2012

I know everyone says this but seriously, where has 2011 gone? This year went by extremely fast and I feel like SO much has happened that it's hard to keep track of it all. I was looking through some pictures yesterday that were taken at the beginning of this year, and it feels like that was a lifetime ago. It's crazy to think about how things change so quickly and sometimes so drastically. I started this blog in March, so unfortunately I don't have a post to go back and see where I was at this time last year, but I do have my own memory.

Last year at this time I was still unsure about my future. I didn't know where I was going to go to college and finish up my Bachelor's degree. I was second-guessing my career choice and if I even wanted to stick with journalism. I can honestly say 2011 has given me a sense of purpose. I am so proud of myself for deciding to go to ASU and to pursue all of the things I have always wanted. Sometimes I get discouraged and there have been things this year that have made me want to move back to my comfort zone in San Diego, but I know that wouldn't be right. I am where I am supposed to be at this time in my life, and I couldn't be happier.

A lot of people have been saying that 2011 was their worst year ever. I will be honest and say that it wasn't always the easiest and most fun year for me. I have lost friends, I have lost love interests, I have had that feeling of "what the heck am I doing with my life?" and I have been frustrated with a lot of things. But doesn't that happen every year? The difference for me, and the changes I want to make even more in 2012 are how I deal with these types of things. As you go through these things they help you get one step closer to knowing exactly what you want out of life. Letting go of certain people can be hard, but it makes you realize who you want to surround yourself with in the future. Setting goals and not meeting them doesn't mean you should give up, they just mean you need to adjust the goal or the time-frame you set the goal in.

I'm not going to type all of my New Years resolutions on here because I'm a HUGE list maker and it will go on and on forever. Yes, I have a lot of changes I want to make, and no I will not be upset if they don't all happen this year for me. That just means I have to change the time-frame :)

I hope you all have had a great 2011 and learned as much as I did. I wish you the best in 2012, and remember that it's up to you to make it the BEST YEAR EVER.

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to send out a little Christmas greeting to everyone! I truly hope you all have a fantastic day with all of your loved ones, and you get whatever it is you asked for this holiday season.

I am so grateful that I get to spend the holidays with my family and closest friends. That is really what Christmas is all about. I am so happy I have gotten to see all of my best friends and spend a good amount of time with all of them. That will make going back to Arizona so much easier!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone & get ready to ring in a fabulous New Year!!

xoxo,
Stacy

Holiday Aprons

My very talented mom is making holiday aprons, and for just $15 you can get that special person in your life that LOVES to cook a nice thoughtful gift. If you want something more custom-made, we can do that for just $20.

Here are just some of the aprons she has made so far, and they are all reversible! Message me if you want one :)

Snowman #1 both sides

Holly & Bows showing both sides

Snowman #2 showing both sides

Candy Cane both sides

Done & done.

I can officially say my first semester at Arizona State University is completed. It was a great first semester filled with lots of adjusting, lots of learning (in and out of the classroom), and lots of exciting things. I met some great people, and I can say that Arizona is starting to feel like home. It wasn't the easiest semester, since I had to adjust and see what going to a big University was all about, but it turned out even better than I thought it was going to. I'm happy with the fact that I dove right in and got involved in my school so that I can make the most out of my time there. When I graduate I want to be able to have no regrets and know that I did everything possible to help make myself a more well-rounded person and journalist.

I joined the radio station at our school and even got on a weekly talk show that they normally don't allow first-time students to participate in. I even have my first television internship next semester with CBS 5 in Phoenix, and I'm not stopping there. I am SO excited to see what the rest of my time at ASU brings. I'm thankful that I have this opportunity and I promise you I will not let it go to waste. Check back regularly for more exciting news about my journey in Phoenix and at Arizona State's Walter Cronkite School!

Finals.

Finals are killing me, I don't have enough time in the day to get everything done or study as much as I'd like. I shouldn't even be writing this right now, but I just wanted to do a quick update and let you all know why I haven't been writing very much! I want to re-vamp this whole blog before the end of the year and make it into something bigger and better for 2012. Send me ideas of things you want me to write about and/or make this blog into.

For now, you should check out my very fabulous cousin Holly's blog! She's super talented and has a lot of great posts already up!

Not Just Thankful on Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I truly hope you have a fantastic day and that you are surrounded by family, friends, and good food. I love Thanksgiving, it is a pretty low-key holiday, but what it represents is what makes me so happy. I really try to send out gratitude for all of the blessings in my life every single day, but today is the day we get to really show how thankful we are for things.

Some things I am thankful for in no particular order:
-My family and the fact that they are healthy and happy.
-My friends who have shown me what true friendship is all about, and continue to stay by my side even though I live in a different state now.
-Forming new, great friendships in Arizona.
-Having a roof over my head and a comfy bed to sleep in at night.
-My roommate and our hilarious moments together.
-The opportunities that this year has brought me. I am so happy I decided to move away and follow my dreams.
-My health.
-I'm even thankful for the bad times, because they help you appreciate the good times so much more.
-Food, of course.
-I'm thankful for not being scared to go after what I want, like I used to be. You only have one life, so you have to take every opportunity and run with it, and never let fear hold you back.

Of course I could go on and on for days because my life is so amazing and I have been blessed beyond belief. This post is a reminder to me to not just be thankful on Thanksgiving, but to give thanks for everyday and every little thing! I hope you all have just as much, if not more to be thankful for today and everyday! Enjoy your time with the ones that mean the most, and to those people who aren't able to, may you be able to very soon! xoxo!

Inspiration When Needed

I know this probably happens to a lot of people, but by the end of the semester I am definitely lacking motivation, dedication, and most importantly, inspiration. Thanksgiving is next week and then there's only a few weeks until winter break, and I'm sure that is the only thing on most peoples' minds. Lately I feel that I haven't really been where I'm at. When I say that, what I really mean is that I am physically in the places that I am, obviously, but my heart and mind haven't been fully there at the same time. I have been slacking at things that I was so dedicated to at the beginning of the semester, and today is exactly what I needed to remind me that I am where I am right now for a reason, and that I am in the right place.

