Waste No Time

My, what a nice Saturday I had this weekend! Really and truly.

Since I ended up not having to work, CLRG and I made a plan to get up at a reasonable time and try to avoid sleeping in by doing something out and about. We got up probably close to ten, and soon walked up to the Swissvale business district type place. We stopped at the library, where I checked two wonderful books. I was excited to visit the library because it is an old Carnegie Library (as so many in Pittsburgh are- go figure) and it was vine-covered and beautiful. There were some war memorials in front of it, which I enjoyed admiring. Anyway, after we visited the library, we headed up toward a little shopping plaza because I needed to mail a book at the post office. Before stopping there, though, we stopped at a thrift store and discovered that the books were on sale! A whole brown grocery bag full for only $3!!!! I think we came home with something like 20 books. Hooray! CLRG always knows the things I would like to see and do. He patiently waited while I took some pictures during our stroll.

After doing book related things, we went to a little sub place for lunch. We walked toward the house after that, stopping at a little cafe that used to be a bakery until a few months ago. CLRG and I had some rice pudding and some chocolate ice cream, respectively, and he bought me a little knit clutch thing that they had for sale, made by a local woman. When we got home, we hung out in the living room, reading, until I had to drive him to a bachelor party. Then, I spent the rest of my time reading my library books. Grand times, friends. Grand times.

Oh, did I tell you about the lady that I made friends with at work? I suppose maybe not. She comes in several days a week, always ordering the same thing, and always staying to read for a while. One Sunday a few weekends ago, I asked her what she was reading/what she read normally, since it is always something different. We talked a bit about our love of the written word, and the next time I saw her, she brought a book for me to borrow. It isn't something that I would normally read, but I looked through it, skimmed some parts, and think it is a nice book. I am going to see if she comes in tomorrow, so I may return it.

Anywayyyy... the weekend was good! I got to spend cute times with CLRG (whom I just love, love, love, as you know), I read a lot, and generally hung out. I'm pleased.

Send Out Your Ray of Sunshine

At the beginning of the month, CLRG and I went to Kennywood with his parents. I pretty much had to beg him to take a picture, but he agreed eventually and look how cute it is. I just love him. :o)

Speaking of CLRG... I am prepping to move into his house very soon. Last week, we spent evenings working in the new room on the third floor: removing nails, cleaning up residual coal dust, and helping put insulation in the ceiling. This week, I imagine we will work on the wall insulation and, if HatNick can get his pulley system going, we will pull drywall from the driveway to the third floor and we will put that up, too. Apparently, it would be impossible to bring it inside and up the stairs. I think it will be interesting to see how the pulley system works. The last time they did it, I wasn't there to see. I am really excited about moving in. We've been talking about the arrangement of our furniture, and last night we went grocery shopping and it was the first time we were buying stuff for BOTH of us. Since I will probably be over there every night this week, helping with the room, we planned some dinners. I'm excited to be able to clean the house and I am excited to be able to hang out with the cats all the time. It will be nice to have CLRG nearby more frequently, too.

I got a call about a job that I applied to! I have an interview this afternoon. Cross your fingers for me, will you?

It Takes Two When It Used to Take Only One

Well, my sister is a married woman. It's strange, but also wonderful. I am so happy for her and for Al. The wedding was beautiful and the reception was a ton of fun. The pictures above are two of my favorites from the day. The rehearsal the night before the ceremony was sort of hectic, because the wedding coordinator for the parish was kind of difficult, but it all turned out well in the end because they are now husband and wife! I was talking to Pooks on the phone today while she was driving to their new place and I made her say, " I am moving into an apartment with my husband" just so I could hear what it sounded like. Very interesting. :o) The pictures after the ceremony were a lot of fun. The photographers were amazing and tons of fun and it just flowed really nicely. I am really excited to see the photos. For now, though, if you want to see one, you can go here. Oh man. Can you believe they're finally married? I don't even know what to do about that. Haha.

