I Like Me...

I like myself and the person I have become. I have worked very hard to learn from not only my own mistakes, but also the mistakes of others. I'm certainly not perfect, but I do have a lot of good qualities. I look back at the person I was in high school, and even going into my early 20s, and I don't really like that person. She was moody, and rude, and uncaring, and selfish. She was not a very pleasant person to be around. I like to think I have changed a lot from that girl. Since then, I have realized that I was moody and that I have the power to control that. I can choose my mood and I can choose the attitude I want to have from day to day. Nobody likes to be around somebody who is always grouchy or whose demeaner can change in a quick minute. Most people like to be around others who are nice, and who smile and have a positive attitude. That wasn't always me, but I like to think that it is now. Of course, I have my moments when I am genuinely not in a good mood, but those moments are few and far between, at least I hope. Especially when I am at work, I try to smile and be bright and cheery. A long time ago, that was a foreign concept, but now it's my usual demeaner.

There are other things too. For example, I like the fact that I'm not overly girly, but I am certainly not a tomboy either. I like to put on my makeup and look pretty, but I also like to put my hair in a ponytail and wear my Adidas pants and a tshirt. I call it my "sporty" look, even if I am NOT sporty at all!!! Of course, my diamond earrings and Pandora bracelet will be present for either dress up or dress down. I like the fact that I like to exercise, even if I am not always disciplined to do it regularly. It makes me feel good that I enjoy doing something that is beneficial to my health. I also like how BOLD I have become. I'm really not afraid of anything or anybody. Recently, I made a very bold move and did something I would have never dreamed of before. I got one good date out of the deal, and that's all, but just knowing that I went after something and a little good came from it, enables me to do something like that in the future. Not the necessary stalking part, for those of you who know what I am talking about!! Honestly, doing that was very liberating for such a conservative little girl! I'm also incredibly loyal. As long as I become loyal to you, I am pretty much that way for life. Even if for some reason we end on bad terms, I am probably going to do right by you no matter what. I've never been a backstabber, to anyone, and I certainly wouldn't do that to someone I cared about or to whom I am loyal, which are kind of one in the same. I also don't do grudges. Sure, I might not like you, and if I don't you will know it, but I will not hold something against you. I will always be cordial to you, despite not liking you, but I will not hold a grudge against you. "Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."

Of course, I have bad qualities too, but I kind of think that some of them make me somewhat charming and a little quirky. I am not a sympathetic person- AT ALL! I have zero sympathy for anything or anybody. If someone starts crying around me, I have to leave the room. It makes me very uncomfortable. I mean, I can feel bad for someone, and I can feel bad about something, but I don't really do sympathy. Next, I am ridiculously bossy!!! I boss my bosses around, and I kind of always have. It's not a disrespect thing, it's just a Shea thing. I am a bossy person and once people get to know me, they realize that that is just my personality. I'm not trying to be ugly or rude; I am just bossy in nature. Character flaw? I'm not sure. Something to work on, for sure, but not an overall bad quality. Oh, and I am so sarcastic it is crazy. If I didn't know any better, I would say that sarcasm is my love language. It's like I can't help myself. Most people find me funny, but there are many times when it is just plain rude. Again, something to work on but not entirely bad.

Not so fabulous day...

My day started out very well, but did not end that way. This morning I got to work and then bought a White chocolate mocha frap from starbucks. Soon after, my stomach started hurting and did not quit until around 8 pm.

