tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73310426898787595022024-03-13T07:50:38.798-07:00My Bachelorette PadMy Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-50204992354013813212013-06-11T10:26:00.000-07:002013-06-11T10:26:17.114-07:00First Backpacking Trip of the YearI recognize that I've been absent for quite some time. It's not really that I didn't have anything to write about. And it's not even that I didn't feel like writing. I'm not exactly sure what caused my prolonged blogging hiatus. I'm also not exactly sure if this post is going to end that prolonged hiatus or what. What I do know is that I went backpacking on the Olympic Peninsula this weekend, that it was beautiful, and that it would be a shame if I didn't share a few of my favorite pictures.<br />
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My friend Carolyn and I are training to climb <a href="http://images.summitpost.org/medium/51966.jpg">Mt. Rainier</a> in a few short weeks and so have been upping our hikes as of late but this was our first overnight excursion for the year. We decided on the <a href="http://www.wta.org/signpost/the-signpost/go-hiking/hikes/toleak-point">South Coast Wilderness Trail - Toleak Peak route</a> on the Peninsula. <b>It. Was. Glorious. </b>Bald eagle sightings every hour, stunningly beautiful and rugged coastline for miles, and spectacular viewpoints. It has to be stated, however, that we <i>earned</i> those views. While every step of the way was beautiful, much of it was also one the most physically and mentally challenging things I've ever done. But despite a few dozen bruises and a tumble (or twenty) it was well worth it and the best possible way to usher in summer.<br />
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Anyways, that's my spiel on the weekend. I hope all are well and that you enjoy the pictures!<br />
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Carolyn showing off her new hiking mobile.</div>
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Carolyn falling off of her new hiking mobile.</div>
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My home away from home for the weekend.</div>
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Carolyn mapping out our trek.</div>
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We hired a delightful shuttle driver named Willy to take us to our starting point in "Oil City" (note: it's not so much a city but it <i>does</i> have oil. Willy taught us this!). Mt. Olympus made a rare appearance during our drive and so Willy pulled over so I could get a shot.</div>
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Carolyn and I before our adventure. (note: I fully intended to take an after picture... until I caught a glimpse of my reflection and decided the internet was better off without that sight.)</div>
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After hiking about a mile along a river through the forest we emerged on the coast.</div>
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And onward we went. Through boulder fields...</div>
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...alongside cliffs and fallen trees...</div>
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... and again through more boulder fields.</div>
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Until, finally, there was no more beach to walk on, and so up we had to go. This turned out to be a recurring theme throughout the trip.</div>
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Another theme through the trip was mud. And more mud. And still more mud. And then mud on that mud. And then some more on that other mud. And so on and so forth. </div>
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But along with the mud and "ladder" climbing came sweeping vistas...</div>
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And pretty awesome forest discoveries.</div>
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A few ascents and descents later it was time to rest and wait for low tide so that we could get around some craggy points.</div>
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But soon enough, we were on the move. Crossing streams and rivers... </div>
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... and yes doing more ascending and descending. </div>
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It was around this time that I was getting pretty tired. Had enough of swinging my camera around as I navigated my way through over grown forest paths and down rope ladders. So I put it away until the next morning...</div>
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... when I woke up to the most amazing low-tide scene.</div>
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A glimpse at our estate.</div>
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Aaaaand another glimpse at the ethereal low tide morning.</div>
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And just for fun, a selfie! You know, just to prove I was actually there.</div>
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And then me doing something with my trekking poles.</div>
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Oh! Action shot!</div>
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Carolyn stopped to be photographed with the scenery and then we were off!</div>
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As if by magic this little guy seemed to appear just as Carolyn said, "I'm surprised we haven't seen any starfish!"</div>
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I guess we weren't looking hard enough?</div>
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We were joined by a hop on for part of our journey. He was pretty nice. Quiet dude though and a little jumpy.</div>
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One final ascent...</div>
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... followed by one final descent.</div>
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We waved good-bye to the coast...</div>
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... and soon were never happier to see that shiny white truck!</div>
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The End!</div>
My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-37797207429376319212013-03-29T15:42:00.004-07:002013-03-29T15:42:50.990-07:00I Promised A Post...I've been meaning to resume posting but have been slacking. Last night I promised two friends that today would be the day that I started writing again.<br />
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So here I am. Writing. Not much but writing.<br />
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This is going to be a short one. It's Friday. The sun is out. Things are grand. I'm itching to get out of here but in the meantime I am finding pleasant distractions. My favorite? Oh just an interview with Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance from 1975! If you're into that sort of thing (which you should be) I have it below. Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe width="600" height="450" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZiBPrCM9k5k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-34979776111238000542013-01-08T16:15:00.002-08:002013-01-08T16:21:12.732-08:002013...Quit being a slob.<br />
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This is probably more of a pie in the sky aspiration than it is an attainable goal or resolution. But at least for tomorrow I resolve to get my sh*t together. I'm talking hair did, nail polish not chipped, and bed made.<br />
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Doable? Possibly.<br />
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I also resolve to listen to this on repeat for the rest of the day...<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:track:3Oi8bgcQzG8qM4uZhMsGrC" width="300"></iframe>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-15554351074129818322012-09-13T17:27:00.002-07:002012-09-13T17:30:28.138-07:00An Exercise In Positivity<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">11 Good Things About Today Are... </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">1) My car has breaks that work and don't make scary metal on metal sounds.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">2) It's Thursday... i.e. tomorrow's Friday.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">3) I'm wearing hot pink.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4) My mom will be in town for the night. We are going to dinner.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">5) Before dinner we are going to Nordstrom. I have no money for the buying of things but just being in the presence of lovely shoes, purses, and cosmetics does wonders for the mood. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">6) I now own both a hard copy and a digital copy of the new Avett Brother's CD.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">7) I took a walk before work.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">8) I ate a jalepeno bagel with jalepeno cream cheese this morning and only feel moderately guilty about it.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">9) I still have Rent stuck in my head from when I listened to it while running on Monday.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">10) I went here and played with puppies, kittens, and albino hedgehogs...</span> </h3>
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11) I watched this:</div>
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I hope everyone else is having a positively positive Thursday the 13th!</div>
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My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-58143983021712770132012-09-12T11:21:00.000-07:002012-09-12T11:24:17.428-07:00Ozette Triangle Photographic Recap<div style="text-align: left;">
My friend Carolyn and I hit up the Ozette Triangle on the Olympic Peninsula the weekend before last for some hiking con backpacks and beach front camping. I have to say, the trip was an epic success. Why? Well, for many reasons but the top two are 1) We were not attacked by bears, mountain lions, or other furry meat eating animals and 2) This was the only hike I went on all summer that did NOT involve me taking a massive, life-threatening tumble. I returned home bruise free! With only a few weeks of bare-legged weather left, the ability to wear a skirt without unsightly markings is truly a gift.<br />
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The trip went so well that we are planning another backpacking extravaganza at the end of the month to Mount Rainier! Outdoorsiness! Communing with Mother Nature! Bug Bites! Huzzah! </div>
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Anyway, the photos that follow are an incomplete glimpse at our excursion. (I say incomplete because although this post might seem long to <i>you,</i> I had to narrow it down from 247 pictures taken over the weekend. You're welcome.)
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My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-82974187882077117092012-08-29T09:00:00.003-07:002012-08-29T09:24:50.506-07:00Coffee is a Magical Drug<a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=5prgif" target="_blank"><img alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0" src="http://i50.tinypic.com/5prgif.jpg" /></a>
Yesterday I completely over-caffeinated and crashed around 2pm... hard. Today, I'm still feeling those effects. What to do? Drink twice as much coffee. Obviously.
