Happy Birthday Caroline lovaaaah!

Today's birthday wish goes out to one of my dearest friends, Caroline.

We have grown and changed so much throughout our friendship, which is something I love. The people we were when we met about five years ago are quite different from the ones we are now, yet we have remained friends through it all.

So without any further ado, a photographic journey through our friendship. According to Facebook, there are 475 pictures of us together. Finding just these few was quite a feat!

This was probably one of the very first, if not first, pictures we ever took together. We met because our boyfriends were friends and later became roommates. Spending most of our time at their apartment, we quickly became the best of friends. Our major sources of entertainment consisted of laying around watching movies (with the boyfriends), bowling (with the boyfriends), and various other mundane activities. Let me say that I LOVE all of these activities (and she can attest to this as well), but the point is that we devoted EVERYTHING to those guys and never really got out and did things for ourselves. We ended up helping each other through both eventual breakups and came out winners.

As our dearly departed boyfriends did before us, we became roommates! Along with our three other lovely roomies, we enjoyed throwing themed parties at our house. This was our first, a "Great Depression" themed soiree. Though I didn't drink at this time, it was then that I really started coming out of my shell and making a point to always have a blast. Thanks, Caroline :)

When she got her Aggie Ring, I was obviously there to show my support and excitement.



Our second themed party, "Around the World." We (along with two others) represented Jamaica as the bob sled team!




When it was time to initiate me into the 21-year-old-in-College-Station club, Caroline was the one who took me out, despite the freezing temperature and nasty rain. Was it a successful 21st birthday celebration? Of course. She wouldn't have had it any other way!

I couldn't bear not being there to join in on her Ring Dance experience in 2008, so I convinced my boy bff to take me as his date so that we could all have an amazing time together!

Caroline has also been with me during near-death experiences. Let's just say that when describing this particular date party, I'm going to use my "I was young and in college" excuse.

As typical college girls, our favorite night spot was Daisy Dukes (yes, don't judge the name. This is Texas, after all). You could always be sure to find us there dancing the night away, most likely on speaker boxes, cherry vodka sours in hand.

Caroline's 22nd birthday weekend was one for the books. It's impossible for us to celebrate a birthday together and not have inordinate amounts of fun.

One of our very own time honored traditions: Pizzacake. Eat a pizza, bake a cake. Pizzacake.

As I was there for hers, Caroline was of course present for my Ring Day. She served as an excellent photographer and top notch face nuzzler.

We went with different groups, but met up during Spring Break 2009 in South Padre.

After two years and two different houses, it was time for us to part ways. Moving out of our house was so bittersweet. I'd be lying if I said I didn't bawl for the first 20 minutes of my drive.

And here we are today. Different cities, different lives, same friendship.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAROLINE!!

Happy Birthday, Swampy!

This is unfortunately three days late, but I must take time to wish one of my best friends, Swapomthi, a happy 23rd birthday!
We've been friends since sophomore year of high school, and like to associate ourselves with a group of friends called "The Fab Four." There will be more on them when another Fab Four birthday comes up next week.
Swampy, as she is known, is one of the funniest, quirkiest, and caring people I know. We enjoy speaking in weird accents together, talking about Obama and how we want to be bffs with Tina Fey, and creating "scenarios" together.
I don't see her nearly enough since she lives in San Antonio, but our friendship is still as great as ever.
This girl is going to save the world one day, I guarantee it!

Senior prom. This picture is vintage. And no, I am not naked.

I believe this was her 20th (?) birthday. We at at California Pizza Kitchen, which is where we often find ourselves pigging out on overpriced food.

During every winter break, the Fab Four would meet up for quality time together. On this particular occasion we opted for a photoshoot on a rock. The Fab Four often partakes in "permutations," which is where we all take individual pictures with each other. We are very thorough in our picture taking.

Swampy was a very dedicated volunteer during Obama's campaign. I got to tag along when she helped out at an event where Kerry Washington and Ben McKenzie spoke to UTSA students.

Her 21st birthday on 6th St. in Austin. What a good (and short) night!

The Fab Four in all our glory for Swampy's 21st.

Happy Birthday, my dear friend!!

L-O-V-E

I love that this blog can be a venue in which I blab on about issues that I care about. If you'd like to hear some blabbing, please feel free to continue.

As anyone with access to any type of media outlet knows, Propsition 8 was overturned in California yesterday. I personally jumped for joy and was so proud of this giant leap of progress. Here's why.

I like to keep an open mind about people. Sure, I can be critical of others' fashion tastes or haircuts gone wrong, but when it comes to who they are fundamentally I try to stand back and keep my judgements to a minimum. In this vein, I have always been a proponent of gay rights. It is something I am passionate about and will argue about with you until you can't see straight.

