ONE-YEAR UPDATE: 101 Things in 1001 Days

12 December 2017

101 in 1001

ONE-YEAR UPDATE: 101 Things in 1001 Days

It was literally one year ago when I turned 22 years old and decided to take part in this challenge. I wanted to do it for myself - accomplish little things and long-term goals. So, I decided to write it all down and put it out there into the universe... you know, that way I'm holding myself accountable. 
The last time I provided an update about my progress, I completed 24 items as of March 8, 2016. It seemed so long ago, so I'm curious to see how much I've accomplished since then.
One year later... 
I've completed 49/101 things! Not too shabby if you ask me! 

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December Goals

09 December 2017

monthly goals

December Goals

Oh how it feels sooo good to start writing on the blog again. I mean, I know I only ended up writing 3 posts last month, but hey.. writing those 3 posts have never felt better. I wrote without feeling pressure to impress readers, or felt like I needed a certain number of views. I wrote for me, and for myself. And, I loved it.
And, here we are. It is officially December - the last month of the year. But, you already know this. Anyone else feeling some sort of way that 2017 is coming to an end?
I am. At this point, I just want to end off the month (and year) on a high!
I would revisit my goals from last month, but I'll be honest, it didn't go so well. So, let's not dwell on the past, and set myself some new goals. It's a new month, the last month of the year. Let's do this! 

December goals 

• Finish my Christmas shopping (find the perfect gift for my dad)
• Finish buying and wrapping secret Santa gifts 
• ACE and finish the semester strong
• Do a final declutter of my room and bookshelves 
• Take more photos 
• Start looking into a trainer for Rosie (just little behaviours I need to fix)  
• Start creating a set of goals for 2018 
• Read a book!
• Work as much as I can (and save) 
• Look for alternative part-time jobs... 
• STAY POSITIVE
• ENJOY THE REST OF 2017

What are your end of the year goals!  Follow

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Twenty-Three

23 November 2017

lifestyle

Twenty-Three

I am officially twenty-three years old. (Well, technically since Sunday... but I took my sweet time writing this post).

WOW. That is actually sooo crazy for me to say that, especially since the past year flew by extremely quickly. And, in all honesty,  I actually regret not playing Feeling 22 by Taylor Swift more often... (I'm lowkey listening to Feeling 22 right now as I write this... sooo, I guess it's all good.)

But, this year I wasn't too hyped for my birthday. I'm not exactly sure why... I just wanted to keep cool, stay in, and have a lowkey night. So, you could imagine that my birthday weekend was just exactly that! And, I couldn’t have been any happier. 

FRIDAY:

I was off from work and no school (because of the ongoing strike), so I decided to just have the day to myself!  I like having my alone time, and I genuinely think it is important to have time for yourself, you know, enjoy the day, do what you like. So, why not? I already made plans for both Saturday and Sunday… so, why not? 

SATURDAY:

I actually spent the majority of my morning attempting to get some more school work done (although the teachers are still on strike, the government is trying to pass this bill that allows us to go back to school this week while the negotiations are still occurring). Anyways, long story short, we actually might be going back to school as early as Tuesday - yay! So, like I said, I was attempting and just trying to get my motivation back… 


Other than that, I had plans with Jay, who wanted to take me out to dinner at a restaurant I've never eaten at before - Copacabana. I was so hungry early on during the day that I actually finished getting dressed super early. I was clearly excited about going to this restaurant I've never been to. Plus, I was super hungry... did I mention that already?

Jay picked me up a little late, and I was kind of annoyed, only because I was hungry and was scared we would miss our reservation! And, the drive up there was just terrible. Waaaay too much construction going on... c'mon let's get it together Toronto. 

When we got there, I was surprised to see my sister! And, she got mad at Jay saying we were early. I couldn't believe. I rushed to my surprise birthday guys!  

The food was served via waiters who brought meat (steak, lamb, chicken, etc.) to the tables and cut it into pieces for us. There was non-stop meat coming and going. It was delicious. 

I was actually sooooo surprised that I actually got anxious. I was wondering about who was attending if what I was wearing was okay, what we were doing after... a lot of "whats" were running through my head! And, since the traffic was super bad, the guest start coming in slowly, and so it was actually kind of exciting to see who would walk through the doors next. 

It was more definitely a surprise - thank you, Jay and Ash! 

And, it was such a surprise that I didn't take any pictures. I did take a few snaps, but I was sooo smart that I didn't save them. Opps. But, hey, I was having so much fun that I was just living in the moment (for once). 

