Miserable, Magical Monday

Hi guys! It's a holiday Monday! You know what that means.

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1. Great news: I love my new job. I'm about two weeks in and the change of pace is incredible. I think my favorite things about it are my boss -- one of the most fashionable people I've ever met -- and the amount of people close to my age. The fact that my colleagues are in their mid to late twenties is so refreshing. I know age shouldn't be a big deal, and honestly, I didn't always care about age in the workplace, but after working with people who saw me as "kid" or "honey," I developed a new bullet on my work wishlist.

2. MORE BIG NEWS! If you follow me on intsagram or know me on facebook you probably saw that I bought a car. Yep, Brandon and I purchased a vehicle of our very own. It's a Toyota Yaris and I've named her Hedwig because she's white and I'm forever 21 (the age I started reading the books, not the store). I have to admit that I wasn't entirely prepared for how effing long it takes to buy a car. Good grief! I mean, people had made me aware. It's not like I went in there blind like I did when we bought the Subaru (biggest mistake ever), but I thought everyone was exaggerating. They were not. It took hours and I walked on the lot basically knowing what car I wanted. I literally got there, asked the salesguy to find the car, looked at it, test drove it, and said, "Yeah,  I want this." The scariest part of car buying is the warranty push at the end. They get you when you're weak. I mean, you've been sitting there for hours trying to buy this one car. Then they take you to the back and park the car right outside the window. At this point, you're tired, thirsty, and could totally stress eat a hamburger. Our guy was nice but still pushy, but overall it was a painless experience as far as car buying goes. And now I've got a car that gets awesome MPGs and won't completely freak out on me (God willing).

3. Last month I put a pineapple on the shopping list under the impression that I would cut up some of it to make Hawaiian Pinterest Chicken one day. If I'm honest, I'm really good at the recipe finding and grocery buying parts, but really horrible at the the execution of the recipe. It's like this: I dig the idea of being a really great cook but hate actually having to cook complicated dishes. Anyway, I made the marinade and we had Hawaiian Pinterest Chicken for family dinner a few Fridays ago. The texture of the chicken was just OK, but the flavor was good. I think I'd bake or crockpot the chicken next time.

4. This is a gratuitous piece of information, but my hair is getting long and I love it. I've been waiting years to get anywhere near this length so it feels like some sort of accomplishment. Really, I just haven't gone in to get my hair cut in a year. But my hair has grown more than normal in that time. So that's cool. Let's move on.

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5. Other news! My best friend and I started a blog together. It's called Darling Dragons and I think you should check it out. We're writing about books, news, travel, local eateries, and work. We should be incorporating recipes, home decor, and fashion sometime soon. It's basically a bunch of everything. Alright, shameless plug over.

6. I have to tell you the story of the almost-lost blazer. At one point I owned three black blazers, all with different cuts and details. I gave one away because it was too boxy on me and the other accidentally took a ride in the dryer and no longer fit. So when it came time to dress up for my job interview, I knew I had only one choice. I didn't remember this blazer as my favorite, but once I put it on and stylishly rolled up my sleeves, I was in love.

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But the blazer mysteriously disappeared after that interview! It wasn't in my car or Brandon's truck. I cleaned out the closets, organized my dresser, looked all over the house and still couldn't find it. It was very upsetting. Then, one day, I went to plug something in behind the couch, and I saw it. This pile of black fabric huddled on itself. I grabbed it out and sure enough! it was my blazer! Needless to say I've worn it like four times in the last two work weeks.

7. I spent Saturday cleaning my apartment and lounging by the pool reading Mockingjay. Yes, I've definitely read it before, but my sister gave me the brilliant idea to read it again before the first movie comes out. I tend to let my emotional journey hog my memories of the book instead of the character names and plot (this is also true for TV and movies), so hopefully this time I end up remembering important plot points instead of just sobbing half way through the book. Also, I finished Divergent and hated it. Review of it coming semi-soon.

Personal Day

To say I had a long day on Sunday would be the understatement of my year. I've been tired, I've been hungover, and I've even judged a five-day debate tournament in 2014 and I haven't had as long a day as May 4, 2014. By the end of Sunday, I couldn't remember if I was confusing that morning's shower with one from Saturday.

