happy birthday, dad!

yesterday was the day that most celebrated my dad's birthday. while he was grateful for all the birthday wishes, i know that he is celebrating today's "birthday" much more. today is my dad's "17th birthday". a celebration of the day that he became sober.

i want my dad to know that i am very happy for his accomplishments and years of sobriety. while i wish that it would have happened years before, i am grateful that he eventually made the decision that would positively affect the rest of his life.

my dad and i both know that there were many strained years between us. while i wasn't able to go to his ten year anniversary lead (a speech that he gave at his local AA meeting), i sent a letter to be read letting him know how proud i was of him. i am equally as proud of him today.

in a couple short months, dad will have completed all the requirements needed for his bachelor's degree. he has decided to go straight into his master's program. in the meantime, he is teaching and counseling teens with various issues. i'm sure that his frankness and "tough love" is appreciated by his students....if not, they're sure to learn!

although my dad and i don't talk to one another on a regular basis (with the exception of facebook!) i hope that he knows how proud i am of his accomplishments. and if he doesn't already know, i am sure that he will read this post.

congratulations dad! and happy 17th birthday!

deep thoughts

my job is pretty darn cool.

so today, i worked a "turn" (that means i worked a trip that started and ended in chicago.) in the time that i was flying i went from chicago to columbus, ohio; to philadelphia, pennsylvania; to pittsburgh, pennsylvania; and back to chicago. all in the span of hours. if you stop to think about it, that's pretty cool. you start in one place, travel to places across the country, and then end up back at home. it really makes me enjoy what i do.

oh my god. i'm going to be 30.

last night i was thinking about my birthday that is quickly approaching. i'm going to be 30. i always said that i looked forward to turning 30 (nearly all my friends are 30+). but last night i freaked a bit. i remembered turning 20; while it seemed like a long time ago, it also seemed like just yesterday. my twenties are nearly over.

i gotta feelin'

so oprah kicked off her 24th season here in chicago by closing off streets and congesting traffic like no other....but there is one VERY cool thing that came out of it; this flash mob dance video of "i gotta feelin'" performed by the black eyed peas.

watch it!


UPDATE: ugh! damn oprah and her copyrights of everything on this planet. sorry that this video is no longer available. you may be able to find it on her website. grr!

oprah had no clue that this was planned. (it's obvious by some of her reactions.) a choreographer taught 800 people the moves for the dance and then they relayed them to the rest of the thousands in the crowd. VERY cool!

now, check out oprah's reactions!

:00
oprah's notorious scream for introducing guests, "say hello to the blaack eeeyed peeeaass!!!!"

:36
oprah with her flip camera thinking "what the fuck?! why are these people just standing there with one crazy loon dancing?!"

1:09
oprah takes a big gulp. "okay, i don't know what's happening. is this planned? am i going to have to fire someone?"

1:37
arm fat and gold microphone begin to shake with excitement. "look!! look! look at them!!"

2:35
points forcefully. "WOOHOO!! am i the only one who sees this?!"

3:03
squeel with sheer excitement!! almost gets knocked out by her girls.

3:25
now that this has been going on for 3+ minutes, looks utterly confused and baffled.

3:48
"THAT.IS.SO.COOL. THAAATT.IISS.SOOO.COOOOL! THAT.IS.SO.COOL. THAT IS THE COOLEST THING EVER!! CHI-CA-GO I LOVE YOU!!!!! OH MY GOSH! THAT IS THE COOLEST THING EVER!!"

i agree oprah, that was pretty damn cool!

mmm...water!

doesn't sound very convincing, huh?! it's not that i'm anti-water, but i've just never really been one of those people that enjoys drinking water compared to other drinks. when i was young, we typically had three choices for drinks: sugar free kool-aid, milk, or water. naturally, i chose the sugar free kool-aid. sure, there was soda in the house, but i don't really remember drinking it regularly until we were older.

i LOVE a good can of regular pepsi or regular coke, but due to the calorie content, i became a diet coke/coke zero drinker.

but, even though there are no calories or carbs doesn't make it good for you. so, as of today i'm going off the soda, cold turkey.

so here i am on day 1....no soda. it wasn't too hard, it was just more of reaching for the water instead of the can of soda!

facing my demons

i can't believe it was 11 years ago today...

