With a little elbow grease

Becoming the person you want to be with the things you want to have. Could it really be as easy as making clear what you want in life? I'll tell you what. I really believe it is as easy as admitting what you want and then doing some work to achieve it.

I wanted, since I was a senior, to intern at two.one.five magazine. I repeatedly applied and finally got it. After writing multiple times about what I wanted in a lover, I found one who is at least most of those things. When I was a junior or senior in high school, I pasted pictures on my agenda book of items that I wanted to own and the above Prada purse was one of them. Now, I finally worked to have enough money to buy myself one. I also decided I wanted my very own e-reader and mentioned it to Dad. He bought me a Kindle for Christmas.

With a little bit of elbow grease -- or the occasional green ink -- I tend to get what I want.

While I may not be able to fix my broken family, which is the one thing I can say without a doubt I never pictured for myself at 19, I can build the life I want, and get the things I want. While I realize that there shouldn't be much emphasis placed on material goods, it's fun to amass such pretty, fun objects.

I'm feeling pretty blessed, and it's not often that I've said that.