Christmas/New Year Limbo

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas because I know I did. My family celebrated on Christmas Eve and had a fantastic day. I love spending the whole day with family cooking, and watching Christmas movies, and just spending the day together. I absolutely love that. The picture is of our stocking stuffers. They are temporary tattoos of monsters! Amazing!

Now it's that weird time between Christmas and New Years where you're trying to recover from Christmas and yet trying to gear up for New Year's Eve. For my family it's extra busy because my sister's birthday is January 1st which means prepping and planning. Which reminds me to start planning the menu. And she happened to marry a man whose birthday is Dec. 30. It's a busy time of year.

(almost) 50 things to do in winter

✓ 1. Read A Christmas Carol before Christmas

✓ 2. Make a winter garland, to keep up all winter

✓ 3. Watch holiday movies for Christmas

4. Enjoy New Year's Eve

5. Eat Hoppin' John on New Year's Day for good luck

6. Watch the Winter Olympics! February 12, 2010

7. Warm up the apartment

8. Sort through family photos

9. Sort through genealogy

10. Take pictures of winter

11. Watch the movies nominated for awards

12. Take classes; Calculus, Physics, maybe French?

13. Have winter sleepovers

14. Work on my thesis journal

15. Read at least 5 books

16. Make soups

17. Make Shepherd's Pie

18. Make hearty dinners: brisket, baked ham, etc

19. Drink hot cocoa

20. Have afternoon drinks, Guinness

21. Have afternoon tea

22.Go see the Dead Sea Scrolls while they are in Milwaukee

23. See, in person, a Matthew Harris Jouett painting (he's a relative from way back when)

24. Travel, even if it's for school visits

✓ 25. Enjoy the first real snow

26. Stay in bed a little longer

27. Send grad applications in and put the worry to rest

28. Enjoy giving tours at the art museum

29. Go ice skating

30. Have movie nights to stay warm

31. Buy more hats

32. Scarves, hats, coats, boots, layers, & sweaters!

33. Take long hot baths

34. Clean up & get organized (again!)

35. Try not to gain pounds over winter

36. Stop worrying about the future

37. Explore my surroundings

38. Stop procrastinating

39. Enjoy having most of my family in the same city for the next few months, because that all will change soon.

40. Find 10 more things to add to the list.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...

Last night I hosted a family Christmas party for my family and my sister's in-laws. Here's a few pictures of the party before hand.

84% success rate from fall

Wow it's been a busy month and with Dec 21 being tomorrow and the official start of winter I have to look at my checklist from fall and see how much I really did (uh-oh).

✓ 1. in the spirit of going back to school, I'm going to learn something

✓ 2. close my eyes and breathe in the fall air in the morning

✓ 3. always carry tissues- because it's that season

✓ 4. Sunday = baking day

5. go to the farmer's market before they are gone for the season

✓ 6. watch purple violets and wish I was Selma Blair

✓ 7. exercise everyday... in some way or another

✓ 8. continue to learn the guitar

9. buy a bike

10. attend many concerts

✓ 11. make an apple pie from scratch

✓ 12. also make pecan pie, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie & cherry pie... not the last two but I did make lots of pies

✓ 13. make soups!

✓ 14. have afternoon tea

✓ 15. look for an internship... but no luck

16. actually learn a new language

✓ 17. buy/wear/love tights, scarves, hats & boots

✓ 18. go to the movies

19. go bowling

20. fly a kite

✓ 21. make/drink cider, hot milled cider

✓ 22. watch scary movies on halloween

✓ 23. put candy corn on my teeth like a vampire

✓ 24. listen to more music- new & old

✓ 25. get addicted to a new television show

✓ 26. apply to grad schools

✓ 27. cure my fear of commitment... on anything... making progress

✓ 28. watch the sun rise and set on the same day

29. buy/chew clove gum

✓ 30. read while completely enveloped in blankets

✓ 31. go to the Little Farmer or Apple Holler... Awe's Orchard.

