again

again, this is where i'm at now. click that, or go to mynewspapertaxi.wordpress.com

and add it to your google reader. do it.

wordpress

new page.

click here. make sure you add it to your google reader!

as for if I'll continue to post here or not, or if that other page is permanent or not, I have no idea. I just felt compelled to start over.

they need work

I'm pretty sure I've written about this before, but I'm going to write about it again because it's really pissing me off.

If you open up a People, or an Us, or any other tabloid-type magazine, especially around this time of year, you'll see countless articles and photo-spreads talking about 'the Best and Worst Beach Bodies' and 'What Stars Really Look Like.' These articles feature photos and information about which actors, singer, and general entertainers are considered 'hot' or 'not'. If you really pay attention to these sections in the magazines, you will find they are absolutely the most confusing, conflicting pieces of information. We see photos of different celebrities, some of them having had several children, and they are 'all wrong.' Too fat, too soft, too wrinkly, too much cellulite. Because apparently, a woman's body growing and pushing out three babies doesn't entitle her to have a little extra above the bikini bottoms she's wearing. These women are not fat, they are WOMEN. Our bodies do that! Our bodies change! People overlook the fact that we are GIVERS OF LIFE. I'd like to see the man who wrote the article and compiled the photos of the 'fat' actresses and entertainers push out a kid or two. I've never had children, obviously, but the women in my life that have, are the most beautiful amazing women I've ever seen.

So, women are supposed to be really thin, super ripped, but still maintain a 'feminine physique' a.k.a. have bodacious boobs and butts. Is the media aware that this is really rare, if not impossible, by nature?  That's really a random interjection, interrupting the flow of my thoughts, but it popped up and needed to be addressed...

But wait, it gets better....

Having flab is bad, but what else will you see in these photo-spreads? Oh, that would be the one or two photos with a sunburst slapped in the corner of it, reading 'TOO SKINNY!' And you know what I have to say to that? MAKE UP YOUR DAMN MIND! What am I supposed to look like?! If girl #1 is too flabby (who really isn't, just maybe has a stretchmark or two visible from the last of the 3 pregnancies she's had...) and girl #2 is too skinny, this leaves me really confused. I don't know what I'm 'supposed' to be, especially since being a natural human woman just isn't acceptable.

It's like with the articles and such that go on and on about obesity, and how it's taking over America, and Americans are fatter than ever. And on the next page, it's about eating disorders, and how every teenage girl in America has one, and they're too skinny. Well, then, what am I 'supposed' to do, magazine? Can you please make up your mind and let me know? Should I be starving myself, or eating whatever I want and 'accepting my body'? Can you see why a teenage girl would be confused?

This is really long. I'm sorry. I just had to get this off of my flat chest, which is connected to my too-big hips, and flabby thighs. Or perhaps connected to my too-skinny waist and too-skinny arms. Who knows? I live in a constant state of confusion. Thanks American media, I appreciate what you do to my psyche.

Happy Birthday! Part 3

Time for Happy Birthday! Part 3

5.8.09 - officially 4 days after my real birthday.

This was on a Friday. A bunch of my lovely friends and I met up for some dinner. Some people weren't able to get together for the other parts of my birthday, so this was one of the only times everyone could be at the same place at the same time! It was great! There were a couple people who couldn't make it, and that was a real bummer, but it did not overshadow who DID come, and those awesome people who came completely made up for it. Some friends I hadn't seen in a very long time were there. It was, of course, hilarious and awesome. After we were done with dinner on the Landing, we all went our separate

 ways. Nick and I went out to That 80's Club at Rue13, and it was so much fun! I met some of Nick's friends, and they are rad. Really great people, and I look forward to hanging out with them again! So, after dancing the night away (quite literally, didn't get home until around 3 a.m.), we left, and I crashed so hard. Exhaustion had set it, and still hasn't really been lifted.

One bummer thing is a couple of my friends who were at the dinner ended up at the bar RIGHT NEXT DOOR to Rue13, but I didn't have my phone on me, so I didn't know! So, they were hanging out over there, and on the sidewalk, and we missed each other. Otherwise, there would have been even more good times, I feel sure. Maybe next time!

