YES!

YES, yes, yes.

Um, I may have a little bit of state pride.

Happy Boxing Day!

Hope that you all had a fantastic day yesterday, whether you celebrate Christmas or not. I live in the shady area of the Venn diagram of 25 December- one circle, Christmas; one circle, Jewish; shady area: movie and Chinese food. Seven Pounds- SAD. Mamma Mia! (which I've watched 3 times in the past day)- HAPPY.

I'll be back with more substantial posts when I'm back in my own apt and away from the warm bosom of my family.

Last Minute

If anyone out there is looking for a last minute gift for me, I wouldn't be upset to see this under the tree. Etymology and reference materials- two of my favs.

Do you feel my heart beating?

For it is beating with a love for Pushing Daisies. I know I talk of how I love most television, but honestly, PD is a fav for forever. Unfortunately, it falls on Wednesday night which is a big TV night in my house and I often don't catch up for weeks.

Which means that I didn't see this until last night.

Why don't they have Olive sing all the time? Maybe they do it only once a season. Here's her take on Grease from last year.

God, SO GOOD. She dances with a golden retriever.

Perfect late fall day

I can complain a lot. Yes, yes, I'll wait for the snickering to die down. But it is true- I often complaining comically but the complaining is still there.

But not today.

Today was the perfect fall day. I slept in, I showered, I walked to Georgetown to see a friend at work and have some quiche and Christmas cookies. I had two cups of tea and bought edamame. I exchanged Christmas gifts with my lovely roommates. I cooked chicken and rice for dinner. We watched funny TV. A roommate looked over a cover letter to a job I'm OBSESSED with getting. I'm now sitting, snuggled in my bed, watching TV online and thinking of all the lovely sleep I'll be getting when I go to bed early.

Today was a good day. And there isn't too much funny about it, but I'll get humor out of frustration some other time.

Hurry! Hurry!

Until midnight tonight, you can get 15% off any purchase at Mod Cloth with the coupon code FINAL 15. In most cases, it is like getting free shipping, but without having to rack up $75 in the process. Not that I couldn't find $75 worth of things that I want, but that I really can't justify that kind of purchase on myself right now.

Or ever really.

But these shoes, no matter how much Karel hates them, just called to me.
And they will soon be mine.

[image from modcloth.com]

Living

Because I like to occupy my mind with worries suitable to several months in the future, I've been thinking about where I'll be living after graduation and my lease is up. It is pretty clear that I will be moving- probably to the city proper, though I'm not 100% sure- and I was thinking that it might be time for me to live alone. I never have- always roommates, parents, a boyfriend- and perhaps a 26 year old woman should learn some independence. Also, I like to hang out in my underwear.

But then I have fantastic giggly nights with my roommates, laughing over stupid slips of tounge, ridiculous television, just life. And I wonder- do I really want to live alone? Do I want to give up all these random good times?

Should I perhaps first tackle taking a shower today?

SNOW

First snow of the year :) Remind me how happy I am now when I complain about shitty weather in February.

WHEW!

I did it! 30 posts in 30 days. Go me. I'll let you know if I win anything.

I'm probably going to take it easy for a bit. The last month was long- Thanksgiving being so late kinda threw things off- and I know December is going to fly, with finals, making Christmas gifts, holiday parties. So hard, being popular, right? But I like the trend that I've gotten into here, with the more frequent posting. So, for your sake and mine, I will do my best to be a bit more regular!

Happy December!

The Day I Ate A Sandwich: A Photo Essay

I'm going to keep this brief.

One day this summer, I ate a sandwich. It was all I ate that day. I took pictures. I am sharing them here. Enjoy my gluttony.

In all her glory.
Mmm, that cheese is right UP next to the plastic.
And so economical. And patriotic.
Yummers.
Oh god. This thing is huge.
Halfway through, I gave up on eating all the bread. I also gave up on taking pictures because I was full of processed food produtcs.

And yet, I also held on long enough to save this photos, to share them with you.

You're welcome.

SORE-y

This summer, with my plethora of Friday nights in, I became a bit obsessed with Degrassi. If you have never heard of it, your life is not complete. It is essentially a teen soap from Canada, where everyone has slept with everyone's boyfriend and not more than one episode goes by without mention of STDs, marital infedility, teen violence, decelerations of love, or some other ridiculousness. In short, AMAZING.

And because it is delightfully predicitable, Sam (who has also joined me in Degrassi love) and I have devised a Degrassi drinking game. But be careful: you will get drunk. Severely drunk.

Drink whenever
- someone says "sorry" (pronouced SORE-y)
- someone says "I love you."
- someone gets shot, shaked, pushed down the stairs, slapped, pushed into a locker, or otherwise phsyically assulted.
- someone has an STD.
- someone has sex.
- the babies of teenage children are on screen.
- Mia looks at a boy because she WILL sleep with him.
- Page speaks in French.

It is a 30 minute show- get ready to be three sheets to the wind about 10 minutes in.

Black Friday

On this, the biggest shopping day of the year, I want to share something that I've been yearning after for months and months. Of course, I'm still not going to buy anything because you know- ECONOMIC DOWNTURN- but come on?
How
flippin'
cute?!

[all images courtesy of inedible jewelry]

Thankful

- my education
- black knee high boots
- familial stability
- stationary sales
- reality TV commentary
- making myself laugh
- mashed butternut squash
- color coordinated bedding
- Chipotle
- romance novels
- discount clothes
- hilarious roommates
- my ladies all over the country
- my readers
- Thanksgiving holidays in Florida

What is you are obsessed?

So, I kinda love Jeopardy! Like, a TON. We DVR it in my household, all five days. And repeats on Saturdays.

And what better way to show off my obsession with America's greatest quiz show than a ring tone!

Please visit here and let me know what you think I should get. I'm deciding between "Puzzleboard" and "Think Music".

I mean, I guess I could get both, but at almost $2.50 a pop, I feel like I should limit my frivolous expenses.

Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Now return to your regularly scheduled posting

Hey folks! By the time you read this, I will be thousands of feet in the air (shudder) heading to Florida for Thanksgiving (yay). I wish it was a total vacay: yes, it will be warm and I'll get to hang out some family a ton, but I will also have a lot of school work to do. Barf.

