#thingsicurrentlylove

Or, A List Of Things I Really Like That Are New Or New To Me:

1. Deva curl hair products. They make my hair curly and bouncy and fun without brewing weirdly frizzy or crunchy or flat or whatever. Plus they smell good, which is always a bonus. 

2. Pb2. Where has this been all my life??? I know it's not new, but it's new to me and I think it's great. I can have two tablespoons of this for one quarter of the calories of normal peanut butter. Whaaaat. Pus I kinda like texture. I want to try the chocolate version for sure. 

3. Jon McLaughlin's new album, Holding My Breath. I mean, it's not a secret that he's my favesies, (I mean just listen to him.  Actually, just LOOK at him.  Hello.) but his new album is good. It's calmer and the piano-ness is just lovely. He even gave us a track that's piano only, At Night, and it's great. 

4. This blended Greek yogurt. The yogurt I usually eat has all the fruit stuff at the bottom, so then you have to stir it around to mix it up but it never blends all the way, and I like each bite to be evenly distributed. But this stuff is, for one, blended, and for two, tastes like delicious dessert and fools me into thinking I'm having a treat when actually I'm eating protein and junk. 

5. Bath and Body Works new fall scents. I have Vermont Honey Apple and Aspen Caramel Woods in lotion and bath gel right now, and it smells sooooooo delicious it actually makes me look forward to taking a shower. And then I smell like divine warm fall scents all day long. Yum. 

6. Gympact. It's an app where you pledge to work out from 3-7 days a week and set a dollar amount to pay for each time you don't make your pact. You pay via PayPal, but you don't have to pay anything if you don't miss your pact. Workouts are tracked either via RunKeeper, gps location of a known gym, or anywhere using the phone's accelerometer. It's motivating because I have to work out 5 days a week or else I pay $5 for each missed workout, which I definitely don't want to do. And bonus, each work out you complete, you earn money! It's not a lot each workout, but at this point I've earned about $8, which is more than I started with. 

7. Tazo chocolate chai latte. I admittedly have an obsession with chai tea, but this stuff just jumped into my shopping cart the other day and it's pretty great. It's not like chai-spiced hot chocolate, it's more like chai tea with a hint of chocolate, so it's a pretty good combination. 

8. Painting furniture. If you've read any of my other posts, you know that furniture painting and redoing has kinda become a thing for me. I'm still new at it and learning techniques but it's a fun hobby that could turn out to be a good way to make some extra cash, too. #bi-winning

9. Roasted okra. I like fried okra because hello it's fried, but a few weeks ago I tried some oven roasted okra and it was delicious! So, on days when I have the time and patience to slice and roast some okra, I do, because it's good. 

10. The Noticer. Earlier this week I went to a live taping of a tv show, and author Andy Andrews was on. He was talking about his new book, The Noticer Returns, and I got a copy and had it autographed. I had heard about his books before and The Noticer has been sitting on a pile of books by my bed that has sadly been ignored while I watched Scrubs and How I Met Your Mother instead. But I read it the other night and liked it enough to write down a few quotes from it. It's an easy read but has many good points and is very inspiration. I recommend it. 

And there's the end of another list because lists are still awesome. 

Things I Like Now But Didn't

Because I haven't written anything in a while, and because lists are cool, and because I'm not feeling particularly inspired to write anything else, here is a list of things I used to not like so much, but now I really do. Self-reflection for the win.

1. Scrubs. The tv show, I mean. Enough people told me it was great to finally get me to watch it. Brilliant, hilarious, slightly addictive, and no, I didn't watch the last season because I wanted it to end with dignity. I also love wearing scrubs, but that's nothing new.

2. Seafood. Sometimes I find myself wishing I could have some tilapia or halibut or salmon or something like that, and it used to be that the only seafood I would tolerate was fried catfish. But I like it more and more now.

