Madison Rodick: 2016

Twenty.

On October 17th, I turned twenty years old! What a day. It was so weird waking up and realizing that I was no longer in my teens. I had a great weekend, especially because I got to see some of my good friends. I got tons of great gifts, and I went on a fun date with Quinn too! Here are some pictures from my special weekend (:

Quinn and I went to P.F. Chang's at the Plaza for my birthday dinner and I wore...

Black Lace Romper//Gianni Bini - similar one here

Camel Colored//Steve Madden - similar ones here

The picture we took outside was posed by a 13-foot tall Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters (my mom is a huge dork for buying that, but we all love it).

On my actual birthday I went to a new coffee shop in downtown Kansas City with my friend Frankye. The coffee was great and it was it a really cool area. I wore...

Rose Gold Opal Necklace//Kendra Scott

Dark Wash Skinny Jeans//Levi's

Purse//Kate Spade - similar one here

Sunglasses//Ray Ban

Oversized Sweater//thrift store - similar one here

Black Flats//similar ones here

Until next time...

Madison

Song of the Day: A Sunday Kind of Love//Etta James

p.s. My twenties are going just swell...

Fall is here!

Today I got to wear my favorite Sorel boots. My parents gave them to me last year as one of my Christmas presents and they are awesome. They are supposed to be really good for the snow and rain because they are water proof and they have good traction on the bottom. They are also super comfortable. I like mine because they are short, but I'm in the market for some taller ones now that I'm starting to prepare for some good ole Nebraska snow.

You can check mine out here! (I got mine from Dillard's last year, but I saw Nordstrom Rack was having a major sale on the ones I have and you can't pass up a good deal)

I really love the color because I'm super into that sage/olive green right now. Get yourself a pair today and you seriously won't regret it.

xoxo,

Madison

Song of the Day: I Will Wait//Mumford & Sons (LOVE them so much)

September.

September was a hard month for me. My grandmother passed away on September 2nd, and it was something I knew would happen eventually, but was in no way prepared to cope with. She was only 63.

My grandma was a very big part of my life. I frequently called her just to ask random questions about life. One of the hardest things since she's been gone is reminding myself that I can't pick up the phone and call or text her. She won't be there to give me advice on how to choose the best watermelon, or what to do when I start to have an allergic reaction. But more importantly she won't be at my wedding or my college graduation. These are some of the hardest things for me to think about, and they make me cry every time.

It's been a little over a month and I can finally write this all the way through. I haven't been able to write on my blog because I really didn't know what to say. I felt like this was something I should address because my blog is called "life as me." This is my life, and I definitely miss my grandma all the time, but I know she's with me in my heart and I will always have those memories I shared with her. Luckily I always took advantage of any opportunity I could find to take pictures with her and the rest of my family and just be silly together.

I don't think I will write any more about this, not because I don't want to, but because it's just too hard. It's all still so fresh. I just felt like I needed to write about September because it was a hard month for me, and now I finally feel like I can understand so many people's hardships when they lose such a close loved one. Before, I was unaccustomed to feeling such a loss, such a void, and I am thankful that I had the time I did with her. My little sister is only five years old. How lucky am I that I got almost 20 years with my grandma? Like, wow there are so many great memories I got to share with her and those are the stories I will tell my sister when she grows up and wonders about our Grandma. I suppose that is all for today.

This post is dedicated to my beautiful, funny, courageous, and outgoing grandma, the late Brenda Kay Susan Scheperle. I love you grandma.

All the best,

Madison

Tales from your local coffee shop

Today's coffee shop tales come from Indigo Coffee Shop & Bookstore. I sit here writing to you from this super cool room with sweet gold foil ceiling tiles and intricate wood designs. I got a mocha, the usual, and I spent about two hours going through Facebook and Twitter catching up on everything there is to know in the world of social media. This table that I'm sitting at is super cool because it's next to a window and it looks out over a main downtown street in the Haymarket District. It gives you pretty sweet vibes.

They even have one of those cool "take a book, leave a book" areas (too bad I don't have a book I could leave because otherwise I would totally participate). I think those things are the coolest. I really love book stores, but not just Barnes & Noble and the big chains, but those little ones that are tucked away with cozy reading corners and cool stories along the shelves. It makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop. (Hopefully all of my English teachers throughout the years will appreciate this). I also love coffee, so this whole coffee shop bookstore thing is really working out for me. The only thing that would make this place better is if there was a little bit of mood lighting, I'm a big fan of lamps (#lamplife5ever #ILoveLamp).