Wish me luck?My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-57458772084946048402012-08-24T11:12:00.000-07:002012-08-24T11:12:05.887-07:00SEA > PDX<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yPhXlQz_NpVM5tS-N5hQMWITsaPI2EK2UDnHjYhlZGtO1sCrPjXYxD3fkkCfMMknFafKkhLHwdYZ6zFEgDkuVYma8ekqH_5lClHAv7c8EJw73s_GRGKxfNfrQkGWbttgRdMAjTXPBvc/s1600/packing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yPhXlQz_NpVM5tS-N5hQMWITsaPI2EK2UDnHjYhlZGtO1sCrPjXYxD3fkkCfMMknFafKkhLHwdYZ6zFEgDkuVYma8ekqH_5lClHAv7c8EJw73s_GRGKxfNfrQkGWbttgRdMAjTXPBvc/s1600/packing.jpg" /></a></div>
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Should I be concerned that I've packed 5 pairs of shoes, three dresses, two pairs of jeans, one pair of jean shorts, a plaid shirt, a boyscout shirt (gotta impress the hipsters), two hot pink tshirts (different shades of hot pink... obvi), and two cardigans for a 2 night trip to Portland?<br />
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See you soon m'loves...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/abQRt6p8T7g" width="560"></iframe>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-64132537468919404832012-08-16T19:18:00.000-07:002012-08-17T09:04:32.812-07:00Austerity MeasuresAs friends/family/panhandlers-on-the-street know, I'm perpetually broke. When I'm not broke it's because it's payday. And when it's payday that means I'm just one ill-advised spending binge away from my natural state of, say it with me, b-r-o-k-e. This constant state of financial destitution can 100% be attributed to my <a href="http://mybachelorettepad.blogspot.com/2012/08/injustices-endured-while-online-shopping.html">won't-quit shopping habit</a>, not getting up early enough to make my own coffee before work (and so having to purchase it), <a href="http://mybachelorettepad.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-kind-of-town.html">concert tickets</a> (can I get an "amen" for Avett Brothers on August 25th?! "AYE-MEN!"), and my taste for "fun-having" at bars and restaurants throughout all of north Seattle.<br />
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Things are out of control. Which brings me to the title of this post... Austerity Measures.<br />
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I am a religious <a href="http://www.npr.org/">NPR</a> listener. <i>Yeah, I have an Evergreen Membership, excuse me a moment while I go toot my own horn. *toot-toot*. </i>And lately, it seems that nearly every morning my friends on the radio are updating me on the European debt crisis. <i>Thanks guys!</i> Please, for your sake, don't ask me to explain too much about what's going on. By the end of my nonsensical regurgitation of <a href="http://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/">Morning Edition</a> you'll be more confused than when I started, and so will I. Anyway, what I'm trying to get to is the fact that one key issue is always being debated: <b>to austerity measure or not to austerity measure?</b>.<br />
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Now, I don't think I need, or want, to go all Greek on my finances (because, as we all know, that's not really doing the trick for the ole' E.U., amirite??) but it's a fact, a well-known fact, that I could use some personal spending reform. And this statement was never more clear than when, a few weeks ago, I was<i> </i>attempting to clean my room. (Yes, I know, I'm <i>always</i> attempting to clean my room.)<br />
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While sifting through the rubble of a once (briefly) organized space I kept finding shoe upon shoe that I hadn't seen, let alone worn, in weeks. I had forgotten how many shoes I own.<br />
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As it turns out, I own many shoes. Many, many shoes. Oh, so very many, many, and allow me to add, MANY shoes. And all of them are lovely -- at least to me. What am I doing with all of these shoes? I only have two feet and there only seven days in a week. I hate to admit this but if I were to change my shoes 2 times a day for a whole week I would still <b>not</b> need to wear the same pair of shoes twice. This seems/feels (is??) wrong. Why am I constantly complaining about not having money when it's clear that I already own more than I can even use?<br />
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<b>So, what did I do?</b><br />
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Well first, I purged... minimally. I filled a couple o' bags with clothes and shoes that hadn't been thought about in ages. Moved them to the storage closet, vowed to make a trip to Goodwill, and then marched into my roommate's room exclaiming, "I own too many things! For the next week I'm wearing a different pair of shoes every day! Join me!" And she did! For a week we did not wear the same pair of shoes twice.<br />
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I took pictures every day to document the challenge. But The last day was so hot and I didn't have energy for more than flip flops (which I hadn't worn yet that week). This was fine as all I really did that day was go to (free!) yoga, wait for AAA to come put my spare tire on after getting a flat on the way home from (free!) yoga, curse at my spare tire when it popped after AAA put it on, miraculously drove up the hill with my faulty spare, and lay on the couch complaining about the heat until it was time for bed. So here are 6 pictures from the 7 day challenge (no one needs to see my feet in a pair of flippy-flops):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXFwJj-fu0thp17WX_gXzylUDvr9bbxib9MyV2H5CfdZdcMa7NUtFl87nvIaFT5lt0Bgx0KNYOJqIpuB7J-KWPXAvlVGfSiOgRkyZG2hCXmYOBeyIMph6dP0lO2PcYOAyHoEMg6sr0xs/s1600/Shoes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXFwJj-fu0thp17WX_gXzylUDvr9bbxib9MyV2H5CfdZdcMa7NUtFl87nvIaFT5lt0Bgx0KNYOJqIpuB7J-KWPXAvlVGfSiOgRkyZG2hCXmYOBeyIMph6dP0lO2PcYOAyHoEMg6sr0xs/s1600/Shoes.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">One - Steve Madden; Two - Salt-Water Sandals; Three - Sam Edelman; Four - Target; Five - Converse; Six - Target</span></div>
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Let's be honest... that was a fun little distraction from my over-consumption and under-saving. It made me feel resourceful without really sacrificing anything or making substantial adjustments to my lifestyle. But at least it got me thinking??<br />
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I'm still working out what I need to do to assure that the Nation of Amanda will achieve Financial Stability within the next few months. Obviously I would prefer a nice stimulus package over austerity measures but my Financial Policy Committee (known to many as my parents) keeps telling me that drastic spending reform is really my only option. And so, with that, new policies are in the works and a parred down lifestyle has been enacted (who needs full price cocktails when Happy Hours are plentiful?!)<br />
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I will try my best to keep readers posted as I progress toward a brighter economic future. My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-69786555116809670092012-08-01T16:33:00.001-07:002012-08-01T16:35:01.572-07:00Injustices Endured While Online Shopping<i>A glimpse into the greatest frustration of my day...</i><br />
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:36 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: Effing <a href="http://target.com/" target="_blank">target.com</a></span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">EFFING <a href="http://target.com/" target="_blank">target.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:40 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Alexis</span>: ?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:41 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">what are you looking at?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">college bedding???</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">(jokes, but really what are you looking at?)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: ha close... let me tell you...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">i was at Target over the weekend</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">buying
things to organize with (as you know... I'm pretty much constantly trying to figure out
how to get organized because I'm constantly in a state of disorganization)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">and I found (and fell in love with) a particularly beautiful knit throw</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:42 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">this throw is so beautiful and cozy that I know it will bring me great happiness and fill any void during those lonely nights alone in my bed</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">unfortunately...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">I couldn't buy it at the time.</span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Alexis</span>: HAHA "fill any void during those lonely nights alone in my bed"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">that's hilarious</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>:
Glad someone thinks my lonely nights are hilarious. ANYWAY, as I was saying, yesterday I got paid. After coming into what will certainly be short-lived financial means I said to myself... "GET YE TO TARGET.COM AND BUY THAT THROW!"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">But guess what...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:43 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Alexis</span>: what?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: While this garbage is available online... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmuQqvBZBBZURkp5jZwjkzuTBw6UESEvBDduVKVQhoIGOoa6Ru6fN5Ljp1xEY3t243X2oNx36NNysxf_-qCQiBPIrhYRzXYYMeo7r35iXRxgbM5Jnp3sH_sRRbIVoyJr7UHWnupn_rOg/s1600/BreakingDawn+Blanket.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmuQqvBZBBZURkp5jZwjkzuTBw6UESEvBDduVKVQhoIGOoa6Ru6fN5Ljp1xEY3t243X2oNx36NNysxf_-qCQiBPIrhYRzXYYMeo7r35iXRxgbM5Jnp3sH_sRRbIVoyJr7UHWnupn_rOg/s640/BreakingDawn+Blanket.tiff" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">my luxious, tasteful, and comforting knit throw is not</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:44 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Alexis</span>: um he's hurting worse than you? You can
cuddle up with someone who understands loneliness right now? uh what