✓ 32. pick apples and/or pumpkins

✓ 33. eat more fresh foods

✓ 34. attend BK's wedding

✓ 35. take photographs of autumn- because for 4 years I never really experienced fall and last year I never truly appreciated it

✓ 36. go out and be a doer

✓ 37. enjoy the outdoors before winter comes

38. travel to Washington D.C. and experience that feeling of being "home"

✓ 39. bundle up and open the windows at night to experience a crisp fall morning in bed... did it once and will never do it again. It's too cold.

✓ 40. finish sorting family genealogy... made progress (so much to go through)

✓ 41. journal/sketch more

✓ 42. learn a new hobby... I've been more "crafty"

✓ 43. make more lists

✓ 44. purge things I don't need

✓ 45. loose weight... okay only a couple but still.

✓ 46. buy new office supplies

✓ 47. frame photos of mine

✓ 48. re-imagine my life and set life goals

✓ 49. get out of neutral... I'm moving forward finally.

✓ 50. let go and let flow

Alright... 42 out of 50 is AWESOME! Better than I expected although some of these are only half completed but at least I'm on my way. And now it's on to winter and of course Christmas is this week!

Christmas Time is Here...

It's coming up on the first weekend of December and I've already put up my Christmas tree! Due to my apartment building's rules I can't have a real tree so fake it is. And I do have to say it doesn't look like a horrible fake tree, it's pretty nice especially when decorated.

Now that that's done I can move on to other home decor and my baking list. For the past few years I've made holiday cookies and have given them to friends and this year I'm doing it again. Can't wait to start planning, even more excited to get started!

REASONS to be THANKFUL during the HOLIDAYS

Anyone remember Blueprint Magazine by Martha Stewart? Well I luckily kept my issues of the short run (and dearly missed on my part) magazine. I paged through all of them for design ideas and again this year for Christmas ideas.

One of the things I loved about this magazine was the 100 Reasons section in the back of each issue. And in the spirit of the holiday season I wanted to the 100 Reasons to be Thankful During The Holidays. (Some of these have to do with Thanksgiving because I couldn't bring myself to break out the Christmas magazines before Thanksgiving)

No. 1 Talk turkey with the pros on Thanksgiving Day (or just get told to stuff it) at 1-800-BUTTERBALL

2. Then click on marthastewart.com/thanksgiving for our founder's favorite side-dish recipes and centerpiece ideas

GO-TO gift sites to bookmark NOW

3. unicahome.com designer housewares from Aalto to Zeisel;

4. momastore.org for museum-quality stocking stuffers;

5. fredflare.com a favorite of tweens (and tweens at heart);

6. oompa.com because Toys "R" Us in December is not for the quick-tempered.

7. Or, reserve products for pickup at a shopping center near you on nearbynow.com and know that the wait for a parking spot will pay off.

No. 8 "I'm grateful for eBay's 'favorite search' feature, which tells me when sellers list new items I might be interested in."- Katie Hatch, fashion editor

9. Roomba. What (or who) else cleans floors, entertains guests, and puts itself to bed- with no complaints? ($120 and up, irobot.com)

No. 10 "I'm thankful that I finally gave Skype a try and found out that it is that easy and cheap to reach loved ones from afar." (skype.com) Petra Guglielmetti, staff writer

11. Caller ID Because telemarketers don't take the holidays off.

12. "I'm thankful for toast - how something so simple makes your kitchen smell so good, and with the right preserves can be heaven."- Elizabeth Graves, beauty, health, and fitness editorial director

13. & 14. Thoroughly Modern Menorahs at nambe.com (Marilyn Davidson's swooping style, $160) and artfullhome.com

15. Traditional Versions that double as Shabbat candleholders ($185, thejewishmuseum.org)

16. An Incomparably Elegant Glass Dreidel from Simon Pearce ($70, simonpierce.com)

No. 17. November 1, 2009. One more hour of much-needed sleep, courtesy of the end of Daylight Saving Time

