Moral of the Story: What I learned from Medical Dramas

I can't watch Grey's Anatomy or House with my dad anymore. I love him, but he insists on pointing out everything wrong with what's going on in the show. "No hospital is filled with doctors that good-looking." "He's holding that X-ray upside down." "The problem is with the patient's heart" (that one is usually about 10-minutes into an episode of House, where it takes House and his team 42 minutes to figure it out). Dangit, dad, it's television and I don't care.

Well, only part of me cares that it's not completely accurate, because the rest of me is busy being entertained and pulled into the drama. Not only do I love the medical parts, but let's be real, Meredith and Derek, Dr. House and Cuddy, no more drama has ever been seen in a hospital probably.  If you don't watch either of these....eh, it's probably too late now to catch up, but you can catch House reruns on Tuesday nights, so that's something. Here are five things I've learned in my almost-decade of watching Grey's Anatomy and House. Also, has it really been that long??

1. Friends are the actual best -- especially having that one "person."

Wilson is the rock in this relationship, but House wears the pants.

Eh, Meredith and Cristina are both kinda screwed up, but it works.

2. Office romances are awful until they're great until they're awful again. -- There are a lot of ups and downs in office/hospital relationships, like most regular relationships. But if you date someone that you work with, there are 1,000 more opportunities for awkward encounters, emotion-laden glances from a distance, and opportunities to make a statement and then walk away without waiting for a response.

Sure, everyone looks happy now, but just wait an episode or two... 

3. A group of coworkers needs a place to hang out and discuss the day's events/current dramas -- For Meredith and the gang, it's Joe's, for House's team, it's their locker room. Everyone needs a place to be able to talk about what's going on for their benefit and ours. Also, who doesn't want to go to a place like Joe's every Friday night?

4. A white board is the best way to DDX a problem (I also learned that DDX means "diagnose") -- House uses one, and he's a genius. He also uses his team as human white boards, so generally having something or someone to bounce ideas off of will help with many problems.

5. Take time to celebrate victories with a 30-second Dance Party.

Though House is over, Grey's is still going strong and starts back in a few weeks. It'll be interesting to see where this season goes, and what I'll learn from my favorite fake doctors.

Do/did you watch Grey's or House? Do you love them as much as I do? 

Moral of the Story: The Grocery Store

I love the grocery store. LOVE it. You push your little cart along, you don't have to carry your massive purse, and you peruse all the food and think about things that you could cook. It's like an extended quiet time, a little vacation where you are alone with your thoughts and food. And what could be better?

Most people prepare for their trip to the grocery. They've done their meal planning for the week and know all the ingredients they need to get. I applaud them, but I am not one of those people. Besides the few things that I put on a list that I absolutely need, I mostly just wander around and grab things off shelves. Here are a few things I've learned in my years of grocery shopping:

1. Always get the smaller cart, if you have the option -- especially if you shop for one. I used to get the big one thinking that my shopping list was so huge that I would probably need another one before I headed for the check out line. But that is never the case. And I hate the handheld baskets because they get heavy after the fourth jar of pasta sauce.

2. Get produce first -- Most grocery stores seem to be set up so that you hit this section first anyway, but I find it easier to maintain the facade that you're going to be healthy and good if you see your cart fill up with fruits and veggies first. But then I hit the chip aisle and it's usually downhill from there... so I've really learned nothing here, have I? Well, good intentions and all that, I guess.

3. Networking -- I see literally the world at United on a random Tuesday night. And it'll be the one time in the week that I have no makeup on and probably just worked out and am sweaty and panting like a bulldog. It's okay, though, I always say hi and try to chit chat a bit. You never know what being nice to someone will do for them, or you!

4. Try to avoid the bakery section, but never skip the gourmet cheese section -- I get trapped amongst the thumbprint cookies and oversized chocolate cupcakes. So I avert my gaze to the little thing that holds the brie, gouda, swiss, blue and asiago cheeses and choose to believe that it is healthier for me than the cookies.

5. Always take a sample -- I mean, obviously. #samsclub

6. Don't be too good for grocery store wine -- the grocery store that I go to sells a Meiomi pinot noir that I love, and the liquor stores around here don't. Shocking, but it's true.


I'd love to know, do you have any routines or rules for the grocery store?

