Meeting Other Humans is Hard

It's so hard to meet someone.

We've all heard that phrase time and time again. I often wonder where people find their special person. I feel like half my friends met their significant others on dating apps    the others either met them in school or in a bar. None of those options have turned out well for me.

My boyfriends in college didn't work out. Clearly.

I've tried the online dating thing. That's four months of my life I will never get back and years of therapy I will never be reimbursed for.

And the guys in bars? Meh. I'd rather not. I'm a different person when I'm inebriated, and I don't feel like starting something new on the basis of a lie.

Speaking of lie...

Another reason I don't want to meet a guy in a bar? They are fucking idiots.

So I went out tonight, for a girls night. It was actually really fun. There was live music and we were definitely dancing like no one was watching. So I meet this guy, and he's younger than me but really cute and knows how to shag dance so I go with it. He called it swing dancing by the way. He was under the impression that shagging meant what it did in the UK and thought I was propositioning hm within the first few minutes of meeting him. Maybe that's where everything went wrong.

So we dance and flirt and it's fun. I feel like it's been so long since I flirted with someone. I introduce myself, and he introduces himself. His name is Stephen, and he's from Georgia. A nice Southern boy! It's been so long since I met one of those around here! Everything is fine and dandy. We continue talking, and then I leave to talk to my other friend. I come back and the boys are whispering. I ask my friend who is standing there what'g going on, and she informs me that Stephen thinks I lied about my name.

Um, what.

Why would I lie about my name yet keep talking to him? Also, why I would lie and say my name is Marshall?

So, I ask him about it. He said that he doesn't know me (fair) and that girls also lie about their names (also, fair). I admitted that both these things were true, yet that most girls who lie about their names don't keep hanging out with that person.

However, he still didn't believe me, and asked to see my ID.

I was baffled. Like, why would I still lie about my name, and why would someone try so hard to prove me wrong. At this point, both he and his friend thought I was lying. Apparently, when I introduced myself I smiled and looked away and this seemed sketchy to them.

I was so perplexed and so annoyed, and I wanted to prove them wrong so I showed them my ID. They honestly studied it for a straight minute. Then, after all that, Stephen tried to tell me my middle name was my first name. I quickly disproved his theory.

After all this awkwardness, he gave me a half ass, fake sincere apology. That I partially accepted.

During all of this, my friend is still flirting with his friend and who am I to rain on her parade. They asked us to go to another bar, and I could tell my other friends wanted to go so I agreed. Once we are at the other bar, I'm talking to Stephen's friend. I'm not flirting with him, but I'm bored and talking to him about murder mystery shows because why not. And then Stephen walks up and asks "what my deal is." I'm confused and asked him what he means. He rambles on about how he is a "straight forward guy." I told him I didn't have a "deal" and was just out with my friends for fun.

If you can't tell, the conversation isn't going smoothly and I'm turing into the ice cold bitch everyone thinks I am. He finally accepts that I'm just out for a girls' night, and I don't have an ulterior motive.

Then, when I don't think the conversation with this bozo can get any worse, he tilts the neck of his beer bottle near my neck and goes, "you didn't do a very good job of covering up that hickie."

Well, first of all, you fucktard. it's a birthmark. You insensitive fuck.

When I tell him it's a birthmark, he once again accuses me of lying.

Is it just me, or has maybe this guy been burned in the past?

I turn to my friends and ask them what the mark on my chest is. ML calls it a "rashy thing" and MS says "she's had it since I've known her."

So once again he gives me a half ass apology that I partially accept but not really because he's a giant fuck, and I can't wait to never talk to him again.The night doesn't last much longer after, and for that I am grateful.

However, now once I'm home, I'm kind of sad. How am I expected to meet someone? Guys in bars think I'm lying about my name and flaunting a hickie? I'm out of college, and dating apps aren't my thing.

I'm not looking to date someone now, but maybe sometime in the far off future? I don't know.

Finding someone is hard.

And that's all I know.

That Time I Fell in Love

I fell in love once, and it wasn't with a boy. No, it wasn't a boy that made the butterflies erupt in my stomach or my eyes sparkle with excitement. It wasn't a boy that made the thought of leaving feel like a rock plummeting in the pit of my stomach. No, it wasn't a boy at all.

It was a place. And it was amazing.

It was NYC.

Now, I've been to Paris. I've been to DC. I've been to New Orleans, to Oahu, to the Greek islands, but no place has even come close to NYC.

