The tales of butter & cream

what is the point?

I am confident while being insecure.

I'm happy while being devastated.

I'm calm when I'm anxious.

I am like a fucking living oxymoron.

How irritating.

On another note...well... kind of;

While I find myself in complete happiness, I'm wondering if I used to be happier. This summer doesn't really feel like summer. It could be my over-awareness of the rays hitting my skin and my prevention of that happening...but I feel like I am not happy about summer. I used to love walking around in tank tops and go on long walks or roller blading after a morning of skating. I loved meeting up with friends to take walks in the neighborhood. I liked the familiar aspect of it all. How summers were really easy. A 15 minute drive to work, friends five minutes away, early nights, late nights with friends. It's different now, but I am still extremely happy. Now I excitedly come home to my best friend who, luckily, is also my boyfriend-- and we eat dinners and go on walks. We watch and laugh over our favourite shows and play call of duty late into the night. It's quite the set up and I love it. But it is different than the life I used to lead. Which is okay, but it leaves me comparing. There is really no comparison.

I started a new endeavor. How like me. I started decorating at home. I went over to the Wilton tent sale where all of their supplies are 50% off. They make baking supplies as well as things like teapots, coffee mugs, etc. So I went and got bags, tips, cuplers, colours, cake tins, a rolling pin, the list goes on and on...

I actually ended up going two days in a row.

So I spent the weekend making cakes and cookies and buttercream frosting in an assortment of colours and decorating things for fathers day. I am so excited to get things rolling along at home. I really love decorating at work but sometimes the downfall is having to stick to designs without creative input. Although sometimes it's an advantage because you don't have to come up with it out your own, heh. At home I have the freedom to do whatever I want which is great. I want to get really efficient in making cookies and frosting and be able to roll them out for various occasions. YAY!

This week (and next) my schedule got switched and I will be working nights. This kind of a bummer. The in-predictability of the shift makes it more of a nuisance because you never know when you will be walking out the door. But sometimes we get out really early which is great, and some nights I don't care how late we are there. I just prefer opening shifts because I'm up and at 'em at 5:45 and I get a guaranteed 6.5 hours which is nice. I just prefer to enjoy as much as my day as I possibly can. When I close I often end up sleeping until 10 which leaves me moving with enough time to get to work by two. I also like the guarantee of getting off work at a set time. I'm just thankful that no matter what time I start, I look forward to going. It's so nice to see improvements and get new ideas for how to do something. I'm lucky.

I hope I don't miss summer once it is Winter. But I have a feeling with my adoration for gloom, it should fit in perfectly with my life :)

Lets hope for some gloomy weather and storms this week!

-Tessa

vacation wrap up.

Alas. Blogging again.

And it is a rainy day! bonus.

I've been putting this of for far too long simply because so much has occured. I think I've seen Metric, Gone on vacation to Hilton Head/Savannah for a week, saw Phish, and worked at another store location, and got a stellar new phone! We've also cleaned this house up so damn well and have added things that make it way personal. So where to begin?

Lets start with Vacation (and end with it not really in the mood to go on about the last four weeks). What an amazing time. Of course, when it includes Eric and I, nothing will be conventional. Our vacation started with us landing on the Savannah runway to only receive a voicemail stating that Eric's Grandmother had been hospitalized for a stroke. Unaware of the severity or the lack there of, had us renting the car (a convertible!) and getting to the Hilton Head hospital in a frenzy. We got there to find out that she had a minor stroke, but would need to remain inpatient for the next few days. Also, this vacation was not one that was planned to include just Eric and I. His cousin, her husband, and their new baby were also to meet us up there. Last minute, his aunt, uncle and two other cousins decided to come down. This only added to his grandparents and Aunt & Uncle already living down there. The first few days were revolved mostly around family mostly because of his grandmothers condition and Eric's birthday that was on June 1st.