SUNDAY: 

Sunday was the day of my actual birthday. In the early hours, I actually opened a few presents I received! Jay got me red converse (yessss, I needed a new pair of everyday shoes), and a, very, expensive pair of Nike tights. Thanks boo!!! My friend Kimmie got me make up. And, I got more gifts that I am all sooo grateful for.

For my actual birthday, my family and I went out to lunch to their favourite buffet.  It was fun and it was much-needed family time. We've all been so busy with work and school (well, my sister has been busy with school). So, this time together was perfect.

The rest of the Sunday was beautiful. And, I wanted to spend as much time with Rosie. I took her for a really long walk and took her to the park to play around. I wanted to spend as much time as I could before going back to school. And, I was happy I did. I love spending every free moment with her.  Follow

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Confessions of A Nursing Student: College Strike

16 November 2017

Confessions

Confessions of A Nursing Student: College Strike

How do I even begin this post?
I'm honestly so frustrated and angry that I'm no longer frustrated and angry. At this point, I'm just annoyed?
The Ontario colleges faculty are currently in week 5 of their strike. Let me repeat that one more time... week #5. Yes, the teachers have their valid reasons for striking, and I am 100% on side for anyone having their right to strike. However, I am not okay with both parties to use us, the students, as pawns in their games of negotiation.
The teachers say this is for the "benefit" of the students. How so? After sitting on my a** for the past 5 weeks, I am not benefiting at all.  In fact, I have been waiting patiently to even hear an UPDATE as to what is going on. Even so, as middle parities in this negotiation game with no control, we aren't even given the respect with any sort of updates from our schools. 
We are completely in the dark. And, we cannot do anything.

Let me give you a rundown of the last 5 weeks:

• The first week of the strike, I caught up with a lot of my readings
• The second week of the strike, I lost motivation to do any work 
• I spent a lot of time with my puppy
• I've searched for any updates on the strike
• I've worked but, also given up ample amount of shifts with the fear that I should be doing studying instead of making money (for school btw) only because classes could resume at anytime 

That's all I've done. Literally. 

And, very recently, the school sent us an email saying they might extend the semester into our Christmas holidays.... like, excuse me? First I am being held from my education, and now they want to take away our holiday vacation for a strike that I did not ask for? How is this honestly fair? What about the students to pre-booked holiday flights? What about the international students who want to go home for the holidays? 

What makes me mad the most is the amount of money my parents worked soo hard to save to send me to school to help me become a nurse. And, I've been sitting at home for the last 5 weeks. Money well spent... nope. Money was well stolen in my opinion. 

It's absolutely not fair. 

Another option the school has was that if the strike persisted over x amount of weeks, we would just resume the semester to JANUARY 2nd. The day after New Years... seriously?  So technically, this other option pushes all our semesters back. Possibly graduation is pushed back then? 

URG. 

I'm sorry guys. I'm so frustrated, I honestly wish I knew how to organize my emotions into words so this post can actually make sense. I know I'm all over the place. But, that is exactly how I feel. I am confused about the entire situation. I just want a simple answer as to whether or not what is happening to MY education that I am paying for? 

Is that really hard to ask? 

Oh, and an apology would be nice as well... you know, for putting us through this bullsh*t.

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November Goals

01 November 2017

monthly goals

November Goals

Hello, November! 
I seriously (and I really mean seriously) cannot believe it is already November. Like, NOVEMBER guys. Wow. Next month is already December, and shortly, it will soon be 2018! How crazy is that?
I didn't originally plan on being out of the blogosphere for this long, but, it was needed. And, from this moment on, I'm gonna take notes from a few of you who read my latest post and just blog for me. Not focus on blogging a certain amount of posts per week/month. I'm just going to blog when I please, and take breaks when I please. 

Besides, November is the month of me! It's my birthday month, and I just want to get through this month (and the rest of 2017) with a positive note.
It's been quite a while since I've created myself a few goals for the month. Actually, come to think of it, I think not writing goals for myself has made my life such as mess.  My head has just been all over the place. I really need to sit down, create a list of goals, and FOCUS. Prioritize. 
November Goals

• Prep meals (for me and Rosie) 
• Practice, practice, practice
• Complete a 30-day challenge 
• START CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 
• Plan a low-key night for my birthday weekend 
• Keep up with my readings
• Reorganize my bookshelves + desk 
• SAVE! 
• RELAX and take it easy

What are your November goals?

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I've Missed This.

