on blogging without a filter

I recently went back and read some random posts I wrote while I was in law school and I’ve come the the conclusion that my life is so much more balanced and happy now, I’m way less stressed out and I wouldn’t go back to that time if you paid me. However, you guys, I think I was a lot funnier in law school. Case in point, this post:

What in the…? Guys, I have no idea but I will tell you that when I came across it I laughed really hard.

I also laughed really hard at this line in a post from September 14, 2011:

I’m tired of being over stimulated. That’s not what she said, BTW.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I was just so stressed out for so long that filters no longer mattered to me. I was fine with saying whatever was on my mind because, (1) I didn’t have a lot of other outlets, and (2) the backlash from writing the word “wiener” on my personal blog was the least of my concerns. I want to go back to that place. Not the super stressed out part but the unfiltered part, because that Rebeka is someone I would want to be friends with, and that Rebeka is more like real-life-Rebeka. Because if you were to meet me in real life you would quickly learn that I like to keep things real, I obviously somewhat censor things depending on audience and I like to think that I’m very kind and don’t say things that hurt peoples feelings (hopefully!) but I drop F-bombs and laugh at “that’s what she said” jokes.

Anyway, let’s end this revelation with a little recap of my day yesterday, because everyone knows “this is what I want to blog about” posts or “sorry I haven’t blogged, blah blah” posts are the worst.

Wednesday was really rainy in Seattle. Fall is here guys. And by Fall, I mean the rainy season. Anyway, I’m driving to work Wednesday morning and I notice water leaking down the front of my passenger side seat as well as the back and pooling in the rubber mat in the back passenger side. Um, WHAT? My brand new, fancy-as-fuck, 6 week old car should NOT be leaking from the sunroof! Obviously, cue freakout, call the dealership, they tell me they’re going to need my car for the whole day but no worries, they have a shuttle that will take me to work. No. No no no. I explain to them that my decision to purchase the “Limited” version of my car meant it came with some Toyota Care thing that offers me roadside assistance, a rental car in case my car breaks, and other things I couldn’t name off the top of my head. The guy says he’s going to have to call me back. I tell him when he calls me back I want to hear that they’re fixing my leaking sunroof for free and they will have a rental waiting for me when I get there tomorrow morning. Done and done. #lawyered

I take my car to the dealership yesterday morning, they make me wait until they test it to make sure there is actually a leak. I’m already late for work. I end up being at the dealership for an hour while they determine that somehow some tree sap was blocking one of the sunroof drains or something. They plucked out the sap, showed it to me, confirmed my car was no longer leaking, changed my oil and I left for work in my car. I’m happy I don’t have to go back. That dealership is the worst.

After getting to work really, really late, I obviously also needed to leave early, because you know: employee of the fucking year right here. I work approximately 3.5 hours before heading out for a previously scheduled appointment, arrive late to appointment because of surprise traffic on the 520 and NO parking anywhere nearby – I hate being late, so so much. Leave appointment, go home, work from my couch for a couple hours before I go to meet Dustin, Art, their coworker Willy in town from Singapore and Amy.

A few months ago I forced Amy to quit her job. No joke. I went to happy hour with her and Art and I was like, Amy, Art has a really good job, you HATE your job, just quit. Quit tomorrow. And she did. She literally quit the next day. To explain a little further, Amy was an elementary school teacher for many years, she supported Art while he was in school and then when he was a security guard for a Vendor company at a Microsoft Data Center. Amy decided she needed a change, she quit teaching and she started working as a bank teller part time after Art got his really great FTE Microsoft job. She was really good at her bank job and they kept asking her to work full time hours even though she only wanted part time because Art worked SO much and she needed to be able to compensate for that, they didn’t really appreciate her, and then she got robbed at work. Yep, you read that right, Amy was working when a robber came up to her and slipped her a note demanding she give him money. None of her coworkers even paid attention to her gestures for help, she pushed the I WAS JUST ROBBED button under her desk (still no one noticed), slipped some tracking device into one of the stacks of cash she gave the robber and the police caught him a few blocks away. Amy saves the day! Anyway, happy hour was not long after Amy was robbed and she was dreading going to work the next day and so I forced her to quit. It took Amy much longer than anticipated to find a new job. But yesterday she met us at Uber with great news! She was just offered a job at a school in Renton! Horray! I was so happy – mostly because I was starting to feel guilty that I forced her to quit and then she was unemployed for like 4 months. OOPS!