*Sidenote - I really love how I can just write about whatever I want on here, and in my own style. Like, yes I talk in hashtags sometimes, and yes I think I'm really funny in case you were wondering. I guess you could just say #MillennialProbs. I think I spend 50% of the time trying to convince people that I'm funny. Which I guess could mean that I'm not actually funny, or just half funny. (I'm giving this too much thought). If you know me, you know that I can be really sarcastic, and I like to impersonate people when I tell stories with their "voices" (I use quotations because their voices usually sound nothing like the way I sound when I'm talking like them (usually this applies to my mom, sorry mom). Anyways, back to what I was talking about earlier...

I love looking down the street and seeing all the lights lit up. It reminds me of New York, only on a way smaller scale. I used to close my curtains and pretend the lights showing through in my dorm room were the lights in NYC (they were actually the glistening lights of Plaza 900, our subpar dining hall, but a girl can dream). Missing those sorts of things about NYC makes me wonder if I will ever want to move there some day. Sometimes I think I want to, and other days I remember it's signature smell of pee and cigarettes and I reevaluate my choices... Other things I don't know if I could live without include green grass (I know there's Central Park, but there's just something about green grass that puts you in a happy mood). Also, I love driving and I definitely wouldn't be able to do that in New York. I love going for a drive to clear my head (it's not as relaxing as it used to be though ever since my radio antenna blew away as I was driving down the highway, now I only get 4/10 radio stations but it's better than nothing. Also, no I don't have an aux cord, I drive an '05 Mazda 6 - too old to have an aux and too new to have a tape recorder).

Well, I suppose I've rambled on long enough for now. Until tomorrow or next time...

XO

Madison

Song of the Day: 10,000 Weight in Gold//The Head and the Heart (love them so much)

p.s. I'm pretty sure I saw a drug deal go on this morning as I was driving to work, it was a weird start to a not-so-interesting day. Also, here are some cool pics of the coffee shop I'm at!

School Vibes

super cool first day of school picture for my mom

So now that I am a sophomore in college, I no longer live in a dorm. I feel like I am 98% adulting (minus 2% because my parents still pay for some of my things and I call them a LOT to ask random questions).

I now live in a duplex/house with three other girls and it's a pretty cool set up. We have a two car garage, washer and dryer, and it's two-stories. These are the things you get excited about when you get older, example: "YES, it comes with a washer and dryer, that's awesome!" (this was an exact quote from me a couple of months ago). Other things I've decided you start to get excited about when you're older include, but are not limited to: cheap gas (below $2, this one gets me really pumped), good deals on things like paper towels and dish detergent, and sales on pretty much anything (really anything that can save me money because I'm a poor college student and I hate spending money on things that aren't fun, gas, oil changes, cleaning supplies, etc.). My parents will probably think this is funny.

Anyways, yesterday was quite the adventure. My first day of classes were really just one class and it wasn't until 5:30 p.m. and it wasn't even on the same campus that I was used to (really great, NOT). Apparently there's this little thing called East Campus, cool I was like oh so they just like to use directions like yeah okay that makes sense, nope it actually means "EAST CAMPUS" as in drive 10 min to a different location. Luckily, Quinn helped me realize my mistake because that could have been a really sad first day, *dresses up and tries to look cute, ends up missing night class (only class of day)*. Yeah that would have made me feel like poop, however, I was in luck because due to my incredible sense of direction (ha) and keen observance to time I managed to get across campus/town and arrive 2 min late. It was a pretty big accomplishment, not gonna lie.

Today presented itself with another very daunting feat, the good ole' 8 a.m. class (this has been the downfall of my college career, no matter what I do I can't seem to get away from them). Fortunately I was able to drag myself out of bed at the crack of dawn (jk it was just 7:30) and make it to class. Except I hadn't been to an actual school day yet so I was pretty unfamiliar with how everything worked, first there was the parking adventure (mastered it), then it was finding some random building I had never heard of (I ended up walking all around campus only to realize it was right next to my parking garage (sweet). When I finally spotted the building I happened to run into the Associate Dean of the Journalism School, who I have met and talked to multiple times (I know I'm really cool), and she informed me that the class I was going to was actually over capacity so I had to go to a whole other building and find another classroom. I was not pleased to hear this information, but I found it eventually and I ended up being 15 min late *cringe* (being late to class is the worst, everyone stares at you and makes you feel really stupid and I was like ugh).

Anyways after that whole mess I left and met Quinn and we went to our Philosophy lecture. It was okay, but I was most excited for the four hour break I have between classes, it's both a blessing and a curse. On one hand I like the break, but on the other hand I would like to just be done with class already.

So after class I got to talk on the phone for a much needed catch-up session with my best friend Lexy. It was good to unwind after a weird two days. And now here I sit writing to you from the library next to two girls talking about eating healthy and working out and the boy with the 100% self-made duct tape backpack. Man, college is interesting.

That's all for today, but I'm sure I will have many more stories to tell after the way this week has been going.

