Just a Little Tid-bit

Okay.

College, in a nut shell, is one giant test. Of many things. Personal strength, motivation, time management....so on and so forth. These past few weeks have been one crazy whirlwind for me, and while I don't typically like to nag or brag about my life, I have to get all of this off my chest.

Starting with school. I got my first B - ever - in my life this past week. If you know me, you understand how much that threw me for a loop. I became even more stressed out than I already was and now I'm just worried its going to become a normal thing. Ugh... along with school is the varsity sports. I had my first sideline cheer event (on a college level!!!!) and I must say it was one of the best things, ever. I forgot how much I loved cheer. I must say, even though I do love cheer and have missed it, it is doing a number of damage on my body. But it's so worth it.

Classes are pretty good, too. I mean, I can't complain. I have a class called Engineering 1001 and let me tell you, it's 1001 levels of stupid. But aside from that, classes are good. (Just a shit ton of homework. Welcome to college, right?) 

Along with that, I've been traveling up here and enjoying the sights that the upper peninsula has to offer. Just a few weeks ago I traveled to Copper Harbor with some amazing people and I swam in the Superior and climbed rocks to look out over the water. I went to the highest point of the UP and experienced insane wind speeds and took some really funny photos. 

The colors of the leaves are also something to admire. I've fallen in love with just looking out my window. 

I'm also just so happy here, for plenty of reasons.

And one of them has to do with this guy.

And he makes me laugh so much.

And he lets me talk way too much for my own good, and better yet - he listens.

And we have quite bit in common, but enough differences.

And I can be my snarky self without him getting all offended.

I feel comfortable with him, and that's just so great to me. We have this sort of relationship where we tease and toy with one another. All in good fun...
 I just really appreciate him and everything he does for me. I don't think that he realizes how important he is to me, and how important it is to me that he chooses to be so close with me. I mean, don't get me wrong I've made a lot of friends up here that I love spending time with, but there is just something about this guy that is different. I laugh differently with him, and I feel different around him. I've told him so much about myself, and he still accepts me as a human being, which is super cool, and I just feel like I could trust him with my life. Which, is a refreshing feeling.

He remind me so much of... home. If that makes any sense. I feel wanted when I am with him. And I feel safe. And I can really start feeling us becoming best friends, which is a great start to a wonderful bond. It's actually quite exciting.

I wasn't looking for anyone up here, that was never my initial goal. I just wanted to do well in school and make a lot of money and have a wonderful future. Boys were the last thing on my mind. (Which is kind of funny considering where I chose to go to school.) But this guy... he just showed up and took me by surprise. And honestly, I'm not complaining at all.


On another positive note, I got to see my mom and my aunt today. Which was AWESOME! I haven't seen my aunt in almost two months and I was delighted that I got to spend time with them. They are just the funniest people. We were walking into Walmart today, and there was this potato on the ground in parking lot. We all just kind of stopped walking and stared at this potato and my mom says, "Hey Julie!!! I think you dropped your potato!" and we all just started laughing. Then this little girl comes out of no where and says, "Actually... that's mine." and she reaches over, picks it up and shoves it in her pocket. And then she walked away. We all just stared at each other for a second and then we all got lost in hysterical laughter. And that is how my day went, in a nutshell. It was so nice to laugh with my two mothers.

College is going well, life is going well, and my relationships with friends and family are going well. I do miss my best friend back home immensely, and it does sadden me that we rarely talk anymore.... I just fear that we have nothing left to talk about. And it breaks my heart.
Overall, I'm quite happy, and just trying to live it up the most that I can, while I can.

Chipper as can be,

Barber

“If you can make a woman laugh, you can make her do anything.” 
― Marilyn Monroe

Light in Darkness

Everyone has to lose something, eventually.

I just never wanted to have to face that. I thought maybe, just maybe, I would be able to outrun the demons that haunt everyone else in their everyday lives. But I can't outrun them forever, no matter how hard I try. So, I have to face the fact that even I, will lose something so very dear to my heart.

Today I went for a short run. Just enough to get my heart rate going before I went to practice. I ended up stopping short because something else caught my eye. The way that the clouds covered the trees from the sunlight was something to make anyone stop and  stare. The clouds were thick today. The sun was so bright. But the trees were dark, because the clouds refused to let the light through. However, patches of the trees shown so brightly because the sun had forced itself out of the clouds. 

