Complete Self Indulgence

So there are many things I have my eye on for Christmas/my birthday that fall into the fun and unnecessary category.  Whenever I think of those things, however, I quickly begin to think about how it's going to take close to $5000 for me to prepare for and take the bar exam this summer.  You know, cause law school has been cheap so far, so that's completely reasonable.  I know my parents will help as much as they can but that's still a huge chunk of change that causes me to hyperventilate slightly whenever I think about it.

I just found out that the bar prep classes allow gift certificates to be purchased on your behalf, and so I'm thinking the fun stuff can wait.  Getting that amount whittled down, even a little bit, is really what I need and want.

So, for friends and family who plan to ask me what I'd like, the gift certificate link is here.  Also?  I love you.  And when I'm a lawyer, free wills for everybody!

I Can't Wait for December 19th

This is the last full week of classes.  Finals start next week.  Due to money issues, I am going to attempt to take on more hours at work between finals.  I already know this is a mistake.  I'll be a little busy.  Let's be friends again real soon, okay?

You should take this with a grain of salt as chances are good I will be posting occasionally as part of my fool-proof final studying procrastination system.  Kind of like I did around this time last year here.  And here.  Oh, also, here.

27

A few days ago, I was looking over some form or something I had to fill out and I saw my age had been automatically filled in when I entered in my birth date.  26.  Wait, that's wrong, I immediately thought, it should say 27.  It took me a second to realize that 26 is right.  I'm 26.  I've just had 27 on the brain a lot lately.  My birthday is next month.  Those that know me might assume that I am bringing this up as a friendly reminder that my birthday is coming quickly, it is December 23rd, and perhaps you should start thinking about it.  How dare you?  But just for the record, my holiday/birthday gift guide from last year still largely stands and I have been a very good girl this year, with the exception of last weekend, which we are still not discussing.

Typically, it takes me a while to resign myself to the next number coming, but this time, I already feel 27.  I have a good feeling about my 27th year.  A really good feeling.  Everything is finally going to click and my grown-up life is going to start coming together in a way I've been working towards for a long time.  Law school graduation means starting a career and not just having a job.  It means settling into being the person I'm supposed to be.  It means being done with school forever.  No more taking out loans and wondering where my next check is going to come from and having to ask my parents for help.  It means I get to stop wondering what I'm going to do next and how I'm going to do it and just start doing.

Let's hope I'm not jinxing it by talking about it.  I'm just so ready for everything 27 is going to bring.  I can't wait for it to get here.

Beer Run

On Saturday, my good buddies from undergrad came in town for the night so we could have some drinking bonding time.  In anticipation of their arrival, I decided to pick up a couple 6-packs so we could get things started off on the right foot.  I went to the nearest grocery store.  No beer.  This did not phase me because the grocery store nearest me is teeny and they often don't have things a full-size store would have.  I headed to a bigger chain about 4 miles up the road.  On the way, I passed a 7-11 so I stopped there.  No beer.  I thought this strange (and frustrating) but kept towards the grocery store.  Before I got there, I passed a Wine & Spirits store so I stopped.  No beer.  Ironically, all they have are both wines and spirits.  I hope you can see where this is going because there was no beer at the big grocery store either.  That's four stops and still no beer.  I could not help thinking that I now really needed a beer.  I called my friend Ashleigh, a native Pennsylvanian and very politely asked her to explain:

"Where the hell is the beer in your God-forsaken state?"

I learned that you can only buy beer at a beer distributor.  Honestly?  I drove back to the Wine & Spirits store and asked them where the nearest beer distributor was.  About 4 miles back in the direction from which I had just come.  FINE.  I found it.  They only had cases, no 6-packs

Ashleigh?  "You can only get 6-packs at a 6-pack store.  You get cases at the beer distributor."

WTF, Pennsylvania??  I mean, say what you want about the South, but where I come from you can walk into any gas station or grocery store and buy yourself a 6-pack.  Hell, back home, you can pretty much walk into a toy store and get yourself a beer.  That's the American way. 

So let's recap the wisdom of this policy, Pennsylvania.  In your efforts to restrict my beer consumption, I had to buy four times as much beer as I wanted which I then wanted desperately to drink four times as badly.  I really do not know what is more shocking - this ass-backwards system or the fact that I have apparently lived here for over two years without once buying my own beer. 

As for the rest of the night, I will spare you the details on the off-chance that a future employer or someone important to my future ever comes across this blog. 

But in sum, it went down like this:
Phase 1 - FUN!
Phase 2 - I do not remember.
Phase 3 - I'm told it was sloppy.
Phase 4 - Recovery.  Ouch.

You really can't drink like an undergrad when you're not one anymore.  Which is a shame because I still have the better part of a case of beer in my fridge.  Way to save me from myself, Pennsylvania.

