(Get Into the) Holiday Spirit

Christmas Eve is exactly one week away. I have done most of my Christmas shopping, along with the beginnings of some crafty presents. Still, I can’t help but feel like the holiday spirit is missing.
While mentioning this to Brad, he made a good point. You have to make your own holiday spirit.
It’s hard, because I spend a lot of the week at Brad’s, where there are no decorations. I don’t play my own Christmas music and it plays very sparingly at work. I have presents for people, but I always wish I could afford more.

I’m not really sure what it takes to make the holiday spirit come alive. Is it the cheesy holiday movies on Lifetime and The Hallmark Channel? Is it the music playing in stores? The decorations in stores and on homes?
All I know is, I want it in my life this next week. I want hot cocoa while driving around neighborhoods to check out the lights. I want presents wrapped and ready to give to my family and friends. I want A Charlie Brown Christmas and Elf and Home Alone and A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life. I just hope I can make the time for it all.

Recent Reads: The Circle

Last night, I finished The Circle by Dave Eggers. After reading the review in Entertainment Weekly (B+) and the premise, I was instantly intrigued. Finishing it before bed was not the best idea. It kept me awake for a bit, thinking and absorbing.

The Circle is the story of Mae Holland, a young woman who has graduated college and found herself stuck in her hometown working a dead-end job at a utilities company. Her dear friend and former college roommate Annie helps her get a job at The Circle, an internet company that has quickly become the leader of all matters in technology and the world wide web. Mae falls in love with the company and it’s sprawling, beautiful campus quickly, even as she works a smaller job in Customer Experience, helping answer queries with businesses who do work through The Circle.
As her time at The Circle goes on, she finds herself landing in her boss’s office and HR for reasons unrelated to her work with the businesses; they are concerned with her lack of participation in campus activities and presence within the InnerCircle and OuterCircle, where she should be joining groups, smiling and frowning at people’s “zings”, and putting herself out into the world via social media. It’s not long before her tiny cubicle is loaded with more than 6 screens to control both her work duties and, more importantly, her communication.

It’s hard not to feel a bit of fear when reading this book. The more transparency is expected from her, the more she gives in to an almost cult-like way of behaving. Still, considering the way we are in terms of social media and technology and smart phones and computers, it doesn’t seem that implausible. For instance, I’m currently blogging this onto a personal little space I’ve carved out for myself on Blogger, I’ll tweet and Facebook the link to people, and my iPhone is sitting next to me, notifying me about the likes on the most recent picture I posted onto Instagram. Recounting all of that, which has been happening in a matter of minutes, it’s hard not to believe that something like this book, which has way more going on in it than I’d want to give away, could or would happen.

I love the fact that we can make ourselves heard via the internet and technological devices. It’s a great way to inspire yourself, to find things you love and to share them with others. But when do we go too far? And can we go too far?

I loved this book. It was a page-turner, and I found it hard to put down.
If you’re interested in social media like I am, I would highly recommend it.

Snowy, Snowy Night

Last night, we got quite a few inches of snow. Lou, Brad’s housemate, had been talking about prepping for it for a couple of days. In Brad and Lou language, that means stocking up on plenty of beer and food.
I worked until 3:45 yesterday, so I made it out and home just in time to watch the snow start to fall. And even though I had to be up at 5 a.m. today, I still enjoyed a snowed-in night with people (and a puppy) I love.

 

Cali perched in her usual spot and a view from the beginning.

 
 

To make life easier when we were upstairs, far from the fridge, Brad and Lou shoveled snow into a cooler so they could keep cold beer in between the bedrooms and the office. Smart. We also listened to some smooth tunes and ate a delicious stir-fry the guys made from scratch. It was so darn good. The sauce was amazing, better than what I’d buy from a bottle. I just wish I had rice to sop it up. I also wish we had Christmas music, because it would’ve been perfect last night. I’m running out of opportunities to listen to Christmas music, and I need the spirit!

 
 
 

These final photos, aside from the one of Brad and I, show the significant amount of snow that had fallen. That amazing quiet was surrounding us, and it was so beautiful. The final picture of Cali was taken by Brad. He got some really funny photos, but it was dark and she’s dark so I had to lighten a lot of them. This one is my favorite.
She looks so cute all snowy and silly.

Before I headed to bed, we walked to Turkey Hill, which is about a block away, not even, to grab some cupcakes and candy. It was fun to walk in the snow and get some fresh air, even though Lou had to bring Cali home (her paws were so cold) halfway and my cheeks are still red from the stinging cold. It was a great night, though, and I look forward to more snowed-in moments in the wintery months to come.

