Craving Nature:

Wherever this is, it is where I want to be right now. Seriously, click to enlarge and take in all of the beauty.

From the amazing Dooce.

I know no better feeling than driving down country roads with the windows down, the sun shining, cool temperatures, and changing leaves. And that is what feeling this picture evokes. It is pure. bliss.

In The News:

This is just crazy!

Will You Take A Rain Check?:

I will be rather absent for the next two weeks since I am *gasp* actually busy at work. The end and beginning of every month always bring lots of things to be done around the office, but I promise that I'll be around every now and then to write some posts (including a more detailed run down of the fun, albeit disappointing, weekend).

In the meantime, here is a complete gratuitous picture of Emerson when he was a wee 6 weeks old. This was the only time when he was a good puppy...

Meh:

Like I said, I read "Choke" recently and was super pumped to see the movie this weekend. The trailer was slightly discouraging because it seemed as if it would be a comedy with little emphasis on the dark side of the novel... but I went anyways. I really couldn't enjoy the movie because a. I knew what was going to happen, b. I couldn't stop thinking about all of the differences from the book and just enjoy.

I should have known better... I like to go into a movie knowing absolutely nothing about the plot or anything. This allows for a more complete surprise aspect and more raw enjoyment of the film on my part. Oh well. If you haven't read the book, the movie was quite good... Chris definitely enjoyed it.

I think next time I'll steer clear of doing this though.

I've Been (Im)patiently Waiting:

When I went to see the Sex and the City movie with my wonderful friend V, we saw the trailer for a movie that was sure to be the cause for our next girl's-night-out... At the end it proudly proclaimed "Coming August 2008". So sure. So concrete. August came and went and there were no promos for this film we were so thrilled to see on the big screen... I was perplexed.

Then I saw on Perez that there were some hold ups on the part of the movie company. He blamed it on Jennifer Anniston sucking (he really hates her, I don't get it!), but either way it meant that the release would be postponed. This came to mind today and I took to Google to find out...

"He's Just Not That Into You" now has a release date of February 6th.



The inspiration came from Sex and the City, the book did phenomenally well, it has a star-studded cast to say the least... I just don't get why it has been pushed back from a prime summer date, to the middle of winter. Yuck! It will probably be totally corny, but I love a mindless romantic comedy, especially when there are actually decent actors involved.

For all of you Big Love fans, Ginnifer Goodwin (Margene) is in the movie! I think she is so beautiful and I can't wait to see her in some more roles!

Friday Foolishness:

I forgot to do this last week, but here is another video to celebrate the coming of the weekend. Enjoy!



Oh god... I laugh so hard, even as I watch this for the 164th time.

This Is Good News For Me:

Apparently the Tyra Banks Show had an episode titled: "Are you doomed for divorce?" There is an accompanying quiz to determine if you are, in fact, "doomed for divorce" that states that you have a 14% less likely chance of divorcing if you have a "religious affiliation".

I'm just going to say it: That is bullshit.

Percentage that have been divorced at some point in their lives (which is a more accurate picture than those who currently hold the status of "divorced"):
Jewish- 30%
Born-Again Christian- 27%
Other Christian- 24%
Atheist/Agnostic- 21%

If you'd like a more detailed breakdown of the Christian categories, here they are:
Non-denominational- 34%
Baptist- 29%
Mainline Protestant- 25%
Mormon- 24%
Catholic- 21%
Lutheran- 21%

I have found these figures through multiple sources.

Being raised to be Catholic and as a practicing Atheist, I think I'll do okay. I have no problems with other people and what they choose to believe, but I don't appreciate it when people make negative assumptions and act as if their spiritual path is superior to mine through little jabs such as this. I know that religion is a touchy subject, and I do not intend to dwell on this topic, so please don't feel as if I am attacking anyone in particular... unless of course you are the creator of that quiz. Then I totally can't stand you and wish you would stop breathing. Thanks!

(This topic was brought to my attention when I stumbled upon a really old post by Mrs. Bluebell on WeddingBee.)

New Projects:

Luckily I have a jam-packed weekend planned, because I just found some awesome crafts that I would love to do. Unfortunately crafting turns me into a recluse and I've been doing quite a bit of that lately (including reading, another reclusive activity) so I'm in need of some non-stop human interaction! Here are three of the things that I want to do oh-so-badly:

From good 'ole Martha.

