amygeeunit

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The Quarantine Chronicles: These Last Five Years & What I Thought I Wanted

There’s nothing like being alone in your own thoughts at 1:00am in the midst of a global pandemic... Instead of aimlessly scrolling through my Instagram timeline or checking my bank account with all the money I have saved from not going out, I’ve had time to think about what the 28 year old, almost 29 year old Amy needs versus wants...

I think in high school or at some point in our lives we have all fallen victim to “By the time I’m age this, I want to have x, y and z.” At 16, I thought at 25 I would have my life 85% figured out. Pretty funny concept now that you think about it, right? I actually laugh at how naive or how troublesome it is to have these unrealistic goals and tag an age onto them... I pictured myself living in a nice apartment, potentially dating someone, or if not just focusing on my career. Fast forward to 2020, besides this year being a complete clusterf*ck, I’ve had extra time to sit down and think of these last five years in a nutshell.

All I remember from 2015 was going to Vegas, still working in retail, having foot surgery and getting into CSUF. The rest is foggy because it’s been five years. Huh? I thought 2015 was last year...

2016 seemed to be one of my better years. I started at CSUF, went to Iceland, interned at Rastaclat, ended up getting a job at Rastaclat, entered into my first serious relationship, moved back out to Orange County and felt like at 24 - 25 I was killing the game (or so I thought.)

2017 wasn’t too bad. I graduated from CSUF in the spring, went to Oahu, continued on in my relationship and spent a majority of my time focusing on my career.

2018 is when life started to get real interesting. My pup, Ben G, passed away while I was out in Illinois visiting my cousin (long story to save for another post,) I started a new job at Pretty Great LLC, traveled to escape 99% of the time, started taking birth control that made me bloated, emotional and feel weird and moved back to Moreno Valley. During this time, my relationship started to crumble due to lack of communication, the wave of grief I was experiencing and everything in else in between that couples go through. I started going to therapy in July and in August, I had my first panic attack. In September, I decided I needed to get as far away from my life as possible. I booked a flight to Japan to visit Sarah since she was stationed out in Yokosuka. Yokosuka has a naval base and is about an hour from Tokyo. I talked to my boss at work a few weeks prior and asked for a week and a half off. Luckily, he was one of the most understanding and best people I have ever worked for in my career so far. Most bosses would have told you to “Get over it” or “Figure it out.” Rob Myers was a saving grace for me that year for letting me have my time off to not think about life. 

While I was in Japan, I remember the time change messing me up quite a bit. I think it took around three days for me to finally be okay without passing out in the middle of the day. In short, this trip changed me. It changed how I traveled, it changed how I process emotions, it changed my outlook on life, it changed many things for me. I came back from this trip and my relationship was virtually over. I didn’t know how to feel, I didn’t know what to do, it just sort of fizzled like a candle using its last part of the wick. October came and I spent my birthday in Big Bear with my parents. I remember crying in the cabin when we got back from Octoberfest. I don’t think it really hit me that I was single, with no friends around and that 27 was already a shit show on day 1. I visited my best guy friend and his sisters in Arizona at the end of October to make up for the previous weekend. I had no idea that November could get any worse for me, but it did. It was two days before Thanksgiving, November 20th, 2018. 

I was driving from Moreno Valley to Santa Ana one morning on my way to work. I took my normal route, left at my normal time, a pretty standard commute. About 2 miles from work, I was at a stop light. At this stop light I waited for about 30 seconds while the other cars went. The light turned green. As I was pressing my gas to accelerate, out of nowhere, a semi truck plows its way through the intersection and t-bones my driver’s side. I remember screaming. I remember it being like a scene from a Final Destination movie where the victim doesn’t know that death or uncertainty is upon them. In that moment, I remember thinking “This is it.” My reflexes shifted real quick and that was it. I remember pulling off to the side of the road leading up to the 5 freeway. I felt like my soul left my body for seconds then came back. I was shaking. I called my dad first and let him know what had happened. I called my mom and then the insurance company. I exchanged words and information with the driver. I remember being upset, but I couldn’t yell or get any words out. I just went by the protocol of what to do when you get involved with an accident. Sure, I have been rear ended before, but never t-boned and let alone by a damn semi truck. This accident passed, I was awarded some half ass money and in the midst of it all, I remember being so mentally drained that I cried out for help on Instagram Stories... I remember going through survivors guilt. I remember saying to myself “Why am I still here? There are people that die in accidents or by drunk/distracted drivers all the time... Why do I still have to live this life of pain and suffering?” In my mind and in 2018, I never knew how to take pain and suffering very well. I didn’t know it would shape me for what these next couple years would throw at me. 

