10,000 views celebration: about me, the one with the keyboard

I look at my ‘views’ count, and I think I’m stunned that it is almost at 10,000! Well, I decided to share a little about me to those of you who find my posts interesting enough to read. And I want to say thank you, whomever you may be, for humoring me & reading my stuff. Maybe I’ll write a book & you can say you read the original ‘Bri Blog.’

(Comment @ the bottom & tell me who you are & where you come from! I would love that.)

Well, here goes nothing. My name is Bri, I hope that I am many things and most, if not all, of them good. I am a Graphic Designer, writer, future entrepreneur, lover of God, green tea and creating things with my hands. Sometimes people overboard with how amazingly unique they are, which is fine, but I will spare you with any comments pertaining to that.

I am who I am, I have gone far in life & I plan to go further. By this I mean I have educated myself (finishing my last semester of college as we speak!!), thanks to my parents I have traveled, and seen parts of the world filled with either extreme wealth or extreme disparity. While the former seems to be everyone’s goal in life, the latter changed mine more than words can describe. So maybe instead of trying to gain a lot of money, we should be spending time helping those less fortunate in order to gain the true riches in this life.

I only write what I feel is worth saying, so if I do not post anything for a while, it means either I have taken a lot of credit hours, or I have not been in a situation truly worth telling the world about (I say world, because I’ve gotten quite a few responses in Chinese…haha maybe I’m a celebrity in China & don’t even know it.)

I am not a feminist in any way, harping about one problem in this world will only cause distaste about that person & disrespect for the ‘problem’, however I feel that I have a job as a female (AND a blonde one!), to not just slide into the ‘housewife’ role & do something with my life and have own dreams and aspirations separate from my future husband’s.

I am currently a nanny while I am in college, and at times I think about writing a book or even some blog posts about the things I have found helpful in raising someone else’s children. I am not a pushover, I probably put the kids in more timeout then both of their parents do, combined. But at the end of the day, I managed to see three sad little faces when I leave, I see this as a huge accomplishment. Ok, done with tooting my own little horn.

I am currently beginning multiple businesses. I am securing web-domains, LLC licenses, going through logo development and writing out full plans for each individual business. And I’m 21, I think it’s all pretty cool as I watch plans come together. (Come back soon to hear more!).

My personal life is personal, however I do have a wonderful boyfriend who means the world to me. He is, as people call it, a ‘keeper.’ For over two years he’s been my long-boarding buddy, the cynical voice next to me as I watch the Bachelor, the kiss on the forehead when I’ve had a tough day. The voyeur in all of you wants me to say more, but I shall not! Maybe later. I am blessed. That is all.

Well, there is more about me, but I will save it for another time. The end.

No New Year's Resolutions, Just Old Year's Accomplishments

I refuse to take away from my accomplishments any longer. If we are all beating ourselves up for the things we didn't do, we will never full give ourselves credit for the great things we did do.

It's the new year. While there is a lot of people making the ol' 'New Years Resolution,' I refuse. I feel like there's this notion about making resolutions that makes a person feel that there is something horribly wrong with them, and all these things to fix.

Yes, there are things I look forward to in 2011, and my own personal goals that will be met this year. I will celebrate one of my best friend's 21st birthdays, I will celebrate 22 years on this planet, I will celebrate along with friends the birth's of their four little bundles of joy (Willa, Gage, Tenley, & Kingston!), I will watch as three couples (so far) tie the knot and begin their lives together as newlyweds, I will graduate with my Bachelor's degree, & I will begin my professional journey as a Graphic Designer & Etsy artist, not to mention celebrate three years of dating my wonderful boyfriend Chris.

These are all wonderful things, and I will choose to focus on them instead of picking apart everything about myself. I know the things I need to improve on, I make a mental note on them daily. But if I look back at a list from Jan. 1, 2011 at the end of the year, & I have not completed all the things on the list, I will be disappointed.

This negatively connated action takes away from any accomplishments made the year before. I will be so focused on the fact that I didn't actually start yoga this year, or I didn't actually work out three days a week, and forget that I completed 36 hours of college credit while working 25 hours a week, or the fact that my room is more organized than ever, or that I have written out my entire business proposal for my companies that I will start in the near future.

So this is my resolution, to not have a resolution. To look to the future in optimism & hope, that all things bad will fall by the waste-side and all things positive will rise to the top.

Twas the Night Before Finals...

