Simply, Sonja

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS HEEEYYYYOOOOO

2013-12-28T21:35:00.000-07:00

These are my New Years resolutions from last year. Resolutions are kind of a biatch. A lot of these were accomplished during part of the year and totally abandoned in other parts of the year. Overall, it's been a good and extremely busy year. My brother got married and I officiated (the most beautiful and meaningful wedding of my life). I started a membership at a yoga studio which has completely saved my life! I went to Cancun for a week with dear friends. I skied for the first time since I've lived in Colorado. I visited New Mexico with my lovely friend, Eva. I planned a month long trip to Thailand. I had an awesome time working at the Writing Center (I helped my most notable student prep for the GREs and apply to her dream grad school--and she was accepted!) I also began tutoring independently, helping a high school student through his last few trimesters of school along with college prep. I bought two dogs with Jeremiah. I helped Jere's family move stuff out of their house during the Colorado wild fires. I moved in with a fabulous roommate in a fabulous new Cap Hill apt. I went to Vedauwoo and other locations to climb with family and friends. I visited the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. I got my first C of my college career. I volunteered at the Botanic Gardens and in return spent my Tuesday mornings practicing yoga with my fav teacher. I turned 25. I visited RMNP and hiked about. I'm forgetting a million things to be sure, but here is the end of the year report card along with some new goals for 2014:

2013 Goals:
1. Whiten my teeth by the end of February. YES
2. Chop off all of my hair by the end of the year. NOPE
3. Find ways to better cope with stress. NOPE/YES
4. Get a gym membership by February. YES
5. Stay off Facebook for the year. NOPE
6. Fix my shoulder with physical therapy. YEP
7. Clean out my car by the end of January. YEP
8. Take the rest of my clothes mountain to Goodwill. NOPE
9. Cherish the relationships I hold most dear. SORTA (What the hell does this even mean?)
10. Stop putting so much pressure on myself. NOPE
11. Drink more water and cut out all soda. YES/NO
12. Do one meaningful or productive activity each day and take the time to reflect on this activity. PROBABLY?
13. Start volunteering. YES
14. Continue journaling. YES
15. Get a better sleep schedule. SORTA

2014 Goals:
1. Chop off all of my hair by the end of the year. Cute pixie cut.
2. Become comfortable hiking alone.
3. Travel to another country (Not including Thailand).
4. Visit my aunt Pat in Idaho.
5. Go skiing at least once more this season and buy a ski pass for next season.
6. Get comfortable visiting ski resorts and skiing on my own.
7. Find a place where I can live with Alamo (my doggie). Become a good (single) dog mom.
8. Continue volunteering at the Botanic Gardens. Begin volunteering at a senior living facility.
9. Create a bangin' CV.
10. Graduate college.
11. Apply for an internship in NYC BABAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY.

Vent like a motherfxcker...

2013-11-09T17:26:00.003-07:00

Okay, this is about to get whiny. And pathetic. And sad. And dumb. And I hate everything. And everyone. Except that everyone is awesome and I mostly just hate myself.

You know that feeling where you just want to scream? And cry? And punch all the happy people in the face one by one. Line em up. Line those smiling faces up because I'm feeling slap happy.

I know this feeling. I know this time of year. I know that this is the way that I get. Some idiot decided that 5pm was a great time for nightfall and this idiot decided that taking four literature courses at the same time was totally manageable and would be great fun. "Sonja, the Bible is so interesting and cool and you really need to know this information!" "FXCK YOU, SONJA. 'Bible as Literature,' my foot! This piece of 'literature' is total crap and I want a refund." I just wish that with this much experience, I would be better at coping with the stress that comes with this time of year.

I know that breaking up with the most significant boy of my life, moving, dealing with normal life things that aren't that big of a deal but let me tell you grocery shopping is THE HARDEST FXCKING THING TO DO and WHY will my feet not warm themselves up when I'm sitting alone in bed--I know that these things are not the easiest to deal with in the middle of the semester. But life happens in the middle of every semester.

It helps to write out my thoughts. It helps to talk to three different girlfriends and my mom in one day. It helps to know that this time of year tends to creep up on everyone and if it doesn't, get in that row of happy people so I can slap you but really.

