Hart of Dixie

I just found a new show that I absolutely LOVE. <3  It is based in this town called Bluebell and starred by Rachel Bilson whose carefully planned life as a cardio-thoracic surgeon in New York City somehow went awry. Although Rachel found herself to be a city person, she is starting to fall for this small town and how close everyone is there, although she doesn't quite fit in, she is becoming more a part of the town as time wears on.   If you are looking for a new series to check out on Netflix, this would definitely be my suggestion.

Find out more at http://www.cwtv.com/shows/hart-of-dixie/about

Chicago PRSSA Trip- Buisness+Pleasure

I just got back from a trip to Chicago and had the time of my life, it was just what I needed to let loose a little, and take a break from school.  I went on the trip with an organization on campus called PRSSA which is made up mostly of Public Relation(PR) majors. We went to some really cool PR firms that I fell in love with.

The First was The Red Frog Events. http://www.redfrogevents.com/
     It was amazing being there, if I could choose somewhere that I would absolutely love to work and be passionate about it is this place. They just started 5 years ago and have been growing rapidly ever since.  When I toured I fell in love. Everyone was super nice and professional with a fun edge. The place was camp themed which would be perfect for me. They even had a jungle gym, mason jars for lights, swings at the desks of conference rooms, and my absolute favorite part... You can bring your DOG to work! Because if you are unaware, I am obsessed with my dog Bravo. I am planning on trying to get a summer internship there! Wish me luck!

The Second place we toured was Skirt PR. http://www.skirtpr.com/
     Skirt PR was also a great place to tour.  They were smaller than Red Frog and Golin Harris but they made up for it in style. They were very professional and such a cute pink place to be in.  They specialize in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.  They have also worked with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Lauren Conrad, and a few stars of the hit show Gossip Girl. If you are into the fashion side of PR this will probably be the place for you.

The third and final tour was Golin Harris.  http://golinharris.com/#!/
     This was the biggest and the firm that has been around the longest.  Their first company they built was McDonalds and you can see how much success they had with that!  They just rebuilt their company in Chicago a few months ago into a more fun place that better represented their personality.





Not only did I have a great time in Chicago but I also met many amazing people that I have became pretty close with in just a few short days.

Sometimes, we must Fall.

The leaves have changed,
and many have been left dead on the lawn.
Snow will come, and discolor the scene
leaving our small world white.

White can be beautiful,
clean and crisp.
Cold and refreshing.
Summer is gone,
and winter is soon to come.
Many will hibernate
but my fun has just begun.

White is my favorite color.
It reminds me of a new beginning,
a clean slate.
The chill keeps me on my toes.

The leaves may be dying,
but me, I'm just coming to life.

Pay It Forward

Has someone ever just done something out of the kindness of their heart, someone you have never met before and it just makes you feel so good.

Well I have had that happen to me before, witnessed it happen, and paid  it forward to others.

I love to go through drive-thrus.. Whether is be caribou or wherever and pay for the person behind me.  By the time they get up there to pay they are shocked that someone they have never met would do such a thing and for no reason at all.

I like to do it in drive-thrus because people are usually in a hurry in a drive-thru and don't have the time to stop and enjoy the day. Well, I like to add a little sunshine on someone's stormy day.

I am a college student and I support myself, no I don't really have money to throw away, but then I think of all of the things I buy that I don't need and all the times I go out to eat when I could have a much cheaper meal at home and decide that this will make both of our days a little brighter.

It doesn't always have to be buying something, but just doing a small deed for someone can change their whole day around.  

So next time you want to feel good about yourself, do it by showing a little kindness and paying it forward, because they just might pay it forward to someone else, ya never know!

<3 K.

Someday, I will die. It's just not my time yet.

I am in this class called Psychology of Death and Dying and we were assigned to write our own obituary on how we expect to die and when.  This is what I wrote.

                There are many ways to die, and there are many ways to live.  Most people spend their life wondering how they are going to die and being afraid of it.  I on the other hand have thought about it a lot. I know that I could die tomorrow or of old age when I am 93, yet the thought of what comes after is the thing that frightens me most.  When I think about death, I think about the end, there is nothing to look forward too after death in my mind.  My family and friends that have died before me I always say that they are watching over me in heaven and I will be reunited with them one day, but that is just what I hope for, not necessarily what I believe. 

                I have always said that I am going to die young.  Think of all the young people that have died through tragedy, disease, or suicide.  Those people are remembered for a long time, have the highest attendance at their funeral and seem to affect a wider range of people.  I always see organizations that are made in memory of a young sole that has passed on and people want to remember them and help others through them and their name.  You don’t see many people that die of old age with memorabilia’s like that. The thing I want most after I die is to be remembered, to be loved, and to have had a positive effect on this crazy world.

