LOOK AT ME NOW

Disclaimer: The title of this post has absolutely nothing to do with the content and simply is the song I was listening to when I wrote this. Brianna and I are learning how to twerk following up a track meet that involved a twerk lesson.

Something I have determined, especially over the past couple weeks, is how very passive aggressive I am. Not to say I can't confront people at times, but oh I do I love the indirect approach. I won't tell someone I'm annoyed with what they are doing, I drop subtle, almost unrecognizable hints. Tonight for example, Brianna and I were in a rush after practice because my uncle is in town for work and he was going to take us out to dinner. She rushed back to the dorms after practice so she could shower first, and I took a bit of time coming back. When I came in and she was still in the shower, all I said was, "Brianna, are you almost done?" Without realizing it, I had made a signature statement. Later, Brianna goes, "We need to make a video of 'Things Gabry Actually Means' and have translations of what you mean. Like when I was in the shower, I knew what you actually meant was: 'Brianna, get the h*** out of the shower.'" 

Nice example of a passive aggressive note.

Well, there it is! Here's a common example of my issue: I really want to go home but my ride won't leave, so I start with "Man, I have a lot of homework to do tonight" (Let's get the h*** out of here). Then when there's no response I switch to the slightly more, "Dang, I'm so tired and I have so much to do!" (Let's get the h*** out of here). Then, I might put my coat and shoes on and sit by the door: "So this is fun..." *trailing off into a sarcastic glare* --> (Let's get the h*** out of here). Finally, if I get really annoyed, I might say, "So are we leaving soon?" (LET'S GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE!) Then, maybe, my ride my acknowledge that I said something worth responding to. I find passive aggression amusing even if it causes issues. When I'm mad at someone, I pretend we're all good and instead drop hints about how much fun I've been having with my other friends, when I'm really saying "I never want to see your face again." Would you ever have guessed it? 

So story time, I know I've talked about my sister Alex a ton already and how awesome she is, but I just rediscovered her blog. It's actually quite entertaining, and in a way her style of writing reminds me of me while at the same time being completely different. BUT her blog displays pageviews, and do you know how many she has? over 2800*. Yeah you read that right. You know how many I have? Around 600. Oh the competitive side in me has arisen! While she posts much more frequently (I SWEAR I'M TRYING HARDER TO BLOG MORE) and she has had the blog longer, I want to compete with her. Maybe I'll start blogging every other day. Either way, I guess y'all should go have a QUICK peak (super quick and maybe it won't be logged) and I'm going to start blogging to add to the competition. Look out Allie! You don't know what's coming for you! Her Blog

KIDDING yes I looped that back to my blog, jokes on you! ha sorry I'm NOT sorry. But really, here's the actual blog: I Swear I'm Not Lying: This is her blog.

*There's a good chance that I'm about 1000 of those views...

Here's something my blog has that hers doesn't: Totes Awesome YouTube Video. Well maybe she has different ones, but I like this one. So watch it, especially if you're trying to procrastinate. Or if you want a laugh. Or just reread my blog! :) Okay I'll try to stop being so obnoxious. I also am going to try to blog about the rest of my sisters and brother because I have an awesome family and I can't talk about them enough and that's at least 7 more blog posts.

I'm going to go enjoy the 70 degrees of humidity here in the good ol' south, singing "Alone With You" by Jake Owen because the freakin song has been stuck in my head for a month (seriously, though), and if anyone is interested in my thoughts on any topic, feel free to give me suggestions for topics you want your daily dose of Gabry on. There is also a good chance it will be filled with many long and unnecessary run-on sentences just like that last one. 

The Wild Side

It's been well over a week since my last post, and I'm not going to lie I started this blog post with a topic in mind, but I don't even know what I meant by the wild side. Probably my super crazy college life (don't worry Mama, I'm joking around). I think I began this post right after Thursday when Brianna and I were left for our first indoor meet, hers of the season and my first of my career as a runner. There, in the pouring rain as I stood in the parking lot searching for the vans, Brianna was sprinting after them but no one saw her. We called the vans but Coach was in no mood to turn around, even at the corner. Now, we may sound like irresponsible athletes with no time management skills, but let me be clear: Coach always is late by at least ten minutes. Then, randomly, he will leave on time. Thus Brianna and I, five minutes late, missed our chance. So we spent our Thursday night playing scattergories with the suitemates and doing homework. We're wild I tell you.