Now, maybe I'm just over-analyzing this, but I really do believe that the there is significance here. Even in the darkest moments, or the darkest people, there is always going to be something, no matter how small, that will fight and fight and fight to shine through until its' light is bright enough for everyone to see.

Tonight after practice, I received a text that flipped my whole night upside down. My grandma is not suspected to live past this month. I knew that this day would eventually come, but I was hoping that it wouldn't nonetheless.  My grandma has been fighting cancer for what feels like forever, now. I want to say about 5-7 years. She had beaten it once, but it only came back to get her stronger and harder. My grandma is a fighter, and I have always looked up to her for this trait. She always taught me that giving up just is not an option. She would always tell me that by giving up on something, you were letting down your number one fan: yourself. I remember her telling me over coffee and cards, "When you look back at your life, do you want to think 'What would have happened if I wouldn't have given up on that?' By pushing yourself through everything you become the best person you can be. You will learn so much about your personal strength and perseverance. You can't ever give up. You just can't. Nothing good ever came from the people who gave up, you know." And she winked. A week or so later she was re-diagnosed with cancer. I thought for sure that she would have crumbled, lost hope, or just gave up on life. But I was wrong. Instead she forced herself to get out more, do more, be more. She didn't care if she had cancer, she lived the most she could. And when she got sick from treatment, she was still so stubborn and never, ever gave up. I envy this about her, and hope that someday I can show the strength that she has always shown me.

When things started to get really bad, she changed. She became a lot more bitter and upset towards the overall outlook on life. Can anyone really blame her? No. They can't. She was in pain, and she had to cope with it somehow. But even when she was having the worst day ever, she would always take the time to smile about something, or laugh at a memory of when times were better. And then she would think of ways to try to get back to those better times. Always pushing, my grandma, never giving up.

When I called her last week, she was quiet and distant on the phone. I asked her what was wrong, because she doesn't typically stay quiet. She just sighed and said, "You know, after awhile you just get sick of fighting."

I didn't say anything in response. I just let a tear fall.

She sighed on the other end and said, "Keep fighting for me, okay? Don't you dare give up on anything."

I didn't understand why should we say that to me, why after all this time she would just go the complete opposite direction of everything she has ever told me. But after the trees today, I think understand.

I'll let you, dear reader, decide what you think that means.

I can't say that I'm not sad she is going to leave, because I will be beyond sad. But I know that deep down, she will always be here. Even if I can't see her. I've learned so much from grandma and I'm not going to give up on anything, especially not her.


Everyone has to lose something, eventually. But that's life, and you should learn from everything. Especially from your losses, because they will always have the most impact on you.


Barber

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light."
~Albus Dumbledore

Forgetting What Isn't Important.

Running.

I've found throughout my life that people look at running in many different ways. Some love it, some hate it. Some tolerate it, and others refuse to ever take part in the activity.

About a week and a half ago, I pulled my hip flexer after running somewhere between 3 and 4 miles. I couldn't run for a little over a week in order for it to naturally fix itself. I really didn't think that it would affect my life as much as it did, but before I knew it I was longing to get out on the trail and just run.

Today was the day that I got to do just that.

Someone once asked me, "Why do you run?" I let that question sink in. Because, no. I do not run in cross country or in track, and running is not on my work out plan for cheerleading. I just do it. And I love it. I replied, "To forget. Even if it's just for a little while." This person just looked at me like I was crazy, but I just continued on, "To get over things that don't matter. Clears my mind."

Running causes me to get a sort of high, and for the period of time that I am engrossed in running, the rest of the world doesn't even exist. Not for exams, not for homework, not for family or friends, not for boys... nothing. It's just me and my feet hitting the floor causing a steady beat. I focus on my breathing.

It's sort of like every breath I take in, is a problem I'm having. And when I breathe out, it's gone.

I ran alone today. First time since I've been up here. I thought it was going to be hard running without my running partner from up here. I thought that running the same trail without him would just make things worse. However, it was just the opposite. I ran past the water we swam in and past the rocks we sat at and talked about out deepest fears. And with every breath I let out, I let go. I forgot the feelings associated with the mundane objects. Not necessarily the events that took place, but I forgot enough to move on.
Running sets you free, honestly.
I also came to the realization that I cannot hold on to the things that don't make sense to hold on to. When I ran today, I realized how waiting for things to happen won't make them happen. Once I got to the end of the trail, I stopped and looked behind me. I saw a couple of things.

