THIS IS EXCELLENT.

Listen! Listen!

My feet

will be cold forever, it feels like. Or at least until April (or whenever it decides to warm up). I really dislike winter!!

Since Pintrest won't send me login info...

I'll just start bookmarking things like it's my job. Booya!

Like this: http://pinterest.com/pin/327330835/

And this: http://pinterest.com/pin/324326498/

AND THIS!!: http://pinterest.com/pin/343394300/

(Thanks Anne!)

Related to the last post

The British Museum Reading Room:


My absolute favorite place in the ENTIRE world!

I just found the website thefancy.com

And I found this beauty:


via fancyDrew)
I want to go to there.

Well, it's been awhile.

This pretty much sums up the last span of time.

Can't stop listening:

Ow. I'll tell you what, ow!

(my feet hurt so badly.)

Hoorayyyyyy!!!

I get to see my boy today! :)

Obsessed.

New show addiction:

Flight of the Conchords.

I seriously love this show. It's so quirky and funny. I'd definitely recommend it!

I'm at my first work conference!!

Today kicked off my first ever conference experience! Oh boy! I'm in St. Louis for the AVMA conference.

I worked the morning yesterday and then went to the Des Moines airport to catch my flight to St. Louis in the afternoon. After a silly layover in Milwaukee, I finally made it to my hotel. While my view isn't spectacular, Erica (my colleague) has a view of the St. Louis Arch! I am jealous.

Since St. Louis is the home of my college roommate, Bridget, I was lucky enough to grab dinner with her after getting myself settled in my hotel. We went to this Irish pub/restaurant called Flannery's and it sure was delicious. After finishing dinner, I promptly passed out and slept like a baby.

And woke up at 5:45am. Bleh!

This morning I had some oatmeal at the restaurant on the Mezzanine level of my hotel, and then walked over to the convention center with Erica. We checked in, got our ID badges and promptly got lost trying to find the exhibit hall. Once we finally made it, we spent the next 4 hours unpacking books and journals, organizing them based on subject area, and finally making everything as esthetically pleasing as possible. By noon we were finished - my feet hurt after 4 hours in my gym shoes, so I am worried about how my feet will feel tomorrow after a full day in flats. I believe we're there from 8-6:30. Eek! Oh well, I'll just have to buck up.

I'll try to remember to post about tomorrow once its over!

♥

Another movie everyone should watch:

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. ESPECIALLY if you love Robert Downey Jr.

Happy Birthday

to me!!

Summer is here!

It's been awhile since I posted. I've been keeping myself busy with many things: reading, movies, Joe, visiting home and friends, running/working out, and Town & Gown.

...what's Town & Gown you ask? It is a non-profit chamber music association in Ames that puts on five chamber music concerts a year, does community outreach events, and hosts an annual Musicale, a gala fundraising event featuring esteemed local musicians. I just joined their board of directors as the new secretary, and I couldn't be more excited. We had out first meeting last Thursday and I already feel at home.

I also just read a pair of REALLY excellent books by Chris Cleave: Little Bee and Incendiary. I would highly suggest you pick them up. If you don't believe me, here is a passage I thought was particularly striking from Indendiary:

"Before you bombed my boy Osama I always thought an explosion was such a quick thing but now I know better. The flash is over very fast but the fire catches hold inside you and the noise never stops. You can press your hands on your ears but you can never block it out. The fire keeps on roaring with incredible noise and fury. And the strangest thing is people can be sitting right next to you on the Central Line and not hear a sound. I live in an inferno where you could shiver with cold Osama. This life is a deafening roar but listen. You could hear a pin drop."

Cleave's writing style is very different in each novel, but has a beauty to it that makes them hard to put down.

The weather is really beautiful today, which means it is hot in my apartment. I have my fans going, though, because I refuse to put on the a/c just yet. It's not quite that hot.

