Surprises!

Experience. Every moment is a new experience, every second different than the last. Make it matter.

So, we had some extended family in town from Yorkshire and yesterday was my day to be their guide. They did the usual and went to the World of Coca Cola. Afterwards, they took the street car up to campus and I brought them to the Municipal Market. We walked around and everyone seemed to love the jovial English attitudes. We introduced our guests to sweet treats they had never had before. I even drove them up to Ponce and brought them to the first honey bubble on the earth (as the sign so dramatically exclaims!) We ended the night with dinner at Meehan’s Irish Pub. What was really fun was that I rode the Streetcar for the first time after months of listening to its annoying horn. It was quite ironic that I was riding it as a “tourist” instead of with friends that lived in the city. Nevertheless, it was very fun and much cleaner than I was expecting. During our adventurous exploration of Atlanta, we all spoke about a beer festival that was happening in Centennial Olympic Park and how our guests could not go walk around the historic site. We all talked about the Sweetwater 420 Festival a lot and I wouldn't shut up about how much I wished I could have gone to see the amazing bands. I even remember stating, and I quote, “my goal is to go to every music festival in Atlanta.” Everyone laughed at me.

Later that night I was surprised with an early birthday gift. Someone very special to me had bought me three day tickets to the festival! So, now I will be attending this amazing festival despite the dreary rain! Expect pictures! 

Appropriate: Dated to I Don't Know When

Being in love with life is almost an impossible feeling to convey. You can try to take pictures of your favorite views, but no picture can bring you to that place at that time. Sitting on the hill in the grass, smelling the rain as it falls down onto your arms and legs. The way the sun makes the sky a little orange and the clouds move in circular motions that stretch across the sky. The way the buildings glimmer in the fading light and you can’t look away because with each passing second it gets more beautiful. You sip through your straw and tapioca pearls invade your mouth. Your best friend sits next to you and you don’t have to talk because you are both just enjoying the happiness.

 

I fell in love with life once and the moment I did so, I never strayed from happiness for long. The moment you realize that the sun always rises, that the rain can be fun to dance in, that the night makes the city lights more beautiful and that the sunshine is one of the most amazing feelings on your skin after a long winter then you can find the beauty and good in everything. I fell in love with Atlanta. I fell in love with the people in my life, sometimes it wasn’t always the right people and sometimes it was the most amazing blessing I could have asked for. I am in love with the simple things. I like to laugh because it’s fun and I like to dance because it’s freeing. I like to sing no matter how badly it is and I like to have a best friend that sings much louder right next to me. I like to spend time with my family no matter how dysfunctional we can be because if you smile at everything, then the parts of life that are dark will be just a little less dark. Enjoy every single moment. Find the beauty in every single thing. When it rains, go dance in it. When the sun is shining, go bask in its warmth. When you are surrounded by new cultures, become one with them. When you eat, savor every bite. When there is music, dance. If you let down your walls and open your eyes to the world, you will never stop loving it.

My First Post

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve wanted to start a blog for a long time. I even tried a couple times, but I couldn’t find a site that worked well for me. The thing is though, now that I have a blog I have no idea what to write. I suppose this is what they mean by writers block? So I guess I will start with why I started this blog to begin with. 

My name is AJ. My dad’s in the military, I am from sticks- no-where New York, I have three sisters and one brother and I am ALMOST, not quite, twenty years old. I am starting this blog because I am inspired. I am inspired by life every day. I go to school in Atlanta and I cannot tell you how it affects me. Sitting at my favorite place in Piedmont Park, ignoring the itch that the BEYOND green grass of the summer comprises of, leads me to positivity. Driving through the lit up buildings at night on my way out for a night with the girls inspires me to make myself matter to one of those towering buildings one day. Atlanta may be full of cracked streets that mess up my poor cars balance and rotation, it may be full of crime and industrial grayness, but it is absolutely beautiful if you know how to look. The graffiti that covers Krog Bridge or the walls of every single building downtown; that isn’t the work of thugs, that is art in its truest form. The way the buildings reflect the sunlight as I finally pick up speed in rush-hour traffic on my way home; that is breathtaking. I am proud to call myself an Atlantan now, because I cannot imagine anywhere that challenges me as much as it does to live life everyday with a smile on my face. 

Let’s be honest. I am making myself sound like little miss sunshine. I am NOT. I am human, just like you. I stress out about school, about my internship, about traffic, about my ever rising debt. I am human, but I try to be a positive person and when you are positive life becomes a lot more fun. So, here it is. My first blog post. Don’t judge too harshly yet. I cringe at the thought of posting this, but “practice what you preach” is a very logical statement, so, I am trying to be positive here….