This weekend I’m heading to Florida for a few days for my cousin’s wedding. True, I haven’t actually talked to this cousin face-to-face or on the phone, well, in 15 years or so, but his mom is a loyal reader of this blog (Hi Aunt Sandy!) and one of my favorite people so off Darling and I go for a few days of family, fun and sun. A mini family reunion of sorts.
It’s also a rarity that I’m not somehow involved in this wedding in a way other than attending since I’m pretty much a perma-bridesmaid. Or if not a bridesmaid I tend to be the executive bride’s helper as was the case with the last few weddings Irish & I attended.
I thought that just for fun I’d take you through the last few weddings I’ve been in.
My college roommate’s wedding, circa 2005 (worst tan line known to man…):
My childhood friend’s wedding, circa 2007, in St. Thomas (most beautiful setting ever):
My (other) college roommate’s wedding, circa New Year’s Eve 2007 (complete with chipmunk cheeks):
My best friend from high school’s wedding, April 2008 (I’m on the far left, in case you couldn’t tell):
and most recently, my best college friend’s wedding in September 2008* (probably my favorite dress out of all of them and I have seven dresses total as we had two dresses for the one above!):
(I was in my cousin’s wedding in 2000 but that was pre-digital camera and I can’t readily find a photo to post so you’ll have to do without.)
If you know of anyone who needs a professional bridesmaid feel free to pass my name along. It’s been a whole year since I’ve been in a wedding and I’m actually itching to be in one which is rather shocking!
Current Book(s): Work in Progress: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, Haruki Murakami;
Finished: Dead as a Doornail, Charlain Harris (I’m in a bit of a reading slump still! I blame work.)
Current Music:
Bon Jovi
Journey
Pretty much anything from the 80s
Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure:
Homemade chocolate chip & oatmeal cookies
Current Colors:
Purple
Current Obsessions: Rediscovering my Domestic Diva
Raking leaves; odd, I know but the green of the grass is much prettier than the dead, brown leaves all over the lawn
Current Drink:
Water
Peppermint Tea
Current Songs:
I honestly can’t think of a single song right now that’s my favorie or that I’m listening to over and over again. Unusual for me!
Current Movie: The Last Kiss
Casablanca
Current TV Show:
Color Splash, HGTV
Dawson’s Creek (I’m rewatching them because, well, I feel like it)
Current Wish-List:
Less pain and suffering amongst my friends; there’s been too much of it lately
Current Needs:
Clarity
Current Triumph(s):
Well it hasn’t happened yet but I’m taking a whole week off of work this month and will be disconnecting my work email from Blackberry. First time in three years I’ve done NO work on a vacation so if I can pull it off, it will be huge for me.
Current Bane(s) of my Existence:
I signed up for NaBloPoMo but no idea if I’ll make it
House Hunters on HGTV because the demographic of people on that show bothers me. First homes that cost $350,000? Seriously? And don’t get me started on House Hunters International; I wish I could have a second home in Italy!
Current Goal(s):
Three more pounds to go to reach my weight loss goal
Pull off NaBloPoMo this month so I can improve my writing
Current Indulgence:
Target shopping trips
Afternoon naps on the weekends
Current Blessing:
Each day is a blessing. I know, corny, but lately, it’s so very true.
Current Slang or Saying:
I’ve been dropping the F-Bomb a lot as of late. Terrible, I know.
Current (Fav) Outfit:
Comfort is what I’m going for lately, at work, at home, at the gym
Current Excitement:
Trip to Florida this month for my cousin’s wedding
Thanksgiving & lots of family time
Current Book(s): Work in Progress: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, Haruki Murakami;
Finished: Club Dead, Charlain Harris (I’m in a bit of a reading slump currently)
Current Music:
The Beatles
The Supremes
Marvin Gaye
Stevie Wonder
Current Colors:
Sunflower yellow is quickly growing on me
Current Obsessions:
Cleaning/organizing
Baking
Reading cooking magazines
Thinking up crafty projects
Current Drink:
Water.
