slippery leaves, panty thieves

every breath.

2011-12-07T07:40:00.001-05:00

I have been an absolutely dreadful blogger lately.

I would try giving you excuses, but that that would

just be entirely irrelevant.

Thankfully, I have managed to navigate the city without

a single slip to write about

(and thus, entertain you with) thus far.

However, I have had my fair share of unfortunate events

since we have spoken last. oh, have-I-ever!

However, the many positive days, moments and opportunities

have fully outweighed those signature "Chloe Days" that come

and go every once and awhile.

So, this morning I come to you with a little tune that

just makes me gleam on the inside.

of course it is a Boyce Tune.

cough cough the-new-official-video cough cough

these guys are magical. really.

Those who have true meaning to your life
and build up your spirit
will stay a part of you no matter the
distance, time or season.
With every breath of me.

you do the hokie pokie?

2011-09-30T08:06:00.000-04:00

Lesson Learned this week:
no matter how sophisticated your diction may be,
you will always get the reaction "ohhhhhh, I see. So where are you from?"
Grr.

It's been another entertaining and educational Thursday
here on the Upper East.
As I continue to work on ditching the accent,
because immediately people either think you're
"just sOoOoO cute"
(like not in the "heyyyy pretty lady" kinda cute,
more like the "oh my grandma lives in Texas too" kinda cute)
or completely naive.

"Wassup buddy? I got street smarts!"
Okay, well I'm working on it.

First, I gotta learn how to predict "the sub" a little more efficiently.

yikes, taste the rainbow.

I'm on my way to class and I left 45 minutes early,
how 'bout that?!
to get all the way down to Chelsea Pier. (aka. from Tennessee to Florida)
I had been that way before and knew exactly which trains to get on,
I just wanted to make sure I was impressively early for my presentation.
ha, no no no, remember my name is Chloe`...

Caught the 6 train to 51st street and did the usual
BOOK IT DOWN THE "STAIRS OF DEATH"
to make my transfer to the E train.
I made it in RECORD time down those stairs
practice makes perfect, by December I'll be slidin' down the rails
Just as I get to the station I see a train pull up.
Look-ee there I'm ALREADY a pro.
I saw the letter on the train was not an E,
but an M.
"Aww, well I've heard of the M...
you know its on the same track as the E
and the M.T.A. is always screwy anyway..."
of course I jumped on that train.
of course I knew what I was doing, I got this. I got this.
of course two stops later I realize.
this ain't goin' to spit me out at 10th ave.
no sir-ee.

I panicked and flipped out my trusty map.
Thank goodness I didn't let my pride get the best of me,
though I tried my best to hide it behind my purse.
I already stick out like a sore thumb because I refuse to wear my iPod in public. rude.
Anyway, I found another option to get me
3 avenues over to where I needed to be... not too far off track.

I hopped off and made a b-line for the L train.
"Attention all passengers there is an L train to 8th Avenue approaching the station"

SAH-WEET! Here we go!

I look down the track... no L train approaching the station?
I keep staring, and glaring, and tapping my foot...
and finally here comes the L train moving at a painfully slow speed.
What in the world has gotten into the L?

After literally watching every single face in the subway cars go by with
disgruntled expressions on their faces like "just get me off this train"
I got a little worried but still hopped on.
The doors didn't shut.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are held momentarily by traffic."
Traffic? Traffic?
Every New Yorkers curse word.
Me and literally the 5 other hispanic men just
looked at one another and rolled our eyes.

Five minutes later,
the doors still have not shut,
and I am the only one left standing on the train.
Yeah, this sucker ain't movin.

I have fifteen minutes to run 15 blocks and 6 avenues over.
yeah no, not gonna happen.
So, my only option... and worst nightmare.
A CAB:

AHHHHHHHHH!

Don't let the smiles fool you.

I gathered all my guts and pride I had left,

and ran to the nearest corner.

How the h@#$ do you do this?

This is where my scooter would have come in handy.

What do I have to lose?
I eyed a business man standing on the
opposite corner casually standing with his hand
waving his iPhone in the air like he had the magic stick.
And here comes a cab whizzing up to Mr. Slick.
Okay, okay so my Blackberry probably isn't going to stop traffic,
I'm going to play this the old-fashioned classy way.
I shoved out my hand and started lightly waving
it about stroking the air daintily so that I didn't look too needy
and utterly desperate.

They just kept whizzing by.
and by,
and by,
and by.
Okay new plan.
More noticeable wave,
I then began WAVING the air down at a brisk speed
creating a little more friction and umph.
Let's also point out that I am wearing a BRIGHT coral dress,
probably where I went wrong. Those not wearing black scream "I'm not from around here"

and by
and by
and by
they went...

This calls for desperate measures.
Right then and there I about started doing the chicken dance on 8th Avenue,
no, no wait.... that screams "country girl"
the macarana?
the cha-cha slide?
I got it, the hokie pokie.
Thank you folks, I'll be here allllll day! Tips appreciated!

All of the sudden a business man who had probably been watching my cab waving dance
(should have tried the "bend and snap")
from a distance came over
and jumped in front of me!
I thought he was going to STEAL MY CAB!!!!

There is a God is Heaven!
He started pointing at me while continuing to walk ahead in his afternoon rush,
what in the world he is trying to help my advertise my mini show?
Nope, sure as the world...
within 10 seconds,
I had a CAB swerve off the road right in front of me.
My mouth dropped.
"THANK YOU KIND SIR!!!!!!" I yelled to him in the distance.
Bless your little heart, these Yankees are secretly sweet : )

"West 27th and 10th, please...
and like.... as fast as you possibly can, I'm late."

The cabby just looked at me in the rearview mirror and laughed.
Duh, you're late... you're in New York, get over it little girl.

precious

2011-09-26T10:35:00.000-04:00

selected happy images of the day:

"all things cute"

This is currently my phone background,
who doesn't want to wake up to this?

most precious animated character, ever.

"I am cute as a button but poop faster than I eat"
gets me every time.

Revelations

2011-09-25T01:21:00.001-04:00

This entire week has been all about revelations,
some happy (that I have shared in previous posts)
some out-of-the-blue
some far fetched
and some that just build character, from the inside out

here goes Chloe` with one of those lists again.
maybe, i'll share some of those "out-of-the-blues"

One:

I got up into a full headstand in yoga today

whew, finally, my head really is tough enough

and right after we came out of the restorative posture

and into shavasana

(though I wanted to do a cartwheel)

the instructor said,

"now, sink below the clutter"

what clutter? there's no clutter in here, its yoga!

we've been quiet for an hour!

I'll give you clutter... clutter is all that research I have to do later,

and then comparing prices at the grocery store

and then I guess you could consider my background music clutter

and definitely that paper that's due thursday

that I have no idea what I'm going to write about...

oh, that's what she meant.

right there it was

clutter.

Revelation (#1):

sometimes it takes standing on your head

to make your head the lowest point

to literally and mentally sink below the clutter

Because you can bet-your-bottom-dollar

that your mind is the most focused

when your body is relying on your brain to not let go.

I get it now.

sink below the clutter.

It's there, trust me.

you just have to be aware of it first.

Okay, so cats are way cuter when doing tripod headstand.

Two:

I am a math nerd.

not like that any new news.

Numbers are my first love.

Maybe that's my problem : )

I mean come on,

they never, ever change

never argue, they always work

the puzzle pieces always fit together.

there's a solution to everything.

yep, I'm in love.

Therefore, I had another

revelation (#2):

Why the heck am I not going to be an

accountant?

Gosh this stuff is

the bomb-diggity.

And no, I did not just take this class for fun,

I mean who does that anyway?

How could it not be fun when you have a calculator that

can text you (look closely) when you're taking a little break from numbers?

Text you later yo, I'm accountin' here!

emmm..... Maybe in another life, i'll crunch numbers

instead of coffee beans.

Three:

Before there was Narnia,

there was Lion King.

And in 2011, there was Lion King 3-D.

It was magical.

Better than Disney World.

Revelation (#3):

Rafiki is a prophet.

don't laugh, he IS.

I walked out of the theatre

and looked at Megan,

"Well Lordy girl we can sleep in tomorrow,

we just went to church!"

Hear me out:

Simba: I know what I have to do.

But going back will mean facing my past. I've been running from it for so long.

[Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick]

Simba: Ow! Jeez, what was that for?

Rafiki: It doesn't matter. It's in the past.

[laughs]

Simba: Yeah, but it still hurts.

Rafiki: Oh yes, the past can hurt.

But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it.

[swings his stick at Simba again who ducks out of the way]

Rafiki: Ha. You See? So what are you going to do?

Mr. Rafiki hit me with his stick on that one.

Amen.

(and I love the fact that an African WOMAN

plays Rafiki on Broadway)

and my favorite:

"You won't find him here. The King has returned."

shew, Lord. Come-on-some-bod-ay!

On another note:

Whoever thought of enlarging Pumbaa's

butt to 3-dimensional form deserves an Oscar.

Really folks, I have not laughed so hard at a

warthog in a week.... okay, ever.

blessed with revelations and

good karma and five dolla flowers

2011-09-22T21:22:00.001-04:00

today, on mini Friday,
I just have a few little anecdotes to share that
gave me great pleasure today.

to make up for my staircase lock-in,

nail rip-off, and Bieber Fever stampede

I informed you of last week.

eh-hemmmm.

To begin:

One:

I got two job interviews lined up today.

Cross your fingers.

If getting your nails done costs a mini fortune,

I can only image what a little hair chop will cost.

ugh.

If I play my cards right, I may be secretary-ing or

barista-ing, the only thing I'm truly qualified for.

Two:

I'm currently like a little kid

when mom leaves the house

with a brand new bike.

Byeeee mom.

It looked like it was going to rain all day

so I did not take Lucy XXS out for a

debut spin.

BUT, I did occasionally loop around the coffeetable and into the bathroom

a couple times.

But only a couple

(ah-hem...after-I-would-finish-each-paragraph-in-my-infinite-essays...ah-hem)

poor folks under us. sorry 3C.

Three:

I walk into yoga tonight and I am calmly

resting on my mat stretching with my eyes closed

gathering all the yogi mojo I can get flowin' in there.

"Hellllllo friends, I'm Sara, I'll be subbing for Billy tonight"

I look up.

SLAP ME TWICE, SHE'S BLACK.... AND BALD!

Now, we all know how I feel about these women

It was all I could do to resist staring at her the entire class.

Oh great! So now I'm here all tryin' to get in the yoga mode

which always involves "accepting yourself as you are...

extending mercy to your insecurities...loving what you have been given..."