24 October 2017

Blogging

I've Missed This.

I really do. 

It's been so loooooong since I've sat down and written on here. It's also been a while since I've had the urge to want to write on here. But lately, I've missed it.
I've also missed reading my favourite blogs. A lot of things has changed in the blogsphere, and unfortunately, that includes bloggers content. I'm all for fellow bloggers making cash flow. In fact, I try to do my best to help others out as much as I could. However, over the past couple of months/years, some of my favourite bloggers are constantly writing posts that are just so out of character... it no longer flows with their blog content. 
It actually just turns me off. I really don't want to learn how to make money on my blog.  I started my blog because I fell in love with the process - the fact that others shared their lives and interests with words. It was amazing. And, that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to express myself the way others did.
But, like I said, I've missed doing this. Even writing this post now makes me happy inside. But, I know deep down that I just won't have much to say afterwards.
I know. I suck.
But, hey. At least I still have the will and the want to come back on here. So much has happened, and it's actually quite different not sharing and documenting my experiences anymore. I even stopped taking pictures of my daily life. Very different.
So, what's next? I think I'm about to do a clean up with my followings. But, that might take long... I might just try to find new blogs to read with content I love and connect to. I think I'll even go back to writing blog content ideas in my agenda whenever something pops in my head. Or, I might just take a break and come back stronger than ever in 2018...
Who knows! We shall see where life takes me...
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I'm Officially A Dog Momma

11 July 2017

101 in 1001

I'm Officially A Dog Momma

It has been a long time coming. I've been wanting to do this since forever. And, the final push was when Jay got his own pup, Chop, and I got a taste of what it was like to be a dog momma. After, I knew that the next opportunity I have to buy a pup, he/she will be mine.
I've been saving money for a while. So, financially, I'm ready. Emotionally, I'm ready. I'm ready as I could ever be.
Then on one school day, my cousin and I were walking to class when she got a message from her older brother asking if she knew anyone wanting to buy a puppy. For fun, she showed me the message, and I jokingly asked for a picture and how much. Guys, my cousin sent us the cutest pic ever and I couldn't resist. My cousin said she was the last one, and they were selling her for $750.

I told him I was interested, and my cousin got super excited! Becuase it was his friend who were selling the pups, the friend I could have her for only $350. I was like, that's a steal, and she's so cute, and I've always wanted a dog.
Okay. I'm getting a puppy!
After class, my cousin and I frantically went shopping for everything. I bought puppy a bed, pee pads,  dog food, a crate, and a collar. Then, we went to my cousins' place to meet her for the first time. And, guys, when I first held her, I knew it was meant to be. She was soo small and so cute, I couldn't handle it.

I actually took her home on May 31, 2017. And, its been about a month, and I've already learnt so much about her. More specifically, I've learned about how much I love this little pup. She's just fits so perfectly in my life.
AGE: 9 weeks (when I brought her home)  BIRTHDAY: March 28, 2017 BREED: American Bulldog mixed (w/ pitbull and boxer) NAME: ..... 

ROSIE

Like I said, Rosie has been in my life for a little over than a month; and the past month she has been a joy, and the biggest trouble maker ever. There are mixture of emotions, but I can't help but keep spoiling her with toys and treats. She's truely brought happiness in my life, it amazes me. 
Oh, and you might be wondering about my rabbits. Surprisingly, they are getting along great with one another! And, I personally think it is becuase Rosie is a puppy, and so it is easier for her to learn now  that rabbits are friends.
But, overall they are getting along well. Rosie doesn't bother them too much, and the rabbits only act terrirotiral when it comes to their treats that they don't want to share with Rosie. Also, becuase of having to share the house with 2 other rabbits, Rosie has learnt to be friendly with other small animals when we go for walks. She's not distracted by squirrels or trying to chase down cats. It just works. 

Also, it's crazy how fast she is growing! She just this small little ball when she first came home. Now, shes getting bigger, and I wouldn't be surprised if in a month we won't be able to pick her up anymore! We knew she was going to be a big dog, but shes growing waaaay too fast! 
P.S. To follow her growth and her daily life, follow her on instagram! She'll love it!  @bullypit.rosie
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July Goals

07 July 2017

monthly goals

July Goals

JULY? HOW ON EARTH IS IT JULY? 
June went by way too quickly, just like the other months; like we are already in the second half of the year... The past couple have months have been an uphill struggle... I'm hoping this month things will turn for the better. So, enough small talk. I can always talk about the past couple of months in another post...  Let's get to this month's set of goals! 

