Stuck in Love

I kind of have a new favorite movie which warrants this post.

Let me just say now that Seattle winters are tough. Today was not the best day for me. We all have those right? So bad to the extent where we rent a movie, camp on the coach, and eat a whole bag of chips while your cat watches you, right? Or is that just me? Well besides being uncomfortably bloated from excess salt (by the way, eating a bag of chips sounds like a yummy and good idea, but trust me, it isn't!), I'm kind of glad I had the kind of day I did, because it led me to watching Stuck in Love.

Yeah, it's about love, but it's also about life and the experiences you make with other people. I'll admit I cried twice, but that's only because the story was soooo good and the acting was spot on. What I really enjoyed was the dialogue, vibrant characters, and the pacing of the movie. I wish that this story had been a book, because it would have been so enjoyable to know these characters in depth.

The movie was written and directed by first timer Josh Boone who's next film is based off a book. John Green's in fact! Which means I am so excited to see the Fault in Our Stars film rendition since it is in very capable hands:)

Hump Wednesday and the up and coming!

I woke up and this morning and thought, Damn, it's hump Wednesday and I'm craving coffee.

There's nothing wrong with Wednesdays per se, I just haven't had a hump Wednesday for awhile when I 've been having 4 day work weeks thanks to the holidays. As for coffee, I'm trying to cut back, but I know if I had a cup it would perk me right up. Soy latte please?

Instead I opted for some good green tea and toast with strawberry jam to rev my morning up, but lo and behold, I dropped one third of my toast on the cement floor parking lot. Now this should not be a big deal. It's a piece of toast for goodness sake. Oh, but it was! Because it was typical hump Wednesday making its return.

Well on the brightside. I won't have a hump wednesday next week since I'll have a 4-day workweek and even the week after. So no humps, just Wednesdays in the horizon, so... HA!

Some other news to share, two of my sisters will be visiting me this weekend! Yay!!! Oh yipeee!!! I'm so excited that I already planned our weekend. Rest assured, I'll have a great post about that next week. Then right after they leave, Michael finally comes home! Which my stomah is very happy about (he's the cook in the relationship, thus I've been "getting by"), and of course my heart :)

And then, by the end of the month, I'll be going on my first business trip for a week in Boston/Norwood and then New York for the weekend to visit my other sister!

Wow 2014, you're starting off pretty nicely!

Paper Towns by John Green & Witness

It took me awhile to get on the John Green bandwagon, but I'm so glad I did. I love his style of writing, the realism that shines through his interesting characters that leap off the page, and most of all, the way he ties the novel together from beginning to end that really statisfies the reader.

The first book I read of his was Looking for Alaska then shortfly after I read The Fault in Our Stars. Both of which I enjoyed immensely.

Since this weekend was a relaxing one and I was having difficulties writing, I thought that maybe I just needed to read a good book to get me back into the rhythm, and John Green did not disappoint.

On Saturday I started Paper Towns. Immediately John pulls you in with the focal character, Margo, and just like the main character Q, you get wrapped up into his fascination of this girl whom he has always admired from afar. But Margo has always been a mystery to Q, and after an unforgettable night of adventures, she disappears. But she's also left clues just for Q.  I won't give it away, but if you're into mysteries, this is a great one to check out. I finished it on Sunday and loved it. Such a quick read but had many profound moments.

On another note, my relaxed weekend also entailed going to my fave Seattle spot, Bottlehouse, with a friend and after we went to a bar that I had never been to called Witness. It was such a unique little bar because it was church themed with pews and everything. Not to mention the cocktail drinks had interesting names, for example, my drink was called divine intervention (ha!), and the owner even gave a "sermon" at 10 p.m. If you ever go, the deconstructed deviled egg is a must try!

Disappointing wines and openings

There's nothing sadder than buying a disappointing bottle of wine. That happened to me yesterday, and I vow that I will never spend money on wine I dislike. So today, when I got to Bottlehouse, I'm going to select a very tasty wine for myself, one that I know suits my taste.

