Whoops

It's been a long while since my last blog post. School is over and in the bag. Grades should be posted in minute now and I am expecting two As and one B. Maybe next semester I will pull off a full string of As. One can only dream!
Christmas is in full swing around this house. The tree has been up since the day after Thanksgiving and gifts have been slowly piling up...as the bank account drains. Why do I do it every year?!?! I insist on spending a small fortune. I really truly believe that I could do gift giving for much cheaper and in a much more creative way. Next year...next year. Again with the dreaming!
Classes have been over for two weeks and today was my first real day of being home. I've been full force and I'm getting burned out. I wish I was the type of person who could lay in bed and veg out but instead I wake up like my ass is on fire. For instance, today was a relaxing day for me...woke up nice and rested at 8:15am, went for a walk/jog (training for a 5K), paid bills and worked on my budget, baked a pecan pie, made buckeyes, fudge and pralines. Then I walked the dogs, worked on a painting and then did an hour on the elliptical while watching the first episode of Breaking Bad. Now I'm blogging...sounds so very relaxing doesn't it!?! I think my bottled water is laced with something. I cannot sit still but I SOOOOOO very want too. Well it's only 7pm...what can I do next!?

Things you don't see from a car

I walked to class today. It was great!! It felt really good to use my body to get me somewhere. I know that sounds strange. We use our cars so much that we forget that we can use our legs to actual take us someplace that a car usually does. The morning was mild and there was a great breeze but I still got pretty sweaty. I am hoping as the weeks go on I will not get some yucky. I am going to try a messenger bag on the next walk and hope that my shirt does not look like that when I get home!! I saw some really cool stuff. I'll take more pictures next time but the one I took today was is super cool!

Killer Weekend

Aaron and I had such an awesome weekend and I thought I'd share it with you ;-) Friday started off with me cleaning a clients house then heading to Athens for a tattoo. I've been thinking about this one for a while and when Lindsay found David Hale on Facebook I knew he had to be the artist to do it. His approach it so different and he comes from a more artist background. I've included a picture so you can see how it's coming along. It was so incredibly painful that I punked out when it came time to do the color. He barely got started and I felt like I was going into shock and about to pass out. I go back in November to have it finished. That evening Aaron and I went to the Righteous Room and enjoyed a few drinks and had some great conversation. On Saturday we walked up to Grant Park for the Summer Shade Festival and took in the festivities. We ate at the WoodFired Pizza stand...Aaron's authentic pizza is way better. He's thinking of starting a mobile pizza business in Chattanooga so it was "priceless market research" he said ;-) On the way out of the festival I got a YumYum cupcake. Texture was killer but I was wanting a more rich flavor...I've gotten so picky with my gourmet treats!! Saturday afternoon we ran errands for a while then hit up the Little Azio's for pasta then took in a movie at Midtown Art Cinema. We say "Our Idiot Brother" with Paul Rudd. More of a chick flick than we thought but still enjoyable. After a solid nights sleep we got up Sunday and took a walk to the GSU campus. I was wanting Aaron to walk with me so I could scope it out and see if I felt safe about walking to my morning class twice a week. It was a great walk with the cool breeze and we hit up the Grant Park Farmers Market on the walk back. Aaron scored a fresh BLT with pimento cheese and I have some yummy peach fried pie. Both were very yummy. We are really excited about how cool the farmers market is. We will be going back next Sunday!! After we got back and showered we went to Phillips Arena to see Cirque du Soleil's Dralion. It was just okay. It was a smaller production. I wished that since it was Aaron's first show that it had been more dramatic and larger. There were of course still some cool parts. We came home and Aron fixed the hot water heater while I cleaned the house. Had to get a few chores done ;-) Sunday evening we went and tried Delia's Chicken Sausage on Moreland then went over to 97 Estoria and enjoyed the patio. The weather was amazing this weekend! SO that was our weekend!! It was killer right!?!