100 calorie Coca-Cola if I need one
Slim Fast
Current Songs:
A Little Less Conversation, Elvis Presley
Current Movie: Duplicity.
Can’t wait to see Away We Go
Current TV Show:
Sons of Anarchy
Current Wish-List:
I’d like my hair to grow faster and stop growing gray hairs
Believe it or not, more hours in the work day
Current Needs:
Sleep, always sleep.
To plan my week long vacation at the end of October
Current Triumph(s):
Slaying work projects left and right.
Conquering new dishes in the kitchen.
Staying in better touch with friends and family.
Current Bane(s) of my Existence:
Not enough time in the day to read books, catch up on blogs
Current Goal(s):
Lose five pounds by December (I’ve lost a few in the last two months)
Read a memoir by one of my favorite political figures or actors/actresses by end of the year
Current Indulgence:
Homemade chocolate chip cookies
Current Blessing:
It’s fall!
Current Slang or Saying:
I’m not sure what I’ve been saying a lot of lately.
Current (Fav) Outfit:
I’m digging the preppy look: black pants, white blouse, argyle sweater/vest and lots of fun jewelry to go with it
Current Excitement:
Birthday celebration with the family this weekend.
A fun, graphic desinger wedding to attend in two weeks
Visiting my BFF and her husband in three weekends for winery trips, a pumpkin patch & corn maze excursion and lots of relaxing
Following Tabitha’s lead it’s time for me to stop slacking and write a proper post. About Me (duh). Specifically, what’s new and what’s up with me:
* Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy! Two of my best friends brought me good news this week. One is moving in with her boyfriend this weekend which is a great next step for them. The other one called to say that she and her husband are taking a walk down Baby Lane. I literally did happy dances for both friends when I found out.
* I’m hooked on phonics. I have a book glued to my hand as much as possible. I’ve started taking one to work for the rare occasions I enjoy a “real” lunch hour, leave one stashed in my purse and have at least four ready-to-read books at Irish’s and a large pile at my parents.
* Follow your Feet. (Can anyone name what movie that line is from?) I haven’t posted a lot lately. The biggest reason is stress some of which is from work, some of which I bring upon myself. When I feel like that I don’t want to overshare or be a debbie downer, not to mention my creative juices are totally sucked out of me by the end of the day. Over the last few weeks I’ve been acutely aware of the fact that I can indeed control my stress and anxiety levels so I’m taking it one day at a time. I don’t make myself feel bad if a project takes longer than I thought or if something unexpected takes place. I make my daily to-do list in the morning, rather than the night before. The result: I’m sleeping better, planning less, thinking more positively and breathing easier. I’m just reminding myself to put one foot in front of the other and taking it one step/day at a time.
* Fall. It’s coming. Leaves are changing from green to yellow, orange and red. The mornings are crisp, car windows are fogged up and evenings call for sweatshirts and jeans. Jack is extra cuddly. Irish and I are making grand plans for the next few months (trip to Chicago, visit my best friend & her husband for a fall winery weekend, MU Homecoming and more). The social calendar is pleasantly filling up and I’ll be taking a look at my graduate school options too.
* Slim Gym. So my body, which is normally pretty cooperative, decided to get one whopper of a strep throat/sinus infection combo (which is 90% of the way gone now) and has killed my exercising efforts for the last two weeks. Starting next week I’m reorganizing my health & fitness goals. Irish and I are challenging each other, in the most friendliest of ways, to each give up one thing we know we enjoy a bit too much/too often. I’m going to the gym four days a week again and if I have time for more? Great. If not? I won’t make myself feel bad about it. I’m contemplating starting Bikram Yoga to help with the relaxation of the mind and body. I’m a bit behind on my 5k training as a result but I’m still going to give it a go in October especially because this particular 5k benefits the school one of my favorite kids that I used to watch. Above all, I’m going to remember to take it nice and slow. Change won’t happen over night, but attitudes can.
