My Life – Page 13 – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

My First Blog Award – The Versatile Blogger

Published on May 8, 2012May 22, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle13 Comments

That’s me. I am so excited. This just made my month and I want to thank karensdifferentcorners.wordpress.com for the honor.

This award came at the right time. I was feeling a bit torn between doing this, which I love and doing what I am paid to do. I could be happy just writing and blogging and all that entails. But then again, I have to eat, too. Receiving this award just reinforced my decision to try harder to find the balance between the two. Or, I could win the lottery or marry a rich man that’s an option, too. With that out of the way, it is time for me to fulfill my duties as a “The Versatile Blogger” award winner.

The 15 coolest blogs:

7 things you probably don’t know about me:

I have a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, but I don’t practice law. I just can’t sit in a room for 12 hours a day looking at documents unless I actually wrote them.
My favorite city in the world is London. It is the first foreign country I ever went to and 16 countries later, it is still my favorite.
I ran the Hong Kong 1/2 Marathon in 3 hours, 58 minutes and I really hate to run. But, I did finish the 1/2 marathon and crossed the finish line at the same time as the winner of the full marathon. He did start two hour after me and ran twice as far, but we finished at the same time. That’s how I like to tell the story.
I have recently decided after seeing The Avengers that the character of Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey, Jr. is in my top 5 favorite characters of all time. Other four: Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean), Hans Solo (Star Wars), William Thacker (Notting Hill), Maggie (the Cat) Pollitt (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)
I have a secret crush on Chef Michael Voltaggio, Luke Wessman (tattoo artist), Robert Downey, Jr., Ryan Gosling, and Troy Aikman. Not so much a secret anymore.
If I could live at home for a month and then in a new country for a month and alternate that for the rest of my live, I would be in bliss.
I really want to compete on So You Think You Can Dance. I am not a professional dancer, nor do I have any desire to be. I just think it would be so fun to be on that show.

Just a few more things you might already know:

I live in China
I love to sing, but can’t carry a tune
I don’t ever want to be famous
I love to travel
I love my family
I have the words Love, Happiness, Passion & Faith tattooed on my wrist to remind me how to live my life.

My Weekly Update – Schedules, Snakes & Star Wars

Published on May 5, 2012May 19, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle3 Comments

One week off the A to Z Challenge and I found myself with no more structure and to many ideas in my head. I thought I would give you my quick hits for the week and then start fresh next week with my new blogging – – – –

Schedule

Monday – Main Blog post

Tuesday – Movie Quotes

Wednesday – Book Quotes

Friday – Main Blog Post

Sunday – Weekly Wrap up

* I will try this schedule for the rest of May. With JuNoWriMo starting next month, it is bound to change. Bear with me, I am still new to the blogging/writing life.

Snakes

At the Academy, we had a snake in the bathroom. I am not messing with you. We really had a snake in the bathroom. A king cobra. Really. I’m not lying. We had a kind cobra snake in the bathroom. How’s that for a friendly work environment?

They are doing a lot of construction near our building. All the little critters are looking for new homes and Mr. King Cobra thought the men’s bathroom at the Academy would be a perfect summer home.

But, I learned something this week. How the Chinese get rid of snakes? According to my staff, there are several options:

Drive the snake away by putting sulfur in the toilet and around the building. Apparently, you can pick up sulfur at your local grocery store.
Poison the snake by putting your normal household cleaning products in the toilet. Again, apparently you can pick this up at your local grocery store.
I am not sure what this does, but grab the snake by the tail and swing it around your head really fast. This is from the military guy on our staff. Apparently, this is how the Chinese military deal with their snake problems.

A couple days after the first and second snake sighting, one of our clients was leaving the Academy and saw the snake on the cart path behind the building. Now, everyone has declared the snake gone. What? Apparently, they are assured that it is the same one.

Still not using the bathroom in this place.

Star Wars

Yesterday was “Star Wars Day”. I have been a huge fan for years and never knew there was a “Star Wars Day”. “May the 4th be with you!” Get it. How did I celebrate? I watch Episode IV. I typically share any and all Star Wars references I see. So, every day could be “Star Wars Day” in my world.

Blog Love

Finally, I wanted start sharing blogs that I love and subscribe to. I can’t wait for their posts to hit my in box every day. I hope you enjoy them, too.

Cowbell – Jenny Hansen is funny.
The Masquerade Crew – each crew member contributes great stuff.
My Gypsy Soul – Ana Riley has things to say.
the. ego. tripper. – Good travel and photos with great sense of humor and a huge ego.
Geektroverted – Andii is helping me accept my inner geek.

I have started a list on twitter as well, please subscribe.

Z – Zacker, Not Slacker

Published on April 30, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle4 Comments

I found myself perusing the Urban Dictionary (Webster’s is where squares go to find words) looking for a Z word and came across the word “zacker”.

Definition of “zacker” – a real bad ass. I love that.

“A real bad ass” is what I am feeling like right now because I finished the A to Z Challenge.

Zacker. Yep, that’s me. A real bad ass.

I finished and I am so proud of myself. I did it and I think I did it pretty good.

I tend to be one of those type of people who don’t all the time finish what I start. Or, I start something with enthusiasm and determination and then finish it at what I can only describe as “half assed”. *My blog isn’t typically filled with suck explicative. Sorry!

When I graduated from high school, I couldn’t wait to go away to college. I was super excited go to a school out-of-state that none of my other high school friends were going to. I was going to have the perfect college life. Life was full of promise and possibilities.

First semester, I had a 3.7 grade point average. Second semester, 1.7 and academic probation. I gave up and moved back home.

