Paying it Forward by Kristy

The idea of paying it forward is providing someone, usually a stranger, some sort of favor with the expect of nothing in return. It can also be considered a random act of kindness. There's so many ways to pay it forward. It can be literal, such as helping someone financially: I.e. picking up someone's tab at lunch or buying a stranger a coffee at Starbucks. The scale of favor can vary greatly. For example it can be as small as holding the door open for someone/ giving an encouraging smile, or something much larger like donating a kidney to someone in desperate need.

The idea is similar community service, expect on a smaller scale with higher significance. Philanthropic work is great, but the idea of paying it forward is more directed at one person helping out one other person. For examples, success stories, and ideas check out this link: http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/welcome.html

The idea of paying it forward is so inspiring that it has been made into a successful novel as well as blockbuster hit movie in 2000. (Although, I must admit I haven't had a chance to see it yet).

So, personally what inspired this entry? It was my uncle. In October I was in a car accident and had to pay a $400 deductible for my car to get fixed. Being a poor college student who had rent due that same week, I had to ask for a loan. However, recently when I sent him an email about paying him back he had this to say:
" Anyway, I am not sure we every talked about if/when you were going to pay me back on the deductible. I do not remember hearing or saying the word loan(or anything like that) when I gave you the $$$. Don't worry about it. Forget about it and save your energy and thoughts for school and fun and work, in that order, for now. :o]
Seriously, consider the $$$ a gift and try to stay out of trouble again. lol Everybody needs a little help now and then, and I am very happy to have been able to this time. Pay it forward in a smaller way to somebody else, the giving/helping is its own reward."

Generosity is such an admirable trait, I am so appreciative of other's generosity and I truly hope to become that type of person. I would be honored to be associated with that trait, as it doesn't come easy or often to many.

Honestly, the world can be a depressing and scary place, so it's nice to think about random acts of kindness & how there really are people out there with big hearts. It's easy to forget that, but important to keep it in mind. Remember that no favor is too small. You never know what it could mean to someone. Often in life, it's the little things that can mean the most. Our small steps may not be enough to change the world, but at least it can make it a little brighter.

Black Friday...Wedding? - by Monica

go to WXYZ to watch the video

If you could get married anywhere, where would you pick?

Your hometown church? A tropical island? Italy? Paris?

I'm sure whatever your answer is isn't the place Jennifer and Edward Burbo decided on for their big day.

While we were sleeping in the middle of last night, Jennifer and Edward got married, wearing a wedding gown, a veil, a suit, and winter jackets. The place they choose to get married was the Best Buy in Allen Park, and the guests to their wedding were all strangers. Since they started dating, camping out at Best Buy on Black Friday had been their tradition. And I guess they decided, what better way to honor the tradition than by getting married as they stood in line. The newly married Mr. and Mrs. Burbo were the first in line at Best Buy, and they were married by a pastor in front of their RV.

For all of that, I really hope they got some good deals when Best Buy opened this morning.

Thankful - By Kristy

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and that is what inspired my idea for writing about giving thanks.

Everybody has their own Thanksgiving holiday traditions and everybody has their own things they feel thankful for. Sometimes we're too busy or caught up in the craziness of the holiday to stop and think about it. I admit that too often I have taken my own family tradition for granted and it was only when I took the time to think about what we do and what it means to me did I feel a sense of appreciation. Every year myself, my brother, my parents, and my uncle go to the Lions game and then go to Grandma's afterwards for a delicious turkey dinner. And we no doubt break out the Uno Playing Cards and play many competitive rounds. It's just what we do. Every year it's what we do and from the outside looking in, it may not seem like much - but to me it means the world. What do you and your loved ones do every Thanksgiving? I encourage you to comment and take the time to think about what it means to you.

