Soles and Sleeves

I express my deepest apologies for neglecting you recently. You see, life has been a bit crazy lately.

It started when I quit my job. I planned on using that down time and getting my blog in shape by doing lots of outfit changes, writing a lot of blog posts and scheduling them out so you'd be up and running.

But plans don't always go accordingly.

I paired the dress with nude heels (not pictured here — they were in my car)

Athens. The word may be small but it has had a massive impact on my life.

As I enter my last night in this place, I'm finding it harder and harder to say goodbye. My time here will impact the rest of my life. I've had good times, stressful times, and terrible times - but I wouldn't change them for the world.

Places like Six Flags and other theme parks make their money off the beloved roller coasters. Patrons love the feeling of flipping, spinning, and stomach dropping. But it's completely different when the roller coaster you're on is an emotional one.

Not a surprise to anyone, this past week has been tough. I've cried enough to float Moses down the river and then some. I'm not myself; I'm quiet, sleeping 12 hours, emotionless, and just bleh.
But today takes the cake for emotional roller coaster rides.

I woke up from a terrible dream about Bogart.  Long story short, he'd been attacked by a Pit Bull and wasn't doing well. Normally when I have a dream like that I can just call his name and give his head a pat, but no. This nightmare woke me up just minutes before my alarm, which in itself is one of the worst things ever. So my day started with the image of a hurting, frightened, and not very good B. Part of me was all worried that it was a Harry Potter-Arthur Weasley being attacked by Nagini dream, but I know A- there aren't any Pit's where B is, and B- I know that's not possible where he is. But the paranoid part of me took over.

I was so exhausted I decided to go to Jittery Joes this morning and pick up coffee and a muffin (how profesh?) before heading to my internship for 9 hours. Now, some of you know that I have a heart condition. Basically my heart beats rhythm is off and will race for no reason- I can be sitting on the floor putting mascara on and I'm breathing as if I just sprinted a marathon. I guess my medicine hadn't kicked in by the time I started drinking it because for the entire day I was slightly shaking and just overall feeling weird, but I carried on. I got in the office and saw someone brought doughnuts. Anyone who knows me knows I can't resist any donut, much less a good one, so I ate that instead of my blueberry muffin.

My puppy raiser friend had to come in this morning to do something, so we had a nice chat about B and the dogs in general. At one point we were talking about getting an e-mail if they were doing something out of the ordinary (I know, super vague, but that's not the point). She left shortly after. Shortly after that my phone vibrated indicating that I had an e-mail. I opened up my mail and saw I had an e-mail from the foundation, entitled "A note for you from the training center!". Naturally I had to open it then. I couldn't wait a second longer, much less a few more hours until my lunch break.

As I read I had to fight back tears. It talked about all the things he's going to be doing while getting settled up there, including getting another tattoo- and it's not a heart with my name through it. I mean, I couldn't be the intern sitting at her computer crying. Talk about lame. So I fought back the tears until I read the closing (right). That's when it got really tough. But I took some deep breaths, smiled, and choked them back. I forwarded the e-mail my parents and wished it was lunchtime so I could go home and cry.

The time has come. In just 3 days B goes in for training and journeys up to New York and begins his next chapter.

I remember first coming to UGA and seeing the puppies everywhere. I finally mustered up the courage to ask someone about it one day. I'm pretty sure I signed up that night. Growing up, I always had a dog in my life. When I moved to Athens I was slightly lost and alone because I no longer had that companionship in my life.

It was 5 days after my 21st birthday when I picked him up. I like to think he was a gift from my late grandma. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Life with a puppy was nothing short of interesting- but that's what happens when you add someone new into your life- and I wouldn't change a minute of it. Every day that went by our bond grew stronger and stronger, and it wasn't long until he was my best friend. To this day he knows exactly what to do to make me feel better.

I planned on doing this post yesterday, but my internet was out since Thursday and just came back up.

A year ago yesterday (6/8) marked exactly 1 year ago I got on a plane and left for London.
But it's so much more than that. Aside from the obvious fact that I went to London on that day, it's probably one of the best days of my life so far.

Her eyebrows are the portal of her personality

I started my internship last week.

What a year it has been. I can honestly say it's been the craziest ear of my life. And I can say that next year will be even crazier than this. So, here's a run down of my past year and a check list of the things to come in the new year.

The quickly approaching graduation has really got me thinking that life really needs to hit the breaks, or at least yield! I feel like I'm finally really happy where I am, but come May, that's all going to be shaken and stirred and spit into a place where I know nobody and nothing. I know May may seem like ages away, but in the scheme of things, it's really only a few months. Life is going to be pretty crazy starting really soon.

Well I've begun the first semester of my last year of college. Wow, how time has really flown. B and I are adjusting to a new house and going back to school.

I really like our new place. It's a super cute peach house with a balcony and a lovely neighborhood with LOTS of kids our age around, and lots of dogs- YAY! Shelby and I take B on walks like every night to give him and ourselves some exercise and it also gives us a change to meet some of our neighbors.

The first week of school has been pretty good. I have one class MWF, and three on T/TH, and an evening lab on Tuesday evenings. So it's not a bad schedule at all. I have friends in all my classes except my Anthropology class, but it's a 300-person lecture hall... so I don't really mind.

Yesterday my friends and I (minus Kelli) had signed up to see 'Wicked' at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. But, before that we had plans to go to The Amazing Spider-Man premier in Leicester Square (with KellI!).

