Happy Valentine's Day

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

Love is patient, love is kind…

It bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.

- 1 Corinthians 13:4, 7

            This special edition of the Real World is for Valentine’s Day and is for you, the ones I love.  In the midst of the beginning of a very hectic and stressful week, filled with exams and hours in the library, a bright piece of home has arrived in the form of a package.  Many of you probably missed out on my request for Ms. Shelly Mann’s delicious toffee a couple of weeks ago, after all it was very subtle.  Nonetheless, Ms. Shelly did not disappoint!  For the past couple of weeks I have been anxiously awaiting the package email that would reunite me with this deliciously addictive sweet and finally the day arrived, and just in time for valentine’s day…lovely.  Thank you again Ms. Shelly; I am currently looking for a top secret hiding spot where I can store my toffee and protect it from the thieving girls on my hall ;)

My toffee

            Dear boys, I hope that you have all come up with something truly spectacular to do for your gals tomorrow!  This is the one day you have get to be the romantic stud from the movies and we ladies do not like to be disappointed.  So wear your brightest pink or red, pick up some flowers (my favorite are spider mums and hydrangeas), and most importantly, be nice. 

 True Love (and some funnies)

"Ideally, i'll never get old. (but if i must, i'd rather do it with you)"

Love ya. Miss ya. Mean it.

Kane

James Dean, my Valentine...i wish.

I'm Funny

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Be the kind of woman who, when your feet hit the floor in the morning, the Devil says, ‘Oh no, she’s up’.”

            Another good week in the Real World! I’m gearing up for a History exam on Tuesday, a fundraising Pancake Dinner on Thursday at the Tri Delt house (check out the banner I painted with my friend Maggie!), an Econ exam on Friday, and UNC’s Dance Marathon Friday-Saturday!!! By the way, it isn’t too late to donate to the cause supporting the NC Children’s Hospital.  This is the link to it: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/kanehollingsworth/unc-dance-marathon-2012

Thank you again to those of you who helped me raise money; I really appreciate it and I know the kiddos at the hospital will too!  Anyway, this is what happened in the Real World these past two weeks:

The banner Maggie and I painted:

 #1: People in the real world are VERY serious about their sports.  Neither of my parents have had a strong allegiance to a particular sports’ team so as Whit grew up, he was kind of left up to his own devices when it came to choosing a college basketball team to root for.  Because Whit shares an unnatural fondness for my cousin Holly, who went to Duke, Whit chose to be a blue devil, and because I hold an unnatural fondness for Whit, I also called my self a Duke fan when the infamous UNC vs. Duke games rolled around.  When I decided on UNC for school, I felt the need to switch allegiances, and as I had not been a devout Duke fan anyway, it wasn’t a huge deal. Call me a traitor all you want but the sky will always be Carolina blue, which means we’ve got God on the Tarheels’ side.  Anyways this past Tuesday was the big face off between the devils and the heels and I learned very quickly that to be a sometimes fan was no longer acceptable.  So I donned my colors and headed off to watch the game at a local restaurant.  The atmosphere was nothing less than chaotic: screaming boys, shaking tables, sloshed drinks, and LOUD cheering.  Every basket for the heels was like a personal victory for each fan and the restaurant went crazy.  The real kicker, for those of you who didn’t watch the game (shame on you Grace Mann), came during the last second.  Chapel Hill was up by two points when Dookie freshman, Rivers, made a three point shot…dead silence in the restaurant.  It was certainly a disappointment but both teams played a great game and that was a stellar shot for the freshy.  Fortunately we play the devils again in just a couple of weeks and will have a chance to whoop their booties in THEIR house.  Ra ra Carolina ‘lina. Go to hell Boo Duke.

The infamous shot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X1ewxVwhug&feature=related

#2: Astronomers are cuties.  I have recently decided to change my major to astronomy on account of I learned this week in my astronomy lab that ALL astronomy grad students are level 11 on the cuteness scale.   I considered sending out an “Alert Carolina” email to educate the people on this campus about these hidden stars (see what I did there?) but I have temporarily opted to keep this information to myself, giving me a better chance of being invited to the planetarium for a star gazing date.  I have composed a short list of science-based jokes to help break the ice with the nerds:

 I will have to take physics and chemistry to be astronomy major so the plan is a bit problematic but I will keep you all updated on my quest for dorky love!

