Wedding Season 2016

Long time no blog, right? Well recap: I graduated, spent all summer and fall looking for a job and received an offer the week of Christmas! I had a temp job or two somewhere in there too, but a full time offer came through right before Christmas and I started the second week of the new year! YAS!!!

Now I'm smack-dab in the middle of wedding season. Literally invited to FOUR weddings and a wedding shower this month alone. Two weddings were today and i wished more than anything I could've been in two places at once (and been able to afford sending one of my selves to Chicago).

Being in this time of my life and being SINGLE AS FUCK (pardon my French), I have a LOT of thoughts regarding my future wedding. Basically, I want it to be a big ass dance party full of some of my favorite people throughout my life. Childhood friends, camp friends, college friends, grad school friends, and family all coming together, wearing cool clothes, drinking some drinks and dancing their asses off.

Seventh wheeling it. Classic.

I'm not going to lie. Tonight's wedding was not the most fun. Not for lack of trying. I just am single, and the friends I was with don't dance. I was more than a little disappointed. I rocked out the whole way home this morning and then to the wedding, thinking off all the songs I want my DJ to play at my wedding. I also tweet ranted about how my future husband's stamina on the dance floor better be TOP NOTCH and realized how thankful I am for my camp sisters and TCU froggy friends who all know and helped instill in me the importance of a good dance party complete with the best hits of the 80s and 90s boy bands!

So dear future wedding, you're a long way away right now, but I've been dreaming of you for a long time. With the advent of Pinterest and the great wedding season of 2016, I have BIG plans. HUGE plans for you. I hope you're not as far away as I think you are, but I know the timing needs to be just right. 

I've re-entered the online dating world recently. Not ideal and ghosting sucks. But one of my best friends just got engaged to a wonderful man she met online and I'm in a wedding next fall for a friend who met her fiancé online as well, so I have hope.

Me online dating like "are you lost?"

It's just tough for the time being. It seems like I'm the only single girl left and I'm a competitive person. It's one of my absolute greatest flaws, comparing myself and competing internally with those around me. But I know the wait will be worth it. One of my favorite songs, thanks to Lena Dunham and her HBO show Girls, is "Past Lives" by BØRNS (http://youtu.be/VDrwssKZPaw) which is how I'll end this blog...

"Through all of my lives

I never thought I'd wait so long for you

The timing is right, the stars are aligned

So save that heart for me

Cause girl you know that you're my destiny

Swear to the moon, the stars, the sons, and the daughters

Our love is deeper than the oceans of water

Hey I need you now

I've waited oh so long yeah

Baby love, I need you now

I've waited oh so long"

Incompetence On Fleek.

Usually, I'm not one to complain about doctors or nurses. Even when I don't necessarily love their "bedside manner," I can usually tell they have the best of intentions. However, I have witnessed a new level of incompetence in the past week or so from one of my doctors and her nurse that is unfathomable.

Generally, the schooling that nurses and doctors go through is rigorous and intense, so I know in that general realm, they are far more intelligent than I. Especially once I got to college and realized how intensely my nursing school and pre-med friends studied... I mean, come on. I barely passed "rocks for jocks," aka geology. I am a science idiot.

When you're a generally healthy  human, you might have one or two (if you're a woman) doctor(s). But I have gastrointestinal problems so I have a specialist I see regarding that part of my health. When this all started 10 years ago, I was in high school and my pediatrician referred me to a doctor that I believe the best in his field. He has kids my age, he understood how frustrating it was to not understand why your body was being weird and hurting at such a time in your life.

When my symptoms got a little worse a few years after college and I wanted to do the lab work to test for Celiac, he obliged. A year later when I was diagnosed with Crohn's he just got it. He started me on medication because it's easier to work through medications and up to infusions rather than the other way around. The meds he put me on seemed to work. Then I moved back to the Fort for grad school and really wanted a doctor up here in case something happened, being that it was only about 6 months out from my 8-day hospital stay with an abscess that started the most recent gastro problems.

My new doctor was not as great, but he got it. He understood I didn't want to mess with things because I was in graduate school (a high stress situation with a disease heavily influenced by stress in most cases) and just maintained my prescriptions for me and was there should something happen. Then he retired last year. He referred me to someone within his practice. However, I didn't see that doctor. They gave me to another, younger doctor.

Young isn't the problem. I don't mind young. But the incompetence I have witnessed with her in two visits and numerous phone calls with her nurse... Incompetence on FLEEK. Something you DEFINITELY do not want on fleek. The bedside manner, the way they (both the doctor and the nurse) handle my prescriptions are beyond frustrating. They want to argue with me, they want to act like I don't understand my disease or know what I'm talking about.

