New Layout/Design

Hey all,

Just a quick note to say that (obviously) the design of the blog has changed. Spiffy new header, too! The perfectionist in me spent a LOT of time trying to find a design template that centered the header. None of this off to the side business.

More updates and an explanation of "Little Red Riding Hound" soon!

What You See vs. What's Really There

I recently had a dinner party. I set my table like this:

This is how it usually looks:

PS3 and Other Affairs

I recently read a status update on Facebook that said, "Xbox is the other woman!" While this may elicit some chuckles, I imagine it also rings all too true for some. As it so happens, I'm watching my fiance play Bioshock (a PS3 game) as I type this. It also so happens that he's only able to play it because I stopped playing Harry Potter on the same machine. (Can't believe I just admitted that).

The good news about this whole situation is that James doesn't overdo it (and neither do I). As a full time student and full time worker, he doesn't have the time. And even if he did, I'm confident that he would spend a healthy amount of time on other pursuits. Including hanging out with me.

As the Twitter trending topic goes: If your man spends more time on video games than he does on you...#youneedanupgrade.

UPDATE: He saw the picture I was putting on this post and goes, "Woah, where did that come from? Why are you blogging about Bioshock, Cupcake? Do you not like it? Do you think I'm being insensitive?" Hahahahaha.

New Project

I'm in the development stages (read: thinking about it) of a new web design project that would function as a personal site and a blog. In order to facilitate this, I will need a new personal computer (my poor Macbook Pro has called it quits). I'm hoping to get a new iMac (above -- drool) in the next few months, and a copy of Adobe Creative Suite 5 Design Premium (this includes the old favorites: Photoshop (with new 3D features!), Illustrator, and InDesign...as well as Dreamweaver and a few others. James (Future Hubs) has the student discount from Apple until December (when he graduates from uni!) so I'm gonna have to grab that by then -- the student price is only $450!

In any case, I'm pretty excited about this...and in order to give it my best effort, I'm going to start blogging again in earnest. Really. See you soon!

Black + Blum: Let's Give Them Something to Blog About

I ordered something from Uncommon Goods the other day that I just received this morning -- and I think it is the most spectacular thing I have ever purchased for my home. THAT in love.

Presenting, the Loop from Black + Blum.

I ordered two, so I can interlink them as shown at right. You can actually do it a couple different ways, and they all look fab. According to the website, the design is based on the Fibonacci curve (often found in nature and quite pleasing to the eye) which makes for a great design and conversation piece. I'm having a dinner party on Saturday, can't wait to use these!

Suggestions: Check out both the Uncommon Goods and Black + Blum websites. You will not be disappointed.

Long Ago and Far Away, In A World Much Younger Than Today

If I could, I'd like to skip over the obligatory "it's been forever" speech of long-windedness. It has, I have reasons (some of them legit!), and I hope to be more diligent in the future.

That wasn't so bad. Moving on! A slightly abbreviated list of what's been going on since I last wrote (August!), in no particular order:

• James and I moved in together, into a lovely little apartment on the far West side of town that has charming details (huge mirrors and a lovely wood-burning fireplace). We bought a new couch (a picture of which is posted several posts ago), and all we really have left to do is paint, buy a dining set, and some randoms...like a DVD tower. We probably won't get to this for awhile, because...
• We're engaged! I'm not one of those girls who has dreamed of her wedding day since she was twelve, so I have no idea what I want, nor any money saved up. However, thanks to a huge binder I'm getting organized...I'll post a picture of it sometime, the OCD organizer in me loves its numerous tabs and detailed sections.
• I went on my first business trip (so adult), to California. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. Maybe some pics of this, too.
• I bought Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I haven't seen the Julie and Julia movie (yet), but I've been longing for some French food basically since the day I moved back from Paris, and this seemed the most accessible. I made some Supremes (chicken breasts) with a cream sauce for my parents the night James asked my dad for my hand (blech, hate that phrasing) and it was marrrrvelous.
• I had my 21st birthday party at a restaurant/bar downtown. It was an Alice in Wonderland theme, and though it took a LONG time to plan (when I was planning it, I may have said, "Ugh this is like planning a wedding!" more than once...if only I knew what I know now!) but it was so worth it. THOSE pictures will definitely be posted; my friends really got into it and looked great in costume.

