I am freaking out tonight. There is SO MUCH to do and I barely have any time to get it all done. So much stress, and a panic attack is coming.  I’m doing what I can to squash the panic attack.  So, I have set a new goal. A goal that must be accomplished.

Goal: Complete all of the following work by 4pm on Thursday, November 12.

• Complete in-depth interview guide for C class [Completed 11/11 @ 3:15am]
• Email client with questions and interview for C class [Completed 11/11 @ 3:49am]
• Edit and brainstorm strategies and tactics for C class [Completed 11/11 @ 8:14pm]
• Compile paper for C class
• Start together communications matrix for C class (this is negotiable)
• Email team mate of M class with summary of tonight’s meeting [Completed 11/11 @ 1:50am]
• Review materials and research of M client
• Email M team with assignment from tonight’s meeting [Completed 11/11 @ 1:50am]
• Review meeting agenda for M class [Completed 11/11 @2:10am]
• Edit creative brief for M class
• Brainstorm strategies and tactics for M class
• Start paper for M class
• Call and interview members of M class client
• Call and interview members of C class
• Prepare for meeting with M class client
• Start ethics assignment for C class
• Midterm for M class
• Read chapter 9 for C class (this is negotiable)
• Read chapter 18 for M class

I can do this. I can do this. Uh-oh.

1. Started watching Big Bang Theory… this show is hilarious. Why didn’t I start watching this show earlier???
2. Good, productive M meeting… hilarious too. I love this group, I’m so happy I’m working on this project with these people.
3. Delicious Starbucks to help get me through the meeting.
4. Leftover Chipotle for lunch.
5. Yummy cheesy bread and spaghetti for dinner.

Question: If a friend or relative makes a racist or homophobic remark, do you tend to confront them or let it slide? Are you more likely to confront them if it offends you directly or someone else who seems reluctant to speak up?

Answer: If a friend makes a racist or homophobic remark, I will confront them. It is their opinion in the end, but I will question it and spark a conversation about it.  It doesn’t matter if it does or doesn’t offend me or if someone else doesn’t speak up. I will say something if I want to, it’s in my nature.  I strongly believe that we need to be less ignorant and more accepting in this world.

Unfortunately, the opposite is true when it comes to family and relatives.  It’s difficult for me to confront a relative because of my culture and family dynamics. I was raised to respect your elders and to never speak back.  While I don’t always obey the “respect your elders”, this is kept to myself. As for never speaking back, that I must follow. Misbehavior on my part reflects directly upon my parents, and these relatives are their brothers, sisters, and parents. A few cousins, only one that is older than me, and the others that are younger than me, I will confront. This is okay because they are younger than me (except the one that’s older, but him and I have a very open and honest relationship and I can yell at him for anything. He’s the one I’m closest to).  The younger cousins, I believe I can and should say something, because their view on society is still being shaped, and I want to provide a different perspective from the rest of the family. If I can influence one of them to be less ignorant and more accepting, then I’m happy.  My relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents, and some cousins) are all racist and homophobic.  It bothers me a great deal, but after failed attempts at speaking with my mother about it, I know better than to confront them about it.  They are set in their ways and there’s nothing I can do about it.  It makes my skin crawl when they make offensive comments, so I walk away because I can’t be around it. Some people might call me a coward, but after 24 years, I recognize it is a battle that I can never win.

How about you?

1. Finished homework in time for class
2. Great speaker tonight during class. Seriously, great. He was funny and engaging, and his speech on leadership was valuable.
3. Productive C group meeting
4. Chipotle for dinner!
5. Talked to @CityGirl912 tonight… there’s something amazing about her. Every time, I come out of our conversations just feeling great. It doesn’t matter what the conversation is about. It could be the most mundane thing. But she never ceases to make me laugh, and just always put me in a better mood.  Thank you C.
6. Two people today told me they thought what I had written should be published. This does not inflate my ego in any way, because I just don’t agree with them. I don’t think I’m that good of a writer. But, this is the highest honor and praise I could imagine, and both times, it took my breathe away and just made me… so happy and so good. Thank you to both of you.

1. Somewhat productive meeting with my C group… and for this group, somewhat is a good thing.
2. Starbucks before the meeting to get me through it all.
3. Went to the gym… there’s something incredibly nice about the gym. You know you’ll accomplish something at the end of it all. It’s physical exertion that passes the time. And while it is exertion, it’s been so much easier for me than mental exertion. School is killing me. And today’s workout was intense.  The pool was so busy that I really couldn’t take a breather and slow down my strokes or switch to breast stroke. End result? 38 laps in 62 minutes. Score.
4. Coffee and a chicken salad wrap from Tryst
5. A coffee to go… to get me through the night of school work procrastination.

1. Slept in.. a lot. Makes me happy that I went ahead and slept in because my Sundays are pretty much gone for the rest of the semester (due to group meetings).
2. An amazing Mac app called WriteRoom… it is incredibly helpful with NaNoWriMo. I LOVE IT.
3. Sushi for dinner… so delicious. I had California Rolls, Salmon with Avocado Rolls, and Hawaiian Rolls (spicy crunchy yellowtail roll)
4. Did more writing for NaNoWriMo… I managed to write about 1500 words in a collective one and a half hour period. I’m so happy. I’m far behind where I should be, and the majority of other writers, but I’m happy to be writing!
5. SNL and Taylor Swift… I have a major girl crush on her.

