December 4, 2011

• Sunday Shoutout: NCTHope

  Today I am featuring @NCTHope
  Nicole is so sweet beautiful and kind.
  I just noticed her here one day commenting on my site
  and when I went to her site I was captivated by her genuine sweetness

  1. Can you give a brief outline of your life, family?

  I’m 26, but I’m an old soul.  I grew up in rural Northern NJ (yes, it exists),
    and I’m back home after graduating from law school.
    I’m one of three sisters,
  
  and even though we fight too much, I love them.  Lauren is 23, and is teaching 1st grade in Munich.  I miss her horribly.  Michelle is 19, and goes to college in Massachusetts.
  My parents, while extremely Type A, are very supportive and funny.
  I love spending time with them.  I’ve had the same friends since I was in middle school
  and we’re still very close.
  
  I’ve always been a serious nerd.  I love watching the news, reading Victorian lit, and playing word games.  One of my dreams, among many, is to travel to England, Ireland, and Scotland.  Seeing castles in person takes my breath away.
  
  I find humor in almost anything, but I can also be a grim realist.  I look at people who always see the glass half full and wonder how they do it.  I always wish I wasn’t such a perfectionist. 
  
  My boyfriend, Ryan, is the opposite of me:  laid back, able to live in the moment, and constantly idealistic.  I’ve never been the type to say corny things, but he’s the love of my life.
  

  2. What are your main interests, hobbies or collections?

  I wish I had something captivating to type here, but I’m kind of in the process of searching for hobbies and discovering what I’m interested in.  I like reading, playing tennis, taking walks in the fall, and watching anything funny. 
  
  One weird interest I have is linguistics.
  I love hearing different accents and dialects, especially those within the U.S. 
  I wish I had a cooler answer.
  ( I love linguistics too and think that is a cool answer!!)

  3. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done?

  Going skinny-dipping with my boyfriend (he jumped out immediately because he was cold…lame).   Honestly, besides speeding on NJ highways (which is stupid, but the norm), I’m not much of a risk taker.
  

  4. What brought you to Xanga?

  I had a serious medical problem with no diagnosis/cure, and I was struggling with getting through law school before I ultimately made a decision to take a leave of absence.  I was so scared of what the future held.   I just felt this overwhelming need to write about what I was going through.  I chose Xanga over a private journal, because I wanted camaraderie and empathy.  I found it.

  5. How did you pick your Xanga name and how do you like to be addressed on here?
  
  The first part of my name, NCT, is my initials.
  I included “hope,” because it was something I was really searching for at the time I started writing on Xanga.  I like being called my first name, Nicole.
   
  6. What are some of your favorites? websites,movies,music,food,books, songs?

  There are so many!  I’ll do it by category:
  
  Websites (besides Xanga): 
  Facebook is the most obvious one.  I spend way too much time on it,
  but I love seeing pictures and statuses of friends and family who are far away.
    I also love theoatmeal.com (a hilarious comic site),
  jezebel.com (news with a very snarky twist),  postsecret.com,
  and glamour.com for mindless, shallow fun.
  
  Movies: 
  There are few movies I can watch again because I get bored so easily.  Still, I make an exception for Schindler’s List, Gran Torino, The King’s Speech, Philadelphia, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Up.  I’m looking forward to seeing Hugo this week.
  
  TV Shows:
    Parenthood is my current obsession.  It’s one of the only shows I’ve watched where the families aren’t unrealisticly perfect.  The actor who plays Max, a 9 year-old with Asperger’s syndrome, is beyond talented.  I also really enjoy Parks and Recreation, The Office, New Girl, Glee, Modern Family, and QI (a British trivia show).  I wish Everwood still aired. 
  
  Books:
    I love Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and A Tale of Two Cities, and To Kill a Mockingbird.   Anything by Mitch Albom is great too, especially Tuesdays with Morrie.
  
  Music:
  The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel are constants for me.  Recently, I’ve really gotten into Mumford and Sons, The Black Keys, and Shiny Toy Guns.  Everyday, I wish I could play the guitar…it’s just beautiful.
  
  Songs: 
  “The Boxer,” by Simon and Garfunkel reminds me of my grandfather, who passed away when I was younger.  I also love David Grey’s “Babylon” and Beethoven’s “F¸r Elise.”
  
  Food:
  In no particular order, I love: pizza, veggie burritos, grapes, milk chocolate in any form, and a warm, NY-style bagel (with butter, never cream cheese).  
  
  Games:
  Scattergories, Scrabble, Rummikub, Hanging with Friends, and Bejeweled are all incredibly addictive.
  
  

  7. What are your plans for the future?
  
  Being a lawyer at the first place I get a job.  I’m not sure a career in law is even what I want anymore, but since I took out huge loans for school, I kind of have to be a lawyer…at least initially.  I’ve had a few interviews lately, and I have some coming up this week.  I really have no idea what my career future holds.
  
  Eventually, I want to get married (to Ryan) and have 2 kids (hopefully in my mid-thirties…not ready yet).  I’d like to live close to family and friends so I can see them frequently.  That’s always been very important to me.
  
  I also want to better prioritize my own health and although it sounds clichÈ,
  learn to appreciate the small things.

  
  8. What challenges have you faced recently?
  
  After I graduated law school in December, I studied my ass off for the February bar.  In May, I found I failed and the firm I was temping at “laid me off” as a result.  I was devastated…it was the first (and most important) test I had ever failed.  Getting the motivation to study for 2 months straight again was difficult, and waiting for 4 months for the test result was torture.  I found out I passed last week, and it’s the biggest relief I’ve ever experienced.
  
  At Thanksgiving, my aunt wrote “Esquire” on my name card for the table, and I couldn’t stop smiling.  I looked like the biggest dork.
  
  9. What is something you have learned about yourself these last few months?

  That I really need to work on my patience.  I always want everything good to happen all at once, and I need to learn to take life in stride…whatever that means.
  

  10. What is something/someplace you have always wanted to do/see?
  
  In general, I’m not very well traveled.  There are so many places, in addition to the U.K., that I want to visit.  Right now I don’t have the money, and I cannot wait for a time in my life that I do.  There is so much to see and I’m excited for those experiences.
  
  My travel list includes Germany, Austria and Switzerland (I’ve been to these countries, but I was 16 and would love to go again), all of northern Europe, Prague, Turkey, Greece, Japan, and China.  That’s just a start.  J
  
  I don’t know who has time, but taking a cross-country trip would be amazing too.  I’ve never been to California, and I’d to see all the less traveled places on the way to the West Coast.  I’ve heard Washington and Oregon are beautiful. 
  
  

  • 6:02 pm
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