it was a friday night. my best friend anna and i (we were best friends in HS and then lived one floor apart from one another in college) had tickets to see third eye blind and eve 6 at the HPER building on campus. it had been a tough week for me. things were building up and causing me a great deal of stress. it was so bad that i had eaten very little for the entire week. i had just broken up with my girlfriend, kelly (who i was in love with throughout HS. it took me moving away to college for her to share similar feelings). [that could be an entire blog post itself...] i was excited to see these two bands play, as they were extremely popular at the time. when eve 6 started playing, i tried my best to get into the mood. 'it' was eating away at me. i made every attempt to have a good time. third eye blind came out and started playing. they sang "jumper". that was all it took. my emotions hit me like a brick wall. i felt like i was on that ledge that they sang about. while the lyrics that the band sang may have meant something to them, they were especially meaningful to me:

Well he's on the table and hes gone to code
And I do not think anyone knows
What they're doing here
And your friends have left you
You've been dismissed
I never thought it would come to this
And I, I want you to know
Everyones got to face down the demons
Maybe today
You could put the past away
I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend
You could cut ties with all the lies that youve been living in
And if you do not want to see me again I would understand

it was time to face the demons, the thing that was trying to escape. i asked anna if we could leave before the show was over. she agreed and knew that there was something that was bothering me. we went back to her dorm room. i told her that there was something that i had to tell her, but i couldn't tell her. i physically could not tell her. i had to draw a picture. i drew three stick figures. one to the left, one to the right, and one in the middle, atop a fence. after i was able to begin to describe the picture, anna realized what i was trying to say to her. i was telling her that i was bisexual. i think her response was "really?!" there wasn't too much shock, well maybe a little.

not too long after i "told" anna about my sexuality, i told my mom. i know exactly where we were in that booth at chili's. again, i couldn't tell her, but made her finally ask me if i was gay. i told her i was bisexual, thinking it would soften the blow. i don't honestly remember what her reaction was at the time. i think i remember her telling me that she knew, that a mother always knew.

a few weeks later, while driving through campus, i finally told anna that i was gay. she laughed and knew that there was no teetering for me. after i told her that night, she knew that i was 100% gay.

shortly after these events took place, i felt so much better about myself. i felt like the proverbial weight had been lifted off my shoulders. it was amazing the changes that occurred in me. emotionally i was much happier, being who i really was. physically, i felt much better too (and ended up losing close to 50 lbs by the end of my freshman year).

there have been years that this "anniversary" has come and gone. there have also been times that it has been celebrated - like the year i received a sash, a rainbow glittered picture frame, and a scroll declaring it "my day of gay". regardless, i always remember the events that took place that night and how it truly changed my life. luckily, it comes each year almost two weeks after national coming out day. eleven years ago, it was a big deal for me. today, it may not be a big deal for some, but there is probably that kid who is literally dying to tell someone. i hope he or she has the courage to face their demon and tell someone. i also hope that he or she is lucky enough to have someone to listen and accept them for who they are.

a makeover!

ooh! i do enjoy a good makeover! well, 'an observant mind' has been given a slight makeover.

thanks to teresa for leading me in the right direction to create a header for my blog. i loved what some people have done with their blogs even when they use blogger. i knew there had to be some way to personalize my blog aside from choosing a generic template offered to me by blogger.

well folks, by downloading picasa, many created collages, and many more failed attempts of actually uploading, resizing, and customizing...here it is!

the new and improved 'an observant mind'. i do hope you enjoy!

spa chez moi

i would love to be one of those people. you know - the ones that get weekly manicures and pedicures, regular massages, and facials at their neighborhood spa. unfortunately, i don't have the funds for such extravagances.

i would love to get monthly massages here. or weekly manicures here. but again, it's just not in the budget. sure, i have visited each of these places on special occasions, but i just can't manage it on a regular basis.

so, instead, i rely on my home spa services. i file, trim, and buff my own nails and cuticles. i use my lime & ginger scrub to exfoliate my body from time to time, and i set aside a special night to use my facial products. these products are not regular purchases, but items that i have had and ration appropriately.

i do not take them for granted, but revel in their use and love the feeling afterward. ahh! my skin feels and smells great!