The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication honors a journalist with the Award for Excellence in Journalism every year. This year's recipient was Christiane Amanpour, and today was the day she came to our school and received this award. At the beginning of the semester we were told that if we attended Must See Mondays, which is where every Monday our school hosts a speaker for us students to listen to, and the Cronkite Night at the Movies, and then blog about these events, we would have the opportunity to possibly attend the award luncheon. I knew I wanted to go from the very beginning, and I attended as many events as possible and blogged about them all to get the opportunity to go. This week I was so ecstatic when reading through my e-mails and I received one telling me I was chosen to attend the luncheon. A lot of students got to go, and I think that is awesome they give us this opportunity. 

Christiane Amanpour spoke to students this morning in the First Amendment Forum, and I loved listening to her stories about her career and the advice she has for all of us future journalists. She is such an intelligent woman, and today really reminded me why I chose this field to go into. Journalism can change peoples' lives for the better, and my biggest dream is to make a difference in someone's life and hopefully help make this world a better place. The free three course (amazing) meal was just an added bonus, but the real treat was getting to be in the presence of someone I admire so much. I am so thankful for all of these opportunities, and I finally feel back on track with my goal and my dreams, so thank you Christiane Amanpour and the Walter Cronkite School.

Maria and I at the luncheon.

Part of the luncheon... there were so many people.

Carrie and I at our table.

The food was delicious.

Christiane Amanpour on the big screen accepting her award.

Tricks Not Treats.

You'd probably think this post was going to be about Halloween, but I'm afraid it's not. A friend and I went out to dinner tonight, and I was really excited to try a new restaurant I found just by parking in front of it on my way to class the other day. The place is called House of Tricks, and it is located off of Mill Avenue on 7th Street in Tempe. When I first saw it I thought it was a house with a really cute front yard, but then realized it was a restaurant. I told my friend we should do dinner there this week, and she said that she has heard nothing but good things from them. Well, I'm sad to say that now I have nothing good to say about them. 

We got there and the hostess was nowhere to be found. She finally came back to her stand and sat us at a decent table by one of those portable heaters since it is getting chilly in Arizona. We got water and complimentary bread with a really good garlic-type butter. When another group of people was sat about ten minutes after us and had already gotten drinks and were getting their order taken, and we had not even been asked if we wanted something to drink, we decided it was time to go. You can be the nicest restaurant in the world, with the best menu, but if you have horrible service, people aren't going to want to eat there.

We ended up going to a place we know has great service and delicious food, Rula Bula. It is an adorable little Irish Pub with great food, yummy drinks, live music, and great service. Definitely recommend if you are ever in the Tempe area! 

Long Time No Blog

I know I haven't posted something in a long time, things have been ridiculously hectic. This semester is flying by, and before I know it, it will be winter break. It seems like all of my teachers schedule tests in the same week so I have been trying to study for multiple classes in one day. I've also been busy with my radio show, and trying to have a social life as well. Two of my best friends are coming this weekend to celebrate Halloween with me and I am so excited to spend time with them and show them ASU and Arizona! I will definitely update you after this exciting weekend with pictures :)

Have a good rest of the week everyone!

xoxo,
Stacy

A Continuous Lesson

I've been thinking a lot about how much I've changed for the better over the years, and also about how much more I need to improve on. One of these things is realizing when to get upset over something someone says. I think the greatest lesson we have to continuously learn is that what other people think or say about us is not important. What is important is how we feel about ourselves, and that is the absolute truth. It is hard to hear certain things that people have to say about you, but what ultimately matters is that you are happy with yourself. If you are trying your best, doing what makes you happy, and are committed to just being a good person, I think you should stop beating yourself up so bad. I constantly have to remind myself that when someone reacts a certain way, it has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with them. I am not making them grumpy, I am not making them rude, and if I'm being a nice and caring person, I am in no way the one making them sad. I am in charge of the way I feel, and I need to own this and work with it daily. The main goal is to not care what other people think, and just be the best version of yourself, and be good enough for YOU.

Two amazing quotes from Eleanor Roosevelt to remind us of these things...

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

"Friendship with oneself is all important because without it one cannot be friends with anybody else in the world."

I Love My Family

This weekend was so great I have to write about it. My dad and brother came to visit me, help me put furniture together, and spend some quality time with me. My dad's Birthday was last week so I bought us all tickets to the ASU vs. USC game. We had amazing seats, and had an even more amazing time! On top of that ASU beat USC 43-22, and we haven't beat the Trojans since 1999, so this game was pretty awesome. The only bad thing is now that they are gone I miss my family more than ever. I can't wait to go home again in two weeks and see my whole family and some friends. This next week is going to be very hectic, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

My little (big) brother and me before the game!

My dad learning how to throw his pitchfork up.. Fear the Fork!!

Excuses

I've been too busy to update with an actually interesting blog post, yeah I know, what an excuse. I thought I'd just give a fast update about what's been going on.

Two weekends ago I had the ultimate sport-filled weekend. Friday night ASU beat Mizzou, which was amazing! My roommate and I went to the game and then headed out to the bars on Mill Ave. It was a very fun night, and we met lots of new people!

Saturday I went to the Padres vs. Diamondbacks game with my friend Kat and her two guy friends from her hometown, and we had amazing seats. It was a good time, even if my Padres lost.

On Sunday Kat and I had tickets to the Cardinals home opener, and it was so much fun! Her boss gave her amazing box seats, and I'm so happy we go to to go. The Cardinals did win, and my Chargers won at home too so that was a good day in football if you ask me.

Last week Daniel Tosh of Tosh.0 was at Arizona State University's campus, and he filmed two shows on Thursday. Originally we didn't have tickets, so we thought we weren't going to go, but last minute they made more tickets available and Kat and I got to go to the 9:30 taping! Make sure you watch Tosh.0 which starts tomorrow night to see all of his shenanigans at ASU!