18. Lower-priced GPS units from Garmin, for finding your way to Grandma's new condo

19. Mapquest, for a printable plan

20. Gas-station attendants who give accurate directions at no charge.

21. Free bottleneck and breakdown alerts sent to your cell phone or PDA from traffic.com

No. 22 "I'm thankful for Santa Maria Novella's cologne 'Potpourri': It's my signature fragrance, and the only accessory I wear daily."- Shane Powers, senior style and home editor

23. The sublime combination of Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

24. Winter Citrus (Oh, my darling clementines!)

25. Irish Coffee spiked with Black Bush Irish Whiskey (the best!)

26. Thanksgiving Leftovers Strata, featuring turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and eggs.

No. 27 "I'm thankful for home-cooked meals (that are made by someone else)."- Milano Miodini, editorial assistant

28. Shoulder-season (through the end of November) discounts to sunny destinations like the Caribbean.

29. "Drink umbrellas: I put them in beverages when someone I know is having a bad day- or I'm pining for a tropical vacation."- Sarah Conroy, associate fashion editor

ENTRUST YOUR PARTY'S DJ DUTIES TO THE ELECTRONIC MINDS BEHIND

30. slacker.com

31. pandora.com

32. last.fm.

33. "I'm thankful for my Searle down jacket. It can withstand just about any gale-force wind or precipitation."- Bora Chang, associate beauty, health, and fitness editor

SCHMALTZ-FREE HOLIDAY ALBUMS

34. Christmas with the Rat Pack;

35. James Brown's Funky Christmas

36. A Charlie Brown Christmas;

37. The LeeVees Hanukkah Rocks;

38. Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers Once Upon a Christmas. (Trust us.)

AND A COUPLE OF SCHMALTZY FAVORITES

39. Neil Diamond The Christmas Album

40. Elvis Presley If Every Day Was Like Christmas

41. Family members who feel like friends

42. Friends who feel like family

43. Family members with four legs (or fins, or feathers)

44. Unexpected handwritten notes and letters

THE BOOMING IND

IE STATIONERY INDUSTRY THAT INSPIRES THEM

45. Paper Stories (paperstories.com) for options both naughty and nice;

46. Iomoi (shopiomoi.com) for personalized patters;

47. Paper + Cup (papercupdesign.com) for the graphic and novel;

48. Elum (elumdesigns.com) for refined, post-preppy letterpress

No. 49 PILOT HI-TEC-C GEL INK PENS ($3 each, jetpens.com) "The thinnest, finest, lightest pens around, in a rainbow of colors. They're great for addressing holiday cards."- Debra Bishop, design director

SMART TV ON DVD TO GET YOU THROUGH HOLIDAY RERUN SEASON

50. Saturday Night Live: The Best of series

51. Arrested Development (R.I.P.)

52. The Office from either side of the pond

53. Weeds because suburbia has never been so dope

54. Entourage to watch the guys hug it out

SUPPLEMENT WITH YOUTUBE'S FINEST PROGRAMMING

55. Choreographed wedding dances

56. Sesame Street, gangsta-style

57. The seasonally appropriate "Christmas Lights Gone Wild"

58. Jingle Cats meowing all your favorite carols

59. The new and improved, lower-priced TiVo HD, which can even beam TV shows and movies from the Internet straight to your TV. ($299, tivo.com)

No. 60 "My mom's traditional Christmas-morning cocktails, waiting for us each year when we wake up."- Scott Horne, contributing style editor

the recipe:

Empty one can of frozen limeade into blender. Add one canful each of gin (or vodka), half-and-half, and crushed ice. Blend quickly, pour into a glass, and sprinkle with nutmeg.

61. Miniature tubes of AQUAPHOR, the purse-size winter wonder that repairs chapped lips, softens cuticles and gives eyelids a glisten. ($2, drugstores)

62. Benefit Boi-ing Concealer and Eye Bright Pencil to help you fake the beauty sleep you don't always log this time of year. ($18 each, benefitcosmetics.com) (TRUST ME!)