Wow, that list was even more abbreviated than I thought. Makes sense -- aside from work I mostly stay home these days, which I'm loving. I promised James I'd start cooking more consistently so we can save more money for the wedding. Any recipes for simple meals that make for good lunch leftovers? My problem is that when I cook these days, it's usually something elaborate that takes several prep bowls and plates and then the pans and pots and blah blah blah...the making of it is fun, but the cleaning is not -- and I (for some unknown reason) usually only make enough for the one meal. Maybe I'll try some casseroles.

Well fellow bloggers, it's lovely to be back, and I look forward to catching up on all of your blogs soon!

What's Your Morning Like?

With big changes come new routines. Take my new job, for example. Before I started working this summer, I stayed up late, slept in 'til whenever, and generally lacked any sort of pattern when it came to sleep -- although in math randomness is considered a pattern. Anyway. This new job let the real morning person in me come out. So my day gets started a little something like:

4:15: Alarm (in the form of "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall...makes me feel very Devil Wears Prada) goes off, somewhere between now and 4:30 sit up in bed. Take a minute to adjust.

4:30 - 4:50: Do some yoga. I always feel happier when I start my morning like this.

4:50 - 5:05: Breakfast. Usually a whole grain cereal. Sometimes eggs. 

5:05 - 5:20: Shower. 

5:20 - 5:45: Makeup. Yes, it takes me this long. I used to be a makeup artist. I'm all about patience and perfection. 

5:45 - 6:00: Iron clothes or otherwise get them ready and pick out accessories while I let my hair air dry a bit.

6:00 - 6:15: Dry hair/do some sort of hairstyle. I've been working lately on putting a little more effort into my hair, as I usually just leave it down and blah. This really helps complete a look.

6:15 - 6:25: Make my lunch. Usually this consists of some kind of leftovers. Today I just put some lasagna in tupperware. 

6:25 - 6:50: Take care of any last minute things, or just sit and watch some news. 

6:50: Off to work. I have the luxury of a semi-flexible schedule. As long as I do full time hours, I can come in as early as 7:30. For a morning person, this is a God-send. I get there at 7:30, leave at 4:30 or sometimes later, and then get to leave really early on Friday afternoons. I think this Friday I'll be out of there a little before two!

I'm sure for many this kind of schedule sounds horrifying, but I really like it. It's quiet in the morning, I get to take my time and I never feel rushed -- a feeling that I loathe. 

I'm curious, though...what are your morning schedules like? 

Image from http://www.palomatankless.com/experience/kids_shower.html.

Good News, Everyone!

My interview went really well; I was hired on the spot! The best part? I'm still making the same (amazing) base pay + commission because this job involves sales (though hopefully I'll be focusing more on marketing). A little about the company: it's an NPO that broadcasts foreign language programming, including news, cultural stuff, and stuff for kids. They have eight channels, as well as a website that provides subscription services to people wanting to learn a foreign language. Pretty neat, huh? And right up my alley. Who knew you could find multiculturalism in Iowa? (Yes, it's out of state, but only about a thirty minute drive). Oh, and I get my own office! Haha! I am so incredibly blessed with this. I was pretty demoralized about the whole job situation and I am so lucky to have this opportunity right out of college!

And now the (kinda) bad part...now that I have this job I'm mentally spending some money already. James and I had always planned to get an apartment in September, and now that's looking extremely plausible. With an apartment comes essentials for that apartment, and we figured out that we need about $2000 for everything we need right away. However, this estimate includes a couch (that we've already picked out), but we can use a hand-me-down one for awhile. What we do need, though, is new sheets, pots/pans, cleaning stuff...the list goes on and on. We actually had a pretty fun "date" awhile back where we walked around Target and wrote down all the stuff we need and how much it costs. Am I the only person in the world who would think that's a good time? I had a blast.