3. Country music. I went through a several years where I didn't like country music hardly at all, probably because I was inundated with it so much growing up because it's my dad's favorite. I was a huge fan, then got sick of it all of a sudden and would only listen to my faves like Shania and John Michael Montgomery. But then *click* and I started listening to country on the radio again. I blame Tennessee. Other music I started liking more? Jack's Mannequin. Like, I actually listen to them on purpose now. Also, Death Cab for Cutie. I know, hello 2004. What have I started to like less that I used to really like? Snow Patrol. I guess my emo music side is switching gears.

4. Flip flops and jeans. I used to HATE it when I or anyone else wore flip flops or some kind of sandal with jeans. I thought it looked unfinished somehow, and weird, like your leg is all covered up and then, bam! nasty bare feet. But hey, I wear my cute sandals and jeans all the time now. Who knew?

5. (500) Days of Summer. It took me a while to like this movie. At first I was really mad at it. But then, I watched it a couple of weeks ago and it grew on me. Plus, JGL, nuff said. I still will always kind of hate Zooey Deschanel though (mostly from envy). Also, the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Watched that recently (thank you again, Netflix) and it used to be my least favorite Disney movie, but despite its darkness, it's really beautiful and the music is awesome.

6. Cooking healthy meals for myself. Not that this was just introduced to me three years ago, though, of course. Let's just say I've wasted a lot of time not doing that, when I could have been. But it's more fun to eat vegetables if I've cooked them and they're delicious.

7. How I Met Your Mother. Considering I just watched all of it on Netflix and want Lily to be my best friend and Marshall to be my boyfriend but only if he looks like Ted and dresses like Barney and I look and dress like Robin but sound not-Canadian, it's my new old favorite thing. I binge-watched it all to catch up for this last season premiere, and now I'm frustrated that I have to wait a week between episodes instead of just hitting the happy little arrow to go to the next season. Bummer. #firstworldprobs

8. Watches and bracelets. I used to never wear them and they really annoyed me, but now I wear a watch daily and feel naked without it. I wear bracelets much more often now, too. On the other hand, I now never wear rings anymore, when I used to wear like 4.

9. NPR. Like, I love this radio station. Why haven't I been listening to this forever??? I don't know what I love more, Science Friday or the Car Guys or Wait, Wait or analyzing Diane Rehm's voice (ps is she really on vacation for 3 weeks or is she sick or something? maybe she's off drinking some more silly voice juice). I started listening in the early early mornings on my long commute in Houston because otherwise I'd listen to the radio long enough to hear the same song played three times, and 5:45 am was a little early for loud, poppy music. Ergo, NPR. I even got my mom listening to it.

10. Watching/listening to/reading the news. I guess this could be combined with the previous one somewhat, but then I wouldn't have a list of ten even numbers. Anyway, it turns out it's important to know what's going on in Syria, etc. Although it's admittedly much more difficult to do when you're either a) asleep before the news comes on because  you have to wake up for work in 6 hours or b) don't drive much so don't have much time to listen or c) don't have a newspaper subscription.



The moral of this story is that it takes time to like some things that I really didn't like or care about or wanted to like a while ago but didn't, but now I do, and people are always changing, which is usually a good thing I think. And that Netflix and driving a lot more have expanded my tv, movie, music, and radio/news horizons. And that I like making lists.

A nightstand in semi-gloss armor

Hello gorgeous.

This is actually a project I was working on while completing my dresser/desk/chestofdrawersthing and my favorite thing so far, my entertainment center. (For the record, I do not necessarily suggest having three projects going at once. It's like reading three books at once - all the details get muddled.)

Since I got a new bed comforter and stuff for Christmas and switched my living room and bedroom colors and since the nightstand that I had throughout college was an old end table of my grandfather's and my nightstand in grad school was a Target shelf turned on its side and since my nightstand on my externship was an unbalanced Goodwill wooden table-ish thing, I figured it was finally time to get a new nightstand.

But surprise! Nightstands are like stupid expensive. Seriously, $79 for a little bitty piece of wood with one drawer and a handle if you're lucky?! No thanks. I'll just do it myself!

