Challenge My Character

It is Over

2007-12-12T00:53:00.000-05:00

Well this is the short and sweet end to my class project. There will be no more challenges, at least not ones dictated by Challenge Masters and blogged about by me, here, on this blog.

However, I really did enjoy getting into the whole blog experience and will probably start another one soon.

I will keep you posted, but for now I am signing out.

Thanks for reading!

To Pick My Nose or Sing on a Bus

2007-11-26T22:16:00.001-05:00

If Challenge Master numero uno had her way, this is how I would look all week. Yep, her final challenge to me was to wear all my clothes inside out. It actually might have worked out well two weeks ago, when my laundry was accumulating in massive "clothes-drifts" in the corners of my room and I didn't have anything clean left to wear. That ketchup stain on the jeans is easily hidden when turned inside out.

As embarrassing as it might be to walk around looking like I got dressed in the dark, the second challenge was much worse. It was more of a competitive challenge, let's say. Me against the clock. Challenge Master #2 wanted to see if I could eat 53 of my own boogers in under 30 seconds (she tends to have the humor of a six-year-old at times). First of all, to think that I might have 53 little guys up there seems a bit of an insult to my hygiene (of course I was just considering wearing dirty laundry, hmm). Secondly, 30 seconds is pretty quick. Ever tried to eat six saltines in 60 seconds? Impossible I tell you, impossible. No way could I go under 30. Besides, Dustin Hoffman has resolved to give up nose picking. Maybe that would be a better challenge. Although some people do feel that nose picking is the cleanest and safest way to clear out your nostrils.

So the last challenge has got to be it right?

Yes, well public humiliation and ridicule really do not appeal to me. "Break into song on a crowded bus on your way to class. Encourage others to join." That was the last challenge. Umm, I put Mariah Carey to shame in the shower, I am better than Kelly Clarkson in my car, and there is no doubt in my mind that Aretha could have taken a few pointers in belting out the soul from me. Unfortunately everyone around me hears what I actually sound like, not the pristine voice I hear in my head. I really think the world would be better off left sans musical performance from this girl.

But wait! Does that mean no challenge? Well it is my final week, so I am putting the challenge quest out there to poll everyone and find out what YOU want me to do!

Woohoo! I've Been Meme-d!

2007-11-24T12:58:00.000-05:00

Got tagged for a little meme love by Ashley B over at There's a Mouse In My House. Thanks Ashley!

Here are the rules for this particular meme:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Since my life is filled with quirky randomness it was hard to pick just seven, but this is what I came up with.

1. I joke that I have binge eating disorder, but sometimes I really think it might be true. I ate a whole box of cookies in one sitting a few weeks ago. After eating a Schlotzky's sandwich. After I had already eaten dinner.
2. One of my biggest pet peeves is when girls leave sickeningly cute messages on their boyfriend's facebook wall. If you want to say "Thanks for bringing over the milkshake to cheer me up! Luv ya babes!" I really feel it is more appropriate through text message. Please don't be that girl.

3. I love the beach. I despise sand with all of my being.

4. I have yet to see The Notebook, which according to my roomates, girlfriends, and even some guys practically disqualifies me from being a member of the female gender.
5. In the third grade we had to dress up one day as what we wanted to be when we grew up. There were vets, firemen, teachers, and scientists. Me, the highly ambitious seven year old, dressed up as a waitress.

6. I really admire some people's ability to quote movies because I fail miserably at it. My roommate has acquired this incredible skill, and can see a movie once and practically go word for word from the best scenes. Somehow my brain just doesn't function that way. I really feel lame sometimes, not being able to jump in with the next line of a famous scene. Even my favorite movie that I have seen dozens of times, I botch the lines.

7. I have sweet blood. I must, because mosquitos love me. You think you get a lot of bug bites? I get eaten alive. However many bug bites the people around me get, I can count on having at least 58 percent more than them. As I type this I have four on my arms, two on my left shin and one on my back. It is the middle of November and I haven't been outside in the past week other than to walk to my car. I don't know how they do it but they just hunt me down.

