TWENTY YEARS!

Twenty years ago I wore the cap and gown and graduated from high school. TWENTY. YEARS. AGO. The reunion is coming up this summer and I get to help with the planning. Any fun/unique ideas? I haven't gone to any of the other reunions so I don't really know what goes on at these things. If you've been to a particularly great reunion {and it doesn't have to be the 20th} let me know what made it so fun so I can copy every detail!

DEAR KYM

Cariboo makes the prettiest little bassinets. One of these would look perfect tucked in a corner of your bedroom for those necessary midnight feedings.

THE DAY I CAST OFF MY WATCH

Subtitle: And the day I put it back on

Santa Fe, NM, circa 1994.
It was spring break time of year {just like now} and I was in need of a getaway. My friend Karina called from NYC and said she was fed up and needed to blow the city for a while. So we decided to take Greyhound and meet up in Santa Fe for some kind of twenty-something angst trip.
My bus ride was about 36 hours from Utah. I think Karina's was in the ballpark of 60. That's some time on a bus, packed like Pringles with a lot of strangers and strange smells. Our plan to meet at the bus station worked perfectly and before long we were paying $13 each/night for a little dive hotel off the main drag. It was a perfect place. Phone booth out front. Little Spanish boy playing basketball in the courtyard at the crack of dawn. Hanging out with Karina, who at the time was a big Hemingway fan, too.
I guess the most defining moment of this trip, aside from seeing the GeorgiaO'Keeffe museum, was my liberation from the wrist watch. I remember making some poignant {or so it seemed at the time; you remember being in your twenties} statement about how I was finally tired of being a hostage to time and time limits and time frames. Then I took off my wrist watch and tossed it in the garbage. No looking back. No regrets.
Now, fourteen years later, I've decided it might be a good idea to wear a watch again. Does that mean I'm no longer a free spirit? Does it mean I'm completely corporate minded and a stuffed shirt? I hope not. I think what it means is that I still like to be spontaneous and free-spirited, I just need to know how much time I've got before I have to be back at the office.
Here's what I'm rockin' on my wrist now {mine is the black one}. It's the Rocker watch from Nixon.

BON VOYAGE TO MARTA AND ALI!

Both Ali and Marta are about to embark on new journeys, live in different places, invent new lives. I'm excited for both of them! A few months ago when Nate and I thought we were moving to Houston I went through similar soul-searching moments. I was excited at the thought of something new and scared and reluctant to leave what I know and love. Through it all, the man of reason, Nate, reminded me that we would always have each other and any difficult or uncomfortable detail of a new life would contain the familiarities of holding his hand and figuring it out together.
Dear Ali and Marta, may you love DC and Idaho respectively and adapt quickly. May you find new friends, employment and a cozy place to call home. AND, may you also find your favorite cafe, bookstore, and place to go and think.


















Photo from Crosti's photostream on flickr.

AUSTENLAND: READ IT ON A RAINY DAY

I've had a crush on Shannon for almost ten years but after finishing her most recent book Austenland it's grown into love. Not, "I love these new suede flats love", but, "I think she's so talented and brilliant and genuinely gorgeous love". I'm so glad fate brought us together because she has made my life a better thing to behold.

A CLOSET FULL OF BAD DAYS

Amie is one of those girls you can talk to about anything. And what usually results from a conversation with her is a hair-brained idea or a theory about human behaviors. She is such a creative, intuitive and curious person; according to Amie, everything that happens is significant in some way.
We were having one of these conversations this afternoon about how we both react to bad days and boredom in a similar fashion. If we get a speeding ticket, or if our presentation bombs, or if our favorite jeans are suddenly too tight, we figure we deserve to go shopping and get something new. We are entitled to a new handbag, pair of shoes, sweater, lip gloss, etc. because our office bully, in true form, bullied us. What results is a slew of impulse buys and OCD items {mine used to be feminine tops with flowers, ruffles or special detailing. Now it's anything to treat my adult acne}.
Does anyone else have this problem? Why do we feel like a new purse on our shoulder or new lip gloss will brighten things up? We both have a closet full of bad days to reconcile.

TIM AND BRANDI GO PUBLIC!

If you know Tim and Brandi or want to know Tim and Brandi, you should visit their super funny blog which chronicles the life and times of what could be the most hectic year of anyone's life {marriage, moving, pregnancy, building a home} and all of this has just been accomplished since September! And all with good humor.
Over achievers? Yes! Super fun, music snobs? Yes! Really tall and pretty to look at? Yes! Good writers who dare to tell the truth? Absolutely!
Welcome to the blog world Tim and Brandi! And thanks for remembering me in the naming of your blog!

THE WORLD IS A LITTLE LESS LOVELY TODAY

If any of you know Kari Mason you'll understand why the world is a little less interesting and lovely with her passing. I'm going to take the rest of the day off from the blog but I'll be back tomorrow.

SHOUT OUT TO BRENDA!

Brenda and I go back to the 7th grade. She was the girl who always had the really cute Esprit clothes and colored her maps so perfectly in geography. I admired her then and I admire her now. Happy Birthday Brenda; long time no see!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE!

I've known Natalie for something like 13 or 14 years. She's such a great friend and I'm grateful I wandered into the institute in Missoula all those years ago! Happy Birthday Nat!

HOORAY FOR ALI!

