Barnyard Pic of the Week

Happy Friday Ya'll.

From Pintrest

These are the type of goats that Brad Kessler raised in Goat Song. (Yes, I'm still obsessed with that book.)

Productivity

From Pintrest

This is me apologizing in advance if the posts are a little sparse in the upcoming weeks. I've got finals, and blogging can be an annoying time suck (of course it can also be an awesome away to kill a couple hours). I've been trying to be increasingly productive in the last few weeks.

Where has the time gone?

I am in a state of shock. Time is flying. It is moving so quickly that I'm shocked at the end of every week, and now that I have reached the last day of classes I am completely shocked that law school is over.
I just can't believe I've been at law school for three years.
I went to college for four, but only three of them I was actually there. Three years is the same amount of time I spent in undergrad. Three years is most of high school. Three years. It just doesn't seem that long.

2011. I saw something that said 2009, and my first thought was what? I wasn't in college then? I was in law school!? That is shocking. I was honestly shocked that in 2009 I wasn't in college. Because 2009 was a while ago. That means college was even longer ago. See. Shocking.

I keep having these moments, where I realize that time is passing, and has passed. That I have worked my way through this thing and its about to be over. Like eating a whole pizza. You see it and you're like yeah I guess I can eat that, but then you do and you are shocked that you actually managed it, and that there is no more pizza left. This is different in that I'm not also ashamed that I've eaten a whole pizza and with law school ending there is no desire to throw up or take a nap or never eat again- oh wait yes there is. :p





I realize that this post is a little bit of a mind vomit, but I honestly can say that I find the fact that I'm about to be done with law school very surprising. I think I've used the word shock 30 times in this post so far, which must be very annoying for you to read, also there have been no pictures, for which I'm sorry. But really what is the point of having a blog if you can't vomit your introspection every so often? Like maybe at life changing moments in time.

Looking Back: In the last three years I've made some amazing law school friends, have learned so much law, and more importantly how to cram information into my head, how to write, how to network, how to find a job. I've lived three places, had two boyfriends (not at the same time), gotten cats, gotten sick, Knowledge has moved here and then moved away, I've been on vacation, I've had internships, I've practiced law and practiced knitting.
It seems like my college graduation was yesterday. I still regret the outfit I wore, and I still love the people I spent my senior week with. But at the same time college graduation seems so long ago, almost like it happened to a different person.

Looking Forward: As I've already told you I have two weeks until finals are over, then two weeks until bar classes start, then two months until I take the bar then three months until we find out if we passed. So by early November I'll hopefully have a job and will have passed the bar. That is six months away. A lot can happen in those six months, especially if they're anything like the last six, but I'm hoping they pass just as quickly since I am looking forward to joining the real world.

I have a feeling that when 2012 comes I'm going to look back at 2011 and think that was both the longest and the shortest year ever.
Do you ever get surprised at time, how quickly or slowly it passes?

Coffee Joulies

Ever bemoan the fact that your coffee/tea cools to quickly, or perhaps not quickly enough (I'm looking at you Dunkin Donuts)?

I found these awesome little beans that are trying to get their start in life, they're called Coffee Joulies and they keep your drink at a constant 140 degrees. Isn't that nice? They claim that it cools your coffee to a drinkable temperature 3 times faster and stays there two times longer. I'm not 100% sure what this means, but it sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

They look pretty darn awesome, and the company that makes them is trying to get off the ground, so check out their site and if the idea of a warm beverage staying the temperature you want it to sounds awesome help the new company out and pick up some beans.

Also, they're SUPER cute.

Who doesn't want to throw a children's birthday party?

The other day I sent Tallman an article on how to make chocolate bowls in which to make the perfect ice cream sundae (waterballoons dipped in chocolate, let them harden, pop the balloon). I might've accompanied this with the note "Someday you and I will throw excellent children's birthday parties" (He did not appreciate this, given that he is still in shock from seeing his teething nephew last month and is generally hesitant about future-talking.)

This store made me think of children's birthday parties as well, or maybe a birthday party for a grownup, but themed like a childrens party. Best Adult Party Ever! Obviously you can't do a bouncy castle or pony rides but you could do a pinata, pin the tail on the donkey, a simple craft project, and play tag after eating cake.

Stripey Straws!

At this birthday party we'll have stripey straws.
And we'll eat our cake off of these!

