So What if I Sound Like Minnie Mouse?!

It's that time of year again--I have completely and utterly lost my voice. I'm at a high pitched, squeaky whisper that breaks into a raspy villain on occasion. Whatever is blooming right now, I hate you. 

I have racked my brain and can think of only two negatives to living in Kentucky: there is no beach, and the allergens are unbelievably awful.  

Funny observations thus far:

• Inevitably, anyone who tries to talk to me just stares at me and says, "What did you say?" or the best, "Can you speak up?"  Really?  
• Sometimes my voice just comes out as a hoarse whisper. Often, people respond back to me in a whisper as well without even realizing they are doing it.  Cam and I have gotten a kick out of that all day.

Despite my cartoonish voice, I had a great weekend unwinding from the trip and trying to re-adjust to the time zone (note the try: it is 1:30 am and I am up blogging in bed).  I made it out to Picnic with the Pops with a friend from Junior League Saturday night. I had never been to this local event before--it was so much fun. Anyone want to put together a table for next year?

Why I Am Broke...

Here are just some of the reasons: 

1. This one was a necessity...

If only wearing the jacket made moi look so cool. But, I am loving the side pony so I can't say too much...

So, Cam is taking me to ALASKA after the Bar as a surprise graduation gift.  Our trip to South America was my graduation gift--so I was really surprised and  super excited since we have been talking about going for years. Clearly, the trip means we need new raincoats/windbreakers because mine got stolen from school (lesson: never leave your jacket on the back of your chair during a rainy day and then get up to use the bathroom). Cam and I went to the Northface outlet in Cincy and got new jackets this past weekend.

2. I'm a ridiculous animal lover who buys overpriced pet items...

 My cat has food issues.  As a teeny one pound kitten, she was left to fend for herself against 50 adult cats for food.  Because of this, she was constantly in starvation mode when we got her.  Seriously, she puts Garfield to shame.  She began to realize that the food came from us, and she would bite us wake us up in the middle of the night to be fed.  Our vet recommended we buy an automated feeder so she would quit associating us with food.  This worked, until she managed to break the internal part of the feeder so that it would always dispense food.  Our tiny cat has become obese, so it was time to buy a new feeder. This one was marketed as "pet proof", so I'm hoping this feeder outlasts her...

3. I'm in love with Household Items

I stocked up at the Pomegranate Warehouse sale a few weeks ago. Their sale prices were still somewhat pricey, but who can resist these Lexington napkins/placemats?! Clearly I can't...

4.Two words:

Antoni Melani. It has been fabulous for my work wardrobe when I learned of this brand, but it is now disastrous for my wallet.  My mom spoils me and has bought me several pieces (including my graduation suit), but I broke down and finally bought myself this dress during their recent sale. Buying things on sale is just saving money, right? And, I don't have to get the pieces altered, so that's even more money saved.  Sometimes, I'm too logical for my own good. 

5. Filling Up

I drive a prius and even my gas prices are ridiculous.  It really makes me want to live closer to downtown so I'd cut down my daily commute and expenses.

My Body's too Zumbalicious...

I went to my first work out class this past Friday since...gulp...at least 5 years ago.  I wasn't kidding when I said I loathe working out.  I agreed to go to Zumba with some friends and wasn't exactly sure what to expect.  I had done ballet, jazz, and cheered in high school.  Let's not forget my mad Greek Sing dance skills in Theta (haha), so clearly I figured it can't be too much of a stretch.

 

Let me just say, Zumba is not your mother's dance class. Be prepared to channel your inner-coordinated-ghetto-self and to do some booty pops and shimmies to girly dance beats: Justin Bieber...check. Katy Perry...check. Whip My Hair and Shots...check and check.  At first I felt like I was at some sort of sober club with a bunch of white girls trying to break it down.  But, it was really fun and freeing when I just let loose.  Plus, it was a legit work out--I broke a sweat within 15 minutes of being there and my inner thighs were sore Saturday.  I even managed to work out my face by laughing so hard at the lone (asian) boy in the middle of the room of about 75-100 women trying to get down to Pretty Girl Rock.  His moves only consisted of waving his hands above his head--regardless of what everyone else was doing.   Awesome.  I plan on going three times a week now.

Another Zumba plus: I learned some awesome moves for the malpractice mixer that I went to later Friday night.  The mixer was basically a way for  the law, med, dental, and pharmacy students to together for drinks.  My bestie is in med school and one of my close friends is in dental so it was great to meet some of their school friends.  Plus, the evening ended with some late-night Goodfellas pizza--does it get any better than that?