I'm glad you're happy. And I'm actually a little more happy myself, because I'm starting to think that it's okay to feel not okay, especially during this time of year. And hey, ya know, the Bible is really not so bad. And grocery shopping is actually pretty fun. And my new roommate cleared an entire shelf so I could line up all my boxes of tea and tea cups and holy shit will you look at those yellow trees outside my window and I just can't wait to yoga with my favorite teacher tomorrow and wow, I love my family so much and life! Life is just so good it's not even funny.

Things I like to do lately...

2013-10-20T03:17:00.000-06:00

Things I like to do lately:

-Thrift for books on S. Broadway. Specifically Fahrenheit Books. They have the best books for the best price and it smells so perfect in there. I've really been into the DRAMA section lately.

-Thrift for clothes and shoes at Goodwill on S. Broadway. I've been hitting the jackpot lately.

-Watch shitty television. America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance, Glee, New Girl. I'm really happy I can stream all of these shows for free after a long day at school and work.

-Yoga at the Botanic Gardens.

-School. I'm taking a class called Nobel Authors with about seven other people and it's just so perfect. We meet in the back of a musty Victorian which houses the Department of English and before every class we brew tea and chat about our lives. And the books. I don't care if I ever get a job; I will be proud to have an English Literature degree when all is said and done.

-Cuddle with my dogs and play tricks on them. (Wrap Peaches in bubble wrap, clothe Alamo in a button-up shirt like a big boy, etc) I also love our daily training sessions. "Gimme paw" is my absolute favorite command because OMGTHEIRCUTELITTLEFACES they don't know what shaking hands is but heck, they'll do it to make me happy.

-My job has been killer lately! Killer in a good way. Like, "yeah! radical! killer, dude!" Soooo, I'd been in a bit of a rut in my one-on-one tutoring sessions. I'd found a good approach; students were digging it. Everything was fairly peachy. BUT WHAT THE HELL, MAN. How boring. Lately, I've been critiquing my methods and have decided I'm just not good enough. I need to be better. These darn Freshmen and Sophomore's and ESLers and grad students deserve more from me. I guess the Juniors and Seniors do, too. So, yeah, I'm not in a rut anymore because I'm moving forward!

-I would like to blog more. I make random lists all the time to keep me sane but I almost never write anymore. I would reaaaaallllyyy like to blog about my brother's wedding. It was the most stunning event of all time and my experience as the officiate was totally mind-boggling and something I'd like to share. Until then, folks, here's a picture of happy doggies on a climbing adventure.

Swim...

2013-03-21T23:03:00.000-06:00

Oh, J. Crew, why do I always love the most expensive item at your store?? WHY!?

Red Rocks...

2013-03-21T22:47:00.001-06:00

I'll be headed to Red Rocks Amphitheater for the first time to see The National and Local Native.

HEHEHEHEHE YAY!

New baby...

2013-03-10T16:08:00.001-06:00

Look who I've been hangin round with!!!! This little love is Peaches. She's full of energy and loves to play but is also quite the cuddler. We went to the dog park today and she got her first boo-boo. She bled and everything. Ugh, I think I was more scared than she was.

I'll let you know when she gets better, and I'll keep sharing all the cute on this blog.

Three month update...

2013-03-09T18:28:00.001-07:00

I wrote down this list of goals for the new year. Some of them are pretty specific, while others are kinda dumb or too broad. I figured I write a little update about how things are coming along.