When you get diagnosed with something like this, it's really never far from your mind, because likely I'm living with it for life. It affects how I plan for trips, when I go to sleep, how much I sleep, how I deal with my workload, etc. Because it can be affected by stress. I'm thinking about going Gluten Free in 2016 (at least for a few months) to see if it helps. I visit the CCFA website and Facebook and twitter pages regularly to see what's going on, if there's any new information, what other patients are doing and experiencing. I want to stay educated on what's going on inside my body. Why on earth am I being treated like I know nothing about the disease I live with?

TLDR; My doctor is an idiot. My doctor's nurse is an idiot. They act like I don't understand Crohn's Disease and its treatment options and the medications I take. That I've been taking for almost 3 years in some cases. End rant.

Show Me Your Books!

Back and a day late for a link up about what I've been reading lately...

Since I didn't link up for September, I'll review the books I've read since the last time I linked up.

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

I'm a big fan of the post-apocalyptic YA genre. I can't get enough. This one about what might lead to those worlds I so love fascinated me, if only for the description of the plot. It's part of a series, but I just couldn't get myself interested in finishing it. There's no real resolution by the end of this book and the second and third are about different characters before they somehow meet up or their stories intertwine in the fourth book. It's ok, but not the greatest...

The Affinities by Robert Charles Wilson

Just not super impressed with this at all. I don't even really know how to describe it other than a grown up Divergent in Canada and with booze...

The End of Everything by Megan Abbott

Lizzie and Evie are besties. They do EVERYTHING together and even look alike. Then Evie goes missing. Lizzie feels it's up to her to find Evie. Oh yeah, they're like 12. Fairly interesting, but a little farfetched if you ask me. No one asks Lizzie anything really considering she's kind of at the center of things... Feel kind of like a 12-year-old wrote it.

You Deserve A Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tale of Debauchery by Mamrie Hart

All the stars for this hilarious account of YouTube star Mamrie Hart's life. Each chapter contains a drink recipe and the drink's name relates back to the story. Personal favorite chapter was "Frame the Cookie," because the drink looked DELISH and the story was HILARIOUS. Also, you guys really need to look up her channel on YouTube. Each week (or month or whenever she feels like posting a video), she finds one person in pop culture who deserves a drink and makes it for them. The videos are built-in drinking games with TERRIBLE puns. She's hysterical. Get on the bandwagon.

Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to Be A Grown-Up by Grace Helbig

My YouTube education continued with another of the Holy Trinity's books, Grace Helbig. She's got another book coming out early next year, so again, jump on this bandwagon. Grace is me, guys. She perfectly quirky and awkward and just awesome. Her book is a how-to guide on everything from dating to getting a job and more. Not a memoir like Mamrie's, but still a pretty fun book.

My Drunk Kitchen: A Guide to Eating, Drinking, and Going with Your Gut by Hannah Hart

The Holy Trinity's book tour concluded with Hannah's suggestipe guide with funny anecdotes thrown in for a little hilarity. Based on the premise of her YouTube channel, like Mamrie's, the book borrows it's title and fundamentals: nothing sharp as these are recipes (or suggestipes) for when you're drunk and need food. If it can't be cut with a butter knife it's not in here (so it's not like a super legit cook book, hence the suggestive term Hannah came up with). Foreword by novelist and YouTuber John Green. Buy it. Watch her. Get on the Holy Trinity bandwagon, guys. Drunk Pumpkin 3 is coming.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Mindy's long-awaited second book is HERE and it does not disappoint. Her first book was a classic and still on my Suggest to EVERYONE You Meet list. This book was not quite as great, but still hilarious and had more stories about her time in Hollywood and starting her own show, The Mindy Project, one of my all-time favorites and second-most-watched on Hulu now. Side note: if you're not watching, we can't be friends. Definitely a must-read if you're like me and love memoirs, Mindy, and mmmmreading (I wanted another M word. Yay alliteration).

That's what I've read lately. I'm currently nose-deep in Stephenie Meyer's retelling of Twilight, and boy is it RIDICULOUS. I hate the Twilight series, TBH, but this was just too stupid not to read and it's not disappointing in that aspect.

What are you reading?

Good Sports Luck

It's a little known secret (at least on the internet) that I am good luck for my sports teams when in attendance for BIG games. This is a newer phenomenon as I am a new-ish sports fan. I mean, I went to most of the football games in college and a handful of baseball games, but I've only started actually understanding these games in the last 4-5 years.