else could this all mean, I've got nothing</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">looking too deep too deep</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:47 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me:</span></span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">further exploring injustices in my life as of late...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">why are these shoes only for j.crew kids? </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">I saw them in the catalog and about shit a brick (yes i was reading on the toilet)</span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaV34fam6zMM7op5FlI2c4zPCLncODzU7_7sf2Trv_Za6fyNYBMrQUnLm09-p6aT9FCt2hG2OHhPQZ-KdLvx0EV0_Nn3PrHIwAsHM-BoETuVxfHoR2vvFnBoCTBsJjiUf276dBNfozXA/s1600/jcrewshoes.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaV34fam6zMM7op5FlI2c4zPCLncODzU7_7sf2Trv_Za6fyNYBMrQUnLm09-p6aT9FCt2hG2OHhPQZ-KdLvx0EV0_Nn3PrHIwAsHM-BoETuVxfHoR2vvFnBoCTBsJjiUf276dBNfozXA/s640/jcrewshoes.tiff" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"></span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"></span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Alexis</span>: ooooooh now that's a real injustice</span><br />
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">those are beauts!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:48 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">okay I have to go work</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">boo</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">enjoy the shopping</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">find me a link to that throw!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: Bye!</span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"></span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">Having not had nearly enough "whine about 1st world problems" time I moved on to my next victim. </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:48 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/girls_category/shoes/boots/PRDOVR%7E49711/49711.jsp" target="_blank">http://www.jcrew.com/girls_<wbr>category/shoes/boots/PRDOVR~<wbr>49711/49711.jsp</wbr></wbr></a> do you think the largest kids size would fit me?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:49 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Rachel</span>: ahahah</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">your taste has not changed much</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">from the 6th grade amanda I once knew</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">i would ask a personal shopper at jcrew</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:50 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: well look at those shoes!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:51 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Rachel</span>: p reeety fancy</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: I'm thinking maybe now I want a pair of saddle shoes</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">2:52 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Rachel</span>: oh i have always wanted a pair</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">especially since I wear skirts every day to work in the winter</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><br /></span></div>
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</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="color: #aaaaaa; font-size: 80%;">16 minutes</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:09 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: ugh! all of the adult saddle shoes that I find are labeled "halloween"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:11 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Rachel</span>: hahah</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">bass should have some!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:12 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">if they don't have them now they'll have them in the fall</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:13 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: Oh-Em-Gee</span><br />
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:18 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><a href="https://bassshoes.harborghb.com/bass-loves-rachel-antonoff" target="_blank"></a> they're trying to tell me that they have saddle shoes with polka dots</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">and then they don't actually have saddle shoes with polka dots ANYWHERE on the site to purchase</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:19 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Rachel</span>: lies lies everywhere</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:20 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">me</span>: apparently the internet is being sponsored by lies today</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">"online shopping brought to you by falsehoods" is the motto of the day</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">I can get nothing that I want</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">how on earth am I suppose to go on without the cable knit throw that I saw at Target on Sunday?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:21 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">I certainly am not going to drive back to buy it</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">and it doesn't seem to be available on their website! And what of those polka dot shoes pictured on the website?! They must exist somewhere! But why can't I find them?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;">3:24 PM </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><span dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;">Rachel</span>: hahahah</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">comfort yourself with this: I've spent the last hour rereading email correspondence from david [ex-boyfriend] from years 07-present</span></div>
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<span style="color: #888888; display: block; float: left;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">at work</span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"> </span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"> </span><i><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">That last tidbit of information from Rachel did in fact comfort me or at least distract me. From there I launched into questions like "WHAT?!" and "WHY?!" and "ARE YOU CRAY?"</span></i><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"><br /></span><span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;">I suppose some people would see today's failed attempts to purchase (unnecessary) goods from the comfort of my desk as a sign from God/Yahweh/Allah/Great Spirit/The Universe that I shouldn't shop and my pennies are best saved for a rainy day. To that I say... "Okay. Fine... I'll wait. It's Seattle. Rain should be along any second."</span></div>
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<span style="display: block; padding-left: 6em;"></span>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-1789124844729837242012-07-23T16:55:00.000-07:002012-07-23T16:55:01.456-07:00Poolside...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyU4yl6ut7BWAqEhWQXjPiCAmWdeLCde7np9QcXOxUEKjuhcZAChY8dDRR-fBxDjoiTSczjDvDE-8TuLzYCFGVFRz63xzfNSsoK8tjgQJMghpJeAyVJBmhCObDE1nnWPGCW9HtlkIpg2Q/s1600/2100fc94d42c11e193c122000a1e8a89_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyU4yl6ut7BWAqEhWQXjPiCAmWdeLCde7np9QcXOxUEKjuhcZAChY8dDRR-fBxDjoiTSczjDvDE-8TuLzYCFGVFRz63xzfNSsoK8tjgQJMghpJeAyVJBmhCObDE1nnWPGCW9HtlkIpg2Q/s400/2100fc94d42c11e193c122000a1e8a89_7.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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Mentally I'm still sitting poolside in sunny and warm Lake Tahoe. Physically, I'm sitting desk side in chilly and overcast Seattle. </div>
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<br /></div>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-69757447617490815162012-07-05T21:20:00.000-07:002012-07-05T22:08:48.687-07:00'Merica<div style="text-align: left;">
Due to it being smack-dab-in-the-middle-of-the-week, 4th of July created a perfect excuse to stay in town and just explore Seattle.</div>
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After finaling getting out of bed at noon (yeah I'm pretty impressed with myself, too) my roommate and I embarked on a journey to a favorite cafe nearby. On the way I stopped to snap a few shots of the beautiful views, a favorite intersection, low hanging fruit, and, of course, my festive sandals.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512332810/" title="DSC_0500-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0500-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8020/7512332810_2dce18752d_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512332290/" title="DSC_0508-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0508-001" height="403" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/7512332290_5f697707c4_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512332126/" title="DSC_0511-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0511-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7512332126_8a8d8fb399_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512332598/" title="DSC_0503-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0503-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7512332598_78557da8fb_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
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After sufficient caffeine intake we headed home, decided to embark on an adventure to see the latest and greatest Seattle landmark, called up Sarah, and began journeying...
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512337476/" title="365-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="365-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8292/7512337476_0be620bac7_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512337084/" title="369-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="369-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7512337084_20522a25cb_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
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We meandered the streets and through the market...
