my shoulder to cry on, and the people that make me laugh the hardest. I know I can be my complete and whole self and they'll still be there for me, even if they do heckle and poke fun at me... it's good to be humbled, right? I'm grateful for my handful of friends that have been there for me through so many ups and downs. It's been mostly ups and I'm thankful for that, but for the few low points and tearful conversations, my friends have been there. I'm thankful for jobs that enable me to live a great life, pay my rent, and have food at my disposal to cook and eat at all times - what a luxury so many of us don't think about! I love that my jobs have led me to amazing friendships, I seriously do not know what I would do without them. Some people call them coworkers, but I get to call them my best friends. I am so so so grateful for my education and experience that has  gotten me an opportunity to work for my dream company. And the universe for aligning and offering me a position I truly see myself being happy with in the long run. I am so privileged and live such an amazing life that I am thankful for not just this weekend, but every single day.

Thank you to the people who read this, the people who I call friends, and the lucky ones I get to call family. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a fabulous holiday weekend.
xo,
Alex

Ecstatic!

So, about my last post... I may have lied. I received the phone call from Amazon about my 'feedback' on Friday afternoon. I wasn't really looking forward to it, who wasn't really looking forward to hearing what I did wrong and how I didn't get one of my dream jobs. Anyways, that wasn't the case. After talking to the recruiter, I found out I did receive the job offer! I could not be happier and it has been such a whirlwind of emotion. It makes it that much sweeter (minus the 24 hours of heartbreak between Thursday and Friday) that I thought I didn't get it, then actually receiving an offer.

I can't believe it and I couldn't be happier. I'm so thankful for my family and friends that were there for me when I got it, but just as importantly when I thought I didn't get it. They put up with lots of tears, and then lots of yelling and laughing and smiling when I told them I actually got it. I would be embarrassed for assuming if I wasn't so freaking happy that I got it.

I know there are a lot of great things ahead, so much room for growth, and so many amazing opportunities. I'm creating my future, my dream job, and my perfect life each and every day and I'm so excited for the adventure.

HAPPY HAPPY TUESDAY!
Alex

Resilience.

I wish I had good news to share. I really thought I would to. It's hard when you envision yourself getting the news, calling all of your family, posting it online. I've seen my future after graduation, moving somewhere, working in a fulfillment center, growing with this huge company I've obsessed over and researched for hours. Well, I unfortunately didn't get the job I flew out for a couple weeks ago. I'm really disappointed, but I know it'll all work out. I have been telling myself if this ended up being the case than I obviously wasn't right for the company. It wasn't meant to be. There are tons of other jobs out there and my perfect job is awaiting me.. this just wasn't it.

I'm really trying to feel that way, and I really do believe it, but I just need some time to get over it first. My heart hurts after so much time and energy has been invested into this process, and talking about it to others, and getting my hopes up- really, really up. It'll be alright. I'm still breathing. My family is safe. And life is gonna go on. I just need a pint of salted caramel gelato and a couple hours watching a chick flick.

L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N

Have a good weekend, keep on keepin' on.
Alex

12 States, 2 Countries, 6 days.

Today is the day! I am headed out to LA to enjoy the weekend on the beach before I head cross-country for an epic road trip adventure! I am soooo excited!

My friend Heather has been living out in LA for the Summer bought a car out there, and now needs to drive it back to upstate NY where she's from. I was lucky enough to get the invite to come along for the ride. The plan is to go from LA, back to Phoenix, to Boulder to Mt. Rushmore/South Dakota, to Minneapolis, to Chicago, through Ann Arbor, up to Canada, to Niagara Falls, to Buffalo then ending up in the Finger Lakes Region of upstate NY. Yeah- quite the venture! It's nice because between myself and Heather, we have planned our trip according to places we have to stay. Shacking up with friends, family and old co-workers. We're staying with a friend I worked in Texas with at a summer camp in Boulder is sure he'll show us a good time. We are making a pit stop in SD and getting a cheap motel so we don't have to make the 18 hour drive straight through to Minnesota. Heather has friends in Minneapolis and Chicago we're staying with. Umm, Mall of America in MN and Lollapalooza weekend in Chicago- I'm sure it won't be hard to have fun in either of those places! (I am probably most excited about Chi-town... I've always wanted to visit- and yes I just called it Chi-town like I'm Jay-Z.)

