april, maybe

freight train

2012-02-15T15:00:00.000-06:00

So I have an alter ego. She only comes out after too many cocktails and my friends call her "Freight Train." Which comes from something a friend said about me one day during a morning-after brunch: "It's amazing. I never know you're even intoxicated until you are drunk. It hits you like a freight train." And let me tell you, Freight Train's a real trickster. She likes to text people that I never would, and she likes to hide my things in really strange places. But she's fairly harmless on the whole, and at least makes for good stories.

Do you have an alter ego? A mini-Sasha Fierce hiding inside of you?

happy valentine's day

2012-02-14T17:08:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! To those of you who celebrate it, of course. I do not wish to offend anyone with such blasphemy if I can help it.

My parents each sent me $25 today. I like to think of it as their way of saying "SORRY YOU'RE GOING TO DIE ALONE! GO BUY YOURSELF SOMETHING NICE!"

So I bought myself, and my roommate, some flowers. Carnations for me, calla lilies for her. And yes, I genuinely like carnations. I don't understand why they have such a bad reputation.

I took a road trip this weekend, that I still need to tell you about, but anyway, we went to this really cute bakery for lunch on Sunday and they were selling truffles for Valentine's Day. I bought myself one. . . or actually five, because it was cheaper. (Yeah, that's a good excuse.)

I woke up to this cute little valentine from my roommate. :) "Here's to getting lucky in love." We'll see. . .

Another thing that happened today? I was honked at by that dude from a couple of weeks ago at a cross walk. Twice. I was forced to acknowledge his presence and I didn't like it the least little bit. FUCK YOU, VALENTINE'S DAY!

Not really. I'm not some crazy, bitter girl - but I think it's ridiculous to have a day that "celebrates" love. I celebrate love everyday. There, I said it.

questions

2012-02-11T15:00:00.000-06:00

Felicia tagged me to answer some questions, so I thought I would. What else do I have to do? (Study, read, clean. . .)

1. If you could invite any 10 people in the world to a dinner party; fictional or real, dead or alive, famous or not, who would you invite?

Wow. Ten is a lot. . . Taylor, because I'd need a friend to reflect on it all with; Gloria Steinem, Katy Perry, Nathan Fillion, Ernest Hemingway, JFK, Cher, Kate Winslet, just to stare at her; David Sedaris, and Bobby Flay. I think that's a well-rounded list.

2. What is something that you have always wanted to do but have never had the chance to?

Bungee jump!

3.What skill do you wish you had and why?

I wish I could play a musical instrument. Or more practically, I wish I had the skill of being a nuclear engineer or something like that. Hello, job security!

4. What's your most favorite dessert that you can never resist?

PIE. Basically any type of pie.

5. You're stranded on a deserted island - what 3 books do you take with you?

Oh shit. Questions like this always vex me. If I knew I was going to be stranded on a deserted island, I'd be packing more than books, but okay. . . I'd take 3 books describing how to survive on a deserted island.

6. You're at Subway - what do you get on your sandwich?

ONIONS, and then some more onions, a few leaves of spinach and some chipotle. This would be on a sweet onion chicken teriyaki sandwich, of course, with pepper jack cheese.

7. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? What do you do now?

I wanted to be a fashion designer or a lawyer. I'm about to graduate with a degree in psychology and either hope to go on to get my doctorate or be a social worker.

8. What is your nervous habit?

I fidget a lot. I touch my hair, my face, my clothes, my other hand. . . and I change positions at least once every five minutes.

9. If a blog were having a giveaway, what would really entice you to enter?

Well, I'd have to want what they were giving away. I've won some giveaways that I cared nothing about and I felt bad for stealing something that someone may have genuinely enjoyed.

10. If you were a color, which color would you be?

I'd be a freakin' rainbow.

11. What is your favorite quote and/or verse?

There is no salvation in becoming adapted to a world which is crazy. Henry Miller

12. What is your favorite thing about snail mail?

I'm fascinated by other people's handwriting.

velveteen!

2012-02-09T15:31:00.004-06:00

In September, I found this awesome velveteen dress, that I was certain could be a masterpiece if worn correctly. My plan was to wait until it got REALLY, REALLY cold and then wear it with boots and a big chunky sweater, and everything would be hunky dory. The problem is that it never got really cold like I was anticipating and I never whipped out the dress. Until last night, when I wanted a dress that I could dance around in, but not have to worry about making sure it was in all the right places all night. Queue the velveteen. . .

I put it on and decided it looked a bit like a tent, or a dress Wednesday Adams might wear if she was your fourth grade teacher. So I took it off and cut a foot off the hem! And it's velveteen, so no hemming required! It rolls up and hems itself! Huzzah!

Ignore the tooth paste splatters on the mirror.

I'm kind of in love with it. I'm actually wearing it right now. I mean, I only wore it out last night, it deserves a little time in the sunshine, too, right?

And wearing floral print mandates that you have to wear this as well:

It's an ULTA brand product that American Bridget Jones sent me for my pampered swap, and it's subtle and lovely and I spray it on when I get out of the shower, and then pile real perfume on top once I get dressed. I convince myself that people will think I naturally smell like roses. BUT IT'S ALREADY HALF GONE, WHAT WILL I DO WHEN IT'S EMPTY?!

Anyway. . . I hope you guys are having amazing weeks, and that you have an amazing weekend all planned up. I have a story for you, but I'll save it for tomorrow. Love, love, love.

weekend tidbits

2012-02-06T09:06:00.001-06:00

+ I dyed the bottom half of my hair "Cherry Pop."

+ My friends and I have been trying to check out new places instead of just going to our favorite (expensive) bar all the time. Friday night we went to a place with much cheaper drinks, but an incredibly different atmosphere (and clientele). We sort of decided we'll just go to our place and pay for the atmosphere.

+ I've still been working out everyday! Saturday I even went to a Zumba class! This morning, though, I decided to actually wake up on time, but then couldn't force myself to go to the gym because I can actually go at 3 today instead, and that sounds better. Probably because we haven't turned our heat on in a week and today we actually need it - so I couldn't get out of bed! It was too cold! Plus I have some reading to do before class in an hour. . .

+ Saturday we actually did go to our place, which apparently has started charging a cover to see bands. (RIDICULOUS considering how expensive the drinks are! Cover people who aren't drinking!) But it was a lot of fun, and I didn't actually spend that much money, thanks to a handy dandy flask. . .

+ Saw "The Woman in Black." Would not recommend it. Though Daniel Ratcliff is growing up quite nicely.

+ SUPERBOWL! Commercials were disappointing, Madonna was surprisingly good, and the team I arbitrarily picked only a few hours before the game won! So yay! Plus I watched it at a friend's house and his parents spoiled us with pizza, chili, and cheese dip. Winning all around!

semi-silent sunday

2012-02-05T12:03:00.004-06:00

Post Secret.

etsy share: the joy of ex foundation

2012-02-01T09:27:00.001-06:00

Sometimes you just need to do a little online shopping, amiright?

The other day I was feeling a little blue and even though I'm fairly broke (only because I keep buying things, like Tom Petty concert tickets), I purchased the most perfect tea towel for my future life. (I refuse to use it here because my roommate has burned at least three of the tea towels we have now.)

It's from The Joy of Ex Foundation and I love it. I also love the adorable post card she sent with it, and the packaging. I'm a sucker for sweet packaging.

She's actually selling these postcards now, in a pretty inexpensive bundle. They may be mine if I have another bad day/weak moment. But I'll probably have to buy this pillow case first:

Except I'm going to need it to say "RESERVED FOR MR. RIGHT NOW" and then "MR. VERY WRONG." Because that seems to be only type of mister I attract. . . Not that I'm still dwelling on that or anything.

monday funday

2012-01-30T16:28:00.002-06:00

A public safety officer rang my doorbell at 8:15 this morning and asked for me by name. I had a super panicky moment, wondering if I should run like they do on COPS, even though I've done nothing wrong. They just wanted me to move my car so they could get some equipment into the parking lot. So yeah, glad I didn't climb out the window or something. (I'm too paranoid and don't trust the police very much, even though I have absolutely no reason to feel that way. Real talk.)

So that's how Monday has gone. Nothing spectacular has happened, and that's great. I don't mind that on a Monday. Though when my expectations for a day are low, I try to wear something that makes me happy. Today, it was this shirt: Dream your way to Paris.

And this ring! (Oh my god, I need to moisturize my hands more.)

Obviously I'm not going to be a hand model, but this ring gives off the perfect amount of sparkle, don'tcha think?

It's from Anjolee! They're a great place to look if you want a really amazing diamond wedding ring, or an anniversary ring; they have bridal sets, too - if you're into that sort of thing. I'm just happy that I now have a ring I can move over to my left hand and say "OH, SORRY, I'M MARRIED!!" at the bar. Married to myself and all that, ya know - cause there are some super creepers in the world. But don't let them catch you lying, because then they might kill you. (And I brought the post all the way around to relate to my first point. Boom.)

weekend tidbits

2012-01-29T18:22:00.000-06:00

+ Thursday night is karaoke night, which means it's basically my favorite night of the week. Yes, my weekend starts on Thursday. It was awesome and I had a lot of fun, but guess what? Dude from last weekend straight up ignored my ass, which is so lovely. /sarcasm. Why be nice the day after, and text me all cute and bullshit, if you're going to be a douchebag when I run into you again? Did you think you couldn't get away without me pulling some crazy on you? You were already away! Come on. Be consistent. That's all I ask. /rant.

+ Friday night I went to a house party, one of those that you see in movies where everyone is amazing and looks like they're having the best night of their lives. Again, a lot of fun. I love hippies. Oh, and waiter boy was there. In a towel. He's too cute!

+ My roommate woke me up on Saturday morning to ask if I wanted to go see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, plus Regina Spektor, with her in April. Tickets were over $100, but come on!

+ "Come on!" is my new catch phrase.

+ Saturday was spent with friends, adding life to my years. I can't believe my world is going to change soon.

+ Today, I've done absolutely NOTHING. I slept until 1:30, and then only got out of my apartment to rent a movie and grab some Arby's. The rest of the week is going to be spent in the library! I promise! Maybe.

Friday's Fancies

2012-01-27T07:33:00.000-06:00

Hello, hello April, Maybe readers! My name is Amy and I blab about everything fashion, food, fitness and much more over at A Glimpse of the Gouglers! This week I am taking over April's blog for a My Friday Fancies blog swap with Alison at {long distance loving}! This week we decided to take one article of clothing and style it two different ways. April found these amazing biker boots on Polyvore for us to work with. Here is my look below:

Biker Chic by acgougler featuring a floral print shirt

First let's talk about the boots since this is what the entire outfit is styled around! I love these boots. They are definitely not something that I would usually gravitate towards in a store, but let's be honest, they're smokin' hot. I decided to do a sort of Biker Chic look. I love how the boots give off a tough edge while the lacy top gives a feminine simplicity. Since pants are an obvious necessity, I went with a super skinny black jean and then added a giant handbag and a fun bracelet.

