Did I say how important it is to think this:

I am just a human…who cares?

I think we are all so afraid to embarrass ourselves or feel stupid for not knowing what others know that we shut ourselves off from growing. Next time, like I have been doing, just say I am okay…I am just human.

Is okay to not know everything, to make mistakes, ask questions.

But as you do this remember this.

YOU ARE HUMAN!

You are amazing, beautiful, curious, loving, courageous, smart, and creative.


Be positive! Think amazing thoughts. Do even better.

Oh, yea get out and DO something. Act your dream! Why not, start small but make it an action rather than just talking. Small and tiny steps all it takes to get the ball rolling.

I think it’s so important to start each day with something uplifting, fun, creative –whatever, anything that is positive to you. For me these past few months have been daily e-mails from the Universe aka Mike Dooley. It is amazing what his messages have done for me! I feel so peaceful, happy, and present when I read them. The fun thing is each e-mail is personalized with your name and sometimes they are related to your goals that you list when you sign up.

E-mail #1:

Do you think I'll meet you half way?
Not quite, Tharisica.

I'll take you all the way. That's my job.

Your job is to set me in motion with the thoughts you think, the words you choose, the things you do, and the homage you pay...

Sorry, just kidding about the homage part.
To the stars,
The Universe

Have a great weekend, Tharisica, and think, say, and do all you can about that voice!

E-mail #2:

Super-incredibly FAST is the general order of the Universe, Tharisica, often with a splash of lemon, a dash of salt, and a shot of tomato juice.And just knowing this about the "general order" makes stuff happen super-incredibly FAST. And puckers one's lips. One voice is on its way, The Universe

I want you to have what you want to have, Tharisica, as fast as you want to have it... Let's roll.

Most of universe messages are always reinforcing how important your thoughts are and how they play an important role in how your life unfolds.

Give it a try. You'll love it. If you don't...you can always unsubscribe.

This movie just made me think “how lucky am I?” Heartbreaking! Wonderfully acted. So natural.

Life has been super FABULOUS these past few months. I just feel so happy, content, and wonderful in my own skin. Sure, I have those days (very very few) but overall I feel SO blessed and SO happy. I don’t know how to explain how peaceful I am. I am in the moment and loving it. I graduated, found a great job with people who are so welcoming, and finally have the time to do what I love. I read somewhere that if you find a job you love you don’t have to work a day in your life. Well, this is what I have accomplished at the moment. I am back in downtown, meeting so many people, getting involved, and most importantly improving myself. I love the buzz of downtown. I love the farmer’s market every Thursdays and the crowd that it brings. I love being able to get errands done during my lunch hour. Most importantly I have noticed how grateful and happy I am when I am doing the simplest of task. I love jumping up and down after work when something on TV is unexpected or just really funny, sitting on the train and reading or just watching people.

Simple things!

This book is amazing and disturbing! Towelhead by Alicia Erian.

I was standing for the train and waiting like every other day-listening to my music, thinking about my night, and my day. All of a sudden I hear a people gasping and group of people in a circle. All of a sudden the circle dissolves and men are jumping onto the track---as the train blares its horn. All I could think “oh my gosh…what’s going on?” This is when I see a woman who has fallen onto the tracks. This old woman covered in a scarf, maybe she was somalian, has fallen on to the tracks and she is not moving. Her shoes have been thrown-- one on the platform and another on the tracks. About five guys dressed in business suits, their lap top bag across their shoulders, jump in. They scoop her up and bystanders get her back to consciousness. One man after putting the woman back on the platform picks up her things, that also fell with the woman. After gathering the woman’s items he jumps back up to safety.

This made me realize how wonderful we human beings are. We’ll jump after danger for someone we never met before, someone that doesn’t even look like us or even speak our language. We react to danger of another person and we don’t turn our face to ignore it. The men and the bystanders who assisted this woman are heroes in my eyes. The human spirit is powerful, lifting, and loving. We just have to remember it.

Be open to all the possibilities.

I got a water bottle with the quote
"pain is weakness leaving the body."
It was from the U.S. Marines.

I am very ready for winter to come.
I love the cold weather.

One of my goals for the next few years is to read fifty books that I think “WOW!” “Amazing words and thoughts.” Do you have any books that gave you a "wow" experience...if so, let me know!?

Wrigley's Extra Gum Commercial: Airport Security

Every time I turn on the TV this commercial is on. At first I didn’t make too much of it but now I think the guy is kind of hot. Anyone else agree?