Thoughts on the couch? Courtesy of Nebraska Furniture Mart. 

Jobs and Julie/Julia

A little over a week ago, I had two interviews at a company and they ultimately decided they would like to go in another direction. Well, there went six hours of my life (driving back and forth + interviews). I was pretty crushed. However, today I got a call from the same company, saying that they would like to have me back in to talk about a different position. James seems to think this means they've already decided to hire me. With this economy and all of my experiences with jobs/interviews so far, I'm a bit (MUCH!) more skeptical. Feel free to send good thoughts/encouragement my way. 

Now, onto Julie/Julia. My lovely mother has always been a fan of Julia Child, so she was thrilled that there is going to be a movie semi-based on her life. I'm thrilled that Meryl Streep was chosen to play her. Luckily, my mother also subscribes to Bon Appétit, and this month's issue has recipes taken directly from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, so soon we're going to make Pissaladière Niçoise, Poulet Sauté aux Herbes de Provence, and Reine de Saba, then go see the flick. When I told James about this, it went something like:

Jillian: Blah blah blah, Julia Child...cooking.

James: Can I come?

Jillian (surprised): You want to see Julie/Julia?

James: No, I want to eat.

Typical. 

Image taken from movies.gearlive.com.

I'm Alive + Closet Conundrum

Hello fellow bloggers. I am indeed very much alive. I've been keeping up on most of your blogs, but moving back to the States, catching up with everyone, looking for (and finding!) a job, apartment hunting, and various social obligations have sucked basically all the "me" time out of my schedule. The "me" time that I absolutely adore and need. I think I'm getting a hang of things now, so I can get back to a little blogging!

Now. Back to the apartment hunt. And the closet problems that this causes (closet like, literal closet...not the metaphorical one that people hide in or step out of).

A little background: 

• I have clothes, shoes, and bags fetishes. All hereditary. (Thanks, mom). 
• Ever since I was about eight and my sister and I moved out of our shared room to separate rooms in the house, I've had my own closet, and it's been good. 
• Come September...ish, I'll be moving in with le boyfriend. Apparently, this means "sharing" a closet. Say what? 

So you're all caught up. Moving on.

James and I went and looked at three different apartments today (I swear we've seen about twenty since we started the search). Mostly we look at one bedrooms, but there are some two bedroom ones that are in our price range. When discussing one of the aforementioned two bedroom places, I said, "Well this is good, I can have the walk-in [closet] and you can use the one in the spare room." A mini, pseudo-funny, underlying-ly heated convo ensued. Apparently, he's not a morning person, which means that he can't walk the extra ten feet to the spare room in the morning to go get his clothes. I may have overreacted just a tad. We sat in the car in silence for a few minutes while we both (I presume) contemplated why. He doesn't have that much stuff (do any men, besides Europeans?), so it's not like his would cramp mine. But but...a closet is a sacred space! 

I suppose this feeling is also hereditary. My mom uses the ginormous walk-in in the master bedroom. My dad's closet is in the basement. Really. 

Guess I should learn to compromise. Suggestions? 

Also, for you girls (or guys) living with your S.O.s: TV in the bedroom...yea nor nay? (I vote nay...never had one, don't want one).

*Image source unknown -- saved it awhile ago, can't find it anymore! (Isn't it dreeeamy?)

Lucky to have been where I have been, lucky to be coming home again.

Those who know me know how much I absolutely loathe packing. I do it so often (making international trips 5+ times a year) that I should be good at it, but I'm not. The first year that I lived in Paris, I dreaded going back to the States for the summer for this very reason. It's embarrassing to say now, but I actually called my mother and begged her to make the 5000 mile journey to help me pack up my belongings. The crazy part? She actually did. 

And she's here again, but not so eager to help me pack. I've spent the better part of the afternoon sifting through the objects I've acquired over the last few years of my life, dividing them into piles of "Take," "Toss," or "Take if I Have Room." This is especially hard for all of my books, because if I had the choice I would take every single one of them with me. Thankfully, my mother flew first class over here so she's allowed two 70-pound bags and a third 40-pound one. 