Today is my first day of Fall Semester. So far I don't care for my art history teacher but it's just the first day. We will see how that one goes. I am home right now because I have a three hour break between classes. It gives me a chance to come home and walk the dogs, eat lunch and get some extra stuff done. I got up at 6:45am this morning and had a nice walk/jog. It was so nice out. There was a killer summer breeze and no humidity. I can feel fall coming!!! This is my favorite time of year starting with my birthday. Whoot whoot!
Coming home from the beach kind of sucked but it does feel good to get back into the swing of things. My next mini vacation will be at the end of October. Aaron and I have rented a cabin for a long weekend. It's part of my birthday gift from him. We spent a weekend at a cabin last fall and it was so much fun we decided it was something that we needed to make into a yearly tradition.
So I am embarking on a journey to let go of the past. I had a great frozen yogurt date with Autumn yesterday and she brought it to my attention that I keep holding on to too much stuff from my past and that's affecting my present. Keeping your mind in the present is kind of hard...think about how many times you think about the past or tell stories about past things that have happened. I'm talking about things that need to be let go of and not talked about anymore, not thing that are positive. It's hard to try and let those things go but it's important for moving on and creating a positive mindset. So per Autumns advice, I started the day telling myself that I will be thinking about today and only today. On my walk/jog this morning I went through all the things that I am thankful for today and that put me in a pretty darn good mood. It might not work everyday but it sure worked today!!

End of Days

Today is our last day at the beach. It's been a very wonderful and long two week vacation. I highly recommend two weeks for vacation, it feels like a month. The past two days were great. We took and little trip over to St. Augustine. What a beautiful little town. Aaron and I found this great gourmet popsicle place called Hyppo on TripAdvisor. I dare say I liked it better than King of Pops! Better texture. They flash freeze the pops. Yesterday was spent in the sun. Aaron and Kile went on an early morning fishing trip and Mom and I laid by the pool. Then we met up for lunch and after that Aaron and I spent the afternoon on the beach. The waves were huge and rough so playing in the ocean was exercise. I was taken out a few times. Last night we all went to the movies and saw The Change-Up. Better than I expected. Lot of laughs. Be careful taking anyone too young or too old as it's pretty vulgar in language and context most of the time.

Adventure!!!!

Yesterday was awesome!!!! Aaron and I drove the hour over to Orlando and went to Universal Island of Adventure. The ticket price is steep but it's totally worth it. We had a blast. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is worth the trip alone. Thankfully I had read several reviews on TripAdvisor and got some good inside scoop info. We got to the park early and headed straight for The Three Broomsticks over at Harry Potter World and ate an early lunch, 10am! Fish and Chips brunch! We did not have to wait and we got a great table right in the middle of the Three Broom Sticks and I got my first butter beer ;-) After "brunch" we hit up all the rides. As the day went on the lines and wait times got longer and longer but it all ended up being pretty easy and not too bad. Splitting up into the single riders line made things go faster but you did not always end up together on the ride. I highly recommend that you save The Hulk and Dr. Doom for last as these were terrifing rides and take a toll on the body too. Super scary. Check out these videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBGdqa7GIlE and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsjdYQJc748 I was happy to be alive after these two. All in all it was a great great great day of fun!!

Daliiiii

Yesterday Mom and I got up nice and early and went to St. Petersburg Florida. It was about a 2.5 hour drive. I had looked up on Trip Advisor to find a wonderful place for lunch and boy did I. It was called Mazzaro Coffee and Italian Market. The reviews on trip advisor were spot on. It was amazing. If it were not so far away I'd go back. Here is the link Please check it out!
After lunch we headed down the road to The Dali Museum. What an incredible building. I thought the architecture was the highlight. The collection was pretty extensive but as I am not a Dali fanatic I don't think I appreciated it as much as some of the other people there. Mom and I saw a whole group of green parrots nesting in the top of a Crepe Myrtle. It was neat to see then flying around. Had no idea they were native birds to Florida.

Monday Monday...da da da da dadada

Entering the second week at the beach. I don't think one week will ever be enough again. Those seven days went by way too fast so it's wonderful that there are seven more! My sun poisoning has gotten worse, it's just spreading and spreading. I'm headed out to get some better sunscreen since we are kicking it on the beach today. I have, however, found a great concoction for sleeping with sun poisoning. It's one part skinny girl and one part benadryl. You'll sleep like a baby!! ;-)
Yesterday the guys went fishing. Aaron was the big winner with a total catch of 1 whole fish ;-) Mom and I just laid around the pool and continued to read. Last night we went and ate at this place called Crabby Joe's. Typical beachy place. It was on this pier and we ate over the water which made it really festive. The food was okay. We are still on the hunt for a great seafood place down here. Not sure we are ever going to find it.

