honey bunches of oats

We totally get to hang out this weekend and I am beyond excited :)

(a longer post will be coming sometime)

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Once upon a steamy August night, in an irreconcilably muggy room, I had the inclination to sleep naked. Just for reference: this was the first absurdity of the night. As I cover my free self in my soft sheets and begin to doze off the most horrific noise sounded from outside my door. I sprang up and groggily realized that I was not wearing clothing. "I can't face a robber naked!!" I thought. I ran over to the light switch and was immediately blinded by the overhead lights. Like a mole I began feeling around for something to cover my body, just in case, ya know, we were being looted.

With an oversized tee shirt inside out and a pair of backwards boxers I reached for the door when my froommate (female roommate) whispered wearily

"I'm so so so so sorry, I couldn't get it to stop! I didn't know it was already set, oh dear Jeremy's gonna wake up.....stupid alarm...sorry sorry sorry"

So I turned and very illogically decided to undress once again. I climb into my lovely and welcoming bed and begin drifting off into dreamland when my phone starts to ring. At first I am thoroughly perturbed, wondering how the night could be over already...my alarm clock could NOT be going off already! No.... no that's not it....someone is calling me...who would be calling at 1:37 am?? I picked up the phone and on the other end was Sergeant so and so asking me to please let him in.

WHAT?

"Ma'am you are on the contact list for 850 N 19th st. we called the house and no one answered so if you are home please come open the door, or else we will have to break in. The alarm warrants that we take a search through your house."

"What?....no no we're all fine! I'm coming hang on, I'm sorry we were all upstairs and didn't hear the phone....no we're fine. One second....I'll be right there!"

O my gosh, I'm NAKED again!! Why!!??? I threw on the same disheveled outfit as before and flew downstairs to let the police man in, closely followed by a completely soaked and dripping Abbie wrapped in her bathrobe, who had realized only after starting the shower that her towels were in the dryer. We assured the officer that everyone was perfectly fine, that we were not being robbed, that (untruthfully) we were all sane and he had nothing further to worry about, but thank you!

I pulled myself back up the stairs laughing exhaustedly at everything that had just happened. After a quick recap and giggle fest, and some concerns about the temperaments of our broommates Abbie and I parted and I flopped onto my bed--clothed this time.

I woke up this morning with the memory of last night vividly playing in my mind, smiling at the completely ridiculous decision I had made to sleep without clothes on. I pulled off the covers to go turn off my alarm and get ready for the day.....only to reveal my nakedness once again. I looked down and my clothes were on the ground next to my bed.

Absurd. Classic. Hysterical.

Some favs as of late.

1. Tony Hoffer Photography (blog):
The best pictures I've seen from a photographer in the Philadelphia area. This will take you to some older pictures-I love the wedding pics he does.

2. "I'd Rather Be With You" by Joshua Radin

3. Young House Love:
A blog by a couple who has re-vamped their formerly blah home, and recently had a baby, who has the cutest nursery I think I've ever seen. Seriously-I LOVE this nursery. Not looking for kids right now, fyi haha.

4. Grilling

5. WorldMarket.com:
Great, wallet-friendly store full of sweet sweet finds. For example...
-These towels, and these, too
-This pillow, and also... this pillow
-This apron

6. Jeff Divine Surf Photography:
I need to order some of these prints!

7. That today is 8/9/10

8. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg being hilarious in The Other Guys

9. I love you all!

In the past three weeks, God gave me the opportunity to try lots of new things. I loved it. I've come to appreciate some different things. Also, I've been away doing something almost every minute, hence the diminished contact, face-to-face, technologically or otherwise.

I miss you lovely women! Shall we meet up, say, this weekend? :o) I hope you all will be there. Especially, I hope Bri will be there, seeing as it is her house. Otherwise, it could be awkward. I especially hope Joy will be there, seeing as it's been about ten thousand years (hyperbole) since our last meeting. I especially hope Amanda is there because I miss her in general. I especially love you all.