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512336784/" title="374-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="374-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8147/7512336784_6d7ef34dd2_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512333892/" title="443-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="443-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8147/7512333892_a77591412f_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512336374/" title="381-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="381-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8025/7512336374_387291b87c_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512334110/" title="435-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="435-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8016/7512334110_0a1db2cd61_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
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And finally we arrived!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512335754/" title="407-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="407-001" height="403" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7252/7512335754_882dcfef8c_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512336020/" title="405-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="405-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7512336020_76b33cf71c_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
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Of course before riding the giant beast we had to wait in line...<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512335392/" title="413-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="413-001" height="915" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7128/7512335392_e2e411cde4_b.jpg" width="610" /></a>
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An hour later (and $13 poorer) we boarded. Once my initial screams of terror subsided and I settled in to the experience of being unnaturally high up and surrounded by glass, I do have to admit it was a pretty enjoyable way to spend 12-15 minutes of my Independence Day.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512334418/" title="426-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="426-001" height="403" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7512334418_8fba6672c5_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512664296/" title="427-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="427-001" height="403" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/7512664296_5c23a0f636_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512335096/" title="417-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="417-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7512335096_c10b1c0df9_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512679826/" title="420-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="420-001" height="403" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7280/7512679826_5fb3b9153d_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512640570/" title="429-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="429-001" height="403" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7128/7512640570_d60b916994_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512334808/" title="421-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="421-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8027/7512334808_c3b117f708_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
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The perfect adventure was, of course, wrapped up with cocktails, soaking in the sun, and people watching...
all at once!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73397409@N02/7512333702/" title="448-001 by AmandaDLM85, on Flickr"><img alt="448-001" height="403" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7512333702_23c606794f_z.jpg" width="610" /></a>
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Hope everyone had an equally splendid mid-week break! One more day and then it's time for another weekend! H-u-z-z-a-h.</div>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-31615949681350103982012-07-02T18:00:00.000-07:002012-07-02T18:24:48.279-07:00Since I've Been Gone...I had wanted to post a gazillion pictures from my choir concerts over the weekends. The only thing prohibiting me from doing that is the fact that I did not take a gazillion pictures. I took about 4. And what's worse, they're not even of choir related things despite the fact that I spent the majority of my weekend singing, preparing to sing, or hanging out with people I sing with.<br />
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So what I have for you instead is an "instagramic" glimpse of the sometimes sunny but mainly gloomy month that was my June AND a playlist inspired by all the songs we (<a href="http://www.seattleladieschoir.org/">The Seattle Ladies Choir</a>) performed over the weekend.<br />
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Photos first... </div>
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Music last...</div>
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Later(s) gatorsMy Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-33824245186784104022012-06-29T14:15:00.000-07:002012-06-29T16:16:11.774-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Today...
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Work's actually been going quite swimmingly the past couple of days but I am just so looking forward to my <a href="http://seattleladieschoir.org/">choir concert</a> tonight and my weekend of singing that everything else just seems to drag on... and on... and on... and, you guessed it, on.<br />
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Oh yeah, if you didn't know, I'm in a <a href="http://seattleladieschoir.org/">choir</a>. And we're awesome. <br />
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But back to work... there's always a learning curve when you start a new gig... and mine's definitely still cresting. However, I'm feeling a little more at ease and with that I'm hoping to have more time not being exhausted to take pictures and write posts. Huzzah!<br />
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Here are my blogging goals for the week (hold me to 'em my non-existent readers!):<br />
1 - 3 posts between in the next week<br />
2 - Resurrect "Scruff Thursday"<br />
3 - Post pictures from hike-stravaganzas I've been on over the past few months.<br />
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Do-able? Most definitely. Will it happen? I sure hope so.<br />
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In the meantime, sit back and take a listen to the latest Fiona Apple (so happy she's back!).<br />
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</center>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-47106386963898488322012-06-08T12:08:00.001-07:002012-06-08T12:10:51.867-07:00Working For the Weekend... What Weekend?I know pictures galore were promised but this week was slightly out of hand on the work front. I went on a hike last Saturday (my only really day off last weekend) to the top of Mt Si. The view from the top sort of sums up my last week...<br />
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<a href="http://open.spotify.com/user/124161167/playlist/1pSyW3DgrfZqruqE3vbdEO"><b>May Day Music</b></a></div>
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Birds - <b>The Submarines</b></div>
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Don't Say Oh Well - <b>Grouplove</b></div>
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Two - <b>The Antlers</b></div>
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Start A War - <b>The National</b></div>
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We All Belong - <b>Dr. Dog</b></div>
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California - <b>Rogue Wave</b></div>
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Las Cruces Jail - <b>Two Gallants</b></div>
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Fingers To The Bone - <b>Brown Bird</b></div>
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Breaking Hearts - <b>James Vincent McMorrow</b></div>
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Tonight's The Kind of Night - <b>Now and the Whale</b></div>
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The Times - <b>Lightning Dust</b></div>
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Gold Canary - <b>Cloud Control</b></div>
