Fall is wonderful.

Although here in NC, we're still balancing between highs in the mid-80s one day and in the low-70s the next.  Oh global warming Mother nature.  There is something I love about the cooler weather, leaves changing, pumpkin spice flavors, heated blankets, and the holidays.  Since I'm too busy on Hulu catching up on my shows, my post will reflect it.  I hope to take some time on Saturday to schedule some posts for next week though! 

I'm SUPER excited about the...

[This is that cute graphic I was telling you about!]

Me and my friend JDA are running it.  I'm so happy that I found a running buddy (and newfound friend here in Raleigh!).  JDA actually has a lot more experience than I do with races.  Her and her family have done quite a few 5k's.  The good thing though is that she and I still have about the same pace.  I'm looking forward to continuing our running even after the Monster Dash.  10k anyone?!  We've "trained" a few days.  It's going to be such a great feeling to complete the 5k on Sunday.

As for a costume for the MD, geez.  I didn't want to spend a lot since I'm currently on a budget.  After already spending the $23 on the race, I couldn't/didn't want to dish out much more on a costume I actually have to run in as well.  Gaga is super popular this year (although my friend KD started that trend last year), but there is no way I was dishing out $30+ on a costume that will probably be out next year.  Seriously...I spent at least 30 minutes (I honestly think it had to be close to 45) in the Halloween store and came out some some cat ears and tail that I'll still not happy with.  I just don't have the will to make something this year.  Looking at all the fun costumes though makes me me want to dress up this year.  More time for me to think up something super creative and awesome for next year :)

Happy Halloween!

Reading rainbow.

I'm really loving marking things off my 101 in 1001 list.  I have short term goals (unlike on a Bucket list), and it feels like such a huge accomplishment to mark things off.  The next one I make won't have so many little notches though within one item (ie. bi-weekly date nights with hubby sans cell phones...we don't even have time to make the bi-weekly thing happen!).  Anyway, I've been working to read 25 of the 101 books to read before you die.  First, I'm thinking about continuing that list but eventually upgrading to the 1001 books to read before you die list.  Currently we have no cable, so I am doing a much better job of reading for at least an hour before bed.  It feels wonderful!  I finally got a library card in Raleigh too (which I hate not buying new books, but on a budget, a girl has gotta hit up the library!). 

Way back in July I started on Pride and Prejudice.  It definitely wasn't one of those books that keeps you on the edge of your seat.  What I enjoyed about it was escaping to another time period.  It is a wonderful feeling imagining what your family status or love life would have been in you lived during that era.  It was a good read, but I don't think it's high on my list to read again.

In September/October, I re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows...

This was, of course, in preparation for part 1 of the movie releasing later this month.  If you want to know anything about me, it is that I have the worst long term memory ever.  It is odd because I am pretty good with directions because I am observant (something about being a visual learner?).  I figure I have to have some sort of vivid memory, sight, object, etc. to tie information to in order for it to be recalled fully at a later time.  Anyhow, it has been a few years since I had read HP and I had completely forgotten what happened.  I am now so ready for the movie!

When I first went to the library, I left my phone in the car and couldn't really remember which book from my 101 list I wanted to read next.  I ended up picking up The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

I finished it this weekend.  I have to say I wasn't the biggest fan.  I know it is supposed to be British humor.  I just felt like there wasn't really a climax.  I just basically wanted to get through the book.  It obviously was very sci-fi which isn't my favorite genre either.

Now I am reading, Life of Pi, which I'm only a few pages into. 

[So many cool book covers!]

I'm not completely sure how I feel about it yet, as it is supposed to be a book that will "make you believe in God."  If it is filled with religious overtones then I'm not sure how into it I'll be.  On the other hand, it has a lot to do with animals which I love!  Guess you shouldn't judge a book by it's....um...author's note?

Doin' it, doin' it, an doin' it wellllll.

I'm feeling much better today!  One of the things on my 101 in 1001 list is to run another 5k.  Whilst one of my few times at the gym in the last couple of weeks (although I did surpass my goal of going 2 times last week and went 3!  baby steps...), I saw a sign for the Monster Dash.

[The flyer in the gym is WAY cuter...this is all I could find]

It's a 5k and 1 mile fun run at Cameron Village in Raleigh.  It takes place on Halloween.  Now D and I have gone all out on Halloween the past couple of years.  D is going to be in Virgina this year on some serious beer business this year (read: touring for a Terrapin/Left Hand beer collaboration=drinking and eating a lot all week).  I was going to join him, but with the recent move and all my school work piling up, it's not going to work out.  So one of my new friends in Raleigh said she would join me for the 5k portion of the Monster Dash!

I am so looking forward to it!  You get to dress up and run!  Now typically, since I am not the best runner, I run two miles at the gym.  Running the track or treadmill there can get monotonous, so I stick with the two-er.  Today I braved the outside and ran a full 5k near my house!  Talk about a runners high (if you mean panting and beet red faced)!  In all seriousness, I felt accomplished and more excited about the 5k on Halloween.  Now, the time is another issue...let's just hope I am not coming in last in the race. 

One of THOSE days...

Do you ever have one of those days?  I'm pretty terrible about keeping my feelings bottled up.  There is something about not wanting sympathy from others (or the fact that I complain enough as it is?).  I don't even tell D a lot of times when things are feeling tough for me.  I'm a cry-er.  It makes me feel better to cry.  It's like my form of venting without spilling to people. 

