How to Have the Best Weekend EVER

This is a step-by-step guide on how to have The Best Weekend EVER.
Pay close attention, as this is a multi-decade process . . .



1. At an early age, begin collecting a varied assortment of fascinating, fun and intelligent female friends. Continue, without stopping, into adulthood.
Illustration: At one (drunken) point in said weekend, I recall saying that I was like a serial killer in that I collected women. The one difference being that I made them my friends, rather than wearing them as skin suits.

2. Particularly, make friends with at least one insanely talented planner. She should have mad research skills and an endless sense of duty to find the best attractions a city has to offer. Bonus points if she is incredibly organized, diplomatic and wears cute clothes. Give her full reign to surprise and delight you.

3. Meet and accept a proposal of marriage from the man of your dreams.

4. Attend a bachelorette party in your own honor, thrown and attended by your very best girlfriends who join you in singing terrible karaoke, eating and drinking with aplomb, and totally taking over one of the major US cities. Allow them to positively spoil you with gifts and attention, and bask in the glow of SO MUCH LOVE.

5. Collapse in happy exhaustion, reveling in the fact that you just had The Best Weekend EVER.
Note: It may take you up to a week to fully recover. This is totally normal side effect of TBW EVER.

Master in the Hizz-ouse!

Yep, we've got a Master in the house. A Master of Science, that is.

Yesterday, Matt passed his PhD candidacy exam, which officially completed his Master's degree (and started a whole 'nother snowball of PhD work, but that's beside the point). In short, he has worked his butt off, persevered through crazy challenges, and basically put up with a ton of shit to get where he is today.

And, in short, I'm flippin' PROUD!

He's kind of my hero, especially when he changed into his professorial bow-tie yesterday :)

Even though I suggested this outfit as most fitting of a Master of Science...



Hot, right? :)

Onward, graduates!

As you may know, I spend my 9-5 surrounded by lovely, sweet, college undergraduates. But this weekend, I will say a fond farewell to the seniors and a neutral ta-ta for now to the underclassmen.
It's been almost 4 years since I myself was a graduating senior, fresh-faced and terrified of leaving college. So in the spirit of the season, I'll offer up my . . .

Tips for Graduates

1. Manage your expectations: It's great to have dreams and stuff. But just remember, those dreams are someday dreams. Not tomorrow dreams. So if you end up in an unpaid internship, sleeping on a couch or dressing in full historical garb for a living, at least you'll still have those dreams to keep you warm.
2. Be kind to your peers: Some of you will succeed phenomenally right away. I'll assume you have incredibly good family connections. To those of you I say, be kind. You'll have friends whose days will consist of answering phones for a guy who barely remembers their name or washing dogs or making incredibly intricate coffee drinks. So just remember their hardships when you relate that awesome story about your office's free muffins or how much you need a raise. And to those admins, dog washers and baristas - love your smug, successful friends, too. As hard as it may be, remember if you were in their shoes, you'd be just as damn smug, too.
3. Never say "no" to an interview: Everyone knows this is my dad's favorite line, but it has served me well. Interview, interview, interview. Interview for jobs you want. Interview for jobs you don't want. Interview for jobs that aren't open yet or, hell, don't even exist. Just get some practice talking about yourself and wearing a suit. It'll pay off.
4. Grow old, not up: This can have two meanings. Firstly, there's no such thing as grown up. You'll realize this. Things will start to happen that should make you feel like an adult - first apartment, first professional job, wedding, babies, and on and on. You'll think an internal shift should happen, that suddenly it all feels right and true and you are finally the grown up version of yourself you always imagined. I tell you this as an engaged professional with a town home - doesn't happen. You will always feel like a kid at the grown ups' table. And second meaning? Shoes. Get over high heels. Yes, the first year it seems awesome to wear them with a suit - you're Lucy Liu in that 10 min. business segment in Charlie's Angels. But take a look at Hilary Clinton's shoes. Exciting? Sexy? Nuh uh. Comfort is key. You don't want your back going out before you make your first mortgage payment.
5. And, finally, enjoy yourself! When was the last time you had a weekday evening that didn't revolve around school work, or at least, ignoring imminent school work? Guess what, when you work, you can go home and be done! Those hours from 5-10pm now hold a magical quality of possibility - I could take up spinning! Crocheting! Hindi! You probably won't, but listen to that temptation and use your new found free time well.

Best of luck, graduates! This is the first day of the rest of your life ....

All In The Plan

Hi guys,

Sorry - I have been massively mia lately, huh?

