7 Quick Takes (#36)

1.

The past couple of weeks, I've actually posted about more than just my clothes! I know this is shocking because this is obviously a fashion blog...

You'll be seeing this on the runway next season... but remember, you saw it here first!

Anyway, check out the latest non-clothed linkies - the one I wrote for the lads and the one that I just copied and pasted into an organized-ish list.

2.

I also hope you all got a chance to read the guest post I had this week from the B-E-A-Uuuutiful Mary with her reflections on the single life from her view as a happily married woman! I just love her insight!

Speaking of guest posts, Amanda and I were talking a bit about how we never want to actually be good at living the single vocation... so I know that I am totally excited to read her thoughts coming soon!

3.

Changing gears. Eeeeeep eeeeeeerrrrrrr eeeeeeerrrrrrrr squeak stop.

Have any of you tried the Crackle overcoat nail polish? I have been wanting to try it out, and I saw it at TJMaxx today for a fashionista steal, so I snagged a couple of bottles... and I am kind of disappointed. It looks more like a glitter polish than a crackle effect - so my question for all of you nail experts - WHAT DID I DO WRONG?!?! Help a gal out, because I will feel so lame if I have to return my $2 nail polish.

4.

I have to say that St. Nick's Day is probably one of my favorite Catholic celebrations. Not only do we find little surprises in our stockings in the morning, but it's also fun to see all the Catholics come out on Facebook with pictures and posts about their stocking traditions!

Since I've always celebrated this tradition with my family, I thought it would be fun to share this tradition with my work family! I was lame and couldn't find my stocking while I was home, so thankfully, St. Nick was selfless and let me borrow his sock so I could still get some fun treats. It was fun being able to laugh at and ogle all the fun things we all got... and eat lots of candy. Mmmm candy.

5.

So I've been trying to eat healthier and work out more... trying being the operative word that is currently failing. Do you all have any great tricks to help motivate yourself to eat better and get active?

Throwing away all the chocolate? (Not even an option for me!)

Getting new cute work out clothes? (Could work, right?!)

Carrying around bags of frozen vegetables in your purse so that you have to eat them? (I currently use my frozen peas as an ice pack so...)

Really, how do you all get motivated to be healthy?

6.

I love making mixtapes... yes I actually still burn it onto a cassette tape. No, I'm totally kidding.

I have a very methodical way of making mixtapes for people, and each one I make is a personalized playlist for that specific person. I'm often telling a story with the music - whether it's a story of friendship or love or prayer or just geeking out over some awesome music that I know that specific person will enjoy - I just love going through all my music to find exactly what I want to evoke that meaning.

Making a mixtape is one of my tasks for this weekend. Do any of you ever make mixtapes for those you care about? Do you have a special method when you compile your playlist?

7.

This is the song that is currently playing on repeat on my playlist...

Tis a love letter to my future husband.

Have a great weekend! 

Thanks to Jen as always for hosting!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#35)

1.

This week, I did a little experiment (what can I say, I'm a chemist!)... I wore a skirt (and earrings!) every day this week. That's quite a feat for me! There's a post coming about why I did it and what I learned, but here is a sneak peek:

We'll just ignore how messy my apartment is...

2.

I went to another Washington Nationals game this week with one of my friends, Amy. We had a blast! The weather looked like it was going to storm like crazy, but it stayed clear all night. We got to cheer on the Nats to a win, and we both do love some men in uniforms. It was a fun night out!

3.

For some reason, I associate summer with reading good books. I just finished An American Heiress, recommended by Elizabeth. I have a couple of books from the library that are next on my to-read list, although I haven't decided what to read first. Do you have any good book recommendations to share?

4.

Guess what I did today on my wonderful day off?

Did you guess thrifting, because that's the right answer!! *Ding ding ding*

I hadn't planned on going crazy, but I did... and I got some great deals! I got 12 pieces of clothing for $52 (I wish I was as cool as Katie and knew the retail price for everything, but alas, I will just bathe in the beauty of knowing that I got amazing deals).

And, because it is a universal truth that women love to show-and-tell their purchases, I'm going to share them all with you.

