Strange Encounters

What to do/say if you have a strange encounter with an ugly baby.  This should be avoided at all costs, like close talkers with mad halitosis, but sometimes it cannot be helped.  No matter how much you want to run far, far away.  It's too late. It can be unexpected.  Think the baby is in a baby carrier/stroller with the sun shade up.  You go in for a look at the adorable baabbyyy... agh!  Abort mission.  Abort!

1. Try to avoid direct eye contact.  This encounter could lead to nightmares.

2. Say the following in a sing songy baby voice.  Ooh, look at the baby?  Note: You did not use the words cute or adorable, but when said with that sing songy voice this will go unnoticed by the doting parents. 

3. If that isn't enough, comment on the outfit in that same baby voice, because usually baby clothes are pretty cute.  Ex. Aww, isn't that outfit just so precious! 

4. Leave, before you are found out.  You can only keep the ruse going for so long.  Your face will eventually start showing signs of complete and utter bewilderment as you desperately search for any other variable amount of cuteness and you will hang your head when you find none. 

5. Give it a few months and try again.  That might have been just a short alien phase.  All hope is not lost.  Many a beautiful person have come from not so pretty baby years. 

This is brought to you by personal experience.  You don't want to see my baby pictures.  I was not one of the cute ones.  I'm glad I didn't have to see me when I was a baby.  Phew. 

Also, side point.  Have you noticed sometimes very attractive parents have not so attractive babies?  Very average looking parents have stunningly cute babies. Not always the case, but it does happen.  You just can't predict these things.

Dude, Those Aren't Your Flip Flops

I'm going to tell you a little story. 

Once upon a time a long time ago, three girls lived in a big city in a high rise apartment.  It was a pretty typical apartment that you would find in any Southeast Asian city.  They lived there happily for a time.  There were no problems besides the occasional noisy neighbors yelling in foreign tongues and strange smells of spices cooking that reminded them that they were indeed in a far away land.

One day, the bathroom faucet decided it had had enough of this turn on and off to conserve water business.  The faucet starting pouring out water uncontrollably, normally cries for attention, but it would not stop crying no matter how much they tried to console it.  Being no plumbers, they frantically tried every knob and lever to try to make it stop.  It did not.  Soon it was overflowing over the sink and onto the bathroom floor. 

In this foreign land, they had no idea who to call.  Finally, they got a hold of the neighbors who gave them the number to the man who could solve all their woes or just the current one of death by drowning in their apartment.

Super Maintenance Man to the rescue...

Just have to wait for him to get out of mosque...

*jeopardy music playing*

He's here.  With a twist of a knob the faucet stopped running.  It was just right outside the door, where no one had noticed it being before.  The girls looked on with sheer delight, until they looked down at the little man's feet.

One girl realized that the flip flops he was wearing looked very similar to those that she herself owned.  Could it be?  Sure enough, it didn't take long to assess that those were in fact her flip flops on this man's feet.    He had tried them on and declared they fit just right.

So goes the tale of the leaky faucet and playing footsie sharing foot fungus erm, sharing shoes with a stranger.

Strawberry in a Bun

Our Nepalese friends first experience with American picnic cuisine.  They didn't quite get what to do with the hot dog bun.  She put a strawberry in hers!  Delicious!  Another friend had the bun on his plate with ketchup and mustard all over the top of it and no hot dog inside of it.  So cute!  What would we do without them to entertain us?  Different cultures are so fascinating.

I'm Not Gonna Sing Tonight!

Did all of you catch the season finale of SNL?  Justin Timberlake hosted.  I don't know how I feel about him now that he's become this big actor or is trying to become this big time actor.  I feel like he has gotten a little bit cocky.  Music wasn't enough for you, JT?  Anyway, in his opening monologue he was golden.  He is a born performer, isn't he?  There is just something about him.  I could watch this video again and again.  Love it!

It Has Arrived!

Frozen custard, that is.  Growing up in the Midwest, we lived on frozen custard.  It was part of our balanced diet of whole grains, vegetables, proteins, CHEESE and then a big ol' spot for frozen custard.  If you haven't tried it before, you've got to run, not walk, to your local custard stand.  Don't have one in your city?  They deliver.  I won't put up with any excuses.  Or just live your life sad and frozen custardless.  Up to you.