Anyway, Amy and I caught up inside over a pumpkin beer while the guys smoked a cigar outside (because apparently that’s what men do?!) and then when they came back inside, we decided it was time to go get dinner. We went to El Chupacabra for Mexican food and while we were waiting for a table I got a chance to talk to Art and Dustin’s coworker, Willy. Willy lives in Singapore and works for Microsoft doing data-center-related-things in Asia. Willy has a good job, so does his wife. He was telling me that it’s incredibly expensive to live in Singapore. Apparently to have a car you first have to purchase a certificate of entitlement that costs $60,000 – ON TOP of the cost of a car! What? Apparently buying/renting a house there is also incredibly expensive. Willy was telling me that he is married and has two kids, an adorable daughter and a fat baby boy (who is so cute). Willy lives with his parents (because they help with the kids, but also because his mother is getting old and needs assistance as well), his wife, kids, and a nanny/maid in a 600 square foot home. WHAT? He told me that his parents have their own room, the fat baby and nanny share a bed in a closet and Willy, his wife and his daughter sleep in the living room area on a queen size bed, but usually his wife and daughter sleep in the bed and he ends up on the floor. Isn’t that insane? I thought just me in my 400 square foot apartment was pushing it. I have no idea how they don’t drive each other crazy. Stories like that make me feel so thankful I live in America. Although, Singapore does sound kind of awesome and really, really safe (probably because you can get beat with a cane for spitting gum on the street, so imagine the penalties for doing something actually terrible!). Tell me, have you ever visited?

Anyway, that was a lot of words. I’m not even sorry. Here’s to blogging more about feelings and things and having less of a filter. Also to living somewhere where you can freely spit your gum out without getting beat with a cane, amiright? CHEERS!

on other peoples' stress

^^on my way home from work last night at the end of the 520 bridge^^

Yesterday was a stressful day for me, not necessarily because anything stressful was happening in my life but because really stressful things were happening in some of my close friends' lives. Two friends were having job issues, another was going to have to spend the evening in uncomfortable company, and another was threatened/verbally attacked at work and ended up having to call the cops (who weren't much help). Yikes! So before I went to yoga last night I resolved to make my intention "let it go," as in "don't let other people's stress stress you out." So I did just that and every time I started to stress about a friend's stress during class I tried my hardest to pushed it out of my mind. It turns out I was the only person who showed up to that class so I got some great one-on-one time with my instructor and ended up mastering the crow pose which was really exiting (I'm still very much a beginner). I felt much calmer after class.

Later that evening I was eating dinner and I inhaled a piece of onion. Guys, I thought I was going to die. I couldn't breathe and kept gasping for air/coughing and finally I burst into tears, coughed a huge cough and dislodged the onion. I've never choked like that before. It was terrifying. I almost died.

Maybe I'm being a little dramatic.
Don't judge me.

Anyway, back to the point, it's interesting how other people's moods/energy/circumstances can really affect your day. I am pretty empathetic so my friends' stress tends to stress me out a lot. Similarly though, I find so much joy in my friends' joy and accomplishments. Double edge sword I suppose.

This afternoon I took a work break to have a full blown, 4 1/2 minute long dance party to "Blurred Lines" with my coworker (who just recently discovered the song. How?). We were both smiling and laughing the whole time. It was the best. #100happydays

And, on a random note, I'm dying to try these ginger beer margaritas. Who wants to come over for a stress-free drink after work? TGIF!

Summer in Seattle and a Cautionary Tale

 

I've been feeling in a bit of a funk lately. I've been unsettled or something. It's never a pleasant feeling, especially in the middle of summer in Seattle which has been unseasonably long and wonderful this year. So, this last weekend I decided I should get out of the funk and spend some time with some of my favorite Seattlites, because my favorite people are my favorite thing in life and spending time with them makes me the happiest. Saturday I had a delicious celebratory bacon jam, grilled cheese sandwich and a kale salad at Skillet Diner followed by a ladies' night in Ballard. I deemed Sunday a Sunday-Funday and spent the afternoon on towels next to Greenlake with friends. I'm feeling much more settled and happier this week.

That being said, I do have a cautionary tale: never ever get lime juice on your skin and then proceed to sit out in the sun (with or without sunscreen), it will result in a crazy lime-burn (no jokes - it's a severe chemical burn) which might be hand shaped on on both of your sides where you put your hands on your shirtless hips while taking a rest from playing Frisbee. It will be incredibly red and blistered and make you miss work because of it's severity. Then you will have to call me and I will come over and pop your huge blister with a syringe and suck the blister juice out and you will record it and we will both hate it. Also, I promise never to make any of you peel a lime for me in the sun, ever again. #chemicalburnfail #nursebekie

And now that I've sufficiently grossed everyone out with my cautionary tale, here's a picture of Seattle for you, because, I mean! Summer in Seattle is really good.

