Technology is Jealous

This is a few days late, but I'm going to post it anyway.  My computer seems to have overheard a conversation my roommate and I were having about future computer purchases.  I was picture these future purchases to be quite a ways in the future, but it appears I may have been mistaken.  I guess we'll have to see how things work out.  But without further ado...

This time lapse video is awesome.

On owning the things you like.

Amy has some Words of Wisdom for the days when you're not feeling so fine.

Some thoughts on Boy Scouts.

So, this article made me think harder about all the times guys tell me to smile.  I think next time I'll hit them with my purse.  Also, I need to get on that self defense class.

This week I like: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (especially David Boreanaz), sleep, walking to work down Michigan Avenue, Once Upon a Time, leftovers, and friends who buy me food.

Right Now...

greatly enjoying organizing everything for school.  I can't even explain how much I love organization.  I am going to have to show you at some point.


watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I'm loving everything about Whedon-'verse.  Don't get me wrong, I totally understand why my mom didn't want me watching it, but I do love it so.

trying to figure out how to talk to people who aren't having as good a time as I am in college.  It occurred a few times over break and for some reason is coming up in full force now.

calling people on Skype.  Even though my webcam dosen't seem to want to work.  Speaking of technology...

being hated by technology.  My computer hasn't turned on in two days, the only time I'm on the computer is at work.  Granted, when I'm not in class or at work it has been nice to just chill out and watch tv.

A Proper Dinner?

I have been wanting to have a proper dinner party for a while.  It's even on my 21 Before 21 list.  I don't really consider this a proper dinner party.  There were no invitations.  There were no RSVPs, but it was a sit down meal which is a step in the right direction.

There are no people in these pictures, but there were people there I promise.  I'm just not sure that the people who were there would like me to post their pictures.  I know them, but they are more Emma's friends than mine.  Sort of.  But we don't have to get into my whole I don't really know who is my friend in college issues, that seems like a post for another time.

21 Before 21: Skipping Class and Going Out for Breakfast

I decided that the more important part of this task was the going out to breakfast, and not necessarily skipping class.  My roommate and I went out for breakfast before our Wednesday class last semester.  I didn't take any pictures, but my roommate did.  They are on her blog, HERE.

It was fun to be able to get out bright and early.  I haven't had a meal like that in a long time, and probably wont have another in an even longer time.  I used to go out to breakfast with my dad every other Saturday (I would switch off with my sister), but that tradition has collapsed with our move to San Francisco, and the new tradition of going to the Farmer's Market for breakfast.  Don't get me wrong, I love that tradition too.  I just don't get diner food as often anymore.  Now that I think about it, that might not be a bad thing.

Picture Unrelated

There was this one time, my sister and I were watching Buffy and we wanted to go upstairs to get a snack.  We paused the DVD and this was the result.  Needless to say that there are multiple pictures.  Sometimes, she or I will make this face (or attempt to anyway) at each other when the other isn't expecting it.  We'll both crack up laughing.  We are awesome.

I spent last night eating far too much food at a gathering of friends.  I am so glad to be spending time with friends already this year and I just hope so much that I'll be able to keep it up this semester.  For now it is wonderful to spend time with people under no pressure of a projects needing doing, or homework to attend to.  I keep feeling like I should have something philosophical to say about school staring again, but I have no tidbits.  Of wisdom or otherwise.  School is school.  It's where I want to be right now and I don't care if that makes me a nerd.  In fact, all the better.

Today is the first day of classes for me.  I packed myself a lunch and got my backpack ready last night.  I also start work in a more official capacity this week which is exciting.  Not sure how much I'll be in this space in the coming days, but hopefully I'll be able to stop by and say hello.  In the meantime, I hope there are some people enjoying the snow as much as I am.

How Have I Never Known?

Lots going on this week.  in my world and in internet world.  Some of my favorites...

My roommate gets back from winter break this weekend and I can't wait to show her this time lapse video of travels.  She'll also love this video about a solo trek across Iceland that seems to have been making bloggy round this week.

Some tips on blogging from Cam of Campfire Chic.

Four things to love about winter.

Five ways to fuel your dreams, and forty-eight things to be grateful about, both from The Freedom Experiment.

I may be a bit of a nerd, but I think this map that tells you what food is in season in your state is pretty awesome.

You guys.  Chai cookies.  How have I never known these existed until now?

Right Now...

gearing up for a new semester.  Buying textbooks, getting oriented in my new job, mentally preparing for schedules  routines, and homework.

meeting with people to plan for shows I'm working on this year.

cooking up a storm, in part because of a cooking blog I have in the works.  I'm not sure what it's future is, but I'll keep you guys in the loop.

finally getting back into a rhythm of blogging.

hopeful about plans being made this semester for the coming months and years.  Trips, gigs, and money-making all in the foreseeable future.

excited that it's getting cold.  I'm abnormal like that.