63. And when you can't fake it anymore, get lasting facial repair from Ole Henriksen's ridiculously effective micro/mini peel kit ($95, olehenriksen.com)

TURN THIS YEAR'S TRASHED WRAP INTO NEXT YEAR'S

64. Origami Ornaments (the-north-pole.com/crafts)

65. Dreidels (enchantedlearning.com)

66. Kwanzaa Bowls (Origami Holiday Decorations: For Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, by Florence Temko; $9, Tuttle Publishing)

No. 67 (previously January 20, 2009 for the inauguration) the new one... any date in the new year that you're looking forward to.

68. "Old-fashioned bubble lights- instant holiday spirit."- Sydney Applegate, design production associate

BOARD GAMES THAT WON'T CAUSE POSTPRANDIAL FAMILY FEUDS

69. SCRABBLE The best excuse to use four-letter words;

70. TRIVIAL PURSUIT (and not the pop-culture version);

71. BALDERDASH because, for once, bluffing is encouraged

72. CATCH PHRASE all the shouting and gesturing is in good fun;

73. PICTIONARY sometimes it's better to put it in writing

No. 74 "I'm thankful for my mom's zucchini latkes. Whether I'm home and she's frying them up, or I channel her by making my own batch, they always infuse a little family tradition into my holiday season." Shira Savada, editorial assistant, art

75. The mail-order MAYTAG BLUE-CHEESE WHEEL: a huge hit as a gift for those out-of-town relatives. ($27 for 2 pounds, maytagdairyfarms.com)

SOPHISTICATED SANTA-FREE GIFT WRAP

76. rettaleritz.com

77. seltzergoods.com

78.eieiostudio.com

79. pikkuwares.com

80. whimsypress.com

81. luxepaperie.com

82. Digest a little literary fare (along with everything else) in Christmas Stores, Diana Secker Tesdell, ed. ($15, Knopf) 20 selections from the likes of Willa Cather, Anton Chekhov, and John Updike.

83. Find the most over-the-(roof)top house-lighting displays near you on tackylighttour.com (And take a pair of sunglasses if you go to see them.)

84. Long-burning, energy-saving LED bulb strings, for your own light shows.

85. The ultimate what-not-to-do primer in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

86. "I'm thankful for my family's annual dessert competition: There are six to eight categories (for taste, presentation, etc.). Everyone gives her dessert an original name and tests each entry, and we hand out funny, tacky gifts to the winners."- Lisa The, senior art director

87. Cheaters- er, perfectionists- can use EvenDough rolling-pin bands to roll our blue-ribbon-worthy pie crusts. ($6, grammascutters.com)

88. Martha's Favorite Cookies DVD. Dozens more ways to fatten up your friends and neighbors. ($15, marthastewartstore.com)

89. (again adding my own for an out dated entry) David Sedaris' Holidays on Ice... it makes your holidays look pleasant or at least less stressful.

90. CLAXTON, GA, the fruitcakes capital of the world. Where would we be without the holidays' favorite punch line?

FRESH FUN TREE ORNAMENTS

91. jonathanadler.com

92. weegohome.com (laser-cut steel trees, flowers, and birds)

93. metmuseum.org

94. Hanukkah Gelt. A religious imperative to eat chocolate

No. 95 "youworkforthem.com has a great selection of art books as well as smart, well-designed gifts."- Jamie Prokell, associate art director

SALVATION FOR SLACKERS ULTRA-LAST-MINUTE DELIVERY OF HOLIDAY GIFTS

96. llbean.com

97. bluenile.com

98. redenvelope.com

99. jcrew.com

No. 100 (again my own addition) warm drinks, blankets, heater cats the most magical decorations ever, the first snow fall, close family and friends. And after all the gatherings are over, developing temporary amnesia and wishing you could do it again the next day.