Some Wednesday Afternoon Randomness

Shirt (Gibson), Jeans (Citizens of Humanity), Pumps (Nine West), Watch (Michael Kors)

I know you've missed awkward bathroom selfies! Or maybe you haven't, in which case you can go ahead and pretend I didn't post that.

Long days are making my brain mushy and all I can think about is how badly I want a doughnut. One of those old fashioned, cakey doughnuts. A girl can't eat super healthy all the time, am I right? This craving probably means I'm missing something crucial from my diet. FroYo would also likely satisfy the craving. Maybe I'll get FroYo for dinner after Zumba (probably I'll be more healthy than that though)? By the way, have we talked about how much I love Zumba? Does anyone else do Zumba? Guys, it's so good!

A bunch of my Hood River friends are going to the see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs play at Edgefield tonight and I'm super envious. I wish I could be there. I'm having a serious case of FOMO today, which I'm sure will only be worsened when I see all of their instagram pictures and snapchats I see later while I'm sitting on my couch working away. #firstworldproblems I love how connected social media makes me feel when I'm physically separated from people I love. That connection is totally worth the FOMO in my opinion. Do you get FOMO? I can't be the only one, right? I also recently read about FOMD which is Fear of Missing Documentation which I may have experienced once or twice ("hold on, I need to take a pic!" "OMG I'm totally putting this on Instagram" "are you going to blog about this?" #guilty).

And, just for good measure, a few pictures from a thunder/lightening storm in Hood River on Friday night, which was accompanied by sudden torrential downpour, crashed our plans of going to see live music down by the water and was followed by FroYo and martinis with some of my favorite ladies #sogood:

Some Tuesday Afternoon Thoughts

Well, somehow it's already mid-August and I'm sitting here thinking surely I have not experienced all the things I love about summer yet, right? Surely this isn't the tannest my skin will be all year, right? Surely summer is not almost over, right? Wrong? What? Well, I'm vetoing. Maybe I need to move to SoCal? But no. Soon the rain will be back and I guess that 10 months of rain is what makes me love the summer so much, isn't it? Also, let's be honest, I'm trying to move closer to Hood River, not further from it!

I've been working a lot and subsequently I've also been stressed out a lot lately. And I've been complaining about it to anyone who will listen, but I think it's almost all out of my system. This is how I know I could never work in a big firm. I'm just not cut out for all the yelling and stress and long hours and things. On a related note, I'm now seeking a professional mentor. And maybe a life mentor too? But maybe that is just called a therapist? Ha.

Earlier today I was walking to Café 4 to get a sandwich and some nice middle-aged gentleman struck up a conversation with me. His name was Steve and he was telling me about Microsoft in the early days, circa 1990. I wanted to be all, Steve, I don't even think I was in pre-school in 1990, but I bit my tongue because I've found that people don't really like it when you say things like that. We got to the café and said goodbye and it was nice to meet you and then I ran into my co-workers and told them that I met a friend and they were like "Rebeka, did you just meet Steve Ballmer?" and I had this moment of panic. And then I did some internal Microsoft stalking and no, it was not Steve Ballmer (because oh my word how embarrassing for me to have met him and not know - I would have known), but he is the VP of LCA. And that's pretty cool, I think. But maybe it's not a very blog-worthy story? Probably. Sorry about that.

Other things that probably aren't very blog-worthy that are about to happen anyway: some pervy mosquitoes got up inside my dress at Kylee's wedding and had a feast, so itchy; I forgot how amazing match making is, I love seeing other people in love (or something like it) and being able to take a little bit of the credit; I'm ramping up my coffee intake lately and oh, how I've missed it; and last of all, I would very much like to watch another amazing thunder and lighting storm in Hood River with my favorites. The end.

a Thursday jam

 

Have you guys heard this song by Robin Thicke yet? It's quite the little jam. I also really like the plastic outfits in the video. I wonder if I could pull that off? 

 

#sogood #onrepeat

 

I hope you're all having a happy day.

 

xxoo 

My Story in 250 Words

Today I thought it would be fun to do a little blogger link-up for the blog every day in May challenge (I can always use a topic prompt). Today's prompt was "the story of your life in 250 words or less." Mine ends a little abruptly, but is exactly 250 words. Enjoy! 

 

I was born in Hood River, Oregon and grew up on the other side of the Columbia River in White Salmon, Washington, which is a tiny town of just about 2,000 people. I grew up on the same ranch, in the same house my dad was born and raised in. Although I grew up in White Salmon, at this point in my life I identify more with Hood River, which is my favorite place in the whole world (especially in the summer). I’ve lived in Seattle for 7 ½ years now, the University of Washington brought me here, and law school at Seattle University kept me, but Hood River is where I feel this inherent need to be as much as possible.

