Caught in the Rain

*warning - I think this post will probably be really boring. Feel free to read this instead.

Today was a weirdly fun day. I slept way in after donating blood yesterday (who knew that takes the wind out of your sails so badly!), then got up and lounged around for a while. One of my all-time favorite major vegging pastimes is Lifetime Original Movies, and today was the "Love" marathon on Lifetime. Yes, I know, my tastes in entertainment range from bad to worse, and I am the poster child for all that is wrong with America, blah blah blah. I don't care what the haters say, I love a good Lifetime movie. Unpretentious, topical, and fun! My friend N recently commented about the political implications of the movie Dirty Dancing, and as much as I love her (*I love you!), there is a part of my brain that says "Don't harsh my mellow, dude!" Sometimes you need a little mindless entertainment!

After consuming a few mellow hours of said entertainment, I wandered out into the world for a trip that local retailer Target, where I acquired a fancy schmancy new object, sure to make me super-efficient and precise:
I also picked up a fashionable watch, on clearance for only $9, in order to look more professional and not whip out my cellphone when I really just want to know what time it is. Finally, I got this bag, which I'm currently dating:


Mine is green and white, and has a pocket on the outside, but that's the general shape. It's called the "Slouchy Hobo," which is wrong on at least two levels, but it's a super comfy, cute bag that holds all of my stuff. Plus, it was only $8!

After my little retail therapy adventure, I came home, and found that there was a solstice festival in the park in front of my house. I wandered over and watched some kids putting on "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in the riverfront amphitheater, then walked across the pedestrian bridge to downtown Minneapolis. There was a storm rolling in across the skyline, so the light was all pink and purple and weird like it gets in the Midwest during storms. I was so caught up in taking pictures, I got absolutely soaked when it started to rain! (Pictures to come in a future post.) I had to take off my super slippery flip flops and book it home barefoot. I was worried about the camera getting wet, but running barefoot in the rain is still one of my all-time favorite activities! What a nice way to end a relaxing day!

PS - I also did some work today, but that is really boring, so I thought I'd spare you, faithful readers. Just wanted to mention that I wasn't a TOTAL sloth today.

Le Weekend

The weekend is so amazing. I forgot about 2 long days of nothing, filled with slowly-sipped coffee, leisurely walks in the sunshine (I think I have a Vitamin D deficiency, and I'm working to fix that -Boston is GRAY), time to clean and organize things, time to cook (I've cooked more in two weeks than I did last semester), bad movies, exercise, etc. The only thing missing is my kitty for some snuggling.

Today I'm a) drinking coffee, b) cleaning, c) going to an arts festival with N, and d) babysitting my favorite little girls in the world (I can say that because my little relatives are almost all boys).

Zuhause

Every day which is born into this world comes like a burst of music, and sings itself all day through. And thou shalt make of it a dance, a dirge, or a life march, as thou wilt. - T. Carlyle

All right, that might be a little dramatic, but I like it! I have been feeling super introspective lately, mostly because working from home means I spend 90% of my time alone. I like it, to an extent, but I have also found it necessary to set up one social event per day, lest I go completely batty without even noticing until it's too late. Yesterday that included going to Lindsay's house, walking her dogs, eating a hugely disgusting, yet delicious Hot City sandwich (there was butter AND Italian dressing...), and taking a nap in her living room. That's right, we took a nap! I think your true friends are the ones who encourage you to drool on their furniture.

I miss West Virginia(ns), but not Boston, really. As nice as the people I know there are, I feel a hundred times more at home here. Speaking of "home," I've developed a new, and possibly disturbing interest; house envy. One J-Term, Lindsay and I spent weeks visiting all the animal shelters and pet adoption days in St. Paul and Minneapolis (see: Ella, Nick). I was supposed to be helping her get a dog, and I ended up with my SWEET DARLING kitty! Now, I've moved on to drooling over cute houses (I ran by one yesterday and almost ran into a light post, because I was gaping at the adorable garage.... GARAGE). I don't know where my sudden house obsession came from, but I have two theories.

Theory 1) Studio fatigue and housesitting: As the faithful readers among you know, I've been living in what some have generously termed my "walk-in-closet" for close to a year. Even though it's really not that bad, and quite reasonably priced(!), it's definitely a different style of living when there is zero separation between any of your living spaces. I mean, there is a door to the bathroom, but...no. By contrast, I am living right now in a house with 3 bedrooms, a loft, a formal dining room, a huge living room and a screened in porch. Plus a backyard. Perhaps this contrast has caused my body to go into utter shock at the luxury, and decide that it needs one of these for itself. Immediately.

Theory 2) Quarterlife/nesting/stability/decorating crisis: (this is the real problem, I think) I am pretty sure much of my fantasizing comes from the last 5 years of WV-MN-Germany-Austria-MN-DC-WV-Boston-MN hopping, my upcoming quarter century birthday, and some weird manifestation of that (are you with me ladies) ovarian/uterus/hormonal crisis about having babies, trellises, herb gardens, etc. I don't know if that made any sense. Also, I think I'm prematurely old, because are normal 24-year olds fantasizing about buying houses and having trellises? I guess we all know I'm not that normal. (To the tune of "Not That Innocent").

The good thing is that unlike getting a cat, I have no real income, and thus no way to "accidentally" come home with a mortgage. Phew. Thanks credit industry, for saving me from myself!

I Know I'm a Little Overboard With the Embedding, but....

There is really only one thing to say.

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!