New Blog Site

My blog can now be found at www.theresacheri.typepad.com

Hope to see you there :)

MIA

Yes I passed my classes. Summer school is in full swing. My time has been consumed with law and spending the last couple days with Gary before he leaves.
He is going to Africa for 2 months in 1 week.
He started a non profit .
He's pretty amazing. I have never met anyone so selfless. He is giving up everything he knows and the comforts of home to change people's lives.
What is even more shocking to me is how he just acts like it is something anyone would do.
So yes my time has been spent with him. Until he leaves. Then I will distract myself with reading and friends. It will be crazy to go from constant contact to not knowing when I will be able to talk to him again.
I know that we will be more than ok. He is going to come back with amazing stories and new ideas on life. I am excited for him to embark on this journey.

Freedom... At least for 3 weeks

I honestly don't know how I got through this last month. 
I HATE FINALS!!! 
Well anyone who says they like them are delusional, honestly. If it weren't for my roommate and my boyfriend (yes we are official) then I couldn't have done it. They read through flashcard, made me dinners, went through practice answers. Basically they were at my beck and call for the last two weeks. I don't know what I would do without them. They brought me meals when I locked myself in the library for two days and hugged me when I broke down from all the stress. 
I am lucky for the people in my life. 

We don't find out test results til 6 weeks from now. 
The waiting is pure hell. 
All I can say is I did my best and hopefully that's good enough. I have one more final tonight then it's time to let loose.
Next week is 5 days in Vegas with all the people I love. Seriously!! Monica, chris, Cassie, Tessa, the boy, Haley, and Stephanie. I cannot wait. The only thing that would make it better is if my wifey could join us. I miss her!!! 
Oh and there will be lots of scrapbooking.
After 10 pm my life will be so happy. :)

Procrastination Shows Up Again

Finals are two weeks away. Major Freak Out Mode.
I am currently taking a study break to post a blog. I blog when I should be doing other things. Oh well that's me.
Lately I have been realizing what a gift life is. People are taken way to soon. I know that some days are hard. It makes you appreciate the good ones. And the bad days usually don't last as long as the good days.
Like take for instance now. Now sucks. I am so overwhelmed and stressed with the amount of work that there is to do. But I know in the end it will be worth it. I am going be a freaking lawyer! These 4 years are going to seem like they fly by. I still can't believe how quickly college went. Now I know I will not be having near as much fun because I don't have as much free time but this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to help people. I want have a positive impact on people's lives. So it may suck for right now but it will get better.
Plus I have an amazing support system. I mean who has someone that offers to read 400 pages to help you figure out how to interpret criminal statutes? I am so lucky for the people that surround me and encourage me.
I can do this!!

Now that I motivated myself back to flashcards :)

New

I'm met someone.
Someone perfect for me. Someone who understands me and gets me in a way only Cassie does. But this person is male. This person has been in my life for a while. I just never thought he was an option. He had a girlfriend. I had a boyfriend. We both happened to become single at around the same time. We intended to stay that way for a while. He was just a friend.
Then something happened and everything changed. He makes me strive to be a better person. He is an amazing person.
It makes me realize that everything happens for a reason. You learn from every relationship. You grow.
It is so scary because no one has made me feel the way he does. I don't feel like I am settling for once.
I feel so lucky to have him in my life and if it only last for a week or a year I feel content knowing him.
I can't predict what the future holds but I do know that right now in the present he is what makes me completely happy.
Plus he surprises me with Gwen Stefani shirts which helps a little :)

It's my birthday week!!

If you hang out with me at all expect to hear this a lot this week. I can't help it. I like my birthday.
I am so excited that my old roommie from Chico is coming to visit.
We are going to have so much fun.
Plus I get to spend time with all my wonderful friends here.
On Thursday I am going to do 25 things that make me happy on my last day at 25.
Hopefully I will compile a list of things I want to accomplish in the year. I'm sure the list will mostly consist of laughing a lot.
I'm pretty happy with how things have been going for me lately. I am having a lot of fun while trying to figure out what I want for my future.

