[a little muckraking]

my life in [somewhat recent] photos [top left] making two...

Thu, 31 May 2012 12:06:00 -0400

my life in [somewhat recent] photos

[top left] making two ginormous, delicious batches of red velvet cupcakes; [top right] basking in the beauty of spring/summer in d.c.; [middle left] playing in two softball leagues; [middle middle] adventuring to our first brightest young things event with cindy; [middle right] listening to a cute Brit [james morrison] perform at the 930 club; [bottom left] hanging out with these fine folks over memorial day weekend; [bottom right] listening to some fine d.c. DJs at the Howard Theatre last night [with great company].

life’s good.

i love fridays. the office was quiet and the majority of my team...

Fri, 18 May 2012 17:54:51 -0400

i love fridays. the office was quiet and the majority of my team was working from home. my supervisor (in baltimore) told me to leave early and wrap up my day from home as well.

i much prefer my windows-open, sunshine streaming in view and the background noise coming from the vinyl on my record player to the office i sat in all day.

cheers to the weekend.

do you ever have moments where the weight of news sinks in, but not until a few days after you learn...

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:54:00 -0400

do you ever have moments where the weight of news sinks in, but not until a few days after you learn it?

i was talking to my mom on mother’s day and she mentioned that they were close to closing with the people who were buying my grandparent’s home. my grandpa passed away when i was 11, and my grandma just a month or so after i graduated from college.

the home is one that has been in my family forever. my grandpa was born there and lived there after his parents passed. my mom was raised in a little home that lived on the small lot next to it. my grandparents were farmers and my family has sold off much of the farm land. they used to raise cattle, and the last cow was sold sometime last year. all this information was hard and i thought it had prepared me for the news that the little white house on Far Road was being sold to someone who wanted to take the time to fix it up rather than tear it down.

but while getting ready this morning, i started crying. crying for the memories of summers spent in the kitchen with my grandma; or mornings watching cartoons from the comfort of my grandpa’s lap as he sat in his old, brown chair; holidays spent sitting around a dining room table that was too small for all my family members; opening our christmas stockings/gift bags while lined up in the hallway; or the one corner of the wall that gave me a scar that lives forever on my forehead.

but then i started crying for all the memories that would never be. i always wanted to have engagement photos taken there; i wanted to show my own kids the farm someday; and i was jealous that my cousin was able to use it for some of her own wedding festivities. and it hit me just how much i felt i was missing.

and it took me two seconds to remind myself that even though this stuff will never be the way i imagined, it doesn’t mean that there’s a reason to be sad or to mourn what once was. there’s always something new waiting for us, something hopefully better than what we imagined. and dwelling too long on what once was or never will be keeps us from reaching those things. am i still sad? yes. but the memories make me happy and help me realize that the best is still yet to come. corny, but true.

softball team mascot. rawr.

Sun, 13 May 2012 11:24:19 -0400

softball team mascot. rawr.

friday thoughts

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:40:00 -0400

being still somewhat new to the whole “unattached” thing, i can’t tell you how nice it is to actually have weekend plans figured out well before friday. yes, even months later, it’s good to have distractions. and feel like people want to hang out with you.
for those of you who are attached, reach out to your girl friends. they may not say it, but they totally want you to. and they’d like to see your face on a saturday - sans boyfriend - and not because it’s someone else’s birthday or house party or whatever. make time for your girls. they may act like it’s cool, but they’re totally sad when they don’t see you somewhat regularly. and if your manfriend is as awesome as you portray him on your blog, he’ll be fine with you hanging out without him (and, remember, these are the same girls who will be there for you if, god forbid, something doesn’t work with said boy. jerk!).
i had a random craving for fajitas today. so, that is my post-happy hour plan. makin’ fajitas. and maybe some margaritas?
did i tell you i’m going to bonnaroo? no? pray for me. message chains about logistics and what we need to bring have me excited but praying to god that i will survive.
what does one wear to a ‘dukes of hazzard’ themed birthday party on h street? jean skirt, white top, red bandanna and boots? yes? good.
i am too old for theme parties.
i really want frozen yogurt.
no, seriously. pray for me about bonnaroo.

i woke up this morning and said (no joke), “crap....