And that may sound stupid to you. I've been to all of these beautiful and dreamy places, but it's NYC that enchanted me in the end. But it's true. There are no words for NYC. I can try and name a few, but I know I won't even begin to scratch the surface.

Bustling.

Magical.

Thrilling.

Iconic.

Alive.

I know some people say it's too smelly, or too crowded, or too expensive, or overrated, but I didn't get that vibe.

I thought it was almost peaceful--weird as that may be. While I was there, I could finally feel. Nothing was weighing on my mind. I felt alive, and it was the most amazing feeling.

I loved everything about it. The tall buildings, the eccentric people, the shining lights in the middle of the night. The electricity of the city was truly breathtaking.

I've known what it was like to fall in love with places I've never been, but now I know what's it like to fall in love with a place I have been, and I believe it's almost worst. Now, when I'm not in the heart of the city, soaking it all in, and I'm in my small town apartment, the nostalgia hits me like a physical ache. The longing to go back is so fierce I find myself dreaming of a day when I can call myself a local and am no longer a wishful tourist.

One day I will live in this amazing city. You just wait and see.

Write Away

I want to start writing again.

Not blogging. That's different. I like this, though. I like publishing posts and not constantly checking back to see if anyone had commented or liked it. That was stressful, and it wasn't me. But I like randomly sitting down, hashing out some feels, and hitting publish. I know next to no one is reading it, and that's fine. I almost like it that way.

But back to writing. I need to start again. There was a time that I used to be almost decent. I was an English major in college, and took a couple of Creative Writing classes. Those were always my favorite. I'm not a great test taker, so sometimes school was a bit difficult for me. But I could always write.

In recent years, I've gotten away from it. My muse kept drifting off to places where I couldn't quite reach it. Every time I sat down to write, I just kept staring at a blank page. I had the most horrendous case of writer's block imaginable. It's so frustrating not being able to do something you love.

I always wanted a career in writing. The end goal has always been to have a published novel, but over the years I thought I might want to work in publishing. But then that never happened. I ended up in industry after industry, each of which further and further away from everything I thought I ever wanted. I took jobs just to have a job. I had bills to pay. If I wanted to move out, I needed rent money. I had things I wanted to buy and places I wanted to go. Turned out that chasing my dream wasn't very profitable. I've never had a career, just jobs. Most of which, jobs I couldn't stand.

But I've always been a bit of a dreamer. In school, people would say I had my head in the clouds. It wasn't ever meant as as compliment, but I still took it that way. The dreamers of the world are the people that make life so colorful. There's nothing wrong with dreams. Sometimes dreams are the only things that keep people going. So since I've always been a bit of a dreamer, I've never been able to forget writing. It's always in the back of my mind. Little stories come alive in my head, and I feel the urge to get them down so I don't forget them. Usually at really inopportune moments like in the middle of a meeting or at 3AM.

So I've decided I'm going to make the conscious effort to write more because if I stop writing altogether then I'm just giving up on a dream, and then I will have no one to blame but myself for never making it happen. And how bad would that suck to know that you possibly could have made it, but you didn't because you just called it quits.

I'm thinking it would suck pretty badly.

My Slow Paced Journey to Adulthood

Do you remember thinking when you were little that people in their mid 20's were real grown ups?

LOL. Stop it. I can't believe I ever thought that. I honestly thought I would be married by now with kids. I thought 28 was OLD. Gah, so naive.

I mean, I'm sure there are some people in their mid 20's that really have their shit together. They have the good jobs, the stable relationships, the nice homes. They just might have it all. And good for them!

But me? Ehhh...not so much. Let's see, I've been ghosted in my past two relationships, I just started a new job in a new field a month ago because my previous job got eliminated out of the blue (thanks a lot Belk Corporate #hateyourguts), and I'm currently sitting on my couch after watching Game of Thrones for the past 4 hours worrying that I might have contracted some 17th century disease from my roommate since my throat is feeling a little funny.

(Clarification: My roommate went to Cuba last weekend and she came back with a touch of E. Coli.) 

So I guess it's safe to say I don't completely have my shit together. But it could be worse, I guess. I could still be jobless. I could still be with a guy who never once complimented me in all the months we were together. My internet could have been spotty today hindering my binge fest of a night. I could have E. Coli...

Yes, life could definitely be worse.

As of now, as a 26 year old, I feel like I'm maybe just a little over half way to adulthood. Like, I'm not a complete lost cause, but I still don't really understand how health insurance works nor do I separate my laundry into multiple loads. And that's okay, I think. I have time. Really, all I have is time. Everyone talks about how short life is, but it's literally the longest thing you do. So don't stress.