This is what the past three weeks looked like for me:

July 24-31, 2010: Mars Hill, North Carolina
Mars Hill, North Carolina (near Asheville) for our annual (year 15!) all-ages-welcome church mission trip.
-Most of the week I worked on shingling a roof, but other tasks included chipping lead paint in a hazmat suit, clearing out a garage (think expired moonshine, bugs, dirt and plastic ferns),helping with the kiddos, and cleaning an oil tank.
-In my mission to be the least coordinated person alive, I fell off of a short stone wall, or a large stone curb. It was about shoulder-high. I am still healing physically. Luckily not too many people saw. It was a lovely week.
-Spent the latter half of Thursday night (adults night out) with my former youth leader, and three other middle-aged men in a bar in downtown Asheville drinking beer and eating chips and salsa. It was one of the more hilarious parts of my week. I ordered a 12oz house wheat, somehow received a 20oz house wheat, and REALLY SOMEHOW walked safely back to the car. It was wobbly there for a minute standing up, folks, I'm not gona lie.
-I had a wonderful time with a bunch of high schoolers while shingling. They were hilarious and awesome to get to work with for 4 days. Also, shingling is awesome, but less awesome when the shingle tar starts to bubble from the heat. We worked on a Habitat for Humanity house for the shingling-it is a super great organization.

On the 31st (a Saturday), I returned home from the trip at about 6pm, only to leave for Nick's at 8pm, because we were leaving Nick's the next morning for the Outer Banks.
So...

July 31/August 1-August 8, 2010: Corolla, North Carolina
That's right, folks, the day after driving 10 hours back from North Carolina to PA, I drove 8 hours back TO North Carolina, FROM PA. But this is no complaint-I had some amazing trips!
-Spent an awesome week in OBX getting to know Nick's family even better, and just hanging out in general. Lots of beach, pool, hot tub, reading, wave-riding, eating,tennis-"playing" (I believe you've all seen my hand-eye coordination in work), cooking, game-playing, and ... NEW DEVELOPMENT:
-RUNNING! Yes, friends, I run now. I ran every day, except Wednesday, usually for about a half hour, and on Friday, I ran for half an hour in the morning, and then an hour (4 miles... I realize this is slow... but I don't run, so I am amazed that I kept going) in the breezey cool afternoon. I also ran most of the mornings the following week, and I've run every day, except one since I've been home. Are you all proud? I am, because I don't run. But now I do. And I'm the slowest road-squeaking, crank-up-the-music-so-I-can't-hear-my-heavy-breathing, please-move-over-for-the-snail-family-who-is-passing-you runner that you ever did see. But, I do run. I really love OBX. I liked it last time, when I was there about three years ago with Nick's family, but now I love it. There isn't much quite like sitting by the breezy water in a low beach chair with a good book, I've decided. The day we left, it rained. I think that place was sad to see us go. Either that, or there was a low pressure system or something.

August 2-6, 2010: Lake Anna, Virginia
The day after we got back from the Outer Banks, I left with middle schoolers from my church, my good friend, Cara, who is the Children's Director, and two guys (youth leader, and parent volunteer) for the Middle School Youth trip. This is the same sort of trip I took with the high schoolers in July, except, you guessed it, more awkwardness and shorter people. Lots to talk about with the leadership in that, but that is for another time where the internet isn't involved.
-I think God is kind of showing me the awesome thing that is youth ministry and children's ministry. I think I might like to be a Director of Children's ministry somewhere, and I hope to volunteer with our youth group this year. I really liked getting to know the kids on the trips.
-Among the activities were hanging out on a lake with a tube and some pontoon boats, Monticello (because the paintballing we did with the high schoolers was awesome, but way too intense of a place-run by former service men and women-), King's Dominion for a day, helping the girls learn to prank the boys (think frozen nerf darts), and campfires.

I got home this past Saturday. Nick came over Saturday night-Sunday, and I went back to work today (Monday). Next week is Vacation Bible School and work for me.

I didn't mean for that to be so long, because I want to do a "Favorite Things" post, just for fun. I KNOW! I will make a NEW post just for that!

Also, could you all please be praying for my dad, because he has walking pneumonia and is feeling pretty awful. I just want him to feel all better! He's starting to get a little better, I think, but his Dr. told him he has to be out of work for a few weeks.

Love you all and can't wait to SEE you!!!

LOVE,
Hillshire farms
"BIG FEET!"
(Get it, like hillshire farms, go meat!?)

