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Saturday, September 14, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Welcome to Philly!
It's been almost two weeks since we drove into the city to pick up my keys for my Philly pad. I suppose I should document this time for posterity ...
On Thursday morning, August 15, we jumped into my Rav4 (which was purchased for this very endeavor) and started driving to Alexandria, Virginia, about 16 hours.
[I should also note that I finally had that emotional "moment," taking Kenny for his last walk around our neighborhood. Generally I've been too busy to work through any emotions about leaving, but I am sad to leave my apartment, friends, and community in Alabama.]
To Curtis' extreme credit, he did most of the driving, pointing out towards the end of the day that he really wanted to do the lion share of the driving since he didn't have time to help me prep for the move and he knew that I was pretty worn out.
Kenny did really well on the drive, we set up his bed in the backseat and he slept a lot, and spent quality time with us as well. We stayed at a hotel in Alexandria (for about 8 hours total) and it was pretty hilarious to see Kenny run around the hotel room, trying to figure out where we were and why we were there!
On Friday morning, we drove the rest of the way to Philadelphia, and then it got crazy! We had precious few hours to 1) get my keys, 2) get a TV because cable was coming to install everything, and 3) figure out what we were going to sleep on that first night! We managed to do all three and I made an initial Target run that night for the rest of our necessities.
My apartment is small but probably bigger than necessary since it's just me. I have a futon for guests to feel free to plan a trip to visit! It's
We spent the rest of the weekend putting furniture together and resting. Monday morning we both dropped Kenny off at his new daycare, Curtis drove to Herndon, Virginia for work, and I started my clerkship!
So far so good, it's a really relaxed work atmosphere (like, really relaxed), and we're doing well. The toughest part of the move has been getting Kenny adjusted but after 2 weeks we're SO MUCH BETTER. This weekend I hope to see some family and watch college football, so life goes on.
The other big adjustment has been the walking, in the heat no less. Between taking Kenny to daycare and walking to work, I get about 1.5-2 miles of walking in per day, at least. Last night I did about 2 miles to meet someone for dinner. So I can feel my better getting stronger and adapting, but it hasn't been easy on my 28-year-old overweight body. I hope to take advantage of the increase in activity to lose some weight (as also recommended by my new local doctor and supported by a high cholesterol number...*sigh*), but I'm deferring that effort until I feel a little better about getting through the day-to-day.
The other funny thing about the last 3 weeks has been my obsession with The Big Bang Theory. Seriously, I'm one season away from OWNING the entire series. I can't believe I didn't get into this show sooner, but it's a pretty funny development to come out of this summer (not unlike my obsession with Law and Order: Criminal Intent while studying for the Bar in 2011).
Anyway, I hope to post pictures soon, but I wanted to give an update on life. Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend!
On Thursday morning, August 15, we jumped into my Rav4 (which was purchased for this very endeavor) and started driving to Alexandria, Virginia, about 16 hours.
[I should also note that I finally had that emotional "moment," taking Kenny for his last walk around our neighborhood. Generally I've been too busy to work through any emotions about leaving, but I am sad to leave my apartment, friends, and community in Alabama.]
To Curtis' extreme credit, he did most of the driving, pointing out towards the end of the day that he really wanted to do the lion share of the driving since he didn't have time to help me prep for the move and he knew that I was pretty worn out.
Kenny did really well on the drive, we set up his bed in the backseat and he slept a lot, and spent quality time with us as well. We stayed at a hotel in Alexandria (for about 8 hours total) and it was pretty hilarious to see Kenny run around the hotel room, trying to figure out where we were and why we were there!
On Friday morning, we drove the rest of the way to Philadelphia, and then it got crazy! We had precious few hours to 1) get my keys, 2) get a TV because cable was coming to install everything, and 3) figure out what we were going to sleep on that first night! We managed to do all three and I made an initial Target run that night for the rest of our necessities.
My apartment is small but probably bigger than necessary since it's just me. I have a futon for guests to feel free to plan a trip to visit! It's
We spent the rest of the weekend putting furniture together and resting. Monday morning we both dropped Kenny off at his new daycare, Curtis drove to Herndon, Virginia for work, and I started my clerkship!
So far so good, it's a really relaxed work atmosphere (like, really relaxed), and we're doing well. The toughest part of the move has been getting Kenny adjusted but after 2 weeks we're SO MUCH BETTER. This weekend I hope to see some family and watch college football, so life goes on.
The other big adjustment has been the walking, in the heat no less. Between taking Kenny to daycare and walking to work, I get about 1.5-2 miles of walking in per day, at least. Last night I did about 2 miles to meet someone for dinner. So I can feel my better getting stronger and adapting, but it hasn't been easy on my 28-year-old overweight body. I hope to take advantage of the increase in activity to lose some weight (as also recommended by my new local doctor and supported by a high cholesterol number...*sigh*), but I'm deferring that effort until I feel a little better about getting through the day-to-day.
