Sibley and Thatcher

Since becoming an official blind bat- I've been getting used to the notion of always making sure I have glasses around. Where I once laughed at my squinting friends trying to see the blackboard across the classroom, I'm now the one doesn't wave at anyone unless they're 2 feet away because I have no idea who they are. I also will run up and hug people who I think are my boyfriend from behind. So Ladies please, give the random girl who hugs your boyfriend at the gym a minute to explain: she likely is not wearing her glasses.

It's been an adjustment.

However, as frustrating as it is to be reliant on a device to see after 26 years doing that solo- I'm getting into it and enjoying expanding my glasses collection. C'est la vie.

Enter my second pair of Warby Parker glasses that came all shiny and new in the mail last week:

 {^The Sibley style. Taken last Saturday, April 28th at home. Weather must be warm if I'm wearing this dress.}

{^The Thatcher style. My contribution to the Hipster Gods Taken at work in February.}

Here's to not hugging anymore strangers without their expressed consent.

 

What a Juanderful World

I know I'm not "old" (relatively speaking) but as I age I become more cognizant of the value of life. The value of the lovely players on your scoreboard. The value of living and breathing each moment. These thoughts do not consume me yet they are ever-present: life is a short, sweet gift. And I want my teammates in this game to know how much they mean to me.

Enter Juan.
{In our element: rafting, Maupin, Grilling, happy. This is SO us}

I've known Juan for what feels like a lifetime but for what is really about 15 years. To make a long story short, every single year of my life Juan and I go on a rafting trip in August comprised of Dads and "Kids". We started when I was 6 so you do the math... yes, beer is welcome at the "Kids" table.

What began as awkward "Hi, how are you?"s as we loaded into the raft quickly became a deep kinship. Every year, we drive to Maupin, OR together and partake in a valued 4-day trip of rafting and camaraderie. On years when we each don't bring dates: we share a tent. On years that we do, we bunk separately but spend the mornings catching up over coffee- do you like the person in your tent? Do you think you'll date? Did you guys kiss last night? The important questions in life.

{easily my favorite picture of us sharing a tent. That's him in his sleeping bag suit.. yes SUIT.}

Thankfully for me, this friendship has gone off the rafting grid and made its way into my day-to-day life. Currently, Juan and I live in the same building. In the face of the owners of and their strict "no pet" policy; I have enjoyed a pal who is always happy to see me and needs to be fed.

{Juan, Me & my bro.}

Juan is the super-friend. Says what he thinks (i.e. "Oh that's a zit? Don't worry, I only saw it when I looked at you.") yet considerate beyond belief (i.e. "Caitlin, don't get used to this but I'm so happy we're friends.") and an all-around good person. Juan is friends with my Dad and talks continual crap to my Brother. Additionally, his Dad always treats me like family when he comes into town from Peru.

I can't tell you how much I love him. I love, love, love him. He's a family friend. He's a long-term friend. He's a male friend. He's my friend. He is a huge blessing in my life.

{Juan and Me rafting- our annual delight}

Love you Juan, so much. Or shall I say: Te quiero mucho Juan!

Promise to be more present this week: I heard about the sad passing of a former schoolmate of mine last week and didn't feel appropriate publishing posts about shoes and feathers that I had previously scheduled. Hug your loved ones. XO.

Good weekend? Do tell!

pick on someone your own size

When I was in elementary school, I was pretty brazen and outgoing. Though kids can be harsh to each other, I always stood up for myself without hesitation and thus never endured any type of childhood kid-on-kid crime angst in my later years. I didn't bully and I wasn't bullied- it was a perfect childhood existence. My Sister was a little different. She wasn't a doormat by any stretch of the imagination but she was easily intimidated so any playground insults flung her direction easily left her unarmed and defeated.

One particularly uneventful week, my Sister and I were swinging at the neighborhood park after school. Jocie (my sis) started crying telling me about her classmate who had been pestering her for a long time. She'd been shoving her and making a point to intimidate her while she was out at recess. A true-blue Bully. Instantly, my Sister mode ignited. No one was going to make my Sister cry and get away with it.

While I was thinking about how I could help Jocie fend off the attacker when we were in different grades in school, my Sister pointed to the North side of the park: the bully was coming.

I looked across the field and laid eyes on my brand, spankin', new enemy as Jocie sniffled on the swings. The girl was big. REALLY BIG. And I was 10 (so can you see where this is going?) And this girl had spent the entire week attacking my Sister to the point of tears. GAME ON.

"BOOM!" I shouted as her right foot hit the ground. "BOOM!" I shouted again as the left foot hit the ground. As she continued towards us ready to validate herself by devaluing my Sister, I kept the comments coming. "BOOM". Right foot. "BOOM". Left foot. She finally stopped and realized the correlation between her leg hitting the ground and my "BOOMS". Yes girlfriend, I'm talking to YOU.

"Yeah, you're starting an earthquake just by walking towards us so can you please stop? And also, you better leave my Sister alone. I come to the park with her every day after school so I'll always be here if you try something again."