autumn awesomeness

i love fall. it's definitely my favorite season. the heat and humidity of the summer is over, and there's a crispness in the air. i love putting on my hooded sweatshirt or curling up under a blanket. i can turn on the tv on the weekend and be sure to see some college football. it's the time for soups and hearty meals. my home is sure to smell like pumpkin spice or cinnamon apples. the colors on the trees are beautiful and i love the crunching sound of the leaves on the ground.

there's nothing better than putting on a light jacket or sweater and walking around the neighborhood and then walking into a festive smelling home and pouring a bowl of your favorite soup!

ahh! i wish autumn weren't so short in chicago!

kicked out and knocked down

the issue of "don't ask, don't tell" has been a heated issue in recent months. gay rights advocates have said that president obama hasn't done enough, quickly enough, for gay rights. at a recent human rights campaign gala, the president has said that he intends to repeal "don't ask, don't tell". while the policy, introduced in 1993, was right for its time, it has now reached its expiration date and needs to be tossed.

prior to "don't ask, don't tell", the military would discharge (generally, undesirably, or dishonorably) any person who was found to be gay, regardless of any homosexual act. the military's stance was this:

Homosexuality is incompatible with military service. The presence in the military environment of persons who engage in homosexual conduct or who, by their statements, demonstrate a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct, seriously impairs the accomplishment of the military mission. The presence of such members adversely affects the ability of the armed forces to maintain discipline, good order, and morale; to foster mutual trust and confidence among service members; to ensure the integrity of the system of rank and command; to facilitate assignment and worldwide deployment of service members who frequently must live and work in close conditions affording minimal privacy; to recruit and retain members of the armed forces; to maintain the public acceptability of military service; and to prevent breaches of security.

the "don't ask, don't tell" policy was a compromise with the above regulation and allowing gays to serve openly in the military. it can be said that DADT, in its time, was a step forward to allow homosexuals to serve in the military. today, it seems archaic to discharge qualified, experienced soldiers simply because they are gay.

since enacted, DADT has cost close to $363 million dollars, including $14.3 million for "separation travel" once a service member is discharged, $17.8 million for training officers, $252.4 million for training enlistees and $79.3 million in recruiting costs. WHAT?! just because you discharged a competent solider or officer for being gay?!?!?!

while reading USA Today yesterday, i came across the following letter on the op/ed page:

NO GAYS IN MILITARY
As a retired Air Force pilot with combat experience during the Persian Gulf War, let me provide your readers with a typical commander's assessment of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy: We should have never had it in the first place.
Discrimination against those who desire to serve in the armed forces is not only historic, it's also essential. Putting together an effective fighting force is the responsibility of civilian and military commanders, whether in the field, the Pentagon or the White House.
National military police, which I helped to craft, should enhance commanders' functions, not hamstring them. I had enough problems with sleeping arrangements for women on my aircrew, let alone gay men.
I should not have to worry about room assignments, who's bunking with whom, who is offended by the gay soldier or airman, or whether he's angry because no one will talk to him. I am a father to my daughter, not to men in combat.
These issues, and many others that social experiments create, stand squarely in the way of developing an effective fighting force. America, the U.S. armed forces to exist to protect you and your way of life, not to appease the desires of those on the fringe of society.
Keith Hutcheson
Athens, Ga.

WTF, mr. hutcheson. WTF, editors of USA Today. how can such blatant bigotry be published in a national newspaper? i would like to respond to his letter, but am still unable what i want to say or how i want to say it. i will say though, after reading his letter, i wasn't initially angry; i was hurt.

let me pull a few of mr. hutcheson's comments from his letter and respond:

"...let me provide your readers with a typical commander's assessment of the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy: We should have never had it in the first place."
this might be the only statement where we may, slightly agree. (although i'm sure he won't agree with me in the way i can agree.) soliders should have always been able to serve as openly gay men and women.

"Discrimination against those who desire to serve in the armed forces is not only historic, it's also essential."
are you saying we SHOULD discriminate who should and should not serve in the military? should it only be big, strong, virile men? just a hunch that mr. hutcheson wouldn't want to discriminate on race....

"I had enough problems with sleeping arrangements for women on my aircrew, let alone gay men."
oh, you poor thing. if you would have been able to discriminate like you wanted, women wouldn't be part of the armed forces either, would they. after all, they merely create sleeping issues.

