A fruitful trip to Ulta..

My new fall nail polishes! The one on the left is actually a lot darker and closer to eggplant than it may appear in this photo (OPI - Eiffel For This Color). The one on the right is definitely that gold (OPI - Glitzerland).

And in the style of lollipop26 (my favorite beauty blogger), here is Glitzerland in action! I have been searching for this gold polish for months, and I am so very pleased with my purchase! I am one step closer to being prepared for the holiday season, for sure.

And now, for the grand splurge of the fall... 

...Book of Shadows Volume III palette!

Yes, my dears, this is a glorious addition to the Urban Decay Naked palette I purchased a month or so ago. With my neutrals palette and this new color extravagance, will I ever need another eye shadow? Well, yes, probably, but not for a long while. While this Book of Shadows Vol. III palette retails for $54, I am proud to say that with my accumulated Ulta rewards points and some shrewd organization of my purchases, I got this beauty for $23!! Twenty-three! Can you believe it?! It also came with an additional travel size bottle of Eye Primer Potion, a new staple of my make-up routine. It really does prevent creasing and flaking of eyeshadow, and I highly recommend this eye primer (and eye primer in general) for those of you who wear eye shadow.

Both the Naked and Book of Shadows Vol III palettes have sold out both in stores and online, so I consider myself extremely lucky to have snatched up one of each! I am so very pleased with the quality, especially the pigmentation of the Naked eyeshadows, and I expect similar results from the Book of Shadows!

Some photo highlights from my weekend with the girls :)

Caitlin, Annie, and I standing at lovely Lake Ton-A-Wondah

Me and Leslie and Leslee

Thanks to Gracie for inviting us to her sister's wedding! What a wonderful weekend and what a wonderful family!

Annie and Me - I miss watching Friends in our apt!

Caitlin, Leslee, Annie, and Grace

Me, Caitlin, and Leslee - we were happy to see each other!

Canoeing!!

The wedding ceremony was held in front of a waterfall. It was SO beautiful.

The girls!

The girls goofing off!

What a lovely reception, until 3 glasses were broken...

Our traditional "looks like we're naked" photo

We danced the night away!!

A quick drive by Furman and a glimpse at our class' senior gift - outdoor DH seating!

I totally forgot...

...to mention Taipei!!! That is obviously where I am headed first this year! Kaylah is only there for 2 years, so I have definitely have to get there soon!

Gone to Carolina in My Mind...

...and on a plane!

This past weekend I flew to Greenville, SC and spent a day and a night with some friends who still live oh so close to Furman. I arrived Thursday afternoon, rented a car for the first time, spent some time wandering around Furman by myself, then met Merianna (my roommate from junior year) for coffee, and then finally met up with Kristin for dinner at Brixx, a lovely pizzeria on Woodruff Road. We spent that evening reminiscing and gossiping way too late for a 4th grade teacher who had to leave for school at 6am. But I am grateful she took the time to catch up while I was in town!

Friday morning I went to Furman to visit some professors from my college days, then met my dear friend, Cullen, for lunch at an adorable little restaurant in downtown Greenville for lunch. Coming from CO, I had nearly forgotten the heat and humidity of September in the Southeast, but as Cullen and I strolled through Greenville and the sweat rolled down my back, I very quickly remembered. It was, however, a very pleasant afternoon.

Caitlin picked me up that evening, and we met up with Annie and Leslee driving up from Atlanta for our caravan to Hendersonville, NC. We were off to Emma Gerald's wedding! Emma is the sister of our friend, Grace, and we all spent the weekend at Camp Ton-A-Wondah celebrating the marriage of Emma and Gary. We had an absolutely wonderful time, and I can't say how refreshing it was to be with the girls again. Annie, Leslie, Leslee, Lisa, Caitlin, Grace, and I are all over the map, and it was so good to have a wedding to reunite us, even for just a weekend. And don't you worry, when I get the pictures from the weekend, I will be sure to post some of the highlights.

I flew back to Colorado late Sunday night, and back to the grindstone on Monday morning. I am going to Greeley this weekend to see Deborah, then a weekend with no definitive plans other than to plan for my next trip, and then off to South Africa! This has turned out to be quite a busy month!

I am grateful for friends, family, and a good job that allows me to travel and visit these wonderful people. :)

Travel goals for this year: Sweden and Australia. Let's see if we can get a staff conference in Stockholm or Sydney next year!

