EmilyFruit

fuschia friday

2012-01-27T14:23:00.001-06:00

[Sweater, Express; shirt, H&M; jeans, Lucky Brand; shoes, Report; necklace, Brighton]

Though it's one of my favorite colors, I've always had a hard time wearing fuschia! I think that it interacts kind of oddly with my skin tone. I was on a mission to make it work today. By layering a lighter button-down underneath, I think it added a little dimension and neutralized the color a bit. I'm excited that I found a way to wear it!

triple alarm chili

2012-01-27T12:43:00.000-06:00

Triple Alarm Chili

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground sirloin (browned on stovetop)
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with diced chili peppers
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can chili beans
1 cup frozen corn
3 chopped jalapenos
1 package McCormick "Original Chili" seasoning

Brown the ground sirloin, only occasionally draining. Those juices add major flavor later. Then, add all ingredients to a crock pot, stirring thoroughly. Set on a low temperature for seven hours, or on high for four. Enjoy with sour cream and cheese! (To make it less alarmingly spicy, take out the jalapenos, and/or use plain diced tomatoes.)

I love how this turned it! It is very spicy, so be warned! It's said that spicy food fills you faster. Since smell is such an integral part of our eating, when we can smell that something is warm and spicy, it triggers our brain to feel full faster. I had only one bowl and felt completely satisfied. Yum!

coffee and cream

2012-01-27T12:35:00.000-06:00

I LOVE this sweater from Loft. Mike got it for me as a Christmas gift, and it goes with EVERYTHING! It's so cozy. I actually wore it twice in a week, (I know, I know) wearing it for my first day of substitute teaching yesterday! It was so weird being back in the school I student taught at. Didn't really feel like I missed any time, just there I was!

Banana Berry Ice Cream

2012-01-24T22:12:00.000-06:00

Back when I worked at The Borrowed Earth, a super-awesome raw food cafe in Downers Grove, one of my favorite things was when they made raw ice cream. Tastes just like the good stuff at Oberweis, but is very healthy, and all raw! So I tried my hand at it.... check it out!

Ingredients:

3 frozen ripe bananas
1/2 cup of mixed berries (to your liking)
1 tsp honey
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a blender and enjoy! If the consistency is too much like a smoothie, place in the freezer to firm up.

Collector's Edition

2012-01-24T20:31:00.000-06:00

Since he spends so much time behind the camera, I thought I'd give him some light! This is my lovely fiance, Mike, and his growing (and growing, and growing) collection of old-school Nintendo games! Though I was kind of puzzled by it in the beginning, after beating Earthbound with him this year, I totally appreciate it! All those great colors and the funny music... Anyone else have a fun collection?

Is this winter?

2012-01-24T19:07:00.000-06:00

[Coat, Soia & Kyo; Sweater, Jordane Pierre; Jeans, Lucky Brand; Bag, Fossil; earrings, F21]

We've been having some unusually warm weather in the usually-freezing Midwest recently, so this is great! Normally, January means that it's time to pile on everything I have just to stay alive!

Recently, I've been going light on the makeup. I think something about having wintery pale skin makes me want to put less color on my face. Just some excellent lip stain and minimal mascara. I also tried a little twisty action in my hair today... it's enough to get my hair away from my face, and it looks cool in the back, too!

Santa Fe Chicken

2012-01-23T10:59:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I've blogged, and for any of you who are/were regular readers, I'm sorry! I guess you can say I've been "finding myself" since I graduated this past December. After thinking about it, I fully intend on coming back. But I thought I'd welcome you back into my home with a new title design AND a kickin' recipe! Here's a little something I found on chef-in-training.com. Here's the link.

CROCK POT SANTA FE CHICKEN

Recipe From: skinnytaste.com

24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans (rinsed and drained)
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot.

Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.

Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.

Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred.

Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning.

Serve over rice (extra pts)

Enjoy!

Servings: 8 servings

Serving Size: 1 cup

Old Points: 3 pts

Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 190

Fat: 1.5 g

Fiber: 5.6 g

Carbs: 23.1 g

Protein: 21 g

This is the original recipe, but I made a few alterations. You may find that the finished product is more soupy than you want. I thought so, too. In the future, I'll probably leave out the broth. However it does make a good soup! I turned mine into a soup by adding a roux (1 T butter + 1 T flour combined on the stove). Also, I used chili powder in place of the cayenne.

I didn't have any scallions, so I used the white part at the end of my green onions instead. I kept the tops in a jar of water so they'd stay fresh until the cooker finished.

It paired excellently with red wine! (Our pick of the moment is Rex Goliath.)

...and, of course, toasted french bread with olive oil and Parmesan tops the whole thing off!

I hope you enjoy!

Things in October

2011-10-16T20:25:00.000-05:00

Eeps! Quite the haircut! There is something so gosh darn liberating about chopping off all your hair. All that hair that went along with me through my last days of college lectures, the hair that hung around my worried thoughts about student teaching, the hair that was with me when Mike proposed, and so much more. I'm more than half-way through student teaching now, and far from feeling the nervousness I once did. More than anything, I'm sensing a change in seasons (aside from the obvious weather change). I have no idea what I will be doing in two months, and frankly, that is so scary! I like the idea of moving into this new season of life, but I'm afraid of what awaits me! Luckily, I have wonderful people in my life to break any falls I may take. Hopefully there will be none to be spoken of.

On the fun side of things...... wedding stuff is moving right along! Mike and I tentatively booked a location for the wedding (which is so great!). Our date will likely be June 1, 2013. *skips about* We went to the Morton Arboretum earlier this week to take our own engagement photos. Here are some!

For the full lot, head over to our WEDDING WEBSITE

I was pleasantly surprised with the results. It seems that once I got the right settings down, it was great shot after great shot! (It took lots of not-so-great shots to get there, though!) I had a great time with it! Anyone need engagement photos? :)

Lucky Brand Jeans!

2011-09-13T17:25:00.001-05:00

Ok, so just how amazing are these jeans?!? I absolutely love them!!! They're Lucky Brand jeans. Thanks to Glamour and Lucky, I get to try them out! Ladies, you should know that these are seriously comfy. The hug in all the right places and stretch where you need them to. I like that they're a bit longer because you can wear heels with them! I think these are my new go-to jeans!

new light

2011-05-17T08:47:00.000-05:00

Big stuff happening for me! So, I had a lovely week off with nothing but the same old park district shenanigans to keep me occupied. I adored every free moment. Well, it's all come to a halt! I picked up the textbooks that I'll be teaching from this fall. Man, do I have a lot of reading to do! It's all interesting, and I'm excited that I'm reading it so that I can teach it. I have to start thinking of myself in an entirely new light -- as a teacher. I've begun the process by looking the part. OMG I cut my hair! Yes, you read this correctly. Now, I don't have to fight a hairbrush through my wet locks after each shower. I can sleep on it without waking up with a bird's nest of a head, I can shower more quickly, and, I look less like the teenage girl who I will be interacting with -- as a professional -- on a daily basis in several months.

I'm BACK!

2011-05-09T15:21:00.003-05:00

Sometime last month, I became so immersed in my schoolwork that I decided nothing else mattered. Like my poor, dear blog. Truthfully, I was at a crossroads with it. I like to think of myself as an interesting person with multiple interests, and I wondered if this portrayed me in singular, less-than-interesting ways. However, I have come to the conclusion that I love this dear blog. Fashion is simply one tiny little facet of my life, but it is one that I also adore. Thus, I am BACK!

[Jacket, LOFT; tank, Hollister; jeans, sandals, belt; Old Navy; necklace, dogeared; flower pin/clip (both!), Claire's, bracelets, Paper Source]

Mike was really making me laugh this time.... He kept telling me to "quit posing!" Anyone else never know exactly what to do in front of a camera?

the countdown

2011-04-13T07:57:00.000-05:00

[Shirt, Macy's (I'll get the specific brand soon!); tank, Target; jeans, ON; flats, Gap; necklace, dogeared; earrings, NY&Co.; assorted bracelets from random locations]

School has been more than a handful recently. I know that this is what senior year is all about, but I can tell you that I'm just ready to graduate!!! Now that it's getting warmer it seems like more and more of a reality--- thank goodness! On the up side: I can start wearing warm weather clothes! I snagged this silk shirt for a steal of $11 at Macy's last week. Woo! It's so light and airy; it's going to become a regular. Still wearing that Dior eyeshadow. Anything I can smear on my face in less than five seconds that successfully makes me look more awake during these dark ages I call second semester is a GO. (It also helps that I got some sun this weekend.)