Other than that, the weekend was pretty quiet and productive. I had brunch with some law school girls on Saturday morning and then worked on my Innocence Project case in the afternoon while my wonderful husband cleaned up the yard and washed the cars (I know, he is the best).  We cheered on the Cats and then just relaxed Saturday night. 

On Sunday we cleaned out the closets around the house.  For a chore I usually dread (and thus don't do), it was well worth it.  I found baby/childhood pictures of my dad that I forgot I had, a really nice Bose ipod system that was just hanging out in storage, and my jewelry box full of tons of jewelry that I thought was lost forever.  I was so incredibly excited with all my finds! Last night we had Cam's brother and his girlfriend over for family dinner.

Life Observations

I've got two awesome interviews this week--I'm pretty nervous. But, I've gotten to the point where I've quit stressing and started relying that everything will work out.  

I'm learning not to worry about the small stuff, because that's all it is--small.  Watching everything that my family is going through with my uncle is a constant reminder that I need to remember to keep the most important things in life at the top of my priority list.  

In that vein, please continue to keep my uncle in your prayers--at this point, we need a miracle. 

Adult Popsicles?!

Meet the "Hopsicle."  This takes icy cold beer to a new level and definitely puts Coors' blue mountains to shame.  Apparently these are only available in NYC, but on a hot day like today (and every other day this week), I'm ready for one of these right now.  I see a new summer craze in the midst. 

Also, lets recap the week's dinners. 

Remember that surprise dinner I made Tuesday? Hubs liked it so much, he had a few bites, pushed his plate to the side, and made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I wish I could say I was kidding.  Apparently he doesn't like butternut squash ravioli.  Who knew? 

Last night's dinner went better.  I tried to use up all the fresh food in the house that would go bad quickly, so we had caprese, steamed corn on the cob, and potato salad.  

So I went one and one, with the "winning" dinner being essentially extremely easy cookout food.  Le sigh.  At least tonight we have dinner plans out--much more my speed.

Happy Friday everyone!

Ten on Tuesday: Redneck Things at Country Concerts

Cam and I went to the Brooks and Dunn concert in Cincinnati this week (more pictures of our day in Cincy will come)--it was awesome! 

Of course, I couldn't think of a better top ten Tuesday than the redneck things you see at a country music concert.  Here's a sampling of what we saw and overheard from this rowdy crowd (sorry some are blurry, I tried to take covert pictures. Also in no particular order):

1.  Ridiculous Trucks.

Truck bed made from the front of a semi, and then put on a regular truck (with smoke stacks, of course). 

 Yes, that tarp ducktaped this 1994 beauty is filled with water and ready to be a genuine redneck hot tub.  Don't believe me? Please take note of the water splashing out of the right side of the truck and the fact the interstate is wet only around the back of this truck...

2. Shirtless Men with Sagging Pants

 No shirt, no shoes, no problem in this Bengals lovin' bus.

3. Cut off Demin (generally with Cowboy Boots)

 We even saw a little lady in overalls with large spurs. Awesome.

 
4. Bongs made from Water Bottles. 

I wish I was kidding, but it was reefer madness for the kids (and 70 year old man) next to us.

which lead to Number 5: 

5. Bad Decisions with Biker Cougars. 

I would have taken a picture, but it would have been so obvious I would have clearly started a fight.  One of the 19 or 20 year old high  kids next to us (who were wearing American flag cut offs by the way) decided the 50+ year old woman standing to their left (with a Harley Davidson tank tied up to be a sports bra) was quite the catch, so they started dancing and ended up kissing the night away, about 3 feet from us.  That, my friends, is why friends shouldn't let friends do drugs.

6. Our Next Hairstyles:

his (the mohawk mullet)...

 ...and hers (does this have a name--the skunk? Spilt a bottle of bleach?)

7. Cowboy Hats Made from Beer Boxes:

It really was made of cardboard, and was hand-stitched (literally) to create the shape.  I wish I could make this stuff up...

8. "Ass-less Chaps"

Best story overheard: "the girl had on ass-less chaps, and she led a line of men to the concession stand like the pied piper."


7. Cut-Offs

Okay, okay. I decided to take a picture of one of the more buff guys, because who wants to see the normal cut off wearer--a burly man sweating in his cut-off flannel?