The comments that a couple of you left on my last post echo the sentiments of nearly everyone I meet. "You're moving back?" they ask, confounded. Yes, I am. Truth be told I'm quite excited to do so. Paris is, of course, an amazing city, and I love living here. But I wish to pursue higher education back in my home country, and I have to say it will be nice to live somewhere other than a big city for awhile. 

Nevertheless, you'll probably see a whiney comment or two here around August lamenting the fact that I won't be returning anytime soon. I'm just going to make the best of my last few days. 

Bisous!

Graduation, etc.

It's official ladies and gents, I am a college graduate. My degrees are in Film Studies and Global Communications. I didn't know this before I got to the ceremony, but I got university and departmental honors. For both my degrees! Bragging officially over. 

This is of course the reason for my extended absence. My good friend arrived on Friday to stay with me, and my mother arrived on Saturday to do the same. Since then, there's been the pre-graduation picnic (strawberries and champagne on the Champs de Mars!), the ceremony, the reception (hence the picture and yes, more champagne) and the post-grad gala which was an absolute blast. I wish all my weekends could be as heavenly. 

My friend left on Tuesday but my mother and I are staying until Monday. I am moving back to the States. On Monday. I will no longer live in France...ugh, this is madness! 

I promise my next post will be more coherent. I hope all is well with everyone, I have a lot of catching up to do on your blogs!

Alphabet Photos: Miscellany

Today, while wasting time before my mom arrived in Paris (more on that later), I walked around the Concorde area with a couple of my friends, café hopping, talking up a storm, and taking more alphabet photos. I'm almost embarrassed to say that a lot of conversations were cut short like this: 

Jillian: Yeah, that's really interest---hey that looks like an "O"! 

Followed by me whipping out the camera. To my surprise (and happiness) they told me this wasn't in the least bit annoying, and even helped me find some really good subjects for shots. I'm now attempting to get the whole alphabet before I leave. Here are U, V, and W, respectively. "V" was taken in the Carrousel du Louvre.  

Photo Fun: The Results!

I started my morning off by listening to "Lucky" by Jason Mraz, and moseyed on over to the Eiffel Tower to take the "A" letter shot. I found some other cool "letters" around the way, including "P" and "Y" but those weren't helpful for this project. (Remember, I'm trying to spell out my boyfriend's name, James -- see last post). In any case, I then took a bus up to the 18th arrondissement and spent about three hours walking around taking photos. Here are the ones I have so far with his name, I'm not too crazy about my "M," and the "S" was a total cop-out. I've got about a week left to finish up! I love my "J" though -- if you look closely you can see my reflection. I was walking down some random street thinking to myself, "Ugh, where am I going to find a 'J'?" I turned around and there it was! 

Admittedly, I am not a very good photographer, more of a point and click kind of girl. But I think they turned out alright -- and they look a lot more impressive side by side, trust me! 

Plan for the Day: Photo Fun

Last semester, my friend Melissa was taking a photography class. For that class, she completed a final project of her choosing. She chose to go around the city, taking pictures of "letters" she found around Paris. I've decided to brazenly copy that idea and make a gift for James. Despite the fact that he's aware I have a blog, I'm pretty sure he doesn't read it. If he does, HI JAMES -- close this window now!

You didn't close it, did you. Ah well. It doesn't have to be a surprise. I just hope it works out!

Now that that's out of the way, here's my idea -- I'm going to spend the day looking for objects that spell out his name, like the pictures above. (The "A" is going to be the Eiffel Tower...obviously!) I love being in Paris when I'm not in school -- I have so much time to do fun things!

Pet Names (Part Deux): Hi, My Name is Poodle Pants

A couple days ago I discussed pet names that couples have for one another. Well, my mother just sent James a message on Facebook (tangent: isn't it kind of scary to have tech savvy parents?) that read: 

"You probably know that I'm leaving Friday for Paris. Can't wait to see my Precious Poodle Pants! Just wanted to say hi and it will be nice to see you around again. Hope all is well with you." [Emphasis added].