This week is going to be another busy one, but I will try and make a more focused blog post soon!

Have a good week everyone!

xoxo,

Stacy

Music Monday

Monday is almost over, but I haven't posted in a few days so I wanted to update with a Music Monday. The first song I have been meaning to find on iTunes for awhile now, but just got around to it today. I first heard Alexx Calise's "Cry" on the show Dance Moms, and I just thought it was a very beautiful song. Slow songs usually bug me, but there are some good ones that I like to listen to when I'm in that sort of mood.

The second song is Ellie Goulding - Lights, and I honestly don't know where or when I first heard this song, but all of a sudden it is on my iTunes and I love it. I have my iPod dock in my bathroom and always play music while getting ready, and when this song comes on I just do sweet dance moves and turns in my bathroom.

 

The last song on this wonderful Music Monday is DEV - In the Dark. This song is just a fun one that you can dance to, at the club, in your car, in your bathroom... wherever. I'm pretty sure if you listen to the radio you have heard this song, if not I suggest you download it and get your groove on.

That's all for Music Monday. I hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend and you have a great short week at work, school, or whatever else you may do!

It's Football Time

Last night was the kick-off to college football season, and I am beyond excited to be attending a Pac 12 school. Football is one of my favorite sports, and football games have never been so exciting. I can't wait for this whole season to cheer on the Arizona State University Sundevils, so happy I got season tickets.

The night started out great, Kat and I had our gold shirts on, we were walking to the lightrail and we were pumped. I didn't even let a bee sting bother me (it got me right in the armpit). We arrived to the game and met some new friends, before meeting up with some other people. The atmosphere was so amazing, everyone was excited and everyone was wearing gold, and the student section did not disappoint.

Go Sundevils!!

We left at half time and went back to our friends' frat house to celebrate. I loved meeting new people and I had a blast. Definitely looking forward to more good times at future games. For now, here's a video to get you in the college football spirit!

Nostalgia Nonsense

"I never realize how much I like being home, unless I've been somewhere really different for awhile." - Juno

I have been feeling extremely homesick and nostalgic lately, not a good mix at all. During the week it is really easy to keep myself from missing home because I am usually busy with school. On the weekends is when I really lose it, and if I talk to my mom and she brings up that she misses me or I say I miss her, the tears start to roll. I know this is completely normal, but that doesn't make it any easier.

On top of missing home, I became really nostalgic for the past today. I only allow myself to do this once in a blue moon, because I don't think people should dwell on the past too much, it truly hinders you from going forward. Tonight was my night for that yearning of what used to be and what could have been if things went differently. For the first time I scrolled down to my very first post on Facebook and started reading all of my old statuses and what people wrote to me. It was very fun to read, but some of it made me really sad. It's never easy when thinking about old friendships and relationships and how you no longer have those people in your life, at least not in the way they used to be. Although some of it made me sad, a lot of it made me laugh and just reflect on good times. I also saw how much I've grown, and how much my life has really evolved.

I think it is important to remember when thinking of the past and where you are now, that things really do happen for a reason, even if you don't see the reason at the time. You will eventually get it and it will make so much sense to you.

This has helped me deal with my current situation, because I know I am here for a reason, doing what I need to do to have a better life in the future. So here's to that!

Hairspray

This afternoon I went with a friend to see a play at the Herberger Theater which is conveniently down the street from my apartment, another reason I absolutely love living downtown. The show was Hairspray, and it was put on by the Valley Youth Theatre, which is located right across the street from me. Unfortunately I am too old to join in on the fun, but I will enjoy going to watch the shows instead. This show was phenomenal in my opinion, considering most of the actors were all either freshman in college or younger. There was even an 11 year-old girl who was awesome to watch. It really made me wish I would have taken more of an interest in theater when I was younger, because I know I would love to be doing that stuff now.

I had never seen Hairspray before, not even the movie with Zac Efron in it, so I went into it not knowing what to expect at all. I loved that the story is about going after your dreams, and also about accepting everyone and not rushing to judge someone. I even got the chills during some of the songs, I mean these kids' voices and acting was amazing to watch. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more shows, and my friend and I are planning on making it a monthly thing, so look out for more play reviews from yours truly!

First Day at ASU

I had my first day of classes today at Arizona State University, and it was pretty much what I expected. I always have a love/hate relationship with the first day of school. I love that you don't really do much and aren't expected to have read or done any work for once, but I also hate that it is so boring that it almost seems pointless.

This morning I got up pretty early so I could have time to eat breakfast, maybe watch some TV (my favorite), and then be able to actually do my hair and makeup decently. My friend Maria, whom I met in San Diego at the Sun Devil Send Off for our area, and I went to Starbucks this morning and just caught up and chatted about everything. She's super sweet and we have the same major and share a love for theater.

After that I had to walk about 4 blocks to another building where my philosophy class was, and I am so thankful for my dorky hand fan that i bought at Wal Mart, because it was about 110 degrees this morning and it only got hotter. I think I'm really going to like my philosophy class, it did not disappoint. Basically what I learned today is that life is one big problem, isn't that an understatement.

I had to walk very fast to get back to the Cronkite building for my sociology class, and I made my first mistake of the semester. I looked at my schedule in my hand one more time before walking into the class. It was already pretty full so I ended up basically climbing over people to get to a seat that was in the middle. Right after I sat down I look at the projector and it said I was in a psychology class, so I had to get back up and climb over the same people and leave to try and find where my class got moved to. Once I found the correct classroom I got a seat on the end, thank goodness, and tried not to fall asleep. I think the class will be interesting, but today I was just not feeling it.