And here I am all consumed with jealousy!

Ugh, I wanna be black and bald!

And so to resurrect my good mojo,

I set my intention and mantra for the class:

you're not black and bald,

you're white, embrace it.

maybe one day you'll be black and bald.

love your skin.

love you hair.

you're not black and bald.

I bet she looks better in downward dog... because, of course,

she's black...and bald.

stop staring down the yogi,

you're not black...

yeah, yeah, yeah, namaste.

Four:

For a moment during yoga

I was able to actually concentrate and tap into

my "inner strength" when I suddenly glanced down

at my hands on the mat in plank position.

EUREKA!

My fingernail polish matches my mat!
I mean that has to be like extra karma points right?
I'm so glad I decided to bust out the polish
last night instead of doing that dreadful reading.
This has been my all-time favorite color since
the famous poker polish scene in Parent Trap.
And yes... I still have this from the 4th grade.

don't tell me you didn't go get that polish
after seeing the movie too!

namaste...again.

Five:

So, now I'm on my way home from yoga
and I was, as usual, caught by the fresh flower stand.
I decided to get a little bunch for our living room.
I found the little flower boy,
who happened to be somewhere around my age (maybe?)
and we started a little convo about how
lovely the flowers were and how
I would just loooooove to have them for my living room.
I may have caught on and started twirlin' my hair a teensy bit.
I was on the BRINK of getting my free flirty flowers...

and here comes pops outta the store asking me if I was gettin' some flowers.
doggone it.
I coughed up the five bucks.
next time buddy, next time. winkwink.

Six:

Walking up to the outside door of my apartment,
I was all loaded down with my bookbag,
a five dollar bouquet of flowers,
an unnecessarily large water bottle,
a yoga mat strapped to my back
and fresh fruit bursting from my arms.
Clearly, I was not planning on going anywhere else but
to unload all this crap onto my bed
if I even made it up the stairs.
Yet, for some reason, the psychic/palm reader lady
(that always sits two doors down from us)
must have missed the load in my arms and
starting yelling at me to come inside (like she does five times a day)

"What do I look like lady?! Like a have bad karma?

NOOOOO sir-ree.

My fingernails matched my yoga mat tonight,

which clearly means I'm destined for good things in my life.

namaste."

yeah okay. so I didn't really say that.

but I think my armload spoke for itself.

I wasn't stoppin for a palm read.

I just wanted to reiterate to you my amusement with

my serendipitous coordination.

Seven:

I have yet to fall.

see told-ya my karma was goin' up.,

predict THAT lady!

Lucy XXS

2011-09-21T13:31:00.000-04:00

It was like Christmas on East 77th Street last night.

yes, we're taking it back to 1998.

just when I thought

I couldn't get a smaller automobile,

I've downsized.

from Lucy:

to LUCY XXS:

she's a beauty and receives way more miles per gallon.

after seeing the hundredth person whiz past me on a sidewalk riding razor scooters,

I began to realize how much faster I could scoot (no pun intended) ten blocks up,

rather than walk. Hellllloooo? Genious!

But of course given my history,

I read the WARNING label

(in fact, this is a sticker I might want to leave on):

and so, since It says to "use all necessary body protectors"

since I didn't bring my helmet, or proper knee pads

(like I totally have knee pads)

My first adventure on Lucy XXS looked a little like this.

Hey, you work with whatcha got

properly protecting the tushie.

strapped in and ready to go.

if I can only get down the stairs.

yep, I'm alllllll protected.

Safety before Fashion, folks.

Safety First!

this gear takes an extra ten minutes

to get out of.

However, it is important to take all

necessary precautions.

You never know when that curb is going to suddenly grow two feet,

or that tree limb on the sidewalk appears to be a lot smaller from 5 feet away.

I can't wait to take this little baby through Central Park.

Lord willing, I run into Usher. heehee.

just the way you are

2011-09-18T09:35:00.001-04:00

If this doesn't strike your fancy
I just don't know what will.

You all know me,
slightly obsessed with brilliant covers,
and just music in general.

a friend introduced me to karmin last night
and now I'm an official online groupie.

Not only are these two an incredibly talented duo,
they are an all-around breath of fresh air
as a couple who truly enjoys one another's company and artistry.

I hope you can all find someone who loves ya
Just The Way You Are:

be prepared for more of Karmin,
I'm rather addicted.

stuck in staircases and wild bieber chases

2011-09-13T22:47:00.001-04:00

it's been a rollercoaster ride here in New York City.

just when I thought my life and luck, couldn't get much more

entertaining, to say the least,

enter:

the Wright's to The Big Apple, ridin' in style.

not resembling the Clampets in the least bit.

maybe slightly, if you crank your head to the right a bit.

Why were we all DRIVING to New York, you ask?

Oh you know...

{slippery leaves,

panty thieves,

nerds that won't leave}...and Hurricane IRENE.

oh the timing of Mother Nature.

Almost reminded us of the time

when we packed-me-up-and-moved-me-out-

and-drove-back-home-in-the-middle-of-a-blizzard,

remember that dad? golly, that was fun!

Not so fast, that's only the beginning

loaded on top of that car was only an anthill

of the kicks and giggles I was about to experience

occasionally accompanied by my trusty slippery sister, Megan.

(who really ought to wear more bubble wrap than I)

After my first few weeks of New Yorker life,

I would like to share with you a portion of

(yes this is merely a portion,
if you can imagine that)

the unfortunate events which have occurred,

great insights I have gained,

utter failures I have conquered,

gleaming stars I have seen,

crimes I have committed...

okay, scratch the last one for now
(except for texting while crossing the street)

Buckle your seat belts and remember to tip your cab driver.

thursday:

So it's Thursday afternoon and I am slightly overwhelmed with emotion because I just realized that within three hours time I will be in the presence of Justin Bieber. (story follows below) I was getting impatient waiting in the line for the elevator so I just decided to do the American thing and walk down the stairs. I'm walking down seven flights of stairs and getting a bit bored so what else is there to do but text? Text or sing a song... and who knows who else may be in this staircase? I probably got very in-depth with my texting because before I knew it I was at the bottom floor while finishing my novel to my mother about how I was going to tackle Justin Bieber that evening. I went to open the door to the street...locked. (from the inside?) I look around for another door..."Emergency Exit: ALARM WILL SOUND" Argghhh, that's frustrating! So, I go to open the door to the stairs to go back up a flight and ride the elevator down and....LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE!!!

Yes, I was locked in the staircase.

I think I've seen this before in a horror movie,

at that moment not even Bieber could give me hope.
All I needed was one of my signature "nerd boys" to come
plowing through the door and get stuck in there with me!

I stashed away my phone and didn't finish the text

to my mom telling her that I was going to have to finish

the story later because I was currently in search of a crow bar.

I began to panic and text everyone I knew at Marymount

(being all of two people)

to see if they were on campus to come and retrieve me.

No answer.

I banged on every door and fiddled with every handle

for ten minutes... not going to budge.

WHAT KIND OF STAIRCASE LOCKS FROM THE INSIDE?

In the midst of my tantrum and thinking I was never

going to be rescued to meet Justin Bieber,

I looked up and something scribbled on the wall caught my eye:

"If you are trapped, call the security Desk 212-517-0411"

Oh this is so sketch, I thought.
What do I have to lose?
I dialed the number.

"What staircase are you in ma'am?"

"ummm.... the one that locks from BOTH DOORS. 1A?"

(don't get sassy with security)

how many staircases can there be, it's a one-building campus.

(answer: SIX!)

"Okay, hang tight I know where you are."

My rescuer came,

He wasn't riding on a horse or strapped in a hot fireman suit.

Nope, it was Marymount security folks.

dang, I shouldda dialed 911 and really started a ruckus.

So I'm walking down the street five minutes
after my grand afternoon jailbreak

and I was so flustered I could hardly walk in a straight line
until the heavens opened up....A NAIL SALON!

(think Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde running into

the Beauty Salon after hearing about Warner's new girlfriend)

I ran up to the first little lady I saw:

"How much for the Shellac nails?"

(I've gotta be fierce for Bieber folks)

$35.

"DONE! Just like home!

Wait... five minutes? Let me grab a coffee!"

I returned after retrieving my coffee (ahemm, drug of choice)

and I buried myself in the big comfy chair,.

beaming about my grande-soy-au-lait-and-sassy-nails to meet Justin.

it was all wrapped up after thirty minutes

and I had meanwhile recovered from my traumatic afternoon.

I walked up to the counter.

okayyyyyyy, miiiiiss chloe`(little Vietnamese man)

dat will beeee fiffffie-fivv dolla,

FIFFFFFIE-FIVV WHAAA?

You said 35!!!!!!!!

"No, no.... you get french.

Isssss mor for de frenchies"

Frenchies my A@#! (sorry)

I coughed up the dough and

stomped my red high heels all the way home

creating five blisters to have as a nice cushion for later.

later:

Well you see... Megan convinced me to get a Twitter the night before (step behind me Satan!) and of course the first person I "followed" was Justin Bieber... which is totally innaccurate because I followed him by heart decades before Twitter! So I woke up Thursday morning and came bursting into the kitchen, "I THINK I JUST WET MYSELF!!!! BIEBER JUST TWEETED THAT HE WAS IN NEW YORK CITY FOR FASHION NIGHT OUT!!!!" See Chloe`, I told you to get a Twitter.
Bust out the Googling and track Justin down, we're gonna find him...
ditch Bible Study tonight (ugh, Lord forgive us),
find your best heels, bring a sharpie for potential autographs,
we're comin' for ya Bieber!!!!!

Done.

We found him.

Dolce & Gabbana. Madison Avenue. 6 p.m.

only blocks away.

we packed up our bags with all the necessities.
Bieber memorabilia, NEVERSAYNEVER special edition glasses,
chapstick, credit card and handcuffs just in case we catch him!
okay, so we didn't actually bring handcuffs.

Of course there was a line of little
chick-a-dees all giggling and squealing and annoying
the you-know-what out of security.
Ohhhhh Dolce and Gabbana, you have never seen this kinda crowd.

After rustling through the crowd,
finding our way through the pig tails,
staring down every Escalade with tinted windows,
easing Megan's stomach fluttering with nerves
(she's got dangerous Bieber fever)
sorting through...

yes-you-can-go-in

no-you-can't-go-in

you-have-to-buy-something

he's-not-actually-here (don't mess with me)

yes-you-can-come-in

do-you-have-VIP-tickets-?

QUIET-DOWN-GIRLS
lemme-talk-to-Justin's-manager-sir!!!