"I should not have to worry about room assignments, who's bunking with whom, who is offended by the gay soldier or airman, or whether he's angry because no one will talk to him."
exactly. after all, gay men will ravage all the other men in the bunk. that's what the gays do...sleep with everything that walks in front of them. (mr. hutcheson, the gays have standards. i can say that i, for one, would have NO desrire to bunk with you.) and the gays will be crying and whining because no one will talk to them. after all, gays are just a bunch of sissies.

"These issues, and many others that social experiments create,..."
i can assure you that homosexually is NO social experiment. are you still reading publications that are decades old?!

"America, the U.S. armed forces to exist to protect you and your way of life, not to appease the desires of those on the fringe of society."
and you better damn believe that those fringes will be cute! some gay designer has been cutting that leather just right and bedazzling it with sequins and jewels just for you!

*sigh* ahh, it was nice to mock the bigotry of mr. keith hutcheson of athens, ga.

i will now step off of my rainbow-colored soapbox (decorated with pink feathers and rhinestones, naturally).

and if you haven't seen this already, watch this interview. one more discharged reason why "don't ask, don't tell" needs to be repealed.

add another catalog to the table!

recently, i was given a link to check out some rugs that i might be interested in. i was sent to west elm's website. where have i been for the past 7 years?! i fell in love with many of the items they have to decorate your home!

although the rug that i was interested in was no longer available, i have since then found various other items that i could envision in my home!

why should i be surprised that i love this store when i discovered they were a part of the williams-sonoma company!

talk to me

recently i've been overly aware of where i look at a person when they talk to me, specifically up close.

when someone is talking to you, where do you look at them? their eyes?

yah, not me.

for some reason, i look at their mouth. is it because i'm trying to read what their lips are saying to me? any more importantly, do they realize that i'm looking at their mouth. oh no! they probably thing that there's something in their teeth.

i'm sure there's some pycho-babble reason that it's hard for me to look at someone in the eyes when they're talking to me. i consciously try to "fix" it and look them in the eyes, but instinct draws me back to their moving mouth.

"...our son who happened to be gay."

i recently purchased judy shepard's book "the meaning of matthew" and finished it the same day i started it. judy's book is about her son, matthew, who was violently attacked and then died; eleven years ago today.

i remember hearing about the university of wyoming student who was brutally attacked and left for dead that cold night in laramie. i wondered how anyone could do such hateful things to another human being. in october of 1998, i had my own internal struggles, still unable to tell anyone that i was gay. i think that the public outcry for matthew's attack and subsequent death opened my eyes to how people truly felt about gays and lesbians. everywhere, there were candlelight vigils, marches, and gatherings of hundreds (maybe thousands) of individuals to speak out against the hatred that caused one gay man to lose his life.

in her book, judy shepard talks about meeting her husband dennis and later giving birth to matthew and logan. matthew and judy always shared a special bond, one that would last their entire lives. dennis shepard's job took the family to saudia arabia where matthew enrolled in boarding school in switzerland. he was eager to experience the world, often taking trips to various places in europe, asia, and africa. on a trip to morocco, matthew was out alone when he was attacked by three men and raped. this was the beginning of a downward spiral of depression for matthew. later matthew moved back to the states, living in various places; salisbury, and raleigh, nc, denver, co, and later to casper and laramie, wy. matthew often abused alcohol as a way to escape his problems. but once matthew enrolled in the university of wyoming in laramie, he was determined to take a hold of his life. always friendly, matthew was a member of many social organizations on campus, specifically the university's GLBT alliance. it was his group's preparation for "national coming out day", that would eventually lead matthew to the bar where he would meet his attackers.

many people know the story of what happened next to matthew. he was brutally attacked and beaten, tied to a fence where he was left to die. the next day, a fellow student on bicycle saw matthew's body holding on to what little life he had left. matthew spent the next four days in a deep coma. doctors told the family that he had little chance of surviving. with his family circled around him, holding hands, matthew took his last breath on earth.

judy's honest account of matthew's early life, his struggle with depression and alcohol, and eventually the final days of matthew's life are emotional and deeply moving. now, a decade later, judy is an advocate in the GLBT community speaking at numerous functions. her top priority (along with the Matthew Shepard Foundation) is fighting for legislation that includes protection for sexual orientation in hate crimes. sadly, eleven years later, it is yet to be passed. (it passed 4 days ago in the house but has not been voted on in the sentate. if it passes, president obama has said that he will immediately sign the bill into law).