* Twenty Faux Birthday. My birthday is in less than three weeks. I’ll be 26 on the 29th. I kind of want to hold onto to 25 because it’s been one hell of a year for me. I’m not really sure how I feel about this birthday; I have no big plans other than having a mini-party at my parents house with Wii games, beer and delicious dinner cooked by Darling. 26. Weird.
And no, I didn’t forget what today is. I just know that even eight years later I still can’t do what/how I felt (feel) justice in a post but suffice to say:
Current Book(s): Lover Eternal, JR Ward
Club Dumas
Current Music:
The Fray; Coldplay; Elvis Presley; anything jazz
Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure:
Pita Chips with pub cheese
Current Colors:
blue, my go-to color
Current Obsessions:
Weeds (on Season 4)
Finishing Felicity (also on Season 4)
Training for the 5k’s that are coming up this fall, which is really my transition into half marathon training
Current Drink:
Water, Rich Chocolate Royale Slim Fast and if I need a soda, Diet Cherry Coke
Current Songs: Green Eyes, by Coldplay
Current Movie: This it totally pathetic but I just bought Son-in-Law. The movie always makes me laugh.
Current TV Show:
Rescue Me and anxiously awaiting Sons of AnarchY
Current Wish-List:
Not feeling so exhausted after I get home from work
Current Needs:
Vacation. Irish and I are in the process of planning one. Remote lake vacation, here we come!
Current Triumph(s):
Loving living at home. It’s really pretty awesome, my parents are great, and I’m saving money. Couldn’t be better.
Current Bane(s) of my Existence:
Living out of a suitcase half of the month
My brother is leaving for college next week (great for him, but lonely for me)
Current Goal(s):
Get together a half-marathon training plan
Learn to be more patient at work with certain co-workers
Current Indulgence:
$5 movies on sale at Target.
Shoes on sale at Target
Pretty much anything on sale at Target…
Current Blessing:
I have a personal day next week to help my younger brother move into his new apartment at school. It will certainly be an emotional day but I’m glad I can be there for him
Current Slang or Saying:
Splendid!
Current (Fav) Outfit:
Strapless navy dress I bought at Target. It’s comfortable, fashionable and I pretty much love it
Current Excitement:
My brother is turning 21 in a few weeks so Irish and I will be visiting him to help him celebrate
October trip planned with Irish
Jack received a clean bill of health at the vet last week (taking him to the vet always makes me nervous)
Current Mood:
Relaxed
******************************
Ashley tagged me in the 5 Sexy Things meme.
The rules are plain & simple:
* Write 5 things that make you feel sexy.
* Post a pic if you dare!
* Pass it on to 5 lovely bloggers.
Things that make me feel sexy…
1. My little Black Dress
2. How relaxed my body feels after a good run (at least 2.5 miles)
3. Doing my eyeliner and eyeshadow like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
4. When I channel my Domestic Diva
5. Rain (big surprise there!)
As for the tagging aspect, if you are up to it, have at it:
Alright, so it’s been almost a month since I returned from NOLA, but better late than never.
Highlights of the trip:
* A 12 hour road trip with Darling & Irish. Thank goodness for recently won Nintendo DSi’s (thanks, Rebekah!), crossword puzzles, Junior Mints & XM Radio.
* Surviving a night in Batesville, MS. I mean survive in the sense that we were creeped out by the huge caskset factory and the constant reminder of Bates Motel, as in Alfred Hitchock.
* A lovely three bedroom house that we rented in the Magazine District for the week in NOLA. With really kick-ass air conditioning, which is a must in the humid, hot, stickyness that is the NOLA air.
* Cats! No, not the musical. The animal. I fell in love with the outdoor cats that lived under our house. There was a huge bowl of food and water that was magically filled each morning, by the neighbor I assume, and apart from a literal cat fight at one point, they were incredibly sweet.
