Counting Down The Days

Some of my favorite lists to make are countdown lists. From something as simple as "2 days to the weekend" to "214 days to vacation!"(I seriously did that before I went to Atlantis). I'm a countdown-er. As well as a worms maker upper now apparently. But really, I countdown everything, I'm fairly certain it's a trait that I got from my mom…

see? proof.

Recently I realized how often I do that, and since I live paycheck to paycheck pretty much (thank you college payments…) I've been counting down to the next one all summer long. Which means I have been wishing away my 2nd to last "summer vacation" EVER! And that makes for a very sad Ali.

I've never really been able to appreciate the moment and it's something I'm really trying to work on. 2012 and so far 2013 too have been years of big change and some hard times for me so I'm really trying to figure out how to be happy in the present and not be constantly looking forward to the next thing. One of my biggest regrets is not spending more time with Sydne before I lost her last year. She's the reason why I realized that I truly need to appreciate life.

Since I turned 20 this year, my countdown problem also fueled my "quarter-life crisis."  I'm so afraid of wishing away the end of my youth and carefree days. During the school year especially I'm always pushing for the next 3 day weekend of break because of how much stress my work causes. I forget to appreciate how great of an experience college is outside of the homework and the exams.

So this post is where I'm holding myself to this. I need to appreciate today, right now while I'm living it & not in 10 years when I'm looking back at pictures of these moments.

Also, today is my parents 24th wedding anniversary!! I hope that me and whoever I marry someday can make such a happy life as my parents have.

Pinterest: Am I Doing It Wrong?

I love everything social media.
Twitter- that's my shit (except for the time I deleted it all last summer).
I still don't hate Facebook even though most people seem to be leaving it (where else can I look back at my HS freshman self and cry laugh from embarrassment?)
Instagram- I have to actively stop myself from posting too many pictures.
I haven't totally jumped on the vine train yet, I'm never ready to record the funny parts of my life.
So my love for social media is why I got this blog. YAY!

But my biggest downfall is Pinterest…

I myself don't even understand it. Being the self proclaimed sap that I am… I should love it, but I don't. I can plan my future wedding by stealing ideas from all the pretty pictures posted. I can re-pin (<-- is that what it's called?) adorable animals for hours. I can look up craft ideas for my future grand-little. I'm looking at you little mermaid. I can find DIY projects for around the house. I can find a quote for any occasion. I can find any dessert to bake that my hungry tummy desires. Work out ideas galore. All with just one website and a search bar. ALL OF THIS IS SO ME. It should be my calling right? Wrong.

Most other girls I know love this crap, they are always on Pinterest. I hear, "I found this awesome recipe on Pinterest, it came out so good!" "Look at this idea for my little that I saw from the Chi O board on Pinterest!"You get my drift right?

So I made one. I enjoyed it for a few minutes. I made my boards. I pinned some stuff. But then I was over it. I missed the fairy who blessed every other girl with her magical Pinterest loving dust. Don't get me wrong when I got my little I scoured Pinterest for crafting ideas and it was pure gold. But other than that, I get bored looking at Pinterest in 30 seconds flat. Maybe it's cause I suck at organizing myself on it. Maybe it's because I can't really have anything that's on my screen. It's all my wishes. And I hate that.

I am an instant gratification kinda gal. If I want something I go and get it. Can I have those abs from that 10 step work out in a half hour? Can you mail me those beautiful cookies I see right there? If not, I don't want to stare at it wishing it was in my mouth. I get it, it's for future reference.. I can go and bake them... yada yada yada... too bad.

I guess I should be happy, I far from need another social network to obsess over. Am I the only one like this? Is there any social media or websites in general that you just don't get?

So… I Made A Blog!

I'm so excited this is my first blog post! I hope I don't make an absolute fool out of myself on this thing. It's going to take me a while to figure this out, and make everything easy to find and look nice so bear(sp?) with me here.

So, this morning I stumbled upon this girl's blog, and I had so much fun reading that it inspired me to create my very own! I hope that mine doesn't seem lamer than lame now, or I will be so disappointed.

Since I am definitely going to be dedicating a good portion of this blog to the (mis)adventures of my dog, Cooper, I think I will make my very first post about him! I took Cooper for a walk a little while ago and if you know him you're aware that sometimes that is rather difficult… not today though! Yippee! Cooper was a wonderful little (or not so little) angel who walked right next to me, and stopped every so often to smell the flowers (literally). It had been quite a while since he had been on a walk because of the heat wave and Swissy's tendency to over heat very quickly. But he seemed to enjoy it now that it's cooled off and he is konked out on the floor next to me now.

Here are some photos from our walk!

And here is a video of Cooper being a goofball after our walk, what a nut…

Thanks for reading my first post! Ta Ta for Now!