Twas the night before finals
And all through the house
Not a student was stirring
Not even a mouse

The note cards were written
So neatly with care
In hopes that a 4.0
Would soon be there

Oh where were they?
Where could they be?
Only a crabby professor
Could solve this mystery

Were they snuggled and tucked
Tightly in their beds
Oh no....
They were at Hayden Library instead

Studying and racing
Only hours to go!
Would the curve be big enough?
No one would know.

Economics, Sustainability
Legal Issues, Art History
The classes were lined up
From A to Z

Don't forget a pencil
Don't forget your ID
Don't forget, no hats!
Don't forget to pee!

Rushing and rushing
Yet still sitting still
The clock kept ticking
Only 3 hours 'til

My professor hates me
That's what I'll say
When my parents ask
Why I didn't get an A

I sit down in my chair
Quiet in my seat
I swear the whole room
Can hear my heart beat

I bubble and I bubble
I bubble away
30, 40 50 questions
Too many today

I walk out of the room
Into the light of the sun
I cannot cannot believe
That I am finally done.
-Bri

Joyful does not mean Naive

I have not written anything on here lately. That is due to a mixture of mass amounts of school work and studying, followed by a heavy dose of work and social committments.

What I have been contemplating lately, is the difference between human beings and personalities. Some personalities rub others the wrong way, while those same people are viewed as extremely attractive to others. It doesn't make anyone right or wrong in their thinking or how they read people, it just makes them different.

For the longest time I was concerned with other people's opinions of my life or people that I liked, and it would make me upset if my friends had a negative view about someone or something I cared about, because it rubbed them the wrong way. But we are all very different. One person will be offended by something, and that is alright, but another wont be offended, and this is alright too.

I am talking about minor infractions, nothing grand scale. Im not talking about public nudity or committing crimes or anything like that. I am talking about how people react to social interactions, conversations between people, events that occur in relationships, etc.

I think one of the most poisonous things a person could do, is to not even think about another person's view on things, and to just impose your own view on their situation, unsolicited. Unless, of course, that person is in harm's way, being abused verbally or physically, or their health is in danger. If they are happy in their situation, then let them be happy.

You are allowed your opinion, but be sensitive in how you phrase it. I am a nice person, I like to find the best in people. I am also a Christian female and a morally "good girl," somehow this translates to people as being naive or weak and it drives me insane. Those words literally make my face hot. It is as if they are implying I am in LaLa Land and I am unaware of surrounding circumstances.

Quite the opposite, I am very aware. I have the type of personality where I play out all the possible outcomes of a scenarios before I get involved in that scenario, and that leads to me making a more informed decision. This can apply to anything, from shopping at a grocery store, to when I started dating my boyfriend, to being a high school student. Every cause has an affect. I don't have that many regrets because this is how I am.

I do not live my life in reckless abandon, not looking at any consequences to my actions, social or otherwise. When I walk into a parking garage, I am not Bambi. I am not humming a silly little tune and skipping to my car. I have my keys between my fingers and mace in my hand. And yes, I can and have kicked a guy in the head before (he was my friend, but I can still do it). I have also been yelled at by an ex-boyfriend for being too nice and not getting upset with him, how does that make sense? He obviously needed turmoil that I could not give him.

If I dated a guy that mistreated me in any way, done. End of story. I am not a Yo-Yo dater just going back for crappy seconds. I do not put up with mistreatment, verbal or otherwise. I choose people I keep close to me very carefully, if you are not able to bring encouragement and all other positives that a friend should be, you will be kept at arms length.

Yet I still give off this impression to people that are close to me that I am naive. Being happy and joyful and smiling at the simple things in my day does not make me naive. If people are telling me I have to be cold and stoic in order to be percieved as intelligent and aware, then give me a different set of people.

I may be the juxtaposition to what people normally are used to, but that is okay. I have decided that it makes people feel better if they can place you in a category, especially one that is lesser than themselves. I will continue to be joyful and thoughtful. I will continue to be bubbly and informed. I will continue to care and to stand up for the truth. Just because someone places me in a category, does not mean I have to crumble and stay there.

The Mary Kay Way

If I were to ever own a business, and I do plan on this happening someday, I would like to run it the same way Mary Kay did.  I'm not saying I'm going to have thousands of employees running their own personal business out of their homes doing makeup parties and demonstrations, but I would like to achieve the same amount of respect for my employees & business partners as she did.

