StiCky SaP, BaLLet shoEs & Top NotCh PeOple

₩ell we made it home for thanksgiving which was so great...I got to see pretty much my entire family both in CT and NY...and many of my friends including one of my long lost friends who I got to catch up with which was rather surreal. It*s so strange when you haven*t seen someone you used to be so close to, who knew everything about you inside and out..and then you have to try to catch them up with what you have been doing the past 3 years in about 3 hours time. As I told my story it hit me how much can happen in 3 years. Also how much I still need to accomplish off my list of things I had wanted to accomplish by now.

I*m not sure exactly what changed in my head...I think it was Ally passing away...but since then a great deal of fog thats been looming over my head the past few months has blown away and I am more inspired and genuinely posisitve {not just putting on a front of positivity}. There are still things I am un-certain about... but even just being honest with myself about that fact makes me feel better.

I just finished helping out with the Nutcracker here...
Being back stage again and around so many passionate people had such a nostalgic and warm feeling about it. I felt home again. Butterflies are contagious.. and everything that goes into preparing for a performance is just pure magic. Theres NOTHING else like it. It*s just the fact that you are witnessing a MILLION different pieces coming together all at once... to form something absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

Each piece has taken someone so much dedication and time and love...and then it all gets thrown together and without the other pieces it wouldn*T seem like anything...
...but with the entire team... the entire force all at once... you have ALL created something so powerful... together. And then i finally got to see the production on the last night... and sat next to the sweetest little girl with autism... and just hearing her gasp in awe when she saw the sugar plum fairy in her sparkling tutu... it*s what it*s all about.. it*s why performers do what they do... and as the music grew louder and louder... the little girl would get SO enthralled in the performance... she would mimic the music until she got to loud that her mother would have to tell her to "shhh"...
... being part of such a beautiful and complex machiene again was absolutely fantastic. I met so many interesting and inspiring people... and to me.. that*s what life is about.... experiences like that.


Work is also going really well... because it is the holiday season and Marriott throws associate holiday parties throughout the month... i have been sent on task force {where you go and work at other properties so they are free to attend their holiday party} ...i have met the most incredibly friendly people...
it honestly takes me by surprise... and i almost catch myself asking... wait..WHY are you being that way? why are you being so nice??? I*m VERY lucky. I*m VERY glad I am experiencing what i am experiencing. Everyday i learn something beautiful about life.
And everyday someone impresses me. Is that rare? I feel like it is. Whatever it is... i appreciate it and love every second of it.

♡☃Yesterday Dj and i went out hunted down our perfect X~mas tree..and honestly... it is PERFECT. I*ve never seen such a perfect tree. It is the PERFECT size... hight.. fullness... and it smells SO heavenly!!! Driving home with it we both had sap on our hands loving every sticky moment of it... we kept taking turns sniffing these slices of pine taken off the trunk of our tree... i took them home so i could use them as wintertime coasters... We also picked up pine garlands with pine cones attached and hung them over the window sills and fireplace (where i have candles, and my little nutcracker prince the ballet gave me as part of a thank you gift}
and swirled them around the front porch and over the door.... it makes me SO SO happy!!!!!❄ ❅ Did i mention that part of my orchard will have an x-mas tree farm attached? ;]

Today Dj and I went out to the NRA range and then spent hours picking out an awesome guitar that we got!! AND NOW... Dj is playing me Taylor Swift songs!!!!!! It*s freaking un~believable and the sensations i get when i*m around crafty people is so intense!!... when i*m around it i just feel amazing. ♬♪

What else.. what else... oh...It was DJ*s b~day! Did i even mention that?! So i tried to make that as special for him as possible and coOked these dishes that honestly impressed me to the fullest degree...i really had to pat myself on the back..i think it was just luck bc i made everything from scratch and didn*t use a recipe... Dj LOVED all his presents and it was just great to get to have off all weekend and spend it with him. Last night we went out to celebrate Cat*s 25th b~day as well at olive garden and i had THE BEST WINEEEEEEEEEEEEEE... i never thought of myself as a wine lover... i am now officially a wine ℓo√ﻉℛ!!♥

--If You*ve Never Failed........You*ve Never Lived--

....absolutely worth watching.