Moral of the Story: Snow Day Edition

Today is a snow day in Abilene. Most everyone is inside (except those who enjoy sledding behind a 4WD car on the white, icy roads) and the only place I plan to go is to the grocery store to get items for baking a pie or cookies or something. Even that errand is a maybe. Perhaps I'll be productive later in the day, but for now, I'm going to share some things I've learned in the past few weeks.

1. Don't judge a TV show by its, err, synopsis? I've been watching Call the Midwife with my roommate, and I'm pretty sure it's my new favorite British drama. (Haahhahah, jk jk, Downton Abbey is on January 5th and I've missed everyone so much and I wish I could hug Mary and Branson and make everything right in their world, and also pet Isis, also sorry, this was not meant to be about Downton!) It follows a group of midwives in the East End of London in the 1950s, and each show is more dramatic than the last. If you can get past all the birthing scenes, it's really pretty entertaining, with love interests and drama that could rival the most intense Grey's Anatomy episodes. Even the nuns they live and work with have some spicy plot lines now and then. Since I always love a good medical drama, Call the Midwife is just my cup of tea.

2. I wish candles would last forever. I bought an Illume candle at the store where I work the other week (Surprises on S. 14th, if you feel so inclined to drop by), and it's already almost halfway gone! It's a fantastic pumpkin scent that makes my room smell like fall. I guess I'll just have to move on and buy a Christmas candle...

3. Mindy Kaling is still one of my favorite people on TV. And I really hope this is the title of an episode of the Mindy Project coming soon, because it may actually be the best title ever.

4. I have an exciting trip coming up that I'll talk about--probably at ad nauseam--soon, but it requires a stay-over in London. The moral here is that I miss that enchanting city and the semester I spent there in 2009. If you can afford to go, both financially and in terms of your graduation timeline, going abroad is the best thing you can do when you're in college, and I recommend it to everyone. Not only do you learn about another culture, but you realize how much bigger the world is than the town you grew up in, or your college campus, or even your state. You live and bond with people whom you would have never met otherwise, and forge lifelong friendships and relationships that may be the most meaningful of your life. For me, I discovered a lot about myself in a small flat in Islington, and on chilled walks through Hyde Park, and in jaunts through Borough Market under London Bridge. Places I had never even heard of before were my temporary home, and "out of my comfort zone" was no longer scary.

I once read that travel is the only thing you spend money on that makes you richer, and I couldn't agree more.

Those clouds. 

Have a warm, wonderful weekend!!

Moral of the Story: TV Junkie Turned History Buff...?

I've been running around like a madwoman lately. I work Saturdays, which cuts my weekend in half forcing me to run errands at night when all I want to do is lie on the couch and watch Hell on Wheels (I'll get to that in a sec). That being said, I'm really liking the job. It's a nice change of pace from before, where my only job was sitting at home and drinking copious amounts of coffee in front of my computer. Even though I was job searching, it was boring. Here are a few things I've learned in the past few weeks while working my weekends away:

1. I am a history enthusiast, by way of a television junkie -- I started the show Hell on Wheels a couple weeks ago and am almost finished with the third season. We all know my penchant for really great television, so I'm thrilled I found another show after Breaking Bad. For those who don't watch it, it's set in the 1860s after the Civil War when Union Pacific was building the transcontinental railroad West. 

Last night over a fire pit with some friends, we were talking about how sometimes we wish we lived in different times. I would have loved to have been out West in the late 19th century. I mean, okay, probably not really, because I seriously doubt I could live without modern conveniences. But, think about it, you'd be taking part in creating a new region in America: you'd be on a piece of land all your own, or a shop owner in some new town, or become the head of a railroad endeavor and marry someone like Cullen Bohannan (talk about ruggedly handsome). Maybe Marty will let me borrow the DeLorean for a quick trip just so I can see what it was like, and then 1.21-jigawatt-it on back to 2013. That would make my life.

I mean... 

2. I'm really, really sad that I live in a world where people like Pink and Honey Boo Boo are successful -- Pink might be my bias, but I really cannot stand her music. It doesn't help that Abilene stations play her stuff Non. Stop. and it makes me want to pull my hair out. Honey Boo Boo, on the other hand, could be seen as more of a commentary on where our society is likely going, and that's really depressing. If this spoiled little brat with ADD and serious therapy bills coming her way in 20 years is entertainment, I must be missing the point. What is so appealing about her? If someone knows please tell me because I seriously don't get it.