I know, you're so excited! I can see your excitement shining through the interwebs.

... and I just lost any man who was reading this post... which is probably good, because this was turning into a very girly post.

5.

(Top left, going clockwise): Dana Buchman shorts, Eddie Bauer shorts (they're actually light blue, silly picture),
J. Crew shorts, The Loft skirt, fun scarf, and The Loft skirt!

Aren't they cute?! The shorts are classy and comfy, and the skirts look brand new. I love the print on the scarf, it's very me!

6.

(Top left, going clockwise): Coldwater Creek fitted jacket, Macy's blouse, Talbot's blazer, Sonoma blouse, Worthington blazer, and tagless (but cute) blouse!

It's OK if you're jealin' like a felon.

7.

Following the end of my last Quick Takes, here's my next craft project:

Last time I went thrifting, I picked up an old edition of Scrabble that I plan to use for fun craft projects.  This is the first on my list! The only thing I have to do is decide what words/themes I want for my coasters... do you all have any suggestions?  I'm shooting for 4 letter words... but the clean kind ;)

Thanks to Jen as always for hosting!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#34)

1.

So, yea, long time no Quick Takes. I realized that I had no excuse to not post with you all, since I have every other Friday off of work. So, I'm going to try to come back this summer, just because.

2.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my flexible work schedule? I work 9.5-10 hour days, but that means I get every other Friday off and only have to work about 4 hours the other Fridays. It's absolutely wonderful. I'm just in love with my flex sched. Love.

3.

This flexible schedule that I adore so much has allowed me to pick up some new hobbies including:

Not a new hobby, but one I enjoy...
Sleeping is the hobby, not kissing!

Being a trendy Jet-setter.
Really. I've had 3 round trip flights in a month.

Daily Mass. Again, not a new thing,
but Fridays are when I am able to get to daily Mass!
(Except for today, probably... just had to sleep in a few days this week!)

New obsession!

Ah, thrifting! I blame Katie, but I just can't seem to stop. I buy a lot of skirts. I love skirts. I also buy a lot of books for my sister, who will start teaching 3rd grade in the fall. But my latest find? Old school Backgammon.

Win.

4.

Alright, I'll stop talking about how much I love my flexible work schedule. For now...

5.

Encouraged by Leila, I decided to check out the "Catholics for Choice" Facebook page and leave them some love. I left a comment on this button:

If you found my blog by searching for this, welcome!
I am 100% against what this button says. Huzzah!

I said something along the lines that "I am one of the millions of Catholics that chooses to follow Church teaching because I am in love with Christ and His Church!"

Guess what? It was less than 2 hours later that my comment was deleted and I was banned from the page. What happened to promoting open minded discussion and free choice for all?  So I choose differently than y'all, but I guess my choice doesn't count.

Oh well. I guess I'm not too torn up about it. To make me feel better though, Bad Catholic said on Facebook earlier this month:

"You're not cool unless you've been banned from Catholics For Choice's Wall. Just sayin."

So basically, Marc at Bad Catholic just called me cool. I'll take it.

6.

On a happier note, June has been a month of many things. Guest posts, for one. 100° heat, for another. Oh, and weddings! Of course.

I am a crafty gal, and so I was inspired by this idea from Caitlin at Catholic Cookie Jar (she also has a delicious banana bread recipe!) to make my wedding gifts.  Here's how they turned out, with a little bit about the happy couples!

I had the pleasure of traveling all the way to Dodge, Nebraska (with a brief 15 second stint in Iowa) at the beginning of the month to celebrate with my friends Danielle and Carlos as they began their life together as husband and wife. Danielle and I became friends as single women, where we spent a lot of time together cooking, baking, talking about awesome Catholic things, and watching lots of Merlin... until Carlos came along! Their love story is really sweet and very Catholic, and I'm so happy to be a witness to their love for each other and God!

Tomorrow, I get to travel up to Mount St. Mary's to see my friend Becca marry the love of her life, Clint.  They are getting married in the church where they met, which is similar to my parents' love story. I am so excited to be spending the day with friends as we celebrate the beginning of their married life together!

7.