Hooray for warm weather! Only 2.5 weeks of school left and this girl is free!!!

sweet warmth!

2011-04-12T08:27:00.000-05:00

[Tank, ON; Belt, F21; capris, American Eagle Outfitters; wedges, Coldwater Creek (!); necklace, dogeared]

It was SO beautiful this weekend. I spent a whole lot of time outside! Saturday was so amazing. I taught my preschool gymnastics class, went on a 6 mile run, had lunch with my mom OUTSIDE by the river, met up with my Dad's side for yummy dinner and pool/air hockey/darts and beer, and then met up with friends at a bar for karaoke night! I don't think I could squeeze more fun into a weekend if I tried. It felt so good to be wearing summery clothes for a change. Nothing feels better than the warm air against your skin!

Dior and bare feet

2011-04-08T08:22:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the lovely Glamour, I'm in a fantastic program called Glambassadors. Occasionally I post things on here that deal with the program (you can see posts listed on the left side), but this program is really awesome! I get to try out new things and share them with my friends! Most recently, I received a new Dior eyeshadow palette.

I seriously love it!!! The colors are beautiful and they blend SO easily. This will be a staple of mine. Next month we get another product to try, and I'm so excited! Also, you can get FREE shipping courtesy of my Glambassador program if you enter the code GLAM2 at checkout. Happy blending, I mean shopping!!

Well, here's the regular outfit post, along with a close-up of the eyeshadow! I'm not wearing shoes, which is a pretty accurate representation of how I live my life in the non-frigid months! :P

[Sweater, Gap; t-shirt, ON; jeans, ON; belt, ON]

[Necklace, DogEared (won from Glamour!)]

[Leather bracelet, quiosque in mall; silver squares, handmade; heart, unknown; silver bangles, F21 ($2.50 each!!!)]

Published!!!

2011-04-07T08:29:00.002-05:00

So, this isn't usually what I post about, but I'm too excited to hold back! I'll be published in ISU's literary publication, Euphemism! They've accepted both a claymation I made back in high school and a poem that I wrote last year -- it's written in 16th century vernacular about Jackass 3. (I know, I love that combo, too.)

Here's the claymation:

Click me!

and here's the poem:

A Trippe to the Theatre

By: Emily Terlak (While channeling John Skelton)

The time is Autumpne, whan the skye is cover'd in dull gloom.

Upon mine heart a dreary bud hath bloom'd.

In search of lighthearte and alle,

Shall visit I the theatre acrost from the mall.

Settled are we in the seats among the gunk.

The screen lights uppe and lifteth mine funk.

Affixed crost my ears strange lenses sit in mount.

My, the images my way doth jumpe out!

Strangeties of the theatre no man shall know

this is part of the fun of the show!

Ah, here are the boys we have wait'd for;

They jiggle whilst dodging pellets of paint, and falleth to the floor.

Ne'er before has such a smattring been

of plumpous, hairy and oafy men.

Yet mine heart doth skippe a beat

in the joyous pleasure of my one falle retreate.

With a looke to mine lefts and rights,

my comitatus chuckles with wild delighte.

Ah a new scene! The plump Preston Lacy walketh inne,

and, dear God, a hand of giants doth slappeth him!

A ricochet of flesh doth hither sway.

Only the role of the fat man doth this poor character play.

Here in this building of business and worke,

his bulging stomach still in earnest doth jerke!

Oh to mine eyes doth appear such hilarity!

Tears welleth my vision so mere blurs do I see!

Another scene yet! What is this, this vat of yellow wax?

My, there they all lie, hair ripped from their backs!

Their faces doth twinge and horror and paine.

To them this is hell, to me a swift game!

Oh, chuckleth do I, my heart – my heart may surely poppe!

What's this? They've plastered poor Preston with wax and stuck Wee Man on top?

Counteth they downe, then comes a rip –

Yet more tears fill mine eyes, and downward they drip.

Hilarity as quality as the likes of this scene

springs in me such life as summer fields are green.

If only mine comraddes from Oxford could see

this mastery of fun that flasheth before me!

As a final scene doth start, swift as a sword,

suspended is Steve-O, in a toilet on a cord!

My fears alive, the toilet is full!

Now the boys from a crane start to pull –

Releaseth him now! This cannot be a dream.

Inside from the toilet doth poor Steve-O scream!

The view inside shows the man in lament,

as he is swiftly and surely surrounded in excrement.

If only the ways of these men did our people learne,

banished would we be of needless concern.

For life to them is a mere grouping of fun,

and see it them this way till life is done.

- 2010

So if you guys don't think that I was a dork before, here's your chance!!

Me and Marc

2011-04-06T07:47:00.001-05:00

[Blazer, Marc Jacobs; blouse, thrifted; tank, F21; jeans, Old Navy; belt, Old Navy; wedges, Anne Klein; Necklace, Macy's]

Marc made his debut into the world yesterday! (Well, it certainly wasn't his first time out, but his first time with me!) If marriage were permitted between outerwear and women, we'd have quite the whopper.

bang!

2011-04-01T20:43:00.007-05:00

Sorry it's been so long!!! I've had tons to do with school and have had a few technical difficulties in the past week. I've been remiss! Anyhoo, I feel like my hair has been more drab than fab lately, so I decided to make a few snips and do some cheeky bangs. I'm LOVING them! I forgot how much I like them!

P.S. Thanks to the loverly blogger Julie Sarinana @ sincerelyjules.com for helping me get bigger pics!!! I was toiling over that for ages and she had the answer in a second! I get by with a little help from my fellow bloggers...

I'm headed off to Milwaukee this weekend, so expect some fun pics soon!

green clean

2011-03-23T11:54:00.002-05:00

[top, anthropologie; jeggings, F21; flats, Anne Klein]

As per a special request, I tried to get some closer shots of my outfit! I'll keep in mind to include more detail in the photos. Now you can see each individual bracelet-- woo hoo!

I can't tell you how much I love these flats from Anne Klein. The flowers are zippers! I can't deny that trend. Way cute.

The last photo was taken during one of my regular drives through the country to get to and from school. Sometimes it's so pretty!

good things.

2011-03-21T15:54:00.001-05:00

[Sweater & t-shirt, Old Navy; skirt, Generra; tights, F21; boots, Target]

It's been a good day. Good things to say. :)

miss here and there

2011-03-20T21:57:00.002-05:00

[Jacket, Target; t-shirt, Old Navy; tank, VS; jeans, Old Navy; flats, Target]

[flower clip, F21]

Today was so fun! Mike's sister and family from Oregon are visiting and we spent lots of time together. His nephew and niece are ridiculously adorable and fun to play with. It also happens to be around their birthdays, so there has been a heaping pile of dessert involved of nearly every facet of the day. Fine by me!

Only 7 round trips to school before I'm finished! I can't wait to live in ONE SINGLE place. For the first time in my life, actually! I've always been bumping from place to place, and the prospect of all my things in one place is settling and comforting. So the countdown begins!

home sweet home

2011-03-18T22:17:00.000-05:00

[Jacket, LOFT; blouse, Gap; Jeans, Old Navy; Flats, Target]

Nothing, and I repeat nothing, is better than arriving at the door of your home after a long week away. This was a tough one for me. I faced a billion challenges (so it seems), but I feel great that they're done and conquered. Today I needed a rather multi-purpose look. I attended an assistive classroom technology conference that called for semi-nice, semi-casual attire, and I also planned on making my weekly drive home in said outfit, so I wanted some nice layers just in case the wind whizzing through my car windows got chilly (It's come to that point in the year when, yes, I will keep my windows open even if it is only 40 degrees outside because I say it's time for spring). I absolutely love the jacket from LOFT. I've been able to incorporate it into soooo many different outfits and it's always stellar. I've also been happy with my wristwear recently! I have a lot of cool bracelets, but rarely wear them together. I'm kind of liking the bundled thing I've been doing lately. It shall stay!

