Sunday Thought + Final 25 Before 25 Update

Today is my last day of being 24 and I'm spending it in Disney World, doesn't get much better than that! So much has happened in the past year and I've done a lot of reflecting lately. Within the year I got a new job, traveled outside the country for the first time in my life, made new life long friends, grew as a blogger and made so many new memories. This was my first full year that I was no longer in school and entered "the real world" and I feel very happy with all I've accomplished this year. In the past, another year older would make me anxious but I feel this year I've grown a lot as a person and I look forward to the new adventures I'll experience at 25. Special thanks to all of you, who have been spectators to my life for over a year and a half now. Each day you continue to motivate me to do more and work harder.

Last birthday I made a 25 Before 25 list of things I wanted to achieve and do before I turned 25. It was fun to look back every few months and check a few things off my list. I must admit, I did not achieve everything but I did do a lot and I hope that during this upcoming year I can cross off those last remaining things on the list and add a couple of more things to my goal list.

Here is the list:

1. Spa Day: FAIL! I got a couple facials but I still haven't pampered myself with a massage. I definitely need to fix that this year, because I've wanted to get a massage for so many years now!
2. Plan Another Girls Trip: Success! We're in the happiest place on earth as I speak!
3. Visit Chicago (again): Check! Went to Chicago last August and I'm hoping to get out there again spring 2015 and again in the summer.
4. Expand My Blog: Always a work in progress but I have come a long way in a year, even getting a few sponsors! My next project is getting a new blog design, it's time for an update!
5. Build Up My Savings Account: I basically drained my savings to pay for graduate school and I was desperate to have a strong savings once again. This is another work in progress, but I can say that I made leaps and bounds and I no longer shudder when I think of my current savings.
6. Start and finish Breaking Bad: FAIL! Only watched a few episodes... maybe I'll start back up again when all the fall shows go on hiatus during the holiday month.
7. Read More Books: Check! I read 24 books this year which is a major accomplishment! This year I'm hoping to read 25 more (and also invest in a library card because books can be expensive).
8. Take More Pictures: Check! I tried to me more away and take photos when I go on vacations but at the same time, I enjoy living in the moment and not worrying about making sure everything is captured on film.
9. Go to a New York Knick Game: FAIL! I still really want to get down to the city and see a game at the Garden... maybe this year?!
10. See a Broadway Show: Achieved! I saw Book of Mormon last winter and loved it!
11. Go see the Lights in the Park in Albany: FAIL! This is a Christmas event so with the holidays coming up maybe I'll head over there this year.
12. Take a Cooking Class: FAIL! Still on my to-do list.
13. Organize my Accessories: Always a work in progress but I did make things a little more bearable by getting a shoe rack and jewelry rack.
14. Plan a Dinner Party: Nope, didn't do this.
15. Get a Fun Manicure: Yes! I got a fun mani last Labor Day and I want to get another one for Christmas.
16. Drink More Water: I now bring a tumbler filled with water everyday to work with me!
17. Attend a Concert: Saw Bruce Springsteen last April!
18. Get a Signature Drink: Maybe I'm just meant to experiment.
19. Treat myself to an expensive piece of jewelry: I think I'm just a cheap statement jewelry kind of girl, haha!
20. Take an exercise class: Hot yoga was quite an experience. 
21. Wear bright lipstick: Fail all around
22. Clean out my Closet: Check! Twice a year purging is key!
23. Apply for a Reality Show: Triple check, applied for Survivor twice and we sent a video in for Family Feud too... still waiting for a call back though.
24. Try new restaurants: Always a work in progress but I did go to some cool places this year.
25. Continue to promote myself professionally: Another work in progress but I have taken several state tests and continue to look for jobs. Hopefully this year those tests will pay off and I'll find a new job at the state with better pay. 

Did you make a goal list this year?

xoxo

Currently Reading

Part of my 25 Before 25 List was to read more books. When I wrote that goal I didn't specify what "read more books" entails but in all actuality I wanted to read 24 books, two books a month for an entire year. It was a big feat to take on but so far I am on track. I'm currently on book number 20, with two months to spare before my 25th birthday (ahhh!).

