Summer-o-fun

Two weeks from today Kristin will be here in Atlanta--yay! And Sarina will be here just a couple of days after that! I'm so lucky to have friends who can come visit me...if only they lived here full time. I also realized today that in just over a month I'll be in Washinton D.C. for two whole weeks for work purposes, but also there over the weekends, and I'll get to have a reunion with some of the very best people in the whole world. I miss my friends from Wake so desperately sometimes...it will be better than wonderful to finally see some of them again.

There really is so, so much to look forward to. Seeing friends, traveling the country, visiting home. All so great. Plus, hanging out with my friends here in the (short) meantimes that I'll actually be in town. My goal for the summer is to actually go to a Braves game. I feel like I'm not really a true Atlantan until I do (and we all know that I'll be more interested in the hotdogs and beverages than actual baseball, of course:). I'm also planning on taking as much advantage of my pools (and gym...ick) as I can this summer. Might as well enjoy, on the few occasions when I actually have nothing to do in the evenings.

Other things I'm excited about:
-out to lunch today at a new Asian place, Silk, in Midtown
-my ugly grandma chair is being recovered this week in NC! I can't wait to see the finished product...my living room looks so naked without it.
-more cooking tonight on my GF grill
-pool time
-fireworks in WF on Friday night with mom and maybe Erin!
-finally seeing my beloved Matthew and Emily this weekend at home..its been far too long
-reading new books
-overhauling my closet space in my apt...its amazing how out-of-control my pantry, linen closets, etc have gotten in the past 7ish months

As of late.

I had a lovely visit from my mom and Granny this weekend. We did very girly things, such as outlet mall shopping, visiting the High museum of art for the new Monet exhibit (disappointing...I'm pretty sure they could've gotten more than four freaking paintings to do an entire exhibit), and eating. I had a wonderful time and it was really nice to have company in my apartment for an extended period of time! I'm so used to hanging out there by myself, it was nice to have someone to cook with and talk to and go to the pool with for 3 straight days!

It was weird not to be with my dad on Father's Day for the first time ever. We had a nice chat on the phone, but nothing can really replace actually spending time with family. I love and miss all the mother's and father's days growing up when my whole family would come over and my dad would grill delicious steaks for us and my mom would make me wash all the dainty glass bowls in the house for a pretty salad bar on the kitchen counter. Ahh, the memories:) Regardless, I am happy to get to see my dad this weekend when I will be in NC!
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A few summer resolutions I have made as of late:

1. Cook often, and make a variety of things. I've decided that I'm never going to learn or get into the habit of cooking if I don't force myself to do it now. I'm even thinking of taking a week at the end of the summer and forcing myself to make a different meal 7 nights in a row. Think I can handle it?

2. Go to the pool after work. I have two pools in my apartment complex, and I need to use them while I've got them. I went the past 3 nights with Mom and it was great. I didn't realize how relaxing it was until I went 3 nights in Florida last week by myself, and then again all weekend. It does the body and mind a lot of good.

3. No turning down invitations. Parties, meals, just hanging out and playing games. Doesn't matter. If my lovely friends here invite me and I'm (shockingly) in town, I will go. Hanging out and meeting new people is excellent fun.

4. Read read read. I bought some new books last week, and we all know already how much I love the public library. I'm going to take myself back to the olden days of summer reading lists in the next couple months, except this time its going to be exactly what I want to read. Suggestions are welcome! (And thanks to Kristin for making me buy Why Men Love Bitches. Highly informative, fabulous and pertinent. I can't wait to finish it...every girl needs to read it. Period.)

Happy times!

So many good things to report:

-new gold shoes from Marshall's
-excellent chat with best friend on the phone..I feel so empowered!
-a new pink can opener
-pool and hot tub time
-late night snack of leftover beignets in bed
-Carolina Ale House in Boynton Beach!
-lots of new trashy summer reading & educational life books
-gorgeous weather
-mom and granny visiting this weekend for a shopping extravaganza
-maybe getting home earlier on Friday
-two weekends in NC in a row!
-K and Sarina visit in a month!

Lots of great, happy things!

In other maybe not so good news: Obama's plan to reorganize the Fed and banking oversight in general. Please, oh please, don't let this mean I need to go ahead and find a new career. I just found the one I like! I really want to know what Ben B. is going to say about this, seeing as how he is the only man in Washington who I trust at this point.

What a snooze

I took a cue from Kristin, and read through a bunch of my blog posts yesterday. I cam to discover that I am so boring. Especially lately...everything has been very blah and a little bit of a downer. Granted, my life has sort of been a little bit of a downer lately, but thankfully I think that is turning around! I am finally feeling secure and happy again, back to my old self. Insert sigh of relief here.

I've got a little down time today, so I'm hoping to plan a few weekend getaways that I can look forward to. I definitely need to get back to Raleigh soon, maybe even a couple of times, and I want to try to get up to NYC to visit K before she leaves Manhattan forever (so soon!). Lots of excitement. Thank goodness for Spring and warm weather and the feeling that I actually want to get out of the house and explore again!

Good things about right now:
1. It's Friday! I think that deserves a list in itself.
2. I have a massage appt for tomorrow--the first one in forever.
3. The rain that is washing away all the nasty, evil pollen.
4. Some quiet time in the office.
5. Making travel plans to see the best people I know.
6. Bojangles french fry seasoning. Turns out it makes pretty much everything taste better.
7. Lunch dates.
8. Dinner dates with new friends.
9. Pretty nail polish.