Looking Forward

Now that the tree is put away and we've celebrated the new year in with champagne, love and music, now I just can't stop thinking about...

Summer 2012, please hurry!

Not a blogger?

Earlier this week, I had a conversation with my mama about how she can't figure out how to follow my blog because she's not a blogger herself. I've written this post before, but I thought I would post this again in case people missed it!

You can get my blog updates in your inbox by typing your email address into the entry bar riiiiiiiight below my header (then hit SUBMIT!).

I'm so blessed to have people interested in what I'm writing and I'm so grateful for all of you, however many, that read this. Thank you x 100!

Football Weekend

It's been a wonderful, relaxing weekend so far! Yesterday, Boyfriend and I went to lunch with his mama and had some yummy crab legs at our favorite: Red Lobster. That's the second time this week I've had Red Lobster crab legs. I'm addicted.

Afterward, we went to the mall for the Victoria Secret semi-annual sale... HOORAY! I loooove their bras, but they are super expensive, so I always wait until there's a good sale and then snap up a couple for a good price.

THEN we went to see "A Week With Marilyn", about Marilyn Monroe. It was really, really good. Michelle Williams had a hard job ahead of her because Marilyn is SUCH a cultural icon and so unique, but she did a pretty good job. Big shoes to fill.

After that, we went to The Game to watch the Saints play the Lions in the first day of playoff games with Mikey and Thomas and had SUCH a good time. I love hanging out with those guys!





Today, we are spending the rest of the afternoon watching the Steelers play the Broncos. Ahhh... it's nice having a week one bye!

Have a good week!

Friday Relaxation

No Friday Favorites tonight. I'm tired from working all day (my first Friday in six weeks! Poor me, right?) and I've made dinner four times this week: a new personal record! Get me some!

Also, my article came out today here: KACHOW. (I use the word kachow when something exciting happens, just so you know.) In case you want to read it.

I'm super boring so I'll leave you here. Maybe after this weekend, I'll have something more interesting to blog.

Later!

True Life

True Life: I'm Addicted to True Life



It should come as no surprise to anyone reading this that I LOVE MTV. I'm not that addicted to the scripted shows or the Jack Ass Ridiculousness Punkd types of shows. No, my guilty pleasure is reality TV... and especially MTV reality, such as Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant, and True Life.

I ADORE True Life. It's amazing. This show has such a wide variety of real people, from "True Life: I'm Deaf" to "True Life: I Lead a Double Life" to "True Life: I'm Going to the Jersey Shore". It's incredible! It's even better since I realized that on the channel's website, you can watch ALL OF THEM at ANY TIME.

I know what you're thinking. I'm an educated woman. I'm relatively low-drama. I should be above this. I'm not. I love this... and I think I love it so much because it lets me be around exciting drama without actually having to deal with it myself. When I watch someone being ridiculous on TV, I can cringe and laugh and scream at the TV... and then turn it off and go back to my real life which is filled with just a normal job, a low-maintenance Boyfriend and an adorable, though equally low-maintenance puppy.

My absolute favorite MTV True Life shows are the Southern Belle episode (Rainy made me want to go to school in the South... she is super adorable and seemed so nice!) and the I'm a Newlywed with (as I've discussed before) Laura Beth.

**Update! I found out that Laura Beth, who was presented on the show as a homemaker, is actually a teacher, just like so many women in my family! Love her even more.

Do you love True Life?

Resolve

A new year. A clean slate. The perfect chance to take a look at myself and think, "What would I like to change about myself?"

But at the same time, that feels a little harsh. So today, instead of just writing what I want to change about myself, I want to think about what I love about myself and how I can help that improve and grow.

I LOVE that I have beautiful long hair. I want to keep it healthy by getting regular haircuts and playing with it less.

I LOVE that I am a generally nice person most of the time... but I want to make myself better by being nice to everyone, no matter what.

I LOVE that I have a great memory... but I want to let go of bad feelings toward bad people. For good.

