Holy goodness, I haven't written in ages.

I renewed my ancestry.com membership a couple of weeks ago and the family history research is in full swing. I am really enjoying looking back at census records to learn about my ancestors. Many of them are farmers, but I have found others that were, for example, a chairmaker and a justice of the peace. SO. COOL. I have even been able to discover information about branches of the family tree that were previously very short. I'm pretty excited. CLRG has even been researching his family also, which has been really exciting, too. I even used the census records to find out who owned our house before we did! YAY!

Haven't I Been Sweet To You?

This picture is from our last day of classes, our last big Red Ring outing. Look at all of those historians! It really was a grand time. I think that some of us that have the art history final on Wednesday will go out after that, but it will be a bit different. I think we will probably all need to have a drink. That final is going to be rough. I haven't started studying for it yet because I am trying (TRYING) to write my British Empire final essay, which is annoying and impossible right now. It's due tomorrow... Yikes!

Pookie's bachelorette party was last night. I wasn't able to attend, which was and is very depressing, but she said that it was a lot of fun. She went out with several of her girlfriends from school. I think they showed her a good time.

I was able to talk to my fair Raj yesterday on the phone for about an hour. It was amazing. It had been so long since we actually conversed that I could not remember the last time. We just chatted about life and things and it was really excellent. I talked to my dear Kins today, also, which was so great! We didn't talk for too long, but it was really nice to talk with her also. I am looking forward to being able to call people a little bit more often once I am done with these finals. :oD

This coming weekend is Pookie's (and my) graduation! And then the weekend after that is the wedding! CRAAAAAAZY!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Well, looky here. It is almost Christmas! I can't believe it! I was pretty concerned that Pittsburgh wouldn't have any snow for the holidays but, on Friday, it started snowing and now we have a respectable amount of snow. It's snowing right now, too! Yay!!! Anyway, so Christmas is fast approaching and it is weird because I don't really feel super Christmasy. Sure, the snow helps; yes, getting gifts mailed out to my family helped; maybe the cookies I will bake today will help also. Buuuuuut.... my family is all kinds of scattered right now and it seems mostly wrong to be apart on the holidays. Pookie and Marms will be together with the dog, but Dadders will be alone and I feel really bad. I'll be here, but thankfully I have CLRG and we are going to his parents' house for dinner on Christmas Eve. I found out that I have the 24th-26th off from work and the thought crossed my mind to go see Dadders, but it really is too far for such a short visit, especially when he has so much work he is doing and so little free time. :o( It just sucks. Rawr. I don't even know what more to say about it.

So, back to happier things. Cookies. I am definitely planning to make chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookies. I thought I had sugar cookie mix here, but I do not so I will probably go to the store to get some to make those. I am pretty excited. I bought a handheld mixer yesterday that was on sale and I think I know where the apron Marms gave me for Christmas last year is hiding. Huzzah!

CLRG insisted on giving me my Christmas gift a week ago when it arrived in the mail. I am very pleased that he did. He got me a Kindle and it is glorious. I finished reading Pride and Prejudice and then read Anne of Green Gables. I'm now reading Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte, which has been pretty good so far. :o) He's so thoughtful. What an excellent gift. What an excellent boyfriend!

Okay... I think it's time to prep for the Cookie Baking Extravaganza of 2009.

Some Things Are Just Meant to Be

Ummm... I love sour Skittles. I just wanted you to know. They are delicious because they are awesomely sour for a few seconds and then they become regular Skittles again and it is really delightful. I am attempting to power-write a midterm right now and it is very difficult. I think I'm almost done, though. Yep.

I recently bought a frame and put a picture from... the late 60s... of my mom, Uncle S, Uncle R and Geegs hanging out at someone's house. I got it printed last year around Christmas time or something but just never framed it. It is super cute and I love that I can see my face in my mom's. I love it. Oooohh... you know, I bet I have it on my computer somewhere. Okay, well... I found it. But it won't let me upload it. Too bad. :o(

I Held So Many People in My Suitcase Heart

I haven't written in a while because, truthfully, I didn't really know what to write about. I keep thinking about the concept of home. I want to write about that. I wanted to say that Elle went home earlier in the week and I miss that option. In college, it wasn't difficult to get home for a weekend. Nowadays, I'm not sure what home is to me, so I can't determine travel time. Home is, I suppose, many things. Home is when I am with my family as well as with my friends. Home is Pittsburgh, where I am building a life that is my own (which is strange) and where I spent most of my time and where CLRG is. I think, when I say, "I'm home," I mean Pittsburgh. That's not to say, of course, that my hometown (is it my hometown if we don't live there at all anymore?) isn't a home. I know I am welcome there in many homes and many hearts and I love that. Home is just so tricky. I know some people don't really relate to that, but that's okay. For me, places that are home span the country.