Ok here goes my tagging...read some new blogs, I did!

My Daily Thoughts In Search of Self-Fulfillment, Walsho, Life of a Valley Girl, Stefanella's Drive Through, I Love The Beach, Chronicles of a Taurean Lady, and My Day Off

Turkey and All the Fixin's

2007-11-22T16:52:00.000-05:00

turkey, white meat and dark

gravy

cranberry sauce, from a can (unfortunately)

wild rice

stuffing, wrapped in puff pastry

Parmesan and chive potatoes

pineapple and chedder casserole (sounds gross, but my family almost revolted when it was suggested we take it out)

green beans

rolls

macaroni and cheese (we are big on carbs in this family)

squash casserole

pumpkin pie

pecan caramel cake

red velvet cake (a little dry this year)

cookies (chocolate chip and oatmeal butterscotch)

fudge

pecan pie (complete with discussion on pronunciation of "pecan" - it is pee-CAN, like a can of food)

vanilla bean ice cream

Yes, I ate all of the above.

Did I overindulge?

It is Thanksgiving, you decide.

Could Be the Biggest Challenge Yet...

2007-11-20T21:49:00.000-05:00

This week the Challenge Masters are putting me to the test.

They have collaborated themselves and given me a Thanksgiving Day challenge. Everything in moderation, quality over quantity, portion control!

Basically they told me to attempt not to stuff my face with food on Thursday.

I usually end up like this, but this year I am going to try to take only what I need.

Exposing My Dirty Laundry...to the Washing Machine That Is

2007-11-19T21:54:00.000-05:00

I am pretty sure I did about eight loads like this over the weekend. Ugh, I hate laundry. And I can't help but comment that is probably the ugliest laundry basket I have ever seen. No wonder I would avoid it.

This cartoon reminds me of my childhood.

When I was younger my mom would constantly tell me to pick up my room before the cleaning ladies came. Every child, myself included, is always flabbergasted as to why they have to clean before the "cleaning ladies" come to do their job.

It would get to the point where my mom would go into my room and pick up the clothes on the floor herself. I was amazed and thought I had won the war when I came back and my room was all picked up from her doing. It took a few weeks before I realized she had put all the things she picked up in trash bags and stored them in her closet. I was only allowed one item back for a week at a time, and I had to keep my room spotless or all the rest went to Goodwill. "If you can't take care of your things by putting them away then you don't deserve to have them."

It's a good thing that rule doesn't apple today or I would have next to nothing in my house right now.

The organization of my life continues.

A Self-Imposed Challenge

2007-11-14T22:04:00.000-05:00

This is what my life looks like right now. Yes every article of clothing strewn about, drawer open, piece of trash on the floor symbolizes something in my life just as haphazard. I haven't put them all together yet, but I am sure if I was to match my physical messiness with my life's disorganization it would fit perfectly.

Even the empty ice cream bowl is a sign that perhaps my diet needs a revamping, although according to Valley Girl's diet at least I am getting some calcium. I should probably get in the right month first. The calender, while well intentioned, is from July.

So this week, I am challenging myself to get organized!

Projects are due soon that I have yet to begin. Finals will start being given before I know it. And surely I will have visitors that I would rather not repulse with the filth of my overflowing trash can.

The fact that it has taken me until today to post this just tells you what a mess my deadlines are.

Look forward to Pottery Barn-esq shots of my room by the end of the week. Maybe I will even invest in a new calender.

Nothing But Greatness and Gratefulness!

2007-11-09T21:01:00.000-05:00

Today is one of those days that you get finished with and wonder how you could ever complain about anything.

Today, I am nothing but grateful for a lot of things.

I had the most amazing afternoon with about 25 of the most incredible girls I know. They are fierce, they are passionate, they are tough and they are my teammates.