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No Longer There - <b>The Cat Empire</b></div>
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That Old Black Hole - <b>Dr. Dog</b></div>
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Photos galore to be posted this week! </div>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-71030300053272265002012-05-25T16:45:00.003-07:002012-05-25T16:49:12.700-07:00Pants Are Dumb... and other thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last night my plan was to hurry home from work, throw on my running shoes, get fit, and shower. All this before meeting up with a fellow for drinks and chats.<br />
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The last part of the evening went according to plan. The part where I was productive and ran a bunch of miles did not.<br />
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Instead of getting out there on the open road and burning off second lunch, I came home, immediately relieved myself of pants, cracked open a beer, plopped myself on the couch and watched The Killing.<br />
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Oh yeah and when I finished the beer I straightened my hair (sans pants and in front of the T.V.... obvi).<br />
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All of this was a genius use of my time. <b><strike>Possibly</strike> Absolutely the highlight of my week</b>. And I'm not at all ashamed to admit that.<br />
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At one point during the "highlight of my week", the part where I started talking to the television to be exact, I found myself uncontrollably laughing to/at myself. I realized how ridiculous I would look to a fly on the wall -- or, more realistically, my neighbors. (I'm not always the best about closing the blinds when engaging in pants-free living.)<br />
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<b><i>An aside: This raises the age-old question, "Are you ever </i><i>really living while wearing pants?" The answer, as you might already have guessed, is "No. Not fully... Unless they're hot pink." See venn diagram (based on <a href="http://sans-pants.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/pantsVenn.png">another pants related venn diagram</a>) below for further clarification:</i></b></div>
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Back to the business at hand.<br />
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My delight with the situation suddenly turned into feelings of deep gratitude. For what? I guess it's sort of in line with what I posted about yesterday. Needing to just chill out and enjoy what's happening now. It's lovely little moments like these that help me acknowledge and appreciate my extremely limited responsibilities and the great amount of freedoms I have as a result. Sitting around half dressed drinking beer in my apartment might seem like a silly example but I have a feeling it's nonsense like that that I will be missing 10 years down the road.<br />
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Actually let's be honest here... as soon as this evening I'll be missing the sweet relaxation of last night. Tonight it's all pants, all the time for Amanda. A dear friend of mine is arriving in a matter of hours and so fun-times-in-public-places must ensue (damn social convention and your insistence on constricting waist-bands).<br />
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This isn't to say that the weekend won't be equi-glorious to last night. It will be just a different type of glorious. <br />
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And with that I am shockingly out of words. Off I go so start my 3 day respite from work!!<br />
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</div>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-34389348548550413512012-05-23T17:30:00.000-07:002012-05-24T10:17:40.350-07:00Update?So I am going to make a concerted effort to turn a little more inward. Things have been hectic (I know, I know, what else is new with you?). Hopefully more blogging will be a byproduct.<br />
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The Sunday before last I started thinking about the week I had ahead and realized that I did not have a single free second. So what did I do? I canceled every plan I had made so that I could take care of myself.<br />
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By noon the next day I had filled all of my new found free time with even more plans.<br />
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I feel torn between wanting to get out, socialize, and have fun and wanting to sleep, clean, and make my environment pleasant.<br />
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The past couple of weeks have been somewhat emotionally tumultuous -- as was evidenced by my all out sob fest in the middle of the San Diego airport Monday morning. AGH. Public displays of emotional instability. Always fun! (God Bless my mother who was on the phone for most of it).<br />
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Nothing in particular is wrong. It all goes back to my impatience. Goal setting and then wanting to fast forward to the goal obtaining. The particular problem with my latest goals is that I can't quite figure out the path to get me to them. So it's frustrating.<br />
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I think my newest goal should be "cut it out with your stupid goals". I'm tired of always striving - never being satisfied. I need to sit back and enjoy instead of constantly working for something other than what I've got going on right now. Life changes and evolves naturally without me constantly poking and prodding at it (seemingly in vain). <br />
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Now that's not to say there aren't some things that I could... or rather should... be working toward changing. Namely, the state of affairs in my pocketbook and car disrepair. Maybe with increased inner calm those won't seem as daunting? Who knows.<br />
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One thing I've noticed in these past few weeks where I've been fairly restless, there have been certain things, namely photography, photo editing, and choir practice, that have centered me and brought me joy. It's been nice reminding myself of an outlet worthy of my energy that rewards my efforts.<br />
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This ramble was not suppose to be this long. All I had meant to write was "Hey... gonna try and be better about this writing thing -- it's sort of important to me. In the meantime, enjoy the Dr. Dog song I've been listening to all day".<br />
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So yeah... Gonna be better about writing. And enjoy Dr. Dog.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RqiOW9TM_ao" width="640"></iframe>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-11939804433009160182012-05-01T14:54:00.001-07:002012-05-01T14:54:17.089-07:0030 Days. 30 Pictures.<div style="text-align: center;">
I really meant to do April photo-a-day. Alas I did not. But that doesn't mean I didn't take pictures. Here are 30 snapshots from 30 days worth of April</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpcS40qRpNs6UbmBpCTjsbPMHW1_52EHggEwbtzmBoravae7tuxdms3LmHFpraBGix6I9V1qG1FV2uJVWRzFJOnEmfHELCnd1w5hWYb2kVyaH7fyyScdINOspvChj4oqLBlfagYBxAZM/s1600/Apr+6,+2012-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpcS40qRpNs6UbmBpCTjsbPMHW1_52EHggEwbtzmBoravae7tuxdms3LmHFpraBGix6I9V1qG1FV2uJVWRzFJOnEmfHELCnd1w5hWYb2kVyaH7fyyScdINOspvChj4oqLBlfagYBxAZM/s1600/Apr+6,+2012-001.jpg" /></a></div>
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Happy First Day of the Month Before the Month In Which Summer Starts!</div>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-39620557915996410002012-04-30T16:29:00.002-07:002012-04-30T16:32:24.595-07:00Monday MusingsLast week was one of those "Am I losing my mind?" sort of weeks. <i>Please readers tell me you know the kind of week I'm referring to. </i> One of those 7 days where my brain was thinking crazy thoughts, my mouth was speaking even crazier words, and all I could do to not self-destruct was keep busy, busy, BUSY.<br />
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<i>An aside: Maybe it's something in the water? From what I've heard I'm not the only Seattle-ite experiencing temporary insanity.</i><br />