So...do we like it? What would you pair with these fantastic boots?

Thanks for letting me visit! Don't forget to head over to A Glimpse of the Gouglers to check out April's fun look!

be cool

2012-01-25T23:48:00.000-06:00

A well meaning friend gave me some advice this week that really made me step back and go "whoa, what?!" I mean, I had a real knee-jerk reaction. "Be cool. You know, just be a little less of yourself." Yeah, that really happened. I'm not sorry that I'm passionate, and I'm not sorry that I either love something, or I hate it. I rarely think in shades of grey, and I can't see why that's so bad. I'm loud, but I'm friendly. There's just a lot me to go around. I don't know how to be cool.

more plants, more sun, less clothes

2012-01-23T09:47:00.003-06:00

After finding these photos by Viktor Vauthier I've decided I need more plants in my life, and more sun, and less clothes. I don't make resolutions (other than drink more water and be nicer to people), but this year I added the resolution "be naked more." Doable, though maybe not on a Monday.

weekend tidbits

2012-01-22T13:57:00.001-06:00

I did some really fun stuff this weekend, but I didn't take pictures of any of it. My bad.

+ Friday, I went to Zaza's (the bar on campus) for a free show by a local band, that literally consists of two people playing a plethora of crazy instruments. Banjo, kick drum, some mandolin looking thing, a washboard. . . It was great. Here's a youtube clip of them somewhere else. The quality is shit, but you'll get more of a feel for what I'm saying.

+ Met someone new after the show. I wish I could tell you the whole story, but you might gag from the adorableness of it. He brought me hash browns an hour after we'd said goodbye at the bar, and we talked for three hours after that. I got thirty minutes of sleep and had to be at work at nine. But I was smiling through the sleep deprivation. (Which is really ironic considering I posted this only a few hours before I met the guy. Whoops.)

+ Slapped a boy in the face, playfully, but dammit, I'd been wanting to do that to him for years. There were lots of random people at that concert, y'all. Waiter boys, old crushes, and new adorable friends.

+ Last night I made spaghetti squash lasagna for friends, and we played Clue and Texas Hold 'Em, until I kicked them out because I couldn't function without sleep anymore.

+ Bought myself flowers at Kroger even though I only have $30 in my bank account right now. I'm going to be that poor girl who spends her money on books and flowers. Maybe I can lose weight that way?

+ Speaking of losing weight, I got up at eight and went to the gym everyday last week before class at 10. Huzzah! I'm on a roll. Give me a pat on the back, people.

Now I have to read about the history of French New Wave cinema, and the differences in the perception of events by perpetrators and their victims. Doesn't that sound exciting? How was your weekend? Tell me all about it, I miss you guys! School is going to make me less bloggy. :(

Reasons Why I’m Not Going To Hold You After Sleeping With You

2012-01-20T17:48:00.000-06:00

Reasons Why I’m Not Going To Hold You After Sleeping With You

by Elizabeth Barry, ThoughtCatalog

In the morning, I am going to leave anyways. It will probably be while you are still asleep. I will hop around the room trying to avoid the creaky floorboards while I fish my underwear out from under your desk. I will see your mess in the daylight, and hope that you stay in your peaceful, nonobligatory slumber.
You do not want to hold me after we have sex; you just know that is what a Nice Boy does. You honestly probably don’t (or didn’t) want me to stay the night, but being the gentleman that you are could not let me stumble home drunkenly in the middle of the night. I am not going to let you hold me after sex because I get it: I am a burden. I am not going to let you hold me after sex because I would rather commit murder than being labeled as “clingy.”
I probably do not know your last name. Cuddling is one of the most intimate activities two people can partake in. It has developed in our society to be more sacred than sex, and I am not going to do it with you because I met you four hours ago after six gin and tonics and refuse to pretend that this is something that it is not.
Things will be even weirder when I see you at that next party, whether it is tomorrow, next week, or next month. We will give each other a nod from across the room, maybe a little smile, and go about our business. I am not going to let you hold me because I do not need one more stranger who knows every crevice of my body. Or who thinks they know a thing or two about me. Because, well, you don’t. (And it is my prerogative to make that clear to everyone I sleep with.)
Most of all, if I let you hold me after we have sex, there is a very good possibility I will enjoy it. My body will perfectly curve with yours and I’ll feel the warmth of your skin touching mine inch by inch. It is almost certain that this will not turn me on, and that makes it all the worse. I am not going to let you hold me after we have sex because if you do, there’s a chance that for a moment I will see everything I am missing.
I am not going to let you hold me after sex because I cannot bear the emptiness of it. The reality of the fact we are nothing, and this is the life I chose.

facebooked again

2012-01-19T17:59:00.002-06:00

My new profile picture - taken by me at 3 o'clock this afternoon, because in every photo of me from the past semester I'm wearing a wig.

So after a month and a week, I reactivated my Facebook. It's not that I had any big news to share, or cared about what anyone else was posting, I just thought it was time to stop pretending like I was taking some big stand against social media, or that I was outside of it. I don't hate FB, I hate the crazy things I do on FB. So the problem is me, and not the website. And by deactivating my account, I wasn't really addressing the problem. I need to be smarter in my social media decisions as a near grown-up. And I need to learn not to obsess - just because some information is at my fingertips doesn't mean I should look at it.

How do you feel about Facebook? With all the buzz about censorship legislation, it's definitely something to be informed about, don't you think?

winner winner

2012-01-19T10:32:00.001-06:00

It's that time! Who won this awesome Betsey Johnson clutch?

Bree from Viva La Breee! Congrats! I'll be e-mailing you soon!

things I've done in the last 24 hours

2012-01-18T15:39:00.000-06:00

+ Was not offered that job I interviewed for in November. Honestly, I didn't really want it, and probably wouldn't have been very happy there, but now I'm out in "I don't know what do after May"-limbo again. I didn't want the job, I wanted the plan.

+ Drank a lot of beer. Because how else are you supposed to react to being rejected? (Rhetorical and not open to suggestions.)

+ Woke up in the middle of the night to drink some water, reached for the huge cup I keep at my bedside, and watched as it slipped out of my hand and onto the floor. Worst 3 a.m. moment I've had in a while.

+ Woke up at eight and went to the gym. Ate a broccoli and cheese quiche for lunch, with soup and yogurt. Making vegetables for dinner! I'm trying to make healthy decisions (mostly to accommodate the beer I like drinking so much).

+ Went to my last first day of classes: Psychology of Evil, History of Psychology, Italian Renaissance and Baroque Art History, and French New Wave (actually that's tomorrow). Great classes with my favorite professors, made better by my new Betty Page sticker.

+ I finished this book.Which is great with class starting today. I'll never be able to read for pleasure again (until May, at least). I did read eight books over break though. Look at that!

+ Listened to, and remembered how much I love, this song. And this song. I think it's because waiter boy has frustrated the hell out of me lately and I'm going back to my man-hater tendencies.

Hey, if you haven't entered my giveaway for a Betsey Johnson clutch, you should go do that ASAP. I think I said it was closing this afternoon, but I probably won't mess with it until in the morning, so. . .

where you can find me today

2012-01-17T10:09:00.002-06:00

I'm in Paris!

Not really. Man, I wish.

In all seriousness, you can find me over at Anticipation! talking about how much I love Paris and why. I talk about some experiences I never talked about here on the blog, so go check it out!

Funnily enough, I watched Midnight in Paris last night. I am just pining away for my favorite city today.

mugh-nday

2012-01-16T09:04:00.002-06:00

Since I've gotten back to Arkansas, I've done even less than I did at home, except Saturday I worked all day, for you know, money and stuff. Which will be nice when I get paid, wasn't so nice on Saturday.

Today is cold and dreary and I don't want to do anything again, but I promised a friend I'd go shopping with her to find a dress for formal. My dress is shown above, all Marilyn-like. In black and white because that's the way I feel today and the weather isn't helping. Classes don't start until Wednesday. God help me!

home sweet apartment

2012-01-15T09:55:00.000-06:00

I came home to some pretty sweet surprises. It feels so nice to be back in Arkansas! Except for the below freezing temperatures. . . but you can't have everything!

Anyway, my roommate gave me some awesome Betty Page stationery, and one of my besties gave me two new pin-up prints! Both were belated Christmas presents. Which are the best kind of Christmas presents!

I thought it'd be especially appropriate to show you the new art in my room to celebrate being back in my lovely, cozy (parentless) apartment. :)

The Good Fellas poster in the bottom left is new too. "As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster." Truth. Perfect inspiration to start off the day.

On the opposite wall, I put up my new Hunger Games poster. Now I can stare at it and pine until March.

Sigh. It feels so nice to be back in my room, and with new details. Now off to brunch!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a Betsey Johnson clutch!

Friday's Fancies - color crush

2012-01-13T10:51:00.004-06:00

Happy Friday! TGIF and all that! I'm back in Arky and I came back in style (meaning I'm a little hungover this morning). There's nothing better than going out with friends when no one has to be up for anything the next morning! That won't happen much once the semester starts, unfortunately.

Anyway, Friday means linking up with {av}! Her post is all about loving a certain color, but I can't do that. I cleaned out my closet yesterday when I got back and let my friends pick through the bones, and all they kept saying was "YOU HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT COLORED THINGS!" So I like color. It's an established thing.

For this Friday, I saw these awesome shoes and tried to make a simple outfit around them. With shoes like that you've got to be careful you don't look like a street walker, amiright?

Charlotte Taylor shirts blouse, $188 - Vero Moda buckle pants, €40 - Jeffrey Campbell pink platform heels, £53 - Saskia Diez art deco jewelry, $398 - Jennifer Meyer Jewelry cable chain necklace, $600

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a Betsey Johnson clutch!

happy 250! giveaway! exclamation points!!!

2012-01-11T15:58:00.001-06:00

Guess who hit 250 followers a couple of days ago? Me! Finally! After sitting at 238 for like 3 months. Not that it's about the numbers or anything. . . because I'm a well-rounded blogger and totally care about the quality of my followers and not the quantity. ;)

Anyway, in celebration of this totally arbitrary number that I don't care about at all, I'm having a giveaway! And it's a pretty freaking awesome giveaway if I do say so myself.

I love Betsey Johnson like cray cray, and whenever I see some of her stuff I have to have it, so this one is mine. . .

And this one can be yours!

To win this Betsey Johnson clutch, all you have to do is:

+ be a follower of april, maybe on GFC

+ comment on this entry

For extra entries:

+ follow me on twitter @aprilmay1990

+ tweet about the giveaway @aprilmay1990

+ blog about the giveaway

Just make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!

Giveaway ends next Wednesday, January 18th at six-central!