The other funny thing about the last 3 weeks has been my obsession with The Big Bang Theory. Seriously, I'm one season away from OWNING the entire series. I can't believe I didn't get into this show sooner, but it's a pretty funny development to come out of this summer (not unlike my obsession with Law and Order: Criminal Intent while studying for the Bar in 2011).
Anyway, I hope to post pictures soon, but I wanted to give an update on life. Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend!
Monday, August 12, 2013
"Sweet Tea Proper" - Shameless plug
Since I haven't been very good at posting on what it's like to live in the South, let me refer you to a good friend of mine from here, who has started a lovely blog about Southern living:
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| Sweet Tea Proper |
Sweet Tea Proper is "Designed to bless your heart, home, and life, Sweet Tea Proper is filled with faith, photos, recipes, ideas and inspiration to share and highlight the beauty and charm of Southern living."
I really enjoy her blog, and while I think I have a personal bias, since I do know that she is a lovely person and great example of the ideals found in a Southern young woman, I can also vouch for the authenticity of her site and the earnestness with which she presents her favorite aspects of where she lives.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
My #10s are headed to the beach!
Me, Curtis, and my brand new set of Toms (birthday present :-) are headed to the beach for a week of fun with the Hart family!
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Friday, July 19, 2013
Justice, Race, and Trayvon Martin's Short Life
I've very purposely kept my opinions about the verdict off of Facebook. Awhile back I made a deliberate decision to make my facebook mostly apolitical, as a personal preference, I just didn't want to engage in controversial debates there anymore, I don't have the interest in it like I used to.
This week may have been an exception, but I've had such a hard time figuring out what I think and how I feel, that I knew it wasn't ready for facebook consumption. But today I've read two things that really touched me, that really articulated what I think:
One is from a United Methodist Blog: http://umcconnections.org/2013/07/19/white-privilege-and-the-trayvon-martin-case/?utm_content=buffer07005&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer
The other was from President Obama. I disagree with him more these days than before, but I could tell he had this case on his mind and in his heart all week and finally figured out what he wanted to say, and I wholeheartedly agreed with it. Here is a link to the transcript:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-obamas-remarks-on-trayvon-martin-full-transcript/2013/07/19/5e33ebea-f09a-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_print.html
The truth is, the experience as a black person is different. The experience for a black man is even more different, and difficult. And agree or disagree with the verdict, Trayvon Martin was a victim of that. These laws that justify deadly force in these situations are applied unequally to the detriment of African Americans. And what makes is so sad, is that meaningful change on these issues moves so slowly, too slowly for many.
So many of my black peers have stories of being profiled, from Stanford students, to law professors, even I have my own story and experience with police officers. What's sad about Trayvon Martin's death is that it's just another example of that, with a horrible consequence.
And while I understand the verdict, I can't help but feel sad that a life was taken at the hands of another, without any meaningful consequence (yet) for the man who, admittedly made the choice to engage him with a gun, when he should have just stayed in his car.
I could go into more issues related to the case but I'd like to leave it at that.
Oh, and on a related issue, read this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/questions-haunt-family-of-man-with-down-syndrome-who-died-in-police-custody/2013/07/18/693d4c2a-eef6-11e2-bed3-b9b6fe264871_story.html
I can't even begin to articulate how angry and upset this continues to make me - I really have no words.
This week may have been an exception, but I've had such a hard time figuring out what I think and how I feel, that I knew it wasn't ready for facebook consumption. But today I've read two things that really touched me, that really articulated what I think:
One is from a United Methodist Blog: http://umcconnections.org/2013/07/19/white-privilege-and-the-trayvon-martin-case/?utm_content=buffer07005&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer
The other was from President Obama. I disagree with him more these days than before, but I could tell he had this case on his mind and in his heart all week and finally figured out what he wanted to say, and I wholeheartedly agreed with it. Here is a link to the transcript:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-obamas-remarks-on-trayvon-martin-full-transcript/2013/07/19/5e33ebea-f09a-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_print.html
The truth is, the experience as a black person is different. The experience for a black man is even more different, and difficult. And agree or disagree with the verdict, Trayvon Martin was a victim of that. These laws that justify deadly force in these situations are applied unequally to the detriment of African Americans. And what makes is so sad, is that meaningful change on these issues moves so slowly, too slowly for many.
So many of my black peers have stories of being profiled, from Stanford students, to law professors, even I have my own story and experience with police officers. What's sad about Trayvon Martin's death is that it's just another example of that, with a horrible consequence.
And while I understand the verdict, I can't help but feel sad that a life was taken at the hands of another, without any meaningful consequence (yet) for the man who, admittedly made the choice to engage him with a gun, when he should have just stayed in his car.
