Just like a jellyfish

That stings. I had a really awful day. I am exhausted from hosting a sample sale, and now I am just all over the board with emotions. It wasn't all bad, but parts of it were. 

Bad:

people threw tons of shit on my desk over the weekend

had to train a new intern and she took my blackberry on errands (?)

tried a really bad appetizer at lunch

snapped at/with/by my boss's sister

not thrilled with my outfit or general style (today and recently)

onions.

Good:

My Mom told me, over the phone, our family's carrot recipe

Tim and I did get some work done from 5-6.

So, the scale was definitely tipped to bad today. I want a do-over. A make-over, too.

xx

Photo: I got stung by a jelly fish this past summer whilst on Frioul Island off the coast of France. This one was already dead, but it's cousin stung me...and then I killed it. Survival of the fittest, bitch.

Sweet Potato

Amanda, my roommate, and I video-conferenced our Bloomington Friends last night. It was 45 minutes of the above picture. 

I signed this lease, and I feel trapped. Luckily I am trapped in a great apartment in a great city. But I miss the ability to just get up and go. I want the ability to just get up and go. 

But I'm too vested in mes affaires to do anything about it. Damn it.

That picture is of Karen's new pet: a sweet potato whale. Yes!

Park. Reverse. Neutral. Drive.

I haven't had a car for over a year. That's really odd to me because I used to be obsessed with cars. And I loved driving by myself and would make mixed CDs all the time with the intention of driving by myself and listening to them. 

But I don't know why I like driving so much. Gas and insurance cost money. They're pretty bad for the environment. I've gotten two huge speeding tickets. I hit a car, paid to get it fixed, then someone totaled that car a few weeks later. It's kind of a hassle.

Still, I hope to one day have an old convertible and a house where it's always summer.

Dreamers

I will be flying in the clouds again, soon. We have to go to Paris for work in January! Hooray! My flight and hotel will be paid by Tim, so I am very excited about that. I am saving my pennies now so I can buy buckets of macarons and eat Ladurée club sandwiches every day. Since I work where I do, i won't need to go shopping. I will visit the few friends that I have there and fall in love and never come back. All in less than a week.

And the cool thing about this picture is the sneaky camera in the reflection of the plane's window.

'Sup?

Hannah, left, came to town this weekend. I just love when something is so good nothing can make it change. We became friends back when I was a little freshman (she a sophomore) working at Urban Outfitters. Now she works at Urban Corporate and I have my gig in New York. This picture was taken when I was probably 19. Now, at 22,  I feel very little has changed between us. We have a hell of a time whenever, wherever we are together. We always make the other laugh, always have the best adventures and are 100% made to be the others' friends. 

It's one of those situations where if I were to lose everything I owned, fall completely apart and want to start over, she would just say, "you want to stay here?"

And then I would move to Philadelphia and we'd ring the Liberty Bell.

What's cool, and I just noticed this, is that she took the scarf I'm wearing in that picture back to Philly with her yesterday (I wore it while we were out) ; it's a long-term loan and I will get it back one day. She also has my innocence and some of my dignity.

Pray Tell...

t.g.i.f.

I thought I was going to come home and crash, but I am reenergized sheerly by the thought of a new weekend.

Tonight: Magazine Party

Tomorrow: Hannah Myers--get excited.

When Hannie and I go out, we "rage." She just texted me "R.A.G.E. - Reunited Again, Get Excited.

Shit that girl is awesome.

Picture: me at a polo lesson in London, Summer 2006. I miss horses and polo!

Best Corner. Ever.

This is literally my corner of the world. This may be one of the smallest rooms I will ever have, but damn it I am rocking it. I hung up all my paintings the other day and put on my new sheets. I am sleeping so well because I finally feel at home in my. . . home.  I also think it's pretty clever to make my bed all corner-y like that. 

You should come see it. 

Typical

Despite being so busy with work and apartment stuff (have to buy a few more screws, paint to cover the damage I've already done, etc...) I am really happy. What a difference bringing all of my stuff out here made!

Today, I worked just over 11 hours. Yikes! However, it was all progressive, fun work. I did some photoshop, got some things coordinated and met some of our "business associates." When will the "newness" of everything wear off? Do I want it to?

This picture is from when I went to Germany for Spring Break 08 (Paris, Cologne, Cairo). I noticed this contraption from walking around. Turns out it's part of an outdoor activity store. So I went in and climbed around. It was really hard. I think it's somewhat representative or symbolic of what I do at my job.  

I wish...

November 11 is one of my favorite days of the year, save, of course, my birthday. It turns out I am kind of number crazy and "eleven" just gets to me. So does "seven" and I imagine it's because they rhyme with my name. I made tiny wishes throughout the day and made a significant one at 11:11 pm  ( because at 11:11 am I was at work and just wishing for a chocolate break).

Right now, I will tell you that I wish I could be on Frioul Island off the coast of Marseille in the middle of summer just soaking it in. Lying on the ground. Thinking about things. Eating an orange. Reading a book. And that's just the beginning...

x 

The downgrade

I flew home this weekend to Indiana. What an adventure. I was supposed to leave NY at 6am, change in Detroit and arrive in South Bend at 10am. All was going well and I was on the tiny plane to SB when the captain came on and said we had to turn around because the propellor was funked (but we were more than half way there!) 

But I did arrive South Bend at 1pm. Mom and I ran errands for my new apartment then packed everything into my Dad's trailer. Then on Sunday, Dad and I drove over 13 hours to New York and brought my stuff here. Turns out I packed way too much and will have to be getting rid of clothes and such soon. My room is stuffed to the max and it got me thinking to one thing...

...my bedroom in France was huge. Just look at that picture. I could have had a piano, dining table and a swing set. France has spoiled me.

A happy little place on Earth

So some friends and I decided to have a long weekend and go to Scotland and Ireland in May 2008. In each place, one day was spent in the city and the other in the country. On the Ireland leg of our trip, we had no idea where to go. Tours were outrageously expensive because of the £, so we said, "we'll do it ourselves." So we spent like £6 and got a round trip bus ticket to a place called Wicklow--it had the best pictures in all of the tourism fliers. 

When we get off the bus, we see water in the distance and start walking towards it. We made it to the grass--thick and soft like a grass blanket. And I found this little patch of amazing and decided to spend most of the day there. We had a little picnic, had a little nap and eventually had to go back to Dublin. If I go back to Ireland, it will be my goal to find this place again. Are you coming?

Remember that time...

...when I wanted to see you all and row a boat? It just kind of happened. We had a broken paddle or were just plain weak. But we made it out to sea and met some friends on a real boat. A pontoon. We hooked our boats together and joined theirs. I was tan, unemployed and more relaxed. I was happy all around.

And now it's getting colder. It rained today and I had lots of stressful moments. But I'll keep doing it if someone will just promise me I can have more pictures like these. Someone just tell me it's going to calm down. Soon.

Just Listen...

I could really use my piano right now. Work has been so hectic! I realized today that it would be hard for me to always live in the city. I love horses and my piano. I need space for both. 

I fly home to Indiana this weekend, so I will play my piano for a bit. Then I have to drive everything out here with my father. Very busy weekend!

When you're weary...

If all else fails, I can always go back to Egypt.