Speaking of being crafty, I totally want to make these cards:

Science geek Liesl, meet craft Liesl. Craft Liesl, meet science geek Liesl. Let this beautiful relationship begin.

Thanks to Jen as always for hosting!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#33)

Hosted by Betty Beguiles this week!

The beauty of the Catholic Church is that we always have a Prayer Army to call upon in our time of need! 

1. I started a novena to St. Joseph this week. Will you keep my novena intention in your prayers?
2. My youngest sister is getting confirmed in May, and has asked me to be her sponsor. Will you pray for her, especially as she is going on her retreat on Monday?
3. A good friend has two very difficult exams today. Will you pray for the Holy Spirit to bring him calm and peace during this stressful time?
4. Please keep one of my good friends from home in your prayers. I get the feeling that he is struggling a lot with his faith right now. Please pray that he will be led back to the Church, and pray that I can know how to better reach out to him with love and understanding.
5. I have been asked to help lead a retreat for young adults. Will you pray for our retreat core leadership team as we work over the next six weeks to plan a powerful retreat experience for ourselves and those who join us for a weekend away?

6. Let's pray for our priests! For the ones who always try to speak the truth. For the ones who speak the truth gently. For the ones who speak the truth forcefully. For the ones who cause people to leave the pews because they can't handle the truth. For the ones who no longer know the truth. For the ones who no longer care about the truth. Our priests are one of our most powerful weapons against the evils of this world, and we need them all fighting for Christ and his Church. St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
7. I would be happy to pray for your intentions as well. Do you have any special intentions you would like me to remember in my prayers this week?

Here is a great recording of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy set to song. One of my friends found it this past week, and I've found comfort in it. I hope you enjoy it, too!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#32)

Thanks to Jen for hosting!

1.

Last week, life as I knew it came to an end. As Tim Staples would say, I learned something “that, shall we say, rocked my world?” Elizabeth and I have always claimed to be the same person. We like the same things, have pretty much the same thoughts on things, and are just generally identical twins separated at birth (minus the looks – we look nothing alike). 

Until last week, when we discovered that we disagree on the issue that divides the nation. Yes, I am talking about this:

Looks kinda like a presidential election map...

I can’t believe it. We're supposed to be the same person! How on earth could someone so like me call pop by any other name (that would NOT smell as sweet), such as – I shudder as I write this – “soda”… or even worse “Coke”!

COKE! COKE?!?! Coke is a brand name. A glass of root beer is not a Coke. Pepsi is most definitely not a Coke. They are all pop. I don’t have an official source on this, but I’m pretty sure that pop is the name that Adam gave to this sweet, sugary liquid in the beginning of time.

Then we had a debate on if this dilemma could be decided with democracy or Truth. Clearly, I won, because the last time I checked, the Magisterium has not made any official proclamation defining pop as pop (they do have more important things to be dealing with, after all), so therefore we must go with our consciences and also turn to the polls. From this map, the blue states are clearly winning. Also, Ohio is all blue - and since Ohio is always the swing vote in elections and has decided the president for the last 20 years or so - whatever Ohio says is correct. In conclusion, pop wins. (Can you tell I’m from Ohio?)

But I just don't know what to do now. I just feel so lost because of this revelation. Elizabeth and I can – I'm tearing up now – no longer claim to be the same person! I feel like I’ve lost my identity... I guess I'll go drown my sorrows and become a pop-aholic. BAM! (Elizabeth, that was just for you!)

2.

Bringin' Sexy Back is a full-time job

I joined the Bright Maidens again last week! It was a fun topic on being desirable versus being sexy, and I enjoyed taking a fun look at it. Apparently, others did too since it's already made my top ten most viewed post! If you haven't seen my post or any of the other posts, be sure to check them out!

3.

Did you see my massive post on Spiritual Dry Spells this week? I spent a lot of time on it, so be sure to check it out and let me know what you think! (Side note: I promised part 2 for this week, but it just hasn't been polished yet - next week, I promise!)

4.

I can't figure out if it's because there's a parish with very convenient daily Mass times down the street from the place I am temping or if I'm finally getting my butt into gear because I posted my dry spell to the world, but I started going to daily Mass again! I think the last time I went regularly was Holy Week, so let's see if I can keep this up.

