My birthday week starts tonight!

I'm looking for my youth.

Tonight is my dinner and drinks celebration for my 27 years on Earth. So far today, my husband and I carpooled to work for the first time since we started working for the same college. Mostly because his office is 4 towns over and we work different hours. But not today! My office also has a habit of ordering food for Fridays. Today is Bobbique Friday and it will be delicious. I am getting chili, which I pretty much eat 3-4 times a week anyway to the point where my supervisor and boss have both made comments about how often I eat chili. Whatever guys! I lost 9 pounds!

Tonight will consist of me stuffing my face full of seafood and then trying to stay awake at a bar. I have seriously considered trying red bull and vodka or something ridiculous in order to have some caffeine. If 5 hour energy didn't make me think of liquid cocaine, I might even consider that, but I don't think I'm that desperate. I don't know how I went from being able to stay out all night to barely making it to 11pm. I am going to try to celebrate hard tonight though, because I know that next year I have plans that people frown upon if you drink while carrying them out. But we shall see. You can only control so much in one's life.

Tomorrow will include pizza and a second viewing of the Hunger Games. I love my husband, he knows how to treat a lady right. He is leaving me for 4 days and returning the night before my birthday. It's a good thing I have snuggley dogs. They will be getting a lot of misplaced love.

Oh, there it is. I found my youth.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Ramblin' woman

None of that paper got done. I am going to have to write most of it today and finish the rest on Wednesday. When ever I write Wednesday I always say this in my head "wed...nis...day" to remember how it is spelled. A lovely young lady once explained to me about how her ex could never spell that particular day of the week and she would say "You don't get married on WEDnesday." Well that stuck and I spell it correctly. Another word I dislike when people misspell is ridiculous. I am obviously procrastinating.

What is my advising philosophy... Apparently it is to not do anything until is magically done itself. Good? Good.

Vogue

Mad Men comes back on Sunday and I am super pumped. Today I ventured deeper into the land of bright colors with a sherbert-y organge high waisted skirt (which looks much more orange in this picture than on me), black pumps with flowers, and a button down white shirt I got at a sample sale back in my city days along with earrings that once were my moms and an orange and black flower necklace I got in a very small town in New Mexico . Frankly, I am not usually this good at putting together an outfit, but I was fairly proud of myself and I hope I am not fooling myself and secretly being judged. I also really miss sample sales that used to pop up in our building when I worked at LBM. Those were the best.

I could probably have more potential as far as nice clothes and cute outfits if all my clothes were not scattered across my bedroom floor. A habit I sometimes had before, but has definitely gotten worse since moving in with my husband who has a pretty bad messy bedroom habit. I think the greatest thing that ever happened to him (besides me, naturally) was our steam dryer. When I am at work, I think man I really want to clean my room, organize my clothes, be able to walk in there... then I get home. And I am busy or exhausted or just plain forget. This weekend, as I mentioned yesterday, is quite packed and I have to fit in writing a paper in there as well.

Ok I need to stop thinking about papers and focus on the fact that is it GORGEOUS out. Sadly, it will be going back down to the 50s as far as I can see. Must make sure to savor the good weather.

Let's go see some kids fight to the death...

Hi, I'm almost 27, and I'm obsessed with the Hunger Games...

I mentioned Hunger Games in my last post and I have been reading a lot about the upcoming movie and got a couple friends to read the books. I read them last November and it was what I keep calling "crack lit." Book that aren't like the peek of high brow literature, but you get through them fast and you feel great. (This is in no way promoting crack, nor do I even know what doing crack really feels like, obviously.) As I am reading more articles and getting excited for the movie this weekend, I wonder if I am been childish for getting into such a youth based series and counting down til I get to see the movie (3 days) and rereading the series. I figured that I never tried to side with one of the boys' teams (Peeta vs Gale), mostly because I was so invested in the story of a survivor rebel that Katniss came across as. Plus I do think Jennifer Lawrence is awesome and will rock this role. So my inner book teen nerd thinks this was a very good series and is quite excited to see it in theaters, let's hope it doesn't disappoint.

Also we are going to see it on a Sunday night because I don't like screaming teens or waiting on lines and I am hoping that this will work out.

Metal Mixer

Yesterday was our three year date-iversary and while we didn't do anything to celebrate, it was nice to think about our first date. Since we have been together, we have now been married longer than we have not. The other day a friend pointed out that I have a lot of pictures in my office. It made me realize how many of them were of me and my husband. My favorite is the photo strips I have next to my computer that the visitors to my office can't see unless they sit in my chair.

My favorite is the one where he is eating his tie.

I am also wearing a necklace my mom gave me one Christmas years ago that is made from a ring that I believe was her godmother's. I don't wear it enough, mostly because I rarely wear gold. But I am wearing a lot of yellow today with a brown blazer and decided to mix metals (my rings are platinum and I have no idea what my earrings are but they look gold? Maybe?).

Rebel

In other news, the new car is awesome. It makes me want to go on a road trip, or at least get a slurpee. (L, can we make this happen one day??) I am so tired right now, for whatever reason. But tonight I don't have my grad class, which means I have to go to the gym and work on a paper. Tomorrow is Friday, though! I'll be going to a jewelry party that evening, Saturday is cheat day with a special guest star! Sunday is paper writing with Hunger Games movie night as my reward!