Helping with the wedding prep stuff made me think more and more about the kind of wedding I would like to have. Of course, I think about this kind of thing all the time, but it just added more depth to my thoughts. For example, part of me really doesn't want to deal with the stress of having a wedding as involved as theirs was. On the other hand, I had a REALLY good time seeing all of my extended family and close family friends and I feel like it would be amazing to have all of those people there for me on my wedding day. Sometimes I think it would be easier to just run off somewhere and get married really quickly and then have a huge party, but I also want to have my family there. I want to have people stand up and watch me declare my love forever and for always. You know? It's complicated. I also would want to make the wedding something that both me and CLRG would want, but we're not even engaged right now so it's sort of hard to gauge where he stands on these issues. We probably won't get engaged until we are actually on a path to affording a wedding, so right now I should just be content to read wedding blogs and imagine beautiful things. Haha. Laaaaaaaame, I know. I'm sorry.

I have some reading to do, and job searching to do, and other things of that nature. I should go do something before it is time to go out with some school people. CK moves this weekend, so we are getting drinks to wish him bon voyage. Sad, sad times. Next up to move is K and I will be really sad when that happens.

And Reruns All Become Our History

Oh holy crap. I just saw this video on Snippet & Ink and it blew me away. I like weddings and wedding related things generally, but the emotions in that video, the sheer joy, the love, was just unbelievable.

Relax

I really, really feel like I am drowning. There is more schoolwork to be done than I have time and motivation for. Seriously. This is the most ridiculous semester I've had in a while.

In other news, Valentine's Day is soon. I don't know what CLRG and I are doing, but I'm sure it will be something nice. Last year, we made dinner together and hung out. I suspect we will do something similar this year.

Pookie's bridal shower is in a month! I have to get cracking.

It's You

SPOILER ALERT: Annoying, gushy lovestruck post below. Read at your own risk...

Today is my and CLRG's first anniversary. I can't believe it, really. One year ago, I made Elle walk with me to Panera to meet him and then he and I went to Silky's Pub, the Cage and Fanattics. We ate pizza and had some drinks and he drove me home and that was it. I'm so happy with him. He is so smart and cute and funny and thoughtful and loving. I can't remember not knowing him. Honestly. It's a very good thing. I love him so much. It's a fact. You probably already knew that.

The picture below is from the Halloween party he had at his house on Friday. We went as Peanut Butter & Jelly. This is also one of the few pictures in which he is not closing his eyes or making a ridiculous face (not that I don't love those. I obviously do. I make enough ridiculous faces, too) and I think it is magnificent.

We Are Not Fighting Anymore

I haven't written in a shamefully long time. Boo.

Elle and I successfully moved into the new place. It is very nice and I like it a whole lot. I started my school year a few weeks ago. It's going well so far. Lots of reading, per usual. So, in addition to working 30ish hours, I have class and an internship and hundreds of pages of reading to fit in between having something of a life. Thankfully, I can hang out with CLRG and do homework at the same time, so that is nice. He gave me my birthday present last week (yes, late, but we were busy). It is a fancy ipod and I was/am very excited about its existence. He is just the nicest of boys and treats me so well. *sigh* :o)

Weddings and engagement rings are everywhere lately. There have been a lot of women coming to the factory with MASSIVE diamonds on their left ring fingers. I mean, wow. I have to stop myself from staring at their hands. Haha. It's bad. Also, there are many weddings coming up this next year. Possibly Pooks in May (if all works out), LT in September, Bananne in December. YIKES. It's all very exciting, though. I'm so happy for everyone. I can't wait to help celebrate all of these marriages.

So much to do! So little time! I'll try not to be so neglectful in my blogging from now on. Rawr.

The Last Train Is Nearly Due

Pookie and Al are engaged! It's so exciting. She called me on Wednesday afternoon to tell me the news (which I already knew, because that's just how it goes) and then asked me to be her Maid of Honor. I am so pleased and happy for them. *sigh* Oh, weddings.

