WHAT is my deal?

Seriously- what is my problem? I am no where near where my excitement level should be right now. Am I broken? I have not been myself lately. I leave for England FRIDAY! only THREE full days left. I should be jumping for joy, bouncing off the walls, shouting HORRAY at the top of my lungs while doing toe touches and backflips on my way from the living room to the kitchen. So why after all these months of anticipation am I am suddenly filled with anxiety?

Everyone I have talked to recently plays like a broken record. 

"Taylor- you are going to have so much fun!" 

"Taylor this is the chance of a lifetime" 

"You will remember this forever"

While I find these words comforting and true my emotions are everywhere I don't even know what to think or feel.

It's the goodbyes....

Leaving work and work friends of 2 years 

Leaving college station my home away from home that I surprisingly grew to love of 4 years

(that includes football season & delta gamma)

Leaving my roommates and friends

Leaving mexican food

Leaving my extended family

My brother/best friend leaving for Florida

Natalie leaving to go back to school

Elise leaving to go to grad school

Pham leaving to work in NY

Leaving sam. period.

Leaving my parents. 

Leaving the only life I know for a life I cant even begin to predict or imagine..

This is too much sadness for one month. 

Thank goodness Laura is coming with me- the only tangible string that connects the past with the future.

Sometimes I am too sentimental. I need to skip over this mushyness and get over it. I am going to England for pete-sakes. 

Some things I am praying for. Your prayers are welcome as well.

1. A safe arrival for me, Laura, Colette and Laurel. 

2. My students that I have not yet met. Pray that I am able to influence, teach and affect their lives the way God intends me too and that they do the same.

3. For my mentors at St. Annes School. 

4. That I pursue God's plan for me whatever it may be and whether I like it or not!

Thanks- they are much appreciated :)

THE END OF AN ERA!!!

Sunday I left life as I once knew it. A whirlwind of emotions left me excited yet empty. I will preface with the fact that my last week in college station was spent with a nagging cold that hindered me from doing the typical last week things as a college student. No matter how bad I felt I managed to force myself up to Daisy Dukes Thursday night for some country dancing which has easily grown to be one of my favorite things to do. All week I had been anticipating the return of THE Sam Lubinsky which I was able to see Saturday when he came into College Station for a wedding. And it couldn't have been more amazing. 2 months is too long. But when it came down to it, sick or not, I just felt weird. It just seemed like no matter what I was doing I wasn't doing enough to savor my last week. I felt uncomfortable, anxious and nervous- which is similar to how I feel on New Years Eve. I hate when the count down begins. I always get so anxious- Like oh crap! I only have 10 seconds left to make 2008 memorable, to make 2008 purposeful- what can i do to make 2008 a GREAT year and not just another year that flew by without reason. Well these are the emotions I had as my last week of a college student- Never again will I be in the same town where everyone is my age- where I will know everyone at a restaurant on a Friday night, at the grocery store or at the dance clubs and bars. Sunday my dad and brother came down to help me move out. It was the quickest move of my four years but definitely the most depressing. All three of my roommates where there when my dad drug me to the car. I was giving hugs and saying my goodbyes and I just broke out into tears- bawling! Its kind of embarrassing but I was SO upset. I have had a blast in college and Im NOT READY TO LEAVE!!! I will miss so many things about college but here are some things that I will miss the most about my roommates.


Alex-

I will miss the way she talks. her quirky phrases and british accents. her nicknames for boys and stories that go along with them. the food that she cooks that turns our house in to a wonderful smelly goodness fragrance for hours. her love of so you think you can dance and our time together when we watch those shows. her screaming at random things. her LOUD screaming at random things. the fact that she loves a character in a book (because I do to). the fact that the character she is in love with is a vampire who marries and has vampire babies. her cute prada glasses. the fact that she loves animals and loves Lily as much if not more than I do. her dvd collection because it includes across the universe, gladiator, the holiday and everything inbetween. the way her and natalie get a long with my brother and have been appointed by alex (my brother) as his other sisters- i couldn't be happier! haha how she religiously stalks perez hilton.com and updates us on the latest and greatest. everything

Caroline-

I will miss her quick and witty responses- I only wish I could come up with half the stuff she does. Her music playing loud and on repeat for the whole street to know that yes indeed Caroline Brown is obsessed with Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis. The way she gets hooked (and in turn gets me hooked) on DVD of TV series. The way she looks at life. ummmmmmm all of her boy stories. how she can survive off bagel bites and queso. how she knows she needs to study but doesn't anyway. our love of high school musical/hairspray because we are 13 and like Zac Efron. the way she is like a magnet when she walks into a room because everyone wants to be around her. I GOT TO LIVE WITH HER! her spontaneity. the night we broke into kyle field. how she loves fish camp- i didn't know it was possible to love an organization period. her ability to forgive easily. when she hangs up the phone and says ok byeeeeeeeeeee. my goodness. everything

Natalie-

I will miss the times when I sing in the shower loudly and natalie finishes the next verse from her room. I can sit at my desk in my room with the door open and talk to her at her desk in her room. the way she only eats microwavable food and chicken salad. that phase when she ate a lot of corn. the fact that she didn't care that I used her straightener about everyday for 2 years. the way she caught on to Alex's accents and now talks in a british accent all the time. her scenarios. her love of matt wertz and dave barnes and how she drove with me to south carolina to see them in concert. her advice at 2 in the morning. her quirky things. like how she high kicks randomly. how we can brilliantly rap together because we know what each other is going to say. the weird head thing we do when we move side to side and back and forth. dancing in the hallway between our rooms. singing greyhound by dave barnes. fighting over matt wertz. nibbles and the fact that alex and her are obsessed with miniature donkeys. the way she is kind to everybody- even people that aren't kind to her. our unmatchable friendship- everything



Our last day in the TANC house with the poster we made for the great depression party

About "La Beast"

A SNIPPET

I live in Austin, Texas. This blog is about my life adventure. Every aspect of it. I teach 12 year olds and hopefully give them guidance at a time when they need it the most. I taught in England before I moved to Austin and like to speak in British accents ESPECIALLY with my students :)

I like:

speaking in British accents

live music

new mascara

men in glasses (scarfs too)

artistic talent

slippers

hot chocolate (especially from wales)

my Diana camera

cheeseburgers

avocado

traveling

James Morrison

A STORY

How did I get the nickname "la beast"? 