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Anyway, luckily for me, on Thursday night I flew down to California to see my family and had the chance to briefly visit one of my best friends and her fiance. The trip definitely helped with the "crazies" and I like to think that I woke up feeling a little more "zen" today, or at least dedicated to the pursuit of chilling the "eff" out.<br />
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Here are a few pictures of the sunnier times I had over the weekend. It was filled with plenty palm tree sightings, a hillside hike, a cute dog, well dressed family members, and happy cows (they're happy because they're from California, DUH).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5mWNaNbp_XI/T58Ytc4LFbI/AAAAAAAAB0E/Q5WhMYqoPBU/s1600/End+of+April-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5mWNaNbp_XI/T58Ytc4LFbI/AAAAAAAAB0E/Q5WhMYqoPBU/s1600/End+of+April-001.jpg" /></a></div>
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Now that I'm back in Seattle I am making an effort to calm down and enjoy life more than I had been last week. Initially, to usher this calmness into my life, I pledged that after work I would go straight home, run a few miles, hit up a yoga class, then clean my room while singing along to some <a href="http://open.spotify.com/user/124161167/playlist/40bU9XTlit9CrU83cSooLJ">sweet tunes</a> before turning in and enjoying the wonder that is my newly luxurious bed (yeah, I still cant get over my memory foam, nbd).<br />
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As the day has <strike>dragged on</strike> progressed (and I realized my paycheck is already waiting for me in my checking account) I have changed my tune and decided that what I <i>really</i> need is to socialize while wearing a cute outfit heavily featuring my new <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_feature/NewArrivals/denim/PRDOVR%7E78211/78211.jsp">hot pink jeans</a>. So change of plans... <a href="http://www.libertybars.com/">fancy cocktails, sushi, </a>my favorite wedges, and brightly colored pants have taken the place of my original evening of health and wellness. Room cleaning and long distance running can wait! <i> </i><br />
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<i>Another aside: Yes, <a href="http://mybachelorettepad.blogspot.com/2011/11/update-youve-been-anxiously-waiting-for.html">I am always in the state of needing to clean my room</a>. It seems as if a tornado hits weekly when I'm not looking. I of course have nothing to do with its recurring state of disarray. </i><br />
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One thing that doesn't have to wait is listening to the aforementioned <a href="http://open.spotify.com/user/124161167/playlist/40bU9XTlit9CrU83cSooLJ">sweet tunes</a>. I'm pretty sure I'll be blasting this playlist while deciding exactly which lipstick pairs best with neon pink legs.<br />
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Polite Dance Song - <b>the bird and the bee</b><br />
Eyeoneye - <b>Andrew Bird</b><br />
All Day Day Light - <b>The Morning Benders</b><br />
Cannons - <b>Youth Lagoon</b><br />
Birthday - <b>the bird and the bee</b><br />
Boyfriend - <b>Best Coast</b><br />
Salsaness - <b>Radiation City</b><br />
Heard It On The Radio - <b>the bird and the bee</b><br />
Young Adult Friction - <b>The Pains of Being Pure at Heart </b><br />
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<br />My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-83996240149976845752012-04-18T11:17:00.001-07:002012-04-18T11:33:16.772-07:00Tricky Tricky<div style="text-align: center;">Sometimes, when she won't come over on her own accord, I like to lure my coworker (Maggie the dog) over to my desk with a treat and then snatch her up and make her take pictures with me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDV8BPThM4tf2q74zvd5gr9Ko2DKzNayAAgbc-V4U-_TbDhP_i7hjx5_-2EEilnAJhw6FZTql_Wl55CUTCfIB-hWInNIyRTSIToBuiCSP94HCAIWC2iN_JdBb9UmH8rJqS8afItRLAzk/s1600/Photo+on+2012-04-17+at+09.30+%233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDV8BPThM4tf2q74zvd5gr9Ko2DKzNayAAgbc-V4U-_TbDhP_i7hjx5_-2EEilnAJhw6FZTql_Wl55CUTCfIB-hWInNIyRTSIToBuiCSP94HCAIWC2iN_JdBb9UmH8rJqS8afItRLAzk/s1600/Photo+on+2012-04-17+at+09.30+%233.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm pretty sure that she's grown hip to my tricks but the treats continue to prove to be too delicious to pass up... and I think that secretly she finds the cuddles delicious as well.</div>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-51439510076618576092012-04-12T17:13:00.006-07:002012-04-12T17:21:33.812-07:00Joy In A Box<div style="text-align: center;">Alleluia! Oh happiest of days! These were waiting for me at my desk yesterday...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-0pOrJr8CDMumcUvZ5ziDHQ-Zl7Zj4vo0GgTR25YM7hlmcWv4pdjB0htAARkWFDQwQnRETVetqOaAvxnCM8jFH4-Vv_Ihi1v-fQpx8-rViTeWlIQCI9Y3fgghTfdTODCF1A2DuTGnCI/s1600/IMG_3492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-0pOrJr8CDMumcUvZ5ziDHQ-Zl7Zj4vo0GgTR25YM7hlmcWv4pdjB0htAARkWFDQwQnRETVetqOaAvxnCM8jFH4-Vv_Ihi1v-fQpx8-rViTeWlIQCI9Y3fgghTfdTODCF1A2DuTGnCI/s640/IMG_3492.JPG" width="610" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">It being the week after Easter, Peep prices are at a discounted low and those in the "Amanda inner-circle" (<i>very </i>important and <i>very </i>exclusive,<i> </i>obviously) know that the way to my heart is by stocking up on my behalf! (Hot tip: The chicks are far preferable to the bunnies and if pink is not available then yellow is my color of choice... seriously people, not much time left, get out there and buy me some!!!)<br />
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Anyway, after squealing with glee and thanking my gift-giver, I popped a batch into the freezer. All Peep lovers know that Peeps are even more enjoyable when they're stale but only true connoisseurs (aka weirdo fanatics) know that frozen peeps mimic some of the texture of a stale Peep but have an extra chilly bonus. Say it with me now - <i>"</i><b>Nom-nom-dot-com</b><i>". </i> The first frozen batch has already been scarfed and, surprisingly enough, not all the scarfing was done by me! <br />
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My co-worker Heidi had never had a Peep until yesterday. I repeat, this woman had made it to her late forties without ever eating a Peep!!! What sort of sad and sorry existence is that? It most certainly was not one that I could stand for, I'll tell you that much. And so, as would be expected of me, I came to the rescue and the situation has been rectified. Heidi finally tasted the magic that is processed sugar fluffs coated in more sugar and shaped like baby chickens! Huzzah!<br />
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I typically don't like to force Peeps on anyone. My fear in introducing people to my favorite sweet comes from the fact that Peeps are one of this world's "divisive foods". The "divisive foods" are those foods that you either love to the point that marriage is a real consideration or you <i>hate</i> to the point that just seeing them is day-ruining. I'm telling you, Peeps are right up there with the likes of cilantro, pickles, olives, and candy corn (eeewww, candy corn, seriously eewwww!). <br />
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Very little hurts my heart more than being exposed to Peep-hate. but luckily for me (and my tender heart) the good feeling I had about Heidi was spot on. After a little encouragement she tried the sugary goodness and not only did she enjoy it but she was quite eager to get her hands on more. And more I have given her and more I will continue to give! By the time the stores have finally run out of Easter Peeps she'll be borderline diabetic... and it's all because of me!<br />
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It's days like this that I feel satisfied... like I really made a difference. Time to sign off so I can free my hands and commence patting myself on the back.</div>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-83301846616280264972012-04-11T15:53:00.006-07:002012-04-11T22:56:26.413-07:00Good Things...A Mainly Pictoral ExplorationAfter a few days... okay, a few weeks, months, and maybe even years of me going "W-T-EFFFF?" I was planning on titling this entry "Dudes Be Dumb" and elaborating on this statement. For the sake of time and my sanity I decided to save my breath and instead post on a few good things that have been going on as of late...<br />
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1. This past weekend was almost impossibly beautiful... like I could be brought to tears just reminiscing over the sun and warmth!<br />
