Monthly Archives: May 2013

May 29 2013
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Fashion

WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING FUN?

IMG_2637Because boy oh boy do I have a project for you.

T-shirt scarves.

Not only are they THE EASIEST craft project I’ve ever participated in… but they are also free, fun and perfectly lightweight for summer!

My mother (thanks mom!) sent me a link to this crafty little blog here with a nice how-to video. But really, it’s so easy, I can just tell you in three easy steps.

1. Cut.

2. Cut a little more.

3. Stretch.

4. Wrap.

That’s it. That’s really all there is to it! So we made one basic one and then we started making variations for fun, trying to cut strips and braid it in. Or trying to lengthen or shorten them. But in case your visual – here’s a the pictorial of how it worked:

Cut from armpit to arm pit of an old tshirt. And then cut the hem off the bottom.

Cut from armpit to arm pit of an old t-shirt. And then cut the hem off the bottom.

Leaving a half inch at the top of one side, cut from bottom to top in one inch strips.

Leaving a half-inch at the top of one side, cut from bottom to top in one inch strips.

Take each strip and stretch it.

Take each strip and stretch it.

Then wrap your hem around the top part and tie it off. BAM! A completed scarf.

Really, if you’re going to do this, I suggest watching the video from Mr. Kate’s blog. I mean, I know I’m pretty good with directions, but I think she’s probably a wee bit better. Plus, she adds more bling to hers. I was just coasting on what I had around me.

I wore mine immediately after wearing it. And now I think I’m going to need one in every color. Or at least in red and white, as I’m thinking it’s probably the most perfect Husker season scarf out there…

Watch out crafting world, turns out… I might actually enjoy this whole “wearing things I made” thing…

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May 09 2013
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Adventure, Goals

A FEW GOOD LISTS

We all know I love a good list.

Grocery lists. To-do lists. Packing lists. Task lists. And random life things lists.

Even better? I adore finding a good, well written list. You know, the ones that perfectly describe exactly what you think and provide you with a good laugh and a little guidance.

Well, my dearest darlingest friend Maggie has a birthday today. And in reflections about her perfect new age, she stumbled across this amazing list written by one very smart and clever lady at Glamour magazine.

Miss Mags read the list out loud (long distance friend phone date style) and we laughed and commiserated over every line. Piece by piece. And realized, this list just made us happy.

Because no matter where you are, what you’ve accomplished, what your current status is – this really is a good generic list of things you should know and have.

And a great benchmark to read and acknowledge that by 30 (or your late twenties) – you really have learned quite a bit, accumulated more than you realize and that by this far, you already have a pretty great story to tell.

So I give you this list. I hope you smile as you read it. And that it brings you a small part of joy that it brought to us in realizing that being thirty (or any age) is so incredibly wonderful and perfect – just because it’s how old you were intended to be.

By 30, you should have …

  1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.
  2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
  3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
  4. A purse, a suitcase, and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.
  5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
  6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
  7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age — and some money set aside to help fund it.
  8. An email address, a voice mailbox, and a bank account — all of which nobody has access to but you.
  9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.
  10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
  11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.
  12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
  13. The belief that you deserve it.
  14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
  15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship, and all those other facets of life that do get better.

By 30, you should know …

  1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
  2. How you feel about having kids.
  3. How to quit a job, break up with a man, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
  4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
  5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
  6. The names of the secretary of state, your great-grandmothers, and the best tailor in town.
  7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.
  8. Where to go — be it your best friend’s kitchen table or a yoga mat — when your soul needs soothing.
  9. That you can’t change the length of your legs, the width of your hips, or the nature of your parents.
  10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
  11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
  12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or not flossing for very long.
  13. Who you can trust, who you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
  14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
  15. Why they say life begins at 30

Happy birthday Miss Maggie. The amazing lady that fulfills both halves of the #10 on the list of things to have and for always encouraging a #12 here or there! And, of course, for teaching me #6 on the thing I should know list…  May your day today be filled with joy and happiness… and be oh-so-excited for the post man to deliver a package that might fill a few of the holes here and there!

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May 01 2013
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Uncategorized

HUGE LIFE ALTERING AMAZING NEWS

Okay, it’s not that life altering.

Or that amazing.

But I think it’s HUGE news.

Remember that one time I tried to torch my apartment down with the oil fire… if you don’t, clearly you haven’t been around me at a party lately and haven’t been reading my blog long enough. But it happened and in the process,  I destroyed the microwave.

So right after it happened, I called the apartment complex to let them know that I, totally by myself and of no one’s fault but my own, torched the microwave and asked about how to replace it.

Ironically, the maintenance men couldn’t come out that week… as they were busy conducting fire safety inspections (aka replacing batteries).

Yup. Awkward.

So finally last week, I re-called them. Scheduled a time I could take my dog out of the apartment (she doesn’t like strange men coming into her apartment – totally fair) and they could come and take a look.

So, K spent the day with me at work and when we got home – K immediately smelled that there had been strangers in the apartment and freaked out (man, I love that dog). And tada! there was a new microwave. And know, I use “new” lightly. It was used, covered in dust… and some sticky substance that I refuse to question… but a used microwave is probably cheaper than a real one right?! But, there was no invoice of any sort.

So I call the front desk and ask about if I could get an invoice for that – because I didn’t want it to come out of the deposit when we move out – since it’s no fault of my roommates.

And guess what kids.

THE NEW MICROWAVE WAS FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

No, I have no idea how that works. But the front desk lady was shocked that I would even question paying for it. “Why would you think you had to?!” she sweetly asks.

Um, because I killed it. Hard. Flames came out of it. It. Melted.

Point of the story?

  1. That part of the tax refund I set aside to go to paying to replace the microwave? Well, those dollar dollar bills are going into savings!
  2. It pays (no pun intended) to be nice to your land lady. Because you just never know when you’re going to need that microwave replaced.