1. It is THAT MUCH closer to Halloween weekend which means I am THAT MUCH closer to getting some quality BFF time! 
2.  My room has been completely overhauled and cleaned!  That means everything has a place, I got two new shelf type things, and I even dusted as much as possible and vacuumed!    
3.  I put on a pair of my favorite jeans recently that I haven’t worn in a long time and found a bunch of fortunes in the pocket:  Even the smartest person can learn something from the dumbest.  He who climbs a ladder must begin at the first step.  He who hesitates is last.  Understand yourself so you man understand others.  If your cookie is in 2 pieces, the answer is yes.  From error to error, one discovers the entire truth.  42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.  Faith is a law.  He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.  Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.  If winter comes, can spring be far behind?
4. I got to spend some time with some wonderful people while in MA, including taking a car ride with the Lumberjack, finding out that there’s a male indian version of me with Kitten, and all three of us crossing our fingers for my cousin’s date thingy.  Oh, not to mention a semi-fail Disney Movie night.  But even half of The Emperor’s New Groove is good enough for me!
5. Everyone does different things when they are bored, and one thing I like to do is play with my make-up.  I was playing last night while prepping for my Halloween costume (Buzzed Lightyear) and I’m excited to try something a little outlandish but still very me.
6. Listening to a massive amount of Bethany Dillon this week, including the new CD.  This girl is so young, with such a rich voice, and her songs are simple but explain exactly what I wish I could have said.  I’m not big on worship through music, but her songs absolutely put me in that kind of place.
7. There is nothing quite so precious as a snuggle with a dog that loves you.  He turned 2 years old this month, and I am trying to spend a bit more time with him, seeing as the dogs are sort of put in a room to hang while the family doesn’t pay attention to them.  There’s nothing quite so lovely as when he jumps up on my leg after work, it’s his way of saying “hey I missed you, will you love me?  I love you!”  Puppy kisses are so good!   
8. I finally told Sampson I don’t want to talk to him.  I did it for selfish reasons, but sometimes finally standing up for yourself and your own well-being is the best reason to do something.  It’s no good to hold on to the pain and anger just because you don’t want to lose some sort of connection.
9. Speaking of that special someone for the future, I found an old list of things I want in my future husband and among some silly things (“musician, recreationally.”  “Blue eyes, because I seem to be attracted to brown eyes and I have a feeling it will be opposite.”) there was one at the top of the list that is quite real, and it is “Born again christian, stronger than I”.  I remember not telling anyone about this list, and thinking that people would see me as weak because I want a strong husband.  But as a wise woman once told me, God wants us to be with people who will help us become better christians, the best follower of Christ that we can be.  And if I have a husband who is stronger than I and I love him enough to marry him, I’m thinking I will want to be the best wife and best christian I can be.  Because if not there will be no hope for the marriage, as I believe that if we don’t have God as the center of our marriage it will fall to ruin.  Not that I have any idea who I’m marrying, but I like to be well-educated on things that matter to me.
10. Sometimes a quick bubble bath just puts you right to sleep… especially with moisturizer milk bubble bath and rose & lavender-scented bath oil.  Indulgent!
11. Joshua 1:8&9 – Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
12. Pictures from The Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade!  Pictures from here and here.

(OK, I don’t know where this last one is from but it’s awesome!)

This week (or weekend at least) has made a name for itself in my book of good things, and therefore I will hopefully have plenty to write about here that isn’t as superficial as my Rebecca Minkoff bag.  (Although I’m still in love with it.)

