goodbye 2009, hello 2010.

Is it possible that each year seems to be even better than the last? At the end of each year, I tend to reflect, reminding me of all the people I met, places I went, and all of the things I have to be grateful for. This year was not only better than the last, but possibly the best. If you had anything to do with that, thank you.

January-April – Australia: It still boggles my mind that at this time last year I was preparing myself to embark on a journey that would take me across the world where I would live, learn, and explore for 4 months. At the time it seemed insane that I would leave everything I knew for this new experience. Looking back, those months went by in the blink of an eye, and if I could, I would do it all over again. I spent these months meeting incredible people from all over the world, each with their own passion to accomplish whatever it was on their unique agenda. I went skydiving, scuba diving, sandboarding, and more experiences that created thrills I had never experienced before. I was able to enjoy the beauty of Australia’s nature and wildlife as well as enjoy the company of people who welcomed me into their lives with open arms. I am so thankful that I allowed myself to take part in a trip which introduced me to an alternate life as opposed to my routine one, and appreciate the experiences which life has to offer, recognizing that each experience is one for the taking.

May – Bamboozle: The music festival which was probably the most exciting part of returning home. Looking forward to Bamboozle kept me sane when all I wanted was to stay in Australia forever. Within a week of being home, I was reunited with some of my best friends. Music, parties, and friends created a weekend that is still often laughed about today. Disney: Not only was I able to return to a place I’ve visited yearly, but I was reunited with more of my best friends. The trip was filled with magic, reunions, and good company.

June-July – New York: I was able to spend my summer in the most wonderful city, completing an internship at a major record label. Need I say more? I fell even more in love with New York City. I had a great internship at Universal, learning about the music industry from an insider’s perspective. Throughout my time in the city, I met so many people, each with their own views and ambitions.

August – I’m not sure there was one specific highlight of August, and although I hadn’t spent much time at home this year, I enjoyed moving in to an apartment. A place I could call my own, where I was able to relax, adjust to, and enjoy, as yet another transition was made in my life.

September-December: Senior year! So crazy that I have completed my first semester of Senior year, only one left until graduation. Craziness. There were many things that made these months amazing, from the VMAs, to senior year, to other concerts and my 21st birthday.

Overall, it was an incredible year and I have so many people to thank for that. 2009 was quite possibly the best year ever and I can't wait for 2010!

the beginning of the end

So I guess I started this blog intentionally to document my semester in Australia and to keep my friends updated with my life while I was in the land down under. I kinda hoped it would continue when I got back. However, it did not. Maybe it's because I felt my life wasn't as exciting since I left Australia. Maybe it's because I felt I didn't need to keep my friends as updated since we weren't so far apart. Or maybe I just forget. Whatever the case, I'm not sure the last time this blog was updated.

I spent this past summer living in New York City interning at a major record label. Dream come true? Basically. I have always loved NYC, but visiting and living in the city are very different from one another. I was finally able to explore the city for a long period of time and get accustomed to life in the city. It makes me wish I went to school in the city. But I know in doing so there would have been many pros and cons, so I’m glad I at least was able to get a taste of living in the city this summer.

I got to intern with the publicity department at Universal Motown. I learned so much about publicity as well as the music industry. It enabled me to network, gain an indescribable opportunity, and prove to myself that I was able to do it. I worked hard and this summer confirmed my notions and desires for living in NYC and working at a record label. Granted there’s still other things I want and need to figure out, but I feel as though I’m on the right path.

The direction of my life is in my hands, and I have an idea of which way I want to go.

But for now, I’ll just have to keep dreaming a little longer. Reality has put my dreams on hold for just a moment…and by a moment I mean a year. Senior year.
I can’t believe it’s my last year in college! I feel like I just got to campus for orientation. Time sure does fly. One year left. Work hard, play hard, and enjoying each moment… that’s the plan.

I'm sleeping so little but I'm living the good life.

I never got a chance to blog about Bamboozle, but I think its worth blogging about, so I’m gonna do that now. I’ll try to spare some details, but some things need to be mentioned.

Maxine and I got to Jersey late Friday night and enjoyed our lovely room at the Hyatt (kudos to Jess and priceline.com for hooking that up!), where we waited for Jess, Kate, and Sarah to return from Hoodwink. They finally got back within the 11pm hour and we spent the rest of the night partying with them and our new friends from England, Indiana, Ohio, Rhode Island, and who knows where else. It was the beginning of epic hotel parties in room 612, complete with beer pong and late night soccer. We also met some of the guys from The Cab, This Providence, and Blue October.

On Saturday we got up early, got ready, and headed over to Bamboozle. It was supposed to be rainy all weekend so I wore rain boots, looking like a fool in the afternoon when the sun decided to shine for most of the day. Oh well.