After my first year of law school I was in the top 1/3 of my class at Georgetown. I really wish someone had not told me that 3rd year students just need to show up for the exam to graduate. That is pretty much what I did. And, graduated in the bottom half. My rationalization: “Someone has to be in the bottom half.” I missed out on so much.

Let me pause here for clarification: I did go back to school. Florida States University – Go Noles! Georgetown doesn’t usually accept college drop outs.

I did have the opportunity to actually enjoyed the fact that I graduate and still no one has called me to ask for my diploma back. The celebration was short lived because then I had to get back in study mode for the bar exam. Need I remind you that I haven’t really been in a class all year. Long story short (to late – Clue Movie reference) I didn’t study like I should have and failed it. I haven’t try it again.

I have been writing all my life, but am reluctant to call myself a writer. All stories must have endings and I am too afraid to start writing my novel and not finish. It can’t be another thing that I give up on or don’t finish. I am not ready to fail at this yet.

But, finishing the A to Z Challenge has given me confidence, motivation and a little swagger as well. I am a bad ass. I can do this. I can finish something.

Hell, I am so bad ass I can finish anything I put my mind to.

In May, I will be outlining my novel and starting in June I will tackle another challenge. I have joined JuNoWriMo and have challenged myself to write 50,000 words in the month of June.

I am really excited to get this challenge underway and like the Zacker (not slacker) that I am, I have not doubt I will knock this challenge out the park.

Congratulation to all of you out there who finished the A to Z challenge. Thank so much to the organizers and for all those who stopped by and commented on my blog. I found some great blogs to follow during this challenge as well. I couldn’t have done it without you.

“Be Connected, Isolation is Sickness” – Russell Simmons

Published on March 11, 2012March 11, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Do you ever read someones tweet and wish they would explain it? Why did they write it and where were they coming from and what are they trying to tell me? With me, leaving the misunderstood to my own interpretation could be a bit dangerous. I tend to trust the writers perspective to quickly. That is why I immediatedly retweeted this. But, days later I am looking at this quote again and then start wondered why it made me stop and pause in the first place. I shoot first, then looked later. Now, that I have had a chance look, I don’t necessary agree with what Mr. Simmons was saying.

Being connected is great. Being connected to friends, family, the world in general is wonderful. It make us feel alive and part of something greater. Makes us feel like we belong and that others are going through the same thing we are going through and that is great, I agree. But, I don’t necessarily agree that isolation is sickness. Connected (good) versus isolation (bad). You can live in a world connected with others or you can be by your self. Those are the only two options. I don’t believe that. There has to be more to life then just that. Life is not that simple and you don’t just have those two choices and at times there isn’t a choice at all. Life puts you in situations and circumstances and it is up to you do deal with them the best way you know how.

Like, at this moment, I am isolated. I am alone in my room, writing this post. I am in my own head and putting out my own thoughts just to get them out of my head. I am not doing this to share with an audience or to be “connected.” I do it because, this is what I always do. I have stuff to say and I have to speak, but I speak to no one. I don’t have anyone in my life that I can share this stuff with. I am isolated.

But, in my isolation, I am creative. My creativity is energizing. My isolation is granting me permission to indulge in my passion. Indulge without consequence or explanation. My isolation is affording me the opportunity to get somewhere better in my mind, do something better with my heart and spirit, and be something better then what I am. It is not bad, it is not good, it is just the way it is right now and how it has to be in order for me to change and grow.

Now, you could argue that I am not isolated because I am writing to potentially billions of people on the internet. And, someone is readying it and identifying with me, so in that sense, I am not isolated. I am very much connected. (Come on now, no one is readying my blog. But, yet, here I am. Putting it out there anyway.) People are readying it and yes, I hope they can related and hope that they get something out of what I say and it makes them feel better and feel more connected.

But, really what I am trying to say is that in life you are going to go through things. You have to. That is what life is. Experiencing things. Good things and bad things and things that have to identifying characteristics at all. Some times you are going to be connected to people, ideas, places and you are going to belong. And, some times you are not.

But, in those time that you are not and you are able to turn those times into periods of growth in your life, then you are living during those times too. So, don’t look down on those moments, embrace them and see what comes out of them. You might be surprise.

Motivation Plus Inspiration – That is a Good Question?

Published on March 7, 2012March 7, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Definition of Motivation – The reason or reasons now has for acting or behaving in a particular way.

What motivates you? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What puts a smile on your face? What makes you feel all warm and tingly in side?

Are your motivations internal or external? Do you get motivated by money and power? Or do you find motivation in gaining recognition or respect from others? Do you have an internal trigger that motivates you? When you are motivated, is there a physical manifestations of that motivation of are there mental boost you receive from that motivation? Does the motivation make you happier, stronger, smarter, wittier, bolder or more clever?

What motivates you?

Definition of Inspiration – The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.

What inspires you? What stimulates your heart to feel a certain may? What touches your emotions to act and feel a certain way? What do you see, smell, hear, taste and feel that inspires you? What places have you visited or situations you have been in or people you have meet that inspire you?

What inspires you?

The thing that motivates you and the thing that inspires you the same thing? What if there was one thing in life that not only motivated you, but inspired you? What would you do in order to sustain the feel that it gave you?

I think about my life and all that I had hope to accomplish so far. I find lots of inspiration, but very little motivation. And there in lies the problem. If you have something in your life that cause you to act a certain way and that mentally simulates you to create something, well, I call that living you life.

I am on a journey to discover what that is for me. Asking yourself those questions and I hope you find out what it is that does it for you as well. Once you find out what that thing is that both motivates and inspires you, then be grateful and respect the gift you have been given.