Here's what I wrote:
1. Whiten my teeth by the end of February. Haven't done this yet. I figure I'll wait until a couple weeks before Mexico.
2. Chop off all of my hair by the end of the year. Again, I'm waiting until after Mexico to make this change.
3. Find ways to better cope with stress. I've been getting better at this. Exercising, eating better, journaling, making lists of positive aspects of my day and seeing a school counselor have helped relieve a lot of unnecessary anxiety.
4. Get a gym membership by February. I don't have a membership but I do have an awesome fitness plan including two nights of climbing and two nights of yoga per week. It's been more than fabulous.
5. Stay off Facebook for the year. I kind of sucked at this during the first part of the year. I even made a new Facebook with the goal of only being "Friends" with people I see on a regular basis. Facebook just doesn't allow for real life, however, and I've been doing better ever since. I still check Jeremiah's newsfeed every once and again, though.
6. Fix my shoulder with physical therapy. OH YEAH! BOOM SHAKALAKA! I've been seeing the most amazing physical therapist for three-ish months and my shoulder is almost completely back to normal.
7. Clean out my car by the end of January. Check.
8. Take the rest of my clothes mountain to Goodwill. Check.
9. Cherish the relationships I hold most dear. This is where the goals start to get a little vague. I think I'm doing okay with this one, but really, who knows.
10. Stop putting so much pressure on myself. Again, I think I'm doing okay but this is a pretty vague goal.
11. Drink more water and cut out all soda. I'm proud of this one. I still love me some soda but I don't ever have it in my house. I've been drinking La Croix as a replacement when I get desperate for some bubbles.
12. Do one meaningful or productive activity each day and take the time to reflect on this activity. I generally journal about my top three best moments of the day. So yeah, this is going okay.
13. Start volunteering. Just started today.
14. Continue journaling. I haven't been journaling much this semester because I've been composing a day book for one of my writing classes. My usual journaling has been replaced by my day booking.
15. Get a better sleep schedule. Since I started tutoring, my sleep schedule has been SO MUCH BETTER!!! This will always be a work in progress for me.

YAY GOALS CYA LATER BYE

Lately...

2013-03-09T18:12:00.003-07:00

Things that have been happening lately:
1. I got another job!! I'm so thankful for the opportunity and for the people at my primary job hooking it up.
2. I committed to spending a week in Mexico with some of my best pals.
3. I started volunteering at Metro Denver Promotion of Letters and had my first shift today.
4. I got a puppy and named her Peaches.
5. I'll soon be moving into a bigger room of our house.
6. MY SHOULDER IS FIXED!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been climbing and yoga-ing up a storm! STOKED!

Life has been pretty good all around.

Bookybookbook...

2013-02-19T15:51:00.002-07:00

I've been quitting and un-quitting Facebook over the past few months and although I've relapsed multiple times, even creating another account at one point, I've managed to read a lot more books for fun during this time. I don't really care to review any of these books. They've all been valuable in their own way and after years of studying literature, I've become a lot better at avoiding stinkers. I just hope to keep a record of what I've read thus far.

The next three books are some I've found on my work's bookshelf. We are required to complete a book review each semester and I've enjoyed the process.

We've been reading excerpts of the next book in my Rhetoric of Sound class but I want to read all of it before I attend Peter Elbow's seminar in Estes Park, CO this summer.

Resolution...

2013-01-14T05:30:00.002-07:00

I really love New Years Resolutions. I tried to get my entire family to participate in making their own lists of goals but alas, no one else really cared to do so. Since I love lists and I can't seem to sleep (EVER), here is a reflection of last years goals and a new list for 2013.

What I wrote for...
2012:
1. Self-reliance will be a big deal for 2012; I can feel it!
2. Scratch my fashion itch. I'm loving on everything fashion lately and 2012 is the year to scratch that itch.
3. Introduction to Powder 101. I'm wanting some winter sports in my life so skiing and snowboarding will be a MUST.
4. Get a job, yo. Not much more to say about that one.
5. Maintain relationships. I always try at this one and it's HARD. Whether it's family or the many friends I have scattered around the globe (including the ones in Denver), I must get better at maintaining these relationships.
6. Find a hobby. I've been big into riding horses, checking out art and going to shows in 2011 but I'm not so much feeling those scenes anymore. (Except for the horseback riding "scene." I'll always be into that!) I'm looking for something new and different.
7. Do well in what I do. School must continue to be my priority. Getting scholarships, writing a bangin' thesis and applying to grad school will be my priorities for 2012.
8. Continue to travel. France and Italy were the perfect introduction to all the traveling I MUST do in 2012. Here's looking at you Amsterdam and London!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ERR'BODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And here is how I did in 2012:
1. I live in my own place and do what I want whenevah I want. Bingo-Bango.
2. I've really enjoyed blogging and made an extra effort to dress up for school even if I was feeling oh-so lazy. Check.
3. Nope.
4. Got a job. Love the job. Check.
5. This one is getting better. I backed off on Facebook and ever since, I've done a better job at keeping in touch with people who mean the most to me in my daily life. I will always love visiting and re-connecting with old friends and family but staying away from social media has helped this goal a lot.
6. Hobby. Um. Does cleaning my room count? Actually this is another win because as soon as I quit Facebook, I became so bored that my bookworm self was born again. I've been finishing a book every couple of days now!
7. This year was a lot. I put too much pressure on myself and it sort of turned into a hot heinous mess. I'm not very worried about this in 2013 because I'm pretty sure it'd be impossible to do worse than last year. Fingers crossed!
8. Nope. Frustrating, but nope.

