30 Day Blog Challenge: Days 26-30

As promised, I'm going to finish the blog challenge.

Day 26: A Picture of Your Family

This picture sums us up perfectly. I love them.

Day 27: Pets

Unfortunately, we had to put my favorite pet of all-time to sleep last year. We got B.D. when I was in 2nd grade and she was the greatest sister-dog ever. I miss her a lot. Now, we are stuck with the complete opposite, the evil spawn of Satan and the bane of everyone but my mom's existence - Prince. Ugh. Don't be fooled by his cute appearance.

Day 28: Something That Stresses You Out

Oh boy. My health. My fear of cancer. My weight. My brother leaving for the Marines. Finding a job. Figuring out my future. The Bengals. The Penguins. Boy troubles.

Day 29: 3 Wishes

I will make a list of 3 altruistic wishes and 3 selfish wishes.

Altruistic: 1. World peace. Duh. 2. Cure cancer. 3. Feed everyone.

Selfish: 1. Unlimited funds for travel. 2. Bengals Superbowl win. Clearly not this year. 3. Perfect health for me, my family, and Jenn.

Day 30: A Picture

In honor of Veterans Day, I will post a picture of my incredible Grandad, L.P. Johnson II. He served as a pilot in WWII, received numerous prestigious awards, was invited to meet the Queen of England, and was even featured as a character in a nationally-run comic strip. Growing up, I loved listening to his stories. Although he often avoided talking about the war itself, I was constantly amazed by his wisdom, his humility, and his patriotism. I am eternally grateful to the brave men and women who have sacrificed to protect our way of life. I am so proud that my brother, L.P. Johnson IV, will soon follow in his grandfather's footsteps and dedicate himself to serving our wonderful country.

Happy Veterans Day to those who have served, are serving, and will serve in our armed forces! Thank you for your dedication, your sacrifice, and your courage! You will never be forgotten.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 25 and my lover.

I'm behind. I know. Almost done. Stick with me.

Day 25: iPod Shuffle - 10 shuffled songs on my iPod

"Father Figure" - George Michael
"Long Time Gone" - The Dixie Chicks
"Thickfreakness" - The Black Keys
"Drive In Drive Out" - Dave Matthews Band
"Over" - Drake
"All Shook Up" - Elvis Presley
"Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye
"So Ambitious" - Jay-Z ft. Pharrell
"So Happy I Could Die" - Lady Gaga
"Tangled Up in Blue" - Bob Dylan

...clearly, my iPod is all over the place. I love it.

Do you remember that show Fanatic on MTV? People would submit videos explaining their unhealthy obsessions with celebrities. Then, MTV would choose the #1 fan and that fan would get to meet their celebrity obsession.

Why did I bring this up? Because I'm overwhelmingly convinced that I would be chosen for a hypothetical Brian Urlacher episode.

In case you don't already know (HA!), I love Brian Urlacher. ...and by love, I mean obsess over. Really. I do. It's borderline creepy, but it's a reality. My family and friends came to terms with it long ago. My bedroom doubles as an Urlacher altar of sorts. I have a gigantic Urlacher fathead, a jersey, a 'Property of Urlacher' hoodie, books, a pennant, a woven tapestry throw blanket, two huge posters (one of which is signed by him), a framed picture of me with him, etc.

Today, somehow, I fell even more in love with him. Why?



Because we eat the same Chipotle burrito.

We belong together. I'm convinced.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 24

I find this topic to be perfect for my 100th blog post.

Day 24: Something You've Learned

Throughout the course of my life, I've learned that...

...attitude is everything. Unfortunate circumstances will affect you only as much as you let them.

...worrying rarely improves a situation. Unfortunately, I never seem to take this advice.

...you cannot make someone love you. It really doesn't matter how much you try.

...no one can be me better than I can. I might make mistakes, but only I can learn from them.

...you can always be a better person.

...there is nothing better than loving family and loyal friends.

...although I have severe self-confidence issues, I'm actually pretty awesome. It has taken me a long time to learn that.

...I am stronger than I think.

...no one is perfect. Therefore, forgiveness is crucial.

...time changes everything. Sometimes for worse, sometimes for the better.

...morality and religion are not necessarily connected. You don't have to believe in a higher power to make the right decisions.

...it's more than okay to cry.

...writing is one of the greatest forms of expression.

...sometimes, music says how I feel better than words do.