This month, couple of months, has been weighing down on me.  I don't feel like I'm taking enough time for myself...but I don't feel like I can.  Tonight was a much needed time to take a break.  I didn't come home and do grading or lesson planning.  I came home and watched some tv.  I ate some and relaxed a tad bit.  It didn't help all the way...

I ended up reminiscing...longing.  The screen background on my laptop is a picture of D and I in Switzerland.  I was left longing for that month in my life back again.  That was truly one of the happiest times in my life...a month doing my favorite thing...traveling...our only worries being money to make it through but living on bread, cheese, and sliced meat.  Exploring, drinking, sleeping in.  I want to re-live that time in my life. 

Sometimes I wonder why I can't channel my pent up stress, frustration, sadness into something beneficial like working out.  I need a life break. 

In an effort to try and drown out this feeling from one of those days...here are a few pictures that make me swoon...

[Have I told you that I am obsessed with Chuck Bass?  There's something about that bad boy attitude that is amazingly sexy]

[Who comes up with these cute little things....??]

[Sorry for doubling up on the Gossip Girl pictures....but nothing makes me much happier than Blair, Serena, and seeing them in Chanel, etc. etc.  Oh and I totally completely want Serena's body]

 [Um...if this does not make you crack even a tiny smile...you're not human]

 [This, my friends, is exactly what I needed to see]

All images via weheartit.

Blazers and busy-ness!

How do you spell busy-ness?  Because if you substitute an "i," you get business...hmmm.

Anyway!  Sorry it's been a week since I posted :(  As usual, life is just not slowing down for me.  The nights that I don't have lesson planning, grading, or school-related work, I just want to plop down and catch up on tv.  Now that we've actually moved, we're busy unpacking!  I promise moved in pictures will be coming soon.  This will hopefully be a year of decorating and updating our home decor :)  I may need to get some tips from Britney on restoring furniture! 

This weekend, I have grading that I haven't gotten a chance to do.  Yesterday was spent sleeping in (yay!  and much needed), eating breakfast and gchatting with my friend, KD, hitting up a couple thrift stores (I'm on the hunt for some oxfords), heading to the gym (about freaking time), cleaning the old house so we can be officially moved out, and finally heading to Target to pick up some necessities.  I did come back and read all my students free-writing journals.  Now the plans for today are to finish up this post, finish my coffee, completely finish cleaning and getting stuff out of the old house, hit up the gym, come back and meet D, hopefully get in some grading (ahhhh!  I have to!), and then have a stay-in date night with D.  I bought some stuff to make homemade lasagna, side salads, and red wine.  I hope he can wind down after a busy week/weekend of traveling and beer.

A note of excitement before I go!  I've been unlucky on the front of find some oxfords period - let alone in my size - in the thrift stores around here.  I think maybe I need to check out Etsy or something.  I did find a blazer yesterday that I fell in love with.  No lie, it is almost exactly like this:

[Softwashed wool blazer from JCrew, $198!]

Mine (and I promise I'll share pictures soon) doesn't have the flaps over the pockets and the buttons are a weird color.  I am considering replacing the buttons with something darker.  This blazer does not have shoulder pads (unlike my first find) and has a splendid fit!  I can't wait to start wearing it for the chillier months coming up!  I've been dying to shop...so the next best (and cheapest) thing is thrifting.  In the upcoming weeks, D is going to be out of town a lot.  I may start browsing some surrounding thrift stores outside of just the Salvation Armys.

Hope you've had a fabulous fall weekend!

Ah ah ah ah stayin' alive, stayin' alive.

Because I AM still alive!  I've been so busy catching up on all of your blogs, I almost forgot to update mine!  Well thanks for all your sweet comments on my last posting.  I did make it through the storm even with an additional kink.  I told you I was heading back to GA for my friend CAP's - now CAPM - wedding.  Well we made it down and back alright.  I'll even provide proof with a picture...

[Image stolen from KD since I can't upload my pics at the moment...or obv I would have included myself actually looking at the camera]

The wedding was beautiful and CAPM was gorgeous (and she's celebrating her honeymoon in Mexico as I type!!)!  I hope it was everything she wanted!  And I got to catch up with lots of old friends.  But we jetted out of there so soon to get back to NC.  I had the tingling of a sore throat coming on that Sunday which manifested itself into a big, ole, ugly cold by Monday morning after 4 hours of sleep.  Fml.  I made it through school ok only to find out that the only day D could find someone to help him move our furniture to the new house was Tuesday!  So my week turned into one long, sick, sleepless, stressful, nonstop, body aching week. 

On a positive note, we are practically all moved into our new house!  Mad props go to D, who is amazing, for doing 95% of the moving himself while I was at work and sick (which I couldn't even take a fucking day off work).  We also had like zero boxes, so D had to pack, move, unpack, and go back (got that?).  We still have to clean up at the old place, but it's nice to be sleeping in our new house so soon :)  I love it there.  I can't wait to actually start getting settled in, unpacking, and putting things in their proper places. 

Point being...I made it.  I'm currently in the NC mountains for a beginning teachers retreat.  Hopefully normal life with semi-resume next week when I return.  My goals are to 1) make it to the gym at least twice (good considering I've been once within the past month probably), 2)clean the old house and be DONE there, and 3)keeping my head above water trying to juggle everything school-related and personal life.