What I did on my summer "vacation"

I'm sorry I've not been very good at this blogging thing. I just get so busy (which is weird b/c I'm single, don't own my own home, and frankly, don't work all that much) that by the time I get home, I can't think of a thing to post. BUT I have been busy somehow. AND I have a few fun links for ya'll.

Contests:

1. Ashwin is having a contest to win $2500. Obviously the odds of winning aren't great, but I guess someone has to right? Enter here.

2. 5 Minutes for Mom (I hope I can count since I'm not a mom) is hosting a contest for a giant flat screen tv. YAY! Who doesn't want one of those?


Now onto me:

First of all, about 6 weeks ago I cut off 13" of my hair (and forgot to take a picture). It's the 2nd time I've done that and then donated to Locks of Love. A friend did it, and I said she could do whatever she wanted as long as it's short and fun. Boy did she deliver. The longest layer was about 1-1/2" below my ears (now closer to 2"- my hair grows fast!) and there's a lot of layers and side bangs too. I can do anything with it! I love my hair (despite the tendency to frizzy-ness, but I've learned to just live with it)- it's very malleable. I can flip it all out and it's fun and spiky, I can turn it all under and it looks like a bob, I can straighten it can it's looks all Vogue-like and hip, I can turn out the bottom, and turn under the top (which I do most days) and it's got a lot of bounce and body and I get lots of compliments. It's a fun hair cut.

I'm STILL looking for a new job. I hate that I'm still looking. Granted, I don't put as much time as I could into looking, but that's because I'm discouraged and getting tired and weary of waiting for whatever God has next for me. And I'm trying to not be "waiting" and be able to live in the moment. I know He is good, and has me where I'm at for a reason. I just want to be doing something else now and wish it were God's timing too.

My baby sister turns 18 on Thursday. *tear* And she and my mom are going skydiving on Thursday. I don't have that desire, so I'll be videotaping it. I'm not really looking forward to the whole event. I am, however, looking for something really great to give her as a "you're an adult now" gift. And something she'll be able to keep forever. Jewelry maybe? Any ideas?

Also, something really great is about to happen. It happens every year and it's WONDERFUL! Yes, it's a bit smelly. Yes, it's crowded. Yes, the essence of gluttony and overindulgence (not to mention wastefulness). But oh my. Any true Minnesotan has to be a fan of the Great Minnesota Get Together. The food, oh the food! The food finder on-line even has a category for "on-a-stick"! An seriously, the foods on a stick will blow your mind. Who thinks of some of these things? Since I don't eat much meat, my guilty pleasure (because you have to have at least one thing on a stick while there) is cheese on a stick. It's so awful for you, but I say once a year its ok to have one. And then there's the mini-donuts. Oh, the mini-donuts! Sinful little balls of dough, cinnamon and sugar, and fat. Delectable. And, in talking to people in other states (and visiting other fairs) no one else seems to have mini-donuts! And, no, it's not like a funnel cake, they're WAY better. If you go to a fair in MN (not just the Great MN Get Together) you'll find mini-donuts and you have to get them at least once in a summer. I wait until the State Fair to get mine. Oh, and then. I mean, seriously, give me a break. Sweet Martha's cookies are UN-BE-LIEV-ABLE. If you go and don't get them, well, then, I don't even want to know you. Just kidding. Except not really. ;) And, if you are in town during the Fair, let me know if you need a partner to show you around! I LOVE the fair!

I have fallen in LOVE with a new messenger bag. I saw one at the airport when I was dropping someone off recently and was instantly smitten. I have been looking for a fun (and durable!) messenger bag for a long time. I've decided that what I want is really two bags. One leather and one in fun colors. Well, stop the search party! The fun colored one has been located! Hallelujah! [Side note: I actually found a leather one at a thrift store this spring (for like $15 too!) and I passed on it b/c I figured that I didn't really need it (which is probably true) so I left and then the next day after kicking myself the whole night, went back and of course it was gone. It was beautiful. Perfect strap depth, nice, dark brown leather, a little worn so it looked used and loved, but not too much so it wasn't useful anymore, and a good metal clasp. I still mourn that bag.] Enter Timbuk2 and the colored messenger bag. There's so much to choose from that I can't even decided what to get. Obviously, I'm going to build my own. And I'm pretty sure I'm going with the classic messenger bag and not the laptop bag, in a small. But, I want to see if I can see some fabric samples b/c I know the colors won't look the same in real life. I've seen the burnt orange and it's much more rusty in real life and the olive isn't as brown as it looks on-line. I want to know if the slate is as bright as it looks on-line. I really think I want to use the burnt orange, I just can't think what else to use it with. Any ideas?

Well, I could write more, but this is long enough. :) Back soon!