One Down, 238 To Go

I have now eaten one of those things.  The Prime Steak Burger at Dujour.  From the list of the 239 Best Dishes to Eat in Philadelphia.  It was delicious.  Deceptively simple.  Angus prime, caramelized onions, melted cheddar cheese on an impossibly soft bun.  Fantastically juicy and flavorful.  Even the fries were perfect and it was accompanied by a nice side salad as a welcome guilt-reducer. 

I had no problems starting with a burger.  However, the veal sweetbreads on the list are going to take a lot more convincing.

I Think I'm Going To Keep Him

Since moving into a one bedroom apartment in June, I have spent a lot of time alone.  Ordinarily, I have no problem with this.  When I was little, there was nothing better than playing with my dollhouses by myself for hours.  When I left home for college, I was not nervous about not getting along with my roommate's personality.  I was anxious about having someone in my space, the never being able to be alone.  Now I look forward to coming home to a quiet apartment that is all mine.  I need time alone to regroup, rebalance and keep my sanity.  Plus, I suck at sharing.

But sometimes I do really hate being alone.  Sometimes having to do all the laundry and not having a cuddle buddy at the end of a crap day and having to make 17 trips to bring in all the groceries and just doing all the mundane life things alone sucks some serious ass.  Which only gets reinforced when Joe shows up to spend the weekend with his overworked, overwhelmed girlfriend and decides to be his usual totally awesome self.  He took Friday off from work so we could have an extra day together.  On Friday morning, we slept in, then made pancakes and bacon and coffee together.  He made the bacon extra crispy since that's the way I like it.  When I had to get up early on Saturday to put in an 8-hour shift at the part-time job, he got up early with me and made me breakfast while I was in the shower.  He drove over to have a quick bite with me during my 30-minute lunch break.  While I was gone all day, he did my laundry and washed all the dishes.  When I got home, he made dinner with me and cleaned up the kitchen after.  On Sunday, he helped me rearrange the furniture in my bedroom, indulging my irrational whim.

And then he left and I have the apartment to myself again.  As much as I like my time to myself and watching Desperate Housewives without hearing any complaints, I miss the company and the help.  Also, the bacon was delicious and he's very close to making the perfect cup of coffee.  The coming home after a long day to a sweet hug and lots of love isn't bad either.  I miss my buddy.

Things Are Looking Up

Even though this time in my life can be maddening, it's not all bad.  Last night I slept for 13 straight, much needed, fantastic hours.  Today I'm sitting in my pjs and robe, sipping delicious coffee and watching Bridget Jones at two in the afternoon.  It will likely be several more hours before I bother with a shower.

Joe requested Friday off from work so he will be here tomorrow to spend a long weekend with me, which is perfect because attention and affection are exactly what I need.  Due to busy schedules and obligations and the three hour drive separating us, we haven't seen each other in a month.  No good. 

I am definitely watching Oprah today before preparing for my four classes tomorrow.  Sometimes you just have to make time for the really important things.

It's A Wonder I'm As Normal As I Am

This is Prince Poppycock.

Via

This is my father on Halloween.

At least he won First Place.

I will likely never sleep again.

I Voted Today

I hope you did too.

I don't even care if you voted correctly.  Well, okay, I care a little bit.  But since I do so enjoy democracy, I will leave it at that. 

Happy Election Day!

Sometimes I Just See What Comes Out

Holy crapapotamos.  It is November.  When did that happen?  Today apparently.  Yesterday's feelings of slowly drowning aside, it is fall and it is my favorite time of year.  I do love looking out over my balcony and seeing all the orange and yellow and red, opening all the windows and letting the cool crisp air flow in, curling up on the couch with a soft blanket and huge cup of steaming coffee with a touch of cream and cinnamon.  There are few things better.

One of the many reasons I think I will always live in the northeast, despite growing up in the south, is simply because of this season.  There is no fall down south.  There is summer and not summer.  That's no way to live.  And even though I have a dear friend who professes the fabulosity of living somewhere that is a perpetual 70 degrees, I would not be happy without a true fall.  Or a true winter, for that matter.  If you've never seen the world gone quiet covered in a blanket of white, well then, you must try it out some time.  It's pretty magical. 

On a completely side note, I'm watching a Kardashians re-run and how fricken-fracken hot is Miles Austin?  Dude could melt snow just by walking outside.  See how I connected the two thoughts there?  I'm very good.  So, I realize it's moot since Miles and Kim are over, but totally hotter than Reggie, am I right?  Not that I'd kick Reg out of bed either.  Just sayin'.  Hi, mom.

Where was I?  Fall.  I love it. 

Additionally, and lastly, in what has become this little potpourri of my random thoughts, you must check out my friend Laura dressed as a Maine tourist for Halloween because it is at once hilarious and adorable.  Good work, Lores.

Oh good heavens, Bruce dancing.  This show is genius. 

(P.S. I think spell-check is broken because it had absolutely nothing to say about crapapotamos.  Or fabulosity.  Unless those are words now?  I certainly hope it hasn't come to that.)