Blogger's Block

We've all experienced it.  Many of us have written about it.  I have it.  Blogger's block.

When ya just can't think of much to write about.  Or maybe you can think of a topic but for whatever reason, it's not coming out on the page.

Anyway, I'm taking a week off of blogging.  Hope all is well with you guys.  Be back soon!

Pip and Estella

Maybe it's because I just finished Great Expectations, but I love the name of this antique/retro decor shop:



Pip and Estella has some really cute stuff!  A pricier than I could afford right now but it's definitely eye candy.  Check it out:


here


here


here

Very fun!

So cool! (well... cold. and hot.)

at first I thought, man, I wish I had a little boy to give this faucet to.  but then I thought, "no way!  this is cool enough for me to buy for myself."  Then, I had another thought, "Who gives faucets to little boys?"

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Now your iPad can touch Madoff's rear end!

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Have you seen this?  It's pretty genius if you ask me.

From Urban Daddy:

Introducing the Bernie Madoff iPad Cover, tablet holders made from the disgraced pants of one of the great scoundrels of our time.

Haha!  Yes. It's an iPad cover made out of Bernie Madoff's old pants!

Also:

As you might imagine, billions of ill-gotten dollars can buy a pretty nice pair of trousers. So on top of being game-worn by Madoff, they’ve also been designed by the likes of Armani and Ralph Lauren.

but, it'll also cost you a pretty penny:  $350 for this cover.

Happy Belated Bday to Me!

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Yesterday was my bday and I celebrated by going shopping with a friend.  My husband had to work a shift at the hospital from 11am to 11pm.  When he got back though, he brought some mint chocolate chip ice cream and I opened my present.  Not a typical bday, but I can't complain.  Plus, I got some really cute stuff when shopping!

What did you do for your most recent birthday?

Eh. I get it but not my thing.

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Let's take a look at this bookshelf.  It's got built in notches for Holy books such as the Qur'an and the Bible - but the idea is that the notches make the books all one level and equal.  Get it?  Get it??  So, you know, you can have furniture that tells your friends, "Look at my bookshelf. I have deep thoughts."

Speaking of furniture, our couch is getting delivered today!  First couch I've ever actually bought from a store (and not given to me for free by friends).  Very exciting.

What are you up to today or this weekend?

Sometimes I'm Immature.

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There's a street near my apartment called Schenk Avenue.  And sometimes I take the bus past it to get to the train station.  

Also, this street is pronounced:  Skank Avenue.  

That makes me want to giggle.  I'm still learning how to be an adult.  

Resting in Peace

So, maybe this is a morbid post for the weekend but there is something very soothing about cemeteries to me.  I enjoy thinking about the stories involved in each life represented by the headstones.  Like this confederate soldier and his wife at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA.  

Do you like visiting cemeteries or do they creep you out?

No, YOU Rock.

Yesterday, I was in a sour mood.
Maybe it had something to do with the fact that a few weeks ago, we had to spend about $600 on new tires and then hail ravaged our car and THEN I came back from work last night to see that a headlight was out.  Come on, car! 
And then suddenly, my husband appeared with this ridiculous cookie cake saying, "Figured you need this."
Yes.  Yes, I did.

The Hail Storm and My Car

This is the hail storm:



And this is my car:

I gotta tell ya, the last month of car ownership has been rough.

A Conversation with My Dog

Layla: Ooo!  Is that a treat?  I love treats. What's that other thing in your hand?

Me: Layla, sit.  Down.

Layla:  I'll do anything for a treat.  Wait, why are you sitting on me?  This is a very odd turn of events.

*Clip clip*

Layla:  OH MY GOD!!! YOU'RE KILLING ME!

Me:  Layla, it's okay.

Layla:  I'M GOING TO DIE.  THIS IS THE LAST DAY OF MY LIFE.  HOW CAN I ESCAPE??

Me:  Want a treat?

Layla:  Well.  Yes.  Yum.

*Clip clip clip*

Layla:  I shall bare my teeth to show you how incredibly distasteful I find this experience.

Me:  Layla, I know for an absolute fact that you will not bite me.   Sit still.

*Clip clip clip clip*

Layla: I curse the day you were born.

*clip clip*

Layla:  HA!  You loosened your grip and I was waiting for this moment!  I SHALL ESCAPE!!!

Me:  Layla, no.  Stay.

*Clip clip clip clip*

Layla: Your husband is my favorite owner.

*Clip Clip*

Me:  See?  That wasn't so bad.  Here's another treat.

Layla:  I will take this treat.  However, I vow to hate you forever.


Why do doggie nail clippers have to look like medieval torture devices and why do dogs have to act like they are actually getting tortured by them? 

A Confession

Like many other people, I'm a shoe-aholic.  (add that to my list of addictions...)  And, my husband has finally caught on that if I'm having a bad day, a trip to DSW really does wonders on my mood.  In fact, here's a real thing he said to me, "I'm so glad I know an easy way to make you happy.  But also disappointed that you're such a stereotype."