#3: I was unaware that in order to succeed in the real world, you really do need a good set of “party tricks”.  I’ve tried everything: playing the ukulele, juggling clementines, doing a handstand, but I am no good at any of these things.  This week I have taken to telling the above science jokes in order to impress all of my new friends and teachers but I am quickly running out of witty funnies so if anyone has any suggestions that I can add to my repertoire, I would be very appreciative.  So far I am most impressed by people that can pogo stick, do a back flip, sing, or play darts…I’ve got big shoes to fill.

            In other news, the Great Gatsby cocktail was very fun and I had a great time shag dancing to “Our Love Beats Music” and “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy”.  Also, Mama came last week, bearing gifts and dinner promises.  It was great to see her, if only for a short time! Hope that your weeks have been stellar; I’d love to hear about them.  Love ya. Miss ya. Mean it.

Great Gatsby Cocktail with my roommates for next year:

 Dinner with some gals:

R.I.P. Whitney

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH3giaIzONA&ob=av2e

Kane

Living and Learning

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Celebrate we will for life is short but sweet for certain.” –Dave Matthews Band

            This week was sweet for sure, filled with letters in the mail, yummy lunches at the Tri Delt house, warm weather, and surprisingly, some 80’s infusion.  I hope your weeks were as enjoyable as mine; I can’t wait to hear about them (HINT HINT)!

#1: The eighties consumed my life this week: big hair, best dresses, and banging bands!  I went to a cocktail on Friday night and what would be more appropriate to wear than my aunt Mary’s dress from her teen years? Nothing but platform shoes ;) The night was super fun and I loved that no one had my dress…little did they know that no one had for twenty years!  The hot weather this week is what helped us girls out with the big hair, a style that should really stay in the past.  Finally, Saturday night went down as one of my favorite nights of college when I was greeted at Phi Delt with a local band, “80z Enuff”.  The leather pants, flamed guitar, and the greatest rendition of Van Halen’s “Jump” that I’ve ever heard left me missing the decade of hip thrusts and hairspray! 

The famous cocktail dress

80z Enuff

 #2: UNC is not short on talent, that’s for sure.  The students here never cease to surprise me and this week I got my latest in my own Tri Delt sister and future roommate for next year, Mary Stewart.  Besides being totally awesome already, I learned that M Stew has an amazing voice when I went to see her in our school’s production of “Kardashians: The Musical”.  Words don’t describe how cool it was to see her belt it out so here is a sample of Mary Stewart from a performance of “Funny Girl” in Wilmington last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz4ac9jShro&feature=related

#3: Guess what hates you in the real world? Sidewalks.  I am racking up on the embarrassing story front for my freshman year of college.  I seriously cannot seem to catch a break when it comes to walking.  I think I spend more time tripping, falling, or recovering from a fall, than I do actually successfully navigating.  Anyways this week I grappled with gravity once again when I was rushing towards my Astronomy Lab and ate it walking over the brick pathway.  Luckily there were only a few unfortunate souls forced to witness the train wreck.  These are the following solutions that I have come up with:

1.     Wrap myself in bubble wrap before I leave my dorm.

2.     Hire a football player to carry me to all of my classes.

3.     Drop walking entirely and consider a career as a handstand walker.

…Thoughts?

#4: Don’t forget everybody that I’m participating in UNC’s Dance Marathon, which benefits the North Carolina Children’s Hospital in a couple of weeks.  I would really appreciate any donations towards my 24-hour dance mission!  For those of you who have already donated, THANK YOU SO MUCH; and for those of you who have not, allow me to present you with this little gem that I have been practicing for the marathon.  Your donation could help make this happen J

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHDe5k10iOU

Once again, here is the link to my donation page!!

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/kanehollingsworth/unc-dance-marathon-2012

To brighten your week:

If I can recover from the brutal head cold that has suddenly attacked me, this week is promising to be one for the books.  Mama is coming for dinner tomorrow and I have a “Great Gatsby” themed cocktail on Friday that is scheduled to include a fringed flapper dress and red lipstick!! Love you. Miss you. Mean it.