 Last week I started Gillian Flynn's book Sharp Objects. I was a huge fan of both Gone Girl and Dark Places, so when I find an author I like I tend to go through all of their books before I move onto the next author. Sharp Objects tells the story of Camille Preaker, a journalist from Chicago who is forced to travel back to her small hometown to cover the murders of two young girls. Camille is now forced to battle her inner demons that resurfaced after bad memories of her childhood flood her memory as she searches her hometown for clues on who killed those little girls. Flynn's books are always super twisted but they leave me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out "whodunnit". 

Once I finish 'Sharp Objects', I believe I will move onto 'Wild' by Cheryl Strayed and 'The Leftovers' by Tom Perrotta. I watched The Leftovers series on HBO this summer and typically when I get hooked on a TV show based on a book, I immediately want to read the book or series as well. However, if any of you have read any good books lately, I would love to hear your recommendations since next year I'm going to try and read 25 books in a year!

My 2014 List of Books I've Read (So Far):

1. Orange is the New Black - Piper Kerman
2. After Dead - Charlaine Harris
3. Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without A Date - Katie Heaney
4. Everything Is Perfect When You're A Liar- Kelly Oxford
5. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
6. Uganda Be Kidding Me- Chelsea Handler
7. Divergent - Veronica Roth
8. Insurgent - Veronica Roth
9. Allegiant - Veronica Roth
10. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
11. Dark Places - Gillian Flynn
12. I Like You Just The Way I Am - Jenny Mollen
13. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone - JK Rowling
14. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JK Rowling
15. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JK Rowling
16. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling
17. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - JK Rowling
18. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - JK Rowling
19. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling
20. Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn

Read any good books lately?

xoxo

25 Before 25 Update

I just realized that I have a little less than 5 months until I turn 25 and it made me realize how quickly the days go by. That being said, I decided to take another look at the 25 Before 25 list I made on my birthday last year. For those of you who don't know, I made this list of 25 goals/things I want to accomplish before my 25th birthday. I figured if I wrote things down it would be easier to visualize and keep me motivated to achieve my goal. I've definitely been making progress on my list which made me happy but I still have some things to check off in the next few months. In the meantime, I've been writing down new goals that I want to start working on (getting a jumpstart on 26 Before 26!). 

Here is an update on my progress so far:

1. Spa Day: Still needs to be complete, I've gotten a couple facials but no massage.
2. Plan Another Girls Trip: Woohoo we planned a Disney trip for November! (Side Note: my goal in addition to this was to go somewhere I've never been before and since I went to Costa Rica last April I will be able to double check this off my list!).
3. Visit Chicago (again): Booked my flight to visit Chi town later this month. 
4. Expand my Blog: This is still a work in progress but I have been lucky to work with a few fabulous companies and bloggers and Monster Misa has grown greatly in the past 7 months, thanks to you guys!
5. Build Up My Savings Account: This is another work in progress but I have allocated that $200 a paycheck goes directly into my savings and I've seen my savings grow leaps and bounds since doing that.
6. Start and finish Breaking Bad: I have started Breaking Bad, now I just have to finish it which will be easy to do since the show is soooo good.
7. Read More Books: Another work in progress but so far this year I've read 12 books this year (two a month) and I'll be finishing my 13th by the end of the week. I'm so happy I've made more time to read.
8. Take more pictures: So far so good, I've been bringing my camera to more events and I took a boat load of pictures in Costa Rica. With my upcoming trips to Cape May and Chicago right around the corner I'll be sure to snap a few more memories.
9. Go to a NY Knick Game: This hasn't happened yet (mainly because my Knicks we're not so good last year). It's still on my to-do list and I'm hoping to see a game this upcoming fall/winter so this goal might need to get carried over to my 26 before 26 list.
10. See another Broadway show: Check! I was able to see Book of Mormon last winter. I hope my next Broadway show is Aladdin, it looks fab!
11. Go to Light in the Park: I didn't get to this last Christmas, so I won't have another opportunity until next Christmas... so another delayed goal, whoops.
12. Take a Cooking Class: This hasn't happened yet but it's on my short list. They just started doing cooking classes at our local Market Bistro so I plan on signing up with friends.
13. Organize my Accessories: Another work in progress. I've definitely made progress in my room but it's all about staying organized!
14. Plan a Dinner Party: Another thing on my short list, I might wait until fall to host one because nobody wants to stay inside in the summertime.
15. Fun Manicure: Not yet. But this will be easy to achieve once I remember to do it, haha!
16. Drink More Water: In the beginning I brought my water bottle to work everyday to drink more, then it got away from me. Now that it's hot out I'm going to get back on the water grind.
17. Attend a Concert: Check! Saw Bruce Springsteen a couple months ago--- doesn't get much better than The Boss!
18. Get a Signature Drink: This I'm not sure if I've found 100% yet. I've definitely been experimenting and my go-to liquor drink has been a vodka soda and since I don't like beer, I've discovered Angry Orchard Hard Cider. I'm still open to other drinks though...
19. Treat myself to an expensive piece of jewelry: I haven't bought this yet, but I did get a beautiful ring from Anjolee that is nicer than most jewelry I own!
20. Take an exercise class: Check! How could I forget my (embarrassing) experience with Hot Yoga?
21. Wear bright lipstick: Ugh. I haven't made this plunge yet. It's definitely going way out of my comfort zone, but I still really want to try it. I just need to get the courage to attempt it.
22. Clean out my Closet: Hooray! I did this a few months ago and was able to get rid of a couple bags of clothes that were donated and some that we're given to my co-workers!
23. Apply for a Reality Show: Done! I've applied twice to Survivor since I wrote this list. I even made a video that I sent to casting. Still no call from producers to report to the island but I'm going to keep trying, its a weird lifetime goal to compete for the million dollar prize.
24. Try new restaurants: Another work in progress but it's something I've definitely been doing a lot lately. I even tried a new Italian place in my town last week. I've really enjoyed trying new places with friends and family, and I will continue to expand my horizons.
25. Continue to promote myself professionally: So far so good. Since I wrote this list I've gotten a new job at NYS Department of Tax & Finance and I've taken several state tests to (hopefully) lead to a bigger and better position. I'm thankful for how far I have come and I'm looking forward to continuing to better myself in the future. 

