Time to Play House!

So things have been a little...rocky to say the least with some other areas of my life right now. So moving things over to the new apartment hasn't been going as planned. But tonight I conjured some energy and lugged some of my packed boxes into the car and drove over to the new place. $50 later (my "welcome to your new home" gift courtesy of DC) I can say I have moved in about 45% of my "stuff". Furniture will follow on Sunday. Hopefully tomorrow I can move a few more things over and avoid another damn parking ticket. Ugh. Seriously. So. Not. In. The. Mood. For. That. Naturally I cried. (Doing a lot of that these days). And declared myself in the "hate" side of my love/hate relationship with DC. Why DC? WHY!!!??!

But in good-giddy-it-is-time-to-be-a-big-girl-and-play-house fashion I present the new apartment!! It is pretty stark. A total blank slate to make all mine!

 This is looking in from the entryway.

 Closet which could easily allow me to hang every article of clothing that I own. I will refrain. Maybe.

 Looking out of the closet

 Kitchen!! Seriously about twice the size of the one I have now. I am thinking I will find something to extend the counter space on the right side and possibly do some more pantry space. Mini stove but regular sized fridge.

 My fridge with a bottle of water. Got to stay hydrated!!

 Yes. One of the first things I moved in was beer.

 Looking into the entry way from the kitchen.

Standing in the hallway taking a photo into the new place.


I am so excited to get in there and start making it mine! Paint color samples to follow so you can all help me pick since I can't seem to make up my mind!!!

How Did I Ever Live Without These...

These came to my attention from West Elm. And for some reason I can not stop thinking about the squirrel! I mean 1) it is a squirrel. 2) He is sequined. 3) Combined, that is awesome. These sparkly little holiday decorating gems are $25 a piece. So for $75 I can not even consider owning the trio. But they are rather stunning and funny at the same time. I want.



Not Real Sure

I have been in a funk.

I know it has been going on, but the fact people have pointed out my less than stellar mood lately makes it official. And officially bad. I hate when I give off the vibe that I am just not a happy person. I am feeling like I am being tried and tested in every possible shape and form right now. Naturally I am not responding well and I am turning into one of those draining people who no one likes to be around. Gross.

I have the big move coming up this week and next weekend and while I am beyond excited to decorate, paint, and finally be able to spread out a bit more I am also nervous and wondering if I have made the right choice. I mean we are talking about a lot of money and even scarier a year long contract.

I get nervous about commitments (surprise surprise) that mean I have to trust in the future. I mean we all know that DC hasn't been the easiest place for me to move to. It has grown on me, and I do feel way more established than I did a year ago, but I still feel a little out of place. I still miss people and my family some days to the point where my insides hurt. So I am just nervous that everything that I have built on here could unravel and fall apart. And I know, I know, take it one day at a time, right? And chances are that in the next year I am going to like DC even more, and feel even better about the person I have become here. It's just hard. Hard to trust. So I have been doing a lot of praying lately, and just asking to have a sense of relief when I get my apartment keys. So if you have any spare prayers...throw them my way! :)

So I have my fingers crossed that Monday I will get my keys, and all my stress, frustration and anxiety about this whole thing is just going to melt away and I will know that this is right. It is also so hard to keep in mind that there are so many things in life that I just don't have control over. It is so easy to be mad and frustrated when things come up and ruin your plans or throw you off course but the reality is you just have to let it go. This is something I am really not good at. I take it personally. But I got myself so worked up this week about things I have absolutely zero control over and it was a miserable feeling. So I need to get better at just walking away from things that suck but aren't anything I can change.

Perhaps this is a prime moment to remind myself of the four rules:

1) Whoever comes are the right people.
2) Whatever happens is the only thing that could have.
3) Whenever it starts it is the right time.
4) When it is over, it is over.

So thank you all for bearing with me the last week or so. I know I have been less fun than I can probably imagine, but that you for loving me and being there for me to lean on.

Singing the Blues

So I thought I had made up my mind about paint. But here I am. Still searching for that

absolutely


perfect



stunning



color.



Here are some colors I found tonight that have peaked my interest:

I love the top one. (and remember people, it is only one wall). I also love this idea of using the different papers/fabrics in frames to create color.

Any other thoughts from your lovely readers on my color conundrum?

Do I need to just do a light hue? Something more neutral?

Also....who thinks that this

could be done with IKEA Lack floating shelves? I love this idea of a floating desk in my new place. Apparently mounting things to the wall gives a perception of height and space. This desk area is functional, as it houses a computer place and TV place, and without the legs helps keep the space from being too "cluttered". Photo was found on apartmenttherapy.com and we are awaiting if the owner of the floating desk is going to post a how-to.

What do we think? Could a Lack shelf do the job??

Any other awesome storage, small space, color, design ideas you have to share please please please send them to me!

I Have Arrived (well for this brief moment of satisfaction)

Today was a day I have been holding out for a long time for. I have glimmers of the "this is why I do what I do and why I hit repeat everyday and come to work". But today was a day where I got the full blown feeling of knowing what I am doing, doing it well, and having someone recognize that I am doing it well. The act that caused this was rather simple when I type it out: I found a hire that was a home run. One of those candidates that elicits the "yes, this was a perfect read for the position" reaction. And it was rewarding. I felt like I flew solo for the first time. Granted I have recruited and hired people for all two years I have been at this job now, but today's conclusion of my recruiting efforts was different. I felt like the light went on and I am finally starting to understand how things snap together, how to do the little things flawlessly and to the point that I can free myself up to do bigger and more meaningful things.

Perhaps it was the interaction with the candidate. I love the human aspect of my job. (slightly ironic considering I am currently researching the inhuman components that make my job easier). But I love the human impact of my job. Just a few days ago I was totally down and out about feeling as if I was invisible, that my work was invisible and that I could keep grinding away, doing what i am doing, making progress that I see and making changes that I notice, but everyone else would just pass by my office and continue to wonder what it is that I exactly do. Today reminded me why I picked to do this, why I am here, why I keep pushing forward. And yes tomorrow I am sure things will be as usual. But I was elated today. I did something real, something tangible, something that someone else acknowledged as great.

Pretty sure I am going to sleep like a log for the first time in quite awhile. Bliss!

I saw a Kat

Raise your hand if you watched the Real Housewives of DC??


Oh no? Not you? Too good for that?


Well I wasn't. I got hooked. And I thought it was hilarious. Perhaps it was because they were in the city I live in that I was so hooked, but whatever the reason, I loved the DC season.

So the real story. Me and Ems met up one night after work (this was at many rain checks on my behalf) to hit up Hank's Oyster Bar. I had never had Oysters so we started off slow with a glass of wine and then Ems, being the friendly Oregonian that I love starts chatting it up with the bartender. Soon we have a plate of a sampling of oysters. I am not hesitant to trying new food, but I do like to know the proper way to eat it. Luckily I had googled what and how you are to handle an oyster. Long story short.....

I now dream about oysters. I love them. I can not wait to have more and to hit up Hank's again. Especially since they had an outstanding lobster bisque!

So after some more oysters, a few more drinks we are just chatting. I see this familiar blond woman come in with a man and order drinks at the bar. Now for me to see someone who looks "familiar" in DC means one of two things 1) I am going crazy or 2) the world really is that small. But the reality was...I did know her! Well I knew of her. She was KAT. The Kat from Real Housewives. British accent and all. AND she sat right next to me. I was star struck giddy. (You can ask ems about my childish behavior).

I made Ems take a picture. Obviously not with her looking and knowing, so its of her back and my super excited goofy face. But look at that hair and you'll know it was here.

Quite the entertaining evening!

Oh yea, just me and Kat. Eating oysters, being bffs. Ya know. Usual Friday night for me.

I almost peed my pants with excitement. No joke.