Firstly, I saw where I came from. The memories along the way and the bumpy roads I tried to avoid but had to get through anyways.
Secondly, I saw something I could face again, but this time with a new understanding because I had already been there.

I came back from my run and looked at myself as a new person. Maybe that's too deep, but whatever. I let go of the things that were holding me back. I got rid of the silly distractions that made my anxiety rise. And I let some people know how I really feel.

Running is about finding the endurance to keep going even when all you want to do is stop and let the world go without you. The same can be said about life itself. Once this is learned, you can really come to peace with what is, learn to accept what isn't, and strive to get what you want.

Go for a run.

Barber

“You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles.” 
― C. JoyBell C.

Hallelujah

If you don't know me well.. I love to sing.
Usually in the comfort of my own shower, or when I am completely alone and no one else can hear me. But sometimes... rarely... lucky individuals get to hear my voice.
Up here at Tech, I have become an avid listener of Pandora. I typed in Jazz and let it take me to whatever. This song came on called Hallelujah. And then it came on again and again by different artists. And eventually I had to look up the lyrics and learn them forwards and backwards and had to learn how to sing it. So, needless to say I walk around campus and sing the lyrics and lose myself in the words. It is a beautiful song.

Well, the other day I was walking back alone from dinner and I heard the song being sung...beautifully. I was instantly drawn to the mysterious voice and searched everywhere for him. He was walking in front of me and he was completely lost in the music. I smiled, and when he got to the chorus I started to sing along, just loud enough for him to hear me. He was startled, he paused and looked at me. We both smiled and kept singing, and walking. When we started to part ways we just kept singing until we eventually couldn't hear each other anymore. It was one of the most amazing experiences ever. I don't know this kid, didn't catch his name, frankly I don't even know if he exists. But the fact of the matter was... I sang out loud in public, with a complete stranger. Amazing.

And now? Well, I can never stop singing. It's almost as good of therapy as writing is.

Reader: sing, dance, and laugh. Please, for the love of God enjoy every single second of life. Don't you waste a second thinking that you can't be happy. Sing to the world. Share your voice. Express yourself. Be afraid to blend in.

Musically Yours,

Barber

"There's a blaze of light in every word, it doesn't matter which you heard, the holy or the broken Hallelujah"

Starry Nights and Clear Water

It's weird to think that I haven't even been on this college campus for a week and I've already made memories that will impact my life forever. I've made a lot of friendships already, and even one with a ginger!!!! (which trust me, is very exciting.)
We were put into groups of about twenty people and those people spent pretty much the whole week together. I made friends with some guys and a couple of girls, and I have gone on tons of adventures. I've also had very little sleep. Very very very little sleep... but it is so worth it.
I've made many midnight and later Walmart runs and I've had video game nights that have lasted until 3 in the morning. We even got to the point where the conversations just didn't make sense anymore, and we were all lost in the pure bliss of uncontrollable laughter.
With all of these amazing people and memories, none can quite compare to the adventure I went on last night with a new friend of mine. Growing up where I did, I was often not very daring or adventurous. But last night that sort of all changed. We decided that we needed to go for a walk at midnight down a biking path covered in trees. The sky was completely clear and the stars were so bright.

I don't think I will be ever able to get over the beauty of the stars. Back home, you could drive to a dark area and see the stars and gaze at them. But something about being on the water and the night air being so crisp, and the nature all around it made the stars all the brighter and all the more beautiful. It made me think of my best friend back home. I really do miss him.
I was walking with my friend, just talking and laughing and enjoying the clear air. We found a ledge on the water and sat and just talked for hours. We decided that the water looked like glass, reflecting everything off of it and creating one grand illusion. It won't ever get old.
When 3 AM rolled around we decided that it would be a good idea to just jump into the water and not worry about the fact we didn't have swimming suits. Besides, undergarments are pretty much the same thing, right? We had the most amazing time swimming around and just taking in all of what beauty had to offer us.