My last class was 3 hours later at the Tempe campus, so I went back to my apartment and had some lunch before taking a nice little nap. I left a little early to have my first light rail experience by myself. On the way, some students from Cronkite asked me if they could interview me about some construction that is going on, and since I love being on camera (reason number one why I am a broadcast journalism student), I agreed. I finally made it to my American sign language class, and it is definitely my favorite class so far! When class was over and I walked outside, to my unpleasant surprise there was a dust storm starting. I was not happy since I still had to walk about five blocks back to the light rail and then walk again back to my apartment after getting back downtown.

Now that today is over, I'm exhausted. Time to have a fun weekend before the madness really begins next week!

xoxo,
Stacy

Whistle While You Work

I've seen this on some other blogs and thought it might be fun to start writing a Music Monday of some sort. I always find it interesting to see what other people are listening to and what songs they really like, so maybe someone somewhere might be interested in what music I like.

I have this weird thing for songs that have whistling in them. I love to whistle, and couldn't stand the fact that it was impossible for me to whistle while I had braces, TWICE. So as soon as I got those bad boys off  in high school I went right back to practicing my whistle. It drives my mom crazy, because I would just sit in the living room and whistle just for the sake of whistling. Lately I've been hearing new songs that have been coming out that include whistling, and it may be one of the only reasons I like the song.

The first song is Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks. I just absolutely LOVE this song. The beat is awesome and it really just makes me start moving as soon as I hear it come on. Not to mention, Cubbie Fink is super hot. The other guys in the band aren't hard to look at either. I can't remember where I first heard this song, but after I did I went to the Foster the People Pandora station and fell in love with more of their songs. If you haven't heard of this band yet, I highly suggest you check them out. Not only do they make great music but they have teamed up with The Do Good Bus that brings volunteers together to help out in communities. Check it out and help them out if you can!

The next song that incorporates whistling is my home girl B. Spears with I Wanna Go. I love Britney, she can do no wrong. Her new CD was the go to CD for our Vegas trip my friends and I went on back in June. I was so excited when this video came out, and I think the beginning is hilarious and just shows how much Britney doesn't really care what people think of her.

This last song I heard for the first the other day while driving around Phoenix trying to find the place I needed to go. I had heard about it, but never actually heard it. It seemed like a fun dance song, and just now watching the video it really makes me want to dance around my room like an idiot, kind of like the people in the video. I'm not going to lie, I know nothing about Mick Jagger, so I don't completely understand the video, but what I do understand is that Adam Levine thinks he has the moves like Jagger. There is lots of whistling in the song though, and that makes me happy. So here is Maroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera with Moves Like Jagger.

That's all for this first Music Monday. If you all have any songs that you think I might like because they incorporate whistling, leave me a comment! Have a fabulous week everyone.

Being Sick Stinks.

I was supposed to drive back to Arizona today, but waking up at 5am with the stomach flu really put a damper on that plan. I'm kind of glad I got sick while still at home so I can be the big baby that I am and have my mom take care of my like when I was a little girl. Being sick is never fun though, and I'm hoping to get over this really fast. School starts next Thursday and next week is going to be filled with lots of fun activities and jumping head first into a semester I hope I'm ready for.

For now I will drink lots of fluids and stay on the BRAT diet; bananas, rice, apples and toast. Hope to get back to my normal self by tomorrow so I can make the 5 hour drive back to Arizona.

Wishing you all good health and hoping you aren't going through the same thing as me!

xoxo

Pros and Cons

So I've been in Arizona for almost exactly a month (technically only about 2 weeks since most of this month was spent back in San Diego because I'm a baby), and I have some strong opinions about the pros and cons of Arizona versus San Diego.

Pros:
+ I have my own place
+ Arizona has really nice freeways and roads
+ Lots of good food options
+ I love love love my school with a huge passion
+ I get to start over
+ I am one step closer to my dream here, as opposed to staying at home
+ The heat
+ I've gotten super tan

Cons:
- My family is in San Diego, roughly 300 miles away
- My friends are in San Diego, same as above
- I'm away from my comfort zone
- I miss home cooked meals from my mom, I cannot cook for the life of me
- More responsibility, I don't want to grow up (who does?)
- I still don't know where anything is, so I navigate pretty much everything (this isn't that bad, just not great)
- The weather in San Diego is so much more bearable
- I miss the beach
- Back at home I could always count on someone to come get me if needed, here I don't really have that luxury


Well I ran out of things, so it looks like the cons have one more than the pros, but I expect this list to change over time of course. I really can't complain though, nothing is horrible here and things look up every single day. I'm looking forward to the day where I don't go through these pros and cons in my head and I am equally happy in both San Diego and Phoenix. I guess I have to be.

Positive Things Happen to Positive People

This is just a quick update, because I really need to go get ready for a dinner date with some new friends, so exciting!

Today was my transfer student orientation at ASU on the downtown campus, and it could not have gone better. I got my SunCard, basically my ID to be able to do a lot of stuff at school, met new friends, had pizza catered to me and other students, and fell even more in love with my school.

I am really starting to believe that I picked the absolute best school for me, and I am getting very excited for this school year and to finally begin my final college journey.

I met two really awesome girls today, and I am so happy to have more friends and more options for things to do around Arizona.

Oh and for all of you who knew about my recent bad luck with getting cable in my apartment, you will be happy to know that we finally have cable and it is up and running. Yay for that.

Well I'm off to have a fabulous dinner with some fabulous girls. A bigger and better post coming soon!

xoxo,
Stacy

It's Time For New Adventures

I officially moved to Phoenix, Arizona on July 1st, whether I was ready or not the move happened. My parents and I packed up my dad's truck and my car and headed east. I was the first to arrive at my new apartment, and I fell in love instantly. That first taste of having my own place was oh so sweet, and I was excited. My roommate was coming from Wisconsin so it took her a little bit longer to arrive, but when she did I knew we were going to get along fabulously. I moved with no furniture whatsoever, so it was air mattress time for the first couple of days. It's weird starting from scratch, but it's also nice because I can ultimately make my apartment just the way I want it.