With that... the unarmed Bully turned around and headed back to her house, never to spew verbal venom at my undeserving Sister again.

I know this story has an obvious hypocrisy as I was disrespecting someone myself BUT, it was purely defensive. I understand now in my maturity why this girl likely bullied but that was neither here nor there because... when this happened, I was 10. So while I would deter any child in my care from insulting others, I still do not regret insulting the Bully at the park that day the way I did. After all, if you're going to threaten someone to the point of tears, you better be prepared to deal with her 10-year-old little Sister on the playground that night.

What's a Bully story of yours? Were you one or did you fight one off? Do tell.

one way ticket, yeah

It would be harder to envision a better weekend than the one I just had. The main component to my happiness: the sun. It was blazing this weekend (well, 'blazing' by April's standards) with Saturday in the late 70s and Sunday reaching 80 degrees. I am proud to say that I did not touch my car once after parking it Friday evening and rather walked, walked, street trolley, walked and walked all over downtown all day, every day.

{^Spending a hot Saturday on a rooftop balcony with your friends at Departure? Doesn't get better- except for the fact that we had been walking around since 10 AM so our outfits weren't exactly 'Cocktail Hour' vibe... oh well.}


{^Oregonians know how to enjoy a beautiful day- that is a fact of life}


{^Sushi feast on Sunday. I will think of this all week while I'm eating my bananas and protein shakes.}


{^Handsome dining companion to take in the 80-degree day}


{^Finding random downtown spots to practice what I've been learning at my Photography classes.}


{^Attended a charity event on Friday that my Dad is heavily involved in. More on this later but pictured left to right is my Cousin, Dad & Stepmom at our table.}


{^April showers bring April flowers}

{^Champagne for my campaign}


{^Since I sadly don't have a pet or child with whom I could shove my camera in their face ... the boy is my preferred subject as I practice photography.}

So ahhhhh, Monday could not be anymore annoying than it is right now. But- despite the fact that the work week means no champagne, no fancy dinners, no walking around for hours on foot... I've still got high spirits. Mainly because on Friday- I purchased a ticket to Las Vegas for June. Girls' trip?? Yes, please! I can hardly stand how excited I am. I guess knowing I will soon be buying 18 dollar yardstick margaritas makes working a little bit more relevant.

How was your weekend??

April 20th.

It's Friday, let's all breathe a collective sigh of relief. In and out, in and out- weekend, weekend, weekend.

It just so happens to be April 20th. Which weighs on me every year for two reasons: Columbine & Hitler's Birthday. I don't pretend to be a Historian or someone "in the know" about either of the aforementioned events, but what I will tell you is that they interest me and thus I have researched them quite a bit. I am slightly enamored with the evil capabilities that seemingly normal people possess. It makes me sad, it makes me wonder: I think of these things every year on April 20th.

This intrigue also spans to current events. One instance of this is the July 4th 2011 killing of Lauren Astley. To turn a long, complicated story into a quick, concise summary, I'll explain as such: Lauren was a recent high-school graduate who was murdered by her long-term love turned recent ex of the same age. They had dated through much of high school and were in love, prominent in their school's communities and popular. She wanted to break up before college after noticing her drifting feelings. He struggled with this. And allegedly, that feeling ended with the headline of the boy-next-door murdering the girl-next-door.

Source: weheartit.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

My point in bringing this up is not to Debbie Downer a Friday, in fact- I would like to end this on a positive note. Her Father has now committed to speaking out about the trials of young love. He's hoping that no one else suffers the same fate of not only his daughter, but of her attacker who now faces extensive jail time. A young man who was once deeply entrenched in the Astleys' daily life.

Mr. Astley speaks at public venues to spread the message of healthy love and healthy break-ups. One of his many notable quotes from the lesson is this:

"“Do not spend time blasting your former partner — they did not choose to fall out of love with you.”

I'm not going through a break-up and this quote doesn't speak to my current life. However, I was astounded about its message and as someone who has gone through a hard break-up myself, I knew this was a good thought to let marinade over the weekend. Why are we always so mad at the person at the end of a relationship? Being broken-up with is horrible. Breaking up with someone is equally as such- his quote takes some of the pressure off: none of you chose this so let's all move onward and upward.

This weekend starts with one of the most notorious dates in modern history. I think a great way to outshine it lies in being cognizant of your actions: be kind, be nice, be forgiving.

Source: weheartit.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Sorry for the deep talk-We'll catch up next week and I'll write about something a little less daunting... like the weird tweak my bangs are doing?

Happiest weekend to you.

Mad for Plaid. Egad.

I must admit I'm a sucker for a trendsetting girl. When there's a lead lady who's willing to impart crazy looks upon the land, I'm more than willing to listen. And because I've always prided myself on being 100% anti-Hipster, it's not that big of a deal to me when I know that a bunch of other girls will be trying the same looks out as well. Meh... I'll give it a whirl too. Oh hey 15-year-old at the Supermarket: TWINSIES!

