Favorite Thing Friday
Four years ago, I was standing in a parking lot at night, having a conversation with someone that would change my life. This person I was with had met me on the first day of our college classes, and he would be there for nearly every day between then and graduation.
Four years ago, Mr. Ace, you asked if I would be your girlfriend. We were different people then — younger, more naive, with many, many things to learn. But the only thing that mattered to me that night was the glimpses I had of you as a real, genuine, and good human being. Of course it didn’t hurt that you were always making me laugh, and that you could hold your own in deep discussions of classic literature. And that I looked forward to seeing you more than any other person in the world.
Somewhere around two in the morning, four years ago, I said yes.
And here we are now — a few bouquets of roses, too many movies to count, at least twenty blankets cuddled under, hours upon hours of phone bills, thousands upon thousands of written IMs and facebook posts, miles upon miles of walking around campus, countless laughs and tears, and lots of good food consumed later. Slightly older, perhaps slightly wiser, but still with a great amount of things left to learn, and still trying to grow up with some amount of grace. And still doing this crazy, messy thing called life together, in many ways the younger me had never understood were possible.
I am so grateful for the impact you’ve had on my life, through our many struggles and our many joys. You are the one person who stood by my side through all of college, and is still next to me in these adventures beyond.
This Friday, Mr. Ace, you are my favorite thing. And I love you back.
Filed under: -posted by ash, favorite thing friday, personal | 1 Comment
Superheroes in 1944
Filed under: -posted by ash, made me smile, web and blogs | 5 Comments
Tags: batman, darth vader, spiderman, splashnology, superman, the flash, wwii
In this video clip from last night’s episode of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart and his team of “reporters” give their take on the pundits who constantly have the need to analyze and spin every shred of political information and even the most seemingly insignificant event. The set up to their interpretation is a tad long, but I think you’ll enjoy Stewart and his team’s parody of what’s going to be going on all day on the 24/7 news cycles across our channels today. All the offensive language (which isn’t a lot) has been bleeped for your viewing comfort.
Filed under: -posted by char, people we like, videos | 2 Comments
Tags: Jon Stewart, pundits, The Daily Show
Roskoe was a pirate for Halloween!
ARRRRRRG! That's Captain Roskoe to you!
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The Last Clean-Shaven Day
So we’re a few days into No Shave November, but I wanted to post a before picture of John’s baby-smooth face. I promise this picture was taken on Saturday, October 31, which was the day John shaved. Everything went, stubble and soul patch. I haven’t seen John’s face that naked in a looooong time, at least a year, maybe more. He even had a soul patch on our wedding day (this was pre-approved by me. i left that decision up to him. note how generous of a bride i was.).
John refused to smile to maintain more consistency among the pictures.
I’ll be posting one picture every Monday for the month of November, chronicling the life cycle of John’s beard. If the beard growing lasts longer than November, I’ll post another picture the day he shaves it off so you can see the final product in all it’s glory, but I won’t make you suffer through a weekly play-by-play past the official month of no shaving.
As far as novel writing is concerned, I am right on schedule so far. Fingers are crossed that I keep it up. I try to write a little more than I need to every night so that I can stay ahead just in case I need to take a day off. You can follow my progress at the NaNoWriMo site or my Twitter feed for a more play-by-play action of the drama, agony and up-to-date word counts.
Filed under: -posted by char, personal, writing | Leave a Comment
Tags: NaNoWriMo, No Shave November
Favorite Thing Friday: Fridays
Kind of a cop-out answer, I know, but it’s true. There are so many great things about Friday! First of all, it’s payday! Friday is also the beginning of the glorious weekend for most people (not me, but most people). Favorite Thing Fridays is one of my favorite things to write on this blog. Friday also was always the night for dinner out and movies at the movie theater, two of my favorite things! And Friday is the official day of unwinding from all the crap the week dumped on you. I think that’s why so many people go out to eat on a Friday night. Food and friends can be very therapuetic.
I love Fridays so much because it’s the closest thing to a day of rest I have. Monday through Thursday I get up early to drive thirty minutes to go to class. I’m in constant work mode: drive, class, drive, hw, dinner, hw, Daily Show, bed, repeat. Saturday, I get up early and go to work, come home, eat dinner and work on homework. Sunday, I (usually) get up to go to church, eat lunch, come home and do homework. Sunday is the official homework crunch time. I can work five hours straight in an effort to get as much work done before the week starts take a break and do maybe three hours more before I’m completely wiped. Granted, I complain all eight hours of it, but I can do it when forced, and often by Sunday, I am forced.