Well, I hope you all are enjoying you weekend. It sure is nice to be home. :)

all blue everything

2011-03-14T15:23:00.000-05:00

[Denim shirt, H&M (men's); t-shirt, F21; jeans, Gap; boots, Report]

Last night I started a blue kick! My Sunday manicure begged to be blue, so I went with it. I kind of like the slightly 90's appeal of the tied shirt, but it's modernized with the wide-leg jeans. What do you lovely readers think?

swimmingly well

2011-03-13T20:14:00.000-05:00

Today was SUCH an amazing day. First, Mike and I drove to the Shedd Aquarium for which we had FREE passes. Second, we had a little photoshoot against the gorgeous lake/cityscape set before us. Then we went to play with a Yorkie puppy (which we shall one day have...) and wrapped it up with some Little Caesar's pizza before settling in for a nice nap. Success.

[Jacket, LOFT; cardi, H&M; t-shirt, F21; belt, Old Navy; jeans, Gap; moccasins, Minnetonka; purse, Fossil]

And here is the man behind the camera (most of the time!). It's Mike!

Don't do it, Mike!

Marc Jacobs, everyone:

2011-03-11T21:43:00.000-06:00


[Jaket, Marc Jacobs; snap henley, Gap; jeans, Old Navy; shoes, AK Anne Klein]

Can I just say how excited I am about this vintage Marc Jacobs jacket?!? I scored it on Ebay for the unfairly low price of $20. Really. I threw it on the second it came out of the box..... and I think it'll be hard to take it off.

academia

2011-03-09T17:11:00.002-06:00

Today, as per the requirements of the teacher education program I'm enrolled in, I spent several hours in a local high school doing observations. Seeing as how the hallways of a highschool will be my home in years to come, I have to dress accordingly. Did I mention how difficult it is to be fashionable and school-appropriate at the same time? I mean, no jeans?!? :P I will survive, but it might take a while to get the gist. Here's what I came up with for today. It feels sort of Lauren Hutton-y so I'm not incredibly disappointed.

[Button-down, thrifted; cardigan, H&M; pants, Gap; belt, F21; flats, Target]

x and y

2011-03-07T15:35:00.000-06:00

So hard to feel light and feminine when it's thirty outside! Today I layered on Mike's sweater over a LBD and felt pretty good about the whole thing.

[Dress, The Limited; Sweater, American Eagle Outfitters (Men's); Boots, Target; Necklace, street vendor; Tights, Forever 21; Bracelets, handmade and gifted; Orange Cuff, unknown]

channeling chan

2011-03-06T23:35:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite jewelery designers is Chan Luu. I absolutely love her wrap bracelets. However, being quite pricey as they are, I thought I'd give my own crafting chops a chance. I'm actually really happy with the outcome-- I think this one will be joining the regular rotation!

minimalist colorblocking

2011-03-06T17:25:00.002-06:00

It's everywhere! I think it's safe to say that a big trend for spring is colorblocking. Even Glamour has been covering it recently. A simple breakdown: colorblocking is pairing bright colors in such a way that they are all visible and they all command attention. The purpose is to give a color pop that is eyecatching and colorful. Taking the muted route, I paired my turquoise sweater with a purple tank for a daily spin on the trend.

[Sweater, Anthropologie; Tank, Old Navy; Jeans, Old Navy; Flats, Target; Scarf (used as belt), Forever 21; Wristwear, handmade and gifted]

Glambassador duties!

2011-03-04T17:29:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Miranda, Gina and I drove downtown to the Ann Taylor LOFT in the Shops at Northbridge where Glamour had a lovely event promoting their fabulous new spring line. Upon entering, we were handed the tastiest cocktails and got right to mingling. I got to meet so many great people, including lots of my fellow Glambassadors who until then I'd only seen photos of! After unanimously agreeing to meet up again, the girls and I left for PIZZA at Pizzeria Uno on Ohio St. Miranda was the Uno virgin among us, and, as usual, it was was a-mazing. Since the party had a private photog (ooh la la), I just got some pictures at dinner!

Left to right: Gina, Miranda, Moi!

mid midterms

2011-03-02T21:40:00.000-06:00

[Scarf, F21; Shirt, Gap; Sweater, Gap; Jeans, Old Navy; Shoes, Thrifted; Watch, Timex; Bracelet, Street fair in Portland; Earrings, Claire's]

2011-03-02T14:49:00.002-06:00

Feeling very meta. Got a whole bunch of ideas spread around me, on my computer screen, in my books, in my bag, on looseleaf, now waiting to emerge from my pen. Frantically as I write, hoping something interesting comes out. Like shaking a pinata for the best candy. Gotta get a whole bunch of flavorless, colorless, hard stuff before getting to the chocolate... or something. Very formulaic, very systematic. I ride my academia raft (probably an enlarged Norton anthology if I'm accurate) and sift through thousands of ideas to some destination that I'm not familiar with. They glob onto my raft and leave a stain, sometimes fall off, and sometimes collect and conglomerate. It's very easy to see the water but hard to see the surroundings and the time and the place and the weather and others and the sky. Calling it tunnel vision is wrong. Hamster wheel? Exhaustion, maybe. The way that you get after you run and run as fast as you can and can just muster to see your hands, pale and vibrating in the sound of the pulsating world, which at the moment is too vibrant to make mental space to conceptualize. No space to make shapes, determine colors, to smell. Just concentrate on the hands. Maybe a blade of grass. Solipsistic stasis.

in a week's time

2011-02-28T16:39:00.005-06:00

Forgive me reader, for it has been a week since my last posting. Oops! Over the weekend I visited my best friend Kayla (who you will shortly see) and not realizing that her new apartment wasn't yet "wired," I found myself in a bit of a blogging dry spell. Fear not, though, because I have returned! And I have a sloo of things to share with you! I thought about putting these into separate posts, but that would be silly, wouldn't it?

THURSDAY

- Very windy
- Very exciting
- Very busy
- Very.

I brightened up my outfit hoping it would brighten up my mood. Surprisingly, it worked. (Well, maybe it also had to do with the fact that I was supremely productive that day, somehow finishing every single thing on my to-do list.)

Outfit evidence:

[Jacket, Soia & Kyo; Scarf, from small shop on Devon St., Chicago; cardigan, Target; yellow blouse, F21; Jeans and belt, Old Navy; Boots, Target]

MICHIGAN

On Friday, early in the morning, I hopped on a train which would bring me to another train which would spit me onto a bus which would lead me into E. Lansing, MI to finally see my best friend since high school, Kayla. The weekend was a whirlwind of reminiscing, shopping, laughing, cooking, eating, (a little drinking), and overall bonding. Always fantastic in my book. Needless to say, I had an amazing time and cannot believe that it's all over already. It was great to see the side of Kayla's life that until now I had only heard of. Saturday was adventure day. We zipped about town, went to the Oldsmobile museum, and eventually landed in a quaint little cafe called The Wanderer's Teahouse, where we appointed ourselves to partaking in afternoon tea. Properly brilliant, it was.

TODAY

I returned home VERY late last night due to a lovely mixup with Amtrak. A made-me-two-hours-late-getting-back-home kind of mixup. The kind that finds you finally settling at home at 2:00am. The kind that kind of makes me want to spontaneously combust. (Exhale.) Finally finding myself back at home, I'm back to my regular schedule of teaching toddler gym classes and whiling away hours at Caribou Coffee, and the familiarity is welcome after hours aboard strange trains and strange buses surrounded by strangers. (Next time I'm driving.)

[Jacket, Ruff Hewn; scarf, ECHO; shirt, F21; Jeans, Old Navy; boots, Report]

all wrapped up

2011-02-21T16:19:00.000-06:00

President's Day = No work for me! I slept in today and had a lazy breakfast and practically daydreamed myself to sleep in my cup of coffee. Just what this chick needed.

Since it's Monday, and my routine is to tag along to Palatine with Mike and sit in Caribou Coffee until my homework is done or until my brain pops. Regardless of how this venture may close, I know that I'll be comfortable.

Scarf, Gap; Long-sleeve T, Gap; Jeans, 7 for all mankind; Shoes, Pr!vo by Clarks; Belt, Old Navy; Ring, Sterling Works; Yellow bracelet, Fair trade from Africa (acquired in Galena); Seed bead bracelet, handmade.

