Merry and Bright.

Educate.

Calling all Givers...

Spotted via @morganlevy

wish I could be there to take part! I'll have to find some programs out in Tucson or OKC... but for those of you in Nashvegas... time to empty those pockets and pantries!

Angel Tree Program Sees Record Need This Season

http://www.newschannel5.com/story/16070947/angel-tree-program-sees-record-need-this-holiday-season

17,000 kids have registered with Angel Tree in Nashville this year, and right now only 950 of the requests have been filled. You can adopt a kid at any of the area malls and return the gifts you purchase to the same location by December 3.

Also: Second Harvest Food Bank donations are down 30% and they have only collected enough to provide 400,000 meals so far (they projected to be at 2,000,000 meals by this time).

Time to share, Nashville!

1 Year!

Happy One Year Anniversary to me!

Today marks my 1 year Anniversary with my job.

As I sit here in the hotel lounge, eating breakfast, jet-lagged and without my luggage since United lost it somewhere... I can't believe that not only has a year gone by, but I've survived it too!

Amid the multiple 60+ hour work weeks and the numerous excel documents that brought tears of frustration to my eyes, I've somehow made it! Woohoo!

While this is hands down the most challenging and time-consuming job I have ever had, I can't help but feel extremely blessed. I haven't forgotten where I was before this job and how far God has brought me... and I hope I never do.

140,000+ air miles and counting...

Make a wish.

Happy 11.11.11 from Deutchland!

Yes, technically it is already tomorrow over here, but who's really counting? For my fellow Americans it is still 11.11.11. Veteran's Day. Julie's Birthday. Georgia's Birthday. Hopefully for all of you, a good day.

Tomorrow's forecast (is it a forecast if I am already there?) is looking good, so get excited.

As for me I am about to hit the hay after a long day of walking, coffee, pretzels, marzipan, museums, relics and frat parties.

Yes, I am far too old for frat parties, but apparently Freiburg, Germany is a black hole of time where Mambo #5 never goes out of style and frat parties are for everyone, even if you have been out of college for almost 6 years.

What can I say? Last night I went to a club that was the equivalent of a 90's grunge disco in a crowded chimney. Tonight I wound up at some Germany frat house with people in masks.

Never a dull moment.

Happy Halloween!

I ordered my Christmas Cards today folks.

Get excited.

3 Top 3's

Trips I want to take

1. Fly to Jackson Hole, stay at a lodge and explore the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. Hike through the parks, go fly fishing, take a whitewater rafting trip and go horseback riding through the country. Eat bison burgers and soak in a hot tub under the stars at night. Yes, please.

2. Visit Costa Rica and go zip lining through the rainforest. Stay in a treehouse. Not get sick...

3. Take a weekend get-away up to DC. Sit on the steps of the Lincoln memorial and have lunch. Visit all the free museums.

Top 3 things I need to do

1. work, rather than blog.

2. thoroughly clean my car (yes, still!)

3. Take care of my dry-cleaning (thanks Groupon for giving me a head start on this!)

Top 3 things I am looking forward to right now:

1. Camping this weekend

2. Sending Christmas Cards

3. Having a girls night with Jules.

Time to work now.

No words.

Best. Weekend. EVER.

Dream Come True.

Happy October!

Wow, is it just me, or did September FLY by?

I. love. fall.

The colors, the smells, the FOOTBALL, the bonfires, the sweatshirts, the leaves. Love it.

I was strolling through Publix last night when I saw a Yahrzeit candle, and I was briefly reminded of a time when my autumns were covered in darkness... and I had to smile.

Because as Robert Frost says: "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."

Case in point: yesterday I came home to flowers and a homemade healthy dinner (with apple pie to boot!), and I had one of those evenings where I was fully aware of my own happiness... and it was awesome.

Today I'll be hiking in Percy Warner, visiting the farmers market for some pumpkins, and watching some football.

Perfection for this first day of October, in my opinion.

Happy Fall, ya'll.

It goes on.

I said hey! What's goin on?

Monday morning finds me sitting in an airport waiting out a delay and wishing I was still in bed on this rainy day!

The news just did a report over student loans and how the US student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt in this country. Maybe I'd be shocked if I wasn't still indentured to my debt. However, I am officially under $40k now. Holla! Those lenders are going down! You hear me uncle sam? You hear me Sallie? Down!

Seriously though, I wonder how many economists have spent time looking at these student loan numbers and how they affect the economy. They've shown that student loans have increased 400% in the last 20 years; (dang) and they attribute rising student loan numbers to individuals' delay in getting married, delay in beginning new business ventures and of course, decreased spending ...and we all know how important spending is to the US economy.