...there is a difference between being rude and standing up for yourself. Likewise, there is a difference between being a good friend and being taken advantage of.

...tolerance and acceptance are a problem for even the smartest people. *cough* homophobes *cough* racists

...wisdom comes from experience, not books.

...most importantly, there are always more things to be learned.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 23 ...sorta

I'm going to cheat. Day 23 of the Blog Challenge is your favorite vacation. I've already detailed my incredible vacation to London with my family, so I will go with my recent trip to Chicago with Jenn.

Day 23: Your Favorite (Really Recent) Vacation

Jenn had this week off before starting her new job at the Luxottica home office. So, we decided to take a really spontaneous trip to Chicago. It was short, fast-paced, and nothing short of amazing.

We left Monday morning, drove to our hotel in Elk Grove Village, and took the Metra downtown to meet Kaytee. From Union Station, we went to Wrigleyville for a delicious dinner at Lucky's. Man vs. Food's Adam Richman has attempted (and successfully completed) a challenge at Lucky's. He ate three overstuffed sandwiches in an hour and became only the 11th person to do so. Seems impossible.

The sandwich was amazing. Mine had roast beef, cole slaw, and french fries on it. Delish. After dinner, we walked around Wrigleyville and Belmont for a bit before the long trip back to our hotel.

That night, while reading a local paper, I came across a section called 'Celebrity Sightings.' Being the celebrity whore that I am, I started to read it. Much to my surprise (and sadness), this is what I found:

I was in utter shock (and may have actually shed a few tears). My top 2 celebrity crushes were in the same building on the same day...and I wasn't. Come on - you know it's coming - Story of my life. Actually, it's probably for the best that I wasn't there. I would have either passed out, made a mess of the floor, or been arrested.

Tuesday morning, we woke up early, took the Metra downtown, and went to Navy Pier. We walked around the shops for a bit before doing something I have always wanted to do: Ride the famous Navy Pier ferris wheel! I must admit, at the top, I was a little scared. BUT, the view of the skyline was absolutely beautiful and each car has audio that describes the location of key buildings and plays some Frank Sinatra music (which soothed my nerves, of course).

After Navy Pier, we met Kaytee for some traditional Chicago deep-dish pizza at Art of Pizza (which has been voted the best pizza in Chicago by the Tribune). Again, delicious.

After lunch, we went back downtown for some shopping on Michigan Avenue. Amazingly enough, we didn't buy anything (despite the temptation in Victoria's Secret). We walked around the beautiful city, taking pictures of the gorgeous canals.

I'm in love.

We had some delicious pasta from Maggiano's for dinner and listened to some more soothing Frank. After dinner, we decided to go to the Lincoln Park area for some drinks. We decided on McGee's, Chicago's Ohio State bar. The atmosphere was awesome and I'm convinced I'd spend a lot of time there if I lived in Chicago.

Wednesday, we wanted to see The Lion King, but the cheap tickets were sold out. So, we spent the day walking around downtown again. We came across Sprinkles, the most amazing cupcake place in the world. I ordered a red velvet one and Jenn ordered peanut butter chocolate. My world is changed. If you are ever in Chicago, I implore you to go there. Later that day, Carlos Boozer of the Chicago Bulls was going to be there, handing out cupcakes for a charity.

We walked around downtown some more, got lunch at an amazing food court, bought Garrett's Popcorn (because I can't not), and headed to Millennium Park. We took some stereotypical pictures with the Bean. Then, we took the Metra out of town and headed to Indianapolis for the night.

In Indianapolis, we kept Nick up way too late, talking and hanging out. The next day, we met him for lunch at Culver's before heading home.

So, as you can see, the trip was just what I needed. I also crushed a girl on the subway, knocked a man over on the Metra, we nearly missed a train, got in trouble for taking pictures in Forever 21, got hit on by creepy guys (seriously creepy), took the subway the wrong way (my bad), had amazingly huge breakfasts, and laughed harder than I have in a long time. It goes without saying, but Jenn is the best friend imaginable and time with her is always wonderful. It was also great to see Kaytee. It has been a really long time, so it was nice to catch up and reminisce with her in her new city. She's awesome. It was also great to see Nick...even if it was for such a short time.

How did I get so lucky?

30 Day Blog Challenge: Days 20-22

Oops.