So basically I've achieved 16/25 so far with several more a work in progress. Re-examining this list definitely got me motivated for the next few months!

Did any of you make goal lists for this year?

How is everyone else's progress going?

xoxo

Bucket List Dreams

So in addition to my 25 Before 25 list, I try to keep a bucket list of things I want to do that I may no necessarily be able to achieve this year. However, I found out this week that I'll be able to check off another item on my list: snorkeling! I'm sure so many of you have gone snorkeling before on vacation but despite being a beach lover, I have never traveled to a tropical destination that provides snorkeling as an option. So when my cousin emailed me this week asking if I want to participate in a catamaran tour that sails north to the beaches of Playa Conchai where the boat will dock and allow us to soak up the sun on the white shell beach and snorkel among their various reefs in search of tropical fish or possible an octopus or two, I jumped at the opportunity.

I'm just so excited to be making this dream a reality because after graduating last May, I've really been trying to focus on doing those things I have said I would do "once I finished with school and got a job." I know we are all guilty of putting things off that we want to do, but I quickly realized that I am not getting any younger and can't depend on anyone to live my life for me, so it's better to jump at any opportunity to try something new. I spent so many years of my life focused on school and getting a good job that I'm so excited to begin this new part of my life with a little adventure!

Have you ever been snorkeling? What was your favorite thing you saw?

What's on your bucket list?

xoxo

Book of Mormon

I just found out yesterday that I officially have tickets to go see The Book of Mormon in March. I'm a little bit of a theater geek and love going to see Broadway shows in NYC, as well as traveling Broadway shows in my area. I'm lucky that the traveling Broadway shows are frequent visitors of the 518 so I try to get to them as much as possible. I've been wanting to see The Book of Mormon ever since it was first released and was getting so much buzz, however the past couple times I've been down to NYC it has been sold out, ugh. So when I found out the traveling show was coming to the area I jumped on the opportunity to get tickets. 

For those of you who don't know, The Book of Mormon is a religious satire musical from the creators of South Park. After its release in 2011 it won 9 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Its been called the most inappropriate Broadway show of all time for it's non-PC jokes on religion among other things but I have a sick sense of humor so I don't doubt for a minute that I won't love every second of the show. One of the items on my 25 Before 25 list was to see another Broadway show so this is the perfect opportunity to check it off my list.

