One More Chapter
A twenty two year-old's view on life, death,
and Taylor Swift conspiracy theories
and Taylor Swift conspiracy theories
3/31/2014 1 Comment Listen To Your Parents, FolksListen to your parents, folks, because more often then not, what they tell you is most likely the truth.
For instance, my parents - all adults rather - told my sister and me that one day we would be best friends. We just laughed at them and shrugged it off at the time. There was no way in hell that Audrey and I ever thought we would be able to even sit in the same room as each other for more than five minutes without bickering. It would drive our parents bat-shit crazy, our inability to stand each other's company. I couldn't stand the way she scratched an itch too close to me, she hated it when I sniffled too many times in her presence and so on. My brother was also subjected to hearing us bicker, and it didn't exactly help bring us close to him. He tended to just avoid us mainly, except when forced to take the middle seat in the back of my mom's small sedan so that my sister and I wouldn't claw each other to death. Over the years various circumstances have begun to bring us a bit closer together. When my parents got a divorce it was just my sister and I who were shipped back and forth each Sunday night since my brother was away in college. We witnessed the subsequent fights, we saw my mom riding off on the back of motorcycles when going on dates and lived through my father's second marriage together and we dealt with all the emotional baggage that comes along with all of these things. We began to mature together. Audrey got a job at the wedding venue I had been working at, and as we began to go on vacations with just us and one parent we also began to bicker less and less. We had more in common since many of our friends were mutual between work at the wedding venue and both working (not her any longer) at the same summer camp. We had more to talk about, especially as we started obsessing over the same books, movies and television shows. Both our best friends (Claire for me and Erika for her) soon became mutual as well as we started taking them with us on vacations. We also would room with Claire and her mom at national competitions and Audrey would bring Erika. Soon we were a tight knit group of girls on vacations. Now my sister and I rarely fight, and more often than not we find ourselves actually enjoying one another's company. Sometimes I can't even believe this day has come myself. Now, don't get me wrong, my sister and I have never been the kind to share emotions and get all emotional with each other, and we never outwardly acknowledge our love for each other since it would just be awkward and unfamiliar at this point. We aren't the sappy, mushy sisters and I usually find out about Audrey's more personal endeavors through her friends which I have no problem chatting with freely or from my dad who somehow seems to know every detail of my sister's romantic statuses. But we seem to be in a place right now that we've never been in before, and dear God I hope she it not reading this for she might find it too emotional and open. But we actually seem to be enjoying our times together when I am home and missing each other when I am away. The other day I called her just to ask where our mother was and we ended up just staying and chatting on the phone for a solid amount of time. I honestly love where our relationship has ended up, and while we still may be very different people, we are also so similar and it feels like, for the first time in my life, I truly have a sister, not an enemy. So for those of you who bicker with your siblings all the time and laugh whenever those pesky adults tell you that it will all change one day and you will become close and miss them and actually love them, just trust me on this one: sometimes adults are right, and this is one of those times. Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille
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There's nothing like having all the Keohanes get together in tight quarters (which are actually normal sized quarters, just filled with lots of unusually tall people) during the holidays. I feel bad for the those who are experiencing it for the first time, as it has come to the point where the cousins are bringing people to meet all thirty of us. For those of you who are in need of a little run-down of a Keohane event, I'm here to help you. And if you are already filled with an abundance of Keohane swag, I hope you can relate to this post. Without further ado, here is what to expect at a Keohane family gathering. 1. When You Arrive...The first thing we all must do is make a B-line to Grampy. When you find him you must inform him that you were indeed looking for him, otherwise he will hunt you down and say, "I heard you were looking for me". It's best to learn your lesson fast. 2. Life Lessons...After your greeting Grampy, be sure to have some sort of fun fact in your head, because the next thing you will be asked is: "What did you learn today?" Proceed to feed him your memorized fact, and he will remind you that you learn something new everyday. 