Did I ever mention that now I hate Halloween?

When I was a little girl, I loved Halloween. I loved to dress up, I loved to get candy, I loved watching Halloween specials on the Disney Channel.  I also loved the mystique of the dark-scary things, ghosts, haunted houses, monsters. and witches. It was a time when you could take a break from reality. Reality could be unexpected and mysterious.
Upon arrival to college, Halloween became nothing more than a new excuse to party with a costume on. Girls dressed up as slutty versions of whatever, and beer flowed like...I don't know...candy? Anyhow, I hated it. I hated the pressure to "have fun". What does that even mean? Fun isn't something that can be quantified by how much you drink or how slutty or ironic your outfit is or how amazing your plans are. Fun just happens, independently of holidays.
Now as I celebrate my first Halloween of my 30s, I'm feeling very indifferent about holidays altogether. Why bother celebrating when someone tell you to? Why not celebrate when YOU think it's time to celebrate?

And sometimes I climb mountains in my spare time

How 'bout that view? Of fog...

Rainy summit...no biggie

My own private world

Do you ever find yourself trying to share an inside joke with someone who's not on the inside of the joke? How frustrating, right?! Like, why do you think I make no sense?

In particular there are a few inside jokes that permeate into my daily life because they are just that awesome. I say them, and rather than sharing a moment with my collaborators in its construction, I simply share a moment with myself.

Of note, now is "Dude, don't leave!" and "Sleeping angels". If you're out there and you know it, have a laugh and a moment on me!

Not real corn.

What better way to rot out your teeth in the fall?

How we vote

In Oregon, they mail your ballot to your house, you vote, and mail it in. Fun, that you can drink beer and talk about your vote with your husband while wearing pajamas. Kinda weird, that you don't go anywhere to vote. Will our votes make it there? Will the mailman sabotage our votes? Is there another way to get the "I voted" sticker?

How I do

Got my nails did...what?!?

Shams!

I am currently ob-sessed with pillow shams.  I believe they can turn a bad day good, a rainy day sunny, and make you want to wake up in the morning, make the bed, and go rock the F out of your day.

I suck. And other self deprecating reasons why I have not blogged

I'll tell you, you whoever you are, it's been hard to keep up with the blogging whilst in school. I read so much and write so much, that I barely have much spare time and in the spare time that I do have I've been trying to run, yoga, hang with friends, make sure the shower doesn't grow mold, keep my eyebrows under control, eat healthy foods, find my winter clothes (it's already so cold!!!), walk dogs, catch up on a minimal amount of show intake (Homeland is the best, ya'll), take the three week old chipped nail polish off my fingers, remember to brush my teeth, and some other stuff too.

With that said, here's some random snapshots from the week that in no way, or every way define what I've been doing.


Homemade soup:



Homemade cornbread:



School!!!



I cast my shadow upon education:


Dollops of goodness:


What gets me up most mornings:

Just a regular ol Monday in Eugene

Tons of work
Followed by my first official Oregon rain run




And some friends for dinner




We're eating Southwestern bean soup, not the friends.

Pertinent things of noteworthiness this week

Drinking Lovely Lattes

Rocking my Bull City Tee for my first training run for an upcoming 1/2 marathon

The oldest shirt in the world. Vintage American Dance Festival Tee, circa 1983, came into my possession in the mid 90's via a trade with my best friend, Kristin Vaughn

Though threadbare, it's still kicking

Oh, and him. A wombat.

Also, not pictured...I graded my first undergraduate exams. I'm pretty much famous at this point.

Another beautiful sunset

School is intense. There's tons of reading, writing, and thinking. It's literally a full time job.

But even in the hustle and bustle of it all, we still manage to get on top of a mountain and catch a sunset when we can.

And scurry back down so as not to be devoured by a mountain lion...

Study Cuddle

Fall?

There's a chill in the air, boots on my feet, and a scarf around my neck.  Could it be that Fall is here.

Still no rain in Eugene and still I read theory daily.

That's what happening here.

This pic is old, but I did wear that scarf yesterday!

One Way?

Eugene is rife with one way streets. It leaves me wondering in a Carrie Bradshaw kinda way...why? Is it more bike friendly? Does it help organize the city better? Is it just the way that it used to be and Eugene hasn't really expanded much over the years.