BIG NEWS

I'm going to South Africa!! This October I will be going with DAI to Cape Town, South Africa for 2 weeks for our international staff meeting.

I am SO excited, obviously.

Just to encourage you all to be happy for me, I have included a picture of this glorious city.

In other news, I have no other news. Oh, wait, yes I do. I am going back east for a wedding and a girls' reunion this weekend. Super excited! I also got a invite to a wedding in March for a friend from Furman, and it sounds like it's going to be a great event. All in all, this week has been pretty good. 

I finished Season 1 of Dexter, and I must admit that it was a bit of a challenge. It's quite gory, and I have to watch an episode of Family Guy or SNL after it before bed so I don't get too scared. However, it's a gripping show, and I plan to continue watching it. Netflix is awesome. :)

Other big news - the new Sara Bareilles album came out this week! It's sooooo good. Seriously. If I could have anyone else's singing voice, it might be hers. Or Whitney Houston's, sans the cocaine. Or Idina Menzel's. Ok, so this is not something I have completely decided, but the album is still superb. I highly recommend it. I will even provide a link so you can preview (and buy) the album. 

The time has come.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The time for which we have all been eagerly waiting has arrived. As you may recall from one of my previous posts, I have been in the market for a bag to replace the perfect bag I bought at New York & Company last summer. It has taken me this long, but I have finally found it! And I will venture to say that it may be better than the one I already have.

Mom and I went to Kohl's this past weekend simply planning to browse, but since autumn is just around the corner here in Colorado, all the summer merchandise was anywhere from 60%-90% off. Outrageous! Anyways, Mom found this bag. It was $150, but with all our discounts, I paid $25. For a Simply Vera leather bag! And it's gray! And it's gorgeous! This photo really doesn't do it justice, but it's the best I can do for now.

This bag represents to me the transition from my identity as a student to that of a young professional. This bag still has all the qualities I want, but somehow it seems more grown up. I will not be hauling notebooks or computers in this bag. It will hold beautiful things like my silver wallet, my fabulous sunglasses, and my perfectly tinted lip gloss.

Needless to say, I am thrilled. I mean, I haven't posted on here since April, but this was worth the extra effort to take the photo and write a blog entry. I am also pleased that my quilt inadvertently showed up in this picture.

New favorite song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV4rQXa4Ud4

Courtesy of the Amazon Kindle commercial. And I was able to download it for free on Amazon.com!

Spring Break!

This break has been dedicated to 1) sleeping, 2) job searching, 3) reading a novel, and 4) running errands around Knoxville. I have split my time amongst those activities, and I feel this time has been very productive. I hate searching for a job, but I do not feel alone in my loathing of this character-building exercise. I have also spent some time looking for a new spring handbag, but have had as much success with that endeavor as I have on the job front, which is to say, none. However, hope remains! Any advice on both of those fronts will be most welcome. :)

Another Saturday in Sunny Nashville

Another Saturday in February, and a surprisingly productive day for me. After eleven, yes, eleven, hours of sleep, I roused at approximately 10:30 am, when Michael Buble and I brewed a pot of sumatra coffee and made orange-nutmeg french toast. It was delicious and the apartment smelled lovely. After a leisurely breakfast together, Michael and I turned our attention to more scholarly pursuits. Today I had to write my first paper of the semester, which seems unusually late as we have just completed our seventh week of class. Nevertheless, I rallied the few brains cells I have left committed to my education, and I read three essays by Max Weber on charismatic leadership (not the denomination but general divinely given power or talent). I then cranked out five pages of reflection in an hour, just in time to meet my friend Sarah from the bookstore for an afternoon dedicated to Target, vintage clothes shopping, and fruit popsicles. Well, I had a pistachio popsicle, which is actually a nut, not a fruit. I thoroughly enjoyed my sunny afternoon with Sarah. We have been talking about spending time together, especially at Target, for quite some time now, but today was the first time we actually made the effort. I had a lovely time and am very grateful to have been introduced to The Hip Zipper, an adorable vintage store in East Nashville. It sounds quite pretentious of me to say that, but I am sincere in my adoration. I had almost convinced myself that I needed not only one but two pairs of white gloves for all the outings I make with Joan Holloway and Betty Draper, but a quick glance in the mirror at my All-Star lace-ups and my black North Face TKA 100 fleece was the jolt back to reality that saved me at least $25. That being said, I plan on incorporating The Hip Zipper into my shopping repertoire. (On a side note, I tried on every chic hat they had in the store and not one fit over this mop of hair on my head. How am I supposed to look like Joan Holloway when I can't even get a hat on my head!)