So of course as I'm writing the opening of draft two while sipping the disappointing wine, I become disappointed in my writing. All of a sudden, I want to scrap it and delete the whole thing. The words are starting to taste like bad wine. My mind turns into a glass of bad wine. I had to stop writing as my anxious tendencies took over my body.

Case in point? Pick a good beverage as you write.

To remedy my anxiety, I just had to stop writing and turn on the tube. But then I couldn't sleep, so I bought a new book on my kindle from one of my favorite authors. Sometimes when I read I can't help but compare my work. It was only after reading the first chapter of the new book did I think, Hey, my opening wasn't so bad. I fell asleep shortly after.

As I write this, I'm watching the sun rise from my living room window and drinking a nice cup of tea. Today the sky is baby blue with a bright orange horizon above the mountains that looked like they've been watercolored into the scene in shades of purples and blues.

He's still sleepy even though it was he who woke me.

Good morning weekend.

Empty Outlook

There is nothing more gratifying than an empty outlook inbox. I hope I don't jinx myself for writing this post, but I am so ecstatic! The end of the year wrap up at work has been my busiest time since I've started work and oh boy is it refreshing to cross everything off the to-do list and have an empty inbox.

Now I can finally breathe instead of rushing to get everything done! And I bet I'll get a better night sleep and have a fabulous weekend since I won't have a pile of work waiting for me on Monday morning!

And would you believe it if I told you that I finally saw the sun today? After weeks of grey clouds and rain the sun is finally shining upon Seattle. I'm sure it won't last very long, but its nice nontheless.

To add, I also got a new baby cousin yesterday name who I got the honor of naming Ryan.

Happy Friday everyone!!!

2014 Goals

Bring on the resolutions! I can't help but do this ever year, because making a list of goals always gives me something to strive for.

In 2013 I completed 4 out of 5 goals. The only goal I did not complete was to lose all of my college weight, instead I lost half, which means I have another half to go this year. So this year, that will be my first goal.

My second goal is to perfect my manuscript so that I can begin querying by the second half of the year. And if I scored an agent... well, that would certainly make my year.

My third goal is to save up for international trips next year, and my fourth is to grow within the company I am currently working for.

Cheers to 2014!

My top 13 moments of 2013

Since it's the last day of the year, I wanted to recap on my top 13 moments this year (in no particular order)!

1. Getting my poetry published - It's always a good feeling to have my writing out there, especially in poetry, since my skills in that genre grew tremendously in one year.

2. San Diego Bachelorette - My first time in SD, celebrating with my soon-to-be-bride sister!

3. Finishing college and receiving my degree - A proud accomplishment of course. It's strange to think that college is already over!

4. My first trip to Seattle - It was the first time Michael and I had seen each other this year, after only meeting once in Paris the year before, and now my life has completely changed.

5. Meeting Michael's family - It was a memorable moment and I am glad I get to share in their special days and holidays with them.

6. My sister's wedding - Another sister married, a fun night, and a memorable one for my whole family.

7. Getting a job - My first full-time job, yay!

8. Date Nights - Though it spanned many nights, I had to clump this one together. The best date nights I've ever had: Parachute Concert, Book Bindery, Staples and Fancy, Bottlehouse, The Walrus and the Carpenter, Nishino's, days layingin the park, walking around the city, tv marathons, etc... I could go on and on...

9. Thanksgiving - Spending a week with my family. Priceless. Michael and I's first roadtrip.

10. My Mother's Birthday - Going back home for my mother's birthday and having a whole day of just being with my sisters and my mom is now a rarity. I'll always remember her smile that day.

11. Christmas with the Armfield's - Great company, great wine, great food, and a great Christmas witht the Seattle fam.

12. Spinasse and Beethoven's Ninth - It was such a new and cool experience and the most recent in my memory, that I had to put this down. The music, the food, and a night out on the town with Michael was perfect.

13. New apartment - Because things are starting to feel like home.

Well there it is! What are your top 13 moments?

Wishing you a wonderful new year,
Michelle