Oh well. What can you do? The irony that my bank got a bail-out is not lost on me... but such is the way of things.

Going forward (<--- consultant speech alert!) I plan to do everything I can to teach my 18 year old college bound kids (should I have them) about the reality of debt, and work to help them fully consider the ROI of the degree and the school they are considering.

In other news, I've completed a few more 101 tasks!!

#47 Volunteer with the USO: I suppose it wasn't technically legit volunteering. But I did have time in the Atlanta airport and I stood at the gate with the volunteers and I clapped and cheered for the men in uniform who were coming in. It was a little strange, since I'm not really a "war fan" or anything. (is anyone?) But I do feel a sense of gratitude to those poor young boys who live that life.

#61 Take a Cooking Class: I've been working as a volunteer sou chef with the Whole Foods Salud! Cooking School. It's AWESOME and it's FREE (i love free) since I volunteer. So far I've worked the following classes:

• Romance in Roma (yummy italian)
• New Orleans Style Brunch (a-mazing)
• A Salute to Julia! (yes, it was awesome!!)

I've made coq-au-vain, fried green tomatoes, and all sorts of yummy elitist food. LOVE IT.

And finally, I made the mistake of reading the USA today article on Politicians Pensions. gross gross gross. That's all I have to say about that!

Happy Monday!

-Danica

This years Halloween Costume?

Fall desires

For the fires to stop and for my tejas peeps to be safe!

For people to send me these!

(1127 McChesney Nashville, TN 37216)

To go apple picking!

To go camping!

To go see football games!

Bonfires, bonfires, bonfires!

To live out this quote:

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, champagne in one hand ... strawberries in the other and screaming: 'Woo Hoo! What a ride!'"

(courtesy of Linda)

side note: this blog is sweet. Yay for badass successful moms!

Short and Sweet

This post, shared by Amy, made me smile today. Thanks Amy!

Today I made a point to go by Whole Foods to pick some over-priced (yet awesome) pre-made salads along with a bottle of wine to celebrate my new digs at the hotel here in Tucson.

After leaving the hands-down most ghetto Whole Foods I have EVER been in, GPS took me on a scenic drive back home. Thanks to gyps I finally got a taste of Tucson's beauty. I drove along the foothills at sunset and looked across the dessert and realized for the first time why people would choose to settle in such a hot and barren place. Then, as if on cue REM came on the radio to tell me that it's the end of the world (as we know it). Who else thinks of Arizona when that song comes on, o Can I get a show of hands? I blame Independence Day.

Anyhow I am home here at the hotel now, in a room where it looks as though a murder took place last week (a whole other story!). I just gone done having a convo with le boy over guns and nagging. And now I am watching Kate Plus 8.

And all I can think is... "wow, there's one nagging woman who does not need a gun."

slash

"I bet millions of people watching this woman right now wish they had a gun."

Time for bed now.

Goodnight moon.

"How many the fictitious shores before the harbor lie"

In the midst of celebrating with numerous friends and family members who are/have been planning engagements and weddings recently, there has also been mourning. Mourning with other friends. Friends who have been left, friends who's marriages have fallen apart. Friends who are alone.

These days when I seem to float between sadness and joy I have to remind myself (constantly) that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Regardless.

An aquaintance of mine was recently describing her path back to sanity after her divorce, and I think she describes it well.

"I still have my days...but they are fewer and farther between. The waves have calmed down. They’re still there, but I found a piece of the wreckage and I have clung to it. Recently, I found a life vest. That has allowed me to have times of rest while I’m treading water. Down the road, there will be a boat. And I’ll climb inside. And I’ll find my way to an island. And I’ll open my mysterious Cast Away packages that contain hope. And I’ll put them to use. And eventually....somewhere in the future....I will build a raft and I will conquer the ocean. And I’ll get scooped up my a big ‘ole fishing vessel that will bring me to shore. Back home. Back where my heart is whole and healed. And hopefully, that shore will have a person standing on the shore waiting to share life with me. Forever. Till death. And they will wake up every morning and choose me. And if that happens, I’ll have a big party and you’re all invited."

Divorce or not, who hasn't felt this way at some point? Lonliness and the feeling of abandonment are two of the worst things a person can feel... and to find hope, and to hold onto it in the middle of those feelings, is incredibly scary, and incredibly, incredibly hard.

Words can't tell you how proud I am of my friends who fight to hope in the midst of their stormy sea.

"Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He, faithful, will remain Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end."

Listomania

Sometimes I sit down to work and it's honestly the last thing that I feel like doing.

So I make lists instead.

Procrastination lists, if you will.