3. Let's Eat...After your uncomfortable yet entertaining conversation with Grampy you may now allow yourself to check out the appetizer table on which you may choose from shrimp cocktail, fruits and veggies, Auntie Anne's calzones, or - if your lucky - Grammy's chicken wings! *score* 4. Make Your Rounds...The next step, now that you have greeted Grampy and have you nutrients in your body, it's time to make your way through the crowd of aunts and uncles. If you are new to this, stick close to your significant other and let them guide the way. 5. Finishing off the evening...For the rest of the night enjoy our food, which is either a beautiful array of meatballs, ham, salad, spaghetti, and sandwiches, or -if you are in luck again - enough Chinese food to feed an army. And, of course, while enjoying all this wonderful food, you will undoubtedly face a few more conversations with Grampy where he interrogates you about school and your love life. But at least it will entertain the onlookers, and you will probably get one of Auntie Holly's famous chocolate chip cookies as a bonus. But the best part about going to Keohane gatherings, is that we all love each other and it's great to be surrounded by people who genuinely care about you and want to know what's going on in your life and how you are doing. I feel blessed to have such an amazing family. And while they might be a lot to take in all at once for a newbie, they are some of the easiest people to love. Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayWayfaring Stranger by Ed Sheeran 3/29/2014 0 Comments Spring is in the AirThis morning I woke up and walked over to the gym for a morning spin class. Stepping outside I realized that today was the day: the first REAL day of Spring. You could smell it in the air, feel it in your bones, and it was amazing. The beautiful weather boosted my happiness up a few hefty notches and allowed me get an even better workout. But most of all, this amazing weather has me pumped and ready to go for all the amazing things that are sure to follow soon (fingers crossed - this is New England after all). for instance, that Spring smell. You know what I'm talking about, it's probably one of the best scents - especially if a candle is somehow able to contain it. And speaking of candles, this season welcomes the new waves of spring scented candles. And I know I say that Fall scents are my favorite, but let's just face the facts. I love the scents of whichever seasons is closest upon us. So towards the end of summer I obsess over Fall scents, towards the end of Fall I obsess over Winter scents and so on. Don't deny that you do the exact same thing. So now we get to look forward to a new phase of amazing candle scents. And let's not forget how amazing everything will look once all the grass begins to grow back and the flowers come out once again..! Basically, Spring needs to be here, like now. More posts to come soon! Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayR.I.P. by Rita Ora 3/28/2014 0 Comments The Friend Stealing SisterSo now that I have told you of the story of me and my best friend Katie, I feel it is only right to tell you of another important friendship in my life: Claire Mullan. Claire and I had a rather different friendship, because she wasn't actually my friend when I first met her; she was my sister's. Audrey and Claire were thick as thieves in preschool and kindergarten (my sister stayed in Worcester for kindergarten instead of Princeton like I did). Claire was a year younger than my sister, making her three years younger than me, and all I knew of her was what I heard through my sister. The two were also in dance class together when they were very young. I too attended the same dance studio (Chickee's Dance World), but was in a different class at a different time. Soon Audrey and Claire lost connection when Audrey attended elementary school in Princeton and dropped out of dance, opting for sports like soccer, track and softball. Soon we lost touch with Claire and her family...that is, until I was in about 5th grade. At this point the dance classes at Chickee's were reworked and I ended up being put onto a team with Claire. Slowly, we began to become closer and closer friends, and soon we were best friends. The first time I brought Claire over to hang out, it was a bit awkward for she and Audrey hadn't interacted since the days when they were best friends. But over the years we've gotten used to it and our families are once again very close. Claire and her mom stay with my mom, Audrey and me during competitions and often join us on vacations. It may seem odd to some that there are three years difference in our age, but neither of us notice at all. I think that age shouldn't ever really matter in friendship, just mutual respect and love for each other. Plus, it helps that I can just drive us around everywhere and take us on fun outings in the summer. She is one of the best friends I have ever had, and I can thank Audrey for all of that ;) Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayCrave You by Flight Facilities ft. Giselle 3/26/2014 0 Comments The Story of Amanda and KateMost people who know me know my best friend, Katie. She and I have had a long and, at times, tumultuous friendship. It all began when nineteen years ago I was assigned the adjacent crib to her in the baby room at day care. We hit it off right away, and it also helped that our parents all knew each other since our older brothers were attending preschool together in the next room. Katie (I have always called her Katie, though most people seem to refer to her as just Kate) and I were thick as thieves and also found friendship in two boys named Brendan and Robbie, who also had siblings in preschool with ours. The years spent at that YMCA daycare/preschool were some of the best. No responsibilities, just toys, snack time, and all the paste you can eat. Katie and I were notorious for being best friends one second then fighting over something extremely arbitrary and being enemies the next. The most famous of these incidents being the "stop sign" incident where I corrected Katie when she drew a school but saying that there was a stop sign on the side of it. She was sure that I was wrong in this thinking and refused to add the sign. She got up to go to the bathroom and warned me that I better not touch the drawing, only to return and see that I