I have smaller goals for 2013. I've found that making super broad goals leads to little success. I almost never stay conscious of my goals after I've written them but I actually did okay last year. Though, I don't know if a couple of those count considering I just achieved them a week ago. Whomp. Nevertheless, here are some random goals I just thought of for 2013:
1. Whiten my teeth by the end of February. This is totally vain but I don't care. I want a whiter smile and this is a super easy, achievable first goal.
2. Chop off all of my hair by the end of the year. I've wanted a chopped 'do for forever and 2013 must be the year.
3. Find ways to better cope with stress. I'm determined to handle the hurdles of school/work/life better in 2013. I don't want to get a million wrinkles or die when I'm 30 so I really need to find some ways to better cope.
4. Get a gym membership by February. If I go to a gym to get a membership, I might be able to convince myself to go there again.
5. Stay off Facebook for the year. My life has already hugely benefited from breaking up with Facebook. I live in the moment more, I don't feel as pressured to fit a certain mold, and though I still waste time like whoa, I feel so much more accomplished when I've just finished a book than when I used to blow a couple hours on the Facebook.
6. Fix my shoulder with physical therapy. Omg, my dumb shoulder. I've been frustrated with it for over a year, so I need to buck-the-fuck up and get it fixed. Sorry for the language. It's just been the most horrendous bother.
7. Clean out my car by the end of January. This is another small goal. My car is almost always a nightmare and it's been even worse because I have a million clothes needing to go to Goodwill. A cleaner car will make a happier Sonja.
8. Take the rest of my clothes mountain to Goodwill (see above).
9. Cherish the relationships I hold most dear. I don't want to care about what people think about me and my life or relationship choices. I love the people that I love and I want to be in touch with them as much as possible.
10. Stop putting so much pressure on myself. This one really applies to everything. Relationships, school, work...I want to live in the moment with relationships and work the hardest I can at school and work. I psyche myself out by putting so much extra pressure on myself and it's really just silly.
11. Drink more water and cut out all soda. I just bought a new water bottle in honor of this goal. I've already made strides in cutting out soda but holy mother, fancy root beer might just be my downfall.
12. Do one meaningful or productive activity each day and take the time to reflect on this activity. It doesn't take much for me to feel like I've had a super productive day. I want to make sure I take the time to reflect on those moments and give myself a pat on the back whenever I can.
13. Start volunteering. I've been wanting to do this every since I volunteered at Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City. I have the opportunity to do so through work and I'm truly stoked to start.
14. Continue journaling. If you've noticed my absence on this "lifestyle" blog, it's because I've been journaling up the heezy! It's awesome! Though I enjoy sharing posts from time-to-time, I feel so much more like myself when I can no-filter, brain-vomit on a fresh sheet of journal paper.
15. Get a better sleep schedule. This has been a life-long struggle, so it's really just a filler for the list, as this goal goes without saying. But hey, why not start in 2013!? Why not start now!? At 630AM! Lordy. We'll see about this one.

I'll update y'all next year:) Hope you're having a fab January thus far.

Update...

2012-12-19T04:27:00.001-07:00

Hi all.

Just wanted to give a short update in case you were sitting on the edge of your seat. Jeremiah's surgery went quite well. He is still in a lot of pain, suffering from both the psychological and physical tolls of recovery. I don't envy him, that's for sure. But he will be entirely healed in six months and has already made great strides.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. When my computer crashed (the first time), I bought myself a leather bound journal and have been diary-ing, Anne Frank style, ever since. I've always loved to externalize my experiences and I imagine I'll continue to phase in and out of public "externalizing" via my various blogs.

