Home

I'm kind of in love with being back home. I miss the Hill and my friends dearly (and being able to walk to just about everything was nice too)--but right here is definitely where I need to be right now.

Because it doesn't feel quite real yet, I've been walking along making a mental list of some of the little things that I adore about being back home:

• the curve just off 70 on St. Pauls Ch Rd: it has all of those < < < signs, warning you about this "curve", but you can always tell if the people ahead of you are locals. we know not to brake in this tiny little baby curve.
• Maylen and I were doing errands the other day and I explained to her about the importance of this curve. then we had fun finding the locals from the interlopers. what can I say? we're easy to please.
• evening walks. Mama and I have started taking the dogs for walks after dinner and it's nice just to be out in the neighborhood. there are still a few people out and about and even more people sitting on their porches, just watching the world go by. it's lovely. (I like to point out all of the beautiful houses and we talk architecture. nerdy and we love it.)

• my high school friends. it's so wonderful to see them again. graduation was last week and I still haven't quite recovered. I was so emotional and full of so much pride. I'm kind of in love with them all.
  
  
  
• my family. it's just nice to be back in the house--it almost feels like I'm in high school again. there's a rhythm that's not quite communicated over the phone and Skype and on my two visits home a semester. 
• fun fact: we're currently working our way through all the seasons of Friends (or rewatching, in my parents' case.) and every time we get a new disc from Netflix, we don't watch it until all of us can sit down and watch every episode. #shameless
• time with my bff...fffffffff. I've desperately missed Amanda and it's so nice to get to have my "other half" back. we still finish each other's sentences. we're still loud and a little obnoxious. as she would say: "whateva."

Yep, I'm a fan of you, summer. Thanks for being here.

xo, B.

For The Kids

Because I'm about to inundate your Facebook news feeds, I decided that I owed everyone a reason for why I'm about to shamelessly beg for your money. No, wait, don't go anywhere--it's for a good cause, I promise.

This semester, I'm raising money for Dance Marathon, which is a student-run philanthropic organization here on campus--the largest one, in fact. Each year, they host a 24-hour dance marathon to raise money for the NC Children's Hospital. Let's be honest, at first, I only signed up to dance because who doesn't want to reenact this epic Gilmore Girls episode?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtP-nNqgoOU&list=UL

But on Saturday, as Allie and I dragged ourselves out of bed, cursed the cold, and participated a 5K for DM, I got the opportunity to hear from a parent and child, who had both personally been affected and helped by Dance Marathon, I was surprised by how much her story mirrored my own.

Her father spoke to all the runners after his experience with the Children's Hospital and the 107 days he and his wife spent there with their daughter. Hearing his perspective made me realize for the first time what my parents must have gone through with their 52 days in the hospital with me. I thought about the emotional, mental and physical toll this takes on parents and I know that mine spent 1, 248 hours eating take out, sleeping in uncomfortable chairs and watching me to make sure I was still breathing--because there were times when I wasn't. My parents made it through those 7 weeks and 3 days with the support of family, friends, doctors, nurses and groups like Dance Marathon.

As a public institution, the NC Children's Hospital only receives 6% of it's budget from the state, so the money from DM truly makes a difference. Over 15 years, this single organization has donated over 3.3 million dollars to this institution which serves over 70,000 children from right here in North Carolina. The efforts of Dance Marathon have improved the Neonatal Critical Care Unit, one much like where I spent the first month and a half of my life, and begun the hospital's first pediatric palliative care program (I will fully admit to tearing up just at those words), as well as providing funds for smaller projects, like a program that brings hot meals for parents who have a child undergoing treatment at the hospital, so they don't have to worry about getting it themselves.

A lot of times, when you donate to a cause, you don't know where it's going. For this, I promise you, 100% of the fundraising total from Dance Marathon goes right to a building approximately six blocks up the road from my dorm.

So, yes, I'm asking you for money. I'm asking you to help me improve the life of a child and their family, who have much more important things to worry about than where their next meal is coming from or if their child is getting the best care. This way, we can help reassure those fears.

If you have an extra dollar or two, please donate here: http://www.crowdrise.com/theflashmobuncdance2013/fundraiser/briannenarey

If not, please send up a prayer, good thought, support, love--to all those families spending their holidays seasons right up the road from me.

For The Kids,

Bri

November, Part Two

I'm learning that I'm not so good at daily blogging. As in, I constantly forget. So, weekly? Sounds good to me!

