15 Before the Next: Halfway There!

Holy Cow!! Time has gone by so quickly that I didn't realize I'm halfway to my 24th birthday and haven't really taken the time to look at my list!! Time for a recap!

1. Do a 3 day weekend somewhere we both have never been before-Brandon and I hit Salt Lake, but I'm looking forward to making a trip to a new city in the next few months.  

2. Buy a new car (doesn't have to be new, just new to me)  

3. Donate 12-15 inches of hair to Locks of Love- Hair is getting long, and I should be able to do this by summer time. 

4. Do the 100's at a 45 degree angle. 

5. Throw a dinner party-we threw a Superbowl party....does that count? Maybe when I get an apartment I'll throw a housewarming/welcome home kitties party   

6. Make beef bourguignon Julia Child style (a repeat from last year, because I want to do it!) 

7. Get my next tattoo- I've started looking at some drawings for the next one, just trying to decide where I want it.  

8. Apply for Grad School 

9. Go to Disneyland-no plans yet, but I'm really hoping this happens

10. Learn to French Braid my hair- Guess I should get on this before I chop it all off. I haven't learned french but I have been doing 'maiden braids' and they are pretty darn cute!  

11. Go to a movie (in the Theater) at least every six weeks-saw Frozen with April, but haven't seen anything since...any good movies coming out? 

12. Eat Sushi 12 times 

13. Volunteer at least one weekend every month

14. Attend blog conferences, take more pictures, and grow this blog-attended Alt in January, and am trying to post/take pictures more. 

15. Obtain full-time employment and get ahead-just got the news that I got a job up in my new area!! It isn't full time but I'm hoping it will become full time soon. 

Even though I haven't paid a lot of attention to this list recently, it's so exciting to be accountable for goals/dreams that are important to me! Self love and discovery are such beautiful things and should always be a priority. 

Altitude Summit: A Reflection

This post has taken me a lot longer than I thought it would, and the blame for that is my fear of saying something that will offend someone...somewhere. Like any experience there were a lot of wonderful moments and things that I would have changed. I've asked myself a number of times 'did I expect too much?' I honestly didn't know what would be coming my way but my expectations were high. I tried to join the bandwagon by instagraming my weekly sponsor gifts, reading the Alt Blog and other blogs of people I expected to see there, and by commenting on pictures/facebook etc. trying to make conversation. I expected to make a ton of new friends at Alt, to be surrounded by funny extroverts, to have cheeks sore from smiling, informative classes, and answers to the millions of questions running around in my head.

I walked away with lots of fun pictures, a few new friends, lots of goodies and some notes. Brandon continued to ask me throughout the trip if I was having fun, and at times I was having the time of my life, while other times I felt like I was a Freshman in college trying to get into an elite sorority. I joked with Brandon after the first day that I hadn't known what to expect...but that what was happening definitely wasn't it. So many bloggers came with one another; making it difficult to strike up a conversation, some seemed so genuinely nice while others only had time for sponsors and schmoozing. I had a few run ins with bloggers that I follow and love, one experience left me wanting to blog my heart out, while the other solidified my thoughts that she was just in it for all of the followers. I'll honestly say that if it weren't for me meeting Marissa from Practical Punch at the Green Party, I would have probably skipped most of the second day.

After coming home friends and family wanted to know if my blogging adventure was worth it and I have to honestly say I'm still on the fence. If you have the extra funds to go, do it! If you have to reach deep into your savings to fund it...I would think twice. Alt Summit also has three other events Alt NYC, Alt SF, and Alt Everyone. I would check out one of those out if you're interesting in taking the plunge! There were so many things at Alt SLC that were wonderful, but throughout the event I couldn't help but take note of how many things I would have changed, and what changes would have made me more comfortable or enjoy it more.

Some things that I did love: 

• The attention to detail, each room and event was carefully put together and you could tell that some careful consideration was taken when thinking of colors, props, and lighting, and the hotel was absolutely INSANE. (imagine the Titanic)
• The business cards 
• Meeting some really down to earth women who share my common interests
• The lounges
• Photographers taking pictures of every detail! (Took some pressure off, so I could focus on the millions of other things going on) 

Things I would have changed or added:

• More focus on building relationships with bloggers in your state. I think that meeting people from New York is awesome, but I can't call them up and have coffee. Having a dinner or time blocked for meeting people from your state would have made a huge difference for me. 
• More informative classes...I took the "A" classes which are for beginner bloggers, which I am, and almost all of the information was common sense. I didn't want to take any advance classes for fear that it would go over my head, but now I regret it. 
• More info sooner, maybe I didn't start reading the blog early enough but I would have loved some emails about the event right when I registered. I was so pumped but then didn't get emails so I started getting nervous 
• A little less going on at the same time..there was so much going on that you miss so many things if you aren't running around. I now know that if I attend next year the classes are less important, and the lounges/outside venues are where it is at. 

