Friendly visits: team Vegas

Back in July a group of our old Vegas friends paid us a visit for four sweet days. The first night in town we took a necessary trip to Clash Bar and indulged in many martinis and s'mores vodka shots. That's right, s'mores flavor - it's amazing. So, here's Chappie, myself, T, and Kimmy or "the Asian invasion" as we are better known. I know it's cliche, and I'm not even Asian. They just deem me so.

The next day we went over to Justina's (who also flew into town) house for a bbq. She is another Vegas friend who is coincidentally from the city Mikey and I currently live. 

Another night, all but Justina and Mikey went out to Splash, a fabulous gay nightclub in New York City. It was a Sunday night and although it was pretty dead, we owned that dance floor and made the huge space our own personal playground till the lights came on.

Quite possibly my favorite picture of the night. 

Unisex bathrooms! T is the Hunter to my Jessica <3 (watch their videos) I'm not kidding, that is exactly how we talk to each other every time we're together. 

A cool picture Chappie took of my shoe

The last day was spent in New York City, walking through Central Park, Times Square, and eating street hot dogs. You know, the fun touristy stuff. Unfortunately, T flew home early that morning.

And with that, I'll leave you with two quotes that I couldn't stop thinking about after I separated from the military and reflected on what it brought to my life, what I find to be the most valuable gift:
~ "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." -A.A. Milne
~ "Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes." -Henry David Thoreau

"Baby's got her blue jeans on"

This post title is after one of my favorite old country songs. I have many a'memories singing along and struttin' my stuff (on the porch) to this jam when I was just a little tyke. (Why do I think you did the same thing, Amber?)
So, on rare occasion when I slip into a pair of blue jeans, you can bet this song is playing in my head, making my ensemble go -again, in my head- from casual to "Hey, hey, sexy betch coming through." haha Ohhh.

Shirt: Urban Outfitters// Jeggings: American Eagle// Seychelles Clue Heel: Endless// Satchel: Thrifted// Beanie: old

the smelling-my-pits pose

About this extreme close up: I told Mikey I wanted a head shot [at a distance]; he took this face/headless shot. I was like "noooo" when I looked at the picture. I hate closeups. Why? Because I get self conscious about my bad, oily skin, huge pores and I don't have photoshop. Buuut I looked at it again and was like, "Screw it. I'm happy, healthy, I love my smile (even though I have a little lipstick on my teeth!), and bad skin or not, I love me. All of me." There's enough people in the world (usually hiding behind their computer screens) being so harshly critical of one another...why do it to yourself?!

Confidence feels good, but I will forever battle with just enough shyness to keep me on my toes :) 

I hope you ladies are having a fabulous week...and smiling beautifully through it! xo <3

Playing with my money is like playing with my emotions

Romper: Ruche// Cardigan: Red Dress Shoppe// Brogues: Endless// School bag: ModCloth// Hair bow used as bow tie c/o Coral Clover (one of my sweet Instagram pals!)

So check this out. Other than bartending every now and again on weekends, going to school is my full time job and my/our source of income. Mikey and I, having served in the military, are granted free education through what's called the GI Bill. Not only is our tuition absolutely covered, but we each get a separate paycheck just for going to school, therefore, we don't get paid when we aren't enrolled, e.g. during summer. So it is a job. A pretty sweet deal, yes, but it came with its cost and I feel veterans are more than deserving of this privilege. But I digress. It's nearing October and where we usually get paid precisely on the last day of the month, we have yet to see our August checks. We're also still waiting on our book stipends, a separate check that covers the cost of books each semester. The VA (Veterans Affairs office) is backed up by like, A LOT, on sending out paychecks to all of us vets. Basically we've been big time homebodies eating a ton of sandwiches, egg concoctions, and Ramens...which is typical college life anyway I suppose. But we're not used to this so it sucks (plus I haven't shopped in an eternity!). Dear VA head honchos: You don't want me to go all Big Worm on you, because playing with my money is like playing with my emotions. And I don't like it. So please send us our dinero. Now. 

And friends, please send good vibes our way so that Mikey can get one of these jobs he's applied to since graduating college this summer! (He's only enrolled in school again this semester so that he can help bring in money until he gets a call from a potential job opportunity.) Thanks in advance. 

