30 April 2008

I'm a Millenial...

are you? If you born between 1981 and 2000, you ARE.

If I wasn't one, and if I was a 45-year old woman without children, I would be scared of them. There are millions of websites dedicated to "learning how to work with millenials", or "ways to deal with millenials".

This angers me. In my business and professional writing course, we watched a short movie thing on youtube about millenials and baby-boomers, and the way that the two sort of clash.



This video claims that there is no discipline in millenials' lives. It claims that their parents are doing all the work, are lenient, and are "carefree".

UM, NO?!? At least not in my life. They mention piano lessons. When the baby boomers were learning piano, their parents were strict, making them practice everyday. With millenials, the parents said, "oh, yeah, learn piano! Next week you'll want to learn guitar!" My mom has been a pianist since she was probably 11 or 12, and so when I started piano lessons when I was about seven, she made me practice everyday. And I'm glad she did! I wouldn't have on my own time, I needed a push. That push helped because when I hit high school, and even college, I knew what I had to do to keep myself on top of things.

"We definitely put lifestyle and friends above work". That is a DIRECT quote from the second part of this special. I don't. I spent SO MUCH TIME with my RA position this year, my Wilson position, and even my position as a student. I have HARDLY seen my friends this year, because I've been so damn busy trying to keep everything in my life in order.

But apparently we are positioned as being "the next greatest generation in history." I have NO idea how that title is existent, with all this crap that I've written about above. For the baby boomers, failure was the end. They started a new career. They got in HUGE trouble. With us, failure is considered good (I guess). The world has just morphed into such a world of opportunities, and my generation (and their parents) grab as many of those opportunities as possible. When I was little, I played basketball, volleyball, softball, soccer for awhile, was in the speech league, took tap and ballet classes, and still hung out with my friends.

Argh. This has put a damper on my day. Oh well.

29 April 2008

Pandas

are really, really cute. I squealed a lot over this:



Thanks, sk*rt! Thanks, NPR!

26 April 2008

My first designer purchase*

So over the weekend, I BECAME A GIRL! A girl like CARRIE BRADSHAW! And that isn't too good. But I bought designer shoes. So here's the story!

Imagine my surprise when I saw that there was a Betsey Johnson store in Kansas City. I LOVE Betsey Johnson. I don't know where I originally heard of her, although I did write a report on her for my junior year entrepreneurship class. We walked into the store today, and Pete said, "Whoa. This is colorful." It has pink walls, pink floor, pink EVERYTHING with big fluffy colorful dresses that are way expensive and then there was a shoe table by the dressing room and I saw THESE:


It happened so fast, the rockabilly-looking woman that worked there asked my size and BAM they were in front of me. Tried them on. Loved them. Thought about my current money situation (not bad, not bad at all) and realized I would be making DOUBLE the shoes in the next week. Which was fine. So I bought them. And carried about my pink Betsey Johnson bag all day like this:



Other things I would have bought from Betsey Johnson, if I had available funds to do so:

pretty floral babydoll dress here


gingham corset dress here


gerber daisies dress here


sweet treats tote here

Delicious.



*Technically, I was at a designer outlet mall in Orlando a couple years back and I bought four things from BCBG Max Azria. But they were all WAY cheaper. Which is awesome and totally fine. Me and Emme coerced dad into buying an Armani suit! I think he sold it on eBay, though...

25 April 2008

See ya!

Pete and I are taking a little vacation over to Kansas City/Lawrence. We're going to see Colin Meloy tonight at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, then we're spending the night in Kansas City and exploring KC all day Saturday. Then Sunday I'm babysitting and doing a political simulation...so I don't fail American Politics. The first part of this weekend will be great. As for Sunday....eh?

23 April 2008

Another Dove Commercial

I'm in love, seriously. I will now be buying ONLY Dove products.



These videos really do make me feel a lot better. I mean, I know I'm 20 now and I should really be over the fact that media is throwing crap at us 24/7 but you know what? I've never really been affected by the media or by peer pressure until oh, right now? With seeing all these girls running around in shorts that are TEN INCHES ABOVE THEIR KNEES and little teeny tiny tops that show off pretty much all their girl parts and it's like...hmm, can't really do that.