Overall, Alt SLC was an experience, and that was what I wanted. I learned some things about myself and about this blogging world. I've shared a few photos in this post and they were all taken by the photographers at Alt. More pictures are available to view at their Flickr page. (I was a naughty blogger and didn't take any pictures with my DSLR even though it was in my bag...oops! To see my personal pictures you can check out my Instagram!)

 

15 Before the Next

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Since I have now been 23 for a little over a month, I was able to put the finishing touches on my new birthday list. A few days into the creation of my new list I couldn't come up with 24 things. I decided that instead of spreading myself too thin, and listing things that weren't really a priority, I would stick to fifteen things that I really wanted to achieve by next September. Like last year I've included personal, professional, and fun goals, that will help me get the most out of the coming year!
 

1. Do a 3 day weekend somewhere we both have never been before. 

2. Buy a new car (doesn't have to be new, just new to me)  

3. Donate 12-15 inches of hair to Locks of Love

4. Do the 100's at a 45 degree angle. 

5. Throw a dinner party 

6. Make beef bourguignon Julia Child style (a repeat from last year, because I want to do it!) 

7. Get my next tattoo 

8. Apply for Grad School 

9. Go to Disneyland 

10. Learn to French Braid my hair 

11. Go to a movie (in the Theater) at least every six weeks 

12. Eat Sushi 12 times 

13. Volunteer at least one weekend every month

14. Attend blog conferences, take more pictures, and grow this blog

15. Obtain full-time employment and get ahead

These are all important things to me, and I think that by having a smaller list, I'll be able to focus on the goals and getting the most out of them, rather than just crossing them off the list.

23 before 23: A wrap up

Before I go into my 23 before 23 I just can't get over how amazing my little corner of the internet looks!!! The process wrapped up on Friday and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. After going back and forth with Jenny Highsmith, she created a design that is 100% me, and so much more fun than the baby blue I had before. Everything from the colors used to the polka dots are things that I love and things that make my space more unique. I never imagined it being that easy, and this rewarding, thank you Jenny!! This little change has pumped me up for posts and for the upcoming Pepperologie, and Alt Summit I will be attending in the coming months. It's so much easier to share this blog with others when my space is something I also enjoy looking at.

Now for my wrap up; this 22nd year has brought me so much joy, and has provided me with challenges I willingly put myself through (this list) and others that have made me so much stronger than I ever thought I could be. This was a successful year for my list, and I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for me!

A wrap up of my list and how it went.
1. San Diego Trip
2. Eat Sushi 12+ times August = sushi two times a week, so I definitely achieved this!
3. Go to 12 Yoga Classes: I started going to Pilates (which I enjoy so much more than yoga) and have gone about 8 times
4. Write more handwritten letters to friends: Semi-achieved...would still love to do this more
5. Save up $2,000
6. Recruit 10-15 Student Council Members
7. Buy a pair of heels and walk in them comfortably: nope, I'm coming to terms with the fact that I may never wear heels. And I'm ok with that.
8. Get 4 massages: only got one this year...massages are expensive.
9. Do NOT cut hair, trims only: DID IT!!! My hair is long and healthy and I'm happy <3
10. Make beef bourguignon Julia Child Style: Not yet, but I will do this...someday
11. Tucson Trip with April
12. Ikea Trip
13. DIY Corkboard for office (Anne the Adventurer did one and it is amazing)
14. Read 6 personal choice books: Not 6 but I did read Room and The Fault in Our Stars, and a ton of great history books
15. Drink cocktails in my fancy red dress. Did this at Cafe Roka and it was awesome!
16. Send out birthday cards-on time! Going Strong!! :) Still have some left for the year
17. Purchase a fuel efficient vehicle: Didn't happen, but we are getting closer each day
18. Graduate with Honors: we shall see!
19. Walk on treadmill 3 times a week: Didn't happen, but walks did, and so did Pilates, and that is progress!
20. Style hair more, work on curling techniques
21. Shred unnecessary papers once a week
22. Create a cleaning checklist and stick to it
23. Get my passport: That's the b-day present from my grandparents! <3

I love this feeling of accomplishment, and accountability; now to start the next list!