Hey everyone! That's the view from my porch. More photos to come, I am aware of the poor quality. That is the view from my balcony! woot. I can see the ocean... ahhhh. I would actually be outside on my balcony to take the picture but unfortunately it is drizzling this morning, so Matt and I have resigned to a relaxing morning of reading and surfing. I can't even tell you how much I love this place. Everything from the homemade english-style breakfast, to the Victorian houses, to the gardens that surround each and every building... it's just amazing. Perfect relaxation. That's me... tan. Sorta.. I am tan. Although I am trying to be more "conscious" this year.. aka actually putting spf on. I put SPF 100 all over my very fair-skinned fiancee and he still managed to turn a nice shade of strawberry-blush. Ouch. He's better today,but the first day was kind of hilarious : )

Today, we go see the Cape May lighthouse I think. Which should be pretty neat.

Anywhoo, I agree with amandapants as she stated below, I think we should take advantage of these warm months and do weekend things together. After this week, I am free almost every weekend (I think..)

Anyways, I love you all so much and I am missing you like crazy! Let's please do a beach trip or something? I can come to Philly so long as lodging is provided at any particular residence : )

xoxo

Joyful

__GIRLS__!

I miss you!

I hope you are enjoying your summers thusfar--stalking has told me that its a good possibility! I can't wait to see you next. Do you think we could do a July get together or should we wait until the Briannual? Vacations and things may be our hitch this time but I feel like there is much to catch up on with each of you, I'm very much looking forward to sleepover chitchat and possibly a skinny dipping endeavor 8}. Maybe we could try getting there a little early so we can have a little bit of time catch up? I know its a month away but I'm excited!

So things have been tipped on the side a bit for me lately but, by God's grace I'm dealing much better than I had anticipated. I guess the past 9 months has made me more used to Greg being away then being in the country. Thank you for ALL of your wonderful support this past year, I really don't know where I'd be without you ladies. That said, it was a great reunion and I feel even more hopeful about our connection and a peace about the next year and a half of his service. It took a good week to get into our groove and the 'electricity' was back about 4 days before he had to leave again. All in all, I feel like it was a bit of a dream and that I waited 9 months for 2 weeks of whirlwind but, I'm left with pictures, tokens, presents, deeper connections and it all still seems more than worth it. I'm all filled up, and I feel wonderfully happy when I'm with him... so, that's that I suppose.

How was everyone's fourth of July celebrations? We had a bunch of people over from church, etc. and grilled out and had tons and tons to eat and then traipsed down to the Art Museum for the fireworks and Goo Goo dolls. We sat behind the museum, which was actually where they were shooting them off--we were so close that there were shraps falling all around us. There was a piece of what was essentially thin cardboard about the size of my whole hand that fell and hit me in the face. It didn't hurt but these fireworks were HIGHLY multisensory. Much to the amusement of those around me, I was screaming for a good portion of the show because I thought I was going to have hot burning something light fall on me and light me on fire! I hope that your nights were just as invigorating haha!

Does anyone have any special summer recipes they wanna share? I love this time of year more than I can possibly say. This heatwave is the best thing to happen to Philadelphia. I'm so hot but I don't sweat until I stop moving, how does that work?? Also I was floating down the Delaware River the other day and I thought that it would be SO fun to do this with a group of people that isn't necessarily my church but maybe you guys instead. Its so relaxing! What are your plans for the next couple months? We should take advantage of this fabulous season and do fun things on the weekends if we can!

Alright, well I'm at work and clearly not doing what I am supposed to be doint currently. SO I'll bid you adieu for now. I promise I'll be back soon with something more interesting to comment on :)

LOVE

mandapants

AWESOME PHOTOS JOY!!!!


AmANDAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU SEE YOUR MANNNNNN TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYYyyyYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYyyyyyyYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY


BRI: I really like your hair in your new profile pic. Your face is also quite acceptable. Did you change your hair?


This is all I have.
Oh, I got accepted to La Salle U. for some online classes that I'm gonna take so I can get out of some for next summer ('11) which will hopefully be when I start grad school for Speech Language Pathology at West Chester!


You guys are SO WONDERFUL and I love you! Thanks for all of your various contributions to my birthday! They were great!!

Might I see you guys super sooooooooooooooooooon?!??!?!?!? I miss you.

A lot.


LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HIl

HI ALL! So I'm really procrastinating at work right now. This weekend was crazy.

Please turn your attention to the following site:

http://www.joygallucci.com/ourwedding/

And select "Wedding Party". I would ask kindly that you all approve/veto your personal pictures :) If you don't like your picture, send me one you want instead! You're all so beautiful, I just kept smiling whilst I cropped your lovely photos.

