Life Looks Like

This morning, the office was deliciously quiet. Not too many phone calls, everyone out but me. There's always more to do, of course, but I had a moment or two to think about my romantic life and appreciate what is proving to be a new year of Bohemian abandon.

New addiction: Pinterest. I'm happy to say I'm limiting myself to a few minutes a day, but since joining last Monday, I've made two trips to Hobby Lobby.

In Celebration:

My favorite local band, Le Chat Lunatique, released a new music video on Friday, and I gathered some friends to join me at Low Spirits for the show. May I suggest downloading their cover of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up?"

New Favorite Sandwich Joint: Prime.

The Kitty Kat Club is delicious, but share it with a friend, because like all the sandwiches here, it's immense.

New way of going back to my roots: The Holga. I've been a little distressed thinking I've lost my ability to shoot on film. I'd love a nice digital SLR sometime, but with other things competing for my small, small discretionary income (e.g., plane tickets to South Carolina and Seattle, a bike, a freezer, tuition to an online bridal consultant course, a gorgeous drafting table from Cost Plus World Market), I'm going small and trying my hand at film again. I'll let you know how it goes.

New place to hang out:

(My friend Michael loves power tools. I love light bulbs and spray paint. I think I have a partner in crime.)

New Year with Old Friends:

We've been going to Szechwan for as long as I remember. Much love to Ai and her family. Last night's food was phenomenal!

Happy Year of the Dragon, everyone!

Volume 2012, Ed. 2

Today's Likes/Loves:

1) Boys who do dishes. Hint.

2) The name Elodie. This is evidence of my further identification as a francophile in my old age. I held off for a long time, but the thing is, the French REALLY are cooler than most. At least aesthetically. Poor Germans with their big, heavy furniture and big, heavy names. (eg., Brumhilda. Sad.) Anyway, I like this name so much that it may have cracked my top three for girls list. Not that Elodie is that much less cumbersome than Jemima, Daphne or Elaine (which isn't so bad, but I insist on pairing it with the middle name "Fairchild").

3) Mustaches, real or fake.

Some Things I Love-- Volume 2012, Ed. 1

A few things I really like/love today:

* A mix tape my old friend Hunter made me for my 26th birthday. Today I'm particularly grateful I still have a tape deck in my car and on my stereo at home, because this thing is a treasure. H, with the help of several other friends (you know who you are!) threw me an amazing surprise birthday party that year, and the capstone gift was a tape where he'd interviewed many of my friends about our friendship. It still makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

*Memories of other true kindnesses paid to me over the years-- like the time Kathy and her family took care of us after my grandmother died, and how her husband Mike gave us all money to use at the gift shop at the Rio Grande Zoo (can there be a better gift to a child?!?!!). Or Skye bringing me flowers and leaving them on my car after the world's most terrible night. I think of Dr. Whipple and my friend Nathan giving me a blessing when I was sick, and a group of nuns praying the rosary for me. And then there was the time my friend Stephen took me to BYU Homecoming just because he knew (thanks to another friend, Hilary) that I'd never been asked. I think of my friend Justin coming to all my birthday parties over the years, and the way he and Brecken invited me over for Thanksgiving the year I had no where to go. I'm grateful for the three times I received Valentine flowers-- Tommy, Scott, and the Erics, you are wonderful!

* I love times with my friends-- those random adventures that bring a smile to my face-- like supporting my friend Scotty in the Park City Marathon. I'll never forget my long day with Shawn, Mike and Chad and the horrible Italian food we had after Scott's race. This year is going to be filled with adventures.

There's a little gratitude for today. Seems like a good way to start off the year.