Yahoo and good luck! ISN'T THIS EXCITING?!?!

tidbits

2012-01-10T18:21:00.001-06:00

+ My favorite football team became national champions for the second time in three years last night. The game ended without LSU, the former number one team in the nation, even having any points on the board. I was shocked!

+ All I've really done over break is catch up on TV and read (interspersed with cage fights with my parents), which is perfectly fine. I've caught up on The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Gossip Girl, tried to watch the new season of House but I don't like it anymore so never mind, and I watched the entire fifth season of UK Skins.

+ My mom and I went out to lunch today as a sort of last hurrah. Of course, we ended up doing a little bit of shopping, too. I got a one-shouldered LBD for $6 (will show you later when I get back to Arky and have my camera back), the purse below (because I have like 3 brown ones and not a single black one), and something pretty amazing to give-a-way on the blog that I'm really excited about, but you'll just have to wait and see! ;)

+ Two more sleeps until I travel back to Arkansas and hopefully never have to officially live in my parent's house again. I think I'm more excited about this than I was for Christmas.

Hope you had a good Tuesday!

thought catalog

2012-01-09T11:03:00.000-06:00

Thought Catalog is a self-proclaimed "online magazine for people passionate about culture." Now I don't know about all that, but I do know they have some articles that are pretty relevant to my life, and they're always fairly funny, and I always want to share them. If you follow me on twitter, you've seen that about half my tweets are me sharing a Thought Catalog article.

For example, they have an article on how to finally make out with your crush. Score! Exactly what I needed. Especially when the article ends like this:

"Have your crush text you the next day, wanting to hang out, and feel the unfamiliar feeling of revulsion towards them. Have seriously no desire to ever kiss them again. The fantasy has been fulfilled and there’s no need to return to it. Wonder if you’re really screwed up emotionally for 2.5 seconds and then order some pad thai. You’re starving, hon!"

They also have articles outlining what an honest job interview would sound like, listing post-break up blog post titles, and then some of my favorite articles are just sweet love letters of sorts.

The article that's most relevant today, following up the 2012 is in the bucket series, and in light of the new year, is 20 New Year's Resolutions for 20-somethings. I'm a girl who doesn't make resolutions, but these are looking like pretty good ideas. Some of my favorites:

1. Before you status update, Tweet, Tumble or Instagram, pause and say to yourself, “is it entirely necessary that I share this morsel of thought with my entire social network?”and if the answer is not, “yes, I absolutely must,” then step away from the Internet.

4. If you really like the person you’re hooking up with and would like them to be your boyfriend/ girlfriend, find a way to tell them, and hope for the best. If you don’t and wouldn’t, stop.

14. Cut one person out of your life who you truly do not like and add one person who you truly do. Note: not on Facebook, on Earth.

19. Crap or get off the pot. This applies to whatever thing you’re not doing that you should just sack up and do already.

So yeah, go bookmark Thought Catalog and read it every couple of days, if you like sarcastic, slightly pessimistic, but always you-powery articles.

P.S. Notice anything different around here? Huh, huh? Yesterday I worked on the 'ole bloggy blog's background and colors and cleaned up the sidebar. Whatcha think?

2012 is in the bucket - danielle from dinosaur toes

2012-01-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

hey guys, i'm danielle from dinosaur toes. april asked me to share something from my bucket list that i plan to do in 2012, in case the world ends this year as the mayan calendar predicts, i imagine. there are two things i'd like to do, one is possible, and the other is possible only if money were no object (but since i've still not become independently wealthy, i'm going to have to wait until another year, assuming there will be one).

the one that is possible:
i've only ever had one manicure in my entire life. don't judge. i'm not a tomboy, but i'm also not a girly-girl, and i generally just tend to feel that i'd rather save my money and do something myself if i'm capable, and overall i don't like spending much money on beauty-related things. my sister and i kept saying that we were going to get our nails done one day, but we never did. procrastinating is so 2011, so in 2012 i plan to get not only a manicure, but an OMBRE JOB!

the one that isn't possible:
i've always wanted to go to germany. partly i want to go because of my family's german heritage, partly because my family's german heritage has made me a bratwurst lover, and partly because i've been like a walking encyclopedia of european history since elementary school. chris (my husband) is afraid to fly, plus we're basically broke right now, but i'm going to look on the bright side and tell myself that jumping those two hurdles just give me more time to plan my big trip.

i hope you have a happy new year and get to cross a few things off of your bucket list!

free nail polish

2012-01-07T19:20:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to share that on Blace's blog, she has a code to pick up two free Zoya nail polishes. All you have to pay for is shipping! They have eight pages of nail polish, I'm sure you can find something you like. I picked out America and Envy. Check it out!

friday's fancies - best foot forward

2012-01-05T23:59:00.000-06:00

I want to take a little break in the 2012 guest posts to celebrate the first Friday of the year with you! {av} wanted everyone to focus on fancy footwear this week, and that was my intention, but you know how I am. . . I got distracted by this amazing dress. Wouldn't it be perfect to start off my last semester of college?

Miss Selfridge green bag, £32 - Melissa Joy Manning bronze earrings, $500 -butter LONDON Nail Lacquer - Various Colors Available - Nail Polish -..., $15

Happy Friday, loves! I hope you have big plans for the weekend! My sister went back to the school yesterday, and I'm going back to Arkansas next Thursday, so we're going to spend this whole weekend together, going out to the movies and staying up late watching Arrested Development. Can't wait!

Oh, P.S. I dyed my hair again the other day. I love being blonde, but I like going dark when it's cold. Plus my roots were looking cray cray.

2012 is in the bucket - micaela from dolce vita

2012-01-05T09:00:00.000-06:00

hello april, maybe readers and a happy new year! it's micaela from dolce vita visiting to tell you about one of my aspirations for 2012. i figure if i say this bucket list item out loud on one of my favorite corners of the internet... i might actually have to follow through.

2012 will be the year i am comfortable in my own skin.

Bardot : one of the sexiest icons

January is the month we all try a little harder when it comes to hitting the gym to lose weight and though i resolve to lose those extra holiday pounds, i want to be kinder to myself.to embrace the fact that i may never be a size 0 but to remind myself that i don't have to be to look and feel beautiful.and to make sure i keep this resolution, something that i hope to cross off my bucket list in 2012 is taking bardot-esque boudoir photographs of myself-- pretty daring and yet absolutely terrifying to think about.

but this is the year i will be comfortable in my own skin.

here goes! xoxo

2012 is in the bucket - katie from a la mode

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-06:00

Hi! My name is Katie, from a la mode! April was soo nice to let me do a guest post on her blog!!This post is about what I want to accomplish in 2012. 2012 is going to be a big year for me... my friend Alexandra moved to China this past Summer and is coming back here next Summer to be with us again, I will get my drivers license, my friend Abby will go into her first year of college, and the world will end. Haha - just kidding! But really, it's a pretty exciting year!

So next year, there are so many things that I want to do but I guess I would say the first thing that comes to mind is going on trips. That sounds so lame! Let me explain.I never really go on trips that often. My family goes to the beach once a year, and it's awesome, but I would love to take plenty more. My dad was talking about taking a train somewhere - and I think that would be awesome! I have a feeling we'll be taking a train ride in the upcoming year.

Also, road trips. I would love to go more road trips! They are just fun in general - especially with friends! :)

And last but not least, I would love to experience Christmas in New York! Hopefully next year!!

Maybe in 2012 I will finally leave the East Coast! ;) I love travel like crazy, and I would love to do it more, you know?!

Thanks for reading! xoxo

Katie, from a la mode

2012 is in the bucket - taylor from anticipation!

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-06:00

So, two years ago I started blogging andapril,maybe was one of my first findings here on the blogosphere. Two yearslater we’re penpals and I couldn’t be happier that I’ve made such a good friendhere. April has such a joie di vivre that I can only aspire to emulate – and that’sdefinitely a goal I have for the long-haul. But for now, I’m excited to share with you my aspirationsfor the upcoming year: 2012!

Ciao! I'm Taylor from Anticipation. If you've been to my blog, you know I love Italy and anything Italian. So, my aspiration for the new year is to continue something I started: learning the Italian language. Here's a little background. Last semester I enrolled in Italian 1. Even though it wasn’trequired, it was my favorite class that I took for fun. I loved it so much thatI really want to continue learning it – and hopefully use it when I return to Italy, myfavorite place in the world, some time soon.

I originally enrolled in Italian after I studied abroad in Tuscany in summer 2011 (backwards, I know). I lived in the most charming and distinct Tuscan town - Siena - minutes away from the city center, the illustrious Piazza del Campo. Whenever I think of Siena, I do nothing but smile because of the beautiful memories I have. The Italian experience really helped me become motivated to learn and gave me a boost that others didn't have. I was able to visualize words, make connections, and remember the accent in my mind. I'm so lucky to have been able to live in Italy for a summer - it was the best time of my life!

So, I am moved out of college to complete an work-study program, but still a student. Since I am out of the organized school setting, the challenge will be to stay motivated to learn and keep my eye on the prize: fluency (or close to it!) when I someday return to Italy. I hope to travel there sometime very, very soon!

Buon 2012 a tutti! Grazie mille a la bella April :)

2012 is in the bucket - kallie from happy, honey and lark

2012-01-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

As promised, this week some of my favorite bloggers will be sharing some of their aspirations for 2012! If you want to join in, by all means, let me know and we can link up! ;)

Today I'm happy to have Kallie from Happy, Honey and Lark sharing her aspirations for the new year.

Kallie is hoping to be more creative, and even thought we're only on day two of this year, I think she's doing a pretty good. Look at the way she formatted this post!

I think these are really fun ways to be more creative, and they're certainly doable, which is important when making goals! Huzzah, Kallie! ;)

2012 is in the bucket

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-06:00

I have a really good feeling about this year. It's going to be scary as all get out, graduating and all that, and all kinds of sad - leaving my best friends and a place that's really felt like home for the past four years, but deep down, I'm so excited for 2012!

This week I asked some of my favorite bloggers to share something they hope to accomplish in 2012, something off their bucket list. I can't wait for you guys to hear their aspirations!

I'm going to call this series "2012 is in the bucket." Not in the bag, but in the bucket. It's a play on words. Bucket lists. Get it? Yeah? Is something less funny if you explain it to death? I don't think so.

To start the week off I'm going to share one of my aspirations for 2012!

I want to go bungee jumping!

I try to run at the things that scare me head first, and bungee jumping?? Oh my god, that sounds terrifying! I'm so scared of heights!!! So I think I would really love it, and I would love to do it somewhere beautiful. I have a friend who bungee jumped over a river in Thailand. Wouldn't that be amazing. ;)

2012, the year that I will do more things that scare me!