Our first two nights were spent in Downtown Savannah. Our first night we ended up getting back in the room exceptionally late and settled in with some episodes of Arrested Development. The second night we went around downtown Savannah and knocked back a few at Eric's favourite pub, Kevin Barry's. We had a great time roaming the cobblestone streets as the drinks made us melt into the night-time heat. What an enjoyable night. It was kind of nice to stay in Savannah for our first two nights while everyone was back in Hilton Head. It allocated long drives at night in the convertible enjoying the Savannah nights. Hilton Head/Savannah are such beautiful places. I love the minimal sign-age that is found throughout the island--and how everything is hidden and classy. It was also nice to walk out your hotel and down to the nightlife of downtown.

Our next three nights would be spent at the Westin in Port Royal where our room would be equipped with a private balcony overlooking the ocean. These things occurred in three days/nights; many complaints would be made to the front desk resulting in candy and sodas, hours worth of conversation on our balcony at night, a fantastic birthday dinner followed by billiards, naming and making friends with a huge spider on our balcony, A couples massage/jacuzzi & tons of champagne and the amazing spa, hangin out in the ocean and on the beach, racking up a huge phone bill, and room service that consisted of Nova Lox! The setting of this hotel made it so easy to relax. It seemed like every hotel that we stayed at had a different feel and had a different advantage. We loved the privacy of the balcony at the Westin on the beach but loved the openness and height of the Westin we stayed in on our last two nights overlooking downtown Savannah.

This vacation really rejuvenated us. Especially Eric. He needed this vacation. Normally after 7 months of being here, I am in dire need of a change in scenery. Eric hadn't really had a proper vacation in 3 years so we both indulged in what vacation had to offer. We both made an ecstatic effort to get the new EVO 4G Sprint phones that came out a week or so ago during one of our last days there and now are both enjoying the perks of 4G on the now network.

I think in my head, I still think I am there sometimes. I love how free the week was. How happy Eric and I were (and how i'm glad that transcended so well to our life back home). I wish we could go back there. Although, I wouldn't want to stay again there next year, we decided every other year we will find ourselves in Savannah/Hilton Head. Eric's family has been going there for so many years, so he was so anxious so show me around and that was so great to understand why it meant so much to him :)

some pictures that were taken by Eric and his beloved tri-pod.

Us at Sea Pines

The Westin in Savannah. We stayed here our last two nights.

I loved this hotel.

on the balcony at the Savannah Westin

Erics Birthday :)

Lightning over the ocean.

Eric was messing around with his camera during one of the most insane thunderstorms I had ever been in. We were on our balcony and the thunder was so loud and the lightning just about blinded me. How amazing. This shot was taken at night. Around 11:45 pm. That's how bright this lightning was.

downtown Savannah at night

If you find yourself wondering if there were any downfalls on the trip--there were! No Chipotle FOR 150+ MILES. If you go to Hilton Head you better not find yourself craving your beloved chicken burrito bowl or tacos slathered with barbacoa and sour cream ;)

Life has been good. We have been living comfortably and at the end of the trip it did feel good to come home. After being in so many different clean houses of his relatives and staying in hotel rooms that got cleaned, it inspired me to make a drastic effort to keep the house super clean when we got home. I've been pressuring Eric like crazy to clean is office to make it double as a hang out room since it is so big. Since mentioning, the office has become quite clean and is now equipped with a new 52" flatscreen. Good stuff. Our house is finally ready to show off!

What has been keeping you busy??

becoming see through.

my goodness.

I remember the days where I would update this thing everyday.

It has now been reduced to 2 times a month. How sad.

Needless to say, things have been busy aka I've been sleeping in really late.

We like to stay in bed until 11am which is extremely problematic.

I like to be an early riser and get as much done in the morning as I can.

At the same time I'm doing a fine job of hitting the snooze button at least a dozen times a day.

Anywho--

things have been going very well with me.

Work has been really good.

Things are starting to die down since there are no more big holidays until October.

I love my job in the summer.

We have a few late nights in there, but for the most part we get out pretty early and when you're working nights that is a huge perk.

They are actually starting to put me on morning shifts.
It will suck to get up at 5:45 2-3 times a week, but it will be righteous to get home at 3.

I can be either a morning person or a night person.

YAY for adaptability!

I feel like I am finally adjusted to the new location of where I live.

I feel so comfortable here.

