Check out my last and final project for work. Good luck!!
Did you ever think wearing your ugly Christmas sweater could give you the chance of winning a $20 gift card? Well guess what, it's your lucky year! Ugly Christmas sweater parties have been one of the biggest trends over the last 10 years and we want to see your attire.
(L) Community Engagement Editor, Amanda Piccirilli, wears an ugly Christmas sweater, during the winter of 2008.
The Reporter is hosting its first ugly Christmas sweater photo contest, giving one lucky winner at random the chance to win a $20 gift card from Giant. (A perfect time with it being the holiday season and many hosting family/friends.) Submissions will be accepted now through Wednesday, Dec. 19 at noon. We will announce our winner and create a slide show of all submitted photos. The Reporter will also be making this a 'Town Center' page in our print addition.
Want to participate? Here is how:
1. Take a picture (past or present) of you in your ugliest Christmas sweater.
2. Submit your photos -- feel free to email your picture to apiccirilli@thereporteronline.com; Tweet @Lansreporter using the hashtag #LansUglySweater; or post your picture on Instagram using the hashtag #LansUglySweater.
3. Please include your name and where you are from when submitting
Please remember, if you post your photos on Instagram, your account must be public or we will not be able to see your photos.
Best of luck and we can't wait to see how ugly your sweaters are!
Being a writer I feel as though I am strong at expressing things: emotions, thoughts, dreams, goals, whatever it may be. But there is one thing in life that for some reason words can not do justice; for some reason the feelings and passion that sits within my soul, my body, MY BONES, can not be expressed. And that is through music. Is anyone else like this? Can you simply not put in to words how much songs and lyrics mean to you? I find myself muted, unable to dialect what I am feeling as guitar rifts and drum fills fill my ear drums. But I am completely ok with that because my heart bursts and my body feels completely whole at the sounds of some songs and certain bands. It's my euphoria.
On Sunday I had the chance to see one of my all time favorite bands, New Found Glory, at the TLA with my awesome cousin, Tyler. (Well, I kinda made him come with me because no one else was interested, but whether he was in or not I was either riding solo or he was going to be my partner in crime. He got a free ticket and cheesesteak!)
Most people will read this and say to themselves, "Christ, these guys are still around?" Simple answer, YUP. I first got into NFG in 9th grade when my friend Kimberlee introduced me to these guys and I have been hooked for nearly 15 years. While I have been to over 10 New Found Glory shows this one on Sunday was super special because it was their Sticks and Stones 10th Anniversary Tour, so all they did was play songs from that album (and about eight others which were all classics!!)
Instagram @ampiccirilli
Instagram @ampiccirilli
Instagram @ampiccirilli
Instagram @ampiccirilli
They played the album in its entirety, in the order it is on the record. Song after song they brought back so many memories: like my high school boyfriend and now good friend Mike and how we would write school notes to each other and include song lyrics, and like the time Mike, Aaron, Ashlee and I snuck down to the city on the train to see a show, and how these lyrics relate to current issues/relationships in my life yet the songs had different meaning to be 10 years ago. It's nuts!!
Hahah this was from about 10 years ago where we snuck on the train to the concert, meet the entire band after the show and everyone signed my shirt. That is actually a LIGHT grey t-shirt which turned into heather grey from sweat. Cant believe I use to crowd surf and get in the pit. NUTS!!
Some of you may not give two shits about today's post but I can't help but have some much love for this post. For the album, for it's lyrics and so many emotions that are dear to my heart. So here is the album, check it out on iTunes or Spotify. There are definitely some songs you all know, always good to listen to an old throw back. I'm also including some of my favorite lyrics incase anyone is looking for a lyric to through in your Facebook status or Twitter feed, because lets be honest, we use social media as a way to express ourselves to make people think they know what is going on with you without you really having to tell them.
Sticks and Stones (2002)
Track 1: Understatement "don't worry your pictures are already burned"
Track 3: Sonny "Every breath that you remember. Pictures fade away, but memories last forever."
Track 4: Something I Call Personality "Before you jump to conclusions about all the friends I have. Just remember they were born that way."
Track 5: Head On Collision"And it feels like I'm at an all time low. Slightly bruised and broken from our head on collision."