Tune in tomorrow for another blogger's aspiration! <3

friday's fancies - nye

2011-12-29T23:14:00.000-06:00

So I could do that thing where I say, "OH MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ALMOST 2012," but let me tell you, I actually can believe it, because time is a tricky son of a bitch, and any disbelief I feel about the new year can't compare to the disbelief I feel about something I found out today.

We go through our entire lives believing some things to be true, and when we find out they are in fact false, it's kind of a blow. Today, for example, I found that my C-cup boobs are actually D-cups. According to Victoria's Secret anyway. . . Let me tell you, D-CUP BRAS ARE TERRIFYING. And you can wear them as hats.

Anyway! I'm joining {av} in showing off my dream New Year's outfit. Well, dream outfit is a little strong, but I fucking love this dress so whatever. It's perfect to show off my new D-cup tatas.

Gucci pleated dress - Michael Antonio leopard print heels, $60 - Kate Spade clear handbag, $325 - EliseDray diamond snake ring, €5.375 - Michael Kors pave earrings, $95

Hope you have a great weekend! I'll be back soon with some 2012 aspirations from some of my favorite bloggers!

april, maybe's favorite book club with helen from helen hearts

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000-06:00

Hey all! I’m Helen from Helen Hearts, and I’m delighted thatApril asked me to share a favorite book with you lovely readers!!! I had a hard time choosing a book becausethere are so many knock outs and I also minored in creative writing in college,so to only share one was trulydifficult.

My soap-on-mirror poetry writing days incollege, ha!

But I’d love to feature the recently-published, amazing collection of short stories BeforeYou Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans. I found it in Barnes & Noble after browsing theNew Fiction section and ended up reading almost the entire thing in-store. Itwas so mind-blowingly great, I ended up buying it anyway!

I read a TON of short fiction, but Evans’s book is astandout and definitely one of my favorites. Her characters are average peoplebut they’re so well developed, I was completely mesmerized by their lives. I gottotally emotionally invested in each character, even though we have nothing incommon. (For example, the majority of them are African American or have majorfinancial/mental struggles.) The knocked up Columbia student? Felt so nervous for her. Theyoung and reckless “virgins” in the first story? Scared me to death. The nightmare-haunted, kind of creepywar veteran? Broke my heart. I worried about their decisions and stressed abouttheir problems. And I enjoyed every second of the adventure.

Here’s a straight-shooting quote from the book: “The pancake house is a dead zone forpossibility. Everyone is there for lack of something: good and nourishing food,sufficient coordination to drive the rest of the way home, an appropriateperson to love or fuck, a reason to get up the next morning.” AWESOME.

What’s the last book that had you totally captivated? I’dlove to hear! Leave me a note at my blog, Helen Hearts, and feel free tocheck out some of my other book recommendations here. xoxo

If I ever needed an author photo in thefuture, I’d choose this sitting-on-a-Parisian-park-bench-no-big-deal photo. ;)

sexy?

2011-12-28T18:15:00.000-06:00

I found this list saved in the dark recesses of my computer somewhere and at first I was like, yeah! And then I was like, no! And now I'm just confused as to what I think. According to my poor notes, I think this is supposed to be a list of things to make you feel sexy, but some of them are bitchy in that weird misogynistic way that makes you feel sexy at first and then just screwed.

Here, I'll throw a picture of some pretty girls up to really grab your attention and then you can read the list and decide for yourself.

1. Throw out all of your ugly, disgusting, old and tired underwear and buy yourself matching sets. Lace, ribbons, mesh, embroidery. No more granny panties.

2. Wear said lingerie under even your most boring clothes. Jeans and a t-shirt? If only he knew.

3. Do you own a corset? Why the fuck not?

4. Take care of your skin. Have an arsenal of body butter, sparkles, moisturizers, perfumes.

5. Shave everything.

6. Paint your nails and your toes all the time.

7. Sleep.

8. Never settle for anything less than the very best.

9. Find the absolute perfect little black dress, even if it takes you ages. Find one that’s better than your old one? Get it.

10. Fuck all the time.

11. Dress up even if you have no reason to.

12. Exercise. Take care of yourself, you control your own body and you deserve that body to look as fantastic as you are.

13. Never take no for an answer.

can't make this stuff up

2011-12-27T22:28:00.000-06:00

Picture.

So apparently I am a women's magazine psychic. I channel them the way some people channel ghosts.

I subscribed to Glamour in high school and my subscription just hasn't run out yet, so when I come home for break, I usually have a big stack waiting for me.I've been flipping through them sporadically while watching TV and such, not paying much attention, until all of a sudden, I was definitely paying attention. I was browsing an article about how to attract a man, blah blah, and there's this subtitle: "Perfect the Art of Sexting." Yeah, okay.

"There's one text that never fails to get him excited about seeing you, say our super attractors. Ready? 'Come play.'"

Oh, holy shit.

Remember that shit show Thursday I had last week? Well, that's exactly what I texted that waiter guy. "Come play." How did I do that? It's so hilarious that I had to share with you. Hope you got a kick out of it, too.

reading for pleasure

2011-12-26T17:44:00.002-06:00

Merry day-after Christmas! I stayed up until 2:30 last night reading this awful book so that I could get to reading the books I got for Christmas. Because I am that cool.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling - I'm already on chapter two and I love her. No, seriously, I love her.

Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig. - I've never read Gone with the Wind, but like any good Southerner, I love the movie and I hate Scarlett, so this should be a fun read.

The second and third books in the Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson. - My mom, sister, and I all went to see the American adaptation of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo before Christmas and it was so much better than I thought it was going to be. It definitely renewed my interest in the series and I can't wait to read these now!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. - This book sounds like a great escape from all the feminist literature I've been reading lately.

I also received two seasons of Modern Family, all three seasons of Arrested Development, Bridesmaids, and Kate Spade's Twirl (IT SMELLS LIKE MONEY, I'M IN LOVE [I know, I fall in love a lot.]). I'm a lucky girl.

A closing thought, since this post is book-centric:

"A girl with a book is innately attractive; men understand that if she can tolerate the act of reading for the sake of pleasure, she’ll likely put up with all manner of nonsense for the sake of a relationship."

ThoughtCatalog

Hope you guys had a very merry Christmas. Lots of love!

christmas eve

2011-12-23T19:59:00.000-06:00

You'll forgive me if this is the only Christmas post I do. I think I said it before, and I'll go ahead and say it again here: I'm feeling quite the Grinch this year.

But I will go ahead and share my Christmas tree with you, seeing as how it's Christmas Eve and all that. ;)

There are two new ornaments I want to show you!

Thanks to sweet Micaela for the sugar skull ornament. She knows me so well.

JiHee sent me this great handmade ornament for Micaela's ornament swap. Score! ;)

So there, Merry Christmas, everybody. Hope yours is wonderful!

Friday's Fancies - White Christmas

2011-12-22T23:13:00.000-06:00

Friday again! And Christmas Eve's Eve at that! Can you believe it? If I'm being honest, I feel pretty Grinchy this year. No matter, I'll still link up with {av} for a little bit of winter white!

This dress seems like it'd be flattering on anyone, but I had a really hard time styling it. I first did up an outfit with some red pumps and such, but then I decided I didn't like it. I'm not exactly sure I like this either. Guess my Grinchy-ness is bleeding into all areas of my life!

Milly three quarter sleeve dress, $411 - Christian louboutin shoes, £475 - Jeffrey Campbell tote hand bag, $63 - Sevan Bicakci face jewelry, $35,720 - Lab 14k jewelry, $60

French films - #10 - Un Femme Est Un Femme

2011-12-22T15:00:00.000-06:00

Okay, this movie has been in my Netflix queue for a dog's age, but I didn't get around to watching it until the other night when I ended up in bed at 8 o'clock because my dilated eyes were giving me a migraine. (But hey, I've got new contacts!)

Anyway, I'm not sure how I felt about it, honestly. I didn't read the synopsis before hitting play so for the first 30 minutes I really had no idea what was going on, and not just because I don't speak French.

"A French striptease artist is desperate to become a mother. When her reluctant boyfriend suggests his best friend to impregnate her, feelings become complicated when she accepts." (Thanks, IMdB.)

Once I got over that hump, I found it quite enjoyable. Though, that may have just been because Anna Karina is fucking gorgeous. The only thing I think I'm really going to take away from this movie in the long run? Baby blue eye shadow actually can look good on a woman! Who would've thunk it?

So yeah, this movie is a lot of fun if you know what you're getting into, which I didn't. Watch it if you've got some extra time on your hands, and maybe a bottle of wine.

Book review: I Don't Care About Your Band by Julie Klausner

2011-12-21T16:23:00.000-06:00

One thing I love about winter break, besides sleeping for 10 hours a night and not showering for days, is that I can read whatever the hell I want. Book numero uno on my winter break reading list? I Don't Care About Your Band by Julie Klausner. It's exactly what I needed to validate my "bad" behavior. Score!

Within the first three pages, I had already broken out the black ink pen, underlining everything I wanted to be able to remember and quote later. And by chapter 3, I was pulling it out of my purse to share with my friends at the bar, much to my one good guy friend's chagrin. But I couldn't help myself. It's just that good. Okay, it's not the funniest thing I've ever read (what up, David Sedaris!), but it's probably the healthiest thing I've read in a long time. As Jezebel said in their review: "Klausner's message, if she has one, is ... : feel great about yourself, and neither loneliness nor a so-so guy will destroy you."

I underlined a lot of things. A lot, so much that I'm almost self-conscious to let anyone else read my copy. I won't ruin it for you, but there are some parts I want to share.

"A man is hard to find, good or otherwise, but guys are everywhere now. ... Meanwhile, I know way more women than girls. There's a whole generation of us who rode on the wings of feminism's entitlement like it was a Pegasus with cornrows, knowing how smart we were and how we could be anything. The problem is that we ended up at the mercy of a generation of guys who don't quite seem to know what's expected of them."

This article, which is a whole chapter in the book, on why Kermit the Frog is a terrible boyfriend. (This article is actually the reason I googled Julie Klausner and found this book. READ IT!)

"I'm not big on regret - until time travel actually exists, it seems like a waste of making yourself feel bad."

In response to that whole "he's just not that into you" phenomenon: "You have to make the conscious choice to separate the columns in your head that say "This is who I am" and "This is how I am being treated." And then you have to figure out how to let go of somebody who's gone, not because you're pacified in the realization that you're not liked, but because you figure out that maybe you're the one who doesn't like him. Not just how he acts, but who he is. And then you have to decide if you want to keep going out with guys you don't think are great, or if you like yourself enough to hang out for a while on your own."

The book isn't exactly a lot of preaching about how great you are, and how you need to remember that; it's just a memoir where Klausner describes all her awful dating experiences. There are bed bugs, musicians, and mint-flavored condoms, and a lot of reminders to try to be kind to yourself. Because everyone does crazy shit for some guy who isn't worth it.

things and things

2011-12-20T21:27:00.002-06:00

I love buying presents for people, but I really hate Christmas shopping. The time crunch is what gets me. . . and the fact that I just end up buying a bunch of stuff for myself.

