Mi Ojos

I am getting old.

For roughly a year now, I have been squinting in my very first pair of glasses which I got during  junior year of high school. Then, I basically had the most mild prescription you could possibly have. However recently I knew it was time for a new prescription for new pair of glasses, maybe contacts...so I thought.

About two weeks ago at Costco I had an appointment to get my full eye exam. I went in knowing these three things:
1. I was probably going to be really uncomfortable when they would put my contacts in. However, I knew I needed them because I don't like wearing glasses all day. Also, my vision without anything has gotten to the point where it bugs me all day.
2. My prescription had gotten a lot worse and I would probably be squinting, laughing at how I wouldn't be able to read the letters on the board.
3. I couldn't wait to see clearly!

Laughed at myself for being blind *check*!
Could see (more than) clearly with the new prescription *check*!
Was really uncomfortable when the doctor put in my contacts for the first time *check check check check check check check check check*!!!!!!!


I almost can't even tell you how embarrassing that was. As soon as the doctor put in the first contact, then the second one I was nauseous, overheating, shaking, light-headed and my stomach felt like it was spinning. I JUST WANTED THE CONTACTS OUT. The doctor didn't want to take them out and make it worse, however we tried leaving them in and my anxiety was not getting any better....it was getting worse. I rushed outside the doctors office in front of the whole Costco store about 2 or 3 times. Him and the nurse were doing everything they could to not get me to faint when I was back in the room.  Eventually even though I wasn't better, I told him just to take them out. It was a "are you sure?" "no, but do it anyways" sort of thing. Afterwards he looked up what could've be wrong, it's called Vasovagal Syncope. It is basically the physical feelings of fight or flight you get from something feared (something touching my eye). Him and the other doctor said they have had a few out of many people they've examined have this occur. Apart from that, they also said I have astigmatism, ya know, like the old contact commercial with the two blonde twins.

I was informed to lay down for half an hour. During that time I told the doctor about my nightmare from a week before where I woke up blind. We both agreed we'd choose to be deaf over blind and that being able to see was a gift. The nurse offered me a ride home after I calmed down, but I said I'd be okay, home was only a couple mile away. I was treated so well by this office I highly recommend it if you need to get a new eye prescription! I received my eye glasses a week later on a rainy day. I was telling my friend Joseph "I can see clearly now, the rain is NOT gone". Haha. Oh...incase you didn't come to the conclusion from all I said already no, I will not be getting contacts anytime soon.

In the Midst of It All

Example A
Crazy hair don't care

Example B
Coffee please save me

Personally (if you couldn't tell by the shortage of blogs) I have been extremely busy. Keeping my motivation up is tiring because I know in order to achieve success there is something I need to or can do everyday to work towards it...more like every hour of the day. The easiest way that to stay on track is to keep a list in my phone. Anytime I'm done with something I put a a big red, emoji 'X' next to it. You'd be surprised at how good it feels to see the progress your making. There are days where I wake up in the morning ready to go knowing I will finish near everything that's on my list (Example A). There are also days where I struggle to open eyes in the morning, feeling like they're glued shut begging for more sleep (Example B). Those days are usually the ones where I get overwhelmed the night before after adding more things to my list. The key is to find something beautiful, mind-easing or exciting in every day. That is what keeps you sane and happy.

This has been the basics of my list for the past week or two
- New eye prescription appt.
- Israel trip planning
- Work
- Gym
- School and homework
- Searching for next year's lease
- Switching bank companies
- Keeping up with chores
- W2 form business
- Car maintenance
- Running errands

Some great things that have happened today in the midst of being busy busy
- Received my thank you points gift in the mail from my old credit card. I got myself a $100 gift card to Bed Bath & Beyond to get myself a tempurpedic pillow. (I've been wanting one for years) With the rest of the points I'm trying to figure out how to donate them to charity. I saw my cancer organization (Special Love) on there as an option ;)
- The weather is wonderful, I put the top down in my convertible after taking my second test of the week at school (which I feel confident about)
- I'm looking forward to and will be packing to visit my long-term friend at UCLA tomorrow after school. Then I will be seeing my family afterwards :)
 - I got to choose to photoshop a leaping pug and an adorable tortoise today in my 8 am, which you can imagine made me giggle even though I had a hard time waking up this morning.

I hope you all can find joy and comfort in every day! It is completely possible, even on the busiest of the busiest or the worst of worst days. Remember to always TREAT YOSELF!