3. I'm okay with my major relationships in life right now being with liquid -- Coffee in the morning, Diet Coke in the afternoon with Water in between, Wine at night, Beer when I'm sitting around the fire referenced in number 1.

A recent find with a cute label.

4. Never miss an opportunity to keep your mouth shut -- some great advice from my dad years ago, but I tend to forget it sometimes. No matter how many times I put my foot right in my mouth and vow to never do it again, I somehow always do. Ughh.

5. Sometimes a food truck is all you need to feel right with the world -- Oh, Happy late Halloween by the way. Wednesday was the Trick-or-Treating night in my parents' neighborhood, and although my mom was out of town and my dad and I had both forgotten to pick up candy, I heard there was going to be a food truck at the neighborhood park--get in my belly. Gypsy Blu belongs to the guy who used to have Bonterra Blu in Clyde, TX, but they closed recently and only do the food truck and catering. Their food is incredible, and I really wish the truck would come around more often, like the UPS guy when you're waiting for a package. I scarfed down some lamb tacos and maybe the best mac and cheese ever, all while catching up with other neighborhood dwellers and watching the sun go down. Although I didn't dress up, it was a wonderful Halloween that passed in the blink of an eye. My next holiday celebration? Bonfire night, the 5th of November. Maybe I can get the food truck to make another appearance.




*photo source.

Moral of the Story: Five Things To Do When It's Raining

It has been raining in Abilene non-stop for a solid 24 hours, a rarity round these parts, and I have been forced indoors. I got back from Dallas yesterday, a trip I'll discuss soon, and I have been contemplating what to do this weekend since the forecast is gray and wet. Here are some things I came up with:


1. Start a job -- So I thought for a while that I would move to Austin, one of my favorite cities in the wide world. While I still would like to live there at some point, it began to feel like wrong timing. It's one of those things that I can't really explain, except to say that I had a sudden desire to stay in Abilene. Austin will always be there, but for now, I'm going with my gut. Which, I guess, is currently in retail because I got a job at a boutique in Abilene where I've literally been shopping all my life. They sell a lot of random, fun things and I'm excited to start this afternoon! The girls who work there seem so cute and fun, and even though I don't know how it's going to fit into the overall plan, it's nice to have something to say when people ask me, "What are you doing now?"


2. Cook for myself -- My parents will be out of town this weekend, and a lot of people are going to be away for various things, so I'm looking forward to some alone time with the kitchen. I've been wanting to try these Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potatoes out, and tonight might be the perfect night for music, a glass of wine, and a new recipe.

Recipe

Buy it! 

3. Finish my book, start another one -- I've been reading Lise Funderburg's incredible book, Pig Candy, for a few weeks now, and I really want to finish it this weekend. Not only was Lise a professor of mine this summer at the Paris American Academy, so I can hear her voice while I'm reading, but she is just a fantastic writer. She covers so perfectly her father's last few years struggling with advanced prostate cancer and his trips back to his hometown in Georgia. I recommend it whole-heartedly, and probably even more than that once I've finished the book.

Next up will be a novel from another PAA professor, Lauren Grodstein, whose new book, The Explanation for Everything, I can't wait to start.


4. Write! I know I say this all the time, internally if not blog-ternally (that's probably not a word, don't ask me to be an English teacher ever), but I really need to keep writing, exercising that part of my brain. Also, I was thinking about starting a writers' workshop in Abilene. If you or someone you know is in the Abilene area, a writer (beginner, professional, or anywhere in between), and would benefit from getting together with a group of writers every month or so to share our work, would you please let me know? This summer's workshop was so great and I would love to keep that going.


5. Online Shop -- I have a party next weekend, and I need to find a dress like Cinderella needs to find her goddamn fairy godmother. It is for a black-tie event whose attire is "Black Tie and Tie Dye," which is a pretty awesome idea, but also what does that even mean? I perused some shops in Dallas on Wednesday with every intention of buying a dress, but ended up walking out of Northpark Mall with a coffee mug from Anthropologie and two dresses, neither of which work for the party. Basically the story of my life... It's okay though, I will persevere and hopefully not end up with the entire new fall collection at j.crew or that elephant lamp I've been eyeing on Etsy.


