I Have To Sing

Some songs just make me wanna sing. No, they make me have to sing. When a song I love comes on the radio I have to stop what I'm doing or saying, crank up the volume, and sing as loud as I can. This actually drives Sam a little nuts ;)

5 songs I have to sing

Larger than Life- Backstreet Boys

This song just makes me want to strap on my roller skates and sing at the top of my lungs; a true classic from my childhood. If this song doesn't make you want to sing, I'm just gonna go ahead and label you a weirdo. #notsorry

Air Force Ones- Nelly

This song really never got the recognition it deserves. It was my favorite song back in it's day, I listened to it over and over. Do you even know how many people went out and bought white on whites because of this song? A lot.

Shots- LMFAO

This song will never ever ever get old. Nothing makes me want to sing and dance (and drink) quite like this. My friend Alex actually banned me from singing it ever again. I don't follow that rule.

Wagon Wheel- Darius Rucker

This is the anthem of every college kid. It's just impossible to hear this song and not crank it up and sing along. Seriously, just try it.

Roar- Katy Perry

I am not a Katy Perry fan, not even a little bit, but this song is just too good. It reminds me of summertime and best friends, and I can't not sing when it comes on. I'm pretty sure everyone likes this song, actually.

What songs make you sing?

My Favorite Joke Ever

Knock Knock.

Who's there?

To.

To who?

I think you mean 'to whom'

So what's your favorite joke (or two)? I need a good laugh to get me through this Thursday! :)

There's a Boy On My Blog

Have you ever seen those blog posts where girls interview their boyfriends and the boyfriends say really weird things and then blog world laughs at them? Well after being inspired by Jessica's interview, I decided to do one of my own. Surprisingly, Sam cooperated.

This is normal.

ME: Do you want to do this really fun thing where I interview you and write what you say on my blog?
SAM: Uhhh, sure.
Okay! What is the name of my blog?
I don't know.
You don't?
No. I know you blog, but I don't know the name, or what it's about, or what you do or anything.
Oh.
If I knew the name I'd probably read it, and I bet you don't want me to read it.
You're right. Okay, next question. What's the best place to shop for women?
For what?
Anything. Where do women like to shop?
Ummm, Bath and Body Works, Bed Bath and Beyond, and wherever you buy clothes at.
I do like to buy clothes. What's your opinion in Pinterest?
Silly.
What! Silly?
Yeah. It's just never interested me.
Do you even know what it is?
not really.
You're dumb. What's your favorite thing for us to do together?
Well, you probably won't want to write it on your blog...
Ohhhkay, moving on. What's my favorite thing for us to do together?
Cuddle with the cat and watch The Nanny (I don't even watch the Nanny, but he swears I watch it all the time)
What do girls keep in their purse?
You or girls?
Uh... me. (Wait, I thought I was a girl?)
Cellphone, chapstick... that's about it.
That's it? Okay. What's an acceptable amount of money to spend on a makeup item?
Whatever makes you feel pretty, sweetie.
*Asks his roommate what is an acceptable amount to spend on makeup*
ROOMMATE: Twenty Bucks!
Okay, sure. Is there anything else that you think everyone who reads my blog needs to know about you?
I don't know, what do you think they need to know?
How much you love me.
I think I'm gonna reheat my pizza.

Binge-a-thon

After this long weekend I wish I had a really exciting America-themed recap for you, but I didn't honestly do anything worth blogging about. In fact, I mostly just watched Netflix. This was practically a crime considering how perfect the weather was this weekend, but hey, everyone needs a good Netflix binge-sesh once in a while.

I love when I can find a diamond-in-the-rough on Netflix. Sure, there's the shows that everyone loves like Orange is the New Black and Breaking Bad that are worthy of planting your butt on the couch for a full weekend, but my favorites are the ones that I missed while they were on air. The only problem with these is that they always end too soon. Sigh.

Veronica Mars. This has been gaining popularity ever since the movie came out- if only this popularity had come when it was on TV! I actually watched this on TV when it came out in 2004, and I own all 3 seasons on DVD. To this day it remains my favorite show of all time. Go watch it ASAP! Edit: this isn't on Netflix anymore :( It's worth renting through, trust me.