The planning bug has taken hold of me - planning for the new year, for grad school, for this huge stinkin' diet, oh, and of course, for the wedding. 

via pinterest

Some days, I love crossing items of my list and charging forward into the very well thought-out future...

And some days, I sit on the couch and cry in total indecision. 

It's a pretty fun rollercoaster, let me tell you.

My goal this week is to give myself a pat-on-the-back for all the check marks accomplished - and gather steam  to tackle the rest of the list.

Thanks for hanging in there!

xo, E.

Frozen Beauty

I don't want to jinx anything... but these make the idea of snow pretty appealing.






Now if I can remember how beautiful this junk is when it's crusted over my car all winter, I'll be set.


All Photos Here.

You Don't Know You're Beautiful ?!

Ok, guys. I don't get this One Direction thing, do you? It's like the return of the boy band and I'm not into it. But whatever, I can deal with being out of the loop on tween music. Here's what bugs me though:

Baby you light up my world like nobody else,The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,You don't know,Oh oh,You don't know you're beautiful,
That's what makes you beautiful

Read more: One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful Lyrics 

Anyone else see a problem with this?! Ugh, I'm so over songs where guys fall ass over ear-lobe for girls with no confidence. Paging: Bruno Mars, John Mayer, Maroon 5, etc. Come on! Is that what you really want to say to girls - having low self-esteem, now that's a turn-on, baby!

Here's what I hear: OH baby, you're insecurity makes you seem like a great person for me to date because I love having someone around who has no idea of their own self-worth and consequently will be easily convinced to do whatever I say. 

Let me say this for pop music: Thank GOD for Beyonce... :) And for girls? Real men LIKE a girl with confidence. 

Single Girl

here

Do you have single-girl/boy behavior?
Matt's been away all week and I definitely displayed mine:

Piles of (bridal) magazines read while eating microwave dinners on the couch? Check!
Fizzy BRAVO tv enjoyed ? Check!
Inordinate time spent in pajamas? Check!
Calling parents because of scary noises outside?...and...Check!

I even busted out my crafting skills, at the suggestion of my brilliant mother. I spent a delicious hour or two in Hobby Lobby and made something I saw on Pinterest - how girl-time is that?!

But truth be told, I'm ready for single-girl time to end and Matt to come home. Dinner tastes better at the table, bridal magazines kinda stress me out, and he's way funnier than any Bravo home-decorator (oh, Martyn!). So does absence really make the heart grow fonder, or what?

This Bonnie's Clyde...

Not sure if that's a history reference or a Beyonce reference? Don't worry, neither am I. But what I do know is that the point of all this is to celebrate my partner in crime, Matt, on his 25th BIRTHDAY!

Living with him for the past 3 months, I've gotten to know SO much more about him. And the good news? I still like him -a lot. Enough to embark on the craziness of planning a wedding with him ... oh, and to share the rest of my life with him, too.

So, in honor of this special day, I'm gonna shout to the hills a few (internet friendly) things I love about this man:

• He does laundry like a pro. I was worried, moving in, that I'd turn into the little woman. But Matt shares the load (when he's not taking on more than his fair share). Cannot complain.
• He's incredibly hard working, which is such a great quality. But even better is his ability to put work aside and focus on the really important things (like me!) He has so much to juggle, but he does it really well and I appreciate it so much.
• He makes me laugh ... mostly with this face:

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• He comes with baggage - but the good kind. Matt's had a lot of interesting life experiences, he knows a ton about so many things I've never heard off, and he has pretty good taste in Zombie entertainment. Plus, he brings an awesome family and some super cool friends to the mix, so I pretty much hit the jackpot with him.
• He loves me real good - and even loves the crazy. That's hard to find.
• Oh, and he's pretty darn cute, too ;)

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Love you babe! And happy birthday!!

Get That Girl a Sandwich!

I'm loving this new word I found on the blog Pretty Is As Pretty Does (I went to school with the author - go Wildcats!)

Hangry adj. \ˈhan-grē\ to be angry, irritable, disconsolate or mean, as a result of hunger.

As in, "Someone better get me food STAT or I'm about to get hangry." 

Also known as the cause of 85% of all fights occurring in my household between 5-7pm. 

I should just have this apology tattooed on my forehead:

Makes me wonder - why can't I just remember to keep some trail mix in my damn purse already?!?

 Speaking of food - I'm getting so geared up for pizza tonight! 

Do you spend all day getting excited for dinner too? Or...not...?

Flashback!

High school volleyball team - go Panthers!

