Wednesday, January 31, 2007

"I Miss You a Little"

Dear AP:

Yours were the first blogs I read regularly and the first ones I read each morning. My day is not the same without your vibrant approach to life and shopping.

Here's to you, "Preppy Princess"! I hope your new job is going well, and you still have time to find the preppiest products. Hopefully one day soon I'll be able to read about them again. Then, my life will be complete.

Until then, live well, laugh often, love much.

<3>

Monday, January 29, 2007

Open Surprise

Hats off to Serena Williams for posting a huge win over Maria Sharapova last weekend! It's always exciting for me when an American wins and Serena really needed something to happen to let everyone know that she is back in the game. Well, I would say she's here!

And here's to another season of tennis!

The Weekend Report

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! Mine was pretty low-key which was very nice and much needed! I spent a lot of time working on my Jazzercise routines that I have to audition with, (audition is coming up February 16th) and babysat for my cousin's new baby on Saturday evening. I ordered food from Tiny Thai, a local restaurant, for the the first time and it was outstanding! If anyone is ever in the area, you should definitely check it out!

One of my best friends from high school was home for the weekend so I really enjoyed catching up with him!

Sunday my sister and her boyfriend had home squash matches so I took a ride to see those and we went to dinner at one of my favorite places from college and I was able to catch up with lots of friends.

Wow, pretty boring post! I'll try to come up with something *much* better for later today!

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Exciting News...

Last night my boyfriend was offered a position working in Vermont for the summer! It is at a tennis resort in Central VT (about an hour from my house) that is ranked in the top 50 desintation tennis resorts by Tennis Magazine! I'm so excited!

While it's not definite that he will take the job, (he usually works in Fairfield County, CT during the summer and tennis is a pretty lucrative business there,) it is just great that there is a possibility of him being closer than MI! This job also doesn't start officially until the end of June which would give him plenty of time to take a class that he wants to and help me with *my* tennis team! It's always good to have options...

In other news... I received my VV tote yesterday and it is even better than I imagined! I spent all of last night opening it, zipping it, unzipping it, admiring the pink plaid interior, checking out the pockets, and holding it at a distance to take in it's beauty. My family thinks I'm crazy, but I think... they're just lucky I didn't order Chloe (Edith, large) tote because then I would stroking it's smoothness too.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Thank You

I have finally started to figure out all of this blog stuff and now that I can see referrals I would like to thank Lisagh and Chloe (and their devoted readers) for stopping by. Welcome, take a look around (ha... my pages are pretty limited), make yourself at home, and let me know who you are and what you may like to see here. :) Have a great day!

This large blogging world can seem pretty close and comfortable at times...

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

On a lighter note...

I used the 40% discount yesterday (thanks PP) and purchased this! Can't wait until it gets here!

Monday, January 22, 2007

Vacation

So, my boyfriend and I have been discussing the possibility of me accompanying he and his teams on their annual spring break training trip to South Carolina. He doesn't have an assistant coach so I would assume that role for the week and go to the matches/practices/etc. This doesn't sound like too much of a vacation, but it will be filled with my boyfriend, tennis, and the beach, so bring it on! Initially I was going to fly to MI to meet him and then drive to SC with the teams, however, my sisters now want to come along so we'll be driving from VT so SC and meeting them there. I haven't taken an 18hr car ride in a very long time, I'm kind of looking forward to it!

Additionally, on Friday I was offered the position of Head Girl's Tennis Coach at my former high school. I'm so excited! Two of my sisters are still on the team and I've continued to be involved with the team since I graduated so this seems like the perfect fit!

Now I just need to let my new boss know that I'm going on vacation and will need an adaptive work-week during the tennis season. He's travelling for work for the next two weeks though, so I have until then to devise a plan... :)

On a completely unrelated note... I really hate the headphones that come with ipods. I have really great headphones at home, but the only ones I have at work are these stupid in-the-ear things and they hurt and they fall out and I hate them. I hate them. I hate them.

Happy Monday!