 
9. Faux Statutes

Nothing is classier than when the venue has faux  Romanesque statutes, supported by beams, lining the top.

10. Tattoos Depicting Dead Animals: 

 Let's hope his girlfriend likes deer carcasses as much as he does.

Spam, Spam Go Away...

I am getting so frustrated with the zillion random spam comments I get that pile up every day.  I feel like I am constantly deleting comments--anyone else in this boat?  I don't think I have ever seen spam comments on other people's blogs--what's your secret?  Any good suggestions on how to make it all go away?  

Where the Sidewalk Ends

You know all those little things we take for granted all the time, until they just aren't there anymore? Hmm..add sidewalks to that list.

Our beautiful downtown. From Kentucky.com

The drawing of what our streets will hopefully look like eventually. From Kentucky.com

It's only fitting to include one of my childhood favorites, Shel Silverstein. 

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
 
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

 Happy Friday! Anyone have 4th of July Plans? We plan on checking out Red, White and Boom--I've never been in the six years I've lived in Lexington. 

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder..or Graphic Designer

And I feel like this is something every woman (and especially teenage girl) should see. I often grow tired of trying to look as beautiful as these faces and find myself wishing or thinking i could be prettier. This puts it all back into prospective:
 


Here is additional proof of the powers of photo shop..

Faith Hill

Katie Couric

Madonna

Jessica Alba

Here is just what the wonders of a make up artist and hair stylist can do: 

Mariah Carey

Ashely Tisdale

Cameron Diaz

Angelia Jolie

Lisa Kudrow

Jennifer Lopez

Eva Longria

Blakely Lively

Katherine Heigl

Tyra Banks

Penelope Cruz

Halle Berry

Just reinforcement that not only are these are not only beautiful women after, they are beautiful women before--just like you or I. I think we all need to be reminded of that more often. 

Here are some of my favorite beauty quotations:

Beauty is an experience, nothing else. It is not a fixed pattern or an arrangement   of features. It is something felt, a glow or a communicated sense of fineness.   What ails us is that our sense of beauty is so bruised and blunted, we miss   all the best.

         -D.H. Lawrence

I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep   enough. What do you want—an adorable pancreas?

         -Jean Elliot

I'm Just Saying...

Once you get away with murder once, you don't press your luck a second time, right? Or am I just the crazy person that isn't a risk taker?  Hmm....this sort of filth is the reason I won't do criminal law. 

Can you imagine defending this sort of person and having to look the victims' families in the eye? The concept sends awful chills up my spine.  Civil litigation just sounds so much better (and leaves me capable of sleeping at night). I've spent the morning in court listening to opening statements on an interesting medical malpractice case--that's much more my cup of tea.

Quit Worrying, Start Praying: I Couldn't Make This Stuff Up

The past few weeks, I've been frantically studying, working and getting ready for finals. I get nervous, anxious, and generally awful around finals. 


Today, while taking the dog outside, I noticed some grass growing in our sidewalk. 

Of course, I immediately get frustrated, thinking this grass can grow everywhere else but in our yard. I bend down to yank it up, but notice this:

A stray four-leaf clover growing at the end of the patch of grass. As I went to grab the camera, I realized that God has a plan for us and gives us such beautiful gifts every day, regardless of whether we see it or not.  I honestly felt such extreme comfort from that clover that finals would be fine and the never-ending job search would go okay because God has a plan for me.

Okay, so let's be real, it wasn't this quiet inner peace. Actually, it was more of inner thoughts while I'm yelling at the dog that the clover isn't a treat and she's not allowed to eat it.  

I immediately wanted to press this clover in my Evidence book, because, let's be real, that will be by far my worst final.  But, I decided I wanted to leave myself, and this clover, in God's hands. I opened the Bible towards the back and placed the clover in it.

As I was taking this picture, I glanced at the passage around the clover and was stunned. 

 In case you can't read it, it says: "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God's peace, which exceed anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." I immediately started to well up with tears.


I am Catholic and have always been around religion as I went to Catholic schools growing up, but I am sadly not a very religious person myself. But, I've been trying harder to develop a closer relationship with God. I've been going to a Bible study with a group of girls from law school and have been going to church with Cam. But, I clearly don't trust in the Lord with my life enough, and I think He has His little ways of reminding me of that. 


My new mantra that I will try to live by: quit worrying, start praying.