Sundaes Rock

Yesterday was a nice day of relaxing by the pool, reading and eating ;-) Aaron and I went to this great little ice cream shop and had us a sundae. Chocolate peanut butter ice cream with crushed up reese's cups, chocolate syrup and whipped cream. AMAZING! This place also had two, count them, two, Ms. Pacman tables. Afterward I insisted we take a walk on the beach as to "eat" away at the guilt that sundae left behind ;-) Aaron then cooked us a nice dinner of rosemary chicken, grilled veggies and lemon butter rice. It was killer! The whole group gathering around after dinner for a 2.5 hour game of phase 10. That was a lot of fun! Phase 10 was introduced at last years family beach vacation by Autumn and we now consider it a tradition. Mom ended up winning with her beginners luck. I took a good dose of allergy meds for the sun poisoning and went off to lalaland. My rashes seem better this morning...haha "my rashes seem better" I sound 80! Well the guys have left for a day of fishing so Mom and I are going to dive back into our books.
Side note: We heard about the stage collapse at the Sugarland concert in Indy last night. Four people dead so far and many injured. Pretty tragic. Here is a link to the story

Here come the boys

Aaron and Kile rolled in yesterday afternoon and the "fun" began. We all went out to dinner at this place called the Beach Bucket. Daytona is not known for their fare. Never ever go there. Our meal was close to $100 and I think I would of rather chewed on my finger and thrown my money out the window. After dinner we did a little shopping to stock the fridge and then we returned to the beach house to relax. Kile and Aaron must really like each other because they were up until the wee hours. Mom and I are up and a little cranky and the party animals are both passed out. I drug myself out the door for my jog and now I am headed to nap by the pool.

The Help

Mom and I went on a ladies date last night. We went to see The Help, which was just as good as the book. The book of course has more details but the movie does a great job of telling the story too. Afterward, we had a late dinner and then came back to the beach house and cut up for a bit and then went to bed. It was a very fun evening.
I've started today with a nice walk/jog, a cold shower and a warm cup of coffee! It's now time to put my bathing suit back on and head out to the pool for some sunning and reading. I'm almost done with my third book since classes ended!! I love the leisurely reading time.

Check this box

I was reading a friends blog just now that got me to thinking...Jenn was talking about how when you are at the doctor filling out paper work they ask you: Single, Married, Divorced or Widowed on the form. What effing difference does it make?! This never matters if your single or married but if you're divorced or widowed it just pours some salt into the wound and reminds of you of how awesome you're feeling about everything. I've gotten to the point that I don't even check the box because I'm so pissed off at it. Checking the divorced box just makes me feel like a failure and checking the single box feels like a lie.
I feel very alone when I start to think about being "divorced". I don't have any friends that are divorced and it makes me feel like an outcast. I just want a friend to talk to that really knows what I'm feeling. Not that I wish this on any of my friends but if one could just fall from the sky that would be great ;-) I really do feel like I did something wrong. That I made a wrong turn somewhere. It doesn't help that I am constantly reminded of that wrong turn on a daily basis. The radio, magazines, TV, the Internet all serve to haunt me. I've often thought of retreating to escape it all but I would have to live under a rock!! That friend that I need to fall from the sky needs to have been married to a semi-celebrity too ;-) That seems to be the one thing that people really cannot relate to. Seeing your ex on TV while eating dinner or hearing him on the radio while having your blood drawn at the doctor is not something most people experience. It's very weird and bothersome.
Ahhhh life...isn't it fun!!! It actual can be when I get away from the crap swimming around in my head!! Let's get back to this vacation!!!

Sweat suit

I rolled out of bed at 6:40am due to the fact that the three dogs sleeping with me thought it was time to get the day started. Not a great way to start the day. I headed on out to the beach for my morning walk. I saw a lady walking the beach in one of those plastic sweat suits. It was pretty entertaining to watch. It was all stuck to her and making this horrible squeaking noise. Good for her I guess ;-) It was so humid out that I was uncomfortable so I cannot even imagine how she was feeling in that thing!
Today's goal is to continue to read and maybe catch a few cat naps while sun bathing. I have not been sleeping very good and it's taking an effect on my mood. Mom and I have plans to go see The Help later today and I am looking forward to that. The book was very good so I am hoping the movie will stand up. Until then...

Ha!

So this morning while I was walking on the beach I saw a lady wearing a shirt that said "I'm smiling because you've all finally made me loose my mind"

No carb blues

So evidently being on a low carb diet can cause depression, mood swings and irritability in certain people. All these things I've been for the past week!! I have been on the Atkins diet phase one for well over a month now and have not moved onto the other phases as I was suppose too. My bad. Looks like I'll be jacking up the carbs so I can stand myself again.