When my parents finally went home and I was on my own for the first time, it was weird, but I was also excited to do my own thing and start to figure out a new city. It was hard at first because I really didn't know anyone except my roommate, but we are slowly starting to make new friends and once school starts I'm sure it will get even easier.

I'm back in San Diego for awhile just because I know once school starts I won't be able to come home as often. I'm really excited to see what the next year brings in Arizona and at Arizona State University, but for now I'm going to enjoy being in my comfort zone for just a little bit longer.

New beginnings are on the horizon :)

AfterShock Seven

I love supporting the people I love, because I expect the same in return, so I'm writing to help support my Aunt's boyfriend's band AfterShock Seven. They are based in San Diego, and are a dance variety band that perform at amazing venues like Barfly La Jolla. They have an upcoming show there tomorrow starting at 8 PM, and I am also having my going away party there. I'm excited to spend time with my friends and family tomorrow and dance the night away to classics and new hit songs played by AfterShock Seven. They are trying to get to 10,000 hits on their website by today so if you could please go to http://www.aftershockseven.com/ and check them out!!

Here is a video of them at the venue they will also be playing at tomorrow! So awesome!!

I'm looking forward to tomorrow night, and if you want to also check them out live make sure to be at Barfly La Jolla at 8 PM tomorrow night!!

-Stacy

Not Invincible

Not Invincible

By Stacy Haynes

You may think you’re invincible, but you are not.

Neither is the person that might not live,

if you hit them from being so reckless.

Careless driving only means that you care less.

What would you do if one of your loved ones was hit

by a person who didn’t really get it.

Someone who got distracted while driving,

by something as little as a text, or just not paying attention.

Be careful what you do, because it impacts your future.

Always remember that you could have more.

Those dreams that you have, aren’t they worth something?

Well that person you killed while driving reckless dreamt of having everything.

Think of these things whenever you get into your car,

and you will be closer to getting far in life.

City of Sin

I got back from Vegas yesterday and I am happy to say that my first Las Vegas experience was great! I went with 3 of my close friends, Bryanna, Brittney, and Jessica and it was the perfect dynamic. We all got along really well and ultimately had a blast. We drove up Friday and got there pretty fast it seemed. The drive in I was so anxious and I was anticipating what fun we were going to have. I loved looking at all of the billboards and buildings... it is truly a magnificent place. We stayed at The Venetian Hotel and it was beautiful! Our friend Amber was on her way to Italy so she couldn't make it to Vegas with us but I told Jess to tell her that I was pretending we were in Italy since we were at the Venetian. I'm so dorky sometimes, but hey I love to make things even more magical than they already are.




Part Of The Venetian Hotel in Vegas.. That place is HUGE


That night we ate dinner at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill and the food was okay, but the service was horrible. I hope it isn't always like that, but our waitress disappeared after taking our order and when I am starving I am not a happy camper. I did like the fact that everytime they play Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar" they give out free shots.

After dinner we went back and did the usual primping before walking the longest walk to Eva Longoria's Eve Nightclub which I had a blast at. It was Britney Spears concert ticket giveaway night but none of us won unfortunately. I really liked how it wasn't overly crowded and I could actually dance without touching random people. It was a great first night in Vegas.

Saturday we ate at Sugar Factory and I highly recommend this place! The drinks were amazing, the food was great, and who doesn't love a place with tons of sugar to offer. Kind of pricey, but totally worth it in my opinion.

At Sugar Factory with our huge Lollipop goblet drink... so good!

After dinner we went and got ready to head to Tao, the club inside of our hotel. We made it a point to get on the guest list, but missed open bar because we take forever to get ready. I think the club was really pretty and could have been fun, but it was so extremely packed. I don't know if it was because Karina Smirnoff was hosting it that night, but it was way too uncomfortable. We couldn't even dance because we felt like sardines in a can. Not cool. Next time we will pay to get a table because it just wasn't worth it to stand in there and be miserable, so we left. Saturday ended up being the craziest night and we didn't go to sleep until around 6 in the morning. True Vegas style right there!

Overall it was a blast and I can't wait to go back! I decided I want to stay in all of the different nice hotels just so I can pick my favorite. Until next time Vegas, thanks for the memories :)

Silently Freaking Out

Today is June 1st, and that means I have just one month, 30 days, until I move to Arizona! When people ask me what I think about moving I always answer "I'm excited!" just to make it seem that I am stronger than I really am. The truth? I'm freaking the freak out on the inside. I literally have random panic attacks where I think of all the stuff I still need to do, because I want this move to go flawlessly. I also have been neglecting the fact that I am even moving, and have not done anything that I need to do to get ready for it.

Well I guess all of this moving stuff will have to wait until next Tuesday because I'm going to Vegas this weekend with some girlfriends and I want to have a fabulous time and not stress about anything! So here's to more procrastinating :)

xoxo,
Stacy

Another Year Older

So today is my 22nd Birthday and I'm a lot happier about it then I thought I would be. I remember last year when I turned 21 I thought that was the end of the good Birthdays and that it was all downhill from there. Now that I am a year older and much more wise, I realize it's all about how you look at things. I can honestly say that I am in a better place than I was last year. I thought I would have the time of my life as a 21 year old and then life would get boring, but I was wrong.

I'm a much happier person because I have learned not to depend on other people for my happiness, and not expect things from others. I've met some of the greatest friends in the last year, and dropped some bad ones. I've made some life choices too, like deciding to attend one of the best journalism schools in the country, and move to Arizona away from my comfort zone. I've also made better health choices like eating healthier and working out daily. I am happy with the person I am becoming. I know there is always room for improvement, but from May 31, 2010 to May 31, 2011 I can say that I am a whole different person, but in a great way!

Thank you to everyone who has improved my life, but also to all of the people who hurt me, because you truly made me stronger. If we never talk again, and even if you resent me for cutting you out of my life, I still want to say that I am grateful that you were in my life at one point. I don't regret anything, and you helped me become a better person and learn what I want out of life. I wish the same peace and happiness for your life, even if that means me not being part of it.