&

I've been noticing that it is the little things that are melting my heart.

I feel very at peace.

So lets talk about this magazine called "Real Simple"

The first time I picked it up I felt like I was 32 and had two kids.

It seemed like "that kind of magazine"...

The May issue is everything I could want and more.

Can you say FLORALS?!

I love anything floral/antique-y looking and they have a spread devoted to decorating with florals.

Too bad I cant chick this place out with shades of purple and flower shit everywhere.

I respect that I live with a dude.

That dude happens to be my boyfriend and I think we both are content with the Grey, Blue, and Green paint that cover the various walls of this home.

They also have this spread that makes me feel like I'm 60 because it's aimed at moms

& what to get for them for mothers day.

I like everything they suggest.

Plus they have some really good recipes this month

check it out.

On another note, I'm trying not to blow all my money on Etsy purchases.

My new frequently searched item are oxford boots.

I ordered a pair of black ones and am in love with them.

I need brown ones to match!

We are going on vacation soon and I have no idea what to pack.

We will be headin down to Savannah & Hilton Head at the end of the month--

so many things to look forward to!

I wish I didn't suck so much at packing.

Every trip I go on I end up hating nearly everything I brought along with me.

I hope to avoid this problem.

The logical me wants to start making a list of all the things I need & keep adding things day by day. The procrastinator in me will probably forget all about this.

I am so excited for a change of scenery.

I am also excited to head out to the city tomorrow for my friend, Yara's, birthday shindig!

I enjoy the city very much so in small doses.

my $50 target gift card came today courtesy of Chase & their debit rewards!

WOOHOO!

I wish it didn't take me three days to keep coming back to this post!

Q: What is your favourite song right now?

t e s s a x

Florence and her Machines / Thom Yorke

Jaw to the ground.

That would describe the past two nights of music that encompassed every ounce of my energy and attention. Two of my favourite artists back to back;

Thom Yorke &

Florence + The Machine.

Ideally, I wanted to be front row for both, but the reality will unfold later and through pictures.

So Thom was GREAT. He is in a new band called Atoms For Peace which consists of members such as Flea from RHCP and drummers that played with Beck & R.E.M. aka these guys know what they're doing. The show was absolutely phenomenal. They played 'The Eraser' in its entirety and in order and after that set Thom appeared and played two Radiohead songs; "Like Spinning Plates" & "Airbag". This followed with a few Atoms For Peace song. It was great because it was mellow dramatic, yet very upbeat and enlightening--we were surrounded by good people. Unfortunately the place was packed, but it's Thom Yorke. What the hell else do you expect?

So after coming down from such a great show, the next night I saw Florence + The Machine with Cady. I introduced her to Florence's wonderful, wonderful music. I was extremely excited to see her live. Her voice is a powerhouse. I have got to say this is one of the best shows I have ever been to. I have been in absolute love with her album, 'Lungs' since August. If there is any regret from the entire experience it is that I did not purchase a ticket for each show of the tour. I snagged front row more than halfway through the concert and was like, a foot away. I got a set list as well! She played every song from her album, minus one which would be "Girl With One Eye", which would have been great to see live, but oh well. She played another song that is not on her album, "Hardest of Hearts", which was really good. What an amazing performer! She has this amazing energy when she performs and she talks to the crowd a lot which I really like. The crowd at this show was pretty good--I seem to get lucky at shows and make good with the people around us. It's just a better overall experience if you feel comfortable with people around you. This applies to all situations, but especially shows. I actually threw a little something up on the stage. Back in August when I first fell in love with her music I was in N Carolina--Asheville more specifically and I was in a little hippie shop and they had a huge basket of pins. I got about 5. I got one for the main reason of it looking like Florence. I loved that pin. But since I scored tickets to the show, I figured she should have it. So I attached it to a note and threw it up on stage just as the main set ended before the encore. A random set dude picked it up and put it by her water. I think Ill wonder forever if she ever got that pin. I sure hope so--she rocks. so anywho...here are the visuals!

I feel very, very lucky to have seen both of these artists!