Lifes a Beach

Day two here at the beach...I took a nice long walk this morning. Watching the sun rise with all the old folks is something else ;-) I slept like poo poo last night. I kept flying up out the bed gasping. Not sure what all that was about but it's left me exhausted. I see a poolside nap in my future.

Gillian Welch

Saturday was a fun day!!! Aaron and I decided after a full month of strict dieting that we would splurge and splurge we did! We went to La Fonda for lunch where I chowed down on chips and queso followed by a cheese quesadilla with rice and beans. Dinner was even better...The Vortex. Bluemoon, bacon cheese burger, fried pickle spears and sweet potato fires!! It's now Monday and boy am I paying for that splurge. It's going to take me all week to get back down to the magic number but it was worth it. After our amazing dinner we went over to The Variety Playhouse to see the one and only Gillian Welch, oh and her sidekick Dave Rawlings. I don't think he gets enough credit. He is a BA!! The show was absolutely amazing. It was hands down the best live performance I have ever seen. We stood right up front at their feet and I sang along the whole time. Singing along is evidently something people don't do at her shows because as I looked around every one's lips were sealed. Boring!!! It was uncanny how quiet of a show it was, the audience I mean, the respect in that room was overwhelming. I have never considered following a tour around but this one I would. I could watch these two every night and not get bored.
So I am at the beach and this is day one of my two week vacation. I hope to god I can chill out and get some good relaxing in. This past week I have been an emotional basket case and the mood swings are enough to make me was to scream. There are some other things going on too and I am starting to wondering if I am either A. Depressed or B. Have a hormonal imbalance of some sort. I'm going to give it a few weeks and see what happens.

Creature of Habit

These past few days have all been wonderful and all about the same. I get up, take the dogs out and feed them, head out for my walk/jog about 8:15am, come home and kiss the ground because I made it back, call my Mother for our morning chat, read for an hour or so then either run errands or do chores/work then return to more reading followed shortly by a nap. The evening consists of a little more working out and much more reading. I don't want it to end!! I've got two and half more weeks (two of those at the beach) before classes start back up and I am hoping to drag it on through then.

Oh boy was yesterday a nice day. Got started with a jog/walk, then cleaned the house, started packing for my beach trip, read a lot and had a great lunch with my friend Jennifer. She had a baby about five months ago and has been out of pocket so it was nice to catch up with her. I finished the day with a little elliptical and stationary biking while watching Weeds and reading a very good interview with Gillian Welch...multitasking is my game while working out. Then I read myself to sleep. This break from school is awesome and I'm really trying to take advantage and decompress as much as possible.
This morning I went out for my jog/walk again. Sorry to say it was little more walking and less jogging than I would have liked. Some days it's as if my body just doesn't want to work for me. But none the less I made it through and feel better for it. I've exercised everyday for the past three months I think maybe even longer than that. I'm at that point now where I feel guilty if I don't use my body for something each day.
Well I've just made lunch plans with Autumn and I know we will talk more about her wedding!! I'm so excited for her and Travis. We have one year until the wedding so there is plenty of time to plan. I'm off for more leisurely reading until lunch. I've got seven books to read before school starts back up!! It's awesome!!

Alone Time

This past weekend was full of what some of us cherish, "alone time". Is it that we love ourselves so much or just hate the company of other people that makes alone time so awesome!?! Ha! I soaked it up to the fullest and bathed in the solitude. Don't get me wrong, I love being with my friends and family but sometimes it's nice not to have to consider another person for a while. Is that selfish? I personally think that something is wrong with you if you can't entertain yourself ;-) My big thing is talking. Sometimes I don't want to talk. I know that must shock the majority of you considering that I talk ALL THE TIME! Saturday I played "Man of the House" cleaning and staining the decks as well as riding the driveway of some mildew. While doing this I listened to NPR which I never do on on Saturday. There were some pretty good shows and I did a lot of laughing.I suggest NPR on the weekends. Sunday I did get up and take a jog but then I played "Couch Potato" and managed to take two long naps and watch three movies. I of course watched my Sunday staples, CBS Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes. At some point I found myself in the kitchen cooking myself dinner and listening to vinyl...thankfully, 45 minutes later I was back under the covers. I have to say, all and all I was very pleased with my weekend. I think it was long over do as I sometimes don't know when to stop. It was a great follow up to the end of summer semester and the best way to prep for my beach vacation ;-)