Here's to 22 years of happiness, and so many more amazing years to come!!!

People These Days

So I'm not trying to say I am a perfect human being, nobody is perfect, but what I am trying to say is that I seem to try a little harder than most. I try my best in school, at whatever job I have, and most importantly in being the best person & friend I can be. My friends are SO important to me, and I would do anything for them. Well, it seems I am alone in that, because some of my "friends" act like I don't even exist at times. I'm not talking about the people I occasionally party with, those aren't my real friends. I'm talking about people I have known for awhile and that know a lot about me and my life. When those people start blowing you off, especially around your Birthday (the most important day to me), then it is time to re-evaluate this so-called friendship.

Of course there are legitimate excuses for not being able to make it to an event or spend time with people, I understand we all have busy lives. But, all you have to do is TELL ME that you can't make it, instead of leaving me hanging thinking you are on your way when you really aren't. It's just plain rude. I don't know if these people are completely oblivious to the fact that this is rude, but it's time for a reality check people. If you treat your friends like dirt, you will soon find that you won't have any friends.

So, with that said, I am going to enjoy my last 5 weeks here at home before I move with the people who actually make an effort to be a good friend to me.

By the way, off topic, but I got a vyou account... send me questions or messages at www.vyou.com/stacyhaynes and I will answer them in video form! Seems cool enough.

Overcoming Rejection....

Can make you rich.

I surely hope so, because after tonight I am so ready to get over the fear of rejection and grow my business, my career, and my personal life to make it as rich as possible.

If you didn't know, I have my own Mary Kay business, and I have been in Mary Kay for a little over a year now. I love every part of it, and I am so thankful that God gave me this opportunity. My director, Margi, is truly an amazing person who loves helping all of us reach our true potential. That's one of the reasons she set up a conference call with Larry DiAngi, author of Overcoming Rejection Will Make You Rich and The Resilient Power of Purpose.

Larry talked to us for about an hour and gave us some amazing advice that you can apply to your business and your personal life.

His basic points included that you have to wake up every day with a purpose and you have to be driven by that purpose in order to accomplish anything. If you have a business, you have to make sure you do something every single day that will help keep your business "plane" up in the air. It takes more energy to get that plane up in the air than it does to keep it up in the air, so the beginning is very crucial. This can apply to anything you want to accomplish. If it's getting in shape, of course the first couple of weeks are going to be tough. You are going to wake up some days and want to just give up and not drive down to the gym or even put your work out clothes and shoes on and get going. After awhile of establishing that habit though, you will see it takes less effort and you are actually excited once you start seeing results and will want to keep that momentum going.

One of my favorite things Larry talked about was the fact that you might feel like you are bugging people when you are trying to build your business. You have to talk to A LOT of people to find the few that are willing to work with you, or that you are meant to help and work with. One of the biggest things holding me back in my business, or even in life, is the fact that I feel like I am bugging people. You really cannot take it personally when someone doesn't give you what you want, because it isn't YOU it's THEM. Some people reject what you have to offer before you even get all of the words out of your mouth. Again, you must not think there is something wrong with you, you have to put yourself out of the equation and notice that it might be something that is going on in their lives that makes them reject anything that anyone offers them, whether it be a business opportunity or something that could improve their lives. Larry states that if you are going to bug people, instead of being a blood-sucking mosquito, you should always be a butterfly. Butterflies are still bugs, but once they come around, they are so beautiful, that you want them to stay longer or come back again. You have to be kind and genuine all of the time, including when working your business, to find the people that you are meant to bless with what you have to offer them.

I got so much out of the conference call with Larry DiAngi, and I plan on reading his books and listening to his CDs as soon as possible.

You can check out his website at http://www.larrydiangi.com/ and get some more powerful advice for yourself, whether you are trying to start a business, grow an existing one, or just improve your own personal life.

You can also check out my Mary Kay website at http://www.marykay.com/seh143 :)

-Stacy

No Work = More Time? Think Again....

So I haven't updated in what seems like FOREVER, and I'm kicking myself in the booty for it. I really do love writing in this thing so I need to stop being so spacey and forgetting.

My last day at my job was two weeks ago, and it was definitely bittersweet. I can't say that I miss waking up super early and driving for over 30 minutes to get there. However, I do miss having such an awesome job that paid well, and getting to work with one of my best friends. You'd think that now since I am not working I have gotten so much done, or at least been able to write in this blog everyday, but no. I have been able to focus on myself more, but I somehow end up making a huge mess in my house instead of getting organized and ready to move.

By the way, my roommate and I got the apartment we wanted in Phoenix and will definitely be moving in the first week of July! It seems so surreal that I will be moving in less than 2 months, and I've been weirdly calm about it all. Today I started freaking out a bit though and having one of my minor breakdowns while thinking of everything I still need to do before I leave.

Well I guess I should try and get some sleep so I can tackle my huge to-do list tomorrow!

Goodnight xoxo!

Happy Easter!




Happy Easter everyone!!! I hope you have a fabulous Easter and spend time with all of your loved ones. Let's also not forget the real reason for celebrating this Holiday, Jesus dying for us on the cross.

xoxo,
Stacy

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do....

Especially when the relationship is a long one, let's say three years.

No, I'm not talking about a boyfriend... I'm talking about my job. We all know I could never make that kind of commitment to a guy. So I found out on Wednesday that I will officially be leaving my job on May 10. This kind of came out of nowhere because I thought I had until June 30, and I was planning on working up until the week that I moved to Arizona. My STEP (Student Temporary Employment Program) agreement is actually up on May 10 because that is when they started the paperwork back in 2008 when I first got the job. I understand that they can't keep me due to funding issues, but that doesn't make it any less hard.

I knew that I would eventually be leaving my job this year, but now that it is becoming more real and happening faster than I expected, it's making me nervous. I do not like change, and when I get used to something, it is very hard for me to let something go and start down a new path. I know it is inevitable in life, and I know I can't take my job with me to Arizona, but I just feel weird about leaving. It is going to be so strange not waking up super early (I'm not complaining about this part of course) and heading down the 8 freeway to Point Loma. This is making the fact that I am moving in just a few months so much more real and I would be lying if I said I wasn't freaking out about it.

