Cursive

Once we learned cursive in the third grade I had met my match. As the rest of the class struggled and complained about how awful they thought it was I sat in the back with a large grin on my face. I loved it and I still love. My handwriting is a big swirly mess. In high school before we were required to type every damn thing, I swore that I got good grades just because the teachers could not read my handwriting. But the word got out that I had this crazy cursivenes that was unreadable which translated (not literally) into mature handwriting. (This is the part of the movie where a forgetful high schooler has a permission slip that they have just found in the back of their trapper keeper and it needs to be signed in the next eight minutes or they don't get to go the cool museum!). So as you can probably guess the movie progresses into me signing people's permission slips all the damn time, including one of my bestest. And I would like to pride myself on how convincing her mother's signature became.

These were my secrets. First you need the name of the parent, then you make the first letter huge and curly then you do a few little humps and bumps. Rinse and repeat for the last name BUT you must do big curl at the end. If there was a y, j, or g over exaggerate. Presto!


Merriweather

Film Endings

Here is a list of movies with my favorite endings:

Some Like It Hot (which also happens to be one of my favorite movies)
Two Mules For Sister Sarah
Remember Me
Casablanca
The Departed
The King and I (also a favorite)

Merriweather

Wise Words

A very wise woman told me "I'll give you enough rope to hang yourself with". And I think about this constantly mainly because I am trying to figure things out and make decisions on what I will do with my life. This woman would give me advice but never enough to solve my problems. At first this was frustrating because I just needed answers. But now when I think about it she was just pointing me a direction because I was so lost. It's funny how helpful people can be without even realizing it right away, but now this will stick with me forever.

Merriweather

I Like You

Medusa gave me the book "I Like You" by Sandol Stoddard Warburg Illustrated by Jacqueline Chwast for my birthday a few weeks ago. It is simply wonderful. I would recommend it to any best friend, couple or family member that means a lot. It is simple, direct, adorable and may make your eyes tear up a bit. It may say the things that you could never say yourself. Go get it and give it to someone special.

Merriweather

Comfort

These things tend to make me feel better when I am ill or feeling down:

Saltines
Cherry Coke
A silly romcom
A big comfy blanket
Organizing
Cleaning
A good book
A hot bath
Some good music

Merriweather

franksgiving

When we went around the table at thanksgiving when I was a child I would be sentimental; come up with something cute and meaningful and make everyone tilt their heads and smile. But in the last recent years I have felt the need to try and find something ridiculous and silly to say. So as my family comes up with things like: having us all together, everyone being healthy and that we all have jobs; I start to jiggle and fidget about. I do not know why this is, maybe I don't want to be mushy in front of all of them and by all, I mean my four immediate family members, one set of grandparents and my second mom, so its not like I don't love these people. Nor am I not able to say 'i love you' because I am and I think that I am very affectionate with people I care about but there is just something about that day and having to say nice things because it is the actual day for giving thanks. So I said I was thankful for the invention of silk because without silk we wouldn't have a lot of the things we have today. Hahaha, and if you replace the word silk with pretty much anything you have a fool proof thanks.

Merriweather

little things: so thankful for...

in no particular order:

free laundry in my house
coffee
my wonderful friends that are scattered all over the country
the roof over my head
my car
birthday cake pops
my puppy
my family
crunchy leaves
the lovely man that i have found
hugs
my iPhone
clean water
my job
simply orange OJ
cuddling
chilly weather
30 rock
blankets
wool socks
hot chocolate
instagram
redbox
bathtubs
micron pens
the bonfire smell
winter hats
my good health
BLT's



Medusa

Moody Judy

The other day I was in a terrible mood because of work.  I've learned to control my moodiness as I've gotten older (I used to be very very moody) but sometimes I fall into the trap and the only thing that can help is a hot shower (one in which the shower curtain rod fell on my head) and sleep.  I think everyone needs a bad day sometimes, just remember: 

"The best advice is found on your pillow, sleep on it, tomorrow is a new day."

Medusa

Book Judger! Book Judger!

I judge books by their covers, so what? You know you want to but that little voice in your head tells you to read the back or the inside cover to help you make your decision. Once I have picked up the book then I will mostly likely read about the contents but sometimes the title or cover alone will persuade me to go straight to the register without a blink of the eye. I am not saying this is fool proof or that every book I have ever chosen in this manner has been amazing. life changing or the best book EVER. It is just a way to narrow down the overwhelmingness of most bookstores because there are just too many choices. And I am terrible at making decisions and for this reason I carry a large coin in my purse whenever I am really stuck in a rut. This or That, here or there, up or down; they seem simple but sometimes they are certainly not.

Merriweather

Pop Rocks, Take Two

The final verdict is in and the last flavor of the week was tropical punch. It was most definitely better than the strawberry but did not beat out the awesomeness of the watermelon. So seriously, get some damn watermelon pop rocks!

Merriweather

Pop Rocks

My co-workers and I often walk to Walgreen's to get some fresh air and take a break from counting the beans. We tend to get green teas, pop, candy, make-up and sometimes even a trashy magazine.On Wednesday we ventured through the gusty wind for some snacky snacks and a few gifts for a co-worker who had taken the day off. "Sprinkles" wandered through the candy isle and came across pop rocks which none of us could recall the last time we had ever had them. So of course she grabs the three pack justifying it by saying "we can open one pack a day!"

We had the strawberry flavor yesterday which was not nearly as exciting as we remembered. Today while the other three ladies and I were goofing about during our lunch hour which basically turns into a shit show of laughter and sometimes even food fights, we opened the watermelon flavored packet. We didn't have high expectations since yesterday's experience was less than par but boy oh boy did we have a grand time today. CEC told me to take a sip of my cherry coke before I licked the pop rocks off of my hand so I did just that. She said it sounded like I was chewing on a carrot because of the loud 'popping' sounds coming from the inside of my mouth. Hmm....I suppose that is why they are called pop rocks, eh?