5.

I really found Jen's post about fitting God into your schedule really thought-provoking. I mean, I only have to worry about myself, and while I have a lot going on in my life right now, I don't have to take care of any kiddos or devote time to a significant other. It's just me - yet, I still have problems adding time for God into my daily schedule. So this week, I found recordings of the mysteries of the rosary online, and I put them on a CD so I can pray the rosary during my morning commute! It's not the most meditative state, but it's better than nothing, right? It will also help me learn all the mysteries - I only have the Sorrowful mysteries memorized (is it odd that those are my favorite mysteries?). Hopefully, this will be a start into writing God into my daily routine.

6.

I had a lot of frustrating disappointments in job search world this week. It seems like I just keep striking out every. single. time. Thankfully, I am blessed to have found a temporary job for at least two months that gives me 35 hours a week, but please pray that I will find something more permanent soon. I appreciate all of you who have been praying for me so far - it's been a long search!

7.

Finally, I'd like to give a shout out to my guardian angel! We celebrated the Feast of the Sts. Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel the Archangels this week, and it was a reminder that we have so much good fighting for us each and every day. When I was little, I somehow became convinced that my guardian angel's name is Emma, so this my shout out to you, Emma. Thanks for watching over me!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#31)

Thanks to Jen for hosting!

1. TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY! I am going to be the big 2-5! It sounds kind of weird to say that I'm going to be a quarter of a century old. I'm not sure how I am going to celebrate yet, but I know that my friend is cooking me dinner and baking me a cake (and she is an excellent cook/baker), so I'm looking forward to some good food with some good friends.
2. I just finished a novena to St. Gemma Galgani this week. She is the patron saint of back pain, so I prayed that my back will heal quickly, or that I will at least have the grace to accept this cross joyfully and offer up my pain for those who need it. 
3. I had an MRI this week on my back (by the way, those tubes are much tighter than they look on TV!), and you know what I thought about while lying in there for 30 minutes amongst the whirring? I wonder if magnetic resonance imaging is similar to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic theory? I almost asked the MRI technician, but then I decided that I already looked like enough of a nerd in my scrubs and hospital socks, and I didn't want him to think that I am a total geek (which, by the way, I totally am).



You see, the nucleus has a spin, and magnetic resonance is observed...

4. Did you see my latest Reflection on the Readings? It's all about LOVE. Not ooey-gooey love, but what it means and it what we are required to do to really love someone. Check it out and let me know what you think!
5. Elizabeth and I have been talking about how great we are at procrastinating... we gave each other blogging deadlines, and lo' and behold, neither of us met it! But I hope to have a new, very long post up soon for you all to read!
6. Please keep my job search in your prayers. I have recently had a setback with a job opportunity that I thought was going to pull through, but it just wasn't the job for me right now. I am continuing to look for temporary work, but in the meantime, I have become an expert couch-sitter. Do you think I can put that on a resume?
7. Do you remember where you were ten years ago from Sunday? I was in freshman honors biology class, creating two-headed planaria, when our principal came over the loudspeaker to announce that two planes had hit the World Trade Centers, one plane had crashed into the Pentagon, and another had crashed in Pennsylvania, due to the bravery of its passengers. I remember that we were shocked, and most of us didn't believe it was real. We even joked about it a bit, until one of my lab-mates said that his aunt worked in the Pentagon. After class, we made our way to the cafeteria, where the televisions had been turned on to show the news. I have never heard the school so silent as it was at that moment, as we all just sat and watched in amazement and fear. Even though we lived in central Ohio, we all just wanted to go home and be with our families, to feel safe. May we always remember what it felt like that day, and the pride we felt as a nation in the months to follow. Let us all remember those lives that were so suddenly lost, and pray for their souls, as well as their families and friends who have had to learn to live without them. Finally, I hope we can once again stand strong as a country, with that same spirit, someday soon.

 

7 Quick Takes Friday (#30)

 Head on over to Conversion Diary!

1.

I don't have enough political knowledge to understand everything that is going on with Obama's new mandate for insurance coverage of contraceptives, but there is a lively discussion happening over at Leila's blog. Be sure to check it out. The whole thing just frustrates me from both a religious and financial standpoint.