Mix and Match Plates

And there will be paper flags, or balloons, or something awesome for decor, the sort of thing your parents did when you were a kid and you wondered why they weren't focusing more on the cake.

ADORABLE!!!!

Seriously guys, doesn't all this fun stuff kinda make you want to throw a kids birthday party?

Felt, Wire, String, Paper...

I really like coasters. I like letterpress coasters even more. I REALLY like the coasters at Felt and Wire.

Awesome Coasters, telling it like it is.

I can't wait to have an apartment where I care about the furniture enough to have dozens of these things lying around for people to use.
If I only could pick out coasters from Felt and Wire, I think I'd get the Buzzkill ones pictured left, the Owl ones (to use when Knowledge visits, of course!), and the random holiday ones.


Check out Felt and Wire for lots of random things for your home, sometimes they're paper, or pillows, or whatnot. And who doesn't love whatnot?

PS. Does anyone else have a bookmark folder just called "Stationary"? Cuz I do. I have separate bookmark folders for Restaurants, Recipes, Stores, Jewelry and Stationary... what can I say, I like tree pulp.

Sarah Mensinga Comics

I'm a huge fan of web comics, yes its dorky, but its a rare rare day that I don't check xkcd, Questionable Content, and GWS. Tallman reads even more and is constantly trying to expand my web comic horizons, but I hold fast in my three (more would be an even bigger time suck).

Sarah Mensinga is different though. She writes graphic novels, picture books, little fables and is apparently also an illustrator and works on animated movies and shows. I'd say she is more of an artist than anything else. But I love love love her stories. They are perfect, you can really tell she has kids and that these stories and the art come from stories she tells them, it kinda makes me want to be one of her kids. (Knowledge, you might want to tell your dad about this, given is interest in writing a children's books, its a more modern twist, I think).

Fish, has become a part of Tallman and I's "vocabulary". (Do other couples do this? Have words or phrases drawn from things they've seen together that they use, and only they use, or have I just defined inside joke?) Check out the Fish comic and her other comics at her website. They are sweet, you'll like them. I promise.

The design of the thing...

Don't you love it when something is practical and beautiful?
I'm loving this whisk for that reason. Normal whisks are difficult to clean and can get caught on things in drawers. But this whisk has a beautiful wooden handle and the green of it would match my kitchen. (all my kitchen stuff is green, its unifying I guess)
Love it.

Its from a company called Gretel and they've got a lot of really cute stuff there. I especially like their gold flat wear, their pillows (especially this one!), and their bear face mirror (toooooo cute, maybe for a kids room or a quirky person's mantle?)

Check out their site and see the pretty design things, so many of them are also super practical!

Sleepy Kitty of the Week

 Parsley has a tendency to curl up on my chest. She does this when I'm sleeping, when I'm on the computer, when I'm reading, when I'm eating, when I'm sitting when I'm lying down. Its fairly amusing because I don't really have a rack for lounging on... but she likes to be near me I guess. I've tried to get a picture of this for your amusement but everything makes me look like I have 20 chins and the lighting is terrible.

Also, Parsley is a beast! she is as wide as I am! sigh. During this photo shoot she also put her paw in my mouth. Sadly I did not capture it on my photo booth camera.

For the record, I'm sitting down and the computer is in my lap, and parsley is in the space in between my computer and my face... in case you couldn't tell.

Happy Monday!

Barnyard Pic of the Week

I bet you'll smile when you see this picture!

Happy Friday!

From Pintrest

WallArt!

How awesome is this? I found it the other day on Design*Sponge. Its a re-imagination of the fox and the grape fable by a Texas mural company called Red Start. Check out their blog for other awesome designs.

I like this one the best because its so vibrant, yet it doesn't overwhelm the space because its repetitiveness makes the intricate pattern less intense. I would love a mural on my dining room walls. It would be gorgeous!

from Pintrest

Though this one might be a little more appropriate if I owned an Italian Villa, or wanted to make my more modern house feel like I owned an Italian Villa.

From Pintrest

And I love this dining room, but I might feel bad inviting men over to my house for dinner if this was my dining room. It looks more like an early 18th century ladies parlor, except for the dining room table and the modern vibe.

No matter what those, murals ARE gorgeous!

What do you all think of this dress?

What about this dress instead of the Kate Spade one I got?