Aside from shows--our big home repairs have neared come to a close! (crosses fingers). Hopefully this will last. I'm loving our new sink that gave us some major problems, but all turned out okay in the end. We just need to get some additional stuff cleaned up in the room/office. I really hope to tackle some gardening soon! I have quite a project ahead of me. Nothing a trip to Borders to purchase a gardening book can't solve! (I always end up walking away with a bargain section book)

ALAS! TOMORROW IS FRIDAY! I cannot wait. Casual Friday! Love it. I think that working in a cookie shop should be grounds to wear whatever you want. It brings out my artsy side so I always look forward to Fridays so I can ditch the polo. I got the sweetest pants today--They are purple velvet spandex! I love them very much and snagged em on sale! I feel like Johnny Depp, well wardrobe wise, in Willy Wonka when I wear them.

Today I received a great compliment!: "Tessa isn't normal..."

this wasn't said as a bad thing but isn't that a great thing regardless of how it's said?

Smile! :)

-Tessa

We have nothing planned for this weekend (I want to convince Eric to go to Lalo's! I'm in need of a good chips n' salsa fix along with a fishbowl size margarita. Man oh man! I hope he is down for it.

I might have to lose an eye!

2 different hardware stores in one day? Why yes, this occurred today.

Sprinting through Ikea to get "just what we need" (which turns out to be what I'd like to call A dream come true in the kitchen)--why yes, this occurred as well;

A faucet with a freaking restaurant style sprayer!

After working in food service for the working years of my life, living without a sprayer seems absolutely ludicrous. My darling made this dream come true after our kitchen faucet failed big time last night. We knew this was coming. When it rains, it pours...

So since this mishap went down, we did some research, decided to just get a whole new sink and do it up right. What a success. We went with a cast iron black sink from Kohler. What a freaking beauty. Eric is hard at work installing it now. Of course all was worth it when we went to our favourite local Chinese restaurant to take a break from all this jazz. BAMBOO GARDEN! Absolutely amazing. The couple that owns it is adorable and always fun to talk to. Every Chinese place you ever went to ain't shit compared to this place. If you're in the south suburbs of Chicago--GO HERE. Even if you don't live in the south suburbs of Chicago--GO HERE.

Man, we are whipping this place into shape. It's becoming live-able again!

So I have two big big big shows coming up. I may have mentioned this half-assed in my last entry. So tomorrow is Thom Yorke. For the unfortunate population out there that has no clue who Thom Yorke is, he would be the front man of Radiohead. One of my favourite bands of all time. His music makes me FEEL. It can really move my mood. After missing them 2 years ago at Lollapalooza (and hating myself for it each day after the fact), my wonderful boyfriend surprised me with two tickets to see Thom Yorke. It's solo Thom, but still the same effect as Radiohead. Not only is it Thom, but it is going to be a band compiled of random well-knowns. I cannot even believe my luck. Not only is this going to be an amazing experience (we will be front row at one of our favourite venues), but the next night I am going to be seeing Ms. Florence Welch herself on the House of Blues stage as part of FLORENCE + THE MACHINE! Another one of my favourite artists. Her album single handedly brings me back to August of '09. One of the most emotional months of my life for the best and for the worst. Her voice is a freaking powerhouse and I've been telling EVERYONE about this UK star. She deserves every ounce of fame. I do not get starstruck, but for YOU

THOM YORKE

& FOR YOU...

FLORENCE WELCH

I would gauge my eyes out.

{please do not hold me to doing so...I'm just saying}

;)

so for the next two nights my musical senses will be heightened as I am exposed to great great music. I am so excited I might cry during both concerts. How lame, I know, but DOESN'T MUSIC MOVE YOU?!?!

Please...tell me which artist/s move you!

shared spaces.

So let's make this all official;

It's official that I am moved in with Eric. Finally. After spending 8 months worth of weekends here, I no longer need to live out of a suitcase shoved in the corner. I now have things here that make it mine as well as his. We have things here that we picked out together and have made our own. Soon enough this house will be beaming with personality and decor more so than it already is. In a few weeks our biggest projects will come to a close. We have crossed so much off of our list in the past 3-4 weeks;

.. Knocked out a closet and made the master room bigger

.. Painted our "lounge/closet" room an awesome shade of royal blue

.. Painted our bedroom a fantastic shade of grey

.. In the process of painting the walls & ceiling in the bathroom

.. Sanded the ceiling in the bedroom/master bathroom

.. Set up numerous things from Ikea (we have a love/hate relationship)

.. Brought in all my shit from home (clothes, dresser, desk, & all my random crap) i threw out a ton!