Along with traditions, the holiday comes with the all important question.. what are you thankful for? For myself, every year I feel thankful for my family and my friends. It sounds cliche, because hey isn't that something we're all thankful for? But they are my support system and they are always there for me; picking up the pieces when my life falls apart. I am thankful for our health. I am thankful for my job and being promoted to manager this year and being trusted with much responsibility. This year in particular I feel thankful for deciding on my major and following my dreams. I am doing what I love and it makes me so much happier. I am also thankful for hard work and reaping the benefits; I am thankful for winning a scholarship. To put it quite broad - I am thankful for life and all the ups and downs and opportunities that come with it. What are you thankful for?

I decided to use Yahoo Answers to share what other people are feeling thankful for this year :
-"*My two beautiful daughters
*Husband
*My job
*my home
*My cars
*good health
*food for my family"

-"I'm thankful for a lot of things. I'm thankful for my wonderful fiance and my lovely family. I'm thankful for my darling angel baby girl who is due this March (though I wasn't so thankful before). I'm thankful for my health and for my school and my friends. I'm thankful that I live my life to it's fullest."

-"that my family has had relatively good health, and that my family has not been affected by the economy too bad."

-"My wonderful husband, my five year old cat, and my new crazy baby kitten who is currently trying to restart my computer! :) Then, of course, mine and their health and happiness."

-"Life, because it's amazing.
That includes big things, like my job, my health, my family, etc.
And little things, like hot cocoa on winter nights, the way the sun warms and dries you after a dip in the ocean, those sweet autumn breezes that blow through your hair and seem to cleanse you of negativity.
Just life."

-"Holding down two jobs (a full-time and a part-time) at a time when millions of Americans are unemployed."

Those are just some examples of people who have already stopped to think and share what they are thankful for. It's humbling and can help center your mind to think about things your thankful for; how can it not put a huge smile on your face? ;)

New Moon Premiere - by Monica

I can just see Kristy rolling her eyes right now about this blog entry. Yes, it’s about New Moon. I stood in line for three hours last night to see it at midnight, and, if even possible, it surpassed my expectations. Now, about 14 hours after the movie ended and sleeping until 1p.m., I’m still wired. This is probably the first craze I’ve succumbed to – never getting into the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or Star Wars sagas (much to my boyfriend's disappointment about not getting into Star Wars).

To tell you the truth, a book about vampires was the last thing I thought I would enjoy. But the thing, at least with me, that is so appealing about the Twilight series isn’t the vampires or the werewolves. It’s the hope it provides.

There’s a deeper meaning to the Twilight books than just the obvious.

It’s about overcoming your past and overcoming addictions, as this Post Secret (postsecret.blogspot.com) showed on Sunday:


Just because you’ve made mistakes in your past or because you have desires that you consider to be “bad” (as with Edward and, well, wanting to drink human blood), that doesn’t mean you can’t be more than that. The Twilight series shows that we are more than our circumstances. It shows that we can act on self-control instead of just our impulses.

It’s also that we shouldn't settle and that true love transcends time; it's a love that’s worth waiting 100+ years for. I know what many men think: Twilight is an unrealistic ideal for them to live up to. Sure, I don’t agree with girls searching for a drop dead (no pun intended) gorgeous vampire, because, sorry to break it to you, but that’s not gonna happen. But the personality of Edward is not unrealistic, and something that many people could learn from (minus the whole breaking up with Bella in the woods and sneaking into her bedroom window. Guys, I don’t advise these).

What women find fascinating about Edward is how he protects Bella. He’ll give up everything in order to protect her, in order to make her happy, even if it means leaving her. He doesn’t use mind games to get with her, as many girls have become accustomed to in their own dating experiences. He will even let her be with another man if it would make her happy. Because, to him, that’s his number one priority – her being happy. He doesn’t try to talk her into wanting him with corny pick-up lines. Instead, he lets her choose for herself.

And, he loves her for her. Even when she thinks she’s “not good enough” compared to him, he shows her that, to him, she’s perfect. And even if she’s old, grey, and wrinkly someday when he still has the body of a 17-year-old, he’ll still feel the same way.

