enjoy it all.

November 1st is All Saints' Day in the Roman Catholic Church. It is a Holy Day of Obligation, meaning all able individuals must go to mass. It is a special day, meant to honor the saints and to begin the traditional November remembrance of those who are departed.

On November 1st, 2005 I was a college sophomore. I had gone through a rough break up in September/October and had just begun to date someone new. I received a phone call that evening from my ex that our mutual friend, G, had died. He was studying abroad in London and had tragically passed away after an accident. Up until this point in my life, the only people who had died that I was close to were grandparents, great grandparents etc. They were old, or sick, and it was expected. This was a shock, he was 22 years old, so full of life, always the jokester, the kindest soul you would ever meet. I had just seen him in August, one last get together before we all went back to college.

I spent an hour and a half in line at his wake. It would have been more like two and a half hours, but my ex's mother had saved us a place in line. I still to this day tear up when I hear Michael Buble's Home, as that was the song they used to walk his casket down the aisle at the funeral. To watch my friends, all big tough 21 year old guys, visibly shake with emotion was something I had never experienced. The words his girlfriend whispered to me as I passed through the line at the wake are something that will forever hold close.

So now when I think of Halloween, I am filled with dread. In college I had a really hard time getting dressed up, going out, and having fun. I would think about G, and think about what the next day would bring. But as cliche as it sounds, that is not what he would have wanted. He would have wanted us to follow the motto printed on the mass card, printed on the tshirts and golf balls from his memorial games and golf tournaments, enjoy it all. So now when I get super negative or find myself in a dismal mood, I remember that phrase and I really do try to enjoy it all.

 

 

Why wouldn't I want to enjoy a dance party to Madonna's Borderline with friends?

 

 

 

Or instead of criticize my extension, just enjoy the view (and my flexibility)?

 

 

Or enjoy the fact that I climbed this mountain when I was four years old, and made it back 20 years later to climb it again.

 

 

 

But really, enjoy it all.

The wobblin' goblin with the broken broom...

 

I have never been all that into Halloween, and even less so as I got older. I did have some pretty awesome costumes though. Most of our pictures are in storage but I managed to find a few.

 

My first Halloween I was 3 months old and my mother dressed me as a candy striper.

Age 1 I was a dragon

 

 

 

Age 2 I was a princess. Upon viewing this picture my sister stated "you look like a real little kid." whatever that means.

 

 

Age 3 we cannot remember. at all. even a little bit.

 

 

 

 

Age 4 I was a witch. And I still make that face.

 

Age 5 I was a nun, along with my sister, and my brother was the devil.

 

Age 6 I was a treasure troll nurse. I wanted to be a nurse, and I wanted to be a treasure troll, so I made my mother create one costume that incorporated both ideas.

 

Age 7 I was Mrs. Santa Claus. Why? No idea.

 

Age 8 I was a 50's Poodle Skirt girl. I got to wear my saddle shoes so I was happy.

 

 

Age 9 I was a lobster. Jealous?

 

 

 

Age 10 I did NOT want to dress up but my mother made me. So I put on a silk track suit, slapped on an ankle wrap and a wrist brace along with one of my medals, and I was an injured gymnast. Not to be confused with a regular gymnast, because I would have corrected you.

 

 

 

Age 11 I was too cool for school and dressed up as a "freak." I wore temporary hair dye and a limited too outfit over jeans.

 

Ages 12 and 13 I was in junior high and therefore too cool to do anything but still hold onto my baby fat.

Age 14 I was still too cool to dress up.

 

 

Age 15 we dressed up in assorted castoff dance costumes and Marshall's clearance items and went to a frat party. We left because it was lame.

 

Age 16 I was too cool again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Age 17 my friends and I decided that as seniors, we could absolutely dress up and it would be cool. I wore two shirts sewn together as Daphne and we were sort of celebrities for our awesome costumes.

 

Freshman year of college I went home every weekend and was zero fun.

 

 

 

Sophomore year I was super classy and predictable and went as a slooty construction worker. Along with about 6 other girls at the party.

 

 

 

Junior year I was a penguin. I basically just wore a leotard and tights but it was classy and okay because I actually am a dancer. Right.