For the past couple years I have kept a Broadway show wish list of different shows I wanted to see. I've been so lucky that I have been able to check off the majority of my list (Lion King, Wicked, Rock of Ages, Hairspray, Mary Poppins, etc). Next on my list of shows to see include The Little Mermaid, Spiderman: Turn off the Dark (such a nerd), and Aladdin, which opens this March. When I was younger I never had any interest in plays or musicals but as I've grown older, I just can't get enough of them. It's amazing how much creativity that goes in in the making of these shows, and to witness the magic happen first hand is such a cool experience. If you haven't gotten the chance to see a Broadway show, I highly suggest you try because even though it can be quite expensive, it is worth every penny. 

Have you seen any Broadway shows?

Which ones are on your wish-list?

xoxo

Costa Rica Update

There is less than 2 and a half months standing between me and the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica. I've slowly began checking off my travel to-do list before I leave. So far I am happy to report that my passport, plane ticket, house payment and all food/alcohol being served is officially paid off which is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, especially because this was the majority of my bills. Now all that is left to plan/spend money on are the fun excursions we will be going on (more on that below), get a rental car, and get my vaccinations (which apparently are quite expensive, but it's a price I'll have to pay...that or get malaria). 

I'm getting increasingly more excited for this little adventure. This will be my first time out of the country, a goal I have had for awhile. Plus, this is really an excellent opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone. I have always been a little too careful about everything I do and since my New Year's resolution this year was to say 'yes' more, this is a way for me to try something new and have a whole new world of experiences. I honestly don't think a year ago I would have accepted this invitation to go on this trip, I would have been too nervous about all the variables involved. 

Going along with my post yesterday, one of the traits of a Scorpio is that I am a control freak. So the thought of traveling to Costa Rica and staying with a house with 25 people (some who I know very well and some who I don't know at all) can be a little nerve racking. I am preparing to force myself to be laid back and to go with the flow throughout the entire trip. At the end of the day I know I will have so much fun and will leave with wonderful memories and a distaste for going back to my office...and for that I am pretty proud of myself. 

Okay, back to the fun part. As mentioned above we are currently in the process of deciding what type of excursions we want to go on. We are officially hiking through the rainforest that will lead us to an active volcano, but we also have a couple other options including snorkeling (which is my vote), horseback riding on the beach, cave tours and kayaking. We also plan on jumping in some waterfalls too (how cool?!). Check out some of the pictures below!

Are you a control freak like me? 

If so have you ever gone on an adventure completely out of your comfort zone?

Which excursions would you want to do?

xoxo

Book Recommendations

So part of the benefits of my job is that I get a 30 minute lunch and two 15 minute breaks a day, allowing me to step away from my computer screen and rest my eyes. So lately I have been doing a lot of reading, which is perfect because reading more books is on my 25 Before 25 list. Last week I finished Orange is the New Black, and I highly recommend it. However, now that I am reading more I really need some recommendations from you guys. I'm open to pretty much anything (although I'm not a huge fan of Notebook-like books or movies... sometimes I think I have a black heart and get bored by the same old love story). Although it should be known that I am a sucker for celebrity autobiographies...

Next on my list will probably be Gone Girl because I've heard such great things about it but after that I'm stumped on what to try next. 

So I need your help, what books do you recommend?

xoxo

25 Before 25 Goal: Drink More Water

So as I told you all last week I got a facial at my favorite salon Changes. I try and get a facial at least twice a year because it helps to moisturize my face in the winter and repair some of the sun damage in the summer. Anyways, I was complaining to esthetician that although my cheeks get super dry in the winter I still always have an oily forehead and I was wondering the cause of it since I'm good about keeping my face clean. She told me something that I didn't know before, I was most likely dehydrated! Apparently when you are dehydrated your forehead (and upper back) produces oils to compensate for it. For some reason I related dehydration with dry skin but it is actually the opposite. 

So after she completely rehydrated my skin with a facial she recommended to me that I try drinking more water a day for a month and see if I see any changes in my skin. This goal was a perfect way to cross out drinking more water on my 25 Before 25 list so during the next month I will be bringing a water bottle to work and filling it throughout the day. The water bottle holds 13oz of water so I'm hoping to get at least 3 of those in during a work day totaling 39oz. I actually started the water bottle goal last Friday, the day after my facial, and although I had to get up from my desk and pee every 45 minutes, I'm hoping it will make a difference. 

Does anyone else have the goal of drinking more water in 2014?

Do you have any tips for me for keeping hydrated?

xoxo