Either way, I appreciate you checking in on me! I hope y'all are well.

I'm headed to Iowa for a much needed break.

My Dad already informed me that he bought the biggest Christmas tree we've ever had to celebrate the boys and my homecoming. What a lovely man.

Happy holidays to you and yours.

A picture of my favorite scarf and me at the ranch.

Today...

2012-12-03T09:57:00.002-07:00

It's a beautiful day outside. A beautiful morning. Good friends and family are helping us through an important day.

This morning...

2012-12-03T08:33:00.001-07:00

Please pray for Jeremiah today. Not only does he have an extensive surgery to power through this afternoon, but he also just received the absolute worst news from one of the insurance companies involved with the accident. Those dirty animals called him at 7am on the day of his surgery. If you know Jeremiah, you know he is strong. You know he can get through anything. I know he will take this setback and move forward. Keep him in your thoughts today as he moves forward with his life, insurance companies be damned.

Up in here...

2012-10-21T01:16:00.002-06:00

HEY THERE!

Gosh. It's been a while.

Here are some things I've been excited about lately:

1. My mom is here in Denver!! And she has been helping me clean and organize my room and life-space all day today. Great lady.

2. Fall. Crunchy leaves all up in here, up in here.

3. Europe this winter?????

4. Iowa for Thanksgiving.

5. Sweaters and scarves. My skin is so happy.

6. I started club volleyball the other day and my mental state pre-practice was so silly because I almost psyched myself out of going. But! I pushed through the nerves and lo and behold, my muscles remember how to pass a volleyball... not quite to the setter, but we'll get there.

7. Work pushes me to be a better person, thinker and teacher every shift. I'm le tired but it'll be worth it.

8. Vampire Diaries.

9. I bought a fabulous down comforter at IKEA for cheapy.

10. We bought eggnog a little early this year. EEE!!!!

Hope you're having a lovely night.

I'm leaving...

2012-09-30T23:18:00.002-06:00

I'm leaving Denver.

When I graduate from UCD I plan to pack my bags and move on to the next big city, little city, any city.

So! In anticipation of this change, I've decided to visit as many places in the US as possible, keeping an open mind and heart for my future home.

1. Albuquerque, NM. My friend has a gallery opening, so what the hell, I may as well give New Mexico a go.

2. Seattle, WA. I like rain a lot.

3. Austin, TX. Music and vintage clothing.

4. Nashville, TN. Yeehaw.

5. NYC. Fashion, duh.

6. Fort Collins, CO. I love Colorado and I don't know if I can leave.

7. New England. Never been, should probably go.

I kind of doubt I'll live any of these places.

As always, I'll keep you in the know.

Frozen ice cube...

2012-09-26T14:15:00.000-06:00

I know I just begged the universe for fall or winter weather but DAMN, I'm really cold now. Poor frozen ice cube Sonja.

But! I decided to take the day to curl up and conquer some Virginia Woolf with a little Bengal Spice tea by my side. I guess life isn't so bad.

Fall goals...

2012-09-26T14:02:00.001-06:00

1. Eat better. This sort of goes without saying, right? Doesn't everyone always strive to eat better? Either way, my goal is to incorporate one salad to my daily meals and I will go from there.

2. Go climbing at school and other gyms. There is a miniature climbing wall at my school's gym so I'd like to crush what I can there and find other gyms to frequent regularly.

3. Spend more time with friends. With the madness of work and school, I've neglected any and all friends that I have in the Denver area. I'm hoping to step out of my batcave every once in a while for hangtime.

4. Work on time management. This will always be on my list. But I need to hurry up and figure it out or I might just flunk out of school.

5. Drive through the mountains to see the aspens. JK LOL, I ALREADY DID THIS! But really, it'd be fab to go again.

6. Find new hiking spots. I have a book about various hiking trails in Colorado. My goal for the fall is to use this book!

7. Paint my new room. This may seem like a small task but I really think this will be the most difficult goal on my list.

8. Get rid of my "mountain" of clothes. I found a consignment shop within walking distance of my new place and they'll be seeing me a lot. Like, every single day.