This week has been truly amazing and I have had the craziest adventures. So dear reader, I encourage you to walk away from the screen you are staring at and going on into nature and taking it all in. You really don't know what you're missing out on. Go out and get lost and not worry about it. Just laugh and enjoy the little things. This week up on campus has definitely taught me that.

A true nature lover,

Barber

What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality. 
~Plutarch

College.

What. Is. Even. Going. On?

So, I've been up on my college campus (Michigan Tech University!!!!) for almost 5 days now. I must admit, this experience is pretty fantastic. I did think that I was going to miss people from back home, but I sort of shocked myself when I realized that it is okay to move on from certain people in your life. Now, don't get me wrong, I miss the hell out of my besties. My neighbor, my best girly poo, and so on... but the people I miss are the people I'm still texting and skyping and the like.
While I've been here I have made several friends, and we have gone on many exciting adventures. I can officially say that I have made a walmart trip at three in morning for ice cream, and while on our drive there we cranked Wobble so loud that the car literally shook. I've had music sessions with some of the guys in my dorming hall, and I have officially played Mario Kart with the nerdiest of nerds. And it was awesome.
I had my first experience swimming in the cold water up here. It was late and about 900000000 degrees, so my roommate and I and a couple of other guys went down to the lake and just had ourselves a swimming party. It was so great.
I'm meeting a lot of people and am being forced out of my comfort zone. While usually I hate this, I'm loving this experience.

College... here I come. (:

Scholarly yours,

Barber

The most effective way to do it, is to do it.
~Amelia Earhart

Falling in Love.

Love.

I think it means something different to everyone. And to one person it could have many different meanings.
As I've grown up, I've felt all sorts of different types of love. And as i continue learning about the world and myself, i find myself loving in a whole new way.

With all of the traveling I've done lately, I've learned to love traveling. It is the best way to learn about people...and yourself. Traveling becomes a part of your soul, as long as you aren't afraid to embrace it. I've fallen for the sense of anxiety it gives you when you step onto the streets of an unknown area, and you lose yourself in wonder as you look around and take in everything around you. The smell. The sound. The laughter. The languages. The faces. The sight. I fell so fast. And now, my heart longs to see every part of the world. To move. To meet people. To make an impact, like all the lovely people I've met recently have on me.

Along with my amazing experience, I've fallen in love with nature. With the beauty of it all. Its amazing how one sight of the mountains reaching high into the stars can change your view on the world. Change your view on yourself. And change your view on the Lord himself. I've never witnessed as much beauty as I did in those few short seconds where the clouds met the peak of the snow covered mountains. Or when the stars met the water and it appeared as an ocean of stars. Or when the trees formed perfect rows down the tragic alley of Dachau. My heart swelled at the sight of people in parks actually spending time with each other, and not plastered behind their phone screens. They really don't lie when they say you should stop and smell the flowers. And enjoy. And fall in love.

Along with nature, I've fallen for the appreciation of art. I've always had it through music, but looking at all of the amazing art painted from centuries ago I've fallen for the detail people take to capture priceless moments. It's inspiring. And breathtaking.

I've fallen in love with myself. Regardless of how weird you think this sounds, it really isn't. And if you think its weird, then you haven't fallen in love with yourself, yet. And that's okay. It took me awhile,  too. For the longest time, I was just a face in the mirror. A smile to comfort others. A voice to seem important. But with graduating, and loving in new ways, I looked at myself differently. When I was in London, I realized that one of my dreams was coming true. I was not in America anymore. I was in a whole new world. And I could be whoever I wanted. So, I chose to be myself. And "myself" surprised me. And I loved the person I was becoming. I haven't changed much since returning home, but there are slight changes. I feel more mature. More exposed. And furthermore, when I look in the mirror I see someone beautiful. I see someone with purpose in life. It's a very refreshing feeling.

I've grown attached to the future. And the promises it holds. And the uncertainties it promises. My life is moving in a forward direction very quickly. And I can't slow it down. But instead of being scared, I've learned to embrace it. To take it in, one breath or a million tears at a time. If there is one thing I've learned, is that time is short. Even when you think you have all the time in the world, you don't. I've learned to love living in the moment, and to realize that this very moment will affect my future moments. And to not regret any of them. I love that anything could happen. At any time. It makes life so much more exciting. It gives us all something to live for, if nothing else.

