2018 – Elizabeth Joy Hadley

2018, 2019, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Bruce, College, One Tree Hill, Senior Year, Spring Break, Suffolk University, Wilmington, North Carolina

Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019

December 30, 2018 elizabethjoyhadley

It’s hard to believe that 2018 is almost over, it seems like just yesterday it was the end of 2017, and now here we are, the end of 2018. I don’t like endings or beginnings, maybe that’s why I hate the end of the year. I actually love the middle of things, I love a good Wednesday. I really don’t like to see things end, or start. But, nevertheless, here we are, so I figured I’d give a little recap of my year, mostly for me, I won’t have any hard feelings if you never read this.

In January, I traveled to Mont Tremblant, Canada with my brother and Dad to go skiing. I love skiing on new mountains and this was a great way to kick off the new year!

Also in January, I started my internship at Channel 7 WHDH, as an assignment desk intern.

In March, I went to Gulfport Mississippi to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity with my school’s Alternative Spring Break program! (BEST WEEK EVER) I have so many other blog post’s about this week, it was just that good!

I turned 21 in March, and celebrated with my best friends!

In May, I finished junior year of college and resumed my summer position of working at Target! Hello 6 a.m. shifts!

I went to Philadelphia right before July 4th, which was super fun!

I hiked Mount Washington!

The end of July was sad, when I crowned my successor, and am now forever a has been! Thank you National American Miss!

I went to Martha’s Vineyard in August, and while I was there, I got the call that I would be interning at Channel 4 WBZ for fall semester!

I started senior year of college!!

I had the best long weekend in Wilmington, North Carolina at the One Tree Hill Convention in October!

I finished fall semester of college, and…

GOT A JOB!!

That’s right! I will be a script writer at Channel 7 WHDH starting on January 14th! I am excited that my 3 internships and lots of hard work helped me get this position! I know I will learn so much from this job!

Get ready world, I am coming for you this year, I’m graduating, I’m coming into the real world, and be warned, I’m going to make a splash!

I never make new year’s resolutions because no one ever sticks to them. But this year, I have one.

Here’s to happiness and love in 2019, for each and every person in the entire world!

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Top 10 of Summer 2018

August 26, 2018August 26, 2018 elizabethjoyhadley

I’m reading a book right now called “Top Ten” by Katie Cotugno, and also my favorite blog that I read @mixandmatchmama wrote a blog on her top ten of her summer. Because of those two reasons, I was inspired to write my own!

Way way way back in February, I said to myself, “self, you need to have fun this summer.” You see, I’m the type of person who just worries constantly. “Am I doing enough to succeed? Am I working hard enough to succeed when I graduate? Do I have enough money in my savings account?” Blah Blah Blah. But, I don’t know, I just have really been working on being more adventurous, and more fun, so I told myself, you can work, and have fun. You can even make work fun! Setting out to have a fun, adventurous, memorable summer, I believe I did just that!

Now, Summer is ending, and senior year at Suffolk University is starting. I am ready, I am energized, I am excited! Without any further ado, here is a look at my summer!

10: WORKING 6 am -2:30 At TARGET 2267

Yes, this one is my last on my list, but still, it was so much of my summer that it had to be on the list. Now, this is just like any typical minimum wage job, boring, stupid, annoying, and you do way more work than you get paid for, but still I had some good laughs, and I actually had fun too. It is cool to see how the average person lives their life. I was thinking the other day when I was in the girls section, how some of our celebrities should come work at Target for a summer, and see how hard some people work just to make end’s meet, and see how many people in this world really think and live, it would be quite the learning experience for them. All in all, this job was fun, and I think I made a lot of people smile with my attitude, which is always my goal.

9: All my Days by the Pool, Swimming, Dancing, Singing and Reading

It came to me a while back, that many people think that the really great days in our lives, are the days when we don’t necessarily do anything significant, but are just totally normal. Most days, I worked, and then went home and put my bathing suit on, and went to my pool. I read, I sang, I danced, I swam, I just enjoyed the simple pleasure of being alive. And, it definitely was a top 10 of the summer, hands down. I hope I have more days like that in my life, days when the hours tick by, but by the end of the day, you just feel happy.