Lipstick Jungle. This is what I'm currently watching, and I am in love. Becca introduced me to this gem via her "What You Should Be Watching" post. It only had two short seasons, and even though I still have eight episodes left I'm already sad that it's over. If you like Sex & the City, I definitely recommend this. It's by the same author!

The Lying Game. This is another one that I actually watched when it was on TV, and I could never figure out why more people didn't watch then. If you are a Pretty Little Liars fan you should definitely watch this show, which is also based off books by Sarah Shepard. The only problem on this one is that it was canceled on a whim and ends on a serious cliff hanger. On second thought, read the books instead.

United States of Tara.  This show is so, so good; three seasons just wasn't enough. It was real, it was funny, it had passionate love and mental illness. I think it's one of my favorite Netflix finds to date. Me and my roommate marathon-watched this last fall, and could not believe we hadn't seen it before then. So good.

Drop Dead Diva. This show is actually still on TV and in it's 6th season, so someone must watch it- just no one that I know. It is awesome, though, so I'm not sure why. This show inspires my wardrobe and makes me want to be a lawyer. It's funny, it's serious, it makes me cry and laugh. It's really just got everything. If you haven't seen it then I recommend a binge session immediately.

What must-sees do you love that I've been missing?

Where I Blog

That picture is a view of exactly what I see when I blog: my cozy orange comforter. I always blog in my bed- the same way I used to do homework in college or type documentation when I'm working from home. They say you shouldn't do work from your bed; you should have a designated place for that like a desk or a table. You're not supposed to do anything in your bed but sleep otherwise you won't be able to relax at bedtime, but that just isn't what works for me. My bed is my favorite place in the house, and if you stick me at a desk I am perpetually uncomfortable.

I like to snuggle into my covers, turn on iTunes, maybe even grab a snack, and then I'm ready to blog. It drives my boyfriend absolutely nuts- especially the snacking part! He says it messes up the covers and he likes to get into a made bed at night, but he's a desk person. He doesn't get it.

Where do you blog- your bed, a desk, or some place totally different?

These Are My Confessions

Oh hey, happy Wednesday! Today I'm linking up with Kathy, and I have a few confessions for you...

I let everyone at work yesterday believe I made the cookies that I actually bought at Walmart. Hey, no one asked so I wasn't going to correct them!

Ever since I started reading books on my iPhone I obsess over them and can't put them down. Like, sometimes I try to break it out at stop lights. That's pretty bad.

I normally prefer the taste of tap water over filtered water, as long as it's cold. I don't think anyone in my whole town drinks tap water, and it makes me cringe to see how many plastic bottles people waste around here.

I'm not sure if I get a bigger headache from wearing my glasses or from not wearing them. I should probably get my prescription checked, but my eye insurance only covers one visit every two years.

Whenever my work is paying for my lunch I always try to spend as close to my 11 allotted dollars as possible.

I already have names picked out for my future cats, and sometimes I doodle them during work meetings. Nope, I'm not crazy at all!

No one in my life knows about my blog except my boyfriend, and to the best of my knowledge he has never seen it. I plan on keeping it that way.

I have a secret that's so hard to keep I'm practically bursting, but I firmly believe in jinxing yourself so I'm afraid that if I tell too many people it won't actually happen. I've already told 5 people.

I am horrible about texting people and keeping in touch. It doesn't mean I don't care about you or miss you, it just means I have the attention span of a lab puppy and I forget what I'm doing exactly ten milliseconds after thinking to do it.

I could sleep for 12 hours every day and be perfectly content. I might even still need a nap.

Is there anything I didn't ask but you're dying to know? Click here to ask me! 

Want Some Cheese with that Whine?

Yesterday was the definition of a Monday. Everything that could go wrong did, and it was the kind of day that makes you cry before 10 am. My computer wouldn't start at work,  my lunch made me sick, I forgot one shoe when I went to the gym, someone bought the shirt I wanted... etc. And all that Monday left me feeling pretty whiney.