Have a lovely, rain-soaked weekend!

Moral of the Story: It's Fall, and Time For All My Shows To Start.

This weekend, I'm looking forward to playing golf, relaxing and drinking some wine, as I usually do on the weekends (and weekdays...). Besides my amazing shows that are coming back to TV this month, here are some things that are currently all up on my radar.

1. Fall is officially here (sort of)!! The weather this week has been so pleasant with highs in the low 90s, which feels almost cold compared to the past few weeks of 100-degree days. I'm looking forward to pulling out my sweaters and jeans, cooking fall-themed food like stuffed bell peppers, and drinking a million pumpkin spice lattes.

Source

2. The other night, I was watching The Green Mile, and I remembered that Barry Pepper existed. He is such a fantastic actor, and I wish he were in more things. Oh, you know, he was in Saving Private Ryan, We Were Soldiers, and played Bobby Kennedy in the recent miniseries "The Kennedys." He was also in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, a 2005 film I loved about a West Texas rancher, filmed mostly at Tommy Lee Jones' ranch near San Saba.

3. Guess what's happening on January Fiiiiiiiiiiiifth???  And oooh boy I can't even talk about it I'm so excited!!!! 

4. This pretty lady is getting married next year, and I can't wait to help celebrate her engagement next weekend!!! Jaryn is my fave Lubbock/Slaton gal, and she's going to be a beautiful bride! 

5. Also, the job hunt is still happening. Yeahhhhhh...

Have a good weekend everyone!

Moral of the Story: 6 things I learned in Santa Barbara

After Carmel, I headed down to Santa Barbara for the wedding of a friend from SMU. I lived next door to her in the sorority house my sophomore year, and we became fast friends. She is one of the sweetest people I know and I was honored to be there to celebrate her wedding! Here are some things I learned after being in Santa Barbara for the weekend:

1. Getting breakfast by yourself is not the worst thing in the world, especially when it's 65 degrees and you're sitting outside. I went to Jeannine's in Montecito and had some amazing eggs benedict and this huge bowl of coffee. I'm like Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride, I love eggs benedict.

2. Never walk where you're not supposed to on a beach. After my breakfast, I decided to venture down to the water. Well, I must have not been paying attention to where I was going because at some point, the beach turned into this rocky, mountainous platform. The next thing I knew, the sandy beach was about 7 feet below me and people were staring as if I weren't supposed to be up there. When the rocky part ended, I had to jump down to get back to the sand. Luckily, I landed on my feet with all the gracefulness of a cat. (JK lols I fell on my side and may have gotten a concussion. I also got all sandy like they do in SEAL training.)

Before the incident.

3. I hope my wedding is as beautiful as this one was. The photos I took don't even do anything justice, but it was a breathtaking scene overlooking the Santa Barbara polo fields and the Pacific Ocean...

...And the couple was so clearly in love and having the best time with each other.



























4. When in doubt at a wedding, just hit the dance floor. Do you need to avoid an awkward new acquaintance? Or get away from a conversation that is about to turn to one of your more embarrassing college experiences? All these and more can be solved with a perfectly timed rendition of Gettin' Jiggy With It.



5. Hosting a brunch for all the guests the next day at a polo match is a good reason not to get too crazy at the reception: you have to see everyone again in broad daylight. I adhered to this new rule of mine, so I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The beautiful bride and me, even more gorgeous flower arrangements, and the polo field. 

6. Sometimes, it just takes a glass of wine to steel yourself when leaving a place as wonderful as Santa Barbara.

It's my birthday on Monday, so I'll probably be out celebrating all weekend (read: trying to forget the fact that I'm about to be 25). Hope you have a good one!

Moral of the Story: Last Day in Paris

Today is my last full day in Paris and I'm oh so sad. I can still hear the bells of Notre Dame through my open windows, just like before. But now, they're a familiar friend reminding me that my time here is at an end.

This month has been incredible: hands down one of the best decisions I've made recently. I think and hope I've become a better writer through the classes and workshops, and the friendships I've made are epic. 

Here are a few things (out of many) I've learned since I arrived:

1. There is no such thing as a bedtime before midnight. When you tell yourself that you'll go to bed before midnight in Paris, just go down to the corner bar, get a drink, and stop lying to yourself.