And then home brings up the question of what to do for the holidays. I'm worried that my family will be separated at Christmas. I know that I would be welcome at CLRG's family's house and I would be welcome at my grandparents' house, but it's strange to think that I might not see my parents and sister if things don't work out, you know? The parents have to think about coming out for Pookie's graduation in May and they already had me come out last month and it just seems so complicated. So much more than it used to be. Why, oh why?

In happier news, this weekend is the anniversary of Elle and I meeting. We came out to the Burgh about a year ago to find this apartment and struck up a friendship that I know will last forever. I'm so glad I found such a good friend in her. I really don't know what I would do without you, Elle! Thanks for being so awesome.

All the Birds were Humming, the Bees were Buzzing in the Trees

Well, CLRG and I have returned from our vacation. We had a long day of travel yesterday, which was super fun. We left my parents' house at midnight (Mountain Time) and traveled to Salt Lake, arriving at 3:30, to wait until the TSA people were there to do security things before going to the terminal to wait. We had to almost run through the terminal in Detroit to make our connecting flight, which was fun... But then we made it safely home. The gatos were pleased.

The vacay was excellent. We didn't do a ton of stuff, but just enough. We had time to just relax, which was what we both wanted, and to hang out with the family. We went to Yellowstone, to the museum, to the zoo, we hit up the used book store more than once, checked out a local diner, played games and watched movies. It was a quality time.

While in Yellowstone, we met up with some family friends that were vacationing there. We hung out in Mammoth and had our picnic lunches together. Here we are, all together (CLRG took the picture, because he is a nice boy):


I took a lot of other pictures, of course, throughout the trip. Elle asked me if I had taken any couple-on-vacation shots and, indeed, there were a couple. I like this one. Don't tell CLRG it's posted here, please, though. Haha. We are both looking pretty decent. That makes me happy. He actually smiled!

I'm glad to be home, but I wish the fam were closer. I'm glad CLRG and I were able to take this trip. I do feel bad because, at my mom's surprised birthday party the other day, people she knows were interrogating him and there was nothing I could do. He handled it well, as expected, and all is well. Jackers really liked him, too, which was happy times. Haha.

Now, it's back to the grind. I have internship stuff and work and all of those normal things this week. I am soooo excited... Or not. Can I just be on vacation forever?

I'm Awake, Don't Let Me Go Back to Sleep

Well, the weekend is over. I am glad. Friday night was really low-key. Saturday, I worked and watched hockey, Sunday, I went with CLRG to his parents' house for dinner and yesterday, the holiday, I worked. That is all. Everything else was stupid and irrelevant and mostly about a cookie, which is ridiculous.

CLRG and I now have only 10 days until our departure for the West. I'm not as excited to go as I was because my fears of all parties involved getting along have been heightened since yesterday. I can, at this point, pretty much guarantee that I will be spending the entire time fulfilling my role in life (glue. always am trying to be the glue) and worrying if anyone is having fun and if people are being judged preemptively by other people. Of course, all of this is my fault because I'm the one that decided to be honest about something that did not seem that consequential to me and, yet, made everyone flip out. Yeah. Awesome? Not so much. I guess I can only really say that I am glad to be seeing my family and I am glad to be doing something new and exciting with CLRG. I just really hope that the two get along. It would break my heart if they didn't.

So there's that.

He's a Real Nowhere Man

*sigh* Oh, Easter Break, I have pined for you for ages. I am so pleased you have finally arrived. No class tonight, no class on Tuesday. Huzzah! I am going to convince CLRG to color eggs with me tomorrow or Saturday. He didn't seem opposed when I brought it up the other day. We are going to his parents' house for Easter. I am slightly nervous, since it is the first major holiday I will be spending there, but I like his parents so I think it will be okay. We're staying over on Sunday night. He and his dad will change the oil in my car, I will do homework, we will hang out. Delightful. I am very sad to not be spending Easter with some portion of my family, though. I don't think anyone is going to my grandparents', not even Pooks, not even my aunt and uncle. I'm sad about it- I feel bad. I think they might go to their niece's house at some point, though, so that works out.

Have I mentioned that I am excited for summer? I can not wait to read what I want to read. I can not wait to do an internship for FUN and work (I don't reeeeeeally want to do this, but it is unavoidable. haha.) and to hang out with my friends and CLRG. Oh boy. I'm so ready. It's coming up much faster than I realize. My last final is on the 5th of May and then I'm freeeeeeeeeeee!! Speaking of the internship, though, it was finalized the other day that I will be an intern in the archives at the Warhol. I'm SO jazzed because I'll be working on the time capsule project, looking through Ol' Andy's random boxes of stuff. So awesome, right? Yes, indeed.