You all are probably wondering what is so special about this stuff?  Well, I can't really explain it.  It's like ice cream but creamier and I would say it has a richer flavor.  If you want to get all technical, google it.  Maybe there is a Mr. Rogers video on How They Make Frozen Custard?  Look it up.  I just know there are eggs in it.  I base everything on the taste.  And each custard place has puts their little twist on it.  One place has the best scoop of plain custard.  Another place has great shakes.  In St. Louis, there is a place with the best sundaes.  This is all in this humble frozen custard connoisseur's opinion.

This is Syd excited for some butterscotch, salted pecan, vanilla custard action!
Also, see that shirt?  We saw something similar at Anthropology.  Syd decided she could recreate the look by knitting and sewing on that collar to a tank she already had.  Amazing, don't you think?

When we moved from Wisconsin to Arizona and there were no frozen custard places, we were quite disappointed.  It is burning hot here how many months out of the year and still there were no frozen treats to be found to cool us down.  Along with a lack of a decent water park, amusement park, or summer music festival.  Wisconsin has all of these.  It would be freezing outside and we would go to the ginormous water park.  Here there is perfect water park weather and we had Justin's Water World. The water slides had barely a trickle of water running down them.  We got stuck in the middle and had to push ourselves down.  Yes, it was that bad.  There were good times making fun of how horribly lame it was, but I digress.  You get the picture, that there is something wrong with this picture.

This is it!  Don't be drooling now.  Drooler's don't make friends. 

Now we finally have frozen custard.  It's delicious.  Go get some.

If you want to make your own sundae,  just make sure to say I want the Sundae My Way.  Sydney ordered a strawberry sundae with pecans.  She got charged a dollar more than the Sundae My Way, which on the menu says comes with three toppings of your choice.  The guys at the counter said since she didn't say I want the Sundae My Way, they rang up a vanilla sundae with two additional toppings for 50 cents each.  What is a vanilla sundae, pray tell?  A scoop of vanilla with a scoop of vanilla?  I'm confused.  They may need to get some new workers in there who have some common sense.   Maybe they were just all jacked up on custard, in which case I will forgive them this once.  The custard is tasty though.  We'll be back, even with the whole sundae debacle.

Now all we need is the water park, amusement park, and music festival.  Am I asking too much?

This Song Has Forced Itself Into My Soul And I Don't Mind

Is it just me or have you guys noticed how Adele's new song is playing in every movie, TV show, commercial, radio station across the country in a matter of what?  A day?  And I'm not sick of it, not in the least.  In fact, I think I'm in love.  I just bought the CD, downloaded the album {remember when we used to buy Cd's} and Adele you better not disappoint me.  I spent the big bucks, full price, on you.  Am I super cheap or what?  What is $11.99 worth of constant replay, helping me wake up in the morning, helping me clean {because you can't clean without some good tunes to get you moving}, pretty much helping me get my lazy butt in gear.  The world and I would be the worst without music, wouldn't it?  I also bought Arcade Fire and The Morning Benders, on sale I might add, because they're not classy like my girl, Adele.  My ears are looking forward to tomorrow, the rest of me not so much. Just kidding! I love you, Wednesday!

Remember when I asked the world wide interwebs, that means you, yes you, to help me out with some new music?  And then no one replied.  Maybe you all aren't into music.  Okay, I know that that could never be true, not in a million years!  (Read that last sentence back in a Judy Garland Dorothy voice or like Shirley Temple, either one would do.)  I don't mean to sound pitiful, but it's funny how whenever I ask a question there are never any answers.  Help a girl out here, why don't you.  Or not.

Oh, did you think that I was asking a rhetoric question?  I'll help you out, you see that underlined question above?  It's the one in hot pink.  See it now?  Of course, you do.  That is a rhetorical question.  Please, don't answer that.  Betcha you were wondering why it was in hot pink.  Right?  {Also, a rhetorical question}

Are you guys getting annoyed with my ridiculous ramblings?  {Not a rhetorical question}  See the difference?  Feel free to answer below accordingly.

The Little Car That Could Not

Have you ever been riding in a car and driving up a pretty steady incline when suddenly the driver pulls over and asks you to switch seats with another passenger in order to balance out the weight in the vehicle, because if you don't, you just might not make it up that hill?  Oh, you've never had that happen to you?  I have.  Only in Malaysia. 