Hello Old Friend

Yes well it's been quite a while since I wrote last (almost a whole month!) and while some might think that I have been too busy to write I don't know if that is the case. I wrote the second day of November and since have been getting my butt in gear with applying to grad schools. Then I was sick for 2 weeks with the flu and another virus. And this week was Thanksgiving. It's been boring yet hectic.

I am pleased to announce that I have discovered a very tasty pecan pie recipe and also discovered Bourbon pecan pie. Delicious!

Thanksgiving was lovely, spending the day with my mom, sister, and brother-in-law while skyping with my dad. I was happy to not be the hostess this year and cook (although I did prepare 2 side dishes that are family tradition and two pies). But the bulk of the meal was made by my brother-in-law who did a marvelous job.

And now fall feels like it's coming to a close however I will not start a new list of things to do until the official start of winter (or the first snow fall). Probably the first snow fall since I'm in Wisconsin and nature doesn't wait for a calendar date.

I'm thrilled for Sunday to come though. It's the first Sunday in Advent which means I can start putting up Christmas decorations. I would be thrilled for the rest of my life if I travel to my sister's house for Thanksgiving and everyone comes to mine for Christmas. It's my favorite holiday. I love to bake and make a different Christmas dinner every year. I love the tree and the decorations. It's so whimsical and absolutely magical that even though Santa Clause is not real, the magic is. And now let's all start the musical slow clap and sing Santa Clause Is Coming To Town. (Yes, I did watch Elf on Thanksgiving, it's such a corny ending and is literally the musical equivalent to a slow clap)

I'll be writing soon, I promise, with updates and new movies and music. Cheers.

Dear November,

You've seen the dreary October and know you can better. Let's not have a repeat of what happened last month. Let's kick ass for the next four weeks. No snow, clear skies, not too cold. Just do this one thing for me. Deal? Thanks. Loooove, me.

And here's the halfway point in Fall and I'm checking up on my list.

✓ 1. in the spirit of going back to school, I'm going to learn something

✓ 2. close my eyes and breathe in the fall air in the morning

✓ 3. always carry tissues- because it's that season

✓ 4. Sunday = baking day

5. go to the farmer's market before they are gone for the season

6. watch purple violets and wish I was Selma Blair

✓ 7. exercise everyday... almost everyday. I'm working on it.

✓ 8. continue to learn the guitar

9. buy a bike

10. attend many concerts

✓ 11. make an apple pie from scratch

12. also make ✓ pecan pie, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie & cherry pie

13. make soups!

✓ 14. have afternoon tea

✓ 15. look for an internship... no luck yet but I'm not done trying!

16. actually learn a new language

17. buy/wear/love tights, scarves, hats & boots

18. go to the movies

19. go bowling

20. fly a kite

✓ 21. make/drink cider, hot milled cider

✓ 22. watch scary movies on halloween

✓ 23. put candy corn on my teeth like a vampire

✓ 24. listen to more music- new & old

✓ 25. get addicted to a new television show

✓ 26. apply to grad schools... working on it. I'm almost done!

27. cure my fear of commitment... on anything

✓ 28. watch the sun rise and set on the same day

29. buy/chew clove gum

30. read while completely enveloped in blankets

✓ 31. go to the Little Farmer or Apple Holler... I went to Awe's Orchard and it was good.

✓ 32. pick apples and/or pumpkins

✓ 33. eat more fresh foods

✓ 34. attend BK's wedding

✓ 35. take photographs of autumn- because for 4 years I never really experienced fall and last year I never truly appreciated it

36. go out and be a doer

37. enjoy the outdoors before winter comes

38. travel to Washington D.C. and experience that feeling of being "home"... sad to say it's not going to happen until after the new year.

39. bundle up and open the windows at night to experience a crisp fall morning in bed

40. finish sorting family genealogy

✓ 41. journal/sketch more... and still doing it!

42. learn a new hobby

✓ 43. make more lists

44. purge things I don't need

45. loose weight

✓ 46. buy new office supplies... and more to come!