I started reading Mary Kay Way last year after going on a book binge (bookstores just make me happy). Since I do want to own a business I thought it would be smart to read a book about one of America's smartest business women.


I cannot recount the entire book to you, nor would I want to.  But one of the founding principles of her business was treating someone like you would if you were having them over for dinner in your home. No more of this "big guy, little guy" stuff, with bosses ringing your neck for a mistake instead of handling the situation with dignity.

This book is inspiring, and though it may be pink, should not just be read by females, or even just by people who want to or already own a business.  This book inspires you to treat everyone in a way that not only makes them feel important, it makes them feel listened to and appreciated.

Think about it, how many times have you had a conversation with someone, but you are continually looking around the room while doing so? How unfair is that to the other person. In a friendship, it is disrespectful and makes the other person feel unimportant. In a business meeting, it is also disrespectful, but it makes the other person feel like you are unprofessional.

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Love Etsy

So I've been making things to sell on Etsy.com lately. It's an amazing site where you can only sell vintage or handmade items. I've always loved making things, when I was a kid, while others were playing video games, I was cross-stitching and knitting.

Here are some of the items I've made:

Pink & Brown Demask Pillow - $7 (+s&h)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45781994/pink-and-brown-damask-pillow

Pink & Brown Zebra print pillow- $9 (+s&h)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45795373/pink-and-brown-rectangle-zebra-pillow?ref=vl_other_1

With all the stresses of finals, work, life, sewing makes me happy. Can't wait to make more items!

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Mr. Bill

Healthcare.

It affects all of us, this new bill they just passed. I have mixed thoughts on this, and your own opinion may be the same or different depending on what kind of tax bracket you are in, and where your morals stand.

I am in my early 20's. Before this bill was passed, if I graduated college & didn't get a job right away with benefits, I would get kicked off my parent's insurance plan & would have to go for my own individual plan.

PRO: Now, even if I don't get a job right out of college, with this bill I can stay on my parent's plan until I am 26. CON: However, if I get a job and somehow have a "Cadillac" insurance plan provided by my employer (a very nice, very covered plan), once the bill is in full affect in 2014, the government will tax my employer 40% of the cost the my insurance package...great. I do believe that is the opposite of encouraging companies to provide nice group benefits.

PRO: This bill requires everyone in the U.S. to purchase health insurance, including people with pre-existing conditions (insurance companies can no longer reject them starting in 2014). Insurance companies also cannot drop someone from their policy if they get sick, or raise their rates due to illness. CON: Even though there is now a cap on out-of-pocket medical expenses annually, the government did not place a cap on what insurance companies can charge us for policies, sky's the limit. They have to charge equally, therefore everyone could end up having to pay more.'

If you cannot afford health insurance:

• 
  The penalty will be phased in, starting at $95 or 1 percent of income in 2014, whichever is higher, and rising to $695 or 2.5 percent of income in 2016. But families would not pay more than $2,085.
  
• 
  American Indians don’t have to buy insurance. Those with religious objections or a financial hardship can also avoid the requirement. And if you would pay more than 8 percent of your income for the cheapest available plan, you will not be penalized for failing to buy coverage.
  
• 
  Those who are exempt, or under 30, can buy a policy that only pays for catastrophic medical costs. It must allow for three primary care visits a year as well. (nytimes.com)
  

If you are refused coverage because of your health, you can get insurance from a new high-risk pool.

• The pool will be established within six months and will operate until 2014, when insurance companies can no longer refuse applicants with pre-existing health problems. Annual out-of-pocket medical costs will be capped at $5,950 for individuals and $11,900 for families. (nytimes.com)

High-Income families

• Families making more than $250,000 – would pay several thousand dollars more in Medicare payroll taxes starting in 2018. Their unearned income, now exempt from the payroll tax, would also be subject to a 3.8 percent levy. (nytimes.com)

LAST BUT NOT LEAST...

The thought that abortion could be covered by health insurance sickens me...

• Health plans on exchanges can offer abortion coverage. If you receive subsidies and enroll in a health plan that covers abortion, you will have to pay a separate premium for that coverage. And states could prohibit abortion coverage by these plans. (nytimes.com)

At the end of the day, I question why each of us did not get to vote on this bill...oh because it probably wouldn't have gotten passed....portions of it, probably. But not the whole thing. In the years to come I will be interested to see how this bill pans out for America....

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