But I don't have to worry about daily posting because through the magic of the interwebs, they will magically appear on time.

So, while I'm sitting on a Florida beach, trying to get a bit of a tan and worrying about final projects, I won't have to worry about getting to a computer to entertain you. Because I'm entertaining you from the past- oooooo.

Random Tidbits of Info on Me

- I slept with a down comforter year round. My dad likes to kid that he could see steam rising from my bed during the summers of my youth.
- I haven't update the prescription of my contacts in about 6 years. I can't remember the last time I wore them.
- My second toes are longer than my big toes.
- My middle fingers aren't straight- they both slant out.
- I apparently have odd digits.
- But don't worry, even though they are odd in nature, they are even in number.
- I think puns are one of the highest forms of humor.
- I say things like omg, brb, and lol in real life. At work.
- I get migraines about once to twice a month.
- I can't let myself daydream about working abroad. I mean, I do daydream about it but my thoughts soon turn to visas, housing, saving money, what would I do with my stuff here, etc. I can't just live in the dream for a second.
- These tidbits have gotten a bit depressing so I should probably go to sleep now.
- Oh, one more- I insist- INSIST- on saying good night to people. This is a major reason of why I don't know if I could ever feel comfortable living alone. I need someone to say sweet dreams to.

YES!

Yesterday, I wrote 10 pages in about 4 hours. And then spent some more time revising. And then more writing a letter to my group about presentations, drafts, and more. Basically, brain, tired.

This is about all I can share today. But look- it's a cat! On a Roomba! A pet riding a vacuum! Ah, so cute :)

Daddy Cool

Ever since I saw this video of a young French girl dancing around in a huge wig, I've been obsessed with this song. And since I needed the real deal, I went asearchin' on the Youtube.

Hrm, apparently I can't embed it here. But you should go check it out, post haste. (Note: may be a bit NSFW towards the end.)

Oh, the many things I love in this video! Let's list them, shall we?

- the hair, especially the woman in the middle with the PARTED afro.
- the white suit with no shirt. and high waisted pants.
- the arm chop as prevalent dance move.
- next most popular? turning.
- the head bopping. oh the head bopping.
- violins. i love violins in pop music.
- when he has issues taking off his jacket. teehehe.
- actually pretty much everything he does. the kicks. the squats. he's very athletic.
- how blatant are those moans of pleasure at the end? haha, so fantastic! no holding back in the 70s.
- the hump line.
- the enthusiastic but awkward white audience. I mean, how are they NOT dancing? I'm sitting down in a Starbucks and I'm still moving more than they are!

Did I miss anything?

ETA: GASP!

DON'T FORGET

Sales, sales, sales! For starters, don't forget Karel's sale over at sunshower design (not her etsy store). 15% off ALL JEWELRY! I know you've had your eye on the featured necklace!


Also, make sure to check out all the great sales that are ending today (hurry!) and next Sunday over at decor8. I'm so excited for the cards I'm getting from Rock Scissor Paper and am still contemplating that financial planner from See Jane Work.

Mmm, things.

ETA: There's your banner!

East Coast Grad Student Chic

It is fully winter here in the DC area, so I thought I might break down how one dresses for the cold like a hip East Coast grad student.
Predominant color is black
Pigtails because you've slept in the past few days and haven't washed your hair.
Scarf to kept out blistering chills.
Hat to cover said grease ball head, with poms for hilarity (on top of head and at the end ear strings).
Black glasses because you're an intellectual.
Sneer because you look down at the uneducated.
Fingerless gloves with mitten fold back so that you can stay warm but also grab your metro card out of your back pocket.
Smile because you realize this is your last fall semester of graduate school EVER!
You name this pimple "final project".
And this one "job search". Also, look try to look like 5 year old boy in closeups.

Estoy entusiasmada!

Or, I'm excited! Either way works for me.

Six years ago, I took a flamenco dance class. And my arms are still sometimes sore. Seriously, what a workout. Eenywho, I love it all- the big dresses, the clapping, the stomping, the somber faces, the guitars. Maybe not the exceedingly long hair and fingernails of the men, but otherwise, I get behind it all.

Just got my ticket to see this in February and I'm PUMPED. It is going to be AMAZING, even if I'm a bit far away from the stage. I won't really care. Because flamenco- I loves it.



ETA- Anyone interested in seeing Patton Oswalt in DC in February? I can get tickets for $16!

Things I should really move to top of my to-do list

- Get a desk chair
- Sit at my desk
- DO WORK AT MY DESK

Surprisingly, I'm not getting a whole lot done with my lap top, under the covers and only slightly propped up under my down comforter. The knee high socks, worn-in sweatshirt, glass of wine, and blasted Queen aren't really helping the productivity either.

Even though I won't be walking until May (fingers crossed), I am currently enrolled in what is potentially the last class of graduate school, EVER! And I've got senior (er, 3rd year grad student?) slump like WHOA. I apologize to everyone in my group project, I promise, I always get my stuff done. I mean, you are talking to someone who wrote over half of their 75 page thesis in 4 days. So my 5 pages of our final paper will get done and probably with some sense of academic quality.

I just don't know if they are going to happen while I'm under the covers and belting out "Somebody to Love".

Je t'aime

Sam sent me this fantastic video. Not only does it combine my loves of children dancing, children somewhere else, and disco, but it also led me to a video that I might revisit whenever I'm feeling a bit down.

The disco fun

Disco Fever from Capucha on Vimeo.

To uplift

Love(ly) words from Capucha on Vimeo.

A new year, of sorts

For some odd reason (I'm sure it had NOTHING to do with over indulgence at Halloween. Nope, never.) I've been on a kick to establish some healthy new habits since the start of November. I'm trying to do yoga every day, get more sleep, drink more water, and cook more of my meals at home.

And I have to say, I'm kinda proud of myself. I'm not sticking to my plans to the T but I'm trying to not give myself too much grief about it because there are a lot of new things I'm trying to do and overall, I'm doing well! Yoga, I'm averaging every other day, sleep is still eluding me but I am heading to bed earlier, I wasn't drink much water before so the 2-3 nalgenes of water I drink now is certainly and improvement and considering that I rarely eat lunch out anymore and even more rarely dinner, the food challenge is working out well too. GO ME!