Goin' Rogue...

So this St. Patrick's Day weekend, my lad and I went on a search for a new (used) car. Our adventure started last week when I researched the crap out of a bunch of cars. Under the advisement of my saavy mother, I went on consumer reports and autotrader and researched until I found a couple crossover SUVs that I felt comfortable and liked. I had a list of my ideals and emailed Consumer Report's list of "used cars to avoid." So with a focused mind, we started at a Hyundai dealer in town and looked at a few cars before test driving the 2009 Hyudai Santa Fe. I loved it. Blue, big, some fancy gadgets, sun roof, it had a lot to offer. It was medium on miles (about 33,000) but then I saw the gas mileage and I was not too thrilled. But the drive was nice and we left without leaving a deposit but decided we would keep it in mind.

2009 Hyundai Santa Fe. Cute and Sporty, not great on gas.

Next we went to a Kia dealer on the same road. Here we met a tall gentleman named Sinbad, who decided we didn't want a preowned car and tried to get us to spend 5,000+ over our budget on a new car that we weren't interested. We wanted Kia Sportage, he showed us the marshmallow known as the Kia Soul (you know, the car the hamsters drive?).

2012 Kia Soul. It also has SOUL written all over it inside. Not appealing.

So we bailed as soon as we could and we found we had some extra time and decided to pop in the Nissan dealer on the same road (there are a LOT of car dealerships on this road). We had seen a Nissan Rogue at the Hyundai dealership and I remember it having decent ratings on CR, so we decide to have them show us some. We walk around with a nice gent named Eric and he's looking at the cars and trying to find something that would work for our budget and be a smart buy. Eventually he goes, "This one is in your price range and it's got... no... that can't be right? Under 10,000 miles on it?" And lo and behold, this fiesty little 2009 Rogue had 7,400 miles on it. As I get in the driver's side, the door is open and a mega millions lotto ticket floats in onto my lap! Could it be that this purchase is like winning the lotto? I took it as a good sign and a lucky find, so we took it for a test drive and fell in love. I looked at the gas mileage and I was a goner. We went inside to discuss and put down a refundable deposit after he agreed to make it a certified pre-owned car and add 4 years addition to the warranty. I went home to do some research. I checked prices of comparable cars, that was good; checked Consumer Reports, came back excellent; checked customer reports, all very good. We were set! My wonderful husband is trading in his car, taking my Sonata, and I am getting the Rogue! Am I looking forward to paying off that loan while paying for grad school and a mortgage? No, but it is a good investment and I want to have a safe and dependable fuel efficient crossover for when we have a family.

Look at me! I'm a shiny new Rogue!

Look at the pretty insides! I'm going to scotch guard the crap out of those seats!

Also that one cup holder is giant. Gordon's big gulp obsession will be pleased. Also the glove compartment can "hold a toaster" according to CR. I don't know when I plan on using a toaster in my car, but I'm glad to have the option. There are a lot of compartments, like in glove box, console, and even hidden ones in the trunk. I love storage and I will try not to fill them with things as much as I can, but no guarantees.

Fun with Camera+ app

Addictions and Procrastination

This week is one of the worst week to slip into habits of procrastination, but alas, it has over come me. I had a nice weekend at home, and don't get me wrong, I did work, but not up to my usual standards and now it's Monday night and my midterm and paper are unfinished. Instead I have been falling deeper and deeper into a Castleville addiction thanks to my sister, who guilted me into playing because her kids play (really it's just her) and she needs me to send her stuff.

One of my classes was canceled at the last minute tonight (thanks for wasting a ton of gas for me professor, you couldn't have emailed 10 minutes earlier??). I was disappointed because me and some of my classmates were hoping to go over the midterm and make sure we were on the right path. Also I was wearing a super cute outfit, where I married browns and creams with sherbet reds and pinks. And at work, for some reason my boss and the two people I share and office with were out and then class was canceled! What a wasted effort of cuteness. The hubby said I looked nice, which helped me out. I don't know why I care. You know what this means? I can wear this again tomorrow. Just kidding. Maybe. No I am. I think.

Is it Friday yet?

500 miles and Mint M&M's

Sometimes, in one's life, we are special enough to meet that certain someone and you know you will be with them forever and always have a special connection. I have always known I had a special relationship with this person in my life since I was 18. Maybe this person didn't realize it at first, but it was eventually clear to both of us that we were right for each other. The last week, I got a text from my special someone with a picture of mint M&M's. Mind you, my special lady lives in Pennsylvania and I live in Long Island we have never had a conversation about M&M's.

Here is the text conversation:
Lynne:
Me: You think I don't know about this shit?!?!

Lynne: Where are you! We are so weird

Me: Hahhahaha I'm in my kitchen. I bought them Sunday for the next cheat day.

Lynne: We are probably in love.

Me: Yes, I think that's it.

So there you have it. I'm glad 500 miles and a mint M&M's connection could prove our love.

I also love my husband for pointing them out to me last week so I could buy them. They're pretty tasty