BBC Building

Even before THAT, I had class. We did our typical thing and we got done really early. This Thursday we have presentations. For that presentation, we had to do this thing where (with a partner) we get on at the nearest bus, ride it 12 stops, turn left when you get off the bus, when you pass a man wearing glasses, you turn around and take your next left, etc.... So since there was an odd number of people (we have 8 in the class and one was absent) myself and two other girls went ahead and got this done. It was really neat, but slightly scary. We got on the bus and I suggested we get on it going a certain way, thinking that would lead us to the center of the city.... But I was wrong. So i'm 0/2 on getting directions correct via bus, so I've since given up that right. We ended up near the BBC buildings at one point, and being a DBJ major, I fangirled a little bit on the inside.

Ello there!

Yesterday we went to Primark. It was incredible!!! The most I spent on something was £10!!! I got 2 maxi skirts, an AWESOME pair of leggings, a pair of flip flops to wear back and forth to the shower, two shirts, and nail polish. I think that's all. But it was incredible shopping. And what they say about the lines is true. I did take my shirt off (I had on a cami, no worries) and tried on a shirt in the aisle. We also forgot about the size differences here and so we weren't able to try on pants because that line was too ridiculous.

Then we went to Forever 21 and a couple girls got some stuff. On our way back to the tube station there was a crepe stand, so naturally as any human being with a stomach would do, we stopped and got some. I got the regular, which has lemon juice and sugar. Brandi got Nutella and bananas, Lizzy got Belgian chocolate, and Kelli got a regular crepe. They are delishhhhhhh!!

After we chilled for a bit we went to Wagamamas for dinner. I got Chicken Ramen- don't let the name fool you, it's much more expensive than Wal-Mart ramen :P I ate the entire thing with chopsticks!!

Lindsay and I eating with chopsticks!

So I'm finally headed off to London tomorrow. After 10+ years of begging and dying to go, I'm finally going. It's surreal and hasn't hit me yet.

Last night my mom and I took B to give him to his pseudo-mommy for the next month. He seemed to do well and she was very nice which really put me at ease.

I went to the bank and deposited some shopping money- cha ching! I'll help London's economy, fo sho. :P

So Ansley and I went to Disney this weekend and did our first 5K. And if you know me, I'm not a runner. I have exercise induced asthma, and can hardly run around the block with out it making my chest feel like I'm dying.
ANYWAYS,
We went down and the day of we walked around Downtown Disney since our hotel was a swift walk from there. On the way, we saw an otter in a lake in front of one of the hotels. It wasn't there on our way back, so hopefully it got rescued! We got Cinco de Mayo drinks at the incredible Rainforest Cafe. Then we went back to the hotel and had a little dance party and got ready for our 5K.

We were in the 8th (and final) wave of the 5k, so we didn't start running until 42 minutes after the first wave had left (and some had finished already!). The 5K went through the parking lot, through Animal Kingdom. There were 3 "obstacles" we had to do also; jump hay bales, jump through tires, and crawl under a net. Once the race was completed we had to do our scavenger hunt. We had four clues then a final one that got us into the after party. The scavenger hunt also went through the park and ended in Dino land. We got some Poweraide, our medal (that doubles as a compass!) and then Ansley and I went to ride the Expedition Everest coaster. BEST. COASTER. EVER. It was incredible. We rode it twice then headed to check out the rest of the party. We came across a circle of people and there were two people having what looked like a dance off. They finished and the Ice Ice baby started playing. Not wanting to waste an opportunity to dance, I headed out there. I dragged Ans along with me and we, along with this other really good dancer, danced until the party ended at 2 AM. So that's at least 3 hours of dancing. I could hardly walk back to my car, but it was absolutely worth it.
During the dance party, we danced with Baloo from The Jungle Book. He was quite a character (ba-dunch!) and we shimmied, did the Bernie, and some Latin moves and much more! There was a guy doing video too, and the camera LOVED us. The other guy dancing was AWESOME. He had moves like Jagger, for reals.
The party finally ended and we were heading out of the park. We ended up chatting with the really good dancer and turns out he's from Sweden! He's currently an au pair for a family in the states and they were here for the race. He was really nice and we're kicking ourselves for not getting his name!!!
We, team named the Disney Divas, finished the 5K in 39:16, which is INCREDIBLE. I was shocked, honestly. I thought it would take me way longer than that. I would totally do a 5k again, but I need to work on my running and getting my asthma in check.

In other news, I had to leave B here while I was there, and I was told he cried the entire first night I was gone, and he's limping. So that's basically the epitome of pathetic and sad.  :(

ALSO- I'm a senior in college! woop woop!!

Have a great week! 

Tomorrow after 10:45 I can finally breathe easy!! All but two of my finals (projects) will be DONE.
One if due Tuesday, and that's a 10-page group paper. I just have to organize my part of the paper and I'm good with that.
The last is due a week from today, and this weekend I've got a long car trip and I don't need internet to complete it, so I will be golden. It's just a screenplay so anything goes. I just hope my family doesn't read it over my shoulder in the car. That always makes me uncomfortable. If they want to read the finished product, they can, without me in the room.
Speaking of my screenplay, theres a scene where the main character is flipping though the channels and stops on the news. It's 9/11 and the first tower is in smoke. So, to make my screenplay accurate, I went to YouTube and videoed actual live coverage of it. Then in class when we were reading portions, one girl commented that it didn't seem realistic!!!!! I was like "what?! Cause I got that off YouTube." It was probably just the way the person read it. And honey, I'm a digital and broadcast major, I know how to write for news, and I would know how to make it realistic. Whatever.

In relation to frustrating people... MY ADVISOR! Oh my gosh! I didn't know it was possible for a  PROFESSIONAL to be so UNprofessional. Seriously, it made it ill with anger. If you care to know the full story I'd be pleased to let you know. I just don't feel like typing it all out at the moment.

There was a camel on campus today. Twas awesome. 

Well, life is about to get a whole lotta crazy.