Painting My Passions...

So, a couple of years ago, a hugely talented artist caught my attention. While I LOVE to paint, I'm not a big follower of art. I like it for the most part, but I've never really downright loved any particular artist's work before... until Steve.

Steve Penley's paintings are the expression of my passions, in every which way. From the oil paints, to the bursts of color, to the realistic subjects painted in a colorful, almost animated way... he paints exactly like I would if I were a more skilled artist. On top of that, he paints everything I love: flowers, history, Chick-fil-A, Coke, the Georgia Bulldogs... it's unbelievable.

Doesn't all of this just make you happy?




Now if I could just get him to paint Disney characters, my life would be complete. ;)

FREEDOM!!!

Ok, so soooo many things to be thankful for, but the one that I am THE MOST thankful for right now is the fact that Joel and I finished up with the chiropractor last week!!!!!

What does this mean? Well, if you haven't followed my blog before now, it means that we don't have to be spending three of our precious weeknights in a doctors office, getting our bones adjusted and having our backs squeezed, kneeded and basically beaten to get the knots out. Do I sound dramatic? ...Good. It was awful.

But now that we're finished, I feel like I have a new lease on life!! The difficulties of each day seem so diminished. If things go wrong, it doesn't matter because, at the end of the day, I won't have had to be in that droopy place for two hours.

I feel like I could conquer the world. Like I should have "Eye of the Tiger" somehow playing in the background all day long.

In other thankful news:
-I got to have breakfast with Lindsey last week! It was a wonderful mid-week refresher and we definitely need to do it more!
-I saw another long-lost Chick-fil-A intern and dear friend, Sara, in Athens when we went up two weekends ago... I should have gotten a picture!
-On that note, many of my dearest friends and I got to spend the weekend before last in Athens, enjoying the cycling excitement of Twilight, the birthday festivities of Katie, Scott and Kayleigh, and the matrimonial celebration of Zack and Lauren Anne. Did I mention it was gorgeous the whole time??
-Also, during said weekend, I got to be a judge for the Creative Consultants initial presentations. Creative Consultants is the Public Relations Student Society of America's (PRSSA) student-run PR firm. I would hire several of those students in a second... if only I were in charge of hiring.
-I was able to see my sweet, sweet friend Lauren on Friday night. She's moving back to Atlanta, which is a whole other blog post worth of thankfulness!!!
-On top of all of this, the sun is out longer, the weather is warmer and the trees are in full bloom... all of this is enough to keep me in a heavenly mood until October!
-Finally, I am not planning a wedding, but I have a friend who is, and in looking for fun ideas for her, I stumbled across Snippet and Ink... it is the most addictive blog I have ever read! Girls, be warned. :)

Three-Year Old Fun in Neverland!

After months of working, living on our own, paying the bills, having jobs - it was time for some good ole fashioned elementary school fun. So the girls and I packed up all the craft project goodies, B-list movies and junk food we could find and headed for the Classic City.

Upon arrival, I jumped into my beloved "onesie." This certain article of clothing seems to have brought a significant amount of joy to those closest to me. The rest of the weekend involved Georgia football, movie marathons, pumpkin painting, pallets, photo shoots and hair ribbons. It was such a breath of fresh air compared to the "grown-up" activities we've had to take part in of late.



So much laughter was such great medicine to the monotony of adult life. Yay for weekends in Neverland!!!

Life, As I Know It, Is Over

Yesterday was one of the most depressing days of my life. I wrote my last paper of my college career (except for those I'll write in Spain), packed up the remaining items left in my already empty and lifeless room, said my goodbyes and drove away from Athens for the last time.

The weird thing was that, as upsetting as cleaning out my room was, I don't think it hit me that I was actually leaving until I emptied the food out of my pantry shelf. All of a sudden, I was staring at a vast expanse of space situated carefully between shelves 2 and 4, both which were jampacked with tasty culinary masterpieces, and it hit me. I don't live here anymore.

I know change is good and blahbity blah, but really?

So, as any self-respecting, independent, young, 20-something girl would do, I blasted weepy, nostalgic songs from my iPod the entire way home. I can honestly say that I felt much better about my life after I realized Carrie Underwood and Sara Bareilles have experienced similar points. I felt even better when I realized they were whining about leaving men and I was whining about having to leave friends. See, I'm at least a little less pathetic than I could be.

But my time to cry about leaving one place is almost over because "I'm leaving on a jet plane" for Sevilla tomorrow. As much as I'm sure I'll meet people I enjoy while I'm there, I have been sworn to like everyone there a little less than I like my Athens roommates. I'm pretty sure that won't be too hard.

So, here goes the segment of my life titled Leaving College: Part 1.

No matter what I say later though, I don't like it.

One by One, They All Fall Down

So my roommate finally worked out plans for a fantastic internship today. Slowly, but surely, my little PR butterfly friends are spreading their wings and taking off into the much-feared real world.

I'm hoping that some of this good luck will rub off on me and my other roommates. Surely, with a little help and a lot of prayer, we will no longer be real world singles, but happily swept off our feet by our jobs in shining armor.

Either way, I only have a few more days in my Neverland. It would be a shame to only study for finals and not make the most of it, so I'm trying to squeeze in all of the Athens things I can before I go. Some definite "have-tos" are eating at Snelling, making a midnight trip to The Grill, walking around downtown, getting a scoop at Hodgson's and basking in the glory of North Campus.

I can't believe it's coming to an end, but my time in Neverland has truly been well-spent. Knowing that I lived each day knowing how lucky I was to be here makes leaving a little bit easier. Neverland's taught me how to enjoy each day to the fullest and, as sarcastic and cynical as I am about moving out and onward, I hope that I'll be able to take that philosophy with me on the next big adventure.

T-Minus 10 Days

I cannot convey the aching in my heart at the fact that I attended my last day of class ever on Thursday.


I. do. not. want. to. grow. up.

In ten days, I leave for Seville, Spain on a two-month farewell-to-college voyage. This is my last adventure in Neverland before they evict me and nudge me into the so-called "real world."

While I'm happy for a new "land" with new opportunities, I wish I could bring my "lost boys and girls" with me. If Wendy could do it, why can't I?