WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I have had to take A LOT of personality tests lately. No… I am not crazy. (Well not diagnosed as crazy anyways.) Rather, for the sake of team building purposes, I have had to take a wide variety of tests, to narrow down me as a person. What are my strengths and weaknesses , what do I like, what don’t I like, what’s my ideal career, do I laugh one someone one falls, and a whole array of questions and assessments- analyzing who I am.

Well, after a final breakdown of the last flood of personality examinations I have found my ideal career. The only problem is… I retired from this career when I was 15. Can you go back in time and repeat? Or was my career between the ages of 10-15 and the rest of my life is mere survival with no opportunity to use who I am? Oh the tragedy and turmoil when I wrestle with this as being over my career prime.
What is my perfect profession that I have so mistakenly let pass me by???

CHEERLEADER!!!!!



All of the tests have said the same things over and over again. Surprise Surprise. I am after all, the same person taking the tests. But according to “Strength Finders,” my top five strengths have me perfectly built to be a Professional Cheerleading Captain to be exact.

1. Arranger- It takes one mighty skilled cheerleader to arrange the dance and cheer choreography. To perfectly match the heights and strengths of stunt partners. And more importantly on what syllable are you to stomp and shake it, or hit a “high V” rather than a fist pump. This is not something that comes naturally. Well… unless you are an arranger like me. Then you don’t get overwhelemed with having line transformations in the middle of a chant. WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

2. Positivity: Is this not the epitome of what a “CHEERleader” is for? To pump pump pump it up! When the crowd is feeling down and blue about the score board. We shout out, “That’s okay, That’s alright, come on Team, FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!” WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

3. Woo: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Spirit Fingers! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

4. Includer: The job of a cheerleader is to not just pump up the team and keep them going, we are the spirit behind the lines, to keeping the players motivated. However, it is also our responsibility to pull the crowd into the game. Getting the crowd active, in the fight to win. Chants of Offense and Defense and team names, are what get the team motivated, and in it to win it. It takes the cheerleaders invitation to get the crowds participation. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

5. Activator: If it weren’t for an activator on a cheer squad all you would have is a bunch of tight high pony tails in mini skirts, lined up in a pyramid formation, for no good reason, other than looking good. Thanks to the Cheer Captain or “activator” they ensure more happens than standing straight with fists on their hips. They shout, “READY?” for the rest of the squad to respond, “OKAY!” and thus the cheer of appropriate need will commence. WOOOOOOOOO WOOOOO!

If only I had known then, that I was in my perfect job fit, I never would have stopped. I suppose, I now know, what I will need to do when I return home. It’s time for me to start stretching and practicing my high kicks, so I am prepared to audition next spring for the Charger girls!

After all, I only want to work out of the way I was created and out of my strengths.


*Disclaimer- it is not appropriate as a cheerleader to WOOOOOOOOOO. It is rather encouraged to use words than sounds when pumping up the crowd and team

Bourse Aux Velos

Yesterday in Paris was a day to be remembered. It was the day I bought a pair of wheels for transportation. Now naturally you would probably be thinking I bought a car. But no. Even better. I bought a bike!

The ladies and I trekked into Paris for the annual Bourse Aux Velos, held each year in the 13th district of paris. The way it works is, those who own bikes and don’t want them, come in the morning and drop them off with a price in mind. Then in the afternoon those seeking two wheels and a pair of peddles for transportation, show up and find themselves a bike, on a first come first serve basis. Then those who turned in a bike, show up at night and either collect their cash, or their unpurchased bike.



There were all varieties of bikes to be found, from little tike bikes, to mountain bikes, city bikes, broken bikes, rusted bikes, tandem bikes, road bikes, and MY NEW BIKE.

The key to this bike sale is to get there early- so you can get the best selection. (Thus the first come first serve protocol.) We weren’t there first. But we didn’t get there last either. Once they opened the rope for us to pass through, it was like a mad dash Black Friday style to find the best bike for the cheapest price.

The Ladies are making their search for the perfect bike

The trick was in finding a bike you like and holding onto it, while exploring other options encase there was a better deal or bike to your liking. Have you ever tried holding onto one bike, while test riding another? With 40 other people vying for a bike? It makes for quite the scene.

The roomie is testing her first bike of choice

After making our dibs on bikes, getting adjustments made to ensure the seats actually do move down and aren’t permanently lifted too high. Imagine buying a bike, and then finding out it’s welded to a precise height. No more peddling for you my dear friend. And handle bars so low you could touch the floor- people would think you are in a rap video rather than riding your bike. Or maybe you are riding your bike Flo Rida style. Thankfully neither of the above situations took place for our biking crew.

Our bikes of choice right before going to purchase them.

We purchased our bikes, all one happy biking clan and headed home with six bikes for six girls.

Brugge-Stint Style

This last week the 5 Newbies, the Roommie and I went to Brugge, Belgium as a way to take time together as a team and get to know one another, and figure out how in the world this next year is going to function for all of us, and all together. After all, we are:

Taking 7 strangers, who were picked to live together, work together, and have their lives blogged and photographed- STINTWORLD Paris Style!

The Team!

Our time together was spent in Brugge. A lovely quaint little town in Belgium. As my friend Amy would say, “It slaps you with cuteness.”



It is candy for the eye in every direction that you look. Literally- there are streets filled with chocolate shops. Everything is so picturesque it almost looks fake. But you know it’s real- and the way the life was meant to be in this small little town that caters to horse and carriage.



And what would a quaint town be, without floating swans.



Many believe due to the name that French fries come from… France. But they are wrong. They actually belong to the Belgium’s, and when ordering you should ask for Belgium fries not French Fries- but whatever you do, be sure you indulge in some wonderful fries.

Picture taken by Teammate Hannah

The roads of the town are built all out of cobblestone- you won’t find a paved over road in this town. And streets are narrow and mainly built on the one-way direction system. This is highly inconvenient with construction and driving. Thus it is much more efficient and fun to take your bike and ride it all around town.



When you are ready for a nice a relaxing treat find a cute café and order a coffee and Belgium waffle- also known as a waffle- and watch people as they walk by.



This trip was a great start off on the right foot. We all got along together wonderfully and got started in the right direction for a year full of fun, memories, and experiences we will all remember for a life time.