1b. Bring a huge bottle of ibuprofen.

2. A baguette and a wheel of camembert cheese are the perfect amount for each other.

3. Sitting by the Seine with a book might be one of the best things in the entire universe. Just don't fall in.

4. Priorities are important. You cannot visit the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay in one day or you will probably die of exhaustion and what's known as the Too Many Tourists Are Crowding Me Syndrome. PS. I will always choose d'Orsay over the Mona Lisa.


Now, I'm going to go out and get postcards and enjoy my last day. See you on the other side, Paree.

Moral of the Story: I actually have no idea about anything.

1. I'm taking a break from my writing to write this blog post so I can continue to practice writing and be a better writer by writing and writing some more. Writing.

2. You know when you think you know something about a certain subject, but then you start to really study it and realize that you actually knew absolutely nothing about it in the first place? Yeah..that is currently happening.

3. An actual quote from my dad before he and my mom descended into the metro to go to the airport this morning: "You're a writer in Paris. Act like it." The trouble is, I don't really know what it means to be a writer. I know I like to put pen to paper and talk about my feelings, but sometimes that ends up being a written version of what I think a shrink session would be like. It can be really depressing. Good thing we have a class coming up on writing with humor.

4. Our professors are inspirational. Every sentence they say sheds light on a whole new way to think about the craft that I had never considered before. And it's only Day 2...

5. I love living so close to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore. I walk by it every day and it still makes me giddy. Fun Fact: it's the background of my blog :)

Now back to (yep, you guessed it)...more writing. That, and another glass of wine.

Moral of the Story: Don't lose your cool.

This weekend for me consisted of a wonderful brother coming home, a wedding with a friend, and lots of wine. Good times. I hope you had a nice weekend, especially with the perfect weather we've been having in Texas. Here are somethings I'm learning lately:

1. Do not lose your cool when you hit a bad golf shot on the number nine hole. Especially when it faces the club house and people can see you. I hope they let me back on the course... the divot in that grass was pretty significant. I'm gonna go ahead and blame it on number 2:

2. Also bad form: letting a sore throat get the best of you. Oh well, at least this is happening now and not when I go to Paris. (I can't resist mentioning it. I'm so excited!!)

3. I just started reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers again. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. I'd say it's a mix between the Bible and the Notebook. I know, that sounds weird, but it'll change your world and make you think of love in a completely different way. Well, it did for me anyway.

4. I still get just as excited about the weekend not having a job as I did when I had a job. There's something about ending another week, bringing me closer and closer to my trip to Dallas tomorrow for a Mumford and Sons concert, and Paris two weeks after that (oh quit rolling your eyes, you know you love it). 

Stay thirsty, my friends. 

Moral of the Story: The Great Gatsby still takes my breath away.

1. I saw The Great Gatsby today, and oh my goodness. It's everything you've come to expect from Baz Luhrmann. It's is so aesthetically beautiful and romantic and juxtaposes perfectly with the tragedy of a man trying to hold on to a lost hope. Tobey Maguire was such a great choice for Nick Carraway. He plays the wonderful observer grappling with the grand world of Gatsby. And Leo is obvi amazing. I'm so glad they didn't skip over the last, perfect and elusive sentence: "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

2. I can't wait for a slew of other summer movies -- here's Refinery 29's sick list of a bunch of summer blockbusters that look pretty great.

3. I can't get enough of sandals right now. I got these babies from Target this week, and I'll probably be in them all summer long. 

4. I went to Perini's Steakhouse the other week (GO if you're ever in or around Abilene!) and discovered this new wine called Garbo. It is amazing. If you like any kind of red wine, this is the one for you.

5. Mother's Day is Sunday, and I'm increasingly grateful for the strong and beautiful mothers in my family and in my life, especially my own. Love you, Mama bear!!

Moral of the Story: Still Unclear

There are some things I'm learning while I have neither employment nor many responsibilities at the moment (I'm so tortured). Some thoughts:

1. I was devastated to hear about the explosion in West, Texas. Boston and West in one week. It makes you want to savor every moment and find joy in each day. Check out my friend Katie's post about cherishing what is important.

2. The French language is effing hard. I'm trying to learn a little to have a slight understanding of the language before I leave for Paris. I'm doing the Pimsleur Method, a lot of listening and repeating, but it's not too terrible. Although I'm having difficulties with the phlegm-y "R" and it makes my throat sore. First world problem.