I work at Microsoft in their legal department where a large part of my job is editing contracts. I love it. When I was in college my dream job was editing (editor at somewhere like Vogue, maybe?). Then I went to law school and I thought that dream died. But now, I get to combine the dream with my legal training and it makes my heart happy. And, the fact that I get to wear whatever I want to work doesn’t hurt either. I love clothes and I like the idea of expressing yourself through what you wear. I also really like spending time with my friends. I know everyone says this but my friends might just be the best friends ever, and I’m so thankful for them.

THE END!

Happy Wednesday, Friends!

GIRLZ

Do you guys watch the HBO show Girls? If you don't, well, you should probably steal someone's HBO password and go watch all of the episodes right now. It's so good it warrants password theft (statements like that are probably the reason I didn't pass the ethics portion of the bar... So maybe don't steal things.).

Anyway, Season 2 of Girls premiers January 13th and I can't wait. Here's a little preview that I've watched multiple times today. #noshame #dontjudgeme

Speaking of things I'm excited about: it's finally Friday. What are your weekend plans? Dustin and I are going to decorate our apartment for Christmas at some point, and tomorrow night we're going to a wedding at Greenlake. You all know how much I love weddings, so hopefully it will be a fun time!

Friday

 I took this photo earlier this week on the way home from a 13 hour work day
(picture of the Great Wheel and the Puget Sound)

I always really love Fridays.

The rest of the weekend is good too. But on Friday you really feel like you deserve the night off, you know? It’s immediate gratification after a week of work.

I’m especially excited today about the fact that it’s Friday. I’m pretty sure it has been the longest 4 day week ever, it’s beautiful outside and I have plans to grab a drink with some friends and co-workers after work. Hooray for Friday.

What are your Friday plans? Do you love Friday as much as me?

information overload

I’ve had a headache for days.

I can’t help but wonder if it’s because my brain is full and trying to put more in is just making it expand beyond capacity. Because that can totally happen, right?

 Rules I still need to work on go on the wall. The number of sticky notes on the wall is expanding by the minute. #9moredays

three things

ONE:

Saturday I had my very last transition to practice class. Saturday classes are such a bummer. Especially when it’s a sunny March day in Seattle (which is so rare). I would say never again, but I’m done with school after this semester (YAY), so I won’t have another chance, unless I decide to go back #nothappening

Because it was all sunshiney outside and I was so happy to be done with my Saturday class, when I got out I decided it would be fun to go walk walk around U Vill. I went to H&M and Sephora where I found the most PERFECT red lipcolor Bare Escentuals, Pretty Amazing lip color in Stregnth. Guys, it’s good.

After that I enjoyed some drinks and some Neapolitan style pizza at Cornuto (which is apparently owned by the same people who own Via Tribunale and Cafe Vita, who knew?) with Dustin and friends. Things got a little crazy there for a second.

Needless to say Dustin and I were home by 11:30 to watch LeLo on SNL (I was a little disappointed. Did anyone else watch? Thoughts?). #exciting

TWO:

Sunday I lounged around, took another trip to U Vil with the BF and then spent 4 hours making this chili which turned out to be WAY too spicy for me, and in the process I got burned by jalapeno juice on my nose and underneath my fingernails. I will NEVER again touch a jalapeno or eat anything with jalapeno in it – apparently I just can’t handle it. #miserable

On the bright side Dustin liked it. He will be eating chili all week.

And while I was chili making, these two lounged in the sun coming through the window (Dustin and Battle Cat are my favorites):

THREE:

Today I’ve had the MOST productive day. I woke up early. I went to the grocery store early, where an old woman randomly came up to me and shouted at me about how if people are going to work at the grocery store they should know how to speak English. It was too early in the morning to be shouted at by strangers. I just stared at her and said “oh” then walked away.

Next in my productive streak, I OCD cleaned our kitchen and at the end of that found a NASTY dead rat in a trap in the wall. SO gross. The exterminators came and took care of it. Hopefully they will be gone for good in the next few days.

That was followed by school all day, me getting REALLY ambitious in Constitutional Law of Terrorism and volunteering to talk in class for like a 1/2 hour, some more school then the gym. I am tired now. I wore myself out and probably won’t be productive for the rest of the week (let’s hope that isn’t true).

Oh and did I mention, when I woke up this morning at like 7am (what the what?) I looked out the window and saw this SNOW on my neighbor’s roof?:

I contemplated not leaving the house all day, because apparently that’s legit when it snows in Seattle? I’m glad I did though.