A Belated Look at 2009

I recently realized that I failed to complete my annual end-of-the year quiz. Sure, it may be the end of February, but I can still reflect on last year.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? Visited New York City!

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I made any New Year's resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? In a way - my aunt and uncle adopted a baby, so that counts, right?

4. Did anyone close to you die? No

5. What countries did you visit? I stayed here in the USA.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? 
A career plan.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory? 
the month of June when my new cousin and the family came to visit :)


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 
Committing to and executing a trip to NYC!

9. What was your biggest failure? Not figuring out what I want to do after graduation.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? 
No

11. What was the best thing you bought? 
My NYC trip.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Mara, David, my sisters

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I never answer this question.

14. Where did most of your money go? It now goes to rent and groceries. And books and clothes.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
NYC, if you hadn't already guessed that...

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2009? ABBA (still), Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley's "American Saturday Night"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


i) Happier or Sadder? Happier

ii) Older or Wiser? Both
iii) Thinner or Fatter? 
Same
iv) Richer or Poorer? Poorer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? 
Reading for pleasure, walking outside, socializing

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? School.

20. How will you be spending Christmas of 2010? Hopefully with my family.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009? No

23. How did you start 2009? I honestly have no recollection. It must not have been that memorable. Probably just sitting at home with the family, struggling to stay up until midnight.

24. What was your favorite TV program? Brothers and Sisters, Sex and the City, House, Frasier

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? 
No

26. What was the best book you read? I only read books for school, but I listened to "Team of Rivals" on CD.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? 
 Lady Antebellum

28. What did you want and get? A trip to New York while David and Piper still live there.

29. What did you want and not get? I wanted Mara to stay in the US, but I do acknowledge that her life in Sweden is wonderful. As is her Swede.

30. What was your favorite film of this year? 
I mostly watched TV shows, and I was obsessed with Frasier over the summer.

31. What did you do on your birthday? 
I got to go home, so I went out to dinner with my family. :)

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Living closer to my family.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? 
Same as always, though I have had to work in more business casual.

34. What kept you sane? 
The people I love.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most? 
My crush on Brad Paisley is undiminished.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? The economic crisis was tragic.

37. Who did you miss? My family and friends all over the world. And, of course, Mara.

38. Who was the best new person you met? I may have met Dr. Patout Burns in 2008, but it wasn't until 2009 that I realized how awesome he is. Without him and his advice and encouragement, I think I might have fallen into despair and confusion many times.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. Fit the things you want to do into your budget and just do them. Living alone is awesome. It's possible to keep in touch when friends move out of the country.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"And I know some day that it’ll all turn out
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid that I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet"

First Year of MTS: COMPLETE!

Well, ladies and gentlemen, my first year as a graduate student has officially come to a close. I took my last final this morning and submitted my last paper this evening. I am so very glad to be finished and feel no closer to deciding what to do with my life than I did in August. Rather, I feel as though I only continually eliminate potential career options. How long can this process of elimination last?!

I have had wonderful professors and been able to cultivate relationships with a professor in each area of history in which I have some slight interest. I feel as though they all have complete confidence in me, which is precisely what I need, for so often I feel as if I am in over my head, struggling to stay afloat amid all the confusion and uncertainty that accompanies an academic life. Not only that, but the differences between my undergraduate and graduate experiences are so stark that sometimes I wonder how they can both be called "school." This year has tested me in so many areas of life, most of which I am finally realizing and being forced to confront. However, I feel as though the end of this academic year marks a new beginning. Each semester is a fresh start, especially those separated by an entire summer. I have a month until I have to start my Latin classes in June, and I intend on spending this month focusing on the personal aspects of this past year that have been perpetually pushed to the back shelf in deference to academic concerns.