With future, brings the past. And while sometimes it is painful, sad, terrifying, or beautiful....it is a constant reminder. A reminder that you have lived and loved and lost. And those memories have made you who you are. You can learn from your past, and remember to never again make the same mistakes or promises. While walking through the concentration camp in Germany, I was exposed to one of the most tragic events in our worlds past. I cried. I got angry. I questioned God. I swore. And I lost myself in mourning. Words cannot simply describe the powerful emotions that took ahold of me and shook me to the core. I found myself a church, and it was completely empty. I sat in there and cursed at the Lord. For how could He possibly do that to all of those helpless people? How could He let an evil man destroy the beauty of man that He created? Why? I got an answer. And my faith was restored. For while a tragic event happened, we all learned. We never forgot. The past led us to a brighter future. And while our lives are not as tragic as the Holocaust, we can apply the same principle. The past serves as a beautiful gateway to improve our lives. And we should all use it as such.

I've fallen in love with my best friend. I wish more words could be put into that statement, but it's just as simple as that. He has always been there for me, in ways I cannot even begin to describe. I like to believe that I've always been there for him, too. Maybe he thinks the same, but maybe he doesn't. I've fallen in love with the mystery of being in love. It's a weird feeling. So conflicting. With college looming in the foreground, and timing not on our side, I've realized how little time we all have. I love the kid with all my heart, and I know I didn't act like it for the last few days we spent time together. But he is amazing, and I would do anything for him. Timing was awful, and it still is. But who knows, maybe some day down the road timing will be right with him. In the meantime, he will be my forever best friend. No matter what, because I love him that much.
So, I encourage all of you to go out and fall in love. With everything. And never be afraid to lose yourself in love.

With Love, 

Barber

We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.

~Marie Curie

LONDON!!!!

My Europe trip has officially begun. First stop: London.
But im getting ahead of myself. The plane ride to London was an adventure all in itself. I had a ten hour layover in Atlanta....which consisted of fun card games, twister, yoga, and scavenger hunts. Some of the best times I've ever had with some pretty great people.
The plane to London was a weird experience. A very smooth flight. Could not have asked for better. But lucky for me i got to sit next to this annoying kid with three different pairs of gigantic headphones and loud music. And when he fell asleep he thought it would be acceptable to sleep on my shoulder. Think again.
I didn't sleep very well.. Not enough room for me to sit comfortably enough to sleep. However, i did watch two movies...and i had a window seat. So i was able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. There is no view like the one i saw. The dark blue met the deep blue water. And the stars reflected. Clouds drifted. It was so amazing. As if that wasn't enough...the sun had to rise.

The sky turned into a giant canvas, and the Lord himself painted the most amazing sight in the universe. The starry sky slowly melted into a deep red, all reflecting off of the water and clouds. It brought tears to my eyes. The stars slowly faded away and the sky became a mixture of all shades of red and orange. Then yellow...and eventually blue. I can't describe how amazing it was to see. And how amazing it felt to take it all in.

Continuing on...London. I fell in love with this city. We saw castles and the Millennium Bridge (Harry Potter fan right here!!!!). The Shakespeare Globe theater. Just walking down the street was awesome. So many accents and languages!!! I also love how this city is a mix of vintage and modern. The buildings and people. It's perfect.

There is no air in our room...and we happen to be in London during a freak heat wave....ha. Our luck! But its all worth it.
Now we are tv and enjoying the British accents.
Gosh...im loving it here.
Best.trip.ever.

Off to go do more adventuring!!

Barber

"never be afraid to be adventurous."

Seriously...

I have just officially begun my adventure to Europe. :D I can honestly say I am having the time of my life. Im laughing and making new friends, along with reconnecting with old ones. We will be arriving in London very soon.... (okay, like 13 hours). We just finished a scavenger hunt through the airport. Sooooo much fun. I got to ask random people for pictures .... It was awesome.
With everything going so great, i don't want to focus on negative things. But... I can't help but thinking that i messed up somewhere... But maybe im finally the one over-thinking things.
Looking forward to a great trip. (:

Confused...and excited!!!

Barber

"the people that speak their mind and their feelings...tend to be the happiest."