2.

Along those lines, we can all contact our representatives and senators to urge them to support the bill that protects our religious freedoms and restores our conscience rights. You can find the information at Catholic Vote.

3.

On a less serious note, I'm considering getting Twitter just so I can tweet about my new favorite show, Suits. OK, not really.

But seriously, I don't usually like lawyer shows, but I am already in love with this one. It is quirky and fast-paced, with my kind of humor. My only qualm with it so far? They like to use the not-so-nice version of "gosh darn-it." In a perfect world, television shows wouldn't see the need to use such offensive language to make their characters seem rough and tough, but I'm still holding out hope for the world of secular television!

4.

Did you read about all the great book recommendations that the Bright Maidens had for the summer? If you didn't, check them out. Here is my list of summer reads! I think I might do a little tab on my blog of a collection of book recommendations, because I really love giving them (and sometimes people actually ask for them!)

5.

I finished The House at Riverton, a book that I mentioned in my last post. It was such a great read! I really enjoy historical fiction that really gives you an idea of what life was like during that time period. This novel takes place around the time of WWI, which reminded me of Downton Abbey the whole time I was reading it, so now I am watching the miniseries again! It's just so weird to think that life was like that less than 100 years ago! I highly recommend both of these if you're looking for a good read or a great show to watch (and this show is fairly wholesome, so far).

6.

So after I finished The House at Riverton, I had to decide what to read next. I got a lot of great recommendations but wasn't ready to make a trip to the library just yet, so I decided to read Ella Enchanted for the umpteenth time.

For those of you have been following me for a bit, you might remember that this is my all-time favorite book. So good. Yes, it's a book written for 8 year olds. Yes, I still get a little choked up at certain parts. Yes, it's still amazing every time I read it.

If you haven't read this book, please do. It doesn't matter how old (or young!) you are. If you feel you are too cool for school to read a book way below your reading comprehension, then read it to your kids or those kids you baby-sit. I promise you that you will enjoy it as much as they do.

7.

I haven't heard back yet about that job that I really wanted (and thought I might get)... so I am pretty much giving up hope, sadly. This means that I am back at square one, which is a bad place to be when you've been living off of no paycheck for three months. At this point, I am looking for ANY kind of job that will hire an intelligent human being with two college degrees. I never imagined it would be this difficult to find a job after getting a master's degree in chemistry, but it is. 

For those of you who have been praying for me through this whole process, thank you. I have been trying to enact the prayer army over the past month or so while I continue my search, so please keep praying for me! I think this is teaching me that there is only so much control I can have over my own situation in life, and with everything else, I have to really learn to depend on God.

Hope you all have a great weekend! A special shout-out to my sister, who celebrates her 19th birthday today!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#29)

Thanks to Jen for hosting!

1.

I missed last week's Quick Takes because I was SO TIRED from the midnight premiere of HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART II!!!!! I absolutely loved the movie and thought it was a great end to my childhood the series. My sisters, my sister's friend, and I had a great time camping out in line, playing cards after being seated 3 hours early, and cheering on all the great parts of the movie! It was great to see some of my favorite parts of the entire book series come alive on screen, similar to how I imagined them in my head. I then promptly saw the movie again on Sunday evening, and it was just as good! For those of you who saw the movie, what did you think?

2.

Unintentionally keeping up with the Harry Potter theme, I saw this posted the other day:

She says:

I find the whole concept of being 'sexy' embarrassing and confusing. If I do an interview with photographs people desperately want to change me - dye my hair blonder, pluck my eyebrows, give me a fringe. Then there's the choice of clothes. I know everyone wants a picture of me in a mini-skirt. But that's not me. I feel uncomfortable. I'd never go out in a mini-skirt. It's nothing to do with protecting the Hermione image. I wouldn't do that. Personally, I don't actually think it's even that sexy. What's sexy about saying, 'I'm here with my boobs out and a short skirt, have a look at everything I've got?' My idea of sexy is that less is more. The less you reveal the more people can wonder.

I always knew that Hermione was smart. (If anyone knows what interview she said this in, please let me know!)

