Oh HEY!

SO... totally didn't mean to take six months off from blogging. But hey, it happens. Now that it's a long weekend, I figured I'd jump back on with a little update post!

After my May vacation with my family, I threw myself into job hunting. I had found out in May that I wasn't going to get the job I had interviewed for at a nearby non-profit... but that was mostly OK because I had always wanted to work at a college or university. It must have been the turn of the financial quarter... or perhaps universities hire in the summer (?) but right around the end of July, early August, I started getting invited to interviews at OSU all at once. This was reassuring, because I felt like I had been applying nonstop and was hearing NOTHING back; but it was also nerve-wracking because I had so many potential options, and yet nothing at all was for sure! My graduate assistantship had extended throughout the summer, but my office didn't have the resources to hire me full-time, so my contract ran through the end of August. I knew I had to land something by then.

My top three interviews ironically fell in the same area of the university - medicine. I had an interview with the College of Medicine, one with the College of Nursing, and one with a graduate program in alternative medicine. They all went really well, and it just worked out that the first one to offer me the job (!!) was the College of Medicine. I was so excited and freaking out when they called to offer it to me. I had done a lot of research and worked with people in my own office who were career experts, and they had given me the advice to appropriately a) negotiate my starting salary, and b) to tell them I needed a few days to think it over. Both of those were so hard to do! But I was glad I did - I negotiated a higher starting salary than they first offered me, and I survived the three-day wait until I officially accepted the job without spontaneously combusting (which felt like a real possibility).

The hardest part of everything was calling the other two locations that I had interviewed and telling them I had to pull out of the interview process - especially when the College of Nursing told me I was their top candidate! So flattering. But in the end, I felt that the position at the College of Medicine (a program coordinator position working with first- and second-year medical students) was a better fit for my career goals and interests.

I gave my summer job a week's notice, and took 5 days off for myself (one of the best pieces of job-hunting advice I'd gotten) before starting at OSU's College of Medicine at the end of August. And the rest, as they say, is history :) It's been just over 3 months now, and I love my job! As I said, I'm a program coordinator in OSU's med school - I coordinate a certain class that all first- and second-year students take on a daily basis. I work with some fantastic people, and even have my own lovely office :) and BUSINESS cards! Who gets excited about business cards? This girl.

look! that's me!! ^

Everything else has been pretty normal and wonderful:

• I'm still living in and loving on Grandview.
• I had to skip my family's annual trip to Michigan due to work, but HEY I landed a job so I'll make it there next year (I have VACATION time, what?!). 
• Emily and I have made progress on planning her wedding and all the fun stuff that goes along with it. 
• My cousin Erin got engaged :)
• Ben's little man Adry started kindergarten (WHOA!) and is doing fantastically; making friends and writing notes and just generally being a skinny, happy little genius :) 
• I went to two OSU football games; one in 90 degree heat and one in 16 degree frigid-ness. Go Bucks!!
• I've grown distant with some people, and become closer to others, and made a few new friends along the way.
• Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and I ate my heart out with my family (I made these). 

In general, I just feel really joyful and happy and thankful and blessed that I've got nothing to complain about. I know myself, now better than ever, and I never feel pressured to do or act a certain way that's not me. I may have some different interests than other mid-20's millenials - I may like my alone time, and may not be THE most social of butterflies, and may get really geeked out sometimes over a budget, or a book, or learning about how carbohydrates affect the body, or a new dinner recipe, or an old episode of Friends that I've seen approximately 1000 times... but I'm surrounded by people on all sides who know me and support me, and who I have fun with and love.

So! Before this gets any longer, I'm gonna sign off. I'll be back soon! Hopefully before another six months goes by :)

-Sammie

24 Things I Love at the Age of 24

Last Tuesday, May 21st, was my 24th (!!) birthday.  And, since I was on vacation in the Outer Banks with my family, the day consisted of donuts for breakfast, lounging by the pool and reading all day, a champagne toast with strawberries, and authentic Carolina BBQ (mmmmmm) for dinner followed by massive cupcakes.  It was a great day :)

Duck Donuts: made to order!