...The "Blind"...

This weekend at the Marriott...we have been housing over 100 guests from the federation for the blind...it has been overall, an amazingly eye opening and touching experience to say the least. I wish i had written this yesterday when i had more time to do this topic justice...but here we go..

These people...are SO cheerful, SO friendly, SO inspiring.
They greet each other in the hallways, they walk without fear.

I checked in one married couple {blind}who had two absolutely beautiful little girls who could see...i couldnt imagine never being able to see your childrens faces...i couldnt imagine how challenging it must be to raise children without the help of sight. Life is challenging enough as it is...add on not being able to see...i dont know..something must happen to your spirit.

I was watching a documentary at lunch actually where a male was born without limbs...now he is a pro wrestler. He can take on the wrestlers with limbs and win. Can you even imagine.

THIS is the power of determination. THIS is the power of the human spirit and the mind.

These people know what they want...they have un-faultering confidence, they dont let others bring them down, they dont let challenges scare them....Inspiring...



{One of my favorite paintings by Thomas Kinkade. He just gets it...he gets EXACTLY what is inside me...when i think of the perfect holiday, or the perfect life...i picture living in one of his paintings...where everyone gets together and everything is warm and traditions are upheld and neighbors love and care for each other}

Soooo...the holidays are fast approaching, anddd Dj and i have fought long and hard and finally got SOME days off to get home and see everyone....it*s going to go by SO extremely fast...we have both been keeping ours eyes open for jobs back upstate incase anything cool pops up...but i dunnnooo...it loOks like we very well may be sticking it out at least till our lease is up...we shall seeeee....we will certainly need to stock up on a little extra cash since we will be spending so much on gifts....anyway...cant wait to see everyone!

ALLISONBEAR

I*ve never felt sorrow like this...i dont know why this one is hitting me SO hard. everyone i have lost in the past...has been hard....VERY hard...but it hasn*t been QUITE like this because Ally was a part of our everyday lives...she was the best part of waking up and the best part of going to sleep....(aside from dj) but she made it all complete. she was our snuggle bear...we would wake and fall asleep to her rumbling purr sound and feeling on our chests...and now its not there...while we went to work we knew her and ally would be snuggled up in a ball together or having fun together...now ink is all alone...and i can TELL she is SO confused and worried. It*s what is killing me the most i think.



Ink and ally were like yin and yang, not only in how they slept but they were total opposites that complimented and completed each other....ally the cuddlebug and ink the independent feisty one...it*s so INCOMPLETE without allison in the house. It REALLY changes the vibe of EVEYTHING. AND I HATE IT. I HATE IT. Taryn sent me a poem from a pet loss sight that made me feel a little better...and this morning ive been on the site reading poems and crying yet again...here is the poem taryn left me:



Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....



On the pet loss page is goes over the stages of grief so you can understand that what you are feeling is normal and that one day you WILL start to feel better...and NO it will never be ALL better...bc there are moments every day for the rest of our lives im sure we will think of her..but i guess the trick is to not feel pain when we are reminded of her but take a second to feel her beside us rubbing her little wet nose against our hand or leg..to feel her purring deeply like she always does.
She even purred for DJ after she was hit...to tell him it was going to be ok and that she was ok.




i feel empty...i feel mad...i feel lonely i feel weak i still feel a little guilty...i dont want to feel better but at the same time i do...i STILL am in a little of the chock phase where i cant REALLY get a grip on the fact that this is real....
it SUCKS.



Ink is now on the foot of the bed...ally would b on my computer/tummy if she were here in the flesh...and rambo has his front paws on the bed and his head laying on my stomach trying to console me. i just keep glancing at ink...thinking she looks so alone and sad...i keep wondering what shes thinking...and i dont know what to do to take her mind off things. she doesnt really like to play games...she just likes to snuggle with allison or go outside with allison but now i will NEVER let them outside EVER again...maybe ill try to get her used to a leash but that seems pointless she would hate that.

i made myself go to work yesterday...crazy that my last post was on the morning of allys death...i knew nothing of it...she was on my tummy as i blogged...purring away...sorry- got off topic...
i went into work thinking it would force me to snap out of it...it didnt work...and only elina REALLY TRULY understood my pain in the way that i felt it. i feel like everyone else may had gone through a pet loss...but only she knew how i was feeling and how strongly i am feeling it. she went to the bathroom and cried with me. the rest of the crew really didnt know what to do with me in my state but at teh end of the night...one boy came in early so i could go home early and one boy offered to take my shift today so i could take more time. it made me want to cry more. they said they were here to help and they listened to everything i have been going through in my life and my head...they said no matter where life takes me - even if i decide to leave soon...to remember i always have them here in dc. it was REALLY really nice. even if they didn*t understand why i was being such a weak baby about this...they understood that i was in pain and were doing what they could to make me smile.