Anyways. I feel like every little girl (and old ones, too) need to see these short films and just...be happy. Even though I'm tired and stressed out, I really felt a lot better today after watching those.

Dove

Is the best thing a woman can buy, I think. Besides Smackers chapstick/lipgloss.



I just picked some of Dove's new deodorant up at Walgreens, and I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the commercials that advertise the product, so I was way into it before I even smelled it. Go get some now!

Actually, when I was searching youtube for those commercials, I found some better ones. Is it odd that I still feel like that little girl in the first video?



22 April 2008

Better



Thanks, swissmiss!

And now for something completely different...

I am so sick of people who are unprofessional. I feel like that's been the norm in my life lately. People that are registers at stores, people I talk to at doctor's offices, job people...and today pretty much put me over the edge.

So me, Sarah, and Marcy had found an apartment that we REALLY liked via craigslist (this probably accounts for a small portion of the unprofessionalism). We went to check it out this past Friday, and I liked it but Sarah didn't and my parents finally broke it to me that they didn't really want me living off campus, which is TOTALLY fine, but still. So I called the woman back (Nicole) who had shown us the space and who owns the apartment.

"Hi, we're not going to be able to take the apartment at this time; it just doesn't work out for all of us right now." [Pause] "I really appreciate all the work you've done and research and showing us the space," I said after we chit-chatted for about 4.8 seconds.
"Oh? Well, you know, Kaylen, you should really be ready to look around for an apartment, you know? If you aren't ready, then you shouldn't be looking. It takes me an HOUR to go back and forth each time I come here, and because you are not buying it, it is all just a waste of time. Just make sure you're ready next time, okay?" Nicole said. And then she swiftly hung up.

HELLO?!?!?!?!?!?! THAT'S YOUR JOB, YOU BUTTFACE.

Sorry. My neck is red hot, I am so upset right now. I really hate it when people get angry at me for no reason. I'm a nice person, darn it, and I made sure that this Miss NICOLE was aware of the fact that we may not be able to get this space.

Ergh. I need to look at something pretty to make myself feel better. I've been doing work all morning.

ANYWAYS. I don't normally create posts like this, so...sorry.

15 April 2008

Secret #1

I'm really, REALLY excited to be a housewife. Well, I'll have a job, so I won't be the most OFFICIAL type of housewife, but regardless.

The perfect song to go along with this thought? "Mushaboom" by Feist. Pete and I just saw her in concert this past Saturday, and she was amazing, and she played this song, and I almost cried. I tend to get very emotional at concerts.

Helping the kids out of their coats
But wait the babies haven't been born

Unpacking the bags and setting up
And planting lilacs and buttercups

But in the meantime I've got it hard
Second floor living without a yard
It may be years until the day
My dreams will match up with my pay


Old dirt road (Mushaboom mushaboom)
Knee deep snow
(Mushaboom mushaboom)
Watching the fire as we grow old
(Mushaboom mushaboom)

I got a man to stick it out
And make a home from a rented house
And we'll collect the moments one by one

I guess that's how the future's done

How many acres how much light
Tucked in the woods and out of sight

Talk to the neighbors and tip my cap
On a little road barely on the map


Old dirt road (Mushaboom mushaboom)
Knee deep snow (Mushaboom mushaboom)
Watching the fire as we grow old (Mushaboom mushaboom)

(Mushaboom mushaboom)
Old dirt road rambling rose
(Mushaboom mushaboom) Watching the fire as we grow old
(Mushaboom mushaboom) Well I'm sold

Mmmm. Makes me happy. At the show, I bought a teeny music-box that plays this song. Perfection!

14 April 2008

I wish I liked tea

because if I did, I wouldn't feel so silly buying pretty teacups and not putting liquids into them. I remember when I was little, me and Emme (my younger sister) had a Barbie tea set that changed from white to pink when you put cold water into the cups or on the saucers. I wish I had a grown-up version of that tea set.

But in the meantime, I can look at this and be happy:

via creature comforts via courage my love

MACRO

So, after the lovely LAURA at Quirkology explained macro to me (and her entire loving audience) , I got super excited because I realized that I had a macro setting on my camera. So, here's what I got out of that so far. Still experimenting, though.





