'Twas quite a week!

So, after my last post built up SO many things going on....well, they all happened. And it was quite the whirlwind!

BUT...not before I came down sick :( I know...it was bound to happen at some point. However, as much as I may have complained, I'm incredibly grateful I only had sinus gunk and not the flu. Now THAT would have been horrendous. Between pounding gatorade, taking antibiotics and mucinex like it's my job, and running out of kleenex on the regular, I've been a hot (sick) mess. But, thanks to good sleep and heavy OJ gulpage, I'm feeling a bit better!



Not only was I sick, but so were my babies! Rosie and I had to take little Boug to the vet last Wednesday, and he was none too happy. The doctor gave him (and Sasha) ear drops to treat their itchy mites, and they should be all better soon. He was doing his best to look quite pathetic while at the vet, though.



And a side note: the weather here has been unseasonably warm and beautiful. I wasn't ready for spring, but hey--I will take it!



Anywho, I traveled to Nashville with Austin last weekend, for me to go to the Vanderbilt visit day and to see our friend Peyton. It was a really great trip--I got to meet some of the faculty of my program and talk to other current/prospective students. Not to mention, while in Nashville, I ate AMAZING food (no pictures...I was clearly too focused on eating). Nashville is a really neat city, and I can't wait to live there. I knew I could fit in perfectly when I saw this in a shop there...



I rushed back to Oxford, just in time for Porter's birthday bash! We dined at Snackbar (continuing my phenomenal food binge) and my duck confit/Pimms Cup really hit the spot. Again, no pictures...I'm getting bad at this being-patient-while-remembering-to-take-pictures-for-blog thing. But, I did get a really cute one with our friend Bobby Joe!



I wrapped up the weekend with a Super Bowl party at my friend Hannah's house. I contributed brownies, pigs in a blanket, and some M&Ms. It turned out that we had TONS of food and beer...and the Giants won! It was all around a wild and fun night, and I am still processing the fact that this means we now have 6 months with no football.



But now, it's back to the grind. I traveled for work yesterday, then today tutored and came home to clean house. Being an adult just never allows you to stop and take a breather...the real world is really starting to sink in, and I cannot say I like it. I CAN HAZ FRESHMAN YEAR AGAIN?

LHC

I will survive...

Has been my motto for the last week or so. Now why, you may ask? Well here are a few reasons...

1) Students came back to campus last Monday. Therefore, parking sucks...traffic blows...forget shopping at WalMart or going to the square during daytime hours...yeah, I got REALLY spoiled during Christmas break. Dealing with all this has been a real headache, but I will admit it is nice to have a bustling, lively campus again (instead of the empty, dreary mess of December).

2) I finally FAILED at cooking. Well, kind of. Being the OCD-perfectionist princess that I am, when I finally made something that didn't come back perfectly delicious, I was a little crushed. I made Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread bars. And I learned that caramel is VERY difficult to make. In the end, my shortbread was delicious, the caramel was --chewy--, and the chocolate was runny. But at least it looked pretty, right?



3) Sickness fell upon me. Yes, the dreaded sinus infection and goo that comes along with it. I spent Saturday feeling it coming on, Sunday mad that I knew I was really sick, and Monday at the doctor's office and on the couch sleeping. I went back to work today, but I think it will be a few days before I can really shake it off. Hopefully, with lots of sleep, orange juice, and medicines finally kicking in, I'll be A-OK!

BUT... I need to survive because I have so much coming up soon! In just two days, I'll be roadtripping to Nashville for Vandy's Graduate Preview Day. Then Porter's birthday, then the Super Bowl! I can do this!

Oh, and.....

GO GIANTS!



LHC

I got tagged by Porter!

...to do a fun fact and Q&A session.

But i'm gonna rewrite my own rules since I don't really have other bloggers to pass it along to. C'est la vie.

I'm going to: give you eleven fun facts and then answer Porter's eleven questions. So here we go!

All about Leigh:
1) Lady Gaga follows me on Twitter.
2) I don't have my ears pierced and I probably never will.
3) Gossip Girl is probably the best-worst show on television. I've seen every episode...at least twice.
4) I'm obsessed with Glade plug-ins/Air Wick. Something about a fresh-smelling house/office...it's worth every penny. Needless to say, I'm a very smell-oriented person.
5) I'm a realist if there every was one.
6) I'm not artistic, but I'm super creative. Aka, don't have me draw or paint you a picture. Have me make you a wreath, or create a headboard for your bed.
7) One word: OWLS.
8) I hope I one day earn enough money to have my own art collection. I'm not saying I need a Monet or Picasso. But just works that speak to me, from all over the world.
9) I'm ready to go back to Latin America. Now. Give me a ticket, I'll hop on that flight!
10) I took piano lessons for about 9 years, and I wish I hadn't given it up when I went to college. Maybe one day...
11) Cooking is my new favorite hobby. Something about creating something tangible to enjoy. I love it.

