Monday Quiz About Me

I’ve missed a few weeks…

1. July is National Ice Cream month… Are you celebrating?
You know, I really haven’t been eating enough ice cream this summer. That needs to change!

I love froyo!

2. What is your favorite rainy day activity?
Going to the movies.

gonna see this tomorrow…

3. What is the one book from high school that you remember reading most?
Lord of the Flies.

4. Have you ever visited Charleston, SC?
Yes! I even lived there for a year.

Sullivan’s Island in 2011 with my mom and brother

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1. Wednesday, July 24th is National Drive-Thru Day… Do you have any drive-thrus that you have a hard time passing?
I go to Wendy’s about once a week. Love me a chocolate Frosty.

2. Other than signing your name, when was the last time you physically wrote something?
I write notes all the time.

3. What was the first movie you saw in a movie theater? The latest one?
The first one I remember was Snow White… Most recent was The Heat.

4. Have you ever visited Disney?
Yes, when I was three and six.

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1. What is your favorite pair of shoes?
Old Navy flip flops.

2. Do you get embarrassed easily?
I don’t think so…

3. What makes you cringe?
Nails on a chalkboard.

4. July 29th is National Lasagna day… Are you celebrating? What kind of lasagna do you prefer?
Nope… But I LOVE my mom’s lasagna!!

Bonus question for blog hoppers to answer:

5. How did you celebrate your last birthday?

We Want to Know Wednesday

1. Are you an amusement/theme park kind of person?
Not really… I like carnivals/fairs but I don’t care for roller coasters so I don’t want to waste a bunch of money at an expensive amusement park.

2. If yes, where have you gone? If no, what makes you dislike those kinds of places?
I have been to Disney World twice as a little kid, Carowinds and Dollywood many times, Six Flags once, and Lotte World in Seoul once. I have also been to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Dollywood’s Splash Country.

3. Do you like to go on roller coasters?
No.

4. Does your answer to #3 directly correlate to how you are about life experiences?
Not at all… I think I’m pretty damn adventurous.

5. What was the last scary and/or risky thing you did?
Traveling around Asia by myself last summer was probably the last BIG thing… I had to take a lot of selfies! 😉

We Want to Know Wednesday

1. Would you rather… Go out to eat or make a nice meal at home?
Go out to eat! But I’m trying to cut back on that.

The Melting Pot last Saturday!

2. Would you rather… Drive or fly?
Fly. I hate driving!!

3. Would you rather… Go to a sporting event or watch it on TV?
Definitely go… Watching on TV is boring!

Patriots vs. Dolphins game, December 2009

4. Would you rather… Read a book or watch TV?
I love both and as a librarian I know I should say read a book but I usually pick TV first… Then read before I go to bed. 🙂

the pile of books on my bedside table

5. Would you rather…Go to bed early or sleep in late?
Sleep in late! I am definitely more of a night owl than a morning person.

High 5 for Friday / Friday Favorite Things / Happies and Crappies / Fab Five Friday

1. I had a job interview on Monday. I haven’t heard back yet so I’m gonna assume I didn’t get it but I’m still holding out a little hope…

2. On Tuesday I took a road trip with my brother, sister-in-law, and their friend. We stopped in Concord on the way and had lunch at Olive Garden (I chose something from their “Lighter Italian Fare” menu… good job me), watched a commercial being filmed at Outdoor World, enjoyed some froyo, and played games at Dave & Buster’s. Then we continued on to Chapel Hill where we had dinner at Spanky’s before the Carolina vs. Wake Forest basketball game.

3. Wednesday I took a hike and Riley came with me. How sweet! She loved climbing on all the logs.

4. Wednesday was also my BFF Tessa’s birthday. She lives in Tampa so I couldn’t celebrate with her but I’m meeting her in Chicago in May. 🙂

NYC

Washington DC

Baltimore

Charleston, SC

St. Pete Beach, FL

Caribbean Cruise

5. Yesterday I got my student loan check in the mail, and bought my plane ticket to Greece! I will be spending September 21-30 in Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. I booked an awesome place to stay in Athens yesterday too: City Circus Hostel.

As for the crappies this week…

I’ve been pretty depressed. Being on a budget and a diet means I am basically not leaving my house. I’ve been feeling really antisocial anyway so the plans I’ve had I’ve cancelled. I feel like I’m never going to find a job in a library and I’m wasting $50,000 on my master’s degree… Pity party for me!

Sunday Stealing

1: Do you notice a person’s eye color?
Never.

2: White, milk, or dark chocolate mocha?
I don’t drink mochas. But milk chocolate is my preference.

3: If you could get a tattoo free, would you do it? What would it be?
If it was by a reputable artist then yes. The next two I want to get are a quote with a skeleton key and “let it be” with a dandelion and birds.

4: Did you grow up in a small or big town? Did you like it?
Small town and I pretended like I hated it then but it wasn’t that bad.

5: Your favorite adult as a child (and not your parents, if they were your favorite)?
My Aunt Laura.

6: What kind of smoothie sounds really good right now?
Mango. Yum!

mango smoothie in Bangkok

7: Most embarrassing moment from your elementary school years?
I fell down a flight of stairs in 5th grade.

8: Most embarrassing moment from your middle school years?
I fell out of my bedroom window and into our compost pile in 8th grade.

9: Most embarrassing moment from your high school years?
I can’t really think of one…

10: Have you ever fired anyone?
No.

11: Have you ever climbed a tree more than twenty feet off the ground?
That sounds really high so no.

12: Did you like swinging as a child? Do you still get excited when you see a swing set?
No, I hate swinging. As a kid it was OK.

13: If you could have any pet in the world, illegal or not, what would you get?
I love my kitties but I would also like a bunny.

14: What’s your favorite place to relax?
In a bubble bath.