After a little experimenting we have clearly decided that the watermelon was awesome and the strawberry was lame. So the next time you are walking down the candy isle and a little black package with florescent lettering catches your eye, get the watermelon, duh! But who knows what tomorrow will bring; that last flavor may trump the watermelon so we shall see!

Until then,

Merriweather

Teacher

I have this grey wool dress that hits me at mid-calf, its vintage and lovely. I usually wear a pair of black saddle shoes with it and I totally feel like a teacher. But not a modern teacher because my sister does not wear anything similar, but maybe a mid 60's teacher.

I suppose the slip and trouser socks also dates this outfit BUT I think it is hilarious.

Merriweather

To Go With Hugs

There are tons of studies out there that prove everyone needs a certain amount of physical interaction each and every day and I most definitely agree. But living in Chicago, especially the first year when I did not know a soul, I did not get the amount of human touch I think I really needed. This Regina Spektor song always came to mind:



"Summer in the city, I'm so lonely lonely lonely
So I went to a protest just to rub up against strangers"


Some days I think riding on the trains that whipped back and forth slamming me into complete strangers may have been the only time I had that. Maybe this is why I hug all of the time and am very affectionate with all of my friends. Even a knee slap after a funny joke counts as positive physical touch!

Merriweather

When I Grow Up

WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE:
 
A WRITER
A CLOTHING DESIGNER
AN INTERIOR DESIGNER 
A LINGERIE DESIGNER
A CAR MECHANIC
A LANDSCAPER
A CONSTRUCTION WORKER
A BOUTIQUE OWNER
A LOG CABIN OWNER
A DOG OWNER

MERRIWEATHER

Hugs

I've said it before and I will forever say it; I am a great hugger. And today I was hugged by another great hugger. This hug will probably go down in my book as one of the greatest so far. One of my co-workers who my family has known for at least half of my life popped into my office just before lunch. He spun my chair around, pulled me in close and apologized for not being able to celebrate my birthday with me. It was lovely. I love love love good hugs. It is such a great feeling. These are the characteristics of a good hug:

Full body contact, not just the arms and collar bone area

At least five or six seconds of interaction

Neck nestling

Shoulder resting

Backrubbing

Maybe a little swaying

Well, those are my favorite parts of a hug. So next time you are hugging someone think about these few things that could make your hug that much better.

Merriweather

Salad Of The Day

Today I made the most amazing salad, okay so maybe I didn't make it but I concocted it at Byerly's.

Spinach
Strawberries
A little ranch dressing
A very large spoonful of cottage cheese
Blue cheese crumbles
Raw broccoli
Dried cranberries

The best part is that the cottage cheese totally works as a dressing so I just did a very small amount of ranch.


Merriweather

In or Out

Do you fill in things or do you fill out things?

Merriweather

Monochromatic

Alright so... I might sometimes wear one color in several different shades... from head to toe. I just really like purple and grey and lavender and they all kind of mess together into a new color I like to call greylavendermauvepurple, hahaha. I don't actually have a name for it other than Medusa calling me monochromatic because I commented on her over abundance of beige clothing yesterday. But I'm okay with it, I think it suits me. But I don't wear suits nor would I probably ever wear a purple one in fear of looking like a certain dinosaur that danced around and cleaned up while singing. Or maybe a famous jokester that wasn't very nice about the tricks he played. But anywho, I am still in need of a pair of very comfortable grey heels to complete my wardrobe :)

Merriweather

Eucalyptical

As a sick Medusa sits across the table from me downing herbal cold remedies, she tried to spit out eucalyptus, not literally, just the word. But it came out as Eucalyptical. So we have now created a word that should most definitely be added to the Urban Dictionary. Eucalyptical: workout equipment for Koala Bears.

Medusa and Merriweather

Music and Merriweather

My current obsessions: Arcade Fire and counting down the days until I visit Merriweather in Wisconsin for her birthday.  Merriweather will be hosting a "Flannel, Fur, Leather and Lace" party, I cannot wait. I also cannot wait to see this movie with her:

Medusa

Beautiful People Day

 I really love this tumblr; it always has lovely photos:

http://aconversationoncool.tumblr.com/tagged/Clint_Eastwood
http://aconversationoncool.tumblr.com/tagged/Marilyn_Monroe
http://aconversationoncool.tumblr.com/tagged/Paul_Newman
http://aconversationoncool.tumblr.com/tagged/Brigitte_Bardot


Merriweather 

Have You Ever Noticed?

As an observer who notices worthless unimportant things I feel that I wonder a lot.

Have you ever noticed the numbers on your keyboard are:        7 8 9
                                                                                         4 5 6
                                                                                         1 2 3
and the keys on a phone are:                                                 1 2 3
                                                                                         4 5 6
                                                                                         7 8 9
That is this week's wonderment.

Merriweather

Saltines

I was recently informed that saltines are pretty much nothing more than salted cardboard however that will not prevent me from always loving these wonderful crackers. When I was little my 'john deer loving grandpa' told me "the best way to get fat is to eat these here saltines with lots of butter." He showed me how to make a sandwich out of two crackers and informed me of all the different things you could add to them to make them even better. Was I interested in saltine sandwiches? Hell no, but that didn't matter because he was my grandpa and I don't think he really knew what to do with us grand kids so I listened. I learned about his lawnmower, his tools, his truck and I distinctly remember him explaining the mechanics of a metal slinky. But as I sit here with my saltine sandwiches made with peanut butter and jelly I can't but think about how interesting my grandpa was and how good these damn little sandwiches taste,

Merriweather