I couldn't resist this tote, because I'm a twelve-year-old girl on the inside. Plus t's a true statement since I don't date. ;)

Those are Ray Bans. Real Ray Bans. BABY BLUE Ray Bans?! I mean, come on. Come on! I'd seen them two or three times, and couldn't believe they were still at TJ Maxx. I guess no one wanted to cough up $60 for sunglasses. . . They finally wore me down though and now they're mine forever. Muahahaha!

Isn't that the ugliest color you've ever seen? I actually didn't buy this for myself. One of my best friends and I were out Christmas shopping and I saw this scarf and begged her to buy it for me. It's so ugly and I love it. It looks like I murdered a muppet and wrapped it around my neck. But yeah, I wanna be that girl, so what?

My December Birchbox apparently didn't ship on time, so they gave me 100 extra points, which equals $10! So they basically gave me a refund, and I had 200 points. . . so I bought this Laura Gellar set for less than $20. It's supposed to be $50! Steal! The Laura Gellar blush Birchbox sent me a couple of months ago is basically my favorite make-up item I've ever owned, just after CoverGirl mascara. That's saying a lot, people!

Of course, I bought things for other people, too! But I've already given them away, or I bought them online, and therefore can't post about them. So there.

P.S. Camille is three away from having 100 followers, and she's had kind of a shitty week, so go follow her right now and push her over the edge, okay?

Nous te manquons?

2011-12-19T21:22:00.000-06:00

While decorating my Christmas tree tonight I found the ornament I bought for myself as a souvenir from Paris. I had completely forgotten about it. Seeing it made me smile, but it made my heart ache a little bit, too.

Goodness, I am restless.

yak yak yak

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

I had to take a moment today to analyze why the events of Thursday night were so important to me, with this stupid boy I barely even know. (In case you missed it.)

I forgot to mention that waiter boy made out with another girl in front of me, and we had a weird drunken conversation about how he's just looking to have fun? And I said, yeah. . . and gave him a face to let him know I had no idea what he was talking about - especially since I don't put off that "I wanna be your girlfriend" vibe, you know me. . . commitment makes me break out into hives. I just like flirting with you, dude! Slow ya roll!

I know how insignificant it all was, but honestly, it made me feel like shit. I've just been sitting at my parent's house all weekend, with nothing but my own thoughts, and that's been awful, too.

I just kept feeling so put off, and so ASHAMED. Seriously, shame is the only word for the thing I was feeling, and I couldn't figure out why. We were both drunk, he gave me his phone number, he said to invite him when I went out - why did I feel so goddamn weird about it??

I figured it out today, a full on Freudian breakthrough. And it hit me like a freight train.

I am terrified that I made it all up, that his interest in me is all in my head. I am so scared that I read the signals wrong, that I did something stupid based on the wrong information. Even worse, that I am crazy, and unlovable, and why would he ever want me?

But then I remembered something. . . I love me. Not in a weird, narcissistic way, but I do, I love myself. I think I'm awesome. And anyone who makes me feel any differently? Well, fuck them.

a handy tip for the easily distracted

2011-12-17T21:34:00.000-06:00

Miranda July is one of my favorite people on this earth (that I haven't met) and this only makes me love her more. Ingenious! I wish I had thought of this during finals.

death trap

2011-12-16T16:59:00.002-06:00

Last night was a shit show. Waiter boy gave me his phone number, told me to call him if I went out. Well, I went out. And he came. And then he didn't really talk to me. So I flirted with this bartender guy who acts like he likes me, and inadvertently made waiter boy jealous. Whoops. And then apparently went home and added bartender guy on FB. To find out he has a girlfriend. The thing is, I go to that bar nearly two times a week and I cannot NOT go there. So I'm deactivating that stupid death trap during the break. Fuck that shit.

Oh, and yeah, I'm back in Alabama as of twenty minutes ago.

2011-12-15T09:59:00.001-06:00

here.

I had a dream someone looked at me like that.

Oh, the disappointment upon waking.

post finals

2011-12-14T11:56:00.004-06:00

Final #1: Did well. Will probably get an A in the class.
Final #2: What the hell are you talking about, sir? Okay, I'll try to write an essay as well as I can from your cockamamie prompt.
Final #3: Calculus. I left the notes we could use on the test in my apartment. So I cried throughout most of the test. I only needed a 38 to pass. SURELY TO GOD I MADE A 38!
Final #4: Perfect score on the presentation of my research. Hallelujah for hard work paying off!

Result: relatively unscathed, though after that calculus final, I felt dead inside. Now that everything is over: elated!

meet me in montauk

2011-12-11T11:48:00.000-06:00

Raise your hand if you love Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Okay, I'm glad we're all in agreement. (Thanks, Micaela, for the beautiful Valentine that started my love affair with this movie.)

Clementine may be one of my favorite characters ever, and I wish I could find someone like Joel to love me. Though sometimes I think I may be more of a Joel than a Clementine when it really comes down to it. . . But I digress.

April, you say, what is the post about? Okay, okay, I'm getting to it. I just wanted to share my ESofSM themed day. I watched the movie and cried, danced around my room in my underwear, dyed my hair Huckleberry blue (no joke, that's the name - how appropriate!), and shirked my responsibilities. It's been quite nice.

Joel: Why do I fall in love with every woman I see who shows me the least bit of attention?

Clementine:You don't tell me things, Joel. I'm an open book. I tell you everything, every damn, embarrassing thing.

It all started when I bought this shirt the other day from here (it was their daily deal for $10!), but you can find it here.

I hate white t-shirts, so I'm going to tye-dye it and make it presentable. DIY, yay!

Do you ever have theme days? I guess it could be construed as kind of silly, but I think it's a lot of fun. :)

poetry for a saturday

2011-12-10T17:14:00.000-06:00

Always by Pablo Neruda
I am not jealous
of what came before me.

Come with a man on your shoulders,
come with a hundred men in your hair,
come with a thousand men between your breasts and your feet,
come like a river
full of drowned men
which flows down to the wild sea,
to the eternal surf, to Time!

Bring them all to where I am waiting for you;
we shall always be alone,
we shall always be you and I
alone on earth
to start our life!

Liaison by D.H. Lawrence (the name of my future cat)
A big bud of moon hangs out of the twilight,
Star-spiders spinning their thread
Hang high suspended, withouten respite
Watching us overhead.

Come then under the trees, where the leaf-cloths
Curtain us in so dark
That here we’re safe from even the ermin-moth’s
Flitting remark.

Here in this swarthy, secret tent,
Where black boughs flap the ground,
You shall draw the thorn from my discontent,
Surgeon me sound.

This rare, rich night!For in here
Under the yew-tree tent
The darkness is loveliest where I could sear
You like frankincense into scent.

Here not even the stars can spy us,
Not even the white moths write
With their little pale signs on the wall, to try us
And set us affright.

Kiss but then the dust from off my lips,
But draw the turgid pain
From my breast to your bosom, eclipse
My soul again.

Waste me not, I beg you, waste
Not the inner night:
Taste, oh taste and let me taste
The core of delight.

Fanciest Friday

2011-12-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

I don't think I picked the right colors for dressing for a holiday party, like {av} suggested this week. . . but I'd probably still wear it to one and f up somebody's beautiful holiday party photo. I don't know, can you wear orange to a holiday party?

Jitrois coral dress, €2.190 - Brian Atwood high heel pumps, $2,114 - Bottega Veneta red clutch, £890 - Pearl chandelier earrings, $1,245

the hunger games

2011-12-08T11:13:00.000-06:00

I may be a little late to jump on the bandwagon, but hey, better late than never!

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, have you read them? I read the first one when I flew to, and back from, Austin; and now I've read the second one over Thanksgiving Break. Currently reading through the third one - so don't fucking spoil it! Or else. (There's nothing I hate more than someone ruining a book or movie for me.)

My sister and one of my best friends have been trying to get me to read them forever and I'm glad I finally yielded to their pleas. (Yes, they were pleading me to read them - seriously!) They were unlike anything I've ever read before - a lot more gruesome than I thought they would be, honestly - but they're amazing. Go read them. You'll be sucked in!

Okay, okay so I do this a lot - people tell me to read something, but I don't listen to them until I hear that there's a movie coming out based on the book. I won't watch a movie until I read the book, so when I heard about The Hunger Games movie coming out it really lit a fire under my ass!

Have you seen the preview for the movie?? It's one of the best trailers I've seen in a really long time! One of my friends and I pride ourselves on being trailer connoisseurs, and it definitely has our seal of approval! ;)

And here are some stills! The casting for this movie is pretty brilliant (though I made sure not to look [other than main characters I couldn't help but know] until I was done with the book)!

Any books you've read that made you feel like you were late to the party?

it's time

2011-12-07T14:20:00.000-06:00

It's simple. Love is love.

elvis is in the building

2011-12-06T08:42:00.000-06:00

I'd like to preface this by saying I think we all know I'm just a little bit weird, but I hope you love me anyway.

I found this at Hastings Friday afternoon and couldn't stop myself from buying it. $13 of my hard earned spending money, for this:

An Elvis bobble head. Best $13 I've ever spent, my life is complete. ;)

500 + beginners

2011-12-05T09:58:00.000-06:00

This is my 500th post. Accomplished in a little over two years. Wowsa. How time flies when you're having fun! ;)

For this post I thought I'd share a movie with you, like I used to, when I watched more things, and wasn't swamped underneath mountains of Calculus and research: Beginners.

It's a beautiful story that outlines how all of our relationships have an effect on each other. Our relationships with our parents, our parents' relationships, and our relationships with romantic partners as a result of the first two.

Oliver (Ewan McGregor)'s mother died five years ago, and soon after, his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer), came out at age 75 to live a full gay life including gay book clubs, letter writing parties, and a young Latin lover, but also terminal cancer. Through flashbacks to his final days with his father, as well as flashbacks to his childhood with his mother, we learn the complexities of his relationship with Anna (Melanie Laurent).

The scene where he initially meets Anna and they fall into mutual adoration may be one of my favorite scenes in a movie, ever. Plus I want it to happen in my life tomorrow.

Hal's dog, Arthur, gets subtitles so he can tell Oliver some of the wonderfully deep thoughts he has, like: "Tell her the darkness is going to swallow us if we don't do something drastic."

There's some other good quotes as well.

Hal:Well, let's say that since you were little, you always dreamed of getting a lion. And you wait, and you wait, and you wait, and you wait but the lion doesn't come. And along comes a giraffe. You can be alone, or you can be with the giraffe.
Oliver:I'd wait for the lion.
Hal:That's why I worry about you.

"You can stay in the same place and still find ways to leave people."

