Friday Friend Focus: Yolanda R

I believe that Friends are people who God has sent to your life to augment your family, if only for a short amount of time.   I treasure my friends and work hard to preserve these relationships especially since we are all very busy and it seems that our lives push us in different directions.

I am going to start with one of my two roommates: Yolanda R. (DOB: 9/21) Shout outs to all the Virgos! 

My rommies:(L-R, Liz R., Diana L. and Yolanda R.)

She has been my roommate since August of 2010 but I have been friends with her since we were both undergraduates @ UIC.  We met though a student organization named Mexican Students de Aztlan or M.e. S.A. as many people refer to it too.  We have been through some ups and down and still seem to get along just fine. 

@ my bday(L-R, Diana L. Nancy, Yolanda R.)

Here are three things that Yolanda and I have in common:

1. We are both from Michoacán, Mexico.  Our parents are also from there and I love when they get together so they have an opportunity to talk about the old times.
2. We both love to dance.  I’m more romantic (Los Temerarios, Los Yonic’s, Industria del Amor) She is more ranchera (Vicente Fernandez, Joan Sebastian and definitely LIVE banda) but we always jam it out whenever there is music being played.
3. We are both runners. But I need to admit that she is a professional runner and can out run me any day of the week.  She has run the Chicago marathon several times while I have just run  1/2 marathons. Mis respetos to her!

   

   Yolanda R. with her family after she finished the Chicago Marathon!

   
   

I am most proud of Yolanda for everything she has accomplished so far.  She is a determined, caring, and passionate person that wears her heart on her sleeve.  She wants to provide young adults--specifically youth-- opportunities and experiences to succeed.

The word I would use to describe her would be: Spirited(Google it!)

Did I mention that we work at the same place (UIC)? Oh yeah, we have that in common too.

Here are a few questions she agreed to answer for me a while ago and fit perfectly with this entry:

Q:  What are your strengths?

My ability to believe and have Faith.  My ability to connect to other people/social skills.  My explorer spirit.  My kind heart.  My willingness to love. 

Q:  How do you handle failure ("failure" defined by you)?

Prayer, tears, withdrawal from people.  But once I am ready, I seem to seek for the advice and support of the people I think that can help me overcome the feeling of 'failure" and move on to the learning from this experience stage.  

Q:  If you could change your life in one way, what would you change?

I would change some minor mistakes I did that involved over drinking, I would stop worrying so much about my looks, and those instances in which I unfairly hurt people.  But I think for the most part, I have been blessed with a wonderful life.  

Q:  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Morelia, Mexico, Chicago, Italy, but I truly love to live a couple of months in each part of the world :-) 

Q:  What are you most proud of?

My family, my friends,my Faith, and all the big accomplishments like finishing college, traveling, , but also the little accomplishments like learning how to ride a bike or taking the adventure of approaching a handsome guy :-) 

Halloween:(Laura G.(potted plant) and Yolanda R.(Lil' Red))

Q:  What books have influenced your ideas and thoughts the most?

The bible, and many more. I need to become better at jotting down the titles and their impact on me.  Sorry!

Q:  What is the one action that you have taken that has accounted for most of your success?

Stop just thinking about it and taking the 1st step (even if it is very small and even if it involves some risk), eg. taking a week off, making the phone call, arranging the meting, etc. 

Q:  Name a woman in history that most captivates you(living or dead).

Mother Theresa, she did the little things with love even though she did not "feel" God's presence. 

Q:  What is your favorite Movie?

Too many! Life is beautiful, Schindlers' list, A beautiful mind, The pianist, Karol: A man who became Pope, St. John Bosco, Cinema Paradiso, Slumdog Millionaire, etc, etc, etc,

Q:  What is your favorite thing about YOU?

My happy self and outgoing personality 

Physically, my legs lol ;-p

Q: What is your most treasured possession and why?

My family.  In them I find all the gifts that God can give me.  

Q:  What is your T.V. guilty pleasure?

La Fea mas Bella and all of it's versions!  

Q:  What makes you laugh? Joke-do tell, video-do share, picture-let's see it!

 My nieces, my brothers, my friends, the song "Asi te Quiero" from Joan Sebastian, huevo cartoons, pic of me in college, etc.

Q:What is the one job in the world that you would love to do?

Anything that requires that I run around making people do activities, smile, laugh, reflect, and experience a change within.  Vague, I know, but at this point, I am not sure I have a clear "job title". 

Q:  Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give a girl under the age of 18?

God (and some handsome young man perhaps!) already likes you as you are.  Don't worry about it, just smile, because someone is already falling in love with your smile.  Live a healthy present and within that present become aware of the little things that make you joyful, because it is there that you will stumble upon the answer to what your future should look like. Where you find most joy within you is where you should be headed, and where your will and God's will will meet, because he wants you to be happy.   

Q:  If you were an animal in the wild, which animal would you be?

I would be a wild horse.  There is some majesty to them, they are free spirit, can be noble, kind, but also strong and respected.  They can carry heavy loads on their backs :-) 

@ my sisters bday party(L-R, Yolanda R., Nancy, Liz. R. and Diana L.)