Here are some that I've made over the past few months when I should have been working.

Enjoy!

5 Trips I Would Like to Take:

• Amsterdam: Tulips. Anne Frank. Windmills.
• Montana/Wyoming: Ranches. Tetons. Yellowstone. Glacier. national Parks galore.
• New Zealand: need I say more?
• London: free museums. Bad Food. The Eye!
• I'd like to try a retreat at a monastery some time. There's one somewhere in Kentucky that lets you work in their fields. I think it'd be interesting

Next 5 Big Purchases I'd like to make

• Tune up the Car
• New Mattress
• a bed to put the new mattress on
• A thin TV
• iPad

First 6 things I'd do if I won the lottery

• Pay off school
• Save a bunch of money
• Buy a house
• See New Zealand
• Quit my job and work for one of my Africa nonprofits
• Go see the Packers play in Green Bay!

5 East Nashville Restaraunts I have yet to try:

• RosePepper
• Margot
• Wild Cow
• Southern Bred
• Coopers

5 Random things I have learned through my job:

• how to put on pantyhose in a car. in a skirt. without flashing anyone.
• How to secretly dispose of drinks
• How to talk like this.
• How to sleep on airplanes!
• How say "i don't know" 389 different ways without every actually saying "I don't know"

My 5 favorite girly things:

• Peonies.
• Nail Polish
• pedicures
• massages
• shoes

My 5 favorite Brunch orders

• coffee, eggs over easy, bacon, hash brown casserole
• anything that involves smoked salmon
• anything from Marche
• french toast
• sesame bagels with cream cheese

5 favorite ice cream flavors (today):

• Goat cheese and cherries via jeni's
• Bourbon buttered pecan via jeni's
• Shiner via Amy's
• The Professor via Pied Piper
• Toasted Coconut via Sip

My 5 favorite aisles of Target

• Kitchen wares
• Women's clothing
• Shoes
• the dollar section
• holiday aisles

Top 5 books I wish everyone would read and then discuss with me:

• My Name is Asher Lev
• A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
• East of Eden
• Harry Potter. (beginning to end)
• Life after God

5 Things I would change about America

• Flat tax of 15% (no more, no less) for anyone making over $30,000, increased taxes on consumption (sales tax.. aka: things you choose to buy) and elimination of property tax. (you'd pay it once, when you purchase, like every other sales tax out there).
• Sin Taxes (cigarettes/alcohol) would be raised enough to eliminate the grocery tax.
• Financial Education would be required of every high school sophomore
• The School food program would provide meals made with unprocessed foods in addition to fruits and vegetables that are grown by school children across america as part of the education cirriculum.
• Those who ignore public health risks would be ineligble for medicare and medicaid funds. (go ahead and hate on me...)

5 Things I say to my friends when they ask my opinion of the guy they are dating:

• How do you feel about him?
• Does he lead you to Jesus?
• Does he inspire you to be "better"?
• Do you feel you can be yourself with him?
• Do you have fun? (yes. answering questions with questions.. haha)

5 Things I dislike

• excel
• driving
• driving with other people in my car
• the plastic wrap they put on cd's and dvd's
• flight delays and cancellations when I'm on my way home

5 things I've enjoyed this summer

• time with friends
• freezy pops
• roller blading
• cooking school
• ice cream!

4 Strange dreams I've had

• I bit a guys shoulder and it was friend chicken
• My brother killed someone and I had to protect him
• My overly nice coworkers turned on me, going postal and screaming, asking me if I am stupid
• My mom hit a kid while driving home.

Grown Up Week

Grown up week has commenced.

Despite a rough start with a late Sunday night and an overslept Monday morning I managed to get to the dentist today.

I then went home and made french toast (with french bread, and a frangelico cream to soak it in) and coffee, put together a plate of fruit and a glass of juice and had myself a sexy little breakfast.

I trudged through the work day, rewarding myself with a break to bake some kale chips for a snack.

Then Fletcher came over for dinner and he, Amy and I feasted on lemon marinara pasta...while watching a horrible Lincoln documentary and Amy somehow got drunk on 1.5 glasses of reisling.

Afterward I sat down on the couch and diversified my investments. (there's a sentence I never thought I'd say)

Somewhere Dave Ramsey is smiling at my little portfolio comprised of Small Growth Caps, International Funds, Large Growth Caps and blended funds. Yes, my dad helped me pick them out. And yes, I consulted the Dave Ramsey book before I submitted my choices... but I still think it counts as a completed task for "grown-up week." ..even if I didn't do it alone. Sometimes it takes a village, ya know?

Anyhow, just call me Danica Diverse -ified.*

Tomorrow I'll be dropping off some business clothes to be altered, and taking a bag of stuff to Goodwill.