I firmly believe that everyone moves at their own pace, and I've always been a bit of a late bloomer myself. I can't be forced or rushed into making things happen. For instance, when I was younger I didn't feel the need to rush and get my license like everyone else. I just didn't really care about it. My dad taught me how to drive his stick shift car when I was 12 years old down some old country roads. But I didn't have a car, and my parents told me they weren't helping me get a car, so I just wasn't overly concerned with getting my license. However, one day my mom decided for me that I was going to go to the DMV and take my driving test. I hadn't practiced at all, but she told me I was going that day, so I went.

Needless to say, I failed. I failed miserably. As in only made it through half the test before the instructor told me to drive back to the DMV and wait another 2 weeks to try again. They only tell that to the really pathetic drivers, so if I didn't feel sad and miserable before, I definitely did after that. I cried the whole way home. Not only because I felt like a total loser, but because I knew I wasn't ready or prepared. And I hate that feeling.

So moral of the story, do life at your own pace. Just because your old sorority sister is married with 2 kids and the perfect cookie cutter life that she posts all over instagram, doesn't mean that life is for you or that you'll never get that life. It just means you're not ready yet, and that's okay.

And I finally did get my license by the way, and now I parallel park like a damn champ.

Am I Back?

So I went away for awhile, created a WordPress blog (hated it), deleted said blog, took a LONG break from blogging, and now I'm back?

Sounds about right.

Well, kind of. Am I back for good? Mehhhhh that's still to be decided. But did I miss writing random blog posts that only a select group of people read? Surprisingly, yes.

So what's been happening in the 15 months I've been gone? Girl, let me fill you in really quickly.

• I got a puppy! He's absolutely adorable and the biggest brat you will ever meet. His name is Conroy, but I call him Conny, and he's a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. He's already a year old, and he's made me so happy. 

• I moved to Charlotte. Yep, I guess you could say I'm officially a real adult. I moved into a two bedroom apartment with a terrace with my friend from college. I've absolutely loved decorating  our home and exploring my new city.

• I started dating someone new. 
• In May of this year, my position at corporate was eliminated so thaaaaat sucked.
• Most recently, I joined Pure Barre, and I absolutely love it. But Jesus, it's hard. My glutes are absolutely ACHING today.

• I had (accidental) pink hair for about a month. Sorry, no real pictures of that.
• I went to New Orleans for the first time in December, and it was so surreal. Can't wait to go back.
• I've gotten back into baking and have been really working on sharpening my skills. I've even toyed with the idea of opening up my own bakery one day. 

• And lastly, I sat through a 2 hour interview today that made me want to gauge my eyes out. By the time I got to my car, I was mentally exhausted from feigning normalcy and perkiness for so long that I seriously considered going back to retail.

Being a functioning adult is so difficult. How do people do it?

Apples to Apples

I went for the booze, and the donuts--mainly the donuts. 

That's not entirely true. Windy Hill Orchard is another fall tradition around these parts. When I was little, I enjoyed the apple donuts, hayrides, and feeding the baby pigs and chickens. Nowadays, I enjoy the apple donuts, the hard cider, and the live entertainment. 

My mom and I made the 15 minute trip out to the orchard, but it's great outing to do with friends or on a date, and I recently discovered they are on Groupon! So I'll probably be making another trip back out there before the season is over. 

Hope you're all having a happy weekend!

Snaps from the Pumpkin Patch

our final choices

H&M Striped Turtleneck (similar) | Anthropologie Vest | Sanctuary Leggings | old Dolce Vita Flats (similar)

Another basic white girl goes to the pumpkin patch post. #sobasic 

Okay, so maybe I'm not so basic. I'd rather look at pumpkins any day than ever eat them, and PSL? Ew, no thanks. But fall is amazing, and definitely my favorite time of year. Every year since I was little, we have gone to the pumpkin patch at the church near my house. It's one of our traditions that I don't plan on breaking any time soon. 

Hope everyone is having a happy fall weekend!

Pure White.

We are in the process of remodeling our home. Literally, every room is getting a makeover. My style has definitely changed since we first moved into this house, and I am more than happy to have a chance to make some more than necessary changes. For awhile now, I've been inspired by all white bedrooms. I just love how clean and pure it looks. My main goal with the redecorating was to make my bed look like a cozy cloud. I don't like the fixed and formal look. When I'm home, I spend the most time in my room, so if anything I've aimed to make my room a tranquil oasis where I can relax.