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Sunday, May 4th, marked one year since I walked across the stage in The Greek as my name was mispronounced to my parent's dismay. One year since the journalism prof whose class I had to drop when I changed my major remembered my name as he and his helper placed a hood on me (funny, I was "hooded" twice in 2013). One year since I've seen the professors who challenged me academically and personally to find what I care about and to never quit pursuing it. One year since I've set foot in San Diego. 

I was feeling so depressed before church started. And watching a sideshow from a San Diego mission trip didn't help. Especially the photo of the Old Town location of Miguel's (a restaurant), where two years ago my friends and I celebrated a roommate's birthday. To everyone else in the congregation, that photo was just a picture of a restaurant. To me (granted in the already super nostalgic mood I was in), it was a picture of a memory and a stark feeling that this city that was so pivotal to my life meant next to nothing to the people I was surrounded by. No joke, I started crying. As in all my attempts to breathe it out and push down the tears failed. It was embarrassing to say the least.

Flash forward through a long conversation I was in no emotional state to handle to Sunday afternoon. Our friends Seth and Julie invited me and Brandon over to watch a WWE program and treated us to a scrumptious spaghetti dinner. We hung out there basically all day and were lucky enough to catch Game of Thrones before the actual air time! It was just the distraction I needed.

Monty the cat sleeping like a cutie.

But come Monday, something was still off. The funk was so strong that all I wanted to do was write, but I stalled every time I tried to. Anyway, my best friend and husband independently suggested I take a day off work to forget my worries and focus on the things I hadn't found time to do in the past couple of weeks. I figured if the two people who know me best in the world thought I needed a day to process my thoughts/feelings, then maybe I should listen. I should mention that the Monday night young adults small group was also a refreshing, much needed dose of community and love. I'm thankful I was there.

That brings us to me on my personal day at home, in my leggings and 2012 Homecoming tee shirt and you, wherever you are. I realize this is a bit of a long-winded post, but I'm a relatively long-winded storyteller. Anyway, I bet by this point you just want me to tell you what the heck I've done all day, right? Well, I hope so, because I'm about to show you.

First, I woke up around 7:30am sans an alarm. That's perfectly ok in my book! Brandon hadn't left for work quite yet so I grabbed Mindy Kaling's book and cuddled up next to him while he played some video game where you're kidnapped in the jungle and trying to escape/find your friends. I don't know much about it, except apparently there's a hefty use of Alice in Wonderland quotes. Once Brandon left for work I made myself a small list (because lists are still important on PDs). It wasn't meant to include everything, just to touch on some main things I wanted to do.

As you can see, I've been quite busy.

As a side note: I'm super excited about starting this new journal. My old one was a gorgeous brown one Brandon gave me for a birthday. But I have a thing for collecting journals, so I bought this one at Barnes and Noble not too long after because I thought it was beautiful. It's made of recycled sari silk and the paper is handmade in Nepal. OH MY GOSH that sounds so pretentious! I fully invite judgement after that sentence.

Are we done judging me? Are we still friends despite my hipster-ish tendencies? Cool. After this I've got my journal with the Eiffel Tower on it (normal lined paper from Target) and my Tom Riddle diary that my sis brought me from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter last Christmas.

After the list, I took the pillows from the couch and made myself a comfy reading nook on my bed. I usually prefer to read on the couch but my living room is so dark it's not even worth it. I (finally) finished the book and then poured my thoughts into my new hipster journal as I sipped my coffee. Since reading Ephron's  I Remember Nothing,  Fey's Bossypants and Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), I've decided I need to read more comedienne memoirs. It night just be tied with distopias as my favorite genre.

The background here is the top of the gorgeous journal.

After a quick lunch I headed out on my balcony to paint my nails. Let me just say that removing pedicure polish is a million times harder than it should be. After consulting the girls (actual people, not a euphemism), I settled on mint toes and blue nails. I read Lauren Conrad's blog every day and it always makes me happy when "Team LC" points out things that are "on trend" that I bought before they were in. Case in point: light blue nail polish. I've spent some time trying to think of why I like this shade of blue so much. I knew it had to do with my childhood. I thought maybe it was the Robin's Egg Blue crayon, but then I noticed that the color reminds me of Aurora's cake in Sleeping Beauty!

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Random, I know.

I snuck in some wonderful yoga with a Yoga With Adriene video in between toes and hands. And that's all I've done so far (not including this post).

I've still got a crafty project to work on that will let me check off another Thing from my 12 Things list. And come to think of it, I can mark that I've completed 1 out of the 6 books I want to read before November! Yesss.

