Thursday, December 4, 2008

roll out the holly

'tis the season for tinsel, wrapping paper and all things that shine. and while it's one of my favorite times of year, it just feels...different...this time around. chalk it up to me enjoying the fall so much here, the fact we don't have one thing that symbolizes christmas up in our apt yet, or me just not being home, but whichever the reason, this season is slowly going by without so much as a sigh from this gal. (reading my previous blog post, you (and i) thought it would be much different).

so tonight i'm heading to boston commons to watch the city light it's christmas tree. it will mark the official start of the season for many stores and families. i attended an advent service with a friend of mine last night and it jump-started my spirit. there's nothing like singing a handful of favorite christmas hymns (in a cozy harvard divinity chapel no less) to get me remembering what this month is really about. and perhaps that's why it just isn't happening for me yet. christmas in the city is beautiful, but christmas with family is best. so on the 16th, our touchdown in nc, will officially start my christmas.

until then, "i've grown a little leaner, grown a little colder, grown a little sadder, grown a little older, and i need a little angel, sitting on my shoulder, i need a little christmas now.

Monday, November 17, 2008

a family affair

my dad just started his own blog. now i just need to get him on facebook...

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

it's beginning to look a lot like

yep, you guessed it, christmas. and so what?

don't tell eric but only a day after i shook my head is disapproval, eyes wide in amazement and agreeing with him that "you got to be kidding me, a radio station was playing christmas tunes already?!?," i secretly made a mental note of the station and sang along to my holiday faves on the way to the gym.

i started thinking about this secret of mine and why i felt at times that christmas after halloween just wasn't right, but give me a couple of days and it is. after all, october 1 rolls around and i'm ready for pumpkin everything - beer, doughnuts, bread. the morning after halloween (after i contemplate next year's costume) i head to the stores for eggnog and brandy. and after thanksgiving dinner, i want a tree up, then and there. then i realized that i shouldn't feel guilty about those things. or imagining what boston will look like covered in snow with lights sprinkled throughout the common. it's the decorations in cvs, the gift packages pre-wrapped in stores that you can grab for an easy buy and the commercials that remind you "ONLY XX DAYS LEFT" that i mind. it's the whole consumer aspect of it.

i love the way the holidays make me feel.

i love the lights, the fires, smell of cookies, a tree, the eggnog and especially...i especially love the music. a close second to that though is the way that people shuffle around, whether they realize it or not, with a half-smile on their face. there's something about the season. i just can't get enough of it. and what's wrong with that? the music, the spirit, the love, just don't last as long as they should. if everyday should be christmas (or so we say on dec. 25), and if it's for all the right reasons, then shouldn't nat king cole be mixed in with a little madonna - even if it is july?

Sunday, November 9, 2008

a room of one's own

city living. i got yelled at twice today for no reason at all. thank GOD it wasn't one of those days. because i would've had to sit down on the curb and cry. first time (ok, this woman yelled at me with her eyes, but we all know it means the same thing and feels the same way...): i was crossing a side street, let me repeat, a SIDE STREET and someone turning left acted like my existence was about as inconvenient as a red-headed step child. the second time, i was looking at these awesome argyle tights in a store, about to drop $18 on them and the woman told me that "IF I HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIGHTS TO ASK HER...WE DON'T TAKE THEM OUT OF THE PACKAGE." i looked around, surely she wasn't talking to me...the tights i was holding were still in the package. i chalked it up to her not taking her meds and dropped the tights and left.

to ensure the perfect end of any day:

1. bathtub (in my super-fun, checkered bathroom)
2. paddywax rosemary scented travel candle (so small, but fills the whole room - and then some, with the most relaxing fragrance)
3. rubber duckies (my peace duck to remind me that it's always there, just in reach, floating around happily and perhaps now, closer to us than it has been in awhile; luxe duck to remind me that in this time of recession, city expenses and job hunting, a girl can still shine and look chic)
4. bella's happily ever after bubble bath (because sometimes i need to be reminded that everything will be ok)
5. a kick-ass playlist made by my sig other playing softly in the background


gus will eventually come in and stare at his reflection in the water and my scalding hot water will begin to cool. but, for about 45 minutes i get to enjoy my favorite pastime...no yelling.

my view:

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

election day

i could have been a bit more prepared at last night's party. wearing a button, a little red, white and blue, or even an old election hat. i'll be better suited next time.

but, regardless of attire, i was surrounded by some pretty amazing people, each one celebrating as our country elected the next president.

and now, looking at pictures in the times, and even the news & observer, i'm moved by the number of tears, open mouths, pairs of hands stretched to the sky, and people embracing each other as the country embraces change.