Here are some of my favorite rooms that I drew inspiration from:

This is a little more fixed than I prefer, but I do love how the bedside table doubles as storage with the exposed shelves. This room looks very crisp and clean.

Ahh fairy lights--my one true love. 

I absolutely love the look of clothing racks for small spaces that don't have ample closet space. It forces you to rid yourself of junk you don't need. 

A messy platform bed covered in an abundance of goose down pillows with a mismatched throw slung across the foot of the bed...ah what's not to love?

So pretty much tons of natural light, white fluffy bedding, hardwood floors, fairy lights, and only small dashes of color is the look I'm going for. I've gotten a new bed, new bedding, new paintings, but I still have a ways to go. The next step is to paint! I want a very soft dove gray--more white than gray. I have a small room, so I don't want to feel enclosed. 

When I'm finished with the final project, I will definitely share pictures!

(Disclaimer: None of the above images are mine. All were found via Pinterest. If one of the images is yours and you would like it removed, then please let me know. Thank you.)

Summer in the City

#Uniform Tote | Palm Leaf Stationery  | Vera Pendant Necklace | Meet Me in Paris Tote | Bisous Hand Stamped Pendant Necklace

I'm a big online shopper. In all honesty, I probably prefer it over in-store shopping. I don't have to get in my car. I don't have to get dressed. I don't have to talk to anyone. And the best part is, I can shop stores based out of just about anywhere. This is ones of the many reasons I love discovering cute little online shops. 

My newest discovery is The Atelier--an adorably chic online boutique and studio based out of Philadelphia. They specialize in stationery, delicate jewelry, and accessories. I'm seriously in love with everything. Their luxe aesthetic gives off a cool girl Parisian vibe, one that I can't get enough of. The stripes, the gold, the simplicity...swoon. The type of person that wears The Atelier is the type of person that I want to be.

Now is the perfect time to shop The Atelier. Their brand new summer collection, Summer in the City, is now available. All of my favorites from the collection are shown above. Seriously, once you check it out, you're going to want the entire collection! 

Don't forget to socialize! Find The Atelier at the following places:

Boutique: http://shop.theatelierblog.com

Blog: http://www.theatelierblog.com

Instagram: @shoptheatelier & #theateliershop

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theatelierblog

Twitter: @shoptheatelier & #theateliershop

"Her style is timeless and effortless and she prefers quality over quantity. She dreams of Paris and has an incurable case of wanderlust. She runs on coffee and occasionally champagne. She re-reads the classics and still sends snail mail. She borrows from the boys, but always adds a feminine twist."

Thank you to The Atelier for collaborating with me! Compensation was provided in exchange for a promotion and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Life Lately

It's been awhile. No, really. It's been a long while, and I'm just a little bit ashamed/in awe of how long I've gone without blogging. In the almost month since I've been gone, a few things have happened.


I began my new job. I now work in the merchandising department for a major retailer in the southeast.

I became accustomed to some crazy new hours. Seriously, I wake up a little after 6:00am every morning and don't get home until around 6:00 in the evenings. That took some adjusting, and my coffee intake has definitely increased.

I joined the iPhone world! I know, I'm late to the party, but I'm settling in nicely so far.

I went through a break up--if you could even call it. Point is, I've reclaimed my spot in the single world. Still trying to figure out how I feel about it.

I slowly but surely have been revamping my wardrobe. My old job was all pencil skirts, blazers, and panty hose (ew). My new job is way more laid back. Seriously, I see kimonos on a daily basis. Now I feel like I can finally dress in my style. I'm getting rid of clothes I hope I'll never have to wear again and replacing them with clothes I actually enjoy wearing. It's a pleasant change.

I'm steadily reverting back to life pre-boyfriend. I am now able to devote more time to things I have neglected in the past few months. It's a change--not having a constant someone to talk to and go places with--but I can't say I hate it. Change is just change. It brings both good and bad with it. I've adjusted before. I know I can do it again.

MM

Do What You Love. Love What You Do.

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Two weeks ago, I quit my job.

This Monday, I begin my new job.

I'm an excited, nervous, thankful, anxious ball of emotion at the moment. I'm excited for this new opportunity. I'm nervous that I'm going to mess it up. I'm thankful for people who help you out in tough situations and truly want you to succeed. I'm anxious because change is difficult and new jobs bring big changes.

Today was my last day.

I felt strangely bittersweet considering this was a job I couldn't wait to leave. In past posts, I've alluded to the fact that I wasn't happy with a certain situation. That situation being my job. My job made me unhappy. Some days, it even bordered on miserable. The day I burst into tears at my desk was the day I knew I needed to leave.