Lily Pulitzer Shift Dress

I think its nice, except it isn't silk and it doesn't have pockets (if I don't have pockets I won't have my cellphone at graduation)... I'll have to see what Mom thinks.

Better than Brideshead!

Picture courtesy of Netflix

Do you like Brideshead Revisited? Do you wish it had a happier ending? Wish the women in it were likeable? Then Coming Home is for you.

I found it the other night on Netflix, and it was fantastic! (Its on instant view so you can watch it right now!)

Its a story of a young woman, Judith, in the 1930's England whose parents are British merchants in Singapore so she is sent to boarding school in England. Judith makes friends with a girl, Loveday, whose parents have a wonderful manor house and Judith gets invited there to stay and eventually becomes a part of the family.

This movie is similar to Brideshead Revisted, Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs, The Kings Speech and Any Human Heart. (Unlike the popular movement in 1930's period pieces though it only makes fun of Mrs. Simpson and doesn't actually have her in the movie, why is Wallace Simpson EVERYWHERE I LOOK these days, Gwyneth Paltrow was her in Glee the other night. I feel like I'm getting off topic...)

The actors are excellent. Peter O'Toole is wonderful as a gregarious, hilarious elderly English Lord. Keira Knightly plays a young version of the main character and she is excellent, awkward youth dealing with losing family, lecherous old men, but also finding friendship and herself.

The woman who played Alec Baldwins brief love interest Bird Bones on 30 Rock is the main character as she grows older and she is perfection. She is selfish but completely kind, girlish but resilient, a character you can relate to, even in her worst moments.
Is it a bit of a chick flick? Maybe. Would I make Tallman watch it, probably not, also its like 3 hours long. But was it perfect for a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. Yes. Will I watch it again and again and again? Definitely.
If you have netflix instant view, I suggest you check it out. Now. If you like early 20th century British dramas, I suggest you check it out. If you generally like the things I've been recommending, I suggest you check it out.

Bar Application Update

pic courtesy of E-How

I'm almost done! What? Yes. Today I sat down and instead of getting bogged down in semantics I assumed some dates (the month and years are right and the date is generally around when I started/stopped a job, but really? I have no way of knowing whether a job started on May 15th or 17th in 2005), and used some creative Google Mapping to determine the locations of places I worked. (Yelp helped me out with a video store that no longer exists, and Google Maps Street view helped me find a legal place I worked that I know has changed locations since I worked there.)

Now all I need is the address of a court I worked for, my sponsoring attorney's signature and her recommendation. AND THEN I CAN SUBMIT IT!
Shocking to think that just a few days ago I was panicking about filing this blasted form out. Luckily some of that panic has been removed by my practicality ("I'm guessing on the date, but its not lying so I won't get in trouble", "being written up for a noise complaint isn't a reprimand from a college, and there is no record of it so its like it never happened, so I won't get in trouble for omitting it"). Some of my panic has been removed by my recommenders being really on top of their games and getting my recommendations back to me quickly (and one was super sweet, saying something like "while I don't know H on a personal level, based on all our interactions I am convinced she is a moral and upstanding individual and unreservedly recommend her to the bar", it doesn't seem like much but I thought it was very nice).
Also, sitting down and deciding to finish it didn't hurt. Now its 99% done with a very little luck I'll be able to hand it in by Monday!

Travel Journals

Recycled Leather Bound Journals

I don't know about you, but I like to keep a journal when I travel. Its nice to have something you can write in before the trip, like addresses and directions and important phone numbers. But even nicer is writing while you're traveling. Frequently my trips are so jam packed with experiences that they can blend together if I'm not careful and my memories of a trip can become confused (did we really drive from Galway to Doolin in a day, or was it two days, or was it three and when did we do that?).
Also, I like going back and reading my journals of a trip. They're not usually the silly sort of journal-ing that I did when I was a teenager ("Dear Diary, today sucks, everyone sucks, and I ate a cake, and it sucked"). Instead its more of a log of what happened and my initial impressions of things, the weather that day and how I was feeling in the moment.


I think that these journals, pictured above from Kate's Paperie would be perfect for it. Thin enough so its not too bulky to carry or store, and the leather covers seem very durable. Also, gorgeous! If you got them all in one color or a variety of colors, or perhaps colors for different seasons (all winter trips blue, summer red, fall orange, spring green). Wouldn't they look lovely on a shelf, logging the memories of the trips you've taken, either to be referenced for future trips, to assist you when you write your memoirs, or just to read one afternoon and relive a wonderful trip you took. Whatever you use these books for I'm sure it would be beautiful, because the books are gorgeous!