{i want to thank everyone for their kind words and caring..it really means a lot to both of us..i know its hard to know what to say to a grieving person but thank u for just being there}


We will be getting her ashes and paw print soon...it*s going to be TERRIBLE. the next YEAR is going to feel terrible i feel like. i need something to change i feel like. a new place...a new something. knowing we all came here together as one big happy family who was going to do this together and now not having one fourth of us make it just feels so haunting. the other half of me feel like this was the last place she was and it will be hard to leave. i know no matter where we go she will be with us...and the only thing that truly comforts me is thinking rainbow bridge really exists...but that she also comes and hang out with us every day too...and sleeps with us at night and sleeps with ally while we are gone....but i REALLY want heaven to exist... i REALLY do...i REALLY want to think that i will see her again and ink will see her again...and that when each member of our little family passes away in their own time that we are greeted and welcomed and escorted by the ones who have gone before us...and that we will all wait happily for the next member to arrive. I REALLY WANT THIS TO BE TRUE. How do i make it true???

it*s raining...

hi everyone...i know it*s been a while but thats bc pretty much nothing has changed...one of my best friends grandfather passed away last week and it really made me sad i couldn*t be there for her. It also made me sad i cant see my family more often...time is really so precious. But we DID go upstate that weekend bc i thought thats when the wake was (but they had held it earlier in the week:()...but we got to see dj*s family and celebrate Brookes b-day which was absolutely wonderful and really what both of us needed so desperately. Zoe never gets taller it seems (ok a little)...yet she can do more and more every time i see her...she can talk now...and just makes the funniest expressions and is just the most adorable thing you*ve ever seen. i also got to see amanda who i*ve missed so much...
...mmm...don*t really know what to say...work is work. I only see Dj when it*s dark outside...i think my schedules finally changing but for the worse...i*m pretty sure i wont be getting every weekend off anymore...something has to be done soon...things get really slow at the hotel for the next few months so maybe ill take an extra day off a week so maybe i can see DJ at least once... or maybe not? i guess we*re here to work and save money so thats what i should do....
...the leaves here are not as impressive as the ones in NY that we saw last weekend...but maybe ours just haven*t hit their peek yet. I found the most amazing place in NY where if i ever moved back...i would ABSOLUTELY have to look into one way or another...for work or play...it*s called OMEGA and it*s a wellness retreat center...they practice and teach sustainable living...and have famous inspirational speakers from all over the world come. They have beautiful yoga, dance and art centers and everything you could ever imagine....an amazing spa....gardens...i need to go some time!


In my head right now...i would love to finish up 6 months here and then move back to NY for another 4 or 5 years. It would give me time to be there for big changes that come with things my and my friends age...i want to be there for them...the good and the bad moments...and i want to have children closer to family. The place i am looking at is right around omega actually and about an hour from CT and about 45 mins from home in NY...so it*s pretty perfect...well it might be better if it were a little closer to both but that*s just not possible...lol. The town is pretty much the closest thing one could ever find to matching stars hollow...and if you don*t know what that is then you just wont understand but it makes me EXTREMELY happy to think about.

DJ*S UPDATE!!

WOW, Miriams blogs are soo good, i have to read them to see what we have been up to most of the time we are so busy all the time.

Work is work, i cant argue about if i love it or not, i do it for our lil family to provide what we need/want, i go there for most of the day and get stuff done and do the best i can, make money and look forward to coming home to Miriam and the animals. Im asleep now when Miriam gets home from work, so i make sure that she has everything she needs so when she gets home so she can get into bed as quick as possible.