Day 20: Nicknames

I have a ridiculous amount of nicknames. They tend to cycle in and out of usage, but I answer to all of them. My main nicknames are Britt, Bibbles (and the variation Bibbs), Johnson, and Blet. I'm also called Charlie (Charles, Char, Charmander), Boat (Boatis), Brazz (Brazzamatazz, Brazzmond), B, Jerb (Jerbison, Jib-Jab), Boo (Bewis), Ray (Carlos Ray Santana), and others. Clearly, I lend myself to nicknames. Very, very few people call me Brittany.

Day 21: Picture of Yourself

This is a picture of me, taken two months ago, doing my favorite thing: drinking Dr. Pepper.

Day 22: Favorite City

This is incredibly hard for me. Luckily, I've done it before. In a previous journal entry, I noted that my two favorite U.S. cities are New York City and Chicago. Typical. However, my two favorite places to be are Oxford and Charlottesville.

...get ready for a long entry...

30 Day Blog Challenge: Days 16-19

As was expected, I've fallen behind YET again on the 30 day blog challenge. My bad.

Day 16: Your Dream House

I honestly don't have a dream house. I would like to live in a suburb of a big city. I love being 40 minutes from Cincinnati. I would want a big yard (although I don't really want to care for it) if I had kids. I would want a baby grand piano, a big shower, and a home theater with comfy chairs. I would also want a kitchen bigger than the one in Central Perk (but that isn't really asking for much). That's about it. Most importantly, I would want people I love inside the house. THAT is what makes it home to me.

Day 17: Something You're Looking Forward To

I am looking forward to tomorrow - Halloween in Newport!
I am looking forward to the Pens game tonight.
I am looking forward to seeing my best girlfriends next weekend.
I am looking forward to seeing Daniel Tosh next month!
I am looking forward to seeing DAVE in Charlottesville (hopefully twice) next month.
I am looking forward to Bengals vs. Steelers - Monday night game. I MUST go.
I am looking forward to Penguins vs. Blue Jackets in December. Again, I MUST go.
I am looking forward to figuring out my life. It will happen eventually, right?
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. The food and football. Duh.
I am looking forward to HARRY POTTER and the DEATHLY HALLOWS.
I am looking forward to trivia night. No surprise there.
I am looking forward to Jenn's week off! Best friend time!!

Day 18: Something You Regret

I can honestly say that I don't regret much. My biggest regret in 22 years is quitting piano lessons. I would be so good by now if I had continued. I also regret not deferring my acceptance into UC's law school. I'm starting to wonder if going there would have been a good idea for next year. That's about it.

Day 19: Something You Miss

Unfortunately, this list is always pretty long. I miss my extended family a lot. I never get to see them. Cameron's 1st birthday is next weekend and I have to miss his party. :( I also miss Derailed. Big time. Especially Ben...Ugh. I miss my sister. I know she is having the time of her life in Oxford, but I miss having her around. I miss TJ living in Lebanon. I miss Cara, Claire(s), Alex, Toddy, Devon, Jessica, Sarah, Kristin, Kenny, Rob, Tim, Shawn and Jac, and so many others.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 15 ...sorta.

It seems that nearly everyone in the blogosphere is religious, so I wasn't too shocked to learn the topic for Day 15.

Day 15: Bible Verse

Oh boy. I'm not taking anything away from the Bible. I have read the entire Old Testament and know that there are many great verses in the New Testament. It is filled with inspirational quotes, bits of wisdom, and profoundly insightful verses. Still, I don't have a favorite verse nor do I feel comfortable choosing one.

That being said, I will choose some of my favorite quotes from my favorite Chuck Palahniuk book, Choke.

Disclaimer: I am in no way comparing Chuck Palahniuk to God. Haha...

"The unreal is more powerful than the real. Because nothing is as perfect as you can imagine it. Because it's only intangibles, ideas, concepts, beliefs, fantasies that last. Stone crumbles. Wood roots. People, well, they die. But things as fragile as a thought, a dream, a legend, they can go on and on. If you can change the way people think. The way they see themselves. The way they see the world. You can change the way people live their lives. That's the only lasting thing you can create."

- This is what I long to do. I am terrified by the idea that, one day, I will die and the world will move on without me. I don't believe in an afterlife, so I feel that this life is the only time I have. I hope to make the best of it and I want to leave the world a better place than it was when I came into it. I'm not naive enough to think that I will make a lasting difference on everyone. I just want to make some kind of positive change that endures longer than I will.

"It's pathetic how we can't live with the things we can't understand. How we need everything labeled and explained and deconstructed."