Where Does the Time Go?

Christmas is less than two weeks away. I wish I could say that I am completely ready, but I’m not. I’ve made a nice dent, but there are also some projects I need to work on (I’m broke, which means it’s time to get crafty). I don’t know about you, but when I start to Christmas shop, it’s like I break the seal and I want to spend all my money and buy everyone I know something. I really love giving gifts. It’s one of the best parts of Christmas. I need to start stashing money away in a separate savings so that I can go a little nuts when I Christmas shop in the future.

As for my daily life, it’s been pretty good. I’ve been getting a sufficient amount of hours at work…I know people who are only getting one or two and aren’t happy. It makes me feel like I’m doing a good job…also, making money!
As long as there is some sort of income for me, I’m happy. And the job is different all the time. Again, it’s not the end-all, be-all, but it’s a great step forward from the icky job of my past, specifically in regards to my attitude.

As usual, I wanted to share some photos from the past week or so. I got to spend a few days at home this past week, which was nice. The tree is up and smells amazing, we’ve watched a couple of movies, and I love chatting with my family. I will only get a couple nights next week, so I’m hoping to cram in some Christmas movies and cookies!

 

This is across the street from my house. Those plants have fallen now, but they looked cool against the barren woods.

 

Last week (even though it feels like five weeks ago), I had dinner with these beautiful ladies (Jenna and Amber) at
La Tolteca, my favorite Mexican restaurant! Jenna heads back to CA very soon, so that was our last little hang ‘til she comes back for the holidays (like, in less than two weeks) and goes back to CA again. She’s been here since the end of July, and it feels like just yesterday that she came back. It’s good, though, because that means Ed, her fiancé and my friend, will be coming back into the states!

 

I’ve been doing this silly thing on Instagram (@mikeylynn to follow me!), #selfiewithcoffee. I don’t do it with every coffee I drink, because it would be every day and that would be boring. But I seriously like documenting the different coffees I’ve had. I enjoyed a super tasty chocolate cake donut with my Gingerbread coffee…I must say, I’m not a fan of the GB. That was also my first coffee at Wegmans…Instagram memories.

Brad recently got glasses, and he’s just about the most handsome man ever. With or without them.

Dirty bathroom mirrors…CLASSY. I went to my sister Maria’s company Christmas party this past Saturday. It was fun to dress up and meet her co-workers. Now I can put a face to the names! I wish we had gotten a photo together. She won a spa day as part of the raffle they had…I am so happy for her! She deserves the pampering. Also, you might not really notice/care, but I got my hair cut and I’m loving it. Short hair is my thang.

 

It’s that time of year! Snow is falling, which I love/hate. When I don’t have to do anything, bring it on.
I got to have a snowy constitutional with Artie…when I’m home, I usually take him for a short walk (if he cooperates) to get the mail. But we like to call it his doggie constitutional. Because it’s cute and fun to say.

 
 

Guess who loves sitting by the tree? Everyone!
Artie loves planting himself on the pink recliner next to the tree…we all usually fight for that chair, but the tree blocks the TV so it’s only good for reading, relaxing, and chatting. I love that Artie was apparently so pooped that he decided to lay down right in front of his doggie bed. It’s right there, but no.
The last photo is one of my many glasses of wine on Monday night. I stayed up talking to my mom and enjoying the holiday decorations around the living room. My sister is the best decorator. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I have my own place to decorate…not even for the holidays, but in general.

So there’s my life lately. Trying to stay in the holiday spirit, working, and enjoying the quiet little moments in life!
Have a great weekend!

Learn What You Love

With the free time I have lately, I’ve been trying to settle down and learn a little. About myself, about things I’d like to do, about things I should do. Of course, I don’t usually end up doing it. I think that if I just jumped right in, it might be easy to stick with a pattern. It’s so hard for me to start, though.

The thing is, I have a bunch of books about things I’d love to learn or work on, not to mention all the resources at my expense on the internet. Books with tips and tricks and helpful assignments, websites with lists and links, and notebooks, pens, and pencils galore. Most of the time, when I can sit down and just think, I end up playing stupid games on my phone or re-watching How I Met Your Mother for the 3rd time. I give myself some credit for writing blog posts. I might not post all of them, but I have a small reserve of saved posts that will work at any given time.

The new goal? Set aside some time to just read and write about the things I love.
I count my recreational reading, as well. Entertainment Weekly helps keep me up to date with great books, music, movies, and TV shows. The Circle by Dave Eggers is my book of the moment.
On the left are two books with writing exercises. I always have a bunch of ideas but execution is, as I’ve mentioned, the hardest part. On the right, a couple of my photography books. I’m still trying to learn about manual settings with my DSLR, not to mention trying to get inspiration to actually use my camera.