I just wanted to share my accomplishments here because with holidays coming, the urge to skip yoga, stay up late watching TV, drink wine instead of water, and go out instead of stay in, I'm going to need reinforcements in the form of public shame.

Shouldn't give her any ideas

As a child, my mom constantly harped on my posture. I don't know why I'm saying it in the past tense- to this day, she still gets on me about sitting up straight. She used to come behind me, put one hand in between my shoulder blades, grab one shoulder, and push it back until I sat up straight.

Oh so comfortable.

So I'm tempted to tell her about this because it would mean less painful reminders from my mom. But it also might mean that I'm constantly twitching like a dog with an invisible collar on.

Well, that didn't take long

So, it didn't really take long of me looking through all these amazing deals for me to break down and buy a lot of stuff on sale.

A lot of stuff.

On MAD sale.

I'm not going to show you anything that I did buy because, you know, you might get something as a present. But that still leaves a ton of things I can show.

$4.40 for 10 cards. Yeah, that's not a typo.

$10 for what is quite possibly THE cutest notebook. EVER.

And... there is an entire page devoted to owls. O.W.L.S. I know I'm not super orginal, but I kinda have a thing for birds. Just a bit. Like I have 11 swallows on my bedrooms walls, 3 cranes by my mirror, a large penguin cocktail shaker that matches my penguin ring holder and votive stand. Oh, and a condor jug from Peru. So yes, birds. I likes them.

Especially this owl notebook.
$9. So twee.

Oh and those prices? Those are before the 25% discount made available from decor8- decor8xmas - good until 21 November.

On a completely unrelated note- how creepy are those commericals with the people who have the ampitheaters in the back their heads? Answer: totally.

[images from Rock Scissor Paper.]

Time to fess up

So, I'm a bit guilty of reposting here. Eak, I'm sorry! But you see, I recently discovered decor8 - know, WAY behind the times there- and I'm a bit obsessed with a) the fact that she lives half the year abroad, half the year in the states (my new dream) and b) pratically everything she features on her site. I love stationay and planners and prints, oh my! And while I can buy all the ones that I want to, I can at least share them and perhaps get you to buy them so that I may one day look at all the things I like in person. Vicarious shopping fun.

Next item up is this financial planner from See Jane Work. There are tons of very pretty and nifty things on See Jane Work (check out the sales!) but I love this planner the most because as much as I love the ease of online budgeting, there is something about having a tactile organizer that calms me. Lets me lay things out. Same reason why I still have a paper planner instead of an electronic one- I just can't give them up.

On sale now for $10. Am considering giving it to myself, in hopes that I will collect receipts and track my spending. And then probably cry.

And don't forget your decor8 sale code- CJanedecor8 - good through 21 Nov.

[image from See Jane Work]

Christmas, Christmas

Like I said yesterday, I will be sharing with your things I WISH I could buy for friends and family (and might break down and buy anyway) but that I really shouldn't because, you know, I should keep a roof over my head.

Besides the lovely Karel and her sunshower, check out these custom silhouette pictures by Cut Art by Karl (I have a K theme, don't I?)

These would be a perfect gift from all your sibling to your parents or grandparents. Perhaps a profile of your dog to your SO. Or maybe you just want to do one of yourself so that you can remember how taut your jowls were when you are old.

Besides custom orders, there are plenty of prints, many on sale, and frames, mats, and everything else you need for a complete gift.

Plus, you can get a whopping 25% of with the code DCDEAL at checkout.

I wonder which side is my good side.

-Edit- Code is only good through 21 November, so act fast!
[images from cut art]

Christmas Shopping

So, I'm sure that many of you are trying to cut back on all costs and that Christmas is no exception. I know that I am. Sorry, friends and family, but that's the truth.

But I can't keep myself from Christmas shopping, especially online. Oh, the stationary, the rubber stamps, the notions- I love them all. In the following weeks, look forward to me alerting you to things that I can't buy but that you should.

For starters, go check out *my* necklace, as made by Karel, over at sunshower designs. I mean, I may be a bit biased because she's one of my best friends and what I think of as her prettiest necklace is named after me, but her pieces are true originals.

Aren't I pretty? And yes, I have a thing for birds.

Ways in which I'm an old woman, as seen by recent CVS purchases

- insoles for my sensible black flats.

- floss for my purse. Because due to some recent dental work, there is a certain gap in my mouth that accumulates food like whoa and I've become a mid-day flosser.

I DID IT!

I just drove for the first time in about 9 years.

I do kinda drive like a grandmother in that I never got closer to 2 miles to the speed limit, but I made it out of a parking lot, onto some back roads, and even onto a road with some double yellow lines.

DOUBLE. YELLOW. LINES. w00t.

At this rate, I just may be able to ring in my 26th year with a license.

naps

I think I've finally made up for my election night fatigue.

I slept from 4:30pm until almost 7pm on my parents' super lush couch. Maybe it is just me, but there is just something extra restorative about napping in your parents' house. I could possibly be slightly allergic to something in their house that knocks me out, but I think it is just something about going home.

I am, however, REALLY missing the my DVR. You give someone the ability to pause live TV and they can hardly function when faced with normal TV.

grumble

TBS, when you put a movie on demand, you don't include commercials. I want to be able to watch "Last Holiday" uninterrupted.

If I only had 3 weeks left to live, I wouldn't be spending my Friday nights watching Queen Latifah movies and doing research, but I have to fortune to not have any brain tumors causing me to seize the day.

What would you do if you only had 3 weeks left to live? I think I would travel as much as I could with as many friends, perhaps go on a bender or two, get a tattoo, eat like a glutton. Mmmm, gluttony.

a lady, all the way

I never feel as classy as when I tip back an almost empty bag of chips to get those last few tasty morsels and I end up with crumbs in my hair.

At work.

WOOHOO!!

God, the tears last night. The. tears.

Good ones, I assure you! I cried during both John McCain and Barack Obama's speeches. It made me miss the McCain from 2000, the one who was truely a maverick. It made me feel such immense hope for the future. There is such a sense of just sheer happiness in the air, I can't stand it.