1. I got to spend time with a woman this weekend who has already begun effecting my heart in ways it hasn’t felt for a while.  She’s got an incredible love for God and a superb spirit.  She’s sweet and kind and real, and although she’s got ten years on me it doesn’t translate into our friendship.  She feels like an extended-family member, but that might be because I don’t have close relationships with my actual extended-family members. 
2. On friday I got to trek back to Mass because of a nice weekend off and enjoy a game night at The friend’s apartment (see #1).  Mom and I brought tequila, and no one actually got to sit down to a real game, but it was more fun than I’ve had in quite a while.  People filtered in and out, and by the end of the night I had nicknamed a new friend Kitten and we were all enjoying my self-timer on my little green camera. 
3. The friend, after discovering that I take great pictures of myself, asked me to take some pictures of her.  So on saturday I got to sit her down and do her hair and make-up and make her feel like at least 50,000 dollars and take some pictures of her.  Our friend (who is henceforth the Lumber-jack) came along, and the pictures turned out really well.  I love giving people the chance to feel beautiful, especially when I know they are and they don’t believe me.  Anyway, I ended up snapping this amazing picture.
4. One of the reasons that I was getting to know The friend is because she’s amazing and we get along, and another is because my mother set her up with my cousin.  I do not know him very well because he’s 10 years older than I and didn’t live near by.  So after church my aunt, mother, father, cousin, The friend and I went to lunch.  Then the adults decided us kids could hang out, because when you gave birth to someone you will always be in charge of what they do with their time, so we went back to The friend’s and watched the game/I did her dishes.  During the game I asked Cousin all about his life because I knew nothing of it, and he and The friend had some solid discussions and connections and it was really adorable… except for my being the third wheel and bored out of my mind.  So by the grace of God and His holy trinity I was saved from putting myself awkwardly into conversations about things I didn’t know about by the Lumber-Jack, who came over to rescue my sanity.  We all went to grab some grub, and the Lumber-Jack and I agreed that Cousin and The friend are super cute, did a cross-word puzzle, and basically I was incredibly happy to spend time with all of them.  I don’t live near enough to see any of them on a regular basis, so I try to have quality time with people I feel are positive influences on me as much as possible while in the area.  Not to mention watching something possibly begin for two people I really like was amazing.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like that.
5. If I know anything about anything, it’s got to be a little bit about myself.  I know where my mind wanders to when I’m not paying attention, and for quite some time I’ve allowed it because I haven’t cared about how what I’m thinking affects the condition of my heart.  This weekend I began practicing trying to retrain my thoughts.  The biggest problem, I find, is with that female condition; boys.  So, this weekend I began practicing something that I feel is important: refraining from allowing my heart to lust after what I apparently can’t have right now, and trying to put that energy into focusing on God, or even just some sort of project.  The reasons are as follows:
   I have been telling everyone who asks for a while that I really do fall in love with someone almost every day.  I get the warm fuzzies and wallow in the sorrow of being rejected over absolutely nothing!  Someone could look at me, just LOOK, and I begin in my mind the torrid affair of our hearts.  It’s actually really cool in the mind’s eye, because not only do I look like a movie star all the time (Blake Lively) but no matter what He’s got a six-pack and can’t live without me.  In all reality I know for a fact that these things are to be confined to my mind because I have problems trusting males with things such as my heart.  I’ve also realized that for all the times that I’ve become friends with a male based on false pretense so that I could end up making out with them and pretending to be friends later, I’ve never come out of that situation feeling really happy.  I’d describe those feelings that are produced as more fleeting, high, and empty.  Not to say I regret things I’ve done, because I don’t!  I may not broadcast everything I do, but it’s not out of shame.  It’s because (as my Best Friend says) there is a time and a place.  And so, I would like to start living and having relationships that don’t make me feel empty.  If that means only being friends with males, that’s ok.  I know this won’t be the easiest thing to do but I do feel it’s necessary for not only my mental health, but for my heart health. 
6. Another personal re-mix I’m working on is my daily schedule and things I actually do with said time.  I don’t do much.  I don’t even write as much as I would like to, as you might notice with this barely updated blog.  So I am going to try this week to wake up at a reasonable hour when not working, start reading the Bible in the morning on a regular basis, and my project this week is to clean my room and finish unpacking. 
7. I just got my new book!  It’s from The Olympians series!  I’m going to open it and take a look… GAAAAH IT LOOKS SO GOOD!!!!!  I’M SO EXCITED!!!!!
8. I’ve been cleaning my room and it’s looking more and more like MY room instead of the room in my parent’s house where they placed me, so that is something to mention!  I’ve also got some ideas on how to decorate it in a way that makes it feel like a real bedroom, and this is exciting because I am not great at making my rooms really … my rooms.  They are usually sort of bare or really cluttered.  SO!  I’ll be keeping this updated with progress, because I’m excited.
9. I just downloaded 3 Bethany Dillon CDs on iTunes because I love her and I would like to have some more christian music around since I can’t find my CDs and I’m extremely satisfied.
10. It’s autumn and I love it!  The colors during this season make me feel so at home… almost as at home as I was in Utah!  And that’s saying something!
11. Psalm 16:7 – “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.”
12. Jeremiah 31:18-20 – “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined.
    Restore me, and I will return, because you are the LORD my God.
     After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast.
    I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
    Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. 
    Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares the LORD.