                Ever since I was younger I have had a knack for being a little bit on the dangerous side.  Climbing a little too high, swimming a little too far, riding a little too fast have been my strengths.  Through all the crazy things I have done, somehow I have made it to this day.  I would never attempt to take my own life, although through hard times it may have crossed my mind, but I know that when I am meant to die, I will.  I have always expected to die in a tragic motor-vehicle accident, drowning (I’ve had few close calls), or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I have seen and heard of so many tragedies that I wonder how I was so lucky not to be a part of one.  Although I have always thought I would die young, yes, I am still young, but I am also still very much alive.

                Over the years I have changed my mind about how I think I am going to die.  I feel like there is so much I have yet to experience and I don’t want to miss out on those beautiful experiences.  I want to raise a family to carry on my genes and for them to remember me.  I want to be a role model and be someone the people look up too and respect.  I want to see my children grow up and start their own families and be there for my grandchildren where my grandparents weren’t there for much of my life.  In my family, we don’t seem to live to a very old age, and maybe that is where I got my mind frame from.  My grandfathers were both passed before I was born, my grandmothers were passed when I turned 11, and my father when I was 17.

                My father was diagnosed with ALS when I was only 2 years old, and was only expected to live 6 months.  By some miracle, he fought for 16 years before he was finally too weak to fight anymore.  I grew up wondering if he was going to still be there when I got home from school.  There have been many times where one of my sisters have come and gotten me in the middle of the school day to rush me to the hospital because he wasn’t doing okay.  Death has been consuming my mind from a very young age, and once I stopped having to worry about my father’s, I started worrying about my own. 

                I do expect to die, I just don’t know when.  I don’t know when I would rather die, or when I expect to be gone but what I do know that when it happens, I hope that the people I love most will take my death and turn it into a positive thing, if there is even such a way.  When I do die, I hope it is doing something I love, or with the people I love, because I believe that is the best way to go no matter what age you are.  I don’t want to spend my life thinking of what the best way to die would be though, I would like to spend it living the best way I can and enjoying the short time we all have on earth.  I don’t know what comes next, and whatever it is; I don’t want it to be easy. I like a challenge and I like not having everything at my fingertips.  Life on earth isn’t always as great as we would like, but without struggle there would be no passion.  

I Walk to Defeat ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

This last weekend I participated in a 2 mile walk to Defeat ALS in memory of my father Larry Norlund who struggled with the disease for 16 long years before ending his life with a medical suicide on Nov.  4th 2009.

I started a team in his honor called the Mudshark Marchers because his nick name is the Mudshark.  My mom and sister along with two of my good friends accompanied me in the walk along with my dog Bravo.   In total my team raised $310 with me personally raising $210 of it.  It was amazing to see how many people attend these walks in support of people struggling with the disease.

<--My Dad. 

A little about the disease:

Lou Gehrig's disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), causes the nerve cells in certain regions of your brain and spinal cord to gradually die. Eventually, people who have Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) lose the ability to move their limbs and the muscles needed to move, eat, speak and breathe.

Doctors don't know what causes Lou Gehrig's disease, and the disease can't be cured. Although doctors can't reverse the progression of Lou Gehrig's disease, advances in treatment mean that many who have the disease live longer than they did in the past. Each year about 5,000 Americans are newly diagnosed with ALS, and about 20,000 Americans have the disease.

I plan to continue doing more walks and other things to aid in the search for a cure for ALS or better treatment to aid in a slower progression of the disease.  

He stole my heart.

I was randomly sitting on craigslist one day and I love checking out the pets section. Well while scrolling through I ran into this post stating if someone didn't take this dog by the morning they were going to put him down! It captivated me right away if there is anything that gets to me it is the unfit death of a animal. Upon opening the post and seeing it was a German Shepherd the kind of dog I was raised with and loved I knew I had to save this poor dog no matter what the costs.

I called my mom right away (even though it was 11:30 at night) and told her about the dog and that he would be some work but there is no way that I could have it on my conscious that I didn't do anything to try and save him. So I talked her into letting me get him because he would have to stay at her house while I tried to find a new place to move into because my current residence wouldn't allow me to have a dog.

So again I found a place on craigslist where they said I could keep him and I was so excited it is a really nice house and the guy is great. The only problem is he also has a Doberman and our dogs don't get along, and of course it is my dogs fault because he is the newcomer so I either have to keep him in my room or in the basement.

He does have some problems, he is scared of the dark, loud noises, bug trucks, storms, and most of all being left alone. He likes to be at my side at all times which I am okay with but I am nervous about when I go to work and have to leave him at home. I know that he gave my mom some problems so I really hope that he doesn't do the same for me.

I don't know what to do if I have to get rid of this dog. He is my life right now and needs me. I don't think he could handle another home switch and I don't think he would connect with anyone as he has with me.  He is really skittish and doesn't like going up to people he doesn't know.  My mom already informed me that if it doesn't work out they won't be taking him and I don't know what to do because I don't think that my roommate is too fond of him but I can't even think of losing him so I guess all that's left to do is pray for the best.