I went out to a Thai restaurant and the food was SO GREAT! I had the chicken peanut coconut dish…and I told the waiter “really spicy.” I didn’t think it would be at all spicy maybe American spicy.. but they listened and it was super spicy. Loved it!

The music that was playing in the restaurant sounded so familiar. So I closely listened to it and realized it was Korean music from the drama Kim Sam Soon.

This morning when I was walking back to my apartment someone was playing the soundtrack from the movie “A Walk to Remember.” This used to be my favorite movie until I memorized all the lines. So pathetic.

Good times!

I am having WAY too much fun and my classes are awesome!!

New Discoveries. On the Bookshelf:


I was given a ton of books this summer by my manager:

StrengthsFinder 2.0 was one of my favorites.

The author, Tom Rath, writes "Society’s relentless focus on people’s shortcoming had turned into a global obsession. What’s more, we had discovered that people have several times more potential for growth when they invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies.” With a purchase of a book you will get a pass code to take a 30 minute online StrengthsFinder assessment. Answering questions for 30 minutes is not a lot of fun but reading the results is!

Here are my areas where I have the greatest potential to develop strengths:

ADAPTABILITY
People who are especially talented in the Adaptability theme prefer to “go with the flow.” They tend to be “now” people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time.

It’s very likely that you traditionally prefer to work independently. When you have only your work, studies, resources, and time to manage, you are able to contend with the day's events as they unfold. You usually like to make decisions and act on them without being required to seek and receive the approval of one or more people. By nature, you can be flexible about how a game is played. Having a good experience is much more important to you than winning. Many people marvel at your ability to calmly move on to something else after you have met with defeat. Chances are good that you occasionally can let today take care of itself. Why? Maybe you understand that tomorrow will bring its own demands, worries, concerns, and opportunities. Because of your strengths, you traditionally decide all is well in your life when you allow each day to unfold on its own terms. You are apt to feel restricted or boxed in by people who force you to adhere to their plans, processes, rules, or procedures. You often argue that human beings must be flexible as they plan for the future. Why? Life is filled with constant surprises and change. You are determined to avoid creating undue stress for yourself and others by acknowledging this simple fact.

CONNECTEDNESS
People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.

Chances are good that you know you are a strand in the intricate web of life. You search for ways to link with individuals who also ponder concepts, theories, or philosophies. In their company, you are apt to discover or rediscover your special place and purpose in life. Instinctively, you continually seek wisdom from people with whom you have intelligent conversations. You not only listen but also share your thoughts. In the process, you are likely to move beyond concrete facts. Your curiosity draws you to speculate -- that is, reflect or wonder -- about theories, ideas, or concepts. To keep your mind fresh, you frequently quiz individuals who are equally fascinated with the intangible and abstract aspects of life. Because of your strengths, you have no doubts about being linked in some way with everything in the universe. This includes all creation and all humankind. Driven by your talents, you spontaneously open your mind to people's diverse philosophies of life. You habitually search for ideas that link one person's fundamental truths with another person's core values. You probably realize human beings are tied to one another regardless of their age, language, education, socio-economic status, nationality, race, religion, or culture.

INDIVIDUALIZATION
People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.

Instinctively, you occasionally spend time alone thinking about which individuals work well together. Perhaps your thoughtful examination of each human being allows you to mix and match the strengths of several individuals. Sometimes the strengths of one person compensate for the limitations of another person, and vice versa. You might conclude that a group's true strength lies in the diversity of its members' knowledge, skills, motivations, work styles, or thinking styles. Driven by your talents, you might search for the factors that produced a certain outcome or started a particular chain of events. Sometimes you are frustrated until you figure out why things happened the way they did. Chances are good that you sometimes rely on reason to determine how an event, decision, or condition led to a specific event. Perhaps you desire to understand how things converge to produce the final result. It’s very likely that you have quick and ready insights into how each human being is unique and distinct from everyone else. Diversity intrigues you. You are apt to be open to individuals who possess talents, skills, and knowledge that vastly differ from your own.

RELATOR
People who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.

Because of your strengths, you are quite content with your results as long as you can honestly say you are producing as much as you can. You maintain an optimistic outlook on life regardless of the value some people place on your results. Chances are good that you are regarded as a hard worker and a doer. You derive a lot of satisfaction from tackling projects without anyone interfering with your
plans or second-guessing how you do things. Driven by your talents, you feel upbeat and cheerful when you keep busy. Without question, you derive much satisfaction from producing tangible outcomes. It’s very likely that you consistently measure up to your high expectations when working, studying, or playing.


LEARNER
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.