I hope your weeks are going well! :)

Ain't nobody got time for that

Things have been crazy busy here. With school mostly. I can't even tell you how many books/plays I've been reading a week (in the whole almost-month we've been back to school, ha! I'm such a weenie). The next time my professors assign homework, I just wanna respond with crazy eyes and "Ain't nobody got time for that!" (I love all the memes & parodies for this video - hilarious!)
I have a chunk of deadlines to meet, for school and non-school related projects. I do apologize to my friends that I've kept waiting for stuff from me. I haaate making people wait and I feel horrible when I don't do something in the time I said I'd do it, e.g. not having my vlog posted by Friday...or Saturday...or Sunday. One day this week Mikey will show me how to edit the thing so it's not the length of a tv show.

Dress: F21// Bag, Seychelles pumps: ModCloth// Flower clip: Ruche

I really should have painted my toenails before I photographed these feet, but I direct you to this post's title. 

This is what I wore to school a couple weeks ago after I'd seen a few of my blog friends wearing one of my favorite color combos, yellow & green. I felt inspired to do the same. Granted I wore mustard and green, but whatevs. It was my "summer is about to meet fall" tribute. ;)
I hope your weeks are going swell, my friends. Sweet dreams <3

small talk

Dress: Nishe via ASOS// Granny cardigan: F21// Brogues: Endless// Hair bow: American Apparel

It was SO chilly when I headed to school one morning this week. The realization that fall is rapidly approaching kind of bummed me out. What was once my absolute favorite season is now regarded as the prelude to my winter blues. Don't get me wrong, I love layering, my impressive collection of tights, cozy cardigans, and any excuse to wear a cute printed scarf, but my relationship with fall went from "in a relationship" to "it's complicated" when we moved to the northeast. I still adore fall when it's here, yes, but I don't wish for it to come anymore because I feel like it's just gone in a blur, so happy to make way for the prolonged, butt-shivering winters that I loathe more than all the habitual red light runners and rear-ending tailgaters of New Jersey.
And on that sourpuss note, y'all have a great rest of your week! :) Oh, that vlog I wanted to post by Friday will likely come Saturday or Sunday now...I was having a ton of problems fidgeting and looking down as I responded to the questions, so it's going to require some editing. Why am I so awkward?!

el oh el

Guys, I wasn't even going to blog tonight - I'm exhausted and so ready for bed. BUT my crazy husband decided to make the most random and extremely hilarious video before turning in for the night. It's a montage that features [mostly boozy] household moments with our pets and friends/neighbors. I literally have watched it about a dozen times and my tummy hurts from the laughter. Oh, the best part is he randomly selected the background song and we googled it - it's Ginger, from the Spice Girls. The song's horrible but takes the video to that level of ridiculousness that I adore. Maybe you'll find it equally humorous, maybe you won't. But here it is. Goodnight! xo

*Note: You might have to click "watch on YouTube", but it'll work there if it doesn't here.

*Also: Our pup Bowie was not affected from accidentally getting his head bumped (by Kiser). Nor was he hurt when again, Kiser, played spin the bottle with him. Poor, Bowie. At least he knows how to rock a sweater vest.*

"I've got a date with the night"

[post title from song by the Yeah Yeah Yeah's here - listen to it, it's bad ass. I always get so revved up when I hear it. I played it on repeat the whole way home from school on Friday.]

 Judith March dress, oxford pumps: ModCloth (a long time ago)// Clutch: so old, I don't even remember 

All [last] week long I kept finding myself thinking, "boy, I could use a glass of wine or a martini right about now"; usually when I found my face buried in books that were less than sort-of-interesting and typing up analytic papers. So by the time Friday rolled around and I suffered through reading a play with way too much stage direction, 8:30 couldn't come fast enough - Clash Bar opens at 8:30. (Another reason I miss Vegas: bars were open all day, everyday. But let me clarify, I'm nowhere near an alcoholic; I just like a drink here and there and wish that anytime I wanted one, there was a groovy bar ready and open.) Anywho, Mikey and I headed to Clash where our friend Bob served me up two John Waters-melon martinis, a salty pretzel shot, and a cider. Needless to say, that was a little much. I sang (more like, shouted) a country song out the passenger window of my car on the way home to people standing on their stoops, ate a slice of chocolate cake when I got home, made friendly with porcelain, and passed the heck out. Thankfully I was hangover free Saturday morning! Nothing sucks more than losing a whole day in bed because you were a Boozy Suzy the night before. Other than that, the rest of my weekend was spent watching Celebrity Ghost Stories on the couch - I'm seriously addicted to that show.
How were y'alls weekends? Anyone really enjoy him or herself like me? hehe Have a great week back at work, school, etc.!