 

 

 

Senior year I was a walk of shame for one party, wearing a mis-buttoned men's dress shirt and heels, and a black hole for another party. I didn't want to go so I wore black sweat pants, a black long sleeve shirt, and my glasses. I refused to talk to anyone and acted my part as a fun sucker.

 

The best party of senior year my friends and I went as Cruella and her puppies. I had red pointy kitten heels on and those are fishnet THIGH HIGHS.

 

 

My first year of grad school my friends and I came up with 8 different costumes in the span of 20 minutes that we wanted to try. I eventually wore a beater, a cropped hoodie that we found in their apartment, and hoop earrings. I wrote DOT on the beater and told everyone I was Helene McCready from Gone Baby Gone.

 

 

 

 

Apologies to anyone who was at the Galway Hooker in Midtown on Halloween 2009 and waiting in line for the bathroom. I was the girl who took a nap in the first stall for over an hour after vomiting for 25 minutes. My friends and I dressed up as board games, and based on my face at the beginning of the night, I think I knew trouble was ahead.

 

 

 

Halloween 2010 I was Gilllllyyyyyy, complete with white knee socks. I threw the costume together the day of the party and did the Gilllyyyy face all night. My father went to see his clients in the travelocity gnome costume and even drove with the hat on.

 

 

The Diz Monster is usually Buzz for Halloween. Once in his costume he typically will slowly slide to the floor and act paralyzed. He is not a fan.

 

What are your favorite Halloween costumes from yesteryear?

 

August and September

August and September were devoted to all things wedding. In August we showered the bride and held the bachelorette party. September was the wedding. Aside from all "the wedding" ting tings, August was pretty quiet, just work and lake living. September worked picked up again and I/we competed in the triathlon for the third year in a row. I had a wedding to attend in August and another wedding to attend in September, both of which were college friends.

Both August and September were months full of change. Friendships ended, and one in particular ended after 12 years of love, dating, not dating, dating, friendship, dating, not dating, etc.

I haven't really been myself lately so I hoping to commit to blogging a few times a week to give myself a routine, and a challenge.

The Killers new album, Battle Born has been on repeat in my car ever since I purchased it from Target. And yes it is 2012 and I purchased an actual cd.

 

 



Our academy alum picture



 

 One very hot, and very humid day in August, a good friend of mine from college got married. His bride was beautiful and he looked dapper as always. The church did not have any air conditioning, our ride to the reception was a school bus, and one of the air conditioning units broke at the reception site. It was still an amazing night, complete with a run-in from a college ex (who happens to be standing directly behind me in this photograph) and lots of fun with college friends. I also started the "I want it that way" sing-a-long on the bus on the ride back to the hotel, and drank alcohol without puking or making a fool out of myself. Success all around.

 

 

 

monogrammed one piece dominates yet again.

 

Labor Day weekend was the triathlon that my team competed in for our third year in a row. TeamM beat out TeamC this year. I beat my brother in the swim portion, my father beat his best friend in the biking portion, and because TeamC was so far behind in the bike, PLK beat DKM in the run.

 

 

 

 

Team photo op.

 

 

 

 

The second weekend in September I headed down the Cape for a beach wedding. One of my freshman roommates got married on a beautiful day. She recently posted the pictures from her big day and at first I was all "boss picture, come see how good I look." Now that I examine the photograph closer, IT LOOKS LIKE I HAVE A MUSTACHE.

 

 

 

 

 

Our forced triple from freshman year. Those two are married and I have never been on a date.

 

 

 

 

 

I participated in the Get Your Rear in Gear 5k for Colon Cancer in September. As you can tell, I run so fast, standard point and shoots cannot match my speed.

June and July

June started off with the Zac Brown Band concert, my dance recital, and two Dave Matthews Band concerts. June ended with an interview in Massachusetts and a wedding at home of two high school friends.  July was work, work, work, my birthday, and lots of time spent at the lake.

 

Zac Brown Band was sold out, packed, and rainy. This chick was swinging her bag at my head all night. So kind.

 

 

 

 

 

The morning after ZBB I ran in the Freihofer's Run for Women. My father likes to snap awkward photos of me whenever I am waiting to start a race. I only run this race because you get a box of cookies with your entry fee.