I saw performances by The Cab, Cartel, Forever the Sickest Kids, Metro Station, We The Kings, Boys Like Girls, Ace Enders and a Million Different People, Nevershoutnever, All Time Low, Third Eye Blind, and Fall Out Boy. I also met Dave Melillo (Cute is what we aim for), Stereo Skyline, Days Difference, and Third Eye Blind (!!!) throughout the day. I also got to see a bunch of friends! It was a great day.

When we went back to the hotel, we got ready for another room 612 party. We once again partied with all of our new friends. There was another late night soccer session as well, but this time it ended differently. To keep it short, we partied with The Used. In the hotel. And On their tour bus. So random, yet so awesome.

After another late night, we got up early to do it all over again. On Sunday, I got to see lots of friends who I hadn’t seen in a while, which was really exciting! I saw performances from Honor Society, Tinted Windows, The White Tie Affair, Runner Runner, Demi Lovato, Valencia, There For Tomorrow, Taking Back Sunday and No Doubt. I also met Honor Society, Maika (There for Tomorrow), Jonathan (FTSK), and Valencia.

We spent the night for yet another night of the hotel threatening to call the police on us. Apparently we were a little too loud. I guess that’s what happens when you move furniture from one hotel room down the hall to another haha We hung out with our lovely British friends again as well as the guys from Thrash Unreal and their friends. And snuck a dog into the room. Much love for Reptar. We ended our epic Bamboozle weekend with another epic hotel party.

All in all, it was a great weekend filled with lots of awesome bands.

Much love to all my new friends.

Goodbye Australia, hello reality.

Ah so I haven't updated in a little while. I've been extremely busy packing & traveling and everything that has something to do with either of those.

I spent my last weekend in Australia in Melbourne. I took a little trip there and it was so fun. The city is great and Melbourne is filled with so many little cafes and shops! We went to the casino, cafes, and into the city to walk around. I also took a tour of the Great Ocean Road. That is one of the major sights in Australia and I'm glad I got to make the trip! Unfortunately it was really cold and rainy, but it was still a lot of fun and the sights were gorgeous. It was also good going away that last weekend since so many people had already left. If I was still at school I'd probably be depressed and moping around all weekend haha.

Leaving Australia was bittersweet. I deffinitely miss it. People have asked me what the best part or what I miss most. I'm not lying when I say "everything".

I am so fortunate to have been able to study abroad and spend the semester in Australia. I traveled so many places including Cairns, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Byron Bay, Whitsundays, Surfer's Paradise, Whitsundays and more. I did things I never thought I would do, like skydiving, scuba diving, and snowboarding. Best of all, I got to do all of this with an amazing group of new friends. All in all, it was pretty much the best experience ever.

I would love to go back some day!

Time, where did you go?

I can't believe I really only have a week left in this gorgeous country. This is the second time in the past few days I've cried thinking about what limited time I have left here. Thinking back to all the memories with my amazing friends, well, I guess we have become more like a family.

It made me think about the last time I cried. With the exception of Steph's anniversary, I honestly can't think of the last time I cried here.

I realized this is because for the past 4 months I have been truly happy.

I don't want this journey to be over.

Jess visits & Passover!

Jess came to Australia! I think she's actually on her way home as I type this...I'm so excited she was able to make her way out here. I wish everyone could! We spent last weekend together. Unfortunately, the weather has been a little gross since we are in between seasons so we've been getting some rain and wind...but of course the sunshine came out a little bit. Our plans ended up changing from the original plan, but we still did alot and had a great time! The original plan was to go to one of the national parks on Friday and go to the Australia Zoo on Saturday. The rain was too heavy Friday and we couldn't figure out how to get to the national parks so we ended up just walking around Surfer's Paradise, going up to the observation deck on the Q1 tower (highest residential building in the world, 20th highest building in the world), and having dinner at a cute little Italian restaurant. Saturday we went to Brisbane since the Australia Zoo was too far and Jess was flying to Cairns that night. We went to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, where I had taken Mom & Maxine in February. I am still so in love with koalas and kangaroos. And apparently Taylor Swift was there the week after I was there with Mom & Maxine!

I wasn't planning on doing anything for Passover this year. No seder, still debating whether I was going to even keep Passover.

BUT Rachel went to go find matzah and ended up getting us invited to someone's seder! Their apartment had a gorgeous view of the city and the beach. The family was so nice and fun! There were 15 of us total and there were kids, parents, grandparents, an Israeli girl they were hosting, and us. It was much different than the seders I am used to, and it all worked out really well. We felt like family by the end of the night! Apparently the Jewish population where I am isn't too high, but there are plenty of Jews in Melbourne!