Here’s to diving in!

A Collection: Mugs

When you have a tight budget, it’s hard not to feel guilty about spending money on things that aren’t necessary.
That especially goes for items you already have plenty of (like clothes or books or nail polish…yeah, that’s all me). However, I will never feel guilty about buying more mugs.

I don’t remember when exactly the mug obsession flourished, but I’ve always loved mugs. Who doesn’t have a favorite one they grab when they make their morning coffee, evening tea, sick day soup, or milk and cookies? I know I always have. Now I have SO MANY MUGS to choose from, but I couldn’t be happier. And I know it won’t stop anytime soon.

I figured I would share some photos of the mugs Brad and I have accumulated over time.
Not all are showcased, but I focused on some of my favorite mugs.

  

It’s hard to choose favorites, but the top and bottom mugs are high on the list. They are both from Target, which is one of the best places to find mugs at a great price. Whether you want a basic, solid mug or something trendy and interesting, Target is definitely an awesome place to go. The Good Morning mug is just so cute and makes me smile, and the bottom came out around the popularity of Gotye, so it was a must-have (we have a similar mug in different colors).
The middle mug was a gift from Brad during one of his business trips. If you know me, you know I have a soft spot for Hello Kitty. This mug is big and perfect for all hot beverages (hot chocolate would be great in it, since it’s like a super-size helping). I’ll never forget how he gave it to me. He came home and put some of his things down. He then ran to the kitchen, saying he was thirsty. He came into the living room drinking water out of this adorable mug. It’s made better by a super cute picture inside that makes drinking out of it much more fun!

The majority of my mugs are at Brad’s, but the mug obsession spills into my home with my sister.
This is some of her super-cute collection, along with mugs we have had for a while.

These three mugs are my stay-at-home mugs for the times I’m off work and come home for a few days.
The Bloomie’s mug is kind of amazing. I sometimes wish it was a little bigger (should I have gotten the Big Brown Mug?)
The orange mug was a super cheap find at Wal-Mart. They had every color, but I was attracted to this orange hue. I bought it so that I would have a mug for coffee at my previous job. It’s the perfect size if you love adding a lot of cream.
The blue mug was a purchase at TJ Maxx (another great mug spot). I left without it the first time I saw it, but then I couldn’t stop thinking about it. That’s a good sign that it’s not just a useless impulse buy. It’s my favorite mug at home.

What do you collect? Are you as obsessed with mugs as I am?
Brad and I have already acknowledged that we will probably have a whole wall of mugs when we live together.

The Past Couple of Weeks via my iPhone

It’s December. Seriously. I just don’t know. Christmas is less than a month away…about 20 days away, in fact.
Time goes so fast. I’m losing track of it all the time. How crazy is it that, in less than 30 days, we will be entering 2014?
WOWZA.

I realize I haven’t shared a lot of the going-ons in my life lately because it has slipped right on by.
As always, the best way to show it is by the photos I’ve taken on my phone.

 
 
 
 
 

A couple of weeks ago, Jenna visited! She’s leaving for California this time next week…so crazy. She came back in July…again, a reminder that time flies. When she first got to Brad’s, we hugged and I swear Cali tried to jump in on it as we parted. She was standing on her hind legs, paws out like The Creep and we both died a little from the cuteness.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire! I was dedicated to seeing the IMAX version, since it’s how I saw the first. it will continue to be my viewing preference for the last two films. I loved it, of course. And I had to geek out and represent with flamed nails and my Etsy-purchased necklace homage.

Though it snowed a little before, it was a lot more significant last week. It has gotten much colder, very wintery. I think snow is gorgeous, but traveling in it sucks and I hate having to defrost my car every morning. It’s a love-hate.

I love this new beer shirt I got. It’s the second one I own, and now I want to have a collection.

We finally broke out the Bodum Brazil French Press (I got it for $6 at JCPenney!) using super—strong Cafe Bustelo. HOLY CRAP! Brad and I were spazzing. It was a successful first run, but I’m looking forward to grinding my own beans and trying a milder coffee next time. (Sidebar: I used the A Beautiful Mess app to edit this photo. Their latest update included this collage option, and it’s pretty much the best thing ever.)

Yesterday, I worked my first 8 hour shift, which means I get an hour break for lunch. Maybe that’s the norm for some of you, but it’s fairly new for me! I went to Panera, a hop away from Old Navy, and enjoyed my favorite meal and a cup of coffee from the CUTEST HOLIDAY CUP YET.

And that’s some stuff from my life!