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Happy new year!
One thing I've learned from 2011: Don't hold so tightly to expectations that you allow yourself to wallow in disappointment. Life is always defying expectations, in good and bad ways, but every disappointment is a chance to grow. My motto for 2012 might just be "go with the flow."
Love Kelly.

New Years Resolution No. 2

Go (mostly) vegetarian.
I decided a little while ago to do a 6/7 vegetarian plan, mostly because I am not a huge meat person, but also because it is a healthy lifestyle choice that I can make for myself. Thankfully, I won't have to change much (I already only have meat about 4 days a week.) All it means is that for most of the week, I avoid meat and get my protein from healthier sources, like egg whites, nuts, and beans. One day a week I get to indulge in a nice juicy burger or whatever else seems yummy ;)

New Years Resolution No. 1

Do at least a few rounds of Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) every morning.
{click on photo for source}

2012 is almost here!

Isn't it crazy how time flies and things change? I am nearly three-fourths of the way though my associates degree, and I am trying so hard to figure out what I am supposed to do with my life. I had thought that I could be happy being a teacher, and I'm sure I would, but there is something in me that is driving me to not just look for something to settle on, but to choose a career that will challenge me and allow me to use my gifts. Journalism has crossed my mind many times before. My father and I were having a conversation recently about what major might be best for me, and he mentioned that he always thought that communications was the field I'd end up in. So, I'm rethinking journalism. But here's the question that's bugging me: Can success and happiness coexist, or will my ambition cause me to never be able to enjoy my place in life, always pushing me on further?
...2012 is going to be a very important year for me. I wish it wouldn't be.

New Hurrcut

I kind of just love medium hairstyles on myself the best... I think they complement my roundish-heart-shaped face well.

I whip my hurr back and forth...

Whip it... Whip it good.

My hurr's been whipped.

Sorry for not really posting by the way... school has been kicking my butt... but it's so paying off. I made it into Phi Theta Kappa honors society! Woot woot! I'm pretty psyched about that, if you couldn't tell. Speaking of school, I need to work on some assignments now, so bye!

Coming soon...

So I know I haven't posted in a little while, my apologies, BUT I have a slightly exciting project to post about soon, so... until then ;)

I was going to post something, but I'm trying not to make this into some sort of vent for my feeling; besides I haven't really had any at all lately. Here are some recent occurrences:
.earthquake
.hurricane Irene
.major power outages and school cancelings (praise!)
Annnd that's it. Maybe I'll post a picture of my photo-strip collection I recently put up on my wall soon. Bye!

But Still...

Gah. I just want to be twenty something and live by myself in an empty apartment in a rainy city with a good bar a few blocks away and a car that putters but never fails. I'll have a room with only an easel and paint spattered newspaper for carpet and I'll eat only dry Cheerios for the irony and black coffee because I love black coffee and I'll have too many dresses and and not enough hairpins and furniture made out of stacked books.

The 90's Floral Scarf Turban

Mother's Closet

Here's a pic of me wearing that aquamarine silk wrap skirt I found in my mother's closet. I'm outside of Pearl's Cupcakes with Rachel of A Cut to Dye For in celebration of Katie's birthday.

A Dance For One

My goodness, it feels like it's been a while since I've posted. So much has happened- My trip to Florida, Scoob/senior send off in youth group, and I'm even looking forward to teaching a dance class for the next few weeks before the fall dance classes start up (I'll earn a wee bit of money before I even expected!) I can't wait to finally be able to refresh my wardrobe a bit. And, in the spirit of dance and clothing, I though I'd share one of my all time favorite videos ever. It's a promotion for this rad Aussie brand called LOVER, starring Amber Scott from the Australian Ballet.

A Dance For One. from LOVER® on Vimeo.

My sister and I are packing our bags.. It has been a loooong week, so I'm sure I'll have lots to post about!

One Day To Go...