Today, I went shopping with K because I was in search of those elusive black pants for work. I found some, finally, at Macy's. I also purchased this purse (I bought the one that is multi colored on that page) because it was really cute and I was excited about it. I also found two shirts on sale (one of which I will probably wear for Easter dinner). Then, we went to Target where I found a few things that I need for around the house as well as this book. I am a bad girl. But I am pleased with myself, so how does that work out?

There's a Song That Will Linger Forever in Our Ears

I have been very bad with the blogging! Goodness. I'm sorry, March, I have not forgotten about you. I've just been busy and occupied with other things. It's true.

Anyway, the end of March is near. I keep forgetting that this coming weekend is the one during which Gully will come visit with some other Albion people to go to a Josh Ritter show with Elle, Buddy and I. This reminds me... I should call or text Cupcake and see if she wants to come as well. Hmmmmm.

Let's see... happenings of late. There are a few things to report, I suppose. Nothing major.

-Yesterday, I helped CLRG take his lip ring out. Does this make him CG now, instead? I can't decide. He'll probably always be CLRG.
-It is finally Spring, but the weather is being mean and cold and I want it to be nice and warm again like it was once that one week and once that other week. Rawr.
-The Punchline concert on the 7th was awesome. So awesome. I had a quality time.
-I went to CLRG's parents' house on Saturday after I got out of work. He and his dad looked at his car and I sat in the house doing homework and talking to his mom and sister. It was fun times.
-I am hoping that he and I will get to go to Idaho in June for a little while. I think it can work out... but we will seeeeee.
-I have become very interested (obsessed?) with ancestry.com. Oh my. So cool.
-Work has been increasingly difficult to go to. I've been trying to apply for other jobs, but haven't heard a word yet. Kind of frustrating

Well, I need to go find something to lunch on and do reading and research and shower and all of that business because I have today off and I don't have class on Mondays and I need to get something done. Ha.

Pookies!! We got milkshakes when she visited. We are super photogenic. :o)

Just Like a Happy Accident

I'm back in the Burgh. Christmas is over, the New Year is ready to begin, and I have been reunited with CLRG. I left Michigan yesterday, tearfully, but am very happy to be back in a place where I am not living out of a suitcase.

Christmas was relatively eventful. My grandmother was in a mood while we were there, so it made for some tense moments. I had a good time visiting with my parents and Pookie, though. We also got to see some cousins and my dad's younger sister and meet our first-ever cousin on that side of the family. Super cute. My dad reached a milestone birthday on the 25th. There were two cakes on two separate occasions, and lots of celebrating. Overall, it turned out well.

Tonight, I am going to CLRG's to ring in 2009. Elle is coming over and her friend is in town, so she will come as well. It should be a good time.

Classes start up next week. I didn't realize it was so soon. I hope that my books arrive in time. Yikes! I can't believe break is almost over. I go back to work on Saturday. Back to reality... Rawr.

I need to go get ready for tonight.

Happy New Year!

It's Our God-Forsaken Right to be Loved, Loved, Loved

We were supposed to go to my grandparents' house today, but there is... a blizzard. Rawr. So, the parents, Pookie and I are hunkered down at my godmother's house until morning. Joyful times. I can tell already that the family time is going to be an interesting one. Especially because my uncle, aunt and cousins are going to be there as well and my grandma doesn't seem to be super enthusiastic about anything. Oh boy.

I am having an issue coming up with a Christmas gift for CLRG. He has been scheming for weeks now. Consulting Elle, consulting Wifers. Now, he is consulting Pookie, too, and none of them will breathe a word of it to me. It's making me sort of crazy. I know that it will be something immeasurably more impressive than whatever I end up giving him. *sigh* AHH!! Pooks gave me a good idea, though, so maybe I will follow through with that and the one idea that he gave me a few weeks ago.

I got a tattoo on Friday! It didn't really hurt as much as I had been anticipating. I just have to keep lotion on it now until it totally heals, which will be in a couple of weeks. Here is a picture of the process:

I won't have the internet until the 26th, when we travel to Mt. P. to Pookie's apartment, so I hope everyone has a delightful holiday. Merry Christmas!!

I Can't Remember When the Earth Turned Slowly

Christmas is going to be so complicated. Half of me will be super excited to get out of here and see my family (Mom! Dad! Pooks! Jack!) and friends, but the other half will be super sad to leave CLRG behind for two weeks.

