Who Mentored You?

There are different days, weeks, and months known for different things, such as World AIDS Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Well, I bet that you did not know that January is National Mentoring Month!

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One of the best things I did in college was join a mentoring program. My junior year I joined one on my schools campus, and quickly became close with Nikki. It wasn't very long before I was officially accepted into the mentoring program and Nikki and I became a mentor/mentee pair. I couldn't have imagined a better mentee. We were very similar in our taste in music and a lot of the things we liked. She helped me when I was ice skating for the first time in many years, and we learned to snowboard together. We also share many of the same mannerisms, and so I feel like she reminds me a lot of myself when I was in my early teens. I even was asked on campus once if she was my younger sister.

It doesn't take a lot to make a difference in someones life. Just a phone call and a few hours together one day a week can really make more of an impact than you might be aware.

So take time this month to thank someone who mentored you. And take someone under your wing and mentor them.

You'll be glad you did. Happy Mentoring Month!

Books and Stuff

Wow... this is the longest amount of time I've gone without updating this little blog since I started it! Anyway, at the end of December I was feeling like I was coming down with a cold. 2 weeks and 2 doctors appointments later, I'm told I have a sinus infection. So not a fun way to start of 2012! Luckily, I've been planning out goals. I've also been reading some of the new books I got for the holidays.

Oh, and to keep this from becoming a blog where I only discuss books, I've started a tumblr account & a blog over there called Monique's Bookshelf. So if you want to know what I thought about a book I've read, or what's on my list, then check that out!

Last week I did try to lay low, I ended up getting up on Thursday and Friday super early to help the family I babysit for get the kids ready for school. I also ended up meeting my friends Carolyn and Steph for coffee. We then ended up at Target since Steph needed to look for a coffee press or something, which turned into just wandering through the store since we didn't really have anywhere to be. I found adorable clearance shoes for $6! I bought them, and although I probably should be trying to save every penny possible, I'm glad I did! I wore them on Saturday with a skirt and tights, and then today with jeans!

On Saturday, my friends Ruth and Mike were having a house warming/blessing/grad/birthday party. It was funny when my mom asked what the occasion was for this party, and I replied "What isn't the occasion?" I got to see a bunch of my friends and have quality time with them, and we ate our fill of delicious food!

Hopefully I will be back with actually decent posts once my sinuses are less congested and I can actually think straight!

eleven

Note: This is a super long post. Feel free to just skim & check out the pictures.

Since my pre-teen years, my favorite number has been 11. Which I guess is partially why I was so looking forward to 2011. And now, with the year coming to a close, I thought I'd take the time to reminisce about the year we are about to leave behind. As much as I sometimes get into a funk about the whole economy/job situation, 2011 has been an okay year.

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My mentoring program had two awesome fundraisers, one duct taping a security guard to a wall (voluntarily) and an Iron Chef competition. They were both fun, and my team won the Iron Chef. Seriously, great great events. I went bobsledding and it was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had in my life. It was awesome.

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In March, I turned 23. It was one of the best birthdays I've ever had. I got a cake made for me at the dining hall, thanks to my mother. Eileen sent me flowers with the most beautiful note, I was in tears. A few of my residents from the building I lived in gave me flowers too. I found out our building won an energy conservation challenge. I really could not have asked for that day to have gone any better.

[caption id="attachment_298" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="Flowers from Eileen!"][/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I competed in my school's Elevator Pitch competition in the non-profit/social advocate category, pitching a mentoring program of course, and won 2nd place! I helped Kayla with her One Day Without Shoes events, and we walked in the rain down Church Street in Burlington. It was a cold but fun day, and got a lot of local press!

[caption id="attachment_303" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Leaving campus at 5AM (and running on little sleep) for a weekend in Maine!"][/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spent a weekend traveling with DREAM, my mentoring program to Maine where I was able to spend quality time with my mentee, as well as the other kids and mentors. I was impressed with the ability of the mentors, staff, and kids to handle whatever was thrown at us that weekend, including our bus breaking down and a late late night getting home.

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I was able to go home right before graduation and finals to spend time with my friend Ruth for her Easter birthday. I graduated college in May. It was a beautiful ceremony (albeit in a stuffy building). I got to spend time during Senior Week with friends, attending a Red Sox baseball game, taking a cruise around Lake Champlain. I attended a dinner for the Senior Class and the Trustees of the school, where our Senior Class Gift committee announced that we had over 50% participation, beating prior years and our goal. I got to see the girl I mentored for the past two years "graduate" 8th grade. It meant so much for me to be able to be there for her. When she saw me there, she was so excited, and you could tell it meant a lot to her too.

