THE CHRONICOLES #12: GET TO KNOW ME


28 beautifullll times around the planet, fam! 🌎
my birthday just passed (#geminiseason) & it's the first year I feel my age. 

until recently, I felt like I was stuck at 25-years oldthe sweet age of "old enough to know better, young enough to not care." now, my responsibilities have substance, my job is equally challenging as it is fulfilling, my idea of fun has changed drastically & my days just feel more accomplished. to top it off? hearing the word "adulting" actually makes me cringe.

it's a new year for goals, memories, accomplishments...ya know, the usual cliché birthday BS. it's also the best time to reflect on the last year, or the last 28 for that matter. THE CHRONICOLES is the perfect spot for me to share some shtuff about me that you may not have previously known, so!


TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ME:

1. I was raised a beach kid at the jersey shore & as thankful as I am for such an unforgettable childhood & adolescent years, I always knew I'd move to a city and I did 2+ years ago to jersey city
2. my life revolved around cheerleading for almost 20 years. I competed, sometimes nationally, and was captain during high school. I coached competitive cheerleading too, with my mom as the coach and my younger sister on the team.
3. yep, I have a little sister! she's my soulmate, even though I can barely forgive her for ruining my halloween the year she was born. dressed as simba, I had to skip trick-o-treating to sit @ a hospital holding a sister, who at the time, I didn't want but now I don't know wtf I'd do w/o her. 
4. my boyfriend & I have been together for almost 6 years. we became adults together, really. like all couples, we went through some tough shit but we live together now and our life & our 2 fur babes make me the happiest. 
5. I adopted my cat oliver 4 years ago and also "adopted" my boyf's staffordshire terrier (aka: pitbull) whiskey the day we started dating. ol came from a shelter that was actually shut down due to neglect & it was an uphill battle to keep him alive when I brought him home but all's good now! most times I look at him, my whole damn heart explodes.
6. for most of my early-20's, I was a festival-loving, costume-wearing, edm-listening wild child. basement nightclubs and wknd long music festivals were my jam (and probably the reason why I hardly ever attend any of those venues now).
7. I suffered the greatest lost a daughter could when my father passed away unexpectedly a few years ago. it was (and still is) crippling to me & beyond undeserving to him and my family, but I still love him entirely & I know he's always with me, wherever he is. 
8. my bachelor's degree is in liberal arts & my minor is in journalism, and I work in e-commerce fashion merchandising. who'd have thunk it?
9. while I was raised catholic, I no longer practice it & instead, I believe in things like: crystals, karma, meditation, the law of attraction, affirmations, enlightenment, etc. try explaining that to your old-school italian family...
10. ever since I was a kid, writing has always been an escape for me. (I won a young author's writing contest!) I have 3 "books" started, and by books I mean ideas of storylines that one day I know I'll bring to life. in the mean time, I'll be over here blogging on NICOLE LEIGH. x 



29 comments:

  1. I would have loved to have been a beach kid - it must be cool to live in a city though.

    http://ohduckydarling.com

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    1. it was nice to experience both worlds growing up as a child, then again on my own as an adult. x

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  2. I lost my (step) dad a during my first semester of college and it was devasting. So I can empathise. It’s definitely a weird space to navigate because it’s a loss you don’t come back from and you have to learn how to be a new person.

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    1. I totally agree w/ you gf, and the only people who get that are those who have been through it themselves. x

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  3. So fun to learn more about you girl!! That is such a sweet story about how you got your cat. So sorry about the loss of your dad- but cheers to you for moving forward though that. <3 Hope your birthday was great and this will be a great year!

    xoxo A
    www.southernbelleintraining.com

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    1. thanks babe, the cheers & birthday wishes are much appreciated! x

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  4. I'm also a gemini! I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your dad. I lost my dad when I was 14 and it's difficult to cope with. I turned 28 this year but 27 felt like the "adult" birthday to me, haha. All of sudden I felt like I had all of these responsibilities even though nothing immediately changed. It was odd! Happy belated birthday :)

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    1. another nicole & another gemini - did we just become best friends!? happy belated to you tooo. x

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  5. Loved reading these fun facts about you! So awesome that you have a few different book ideas going!

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  6. Love to learn more about you! I have a younger sister too and would of loved to have grown up by the beach!

    xoxo,
    Katie
    chicincarolina.blogspot.com 

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    1. thanks girl, and little sisters really are the best! x

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  7. Happy belated birthday!! 28 felt very adult and like a real hit over the head for me too. IT was my favorite year though!

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    1. 28 is a great year so far, v excited to see what else it brings! x

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  8. so nice meeting you! we are so similar hahaha i also have a younger sister, and i have been with my bf for over 6 years so we did become an adult together too haha so jealous you have pets! i want a dog xD

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    1. so many things in common! & dogs are a mustttt in my household, I hope you get one soon! x

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  9. I'm in New York so not that far from you! Love reading all these little tidbits about you!

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    1. love meeting new yorkers! & happy to share 'em w/ you. x

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  10. So jealous that you grew up by the beach! I'm landlocked and love the beach ha.

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    1. that's why beach vacations are the best, especially if you don't have easy access to 'em! x

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  11. hah i totally relate to catholicism - i'm hispanic and telling my mom i don't go to church (like hardly ever) is always an argument. I would say I believe in all things good about catholicism but really walked away from the staunch beliefs against homosexuals or rigid beliefs of any kind. Maybe that makes me more spiritual than religious? Who knows. I think christianity, affirmations, meditation - you name it - all blend beautifully together to create better versions of ourselves :)

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    1. totally agree w/ you on this, gf! I definitely think it's a "spiritual" outlook...on religion. love to hear from another like-minded babe! x

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  12. This was so fun to read and learn more about you! It's cool that you were a cheerleader and was involved in cheerleading for so long!

    xo Deborah
    Coffee, Prose, and Pretty Clothes

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  13. Loved reading this!! I grew up in NYC but spent my summers in a beach town as a kid. Was totally amazing to grow up near the water
    -Emily
    https://norepeatsorhesitations.com/2018/06/27/spotted-and-dotted/

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    1. thanks babe, and so awesome that you got the best of both worlds! x

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  14. I loved this so much! It's so nice to get to know the bloggers behind the blog. My sister is my best friend too. I don't have quite a story like yours, but I would do anything for her. She's my rock. That's so awesome that you and your boyfriend have been together for so long! I'm 28 as well, but my boyfriend and I just started working on year 2.

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    1. so happy you loved it! & can relate to the whole sibling thing. she's like a limb, basically. hoping for many more yearssss for you & your boyf. x

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