* Cooter Brown’s. Irish had a hankering for oysters and since he was kind enough to use a week’s worth of his vacation to join me and the fam in NOLA, I had to make sure we got him what he wanted. Double bonus: this restaurant boasted over 400 kinds of beer from around the world. He and my dad tried a few different kinds. Triple bonus: Big, flat screen TVs on which to watch the first pitch of the MLB All-Star Game.
* A Haunted History Tour. Terrifying. Exhilarting. Intriguing. Goosebump-causing. Check out Darling’s post she wrote about the tour, complete with pictures of yours truly hiding behind the fans they gave us.
* Hurricane’s at Pat O’Brien’s. I’ve had ‘em before, but it’s a must when you’re planning on a) spooking the shit out of yourself and b) when it’s 100 degrees with the sun down. This is what happens you down one HUGE hurricane in less than 20 minutes:
* Really great conferences. I know, why would I want to do work when I was in NOLA? Well, I had no choice since that was the whole point of the trip and trust me, my dad and I worked our tails off. We had networking breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings. Afternoon planning sessions. Sidebar conversations during keynotes. As always, I learned a lot about the business (IT), myself and where my job will be headed. One of the boutique stores picked up on who was in town:
* The French Quarter. If you can ignore or tolerate the stench of pee and sweat, you’ll find some lovely things like the French Market, antique stores of all kinds, tiny little bookshops, bars on every corner, absinthe and more.
* Sharks. We did take a little bit o’ time off while we were there to head to the Aquarium. My favorites: Sharks. Jelly Fish. The huge turtle that was much bigger than the shark. Considering Irish loves sharks this was a must-do on the list.
* Inside Jokes. It’s been awhile since I’ve traveled with most of the family (my brother chose to stay in StL so he could go to the All-Star Game, I don’t blame him) and it’s amazing how many new jokes arise from the trip. We still giggle over some of the sayings and things we came up with while there, including the time I fell in the French Quarter. Uneven old bricks + flip-flops do not a steady Nora make.
My only wish is that we had a tad more time to explore the city via a plantation tour or swamp tour. If I ever go back, those will be high on my list since I’ve traipsed all around the French Quarter & Bourbon street already.
While it was had doing triple-duty while I was there (work/girlfriend/daughter duties), it was one of the better work trips I’ve been on, most likely because I had most of my loved ones around me.
When on a summer’s morn I wake,
And open my two eyes,
Out to the clear, born-singing rills
My bird-like spirit flies.
To hear the Blackbird, Cuckoo, Thrush,
Or any bird in song;
And common leaves that hum all day
Without a throat or tongue.
And when Time strikes the hour for sleep,
Back in my room alone,
My heart has many a sweet bird’s song –
And one that’s all my own.
- William Henry Davis
I remember the years of summer days and nights that were endless: numerous sleepovers spent cutting out photos of the latest hot celebrities and taping them onto our binders for the next school year; hours spent on AOL IM; family vacations; floating in the pool; ignoring the “s” word as much as possible until after Labor Day.
I remember the time spent in college searching for internships, the perfect summer job; escaping to my parents for a break; relishing in my summer school classes like a dork; dancing until all hours of the night; day dreaming about being a “real,” adult.
I remember the rude awakening post-graduation. No more summer breaks. Less freedom. More of my life tied to Corporate America and a steady paycheck. Somewhere between work, graduate school and other social events, I’ve lost my summer song.
Mandy declared this the “Summer of Me.” Kyla has her summer dubbed “the Summer of Starting Over.”
I’m following suit and declaring this the summer I rediscover my song.
I’ve become too bogged down in the daily hum-drum time table I have indavertently grown accustomed to. Graduate school and 10-hour work days has sucked my creativity dry, my will to cook away, and a bit of my pizzazz has just poof! disappeared.
While I can’t change the fact that I’m working long hours, I can change other things, like my graduate school schedule, the number of social events I say yes to, the tasks I undertake.