I LOVE cooking, so I want to cook more often for me, Boyfriend, and our awesome roommate and keep us healthy by cooking healthier.

I LOVE dancing, so I want to get in shape by doing Zumba!

I LOVE Boyfriend, so much, so I want to use this year to make sure he knows just how much I love him and I love our life together.

After all, life is an ever-changing, ever-moving experience and we have to be able to accept what we have and where we want to go and somehow merge the two. Happy new year!

A Review

It's officially 2012, which means that it's time for a bright, new start. But before that, I thought I would take a second to look back at 2011.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
I went to a concert! I'm really weird about my music: I've gone to lots of concerts before, but most of my favorite music is old stuff (Beatles, Elvis, Johnny Cash). This year, we went to see The Black Keys and stood right at the front, by the rail! We were just feet away from the performers. I practically blew an eardrum, but it was so worth it.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did well on some, not super well on others!  I always make resolutions because I like having concrete goals.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Boyfriend's cousin had gorgeous Catalina in January and one of my best friends, Blairre, gave birth to her beautiful son Carson in July! They are adorable and so, so good.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
One of my favorite great uncles, Uncle Pete, passed away in New York this summer. It was a hard time, especially for my grandma. He was such a good person and such a great father. We went to see him in New York in 2009 for his birthday and I'm so happy to have those memories with him.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just different places in the United States!

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you didn’t have in 2011?
Another puppy for Shadow!

7. What dates from 2011 will be etched upon your memory, and why?
June 18. That day, we went to see a potential wedding place in Phoenix. It was really need to see where we could possibly say "I do!"

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?
I really found a groove in my columns. I'm really enjoying writing my column and finding my column voice.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not eating as healthy as I want! Boyfriend and I looked at old photos from his birthday in 2009 and we were like, "Aw, man... we were so little."

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had a few colds, nothing major, but we went through Boyfriend's scary chest pain! I'm so relieved he is all better now, it was so scary.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I got a new Kindle Fire for my birthday and I LOVE IT! Also, I bought a new camera because my old POS camera would decide not to upload all of my photos.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Boyfriend. I get so stressed about things (the future, money, etc.) and he always takes it in stride and not only lets me vent, he does anything he can to make sure I am less stressed for the future. He is trying so hard to finish his engineering electronics certification so he can get a good job for us. I am so blessed to have such a hard-working man in my life.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
An old friend... super whiny, super ridiculous, super self-centered!

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent for a while, but now it's in savings! Get me some!

15. What did you get really excited about?
Vacations in Phoenix and Vegas... but especially our new TV from roommate Thomas! It's incredible!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
"Someone Like You" by Adele. It doesn't mean anything personal to me, but it's so beautiful!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Definitely happier!
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner. Barely.
c) richer or poorer? Richer! A couple great bonuses really helped us out!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Eaten more healthy!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Focusing on the negative or things I can't control.

20. How will you spend Christmas?
I spent Christmas as I always do: splitting time between my wonderful family and Boyfriend's wonderful family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Over and over, with my wonderful Boyfriend.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Teen MOM! Woo!

23. What was the best book you read?
The Handmaid's Tale. SO good.

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Black Keys!

25. What did you want and get?
A new Kindle Fire. A new camera. A Tiffany's necklace. Diamond earrings.

26. What did you want and not get?
A Tiffany's engagement ring... just kidding! We're happy where we are.

27. What was your favorite film of 2011?
Bridesmaids. XMen. Harry Potter!

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24 and I had three parties! One with friends, one with my family, one with Boyfriend's family. I felt incredibly loved and special. On my actual birthday, Boyfriend took off and took me to dinner.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Maybe a set plan for the future. I hate feeling like I'm in limbo!

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2011?
Comfortable. Classic.

31. What kept you sane?
A wonderful relationship and great friends.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Tea Party.

33. Who did you miss?
My cousins that live so far away!

34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
"Life is what happens between big moments."

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"I'll set fire to the rain, watch it burn!"