Image via Weheartit.com

From there we're passing through Ann Arbor where I will hopefully get lunch with my roommate and check out Ann Arbor for an hour or so, I've heard it's just amazing there! We'll drive straight up through Canada, eh? Get another stamp on the passport (I think? Do they do that when you drive through? We'll see!). Going to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side, at night, which is supposed to be the best side and time to see it. So pumped! There's supposed to be a really cool night life in Canada, by Niagara Falls, so her cousins who live right there are gonna take us out before we spend the night at one of Heather's many relatives in Buffalo, NY.
We will wake up in the morning Saturday and head to the Finger Lakes for Heather's family reunion, where I am going to be a reunion-crasher and adopt myself into their family for some wine-tasting, the "Death March" hike, and some swimming and tubing in the lake. Sounds like the definition of a perfect summer weekend, right?! (Okay, except for maybe the "Death March" but she says it's not that bad!)

Well I'm off to LA in a few hours for some jet skiing, Universal Studios, vintage shopping and beach bonfires! I will try and keep you updated on my travels as I am passing through, but follow my Twitter or Instagram for updates if I don't get the chance to periodically update here!

Enjoy the last few weeks of Summer, loves!
Here's to making the most of my final weeks of Summer!
xoxo
Alex

Summer Read.

So I planned on reading a lot this summer, and getting a bunch of good books... but that didn't quite happen. So sad. I did, however, read a hilarious book I think you all need to read!

Image via Weheartit.com

Bossypants is Tina Fey's first book about her life and career, and is absolutely hilarious. It gives a really cool insight to her life, seeing her as a real person and not just a celebrity. You also get to hear about behind the scenes moments at SNL and 30 Rock and about the people who work on the shows with her. I loved her take on life, and the silly things that stress us out and the importance of a career vs. family.

You'll have to check it out and let me know if you love it as much as I did! What was your summer read, or reads if you were more ambitious than I was in the reading department?!

Alex

July Fireworks

So I told you I'd share pictures of my Fourth of July, which was really actually the 3rd of July because I had to work on the 4th! I went to the Miranda Lambert & Darius Rucker Independence Day Music Festival at Salt River Fields. I met up with three other girls from work and we grilled and ate and drank at my friends gorgeous house (more like a mansion, it was sooo huge!). From there our responsible, under 21, friend drove us to the show. We had so much fun running around, taking pictures and talking to people. I'm glad we had grass seats because I don't think we could have sat still in regular seats! I managed to take over 100 pictures in less than a few hours, and they all just make me laugh. So here are some snapshots of some of the pictures I took and the fun that was had!

Driving there!

Loving our lawn seats!

These girls adopted us and were suddenly our best friends!

Love her! 

I kissed Tim McGraw! (Shh.. it was his look-a-like with Kenny Chesney!)

The more the merrier!

Amurica loves country!

The nicest guy took some awesome pictures for us with the fireworks!

 I had an amazing time with these girls, and Miranda was sooo good!  Sang along all night, and secretly hoped Blake Shelton would come out and sing with her... but it didn't happen! Glad I got to celebrate the country's freedom being young, wild & free.. cheesy, but oh well! :]

Hope your July's are going great, cannot believe it is more than half way over- how terrible! I am secretly excited to get back in the swing of things with school and my other jobs, though too!

Alex

PS: Here's the view I had on the actual holiday- working in Tempe Beach Park has it's perks.

The best view in the city, on the dock in the lake!

The lovely ladies I get to work with! Ah, I don't know what I'd do without them.. I'm so lucky!