And this from Design*Sponge. (Except I'd do it in white!)

Also from Design*Sponge.

Oh yeah, and I just got some cute finds on my lunch break from Agora, which is a vintage/thrift/antique shop downtown! I'll take pictures when I do something useful with them!

Puppy Routine:

When we leave the house each day we have to do the following things:
-Make sure there aren't any phone chargers or cords laying on the floor.
-Make sure there are no socks within Lily's reach (she goes nuts for socks!).
-Pull the blinds up a bit so they don't get utterly destroyed in Emerson's attempt to guard the apartment from any canine passer-by.
-Put Emerson in the bedroom.
-Put Lily in the living room.

Keeping them separated highly cuts down on the amount of destruction that occurs while we're away. Actually, it completely eliminates it from the equation. They get so riled up when they are playing that they channel their energy towards ripping up any bed linens that get in their path. It's all fun and games until mommy or daddy come home...

Anyways, the point of this is that Lily does the cutest thing every morning during this routine. She knows full and well that she is staying out in the living room, but every morning she runs into the bedroom with Emerson, jumps on the bed, lays down, and either tries to look as cute and innocent as possible or even pretends to be asleep in an attempt to be left in the room with her big brother. It is so funny and cute! Sometimes the thought crosses my mind to leave her since she obviously wants to be in there so badly, but then the image of my comforter fluff being spread out all over the floor forces me to pick her up and carry her out.

Regardless, it breaks my heart almost every morning. They really are a little duo, and I can tell that despite their sibling quarrels, they really do love eachother.

Just look at them during bath-time!

Oh No You Didn't:

A few days ago meteorologists were predicting beautiful weather with not a cloud in sight for this weekend's immensely important football game... But now, weather.com is showing me this...



...and I don't like it one bit.

I Guess It Ain't A Secret Anymore:

If you recall, in this episode of the much-missed Sex and the City Ms. Bradshaw talks about "Secret Single Behavior"... ya know, those little routines or indulgences that you do when you are single, or when your man is not around? Charlotte admits that she would look at her pores in a magnified mirror for hours. (Way to rub it in that you have flawless skin, you evil wench!) Carrie's SSB: eating peanut butter crackers while reading fashion magazines... in her kitchen... standing up. I loved this so much because it is eerily similar to my SSB of dipping Ritz crackers straight into the peanut butter jar for a yummy snack while watching old Sex and the City re-runs in my slippers.

(Disclaimer: I swear I am the neatest person at the cracker-dipped-into-the-peanut-butter-jar ever. There is a long running joke in my family about the manner in which I like to butter my bread, and if you've ever seen my accomplish this task, you know that it is were my OCD shines at it's brightest and describing the act as "meticulous" only begins to scratch the surface. I promise the two are very similar.)

It's not that I am embarrassed about this behavior (obviously, since I am plastering it all over the world wide web) but it is just one of those things that I love to do when I'm alone. But I caught myself doing it in front of Chris the other day... I didn't realize what I was doing until my tongue was already sticking to the roof of my mouth from the peanut buttery goodness. Surprisingly it felt okay. I think that this is a true testament to how comfortable I am around him now... which feels nice.

I Might Have A New Obsession:

Speaking of hedgehogs, these are just too adorable...

From Etsy seller The Gnomes' Joy Club.

From Etsy seller Bean Pickle Sprout.

Stamp Lovin:

If I had a reason to use stamps, I would have boxes and boxes of these cuties! Come to think of it... I use stamps at work to mark when studies have been scanned, entered, coded in the database, etc. Maybe instead of the boring things we have around the office, I should invest in one of these cuties! Nothing says "professional" like robots or hedgehogs who are in love, right?



Both from Etsy shop Norajane.

From Etsy shop Love Sprouts.

From Etsy shop CraftPudding.

From Etsy shop Cupcake Tree.

From Etsy shop Doodlebug Design.

Okay, this post could go on for days with all of the cute stamps on Etsy... so I'll just stop there.

It's Time For Us To Come Together*:

I don't pretend to know everything that there is to know about politics and I seldom let the word even pass through my lips... but here is what I know for certain:

-I am 110% pro-choice.
(It is a woman's body, let her choose.)
-I am most definitely for gay rights.
(It's 2008! I cannot believe that there are still people without equal rights.)
-We desperately need universal health care.
(Let's be honest, if Canadians can do it, so can we.)
-We shouldn't be in Iraq still.
(We probably shouldn't have been there in the first place.)
-Something needs to change.

And based on those criteria, I know that I cannot vote Republican this year.



*Entry title from Ray Nagin's speech following Hurricane Katrina. He then went on to say, "This city will be chocolate at the end of the day." Chris and I still laugh hysterically at this ridiculous speech.

High School Style:

Like I said, I was accompanying my friend to compete in a beauty pageant this weekend. Every time I go to one of these competitions, I always make a sign to visually assist in my audio onslaught. I know, classy, right? Here is the old-school style sign (ya know, the kind you used to make for high school football games and such?) that I made for this past weekend:


Unfortunately this crowd was lame and engaged in little more than a golf clap. Since I was completely alone in the audience, I kept things a little more toned down that I normally do.

I used some old scrapbooking paper (this hobby consumed four years of my life... never again will I partake in it again, and thus I am left with boxes of leftover materials and supplies) and freehand cut all of the letters. When my old glue wasn't holding up on the "V" in the middle of the pageant, I had to resort to my lip gloss as adhesive. Worked like a charm. ;)

I Forgot How Much I Loved This Song:

I Would Marry Stafford:

For the first time since 1998, ESPN's College GameDay will be coming to Athens, Georgia this weekend for our game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Anyone who is a Georgia Bulldogs fan knows that ESPN basically hates us. Every week they barely talk about us or completely omit our best highlights. The anti-Georgia bias is blatant and ridiculous.

I am so glad to finally be getting some recognition, and I cannot wait to be at this game. Night games always provide for added enthusiasm (it's much easier to scream your ass off when you're not battling a heat stroke). The energy in Sanford Stadium is going to be out. of. control. Hopefully it will top the Florida and Auburn games from last season, although I don't know if that's possible.

And maybe Knowshon will do another one of these:


Oh yeah, and there is going to be this. Hell yes.

Etsy Shop of the Week:

While looking for this fall's greatest accessory, the feather headband, I came across A Farmer's Daughter's shop. Oh my goodness this stuff is great! Here are a few of my favorites:







She also makes some pretty cute jewelry, but I'm just drawn to these feathered headbands! I love the ones with buttons... How cute are they?!

Realizations About Reality:

It's back to work and school today, but I think that the weekend getaway definitely helped me to gain some of the clarity that I was so desperately in need of. Just getting out of Athens was what I needed.

Being in Athens makes me so anxious... anxious to graduate, anxious to move, anxious to get as far away as possible. Not that I haven't loved living here, I'm just ready to get to that next stage in my life and being in a college town only helps to perpetuate the feeling that I am stuck in time. But I need to be logical and responsible about my plans. And as much as I'm dying to get out... staying might be more of that responsible thing I'm speaking of. Not that I'll stay in Athens... god no... but using my contacts and networking here in the Atlanta area to land a decent job that will give me the coveted experience on my resume would be a wise move in this struggling economy.

Things are definitely still up in the air at this point, but the thought of being in Atlanta for just one or two more years doesn't absolutely kill me on the inside anymore... it makes me feel like I'm being responsible about my future. (Even though "responsible" rarely coincides with "fun". Le sigh.)

Weekend Getaway:

Alright, I'm off to this place for the weekend...


Getting out of Athens should be a nice change. Be back Sunday night!

Forgotten Secret:

I'm still not sure what triggered this particular memory in my head, but I chuckled to myself yesterday upon it's recollection and felt it interesting enough to be shared...

Right before I turned 21 I participated in a sting operation with a nearby county's Sheriff's office. This was all very hush hush, but I figure it has been almost two years so it's safe for me to tell the tale.

I walked into several convenience stores armed with my real ID (which clearly stated that I was 20 years old at the time) and ten bucks that the cops waiting outside had marked and given me. I nervously handed each of the cashiers my real ID and through shaking hands paid for the beer. Even though I was in cahoots with the police department, I was still terrified that I would be turned down. What was the worst that could have happened? They call the cops only to have them walk in to fetch me? I don't know why I was so nervous, but lying has never been my forte.

Every time I breathed a sigh of relief as they handed me my change from the transaction and I walked out successfully. I then handed over the change and the 6-pack to the officers who were watching the entire thing from a neighboring parking lot. I waited as they took the cashier and put them into the back of their cop cars, and off we went to the next target.

(It's The Police... Get it?)

I definitely felt a little bad for helping bust these places (especially since I was never one to adhere to the legalities of the drinking age) but it was exciting and I got a nice little check in the mail for my hard work. I know it wasn't a competition, but the other girl who was participating in the stings only successfully bought alcohol from one place and I managed to bust every single one that I attempted.

The story was in the local paper the next week, but luckily my mug wasn't plastered next to it as a conspirator. :)

I didn't tell anyone at the time (again with the hush hush-ness to it all) but it's a fun story to tell now! Maybe my life has been a little more interesting than I give it credit for...

In Case You're A History Nerd Like Me:

I'm starting my senior thesis this week and although I haven't developed a clear thesis yet, I have officially found my topic and started the researching leg-work. I'm going to write 20 pages about the juxtaposition of beauty pageants and dance halls in the Caribbean and how they reflect the larger gendered race relations in the region. I'm totally pumped about this topic... it should be fun!

(On a similar note, I'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon to spend the entire weekend up in the North Georgia mountains to assist my best gal pal V in competing in a beauty pageant... Oh the irony.)

This senior thesis class marks Chris and I's fifth history class together, including the one in which we met of course. He is beginning the process of applying to graduate programs at the moment (better late that never, right?) and I get all giddy thinking about sitting in on his lectures as a history professor one day! Knowing me, I'll most likely force him into telling his students that we met in an undergrad history class, and knowing him, he'll hate doing it but will reluctantly oblige just to see me smiling like a fool in the back row. I can't wait!

As Promised:

I said that Etsy seller oktak would be coming out with some new items for fall... and boy did she deliver! These fabrics are so cute. Here are my favorites of the new designs:







The second one is definitely my favorite of the three, but I love them all!

Best Cities For Singles:

Forbes magazine came out with there annual "Best Cities for Singles" a couple of days ago. For the first time ever Atlanta topped the list at number 1! I mean, I'm not surprised because nobody can resist that Southern charm. ;)

From here.


Forbes takes into account the following criteria:
-Number of singles.
-Nightlife.
-Coolness.
-Culture.
-Job Growth.
-Online Dating.
-Cost of Living Alone.

To me, nightlife and culture should cover that super ambiguous "coolness" factor. Also, if the single life is so great, why should online dating matter? And how exactly is that gauged? No offense to anyone out there in cyberworld, but online dating is not something I see myself partaking in anytime soon, and therefore is of little to no importance to me.

Here is how the list turned out this year:
1. Hotlanta
2. San Francisco
3. Dallas
3. Minneapolis
5. Washington, DC
6. Seattle
7. Boston
8. New York
9. Orlando
10. Phoenix
11. Chicago
12. Denver- Aurora
13. Miami
14. Austin
15. San Antonio
16. Los Angeles
17. Houston
18. Charlotte
19. San Diego
20. St. Louis

Check out the full article for the entire list of cities. (And yes, Dallas and Minneapolis tied. That double-3 is not a typo.)

Etsy Shop of the Week:

Although I absolutely adore Miss Lily's current collar, these make me rethink said adoration. Etsy seller Pecan Pie Puppies has the most splendid collars to go along with the cutest little tagline: "Handmade Collars with Southern Flair." Oh me, oh my.





And no true Southern pup can go without some college football! Even though this is intended for South Carolina... I'm left wondering if that red couldn't be conveyed as some Bulldawg pride... I just love it!

Five Favorites:

Let's switch things up a bit and stray away from the entertainment industry for this week's installment, shall we? How about my five favorite places in Europe? Oh wait, I've never been to Europe. Damn. Alright, I'll share the five places on the glorious continent that I want to visit most.

From here.
-Oh, Paris. I could even use my new French-speaking skills!

From here.
-Nice, France. Okay, shut up, I really wanna go to France! So sue me.

From here.
-Prague, Czech Republic. The city just seems mysterious to me. I don't know why.

