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!

Chelsea Lately

I can totally steal that phrase right? I mean, it's my name too and Chelsea Handler stole the idea of having a talk show from me (Chelsea Tonight! is going to happen) ....maybe.

Anyway, since I've been pretty MIA recently and I didn't get to talk about what is/was going on too much during Fashion Week, here's a picture-heavy post to get you up to date on my life. Also, in between each of these pictures, please visualize me looking like a hot mess in a Mac lab at Point Park trying to design/re-brand the Pioneer Magazine and other miscellaneous things. Because, let's be real, that's what I've really been doing. Along with applying for jobs because I graduate in TWO WEEKS. Eek!

Went to the Pirates home opener with my parents and brother! Welcome baseball season - I looooove you!!

Red Beard's opened downtown - right between Verve and Six Penn. Expect a full review!

I got a free cake after waiting in line for 30 mins from CAKE BOSS! Yum! Thank you, Buddy!

WGF held their annual Equal Pay Day - good job ladies!

Went to Jumonville for a dean's meeting - excited for baby dance camp!

Eric talked me in to joining the PTS softball team for PSL. Our first game was yesterday, we won 21-7!!!

Spring finally came to Pittsburgh! I love you warm temps and sunshine!! 

It's been a summer!

Well blog lovers, sorry for the summer hiatus. To those of you who would have liked to know about all the fun and to-do list items going on in Pittsburgh this summer and I hope that you still found them out without me, but do not fret....I'm back!

This summer has sent me to various fun locations and to new heights, personally. I love the summer months! I always seem to use it as a renewal time and of course to rest and get tan. Well, I have been renewed and have rested but the beautiful tan I had at the beginning of the summer has faded away. However, the memories I made this summer have not, so here's the rundown of what I have done all summer, instead of living in blog-world.

First and foremost, you should know that throughout the summer I was thoroughly immersed in researching the glittery universe of fashion marketing for this little thing called the master's thesis. I will gladly talk to anyone about how wonderful this world is, but please give my brain some time to breathe first, it was going crazy all summer. Also, for anyone who thinks fashion marketing is a dumb thing to do a thesis on can no longer be my friend...you have no idea, so again, I will be happy to explain it all to you at a later date.

The first stop on my summer adventure was a week away at Jumonville, a summer camp where I spent my childhood and have spent the past four summers as a camp counselor. My friend Hannah asked me to help her with running an adventure camp for a week. For anyone who actually knows Hannah and I, you should know that adventure camp isn't really our favorite thing, but no worries, our campers were elementary aged so nothing too crazy was allowed because they are too small for a lot of the harder adventure activities. We did however enjoy some rafting, caving and the ropes course and adventure center on Jumonville's campus.

Hannah, Jenna and I waiting our turn to fly 800 feet above Ocean City!

The week after adventure camp, Hannah and I, along with our friends Jenna, Colleen and Emily packed up and headed south for Ocean City, for a week long adventure to celebrate Hannah's birthday. Along with of course, laying on the beach for countless hours, the girls and I spent one day parasailing and jet skiing, which was some of the best money ever spent on rental equipment, thanks to Paradise Watersports. We also were able to go to Assateague Island, which is notorious for its wild horses that roam the island. This girls' getaway was a great time with friends and a great start to the summer.

Our view during the Pirates' game for my birthday!

The following week was my favorite time of the summer, as it is every year, because it was my birthday week, which goes along with the fourth of July...my favorite holiday! I spent my birthday being spoiled with a trip to Panera, my favorite restaurant, and a one hour cruise on the Gateway Clipper with MJ and then dinner at Fire Mountain with MJ, my brother Eric and of course, my parents. On July 4th, I spent the holiday in khaki pants, working a 14-hour shift at the Gateway Clipper, since it's the busiest day of the year for them. I still got to watch the fireworks, aboard the Majestic on the river...picturesque to say the least. I finished the celebration that Friday with a bunch of my friends, with a tailgate party and Pirates game to top off the week.

Also in July, Lindsay and I went to an event that we have been looking forward to for most of our adult lives. The Dave Matthews Band concert. What a night! Quite possibly the greatest show I have been to and like I said, one that I have been excited to see for a very long time! So I am glad that they, and their opening act, SOJA, lived up to my expectations.

Ashley, Jenna, Hannah and I right before our little dancers performed. 

While the rest of July was dedicated to working everyday at the Gateway Clipper and working every night on the thesis, August brought another week at Jumonville for an Elementary Dance Camp, with Hannah and Jenna and another great friend, Ashley. And it also brought the end to the thesis and I left my position at the Clipper to allow more time for school-related internships and jobs. So I'm sure some of you are thinking that I should now be done with my masters degree, but I have one more semester to finish the program. I thought doing all of the reading and research and ultimately writing over the summer would be better and give me more time to devote to it, which actually only became particularly true with this busy summer line-up. But Point Park only has a May commencement so I will be taking some extra courses as well to build up my portfolio and then graduate in May. I cannot believe I am almost a "Master."

Baby Khalifa...look at those eyes!

This summer was a great time to rejuvenate and even get excited for the new school year to start, since I am so close to almost being done and obtaining a goal I have had for a few years now. However, the greatest part of my summer was not any of the things mentioned above and saying it might certify me as a weirdo, but I'll take it. In mid-June, I adopted a beautiful little black kitten and named her Khalifa. I love her more than most things and she is the only cat I like. When I was little I wanted a kitten so badly, but then we got a dog and I fell in love with her and dogs in general, making me a "dog-person" which I would still consider myself to be. So don't go telling me that I will instantly become a cat-person because I got a kitten. I will only like this kitten....I'm still a dog-person.

And finally for my summer, I was recently, by which I mean, yesterday, I was offered a position to be a Pittsburgh Steelers Blogger for the site Her Game Life, which is a site geared towards women interested in the NFL. I am very excited for the smell of fall and the game of football to get started so I can blog even more. I'll give you the heads up to look out for me there! So enough about me, what did you guys do this summer? Anything that you could consider to be your favorite thing from the warmer months or are you looking forward to fall as well?