The wedding was great, everything went well and now my best friend is married. I think i may have done well with my best mans speach, im not sure. Everything seemed to fly past!

Our little visit with the family in atlantic city was amazing but too short, hopefully we can get to NY this weekend to see everyone again!

One thing i noticed living down here is that I dont think my body is used to the seasons. It was 75 outside last night and 65 outside thi morning....somthing about that did not feel right for this time of year.

"Let me c your bowling face!"

WELL...
The wedding was absolutely beautiful...SO detailed, so thought out...there was just SO much to it...i mean, the shower, the bach party, the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, the after party, the after luncheon... EVERY ONE of them was detailed out to the max. Cats mom planned most of it... i can see now why she has been so stressed out!!
I couldn*t have had a better time spent with Brooke and Glenn, we just had a ball...and i needed it so much. {I didn*t really see dj that much bc he had many best man duties to fulfill, but he had an awesome time too}
After the lunch the next day we took off to meet Brooke, Glenn, Dean and Patty in Atlantic city. It was my first time and wow...it was like...a grown ups, dirty disney world?? I*ve never been a casino person, and every time i go into one or around one i remember why. im a slight germaphobe in general...but this place just gave me the heebygeebies. The sounds of course are like any casino and just an overwhelming overlay of freaky circus musicish type thing that is created from the thousands of slot machines going off...the freakiest part of all is the people who are there...some are huge... some look homeless, some are wearing barely anything and now i can tell a prostitute from a mile away from working at marriott...and all are just SO hypnotized...THAT was what freaked me out the most. There were people u could just tell lost so much money by their blank faces...they would just stair far off into space like they..idk...lets change the subject....the beach was very pretty...i loved frolicking around and watching the waves and hearing them crash and feeling the wind sweeping all around me...we all had dinner together which was great...anddd then Dj and i had to leave all too soon bc rambos babysitter locked the keys in the house so she couldn't get back in. :*{

Yesterday we woke up exhausted...but ventured out to a new dog park i looked up that*s pretty much right down the road from us...it was great...waterfalls everywhere and a dog park and it just reminded me of back in the woods back home so it made me happy.

i*m heading back to work in a few short hours...really just don*t understand work...the point, the concept. I always thought i would ONLY do a job i LOVED...i dont understand doing anything but that... i don*t know where i got it in my mind that that was how it was supposed to be... but....i*m learning fast that it*s not like that. I don*t know how long i can work a job where i see my only friend here one day a week if i*m not scheduled. What do i even have to look forward to? I dunno, hopefully something will change. It pretty much has to. Or ill lose whatever mind i have left. Crossing my fingers that we both get this weekend off so we can be with fam and friends this holiday.

It all comes together eventually...have patience with life and most importantly, yourself

YESTERDAY. oohhh yesterday. OK, well...I finally cried. LOL. Anndddd...well, let me explain.

I go to work...doing the usual thing...shadowing Carolina, also checking guests in myself...and Ameina, one of the supervisors, pulls me aside and says, Miriam, I*ve been watching you, and you are ready to do this all on your own. It*s the only way i feel you will learn everything...if you keep relying on Carolina, this learning process will take you forever. At first...i was a little panicked...i thought i still had at least another week of shadowing...i still felt there was SO much i hadn*t learned yet. And with all the things going on in my head about missing my friends and missing my family...i guess i walked into the back room looking a little out of it...my friends asked me what was wrong...i said nothing, but they kept pressing me...are you sure bc it*s ok to cry...it*s pretty much a rule that you have to cry during training some time...anndddd that was it..alllll the emotions in side from the past...oh...3 months came tumbling out...into one huge tear. I couldn*t hold it back. One of the girls took me downstairs to the break room and we talked...and i come to hear yet again....that i am not alone in the way i am feeling. It seems like every person i work with was or is in a similar situation to me...moving here, away from family, away from friends, even looking for wedding dresses alone. Not knowing how to give directions to the guests...and having to rely on google maps...feeling completely lost the first month of work, and things even deeper as well....
.....after i collected myself and came back upstairs Ameina pulled me into one of the offices and told me i had better cry again....and this time...not hold back. HAHA. She asked me what my story was....i told her...then she told me hers. It was one of those moments. Really, the people i work with....care more about how you are feeling and how you are doing in life...than how you do your job.
I think we all understand each other...and it really connects us. I really love people, and i really love hearing THEIR stories...and feel so honored that i get to hear them. ANYWAY...after the tears, Ameina tells me that she talked to Reza, and the new plan was that she was going to lock us both away in the office and she was actually going to train me...until i understood EVERYTHING and felt 100% comfortable doing everything on my own. I felt a huge wash of relief run over me...
and that*s just what we did...she went step by step, over everything...and then had me do everything in front of her. EVERYTHING MADE SENSE. FINALLY. The feeling of gratitude i felt yesterday was like non other...and by the end of the night we were both smiling from ear to ear. We did not have time to learn a few other programs Marriott uses, but i believe we will cover that today.