Well, I sure hope you enjoyed that and I hope you will rent this movie! It's quirky, but in the loveliest way - if you're not into quirky.

sunday funday

2011-12-04T12:04:00.000-06:00

It's a wonderfully rainy Sunday and I have very little to do for the last day of classes tomorrow, so I'm watching movies in bed and being lazy, only moving to acquire food. It's wonderful.

Especially on my new flannel sheets. They've made my bed a black hole. I keep finding it harder and harder to get out of it, but I'm not really complaining. :)

5 things to say

2011-11-29T22:42:00.002-06:00

1. My interview went okay. As far as my 5-minute mock teaching lesson, I really don't think I did worse than the others, and I'm 80% sure I did better than at least two people. The actual 45-minute personal interview reminded me of how utterly inarticulate I am. Seriously, I don't talk good.

2. The discussion section of my huge research paper is due tomorrow. I plan on starting it. . . tomorrow. I'm exhausted - going to bed and reading Mockingjay until I fall asleep. Plus I just really don't care.

3. Now that this interview is over, I'm dying bits of my hair blue tomorrow. Maybe getting a face tattoo. . . (kidding!)

4. Waiter boy sent me a FB message: "How is ya. Drinks soon" AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES THE IMPORTANCE OF QUESTION MARKS? I'm gonna let that sit in my inbox until at least tomorrow, when I'm not smiling at the sight of it anymore. . . and therefore can give a level-headed response. Who knows, he may make it into that notebook I blogged about the other day.

5. Kate Winslet is hott.

sad shopping

2011-11-27T22:54:00.001-06:00

Last night, I came home early from Thanksgiving break to spend the night getting over my restless unpacking stage so that I could actually do work this morning instead of having to drive 6 hours + get all my shit done for my classes tomorrow and my job interview Tuesday. It made me sad, being here all alone while my family was still enjoying their holiday, watching football. (ROLL TIDE!)

So I did a little online shopping to make myself feel better. You should know by now I'm a big fan of retail therapy. It's going to be a problem later.

Here's what I bought:

I Don't Care About Your Band: What I Learned from Indie Rockers, Trust Funders, Pornographers, Felons, Faux-Sensitive Hipsters, and Other Guys I've Dated by Julie Klausner, who also wrote this great article on why Kermit the Frog is a terrible boyfriend. (HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW MUPPET MOVIE YET? If the answer is no, then what are you still even doing here reading this?)

The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths by Michael Shermer, because I'm a psychology nerd and have been eying this book for months.

Archie Grand Lovers I Had and Liked Blank Notebook in Red. Because I want to remember all this when I'm older. Waiter boy will definitely not be getting an entry.

The Secret Garden. Because I just read the book for the first time, even though this was one of my favorite movies of the 90s.

So I think I covered all my media bases. I'll have lots of things to distract me from finals. Exactly what I needed!

Oh, and btw, I'm leaving tomorrow around 4:30 to go to Memphis and spend the night before my job interview Tuesday morning. I have to do a five minute mock teaching lesson, and a group activity, and a 45-minute personal interview. The whole thing is going to take all day. Wish me luck? I'll try to schedule some posts here for ya while I'm busy. ;)

soco 54

2011-11-26T19:56:00.001-06:00

My school's social committee hosts a huge Studio 54-esque party every year, and it's definitely one of my favorite events at my little college. This year I made sure to have a disposable camera on hand to capture some 70s-style magic.

Blue wig and glitter. Just call me Katy Perry at the disco! Huzzah!

Friday's Fancies - Black Friday

2011-11-25T12:00:00.004-06:00

It's Friday again! I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! This week {av}'s theme is a play on the craziness that is Black Friday, and here's how I interpreted it. It's not something to wear shopping because I've never been shopping on Black Friday and I certainly don't plan on starting now. It's more than a little ridiculous to ask your employees to work on Thanksgiving. Anyway, I didn't even know I wanted a long duster coat until I saw this fabulous black velvet one. My legs would look a million miles long, don'tcha think?

McQ by McQueen three quarter sleeve dress, $807 - Jigsaw silk coat, £345 - Yves Saint Laurent mid heel shoes, €600 - Yves Saint Laurent zip bag, $595 - Effy Collection smoky quartz jewelry, $750 - Ladies Super Soft Tights, £4

thankful

2011-11-24T09:36:00.002-06:00

I am thankful for sweatpants, and kittens, and fireplaces. Mostly I am thankful for a break.

Hope you have a beautiful Thanksgiving. I love every single one of you.

not safe for work

2011-11-23T14:42:00.000-06:00

I have to share this with you, I just can't help myself.

I'm 21 and I got my first pap smear yesterday. Yeah, yeah, I should've had one sooner, but ya know. . . I didn't, so deal with it.

It was awful. I was pretty sure she was going to break my vagina. She was trying to be nice and tell me everything she was doing as she was doing it, but I finally had to just say, "I don't care what you're doing, just do it and get it over with!" She said I cracked her up. . . well, I'm glad at least one of us enjoyed it.

Before it even began I knew it was going to go badly. "Get undressed and just put this dress on, leave it open at the front." So I get undressed and unfold the "dress". Dress? DRESS? No, vest is more accurate. . . I haven't been that naked around somebody in a long time, and I didn't even get dinner out of the deal.

So here, here's some nakedness to go along with this post.

give me more more more

2011-11-21T00:17:00.000-06:00

Here's a glimpse at my weekend. I have some disposable prints, too, but Walgreen's CD machine thing was broken. . . so you'll have to wait until I can scan them.

Also: Waiter boy caressed/petted me behind my ear/around my neck. Hard to explain where/how it happened, but just know that it happened and he's kind of all I can think about it. Which is really bad for my calculus test tomorrow. Wish me luck!

sleep is for the weak

2011-11-17T07:49:00.002-06:00

Last night I pulled my first (and hopefully, my last) college all-nighter. I was in the library for a straight 8 hours. . . and it wasn't completely terrible. I had a lot of caffeine and kept myself pretty coherent throughout the ordeal. I'm now running on two hours of sleep - feeling pretty good! And I probably will continue to until my 1 o'clock class today.

April, you ask, why did you finally have to stoop to the level of frat boys and lesser, unprepared college students? Well. . .because Tuesday night, when I was determined to get a lot of things done. . . my data coding and analysis took FOUR HOURS instead of the quick one that I had anticipated. So by the end of Tuesday night, I still had about 12-pages left to write of my 12-page paper due Friday, and I started freaking out. I am not the kind of person who does a 12-page paper days before it's due. That's too soon! So I decided to stay in the library last night until I finished it. And I did! Today I will edit the hell out of that motherfucker and then not worry about it anymore.

Oh yeah, I have a calculus test Monday that I didn't know anything about. Fuck. And still, something else due Friday, and two more pretty big things due Tuesday, AND THEN I GET TO GO HOME FOR THANKSGIVING! HALLELUJAH, PRAISE JEEBUS!

So I've been a bad blogger, but I think this week of hell excuses me and I don't feel guilty. Every now and then there are more important things than blogging.

And now here's some weird, fun, crazy pictures - because I'm running on two hours of sleep, did you get that part?

Hope you've had a great week! Even if you haven't, I'm pretty sure it's still been better than mine, so pat yourself on the back! You're awesome!!! (I hide little statements like that in my paper outlines, so that when I'm reading the next point I see something encouraging and remember not to take everything too seriously - it was really helpful last night. Go me!)

Friday is fancy

2011-11-11T12:52:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday!!! It's FINALLY here! This week has been so long! But it's not really over. . . guess who's spending tonight in the library? Me! Until 10 or so, anyway, and then I'm going to see Puss in Boots. I'm 21 and I'm going to see Puss in Boots. There's nothing wrong with that.

On another note. . .I'm still having weird waiter boy issues. I went to eat at his place of work last night, and he was friendly and flirty again. . . and I told him he should come to karaoke when he got off. . .but he said he was too tired, and blah blah, and then I get to karaoke, and there he is, sitting at the bar by himself. He came because I invited him? But then he didn't really talk to me that much. . . and left abruptly? We've been FB messaging though. . . And Sunday I'm hanging out with him and his other waiter friend before/after seeing Iron and Wine. So we'll see. I kind of like his friend, too, and I think he might like me. He's at least more vocal. This is all just so weird and complicated.

ANYWAY!

On to the fancy!

It's {av}'s 50th Friday's Fancies! Isn't that exciting?! Huzzah! :) Go congratulate her. She's doing a gold theme this week. . .and I started out with that in mind, but then I just ended up with this. I don't know how it happened. I dig ankle boots and dresses. And leather and lace. The weirdness just continues with me.

Dolce Gabbana lace dress, £1,215 - Rebecca Minkoff high heels, $350 - Chloé leather clutch, $540 - Camilla James silver earrings, $218 - Gypsy floral belt, $11

relations

2011-11-10T09:33:00.003-06:00

It’s absurd that sex should be the dividing line between our relationships, between which ones take precedence, between who we play with, live with, sleep with, who we take care of first, who we die with at last.

Source.

the next step

2011-11-09T17:02:00.013-06:00

So, that thing I applied for the other day? Well, last Thursday I found out if I got a phone interview or not.

I did not get a phone interview. . .

Because I got a direct invitation to an in-person interview at the end of the month! Huzzah! It's a day long interview and I have to do a lot to prepare, but I'm really excited and I hope it all works out. So that I can move to Dallas and have a legitimate job when I get there instead of just crossing my fingers and praying (though if I don't get this, that'll be fine, too)!

Now. . . here's some photos of tattoos. Because I'm already itchin' for another one.

Send me some good mojo!

things and things and things

2011-11-08T21:54:00.001-06:00

I went on a shopping spree a week or two ago. Sometimes I just can't help myself.

Plus a black cardigan, two pairs of jeans, two pairs of boots, and a bright pink blouse.

sunday safety

2011-11-06T12:41:00.000-06:00

Life is weird right now. There's a lot of good, but it's mixed up with a lot of bad. Everything just leads me back to this thought:

I just want someone who can make me feel as safe as I did in the backseat of my parents' car when I was 10 years old. Let me sleep while you drive.

2011-11-03T08:31:00.000-05:00

I think you're all aware that I'm not on the path to getting married anytime soon, and I was never one of those little girls who fantasized about her wedding, but the Etsy wedding inspiration e-mails they send out are just too good to be true.

I want this cute tea length dress. Look at all the tulle!

And these dresses for my bridesmaids. Just because. You know my wedding is going be cray cray, let's just all embrace it.

Source.

I could get married at a zoo, and have these on all the reception tables.

Source.

Okay, I'll stop now. I'm sure all the serious wedding people are shuddering in the corner. Maybe I should have put a disclaimer at the beginning of this post. . .

american pie

2011-11-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

I spent my Saturday night making these, mini apple pies, with friends - laughing and getting flour in places flour should never be.