Questions and answers:
1) Sunrise or Sunset? I'm a sunset kinda gal. Not only because I don't wake up early, but something about watching the day conclude so beautifully...that's just me.
2) McGonagall or Snape? Easy. Which one is a cat? MCGONAGALL
3) Beach house, lake house, or mountain cottage? Geez. That's tough. As much as I love the beach, I've got to go with lake house. A cozy, warm cottage on a lake is the ultimate in lazy, calm comfort. Far more relaxing than the other two, I'd say.
4) Fiction or non-fiction? Do I have to pick one? I love reading in general. Fiction is great for when I want to escape my own reality; non-fiction is great when I'm trying to learn and expand my intelligence. So there you go...I'll take both!
5) Solid colors or patterns? Definitely solids. I'm a simple girl.
6) Book smell or freshly-cut-grass smell? Is that even a question? Even if I weren't allergic to grass, I'd choose books. See answers to 4 & 6 if you still don't believe that I am motivated by smells and love books.
7) Black and white or color? Total color. Black and white just is boring to me.
8) Cooking or baking? Ahhh both. I think I'm a better cook than baker, just because with desserts you have to be so direct and delicate. But I'll eat any of it, soooo...
9) Salty or sweet? Sweet. I find myself craving candy and chocolates and Coke Zero and.....
10) Favorite flavor? Is cheese a flavor? THAT.
11) Why did you start blogging/tumbling? Well I've had a variety of blogs/Tumblrs over the years. Not only is it an expressive outlet, but it's a way to write, post photos, keep up with my life and travels, and so much more. I did it when I studied abroad, I did it when I was back in Oxford in college, and I'm doing it now to track my life as a real-life adult college graduate. So I hope that people read and enjoy!

So that's that. Maybe you learned something about me. And if you didn't, then I'm sorry I just wasted five minutes of your life. THANKS FOR BEING A FRIEND!

LHC

So, I've become a more consistent blogger!

I'm just not sure (other than Porter) that I have too many consistent readers...oh well. They know not what they are missing.

So my last week has been really great. I already wrote ALLLL about Vandy and my good luck streak. It hasn't ended yet...and I'm clinging to every shred of luck I can get my hands on! Ole Miss shocked State at the basketball game last Wednesday, I had an awesome night out on Friday celebrating my admission, I spent most of Saturday recovering and watching movies/TV with Alyssa, and on Sunday Eli sealed his trip to the Super Bowl. And today, I got a surprise free lunch (not the metaphor--an actual wrap and salad with iced tea) at work during a meeting. If you think these things sound trivial or in no way attributed to good luck--just don't tell me and let my unheard of optimism last as long as possible!



I'm excited about the week to come, too. This week (other than a night-in parked in front of the TV tonight), I've booked myself up pretty good: the Art Crawl on Tuesday, dinner club on Wednesday, my weekly visit to Graceland and the Ole Miss-Florida basketball game on Thursday, and (I'm sure) a few trips to the bars over the weekend.

And the week after that just gets even better. The premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race on the 30th, a trip up to Nashville Thursday through Saturday, Porter's birthday dinner/party on Saturday night, and the Super Bowl that Sunday (Go GIANTS!).

I love love love staying busy. Knowing that I have lots coming up makes work so much easier. Looking back at the title of my blog being "Year One," I really have learned in this first year that staying busy and well-rounded really makes a big difference. It would be so easy to just collapse on the couch every day at 4:30 or 5. And of course, there are days that I do need to do that. BUT, for the most part, it is far better to wear myself out and THEN collapse--in bed--closer to 11 or so.

I still need to work on my "play more" new year's promise....y'all, this one will be a true battle. But hopefully, since I'm succeeding fairly easily at my other promises, I can convince myself to balance things out and challenge myself to more. If only I could drag myself to the Turner Center to become best friends with this....



Well, I'm off to stalk Pinterest. It is my new e-cookbook, more or less. So if you don't have it (and you are female), GET IT IMMEDIATELY!

LHC

Best Week Ever

And no, I'm not referring to that old VH1 show that people always pretended was funny.

I'm talking about my own week! I know, hard to believe Leigh is SO happy and SO optimistic and SO positive! But hey, when this sort of luck comes around...you've got to seize it and enjoy every second!

As cheesy as this could possibly sound, I knew it was going to be a great (and lucky) week on Tuesday morning. I heard the trash and recycle truck coming down my street, and I ran to the kitchen to grab my recycle bins before I missed it. Amazingly, I walked out to find it in front of my house, and a sanitation worker came and got the bins from my arms and then took it to the truck. I knew....this timing, this fortune does NOT happen to me. EVER.