Speaking of Melbourne, I decided to book one last trip and I'm going to Melbourne April 25-27!!! I can't wait! and then I leave April 28th so its gonna be a little crazy but I'm excited.

I can't believe I have less than 3 weeks left!

I decided I'm excited to go home but I don't want to leave Australia. It's going to be bittersweet.

Be inspired.

Strength. Weakness. Hope. Fear. Life. Death.

Go ahead, Be inspired.

(I can't get the Embed codes to work so just follow the links)

Anna's Story

http://www.fox19.com/global/Category.asp?C=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15048&topVideoCatNoB=109491&topVideoCatNoC=104760&topVideoCatNoD=141804&topVideoCatNoE=142722&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3603765

Young People Who Rock - Andrew McMahon

http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/living/2009/03/27/dcl.lapin.mcmahon.cnn

Byron Bay

This past weekend we took a girl's weekend trip to Byron Bay. We had been to Byron in passing for a total of just a few hours after our surfing and skydiving trips, but hadn't really spent time there. It's only about an hour away so it wasn't too far, but it was still a new place to explore. It was finally a trip we could take that was just us girls, no tour guides, to do everything at our own leisure. We had considered going surfing over the weekend at Byron, but we found out that the weather wasn't supposed to be great. Fortunately, it really only rained on and off a little bit. However, it still wasn't good surfing conditions.

We got to Byron Bay on Friday morning and basically just spent the day at the beach. It was good to be able to go to a beach different than the ones we went to all the time and to be in a new town. We went out for a little while that night but our lack of sleep from the previous night slapped us in the face. The hostel we stayed at was really nice, too. (Oxymoron?) For real though, it was less than a month though and it even had a space theme. Pretty cool. Oh, and even the beds were comfortable. And we had a balcony. And there were 8 of us so we didn't have to stay with any randoms haha

Saturday was another beach day, of course. We ate lunch at a sushi restaurant, since all the girls are pretty much obsessed with sushi, and its starting to grow on me. I was never too fond of it, since I had never eaten much of it. But I'm slowly beginning to experiment, and I'm enjoying. The girls' sushi obsession is rubbing off on me. After the sushi restaurant we took a hike up to the lighthouse. It was a little hustle and a little bustle but we made it. It was gorgeous and all the views on the walk and at the top were amazing! We spent the night at Cheeky Monkey's, crazy little bar.

On Sunday morning, some of the girls went skydiving! The rest of us had already been or weren't interested in going so we got to sleep in. The skydiving trio left, went skydiving, and were back before we had even done our 10am checkout. We went out to a delicious breakfast and I had pancakes I had been craving. The rest of the day was spent shopping at lots of cute stores, more sushi, some ice cream, and a little beach.

All in all, it was just the kind of weekend I needed.

I can't believe its already April. I'm not sure where these 3 months have gone and I'm hoping I'm prepared for this one. I have lots of final projects and exams and I'm still trying to squeeze in last minute trips. 4 weeks left, here we go.

The Dash Poem

The Dash Poem
by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Moreton Island

This past weekend we took a weekend trip and went camping at Moreton Island. It's where the oil spills happened and it was the first time the beach was opened up to tourists again. We were all worried the oil spills would have majorly affected our trip so we weren't sure what to expect, but fortunately it didnt completely affect it. We couldn't go to Blue Lagoon because that area was still being cleaned up, but other than that, most of our trip went according to plan.

We left school around 6am on Saturday, drove into Brisbane, and took the ferry to the island. Once we got there, we settled at the camp, and drove around different places on the island. We started our day at one of the beaches, where we swam and hung out for a few hours. We went up to the Five Hills Lookout as well as the Cape Moreton Lighthouse (the 2nd oldest lighthouse in Australia!). The island was so pretty and I love being able to see all the different sights. From the lighthouse we could see an area affected by the oil spills. Its so unfortunate that it happened, and although alot of it is cleaned up, there is still alot to be done to get Moreton back to where it was at.

We spent the rest of the day at the beach and at night we enjoyed a campfire. They don't eat s'mores here, but being an American campfire necessity, we decided to improvise and make our own. Although they weren't the same as the real thing, we let our new Australian and Japanese friends try them and they loved them!

On Sunday, we got up early and after breakfast we headed out to The Desert where we went sandboarding. Sandboarding is kind of like sledding, but you're laying on a thin flat board and you go down a steep sand hill. It was really cool! After lunch, we made our way to the beach where we spent the afternoon going kayaking and snorkelling. After that, we made our way back to the camp to get our stuff together and went back to the beach to wait for the ferry. It was a fun weekend and I'm glad the oil spills didn't really affect it. I wish I could help clean up the oil spills, it just makes me so sad. Especially when we got there and they were helping to save a turtle. Poor turtle.