3.

Speaking of being so tired after the movie, this is how I spent my Friday after the midnight showing:

Creamsicle and a baby: typical Friday afternoon.

I enjoy visiting with our family friends whenever I'm home, and I also happen to be the favorite naptime buddy of this sweet baby. About 15 minutes after this was taken, I promptly fell asleep too! Why is it so fun to snuggle with babies? Oh, because they are warm and love you because you feed them unconditionally and are perfect partners for squeezing in an afternoon nap. I miss my snuggle baby!

4.

When did it become Friday? One of the many downsides of not having found a real job yet is that my days get all mixed together. The weekdays are just like my weekends, and so I no longer look forward to Saturday and Sunday like I used to. I know I will be kicking myself for saying this someday, but I really crave a schedule in my life - the typical 40 hour a week job, with Saturday and Sunday to rejuvenate! With everyday being the weekend, weekends just aren't as much fun!

5.

... Unless you are on vacation. Then every day being a weekend is fun. My family and I are headed off to vacation this weekend. We rented a house somewhere in Amish country in PA. Not really sure how this will all play out, but we'll see! We have some fun day trips planned to Philadelphia, a Hershey tour, and the outlet mall. Look for a picture of me with the Liberty Bell in a couple of weeks. Maybe I will run around like I'm in National Treasure while I'm there...

I could run through this graveyard in Philadelphia too...

6.

I downloaded Evernote a few weeks back after reading about it in Leila's blog, and then Jen suggested putting recipes you find online in a special notebook. Since I have lots of time on my hands, I surfed the interwebs for some fun recipes this week and tried one out! This chicken bake was delicious and it makes A TON of food. For those of you with larger families especially, this would be a great meal. It made two big casserole dishes - I even put over half of it in the freezer for later! I substituted stewed tomatoes for the sun dried tomatoes because I am on a limited budget... did you know that a little jar of sun dried tomatoes is $6! Crazy! It still tasted great to me!

7.

I interviewed for a job a couple of weeks ago and should be hearing about it soon! The interview went really well, and it sounds like a job I might be really interested in (unlike many of the other jobs I've interviewed for). Please continue to keep my job search in your prayers!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#28)

Thanks to Jen for hosting!

1. Do you know what is happening 1 week from today? If you guessed the official end of my childhood, then you would be correct. The final installment of the HARRY POTTER movies comes out at midnight next Friday. I'll be at the theater.... will you? 
2. Actually, I will be at a theater in Ohio with my sisters... we've been to some of the midnight shows together before and I thought for the last movie, I would rather be at home with them to see it! We'll be wearing the "I've been Pottered" t-shirts I made in the summer of 2007...



Apparently we liked to pretend that we didn't like each other back then. 

3. Can we just speak about how this is the end of my childhood for a moment? I first discovered the books in some random bookstore before they were popular here in the U.S. I can't remember what year I started reading them, but I must have been in middle school, so it would've been about 12 years ago. I was hooked, and began patiently awaiting the release of each book after that.  Even though I continued to anxiously await the new books and movies through college and beyond, I really have grown up with this series! 



Yes, I would have been almost 21 years old in this picture... but the heart of a child, for sure!

4. I used to re-read the books right before a new movie came out, but I decided not to this time. When the first Deathly Hallows movie came out, I read the book again a few months before instead of right before, and I found I enjoyed the movie so much more. I think for past movies, I would sometimes finish the book again the day that the movie came out, and so it would be fresh in my mind, and then I would be disappointed that they cut a certain part or portrayed a scene differently than I always imagined it. So I've opted to enjoy this final movie to the best of my ability!
5. Is this cruel? I've always thought that to give my future kids the excitement that I had growing up with Harry Potter, I would get them hooked on the first few books, then make them wait a year or two before reading the next... you know, to build up the excitement!
6. I'm not obsessed with Harry Potter in the least... are there any other Harry Potter fans out there? What is your favorite Harry memory? I think mine would be cracking open the books for the first time, or crying at the ending of the 7th book (while my roommate told me to go away for 3 days until he finished the book!), or being able to enjoy all the hype with my friends and family. No, wait, it might be finally seeing Daniel Radcliffe learn how to express emotion... it only took him five movies to learn how to laugh and cry (my sisters' and my favorite from Prisoner of Azkaban - "He was their friend!" *heavy breathy grunt and clench teeth*).



