The Summer of 2013

A Reflection of My Summer

Before I started writing this blog post, I listed everything I did this summer on a sticky note on my desk. And then I needed a second one because I ran out of space on the first sticky note. I’ve probably done more things this summer than I’ve done in the past three summers combined. It has been filled with many events, activities, and lasting memories.

Much of the things I did this summer centered around two of my friends’ weddings. We went to a Brewer’s game, the Mitchell Park Domes, the Cheesecake Factory (it was my first time there, believe it or not), and the Milwaukee Art Museum.

I did quite a few things with my family as well including, taking my niece to the zoo for the first time, my godson’s first birthday, and my sister’s baby shower. My sister is due any day now. I could literally get a call from her husband while I’m typing this!

I’ve also experienced life milestones. I graduated from Moraine Park, I celebrated another birthday, and I started a new, full-time job.

I somehow managed to squeeze in two activities that challenged me this summer. First, I took up running. I am now running longer and faster than I have ever ran in my life. Second, I participated in GISHWHES (the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt The World Has Ever Seen). It’s a weeklong contest and charity event. It encourages people to be more outgoing by completing a long list of crazy tasks as a team as well as random acts of kindness and giving back to the community. My teammates and I created a pair of “helium pants,” sewed a teabag swimsuit, gave diapers to a local charity, and donated blood. This year I helped break a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest online photo album of people hugging!

It kind of feels like things should be winding down now that we’re heading into fall. But, I think things are still going to be pretty busy. I’ll be working overtime at my job this week, and I start one of my classes for the Audio-Video Certificate at MPTC.

Good luck to everyone beginning their first semester of college, or their last year of school, or their new job, or whatever life has handed you this year. Make it amazing, make it important, and enjoy the good things in life whether they’d be big or small, a lot or a little. And when you get the chance, take the opportunity for a little catnap. It’s good for you.

Thinking About Fall Already

Month in Review: A Reflection of July

It sure doesn’t take long for the stores to switch from advertising shorts and swimsuits to advertising sales on school supplies and first-day-of-school outfits. Speaking of school supplies, I usually use my old notebooks until they are completely full before I buy new ones. Well, it looks like I’ll need to buy at least one new notebook and folder. My favorite folder has a pretty sizeable tear, and it’s seen better days. In a few weeks I’ll be buying my new laptop, then I’ll be all set to start the Audio/Video Certificate this fall.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the events section on the myMPTC portal. I’m very excited to see that Mission IMPROVable will be performing at the Welcome Back lunch. They are an improvisation group I’ve seen in the past, and they are so much fun. I highly encourage you to see them if you can! It is sure to be a memorable experience you’ll share with your friends for years to come. My friends and I still talk about their show and quote it.

At work I’ve been given more responsibility. I’ve been there for two months, and I’m starting to feel pretty comfortable with what I’m doing. The job duties test my multitasking ability, because I have lots of projects to work on simultaneously. I think college helps build those skills. When you’re taking four or five classes in a semester, you have no choice but to work on several projects all at the same time.

If you’re enrolled in classes this fall, enjoy the last few weeks of August before the semester starts. It’s right around the corner. I don’t have too much planned for the rest of the month. I think I’m just going to take it easy and enjoy the weather. What are your plans for August?

A Wonderful Wedding

Week in Review: A Reflection of July 15 – 21

I was on a short hiatus from blogging this past week because I stood up in my friends’ bridal party. They got married this past weekend. Congratulations to them! We couldn’t have asked for a better day. I had an amazing time. All of us bridesmaids were friends in grade school. I really appreciate how we’ve all stayed in contact and supported each other though all the ups and downs post-high school life has thrown at us. I’m looking forward to our next meet-up during the winter holidays when we’ll try to get the whole bridal party back together.

The wedding season, at least for me, is now over. The fair season, however, is still here. I’m going to try to go to the Washington County Fair and the Wisconsin State Fair this summer. What kinds of foods will they put on a stick this year?

I feel like this summer has been preparing me for this fall when I will be working full-time and enrolled in class at Moraine Park. I’ve been very busy with work and wedding things, but I’m still managing to pursue my goal of learning how to run. I’m not very fast, but I’m working on endurance more than speed. It turns out that the MPTC shirts I have collected over time make excellent workout clothes.

Tuition was due this week for the fall semester, but I didn’t need to worry about that since I paid for my class a few weeks ago. I’ll be buying my new laptop and software from the bookstore within a few weeks. We’ve got a little more than a month before the semester begins!

My Fourth of July Week

Week in Review: A Reflection of July 1 – 7

My old neighborhood

Happy belated Fourth of July! I spent the holiday in my old neighborhood near the park where the fireworks are held. It was nice to see old neighbors and friends. We hung out in one of their garages listening to music, chatting, and eating a big bowl of fruit. The weather was nice. Amazingly, there were hardly any mosquitoes (or maybe they don’t like me anymore, which I’m fine with). I met up with my family in the park at dusk. It was my nephew’s first time seeing the fireworks. He really enjoyed them, although he almost fell asleep before they started.

This past week was also another first. It was the first time my niece went to the zoo. Her favorite were the fish. She pressed her face against the glass and kept saying, “Cute! Cute!” Unfortunately, it was too hot to stay very long, so after we had some ice cream in the Family Farm area, we headed home. She fell asleep instantly on the way home. Thank goodness for air-conditioned cars!

My friend’s wedding, which I am standing up in, is less than two weeks away. The bridesmaids got together with the bride-to-be to work on wedding tasks. We’re going to be carrying lanterns down the isle instead of flowers. They are just beautiful.