Driven by your talents, you probably are a solo performer. You are determined to broaden your knowledge and acquire new skills. You are repeatedly drawn into the process of education. Instinctively, you are attracted to difficult and challenging endeavors. You are not inclined to look for the easy way out. You are bold. You take risks. You dare to stretch your mind. You test the limits of your abilities in ways that timid individuals would not attempt. Chances are good that you enjoy pondering what you can revise, correct, renovate, upgrade, or relocate. When you are curious about a person, event, topic, project, activity, or idea, you devote much energy and time to studying it. By nature, you yearn to be inspired by your work. You want experience to be your teacher. You need to feel enthused by your work or studies. You constantly acquire knowledge and skills. Whenever you study facts, ponder concepts, test theories, or sharpen your skills, you feel most alive.

Another Book:
I read a ton on my travel to and from work. The book that made me miss my stop on the train : Middlesex.

The August issue of O- The Oprah Magazine had a very interesting article. It was titled “Inside the Writer’s Mind.” The asked Jeffrey Eugenides, author of Middlesex,

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

The response:
The best thing is also the worst thing. It’s that, no matter how long you’ve been at it, you always start from scratch. Henry James said, “We work in the dark – we do what we can – we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art.” Unless you ‘re the kind of writer who works with a template, where the narrative strategies remain more or less constant and the job consists of filling in the boxes with new material, then what you have to do, with each new book, is discover all these things anew. Your material determines your narrative strategy and your tone of voiced rather than the other way around. You change from book to book. You begin always knowing nothing. You remain forever an amateur, a first-timer. Sure, you might cobble together something akin to a methodology after a while, a working method, a sense of packing yourself through the seasons. But that’s about it in terms of the pleasures and wisdom of the veteran. What makes this worst thing also the best thing has to do with the agelessness of aspiration. When you’re always starting out, always trying to learn to do what you don’t know how to do, you remain close to the place (college dorm room, Prague Café) where you first set pen to paper. You remain in touch with that crazy, dreamy kid who spent so much time in the library. You persist in being impractical, idealistic, naïve, and brave. Your body ages, but your imagination remains young, and on your deathbed, if you’re lucky, you might be prideful enough to say to yourself, “I am finally getting the hang of this.”

My Best Friend (Mon Meilleur Ami)

Two thumbs WAY up for this awesome French film!


François is a middle-aged antique dealer. He has a stylish apartment and a fabulous life, but at a dinner with a group he considers his dearest acquaintances, he is blindsided by the revelation that none of them actually likes him. He's arrogant, self-centered and harsh, and they don't believe he knows the meaning of friendship. His business partner Catherine makes him a bet: if he can produce his best friend, she will let him keep the massive Greek vase he acquired that afternoon on the company tab. If not, it's hers.

Having accepted the wager, François naively tears through his address book, trying to shoehorn an increasingly unlikely series of contacts into the all-important role. Moving through Paris, he keeps encountering a trivia-spouting, big-hearted cabbie named Bruno. Bruno's chatty, lowbrow ways grate against François's designer temperament, but he covets the other man's easy way with people. He convinces Bruno to teach him how to make friends and sets about learning the “three S's” – being sociable, smiling and sincere – though they don’t come easy. Ultimately, François victory will depend on Bruno's naiveté in playing along, but what's the cost of cheating at friendship?

My Best Friend

I love my work! It’s been a blast to meet so many people and learn so much. Since I am trying so many new things out, I definitely know what I am good at and what I am passionate about. The surprising thing is, I been thinking about my childhood lately and see how much it has impacted the person I am today. I feel like a little child-just smiling all the time, open about life, and waiting to take things one day at a time. With all this excitement however, I need to slow down and just look around to see how beautiful everything is.

There are still so many questions. I love it!

transmute, transform; vary, mutate; amend, modify. Change, alter both mean to make a difference in the state or condition of a thing or to substitute another state or condition. To change is to make a material difference so that the thing is distinctly different from what it was: to change one's opinion. To alter is to make some partial change, as in appearance, but usually to preserve the identity: to alter a dress (to change a dress would mean to put on a different one). 3. replace, trade. 4. trade. 7. convert. 10. vary, mutate, amend. 18. transmutation, mutation, conversion, vicissitude.

Annoyed: I am usually not like this…

Does your MP3 have to be so loud that I could actually hear your music on the train?

I am so tired of people coming by me and asking me for change to get on the train. Do I look like I am offering free money? If you don’t have the money…then WALK! I don’t care if you are a penny short...everyone got so many excuses!

