Tag: Personal

Life Update: Cats, Careers, and Adjustments

~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

Hello, friends! It’s been a minute, so I thought it was time to check in with a little life update. Some exciting changes have happened recently. The kind of changes that come with cat hair on your clothes and a hard hat in your car.

So let’s get into it.

Meet Lori and Midna

First things first, I got cats. Yes, plural. Two tiny creatures who rule my life with a mix of adorable chaos and constant naps.

● Lori is my white kitten. His full name is Lorrian because every cat needs a slightly dramatic name to match their mysterious personality (he is anything but. He screams at me day and night for love and cuddles). Lori is playful, curious, and oh-so-needy. He desires cuddles at all hours of the day and makes that need known.

● Midna is the queen of the house. She’s my sleek, black cat, full of charm and just a touch of mischief. If you’ve ever played Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you already know the inspiration behind her name. Midna has the vibe of a cat who knows all your secrets and still loves you anyway though she might judge you a little.

Having two cats has been such a comfort. They keep life entertaining and, somehow, their little purrs can turn a stressful day around in an instant.

I’m an Environmental Scientist!

In bigger news, I officially started my career as an environmental scientist. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I get to say that out loud. It’s been an adjustment, for sure. The early mornings, lots of learning, and a hefty dose of responsibility are just a few factors I’m trying to navigate with some level of grace and maturity (along with the fear of failure at ANYTHING.) but I’m so grateful to have landed a job right out of college. It’s one thing to dream about contributing to conservation and environmental work; it’s another to step into the field and do it. I am very blessed and I don’t want to ever NOT acknowledge that.

Some days are filled with fieldwork, which makes me feel like I’m back on the farm, in my element with fresh air and soil under my boots. Other days involve reports, lab safety videos, and presentations, which are equally important (but slightly less glamorous). The balance has been a learning curve, but I’m enjoying it so far though I still have TONS to learn.

Adjusting to This New Chapter

I won’t lie to you guys- life after college feels like I’m faking it till you make it. I think I’ve got it figured out one minute and then feel like I can’t make it in this big world the next. There are moments of confidence followed by flashes of doubt, and that’s okay. I think the most surprising lesson I’ve learned is that nobody really has it all together. We’re all just doing the best we can, whether we’re starting new jobs, adopting pets, or figuring out how to cook something other than spaghetti or tacos.

Between Lori attacking my shoelaces, Midna napping on my laptop, and work keeping me on my toes, life feels full. It’s not perfect, but it’s good. And I’m thankful for that.

That’s it for now! Tell me what’s new with you in the comments—I want to hear about your pets, job wins, or even just the small victories keeping you going. Until next time, I’ll be over here, trying to keep my white kitten from drinking toilet water and my black cat off my keyboard.

Take care!

My Latest Coding Project

~ Brooke F. ~ 4 Comments

Hello, Lovelies! Hope everyone is doing well this fine day!

I just wanted to jump on here real quick and share my latest writing related coding project. I present to you: “Writing Prompts for the squad”

It’s a fun little writing generator where you type in character names and generate a writing prompt. I put a lot of my friends names into the generator and came up with a lot of fun one-shot ideas. I still want to add more prompts but I definitely encourage you to check it out if that sounds like you’re thing. Click here to navigate to it if you’re interested!

Alright, that’s it! Resume your day!

Something I simply must share

~ Brooke F. ~ 9 Comments

Hello readers!

I know it’s been a minute. I haven’t been as consistent lately with posting since midterms smacked me like a bird flying into a window. But now it’s officially spring break and I definitely have a few fun and different posts planned to share with you all. But, taking a step back, I have something I wanted to share with everyone reading this.

This wasn’t a planned post. In fact, I just made up my mind to talk about this about 20 seconds ago. What happened 20 seconds ago to spur this post you might ask? Well, I was reading and I came across a quote that I wished I could shout to the world, specifically every 20-something year old or graduating teen. I wished I could speak back in time to tell my 18 year old self this:

“The opportunity sometimes simply isn’t yours but that doesn’t mean you did anything wrong.”

This is the quote that I ran across today that made me stop and tear up a little.

I am an ambitious person. I had a very specific view of how my life would turn out from an early age. But, as it always does, reality struck me. Multiple times. And it continues to do so even now. Life is, truthfully, full of disappointments. And, sometimes, I take that very personally.

I used to think that if you worked hard enough for something, you could obtain it. And while I believe that is a good PRINCIPLE to live by, I now believe that it is NOT a set in stone rule. Sometimes you work hard and circumstances out of your control slap you in the face and say “Hahaha, sorry, that ain’t happening.”

Your 20’s are when your dreams are crushed.

At least that’s how it feels at times. But the truth is something a little less depressing. And it’s that not every opportunity is ours even if we want it to be. And that’s okay. It’s not wrong to want it. It’s not wrong to have worked towards it. In fact, I believe there is something honorable in having a dream and trying to obtain it.

But it doesn’t always work out.

And we didn’t do anything wrong.

The opportunity just simply wasn’t ours.