Elle and I move TOMORROW!!!!!!! I'm almost ready. Almost. :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.

I Can't Feel a Thing Without You by My Side

Today was beautiful. And, yes, I know that it isn't over yet and I still think it's beautiful, but whatever. It was one of those days that shouldn't end because it's so good. I went to bed at a reasonable time last night, slept eight hours and got up for my internship. When it was lunch time, the other intern and I were told that it might be an hour before we could get back in because the archivists each had plans for lunch that would take longer than a standard lunch break. I had packed a sandwich and some things in my purse before leaving home, so I took my stuff and ventured down to the Riverfront Trail to sit on a bench near the Allegheny and soak in the sunshine. I read my book and took my time eating. It was sooooo nice. After lunch, I went back to the museum and found the other intern sitting in the lobby. He said they weren't back yet, so we explored the museum a little bit before going back to work. When I got home, I finished reading my book while listening to some quiet, classical music with the windows of my bedroom open and the sun streaming in. Perfect? Maybe so.

I usually try to read a lot during the summer, because I can't afford the time to do pleasure reading during the school year. I'm doing pretty well so far. I finally finished Emma and have since completed two other books. I'm excited. I think I will probably end up going to the library or raiding CLRG's collection of Vonnegut when I've read through the stuff I have on my shelves here in the Burgh. It's a good feeling.

CLRG and I are going to Idaho so soon! 16 days!! Holy crap. I need to figure out what things I am taking. I don't want to take a lot, you know. I also need to plan the things we will do. I think I keep writing about this. Maybe? I don't know. In any case, here are some things we will probably do:

-go to Yellowstone
-go to the MOI
-take Pookie out for a drink
-hang out with the fam
-visit Tautphaus Park Zoo?
-hang out with MOI friends

Nothing spectacular, really. I just want everyone to be happy and have fun. We'll see how it goes.

Steady Feet, Don't Fail Me Now

OMG. The Warhol is going to be an awesome place to intern this summer. My first two days went really well and I saw some sweet, sweet things. I did some reading on the first day (procedural type things) and then helped with some basic tasks and then got to do some numbering. It was sooooo cool. On the second day, I helped one of the archivists open a new box and sort through the things inside. I really loved it. Oh boy.

In other news, today is Saturday. My only day off from everything. CLRG and I had talked about going somewhere- a little road trip. But this morning he was feeling like crap and hadn't slept through the night, so it's the middle of the afternoon and I am at home, waiting to use the shower. I know that it's not his fault that he feels so badly. I know that he needs to take it easy and try to feel better, but I was really looking forward to doing something different and fun and now it's just a regular day. I, at least, finished reading the book I had been reading this week. That was good. I hope he'll be able to do something tonight.

It's Saturday at the Mansion

I start my internship at the Warhol tomorrow. I'm excited, but I'm also sort of nervous. Plus, I don't want to pay $6 to park there and was thinking I could just ride the bus, but the routes from my place to the museum seem really complicated and I'm nervous that I'll do something wrong and end up late or in the wrong place. And how do you work the transfer slips? I don't even know. Maybe I should drive. Maybe? I don't know.

In other news, CLRG's birthday (the big 2-6) was on Saturday. We went to the bar with some of his friends on Friday night and hung out, just the two of us, on Saturday afternoon before going to his friends' house for a dinner party and the hockey game. It was a good time. I think he had a good birthday. I also think that he is feeling weird about turning 26 and feeling sort of old. He's not old, though. What a nerd.

I finally finished reading Emma yesterday. I can't believe it took me so long. Ridiculous!!

I need to put laundry away, tidy my room and read before tonights Pens game. Game 6! :oD

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?