All the uber conservatives out there have their panties in a knot over this and are going to use Bible verses as ammo and Christianity in general as their armor. To them, I say this: I may not be able to name all the books of the Bible to you, nor can I spout verses at the drop of a hat, but what I do know with unwavering confidence is that the Son of God loves ALL. In fact, I do believe there is something that says "All who believe in me shall have everlasting life." Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't say "All who believe in me (except if you're gay) shall have everlasting life." And furthermore, in my opinion, all those people who espouse their Christian morals so fervently and pride themselves on being such excellent followers of the faith aren't actually being very good Christians when they refuse to love and accept their fellow man. Hypocrisy's a bitch, isn't it?

The overrulling of Prop 8 is so monumental because it demonstrates that more people are turning away from this baseless hate. Because in my eyes, who someone chooses to care about comes down to one thing: love. Whether that love is between a man and a woman, two men, or two women, who are we to judge? Real love is hard to come by, so why should this country that prides itself on all of its freedoms prevent anyone from experiencing the joys of it? If two men or two women have found a deep and abiding love for one another and want to honor that just as heterosexual couples do, that is something to celebrate. People who choose to spend their time castigating this love just because it is not natural to them are only perpetuating hate, a hate that festers, destroys, and seeks to overshadow love by any means.

So in a world with so much of this hatred, violance, and intolerance toward our fellow man, I think The Beatles said it best:

All you need is love.

How I make it through insufferable work days

Maybe I've mentioned it before, but my job is pretty boring. Don't get me wrong, after 9 long months of searching for one and feeling like a worthless graduate with a worthless degree, I'm thankful to have it. I just wish I was a little more challenged and had actual work to do the majority of the time.

You're probably asking yourself how in the world I fill up these 8 hours of the day to avoid being a completely unproductive human being. Well, allow me to show you.

How I've kept myself from this show for so long, I do not know. Call me odd, but I'm a big fan of crime/murder on TV shows. Throw in a killer who only offs bad guys, and I'm hooked. Thank goodness for instant Netflix allowing me to watch this at my leisure!

I like to think that I'm allowed to be obsessed with Twilight at my age because I equally love the edgier and more adult appropriate, True Blood. Though this is definitely not suitable workplace material, that doesn't stop me from watching veryyy quietly at my desk.

I've already admitted to loving Twilight, and now I will dig myself deeper into the hole and appear to be even more of a 15 year old girl. But seriously guys, this show is addicting! I find it completely unrealistic that these girls are supposed to be 16. Maybe I was just a really naive 16 year old, but watch this show and tell me where in the world one can find 16 year old girls who get into such mature hijinks! With that said, this show is like candy and fuels my embarrassing love of trashy teen drama.

Anyone with half a brain should probably find 30 Rock to be entertaining. I do admit that I couldn't stand it for about the first 5 episodes, but now I am a huge fan. Tina Fey is pure genius. I want to be her/Liz Lemon's best friend. I really feel like we could sit down for a meal and having rousing, hilarious conversation. I would then become her protege and take the comedy world by storm. Besides, I've never seen another person adore/obsess/plan their day around food like I do.

So obviously, I watch a lot of TV. Yes, my desk is in an area where people walk by. No, I do not care. If important people are in the vicinity of my TV watching bonanza, I quickly switch my screen to an Excel sheet that I have long since finished working on, harmless email, or pictures of kittens. Because, yes, I frequently look at funny pictures of cats.

Commence judgement now.

Haunting

I have nothing witty or exciting to share today, but I do have this amazing song. I've been obsessed with it for a couple of weeks now. Apparently she performed it last night on So You Think You Can Dance.

So listen to it. You might find yourself playing on repeat (like me).

Fashion rant

Why?!

That is the million dollar question on my mind when it comes to rompers.

Every time I see a "fashion forward" female strutting around in one of these heinous numbers, I can't help but wonder if she actually enjoys sitting on the toilet completely naked, since her particular outfit requires that she become totally disrobed in order to take care of her business.

Believe me, I have tried to keep an open mind and embrace this trend that has overtaken the world of fashion. I mean, if it's a style that has survived through the ages and has now made a comeback, it should have some redeeming features, right?

Wrong.

Face the facts, it's a onesie for adults. I don't know about you, but I'm not particularily keen on going about my day to day business wearing something that a newborn sports. The only difference is that the newborn has no choice.

Maybe there are people (like Gisele) out there who can pull this look off without decreasing their age all the way down to babydom, but this offending textile has me truly perplexed.

Next week's rant...harem pants.

Hurricane Alex

Is it odd for me to be so excited over having a namesake hurricane?

I tend to get overenthusiastic about minor little things like this.

Ironically enough, this hurricane that I share a name with may bring ruin to our fabulous 4th of July plans.

Please, fellow Alex, be a nice hurricane.