My 21st birthday was my last big "milestone" birthday, but I've always been one to celebrate my age and embrace the next year to come.  I love getting older, and seriously, the years just keep getting better!  24 promises to be a great age-- my first full year without school, my third year in my apartment, and hopefully my first year at a full time job!

But those are big, grown-up things.  This post is about the little things I'm currently loving in my life :)  So here goes: 24 Things I Love at the Age of 24:


1. Coffee!  I prefer it dark (Gevalia French Roast til I dieee!) with some Truvia and a bit of milk.  And if I'm feeling fancy at a coffee shop, I order a skim hazelnut latte with extra foam.

2. French fries- all kinds. tiny and crispy, curly, seasoned, steak fries, restaurant or homemade. I love me some taters.

3. The food scene in Columbus

4. Books- new ones and re-reading all my favorites. I'm a huge geek and I love adventure fantasy and science fiction novels.

5. Birds- again with the geekiness, I love bird watching. In the Outer Banks we had ospreys nesting 20 yards from our pool and I watched them all week. In Ohio, I love seeing cardinals, goldfinches and especially bluebirds!

6. Running, and working out in general

7. Walking around barefoot in the spring and summer

8. Hiking- close to home at Highbanks or out in Hocking Hills or Mohican.

9. Talking with my best girlfriend about her upcoming wedding (!) next year, among other things :)

10. Kerrygold Irish white cheddar cheese and rosemary crackers

11. Acrylic paints, and the mystery of an empty canvas

12. Grabbing the Glass of the Month at the Winking Lizard- my once-a-month beer and wings tradition

13. This website

14. Making up recipes- my current favorite is throwing various veggies into different shaped pastas with lots of olive oil, lemon, parmesan cheese and black pepper.

15. Reading restaurant menus

16. Sitcom re-runs

17. Black and white clothes- I pretty much never shop, but recently I took a trip to H&M and found tons of summery tops and dresses in various black and white patterns and solids. We've already established that I love neutrals, and black and white is going to be my summer go-to.

18. My curling iron- I've never been one to spend much time on my hair, but since I got it cut short, my new curling iron makes quick waves that I love!

19. Ice cream- I quite literally crave it all year round. Coldstone, Graeters, Orange Leaf (froyo), Dairy Queen... yum.

Last summer, up north- Moose Tracks! Vanilla, fudge, and peanut butter

20. Board games- Scrabble with my mom, Munchkin with my friends

21. Upbeat country music- yes, it's my guilty pleasure, especially when it's hot outside and I can crank it up on the radio in my car.

22. Nighttime things- candles, fires, bats, stars, the moon, darkness

23. Bricks- I love brick streets and buildings, bricks as decorations, brick walls indoors a la the Mohawk:

This was one of the little things I loved about Ohio University so much- most of the streets and buildings are brick, and there's a lot of cool old bricks from decades ago (again with the being-a-dork thing, I know). I currently have an Athens, OH brick and a Nelsonville Star brick decorating my mantle:

Here, to the left, you can kind of see them! (I was taking a picture of the little spots of light all over my living room, lol.)

24. Grilling out, and any food that can be put over a charcoal grill, from the classics (burgers and brats) to the funky (salmon, fajitas, pizza, polenta)


So there you have it!  Granted, nearly half of these are about food or drink, but hey, a girl's gotta eat.

Happy birthday to me!

--Sammie

Ohio Love.

[from here]

Now that school is done (forever!) and I have a few weeks before I go back to work, I'm in the mood for some little Ohio road trips! I love Ohio, and there's so much to see, do (and EAT) in little towns all over the place. Here are my top priorities in the next few weeks:

-Prospect Place and The Depot (Trinway and Dresden, Ohio)

Remember this place that I visited last August? It was part of the Underground Railroad, and is supposedly haunted. Now that it's gorgeous outside again, I'd love to make the short drive back, explore the area a little more, and of course have some of the best BBQ ever at The Depot, the home-smoked barbecue joint in the teeny town of Dresden. 

Prospect Place--my own photo, obscured by a tree.

-Ohio University (Athens, Ohio)

Oh, Athens, how I love you so. I haven't been back since graduating nearly two years ago, and I miss the pretty scenery, College Green, the cherry trees, the brick streets, the people-watching (unmatched by pretty much anywhere in Columbus), and most of all Jackie O's, my favorite brewpub. Fried cheese curds and a pint of house-microbrewed Razz Wheat would really hit the spot!