Wed, 02 May 2012 12:43:00 -0400

i woke up this morning and said (no joke), “crap. it’s only wednesday.”

so, in order to get us over the hump, i present to you a picture of my dad on his new john deere lawnmower. i snort-laughed in a meeting after receiving this via text message from my mom this morning. hope it helps you too.

everyone loves a good cuddle

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:12:43 -0400

i’ve loved reading all your responses to my sleeping/cuddling question. it seems like most people are of the “cuddle up, then sleep separate” method. i’m impressed with those of you who stay cuddled up all night.

for me, cuddling tends to last a long while (couple hours), with the other person falling asleep before me. whenever i eventually wake up, we’re usually separate though. though morning cuddling usually does happen.

i also love whoever told me that their butts touch throughout the night. too cute!

a silly question for you all:

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:30:10 -0400

because it’s friday and because i’ve always been curious…

when sleeping in the same bed with someone and cuddling (obviously) do you stay in cuddling positions throughout the whole night? or do you eventually break off and do your own thing? and how long is normal to cuddle?

gpoyw | those that know me well know i joke* about wanting...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:02:44 -0400

gpoyw | those that know me well know i joke* about wanting otters to live in my bathtub, so i was super excited to go to the zoo to see the otter exhibit. only it was closed! i can only assume the zoo did it in an attempt to keep me from stealing the little guys. anywho, i found some metal statue otters to pose with instead. close enough!

some days you just gotta turn off your phone, unplug your computer, erase all distractions and just...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:37:00 -0400

some days you just gotta turn off your phone, unplug your computer, erase all distractions and just be.

sometimes you spend too much time about worrying about everyone and everything else instead of just focusing on you. and it’s not til things start to feel as though they’re crumbling around you that you realize, ‘hey, i’m important too.’

so, it may be a little selfish, but i’m going to concentrate on making me better. on doing things and being with people that lift me up instead of drag me down. and hopefully, at the end of it all, i’ll be better. more fulfilled. and feeling more like me.

is it weird to feel more unsettled at 28 than i did at 23? or is this just a continual part of growing up?

What brand of coral lipstick are you rocking there, gf? Tried to find the right shade the other day at Target and left with pale pink...#fail

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:35:34 -0400

it’s revlon’s coralberry (no. 674)! I debated between this and a deeper coral shade, but I’m glad i picked this one. and, girl, i know how depressing it is to leave with a lipstick shade this is totally not what you want.

i keep thinking today is wednesday, but it’s really...

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:08:56 -0400

i keep thinking today is wednesday, but it’s really thursday! hooray!

1) this shirt is the old navy one steph thought had turkey legs on it instead of birds. i grabbed it for $11 this past weekend (bargain shopper for life).

2) i attempted to curl my hair today. that obviously worked SO well.

3) coral lipstick! my new jam.

4) can this day be over yet? i need happy hour to be here right now.

Shake Shack, beer and baseball. I’d say that’s a...

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:45:50 -0400

Shake Shack, beer and baseball. I’d say that’s a good Friday night.

40 photos of cats in the sink sometimes i sit at my desk...

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:52:42 -0400

40 photos of cats in the sink

sometimes i sit at my desk laughing at how ridiculous my job is.

"The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things in life like..."

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:21:12 -0400

“The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things in life like love, meaning, motivation, it implies they are sitting behind a tree or under a rock. The most successful people in life recognize, that in life they create their own love, they manufacture their own meaning, they generate their own motivation.”

- Neil DeGrasse Tyson (via 122782)

you guys? can this week just be over? gah. the only thing...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:47:23 -0400

you guys? can this week just be over? gah.

the only thing getting me through this is the fact that there’s a giant panda bear sitting behind me.

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:08:06 -0400

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (via littlelaur)

saturday was for a lovely brunch with lovely friends. lauren...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:05:00 -0400

saturday was for a lovely brunch with lovely friends. lauren welcomed us to her adorable apartment and served us a delicious spread with far too many mimosas! it was wonderful to see these ladies in their spring finest. and there may have even been some impromptu jamming out to “call me maybe.” i’d say that was a party done right. lovely to see all of you ladies!

catsavoie: This is the most important comment I have on the...

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:12:18 -0400

catsavoie:

This is the most important comment I have on the Hunger Games (of which there are MANY):

Why aren’t we talking about how beautiful Thresh is??

Gale, Peeta, blah, blah, blah… Team Thresh 4 Lyfe.

agreed. wish he had more face time in the movie. during the one time he speaks in the movie, i turned to my roommate and said “annnd i’m done. all i needed to see, thanks.” i am also Team Thresh 4 Lyfe. can we make t-shirts?

Hi! Hello! Long time reader, long time fan. Question: ARE YOU COMING TO NY ANYTIME SOON? Because I think we need to do a meet-up. (Pretty sure I'm not the only NYCer who feels that way.)

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:33:01 -0400

oh, hi there, friend! and the answer is: YES! i’m thinking may. so all of you in the NYC vicinity, please chime in with good weekends for a tumblr visit. also hotel recs. kthanks! :)