My New Obsession

It's official. I'm obsessed. I've heard other people raving about this woman and thought I'd give it a chance. It also helped that the cd only cost $9.99 on itunes. I have a problem spending much more on music. Unless it is No Doubt related of course. Her voice is amazing. The song writing feels like she is speaking to me directly. Like she knows what I've been through and she is here to help me through it. I know in reality it is all just generic words that are there because everyone's been through heartbreak but at this particular time it's what I need. I need to feel like I am not the only one in this sea of pain and frustration and questioning.
I know that I am not alone. I have some of the greatest friends a girl could ask for. And in reality I need to focus my attention on school. But it is nice to have music to relate to.

I'm Trying

I'm trying to:

*Stay positive
*Be happy
*Try new things
*Give second chances
*Forget
*Learn
*Laugh
*Love

Some days it comes easier than others. I feel all this pressure to be the perfect employee, friend, roommate, study partner, student. The pressure is getting to me. I feel like I have my hand in to many buckets (for lack of a better description). I feel like am drowning and not doing any of these things well. I am failing.
I know that this might not actually be true. But that is how I am feeling today. I am so scared of failing. I know that everyone is. Regardless of what they are failing at.
I guess all I can do is just keep swimming...to reference Finding Nemo. What other option do I have? I may not be perfect. Of course I make mistakes but I need to learn to accept those mistakes and learn from them and move on. I need to learn to not beat myself up when these mistakes happen.
At least I have goals and I am working towards them.

Oh March I love you

Not just because it's my birthday month. I think I'm always going to be excited about my birthday no matter how old I get. I love how my friends and family gather around me and show me they care with just their presence. But anyway I love March because I love spring. 
You can't see spring as much in my town as you could when I was in chico. But I still know it's there. Flowers are blooming. The skies are blue. You can't ask for much more. 
And I gotta say the month is starting off right. Besides me almost amputating my toe off this morning (not really I stepped on a huge piece of slivered plastic and it cut it bad but it's nothing a princess bandaid won't heal). Tessa just informed me she is going to make the long trip down to help celebrate my birthday with me. This will be the longest we've been together since Chico. I'm beyond excited. I miss that girl. 
March will be pretty busy though. Finals are quickly approaching but I have a game plan. 
Life is good :)

My One Year Anniversary With My Town

Yep it's official. I've lived here for one whole year. I can hardly believe it. I came into this situation with absolutely no plan. That is completely opposite of how I usually operate. It started out as an idea that sounded fun. Living with your high school best friend. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made.
Sure parts of it were difficult. Living in a studio with two adult women sharing a bed was a learning experience. I honestly wouldn't have it any other way.
I have never laughed so much in my life. I am genuinely happy.
Moving here afforded me the opportunity to persue my dreams of becoming a lawyer.
Plus let's face it. It's fabulous here.
So Santa Barbara thanks for being so great to me. I'm sure we will spend many many more years together.

Slow Down Life...Please

Usual story in these parts...Life has been insane. I've been working of course 40 hours a week. As well as attending school 3 nights per week. These last two weeks have been especially awful.
Luckily when I had the flu I only missed one class. Unluckily we have to make up the classes that we miss due to having to prove so many hours of learning to the state bar. Which is what made the past couple weeks so horrible. It has taken my work load up a notch. I had to prepare for 4 classes instead of 3 while still getting over the flu and dealing with taking my car to the shop and spending time with my girlfriends.
Sure the last part was not essential but for me to have a small amount of sanity I say it was.
Work has also been insane. There's really nothing else to say but that.
Add it all up makes the days go fast and the nights go faster.
On a good note my car should be done from the shop relatively soon.
I am finally stopping coughing so I can attend spinning class in the mornings again. Woo It's amazing when you see results :)
I'm hoping to update this more...but we'll see how life goes

A little something refreshing

Stole this from www.martawrites.com

:: no matter what mood i'm in, i can always go for an: French fries

:: my favorite go-to outfit would have to be: yoga pants and a tee

:: a good source of inspiration is: thinking about the different avenues my future will take me. What I've already been through and survived is also pretty uplifting

:: am so glad my parents taught me: To not be a stereotype. They showed me what I wanted to avoid.

:: a song i like to dance to is: I'm not picky

:: i wish everyone knew about: how great No Doubt it

:: the best thing in my makeup bag is: My Benefit Highlighter

:: my dream spring break vacation spot is: I want to do vegas right.

:: this may be a surprise, but i am passionate about: I try and do everything with passion. But mostly just trying to live the best life that I can

:: a favorite book that changed me for the better: Eat pray love

:: one of my pet peeves is: spots on the mirror in the bathroom

:: my favorite daily ritual would have to be: Reading blogs during my lunch break or walking to the courthouse in my wonderful town.