✓ 47. frame photos of mine

48. re-imagine my life and set life goals

49. get out of neutral

50. let go and let flow

Woohoo! 25 down (and still going on) 25 more to go! I am AWESOME!

Beautiful days in October have been a rare occasion!

2. close my eyes and breathe in the fall air in the morning

Done and I love it! Ah the fall air is crisp and fresh. And let's thank my neighbors in a beautifully ivy covered apartment building for putting their pumpkins out.

11. make an apple pie from scratch

And it was good....
I couldn't resist starting my "Sunday = baking day" a little early. I made my first apple pie last night and remarkably it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I have a very odd love-hate relationship with Martha Stewart and lately it's been more love (mainly because I've taken a hiatus from her crafts and just stuck to cooking). Homemade crust and amazing apples from a local orchard made this apple pie mouthwatering and completely delicious!

That's one more thing crossed off my list, several other things are in progress or just beginning, I think I'm off to a great start 1 month into fall. Two more months to go till the official start of winter and hopefully by Tuesday I'll have 1/3 of my list mostly completed.

GA Aquarium

High Museum

When I visited Atlanta on the latter part of my trip to see a few friends I stopped at the High Museum to test out my new security badge from the Milwaukee Art Museum and see if I could get in. Little did I know that my badge not only got me into the museum itself but into a Member Preview Day for their new Leonardo exhibit on his proposed bronze horse (hence the giant horse at the entrance above). It was an incredible exhibit complete with drawings and studies from Leonardo, sculptures & paintings from him, Donatello & Rustici and much more. If you're in the Atlanta area I highly recommend stopping by this exhibit, you will not be disappointed.
Above, an image from the contemporary gallery of the High Museum.

Wayfarer Hotel

While in Monroe for this wedding I had a few options for hotels. There was the Country Hearth Inn (driving by looked like a vacant deserted old Sleep Inn or something), the Motor Motel (I pictured the Bates hotel) and the Wayfarer Hotel, a cute boutique hotel in heart of the city. I obviously chose the latter. And it was amazing! The greatest bed in the entire world, firm but not too firm and perfect pillows that when I hit the bed fell instantly asleep. There were only 3 rooms, no front desk, and a small kitchen. It was an incredible room, beautiful hotel, with a sweet manager. If you are ever in Monroe, GA this is the place to stay!

34. Attend BK's wedding

Oh Monroe, GA. The first weekend this month I attended a friend's wedding in Monroe, Georgia. It was the first wedding of a friend's I've attended and while it was surprising I am truly happy for my friend and hope she has a lifetime of happiness.

Monroe is a very unique town in the middle of nowhere Georgia. I stayed at the best hotel I've been to which I will write about later. There's not much around Monroe, it's about an hour from Atlanta and an hour or more from anything else. But it was wonderfully picturesque and a cute location for a wedding.
The wedding was lovely, in the backyard of my friend's aunt's house. Beautiful ceremony under a trellis built by her brother who also presided over the ceremony. It was a small wedding of close family and friends and I was truly honored to be apart of it.

May your coffins be made of 100 year old oak;

And may you plant that tree, together, tomorrow.

BK + MB

3 Oct 2009

25. get addicted to a new television show

Okay so I'm kind of addicted to television and film. It's no secret, I love a good television show that gets you completely immersed for 30 minutes or an hour in their world. And with so many new television shows coming about the past few years I have yet to find a new addiction. So far there's House & How I Met Your Mother, NCIS (not LA), Criminal Minds & SVU, Bones & The Office. Then of course there's cable shows that I'm not going to get into. But to find a new show to get involved with exciting and this fall I've started watching a few new shows.

I gave Accidentally on Purpose a shot but it's not worthy and I'll be surprised if it makes it past the few season. It might not even make it back after November sweeps. Then there was Trauma which after just their 1st episode has me curious so I think I'll give it a few more weeks. NCIS-LA is a complete waste of Chris O'Donnell's talent and doesn't have the same flair, wit, and appeal as the real NCIS. And the Good Wife is a worthy effort at a new lawyer show with a personal twist but I feel it will get old after a few weeks.