Later this week I need to/should drop my car off for some long overdue tune ups. I really don't want to do this, but I also want my car to live a long and healthy life, so I need to suck it up and open my check book and just get it over with.

I'm also contemplating ordering a new set of glasses, since the ones I've had were prescribed in 2005... but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I should mention that a big part of growing up is learning to stay young... which of course is my excuse to go see Harry Potter again tomorrow night and eat movie theater popcorn for the 2nd time in 4 days.

No shame.

*please don't ever call me that

This made me laugh (a lot).

(via Christy, via Hairpin. Thanks!)

Sometimes State Flags...

By Caity Weaver | July 11, 2011

1. Sometimes state flags run out of red marker before they're finished. (Tennessee)

2. Sometimes state flags have aspirations of being limited edition vinyl release indie rock album covers. (California)

3. Sometimes state flags try to do too much. (Oregon, front and back)

4. Sometimes state flags don’t try to do enough. (North Carolina)

5. Sometimes state flags practican el Español. (Montana)

6.Sometimes state flags do this ironically. (Wyoming)

7. Sometimes state flags look like Chinatown knock-offs of other flags. (Hawaii)

8.Sometimes state flags experiment with Islam. (South Carolina)

9. Sometimes state flags take things too literally. (Washington)

10. Sometimes state flags wish they’d gone to a prep school. (Nevada)

11. Sometimes state flags wish they were superheroes. (Arizona)

12.Sometimes state flags thought you said “space flags.” (Alaska)

13. Sometimes state flags are dropping a lot of hints that they want you to ask about that cruise they took to Puerto Rico. (Texas)

14. Sometimes state flags just bought this tanktop from Urban Outfitters, do you like it? (New Mexico)

15. Sometimes state flags are really badass. (Oklahoma)

16. Sometimes state flags are really sweet. (Rhode Island)

17. Sometimes state flags combine pelicans with vampirism. (Louisiana)

18. Sometimes state flags only came to this party because they thought you would have Pinot Grigio. (Connecticut)

19. Sometimes state flags “work it” and “throw shade.” (Delaware)

20. Sometimes state flags honor the forgotten sixth Spice Girl, Circum Spice. (Michigan)

21. Sometimes state flags honor murderous severed limbs. (Massachusetts)

22. Sometimes state flags don’t make effective use of their space, due to low self-esteem. (Idaho)

23. Sometimes state flags put the longest word upside down. (Illinois)

24. Sometimes state flags were so excited to use up their gold star stickers, they forgot what they were doing. (Indiana)

25. Sometimes state flags are avec serifs. (Iowa)

26. Sometimes state flags lack ambition. (North Dakota)

27. Sometimes state flags just want to be gently caressed by a bear. (Missouri)

28. Sometimes state flags just want to be gently caressed by a bro. (Kentucky)

29. Sometimes state flags are keeping it casual. (Maine)

30. Sometimes state flags hurt to look at. (Maryland)

31. Sometimes state flags look like images that cannot be displayed. (Alabama)

32. Sometimes state flags are so glad you called on Alabama first. (Florida)

33. Sometimes state flags look like reverse shadow optical illusions. (Nebraska)

34. Sometimes state flags just finished watching Ken Burns’ The Civil War. (Mississippi)

35. Sometimes state flags take a lot of tries to get it right. (Georgia — this is its eighth)

36. Sometimes state flags oversell. (Minnesota)

37. Sometimes state flags undersell. (Colorado)

38. Sometimes state flags sail their ships by land. (New Hampshire)

39. Sometimes state flags wake to find the severed head of their prized racehorse in bed with them. (New Jersey)

40. Sometimes state flags advocate weaponry for the blind. (New York)

41. Sometimes state flags added a sunflower at the last minute. (Kansas)

42. Sometimes state flags tell rather than show. (South Dakota)

43. Sometimes state flags feature prancing ponies. (Pennsylvania)

44. Sometimes when state flags were being cut, the tailor accidentally started snipping along a diagonal and then it was too late to fix it so he just decided to just embrace this accident and hope no one noticed but then everyone noticed. (Ohio)

45. Sometimes state flags name drop. (Arkansas)

46. Sometimes state flags are just so Vermont. (Vermont)

47. Sometimes state flags are surprisingly good at wrestling. (Virginia)

48. Sometimes state flags have lovely feminine touches. (West Virginia)

49. Sometimes state flags are brought to you by Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. (Wisconsin)

50. Sometimes state flags were designed by bees. (Utah)

Caity Weaver just graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Linguistics. She is an asset to any quizzo team.