I am looking forward to seeing Brooke next weekend for my birthday! I know I just saw her last weekend for her graduation party, but I always love having visitors in Ames. It makes things more exciting. AND I am excited for her to finally meet Joe. :)

I guess that's all for now - oh! I've recently been playing my violin with a little regularity! Huge shock, I know! It's been years and I was really rusty when I first picked it up, but it's amazing how quickly things come back. I'm really enjoying it!

Okay, that's really all. Besitos!

The last year in books.

I wanted to see how many books I could read in the year following graduation, which was also filled with job applications, working at Target, moving to Ames, and starting a new job/life away from home. Here's my list! I'm going to start another list and see how many/what I read from May 24, 2011-May 24, 2012. :)

Without further ado, the list:
-Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling*
-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling*
-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling*
-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling*
-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling*
-Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling*
-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling*
-Just Listen by Sarah Dessen*
-The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver*
-Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult*
-The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein*
-The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein*
-The Two Towers by J.R.R.Tolkein*
-The Return on the King by J.R.R. Tolkein*
-The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson*
-Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert*
-He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo
-Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan*
-The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larson*
-Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan*
-Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse*
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
-The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larson*
-Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann*
-Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
-Messenger by Lois Lowry
-Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult*
-Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez*
-Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides*
-Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
-The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
-The Help by Kathryn Stockett*
-In the Woods by Tana French*

(Books with a * are the books I'd recommend you pick up if you get the chance.)

This is the most amazing

bookmark I've ever laid my eyes on. I TOTALLY want one! :)

(via The Daily What)

What did I do today you ask?

I took my car in for a check up and spent 3 hours bumming around at Panera in the process (my car is ok, no worries!). Then, I went to Salvation Army and got a wicked ottoman for $5 (it was half off!). THEN I went to Target and a garage sale and got two cutesy chairs and a wrought iron table for my porch (please see: future posts about enjoying meals/reading outside). Next came a visit to the Ames Public Library. I went crazy and got two books, a movie, and the 2nd season of Six Feet Under.

Then I came home for awhile. And I left again. Where to? Joann Fabrics, of course!

There are got 3 and a half yards of black anti-pill fleece and hoo-boy did I go crazy and cover the freecycle chair I got on Tuesday. Yes I did! Now the chair is covered and I still have to do the ottoman, but I am fresh out of energy and desire to cover it! Plus my knees are magnificently rug burned.

I also spent some time feeling miserable and hungry, which I've sort of taken care of but now that the chair is covered I am really going to ponder what to eat (talk about eating dinner later than normal!).

Breath. This is what happens when I am left to my own devices for 2 week. Thanks, Joe! :)

"And by the time I was wishing I'd washed my hair

this morning instead of just bathed and was practically doubled over with gratefulness that I'd at least brushed my teeth, out of the blue, he kissed me. Right in the middle of the Robert E. Lee Hotel Restaurant, he kissed me so slowly with an open mouth and every single thing in my body--my skin, my collarbone, the hollow backs of my knees, everything inside of me filled up with light."
-The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This is truly beautiful

and in 1:21 has made my day a little better. Via Ingrid Michaelson's blog.

GO FOLLOW THAT LINK AND LISTEN NOW!

This has GOT to be

one of the most frustrating Monday's I've had in awhile. :(

Now watching:

The General.

Only 8 more AFI movies to go!

Weirdo list of things to do:

-Go to the library to return things/pick up things on hold
-Grocery shopping
-Laundry
-Run/work out
-Paint my toenails
-Clean/vacuum the apartment
-Read
-Try to figure out when to use the rest of my vacation days (?)
-Figure out if I can swing the 80-35 Festival or if I already have 4th of July plans.
-Harvest basil, thyme and rosemary from my plants/water them.

EDIT: As of 8:30pm I only got the things crossed off done today. Well played, Saturday. Well played.

"Adrian, imagine everyday is Independence Day

and save us from traveling the river changed; save us from hitchhiking the long road home. Imagine an escape. Imagine that your own shadow on the wall is the perfect door. Imagine a song stronger than penicillin. Imagine a spring with water that mends broken bones. Imagine a drum which wraps itself around your heart. Imagine a story that puts wood in the fireplace."
-The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Sherman Alexie

Dearest inbox:

COOL YOUR JETS. Seriously. This is ridiculous.

