24. Find a job

I have spent the past two years trying to get my ducks in a row. I moved to Milwaukee for a job to only have it fall through, I lived with my mom for a year and a half, I've been rejected by 7 grad schools, have had major roller coaster rides the past 3 months and never thought I would get things put together.

But now I have finally found a job! It's only a 6 week internship right now but it has promise. And it's with Rishi Tea right here in Milwaukee. I will be working under the Art Director doing graphic design work and the most exciting part is recreating the trade booth! I absolutely love the company and everything they stand for, it's so rare to work for an actual good company. I can't wait to get started.

Good job duckies getting yourselves all in a row. Now just stay there!

45. The Pleasures of Cooking for One

Pan seared salmon! I can officially cook for one. A nice little piece of salmon all for me and it was probably the easiest dinner I have ever made for myself!

44. July 3rd fireworks on the roof

Alright, I am all moved into my apartment (only a few things need to be put in their place still) and last night I was able to sit on the roof and enjoy the July 3rd fireworks. My roof top is literally the best seat in the city to view them from. Next fireworks are for Festa Italiana and I'll be right here on the roof.

that's a big one…

Right now there's a big bad thunderstorm coming through the Milwaukee area and I figured this was just as good a time as any to put my summer list up. So here it goes:

✓ 1. Move into my new place

2. Reading list

3. Farmers Markets on Saturday mornings

4. Chocolate Bar at CLEAR Lounge

5. Bake cookies for family and friends (and some for me)

6. Cook with seasonal foods (because I love berries)

7. Set up the record player in my new place

8. Buy more records

9. Game nights

10. Picnics

11. Kites

✓ 12. Bubbles

✓ 13. Flowers

14. Sleepovers

15. Stretch and workout daily

16. Use my cameras

17. Have fun with the Impossible Project film

18. Continue the thesis journal (it will never be done)

19. At least 1 Concert

20. Chicago trip

✓ 21. Road trip to Florida

✓ 22. Have a LOT of fun in Florida

23. Send a message in a bottle

✓ 24. Find a job

25. Plant some flowers

26. Lie in the grass (or on the roof top) with sunglasses and headphones

27. Vintage shops

28. Buy a bike

29. Brewery tours

30. Feel at home in my new apartment

31. Work on myself

32. Go to the restaurants I've wanted to try and never did:

33. Casablanca

34. Tulip

35. Honeypie

36. The National

37. The Red Accordion

38. Roots Restaurant & Cellar

39. Maxie's Southern Comfort

40. Crisp

41. Cafe Centraal

42. Cubanitas

43. Continue with my Label Project

✓ 44. July 3rd fireworks on the roof

✓ 45. The Pleasures of Cooking for One

✓ 46. Have a rockin' birthday

✓ 47. Close Wolski's

48. MAM After Dark

49.

50.

spring is over…

Thank god! Finally Spring is over and Summer can officially begin. I regret to say that I have not crossed everything off my list but I have accomplished a lot this season. I discovered more about myself than I ever knew before. I did things that were not on the list at all. And with what is left over I have a good start on developing my Summer list. So tomorrow I will finalize my list and I think for the first time I will do everything on the list because I'm starting to get into a good place.

This summer brings a new apartment, opportunity, revelations, and a lot of fun.

22. try a new restaurant

Earlier this month was Dining Week in Milwaukee and being myself I participated on the last night of the Dining Week. My sister, two of her friends and I went to the Colescott opening and then went to Kil@wat for a $38 for $20. It was fantastic! The atmosphere was simple and very "metro". There are screen prints of the building hanging on the wall that are just abstract enough to not stand out too much. There was just enough noise where you didn't feel like you had to speak quietly but not too much where you couldn't hear the person across from you. Props to the designer because creating the perfect restaurant atmosphere is difficult.

As far as the food & drink it was slightly more than what I expected. The wine was delicious, the salmon entree was mouth watering, and the cheesecake was surprisingly full of many flavors. But I think my favorite part was their pretzel rolls. No joke, they actually had a roll that was made of pretzel dough complete with salt. It was the greatest thing I've ever had. I think I might have to return, for a special occasion because of the price, but nonetheless I will return.