Thanks for reading this quick post. And if anyone is wondering where the quote is from, it’s from a book by Nicki Koziarz called “Why Her?”. Definitely recommend it if you want an insightful, Biblically oriented read.

Hope everyone is doing well & is safe during these uncertain times.

My Five Favorite Foods

~ Brooke F. ~ 9 Comments

Yet another little fun personal post. I caught covid over a year ago and while I am thankful that it is over and I got better, it has left me with my taste buds rather… altered. This list of my favorite foods would have looked vastly different before catching the illness. I used to adore savory, well seasoned foods but now I find myself enjoying much sweeter things that are a bit easier on my palette. All that being said, welcome to my list of five favorite foods! Who knows, you may find a new food you want to try?

Beignets

Beignets - My Story in Recipes

This was the first food that really tasted amazing after I recovered from Covid. It was about four or five months since I had caught it and I was finding out that many meats, eggs, and a lot of easy protein foods tasted rotten and weird. Event things that I could eat smelled wrong and funny to me now. But then I went to a restaurant with my sister when we were visiting the city of Saint Louis… and I had a Beignet. And it tasted and smelled amazing, as it should. Turns out sugar and cinnamon a flavors that Covid left untouched and it was incredible. You might think I’m being dramatic and maybe I am, but at the time, It was a big deal to find a food that actually smelled and tasted good. Up until this point I was craving flavors I could no longer taste correctly like egg salad, fried chicken, or roast. But they smelled rotten. Then I had a Beignet and it actually tasted amazing and familiar.

And that’s the story of how they’re my favorite food, dethroning my long standing favorite food of tacos.

Greek Gyros

What to Serve with Gyros (16 Tasty Ideas) - Insanely Good

Oooooooh, greek food. Lovely, lovely greek food. We have a scrumptious greek food place about twenty minutes from our house and it is amazing. With the perfect balance of meat and salad and seasoned just right, I adore these wraps as they don’t sit on your stomach like a brick and leave you feeling gross like a lot of takeout.

Fries

French fries - Wikipedia

Hehe… speaking of feeling gross…

Even as an adult, I still really like McDonald’s fries A LOT. I mean, as long as they’re hot and I don’t eat too many of them as they can definitely make you feel icky after too many. But those first few fries are so good, especially if they’re salted just right. I know they’re terrible for me and I try to limit the amount of fast food in my life but dang, they really are my Achille’s heel sometimes.

Funfetti Goey

Funfetti Gooey Butter Cake - Fake Ginger

If you’ve had a good funetti goey butter cake piece then you KNOW. I don’t really know how to describe this dessert. I used to serve them when I worked at a tea shop and they were INCREDIBLE. They’re kind of like cake flavored brownies but goey-er (as the name implies). If you haven’t tried them before then I STRONGLY encourage you to look up a recipe and give ’em a try, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Some people eat it with ice cream, but I personally like it plain. Either way, they’re awesome even though they’re basically diabetes in a square.

Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice cream

Fun fact, I’m slightly allergic to dairy. But also fun fact, I don’t always let that stop me. Another guilty pleasure of mine is ice cream in general but especially moose tracks ice cream but especially, especially chocolate moose tracks ice cream. Chocolate is just good, man. What can I say? It’s also worth mentioning that I had a chocolate moose tracks milk shake once and that was divine. So if you ever get the chance to order or make one, I implore you to take it!

Aaaaand that’s a wrap! Just a fun little light-hearted post for you to enjoy. It’s definitely not a list of the healthiest foods but sometimes the best stuff is simply terrible for you. So what are your favorite foods? Feel free to tell me down in the comment below! Let’s discuss, this is important stuff you know!

Thanks for reading!

Nostalgia Is Wrong

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

The good old days are not a phase in life in which things magically are perfect. It’s something you’re actively doing and creating as you live each day.  Last week could have been the good old days if you lived them to the fullest. This last weekend even. Your life can be comprised of thousands upon thousands of “good ol’ days” but not if you continue to spend your life reminiscing of a time you thought things were perfect. The Good ol Days are now. The sooner you learn that nostalgia is a dirty rotten liar who insists things were better than they actually were, the better off you’ll be.

Making A Difference

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Often, when people are asked if they can make difference, their minds turn to big things. I could become famous and advocate for just causes. I could become a scientist and make big, important discoveries that aid the entirety of mankind. I could become a scholar and help spread knowledge throughout the world. And while all of these things are fine, statistically speaking, many of us aren’t going to be famous. Many of us are going to work jobs that many people consider menial. And I am of the firm belief that there is no shame in that. Because I have learned making a difference isn’t just about the big things but the little things.

The little choices that we make day to day are how we make a difference. Little decisions that pile up. Little things that make the world just a little bit better. Things that make the world just a little bit brighter.

Little choices like choosing to be kind. A smile will go a long way. And while a bad attitude is contagious, the same can be said for a good attitude. Small gestures of kindness can completely flip someone’s day around. You never know how you might impact someone, by simply being kind.

Little choices like choosing to be honest. The dishonest may seem like they obtain their goals quicker and easier, but in the end, your integrity matters, even if it’s just to you. Because when you choose to obtain your goals by being honest and working hard, even when others aren’t watching, it allows you to appreciate the value of hard work. Make your promises and handshake mean more then pen and paper. Show people that hard work and honesty is worth it in the long run.