Apparently, the cars there are just not built strong enough to make it up slight inclines with passengers of the non asian variety.  One time, the parking lot was down this little hill and our friend asked us to all wait on the top of the hill, because you know it just might not make it up with all of us behemoths.  As if I wasn't already feeling a little on the porky side after eating my weight in cheese naan, no now I'm being told the car can't even handle me without going all The Little Engine That Could, "I think I can I think I can I think I can..."  And we're not even overweight.  What would they ever do if they were in the Midwest?

We didn't have a car so we would all pile into our friend's cars, but what's funny is that the largest person would have to sit in the middle, the most uncomfortable and cramped spot in the car.  Again, to make sure the car was in proper balance and then could function properly.  It's a wonder these cars even run with their delicate dispositions.

Our roommate had a car that a friend let her use.  It was called Llamaji, which means something like old man in Japanese, I believe.  It was an ancient Datsun and was on it's last leg.  Now that car could barely get up a hill and for some reason we would all talk to the car, "Come on, Llamaji.  You can do it, Llamaji."  As if our words could will the wheezing old man to keep breathing, keep going for just a bit more.

Then there was that time there was a cockroach in the car!!

Good memories, I dare say.

Let the High Fiving and Back Patting Ensue!

I think you can probably tell a lot about a person from their iPhone.  

I had let 48 new updates accumulate and left that little annoying number bubble there for weeks.

 It only takes a press of one little button to update all.  

One button. 

I couldn't bring myself to push that button.

  Until tonight. 

 I pushed the button. 

48 apps that I don't even use or care about and need to delete.

But that's best saved for another day. 

Let's not get crazy.

Conclusion:

I am pathetic.

That is all. 

When I Come Back From Vacation, I Get Grumpy

Lately I've been loving...

Friendship Bracelets!  We decided to make some while we were camping since it was something we could easily bring with us and we would have the time to do it.  All you need is some embroidery floss and you are good to go.  Guess what?  We had embroidery floss, tons of it, in every color you could possibly dream of or hope for just waiting to be made into something wonderful.  

I'm loving this nail polish shade of mint green as well!  Mmm minty fresh!  Fabulous!

Tada!  Those are my great grandmother's old watches I believe.  I stole borrowed them out of my mom's jewelry box.
I love mixing old with new, don't you?
Also, I am not burnt.  My skin doesn't look all red and scary in real life.  This was just a quick picture I took in terrible lighting.  Ignore the skin, don't let it scare you. 

Here's Syd's with a closeup of the homemade hex nut bracelet we made a few weeks ago and normal, healthy skin.  I like!

I'm trying to think about good things, like the amazing dinner we just had at Montana Avenue (warm brie & that donut, not together but, anyone know what I'm talking about?), because as I mentioned in my title, I get Grumpy.  Be glad you're not around here right about now.  I don't think even Snow White could handle this one.  

You know what else I love, some good new music.  Sadly, I haven't discovered any new artists in awhile and although I have a pretty extensive, fabulous library that I keep on constant rotation, sometimes you need some new tunes to throw into the mix.  Could anyone help me out and share any new artists they are loving right now?  It might just cure this mood I've been in.  I'm ready to do some damage on iTunes or Amazon, whichever's cheaper.  But are they ready for me?  Ahh, I'm feeling better already.

Hey!  And tomorrow's Friday! 

Tales from Around the Campfire

Last weekend, my family took a little trip up to Blue Ridge Resevoir in Northern Arizona.  It's amazing how the scenery changes in the state, where it goes from cactus to pine trees in a few hours.  My family use to go camping every year at least once and since moving to Arizona we haven't gone at all.  I guess now that we are all working and have such different schedules to contend with it gets harder to plan for these type things.  But we decided to do it again, because who knows when the next time might be, hopefully sooner than later.  We were all kicking ourselves for not doing this sooner.  It turned out to be a great, relaxing weekend. 

I learned some things along the way...

1) Pit toilets can actually smell pleasant. I'm not kidding on this one.  We are used to the type of camping where you only have the pungent, bug infested pit toilets and they are usually not too pretty.  I was gearing up for the experience taking a few deep breathes of delicious fresh air before heading into the dreaded pit toilet.  Boy, was I surprised to find out that it actually smelled pretty good in there, like cinnamon!  Ha.  They had about 20 air fresheners in there and also a bug repellent.  Took care of that little bug/disgusting smell problem.  Very nice.

2) Camping is fun, except for the whole sleeping on the ground part.  The campsite was actually really well groomed and had flat surfaces with no roots or huge rocks jutting into your back.  Still it was almost impossible to find a comfortable position.  Maybe I'm getting too old for this sleeping on the ground business.  Next time, we might want to get a bit thicker air mattress or pad to sleep on.  If there is a next time... Just kidding.