3. What the actual hell, State Farm? Why would you make me cry in the middle of watching Conan last night?

4. Looks like they're canceling one of my fav shows, Smash, and I literally want to Smash someone's head against the wall. I love it so much. Songs with those big notes and melodies and hot guys singing them makes me fall in love with broadway musicals all over again. A recent good one:

It may be about time for another New York trip.

5. Can we just look at this cute couple trying to figure out why the little thing that cleans the pool isn't working?

Alabama, Arkansas. I do love my Ma and Pa.

xoxoxoxo

Moral of the Story: Patty Berglund Sucks

Remember when I told you about my book troubles a while ago, and was thrilled to start reading Freedom by Jonathan Franzen? Right, well, I have about 100 pages left in the book and I wish every character would just put a gun in their mouth. Seriously. It's about 200 pages too long, and I'm starting to have serious doubts about Oprah and her stupid book club. The worst part is that it's been a while since I read a book that I was really really excited about, and it's making me sad. BOOK CLUB, I MISS YOU. Maybe I should start my own?

In other news, this was on the homepage at the Lubbock A-J today, and I didn't hate it.

Heyyyyy Kliffy

So, this weekend I have nothing planned, besides getting ready for a little trip out to SoCal next weekend with some of my DC besties. "Excited" is the most serious understatement of the century. I'm just like the pig from the Geico commercials. Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

I hope you have a beautiful weekend!

Moral of the Story: Lessons I learned from "The West Wing"

So I've been busy lately, I know, and I'm sorry. To make up for it, here are some of the things I've learned from one of my favorite shows, The West Wing, about which I could talk for hours on end. Enjoy the little clips, as well.

Josh Lyman, I love you.

1. Never use sarcasm with a room full of reporters, or intimate that there is any sort of secret plan to fight inflation or any other government policy issue.

2. (I hope) there are some politicians who will take responsibility for their actions, the bad as well as the good.

3. You should know whether or not a fireplace actually works before you light a fire in it.

4. Evidently "Mars is next."

5. Never walk into your boss's office angry. (I couldn't find that clip, but it's the one where Sam is about to storm into the Oval Office and Toby stops him.)

Also this: "Yeah Ainsley, I wanted to say hello and to you know…mention ‘a lot of people assumed you were hired because you’re a blonde, republican sex kitten’ and well, they’re obviously wrong. Keep up the good work."-President Bartlet

Have a lovely day.

Moral of the Story: Veterans Day and the new Bond

Here are a few things I've learned in the past few weeks:

1. I am so grateful to our veterans and those on active duty. They do things that we cannot even dream of so that we don't have to. It's impossible to pay them back, but I think we can and should try.

2. Starbucks brings out their Christmas cups the day after Halloween. I love Christmas, but I love Thanksgiving just as much. We should wait a little bit longer before we start to bring out all the Christmas decorations. Amiright? #teamthanksgiving

3. I learned I shouldn't have bought the entire Taylor Swift album, "Red." It's very enjoyable overall, but I definitely have some favorites on there that I could listen to over and over again, and some that I don't listen to at all.

4. Homeland is a crazy good show. I was skeptical at first, but that skepticism fell away the thicker the plot became and the more surprising the twists. Plus, the Carrie/Brody relationship?? So intense. I can't make myself start the second season, though, because I can't stand waiting a week between episodes!

Bond and Q. Just like old times..

5. Skyfall is uh-mah-zing. I love the new Q, Judi Dench's acting ability (of course), and Daniel Craig's ability to glisten when he takes his shirt off... It was really good, you should go see it.

Moral of the Story: Full speed ahead

So apparently I'm running in a 5k tomorrow morning. I know, I don't know what's happening to me either...I'll let you know how it goes.

What I'm pretty sure I look like when I run.

I'm also helping out at an event this weekend at Hendrick Home for Children. If you're in Abilene, you should come by for barbecue and a little Freeride music!

More info here.

Here are a few things I learned this week:

1. Sometimes life can actually resemble Mean Girls, and you don't even realize it until after the episode is over. But I'm learning that those "episodes" do end...for the most part.

2. Watching men strut their stuff down a runway is a great Wednesday lunch activity, especially when it's for a good cause!