And Quarterlife (especially Elle!).

And the Factory (yes, I just admitted that).

And school (yes, I know).

*sigh*

It will be really interesting. I do so wish that CLRG and I could work something out so that he could come visit when I am there. I want him to meet my friends and my family and see more of Michigan than Livonia or wherever he went with his band a zillion years ago. I want to not be apart for so long. I'm having separation anxiety already and we still have like 2.5 weeks until I leave. Oh man.

On the bright side, I am getting my haircut when I am in the Ville. I am getting a tattoo! I will get to see some of my dearest friends. We'll go to Bert's. We'll go to Jack's. We will go to the beach, even if it's cold. I will get to see my parents and my puppy. We will visit my grandparents and will snuggle in pajamas. We will watch movies and sit around and I can sleep a lot and maybe detox myself of this caffeine business for a while.

See? It's going to be really, really complicated.

The Sweetest Things Get Lost in the Static

So, rather than writing the paper or reading the book I have due for class tomorrow night, I have been reading the news a little bit. While on cnn.com, I read this article about Obama. I really enjoyed it. I think the thing I like most about Obama so far is that he creates a feeling of unity that the US was seriously lacking these past few years. He makes me excited about being an American. I appreciate that, as a woman, I have the right to vote, that I voted for him, and that he's going to bring change to Washington. I'm also excited to see what kind of puppy he and his family get. Haha.

I am 99% sure that I want to get married some day. I just feel weird talking about it sometimes because it isn't a viable option right now. Or something. It doesn't really make sense. However, no matter when or if or who I marry, I will want it to be a fabulous affair. In a perfect world, I would have Laura Novak as the photographer. Her stuff is genius, and just bursts with life. I love it. See here:


I was reading Snippet & Ink yesterday, and I saw some of the cutest engagement photos. Bah. I should really probably stop reading things about weddings because it is just making me feel crazy. You know? Anyway, here's one of the photos I mentioned:

Ridiculously cute. *sigh*

I met CLRG's cats last night when I went over to his place. They are super cute and, even though I tend not to like cats, I liked these. One of them liked me, too, and sat next to me on the couch when I was doing homework. Having that cat next to me made me miss Miles and all of his crazy antics. And then seeing the cats interacting with CLRG made me miss Jack. I can't wait for Christmas, because the parents are bringing the dog with them when they come. Can it please just be Christmas now?!

all we are, we are

City Sidewalks, Busy Sidewalks

It is almost November! This means that Thanksgiving is a month away, and Christmas is right on its heels. The weather today is making me hungry for holiday cheer. I am presently listening to a holiday compilation, though I am told that that is not allowed until after Thanksgiving. Poppycock. I will do it now. In moderation, though. I swear. Things I love about the Christmas season include:

-finding the perfect gift for everyone
-mittens
-cookies
-Christmas trees
-decorations
-rosy cheeks
-ice skating
-egg nog
-Christmas music
-spending time with my family and friends
-snuggling in pajamas
-snowflakes
-sliding on streets
-snowmen
-fire in the fireplace
-baking my dad a birthday cake

I could probably go on and on about this, but I will refrain. I don't generally love the coldness and sometimes grossness about winter, but the season is not without its charms. I try to be optimistic. This Christmas will be exciting, because the parental units and Jack are driving from Idaho to Michigan, Jenna will be home, and I will get to see everyone I love. And get a tattoo. Huzzah. I just have to work on being successful, yet frugal, in my gift shopping. I already have a little something for Pooks and an idea of what to get my mom, but I am clueless about everyone else. Hmmmmmm.

This weekend has been fairly consumed with homework. I have, as always, a lot to do and not very much motivation. I have been impressed with my work ethic, though, so here's hoping that I can finish the semester without too much stress in my life. *sigh*

I've been thinking about marriage and children a lot lately. Not necessarily because I want to get married or have children right now, but because there is a lot of it happening around me. Elle's cousin is having a baby soon, and I am excited for her. My uncle confirmed my aunt's pregnancy to me on the phone the other day. They couldn't stop by, but I hope to see them at Christmas. Anyway, there have been lots of cute babies and small children coming to the Factory lately. I generally don't think babies are cute when they are very tiny, but these ones have been. And... I really like shopping for baby clothes. I can't help it. I think probably the reason I have been thinking of marriage is that when you get married, you get a ton of sweet things. I want to register at excellent stores and get things that I want. It would be awesome, no? Maybe.