I have so much to tell all of you! I can't wait until we can see each other. Will you all be at Bri's in August? Gosh that seems so far away.

Yeah so, my life is crazy... I'm getting married, isn't that weird? I'm so happy to be sharing it with all of you... and I just miss you all just as much as I did last summer after we left Messiah.

Love you all!
Joyful

LOVE YOU HILARY!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You're wonderful and I am so blessed to have you as a friend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Yesterday, 23 years ago a very wonderful person was born. We are so glad that you were!!! We love you very much Hilary, and hope that your day was absolutely fantastic! God gave you a hazy, hot summer-like day, I hope you enjoyed every second!☺ Thank you for the blessing you are in my life, may He bring you through another year full of growth and love.

Love you girl!

Amanda Grace

One year. We've managed to successfully maintain this blog for a full year! Impressive and exciting, no? We truly are great bloggers -- okay, maybe not GREAT bloggers, but certainly we are lovingly updating bloggers : )

I'm engaged -- yeah that happened. Holy COW! So much is happening, and I can't wait to sit down with all of you to tell you what has been done so far. Matt is still deciding on his groomsmen (Men... and they think women are indecisive. SHEESH) So if he decides to have his gaggle of men in the group I may have to tack on a few extras. (No awkwards though, I promise :) Maybe a few cousins or something -- or perhaps a few close-ish friends. We shall see. I will keep you all updated for sure. You can start here:

www.joygallucci.com/ourwedding

I haven't broadcasted this website yet because we haven't booked anything, registered for anything, or nailed anyone down to the groomsmen for that matter. So you guys can show your families for sure :) but don't spread it like wildfire.... yet.... : )

Briana! You're DONE!!! I can't even tell you how funny I realized I must have looked when I squeeled at my computer to see you were done -- yup, that happened all by myself. I am so cool! :P I prayed for you, and I hope you did well on your exams!!!!

Hilreeeeeee, what are you up to these days?! I was wondering the same as Amanda, applying for grad schools still in the plan? Let me know what you are doing so I (we) can pray for you!!!

Amanda -- great post!! I love that you bought a bike that cost $15. Adventures>Routine. I can't wait to come see these "Gems" you've found : ) Oh -- and it's not a huge secret that you're addicted to GLEE. And if its not a huge secret for you then its not a huge secret for me either, and my obsession with Fin and Will Shuster! If only Matt could sing like them.... ::sigh:: (I'm kidding... but seriously... if he could sing Jesse's Girl to me the way Fin did the other night.. we'd be eloping!!! Okay, that was also a joke :)

So I went to powerhouse the other night -- it was so emotional!!! What a throwback. It really made me realize how great we had it at Messiah. We really did. Wow. And how crazy it is that we've been done for a whole year -- time flies. I wish it wouldn't. I remember being young and thinking how I could not WAIT to be older, wiser, richer, and with a boy -- I think now about all the things I have been through and have made me who I am today. Now I am older, wiser, richer, and with a man, and I think of how blessed I am, and how it feels like I blinked and time has changed. One thing that hasn't changed though is how much I love and trust all of you. It's amazing how God puts people in your life to remind you of his love for you -- and thats what you are all for me -- a reminder of how just like our love doesn't change, his is neverchanging and neverending as well.

I love you all, and I can't wait to see you. (and I am really sorry if I made you tear up.... cause I definitely shed a few the other night..)

Love,
Joyful

I am the slacker here—even Briana of the brainiac medsociety had time to post a little something. My humdrums and I just sit in my room night after night reading what you’ve written, loving you all from a distance and then signing off. Sorry, I’m loving you up close and personal right now J

First—Joy you’re engaged, which is wonderful and the most mind boggling thing to happen to any of us! Congratulations!! I’m thoroughly excited to help with planning, organizing (I’ll leave most of that to you actually) and helping with color and fabric and flowers (that’s more like it).

Hilree—Have you started looking at programs yet for gradschool? I think what you are looking into sounds really great for you, a little more one on one and specialized. You have an amazing gift for teaching and relaying information in way that people can understand it—I’m so excited for you! I hope in the meantime that you are enjoying the time when your days are filled with hilarious Bar Mitzfah jokes, Vera Bradley bags, time with Mom and Pop Schaal and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!