There is way more than this that we have accomplished over these few weeks. We have a lot of determination to get things done and organized and we are so close to being there. I just want all of this to be over with so I can keep things consistently clean. Things get dirtied up so easily because of all the work that is being done all over the house, heh. It has been so worth it though. The moving in process has gone quite smoothly. Of course, there have been some near murder/suicides, but all gets resolved so quickly! ha ha. We compromise so well but most of the time we don't even need to. There have been quite a few things where the decision is made right away in agreeing, like our kickass curtains and carpet. Along with our huge Ikea closet organizer. Once its all done it will be fantastic. I cannot wait.

One unfortunate thing we have learned in this process is that city recycling does not come often enough. We have so much recycling it is absolutely ridiculous--probably enough to fill one truck. Clearly this place does not take Ikea into account because anything you but from there takes 2 hours to take out of the package and about 2-3x that time setting it up. Not a fan. But once it is all done it is wonderful.

So what do you do when your government refund check is a hell of a lot less than you thought it would be? Eh, take $100 out anyway and head out to shop.

I stumbled across a really great site last night & of course there is an intro story:

So people have asked me many times of I do any sort of art. I decorate cookies so people naturally think that transcends to paper. Now, I have never been a great artist. I am right brained, so my brain whips out cool ideas, but sometimes it's easier to conceptualize than to produce. Sharpies, pens, and frosting are my best friends when it comes to producing anything artistic. So I came across this site last night and was inspired up again. My sharpies are one of the things I still have at home that weren't as important to bring as other things. But last night they became important. Of course this meant a trip to the store to muster a few sharpies and poster board. In the midst of trying to find art for the place, I decided to try and conjure something up. Something is in the works. Hopefully this turns out well.

I have been LOVING this rainy/severe weather that has been passing through. Unfortunately it is pretty much moved passed by now, but rainy days just make me feel better about doing the slightest thing that day. Or it is a great excuse to be lazy or extremely productive.

It was one week ago today that we saw Spoon, one of our favourite bands. This show was phenomenal. We were front row, like usual for this particular venue. There have been so many good shows that I have seen in the past year and there are so many good shows coming up to look forward to!

For now, cleaning and super Target are calling my name. I want to enjoy this day off.

-Tessa

Listening to:

All For The Best by Thom Yorke

birthday & candles (not on a cake)

I'm right on the brink of my Golden birthday.

This day means everything to me. I will be 22 years old on March 22.

21 never meant shit to me.

22 is what I've been waiting for.

All the 11 multiples really; 22, 33, 44, 55, 66....

I feel like it is going to be the best year yet.

2010 has already been very, very good to me.

I feel like 22 is a beautiful number to BE.

Eric has been too good to me this birthday and needless to say I have some AWESOME concerts coming up! (passion pit, modest mouse, & THOM YORKE!) and a new navigation/radio unit in my car which now allows the music to flow from the iPhone through the car speakers. What a nice contrast to burning 1000 CDS.

But in the midst of the "golden-ness" is the redecorating of Eric's casa. It was a mere 3 weeks ago when we decided that me moving in here was going to be a top notch idea. One we still share. In my excitement and madness to create something of our own, I've been running to Target and other "home-y" kind of stores and spending away my paychecks. I have learned that I'm a bit of a candle addict. Target has these awesome candles by Illume. They come in really funky tins and have that earthy sweet scent to them, really unique. I think its nice when a candle can be used as part of decor.

Also, a love/hate relationship has started to form between me and the wonderful store called Anthropologie. Talk about amazing everything in that store, but talk about amazingly overpriced. Its sad, but its a way to muster up ideas and then...go to Target or Ikea to get something close, heh.

