10.29.2008

Checking in

Hi loves. No time to write anything at length right now, but I thought I'd share this with you:

The photographer said "This is the fun one" - am I the only one that got the memo?!

10.19.2008

Weekend to remember.

Dear Ryan and Jack,

This weekend turned out to be a crazy one, no? Friday afternoon your Aunt Meredith calls me and I’m expecting to hear some news about the baby shower we were throwing for your mom…which, technically, I did get. It was cancelled because, we got YOU instead!! Even though you were nine weeks early, it turned out to be such a good thing for so many reasons. Call it fate, a higher power, luck, science, nature, whatever….whoever or whatever was in control of the events this weekend brought their A-game, is what I’m saying.

Since a few more of your fake aunts and uncles were in town, we got to have a little reunion yesterday, which was oh so fun. It was the usual tomfoolery, which is to say: talking loudly and laughing even louder. You guys will soon experience this for yourselves, though not for a while. We’re gonna be on our best behavior around you two for a little bit.

Today I got to meet you guys! I have to say, you are unbelievably tiny and adorable and precious and perfect. Jack, I introduced myself to you and told you that I was the one that was going to give you and your brother all of the noisy toys, for which your parents will not like me very much. Ryan, I wanted to eat your little feet, that’s how cute they were. Tiny little baby finger and toenails AGH! Your cuteness is enough to drive a person mad, I think. Also, with your Redskins and VT blankets, you were by far the coolest babies in the NICU.

Anyway guys, we’re so glad to have you here. You have no idea how loved you are already. Also, get ready for a lifetime of your mom and dad’s friends doting on you.

LOTS of love,

(fake) Aunt Laura

10.17.2008

10.14.2008

Breaking news from Funkytown

Fine by me, as long as they don't get rid of Molly.

I picked up this information from EW's Popwatch blog. First I would like to know from the ladies, did you have these dolls? I never really liked Samantha, because I thought she was spoiled, aka I was jealous. Of a fictional being. I had Molly and Felicity.

On a non-American girl related note, I (not so) secretly (anymore) want to be best friends with Michael Slezak and Annie Barrett. Is that okay with you? Anyway, EW also has their Must List, for which they are currently taking suggestions.

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I can always tell when I'm getting in a bit of a funk because I will start wanting to consume. EVERYTHING. If I'm sad, my go-to-fix-it is consumption - namely, food and anything sold at Target. I'm at the point that I realize it and when I find myself itching and twitching for knick-knacks and candy, I do my best to dust myself off and pick myself up and other such sunshine-y cliches.

Rosa helped this past Saturday. After her peer pressuring/encouragement we resumed our butt-early-on-a-Saturday walks with Reston Runners. Firstly, can I say how ridiculous I feel everytime I mention that we do walks with Reston Runners? Obviously not ridiculous enough to start doing the running with them, but it always makes me feel a little bit lame even though it's still good for me. Anyhoodle. So we did our 3 mile walk in the bright sunshine that accompanied our 8am walk through North Reston, and it was lovely. The way my legs felt on Sunday was not so lovely, but ultimately it was still great and considerably picked up my spirits.

A few days later and any trace of motivation or confidence or lack-of-a-funk is gone. I can't seem to really throw myself out of whatever state it is I seem to have allowed myself to be in. What is so frustrating is that I KNOW I'm in one, I KNOW what it takes to get out of it, I KNOW how to do it....and yet, that's what I'm left with. What exactly is my problem that I can't get over whatever invisible hurdle is in front of me?

I believe it's this invisible hurdle I try to break down with manicure accessories, cheap sunglasses and gigantic fake leather bags. It doesn't work and here I am with an overflowing closet. Literally. If you could see my room right now it looks like Mt. Vesuvius erupted with Xhiliration.

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What was I talking about? Oh, right. So anyway, I thought I should take a cue from fake best friends at EW and take a minute to ponder my own Must List (but less pop-culture-y than EW's). What I've always needed thus far and maybe what I need to keep moving forward.

1. Water.
2. A clean room. (Just because I know I need it doesn't mean I do it all the time...)
3. You know who you are.
4. Good music.
5. Fresh air.
6. Comedy.

What's on yours?

10.05.2008

Down by 14 in the first quarter...

…and the Skins come back to win it!! It started off rough but our boys just kept after it. Also my boyfriend Shaun Suisham did wonderfully. I heart him, ESPECIALLY knowing that the Cowgirls got rid of him mid season in 2006 and we picked him up after that. Thanks guys! Also, remember when we killed you last week? That was nice. I'm a happy girl right now.

So. Last week. Last Saturday was Arts by George, a fundraising event thrown by CVPA. A bunch of us volunteered and had a pretty good time! Apparently MAM did well on the fundraising side, which is good to hear. Anytime an arts organization successfully raises money…it makes me feel all fuzzy inside. Especially if its an organization I’m involved in? Yes.

Tara and I were supposed to go to Crafty Bastards in Adams Morgan on Sunday, but we bailed due to weather concerns. I think it ended up being really nice, but I got to sleep in for a few more hours so I’m not too upset about it. Tara and I ended up having dinner at Vapiano Monday night, which was delish. Plus they have pretty decent happy hour so maybe we’ll try and make that a semi-regular thing.

Thursday night was…NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!!!! Missy and I met up and had some Five Guys for dinner then watched some kid as the pre-opening act, then Natasha Beddingfield as the opening act. NB was pretty good, I have to say. Great voice. Seems cool. Then came….NKOTB! Before the concert started I was sort of mocking the other girls who were already launching into the eardrum-shattering screams; but once the lights went out and the intro started…I became one of them. The whole thing was done so well. The guys were GREAT. They have definitely gotten better with age. They did all the classics, of course, and rocked their new stuff. Everybody in that arena was on their feet, dancing and singing along. And screaming. I went to bed with my ears ringing and a huge smile on my face.

Friday night I went to a networking event that GAMS set up with the arts management students at AU – held at the Jazz in the Sculpture Garden event. We had perfect weather and I was really happy with the turnout. The only bad part was there could have been more AU/MAM mingling, in my opinion. I understand though, and I’m a part of it too, because the girls that were there from our group hadn’t seen each other in a while so it was kinda nice to be able to catch up with each other. We’ll be establishing a good relationship with AU though, and so for our first event, I would absolutely consider it a success.

In other news, how the HELL is it already October?! Can someone tell me how that happened so quickly? I have been telling everyone that November is when I will start my serious job hunting…I can’t believe that that means NEXT MONTH. Especially since what I really want to find is an organization that promotes the usage of arts for development (cultural, global, social, economic, etc) and I haven’t really found too many of them. Development non-profits are easily found but I haven’t seen too many that use the arts. Except for CuDC. And they aren’t hiring right now. Maybe next month? Anybody have any ideas on this? As far as I can tell right now my options are 1) work for a different type of arts group or 2) work for a development nonprofit and forget about the arts part of it. I don’t want to choose between the two; I guess a third option would be to start something myself, but that’s a lot to consider for someone who has NO IDEA what they're doing. I wouldn't know where or how to start. YEESH.

HELP!