I always try to incorporate something handmade into whatever I wear. It really gives you a sense of agency in compiling an ensemble. I urge you to do the same and feel the powa!!

I'm bracing myself for a very busy week. I've read more books this semester than I did last year- all classes combined. Yep, it's that kind of thing. But I love it!

looks that I want right. now.

2011-02-21T09:28:00.001-06:00

Golly gee, Batman, Anthropologie's really done it this time! I looooove these outfits from their most recent lookbook. They're so art-y but still so wearable. I'm dying for the boots in the last shot, but the printed dress in the first shot is my absolute favorite. That dress and I will find each other someday. It will be bliss.

tut tut

2011-02-20T21:21:00.000-06:00

Today was a rather rainy day. Actually a very rainy day. I also celebrated my lovely grandmother's birthday today, so I had to spiff up a bit.

Turns out, I love this ensemble. I might even return to it sometime.

Hat, Gap (Men's); Dress, Forever 21; Cardigan, Old Navy; Belt, thrifted; Rainboots, Chocolat; Scarf, silver cuff bracelet and tights, Forever 21.

Thanks to Mike for photo cred, and for the hat! He bought it for me last summer. When I saw it I immediately fell in love, and he got it for me on the spot.

what I'm listening to today

2011-02-20T11:54:00.000-06:00

Having a lazy Sunday morning.

- So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright - Simon and Garfunkel
- Sunday Morning - Maroon 5
- See the World - Gomez
- Never My Love - Etta James

relax

2011-02-19T22:09:00.000-06:00

Very new things going on in blogland. New name. (Biggie!). New graphic. I'm very excited about it all.

Here's what I wore today. Nothing too fancy, but nice and relaxed (perfect for a Saturday afternoon). Yellow shirt, F21; Button-down, H&M (Men's); Jeans, Gap; Flats, Target; Necklace (actually long and doubled over), F21; Bracelets, handmade and thrifted.

Time to get some work done! This blog re-vamp has taken up a good part of my evening! Thank goodness Mike made Hamburger Helper so I didn't have to cook! Yum. :)

cosas naturales

2011-02-18T16:32:00.000-06:00

Things without really trying.

free as the wind

2011-02-17T11:40:00.001-06:00

Earrings, M2 Boutique; Tank, Banana Republic; Blouse, Gap; Jeans, Old Navy; Socks, Target; Shoes, Report; Silver Cuff, Forever 21; Turquoise bracelet, unknown; Beaded bracelet, handmade; Ring, Sterling Works; Fancy manicure done by yours truly.

the colorful life.

2011-02-17T09:44:00.000-06:00

Something amazing is happening in the word of outerwear/overcoats/blazers/etc. Color! You never see much differentiation from the standard black, blue, or camel.

Check out Jason Wu's blazer as seen in Fall 2011 NYFW:


Source: Getty

And let's check out this little number from Kate Spade:

And this cushy-looking blazer from YOOX:

I'm a sucker for purple blazers. I love this one from Juicy Couture- a little retro with the cut!

What do you think? Stick to the basics or branch out into color-land?

another Glambassador mission!

2011-02-15T22:51:00.002-06:00

and then there was the denim mini

2011-02-15T21:52:00.002-06:00

Oh the love that I have for that little denim skirt. It came into my life (believe it or not) in Jr. High. Yes. Vintage L.E.I. and shortened by yours truly -- at least five inches! The thing has been a staple in my wardrobe for as long as I can remember. I love how cool it is in the summer, and also love its layering capabilities in the winter. Today I decided to let my outfit match the weather and go for neutrals. Tank: Old Navy, Scarf: H&M, Sweater: Ann Taylor, Tights: Delias, Boots: Report, Earrings: M2 Boutique, Silver Cuff: Forever 21, Watch: Fossil (mens), Turquoise bracelet: unknown!

Special thanks on this one to Mike for putting up with my whims and braving the cold weather this morning for a photoshoot. :)

be mine...

2011-02-14T18:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you out there! Mike and I decided to go the frugal route and not go all out this year. Money is too gosh-darn precious these days.

One thing that I love about V-day is dressing the part! Since I can remember, I've tried to doll myself up hearts&love style when the actual day arrives. I feel this to be necessary especially on the days that I teach the little kids (and today happened to be one such day)! So, I did what I believe to be a stellar manicure last night, leaving my digits bedazzled beyond expectation. Throw in a red hair ribbon and some pinky-reddy accessories and you've got yourself a festive little chick. (If you don't mind my saying so.) I'm especially crazy about my necklace-- it's from Africa, made from little magazine strips coated in resin and traded fairly. The other killer item is my Timex watch. Found that little baby on Overstock one day and couldn't resist! Telling time has never been so exciting.

Yesterday was a jolly day spent with my family. My brother Jimmy had a church activity and it posed the greatest excuse ever to dine on some super scrumptious Italian finger-food (accompanied, of course, by tasty wine). Needless to say, the whole affair brought nothing but smiles for this chipper crew. Spending time with family always reminds me of how I can be myself and be loved. That's a pretty special thing. Anyway, here's a few pics to remember the day by.

Not into the whole candy hearts and chocolate roses business? Check out Glamour's Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist and hate on (though I sadly won't be joining you).

That's all for now!

Monday, Monday

2011-02-07T20:04:00.001-06:00

Case of the Mondays! Had to spruce things up today. Here's for the Glammies out there!

Hair: air dried, then curled in 3 in. sections with a 1 in. barrel curling iron. Cool. Set with hairspray. Shake like mad.

Wrist candy: watch, Fossil (men's); leopard bracelet, Forever 21; beaded bracelet, handmade

Emily: Student Teacher!

2011-02-07T18:25:00.003-06:00

Well, folks, I got my student teaching placement for next fall! Looks like I'll be spending a chapter of my life at Glenbard South. I met with the English department chair on Friday and settled everything. I even get to work with two different teachers, doubling my exposure to real-life teaching situations. Now that this hazy future has come into focus, it's near impossible to maintain my mental status as student. Homework is a persistent, unceasing itch and a pain in my side all at once. I guess that's a good thing, right?

wet feet and bad driving

2011-01-18T01:28:00.002-06:00

Winter is definitely here. Today the slush was so thick my boots had no chance of fending it off for more than a moment.

It's my last semester on campus before I student teach. It's busier than busy, but I'm so near the end that I can't seem to care anymore. I'm just a gear in the large machine to gain means to an end. So much time submerged in a single activity is all but totally numbing. At this point, I think I'd rather it stay that way than to invest in the chore of feeling something about the commitment I find myself fulfilling. Being this close to the end should be thrilling.

This is how amazing Portland was....

2011-01-18T01:03:00.011-06:00

Mike and his guitar

2011-01-18T01:01:00.001-06:00

This semester.......

2010-10-23T16:29:00.003-05:00

GAHHHHHH!!! The best word I have to sum up this semester. It's been extremely challenging so far. For the first time in my life I've actually had to choose what homework is priority-- because I simply don't have time for it all. Several literature classes, an education class, and the most intense Growth and Structure of the English Language class EVER are keeping me on my toes..... and at the verge of a mental cliff. Very glad that I have such great friends and family to keep me up though.

On the briiight side...... I just registered for spring-- my very last semester on campus. I never thought that would come. Really. Never. But it has! And freedom is so close that I can almost taste it. I'm not sure how ready I am to be ejected into the real world of hustle and bills, but it'll be a change of pace. When all is said and done, 17 straight years of school is enough to make someone nuts. THE END IS NEAR!

Mike and I have been doing lots of fun biking lately! We recently tried out a new path that is VERY hilly. After a day or so of having Jell-O legs, the payoffs are totally worth it. I'm holding onto these last days of warmth with my entire being. We have a gym membership, but there is something so wonderful about clean, fresh air whizzing by your face as you jog or bike or walk outside. I guess that's what spring is for, right? Total renewal of the appreciation we have for everything nature.

Well, nothing else to report really. Except that this baby is seriously cute..... and she happens to be ME!

Finally 21!