It's been a while

Way to let two months go by without blogging Michelle!!! A quick run down of what is going on: Autumn and Travis are engaged! Aaron, Travis, Autumn and I are training (so to speak) for the Tough Mudder that is in Feb'12. Summer classes end this week and finals are next week!! Whoot Whoot!! My two week vacation to the beach is just right around the corner YA, then Fall semester starts BOO. Aaron's brother and sister-in-law are expecting a little baby girl in November, her name is Scarlett. As of last night we have planned a family Christmas adventure to the mountains, should be great fun. Aaron and I have booked a cozy cabin in October for our fall getaway. It's part of my 30th birthday extravaganza ;-) Pete and Sofia are doing what dogs will do...eat, poop, sleep. This weekend I am taking Mom up to Chattanooga for a visit. She did not get to see everything last time so we will be packing in the fun! I think that should catch you up...
I've seen a ton of movies in the past two months. I don't recall any of them being horrible so I'd say summer has been a success movie wise. Harry Potter was a bit of a let down only because it did not live up to the book. This weekend we will be taking in Captain America. I've seen several previews for the fall/winter and it looks like we've got some great films to look forward too. As far as books, since summer school started my lesiurly reading has been put on hold. Hopefully I'll get a few books read at the beach in August. Any good suggestions??
Hope you all, or the one person reading this, is having a great summer!
M.

Let the games begin

Wow-wee!! The last month has been intense and busy. Spring semester ended and I earned two B's and one A. So...yes, I passed Spanish! Now I get to spend summer semester stressing out about passing Spanish II. I'm looking forward to knocking out two classes in 7 weeks. Autumn is in my art history course so that should be super fun. The last class we had together was photography senior year of high school. 11 years ago! That just made me feel old. Everything is making me feel old with 30 lurking around the corner.

I've got this month off and I am cramming in the fun. So far, Aaron and I drove up to Philly for a weekend of art and food. We had a blast! We went to The Museum of Art, compared cheese steaks and Gino's and Pat's, visited The Barnes Foundation(most amazing collection of art I've ever laid my eyes on), took a double-decker bus tour of the city, ate amazing food at The Reading Terminal and feasted on aged gouda from the fromage gods. Last weekend was Mother's Day celebrating and this weekend we are in Houston. Mom, Aaron and I left Thursday morning and hit up New Orleans on the way. We grabbed a quick po'boy and some beignets before we continued our journey to Texas. On the way home we plan to stop in Biloxi. Last night we had an amazing dinner in downtown Houston at a place called Americas. Highly recommend the sea bass. Today we are heading back downtown for a beer tasting and some local cuisine. I also get to visit The Rothko Chapel! My next adventure this month is a camping excursion. This will be my first! In June I have a tentative trip to Miami and then a weekend getaway with Lauren Fox to St. Simon's to celebrate her 30th birthday. So I'm busy as usual!

All in all things are good right now. Just staying busy and moving forward. Spending some quality time with my family and friends and soaking it all in.

Rescue schmescue

Enter Sofia. I am going on one week with a new baby in the house. Sofia "Weezah" Coppola is the newest addition to the family. She is a six year old miniature schnauzer and looks a lot like her older broham Peter Cook. So far things have been okay. We have hit a few bumps in the road as Sofia has never been around any other dogs than the one she grew up with. So passing dogs on walks, meeting new furry friends and sharing her space with unfamiliar faces has been a little scary for her. She also does not know how to share but she sure knows how to boss! She's a bit scrappy and likes to go for the jugular but we are working on all that ;-) Pete and Sofia have both made great progress this week and can now both sit in my lap, get treats and lay in the bed together without any growling. I am hoping over the next month Sofia will start to settle in more and find that she really does live in a loving home and is surrounded by people and furry friends that care a great deal about her.

We are down to the final weeks of school and I am looking forward to a break in May. Fingers crossed that I pass Spanish!!! Summer classes should be fun. Autumn and I are taking a class together which will be a blast!! Let's hope we get some work done ;-)
In May, Aaron and I are taking a road trip up to Philly to look at some very important artwork than another road trip with my Mom out to Houston to visit family. This will be Aaron's first time to Philly and Houston. Oh the food he will be eating!!! While in Houston I plan to take a day to visit the Rothko Chapel and once again see some very important artwork. I guess the theme for May is ART! I can't get enough of it!