So I found this little 1980s ugly ducking at the same place I found my entertainment center, on the same day. It was also on sale, so I got it for $15 instead of $25, which I figured was a good deal since it was in great shape.

It looked a little lopsided since it was missing a handle, kinda like it was missing an eye. Pirate nightstand!

I took this little friend home and primed it, because that's what you apparently do before you paint things. I might have sanded it, too, but then again, I might not have, because sanding is for the birds.

Primed and...

...ready to go!

And I painted it black using a little roller and some semi-gloss paint samples (you can't beat $3! Especially when one is free with a coupon!)

But unfortunately, it was kinda tough to paint. It was drippy and there were lines and stuff all over it and it just didn't look smooth. That's because I have no real skill in this and just do things halfway until they look okay. But the best part? NO TAPING. YAY.

It turned out okay, though, that the paint wasn't perfect the first time, because guess what? When you use red spray paint, as seen in the Red Spray Paint Debacle Slash Was There A Murder Here episode of Lauren Fixes Furniture, it gets all over everything, including innocent little nightstands. It looked like it had a dusty coating on it that just wouldn't come off. So I painted it again, and aside from messing up the front of the drawer and being too lazy busy and having lots of important things to do with my under-employed time so I just left it messed up, it came out better.

I added these adorable drawer pulls from Hobby Lobby, after traveling to three different stores because it seems that someone else in Northeast Tarrant likes mercury glass knobs as well and bought them all, and gave it a little old-school glam without going overboard and heading into the Circle of Hell known as Bling.

I am going to wax this little guy up to give him a really good sheen, and he will be allllllll ready to go to my new place (wherever that it) and hold things like my glasses, a lamp, and my cat's body as she takes over what is obviously her new throne. Good thing it's painted black.

Doot doot dooby doo (aka I love New York)

I went to New York City a few weeks ago for an interview. It was my first time to go to The Big Apple without family or friends or a group like Courtside (aw) and I was allllll by myself (cue Celine Dion song).

Never a certainty when flying standyby, I got on a flight, which was great. Until we landed at La Guardia, where I'm always like OMGOMGOMGWEAREGOINGTOLANDINTHEWATERANDDIEEEEEEANDMYFAVORITESHOESWILLGETWETOHNOESohwaittherestherunwaycool. I hate that airport. 

I cabbed my way to Manhattan and my swanky hotel I got a good deal (for New York) on Priceline for, then explored my postage stamp-sized room in about 6 seconds, and headed out to get FOOD. (For whatever reason, I decided the diet was off when I was in New York. Ps almost a month later and I've gained 5 pounds despite all the city walking and haven't realllllllly restarted the diet yet. Dangit.) 

Anyway, I was too hungry to find food, so I stopped at the first place I found which was a chain Cafe Metro. Lame, I know. If I had walked one block farther I could have had delicious Halal Food from any number of sizzling food carts. 

Cutting my losses, I made my way to Rockefeller: 

Who doesn't love a golden guy in front of a fountain? I know I do. 

Rockefeller is a lot more fun (and crowded) at Christmastime, but it did fully satisfy my need for Art Deco architecture and aesthetic to start the day off right. 

This obsession is not new, but it's definitely enhanced right now. 

I went to the NBC store for the first time. Almost bought the World's Best Boss mug from The Office but decided I had far too many mugs already and far too little cash and suitcase space. Le sigh. 

I wended my way down the street until I hit an outdoor market full of knockoff purses, jewelry, sunglasses, tshirts with dumb sayings on them, halal food stands, and interestingly-dressed people. I bought a purse, yes. I ate a kabob, yes. It was glorious.

Made it through the mob to Times Square, where I stayed for about a second.

Basically just long enough to take the obligatory Times Square picture. 

There were wayyyy too many people. I considered going into the Hershey's store to get some souvenirs or something, but didn't even make it inside before the crowds pushed me out. 