All this, combined with a reality check/inspirational e-mail, made me remember a lot of things i had some how forgotten recently.
There are still things inside myself i can*t come to terms with exactly yet...but i think i have an idea how to deal with them...




But for now...i have to live in the moment...each and every one...and like someone wise once told me... (more like...reminded me 59739483478982337 times)..."The mind is a VERY powerful tool. Use it to your advantage and only allow positive thoughts to enter it. (You really can control what you allow to enter your mind.)"

what to say....??

Hello there, I*m here but i*m not....

DJ, Rambert & I went biking from Iwo Jima through the National Mall today...(why do they call it a mall???) (now i have to look up the actual definition)

1: a usually public area often set with shade trees and designed as a promenade or as a pedestrian walk

...ok then...now i see.









ANYWAY...it was nice...Rambo was so happy and I just get SOOO happy seeing him get the exercise he deserves.
It*s ALSO great that his happiness is so contagious that i think he must have made over 500 people smile today...like...huge smiles...teeth smiles... :D


The job...
so i made it through my first week of actual on the job training...anddd...it is SO stressful still...
It seems like everyday i remember a little more, but i feel like i*ve NEVER learned at such a slow pace before which is what's killing me.

WHATS WORSE...
SO many things that DO make me happy...are so far away. My friends and families lives are passing me right by...and while we text all day everyday...it makes me so sad i can*t see them in person and BE adventuring with them...and celebrating WITH them as all sorts of good things in life occur.

We miss birthdays, we miss anniversaries, we miss outings, first days, last days, hospital visits, first steps, family dinners...we miss holiday outings, gymnastics competitions...and on and on and on...
...this is just not what we pictured, not what we signed up for. We are missing whats MOST important to us. And slowly it is tearing us down. YES we laugh, yes we explore...but...well, i don*t really know what else to say about it, and complaining isn*t going to make anything better.


Alright...sorry this wasn*t as uplifting as i wish it could have been. I*m just in a bad place with myself right now. Trying to understand things. Try to make sense of things. Trying to justify things in my head.
Hope everyone else is well...

On the UP side...this weekend we will get to see some of the family...and celebrate Paul & Cat's wedding together.

...THE JOB...

OK!!!...WELL...
It is what?...only my second day of actual on the job training (or shadowing) all last week was training on a computer program that was the worst program ever...every person that passed by me told me not to stab myself in the face and that if i can put up with the computer lessons i could deal with anything...it REALLY was NO FUN and by the 8th hour straight of it i was literally going out of my mind bc it was SOOO much information and really now that im actually doing what it was trying to tell me to do..i realize the same thing it was trying to teach me in 20 minutes actually takes about 5 seconds in real time. UGH. ANYWAY...this week...i began shadowing everyone. And its really hard bc when im out at the desk i kind of have to make it obvious that i am in training bc if i dont the guests that come to the desk think im just being a jerk by not offering to help them. So thats really annoying and awkward. I am just CRAMMING sooo many codes and processes into my head it*s insane. I dont know if anyone has ever delt with the ancient computer program ugh what is it even called...i cant remember-my brains fried for the moment...but it is like, the oldest system used on computers and to do the littlest thing takes 5 minutes and nothing makes sense...its all just memorizing. One of my bosses told me i wouldnt be checking anyone in or handling anything by myself for at least 2 weeks but i already ended up doing it my first day (i pretty much assumed that would happen) What i AM good at is "engaging the guest" LOL...(talking to them) that parts great...i just hate not knowing everything yet and it is SOOOO much to learn.