1. Uninterrupted sleep… it was amazing. Although, I woke up suddenly at 12:45pm… have no idea why or from what.
2. Finished Ink Exchange… decent book. Not as great as Wicked Lovely though. I hope Fragile Eternity is better. No matter what, it’s fantastic to just read for leisure.
3. Doing work at Tryst… this means yummy coffee and a delicious chicken salad wrap.
4. I finally wrote the blog post about the Kreativ Blogger honor.  Sorry it took me so long Brandi!
5. I did it!! I started NaNoWriMo!! I wrote 820 words… I’m so far behind, but I started!! YES!! *fist pump*
6. Delicious tater tots, dumplings, and pierogies for dinner… yes, random. But delicious!
7. A good episode of Numb3rs

A new blog friend, Brandi, graced me with the Kreativ Blogger honor. It made me squeal, blush, and grin ear to ear. I discovered her, and consequently her blog, on 20 something bloggers. I love visiting her blog to see her newest posts of the day.

So, here’s how this works:

1. Thank the person who nominated me. (well, done! Score.)
2. Place the logo on my blog. (Checkaroni!)
3. State seven things about me that most people don’t know.
4. Nominate seven awesome bloggers.
5. Let those bloggers know.

Seven things about me that most people don’t know… hmm. This is going to be interesting.

1. I have an extremely vivid imagination, so when I daydream, I can literally transport myself out of reality and into my imagination. I can lose minutes and hours in my imagination, making my reality disappear around me. Seriously, my eyes can unregister my surroundings and see only what my imagination sees. It’s scary when I come out of my imagination sometimes to realize that I totally lost reality. Granted, it’s also quite fun.
2. I love chocolate candy. Except dark chocolate. That is the only chocolate I like. I don’t like chocolate ice cream or chocolate cake. Seriously, when it comes to chocolate, candy is the only chocolate I will like and eat. Don’t look at me oddly. It’s who I am dammit.
3. I love music. Any type. Seriously, ANY type. Classical? Yes. Country? Yes. Rock? Yes. Indie? Yes.  Hip Hop? Yup. Rap? That too. Music speaks to me in a way I can’t describe, but I am sure most of you understand. They say that you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their music collection. Mine will either tell you nothing about me, or that I am incredibly odd and eclectic.
4. I wish my parents never stifled my creative side. There’s still a part of me that wants to be an actress. To be an artist. To be a singer. But, it was all effectively squashed in me, and any talent I once had, was brutally beaten (metaphorically) out of me for something more logical. I tell you this not to make you sad, but it is an interesting fact about me. This makes me both logical and whimsical, a realistic person yet a daydreamer. It’s difficult to find balance, but it makes me unique!
5. In elementary school, I was Cinderella in a musical. I had to sing the intense Italian songs. I loved it.
6. I go through phases with cereal. When I crave it, all I want is cereal and I will go through milk like nobody’s business. Usually two weeks into this, is when all of a sudden, the cravings disappear and the cereal will just sit there and the milk will go bad. Oops.
7. I think I’m going to return to fan fiction.  I used to write it a long time ago, and lately, it’s been pulling at my creative strings again. So, I think I’ll take the plunge.

Now to pass along this great honor! These seven consist of people I know in real life, some people I discovered browsing DC bloggers, and some that I met through 20 something bloggers. I love their blogs and they are all part of my google reader. I can’t wait to learn more about them.

• Sweet…Invisible…me – I know her in real life and she is an amazing person and friend. She’s incredibly expressive and a great story teller. Her blog is always a great read and her perspective on life is always interesting.
• Don’t Stop Believing – a fellow Josh Groban fan, I love her randomness in her blog. I also love her tumblr. She’s also a photographer.
• Duabalicious – Another friend in real life, and also a sister. Her take on life after college has been interesting.
• DC Princess – always a good read. Seriously. Always.
• an OC girl living in an extraordinary world – I love her blog. Her perspective and opinions on real life issues is always well written, interesting, and moving. Plus, she’s a huge football fan too.
• Swimming With Sharks – I love her take on dating and the single life in DC.
• Candy Sandwich – The things she writes are always compelling and interesting. Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I want to cry, and I can always feel the emotions that she’s conveying through her words.

This has been an intense week so far, especially the last 48 hours.  Everything picked up and I got hit with a ton of schoolwork.  Stress levels hit a high, and I started to freak out over everything I had to do.  My goal as of last night was to just get through today, Thursday. I succeeded that, but I stand here now exhausted and my body in pain from all the stress.  But, I’m glad I got through it.  I think I’m going to crawl into bed and get some good sleep, without interruptions, before I start the homework process all over again. So, on to my graces for the day!

1. Able to finish a good majority of my work in two hours. This amazes me.
2. Went to Tryst to get some work done where I got to enjoy a delicious coffee and a chicken salad sandwich.
3. Bought a new tumbler from Starbucks, where I also got a delicious hot caramel macchiatto.  The first hot drink I’ve had in months! And of the fall!!
4. Caught Project Runway and Models of the Runway
5. Pizza and wings for dinner

1. 40 minutes, 22 laps – not as great as the day before, but I’m glad I went.
2. Cheeseburger and fries from Five Guys
3. Took a two hour nap in the evening, it was oh so good
4. Tater tots!!! Always delicious, and exciting.
5. What turned out to be a very interesting episode on the History Channel about Air Force One… this makes me sound like a complete dork, but I was fascinated.