Sydney's smiling now.  This was before we had to sleep in those little tents back there.
Okay, it wasn't that bad.  

3) It's nice to be out of touch from the world.  We didn't have any phone service up there and you know what??  I survived without the smartphone for the weekend.  I have a problem with having to be constantly entertained, but I think that is sort of what our society has made us into, isn't it?  It's refreshing to unplug for awhile and just curl up with a good book, play cards, and sit around the fire. 

4) I miss water a lot!  We went kayaking! Isn't everything just prettier with water??  I grew up around boats.  I miss being around water.  Pools do not have the same appeal as hanging out by the marina or jumping off the docks.  Sigh. 

5) I found some great reads.  I've been wanting to read The Help for ages now, since I kept hearing all the rave reviews.  It did not disappoint.  I couldn't put it down.  Curling up with a good book and having the time to read it cover to cover is one of the best things!

6) S'mores are just ok.  Not as good as I remember them being.  Meh.  Although, roasting the marshmellows over the fire still enjoyable.

With all said and done, we'd like to do it again sometime, without the sleeping on the ground part!  Just kidding!  It's cool.

I've Got a Problem

I was suppose to post this on Thursday, but then Blogger decided to shut down on us and all my plans were foiled.

At work, our break room is pretty much stocked with a plethora of snacks at all times.  This is nice and all, except for the fact that it is stocked with all kinds of deliciousness that I shouldn't be chowing down on every hour of my shift.  Things like Peanut M&Ms, mini bite size candy bars, and chips.  They had little miniature brownies in there.  I'm a sucker for miniature things and justifying that having a couple or a few is not so bad, because they are so cute and tiny!  Those few turn into one humongous brownie when all's said and done.  Bows head in shame. 

Looks like a candy story, right?

My problem is and probably always will be complete and utter lack of self control with dangerously good tasting things that are anywhere in my vicinity.  This is why we never keep any of these things in our house.  Sometimes I can't escape from it though. 

I'm gonna try to be better.  Break room, give it your best shot.  I can take it! 

Nutella??  How can I say no?
They are killing me with this stuff. ;)

No Words

                   

Animated Gif of Model Coco Rocha. 

Have you seen these before?

The stunning elegance of woman, fashion, and New York are to die for.  Don't you think?

{via}

Old school glamour at it's finest.

I have been completely enamored with animated gif's lately.  I want to learn how to make these.

I want to learn how to do a lot of things.

Spring in My Step

Sweater: Thrifted; Floral Flowy Top, H&M; Skirt, Forever 21
Belt, J.Crew Outlet; Necklace, Urban Outfitters; Bracelets, World Market

This is my first time joining in on Everybody Everywear greatness. I've seen some of my other blogging buddies participate and I thought I'd give it a go this time around.  

Florals?  This is gonna be easy.  Let me tell you, it was not!  Probably based on the fact that my job dictates wearing the most plain, unpatterned clothes imaginable.  These little bloggie opportunities are excellent for assessing your sad closet and lack of {in my case} florals in your life/wardrobe.  Gotta get on that stat! 

Did you guys know that all the pictures I take on this blog are from my trusty iPhone?  We used to have a nice normal point and shoot Canon, nothing too fancy, but it decided to stop working.  The nerve!  It only was half buried in sand on a little romp on the beach.  Why do they attach the strap you put around your wrist on a piece that would easily fall off?  One minute camera happily hanging there around my sister's wrist and in the next minute just the strap and a pathetic piece of remnants of the camera.  It was getting dark, but we still managed to find it a few minutes later, as I mentioned, half buried in the sand.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, so it goes with disgruntled cameras who have a complex about being deserted in the sand.

Where was I going with this story?  Are you even still reading this?  Oh yes, I use my iPhone for all the pictures and you know what, I don't think they come out half bad.  Thanks to a little Instagram magic!  Voila!  I kind of like how they turned out.  Even if I look like a hand amputee in that first one up there.  Must make a mental note never to do that again.

Happy Spring florals day!  I'm just glad it isn't 100 degrees out yet.  Savoring these last cool-ish days of Spring while they last.