Little choices that allow you to better yourself. Choices like choosing to get up early. Choices like choosing to work out instead of watching TV. And of course, eating healthy. But bettering yourself is not just limited to physical achievements. You can better yourself emotionally by choosing to let things go and choosing to be happy. Choices like these not only make your world brighter, but can encourage others. Because the quicker the world realizes that everyone has the choice to be happy, the better the world will become.

Little choices like choosing to support what you believe in and standing up for it. When you believe in something, stand up for it. But in doing so, don’t keep your ears and heart closed. Listen to the opposing position. Think about what you believe and test it to see if it holds true. And if it does, hold onto it and support it. Not just with your words, but your actions. Too many people believe in their position, but not to extent of actually doing something about it. Their belief will never make it beyond their phone screen and therefore never make a difference. Take what you believe in and act. Make your beliefs not only posses your mind, but your hands.

This all goes to say, that the sooner you realize that a big difference comes from a lot of little choices, the more likely you are to make a difference. Big differences are composed of many little events, many little people, and many little sacrifices. This is why I am of the firm belief that anyone can make a difference.

A Lesson In Statistics

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

All throughout my high school career I have known two things: one, I was good at English. Two, I was not so good at Math. Not terrible mind you, just not good. But I was always able to “get by” as they say. I worked hard enough doing additional research on math concepts that I was able to get a “B” and move on. But this was not so by the time I reached my senior year. I had to pick my final math, and my options did not look good. Calculus? Sounds scary. Trigonometry? Sounds super scary. Statistics? Eh, I’ve never really thought about it. But how bad could it be compared to my other two options?
Turns out, pretty bad. At least for someone who was never really good at Math in the first place. I think it would have been a challenge for those who were average at it, but doable. I, on the other hand, was just trying to keep my head above water. All my life, I had never, ever failed a class (this was partially due to the fact that my parents had a pretty high standard as far as my grades went and a F, D, or even a C would never do). But as I forged onward in the course, my grade point average just got lower and lower. At this point, if I got a another single bad grade, it would lower my grade to a failing one. I was at a loss. I had done the worksheets, read the lesson slides, and watched the tutorials but for some reason or another, it just wouldn’t click.
I told my mom about this and she thought a moment before saying, “Have you tried reaching out to your teacher?”
In short, the answer was “no”. I had always managed to get by without help. I hated bothering people (even though this was literally their job). I just didn’t like asking for help.
But as I continued to struggle in my class, I thought about it more and more. And finally, I was struck with an epiphany.
I always found it weird that when baby animals were born, they learned so much quicker as compared to a human baby. Deer walked within minutes of birth, the same for cows. Ducklings within days of hatching could swim. Baby Chicks were pecking along side their mother’s within a weak. Humans? Well, we can’t even hold up our heads. Pretty much all we can do for a long time is cry. And that’s when I realized that babies learn the most important skills for survival first. For ducks, it’s swimming. For Deer, it’s running. For Chickens, it’s pecking. And for people, it’s asking for help.
And so I did.
I messaged my statistics teacher in a plea for help of any kind, and through a series of quick emails, he directed me to a resource folder that I didn’t even know existed. Inside, it contained tables that were detrimental to my course work. He also sent me links to various live-lessons and video clips that expounded upon my lessons.
And just like that, my grades started improving. And now whenever I don’t understand something, I know exactly where to go. I feel like even if I don’t understand something, I’m not at my wit’s end. I still have plenty of resources and tools that can help my understand a concept better and, eventually, help my pass the class, not just with a passing grade, but a good grade as well.
Now, thanks to my high school career I know two things: One, I am good at English. Two, I’m not a natural at Math. Three, that’s okay, because I should never be afraid to ask for help.

Things I, as a bookworm, am upset about

~ Brooke F. ~ 3 Comments

Sequels coming out too far apart that I’ve completely forgotten what’s happened in the first book. Sorry. I’ve moved on. 

Those stickers on the back of books that don’t peel away cleanly. 

When there’s no plot summary on the back of the book and it’s just reviews 

Dog-earing pages??? Like why would you???

That time the library of Alexandria got burned down. 

That annoying eye skip thing I do when I’m reading and I’m excited and my eyes just skip to the dialogue and I feel like I’m spoiling stuff for myself. 

That point of view switch thing happens at the most inconvenient time. 

Weird smelling books. (Books can hold smells. Once I opened one from the library and it smelled like cigarette smoke. Books are supposed to smell like heaven and knowledge.)

Books aren’t waterproof for some reason???? Like, what if I wanna read it in a bubble bath or shower? Or maybe I just wanna protect it from my tears…

Sequels coming out with a different cover design, size, etc.

Or, a good book with a bad cover design.

Reading a really good book and loving it but knowing in the back of your head you’ll have to find one just as good if not better in the future and that will lead to overall discouragement and kick me into a reading slump and notice how “you” and turned into “me” because in reality I am very much talking about myself cause I do this all the time ya feel me?