Weekend Update

The weekend was great... way too short... but great. Saturday morning friends, Alexis and Mark to be exact, and I got up bright and early and headed 4.5 hours south (and a little east) to Scio, Oregon for the wedding of my very first college roommate Annie. After the festivities subsided we drove back up i5 and we crashed with one of my nearest and dearest friends Caitlin and her other half Jeff. There I watched my first episode of Community (oh how I laughed) followed by what is quite possibly the best concept for a show ever... Puppies vs. Babies. "What the what?" you ask. Well I'll tell you what is the what... it's the best viral videos of puppies up against the cutest videos of babies and a panel of "judges" decides who's the cutest! Yeah, another reason I should consider getting cable.

I had made a pretty sweet mix for the drive down to Oregon but our chauffeur did not have an auxiliary outlet in his Chevrolet Malibu (say it with me, "WHAT THE WHAT?!"). Luckily I got home with enough time yesterday to go on a walk and enjoy my craftsmanship. Here's what I listened to:

Knots - Jeremy Messersmith
Santa Fe - Beirut
Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
Silly Fathers - Rubblebucket (*my new addiction!)
Stranger - Dr. Dog
Fish Sticks - Heligoats
The Honest Truth - Typhoon
Little River - The Tallest Man On Earth

K.I.T.
Amanda

Oh an P.S. head over to a grimm tale and check out this week's photo swap! So excited to have participated!

Thanksgiving Eve

This week has been filled with family, happy hours with co-workers, drinks with friends, more family, a little work, minimal blog reading, and even minimal-er blog writing. Apologies. I am hoping to write something HUGE on Friday.

Until then yuck it up with Liz Lemon. My roommate sent me this genius 30 Rock moment today and I've been chuckling ever since...

The Update You've Been Anxiously Waiting For...

You didn't know you were waiting for an update from me did you? Man oh man, life is full full of surprises!

Before I unveil the update you didn't know you were dying to hear, let's first have a dance party, shall we?! I am currently working away at Caffe Vita in Upper Fremont and participating in my own PDP (private dance party) but I want to extend an invitation to a virtual dance party for us to share in! Below is the tune to which we shall jig. Press play and proceed to cut a rug...

Oooooeeee. Now that that's out of our system let's get down to the business at hand. The business of updating. Drumroll please...

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I officially finished my task of "taking charge".

What was once a disaster zone...
Has been transformed into this oasis of respite, romance, and reading...

Since completing this task of epic proportions I have read not 1 but 2 entire books and am half way through a 3rd! I know what you're thinking (because I'm thinking it too), "Girl you've come a long way since last week at this time." Thanks for noticing!

Before going off to enjoy some respite, dream of romance, and do some reading in my newly oasis-afied room I think I should update you on another topic... I have recovered (more or less) from the emotional beating that is reading Blue Nights. If you like Joan Didion I highly recommend it and if you want to read a book that will increase your awareness of the inevitability of aging and some of the heartbreaking issues that go with then I also highly recommend it. What I don't recommend is reading it right before bed. I needed to watch 2 episodes of Parks and Recreation followed by Up All Night before my mind would let me sleep.

With that I shall abruptly sign off with a "that's all she wrote"...
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That's all she wrote.

Taking Charge...

Yesterday someone (me! me! me!) got down to serious organizing business. As I was kicking ass and taking names (by purging my closet and underbed area) all I could think of was this Liz Lemon moment:



But hear me when I say that taking charge is not all song and dance. It is also exhausting! And so at 6 o'clock I took what I intended to be a "break" (i.e. an interruption to one's activity or occupation for a brief period).
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The cleaning hiatus is still in full force. To be continued tonight?

Anyway, back to last night and my "break". I met up with Gentleman Friend to drink some Boundary Bay IPA at a bar that both he and I agreed we do not go to nearly enough. The real highlight, however, was after. Earlier this week I stumbled upon a list of the 40 Most Amazing Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and so (upon my insistence) we did some 'sperimenting in the gooey cheese and crispy bread department. What we ended up with was quite stunning. Pepper jack, thinly sliced apples, goat cheese brie... YUM. My one complaint was that we made it on wheat bread. In the future my "sourdough only" rule will be enforced.

Next up on my "break" agenda was going to be meeting up with friends to imbibe yet another beverage. By the time I made my way back up the hill and to my apartment exhaustion set in and I ended up on the couch watching episodes of Sister Wives and canceling on both friends and drinks. An apology is owed to the friends but not so much the drinks. I had had plenty.

I think my decision to "just say no" to more alcohol paid off as this morning I sprung out of bed (and by bed I mean the couch as my bed is still unoccupiable) feeling like a hundred dollars. At our staff meeting this morning we were asked to go around and share what spirit/mood we were bringing to our work today. Most people talked about being tired and stressed but grateful. When it got to me I said, "I am in the BEST MOOD EVER! The Mary Tyler Moore theme song feels like the story of my life this morning!" And so with that I will leave you with a video that I am hoping will inspire you to toss your hat in the hair and remind yourself, "you're gonna make it after all".