you know you have a chronic condition when...

...you know that it is physically possible to lay down on the floor of an airplane lavatory. [side note: obviously not just any airplane lavatory; I got lucky with this one.]

the (anti-)glass menagerie

I haven't written a knitting post in awhile, so here's an update! Baby B's toy bin is getting fuller and fuller by the day! And I still have quite a few animals/toys in my ravelry queue to make.... ;)

Here's what we've got thus far (starting with most-recently finished):

dreams are for the young

Do you ever have the feeling that you really missed your chance to do a certain thing in your life? Not necessarily a regret... just a wistfulness that comes from hindsight? I used to feel that way about becoming an Olympic gymnast (p.s.- I never would have been good enough for that. It just looked fun.), but I digress.

my basal ganglia made me do it

This is going to be yet another random post, so I apologize. I've been feeling SO uninspired to blog lately... not that I don't have thoughts swirling around, but because I feel like they're not big/important/fleshed-out enough to blog about. Here's what's on my mind today:

loan progress -- 08.05.14

Undergrad: $0
Law School: $31,734.83

every inch of you is perfect

I didn't really participate in the "Don't Try So Hard" linkup with The Florkens this week, mostly because I never wear makeup and so it seemed a little disingenuous to act like it was something that I had to actively do. On a related note, however, this song has been on the radio for the past couple of weeks, and I can't get enough of it. It's catchy, AND it's written for girls who look like me :)

Yeah, it's pretty clear, I ain't no size two
But I can shake it, shake it
Like I'm supposed to do
Cause I got that boom boom that all the boys chase
And all the right junk in all the right places

#loveyourselfie

a letter to my former self

Dear Marcie,

Happy birthday, and welcome to being a teenager. Only a few more months until you'll be in high school! Don't freak out too much; it's just like middle school, only people are generally nicer (and less hormonal). And the high school building smells a lot less. Middle school is the worst.

I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a few things. You see, I have the benefit of hindsight, and they say it's 20/20. I'm not going to give you ALL the answers, but here are some pieces of advice that you'll understand as you get older.

First and foremost, you are skinny. I know you don't think that you are because your stomach isn't perfectly flat, but believe me when I say you'll never again be as thin as you are now. Embrace it.

Secondly, you're going to meet a guy this summer and fall in love with him. You're going to be sure that you and this guy are going to get married. You're not. Although it will end painfully (he's going to break up with you in a letter. in the mail.), let it happen. It will be practice for the truly EPIC breakups that are to come (hint: you'll survive those too). The guy you end up marrying will be 100x more awesome than any of them.

Don't get too caught up in the cattiness of your friendships right now. Of course, it's important to have good friends, and you've got a few, but after high school ends you're never going to talk to these people again. I know, you don't believe me and that's fine. You'll see. Speaking of, don't dumb yourself down just because your current group of friends isn't as smart as you. I know that being smart doesn't make you feel very cool, but pretty soon you're going to get over yourself (and those girls aren't really going to be your friends anymore) and you're going to be annoyed that the only reason you don't graduate from high school with a 4.0 is because you wanted to be "cool." Smart is cool. You'll learn that as you get older.

On a related note, move away immediately after high school. It's going to be hard, and you're going to have to fight and claw your way out, but it's going to be worth every meltdown and every dollar spent. Trust me on this. That town is not a place where good things happen for people. Get out.

Be nice to your sister. I know she's an annoying little brat, but she's going to grow up to be an amazing woman and the very best friend that you have. You don't regret much in your life, but you're going to regret all the times you were mean to her. Go give her a hug. Yes, right now. Go on-- she's a pretty cute little kid.

You're going to screw up between now and when you're my age. A LOT. Sometimes epically. Don't let it paralyze you. Pick yourself up and move on. It's not going to be the last time that you screw up. No one has died yet.

A bonus pro-tip: Your mother is (almost) always right. I know, I can't believe it either. Trust me, her rightness never gets less annoying. One day, though, you're going to be my age and really understand how right your mom was all of these years. Also, I know you're telling yourself now that you're never going to be an old mom (like your mom), but you're going to eat those words. It's ok. I know 22 or 23 seems really old to you right now, but it's really not. You're still going to be figuring yourself out until you're at least 26. When you're my age, you're going to be really glad that you weren't a young mom. You'd have screwed it all up.

Your life's gonna be great, kid. Great in ways you can't even imagine now. It's not going to ALL be sunshine and roses, but everything that you do in your life changes you and makes you into the smart and awesome person that I am. I'm positive that you're rolling your eyes at me right now. I wouldn't expect anything else. You are only 13, after all. Maybe tone down the angst just a touch though. It's unbecoming.

Enjoy your birthday and your teenage years.  And when you first hear of a company called Google, buy all the shares of stock that you can afford. Borrow money if you need to. Just trust me on that one.

Love,
Marcie

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Linking up with Jana at Jana Says.