If Life was a Movie

So....most of my time lately has been spent packing, driving, and overall preparing for my trip to Europe. With all of this going on, I have found myself having a lot of down time. Time to think... and get lost in silly daydreams.
With this being said, the other day while I lost in thought, I decided that it would be awesome if my life was a movie. For several reasons: I would never get in trouble for making unwise decisions, I could do anything I wanted, and I would fall in love and have a perfect love story.
But then...I though about something. I love explosions. So clearly, there has to be a fight scene. Also...a car chase.
So, in my imaginary movie (with me as the lead star, of course) I decided to avoid poisoned apples and lost glass slippers. No princess story for me. I decided I would be the one to save the love of my life (a man)......
He would be my best friend, and something I would do anything for. But he wouldn't realize how much he meant to me, so he would leave me in the dust. And "fall in love" with a female. Well, I would decide that I couldn't live without him and I would bend over backwards to be with him.
But all forces would work against me.
Including his newfound love female. She would be a crazy lunatic. And when she finds out that I'm on my way to be with the one I love the most, she would hire people to get in my way.
Here enters part one: not getting in trouble for unwise decisions. And explosions. I would escape a close call by blowing up a building and walking away like a badass with the building going up in flames behind me. And no one would even say anything. They would just let me walk on by.
Enter phase two: the female lover would call the police force and then would enter the epic car chase. Where I would be the reason 15+ officials cars would be totaled. But remember, my movie. So I won't get in trouble at all. And...I could do whatever I want. Including crossing oceans without ever showing how I did it. Boat or plane?
Then, I would finally see him...after waiting for what seemed like forever. I would walk up to where he is and just not know how to act, because I would have missed him so much... should I be overly excited? Or just play it chill? Then... he would walk out his door, oblivious to me standing there. Then he would see me. And the world would stop.
And of course it would be raining. And it would be the best kissing scene since the notebook.....

Okay, maybe it is a little bit far-fetched. But come on, if everyone's life was a jam packed action thriller love story life would be so much more enjoyable.
But, just like I forced myself to do, think about it. Life really is a jam packed action thriller love story..you just have to be able to recognize that. All this down time I've been having....leads my mind to think too deeply I suppose.

I board a plane in two days!!!! Gosh, I'm so excited.

Until next time,

Barber

"Time is a wonderful way to show us what really matters."

Ugh.

Here we are... 5:30 in the morning.
I've been up for an hour now.
And I'm not happy about it.
I've decided today, at this precise moment, that nothing on this planet sucks more than fucking allergies.(except maybe stepping in dog shit...barefoot)
I woke up from a sneeze-fit that lasted nearly twenty minutes and which resulted in the use of about 300000000 tissues and a long, LOUD, and nose dripping adventure to find my allergy pill.
So, thanks to all cats out there that shed their fur. And yay for breathing in air right after icky fumes and smoke were released from fireworks. I can assure you, that combination is as awful as you think it is.

Hopefully headed back to bed,

Barber

"We're all mad here"

This cat...may just be the culprit of my issues.

The Fourth of July

I love blowing shit up.
The Fourth of July is the perfect excuse to do just that! (Not that I need an excuse). This year, like many others, I had the privilege of spending this glorious day with my grandparents. My grandpa usually has big-ass firecrackers hiding in his garage. And he likes to pull those out and let me light em. They are usually extremely old and super loud...which is always perfect. The big booms that make my heart skip a beat are one of the things that I live for.
Along with firecrackers, we light sparklers and set of, what used to be illegal, fireworks. Gotta love it.
The other perfect thing about being at my grandparents is the fact that they live in the middle of no where. The roads are practically deserted, and the view of the stars is unlimited.

So, when we exhausted our supply of fireworks, I retreated to the middle of street. It is so freeing to be able to lay in the middle of the street. After all, it is the day of freedom! I got to lay out under the stars and just look at them. Such beauty in the millions of tiny lights.
Then a thought came to mind: While I was looking up to the stars, I was reminded of the late nights back at my own home. My neighbor and I have spent numerous times outside under the star light. Again, I was reminded of how much I miss him. It's silly to think that my life-long friend ended up being one of the only people I care about more than myself. (Maybe a slight exaggeration...because I would do anything for my friends and family. But seriously. No one beats this guy.) It's also crazy how the stars make you think such sentimental thoughts. Him and I are separated right now, but when both of us are back home I know that we will have at least one more night under the stars. And I seriously can't wait. And who knows what might happen? ... (:
Back to present life reality... after laying under the stars, I got bit by way too many times by the damn mosquitoes. But I lit off some more sparklers, and took some more photos. It was a great day...all in all <3
I can truthfully say that I am proud to be an American!!!