2010-08-13T10:24:00.003-05:00

This has been, without a doubt, the best summer of my life. Last year I was stuck in Bloomington all summer doing camps and such, which weren't bad, but I was so LONELY! It's so great to be home and with the people that I love. I just spent an amazing week with my family while they were visiting and got to see my best friend and all my great friends for my 21st (which was great too)! I'm one lucky girl.

As far as fitness goes, this is a pretty good summer too! I've been going to the gym about 4-5 times a week, alone, which is almost unheard of for me. Gym time has turned into me time. I do some of my best reflecting as I bust my butt on the elliptical. Seems sort of counterproductive, reflection mixed with intense workout, but my mind and body seem to connect somewhere between the sweat and the thoughts. And this all just makes for one happy me.

Mike and I are still kind of into LOST. I have a philosophy that when you start something you should just finish it. So even when we're at the slow episodes and Mike starts waning from his original desire to finish the entire series, I sit on the couch proudly and stubbornly, popcorn/ramen/chips/gummies in hand. (LOST is making me fat. Cancels out the gym. DANG IT!)

Ok so a bit on the 21st, because I'm sure you're dying to hear about all it's grandeur and splendor. Well, it was darn splendiforous. We all met at Rizzo's in downtown Naperville for a fun dinner and drinks, where I had my very first appletini, german chocolate cake shot (who was the genius who made dessert alcohol?), long island iced tea, and other things. We all sat at a big long table, friends and family included. As dinner went on, I looked side to side down each end of the table and I felt true love for everyone there. *gush gush* But seriously, it only added to my total satisfaction with the people in my life. Both of my parents and families and most of my closest friends surrounded me as I celebrated this life milestone. Hopping from place to place, I had lots of fun. Even had a $20 shot of whiskey! Whew!

All in all, life is great. I love exactly where I am and cherish it greatly.

This sweet summer

2010-07-23T14:32:00.002-05:00

This summer...... all I have to say is I WIN!!!!!!!! I don't know what I did to deserve it, but I'm really having one of the best summers of my life. Every day, I spend my time with people that I love and I couldn't be happier about it. Thank goodness I finally got to see Kayla last weekend for her 21st, and I get double Kayla'd because she'll be in again for my 21st! Very hard to live far away from your best friend, people. I hope none of you understand. But back to the bright side..... Mike and I are obsessive about LOST watching, I've gotten really into cooking (which goes great with watching LOST except for the gross parts), I get to see my family lots, and I have a good paying nannying job with two of the cutest kids ever. Now do you see how I win? I really do think that hard work pays off. As I like to say, a positive outlook and a will to succeed are the main ingredients to happiness.

So, today Lauren and I started "Insanity". She did it before, and if I end up looking like her by the end of it, I'm on board. We popped in the DVD, and 40 minutes later I found myself huffing like some wildebeest after a hunt for the last specimen of food, and it felt GREAT! Looking in the mirror, even after the first workout, I started to see myself more as Jillian Michaels-- that's an accomplishment, damn it! Even though I've been hitting the gym pretty regularly, this workout made me feel as though I haven't left the couch this decade. Hopefully I keep up with it for the full 60 days, and then hold myself there! It's so funny, we have all the options in the world to look, be, feel how we want to, and all it takes is some effort. The hardest part is getting started, but once something becomes routine, it just is.

Word of advice: Restore your computer to factory settings every now and then! (Just make sure you back up the important stuff on a hard drive!) My computer is happily jogging along as I whizzedly type this up.

21 in 11 days, stay tuned for that one! Actually, if you're reading this you should be there. Contact me if you've missed any information.

Your sweaty blogger,

Emily

rain and facepaint

2010-06-27T11:13:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I just forget that I have a blog. It happens.

Today has been fun and interesting so far! Last year I volunteered as a facepainter for the Step Up for Autism walk in Naperville. I had a blast and was invited back. Well, this time 'round I brought Mike with me and we painted an endless number of clammy kiddy faces as the morning rain surrounded the kids' tent. The funny thing is that you don't even have to be good at it. You could splotch a blob on a little dude's face and they still love it. Can we please all be that genuinely happy?

So I'm in this great in-between state right now. I just finished school and the nanny gig that I picked up recently doesn't start for another week. So what am I up to? A whole lotta nothin'! (Well not really.) Yesterday I weeded, re-bordered, and mulched the tree out front and I'm darn proud of it. Makes everything look new and clean. I've been on two bike rides with my bike buddy and fantastic boyfriend Mike. We've also started watching season DVD's of Lost.... man... I know I'm behind the bandwagon, but that show is ENTICING! I've also been spending a lot of time with my mom, brother and dog. Good times.

Basically, I'm loving life. I'm surrounding myself with happiness and love-- it's the best. I'm planning on making this a pretty kickin' summer.

2010-04-23T20:00:00.004-05:00

Spring has sprung! I love how life gets stirred up around this time of year! I went on the most refreshing walk with Lauren yesterday through the historic district of Normal. The trees were explosive with blossoms that left the most amazing smells in my nose for hours! Mother nature seems to time these things just right, because without all the new life around me I'd be going nuts with the end-of-the-semester work! I'm doing exactly what I shouldn't be doing right now... sitting on the couch and watching a Hills marathon isn't exactly what I'd call productive, but it's pretty darn refreshing!

North Carolina was, in a word, super-duper! Our first day in Kentucky was so exciting, and it carried throughout the entire trip! We rode horses, laid on the beach, explored mini-golf-swallowing sand dunes, saw a lighthouse, went through a million dollar open house, went cave-spelunking, saw an amazing aquarium with a shark tunnel, spent lots of quality time in the car, went shopping, and just generally had the best time ever!!!!!!!

new things

2010-03-29T19:28:00.003-05:00

I love spring so much! I went out for a fantastic jog about an hour ago. It was the perfect temperature, warm enough to be comfortable, but cool enough to be refreshing. I got about four miles in today-- not bad for not having run in a while! Now I'm enjoying feeling the breeze through my open windows and watching the sunset out the window. Kell on Earth season finale soon-ish! What should be for dinner? Pasta? Chicken? hmmmm

I had a pretty active weekend! On Friday I went to Starved Rock with a group of kids for a spring break program. We hiked and hiked and hiked! It was really fun- lots of the kids said that it was "the best field trip ever!" That made me feel good, of course. :) I played tennis with my grandma on Saturday. She was the one who got me interested in it when I was younger. We'd go to the tennis court that we went to Saturday and she'd muster up all the patience she had to coach me however she could. 15 or so years later, we are able to have a great game going! She plays every week with her friends.

I'm so wanting this week to be over with already! Leaving for North Carolina on Sunday! Mike and I have never been big on Easter... so we're skipping it! hahahah!!! Well, anyways, we have an entire week roaming about the southeast of our great nation! My mom found a great place called Nags Head right on the outer banks of North Carolina. Nothing separates us from the big blue! Mike and I are stopping in Tennessee and who knows where-- keeping the whole thing a bit more unplanned than necessary keeps an element of spontaneity and excitement to it! I'll try to keep updated with photos. I can't wait to see the Smoky Mountains! I keep google earth-ing them! :P

It's getting close to that time of year where barbecues and shorts and sandals are the main deal! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!

overrun, but hopeful!

2010-03-22T02:00:00.002-05:00

Yep. Definitely been a while since my last post. I'm beginning to realize that setting a goal to enter a blog post on a daily basis is a bit of a lofty goal for someone in my academic situation. I have a million assignments and classes and meetings, etc. that not only do I not have enough time to post daily, but not enough interesting stuff happens to me on a daily basis to post about.

Most recently, my life has been lived in the world of literature. I'm averaging a novel a week here, folks. On top of other homework and papers and tests, of course. Junior year is absolutely INSANE! It's a good thing, though. If I can make it through this, I can make it through anything! Actually, there aren't too many weeks left until this semester's over and I'm technically a senior. That's crazy talk. Unlike all of my other spring semesters after which I can look forward to a lengthy break, this year I'm going straight from the regular year into summer classes. It'll be an atypical summer class experience as it'll be spent mostly in high school classrooms. I don't mind getting all of these observation hours out of the way while I'm not swamped with other classwork. Listen to me-- school, school, school!