i shared one part of the book with my own mom tonight; judy shepard's first words to the public after matthew's death were "go home, give your kids a hug, and don't let a day go by without telling them you love them." luckily, matthew's last words to his family were "i love you."

for information, how to get involved, or to donate, visit the
Matthew Shepard Foundation website.

my own happy place

i love my kitchen. love it!

when gary and i started shopping for condos, i always stood in the kitchen to see if it felt right. i wanted to make sure that i had adequate counter space to work, plenty of storage for my "stuff", and nice appliances that allowed me to cook.

i'm so happy when we found the place we live because the kitchen felt right to me. it's not part of another room, it wraps around me so i have plenty of room to work, and it has become my favorite room in my new home!

i have already made noodles from scratch, tried new recipes, and cooked for guests. as i sit at the counter while i type this, a pot of potpourri is simmering on the stove (thank you to my friend teresa who sent me all the necessary ingredients to make the wonderful smelling potpourri!).

i'm already looking forward to preparing a big thanksgiving dinner for my family!

a fiasco...and then some!

over the course of our relationship, gary and i have purchased various pieces of furniture. so much so that for this move, all we needed was a new couch. because of the space, we decided that we wanted to get a sectional sofa. after issues with our previous sectional, we didn't necessarily want the hassle of a sleeper sofa and we had to make sure all the pieces locked! no slipping sections on the hardwood floors!

about a month ago, we made the trek to the suburbs to go to darvin furniture. if you've never been there, this place is HUGE...seriously, a massive place. it makes ikea look like your neighborhood target. (check out this map if you don't believe me!) after searching the store for what seemed like an eternity, we were unable to find anything that we both really liked. as we followed the map towards the exit, we noticed one section that we hadn't seen. we made our way in and BAM! we found our couch. it was exactly what we wanted. within a few minutes, we were placing the order. it was going to take 2-3 week to be in stock which was perfect since our move date was still a few weeks away. coming in sooner than originally planned, we were able to set up the delivery date for a few days after our move! yay! i couldn't wait for friday to get here so i could sit on my new, comfy couch! the buzzer rang and gary went to meet the delivery guys. after a few moments, gary came upstairs with a look of frustration, anger (and many more looks that i can't begin to describe) and told me that the couch wouldn't fit up the front stairs. they went down the back stairs to attempt to bring it in that way. nope. i was distraught. (and i'm not being dramatic.) i felt like crying...like my baby had been ripped from my arms. (okay, a pinch of dramatics now.) there was nothing we could do, but have it taken back to the warehouse and begin the sofa hunt all over again. fuck.


victim #1. oh, what a beauty she was.


with gary's mom visiting, we made our way to a couple furniture stores. (i was too pissed to go back to darvin, considering their delivery guys wouldn't even try to move the couch up the back staircase.) we went to harlem furniture, the store where we purchased our bedroom furniture. we looked around and didn't find anything that stood out at us initially. we then found a section piece that was interchangeable. after configuring it for our place, we decided that we were going to go with this sectional. it was probably somewhat impulsive, but it fit our criteria as far as function and color. and heck, they were going to deliver it the following day! that evening, gary received a phone call from the store. when moving the pieces from the warehouse to the delivery truck, it was discovered that all but two of the sectional pieces were ruined. they would have to be reordered and would take two weeks to come in and a new delivery date could be set up at that point. really? again? it was becoming somewhat humorous at this point, yet neither of us were laughing.


#2 down. (perhaps a blessing in disguise)


so again, the next day, we made our way out to the suburbs to look at additional furniture stores. after doing some online research, we had a game plan for our search...kinda. we had to swing by ikea first to return an item and make a couple purchases. since it was early, the typical saturday ikea crowd had not made its full attack. we decided to look around for a few other things. i asked gary if he wanted to look at their couches, assuming that they wouldn't have items that fit our taste. after looking at various modern, trendy pieces, we made our way around the corner and saw a sectional that was exactly what we wanted! we plopped down on the couch to see how it felt! it was comfy! after measuring the couch, looking at its construction, etc. we decided to go for it! and after making our decision, we found out that it could be delivered the same day! bonus! later that night, it was delivered to us! we locked the pieces together, and put on the covers (it's on large, washable cover!). i never thought i would purchase a piece of furniture like that from ikea, but it's perfect!