Good story. The end.

Oh and P.S. Hi Brittan!

the weekend and other ramblings

Sometimes I feel like the weekend is the only thing that gets me through the week. Do you guys ever feel like that? I look forward to it so much and just go through the motions of the week in order to get there. And by the time Sunday afternoon comes I'm sad and anxious because the weekend is nearing its end. I should learn to enjoy more of my everyday. My last semester of law school (yikes!). That's exciting. I should enjoy it because this is the last time I will every be a student (well, probably anyway). But also, I'm looking SO forward to the end. To graduation. I really can't wait. Graduation is going to be the pinnacle of everything. Literally everything I've done up to this point. I finished law school. I got my doctorate (WTF? I'm not that smart. HOW?). But I think I need to enjoy the part where I learn things and do work and I finish law school. The part where I get to work at a job that isn't hard or stressful. The part where I have time for the occasional date nights or friend time (even though lately I miss my friends - I wish our schedules matched better). Because once bar studying starts, that will all end. Then after bar studying is over, I will finally have to become a real adult. At 25. Oh man...

Wow, I don't know where all of that came from. It wasn't what I intended when I sat down to write.

I intended to talk about weekend, this weekend in particular. I think it is justified that I am looking forward to and I am extra excited for this weekend because tomorrow Dustin and I are headed back to Hood River. My friend Jessica is having her wedding reception (her and her husband actually got married on Valentine's day - which was also their dating anniversary) in Stevenson tomorrow evening, and I CAN'T WAIT! I LOVE WEDDINGS! They're so good. And I get to see so many of my friends (Marissa + Beth, I'm looking at you!!) and I might even get to go to Jack's (and definitely double mountain). And I get to see my Fluffy Face cat who I miss so much it hurts. And my parents. And Dustin's parents. Just so many activities in one short period of time.

Looking forward to things gets me through all the long days and the boring cases I have to read. And maybe I'm alright with that. But I think also I would like to make an effort to enjoy every day a little more. Mostly because lately I've been really, really happy. And I'm so thankful for that. I want to enjoy the joy!

So I know that this was totally random. But I really hope that you all have wonderful (non-school filled, because that's a huge bummer - even though usually SO necessary) weekends. What are your plans? I would love to know.

and for good measure, here's a few (really random) songs about weekends and funtimes and things:

80s lurkin

Two very insignificant magical things happened to me this evening (after a less than exciting day of cat sitting, homeworking, sitting in class and gymming (followed by more cat sitting/popcorn eating and homeworking)):

1. I learned how to write on pictures (yes, I learned that today #dontjudgeme)
2. I found this picture. You’re welcome, Beth + Marissa.

(And then, obviously, I put 1 & 2 together to create THIS masterpiece):The combination of this magical picture, with its epic text message quote from a not so epic boy (creeperface), is now forever saved as “80s lurkin” in my computer. Truth.

I should go to bed.
Nothing good happens for me after 10pm on week nights.
(except maybe this picture, and the whole text on photo thing, but you already knew that. worst blog post ever. sorry friends.)

The best parts of 2011

I’m jumping on the bandwagon and doing a 2011 recap.

So many good things happened this year! Here are just a few of them (starting in January and ending in December):

Jonathan and Jessie got married
I went to Chicago for St. Patty’s day and saw the green river
I dressed up as a mothereffingBEAR for Beth’s purple birthday party
I went to law school prom with Dustin
I discovered the MAGIC that is a top knot (and basically stopped washing my hair)
I finished my 2nd year of law school!!
I celebrated being done with another year of law school
I moved to a trailer park on an Indian reservation in the middle of nowhere Oregon
I had my first ever grown up lawyer-ish job doing estate planning for Umatilla Tribal members
I went camping (for the first time in years) for my brother’s 22nd birthday
I had the BEST 4th of July [weekend] (brunch party, TREW party, camping with Dustin)
I also went to lake billie chinook with my brother and cousins that weekend
I went to Napa Valley for Danielle’s Bachelorette party
I survived my brother’s girlfriend’s pregnancy scare (barely) and then she moved into my parents house (again)
I finished my job
I spent three weeks in White Salmon/Hood River in August and partied it up with my besties every day
and generally just had good Beth and Marissa time which I loved
I started my 3rd and last year of law school
I was a bride’s maid in Danielle and Steffen’s AMAZING wedding in Half Moon Bay
went to some Husky Football games
I went hunting and didn’t get anything
I went to Hops Fest in Hood River
My “twin” Sarah got married
We started the no boyz allowed club and Wednesday dinners got me through so many school weeks
I got in TWO really crappy car accidents
I celebrated Dustin’s 32nd Birthday
I had an amazing Halloween
I represented [juvenile] clients in court for the first time ever
I turned 25
My baby tot cousin was born the day after my birthday
Dustin and I celebrated the 1 year anniversary of our first date
I spent my first ever Christmas away from home