What a nice weekend

full of good food, friends from home, and sunshine! :)

Lexie, Peter and Justin came all the way to Iowa to spend the weekend with me! It was really, really great to see them since I don't think I have since December. I already miss them and hope I'll get to see them again soon (especially with Peter moving to Nicaragua and Lexie leaving her new books here).

It's really warm in my apartment right now and I don't know what to do about it. I can't open the windows because it'll get warmer, AND I refuse to use the air conditioning because it is APRIL.

So it's sun dresses and bearing the heat for me and enjoying it before it turns into an awful storm (hopefully not a tornado like the weather folk are suggesting).

Now Playing:

And if your strife strikes at your sleep
Remember spring swaps snow for leaves
You'll be happy and wholesome again
When the city clears and sun ascends

And my head told my heart
"Let love grow"
But my heart told my head
"This time no"
-Winter Winds, Mumford and Sons

I just finished

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Boy, oh boy! Do I love Jimmy Stewart.

Official GRE test date:

September 24, 2011 and noon in Des Moines. (Gulp!)

Attention Everyone:

Stop what you're doing and watch Double Indemnity. Now!!

Zooey Deschanel's tips

for dealing with sad friends (awesome).

I love following her blog. She may not post often, but when she does, they are gems.

"'Well I woke up this morning

and diagnosed a very early case of happiness.

'Never heard of it,' he says.

'It's a rare disease. I caught it just before the neighbors woke.'

'Is it contagious?'

'Don't you have it yet?'

...I told him that I loved him and that I'd always love him and I felt like a child who throws a centavo into a fountain and then she has to tell someone her most extraordinary wish even though she knows that the wish should be kept secret and that, in telling it, she is quite possibly losing it. He replied that I was not to worry, that the penny could come out of the fountain again and again and again."
-Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann

"I never wanted

anything from you
Except everything you had
And what was left after that too, Oh!"
-Florence + the Machine, Dog Days are Over

"Outside, there were two tickets

in the window of the Pontiac - a parking fine, and one for a smashed headlight. It was enough to almost knock me sideways. Before I drove home to the cabin, I went back to the window of the bar and shaded my eyes against the glass, looked in. Ciaran was at the counter, his arms folded and his chin on his wrist, talking to the bartender. He glanced up in my direction and I froze. Quickly I turned away. There are rocks deep enough in this earth that no matter what the rupture, they will never see the surface.

There is, I think, a fear of love.

There is a fear of love."
-Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann

"That's one of the advantages of being an adult.

You get to act like a kid anytime you feel like it."
--Jack Taylor, "One Fine Day"

A pretty great weekend at home

It's President's Day weekend, and instead of partaking in all of the mattress sales that are happening right now, I decided to drive home to Wheaton for the long weekend. On the whole, things haven't been too exciting, but it was a nice change of pace, and I always like spending time with my family.

I even got to see my grammie, who seems to be doing SO much better now that she's doing dialysis. She's alert and more herself in general - something she hasn't been in a long time.

Otherwise I did this and that all weekend, and now it's time for me to get ready to go back. I got a book on tape (Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart...it's our next book club book) to listen to on my way back. Hopefully that will help pass the time quickly! I also am keeping my fingers crossed that the rain/snow/wintry mix stays away so I can get back to Ames safely!!

"What do you want?

You-you want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey, that's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon...Well, then you could swallow it. And it'll all dissolve, see. And the moon beams that shoot out of your fingers and your toes and the ends of your hair...Am I talking too much?"

Joe's hints for easy beat boxing:

Dear Bradley University,

No I do not plan to donate any sum of money to you this year, or for many years, because all of my money is going toward paying off the four years I spent at your institution. But thanks for the address labels!

Yours sincerely,
Melissa

Happy Valentine's Day

a day early, because I will probably forget tomorrow.

...even when I have someone to share Valentine's day with, it's still my least favorit holiday ever.