[from here]

-Glen Helen and Antioch College (Yellow Springs, Ohio)

As a kid, my mom used to take us to visit the little town of Yellow Springs and go hiking in the nature preserve, Glen Helen. The area is so pretty, and the hiking trail winds around the edge of a huge gorge, across a small river, and up through some amazing rock formations. The town is home to Antioch College, which I recently wrote a big paper on--the college closed for a few years due to poor financial management, but was purchased and reopened by alumni members. How cool! It's also home to a great pizza place and Young's Jersey Dairy, some of the best ice cream ever. 

The actual "yellow spring." [from here]

Also on my May agenda:  A North Carolina vacation with my family :: my 24th birthday!! :: Friday night wine bars :: a Clippers game, hopefully on a dime-a-dog night :: movie nights :: game nights :: cookouts :: spring cleaning :: planting herbs and flowers :: getting my patio in order :: finding the right JOB! :: getting a little color on my pale, pale skin, haha.

Here's to MAY!  

--Sammie

May Day!

Happy May Day, everyone! I'm pretty darn excited (and might secretly wish I had a maypole to dance around); May is my absolute favorite month of the year. It's the really warm part of spring, full of flowers (lilies of the valley, my favorite!) and sunshine and it's perfect for picnics and adventures. It's full of celebration (May Day, commencement, wine tastings, Cinco de Mayo, the Kentucky Derby, Memorial Day, and my birthday!). And it's the gateway into summer after months of cold, snow and rain. Yay May!

A few photos from late, rainy April:

"If you can't get out of the rain, you might as well drink from the puddles." -Snickers

Flowering tree!

I'm so thrilled to be done with school. I found out yesterday that I not only passed, but got an A in my capstone class! I really enjoyed college, loved it in fact, and I appreciate all the amazing opportunities and the growing personally, professionally and academically that I did during those years. However, after six straight years of college, two schools, two degrees, dozens upon dozens of classes, countless pages written and presentations given, I. am. done. At every stage in life, I think it's a good sign if you look back fondly at the last part, but are also really looking forward to the next part, whatever that might be, and I've been fortunate enough to feel this way at every stage.

Champagne, because there's been lots to celebrate lately :) also, the coolest wine label ever. 

Speaking of the next stage, I have a second interview at Battelle for Kids on Friday! Wish me luck :)

Like I was talking about at the beginning of this post, there's a lot going on soon. The first Friday night wine tasting is also on Friday-- it'll be a great way to unwind after the interview. The first outdoor farmer's market is Saturday morning, and the Glenn School's Pre-Commencement ceremony is in the afternoon. Then commencement is on Sunday, and our speaker is President Obama! Seriously, whatever your political views, it's pretty awesome that OSU got the president to speak at our commencement. (However, it's going to be a looong day. But worth it! Helloo second college diploma.)

A few more shots of life lately:

New shoez. Thanks Mom :)

This building always makes me think of The Big Bang Theory. I wonder if there's a Sheldon in there somewhere... 

Emily dog-sat for this lil' cutie last week! His name? Binkley. *cue animal sqee-ing noises* I almost dognapped him.

Cheers and happy MAY!!

--Sammie

So. Close.

YOU GUYS.

I am in the near-literal sprint to to the finish of grad school!  I have a paper due Thursday and one due Friday.  Between work and working out and homework and apartment-work, I feel like every second is taken up with productivity.  But on Friday, all my schoolwork will be done!  Forever!

(sidenote: I keep getting excited for "lasts," like my last class ever, and my last presentation ever, and there's always someone who's like, "Well, don't say last EVER..." blah blah blah.  Yes, I fully acknowledge I'll have to do presentations at work, and perhaps attend classes or trainings, and I even might go back and get my doctorate in a few years.  But for NOW, I'm darn well going to be excited about "lasts."  I've been in school since I was 3, seriously!  Let me be thrilled that this is the end for a while.)

I have lots of ideas for new posts, and as soon as I have another free second, I can't wait to get back to this little blog of mine.  But in the meantime, wish me luck!  72 hours left of school!!!