8: ALADDIN

My wonderful mother bought two tickets to see Aladdin at the Boston Opera House for me for Christmas, and the day finally came. Let me tell you, that show was everything it was talked up to be. I absolutely LOVED IT! It was so much fun, so much energy, so much talent, so much pure inspiration. I love live theater, always have, always will! And, sadly I didn’t take any pictures of my mom and me that night, I guess we were just having too much fun!

7: The Dance Recital 2018, “When I Grow Up”

June 23 was the dance recital this year, and it was amazing. Every year I get so nervous, so worked up, but every year it ends up being amazing, and I just have the best feeling when it all ends. I love seeing the kids have a blast, and I love the progression from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. Their faces when they realize that they can do it is phenomenal. I just love this day, every year this day ends up being one for the books, so it is only right that it ends up in my top 10 for the summer!

6: Hiking Mount Washington

This day was so great! It was hot, sunny, and humid, but this was the day that my brother and I set out to hike it, and we hiked it. All the way up, all the way down, in 6 hours! I was tired, I was sore, but we did it, and I love to accomplish my goals! And to do it with my brother was so cool!

5: My day in Boston with Andrea and Andrew

It’s no secret that Andrea and Andrew are my best friends, and we hang out a lot in Boston, since that is where college is, but on this particular day, it was extra special. Andrew was in 150 as an OL, but he had this day off, and so did Andrea and I, so we went in and just had a great day. We didn’t have a plan, but we never need one. We walked, we talked, we had coffee, we ate pizza, we went to the Lawn on D. Life is always just so fun with Andrea and Andrew and I hope we are friends for a long time!

4: The night on the Cape with Ben and Bruce

It’s always fun to hang out with people I have known your entire life, I never have to explain myself, or pretend to be anything I’m not, because they just don’t care. This night was a planned photo shoot with Ben, but Bruce tagged along, and we had a blast. Most of the night was driving to Sandwich and back, but it was just simple. It was so fun to be on the beach at night with two of my best friends, and take pictures. We laughed and then we decided to go out to dinner at a “hole in the wall restaurant” because the cape is full of those. But, when we googled hole in the wall restaurant, we chose the Fisherman’s View, and it was definitely not hole in the wall. It was packed, first of all, but also so fancy. But, we figured we were already there, so we couldn’t back out. It was a great night! I’m glad I have my brother and Ben in my life!

3: Martha’s Vineyard with Mom!

Yes, I have lived in Massachusetts my whole life and this summer was my first time at Martha’s Vineyard. I loved it! So relaxing! So pretty! Next I need to go to Nantucket, I have never been there either!! I am so glad to have Mom in my life as my travel buddy, we travel so well together, and we had a blast exploring the island, and also just enjoying each other. I can’t wait to go back and live the island life again!

2: Philadelphia with Mom!

Another city I love! I’m pretty sure I love all cities! Philly was so cool, it was so hot, but also really fun and laid back and cool to explore all that the city has to offer. Again, I was with Mom, and we had a blast, from the Museum of Art, to Penn’s Landing, to the Museum of the American Revolution, to swimming in our rooftop pool! I loved it there! I can’t wait to go back to Philly some day!

1: PAGEANT WEEKEND

I’m sure you could have guessed that this would have been my top of my whole summer! I just love NAM and I love pageants and I loved this weekend because I crowned my successor, but also helped girls of all ages to believe in themselves and I will be forever indebted to NAM for everything they have done for me, including giving my my favorite weekend of the entire summer!

I hope you had a memorable, adventurous summer too! Now, Senior Year, LET’S GO!

Suffolk University

The Boston Marathon, 2018

April 22, 2018 elizabethjoyhadley

Standing in Hopkinton, MA, on April 16, 2018 behind a barrier of white fences. Police men line the streets and volunteers in red jackets are blocking anybody from passing the starting line. This is an iconic day in not only Massachusetts, but the world. Where am I, you may wonder. Waiting, at 8 in the morning, by myself, for the 122nd Boston Marathon, 2 feet from the starting line, in the rain.

It is no secret that Boston is a strong city. Not only are the sports teams exceptionally good, so are the ordinary people. After months of freezing wind and cold, snow banks up to our ears, and the sun setting at 4, the spring comes, and the city comes alive. Tourists come to explore all that this city has to offer, and the residents start to enjoy their lunch outside. And then, as the oldest tradition in not only Boston, but the country, the Boston Marathon comes, and that is when we know, it is officially spring.

