nothing beats great hair

image from The Sartorialist

I am quite overdue for a trip to the hair salon (we're talking borderline sister wives hair here, people). While I am currently growing my hair out, I know I'll get the itch some day to cut it off again. And I wouldn't mind one bit if it looked like this chick's awesome 'do.

to my future daughter,

If you meet a man who opens doors for you, please keep in mind, this is not some diabolical scheme against feminism. It means his momma raised him right.

if I were to get a tattoo...

image via jamesnord

sunday nights

I am in a fight with Sunday nights. We're not speaking. Why, you ask? While never my favorite point of the week, they seem much worse as of late. Because Sunday afternoons are when the husband and I must part for the week (or sometimes two). And Sunday nights are when it sinks in.

I fear that once all of this is over -- the back and forth, the up and down I-95, and the weekly heartbreak -- I will still have a sickly feeling in my stomach on Sundays for years to come. Sort of a Pavlov's dogs reaction if you will.

I'm going to need some serious rehabilitation in order not to want to punch Sundays in the face.

hello, lover



image via Seyechelles



it's fashion, ya'll

London Fashion Week is going on right now. Digging Burberry's collection in a major way. Sign me up for one of those belts.

i've got a brand new pair of roller skates

I am pretty much obsessed with the baby in this commercial.

wanderlust

Running away. Escaping. Peacing out. Whatever you want to call it, sometimes I just want to.

Where would you go?



thirty-seven

Today was a blah day. A gray day for me. A hard-to-see-out-of-my-fog day. These types of days, while not nearly as fequent as they used to be, still sneak up on me. I hate that they sneak up on me. They leave a heavy feeling in my stomach. They make me feel like the other shoe is about to drop. They make me feel like the storm is coming and I am in no way prepared.

But then perspective came in the cruelest way. Because thirty-seven is way too young to die. And I am reminded that I am here. I am here and healthy and being given the chance to struggle and stumble towards happiness.

A big "screw you" to cancer.

bits of my weekend

i love valentine's day

Today I wore obnoxiosuly pink tights to work. I love Valentine's Day. You can tell me it is a Hallmark holiday. Or that no one should need a special day to show their special person that they are loved. I don't care. I love Valentine's Day and I credit my parents with this. Becuase you see, in our house growing up, Valentine's Day was not just about romantic love. My dad used to leave my brother and me little gifts on our nightstands as a surprise for when we woke up. My mom used to tell us that we were her valentines. So, to me, Valentine's Day is about love in all forms and all kinds. We all have love in our lives. Go wish somone a Happy Love Day, ok? xoxo.

good read

I read like a fiend these days because I have a hellacious commute via public transportation. And, because I am usually brain dead by the end of the day, I often read what I refer to as fluff. C'mon, everyone (well, every female) finds herself reading a book about a 20-something girl who loses her job, gets dumped by her boyfriend, starts her life over working some job like housekeeping, snags a funny and sweet man who of course is boyishly handsome, and miraculously turns that job into a booming business and really sticks it to her former employer. Oh and for some reason this always happens in England. Sometimes New York. Don't lie. I know you read these books too.

However, I do really have an appreciation for literature and don't spend all of my time reading fluff. Sometimes I read books for grown-ups. Really I do. So if you are looking for a great book, grab a copy of The Passage. Boys, this book is for you too (there's violence!). Keep an open mind, ladies. The subject matter is sort of science-fictiony, post apocalyptic. Just beware, this book is hella long. We're talking Harry Potter long and the type size is smaller (because we are grown-ups!).

This is one of the best books I've read in the past year. It sucked me in big time and I could barely put it down. Why don't I throw in some cool lingo for you? The character development is amazing.

Now please excuse me. I just got Pretty Little Liars for my Kindle.

snowy weekend

(image via tulips and lattes)

It was a blustery, wintery, snowy weekend. For the most part, I detest the cold. However, this weekend I welcomed the snow. Everything is more romantic when you are with the one you love, huh?

hello, lover

Sigh

“We are the girls with anxiety disorders, filled appointment books, five-year plans. We take ourselves very, very seriously. We are the peacemakers, the do-gooders, the givers, the savers. We are on time, overly prepared, well read, and witty, intellectually curious, always moving… We pride ourselves on getting as little sleep as possible and thrive on self-deprivation. We drink coffee, a lot of it. We are on birth control, Prozac, and multivitamins… We are relentless, judgmental with ourselves, and forgiving to others. We never want to be as passive-aggressive are our mothers, never want to marry men as uninspired as our fathers… We are the daughters of the feminists who said, “You can be anything,” and we heard, “You have to be everything.”

- Courtney Martin

For your viewing pleasure

There's no denying Nike's genius with advertising. Love this. Can't help but bop your head, can you?

Happy Birthday to Erika

Erika. Sometimes I find it hard to describe her. Do you ever find that with the people closest to you? Words sometimes fail when trying to talk about someone who has seen almost every facet of you.

Erika's check book is always balanced, her bed is always made, and she's never late. I pretty much fail at all of those things. I've often asked Erika if she could run my life for me. So far, it's a no go on that one.

There are many reasons I love Erika. How she is always the first one to say "that's awesome!" when you tell her even the mildest of good news, her love of popcorn for dinner, her willingness to always try something new, the way she jumps-up-and-down-one-arm-in-a fist-pump-dances when she gets really into a song, how she includes me as part of her family. There are a multitude of reasons. But what I love most is that, even though I'm her opposite in most ways, she makes me feel like I am the way I am supposed to be.

Happy Birthday, Doodle! Love you.

Before the "I love yous" were said...


I loved those eye crinkles 

Modern Spirit

 

I recently went to the opening of the Henry Ossawa Tanner exhibit at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. It always throws me when I learn about an artist of Tanner's caliber that I had no previous knowledge of. How had I not heard of him?! Tanner's work is amazing-- the use of light, the feeling in his subject's faces. Tanner was one of the first, if not the first, to paint spiritually and not necessarily religiously. I highly suggest checking Tanner out if you have the chance. He was years before his time.

Above paintings are The Annunciation and The Three Marys

The beginning is a good place to start

Hello there. So I've decided to start a blog. What does one write for their first blog post? Well, this blog was my New Year's resolution. Two years ago. Better late than never, eh?

I'm getting around to entering the blogging world now for two reasons. First, is to provide a way to keep my friends and family aware of my (and the husband's) goings-on. Sometimes Facebook just doesn't cut it, ya know? I am at a point in my life where the people most important to me are scattered all over this darn country. Admittedly, this is partly my fault for just moving from D.C. to Philly. But we'll talk about that later.

The second reason is a more selfish reason. I need an outlet. While I enjoy my new job and am learning all sorts of new things, they aren't necessarily subjects that really get me going. I'm always up for learning about something new, regardless of what it is, (except for math - ick!) but I feel the urge lately to really start exploring what I like. Besides cute shoes. I mean, that's a given. So I'm hoping that this little blog here will be a diary of sorts. If you are up for it, come along for the ride. xoxo.

I think I'll post a photo

...to the starting gate!

Well, we'll see how this foray into the world of blogging goes. Hang with me as I figure this out, ok?