Around midday, one of my coworkers approached me telling me that our interaction the night before was "unnecesary" and if I had a problem, I should have pulled her aside and spoken to her about it. Um, what? Last night I asked her what kind of cookies she was passing out (I knew they were peanut butter, which cannot be passed out bc of allergies) to which she replied that they were from the bakery, and she put her finger in my face to tell me I just needed to listen to her (while she told me, yet again, that they were from the bakery...like I didn't know that). So today, she confronts me in front of about 30 customers to tell me that last night was unnecessary and that I am on a power trip and she is my elder, and blah blah blah. I pretty much told her to go away and I was not going to talk to her. She continues to yell at me as she is walking away that the reason I told her to go away was because I knew I was wrong. Noooo, I told her to go away because she is an idiot and there is nothing she can say that could possibly enlightening. I knew I was not the only one who had had these kinds of interactions with her, b/c I had already had 2 conversations with 2 different people who work more closely with her than I do about how hateful she is and how she goes around telling people how things work. Um, she has worked there for about 3 months, meanwhile the rest of us have been there a lot longer. They're thinking of putting her in my department. Joy. Needless to say, I stopped by my boss's office on my way out to tell him about this and that, in my opinion, she was out of control and needed to be addressed. He told me I was the 5th person to come talk to him (today alone) about her and he would be addressing ALL of her issues tonight. Hmph.

Finally, I got to leave that place, not to return until Monday afternoon, and I came home, tummy ache and all, and took a shower and went to bed. I'm home alone for the night. All the doors are locked and the alarm is set. Creepy Lebanese man does not know where I live, that I know of, so no worries there. Btw, I have decided that he is trying to kidnap me and sell me into the sex trade/human trafficking. I really don't think I am just being paranoid.

I've Lost My Phone. Again.

I went to my parent's house this weekend. Thursday, my sister and I went to the outdoor mall to shop for Mother's Day/Birthday presents for my Mom, Grandmother, and Stepmother, but I had no luck. I just do not know what to get for my Stepmother. I know that she LOVES Georgia Bulldogs, but that's about it. She doesn't really carry Vera Bradley, she doesn't wear a lot of jewelry, so I just don't know. And I'm still thinking about it. My Mom and Grandma are much easier to buy for, but I still didn't find them anything. I already have my Grandma something for one or the other, (her bday is also in May) I just hope she hasn't already ordered one for herself, since she had voiced that she wanted this. Now I just need to find her something for the other holiday. Once again, I'm at a loss, but I at least have SOME ideas. My mom, while easy to buy for, is also hard to buy for- she's told me to take something back before. She doesn't wear jewelry, but she has decided that she wants this jewelry armoire, so I thought about getting her a MC gift card to put towards that, but I HATE giving gift cards. If that's what she wants, and I can give her money to pay for it, that will work. IDK, yet. Dilemma dilemma.

In other news, I've lost my phone again. At my parent's house. Hope I find it sooner than a month this time.

I'm FREEEE!!!

Top Things on My To-Do List:

Catch up on Vampire Diaries, Nikita, Fringe, One Tree Hill, Swamp People, etc
Read books on my Nook I have had for a while now
Play Harry Potter LEGO on Wii
Watch movies
Sleep

I've been in school for a year straight, and now I have A WHOLE MONTH before I have to start summer classes. I don't know what to do with myself!! It's really nice to be able to catch up on my shows without thinking about all the other things I should be doing. Very. Good. Feeling!!

Forgive Me... and this will totally be boring

I have been a terrible blogger. I would like to say that the only reason I haven't blogged lately is because I have been blogging for my Humanities class, but that's probably not true. Were it not for those humanities blog posts, this blog might not have had any new posts at all. Well, lots has happened since we last spoke. My second spring semester at ASU is coming to a close, and I think things are going pretty well. I took my Spanish final yesterday, Monday, I have my humanities essay exam and my Environmental Biology test. Noon, Monday cannot get here fast enough!!

On another note,I had thought that I was not going to take any classes this summer, but I have changed my mind. Instead, I will be finishing my Spanish core this summer with my new friend Jessica! I had been looking forward to not having to worry about being studious, or feeling guilty for reading my nook or playing Harry Potter LEGO because surely there is something I should be studying, but it will be nice to have my Spanish class out of the way. Of course, this means I will have a hole to fill in the fall, but that shouldn't be too hard.