Friday, October 17, 2008

madonna makes the people come together

my friend alyson invited me to the madonna concert here in boston last night. i, not one to turn down a good show, much less a madonna show, agreed to go. al is probably not the biggest madonna fan in the world, but she definitely appreciates the woman for what she is: an icon.

my sister and i, a fan of reinventions of our own, refer to madonna as the queen of reinvention. and last night, further cemented that belief. madonna's show couldn't have been more different than the one i saw on her confessions tour in 2006, and as i think about, i wouldn't expect anything else from her. while playing the old fave, "vogue," the stage and side screens were splashed with visions of madge throughout her career. madge channeling her inner marilyn, madge exercising her power as a dominatrix, madge dressed as a geisha. the images went on and on, displaying her different hair colors, eyebrow shapes, styles and smiles over the decades. needless to say, it was clear to see why this woman has remained at the top of an unattainable level in the music industry. i often say, "in my next life..." and follow it with certain fantasies of mine including, "i'll come back as a rock star," or "i'm going to be a trust fund baby and travel the world," etc. madonna's "next life" happens every few years. she morphs into what she is feeling, seeing, living. she changes with the times and her experiences.

"like a prayer" was one of the few throwback songs that madonna performed without the electric guitar in hand (thank goodness). i still love that song. an amazing video played in the background during these few minutes. her once extremely controversial video that previewed before i hit double-digit age status was replaced with words like "God," "religion," "love," flashing in every possible language, and some of the most amazing thoughts including "thall shall not have hate in your heart" and "thou shall love thy neighbor as thou love thyself." my personal favorite, "the lamps are all different, but the light is the same." ending the song, one line spread across the screen as the rest of the stage went black "to it we shall return."

in between my dance moves, there might have been the beginning of a tear or two. looking around, i noted all the die-hard fans, the so-so fans, the guys, girls, men, women, young, old, people of all races, classes, religions, sexualities...just, every type of body. they were all there. singing, dancing, laughing. being moved by music, politics, religion, art. being moved by her.

30 or 50; divorced or married; sticky or sweet; confessing on the dance floor or on la isla bonita; a material girl, like a virgin or a like a prayer, but always expressing herself, however you want to put it - it was evident that madge had done it again. last night, and always really, whatever every one's "it" may have been, madonna's music had made the people come together.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

just like autumn leaves, we're in for change

lately, each day has been welcoming me into my favorite time of year. the sun shines through the most vivid colors that stretch up to that fall-blue sky, and the air is crisp. while it's not home, there's no denying its beauty and charm, and i have to admit, i've begun to fall in love with new england. all bright and glowing, the leaves and the way they look against the river, parks, even the city, are enough to keep me distracted from other things that sometimes cloud my mind. i'm enjoying these days, my true fall. i find myself wanting to slip on a thick chunky-knit sweater with tall leather boots,and head off to an apple orchard, or a pumpkin patch, or simply just stroll through the harvard campus. so far, i've only done the latter.

it's sister's favorite time too. we share our love for the change. knowing that we experienced a change just three years ago at this time that got us to where we are now. that fall, in 2005. with one loss, we gained so much.

then again, in 2006. the last few years and all its outcomes have stomped my fear of change. changing the part of my hair, having to give away my favorite shirt or losing my favorite earrings i've had for years...anything that broke routine used to throw me off. so unlike every other aspect of myself, it was the one thing about me that i knew i needed to change. and that, in itself, was scary. but time took care of that for me. as did the reconnection with my sister and meeting eric. but mostly, i began not just accepting, but taking charge of, who i was becoming. i woke up one morning unafraid of what might come if i got out of bed on the "wrong" side. now, accepting change is a part of my daily life and because of all it has offered me, i wouldn't have it any other way.

for you, here's a glimpse of my view:


Monday, September 29, 2008

my right to wear red

my sister visited this weekend. it was the first time in awhile that i felt complete. it's funny how i've just assumed that normal is the way i feel when i'm on the bus or walking across the river, or sitting alone watching tv. because it's not.