1) I go to gym almost every day and sweat like no other, I've doubled my water intake, and I rarely eat more than one meal a day lately (I know, unhealthy), so WHY do I feel like I'm getting fatter and fatter instead of losing weight? I don't even get it. I want to curl up in a corner and cry.

2) Speaking of things that make me want to cry, let's talk about my bank account. I work SO hard doing one of the most stressful jobs out there, and I am making pennies. I can't even afford a place to live off of what I make. Not even the cheapest apartment with the shittiest landlord is in my budget, and I barely have any bills to pay. It's ridiculous.

3) Practically everything I eat makes me sick. I need to make a doctor's appointment, but it's impossible to find time. I stopped eating MSG and it's helped, but I still get sick a lot. I don't know for sure what it is that doesn't get along with my body, but it's making me miserable.

4) Mondays like this really leave me needing a hug, but my boyfriend is ten freaking hours away, and plane tickets cost way more than what I can afford (ie free). It also makes me really grumpy when other people go on vacation every other day. How do you even have that much time off work?

And since I don't want to be a total Debbie Downer, I guess I should mention that not everything in my life sucks:

-I'm going to North Carolina in 1 month and 2 weeks!
-The Bachelorette finally started.
-I joined this really fun swap that Kallie is hosting.
-Next week doesn't have a Monday... thank goodness!

Classy or Trashy?

I just learned about a new trend today, and I'm really curious what everyone's thoughts are on it. The trend is "display showers." A display shower is when you request that guests bring unwrapped gifts to your wedding or baby shower, and then you don't have to spend the time unwrapping gifts but the guests can still browse your goods displayed on a table during the shower.

Via

I discovered this trend when I saw an invite with the rhyme "So Mama-to-be has time to enjoy your company, please bring your gift unwrapped for all to see." After researching it, it seems there's a myriad of benefits from having a display shower: you don't have to spend the time unwrapping which can take away from socializing and be boring for guests, there are some guests-of-honor who don't like to be in the spotlight and display showers mean no unwrapping with all-eyes-on-them, no wrapping paper is more environmentally friendly, and I read that unwrapped gifts make for easier returns (this one I don't understand, but that's what it said!).

All this said, I'm against the trend. I find it tacky, and as a guest I'd feel as if the host only cares about the gifts and not the thought behind them. I like seeing gifts being opened and oohing and ahhing over cute baby clothes-it's not only old ladies who enjoy it! I also feel there are better ways to battle boredom than skipping gift-opening all together. One of my favorites is shower bingo!

I don't think that not wanting to be the center of attention is any excuse, either. I don't want to offend anyone with that statement, but you don't have to have a shower, a wedding, or a baby for that matter! If people are taking the time and money to be there and bring you a gift on your special day I think you can deal with the all-eyes-on-you for a little while.

I do think there are times when this would be okay. If you're having a shower with 80 guests, I definitely don't want to watch you open every present. I think everyone would understand forgoing the opening part at this sort of party! And I am always down for being environmentally friendly- I read about one woman who asked her guests to not to wrap because she's big on being green, but she still went through and acknowledged every gift as if she were opening them. But when it comes right down to it I think these exceptions are few and far between, and asking your guests not to wrap is a big fat no-no.

So what do you think about display showers? Have you heard of this trend before? Do you find it rude or a-okay? I really want to know your opinions!

So, About My Life...

It's officially been over half a year since I made this big move, and time has seriously flown by. Not in a good way like I'm having fun, though. More in a "holy crap, it's already been six months and I'm still not even remotely settled into my life yet?!" sort of way. I haven't even found a permanent place to live. Sigh. Actually I've been kind of on the job hunt, but I haven't been fully committed to it. I just don't have the energy to spend all night writing cover letters and sending resumes after spending 8+ hours doing what I do. I know, excuses.

