Thoughts on the Summer

               As the summer comes to an end I've found myself recently bombarded with a long list of things to accomplish in a very short amount of time.  While busy with the numerous preparations for the start of school, I also realized that the majority of my summer has been spent inside of the four walls of my place of employment. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful that I was able to work almost full-time for the summer. I know it will help a lot during the school year. However, being the outdoorsy girl that I am, I was saddened by the lack of adventures that I was able to enjoy these past few months. I was only able to hike a hand full of times, I missed my favorite music festival (moe.down) and sadly I had no opportunity to go camping. Not even one time! I knew that this summer was going to be different, but I didn't quite expect it to be like this. However, despite all of the things that I missed this summer, I was fortunate enough to have had some unforgettable experiences.

                Winning Miss Central New York was definitely the highlight of my summer.  I prepared every day for the competition and felt beyond accomplished when my name was called. The doors that this title will open are going to provide me with opportunities that were previously unavailable. I know that I am going to make a difference and I know that the sky is truly the limit!

                Last weekend I somehow managed to have two days off in a row! I wanted to do something fun and different but I wasn't sure what. The idea came from my charming boyfriend, Jason, who decided to pack a picnic (complete with a real picnic basket) and take me on a surprise road trip. I had no idea where we were going, so you can imagine my surprise when we crossed the Vermont state line! We ended up just outside of Manchester at the base of Mt. Equinox. We paid the road toll and were on our way to the top of the mountain. My ears must have popped 10 times during the almost 5 mile drive to the summit. Once we reached the top the amazing view was breathtaking. After spending several minutes taking in the scenery we settled down for our picnic. Never having had the pleasure of visiting Mt. Equinox I can’t wait to return. Next time we will hike the trail to the top instead of driving.

It was really cold at the top of the mountain!

I told you we had a REAL picnic basket!

I'm not actually going to admit how many attempts it took to get this shot.

The view from the top of Mt. Equinox. Beautiful. 

                Last night I had an amazing experience as Jason and I took in a show at Proctor’s Theatre in Schenectady. My birthday is rapidly approaching and I was gifted two fifth row tickets to see Cirque Eloize’s Cirkopolis. This show is mind-blowing. The performers are incredibly talented and the stage design and special effects really took the entire experience over the top. There was an incredibly entertaining mixture of juggling, aerial stunts, pole work and a German wheel! Not only was I completely mesmerized by the performance and story, but I have been totally inspired to build my own German wheel and train myself. We shall see how this plan plays out. Hmmmmm…I wonder if a German wheel will fit on the Miss New York stage?

                With just one week left until school starts and my summer is officially over, I think that I can determine the most memorable thing about this summer. It’s not the things that I did or experienced, and it’s not the things that I missed out on. The most memorable thing about this summer is what I've learned. I had choices to make and priorities to get in order. I had to make sacrifices and determine what was really important to me. I learned that when you know what you want you have to go get it. When you want to succeed you have to work. When you want to feel accomplished you have to do things that you can be proud of. And I learned to value the small things; going for ice cream with friends; sleeping in on a week day; and considering a less than 7 hour shift to be a day off. I grew up this summer, a lot. I am extremely proud of where my decisions have led me and beyond excited to see where those same decisions take me. I’ll keep you all in the loop.