Well last week, I had found a job listing and sent in my resume to apply. I heard back on Tuesday, and I was invited to interview for the job! I planned to email back a few days later, once I composed my thoughts. I knew that I had applied to Vanderbilt back in December and hoped to hear back soon, but I am never a person to count their chickens before they hatch. I've been in full-out job search mode for the last few weeks, trying not to panic come my unemployed August.

However, when I least expected it (aka was working at High Point with my coworker, Sharon), I got a fantastic email. I WAS ACCEPTED AT VANDY!



Beside the wonderful fact that I'll be relocating to Nashville come August, I'll be attending Vanderbilt for a 2-year master's of education in International Education Policy and Management. Not to be a braggart, but Peabody College of Education is the number one school of education in the country! I'm so grateful to be given this opportunity, and quite frankly I can't believe that I, LEIGH CUMMINS, was chosen for such a prestigious program!

Anywho, now that I no longer have to stress about my education or career for at least the next two and a half years, I've continued my new year's promises. Wellllll....some of them more so than others.

I'm really trying hard to get motivated to be more physically active. I promise, I am. It's just so darn tough for me to force myself to get out of the house in the cold and rain to do something I don't like. I really need to enlist someone like Porter to really push me to copy her routine! Girlfriend is werking it out, and I need to follow suit!

HOWEVER, I am being more successful in my other pursuits. I cooked Lasagna Florentine for dinner last night, and I got really creative and made monkey bread last Sunday (as a little snack!).





I've been reading Tina Fey's Bossypants, and as expected, she's pretty hilarious. I've been planning my trip to Austin for my friend Juan's wedding, and I'm so excited to go to a big American city that I've never visited! And of course, I've been planning for the big Eurotrip in April. I picked out my top destinations in Paris, London, and Edinburgh, so HOPEFULLY my parents will let me see all my preferred sights! As for eating healthy...psh, that was probably my easiest one! I am holding strong against the beef and uncoooked fruits/veggies. I've been snacking a lot more and trying to decrease meal size. And my most proudest achievement? Cutting down on Coke Zero!

Thus far, 2012 is shaping to be a pretty bang up year. If only I could get fit...then things couldn't get any more perfect! :)

LHC

New Year's Promise updates...

Am I cooking more?

YES! I cooked corn chowder tonight for dinner and it was one of the most delicious meals I can say that I've ever made. YUM!



Am I reading more?

YES! I finished up "A Visit from the Goon Squad," then started "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest." Since Meg is ganking that to take with her abroad, I checked out "Bonfire of the Vanities" today at the library. Woohoo!



Am I eating healthier?

Well, I'm trying. Still remaining very loyal to my commitment to give up red meat and uncooked veggies/fruits. So I consider that a success!

Am I playing more?

:( not so much. The weather has been really dreadful here lately, and I cannot bring myself to get out and be active in it. I have no excuse not to use the WiiFit, but I feel like if I don't actually get out of the house I'm not really being productive. I will need to work more on this!

Am I traveling more?

Not yet--but I'm working on it! Between potentially going to a wedding in Texas in March, definitely going to Europe in April, and hoping to maybe vacation a little more over the summer, I'm well on my way to succeeding at this one!




So, one week in, I could be failing much more. Still time to succeed. Here's to making more progress!

LHC

My New Year's Promises

Because I don't like the term "resolution."

With "resolution," I feel like you are forcing yourself to do something you don't like or want to do. On the contrary, my "promises" are things that I already like to do, but want to improve on or do with more consistency in order to make me a better, happier, and more independent person.

So, here are my promises:

To COOK more! I already love cooking and baking, but it's so hard to justify if I'm the only one eating it. Now that I have a weekly dinner group, I have no excuse NOT to continue to improve my culinary skills. I look forward to trying out new recipes, techniques, and meal ideas!

To READ! More, everyday, and a variety of books. Again, I love reading--but it's so hard to carve time out of my day to continue to sit and stare at something. However, I get so much out of reading, and I really believe that it makes me a happier and more well-rounded person. So here's to that!

To EAT healthier! I was recently forced to give up red meat and uncooked fruits and vegetables because of a health issue. However, I'm using this to my advantage. Being red-meatless will make me healthier, and it gives me the chance to explore more seafood and vegetarian options in my diet. I am excited to stick to these strict dietary plans and I already feel better because of it.

To PLAY! And by play, I mean become more active. Whether it be going to the Turner Center, doing Wii Fit, or convincing someone (cough cough COLBY) to play tennis with me, I need to get out and move my body around. Not that I need to lose weight, but being healthier and more active will make me feel better and be happier. This might be my greatest challenge of all my promises--but I'm determined to at least attempt this!

To TRAVEL! Here, there and everywhere. I'm realizing how much of Mississippi I haven't seen. I want to know more about my home, see more of America, and even go out of the country as well. I have always suffered a severe case of wanderlust, so this is the year to avoid excuses for acting on it.

So, there you go: my self-promises for 2012. What do you have planned for the year ahead?



LHC