Friday, January 19, 2007

Quote of the Day

"Being elegant isn't easy. You have to study it, like cuisine, music and art." -Miuccia Prada


Feeling totally overwhelmed by the new job... I'm sure it's just first-week jitters. I'm organizing a big ceremony tonight, here's to hoping it goes well and there's a bottle of wine waiting for me at home! I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Classic Fashionista

"A classic fashionista who felt that she couldn’t wear skinnies, but embraced waist-belts, longer length tunics and bubble skirts, without giving up button down shirts, cardigans and bootcuts."

A description of a fashion persona that "fits" me to a "tee"! Thanks.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

I Blow Kisses

There are two radio stations that I listen to that play similar pop music. When I am driving into work in the mornings and one isn't playing a song that I like I usually pop over to the other one for a few minutes. Well, today when I changed the station the OTHER station was playing the EXACT same song that I was switching from. Not only did this happen once, but TWICE. What are the chances? Now whenever I hear "Fergulicious," "Irreplaceable," or "Call me When You're Sober" I'm going to turn off the radio and sing "Baby Got Back" to myself because at least I like that song.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Working and Relationships- - does it Work?

Sorry about the lack of posting everybody, I’ve been getting acclimated with my new area and responsibilities!

This has turned into a longer-than-usual post and so if you’re not in the mood something slightly concentrated- - move along, move along.

I am really excited about this new job and I hope that it provides me with the business and excitement I’ve been waiting for. As I am feeling pretty great about the whole promotion thing, my boyfriend is not. (Usually I wouldn’t tend to discuss such personal issues here, but I’ve been a little…disheartened lately with the superficiality of posts. Mine that is- - this is not meant as a critique of others blogs that I indulge in.) Anyway, as you are all well aware, my boyfriend lives in Michigan and I live in Vermont- - a mere 13 hours apart. Both of us graduated in May, he from a Graduate program and myself from undergrad- - and got job offers at roughly the same time. He is a tennis coach at a college in Michigan and, if any of you are familiar with college coaching, it’s a tough career to break into. You usually have to move up from an assistant position or get “experience” at a less-than-stellar school with a less-than-stellar team before landing a job you really love. So, my boyfriend did the whole Graduate Assistant (G.A.) thing at a great school in the Northeast with great tennis teams. Now he is a Head Coach at a small school in southern (i.e. middle-of-nowhere) Michigan that doesn’t have the academic or athletic rigor that he is accustomed to. This school, like many schools have done, is starting to build state-of-the-art athletic facilities in hopes of attracting more students. The problem is that this is in the very beginning phases and the tennis facilities now are three indoor courts with a terrible surface and *no* outdoor courts. Another issue is that students of this school come from a very different socio-economic background than the students he was working with previously and many of them have work-study’s or jobs that oftentimes interfere with practice. Building a tennis program at this school will be challenging at best, but he really is trying hard and recruiting like crazy. Despite a wonderful, optimistic attitude this job is not what he ideally wants and he is slightly miserable and frustrated. Here is where the problem lies, even though he is feeling frustrated he wants me to move to Michigan and find a job there because he thinks that it would make everything a lot better. I don’t completely disagree, being together would be wonderful and would be something that we haven’t ever done but I don’t think that it is a panacea for his work-related or our personal difficulties. To me, it seems crazy that he would want me to move to a place that he doesn’t even like. And, just to be fair, I have looked for jobs there, applied to over 50 and had 10+ interviews, it’s just that nothing is really working out. And now, to bring this long-winded post back full-circle, while he is elated that I got a promotion, a raise and am doing something that I really love, he thinks that by getting this new job and being happier I am settling more here, in Vermont, and won’t be willing to move- - ever.

I could go on but I think I’ll save that for a post later in the day…

Thursday, January 11, 2007

New Job for a New Year

Sorry I've been so blah/irregular with the postings. Although I won't make excuses, there is a reason...