June Goals Revisited: 

1. Get my daily steps in. According to my app, last month I reached my step goal 19 time in June. Wohoo, yay me! 
2. Get my sh*t together for school. I'm not going to lie, this was kind of a struggle for me last month. Just with everything going on in life, I really thought I wouldn't pull myself together. But, somehow, I managed to pull through, and really started getting my stuff together. Got to keep this up if I want to finish off the semester strong. 
3. Be active on social media. Meeh... Oppps... I did started tweeting over the past couple of days... then stopped... I'll try again! 
4. Be more social. SUCCESS! This was actually something I kept in mind during my free time on campus. Turns out, it's easy for me to connect to other students on a level that is not focused solely on school work. So, I'm happy with this one! 
5. Make an impression. Still in progress! Although, a few of my teachers last semester still remember me enough to have a conversation in the hallway with me!
6. Update my LinkedIn. Okay, I really wanted to do this... but, I didn't.  I was applying to a few jobs.. just got to remember to actually update my LinkedIn every time I'm on the internet... Like now. 

July Goals!   1. Give an update on my life. I keep saying I've been missing because of a lot of uphill battles during the past couple of weeks. All these emotions and experiences are still fresh at the top of my mind. What better way to express myself here, and give you guys an update at the same time? Hopefully, it won't be too hard writing down everything...
2. Buy a new cute agenda, and USE IT! This is pretty self-explanatory... I do have an agenda, but new ones are available starting July 2017 until next year! Sooo... I really think if I buy a new agenda, it will motivate me to help organize my time with school work and my part-time job effectively.
3. Enjoy the summer. We are finally have the absolutely most beautiful weather of the season. Although, I am taking a lot of classes during the summer, I still want to find a balance and enjoy the weather as well! Like, I've been doing my math homework on our porch... Not exactly enjoying the summer to the fullest.
4. SLEEEP. Guys, my sleep schedule is f**ked. Like for real. There are nights where I get 3 hours of sleep before waking up early in the morning to head to class followed by rushing from school to work for a 6 hour shift. I was exhausted and cranky last month. I really need balance this month.
5. Drink lots of water. Even though I love to drink water, I don't seem to get quite enough in my body. I need more. Especially with the heat. Must. Drink. Water.
What are your July goals? Follow

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Canada Day Recap

04 July 2017

life toronto

Canada Day Recap

This past weekend, Canada celebrated its' 150th birthday! I still cannot believe how young we are! But, since 150th is a big milestone for Canada, I already had the mindset that I wanted to be out and about celebrating Canada!
Plus, I'm freaken patriotic to this great nation! 
So, of course, my sister and I decided to have a sister day and head downtown to watch the Toronto Blue Jays play against the Boston Red Socks. Spoiler alert: the Blue Jays lose; but, it was still great to spend the day with my sister and other patriotic Canadians int he stadium. 

*if you follow me on snapchat, you probably already saw a lot of my pictures/videos on there!* 
Since it was Canada Day, the Rogers Centre was doing some special by giving away free hats to the first 20,000 fans who checked in with their tickets. So, my sister and I (the literally the rest of Toronto) headed to the Rogers Centre as early as possible, even though the game would start at 1:00 pm.  We got to there around 10:15 am, and all the lines to every different gate were packed. 
Luckily, my dad got us boxed seat tickets, so the line up at our gate was almost non-existent! Like literally only 50 people were in front of us, which is not bad compared to the hundreds of people in the other lines! So, yay, we were getting these hats. 

And, we did! They were great quality snapbacks with a red maple leaf representing Canada! And, it felt great to be among the 20,000 fans with this limited edition hat. So, the waiting out the next couple of hours until the game started wasn't bad at all. In fact, waiting those 2 1/2 hours felt like nothing because my sister and I did a lot of scooping the area since we had no in and out privileges in the Luxury Suite area.

Yea that's right! Those boxed tickets I mentioned were in a Luxury Suite! So, my sister and I were not only early, but hardly anyone was in the building, and so it was extremely easy for us to roam around, and start eating some of the snacks the suite provided for us! 

And, our view was amazing. I didn't expect our box to have a blessed view of the field. The last time I came to a Jays game was when I was younger. And, we were in the regular stands. It was a fun experience, but this...  It was absolutely the perfect experience. 

Fans got super excited when they started to open the dome fo the Rogers Centre! It was absolutely perfect because at the time, it wasn't raining and the sun was shining. What a way to watch the game. 

