bring it on.

Jillian Michaels is trying to kill me.

Seriously.

I started doing this workout DVD on Thursday because school has me super overwhelmed and I barely have time for showers let alone going to the gym. Let me just say, she is kicking my butt! It is definitely the most intense 20 minutes of exercise I have ever done but I LOVE it. As soon as I found the DVD I immediately called Miranda because she loves a good, crazy work out too. So, instead of the intense amount of drinking that Miranda and I used to do together we are engaging in a productive activity. heehee.

While I don't expect to lost 20 pounds in 30 days like the package says, I do hope to be able to stay awake after 5:00 pm (an activity I am strugging with now).

You should do it too!

dazed and confused.

I have been egregiously delinquent in my blogging! That ends right now.

So...the purpose of this blog is to keep my family and friends abreast of the major (and minor) happenings of my life while I am living in California. I definitely do not get to talk to the important people in my life as much as I previously have and would like a way in which I can communicate the events in my life in an informal manner. I don't think I have talked to anyone in the past 3 weeks when I haven't been simultaneously doing some other activity (driving, studying, waiting in line, working, cooking, brushing my teeth, etc), I love you all but I have no time.

Anyway, the back story is that I started this thing a few months ago when I was about to make the transition from North Carolina to California. Unfortunately, life got away from me and I feel that it is more important than ever that I keep making posts.

First on the agenda is our apartment. Many of you have not seen pictures so here are a sneak preview of Villa Tuscany (the name of our apartment), which is actually little more than an expensive crap hole. I kid. It's really fine if somehow our extremely loud upstairs neighbors (nicknamed Pam and Tommy) could keep it down. Ever.

So here is the super cute entry way. Yes, it's adorable. And believe me...it was the nicest place we looked at. We don't have bug problems...or intruder problems...both of which would have to ring the bell in order to get in.

Here is our living room with a view into the office/bar. Please pay attention to the pillows on the couch, I made those from fabric I bought at ikea (before I started school of course, now I barely have time to bathe).

Another living room picture. Miranda - did you notice the glass on the table?! I finally found a great place for it!

Living room from a different angle. The chair in the background we got from craigslist and is the best thing I have ever bought. Love it!

The bar/desk (i.e. the place where I spend most of my time).

Another view of our dining room/bar/office which is slightly less pathetic than the last picture. On the bar is my dry erase white board where I write all of my happenings! I update it a million times a day, it's pretty sad.

The kitchen....we really don't use this room! Haha.

A picture of the two most luxurious items in our apartment - a stove and a fridge. It is basic city in California!

Our Bedroom. We need a bed skirt like woah. The white package under the bed is my wedding dress!

Alright, that is it for now. Check back later for updates and thanks for reading!

goodnight and good luck.

Saying goodbye is not easy. I have said a great many of "farewells" in my lifetime but this is one of the hardest. I have met so many wonderful people in Wilmington and I cannot believe it is time to leave. I hope I find people who "get me" in California.

Tonight I went to Henry's for flight night. Miranda and I have gone to flight night at least half of the weeks this past year. It hurts that this is that last time. We celebrated by stealing half the dessert glasses from the table :) hehe

Tomorrow night is the last old chicago/lets sneak rum in the movie theater night. So sad....

and it came full circle.

It is just now starting to hit me that I have 7 days until I leave Wilmington.

Seven days until I leave the town I grew up in. Now, when I saw "the town I grew up in" I don't actually mean the town that I grew up in; I mean, I'm leaving the town that let me discover who I am. That helped me grow. That shaped me into who I am.

Five years ago I entered the University of North Carolina Wilmington campus a scared freshmen. I so deeply wanted to go to college but was irritated at how long it would take me to get my degree but I went there anyhow. On that campus I became an adult. I figured out what I wanted to do with my life, I got engaged, I met wonderful people, and made friends that would last a lifetime. While in Wilmington I made great friends...best friends, I got married, and got into graduate school...twice. And now I have to leave. I'm leaving for an unfullfilled dream, something I have wanted before I even know why I wanted it in the first place. But, I never thought it would be so hard to leave this life.

I am leaving to get my doctoral degree at Stanford University and Pacific Graduate School and I could not be happier, but at the same time I could not be more sad. Here is this place that is so much a part of who I am and I am leaving it in search of something better. But...can anything be better than this? I don't know; I'm so confused.

My final day of work was last thursday and it was an emotional day for me. As fate would have it my last activity would be to give incoming freshmen surveys at orientation. There I was giving the same surveys that I took 5 years ago. It was the weirdest feeling, the most incredible feeling...that i had surpassed UNCW's requirements for me and now I was in a position to impart my wisdom on the future of my alma mater.

Weird
Weird
Weird

Ugh. I don't want to leave. I so want to leave. This is going to be tough..........

is this thing on?

I'm new to this blogging craziness!