This week I like: cooking, Downton Abbey, impromptu Once Upon a Time parties, taking care of my kitty, skype, and my Google Reader.

Of Wool, Flannel, and Downton

This week I moved back to Chicago for school.  My roommate and I don't like to turn the heat on in our apartment to save money.  When the roommate is home this leads to long chats in the living room where we wind up eating ice cream because we've forgotten that it's cold.  When I'm home alone?  Not so much.  My mom's advice would be to "Put a sweater on", but sometimes that doesn't do much.  Once the seasons change and the temperature heats up, that will be all that's necessary.  In the meantime, here are some of the things I've been doing to keep from shivering.

1. Make Tea.  This is one of the more obvious ones, but certainly not wrong.  For me this is two-fold.  I get warm tea that is delicious and awesome AND when I'm really cold I'll stand over the kettle as I wait for the water to boil, soaking in the heat from the stove.  After which I'll go right back to the internet surfing, blanket wearing mode that I was in before tea was made.

2.  Cook or Bake.  Again, not the more original, but effective.  Along with the warm things eating, and the using of the stove, this one also gets you moving.  Movement means blood flow, means warmth.  That, and being holed up somewhere endlessly is much more enjoyable with a batch of brownies or a bowl of soup.  Or both.  And tea.

3.  Fold Warm Laundry.  Tell me I'm not the only one who will run the dryer again for five minutes to heat up the clothes/sheets/whatever that's in there so you can get the awesomeness of folding warm laundry.

4.  Curl Up and Watch TV.  I've found that what I really need when I'm cold is to be able to focus on something else.  Grab a blanket and the remote and cozy up for that NCIS marathon.  Or Friends if that's more your speed.  Whatever you watch, the more engaging the better, and you'll simply forget the cold.

5.  Get Some Exercise.  Pretty much the opposite of the last one, but once again with the movement, blood flow, and warmth thing.  Weather you play DDR on you Xbox or go run the treadmill in the shifty-looking exercise room in your apartment building, working up a sweat will make the cold less so.

6.  Wool.

7.  Leave the House.  Chances are that if it's cold in your apartment, it's colder outside.  That means that if you go outside and come back in, then the inside will feel warm by comparison.  Right?  This may work best if you walk to your destination as it offers you the most time spent outside in the cold.

8.  Invite a Friend Over.  Having someone else around doubles the body heat in the space, and also gives you something else to other than think about how cold it is.

9.  Go to Bed.  When all else fails, I've definitely gone to bed very early and/or stayed in bed very late.  What can I say?  Sometimes layers of flannel sound a lot better than a fifth cup of tea within an hour.  And not that I'm especially proud of this, but there was one time last week that I by the time I got out of bed the street lights were on.

This week a friend of mine is coming over for dinner.  We're going to be making lasagna and watching Downton Abbey (anyone else excited for the US premiere?  Bueller?).

Around Town: Friends and Newness

The Embarcadero at Christmas time.

Just a collection of pictures taken over winter break.  Soaking up San Francisco, spending time with friends, and getting ready for the newness of the coming semester.

The roommate took me out to sushi.

Waiting for the fireworks on New Year's Eve.

Newness

I've been thinking about what I want to be doing with this blog in the space of a new year.  Thinking about things that I can change and things that I want to improve.  I'm not usually one of the New Year's Resolution types, I prefer to set goals regardless of the time of year.  Blogging has been one of my long term goals though, and I am enjoying it.  I was thinking about the name I chose for my blog and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it didn't say much about what I want this space to be.  So I've changed the name and the tag line.  It's still going to be the same topics and such, but I'm thinking a new name and header will keep things fresh.  So here we go.  Welcome to Everyday Beauty.  A place where I talk about the little things that make life awesome.

A Day Late... Oops

It's been a quiet week for me, both in real life and on the blog... sorry 'bout that.  I'm settling back in to life in Chicago.  Mostly this involves layers, a lot of walking, and a very messy room.

Sal talks about how to dress up when others are dressing down.

Looking forward to making these chicken pot pies at some point in the near future.

As one of my new year's resolutions is to be more consistent with blogging, I feel like these suggestions will be put into use soon.

Get what you want.

Amazing house made of found objects.

As a kid I wanted to be a cartographer.  Then I realized that it involved math.  All that to say that this map of the United States is awesome.

I found this video awesomely inspiring.
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This week I love: long conversations with friends, having the apartment to myself, taking pictures with my new-to-me camera, Once Upon A Time, Sherlock, Downton Abbey, Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Netflix, and how my kitty is a bed hog.