--Sammie

PS: also, happy belated Earth Day!  I try to find time every day to appreciate nature, and I hope you do too!

from here.

The Day of Cute.

I don't know if it's the arrival of spring (finally!!) but Saturday was full of adorable.

--At the Farmer's Market, the neighboring vendor's baby girl learned how to walk sometime in the last week. She's super smiley and animated, and she walked over to me and gave me her shoe and giggled. I about died from cute overload.

--I saw seeing eye dogs being trained at Target (I assume to get them used to people). There was a German Shepherd and a black Lab. They were still young, and while they weren't exactly experts at focusing on their job just yet, they were some sweet puppers, and it took all my willpower not to pet them.

--The weather was beautiful, and as I was walking outside, a little boy and his dad rode past me on bikes. I caught the following bit of their conversation (talking about some nearby store I assume):

             "Dad! They have more candy than ANYone!!"
             "Oh really?"
             "Yeah, we should go! Do you like Take 5 bars?"
             "Yes."
             "They HAVE those!! Let's go!"

(I mean, his logic was flawless.)

Aaaand scene.  I can't wait for the Farmer's Market to move outside to High Street in Olde Worthington again (the first weekend in May); there are so many puppies and kiddos to see!

All the cute and happy of yesterday even managed to keep me positive in the face of the final three weeks of the semester (and my final three weeks of school EVER). I have three papers to write, three presentations to give, and about a million class visits to do for work. But soon, I'll be done with school for. eh. ver.  If that's not a happy thought, I don't know what is!

--Sammie

Job Hunt Update.

Just interviewed at the awesome Battelle for Kids.  I think it went well!  It's a fantastic non-profit that works to promote educational effectiveness; and it happens to be like 90 seconds away from my apartment (literally).  Stay tuned, and send your good thoughts and vibes and prayers my way!

:)

--Sammie

2013 Garden

Like everyone else in the Midwest this year, I am hardcore craving spring. I think Mother Nature is making up for last year's early spring, with flowers in the middle of March, with this year's extra-late spring. I've seen a few patches of crocuses, a couple of daffodils here and there the last few days, but man, the forecast today predicted flurries. come. on.

The trees are budding though, the birds are singing, and I bet in the next few weeks we'll see ACTUAL spring--flowers and new leaves and green-ness and warmth. 

I've been planning my balcony garden nonstop, ever since the moment I sadly realized it's been so long since garden season, I'd literally forgotten where I stashed my flowerpots for the winter (I finally remembered: down in my apartment's semi-creepy basement). I can't wait to bring them back up, fill them with new soil, and get 'em outside!

I'm not planting any veggies this year due to the many, many veggie thieves that inhabit my neighborhood (squirrels, bunnies, finches, I'm looking at you!). But here's what I will be planting:

HERBS 

Dill
Sage
Mint
Basil
Chives
Lavender
Rosemary
Lemon Thyme
Pink Chintz Thyme

FLOWERS

Daisies
Zinnias
Petunias
Geraniums
Snapdragons
Moonflowers

I'm not starting seeds indoors this year because I can get most of my herbs already started from the farmer's market vendor I work for, and the rest I'm going to start outdoors at the beginning of May (you know, if it's not still snowing then). All the flowers I'll be growing are sun-loving and non-delicious to scavenging animals, so the sprouts should be safe! I'll also put some of my indoor plants outside like my Boston ivy and succulents.

Now, come on warm weather!!

A jolly green giant // Herbs from last year's garden
Flowers from last year's garden // A slightly-less-jolly, green, shorter-than-a-giant

--Sammie

Life Lately

A few iPhone shots of the past few weeks:

I got my hair chopped! 

The first sign of spring: my mint exploded thanks to a couple of fifty degree days.

Ben's birthday rolled around, and we all know what that means... cheesecake!

My masterpiece:

To celebrate, we met Emily and Nate for a drink... and tater tots.  Gotta love GC.

Then a few days later, this stinker turned five years old!

His cake-master genius Grandma made this Kick Buttowski cake:

...and he made a wish and blew out the candles.  aaaaaaaadorable.

There were some pretty, almost-spring days at OSU!