Today in History

What is up with April 20th? Its Hitler's birthday, smoke marijuana day, the anniversary of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, the Deepwater Horizon explosion happened this day last year (was that really only last year!?), Columbine shootings, other deeply troubling acts of violence.

Shouldn't people be happy and enjoying the simple joys of springtime? I know that's what I'll be doing, instead of breaking laws, or being violent.

Beautiful Spring Day, as witnessed and captured by me, on Friday.

SMOOOOOOOOTHIE

Remember yesterday when I was talking about searching for a "really powerful..." fill in the blank, well I was trying to remember the name of my parents blender which is basically the most powerful blender since the top gear guys hooked a blender up to a car motor.

Its called a Vita-Mix and I'm pretty sure my mom bought it for healthy reasons, just like they advertise. All I know is (he's called the Stig, no.. wait..) its a really awesome blender. You put stuff in, you blend, you pour, you rinse you drink it. And you can put in a lot of hard stuff and it just chops it all up and makes it delicious. None of this ohhh I have to wait for the strawberries to defrost before putting them in my smoothie. Also, I don't use recipes and it works pretty ok for me.

This morning's smoothie was spinach, orange, apple, frozen strawberries, frozen peaches, a dash of yogurt and some water (just to help it be drinkable and not sludge). Oh MAN was it refreshing and delicious. Yes it was green, because of the spinach, but it was a light springy green (thank you peaches and orange) and even though there was about a cup of spinach in there to two -three cups fruit you couldn't taste the vegetable-ness of the spinach.

I really recommend this way of getting vegetables if you don't love eating them usually, because its delicious and they're hidden. Also, its a way better breakfast than a cup of coffee and a donut/muffin/cake.

I lurv google

I love google for many reasons, this blog, gmail, free stickers, maps, reader, etc, etc, etc.

But one of my favorite things about google is its search suggestions. You start typing something in the search line and it pops up suggestions. I don't know if it is based on what other people are asking, common searches, or my search preferences, but they're usually HILARIOUS.

Currently I'm searching for the type of blender my parents have (yes I could just ask, or remember, or go look, but shutup) and so I typed in "really powerful" the suggestions for what I might want were: quotes, songs, lasers, airsoft guns, love quotes, magnets, bible verses, music, laptops.
Clearly there is a pattern of looking for using the word powerful to mean moving (quotes, songs, love quotes, bible verses), or possibly teenage boys trying to be destructive (lasers, airsoft guns, magnets).

Simple question words are the best. I just typed in "why " (the space after the word can be important) and got: is the sky blue, do men cheat, is the ocean salty, is a raven like a writing desk, do cats purr, is my poop green, men cheat, am I so tired, do we dream, lyrics.

Maybe I'm the only one who finds this abundantly hilarious. But really? Men cheating is on their twice? And why is a raven like a writing desk Alice? Also, I know why I'm tired, it was the seder last night and the staying up until 1am talking about I don't even know what with my parents and Tallman.

Book Review of Ireland Unhinged

I just got done reading Ireland Unhinged by David Monagan. I had heard about it while listening to the local public radio station around St. Patricks day. It intrigued me because I visited Ireland last summer, a year ago I helped a professor write an article on Irish tax and the rise and fall of the Celtic Tiger, and I like the idea of making a radical change to your life (like moving to Ireland, or raising goats) to prevent middle aged american ennui (which I think is a unique problem americans have).

The synopsis of this book is that a guy from Connecticut moves his family (three kids and a wife) to Cork Ireland because he and his wife think it would make them happy. Obviously he has a job, as a writer, that can move easily, and his wife ends up coordinating events for an opera house, so event coordinator is something that can be done anywhere I guess, and the kids were all of an age when they moved (between 10 and 13) to see it as a wonderful adventure and not as a terrible punishment. But the book is not just about his move to Ireland. It is also about Ireland, the rise and fall of the Celtic Tiger of the early 2000's, the development boom and crash and how it was being played out among the Irish people. I found this aspect of the book very interesting because of my work on the legal article.
But then the book is also about the authors quest to discover Ireland, he travels all over and talks to all sorts, witches in Donegal, priests in Belfast, and bankers in Dublin in 2010. (If you know anything about Ireland in the 2000's, or the 20th century, or how the global recession has effected them, you know why these encounters really do tell a story of Ireland). In his quest to discover Ireland he visits the past, via its literature and historic monuments, and its present with tourism and American stereotypes.