On the bright side, I did actually make it to the next meet on Sunday, where I ran my first indoor collegiate track meet, participating in the 800m. I liked it a lot more than the 5k, but probably just because I'm lazy. I certainly didn't come in last in the 5k like I did for the 800, but you live and you learn. (Yes, I came in dead last...only way to go is up from here!) I had fun though, even if running indoor made me feel like I was coughing up blood for the next two days.

Lauren, Me, and Mandrell

Anyway, this week was pretty typical other than Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Day (I just like typing the whole thing out) and Saturday was men's and women's basketball, Sunday was the meet, Monday was men's and women's basketball again, and Tuesday was the very first ever men's volleyball game in Gaston county! Yay! Needless to say, my throat still hurts from screaming my head off four days in a row. Sports, sports, sports: we love them! (yes, Lady GaGa play on words)...

In other news, as I write this post at 4 in the morning, it is because I returned from Washington D.C. tonight a little over an hour ago and can't find my sleep, thus contributing to the somewhat unexciting of the content of this post. But yes, I drove to D.C. yesterday night and today walked to save the babies! I went on the little noticed and non-acclaimed March for Life, marching on the capitol on the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the case that legalized abortion. What gives me hope is that science is starting to acknowledge more and more that life truly does begin at the moment of conception. While women raped or facing an unplanned pregnancy may find the idea of abortion the "quick and easy" solution, the facts don't add up. Women are 8 times more likely to visit a psychiatrist post abortion than those who deliver the baby, as well as Post Abortion Syndrome, which can cause a range of things from guilt and anxiety to depression and suicide (Post Abortion After Effects). But beside all of the terrible effects for the mothers, the fact of the matter is that it is because they know, after the fact, that they killed their own children. And that is a hell that have to live with for the rest of their lives.

They can find healing and peace though! It is not hopeless for the parents or anyone who has suffered from loss through abortion. The healing can begin to be found when they recognize what really happens when they agree to an abortion. My prayer is that this year people really start to open their eyes to the horror of what is going on, and that when you tell a woman facing a crisis pregnancy to abort it, you are telling her to kill her own child.



Anyway, there's my what have you on the topic. I know it's a highly controversial and sometimes painful subject, but I think sometimes it's the uncomfortable topics we have to face that will leave us for the better. So, without further ramblings I'm going to try to get some shut eye.

Brianna's and my chant for the March?

"What do we want?"

"Babies!"

"How do we want them?"

"Alive!"

Coolest Kid on the Block

Alex, me, and our puppy

In everyone's life, there's someone who inspires them. Now as cliched as it may sound, my little sister Alex is my best friend. I'm not the kind of person who texts her best friend 24/7; in fact, I probably text her only once a week. We don't talk on the phone every day, and I don't tell her every little thing about me. The thing is, I don't have to. I talk to her about the important stuff, and she already knows everything about me. Two years younger than me, we used to fight all the time as kids, at least enough that it was problematic. I remember the day my mom sat us down and made us talk, and agree to protect each other forever, because that's what sisters do. We've been besties ever since.

We got along sometimes too :)

It may just sound like I'm writing a post about my best friend so I can brag, and that's partly true, but that's not the whole story.


12 years ago today, my sister, at the age of 5, was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes. As a 7 year old, I didn't understand why we had to keep going to the hospital. I still remember laying in the hospital bed with her, watching cartoons and coloring in books. I also remember when the nurse would come in with needles and Alex would hide under the sheets. I wanted to stop the nurse, but I was afraid she would make me leave.

After coming home, the needles didn't stop, and I realized she would have to get shots at least 4 times a day for the rest of her life, until her insulin pump came along, which means shots are a lot less frequent. But I still didn't quite understand. Why did my parents never pay attention to me anymore? I was still their child, even if I didn't need medical attention. I think that was why I didn't like that little punk for a while. Yet as the years went on, I began to understand, and we learned to be best friends.