I am truly going to miss all of the amazing people I work with, especially one of my best friends Amanda. It has been a blessing being able to work with her and when I would get bored or stressed out, I could just walk down to her cubicle and we could talk and joke. I would always have someone to go to lunch with, and someone to help me out if I needed it. I owe having this job to her, since she is the one that got me an interview there three years ago. I was also blessed to have the best boss in the world, and the best secretary that was always helpful and so sweet.

I really am going to miss my job, but it's time to start on a new path. I know God is guiding me in this life and he wouldn't do something unless there was a meaning behind it, and I know I'm meant to move on and start working towards my passion of broadcast journalism.

I am glad my job and I had a clean break up and not a messy one, and I am so thankful for the lessons I have learned there and the experiences I had. They not only have made me a better and harder worker, but a better person as well.

Happy 18th Birthday Brother Bear!!!

Happy 18th Birthday to my little (bigger & taller than me) brother Matthew!!!

Bub,

I can't believe you are already 18 years old, this makes me feel extremely old, even though I'm only 4 years older than you! I'm so proud to call you my brother because you have grown into such an amazing young man, with a great head on your shoulders. I'd like to say some of that can be attributed to me, but I'll give most of the credit to Mom & Dad ;) I can still remember when you were just a little chub chub 3 year old who would climb all over the furniture and you were an accident waiting to happen. That can also be proven by the fact that you constantly had scratches and bruises from crashing on your bike while going off big jumps, or while skateboarding. Also, from the hospital visits due to you needing stitches from getting into some other little boy shenanigans. I'm so thankful to have you in my life, and I am excited to introduce you into some awesome adult things such as finally getting your license (so you can pick me up and drive me around of course), and going to the casino!!! Brother Bear thank you for always listening to my rants, and telling me if my outfit and makeup looks okay (since I don't have a sister), even though you have no idea what does look okay. Thank you for letting me play Angry Birds on your iPhone, and thank you for practicing Dancing With the Stars moves with me. You truly are the best little brother! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

xoxo,
Sister

Things I'll Miss #2

If you know me, you know it is no secret that I cannot cook. The only thing that comes out of my kitchen that isn't microwavable is Mac N Cheese. Don't ask why I didn't get the cooking genes, because my mom is a fabulous cook. So was my nana. I guess I just didn't catch on.

I am going to miss my mom's cooking SO much, it is so sad. If you've ever tasted anything she has made, you would feel the same way. I've tried to have her teach me how to make some of her regular things, but it just isn't the same. I wouldn't be surprised if I have her make me 2 weeks worth of food and then drive back home on a weekend to get another 2 weeks supply. She is amazing in the kitchen.

I guess it is just another part of growing up, learning how to prepare your own food so you don't gain 50 pounds from eating fast food. This is going to be a struggle for me, but I know I can do it. My mom might just be getting about 50 calls a day from me asking her what to do next while cooking.

Bare With Me

My ultimate goal is to make this blog a more regular thing, where I have it mapped out a certain way and post on the regular. That has not happened yet, and I must confess it is because my life is a big cluttered and messy right now. I like to have everything in order and in its place before I can start a new routine. I'm weird like that. So for now, just bare with me, if you are even reading this. If you are not, then this is just a reminder to myself to get my life in order so that I can focus on doing the things I love to do, like writing.

On another note, I hope you all had a great week & have an even better weekend! I promise I will fix this thing up as soon as possible.

xoxo,
Stacy

Beach Body Boot Camp Fail.

Last week when Bryanna and I were at the gym we saw a sign advertising for 24 Hour Fitness' Beach Body Boot Camp. It is an eight week, Saturday morning work out with their personal trainers to help get your body beach ready. We thought it sounded like a good idea and we signed up since we sometimes don't push ourselves hard enough at the gym. When we signed up there were only about six people on the list, so we thought it would be a relatively small class where we could get more one on one time with the trainers and they could help us reach our goals. We were wrong, terribly terribly wrong. When we showed up this morning there were around 150 people waiting in line to get into this thing. The worst part of all, they let everyone into the class.

I am all for equal opportunity and was actually excited that so many people were so dedicated to their fitness, but it was way too crowded. There was barely any room to walk around, and when Bryanna and I got to the upper body station, there were no more free weights. How in the world are we supposed to get beach body ready if we are just standing around waiting. It was ridiculous. So, I am warning you, if you sign up for 24 Hour's Beach Body Boot Camp, prepared to not get the most effective work out. We seriously did a better job on our own.

Pink Nation Collegiate Showdown!!!

This is definitely more my style than March Madness NCAA basketball. Victoria's Secret Pink is having a collegiate showdown to have one University host a Pink party!!! I am so excited to be attending a school that actually made the cut of VS Pink's collegiate collection in the first place, so I can wear their cute clothes of course to rep my school. This just takes it to a whole new level. I can only imagine how much fun and how awesome this party would be.

So please, if you are reading this, go here and join Pink Nation (don't worry it gives you the option of not receiving their e-mails), and vote for ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY! I would be so happy if our school actually won so help a sista out! Don't forget that you can vote daily to help increase our chances of winning!!

Thank you!

xoxo,
Stacy

Things I'll Miss #1

This is the first Things I'll Miss post, and this idea just came to me today when I was doing something I enjoy and I thought to myself, I am REALLY going to miss this when I move to Arizona. Makes sense that it is titled Things I'll Miss huh?

Well I'm going to miss driving through town with my friends singing as loud as we can to mostly Taylor Swift songs. Today was no exception when Brittney wanted someone to run errands with her so I went, and along the way we picked up Bryanna. We ate at TGI Friday's (yum), and on the way home it was time to belt out some T. Swift. Our personal favorites being "Sparks Fly", "Mine", "Enchanted", and "Back to December". I love girls days and nights and just belting out our favorite songs while I mess up the words and make everyone mess up too :) I'll miss these moments girls, and I will definitely miss you too!!!