9. Drink tea everyday. DUH! Tea is so delish and cozy!

10. Plan a trip to the East Coast to visit college campuses.

I CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE WINTER GOALS!!!

Tomorrow...

2012-09-19T23:34:00.000-06:00

One more quick post.

Here is tomorrow's outfit.

What better way to seize the day than by wrapping myself tight in a tangerine trench.

LIKE A BOSS.

Please?

2012-09-19T21:02:00.001-06:00

Can it be fall or winter yet?? Please?

Oh, ya know, just planning my life...

2012-09-19T20:31:00.000-06:00

Since I know you've all been dying to know,

here is a list of how I'll be spending my day-to-day life from now on.

(I love lists!)

1. Exercising. Climbing+Running+Volleyball=Yayfuntimes

2. Painting and upgrading my room. Ikea is my new BFF.

3. Reading/Schooling.

4. Hanging out with my buddies.

5. Planning my life after undergrad.
6. Planning my Eurotrip for Summer 2013. YEAH BOI.

This is all I want to do from now on.

Today was just... NOT cool.

I made this list to make sure tomorrow and the next day and the next will be THE COOLEST DAYS EVER!!!

AHH!

2012-09-19T19:16:00.000-06:00

You guys, my computer crashed.

While I freaked the F out when it happened, I spoke with my computer guy in Iowa and he seems pretty confident he can recover all of my files.

So, now I wait.

AND IT'S BEEN KILLING ME!

I HAVE SO MANY UPDATES!

AHHHHH!!

Until then, here's a picture of me looking like a turd next to a GIANT fossil!!!

"I shall want to live..."

2012-09-15T12:03:00.002-06:00

This moment:

"From her feet the ground sloped sharply into view, and violets ran down in rivulets and streams and cataracts, irrigating the hillside with blue, eddying round the tree stems collecting into pools in the hollows, covering the grass with spots of azure foam. But never again were they in such profusion; this terrace was the well-head, the primal source whence beauty gushed out to water the earth."

-A Room With a View by EM Forster

Relief...

2012-09-14T16:31:00.000-06:00

There is something about having an organized bookshelf that gives me a sense of relief. The rest of my room can be complete and utter chaos but when my books are stacked just so, I feel okay. Living in such a small space has been challenging for my semi-hoarder tendencies but finding order in this bookshelf has kept me sane.

Matter...

2012-09-14T00:22:00.003-06:00

Today.

At the beginning of Modernism, a woman I've grown to respect, a tough woman and fellow student with a military background stood up, rushed to the front of class, and began to weep as she explained to my teacher that her neighbor committed suicide and she needed to go, she was so sorry, so sorry but she needed to go.

Yesterday.

Another strong woman. Her eyes welled up as she stood in front of the class and explained that her heart was heavy. Her lesson plan for the day might be less organized than usual. Her lesson plan might be less organized than usual because one of her students, twenty one years of age committed suicide and she just received the call.

This summer.

I heard a knock on my bedroom door at two in the morning. My roommate told us there were police cars up and down our block and something was wrong; people were moaning. People were moaning and screaming. Our neighbors were stuck sitting in the middle of the street because their husband, father, uncle, son had just shot himself in the adjacent room of their house.

Committing suicide impacts people. It impacts people because a person's presence, however big or small, makes an impression on the people around him. A person's presence makes an impression on people because no matter how big or small, each human life matters.

Today, yesterday, this summer.

I've known none of these people but each of their deaths has mattered to me.

Today...

2012-09-12T16:33:00.003-06:00

I've had the best day so far.

1. I'm not as sick as yesterday.

2. I had a meaningful conversation with my Ethnic Studies teacher regarding Assata Shakur's autobiography.

3. I made plans for Breckenridge this weekend. Mmmmountains.

4. I talked to my Mama.

5. I might be taking a road trip with my older brother for my grandma's 90th bday.

6. I talked to Westy which always makes my day.

7. I chatted with two amazing roomies: Ned and Morgan.

8. I'm drinking Tangerine Zinger tea. TEA IS JUST SO DELICIOUS!

9. I'm listening to country music circa 2005 which takes me straight back to high school.

10. AAANND IT'S RAINING IN DENVER!!!! WEIRD!!!

Hope you're having a lovely day!