As much as my life revolves around my college swim team, I purposely wanted to separate my blog from it so that I had something that wasn't affected by my swimming. However, because it is such a big part of my life, and this blog is about things that happen in my life, it would be impossible to completely avoid it.

So this afternoon our fifth-ranked team hosted the No. 2 ranked team. On paper, with the meet swam out with everyone's best times, they would beat us by 100 points.

But black and white times mean nothing when your heart rate is pumping blood and oxygen to every muscle you could possibly use. When your teammates and coaches are chanting your name. When you are diving in next to a girl that you know if you don't beat could mean the difference between winning and losing the whole meet.

One of the things I love the most about my team is the fight we have in us. Losing was not an option to any of us today.

It came down to the last relay, but we did not let them get the best of us. We had too much tradition riding on the win and too much fire in our hearts to bow out. This win signified our 60-meet winning streak at home. Generations of swimmers have contributed to that number and my team today was not about to give it up.

So I am grateful today. Grateful for the women who have come before us, set the standard, contributed to the legacy and established a tradition. I am grateful for the women I have with me now. They are hard workers, tough competitors and incredibly fun to be around. I am grateful for my coaches, who push me in practice and meets, and take time to mold me into a better swimmer, racer and person. I am even grateful for teams like the one we raced today. The challenges they bring only make our team stronger and push us to be better.

So maybe I will complain about getting up early in the morning, or a hard set during practice tomorrow, but I know it will make me better.

And today I am grateful.

The Solution to that Pesky Extra Set of Arms

2007-11-06T20:39:00.000-05:00

With my weekly attempts to tip the balance of my karma in my favor, I realize many of you may also be looking for ways to do the same.

Getgoodkarma.org is here to help you stay on the universe's good side.

Check it out and don't get stuck with bad karma, or an extra set of arms.

Ungrateful for the Challenge Masters

2007-11-05T11:44:00.000-05:00

I think I got some half-hearted attempts at challenges this week.

I got two last night, one from a roommate and one from another roommate's boyfriend. Yep, that's right, it has come to pawning off their Masterly duties on significant others. I almost expect to get a phone call from someone's mom next week challenging me to make up my bed every morning (instant failure no doubt).

The boyfriend even made a point to call and harass me because they didn't get a thank you response. I told him it's because I thought they were weak challenges and I expected better. I didn't get anything better so here they are:

Smile at ten strangers a day and ask how their day is going.
Pinch myself every time I start to complain and be grateful for what I have.
Do not spend any money this week.

Bleh. I am not thrilled with any of those. Not that I should necessarily love my challenge, I just feel that the creative juices are perhaps running a bit low.

So I choose gratefulness. I guess I should start by being grateful that I even have these Challenge Masters at all (hopefully not for long).

And I won't complain. Even about crazy ex-boyfriends.

A Call for New Challenge Masters!

2007-11-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

The Challenge Masters are kind of falling off the job these days. I am thinking of recruiting new ones so if anyone has a brilliant suggestion of a weekly task to make me a better person, by all means, leave a comment and I may be attempting your challenge next week!

Can I Tune Out Complaints?

2007-11-04T19:02:00.000-05:00

How are you supposed to be an intent listener and focus on what someone is saying if they don't listen to you?

I had this problem earlier this week.

A friend of mine broke up with her boyfriend of two years a few months ago. She loves him, but doesn't want to marry him and could see that was the direction they were headed if they stayed together.

Her ex is having a hard time with this, and since I am good friends with both of them, I have somehow become a middle-man between his complaining about her and pining for her attention, and her attempts to wash her hands of the whole situation.

It really has gotten serious...one night he tried to start a fight with a much bigger guy out of stupid jealousy and she literally had to hit him in the face to get him to snap out of it.

So he talked to me endlessly a few nights ago, very upset, claiming all of her friends refuse to talk to him anymore because she has "stolen" them away to her side. There are sides here? I am sorry if I don't want to listen to his whining and moaning about her "giving him another chance". Especially if I am not aloud to tune him out this week.

