SLW: Guest Post - Casey

We haven't had a guest poster on here in quite awhile! Meet my awesome friend Casey - I met her while at Olivet and it took me forever to figure out if she was mad at me or not. She is reserved at first glance but one of the coolest people I've ever met. I'm so happy to have gotten to know her over the years because as it turns out we MIGHT be the same person. From the Young Adult fiction novels to her intense love of crafts and blogs, she's pretty much amazing. 

I asked Casey to guest on here a couple months ago, being a fellow single lady, I asked her to write whatever she wanted about single life or not. And she didn't say no... but she also didn't quite say yes, but she finally emailed me. I'm so happy to have her post here today!

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When Abby asked me to write a guest post for SLW, I almost wondered if she had asked the wrong person. Like Abby recently shared, I never have anything to say when people ask me, "What's new with you?" Therefore, I feel like I had NOTHING to write about. I figured I'd give it a shot though. 

As a single lady, I read A LOT of blogs. Therefore, I decided to pull an idea from one of my favorite blogs, Sometimes Sweet. I’ve been borderline obsessed with blogs since I was in college, and Danielle Hampton’s blog was one of the first ones I remember reading. To give you an idea of how obsessed I was (read: still am), I gave up blogs for lent one year in college because I was spending entirely too much time reading them. It was bad. Anyways, Danielle writes a “Currently” post from time to time, where she talks about different things she’s enjoying in her life. Here’s my attempt at a Currently post…

Reading: I started reading/listening to To Kill a Mockingbird, via an audio book, on my drive to and from work. I live about 20 minutes from the school I work at so I always try to get an audio book from the library to enjoy on my short commute. Go ahead and shun me now, but I have never read To Kill a Mockingbird. For years, my mom has tried to get me to read it, saying that I would love it, but somehow it just slipped through the cracks. Anyways, I requested it from the library, but the 7^th disc ended up being so scratched that it wouldn’t play. I didn’t want to wait to request another copy of the audio book so I’ve been reading the physical book. I’ve also been listening to The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow, via an audio book, on my commute to work now. And I recently borrowed Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan from the library. I have yet to start that one. I’m not usually one to read multiple books at a time, but lately I’ve been juggling 2-3 books at a time. Things are getting wild over here!

Eating: Cinnamon Toast Crunch…in a rather large bowl. I can never get enough of that stuff. I go through phases with cereal. I’ve enjoyed large quantities of Cheerios, Frosted Flakes, Life, Frosted Mini Wheats, etc. For the most part, I literally eat nothing other than cereal during those phases…and I love it. Also, sunflower seeds are one of my main food groups.

Thinking about: Summer. One of the major perks of working in a school is the schedule a.k.a. summers off. I have a big trip planned this summer and I.AM.EXCITED. My friend and I are going to DC, NYC and Boston. I will be crossing quite a few things off of my unofficial bucket list, as well as my 26 Before 27 list. Man, oh man. Did I explain how excited I am? We are planning to visit The Today Show, which is basically my main goal in life. Ed Sheeran will be playing for The Today Show’s summer concert series while we’re there. (Insert heart eyes emoji here). We’re going to try for Jimmy Fallon and/or SNL tickets too. There will be food. There will be fun. I’m tempted to countdown with a paper chain.   

Listening: Podcasts. Recently, a friend reminded me about the wonderful world of podcasts. Comedy Bang Bang is my current favorite. The other night I was trying to fall asleep while listening to it and one of the guests was Amy Poehler. Basically, I laughed myself to sleep. It was grand. They were rapping about butter. Enough said. As far as music, my playlist is always all over the place. Currently, it includes: Ed Sheeran, Manchester Orchestra, Jake Bugg, Talk Dirty to Me by Jason Derulo, Do You Want to Build a Snowman by Princess Anna, etc. I had to throw those specific songs in there if I’m being 100% honest in this post.

Watching: This is a silly question. The answer is always Gilmore Girls. I have a running list of shows that I want to watch, but somehow I always end up engrossed by one of Lorelai and Rory’s long-winded conversations. Those two, I love them. I used to pick a random season when I was in the mood to watch, but I’ve preferred watching from start to finish over the last few years. If only I could tell you how many times I’ve watched the entire series. Honestly, I wish I knew the number. Also, if you’ve read any of Abby’s amazing live tweets related to Gilmore Girls, you’d notice that I’ve favorited 99% of them. I would also be watching Parenthood, but the season just ended. There were tears, lots of tears. For some balance, I’ve been watching The Mindy Project too, which always provides me with a good laugh. 

Loving: Excuse me while I get a little sentimental, but I love my friends. This really isn’t anything new, but I’ve just had some good moments with my pals lately. Most of these moments have been so simple too. Conversations over coffee. A quick phone call after work. Running errands with a friend. I’m just very thankful.

Well, that’s it. There’s your peek into what’s going on in the life of your average single lady. A big thank you to Abby for asking me to write a guest post and putting me waaayyyy outside of my comfort zone.

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THAT ROAD TRIP THO! AAARRRGH I wish summer break was still a thing. And Gilmore Girls - ugh, Gilmore Girls *clutches heart.* I love the "reading, loving, watching" posts - it's a good way to catch up and actually gives you a little perspective on what you might call "nothing." Someone's "nothing" is someone else's amazing adventure. Also I totally want to listen to podcasts now!