Along with the random candles and wall decor we've been putting around everywhere, we have also got the paint up on the walls and the carpet has been ordered! Things have been really coming along and I'm so excited. The process of making it our "own" is going better than we expected. All in all it looks like Target, Menards, Ikea, & Home Goods will be getting/has gotten their fair share from us!

Let's mention my "cool girlfriend award" for being in love with the game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. I have always loved video games since I first had an Atari in my room at the age of four. My brother was always bringing home game systems and new games and I always had free time to play them (in between a competitive skating career...) So now I've snagged my a guy who likes a little x-box here and there and he found a girl who loves to annihilate the assholes over live. Of course, I cannot toot my own horn-- I've only been at the game for a week, but I find myself staying up into the night to play.

I have to mention a fun little knick knack that Eric received from his boss;

They are called Bucky Balls. They are these crazy little magnetic balls and you can make all these different things out of them...

I hope you all are enjoying spring! The weather has been so wacky, but I look forward to the consistent 80 degree weather!

For now...I AM GOLDEN!

moving along!

These past two weekends were... efficient.

That has to be the best word to describe it. Efficient in almost every sense of the word.

My counterpart & I came to some good realizations & ideas over these past few weekends...

That would be;

Me moving into his house. The house is located about 40 minutes from my work/current home. But, on the bright side; he owns it (meaning we wouldn't need to be paying rent on top of a mortgage) we also have the advantage of doing what we want to it. Although its a tad far from my work, it's not too bad because it calls for mostly highway driving (IN NEED OF RADAR DETECTOR!) I also think of it as there are some people that have much longer commutes for much shittier jobs, so I'm glad I love my job because it's worth it. Since gas will be more money for me, I'm going to try and find some other job on the side because I love where I am at and don't want to give it up.

His house is all set up to go with recently installed satellite cable, all of his office stuff & electronic equipment/wiring is all configured. Normally I just stay weekends so I feel kind of uncomfortable leaving my shit around his house so I pack things each week which gets annoying, but that's my choice.. I also felt uncomfortable adding too much to the house. It wasn't mine to tamper with so I didn't start marching in hanging pictures on the wall. Of course I still clean and keep it up (I actually love cleaning) It still won't be "mine" when I move in with him, but..I AM SO EXCITED TO DECORATE! (picking out paint/carpet/etc.) He's leaving it all to me. We have some really cool ideas. I've already added some personal touches and am quite pleased with how it is all coming together.

But now the issue of actually moving in together! EEK!

Not that I'm concerned about it.

it's just that this is a big step.

It's me leaving that huge comfortability zone, while he is staying in his comfort zone.

What it all really comes down to is "I'll put up with your shit if you put up with mine."

We will have to realize that we can't constantly put up an act for one another.

Best behaviour is admired and necessary at times, but at home he has a right to be who he is without my influence. I need to learn this and accept it. He needs to do the same with me and know that I'm going to be who I am. Of course there will be tons of compromise. There has to be. Living with another human being is the greatest way of getting to know a person. I think we will be just fine. We have systems all over the place..

He's thinking "Damnit now I have to pick up my socks & throw them in the hamper?...& do laundry once a week?!" and I'm thinking "Shit, this means I have to start shaving 3-4 times a week?!" I'm sure we will be just fine, people.

We have been cleaning his house like crazy. It is looking so damn good. I feel like it is slowly showing both of our personalities in the house and I love being there. I want to move in with him so badly. I want to make something to make "ours". I want to maintain something and provide a wonderful living space. I want to live somewhere different and travel down new roads (literally and figuratively). I almost feel like this is my version of leaving for University that I never had. Scared yet extremely anxious. I will no longer be in a spot of my OWN. My own little Tessa world that has everything I need in it (except a mini fridge and a masseuse), everything that makes me comfortable. I will be creating a space with someone else to no longer make something my "own" but rather to make something "ours". I knew I had a desire to move in with him when I was coming home at the end of the weekend feeling kind of out of place. I love the idea of coming home to him. It will be a big transition, but there is no rush. Of course a trial run will be in order. I am planning on staying with him for one week during a week that we both work and have our own schedules. Of course, as time progresses our schedules will merge and it will just work. It is scary this whole process. It is scary no matter how excited you are about it. However, I feel comfortable there. We have such awesome ideas that if executed as planned, should turn out wonderfully. We have already knocked out a wall that expanded the master bedroom and it looks really nice. I just want it to all pull together quickly and perfectly. We practically have the Ikea magazine glued to our hands flipping through mustering inspiration. Good stuff. I'm excited for what is to come.

