!!!!!!!!

MY NEW PHONE JUST ARRIVED!

I feel bad now for complaining...

I'M SO EXCITED! I may or may not have done a happy dance in front of the security guard and the fedex man.

YAYYYYY!

I am so impatient.

..and so frustrated with the shipping company who has delayed the arrival of my iPhone for another day!

Yes, it's true, I'm getting an iPhone.

In fact, it's sitting in the shipping office IN CHICAGO, not being delivered.

I'm really excited about this phone. I've had the same flip phone for three years so this is a grand upgrade. Plus I'm switching carriers so I will now get service in the subway. I am beyond excited.

AND IMPATIENT. GAH.

My fairytale Wednesday went like this: phone package arrives at work / Ashley stops on the way home to activate phone / grand excitement and customization ensues.

Did I mention that I have been eagerly looking at the mail cart every time it rolls by? Every time since Monday?

And shopping for phone cases. This is my favorite so far.

I realize this is a first-world problem. And that it's not that big of a deal. And it's Ash Wednesday, after all, so my mind should be on other things. So I will now attempt to go about my day as if nothing is stuck in the aldkfjadlfkjdfjshipping office.

GLOBES!

I love globes. L-O-V-E them. When I find myself in a more semi-permanent home, I'm going to get a really cool one. It's my plan. So naturally I found this video to be the coolest thing ever. HOW GLOBES ARE MADE! Watch and be amazed. I viewed this on mute, so I have no idea if there's talking or narration or anything, but it's still sooo cool.

[via design*sponge]

Mondays are...

Mondays are Mondays. Fortunately, I have a few things that bring me cheer when I begin the inevitable Sunday night mourning of the end of the weekend... 


New podcasts! I adore "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" (the NPR news quiz show) and "This American Life" (an hour of interesting stories). They play in real time on the radio Saturday, so when I show up to work on Monday I've got new episodes waiting for me. They're the best to listen to when I have administrative tasks for an hour or so.

My new Monday perk is the return of Hawaii Five O! The classic is back on TV as a new show. I watched the pilot and was totally won over. Good character chemistry + amazing shots of my homeland = a good thing. It airs Monday nights, so that's something to look forward to. :)

Today I may or may not have googled "pug puppies"

...and then emailed them to my pug-loving boyfriend. May or may not.

P.S. An addition to my list below: 8. Root beer float tonight. Mmmm.

Things I'm excited about...

1. Pumpkin Spice Latte coming my way tomorrow morning.
2. Leaving early to purchase said latte thereby avoiding being smashed on the bus with eighty other people. (No, seriously.)
3. Rain this weekend. How good does getting cozy with some blankets and a book on the couch sound?
4. Tomorrow is Fri-i-day.
5. I'm designing two book covers right now.
6. I'm currently reading this month's The Atlantic and The Last Stand by my favity fave Nathaniel Philbrick. (Which makes me feel intelligent which in turn makes me feel good about myself. Ha.)
7. Hawaii Five-O and Glee premiere next week. Cheehee!

Happy Weekend!

Friends, I hope you have a weekend like this picture. Hot, happy, and full of excitement.

I've got an apartment anniversary party on tap tomorrow (we've been in our place a whole year! let's celebrate!) as well as some bike riding, relaxing, and reading. And tonight I'm going on a date with that good looking boy in the photo. We've got some celebrating to do after a good job interview today. Yahoo!

(photo by rebecca keizer)

I've got the power! (or not)

Today we had a power outage at work! It was probably the most exciting thing ever here. I got to go outside and read for 40 minutes while I waited for the power to come back on. I'm so thankful for life's small pleasures. (And also that it's summer not winter!)

Plus tomorrow is Friday. Yippee!

My baby!

I got a bike this weekend! I'm in love. It's a brown (!) Schwinn Collegiate. This picture is one from Craigslist, so it's not that great - I'll be sure to take a good one (complete with me in my dorky helmet?) and post it sometime this week.

The last few bike experiences I've had have been... terrible. It's always been trying to ride someone else's bike and it's usually too big for me so I ended up frustrated, walking alongside the bike, and yes, in tears. [Also, certain friends, *ahem* Katie, insist I've never known how to ride a bike.] SO, how excited am I now that I have a bike intended for a short (or perfect sized, however you choose to see it) person!? I am very excited.

I went on a long bike ride on the lake yesterday and it was just so fun. I am very excited for end of the summer/fall bike rides.

I'm trying to think of a name for my new baby, so if you have any ideas, feel free to share.

Paradise!

Just a quick note to say Hawaii is lovely (as always), we have not (yet) turned into lobsters, and vacation is awesome.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Friends. Guess what. The Press is closing early today. In 15 minutes. To start our three day weekend off right. This is my favorite.

This weekend will include: friends, sunshine, cook outs, the beach (or "beach" - however you tend to look at Lake Michigan's sandy shore), and other fun things yet to be determined. I can't wait.

Have a good one!

P.S. I have pictures to show that are not yet loaded on my computer... including the glorious smelling peony sitting on my desk. :)

Happy Friday!

Hip-happy Friday! I wish you all a wonderful weekend. It's going to be beach weather here in Chicago (88 degrees on Sunday?!), however I'll be down south hanging out with Dave's family, so the beach will have to wait - for me at least. So far the tentative South Carolina plans involve good 'ole barbecue. Sounds pretty great, right?

[Side tidbit: Dave has informed me that you'll know a good barbecue place by noticing whether the chairs match. If they don't, it's a good place!]

Also, I cannot believe that we're at the tail end of May. What's happening to 2010? It's FLYING by!

Finally, I would like to say that my feet LOVE not being constrained by shoes. Wearing sandals is just their natural element. I'm traipsing around in them right now and my feet couldn't be happier!

We've got our tickets!

6 weeks til sun and sand and SO MUCH FUN!

Dear last weekend,

You were wonderful. Amazing. Awesome. Just what I needed.
Love,
Ashley

(More photos and stories to come.)

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Dear Friends,
I am SO SO excited about today. One, it's Friday. Two, I had coffee. Three, it's gorgeous outside (after a really rainy week). Four, I'm leaving work early today so that... Five, I can drive up to Northern Michigan for a wedding! A good friend from college is getting married and it's bound to be a splendid two-day long reunion/festivity/celebration. I can't wait. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I will be back with photos next week!
Love,
Ashley

P.S. The photo above is kind of how I feel right now. Minus the beach. It's from a vacation to Lanai with the fam... My wonderful sister-in-law Holly is featured. :)

One of my favorite parts about commuting...

Half of my commute involves an express bus packed with passengers. I am usually one of the last few people to get on the bus and therefore am left standing, clinging to the little loops that are intended for the stability of much taller people than me. One of my favorite things about my commute, though, is when we arrive downtown and at each stop people stream off the bus. I love watching the bus empty itself. I love (finally) getting a seat. I love the extra breathing room. I just love the change in atmosphere.

And that is my thought for today. For Monday. It's another beautiful day. (And when I say "another" I'm referring back to last week and definitely not this weekend when it snowed. Thanks a lot, spring.)

Argyle Socks

It's no secret that I love argyle socks. They are always the first to go when I have a clean batch of laundry. So how about these argyle guys for chairs?? So cute.

By Charles & Marie [via The Donut Project]

Thursday

Have I mentioned that today is my favorite day of the week? Ok yes, I have. Just a reminder then. Woo Thursday!