Breeeedom--- YOU DID IT LADY!! Congrats on finishing this year out. I can tell how hard you worked and I’m so mama hen proud of you! You will have to let us know how you did, and if you ever for any reason ‘visit’ Jefferson in the next few weeks you know who works down the street J

::Side note:: My apologies for the lack of structure in my blog posts thus far. I am slowly being trained by my personal peace corps volunteer how to write more clearly and with more purpose::: J

So how about this weather huh? I find myself stomping around my neighborhood guarding myself against breaking out in song and starting the musical that is in my heart. The first few days of spring it felt like the city was on uppers! Everyone was SUPER friendly which is not necessarily normal, most people had been hunched in their wool coats as they skirted into building and out of the wind tunnels. I heard a tune in my head begin as the parking garage guys down the street from my office greeted me with huge smiles and waves and the bus driver opened the door with a hearty ‘good morning!’ I was going to tap on the food cart with my keys for percussion to cue the choreographed dance down Broad St. So good.

I’ve been not-so-secretly obsessed with GLEE and for that matter walking barefoot in my backyard and with the used bookstore down the street. I think this city life is going to take a longer adjustment than I had originally planned for. I thought I’d just traipse down here and be out every night dancing or singing karaoke. Well, let me tell you, that is the farthest from reality that I could be. I come home after work, maybe run, make dinner, and then read a book or watch TV or whathaveyou. The weekends are similar in pace, except when I get out of city, ironically enough. Hopefully though, now that the weather is nicer and I have acquired a 15$ bike from a flea market that I will be a bit more mobile and consequently more adventurous. I’ve already gone and discovered a few little gems in the city that have made my venturings successful.

The whole situation with my roommate earlier this year made the sense of safety in the city a hard thing for me to regain. Nevertheless, here I am, it’s a beautiful world full of things to be sought out and enjoyed and so off I go again, on my quest to live life enthusiastically with a bit more perspective and regained assurance.

I just wanted to thank you guys again for coming down to the city to see where I live and what’s happening down here. I had so much fun! As per the usual, nothing has changed and we’re all the zany group of amazing ladies that we were the last time we were together, only moved forward a step in life—1 year after graduation and groovy. I feel very blessed to have you all in my life.

Have a wonderful weekend my petite cherubs haha! I promise not to be straggler next time!

I'm writing in pink because it means love... my heart is full of love!! Not just for my fiancé but for the three of you who are going to share this with me!! I am so honored to have the three of you as my best friends and I want nothing more than to have you girls there with me every step of the way to pick all the things boys don't care about! Like.... save the dates... and colors.... and favors.... and bridesmaids dresses!!!

I feel like I am in a whirlwind of happening things and I know now why people need a full year to plan! Holy smokes.

Well, I am at work, and I am so delusional from my weekend of mayhem that I decided to make a wedding website! Yeap, folks... you know you are a nerd when the first thing you do after you get engaged is make a wedding website.... from scratch. I guess that makes me a web designer huh? I'm glad school paid off by allowing me to make my own wedding website. :)

I can't wait to see all of you and figure things out!!!! You can be sure I'll be bringing my scrapbook of cutouts whenever we end up meeting up!

Love,
Joie

Dear D301 roomies (minus 1),
I cannot say how sorry I am for not posting anything or calling or texting or sending a card even in about a million months! This grad school thing is kicking me in the hiney (is that how you spell it?)
Well actually, first off- Joy- did you guys really do that to your boss?? That is so funny!! And a really good idea... :-) And please forgive me, but you started grad school right? How is that going? Hil! I can't believe you found that picture of that "walnut fest" aka death party lol! I seriously wasn't thinking when I said you should go to that lol.. Amanda! How is it that we are both in the same city working and going to school about 5 blocks from each other, and we never get to see each other?? Answer- my fault. I'm sorry!! This semester is rough...but I think this week right? :-)
So, sometime in May I'm hoping to come visit each of you because I have from May 7th - June 7th off!! Woot woot! haha. that is if I can pass... But the classes are pretty interesting this semester...cadaver lab is awesome except for the smell...(remember that Hil? I'm pretty much positive that you don't miss that lol) A couple weeks ago we dissected the breast (sorry if this grosses you out just bypass this section)... but one of the groups had a lady that had breast cancer..and you could see the tumor (it was really sad) but the crazy thing is that the tumor actually grew an artery so it could have its own blood supply because it was getting so large. So crazy.
But anyway, I really hope that we're able to get together on the 17th?? I need some serious roomie time :-)
I love you and hope that you all had awesome Easter's with families and friends. Make sure you get outside tomorrow and Wednesday, I hear it's going to be about 80 degrees?? Finally!