November 8: I'm thankful for chill bosses (yes, I said that) and understanding what's actually happening in Latin (or understanding the homework, anyway)! Totally something I could get used to.

November 9: Today, I'm thankful for ALL of my amazing friends here. I have met so many people that I never dreamed I would have so much in common with. I'm also thankful that I got to spend my Friday night celebrating Carson's birthday with these awesome people:

November 10: I'm thankful for football! (But really, when am I not?) I'm also grateful that if anyone had to stomp us...it was the GA Tech jackets and not State. It's all about putting things in perspective, sometimes.

November 11: On Veteran's Day, I am always reminded of how thankful I am for my dearest cousins and grandfather who have all served in the military. I'm always thankful for everyone who helps, serves or protects our beautiful country in some way or another.
(Honorable Mentions for today: Allie, who lets me crash her Notebook watching party and Devin, the best RA ever, who never fails to make me laugh.)

November 12: I'm thankful for UNC CLD-FLI and the friends I made and the things I learned through this program.
(More Honorable Mentions: (help! I'm overflowing with thanks.) re-watching The Lion King and all the amazing childhood memories that were all brought back.)

November 13: Today, I'm beyond thankful for that feeling of accomplishment and the thought that maybe, just maybe, studying helps. And lights at the end of tunnels (read: the beautiful afternoon after a test). That's nice too.

November 14: Why has someone on this campus not started selling buttons that say: "I survived the great UNC registration of _________ 20___"? Along those lines: I am thankful that I survived the great UNC registration of spring 2013 and even getting some of the classes that I wanted!

What are YOU thankful for today? There's always something, even if finding it requires a little searching. (:
~B

A Month of Thanksgiving

I have a full page of draft posts to be written (really, there are probably 12 or more), but today, I was reminded by an incredibly wise English professor how important it is to write, even if it's five sentences. I'll probably go over that, but for what's left of November, my challenge to myself to write one post every day (my ulterior motive is also to avoid pissing off my Facebook friends with a daily status on what I'm thankful for; yay, happiness!).

So in order to catch up on what I missed:
November 1: I don't remember what was going on that day, but I'm pretty sure I was probably just thankful to be alive. That's always a pretty solid bet.
November 2: I remember having an especially awesome conversation with Amanda that day, so in case the last 15 years haven't proved as much--I'm always thankful for my amazing, beautiful, funny, supportive best friend.

Reunited over fall break! There was probably a lot of ugly crying happening at this moment.

November 3: I'm thankful for my job and my amazing bosses. Saturday was our big scholarship awards brunch and it went wonderfully--thanks to all of their hard work!
November 4: Sundays, as every good football fan knows, are NFL Sundays. Unfortunately, as every college student knows, it's also Last-Minute-Forgot-About-Homework-Due-on-Monday Sundays. I'm thankful for my wonderful dad who texts me the scores of the Green Bay Packers games because he knows I can't watch.

November 5: I'm thankful for productivity and warm libraries. It was cold, rainy...and just the right temperature inside Davis to get the majority of my paper written.
November 6: I am thankful for the fact that in this country, I can wear whatever I want, say whatever I want, love whomever I want and stand up for these same rights for others.

And finally, today:
November 7: I'm thankful for inspiration; the inspiration to write, to be healthier, to go the extra mile when I just feel like giving up. I'm also thankful for the gym and Miranda, 'cause Lord knows this girl don't work out by herself at home.

What are you thankful for?
~B

Numbers 1 and 3

In the past month, Amanda and I have tackled not one, but TWO, items on our bucket list.

#1: We got our noses pierced.

It was exciting and scary and wonderful and I'm SO glad she was there to hold my hand. We'd done a bunch of research on nose piercings, places to get it done, talked to our parents, etc and just decided to go for it. A month later...we still love it. No regrets here.

#3: We went hiking!

With our friend Melissa from school, we trekked up to Moses Cone for a hike before heading to a waterfall trail nearby. While we were crossing various creeks to get to said waterfall, I fell in. Straight on my rear. Fun stuff.

Nevertheless, it was an awesome day--cold creeks, falls, good friends and everything else. 

We both leave for school on Friday, so I'm not sure how many more items will actually get checked off, but I think we're going to give it a try! Six days of summer left and counting...

