Ideal Relaxation

The weather has been weird in New York lately. It took forever to feel like spring, but then it shot up to the 90s all of a sudden. I was afraid we'd blow right into summer without stopping for any of that nice, warm-but-not-too-hot middle range that springtime brings.

Today, though, it was lovely out. It was a nice balance of warm in the sun and cool in the shade, and with little to do, I decided to relax and have lunch on my patio. I cooked some Gardein teriyaki "chicken" strips with some snap peas and had them with a small glass of moscato. It was lovely.

It's not a bad view.

This is his happy face

Yum

Simply joy. That's what I'm looking for this summer.

When It Rains, It Pours, and Other Cliches About Happiness

I have been pretty busy for the last month or so. I started a new job, a summer class, and I moved to a new place. Whew!

I've decided to withdraw from the class for multiple reasons, financial and otherwise, but aside from that (and I have another post planned on the subject) everything is pretty great for me right now.

Two of my chief sources of unhappiness in recent years have been my inability to find enjoyable employment and the fact that I was still staying with my parents. Both of those things seemed like insurmountable problems, and I often felt I was collapsing under the weight of them.

The tide started to turn in early April, when I replied to a listserv email (I posted about this already) about a room. I finally moved in during the first weekend in May, and have settled nicely. I like my roommates (human and feline alike), it's a great location, and the space is a good one.

In addition to preparing to move, I was also hunting for a different job. While my previous position at the school library was perfectly alright, the distance and commute were making me unhappy. Then, again, fate happened. My mother forwarded a post to me from the Purl Bee, saying that the knitting and fabric shop Purl Soho was hiring. What you had to do to apply was go to the store before opening one Saturday, with a resume and some crafty samples, and talk to the managers. So I did. And they invited me back for a second interview the following week, which was a bit more of a practical test where I had to recommend yarns for a pattern and organize fabrics by color. Well, I must have done all of that right because they hired me!

So now on top of having my own space in a cute apartment in a great neighborhood, I have a part-time job at a really nice store, working with pretty great people and talking about something I love to do. Sure, I come home with aching feet, but I also come home smiling.

I haven't felt good about my life in a long time. It's a feeling I don't always know how to handle, but I like it. Sometimes, I catch myself smiling for no reason, which is something that never used to happen. It's a nice new development.

Reading List Progress

Summer Reading List

With my semester ending this week, I will finally have time to read for fun. So I've decided to make a list of the books I'd like to tackle this summer, which I've compiled into a list on Goodreads (feel free to friend me!) as well as below.


1. Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin

2. Four to Score - Janet Evanovich

3. At Times I Almost Dream - Amy E. Yergen


4. The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling

5. Cinderella Ate My Daughter - Peggy Orenstein

6. The Eleventh Plague - Jeff Hirsch


7. The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman

8. Legend - Marie Lu

9. Lady X's Cowboy - Zoe Archer

10. Hot & Heavy - Virgie Tovar


I will likely also tackle some school-related items, like The Content Analysis Handbook and a review of what we read this year, but I'm looking forward to some novels as well.

Friday Fashion: Just the Right Amount of Skin

As the weather warms, we need to find nice clothes that are cool and comfortable. Now, I'm never ever going to tell you that how much skin you show is dictated by your body. You should not feel obligated to cover up or show off based on how fat or thin you are, the size of your chest, or any other reason. But sometimes we have to be dressed a little nicer, or even go to work, when it's warm. So here are a few cute pieces that show a little skin while still being pretty widely appropriate.

Disclaimer type thing: Always follow your employer's dress code.

 

The back on this is sheer, so it may be best for a summer party or date night as opposed to work, but it's so cute I had to include it.

Fallon Lace Top, Lucie Lu, $34

Jolie Top, B&Lu, $32

Polka Dot Tie Front Blouse, Forever 21, $19.80

Corrie Shrug (great for over a tank), B&Lu, $26

Floral and Lace Bow Top, Forever 21, $17.80

Jersey Keyhole Blouse, Old Navy, $24.94

Cowl Neck Top, Old Navy, $24.94

Lace Yoke Tee, Old Navy, $24.94

Friday Fashion: What To Put Around Your Neck When It's No Longer Scarf Weather

Necklaces! I know I love them, but when it's cold out we have to be careful what we wear alongside scarves. Well, in theory, scarf time is over. So here are a few options to try out.

(Full disclosure, the first three are being sold on Etsy by a friend of mine, but I have one of her necklaces and constantly get compliments on it.)

 

Bead Pendant, Hello Azalea, $24

 

Miniature Silver Wire Elephant, Hello Azalea, $16

Gold and Silver Chevron Bunting Necklace, Hello Azalea, $20

Alarm Clock Necklace (also available in gold), Forever 21, $1.80

Painted Cutout Bib Necklace, Forever 21, $7.80

 

Collar Necklace, Bubble Jewellery, $8.99

Swallows Bib Necklace, Firegarden, $5.99

Black Filigree Bib, Instead of Zzs, $16

Fabric Flower Necklace in Mustard Yellow, Chicken Scratch'd, $12

Disclaimer type thing: Because many of these are from Etsy, I do not guarantee the availability of the items or reliability of the shops; this is merely a collection of necklaces I saw and liked.

Friday Fashion: Sandal Weather, And No I Don't Mean Old Navy Flip-Flops

It's almost summer! Almost. Who knows what the weather will do from here on out. But we're getting there. So here are a few nice-looking sandals I've picked out. Something a little more chic than your basic rubber flip-flop (those do have their place, of course). And as an added bonus: no leather!

Report Brinkley in Cognac, Zappos, $69

Sbicca Legend in Red, Zappos, $74.99

Rocket Dog Stelena in Rainbow Multi, Zappos, $49.95

Xhilaration Caidence Sandal in Black, Target, $24.99

Sun Luks Printed Canvas Gladiator in Chocolate, Target, $14.99

 

 Mossimo Peace Heeled Thong in Black, Target, $19.99