Yes, I am Poodle Pants. Clearly, this was done in a bid to embarrass me, but I'm beyond that. I think it's hilarious. But it brings up an interesting question. 

Your parents probably spent hours agonizing over the perfect name for you. But, if they're anything like mine, they rarely call you by it (save times when they're angry. Then it's Jillian Marie...!). Why is that? The world may never know. 

My dad is actually the one who usually calls me Poodle. My dear mother's nickname for me? Mildred, sometimes shortened to Millie. Why? No one knows, not even her. It's been going on so long that I respond to that just as quickly as I respond to Jillian. Kinda funny, huh. 

Alright, moment of truth. What nicknames do your parents have for you? (Come on, even the embarrassing ones). Any interesting stories there? 

The End of an Era: Part Deux

Today was officially my last day of college. I attended my last "final," which consisted of me, the other six people in my seminar, and my professor sitting at a café near school discussing our theses. Some of them had wine, the prof had a beer, my friend Melissa and I drank champagne. It was marvelous. 

My favorite moment was when our prof went to the restroom and one of my classmates ordered him another beer. When he returned, he looked at the beer, confused, and we all laughed, explaining the situation. He laughed and said, "What if I were a mean drunk?" We then giggled about the possibility of him changing our grades in a drunken stupor. This of course didn't happen, because he wasn't drunk, and our grades were already set!

Which brings me to a little gloating. I got an A- on my thesis! Normally, this would anger me. The perfectionist in me wants a good, clean A. None of this mathematical symbol behind it business. (Unless it's A+, then I let it slide). But writing this paper was an intense process, and I'm pretty proud of what I've accomplished; I'd never done anything of that magnitude before. 

Next up: mom's coming to town and, wait for it... graduation! 

Image taken from poshcravings.com. 

Pet Names: The Adventures of Cupcake and Batman

Couples often have the endearing (or annoying) habit by calling their S.O. by a cutesy name. Sure, honey, baby, and pookie bear work just fine...but I'm more interested in the ones that have a bit of a story behind them. For example. Ones of James' coworkers calls her husband "Sexy Muffin" -- if/when I meet them I'm gonna have to know what that's all about. 

James calls me Cupcake. This all started as an inside joke with a separate group of friends which, being an inside joke, is difficult to explain. Suffice it to say that "awkward muffin" was our catchphrase. Now James, not being in on this joke, but having heard of it, sent me a text one day before we were dating that said, "awkward cupcake." Confused by this, I sent one back. "...are you calling me cupcake?" Turns out no, he wasn't. But he started to, and the name stuck. 

Imagine my delight when I got off a very long flight from Paris back to my hometown to see James waiting at the airport with a sign that read "Cupcake." As I walked toward him, he flipped the sign over. It also said "cupcake," with an arrow pointing down. This arrow was pointing toward...drumroll, please...a Tiffany's box. And inside that box was: 

Yep, my Batman is pretty amazing. I call him Batman because when we first started hanging out (and honestly, to this day) I had the habit of expressing surprise by saying, "Holy (insert something here) Batman!" Like, it's snowing and freezing cold? "Holy cold Batman!" Well, playing off the earlier text-versation in which I thought he was calling me cupcake, he asked if I was calling him Batman. Again, I wasn't, but I decided to start. 

So I'm curious, what are your thoughts on pet names? Cute/annoying? Do you have any? What are some of the craziest ones you've heard? 

Interior Design Inspiration: The MoMA Store

It's hard for me to describe my decorating style.  I like things that are modern, but not sterile. Classic, but home-y. Today, while doing some online window shopping, I stumbled across some stuff at the MoMA store that I just love. 