This is the first summer that I will not be living at home, working for CDB. I will be staying here in Nashville, working in the Vanderbilt Bookstore and taking Latin classes each morning from 7:45 to 10. I am going to Memphis this upcoming weekend, Loribeth's wedding in Lexington, NC, at the end of May, followed by Deborah's graduation in Colorado Springs, a trip to Louisville for Whitney's wedding in July, and hopefully a trip to NYC in August between summer and fall semesters. That pretty much sums up the majority of my summer plans, though if life continues to surprise me as it has, there are bound to be some disturbances to that well-planned schedule.

Anyways, if any of you need a trip to Music City, I will be here all summer and would love to see you!

xoxo

2008 in 40 Questions

My annual end-of-the-year quiz.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? 
graduated college, moved to a new city by myself, paid rent, had a boyfriend, changed a tire, had my car towed, went to an academic conference, hosted a bridal shower, cheered for Vanderbilt football, went to Furman homecoming as an alumna, went to a Braves game

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't even know if I made any New Year's resolutions for 2008.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No

4. Did anyone close to you die? No

5. What countries did you visit? I stayed in the good ol' USA. (Bummer, eh?)

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? 
Confidence that I can achieve my new goals.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory? 
June 1, June 16, August 14, September 6


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 
Moving to Nashville.

9. What was your biggest failure? 
I just hate disappointing people in general, so each time I do, I feel terrible.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? 
No

11. What was the best thing you bought? 
Season tickets to Vanderbilt football.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Jimmy, Polly and Will, Angela

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I never answer this question.

14. Where did most of your money go? It now goes to rent and groceries. I plan on saving to go to Australia to see Necole.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
Moving to Nashville and going to div school

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2008? ABBA, Flight of the Conchords, Needtobreathe, Sara Bareilles

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


i) Happier or Sadder? Happier

ii) Older or Wiser? Both
iii) Thinner or Fatter? 
Same
iv) Richer or Poorer? Poorer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? 
Reading for pleasure, writing in my journal, walking outside

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Complaining about my jobs.

20. How will you be spending Christmas of 2009? Hopefully with my family.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008? No

23. How did you start 2008? Downtown Colorado Springs with Becky and Necole. It was FREEZING, and we had a great time!

24. What was your favorite TV program? Gossip Girl; Flight of the Conchords

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? 
No

26. What was the best book you read? Eats, Shoots and Leaves; All of the Harry Potter books; I'm Fine With God, It's Christians I Can't Stand; A Severe Mercy

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? 
 Needtobreathe and ABBA

28. What did you want and get? acceptance to Vanderbilt Divinity School

29. What did you want and not get? acceptance to Duke Divinity School

30. What was your favorite film of this year? 
Mamma Mia; Crash; Gone, Baby Gone; Australia

31. What did you do on your birthday? 
I drove from Johnson City to Knoxville the day before, and celebrated with Jimmy and his family. My actual birthday I drove from Knoxville to Nashville and moved into my new apartment. Angela took me out for dinner that night to P.M.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Going to Australia to visit Necole.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? 
Same as always.

34. What kept you sane? 
 Jimmy, Polly and Will, Annie, Mom, David

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most? 
 I love Brad Paisley and am currently searching for him in Nashville.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? 
The Presidential election was a huge deal.

37. Who did you miss? Necole in Australia, and now my Furman friends that live all over the world

38. Who was the best new person you met? I have met soooo many great people at Vanderbilt, but I would have to say Mara and Olusola. These girls are great friends I met at VDS. I honestly think I would not be surviving without them!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. First of all, just chill out. Make the most of whatever season in life you are in. Each season will end, so enjoy it while you can.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
When you find yourself
In some far off place
And it causes you to rethink some things
You start to sense that slowly
You're becoming someone else
And then you find yourself

When you make new friends in a brand new town
And you start to think about settlin' down
The things that would have been lost on you
Are now clear as a bell
And you find yourself
Yeah that's when you find yourself

Where you go through life
So sure of where you’re headin'
And you wind up lost and it's
The best thing that could have happened
‘Cause sometimes when you lose your way it's really just as well
Because you find yourself
Yeah that’s when you find yourself

"Find Yourself" - Brad Paisley

It's been forever

Yes, my friends, it has been forever since I have posted on here. A lot has happened in my life since May 28, but there is no need to recap. I am here at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, starting a new life.