Tomorrow is my sister's birthday, and then on Friday she and I are packing our luggage into her car and driving down to Columbia to meet our road trip companions, and then we will all arrive in St. Augustine, Florida not long after that. Needless to say (though I'll say it anyway) I am super excited about this trip!
One thing about it that will pose a challenge, though, is packing. It will be absolutely important to pack lightly due to the fact that we are cramming five women, plus all of their luggage, into a tiny Hundai. One thing that I am absolutely determined to pack and wear at some point on this trip is a gorgeous long turquoise vintage silk wrap skirt that I have been just dying to try out. I feel like Florida will be a perfect testing ground. Other than that, I haven't the slightest idea of what to bring, so a good chunk of my time tomorrow will be devoted to figuring that out. Aside from that, here is my to-do list for tomorrow:
1) Take math placement test (ew)
2) Get some ingredients for Kate's birthday cake plus buy the latest issue of Foam magazine.
3) Begin making cake!
4) Have burrito lunch with Dad and Kate
5) Surprise Birthday Outing for Kate!
6) Finish making cake
7) Pack!
8) Kate's birthday crab dinner
9) Cake and present presentation
10) Get some well-deserved zzz's

Looks like I'll be a busy girl tomorrow. Goodnight!

J'adore Lykke Li

Subtley Smokey

Rocked the smokey eye all day today.
It makes me feel so mysterious.

Missing NYC

I just got back from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Walking in the city, amid cracking and crumbling urban building, brick everywhere you look, and patches of lush flora, makes me miss New York. I want to go back for a week or so on my own time, with my own agenda.

More Wanted

A kimono jacket, like this one from Free People.

This creamy silk blouse.

A pretty pleated skirt, like this one I saw on That's Chic.

Wanted:

Bell sleeved black lace seventies-esque mini dress

Long spacey dress

...And a good pair of jet black skinny jeans, like these at urban outfitters.

That's all for now.

(Images from Spanish Moss)

New Obsession

Kate and I watched the first few episodes of season two of Buffy today (we went through season one last week) and in season two episode one there is this band, Cibo Matto, playing at the Bronze. Every time I watch that episode I'm thinking, "I love this band soo much!" So today I looked them up on itunes and got some of their songs. As you can tell by the title of this post, I'm definitely enjoying them. Click here to hear one of their songs. The 90's had the best music...

This will have to be a quickie!

I am soon to meet with an academic adviser to help me register for classes and schedule a math placement test. It's funny, I was told by the ladies at Admissions to get there right when the office opens, at 8:30, before all the other college kids wake up. I'm a lazy bum so getting up for this was no easy task, mind you, but I'm looking forward to classes so it will be worth it to have my schedule straight. Now, I must finish my coffee (I actually put cream and sweetener in it for once!) and get ready to go. Bye!

Sunday Morning

I adore Sunday mornings, even one as unideal as this has been. I overslept (usually someone in my family wakes me up, but today I was forgotten), had extreme contact issues, and was about to give up on my pursuit for a good outfit when I heard a damning noise downstairs: Buddy (aka the Beast) had gotten into the fridge after my sister and dad left because both of them have a horrible tendency to forget to lock it. I then rushed downstairs in my underwear to assess the damage and decided that since it was already 11, I had no hope of getting to church on time, or even within the realm of "fashionably late". Now I'm sitting in my sweats alone in my house sipping some coffee (black, of course) and blogging about my far too adventurous morning.
Thankfully, I won't get the chance to be a bum all day because I will soon have to pick my sister up from church and attend a birthday lunch at Jason's Deli. I had better start getting ready for said get-together, though, or else I'll be late for that too. Happy Sunday!

It's so hot outside.

Looking at these pictures makes me wish I was back at the lake right now.

Or maybe just at the river...

Bahhh.

Oh blogging, how I've missed thee.

I have to admit that I really am looking forward to school starting up again, despite the fact that school will not actually take me away to a new place, something I have been looking forward to for a good five years now. Why am I so anticipating the beginning of classes? Because I miss being busy. Summer is grand, and I intend to enjoy the hell out of it in every way that I can, but I miss being scheduled and organized and working and thinking.
So, the question now is what shall I do for the remainder of the season, to which I gladly answer: Restart my blog! I can't promise to blog often at first; indeed I plan to ease myself back into it. But I will update this enough to keep track of the events of the remainder of my summer, such as my trip to St. Augustine.
Now, rather than end this post in the normal fashion, I'll end it with this:
Hello, again!