#brooklyntree

[garyconger]

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Memory tree. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. #memorytree #treecarving #brooklyntree #loverstree https://www.instagram.com/p/CUGUpDdA3DW/?utm_medium=tumblr

[brooklyntree]

Even a day late, I’m not going to NOT post these photos from our wedding (two years ago!). Always love a chance to paste Ryan’s tears all over the internet. 

Best day ever.

April 5th, 2013 - San Francisco, CA

[brooklyntree]

I'M SO SORRY.

I'm sorry that I only communicate in texts posts where I apologize for being absent. I know that's stupid. So I'm sorry.

February is a crazy month for Ryan and I. Work is insane with travel and performance appraisals (today--please wish me luck) for me, and concerts and meetings for Ryan. The first weekend we were in Nashville (which I definitely will try to post a best of later, because I'm *~*practically*~* a local now that I've been there twice), last weekend was the wedding of the century in San Diego for my coworker/work wife/BFF (also, that event could use a post but let's not get crazy), and this weekend we'll drive to Palo Alto and stay with Ryan's family for the Stadium Series outdoor hockey game. All Ryan's best friends are there already/flying in so it's going to be a lot of fun. 

It's a little nuts around here. I have not fully unpacked a suitcase since January. So. I'm sure you can imagine the state of my wardrobe. (I just wear dresses so I don't have to take my pants and shirts to the dry cleaner.)

You guys follow me on instagram/I send all my instagrams here so I don't think anyone thought I was dead and/or cared I haven't posted. Except maybe the people who followed me because I used to post amazing interior design photos. But those people have already left and all you love me inspite of my flaws!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And for that I'm grateful.

[brooklyntree]

Recent goings-on

I use tumblr like a facebook page, and I use my facebook page as an address book. What do you guys want me to post? I have absolutely no idea why you follow me.  I follow you guys because i like observing your life changes like babies, new apartments, good recipes, marriages, etc.

Anyways, over the past two weeks I have:

worked on a proposal that would have us doing work in Australia

was asked to be a bridesmaid three times (two were on the same date, but at least in the same city, so I turned my good friend down in favor of my cousin because family, even though it was hard)

a few times, I laughed until I cried with Ryan which feels like honey on my soul

watched all of Bob’s Burgers on Hulu

restarted Orphan Black because it is amazing

started reading All the Light We Cannot See and am loving it

I’m so happy about the progress I’ve made overcoming my anxiety—oh, something fell through the cracks at work? THat’s okay! I will take full repsonsibility and talk about it without feeling like a failure!

also, a used bookstore opened in our mall and I just walked around fror twenty minutes with a huge smile on my face

I’m going to stop and get a pretzel crust pizza from Little Caesars because, seriously, YOLO. ANd I never say YOLO. But. YOLO.

[brooklyntree]

Hey ya'lllllll

I haven't eaten refined sugar (only maple syrup and fruit, actually) in two weeks. I may have overdosed on decadent desserts at the Park Hyatt in Carlsbad and needed a change. That in conjunction with not drinking much beer anymore... has my body looking totally different. Also, I never thought I wouldn't crave those afternoon mini snickers but I don't! I'm happy for the change. Ryan and I finished The Office and are back to the beginning. It's my comfort food. Every joke is just as good as the first time. "You can't fire me! I don't work in this van!" Ugh. So good. I just painted my nails Kermit green. New car! A Jetta! All the options! I was excited to leave the office just so I could drive home. Yay! Headsnapper Proseco is pulling ahead for a new favorite. I've been cleaning up the data in an excel sheet for hours and... hours. It will be so satisfying when it's done. I worked every day this weekend which means I'm still going for most consecutive days worked in my life--fifteen. Basically work has consumed my life and I alternate between sobbing at the ATM from exhaustion and walking around the office with a huge smile on my face. It's tough, but I really do love the work that we're doing and it makes all those long weeks worth it.

[brooklyntree]

A tumblr of ideals

My tumblr looks like it's used in an unconventional way (as opposed to a traditional blog) but I don't think it really is. If you look as all the things I post (whether it's original or reblogged content) the truest form of me is represented. All my likes and ideals, in all their multifaceted glory.