Until next time,

Madison

Song of the Day: Amadeus//Family and Friends (the beginning is by far the best part)

That time I was the new girl, again.

Today is my first day of my sophomore year of college. Wow, time flies. I started this blog when I was a sophomore in high school so that's pretty crazy, you've been with me through it all.

Today is a familiar feeling. I am a new girl once again, only this time it was by choice, not because my parents made me.

Jefferson Elementary School
California Elementary School
Moreau Heights Elementary School
Pray Woodman Elementary School
Amanda Arnold Elementary School
Russell Middle School
Houston High School
Lee's Summit West High School
University of Missouri
University of Nebraska

That's a lot of different schools, ten to be exact, and yes, I have attended all of them. If you're reading this you probably know me from one of these places.

Today I start school at the University of Nebraska. Many people will ask me why I decided to transfer and the answer is really complicated, but long story short I just wanted to start somewhere new. It's kind of ironic, since all my life I pretty much despised being the new girl. But, somewhere along the way it became ingrained in me. I am the new girl, the new girl is me (just kidding), but I almost feel like I have this inner timer that's like "okay Madison it's time to go, you've lived here more than two years so let's find someplace new."

Regardless, today is still pretty hard. I'm in a different state and I miss my friends and the girls in my sorority, but at the same time I'm glad to be somewhere else. It's a strange feeling, it's like I'm torn between two places. One side of me wants to stay in the same place and keep the same friends and stay away from the unknown, but the other side of me wants to venture out, meet new people, step outside of my comfort zone and break the norms. I suppose the second half won, because here I am.

I'm writing to you today in case that's you, maybe you're the new girl for the first time, maybe it's something you're totally familiar with like me, or maybe it's just your freshman year of college or high school or even middle school. Well don't worry because I have been where you are now, I have experienced all of those things, those tingly butterfly feelings in your stomach, all of it. Maybe you have friends or people that are mad at you because they feel like you left them by moving somewhere new. I've been there too. It almost makes the whole situation twice as difficult because then you feel like you can't talk to those girls who were once your absolute best friends. If that's the case it will all be okay, wounds heal and time helps fade the pain.

Today I would like to leave you with a quote, it seems to have always held true in my life, and I hope that's the case for you too.

"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind." - C.S. Lewis

Cheers to new adventures!

Love,

Madison

Song of the Day: All I Want//Kodaline

p.s. Happy new school year! Also, here's some awesome pics of my new roomie, Alex, and I eating some watermelon (:

Blog Makeover again

Yay! I have begun yet another blog makeover, however, this one is not quite so drastic as they have been in the past. You're probably thinking nothing has changed and it all looks the same, but I promise it's different(:

That's all for now!

Song of the day: Go With Me // Quinn Mosier (!!!)

Love,

Madison

Places I'd rather be

If you follow other bloggers, you might notice that they get to go to some seriously cool places. Well as you all know I would love to travel to just about anywhere and everywhere, so if you know anyone who wants to pay for me to go on a vacation and have me write about it, hmu (just kidding, not really, I really want to travel somewhere cool and I love writing, so best of both worlds).

Anyways, here are a couple of places I'd rather be today...

Hello. I feel like every time I start writing a blog post I say the same thing, "wow, it's been forever since I last wrote on here...blah blah...I'm going to start writing more regularly...and then I say something about why I haven't written in a while, and it's usually because I'm always really busy." Well today I'm not going to say all of that. (: I'm just going to dive in, and give you an update on what I've been up to lately.

The last time I wrote I was fresh off a plane from the big apple. Today, it's mid-June and I'm fresh off the work day from my summer internship. Now it's time to let you know what all happened in between...

I finished my freshman year of college at Mizzou. I will be transferring to the University of Nebraska in the fall. Most people don't understand why I would leave Mizzou since it's such a great Journalism school, but to be completely honest I just don't think Mizzou is the place for me. There's a little bit more to it, but that's the short version. Some people will say I'm just going to Nebraska because that's where my boyfriend goes, and yeah that's a definite plus, but it's not why I decided to go there. However, sometimes people would rather create their own version of your story than really listen to what you have to say. Oh well.

My freshman year of college went by really quickly, it was a great year filled with lots of ups and downs and lots of changes. Changes for the better. Sometimes I like to think of it as growing pains. We all know what it feels like when you're little and it hurts sometimes because you're body and your mind is growing and changing and maturing. Well, just because I stopped getting taller doesn't necessarily mean those growing pains go away. I don't think they ever will, but each time I grow I look back and realize I'm a little bit stronger, and a little bit wiser, and maybe it doesn't hurt so bad after all. I suppose that's how I like to look at college and getting older.

I mentioned my boyfriend, Quinn, earlier. Well, everything with Quinn and I is going just swell. Seriously, really great. He's pretty great if you ask me.