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I was dog sitting in South Seattle and on Saturday morning decided to grab my camera and explore nearby Georgetown.Unfortunately my camera was without its SD card (wretch! blast!) and so my iPhone had to suffice. Luckily I had just downloaded a bundle of new photo apps and so this was the perfect opportunity to play around and pretend like I'm artistically gifted (side note: I really need to learn how to use my DSLR and stop relying on cool photo editing software... but that's for another time). Here's a glimpse at my sunny (and industrial) explorations...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XC9_JSrVT5pYLBXoF2hsM6FYIq10c0nGuEyZvvqjnF1TZy5XcgLL3oxbSpZKhUFTMWDYQoDxm_aTZmJ-_LN9fHSvtyTvxcFxpgk4onaajw4wj0SpkewN-wbw3xxjhlHqU9yHjgW2RD8/s1600/Apr+8,+2012-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XC9_JSrVT5pYLBXoF2hsM6FYIq10c0nGuEyZvvqjnF1TZy5XcgLL3oxbSpZKhUFTMWDYQoDxm_aTZmJ-_LN9fHSvtyTvxcFxpgk4onaajw4wj0SpkewN-wbw3xxjhlHqU9yHjgW2RD8/s1600/Apr+8,+2012-001.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0o8f65VjyFIsi76m0Zi_w6-09H_5emP7QJ0qiOYuGLCrN6EQowg2LFC3VM0JcoQl7x7nSvECgtLppw-_D1zH8PQDelgmTfF9aHxGnuQ7Yr8fFEv3CAE9Qp69_Thr5HrhvCJQIo69up0/s1600/IMG_3488-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0o8f65VjyFIsi76m0Zi_w6-09H_5emP7QJ0qiOYuGLCrN6EQowg2LFC3VM0JcoQl7x7nSvECgtLppw-_D1zH8PQDelgmTfF9aHxGnuQ7Yr8fFEv3CAE9Qp69_Thr5HrhvCJQIo69up0/s1600/IMG_3488-001.JPG" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thecorsonbuilding.com/index.php">The Corson Building.</a> I have yet to eat there ($$$$) but was charmed when I stumbled upon in my wanderings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvj1NQFkTSUEhSdRm9D7OMeB_aLguB5I5RfE7yWIvM3yvsI5ja___FjuXaT94enNdv0dOTp7A-iu52zvNLpygwrSpSeWcU7UbfgdbewjIkohiVwp6JebvK8cx_LJUAqO1HGfksJ5Cx-bg/s1600/Apr+7,+2012-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvj1NQFkTSUEhSdRm9D7OMeB_aLguB5I5RfE7yWIvM3yvsI5ja___FjuXaT94enNdv0dOTp7A-iu52zvNLpygwrSpSeWcU7UbfgdbewjIkohiVwp6JebvK8cx_LJUAqO1HGfksJ5Cx-bg/s1600/Apr+7,+2012-001.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">... Oh the humanity!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXWTl9Ee3-cWuFVbUYRJVMuXKRHNwGywhbMUaIicovTk4eelHAWO-PODMEJLnoEf9HSFP66Mj135isQNy7ZALkddA9coYa1hBL3uiO2jK2Ym_w8Pg7bAXDWbka_WYlxYZHpgchYS3wVY/s1600/IMG_3425-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXWTl9Ee3-cWuFVbUYRJVMuXKRHNwGywhbMUaIicovTk4eelHAWO-PODMEJLnoEf9HSFP66Mj135isQNy7ZALkddA9coYa1hBL3uiO2jK2Ym_w8Pg7bAXDWbka_WYlxYZHpgchYS3wVY/s1600/IMG_3425-001.JPG" /></a></div>Apparently heaven <i>is</i> a place on earth and it's called <a href="http://usefulvintagegoods.com/">Useful Vintage Goods</a> in Georgetown, Seattle. I could have stayed in there all day basking in the splendor of the hopelessly unaffordable found objects.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWskSrEvFW3F2ndXCl2z-y6M2ip8vchb5r_govI4gIDVDxIOsVECbhkLyfIqV6WcKhGrA4HpiWowYY33vz9-2EU-hdwZFNv4fzkUvwCR9NSPcw9KLaa8qtx1zCPcly7lF3-86xBXsC88Y/s1600/Apr+11,+2012-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWskSrEvFW3F2ndXCl2z-y6M2ip8vchb5r_govI4gIDVDxIOsVECbhkLyfIqV6WcKhGrA4HpiWowYY33vz9-2EU-hdwZFNv4fzkUvwCR9NSPcw9KLaa8qtx1zCPcly7lF3-86xBXsC88Y/s1600/Apr+11,+2012-001.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Came across the <a href="http://www.georgetowntrailerpark.com/">Georgetown Trailer Park Market</a>. Like a flea market... ... ... but in trailers. Rest assured, I'll be back!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">2. After a stellar Saturday the weekend just kept getting better. Easter Sunday looked a little something like this...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuL-HJH44ANj22FEC78XW_LlNf9cH4RTP4CQW9mxHVahaIS_z6RPvWvmgWS3tspLVt6-2AM94UHF89f5nlivcogWpDp-5um-ufLVipfRgez2dZidb1J7cUwdXsjhygCnjwvGa9obkRT74/s1600/IMG_3414-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuL-HJH44ANj22FEC78XW_LlNf9cH4RTP4CQW9mxHVahaIS_z6RPvWvmgWS3tspLVt6-2AM94UHF89f5nlivcogWpDp-5um-ufLVipfRgez2dZidb1J7cUwdXsjhygCnjwvGa9obkRT74/s1600/IMG_3414-001.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">7 AM</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyp1VG6RaNAHIVIm6ABW4ZR38G7uIdo12ZH6rvFLfYqYiGbQEVeKcZErM2aOiWZrU6STx2oVl6h2k85lWd4v4JFIOO1Ef1Tg1nirJB4t5G7qFXoAccKYVTQPr3AnB_4kXd-6TGlQLXR8/s1600/Text-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyp1VG6RaNAHIVIm6ABW4ZR38G7uIdo12ZH6rvFLfYqYiGbQEVeKcZErM2aOiWZrU6STx2oVl6h2k85lWd4v4JFIOO1Ef1Tg1nirJB4t5G7qFXoAccKYVTQPr3AnB_4kXd-6TGlQLXR8/s320/Text-001.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">10 AM</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ohom6mpzve5yuUDafK8p8AwaPSQMuzGK2TJLCmdIXcIX2dZ-42QnC_WcjiFUQdofWRbW3I7bv48Glg01QeflVveZqZKZ4YyKIuncT9mEXXMOlWLddg07uYKlXA1KUajA5eEZxhY4yP8/s1600/IMG_3470-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ohom6mpzve5yuUDafK8p8AwaPSQMuzGK2TJLCmdIXcIX2dZ-42QnC_WcjiFUQdofWRbW3I7bv48Glg01QeflVveZqZKZ4YyKIuncT9mEXXMOlWLddg07uYKlXA1KUajA5eEZxhY4yP8/s1600/IMG_3470-001.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG-n9fdP8f5ACGloVqEn8vsK-YJawunaC_HYsKvsT06oo7Wc7I8bEm3BhVV3FsJQuhgCVH2_WIqayn6FP1ejXRbj9P1Vlwy4b7B1fzQZJpe76oGYlKLND3UQWsf2IhyphenhypheneS0YKGj_w2h2Q/s1600/Apr+8,+20121-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG-n9fdP8f5ACGloVqEn8vsK-YJawunaC_HYsKvsT06oo7Wc7I8bEm3BhVV3FsJQuhgCVH2_WIqayn6FP1ejXRbj9P1Vlwy4b7B1fzQZJpe76oGYlKLND3UQWsf2IhyphenhypheneS0YKGj_w2h2Q/s1600/Apr+8,+20121-001.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">11 AM - 12 PM</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmrHHDQm6PJcRoczmaC55-UZMjbJOgoVCyZjmIyqf-t0xHBysvHVocsaVqYpfehEDusPtuMfpT-e5vWhkzO1EuUFC-jVkf1ETVAR8QatHO1P8db2n6V2J_WNr9XWiNrnY_uSa86nCTRo/s1600/IMG_3481-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmrHHDQm6PJcRoczmaC55-UZMjbJOgoVCyZjmIyqf-t0xHBysvHVocsaVqYpfehEDusPtuMfpT-e5vWhkzO1EuUFC-jVkf1ETVAR8QatHO1P8db2n6V2J_WNr9XWiNrnY_uSa86nCTRo/s1600/IMG_3481-001.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://skilletstreetfood.com/diner.php">1 PM</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">After 1 PM the photos stopped. Mimosa + Bloody Mary = Extended lunch time nap (on my new memory foam mattress topper). Basically I was a happy camper.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have more "good things" to post but this is getting a little lengthy, I am getting hungry, and I want to save something to post another time!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope my billions of trillions of zillions of readers also had a splendidly sunny weekend filled with sandal wearing, naps, walks, friends, and foods!<br />
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I'm going to leave you with the lead track from my newest impulse iTunes purchase... yeah, that's right I bought Fleetwood Mac's Rumours... what about it? </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WOBa_ZMaIk0" width="420"></iframe></div></div>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-86272390521465966842012-04-06T14:58:00.002-07:002012-04-11T10:05:03.696-07:00Weekend Welcomed<div style="text-align: center;">I am immensely looking forward to some down time. I frequently find myself overextended and the past two weeks have been prime examples of that. Concerts, flat tires, dog sitting, dinner plans, happy hours, much needed yoga and all too short runs, unforeseen Seattle traffic meltdowns, and a full work schedule have left me exhausted (and with FILTHY hair. Seriously, my number 1 to do after work is washing this ole mop). Tomorrow morning my good friend Sleeping-In and I are going to become reacquainted, after that I'm doing some tire repair, serious laundry, and spending some time with Dillon High Panthers (I haven't been able to watch Friday Night Lights all week. *GASP*).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Despite feeling only half awake at the moment there have been a few things keeping me energized through a hectic 5 days. They are pictoraly represented below:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgih5y8-utoD-1KB6N6hNFuAd_4QWlK241O8hikZxqXPa_1FicwnUq4dGk1AvRQfs0Bfwpzg0z18goWs7YWnI_3zpJ95rAysQcb2gjMgz8UaI52PNY8Yt_klTeKufVNmOYV7gyx6bAJ0sg/s1600/IMG_3320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgih5y8-utoD-1KB6N6hNFuAd_4QWlK241O8hikZxqXPa_1FicwnUq4dGk1AvRQfs0Bfwpzg0z18goWs7YWnI_3zpJ95rAysQcb2gjMgz8UaI52PNY8Yt_klTeKufVNmOYV7gyx6bAJ0sg/s400/IMG_3320.