 ...and a warm weekend afternoon was spent on my mom's patio.

Oh, but wait, we live in Ohio-- this is what Monday morning looked like.

Come on, spring!!

In other news: the job applications continue; I have "second-year-grad-student"-itis; the President is my commencement speaker; I suddenly like oatmeal; I'm planning my balcony garden (if it ever gets warm); there is only one more month of indoor farmer's markets; I'm stressed and tired and happy.

This is the first time in my life that I'm really not sure of what's coming next (school/job/money-wise).  It's a little terrifying, but exciting!  Here's to optimism!  :)

--Sammie

Interview with a Bobcat

I'm taking a fantastic elective called Higher Education Governance and Policy this semester; it's all about college presidents and administration and how university systems affect students, and vice versa (yes, I'm a big higher ed. nerd). The class is co-taught by two professors; one, Dr. Holub, was chancellor (president, basically) at UMass Amherst, and is now a professor of Germanic language at OSU. The other is the inimitable Dr. Strayhorn, a professor of Higher Ed. at OSU (check out his TEDx talk last year!)

Our midterm for the class was (what else) to interview a college or university president. I had high hopes of interviewing a female university president to talk about women's issues, but unfortunately couldn't get on anyone's calendar. As time ticked by, I decided to return (figuratively) to my alma mater and interview the president of Ohio University, Dr. Roderick McDavis.

When I was at OU, there were mixed feelings about Dr. McDavis; the typical battle between athletics funding and academic funding raged for a couple of years, and many students took issue with what they saw as a discrepancy between his salary and what he was worth. However, since I've been back in Columbus for two years now, and know a considerable amount more about the realities of being a university president thanks to my class, I went into the interview without the agenda of talking about those issues.

Dr. McDavis was so great to talk with; he was happy to be talking with an alum, and answered my many questions intelligently and with character. He described the university's proposed Guaranteed Tuition Plan, which would lock in a student's tuition at the same rate for all the years they are in school, even if tuition prices rise in subsequent years; this proposal would make planning for college much easier and take the burden of unforeseen financial hikes off students and their families.

McDavis also spoke about the evolving role of the college president from a more internal role to a more external one--presidents spend much time fundraising, lobbying and traveling, while positions such as the Provost and Chief Financial Officer deal more strictly with on-campus issues.

All in all, we had a great conversation and it was amazing to talk about issues I've been studying in class with a real college president who I've had experience with in the past.

President McDavis (photo from here).

 Only six weeks to graduation! Aaaahhh!!

--Sammie

Jam-Crackers

So, we've already established that I love the TV show Friends.  I laugh especially hard at the character Joey's incessant love of food (maybe he reminds me of, oh I don't know, me?).  Joey loves simple food: sandwiches, pizza, and even just jam on crackers.

Last week, my mom brought one of her coworkers over to see my apartment.  Janell is gorgeous and one of the sweetest girls I've ever met (check out her super cool blog!).  She is thinking about moving to Grandview, and wanted to check out my place.

She and my mom came over after work, and we cracked open a bottle of wine to sip on as we talked.  I whipped up my own version of 'jam-crackers' as a snack, alongside some olives and chocolate covered blueberries.

Jam-Crackers
These are literally the easiest appetizer ever, and everyone loves them.  I chose a jam that was both sweet and spicy for some added surprise and depth, but any quality jam would work. 

Ingredients
-Thin crackers (I used Almond Thins because my mom is gluten-free; Wheat Thins would work too)
-Whipped cream cheese
-Jam (I used an amazing raspberry jalapeno jam I bought from the jam-lady at the Farmer's Market where I work.  Check out the awesomeness.  The spiciness of the jalapeno was cut nicely by the cream cheese.)

Directions
Spread some cream cheese on a cracker, and top with a small smear of jam.  See, I told you it was embarrassingly easy.  Enjoy!


--Sammie

Annie Hall

Yesterday, I watched the movie Annie Hall with my mom. My mom and I have a very similar taste in movies, and she and I are official "old-movie" watching partners-- we almost exclusively watch movies from the 1970s and before.