I have yet to watch ABC's Wednesday night comedy schedule which I have high hopes for with an all star line up of Kelsey Grammar, Patricia Heaton, and Courtney Cox. But Glee has caught my attention. It's written well enough and has enough humor to make me subscribe on Hulu.com. And of course Thursday night with some of my favorite like Bones, The Office, CSI, Grey's Anatomy there's just too much to choose from. Community I don't find funny at all and am hoping it gets cut soon with the same axe that's being reserved for Parks and Recreation.

But the biggest surprise and the one show that has caught my attention and will forever hold a spot on my DVR list is FlashForward! Who doesn't love Joseph Fiennes and of coarse something involving the FBI, global disaster, and suspense. We know what the future is but can they prevent some of it from happening. The cast is amazing with John Cho, Joseph Fiennes, Courtney B. Vance, Christine Woods, Alex Kingston, Seth MacFarlane, and coming up Gabrielle Union this (hopefully) can't miss and will turn into something great. At least until April 29 2010 when we find out if their visions come true! Love the show so far and can't wait to see what happens next.

1. learn something new

Tomorrow is the official opening of the Andy Warhol: the Last Decade exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum and in the spirit of Warhol (and Milwaukee's Race for a Cure on Sunday) the Museum is lit up in pink for the next week.

And now that I am a docent at the Museum I had the opportunity to learn something new! Thursday morning the curator for this exhibit came to talk to us about Warhol's last decade. Warhol is someone I've always admired and loved but never knew too much about and so this was such an amazing experience. I highly recommend this exhibit (it's traveling to Brooklyn, Forth Worth, and Baltimore after Milwaukee). The last decade of Warhol's life was so complex and he produced more work in the last decade than most artists in their entire lifetime.

In addition to the exhibit the Milwaukee Art Museum created an addendum which housed Warhol's earlier works from the 60's.

So I think it's safe to say that yesterday I learned something new and that being a docent at the Museum will produce many more months of learning. Number 1: check!

50 ways to enjoy autumn

I've compiled my list for autumn:

1. in the spirit of going back to school, I'm going to learn something

2. close my eyes and breathe in the fall air in the morning

3. always carry tissues- because it's that season

4. Sunday = baking day

5. go to the farmer's market before they are gone for the season

6. watch purple violets and wish I was Selma Blair

7. exercise everyday

8. continue to learn the guitar

9. buy a bike

10. attend many concerts

11. make an apple pie from scratch

12. also make pecan pie, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie & cherry pie

13. make soups!

14. have afternoon tea

15. look for an internship

16. actually learn a new language

17. buy/wear/love tights, scarves, hats & boots

18. go to the movies

19. go bowling

20. fly a kite

21. make/drink cider, hot milled cider

22. watch scary movies on halloween

23. put candy corn on my teeth like a vampire

24. listen to more music- new & old

25. get addicted to a new television show

26. apply to grad schools

27. cure my fear of commitment... on anything

28. watch the sun rise and set on the same day

29. buy/chew clove gum

30. read while completely enveloped in blankets

31. go to the Little Farmer or Apple Holler

32. pick apples and/or pumpkins

33. eat more fresh foods

34. attend BK's wedding

35. take photographs of autumn- because for 4 years I never really experienced fall and last year I never truly appreciated it

36. go out and be a doer

37. enjoy the outdoors before winter comes

38. travel to Washington D.C. and experience that feeling of being "home"

39. bundle up and open the windows at night to experience a crisp fall morning in bed

40. finish sorting family genealogy

41. journal/sketch more

42. learn a new hobby

43. make more lists

44. purge things I don't need

45. loose weight

46. buy new office supplies

47. frame photos of mine

48. re-imagine my life and set life goals

49. get out of neutral

50. let go and let flow

dancing in september

I am absolutely stoked about fall!!! There's so much possibility in the air that is turning a dreary forecast into bright sunny days and changing leaves of hope. Yeah okay, I know that sounds lame but I couldn't be more excited about what's to come in the next few months.

