New Year, New Goals

Laughing my way into the new year knowing I'm armed with some great goals, great friends/family, and a whole lot of sparkles to don on the days when the first two aren't cutting it

I just got home from the most massive trip down memory lane, only to realize that I have to get in the car tomorrow to drive to Molly and George’s Farm. This Christmas break has only been 10 days long and has already been quite the whirlwind adventure. Where’s my Rest and Relaxation?

Nonetheless, in typical insomniac over-achieving Caitlin fashion, I’m up at midnight writing down goals for the 2011. I have been trying to come up with a good resolution for the past few days, but then I got to thinking that resolving to start writing down my goals was the best resolution possible. It’s funny that a lot of people (myself included) consider themselves goal-minded, yet they neglect to do the most important task of writing their goals down. Saying you have goals is one thing, putting them to paper is a far different ball game.

I think that one of the reasons that I, and so many others perhaps, have such a hard time writing down goals is simply fear of failure. It’s that voice in the back of your head that says, “If you write this down and it doesn’t work out the joke’s on you.” The funny thing is, if you believe that, the joke really is on you. Not achieving goals isn’t the failure; failure is when we neglect to pursue goals because they might not work out. Key word here: might.

So in all this going back and forth of whether to write my goals down, and cleaning up my room, I found a Lululemon worksheet on goals.

Nothing like divine intervention in the form of conspicuous consumption.

Nevertheless, the worksheet gave me just the inspiration I needed to solidify some goals for 2011. I like to think of them as working goals, because I plan on updating them throughout the year. I know they need to be more measurable perhaps, and a tad more specific; but I’m pretty happy with the start…

2011 Working Goals

*Blog at least once a week *Save money for traveling after I graduate *Explore different career possibilities beyond law school→maybe pharmaceutical sales or real estate *Become a runner→Run at least 2x a week from Jan-May, 3x June-Dec *Apply to Law School in September *Cook 20 recipes from “Joy of Cooking”(future blog topics!) *Organize photos from computer (16,000 on one hard drive is a bit much…) *Embrace what(ever) the future has in store for me

Well, that’s the start of my New Year’s resolution to set more goals. I’m going to be a person that sets concrete goals and holds herself accountable instead of just claiming to be goal-oriented.

Hope everyone reading this has found a resolution, is looking for a resolution, or has resolved to be happy resolution-less! Happy New Year!!



Here are some recent pictures of mine that are making me smile right now:

My 72 Wackadoodle Friends that laugh with me through IDB disasters, study sessions, drama llamas,
and everything in between

Old Friends that show me that fun times are still ahead no matter how many states or schools separate you

Adam, who has endured more crazy family time and girltalk then any boyfriend desreves

Julia, who is always ready to pose and wear red lipstick

My oldest friends that prove that best friends and platforms are forever

The family that always thinks I'm the bestest, brightest, nicest...even on the days I'm not

The family that also drives me a little crazy somedays...


And the silly self-portraits that are going to keep me laughing throughout 2011


xoxo, Cait

Rainy Day Thoughts

The rainstorm of the decade greeted me upon return to California, but I’m not down about it. The rain has forced me to hunker down and relax a bit, something that is much needed now that the holidays and my birthday are in full force. Tomorrow I’m turning 22 on the 22nd, making it my ever-awaited “Golden Birthday”. I think my friends and family are sick of hearing about it…

Today, after boredom got the best of us, Julia and I went for a walk in the downpour. It’s funny how we revert so fast to childhood when we’re home together. We must have looked ridiculous; two 22-year-old girls puddle hopping through Encinitas in oversized raincoats and boots. Call me crazy but it was a lot of fun! For girls that try so hard to be mature in are normal day-to-day existence, we sure get silly fast. Afterwards we went to a movie with the final member of the tripod Kelly, and then to Jade’s for wine, Apples to Apples, and more reminiscing of childhood past.