"Okay girls, make a line here."

Victory.

We waited in line of fifty-some middle school girls

with a couple of smart college ambassadors of Bieber

for about an hour before we got in

constructing what exactly we would say to dear Justin if we met him.

We got in to D&G just as they were blaring, "BABY" over the

soundsystem... ohhhh, I can feel his presence.

The next two hours were completely a blur.

Shiny lights, disco balls, $400 shoes, champagne glasses,

people, people, people

"WHO'S THAT?"

more people.

more little girls,

security going crazy,

drunk midget women threatening our lives (I wish I were kidding)

announcements that the fire marshall would shut us down if they were in the building

fake Bieber spottings.

Do-we-leave? Do-we-stay?

Until finally Scooter Braun, Bieber's manager, came down the stairs and

announced that Justin wanted to see the fans.

WELL DUH JUSTIN WANTS TO SEE HIS FANS!

"We are going to try to figure out a way

to get Justin down to say hey,

I know you all are excited.

We will do our best to get him down shortly

and his big brother Usher."

USHER!

USHER?!?

Oh, we're staying!

I about hit the floor.

I'll wait as long as I'm breathin' to see that man!

Thirty minutes passed and my feet

were beginning to feel like they

were going to burn right off my legs into ashes on the floor.

Just then,

I saw my life flash before my eyes.

I've never been more terrified.

Megan got whisked to the back of the room

by the largest mob of estrogen I had ever seen

my legs left the ground,

I was physically levitated.

squished like a pancake

and holding my camera for dear LIFE.

I somehow managed to flash a few random photos

before I could see anything in front of me.

And there he was.

Usher descending down the stairs with two

beautiful, black, bouncy boys on either hand.

Justin was somewhere in the posse`

but he really is punier in person.

Usher glowed.

bottom right: yes, that's Usher Raymond's beautiful head

They made their way to the front

and I lifted two more feet off the ground,

squished now even flatter than a pancake,

think tortilla.

Justin sang, Justin smiled, Justin rapped,

Justin wore goofy glasses,

and Justin was just as precious as ever.

My feet came back on the ground about five minutes later

and I began to look like a helpless child in a grocery store...

"Where's Megan? Megan....? Megan where are you?"

We made eye contact from across the room and B-lined for the door,

sweating,

traumatized,

starry-eyed,

awestruck,

dizzy,

and looking like we had seen better days.

bruised but not broken.

Those videos you see of girls on stretchers

after Justin Bieber concerts?

yeah, I believe it now.

Megan and I agreed,

I don't think I've ever done anything so dangerous

and frightening.

But it was oh-so-worth-it.

First week in New York City welcomed in by

Usher and Justin?

i'll take it.

but that was only Thursday...

the adventures don't end there.

Maybe tomorrow i'll tell you about the next

24 hours following the scariest night of my life

by which I visited every CVS on Lexington,

bought a book about how-to-be-Parisian,

finally met the a dog named Chloe that I've always been hearing about,

started a job at a French cafe`,

quit a job at a French cafe`

and met my first male classmate wearing platform go-go boots.

and that was only thursday.

to be continued.

a third title.

2011-09-02T23:55:00.003-04:00

I think it's finally time
that I blog again.

Sheesh, I should just go ahead and fire myself!
However, I will use the excuse of
working two jobs and preparing for a move to NYC

Now that I am here and settled down on my comfy bed,
I figured I'd do a little happy post for old time's sake.
and since my roommate and I spent precious time
comparing embarassing, painful and ridiculous "topple" stories.
Oh good Lord, with the both of our falling records,
we're gonna have a TIME this winter...
with maybe a few stories to tell along the way.
And why did we pick the FOURTH FLOOR apartment again?

I guess we will just be taught

to watch our step

and be thankful for health insurance.

So, in the midst of figuring out that we

have countless things in common..

like our insane love for Bieber,

our HATRED for all games (ice breakers especially),

our pathetic lack of interest in sports,

our inability to decide on a school (and remain there),

our growing distaste for Time's Square,

and our frequent spills and falls...

we also share the blessing of being,

to put as nicely as possible,

what we would like to call,

NERD MAGNETS.

You know the guy in middle school that wears Star Wars T-Shirts, cut-off denim shorts, ankle socks too long for his sneakers, and occasionally reaches up to "massage his right nostril" in the back right corner of class where you are stuck sitting next to him?! Oh heaven forbid the nostril massage! AGH!
Yep, that's HIM... among many other combination of oddities and things that just make you "uncool" in middle school that every Middle School girl buys the kit to protect herself from on the first day.

Well apparently... I missed the sale on one of those protection kits.

Because I am a MAGNET. I always have been, always will be.

I don't know how to be mean,

or say no to the nostril massager.

Well someones gotta talk to 'em!

It's like we have "I can't be mean" written across our forehead.

And you know what kind of guys you attract when you have

"MISS NICE GIRL" written across your forehead?

Exhibit A:

I simply cannot figure out what it is about us

that screams, "Come talk to me, dude with the taped together glasses

that need a grocery cart to carry anyway..."

But we have been blessed with such a curse.

sigh.

I am so glad someone else feels my pain

So I figure the only options are,

learn how to be mean

which doesn't really sound desirable or

possible when actually written out...

OR, add a third leg to the Blog

and find a way to be happy about it.

Once again, It makes for good stories and great laughs.

So now I present to you...

slippery leaves, panty thieves,

and nerds that won't leave.

join me in making the best of all three.

Hopefully living in NYC and going to the laundromat will

fix the stolen panty situation that can often be reported in dorm laundry rooms...

if you don't give me my panties sir, I know where you live and work!

But the slippery leaves and awkward men are in no short supply in NYC.

Nope,

we'll still be needing reasons to laugh along the way.

for all those "nice girls"

keep doin' what you're doin',

chloe`

P.S: you never know how those little nerds just might turn out.

just sayin' y'all.

Cam and Giggles

2011-07-31T21:27:00.000-04:00

modern family always makes us happy...

slippery leaves or not,

Cam can always crack us up.

for another Modern Family experience,

revisit the flash mob that wins 'em all.

happy Sunday,

chloe`

justINtime

2011-07-30T10:54:00.000-04:00

I have been a terrible little Bieber Blogger.

Gosh, I am so sorry... how on earth have you all been able to

stay positive throughout the week without the encouraging

moments of Bieber?

Though I cannot imagine how, I am glad you're still with me

for the LAST DAY OF THE BIEBER COUNTDOWN

(I promise I'll move on after this... at least for a couple days!)

Here it is folks,

the grand finale

The Ninth Day of Bieber

yes.

yes, this is a Bieber Watch and it looks

fabulous on my wrist.

Now I'm not just going to post a picture of

a hot pink Bieber Watch without a story to go along with it.

ha! come on now!

I was out shopping with Laura

and we were perusing through J.C.Penny's fabulous earring collection

when I saw an ENTIRE DISPLAY of Justin Bieber watches.

"OHMYGOSH LAURA!

HOW CAN I VALIDATE GETTING THIS??????"

I'll tell you how I can validate it.

It was on sale for $9.99!!

WHAT!

(let's not analyze what this may say about Bieber, okay?

everything goes on Sale at some point...

they are just trying to make him accessible to all economic classes,

we'll go with that.)

Anyway, after much deliberation

over the perfect color, the cutest picture of Bieber on the watch face,

the cutest gift box (pictured below) and thinking of every reason

that I should own this watch... okay, it would cost me about half-a-day's tips.

I made the mature decision to use my Three Day Rule (see mom, aren't I responsible?)

Chloe`'s Three Day Rule:

(particularly with online shopping.
Ouch, that can murder your bank account
and you don't even have to get out of bed!)
If you see something you just"HAVE TO HAVE!" you bookmark it on your computer,or take a photo with it on your phone to send to all of your personal shopping criticsfor expert opinions or further excuses why you should in-fact make this impulse purchase.Once you've made a mental note... YOU WALK AWAY.Three days later... if you are still thinking about this item.It's approved for purchasebecause it must have left a pretty lasting impressionand thus it should become a part of your life permanently

Now, I have no idea why I even QUESTIONED the fact that
this purchase would pass the three day rule. DUH, CHLOE!
But, you-betcha I went back on Sunday afternoon
and lo-and-behold.... that black and hot pink Bieber perfection was still
right there waitin' on me and still tagged for $9.99.
I can't let this beauty slip through my fingers.
I picked it up and proudly marched over to the counter
where the little old lady took one look at me and one look at the watch
and just grinned.

Lady: Lord, my granddaughter would love this. Is this for you?
Me: Yes, ma'am. Yes ma'am it is! I just love Justin Bieber.
Lady: I got my granddaughter a shirt for Christmas with him on it, I suppose he's a pretty cute kid. (she didn't even question my age!)
Me: I'll say he is!
lady begins to chuckle
Lady: Okay, that will be $17.99
Me: WHOA! Um, ma'am that rack said these watches were on sale for $9.99
she glances over at the sale table
Lady: Well, you are absolutely right! Let me ask someone.
she walks over to the watch counter and asks the man.
He says that they are definitely $17.99 and did not belong on that sale table,
the $9.99 watches were on the shelf above.
They begin to argue about the price and she begins to get a bit defensive
of the Bieber watches.
She marches back over to her little jewelry counter...
Lady: (she leans in to talk to me with a little attitude still in her voice) I don't care WHAT he says that table says $9.99 so that's what it is! she adjusted the price on the register and smiled at me That will be $9.99 sweetie!
She gave me a nod of affirmation and winked at me,
You have a great Sunday!
Me: Oh, you too ma'am .... YOU TOO!

and that Bieber watch gleamed in my hands.
and when I say gleamed, I really mean it was shinin'
just look at that box!

now the question is...

what do I store in this special box?

It's gotta be used for somethin!

Maybe a glorified wallet,

or an enlarged pill box.

ehhh, I'll think of somethin!

or maybe it could store all of my collector's stickers!

Bingo.

so, there you have it folks, the nine days of Bieber

(ridiculously drug out, I apologize)

On the ninth Day of Bieber,

my true love gave to me,

one Bieber watch

purple swagger shoes,

two cheeks for pinching,

hair locks of gold

bless-ed touch screen texting

two rebel piercings,

blue eyes of mystery

six strings a strummin'
and whole bunch-a WORRR-RRRLD PEACE.

and I was like

Baby, baby, baby, oh!

chloe`

glittery purple swag.

2011-07-19T09:01:00.002-04:00

The Eighth Day of Bieber Stickers:

I am Justin Bieber and I have the coolest kicks in High School.