I ran/walked 3.1 miles as part of a relay team in the Vermont City Marathon, on behalf of Outright Vermont, a great organization that works with LGBTQA youth in Vermont. I had a wonderful graduation party with many family and friends there to spend time with me.

[caption id="attachment_305" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="My mom and I at Ruth's wedding."][/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was glad to be able to be the maid of honor not just once, but twice this year. In June, I was in my friend Ruth's outdoor Maine wedding. And in July, I was in Eileen's wedding. They were both beautiful days with memories I will cherish for a long long time.

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I adopted Charlie, and got to go visit my friend Natasha when I did. I had a wonderful visit and Charlie was amazing on the 5+ hour car ride to Maine... he barely meowed at all!

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I got to go to a concert with a friend, and a concert with my family. My mom and I did laughter yoga, and my dad got my copy of "Design Sponge" signed while he was on a business trip. I started Cool & Pretty Things & this blog.

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I got my first tattoo! It's the tree of life, with hearts for leaves... and the red and turquoise hearts are for my grandparents. My mom and sister got the same design, and the same day we went, my two cousins went and got red cars (for Richard "Red" Carr).

All the while, I met new friends, became closer with some, reconnected with some old ones, and have so many friends now that I consider family. I couldn't be more grateful to have them in my life. For Mike and Ruth's family to become my "Aunts" and Moms... same with Natasha's family. The kids that Ruth and I both babysit, we call "our" kids we love them so much.... it's really made this year so much better.

This year was not without some trials and tribulations. I had some major airport problems getting home from an out of state interview. I got waitlisted or denied from all 6 grad schools I applied to. I found out that my grandfather had passed away the day before my graduation (and since I went straight to the out of state interview, it was a few days before I was told of the news). I've spent a good 3-4 months of this year unemployed, and have been dealing with a lot of migraines lately. We found out that our roof of our house was underbuilt and had a huge deal with getting the entire roof replaced.

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And I'm ending the year with a sinus infection. But, what can you do!

There are definitely way more positive things that have happened this year than the negatives. And really, most of those bad things that happened aren't the worst thing in the world. I'm grateful to have a roof over my head, food to eat, clothing and shoes. And books, computers, and to be alive.

If you made it through that then I am SO thrilled! And you should let me know so I can send you some baked goods or something. Like really. Also, I will never ever write another post that long.

Credit to the picture of Charlie goes to Natasha, picture of Eileen and I, is Eileen's.

Lovely Package Exchange 2011

Being broke probably should have deterred me from joining Oh Hello Friend's Lovely Package Exchange but it didn't, and I'm glad! I got paired up with Jasmine and it was awesome! We emailed back and forth a bunch of times so by the end of the exchange it felt like I had known her forever! She was super creative and her packaging was beautiful. I kind of didn't want to unwrap everything it was so pretty!

 

 



WOW!

 

 

 

 



Awesome notebook with kitties!

 

 

 

 

 



Armwarmers (Since I hate the cold), and yarn since I mentioned I wanted to learn to knit!

 

 



A seriously cute little bowl for Charlie!

 

 

 



Also, treats for Charlie, and he just had a ton of fun playing with all the packaging materials!

 

 

 

 



Beautiful note and fun clip!

 

 

 

 



Beautiful box with stickers, a wonderful little tiny box with a Mother Theresa quote.

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

I got her a cool little Maine souvenir, a book of Sudoku, a Tumbler (mug) with some tea, notebooks, lip balm and a headwrap.

 

 

 

 

I loved being a part of this fun exchange, and although it was my first time, I definitely want to do it again next year! I LOVED all of the items I got, and opening each one was SO fun! Jasmine liked her items too, and I gained a new friend. What an awesome time!

How to Create an Awesome Care Package

Step 1: Create a theme, whether it is a holiday, season, or if it’s just because, come up with some other crazy type of theme!

The example I’m using in this post, is a fabulous Maine themed care package for Eileen and her hubby!

Start on your care package adventure!

Step 2: Think about things that go along with the theme. For me, Maine – lobster, maple, and moose related items.



{Picture thanks to Eileen.} As you can see, there's some LL Bean candy. Lobster shaped and moose shaped. There's also a magnet shaped like the state of Maine.

Step 3: If someone mentions wanting something in particular, make sure to try your hardest to get it for them.

Eileen told me that she really wanted these Moose lollypops from LL Bean. So this was a picture I took with my webcam and posted on her facebook page so that I could make sure that I got what she wanted!

Step 4: Include something homemade, also if possible. I didn't get to do this, but I definitely plan to next time!

Do you have any suggestions for how to make a great care package?

twelve by 2012 check in!

With about 7 weeks left until 2012, I figured a goal check in post might be in order. I made my list about 3 weeks ago, so let's see how things look!