Most of my friends at home don’t have a set plan of what they’re doing next year, this should make me feel better, but instead it freaks me out more. While half of me is blissfully excited about the unexpected next, it’s hard to calmly imagine a plan-less future. For now I am simply trying to enjoy my time at home, and hoping to get back on track with my blog. Volleyball season put a damper on my creative flow, but hopefully being home will bring some much-needed inspiration. Hope everyone is having a sparkling holiday season!

Here are some pictures of rain that I’m loving right now…







I'm loving the couple in the distance...makes me wonder what they're talking about...but I'm nosy like that.









I love the out of focus background, with the rain in focus. There is something so mysterious and profound about unfocused pictures












This scene from "The Notebook" says it all...rain can definitely be fun and romantic.

Friday Quote

People grow old only by deserting their ideals

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul.

You are

as young as your faith,

as old as your doubt;

as young as your self-confidence,

as old as your fear;

as young as your hope

as old as your despair.

In the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber. So long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer and courage, so long are you young. When your heart is covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism, then, and then only, are you grown old. And then, indeed as the ballad says, you just fade away --Douglas MacArthur

Now that finals are over I plan on blogging a lot more! I heard this quote in my Comm Law class today and I thought it was very inspirational. I especially like the part about wrinkles because even though I'm only 21 I worry about that kind of thing. It's weird that I only have one more semester left of college, the time has gone by way too fast! I'm not really sure what I'm going to do next year, but I'm trying to enjoy the moment and not worry too much about the future. Hope this quote finds everyone feeling young and joyful!

Study Finds

My mom has been in town the past week, dragging me to every thrift store and vintage-y shop within a driving distance radius. I used to be so embarrassed when I was younger to go thrifting with her, but lately I have really begun to appreciate it. Fashion is so funny in that it's absolutely cyclical--there are some awesome vintage finds out there! Plus it's très green!

With Senior night on Sunday, my family and boyfriend's mom in town for the weekend, and tests next week, one would assume that I've been staying busy with other things. If only that were the case...instead, I've been finding lots of fun fall styles to adore and lust after...

We the Free by Free People 'Navajo' Cardigan

I love this Native American inspired sweater by Free People but the nearly $200 price tag is a little OTL for my bank account....I just think that colors and style are so fun, it'd look great with jeans and some lace-up boots.

Here's another fun sweater...

Loooooooooove this Frye Boots!

My house is boot crazzzzyyyy right now, barely an hour goes by without one of my roommates mentioning which boots they're salivating currently salivating over. Maybe it's the cold weather that has fallen upon New Brunswick, maybe it's the thought that with season nearly over we'll have to start dressing like real people again(Goodbye eternal sweats and running shoes!!!), or maybe it's just that we know the power of cute boots!

Okay okay, my Sociological Theory book is calling my names, as are all my other errands...Tomorrow's my last practice ever, I think I'm in denial because it just doesn't feel real yet. I'm really sad about all of this coming to an end, but I'm also getting super excited for the unknown future! I was sitting on the couch today with Jeff, Emma's dad, and he said, "This is exciting. The Unknown is exciting," So for as sad as I am to close this chapter in my life, I know he's right.

Back in Business

Isn't it funny how we let life get in the way of the things that bring us joy? If I added up all the minutes that I spent worrying about what might happen, and put them to an actual productive use--the possibilities are endless. Thankfully I have a family, friends, roommates, and a boyfriend who on more than one occasion have brought me back to reality, and kindly told me to calm the efff down.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the future this week, I think it's because I only have two more games left in a college volleyball career that almost wasn't, but has turned out to be an act of grace. Since I came to college, I have lost more games than I have won, but in return I have been given extraordinary gifts. The ride has been anything but smooth, but the bumps are where the memories are created. I still get a few chuckles from my Santa Barbara days when I think about Kathy telling recruits that I was the girl with "28 boyfriends one month and 28 the next"...yes, the ride has been rocky, but I can't say it wasn't memorable.