Look closely at this particular sticker and one might

assume that it was printed defect...

thus why this valuable collector's package

was available for purchase at Dollar Tree.

HOWEVER.

I choose to believe that the photographer

was just emphasizing the fact that

Bieber has the most well-dressed feet in

all of High School and Hollywood

(next to Usher, of course. Duh)

"Where's ya swag J, where's ya swagg?"

Although this picture

must be dated,

because anyone who has attended

a Bieber concert KNOWS

that Bieber doesn't go anywhere

without his glamorous glittery

purple kicks.

these must-a been a gift from Usher.

the swag in these shoes just scream

Usher Raymond.

maybe one day i'll own my own pair of purple swags

keep the violet,

keep the swag,

chloe`

On the eighth Day of Bieber,
my true love gave to me,
purple swagger shoes,
two cheeks for pinching,
hair locks of gold
bless-ed touch screen texting
two rebel piercings,
blue eyes of mystery
six strings a strummin'

and whole bunch-a WORRR-RRRLD PEACE.

pinch his cheeks

2011-07-18T09:47:00.000-04:00

The Seventh Day of Bieber Stickers:

"I'm smiling because Chloe` loves me

and hasn't forgotten about me"

don't you just want to pinch those Bieber cheeks?!

that's right beliber bloggers,

I have not forgotten about dear Justin

nor have I forgotten about you.

I've been on a little family va-cae

and have been enjoying

a little time away from the computer...

but don't you worry we've still had our

FULL SHARE of Bieber thanks to Laura.

(who is now obsessed with THE Bieber,

after complaining through

the entire concert back in December

coughcough)

yep, we've still been singin'

BABY BABY BABY OHHHH!

while Justin just keeps that

thousand watt smile gleaming

on my computer screen.

This may or may not be my background right now.

On the seventh Day of Bieber,
my true love gave to me,
two cheeks for pinching,
hair locks of gold
bless-ed touch screen texting
two rebel piercings,
blue eyes of mystery
six strings a strummin'
and whole bunch-a WORRR-RRRLD PEACE.

almost to the end of the countdown fellow Belibers.
Hang in there with me,
chloe`

knock knock...chicken down.

2011-07-13T14:57:00.000-04:00

INTERRUPTION!!!!

Due to ridiculous hilarious-ness,

this post here interrupts the Days of Bieber....

Don't worry folks, it will be back just following...

The Funniest blog post EVER Written.

My mother forwarded me this post she received the other day,
and if this is NOT Laura Guidry in 20 years when we are
married and seeking glorious revenge...then I don't know WHAT is.
Okay, so disregard the "language" interruptions... just close your eyes.
but seriously, this is a MUST read, I was rolling all around
howling with laughter through tears... It's that good folks.

CHICKEN DOWN ON AISLE 3!!! :)

here's to metal chickens,

ridiculous partners in crime,

Beyonce,

and sweet revenge,

chloe`

Laura, we're gettin us a metal chicken.

locks of gold... literally.

2011-07-08T15:28:00.001-04:00

I am so sorry you have had to wait

so long for the sixth day to come,

I know you've been anxious folks.

Sometimes... life just happens.

without further adieu, back to the story!

The Sixth Day of Bieber Stickers:

look at Justin (once again) throwing up

those peace signs.

you tell 'em J.

But what really struck me about this

photo was:

THE HAIR.

The swoopy,

luscious,

sleek,

shimmery

golden

Bieber Hair.

Clearly, this is an old photo because everyone knows Justin Bieber cut his luscious hair back in February. And you know what? That little stinker gave it to Ellen DeGeneres to auction off for charity. He didn't even wanna keep it for the memories... I betcha Michael Jackson would have kept his hair.

THAT BIEBER HAIR

was worth $40,668!!!!

...all to benefit an animal rights organization.

Bieber: Spreading world peace to the furry friends

two fingers and one lock of hair at a time.

On the sixth Day of Bieber,
my true love gave to me,
hair locks of gold
bless-ed touch screen texting
two rebel piercings,
blue eyes of mystery
six strings a strummin'
and whole bunch-a WORRR-RRRLD PEACE.

I'd buy it Bieber,

I'd buy it,

chloe`

iBieber uBieber

2011-06-29T11:15:00.002-04:00

The Fifth Day of Bieber Stickers:

"got to hang out with lil bro Jaden Smith @officialjaden all weekend.
#family. now BET AWARDS today. Rooting for my brother Drake."

everyone knows Bieber

is dedicated to the art of texting.

It saved him from not going insane

while he was put on complete vocal rest

(aka, he was mute) for a couple days

on tour

(for anyone who saw NEVER SAY NEVER you know this!)

and it also allows him to keep his

die-hard fans (a.k.a. Belibers, UNITE!)

up to date with his thoughts

RIGHT from his little fingertips...thumb-tips?

regardless, they are always such meaningful tid-bits.

Every time his little updates show up on my newsfeed,

I am just instantly inspired.

I highly recommend becoming a Bieber Fan on Facebook,

it's just instantly gratifying.

I'll even give you the link:

Instant Happiness CLICK HERE

On the Fifth Day of Bieber,
my true love gave to me,
bless-ed touch screen texting
two rebel piercings,
blue eyes of mystery
six strings a strummin'
and whole bunch-a WORRR-RRRLD PEACE.

go ahead click it.

you know you like it,

chloe`

B-B-B-Bad Boy Bieber

2011-06-25T16:18:00.000-04:00

we've got a bad, bad Bieber on our hands today folks.

The Fourth Day of Bieber Stickers:

I call this,

"Yeah, I'm Bad. And I'm Bieber"

what now tough guy?!

haha, okay okay,

so we all know he's a little softy

(well at least I know he is because

I AM the Bieber expert here, duh)

but recently he has taken

the bad boy rep TWO steps further.

step number one:

IS THAT BLING IN YOUR EARS J?

yes. it's true. Bieber has

not one, but two ears pierced.

Usher definitely taught him that.

step number two:

shame on you Bieber, you almost caused a riot

with your softy-ness.

Don't-cha hate when that happens?

There you have it,

the Bad Boy takes day number 4 of The Bieber Countdown.

On the Fourth Day of Bieber,
my true love gave to me,
two rebel piercings,
blue eyes of mystery
six strings a strummin'
and whole bunch-a WORRR-RRRLD PEACE.

you got it,

you got it bad,

chloe`

Day Three: Mystery Man

2011-06-22T22:14:00.001-04:00

The Third Day of Bieber Stickers:

]

I call this,

the Mysterious Bieber

Look at him being all unpredictable

and secretive with his gaze.

Justin's got that glare down,

must-a got it from Usher.

Gets me everytime.

"let it burn".

On the Third Day of Bieber,
my true love gave to me
blue eyes of mystery
six strings a strummin'
and whole bunch-a WORRR-RRRLD PEACE."

melt into the mystery,

chloe`

Day Two: Guitar Strings on my Heart Strings

2011-06-21T22:18:00.002-04:00

The Second Day of Bieber Stickers:

we're going a little acoustic, folks.

play those guitar strings to

tweedle on my heartstrings Bieber.

you may joke,

but I gotta hand it to him,

the kid can play.

He's got skill on those strings

i've seen it with my own two eyes

yep.

and just to prove his acoustic heartthrob abilities:

jam on this:

you're welcome, you're welcome.
Ernie Halter + Justin Bieber= brilliance.
Simple math.

"On the Second Day of Bieber,
my true love gave to me
six strings a strummin'
and whole bunch-a WORRR-RRRLD PEACE."

keep on humm-in'

until tomorrow,
chloe`

The 8 Days of Bieber

2011-06-20T18:05:00.002-04:00

okay, so make that 9.

I have a little xxxx-tra Bieber Surprise

for the final she-bang.

Maybe we will make this into a little song.

The Dollar Store just won

out over Forever 21, Michaels and A.C. Moore for the week.

All of the above are exquisite

venues of retail.

But do any of these offer

THE OFFICIAL JUSTIN BIEBER

ALBUM STICKERS PACKET???

might I point out the "From Justin to You"
in the top corner?? Aw, shucks. Thank-You-Very-Much

I think not.

Nope.

The Dollar Store just got a

lifetime supply of happy points.

Each pack includes 8 Album Stickers.

The numbers on the back of the cards in my pack alone

go up to 162,

which means...

I've got a lotta collectin' ahead of me.

sheesh, I don't know if Barista tips can quite fund

this collection,

but I will do what I can.

I'm committed.

For now,

Here is the first Bieber Sticker to share

(which, of course, with make you happy today

and for 8 more days to come):

J throwin up those peace signs.

What a humanitarian.

Oh Bieber,

you're so dreamy.

happy day one,

chloe`

About that song...

"On the first day of Bieber, my true love (being Justin of course) gave to me WOOOORRRRLD PEACE."

to be continued...

hey there, pops.

2011-06-19T17:20:00.001-04:00

I am particularly

happy and grateful

today, because....

today I am reminded of how

blessed I have been to have

a father like:

Mistah Gordon Wright

Pas-tahh G.

Gordy,

Pastor Gordon

(Just) G,

...Dr. Wright

if you wanna get real spiffy.

in essence of this day,

here is yet another photo montoge

explaining why

mi padre es muy fabuloso!

you can sleep absolutely anywhere,

anyhow, at all hours of the day.

see?

you know just when to take yourself seriously...

....and when to just let it all go, and laugh.

and take mom down with ya.

you taught your rough and tough daughter

the most proper and lady-like way to grow a beard.

you are the definition of hardcore.

Don't play with the Pastah.

you share your kitties nicely,

even when they get tossed around.

you tolerated many, many tutus,

and earned the title "Master Zoomer"... on the video camera, that is.

you are a pro,

once a pro, always a pro.

you inspire everyone with your

passion for knowledge

and desire for sharing for the greater good.

you have been a pretty stellar partner in crime,

from tennis lessons to parenthood.

twenty years later, you still go along with

our girly ideas.

you're still outnumbered.

but occasionally, I get to be the one to tag along

when you fulfill your (more manly) lifelong ambitions.

you have the best hats.

okay, make that the most protective hats.

...okay maybe, the most protective, efficient, tacky shields.

there we go.

you are a joy to all who know you

and nurture

our family, church and beyond

with your unique character, wisdom, humor and leadership.

...an unsurpassed representation of Christ's Love.

for you, I am eternally grateful.

for all fathers I am eternally grateful.

Thank you for provision,

love, discipline, grace,

laughter and wisdom.