I had to watch my little sister struggle every day with her diet, with controlling her blood sugar. This sensitive little girl had to go through so much, and not just medically. I don't think she's ever, in her life, intentionally tried to hurt someone (unless it's on the basketball court - ha, you know I'm kidding Alex;)

We've been through a lot together, and I won't go into all of it, but I've watched her work through not only diabetes, but also her diagnosis with Celiac disease a few years ago, as well as a number of other struggles. Now she's in the top running for the Presidential scholarship at Eastern Michigan University (smarty pants!) where she wants to get a nursing degree and give back to the profession she's had to learn so much about. As a senior in high school, she's playing volleyball and basketball, taking AP Calc "for fun," and she's working two jobs. While her stubborn side can get on my nerves, it also drives her to be a much better person than I'll ever be. Her sensitive, caring personality makes me want to be more selfless.

I don't know if you've caught on or not yet, but I love my sister so much, and I'm so proud of her as she's ended up here on a journey that start 12 years ago. I'll never do her justice, whether in one blog post or 1 million, but I hope I can convey at least a little bit of the honor I feel for know her. I miss you Alex! You're my inspiration.

Alex, 10 year old Gianna, and me at the Color Run

Get On My Level

My roommate Brianna is really one of a kind and I can't get enough of her. She's perfect for me and tells me what's up. Nevertheless, sometimes she eggs me into decisions I look back at with...surprise? shame? embarrassment?

Tonight's latest episode included two boxes of krispy kreme doughnuts, one from her and one from Lauren (another awesome friend) because I'd been complaining for the past two days about how much I wanted doughnuts. That led to this:

Then, after Shanin and I finished off the two or three doughnuts in the first box, it led to Brianna begging me to eat four doughnuts at the same time so she could brag about her skinny/fat roomie...Unfortunately, that led to this:

Yes, those are four doughnuts squished together.
Yes, that is chocolate on my face.

Note the look to the side. Today, I had a photo shoot and was really feeling the dramatic "look away" face. Yeah, you read that right. Gabry is now officially a model. Before you fight for autographs, just know I'm sure Krispy Kreme will pay a lot of money for this face, stuffed with doughnut and covered in chocolate, and autographs for the ones who've always been there for me will be free. My haters can get autographs at the official Krispy Kreme PR sessions where you pay $13.47 for a doughnut hole, a napkin, and my picture. You're welcome world.

On a more serious note, building a portfolio is fun as I dig up old information about myself. Did you know I was in a music video and a feature length film? You can find the music video here and about the movie, well, I feel like it might have been a hoax as last I heard it was supposed to come out last October, so maybe it's just something I made up. Apparently, this is the trailer. Can you figure out what the movie is about? Because I don't know either. Ahh tricks and jokes, man.

Anyway, yes you probably guessed it, as I write this post at 2:13am on a Sunday night, I am procrastinating on homework for my 9am class and my 11am class. I might have to actually wake up and do homework. One week in and I'm already dragging to this level. Ironically speaking, since my last post about my dangerous track, I now have a grade 1 ankle sprain tendon inflammation (I don't really do the whole "athletic trainer" speak, I have no idea what's wrong with my foot) and the time trial on Friday was less than desirable between the ankle and the calories so we'll see how Coach feels about my extracurricular eating activities.

Oh and all those doughnuts? A sugar induced energy rush inspired me to rearrange my whole room. If you're in the area feel free to drop in and see my new little fung shway set up (and yes grammar nazis, I know I spelled that wrong, it was on purpose and possible irony). If you don't live in the area, well let me tell you, I'm enjoying it so far. We'll see about how I feel when I wake up and trip over stuff in the morning. Anyway, stay healthy, don't do as I do, you end up with a belly ache even if your room looks grand, and when my metabolism gives up on me I'm going to have a rude awakening.

OH almost forgot I can now do the Cup Song from Pitch Perfect, so there might be a video coming up soon.

And I do know how to spell "feng shui"
How else would I be able to google search this?

It's Always Sunny In Belmont

I'm really trying to get more regular with this whole blogging thing, I really am!

Anyway, today in beautiful Ann Arbor it is a brilliant 37 degrees fahrenheit! And meanwhile here I sit in my room down in NC with the windows open because, guess what, it's 69 degrees and supposed to get to the 70's this weekend. This is when I know without a doubt I'm going to school at the right place.