And some of the music that will always remind me of 2011 (probably not in any order):

The Foster the People CD
Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO
So many Rihanna songs (we found love, cheers, you da one, what’s my name, etc.)
& so many Lady Gaga songs (born this way, you and I, the edge of glory, etc.)
Buzzin – Mann
Drop it Low – Ester Dean
Hello – Martin Solveig
Ce jeu – Yelle
Just can’t get enough – Blackeyed Peas
ET – Katie Perry
Buttons – The Weeks
Shake it out – Florence and the Machine
Tongue Tied – Grouplove
Your Song & also Lights by Ellie Goulding
The Jay Z & Kanye CD (mostly Monster & Otis & N***** in Paris)
the Hood Internet
Black and Yellow – Wiz Khalifia
that Better with the Lights off & also that kick it in the back seat song
& also Stereo Hearts and Moves like Jagger and Adele because that’s ALL that’s ever on the radio

Also some of my favorite fashion trends of 2011 (because you know, things like that are cool):

top knots
stripes every day
fur vests
sparkles
booties
everything Native American print
cropped-ish shirts

Last of all, some awesome 2011 pictures, because what’s a blog without pictures? (again, in no particular order):

  and last of all:
NEVER AGAIN: 

So here’s to hoping 2012 is as good as (or better than) 2011 has been. I hope you all have a happy New Year (and a happy time celebrating New Year’s Eve – p.s. I finally got a sparkly dress to wear)! Catch you all next year!!

Friday Roundup

1. This week I finally took the plunge and signed up for Pinterest. After hours (no joke) of set-backs and Pinterest being a little B-word it finally let me sign up. I have to say I’m not as impressed or as addicted as everyone else seems to be. Don’t judge me, but I don’t really see the draw. Maybe because there is no school work to procrastinate? BUT I do have cleaning to procrastinate and so SO much time to kill since it’s break and I’m not working. Maybe I just don’t get it. I guess though, it is a good way to save random recipes and stuff I see on the internet. Is that the point?

2.  This song has been my JAM the past few days. Don’t mind the first 25 seconds…

Others on the list that has been playing on repeat: Shake it out – Florence & the Machine, Lights – Ellie Goulding (Dustin does a really great Ellie Goulding dancing impression. Have you ever seen her dance? She only has one move. It’s weird), We found love – Rihanna andddd that song with Lily Allen and T Pain’s audio tuned voice, it’s really catchy, 5 O’Clock. OH and also the She & Him Christmas Album!! Can’t forget that one!

3. I made Chex Mix this week, and it’s GOOD. So much better than the kind you buy in gas stations or as finals study “fuel”. You know, the kind that is reallyyyy salty. Here is the recipe I used in case you want to make some for yourself:

3 cups Corn Chex
3 cups Rice Chex
3 cups Wheat Chex (really though, you can mix and match these as you please just make sure you have 9 cups total of Chex)
1 cup Mini Pretzels
1 cup Nuts (I used peanuts)
1 cup Garlic Bagel Chips – broken into manageable, bite-size pieces (again, you can kind of mix and match these, if you can’t find bagel chips I think you could put in some extra pretzels and it would still be good)
6 Tbs. Butter
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce (you find it by the BBQ sauce in the grocery store FYI)
1 1/2 tsp. Seasoning Salt (I used Johnny’s because that stuff is magical)
3/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder

 

I baked mine, you can also make in in the microwave but that just seems weaksauce. So anyway, what you do is heat your oven to 250deg F, then take a roasting pan (I used a 13 X 9 cake pan) and put your butter in it and melt it in the oven. When it’s melted take it out and  mix all the seasonings into the butter. Then, because you’re a great multi-tasker you have also measured all your chex and pretzels and nuts and bagel chips into a big bowl together. So you take the bowl of goodies and slowly pour it into your butter mixture, mixing it all together while you pour (without crushing the chex – a spatula, like for flipping burgers is good for this – because it’s much easier to eat when all the chex are whole and not crumbles) and then when all of your ingredients are combined in the pan, you should probably stir it some more to make sure that it’s all coated really well!! After that you put it in the oven for 15 minutes. Then you take it out and stir it. Then you put it in again for 15 minutes and then take it out and stir, and you do this 4 times total, so your chex mix has baked for an hour total. And then you take it out and eat it and give it to your friends and it’s a delicious treat. And because it’s the giving season, if you want an easier to follow version, look HERE.And just for good measure, here is a really fancy iPhone picture of my final product:

 

But really, I did give a big bag of it to my boyfriend and he text me later that night saying that he went to town on it and it was delicious. This was after we had gone out to dinner (so it’s not like he was starving and anything would have tasted good). Moral of the story: it’ll probably bring all the boys to your yard. And it will give you something to do over winter break.