This upcoming weekend we are headed to Byron Bay for a girls out weekend. I'm not exactly sure what we have planned, but it should be a good time! It'll be my first weekend trip that isn't on a real tour. Which I guess at Byron you probably wouldn't need a tour. I'm still trying to plan a trip to Melbourne! I really want to go next month. It will probably be the last of my trips, which is really sad and crazy to think about. I wish I didn't have to leave Australia...

Whitsunday Islands

Last weekend I went to the Whitsunday Islands and they were absolutely gorgeous! Australia is such a beautiful country as it is, but this really was one of the most gorgeous places I've seen all trip. We flew up Friday night but our flight had been delayed and we had been traveling all day so we decided to take it easy, relax, and go to bed early.

Saturday morning we got up early to check in. We got on the boat around noon. There were 14 passengers and 4 crew, which is actually 4 less passengers than the boat can hold. This was great since I couldn't imagine if there were more people on out boat. For the reasons of amount of space, and also because of the people that were on it. Between the 14, there was our group of 7, 2 young couples, two friends, and some guy who was a photographer, taking pictures for a website or brochure or something I don't know about. Basically, it was a fun group and we all got along really well, plus our crew was beyond awesome.

We set out and enjoyed the boat for the afternoon. We had the option to go scuba diving. I had never been before, although I had the option in Cairns. I decided that I wanted to give it a try! I really enjoyed it! At first, it was really weird getting used to the breathing and being underwater but it was cool. I ended up going scuba diving twice more during the trip! I figured I probably wouldn't get any other opportunities to go scuba diving in Australia so I should take advantage. I'm glad I did! I got to hold a mushroom coral and sea cucumber which were cool. The visibility in the water wasn't as good as it could have been because of the effects of the cyclone.

On the 2nd dive I got to do a backwards roll entry and on the 3rd I did a giant stride entry. We went scuba diving at Hook Island, Luncheon Bay, and Monterey Bay. We also did lots of snorkeling too!

We stopped and got to snorkel out to a bunch of the small islands. We also watched the sunset and the stars from the boat which was so fun.

On Sunday we went to Whitehaven Beach, which has the whitest, finest sand. There was nobody else on the beach so it was great to be able to enjoy it as just us. It was SO gorgeous! We spent a few hours soaking up the sun and taking lots of pictures before heading back on the boat for snacks and the sunset. Did I mention there was a hot tub on the boat?

Monday allowed us time for one more snorkel before we had to leave the boat. We had the rest of the day to spend in the area to explore and relax before we had to catch our evening flight. After eating, I laid out in the sun for a little while, and then Rachel and decided to go jetskiing! I had never been before and it was a really cool experience. The area was so pretty, with the boats, beaches, and houses. I let Rachel drive and after a while I decided to try it. I would definitely go again!

It was a great weekend, with gorgeous sights, scuba diving, snorkeling, jetskiing, beaches, sunsets, stars, and much more!

Sydney

I went to Sydney this past weekend! Sydney is one of the places I was most looking forward to coming to in Australia and I absolutely loved it! It's a great city and although I wish I could spend more time there, we saw and did a lot considering the amount of time we were there.

We took a bus there so it was about a 12 hour car ride, which was kind of annoying, but kept busy and slept and it wasn't too bad overall. We left Thursday night and got to Sydney Friday morning. We spent Friday morning and afternoon exploring the city. We saw the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, botanical gardens, went to the market and explored the city some more on our own. It's a beautiful city!

Friday night we went on a booze cruise around Sydney Harbour. It was my friend Kayla's 21st birthday so we all got to celebrate together! It was really fun and the city looked so pretty at night.

On Saturday, we had the option of either exploring the city more on our own or going to the Blue Mountains. I wish we had another day so I could have done both! However, since we had just spent the previous day exploring the city, I chose to go to the Blue Mountains. It was another gorgeous sight in Australia. We saw The Three Sisters, which have spiritual significance to the Aboriginal people. We took a walk down some steep steps and got to the first of the Three Sisters. We didn't have enough time, and the group was too large, to actually do more exploring, but I'm glad I got to see some nature and not just the city.

We went back to the city and got ready for Mardi Gras! It was basically a big gay/lesbian celebration with a parade and outrageous floats. The city was packed and everyone was just enjoying themselves. It was crazy! Everyone was enjoying themselves and some people really went all out with their costumes, some of them were quite entertaining.