Feeling thankful,

Barber

"When I saw you, I fell in love. And you smiled because you knew."
William Shakespeare

The amount of stupid people must increase as gas prices do.

Okay....seriously.

Gas prices are ridiculously high. This is a fact that literally everyone knows. And if you don't, you must live under a rock. Not only does the media dramatize it every night on the radio, but just listening to or observing your surroundings you could gather that gas prices are too high. My cat even knows. Seriously...he has to listen to me bitch every day about how I have to pull money out of my ass just to get the last few pennies to pay for my 12 gallon tank that on average costs me 40+ dollars. Yeah. My cat agrees that gas prices are stupid high.

This post wasn't even supposed to be about my cat and his empathy for me.

So, in response to the gas prices escalading higher than Mt. Everest, people have chosen to ride their bikes. Well! Hot damn! What a brilliant idea!!! No sarcasm at all, it really is a good idea. For several reasons:
1. Riding your bike is eco friendly! You do not emit harmful gases into the air which could in turn add to the negative effects of global warming! (Ha...global warming..) in fact, by the act of exercising, you could argue that you are releasing CO2 that will help the trees continue to the production of the oxygen we all know and love.
2. Its better for your wallet. Seriously. You may look at bike prices and laugh. Bikes aren't cheap either. But look at it this way, when you spend a thousand plus on a bike, you may feel like you are screwing yourself over by the hunk of metal (or if you're really ambitious- carbon) that will more than likely sit in your garage for 3/4 of the year. BUT! if you are filling up your tank over twice a week, your spending a shit ton of money on gas. So...buy the friggen bike.
3. Along with making your wallet seem fatter (fuller!), your bike will help keep you on shape. No more feeling like a lazy fat-assed american! No sir! Sit yo ass on a bike and you will be amazed at how I'm shape you will be.

Long story short, bikes are great! And I would encourage anyone and everyone to go out and purchase a bike today and start using that as yours means of transportation. (Within reason...I'm not expecting anyone to travel over 5-10 miles on a bike. No.)
However, if you decide to be overall smart and ride your bike....do not make an ass out of yourself. So...to conclude this lovely post, I write to you. You know who you are..

Dear asshole cyclist,

I was so happy when I saw you riding your bike down the road. Finally! I had thought to myself. People are finally catching on that bikes are a positive idea! Being the happy person that I always am, I wore a smile as I pulled up behind you and slowed down. I understand that you cannot see behind you, so I was doing the courteous thing. Now, when I first came up behind you, I did not feel comfortable passing you. This is because I was going up a hill and could not see beyond the top. How was I to know if there was a semi truck hauling ass over the hill? My impatience could have gotten us both killed! So, you're welcome.
I had figured that by the time we got to the top, you would have seen me with my blinler on, knowing that I was trying to pass. And sir, I KNOW you saw me. You turned your head and looked directly at me. I could have stared into your soul, that's how direct the look was.
I'm sure you can imagine my confusion then when we started traveling downhill. I had seen there was no oncoming traffic, so slowly I began to pass you.
Why the hell did you decide, at that precise moment, to veer into the center of the ****ing road? Hmm? I'm only curious.
So, me being me...I slammed on my brakes as you continued to cross the rest of the street. Cussing up a storm I retreated back to my original lane and began to accelerate back to normal speed.
Now, my dear asshole cyclist, why in the hell did you decide that as I was about to pass you -YET AGAIN - it would be a good idea to veer back over to my side? Bipolar much? Jeez.
I will not be apologizing for my rude acts that followed. You deserved my engine revving and me passing you at 65 mph. You also deserved my rude gesture as I drove past you. Because you, my assshole cyclist friend, are number one!
But please, I beg of you... if you have a death wish, don't try to feed it by driving wrecklessly on a bike.

Thanks for almost making me a murderer and going to jail for the rest of my life.

And so my fellow readers, if you ever choose to ride your bike in place of your car- awesome! Way to be! Just don't ride like an asshole cyclist.

Good day,

Barber.