the nice thing about allison is that she's like a charger for me. she recharges my battery: my excitement, my mind, my heart. she makes me see that the situation i'm in - no matter what it be- is not bad. she is a fantastic reminder as to what i'm able to do and she encourages me to do it always...even if she's not around.

allison and all her beautiful physical attributes can and does wear all things gorgeous. if you have the privilege of knowing allison or if you've checked out her blog and her firm, george pr, then you know this about her. she has an impeccable eye for style. i would be envious except for the fact that i know it is rare so therefore i am proud and also because i'm the little sis, i can access her knowledge for free. :)

the topic this weekend, in between christian louboutin booties, faux leather jackets and bond no. 9, was bright red lipstick - a never-ceasing seasonal fave of fashion mags and a look that a.beale can pull off so well. where i've seen a red lipstick or two come and go in alli's makeup bag, there was a specific one she was looking to find this fall: lipstick queen's red sinner.

allison, sharing my ability to become overly "fill-in-the-blank" had read an article in this month's marie claire about the creator of the shade and how it all came to be. allison was inspired then and there. we'll support any fine woman who readily admits that even when her boyfriends went, the lipstick stayed. i will read this story myself right after i finish this blog, but i wanted to write down a few thoughts of my own.

while i've read other inspiring stories where red lipstick stole center stage, including "why i wore lipstick to my mastectomy" and therefore witnessed, so to speak, the power of the color, i can't say that other than a random oct. 31, i have tried that power myself.

we found lipstick queen's red sinner at tried it out. it was perfect for allison, accenting her blue eyes, pale skin and strawberry-blond hair. i myself was less enthused but had to admit that it made my green eyes pop. alli purchased the tube while i backed out at the last moment, bowing-out gracefully to a challenge i wasn't ready to step up to. and boy was i glad that i did. because despite the perfection in which i had applied it and the way that i rocked it the rest of the afternoon, my soon-to-be hubby was less enthralled with the look describing it as "different," "pink," (for reals) then "smeared" (AFTER he had kissed all over me).

i'm not sure why this upset me so much. was it because i really wanted (as i do most of the time) to look utterly flawless in everything allison does? or was it because i didn't want to hear anything other than "that looks amazing on you" - which was the way i had felt all afternoon?

when allison left today, she left that tube of lipstick for me. she reminded me that i needed things for myself. she reminded me that eric probably didn't know he liked my bond no. 9 scent before he met me. which made me think along these lines a bit more. eric probably didn't know he'd like tall girls in skinny jeans, 4-inch heels and long curls with a passion for miller lite, before he met me.

i thought about the sporadic, different, drastic and borderline crazy things i've done recently (late teens and early 20s don't count). i let someone dye my hair about 10 different colors to travel to russia and model. i've moved to boston to start a (semi) new life with a man, that after three years, i've agreed to spend the rest of my life with.

and what's the difference between doing these things and wearing red lipstick? OR what's the difference between wearing red lipstick and trading my skinny jeans for high-wasted trousers; my navy, wool, cropped pea coat for a faux leather jacket, my 4-inch miu mius for metallic Target flats or my juicy, leather, hobo bag for a pink, satin clutch? what's the difference between wearing red lipstick and wearing black lingerie, or painting my nails, or shaving my legs? as a woman, isn't it just another thing that i should be in tune with?

well, there isn't a difference. it's all the same because it's all different.

i'm different, your different. he's different. this city is different. my wardrobe is different. and every day, every single day, my thoughts, dreams and goals are different than the day before.

and i am ok. i can walk the sidewalks with crazy-colored hair, or where every one's a stranger. because i know who i am. this is the part where my sister would say that i live up to the nickname i earned those couple of weeks in russia and london with my crazy hair. this is when she would call me the phoenix.

and i suppose that i'm going to read just this in marie claire. i'm going to read a story that will inspire me (and others) to get rid of those feelings, people or things that make you think you can't walk around with your proverbial red lipstick on. i am going to read a story that let's me know that doing what's right in your gut, heart and head - even if it's not the norm - is always better than doing what's expected. i am going to read a story that is going to make me rise up and exercise my right, my duty as a female, a femme fatal even, to wear red.