Can't stop listening:

Finally. :)

I'm feeling really great about things. :)

Nicest note ever from one of Hallie's friends in LA:

"Kimpossible-

It was very nice meeting you. If there was a single quality I wished to instill in all women with beautiful noses, it would be the ability to immediately and appropriately recall previous jokes - you are an expert at what those of us who dabble in whimsical intelligencia call WIT.

That said, your short visit was hysterical and utterly funtastic. Not that you need to hear it from me, but please come back any time. The pleasure would be ALMOST entirely ours, except that I think it's reciprocal. :)

-Harry Doggins"

This made me laugh so hard. Apparently I look like the human version of Kim Possible (the cartoon)

I already miss California and have posted my pictures on Facebook if you want to check them out.

Southern California

was wonderful and amazing. I will post more about it soon, but I am still recovering. :)

Dear pending snow doom,

I am worried. There's no snow falling, and there will only be a little that falls between now and noon and then you're set to unleash your wrath on Central Iowa. I would ask that you please reconsider. Like I mentioned to Inclement Weather yesterday, I would also forever be in your debt if you allowed me to get to L.A. in one piece and on time. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours respectfully,
Melissa

Dear inclement weather,

Cut it out, please. (I said please!) I really want to get to L.A. to visit Hallie because I miss her and the amount of vitamin D my body is screaming out for is astronomical. My (probably) SAD would and I would forever be in your debt.

Your truly and respectfully,
Melissa

"You know that point in your life

when you realize the house you grew up in isn't really your home anymore? All of a sudden even though you have some place where you put your shit, that idea of home is gone...You'll see one day when you move out it just sort of happens one day and it's gone. You feel like you can never get it back. It's like you feel homesick for a place that doesn't even exist. Maybe it's like this rite of passage, you know. You won't ever have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for your kids, for the family you start, it's like a cycle or something. I don't know, but I miss the idea of it, you know. Maybe that's all family really is. A group of people that miss the same imaginary place."
[Garden State]

"We like to watch you laughing.

You pick the insects off plants. No time to think of consequences."
[MGMT, "Kids"]

And now

I feel less flexible than I was. I also think I pulled something in my back while stretching. How's that for irony. No worries, I am sure it'll go away soon.

Day 2

of my new stretching routine complete. I am sick of being super non-flexible. It gets in the way more than you'd think! Right now I can reach to about 2 inches from my toes.

"Laugh Curtain old boy!

It's a great joke played on us by the Lord, or fate, or nature, whatever you prefer. But whoever or whatever played it certainly had a sense of humor! Ha! The gold has gone back to where we found it!... This is worth ten months of suffering and labor - this joke is!"

On deck:

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and/or reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. :)

I'm about to watch

a potentially horrible 88 minute movie with Johnny Depp called "Nick of Time."

...I am judging that it will be bad BECAUSE it's 88 minutes. I mean, I saw "Jumper" with Hayden Christiansen and THAT was 88 minutes and was absolutely horrible.

If there's not enough material to make it to at least an hour an a half, then why bother making it a movie at all. [That statement excludes animated children's movie, or actual honest to goodness shorts.]

On second thought, I probably shouldn't talk about the fact that I've seen "Jumper." It's THAT bad.

I'd say

2011 is starting off rather nicely.

Throwback! Boy bands of the 90s featuring: LFO

But then I think about the time when we broke up before the prom and you told everyone that I was gay. Okay. Sometimes I walk around the town for hours just to settle down, but I take you back and you kick me down 'cuz that's the way uh huh uh huh I like it.

Spiced Praline.

Boom. Roasted.

See also: Mary Jane Watson from the Spiderman movies.

It's a two post day.

Why you ask?

Because I am thinking way too much for my own good, missing my friends and family back in Wheaton, and pondering some of the friendships that I feel drifting away.

Some of those friendships are going faster than others. They seem to be high tailing it out of here and I can't quite figure out why. There are a few in particular that I never in a million years thought would end up like this.