Bathing suit season is fast approaching and around here we are all on diets. Lindsay (my roommate) has lost around 17 pounds, Mom has dropped a few, Aaron is shedding, I've lost almost 9 pounds and Autumn is working out and doing it up. It seems like all we've been talking about for the past month is calories ;-) It's good to have a support system. I find it motivates me to workout more and eat better.

My close friends Jennifer and Trish welcomed a baby boy a little over two weeks ago. His name is Oliver Charles Anderson-Watts and he is a cutie. When ever I tell someone his name I get funny responses..."that's a mouth full", "That sounds like a law firm", "those are all last names"...I think it's a very studious name and he needs a bow tie!

I was thinking about cooking dinner tonight but after not cooking for almost a year I just don't feel inspired. Aaron does such a great job in the kitchen that I'm a little intimidated to get back in there. Now if we were having cake for dinner I could do it up! Plus Friday is always a good night for La Fonda and margaritas!

The dust refuses to settle

It's been about a month since my last post and life has kept me on my toes. Mom had her appointment at Emory this past week and it seems her tumor has grown. She's decided, after a few days of thought, to go ahead with the surgery and have this sucker removed. I think it's the right decision and I know she'll be much happier in the long run. She's hoping to plan the surgery in the spring so she can be back to business for our late summer trip to the beach. Please keep her in your thoughts as she's dealing with a lot right now. Her older dog, Alex, is not doing well and will need to be put down soon. It's all very sad but necessary unfortunately. Alex, or Bahbah, as most of you know him, just turned 14 last month and he has really lived a great life. He was our very first "inside" dog. I did not like him at first, only because he stole some of my Mom's affection, but he grew on me and we become very close when I lived at home. He has taught us a lot about how to care for a pet and how much joy they can bring into your life. He and Charlie were great pals and it's only fitting that they be together.
Oh...I need to blog about something that does not bring tears to my eyes!!!!
Some other family news...my niece Maizy won Young Miss Loganville last week and my stepsister Tori is engaged to be married in October. All very girlie and exciting ;-)

This weekend I am up in Chattanooga. The weather is supposed to be great so I've packed my bike and we plan to go riding by the river. Pete will of course get his fair share of walks on the walking bridge too :-) I will be up here next weekend as well. Miss Maureen Murphy is coming down from Nashville for a visit. It's been almost a year since we've seen each other. Aaron and I are getting one of the guestrooms ready for her so she will not have to sleep on the floor!! Have a guest bed is super exciting because now I can invite other friends to come and play in The 'Noog :-) I'm sure Aaron really loves that I am using him home as a vacation destination!!!

I've been toying with adopting a rescued schnauzer. I submitted my application this week and am just waiting to be contacted. Seems they will come and do a home interview and check out my references before I can even meet any of their dogs. There are a few on the site that I have set my eyes on but I am not going to get my heart set on any one dog. It's very important that my next dog be a really great companion for Pete. That's really the only reason I am considering getting another dog. Pete has developed some serious separation anxiety and it's just breaking my heart. He starts crying and jerking all over when I try to leave. I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do but if he has a little buddy to play with I think he would be more relaxed. We shall see how it goes!!

School is good. Just about six more weeks and then I'll have a break. I will be taking a few summer classes but that will only last seven weeks. I'll have about a five week break between Spring and Summer and then another 2-3 weeks off after Summer semester. Not too bad. I WILL get to spend two weeks at the beach in August but I have had to put my annual road trip on the back burner this year. Hopefully I can make up for it next summer and go someplace extra fabulous!!! I'm currently preparing for two tests next week. I'm bound and determined to get a better grade this go round then I got on my first round of tests.

Well I am off to have a bloody mary, put this guest room together, and then enjoy some sort of yummy dinner!! Cheers to The 'Noog!! (I'll study more later...I promise!)