This term is going to be intense and we've got to help out our president. He's a leader but we've got to be ready to be led.

broken, but important, record

As you can tell from my nifty reader over there on the left (yeah for new features!), I'm not the only person using the interwebs to encourage you to vote. VOTE. I can't tell you how many times I've teared up in the last few days over the inspiring words of one Mr. Barack Obama. While on one hand, I can't wait for the campaigning to be over, I am also incredibly anxious about tonight and the upcoming four years.

Because I work in DC but live in VA and knew that the lines were going to be crazy, I voted absentee in person last week, still waiting about two hours for the privilege to support the Obama/Biden ticket. And while it means that today I got to sleep to a reasonable hour and not worry about rushing to the polls after work, a part of me is a bit sad that I won't be part of this hostoric election, not the same way that those of you who are voting today.

But I still got to vote! And you should too. Even if you support a scary ticket that will surely lead us into a position where the rest of the world hates us even more. And while a McCain/Palin White House would be a nightmare, it would certainly push me to really find a job/school abroad.

I hope that's a silver lining I won't have to rely on.

started so strong

In 4th grade, my partner Molly Gordon and I almost won the science fair with our study of what types of earth worms preferred- sand or soil. We had buckets of just sand, just soil and ones half sand/half soil, and after a few weeks, whichever type of earth had more alive worms, was the winner. I vividly remember our presentation board- there was a Polaroid of me pretending to eat a worm- but I can't remember what soil type they liked.

Sorry for all the buildup.

The next time the science fair came around, we were to invent something. I think I forgot about my project because I ended up taping a knife to the end of a spork and calling it the "handy dandy spo-for-knife!"

Yeah, didn't almost win that year.

Maybe if I had focused on what I was truly trying to achieve- making utensils more fun- I would have come up with these and won.

i think i'm going to have some for breakfast

So, I'm trying to remember how I first found out about Pop Waffle, but I can't. The awesomeness just clouds my mind.

I'm not sure what I love the most- the crayon drawings, the pop culture references, fun new music, renderings of her dad. It is just too great for words. And I realize I'm probably way behind the times- looks like she's been doing this since mid 2007. But I've made up for lost time by watching all 22 pop waffle volumes over one day.

Like I said, obsessed.

And you should be too.

The one that started it all.

this thing again

So, I did the whole NaBloPoMo or National Blog Posting Month last November and decided to give it a whirl again this year. Hopefully, it will be the kick in the pants that I need to start being better about this thing. Because, I, the person who loves birthdays and anniversaries and all yearly celebrations of events... totally missed the one year mark of this blog.

Oh the shame. I'm so sorry, rizado! I think it might have had something to do with the fact that it passed just around the time that I was newly single but that is no excuse- a three year relationship ended half through last November and I was still able to blog away. Whatever the reason, I apologize.

Now, if you've been with me the whole way, you might have noticed that things have changed. I used to have some semi regular features- best of my blog roll, favorite stumble upon, thematic timelines of my life- but I have done any of those in months. Instead, the blog became a bit more personal, while still being fairly guarded. So I open it up to you, my readers- is there anything you would like to see in the following year? Resurected features? Something new? More of the same?

And to those in know- I'm thinking of filling up a certain bucket more regularly too.

rough start

my halloween is not off to the best start.

well, that's not entirely true.

i've carved not one, but two, wondrous pumpkins. i've already attended a costume party and was a hit. tonight, i bought a Maleficent headdress that will provide YEARS of quality last minute costume options.

but then i tried to apply scary fake nails. and after they begun to fall off, i gave up and pulled them off. and have spent the last 45 minutes trying desperatly to get the dried glue off my fingers. because even though this adhesive isn't strong enough to hold thin sheets of plastic to my nails, it is doing its darndest to stay put.

and somewhere in my frantic attempts to get this shit off. my. HANDS, i stubbed a toe and didn't notice until there was blood all over my foot. and now that hurts.

and woe is me :(

but i must rally, for i've straightened my hair and will don fake bling and a ballon baby in the morn!

feliz cumpleanos!

Today, my lovely mother turns 49. I kinda liked her being twice my age- the math was easy- but now I guess I'll just have to go back to adding 24 to my own age so that I can shock people with how young my mother is.

Friends, she's YOUNG! And looks it too. If I age with one half of my mother's grace, I'll be one lucky lady.

It is at this point that I would usually post a photograph as evidence but I know that she appreciates her online privacy, so you will just have to believe me when I say Marcela is an attractive woman.

So, happy birthday, Mommy! It was fun to go to a Halloween party with you as the Palins. You made a very cute Sarah in my new dress.

the only thing missing is the painted-on stockings

Betty Draper at a funeral.

Or me at a museum opening.

How I wish that I could dress like this everyday and not be a caricature.

I was so fancy looking that people didn't recognize me. No, seriously, someone who I sit next to 16 hours a week introduced herself to me as if we had never met.

Also, what do you think of the new curls?

(PS. Please disregard my messy messy room. But feel free to hold all the bird imagery in high regard.)

YES I THINK MY HEAD MAY EXPLODE

Click for best news ever.

You know where to find me on Friday night.

my new fav thing EVER

Click for context.

and this concludes the bake sale coverage

I know that y'all are probably bake saled out- what with two in two weeks- but I just wanted to give an update.

Even though we had fewer people stop by, each patron seemed to buy more. Apparently, raising money for a presidential candidate tugs at the purse strings more than a broken heart. Go figure.

** drumroll **

We made almost $150! Woohoo, go us! And Sam just got an email saying that a previous donor will be matching our donation, amounting to a cool $300! Go us and being all politically active.

I promise to blog about something other than bake sales soon. Unless my mom decides to throw on for her birthday this weekend during my visit.

Thanks, Ed

"Hey Breakup Baker-

I saw your Bakeup flyer on a lamp post early Monday morning and I wanted to write you a note to say it brought a true smile to my face. (I'm sorry I missed the Bakeup itself, too.) I'm a habitual driver to work, but my beloved car, which I have had forever, finally broke down Monday as I was trying to get to work- her second transmission virtually exploded on me @ 195,000 miles- forcing me to be a "man of the people" and metro in. I was bummed about that and in a bad mood when you note popped into my line of sight. So, thanks for brightening my morose morning; I hope your culinary catharsis over the weekend worked for you. Take care and keep your chin up.