A relationship that is worth more than physicality, a relationship where the other person’s happiness is more important than your own, and a relationship where you want to protect the other from harm – that’s not unrealistic. It's something we should strive for in our own relationships. And if these books show girls what they do deserve, I don't think that's "unrealistic" at all.

I interviewed Nicole McGuckin, 20, at the premiere last night for The Oakland Press. You can see the rest of the article in this Sunday’s paper.

McGuckin said, “Why would you not be Team Edward? He is the ultimate lover, boyfriend and hopeless romantic. It kinda gives girls hope that there is that guy out there for them. There is possibly that guy out there that could be hopelessly in love with you and want to love you for the rest of your life."

I would like to hear your thoughts. If you've read the books and/or watched the movies, comment and tell me: What does the Twilight series mean to you?

Looking on the Bright Side - by Kristy

Too often in life we can be our own worst enemy. Someone who is admired by many may be so hard on themselves and not even realize how great they are. In life we can get so caught up in the idea of being perfect, and when we don't have a grasp on "perfect" we don't feel happy. We should not need the idea of perfect to feel happy. Perfectionism is a disease and not something worth chasing.

Instead I encourage the idea of learning to happy with what is. It's something that sounds so simple but is actually extremely challenging. It is not something that comes naturally. I feel like we are more apt to want perfection than to be willing to accept what is. So I am not saying this is something that is easy. Learning to be happy with what is thrown our way is quite an acquired state of mind. It takes a special kind of person to learn how to accept. Some people struggle with this all of their life. But when you stop and think about it, why be so hard on yourself when you know you gave something your all? Win or lose, fail or succeed; we all need to learn it's okay and when we gave something 100% we should be happy with ourselves regardless.

Being successful, making mistakes, taking chances - these are all ways in which we learn to grow.

And it's important to note that I am not saying to settle, because nobody deserves to settle. We all deserve to chase our dreams. But I am saying to work at learning that when you try your best, that is good enough. Don't beat yourself up over little things, knowing you gave something your all is worth being happy about.

Keep reaching for the stars. Keep giving your all and be happy knowing you did. ;)

Love is possible - by Monica

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 60 percent of marriages of couples between the ages of 20 and 25 end in divorce, and 50 percent of all marriages of couples older than 25 result in a failed marriage.

Yes, I know, not happy news like I promised. But that’s not the happy news. The happy news is, yes, love still exists in this world, whether it’s found in the 7th grade…or at 97.

So, don’t stop believing in love, please. It’s out there – and it’s very real.

I feel that many people put a time limit on finding love. Some people have a “to-do list” for their life – get married by 25, have kids by 30, etc. Instead, stop looking. Maybe if people stopped trying to force love so it would fit into the nice little box they planned for themselves, divorce wouldn’t happen at such a high rate. Love doesn’t care about the time table. Love is so much more than a status.

And maybe, if people were willing to work through their problems instead of just giving up, divorce wouldn’t be so high either. If you see two people truly in love, it doesn’t mean they never fight. No, it just means they work through the fights. They make the most out of their struggles.

Love is possible. It takes work, but it is possible. If you have found love, don’t think about the statistics. Instead, change the statistics. Don’t spend your life fearing that you will become part of the 50 or 60%. My Aunt Michele and Uncle Mark have been together since the 7th grade. Yes, the 7th grade – almost 40 years. And they are still as in love as ever. They have proven to me that love can last forever at any age. We just need to stop giving up when the road isn’t easy, because…news flash…the best things in life aren’t easy.