But, on a day like today, I was happy I was sitting in the box hiding away from the sun. 4 hours in the sun?? My skin gets dark quickly, I would have been baked! 

I think my favourite part of this entire experience was during the opening of the game. We had 3 generations of military men (one who actually served in the WW2), to come and throw the first pitches. I thought it was absolutely perfect and beautiful to watch. Then, we had a bunch of military men and women mark onto the field and unfolded the Canadian flag. And, the stadium was singing with joy our national anthem. 

I loved everything about it! And, again, our seats had an amazing view. 

Like I said at the beginning of this post, we lost. But, hey. I enjoyed the experience, and it was fun being here with my sister. We haven't had a lot of sister time over the past couple of months/years... so, this was long overdue.

OHH, before I end off, I just want to say after years of using snapchat, I finally had some of my snaps make it to the Blue Jays vs. Red Socks snap story! Although, my second submitted snap had far fewer views than the other 2 snaps... Leads me to believe they deleted it -.-  Oh well, I still made it!

Enjoy the rest of your week to all my Canadian and American friends celebrating Canada Day and the 4th of July!  

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June Goals

09 June 2017

monthly goals

June Goals

So, I kind of went missing last month. And, in all honestly, it was just a much-needed break. A LOT has happened over the past month. My emotions were literally on a different rollarcoster ride every day... But, I think, I'm ready to be back.. if not, then I might have to take another break. For now, let's just get through June -- summer!
Because I didn't have any set out goals for myself last month, I'm just going to go straight into writing out my goals for June.

June Goals! 
1. Get my daily steps in. 6000 steps at least. It's summer time, and the weather is gorgeous! And, I have the biggest motivator to go for walks. No excuses this month. 
2. Get my sh*t together for school. First month of summer school down, few more to go to complete semester 2. And, I'm exhuasted. This semester is packed with homework. I need to find more time for school work... Or, at least get things started/finshed ahead of time so I'm not screwed doing it last minute... 
3. Be active on social media. My insta page is looking a litle bland. I don't post as often as I used to. And, I really should. The weather is beautiful, and I got a puppy (more on that later on the blog!!) 
4. Be more social. Im in a program with amazing people. Yes, I am making friends with a lot of them, but I want to do more than just have conversations in the classroom. This month, I want to be more social, and actually have lunch out and be more open about my life. 
5. Make an impression. A lot of my instructors currently work as a nurse while teach part-time at my school. This months, I want to starting making an impression with a lot of them. Who you know is powerful. And, one day, they might be able to put in a good word for me at their hospital when it comes to applying...
6. Update my LinkedIn. If you do not know what LinkedIn is, you better go on google right now and sign up for it. This is basically you're online portfolio/resume. And, because everything is so tech savvy nowadays, a lot of companies google us now! So, trust me, this is what you want them to see first. 
Well, the sun is shinning! Going to enjoy it before I have to start my paper due next week!
What are your June goals? 
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Currently in April

24 April 2017

currently

Currently in April

It has been a while since I've done one of these. When I used to blog more consistently, I always thought it was necessary to share to some of my currents. As you can probably tell, I haven't been present on the blog consistently. But, lately, I feel like there is a spark that ignited. Hopefully, this will fuel me fully.
READING... the bible (I might explain this more later on) PLAYING... Simpsons Tapped Out! And, yes, I have been playing this game on my phone for years. WATCHING... Make It or Break It! One of my favourite ABC shows growing up. Decided to rewatch them! TRYING... enjoy the sun today EATING... grilled cheese sandwich. YUM. DRINKING... water CALLING...  TEXTING... my cousin  TWEETING... nothing... as usual GOING... to work in a bit LOVING... my rabbits HATING... the construction workers who decided to work this morning DISCOVERING... the pain that comes with elastics THINKING... what to wear today FEELING... content HOPING (for)... a good day LISTNING (to)... My Favourite Part -- Mac Miller ft. Ariana Grande CELEBRATING... The end of first semester of nursing!!!! SMELLING... lavender s  ORDERING... nothing THANKING... God for my bed this morning CONSIDERING... About going to the library after work; want to find another novel to start STARTING... the journey of bible journalling  FINISHING... my green tea.