Someone needs to wife me, right now. Look what I can do! ;)

happy halloween!

2011-10-30T22:06:00.000-05:00

My apartment was filled with lots of nerdgasms on Friday night. We had Bellatrix from Harry Potter, Silk Specter from Watchmen, The Flash, Poison Ivy from Batman, a Trekkie, David Bowie from Labyrinth, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Amy Pond from Doctor Who. And no one had any shame. :)

This was definitely my favorite Halloween costume I've worn since my sophomore year of high school. It literally took five minutes to throw together and was so low maintenance! Huzzah!

One of my guy friends was a pregnant nun on roller skates. I was pretty sure he was going to kill himself with a massive head injury, but he made it through the night!

Hope you had a good weekend. :) Can't wait to show you the rest of mine. <3

a little insight

2011-10-29T12:15:00.002-05:00

Last night was the huge Halloween party at my school. I had too much fun. . . ;) I'll post pictures soon!

What I want to talk about today is something that happened Thursday night at karaoke.

I used to be really good friends with this one girl, and while I was friends with her, she had this boyfriend who I became pretty good friends with, too. Well, I'm not friends with her anymore, and she's graduated, and living in Texas, going to grad school somewhere, but her ex-boyfriend still goes here. He's 25, and he still goes here. . . but that's a different story altogether.

Anyway, he got really fucking handsy with me. At one point he pushed me up against a wall and was on top of me. I tried to laugh off most of his behavior, and kept trying to get him to go back to his own table, but when I really told him to stop he said some pretty vulgar things. I ended up pouring my beer down his pants and leaving. My mind was blown. He was really wasted, but that's not an excuse to sexually harass me. ! Ugh.

I don't know what else to say, but I had to share. It was so fucked up. This guy and I used to be friends when I was a freshman, and he hit on me then, but I just thought he was being funny since he was dating my friend. I never really took him seriously. I take him even less seriously now. Thursday, he said some shit about "It's inevitable that we have sex." No, it's not. Pretty evitable.

I don't like getting man-handled. Without my consent. I do like getting man-handled by that cute waiter, but that's something completely different.

I'll leave you with this:

I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.
Katharine Hepburn

Friday's Fancies - Booooooo!

2011-10-27T23:00:00.001-05:00

Time to link up with {av} again! :)

So, if I had a lot of money, I would definitely wear a leather dress as my Elvis costume tonight, but I don't. . . What I am wearing is mostly thrown together and hand-made, and very, very low key. . . while my roommate and one of my besties are going as super heroes. Which basically means they're wearing sexy underwear and a lot of make-up. Uhhhh.

Whatevs. I'm wearing jeans. And being a man. Huzzah!

I have this exact wig, and my nails are gold and sparkly. . . so some of this outfit is coming true!

Faith Connexion zipper dress, $1,325 - Eyes In Good As Gold, $14 - Butter London 3 Free Lacquer Nail Polish, $14 - Adult Elvis Presley Wig Elvis Costumes

Hope you have an amazing Halloween weekend! Tonight's my school's big Halloween bash, and tomorrow I'm making mini-apple pies. Yay, fall! :)

ginger locks

2011-10-27T00:03:00.000-05:00

I dyed my hair back red. Again. Apparently I'm just going to go through cycles: blonde for warm weather, red for the cold. One day my hair is just going to rebel and fall out. It's funny that I never dyed my hair at all until last year.

I'm still a little cranky, if you were wondering what that photo is about.

I went to dinner tonight at that place that I frequent, with the waiters I've hung out with and am in love with, and the one I really like (and who's given me free stuff and always touches me or sits down with us when I go) was there just hanging out, drinking with some friends, and he came over all cute and a little drunk and said "Hey, girl." Yeah, hey. . . "You, uh, look like Easter." Thanks??? . . . Yeah. He just kinda walked away after that 'cause we were both weirded out by it. I still love him, just a little bit, though. . . I hope he's at the bar again this Thursday. :)

But then I came home and my roommate is acting like a little five-year-old and my apartment smells like turpentine and she refuses to stop painting here. Umph.

Whatevers. Halloween is soon. And I have most of my homework down for the week! Ah, most of you won't read to this post.

My hair looks pink! :/

shit to inspire you

2011-10-25T23:02:00.000-05:00

Today I turned in an application for a pretty awesome program that could employ me for the next two years. In a town where my friend's mom has a house she wants to rent us. I'll probably move there regardless, but this would be a great way to make it seem legit to my parents. . . Look at this awesome program, Mom and Dad; take me seriously as a person! :/

So yeah, here's some inspirational shit for you that I thought was appropriate. (Sorry, I'm feeling kind of snarky tonight! Roommate's making me cranky!)

This print.

These pencils.

This map. (Because with my potential job, I'd have summers off. To travel!)

I'll know if I have a phone interview or not on next Thursday. OH MY GOD. Cross your fingers, please! I want this so bad!

austin wrap-up

2011-10-24T09:42:00.001-05:00

Finally!

The moment you've all been waiting for! (Not really, but shut up and act like it.)

Pictures from Austin! :)

Anytime J and I go anywhere, all I end up with is pictures of food. Alex should appreciate that.

The time I spent with J was basically just following her around while she did errands (like getting her car checked out), or reading on her couch while she went on job interviews. But her roommates were really cool and hung out with me when J wasn't around, and I had a very relaxing time. :)

Also, we cooked a lot. Like this entire chicken. On a beer can.

And drank. And were just generally pretty merry. :)

I'd never been to a Whole Foods before so going to the flag ship was a crazy experience. I got truffles! Orange thyme, coconut curry, and a champagne one.

A waiter spilled a drink on J so she got this free drink token with Bill Murray on it. Austin is so weird, but soooooooo cooooooooool. (I sound like a 13 year old, but seriously, soooooooooo coooooooool.)

Tried Ethiopian food for the first time. Yummy, but weird? Not sure it's something I would crave, but I love trying new things.

Have you read about the bats in Austin? THERE ARE MILLIONS.

New dress and J's cactus earrings were perfect! This was on the way to see The Shining at the Alamo Drafthouse and drink red rum cocktails.

And I included this one from the airport because I wanted you to understand how much I love airports. I love buying stupid souvenirs, and I love people watching, and I love reading and traveling alone and looking mysterious.

lost

2011-10-23T11:03:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I like to think I'm really on the up and up with my movie watching, but there are still some movies that just slip through my fingers! Like Lost in Translation. I just watched it for the first time about two weeks ago. For shame! I enjoyed it. :) What are some movies you've never seen that you feel like you're really being left behind by not watching? Those movies you feel like everyone's seen but you?

Bob: I don't want to leave.
Charlotte: So don't. Stay here with me. We'll start a jazz band.

Friday's Fancies

2011-10-21T11:56:00.000-05:00

FRIDAY IS FANCY. MY CALCULUS TEST SUCKED. I STILL HAVE A HUGE PAPER TO REVISE BEFORE FOUR. RESEARCH MEETING AT FIVE. THEN IT'S THE WEEKEND! HULK SMASH!

Okay, seriously, my brain can't formulate better sentences. This outfit is just something I wish I could wear, and that's what Friday's Fancies is about, right?

Navy dress, 5.925 DKK - Agent Ninetynine crochet tight, $10 - Short boots, £430 - Mulberry handbag, $1,550 - Nixon square watch, $419 - Emilio Pucci oversized sunglasses

audrey-esque sweater

2011-10-20T23:20:00.001-05:00

I have a big, yucky Calculus test in the morning. I'm about 37% prepared, 63% prayin'. Senioritis is kicking in bad, y'all.

I want to show you Austin pictures, and I want to tell you about last night, where I was doing tequila shots with that waiter who gave me free dessert the other day, but I haven't gotten much sleep lately and I'm about to pass out. Plus I have that test at 8, so I should hit the hay. . . So as much as I want to share all these parts of my life with you, I'm going to just share my new sweater with you. And my blue hair.

It's a super light knit, and it's super comfy, and I've been wearing it basically everyday since I bought it. It reminds me of something Audrey Hepburn would wear in Paris. :)

I put blue tips in my hair the other day. But it was super temporary and has already faded to a really light tint that just looks like maybe I don't wash my hair as often as I should. . . :P

TOMORROW'S FRIDAY!

Hope you have a beautiful day. <3

souvenirs and shit

2011-10-19T12:51:00.000-05:00

I like having things to blog about so I'm going to drag this Austin thing out for as long as possible. . .

Look at all my souvenirs! (Yeah, I know. . . like I need more shit.)

home is wherever I'm with you

2011-10-18T18:21:00.000-05:00

I won't tease you any longer. ;)

An outline of Alabama, with a little heart over my hometown, my home. :)

I'd been thinking about it for a long time and Austin seemed like the perfect place to have it done. Thanks, Bijou Studio! Specifically Matt Morren for putting up with me! Before he touched me I thought I was going to pass out, but he was very gentle! I didn't shed one tear or get light headed or nothin'! ;)

safe and sound

2011-10-17T22:17:00.000-05:00

I'm home!

And with a new addition. . .

Tell you more later! Busy week ahead. Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. I sure did! ;)

truer words

2011-10-15T08:52:00.000-05:00

Sweet Micaela sent me a postcard with this quote on it, thought I'd share it with you! Hope you're having a good weekend. ;)

"My fault, my failure, is not in the passions I have, but in my lack of control of them." - Jack Kerouac

austin bound

2011-10-13T05:50:00.000-05:00

Well, I woke up at 5:30 after a fitful 4 hours of sleep. Yes, I went to bed at 1:30. A friend of mine was having a bad day, so we went for a drive and then colored her hair. Good way to waste early morning hours. Especially when you've had a good day, filled with flirting and getting free dessert out of it. Pay it forward, guys. :)

I'm off to Austin until Monday. If you blog about something deathly interesting, e-mail me so I don't miss it! ;)

we'll always have liverpool, and london, and edinburgh, and paris, and AUSTIN

2011-10-10T13:47:00.002-05:00

In a few days I'm going to Austin to see my best friend from when I was abroad in England. This summer was the first time I've ever flown to visit a friend, and it was a friend from school, so it's really fun for me to plan this trip to visit someone I really wouldn't see if I didn't set this time and spend this money specifically just for her. She's so worth it.

During the first week in Chester, the university organized a tour around the town which also served as a sort of mixer for the foreign students. That's where J and I met. Honestly, I wasn't going to like her because she was so goddamn pretty; I thought she was too pretty to be nice. (I know, how crazy!) But then she made this joke about this American guy who I thought was a jerk, and I was the only person who laughed. She's said that's the moment she knew we were going to be friends. The moment I knew? We were getting a tour of this huge cathedral and she was wearing these cowboy boots with a hard heel, and every step she took reverberated through the entire church. I kept glancing at her and we ended up having to leave the tour because we couldn't stifle our giggles.