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7aegxKR3mvkQ_X1cuWCtfwpQaLsBlb_5WGaNze17d1BIBr0e8Z2Kgg4CBM5CiwerRX-caqVXTS7pspFlUd3FRtRK-3YVx0bdXvfxoadICdomYj25tSg7jDFmFIAZD3s5s6w-FiF4Jwk/s1600/IMG_3348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7aegxKR3mvkQ_X1cuWCtfwpQaLsBlb_5WGaNze17d1BIBr0e8Z2Kgg4CBM5CiwerRX-caqVXTS7pspFlUd3FRtRK-3YVx0bdXvfxoadICdomYj25tSg7jDFmFIAZD3s5s6w-FiF4Jwk/s400/IMG_3348.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cmEjNDqvpoFxzsypDhDcRwsTnByi70_DcAH8J4m8QfAzFQHMwfIk2rWs3ydaUu-mQyjbJ2rw4sSThyxtUzhPI5c0P28nnSfw9SViArQ9B0c6haJStjH-lBnkyYw9Lzbzsw4am2_vqTQ/s1600/IMG_3351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cmEjNDqvpoFxzsypDhDcRwsTnByi70_DcAH8J4m8QfAzFQHMwfIk2rWs3ydaUu-mQyjbJ2rw4sSThyxtUzhPI5c0P28nnSfw9SViArQ9B0c6haJStjH-lBnkyYw9Lzbzsw4am2_vqTQ/s400/IMG_3351.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I find it highly doubtful that this level of "at work cuteness" will ever get old.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvOfnMxV65edO0v-06WMAZl-An5QeD-SIKYJa4GXV-Ec9B6IOiwYHp-ruHSWx-9EHOJreVdYDe9pm1USyC49h2TvTWEMi5RyEocPyaU4kA_p-ryaCycgDicDxeHdTqMrBVwEAK72kW-Q/s1600/IMG_3317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvOfnMxV65edO0v-06WMAZl-An5QeD-SIKYJa4GXV-Ec9B6IOiwYHp-ruHSWx-9EHOJreVdYDe9pm1USyC49h2TvTWEMi5RyEocPyaU4kA_p-ryaCycgDicDxeHdTqMrBVwEAK72kW-Q/s400/IMG_3317.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnrGmCeScCzYHthKnZzzwTQAN32hst_ZbyYsalkLtSpowSvXWAvy_kFTXAjUq6C3do4CEX2KIZpnGzVppIQFuDHuUUVk9zq2QwLz4gQUFPv-gSWfqDBySU7jSpStnikT0rtoc7xyZAA8/s1600/IMG_3318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnrGmCeScCzYHthKnZzzwTQAN32hst_ZbyYsalkLtSpowSvXWAvy_kFTXAjUq6C3do4CEX2KIZpnGzVppIQFuDHuUUVk9zq2QwLz4gQUFPv-gSWfqDBySU7jSpStnikT0rtoc7xyZAA8/s400/IMG_3318.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh, well hello Spring! In the right light you're a real stunner!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6WF5vt-cf_zPB684eBk_uW92BOn-NcM4AGVN-NuiwvnM78tkCDXAgJymbrdcvlVC6aYww9qc81od4klS2pv-IJv2BWfo_fF70GWCYv9CAtgnHXRKGFr2TdyiUf3uWqZkIb2TZPihV8U/s1600/IMG_3364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6WF5vt-cf_zPB684eBk_uW92BOn-NcM4AGVN-NuiwvnM78tkCDXAgJymbrdcvlVC6aYww9qc81od4klS2pv-IJv2BWfo_fF70GWCYv9CAtgnHXRKGFr2TdyiUf3uWqZkIb2TZPihV8U/s400/IMG_3364.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymXnKyExezwwDr0cBZd3_jJGL9lI21n7RocJxNyZ84d_atjEl74QuaF337-gb4SpoE_YFXuyxbxG95IIzmj_UKyJQb-GiAOiUZTP9FCUL27sOaDO6HkxGHjoOotVymha2NJdEqh74DoU/s1600/IMG_3373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymXnKyExezwwDr0cBZd3_jJGL9lI21n7RocJxNyZ84d_atjEl74QuaF337-gb4SpoE_YFXuyxbxG95IIzmj_UKyJQb-GiAOiUZTP9FCUL27sOaDO6HkxGHjoOotVymha2NJdEqh74DoU/s400/IMG_3373.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I went showin' last night. "Showin'" for those of you not in the know (i.e. not in my weird little brain) is when you go to a show. In case you didn't figure that out. Anyway, as I was saying, I went showin' last night and I'm going showin' tonight. I saw Typhoon who I had been hoping to see for quite awhile. They did not disappoint. Actually it was way better than I expected. I, however, did disappoint. I dragged my tired self out of there early so that I could be assured I could drive home without falling asleep behind the wheel and missed some of my favorite songs. But, make it home safe I did!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy weekend to all! It's Easter on Sunday and that means the best day of the year is nearly here... Peeps will be 50% on Monday! Better stock up!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Clearly I'm going to close this entry with a Typhoon tune... clearly...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Vpd6HkWDMh5M3nHIjMnLsBj3_0hZs6hLbB5tLVsMvmoiuQIlTM62TNhgpybBWe3R6mrhJ4kI-TijmvtOJpJusoJkPcNMtbr1ZFcml0HZxg24_eLGeDXYjskUocTVCIt9A2iQRjQ-CIo/s1600/IMG_3350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PHRFhLxuLj8" width="560"></iframe>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-86020021715207459662012-04-03T16:39:00.000-07:002012-04-03T16:39:25.111-07:00Inspired...I've missed writing on this little blog. There's just been so many things keeping me occupied lately... I had a friend in town, the second half of my birthday month to celebrate, 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights to watch, and an attempt to get back into tip-top running shape to keep me busy.<br />
<br />
An update on how all of the above turned:<br />
=> My friend, Rachel, visited Seattle for the first time. We had a lovely time despite the fact that she is now gluten free and so would not imbibe any of the region's microbrew finery with me.<br />
=> Birthday month was delightful! I'm so glad March has a full 31 days to it.<br />
=> Friday Night Lights is the best and worst thing that has happened to be in a long time. It's the best because well it's amazing. It's the worst because there's really very little that is more enticing to me right now than spending time with Coach Eric Taylor. Have I read my book for book club... not exactly. Have I stayed up too late telling myself "just one more episode" one more episode too many times? Absolutely.<br />
=> Running is going pretty well. Made it around Lake Union on Saturday (that's 6 miles to those of you not in the know). I'm going to put a 10 mile weekend run on the books soon and after that's complete I'll be feeling pretty good. Pretty good indeed.<br />
<br />
The sun's peaking out a little bit so I want to hurry up and get my work finished so I can go home and work on that running!<br />
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Right now I'm ever so slightly addicted to this song by Bird & the Bee. Give it a whirl!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Qy-XLrGsjRg" width="560"></iframe>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7331042689878759502.post-16773947828947264052012-03-20T19:28:00.002-07:002012-03-20T19:31:53.490-07:0027 For The Win!Last Thursday was a great day. In fact, it was the perfect day to turn 27. Which is exactly what I did!<br />
<br />
The last few birthday's were replete with tears on or around March 15. The Quarterlife Crisis is real I tell you. Really real.<br />
<br />
This year I had zero anxiety, zero regrets, and zero cry sessions. The day was lovely and complete with breakfast made for me by roommate, a dog sleeping under my desk all day, a lovely playlist to listen to at work, college basketball viewing, a new birthday outfit, a manicure, and some of my favorite people at one of my favorite <a href="http://www.targystavern.com/">bars</a>. Oh, pizza and Peeps made an appearance too! Perfection.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ie4f2CoGgno/T2kS5-Nw4NI/AAAAAAAABiY/JghA1YRxXCU/s1600/e79916306eaf11e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ie4f2CoGgno/T2kS5-Nw4NI/AAAAAAAABiY/JghA1YRxXCU/s400/e79916306eaf11e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg" width="399" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1XdkOOeSxrk/T2kS5KRow6I/AAAAAAAABiQ/5PB0dzDEEz8/s1600/9644e86c6ece11e19e4a12313813ffc0_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1XdkOOeSxrk/T2kS5KRow6I/AAAAAAAABiQ/5PB0dzDEEz8/s400/9644e86c6ece11e19e4a12313813ffc0_7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tiYZ1uTvLV0/T2kS47owU8I/AAAAAAAABiI/wplkvOceuK8/s1600/45028e50724811e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tiYZ1uTvLV0/T2kS47owU8I/AAAAAAAABiI/wplkvOceuK8/s400/45028e50724811e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WDcQ7CuMkmY/T2kLUVVO6XI/AAAAAAAABiA/3SrLoALqgxk/s1600/Desktop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WDcQ7CuMkmY/T2kLUVVO6XI/AAAAAAAABiA/3SrLoALqgxk/s640/Desktop.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://open.spotify.com/user/124161167/playlist/2aQ1vkIaKfG1ixZePrisyI">Birthday Playlist</a> (there's no rhyme or reason to the selections... they just felt right)...<br />
<br />
People C'Mon - <strong>Delta Spirit</strong><br />
Kodachrome - <strong>Paul Simon</strong><br />
I'll Be yours - <strong>Those Dancing Days</strong><br />
Nothing Short of Thankful - <strong>The Avett Brothers</strong><br />
Ten-Twenty-Twn - <strong>The Generationals</strong><br />
King of the World - <strong>First Aid Kit</strong><br />
Ce Jeu - <strong>Yelle</strong><br />
Long Walk To Never - <strong>JayMay</strong><br />
Go Out All Night - <strong>Givers</strong><br />
Goin' Home - <strong>Dan Auerbach</strong><br />
No Longer There - <strong>The Cat Empire</strong><br />
I'm Always In Love - <strong>Wilco</strong>My Bachelorette Padhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01254075987038419635noreply@blogger.com1