I am always up for a guest post - thoughts on single hood from a married standpoint, advice, recipes for one (or recipes for 2 that I will eat alone and not tell anyone) ANYTHING! Email me at thebirdsfly{at}me{dot}com.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! 

SLW: life lately + Gilmore Girls

Almost every Wednesday, in a sincere effort not to drive anywhere, I get Chinese food from this place in front of my apartment. I can walk to it and the food is cheap but good and the combination of those things is a slam dunk, home run. The only drawback is I have to walk by this fitness place, you know the pop up ones that kinda yell at you in all forms? "NUTRITION 24. GETTING FIT IS THE NEW SKINNY. SWEAT IS JUST FAT PEEING OUT OF YOUR PORES." I make special care not to look into the place because I'm afraid strong, overly hyped up on steroids guys will pick me up and carry me into the place and force me to exercise when all I want is the sweet and sour chicken lunch special. I try to look very menacing and determined when I pass, which just mostly comes off as "pissed because I'm constipated."

Thought I would just share that with ya...

I'm just really trying to avoid the question, "What's new with you?" It makes me wish I had a kid to talk about, because there is never a lack of conversation when you have a kid. There is always something developing or school or SOMETHING to talk and bond over whereas I'm over here like, "Well, I just got over a stomach virus soooo my poop's finally no longer liquid!" and that's how I lose friends. But it also makes me a little down when I haven't seen friends in a long time and they ask what's new and NOTHING is new. Even after years of time. I'm not saying life has to be this roller coaster of adventure but it's easy to feel boring when you're single and you work and do little else but read YA fiction in your spare time. And then you start to BOND with other people over the fact that you're super lame! No really, the other day I saw this girl I knew from like 7th grade and we lamented over the fact that our friends are married and buying houses. In fact, her friend was in the process of buying a good chunk of Pottery Barn and she went to Starbucks to get away from it all. I always say life's weird, but I mean can we just agree today and say life's WEIRD?? Other than that weird run in, I've been good! Promise, hand to God. Besides that whole stomach virus thing. That was a real thing that happened last week. Blech.

Oh hey let me introduce you to my best friends in the world, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. (Please still be friends with me, please.) 

Anyways, I've been watching a lot (an understatement) of Gilmore Girls. Like a TON. I forgot how amazing that show is and how much my mom and I are Lorelai and Rory. Why aren't shows written like that anymore?? It's so intelligent and funny! Like why can't actual life hold conversations with obscure cultural references in them all the time? AND why can't Stars Hollow exist?? It makes me want to up and move to Connecticut and then I rememberrrrr that would be a bad idea. Alexis Bledel isn't there waiting for me with coffee. THAT makes me sad.

I keep trying to relate everything in my life to that show and my brain is on HYPER speed with quick witted quips now. It's like when you hear someone speak in a British accent and you can't help but start to say 'banahhhnahs' over and over again. You can find all my GG thoughts on Twitter (@abbyblujay) since I've decided to live tweet every episode I watch. This decision is sound right? Of course it is.

Happy Wednesday my dears!

SLW: reads

I made a mistake. I've been reading, slightly embarrassingly, this book about how "It's Not You" in terms of being single. It's by Sara Eckel and it's just dispelling the thoughts every single person has. "I'm too picky" or "I'm not trying hard enough" or "I'm too sad" or "I'm too focused on my career." It makes you feel like a normal human again and even helps you skirt past single shaming questions of "why are you single?" and "what's wrong with you?" with the response of "well, why are you married?" and "leave me alone." It was an insightful book with a lot of laugh out loud moments and some moments that made me FREAK. OUT.

For example: she meets her husband at 41 *gulps and moves on* and has to come to terms with the fact that she can either choose to have biological children or wait for the one. I stopped, put the book down, and went in a corner and cried for a while, because at 27 it never crossed my mind that I may not marry until well into my 40's or 50's and way past child bearing age. I want a literal brood of children, I've always wanted a lot of kids and that just... rocked my world. It's something I'm not ready to come to terms with yet. Hence all the tears and I KNOW I know. It's weird of me to freak out about something that hasn't even happened yet, events that haven't come to pass at ALL but! It IS something that hit me square in the face with a bit of reality.

I always think about Rachel, Jacob's wife, who prayed and prayed and prayed for a son only for her to finally have one and give him right back to God. I don't even know if I would have the strength to do that, but I do know that God hears me when I pray and I just need to trust him. Even while I continue to freak the heck out.

Also I think I'm gonna stop reading "self-help" books for... forever. and maybe just go live at church.

SLW: a recant

Remember a while ago when I said, "When I leave my house I always look cute because I never know who I'll meet"...?

WELL I TAKE BACK THAT STATEMENT.

I had no idea the GUILT associated with saying that! As soon as I wear yoga pants out of my house I'm like "Aw I just missed my husband," or wear my ratty TOMS instead of my cute Gap flats, "Well you just missed your husband," or I didn't do my hair and went to Dairy Queen, "Dang girl you could have met your husband today." THESE ARE THINGS I THINK ABOUT. And it is TERRIBLE.

So here's a new statement. DO YOU GURL. Wear whatever the heck you want, maybe don't be naked, but let's all thank God that meeting "the one" isn't dependent on the fact that you went with generic glasses instead of Ray Bans. Actually I don't know if meeting someone is dependent on anything but just living life.

LIVE YO LIFE GURL.

That is all.

p.s. You know the cute layered outfits pinned on Pinterest? Are they homeless, cuz they clearly don't spend their money on anything else BUT CLOTHES. I just... needed to say that.