Monday, September 15, 2008

for some much needed r&r eric and i headed to the cape on saturday. we topped off the fun-filled night with...passing out at 10. i guess the city (and school) has really been taking it out of us. but we returned home reminded that the cape and most importantly, each other is always there - which, during the week, can get a little blurred between all the passing cars, fast-paced walkers and too-cool cambridge natives.

i'm knee-deep in work, knee-deep in wedding planning and ankle-deep in loneliness. wouldn't all this stuff be more fun with a few giggling girlfriends around? i just have to wonder that picking out flowers, ceremony details and researching fun guest goodie bags wouldn't be so tedious. but, maybe i'm wrong. i also have to think that i wouldn't have so much time to change my mind about things like what i'm wearing/carrying/eating/etc. that day.

i'm also craving some mac & cheese from poole's diner (which i think is making me a little crazy). if you don't know the place or the dish, check it - quick.

eric's buddy george is coming into town this weekend - should be fun. and alli is coming in the following weekend. i can not WAIT to have her to pal around with. miss that face.

on a lighter note, my crazy cat has calmed (and quieted) down a bit.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

close call

it has dawned on me, that despite the vast boundaries of this big city, we are living in close quarters. i think, that in the past 5 weeks, i have been sneezed on, coughed at, brushed up against, smelt and just generally exposed to everyone else's...body, more than ever in my life.

Monday, September 8, 2008

shoes vs. sox

despite the insane amount of t-shirts, hats, foam fingers, etc. that display the infamous red sox logo, it has been my observation that the city of boston does not actually wear socks. from what i have seen, this is a flip-flop city. i'm certainly not talking about boston's loyalty to their beloved baseball team, or to the democratic party, but to shoes.

i'm still not quite used to asking eric what pair of flops looks best with my jbrands or dvf dress and i have to say, i hope i never am. because that would mean that i have joined the city in its clear under-appreciation for the heel.

i get it. we walk. we have to walk 10 minutes just to get to the T, another 3-5 minutes up and down some stairs to get on the T, and then no telling how long once you get off the T. and for me, it's not about walking in my heels and hurting my feet (my feet gave up on being comfortable and beautiful a long time ago) it's about hurting my shoes. but mostly it is the internal pain i feel because i can't regularly put on that shiny pair of red heels, or those perfect, black, go-with-everything pumps.

i welcomed the hurricane rains on saturday when we went to see my morning jacket, and i slipped on my red hunter wellies. it was the perfect occasion to break them in and...it was the perfect show. eric and i had so much fun singing and dancing, and thanks to his cousin we had some killer seats.

ryan adams rocked it out last night and kept us dancing and singing some of our favorites. the man couldn't describe love, loss, loneliness better. he also has written some pretty amazing words about love. singing with eric, "it takes two where it used to take one" couldn't have made me happier, as i realized that line was beautiful and had become so apparently true in my life.

overall, great music weekend on the bay in boston. the next few weekends friends and family will be visiting and i'm looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and asking them to "come pick me up, take me out."

Friday, September 5, 2008

the first of many

this week, although a short one (thank you labor day), was a long one. eric began school and his nights have been filled with reading. if this is any preview to the next three years then i better get my booty acquainted with boston...and quick.

while my commute to work and back keeps me occupied, looking at the skyline, peeping into windows of shops, and wandering the streets watching people and noting their style, i have yet to delve into the true boston scene - minus a few great places for food.

however, this weekend eric and i are off to the bank of america pavilion to see mmj on saturday and ryan adams on sunday. we're also exploring a little of central square for a new scene to partake in an old pastime.

we've been running in the late afternoons and it's fantastic here. just a few blocks away you hit the river and along all the back roads of each neighborhood there are constant streams of little shops, bakeries and restaurants. too cute.

i know the winter will be harsh, but i have to say, i'm ready for fall.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

a different view

it is only appropriate (well, maybe it's not, but let's just say it is) that because of the new beginning in my life, i am going to give one to my blog as well.

i have to give credit where credit is due, to my colleague and friend ayana, who's brilliant idea it was to name the blog as such. so...yaaaaay ayana! thank you.

maybe i can begin to share some tid-bits about boston shopping, eating, drinking, dancing and even the weather. all of this, from my humble, southern perspective.

*the link is to george public relations, my sister's business. new beginning is one of our favorite sayings. it's always relevant. check out her page (also linked in good company on the right), her blog, her talent.