- Ed the Ambler"

a real note that I got today. Just when I'm feeling down in the dumps re: life (dramatic, no?), my friends throw me a bake sale and random strangers are sending me notes saying I brought them a smile to their day.

Bake sales will save the world.

breakup bakeup

so, what do you do when your boyfriend breaks up with you? if you are me, you take one day off from to work to completely wallow, complete with gut wrenching sobs. you pull yourself together for a debate party, you make it to work the following day, you only cry in public a little and then you let your friends take care of you. while the pain of a breakup might be the worst immediately following, i think that the first weekend as a new singleton is the hardest time. those routines that you had fallen into for months are erased in second and you are left with no distractions.

unless you are marvelous friends.

elle, juliet, and sam ate chipotle with me friday night and helped me drink wine while we watched young at heart. crying because you love old people singing is not the same as crying because you just got dumped.

saturday was the best. friday afternoon, sam decided that breakups could be sweet and that we should capitalize on my pain and have a bake sale. yes, you heard correctly- a breakup bakeup! i made rice crispy treats, colleen (another roomie) made chocolate chip cookies, brant (sam's boyfriend) made lemon bars, and the master baker herself made red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing, homemade oreos, and double chocolate brownies with salted caramel buttercream. all from scratch. i made fliers and posted them at the main intersection near my house. and for a few hours on an early fall afternoon, we stood outside our front door, waving to people as they walked by, selling our homemade treats.

it got such an amazing response! we had three groups stop their cars, park, and get out to get food! we had runners come back with money to get treats! besides the simple fun of baking with friends, we meet some neighbors and brought smiles to a lot of people's faces. almost everyone had words of encouragement to share re: the breakup and one guy even made me cry for going on and on about how cool this all was and that there had to be a guy out there for me. with the money that we made (about $65! sam wouldn't take money for baking supplies), i think i'm going to get a massage and maybe mani/pedi too! but even if we hadn't made any money, it was a success just is raising my spirits.

to all my friends and family who have reached out- thank you so much. you don't know how much coming over to give me a hug, sleeping over, giving me flowers, making me eat, throwing a bake sale, texts, calls, emails- it all means so much to me. i went through a horrendous breakup about a year ago and was very guarded about it here, thinking that i couldn't put that out there. maybe things would have gone better for me if i had opened up to having people help me.

everyone should be lucky enough to have a breakup bakeup.

no title seems to fit quite right

so, i don't do personal details here but sometimes, life has a way of being just too overwhelming.

i'm not going to go into it to say other than i had a boyfriend for five months and now i don't. i'm sad. my face is red. but i have fantastic friends and family.

and i'll be ok. maybe if i keep on saying it, it will eventually be true.

who is newly shorn?

ME! yes, i have been long over due for a hair cut. i haven't had one since i first got bangs back in... march? april? a long time ago. and an update and freshness were much needed.

so shy, aren't i?
my best sarah palin. imagine a gun in my hands and russia outside those windows.
senior photo. KIT!

so, it is still pretty long, though i'm actually a bit nervous about the length since it will shorten a great deal when curly. the bangs are MUCH better in that they are real bangs and not just hastily cut chops of hair (sorry aveda but bang did a much better job with my bangs. oh snap.) i love my hair when it is like this- professionally blow dried, silky smooth, and tangle free. i can run my hands through it. you straight haired ladies don't know how big of deal this is. even on my hair's best days in its natural state, it is still a nest. right now, i feel very dignified.
class of '09, ready to take on the world!

will be sure to post the curly everyday version when i eventually wash my hair. which might be never.

elsewhere, she's a bit of a hippie

my newest post for for oceana.

uh oh, she's back to doing this...

yes, yes, i'm back to putting up videos without much too explain. WHATEVER, GET OVER IT. THIS IS AWESOME.

all things museum and saturday in nature

so, in case you are not aware, i am currently in graduate school for museum studies. it would be safe to say that i enjoy them. now, because i generally spend a good deal of time in museums (historic houses, archives, etc.) during the work week, i don't usually go to them on the weekend.

but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't.

this saturday is museum day 2008 and at hundreds of participating museums across the country, you can get in for free just by presenting an admissions card, available here.

if you want to go somewhere that's free anyway, check out the opening of the smithsonian's national museum of natural history's new sant ocean hall. there is a full day of activities.

(click to enlarge)

thus ends my museum plug for this saturday. i promise to get back to more exciting things like my appetite! new clothes! yay!

excuse me miss, your apartment therapy obsession is showing

my posts here are still sporadic but i'm trying to get back into the habit of writing more because a) nablopomo is around the corner and b) sam and i have agree to go to blogher next year and i want to have a site worth the trip.

but i'm also writing on other sites! well, one other site. yes, you can learn about ocean activism from most of the people i work with. or you can read all about the pretty water filtration systems i find on apartment therapy. you know, because georgeous filters are just as important as sea turtles.

the thrill!

- BOSSY commented on my blog! i still can't get over the fact that blogs that i read- and that thousands of others read too- might stop by here every once in awhile and take a gander. me!? little old me! SWOON.

- i got my learner's permit! that's right, i no longer need to carry around my passport for ID. no more being able to leave the country RIGHT THEN. now, i need to stop by my home to grab all pertinent documents.

but obviously the bigger deal is that i'm on my way to get my license. i've never had one. i don't think that i'll ever be a very good driver (old dogs, new tricks deal) but not being able to drive at 25 is probably something i shouldn't be proud of. of course, i don't have a car so i'm not entirely sure how i'll be able to get in all the practice i need to pass my road test, but as i can't do that for at least another month, i'm not too worried. i'll find a way. and then i will be a licensed driver who never drives and is terrified of the road. yippie!