He also has convinced himself she wants nothing more than to twist the knife he believes she has stabbed through his heart. If only he could take her out to a nice dinner, talk to her parents, go to a movie, convince her friends they should be together...

AHH!! NO!!

She will never change her mind. I told him that. Several times.

I know it is hard for you, I wish I could make you feel better, but this is how it is. I told him that. Several times.

All to no avail. He continued repeating the same things so I yelled at him that I couldn't listen to it anymore and stalked off.

So is it better that I just left, or am I a cold-hearted person for not wanting to sympathize with him anymore? At least I didn't have to listen to it anymore.

Immediate Updates of my Rants and Raves!

2007-11-04T17:08:00.000-05:00

For all those subscribers out there who can't wait to hear about another one of my challenge failures, you need to change the RSS feed. You can click the "Subscribe To My Blog" link to the right, or this is the new URL.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/ChallengeMyCharacter

Do not fret...more challenge posts to come shortly.

Do You Understand the Words that are Coming Out of my Mouth?

2007-10-30T22:45:00.000-04:00

I know, I know...I am a little late posting my challenge for the week. Maybe my challenge should be not procrastinating with anything. YIKES! I would have a lot of catching up to do.

Here they are (drumroll please)...

Wake up 10 minutes early and do a daily devotional.

When people speak to you, give them your full attention and listen to what they are saying.

Do something nice for a stranger every day.

Since I can be, not spacey, let's say uninterested, at times and being attentive to what people are saying is something I really should work on I have chosen the second one.

Especially working on getting a degree in public relations, which relies heavily on communication, I can always improve my non-zoning out skills.

The hardest part about this will be trying to find fascinating people to talk to all week. Otherwise I fear I may slip back into the fascinating thoughts in my head instead.

Where's The Love?

2007-10-29T22:27:00.000-04:00

I thought I was doing a decent job completing my challenges, testing my character, stockpiling good karma as I tried to make myself a better person.

I thought.

But it seems life is more willing to toss me additional challenges, rather than reward me with wonderful perks.

The past 48 hours have been particularly trying. Several personal and family friends were involved in the tragic fire in North Carolina, and I have been emotionally drained thinking and talking about them. (Video footage)

This comes on top of another unexpected death of a young friend I used to train with on my hometown swim team.

This is not to say I am not blessed and lucky. There are many great things in my world right now. I know life can be cruel and unfair as easily as it can be beautiful and forgiving, I just hope I get to see the latter characteristics sometime soon.

Learning Not to Rush Life

2007-10-23T11:32:00.001-04:00

One of the greatest feelings in the world is having a conversation with someone who supports all those things you want to do but didn't think you could.

I talked to my mom yesterday for a long time, and we had one of those conversations.

My problem is my vast dreams, desires and ambitions. And my lack of time, or rather, perceived lack of time.

I want to study abroad. I want to get a dual degree. I want to volunteer. I want to have a great internship. I want to train for 2008 Olympic Trials (no seriously; I am a competitive swimmer). I want to give back to the swim team that has given so much to me. I want to visit old friends and make new ones. The list goes on.

Unfortunately, I feel like the only opportunity for all these things is now. The pressure is on to squeeze everything into my last year and a half of school, and doing all these things at once would require an extra set of hands and probably another six hours in my day.

I often feel that I am cursed with no direction in my life. It is not that I don't know what I want to do, it is that I know too many things. Where do I start?

My mom helped me realize there will be time. If not this year, then next, or the year after that.

I love the idea of a slow life, slowing down to appreciate what you are doing, not what you need to do or where you might end up. That is my challenge for the week right? Don't rush?

Well I sorted out the study abroad question, with blessings from my mom. Now the other things start to fall into place.

I can only climb one mountain at a time right?

No Room for Meandering on My Sidewalk

2007-10-22T22:25:00.000-04:00

I can't walk behind slow people.