38. have a picnic

The Blue Angels were in town this past week and on Friday they performed one of two shows for the Air & Water Show in Milwaukee. I've seen them several times in my life (being a Navy child) and they never cease to amaze me. So we took this opportunity to have a picnic on the bluff and watch the Blue Angels. Number 38… check!

the label project: test I

I've begun my project with two wines. One a light Pinot Grigio the other a simple Merlot. I bought the former for the label and my friend brought over the Merlot. I thought it would be a good time to experiment since one had a simple label and the other a gorgeous one.

wine name: Kris

wine type: Pinot Grigio

vintage: 2008

region: Italy

price: $14.99

good value: Yes

drink again: Can't Wait

after careful consideration the overall rating: 4.1/5

side note: each label was designed by contemporary Italian artist Riccardo Schweizer.

wine type: Merlot

vintage: 2008

producer: Charles Shaw

region: California

good value: Yes

drink again: Maybe

after careful consideration the overall rating: 3.2/5

In the first battle of label design I'm happy to say the one with the beautiful label wins!

42. enjoy the first warm rain fall

Okay so the first warm rain fall happened a while ago but last night was the first chance I could photograph it. The other day at 6am there was a big thunderstorm with heavy rain and hail for about 10 minutes then it broke and opened up to blue skies. Last night it was another rain fall that passed quickly but it was another good storm. I hate rainy days but love passing storms so please, mother nature, keep them coming.

21. find a project to do

I FOUND A PROJECT! Well more like I developed a project. I was in Whole Foods last night and walked past the wine section and had to stop. There was this beautiful label for a red wine that I wish I would have bought. I tend to buy wines because of their label and usually they are good wines. I think wines that have lame labels take themselves too seriously. It's wine, have some fun with it. With that said I am going to partake in a little project/experiment where I buy wines because of their label and then rate them. At the end of this experiment we'll see if you can really buy wines because of their labels.

By the way… the first wine pictures: not so good. The one above is one of my favorite white wines of all time. And the label is so cute!

25. get a mani/pedi

My philosophy is that you are allowed to splurge on the best manicure and pedicure once in a while. It's allowed. Why? Because it feels really good! And you get it done once and you then want to keep them that way. So you do the moisturizing, the oil and most importantly you don't bite. So every once in a while (2-4 times a year) splurge on the best manicure and pedicure you can find.

gorgeous!

Too bad they are $298 a piece… damn you Anthropologie.

for love of country…

Oh I want…

The Impossible project has the most awesome film available and I want it all! Can't wait to get it!

48. Spring Gallery Night

Okay, so #48 needs to be modified. Instead of going to Spring Gallery Night I went to MAM After Dark. It was the opening of a new exhibit, To Speculate Darkly, with performances, great food, and wonderful art.

The exhibit is by an artist, Theaster Gates, who has looked at the history of pottery and the people who created the works. His main focus was on Dave the Potter, a slave from the Carolinas who signed his work. No one knows much about Dave which is why we must speculate. Gates worked with Kohler workers at the factory to create pieces for this installation. To Gates, the Kohler workers are the modern day Dave the Potter. Workers without a name.

During the night there was a performance by singers from Milwaukee and the Chicago-based Black Monks of Mississippi. They were singing pieces written by Theaster Gates himself that correlated directly with Dave the Potter and the show.

So glad I chose this over Spring Gallery Night.

24. enjoy Easter

the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the church bells are ringing… happy easter!

7. make a reading list

I have decided on my reading list this season!

✓ 1. The Picture of Dorian Gray

2. Pilgrims

3. Eat. Pray. Love

4. Look Me In The Eye

39. black out night

Earth Hour occurred last night from 8:30-9:30pm local time. And it seemed that more international cities participated than domestic ones but nevertheless it happened and hopefully it will become a greater movement every year.

I spent mine turning off all the power, lighting a few candles and read by candlelight. It was quite wonderful to get away from all the electrical/digital distractions that we normally have.

And in the spirit of Earth Hour and coming up next month, Earth Day, I've compiled a list of things we all can do to make a small difference. They aren't drastic changes, just things you can do every day or when the time comes.

1. Bring your own bags (or reuse the plastic or paper ones you get when you forget)

2. Drink tap water not bottled water (but remember to filter your water either under the sink or via Pur filter)

3. Use glass containers not plastic when storing leftovers. If you do have/want to buy plastic make sure it's BPA free.

4. Use cloths or rags to clean not paper towels. Even spills in the kitchen.

5. When buying new cleaners, buy green cleaners or make your own. Vinegar works for a lot of things. When disposing of chemicals/cleaners follow the instructions or call the toll free number

6. Give up your garbage disposal. If you aren't composting (which is hard to do in apartments) it's better to throw your food scraps in the trash than to grind them in the disposal. Food sent down the drain often winds up in the landfill after the sewage treatment plant, so save the electricity and water.