Do you get flashbacks? There you are, just minding your own business, when a memory from your past overtakes you and all you can think about is why in the world canoeing was a required class for you in college? Or what ever happened to the cat-paw printed sweater that you wouldn't leave the house without in grade school? I've never done acid, but I have to tell you, I get flashbacks all the time. Interesting little visits from the past. 

Lately, I've been attracting these momentary travels through time by picking up an old pasttime that I haven't done seriously since high school - and in involves copious amounts of spandex. That's right, folks! Volleyball!  I played all through middle and high school for the Panthers (and various club teams) and loved it so, so much. The sport itself is great fun - lots of energy, a quick pace, and cute uniforms. But what I really connected with was the team spirit. As an only child, it was the first time I really remember feeling like I had siblings - people I may or may not have always liked, but who I would sacrifice for and work together with to achieve a goal.  See those girls up there? Yep, sisters, baby.

I was injured my junior year and my "career" was pretty much over. It was a hard blow for me - I didn't have any prospects of playing seriously, of course, but I just missed being a full-bodied member of the team. I've played a couple of times since - travelling or in college - and it's always been a very emotional experience full of nostalgia for a great time of my life.

So, with the move up north I decided to jump back into the court and take up volleyball again. South Bend has a great complex called Outpost Sports with tons of sand courts and a variety of leagues. Matt and I convinced a couple of friends to join and voila! I'm whipping out my spandex, practicing digs, and getting sand everywhere you can imagine. It's been so fun to relearn the sport (beach is so hard!) and build a new team (I'm working on some cheers). But the best part is coming home with sore muscles and wild hair and flashing-back to years past and happy memories with my team. Rematch sometime, girls? Call me...

It's Home Now

here

Hey there! Just sending out an APB to let you know that 1.) Yes, I am alive. 2.) Miraculously, Matt, the cat and I, plus most of our belongings (RIP picture frame and one drinking glass, you will be missed) have all survived the move in relatively good spirits and are now living in a town home that is by all standards livable, and in fact, cute. I'll share some pictures soon, but let me spend a few minutes commemorating this event with my general conclusions about moving:

• Moving is hard. I had sore muscles every morning when I wake up and every night I hit the pillow like a lead weight. I shed a tear or two leaving my apartment of almost two years in Indy, and another three or four when I found dead bugs and mouse poop in our new place. But in the end, I'm where I'm supposed to be, working on getting settled in and homey, and that's all the more sweet because it was such a damn challenge making it happen.
• Moving helps you know who your friends are! We had a grand spanking total of 12 people help us over the two days we moved, and even more who offered to help. Our great friends Matt and Katie even drove from Michigan to come and help. So THANK YOU to all the lovely people who picked up a box, a paint brush or the tab on dinner to help us move. We could have done it without you, but it would have really, really sucked.
• Moving makes you realized what a total pack rat you really are. It's crazy how an object changes when you move it. When you're packing, it's "Of course I need to keep this box of notebooks from college. I'll want to go through this someday!" And when you're unpacking, it's "I never want to look at these notebooks again, where the heck am I going to put these things?" Oh, and this is a gender neutral statement, I'll have you know. Though I have a higher quantity of objects, the man of the house has an equal percentage of totally unnecessary, sentimental belongings.
• Moving looks easy once you start dealing with all the stuff that comes after.... like new bank accounts and driving licences, redecorating and organizing, and the simple yet monumental shift from living in a house of 1 to a house of 2. Let's just say, if I didn't REALLY like Matt, I'd have a hard time sharing all my space and stuff with him, 24/7. I guess that's why we're getting married, huh? ;)

So, these are just a few of my observations on the process of moving. I'm hoping for a good couple of years before we have to do it again. Fingers crossed!

New Beginings

Hey all!! Sorry for the radio silence lately. No, no, it's not you - it's me. I've been busy!

In addition to this huge life event, I've also switched jobs and moved 3 hours away from home.

And if you're guessing this move took me 3 hours closer to my new fiancé (in fact, right into his very studio apartment) you'd be right!

So this week is ALL about transition, learning, and trying not to kill each other in a space the size of a large dog kennel. We'll make sure this engagement sticks all right ;).

Anyways, I PROMISE I haven't forgot about all the awesome Paris and Brugges photos and tips I wanted to share with you. Just hold on to your horses and - GO IRISH!

Happiness List

here

I was reading through a few blogs the other day, as I normally do, and I was pleasantly surprised by Orchid Grey's post. Rather than her normal content (cool, vintage clothes) she stopped to make a happiness list - all the things that she wanted to remember were making her happy.