I've been keeping up with my running, but it's a boring blog topic, you know? So, I've been doing it, and I'm feeling good. I have found that I eat a lot more now that I'm running, but I'm still losing weight... I don't really get how that works, but hey, I'm not going to complain. School is almost done, just two exams to go! 

Also, a request please: my dear cousin is going through a bit of an intimidating moment health-wise, so if you would keep her in your thoughts/prayers/meditation/good vibes/whatever else you believe in, I would appreciate it immensely!

Happy Birthday! Part 2

You can read Part 1 here.

Part 2: The day after my birthday, 5.5.09

I usually have Tuesdays off of everything. School, work, etc. absolutely everything. So, Tuesday was the day that I celebrated with my boyfriend! He had to work, so we met up later. The evening started off lovely! He gave me a dozen of gorgeous roses, along with a ticket to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's show happening in June!!! They're a band that we both dig, and the show is going to be awesome. And the roses are still beautiful. I'm actually looking at them right now. I should maybe take a picture of them...

(Speaking of photos, I completely forgot to take photos of ANY of the festivities! How much do I suck? And I call myself a photographer... Although my mom got a photo of the cake Matt gave me, where he wrote 'asshole' in the side of the icing... Yeah, my friends are nice to me.)

After, we went over to Pi to eat. That place is really cool. If you're from the St. Louis area, and you haven't been there, you should take the time to check it out. Thursday nights there are two really awesome DJ's there that play only the best music... haha, I couldn't help myself. After we had pizza and some drinks, we went over to a bar where his friend was bartending. I can't remember what it's called, but it's in a sweet brick building that was really open. It was essentially a loft, with a bar in it and some cool lounge-y areas. We hung out there for a bit, had some drinks, and shared some interesting stories.  After we were done hanging out there, we went home, because I had class the next morning :( Education is really starting to get in my way... ha!

So, that concludes birthday Part 2! It was awesome, and I had so much fun.

Happy Birthday! Part 1

** This is going to be in installments. My birthday celebrations are lasting all week, and if I wrote it all out in one post, it would be terribly unorganized and it would probably take you two hours to read it. No one wants that. So far, I'm thinking this is going to be in three parts? Maybe four...

Part 1 - Actual birthday, 5.4.09

I started the day off by going to school. Doesn't sound like fun, no, but I actually like my classes, and have some friends in the them that I look forward to seeing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So, I put on a cute dress (because life always looks it's best when you're wearing a cute dress) and was on my way. After a pretty chill day of classes, I had some errands to run. Being a grown-up sucks, because even on your birthday, you have to do the things you have to do. No fun. Later that evening, my family and I went out to eat at The Cheesecake Factory to celebrate. I was really disappointed because my man couldn't/chose not to come to dinner with us, and that was a bummer. But I had a great dinner, the waiter was awesome, and I got a couple of nice cards with sweet little gifties tucked inside.

After, I started getting cryptic texts from my best friend, Matt. These texts ran along the lines of "I'm listening to Cake in my car." and "What do you think about Arctic Monkeys and Cake? A nice combo, right?" And I was thinking, "Uh, yeah, sure, but I don't really care..." And then came the "So, when are you getting home?" I didn't know what was up. So, I got home, and put my stuff down, and my doorbell rang. I saw a really weird glow, and opened the door. And there was Matty, with a cake, and 20 candles a-blaze! (The texts referred to the ice cream (arctic) cake (Cake) he had waiting for me) So there were two cakes, some Rod Stewart tunes, many laughs, and ending the night at IHOP with bacon and hot chocolate.

All in all, it was a pretty great birthday!

Part 2 coming soon!!!

Week 2 Day 1 & 2

Ok, so this is a quick little nothing-update, because I'm on my way to work. I'm really sorry, I haven't been able to find the time to keep up with this! And I actually have so much to write about! My birthday was on Monday, the celebrations continued into Tuesday, and then Friday will wrap up the birthweek, and there have been lovely times had by all. But I'll get to that later...

On Tuesday, I started Week 2, and I'll have Day 2 of Week 2 today after work. It was definitely more difficult. Near the end, my legs were aching. Along with my lungs, my heart, etc. I mean, it was completely doable, and I finished it, and I finished well, but geez. It was on the tough side. Today will be Day 2, and I'm really hoping it will be a little easier...