Good, Bad, Ugly

Crop top: Forever 21// Skirt: Target// Cardigan: Express// Brogues: ModCloth

I've been meaning to give this "good, bad, and ugly" feature a try after seeing it as a regular series on Corinne's blog, Life Etc... I love when she does these! Definitely check her blog out if you haven't; she's a doll. Okay, so here goes:
The Good: All the rain we've been having! Going to bed to the pitter-pattering sound of drops hitting the window and waking up to it is simply the best.
The Bad: Having to take outfit photos indoors. As if I didn't loathe that enough, Mikey wasn't able to be my photog this day and I had to set up the tripod all by me self.
The Ugly: These photos. Judging by the first picture, I'm not very good at this - too much ceiling! And wow, I couldn't even move that Bed Bath & Beyond 'art' before I started the timer each time?! How'd I not catch that? Aaannndd look at my crinkled, wrinkled skirt!! Horrid. Just wow.

Okay so that was fun! Although, I didn't nearly go off on the kind of comical tangent Corinne does, which is what makes reading hers so entertaining. I'll have to try this again in the future. Thanks for the idea, Corinne!
If you haven't done so already, please leave any questions you have for me so I can make a vlog post answering them next week! I'll answer pretty much anything within reason :)
Have a wonderful weekend, lovelies!

such great heights

This weekend Mikey and I went for a quick drive up to nearby Garret Mountain.  It's really nice there - lots of runners, cyclists, hikers, picnickers, and family spots near a lake. I'd love to run up there but even with all the activity and potential witnesses, I'm the most paranoid person that ever lived; I worry that a leisurely run might end in me getting kidnapped. *knocks on wood* Any other paranoid Patty's out there? Anywho, this day we went for a little walk up to the mountain's edge and overlooked our city and the New York City skyline. I'm also afraid of heights so even though I'm smiling, I really just got done telling Mikey to "hurry up and take the f*****g picture" so I can carefully walk back to my safe spot.

Not exactly distinct, but look closely-- NYC skyline in the background

Paterson, New Jersey

Romper (way old), bag: ModCloth// Cardi: Target// Belt: F21// Flats: Old Navy

My good friend Violet from Blythe Ponytail Parades recently did a vlog post and since I just loooove when my blog buddies really come to life through the power of video and voice, I thought that maybe I should do the same. After thinking for a long while about what the fudge I'd vlog about, I decided to just follow Vi's lead by doing a "answers to your questions" type video. That brings us to the part where I ask y'all if there are any lingering questions you have or just random shit you want to know about me that I haven't already babbled on about here. Depending on how many of you are actually curious about me will determine when I make this thing, but I'll shoot for Friday of next week. And if I get no questions...I'll just make a video of me staring into the camera for ten minutes. 

Have a great rest of your week, dolls! xo 

"Cause back in school, we are the leaders..."

[I've never been able to start school up again without this song playing in my head.]
Last week was fun but exhausting. The first week of school always wears me out, and I was taking naps as soon as I got home every day! All this new information stored on top of previous semesters information and waking up at 6 a.m. versus whenever the hell I feel like it was causing everything in me to shut down somewhere around 4 p.m. However, I think my body and brain are finally aware that I require them to be productive once again so I'm excited to take on new academic challenges. <---Extremely nerdy shit right there.

Blouse: Marshall's// Skirt: ModCloth// Flats: Target 

  

I took long strolls across campus after classes last week, just to soak it all in. It's a new season. A new semester at my beloved uni. I hope it's another positive one (filled with A's and maybe new friends, but mostly A's). Am I the only one who gets this sort of rush from the anticipation of meeting my newest professors and seeing the new flock of youngins I'll be stuck with all semester long? I live for first days of school and scanning the faces in the room. It makes me feel like a kid again, so excited to be starting over....I just love when things are brand new.

Good luck to any friends that have recently gone back to school or to my friends across the globe that are having final exams before a break!

Love,

Roni