I absolutely adore this dry-erase wall clock. Not to put anywhere that guests usually are, like the living room -- but to organize my life somewhere like the kitchen or by my desk. I can write down my work schedule, James' work schedule (his changes almost daily), pressing appointments, etc. The only downside is that this beauty is $135. I showed the link to James earlier today, and SURPRISE he said he can make one, apparently for a fraction of the cost. My guy is so handy. His words: "A piece of wood: $4. The paint: $20. Clock parts: $10 - $15. The look on my girlfriend's face: priceless." Cheesy, and adorable. And yes, whiteboard paint, along with chalkboard paint, actually exists. 

Next, there's: 

Magnetic vases. You put little metal plates under your table cloth, and the vases stand up like magic! Well, not quite like magic, but they're pretty neat, no? These are $45 for a set of 5, but I stumbled upon a DIY video. Seems a bit labor-intensive for me, and the materials would cost about $25, so I might shell out the extra dough just for the convenience. Unless, of course, James wants to make these too...haha. Showed these to my friend Holly. She said I'm going to be an "amazing hostess." Is it weird or wrong that I kind of want to be Stepford-ish in that way? Like Bree Hodge?

Finally, theres: 

A chalkboard bud vase! How cute is that? You can draw whatever design you want...write down some reminders (that's becoming sort of a theme with me, isn't it? I do indeed like to write myself some notes. Maybe I should get control of that before I go all Guy Pearce in Memento). To my lament, this one is $75. $75! I am coming up with some DIYs ideas for this though, so I'll keep you posted. Because even I, the queen of spending, cannot justify that. 

I'm curious, how would you describe your interior design taste? 

The End of an Era

Now that finals week is in full swing, the end of my college career is quickly approaching. Two down, two to go, and a thesis presentation (a low-key affair at a Parisian coffee shop...I think that's a pretty decent way to end my undergraduate studies). 

I was on the phone with my father the other day having a pretty confusing conversation. You see, I was under the impression he didn't think grad school was a good idea at the moment, he was floored that I hadn't applied. Turns out he just thought grad school in London was a bad idea. These parents...they'll do anything to get me back Stateside. Including the magical words, "We'll figure out how to finance that." 

Truth be told I was a bit unnerved that my educational career was going to end so abruptly. Time off from school? Where am I? WHO am I? So I've decided to study for and take the GMAT this summer and apply to get my MBA. Probably at Creighton University. It'll be interesting to be back in my hometown for a bit. Whether or not I will survive there after four years in Paris is a completely different story. But here are some things I love about my little hamlet*:

• Growing up in the suburbs allowed me to do a lot of things I would've been unable to in a big city. Sled, play in my yard, get a big dog to play in the yard with me, ride my bike around without fearing for my life, camp in my best friend's backyard...
• I run into someone I know nearly everywhere I go. Good friend or acquaintance, it's always good to catch up. 
• In the same vein, I'm a regular at certain places. My coffee shop, the bar my friends frequent...it's nice to get your drink without even having to order!
• Everyone is so ridiculously nice in the Midwest. This is something I took for granted before moving to Paris. I could purposely bump into someone in Omaha and they would politely say "excuse me..." I wouldn't do this, but uh, you know, it's nice to have the option. 
• My parents live there. So does one of my sisters and my lovely niece. Family is good. Well, most of the time, haha. 
• If I drive twenty minutes, I'm at my friend's farm. If I drive twenty minutes in the opposite direction, I'm downtown. Gotta love the variety. 
• Lastly, and a funny one: free refills. More iced tea? Why yes, I'd love some. (Granted, you could get this pretty much anywhere in the States, but I think it counts anyway). 

What are some things that are special about where you grew up? 

*"Hamlet" is a bit misleading. Omaha and surrounding areas are home to over a million people. Still feels like a small town though. And hamlet is just fun to say.

And quickly, on a completely separate note. Joanna over at A Cup of Jo mentioned Love & Victory and they're doing a giveaway! You should comment over there too (comment to win!), but I really hope I win one of these gorgeous custom silhouette necklaces. I'd get one of the aforementioned lovely niece. 

Isabella. Too adorable for words, right?