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What I Learned in 50 Days... Without Coffee

20 April 2017

lifestyle

What I Learned in 50 Days... Without Coffee

Today marks day 50... the number of days I've gone without coffee. 
Okay, maybe not today exactly. I'm somewhat of a bit late posting this.... but only by a few days.
Anywho... No coffee for 50 days? That's huge for someone who used to drink coffee like it was water since a young age. At first, I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to do it, but then, it just got easier and easier - and, soon, my love for coffee became a distant memory.
Let's start off with the whys - Why did I give up coffee? Well, one morning, I woke up and just decided not to drink coffee. That was actually a few days before Lent began. And, with Lent, I decided to commit to this and really give up coffee for 40 more days. Like why not?
I won't lie to you. The first few days were hard. Like really hard. It was like my body purposely decided to be even more exhausted than usual in the mornings. I thought I wouldn't make it to school and focus. But, I learned otherwise. 

1. Without coffee, I was able to focus more. And stay up longer. Not sure how that work, but it did. TRUST ME.
2. My mood and behaviour changed drastically. I found myself happier, especially in the mornings. I also found myself being more positive... not sure if that has to do with me being happier, but I hope not to lose this.
3. My teeth became whiter! OR maybe look whiter. I'm not sure, I'm not a dentist. But, for those who don't  know, I currently have braces, and personally found that my teeth don't look as white ever since. So, when I stopped drinking coffee, I noticed a HUGE difference. And, it wasn't just me. My friends noticed as well.
4. I SAVED A LOT OF MONEY. When I was looking over my debit transactions, I honestly had no idea how much I spent on a daily basis for just a small cup of coffee.  The past 50 days, I have accumulated all that spare change into something worth saving.
5. I developed a love for tea! Without tea, giving up coffee would have probably been harder to complete. I joined the tea craze, and even found myself loving green tea. Something I disliked a lot growing up. PLUS, I love drinking tea without sugar.
So, there you guy! Those are just a few of the main things I discovered during my sacrifice without coffee. One thing I should also mention, I had my first cup of caffeine the other day. And, dare I say it? It didn't taste as good as I once remembered. I guess, this girl ain't a coffee addict no more!
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April Goals

04 April 2017

monthly goals

April Goals

YAAAS!
You guys won't even believe how excited I am that it's finally April! I'm so over the cold weather and the winter season; so, spring, I am ready for you. I am ready for you to come and go so that I can finally get my summer and warm weather!
I'm super excited, as you could tell. 
But, before I get into this month's goal, I want to quickly go over how the last month went for me... March was a great month for me! I set myself a few goals, and I actually achieved them. Yes, I know a lot of the goals were a one-day-type of goal, but the other goals took commitment and dedication. But, hey, I got them done. So, let's just celebrate that! 

March Goals Revisited:

1. No coffee for the next 40 days. THIS IS ALMOST COMPLETE. I did not have a single cup (or sip) of coffee in the month of March. Wohooo, success! However, this goal was intended to give up coffee for the entire duration of Lent; so, I'm not quite done yet.
2. Give an update on my 101 things in 1001 days. Yaaaaas, finally show my face here on the blog to give you guys an update on my 101 things. I'm actually doing much better than I thought I would be doing. Hmm... maybe putting my goal out there actuallly does help get them done. 
3. Go to church every Sunday this month. I FINALLY DID THIS. This was actually a goal of mine since November. I always found myself attending at least 2 Sunday services in a month. This time around, March was no challenge. I did it; and, it felt great!
4. Start a gratitude journal. Ooooh, believe it or not, I actually wrote in my journal every single day. And, I learned a lot about myself throughout the process. I might have to make a separate blog post talking more about this... sometime soon.
5. Positive vibes. Positive things happen to positive people. And, a lot of positive things happened to me in the month of March. Need I say more? 

April Goals!
1. No coffee to finish off Lent strong. I'm almost done. I went this long without coffee, the next few days shouldn't be too hard! 
2. Ace the last month of semester 1A. It's officially the last month of my first semester of nursing school. I started off the semester strong, and I want to finish it strong! No pressure there... well, there is. I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself, but it's for the good of my future. 
3. Post at least 4 times on here. I've been neglecting my blog. That or I haven't been motivated to be on here as much as I used to. This month, I want to post at least 4 times.... the past couple of months I've only posted like once a week. So, let's get back on track. 
4. Drink lots and lots of water. This is self-explanatory. Just want to live a healthier lifestyle.
5. Get my daily steps in. I have a goal of 6000 daily steps. I want to accomplish this every day this month. Like I said above, I want to live a healthier lifestyle! 
What are your April goals? 
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Surprise 21st for My Sista