7. When it's time to buy a new shower curtain or liner, buy one without PVC or vinyl.

8. Don't throw out your cell phones or empty printer cartridge. Instead mail them to charity. Petsmart takes your old phones and cartridges and donates money to homeless pets.

9. Speaking of pets, don't forget about them. If you eat organically, shouldn't your pets? If you sleep on organic bedding, shouldn't your pets? If you drink filtered water, shouldn't your pets?

10. Don't replace things for the sake of sustainability. Keep what you have and replace when you need to. Then replace for the sake of the Earth.

11. Kill your vampires. At least your energy vampires. Buy Monster's GreenPower Surge Protector, it will save you money in the long run.

12. Cut out paper. Use the calendar on your computer which can by synced to your phone. And print things sparingly.

13. If you do print things, buy recycled paper. Print double sided. Then recycle papers, newspapers and magazines.

14. When it's time to do renovations (kitchens and baths at least every 10 year) spend the money and do it sustainably. It will save you money in the long run.

15. Pack a waste-free lunch.

16. Air dry what you can from the washer.

17. For those with lawns, use a push-mower. You don't use gasoline and more importantly it counts as your workout for the day.

18. Buy local! It's more important to save the travel of produce not to mention you're supporting local farmers! So check out those farmer's markets in the summer.

19. Also check out your local CSAs. Ask your friends if they want to go in together for the CSA. It not only prevents waste of produce but it spreads the green love.

20. Finally your actions speak louder than any magazine, activist or politician. Bring your friends together for a "black out night" or make it a Saturday tradition to spend the morning at a farmer's market.

I hope that one day "green" will end it's trend and just become common. No more "green" cleaners, no more organic options, no more energy efficient options, simply no more options. It should be the only option.

Have a great Sunday!

50 things in 87 days…

50 things to do for Spring

✓ 1. learn to enjoy the "pleasures of cooking for one"

✓ 2. spring clean my apartment

✓ 3. get "martha" organized

✓ 4. purge things

✓ 5. make digital scans of old family photos

✓ 6. lie in bed in the morning, windows open & good music playing

✓ 7. make a reading list

8. read ALL the books on the reading list

✓ 9. spend the whole day reading a great novel

10. finish genealogy

11. experiment with Polaroid film from the Impossible Project

✓ 12. stick to a workout routine

✓ 13. attempt yoga again

✓ 14. read some trashy magazines

15. send a message in a bottle

✓ 16. learn to spend money wisely

17. learn more than 1 song on the guitar

✓ 18. do something out of character

✓ 19. make more of my own food (granola, bread, etc)

✓ 20. eat healthier

✓ 21. find a project to do

✓ 22. try new restaurants

✓ 23. celebrate Earth Day

✓ 24. enjoy Easter

✓ 25. get a mani/pedi

26. if grad school doesn't pan out, find a job

✓ 27. decide on a future

28. work on thesis journal

29. take more photographs

30. go to the East Town Market on Saturdays starting in June

31. plant flowers

32. blow bubbles

33. fly a kite

34. buy a bike

35. make a trip to Chicago

✓ 36. have afternoon tea outside

✓ 37. lunches at Swig

✓ 38. have a picnic

✓ 39. black out night

40. sleepovers

41. lie around in the grass with sunglasses & pair of headphones

✓ 42. enjoy the first warm rain fall

✓ 43. search for a new camera

44. peruse vintage shops

45. go on a brewery tour but skip the tour and just taste the beers then grab meatball subs

46. road trip to Florida

✓ 47. go to a Brewer's game (opening day, April 5)

✓ 48. Spring Gallery Night (April 16 & 17)

49. See some Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings

50. have a perfect day

I am determined to cross EVERYTHING off this list!

first day of spring

This is the first day of spring, and it was snowing outside this morning (there's still snow on the ground!). It's cloudy and cold with a lovely wintery mix falling. Seriously Mother Nature? What's up with this? I suppose this is slightly good news considering I haven't had much time to really clean around here.

My mom has officially moved down the Florida so I'm now alone in this apartment. I've lived alone before but this feels completely different. Before, in college, I lived alone for two years but I was never really alone. I was always in class or with friends, doing something, going somewhere. If I was alone it was my own choosing. Here it's different. I don't have school, steady job or group of friends.