- OMG BOSSY.

it has returned!

so, for the past week or so, i've had no appetite. none. no urge to eat or refuel or anything. when i get stressed out, i lose all ability to eat but i'm not particularly stressed. this time of year is always hardest on me- getting into the swing of a new schedule- but nothing harder than normal. and yet, last monday, i just didn't want to eat.

usually when i get a stress stomach, it is because the mere thought of eating makes me ill. i'm so upset about life that i make myself sick and am constantly nauseous. this time around, i felt fine- better than fine some days- but just no. hunger. i still forced myself (and was forced) to eat and i could enjoy the taste of food but the enter time i was eating, i was like "yeah this tastes good, but i feel totally full."

this continued through the entire week and weekend, and i thought i would snap out of it (i mean, you can tell by my title that i did). but it continued. and even though i don't have a scale, i lost 2-4 pounds. not the best way to do it, but hey, nice perk, huh?

but then i went to dinner at my friend's house. and there was a multi layer dip. and suddenly, i think i ate any weight loss in about 30 minutes.

what can i say, dip makes me week.

dear google sponsored link

you think that i need dictionary.com to tell me what torrid means?

please.

i read romance novels.

in case you were wondering

my new pants

are mad comfortable.

should i...

get an 500 texts a month for $5 opposed to my current plan of 250 texts for $5?

keep in mind that between sent (80) and received (180) texts, i've almost hit my limit and i have two weeks left before my next cycle begins. and it is $.20 for each extra text.

these are the dilemmas that weigh heavy on my mind.

--update
well, i did it. i made the plunge. i now can send 500 messages a month to non verizon people. because i have unlimited IN messaging. sweet jesus, i'm going to be like a 13 year old girl with my phone. someone help me.

not even kidding

I JUST TALKED TO TED DANSON. ON THE PHONE. I THINK I MAY FAINT.

strong desires

to pick up and take a vacation, anywhere. to spend money i don't have. to eat crabs everyday, even though i know they aren't sustainable. to get my permit but also to remain license-less. to get my hair cut. to dye my hair, though i can't decide on darker or lighter. to get new glasses. to buy new pants. to do yoga everyday. to clean my computer, both externally and internally. to be a few weeks in the future, when my fall schedule will hopefully be set and i will be a little less foggy brained about everything.

quite possibly the best picture, EVER

i have no idea why steve guttenberg looks like he is running a carwash for the jonas brothers, but i love it. makes me want to watch short circut.
from dlisted.com.

maybe this will become a standing feature

this is how i'm spending my friday night:

- a dinner of edamame and orange sticks. and yes, i went to trader joe's today, how could you tell?

- watching this and this. because no one will watch they with me, so a friday night in alone is the best time. but don't sob for me, a woman eating chocolate and watching romcoms alone because i'm also

- drinking a bottle of preseco.

because it has been awhile

Your result for The Where You Should've Been Born Test...

Spain

15% Warlike, 55% Spartan Living, 63% Socialist

You are a Spaniard at heart. You like to kick back, relax, and pretty much be lazy. Although you probably wake up past 10 AM every day and go to bed past 2 AM, it is probably not out of the same necessity of escaping the heat. You try to stay out of conflict, don't care much about worldly possessions, and like to enjoy life.

Take The Where You Should've Been Born Test at HelloQuizzy

Your result for The Which Lolcat Are You? Test...

Longcat

77% Affectionate, 36% Excitable, 40% Hungry

Protector of truth.


Slayer of darkness.


Loooooong.


Longcat may seem like just a regular lengthy cat, but he is, in fact, looong. For proof, observe the longpic.



It is prophesized that Longcat and his archnemesis Tacgnol will battle for supremacy on Caturday. The outcome will change the face of the world, and indeed the very fabric of lolcatdom, forever.



Be grateful that the test has chosen you, and only you, to have this title.



To see all possible results, checka dis.

Take The Which Lolcat Are You? Test at HelloQuizzy

how i spent my sunday

- lazy morning in bed, trying to make a cat my new best friend. we've gone from i'm not allowed to look at her to she can sit on a chair in the same room to next to me to NAPPING WITH MY KNEES AS A PILLOW. i'm still not allowed to pet her, but slow and steady progress all the same.

- papusas, nachos, and tacos for lunch. muy rico.

- hbo movies on demand, especially weepy ones, are the only way to spend an evening in alone.

- gave in to almost a decade of pressure and looked up information about getting my driver's license. because for those of you who don't know, i am 25 and have never, ever had a license. i took driver's ed when i was 16, have had two permits, but never took a road test. i read the whole manual today and instead of feeling more sure of myself, i'm scared shitless. SCARED. SHITLESS. but i will still be getting my learner's permit soon. and 30 days after that, i can get my license. and continue to never drive, but at least i'll have a form of ID other than my passport.

$$ and smells

so since i had a semi public freakout here on monday, i guess y'all deserve an update. i'm going to be ok, though i should probably scale back on eating and going out. i got the second job and will probably start next week. i'm still working part time so that i can fit in my second internship, starting this fall and into the spring. a huge sigh of relief all around. xanax remains untouched.

thanks to everyone who expressed concern. goes to show how little hardship i've had to actually deal with in my life when a slight hiccup leaves me unmoored. but i didn't cry about it! at all! in public! or even by myself! and to me, that's the most amazing thing of all of this- i just may be learning how to control my emotions and deal with stress appropriately.

except that i only had cottage cheese, soup, and a corn dog to eat on monday because i lose my appetite when stressed. still not the most healthy thing ever.

on a completely unrelated note: does anyone else out there hate the secret commercial for their new flawless deodorant that has 5 signs of awesomeness of something? the one where the annoying bitch keeps on raising her arms around new york? i can't find a clip of it on youtube (probably because it is the pits PUN INTENDED) but i did find these crazy kids reenacting it, so that will have to do.

wait for it, it will freak you out

funny looking australian animals... have funny looking body parts.

slightly NSFW.

and i'm going to interview for a second job today, so hopefully i won't have to resort to the xanax i have on hand for flying to get me through the day. deep breaths...

money, money, money

must be funny, in a rich man's world.

so, not only have i recently seen mamma mia!- fantastic! amazing! it will change your life... er, your afternoon! but i also recently discovered something a bit disturbing about my financial situation. in that it is dire. money is always such a FUN and STRESS FREE and not at all UNCOMFORTABLE topic to discuss, so i'm not going to get into to it too much just to say that i'm going to have to seriously reevaluate budget stuff and perhaps get another job. on top of my part time one. on top of my internship. and on top of my fall class.