I think me and macro are going to be friends.

What? My BiRTHDAY?

WHOA! I'm turning 20 tomorrow...on April 15...aka tax day.

My dad always made a funny joke about how he wasn't in the hospital when I was born, he was mailing the tax forms. Har har!

It doesn't feel like my birthday. The last couple days it's been raining in the Lou and SUPER windy. That certainly doesn't equal April season.

Oh well. Here's a picture of me when I turned 18. That's pretty much all I have in relation to birthday things.



Tomorrow I'll spend the day in class, eating good food at Sage, and being with family and friends (hopefully) throughout the day! Oh, and eating my Grandma's world-famous chocolate cake. Probably one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth.

10 April 2008

Etsy: Shop Local

I rarely pay attention to the sidebar on Etsy. Today, however, I saw that there was a tab labeled "shop local." Curious, I clicked on it and after I typed in St. Louis, MO...A TON OF SHOPS POPPED UP! I have seen some of them at craft shows (there's only been three big ones in the Lou, but that is STILL so awesome), but this element really excited me!

Some fun, new LOCAL shops I found today:

Hana and Violet:



Bees Knees Industries:



Chocolate Canary:



wonderful:



Check out the links to get some cool stuff. I really like the children's clothes.

09 April 2008

Pieces of wisdom

I read this and teared up:

Lies I've told my 3 year old recently

Trees talk to each other at night.

All fish are named either Lorna or Jack.

Before your eyeballs fall out from watching too much TV, they get very loose.

Tiny bears live in drain pipes.

If you are very very quiet you can hear the clouds rub against the sky.

The moon and the sun had a fight a long time ago.

Everyone knows at least one secret language.

When nobody is looking, I can fly.

We are all held together by invisible threads.

Books get lonely too.

Sadness can be eaten.

I will always be there.

{my favorites are bolded-ed}



And for the love of GOD, I hope I make my future kids happy. I want to send them to bed at night, dreaming of not only sugarplum fairies but tiny bears snoozing underneath our house and quietly listening while outside, one ear towards the sky, listening for that sound...

[first found @ swissmiss, who found it here]

[photo from here]

petit dejeuner

Reason #1 I am looking forward to having my OWN apartment next year:



Making my own breakfast.


[via NicnBill]

Good morning!




Wooo it's early but I am awake! I love this above picture - taken at Hilton Head Island when my family was there this past summer. Good memories, waking up at 5 AM to make coffee and basically roll out onto the beach in our PJs.

On this momentous morning occasion, I decided to type in "morning" at etsy and see what came back.


K.Vonnegut pin - Nouveau Motley


"Morning Dream" by ThoughtProcesses


Pretty "sunrise" fiber (if this was a smoothie, I would drink it) - Zero

Now, time to drink some cran-grape juice and jump in the shower. Mornings are maybe my friend after all!

08 April 2008

Apartment Hunting

Me and my future roomies, Sarah and Marcy, are apartment hunting today. We looked at one building across from campus, which is (eeee) $1650 a month between the three of us, BUT that includes everything - utilities, wireless, cable, trash pick-up, etc. We're checking out another set of apartments in a couple hours called the MetroLofts.

I'm pulling for that one. It's cheaper. I like the area better. I want to be sort of away from campus next year, since I'll have a car. This past year with being an RA gave me enough time to interact with people on campus. I'm ready to be in solitude from MANY (not all, by any means) but MANY of my college peers.


This whole process makes me want to go to sleep and cuddle uglydog.

05 April 2008

Best YouTube video EVER

Check this out.



I laughed so hard the first time I saw it [via yahoo]

04 April 2008

The Cakery

I GOT A NEW JOB AT THE CAKERY BAKERY!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously, this is a dream come true. I will basically be working six hour shifts, in which I will be pumping out HUNDREDS of cupcakes.

Like I said, dream come true. I am SO SO SO SO excited. I heard back from the boss/wonderful woman who interviewed me named Ericka today, and...well, I squealed a lot.

EEEEE! Keep you updated as I know.