It started in 1897 in Ashland and had only 15 competitors. Women were not even allowed to enter the event until 1972. Up until 2005, the race began at noon, with everyone starting at the same time. Now, the race begins in waves, with the mobility impaired and wheelchair racers first.

This year, The Boston Marathon had 9,500 volunteers, and over 500,000 spectators. As the runners shed their clothes, the volunteers pick them up, put them in bags, and take them to a place to wash them. They are then donated to the Big Brother Big Sister foundation. An organization that collects clothes, and turns those clothes into cash, and then donates 100% of the cash to youth mentoring programs across Southeastern MA and Southern NH.

So there I was standing next to a 6th grade girl and her Dad on one side and a couple from Ohio on the other. I was standing behind a volunteer who had been volunteering for 18 years, and one volunteer who just started this year. The crowd was smaller this year, but still just as loud.

Most people go to the finish line. They want to be there when the first people cross, or their friends cross. They want to see the look of pure happiness as they have finished the race. I get that. I do. It is amazing to see that. It’s a crazy feeling, unlike any other, both for the spectator and the runner.

But, not me. Aside from the fact, that I like to be weird and different, the starting line, to me, is a place of equality. Everyone there is the same. The race could go any way at this point. Someone could come of left field and blow everyone else away. Or the person who everyone predicted to win could fall down and not be able to get up to finish the race. Or maybe the person who started out really great, finishes really great. That’s all up to them. But, the starting line, everyone is equal there. And I like that.

The runners have done everything they can do. They have trained, they have made specific meal plans, they have picked out the perfect apparel, perfect sneakers. Their families are there, ready to cheer them on as they embark on a 26.2 mile journey. There is officially, nothing else that they can do. And this may be the only time in their life when they can say that.

First was the mobility impaired. Each runner has a guide, who runs next to them to make sure they are ok. They were ready, they were excited. Some of them were listening to their music, and some were standing there not talking to anyone else. They were focusing. Then comes the men’s wheelchair, then women’s wheelchair. The upper body muscles on them is incredible. Some of them were shaking, either from the cold or the nerves. Maybe both.

Next was the handcycles. Can you imagine going 26.2 miles only using your hands? What determination. Whenever I watch events like this, I always am amazed at what the human body can do with enough willpower.

As soon as they went, it was time for the elite women. They were warming up (well as much as they could on a day like today) They were doing their knee lifts and their light jogs to get the muscles going and ready.

Then the elite men, who were just as impressive as the elite women. The streets of Hopkinton were flooded with people from everywhere. They were cold and they were nervous but they also had a rush of adrenaline from the crowd cheering them on, knowing that they can do this. Wave 1, Wave 2, Wave 3, then Wave 4. After the gun signaled the start of the race, it took some of them 15 minutes just to make it to the starting line, there were that many people.

As each of the runners take off on their 26.2 mile journey, they know that they all have different paths in front of them. Some may win, some may not even finish. It may take some 6 hours to run it and others only 2 and a half. Some may fall down and a nice runner along the way will pick them up. Some may have to drop out mid race. The will face hard times, heartbreak hill, or maybe they will get too cold and have to stop. But they will also face fun times like “Scream Tunnel” and that final turn onto Boylston Street. Many will never think about the starting line again, they will just be proud that they did it, proud that they made it through.

She came all the way from France to watch!

Perhaps the most interesting fact about the Boston Marathon is: Why is the symbol a unicorn? Honestly, whenever I saw the unicorn on the signs and the jackets, I just assumed it was a race symbol, I never thought that there could be a background to it. Upon further research, it is said that the unicorn is the symbol because a unicorn is something that one will never find, and it inspires you to continue trying. “The unicorn is a mythological figure that is meant to be pursued, but, in that pursuit, you never catch [it],” Fleming said. “So it inspires you to continue to try — to race harder in the case of running — and though it may be elusive, it really is the pursuit of the unicorn that makes you better and better and better.” (https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-marathon/2018/04/06/baa-unicorn-symbol-history-boston-marathon)

As they cross the starting line, the unicorn is looking down on them, encouraging them, and inspiring them to keep going, to keep trying until you get what you want. The unicorn will be there throughout the race, until they get what they want. For each person that “Thing” they want will be different, and their journey to it will be as well, but at the starting line, everyone is equal, they have all done all that they can do, and perhaps they did the most important thing that they could ever do, they showed up.