Today is the perfect day for me to write my own happy list. A lot (alotalot) of good things are happening lately, but sometimes change - even good change - can be incredibly stressful. And I tend to get sucked into the vortex of being excited, then worrying, then feeling guilty about worrying, and then 

diving into chocolate ice cream.... 

So instead, behold the things that are making me happy:

here

Green tea in my water. I just drop a tea bag in (the Lipton fruit blends are yummy) and the nasty work water tastes so much better!

Making plans. Trips, transitions, interior design schemes and job dreams. It's fun (mostly) and so exciting!

here

Cherry season! I'm on to my fourth 1lb. bag in two weeks. Yes, by myself.

Goodwill craving. Sometimes, I shop too much and I'm done for weeks. Nothing better than getting that drive to hunt. Look out, I have a list and I'm ready to shop!

Long shiny nails. There's something summery about shimmery, pretty nails. With my nails growing like grass, it's fun to give them a quick, easy polish!

here

Pool time. What's better than lounging in the water with your sweetie? Maybe adding in a cool drink ;)

here

And this gif. That cat looks - and acts - exactly like my Opie. Aww!

What makes you happy today?

Walk of Faith

Do you like a little thrill in your travel? Eating something crazy, checking out the wrong side of town, or even ... skinny dipping? 

Daring. 

How about walking on a tiny glass bridge 4,690ft high on the side of a mountain?

Now, that sounds like a thrill. Located on China's Tianmen Mountain, this wisp of a bridge is appropriately called "The Walk of Faith."

I ran across these images this morning (over here) and thought I'd save them for a day when the beautiful phrase "Walk of Faith" fit with something going on in my life. DING DING DING (universe calling). 

Turns out today had a perfect connection. I've been putting myself out there, telling everyone - and most importantly, myself - that I'm open to a change. And finally, after months of static on the line,  a few wheels started turning today. No big announcements or anything like that- just a few little hints that things may be on the verge of happening. So yes, I am totally treading the walk of faith today, believing that what I'm asking for will come along in due time. 

One foot in front of the other, eyes ahead, and don't look down.

* All photos via here.

Have you been on any walks of faith lately? Or just done something really frickin' scary like walk on the side of a mountain??! Do tell.

Whoops!

from here.

I have a guilt complex. This is something I've known about myself for a long time.  For a brief time once I learned what flipping someone off meant, I walked around with my middle fingers curled into my palms, scared I'd inadvertently offend someone. It was a weird phase - almost debilitating for a while - that I've mostly overcome in my semi-adulthood. But sometimes I still think I feel more guilt than the average bear. When I make a mistake, I go through a weird and uncomfortable emotional roller coaster where I first try to (shamefully) find a way that it's not my fault, then realize it is all my fault and sink into self-criticism, after which I feel a weird compulsion to go confess my error to someone...or everyone, mainly so they can tell me what a not-big deal it is. 

Aside from my overly neurotic reactions, it's not uncommon to get panicky about mistakes. In fact, psychologists have learned that the human brain retains memories of moments you screwed up better than any other. So don't feel bad if you can't remember anything from middle school except that time you dropped your tray in the middle of the lunchroom. Physiologically, we're built to remember those mistakes and are thus more likely to remember how to avoid them. 

After making a (fairly minor) mistake at work today, I read this article which says, "The problem is not making mistakes but what you tell yourself when you make one." Mm.

Of course, the author goes on to say we should tell our selves to be "excited" and "energized" by mistakes because they are an opportunity to learn and grow. I won't take it that far. But I can recognize that there's no need to get all pit-in-my-stomach panicky when I do something stupid. Doesn't mean I'm stupid. Doesn't mean I'll do it again if I don't wholly rework the way I do things. Just means I made a GD mistake. Which is ok.

"An error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it," said  Orlando Battista. What a refreshing thought! It doesn't really count unless you give up, hands in the air, and say there's nothing you can do. 

So, yes, I did what I could to fix my mistake. And now I'm doing what I can to not feel so guilty about it because, really, life is too short.

Better to save the guilt for better things, like brownies.

Finding your way

Some days, we all feel like Alice in the maze. From here via Pinterest.

The end of one year and the start of another always gets me thinking. As in, this weekend ended my 24th year and began my 25th (actually 26th if you think of it, the year you are 0 is technically year 1, right?) The big quarter century mark comes with very little in legal distinctions. I can rent a car. Whoopty. But when it comes to milestones, 25 seems like a big one. I've been on the earth for (hopefully) about a quarter of my allotted time. I've enjoyed it - truly, it's been a great twenty five years. But it seems like the time in life where the I should be figuring out what the next 75 may look like. 