So I Stopped Looking for Royal Cities in the Air

CLRG and I had a discussion about photographs on Thursday night. He doesn't like his picture taken. I am aware of this. I decided to bring it up, though, while we were making shells & cheese, because I want to be able to take pictures of us. I'm a historian and it is in my nature to want to preserve things to see them again in the future. He agreed that we could take pictures as long as they weren't super posed and as long as I didn't care that he would make a dumb face and as long as I wouldn't put them on facebook. I agreed. Last night at the bar, we took like 30 pictures. It was very exciting. In them, we are mostly drunk, his eyes are closed and I am laughing, but they are pictures. I am very pleased.

Gully is here visiting, with Petey, since last night. We went to Pacific Ring for dinner and then went to the Cage to meet up with Elle, BFF4E and The Librarian. CLRG and I stayed longer than my guests from out of town did. Not much, but a little. It was a fun evening. Tonight, I think we're going to dinner with Cupcake and tomorrow, we are going to the Josh Ritter show at Diesel. I'm pretty jazzed. The downside is that CLRG won't be coming to those events and I will miss him. I always miss him.

It is slowly dawning on me how little time I have until the semester wraps up and my things are due. I am... excited. Well, I am excited about the end of the semester and the beginning of summer, but I am not excited about the work to be done. Boo. That always happens.

I should shower and get going with the homeworkings and such. I should. But will I?

Push Me Till I Have to Fly

So, confession: I don't like sleeping alone. I've been having sleepover and naptimes with CLRG so frequently since we started dating that I can't remember what it's like to sleep by myself. In fact, I am at home now and I want to go to bed, but I am kind of dreading it. This is a problem, right? I don't know. I also don't actually care because it makes me happy and he makes me happy and this is the way I like it.

Anywaaaaaaaaaay... I have an interview for a summer internship in the morning at The Warhol. I am pretty excited about it. Manders did her museum internship there in the fall and had a really good experience. I am psyched to have the opportunity to do it in the summer and then be able to do a different museum internship in the fall. I'm hoping to do it at the Soldiers and Sailors Museum because my interest in the Civil War has been peaked lately. We'll see how it goes. I think that my friend C would also do his there and we could hang. It would be suuuuuper fun. Wish me luck. I hope it works out!!

Maybe I should get into bed with a book and hope that I can sleep. Yes? Maybe so.

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)

If You Get Scared, Just Hold My Hand

So Valentine's Day was yesterday. CLRG talked about taking me to a monster truck show for a really long time and I thought that was what might be happening (although I was still suspicious that he might have a trick up his sleeve) until he called and said that I could back out of it if I wanted. I told him I would really rather just hang out with him, so I went over to his house and we took a nap and he made dinner. I gave him a sweatshirt that he had been wanting around Christmas time. I think he liked it, because he was surprised when he saw it and put it on immediately and looked super happy. I also made him a really classy valentine using construction paper, crayons, doilies, glitter and the art skills I acquired in the third grade:

I think it was a successful endeavor. He put it up on a shelf in his living room.

Today is K's birthday. We're going out to dinner at G's. Buddy baked a cake, Elle picked up a gift certificate for her for Dozen, I picked out a funny card. I think it will be the four of us at dinner plus CLRG and possibly a couple of people from school. I think she's excited about it and I am glad.

Elle just reminded me this afternoon of how soon Spring Break will be upon me. CLRG and I talked about doing something, possibly going to Philadelphia, but we haven't talked about it in a while. I should bring it up. I want to get out of here and see something new, even for a weekend. Hmmmmmmm.

Everyone's At It

It must be the weather. It has to be. I am so unfocused and so unmotivated right now. I have a ton of stuff due tomorrow and I am only on thing #1. Awesome. Or not.

I'm going to a Penguins game with CLRG this evening. I am actually pretty excited about it. I am wearing a really old (okay, okay. 1991) Stanley Cup tshirt right now (I am secretly vying to own it, but he's only loaned it to me at this point) and at the game, we will each sport one of his Crosby jerseys. It will be a delightful time.