My social life is coming back into existence for the first time in a few weeks! I've emerged from the depth of books that has been encapsulating me in the recent weeks. Perfect timing, too, because the air at the top is no longer frigid and cruel, but fresh and (dare I say) balmy! Spring is definitely happening, and it seems like the fun part of me is coming out of hibernation and getting ready for some warm weather! I love the feeling of walking out of my apartment with no jacket on. There's something really exhilarating about feeling the seatbelt against my collarbone unbarred by thick coats and scarves and other winter garb. My body is no longer a mystery hidden beneath layers upon layers, but a real, tangible thing that I can see once again (and simultaneously notice that I could use a tan!).

2010-03-09T23:54:00.003-06:00

I took a much needed and refreshing break from technology and all school-related items of business for this lovely long weekend! I think I broke a personal record in not having checked facebook but once or twice and only responded to one or two e-mails. Life was great.

Mike and I finally finished his new living room. His mom and stepdad came over to watch the Oscars, and it was so odd (but awesome!) to be hanging out in a room that was previously only storage.

I had a fantastic weekend with family and Mike. I got to see my aunt Jeanne on Saturday. We went out to Egg Harbor for brunch. I always have a great time with her. We seem to feed off each others' energy in a way that I rarely identify with others. I'm so thankful for the people in my life. After brunch I met up with my mom, Mark and Thomas at Blackwell forest preserve. The lake was capped in a layer of ice a foot and a half thick. Needless to say, my adventurous side, paired with the spike in temperature, drove me to walk around on it. It was a surreal experience. Since I was a kid, I've been told that walking onto a frozen lake is simply a bad idea. Being my rebellious, badass self, I just had to test it out. I made my way up and onto the island in the middle of the lake and felt on top of the world! It was definitely a liberating experience.

That same night, Mike and I met up with Kayla and Derryl for a few hours! I hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving and it healed a giant need to be with her again! We spent the evening at Enchanted Castle, driving go-karts, and sharing ghost stories (much to my regret later on in the dark).

There was also a bunch of time that was spent buried in couches under heaps of blankets while the world outside passed by. Not something I'm very used to. My mom and I went out shopping-- twice! I got some amazing deals both days! I love it when that happens! An $80 dress for $3 and some free underwear later, I feel like my materialistic urges have been satisfied... for now.. :P

This spring break, though not spent lounging under palm trees on a white beach, is exactly what the doctor ordered.

2010-03-04T23:53:00.004-06:00

I'm so tired of negativity! So sick of it! I am usually the sponge of people's emotions, which I'm okay with-- usually. People come to me to share their feelings, and I'm glad to listen and to help if I can. The one thing that totally gets to me, though, is when people have some inner frustration that they lay on me- thick. I realize that if I keep going on, this post will soon sound negative. Word to the wise, everyone: work out your crap and decide what's worth moping about!!!

On another note-- the sickness that I thought would never leave is LEAVING! Hooray! And on an even better-er note: Kayla and Derryl are coming into town this weekend! I had no idea until just today! I'm so excited to see my best friend for the first time since Thanksgiving! I had no idea how difficult it would be to be away from her for so long! She's the sister I never had. :)

Mike got his new floors put in today, and they're beautiful! Lots of decorating and re-arranging this weekend. He's put his trust in me, and I'm excited for a new project! (Anything but school, right folks?) There's a little energy teeming inside of me that comes around at this time of the year. I know that the gloomy winter days are numbered and the warm days are slowly rolling in and accumulating until it's balmy and comforting to be outside once again. I can't wait to put my winter coat away and welcome my skirts, shorts and tanks back into my life! I missed you all so much!

sick.....

2010-03-02T23:03:00.003-06:00

Man, I KNEW IT! You know you can feel sickness coming on but you shove it off thinking, "Hey, it'll be alright! I'm just thirsty! That's why my throat is scratchy!" Or, "Man, I've been coughing a lot today, did I eat something spicy?" Nice try. Sucker. Yeah, that was me two days ago. Now I'm wallowing in my state of self-pity with a tissue box at my left and a perpetually refilled glass of water to my right. And my (now germy) computer in front of me. C'est la vie! I can't tell you the number of professors who have hacked all over a stack of papers they've handed out, and then looked at me somewhat apologetically. So, can I send the doc bill to you, proffy? Gah. I don't know if it would have been as difficult if I didn't teach ice skating lessons today. You see, ice skating lessons have to happen on ice, and you can't be on the ice without being cold. Sickness+cold+young children= very tired and sick Emily. :( I will get through this, I will get through this, I will get through this!

SLACKIN'

2010-03-01T13:34:00.006-06:00

Alright, it's definitely been a few days since my last post. But it's just been such a great weekend! I drove home (a day earlier than usual) last Thursday. When I got back, Mike and I had a little double date with Matt and Miranda in their new place. Seems that I'm the last of the Mohicans to be living alone! All the better for later, I guess! :) Well, anyway, I met their puppy, Sarge. I've never seen so much energy bundled up into a fist's worth of puppy. The whole time I was there, I kept my eyes glued to the floor so as not to squish him.
Friday was Mommy and Emily day! We had lunch at Egg Harbor (no- it never does get old) and then walked around the mall. I had to pry her out of Marshall's (just kidding!) before we could go home. Then it was manicure time! (I have to do these dorky things to not go insane- you all understand.) Some pretty little nails are typing this blog post! And then I dyed my hair. I really, really, really messed it up! Let's just put it this way: My roots looked like carrots and the rest looked like..... uh... the same as it was before I dyed it. Soooooo, a visit to Asha and $85 later, I'm back to normal (with a little extra zest). LESSON LEARNED, PEOPLE: box dye sucks.

Saturday, I dragged Miranda to a Mary Kay makeover (and the consultants have been stalking us since). Buuuut that's ok because we got some free makeup out of it! Yeah, woo! I swear, those ladies are not trained in makeup- no- they're trained in FBI level manipulation and brainwashing. Try it on another girl, suckaaaaas! Anyway. After our brainwashing... ahem... "makeover", we headed back to Matt's, and for the first time in god-knows-how-many years we played HIDE AND SEEK! We giddily scooted about the condo seeking for the rare and valuable hiding spots that will fit adult sized bodies (but kid brains!). Needless to say, it was a blast.

Sunday was painting day! Mike and I made over (without brainwashing) his living room and spare room. After much contemplation and goofy-looking color choosing at Home Depot, we finally got it! Squirrel. BEHR Squirrel. It looks a-mazing! It took all day, though. The poor guy still has to touch it up tonight.

monotony is the name of the game

2010-02-23T23:37:00.002-06:00

I remember being a college freshman and all my classes were new and invigorating. I was excited to go to class and do the assignments which I see now as bleakly mundane. Where did the shift happen? I have more in common with a hamster on a wheel than an enthused college student these days. It could be my unsubsiding addiction to change kicking in as usual. Ultimately, my attitude could be summed up as "meh".

On the brighter side- I get to go home a bit early this weekend and hopefully spend a lot of time with friends and family that I've been missing lately! AAAND spring break is the week after next! I don't think I'll be doing much other than working and sleeping, but that's okay with me. Any break from the monotony will be the best!!!

Today Lauren came over for girls night. Girls night has become doing homework and occasionally speaking night. This is what life has come to. :P Anyhoo, it was nice to have company for a while. My place always feels cozier with some company. I re-heated the meatloaf I made yesterday (which was delicious)-- and then I remembered the few squares of dark chocolate I had laying around in my pantry! YES! Dark chocolate is the remedy to anything!

To all of you who have been reading this thing recently-- THANKS! It's nice to have the reader support to fuel my goal!

2010-02-22T22:51:00.003-06:00

Today sucked and got suckier-- so I put on my combat boots and FOUGHT IT! I do what I tend to do whenever I get bummed and get my creative juices flowing. I cooked a hearty (and might I say) delicious meatloaf, and did this cool paper arrangement on my wall! There was too much white space in my opinion. Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I feel GREAT! Winter blues? What winter blues?

winter blues

2010-02-22T16:07:00.002-06:00

Nothing like a cold, wet winter day to make you miss spring! When I was little, I remember being afraid of being the last one awake in my house. I wanted to be asleep before someone, at least. I feel like winter is kind of a time when everything's asleep and I'm the one wandering around in the house wishing I fell asleep before. Can't sleep through winter, though. I just live for the little peeks of warmth and sunny days. It does get awfully lonely, though. I have to find a grown up version to keeping a flashlight under the covers and reading a book. Mondays are the duldrums anyhow, but especially so when it's winter and you're lonely.

