Our downtown loft move-in date is just around the corner and as excited as I am to live three blocks from all that is hip, cool, and yummy, I am equally as excited about our new king bed - a first for me. We’ve pinched every penny since January in an effort to afford the “hoteliest” of all king beds. The only unfortunate part is that this fabulous mattress will be sitting on the concrete floor until my do-it-yourself headboard is complete.  After scouring the internet for design ideas I’ve come up with my three favorite.  

Never, in my entire life, have I had such a difficult time finding work.  I thought that after moving to Colorado I would find something mindless and part-time that I could do while I trudged through my dental hygiene program.  I’ve gotten hired for every single job I’ve ever applied for, ever, with the exception of one that I knew I wasn’t qualified for, but it’s not so easy these days! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that something will turn up soon, but in the meantime I got thinking about allll my past jobs.  Here we go: 

*Filer at my dad’s ENT office
*Telemarketer for Starz Entertainment
*Telemarketer for Quicken
*Bartender at Inverness Hotel (quit after a day b/c of the hideous outfit)
*Hotdog girl on the 10th hole at The Ridge
*Beverage cart girl at The Ridge
*Hostess at Ruth’s Chris
*Cocktail at Ruth’s Chris
*Cocktail at Mynt
*Hostess at Capital Grille
*Cocktail at Rise (quit after two hours b/c of the ridiculous outfit)
*Teacher
*Tutor
*Trainer
*Cocktail at Lucky Strike
*Starbucks (for a day)
*Spray Tanner
*Executive Assistant at Lord & Taylor
*Victoria’s Secret
*Concession stand at an auto auction
*Nordstrom Rack 

… I think that’s it.  I’m sure I’m missing one or two actually, but MAN, what a lot of W-2’s that is :) 

You know when something so obviously necessary pops into your life and you think to yourself, “Whyyyyy didn’t I come up with this?” That’s exactly what just happened to me when Birchbox informed me of 3Floz.com.  You all know how OBSESSED with minis I am… Why didn’t I start the website that makes all of your favorite biggies into minis for stress-free carry-on packing?!  This should be such an obvious undertaking for someone like me. Ugh… I’m such a bonehead. 

Facebook really is a silly, ridiculous, phenomenon.  I had one. Forever. But deleted well over a year ago because I just got so overly annoyed! People were posting about the chicken cacciatore they made for dinner, and what’s more, people “liked” their post and even commented on crap like that! In a fit of annoyance with people’s dinner ingredient posts and baby burp rag pictures, I deleted my entire account. 

I felt super free! I seriously felt like I had one less errand to do everyday! I don’t need to be “friends” with seven hundred people! But everyone kept asking, with the utmost concern, “How do you LIVE without Facebook?” “How do you SURVIVE???!?!?!” “HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE WORLD?!?!?!?!?” I got such a kick out of the shock people would experience when they found out that I kept in touch with people through real-time con-ver-sation. Whoa. 

Well anywhooies ;) with the recent move and all, I missed some of my actual friends - a LOT. Like, a lot a lot. And Facebook really is the best way for me to stay in touch with them and post all of my best, most prettiest pictures. But seriously, I’m happy to come back from the dead. AND, if we’re Facebook friends now, you can assume that I want to know about every time your kid pukes. 

LOVE Y’ALL!

Seven years ago I packed up my little Jetta, hugged my mom goodbye, and watched her disappear in my rearview mirror as I left home alone and made the cross-country trek to Atlanta, GA. She never stopped waving and blowing kisses. I tear up to this day thinking of her standing in the middle of the street getting smaller and smaller. 

At first I hated Atlanta. I felt like I didn’t belong. I didn’t know my way around, I got lost ALL the time. It was hard to make normal friends at my job, and I spent a lot of time alone, wondering why the hell I had ever left.  My parents hated coming to visit, and I swear, it poured every. single. time. they came to visit. They never believed me that Atlanta was filled with gorgeous sunny days! I soon found myself defending Atlanta though… It wasn’t as sticky and crime-ridden as others thought!  The food is absolutely amazing, and the people are super kind! I would go on vacation and catch myself missing home… home being Atlanta.  I had created a perfect little life there. I was set with everything I needed. I knew where everything was, and I began thinking about Atlanta in a permanent sense…. until the A-Holes at my school didn’t accept me into their Dental Hygiene program, lol! :) 

So I’m back “home” home.  Most people from Colorado don’t really “get” Atlanta or the South in general.  They think it’s too hot and humid. They think it’s too full of bugs and crime. They think the girls wear too much makeup and the boys are all fraternity schmoozers…. well, that part is actually true, but the truth is, they don’t really even know Atlanta. I miss the humidity - my hair is too straight here. My skin is too dry. I miss Chick-fil-A on every corner. I miss Publix, La Parilla, ghetto music, my CVS, running to Piedmont Park, Festivity… well trendy dressing altogether, and Peachtree Battle Shopping Center. See! Spell check is red-underlining Peachtree! How unfair and sad!

But most of all, I miss my friends. They were my family there.  It always seems that you grow closest with people right before it all changes, and I truly feel like I left a piece of my heart there.  Living in Atlanta, and all of my experiences there, have had the biggest impact on my life so far.  I’m super happy to be back in Denver with my family (and have some SUPER cool updates for you guys :), but I’ve shed about a thousand tears since seeing the Atlanta skyline disappear in my rearview.  Maybe I should just stop looking backwards.  

I have been wearing Ralph LaurenRomancesince my freshman year of college.  (Side Note: My dad is SOOO cute. I was so lonely and homesick when I got to JMU that he sent me the world’s most awesome care package and the box set of Romance was just one of the many items that put a smile on my face :) I wear it every day, all day… I even spray it in my hair on my way out the door and on my skin before crawling into bed at night.  I know the scent SO well that when I tried to skimp and buy a totally legit-looking bottle of it on Canal Street I knew I was duped the second I sniffed it.  Shoulda known better… Anyway, I guess you could call it my “signature scent” and ps. everyone should have one. People partially judge your appearance based on the way you smell. Just a little tidbit from my completely useless Communications major.

HOWEVER! I think I may have found something I like better. Gasp!! Ralph Lauren recently came out with their Big Pony collection. The scents are numbered one through four. And the number is their name. I am in LOVE with #2. I got samples of all four during my last Ulta spree, and Iliked#1 a lot… like, really, a LOT. But #2 is so yummy and I couldn’t stop smelling my wrist for about 3 hours. I haven’t even TRIED #3 or #4 - I mean I guess I have to before I commit to such an enormous life change, but I’m pretty much sold on #2.  DON’T GO AND STEAL IT NOW :)

Also, is it strange that I feel guilty and sorry and sad for abandoning my trusty bottle of Romance? If you know me, you’re probably not surprised… I get very attached to objects easily.