So when stills of Sex & the Sh*tty City 2 started making the rounds, I began mentally cataloging any and all interpretations I could try.

Enter Carrie:

{^Is there an echo in the room?! [SJP IMAGE VIA]}
Denim, Midriff, Heels and a cropped-plaid button-up. Easy enough.

Here comes the copycat!

{^Playing with my Puppy in my F21 Plaid shirt, American Apparel black skirt and Madden Girl buckles.}

{^I personally only like the midriff slip with no belly-button showing (like I did HERE). This right here is too much skin considering I'm not in 90+ weather}

{^The outfit: bad. Playing with my Dog: Good.}

While I'm not embarrassed of it, I think it's pretty uninspired and overly fleeting. The shoes are trendy, the top is trendy and the midriff-baring is trendy. Too much of everything!!! I would say this was an unsuccessful mimicking. And thankfully, I just wore it to the Farmer's Market and on a walk with The Boy.

{^My train of thought is there... but it just didn't work [SJP IMAGE VIA]}
Can't win 'em all! Have you ever tried to copy a star's outfit to no avail?

DIY: The Bloody Mary Bar

You guys, I've started getting tired for bed at a normal time. I know for some, this comment is as earth-shattering as if I had told you I breathed today but... anyone who knows me knows that they can call me at 3 AM and I'll answer with a commonplace "hello". I'm a lifer insomniac. I can only assume this new-found tiredness is temporary and merely due to the fact that I've been busting my fat a$$ between work, gym and my spring term classes (leisure classes but nonetheless...). Regardless, I have been getting drowsy at about 10 PM. Oh LAWDY. It's exciting. But for that reason, sorry if I've been lacking a bit in the blogging department. I've been catching some much needed ZZzzzs... [note to friends: until I start tweeting you again at 2 AM on a Wednesday about Britney Spears' career, please cease late-night calls].

But enough of that random yet life-changing story, last weekend my friend completely inspired me! About a month ago, muh gurl Tracy and I made plans for me to come visit her last weekend in her new home of Seattle. Considering we both live with our significant others, it seemed like a good chance to hang out with each other as well as force our boyfriends to become new BFFs. Though I'm still working on the actual Seattle part of the post, I felt remiss not giving her adorable DIY Bloody Mary bar the spotlight it deserves:

{^Seriously woke up to this adorableness. Friendship is such a wonderful thing,}
{^Poured up and ready to start filling our glasses}

{^Monica Tracy categorizes her towels toppings, how many categories are there? Real question is whether I'm Fancy, a Guest or a Fancy Guest..* }

{^Please sir, can I have some more?}

{^She named her Owl Tobias... hear that Reggie? Competition.}

When you're on vacation, is there anything better than your friend waking you up with well-executed cocktails? It was so thoughtful (which is so her) and it was also so Type-A with the categories and the Tupperware (also so her). For any and all reasons above, I loved every part of it. Especially because I got to practice liking Bloody Marys. But really because I got to hang out with her.

* [for those lost at that quote, click here, fast forward to 38 secs, watch, enjoy, repeat as necessary]

If you want more formal instructions on a Bloody Mary Bar - this gal has some great ideas!

Bell Bottom Love

I have never gotten over my love of Bell Bottoms. Though Skinny Jeans have their appeal (on some...), to me, nothing is sexier, chicer or bolder than a small waist, big bum and a huge flare leg.

Source: weheartit.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Source: stylepantry.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

What do you think about bell bottoms? Outdated or Underrated?

too far for my taste

I miss my boyfriend. I miss him a lot.

{^On his Mom's beautiful property in his hometown.}

^Italian cooking course

He's in NYC this week for work and while I've been sending him pictures of my chicken & bean dinner I made... he's been replying with images of him at rooftop parties in the building adjacent to the Empire State Building. Ha, kinda takes the wind out of my "yummy, 5-minute, all from the pantry" dinner I made.

{^Hitting the town }
But really, this is his first business trip since we have lived in the new place. And having him so far away when he's my roommate is much different than when we dwelled separately.

{^HAHA, he's SO unamused by my dancing in the moonlight! }

I miss him asking about my day (he always does). I miss him laughing as I tell him how bad all his dirty clothes smell. I miss him coming through the door in the evening and saying "Yes! Being here with you is what I've been looking forward to all day!".

I miss him making fun of me for my choice in XXL lounge clothes and grumbling when I decide to wax in front of him (the process frightens him to pieces. I'm not sure if it's due to the carafe of hot wax on the counter, the strips of fabric on my face or him reminiscing about the days that he didn't know I did any of that stuff and rather, just appeared done-up for our date.). And, I most miss his outstretched arm, palm up hand and little smile- silently telling me to come sit closer to him on the couch.

{^Urban Hiking the weekend before Christmas }

{^Early morning fishing trip on my Dad's boat at his cabin. }

So for those reasons and a few more:
Please come home soon, roommate!