Anyway, back to my good sports luck resume:

• I have seen TCU baseball punch their ticket to the College World Series twice now, including 11 of 22 innings in 2014 and a 16 inning game in June this year.
• I have gone to two college football bowl games (Rose Bowl 2011, Cotton Bowl 2014) and the teams I cheers for came out victorious.
• And now I can add watching the Texas Rangers win the American League West division to that list!
• And watching TCU football beat the absolute crap out of the UT Longhorns the day before is also going on that list.

This weekend was homecoming and I got to see so many friends! Homecoming in high school was always kind of boring, right? In college all of your friends go back to your favorite place and hang out wearing your favorite color(s) and it's just a wonderful time. Also, when your team beats the "big brother" of your state (if you're not the "big brother," that is), it's always an added bonus.

Sunday, I woke up still happy from TCU beating UT for the second year in a row (which hasn't been done since my dad was a BABY) and the third time in four years (our QB is the only TCU QB in history to pull off this feat, y'all). I proceeded to get up and get dressed because it was baseball gameday in America (and Canada... North America?) and I had a date with the Rangers.

Naturally, Snapchat has a Dallas story going on so my goal was to get on it with some Rangers snap videos. Womp Womp, didn't quite manage too, even with my GENIUS snap of SANTA dancing to some Queen during a pitcher change for the Angels. I'm sorry, but if Santa. who is rooting for your team, dancing to Queen can't make the snap story, I don't know what will.

Anyway, the Rangers absolutely KILLED the Angels after hitting in 7 runs in the 7th inning and now they take on Toronto on Thursday! WOO!

How was your weekend? Are you good luck for anything specific? Like getting your friends jobs? That also might be me (everyone around me, mom included, has gotten a new job lately so hi, it's my turn, right?).

Not So fUnemployment

Here it is, October. The real start of fall. I mean, it even feels like it in Texas. At least in the morning. It's been a week shy of six months since graduation and I have yet to be hired by someone.

I'd be lying if I said I'm not worried or disappointed. I've gone through three different staffing agencies, been on more interviews than I can count, and not one application turned interview turned even second round has turned into a "You're hired! Here's your office/cubicle/desk/WHATEVER." And yes, the job market is BEYOND better than it was 5 years ago when I finished my Bachelor's. I could barely find jobs to apply for, let alone get called back for an interview. I've had SO many interviews. It's a confidence booster that people want to talk to me for a bit. Then comes the soul-crushing no.

I know, I know. I have the rest of my life to work. But it's hard to feel like yourself and like you have a purpose if you're constantly getting rejected either by a "No" to your face, a "No" in e-mail form, or just straight ghosted. Never been ghosted? You're clearly not online dating or looking for jobs. Ghosting usually applies to the dating world, but it definitely applies to unprofessional professionals that say "You'll hear from us either way" and then drop off the face of the earth (unfortunately, the act of ghosting is not as cute or fun as the ghost emoji or snapchat logo).

👻

Around month 3 is when FUNemployment turned fUnemployment... That was also the time I started BINGEING on YouTube. And I mean BINGEING. I watched at least 30 hours in the first 3 days I got onto YouTube. I'd always been a fan of a select few like Jenna Marbles and her boyfriend, Julien, and a few of his friends. But my friend Amanda was into Mamrie Hart, Grace Helbig, and Hannah Hart (aka the Holy Trinity). Then I discovered Flula, Miranda Sings/Colleen Ballinger, Glozell, Zoella, and Tyler Oakley. Then I read the Holy Trinity's books. Now I'm waiting for Tyler's book to come out later this month. I follow them on Snapchat. I follow them (and some of their dogs) on Instagram and Twitter. A week or so ago, Jenna Marbles started following me back on Twitter.

The Girl Code by iiSuperwomanii featuring lots of wonderful, funny people

Watching these people's lives was fascinating and a distraction from my own, namely that hellish job search. Amanda and I have a fantastic idea for a YouTube channel of our own. However, we need a camera, and SD card, a ring light, etc and ALL of that costs money. Starting her own job search around the time of my YouTube-ducation, we are BROKE as JOKES. So the channel is on hold. Money obviously is one half of the equation. There's also the factor of not wanting potential employees to find said channel where we may or may not plan on drinking and may or may not act like the complete weirdos we are and decide we're crazy and/or immature or whatever adjective they might decide we are based on a 7- to 15-minute video every other week or so that they watch about 2 second of before passing judgement.

So for now, I'm a 27-year-old, overeducated, female mooching off my parents, wishing I got paid for interviews because I'd have a couple hundred extra bucks in the bank if so. I've also decided I want to write a book. I've read my fair share of funny females' books in the past couple of years and I'm totally capable of writing some of my thoughts down. I mean, I'm doing it now. Not that there are many of you reading, but whatever. It's cathartic.