2010-02-21T21:05:00.004-06:00

This pretty much sums up my Sunday! Mike and I had the laziest day of my life. :-) Boy was it refreshing! After all the hard work this week it's so nice to be home and happy. Even though it's snowing, it's still great- even kind of romantic. Since I was little I had this wish of kissing a boy under a store awning in the snow, with it glittering all around. My wish came true tonight. :) Boy, am I a lucky gal.

VDAY 2010!

2010-02-20T11:19:00.002-06:00

I have heard of the Vagina Monologues many times. I always thought it just sounded kind of crass for the sake of being crass. Lauren asked me to go with her to the performance of it at ISU yesterday. Being the good friend that I am (hehe) I said yes. Well, we got up to the room in the student center where it was all going to happen. After we paid for our tickets and passed the horde of people wearing red and black, we made our way in. Immediately in front of us were t-shirts and baskets of chocolates-- on closer look-- baskets of.... chocolate....vaginas??? We went from table to table, and I saw boatloads of information about prevention of abuse, services for women, and a lot of other do-gooder topics represented. I started to settle into the groove of the whole thing. Lauren's mom even bought us matching tshirts! (Which I confess I am wearing right now.) We sat down for the performance, and after a goofy intro, I was astounded at the level of depth and capacity that the re-enactments of real women's stories. By the end of it, I had experienced laughter, tears, pain, and sorrow for the women who spoke. The show is really built to empower women and shed light on the wrongdoings that have been accepted, and even swept under the rug for so long. As I look down at the red "V" marked on my hand during admittance, I have to be grateful for the bravery of the original women (and the actors) to get up and share their stories.

2010-02-18T09:44:00.004-06:00

Ok-- so I didn't make it last night. BUT I HAVE MY REASONS! This semester has been like a hurricane of homework, projects, tests, quizzes, just overall struggle. I have to wonder if professors get some sort of sadistic pleasure out of seeing us students wallow down to nothingness as we complete their every command. Let me store this feeling in my mind for later use when I'm a teacher!

My art history presentation was yesterday, and despite a technology blip, it went AMAZINGLY! So far we've been the only group to involve the audience in our presentation. Some of my groupmates said that they could see our professor's face light up as we went through it all.

Completely unrelated, I can't stay agitated and distraught for too long when I see that puppy face. Reggie. <3

2010-02-16T21:42:00.002-06:00

Alright, I'll admit it. Today started off pretty crappy. I randomly got sick twice last night (but felt completely fine all day), was running late and forgot some books, didn't complete a spanish quiz as confidently as I'd like to, and realized the giant heap of homework that is mine. At times I definitely feel like a hamster on a wheel-- I just keep running and running but feel like I'm staying in the same place! There's so much to do still before I graduate- I know it's a while off but the decisions I make right now will affect me in the long run. Freshman and sophomore year it was all about exploration and if I didn't get something done right away it was no problem. Now it's CRUNCH TIME. Get it done or don't get out!!! It kind of seems like a sick prison sentence, doesn't it? Oh well, at least at the end of my prison sentence I'll be holding a piece of paper that will grant me admittance to the professional world. All this for that one piece of paper..... it gets disconcerting. But anyway, I have to say that the end of my day ended better. Somehow I found the time to run back to my apartment for the forgotten books, my stomach hasn't acted up all day, and I got a whole lot of spanish homework done (spit on it, anyways). There's a few less objects on my to-do list (though it's so long I can't even begin to see the bottom of it). I just have to appreciate the little things today-- like the lovely rose Mike gave me on Sunday. It's sitting in a coca cola bottle on my table. It's fresh pinkness and happy fragrance transport me to a world of stressless existence. Of course it doesn't actually exist, but it's nice to think of it anyways. So, cheers to Mike for making this moment a bit brighter.

February 15, 2010

2010-02-15T20:50:00.003-06:00

SooooOOooOOooOo unmotivated today!!! What the heck is it about Mondays, anyway? I'd rather be doing [insert random activity] than anything school related. Even novels are boring today. Is it just going to be one of those days where my books sit next to me on the couch, completely unopened, my remote in hand, HGTV flickering in the distance? Undoubtedly (and unfortunately)-- Yes. At least I'll find my dream condo or something. Is that accomplishing something? I had my last group meeting with my art history group today-- presentation's Wednesday! Yay for rambling on and on about Mount St. Michel. I think we'll all be happy when it's done! Time to try something a bit more productive..........

Valentine's Day 2009

2010-02-14T19:39:00.003-06:00

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Originally uploaded by eterlak

It's time. Got to keep up with this blog. You make a blog with the intention of getting to know yourself better through your own words, right? I guess I've been so busy just living my life that I've lost touch. My goal is to blog something every day. From this Valentine's Day to the next one-- I want to have 365 posts. So if you've just stumbled across, you'll get to know me. If you already know me, prepare to learn more!

All cheesiness aside, now. Valentine's Day 2010-- VERY fun so far! Mike greeted me in the morning with cooked breakfast and a rose-- and (smart man he is) coffee. What is it about flowers that make girls feel so special? I'm looking over at my lovely pink rose in a coke bottle makeshift vase and feeling warm inside. Call me a sucker-- it's probably true!

Mom and I drove into the city yesterday. We had a fantastic lunch @ Milk & Honey and headed next door to Renegade Handmade for a Valentine making workshop. We met some great people and made some pretty fantastic Valentines (if I do say so myself). I made the owl!

Alright, that's enough for today. I have to save room for the daunting year ahead!

Time with Victoria

2009-08-22T13:16:00.005-05:00

I suppose it's just hitting me now at age 20 how important keeping a journal can be. I'm spending some time with my 96 year old great grandmother this weekend where she lives in the comfort of the addition built on to my great aunt Jeanne's house. It's a beautiful open space with walls of calm, sage green and the kind of cream that reminds you of the softest, crispest bedsheets hung out to dry in the midsummer smells. She has her things with her from her old house that is about a half mile away. Some of her things, at least. On her bed is a white, puffy comforter that she cocoons herself into every night so that just the top of her white head pokes out. Floral bedsheets in blue and yellow lay sleepily on the bed which is never made- always ready to be slept in. It fits with the coziness of the room surrounding. A white porcelain Mary statue sits atop her headboard, under a painting of a beautiful woman adorned in a flowing blue gown playing piano. She has her old easy chair, which sits dormant, piled in blankets to make way for her new one. A tan recliner- poofy as can be- with a remote control to recline, sit up, raise and lower the legrest, and make her lunch (just kidding). She sits next to me now in this chair, writing a thank you note to the next door neighbor who left a beautiful assortment of yellow flowers in a cheery orange cup on the front stoop this morning. It's late August. A cloudy but refreshing day. The window behind me is open, and the sounds of the birds chirping and the air from the wind caress my senses. It is a happy time and place to be. I'm sitting on her couch that also came from her old house. A poofy, monster of a couch complete with burgundy trim to match the warm-toned flowers that adorn the tan cloth of the cushions. Everything about the room is cushy, comfortable, and neutral. I only hope that my late years can be this peaceful. The reason I'm writing about my great grandmother, Victoria Antoinette Helen Therese Kuczinski Altendorf, is because I want to know about her. The nearly 80 years that separate us brings on a world of change, literally, and I'd love to know about her at my age. The things she did, what she said. Great grandmothers always seem very appropriate and quaint, but I wonder if there was a period in her life where she would hardly identify with those adjectives. I feel like my own life can be spontaneous, unplanned, and as far away from quaint as possible. But please don't tell Victoria. I don't want to write about myself, though. I've done that in the past with my own journals. I wish now that I put the detail into them that would make me remember now how I was then. We change so slowly that to find an artifact from the past is like opening up the door to a past life. Our change is so great all the time. I wish I had done more to record the different stages and phases to know the "me's" of my whole life. I used to think that once you reach a certain age, you stay the same and don't change much. I realize now how wrong that notion is and want to make sure I remember myself 30 years from now as precisely as possible. I'll come across things linked to my past- old movie tickets spark memories of who I went with, what snacks we had, what boys we were talking about, etc. Notes from old boyfriends remind me of things I once considered important (that I sometimes have a good laugh at). I can't imagine the wealth of myself that would emerge if I took the time to write, deeply and detailed, about myself. I used to write about things I did- tennis practice, annoying younger neighbors, being sick, boys, etc. I never wrote about what those things made me feel like, or what they looked, smelled sounded, or even tasted like. Sometimes one of my artifacts will spring one of those kinds of memories, but I wish I had more. An addiction to myself? Maybe. I think it's more of an addiction to my change. Change within a person is so mysterious- so slow- yet so profound. Every moment that fills my senses leads me to the next moment. I often baffle myself by thinking about how the current moment will be in the past in no time. Then I think of how quickly the years pass and become the past. How it feels like yesterday Mike and I went out for New Year's dinner, and suddenly the snow melted, trees awakened to live, and flowers leaped from the ground in one fell moment. I think of all the things my senses have taken in even in that time- between New Year's and now. It would take a lifetime to record every little thing that I've perceived. But it wouldn't take that long to record some. Which is my goal now, to record.