 Credit can be given to a couple people actually. Number one being my friend, Justin. One day I was doing my friendly duty  and giving him advice. I was properly inserting thought provoking questions instead of giving my opinion allowing him to come to his own solution. When he realized my tactic he tried to pay me the highest of compliments. 

"Taylor...you're like....the beast"

"The beast?"

"Yeah! Like the beast of the serengeti!"

Alright! I'll take it. Trying to make me sound more feminine my roommate started calling me "la beast" finishing up my nickname.

There is much going on in my life, just like the Serengeti. Peaceful moments that can quickly be shaken by an unexpected movement and then learning how to adapt and get things back to "normal". 

Much of the Serengeti is known to outsiders as "Maasailand". The Maasai people are known as fierce warriors who are recongnized for their strength and courage. I hope to take on my life adventure, my personal serengeti, as a peaceful warrior with strength and courage

Thanks for stopping by! Would love for you to become a follower and or leave a comment if something interests you

With love, 

La Beast

The Nicknames

I have changed names for protection...mainly from self embarrassment but also because it is more fun.

Abra is my current roomate. One of the funniest kids I know. She is laid back and outgoing and funny and wise and I like her a lot. We also work together.


Bestie has been my best friend since we were 13. She's more like a sister. She went to school in NY but I am happy to have her home. She lives with her bf Patsy and "plus 1"


Billz lived next door to me in college. Also a fellow Dallasite? Dallasanite? anyway hes from Dallas. You get the picture. He is flakey but fantastic so he can get away with it....sometimes. He now lives far away from me in Denver  (grad school) but we are faithful with our weekly phone dates.

Brother is oober talented and goes to a fancy art school in Florida. He rocks and I look up to him, literally. One time I gave him a box of cotton for Christmas and thought it was the funniest thing ever. He cried. He was 10.


Crash is the boy that never goes away. Known this kid for 8 years. He is a fantastic drummer so I named him after a type of cymbal. Thats all I feel like sharing for now.

"Karen" was my joy during my first year of teaching. She is beautiful and tiny and sneaks up on you with presents. She gave back rubs without asking and made me drawings. She was always concerned about my stress level and was my self appointed time keeper. Made famous by her  tricks. 1 the"Karen Klassic"- the point and tilt and 2. when she pulled a moth out of her pocket.
I wish she could stay in 6th grade forever!

Krick was my roommate for most of college. She has weird eating habits and likes to be important at an accounting firm. She likes to pat my head when I see her and calls me "toads" I dont remember why. She reminds me of Will Farrell from the movie "Stranger than Fiction". His character name was Harold [K]rick.

La-dorable was my third personal trainer who would get nervous and was just adorable.


La fish n chips is my British transfer student. I about jumped on him with excitement when I first heard his little voice. He was my early Christmas present. He writes me stories and I wish he would follow me around all day.



La gentleman and I met while in middle school? maybe high school?..at church. He is well......a gentleman. NEVER lets me pay. Very rare.


La Naomi is a Tiny Dancer and is an interior decorator in Dallas. She is so creative, so artistic and I think out of all the Tiny Dancers we share the same taste. She likes to bolt around with me and pretend like we are ROCKSTARS :)


La roomate lived and works with me in Austin. She kills cockroaches for me (aka la hero), did the dishes when I didnt want to and always remembered to take out the trash. I dont know how I functioned without her. She would also agree to this.


La rockstar lives in England. I met him and his band, Paper Planes, one night at a pub in Scotland. Also known as "pink tee" because thats what he was wearing. We wish we could live on the same continent.


La russian got his nickname on Spring Break 08. Some of the Tiny Dancers and I were with La Russian and his friends in Destin, Florida. He was the life of the party considering only one Tiny Dancer knew him beforehand.  He introduced me to his favorite drink The White Russian...and that was trouble. No he is not Russian.



Marti/ Sassy Martini/ Martin (Martin only used when she's in trouble) is my neighbor. God perfectly placed her a stones throw away to save me in so many ways. She is hot and sassy and so wise. I adore this kid.

Phammy lives the life I wish I could. She is a Tiny Dancer and went off to school at NYU. There she majored in journalism and still lives in NYC as a production assistant for ABC. She is a self proclaimed superstar and is the only person who could get away with half the stuff she says 


Plus one lives with bestie. When bestie's brother got married in August 09 we were each other's plus one to the wedding. She also went to high school with me and beat me when we ran for choir president sophomore year.


Sexy Mike works as a card swiper at the gym. He is oh so sexy and oh so unattainable. I run more (and FASTER) when he is working so I always hope he is there.


Sugarslice was my second personal trainer. He could sing, could flirtext, and was easy on the eyes, but he also was a 7 year old girl. who knew?


TB is my stunningly beautiful cousin. She is 17 and a senior in high school. She lives on a farm in Oklahoma with my other two cousins and aunt and uncle. She was in a recent car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Please pray!

Tiny Dancers is my core group of 8 friends from high school. We were all on the dance team together and are still the best of friends. We have our own ridiculous language. Like to take hugging pictures and call each other "boop" or "boopie"