Happy Father's Day,

man,

chloe`

slippery leaves, panty thieves, and condiment heaves

2011-06-13T15:43:00.004-04:00

the moment it happened,
tears welled up in my eyes like a
seventh grader gettin zonked on the head
with a softball in P.E. class.
your pride takes control seconds after
the pain and you begin sniffling
careful not to make eye-contact with anyone
for at least ten minutes
so that you can swallow all of the emotion
before rivers of tears come gushing out

yesterday, I had hit rock bottom

after working a 49 hour week

(yes, I know... never again.)

and running on minimal sleep

let's just say walking in a straight line

wasn't really a priority,

I wasn't going to be picky.

I was up and I was walkin. just deal.

aaaand working the Sunday brunch shift at NoFo,

nothing out of the ordinary, really.

except with me... nothing is ever ordinary

so, the after-church exodus had hit

and I was being stared down by

a pair of impatient grandparents

while bussing a table in a hurry
to seat them A.S.A.P, before they stared any harder.

I was carrying an ARMLOAD of dishes to the back

and I had all of the ketchup ramekins...

yes those little servers are called ramekins....

we say it as much as possible at the 'Fo, just because its fun.
salsa ramekin, mustard ramekin, syrup ramekin...ramekin.
ramekin.

anyway, I had those suckers stacked up like

a tower of ramekin perfection in order to make as

little "trips" back to the kitchen as possible.

trip.

HA!

yeah well, I took ONE trip alright.

but not that kind of trip.

a Chloe`-kind-of-trip

I was heading into the main (very small) dining room

back to the kitchen and my

inability to walk in a straight line just sort of

jabbed me in the toushie.

I stumbled

and all of those ten little cute-sie ramekins

catapulted across the dining room

and the fifteen

gazillion plates in my hand

were only saved by instinct clutching them to my body

to save the floor

from left over omelets to

go with that sea of ketchup it was now sporting.

the result:

why yes, a rather trendy ketchup-stained effect.

I looked up in disbelief and made shameful

eye-contact with one of the other waitresses,

"WELCOME TO MY LIFE!"

I ran back to the back swallowing those

unfortunate seventh-grade softball tears

and grabbed a mop

(which happened to be the one covered in kitchen grease, yep...

talk about an even more slippery floor

all I need to do today is get them in a lawsuit)

and skated over the sea of ketchup to sop

up all the red I could up as quickly as possible,

not making eye contact with anyone in

the FULL dining room

especially the impatient grandparents

what a mess.

I'd like to say I got to change clothes,

but no.

For the next 3 hours,

every time I looked down to fold silverware

or check for an "available seat for three"

I was reminded of,

ketchup.

It was beautiful, really...

d*$# you condiments,

I fall a lot.

and you know what?

I when I got home,

I took a nap.

I cried first and let those seventh grade tears roll

after sucking them in for hours,

and then... I took a nap.

the moral of this story is...

don't ever make a tower with ramekins,

don't let the fiesty grandparents frazzle you,

don't work a 49 hour week,

bring a change of clothes,

check the mophead before using,

the bathroom is the nearest place for tears,

look both ways before throwing ketchup

there may be someone important in your line of target.

please,

hold your applause because

I'd rather not encourage an encore performance.

and

don't heave the condiments,

chloe`

funny fridays

2011-06-10T23:17:00.000-04:00

by friday, our brains are all mochaccino mush
or maybe make that mocha shake pudding
or maybe caramello leche soup.
whatever concoction you choose,
it's been a long week of barista-ing.

needless-to-say,

for the past couple of weeks

we have kept ourselves going that one final day

not with espresso...but

with a few moments of laughter,

just a few, of course.

and out of the delirious friday java humor,

came the Funny Friday Tradition.

Every Friday, bring something ridiculous to work

to make a joke of yourself and to make the customers laugh,

or just look at you like you have two heads.

well justin HAD the pink ones on,

and demanded we switch.

Chicken.

Won't you silly beach-goers pop by our stylin' drive-thru?

surprisingly, some people thought we were totally serious,

while others burst into laughter when they walked in the

door and saw Justin sporting pink lady glasses,

totally normal friday.

laughter saves the day.

have a funny friday,

chloe`

like totally, BFFs

2011-06-08T23:16:00.002-04:00

today while glancing about and surfing my Pinterest board
(don't even get me started on this fabulous social network)

I was informed...

IT'S NATIONAL BEST FRIEND'S DAY!

now, who wouldda thought?

Attached was a lovely article

about how even our health and well-being rely on

our best friends.

Excerpt from The Article:

Laughter Therapy—

You don’t need a study to suggest that you probably laugh more with your best friend than with any one else in your posse and doing so may actually have therapeutic value.

According to laughter therapist Dr. Katherine Puckett, (where can I apply for that job?) at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), “episodes of laughter helped to reduce pain, decrease stress-related hormones and boost the immune system in participants.” She goes on to explain, “Laughter can help you feel better about yourself and the world around you. Laughter can be a natural diversion. When you laugh, no other thought comes to mind. Laughing can also induce physical changes in the body. After laughing for only a few minutes, you may feel better for hours.”

Actual studies have shown that laughing provides physical benefits such as boosting the immune and circulatory systems, enhancing oxygen intake, triggers the release of endorphins, eases digestion and soothes stomach aches, relieves pain, balances blood pressure and improves mental functions.

Maybe you’ve been fortunate enough to be part of one of these studies but as an average-Jane, I haven’t. I have however, experienced the results. Nothing eases my pain, or elevates my mood, or centers my soul more than sharing a good laugh with my BFF.

On National Best Friend day reach out to yours and let them know how important they are in your overall health.

there you have it, folks. Look to your best friend today and thank them for not only being the best go-to shopper, listener, hugger, counselor, etc... but also, thank them for keeping you... well, you!

Today, I'd like to that my partner in crime, Elgie. Ms. Guidry, you are laughter and you keep me on my toes. I couldn't ask for a better "person", you know what i'm sayin'. Laughing, crying, scheming up terrible ideas, rattling off senseless thoughts, driving back and forth (and back and forth and back and forth....) like professional taxi drivers, listening to music....always, knitting until our hands turn blue, dancing to Beyonce`, reminding one another that no matter what happens, the other is there. with a hammer. :)

a really, big hammer.

blast from the past.

don't. mess with this.

high on life.... and gingerbread

you ain't gettin nun.

"whoa, dream big"

who do you have to thank?

And Happy Best Friend's Day,

chloe`

that rockin' hair.

2011-06-05T16:18:00.002-04:00

let's face it.
everyone now has feathers in their hair.
feather hair extensions that is.

we all just might as well invest in a
vegas showgirl head ornament,
because before long, we'll all have that many feathers
dangling from our "dos"

who do we have to thank for this?
none other than:

yep, Steven Tyler himself.

cracks me up.

i won't lie.

i, too, caught the trend and

paid a pretty penny to get

some plucked peacocks dangling from my roots.

although, the real reason for this happy post

is to inform all of you that there is a much more

affordable option out there.

I found these treasures

while doing my weekly Michael's Dollar Bin browsing:

(gets me every time.)

ROCK EXTENSIONS

they are pre-braided to make you look cool

only cost a $1, a buck, ONE DOLLAR-OO

they clip in so you can change your color to match your outfit

they didn't hurt a bird

you can remove them as you please

my next visit to Michael's

maybe I will pass on the dollar Hello Kitty merch

(that always makes sense to buy

"because it is only a dollar"

but after fifteen unneccessary items, thats fifteen dollars

and lot of hello kitty,

sigh.)

and instead, I will spend my dollar on the Rock Extensions

to see if I can start a trend,

a dollar trend.

(Hey, Steven Tyler started somehow!)

save your 30 bucks,

save a bird,

and rock the rock extensions,

meet me at Michael's,

chloe`

mischevious.

2011-06-03T23:35:00.000-04:00

hehehe.

hee,

chloe`

jubilant june

2011-06-01T23:08:00.000-04:00

two reasons why I am happy to see the start of june.

one:
i got to flip the page of my Bieber Calendar last night
to reveal a brand new precious
yet, very dignified (yes, I stand by that.)
photo of Mr. Justin.

Just look at that glare.

notice at the bottom I have placed

paper clips not only to keep the page

from flapping all over the place,

but also to hold me accountable for an entire month,

not to peak at the next photo...

ughhhhhh, why is it so difficult?

torture i tell you! torture.

I mean how can you NOT

love June right now?

two:

I am headed outta here in three months,

count 'em.

one

two

three

I'll be in

I love June.

And that's a wrap,

chloe`

dollar bill fortune

2011-05-30T13:41:00.001-04:00

I was sorting through my tips at the
end of my shift the other day and
something caught my eye on the dollar bill
I mean you see "fortunes" written all over dollar bills
all the time, much like a weird chinese cookie
but I'm glad I actually read this particular
dollar bill fortune:

The most important thing in life is knowing Jesus Christ.

of course being

the "deeper meaning"

thinker that I am.

I began to try to read into what

this message on the dollar bill

was supposed to teach me.

In a stage of life where

I can easily get so consumed by

money, money, money

saving saving, saving

let's face it, we can't escape it,

today, the very item that can subconsciously

(or consciously)

dominate our minds.

reminds us of the most important thing:

faith

and the hope that lies within you,

not within the world.

you may have received this dollar

as a reminder that He is all that you need

and He will always provide

or you may have been given this dollar

as an answered prayer

either way,

that dollar is still in my wallet folded up

so that I will not spend it on senseless items,

maybe i'll just tape it to my mirror.
thats a good fortune,

chloe`

i think i'll change my name.

2011-05-24T14:54:00.003-04:00

I was listening to the radio this morning and found out some
shocking information:
he's done it again.
Diddy has changed his name.
you know after awhile you may have to start wearing a name tag
Mr. Sean Combs

"oh ay yo, what name do I sign again???"

From Puff Daddy, to just Puffy,
to P. Diddy, then we dropped the P.
and just went with Diddy.
But that wasn't cool enough so then for awhile
we were Diddy Dirty Money,
just to flash those dolla signs around a little more.
Then we have made the switch
(yes, announced via Twitter, don't even get me started.)
to Swag.

Swag?
what happened to the Diddy? Too light and fluffy?
no Mr. Combs, if anyone deserves the name "swag" it's Usher.

but Usher is just too cool to change his name,
because Usher is Usher.
He only needs one name.
Besides, in the dictionary under the word "swagger",
you'll find "Usher Raymond".

yup.

just look it up,

chloe`

a.k.a. caramel crunch

I've decided thats my name now.

