Greetings from the United States! I have never been so happy to spend American dollars and be called a Masshole!
There is nothing quite like being home for the holidays.
I am spending the next few weeks at my parent's house in the mountains of New Hampshire. There is a dusting of snow covering the ground and eggnog in the fridge. It is like Norman Rockwell projectile vomited Christmas all over the place and I am loving every. single. minute. of it
On top of that, this is my 100th post.
One hundred. One hundred wine-fueled rants and ravings. One hundred posts about the most important people in my life, the people that matter the most to me...like Snooki.
I loooove me some Snooki.
This is quite a major milestone for me and the ole' Quarterlife Quandary. One of the best things about blogging, besides having an open platform where you run the show (control freak much?), is that it documents your life. When I look back on the past 100 posts, I see more than just my writing. I see
me living and what a glorious life it's becoming.
I am so amazed and blessed by what this blog has brought me. And no, I'm not talking sponsorships or book deals. I've never sampled Arnold's Bread and whored myself out for any other product (although if you ask, I will. I'm not above selling out. I'm broke. as a joke. fer real yo. I kid I kid. Okay, not really). The things this blog has brought me are much more intrinsic and intangible.
I am equally surprised and delighted by the connections I've made over the past 100 posts, with friends both new and old. I spent so long feeling like an outsider in the blogging community, not sure where I fit in...but I've since found a dynamic little corner of the blogosphere that continuously shows me what it means to be a blogger. To laugh and to share even the quirkiest parts of yourself. To not take yourself too seriously. To swear sometimes in your posts, because Goddamnit, we all know we do it in real life. With every blog roll update, tweet, and gchat that I get from these ladies, I feel a little more at home in this crazy culture.
Beyond that, this blog is like a time machine, taking me back years in my life. It has reconnected me with friends from my childhood, friends from high school, and people from high school who weren't necessarily my friends, but read it now. It has strengthened the ties between myself and my college friends and former roommates. Without this blog, I'd just be a creepy Facebook stalker who spent far too much time on the Internet. Now I have an excuse.
Even better than all of that, the best thing this blog has given me is
me. These 100 posts have gently and slowly helped me to become the person I am today. They have allowed me to grow into my voice and learn how to shape it. This blog has given me the gift of confidence and self-assurance and that is something that is more valuable and more special than anything else there is and for that I am forever grateful.
Whew. Okay. Enough with the fluffy stuff. Let's just blame it on PMS. Moving on...
I am hosting my first ever giveaway!!!! 
As a thank you to everyone who has so strongly supported me throughout this process, I wanted to let you know how much your comments and tweets and facebook likes and emails all mean to me. Every single time I receive them, I am beaming with excitement and pride. So even if you don't win, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I hope you'll stick around for the next 100. and the 100 after that. and the 100 after that. (You've created a monster here, folks. You aren't getting rid of me that easily!)
I thought long and hard about what I wanted to give away. I wanted it to be something seasonal, but also something that has meaning to me and this blog.
and suddenly, it dawned on me. DUH. What could be more seasonal, Marie, and Quarterlife Quandary-like than......
CADBURY CHOCOLATE! Two types of the infamous European chocolate I am so obsessed with, brought to you straight from London!!!
(Christmas decorations NOT included. I was simply trying to be artsy fartsy and cool)
So let's get down to the nitty gritty details!
To qualify to win you must: 1. Not be my mom or Sean. They've already tried persuading me to just give them the goods and save the money on postage. I've had to hide the stash from them for the next 24 hours.
2. Enter by
leaving a comment about your favorite way to eat chocolate.
3. To get an additional entry, you need to tweet the following: Marie is awesome, I wish I was more like her. Just kidding. But that'd be pretty sweet. What you REALLY need to tweet is:
I love chocolate! I want to win @mariesha416 1st giveaway! http://bit.ly/f2GpU2 4. To get even MORE of an entry (I am a shameless self promoter),
become a fan of Quarterlife Quandary here on Facebook and post the link to the giveaway post with QQ tagged in it so I know you've entered!
The giveaway ends
TOMORROW, FRIDAY the 17th at 6pm EST so be sure to get your entries in by then! You have 3 opportunities to enter so odds are good you'll win! (Especially if no one enters and I'm left sad and eating my feelings aka the winnings)
Okay let's review: leave a comment, tweet, facebook and send Marie $100 bribe cross your fingers. Got it?
I will select a winner at random tomorrow evening and announce it on here, so be sure to check back in! And as an added incentive (although honestly, if you need a bigger incentive than two giant chocolate bars the size of your head then this probably isn't the right blog for you anyway), I will be mailing the winner's chocolate from Bethlehem, New Hampshire.
Yes, that is correct. I will be delivering a Christmas package from Bethlehem. I'm essentially giving you Jesus in the form of chocolate. Just call me Holy Mary, but without the pregnancy stretch marks.
Until then,