Kane

Pushing Forward

January 22, 2012

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“She turned her can’ts into cans and her dreams into plans.” –Kobi Yamada

To be honest I took a bit of an escape from the real world this week!  As it is only the second week of classes, things are still moving fairly slow so I have not been stressed to get all of my work.  This free time has given me the opportunity to go for runs, read my textbooks, and clean my room read Harry Potter.  What can I say? I’m a sucker for Harry!  Anywho, while this week did not prove to be particularly productive, it was very exciting…here’s why:

#1: Distance does make the heart grow fonder but lack of distance makes things a whole lot funner!! (Yes I know that’s not a word but I’m trying to make it happen.)  This weekend, my friend Paulina and I made the trip to Clemson, South Carolina to visit our friends Grace, Elizabeth (who go to Clemson), and Ginny (who goes to South Carolina).  It was so fun to reunite, if only for a couple of days, and to explore the very small beautifully compact town of Clemson! Love you guys…and your dance moves!  A special sidenote to Miss Shelly Mann: While Grace and I were visiting and enjoying our dinner, we sadly realized that there has been a shortage of your addictive toffee this year.  A girl sure would be lucky… ;)

Ginny, Paulina, and Me

Silly Grace and I forgot to get a pic but luckily we have plenty!!

#2: Younger people are cooler people.  Two of my wonderful cousins, Violet and Bo, celebrated their 11^th and 9^th birthdays this week, respectively.  I’m not sure when they got so old and so cool but I must have missed out on it because when I called to wish them Happy Birthdays, Violet was making dinner reservations and Bo was preparing for his video game party…say what now? After a quick life evaluation, I realized my inability to speak to strangers on the phone and inability to operate any tech item, qualifies me as a huge dork.  Thank you and happy birthday to Vi and Bo, two of the best cousins eva!

Me, Bo, and another great cousin, Walter

Me and Violet in Wyoming

#3: America means three things to college students: cowboy boots, red lipstick, and Tarheels!  This past week, Tri Delta and Alpha Delta Pi sororities celebrated a “Go Heels Go America” mixer with Beta and Phi Delt fraternities, and let me just say our country was well represented.  Everyone showed up decked in their best red, white, and Carolina blue ready to dance to country music and have a good laugh at everyone’s costumes.

#4: “You must welcome change as the rule but not as your ruler.” –Denis Waitley

When I stopped in Charlotte on the way home from Clemson, I realized that the Hollingsworth family is certainly abiding by these wise words as the demolition of our former kitchen/dining room/living room continues to progress.  When I think of our family’s kitchen I think about Whit and I laying in the middle of the cork floor and all the delicious pot roasts made in my mom’s ancient crock-pot.  I think about my dad, mom, brother, and myself sitting around our small dining room table playing “best and worst of the day” at dinnertime.  The kitchen is where we greeted our guests, where we got our mouths washed out with soap for letting swear words slip, and where we opened college acceptance letters.  It’s a little sad to think that this kitchen is gone, but hearing about the big plans Craig and Ash have for our new one gets me pumped for all the new memories it will hold…and all the yummy meals it will help my mama to cook! So stop by the Hollingsworth household and check out the progress and the makeshift porch kitchen. 

#5: Dancing cures all of the real world’s problems.  As many of you have heard/ witnessed, I LOVE to dance.  I like to shag, boogy, invent, and do really any kind of dance!  This is why I am participating in UNC’s Dance Marathon, benefitting the North Carolina Children’s Hospital on February 17^th-18^th!  I will be putting my dance skills to the true test by dancing for 24 hours straight and I would love y’alls support!  How can you do this?  By sponsoring me of course…here is the link to my sponsor page; if I can get seven people to donate $1 for every hour I dance, I will surpass my fundraising goal of $150.  I would really appreciate any donations or dance move suggestions…youtube anyone?

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/kanehollingsworth/unc-dance-marathon-2012

Things to brighten your week:

Just hangin' out...

We don't stop playing because we get old.

We get old because we stop playing.

Can't wait to hear about what has been happening in your real worlds! Love you. Miss you. Mean it.

Kane

Ringing in the New Year!

