a desk with character

This past friday, the parental units, carlye, and I hit up the TN State Fairgrounds in search of a desk for my bedroom.  Although easily distracted by the other random treasures found at the Flea Market (dartboards, vintage radios, iron cauldrons, and the like), I stayed pretty on-task and ended up finding a REALLY old desk for the wonderful price of $85.  It's an old wood with stains from previous owners and it has a secret compartment that I will be hiding top-secret items in.  It's really really cool.

my beautiful desk

my secret compartment

Apparently after I went to purchase some brackets for some shelves I'm building, my mother told me that two people came up to the desk offering to buy it.  An interior decorator told her she would have paid double what we had paid because of how much ''character'' the desk had. This makes me even more happy about the purchase. whooo hoo. p.s. drew this mean's the desk currently residing in your L.E.S. apartment is 100% yours :)

yearning for some learning

Life is a vicious cycle. When we're young, we want to be older.  When we're in high school, we can't wait to get to college.  And towards the end of college, we're typically burnt out on the learning process.  Now that I've been out in the "real world" for two years, constantly searching for work, I would give anything to start all over.  I actually miss being in the classroom, having assignments, etc.  All those equations, history lessons, and formulas fly out the window after a few years and I find myself constantly wanting to re-learn what I've forgotten. 

I just started reading a book called The Know-It-All - One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World.  It is hilarious and so interesting.  Although I've only read a couple of chapters, I'm hooked.  The book is about a guy that decides to read his entire set of Encyclopedia of Britannicas. In doing so, he hopes his brain will be overflowing in knowledge. [on a side note - when I was little, I thought Britannica was a place and I wanted to go there].  Needless to say...I want to follow his lead.

pleasantvalleysannnasaaalove

I take your clothes every single day..but now i ask before if i may..not like i used to steal them back in the day..We love one another very much and i have proof..we share the same blood and live under the same roof. People are jealous because of our bond we share..try to break us apart if you dare. I know im going to drive you crazy and make you really mad..but you need to keep in mind we have the same dad..oh yeah and mother too..so im sorry sanassaa their is nothing you can do. Im stuck with you forever and ever like paper is to glue...the end. love you mean it.- anna katelyn rutledge 

one year anniversary

welsh van

i was speaking with a certain welsh boy today who informed me that we met a year ago...on the saturday before easter. i found it bizarre that he remembered such an occasion but his reasoning was that i, apparently, asked him to go to church with me the following day. we, unfortunately, didn't end up going...but did enjoy some indian cuisine (which always hurts my tummy). small world.

how about...no one should throw stones.

this little guy was left behind in the airport (i'm guessing by a toddler of sorts - or perhaps a grown-up child).  life back in pleasant valley has been terrific.  katelyn karate kicked my bathroom door so i could shower - and it was awesome.  exactly like in the movies.  i've recently been enjoying my ridiculously large back porch and can't wait until it's warm enough to sit out there all day long.  for the time being, i'll enjoy the brown couch that i'm currently sitting on with my retarded sister. we're watching baby mama and amy poehler is hilarious.

we've thought about getting a feline for the house.  perhaps two.  I want a solid black one, but after visiting happy tales, i think i found a cat that might be my soulmate.  shockingly, it was orange and not a kitten.  i might go back and get him.

this week, i'm going to see demetri martin at tpac with amy, keaton, and my sister. i think he might be one of the most inventive comedians of his time.  he is intelligent-funny...and makes you think.  he graduated yale and dropped out of nyu law with only a year before graduation. he uses flip charts and props to give further punch to his punch lines and also dabbles with guitar. 

listen to "young enough" - raconteurs (but download the version with ricky skaggs and ashley monroe...it's way better)

when hipsters and rednecks go TOO far...

Urban Outfitters recently opened in the gulch where City Hall used to be. To some, this is a delight.  However, I am definitely on the negative side of the opinion scale when it comes to if people think that this was a good idea.  I love Urban Outfitters and I think they carry great stuff but it's a lot of trends piled into one building - giving people a really bad opportunity to go into trend overload.  I may sound cynical and you may think it's silly, but I took the below photo inside the store this evening after a fantastic dinner at RuSans. This is what will happen to Nashville when people start thinking they have the capability to "look the part." I think this girl has about 16 different trends on at the same time...all the way from her fringed moccasin sandals to her teal headband.  What was she thinking? wow...

Also, whilst driving through the Cool Springs area, I observed this moment of redneckness. Located on the back of a tan Chevy truck was this pink monogram + browning deer head sticker combo.  The monogram would be cute (if it was on a hunter green range rover in white [ahem, lynny] ) but not in pink and not in combination with the browning deer head.  some people...

a real time-saver

Everyone has bucket list.  Whether it's written down or a simple idea in your head...everyone knows what they hope to accomplish before they die.  The unfortunately hilarious part is we sometimes fill our time with meaningless activities that possibly deter us from accomplishing our list.  Everyday we do things that we look back on and consider a complete waste of time...like going to see The Happening (stupid).

Therefore...a man named Robert W. Harris came up with the idea to write a book called, 101 Things NOT to Do Before You Die in order to save us. This book might be the funniest thing I've read in a while because of how true it is (Katie and I found it in the Dallas airport on the way back from CO and I had to buy it). A few of my favorites...#10 Don't Accumulate Non-Functional Pens, #13 Don't Be Impress When the Realtor Says "Crown Molding", #5 Don't Run With The Bulls in Pamploma...

Here's an excerpt:  #8 Don't Worry About the Inconsistencies on Gilligan's Island

"Most viewers expect only a half hour of entertainments from the show.  But others aren't so easygoing.  They tend to ask why does the Professor have all of those books? Why do the Howells have suitcases full of clothes and cash? Why can't anyone build a reliable raft?  Why does the relatively flat island have steep cliffs, mountains, and the occasional volcano? The list is practically endless.  While many people briefly ponder these apparent inconsistencies and then get on with their lives...others become obsessed with them. Don't be one of them!"

right na na na

I'm officially moved back into the house of Pleasant Valley...and it's awkward.  I instinctively moved into a different room as to not "re-live the past" but it somehow still feels like I am.  I mean this not in a negative way...it's just weird being back. That's all.  I am excited about having a bath tub though - I bought bubble bath today. Like a child.  And although it's only been a few days, it's been fun living with my insane sister (we've been getting along quite well).  If she steals my clothes...they're just right down the hall and I can steal them right back!

I've started decorating and it's coming along nicely.  Only downfall...I want banana leaf wall paper which apparently costs a bazillion dollars.  It's tacky...in an awesome way - but apparently tacky ain't cheap.  Oh well...back to the drawing boards. p.s. I can't wait for easter weekend when alllllll of my friends come into town. wooo.