On the plus side, I did get a raise on the first of this month! It's just a little tiny baby raise for getting off the probation period, and you would still laugh if you ever saw how pathetic my pay stub is. I also get paid holidays now and I can take personal days. But I don't really know why I would ever need a personal day considering the amount of comp time I accumulate. Right now I'm up to 64 hours; it's actually pretty ridiculous.

Why is this post sounding so whiny? No more talking about work.

Over the last few days it's been in the 70-80 degree range here in PA, and I am one happy lady! The sub-zero temperatures we got this winter were killing me, and I prefer warm weather anyways. It's supposed to be cooling back down by this weekend, but I am taking full advantage of the shorts weather while it's here! The only thing I'm not loving about this gorgeous weather is the fact that my gym doesn't have AC. Talk about miserable! I think I definitely need to invest in some breathable workout tanks for this summer.

I also purchased my ticket for Charlotte last week! I leave July 2nd, which is less than two months away. I'm just as excited as I was last time I visited, which was almost exactly a year before this trip! Of course I've been to Charlotte and seen Sam since then. I did live there for a (very short) while and he visited me in February, but it made me smile that this vacation worked out at almost the exact same timing as the last (perfect) one.

at the Ritz!

So anyways, that's pretty much all that's going on in my life. Nothing too crazy, right? If there's anything else you're dying to know, make sure to ask me here!

Just Ask Me!

Hi guys. Today I am going to introduce something new. Not new to the world, just to this blog. I'm going to let YOU write my post for me! Not this post, though. It's already written.

I'm being confusing aren't I? What I'm trying to say is, I made this fancy little google doc for you to submit your questions for me, and I will answer them in a future blog post. This blog post will probably occur in about two weeks, but I'm not good with specifics. I think this will be a lot of fun, and it will give me a better idea of what you guys want to read about. Can't wait to see what you have to say!

You can ask me anything you want. Have you ever wondered what my favorite snack is? How often I shave my legs? How I got to be so pretty and smart? Well now is your chance to find out! Just type your question(s) into the box below and hit submit.

DISCLAIMER: I may not answer every question asked, and I will definitely not answer anything mean or inappropriate. This is an anonymous form, so some of you catty b-words will probably send rude questions my way. If this occurs, I will laugh to myself at your silliness and move on with my life, so let's just save us both the trouble. Keep any negativity to yourself, please.

My Mom

With Mother's Day being yesterday I think it's only fitting you tell you about how amazing my mother is. She is my greatest role model and biggest inspiration, and I am so blessed to call her "mom."

lolol that hair!

When I was born my mom was young. Like, if it had been 18 years later she could have been on MTV. That never held her back, though. Not only was she the best mother she could be to me, she fulfilled all of her own dreams, too. She finished school, went on to college, and even went on to graduate school to pursue a degree in Special Education. She always pushed me to be the best I could and did everything she could to give me the world. We never had a lot, but we always had enough.

Growing up it was just me and my mom. That's not to say that my daddy wasn't there for me too; I truly have the two very best parents on the whole planet, but my parents broke up when I was four and it was mostly just the two of us when I was a kid. We've surely had our rough patches- my mom still has a note I wrote that says "You are the meanest mom ever. I'm never talking to you again," and my teenage years were basically just a constant screaming match.Through everything, though, she's always showed me unconditional love. My mom has truly become one of my best friends, and I'd rather spend my time with her than anyone else. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't drive home every weekend to hang out with her.

My mom makes me laugh and listens to me cry. She understand that I'm grumpy in the morning, and knows exactly when I need the cat to FaceTime me. She's been there for me through everything, even if still I haven't forgiven her for the time she ignored my drunk dial! She taught me compassion, understanding, and open-mindedness, and she helped me become a woman that I am proud to be.

My mom wasn't perfect, but I'd be perfectly okay with my children being raised in exactly the same way as I was. I couldn't have possibly had a better mother than mine, and I wouldn't want anyone else. Besides, my mom always tells me that a mother's number one job is to be annoying and embarrassing, so I know she definitely nailed this motherhood thing!

And I learn from the best, obviously.