Overall the book is a little scattered, and the writing isn't tight. But if you have an interest in Ireland I would recommend it, because it tells a very important story of boom and bust and the book reads like a conversation (or series of conversations) with a regular at a pub; they're all over the place but they're very interesting.

Hilarious Passover Videos

I saw these last week and think they're hilarious.
Enjoy!

This is an awesome Passover story(abbreviated) set to Rihana, Cee-lo, and awesomeness!

And The Best Seder in the USA, which was on youtube, but they took it down for copyright reasons, or fraud or something, dunno why. But now you can watch it on bing.

Why is this dress such an issue?

On Friday I went into Kate Spade and I tried on the dress. Just for size, to see if the 6 fit so that if I wanted to order it online I would be able to.

The Dress

Well I liked it so much I put it on hold. Dad said go ahead after I sent him an iphone picture from the dressing room, but I didn't want to carry it around that evening so I waited.
That night I showed the iphone dressing room picture to TallMan and his response was "eh".
Soooooo not the reaction I was looking for. But I bought the dress the next day and took it home to my parents house to show them how it looks.
Mom: looks like a tablecloth and the neckline is weird.
Dad: it looks matronly.

WHAT?
A) where is my mother buying her tablecloths!? I love the print.
B)MATRONLY? Isn't this the man that gives me a hard time if my skirts are too short, and my necklines are too low, and has for the past 10+ years?
C) WHY DOES NO ONE LIKE THIS DRESS AS MUCH AS I DO?

To be fair I did email the picture to Knowledge and she likes it, but she might just like it because I'm smiling in my dressing room picture. Also, I showed an ex the picture and told him about the tablecloth comment and his response was "its a dress, it looks like a dress and your mother is crazy". Better but still luke warm.

I like the dress because of the fit (it zips up right into the small of my waist perfectly), the color (blue is nice but I like the pattern with the white and the blue), I think its a perfect graduation dress because it is conservative but really pretty, perfect for pictures and morning events, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that it is silk.

I've made a bargain with Mom that if she can find something better I'll return it. I haven't been impressed with the things she had me try on at Saks. (I thought they were too matronly, parents liked them). But we'll see, I'll keep you updated, and cross your fingers that someone else will like the dress as much as I do.

Sleepy Kitty of the Week

Happy Patriots Day/Fast of the First Born!

I don't have school today, but its important to start the week off right, so here is your sleepy kitty picture of the week. Happy Monday ya'll!

Barnyard pic of the week!

I got this picture from Groovy Green who are apparently fighting for goat rights... or the right to own goats. I feel that everyone should be allowed to own a goat, especially if its as cute as this goat right here, who is a mini goat.
Perfect for your mini milk and mini gardening needs.

image from Groovy Green

Taxes and Matzos

Have you filed your taxes? They've got to be postmarked by Monday!

http://www.michaelshowalter.net/2010/07/11/taxes/

Have you picked up your matzos? Passover starts Monday at sundown!

http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipes.recipeListing/filter/dianas/recipeID/233/Recipe.cfm

Bar Application --eeek!

How have I not told you about the bar application!? Oh my goodness! So I first started thinking about it at our annual St. Patricks Day dinner, or rather the breakfast afterward when my good friend Slim (this is a name that makes sense because of her initials and she has a slim figure, also I'm sure that if I asked she would be my sidekick while I ran bootlegging schemes into or out of Canada) was talking about her recent application to the bar in Minnesota. This caused my parents to hound ("why haven't we heard anything about bar applications" "because I don't tell you everything" also I hadn't started thinking about it, oops) and me to trot over the my state bar's website to check it out.

Now states vary on their application process. New York you don't have to do a petition to the court with lots of information until after you've passed. Here in my corner of the world you compile all the information before you take the bar, pay them $815 and hope and pray you are allowed to take the bar.

Why the hoping and praying? Because even after three years of law school, a check, and passing the multi-state professional responsibility exam the state board of bar examiners can decide they don't want you practicing law in their state. This is usually because you lie on the exam. Getting arrested won't prevent you from taking the bar, but lying or not disclosing it will.