Fourth of July fireworks

Since tuition is due soon, this past week I paid for my class I will be taking in the fall. I’m glad I was able to save up the money to pay for it in cash. If I budget my money out correctly, I should be able to pay for all my classes for the Audio/Video certificate without applying for any more student loans.

July is going to be busy, and it’s going to go by fast! Enjoy summer while it lasts.

One Month on the Job

Month in Review: A Reflection of June

I don’t think I could have crammed one more thing into June, so it’s a good thing it’s already July.

Wait, it’s already July?

That means I’ve been at my new job for one month. The work is varied so I never get bored, and I think that’s part of the reason it has gone so quickly. There are a lot of niche-specific things to learn at this company, so I’m glad I’ve got a good foundation in programs, troubleshooting technology, working with internal and external customers, and organizing information in college.

The weekends have been spent mostly with my group of friends from high school since two of them have weddings this summer. One of them, my former roommate, was married two weekends ago. It may have been the most fun I’ve ever had at a wedding. Congratulations to Susie and Adam!

Besides the costs of being involved in weddings, I’ve been saving as much money as I can. I’m putting money towards my student loans. The quicker I pay it off, the less I’ll have to pay in the long run. I’m also saving up for a laptop because I’m taking a class, Video Camera and Lighting Techniques, this fall.

I’m looking forward to some more wedding events in July. This coming weekend the other bridesmaids and I will be spending the day putting together the centerpieces for the wedding, which is later in July.

I’m off of work this Fourth of July, so my friends and I are going to a movie and to the park later for the fireworks. What are your plans this Independence Day?

My Favorite is the Old Man Cactus

Week in Review: A Reflection of June 10 – 16

I saw a sausage tree, a chocolate pudding tree, an old man cactus (it looks like it has a beard), and a soap tree on Saturday when my friends and I went to the Mitchell Park Domes. I had no idea there were so many plants with funny names. And why are so many of them named after food they don’t produce?

Somebody at The Domes told us that the Milwaukee Art Museum had free admission that day, so we headed over there to look at the paintings, photographs, and other works of art. After that, we went to the Cheesecake Factory. It was my first time there so I spent a long time looking at the menu. It was a pretty awesome day.

I was talking to a friend from high school this past week. He was asking me some questions about the Moraine Park bookstore. I found out he’s taking some summer classes there and needed to pick up a few supplies. It got me thinking about how I’ve seen so many familiar faces while on campus. I have run into people that I haven’t seen in a long time. Matter of fact, I was friends with someone who moved to Florida at the end of our eighth grade year. She came back to Wisconsin after high school and we ended up at MPTC at the same time. She has since graduated from MPTC and is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UWM. It’s nice that we were able to get back in touch, and I’m really happy that she’s doing so well.

My jogging challenge is going well; although, I did have to take a break for a few days while I recovered from a cold. I improve every time I run. My friend is trying to convince me to participate in some events in the fall. We’ll see how I’m doing by the end of August. Wish me luck!

My Summer Goal

Week in Review: A Reflection of June 3 – 9

My legs are sore right now, but it’ll be worth it. Since I sit for three-fourths of the time at my new job, I decided I would take up jogging. My friend was on track teams growing up and she’s also coached some teams as well. She’s teaching me how to do it the proper way so I don’t get injured or push myself too hard. It’s my goal to run a mile in a reasonable amount of time by the end of the summer.

The first couple of weeks at my new job have included a lot of hands-on training. It’s really cool to be able to take what I’ve learned in my classes and apply it on the job (and they pay me to do it!). I was able to create a newsletter, update the company’s website, create Facebook posts, write tweets, and design ads. I do some clerical work as well, entering inventory data into the database and filing invoices. I’ve set up a file structure on the computer for myself based on what I’ve learned in my Document Management class. Using Excel, I’ve made spreadsheets for myself to keep track of things such as new contacts.

I saw a tweet on Twitter encouraging people to pursue something this summer. It can be anything; pick up a guitar, take up painting, learn a sport, teach yourself how to bake something that doesn’t come out of a box, or learn something new you’ve always wanted to learn but keep putting off. Or maybe even try something you didn’t think you’d ever be able to do. By challenging yourself, you challenge the limitations you’ve put on yourself as well as your self-perception. I’ve never been what you would call an athlete, so I’m challenging myself with running. What are your summer goals?

It’s Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Summer

Week in Review: A Reflection of May 27 – June 1

These storm clouds were definitely not invited to the party

It’s technically still spring, but it’s starting to feel a lot like summer. It’s so nice to be outdoors again. I spend every chance I get outside, even taking my lunch to the picnic tables at work so I can enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.

I was officially accepted into the Audio-Video certificate program this past week, so I went to myMPTC and registered for class. I’m so looking forward to taking the Video Camera and Lighting Techniques class that I can hardly wait for August 26! I also can’t wait to get a new laptop at the end of the summer. It’ll have Windows 8, so that will be something new for me to learn.

Because the Web club is a large group and so many members are interested in seeing a movie at the theater, I set up a SurveyMonkey poll so we can choose what times and dates work best for everyone. I learned about this website, where you can create surveys, in class at MPTC. It’s a pretty helpful tool that can be used for lot of different purposes.

I celebrated my birthday a few days early on Saturday with my friends. We tried to have a fire and roast s’mores, but we didn’t get to stay outside too long. It started raining and lightning. Oh well.

When the weather gets bad, what’s your favorite indoor summer activity?