already here

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i gave myself one last night of a self-induced TV coma 

before buckling down for finals.

i watched downton abbey + drank hot cider 

+ wore my most unflattering/comfortable PJs

all evening. in bed.

and it was beyond awesome.

but now i have to spend the next three weeks 

living on coffee, kashi bars, and the end-of-semester adrenaline,

which i kind of can't believe is already here

seriously though.

tomorrow's december.

when did that happen?

-A

glittery things

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i think i'll probably look back on the weekend after thanksgiving

as the calm before the storm

because starting now i have to get ready for the insanity of having

a unit test, a comprehensive exam, two revised drafts, and three final papers

all happening within a couple weeks of each other.

but this past weekend was so awesome + relaxed,

i'm going to try to revel in it as long as possible.

my mom took me back to pittsburgh last friday 

and stayed through sunday.

for three straight days we ate leftovers + fancy cheeses,

gorgeous olives, and more sour cream dip than either of us wants to admit.

we also decorated my apartment for christmas,

hanging cheap snowflake lights,

and arranging glittery things and random santas.

then, before kris letang reminded the world why he was voted into the nhl all-star game last year,

we check out one of the best record stores in the U.S.

(that happens to be only five minutes away)

and left with the best assortment of three-dollar records:

terence trent d'arby, julie london, rickie lee jones

and a patridge family christmas card,

because after growing up with it crackling in the background every christmas

it was a necessity to have my own copy to crackle in the background 

while we snacked on pomegranate seeds

and turned off every lamp but one 

so that the twinkle lights would look even more merry + bright than usual.

how has your week been so far?

-A

giving, etc.

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cheap moscato, woody candles, gold-rimmed dishes,

gravygravygravy, laughter, sunset, three kinds of pie,

the good kind of nostalgia

my first thanksgiving in my hometown 

after moving away from my hometown

left my stomach so full i felt like i was going to die

but it was worth it

how was your weekend?

- A

thanks, etc.

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PJs, coffee, parade coverage, dog show, 

tired eyes, the smell of food cooking, 

more coffee, and classic christmas music
basically the perfect thanksgiving.

if you celebrate, how was your holiday?

if you don't, how was your thursday?

- A

p.s. there are more food + family photos to come :)

something white

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i was called a wino last night

(or, technically the night before last)

because i kind of am a wino

i was sitting on the floor of one of my dearest friend's attic
surrounded by a few more of my dearest akron-friends,
and we were talking about grad school
or maybe wallace stevens
and beach house was playing
or maybe mazzy star
and i was on like my fifth glass of room temperature wine
we had just bought at the local grocery store,
along with a block of colby cheese and orange milano cookies,
and my friend was pouring something white into my glass
and told me to tell her "when"
and i waited until it was practically at the brim
and someone laughed and said "wino"
but i didn't even attempt to be offended
because i kind of am a wino

i am also the new owner of a macbook pro,
which is absolutely fantastic.
when all my friends started using macs a few years ago and i didn't
i used to say it was because i liked my technology
clunky, complicated, and non-trendy
but after my laptop died on monday i decided to just give in
because the shit with the PC was getting ridiculous
and i'm oh so grateful that i don't have to deal with it any more

i am also grateful for
shopping trips with my mom + brother,
and the cold + fresh november weather in ohio,
super soft sweaters and grilled cheese sandwiches,
dark blue nail polish and urban outfitters free shipping,
netflix, friendship, baby swiss cheez-its at one in the morning,
coming home for thanksgiving,
and the fact that sidney crosby is playing
after the longest ten months ever
and already proving why he's the best hockey player in the world
after only two games back.

in true thanksgiving cliche-ness, what are you thankful for?

-A

and it was magic

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today has been an absolute roller coaster ride of emotions type of day

i'm home for thanksgiving and don't have access to my laptop 

(because it died)

and won't be seeing sondre lerche in concert with five of my best friends tomorrow 

(because sondre cancelled the gig)

but sidney crosby played tonight

for the first time since january 5th

and it was magic

so i'm doing okay.

how are you?

- A

on endless repeat

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the blog looks all bloggy now
a.k.a. not put together in 35 seconds.
i think it's pretty swell.
sprucing the place up has been one of my few minor accomplishments so far this weekend,
along with walking down to the drugstore to get kitten chow for GG,
and working on a final paper about gender stereotypes in proletarian literature,
which is exactly as fun as it sounds.

i have managed to polish my nails, though,
and eat a lot of dark chocolate
and read a smutty book for the smutty book club
some of my new pgh friends + i just started.
oh, and watch donald glover's comedy central special weirdo,
which i think you should watch ASAP
because i had to keep rewinding because i was laughing so hard
which is saying a lot because i'm not a stand-up comedy girl
like, at all.
[but i really love donald glover]

as for the rest of today i'm going to enjoy the gray, windy weather
that's chilly but not cold
and study for my next psychology exam
while listening to sondre lerche on endless repeat,
who i'm seeing live this tuesday with some hometown friends :)

how's your weekend been so far?

-A

p.s. i joined pinterest!

old home/new home

//

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the first three shots are from the house i grew up in
and the rest are from my home sweet apartment here in pgh.

channing, tea, and buddha bells
that is so my house back in akron

and then there's a honeycrisp apple
an accidental self portrait
the new view outside my studio now that the leaves are almost gone
various kitten-y things that are an inside joke with some friends back home
and clean dishes drying next to the kitchen sink
that is so my apartment in pittsburgh

what images define your space?

-A

p.s. i joined pinterest!