bromance/romance/girl talk

so, i almost forgot to talk about how wonderful last weekend was. i don't think i did anything too different, it was just fun and i got to spend lots of time with my mom, which for those who don't know me, is always fun times. 

due to movie prices here is sunny souther california, my mom and i went to the movies saturday morning for half price. i convinced her to see think like a man because i am kinda a big fan of steve harvey, and i find him rather hysterical when it comes to relationships. and let me just say, if you haven't seen the movie and are looking for something to do this weekend, it is real good. probably not going to win an oscar good, but laugh out loud funny, and sometimes so funny because it's true. the guys are hysterical, and um, so (SOOOO!) good looking it should be a crime. 

go. watch. and try to figure out which character you are. 

and i do love the music video. 

what do you think, should ladies act like a woman and think like a man? my sister and i were having a discussion and we couldn't quite come up with a synopsis...thoughts?

a little birdy

yes, i totally adore this commercial. it could be because in the last week i've watch HGTV like everyday, but it's just a little something cute for everyone's Thursday. 

anyone house hunting this spring?

sing a little tune

something new i found. hope you enjoy!

ah-maz-ing

it's been a rocky couple of weeks. one of those roller coaster periods of time where every minute brings on something new (and sometimes terrifying). when it's like this i cling to the mini moments, the ones where in all the chaos you can still laugh, or finish a good book, or get your hair cut and have someone else wash your hair (which, i must say is SUCH a luxury)...they are still present and as good as ever. 

i read this blog via one of my favorites and it got me thinking of not only those amazing moments, but those moments of pure bliss. for me those moments are often tiny. i remember this guy i totally was crushing on playing cubby bunny in my kitchen, being in new york city with my mom on my 19th birthday (i had these fabulous yellow shoes...), and a favorite favorite: when i was working at a frozen yogurt place at uva i worked with a good friend of mine and one day we must have been going crazy because (1) we kept running into each other and dropping yogurt everywhere (2) we kept on erupting in giggles (3) i may or may not have been skipping around the kitchen--anywho-- we ended the night with her driving me home blaring hip hop music from her car, windows down, singing very loudly along. it was so very perfect. 

so this weekend i'm hanging on to those moments, hoping to add more to the list. my weekend plan is to laugh hard, play, and wear my new purple pants. holler!

image

girls

girls. we are a mysterious bunch. add some youth on top of that, and you're in for a wild ride. we're compassionate, intelligent, dedicated, persistent, loyal, funny, loving, and sometimes, truthfully, a little crazy. so, when you're less than four weeks away from your 24th birthday, what's a girl to do?

well, there's the cake i've been thinking about. 

but before that you can watch girls, the new HBO series. 

i have to say, i am very intrigued. want to know more about it? check it out online. 

for those of us who may not have total access to HBO, it looks like we might be able to at least watch the first episode for free, as for the rest of the season...anyone got HBO? I'll bring dessert and red wine! 

so check it out Sunday. 

happy happy weekend!!

wearing her heart on her sleeve.

I WANT YOU!

I WANT YOU!!

that's right. i need you right now. 

i'm currently in the market for a job. i'm looking for something in the create world, where i can be inspired by the people and places around me. 

i currently have experience in education, art education, customer service, museums, galleries, and general office work. 

i'm meticulous, a hard worker, persistent, and dedicated to improving the future in any way i can. 

i have a passion for the power of beauty in all of its manifestations. every day has the possibility to inspire...isn't that fantastic?

let me know if you have any ideas. i'm open to everything! 

oh, and i'd be happy to send you my resume. ;)

thanks in advance! 

motto-tastic

oh yes. 

complications

it's been one month since i've arrived back in the states. it seems like a lot has happened, but there is still so much to do, so far to go. but so far, this is what i've got. 

life's complicated. 

life's complicated when a military coup take over your country. 

life's complicated when tomorrow could be far worse than today. 

life's complicated when you are broke. 

life's complicated when you're hungry, or extremely poor. 

life's complicated when you can't be honest about who you love. 

life's complicated when you can't be honest. 

life's complicated when you're lost. 

even when life is complicated, it isn't. 

life isn't complicated when you have family...no matter who they are or how much money they make. 

life isn't complicated when you have a safe place to call home. 

life isn't complicated when you have someone you can call at 2am when anything happens. 

life isn't complicated when you have a job to go to.

life isn't complicated when you get to get an education, when you are expected to get an education. 

**

people get really tired of hearing me start sentences with "when i was in mali..." but i've learned a lot about life in a very short time. i don't know it all. i don't even know a little piece of it. but i've got stuff. and it stays with me, haunts me almost. the people i've met. their smiles. the sound of their laughter. the way their eyes roll when i do something oh-so-American. they are surrounded by desert, poverty, corruption, and uncertainty. and yet, there they were opening their hearts and minds to me, a complete stranger. we didn't understand how each other communicated, dressed, ate, or did our hair, but we are all human and that commonality was enough for them. 

so why then is it not enough for us? why do we fight so much? when did we stop listening and start assuming? 

life's complicated enough. why add to it?

**

life should be simple as pie. 

where's your head?

i've been everywhere lately. everywhere in my head that is. it's been a crazy week. peace corps is being evacuated from mali, my parents went out of town to visit my grandparents, i'm in the middle of a job search (eekkk!) and my poor sister has a serious case of strep throat. 

madness. 

so please excuse my resent absence. and in the meantime, take a peak at some fun across the interwebs...

for what's going on in mali

doesn't this look interesting? i do love an analysis of the world around us...

loving this look! i just want to flaunt around town in all my boho chicness.

just watched this show last night. oh, kerry washington, you had me at save the last dance

for all sorts of style...i mean don't you always wonder what lies in people's closets?

this week i also walked down memory lane watching the last episode of this show that i started watching while in high school! so much has happened since then, but that's another blog post!

this sounds like somewhere i want to be right now...books and art...fabulous!

and now, as i catch up to music on the radio, this country newbie is quickly climbing my favorite chart...plus, he's just so freakin' cute! swoon

happy weekend!

and to all my mali readers...love you bunches!!

image--something i constantly need to remember, because somedays you just feel so small