had added a little red stop sign on the side of the yellow rectangle. Needless to say, we didn't talk to each other for the rest of the day and Robbie and Brendan were forced to choose sides during "house" at recess. It was the four of us together all the way up until kindergarten and we stayed close even when Robbie and I left the Worcester school system to addend school together in Princeton, MA. Him and his family were supposedly one of the biggest influences in our decision to move out to the small Massachusetts town, for they had been living there already when Robbie and his brother were going to school in Worcester (where we were living at the time). During the school year we would see each other periodically for play dates and sleepovers, but the best was the summer. We went to camp together and got to spend all day everyday of the summer driving our counselors insane. It was awesome. Yes, there were times when things were less than perfect, like when I didn't catch her during a trust fall once or when I hit her in the face with a canoe paddle by accident or the time when Katie dropped her applesauce all over my towel at lunch even after I warned her to be careful with it. But through it all, our friendship prevailed and to this day she is one of my closest and dearest friend. I have always thought that our friendship has survived because we don't see each other constantly, so when we do get together it is even more special. Not many people have had a sister like this with whom you can grow up together and experience life with. While we have grown to be very different people, somehow those differences never matter when we get together and it's just like we are picking up from the last time we saw each other. She is truly one of the people who have helped me make it this far in life and I wouldn't be the woman I am today without her. FUN FACT: Katie's middle name is Amanda. While she was not named after me, I like to think that she was since she is two months younger. Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayWe Are Gonna Be Friends by Jack Johnson 3/24/2014 0 Comments I Am Divergent.Yes, I am a fan of Divergent. And proud of it. I read the book, written by Veronica Roth, a couple years ago by now, I think. It was an instant connection to the plot, characters, everything. I was hooked within the first chapter. I think I finished it within about a few days and I couldn't wait until the next one. Unfortunately it wasn't published yet and I had to wait, which is always the worst because by the time it it released to the public, you aren't able to recall the details of the previous novel. Anyways, so it had been a while since I read the book, and I didn't reread it before attending the premiere of the movie, so I was reminded of various events as the film progressed. In all, I was very pleased with the film and thought that it was really well adapted from the novel. There will always be some things that they just can't fit in, which I completely understand. As it is the movie was already 2 1/2 hours and I don't think that it would have been smart to have made it any longer for it would be a bit dragging for those less invested (if it were me, it could sit there and stare at the screen for five hours if it meant getting every detail into the movie). The one thing that slightly bothered me was that they didn't put a lot of emphasis on Tris, the protagonist of the series', friends. In the novel Tris literally had only her friends friends (Will, Christina, Al, Uriah and a few others) when going through the horrible trials of the Dauntless Initiates. While, yes, there was a budding romance between her and Four/Tobias growing throughout the story, it didn't really surface until 3/4ths of the way into the novel. In the film they don't really touch on Christina and Will's relationship, or Al's love for Tris, or who Al really is at all. Neither do they even mention Edward or Uriah except for their names appearing on the scoreboard, which no one would pick out and notice. Therefore as certain characters are killed off (I won't say which ones or how many) there isn't as much of an emotional impact as there would otherwise have been, nor as there was when reading the book. Also - what happened to Edward being stabbed in the eye with a fork by Peter? That did happen and is how Edward is picked out of the crowd in the opening scene of the third novel...anyways..that was a bit frustrating. But Other than these small upsets, the movie did fairly well in following the plot of the novel and respecting the story line and characters. The sets were fantastic and the Dauntless outfits were to die for, and I also wish I had a tattoo just like Tris', but unfortunately I already have three birds on the back of my shoulder, so that won't be happening. I definitely recommend seeing the movie for all those who are interested or who have read the book(s). Shailene Woodley was a pleasant surprise as the character of Tris and who wouldn't want to stare at Theo James for a solid 2.5 hours? Though I will admit that he had a bit of an accent slip in one scene and it sounded rather odd, but all in all I can forgive him since...well, just look at him. I will definitely will be purchasing this one when it comes out on DVD! Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayScotland by The Lumineers 3/24/2014 1 Comment People ChangeThere is no way of avoiding the fact that people change. When I was younger I was dead set on the fact that I would never get a tattoo - I was unabashedly extremist in my decision that tattoos were terrible...I got three in this past year alone. I used to be short and angry...now I am tall and reasonably happy. Long story short: people change. I think it's rather upsetting, when people say "you're not the same person you used to be". Well, neither are you. I'm not the same person I was two seconds ago either, and I'm not going to be the same person two minutes from now. It's a constant thing. Every decision we make changes us in some unknown and immeasurable way, we just can't see it until we look back really far, where the difference is drastic and noticeable. But these changes aren't always bad thing; nor are they always a good thing. Some people change for the better, the category under which I hope I fall, and some people change for the worse. But what I've come to realize is that while it may seem some of these people have changed for the worst, perhaps they have only changed in a way that pulls them away from you. To them it may seem as if they have changed for the better, but just not in a way that you can comprehend/agree with/support. It's all a matter of perspective. Not only are these changes happening physically, but even more so they are happening mentally. Our whole out look on life could change in a second - though this is not as common as the more gradual changes we all experience as we encounter different experiences and as we witness and learn new things. I know for a fact that I have changed greatly, and as a result I haven't remained close to a lot of the people with whom I once was. Most people lose contact as we move on in life with school, work and just life in general. But you know you have found an amazing friend when the two of you manage to stay close through it all. My friend Kate and I have been friends since we were literally months old, and I still consider her one of my best friends in the entire world. She and I have grown up to be completely different people, but our friendship has somehow lasted through the past nineteen years and I don't see it falling apart anytime soon. Perhaps our secret is that we rarely get a chance to see each other except in the summer when we work together at a summer camp. Though even then we have to try hard to increase our number of social opportunities as she is a lifeguard and I have no reason to go to the lake unless we are running through the dreaded weekly lost camper drill. But one thing is for certain in all of this; we all change. There is no avoiding it so we might as well just accept it. I hope that you are all changing in ways that will better your future and make you a happier person. Who cares if you end up growing distant from the people you are friends with now? If they are meant to be your friend then they will understand that you will change. It is impossible to remain the same person after learning all the things we do and experiencing all the crazy things that life has in store for us. So let's just embrace it, and make it as positive of a change that we can. Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayChange by Taylor Swift oh Taylor, you will always hold a place in my heart, even though you too have gone through your own changes. 3/23/2014 1 Comment Center StageThis weekend was the first time that I attended a dance competition with my studio, Chickee's Dance World, and didn't actually perform on stage. Needless to say, it was torture. Elena, the girl who graduated with me last year, and I have become set on the fact that we will be back on that stage before the year is up. Chickee, if you're reading this, we think you need a nice alumni dance for your 30th recital! But even though it was hard to sit in the audience, there was no denying that the girls did amazing. I am so proud to know each and everyone one of them and to be able to call them my friends (though the more accurate thing to call them by now would be family). While the competition was admittedly a small one, we still made a clean sweep and did spectacularly at awards! And a special shout out to Claire Mullan, one of the greatest people in my life! You were absolutely beautiful on stage, I couldn't take my eyes off you when you were up there. When I watch you dance it is clear that you are doing what you love and what you were destined for. You have improved and matured so much over these last few years and it truly is a privilege to have gotten so close to you and your whole family. One of these days I'm going to have to make a post about how we became such good friends, because it really is a funny one. Keep doing what you're doing, darling! Chickee, just so you know, Elena and I will be making a cameo in "Man in the Mirror" before the year is up! And I will be stealing someone's "Rose" costume (or buying one for myself, it's just too pretty)! It was a privilege to be able to cheer for all my amazing Chickee's girls this weekend and hope to see you all again in Springfield next month! Thanks for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayHanging On by Ellie Golding (cover) 3/19/2014 0 Comments My Mindy is ShowingI feel as if one of the most under-appreciated people in the Television industry is the amazing Mindy Kaling. It's because of people like her, Tina Fey and Amy Pohler that women are being taken more seriously in such a male-dominated industry. I mean, she is doing everything that I can only hope to be doing one day, and it's not because she just gracefully fell into such a powerful, she worked her ass off. She studied, she wrote, she did everything she could and now look at her; a writer, producer, actress and the creator of her own TV show, The Mindy Project. Which, if you haven't seen it, you really must go watch a few episodes. You will be hooked! It's probably one of the funniest show on TV. She continues to be a daily inspiration to me and many others out there in the world, I'm sure of it. But not only is she an inspiration, she oddly is very similar to myself. Mindy, if you are, by some unforeseen miracle, reading