Now I've never been arrested, but disclosure is proving to be stressful for me in another arena. Jobs. They want to know about every job I've had since I was 18, and that includes gigs I wasn't paid for, like internships. Luckily I am young, and its only been 6 years since I was 18, so how many jobs could I have had in that time.

Eleven.

And I need to remember the start and end dates (if I fill out online the EXACT start and end dates, not just vague months), the addresses, the employers name, what my job description was, and why I left.

For some of these that is easy, like the research position I had for a professor at law school, or the peer mentor in college. For some this will be nearly impossible. Like the part time job I had for maybe two months while I studied abroad, did I ever even know my manager's name (I want to say it was Chris.... or something like Chris.... like... Greg....maybe)? Furthermore it was a video store, so it filed chapter 17 bankruptcy a few years ago and now no longer exists. So address? I'm planning on putting the address of where it was when I worked there, but that's going to require some google map trickery.

Its that sort of vagueness that is scary for me. I want to answer the questions accurately, but what if there is no way of knowing the answer? Hmmmm? What then?
....
....
....
See this lack of response? Its because there is no one to ask my questions of. I can ask other applicants. But they know about as much as I do (but were very helpful about my MPRE report, just as I was helpful to some about law school certificates). I've already asked the dean of students at my law school some questions, but they didn't have definitive answers, just general pointers. The Q&A section of the board of bar examiners website is slightly less than helpful. The next step is emailing the state bar association and asking them. While I'm sure they'd be very helpful, I feel like that might be an excessive step and that I'm overreacting to the importance of the name of a video store manager 5 years ago in DC.
Of course, not being allowed to take the bar is even more drastic.

Moral of the story is that filing out my bar application is proving to be very stressful.
It would be less stressful if everywhere I worked since I was an educational institution, or there was someone I could ask all my questions of.

A Kate Spade Frenzy!

Oh dear, that dress... Oh dear that bicycle email... Oh dear the two plus hours I spent on Kate Spade this morning...

On my wish list:

The Dress, of course,

A Wallet,

A gorgeous bag (of course TallMan's sister has this bag in blue... so I don't think I can get it),

And an adorable little bracelet.

Jane Eyre: Spoiler Alert.

Did I tell you all that a few weeks ago Al and I went to go see Jane Eyre?
Well we did.

Jane Eyre is my favorite book. I could read it over and over and over again. And I have. I love the love story. No one has ever loved Jane Eyre, no one has ever been nice to her, then she gets a job and her employer is a bit of a weirdo but she loves him. And look at that he loves her. Then whabam! shit goes down, crazy lady in the attic, Jane runs away to a super nice family and she gets a fresh start with people loving her for being her. But she always loves Mr. Rochester, and can't bear to marry someone else, even for her own convenience (because it is inconvenient to be a woman sometimes). So she goes back to him, she has to. And she finds him a broken man, who she brings back to health and they marry and fall in love and live happily ever after.

Really is there a better story? The answer is no. (Also I'm sorry if I just spoiled the plot of Jane Eyre for you, if you're over 15. If you're not then its what you deserve for not having read the best book ever. Go read it before I judge you.)

Anywhoo, I consider myself to be a pretty good judge of when they turn a book into a movie were they true to the book and is the movie decent on its own. For this version of Jane Eyre the answer is emphatically yes. It was EXCELLENT. You felt Jane's pain, then her hopes, and then her deep melancholy and resignation. I don't know how to explain how amazing of a job they did. With the book you cry with her, because she has a crap life for a while and you cry with her when it gets better, and the same is true for the movie. You wince when she winces, you are happy for her when she is happy, forgetting almost what you know is about to come and shatter it!
I'm not even being coherent - this movie was such a good adaptation of the book.
Go watch it, go read it... really just go :p

I NEED a new outfit for graduation... right?

Who doesn't love online shopping? But if you're poor, unemployed, and without closet space to expand, there is no reason to buy clothing. Could I use some more t-shirts for summer? Yeah, probably. Would I like a couple of skirts to wear this summer, yes definitely! I haven't bought a new skirt since I graduated college, three years ago. Oops.
What I need is an excuse to have my mom take me shopping, you might not know my mom, but believe me, I need an excuse, a good one.
Oh wait. Aren't I graduating from law school this spring? Isn't that in like a month? Don't I need an outfit for that day? No? Oh... well, can I have one anyway? Lets browse our options:

Lord and Taylor Skirt

Jcrew? nooo they're all pencil skirts, I don't know who they think I am but I got an ass and hips, also a pencil skirt in humidity might be my version of hell.
Ann Taylor? nooo, they're either too short (huh?) or pencil skirts, or seriously pleated. Please see hips and ass for why I won't be wearing any of those.
Lord and Taylor? Almost with one, pictured below, but not quite, and for $300, not quite won't cut it.