Bri
Ps- I was on facebook a little before this and saw on one of your walls about how Hil used to sing Farmer and the dell ( or is it farmer IN the dell??) anyway, after a while I went inside and started humming/singing the song and then started laughing by myself lol. Just thought that was amusing and I was reminded how much I really do miss living with you.
Peace.

Folks, this is what we are. The Millenials. We're characterized as "work-from home, lazy, 30-hour week, unmotivated, dependent on instant technology" (by the Washington Post). I don't know about all of you, but I'd like to think I am better than this, and reading your posts, and knowing about your lives, I've concluded that the 4 of us ARE better than this.

Last week was my bosses last week. Guess he's no longer my boss. The week before he gave notice, he felt the need to call me lazy on several occasions, which bothered me more than it should've. He stated that my generation had no work ethic, and that I would always be an "entry-level" employee, just like the rest of my class-mates I've graduated with. As I sat here, thinking of whether or not I was in fact a lazy bum, I received a visitor from a coworker, informing me that the office is glad he is gone for good, as he was lazy, and bringing the rest of the Product-Management team down by his laziness and not-so-motivating comments.

In response to this ridiculous accusation at me, and this confirmation of what ended up being a ploy to make himself feel better, I channeled my inner revenge, into something perhaps more light-hearted and "fun".

See it here.

He has no idea that this prank was a way for me to say "thank you for calling me lazy, I appreciate it so much, I found no better way to show my appreciation other than to cover everything you own in foil."

Irony: He decided he was too lazy to unwrap his office before he left -- I ended up doing it for him this morning.

Wanted to share a bit of my cube-life with all of you. Hope things are well and we can get together sometime soon (perhaps the weekend of the 17th!!!)

Much love, Joyful

Hello, women! How goes it in philanthamcester?

Joy-Did you have a fun visit with your mom? Grad school-doing that yet?
Amanda-How is work? How is house? How is fun?
Bri-Smellin' like formaldehyde? Kickin' some grad school boots? Grand-p's renno start yet?

I know you're all lookin' stylish all the while :o)

A little update (this is number [consecutive] three for me, so aren't you guys getting bored? I know I slacked for awhile, but I'm not that interesting.)

=-=-=-=-=-=-===-=-=-===-=-=-===-===-===-=-=-=-=-===-=-===-==-
There are 3 important steps to proceeding with a daily online job search:

1) Check facebook to see if anyone else has gotten a job…or a new photo album… or a new fiancé.

2) Check your email to see if you have been contacted by any prospective employers… or the people who you’re going out with on Saturday… or facebook.

3) Actually look for a job.



It is at this point that I must tell you all I've conceded to actually applying for teaching jobs (well, I've started getting the process in motion). In case you are wondering, it costs the same to update your clearances each year. Good thing I was cleared last year, huh? Should we warn the parents I'm on the teaching loose?
Or DO we?!


Love to you on this day that was oh so warm :o)

JOY it was great to see you for the mere minutes I stayed. Do you still want to be friends?



Elle-Oh-Vee-EE

Aitch-Eye-El-rEE

Today, as I helped arrange and unpack the graduation cards in the land of golden crowns, I couldn’t help but think, One year ago, there were people out there incubating thoughts of soon-to-be graduates for whom they’d need to purchase cards. I was one of those graduates, I kept digesting. Last year, I made their lists. This year, I’m pushed to the back of the store, hoping someone (a benefits-providing, 401K-contributing, two-weeks-of-vacation-granting someone) will see the potential in me, even if I’m not the newest trend.

Adding to my dismay, every potential employer I talk with really “hopes for someone with experience.” Yes, they want experience. No, they don’t want experience in greeting card sales and toddler watching. Hence, calling my resume “sugar coated” is about as much of an understatement as is calling Martha Stewart “fairly handy with a glue gun.” Line after line of this fussy file is filled with experience in “Customer Service,” (cashier), “ESL Tutor,” (a requirement for a college class), and “Marketing Assistant,” (hanging retirement home flyers on doorknobs for my mom’s employer). Early on in the resume-crafting process I struggled with the notion of promoting myself via this highly shellacked parcel of my experiences.

