well i can't pass up this opportunity - since its for the southside where this Irish girl is proudly from.

I saw the news yesterday and got so excited because its just one other thing to consider for a post-graduate option in this horrible economy. Plus the fact, people deserve to see what the real southside of Chicago is like, not like the Jersey Shore where only one of those single cast members is actually from the state of New Jersey. Those are fake portrayals of the Jersey Shore life and I don't wany anyone getting a fake idea of real Southside life. So what happened when I heard of this fabulous news? I tried out of course! In less than 24 hours I put together a few pictures of my life as a southside girl and gave a brief bio of myself as a true Chicago SouthSide Irish Woman. here it is:::

As a real Chicago southsider, I am proud to say that I do not obsess with dressing up and tanning and working out. I live the real southside life and proudly drink as an Irish girl in her early twenties wanting to have fun with life.

My name is Siobhan Ryan. I'm currently in my last semester of college and prepared to graduate with a Bachelors in Art. I was raised on the South Side of Chicago in a truly Irish family with many Irish traditions. My siblings' names are Mavourneen, Deirdre, Conor, and Liam. I am 21 years old and enjoy the real Western Avenue as much as anyone else does but enjoy it the right way as an Irish woman.

My sister and I both worked at Village Video.

The attitudes of Jersey Shore are not like what I experienced when I visited my boyfriend, a true native. It's true that they don't pump their own gas, but they don't pump fists. They love being outside with family and friends.

As a very-near-future college graduate I have considered many options for my future, including doing a year or more of service. I have been active in Habitat for Humanity for three proud years now and would love to broaden my experience with dedicating service to others.

The only tattoos I've ever considered getting are a Celtic Cross I designed on my back or a shamrock on my ankle with my sisters.

How about getting some more background of my life? My entire family has lived the Chicago life and we can truly represent the Chicago culture, especially the southside. We consist of the Ryans, the Conways, the Maloneys, and the O'Sheas. We celebrate St. Patrick's Day the right way wearing as much green as possible and drinking as much green beer as possible, starting in the morning. We eat true Irish soda bread and Corn Beef and Cabbage. My father used to work for Beverly Bank and Mt. Carmel. Him and my brothers are each alum of Mt. Carmel. My mother worked for McAuley and each of us kids have been to St. Barnabas and Sutherland. We are true Irish Catholics. I've marched with St. Rita in the st. patty's day parade. I've watched the 4th of July fireworks from Beverly Park before celebrating my birthday the next day.

I love running in to old classmates on Western Ave, even family members who only live a block away. My sister is marrying an O'Shea who grew up only a block away from us at 103rd and Western and my cousins only live further down that same block.

I have long dark hair and blue eyes. I'm tall with size 6 feet. I'm not skinny but I'm healthy. I don't run but I love to run around with kids.

A friend of my father is the owner of a bar, Rosie O'Boyle, and had interviewed my boyfriend asking every question that is essential to the Chicago SouthSide lifestyle. Unfortunately he's Italian but he's got the right head on his shoulders.

So why should I be on this show? What makes me different than any southsider? I'm real. But I'm unique. I don't bring attention to myself by dolling myself up every night and drinking my life away. Rather, I take the initiative to have relationships with my friends and family and I'm not afraid to take on a challenge and make the next big step in my life.

I'm not perfect.(and neither is this audition material) I make mistakes. But I learn from them.

so for any of you that have not experienced Chicago life, I hope this was beneficial to you. If and when this new show reality show comes out I hope it DOES show the REAL southside life and doesn't mislead you to think we're really like the jersey shore cast. but of course you can't really experience it until you visist for yourself!

my gosh do i have a lot to share. well to begin. the one hour of facebook per day - not so successful. i've been on facebook a lot for the past couple weeks but i still have not been late with anything so there is still a great sense of progress in my procrastination post lent.

this past friday was the spring fest in which i got to meet made avail. which is a band from my hometown. the lead singer actually is friends with some of the st. rita alumni. which is where i did colorguard for 2 years. that was a lot of fun!

i spent a lot of time with my dear friend and fellow blogger, andi, at the spring fest too.

 the spring fest overall was a great success in addition to the week beforehand with a great spring formal ticket when i got to pet a penguin and sharks!

he was so frickin cute!!!!!!!!!!!

i was the only one in that group reaching down for a while. i just kept sticking my arm down there to pet them!