Anthropologie

Anthropologie? There was one, but while I liked the pattern it was just too short at only 19", if it sat on my hips that would've been fine, but it was meant for the waist. (Again, see below)
Macy's? I won't even tell you about the hideous creations I found there, maybe if I was a 300lb woman from 1995 I would have had some success but unfortunately for them, I'm not.
Club Monaco? Well I like their Pamera skirt, but I can't get a picture of it on here, and I'm not sure it would look good in person, or if I really even like it or if its just the complete lack of other nice options that is making me even consider it.
Nordstroms? Some better options, but it might just be a better website, because even the skirt pictured below from Lord and Taylor looks better on the model for Nordstroms. Ultimately no final takers.
Saks? Damn it and my excellent taste! The only skirts I like are Oscar de la Renta (over $1000) and a similarly priced Michael Kors.  Oh you taunt me so!
Bloomingdales? Well, they pointed me in the direction of my one true love Kate Spade and the French Connection...
French Connection? Cute but no cigar...
Kate Spade? OH MY DEAR LORD I FOUND THE PERFECT SKIRT DRESS!

Maire Dress

So perfect, now I just need to convince a) Mom to buy it for me or b) myself that it isn't the most amazing dress ever. I mean you only graduate from law school once, but I do have other things I can wear.

Butter Butter Butter Butter Yum

I like butter.
Is that weird?
No? Well how about this: as a kid I used to sneak butter from the refrigerator and eat it. Plain or raw, just the stick.
No. Not weird enough? Well how about this: I want to make butter.
How you ask? By taking some cream and moving it around for a while until it separates.
Is that really how to make butter, you might be asking. Yes, yes it is. Or at least thats what I keep reading.

homemade butter on toast

Design Sponge says so.

All it takes is a blender? Why didn't I know this!?

So does some awesome person called the Food Renegade *adding her blog to my Google Reader IMMEDIATELY*
And I read about how to do it and get an upper body work out in "From Scratch" a book by this lady.

Want to know the best part? When it separates you get butter and buttermilk. So not only do you have fresh delicious butter, you have the most annoying to get ingredient in homemade biscuits.
New plan: make butter in parents wonder blender, once separated make biscuits, then put fresh butter on biscuits, then die from delight.
The only question is, can I get it together to do this BEFORE passover? ohhhh I'm so excited about butter!

Chocolate Confections

Do you ever have a craving for chocolate that just will not be satisfied?
And especially will not be satisfied by some wimpy candy bar from the corner store?

I do.
Wondering what to get me to tell me how much you adore me? Buy me chocolate.
 

Salted Caramels from Burdicks, YUM!

I had a salted caramel from Burdicks last weekend and I was in a little bit of heaven. The best part, I think, about gourmet chocolate is that you don't need a lot to satisfy. They are frequently so rich and flavorful that you don't need to eat a milky-way's worth to satisfy that chocolate craving.

And in the category of gourmet chocolates my favorite is gourmet chocolate caramels (writing this blog post is torture, because if I didn't want these before, I certainly want them now!)

A recent-to-me discovery was Vosges, sometimes they sell them at Whole Foods, sometimes in specialty chocolate stores, but they also sell them online on their magical wonderful delayed gratification website.

Caramel Marshmellow

My favorite treat at Vosges is the Caramel Marshmallows. Which combines everything good in the world: chocolate, caramel, toffee, and marshmallows. Unfortunately they are kinda expensive for how many I want to eat. :(
But they are sooooooo good, I think it is worth the price.

I want to try the Spice and Salt Exotic Caramel Creations from Vosges too, because I assume I'll love them. I just have to save up the money to buy them for myself/think up a suitable occasion to purchase them for.

Chocolate Caramel Toffee's with Salt? I die.