Sunday we headed to Bondi Beach, which is one of the most famous beaches in the world, as well as home of the Australian TV shows Bondi Rescue and Bondi Vet. We took a coastal walk and spent the day at Bondi. Unfortunately, it rained all day, so we didn't spend too long on the actual beach. We went to all of the shops, the market, and had dinner, which passed the time. I wish the sun had been out, but we made the most of it and enjoyed it to its fullest. Sunday night we headed back to school and after another long road trip, we arrived. I am still recovering! It could take all week to catch up on the lack of sleep I got. It is raining right now but I'm hoping the sunshine comes out this weekend when I'm headed to the Whitsundays!

Brisbane

Maxine and Mom are in Australia!
They got here Friday and came to my school, I showed them around the school and they loved it, I'm pretty sure it didn't take too long for them to fall in love with Australia. Especially considering there is a snowstorm back home, I think they will appreciate being in the sunshine!

Friday afternoon after I took them around school, we headed to Surfer's Paradise. It was a little windy for a beach day so we went to the beach for a little while and spent some time shopping. Then we headed to Brisbane.

The hotel was really nice!!! It was also great to sleep somewhere that wasn't a dorm room or a hostel. We began planning our weekend before we went to bed.

Saturday we went to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, where I took them to see koalas and kangaroos, among other animals. I really do love koalas, no doubt that they are my new favorite animal. We spent a few hours there then went back into the city. My mom found out about a bridge climb and Maxine wanted to do it. It is called the Story Bridge Climb, and it is one of only 3 bridge climbs in the world. It was pretty cool being able to see the city from 22 stories high and learn some of the history. By the time we were done, we were exhausted with aching feet and ready for dinner. We went back to the hotel to get changed and then headed to the Pier to explore our dining options. It was such a gorgeous area for dinner by the river! We ended up at a restaurant called Siana, which was really delicious Asian food!

On Sunday, I had considered going to the Australia Zoo, which I've heard great things about, but it was alot of extra traveling, plus we had just seen some animals, and we wanted to have some more time to explore Brisbane, and have a leisurely day. We spent the day going on the Wheel of Brisbane (a big ferris wheel), walking around Brisbane Cultural Centre (we went to the museum and Modern Art Gallery), walked around South Bank (looked around the Market and found a spot for lunch), then ended the afternoon at the Botanical Garden.

Oh! And apparently Ben Lee had a show in Brisbane on Saturday night. He stayed at the same hotel as us and we met him Sunday morning when he had breakfast the same time as us! That was a pretty cool incident. Ben Lee is an Australian indie pop singer songwriter, he sings that song "Catch My Disease", and he's got a bunch of other fun songs. He was nice and told me he liked my shirt :)

Anyways, this weekend is the big trip to Sydney/Mardi Gras! I'm really excited to finally get to Sydney!!! I am going to buy my wig tomorrow for Mardi Gras, nobody has bought light pink yet so I'm thinkng that will be my color!

peaceful & inspiring

"I've always said I do some of my best thinking in australia and this trip is no exception. There's just something about this place that I find so peaceful and inspiring." - Andrew McMahon

It's so easy to see why people fall in love with this country...I know I have.

skydiving & internship

This week was easily one of the best weeks. It has been so much fun and I'm realizing so many things. About myself, about others, about life...about everything, really.

The second month of the year is almost over and it's already probably been the best year ever.

Where do I begin?

MIRANDA'S 21ST BIRTHDAY
Last week was Miranda's 21st birthday so of course we had to celebrate! Miranda has a twin brother, and although she had the best 21st birthday celebration ever, I can't imagine what it was like celebrating without him! I feel like Sarah and I have been planning our 21st birthday for forever, whether our plans changed from Vegas to Disney, or neither since we will probably have finals on our birthday. But that's besides the point. I can't imagine celebrating a birthday apart.

Rachel and I decorated Miranda's door with streamers and balloons and waited for her to get back from the bar. There was lots of silly string, cake fights, and laughter once it became it midnight and Miranda got home! We had plans to go to the beach for the sunrise but we were all too tired and the weather wasn't worth it, so that is still on our list of things to do.

We went out to dinner for Miranda's birthday and she even got sparklers in her cake! Then we had a private party at Bar 360. We got there early and enjoyed the place to ourselves for a little while then spent the night with a bunch of our friends. Granted, by the end of the night it wasn't a private part anymore, it was still a great time! I am so glad I could help celebrate Miranda's 21st birthday with her. :)

SKYDIVING
So if you know me, you know that I'm not the bravest, most experimental, adventurous person. Yeah I like roller coasters and I'm occassionally try new things. But jumping out of an airplane? Me? Not likely...or so I thought.