December came and went. It was like a sigh of relief for me to know that the vicious cycle of the 2018 rollercoaster was coming to an end. At this point, I kind of gave zero f*cks as to what happened in life. A few days before Christmas, I visited my Grandma in Illinois and my grandparents’ grave site. I think my trip to Illinois was some type of closure to my 2018 year. I hadn’t been back to Illinois since my Grandma’s funeral in 2011. It was a cold and frigid trip. It was the first trip I had ever driven by myself. The only cool thing was running into Ja Rule at the Palm Springs Airport (before the Fyre Festival documentary came out, otherwise I would have yelled at him.) He was on my flight to Chicago. Jeffrey Atkins, you sneaky motherfucker, you! How I wish I would have known about you tricking people with that one guy... I ordered a “Survived 2018″ crewneck from this small online business store, went to Disneyland with my mom on Christmas and threw caution to the wind.

2019 was interesting, but not as heavy as 2018. I called 2019 the year where I  “rushed to get back to normalcy.” I realized the commute to PG was getting tiring pretty fast, I accepted being single and got back into dance. Dance saved my life, point blank. Whether it was subbing, teaching, training or being on a team, it brought back a sense of joy and also established new friendships along the way. I started a job at a marketing agency in March 2019 that was a short commute and about 6 months in, I realized this was something I wasn’t a fan of. It took me a while to realize that that was okay to feel uneasy about the jobs I once knew.

If I had to rate 2019 on a point scale, I would say it was a 6/10. I felt like the last few months I was suppose to be back to normal and healed from a lot of things I kept to myself. Dating people was weird because 1. I felt behind. What I mean by that was I thought by age 27 - 28, I would have met my “person,” by now. As I seen other friends get proposed to, plan their weddings and start their families, I started to feel like the odd woman out. Was there something wrong with me? Am I that complicated or hard to love? Are my values not aligning with people I like? Am I going to be that person that gets married at 40 or even at all? Will I always be the friend and not the potential girlfriend or wife? Who knows? 2. The reciprocity factor of it all and setting boundaries. 3. I don’t think I ever got over everything that had happened in my first relationship because we never cheated on each other, our trust when out without each other was never questioned and there was a best friend component in it. I was filled with regret, frustration and memories I forced myself to black out even after going to therapy and journaling it. Fact: I dread my birthday each year. I don’t like my birthday in general, but October I have mixed emotions about. The anniversary of my Grandma’s death is on 10/13, my Grandpa’s birthday is 10/14 and my birthday is 10/20. I spent the last couple months of 2019 drinking more than usual, especially after my friend, Beka, passed away suddenly in November. December came and went. I had my first trip to Puerto Vallarta and enjoyed some much needed beach time. I had this “idea” that I would move to the east coast with Sarah because I wanted to start over. That idea went out the window. I ended 2019 with buying a new car after having paid off my Kia Forte back in 2016.

It’s now 2020 and boy... It has been a shit show for the world I feel like. I can’t even begin to describe what a rollercoaster of emotions everyone is feeling right now, but I do have one word for me personally: gratitude. I started off the year so uneasy with finding out my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer again for a second time. I remember going into February with no expectations, yet I had expectations (weird right?) Without going into too much detail I felt like that quote by DJ Khaled saying “Congratulations, you played ya self!” I was constantly frantic about work, friendships, relationships, my future, dance, my parents, basically everything. I was a walking, talking ball of stress. March came around and I downloaded Bumble (yup, I went there) and matched with a really nice guy who actually knew two of my nurse friends. Then, COVID-19 was in full effect in the states and suddenly the idea of dating or wanting any kind of human interaction made me cringe... I had to politely excuse myself and move on. I checked in on friends and they checked in on me. 