I even more recently (yesterday) discovered the chocolatier Dylan's Candy Bar, who both makes their own confections and sells candy in bulk or singly made by others. It didn't take me long (I typed "caramel" into their search function which adorably asks "what are you craving?") to find these babies. Chocolate covered caramel toffees with salt on top. Oh my god. These would be the end of my teeth, but I'd be so happy it might be worth the dentist trip. Of course they also have salted caramels, and at a decent price too.

Hmmm, I foresee a boatload of caramels in my future, and a trip to the dentist!

Springtime = Lilacs

I love lilacs, I love the big bushes bowing with heavy purple flowers, I love the fragrance, I love the white ones too even though everyone knows they aren't as good.

Lilacs mean spring to me, and while they haven't started blooming here I'm ready for them. There used to be a HUGE row of lilacs at my bus stop in jr. high and high school and before the bus came my friends and I would just smell them. yum. (Though the people who moved in since high school trimmed back the massive hedge, they're still there.)


I am especially excited for them after smelling the new (to me at least) scent from Pacifica Perfumes. French Lilac smells like sticking my face in a hedge of lilac, and it is amazing.

I recommend sniffing the candle/perfume/lotion next time you see them. I am allergic to perfume, and the scent might be too much for a body wash, but if I burned the candle for just two minutes I'm sure I'd be transported into the lilac hedge of my youth and it would be delightful. 

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes

Have you seen this yet? Have you seen the modern remake of Sherlock Holmes by the BBC and the marvel that is Benedict Cumberbatch? No? Go. Now. Put it in your Netflix queque, rent it from your local library, download it from iTunes. See it.

I'm not sure I can describe how good it is. It is perfect though. Murder, mystery, snappy, witty dialogue, funny, scary, awesome. And you really get the feel that Sherlock Holmes isn't just a high functioning autistic but really and truly a sociopath.

Just go watch it.

http://theburrowstudio.blogspot.com/2010/11/studio-log-starweek-nine-or-eleven.html

Has Spring Finally Arrived?

This weekend was warm enough to help my dad do yard work, sit outside after dinner, and not wear a coat. This week is supposed to be in the 60's with rain and you know what that meaaans!

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS!!!!!!!!!!

I like flowers. A lot. A lot a lot a lot.
I've been giggling at the crocus's for a few weeks now and seeing the daffodils and jonquils come out this weekend has made me want to frolic. We had a long, snowy winter and I'm super excited for flowers this spring.

I want to see hyacinths in little circles around trees.

here

I want to see rose bushes in May.

http://www.cedarcreekgardencenter.com/

I want to see flowering trees, and forsythia, and tulips and green grass!

http://museinwoodenshoes.wordpress.com/

And I can feel that all these gorgeous flowers are just around the corner!

Sleepy Kitty of the Week

I don't see my cats as much as I'd like now that I'm spending 12 hours a day at school, bleck, and not spending every night with them. But luckily cats sleep a lot, so I still get to see them sleeping adorably, AND get to pass the cute on to you. (Aren't you lucky?)

 This is my parents dining room. Mom put the tablecloth on the table so the cats claws wouldn't scratch the table. Buuuut the cats kept knocking it off as they raced around the house. So Mom put cushions from my couch on top of the tablecloth so that the cats couldn't knock off the tablecloth. Of course the cats took this as an invitation to nap there.

Barnyard pic of the week!

This is a special birthday edition because its Knowledge's birthday.  (check out the link where I got the picture, Martha Stewart has a collection of birthday pets!)

Happy Birthday! Also, the goat says "baaaaa", which is goat for happy birthday.

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/party-animal-winners#slide_3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KNOWLEDGE!

Happy Birthday dear Knowledge, coolest awesomest person in the whole wide world!

I'm sorry I'm not there to celebrate with you but I hope this random blog shout out makes up for it! :p

Tomorrow is Knowledge Day!

So if you know the girl I call Knowledge, call her, email her facebook her and wish her a happy birthday tomorrow! (April 8th! She turns 25). This has been your official reminder.

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=78175&CatID=78175&Grptyp=PRD&ItemId=1b38b43&cm_mmc=ShoppingFeed-_-Google-_-Jewelry+Watches-_-Bridge%20Jewelry%20Gold%20Owl%20Necklace

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/owl-jewelry-box-with-amber-and-blue-stones

http://rg.ancients.info/owls/jewelry.html

 And for good measure... 

http://www.tribaltattoo.ws/play/Owl_Tattoos