29 March 2017

101 in 1001

Surprise 21st for My Sista

Last week, my sister celebrated her 21st birthday!!!! 
Like, wow!! I seriously cannot believe she's already 21-years-old.  And, without any thought, if anyone would ask me old she is, I'd probably wouldn't hesitate saying she was 16 or something. It's just crazy to me how the days years fly.  So, the realization that this was her 21st really hit me. I wanted to make sure that she celebrated it -- especially since it's her champagne. 
And, like the "good" girl she is, she decided to do nothing for her birthday.  Side note: I'm being totally sarcastic when I call her a good girl... 
But, being the best big sister she ever had, I decided I wanted to surprise her by putting something together! But thanks to her lovely bf, he really helped and we ended up pulling the whole thing off.  

It wasn't anything too big; I knew for sure she didn't want the headache and the stress the morning after a big party. I did know that she has amazing friends who were down to do pretty much anything, as long as they were there to celebrate my sister's birthday. 
So, we kept it simple. My sister and her bf actually went to dinner beforehand. So, at this point, she had absolutley no idea any of us would be there afterwards. I'm not sure the exact lie he told her, but she had this idea that they were going to a bar afterwards to have some drinks with his friends. 
Meanwhile, I was with the others at the bar, already drinking it up. We had a long table for all the guests as we awaited for her arrival. 
It was quite funny when she came -- We yelled "SURPRISE" and she was so clueless, she literally walked passed us. We were laughing, and she still had no idea for the first 2 minutes when she was fully staring at us. Then, somehow it hit her that everyone was there for her. It was halarious! It couldn't have gone more perfect. 
We spent the rest of the evening just drinking and catching up with everyone, and decided to hit the club afterwards. We walked to a nearby club, and got in and pretty much danced and drank the night away. It was quite nice to see my sister so happy. And, I was really happy that she got to celebrate her champaign with her closest friends! 

I do wish, we all took more photos. I didn't even take a photo with my sister... opps. But, I guess when you're having a lot of fun, you tend to just want to live in the moment.
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UPDATE: 101 Things in 1001 Days

08 March 2017

101 in 1001

UPDATE: 101 Things in 1001 Days

Guys! Where did the days go? It wasn't too long ago I turned 22 years old and started this challenge.  110 days later... I'm actually pretty impressed with myself. As you'll see belwo, I've completed 24 things so far. Not so shabby for 110 days! 
Can't wait to regroup and get started (and finish) things over the next coupl of months before checking in again. 