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” –Abraham Lincoln

            The absence of blogging is due to the absence of real world my friends.  For the past month I have been entirely checked out from school.  I sprinted away from left Chapel Hill with a drained brain and an eagerness to see old friends, spent time with my family, and catch up on some reading sleep.  Yes, Christmas break could not have come at a more perfect time and the break itself could not have been better!  I stayed in Charlotte with the fam this year and Whit, whom my friends believe is a figment of my imagination, finally made his way home to get some quality Kane time.  I spent Christmas Eve at my Nana and Granddad’s house eating my weight in DELICIOUS food and anxiously awaiting Santa’s arrival…and boy did he spoil us!  After a quick trip to Richmond Virginia to visit my suitemate Shannon, I rang in the New Year with some friends in Charlotte!  Heading back to school was made easier when I realized that the demolition of our current kitchen was beginning.  The demolisher you ask? Craig…ta ta Charlotte, hello Chapel Hill!  I was welcomed back to the hill with smiling faces, an old carton of juice in the fridge, and lots and lots of work.  This semester is off to a roaring start-I think it will be a pretty hard schedule but so far, so good.  The real world experiences since reentering the world of college are as follows:

#1: Juice goes bad.  Despite my repeat warnings, Mackenzie’s beloved mango juice was left in our mini fridge over break.  In case you were unaware, juice goes bad after three weeks…it also grows fur.  No worries, our fridge has been entirely disinfected and restocked with Fresca, humus, and 6 bags of frozen edamame…Target was having a sale, which brings me to my next point.

#2: The real world is sooooooo expensive!!!!!!  I know that this is a recurring point but someone really should prepare you for how much things cost!  After living in the Hollingsworth lap of luxury for three weeks over break I had forgotten how expensive cheese and Triscuits are.  And forget Coke.  I had to buy Fresca this week because it was on sale; I can only hope that it will be enough to sustain me.

#3: Never underestimate the power of a good dancer.  If boys would let me coach them in their lives, the world would be a better place.  Recently my friend Paulina and I were complaining about the lack of dance skills in Chapel Hill.  We were pleasantly surprised when our friend Elizabeth introduced us to her friends from Clemson: Brooke, Lindsay, and Ben, also known as the greatest shag dancers of all time. Paulina and I have spent the past week raving about Clemson dancers and insisting that everyone here start to practice the following moves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBpNMyAUOc0&NR=1&feature=endscreen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krHQseHUrfI

I have high hopes that 2012 will be the best yet, for you and me both my friends.  2011 was pretty great too though.  Here are a few of my fave moments from last year, the final goodbye I guess you could call it.  Please message me and let me know how y’alls holidays were, crazy stories and all!  Hope you and yours are doing well J

Kane

1. Spring Break

2. Senior Prom

3. Graduation

4. Bid Day

5. Meeting the gals on my hall

6. Reunions

7. Lacrosse State Finals

8. Carpe-ing the heck out of the diem

Things that I have to look forward to this week:

1. "Go Heels, Go America" mixer that i will be wearing my jorts and cowboy boots to!

2. "Make your own pizza" Tuesday at the Tri Delt house with my friend Paulina!

3. Laundry day!!

4. Friday

1. 

Thanksgiving and all the fixins!

November 28, 2011

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

“Some days in life are hard. But most days are pretty good…yup, most days are pretty good.”

            Hello loved ones! I’m sorry for the delay on the blog, but I have been consumed by Thanksgiving break, as I hope you have been as well.  I have had some pretty good days in the past few weeks and once again, I hope you enjoy hearing about them.