I’ve spent more time with my parents, more time on myself and then it finally clicked: I am where I need to be in this exact moment. I don’t want to date anyone in quarantine, I don’t want to understand or have expectations for another human like I’ve been searching for these last 6 months. What the fuck, Amy? You are everything you need right now and it is not in another person. I’ve danced in quarantine, I’ve cried in quarantine, I’ve laughed in quarantine, I’ve journaled in quarantine, I’ve found myself again in quarantine. As easy as it sounds for most people, the concept is quite large. Since I was 18 years old, I have ALWAYS wanted to live by myself and try it out. It’s ten years later and in the midst of this uncertain time period, I know that 2020 is the year that I finally accomplish this. So, in short, 2021 I’ll be back on the “dating” field or whatever, but 2020 is my year to literally work. on. myself. This includes: my relationship with myself, my relationship with my friends, family, acquaintances, coworkers, etc., my health regiment, my mental health, my physical health, my emotional health, I think you get the point, right? In a time where some of us feel alone, I feel secure. My days vary and maybe I’ll post something tomorrow where I say “That post was trash, quarantine was terrible,” and while it is on most days, I’m so grateful to connect more deeply with people on a spiritual and conversational level. I was tired of hiding behind my day-to-day busy routine when I finally came to terms with myself.

We are all in this together. We are all processing what we need and want. I use this blog as a way to express and share what so many people keep to themselves. Maybe you can relate, maybe you think I’m too out there. Either way, to each their own. 

Until next time.

[amygeeunit]

Moody mountain mornings.

(@carrieoutdoors)

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Paul P. at Morena di Luna

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My First Breakdown In Quarantine: Resentment, Being a Second Option & Mediocrity

As we all know, this is a trying time for the world right now. We are all going through something in one way or another. Whether it is the mental stress, the physical anguish or the uncertainty of what lies ahead. I’ve realized that I hide behind my busy schedule to prevent me from coming face to face with the reality of my situations. I’m so use to being busy with work and dance, that a lot of these uneasy feelings I have come from a place where I never have enough time to really “think” about it.

It didn’t hit me until I was in a group chat talking about stimulus checks that I decided to finally breakdown down with raw emotion during this quarantine. For the first time since this stay at home order was issued, I was overcome with distain and resentment because of my current situation. There were feelings that I kept avoiding. I decided to leave the conversation briefly and had a friend ask me why I left the group chat? I thought my days of acting on impulse were over, but I guess not?

It was in that moment I realized that I needed to come face to face with the resentment I have built up, probably transpiring from every person I have ever encountered, sadly. I can’t expect people to understand or be aware of my situation if I don’t use words or flat out honesty. At 28, I don’t feel like an adult at all for many reasons I will address in later blog posts. The main issue is this though: trust, a word we all know; a word that makes me feel uncomfortable even with friends. Why? Because of the vulnerability. Why? Because of raw emotion and being subjected to unadulterated pain at some point. Although this quarantine period has allowed me to reconnect with some people, I still feel disconnected in many ways.

To be honest, I have never had a friend that I could whole heartedly trust thus far in my life and if I did, that trust and relationship slowly withered away into what I mentioned earlier: resentment. For years, I have imagined what it would be like to have that one person, that person that you could go to for literally anything with no judgment or feeling like you are inconveniencing them in some way, shape or form. I thought I had that at one point in life, but friends come and go and seasons change along with seeing people at face value. While I am extremely grateful, know that I have great people in my life and people that care, there has been a rain cloud over my head that I’ve had to come to terms with.

My ex-boyfriend once told me that I overexert myself with accommodating people. He said that I try to be everywhere at once and that I have a hard time saying no. He was right and I thank him for having that conversation with me on the 60 freeway nearly two years ago. It wasn’t until recently I started learning what boundaries are and true self care. From going to therapy to renewing my faith, it has been an uphill battle I’m becoming better prepared for. In life, we all have options and what I’ve noticed in past years with certain people is that I am usually a second option, I’ll explain why.

I had a friend get married a few years ago. I’ve been friends with this person since middle school. I recently had a conversation with her about her regretting not having me in her wedding party because she was influenced by her sister-in-law to have her wedding be a certain way. It had been nearing three years since this wedding and yet one drunken night in 2019, she felt compelled to tell me this. The fact is is that I never had a problem with it. It was her wedding, she can do what she wants. After that night, I got to thinking, am I really a second option to people I call “friends?” Am I really that passive or am I just underestimated? In these thoughts I kept thinking how I should have been more assertive in my friendships. Instead of saying sorry or thinking that I am going to step on someone’s toes, I have done nothing but harm myself within this process.  

It’s ironic how life changes and you see who sticks around after all through the good, the bad and the ugly. Something I never really thought of as a big deal suddenly came crashing over me like this giant wave. I suddenly went from laughing about it  with her to being genuinely pissed off as I drove home. It wasn’t until I had a conversation with one of my best guy friends who put it into perspective for me about the whole situation and how this would only hinder me, rather than treating it with grace and humility. I told him I just felt foolish and unappreciated at times. Why did I feel this way when I’ve done nothing but be supportive and dependable? This is a question I constantly ask myself. I’m no saint, but I do know I go the extra mile for friends and family.