Track 6: It's Been A Summer "It's burning up in here, even though the bed is cold on your side. I'd rather die than spend this night here without you." [possibly my favorite song/lyrics from the entire album]
Track 7: Forget My Name
Track 8: Never Give Up "Don't back down. I don't really care about before, before you met me."
Track 9: The Great Houdini
Track 10: Singled Out
Track 11: Belated
Track 12: The Story So Far "I can't remember the time or place, or what you were wearing. It's unclear about how we meet. All I know it was the best conversation that I've ever had. To this day I've never found someone, with eyes as wide as yours. I've been searching up and down this coast. Overlooking what I need the most."
My friends and I were chatting the other day about how Dec. 21 is suppose to be the end of the world while we were at a happy hour. Someone asked, "If this really is the end of life, would you be satisfied with what you have done with your life?" I was quick to jump at the gun and I said no. But you know, after sitting on it and looking at the past 25 years of my life, maybe I should have said yes. Or maybe I was right.
Yes -- I've accomplished some pretty cool things that some people don't have checked off their list [played a Division I sport in college, was a collegiate coach, ran a marathon, had a byline, been a maid of honor TWICE, I'm an aunt.] But to be honest, I can't help but have this dark cloud over my head -- a feeling that there is lots I have not accomplished [I still live at home, no where close to being in a committed relationship, never been on a cruise, cant' pay my car insurance without help.]
I doubt I'm the only 25 year old doing this, but I'm often comparing my life to other people. I can't help but be a negative Nancy sometimes, filled with jealousy of how happy many of my friends are and envious that they get to go to THEIR home with their partner at their side each night. I know I should not compare and I'm working on it -- but being in your 20s is tough. Who else is with me??!!??
One of my best friends, my ride or die girl, is my biggest cheerleader in life. She sees things in me that I don't even see in myself. (oh what I would do to see myself in her eyes for one day. Maybe that would give me a wake up call to life.) But anyway, she sent me this article by Shelley Armenta called '20 Things That Will Make Your 20s Even Better.' The article was featured on the website LOVE TWENTY.
So for my fellow 20-something friends who should look on the brighter side a little more, here is a killer list to tackle.
1. Step away from the computer long enough to get some fresh air.
2. Acknowledge moments of happiness and be grateful for them.
3. Invest in a good camera (or even a phone with a good camera) and take more pictures than you know what to do with. (I'm getting one for Christmas, woo hoo!!)
4. Pack a bag and get out of town. Travel as often as you can to wherever you can.
5. Make a point to spend more time with your friends and family in person. Texting, Facebook, and Skype are great, but nothing can beat sharing the same air with those you love.
6. Don’t let your mood or your self-worth be directly tied to your bank account balance. Money is important, but it is not everything.
7. Don’t let your mood or self-worth be tied to anyone else’s mood or self-worth. There will always be people who try to bring you down, but do not let them.
8. Never forget that while you are getting older your parents are, too. Spend time with them and always say “I love you.”
9. Spend less money on clothes and makeup and more money on experiences like concerts, trips, baseball games and dinners with friends.
10. Get a library card and use it. Time spent nourishing your mind and soul is never time wasted.
11. Find an activity you love to do that is good for your body. Dancing, running, yoga, kick boxing, cross training, roller derby and paddle boarding are some workouts that kick your ass but that you will have fun with, too. Win win? Win win.
12. Learn to accept yourself for who you are and what you have done in your life. Made some mistakes? Good. Learn from them and don’t look back.
13. Get some friends together and take a cooking class. Learning to cook well for yourself and others is a skill that all of us should have tucked away.
14. Educate yourself in politics. You don’t need to be an expert if you don’t want to, but you should know how you feel about big issues.
15. Start a gratitude journal. Spend a few moments every morning jotting down a few things that you are grateful for. Having a visual of all the good in your life will be an amazing thing to have when you are having a bad day.
16. Don’t be scared to fall in love, but remember to fall in love with yourself first. (been trying to work on this one for years!)
17. Learn to defend yourself intelligently. Fighting gets you nowhere. Name calling makes you look like a child. Whooping someone’s ass mentally is the way to go.
18. Walk away from relationships where you are treated like an option and not a priority.
19. Always be kinder than you feel like being. You never know what other people are going through.
20. Let go of the need to rush through life. When we are young, all we want is to be older. Pretty soon, we’re going to be wishing to be young again.