I realize we are halfway through the summer – although I’m not entirely sure how that’s happened- but I’m going to work on finding my inner song. I had the song on repeat just before this last graduate school class but it was drowned out by all the theories, concepts, study questions and more over the last nine weeks.
I want to bake extravagant desserts for no reason. I want to experiment with new dishes in the kitchen. I want to blog more and fill up pages in my personal journal. I want to spend hours by the pool. I want to read a book in 24 hours because I can. I want to go on long walks with Jack and Irish. I want to kick my own ass at the gym on a more regular basis. I want to go on a spontaneous trip and plan a few others. I want to feel more inspired. I want to get back to doing the random sweet things for Irish. I want to send out more cards. I want to redecorate my rooms at my parents.
Things like graduate school and extra hours at the office can wait. As Kyla mentioned in her most recent post, it’s important to think about how much time we have left and what we’d like to spend it doing.
Yes, I do want my Masters, but I don’t need it NOW. It’s not going to change my job, my salary or any other aspect of my life other tha my pride and the space it takes up on my wall.
Yes, my friends are important to me, but I can’t keep giving all the time because at the end of the day, there has to be something left for me.
So while it may be belated, I have until late September to enjoy my summer and find my summer song. And once I find it? I’ll learn to be better at carrying it with me through the rest of the year.
Back from a week-long work trip. It was a whirlwind working triple duty (all day meetings, working remotely at night and trying to be a good girlfriend to Irish who came along for the journey).
Was it great? Yes.
Stressful? Hell yes.
Did I manage to really see NOLA? Double check.
I’m rather swamped this week with more catch-up work, family coming to town, a garage sale and a final sweep of my apartment (my landlord has someone who wants to lease it before mine is up which means a money back in my pocket!) and oh, that pesky thing called school.
But I’m sure you are dying to hear about some of my trip to NOLA, so please check out the post I wrote for Mandy.
I will likely and shamefully be marking my reader “READ,” so please let me know what’s new with you, what posts I must read and know that I missed all of you much more than I thought possible.
(I have some great posts coming soon, I promise, so don’t abandon me yet, dear readers.)
Current Book(s): The Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride
(I just finished Julie & Julia by Julie Powell so that I can see the movie when it comes out.)
Current Music:
Dave Mattews Band: Big Whiskey & the Groogrux King
Maroon 5
Twilight Soundtrack
Current Colors:
Bright green
Brown
(not to wear, for decorative purposes only)
Current Obsessions:
Unpacking at my parent’s house
Felicity via Netflix. Currently on Season Three.
Current Drink:
Dr. Pepper Cherry
Water
Current Songs: You & Me, Dave Matthews Band
Current Movie: Anything mindless and girlie
Current TV Show:
True Blood
Clean House (I am addicted to the darn show)
Current Wish-List:
More vacation time
Being able to work from home more often
Current Needs:
SLEEP (Which is a recurring theme each time I do these recaps)
To sit down and send cards to friends and family
Current Triumph(s):
I’ve made it to the halfway mark in my summer class!
Current Bane(s) of my Existence:
Unpacking.
Getting someone to take apart my futon & move it for me since the movers had no success with that
Current Goal(s):
Be completely settled at the ‘rents by August 1st
Plan a fall vacation with Irish
Schedule some much needed Nora-time
Current Indulgence:
Cheese.
Current Blessing:
Too many to count but here are a few: the temperature is not in the 100s. Work is busy which makes the day fly by. Jack is totally adorable when he plays with his stuffed animal toys (they even go with us on walks).
Current Slang or Saying:
Oh really?
Current (Fav) Outfit:
My Anne Taylor Loft jeans, pretty much any top, paired with appropriate heels or flip-flops
Current Excitement:
New Orleans work trip/peppered with some fun starts this Friday
Halfway done with my grad class
Figuring out next grad school steps
Saving money since I’m no longer living in an apartment