PS: We need to go out and do karaoke soon, after a few (more like 5) drinks of course!

Here's Taylor Swift's "Back to December" video for you all to enjoy. We sound just like her when we do our version, wink wink.

Curse.

This year San Diego State University made it to the NCAA's Sweet 16, but since they are a San Diego team, the curse took over, and they lost to UConn 74-67. So sad. I'm obviously not really an SDSU fan, I don't go there, and I never have wanted to. But I live in San Diego so I couldn't help but get way too into the game today, and was actually a little bummed that they made it this far and then lost. It would have been nice if they made it to the end. I know ASU isn't that great at sports, but I pray they step their game up by the time I get there and are winners, because I love college sports!!!

Anyways, I'm going out of town this weekend for Mary Kay Career Conference. Excited to learn some new things and to help take my business to a higher level. Plus, it's always good times with all of us ladies together.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend. Catch ya later!

Oh, The Possibilities.

I love planning exciting events. If you know me at all, you know that I'm a huge planner. I need to know exact times, locations, who is on the guest list, what we will be doing, what we need to get for an event. This also might partly be due to my control issues, I really like to be in control, and when I'm not, it's hard on me. Sue me.

So this whole move to Arizona thing is actually more exciting right now than nerve-wracking because my roommate Ashley and I are making exciting plans.

Of course we need to do the necessary, get an apartment, which we already have one picked out and just need to start the paperwork. We also need to have our move-in date and of course get all of our stuff situated to move around the same time. Her trek will be a lot harder than mine, she's coming from Wisconsin, and I'm coming from California.

But the stuff we're really excited about is the fun outings we have planned.

We're already working on attending the MLB All-Star Game, just need to figure out how to get tickets (they're expensive). We also want to learn how to golf, although it is going to be blazing hot there when we move. Of course when it cools down we will also be hiking Camelback Mountain, and with our 24 hour pool at our complex, you know we will be working on our tans all the time.

I still want to do a lot more research and find exciting things to do in the Phoenix area. If you know of anything we absolutely need to do, places we should go, especially in the Downtown area where we will be living, please leave me a comment and let me know!

So excited for this new journey in my life. Only 100 days left to go, as Ashley informed me today!

xoxo Stacy

I'm a Lobster

Today was the first day I felt it was truly hot enough to lay out in my backyard and catch some rays. I also kind of forgot sunscreen and now I look like a red lobster. It wasn't that bad at first but now it hurts. Oh well, I hope it turns into a tan. Today just made me so much more excited for summer, I am beyond sick of winter and cold weather. I saw it is supposed to rain next week though, gross.

Exciting news to follow up on yesterday's post. Emily got proposed to on the Bachelor, although after watching the After the Final Rose show, I'm pretty sure all of the tabloids and waiting hasn't been easy on them and I honestly don't think they will get married. I wish them both the best though, and hopefully they can work it out because they are adorable together.

I registered for my fall classes at ASU today. So crazy that you register for the fall in March, but it was nice to get it out of the way so I can mentally prepare myself for the intense semester I am about to have. I'm really into school and do well in my classes, but since I received my Associate's Degree last spring, I haven't taken a general education or a 'challenging' class in AWHILE. So my classes I will be taking are as follows:
-Grammar for Journalists (Basically my prerequisite for all of my journalism classes, so I need to either pass the test they offer in July, or just take this class and get it over with so I can move onto more exciting Journalism courses)
-Intro to Sociology (excited about this class, because I like psychology and sociology)
-Political Science [American National Government] (AH! Not excited!)
-Intro to Philosophy (definitely not excited)
-American Sign Language II (I need to refresh my memory on stuff from ASL I because it has been a long while)

I'm pretty sure I will be writing essays like a madwoman and studying constantly, but at least I have a 24 hour pool that I can lay out at and study by because it is going to be HOT HOT HOT!! So excited though!

"Ladies, this is the final rose tonight."

Well we won't be hearing that come out of Chris Harrison's mouth tonight, because tonight is one of my favorite Mondays of the year... The Bachelor Season Finale! Instead we will (hopefully) hear a "will you marry me" or "will you be my wife," something along those lines. After a comedic season thanks to Michelle, we finally get to see if bachelor Brad Womack chooses Emily, the adorable southern blonde who has had a horrible tragedy occur in her life but still manages to try and find love again, or Chantal, the spunky brunette who has been married before but says she is ready to be married again.

Personally I have been on Team Emily since episode one, because I just find her to be really poised, graceful, and sweet. For some reason I don't think he will choose Emily though, because whoever I want to win on reality television shows usually gets second place, or in this case just dumped. So goes my life.

If anyone knows me, you know I love reality television, and so yes I'm so excited for tonight. Here's to hoping my Jazz teacher lets us out of class ON TIME (he never does), and to Brad choosing Emily to be his wife!

Gotta Be Startin' Something

I've been meaning to start this blog for about 2 months now, I'm not one for excuses, but I've been busy and I kept putting it off until now!

If you read my profile on here it will tell you that I'm starting this blog to document my transition from living in California (my comfort zone), to moving to Phoenix, Arizona in July of this year. I'm also going to keep up with it so that my friends and family in California, and anyone else who might be interested, can read about my adventures once I am in Arizona.

I am moving to Phoenix to attend Arizona State University and will be studying Broadcast Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism on the Downtown Phoenix campus. I have already found a roommate and a really nice apartment, and we will be starting the process for making it real in the middle of April.

I can definitely say that I'm nervous, scared, but mostly I'm excited. I'm going to be 22 years old this year, and I believe it's time to fly from the nest and start my own life. I have big plans and goals for myself, and I can't accomplish them all here in San Diego, so time to get going on my path to get there.

Here's to the start of something amazing!