So,  I've been thinking a lot about my future. That used to be kind of a fun word to toss around, back when we were safely ensconced in school, and dreams were just that -no pressure or expectation to act upon them. Now the future seems a bit more like a huge anchor thrown out in front of me that is slowly dragging me in a direction I neither control nor predict.
Maybe that's not entirely fair. I have lots of things I'm looking forward to - a future with The Boy, great times with friends and family, watching as we all grow and change and make lives for ourselves.

But when it comes to my vision of myself, how I will grow and change and contribute to the world , that vision is a little less clear. I know the broad strokes -- I should be working with people, experiencing interesting aspects of the world, writing and expressing my ideas to others -- but how exactly does that manifest into a rewarding career - and one that also allows me to spend time with my family, travel the world, and make some kind of a difference? It's a harrowing set of expectations, if I do say so myself.

There are different ways of looking at work. The one option is to downgrade your dreams a bit. From current experience, I know that a job that is perhaps less challenging than you are capable of can be disappointing and boring at times. But there is the flip-side that it never encroaches on your personal time and gives you the opportunity to seek out other experiences and devote added attention to those. If I had a side-business or project that was fulfilling, or had children or family members who needed a large share of my time and attention, having a job like this might be the exact perfect fit.

Then again, there's always the dream of finding "the perfect job" that keeps you interested and engaged, busy and important. You love the work, you're good at it -- but the real question is always, where does the rest of your life fit in? Do you have to sacrifice the down-time, in order to have be truly fulfilled at work? And if if that's not the case, where do you find that job, and how?

I don't think there's a right answer; a book, or a test or a friend with advice that can set up the path for you. I think all those things help -- but a lot of it is chance and timing and gut feelings. My strategy is to try to think critically about what I like and don't like about current and past jobs, and analyze these preferences to help me gauge what an ideal work environment would be like for me. I have a couple great friends at work who love tests, and learning more about myself and my work styles has been helpful too (here's a fun one analyzing your work personality via your favorite colors http://www.careerpath.com/career-tests/color-test/).

But most of all, I try to remember that almost all of the good things that have happened to me happened without me planning for them or making them happen. They came to me, appeared, and then it was my responsibility to be open and aware that an opportunities was there and to go after it with dogged resolution. I try to have faith in the system - the karmic system, fate, whatever - that more good things will happen to me and that I'll know the right job when I see it. I hope the same for all of you, my friends; we're in this journey together!

Life List

It's Friday, and 11/11/11 to boot.

Definitely a day to dream.

Here's a little list of things I want to do, someday.

I'm lucky to have a few marked off already :)

From here, via Pinterest

Fall madly in Love
Visit all 7 continents and the 7 wonders

Become fluent in another language

Get married and have a family

Have a job that I am actually excited about getting out of bed for

Write a novel

Learn to make my own clothes

Meet Dolly Parton

See Cher, Mariah, Elton, Dolly, Celine in concert (I know, a little dated, but that's what I like)

Attend a red-carpet event

Learn to coupon

Learn to cook many meals passably and a few things gourmet-caliber

Skydive

Ride the Trans-Siberian Railroad
See a tiger in the wild

Horseback ride in Mongolia and stay in a Yurt

Take a year off and travel

Have a "style" (even on the weekends)

From Pinterest.

Read Anna Karenina, all the Austen novels, and something by Dickens

Live in another country (for a year or more)
Be an extra in a movie

Learn to cartwheel

Open an antiques store (next to The Boy's bike shop)

Volunteer at an animal rescue facility and be a foster mom for animals

Dye my hair something other than blond (or at least wear a wig)

Go to India
Learn to walk in heels
Get in a fight (maybe with boxing gloves or food)

Save a life

Visit Hogwarts

Buy my mom a vintage Hermes Birkin bag
Take a picture everyday for a year

Travel in an RV cross country

Host a fancy costume party (and have friends that will actually dress-up and come)

Wear pretty matching underwear

Give all handmade gifts for Christmas

Raft through the Grand Canyon

Have a house with my own library (bonus points for a rolling ladder)

From here, via Pinterest

Record my family's genealogy
Train a cat
Meditate
Buy something really expensive for myself and not feel guilty about it
Invest in a company I believe in and watch it grow
Start a new tradition
Wear something daring
Collect something over my lifetime and donate it to a museum
Articulate my personal spiritual beliefs
Get a Master's Degree
Commune with nature
Learn to Dance with The Boy
Donate 10% of my income to charity
Get my portrait painted
Change the world.

Here are some other inspiring lists to check out:
Mighty Girl, AB Chao, Sean Ogle

Now, go make your own!