Saturday then was the leadership retreat in which i was able to hear presentations about fundraising, ethical leadership, and publicity and promotion. all by some of my favorite people

Dr. Aretz has some great ideas about our college's future leadership plans and Betheny Herr (one of my wonderful bosses for this blog) is always so enthused about her job!!!

in addition to all of this excitement. i also attended the habitat for humanity reunion type dinner for all of the spring break trip members. as a whole, we gave our advisor, Dr. Reed, a framed picture of the team overall from the trip.

The weekend was definitely a great way to start my last week of classes as a junior in college.

And the week started off great as well!

On Monday I had received the Merit Scholarship through Project EXCEL at their graduation gala. Myself and two other girls, Clare Zilly (fellow blogger) and Kaitlin Bode, from the EXCEL program had earned these scholarships due to our success not only through the program but through the Mount as students and examples of the Mission Statement. It truly is an honor!!!

And today the excitement continued! This morning, I had a meeting at the Bayley Place across the street for a position through the summer employment grant and I got the position! Of course a requirement for it was to get a TB shot.... (((I DON'T LIKE NEEDLES))) but everything else has been so good that I honestly didn't even notice that portion of it.

Things are going so well for me right now that I can't help but to smile about everything!

I'm excited, also, for the DVD to come out of our play for the semester. Joseph came out so well, and I wouldn't have had so much fun without my friends being in it with me and great support from additional friends, as well as family.

(((Another thank you to my habitat board for a great year!!!)))

gasp! i've made it so far! its 12:52pm on march 2nd and i have yet to go on facebook. now some rules have been established since my last post on what no facebook for me means. my account will not be signed in to at all up till Easter Day if not later. I have had a few friends wanting to show me some pictures on facebook - so can i? i have decided that i can simply view the picture as long as it is the only thing visible on the page, therefore - i don't have access to any minifeed/newsfeed/comments/wall posts/etc. I'm sure more rules will come up in the next 33 days. yes, that is how much longer till Easter.

that means 31 days until i see my family again. I haven't been homesince january 12th and won't be until friday of easter weekend. within those 31 days is the Chicago South Side Irish Parade on March 15th. This is my second year in my life to not be in town for the day. If you haven't caught on from my name or any of my previous posts, I have a great pride of being Irish in Chicago. Every year, the sunday before St. Patrick's Day, the South Side of Chicago hosts a parade. Any day of the year, Irish pride is known in chicago, Well on the south side on parade day, everyone is 110% IRISH! this year, I am missing it for the second time because I will be in a car somewhere in Georgia or Alabama driving back to cincinnati from the habitat for humanity (h4h) spring break trip in miami florida. while i will miss seeing my family and friends on this day, I will still be as happy as can be because i will be on my way home from one of the greatest experiences.

I did the h4h trip last year during the spring break trip when 8 select students from the Mount drove out to charleston south carolina. it was definitely something i will never forget. that just makes me this more excited for next weeks trip to florida; a place i have never been! the drive will be long but the trip will definitely be worth while - 19 msj students plus our advisor, all dedicating our spring break to such an amazing service trip! i'm too excited!!! you can expect a LOT of pictures, unfortunately i won't be able to post them on facebook till after easter but it's worth the wait.

plus, with the lack of facebook, i have been able to focus more on paper work, including working on my resume and cover letter. i'm glad i was able to get that done, because i was able to use them for the career fair today. I attend the Kaleidoscope of Careers today in the admin lobby and it was a big success. I got information for two different companies, Cincinnati Recreation Commision and Residential Home Corporation, that both sound like great opportunities. I really am looking forward to the possibilities that are coming with it!

well expect another update soon! and thanks again for reading!