My first three days of classes have been pretty decent, and I find myself desperately wanting to learn. Isn't funny how you take things for granted until they're almost gone? I guarantee if I was going to be here another two and a half years I'd not put any more effort than necessary into these classes. As it is, I'm trying to be the overachiever in the classroom, trying to outsmart my procrastination before it kicks in in full force.

Of course, even though I love college and all the activities that are going on, I still have a lame nerd side that results me locking myself in my room watching a youtube video over and over to learn the song: The Cup Song from Pitch Perfect. For some reason, I am absolutely obsessed with the song, and I can do the rhythm of the cup and sing the song but not together, so we'll see how this mission works out since I try to do it without my roommate realizing it. I'll keep posting as it goes...

Speaking of college activities, I had my first track practice yesterday after a month of not really working out. Sore is only barely adequate to describe my jello legs today, and I have to do weights as well after practice today. Let's be honest, Christmas break is the time to pig out and eat so much unhealthy food we develop a sugar dependency (I'm really trying to plead the case I now have a sugar dependency, but I'm not sure Coach is going for it). It added up to me looking like this at practice yesterday:

and yes, I looked like a black man

There's the slight possibility I'm exaggerating, but I could be telling the gospel truth as well. Tomorrow we have a mock meet, and this will be my first chance to really run in a meet situation on a real track. Unfortunately here at Belmont Abbey, our "track" is a cement circle around the soccer field, and our team has suffered scrapes, concussions, and dislocated limbs from accidents on it. It all adds to the excitement of practice. Get on our level.

Well I need to go have a couple more sugar cookies and tan in the wonderful weather while watching reruns of the Biggest Loser, but I'll be back in a few days with a couple more pounds and a fracture from a track accident.

Tick Tock

Today, I got to ask a cop for his license. Life. Made. Granted, he was coming to pick up his tickets for the hockey game I was working but still. I recently overcame my irrational but somewhat justified fear of police officers from a childhood incident involving getting locked in a basement by an officer. It's not as hardcore as it sounds, but I'll tell that story another time.

Anyway, today was my last day of work and my last full day home. Either way, it's that time of break again: my growing excitement to go back to school and start my last semester conflicts with my desperation to do a ton of things with my family knowing I'm going to miss them for the next 4 and a half months. I'm both counting down the hours and wanting to drag them out. And here I am, at the end of my last break ever.

Yes, my last break. I'm graduating! May 11, 2013, 20 year old me will walk across the stage in my cap and gown and receive my diploma. I'd better enjoy this semester! But then I'm on to bigger and better things. At the same time, I truly believe that it's important to live in the moment and enjoy every second of it. While I'm certainly looking forward to the future, this is a time in my life I'll never get back, and I'm trying to remember every little thing about it.

I'll be honest, I'M FREAKING OUT. I'm too young to be done with "this time" in my life. People ask me if I'm going to get my Masters, and while I've certainly considered it, I don't know if that's what I want to do with my life. The thing is, I barely know if I want to go into Sports Management. Yeah, I want to stay in sports, but why not sports medicine? Why not communications? It's all a lot that I feel I had to decide so young. I'm glad to take a gap year and try to figure things out, but it all seems a bit crazy to me. I have to take everything a day at a time, and, believe it or not, it seems like time goes so slowly AND so quickly. I know I'll blink and be graduated, and blink again and summer will be over!

Ok, maybe I'm being a little bit dramatic, but I love going over the top. Probably not the best thing ha. I know everything will work out and before I know it I'll be working a random summer job (hopefully an outdoor one, that would be ideal) and then going to Europe for the Fall. Who knows? Maybe I'll even make a couple bucks off this blog! (Thanks for the motivation, Karen!) 

(Really big shout out to Karen)

Everyone keeps telling me, enjoy your last semester! And I'm like, no duh, this is it for me. Next comes marriage and then death. (Again, maybe a BIT of an exaggeration). Regardless, I'm enjoying my adventures, both the ones ending and beginning, and hopefully I'll remember to pack all my clothes and things before I leave. PACKING! That's right, well I should probably go pack. Goodbye Michigan, goodbye snow, goodbye my amigos. Until we meet again!