While sitting in the theater waiting for "Wicked" to start last night in NYC with my mom, I got to thinking just how truly blessed this journey has been. In 2007 if anyone had told me that I'd end up 3000 miles away from home, I would have passed out probably. I have gotten to see parts of the country I never even dreamed I'd have the chance to see: I've been camping in Delaware during a freak storm with Emma, eaten delish crabcakes in Baltimore with the boys, walked the Freedom Trail of Boston and seen hand-dives(you know who you are) in action, driven through Katie Groff's glorious state of Pennsylvania, Farmfested, gone DTS, gambled in AC, seen Broadway plays, eaten Turducken in Michigan, and so much more. The best part is, I have this feeling that life is just beginning.

So yes...I'm scared as hell. I'm freaked out because I'm currently plan-less for the first time in my life. But, I have to tell myself that with such a great past, there's no question that the future is going to be anything less than spectacular.

I'm trying to get back to blogging now that I'll have some free time on my hands....

"Fall"-ing into a Dream

Today was the first day of fall, and as Julia and Charlene so kindly reminded me on Facebook chat tonight, I've been a negligent blogger once again. Blogging was so easy in the summer when there were meals to catch, trips to take, and fun to be had. Now that it's volleyball season and school is under way, the most exciting thing in my life is whether we get to go to Applebee's instead of Chili's between this weekends games. Wooooooooooooooooomp...we'll probably just get subs.

However, being that it's the first day of Fall and that there is a glorious lightening show going on outside my thinly paned window, perhaps it is time for a little blog therapy...

I was at a meeting earlier this week for my potential spring internship and it really got me thinking about what direction my life is/should be/could be/maybe be/will be going in and I've got to say IT FREAKED ME OUT! For the first time in my entire life I don't have a set plan of what to do next. My teacher asked the class a simple question, and it has been keeping me up at night ever since: "What is your dream?" In reality, this question should not be the least bit difficult. Dreams are the one thing that we, as humans, are allowed to do without regarding the possibility of whether they might come true.

I found an interesting quotation while perusing Google tonight. It's from a famous Journalist name Heywood Broun:

"The most prolific period of pessimism comes at twenty-one, or thereabouts, when the first attempt is made to translate dreams into reality."

Hello...this is me! Why do I feel like dreams are such a hard thing to operationalize. Why can't I just admit what I want and go after it? Why do I continue to create obstacles in my head of why my dreams can't come true instead of just going after them?

Well OCD and a venemous Type A personality of course.

So on this first fall night, I've decided I neeed to cut that out. I need to embrace the possibilty of achieving my dream with all the rigour with which I embrace homework, or the LSAT, or playing volleyball, or anything else I do in life. I am literally going to fall into my dreams. For those who know me well, you know I love a good definition. Fall. Verb. Occur, arrive, or become apparent as if by dropping suddenly.

Sounds like a great way to find my dream....stop trying to stop it. Easy enough...

So off I go...trying to get that fervor that I had for summer blogging back, trying to win a Big East title, trying to get a 4.0, trying to stomach the number of sub sandwiches I'm gong to eat this season, trying to stay fashion-forward, trying to sleep, but definitely NOT trying to control or stop any more of my dreams. People are constantly telling me I can't control everything, seems like this is a great place to start. I'll let you all know if I find something...I mean, WHEN!

Happy Fall!

100 Things That Make Me Happy

It's been nearly one month since I wrote my last blog post...where did summer go?? I'll tell you: it went to summer school classes, and open gyms. It went to Farmfest and Washington DC. It went to Chipotle and Chick-Fil-A, it went to the Facebook, it went DTS(Down the Shore for all you non-NJers out there), and it went to saying goodbye to friends who are leaving for Law School. Yes, summer flew by a little faster than expected and has left me nearly a month later with one more double day in my collegiate volleyball career and my senior year a few short weeks away. Now that I have finally broken through my summer-induced writer's block, it's time to get back on the blog train. And, the lack of blogging has got me thinking...so much of life is spent thinking of things that we don't have or things that we want, and so little time is thought about the things we have and things that make us happy. So in the spirit of getting back on the blogging train I have compiled a list of the 100 things that make me happy, at least tonight. This list is in no way exhaustive or complete, just a short compilation of the first 100 things that came to my head.