101 Things in 1001 Days

Start Date: November 19, 2016 End Date: August 17, 2019 
Completed 24/101 as of Mar 8, 2016
KEY: - In progress - Completed in 2016  - Completed in 2017
1. Finish this list before November 19 (11.16) 2. Publish this post before 2017 (12.16)
School 3. Get my RPN license  4. Make it on honour roll  5. (re)Learn CPR 6. Order a personal copy of my university transcript (12.16) 7. Purchase textbooks before the start of classes (12.16) 8. Get a new laptop before classes start (12.16)
Family/ Friends/ Social  9. Send a package of things to my cousins in the Philippines (01.17) 10. Have a spa day with mom 11. Re-connect with an old friend 12. Go to a work party/dinner/something they host (11.16) 13. Plan and host a surprise party 
Health/ Fitness/ Wellness 14. Wake up every day for 6:30 am for 1 week (and not go back to sleep) 15. Not press the snooze button for 1 week 16. Drink green tea before bed for one month [8/31] -- started March 1 17. Sleep before 12:00 am for 1 week [0/7]  18. NO coffee for one month [8/30] -- started March 1 19. NO pop/soda for a month (including mixing in drinks...) [8/30] March 1 20. NO alcohol for a month [30/30] (01.17 - 02.17) 21. Be the D.D. for the night 22. Do Yoga for 30 days with Adriene 23. Be able to do 50 pushups without breaks 24. Drink 8-ounces of water a day for a week 25. Complete the 30-day squat challenge 26. Run in a marathon
Beauty 27. Get lash extensions (01.17)  28. Wear earrings (in each pierced hold) for a whole week 29. Wear red lipstick for 1 week 30. Try getting my eyebrows threaded  31. Remember to take my vitamins for a week 32. Leave the house without makeup on for one month (11.16 - 12.16)
Blog 33. Blog every day for a month 34. (re)Create my "All About Me" page  35. Record a vlog (01.17) 36. Finish writing all saved drafts and PUBLISH them  37. Blog about 10 items on this list [4/10 - #46 Christmas on Ice, #84 I Got Braces..., #8 Refurbish MacBook, #35 and #86 Cutting Off My Hair -- Vlog]
Finances 38. Get credit card #1 to zero 39. Get credit card #2 to zero (12.16) 40. Put at least 20% of each paycheck into savings for a month  41. Pay school tuition before the first day of classes (12.16) 42. Bring lunch to work for a whole month (no buying, including coffee) [31/31] (01.17 - 02.17) 43. Put $5 in both savings accounts for each completed goal
Something New/ For Fun 44. Go to a karaoke event/bar 45. Go apple picking 46. Attend an ice show (11.16) 47. Go to a drive-in theater  48. Go to an NBA game 49. Go go-karting 50. Get a puppy 51. Make a cheesecake 52. Drink wine in a bathtub 53. Try 5 new coffee shops that are not mainstream [1/5 - Supercoffee (11.16)] 54. Go on a party bus (12.16) 55. Try 5 new restaurants I've never eaten at [3/5 - Moxie's Bar & Grill (11.16), Turtle Jack's(12.16), Korean Grill House (12.16)] 56. Go on a spontaneous road trip 57. Go to a gun range 58. Go to a wine tasting 59. Go to a bubble soccer event (12.16) 60. Learn to tie a tie
Leisure 61. Unsubscribe from all unwanted email lists 62. Unsubscribe from FB likes 63. Read 20 books I've never read [1/20 - Sorry Not Sorry (12.16)] 64. Read a book for 30 minutes before bed for 1 week 65. Re-organize my iTunes playlist 66. Reorganize my desk 67. Learn to play poker 68. Learn to crochet 69. Start practicing the piano ago 70. (re)Learn to play a piece on the piano 71. (re)Watch all of Grey's Anatomy 72. (re)Watch all of Gossip Girl (because it is Gossip Girl...) (01.17) 73. Watch every season (on Netflix) of 3 shows I've never watched [1/3 - The Crown (11.16), Jane the Virgin (12.16) ] 74. Watch 26 movies I've never watched before (alphabet style) [18/26]

• A - A Most Wanted Man (2014) (12.16)
• B - Basic Instinct (1992)  (11.16)
• C - Coin Heist (2017) (01.17)
• D - Due Date (2010) (12.16)
• E - Eagle Eye (2008) (12.16)
• F - Fundamentals of Caring (2016) (11.16)
• G - Get a Job (2016) (01.17)
• H -
• I - Into The Wild (2007) (02.17)
• J - Joy (2015) (12.16)
• K - Keeping Up With the Joneses (2016) (01.17)
• L - Life of Crime (2013) (12.16)
• M - Mr. Right (2015) (11.16)
• N -
• O -
• P - Passenger (2016) (03.17)
• Q -
• R -
• S - Split (2017) (01.17)
• T - Triple 9 (2015) (11.16)
• U - Unfinished Business (2015) (02.17)
• V - Vacation (2015) (01.17)
• W -
• X -
• Y -
• Z - Zootopia (02.17)

Purchases

75. Buy a vegan purse/wallet (and use it) (12.16)

76. Buy an everyday watch

77. Buy a backpack (12.16)

78. Buy new everyday shoes

79. Invest in a weekender

Personal

80. Learn to drive manual

81. Get new glasses (01.17)

82. Use coconut oil in my hair at least once a week for a month

83. Create a list of things that made me smile for that day (for 1 month)

84. Go and get my braces (12.16)

85. Embrace my braces

86. Cut my hair "short" (12.16)

87. Be his New Year's kiss

88. Become a morning person

89. Find the beauty in winter

90. Go to church every Sunday for 1 month [1/4] March

91. No cursing for a day

92. No cursing for a week

93. Eat at least half a pickle without gagging

94. Give up something for Lent [Coffee... day 8/40]

95. Write in my journal for 5 minutes every day for a month [Gratitude Journal... day 8/31]

96. Stop biting my nails for 21 days [15/21] (12.16)

97. Say "Yes" to something I normally wouldn't

For Others

98. Buy a stranger a coffee/tea

99. Go through my clothes, and donate the one's I don't need/wear

100. Donate to a different charity or non-profit organization each month [5/33 - Heart and Stroke Foundation (11.16), Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (12.16), Sick Kids Foundation (01.17), The Sunshine Foundation (02.17), Children's Wish Foundation of Canada (03.17)]

101. Inspire someone to create their own lists (any takers?)

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