As If I Really Needed Something Else to Preoccupy Me

I know.  I know.  Everyone is talking about it.  Most of the blogs I've been reading have all mentioned their newfound love for pinning.  It's true.  I've joined in the insanity.  Just another thing to occupy my time.  I'm plugged into a computer for hours at work and so I'm constantly on the look out for pretty things to discover online.  Don't get me wrong.  I do work at work.  I work hard.  Eh, might be hard to explain, but basically I can look on the internet at all the random things my heart desires.  Enter Pinterest. 
I requested an invite and now I'm happy pinning away. You pin different images you find online and are able to make bulletin boards of all the things that are of inspiration to you all organized in one convenient place.  Brilliant!

Here are a few things I've pinned recently:

The Colors!!
via

I want to go to there.
via

                                

I blame Disney!

via weheartit.com

Total girl crush!  Love Zooey!

via

You can find more of my pins on Pinterest.  Look me up under Taylor.Ash.  Don't go on there unless you have a bit of time to get lost in all the gorgeous photos! 

In other news, was today not beautiful or what?  It was warm with the perfect light breeze.  If only we could have days like these all year long and not have to move to San Diego.  I bored you with this weather talk, didn't I?  Look at those pretty pictures some more, because I've got nothing.

Walk the Walk

The last couple nights, Sydney and I have been walking.

Singapore!
If only it looked like this around here.

On Tuesday, we walked over to Starbucks and got our free little treat.  

It's not our fault that they keep sending us delicious offers for free stuff in the mail.

That birthday pop (it's not my birthday, that's just what it's called).  Starbucks, you're killing me with that amazing little mini morsel of goodness.  

Tonight, we walked over to Alberson's to get Haagen Daaz Ice Cream. 

Walking to get something like ice cream, somehow makes us feel better. 

Don't judge! 

We miss living in the big city with no car.  We probably walked an hour everyday at least and we didn't complain... much.  It didn't matter that we had to walk 15 minutes both ways to get to and from the grocery store and then had to carry the loaded bags home, cutting off circulation to our fingers.  

Of course, some days it would have been nice to have a car.  Like that time it started pouring while we were in the grocery store.  We decided to walk home in the rain rather than wait it out.  We almost never were prepared with an umbrella.  Of course, that happened to be the day when there were a bus load of guys(where did they all come from?) sitting on the steps to our apartment, perfect timing for them to all stare at us as we ran into the building.  You know how your clothes hang and cling on to you when they are soaked?  Hello, boys!  Awkward.

We walked so much, but it didn't matter how long it took, because we had the time.  Some days time didn't matter at all.  It was a weird feeling. Something that I miss, now when we complain if we can't find a parking spot relatively close to the door.  What is wrong with us?  How quickly we revert back to our busy, fast track way of thinking.  

That's why we are deciding to walk, even if it is just for our favorite sweet treats.

We have no shame. 

Join us!

I'm So Excited! And I Just Can't Hide It.

Sometimes I get jealous of other people's contentment.  Content to stay in one place.  Content with the close knit group of friends that have always been there.  Content with working 9 to 5 and playing on the weekends.  As every week spins by, content with life.

This is something that I have a personal struggle with.  I'm always looking for the next thing.  The next place to explore.  The next friends I will meet.  The endless possibilities of adventure and trying new things.  The next thing waiting to be learned.  

Does this make me the ultimate fanciful wanderer or will I live life striving after the next thing and never just be content?  Is that even a bad thing?  I'm going to say it's not. 

Maybe I will be content to live the life of a quirky nomad.  Or I might just meet someone who understands my wandering ways and we will be content to wander together, backpacking around the world and making money by street performing.  I could play the violin.  He could paint.  Now I'm getting ridiculous, I'm not much of a violinist.  At least, I have a good partner in crime in Syd as of right now, but we both know we don't want to end up those old sisters still living together in their 80's, eccentric old maids.  Ehh, I shutter at the thought.  Let's not think about that.

Hey, enough of that!  I'm excited, because tickets have been bought!  Summer trip commences June 30th!  If I don't have a trip to look forward to I start eating my feelings and no one likes it when that happens.  Hooray for not eating that fifth brownie!

We are going...

via

And then we're going here... 

via

Oh yeah, it's on! 

Ahh summer, here we come! 

Snooki Lover's Beware

{via}

This is pretty much awesome sauce!

I'm all about the guilty pleasure tv viewing every now and then. 

But Jersey Shore is where I draw the line.  Seriously!  Books of the world dying slow deaths left and right. 

Also, since I really have nothing of consequence to say today or most days here is a video that I thoroughly enjoy.  I love stop motion!