:: i am trying to be better at: Not procrastinating

:: the most recent rad thing i found online was: Renttherunway.com. You can rent a dress for an event. Super fun when you don't want to shell out $1,000 for a dress you'll wear once

:: i can't live without: Laughter

And another bites the dust...

The inevitable happened. I am single again. 
It sucks because no man has made me feel this way. No man has treated me with so much respect. No man has given me butterflies like he does. The list goes on and on. 
I'm holding out hope that we will be together again someday. 
In the mean time I am spending time with girlfriends and focusing on school. 
I know I will be ok. Everyday gets a little easier. He showed me what kind of person I want to share my future with. I will forever be grateful for what he has taught me about myself. 

I miss him

I'll leave with a quote that describes my feelings at the moment perfectly. "I really feel that I'm losing a best friend can't believe this could be the end. It looks as though your letting go and if it's well I don't to know..."

Oh life

These past couple weeks have not been the greatest. It started with me having to take a week off work because I was sick. After finally getting better things were good. 
Then one day on the way to the gym at 5:55 am I was on the freeway. There was a dog. We have now decided it was a coyote. I swerved to miss it. I lost control of the car. I over corrected and ended up hitting the right guard rail on the freeway. You can even see the skid marks when you drive by. I'm ok. The car will be ok. It's still drivable. I believe the dog is ok. 
I know most people will say that you should have just ran it over. That thought is scary. This animal came up to the hood of my car. I feel as though if I would have actually ran it over the emotional turmoil it would have brought on would be with me forever. And heaven forbid if it would have got stuck under my car or came through my windshield. 
Anyway the good news is in a couple weeks my car will be back to normal. Sure my insurance will go up slightly but in the end it's worth it. Most importantly I am ok. If it would have happened a foot or two sooner I wouldn't have hit a guard rail but rather gone into a ditch or hit a tree. So I think I'm pretty lucky. 
This week has been another week of sickness. I've have a fever of over 103 for two days straight. The doctor says I have a flu and an ear infection. I am so bored sitting at home. It wouldn't be so bad if I had energy to study or clean. But every time I get out of bed I feel as though I am going to fall over. Oh and not having insurance makes doctor visits and prescriptions very expensive. I hope the government comes up with a solution soon. I can't imagine what people who can't afford it do. 
Oh well life will get back to normal soon. 

A year ago today

This is the last time I will talk about this I promise (ok I will try really hard because I've moved on but I think people need to hear a story of a survivor)

No one reads this thing anyway.
Besides my wifey. And Gina (HEY LADIES THANKS FOR READING :))
Anyway, You know what I was doing last year at this time...crying
It's ok it all worked out in the end. I left. I moved. I was lucky enough to have some wonderful friends who invited me into their home where I was welcome to stay indefinitely.
It's scary to think about people in a similar situation to mine who have no where to go. So they stay. That's what I thought I had to do. Boy was I wrong.
As soon as I disclosed what happened to a few close friends I realized just how much support and love I had.
I am lucky.
Monica and Chris dropped their whole lives and escorted me out. The next day after getting off the lease and a P.O. Box Tessa drove down and the 4 of us packed everything we could grab into plastic bags and got the heck out of there.
I am still remembering things that I left. It makes me sad to think that my baby blanket is now probably part of a landfill somewhere but I guess that's part of the price you pay for freedom.
It is amazing how much has changed in this year though. I never would have thought my life would take this turn. I am fulfilling so many of my dreams. I am working at a place that is relevant to my career. I am going to school. I am living in a place people dream of vacationing. All while living with my best friend since high school. I honestly don't know how I could be happier...Oh wait I forgot to mention my amazing boyfriend.
I guess it just is evidence of the fact that you shouldn't be too scared of the unknown. Sometimes not having a plan works out wonderfully.
This is a drastic change from last year and I wouldn't have it any other way