Birthright to Israel

Whether you practice Judaism or you come from Jewish descent, you are eligible for a free trip to Israel! I myself am of Jewish descent coming from my mother. To those of you who know me more personally than others, you know that my mom passed away when I was just a baby. I will discover where I came from on her side and a completely different culture that will leave me with new knowledge of the world around me. This will be a trip of a lifetime for me on top of being my first flight out of the United States!

Santa Barbara Post Office

"Loosen up on the smile, they
want to be able to see your
eyes."

Aaahh, the much enjoyed process of getting a passport. I've heard stories about how difficult it can be to get a passport in your hands. I will notify you as progress comes along. However, all I had to do was bring my birth certificate, license, passport application, and a smile on my face to the Santa Barbara post office today. Besides waiting in line, the meeting was very quick and I was told my passport should arrive by March 29th. Exciting! I have a feeling I will become addicted to traveling after this 10 day trip in mid June. That is.....traveling outside the United States because I've been and lived all over this country already in the West Coast, Midwest, and East Coast.

I guess I make the best guacamole
AND hummus!

If you'd like to know more information about the trip I will be going on or are interested in it yourself, you can checkout the Birthright website! Also, here is a link to a Facebook page for the UCSB/ SBCC club in Isla Vista that makes this trip possible :)

Mine! Mine! Mine!

Let me tell ya....Santa Barbara City College you are the most beautiful school with the best campus location ever. Your accompaniment is quite annoying however. THAT'S RIGHT, I'M TALKING TO YOU SEAGULLS!

I cannot tell you how many times I have been the witness or the victim of many close interactions with seagulls here at SBCC. They have got some gulls to be able to come up this close to you! They can be quite vicious too. Last year I saw one take a whole chicken tender (cannibal) and fly away with it swarming together with the rest of the seagulls before the person got back with their napkin. If you haven't noticed, this is why the SBCC cafeteria has a sign with a picture of a seagull saying that they will not make up for it. 

So this specific seagull to right above would not stop squawking at me. His friend joined into the harmony as well. Over everyone else outside, he decides to come squawk at me for a salad. A SALAD. Heck, I'd squawk for some chicken tenders and some fries if I could. Oh wait, the seagull in the picture to the left did. In fact, he took it farther than any other seagull has done before in the presence of a human being  inches away. HE GOT ON MY TABLE. Excuse me, am I sitting at YOUR table?? This picture shows I had absolutely nothing left on my plate after he was staring me down until I finished my chicken and fries. You know what he did? As I was sitting RIGHT THERE, he took my ranch cup from me, hopped off the table, and flew away.................................. you win seagull. YOU WIN. 

Is this payback for chasing seagulls all my life? 

Birthday Shenanigans

Now that my birthday month has passed, it's definitely time to blog about my birthday.
What's awesome is that my closest friends have their birthdays right around mine. My friend Allie and Joseph's birthdays are the 20th and my friend Nicole's birthday is the 21st. Mine is January 22nd! It's funny how I've basically grown up with Nicole and Allie and our birthday's are so close together (One is 364 days younger than me and the other is 363 days younger). Anyways!!!!...

We're 20!!!

The day before my birthday I honestly had a couple panic attacks. I felt like I just wanted to stop time after hearing things like "You're going to be a fifth of a century old" and "You're officially going to be an adult and not a teenager anymore". However, I had to realize that stopping time is impossible because well....it is.

I fell asleep before midnight came about, I guess my adult-self couldn't hang. Like usual, I woke up to many texts and several social media posts wishing me a happy birthday. I don't know what it was, but for some reason on my birthday (January 22nd) I could not seem to soak in the fact that I was 20. I am in my second decade. The whole day just seemed unreal to me. I had to start the day off finishing homework that was due that day, then I went shopping for an outfit for the night, and came back home and got ready for my birthday dinner at Something's Fishy on State Street (a hibachi grill). By the end of the night I came to a realization. I have been waiting, wishing, and dreaming of what is going to happen in my 20's for so long. This was just the start to everything I have been dreaming of for so long. I'll be graduating college, finding my career, publishing a book, getting the first place of my own, and hopefully meeting someone I can spend the rest of my life and build a family with down the line. It's an adventure within a second decade span I should be excited for, it doesn't mean all these things have to happen all at once right now!

The stars of Hollywood.

Last weekend I drove down to UCLA to see Nicole (who I've known since we were babies). We had the best time celebrating both of our birthdays with each other in Hollywood that night since we weren't able to meet up the other weekend.  It definitely made up for the mixed emotions I had on my actual birthday. At this point it has all soaked in for the most part. There will always be feelings of "boy, time just flies by", but I'm becoming more accepting of it. That makes me all the more motivated to make this second decade a good one!