It was a long road, searching for a new job. And not just any job. I wasn't trying to jump from the frying pan into the fire. I needed to find a job that I would enjoy. Something that would be more of a career and less like a job. It took a while, but with help from a good friend, I was able to find the job.

As last days tend to go, I was presented with a going away card that everyone in the office signed with their farewell wishes. One of my favorite coworkers signed simply "Do what you love. Love what you do." Now, I know this is a popular quote. I've only pinned it half of a dozen times on Pinterest. But I've never really appreciated it until now.

Life really is simple. It's people that make it complicated. I was unhappy because the job I had wasn't for me. I wasn't doing something I enjoyed. I was trying to make something work that was never going to work. I was in a location I didn't love. I wasn't surrounded by the good vibes I crave. I was in a dead end position. The only option I had was to get out and get moving. So that's what I did.

I can add this to the books. Today, I worked my last day at my first real job. Monday, I will begin the first day of my (hopefully) career.

Oh in Savannah, Way Down in Georgia

Some days, I get an urge to just quit my job, pack a bag, and leave for a place I've never been. Lately, that place in mind is Savannah, Georgia. A friend of mine recently went there for a wedding, and he loved it. Of course, I've heard plenty about how beautiful and captivating Savannah is, but I've never experienced it for myself. I hope to change that and travel to the city in the near future!

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I absolutely love historical homes (and really just history in general), and my, oh my Savannah has plenty of both to offer.

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I've heard they have an abundance of fountains and gardens. When I went to Paris, I remember the fountains of Versailles were so grand and elegant. I've had an interest in fountains and gardens ever since. 

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I'm a beach girl, so I find little things in life more satisfying than a beautiful city located so closely to a beautiful beach. Tybee Island has been on my list of beaches to visit for awhile especially after glancing through all of the beautiful pictures of the lighthouses.

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I'm always attracted to a lively downtown, and I think that I would fit in nicely in downtown Savannah with all of the vibrant shops and eateries. 

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And how could I make a post about Savannah and not mention their annual St. Patrick's Day celebration? I would love to get a big group of friends together and visit this wild celebration just once! Not sure my liver or my sanity can handle attending more than once.

Birthday Weekend Getaway

Anthropologie Dress | Urban Outfitters Denim Jacket (different wash) | Tory Burch Calista Boots (sold out)--try these or these | Bracelets (from top to bottom) ReeceBlaire, Madewell, Loren Hope

I wore this outfit last weekend in the mountains. My mom and I took a trip to Blowing Rock for my 24th birthday. (Gah, I feel old) That's been a tradition of ours since my 16th birthday. We missed a couple of birthdays while I was in college, but since I've graduated we've made sure to start it back up!

We spent all of Saturday shopping downtown. I visited some of my favorite boutiques like Monkees and Finley House Couture, and I also discovered a brand new adorable little boutique called Boone Belles. They had the cutest boutique clothing for the best prices. They have a location in Blowing Rock and one in Boone, so if you are ever in the area, you should definitely check them out!

For dinner, we ate at the Best Cellar located in the Ragged Gardens Inn. I love the atmosphere there and the views of the gardens are amazing. We both got seafood, and it was absolutely delicious. We only stayed one night, but I really enjoyed the little get-away with my mom. It was a nice break from reality, and I can't wait for our next trip.

Hope you all had a happy weekend! Thanks for stopping by :)

All About that One Piece

I absolutely love one piece bathing suits this year! I have found so many different styles, and I'm seriously considering wearing all one pieces this summer and giving my bikinis a break. I especially love the ones with cut out backs and fully covered fronts since my stomach is my problem area, and I definitely don't have my dream beach body as of yet. That way, I can show off the good and conceal the bad. It's a win-win! 

Here are a few of my favorites that I can't wait to get my hands on. What is your take on the one piece swimsuit trend?

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xoxo

Mug Life

If there's one thing I've realized this past winter, it's that I have a thing for mugs. My cabinet is full of them! If I'm out shopping and see a cute mug, no questions asked, I gotta have it. It helps that I'm a big coffee and tea drinker, but honestly, I have no qualms about buying a mug just because it'll look cute in my kitchen. Yeah, I'm that kind of girl. Here are a few of my favorites that I'll be adding to my collection in the near future!

Can you say sass? (available here)

Nuff said. (available here)

Kind words are especially needed in the morning. (available here)

I think the London one is my favorite. (available here)

Gold lipstick stain? I'm sold. (available here)

xoxo