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So apparently I didn’t blog for the entire month of August. I didn’t realize this until about seven days ago, and by then I just decided to let it go. Do I have an excuse? Nope. Am I just gonna go on like it didn’t happen? Yup.

So September is here, and I [...]]]>

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So apparently I didn’t blog for the entire month of August. I didn’t realize this until about seven days ago, and by then I just decided to let it go. Do I have an excuse? Nope. Am I just gonna go on like it didn’t happen? Yup.

So September is here, and I couldn’t be happier!

Students came back to school yesterday, which means my job will be much harder for the next week or two, but then take a drastic turn and slow way down. This summer was so busy and as nice as it was to have empty labs to work in, I can’t wait to spend less time lugging equipment around, and more time removing viruses! Since I’m on my own this year, instead of trailing my co-worker while training, I’ve decided to make some changes. This year I’m going to focus on meeting and getting to know the teachers and administrators in the district. I’m not going to eat lunch at my desk anymore, I’m going to mingle, and I’m excited to see if I click with anyone!

With September comes the beginning of my favorite season. This has been one of the hottest summers ever in Erie, and I can’t wait for it to be over! Of course, I will be complaining about snow all too soon, but for now, for this lovely month and most of the next two, I can enjoy cool breezes, pretty trees, pumpkin pie, and my fall wardrobe! I cannot wait to bring out my sweaters, scarves, boots, and tights! Sadly, I’m sure going to miss being able to wear tights to work. Can’t exactly risk it, considering how often I’m found crawling under desks!

Most of this summer was spent focusing on others. Everyone seems to be getting married and having babies! Since I’m not getting married, or having babies, I feel like I’m missing myself in a way. After completing Stratejoy, I had every intention of spending time on me and what I want in life, but instead my desires got lost in the shuffle of everyone else’s excitement. September will revolve around the last three weddings of the year, so I don’t plan on having a chance to change much this month, and October will be full of travel, but I swear at some point this year, I will focus on me!!

Oh, and just to update for those who care to know, I didn’t register for school this semester like I planned, because I’m still waiting on the outcome of that other little idea I proposed. I’m getting pretty antsy on that one, in case you were wondering. I’ve decided for sure, that if I don’t have other plans by the end of October, I am definitely registering to start school in December. (The school I want to attend is on Trimesters, so that’s when new classes start for them.) I guess we’ll see how that goes!

How was your summer? And what are you most looking forward to this fall?

On [...]]]>

This past Saturday was my 1st blogoversary here at Hey Smalls! I had planned on doing a whole day of posts to commemorate the occasion, but then I got sucked into a Mad Men marathon instead. Oops! (It ended up being all for nothing anyway, because I’m still a whole season behind! Thank goodness for DVR!!)

On top of this place being a whole year old, I’m also coming up to my 100th post!! (this is #95). I was really hoping I could make both happen on Saturday, but no dice.

To recap what the last year has been for me, let’s start with a few details about the blog itself.

• Hey Smalls was originally named “Flickers of Memories” and was meant to be a place where I talked about Scrapbooking and photography. (That was until I realized I didn’t have much to say about either of those subjects!!)
• Flickers of Memories began on July 24, 2009, with a post titled and so it begins…
• FOM was originally created on blogspot.com, but moved to self-hosted wordpress on January 9, 2010. This is also the day it changed it’s name to Hey Smalls!

Now, to put into words what this blog has actually meant to me, is probably going to be impossible. But I’ll try!!

2009 was a hellish year for me. I changed jobs a million times, moved in with a boyfriend of 6 months (and his mom!) and was overall just not very happy! I thought that maybe by blogging, I would find an outlet and clear my head. I had no idea back then, what this would become.

If you had asked me a year ago if I thought I could come up with something to write every single day for a month? I would have called you crazy.

If you had asked me a year ago if I thought I would guest post for six weeks about my health? I would have called you crazy.

If you had asked me a year ago if I thought I’d head to Vegas completely by myself? I would have called you crazy.

If you had asked me a year ago if I thought I’d partake in a journey to find myself? I would have called you crazy.

Needless to say, a lot has changed in the last year. I’m not the person I was in 2009. Hell, I’m not the person I was in early 2010! I’ve learned that blogging isn’t about throwing thoughts out to an empty abyss. It’s about community, friendship, and connecting. It’s about finding people in the world who think and feel the way you do, and support your ideas. It’s about finding what inspires you. It’s about having 19 people convince you to do something you otherwise would never even consider. It’s about having that one place, all to yourself, to be completely and 100% honest and true to who you are. That’s what blogging has meant to me this past year.

So I want to thank you. For being here for me, for taking the time to read my rambling thoughts, and for sticking by me when I’ve needed you the most. Whether I’ve met you already, or plan to meet you in the (near) future, I’m so grateful to have you in my life.

Here’s to another year of growing, changing, and becoming exactly who I’m meant to be, all while sharing the ride with you!

xoxo
~ Lindsey Marie

In completing this course, I realized many things. First is this: I’m probably one of the few 20-somethings in the world that can say honestly and truly that I love my [...]]]>

As many of you know, throughout the month of June, I completed the Stratejoy – Joy Equation. What many of you don’t know? Is that It.Changed.My.Life.

In completing this course, I realized many things. First is this: I’m probably one of the few 20-somethings in the world that can say honestly and truly that I love my job. More importantly, though, is this: My version of success is not based around having a job that I love.

When I chose my college degree and career, I had other ideas in mind of what I really wanted to do, but pushed them aside to pursue what I thought would make me the most money, and therefore make me the happiest. Hah. Now that I’ve stepped out of that ridiculous mindset, I’m pulling those old other ideas out from the back of my mind. Now when I think about what I really want? I allow myself to consider my options, regardless of money, or what other people will think.

Sure, I love my job, and I’m certainly happy to have one in the current state of this country, but what about everything else? What about all the other aspects of life that I want? What else do I want?

I spent some time, with amazing guidance from Molly, coming up with my own set of core values to focus on. These are the things I’ve decided are most important to me, and will help me reach my version of success:

• Balance – Between work, friends, family, and significant other.
• Commitment – To self and to someone else.
• Creativity – To spend time with myself, focusing on my passions
• Connection – With people and places, new and old
• Faith – In figuring out what I believe in, and trusting that “what’s meant to be will be”
• Independence – To not rely so heavily on others to survive, and trusting myself.
• Inspiration – To seek out that which inspires me, while also encouraging and inspiring others
• Love – To others and myself. Unconditionally.

I’m hoping that by changing my focus, I can find a balance in this crazy life I lead. I want to travel and meet new people. I want to spend time taking pictures, and creating pretty things. I want to figure out what it is I believe in, regardless of what I’ve been told to believe. Most importantly, though, I want a family. I know, you’re thinking, “Lindsey, you have a HUGE family, and you spend time with them constantly!” I know!! And I love every second of that! But I want my own family. I want to get married, preferably to Justin, but I guess that’s in his hands for now, and DUH I WANT BABIES!! You all know this about me already, I don’t have to tell you!!

If you know me at all, you know that if I could really truly do anything I wanted, I’d be a stay at home mom and cuddle with my babies for the rest of my life. But I’m also being realistic. I know that at least now, it would be extremely hard to do this, financially. Plus, I’d probably get bored and forget how to act like an adult, and speak only in high pitched baby talk, and then you’d all get real annoyed with me. So instead, I have come up with an alternative plan:

I want to be a teacher.

to be continued…