So I walked all the way down to Chelsea and Madison Square Garden, where I had a delicious Thai boba tea and my feet started to hurt. 

Took a subway back to the hotel (1/1 subway score) to chill for a sec and charge my lifeline aka phone. Then I took a train to Roosevelt Island (2/2 subway score). 

Folks, I walked out of the [deepest] subway station [in NYC] into a whole new world. Green grass. Mothers flying kites with children. Dads throwing a football with children. Twentysomethings walking dogs and riding bikes with little bells on them. For a sec I thought I had somehow been imported into the magical world of Enchanted and animals would start flocking to my calls. 

Basically this island has a history of a prison and mental institution but now has several new high rise apartments/condos and is like its own little world. It may not be the most convenient, with one subway and one non-24-Duane Reade, but it sure was cute. 

(I also stopped at a Starbucks there to fuel up myself and my phone. There was a postdoc/resident/somethingintelligentandnerdyinagoodway-looking guy who lives on the island getting coffee there. He sure was cute too. I like this place already.)

Plus it had an awesome view of the skyline. Hashtag winning. 

I returned that evening to get some Magnolia Bakery:

Which was just okay. I've had better. Cute, though.

And see Radio City Music Hall:

Obligatory pic numba two. 

And visit Grand Central Terminal and my favorite building, the Chrysler Building, due to the aforementioned Deco obsession. I also got asked directions like I knew where I was going. Yay. 

The day ended with some "Original Ray's Pizza" (hey, it could've been the real deal) and putting my feet up. For realz. 

I also played a game that day I called Tourist or Not. Problem is, it's hard to tell if you're right, so I changed it to Points for People Carrying Cameras, Wearing Man Capris, or Being Large Groups of Asians or Other Ethnicities Who May Be Likely to Visit New York in Droves. I was doing pretty well in my game, and I racked up a bunch of points in Times Square. But y'all. I was waiting for a train (and someone else asked me directions!) and down the stairs came a group of 15, Asian, (also Deaf and actively signing), male college students. Seven had cameras. Six were wearing man capris. JACKPOT. I just stopped playing after that; it just wasn't fair to everyone else after all those points. 

Sunday started with sleeping in late and being a heathen because I didn't see First Baptist New York anywhere. I went up to where my interview was to find where I needed to go:

Hi, nice to meet you. 

And popped into a 3 story underground Home Depot, zipped through Bloomingdale's, and spent way too much time at H&M. After that frivolity, I decided to go down to Ground Zero, since I'd never been there before (subway score 3/3). One looooong, winding line later, and the bustle of the city was hushed in a somber and peaceful setting. 

Seeing the names of the dead written so large and the juxtaposition of the depth of the lost buildings with the growth of the new was both sad and hopeful. It was a very good visit. 

Then, I was gonna train it up to the West Village for dinner. Unfortunately I couldn't take the train I wanted because my MetroCard was empty and there was no kiosk at that station. So I chose to walk 6 blocks to find another station with a card kiosk and go in the general direction I needed to go (subway score 3/4). In any case, I ended up in cute brownstone tee lined hippie twenty something land. And I liked it!

After waiting for a plug at yet another Starbucks, I walked around taking in the great weather and people watching. I ended up getting pizza finally at Bleecker Street Pizza, where I was gonna get one slice and take the other back with me. Three seconds later, both slices were gone. It was delicious. 

I got some more boba tea, because you can never have too much, and headed back to the hotel box to veg and prepare for my interview. 

The interview went well, and I had two hours to kill before leaving. I took the tram back to Roosevelt Island to 1) ride the tram and see what it's all about and 2) to make sure the island was just as neat as I remembered. It pretty much was.

The view from the tram. This is where those people were in Spider-Man where he holds onto the cable and drops them into a boat. 

And a nice shiny black car took me back to the Worst Airport Ever where I almost didn't make a flight home, and I left, not wanting to leave at all.