An excerpt from my Mom’s email to my sister and me today:
“Now girls! You do not have mortgage to pay, no car payments to make, no insurance bills, no children to care for, no house chores or cleaning work to do…..live your life, follow your heart, achieve your dream.”
People I can be silly with.
SYZ Formal 2013 <3
This is an excerpt from one of my absolute favorite blogs, Barking Up the Wrong Tree.
I’m increasingly convinced that in today’s economy and especially given the reality of how people do remarkable things, the ability to focus persistently on hard things is becoming increasingly valuable exactly at the time that people are becoming worse at it, so we’re entering this world where, really, the ability to pick up really complex skills and stretch yourself is becoming more and more crucial and at the exact same time we have smartphones.
So the college student today versus a college student even when I started college has significantly less ability and training and just persistently focusing on something hard so, for example, when I was a college student, especially the first couple years of college, I didn’t have a laptop. I didn’t even have a cell phone. You went to a library and there was nothing you could but actually read and do the work that you were supposed to do. [laughing] I was much more used to this notion of ‘yeah, this is hard. My mind is strained, I’m struggling and that’s fine, that’s normal.’
So instead of trying to moralize about it, I think it’s a fantastic economic opportunity, that if you can systematically train your ability to focus persistently on hard things, you’re going to become incredibly valuable in the economy of the near future because there’s not going to be that many people that can do it at exactly the time that they need that ability.
Beautiful! I used to push really hard to be resourceful and ask the right people the right questions when I can’t figure something out immediately, but this has convinced me to be more persistent in trying to pull through on my own before seeking assistance. There’s a difference between being resourceful versus being just plain lazy.
I had lunch with my Professor today (at Restaurant 3000, highly recommended! Get the quinoa salad with shrimp.) and he said something really interesting:
“One of the downsides of your ebullience something that you have faced and will face for your whole life, is that people will not take you seriously. But think of it as an opportunity to surprise.”
It reminded me of a moment in high school when college acceptances came out, and this guy looked at me, completely bewildered, and said “I didn’t know you were smart!” Gee thanks. To be frank, I was a little offended because I didn’t think I acted like an idiot (most of the time at least), but apparently being a happy, waytoofastofatalker made it so that I didn’t seem smart. I asked my Professor how to fix this, and he gave me this advice:
“Use the 5-second rule.”
How awkward is that? Lapses of more than two seconds rarely happen in my conversations, and he was telling me to purposefully wait five whole seconds before responding? Thing is, Professor Shanahan has been extremely successful throughout his entire life, so I will take his advice to speak more slowly and take pauses.
Something he said that made me really happy was that in a recommendation another student wrote to Shanahan about me for the class, he stated that:
“‘Ellen spreads sunshine wherever she goes.’ Now that’s a real good compliment.”
Not sure how true that is, but I was happy to hear that at least one person thought that way about me.
New big goal for the next year: figure out a way to be taken seriously without changing the way I act and think.
Interesting
(Source: lifeinporcelain, via littlethingsmakemehappy)
(Source: ikerrr, via pleatedjeans)
That’s one of my favorite quotes. It’s all about driving relentlessly towards your dreams and not letting anything - or anyone - get in the way. It’s a quote I try to live by, and not very successfully. My whole life I’ve had this tendency to bite off way more than I can chew. Way, way more. To the point where I sometimes look in the mirror and think to myself: “You really did it this time, Ellen. Way to go.” And it’s in the most sarcastic, eye-rolly way possible.
But somehow, via some amazing magic or cosmic intervention, I get through it with decent success. And then I look in the mirror and think again to myself: ”You really did it this time, Ellen. Way to go.” This time, though, with a sense of shock, gratitude, and relief that I actually survived.
Every quarter I look back and tell myself that I won’t sign up for more than I can handle. I make a conscious effort to cut things out. And every quarter I find twenty other ways to fill up that free time with more commitments, and again I’m overburdened. I’m an idiot for thinking that I can and that I should, but it is so, so hard to say no to an excellent opportunity, be it just coffee with a friend or a random weekend trip to Kansas on a secret mission (yes, that’s happening).
Right now I’m leaning towards taking on two jobs next year. As in one job during the day and another job during nights and weekends. It’s not the pay I’m intrigued by - it’s the unique experiences that each job has to offer. Maybe it is time that I focus and say no. Or maybe that time hasn’t come yet, and I have just enough luck left in my little pocket to give in and bite off not more than I can simply chew, but more than I can physically eat. Maybe I’ll learn my lesson then. But for now, I can still take that risk.
I was told that I grip too soon. Solution: slow down the entire process, but not so much that it’s sensual.
Coolbeans.
the thing about these pictures that’s perfect, is that they aren’t perfect. they’re not all edited and expertly shot, they just seem like real pictures of friends at a bar. and i love that.
actually when they shot these pictures for the theme song they literally gave the cast members disposable cameras and were like “okay go”
ADORBS
(Source: naidakatz, via alittlesentiment)
This was my absolute favorite song in middle and high school. I loved the guitar, the beat, the lyrics, the video and her voice. Strangely enough, after loving this song for almost 10 years, It’s only now that I finally understand what the song means. It is sad. Really sad. But also liberating.
This girl really knew what the hell she was talking about.
Lesson learned: It really doesn’t have to be this hard, and there’s a way out. Everyone has their limits. Thanks Michelle.
Lyrics:
I’ve been driving for an hour,
Just talking to the rain.
You say I’ve been driving you crazy,
And its keeping you away.
So just give me one good reason,
Tell me why I should stay.
Cause I dont wanna waste another moment,
In saying things we never meant to say.
And I take it just a little bit,
I, hold my breath and count to ten,
I, I’ve been waiting for a chance to let you in.
If I just breathe,
Let it fill the space in between,
I’ll know everything is alright.
Breathe,
Every little piece of me,
You’ll see,
Everything is alright.
If I just breathe.
Well it’s all so overrated,
In not saying how you feel.
So you end up watching chances fade,
And wondering what’s real.
And I give you just a little time,
I, Wonder if you realize,
I’ve been waiting till I see it in your eyes.
If I just breathe,
Let it fill the space between,
I’ll know everything is alright.
Breathe,
Every little piece of me,
You’ll see,
Everything is alright.
If I just breathe,
Breathe.
So I whisper in the dark,
Hoping you hear me.
Do you hear me?
If I just breathe,
Let it fill the space between,
I’ll know everything is alright.
Breathe,
Every little piece of me,
You’ll see,
Everything is alright.
Everything is alright if i just breathe… breathe.
I’ve been driving for an hour,
Just talking to the rain.
Here's part of the story.