First off, I had my interview this morning and I'm going to be a docent for the Milwaukee Art Museum. I have to take classes and attend lectures but I'm just excited to be doing something. Other things going on this fall? I get to travel to Atlanta for a wedding and see friends I haven't seen in over a year. And then travel to D.C. and visit Catholic U and see if I want to apply to their graduate program. I've always wanted to go back to D.C. and this seems like the perfect opportunity.

So while I'm excited about all the new exciting adventures I will be diving into I also have to remember to stay grounded and not get my hopes up. Oh and still make a list of things to do for the next 3 months. It's going to be awesome!

and so it ends....

Today was the last day of August and tomorrow marks the unofficial begin of fall. And while the weather here in Wisconsin makes it feel like fall, I am not ready to begin this cycle again. Over the past few days I have had some things on my mind that have started me thinking that this whole unemployment/no school/limbo world I'm living is soon to end. Come morning I will be getting up early and getting ready to go to an interview. And while it isn't an interview for a job in a firm it is something that will keep me busy. I'll be interviewing for a docent position at the art museum and I couldn't be more excited.

Along with this I've decided to ask firms if they are willing to give me an unpaid internship. It's not a paying gig like I would like but I desperately need experience; even if it's an internship and even if it's unpaid. And while I do all of this I've realized that fall can hold some amazing possibilities for me.

So while the summer has ended, I have high hopes for this coming fall and when tomorrow comes I will post a new list of things to do in fall. And now it's time to do my final check of my summer list and see what I have accomplished.

✓1. enjoy a good rain storm

✓2. watch the sun rise and set on the same day

✓ 3. peruse vintage & independent shops

4. go to the farmers market saturday mornings

✓5. blow bubbles off my balcony

✓ 6. take more photos

✓7. contemplate life under the stars; actually I contemplated life under a meteor shower!

8. find an abandoned country road, get out of the car and dance

✓ 9. exercise everyday

✓ 10. read

✓ 11. watch more films

✓ 12. stay up late with friends

✓ 13. buy and wear more dresses

14. more drive-in movies @ Miller Park

✓ 15. learn to play the guitar

16. make my "apartment" my "home"---- I'm getting really really close!

✓ 17. write letters to friends

18. get a job----- an interview tomorrow.

✓ 19. wear bright lipstick

20. buy a cute vintage bike with a wicker basket

✓ 21. observe people at Alterra

✓22. get a summer glow, partially.

23. learn to play the cello

✓24. girl's night---- unofficially, I've spent a lot of time with my girls

✓25. sleepovers

26. jazz in the park---- to accomplish in september

✓27. pitchfork music festival... scratch that now it's Lollapalooza

✓ 28. summerfest

✓29. state fair

✓30. use my polaroids

✓31. visit the new modern wing of the chicago art museum

32. visit northern wisconsin and see the goats on the roof

33. go bowling

34. fly a kite

✓35. work on my thesis idea

✓ 36. enjoy my birthday

✓37. study anthropology

✓38. make an apple pie from scratch---- made a hell of a lot of cookies for friends

39. do more diy projects

✓ 40. enjoy a new piece of art every wednesday at the milwaukee art museum

✓ 41. green my thumb

✓ 42. reduce my footprint

43. find my groove

44. do something good

✓ 45. eat more fresh foods

46. make sun tea

47. go sailing

✓48. drink coffee and read the paper on the balcony in the early morning---- I read the paper on the balcony with afternoon tea

49. learn to speak a new language

✓ 50. day dream

I've done 34 of the 50 listed. I wish I could have done more but there's only so many days in the summer and I've done so much more than what's on this list that I feel I have taken advantage of perhaps my last summer without a care in the world.