It’s been almost 6 months since we officially moved into my new office and our new work space, and while my area is decorated and colorful, the lack of color on the remaining walls has been driving me up the proverbial wall. So after getting approval from my boss and wrangling my student workers into assisting this afternoon, we created a 9 ft by 16 ft representation of our weekly schedule on the way. The color alone makes me feel a bit more at home. Plus, it has the added bonus of attendance accountability. Look at me… so organized.

Because receiving gifts like these from my student workers totally makes my millennium.

Nothing could be better than a three-day weekend after the chaos of the beginning of the spring semester. While at my favorite munchkins house babysitting on Wednesday night, I was reminded that it was time for our monthly pajama party. So tonight’s plan will be mac-n-cheese, pajamas, kiddie movies, and some fun with photo booth.  Yeah, I’m that lucky.

It’s good to know that even back before cds, iPods, and Napster I was sticking true to my love/obsession with music. I’ve even got the middle school poetry to prove it.

Yesterday, the munchkins and parents came over after church for ‘Santa brunch’ as J called it and to exchange Christmas gifts. I had bought the girls adorable footie pajamas and Amare a musical vacuum cleaner. (Oh, yeah. I’m gonna be that person that buys the loud, obnoxious educational gifts for kids.) Then, because I wasn’t convinced that was enough, I made each of the kids cute lil fleece blankets for each of them. I wasn’t overly sure they’d like them, but after seeing them curled up with them as soon as brunch was over, I really had no doubt. Plus, aren’t these the cutest kids in the history of all cute kids.

I’m a horrible Christmas gift giver.  I shop all year round and then spend the weeks leading up to Christmas forcing myself to NOT give everyone’s gifts to them early.  This year is no different except my biggest struggle is giving one of the gifts away.  A few days ago “Infinity Blues” Ryan Adams’ first book arrived in my mailbox four months before you can buy it at your local bookstore (thank you internet pre-ordering), and I made the mistake of opening it and starting to read some of his writings.  Now I can’t seem to put it down.  The only way I’m actually going to be able to give it away is if I wrap it up tonight and deliver it early.  Before I do I thought I’d share one of my favorite excerpts from IB.

Aplomb

since nobody is listening
I will sing this
aplomb
aplomb
I’m singing that song
but I am not dignified
without dignity
I am alone
and no one is listening

this is MY hillside,
my right and left
sky and tree line barren
white canvas
north and south
devoid of color
listless
totally shut-mouth

since nobody is listening
I will sing this
over myself
over myself
and the thump of my own heart
kicking my chest
beating it
with its blood-fist
aplomb
aplomb
aplomb
aplomb
aplomb
I am alone
I am alone
and
no one is listening

-Ryan Adams

Today marks Day 1 of my hiatus into the world ‘off the grid’.  I honestly haven’t gone this long without a pure form of the intarweb for the past six years or so.  Sure,  I have my cell phone, and most of the time I can survive with that (the admin page of this blog, gmail, espn, the basics).  But I’m going to have quite the catching up to do on some of my favorite feel-good websites.  So, read them for me, would ya?

Quirky, comfy and original.  I lived on this website as I was decorating my new apartment. From paper products to home decor, I have a happy moment here each morning before work.

With a tagline like that who needs to say more.  Music lovers bookmark this one!

Think celebgossipblogging but about sports.  No, this isn’t about where Kobe had dinner last night, but if you’ve ever owned a fantasy team, this should be bookmarked.

Home redesign done with creativity and more than a few amazing tips. Have a design dilemna? They can help!

More design goodness.

My New Music HQ

Here’s a lil bit of tech-geekery for your Sunday afternoon.  Ever wanted to create an online icon of you for the masses?  An identifiable jpg for the world to see.  Well, here’s your chance with FaceYourManga.  Choose your skin color (sadly, ghostly pale wasn’t an option), eye shape, and at least twenty other facial features to create your own mini-me.

Here’s mine.  I’d love to see yours.  Good luck finding the right blend of you with the handful of options there were.  I’m still missing my dimple in my chin… long lashes… rounder face… smaller mouth.  But it’ll work for now.

My favorite time of year is here!!! Back to school! Not because I’m that thrilled about school itself, but because every store on the planet now has every paper product, writing utensil, and craft adhesive known to man. Every year at this time I stock up on Sharpies of every color to decorate my world, every size of Post-It notes of various shapes and sizes to keep my life in order, and any other product that I just can’t live without. (I’m really eying a JoBros lunch bag, but I’m not sure if I’m on Team Demi/Selena or Team Miley.)  I found the motherload for this Back To School season today at Staples in the form of paper clips in the shape of treble clefs and guitars.  I plan on using these babies all year long and even made sure to get enough to send to my mom for her music classes.