1. While it may have been an emotional rollercoaster, I had a great time visiting old friends in MA.  There was a cast party for a production I helped with (make-up artist) and I love getting out of Maine. 
2. I got to spend some quality/reconnecting time with some very cool people, in particular I was so happy to spend time with a certain 8-year-old playing frisbee, and later listen to his stories about nightmares and injuries.  Also, his little 3-year-old brother made up some incredible stories about Dr. Daceman.
3. I got a really chic loose and light sweater thing for 10 dollars at TJ Maxx that makes all my outfits that much cooler.
4. I enjoyed going out to dinner with my Ma and a few friends.  It was all girls except one boy who I got to chat with a bit before the women all decided to ask him about what kind of woman he wants to marry, during which time I drank my martini and put in my decidedly unhelpful two cents when I could.   He and I are friends now because I was the only other person at the table who knew what LARPing was, so we got to high-five and only friends high-five.
5. While outside the restaurant having a cigarette a girl stopped and told me she loved my purse and I got to gush about it with someone who understood how it feels to have real leather and quality stitching.
6. The possibilty of having friends from MA come visit is exciting.
7. Mom and I got to visit with the woman who has been in the hospital, and while everyone else was chatting I helped get the little ones in bed and then got to chat with the grown ups and impress her husband by saying that “Computer engineers don’t need Facebook.”
8. I have gotten to message back and forth with said woman and I find her to be a really interesting person, very smart and very strong in her faith.  I find myself really relating to some of what she says and also finding it completely refreshing.
9. I had quite a few days off this week, which usually I hate.  Ok, I did hate.  But I’m trying to keep it positive!
10. LAST weekend my BFF came up to visit and we had epic pong tournaments and BFF time and so many drinks.  It was fabulous!!!!
11. Has anyone else noticed the leaves changing?  I love this weather!

1. Gossip Girl S3 marathon at work (“CeCe’s heart pumps secrets and gin”) AND
2. Gossip Girl S4!!!!!!!
3. Receiving my amazing Rebecca Minkoff bag.  It’s beautiful and everything I could dream of!  (See one of this week’s posts to understand fully)
4. Putting my expertise to good use and helping with the make-up for a production in MA, turning people into Englishmen, Native American’s, and Elderly.
5. One of the men who I made up was told that his make-up was so good that it made everything else in the play believable.
6. Spending time with Six of the coolest boys I’ve ever met.  We knew their family back in MA before we moved and we got to reconnect.  Their ages range from Three years old to 19, and they are all super smart and nice and I want to insert myself into their lives, simply because I adore them.
7. Acquiring some cute new shoes and a dress while shopping with Mom, including a pair of kitten heels that I can actually wear anywhere, and a pair of heeled clogs that are super comfy.
8. Along those same lines, getting a mani-pedi was really really nice!
9. Mom being sort of on board with the prospect of me being her personal assistant.
10. Going to an appointment with mom and finding the most amazingly magical back-yard that I’ve ever seen!  It was a little overgrown and had a beautiful shack that I would like to live in like Wendy, and a little freshwater pond/lagoon with ducks!
11. Got to take a trip to the only interesting place in this state and pretend to be a city person.  Hopped to three bars and table dance like a fool, ending the night with McDonald’s in the car.  Delish!
12. Two words: Chuck Bass.

1. Purchases: Florence + The Machine, Lungs.  Anberlin, Dark Is The Way Light Is the Place.  Rebecca Minkoff Eyelet Mini Mab Satchel with Strap (black).  Oh retail therapy, we’ve never been better friends. 
2. Juliet and Shawn kissed on the summer finale of Psych!!!!!!
3. I e-mailed one of my past professors a bunch of pictures of classic Disney cartoons and he wrote back and thanked me. 
4. I got a visit from an old friend from school.  I forgot how this girl actually surprises me with how smart she can be.  Quite a forward thinker, and yet we do have things in common that remind me of the human condition and how even when you don’t think you can connect with someone there’s always something to understand in each other.
5. A friend from school will hopefully be visiting this next weekend. 
6. Drunk phone call to D who I miss more than my life.
7. Talking to my best friend.  That’s a big one.
8. New chapstick.
9. Getting down with my dirty self. 
10. Spending quality time with the Broski.
11. Reading fantastic books.  Best of the week:
    “My thoughts create my world.”
    “…when I first met her, I thought, so this is what heartsick means.  She made me feel… wanting.  Not like wanting a specific person or thing.  It was that I wanted everything, anything that I couldn’t have, everything out of reach.”
    “I’m sorry, he says, but not in the way that means he actually is sorry.  The way that means he’s sorry he has to say sorry.”
12. These post cards from Post Secret: