Will You Take a Rain Check?:

So after a mysterious ailment that left me feeling closer to death than I'd ever care to feel again for two solid days, I'm still scrambling to get my life back in order. I have a French midterm tomorrow morning, a lot to catch up on at work after being out for two days due to the aforementioned sickness, and my final draft for my senior thesis is quickly creeping up (along with all of the other day to day things that need not be mentioned).

Basically I'm asking for a couple of days to catch up on life before I pick back up on blogging... In return, I have some awesome things lined up, including some awesome pictures of some new Gocco projects I've finished and that wonderful card catalog (which is now safely in my possession! Woot!).

So bear with me while I regain control... I'll be back soon! (Maybe even by the middle of the week.)

(Photo from here.)

How Chic:

This is so classic and wonderful... I want to be this woman.

From here.

A classic bike, a chic outfit, a cool, crisp day in the city... how amazing.

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.

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!

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.

Calling All Readers:

Alright, I just added a fun little poll to the right-hand side of this humble, little blog of mine! I want to see where you think I should move to in July!

Whether you're my best friend since driver's ed class (yes, I mean you, Logan!) or someone I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting, vote for the city you think I would enjoy the most based on how much or how little you know about me. It's totally anonymous, so if you've come here via my FaceBook page and don't want me to know that you secretly love/loathe reading my entries (I don't mean to be a megalomaniac, I just speak from experience), it's all good. Vote away and I will be none the wiser!

My World-Traveling Gocco:

I finally received notice from Ingrid that my wonderful Gocco shipped on Monday! She also provided me with the tracking number... and... My Gocco is here in the States! Wahoo! It arrived in New York City from Tokyo today so I will definitely be receiving it by the end of the week!

With my Paper-Source order having arrived yesterday, I am entirely too excited about my first Gocco adventure! Also, I discovered yesterday that Paper-Source is finally opening an Atlanta location! Right in the Virginia Highlands area! Woot! I'm such a dork... I'll probably go up there the first day it opens in October... I mean, c'mon, how could I resist when I'll have a Gocco sitting at home waiting to be exhausted?!

Let the crafting begin...