From here.
-Zurich, Switzerland. Skiing the Alps is my dream.

From here.
-Amsterdam, Netherlands. Sex, drugs, and... well... probably more hookers.

Predictable? Yes. So very American of me? Probably. But I figure you've got to hit the big spots before you can even begin to understand how to figure out the infinitely cooler, less tourist-y places.

Previous Installment.

Parlez-vous français?:

I took my final exam for my Independent Study course this morning. Yay! Multicultural Diversity isn't terribly interesting, let's be honest. I am definitely glad to be done, not only because that puts me 3 credit hours closer to graduation (and when you have as little left as I do, 3 hours is a lot!) but also because that means I can start my next Independent Study course! Why so excited about school, you ask? Well, because the next class I am taking is: Beginning French! Oh la la!

At work, I am going to forgo listening to music on the days that I am not on the phone and listen to silly French instructional videos on YouTube. I cannot wait!

(Did I mention that I'm a quarter French, quarter French/Canadian?)

Choke:

This was the other book that I finished this weekend:



I read Fight Club back in high school and had heard great things about all of Chuck Palahniuk's books, but I originally went in for "Invisible Monsters". That was until I saw a little sticker saying "Now a major motion picture". Oh yeeeeeah... I heard they were making it a movie! I thought might as well read it before the movie comes out. I can get to "Invisible Monsters" later.

Well, come to find out the movie starts next Friday! Woot! The only things is, it will only be in selected theaters. I have yet to figure out a way to see if any theaters here in Athens will even be playing it. I guess I'll find out next week!

I really liked the book and am definitely interested to see how graphic they get with some of the sex scenes... but after watching the trailer, it looks like it'll be pretty raunchy.

My Personal Victory:

I already confessed my dirty little secret... and after being unable to spark any interest that weekend, I opted to figure out a new strategy: find more interesting things to read. I headed over to Barnes & Noble after work yesterday and came out with three new books.

Last night I finished this book:



I enjoyed it thoroughly and didn't put it down until I finished. Personal victory... woot woot!

I immediately picked up the next book in my stack... I'll let you know what it is once I finish, but I will tell you:
a) I was shocked to see the main character having the same name as one of my more significant ex's... and sharing a couple of his key character traits. (As you'll see, this is not a good thing.)
b) I woke up this morning dying to curl up in my papasan and pick up where I left off last night. Maybe... dare I say... I'm cured?

Bedroom Inspiration:

Being a college student, my apartment is relatively a hodge-podge of cute but cheap items with little regard to any actual cohesion. With a big move and a new stage in my life on the horizon, I would like to actually decorate with purpose in my new place.

That being said, the room at the top of my agenda: the bedroom. Great, now that I have that settled, what look am I going for? Honestly I have no idea. I'm in need of some inspiration, stat!

I headed on over to PointClickHome to simply pick out some bedrooms that struck me. From there, maybe I'll be able to figure out my personal style, and then how to achieve it? One can hope. Here are the images that jumped out at me:













This one is probably my favorite:


Some things I learned along the way:
-I like rather tall beds... nothing even close to the floor is for me.
-Reading lamps mounted to the wall by the bed are an immediate turn-off.
-Bulky furniture just isn't for me.
-Light fixtures are a quintessential part to any room.
-I'm all about neutrals with a hint of color... no extremes.
-Clutter makes me cringe.
-Minimalistic rooms lack that warm feeling to me.

Overall, I think that the key to a good bedroom is comfort... something that makes you want to roll around in bed all day long. Once that long-awaited real job and accompanying real paycheck come along, a really nice bed will be priority numero uno!

Friday Foolishness:

Yeah, it's Friday again... I'm looking forward to a weekend of college football, studying for a final exam, and hanging out with my puppies and my sweetie. If the weather is nice, maybe we'll go on a picnic or something!

To celebrate the coming of the weekend, here is another ridiculously funny video. Enjoy!



This was probably the best thing that Human Giant ever did. Hilarious.

Etsy Shop of the Week:

If you've noticed these adorable T-shirts over in my "Etsy Favorites", here's a closer look:



(This is actually sold out now, but maybe more will be available soon!)







All of these awesome T-shirts are from Etsy shop pepperham and I want them all! The designs are sa-weet and the colors are super cute too. Me gusta mucho!