I’ve become comfortable with mediocrity lately, a sentence I never thought would come out of my mouth. I’ve been mediocre with my dance training, with trying to create side hustles and the lack of motivation, my job search, heck my whole dating season of 2019. I think quarantine has really pulled me out of this funk I’ve been in since last year. Sometimes things need to fall apart in order to come back together. Major points from my rant are as follows:

Resentment is a poison. You can’t grow or thrive when there are feelings you need to address for the sake of your mental, physical and spiritual health and healing. Forgive, but REALLY forgive. Don’t just say it and if it takes longer than usual to implement forgiveness, then allow yourself to do that.

Speak up to your friends when you feel unheard or unappreciated, even if it means having uncomfortable conversations. This goes hand in hand with resentment. Not only for friendships, but relationships too of any kind. Appreciate the friends you do have and don’t let a couple people alter the way you look at how friendships are suppose to work and function. Actions speak louder than words.

You will have days of mediocrity where you could have tried harder and that’s okay, just make sure it doesn’t become a habit or suck the life out of you.

Remain true to your authentic self. This hits home for me because the 2009, 2016 and the 2020 Amy are all different people and I’m sure the Amy in 2025 will be past whatever emotions she is feeling right now.

I put these things together because they all have a common function: they can all be overcome, whether it’s fast or slow, the healing process takes time.

Thanks for reading, until next time.

[amygeeunit]

Four Years Later...

It’s been four years since I last blogged and let me tell YOU, I have missed this thing. 

Currently: I am on day 22 of quarantine since the world is in a global pandemic due to COVID-19. 

How can I wrap up the last four years on blogs posts? Well, I can start by looking at old photos, videos, conversations, feelings, or whatever topics people want me to write about. I have experienced joy, pain, depression, anxiety, love, heartbreak, loss, regret, pretty much throw any word at me and I can illicit a response to it.

There might be typos, there might be long-winded sentences, there might be things you may be uncomfortable with.

The Constant Work In Progress blog is back and this time it’s for good.

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What I Believe About the Purpose of Adolescence & Early Adulthood

What I Believe About the Purpose of Adolescence & Early Adulthood

  As the waves carry the water to the sand, I take in the fresh breeze this Friday afternoon has to offer. In my right hand, I have a crimson red journal that was given to me by my friend Brittani years ago. This journal narrates every substantial moment that has happened in my life, from the time I was thirteen until present day. I glance over at a mother with her two children. One of them looks…

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CSUF, Agenda Emerge & Becoming the Person Who Doesn't Respond Back

CSUF, Agenda Emerge & Becoming the Person Who Doesn’t Respond Back

It’s a Friday night in January. I’ve had the past two days off to get things done and also come to an almost life changing realization. In this post, I will dive into my CSUF orientation, followed by my experience at Agenda Emerge in Long Beach and finish up with my unorthodox, but more common way nowadays of telling people to f*ck off. I arrived to Fullerton on time on a Friday morning after…

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There's A First Time For Everything...

There’s A First Time For Everything…

Just found out that I will be attending the Agenda Emerge conference in Long Beach for the first time on Friday after my orientation at CSUF. 2016 already shits on 2015. A post, pictures and obscenities are to follow. Regards // xo, Amy G.

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To Be Honest.

I do not want to leave my blog withering away like I have been for the past 3 years. I do not want to post negativity, only positivity and maybe a few curse words here and there. 

It is now 2016. From the first post I put up until now, I have come so far and still have so far to go. I guess that is the beauty of life. It is the marathon we continuously run then stop at for a quick drink of water or to recompose ourselves, then we are back at it. I could sit here and write about how I was let down by person X, Y and Z or job X, Y and Z, but I don’t think it is necessary, nor do I think it will enhance the true capacity of my journalism.  

I will share a few things that I am excited about coming up though:

-Starting back to school at CSUF on January 26th

-Returning back to dance in the spring

-My trip to Iceland in March

Please stay tuned for more posts, videos, gif images, memes, podcasts with friends and anything else I can think of that will make better use of social media sites.

Regards,

Amy G.

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Reykjavik, Iceland.

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Fire on Ice |  Oscar Bjarnason

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Iceland waterfall

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Dolores Park. December 31st, 2015.

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Views from 2016. January 1st, 2016 at China Beach in San Francisco.

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He’s so haole he don’t even know he’s haole.