Love

I have always been a very focused and dominant person. Growing up, I never liked my parents to help me with homework because I wanted to figure everything out on my own. I did not like many of my jobs after a while because I got tired of people telling me what to do. When I got into arguments with my sisters, I was never the one to be told I was wrong, but I was also never the one to go crying to my parents. Now it may seem that I was spoiled, self-centered, or a destructive child, but I was anything but that. I just liked to have control of my own life in many different aspects. In high school I was on the dance team, leadership, and yearbook committee. This kind of person would be a top pick for many high school boys, but I went in and out of high school without being in one real relationship. This was not because boys did not like me, but because I felt like if I had a boyfriend many of my freedoms would be out the window. On my high school senior trip to Hawaii, I met someone I had heard of through my friends many times. I had actually even gone to elementary school with this guy. We met one night while out partying and continued a friendship after coming back from our trip. The night I met him, I knew I had some kind of connection with him like I had not had with anyone else. Shortly after we came back from our senior trip, we immediately became the best of friends! We would text, talk, and hang out all the time. A year past and although we were very close friends we had not become more than that. My guy friend had told me a few times throughout the first year that he thought he could be the best boyfriend for me, and with my mentality I shut him down, more than once. Events occurred in our relationship that quickly made me realize I could never lose this person in my life. I talked to him about being in a committed relationship and we decided to give it a try. Just like we were inseparable from the night we met, we became "one" after becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. This Wednesday will mark the two-year anniversary of being with my boyfriend. I feel so lucky to have him in my life and truly feel he is the one for me. He has helped me change in only good ways. I am now much more open to help from other's, and a lot more calm when things happen with my sisters. On Wednesday, we will be going to Monterey for dinner to celebrate. My boyfriend is a big Sharks fans; for our anniversary I bough him an authentic black Sharks jersey and tickets for us to go to two games. I cannot wait to spend time with my boyfriend in Monterey, and cannot wait to give him his gift!

Vocab Words:

munificence (adj): extremely liberal in giving, very generous.

ascertain (verb): to find out definitely, learn with certainty or assurance.

Alone Time & Sisters

I am the middle child of two sisters, and am two years apart from each of them. I love having sisters, but sometimes things get crazy. With four women in the house and my dad being the only male, what else could someone expect. My older sister goes to graduate school down south at Cal Sate University Northridge, so she is not home much of the time anymore. Although I only live with one sister, this past weekend was especially nice because she went out of town to visit in Northridge. I was the only child home with my parents, which really does not happen often. I got some much needed time in with my mom! On Saturday, we went had lunch and went shopping. This was really fun because if I ever do anything like this with my mom one of my sisters is usually there also. I felt spoiled because during the day, my boyfriend called me and said that two of our friends asked us to go to dinner. Not only did I have a nice lunch with my mom, but I had a great dinner with my boyfriend and our friends later that night. On Sunday, I spent the day relaxing and cleaning my room. As much as I love my sisters, it felt nice not to have either one of them home for the weekend. This upcoming weekend will be much different than the last. My older sister is coming home to visit so I will be busy spending time with both of my sisters. Spending time with my sisters is a must when we are all together. Although, my sisters and I can definitely argue, (especially my older sister and I) we do have a lot of fun together. I feel very lucky to have sisters because they are truly my life-long best friends.

Vocab Words:

egregious (adj): extraordinary in some bad way.

flagrant (adj): shockingly noticeable or evident; obvious.

movies

I love watching a good movie. Although the movie may be good, I tend to fall asleep often when watching movies at home, at night. If my boyfriend and I rent a movie from Blockbuster, it is a must that we stop by Starbucks. Even then, I can sometimes fall asleep. I did, however, watch a movie the other night where I could not even lay down. The movie was very exciting from start to finish. The movie we rented was "Taken." (I do not know how to underline on this thing)

Taken was about a girl who went to France with one other girlfriend for the Summer. The girl's dad was a retired bodyguard, I believe for the President. The day the girls arrived in France, they were kidnapped by a group of guys who were known to kidnap young traveling women, drug them up, and turn them into prostitutes. As the girl was on the phone with her dad to inform him she had arrived, through the window, she saw the men in the house taking her friend. They soon came for her, but the father had heard some evidence through the phone to help him locate who one of the individuals was. He flies to France and the remainder of the movie is his journey to find his daughter and her friend.

I found this movie to be very interesting and entertaining. The movie brought some of the stories I have heard on television shows about girls who are taken while vacationing and never seen again. I think this movie probably helped parents and young teen girls more aware of the real dangers that can face them when vacationing. With the popular "senior graduation trip," girls and people traveling alone need to be aware of the possibilities they face when traveling to unfamiliar areas.

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly and was very proud that I stayed awake for the entire time! This was probably because it was only an hour and a half : ) but it was still an accomplishment for me.

Vocab Words:

1) Chastise (verb): to discipline or criticize.

2) Infidel (noun): a person that does not accept a particular faith.

My Birthday!

Last Thursday was my 22nd birthday! I had a good birthday, but it seemed to just fly by. I went to school for my two classes on Thursday. After school, I met my two sisters for lunch at the Olive Garden. . . I LOVE their soup, salad, and breadsticks! Lunch was yummy! I then went home and got some rest, knowing I was planning on being out late that night. Soon I began getting ready. My mom, dad, sisters, boyfriend and I then went to dinner at the Cheesecake factory. I chose this location because it has such a large menu that I figured there was a dish to match anyone's appetite. After dinner, my boyfriend, sister, and I met up with my friends to go out. My sister drove and less than a minute after we got into the car, she was pulled over for only having her parking lights on and not her headlights. I know she would have realized her big headlights were not on if she drove just a little longer. Anyways, this put her in a bad mood and it was definitely evident in her attitude.

We go to the bar we planned on going to in Los Gatos, called 180, and it was absolutely DEAD! This was a bummer, because although I was with my friends it is more fun to go out and have other people there too. We decided to change our plans and go to a different location in downtown Campbell. This bar we went to is called "The Spot" and it was much more lively than the first. We stayed here for the rest of the night.

Overall, I would say my birthday was a success but I did not feel like I did anything extra special. This was the first year I felt like my birthday was not as fun as it was when I was younger. I have already decided that next year, seeing as my birthday will be on a Friday and I will be turning 23, I am going to go on a weekend getaway with my boyfriend. I think it will feel different, special, and be a lot of fun! Unfortunately, I have to wait another year for it!

Vocab Words:

Vicisssitude (noun): a change or variation occurring in the course of something.

Polity (noun): a state or other organized community or body.