ALLLLL the people who i work with are still SOOOO nice...so funny and so interesting. there are people from all over the world who work there and i just pick their brains...one of the girls im close with at front desk is a girl from Holland, her name is nina, and i had her show me on google earth around her home town and asked her about her fav food and she showed me the most popular dinner dish...i guess what i came away with was that in Holland you eat a TON of bread and potatoes. i tell her she looks and sounds just like gisele bundchen but a little shorter HAHAHA. Another amazing and PATIENT girl who i love at front desks name is Carolina...shes hilarious and going to school to be a pediatrician...she LOVES kids and maybe thats y she is SO patient with me and actually offers to train me each day and is SO good at it. There is a woman named Elina from russia...SWEETHEART...she is also tireless and is NEVER aggravated when i have a question. She always brings me treats. Everyone else is also amazing...everyone makes it a point to go out of their way for you and smile and say hello by name when u pass in the halls...everyone holds the door for each other and so on...i guess this all comes with people who work in the hospitality industry.

though i am learning so much and constantly working after the first two hours the time seems to crawl by at a ridiculously slug-like speed. Hopefully that will change. I feel like ive been out of the working game for a lot longer than i actually have been. There*s much more to say about everything at work as well as outside of work but i have to get to sleep and i need to post this now so everyones happy :)
love to alllll!!

Drinking Airborne Like It*s My Job...

Hey everyoneee....I apologize for the video...i was trying to RUSH through it and Rambo was also distracting me while i was talking...so i think i said "like" and "um" WAAYYYY too many times....(i thought i had conquered that habit yrs ago!!!) So again..SORRY! And no mom, that*s not how i talk at work or on a regular basis.

So today was day #2
Shorter day but it kinda crept by bc it was a diff woman running it and she wasn*t as perky and she was also sick and i literally FELT the germs entering my system so each passing moment had be wanting to get out of that closed in room...took a tour of the entire place...probably met and shook hands with over 60 people...so as SOON as i got out i went to the store and picked up some airborne (and dog food) - oh...while i was meeting people, a few of the people in charge told me that they were very happy to meet the new employee that there is such excitement over!...so i took that as a good thing :)

I go in tomorrow to begin my ACTUAL training...it*s one of the first jobs i*ve ever had where you actually GET assigned FULL days of training for your position. I*ve always gotten...ok, welcome...get to work...figure it out...so this is...idk! good?!

Thats it for now!!! MWAA!!!
M*

P.S. I don*t remember if i posted yet or not about the fact that i get 2 free meals a day while at work...how amazing is that?! THAT in it*s self will save me so much money and time!! SCORE.

First "Fire Side Chat"*...

...that could only be done by our Halloween candles since it was our 1st attempt at starting a fire in the fireplace...and THAT resulted in the house filling with smoke and the fire alarm going off....

* I remember the first time i learned about Roosevelt's Fire Side Chats...i thought...it i were president...i would re-instate the fire side chat...i would broadcast to the entire world what was actually at hand and on america's plate...explain to them in short why certain laws were being passed and use it to not only keep the world informed (instead of truly clueless) as well as use the broadcast to bring certain causes to their attention...so we could all be connected and work together...

...I was really happy and surprised when i saw Obama do a kind of fire side chat to America...it was KINDA like what i had in mind...

...ANYWAY....i am NOT the president...but this is the BLOGS first broadcast :) TEEHEE!!

Fairview Parks New Member :}

As you have all probably figured out from FB...after going through the most rigorous process (even longer and more entailed than what i had to go through to teach 1st graders)...and after interviewing with 5 different people up the totem pole...the manager of the entire Marriott offered me the position yesterday :]

Everyone who i talked to was SOSO nice and funny and they all had the same things to say, that this Marriott is everyones favorite to work at(also the best to learn and begin your career at)...they have the most easy-going yet successful employees and the managers and the owner, who stops in every x-mas and knows EVERYONES names, are all extremely friendly and understanding. As for all Marriotts, aside from the amazing benefits package, offer the ability to move up and around different branches of the company easily and quickly. In fact they encourage it to those who want to so they feel like they are always growing and always happy in their jobs.