Brain Tumors are kind of funny

So that 30 for 30 challenge was not a challenge for me at all!! I hardly wear anything in my closet and the few things I do wear get worn over and over again. I have lost all style and I could really use a makeover ;-) Walking dogs, pet sitting, cleaning and going to school don't really require a grandiose wardrobe so I live in jeans and sneakers. I think I need to step up the hair, makeup and accessories and just look cooler!! I'm bored with my drabness!
It's been almost a month since Charlie died and things are pretty good. Pete has settled in to being an only child and I have gotten comfortable with having only one baby. The idea of a puppy does excite me some but I also wonder if I should bite off that much right now. Two dogs are pretty expensive to maintain especially schnauzers. Monthly grooming, high grade dog food to prevent allergies, not to mention all the vet visits and what not. I'm just accustomed to two so I assumed I would get another dog but I'm just not so sure. Pete is pretty awesome on his own but I'm sure he'd like to have a partner in crime ;-) Charlie's urn came last week and it is absolutely beautiful!! Mariah at Ashes to Art in Athens, Ga made this amazing raku urn and it just made me feel so good to have purchased such a special piece for Charlie. Please check her out if you ever need such an item. http://ashestoart.com/default.aspx
On the school front...things are good. Had my first art history test this week and I think it went pretty well. Next week I have drawing homework due and a Spanish test. I'm very nervous about this test because the class is taught very intensely. The teacher never speaks in English, there is no review and the test is created by the department head. How crappy is that!?! Yesterday I heard a few students talking about how this is their second time taking the course!!! That aside, drawing class is really cool. At first I was not sure it was going to be a good fit but now I am really enjoying it and taking pride in my "abstract" drawings ;-)
Movies...Life as we know it, great chick flick and nothing more. I watch this with my mom which was perfect. We both really enjoyed it. Somewhere, I had great and high expectations of this film. It's a Sophia Coppola film and everything else she has done has been magic. If you're a fan of hers then you have to see it but just know I warned you. There is not much of a story here.
I'm trying to read The Wal-Mart Effect right now but with school, trying to read The Week weekly :-) and life it's been a slow start. I have read the first chapter and that in and of it's self was mind blowing.
So most of you know that my mom has a "brain tumor" of a sort. Last week she woke up from a nap and was deaf in her right ear. Shitty way to end a nap! Then over the weekend she found herself in the ER. She was overwhelmingly dizzy and nausious. They doped her up and sent her home with the hopes she would be able to get in with the surgeon at Emory asap. Looks like she's going to have to wait a month until she can get another MRI and see how much this tumor has grown. The dizzy spells are a side effect...so we've learned. In the meantime she's walking around like a drunk and saying "huh" all the time. She's in good spirits and feeling pretty good otherwise.

Times they are chang'n

A week ago we lost our Sweet Charlie Cookie. It was all very sad and extremely sudden. He died due to complications with pancreatitis. I know I did everything that I could but I've played it over and over again this past week looking for something I could have done differently. I've never lost a pet before and my heart has broken in a way I never knew existed. Pete has been a little sick and depressed this past week missing his brother. We took him to Piedmont dog park twice over the weekend and he was able to play and have a good time. He might be on his way to getting a little spoiled.
I've got my head wrapped around school pretty good right now. I'm getting used to my class schedule and spending a good amount of time doing school work. I'm very excited about school this semester and I feel like I'm really getting into the groove. Autumn and I are meeting at the campus gym during the week and working out together. I'm trying to take advantage of all I can on campus since it's "free" ;-)
Friday night we went out to celebrate Heather's 37th birthday at a fabulous Moroccan restaurant. I had a blast. It's so much fun dancing around and the food was amazing. I cannot wait to go back!!
On the movie front, I have seen Rabbit Hole, The King's Speech and Winter's Bone. All of these movies were good but Winter's Bone was the best followed by The King's Speech. I think Rabbit Hole is definitely a DVD rental for a rainy day.

Snowed In

This is the end of day 3 being snowed in. I have loved every minute of it. When your a "doer" like me, it's really relaxing to be stuck for a while. Without the option of running errands and creating things to "do" all day it's as if I've been on a vacation. I've been exercising, reading, and just hanging out with Lindsay (my roomie). Missing out on the first week of classes was pretty awesome. I wasn't ready to go back quite yet and now I don't have class until Monday!! Yay!!
Today Lindsay and I did venture out for a little while and we went to see Blue Valentine. It was good but pretty depressing. It was on my list of things to see in preparation for the Golden Globes this Sunday. Ryan Gosling is nominated for Best Dramatic Actor. He's up against some great actors so we will just have to see. The movie hit a few soft spots for me.
Somehow at this very moment I am viewing the latest episode of Jersey Shore. I am not a fan nor have I seen very many episodes. I am an lover of reality TV but this is a bit much. I have to say this is pretty trashy stuff. MTV sure isn't was it used to be.
Kind of a lame blog, sorry!

