This is Halloween

This is Halloween, la la la.

Above are pictures I took after the photo shoot on Monday which went great.  After awhile I felt like it was the Mr. Roboto. "Stand toward me, put your left leg point away, hands on your hips, bend down, lower your chin, open your mouth but don't smile.  Awkward, but the pictures looked great. 

So back to the point of this blog. Halloween, day of candy, costumes, pumpkins, scary movies, and Rocky Horror Picture Show.  I usually stay home, pass out candy, and watch RHPS.  But this year is going to be different.  My parents decided to not pass out candy this year, due to having a two year old puppy who is extremely protective of her family, but also Halloween isn't the same anymore.  Which I can agree.  

When I was a kid, Halloween was great.  My mom made my costume every year, after school my brother would take me trick or treating.  And oh man did I think I was cool, MY older brother was taking me trick or treating while all my other friends had to go with their parents.  We would walk to every block, and go alot farther then we were allowed. Then we would come home, nice hot dinner to fill our cold and empty stomachs.  Cold because unlike today it's usually a bit chilly on Halloween, empty because we weren't allowed to eat any candy til we got home.  After dinner, and candy check, we would go to my grandparent's on the North side to visit for my grandpa's birthday (happy birthday, miss you).  And the best part is that we would always stop at the Mar's candy factory and get king sized Snickers, Milky Ways etc.  The night would end with a piece of candy, pj's and bed.  

Now Halloween is different.  In my neighborhood, parent's drop off their kids at one end of the block, have them walk to each house, and then scoop them up and drop them off at the next block.  Whatever happened to walking with your parents, and getting exercise (hmm candy and less walking on Halloween, rising childhood obesity rates anyone?).  And kids don't even say trick or treat! They walk up and say "Here."  And costumes, a mask and regular clothes not a costume!  Whatever happened to traditional, clever fun costumes?  Maybe it's jut now parents work and don't have time, to really think out a costume so they run to Walgreens and get one which I can understand due to time crunch and budget. But I can't help but feel like as adults get older, they get more clever and creative with their costumes.  But now a lot of the costumes we see at the shops are those sexy ones.  Like they said in Mean Girls "Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it."  Now I am not criticizing this, because I know sometime this weekend, I will be reusing my old catholic school girl uniform from 3 years ago.  Also my budget didn't allow for a Halloween costume this year.  But I've come to accept that times are different now, family values have changed.  But one thing I can say, when I'm older and the time is right, and I have children I will know what to do when it comes to Halloween.  My mom will make their costumes like she did mine, if she doesn't mind, I will take them from house to house, and make sure they say Trick or Treat!  And candy will be checked after a nice dinner.  I will be carrying on those traditions that I love and miss so much.

But everyone have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Oh man

I don't know how actual models do it.  I sat in a chair for 4 hours and got my hair done and then my makeup, and I got home and I was exhausted.  But Christine did an amazing job, and I'm so happy.  And I know this picture isn't the best, but it's what I could do and I was exhausted and so ready for bed by this point.  On Monday I'll take some after the shoot with a digital camera.  

But I am so looking forward to tonight.  Just to relax, eat some dinner, and just watch movies with Chris sounds amazing and I cannot wait.  

Next week is Halloween!  I love the fall but the best part is Halloween. I usually sit at home, pass out candy, and watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show but I think this year is going to be different.  Still not sure of what plans, and I don't even have a costume.  But it will fall together probably the day of, but before I can think of plans, I have an Art History exam and some other things to work on next week.  And I have my review at work to get a raise, hurray!  

And I have decided to go to Barcelona this summer.  I love the program and the other day in Art History we talked about two mosques that I visited in Granada and it made me realize how much I loved it there.  And seeing those buildings in person are so much better than just photos.  I'll be missing my 21st birthday in the states but I know we will celebrate before I leave and when I get home.  But time to relax and do some laundry to help out the momma, she's been so unbelievably busy lately, I do not know how she does it, and still does everything else.  But she's still super woman in my eyes, mom's always here to save the day.  A huge advantage of living at home, and I have the best mentor at all times.

Why?

So I've been contemplating starting a blog for awhile. 

It seems to be the new bandwagon again, but also as every week passes I get busier and busier.

And time is spent less on facebook and AIM to chat and catch up with friends and family.

So I figured I would start a blog, and put the link on facebook etc and whomever can read it, and then when I do get the opportunity to catch up (hence the title) there will be less time spent trying to fill everyone in.  

So school has been kicking my butt to no end.  This semester has been one of the most challenging.  I think it's because I am starting my major Spanish courses, which require papers which are longer than 2 pages in Spanish.  And it is quite difficult to think in another language.  After I'm done with a paper, I am so exhausted you would have thought I ran 5 miles.  Then even though I only work two nights a week, and Saturday mornings, work is just so long and after you've been up since the early hours in the morning and going to class all day you're already tired and work just adds to it.  And then my remaining nights are spent budgeting my time between homework, studying, and being able to maintain some sort of good family time, and social life.  Whether it's just having the opportunity to sit at the dinner table with my parents, or literally falling asleep on the couch at 10pm with Chris (wonderful favorite) that's just how the cookie crumbles.

Saturday nights are some of my most cherished nights because I spend them with Sam and Jessica.  Without these two in the city, I would probably have one of the most boring lives ever.  I'm looking forward to Christmas Break because my other saviour, Jen will be home again!  

But in the next couple months I'm quite excited for.  Here's the catch up sort part.  Christine, an amazing hairstyle, and a great friend of Sam's, needs a hair model and asked me to do it.  This week I'm getting my hair colored, styled, cut and whatever else and my make up trial run by a MAC professional.  Then Monday the 27th I have a photoshoot for a book that will be in salons across the United States.  Yikes! I'm excited, but so nervous.  It's like that Sex and the City episode,  Carrie claimed "I'm not a model!" And then backstage Samantha tells her "Oh honey, you're a model."  Then she realizes she is, with her fabulous high heels, and jeweled panties. That was my reaction when I first heard, but the more I think about it, and hopefully the support with text messages (hint hint!) I can have my Carrie moment.  

New Year's Eve, my cousin Erin is getting married, and I'm so excited.  It will be fun to spend the night with my family, and just have great time.  Also I can pretty much say with a lot of confidence that my date will be the best dancer there :].  

Also in these next couple months I will be starting my planning for studying abroad this summer.  I'm still debating between Barcelona, Spain and Buenos Aires, Argentina.  There's a lot of factors that I have to think about.  Finances, economy, the courses, education and just experience in general.  The biggest thing out of that list that is really making me think is the finances part.  The economy is horrible right now, and just even trying to shop around for flights is going to be a challenge and a struggle.  And the debate between the Euro and american dollar.  More pros and cons lists to come to make.  

But that's all for now, I feel like I'm always on the go, I'm surprised I got these few minutes to start this blog, but we will see how far it goes.