Annie Hall stars Woody Allen (also the director) and Diane Keaton, and was one of Allen's seminal works of the '70s. The movie examines a neurotic, obsessive comedian (Allen) and his relationship with the ditzy, pot-smoking singer Annie Hall (Keaton).

I've been wanting to see Annie Hall for a while, mostly because in How I Met Your Mother, Ted Mosby often uses it (his favorite movie) as the initial indicator of compatibility with a girl he's dating. (Watch, and laugh). He obsessively can't understand why people may not like the movie-- ironically similar to Allen's movie-loving character's attitude in the film itself.

Photo from IMDB

My favorite part of the movie was Diane Keaton's style: menswear to the max. She wore ties, vests and baggy suit trousers. Apparently this look in the movie inspired the resurgence of the menswear trend in fashion.

I also enjoyed watching the movie and realizing exactly why Ted Mosby likes it so much; it's set in NYC, and one of the underlying themes is that Allen loves the city, while everyone else is convinced that it's dying and that California is the place to be. Also, Allen is slightly arrogant, quick-witted and self-deprecating (similar to Ted), and he's constantly trying to convince himself he's found the right girl, but he keeps failing.

My other absolute favorite parts were the brief cameos from Christopher Walken (Annie Hall's brother) and Jeff Goldblum (who literally shows up for three seconds). Everyone looked so young!

So yes, I've seen my first movie starring Woody Allen; however I had no idea he wrote and directed Midnight in Paris (one of my favorite creative rom-coms from last year) and Match Point (which I thought was horrifying). Here's to seeing another little piece of movie history!

The next few movies on my list (that I haven't seen already) are:
Mystic River
Warm Bodies
Dances With Wolves
Argo
The Shining

And then I will always rewatch the following:
Lord of the Rings
Harry Potter
Anything by Hitchcock
...and about a million others. I love re-watching movies and we all know how I love to re-watch TV shows!


--Sammie

The Tomboy Continuum

Growing up, I was a huge tomboy.  Maybe it was the fact that 98% of my cousins were boys and we played together all the time (football, baseball, basketball, soccer, frisbee, kickball, tag, hide and seek, ghosts in the graveyard, you name it).  Maybe it was the fact that my [single] mom showed me that women can do anything and shouldn't feel limited, and that she was super outdoorsy and encouraged me to spend time playing outside, hiking, looking at bugs and animals and digging in the mud.  Maybe I just wanted to be different than all the girls I knew.  Maybe it was just my personality.  But tomboy I was, and I was proud of it. 

I don't know if I ever actually grew out of being a tomboy.  I mean yes, there were some clear phases in my life:

1. Elementary school: I refused to pierce my ears, or listen to the music the other girls listened to, or wear makeup, or wear any pink clothing, or wear my hair in anything other than a low ponytail.  I was a hardcore soccer player and spelling bee competitor. 
2. Middle school: I actively dressed like a boy.  I wore long cargo shorts or camouflage pants and boys t-shirts (I refused to shop in the girls' section at Target or Kohls when my mom took us shopping), and I would have worn boxers if my mom would have let me.  I beat everyone in my middle school class, girls and boys, in a competition to see who could kick the longest field goal.  I snowboarded because at my school, only boys did, and I wrote a paper about how stupid I thought short-shorts and make-up were.  I even told my step-mom that make-up was for people who were embarrassed by their faces (I was a lil' firecracker sometimes, haha).
3. High school: I transformed my look into a pseudo-punk style ("pseudo," because I didn't really know what punk was, or have the means or desire to actually dress like a "real" punk).  I started wearing girl-jeans and shirts made for girls, but I sewed plaid and striped fabric into my jeans and my shirts were almost all black and/or rock&roll related.  I wore metal and black jewelry and choker necklaces (so cool).  I even had a pair of those jeans with the enormously huge, baggy legs.  I started wearing a little makeup, and I wore dresses to school dances.
4. College: I still struggled often, but in college I finally found my style that I've stuck with for years; blue or black or gray skinnies, boots or Converse or sandals, neutral or cool colored shirts (for ladies!), and a little silver jewelry.  I finally got my ears pierces at nineteen, and I got my first tattoo at twenty.  I enjoy wearing makeup and looking pretty.  I took a lot of women's studies classes in undergrad, and I developed and clarified my thoughts and opinions as a woman and a feminist.  

