Happy Birthday to me (and Glampyre and Knitting Iris!)

Ich bin vier und zwanzig! That's a big deal for me. I feel like I'm now squarely and fairly in my mid-twenties. It's nice. I've got a minor cold so I'm celebrating with some soup (chicken/lemon/rice/GARLIC), some ice cream (those two guys from up North...) and a DVD (The Dreamers).

I have been treating myself to lots of prizes lately (as my Nana calls them) so I didn't really expect anything grand for my birthday. I obnoxiously begged Eric to get me a custom Monster Hat Kit though (first time I have ever requested a specific item!) and I am anxiously awaiting it's arrival. It's funny, I've spent a lot of time lately thinking of ways to look a little older than the undergrads I'm teaching but I still usually want to dress like a crazed toddler/bag lady. Think Clementine in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". I've made some new friends but I don't know if they're ready to be seen with me when I wear my loud, full-length anti-winter defense, which starts with long underwear and ends with this, but in blue. And soon, a Monster!

The other presents were the direct result of me ready Mariko's amazing blog Super Eggplant. I bought some Crocs, which I regret mocking all summer! They are so super comfortable! And the new ballet flat shape I picked looks pretty mod, in my opinion. The funniest part of this purchase is that I bought one size smaller than usual because I'd heard they run really large. They ended up being just a little too small and since the place I got them doesn't pick up the tab for shipping like Zappos so I put them up on eBay. I have MORE than recouped my cost, it's ridiculous!!

While I was on eBay I looked around to see what Kodak EasyShares were selling for. I bought one on the cheap at Staples and it just wasn't thrilling me on any level. One of the few times I've regretted cheapin' out. I stumbled across one of these in icy blue. The auction was several moments away from ending, the price was right....happy birthday to me! I love it! To herald it's arrival, a pictorial tour of my new digs at UMass:


View from my office windows, which I hear are very easily infiltrated by brazen squirrels (non-sarcastic yay!)

My desk, which came complete with coffee stains!

A close-up of Dolores, my new and lovely laptop.

Homey, eh?


Just a few of the books I've been intimate with the past few weeks.

Gratuitious exploration of the "retro" feature on the camera.


A bitchin' updo that only lasted a few hours because it exposed way too much sickly tired face for the good of mankind. Thanks to Anjali for the Japanese bobby pins--they were made to hold hair that is the weight texture of some grandiose satin drapes (not as fun as it sounds).

Last thing: a beautiful commerical which I found at the beautiful blog Black Apple.

Have a beautiful Saturday!

CR

Edit/update: Just saw these in the window of Artisan Gallery, these shoes are works of art, especially the women's vintage line. Also, for people in the Valley, Zen is very delicious and reasonable!