Me, totally not excited at all to get my copy of the 7th book from the library.

7. I didn't intend to devote this whole Quick Takes to Harry Potter... but then again, I do have a blog tag for it. Just to shake things up, 4th of July was great - I avoided the metro, but will have to tell you what I discovered about driving... but that will have to wait until another post!



My view was much better than this would seem...

7 Quick Takes Friday (#27)

Thanks Jen for hosting!

1. I got a new design for my blog! I've been wanting to change it for awhile, but I was having trouble getting everything the way I wanted it. I still don't like how the header isn't centered, but maybe blogspot will fix that soon... maybe?! Anyway, credit of the photo goes to Jen at Conversion Diary... she posted the photo in her blog months ago and I fell in love with it - it's been my desktop background pretty much ever since! What do you think of the new look? - be honest!
2. Last week, Leila sent me Abby Johnson's book Unplanned, and I finished it a couple of days ago. It really is a powerful story, and it provided a lot of insight into the pro-choice mindset and how Planned Parenthood works. I think we can use information like this to find common ground with many pro-choice supporters - like the fact that we all want to help women - and discuss how to further that - by caring for the whole person, not just by providing immediate but temporary and sometimes harmful solutions to the "problems" of women. I think Abby also has a powerful point, that we are going to win more converts by fighting them with love, prayers, and kindness - if the Coalition for Life hadn't been so kind and friendly to Abby for the 8 years she was at Planned Parenthood, would she have run to them when she realized she needed to leave? Probably not. Anyway, if you haven't read the book, go pick up a copy. Try your local library if you can't afford to buy a copy right now (like me!) or share it with friends! Thanks Leila for lending me your copy for the week!
3. I finally posted about my silent retreat. It's a long post, so ye be warned!
4. One of my favorite things about DC is July 4th! Despite all the politicians and politics that tear this city apart, or so it seems, July 4th really is very patriotic here. There's something about seeing the fireworks over the monuments that really gets me. I also hope to catch the concert this year too! If you were with me last year, you will also be glad to know that I have made a request of my friends that we NOT take the metro this year!
5. In my ample free time this past week, I finished off the BBC series Robin Hood, which I mentioned last week that I was watching. For those of you who like good TV shows, I would definitely pick up this one... except just skip the last season. It started out fine, but then just got weird and awful. Just pretend that the series ended after Season 2. Now, I have to find a new show to watch to help fill some time. Any suggestions?
6. I have a couple more interviews on my plate for "real" jobs, but it you know anyone who works in the chemical industry, would you mind hooking me up? I really just want to get my name out there to see what I can find! So far I haven't had that post-interview "I really want this job" feeling.
7. I've been debating whether or not to join the Bright Maidens for their post this Tuesday on tattoos... I don't really have a polarizing opinion either way, although I look forward on reading other people's insights. However, while watching The Voice earlier this week, I realized that my post would probably just have a bunch of pictures of Adam Levine, who has tattoos all over his arms. I have been a huge fan of Maroon 5 since before they were superstars, and I just think Adam Levine is really pretty, tattoos and all! So I will probably not post on this topic just because I don't think you all are really that interested in looking at a post of pictures... but hopefully I can join up again soon!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#26)

Jen had a baby! So go visit Conversion Diary... maybe there will be some cute baby pictures up!