So I've decided to throw myself into cleaning & organizing and my tours at the museum. Hopefully a job or grad school pulls through. Until then I'm stuck here in this dismal limbo that I'm weary of.

Soon to come: My 50 things to do this spring, Pleasures of cooking for one, and Home Cure.

One more week

Well there's one more week in winter and I've putting everything on that list on hold. I've been busy with the museum and moving my mom down to Florida (and not finished yet). So this winter list of mine… it's dead. I've given up on actually doing all 50 things on that list but I'll humor myself and just check on this list.

✓ 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… it's actually colder since my mom moved out.

8. Sort through family photos

9. Sort through genealogy

✓ 10. Take pictures of winter… tried but it never seemed that wonderful.

11. Watch the movies nominated for awards… totally failed with this one!

12. Take classes; Calculus, Physics, maybe French?- scratched.. replaced with posting something every day.

✓ 13. Have winter sleepovers… just one.

14. Work on my thesis journal

15. Read at least 5 books… only read 1.

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… I went to Florida twice.

✓ 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… I didn't gain any inches.

36. Stop worrying about the future… failed again, I'm worrying more than ever.

37. Explore my surroundings

38. Stop procrastinating by making deadlines

✓ 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 do this winter

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS (for healthy living)

✓ 41. Eat more dark greens

42. Have fish 2 or 3 times a week

✓ 43. Walk a half hour everyday (on top of regular exercise)

✓ 44. Breathe deeply for 5 minutes every day to help reduce stress

✓ 45. Eat more quinoa

✓ 46. To reduce salt intake, use more spices

✓ 47. Eat a better breakfast and lunch everyday to eliminate unhealthy snacking

48. Work on a sleep schedule

49. Eat more avocados to increase happiness

✓ 50. Eat more strawberries, guava, bell peppers, and oranges to boost vitamin C intake & fight brain cell damage.

6. Watch the Winter Olympics

I love the Olympics! I've watched them for so many years and this year again I'm involved. Every night I've been glued to my television watching some incredible races and crazy snowboarding tricks. I hope one day to travel to the Olympics and see first hand the excitement, until then I'm here getting choked up at the National Anthem or sitting on the edge of my seat hoping the American (or in 1 case the Canadian) win.

Let's also not forget that it's the 30th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice. The birth of the "U S A" chant. When the games were not just games. For so many people it was much more but for the guys on the ice it was simply a hockey game. We love to beat the countries we rival, anyone remember the Men's swimming relay where we defeated the French by a fingertip? Yeah, that felt good. So for the next 11 days I will be rooting for USA, especially in speed skating where it will feel good to win gold over the Koreans who team skate and play dirty.

USA!

Searching…

While I'm in limbo here in Milwaukee I've been obsessed with list making. And so far for every season I've created lists of things to do (which reminds me to get going on my winter list). I have a few more lists ready. The first is borrowed from mightygirl.com. I read about it first on ApartmentTherapy and just had to post it as a personal goal. I'm going to try really hard to master all 100 things on this list, maybe not this year but in my life time.