In the last couple of months my family experienced two deaths. My great grandfather, and my great aunt passed away within a couple of weeks of each other. It was really sad, but mostly because it just didn't seem real. I wasn't super close to either of them, and sometimes I look back and it makes me sad because I wish I could ask them questions or listen to some of their stories, but I no longer can. It's a pretty sobering realization when the thought of someone crosses your mind, and then you remember they won't be at that next holiday. You won't be calling them up on Father's day because they won't be there to pick up the phone. It's pretty sad. But at the same time it's nice to get together with your family and remember the good times and the nice memories you shared with the ones you love. So in a time of sorrow, there's also joy.

On a more positive note, I started a summer internship at a digital marketing agency. It's pretty cool and I'm excited to have the opportunity to gain so much experience at this point in my academic career. I'll keep you updated on how it all goes.

In between all of that were dinners, and movie dates, and time spent with friends and family. Here are a few pictures to catch you up.

Quinn's birthday breakfast!

Watching Friends on the Quad instead of studying for finals.

Admiring how pretty Jesse Hall is.

Quinn and Anna being silly.

Quinn being goofy at Olive Garden when my dad wasn't looking.

My bestest pal Frankye and I at her sisters grad party!

Quinn and I walking around at the Plaza.

Frankye and I at the Florence & the Machine concert(!!)

Quinn and I celebrating date night with some Jack Stack BBQ.

Friends!

Q and I (again) (:

Me with my friend Lauren, the bride-to-be!

Hope that got you all caught up, for now at least(:

Song of the day: Go With Me // Quinn Mosier (!)

Until next time,

Madison

New York Part II

Wow, I feel like it has been so long since I last wrote on here. So much has happened in the last couple of weeks. For one, I went to New York over my Spring Break!

I went to NYC with my friends Grace, Frankye, and Sydney and we stayed at an Airbnb (basically you rent someone's apartment from them for a couple of days) right by One World Trade Center. Everything worked out great for us, the only thing I would've have changed is to find somewhere that's closer to the subway next time, but other than that we had a really good experience with our Airbnb.

While I was in NYC I got to go to places like Mashable, Teen Vogue, Wenner Media (Rolling Stone, Men's Journal, US Weekly), Time Inc. (People, Food & Wine, Entertainment Weekly, Travel & Leisure, etc.), and I also got to talk to the Co-founder of the Clover letter, and the former Director of Toughness for Columbia Apparel (she just got done traveling the world for 6 months and testing out Columbia's gear, and she's also a writer for Rolling Stone, among others). All of these people were seriously so cool. I feel so fortunate to have gone and had such an awesome experience meeting so many awesome people.

Everyone kept asking me what my goal was for going to New York and why I was meeting so many people, and honestly the answer is so simple: I just wanted to make friends and create professional relationships with people I admired. The people I talked to have all gone through the same crappy prerequisite requirements that I am going through right now, and we have all seen better days and experienced successes (and more importantly, failures) in the journalism world. One of the biggest realizations I came to after meeting all of these people was the fact that they are just that, real people. They all put their pants on one leg at a time just like me. And they gave me some really great advice too, for one, always Be Genuine.

Don't go into a meeting with someone you've never met and just feel like you can ask them for all of their connections, it's actually super rude to do that. When I met the Photo Editor at Mashable she told me something that I thought was really interesting. She said "so many people come in here and immediately start asking me for an internship or for the emails of my contacts, it's rude, and why would I do that for them? It's the difference of someone like that who comes in thirsty for an internship and immediately starts asking for things and someone who comes in with no agenda at all, other than to talk to me about what I do in the industry and how I got here (that's me). For the first person I would email their information to HR, for the second person I would hand deliver their information to HR and give them a great recommendation for a potential job or internship." The way you approach certain things or certain people seriously makes all the difference. I left the building not feeling nervous to talk at all (other than the sheer joy and excitement of being in one of the coolest newsrooms ever).

Another valuable lesson I learned was that every single person you meet, and every conversation you have changes and shapes you into the person you are today. You are not the same person today as you were yesterday, and the person you will be tomorrow is different than the person you are today. Embrace new opportunities and take advantage of any time you can talk to someone and soak in the advice they have to share with you. You can always learn something new, and you can literally learn something from everyone no matter how cool you think they are or not.

It's funny because while my friends were off doing touristy things I was going all over the city for meetings at offices and coffee shops and having lunches, etc. I felt like a real New Yorker. I got to experience things and meet so many people. I am so excited to see where those friendships go and what my next adventure will be.

If you want to watch a super cool video of my trip check out this Facebook post (:

Hope you enjoy.

Madison

p.s. Earl Grey tea is my new guilty pleasure and I ate a $25 hamburger in NYC, but it was totally worth it.

Song of the day: Woodland//The Paper Kites