Weaving, Trees, and Patience

2008-04-19T22:37:00.003-05:00

Today I decided that I would go out for a bike ride and see if I could make something. I woke up with that creative buzz inside of me that I long for. I especially appreciate when it comes on days I have extra time on my hands. So, out I ventured. Then I remembered those little woven projects called Ojos de Dios. I decided to make one with anything I could find. I gathered some grassy shoots and two twigs and started weaving. I finally got it started, then.... SNAP. It broke. Then it broke again. Then I got pretty darn far and it broke.... again. I was near giving up, but then I remembered an inspirer of mine: Andy Goldsworthy. This man will venture out into nature and make the most intricate and beautiful things with his bare hands. Huge, monumental things. I'm just making a stupid little weaving, I thought to myself. I also remembered how the Native Americans stressed that everything had a spirit and a purpose. Maybe if I weren't trying so hard to force this project, it would go better. I decided to let the grassy shoots have a say and I worked with them. Slowly, my weaving came together, and I felt very connected with it all.

As I returned to the area where I had gathered the shoots, I noticed the trees, so strong and muscular. They have root systems that start off large and branch off into tiny little offshoots. This is unbearably similar to the organs of the human circulatory system. It's really amazing how everything on Earth is so interconnected. No matter how much we try to deny it and put ourselves above everything, we are all the same. We think we control the trees, but the trees can control us too. Trees are really magnificent things.

Thomas

2008-03-15T14:59:00.002-05:00

Spring break 2008 has brought me a bit of time to become a little more tied in with my family at home. Mike's in New York, and it's been nice to just settle down for a while. More seriously, my stepdad, Mark was admitted into the hospital for a blood clot in his leg yesterday. I've been spending lots of time baby- and dogsitting today.

Yesterday, I had a great time with my puppy, Reggie. He's a Boston Terrier but could easily pass for a Boxer.. I think mama pooch had some relations with the milkdog. I took him on his very first walk. The weather was beyond perfect for it. There is nothing better feeling than having a little tiny breathing animal trotting alongside you, completely trusting that wherever you take him, he'll be safe. Reggie did a lot of new exploring. His day was topped off upon meeting is poochy neighbor, Cona, a puff ball of a baby golden retriever. Love at first play.

The most important thing that has happened to me this break is the connection I made stronger with my brother, Thomas. Actually, he's my half brother, but I hate putting it that way, it sounds so non-committal. Let me start by saying that Thomas has Prader-Willi Syndrome, and for those of you baffled by this term: he's basically autistic. Thomas is one of the strongest people I'll ever know. Every day is a struggle for him. Imagine having every thought that you have now. Imagine responding to a situation that you don't like, or just responding to someone at all. Imagine all the daily activities you do- using the bathroom, taking a bath or shower, eating normal food, choosing your outfit. Now imagine being stuck inside a body that doesn't let you do any of these things. I get angry enough being constricted by shoes, I can't even begin to imagine the feeling of the plastic braces around my ankles like Thomas has to wear every day. It's the saddest disease. Condemned to a life of frustration. The thought alone makes Thomas a hero to me.

Earlier on, I let Thomas play in his room for a while with the door shut. This is a form of alone time that Thomas particularly enjoys. Quietly passing by, you can hear his shrieks of enjoyment as he plays out the scenarios in his head with the toys in his hands. He has beautiful energy. Well, about an hour passed by and I knew I had to check his diaper (dun dun dun)! He had soiled himself. As I took him from his room to the stairs, his face wrinkled in sadness and his eyes began to water. Thomas gets embarrassed about things like this. I changed his diaper and then stood him up so he could walk away. He didn't move, though. He stood there, leaning into me. I started talking to him. I told him that I know how frustrated he is, and how I know he can and will do these things someday, though many find it doubtful. Suddenly, the biggest smile filled his face and his little arms wrapped around my neck. I found myself in the most appreciative choke-hold he could muster to give. My own eyes started to water, because I had experienced a breakthrough moment. They don't come by very often, but when they do, it's absolutely amazing!

I hold by my original statement, Thomas is a hero.

2008-02-14T18:40:00.002-06:00

On a less serious note than yesterday: I love photo booths. I love this picture. There's something overly awesome about photobooths. I think it has to do with the slight amount of mischief that goes along with them. And of course you have to switch around really fast and make yourself look good in the .007 nanoseconds prior to the picture being taken. Mathew Stifens came up with the idea in 1889 for the World's Fair in Paris, France. It's interesting how a country really soups up their awesomeness for World Fairs. I wonder why they can't be completely awesome before the fair. Although, thinking of this is kind of humorous... we'd have constant construction and plastic smiles caused by our unceasing attempts for a utopia... nevermind it all. I just like photobooths.

From My Notebook

2008-02-13T18:38:00.002-06:00

What makes me, you, us human?
I have certain insecurities that demand constant attention from one area of life or another. I enjoy comfort. I hate change. Sometimes it seems I am given more credit than I understand for things that possibly hold lots of water. I never meant to do them anyway. Do I know myself? Mom asks the question if anyone actually knows anybody? If that's true, then we've all failed here as human beings. I suppose it's a good question to ask though. People get so caught up in little routines and comfort zones so they may create a place that is recognizable by others. Over time, subcategories of personality traits manifested. Many people find comfort in group themselves with a certain "type" of person, making this person part of a group, and therefore, they mean something. This makes them recognized. A similar color. Why do people love physical contact? Why do they love sharing body warmth, sex? Having a connection with another in a profound and tangible way makes us feel real. If you can see it and touch it, it exists. This opens up the doors of possibility for other people to become one person's hell. LIke Sartre said, "Hell is other people." I suppose this makes sense, because in the end, others make the final call about who or what a person is. This at the same time completely disgusts me. It's bad enough that we create these little exclusive groups that we insecurely sneak our way into, and then have the group-driven audacity to turn another confused wanderer away. Good god, in the end we're all completely lost here on Earth. These personalities and concepts that exist are both beautiful and burdensome. How dare we evolve to the point that we all secretly hate each other? Really, there is no sch thing as total self-reliance in knowing oneself. We claim we know ourselves, but it only based upon the assumptions and labels that we have acquired while wandering. Wandering. Great thinkers are created by other people. There would be no such thing as a great thinker if no one existed to consider their thoughts and decide they're wonderful. Someone could be a pure genius but never know it if they lived a completely isolated life. Perhaps great thinkers and writers are merely people who ahve the talent to vocalize people's actual thoughts. Perhaps a great thinker becomes a great thinker because someone else said so. So the end question remains, "Can we solely establish ourselves here?" Absolutely not. We create these adjectives that we sheepishly attach to ourselves. They're from these subcategories that society has created: stingy, lustful, cheerful, frugal, flighty, cruel...etc. If someone dooms you to one of these adjectives, all it takes is another to see a slightly indicative trait to the adjective and a new description of a person is born. Other people just tend to be necessary. The ornary people who insist they need no one may actually have too many. Or perhaps they are just uncomfortable with their adjective.