#1: In the real world, when it is uncharacteristically warm outside, you must make it REALLLLLL cold inside.  This past week, it was pushing 70 degrees in the hill and it was no surprise to me that winter had not hit Charlotte or my thanksgiving destination, Nashville.  When I arrived in the country music capitol, I was rushed over to “Ice” extravaganza, a wonderland in which gigantic sculptures are made entirely of ice.  And if that weren’t enough, they make slides made of ice, yes slides.  While Whit and I were freezing our flippin booties off not bold enough to face the ice slide, the prospect of a frozen tush couldn’t stop the rest of the Hollingsworth-Adams-Conner-Whitsitt-Sharp clan.  Shout out to Uncle Lew for getting us tickets to the super fun, super cold kick off to the Thanksgiving celebrations, which leads me to my next real world story…

#2: There is one thing my Thanksgiving is notorious for: having the most disgusting food in the entire world…bahahhahahahah WHAT A JOKE!! I know everyone thinks their families have the best Thanksgiving feast but they’re delusional and need to be committed to an insane asylum.  My family makes the most delicious food you have ever laid eyes on and the only thing that beats the grub is the company. This year, I was sat with Whit, my aunt Stephanie 2A, my cousin Sydney, ANDDDDD a “Rhodes scholar”, our very own Forrest Conner.  The day was spent eating our weight in gourmet foods, playing Canasta, and witnessing some of the best dance moves I have seen thus far in my life, compliments of Walker and Elizabeth Conner.  The day was truly one to be thankful for.

#3: For those of you who are not lucky enough to see Whit Hollingsworth all that often because of his fairly recent relocation to Cleveland, or “Clevegas” as he fondly refers to it, I feel sorry for you.  June was the last time that I was blessed with his presence and I was well overdue for another good laugh.  The purpose of Whit’s existence is to make you laugh; sometimes I wonder if he plans it all out or if life just conveniently presents him with material for his next comedic gesture.  There is no real way to recount my time with him so I will just share a few brief moments of laughter inducing:

1.     As previously mentioned, the fam made a trip to an ice sculpture show.  While the rest of us bundled up in cable knit scarves and thick sweater, Whit donned the ever-popular khaki shorts…to a flippin ice show. The comedy was found in Whit’s sporadic sprints through the ice sculptures and continual exclamations of “It’s Cold!!”.  Brava big bro.

2.     Somehow I got tricked into was lucky enough to ride with Whit to Asheville, where Whit met some friends for a concert.  On the way there, we had to compromise on the music selection.  As I tend to listen to a lot of musicals and Kelly Clarkson, and Whit prefers the ever-endearing lyrics of Lil Wayne, middle ground is hard to come by.  Luckily, Whit and I were raised in the 90s and can therefore always be pacified by the angsty-ness of Counting Crows, the quick raps of the Spin Doctors, and the overall freakiness of “Ice Ice Baby”.  Listening to Whit sing these songs is enough laughter for a lifetime and if I can record the tunes next time, I’ll try!

Anyways, it’s hard to remember all of the things Whit does to make me laugh, but if you haven’t had a dose of him lately, give him a call! He particularly enjoys discussing the STATE of Rhode Island and the need for a 46-inch TV.

#4: Sometimes in the real world, you meet people that are truly good. From their perfectly self-manicured lawns to their coveted costume jewelry, it’s just all good.   This type of person is a rare gem and when you come across them, you must cherish their company; this is why no trip to Charlotte is complete without a visit with my truly good neighbor, Ms. Nel Nielson.  Ms. Nielson is the kind of woman who will always refer to her husband as “My Johnny” and scoffs at the idea of beginning one’s evening festivities past 11pm.  Anyway, I was lucky enough to have time to pop into her warm home, smelling of yummy orange slices, for a few minutes and listen to her compliment me, something I will never grow too old for J During my visit, I was entrusted with the quote for today’s “Real World” and she told me that most days really are pretty good…just like her.  Ms. Nielson’s refreshing message was a perfect seal to my trip and I was able to head back to the thrill with a hopeful heart and mind, ready to embrace the chaos that will be exams.

A few other highlights of the last couple weeks include the anxiously awaited Clef Hanger Fall Concert (yes, it was everything I hoped for!!), more attacks from domesticated Chapel Hill squirrels, and many a fiasco at Habitat for Humanity (seriously, you people gotta stop letting me use a hammer!).  I might fall off the planet for the next few weeks as exams approach and require my Christmas distracted undivided attention!! Love you. Miss you. Mean it.

WRITE ME BACK!!!!!!!!!

Kane

Mom braving the ice slide:

Me and the laughing man:

P.S: sorry no one gets too see our glorious feast.  I had all intentions to take pictures of it but my stomach was opposed to postponing the feast for taking pictures...sorry!