P.s. - this is my irritated face towards the above mentioned asshole cyclist.

Can't you go be an idiot somewhere else? ~Squidward

A Day in the Strawberry Field

So as many of you may or may not know, I chose my path of work to be at a farm this summer. Now, before you freak out in a panic attack about how awful it must be to milk cows or cut off chicken heads, I can assure that this farm is no such place. No! This farm is a special kind of farm. This farm is a strawberry farm. On this glorious farm only the top pickers are hired and we are trained to pick only high quality berries that are at the peak of their existence- fully loaded with wonderful flavor! We promise to serve you with a smile knowing that you will be going home with wonderful tasting berries that are sure to taste wonderful in whatever way you choose to use them. (We recommended eating them plain, or perhaps with shortcake or cheesecake. But I understand that there are some sick twisted people in this world...) so, please! Come on by and pick up some smiles...I mean strawberries. (:

Seems like a wonderful job, right? Flexible hours with a great boss and wonderful coworkers. If it rains we don't work! And the pay is wonderful if you are focused and pick a shit ton of strawberries. But let me tell you, my fellow reader, it is not all smiles in the strawberry field. In fact...its actually a lot of bitching! Such as, "holy shit it's hot as hell and I can't even take this right now" or "what the hell.... it's noon, why are we still here?" Or "what the hell are these weeds that are shooting seeds at me and inTO MY EYES???" Or....my personal favorite... "OH MY GOSH THIS BERRY IS HUGE AND I AM SO HAPPY.... fuck, it's rotten." Yeah. I'm not kidding. Then you get to drive home drenched in sweat and covered in dirt and seeds. And the workers, myself included, often ask ourselves why we bother to get up before the sun rises to go and try to survive another day in the field. But really...we are all just kind people who enjoy bringing smiles to out customers when they bite into a nice ripe strawberry and not some gross nasty rotten one. (Which has also happened in the strawberry field. It's gross, trust me.) So next time you buy fresh strawberries...you better enjoy them.

Yours truly,

Barber

Rule #32: Always enjoy the little things.

Oh my...he called me Babe!!

My day has pretty much been overall shit. I mean, I got to see my lovely friend Ren today at her open house. And then I had a fun sisters date watching the Rugrats and making baked goods. But otherwise I've just been blogging and being bored. Then people just piss me off and I get way too frustrated for my own good. But whatever. On top of that my best friend, who also happens to be someone of which I have feelings for, is off in a faraway land having adventures and isn't able to talk to me as much as usual. Talk about super sad. I miss the kid like crazy. But we got to talk for a little bit today!!! Which was awesome. Because I enjoy speaking with him. The conversation was pretty dull and normal. But.... when he said he was going to bed, he called me babe!!!! I haven't smiled that big in a longgg time. I highly doubt he even said it for that reason. But it pretty much made my day... never forget to acknowledge the small things (: in the end they are all that really matters.

Signing off,

Barber
 

"Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers."

Okay.. so who the hell am I?

I am the girl next door you have always wanted that chance with.
I am the normal sized girl who might be a little bit short.
I am a fun, loving, sarcastic person who loves life.
I am sober.. always. (for now).
I am blonde with green.. hazel.. eyes.
And most importantly.. I love to write. And for people to read my writing.

The name is Barber. Yes, that's what most call me. So get used to it or get lost. I'm just kidding.. but seriously. I decided to actually carry out this blog business because I have tried keeping blogs forever now and no one ever seems to follow and I get bored so I delete them and move on with my life. But then, a good friend of mine started her blog. And I was like, okay.... if she can do it, so can I. Her name is Ren. And I love her... okay? Follow her blog!!! I'm sure she will post hilarious stuff and will make you at least cry and laugh at all once. (cgoff2college.wordpress.com) <---- that's her URL. So hit it up!!!
Anyways, this blog is going to consist of literally a little bit of everything.
Partly my personal journal, so that my friends and family (and maybe some creepers) can read about my life and now a little bit about what is going on with me.
The other part will be ranting and bitching, because it will make me feel better (So... sorry in advance!)

SO..there you have it. Follow me. Tell your friends. Make them follow me.

Oh, I will also end with a quote.. because I believe that it is important to never neglect literature.

Good Day from yours truly,

Barber


"To a great mind, nothing is small." - Sherlock Holmes