#3, the newest member of our family!

a work in progress

home sweet home
from bare walls and floors to our comfy home...in pictures!

yum!

i found this delicious recipe in food & wine magazine today and promptly tested it tonight for dinner!

mediterranean pasta with fire roasted tomatoes
(makes 6 servings)

2lbs medium plum tomatoes (10-12), halved lengthwise
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
8 oz pasta, such as fettuccine

1. cut the tomatoes into halves, lengthwise. place, cut-sides up, on foil-lined pan sprayed with no stick spray.

2. mix 1/4 cup evoo, garlic, and seasoning in a small bowl

3. spoon the oil and seasoning over the tomatoes.

4. drizzle with 2 Tbsp of remaining oil.



5. roast the tomatoes in a 400 degree preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until tomatoes are soft and browned on top



6. prepare the pasta as directed on the package. drain.

7. place half of the roasted tomatoes and remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a large bowl. coarsely mash tomatoes.



8. add pasta and remaining tomatoes. toss to mix well.



9. sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and additional crushed red pepper, if desired.

10. ENJOY!

it's the most wonderful time of the year

(it's the most wonderful time of the year...now!)

i can't believe it's already that time of year - back to school. most of my teacher friends are back in the classroom with their new students.

i can say that i don't miss it. this is the 3rd time that i have not entered my classroom to prepare for another school year. while there are *some* aspects of teaching that i miss (the students sometimes, teaching procedures, ...), overall i am happy with my decision to leave teaching.

but with no disrespect to those who are still molding the minds of the future, good luck! enjoy your year! and just remember....only 180 more days until the year is over!

settle granny

i was always taught to respect your elders. if an adult asked me to do something, i was expected to do it without any questions. i had nothing but admiration and respect for my grandparents. and to this day, i still go out of my way to assist an older adult.

however, my problem is this...when did their become sense of entitlement among the elderly?! i understand that they have lived a full life, experienced much, and wish to enjoy the final years of their lives, but the attitudes of someone of these older individuals i have encountered lately are astonishing!

recently, i had a "conversation" with an older lady who was waiting for a wheelchair for herself and her husband. sense they were unavailable, i nicely told her to have a seat and i would let her know when they were ready for her. instead, she chose to stand and become disgruntled with me, telling me this "happens all the time." she was convinced that someone had "stolen" her wheelchair. she asked why her name wasn't written down requesting a wheelchair so that it was waiting for her when she arrived. finally i had had it with her arguing with me. i sternly told her to sit down and i would let her know when her wheelchair was available. that wasn't good enough for her, as she walked off still complaining.

i have encountered this numerous other times with other situations. i just don't understand why they feel entitled. i'm all for respecting my elders, but these attitudes are ridiculous.

the bitch of living

fantastic! saturday night, we went to see 'spring awakening' with a couple friends. it was very entertaining and the music was GREAT! if it's touring anywhere near you, definitely go see it!

the premise of the show is this (via wikipedia):
Spring Awakening is a Tony Award-winning rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater. The musical is based on the controversial 1891 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. Set in late-nineteenth century Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality. The original play was banned in Germany due to its portrayal of masturbation, abortion, rape, and suicide. In the musical, alternative rock is employed as part of the folk-infused rock score.

and here's a clip from the 2007 tony awards, where it won 'best musical'.

an update (ie. an easy blog post)

i've been super bad about blogging lately. not that i've ever been a regular poster, but it's so infrequent these days, with no good reason.

here's a quick update...

- started the C25k running program. foot pain started again, podiatrist said i have tendinitis and put me on steroids. along with that plus new running shoes i was fitted for, foot feels much better!

- had a long layover in raleigh and drove down to charlotte to have a yummy dinner with my friend teresa. the food was tasty and the company and conversation was fantastic!

- closing date got pushed back to oct. 1.

- have officially reached the halfway point of my 30 by 30 goal (lose 30lbs by my 30th birthday). 15 more to go....*sigh*

- working my butt of this month. already exhausted and it's only the beginning of the month. i just need to think of how much faster it will make the month go by and the $$ that it will produce!

- purchased new dishes and received new pots/pans (as a wedding gift) for the condo. already have priced other things that we want to get/do in the future. continuing to look over paint samples for the kitchen!


'tis about it, really. i guess i should try to be better about posting...