Tuesday, August 27, 2013

What I Wore to Work this Weekend

This weekend I was feeling full of fashion! Apparently I'm also full of alliteration today. Anyway, I ended up wearing clothes that I basically had forgotten that I own, which were entirely too pretty to pass up. 

First forgotten item: American Eagle Dress:
I got a lot of compliments on this first outfit. It's totally girly and sweet, and it was perfect for the hot weather we've been having this week. I paired it with some wedge sandals that I bought early in the summer, hoping to wear often, but this was only the second time I've taken them out. Fail.I love the lace bodice on this dress and the flowiness of the skirt. I originally thought the ribbon was a bit too much, but I took it off and decided it was actually just what the dress needed. My mom thought this dress wasn't quite work appropriate because of the lace, but I think she's just a bit ol' fashioned.

Dress: American Eagle, Cardigan: H&M
Wedge Sandals: DSW

Second forgotten item(s): Lauren Conrad blazer and American Eagle halter top:
I had found my blazer the other day and I was having trouble deciding what to wear under it (hence not wearing it often). It's got a maroon colored lining on the inside, so it's super cute when you roll the sleeves. I was going through my closet, trying to pair something with it, when I found this satin purple floral halter top that I completely fell in love with when I bought it, but have since worn it only once. I decided to throw a black cami underneath since I thought it was a bit too low-cut for work. I then paired the entire ensemble with my white Lauren Conrad skinny jeans, and my gold flats from AE. All in all, it was a professional AE and LC type of outfit.

Blazer and White Skinnies: LC by Lauren Conrad, Floral Halter Top: American Eagle
 
The one thing  I must say is often missing from my outfits is a necklace. I have to wear a name badge and a vocera around my neck, so the necklace would be obsolete, unless it were short. I wore a little necklace with my first outfit in this post, but it's so small that you can barely see it in the picture!

I'm so glad summer is almost over! I'm ready for fall layers!!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Life Updates

The past few weeks have brought a few changes (?) into my life. None of which unexpected, but things are just finally happening. I'm in a weird writing mood, and this post will be bland, so heads up.

Probably the biggest change is that Adam finally made his permanent move to Washington DC. I've spent a good chunk of time trying to figure out when to visit, and deciding which methods of transportation I should utilize. Initially, I decided Megabus was a great idea. It's relatively cheap, and pretty reliable. The first problem is that Megabus doesn't go straight to DC from Cleveland; you've got to go to Pittsburgh first. The second problem is that Megabus isn't really set up for connections and transfers, which can be troublesome. But if booked far enough in advance, with about 5 days of free time, the Megabus will serve me well. Though it does most likely cut out quick "drop everything and go" visits. I think we were both freaking out a little bit about not being able to be with each other very often, but I think we've come to accept the challenges and work through them together. Either way, I'm so proud of him and I'm incredibly excited for his new life in DC, and even more excited to experience it with him. Hopefully it won't be too long until I can leave my beloved Cleveland and happily join him in DC and start my own new life!


My second change: I bought a mandolin! It was cheap, but it will work well for the learning process. A while ago, I was feeling really unfulfilled and I realized that a huge portion of that was because I wasn't playing music anymore. In lieu of pulling out my flute and playing some concertos, I decided I wanted to learn an instrument with which I could jam with my friends. I've been really getting into blue grass and folk music, so I chose the mandolin (also because it's more my size). Plus, my great-grandpa once had an old mandolin from Italy (which my cousins destroyed), so I wanted to go back to an old family instrument. I have decided to teach myself since I don't want to spend any more money than my student loans allow. My friend Ben plays mandolin, so I might meet up with him a few times so he can give me some tips. Needless to say, I'm really excited and determined to master the mandolin! Though my fingertips really really hurt!

I'm actually just hoping to join Mumford and Sons.
Added on to things to fulfill me, I decided that I want to give yoga a try. I've done some research on places around here, and I think I decided on Nishkama in Independence. A blogger I follow teaches there, and it seems really well set up. Though I might do a drop in at a few different studios to find what works for me. I'm excited to get into an activity that will feel good to me, mentally and physically. I'll let you know how it goes.

Here's an update on school: I'm just waiting. My application for Eastern Michigan is finished and I assume just floating around on the head of speech therapy's desk. I'm anxious to hear from them, and every few weeks send them an email which I have yet to receive a reply to. I think they're sick of me. I have decided to apply to Appalachian University as well, since half of the application is done and why the hell not? Part of me is hoping to just get in spring semester so I can finally start getting my life back on track. The other part of me is hoping I don't get in so I can apply to schools in/near DC for fall. I'm more leaning towards just getting in, though. I really want it to happen. I'm still volunteering at Rainbow, but I feel like it's not really doing anything. I don't work with anyone, and I basically make copies or clean. I don't mind doing those things, but it's hard to get fulfillment out of it when I'm not being challenged, learning, and experiencing.

I was applying to new jobs that are more geared towards the field of speech pathology. I found a secretary job in rehab services where I volunteer (full time, no weekends or holidays) and I was really excited about it, but apparently HR takes forever to interview. I applied to some preschool teaching assistant jobs, had one interview, got called for an interview but never actually set a date, and am yet to hear anything else. I think I've decided to just stay at my current job where I'm comfortable and won't be leaving after only a few months if I (hopefully) get in to grad school. Unless I get the new secretary job, then I'm totally there.

Other than that, money is tight thanks to student loans, and everything else is basically the same. I'm going to see the Red Hot Chili Pipers tonight with my family and some friends, so that should actually be really fun. Summer is wrapping up well, including vacation, a couple weddings, and some projects with friends. I'm just really excited for fall, my favorite season! Hopefully I'll have something much more exciting to blog about soon!

Adam came on vacation with us this year! I love this picture :)