SO i am pretty excited about the whole thing...i have orientation this coming monday and tuesday...the only thing KINDA sucky right now is that my beginning schedule will be the evening shift...so 5-11...which means...i will not see DJ at alllll. My manager said that most of his staff actually prefers to work weekends so it would probably be no problem to let me have weekends off and also that they have never turned down a request for time off. He said that there is a woman who will be going on maternity leave soon (i don't know how soon yet) but once she leaves i can have her morning shift...SO..all in all...NOT THAT BAD.

I had a wonderful time in NYC and LI with Re (and her fam)...I posted some pix on FB.

I told DJ that this is turning into the Adventures of Only Miriam page and he said that his writings would be boring bc he always does the same thing...SO...i will tell you that he is still doing amazingly...about to break personal records for the company yet again and will be hosting Paul's bachelor party camping trip weekend...so...i*m sure he*ll be updating soon :)

Love to ALLLL!!!
I LOVE FALL!!!!!!

~Interview~

Had the interview this morning...went wonderfully...the only thing that is on the "bad" side" is that I wont hear for SURE for two weeks. OOOhh well...since I am free for now I am on my way to LI tomorrow bright and early...(actually probably before it*s bright)...to see Reanna :) Can*t wait...

Why do I always end up getting jobs where you have to work holidays?? Oh well, once I work up it won*t be that way...sighhhhhh*

BIG NEWS WITH MARRIOTT PEOPLE!!!!

OKAY...I have THE worst timing ever...i have been looking forward SO much to spending the week with my other half Reanna forever now (it*s our 10 yr anniversary AND she is going to be in a show at this cool theater festival in Long Island that I was going to support her at) and NOW...Marriott calls me back and says i need to come in this monday for an interview...which means...IDK!!! SUCH good news but SUCH sucky news at the same time!!! i Probably have the job ive been wanting forever but i will have to find some crazy midnight train to the city afterwards.

Just wanted to update everyone on the news...everyone keep your fingers crossed for me!!!!!! UPSTATE here we come in T minus 2 HOURS!!!!!

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings Oh My!

Sept 8th I officially entered into my mid-twenties. It was a LITTLE less painful than i had expected. Bc i guess i realized im pretty much where i thought i*de be at 25 when i was younger? KINDA??? Well, whatever I thought...where i AM is an OK place to be in life. Though I dont have my successful career in full swing, I DO have an amazing Fiance, a house (two houses actually! in two different states!), a car (a NICE car!), little naminals that make me smile and laugh every day, un-wavering family and friends back at home and a world full of possibilities. I*m ok. 25 IS ok. I have a LOT to be thankful for.

~I also got packages on my door step, cards in the mail, parties at home and in VA, and lots of REALLY sweet novel length texts on my birthday...it was really more than i had expected and meant a lot. DJ decorated our backyard with string lights, lit the tiki torches, put music on and set up a table for two with candles all over the place for dinner. After dinner and dessert I took turns dancing with DJ and Rambo and then we all heading inside to watch the movie DJ and I had watched the first time we ever hung out...Oh wait...the movie was the night after for our one year anniversary!! sorry! HAHAHA We also finally went mountain biking to Mt Vernon (16.27miles)! Beautiful BEAUTIFUL bike paths...it pretty much seemed like you were biking along the shores of Maine, then all of a sudden you were biking through a topical jungle, then back to Maine...lol.
. . . . . . . ......... .. . On the motorcycle in Old Town Alexandria w/ Cat & Paul

Well let*s see....
We*re going to have another super-packed weekend coming ... friday after dj gets out we will be heading back upstate, Sat a.m. we will be checking out one of my possible wedding locations, and taking at least some "engagement" pix there, then running back home to get changed for amy and john*s wedding that evening. The NEXT day, we will be heading to Apple Fest and will get to see Amandaaaa and FINALLY get to stuff our faces with apple cider doughnuts we*ve been craving!!!! (I LOVE CELEBRATING LIFE MILESTONES!!!)

Talking about stuffing my face reminds me I haven*t mentioned that I DID get a membership at Xsport, and absolutely love it.