• To me, being a feminist simply means that I believe in equal opportunities and treatment for those of all genders, and I shy away from gender-specifications as much as possible. For instance, as far as jobs go, a woman shouldn't be judged if she chooses to be a firefighter or a tailor or a homemaker, and a man shouldn't be judged if he chooses to be a dress designer or a stay-at-home dad or a banker.  A woman shouldn't be thought of as any less or more of a feminist or a "real woman" depending on how much makeup she wears, or what her clothes look like.  To me, honestly, style and makeup are so based on personality they're beneath a discussion of human rights, but it's a common theme throughout the literature, and in conversations I've had.
• I believe in completely equal rights for women and men (equal pay for equal work, etc.), though I don't think we should have to use unisex bathrooms or anything.  I think it's fine and common and admirable for women to be proud of being women, and for men to be proud of being men, though this pride should not go so far as to debase, insult or harm others.  I also don't believe there are only two genders; I see gender along a blurry continuum similar to skin color; you can't say someone is "gay" or "straight" any more than you can say someone is "white" or "black;" yes, those labels have important connotations that shouldn't and can't be ignored, but they are much more complex and nuanced, which I think is amazing. 

So, today, you might call me a tomboy or a feminist or a girl or a woman (or just an oddball who thinks about these things way too much).  I'm more secure in my fashion, style, beliefs and mindset than ever, thanks to years and years of being a tomboy: being different and loving it, having friends who loved me for who I was and not what I looked like or what I acted like, and being around people who have taught me and mentored me and supported me through the process of growing up.  I'll never stop learning and I'm sure my beliefs will change over time, but I'm confident in myself and that's all that matters.  I still hate pink. 

--Sammie

Disclaimer: I could literally write or talk about feminism and gender issues for hours, and there's a lot more I didn't have room in my brain to add here, so if you ever want to have a conversation, get ahold of me!

ALSO: I'm going to look for some SWEET tomboy pictures of me in my younger years, which I'll add in an update as soon as I can get my hands on some.

23 Things I Love at the Age of 23

So, granted, this post is coming about eight months later than I wrote it, and eight months later than I would have liked to have posted it (my birthday is on May 21st), but I love the idea of making annual lists of things I love and that are important to me, big and small. I'm planning on doing another list on my next birthday (24!), so for my 23-list, I thought hey, better late than never!  Also, I've been super busy at work and with school lately, and I've missed posting!  This is a quick way of getting back into my blog with something I wrote a few months ago.  Thanks for understanding :)

So here goes: 23 Things I Love at the Age of 23:

1. Plants & gardening: even though I live in a second floor apartment, I make the most of my little balcony and my window space in the spring and summer. My huge assortment of pots holds herbs and flowers and ivies and succulents. I can’t wait to get started on 2013’s garden in a few months!

2. Dogs. Mine. Other peoples’.  Snickers, Rio, Gunther and Peanut are a few of my favorites. 

3. Tattoos! I found a new artist in Columbus. Now, if I only had money to spend on more tattoos...

4. Books: old, new, fiction, non-fiction… I have so many that my bookshelves are double-stacked and threatening to break.  Oh, and there are stacks everywhere in my apartment. And on the same note, bookstores! And Half-Price Books, aka heaven on earth.

5. My friends! Wine nights with the girls. Card nights with the boys.

6. Simply Lemonade: I try not to buy it too often because I’ll kill a giant bottle in like two days.

7. Blogs! I’ve found so many great reads through the interwebs over the past year.  Check out the list of blogs I read on the right.

8. Avocados: one of my favorite produce items, and one that I rarely splurge on. But mmm, avocado and tomato slices on an English muffin… guacamole… avocado in quesadillas… yes please.

9. Pizza: Grandview has so many great little pizza places! Panzera’s, Grandads, Cowtown, Bono… I’ll never get sick of pizza, haha.