I have long legs, tend to walk with an assertive stride, and rarely do I meander. When I am stuck behind people who don't share my walking characteristics I get impatient and antsy, and sometimes feel claustrophobic. These feelings tend to morph into rudeness, as I break a conversation between two strolling companions just so I can get by.

Surely they heard my quickly approaching footsteps followed by shuffling of my feet, as I try to maneuver my way around them?

Why can't they just get out of my way? I have important things to do!

Water Conservation PSA

2007-10-21T22:14:00.001-04:00

If we don't do something about water conservation this could be all us Athens-Clarke County residents in December!

Water Week Wrap Up

2007-10-21T21:31:00.000-04:00

It is really hard to take two minute showers.

By the time you get in there, get wet, and lather up it is pretty much over. That is why I walked around most of this week either going showerless (not as bad as it sounds - I swim twice a day so my distinct chlorine smell was just more powerful than usual) or with greaseball hair because I didn't have enough time to rinse out the conditioner. I couldn't even think about shaving my legs.

So maybe it is an art that requires a bit of practice.

Another of my conservation practices was to fill a two liter pitcher with water and use just that to wash my face, hands, brush teeth, etc. I did it, but constantly had soap in my eyes. In fact, my left eye has been red all day and has a bit of a sporadic twitch, both of which I am attributing to the suds it was assaulted with daily.

Well, I may smell like chlorine, but at least my skin looks good. My goal was to finish all glasses of water and full water bottles instead of dumping the leftovers out. Yes, I was extremely hydrated, however, it took a toll on my bladder which brings me to my final water conservation challenge.

"If it's yellow, let it mellow.
If it's brown, flush it down."

The calculations of this Blog Action Day blogger seem to point out that my three or four flushes a day at home probably aren't that giant of a water loss (assuming of course my little toilet is a 1.6 gallon). But this is all about doing the little things right?

Hardest part of this one was not the smell (wasn't really that bad) or the unsightliness (lid down, not a problem), but breaking the habit of flushing! I actually would feel guilty after flushing in that groggy just-woke-up phase, but alas, once that swirl has started there is not much you can do to take it back.

I remember at an evironmental awareness day at the university last year a group was demonstrating this new toilet that used water draining from a sink on the lid of the toilet to fill the basin. I was a little freaked out by it at first but now I think it could make a dent in those water conservation practices.

Glad that the challenge is over, but everyone will have to pick up these practices soon because according to ABC's World News Atlanta area residents have approximately one year until their water runs dry.

This week's challenges are all about time management:

Get up ten minutes earlier than normal and spend that time doing a devotional.
Study at least one hour for something not due the next day.
Slow down, don't feel rushed, be quick but don't hurry in doing everything.

I picked the last challenge because I live my life in a constant strain of "I have to get this done, now!" Inspired by this Newsweek article by Jeffrey Blout, the Challenge Master who picked this one said to try to realize there are more important things than getting everything done as fast as possible.

I don't know if this one will be successful. As I write this my mind fast forwards to the next thing on my list and crossing this task off as soon as possible.

OK, I'm taking a deep breath and slowing down this week.

A Tired End to a Long Day

2007-10-21T02:00:00.001-04:00

Ahhh!! I just got soap in my eyes!!

It is very hard to wash your face clean with one hand holding a pitcher of water and one hand rubbing tablespoons of water over your face.

I am tired from being at UGA Connect, our social media conference, all day. I have blogged, twittered, flickred and networked my little heart out so this is all you will get from me tonight.

Also, my mouth is extra toothpastey. I gave up the post brush mouth swishing with water as part of my water conservation policy, but it leaves me a little too Auquafresh if you know what I mean. If you don't it is ok. I am not sure I really know either.

Friends In Pictures

2007-10-16T22:33:00.000-04:00

This was last week's challenge, but just ended Sunday so I feel like I can throw this in the mix.

Besides, it's my blog and i'll blog what I want to.

The Will Hoge concert with Caley was awesome. Not a huge crowd, but some great fans nonetheless. We got to talk to him and he's a pretty awesome guy.