So on a completely different, yet great note-- I have to blog about The Talking Heads again! Ah! I have been rockin' to them so much lately. This is really nothing crazy, I was raised on them. But these songs in particular; give 'em a listen! They will put you in a great mood!

1) Sax & Violins

2) This Must Be The Place ( Ah ! I love David Byrne in Stop Making Sense!)

3) Road To Nowhere

A busy week lies ahead but there is a lot to look forward to :)

Has anything kept you a busy beaver lately?!

"I tied it to the radiator"

This can be found on my bedroom floor;

You can say I've delved into fashion again. This is never a bad thing.

It always goes this way;

I am fastidious about it for a period of time (dressing better, studying fashion, acquiring clothing, inspiration, and most importantly; ideas! ) then I kind of let it all go. It all comes in waves. So the time again is now.

It all starts with an issue of Vogue I randomly snag one night, then inspiration, then the purchasing of fashion books...& then I'm making impromptu trips to Goodwill (there is an AWESOME Goodwill by me). The Goodwill trip is ALWAYS the best part.

It is like rummaging through 1000 closets of people who are all shapes and sizes and all have different ideas of what is "give away-able".

Anywho, I found some great items there today. Along with these purchases I got a brand spanking new pair of red skate guards at Triple Toe today (thanks to a gift card I had). I have been hellbent on getting red ones. I am so excited to sport them at the rink as silly as that sounds, but part of the fun of skating is all the accessory crap that goes with it. I hope to sneak in a freestyle tomorrow.

But speaking of purchasing all this stuff, I have got to cool it with the spending. The thing that always throws me back is the travel that Eric and I do. I think it's worth it. I am smart about my purchases and always really consider each thing I buy. We are somewhere different every weekend which encourages shopping. Indianapolis always puts a dent in my account and we were there again this weekend. I told myself that Goodwill was the last place I was going to spend. I am good about managing my accounts in the sense that I always have enough for what I need and I make sacrifices if my oil needs changing or something needs to be bought for gifts or something. I always pay my bills on time and in full. It gets harder to do, but it's so important to keep my credit in check. I have just a little bit more time to throw my money around how I want to and then it comes to a point where I just don't need any more shit. I feel like my wardrobe is really well rounded and I hope to just focus on getting staple pieces and things I will have around for awhile.

I will retire for the evening with watching The Royal Tenenbaums (has to be one of my favourite movies) and cutting up fashion magazines for inspiration (one of my favourite pastimes). How perfect.

How will you enjoy yours??

gold is in.

The Olympics have this funny way of inspiring me while making me feel horrible about myself.

Same goes for watching award shows.

I am so proud of each athlete and I know how much work goes into every sport & then...

there is me.

I have accomplished nothing great. I am not a household name. I have no immediate goals.

I guess that's not true, I have goals, but nothing I would call "jaw dropping".

It just makes me feel very, very lazy.

It's a bummer. But anywho-

I am super excited about Evan Lysacek!

I trained with Evan back in my competitive skating days. A long time ago.

We had the same coach and all of her students at that time were about the same age

so we all hung around with each other. Evan's parents actually live about 6 blocks over.

It's really exciting and I'm really happy for him; it's such a huge success

& it brings good to the town.

Unfortunately, I just know the results and not how the actual programs where.

I plan on watching them in the a.m. heh

Work got out later than expected and my mom resorted to taping it.

I have something to look forward to tomorrow morning!

But that's not all I have to anticipate;

This weekend is another one down in Indy. Woohoo! Stopping at Fair Oaks Farm! Awesome!

Going to a baby shower this weekend which should be nice :)

For now I am beyond exhausted.

Enjoy the weekend!

-Tessabee