Anyway, I hope you're not taking your job for granted. And if you are on this beautiful Friday afternoon, remember my little story. I'll gladly switch places for a few weeks as long as I get your paycheck. No, seriously. my bank account is looking like a kid from District 12 in Panem.

What I've Been Reading - June 2015

I just found out about this fantastic link up and since I've been devouring book after book during my period of funemployment, I thought I'd share what I've been reading and what I thought about those books!

When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord

Something in a small town makes teenagers run wild for a few nights every full moon. Interesting premise, but never really explains anything. I couldn't put it down because the writing was SO interesting, but the main character is unreliable and boring. The book also becomes highly predictable towards the end. Great writing, but the plot? Notsomuch.

Pittsburgh Dad: Everything Your Dad Has Said to You by Chris Preksta and Curt Wooten

I saw this in the bookstore and had to pick it up for part of my Father's Day gift to my dad. Hilarious quips and excerpts from conversations that will remind you of your dad, grandfathers, and great grandfathers. Also based off of a YouTube channel by the same name, the quotes are organized by topics ranging from Jurassic Park movies to Church picnics (where one of my favorite quotes is) to the Pittsburgh Steelers and everything else in between. Highly recommend for a quick, funny read and as a gift for anyone hilarious.

Invasion of the Tearling (Queen of the Tearling Series #2) by Erika Johansen

This is the first series I've had to wait for since Harry Potter (I had to wait for Allegiant, but I was able to read the first two Divergent books back to back). Anyway, I was first intrigued when my friend Macie told me about the first book last summer when Emma Watson, Hermione herself, signed on to produce and star in the movie. The first book is enthralling, albeit slow. The second book of the series moves much quicker and we start getting answers. Thrilled for the third book and the movies to come out so I can get more answers.

The Heir (The Selection #4) by Kiera Cass

The Selection series is the epitome of a guilty pleasure. The books are well written and the characters from the first three books (and e-novellas) are so much fun to read. However, this fourth installment follows America and Maxen's daughter. She's self-centered, spoiled beyond belief considering who her parents were in the first three books, and changes entirely too rapidly in the end. It was a fun summer read, especially because I love this series and it gave one more glimpse into Illea, but it's definitely not America's Selection...

Paper Towns by John Green

I loved The Fault in Our Stars last year (book and movie) so the more I saw the movie previews for Paper Towns, the more I wanted to read the book - especially before the movie comes out. I was engrossed. The mystery surrounding selfish Margot Roth Spiegleman (and yes, you have to say her full name) is so interesting. I had to know what happened. My thoughts mirrored Quentin's throughout the book as he worked tirelessly to solve the mystery. In the end, I was a little let down, but overall I really enjoyed it. It's no Fault, but for my second John Green book, it was pretty good.

Love this link up, so I'll be back next month to tell you all about the books I read this month! Also, follow me on GoodReads to follow what I'm reading and what I've been reading the rest of the year!

Oh, Hey There

Oh hey. I'm still alive. I made it through grad school in one piece and am on the hunt for a big girl job! I'd do an update on life, but it's been FOREVER since I last posted, so I'm just going to jump right in with a link up (with Helene in Between)!

- I, like Helene, play by the rules. I didn't drink until the week before I turned 21 at my birthday party (and I only did that because my birthday was on graduation that year and I wanted to celebrate with my friends who were graduating that year).

- I have never gotten a ticket (unless you count a TCU parking ticket... and I don't). It's probably because I play by the rules.

- I am VERY sensitive and take things personally more than I should.

- I'd really like to write a book, but I don't know what it would be about. But I do have a title. And just last night at Happy Hour, someone offered to write a foreword for it if I ever do write said book.

- I have a carb addiction. It can't be tamed, much like Miley Cyrus.

- My television interests range from pre-teen girl (Girl Meets World, anyone?) to trashy reality (Kardashians, I just can't quit you) to HBO (It's been 4 days and I'm STILL not over the Game of Thrones finale).

- I have a really hard time making it through the day without a nap.

- I'm a really picky eater. REALLY. Picky.

- I suffer from EXTREME FOMO. I hate missing things, but I also like sleep, so this causes great anxiety in my life.

- Until grad school, I saw almost every single movie I wanted to in theaters. Then grad school took over my life and I didn't have time to.

- I'm a new avid reader. Currently reading: Invasion of the Tearling, sequel to Queen of the Tearling.

- I almost adopted another corgi in May. Seriously, I was *THIS* close to leaving my internship one Monday to go to Dallas to get him.

- I'm starting to get Wanderlust and I never thought I would so it's a really new feeling for me.

- "Comparison is the thief of joy," is something I have to remind myself HOURLY because I'm so bad about comparing myself to others.

Anyone else relate to any of my random facts?