Ten months out of college and little to show in my bank account, I’d be happy to tell you about the extensive understanding I have of customer care, Spanish-speaking immigrants, and the challenges of fieldwork marketing. I do believe that the class of 2009 has learned a lot from graduating in an economic sinkhole, namely, how to put on a good show.

Not all is lost, however. I’ve had more time than ever to soak up the beauty of the daytime, a precious gift so often forfeited to the isolated and sterile nine to five American work day. I’ve allowed myself to dream big, and consider it part of the job-hunting process (which it very well may be). I’ve also seriously considered and experimented with the ideas of being a gourmet cookie maker, a small business owner, an artist, a writer, and even a teacher (despite the fact that my degree says teaching was like, totally my original choice).

Although seeing these wishes of “Congratulations,” “You’re Headed for Success,” and “Now’s Your Time to Shine” was a harsh reminder of an unspoken deadline and a fresh set of job competitors, I don’t think cynicism is particularly becoming on anyone. Perhaps these cards are a faithful reminder from the Lord that I did complete seventeen years of education, with a Bachelor’s degree to boot—and that is a reason I can always choose to wear my party shoes and celebrate. The excitement and perseverance are still alive even if I know I’m not straight off of the runway. I have confidence that there are employers out there who know the value of a thrift shop find, a slightly shrunken hand-me-down, or even an overlooked steal from last season’s sale rack.

ON THIS DAY (or yesterday...) BRIANA WISLER WAS BORN!

I hope you had a fantastic day. May the peace and grace of the Lord be with you all the days of your life, and may each year you grow in Him and be more beautiful than you already are, inside and out. We love you Bri!!

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23

hello!

first of all let me say that i couldn't miss you all more. my life has been overrun by the male variety of human, and they aren't quite as nice to look at as you all are. it's been quite the adjustment living with 3 guys, working with 3 guys, hanging out with 3 guys, i often feel like elaine from seinfeld--though less funny and with slightly (only slightly) more tamed hair, and not-so-much new york. regardless, i could use a little of you back in my life!

i moved out of my parents house....weird.

i live with men....more weird.

i can't find a grocery store around me....bad news.

i can bike anywhere i want....good news.

i miss you all....inevitable.

i found some sweet places to take you guys when/if you want to visit me....awesome.

what have i learned from living with boys:

women's natural tendency is to be considerate hence the 'i'm sorrys' that ran rampant in our apartment last year haha! well men, immediately assume comfort, so ya know if they have a lot of food to eat, they'll eat it out of your really pretty fruit bowl, removing the fruit from it and put it into a cereal bowl. or perhaps drink the two cups of coffee that you made for yourself in the assumption that because everyone had the day off but you, that you shouldn't make more than that. i don't know they might even take a 15 minute 'bathroom stop' at 8 am, when your bus is at 820 because of course when ya gotta go, ya gotta go.

all of these things happened to me within 24hrs of moving in.

since then however, we have all been managing splendidly. i feel like i live with 3 older brothers, but ones that for the most part, appreciate the fact that they live with a lady. i now have them reading and drinking tea after dinner in front of the fire. seth even asked if we could put on some classical music the other night. slowly but surely my friends, slowly but surely. dan is our resident pot-smoker. it has caused a few small rifts so far but for the most part he is very considerate and takes it outside and disposes of it in the basement, so that none us are effected directly except, that when he's high, he could not be a more annoying individual, he reminds me of a certain roommate we all had in common at one point but, louder more forceful and about 30 xs more difficult to listen to, highly interruptive and without means of reading social cues. nevertheless, he's very nice and considerate and when he's not smokin the doobie he's quite chatty but in a more conversational way. jeremy is a sabbatarian---he keeps the sabbath and reads a lot of christian literature. he also resembles a leprachaun (even though he's scottish and owns a kilt), cooks, cleans, and reminds me of many men from our beloved school, he did graduate from there, go figure. seth is poppa bear but quite high maintenance. he's already protective of me and has taken to calling and making sure i've gotten on the correct buses and made it to work alright. he waits up for me and sees me off if he's not going on the same bus in the morning. its quiet and manageable and i think i'm going to come to really love these disparate 3. we played board games the other night and it was such a family setting around the kitchen table! life is certainly different, things are morphing and changing and not very slowly either. i think ive got it under control even though last week was a little difficult, i know i'll get the hang of all of this! pray for me though, its kind of overwhelming at times, especially when you add greg into the mix of all this, him being in peru and despairingly hard to get a hold of sometimes.