At the beginning of our trip, some people had mentioned the possibility of going sky diving during our time here. I would listen to them talk but never thought I'd even want to be part of the conversation.

Last weekend Tara had mentioned going skydiving so I had begun to think about it. On Tuesday, Rachel told me she was going to go sign up for skydiving after class. Without hesitation, I asked her to wait for me to get my credit card. I wanted to come! I signed up and chose not to tell my parents until afterwards. Only a few of my friends knew beforehand. Matt and Eric had told their parents, but Rachel, Tara, and I chose not to until after. When we got there, they told us it was common for people to do that haha

We got picked up around 7:30am on Friday and drove to Byron Bay. Once we got there, we hung out for a little while and watched some of the skydiving videos that were playing until it was our turn. I started to get a little nervous but I was surprisingly really calm. We were all really relaxed considering what we were about to do, but we were all so excited to be doing it! After a little while of waiting, we got our skydiving pants and harnesses and learned the banana peel position that we would be taking when jumping out of the plane.

We got on the plane and 15 of us packed on to one little plane. Originally we all kinda decided on an order we wanted to jump in, but once we got on the plane there wasn't really any way of securing that order. It actually wouldn't have mattered because all 5 of us were out of the plane within a total of less than 5 minutes.

It took about 20 minutes to get up to an altitude of 14,000 ft, which is the highest you can skydive in Australia, which gives you about a minute or so in free fall once you jump. I got a little nervous when we were in the plane but I was so excited. I couldn't believe what I was doing, but I was ready!

Once we reached 14,000 ft it was time to jump! They opened the door and out we went, one at a time. I went 4th so it was cool to see people go before me. Once it was my turn, we got up to the door, got in position, and out we went! There was literally no time to think about the fact that I was jumping because I was focusing on being in the position. When you jump, the position has your head tilted back, so I wasn't even able to look down! Probably a good thing.

My diver told me to keep my eyes open, scream as loud as I wanted, and just have fun! I intended to do just that. I opened my mouth ready to let out the loudest scream...but nothing came out. We were in free fall for about a minute and I can't even describe what it felt like. It was so unreal and I was honestly so happy. I had a smile on my face the whole time and I was so excited. I didn't even think or worry about the parachute or landing. The minute in free fall felt so short but I enjoyed every second.

Once we reached a certain altitude, he released the parachute. I was very relieved! It was so awesome to be able to take in the scenery, relax, and collect my thoughts about what I had done. After a few minutes parachuting, we had a safe landing, thank goodness.

There were computers at the skydiving place so I e-mailed my parents right away and said:
"Hi Mom and Dad! Guess what I just did?I went skydiving! I was gonna tell you earlier but I figured I would save you a panic attack and wait until I actually went. I'm alive! I loved it! I will have pictures and video later :)

Love you!Michelle"

My mom called about a half an hour later with plenty of questions and wasn't mad at all! She was actually happy I waited to tell her until after haha

It was such a great experience and I'm so happy I did it! I would totally go again sometime in another place! If you want to watch my DVD then next time I see you we will have to watch it! Pics are up on facebook!

INTERNSHIP
So I had my interview a little over a week ago and for the past week I have been so anxious to hear back about my internship. On Friday morning, I got an e-mail saying that I got the internship! I will be interning with Universal Music this summer!!!! :)

horoscope.

Today's horoscope: "You may find it frustrating that you don't know which of your soon-to-be-golden eggs will hatch first. But the good news is that hatching will commence, and shortly."

Let's hope so. Some golden egg hatching right now would be excellent.

Casino!

We went to the casino for Tara's 21st birthday and since I'm only 20, I can't gamble at home so this was my first real casino experience! It was so fun! I only played on the slot machines, mainly because I'm not a high roller and I don't know how to play anything else.

I came home with $6 winnings... I broke a $50 when I got there to buy a drink. Then I spent a total of $18 on drinks, $4 on food and $5 on a cab ($27 total) and out of that $50, I came home with $33. So that's how I figured out my $6 profit.

It was a good time and I won a couple of bucks!

The girls at the Casino (Rachel, Tara, Kerri, Kayla, me):

Surfing Trip

I just got home from an awesome weekend that was spent on a surfing trip. It was a lot of fun, but it's probably needless to say that a surfing career is not in my near future.

We got picked up Friday night and had a couple hours drive to Spot X (Arrawarra Beach). When we got there, we just hung out for a little while and went to bed since we had to be up early the next morning. Spot X is a gorgeous beach which is owned by the company so it is secluded. We woke up early on Saturday and headed out to the beach.