 

 

The same weekend as ZBB and the Freihofer's was my dance recital. I was a hippo. Enough said.

 

The second weekend in June was Bridal Shower and DMB weekend. Friday night DMB was with my junior year roommate from college and her boyfriend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday morning I went to my first non-familial bridal shower. Which means I am getting old and I am not a fan of that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bride loves tea and there were many tea-inspired details at the shower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday night I went to DMB with two of my closest guy friends from high school. We stopped at the grocery store to get tailgating supplies...which were pretty gross and random.

 

 

I painted my nails with essie's trophy wife and then put on this skirt and could not get over how the colors matched. I am easily amused.

 

 

The wedding for the above mentioned bridal shower was at the end of June and despite the hot and humid weather, was a beautiful day. The groom went to West Point so I got to mack it to many Army lax bros. Unfortunately most of them are married or engaged but I still managed to get two phone numbers and 4 pieces of late night pizza out of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 
I spent most of July at work and at the lake and woke up one morning to this note from my father. He is a big lonely island fan.

 
I had to work on my birthday (which is a travesty) so I made sure I was nice and neon for the day.




 

 

PLK and I are two days apart in birthdays so we usually end up celebrating together.

 

 

At the end of July there is a big party in one of the bays on the lake. This year I was accompanied by these work-skipping studs.

April and May

I was lucky enough to attend two concerts in April, Bruce Springsteen and Passion Pit. Both concerts were awesome and I absolutely danced my face off.

The clean out of the house continued in April and I found lots of random toys and papers and j-u-n-k. My American Girl dolls are securely wrapped and sealed and stored in the storage unit, along with my Barbies and a few Polly Pockets.

I started a second, part time job in April, which was very eye opening and enlightening on how awful the general public is.

May was a pretty slow month leading up to Memorial Day weekend, which ended up being beautiful and friend-filled.

Some troll friends I discovered in the j-u-n-k. Trolls are freaking weird.

 

 

THE BOSS.

 

 

Amazing concert.

 

 

Before we went to da club on Memorial Day.

Who wants a smallpox blanket?

Let's all celebrate (possibly) having today off because Christopher Columbus was a social-climbing toolbag who didn't ask for directions and infected and oppressed the indigenous people. YAY.

all images from someecards.com

What is a discussion of oppression and infection without mentioning one of the best Disney villains, Governor Ratcliffe. and Percy. Love Percy.

http://animated-disney-gifs.tumblr.com/#/tagged/pocahontas/

 

 

 

 

*I am fully aware of the controversy surrounding the smallpox blanket myth/reality. Either way, Columbus was a doucher.

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back

One of my favorite jams.

FINALLY. After some draaaama with my email address I use for blogger I am finally back in and ready to talk exclusively about myself for days. When I was first locked out I continued to write posts in Word, but I'd have to post six times a day to catch up. Which would be boring. So this week I will play catch up with some "this is what I've been doing and pretend like you care" posts. I will also probably attack your comments section from April to present so don't get freaked out (or do) when you see those notifications.


 Just to give you a quick heads up, since April 16th:

- my friends all finished the Boston Marathon.
-I went to 5 concerts.
-I went to a wedding shower, received an invitation to another, and received a wedding invitation.
-I read five books (or maybe it is six).
-I made a new friend, and sadly mourned the loss of a friend's father.
-I had two interviews.
-I started a new part time/summer job. (see interview 1)
-I have a second interview for one of the original two.
-I wore a giant hippopotamus costume on stage in front of hundreds of people.
-I purchased an excessive amount of Lilly off of ebay.
-I had a two week vacation in which I went into the office roughly 6 out of the 10 days I had off.
-I purchased a groupon for jazzercise classes.
-I ran in a 5k and a 3.5 mile race.
-I did a fun craft to honor the memory of my grandmother.
-I've faced huge uncertainty. (see second interview for interview 2 + packing up my childhood home)

I'm going to try and cram everything into a few posts so there will not be seven weeks worth of "Back in March, aSs, my fiance, and I, we went down to this beach that we've already gone to twelve other times and this is part one of part fifteen of our recap which is really just photos of the sand and our perfect married monogram in a heart and it is July and I am just beginning this series."

Spare me.