BEING AN ADULT IS SIMPLY THE BEST.

does your mother know you are out? because if she did, she would probably tell you to go home and save some dough.

i'm all over the place

school is still crazy, but i did manage to post... somewhere else.

aren't i a little tease?

so, i start posting again, only to fall off the face of the blog planet. i know, i'm the epitome of going back on my word.

but i don't know if you know this. summer classes- TIME CONSUMING! i'm going to the beach this weekend (hazzah!) so i had to work doubly hard the past week and a half to get ahead on my reading, finish my first assignment, and complete a take home quiz. all worth it to fell the sun on my pale pale belly. because i will not be hiding my tummy light under a one piece- oh no, it will be like a great beacon, calling one and all down to the shore.

but besides the unveiling of the great white for the first time this summer- seriously, what is the world coming to when i haven't been (outside) in a bathing suit until the end of july!- i promise that i've got some good posts abrewing. including a photo essay of my day with a 18 inch sandwich.

1812, you are the death of me

hi, have we met? i'm tatiana and i'm skittish. loud noises often cause me to yelp. sudden movements make me cringe. if you tickle me, odds are i will react with both noise and movement.

so why did i think that going to see the 1812 overture WITH LIVE CANNON (effects) would be a good idea?

perhaps it was because it was preceded by selections from the nutcracker. ah, how i love the nutcracker. i was a mouse. and a toy solider, too i think. i have parts of the nutcracker on my ipod and i rarely skip through it. le sigh.

now, i'm not saying that i'm sad i went. or even that i didn't leave early. i enjoy the 1812 as much as the next person (well, perhaps not as much as my friend diana, but she's crazy). but seriously- LIVE CANNONS. not something i need to experience again.

hello again!

hi, everyone! did i manage to hold onto any readers? probably not. i know that as a blog reader, if someone doesn't keep to schedule, i'm one of the first to fall away.

sorry! what can i say- i've been having a great summer. i love my internship- seriously, if i could work here post graduation, it would be simply divine! it is exactly what i want to be doing- researching and putting together exhibits, working with a small core of people within a larger organization, lots of different topics, the works. ah, fantastic! also, i randomly ran into someone who i went to high school with and we are now office, internet, and (soon to be) real friends! so three cheers to national geographic for being the best internship ever!

new job is going well too. i really like that it is still non profit, so i can wear jeans to work, but not museums, so i don't OD on all things exhibition. people are super nice, we have happy hours every other week, and i get to order things from staples. very very good.

i just started my second class of the summer yesterday, so i feel the next six weeks are going to be a bit more crazy than my previous halcyon days of summer, but if that means i can avoid work by blogging (ahem, like right now) than you will probably have more reading material from me in july than you did in june.

what was i so busy doing, besides pen inventories and photo research? let's see... i've gone to movies, baseball games, trivia nights, revolving bars, had cookouts, hosted a father's day brunch, had some hermit weekend days where i've watched 8+ hours of degrassi:the next generation, hosted a karel visit, perfected my happy dance, bought way more new clothes and shoes than i can afford, read a ton of romance novels, and had many many dates with cheeseburgers, sandwiches, and sushi.

whew, just a bit tiring.

yes, i am alive

but the fire to post doesn't burn quite as strongly.

what can i say, when i give up on something, i go all out.

because i was doing pretty well there for awhile with the daily posting, i feel like i'm taking more from the internet than i'm giving back. here i am, reading all the big names and small local bloggers, learning about parenthood and fashion, and what do i give back?

i used to give back whitty thoughts on the celeb pregnancy craze, snippets of me as a precocious youngster, and photos of my shoes.

now i'm lucky if i post anything once a week.

but i have to think pretty highly of myself if i think that the internet is thrown off balance just because i'm not posting with any sort of regularity. i think i'm just thinking too much about blogging beacuse of this.

now that i have a job that has me sitting at a computer all day on fridays, maybe you can rely on a weekly post.

maybe.

stolen from postsecret.com

OMG

ok, so yesterday was my birthday. la la la, i love my birthday, i have fantastic friends, am having a wienerfest tonight in my honor. yeah, whatever. it is great. i'll blog about it later this weekend with stories of how many hot dogs i ate in a 20 minute period.

but enough about that.

I'M GOING TO MEET CHRISTIAN SIRIANO OF PROJECT RUNWAY AND MARYLAND FAME NEXT WEEKEND.

i have nothing to wear and if he calls me a hot tranny mess, i will die. JUST DIE.

that's a relief!

so, last friday night, i still had one more day of class so i couldn't celebrate the end of the week in my usual style.

so instead, sam, brant, and i watched the scripps national spelling bee. and an american tail.

but we are here to talk about the bee.

i loved that it was LIVE from dc. i loved that the super jewish girl got knocked out on a yiddish word. i also loved her hair.

but mostly... i loved this:

the entire thing is humorous, but make sure you are paying extra close attention at the 34 second mark.

boy oh boy

ok, so i'm going to say it firmly- blog365 is so over for me right now. i could have made up peru, my slacking during finals, but the past two weeks on top of that?

yeah, that isn't going to happen.

because since the last time we've talked, i've kept busy with:
- earning 3 credits in 2 weeks through archeology field school. i spent most of the time digging up at shuter's hill from 9a-4p and the other days in the lab. the days were mad long, the work got a bit dull towards the end, but overall, i had a simply fantastic time. i loved one of my profs so much, pretty much how campers get attached to camp counselors. she loves big love! how could we not be friends? le sigh, i'll miss fran.

- visiting karel and alice in nj/nyc before alice headed out to ethiopia for the summer and karel moves to portland for forever. we had yummy sushi with horrible service at teak and managed to not pass out at the coney island sideshow. it was the best possible way to spend a weekend, for serious.