I'm not fully mixed,

definitely not black,

but definitely not a white girl....

therefore, I'm more of a caramel color

and the crunch...

well it just adds a spicy touch.

I don't wanna be all light and fluffy like "Diddy" or nothin'

I wanna be crunch, caramel crunch.

cereal suicide

2011-05-21T17:30:00.000-04:00

remember when you were a little youngin
and you went to McDonald's with dad,
(not the time you when with mom, because she would never let you do this)
and you made Fountain Drink Suicide
down the fizzy line with your happy meal cup getting a squirt
of every soda, lemonade, and fruit punch
yummy.

welp, i've brought back the art of suicide.
cereal suicide.
When you have too many boxes of cereal
in your pantry and are overwhelmed by the choices,
never fear,
the suicide is here.

(ingredients slightly less gross than

Dr. Pepper and Brisk Iced Tea,

but whatever floats your kindergarten boat)

Directions:

open the pantry,

get you a little bowl for mixin,

grab about four cereals

of your choice

mine being:

Special K Protein plus

Cinnamon Life,

Cinnamon Cheerios,

Granola.

mix 'er all up real good

and garnish off your suicide with a Fruit Loop Face,

just for kicks.

if your real creative you can go for the apple slice hair too.

but thats's only for the pros.

and there ya have it,

why must we ever have to pick

only ONE cereal for a bedtime snack?

Never!

his name is Beanie

by the way, Beanie O,

but he's gone now :)

chloe`

mail's here.

2011-05-18T14:57:00.002-04:00

today I could have done the mail dance
like Steve from Blue's Clues

(you're welcome for that stellar throwback)

I got home from work,

walked out to the mailbox....

hmmm, Let's see what's in the mail today...

bill, bill,

Mom's AARAP membership card,

catalogue,

another bill.

OH MY GAHHHHH!

BIEBERRRRRR!!!!!!!!

IT'S HERE!!!!!

for obvious reasons,

we're happy today,

duh.

I knew I put on my purple shirt for a reason.

never say never,

chloe`

p.s.: NEVER SAY NEVER viewing party at my house ASAP,

anyone's invited. Spread the Biebs.

mamma mia!

2011-05-16T22:43:00.002-04:00

it's a baby girl!

7-week old calico.

Say Hello to Miss Mia Wright.

aka

Baby girl

and Little Bit

not camera shy at all.

the biggest (tiniest) snuggle buddy, ever. ever. ever.

and... she is already rather fond of bloggin.

talk about a handy editor.

yep, we're gonna be pals.

here's to little kittens

that always make us happy,

I don't care who ya are!

-chloe`

tight wad

2011-05-15T17:43:00.001-04:00

you know you have started working
on waitstaff at a restaurant
when there is a stack of dollar bills
in your wallet large enough to eat your face.
in one big chomp

yow-zers

but hey,

I ain't complainin

those dolla dolla bills

keep a sistah's NYC fund truckin' right along.

except for when the bag boy

at Harris Teeter looks

at you and your generous wad of dollas

with a little extra twinkle in his eye.

No, you sick-o check the shirt.

It's Sunday afternoon for Pete's sake,

and I went to church this mornin'.

humph.

How's that for your piggy bank?

here's to a good, clean tip,

and bein' a tight wad,

chloe`

Spice Up Your Life

2011-05-13T23:01:00.004-04:00

so, I had about ten minutes to shower today
after job number one, to clean up
and look somewhat presentable
for job number three...
with job number two sandwiched in between.
welcome to my life.

Anyway, I threw my hair up in my usual
bobby-pinned twisted mess
and topped it off with a sparkly headband
just to hold back the whispies
already forming a lovely halo around my forehead.

I was running out the door and

I glanced in the mirror
while spritzing some perfume.

Whoa there Chloe`!!!!

"DOG-GONE-IT
I LOOK LIKE A SPICE GIRL!"

Good Lord, THE HORROR

my hair could have been mistaken for

a tribute to 90s British Pop

"Well... no time to change that.

I'm just going to have to

'say i'll be there'

today and roll with it."

What can ya do?

I mean... people liked the Spice Girls?

Who doesn't need a little Spice in their life?

turns out...

I was pumping gas on the way to NoFo,

and a sweet ole' black lady turned around

and said,

"ooooooo GIRL, yo hair is caaa---UUUuuute."

why thank you ma'am.

what can I say?

"If ya wanna be my lov-ah you gotta get with my friends"

spice up your life,

chloe`

here's to glittery headbands.

I'm runnin a fever.

2011-05-10T22:44:00.001-04:00

a Bieber Fever.
in case you didn't know,
ohhhhh the Fever is making a comeback.
Full Force.
Why, you ask?

THAT'S WHY!

in case you are not wearing your glasses,

That is my online receipt for

my purchase of:

JUSTIN BIEBER NEVER SAY NEVER

Blu-Ray and DVD Special Edition Package

That puppy is gonna be on my doorstep in a couple of days

I don't even have to worry about

getting my hair pulled out

or plowed over by five million screaming

moms and tweens at Walmart at midnight on Thursday.

technically Mary 13th, the official in store release date!

Although.... that would be an epic story.

Maybe I'll save that until I can be a crazy screaming mom.

Now of course, I will STILL

be in attendance at Walmart on Thursday night

join the party

even though I already have claimed my copy...

just to show my support for the Biebs

Okay, this shopping excursion could be a bit dangerous

so maybe I will watch the Bieber frenzy

from safe inside my vehicle

with binoculars?

"Oh my GAHHHHHHH!"

RUN JUSTIN, RUN!

Oh, Heck. Who am I kidding?

I'M GOIN IN!

you only live once.

FOR THE BIEBER

FOR THE FEVER!

Who's with me Thursday?

Chloe`

in honor of

2011-05-08T21:43:00.007-04:00

mother's day,

I put together a little photo

montage, of why Momma J

is to be celebrated on this particular day...

and on every other day.

you generously passed down your cute-ness,

well... most of it :)

you occasionally have a really, really ridiculous idea,

yet you always follow through.

and when I have an idiotic idea,

you still just go along...sometimes.

you have the best facial expressions.

"profile pic."

you know just how to calm our sassy-ness,

well, only sometimes....

you can laugh at anything,

and keep us laughing ourselves

you know just how to be a "stylish tourist"

and you know just how to please the camera!

you know how to pose the three of us

for the classiest family photo

your thrill for life is both irreplaceable...

...and contagious.

your the best shopping buddy,

you know just what a must-have looks like!

you are a counselor, in times of weakness...

...and a cheerleader in times of strength.

you are a rockstar.

and, sadly, you know it too...

you always know just how to handle a crisis.

"MOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!"

you are the best partner in crime to Pas-tah G.

i'll just take the liberty and speak for him on that one!

you reign over The Confession Bar,

and rarely lose control.

NOT.

"Girls......OH. MY. GAWDDD, GIRLS!"

you are stability in sad goodbyes... and new beginnings.

you do the best character voices when reading

favorite books at bedtime.

you always know the way,

and if you don't and we get lost,

we "stumble upon" something even better,

and you still take the credit.

"SEE! I Know what I am doing guys!!!"

you are a tough biker chick,

okay, we're still working on that.

you are THE fun Aunt Judi

you do what is necessary to stay young.

forever.

you know just how to spread the love.

you are the queen of the sass... the judi 'tude

you are the centerpiece of our family

and many other thriving works of art.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom,

and to yours.

With you, we live our lives

with much more

joy, laughter, purpose,

wisdom, love and friendship.

eternally grateful,

chloe`

bon-bon, what's in a name?

2011-05-07T11:19:00.002-04:00

"Have you seen my limo? - Commander and Chic- Pedal to the Metal - Sonic Bloom - Juicy Glo - Clearly Quick - Houston we have a Purple - The Thrill of Brazil."

ohh, that's spicy

Okay, I have stumbled upon one more life goal:

to be a nail polish namer.

I had no idea it was such a lengthy process.

After a bit of research,

I have found that when naming

a new OPI polish color,

six to eight people gather in a "secret meeting"

surrounded by themed goodies from the new collection

(i.e. The "Texas Collection", Katy Perry Collection...etc?)

and there they will spend HOURS deliberating

upon names for just twelve polishes.

Oh heck, when i'm coming up with names

for Fretful Design,

I look at the earring, look around the room

or listen in the the song thats playing

and the first thing that pops in my head: voila!

"Two Foxy Mamas"

just go with it.

okay, so maybe I will never be quite qualified

to be an cool as the OPI namers.

Though I am not sure what qualifies

one to gain such an esteemed task,

But at least give me a shot at

a Bon-Bon name?

I mean come on,

I think I could handle that!

here's to weird life goals

and dreamin' big,

chloe`

next time, I may tell you about my

childhood fantasy of being a background dancer

for Christian Aguilera.

or maybe not,

it's too painful knowing

it will never come true.

shucks.

be still

2011-05-04T20:55:00.001-04:00

when you find yourself

working three jobs,

cramming for exams,

not coming up for air,

worried about personal issues,

having to even remind yourself to even breathe...

this may be a helpful reminder to have tattooed on your arm.

or even better, on your heart.

remember the Creator of this day

and breathe, and be grateful.

just be still

and breathe today,

chloe`

i'm considering insurance.

2011-05-02T21:35:00.004-04:00

Active.com, you think you're real funny.

a couple of days ago I about peed my pants I was laughing so hard
in my inbox was an email entitled:
Protect Yourself with Accident Medical Insurance

"Exclusive to Active subscribers, Active Life Plan provides low cost insurance to you to keep you protected while you take part in the activities you love...This plan is perfect for you and your active family. Get out and enjoy life- let us worry about the risks!

ha.

how did they hear about me?

thank you for thinking of me folks,

I think i'll just steer clear of the slippery leaves

and hope for the best,

chloe`

toughie

2011-04-30T09:30:00.002-04:00

yes, this is on the back on my car:

I saw this in the window at Hot Topic,

okay, so i usually don't go in there

(other than the fact that they have the cutest Hello Kitty Merch)

but I saw this from the window

and ran in.

"Oh my gosh!!!! It's a bandaged cookie!!!!!!"

The young lady behind the counter with gagued ears,

a skeleton t-shirt,

black baggy pants,

bleached white highlights in her black hair,

chains hanging from every square inch of her body,

tattoo sleeves,

and thick black eyeliner

looked at me like,

"Yeah, little white girl, I'll show you who's a touch cookie...

you just make your way back to the glittery Hello Kitty earrings."

No really ma'am...

I was that bandaged cookie!