What i also love, is hearing that a lot of good things are happening in the lives of the people i love so much :)

¤}} The Meaning of Life {{¤

Here was the book that caught my eye of course AFTER I checked out at B&N yesterday...soooo I got myself some starbucks and sat down with the mini-book...fell in love with it...and HAD to take pix of some of the pages bc they were so inspiring.
The upsetting thing is that I couldn*t take pix of every page...so when you read through them, some of them dont flow or make sense...but if you pull back on each one and just focus on what each page is saying...you will understand. I*ll try to fill in the parts I missed for you...



It starts off by saying how "Im sorry, I*m guessing you picked up this book bc you thought it would have all the answers...well it has questions instead..." my heart sank like they were expecting it to...haha...bc everyone i know already has gone over those questions in their head a million times...for me at least...a million times each day! But...Bc of the cute pictures...I continued onward...







How AMAZING to think about...how AMAZING that fact really is...we really are made up of the exact same materials...idk...it just gave me a feeling of empowerment...i don't think anyone gives themselves enough credit for what they are truly capable of...

It goes on to say just that...why do we cut ourselves so short?...why do we marvel at great mountains or things that are larger than life..."powerful people in powerful positions...movie stars...huge skyscrapers or waterfalls..." when it is the little things that make all this possible and it is the little things that make the BIGGEST difference...he shows a picture of an ant...





He goes on to list the different popular opinions or suggestions to the answer of the meaning of life...to reproduce, to learn...etc...but then goes on to say that all these circle around love...it comes down to love.



(That one just touched me and sent chills down my spine) The fact that no matter how down you may feel at certain times...it*s that fire in your heart...even if its dwindled down to a minuscule flame...that slowly and calmly talks to you and tells you that it still believes in you and believes you can make your dreams come true...it KNOWS you deserve happiness and are 100% capable of grasping it and holding it for eternity if you just don*t give up.



It talks about how rewarding it is to just help someone else who may feel down or may be struggling...








..it says some people just have to go to a quiet place and think...ask themselves truly..what makes them the happiest...what has in the past? Doing what in the past has made you the most happy? Do you want that again?...It says to some...this question is already known...easy...and for some...it is very hard...(me, i thought)...instead of saying the usual..."give it time" though...it tells you to take this seriously...focus on this question as if your life depended on it..."bc it does"...and REALLY ask yourself what would make you happy in your opinion RIGHT NOW??...







Pretty powerful stuff...*i was going to include one of my favorite quotes of mine that i had forgotten about till now...but i will wait till the end.







It*s hard to admit, but God, this guy is RIGHT on.
He pulls back a little and goes on to say...now calm down...yes...it is so important to go for you dreams...but pay just as much attention to the everyday...HERE AND NOW...have fun with it...DO what you have fun with...DO what makes you HAPPY EACH DAY...whether it be dancing, singing, cooking, hiking, crafting, painting, being with your family...






DONT get mad at yourself for waiting so long to go after what you love...and DONT get mad at yourself if while attempting to reach your dreams you meet some setbacks...



This was also a big one for me...bc i always felt so torn between what i thought my dreams were...and which to go for...and why...it really does take inner focus and silence within yourself...really ask yourself...what is it...I want to do...and wait for an answer...wait. if you have to ask yourself again...ask. And wait.

He goes on to talk further about how once you get the answer...dont let anything stop you...no matter how crazy your idea may have emerged...how impossible it may seem...dont let any event, or person stand in your way...find your way around it...THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY AROUND IT!!...











Really let that sink in...bc it makes SO much sense.












It*s true. Everyone wants to leave this planet feeling like their life was "MEANINGFUL" like they made a difference...This is much easier to do than you think. You may think well...I want to impact people by the thousands...I want my voice heard...I want to be able to help the entire world...well...you CAN. Even if it*s simply by knocking over that first domino. Knock over at least one a day...and imagine how many people you will have effected by the end of your life?? Millions. Your kindness will have changed MILLIONS of lives.








Beautiful. True. Inspiring.

And now, here is one (wait two!) of my favorite quotes I was also reminded of yesterday...sayings you must ALWAYS repeat to yourself when you are feeling weak...

"...Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly."

and...most importantly...

"GO confidently
in the direction of your dreams!!
LIVE THE LIFE YOU*VE IMAGINED" - Thoreau