Get Your Geek On!

Today is Geek Pride Day, so naturally, I'm getting my geek on! Geek is defined as either an unfashionable or socially inept person (yawn), or a person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest (a.k.a. me). Only problem is, there are so many types of geeky interests! 
There are Superhero geeks, Trekkies, Star Wars geeks, Harry Potter geeks, Whovians and more! How can a girl decide which geek side to get on when she loves more than one!

Today, I choose to honor my inner reader geek. I love reading. Give me a book for a present and I'll love it. But this wasn't always the case. I used to hate reading, and I mean HATE reading. I dreaded everything about it. I was never in a high English class, I was a slow reader (still am), and I dreaded reading out loud (still do actually). 

Until this one person came along who has given me the gift of loving to read. That person is my 9th grade English teacher, Mrs. Vlasis. 

I remember that one time early in the school year, she assigned us to read a book of our choosing and write something up or do something assignment like that. We went on a 'field trip' to the school's library. I wandered about aimlessly, not liking anything, as everything was a book. Then I found the Stephen King section and something about one of his books called to me. I'm not sure if I just liked the name of the book, the color choices or what, but I ended up checking that book out. For the first time ever, I couldn't put the book down! Something that was a new concept to me. I loved reading that book and now love reading lots of books.

Thank you Mrs. Vlasis for showing me how great a gift reading is. Today, I get my geek on for you. 

Live Long and 42 On!

Bucket List

Most people my age that I know don't have a bucket list. Why would you? You have the rest of your life to take on new adventures, to see the world, to discover yourself. But how do you know if you are accomplishing what you want to do. That is why I have a bucket list. 
I have roughly 90 things on my bucket list and have already crossed off some of them.
I've earned my Gold Award through Girl Scouts, I was part of a flash mob, I donated my hair, I published a book, went to a Packer game with my dad, did the Polar Bear Plunge, Dirty Girl, Half Marathon and Tough Mudder with my mom, and I graduated from college...but I still have lots to go. 

Some of places I want to visit include Alaska, Ireland, Italy, the Arlington National Cemetery to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and to throw a dart at a map and travel to where ever it lands. 
I want to go hunting with my dad, to continue to give my mom flowers for no reason except that I love her. I want to send a message in a bottle, and to make someone  who is less fortunate have a fantastic Christmas. I want to ride across the country on a Harley and write about my journey and the people I meet. 
Currently, I'm learning Morse Code and am working on getting my Masters. 

If you don't have a bucket list, things fall through the cracks. How will you know what you want to do with your life if you don't stop to think about it every once in a while. 

You're only given one life, but one life is all you need. 


To see my full list: http://pinterest.com/bauerno2/bucket-list/

Double Standards

I hate double standards. 
One of my professors, let's call her Dr. Smith, is the queen of double standards in my life currently. When we, the students, have something due for her class, she will not hear any excuse from us if it's late, and pretty much just throw it out, not grading it. 
Well, yesterday she said she would have our book report grades up. (I'm in grad school, doing a book report? Yeah, didn't make much sense to me either). Anyway, all of yesterday came and went and the grades are still not up. The seven students in Dr. Smith's class all have a combination of other classes, jobs, families, internships, and God-forbid ~ a life; yet any excuse doesn't matter to her. Why should she get extra time to grade our book reports (when it's her job) but she won't give us any extra time (not that I needed it, it's just the principle of the thing).