On Fridays, however, I have one class, and it isn’t until 2 p.m., and of course, it’s one of my favorites: grammar lecture! I’m not being sarcastic. I really love this class. This means I don’t have to leave the house until 1 p.m., which means I can sleep in until noon if I want. I never do, though. I usually get out of bed at 9 am to get some work done before class, but it is so liberating knowing I don’t have to if I don’t want to. After class, I come home, and since John is usually at work or taking a nap, I can vegetate to recorded episodes of Gilmore Girls (best way to vegetate in my mind). I should do homework, but I don’t, not actively anyway. I might have a research article that I’m skimming during commercials, but that’s not really concentrating. I’ve been doing homework since Saturday, and by Friday, it’s time for a break. For me, Friday is the new Sabbath Day.
How do you celebrate your Fridays?
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Tags: TGIF
November: Month of Commitments
November seems like the month to make quirky commitments. Enter No Shave November and National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). John has been a No Shave November enthusiast since I’ve known him, about five years. For him though, No Shave November turns into No Shave Winter or Let’s See How Long I Can Go Without Shaving Before My Wife Refuses to Kiss Me. Saturday marks the last day I will see my husband clean-shaven for at least the next month if not until Valentine’s Day. For your viewing pleasure, I’ll be posting a weekly photo update of the beard progress. It’s about to get pretty gnarly up in this blog.
For me, it’s not so much about not shaving as putting my writing skills to the ultimate test. Can I write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days? Last year was my first attempt at the only way to celebrate NaNoWriMo, and I failed miserably. I want to give this another go and continue to do so until I finish a 50,000 word novel. This year, I like my idea (working title: Conversations Between Bob and Maggie), but with grad school responsibilities on top of the daily task of keeping a nervous breakdown at bay, I’m not sure I can carve out time to make it happen. Maybe I can make this my let-of-steam project, or maybe after I turn in a stressful paper on November 6, I can get this puppy done. I dare to dream.You can follow my progress at the NaNoWriMo website and be my buddy by befriending mae.lewis.
Do you dare to dream with me and John? Can you grow some gnarly beardage or leg hair? Think you can get 50,000 words down within 30 days? Or is there another quirky November commitment you would like to make.
Filed under: -posted by char, personal, writing | 11 Comments
Tags: NaNoWriMo, No Shave November
in the spirit of the season…
A movie made by a bunch of fellow apu grads. Essentially, made of win. Even if you don’t watch horror movies.
Happy Halloween, everybody!
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happy monday.
This morning, I took an incredible drive from the desert to LA.
Sometimes it’s beautiful to get some sun in your eyes.
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Fav Thing Friday – cooling
Changing seasons…cooling weather.
Armwarmers are my new favorite discovery this season. I’ve never been much for mittens and gloves, as I’m a fairly tactile person and I hate feeling like my fingers can’t commune with the world. Obviously one can’t type, or blog, or write, or paint, or any number of wonderful things when one’s fingers are caged! Hence, my new way to welcome the winter is with some fabulous armwarmers.
But in the same breath, as I’m rejoicing in the maturation of fall, I’m still grasping for some of the lovely results of warm weather. The arrangements that Sarah of Saipua fame has been creating this fall are just so beyond exquisite. But they’re tinged with a hint of sadness, as these lovely flowers will soon be gone.
Saipua / awkward
Saipua / waysideviolet
Thus, this Friday’s favorites are sort of juxtaposed, one ushering in the future, one still fondly reaching to the past.
jaykayknits / Saipua
Saipua / clfbyclairelafaye
JohnlozDesign / Saipua
And here I sit, perched on the precipice between the two.
Filed under: -posted by ash, favorite thing friday | 1 Comment
Tags: etsy, saipua
Meet the Contributors
Charlotte Atchley is a newly married graduate student studying journalism. On the rare occasion she isn't doing homework or working at Old Navy, she's probably watching a movie with her hubby or baking them something wicked delish.
Ashley Geiger is a fresh out of college graduate, with a degree in graphic design and painting. Currently, she is bringing you tales from the road as a freelance graphic designer. Her life would be incomplete without loads of music, piles of books, and lots of windows and sunlight.