I SWEAR!

so, if Lucy didn't already have enough bumper stickers

to identify herself riding around town already,

when you see a blue bug all stickered up,

I'm the bandaged cookie driver. :)

miss hot topic lady,

i'll show you who's the tough cookie,

one day you'll believe me,

chloe`

okay so maybe I shouldn't wish another fall upon myself.

dolla dolla bill, or ten?

2011-04-26T22:56:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, was miserably slow at the good ole' PCJava.
Slow = RIDICULOUSLY AWFUL TIPS,
plus, everyone is inclined to tithe on Easter Sunday,
Easter Monday... everyone's broke! Including your barista.

My boss went to ring up a customer at the drive thru, one of the twenty...
Did you know you have a 10 dollar bill in the tip cup?

SAY WHAT?

I discreetly went over and stuck my head out of the window
to "hand the customer her Mochacchino"
and LOW AND BEHOLD
EUREKA, IT WAS!

There was a big 10 bucker-oo all wadded up our drive-thru tip mailbox.
I snatched that sucker and held it up to the light.
no sir-ee, that ain't monopoly money.

Immediately I started thinking back through the customers to come through in the last hour.

Anyone driving a Lamborghini? no.

Any familiar faces from church? no.

Anyone looking a little, eh-hem, intoxicated and unable to make conscious decisions? no.

Did Donald Trump order a Mocha Shake? no.... wouldda given him extra chocolate drizzle.

Did grandma come by? no.

Did someone win the lottery down the road? don't think so?

Now, just from experience and observation,
I know good and well that a wadded up ten-dollar bill... was an entirely intentional tip.
If a customer were to have "mistaken the 10 for a 1 dollar bill in their wallet",
the bill would have just been laying in the can like all the other modest ones.
That sucker was balled up,
I'm surprised a phone number didn't fall out.

Then I began thinking...
you know, there was that one guy that wouldn't quit grinnin'
it had to have been him.
aw shucks, poor thing, I probably blew him off and just shoved his drink out the window.
Let's face it. It's a coffee drive thru.
By coming through the drive-thru, you are automatically implying that you don't wanna chat over your coffee.
In fact most people drive up cell phone in hand with their credit card hanging out the window and just nod the price,

yes ma'am $16.95 for that coffee?

thank you very much, would you like a receipt? just kidding.

So naturally, I wouldn't have been expecting a
heart-to-heart while handing a Grande Caramello Leche out the window.
I felt kind of guilty, and then I realized...
Mr. Ten Dollar Tipper may be coming in for another go of drive-thru grinnin,
with more where that came from.
I don't remember what you look like mystery man,
but if you are reading this.... come back.

I'll be sure to send you back a big ole grin and maybe even buy your coffee.
If you leave your address on the bill,
I will certainly send you a thank you note!

I thank you for your dolla dolla bill,

It certainly made me a happy Monday barista,

Chloe`

bunny crafts

2011-04-24T21:54:00.002-04:00

That bunny SURE was good to me.
I'm not quite too old yet.

yes, this would be:

The Big A$% Book of Crafts.

possibly it is not the MOST festive title or gift,

but... it's sadly true, it is one big a$% book of crafts.

blame that Easter Bunny...

oh.... my summer will be glorious.

Happy Easter dear happy people,

here's to crafting,

Chloe`

fall apart.

2011-04-20T23:09:00.002-04:00

I'm learning,

if we surrender our broken pieces to God,

everything that has fallen apart...

He will restore it even stronger than before.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins

and restore the places devastated.

Isaiah 61:4

fall together,

fall into Him,

chloe`

if I wrote you a symphony

2011-04-18T00:09:00.002-04:00

just to say how much you mean to me.

I know I have probably posted these guys three or four times

but I just can't get enough of these cats right here,

and word on the street is... you all have rather enjoyed the tunes.

So here's another fab-u-LOUS diddy by the

one, the only, Boyce Avenue.

These guys are the real deal.

It's a Bruno-Timberlake-Movement kind of collab/mash-up.

I like it.

they got nothin' on you Boyce,

thanks for keepin our ears ringin' happy tunes,

chloe`

p.s. - please come to this side of the ocean sometime.

full proof.

2011-04-14T21:33:00.002-04:00

see.
you see what I mean?

everyone,

all creatures big and small

love the Ice Cream Man,

or Ice Cream Woman, of course

I rest my case.

even kitties love rocketship popsicles

and sprinkles,

meeee-ow

bring on the sprinkles, baby.

they are the confetti of life,

chloe`

note to self

2011-04-12T22:47:00.000-04:00

new joy of the week:

notes to self

hours and hours of compiling

thoughts, scriptures,

passages, memos...

sitting in port city java,

the barista looked at me like I was nuts

with paper strung out all over the table

and I just smiled, "Want one?"

I was left with a pile of colorful papers

filled with words.

okay, that was fun ... so now that do I do with these now?

decorate the mirror.

yep, the mirror is full,

I can hardly see my face,

but these words are what I long to reflect more than

any physical attribute.

Say I guess its better that way.

prayers,

inspirations

desires.

convictions

hopes.

note to self:

get a larger mirror,

chloe`

this needs to be front and center, i'll work on it...
I need more paper now.

on the road again.

2011-04-10T23:54:00.007-04:00

today, I conquered my fear,
I knew I had to do it, sooner or later,
it was time to face the road again.
with shaky legs and my heart beating out of my chest
I clipped into the pedals and rode off,
with an incredibly supportive team,
team wright and rice going strong.
It was slow and steady,
every time a car whizzed by my heart fluttered
and every bump in the road sent my stomach through the asphalt
but it was a healthy fear, a cleansing fear.
everything is going to be okay.

The truth is, one week ago...

I didn't have any fear of the road, I was ready and excited.

I remember looking outside the window at church,

the sun was gleaming and I could tell it was warming up beautifully,

my arm had been feeling strong and

it felt so good to be normal again.

it had been almost a month to the day since the accident

"you know... I think I am ready. I think I could ride again."

I had myself convinced that I could go later that afternoon

but I got home and logged onto Facebook before work

and my heart sunk.

deep.

"two cyclists hit on River Road

while out riding Sunday morning."

It was a father and a son,

one was killed instantly and the other was in critical condition.

I left for work without any names,

dazed and confused...

it was almost a month to the day,

the same road,

two cyclists,

smart riders,

father-son

father-daughter,

that could have been me.

I was breathless.

Later that night we found out the names

David and Trey Doolittle.

David , Trey's father, was killed instantly

and Trey was a 17-year-old senior at New Hanover High School,

both triathletes, a father-son training team.

It was a drunk driver out of control on a Sunday morning,

he swerved into the bike lane and hit the two bikers

catapulting them from their bikes.

sadly, neither one had a helmet on,

but I am not sure that would have helped with the magnitude of the impact

Trey was held in the hospital under critical condition

with head injuries,

but on Monday, the doctors pronounced him to be brain dead.

Trey died later that day.

It changed everything.

I get chills just thinking about it.

The questions haunt me... the memories...

what could have been...

why am I still here...

what if they were wearing helmets,

what if I had not been wearing a helmet,

they were doing such a good thing, spending time together...

and alcohol, has yet again, destroyed lives.

only a month earlier.... why wasn't it me, it could have been...

I am not sure that I fully understand grace... not yet, not now, not after.

in remembrance

There is a memorial set up on River Road

at the scene of the accident.

A memorial ride was scheduled today right after church,

unfortunately I had to work and couldn't go,

but something told me to go, go this evening.

go and pray.

you are here, you are alive, you are able.

pray for the impact this will have,

pray for protection, stand in awe of grace

pray for Trey's peers who may not have the hope Christ offers,

pray they find rest and peace in the truth,

who would have ever thought that day when he clipped in his pedals.

who would have ever thought.

who at 17 years old thinks this may be their last ride?

What chances do we take?

and that is why I pray.

We pedaled up to the memorial and a chill ran up and down my entire body

my broken bone began to ache in memory and my heart broke once more.

how could this be?

I knew I was standing on Holy ground,

the presence of the Lord and so many were there.

The five of us walked around in silence as cars whizzed by

55 mph is way to high of a limit for this road...

we gazed at the two bikes painted white

and I looked down on my (still) blood-stained biking gloves...

it was just a sunday morning ride...

We gathered in a circle, and prayed.

By the time I collected my emotions,

I uttered a prayer for those he left behind,

those confused, those hurting, those seeking...

that this may be a call to Christ, a call to grace, a call to eternal life.

We realize what really matters.

chills.

tears.

confusion.

awe.

wonder.

sorrow.

joy comes in the morning.

You read about these things on the news,

these tragedies,

but it's different when you can write the story,

you were that close to the scene,

you walked among the sorrow,

you felt the tears.

Never would I have thought I would be telling a story like this.

Though this story is different than mine,

because the Doolittles didn't "fall or slip",

they were the victims of alcohol abuse.

but from what I hear about the two,

they certainly shared at least one thing in common with this blog,

joy.

a joy for life.

Personally, in the past week of sorting through the emotions,

I have had a hard time finding the joy beneath the shell of sorrow and confusion,

but today,

I heard the commission,

I felt it while gazing upon the white bikes,

Go Forth.

Go Forth and tell all you know about the hope you have,

this is a testament, a testament to true life,

what is Truth, what is Hope, what is worth living and dying for,

make sure everyone knows the joy of Faith.

I earnestly hope that these two shared in the True Joy.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses all knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:17-18

grasp His love,

this is in remembrance,

Chloe`

The Mrs. Cream Dream, sigh.

2011-04-09T23:29:00.003-04:00

it seems as though every week I have a new life dream,
okay so call me wishy-washy,
but hey, it's a curse... I just like too many things

I was taking a joy walk around the park on Thursday afternoon
because it was simply delightful outside
and I heard the triumphant symphony,
the music to my kindergarten ears!
The polytechnic chords that used to send my feet flyin,
"MOOOOOMMMMM! Do you have a dollar?!?!"
(probably two dollars now, due to the recession)

Yes, it was my old friend the ice cream man.

I have not seen you in about 10 years Mr. Cream, how's the family?

The truck whizzed by and I stopped dead in my tracks,
Maybe it was something about the signage,
or the bright rainbow rocketship popsicle,
or the window hanging open in the wind with Fido peeping out the back
(probably against health code having your dog in there
but it just made the visual seem entirely more appealing)
or maybe it was Mr. Cream sporting that funny looking hat,
just because he's the ice cream man and he can work that hat.
Oh, The brilliance!

And then it hit me,
I want to be Mrs. Cream.
Yes, you heard me.... me and my ice cream truck,
we're gonna see the world together!
Ain't no stoppin us now!