Equity (not equality which, by the way, actually took years for my beliefs to truly make the shift)

Education (the best kind, and for everyone)

Atheistically appealing things (whether it's fitted navy jackets, or time-lapse photos of the stars, or homes with white-washed floors)

Snuggly and/or heartbreakingly adorable animals (see also: fainting goats, cats (DUH), horses, x-kind of animal being friends with y-type of animal)

Me (because honestly it took 24 years to get to a place where I wasn't down on myself every minute, "ugh, why didn't you say that!" "ugh, you could have studied harder!" "ugh, actually tell them what you want instead of sitting here for three days wondering what they'll say!" My anxiety doesn't own me anymore.  But I had to learn that growing and learning and failing and trying again is the point, instead of always seeking an end result of perfection that is, in fact, impossible.)

I don't care about blog traffic or finding a title that will get me repinned to Pinterest (which is really why I like tumblr and don't follow anyone on Blogger or Wordpress) because that's not why I do this.  That's not ever why I've blogged (ten years running, what what!) and I don't think I'll ever be that person.

tumblr is the best, and I'm so lucky I found it so long ago. Ya'll are the best ever. Thanks for being awesome, always.

[brooklyntree]

What to put on your wedding registry, see also: this opportunity will never come around again so make it good, ya jerk

Ashley of umcanyounot suggested luggage and that is how I know she is Jesus.  Seriously, the luggage has been a total win. I love it so much. I used to travel so much last year and it was so nice to have some professional looking pieces (the setI bought from Bass in college was shredding so...)  We asked for a Samsonite set--the only thing I would double check is the size of the carryon because the one we have is juuuust barely small enough to stuff in an overhead.  Jamming your suitcase in the overhead is so uncouth. 

Our baby Dyson and our steam mop (it's a Shark, too lazy to look up which one) are neck in neck for the most used practical gifts besides towels OH GOD ASK FOR NICE PLUSH TOWELS.  Baby Dyson picks up everything from broken glass (thanks, Herman, you fat asshole, for knocking over every glass ever placed on a countertop) to beard trimmings from Ryan's bathroom escapades (IF YOU THINK THAT SOUNDS GROSS YOU SHOULD NOT BE GETTING MARRIED FYI JUST SAYING). The Shark steam mop makes me whant to roll around on my dust free wood floors.  It feels wonderful and makes me happy. I realize that I am posting borderline sexual attraction to cleaning supplies and for that I'm sorry.

I have no problem with our pots but I wouldn't call them ohmygodlifechanging and therefore will not recommend any specific type BUT DEAR LORD BUY A CAST IRON SKILLET AND HUGE DUTCH OVEN.  That's all.  Just those two will change your life.

I'm sure I love a lot of the things from our registry but everytime I use one of the aforementioned items I say "THANK YOU, _insert person who got us the thing here_."

Go forth and wed!

[brooklyntree]

Thursday Thoughts

I first got highlights when I turned 16, meant to hide the issue of my sunny blonde strand's rapid transition to mousy brown. For the next five years my hair colors spanned the rainbow, ranging from $200 salon colors to stinking $6 box dye jobs in my dorm room sink. When I cut off most of my hair in fall of 2011, it was as penance to my poor, bone dry strands. I continued to cut it even shorter for the next year and never colored it.  This is all to say that it's finally grown (I estimate it's at about 10 inches) and I actually love the color. Kind of auburn, kind of chocolate. Who knew?

Speaking of coworkers, one of mine is pregnant and instead of cards, everyone is picking a book and writing a note in it.  Such an adorable idea.  I picked a beautiful version of the Velveteen Rabbit, and I'm excited to give it to her. I say it all the time, but I really do with some of the most awesome people ever. We’re mostly in our 20-30s and are total go-getters and hilarious English majors.  Pretty ideal.

Two of my good friends from college had babies last week and they are so, so, so precious. It makes me think about life and work and loving work, but loving my family, too. I guess you'll never really know what the 'right' thing is to do, so I try to remove all preconceived notions about the timeline of what 'should' be and focus on what we want and where we find our happiness.