 

4. It’s Friday which means that it’s almost the weekend and also it’s the last day of finals at law school, WHICH MEANS maybe I will have SO MAN FRIENDZ to hang out with during the weekend! This whole hanging out alone thing has been getting boring. But I did go to happy hour at Tutta Bella with my friend (and sorority sister) Kate yesterday, and we had wine and italian pizza and it was delicious. If you live in Seattle you should go there. And also, you should eat their salted caramel gelato.

 

5. My roommate and I were talking last night about what to get a new boyfriend for Christmas. Isn’t that just the most awkward thing? Like, what if I get you something too big or too small or too awkward (anyone watch this week’s episode of New Girl??)? It’s really just so stressful. So we decided that an appropriate gift might be a subscription to the beer of the month club. Right? It’s not too sentimental, and also beer is delicious so it’s a win win. I think I got Dustin mugs last year. But that’s mostly because he only had one and we always had to share if we were having coffee or something and also I don’t think he got me anything (we had only been dating for like a month) and yeah. It can be so awkward. What do you guys think is an appropriate gift to give to a new boyfriend (or girlfriend) if anything at all?

 

6. This whole Friday Round Up stuff is hard. I don’t have 10 new things to write about. I haven’t been doing anything except deep cleaning our home and going on really long walks all week. So I’ll show you some pictures:

Above: Our house at Christmas time. All because of Kylee. Really, though. A purple and gold Christmas tree (go huskies?), a wreath Kylee’s mom made us and the only wrapped present under our tree.

 

Below: findings from my walk to Greenlake: a flamingo that should have been in my yard when I lived in the trailer park, a very gray Greenlake, Christmas randomness, and my Zoka (super watered down) eggnog latte + mitten/gloves.

7. That’s really all I have for you. Also if you want to do your own Roundup you should. I’m linking mine up and you can too:

update + video

life update: I went on a walk to zoka and pawned off cookies and then walked through wallingford and greenlake to the actual lake with an eggnog latte that was all watered down with nonfat milk and I saw someone skiing along the edge of the lake with roller skiis and propelling them self with ski sticks and I saw lots of un-lit Christmas decorations and beautiful houses and squirrels and my most favorite thing when I'm having a bad day: ducks. I loveee ducks. they were chilling on the lake and it was magical.

and then I came home to find this video of Danielle and Steffen's wedding highlights. and I love it. I think the video perfectly captures their day (and also almost made me cry again when it showed Steffen's surprise singing - I need to pull it together haha):

Danielle and Steffen's Wedding Highlight Video from Mat Sutor - Sutography on Vimeo.

and also Dustin asked me on a date tonight which made me happy. I of course said yes! I love dates with him.

now I'm going to make chex mix and maybe more cookies because there is more dough (and then pawn them off on Dustin) and clean our home and get ready for my date and I guess things are sort of looking up, and I think maybe I made it be that way. 

off day

I’ve been in such a funk lately. First it was finals, and then it was coming off of finals, and maybe that’s still what it is. Nothingness after so much. And I don’t know what to do with myself. And I feel so unsure about so many things and it’s scary and it makes me not want to get out of bed. Ever. That’s why it’s after 11am and I’m still here, in bed (well, actually I got up to get some water and yogurt because I was SO thirsty).

So after waking up and laying here for while just feeling sorry for myself, I decided to get on the internet, for distraction purposes. Because the internet is the most wonderful distraction (twitter and facebook and blogs and news and now recently pinterest, which is kind of a b-word). And I stumbled across this:

nothing is what we want it to be, but everything is what we make it

And it’s so true. And right now exactly what I needed to hear. Or read. whatever.

So now I think it’s time to end my pity party and get out of bed and take a shower and go for a bundled up walk (because holy F it’s cold outside). I will walk to Zoka to see friends (who are still studying for finals – bummer for you guys) and pawn off cookies on them (because we baked last night, me and my favorites from law school, and those skinny friends of mine wouldn’t take any cookies. SO now I’m going to force ALL the cookies on them, because no one can turn down some finals binge cookie eating). And then maybe walk to Greenlake with warm coffee. And it will be good. Exercise and fresh air and seeing things from a view other than my bed (even though my heat blanket is here, and I love my heat blanket, and there are good things on the walls in my room. It will all be here when I get back).