all that to say, i would love for you all to come see my humble abode and witness firsthand the sitcom that has become my life! i have so many stories already, they'll make you laugh i think! hows the first week in february for everyone? it doesnt have to be at my place by any means but i'd like a new book to read but more than that, i'd like to have us all together again!! let me know!

can't wait.

beacoup des bisoux!

amanda

No one has seen him for months, some suspect he's in rehab but I SAW him. Oh wait, false alarm, it's just Nick Horst! Man, and I was about to submit this to people.com to let them know I found him...

How is everyone? I have to admit, I just flipped through a bunch of senior year pictures reminiscing of the precious d301.

Anyways, not too much to report here, life is still the same ol' same ol', just driving a new car these days. Work was boring for about 2 full weeks (thanks Amanda for keeping me occupied :) but I'm back on the horse and things are picking up again. Grad is school is HARD and I'm trying to get the hang of the whole 40 hour work week + part time school thing. I haven't quite got it down pat yet, at the expense of my personal health (ie no exercising for me the past 3 weeks, yikes!). But, like work, I'm back on the horse with exercising. I did my first round of "mat on the floor in the living room" pilates again, this one's version 3.0 (new video, sNaZzy) and in the middle I thought I may have had a small heart attack due to my lack of ability to handle what was happening. Luckily for me I realized soon after I had accidently bought the advanced version of the video I actually wanted. WOOPS. Oh well, it'll soon be "bikini" season before we know it, and I'm gonna blink it'll be the middle of July, and I'll be staring at my bathing suit wondering why I had chosen to watch Desperate Housewives reruns instead of just doing some pilates.

Speaking of bathing suits my WORD here is the skinny from the Victoria Secret swim. I found my eyes wandering from my original interest to this. Ladies, I give you the wonder bra bathing suit. Oh, and did I mention you'll get an AWESOME gladiator tan with that one? mmhmm, I'm aiming my pilates goals at that one. I mean seriously though, can you imagine someone on the beach actually wearing that? I mean for crying out loud, America's got a fat problem... okay I'm done.

I'm done blogging, and I'm going to continue reading my book... "Dear John". I chose to read that without realizing that it was going to end on an unbelievably sad note. I'm in trouble... someone come get me and bring a box of tissues, I saw the commericial for the movie, and my eyes started to water already. That's definitely not gonna be one I watch alone.... or with Matt.... or in the movie theater.

Love you all, I hope you're all doing great. I can't wait to hear whats going on in your lives. I'm copying Hil, is there any way I can pray for you girls?

<3 Joy

Hi girls! So, you've all heard that my car (former car) did some scary things this weekend on the way down to Matt's. It ended up going haywire with the windshield fluid squirting everywhere and the power steering saying buh-bye. Anyways, it's in the shop, but my parents aren't too keen on me driving it after it's fixed... so that brings me to my next point... Ta da!
















It's not officially mine just yet, I have to pick it up this weekend, and then I'll be free to be stylin' in my baby blue car. Well anyways, that's about it for now. I'm drowning in papers and insurance, loans and down payments.. not to mention all the driving back and forth everywhere. I can't wait til everything calms down so I can see you all. I miss you girls a lot.

I hope everyone had a safe, fun, and happy New Year. Much love<3

Happy New Year, lovely women! 2010! I hope you all are just great.

Have you listened to the 2009 mashup of the top 25 songs? You should!
Here is the link to 2009's
If you search on youtube, you can find the 2008 and 2007. I'm not sure if there's a 2006, but they are pretty sweet-better than just putting songs back to back... DJ Earworm (SHOOT, that name is TAKEN!) actually seems to have thought about it! Nice, nice!

In the same vein, here is a link to a mashup of a 2 pac song and a coldplay song, lost, which, even without 2pac is a super great pumping up song. Also, have you heard the Verve's Bittersweet Symphony go head to head with JayZ? Oh WOW, it's great. But I think I probably played that a ton at Messiah. Could be old news.

I hope this finds you cheerful and joyful and full of love!

Be kind to your retail workers.

Can I be praying for anyone for anything in particular? Let me know! I love you guys so much and am so thankful for each one of you!

Love,

Hilary