Big Fat Failure

Over the weekend I realized it was May, and I forgot to give you an update on how I did with my goals last month. I guess that's fitting since my goal post was 8 days late- really I'm early! ;)

So anyways, I think the title of this post tells you how said goals went. This month I was a big fat failure. How so, you ask? Well...

Paint my nails every week. Okay, this was actually a success! I painted my nails every Sunday, and even went the extra mile with some top coat so they looked good all week. The only exception was this past week when I used a new polish that looked like crap, so I took it off on Wednesday and had naked nails up until a few minutes ago. But naked nails are better than chipped nails, so it's still a success!

Check out at least one apartment. Ummm, no. I didn't do this. Like really, I couldn't get around to looking at ONE APARTMENT? fail. This wasn't completely my fault because I did try and schedule with Chelsae several times but it just never worked out. I've given up on trying to live with her, but that's a story for another day...

Go to class at the Y 4x/week  or just do an hour of cardio if I miss class, and start the Malibooty routine.  Welllll, this could have been worse. I did go to the classes every day even if I didn't want to, and I only missed twice. Once because I worked late and once because it was canceled. I did not do anything else at the gym on these days. One one of those days, though, I did the Malibooty routine! And that's the only time I did Malibooty...

Pre-schedule all my blog posts on the weekends. Big. Fat. Fail. I didn't even do this one time. And I just skipped posting all together several times. I am the worst blogger ever.

Learn to do something new with my hair. I kind of did this. I was attempting something else, and ended up with this weird braid ponytail thing. I've worn it to work like this several times so I guess it counts, even if it wasn't my intention. I could have put a lot more effort into this goal, though.

Even though this month was a big fat failure I'm going to continue on with these goals for May. They are really things I want to do, so hopefully this month I can manage to be a lot more committed. Wish me luck!

What My iPhone is Wearing

Everyone loves a good fashion post, right? Today, though, I'm not talking about my outfit. I'm talking about something much more important: My iPhone.

I am constantly changing the wallpapers on my phone. After all, the wallpapers are like your iPhone's underwear, and your supposed to change that every day. I like to make my home screen a pattern or a solid so that the focus is on my icons (which I have neatly organized into 6 folders. Cleanliness is the first step in getting ready for the day). I let my lock screen have a little more freedom in it's dress. I usually put a photo or a quote picture, and it usually matches my home screen. I like to coordinate. Here's what he's wearing today:

These match because my lock screen is me and my FPS from my sorority, 

and my home screen is my sorority's Lilly print!

The most important thing that an iPhone wears is it's case. This is the first impression your iPhone makes- this is his outfit. My little baby iPhone always stays comfortably dressed in a pink & grey OtterBox where I know he'll be safe. I would trust an OtterBox with my life, so I'll definitely trust it with my iPhone's. I'm also a fan of LifeProof, but this one was free (Thanks, Sam!). If he weren't such a fragile little thing I'd have a million and ten cases- there are so many cute ones out there! I'm quite keen on the "buy a clear case and stick scrapbooking paper in the back" idea, but I feel safest when my phone is snug in his OtterBox so there he will stay. 

Even though he's not wearing it all the time, where you put your iPhone is very important. Your purse is like its outerwear. Prior to getting my iPhone I was a big fan of Vera Bradley wristlets. They were perfect; I could slide my phone in the front, hook some keys on the wrist strap, stick my money inside, and I was good to go. After getting my iPhone I was lost- it didn't fit in the front pocket; what was I going to do?! I contemplated going back to a purse, but once you go black wristlet you can't go back- they are so much easier. When I found a wristlet that could fit my iPhone and otterbox I was thrilled. This wristlet was better than I ever expected, and way better than Vera. Not only does it hold my phone, I've got my keys hooked to the detachable wrist strap, money absolutely nothing in the front pocket, 15+ cards inside, chapstick, a pen, a charging cord, and room to spare. And it all hangs off my wrist! This little guy is one of my favorite Etsy purchases to date.

So, what is your phone wearing? Are there any must-haves I need to add to my iPhone's wardrobe?