I Give Up

I’ve obviously given up on the Reveb 10 project.  I felt that the prompts were basically the same thing over and over and they didn’t exactly challenge me as a writer.  It was more of a challenge to WANT to do them everyday than to come up with something to write about.  Every prompt had the same format: “What was something in 2010?  What was important about it?  What about that same something in 2011?”  And I swear, there were two or three prompts were about my New Years resolutions.  I can only answer the same question so many times!

If I want to set a resolution for myself I will, but I don’t need to write about it five times.  I want to write more, so I will.  I want to stop making unnecessary purchases, so I will.  I want to wake up in the morning, so I will.  I don’t need to write about it, I need to do it, which I will.

No more prompts for me, I just don’t care enough to write about what some random author wants me to write about.

Day 25

Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

I was happy here.  I am happy.  I strive to always have a smile on my face, because one smile can make anyone’s day.

This picture was taken by my friend Leslie at the beach by school.  This day we walked down to the abandoned buildings of Fort Ord then to the beach just to take pictures and play in the ocean.

I’m a happy person, and this picture shows it.  And even when I’m not in the best of moods I will still smile at complete strangers and friends because I believe everyone should have the chance to feel joy.

 

Day 24

What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

Every moment that I spend with my family.  Every moment that I spend with my good friends.  Every moment that I spend with my fantastic boyfriend, Josh.  I’m thankful to have people like these in my life and I know that if anything ever gets tough I can turn to all of them and all of them will have my back.

Day 23 New Name

Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?

If I ever had the chance to change my name, I would stick with Zoë.  I like my name, and everyone I know likes my name.  Why would I want to change it?

Day 22 Travel

How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year?

In 2010:

Certainly not as interesting as Europe, but I still had a blast and learned something.

In 2011 I’m planning on staying in California; there is no way I will have enough money this year to do any traveling!

Day 21 Future Self

Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?)

I am simply refusing to do this prompt.  How am I supposed to know what I’ll be like in five years and what my 23 year-old self would tell me now.  And ten years ago I was eight.

Day 20 Beyond Avoidance

What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?)

The one thing I can think of that I didn’t do this year that I should have, that I needed to, was go to class every morning.  A lot of times I would wake up and think “I am wayyyyy to tired for that!” and other times I would simply sleep through my alarm.  It resulted in me failing my Statistics final and failing the class, which I now have to take over summer.  Next semester I am going to go to class every day unless I am terribly can’t-move-or-my-body-might-break sick or my-head-is-stuck-in-the-toilet sick.  Especially since I will be taking classes for my major I need to get my act together.

Day 19 Healing

What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?

I’d say that what healed me was moving far away from Manteca.  As much as I love my family and close friends, there were just far too many assholes causing drama.  Sure, there are assholes causing drama everywhere, but back home there was just no way to avoid them.  Now I’m happy and I have great friends both at school and in my hometown and I don’t have to see any douchebags if I don’t want to.

I personally don’t feel that I need to be healed in 2011.  I’m happy with my life as of now and I’m optimistic about the next year.

Day 18 Try

What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?

I feel like this is another New Year’s Resolution prompt.

In 2010 I tried college.  I like college.  I’ve decided that in 2011 (and even after that) I’m going to continue to try college.

In all seriousness, here are a few things I’d like to try/do in 2011:

• I’d like to try to write more.
• I’d like to try to write a lot more, for real.
• I’d like to try to wake up earlier.
• I’d like to try to go to bed earlier.
• I’d like to try to run more.
• I’d like to try to eat healthier.
• I’d like to try to not skip so much class.
• I’d like to try to chill out.

That’s all I have for now, but I think it’s a pretty nice list.

Day 17 Lessons Learned

What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward?

The best thing I learned about myself this year is that I don’t take shit from anyone.  Seriously, if anyone is even a little rude to me I can throw it back in their face in a heartbeat.  When I worked at Starbucks my assistant manager used to love the way I said, “I’m sorry, we don’t serve frappe’s here.  Try McDonalds.”  And when the customer got angry and asked to see my manager she would simply say, “She’s right.  But we do have Frappuccinos if you want one.”

How will I apply that lesson?  Keep doing what I’m doing I guess.  Ignorant and rude people really should realize that they need to keep their mouths shut sometimes, and I’ll help them, one rude customer at a time.