Monday, August 25, 2008

the scent of a woman

eric and i went around this weekend exploring parts of our neighborhood. we had a great time going in and out of some shops, grabbing some beers and genuinely enjoying the nice day and people on the street.

we passed by this beauty store - i was thinking: "grrreat! a luxe right around the corner!" i mainly stopped because i saw they had creed perfume and thought they may have bond no. 9. but no. they didn't. just creed. so i smelled 'love in white.' the scent alli sometimes wears.

i got a little nostalgic as it took me back to christmas 2005. alli had just gotten the scent and wore it often. mostly while she oh-so-nicely shared her bond scent with me until i found my own. it reminded me of getting ready for my first dates with eric at her house, or getting ready to go out and meet a group of people in raleigh, way back, before i even finished school. it got a little dusty in that shop...then i got mad. and realized that alli and the scent took me back to all these memories, which ultimately landed me where i am now. away. :)

kidding. bottom line, the store is not a luxe.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

oh my sweet carolina

boston has been great. eric and i went to a sox game, a great dinner in chinatown and we're doing a bit more exploring in cambridge tonight. our place is coming together nicely and the days have been quite beautiful lately.

but, as i sit here at work, james taylor's "carolina in my mind" plays over my yahoo IM. and i can't help but tear up. missing that place and those people. the song, always loved it, has a whole new meaning now as i'm miles away.

actually a funny fact - this song was eric's and my first dance. he'll deny it, but it's true. at napper tandy's (don't judge) that night we first kissed. we closed the bar down slow dancing in the middle of an empty dance floor. we both ended up singing - kind of loud actually because we were dancing near the speakers... and i NEVER sing until like, a year plus into a relationship. that will give you an idea about the number of drinks i had probably consumed. but yep, carolina in my mind. and in my heart.

i'll start carrying around my camera to document more things. a picture at the chinatown arch last night and the rmv getting my mass license this morning would've been perfect to add for your viewing.

i'm still getting used to my new home and adjusting to the idea that this vacation is indeed three years or longer. in time. until then (and always, actually), "love is the finest thing around."

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

breaking new ground

thanks to my beautiful, oh-so-kind friend miss susannah cox, livin' it up in the atl, i found a quite interesting link on her blog. she pointed me to the Dewey Color System which had me interested in finding out what, "was so fab about myself." because i did not indulge and pay a few dollar bills to find out more, i came away with this tid-bit of info:

you're a pioneer
You think about why people do what they do. By understanding the motivation of others, you seek to create a better world. Changing the world around you through personal achievements is your everyday challenge.

i'll take it! i'm liking some change and i'm lovin' some challenge.

it made me think about what motivates me personally. sometimes it's the weather (hel-lo swimsuit season), sometimes it's to impress myself (i can do a headstand in yoga/300 squats in the middle of my hour-long cardio kickboxing class/run a 5k in 30-something minutes...not all at once mind you, or on the same day. but that could be a cool goal...), or my beau (take that harvard).

but no matter what, i try not to let it be money, fear, hate. how about you?

Monday, August 11, 2008

my city by the bay

we. have. arrived!

after a short stint of 15 hours in the 16-foot moving truck (pictures to come soon), eric and i finally arrived at our new home in cambridge.

the week leading up to the move had left us both exhausted, ready to get to a final resting place, but unsure to admit that statement out loud, knowing that the day was approaching us all too quickly. we had family and friends that helped load up our truck (a special thank you to allison, george and the beale parents) and departed, hands waving in the southern summer air, with a tear-full goodbye.

leaving raleigh was hard - the two homes i had there. as i helped eric clean his place i thought of the two and 1/2 years he and i spent in that little two-bedroom. all the dinners, laughing, secrets, emotions, fears, excitement, we shared. i remember when he first took me to that empty place and told me it was his new apartment. as i finished cleaning each room, i closed the door. standing in his small hallway, i looked at the four doors closed in front of me and prayed for the faith to know, and trust, that the one door behind me, leading out of that apartment on o'berry, into the truck and up north, was going to open up a plethora of new doors. i cried before we pulled away from that place. eric put it best when he said that was the place that over all our talks, dinners, movie nights and champagne sundays, we fell in love.