Alright, this post is long enough. I really appreciate you few who read my thoughts and rambles. You guys rock. Don't ever change.

What?

These kids knew what was up.
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♥ A

Miserable, Magical Monday

Hello, friends! Can you believe I'm actually sticking to a blogging plan and keeping up with this series? I, for one, am shocked.

I was trying to find a profile-pic-worthy photo of myself and came across this awesome shot from the wedding. Don't worry, I think is as mushy as I'll get this week.

1. I found this 10 step method to supposedly revamping your wardrobe a few weeks ago. It's a fairly detailed process. Step 1 is to do a "wardrobe detox" aka give away all of your clothes. If you know anything about me, you know that sometimes I buy clothes because I think they're pretty. And even if I don't wear the piece, I keep it...because, you know, it's pretty. Despite my predisposition to hoard my clothing because "it's what I was wearing when I got my first internship," I rocked this step. I exercised a ruthlessness I didn't know I had. I think it's because the detox allows you to have a "maybe" pile, but you have to put all of the things in that pile in a bag or box and store it away from your other clothes for 6 months. If at the end of that time, you haven't gone searching for any of those clothes, then you're supposed to donate/sell them. I'm almost a month in and haven't reached for anything yet.

2. On that note, cleaning out my closet and making it through step 6 of the clothing cleanse has left me DESPERATE to shop. I made a bunch of secret boards on Pinterest because I'm too embarrassed to overflow my friends' feeds with my favorite color combos for spring or my search for the perfect white pants and striped tee ( I KNOW! How don't I, Alex, own a striped tee shirt? I have no clue). No one needs to see my mad internet shopping, because I am such a good friend.

3. I might be alone here, but does anyone else think Miley sounds insanely similar to the chick from Fleetwood Mac? I remember listening to the radio last year in San Diego and Landslide (I didn't know the name of the song when I heard it...yes, I lived under a rock for a while) coming on. I instantly thought, "Oh my gosh! Miley has a new song! And it's kind of pretty, sort of like when she uploaded her Backyard Sessions on YouTube." The backyard sessions are worth checking out, except it will make you sad that a girl who has a decent amount of talent would rather sing some of the dumbest, most annoying songs instead of creating art. But I digress.

4. My sweet friend Sara saw these note cards at Michael's a couple of months ago and picked them up for me because they reminded me of her. Isn't that the nicest thing? Speaking of random kind acts, a couple from our church unexpectedly gave us a gift card to the movies for our 6 month wedding anniversary. It was completely out of the blue and so touching.

Her words.

5. I have to shamefully admit to you all that although I've made it about halfway through Mindy's book (yeah I'm on a FNB with her), I've stalled. I just haven't sat down and read like I know I want to. But this part when Mindy talks about the rules of Best Friendship was too great for me not to snap a photo and send it to my best friend, Barbara. Also, note my new favorite gray nail polish. Speaking of my favorites, Barbara will be back in town in a few weeks. Need I describe how effing happy that fact makes me?

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6. On Saturday, Brandon and I watched the last episodes of That 70's Show. To be completely honest, there is a large shift in the feel of the show in the last season. It feels like the writers knew how they wanted to end the show but didn't know how to get there or what to do as a lead up. Still, with my overwhelming lack of a social life outside of my apartment, I'll miss the burns, Kitty's awkward laugh and The Circle. 

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Finishing the show also has me missing the 70's. Yeah, as in the decade before the decade I was born. Maybe it's the music or maybe it's the high waisted pants. Who knows. Anyway, the next comedy Brandon and I plan to binge watch is The Office. I steered clear of it in high school because I didn't want to bandwagon along with literally everyone else I knew. But now, now I think is a good time for me to truly enjoy the show without the hype.

7. Fun news! Brandon and I signed a lease for an apartment in Davis! We move in at the very end of May and I can't wait to start packing. Mostly, I'm excited for summer in a place where there are parks and farmer's markets and coffee houses to explore and bookstores to wander through. I hope it will be like a Northern California version of the things I like to do in San Diego. Plus, we'll have a whole extra room to use as an office -- a yoga/work/music office. And, as I've said before, it's a fresh start for us decor-wise. Moving is the perfect excuse to purge and to upcycle the things with good bones. The major project I have in mind right now is to paint our dining table and chairs. It's gonna look so darn cute.

Until  next Monday,

♥ A

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