Tobie Ann Theresa Butler Kowalyk

Tobie Ann Theresa Butler Kowalyk. When I found out this is what my grandpa named our new puppy I was furious. "How dare you name a dog after me" I said to him. He told me he did it because he wanted people to know that Tobie was my dog too.
I was the one who picked her out. We went to the breeder's house and started playing with the puppies. I was immediately drawn to Tobie. She was the runt and the only one that came up to me and started playing. She was so little and could fit in our hand. I remember at night when my grandparents would be watching tv she would walk across the table that sat between their chairs and go from one lap to another until she got to big. I would wake up early on Saturdays to go to dog training school with my grandpa and part of my weekly chores were to brush her teeth and clip her nails. She was friends with my cat Precious. Sometimes it seemed as though she was my only friend when I was dealing with being a teenager being raise by people in their 70s.
After my grandpa died I felt like Tobie was the only connection I had to him. She would wander the house and look for him expecting him to walk through the door at any moment.
She was always loyal, fun, and excited. I will miss her and no dog will ever compare to her.
At least now grandpa can have Tobie back and they can lay out in the sun together like they used to.

The Best Cover I've Seen No Doubt Perform

I've seen No Doubt perform a lot of covers. This is probably my favorite. I think it is mostly because they flash to Paul McCartney and he is singing along. Plus they cover a piece of the first beetle song I ever heard. I hope this brings as much joy to your heart as it brought to mine.



"On Dec 5, No Doubt performed at the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors held in Washington, D.C. Along with James Taylor, Steven Tyler, Dave Grohl, Norah Jones, Mavis Staples and others, No Doubt paid tribute to musical legend Sir Paul McCartney."

Red Lipstick Sunday

So everyone seems to be talking about lipstick. Especially the color red. If you know me even a little then you know my obsession with Gwen Stefani. I read in a magazine once that Gavin (Her husband) doesn't like to see her without her red lipstick on. She has even been seen wearing it while working out.
Now I have often wondered how she keeps it on all day long to appease her husband. Not only that she looks so good wearing it all day long.



After reading a couple blogs and lurking...like I usually do. I noticed that red lipstick is coming back.Well for me it never left. About a year and a half ago I've been experimenting with different shades of Red Lipstick. It all started when I was preparing for the No Doubt Concert. I bought this shade (I don't remember the brand name)at Ulta. It felt like silk going on. I LOVE IT. One problem. It smears everywhere. There are multiple pictures of me checking my teeth to make sure they are not covered with red...totally not cute.
In comes L'oreal. They came out with this incredible infallible lip cover. The "Gwen Stefanie" color is Beyonce. Yes like the singer. This lipstick has made red lipstick Sunday a possibility. You see when I found out Gwen wears her color on a daily basis I of course aimed to be a courageous as her. But of course there is something always holding me back. So instead of every day it's once a week on Sunday.
This lipstick is great. It last all day long. The only thing that makes it wear off is alcohol if you are having a little too much fun at Sunday Funday. Most all day lipsticks are too dry or the color is off. Not this one. If you love Red Lipstick as much as I or you want to try different shades I highly suggest it. Let me know how it works out for you I would LOVE to hear it.

Back to the Crazy That is My Life

Work and School.
Work and School.
This is what my life consists of now that the holidays are officially over. The apartment is filled with gifts I have yet to put away because I lack the time and space to find a good spot for these items.
I've been having problems with my printer so I still need to complete my December Daily. I have a feeling it is going to go to the land of scrapbooks Theresa will never complete. Oh well it made me take some photos that I probably wouldn't have.
Zuma is going through a teenager faze. This consists of her crying for no reason. And crawling on my face at 4 am every morning wanting me to pet her and give her attention. It is proving the fact that I am not ready for a child. Because if I get mad at a cat for being loud there is no way I could handle a baby. *Laugh*
I joined a new gym. I got tired of paying for 24 and never going because it was always so full and it stressed me out. So I am going to attempt this other gym and see how that works out. The only issue is is that I have to go at 6 in the morning because I don't have time otherwise. But I guess now that I posted it the 3 people that read this have to hold me accountable. Cassie and I attended a spinning class this morning and I am scared to wake up tomorrow. It will be good to feel like I got a good workout in though. It's been a while. I also purchased a pedometer. With walking so much with work I thought it would be interesting to find out just how far I walk everyday. And as an added bonus if I walk a certain distance I get points with the gym and those points get added up and I can get free personal training sessions. This will give me motivation to actually wear the thing.
Things are pretty mellow for the most part. I am anxiously awaiting Valentine's Day because that is when my amazingly wonderful boyfriend will be visiting again. He is actually texting me right now telling me how beautiful I am. He is so sweet. <3