1. how to set goals

✓ 2. keep a plant alive

3. care for a baby

4. give cpr

5. feel confident naked

6. interview for a job

✓ 7. bake a birthday cake

✓ 8. use a fire extinguisher

✓ 9. use a compass

10. express condolences

✓ 11. tell a joke

12. remember names

13. sharpen a knife

✓ 14. dump a poisonous friend

15. check your oil and tires

16. relax/meditate

17. how to apologize

18. how to be polite

19. get a good night's sleep

✓ 20. dress appropriately for the situation

✓ 21. type

22. fight fair

✓ 23. read

24. ask for exactly what you want

25. trap a rat or mouse

✓ 26. basic stretches and/or yoga poses

27. heimlich

28. please a partner sexually

29. tell your partner what you want in bed

30. shine your shoes

31. make your case in writing

32. tie a scarf or tie

33. jump a car

34. mix a signature drink

✓ 35. delegate

✓ 36. make a simple meal for company

37. give a neck rub

38. drive a stick

✓ 39. ride a bike

✓ 40. swim

✓ 41. use chopsticks

✓ 42. make a new friend

43. build something simple

44. change a tire

45. give a toast

46. make a perfect egg

✓ 47. speak in public

48. improve your mood

49. simple mending

50. travel light

51. steam vegetables

52. negotiate

✓ 53. be a good listener

✓ 54. be alone comfortably

✓ 55. select good produce

56. maintain your weight

57. build savings

✓ 58. say no

✓ 59. use a drill

60. flexibility in the face of the unexpected

✓ 61. make small talk

62. skip a rock

63. set personal boundaries

64. organize your home

65. deliver a eulogy

✓ 66. shuffle a deck of cards

67. dance socially

68. know a second language

✓ 69. win the affection of a dog or cat

70. write a quality love letter

✓ 71. play one card game well

72. eat healthfully

73. create a budget

74. take a decent photo

75. order the wine

76. know what makes you happy

77. flirt

78. make a good first impression

79. write a thank you note

✓ 80. find a perfect gift

81. assertiveness

✓ 82. arriving on time

83. make a little kid laugh

✓ 84. kiss well

✓ 85. make a good mix tape

86. tie basic knots

✓ 87. dress to flatter your shape

88. build a campfire

✓ 89. change the subject

90. acquire or shed a habit

✓ 91. treat a hangover

92. be a good judge of character

93. season a cast-iron skillet

94. give a compliment

95. accept a compliment

96. contribute in group situations

97. judge yourself by your own yardstick

✓ 98. calculate the tip

99. ask for a raise

100. build a shelter

10 things

If you were to just pick up and go anywhere in the world what would be 10 things that you pack? And I mean completely start over, abandon your house/apartment and just leave. Here's my 10 things:

1. My cats. I can't abandon my rescued babies

2. My laptop. With music, photos, and access how can anyone leave it behind.

3. My cell phone.

4. My cameras. To document my new adventures.

5. My father's guitar. Because I haven't learned everything I can from it yet.

6. My grandfather's violin. It's priceless.

7. A suitcase filled with old adventures. Keeping those things that make you smile is important.

8. My journals of lists and ideas. Because I forget the things that were important a year ago.

9. A few special books.

10. A few stuffed animals. Because being a kid is never immature.

so cute!

something new from anthropologie... too bad they are $328 each.

body+soul

"10 thoughts on whole living", from the december 2009 issue of body + soul

1. Allow yourself the chance to really savor each moment.

2. Optimism isn't just a shift in perspective. It's an act of bravery.

3. Only you can decide the path worth taking.

4. Don't wait for your mood to change; take action despite it.

5. Approach gift shopping as an opportunity to honor the people you really love.

6. Rather than search for a single miracle food, strive for a varied and delicious diet.

7. You can't grow without pushing your limits.

8. Stop worrying about getting sick; focus on your health instead.

9. Don't believe what you hear. Life is good.

10. No one knows what the future will bring. Put your energy into now.

Oh boy...

I have to say that 1 post in 1 month is slightly disappointing. I wish I could say that I was super busy that I didn't have time to write but that's not exactly true. The past month I've been applying to grad schools, diving into docent classes and tours at the museum, and trying to avoid cabin fever. The last I have had no success with. It's official I am sick of winter! (hence the picture below)

(anthropologie)

I couldn't be more excited that that will probably be me toward the end of this month when I go down to Florida with my mom so she can close on a house! It's a little bittersweet because this means big changes in the future and with change comes uncertainty. I'm excited about what the future holds but am also nervous about a new start to something. We'll see how this all goes.

And on to some other news... number 12 is being taken off the list. I've discovered that I can't complete that due to complications beyond my control. I will substitute number 12 with something new... I will attempt to post something (no matter what it is) to this blog everyday. Something will inspire me, intrigue me or fascinate me that I will post it here.

Stay tuned and I hope it turns into a very colorful series.

Happy New Year!

With the new year I've decided to add my new year's resolutions to my list of 50 things to do this 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?- scratched.. replaced with posting something every day.

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 by making deadlines

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 do this winter

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS (for healthy living)

41. Eat more dark greens

42. Have fish 2 or 3 times a week

43. Walk a half hour everyday (on top of regular exercise)

44. Breathe deeply for 5 minutes every day to help reduce stress

45. Eat more quinoa

46. To reduce salt intake, use more spices

47. Eat a better breakfast and lunch everyday to eliminate unhealthy snacking

48. Work on a sleep schedule

49. Eat more avocados to increase happiness

50. Eat more strawberries, guava, bell peppers, and oranges to boost vitamin C intake & fight brain cell damage.