Whatevs.  I'm not embarrassed.

...but here's some evidence that he's right:

They didn't even all fit in the photo! (missing:  boots on the bottom tier)

Well, this particular trip to the (giant) shoe store netted me a new addition to the shoe family:

Gorgeous, no?

I will love them forever and ever.

Relaxation

Daydreamin' of free time with my husband and dog.

ps.  Check out two awesome posts by a couple of my fav bloggers:  Sara and Katie. Loved these.

pps.  Haha. Look at this funny pic. 

ppps. Ballet class again tonight... Wish me luck!

Something New (!!!)

Well, on this day last year I was gearing up for the most excruciating three days and biggest exam of my life.  The Bar Exam.

Well, a lot has happened in a year and, at the same time, not much has happened too.  It has been similar in my legal career as well.  I've been working at a non-profit for the past year providing free legal assistance to those who can't afford it.  I could really say a lot about this position - both good and bad - mostly good.

However, today, I'm moving on.

Today, I start a new job.

I'm so incredibly excited and a little bit nervous.  It's really the perfect job for me - doing exactly what I want to do.  So, fingers crossed.

Project: Paint Dresser

I decided that to make the most of my new apartment which isn't nearly as nice as my old apartment (though it is bigger and we're paying $1000 less a month for it), I'm going to actually decorate.  

The problem is/was that we're still on a shoestring budget and I couldn't just go out and buy tons of brand new things.  So, as the title of this post indicates, I decided to take an old black dresser with multi-colored knobs from our bedroom and paint it tan and white so it fits with our new bedroom of neutral colors and natural woods.

Sadly, I forgot to take a before picture while the dresser was still assembled but this is what it looked like:

 

I'm going to compress this post because I have a lot of pictures...

Read more »

Challenging the Comfort Zone

Well, friends.  I've been talking about it for awhile and last night, I did it.

I took a ballet class.


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And I know what you're thinking.  "But, aren't you a little old to be starting such things?"  And I would have said, "No way!  You're never too old."  or "You're only as old as you feel" or something similar.

But, holy smokes!  Last night stretched me physically and psychologically.  In fact, I'd say that only law school rivaled how far I had to push myself mentally and emotionally to get through it.  And, I know that sounds like an exaggeration - and after a night's rest, it even feels like an exaggeration - but I know I walked away from that class thinking one thing, "How do I get these crazy ideas in my head?"

First of all, I was in a class with teens.  I was the oldest person in the class for sure.  Second, these girls were NOT beginners.  I was a beginner.  These girls clearly had taken ballet before.  I know this because when the instructor shouted out random french words, their bodies started moving.  My body stood there trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

AND THEN, we started dancing across the room.  By ourselves.  That's right.  I danced (ahem, "danced") across the room in front of a bunch of teens.  Running, shuffling, bouncing, leaping, twirling across the room.  Let's all remember that the last time I did this, I was five.  

But, I'm going back!  I am going to tackle this ballet monster and I will be graceful if it kills me.

Flat Tire

On Sunday I had an absolutely lovely day out on the beach with one of my favorite friends.  We laid out.  We played in the ocean.  We played in the pool.  Overall, just a really fabulous day.

Then I came back to her house to get my car and go home.  But, that was impossible considering I had a flat tire.  Darn!

It wasn't terrible right at first because we ended up eating dinner while we waited for Triple A.  And I got home alright.

There's something sad about the spare tire....

The real inconvenience was yesterday when I spent TWO HOURS waiting at the tire place.  If you ask me (and you should, because I talked to my very car knowledgeable dad about this), that's far to long.

Oh, the perils of living outside of the city.

People make time for the things that are important.

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Good thought for this Monday.  What are you excusing yourself from doing?

Parking Rules

I hear a lot from New Yorkers about how out-of-staters in New York are terrible drivers.  But let me show you exhibit A in my case that it is not, in fact, the rest of the country that can't drive.

Let me explain what you're looking at.  On the left is my car (with Kansas plates, btw) which I parked at the beach at 11am.  On the right is a Buick (with New York plates) that I found at 1pm inexplicably touching my car.  Where is the line that denotes where the Buick's space ends and my space began?  Oh, you can't see it because the Buick's bumper is covering it.

Luckily there was no real damage.  But who does that?  and then leaves it?

Btw, here's Exhibit B  in my case.  You don't have to read the whole article.  Just the byline and first paragraph.  :)

UPDATE:  So, I was asked a great question:  Was this a parallel parking job?  No.  I was in a parking lot.  Even crazier, right?

So much.

So much has been going on.  With the move, spending 5 days with family in Kansas City, figuring out how to live in the suburbs, etc. I've been crazy!

I'll be back by Tuesday or Wednesday next week.  In the meantime, one of my besties from college and her husband are coming to visit.  Her husband has never been to NYC so I'm excited to show off the sights!

What are yo up to this weekend?

xo.