Learn to Love Me: Part II

Moving right along with the "36 Questions That Lead to Love" here is part two. I'm sure you guys are just head over heels for me by now, haha!



If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?
I often think I'd like to know who I'll end up with, or what my career will be, how many kids (if any) I'll have, etc. but to be honest, I'd rather not know. I think it would take the fun out of life. Sure the stress would be gone too, but what would be the point of living?

Is there something that you've dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?
Have kids. I'm only 25, I've got things to do first.

What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
Earning my Masters, starting my own business, I really do have a lot to be proud of even though I don't always give myself the proper credit.

What do you value most in a friendship?
Honesty.

What is your most treasured memory?
The week leading up to graduation at Seton Hill. SHU was really great about planning the school year to allow for a week to be between senior finals and graduation. Meaning there is a week that the seniors are on campus for no other reason but to hang out with each other. We certainly made the most of that week and I cherish every moment.

What is your most terrible memory?
Finding out my grandma died.

If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?
Stop working and travel. To far away places I've never been and to visit friends and family. And tell everyone how I feel about them all the time until they are sick of hearing it.

What does friendship mean to you?
My friends are my life.

What roles do love and affection play in your life?
Everything. Without love, we are all nothing and while I am not one to show affection in typical ways, I know how important that is as well.

Share five positive characteristics of your partner.
MJ always sees the best in people. He is blatantly honest and loyal to a fault. He has the biggest heart of anyone I know and gives love so easily.

How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people?
I'd say we're pretty close. However, I wish that I was closer with my cousins, I am always so jealous of how close MJ is with his cousins. I would say that my childhood was pretty awesome, so yes, I was probably happier than most people and I do not take that for granted.

How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?
My mom is my heart. I don't love anyone more than I love her.

Read Part I here.

And stay tuned for the final part, next week!

Learn to Love Me: Part I

There has been a string of bloggers recently filling out "The 36 Questions That Lead to Love" and I thought I would follow along so you all can get to know me even more. Sometimes I like to keep my life private but as a blogger, I feel like the more open I am, the more people realize there is a real person behind the screen. These questions come from the study that says if you answer these questions with another person, you can fall in love with anyone. The questions are in three parts and then the fourth part is that you're supposed to stare into the other person's eyes for four whole minutes! Intense! 

Obviously we cannot do the fourth part but over the next week or so, I'll be breaking up the questions for posts. When I worked at Jumonville, we did a similar exercise during staff training and I have to say that the partners I had still hold a special place in my heart, because of the closeness this activity really makes you feel. So let's dive in! 

Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?

My Seton Hill girls. I've been missing them so much lately and I would give anything to be sitting around a huge circle table in Lowe Dining Hall with all of them again.

Would you like to be famous? In what way?

I don't like how much we pry into the lives of famous people, so no, not really. But I wouldn't mind being remembered for my writing and/or designing. 

Before making a telephone call, do you rehearse what you are going to say? Why?

Sometimes, depending on who I'm about to talk to or what needs to be said. Most definitely with phone interviews but not if it's just a casual conversation.

What would constitute the "perfect" day for you?

Oh, man. My favorite kind of days are the ones that I can truly enjoy because I don't have to do anything the next day, so I can just relax and not stress out about what needs done soon. So I guess I need a perfect weekend haha! But the perfect day right now would be one that involves warm weather! Preferably on a boat just lazy river style, with a good book and/or great company.

When did you last sing to yourself? To anyone else?

Myself? All the time. I sing while getting ready, while cooking, when I'm bored, always. To other people? Sort of by accident in a boot camp class last week. Sometimes the music just moves you!

If you were to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you chose?

This probably sounds conceited and shallow, but body. I like the maturity and wit that comes with age, so I'd be okay with being a bit more forgetful but I hate that an aging body slows down even the feistiest people. 

Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?

Not really. But I (unfortunately) feel like it will be untimely. Hopefully that's just because I'm paranoid.

Name three things you and your partner have in common.

(I'm assuming this means the partner of the activity, but we'll say they mean life partner.) MJ and I are both fiercely independent, introverted-extroverts (yeah, that's a thing) and great judges of character. 

For what in your life do you feel most grateful?

My education. I'm especially grateful that my mom worked for a college for so long that it allowed me to go to undergrad basically for free, which allowed me to go right into grad school. I wouldn't trade those six years of higher education for anything in the world.

If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?

Honestly, nothing. When I was younger, I used to wish that Eric and I had more siblings, but now that we're grown up, I wouldn't change a thing. I think other kids in the family would have kept us from being as close as we were which would be sad.

Tell your life story in as much detail as possible, in four sentences.

I was born and raised in a small town outside of Pittsburgh and led a very active life. I went off to college at Seton Hill University where I earned my BA in New Media Journalism and Communication and where I met my boyfriend, MJ, whom I've been with since 2009. After graduation, I continued my education at Point Park University where I earned my Masters in Public Relations and Advertising, also during that time I was living right in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh and started this blog! In 2014 I started my own greeting card business, Marion Claire Stationery, which has always been a lifelong goal and is named after my grandmothers. (Queen of the run-on sentence right here.)

If you could wake up tomorrow with one quality or ability, what would it be?

Patience with myself. I honestly am so patient with other people (seriously, I'm told almost every day how patient I am), but I wish I could give myself that same patience. I'll give other people way more time than they deserve but then expect me to get results and get things done, like, right now. 

Stay tuned for part two!

Fill out these questions yourself in the comments - I'd love to read them!