What life could be more bursting at the seams with joy than a life of:

hundreds of little kids chasing after you (but you're faster so if you choose to out run them if you are just not feelin the kids today)
sprinkles, colors, lights, ACTION!
adventure, endless adventure.... allllll over the world we go!
no set work hours, it's pretty much like workin out of your home, your creamy and handy RV. (we'll have to see about a built in toilet for long nights on the road)
musical tunes following every conversation, just like a broadway musical!
not worrying about splitting tips with your co-worker.... because kids DON'T Tip, don't worry about it.
a reason to always have the widest grin, you're Mrs. Cream, dang it... people love you!
a companion, Fido... I am not sure why I'm convinced the dog's name is fido, but it is.
driving sugar on wheels

You get to see every suburb in the U.S.

and maybe every day you find yourself handing out

rocketship popsicles to the less-fortunate,

because there is no one that will decline a popsicle

and plenty of smiles to go around.

Making people smile one tune, sprinkle, and scoop at a time....

I betcha those ice cream men have the best stories ever.

Me and Fido and the ice cream truck (it definitely needs a name)
okay, and maybe we'll add a Mr. Cream too.
we're gonna be a team... a family... Family Team Cream.
don't get carried away, Chloe`

I think i've finally decided...
Mrs. Cream I will be.
Mom, aren't you proud? But really, can you blame a girl?
I mean because who wouldn't want to be wed to this dreamy stud?

check THOSE sprinkles

it's alllll in the cream, baby,

all in the cream,

chloe`

aka Mrs. Chloe` Cream (it's not "facebook official" yet, but we're married.)

and we will live happily ever after.

my future.... is clearly bright

"so cute it makes me cry!"

2011-04-07T22:56:00.039-04:00

I'm not quite sure how or why I found this,
but it sucked me in for about 30 minutes today,
I caught the "cutiecitis",
but then again,
nothing can bring instant happiness
quite like the whiskers of a kitten.

Someone caught onto the idea of "happy posts" long before me,
What could be better than a furry friend to make your day brighter?

Introducing: Cutearoo!

What is Cutearoo? Here at Cutaroo we search throughout internetland to bring the cute to your daily life. From pictures to videos we are finding that pawfect little gem to make your heart melt. No no ~ not literally. Too much Cutearoo can’t be bad for your health.

What are the health benefits to having a daily dose of Cutearoo? Studies show that smiling daily improves your health and overall mood. Nothing brings a smile and a skip in our hearts more than cute. Where is the proof? The proof is in the pudding. duh.

What are the health risks and side effects to Cutearoo? Cutiecitis is a uncommon but unfortunate disease which symptoms range from: Adopting puppies or a kittens, Stopping to smell the roses, Giving and receiving lots of hugs, and skipping randomly in your step.

I have long been ragged on for my expression:

"That's so cute, it makes me cry!"

I have been blessed with this curse,
but its true...
When I see something extra cute,
I tear up... only a little :)
and this is especially applied to the furry friend category.
I blame my Grandma Pearl for this curse
(if anyone knew her, you will understand,

we took daily field trips to the ASPCA when I came to visit!)

anyway, I hope this does not cause
you to be an hour behind on your english paper,
save it for a rainy day
in fact, it may just make it my homepage!
how can a cutearoo not make you happy?!

catch the cuticitis,
it may be worse than the bieber fever,
I will report back in a week with the verdict,
chloe`

reppin' right!

2011-04-06T21:28:00.003-04:00

Let's play another "what is different about this photo" game?

before..

AFTER!

okay, okay. so maybe it's a wee BIT unfair. you'll get over it.

i realize that, in the first photo, my car is

ENTIRELY covered in snow

(i'm shivering just thinking about Boone now)

but, underneath all of that winter wonderland

was an Appalachian State University decal...

after sacrificing all of my good fingernails
and scraping that sucker off for a solid 20 minutes,

it has been replaced.

Lucy is now officially reppin' Marymount Manhattan, yep. It's official!

Maybe it's a bit ironic that Lucy won't be joining me in the city,

but I can still rep while driving around WIlmington for the time bein'

and then I'll pass along the spirit to mom come September

(mom, if you're reading this.... I GET MY CAR BACK!!!!!!!)

Don't worry though I still have Appalachian flower sticker

to remember to good ole' Boone days,

okay the good ole' SUNNY AND WARM Boone days!

here's to sticker swaps,

chloe`

dove promises

2011-04-05T22:00:00.000-04:00

are my favorite

and the chocolate is the best...

okay, so maybe it is just because you get

sugar and a motivational message.... all wrapped up in one package.

now typically, when I unwrap my dove chocolate

VERY VERY VERY carefully

because I don't want to put a rip in the foil.

I strategically fold back the corners in a perfect square

and then tape the messages

either to my rearview mirror or my bathroom mirror

(whichever is most convenient at the moment)

until the next one comes along that makes me

*run your toes through the sand*

*sleep under the stars for one night*

*write a letter instead of an email*

*hug someone you don't know*

*indulge today*

*tickle a loved one*

*quietly sit for ten minutes*

*give in to temptation*

...you know the DOVE warm, fuzzy feeling, I know you do!

So this afternoon I was unwrapping my Dove,

while driving in my car, waiting for my next

happy message to slap on my rearview mirror...

and I get:

"You're delicious. Love, Dove"

say what?

Dove,

what are you trying to tell us here?

I contemplated just sucking it up

and putting it on my mirror

and then I began thinking...

Do I want to flip open my car mirror

to check my hair and then

see "You're Delicious" out of the corner of my eye?

No, no, I wanna be

"fierce, bold, courageous...

maybe even a sassy?

I don't know.

But certainly, I don't want to be tasty?

no dove,

you're mistaken

you're the one thats delicious,

chloe`...

but you can call me delicious from now on :)

could it be You?

2011-04-04T22:46:00.001-04:00

this weekend, my mom and I attended

a mini-conference by Priscilla Shirer

called "Going Beyond".

Lord, did we go beyond....

my heart and mind are both still trying to process it all,

I think I've reviewed my notes more than

I ever did for a Mass COM exam... but we won't discuss that!

two of the favorites, Priscilla and Beth

Anthony Evans was the worship leader for the event

(and also Mrs. Shirer's brother)

and I couldn't say it any better than Priscilla herself,

"The boy can just down right sing.... I mean SAAAANG, with an A!"

Mr. Evans sang an original song for us that he wrote

in a difficult time in his life following broken engagement,

I can hardly imagine what that would feel like...

But the lyrics of this song can speak to anyone

who may be going through a time of confusion,

frustration, betrayal, anxiety... or maybe even just a hard time,

we all need to know that the very thing, the very one,

the very answer our hearts are constantly searching for

has never left,

has never left... Chloe`, when are you ever going to get that

through your stubborn head?

Praise God for this reminder today

and Praise Him for never leaving us

even though we don't always remember this or trust,

it could be you Lord.

Could it be everything that I was looking for

Could it be everything that I was missing before

Could it be everything that I could want and more

Is only You Lord

Could it be the only one who really satisfies

Was always standing here right before my very eyes

Could it be You my Lord

yes it is You Lord,

Chloe`

the bond of The Bieber

2011-04-02T21:36:00.002-04:00

well, it's been awhile since I have

chatted about my favorite teen

the biebs:

It's about time.

It was a rather interesting day at Hillcrest yesterday.
For those of you who don't know, I assist a DREAMS
pottery class at the UNCW Hillcrest Outreach Center
on Friday afternoons, both as a part of my internship
and as a part of the Lord's plan to stretch my boundaries of comfort.
These kids may be African-American, but they are not Tanzanian...
far from it.

If anything, my eyes have been opened to the need in my own community,
I don't have to go to a foreign country to love on children that
desperately need to know they are "loved".
Honestly, these children at Hillcrest probably need to be
shown the safe and secure love of Christ even more...
living in the midst of a community where
violence, handcuffs, drive-bys, and drug-busts are the norm.
It brings tears to my eyes.

Anyway...enough with the back story

Usually, Fridays are the most chaotic days you could ever imagine,

Really, I'm surprised I still have hair, much less a wallet...

oh wait, that did go missing once :)

Needless to say, it's a bit of a challenge to say the least.

But this Friday, things went a bit differently.

Either I am becoming more immune to the chaos and screaming,

or God just had unexpected joy on the agenda.

One little girl who has been coming for almost every class (who has been quite blessed with spunk) saw my keys laying on the table and just about FREAKED OUT (my keys were, of course, on the table because of my stolen wallet incident… so now I lock my purse in my car and only bring in my keys… but even then some little boy runs up and grabs my keys and screams, “IMMA WATCH DEEZE FO YOUUU!” And I ran after him sayin, "ohhhhh no, no, no imma watch deeze suckers right here for myself, thank you! anyway…) So, naturally, she freaked out, because she saw my Justin Bieber keychain… leave it to Bieber to bring us together. She was absolutely floored that I had seen him in concert, In REAL LIFE YOU SAW JUSTIN BEAVER?!?! (yes, she said Beaver). I told her allllll about the concert and she was telling me all the “facts” she knows about him… Thats it folks, I have found a fan that caught the fever worse than I did, and yall "I got it bad". I was provided with all sorts of Bieber Facts, his favorite food, favorite color, favorite quality in a girl, pet's name, all the names of his friends... all the way down to... "DO YOU KNOW JUSTIN BEAVER'S BIRTHDAY?! why yes, I actually do. JUSTIN BEAVER WAS BORN MARCH 1, 1994 at 12:56 p.m. oh wow... even the time of day... i didn't know that my Bieber friend.

And with that, we became friends. I forgot about clay flying and glaze being spilled all over the table. She was grinning from ear-to-ear talking about Justin Bieber with me, just gleaming with delight... a joy I had never experienced in that room before.

So, there you go, God had a purpose for my Bieber fascination (I knew I liked that kid for some reason!) Bieber Fever has a whole new meaning, Bringing unordinary friends together, breaking barriers and sparking smiles all across the spectrum.

p.s.: You don't even have to look closely

at this photo to know it is in fact a

dude. Yep, even the fellas can catch it

here is to breaking barriers

and unexpected blessings with smiles,

chloe`

inner voice

2011-03-31T14:18:00.001-04:00

in a rather lengthy letter to a dear friend today

I attached this excerpt from

The Inner Voice of Love by Henri J.M. Nouwen

oh how often we seek other voices....

trust the inner voice of truth,

joy,

freedom,

and true love.

trust the only One

who has always been

the answer to the questions of your heart,

chloe`