I don’t mean to sound all emo, friends, and I’m not trying to drag you into my pity party, I promise you that. But, I do think most of you can relate (especially if you’re a girl with SO MANY FEELINGZ). But really, it’s just that time of the year (especially when you live in Seattle and it’s rainy and SO dark all the time). And we all have our off days. So now I’m going to attempt to remedy my off day, because everything is what we make it.

XXOO

The Morning Before No More Real Estate

I really should be studying. I have my real estate final at 1:30 today. But yesterday I learned ALL of real estate with Lisa. No jokes, all of it. It took us like 12 hours straight of studying, but WE DID IT! And as for the studying now (which I already did some of this morning, and also I made a table of contents for my 30 page outline because I’m THAT GIRL), that quote from bring it on comes to mind: “if you don’t have it by now, you don’t have it!” – anyone else love that movie? We used to watch it at cheerleading sleepovers and things in high school. Seriously.

So instead of studying I blog. And I read blogs. And listen to Pandora. Because it’s calming. And not anxiety inducing (like real estate – which I will never have to think about again after this test (except for maybe on the bar…)).

And while I was blog reading, I saw this sweater on Ascott Friday and I want (so like, if you want to get it for me for Christmas that’d be cool, I’ll give you my address if you promise not to kill me in my sleep, there are only 4 left so hurry) ha. I also might be being impulsive because it’s finals… WHO KNOWS?BUT it’s all native american-y and awesome, right? Right.

Oh and you can find it HERE. Because sourcing things is nice/the RIGHT thing to do (IP final Saturday).

Also, while I haven’t been blogging these last few days (I’ve mostly been studying.. but also) I’ve been cat sitting making cat best friendz, and things like this below have happened. I’m not really proud of it. Also my eye rabies still aren’t gone and I STILL can’t wear contacts and it’s basically social suicide. Mean Girls? No? Ok. Don’t judge (on so many levels):

Ok I’m going to go eat, and study, and drink coffee, and get PUMPED UP for my final! Like: pump pump pump it up, p-u-m-p pump it up!! Anyone? No. OK. Fair enough. Bye friends!

It’s beginning…

It’s that time of year again, where all I do is study for finals, so that’s all you get to hear about. Sorry friends. I actually am sorry. I wish I could be more entertaining for the next week + some. I’ll try my hardest.

(but secretly I’m going home for like a day tomorrow night after class, so maybe I’ll tell you about that to break up the monotony?)

But, to get to the point of things: it’s also that time of year when I magically remember this gem of a video (I think my brain knows it’ll help calm the anxiety, so when I’m stressed (and only when I’m stressed) I immediately think of it…):

Isn’t it just the BEST? SO many good parts (especially the violin parts and the close ups of the singing, right??). GAH! I wish Leslie were here to watch it with me in all of our finals delirium (Dear Africa, I resent you. Love, Rebeka).

Anyway, Dustin is on his way over to drop off a bag of spinach. That guy, I tell you, such a GEM! Bringing me nutrients & things when I can’t do it for myself. 

BACK TO OUTLINING! (until my nutrients get here, then Ima NOM)!

Elk Noodle Soup?

Today I finished my Indian class (Contemporary Issues in Federal Indian Law). I turned in my paper and gave a presentation and I was done. One down, three to go (although all I need to do for my clinic is go to the last class, because since my cases settled I’m basically done with that too).

Oh finals, I’m not looking forward to you.

In related news I still can’t eat. Because my stomach hates me. And guys, I’m not one of those girls who just goes without eating. I eat all the time. I gain lots of weight during finals and it’s kind of gross (don’t judge me). Moral of the story: I’m hungry, but not. It’s weird.

Anyway, my dad gave me a package of elk meat when I came back from Thanksgiving. Then I got sick and didn’t eat it and I needed to cook it, like today. So I decided to make a very impromptu soup, figuring I could freeze it and eat it during finals. Healthy, homemade meals, done!

Also, confession, I made soup because I never cook red meat unless it’s wild game and I don’t really know how to cook red meat, besides chicken fried and in soup. So soup it was. I need to learn some new meat cooking ideas. If anyone has any please let me know.

I decided on an elk noodle soup? Like chicken noodle, but with elk? I don’t know. In my sick frenzy I was too in pain lazy to go to the store to buy necessary ingredients for a stew. But I did have some basics. And so elk noodle soup it was. And now my kitchen looks like this:

Because packaged noodles are for suckers. Also once you try homemade noodles in soup you’ll NEVER go back. It will ruin all other soups for you. True story. Don’t do it. It’s messy.

the end?