Now I'm off to work. Oh, and I've also been hardcore failing at my 365 project. I just don't have any time lately! But hopefully, I'll get back to it soon.

Week 1 Day 1 Part 2

So, I decided to do Week 1 over again, just for good measure. I figure it's better to start with a good foundation, and not progress too quickly, then to get halfway through and want to cut my legs off. I'll probably get to that point anyway, so what's the rush?

Week 1 Day 1 Part 2 was fabulous. It wasn't tough at all, and I ended just feeling awesome. So, I might actually be making progress! I'm excited.

7 days

It's officially one week until my birthday. On Monday, May 4th, I will be turning 20 years old.

Wow, that's so weird.

Anyway, here are some things that are on my wishlist:**

1) Registration in the Lewis&Clark Half-Marathon

2) Spaghetti (what? I'm a girl of simple pleasures... And I really love pasta.)

3) Tickets to a Cardinals game. I've never been to a baseball game before, and everyone always has so much fun at those... And I don't even care if I'm in a bad spot. It's not like I know anything about the game anyway...

4) Last, but most certainly not least, I STILL WANT THIS 50mm 1.4 LENS! One day, this baby will be my very own, and I will photograph everything in the world with it. I borrow my parents' lens often, and I have officially completely fallen in love with it.

** This is, of course, completely for blogging purposes. I don't expect any of these things, and honestly, I don't expect any presents at all. So, please don't ask me what I want for my birthday. I have everything I could ever need, and want, and much more. I'm not doing one of those "Oh my gosh, don't get me anything, but I secretly expect you to get me the perfect gift anyway..." things, I genuinely don't want any gifts. Just a nice big cake. Or maybe 2 cakes. So I can have my cake, and eat it too... No, really...

Week 1 Day 2!

So, today was Day 2 of Week 1!

It was good!

My calves are a little sore, because I'm usually a run-til-I-die-then-walk kind of exerciser, so my thighs always ache, but my calves don't usually feel too awful. So, at first I was kind of thinking "I'm totally going to have to do week 1 twice..." but then, by the middle, I realized that I was feeling good, and that my pace was a little quicker than last time. I could tell because I run the same trail, so I kind of new external markers, and where they hit with the music/chimes, and I realized that I was a little bit faster. Which wasn't a goal, I didn't plan on it, it just kind of happened. Is that a good sign? Does that mean maybe I won't kill myself with week 2?

Also, Jaime commented on my post on my 101 in 1001 blog with a lot of awesome information! I added onto my list #99, to run a half-marathon. She gave me a couple links, including a half-marathon that happens in St. Charles in September! THANK YOU SO MUCH JAIME! I had been kind of searching around for a half-marathon that happened later in the year, which would kind of coincide with training and such, and she sent me straight to one that seems pretty awesome! I appreciate that so much! I'm going to sign up for it! I think maybe if I have a dead-set goal (especially one that I paid for!) it will really motivate me to keep up with the interval workouts and such. So, thanks again Jaime! You rock!

Today was Earth Day! One of my art classes was going to happen outside (the weather was GORGEOUS) but not enough people had their books. So, my teacher is AWESOME, and compromised, and said that if we brought our books on Friday, we could have class outside then. It will still be Earth Week, and it's supposed to be even nicer outside on that day (as if that were even possible...). I, being the dirty hippie that I am, LOVE Earth Day, and think it should be a bigger deal than it is. I've always loved and looked forward to Earth Day as long as I can remember... We're talking planting trees when I was in first grade...

Other than that, just school and work. I'm truckin' along. I am going out of town this weekend, for my brother's soccer tournament. Nothing too crazy adventurous, but it'll be awesome to be away, and I work so much I haven't been able to see my little (HA! He's 6'1") brother play at all yet this season. I'm really looking forward to a break from work, and some family time.

Oh, I almost forgot. I checked out the art show at my school this afternoon, and wow. I was impressed. Last years was good, and everyone was really talented, but this year, it's incredible! The photographers and sculptors, especially! I'm not in any studio art classes this semester, just art history ones, so I didn't participate. But really guys, if any of you are reading this, I applaud you! It was definitely worth seeing, so if you're in the area check it out.