my apt with my sister was even harder. mostly because she was still there. i had a restless sleep, my tossing and turning seemed to echo through the empty walls from my side of the house. it wasn't about leaving that apt. it was about leaving alli. knowing that things like our love for bogo, cats, rainy days, baths and each other would stay the same while life, indefinitly, would continue to change. but allison, she is my heart. therefore, she is always with me, in me. she is fabulous and will be fine - me on the other hand....

i'm learning to actually use public transportation - not just be an advocate for it and i'm trying to navigate my way around a city and society that i'm unfamiliar with, all while settling in with a neurotic cat and a male human being (hehe). but...all things in time. and these feelings of loneliness, uncertainty, sadness, these too will surely pass.

more to come with pictures of the place!

Monday, July 28, 2008

time flies...

wow, it has been so so SO long since i last wrote. and i'm a slacker for it. the whole point was to document some pretty cool stuff that was going to be happening and...i've totally lagged. BUT, eric and i are about to embark on our big move to boston in about six days. let me fill you in quickly:

- we went up to cambridge mid-june and after a long day of appointments that eric had so strategically booked, we found a fantastic place to live.

- we then went out to the cape after a few days in cambridge where eric proposed. i said yes :)

- we came back to days and nights filled with family and friends who we didn't want to say good-bye to, but knew we needed to enjoy the quality time.

- we've made a few key plans for the wedding...including booking the ceremony and reception sites at emerald isle; taking engagement pictures (thanks to rebecca); we're booking a band this week and i even found a dress already.

- now...if we can only pack.

i promise to be better at writing, as i hope to document especially the first few months in boston and even a bit of wedding planning along the way. this time has passed all too quickly. i don't think my heart yet knows how pulling out of my apt next sunday is going to feel. but, i'm super-excited (OK, and nervous) about what eric and i are about to experience. and the best part is we get to do it together.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

new beginnings

i'm sorry to report that the good guy lost the primary.

eric and i will be heading to boston this summer.

while exciting, i'm also nervous. thoughts keep invading my mind about work, family, friends. we talk of traveling, moving, time, jobs...so much...stuff.

my thoughts are a little clouded at the moment. perhaps i'll have more to write in a few days.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

today

today is the big day. may 6. the deciding factor. do we stay or do we go?

alli's in l.a. with ashley for a photoshoot, work is busy and mother's day is this sunday. we're heading back to charlotte (i'm totally exceeding my new year's resolution) this weekend, eric's going to radiohead and i'm hanging with sarah and nikki again.

i've got to say, eric and team have done a hell of a job. i just have to chalk it up to one of those "meant to be" things. i guess that's how i've been making it this far.

here's a few pictures from last trip, that's nikki on the left in both of them. she and i grew up together.





i'll keep you posted!

Monday, April 28, 2008

april showers

the rain. finally. and i have to say, just to say it, that just because it's finally actually looking like it rained an hour, and even a day after it does, does not mean we should go wasting our water at the car wash, on multiple loads of laundry and 20 minute showers...

i thought this morning as i stepped out into the warm, wet weather, "april showers..." shortly after that, i thought "could it possibly get any greener?" then i smiled, knowing that it could.

my love for fall never lessens this time of year, but it sure does get challenged. and no matter how annoying the birds are when they begin their day at a ridiculous hour in the AM, i can't help but forgive them immediately. their songs are a great reminder to enjoy the day ahead.

i drive the same route to work everyday. it doesn't get boring to me, because it's beautiful. my favorite part is noting the change of seasons on this route. i've watched the leaves change color, fall off, cast a grey shadow upon the road as they are bare through the winter, bud and now fully bloom. it seems like this happens overnight. but i have mental pictures of these stages throughout the year and i've taken in the beauty at each phase.

i encourage you to do the same. en route to work, in your back yard or at the park. enjoy every day.

one week until may 6.

Monday, April 14, 2008

after the break




i'm back to the grind and have done a terrible job keep this thing up. i was out of town last week for the furniture market in thomasville and now i'm spending most of the time catching up on some work.

i have some pictures from our charlotte outing a couple of weeks ago, but this is my fave. my two peoples. that's sarah on the left. she lived with me in wilmington for a few years and now, our bff-ness translates across counties. her birthday is in a couple of weeks. expect some more pictures after that.

more later.