Even though everything is different, I feel a bit like I did at Furman, simply because I am still doing schoolwork. I still go to class, I still have homework, I still have exams and papers, but now I work twice as much, go to bed at 10:30, and have a noticeably absent social life. I am making friends, do not despair. For example, this past Saturday night I went a gathering at one of the div student's apartments, and we had a great time just goofing off and not doing schoolwork. It's great that so many people are here to talk about all the stuff I love learning about, but sometimes, I just want to talk about nothing thought-provoking. And that's what I got to do on Saturday night.

I would be remiss if I did not mention my dear friends, Will and Polly. I cannot express what a blessing they have been and are in my life. I knew that I was going to enjoy having them in Nash-vegas with me, but I cannot express what lifesavers they have been to me already. They welcome me into their home at any and every time, which I consider to be a huge deal since they have only had this home together for less than 2 months! They are generous in their time, their food, their words and their inclusion of me in their social circle. I am infinitely indebted to them. I hope that someday I will be able to share with them the same love they have shown me.

Concerning my classes:
A) Biblical Hebrew - it is great, it is difficult, and I am going to feel reallllly cool once I can read the Old Testament in its original language - however, I am extremely far away from that point. I know, like, 50 words max. But I do enjoy the change of pace from my other classes that it affords me.
B) Formation of the Christian Tradition - my church history class that I LOVE. It is intense and loads of information and theology, but I get completely absorbed in the lectures and enjoy it immensely. It requires a lot of reading and studying.
C) Hebrew Bible - my Old Testament class - my professor is hilarious, but it is no longer as great as I once thought it was. I have really no idea what to expect on the midterm, so I will have a better analysis of this class once I get that test back, which I have yet to take. Again, loads of reading.
D) Pastoral Care - so far I have learned that I am a terrible listener and do not want to be a counselor. Our work is just busywork and my professor (though her mannerisms and classes remind me of my mom and aunt) is very strange and thinks this subject is more interesting than I do. I am not cut out to be a pastor, and I am already sick of this class. Thankfully I have Will and Barclay to entertain me.

I work in the Divinity Library and the Vanderbilt Bookstore. I can do homework in the library, but not at the bookstore. I would complain about working, but I must make money to live, so I won't. Also, my schedule worked out quite nicely - I start at 8 on Mon, Wed, and Fri, then 9 on Tues and 10 on Thurs. I never work/have class until 6, and I don't work Fri, Sat or Sun unless I am filling in for someone else or they specially request for me to work on the weekend. So yes, I am grateful that it worked out that I have free weekends and Friday nights, and really all nights since I am done at 6. But that does not include homework. But such is the life of a grad student, so different from undergrad (at least my undergrad experience).

I am really happy where I am, and I look forward to all that I will learn and experience in the next 3 years here!

(And I will try to keep up with my posts more frequently...)

Classes are over - I am packing - the family comes Thursday night - Clayton gets married on Friday - graduation is on Saturday - then to the beach on Sunday for a week!!

I cannot believe how time has flown...my thoughts will follow when the chaos ends.

LAST DAY OF CLASS IN COLLEGE!!!!

I love the beach. My weekend was amazing and now back to reality - a paper and only 20 days until graduation. Be prepared for some emotional instability very, very soon.

Beach Weekend

I leave tomorrow afternoon for my last Beach Weekend!! Yes, I know, Wednesday is not the weekend, but I am a senior and am going to make the most of my beach opportunity! :)

So I am off to Myrtle Beach for a weekend of sun and sand! Hooray!!

25 days until graduation...

Big News...

I feel like this is an incredibly impersonal way to let you all know about my recent life decisions, but since I am unsure as to who reads this, I am going to go ahead and tell you all. Just pretend this is a very personal conversation, and I am telling you and you alone. :)

I am going to Vanderbilt Divinity School this fall!! I sent in my letter to the Admissions Office yesterday, so it is official. I will be moving to Nashville at the end of the summer, but I have no idea when, where or with whom. Obviously I have a lot of details to iron out, but at least I know where to start. Thanks to all of you who have prayed and coached me through this discernment process. I am glad that this major decision is over and done, and I thank God for closing and opening doors for me that made it crystal clear that I should be going to VDS.

Now if I can only muster up some enthusiasm for my last two classes at Furman...

I am in Nashville for the weekend, attempting to get some direction about next year, specifically concerning Vanderbilt. Please pray for wisdom, discernment, and that we have a great time!

"Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood."
- Shakespeare