- finally saw baby mama. yes, it was predictable but i love tina and amy, so really, i knew i was going to enjoy it no matter what. and i'm going to see sex and the city tomorrow!

so, for the next five weeks, i just have my internship for three days a week and working two days a week! then, for six weeks, i have class two nights a week. what a summer! i'll still be posting, but not every day.

whew, good bye self imposed pressure!

open letter to the random man behind the arlington westin

dear sir,

thank you for complimenting my hair. i know that the wind had been having its way with it and it certainly isn't looking the best it can be, but i sincerely appreciate you voicing your opinion.

but no, i will not tell you my name. shower me with compliments all you want, but that will not weaken my resolve.

i bid you a good eve.

sincerely,

tatiana

so little time

so, it seems like i was just finishing up with school... oh wait, because i did just finish LAST WEEK! but i've already got my reading list for my intensive two week archeology class. if you think the posts have been suffering lately, don't hold out any hope for the end of may- in the course of two weeks, i will read three books, many articles, keep a log of all my excavating, take an exam, and plan and carryout a public excavation day.

and then i have one day of rest before i start my new internship and job.

bah.

not only that, i have this staring at me all day:
waiting on my night stand are two copies each of O, Museum, and Smithsonian. and one copy of exhibitionist- which i love in so many ways. the 12 year old boy in my titters because of the name but the master's student in me is all agog over the exhibits featured because it is a museum magazine, not a nude one.

jeez, get your mind out of the gutter.

besides, i keep my flesh mags in the powder room.

a banner day

- frank sinatra's death day. there was supposed to be a party but i think we are going to lump it in with graduation celebrations.

- I GOT A NEW JOB!

it is lovely out so i'm done here. it may only take two things to make today a banner day, but honestly, HA-frickin'-ZZAH!

the hunt

anyone who knows me personally knows that i am NOT happy with my current job situation. not to belabor the fact, but i REALLY am not happy. so i've been sending out cover letters and resumes like whoa.

as of right now, i'm waiting to hear back from the smithsonian about a part time gallery attendant position for the summer. i'm making a call to a non profit that i interviewed at a few weeks ago. the natural trust for historic preservation wants to talk to me.

oh and the sewall-belmont house wants me as a docent. and i would love take that job but it is only for a few hours a week and i would still have to be at the 'bucks! farf- that's the feeling you aren't sure you are going to barf or fart. yeah, sam and i come up with amazing lovely things.

so be on the lookout here for some big news! news!

peruvian fun fact #3

lima is much much prettier than you would imagine.or at least, much prettier than i imagined. my trips to latin and south america have taken be through both rural and urban areas and needless to say, the urban areas (with the exception of cartagena, colombia- MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY, EVER) left much to be desired. dirty, smoggy, loud.

i mean, i'm all of those things, so i can't really be in a place that's just like me too.

enter lima, a city of gardens.
they are sprinkled all throughout the city. and if gardens aren't your thing, how about ancient ruins?
because yeah, they are everywhere too.

there are fun buildings.
and monuments.
the amazing water park... well, that will have to wait for another post.

and the flowers- oh the flowers- and address signs were my obsessions. again, another post.

happy mother's day!

i've got two moms. and not in that particularly cool lesbian caregiver kind of way. more in the mom/step mom kind of way. but because both of my bio parents remarried before i was 4, i don't really remember my "real" parents ever being together, making me an odd child of divorce.

all i can say is that for mother's day, i have twice as much love to spread. but alas, i was remiss is sharing it with one of my moms. like my blogging, i'm slipping with my personal correspondence.

so i hope that you all wished your mom(s) a happy day. i shall be making belated calls on the morrow.

oh yeah, out of town guests- you know how i love them?

well, i've got two more! yayay! elle (from baltimore, not too far) and jake (from australia via calgary- a bit farther) were also in town. my voice is still a bit hoarse from what my be the best rendition of "bohemian rhapsody" i have ever performed. in flower patterned fishnets.

because of course, when you have out of town guests, you need to be on top of your game.

oh yeah, p.s.

so, michael was in town.

and it twas wonderful.

from when we first say each other till we said good bye, it was all hugs and smiles and guacamole and crazy madcap fun.

i love out of town guests.

and believe they should come more often.

peruvian fun fact #2

peru is the motherland of all tubers. and yet, while i was there, it wasn't the potatos that caught my attention but the large kerneled corn.

seriously, that corn... so FANTASTIC. months later, i still dream about that corn, the kernels are large enough to pick off the cob one by one. you can buy corn in the husk for one sol (about 30 cents) and for half a sol more, you can get a large slab of mild campesino cheese shoved between the husk and cob. and it gets all meltly and soft.

mmmm, corn. and cheese.

ok some catchup

i've been horrible with the posting lately- this i know.

so i'm trying to make up for it.

just so you know, i may start writing for real here. like, with capitalization and all.

so... there will be a lot of posts that may seem the same tone. because i'm doing them all at the same time.

enjoy!

I KNEW IT!

oldest children- we are the best for a reason!

and young siblings- science proves me right... you do have it easier!

thanks for the link, middle sib karel.

feliz cinco de mayo

That's right, my beer has a poncho.

Mobile post sent by rizado using Utterz. Replies.

so close!

i'm practically done with my first (and last) year of full time grad school.

sorry for the short post, but i'm concentrating on script writing and format.

i promise to be more exciting soon- if only for two weeks because then i'm back in class.

little red cookbook, little red cookbook

i saw eddie izzard last night.

i screamed.

i clapped.

i clasped emily's hand.

i behaved in the the most schoolgirlish way i have ever in my life.

so totally worth it.

and now i'm beating myself up about it because if i could have waited around for an hour- ONE MEASLY HOUR- i could have met the man that spawned these:

an aside: on cake

when and how did cake become a celebratory food? why is it always birthday cake? why not wedding pie? or going away brownies?

obviously, i have another exhibit brewing in my brain- the evolution of cake as the celebration desert.

and why dessert? why isn't it the birthday baked potato? or congratulations steak?

hmm.... all these interesting thoughts...

NOTE TO COUNTERS: THIS COUNTS AS ONE TOWARDS THE MAKEUPS

even if it is a short post.

this song randomly popped into my head, my heart, and i'm not going to lie, my groins. that music and heavy breathing at the beginning... whew, does things to a girl.



i apologize to my family and folks who just don't need to know that much about me. but honestly, how can you not feel things when a group of men called the zombies are asking you who your daddy is and if he happens to be rich like them.