Caley and I enjoyed the show, then got the chance to talk over chili cheese fries, funnel cake and caramel apples (did I mention it was at a fair?).

It was really comforting to hear that we shared some of the same fears right now, about approaching the end of our undergrad years, feeling inadequate in the classes that are supposed to be our passion, and dealing with life's unexpected turns among other things.

Even though I still have all these grown-up thoughts and more swirling around in my head, I know I have an ally out there, willing and ready to back me up because ten years ago we had slumber parties together and played "Chubby Bunny" all night.

Blog Action Day Video

2007-10-15T14:22:00.001-04:00

A Challenge Fit For Blog Action Day

2007-10-15T13:05:00.000-04:00

You would not BELIEVE my excitement when I opened my blogger dashboard to sign on and let everyone know about my challenge for this week!

I am jumping ahead of myself so let me lay down the Challenge Masters' challenges:

Conserve water by taking two minute showers.

Buy and eat food as if I were using food stamps.

Don't use my cell phone for a week.

Right now Athens, Ga. is in the midst of a very serious drought and the water supply could be gone by Christmas. Some residents of Athens have been responding to water restrictions with outrage. Others just refuse to see the urgency of the situation.

So this week I am going to do my part to conserve water. While I train in an Olympic size tank of water twice a day for swim practice, and there is nothing I can do to change that, I can certainly cut down on shower time, hand washing time, running the dishwasher and flushing the toilet.

How perfect this challenge was when I saw that October 15 is Blog Action Day. It is an opportunity for bloggers to blog about environmental issues all on the same day. Here is the video.

Yaro Starack in Australia seems to be having a pretty similar situation as we are here in Athens, and here is some advice I found for everyday conservation of water.

I know by cutting my showers down to two minutes is not going to restore the seven foot drop in the Bear Creek Reservoir where Athens gets its water. However, if everyone joined together to conserve we could all make a difference, so maybe I will inspire someone to change.

Good Friends and Good Music

2007-10-14T17:07:00.000-04:00

After a long week of calling old friends and getting updated on their lives, I am now taking my challenge even a step further.

No petty phone calls here...tonight I am driving an hour and a half to the Anderson County Fair to visit my friend Caley.

When I called her this week she suggested going to a concert together to give us a chance to hang out and catch up while enjoying some awesome music together.

Caley is one of those people whom I always feel grateful to have around. She is probably one of my oldest friends. I remember the days when we would ride bikes around the neighborhood after middle school, and I am pretty sure I went trick-or-treating with her until we were way too old to dress up and ask for candy.

Tonight should be fun, but strange too, as we have always been good friends but have had limited outings in the past few years.

I am hoping that tonight will give us the opportunity to re-establish the great relationship we used to have.

Friends Helping Friends

2007-10-11T20:29:00.001-04:00

It is amazing how hearing someone's voice, their laugh, the way they speak and their silly little slang can conjure up a picture of them.

With their tone you can read their emotions, and if they are good friend, even see their facial expressions in your head.

My friend Dank is one of the sweetest, most genuine guys that I know. He is like a brother to me.

This is a picture of us at a 5K open water swim that our swim team did together.

I was expecting it to be hard to talk to him.

About 6 weeks ago, a mutual friend of ours passed away unexpectedly. She was a few years younger than us, but he was pretty close to her and her family. His school is too far away to be able to come home for the funeral, and I had only

talked to him on the phone after it happened.

It was a hard time for all of us, but knowing he was so far removed from everyone and hearing how stunned and heartbroken he was on the phone made my heart break for him too.

How do you talk on the phone when words offer no solace?

We talked for a while a few days ago, but didn't voice the tragedy that was still heavy on our thoughts. Better to save those topics for when a hug is all the comfort you can offer.

This conversation was much more light-hearted. I told him about how I fell down the stairs in my house, he told me how his friend dumped syrup all over a girl in the dining hall.

And the whole time I could see a happy expression on his face.