taking your time // wasting your time

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I was texting with my best friend the other day and she said something that I can't get out of my head. I know, texting. I realize heartfelt conversations should ideally be had in person or at least on the phone, but it's not of this time (Girls reference, anyone?). 

We were having the typical 20-something conversation punctuated with "What am I doing with my life?" and "I'm too young to know any of this!". We both have a serious amount of student loans and are hesitant to start racking up more. She was a Psychology major and I have an English degree- people aren't exactly lining up to hire us. We're left in this weird middle ground enjoying the company of the majority of our generation. 

In the middle of our screen to screen complaining she said "I've always been told my life has a timeline, but it doesn't and I'm going to start taking my time". My first reaction is to take her words on as a personal mantra while I burn both my textbooks and resumes in a celebratory defiance, but that might be a little much. She didn't mean the statement as an excuse to do nothing, but it seems really easy to confuse the two. 

Maybe it is the right choice to put off grad school, but what should I be doing while I'm waiting- and what am I really waiting for? It seems unlikely that in two years I will suddenly know exactly what I want. I'm afraid of telling myself that I am taking my time only to wake up one day and realize I wasted it all. I keep wondering what we should be doing in this middle ground and when we should we force ourselves out of it.

What do you think? I'd love some insight! 

10 tools for your post-grad kitchen

Filling the apartment is a slow proces. I'm typing this on our couch- the one piece of furniture in the living-room other than a cardboard box standing in as a coffee table. My duffle bag is still full of clothes and I have no idea where I'm supposed to put all of the towels. Does your apartment's bathroom have a closet? Can they just live on the back of the door? I don't know when this place will start feeling like home, probably after a couple pay-checks and Ikea runs, but until then I'll hangout in the kitchen. 

Our kitchen has felt complete since before we even signed a lease. A mixture of obsessive research, gift giving mothers, and the fear of ordering out every night has created a pretty good arsenal of kitchen tools. We threw away all of our "College '08" collection cookware and started with nothing. Here is a list of some of the tools we have and some of things I'm still coveting: 

good thoughts

Are you thinking good thoughts this morning? I'm trying :) 

Friday + Links

I am so happy to see this week go! Today I am filling in for the receptionist at my mom's work, which consists of transferring calls to random extensions and reading all of your blogs. Adam is picking me up tonight and we are going out for dinner and drinks. For some reason I feel like a mojito; do they even make them after August? He works the rest of the weekend so I think I will stay home, work on my knitting, and watch Seinfeld reruns- I can't wait! In an act of boredom, here are some of my favorite things from the inter-webs this week:

You can get the print above on an iPhone case.

I can not wait for the arrested development reunion shows, and this picture is hilarious. 

I just ordered this cookbook. 

Does liking this shirt make me a cat lady?

...and because I am in the mood.

What are you up to this weekend? 

iPhone 5 Case top picks

ONE.TWO.THREE.FOUR.

I am the proud owner of a new iPhone 5! Last week my phone started shutting off randomly, sending texts that failed weeks before, and making some terrifying noises. I was trying to wait a few months before investing in a new phone, but I couldn't take it anymore. I called an AT&T store in my (very) small town and asked to be put on a waiting list for the iPhone. Three hours later they called me with the good news. I was expecting weeks of waiting and maybe an overnight outside a store or two, but I guess no one really cared about it- except me :) I have officially forgiven my town as a whole for not having a sushi restaurant or 24 hour grocery store.

Anyway, the malfunctions of my old phone may have something to do with the 1,000+ times I have dropped it... without a case. I've learned my lesson, and I am in the market for a cool case. Here are my top choices so far:

ONE (top left):

The Otterbox. Adam is pushing for this one because it really protects your phone. He has one and is always whiping his phone across the room when people ask if he likes it. Point well made. I just don't know if I can get over how bulky it is.

TWO (top right):

A clear case. I like the idea of a clear case to show off the phone, but I feel like dirt will get inside of it.

THREE (bottom left):

A printed case. I think I am leaning toward a fashion case with stripes or an Aztec print, but I have heard a lot of the cutest ones aren't made well.

FOUR (bottom right):

A wooden case. There are wooden cases all over estsy, and I love all of them. This is my favorite option so far. They look cool, and I think wood would hold up well.

Which one do you think I should get? Any other suggestions? I would love some help choosing!

It looks like Autumn (on Instagram)

Fall is my favorite season. This may have something to do with my birthday, and definitely has something to do with apple cider doughnuts. Right now I can't imagine living somewhere that doesn't experience seasons, but I 'm sure I will feel differently in a couple months :) Here are a few bits and pieces of life in Ithaca:

Adam and I have been waking up early on the weekends to drink an entire french press and play acey deucey. The leaves are changing and the gorges look gorgeous! And, I am attempting to knit Adam a scarf. Things are pretty cozy here.

Do you live somewhere without seasons- do you miss them? Do you know how to knit (help!)?

I'm back!

What can I say? Life got in the way again. I started online classes and they are the worst.

In true form, I studied ten hours a day, took hundreds of pages of notes, read every page assigned and then... stopped.

I'm back to my slacker ways, and (hopefully) back to blogging.