Ready, set, snapshots!

July 28th, 2010 @ 12:26 PM   No Comments

Remember months ago, back in March when I was contemplating whether or not I could afford / should splurge on a new Digital SLR camera?  Well back then, with my dad’s words weighing heavy on my mind, and my bank account balance lingering below a number that I felt comfortable with, I decided to hold off on making such a big purchase.
Disappointed yes, but my irrational, impulsive side would just have to take a back seat to my penny pinching.  So, for a few months now I’ve been really, actually saving money, with the clear intentions of saving until I could afford such a great, wonderful, fabulous, life (and blog) changing camera.

Ladies and gents, the time has come!  My savings account has skyrocketed since March and after months of research and review reading I am going to be holding this puppy in my hands this weekend!

The purchase?  A Nikon D5000.  I’ve decided to listen to the professionals (not the paid for by brand advertising) and purchase a Nikon over the Canon.  Canon’s are hugely popular, but all of the photographers that I’ve talked to say this is mostly due to the insanely high advertising budget of Canon – not the quality of the camera.  So for roughly the same price I’m buying a sturdier, structurally sound Nikon, with a better lens and higher quality glass, better image quality yadda yadda (the professionals start talking about this and to be honest, I have no idea what they mean – but image quality sells).

Now all I need to do is learn how to use it.  This weekend I’m planning a scenic trip north, past my hometown of Portland to my camp on Wilson Lake in Wilton, Me.  I’m also considering (since I’ll already be in Wilton) to take the 45 minute drive north to the most beautiful place of all – Sugarloaf.  In the summer you can still take the Superquad Chairlift up the mountain and either hike higher, or just explore the trails by foot, and I think the views will be spectacular in the summer.

My camera better be ready for all of this beauty!

Photo from Sugarloaf.com

Saving money, Traveling
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Apron wearing dreams abound

July 28th, 2010 @ 12:07 PM   No Comments

Is it so wrong that I dream of the day where I stay at home with my 3 toe-headed, blue eyed babies, cooking, cleaning, driving to play dates and Mommy & Me classes?  Is it so wrong that, despite all of the socialization I’ve been exposed to, I really, really don’t care to be a successful business woman?  That some days I just want to be a stay at home mom, a housewife, a homemaker, whatever you may call it.

Blame in on the stresses of my new job, my demanding hours, my sudden inability to do the most mundane personal tasks.  When am I supposed to go to the post office to mail in a parking ticket?  When am I supposed to go grocery shopping?  How am I supposed to fit in running, and exercise, when I’m suddenly working 11 hour days, 5 days a week, and sending and receiving emails throughout the weekend?

To put it simply, I’m hitting a professional roadblock.  A hurdle in my career path.  A hurdle that, perhaps I don’t want to overcome.    I want to meet a man that’s ready to marry me, that wants to marry me and buy a house and have children and god damn it do I really have to work a 9-5 for the next 40 years of my life?

Call me crazy, call me dramatic, but I sure as hell hope not.

Plain old happiness
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One eye on the time, the other on fashion

July 22nd, 2010 @ 12:07 PM   1 Comment

I’ve never been a big watch wearer, well, at least since I became of an age where I rocked a cell phone. And honestly, I’ve had a cell phone for quite some time, so let’s just say… I don’t even remember the last time I wore a watch. However, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been eying my favorite fashion accessories for years. Two years to be exact. Two years ago I fell in love with Michael Kors signature gold oversized watch. Gold, my favorite (haven’t rocked silver since ‘00); oversized (love all things big); and rugged enough to look chic (isn’t it weird how that can work?). So perfectly me, that for two whole year’s I’ve been drooling and dreaming of wearing one of my own. You best believe that every time Christmas or a birthday rolled around (we’re talking 4 different opportunities people!) I dropped enough hints to any and all gift givers (read: parents, grandparents, godparents.. just kidding don’t have one, sister, boyfriend) that you’d think I was North Korea dropping bombs (not funny?). No one, no one at all dished out the dollars and made my dream come true.

So finally, after enough penny pinching (let’s be serious).. last night I caved and in the midst of an already over spent summer, I splurged. Not only did I take a trip to Bloomy’s to buy this:

but I also ended up walking out with another special treat for the summer. I shall preface this introduction with the fact that I would not have been browsing the bag displays if the woman at the watch counter didn’t take so long to resize my band. But, since she did, I roamed into the Tory Burch section of the floor and found a 30% off rack. Score? Yes, ma’am. And look what I picked up, saving a lotta change along the way:

My first ever Tory Burch purchase! Eep. It’s the Classic Tory Metallic Canvas Tote. A great size at 15″W x 13″H, perfect to pack up for the day, or to take as a travel purse. Mmmm, how fun it is to spend more money than you should be.

Clothes & Accessories
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Back to the blog

June 24th, 2010 @ 9:33 AM   No Comments

How do I let this get so behind? I always come back to the blog world in full force and swear to keep up with it. But hey, you know what? Sometimes life just gets in the way. And lately, my life has in the way of well.. my life. Since we last talked, I did have a successful trip to NYC, a fabulously thrown “surprise” birthday party, a few trips home to Maine, plenty of quality family time, and … a new job. A new job? Yes, you heard me right. I had been searching for new positions for quite some time, and by quite some time I mean over a year. But just recently I actually started applying, and even more importantly, following up with my applications. I interviewed with a few companies, had three job opportunities cookin’ at the same time, and baboom! An offer fell into place. And this was an offer I could not turn down. But eh hem! I can’t waste all the good details here.

So more on that later. I just wanted to check in and say I’m alive, and well. The last month has been rather tumultuous emotionally, mentally and even physically (hello exhaustion) but it’s all been for the best. I’m moving on up in the world, and doing so with grace and a smile.

Best part of all – the new job has lit a new spark in my relationship (distance doth maketh the heart grow fonder! ha…) and I’m now surrounded by fellow techies (all of whom are actually techies.. not wanna bes like me) but still. It’s fun to be able to have WordPress open, or be on Twitter and not have to justify it to your co-workers.

xoxo
Life is good.

New beginnings, Plain old happiness
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