In addition to all of that, I have decided to change my major. Right now, my major is Public Relations, but I have decided to change it to Communication Studies, which is still in the same department so I will not be set back at all! And, originally my minor was going to be Spanish, but I just can't take it anymore!! so, I'm thinking of either Psychology or Sociology. I will probably take a few classes in both to help me decide which one, if either.

In other news, I have absolutely nothing going on. This semester I have met some really great people, starting with Jessica, who is my Spanish friend and is just amazing. She and I are like-minded people who have a heart to figure out what it is God wants for us in life and pursue that whole-heartedly. Next there's Katie J., who I met in Aerobics. She and I have hung out and just had fun being spontaneous and care-free. Then there's Katie H., who was in my Bio class this semester and who is an awesome study partner/waste water treatment plant cut-up/"snake charmer" friend. And of course, I can't not give an honorable mention to Wevo, Lindsay, Stanton, Megan, and the hilarious boys who sit behind me in Hum.

That's all for now. I have some other, hilarious, work stories, but those will have to wait for another time. I'm supposed to be writing a paper and studying...

Personal Reflection

I have thoroughly enjoyed my humanities class this semester. Not only because it gave me the opportunity to read things I would not have otherwise read for myself, but it piqued my interest to the point where I would like to read some of the works we read in part in class in their entirety. Having been raised by an English teacher, I have a thorough appreciation for literature and the literature portion of this class reiterated that point even more. I also enjoyed learning new pieces of art as well as ones that most people are already familiar and the culture around which they were created.


What I didn’t like about the class was that it was definitely three classes all rolled into one. While that wouldn’t normally be a bad thing, the fact that we have this class we are getting 4 hours credit for and doing the work for roughly 8 hours credit was a bit overwhelming at times. I also didn’t feel that the professors in the course worked well together in tying each of the three aspects of the course together to make a clear connection between the them. For both the midterm and the final we are asked to write two essays tying the literature, art, and music together within the cultures using the concepts, but there was never a clear connection made in class. The literature portion, which was by far the best, was the only section of the class that thoroughly discussed the concepts and their relevance to the literature. The other two did not even mention the concepts or make any connection to each other or the literature.

Hindsight is always 20/20 and in looking back at my performance in this class, I did not put forth the effort that I A) intended to put forth and B) was required by the course. There is no doubt that my grade will reflect that- I just hope that I pass! I will be taking Humn 2002 in the fall (with you) and now that I have this insight into the course and understand a little better how things work, I will be better prepared for higher success in my next humanities course.



Word Count: 370

Blog 9 Understanding of the Upcoming IDEE

Yes, I understand that the format for the essay has changed, and I understand the format itself. Personally, this will make my essay-writing a lot easier and smoother. I had difficulty applying multiple concepts to two different cultures within 3 categories: art, literature, and music. The fact that this essay is in a more traditional format will make things much better.


Yes, I do have a general understanding of how and why these cultures and periods are different and alike, but I will need to look at them more closely in order to fully make a decision on which 2 cultures I will write.

For the themes, again, I will have to look at the cultures more closely in order to make a firm decision on which theme I will choose to tie into these cultures/periods. I do, however, like that we are now able to choose our own themes.

I am in no way prepared for this upcoming IDEE, so I will now write on my plan to prepare myself.

First of all, I need to print out and study carefully the slides for the literature portion of the cultures. Not only do I need to develop a firm grasp on the concepts, but I also need to be able to look at the texts and make clear connections between the concepts and the events taking place in the reading. Next, in reference to the literature, I need to read through the texts more closely now that we have discussed them in class and apply what has been said to what I am reading. Once I have done this, I can narrow down the two cultures on which I would like to write and start coming up with a theme for each or one that will apply to both.

Next, for the art and music, I need to look over my class notes and print off the relevant music slides so that I can apply the concepts and the theme to the pieces on which I am supposed to write.



Word Count: 341