3. As my former roommate Lanie and friend Olivia at Mother May I can attest, having a new camera is one of the funnest things ever. I've been playing with mine all week! I'm excited to go out and about this weekend and use it for things other than my dogs or house objects.

4. New bars are the best excuse to meet a friend for drinks. I suggest doing this early and often.

Hope you all have an outstanding weekend full of fall activities!

Moral of the Story: Skyfall and Adele make a great couple.

This week was a doozy. Let me just say that I'm thrilled it's Friday, and I'm ecstatic to be going to Austin for the weekend! Hope your few days off are excellent.

1. Before any new James Bond film comes out, I get even more excited than I did for the last film. Of course, that excitement can quickly diminish if it's not a very good one, like Quantum of Solace... but sometimes the anticipation for something is greater than the actual event. So regardless of how good or bad the movie actually is, I'm pumped. Plus, Adele is singing the opening song and it is awesome. I love when the Bond theme is in the background of a modern song, especially when accompanied by an orchestra and Adele's voice.

2. I learned that I can listen to the entire Mumford and Sons new CD while I get ready in the morning. Really, it's timed perfectly! Side note: their new album is magical. They continue to amaze me with their incredible talent and musical style.

3. Even when a party gets rained out, you can still have a great time if you're with excellent people! Well, that, and really good margaritas.

4. 90% of the time, acting professional with the people you work with is infinitely better than being too buddy-buddy with them. Draw the line, set the boundary. You'll be better off. (Easier said than done for me, unfortunately, but I'm trying to improve.)

Moral of the Story: New York wants people to be miserable.

What I learned this week:

1. I could never live in New York. Banning drinks over 16 oz.?? Really?? I get that the state of New York is trying to get people to be healthy, which is always good of course, but it's a slippery slope. I mean, what if the Dept. of Transportation started saying that no one is allowed to drive anymore because there's a chance that you could get in a car wreck and die? Okay, that's extreme, but you get my point. Not only that, but I can drink a 16 oz. beverage in about 5.4 seconds. Not exactly a treat for me.

Now these, on the other hand...

2. When an online site (ahem...Open Sky) tells you it will be 2 weeks until your item ships, just know it will be 3. But I also learned that it is worth the wait.

3. I learned that I DO NOT need this tshirt:

 
But it didn't stop me from seriously considering it for a minute. Which do you like best? Oh, and get a really good laugh while you're browsing.

This weekend I'm off to the lake to watch my dad compete in a "sprint" triathlon. That's where the distances (run, bike and swim) are half as long as the Olympic one. Any distance is already too far for me, so I'll just be cheering him on.

Moral of the Story

This week was an unexpectedly busy work week, so I'm excited to spend a few days in Fort Worth to recharge my batteries. Here are a few things I learned this week:

1. Lunch with a best friend on Friday afternoon can make you feel a billion times better. Even if you weren't even feeling that bad.

Love you, Baboosh.

2. No matter what Obama says, I will never be able to get past his completely misguided and false idea of what America should be. Thanks, DNC, for reaffirming what I always thought.

3.  New discovery: I love sending cards to people, even if they're just to say hi. (Just search cute cards on Pinterest, and you'll see what I mean.)

Have a beautiful weekend!!

Friday: Moral of the Story

When I was little and my grandparents were visiting, my grandmother would always ask me one question after I got home from school: "what'd you learn today?" It may sound like a simple question, but nothing could be harder when all you want to do is go play with your friends. I had to stop and think, what did I learn that day?

True to form, here are a few things I learned this week:

1. Even at 24 years old, I'm totally fine with having my dad call for me when I'm getting jipped.. (In this case, the moving company who still hasn't delivered my things from DC...)

2. I learned that there are a ton of beauty products in the drug store that are the same, if not better, than anything you can find in Neimans or Sephora. Case in point: Maybelline Fit Me powder vs. Sephora Powder

Currently loving this stuff!

Currently cannot be found in Abilene, TX

        3. I also learned, or re-learned, that the incredible stories told this week at the Republican National Convention could only happen in the United States. I love America.

Sen. Marco Rubio

Paul Ryan (Also, have you seen this?)

Mitt and Ann

This long weekend, I'm looking forward to hanging out with my family, eating good food, drinking tasty wine, and tearing up a golf course or two.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!!