30 for 30 Challenge

Today I am snowed in so I've decided to get creative around the house. I plan on cleaning and organizing ect...but I am also going to hit my closet and take on something called the 30 for 30 Challenge. I have to pick out 30 pieces of clothing, including shoes, and make 30 outfits. I can only wear these thirty pieces for the next month. Oh an I cannot shop for any clothes within those thirty days either. I think it sounds like a fun challenge. In the mean time, while I pick out my 30, I hope to clear out some stuff to take to goodwill. I swear I make two trips a year to goodwill. I think that means I shop too much!! Or buy things I don't really care for...somethings awry.
OKay...so it's two hours later and I've cleaned the closet up nicely but I've yet to pick mt thirty items. It's a lot harder than I thought. I'm wondering if I can pick them as I go?? I would not think that I wear more than thirty items a month anyway, I guess I'll find out. I did get a nice bag of stuff together for goodwill. I'll keep you posted on my 30 outfits. The goal will be to photo them each day and keep a record of the different outfits I make. Maybe by the end of the thirty days I will be able to part with even more items that I don't use regularly. One thing to note is that pjs and workout gear do not count.
Here is the original blog where I got the idea. I think she's on to something cool.
http://kendieveryday.blogspot.com/p/30-for-30-remixes.html

New Beginnings

So far this new year has been full of new beginnings and changes. Last weekend I helped Aaron move into his old house that he is trying to sell. Anyone looking for a historic four-square in Chattanooga?? I had to ask. He's settled in here as much as possible but with hopes that it will be sold by summer's end.
My Christmas and new year was wonderful. My friends and family are so amazing and Ive never been so thankful. This past year would not have ended as it did without them. I really feel that I am moving forward and in the right direction. My heart no longer hurts as it did and Clay is not the first thing I think about when I wake up. Everyone told me that would take a while, nine months was plenty and I'm glad to be thinking of other things when I open my eyes each day. Divorce does incredible things to your body. Personally...I couldn't eat, seriously, I couldn't chew or swallow some days, I lost 30+ pounds, started smoking again, drank my weight in vodka, could sleep no more than a few hours at time and went from happy to crying in a split second. (Oh, and there was a ton of retail therapy happening as well) Each day I had no idea how I felt or even how I wanted to feel. I just got dressed and did what needed to be done. I think that is what saved me. I spent a few days here and there moping around but every day I got up, got dressed, and made myself leave the house and interact. Those interactions with friends and family are truly what helped me overcome the heartbreak. I was able to see just how many people loved me in the way I really wanted to be loved. Those of you who know me well know I am a TALKER ;-) and boy have we talked this divorce to death! but it helped. I loved getting everyone's input and advice.
I kept a video diary the first several months. It's really hard to watch but I know one day I'll look back at it and high five myself for prospering and overcoming such a traumatic blow to my heart.
So on to bigger and brighter. 2011 is my new start. This year is not tainted, nor will I allow it to be. I start spring semester in a few days and that will take up a great deal of my time. I've got some trips to plan, as I've always got to be going and doing ;-) This year I hope to travel with some friends that I've never gotten the opportunity to hit the road with. Heather and I are looking into driving to Montana this summer for our annual road trip. I'm sure Aaron and I will jaunt off a time or two before it's all said and done.
I guess I should share a little about Aaron. We met on eHarmony of all places. During the summer I decided that eHarmony might be a good distraction for me, never thinking I would actually meet someone. I just thought it would be fun to read profiles and email with the occasional match. Well, after only two weeks Aaron appeared. I was straight up from the get go letting him know what I had just been through. We've had some real ups and downs...as you can imagine. But we have a real genuine connection and share a great deal in common and I think 2011 will be the beginning of what I hope is a lastly relationship. He's good people!

My quick movie review: True Grit, great movie but crappy ending. After such an amazing story I just longed for a more impressive ending. I love you Phillip Morris, best movie I saw all of 2010. Hands down a great film in my book.

Currently I am reading Mystery and Manners by Flannery O'Conner, she's and acquired taste I know, but I am enjoying this book so far as she's never disappointed me.

2011 resolutions: eat less chocolate, continue to love as much as I can and show those around me how much they mean to me, walk Pete and Charlie more, buy fewer frivolous items, eat out less, smoke and drink only in social situations when it's most fun ;-)