We hung out that night and then every subsequent night afterwards. We were inseparable for the next two and a half months. I can't believe I'm going to be seeing her again in just a few short days! Ah! :) :) :)

Oh, let me explain the photos above: they're from our first trip together. We spent a Saturday in Liverpool together with another American, on John Lennon's birthday of all days! And the other girl just ended up getting on our nerves. It was a nice moment in our friendship though because we both identified certain things she did as things we both found annoying, plus we realized that we were perfect travel companions - which led us to plan a trip to Paris. And that trip to Paris was (and I'm sure will always be) a highlight in my life, as well as just time spent hanging out with J in her house, or in pubs, in England. ZOMG I CAN'T WAIT TO JUST HANG OUT WITH J IN AMERICA!

unspoken passions

2011-10-09T21:48:00.001-05:00

Source.

The older I get, the more important gender equality is to me. Especially when it comes to sexual harassment and abuse.

This week I'm designing a research project to look at how exposure to the word "slut" affects interactions between women. Okay, it's a little more complicated than that, but that's my big general hypothesis.

I was inspired by Toronto's SlutWalk. If you don't know what that is, here's a quick summary: a police officer made the comment that if women stopped dressing like sluts, they'd stop getting raped; and it's caused a pretty big movement against victim-blaming language through the re-claiming of the word "slut".

I know this isn't my usual blog-talk, but it's what I'm interested in right now, and what I'm interested in usually makes it way onto my blog. Plus I think women's ideas of identity and gender are so important, even if I don't put it on my blog every day. What are some things you're passionate about that you don't blog about? I'd love it if you'd tell me! <3

make more mistakes

2011-10-09T17:01:00.002-05:00

Saw this on another blog the other day and felt compelled to share it with you.

This is how I want to live my life this year, and after graduation. If I keep trying to plan everything, I'm going to miss it.

gym bunny

2011-10-08T14:03:00.001-05:00

I may have gone to the gym everyday this week, but I will never look like this while I work out.

Honestly, I will never look like this, period.

Big bones, eating, and beer = for the win! Hope you're having a great weekend.

Friday's Fancies - blazin' saddles

2011-10-07T12:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday, friends!

I was quite happy when I saw what {av}'s theme was this week. I've told you before, I used to rock a blazer everyday in high school, but in recent years I haven't had one I liked enough to wear too often. Thank god for my Calvin Klein find the other day, right? Even though I do have that perfect black blazer, this lovely purple velvet one would be a nice addition to my wardrobe, don't you think so?

I love pairing tailored pieces with flowy ones, and different textures! Lace, velvet, and corduroy? Sure!

Love Sam lace top, $275 - Paul Joe formal jacket, $734 - H&M cordoroy pants, £25 - Prada small heels, $790 - MICHAEL Michael Kors croco handbag, £345 - Versace gold tone jewelry, $275 - Linda Farrow Luxe leather sunglasses, $64

Have a great weekend!

all shook up

2011-10-05T21:47:00.000-05:00

Oh, did I tell you guys who I was going to be for Halloween??

Elvis.

Yes, seriously.

The epitome of cool, I think he's just perfect.

Who are you going to be for Halloween? Are you gonna be silly like me, or sexy like Micaela?

i truck food

2011-10-03T23:53:00.000-05:00

I went to a food truck festival this weekend. BEST DECISION OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. (I'm only slightly exaggerating.)

Guess which one is mine?

Had some wonderful Indian food, some fried things, and then a little beer. :) It was a wonderful afternoon.

My night, though, ended like this:

Gotta take your drink with you if you don't wanna get roofied, amiright?

Good weekend. Hope yours was good, too!!! <3

Southwest Airlines Confirmation

2011-10-03T13:42:00.001-05:00

I just bought tickets to go to Austin for fall break. I wish I had bought them earlier - Southwest is so cheap until you get to about two weeks before the time you want to fly. BUT STILL PRETTY CHEAP FOR LAST MINUTE DECISIONS! :) I'm flying out on Thursday and coming back on Monday. I could've come back on Sunday - for $264. Flying back on Monday? $120! Sorry, classes and work, I'm young, cheap, and irresponsible. SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS AUSTIN! (AND J, who I spent days with in Paris and England, who I love and miss like crazy!)

I love buying plane tickets. Even just to Texas. :)

april, maybe's favorite book club with micaela from dolce vita

2011-10-02T12:16:00.001-05:00

Today so far? Breakfast in bed, watching Little Miss Sunshine. "You do what you love and fuck the rest." Now I'm off to be productive: read for class, search for grad schools, work on personal statements, analyze research data, etc, etc.

I can't wait for when I have time to share my weekend with you, but for now, I have something really special for you - Micaela is here to share her favorite book with you, and I'm happy to be able to share her! She's definitely one of my favorite bloggers (and people in general). I was "blogging" before I met her, but it was never the same afterward. <3

Enjoy!

Hi lovies! it's Micaela from Dolce Vita excited to host this month's book club meeting. As a girl who believes reading is sexy, I was thrilled when my girl April told me about her plans to start this.

My favorite book hands down is one I got as a Christmas present from my dear friend Ryan, back in 2004 (I mention this because it was way before the hype when the movie version came out in 2009).

He couldn't have been more right when he described it as "intoxicating."

My most favorite book in the world is Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife.

"A most untraditional love story, this is the celebrated tale of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who involuntarily travels through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course."

Time travel and an original love story? Yes please! I had never read anything like it. As soon as I was finished reading it, I made everyone close to me read it (this includes ex-boyfriends). In fact, I remember a break-up where he told me he wanted so badly to be my Henry, but looking back, he knew all along he was Gomez.

Even my husband (who at the time was my best friend and becoming something more) was forced to read my favorite book. I remember Max noticing that their ages on this page where our ages at the time.

I remember feeling like I was his Clare, but sometimes I wondered if I wasn't more like Henry in the way that I seemed to constantly make him wait. He was always waiting on me to "show up."

Clare: "Are we happy?"

Henry: "We are often insane with happiness. We are also very unhappy for reasons neither of us can do anything about." - pg 426

{side note: what happens before this conversation between Clare & Henry is absolutely delicious}

My favorite book also holds a special memory in my life.

Remember the part where they're at the Violent Femmes concert? and Clare sees two Henry's at different stages? *Even if you haven't read it yet, I promise I'm not spoiling anything here*

The very first concert me and my husband went to was shortly after we started dating. He took me to see my favorite band Coldplay and I remember telling him that it reminded me of that part in the book where Clare meets the future version of Henry, while out with the present one.

Max asked me if I wanted to go find the younger version of him? I remember grabbing his hand and saying no, that I'd like to meet the older Max; because that would mean we would have made it together.

This is my most favorite book and as you can see, means something to my heart.

If you haven't read it, I'll let you borrow my copy-- I love it that much (though I can't promise there won't be dog eared pages, coffee stains, and underlined sentences). xo

unlimited om noms

2011-10-01T10:41:00.000-05:00

Today I'm going to Little Rock's first ever Food Truck Festival. I love downtown Little Rock, but I never go, so this is extra exciting. Hope you're having a great weekend! I'll be stuffing my face (even though I should be searching for grad schools)!

placid

2011-09-30T15:49:00.002-05:00

I've already decorated my apartment for Halloween, so I thought I'd put some eerie photos up on the blog in celebration of today being the first day of October! Huzzah!

One more thing. . . last night I had a dream that I had found a kitten and took it home with me, but it turned out to be a chihuahua. And one of my best friends yelled at me. It was very strange.

friday's fancies - crazy about booties

2011-09-29T23:15:00.003-05:00

Time to link up with {av} again for another Friday's Fancies. :)

I reckon it's still a little early to be dreaming of a tweed coat, but I'm so ready for more layers. It cooled down here a bit, but in the sun, it's 80 degrees again. Which was not conducive to the sweater and boots I wore yesterday.

This outfit is a little crazy. Booties and a classic black silhouette? And a hobo coat? With a Native American-inspired ring? "April, you must be on crack!" But I'm not. As usual, I'm just eclectic. I would wear this, and I would rock it. Oh, with tights, obviously. MAYBE EVEN SOME CRAZY FLORAL ONES!

Moschino Cheap Chic sheer dress, £432 - Alice Olivia tweed coat, $700 - Dorothy Perkins lace up booties, £45 - Pamela Love sterling silver jewelry, £510

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'm still stuck in my maybes, but hopefully the weekend will cheer me up. Or not. If I got rid of all my maybes I'd have to re-name my blog, and you know I'm too lazy for that.

maybe

2011-09-29T15:56:00.000-05:00

I am in the middle of a strange juxtaposition. I cannot find any motivation to be productive, in my school work or my research for grad schools. It's getting to the point where I just rather sit around and cry instead of actually do anything. I keep telling myself it's hormones and just try to move through it, but it's getting harder and harder. Maybe I really should just take a gap year. Maybe I should find a way to live in Paris. Maybe I should go buy that Winnebago and drive to Mexico. I tell myself to stop being silly and get some work done, but why does it have to be silly?

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined.

Thoreau

birchbox - september

2011-09-28T12:11:00.000-05:00

This month's Birchbox. YAYYYYY LEOPARD NAIL THINGIES!!! I'm too scared to try them yet though. Wish me luck.

What else did I get? A Birchbox friendship bracelet in celebration of their birthday, face oil, lip treatment stuff, and moisturizing hand sanitizer. Huzzah! Sorry I'm not being more technical and linking you to the products, but I'm in a rush! I need a shower and still have things to do before class! Hope your week is going well!

tidbits

2011-09-25T21:54:00.000-05:00

+ My roommate and I have become a little obsessed with using jars as cups. It's not salsa, it's milk!

+ I've developed a new love of hummus. I used to think it was weird, but not anymore. The more garlic, the better. Om nom nom.

+ I gashed my toe open at foam party last weekend. I don't recommend going to parties barefoot, just in case you were thinking about it.

+ Writing long e-mails to my mom makes me feel like a better person.

+ Sinful Colors nail polish was half-priced at Walgreen's last week. I picked up Nirvana.

+ OKAY, GUESS WHAT I FOUND AT GOODWILL FOR FOUR DOLLARS?? AN AMERICAN TOURISTER SUITCASE IN MINT CONDITION (minus one little sharpie mark on the inside). HOLY SHIT!

+ Autumn Harvest, my new favorite candle. I really may have to go back and get the jumbo one.

+ My new alarm clock! :)

+ Treated myself to a little bottle of French vodka. Mostly because I wanted the bottle?haha

+ This was my fortune the other day: "Fear knocked at the door." WHAT THE HELL!?! Scary. Oh, and yeah, I went and saw The Lion King in 3-D on opening night. I am ultra cool.

Hope you had a good weekend. :)