Never Too Much...

MIDDY'S opening line...

BEFORE:

We are all here to do something GREAT...so I do everything like it's that thing! ~ The Girl Herself

Doing too much really means your not going to get much "done" at all! Trust me, I'm guilty...been there, [not] done that, and am now writing the blog about it.

This semester alone I took 12 credits for classes, 3 credits for an internship, worked at the internship 20 hours per week, started (or not) the Entertainment Law Society (first event coming Spring 2010), helped with the law schools diversity team at the start of the semester, served on the New Horizons Board, went home (to Plainfield) nearly every weekend to see my babe (smiles) and spend time with family and friends, until November attempted to volunteer with New Jersey Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, tried to give back to the kids of Camden through the Street Law Pro Bono project, and most recently took on a second job to make some extra cash to close out December's bills. (Notice how my verbs went from concrete "do's" to "attempts" and "tries" LOL - but soo not funny!)

Did I mention that I am a JD/MBA student? School is really SERIOUS BUSINESS! No skipping class, goofing off, hoping to write a creative essay and get an A...this is WORK! I have to remind myself of this when I get stressed by all of the things that I am [not] doing! School is not just something that I do, or that keeps me from doing other things...it is my JOB...my 4-year CAREER...and I forget that a lot!

I am in the midst of writing the paper of my life...no it's not like the 60 page thesis I wrote in undergrad...not even comparable to the 10 page research paper that I wrote in the third grade...it literally is the paper of my life. "More than Music: A Reflection Paper" is the culminating assignment for my internship, that essentially gives me the opportunity to talk about the industry that I love (and will lead before I die), in the tone that I love (just a step above blogging), and embedding the person that I love (not the most, but close) in every line...ME!

But I almost lost the "moment" created by this momentus opportunity because I was DOING TOO MUCH! Sleeping very little, interning everyday, working the second job on the weekends, partying with the BFF (it was her birthday...please know that I WOULD NOT have missed her party for the world, but for death...so that doesn't count in my "doing"), getting ready for my sisters wedding (see previous parenthetical...another WOULD NOT MISS), trying to keep my apartment in order (there is laundry - clean and dirty EVERYWHERE, I haven't unpacked from my overnight stay last weekend, and Billboard magazines are scattered about), juggling bills (Peter and Paul are fighting over my limited funds), and trying not to let anything slip.

I've learned a hard lesson (again) this week! As much as I think I'm Superwoman...some things have to take a back seat to what's really important, when it matters most...and FINAL EXAM PERIOD is the most important thing on my to-do list right now. Juggling is fun, but when you drop the big ball...none of the other balls stand a chance.

So, now that I've diverted 15 minutes from paper-writing to blog about my recent epiphany...I shall release you from reading...and return to the more important thing - writing (well, for school at least).

DO..but DO WELL...and DON'T DO TOO MUCH...

MIDDY'S parting words...

AFTER:

We are all here to do something GREAT...so I do everything like it's that thing! But, it's impossible to do EVERY thing, so I must chose wisely! ~ The Girl Herself

Mom taught me...

...mom taught me how to live...how to stretch myself...how to stretch my resources...how to run a household...how to handle my biz...how to love unconditionally...how to give more than you could ever expect to receive...how to pamper myself (even if it happens between the bathroom, the couch and my own bedroom)...how to be a lady, but "man-up" when necessary...how to party...and how to pray...mom taught me...yep...mom taught me

Perch...

The strange thing about life is that you go through it hoping to achieve some goal - reach some status...always pressing toward some mark. Your'e daily walk is more like a run. You are moving so fast that "time flies."

But, if you spent time doing what birds do...PERCH...rest upon a tree to look around every now and again, you'd realize that the point of the "flight" is so that you can pause and appreciate the beauty of all that is around you along the way.

Soooo...

Love your family...hug your friends...kiss yourself in the mirror...take pride in the YOU that you are. Be your own best friend...then share a piece of you with someone else. Laugh until you cry. Cry until you laugh. Breath deeply as often as you can. Scream when you feel like it (but only in places where it is appropriate LOL). Put on your finest robes and killer heels because they're yours (or borrowed from your BFF, LOL). Sleep in. Hang out. Let loose. Stay tight. Flaunt your sexy. Share your sweet. Dream big. Live bigger. Stretch your heart and your head. Flex your muscle. Feel the burn. Love til it hurts...but do love again. Spend wisely. Treat yourself. Stop worrying! Hold a baby. Have one! Fight for what you believe in. As a matter of fact...believe in something. Find God and talk to him (or her) often. Trust with all of your heart. Be honest. Stay open. Fear not. Fuel up on faith. Be bold. Be daring. Smile, it helps. Believe that nothing is easy, but most things are doable. Know that happiness is a decided state of being. Choose wisely.

Throw caution to the wind...jump off the cliff! The "top" is always higher than where you are, so you have to jump. You'll FLY...but most importantly, know when to PERCH and LIVE! That's why we're here...

Middy is...

Good Morning, Grind...

Down at 3, up at 9...only 6 hours, but "Good Morning, Grind!" No, I'm not a rapper, but writing is far from new. I'll save the nursery flow and explain why I roll like this, to you...

I've been a stellar student since kindergarten, and took the corporate world by storm. My mom nearly died while on her lunch break...decided to change my song.

I took a brief hiatus to run a non-profit, and then law school came knockin. No, I didn't take the LSAT, but I'm a G! Welllllll...I took the GMAT and GRE so I was prepared. The grind keeps on rockin!

1L, the worst year of my life...running up and down the highway...reading all night...borrowing money...moved in with the parents...learning the law-school lingo...but managed to get things right. Got super-paid over the summer, only to be super broke by the end. (Umm $40K pay cut, only to give up work all together kinda strains the budget...meet...Never did my ends!)

Nevertheless 2L was better, scholarships out the wazoo. First Amendment, IP, and Entertainment, I had to make it do what it do. I got A's in what mattered, so that sealed my fate. It was now crystal clear where I was headed...though the path would never be straight.

Spent summer number 2 at a glossy, big corporate firm. The checks were amazing! But the many hours spent meant that I earned...earned every penny, every dollar, every cent to be exact. I killed it once again...they invited me to come back.

In the midst of my stay, I went through the fire...enough to derail me...make me fall off track. The boyfriend tripped out...we broke and then broke up...lost a friend to the heavens...and dad lived through a week of heart attacks.

I cried every night, but continued to grind every day. You'd never know my weakness was the heart, because I'm Mel Gibson - Braveheart while I'm pushing my way. Pushing through, pushing on...making failure my footstool. God has placed me in this space...he knows how I'm supposed to be used.

I finished off the summer, retooled the look, the attitude,the hustle. All and all, I reinvented my cool! I had to, I'm meant to be a boss...I here to make the rules! I'm so focused, headed to the top...they call me Middy, cause like P.Diddy - "can't stop...won't stop."

I hate that this rhymes, but I guess that's the hip hop monster in me. I've found a voice in my heart that is slowly becoming easier to see. Hear my lion, hear my heart roar...watch me work...there's so much more in store.

So as I close out this entry, and head offline...off to job #2...Good Morning, Grind...