Paris, Days Four and Five - 6/28 & 29

Our fourth day in Paris, we took the day off and slept in, caught up on laundry, explored the village and just enjoyed the non-touristy life. Later, we realized we were exactly at the half way point of our trip, so it was the perfect day to just stay in. (:

Our batteries recharged, we tackled Paris again the next day. We searched for a boulangerie ("bakery") in the back streets behind Notre Dame and finally found one. More or less, each day started out this way and it was wonderful to explore the deeper parts of the city and not get caught up in the touristy shops and restaurants. We lunched and listened to the Mass being performed outside. They'd set up a little stage outside of the cathedral and the priest was surrounded by worshippers. Pieces of it were in French, others in Latin and every moment was beautiful.

After lunch, we headed down into the Archeological Crypt. It was so cool. If you're ever at Notre Dame, spend 30 minutes and 4 euros and do this. The crypt was built around the ruins of ancient Paris as the city grew and it was incredible; really, I have no words, just pictures.

Stairs leading down to the street

A well

Foundations of a house

Stairs leading into a cellar

After the crypt, we booked it over to the Louvre, where we spent the rest of our day. In four hours, we made it through 2 of the 3 wings and called ourselves successful. My little Da Vinci Code heart was in love.

The Louvre used to be a royal palace and this was the dining room

Dining table

My favorite painting in the entire museum; it's also the museum's largest canvas;. It depicts Napoleon crowning himself Emperor. The painting was commissioned by Napoleon and he demanded that the artist paint in his mother, even though she disapproved and had refused to attend his coronation.

No flash, got it.

It was the perfect beginning to the second half of our trip and, yet again, another awesome couple of days.

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Paris, Day Three - 6/27

To start our third day in Paris with a delicious bang, we came downstairs...to croissants for breakfast. Yum. The trains were (again) running late, but we eventually made it into town. Once we go there, we got off at our trusty Saint Michel/Notre Dame stop and searched for a bolangerie for an early lunch. It's actually more difficult to find them than one might think--not because they're not there, but because they look so much like everything else and it's all squished into the same general area.

Once we'd bought our baguette, we found a good spot at...Notre Dame and ate. Have to say, it was a pretty spectacular view.




After our lunch, we walked across the street (ish; it felt like nothing in France was ever direct) to Sainte Chapelle. We managed to sneak in just before they closed the line for lunch, because in France, most things/some exhibits in museums, close for a few hours in the middle of the afternoon. Awesome if you like long lunches/naps...not so good if you're trying to tour. While we were standing in line, we started talking to the American family in front of us (the family behind us was Portuguese; it was so much fun listening to them talk!); turns out the girl was a senior at UNC! UNC Encounters in France: 2. CRAZY. There was a whole lotta school spirit happening.

Also, we noticed a little pigeon nest in the ledge above the waiting crowd. Mama was across the walkway, calling to them and trying to convince them to fly. Little moments like totally what make trips so special. (:

Mama

Baby

If you've never been/heard anything about it, Sainte Chapelle is known for their stained glass. As we overheard one of the (British! Squeal.) tour guides saying, "Sainte Chapelle makes Notre Dame look like a tiny little country church". Oh my, was that true.

The ceiling of the Lower Chapel

The Upper Chapel

Closeup of one of the rose windows

Perspective

Even the floors were gorgeous.

 After Sainte Chapelle, we Métroed (is that a verb?) our way over L'Arc de Triomphe. It's pretty funky--because of the ridiculous traffic around it, you get off on the Arc d'Triomphe Métro stop, venture up from the depths of Paris onto Champs-Élysées...and then go immediately back down again underneath the street and, after buying your ticket in this giant tunnel, emerge in the middle of the Arc. I guess I'd just never thought about how to navigate 100 lanes of traffic.

Champs-Élyées

There are 284 steps, that spiral just like this, to the top.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Paris from the top

After the Arc, we stopped (read: spent three hours) at the Musée d'Orsay on the way home. The museum itself is really cool--it's in a renovated train station. Also cool is the full-scale model of the Opera House they have. Weirdest award definitely goes to their model of Paris though; it's embedded in the floor underneath panes of glass. I saw more than one person walk on the glass floor to get to the Opera model, notice the lights, look down and jump. Too funny.

Graffiti in the Métro station

It definitely seems like there's always something new to discover in Paris; like, you can do so much and see so many things and hear so much history...but there is always something else, some little tidbit you missed. Loving it all.

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