Meg White, You're Alright

I am at school right now, hunkered down in the 'Brary with K, attempting to research for a paper I have due in a few weeks. This library seems impressive to me. I was nervous about studying here, but I actually like it now. We traveled on one of the most packed buses I have ever been on and trekked from the bus stop to campus in the rain. Thankfully, we rewarded ourselves with chai lattes, blueberry coffeecake and a fudge brownie. The thing that I like about libraries is that they all have a similar feeling about them. I feel the same quiet atmosphere here as I did at Albion. There are the same kind of people scattered on these designated quiet floors, studying and trying not to laugh at each other. K and I have been IMing one another from across the table and it reminds me of that one time, the all-nighter, in the Ferguson computer lab. I guess the kid at the table behind me smacked his face on his table and I am really sad to have missed it. In any case, some days I am really glad that I am in grad school, still a student, still writing what I want to write about, having assignments to keep me structured, and other days I just wish that I was back in Idaho, working at a job that kept me from 8-5 and allowed me to mostly forget about it when I was at home. I'm not sure how I will feel when it's 2010 and I really have to figure out my life. For real this time. Oh man.

My aunt and uncle and baby cousin might be stopping by this week sometime. They called me on Saturday to say that they were going to Hershey and could they come on Sunday to see me? I said that I would prefer them to come on their way back, because I was pretty consumed with that presentation until last night. I think they might call me tomorrow or Thursday. I hope they do. I've only seen my cousin once ever, during my grandma's surprise birthday party this summer. He's super cute and apparently just got his hair cut, so I will be the first to see that. He had massive, wild curls when I saw him but he turned one this month, so I suppose that it is time to get rid of that. Lame, I think. There is a chance that my aunt is pregnant, which would be really exciting, but both my mom and grandma told me and then instructed me to act surprised when the aunt and uncle actually tell me. I hope I am good at acting surprised. I also hope that they're having a girl.

Reason Why

This weekend, I made my triumphant (okay, maybe not quite triumphant) return to the great state of Michigan. I arrived at Chuck's house on Friday and spent the evening hanging out with he, Pookie, Claudio, and RJ. We carved pumpkins, I made applesauce, we watched The Nightmare Before Christmas, ate some pizza. It was a glorious evening. Saturday, Chuck and I went to the wedding of his uncle's stepson. It was held in a beautiful Catholic church, and they had a full Mass. I was kind of excited, because I haven't been to church in a while and it was nice to go. The bride was gorgeous and they looked so happy together, which made me smile. The reception was a lot of fun. The food was amazing. I want to eat it every day. Every. Day. Sunday, I did some homework and then came back to the Burgh in the evening. All in all, it was a good weekend.

I gave a presentation last night in my Intro class and it went 600 times better than I was expecting it to go. I did not sing any of my words, I did not throw my notes across the room and I didn't shake until after I was finished. I'm glad it is over, though. That's just one more thing off the list. Thank goodness. I just marked off the first weeks of October on the calendar that is taped to the wall in front of me. I figured that it would help me to visualize the end of the semester. And, um, it made me realize that there are like 7 weeks (not including this one) until finals week. Awesome?

All We Can Do Is Keep Breathing

Oh my word. Today I felt like crying pretty much all day. I hate that I let it get this bad, but the stress I am feeling about getting all of my work done, getting it done on time, and doing it well is seriously crushing me. I will be very grateful to see December, let me just tell you that.

In happier news, Elle and I went to Boston Market today for the first time. It was delightful. I had a pot pie and a side of macaroni and cheese and I loved it. Mmm. It was a good kind of meal to have on a gloomy, rainy, sad day like this one. We went to the Factory afterward, since they are practically next door to one another, to chat with our people.

This weekend, I am going to the Detroit area for the weekend. I am going to a wedding with Chuck on Saturday, so Pookie and Claudio and maybe some unconfirmed others are rendezvousing (can that word become a gerund, even though it is French? I've always wondered) with me at his house. It will be fabulous, I am sure, despite the feeling of anxiety I currently have concerning the meeting of the parents of Chuck. Yikes. It won't be that bad. I will not make a fool of myself. I will not make a fool of myself. I will not make a fool of myself. (Does saying it three times help?) I will become the bearer of gifts upon my arrival, which makes me happy. I bought, as requested, twelve bottles of beer for Claudio that he can not get in Michigan. I have a few other things, including one very silly, pointless item, and some sweet things that should not be named, for fear that Pooks reads this and discovers my plan.

I feel like this post is not making very much sense. I am losing my thoughts before I can type them. That is always a problem. It wasn't always that way. So sad. I need to go to bed so I can wake up at a reasonable time and do homework before my shift at the Factory at 11am. Joy of joys.