After a quick lesson and some stretches, we were in the water. The instructors were so helpful, and after many failed attempts, I finally managed to stand on the board! I didn't last very long, but I got up...so I accomplished something. We practiced for a little while, took a lunch and rest break and then headed out to the beach again. I tried a couple more times, but the waves were much bigger in the afternoon, as if I wasn't having trouble already.

One wave hit and my surf board hit me in the nose. When I saw blood I decided it was time to call it quits for the day.

We relaxed, showered, had dinner, then partied the rest of the night. It was everybody staying there, not just our group so there was lots going on. There was a campfire, guitar playing, drinking games, and one of the surf instructors (who was only 16!) did some flame throwing.

On Sunday, we went out to surf for a couple hours, I got up on the board again but staying up was still difficult haha After that we had lunch and headed to Byron Bay. It was a cool area with a beach and lots of little stores. I wish we had more time there, but maybe I'll go back for a weekend sometime.

Here are some pictures from my weekend surfing trip:

Jack's Mannequin/Matt Nathanson tour

Jack's Mannequin/Matt Nathanson tour. this spring.

If you know anything about me, you know that Jack's Mannequin and Matt Nathanson are two of my favorite artists in general, and favorites to see live. So this is pretty much my dream tour.

Except for the fact that the shows are while I'm still in Australia.
I am not a happy camper.

Their fan bases aren't exactly the same so I think that will be interesting. I hope that everyone learns to appreciate the greatness of both artists if they are only going for one. Seriously, if you like one of them, please go, you will come back loving the other just as much. Or if you've never seen either live, treat yourself. You WILL thank me.

This tour pretty much screams Sarah-Michelle-Jess-roadtrip.
Of course it happens while we are not together... Go figure.
At least Sarah and Jess might be able to go to the tour.

I miss going to shows and I know of a bunch I'm missing being in Australia but I can honestly say this tour is the only one that I'm legit upset about missing.

And Jack's has shows May 2nd and 3rd, I think. That means no Bamboozle.
Needless to say that I am not pleased.

sigh.

please go to a show for me.

everyday is the start of something beautiful

"meet jessica stone"

"we create so much conflict and struggle
for ourselves, where there should be joy.
we have to fight the urge to fill experiences,
and the holes in between them with static,
and shit that clouds what really matters.

watching someone triumph over REAL struggle,
REAL loss slaps us sober
it provides a clarity that is crucial.
it inspires us to be present and
to appreciate all we take for granted.

meet my friend jessica.she is a bad ass.
she reached out, and included me in her life.
i am lucky to have her.
be inspired.

(apologies for having to endure the commercial before) http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=5665944 "

Matt Nathanson posted this on his website a few months ago.
I've watched it a few times since and wanted to share it with everyone.
I can't even imagine how strong this girl is, it's inspiring!
Warning, you might want to grab a tissue before watching
If you enjoyed watching, share it with someone!

Time will tell where we end up

Six degrees of separation.

The idea is just crazy and amazing to me. I kind of love it though.

It really is such a small world.
We're all connected and it's really fascinating and wonderful.

25 random facts

So I just posted a note on Facebook. One of those ones where someone posts 25 random facts about themselves, tags people in the note, and then those people are supposed to do the same.

I thought I would share my 25 random facts here as well...

1. I love being a twin. Even though sometimes I wish we were Mary-Kate and Ashley.
2. I absolutely hate ketchup. I don't even like looking at it.
3. My toenails are almost always painted.
4. I don't care what people say, I love being a Communications major.
5. New York City is one of the greatest cities and I can't wait to spend the summer there.
6. I love traveling and want to see the world.
7. I want to work in the music industry.
8. I think optimism is one of the best qualities anyone can have.
9. I'm completely addicted to Starbuck's, but Dunkaccinos will always be my fave.
10. I love live music. Especially Matt Nathanson.
11. Chocolate covered gummy bears are my favorite candy.
12. I believe everything happens for a reason.
13. Random acts of kindness are the best.
14. "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain is one of my favorite songs.
15. I've been to Disney World more times than I can count.
16. Most of my friends are my best friends, and some of them might as well be my sisters. And I love them.
17. I like reading my horoscope. I don't necessarily believe horoscopes, but I still enjoy reading them. (I'm a Sagittarius, by the way).
18. I want to adopt an animal from worldwildlife.org.
19. I'm amused easily.
20. I can say the alphabet backwards.
21. My favorite color changes all the time.
22. Love Spell and With Love are my favorite perfumes.
23. I want a yorkshire terrier puppy.
24. I can keep a secret.
25. I love life.

I hope you enjoyed and learned something new about me.

Australia day!

It is Australia day... HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!
I still have classes though. really now?
It's supposed to be a holiday.
I have classes on a holiday... lame!