15: What’s your most favorite part of your personality?
I think I am a thoughtful friend.

16: Madonna or Lady Gaga? Neither? Both? Who cares?
Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga concert in Seoul, April 2012

17: Have you ever watched the Superbowl all the way through?
Yes of course!

18: Have you ever watched any major sporting event live?
Yes I’ve been to NASCAR, an NFL game, and an NBA game.

hating the NASCAR Samsung 500 race, April 2009

Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots, December 2009

Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic, May 2010

19: What’s the most delicious food you’ve ever eaten in your life?
Indian curry and garlic naan.

20: Margarine or butter? Which did you grow up with?
Either one. My mom is big on real butter though.

2012 Review Extravaganza: Fourth Quarter Recap

October:

I started taking Spanish classes.

I started doing storytime twice a month through the Preschool Outreach Project.

I went on the very first Vampire & Occult Tour with Haunted Asheville.

I had a pumpkin decorating party.

My niece Klay Audrey was born!

I voted early!

I had a fun night out with high school friends Nikkie and Carri who I hadn’t seen in forever (Breanna joined us for dinner as well) when Carri was visiting from Australia.

I dressed up as a devil and a flapper for two different Halloween parties.

November:

Tessa came to visit!

I took a holiday cupcake class.

My mom and I went to Florida to see my cousin Michelle get married! We also went to Gatorland and their rehearsal dinner.

Thanksgiving!

Anna visited over Thanksgiving weekend… I hadn’t seen her in eight years!

I got my first tattoo!

December:

Wreath party!

We had an early Christmas dinner with my grandma and uncle.

Cindy and I threw our first annual Santa’s Mustache Bash.

Christmas!

I visited my dad in Arkansas.

Five Goals for 2013:

• Visit Greece.
• Finish my master’s degree.
• Get a job as a librarian.
• Visit every brewery in WNC.
• Attend a book signing.

2012 Review Extravaganza: Third Quarter Recap

July:

I finished up the five week epic Asian backpacking trip with an overnight layover in Warsaw on July 1st. I arrived home July 2nd!

my mom picked me up at the airport 🙂

I went to an awesome 4th of July party.

I went to Coon Dog Day, my hometown’s annual holiday. (Parade, dog show, and square dance!)

I visited my dad, stepmom, brother, and sister in Arkansas. We went canoeing!!

My sister came back with me to visit for two weeks. We went to Bele Chere (a local festival), tubing, and got manicures.

On a sad note, Daniel (my boyfriend of eight years) and I broke up in July.

August:

Callie and I continued the fun. We went camping, to Sliding Rock and the Blue Ridge Parkway, and rollerskating.

that’s Callie!

I was the maid of honor in my BFF Ohee’s wedding.

I turned 30!! Celebrated my birthday by making pottery, going swimming at the lake, going out to dinner, and then finishing with drinks and desserts at my house.

I went to Dollywood Splash Country with Shannon and Mason.

I went to the Laugh Your Asheville Off Launch Party at Highland Brewery.

I went to my BFF Breanna’s son Easton’s first birthday party.

I got purple highlights!!

I got my job as a part-time nanny for Sam.

I watched roller derby for the first time.

I had my first Pinterest party!

I flew down to St. Pete, FL to visit Tessa for Labor Day weekend!

September:

Continued the fun in St. Pete…

Then headed off on a cruise on Labor Day!

Stopped in Grand Cayman and Cozumel…

Started taking a cake decorating class.

Got my two kittens, Riley Moonshine and Diesel Gambrinus!

they were scared to come out of the carrier at first… so sweet!

I went to the NC Mountain State Fair.

I threw my stepsister Ruth the most awesome baby shower ever.

I had my second Pinterest party.

I started my local travel blog (I’m not so good at updating in unfortunately).

I became obsessed with blog swaps!!

Weekend Update

Saturday I got back to Tampa from my cruise!

That night my mom and I stayed at her sister’s house in Titusville, FL. I gave my cousin Michelle her bridal shower gift, we cooked out, and we celebrated my Aunt Laura’s birthday. Their mean Chihuahua Rufio even took a liking to me. 🙂

Sunday we drove about nine hours home to North Carolina. One of my books that I won in a blog giveaway had arrived in the mail!

Weekend Update

Friday I flew down to Tampa to visit my friend Tessa. That night we went out with our friend Kathryn: dinner at Bella Brava and then lots of drinking and dancing in downtown St. Pete. I rarely stay out late and I haven’t been clubbing in years but we had so much fun. I decided it was because of the blue moon. 🙂

Saturday we were a bit tired! Tessa and I had a very late lunch, went shopping, and got pedicures.

Yesterday me, Tessa, and her mom had brunch at an awesome restaurant called Daily Eats. (We also had a really cute waiter. I love you Doug!) Later that afternoon we went to the beach with Kathryn.

Today we’re leaving on a five night cruise to Cozumel and Grand Cayman!

Oh, and I won another book this weekend! Turns out entering those blog giveaways is not a waste of my time. 🙂

M is for Murfreesboro, Miami, & Munich

Murfreesboro, AR

Murfreesboro is famous for the Crater of Diamonds State Park, where you can dig for diamonds! I met my family (who live in Arkansas) there twice when I lived in Texas (September 2007 and March 2008). We never found any gems but we had fun!

Miami, FL

My family is from Miami so I have been there many times throughout the years, most recently in December 2009 when my (now ex) boyfriend and I visited his brother for a Patriots vs. Dolphins game and in February with my mom after we went on a cruise. (We met my grandma and great aunt and wandered around Coconut Grove.)

Munich, Germany

I visited Munich on a European backpacking trip in June 2004. Highlights included downing massive beers at Hofbräuhaus München and taking a side trip to the glorious Neuschwanstein Castle.