this, we should grab coffee one of these day. I think we would get along pretty well. As I started reading more about her and learning her story of getting a jobs as a writer for The Office, I began so see more and more similarities between the two of us. Especially when I picked up her autobiofr A Constant Need to Be WorkingOne of the things that she talked a lot about in her book is how she works a lot. And this is something that I can completely relate to. I need to be working, as does Mindy. Neither of us really knows what to do with free time, it's a bit of a curse. Our Extreme DietsLike me, Mindy is always trying out crazy different diets that she learns about and is interested in. Unlike me though, she doesn't do it to desperately slim down for bikini weather, she is merely intrigued by them. She is much more comfortable with her body than I am, and I'm still trying to learn from her in this aspect. Her Life Vs My Life PlansThey're the same. Literally, as I was reading Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me? I realized that the outline of her life is exactly what I am working towards: a regular childhood, going to college then working my way into show business. Only difference is that she is one in a million and they chances I will make it as successfully as she are very slim. A Sassy Independent Indian Womenjust kidding, I wish I was an amazing, sassy, independent Indian women like Mindy, but I am not. Though I do take pride in the fact that I am very independent, and I think (I hope) that I am at least somewhat funny. Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayAwake My Soul by Mumford & Sons 3/15/2014 0 Comments Paleo: Week 4It's been almost 4 weeks since I started the Paleo diet and I thought that I would do a little check in to explain my experience so far, and give an update on how it's going. For those of you who don't know what the Paleo diet is, I basically only what the "cavemen" could eat; fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts and meet. Here are some of the things I can't have: corn, legumes, grains (like any grains), potatoes (but I can have sweet potatoes), sugar, dairy or any processed foods at all. So, pretty much any packaged foods. And let me tell you: it's as hard as it sounds. The first week was absolute hell. All I was doing was suffering the worst cravings. It put me in a pretty bad mood for about ten days because I was miserable and unsatisfied. As the weeks went on these cravings began to subside and I was much happier with the diet. For the most part my meals go like this: Breakfast is from the cafe near my dorm where, for one swipe of your Ucard, I can get a container from the yogurt bar (which has granola yogurt and fruit, but I just get only fruit), a "side" (which means either a pastry, muffin or piece of fruit, I get a piece of fruit), and two drinks (I get a tea and little carton of all natural orange juice). I save my "side" fruit for later but eat the container full of fruit and drink my OJ, then take my tea to my first class because it takes a while to cool down. Lunch is that piece of fruit I got at breakfast and some baby carrots from my stash that I keep in my fridge. Dinner is the more elaborate meal. I get a plate of lettuce/raw baby spinach with an assortment of vegetables and a piece or two of pain, grilled chicken. I like to make sure at least some of the vegetables on top of my lettuce is cooked because I can't have salad dressing on this diet so sauteed veggies add a bit of moisture to the lettuce. For "dessert" I have some more fruit and a few raisins. The only dried fruit that I know I can eat is dates, prunes, and raisins because there isn't sugar added to these, so a few raisins after dinner is a nice treat. I usually take an apple or banana with me when I leave the dining hall for a snack around nine or ten while I'm doing my homework, though sometimes I have a handful of baby carrots instead I get really excited when the dining halls have sweet potatoes when I'm there because they don't have them everyday and sometimes when they do have them, I'll go to the other dining hall and miss my opportunity. They are one of the only sources of carbs I can have on this diet (the only other being the natural sugar from the fruit since sugar is a carb). I usually only get to have them once a week, which sucks but oh well, it's a nice treat. I have combined this diet with a pretty sturdy workout schedule as well. I go to the gym pretty much everyday for about an hour and a half to two hours. I usually do about 20 - 30 minutes on the mat doing your basic conditioning and then an hour of cardio. Sometimes, when the gym is less crowded and I have time, I will hit the weight room and use the machines there. So far I have lost ten pounds in one month. I'm loving these results and have no intention of stopping the diet anytime soon. Though if you are thinking about trying out this diet I have to warn you, there is always this slightly unsatisfied feeling you get from it. And the things I miss most isn't even so much the taste of all those sugar-filled delicious processed foods, but the texture. What I wouldn't do the bite into a chewy, delicious, thick granola bar...but it's worth it, trust me. Hopefully I'll being checking in next month with just as positive results! Thank you for reading, Amanda Lucille Song of the DayKeep Pushing Me by Gabrielle Aplin |
About This Blog:I started this blog as a way to challenge myself to write more over the 2014 year, but it has blossomed into so much more than that. I use it to let people in on what's happening in my life, talk about things I find important and to spread the news about amazing people, places and art. Archives
November 2017
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