I will just have to celebrate afterwards. :)

sunshine, i'm beginning to like this

I'm so excited to be in Australia, and I'm really excited that I've started booking trips! I have lots to look forward to...

Feb 6 - Surfing Trip in Byron Bay for the weekend
Feb 27 - Maxine and Mom come to Australia!, Brisbane for the weekend, Steve Irwin Zoo
March 5-9 -Trip to Sydney

And that's all for now. I also really want to go to other places including Melbourne, Whitsundays, Fraser Island, Moreton Island, maybe the Outback, and some other places. But I'm getting started!

I survived my first week of classes! They don't seem too bad, but the grading here is alot different so I'm not sure what to expect.

I also want to go to the Soundwave Music Festival. But I'm not sure if that would work out. I think I just miss having concerts on my calendar. Or maybe I just miss concert adventures.

But I'm so happy that I can say I just got home from the beach! haha

I have arrived!

I AM IN AUSTRALIA!
i have been for a week or so, but I am finally getting a chance to post.
I didn't get a skybed, I guess that's only first class, which I should have assumed haha
Instead I was in a middle seat on a 14 hour flight that left 2 hours late because
a tire popped as we were about to take off.

But it's all good. I'm here now.
We went to Cairns where it was rainy the whole time,
considering it is the rainforest area haha
I got to see lots of adorable animals.
We played with kangaroos and got to hold a koala!



I want to adopt one. No, really, I think everyone should.
http://www.worldwildlife.org/ogc/species_category.cfm

We also went to the Great Barrier Reef, where I went snorkeling for the first time!
I even saw Nemo's cousin -- a black clownfish! among lots of other fish of course.

Now that I'm at school we are away from the rain and I've seen nothing but sunshine.
After all, it is summer here.

It is absolutely gorgeous, and the campus is really awesome too!
Everyone here is so friendly and I'm really excited for this semester.
I've pretty much just been living it up until classes start on Monday.

More pictures posted on facebook!

2009 is here

Ah, I can't believe how fast 2008 went by.
I'd say overall it was a pretty good year.

2009 is going to be so different for me than any other year.
I have so much to look forward to,
but I'm just as nervous as I am excited.

Jan 6 - April 28 - AUSTRALIA
May 2 & 3 - Bamboozle
May 20 - 24 - Disney
June 7 - August 1 - New York City
August - senior year and first apartment
(and Taylor Swift tour sometime this summer hopefully!)

But, yeah, that is what 2009 looks like for me right now.

I leave for Australia TOMORROW.
kjrhgiurfhgf! I'm freaking out.
Ok, I need to go pack.

I'm hoping I'll at least get a SkyBed on the flight...

so this is the new year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
goodbye 2008, hello 2009.

i spent last week in New York with the family & friends
we started off the trip by dinner at Benihana,
(mine and Sarah's favorite!) and then we went to see the Little Mermaid on Broadway.
it was amazing!

and then we went to get the car in the garage.
we heard some music coming down in the garage and out of nowhere comes
the naked cowboy! awkwarddd.
apparently that garage is where he kept his fur coat and car
while he roams NYC during the day

I don't make this stuff up.

The next day Sarah & I saw Spring Awakening
I new generally what it was about, but it was definitely more intense than I had thought.
The show was really good though, and I'm glad I got to see it before it closed
I'm glad I got to see so many shows before they close!! (R.I.P. Broadway :( )
We tried to meet Hunter Parrish after the show, because he is beautiful,
but he didn't come out because it was "in between shows", lame.

This is Hunter. I'm not even sure what year this picture is from.

But he is beautiful.

We had dinner with the fam and then headed to Long Island,
where we spent the rest of the trip at our second home, aka Marissa's house.

The next day, we went back into the city again.
We met up with Sam and took tourist pictures with the tree at Rockefeller
and had lunch at Hard Rock Cafe.

The next day we played lots of Wii Fit
and came to the conclusion that it is the greatest thing ever.
Sarah and I are not sure why we still don't own a Wii.

We saw Bejamin Button, which, for a 2 hour and 45 minute movie,
held our attention pretty well. Half of the theater left bawling their eyes out,
while I was still trying to make sense of the whole thing.
It was a good movie, but the whole growing younger thing was just very odd to watch.

On New Year's Eve, Sarah, Marissa, and I decided to go to Party City
to get decorations. While there, we came up with the genius idea
of having a Christmas themed New Year's party.
All of the Christmas stuff was 50% off.
See, told you it was a genius idea.

It was excellent.

Although I wanted to go to Times Square for New Year's,
I don't think I would have survived in the 19 degrees.

And our theme was better anyways.