100 Things that make me Happy

1. Lazy Sundays
2. Working out
3. Kim Donnelly’s Ice Cream Sandwiches during Preseason
4. Sparkly Things like glitter and jewels
5. New Face Wash
6. Shoes
7. When Hulu doesn’t make me buffer too much
8. The word “equivocate” especially when it's a choice during the Logic Reasoning Section of the LSAT
9. People that don’t equivocate
10. Finishing tests, classes, summer school
11. Reaching a goal
12. Finding treasures at Thrift Shops/Garage Sales/Random Stores
13. Discovering new restaurants and new types of food
14. Hot rain storms
15. Fireflies!!!!!
16. The first day of Spring in New Jersey
17. Giving and receiving quality and genuine compliments
18. Trust
19. Altruism
20. Butterflies in my stomach
21. Ruelala.com
22. Black and White Pictures
23. Memorable Quotes
24. GOLDDDDDDDDDDDDD things especially if they’re also SPARKLY!
25. Awkward Moments
26. Lurking on the internet
27. Queen of the Court Tournaments
28. Reading my mom, sister, best friend, and the everyday stranger’s blog
29. Simply getting lost in Blogworld
30. Books that I can’t put down
31. Lululemon
32. Pedicures
33. Trashy Romance Novels
34. Antoine Dodson on Youtube
35. Glee
36. Singing along to songs at unrelenting decibel levels
37. Road trips
38. Vintage jewelry
39. Nautical things: anchors, boats, navy blue…
40. Boy Bands
41. Riding beach cruisers down 101
42. Going out to breakfast
43. Friends…old ones, new ones, and the ones I have yet to meet
44. Taking pictures
45. Thanksgiving in Michigan with The Chrystals
46. The first few days after Thanksgiving when Christmas Carols haven’t gotten overplayed yet
47. Floral Prints
48. Soft Pajamas
49. My CamelBak Sippy
50. Punta Elena, Baja Sur
51. Camping
52. The smell of Chlorine
53. Cowboy Boots
54. “HACKS”
55. Encinitas jargon
56. Bean and Cheese Burritos
57. Love in the Time of Cholera
58. Giving away something even though I know I’ll never get it back, and knowing that I probably didn’t need it anyways.
59. Gabriel Garcia Marquez
60. School and Office Supplies
61. Snail Mail
62. Quick Witted Humor…especially when it (ever so seldomly) comes out of my own mouth
63. JetStream Uniball Pens-until you have tried one of these, don’t even try to tell me you know a good pen.
64. Movie Theatre Popcorn
65. Junk Food Nights
66. Gossip magazines on airplanes
67. Farmfest…if you don’t know about it, don’t ask. If you weren’t there, it hard to explain.
68. Love notes on Post-Its
69. Finding a Waffle House or Chick-Fil-A on long car rides
70. Jeopardy contests with Adam
71. Silly sounds and voices
72. Silliness in general, especially at times when I’m supposed to be a paragon of maturity
73. The moments where I realize that I am good enough, I tried my best, and life is going to be okay even if it isn’t going to plan.
74. Photo Booths
75. Old T-Shirts…but not the smelly kind!
76. Diet Pepsi
77. Art Museums…they make me feel cultured!
78. Mamamia!
79. Songs that can’t ever be overplayed
80. Volleyball
81. Scrunchies and other post-80s Headwear
82. Playing dress-up
83. Sleeping in and waking up to snow
84. The smell of fresh laundry
85. Flossing!
86. Gone with the Wind
87. DIY projects that don’t test too much of my patience
88. Discovering a trend before anyone else…be it word, fashion, music, book, etc.
89. Confidence
90. Duchenne Smiles and Dimples
91. Going to sleep with salty hair
92. Journaling
93. Bucket Lists
94. Unconditional Love
95. Burnt Goldfish Crackers
96. Sea Glass
97. Back Scratches
98. Words-be they spoken, written, heard, imagined or even made up, they have the ability to seethe and comfort, break down and build up, create and destroy.
99. Relishing in the unfinished…
100.