Friday, March 28, 2008

it's the freakin' weekend

so, bogo was good.

it's friday and i am READY for the weekend. i'm always ready for the weekend.

i'm heading to charlotte tomorrow to see my bff's while eric goes to the Carolina game. Should be fun - maybe i'll even have some pictures to post when i return. other than that, not much to say except for that today is a phenomenally beautiful day. one of those days you want to be on the beach, with a cooler of miller lites with a few coronas mixed in - you know, for flavor.

thought for the day/weekend: fall seven times, stand up eight.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

bogo

everyone loves one - don't lie.

for clarification: buy one, get one.

and tonight, we're talking pizzas. sister style.

no one's ever supposed to attened our bogo night. how much pizza is consumed should never be confirmed by outsiders. so imagine our suprise when eric showed up on our last bogo night. his eyes drifted to the box(es) and...allison's go-go gadget arm came around to slam the lids shut.

she still hasn't let me live that one down. BUT e's out of town tonight so...bogo here we come.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

stuck

it's finally starting to get nice outside. spring has sprung (almost. at least it's trying to).

i don't think i'll ever get used to spending days like today inside. all day.

i mean, good thing i can't see outside from my desk. see all that sunshine, blue sky, etc. who wants to see any of that? thank God i have this wall blocking my view...

reality tv?

i think i'm slightly addicted to infomercials. there's something about them that makes me stay on a channel a bit longer. i try to change them before eric comes into the room. i know he catches me sometimes, or hears them from the other room. but he's never said anything...

there's got to be times that he's thinking: why is my gf watching that man and his meat-roasting machine? actually, i don't watch that one. i'm more hooked on a specific few. i like the mineral make-up infomercials, the magic bullet blender and more recently, the ShamWow.

i think i'm fascinated by them because part of me asks: do people really buy this stuff because they think it does all that (whatever 'that' maybe). Another part of me thinks: wow, that person selling this stuff has absolutely NO shame (ShamWow guy being #1 example). And the final part of me wonders: wait, DOES that really work?

*i think it's important to note that i don't actually purchase products from infomercials.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

in the beginning

so...i figured i was probably one of the last people to create a blog. i used to write in a journal, on post-its, scrap pieces of paper, menus at restaurants - pretty much anywhere, and almost everyday. i'm sad to admit that i don't do it as much anymore. i mostly sit in front of a computer so, if the mountain won't come to me...

i'm a writer by nature. it's something i always did, something i always made time to do, and then chose to do it in college as well. i wrote both non-fiction and fiction in my classes, sharing the most intimate details of my childhood, adolescent and adult years with my peers, as well as imaginary short stories and poems. i wrote research papers that identified and disected symbolism in stories of authors including shakespeare, frost and emerson. i wrote business memos, proposals and presentations. then, in my internship, i wrote news articles. so...pretty much everything.

i am in my mid twenties. i find every day exciting - at least i try to make something in each day exciting. but the next few months hold an especially exciting time for me. my boyfriend (eric) is in the process of deciding which law school he wants to attend and we are discussing moving depending on his decision. i live with my best friend/sister (allison) and i've always lived in nc. so i thought i'd document the (potentially) crazy times to come.

a note for future posts: i'm a quote junkie. mostly music lyrics. i'm that girl that pays attention to the words. they mean something to me. i hang on each word, wondering why this word was chosen over that one. i take note of the tone used to sing each and from that, i try to understand the meaning. i believe there's meaning in each song, a story. you just have to find it. it might be as simple as the artist singing about their finger getting cut off, like in this Jens Lekman song eric and i really like. the sound is so beautiful, his voice, the instruments. but upon further listening to his lyrics, we discovered that the poor man cuts his finger while he is slicing an...avacado (pretty sure it's an avacado). still love it. still think it's beautiful. just took note of the lyrics.

anyways...point being, there's always a story there. so to my blog...write in time. it's actually a play on the title of this song allison passed along to me by lucinda williams, "right in time." it's basically a day in the life of, well, love. she's right in time with her lover and he's right in time with her. i love her voice. so strong but soothing. i couldn't sum up life better. everything comes right in time.

so basically, my blog will be a day in the life. it's mostly for me. but i like to share too. hopefully i can document my exciting moments of the day or week, and if you are reading, share them with you. if no one is reading, well, i have them for myself.

more to come,