Was it something I said? What it something I did? Or is this one of those "It's not you, it's me" scenarios? Either way, pouring over these things never does me any good, and brings me to tears more often than I'd like to admit. I try to be tough, but let's face it: I'm a softie.

To the friends that are sticking around and are wonderful: I am so thankful for you. For the ones drifting away: I wish you wouldn't because you're still important to me. Those that are drifting at a quicker pace: I'm sad things have turned out this way. I already miss you and am hoping things will turn around.

Well, I guess that's enough Debbie Downer for one night. Sorry about that...

"Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos."
Charles M. Schulz

This year

I will actually work out. I am keeping track on my calendar to guilt myself into it until I start to enjoy it.

Aunt Maude's

is a restaurant in Ames that I've been hearing about from the beginning. I've never been there in the four months I've lived here until tonight.

We had our annual holiday dinner for work at Aunt Maude's this year, and let me tell you: this could be my new favorite place. We had pre-dinner drinks and appetizers (for me a Gin and Tonic and some of the smoked salmon artichoke dip) and mingled and then sat down to dinner.

First came the salad, which had a red wine vinegarette and shredded Parmesan cheese. It wasn't drowning in dressing, but it wasn't too dry either, which was nice.

Then came dinner.

Three words: Main Street Chicken. Holy moley!!

The description on the menu ("Main Street chicken: Tomatoes, Scallions, Mushrooms, Spicy Garlic Butter Sauce, Wild Rice Pilaf, Seasonal Vegetables") doesn't even do it justice. First of all, the Spicy Garlic Butter Sauce with the diced tomatoes, and scallions on top was to die for. The chicken was tender and juicy, and with the sauce it basically melted in your mouth. I don't normally like Wild Rice all that much, but this Wild Rice Pilaf was the perfect light, fluffy grain to go with the chicken. The seasonal vegetable was corn, which was also delightful. I am pretty sure it was cut directly off the cob. So delicious.

After dinner came dessert, of course! While almost everyone else got the peanut butter cup cheesecake, I went for the vanilla creme brulee, which was delightful. Basically, I needed to be rolled out to my car at the end of the evening.

If you're ever in Ames, you better come see me, for one, and if you do, I will take you to Aunt Maude's and we have a jolly good time eating and drinking ourselves into a delicious meal stupor.

Muscle relaxers for my neck

equal extreme drowsiness and going to bed at 9pm. I'll probably wake up at 1am though when they wear off and need to take another. But sleep is sleep, I can't complain.

Dear body,

I think you got it wrong. Yesterday wasn't opposite day!! When I said I wanted this neck pain to go away I definitely DID NOT mean I wanted it to get worse.

For that, I am taking you to a doctor. Yes, a doctor. Cry all you want, you did this to yourself.

Yours truly,
Melissa

Dear body,

This is not how I wanted to start this year. Serious neck pain is unacceptable. Please make it go away so I can resume my exercise regimen.

Please and thank you.

Yours truly,
Melissa

So not ready

to return to my lonely corner of the world.

Happy New Year everyone!

In 2010 I:
-Applied for more jobs than I ever imagined I would
-Fell down an entire flight of stairs...TWICE.
-Watched a lot of the AFI top 100 movies
-Performed in the Vagina Monologues
-Interned with the Heart of Illinois United Way
-Published the 2010 edition of Broadside as Editor-in-Chief
-Graduated from college
-Celebrated the finale of Lost
-Saw one of my best friends get married
-Spent the summer working at Target
-Was offered and accepted a job with Wiley-Blackwell
-Moved to Ames, IA
-Started living completely on my own for the first time

I don't normally make new years resolutions, but I do like to think about things to make a general game plan, so here's what I came up with:

-Eat healthier
-Exercise more and shoot for 3+ times a week, but don't beat myself up if I don't (which shouldn't be too hard considering I barely exercised after I graduated from High School)
-Read some excellent books
-Keep in touch with friends

Otherwise, I am just going to keep on keeping on. It's time for bed. I am feeling so grateful for my family and friends. I am thankful for what the past year has brought me and am really looking forward to what the year will bring me.