And if you haven’t found love yet or lost love somewhere down the road, don’t give up. Don’t let it bring you down. Don’t think you’ll never find it or you’ll never find it again. Just live your life and let love find you, because love comes when you least expect it. My parents showed me this. The last thing they were looking for was love when they met each other in their mid-30’s. They were both divorced, and the concept of “love” seemed more like a myth. But my mom never would have met my father if it wasn’t for her ex-husband. Her ex-husband’s sister, in fact, set the two of them up on a blind date. My dad worked with her husband, and my mom, well, she used to be married to her brother. And…the rest is history. All the decisions they made in life, the good and the bad, led them to eachother. You never know when you’ll meet the person you will someday marry. Maybe it’s a stranger on an elevator or at your local café. Or maybe you’ll meet through a past relationship, showing you that something you may have once regretted did, in fact, happen for a reason.

I’m going to share with you a letter to “Dear Abby” that was featured in the Oakland Press (view the original article at http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/) . It showed me that love really has no time limit, and it brought a smile to my face:

DEAR ABBY: I am 48 and recently divorced from my husband of 25 years. Like others in my age group, I worry about my prospects of finding another partner -- especially because I am no longer the "cute young thing" I once was.
A few days ago, I was at a local wildlife park and struck up a conversation with a pleasant senior couple. They looked as though they had been married more than 50 years, but they happily informed me they were on their honeymoon! When we finished our chat, the woman said to her husband, "I guess we'd better be going, baby," and off they went, hand-in-hand.
It just goes to show that it's never too late for love to blossom! -- WILLING TO WAIT IN NOVA SCOTIA

DEAR WILLING TO WAIT: I'll say! My lovely cousin Suzie is being married in about two weeks after 26 years as a widow. It never is too late for love to blossom -- all it takes is a seed of friendship and a couple who decide they're ready to make a commitment.

Happiness myths & truths- webMD. -Kristy

I am very under the weather so I am going to do things a little differently this post. Instead of my own story, I am going share an interesting article from webMD about happiness. I hope you enjoy & please send healthy wishes and thoughts my way!

Here is the link:


http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/happiness-6-myths-and-truths

Stanley Cups - by Monica

View the orginal Free Press article at: http://www.freep.com/article/20091017/NEWS05/910170308/1007/NEWS05/Whimsical--Bra-Show--serious-about-fighting-breast-cancer


Photo credit: Free Press Susan Tusa/DFP

I bet this wasn’t what you were expecting when you read “Stanley Cups.” Yes, these are a different kind of cups made by Diane Takacs. This bra is a part of an exhibit of several decorated bras called “The Bra Show” at Janice Charach Gallery at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield, Michigan.

The show started Oct. 14 and runs through Dec. 17. Once the show is no longer opened to the public, the bras will be sold at an auction. The proceeds will go to Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital's Charach Cancer Treatment Center to help fight breast cancer.

Some of the bras on display are a bra adorned with M&Ms, a Michigan/Michigan State bra, a bra made up of multi-colored crayons and a bra with a red boa attached and Madonna’s face painted on it.

One of the bras was decorated by Peter Soronen, who grew up in Farmington Hills and now designs for celebrities like Michelle Obama.

What a fun way to help fight breast cancer!

If you would like to attend the exhibit, the Jewish Community Center is located at 6600 W. Maple Road. The gallery is open Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 10a.m. to 7p.m. on Thursday, and noon to 4p.m. on Sunday.

St. Jude's - by Kristy

So when brainstorming what I wanted to write about today I thought about some current events in the news and in my life. This Wednesday I am going to be participating in an event to help raise money and create awareness for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It is without a doubt a passion of mine and one of my favorite organizations. Upon graduation I would be thrilled to work for them either in Public Relations or fundraising.

St. Jude is one of the world's premier pediatric cancer research centers. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through both research and treatment. Throughout the years they have helped dramatically increase survival rates for some dangerous diseases.

St. Jude is the only hospital where families never pay for treatment that is not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of a family's inability to pay.

To me St. Jude is the definition of hope. These children are all so amazing because they show tremendous strength and bravery despite the card life has dealt them. They are an inspiration and even though they are only young children - i admire them.

Here is a video clip to summarize. It's a clip of Ellen, my absolute favorite little girl in the world. She is a patient at St Jude, who is on the road to recovery. =)