It was Ali's birthday just recently. Though I've never met her in person I feel like she's a good friend! Things I like about Ali:
1. She's beautiful
2. She's talented {writing, photography to name a few}
3. She's humble about being beautiful and talented {hard to show humility}
4. She's nostalgic and sentimental
5. She's creative
6. She's very supportive
7. She loves balloons
8. She loves her husband {read Ali Loves Curtis}
9. She likes roadtrips
10. I know all this without even meeting her in person

{photo from Ali's Flickr Photostream}

A PLACE FOR LUCIFER

Amie and her husband went to Mexico about a month ago {read longest week of my life} and stumbled onto a really cool artist who paints retro mexican wrestling masks {I call them Nacho Libre for obvious reasons but they are really called Lucha Libre}. If you're into that, you can buy your own actual Mexican Lucha Libre mask here.
The painting, as I'm told, was hanging outside a bar where the artist was working. Amie's husband saw it, declared that he HAD to have it...and the rest is history. A few days after they got home this fabulous 4'x4' original artwork arrived via DHL.
The best part is that the painting had the word "Luzbel" painted down the side. Neither Amie or her husband knew what it meant {and quite frankly didn't care because they liked the art so much}. We happen to have a few Spanish speakers at the office and when she asked what the word meant, she was told it meant "Lucifer". Now Amie and her husband have made a place for Lucifer - and doesn't he look marvelous? She has such a great home!

GETTIN' OUR BIGFOOT ON!

If you asked Nate and I where we'll be on May 26-27, SASQUATCH Music Festival is what we'd tell ya! Since Coachella decided to go commericial and sell-out {literally, they sold out early this year}, we're boarding the Rose Family RV and driving it to George, Washington to sit at the Gorge Amphitheater and listen to the likes of the Beastie Boys, Arcade Fire, The Polyphonic Spree, Interpol, Neko Case, Bjork {to name a few}. Oh, yeah, The Dandy Warhols will be there, too. Yipee!
I'm definitely looking forward to hanging with this fun group and seeing a part of the country I've never seen. I wish it was May 25 today!

Not This:


















But This:

YAHOO FOR BRANDI RICKS (late but meaningful)

Brandi and I have taken the RV trip to Southern California to enjoy Coachella - twice! In order to enjoy someone's company for a solid 12-15 hours in an RV requires they be happy, easy going and fun. All of which describes Brandi perfectly. Top that with her dry sarcasm and unexplainable love of Alien Fresh Jerky and you've got one of the greatest friends you could find.








Happy Birthday to you Brandi. I know I'm late and when it was discovered I felt terrible. And then I tried to find something sarcastic to say. But I'm not as good at that as you are so you'll have to settle for a sincere pronouncement of YAHOO! I miss you and I hope you are enjoying the gestation period of your pregnancy! Your little girl will be immediately cool; i just know it!

HIP HIP HOORAY FOR ANGIE KIRK

Angie is one of the coolest girls I know. The thing you'll walk away with after meeting her is her giggle. You'll want to hear it all the time because it's as addicting as sugar! Happy Birthday beautiful Angie! I hope you aren't at work today.

HOORAY FOR KARI MASON

Subtitled: I'm a terrible friend!

Kari celebrated her birthday yesterday and I failed to acknowledge it in true blogging fashion. Please, Kari, know that it wasn't as a result of me loving you any less but more a result of trying to dig myself out of the quagmire of doing "crap work" {according to my boss}.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of my favorite people on the planet. I developed a girl-crush on Kari within days of meeting her and it's never waned. It's true love, you see.

















Things I love about Kari {the short list}:

• No one can hold a candle to Kari's shopping talents
• She can wear stuff from kids Gap {not sure if this is something I love or something I covet}
• She has a darling little girl named Ellie who looks like a pixie and is the poster miracle baby
• She is truly in love with her husband; you can tell how much just by looking at her face when she sees him
• Kari has the warmest most genuine personality and is kind to everyone
• I like myself more when I'm around her
• Her strength and determination are one of her greatest allures
• She is BEAUTIFUL
• Kari is honest. She will tell you that your hair is funky or the jeans you bought don't look super hot on you. This will always make her someone who's opinion I trust {she liked Nate immediately...see, she's spot on}
• She drove 4-hours round trip to be at my wedding
• She glows
  

YAHOO FOR CAROLYN FORD!

It's Carolyn (heiress to the Ford Motor Billions!) Ford's birthday today. Take a minute and tell her how fun she is and maybe, just maybe, she'll give you some money. Cheers Carolyn!

REASON #7

This will be the last reason in my series of how/why Kristin is luckier than me. I bet none of you thought I'd go there; I'm going there.

{drum roll}

Only one of us got "lie'd" in Hawaii and that lucky girl was NOT me!

GET YOUR AMIE FIX

Amie and her husband are leaving for Mexico tomorrow. While I'm very excited for them to relax and soak up the sun, I'm NOT excited about what it means for me. The office will seem a little quieter and it won't be nearly as much fun for an entire week. My modus operondi today is to capture the quintiscential Amie with my camera so I won't miss her as much while she's gone! How cute is she?



Here's just an ever-so-gentle reminder as to why Amie is going on vacation. She's bo(red). I do believe this is her audition photo for "Girls Gone Wild" Cancun.

CONGRATULATIONS KINDEE AND RUSS!

My friend Kindee gets married tomorrow. I met Kindee on my trip to Africa; she actually runs the show and guides the humanitarian trips, you see. But besides being really adventurous, organized and motivated - she's so cute and fun. Nate and I will stop by their reception tonight to celebrate and wish them well.