1. Long time, no talk! I don't really have a valid excuse for my long absence, as I still have been unable to find any kind of job, so I do spend a lot of time sitting around looking for jobs (and watching TV) and trying to not spend money (and watching TV). It seems whenever my schedule is so incredibly flexible that I put things like catching up on everything happening in blog world to the side. But fear not! I have a couple of posts in the making, one talking a little bit about my retreat and one is that Scripture meme going around (I was tagged by Trista too long ago... good thing they don't have an expiration date!). I also am working on a new blog layout... I am a bit of a perfectionist so I hope to have it just the way I like it soon!
2. Just a quick mention about my retreat since my actual post is so delayed - my silent retreat went well, although it was a lot more difficult that I imagined, but more on that later! Thanks to everyone who remembered to pray for me - I prayed for your intentions every day at Mass!
3. The job search is chugging along. I haven't been able to find anything really temporary even yet, and full time work just hasn't finished getting through the application process. I have had a few interviews for temporary work, so hopefully that will come rolling in soon! Pray for my job search? My sanity (and my bank account) would be very grateful!
4. Speaking of job searching, I am looking for a job in chemistry, and I've found (so far) that they best way to get my name in is through connections. So, a request. Do any of you or anyone you know work in the field of chemistry? If you do, could I send you my resume? Also feel free to check out my profile on Linked In and pass it on to anyone you know!



I find scruffiness handsome. Keep that in mind, future suitors!

5. Check out this great post that I found through Why I'm Catholic, which talks about how Christians become atheists. Simple answer - they start to think about objective truth, and in their search, they end up in the opposite direction of Truth. 
6. I've been watching a lot of TV shows on DVD lately, because they're free from the library! I have long been a fan of the TV show Merlin from the BBC, so now I picked up another BBC show from a few years back called Robin Hood. It's really quirky, and quite cheesy, but I enjoy it (okay, I also admit that I find the actor who plays Robin very handsome). I think British humor just really resonates with my sense of humor (my British friend back home would definitely agree with this - she finds my dry sense of humor ha-larious!). Maybe I should just move to England where I can be immersed in British humor all day. I do sometimes miss living in London!
7. Finally, I have to give a shout out to Leila, because not only does she have some great posts this week, but she also is mailing me a copy of the book Unplanned by Abby Johnson. It's been on my reading list for awhile, and I do have a lot of free time to spend reading by the pool, so I can't wait to get it. You rock, Leila!

7 Quick Takes Friday (#25)

Thanks to Jen for hosting!

1. I GRADUATE THIS WEEKEND!!!! It's kind of hard to believe that I'll officially have a Master's degree. It seems like it's been a long process to get here (which is a long story which never turned into a blog post because it would have ended up being a novel), but I am so glad that I decided to switch from the PhD program and "leave" school early with a Master's. I guess I'll have to change my "About Me" section Sunday afternoon!
2. Now all that's left is to find a job... which has been cause for a lot of stress and anxiety - because not knowing my job situation leads to not knowing about my living situation which leads to not knowing what city or state I'll even be in past August. For someone like me that likes to have control of important situations and plans them out way in advance, it has been a very humbling experience, to say the least. It's definitely driving me to develop a deeper prayer life, that's for sure.
3. Speaking of prayer life, I just finished a novena to St. Frances Xavier Cabrini for help finding a job (she's my confirmation saint and I'm pretty sure she likes me a lot!)... still waiting for all those job opportunities to fall into my lap! No, but in all seriousness, I've come to enjoy praying novenas because, if anything, it keeps me accountable for devoting at least 15 minutes of prayer time in a chapel somewhere each day... but I almost always end up getting to Mass and/or Adoration as well.
4. This weekend is also a tough one because it means a lot of people are leaving town... I've grown really close to three of our FOCUS missionaries - spending lots of late nights laughing, doing crazy wholesome fun things, and having really thought provoking conversations. It will be difficult to not be able to spontaneously meet up with them for a drink and a good conversations anymore. Their friendship has had such a great impact on my life this past year, so I know we will keep in touch, but life will be a bit different without their joyful presence!
5. On Tuesday this past week, our chaplain treated us "seniors" to a day trip to Atlantic City, NJ. So the other senior and I packed up a van with the FOCUS missionaries, our campus minister, and our chaplain and hit the road. It was such a fun and relaxing day to spend on the beach and hanging out with everyone before they leave. We also got to reminisce about all the good memories from this past year... yea it got a little bit sentimental. There are some fun pictures posted here.
6. I'm pretty sure that if there was one prayer engraved on my heart, it would sound like this song:
7. Well, I have a long weekend ahead of me, so I'm going to rest for my seventh quick take! Have a great weekend!