I could go into more issues related to the case but I'd like to leave it at that.
Oh, and on a related issue, read this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/questions-haunt-family-of-man-with-down-syndrome-who-died-in-police-custody/2013/07/18/693d4c2a-eef6-11e2-bed3-b9b6fe264871_story.html
I can't even begin to articulate how angry and upset this continues to make me - I really have no words.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
My souvenir from Hamburg
I'll give a recap of our Hamburg trip soon (probably on the family blog), but I wanted to do a separate, quick post about my big purchase from there.
I ventured out on a subway adventure to another part of town I had seen on the taxi ride to the hotel, and it turned out it had some great boutiques and home goods stores. After buying a couple of mugs at one place, I walked into a store called House of Fitz, took one look at these beautiful jewelry boxes in various colors along the wall, and knew I had to have one.
I've had the need for a jewelry box for a long time, this is my old one, which I think I got sometime in the mid-90's:
But it's one of those things that no one ever sees to judge, is expensive to replace (if you're going to bother going nice) and tricky to choose. So I had put it at the back of my mind for the last few years, until I walked into that boutique. I knew I wanted to buy something nice and something useful to remember the trip, so I was so happy to find these boxes, it's the perfect souvenir.
After a tough deliberation, I picked the middle size in Tiffany Blue, and its lovely.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I ventured out on a subway adventure to another part of town I had seen on the taxi ride to the hotel, and it turned out it had some great boutiques and home goods stores. After buying a couple of mugs at one place, I walked into a store called House of Fitz, took one look at these beautiful jewelry boxes in various colors along the wall, and knew I had to have one.
I've had the need for a jewelry box for a long time, this is my old one, which I think I got sometime in the mid-90's:
But it's one of those things that no one ever sees to judge, is expensive to replace (if you're going to bother going nice) and tricky to choose. So I had put it at the back of my mind for the last few years, until I walked into that boutique. I knew I wanted to buy something nice and something useful to remember the trip, so I was so happy to find these boxes, it's the perfect souvenir.
After a tough deliberation, I picked the middle size in Tiffany Blue, and its lovely.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, June 6, 2013
My Toms Addiction
After receiving pair #8 and ordering myself #9, I finally accepted that I had a problem ...
When it comes to shoes, I'm totally into comfort, but I need the height for life, since I'm too short to get away with flats most of the time. I am a huge fan of the classics for comfort and casual events, but the wedges have changed my life.
Let me introduce you to my first 7:
Top Left: my first pair, #1 the navy basics, purchased Aug. 2011 and well-loved. The deterioration of these and the next pair gave me the justification I needed to buy #9.
Top Center: My red "Stanford" #2 Toms, as in, the pair that I used to wear to games. Purchased Fall 2011. As with #1, they are getting pretty ratty and are now good for walking the dog and other causal outings.
Top Right: #3 My work flats; purchased spring 2012, super comfortable and relatively stylish basic flats. They're in pretty good shape because I really don't wear them much.
[Note: I think they changed the textile for these flats, but they look the same]
Middle Left: #4, my first pair of wedges. These changed my life, but they haven't held up well. Grey turned out to be a color that I wore a lot. I should really stop wearing them to work, but I probably won't.
Middle Reds: I think these are actually #6, I purchased the brown sparkly before the red. These were purchased specifically for the Stanford Rose Bowl Game in Nov/Dec 2012 but have come in handy since.
Middle Brown: Aww yes, #5, these are the ones that I constantly get compliments for. I think I bought these in the fall of 2012. They were great for the holiday season.
Middle Right: #7, my formerly newest pair, purchased March 2013. I needed a basic sandal, and these work. These are a less comfortable style than the other wedge, but I'm getting better at walking in them.
Now, for my two newest:
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| My precious |
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| Curtis thinks these are "hipster." This makes me sad. |
Finally, #9, my first pair of the classic version with a print. I really wanted a cute pair that I could wear that don't look like they're falling apart. What's great about these is the fact that they conceivably match everything.
I have a lunch outing with the female lawyers tomorrow in Fairhope and choosing between #8 & #9 is going to be agony.
UPDATE: Since we're in for some rain today I went with the #7s and brought my Rainbows to change into if necessary.
UPDATE: Since we're in for some rain today I went with the #7s and brought my Rainbows to change into if necessary.
And here's what I want next! (because it doesn't end here of course)
A few purchasing notes:
Since my first pair, I've purchased all of my Toms online. They are NEVER on sale. Nordstrom and Toms generally have the same prices, and you should be able to get shipping free. Don't be surprised if you see a pair that you like and they're sold out a week later.
Pay attention to reviews regarding fit, comfort, etc., they will not lead you astray.
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