I am so mean...but today I am just not having any of it.

I haven't been bored in a long time...there is something always on my mind.
Just passing days with a routine schedule
But there is something beautiful in that – predictability-whatever that means.
Maybe I should post something small everyday.
Watching the fireworks yesterday was GREAT!
I feel like I haven’t been creative in a long time…and that gets me down.
I read an awesome book “Middlesex” by Jeffrey Eugenides
Its already July…time is flying by!
Everything happens for a reason...that I know for sure.

*Pictures above taken by my sister

I was invited to attend lunch with some of the big executives in my company. I was thrilled to go because not everyone gets that chance. It was a beautiful event at one of the hotels in downtown.

At lunch.
I was so nervous to even pick up a fork. I was afraid that I might spill something, drop something, and spit something out. Anyways, my worst fears at this event did happen-my knife dropped to the floor just as I was eating the main course. I was so sad the rest of the event because I was not able to eat some delicious chicken. To make up for it, and at this time I was only 75% nervous, I wiped the dessert dish completely clean-who needed a knife for that.

I went to my apartment to hangout with my roomies for the weekend! It was fantastic. They have already moved in but I won’t officially move in until September. I drove over right after work, had a tour of the apartment and each of their rooms, and relaxed. One of my roommates had an empty wall that really needed a picture on it. So guess what! She decided to paint it herself. How wonderfully beautiful and amazing.

Aren’t these gorgeous! My supervisor gave them to me.

I took my parents to the Hindu temple. We drove, drove, and drove. It was frustrating but met some very helpful people! It was an awesome experience! The temple too but the journey was wonderful.

Gas station workers came out to the streets to point the way.
Few jumped into their cars to get a map.
One woman grabbed my pen to write a page full of directions.
A man who was deaf gave me a thumbs-up.
Another man said “Good luck sweetheart.”

Finally the lawn mower said “I saw the sign for the Hindu temple just last night.” And the temple was only a few blocks from his house. So, he gave me the best directions.

Temple was wonderful. Busy. Peaceful.

*Picture above from my sister's Duluth trip.

This morning I got together with my friend for her birthday. We had an early lunch since I had to be at work in the afternoon. It was a lot of fun! The environment was very cozy and quiet for the most part of our lunch. So we got in a lot of talking.

I think these days I am boy crazy or something because my friend and I thought our waiter was extremely cute! So, we were asking him questions just because and he was so sweet about it!

The reason I have been going to this particular restaurant twice in the past week is because of their bread! The baskets of bread they give before our meal is so wonderful. Yummy. I barely touch the main dish because I am stuffed from all the bread that I eat.
After lunch, we stopped by Barnes & Noble.

Oh yea, I must be really tried from work-the whole 5 A.M to 6 p.m. routine. Yesterday, I slept from 7:00 P.M. to 8 A.M. The last time I did that was the day we arrived from our vacation to Sri Lanka.

What do I like about my job?
Independence – I am on my own. Managing my time and going on the pace I want is great.
I get to create presentations for my managers and print them out.
I was so scared to print 75 copies of a 10 page PowerPoint presentation!
That’s a lot of pressure. I was concerned about any mistakes that the presentation might have.
I think the office prints a forest a day :-( haha.

I walk so fast into my building in the mornings.
I walk even faster to the train in the afternoons.

This morning, it occurred to me, what a gorgeous view my walk is?
How could I have wasted these past four days?
Not even looking at what was in front me, above me, beside?

I saw the big picture
But just when I am starting to look at the smaller details
Do I realize how much the big picture didn’t even matter?

I went to a speech given by the president of the company I work for. Let me tell you, he is a celebrity to those who work at the company. All the cameras miraculously appeared when he entered the auditorium. It was as if Brad Pitt made an appearance. People were hyped to hear him speak. Understandably he is the top of food chain in a multi-million dollar company but this is not all of it.

People admire him because he is a people person! Of the things I heard in my two short days at my job, people at the very top give speeches but rarely do they stick afterwards to meet anyone at all. They want the title and the money-that’s it. They hate to mingle and hear about concerns. This man however, wants to know about the people in the company-the very individuals that make the company what it is from the very bottom to the top.

So, I have to say proudly that I got to shake his hands. I told him my name and he asked me to spell it-so I did! Usually people will just have a confused look and simile. But he actually wanted me to spell my name. That was great!

I have so much to learn. Even introducing myself in a confident and clear manner is something I need to work on. When there is a mob of people trying to have a few words with a celebrity, which was the scene at this time, you need to standout of the group and get him to remember you.