In progress goals will be in blue, finished or unobtainable goals will be in green.

1. Read 2 books. - I'm currently reading The Power of Half by Hannah and Kevin Salwen. I need to finish this book so that I can move on to my next one.


2. Give Mia, Lila, and Jordan their belated birthday presents, and buy Dan his. - I bought Dan his birthday present. I need to either wrap or get bags for these presents and bring them over to the kids I babysit. So this goal is one that is almost near completion.


3. Post on my blog 3 times a week. -I feel like I'm doing well at posting multiple times a week.


4. Open my etsy shop. - Check it out! YAY One goal completed.


5. Get a job. - Multiple interviews. I'm trucking along with this one. But this one needs to be completed (as apposed to reading books) so I can pay off my loans.


6. Visit Eileen and Kyle before they head to Alaska. - So I set myself up for failure with this one. I don't have the money to take a trip, so unfortunately this goal is not going to happen.


7. Start a little freelance business. - I have business cards designed, though I need to print them. I have a friend with a business who needs a website, so I guess I can consider myself having my first client? I have started planning out what my portfolio will include. But need to make more headway with executing and finishing it.


8. Spend quality time with my friends here. -I've definitely been successful here. I've done dinners and gone to concerts with my friends here. I'm gonna call this goal good.


9. Finish my room design/clean/reorganization/set up. - Really haven't done any work here either. Maybe I will post pictures of what it currently looks like and what I need to do with it!


10. Figure out budget and start saving! -I haven't really worked on this goal yet. I should probably wait until I have a job.


11. Make 5 things (either food or crafts) I've pinned on Pinterest. - Doing well with this goal. I've made 2/5 things.


12. Visit Burlington! -I haven't even figured out when I might want to go. But if I want to go before they leave for Thanksgiving break, I should go soon. Or wait until after they get back from break.

Okay. 6 in progress. 2 finished. 1 unobtainable. Should get crackin on those other 3 that I haven't really worked on yet!

twelve by 2012

So I have 125 different blogs that I am subscribed to in my Google reader. (You can see a bunch of them listed on the right.) I get a ton of inspiration from these blogs, and from Pinterest. This was how I stumbled upon the blog Oh, hello friend today. Danni is the girl behind the blog. Like me, she has tried doing 101 things in 1001 days. But I love this great idea that she had. I'm a little late to the party, so I have about 10 weeks left in 2011. I'm going to make my own list of goals I have for the rest of 2011. So go and check out the other people doing twelve by 2012 and what other people have planned!

Edit: Items in progress will be in italics, and finished items will be crossed out!

1. Read 2 books. - I have a whole bunch of books in my room and books on my to-read list. So hopefully I can get 2 books off my list read!


2. Give Mia, Lila, and Jordan their belated birthday presents, and buy Dan his. - The kids I babysit all but 1 have already had their birthday. I need to buy one more gift and make sure all the kiddos get their gifts, though they are very very late!


3. Post on my blog 3 times a week. - I definitely feel like I am doing well at keeping up. But I need to keep on trucking. Hopefully I won't loose steam with everything else going on!


4. Open my etsy shop. - I need to make more items for the shop, I need to figure out packaging. Other than that, I already started making the site on etsy, and I have figured out pricing. Check it out!


5. Get a job. - Hopefully I can find something to pay the bills (boo student loans!) and hopefully still give me time to spend time with friends and work on my side projects.


6. Visit Eileen and Kyle before they head to Alaska. - You've heard of Eileen (I <3 My Airman) and hopefully I can see her and her hubby before they head to Alaska!


7. Start a little freelance business. - Hopefully I can find some local businesses that could use web design/marketing/social media or event planning assistance, and take on a client! I made business cards! Need to work on my portfolio and start looking for clients!


8. Spend quality time with my friends here. - I need to see friends I haven't seen in a while and work on spending time with people face to face on a more regular basis. Went out to dinner with a friend today, and I'm going to a concert with a friend on Thursday that I haven't hung out with in a while.


9. Finish my room design/clean/reorganization/set up. - My room has been a serious work in progress. I need to make it fun and functional and definitely update it!


10. Figure out budget and start saving! - Figure out a budget where I save some money aside each month for specific long term goals, and how much 'fun' money I have per month.


11. Make 5 things (either food or crafts) I've pinned on Pinterest. - I've pinned a lot of different things on pinterest. I would like to make a few things whether they be food or DIY projects. I made the silhouette in my last post from something I pinned. Participated in the Pinterest Challenge. 2/5!


12. Visit Burlington! - I need to go back and visit friends at my alma matter! It's very much an overdue trip.

Now go check out other lists or make your own!