- I can relate to this quote. I won't believe anything unless it's explained to me. I suppose this explains my struggle with faith.

"Torture is torture and humiliation is humiliation only when you choose to suffer."

- I absolutely believe this. It is completely up to me how I choose to react to different situations. My attitude dictates my feelings. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to react positively in the heat of the moment.

"We can spend our lives letting the world tell us who we are. Sane or insane. Saints or sex addicts. Heroes or victims. Letting history tell us how good or bad we are. Letting our past decide our future. Or we can decide for ourselves."

- I like to think that I am the master of my own destiny. I am a firm believer in free will, second chances, and the will to succeed. I truly believe that I could do anything if I set my mind to it.

Chuck = Genius. I wish I could eat dinner with him and tell him how much he has changed my life. I want to tell him that he eloquently puts into words my deepest fears and my hardest feelings. I wish more than anything that I could give this same gift to others struggling to find the right words.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Days 11-14

Due to my wonderful weekend in Oxford, I have to play catch-up on the blog challenge.

Day 11: Your Favorite TV Shows

Jeopardy! Entourage. Glee. - My three favorites

...but I also love: Real Time with Bill Maher. The Office. Friends. Tosh.0. Sportscenter. American Idol. Family Guy. How I Met Your Mother. Cash Cab.

Day 12: What You Believe

Due to my tendency toward skepticism, there are very few things that I believe unconditionally. Those things are: I love my family and friends. I can always be a better person. I am incredibly lucky. Time both heals and changes everything. Love is the reason why we are here. The quest for knowledge is endless. My personal happiness is not dependent on my surroundings or things outside of my control. It is entirely based on how I choose to respond to those things. I love the Cincinnati Bengals.

Day 13: Goals

There are always so many things I want to do, so here are a few:

- Figure out my life. I'm not sure if that means get a job, apply for graduate (or law) school, etc.

- Clean my room totally.

- Continue going to the Y regularly.

- Volunteer with ESL.

- Vote next month.

- Go to Pittsburgh for a Penguins game (this season).

- Continue writing in my blog regularly.

Day 14: A Picture You Love

This is my favorite picture that I have ever taken. I took this my senior year of high school after our last home football game. The game ended in a loss and all of my friends were really upset. As we were all talking (and reminiscing) in the parking lot, I sauntered over to the field and snapped a shot of one of my favorite places on earth. Everyone had left the stadium, but the lights were still on...giving the field an almost sacred appearance. For me, this picture represents everything I loved about high school: my friends, the games, our relationships, and, of course, those Friday night lights.

Weekend update coming tomorrow!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 10

Day 10: Something You're Afraid of

My biggest fear is, by far and away, death.

I've always been amazed by people who say they aren't afraid to die. I am terrified. This is partially due to my uncertainty about an afterlife. I have no religious beliefs and no inclination on the afterlife. I'm absolutely terrified that death will be an eternity of nothing-ness.

Along these same lines, I'm scared of suffering. This explains my immense fear of cancer (and other diseases). If I have to go, PLEASE make it quick. I don't want to think about it.

I'm even more afraid of losing a loved one. I have been incredibly lucky and I haven't lost anyone close to me (besides my Grandad). I'm a huge worrier and I say 'I love you' every time that I leave someone important to me.

I'm also afraid that I will die alone. I have these wonderful dreams that I will meet Mr. Right (notice that I didn't say Mr. Perfect), we will get married, and have kids. However, deep down, I worry that I will never find him. I want love more than anything in the world - and I have been blessed with love from family and friends. Now, I'm ready for romantic love...but I worry it won't come.

On a less serious note, I'm also terrified of sharks, moths, cockroaches, and bees. I think that's about it.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 9

Day 9: A Picture of Your Friends

Well, it's nearly impossible to get all of my friends together for a picture, so I'll give a couple.

My best friends on the planet. I can't say enough about these three. They make me laugh, listen to me complain, put up with my celebrity crushes, give me advice, and are willing to drop anything to hear me out. I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have them as my best friends.

The Derailed crew. After my freshman year of college, I was tempted to transfer. I am SO happy that I decided to stick it out because I never would have met these amazing people. They made my experience at Miami the best years of my life. I practically lived with them for two years. They know the best and the worst of me - and they love me still. That's saying something.

I'm leaving out a lot of amazing friends, but I could easily spend hours talking about them.