[via cupcakes take the cake]

Sweeney Todd


Until tonight, I hadn't had the, uh, pleasure of seeing Sweeney Todd. Pete was really, really excited about showing this to me tonight, after getting calzones from Vito's and before I had to do the hardcore work of being an RA on call on a Friday night in a freshman dorm.

It was good, I guess. I would have to say that my favorite part of the whole film was when Mrs. Lovett was having her daydream about whisking Mr. T away and marrying him. I love the color schemes in it, the costumes, and even Helena Bonham Carter's quirky singing voice.

I looked for photo stills, but of course I couldn't find any. Here, however, is the entire CLIP of the song from the movie. One of the only times I wasn't hiding under the covers.

flickr

After looking at numerous peoples' flickr pages for almost a year, I finally decided to make one of my own - HERE IT IS!

I wish I could afford to have a PRO account...as in, make multiple albums, but alas, I cannot. Maybe someday.

It's fun. I've been uploading pictures every couple of weeks, silly ones, serious ones...I wish my photos on my computer looked more professional sometimes. I have a real camera, a Nikon Rebel OSR and I lalaLOVE it, but I don't have a scanner. Some of my favorite pictures have been taken with that camera.

So yay! Check my pictures out. They're fun. Most of them are cute. Some of them are mooshy (as in...love) so sorry about those...

PS: one of my favorite pictures EVER:

Jessica at the KSLU Snowball dance. With a mustache. And looking gorgeous, might I add.

02 April 2008

Playing Favorites

Quite possibly the best part of one of my favorite movies...



I suggest that if you haven't seen The Royal Tenenbaums, you run yourself out to Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, the local library - wherever - and rent it QUICKLY.

I feel like I grew up more today...

Okay. I'm young, I'll be the first to admit it. I'm not even 20 yet (only...13 MORE DAYS!) but I had never been to a cemetery until today. Uncle Leo, a lovely man from Pete's family, passed away after catching pneumonia. Pneumonia scares me. It really just grabs older people by surprise and then, well...it's just sad and scary.

I hadn't been to a funeral for a long time, but I'm really glad I went. Not just to support Pete, but to see everyone else in his family and really, just celebrate a wonderful man who moved on.

Uncle Leo, I hope you're having a good time, listening to jazz music and drinking your favorite wine. <3

01 April 2008

Exciting News!


[via avaloncm]

I am so lucky to know so many generous people all over this country (and daresay the world? So many of my friends are studying abroad...), and while I was spending lots of time with my friend Megan before she went back to school in Philly, she mentioned that her school is weird and makes her be in school year round with every-once-in-awhile three week breaks thrown in, so she's in Philly all summer...and me and Pete are going to visit her!

It's going to be exciting, because Pete and I haven't been anywhere together besides Chicago and Cairo and places in between, PLUS we'll be seeing friends! Our aim:

June 4 - leave stL at 7 AM and get to Philly by midnight or so

June 5-6 - spend time exploring a city I've never been to and hang out with MEGAN

June 7-8 - be in the city of NEW YORK for a comic festival (Pete's idea, but I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of excited about this part) and to generally just explore

June 9-? - head up to Boston if my aunt is around and chill in her cute little house and run around another wonderful, awesome city

EEEEEEEEEE! I'm so excited. I'm hoping we can find a place to leave our car in Philly, because after that we can just take MegaBus pretty much everywhere- Boston, Philly, New York- they're all connected! I hope we can get it to work out.

Does anyone have any ideas of places that we DEFINITELY need to hit up while we're in this area? I don't want to miss anything amazing...


So far, this is what I have that I had saved in my bookmarks folder (one of my favorite things is finding good websites and just using that function out of control):

1. SoHo walk (no idea where I found it, but if you know, let me know!)
2. Magnolia Bakery (duh!)
3. See Kurt Halsey in Philly at his art opening at Art Star Gallery
4. Get a hot dog from a hot dog vendor
5. MoMA
6. Cafe Mona Lisa
7. Central Park - want to see Cleopatra's Needle, Alice, and John Lennon
8. Run by here, if it hasn't been demolished
9. Go to a jazz club
10. head to Coney Island
11. Wish I could be around for this
12. Go here and undo all the working out

There are so many more things- again, those are pretty much just ideas for NYC, but any thoughts are welcome!