I've recently been promoted and I've spent the past couple of days in meetings about my new job! I'm very excited as there is much more potential for growth in this position than my current one. So... while I have a few really interesting (at least to me!) posts planned I'm afraid that it may take me a while to get them up here!

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Christmas Continued

I just realized that by going on vacation immediately after Christmas I've neglected to tell you about some of my favorite items I received! (I'm sure you're all dying to know!)

Here they are in no particular order:

For my birthday last year (2005) my boyfriend got me an ipod nano- - if you remember, this is when they first came out and I felt exceptionally cool being one of the first people I knew to have one. Well, ipod has partnered with Nike and come out with this very cool system that, when added to your shoes can track the distance you run, supply you with your "power song" whenever it's needed while working out and then chart your progess and goals online. I am a die-hard Adidas fan and all of my running/jazzercise/tennis apparel/footwear/equipment are Adidas. That being said... Adidas is not the one who has a shoe that is compatible with ipod so... when I opened these:


Christmas morning I just had to change my attitude about my running footwear! What a great idea! My boyfriend is always buying gifts that are completely practical and things that I would never buy for myself. He has me "off and running" with this gift and I am *so* excited!

Two of my sisters added to my (retired) Vera collection and found my pattern in the bucket tote and Vera Bag. Love it.

I also got this wonderfully dressy yet comfortably casual coat in black herringbone:


And, perhaps the most comfortable item I received:


These babies haven't left my feet since I opened them! Overall it was a wonderful Holiday and I am so fortunate to have all that I do. :)

Have I Done it?

I think I may have figured this whole thing out! I still want to switch over to the new Blogger, but I'm not one of the "Chosen Few" they have selected to do this. If anyone knows how to circumvent that issue, please, let me know!

In other news... the spring catalogs keep on coming and I am enamored with one. The Company Store. Check out these great new bedding selections they've come out with:



I am really loving all of the patchwork and paisley! Check out these great, funky bath towels:

Obviously I am totally loving the peony/fern version! One last thing... these rugs:

Monday, January 08, 2007

Ding Dong the Craziness is Gone!

Hopefully... In the Chicago Tribune Trendspotter Gerald Celente says that Celebrity Grunge is out and Celebrity Chic is in. To read about it:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0701060088jan06,0,258407.story?coll=chi-business-hed


On another note, someone is finally asking Gap some good questions. Such as, where did all of the good stuff go?!?!

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlebusiness.aspx?type=businessCompany&storyID=2007-01-05T205606Z_01_N04186625_RTRIDST_0_BUSINESSPROCO-GAP-STRATEGY-DC.XML


Sorry for all of the long links today...nothing is working for me!

So many thoughts, so little time...

I tried to switch to BloggerBeta today, but that didn't work and now I can't even change the color of my font on here. Boo. Typical Monday I suppose. :) I had every intention of really vamping-up the blog this weekend but I just can't get anything to work! Now you'll have to be fine with boring black text and no pictures... I don't know what's going on! If anyone has *any* idea, please let me know and I'll try to fix this!

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Early Spring?

Note: This post was written on Saturday.

Usually the after Christmas influx of spring clothing really bothers me but with the weather we've been having lately here in Vermont (63 degrees today) it seems fitting this year. I was out admiring the some new spring lines today and came home to the LLBean Early Spring 2007 catalog- - what a treat! I have already found three *must* haves for Spring and here I was trying to stay away from the online ordering... maybe I'll just have to take a ride to Freeport, ME to buy these in-store! :)

Here they are:

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Friday, January 05, 2007

Dud.

Okay. I'm an official dud. I've been meaning/trying to post all week and I've failed miserably. I have lots to talk about but I don't want to bore you with details so I'm trying to work it all out before I start posting about it, but in the meantime, am using that as an excuse to procrastinate! (At least I can candidly assess myself. :)) And, looking at the previous sentence- - if I posted now it would be a series of non-concise, run-on sentences. I guess you're lucky I'm so behind!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Back to the Real World...

Hi Everyone! I'm baaaaaack! :) I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays! I'll be back later today with a much more detailed post!