10. Art: seeing it. Making it. Buying it.

11. Northern Michigan: our family’s annual vacation to a teeny cottage on a little lake, and seeing my extended family for the 4^th of July. Swimming, laying on the dock, grilling burgers, sitting by bonfires, and drinking beer are a few of the many highlights :)

12. Silver jewelry: bracelets, rings, necklaces, anything

13. Coffee: my constant morning companion. I like French Roast with a sprinkle of Truvia and a splash of milk.

14. The Worthington Farmer’s Market: my job on Saturdays for almost two years now!  In the spring and summer, I sell herbs and flowers, and in the fall and winter, I sell apples.  It’s a blast and pays well and I love seeing all the regular customers and regular dogs and kiddos.

15. Getting up early: I sleep in on Sundays until about 10:00am, but I’m really a morning person and I get up early the other six days of the week. I don’t complain about getting up early, because a) I get coffee and breakfast! and b) it makes the day seem longer and more productive.

16. The Friday night wine bar my mom works at in the summer: the perfect Friday night!  Me and Ben and my friends Emily and Nate and all my neighbor friends who live in Worthington Hills meet up for bubbly and pizza and fun.

17. Decorative stuff that hangs: bunches of dried herbs and flowers, candleholders, dried peppers, glass feathers… I love that my apartment is filled with lots of hanging things; I love the look.

18. NOT having Facebook.

19. Retro swimsuits: I have yet to find one I love enough to spend the money on, but I’m on the hunt!

20. Thrift stores: clothing ones like Plato’s Closet and home ones like One More Time and other little consignment shops. Half the stuff I own I got from these stores!

21. Sports: I love watching football in the fall and basketball in the winter/spring.  Also, working out: I love running, playing basketball or volleyball or pickup football on rare occasions and doing yoga.

22. Nail polish- I finally stopped biting my nails!  They pretty.

23. A clear complexion; finally at the tail end of my 22nd year, my acne 99.9% disappeared. I don’t know if it was the new face washing regimen I started, or if I was just at the age that my face finally decided that acne was lame, but FINALLY I don’t have breakouts and while I enjoy wearing makeup, I don’t feel like I NEED to in order to hide my face anymore.  

Mid-day Day-dream: Home Edition

I love the big, old, showy houses in Grandview that I see on my daily dog walks.  Since I don't listen to music or putz around on my phone on our walks, and Snickers is a pretty minimal (read: slow) responsibility on a leash, I'm free to daydream about the big houses for sale and what I'd do with them. 

I love the thought of home ownership, and plan on buying a house as soon as I can feasibly handle the financial commitment; I look forward to getting a dog, doing yard work, making a fun backyard patio and front porch, and all kinds of other house-y things!  Obviously, there are a lot of other, not-so-fun responsibilities that come along with owning a house, but still, I can't wait!

Below is one of my favorites on our walk that I could actually afford. (Sidenote: I don't really want to buy a house in Grandview... it's very, very urban and close to downtown and the yards are really small. But hey, if I were going to, this is a fun one!)

I kind of love the retro brown and beige colors :) It has a fun farmhouse vibe and a decent sized yard for Grandview-- room for a doggie and a front and back porch renovation!  I'd make the bottom floor an open floor plan with hardwoods and rugs, and the upstairs an airy level for art, writing and reading, and a bright bedroom with soft whites and pops of color provided by artwork and DIY projects.  I love Emily Schuman(of Cupcakes and Cashmere)'s nightstand project:

...and I think even for my apartment now, a New Year's resolution is going to be to have fresh flowers in my place more.  I love the look and the smell!

I also adore art walls, and I'm working on my own in my apartment now.  Here is my inspiration, from my mom's house:

From Thanksgiving-- notice the turkey on the chalkboard!

They're so fun to keep adding to-- I'm going to an art sale in a few weeks to find some new pieces for my place!  Thrifting funky art is a passion of mine too, and I have to brave the cold and get back to some of my favorite consignment shops in Grandview.  I'll keep you posted!  Sometimes treasure is only a resale shop away.

--Sammie

2012 in Review

Really quick (well, by quick I mean long), before diving into 2013, I want to revisit the last 12 months :) 2012 was a good year, full of challenges and triumphs, delicious food and adventures. I want to remember everything 2012 taught me and then barge straight ahead into 2013!

JANUARY

The first picture of 2012! I was about to make fried rice, mmm

In January I started my second quarter of grad school, and quit my job at Northstar Cafe. While I met some great people and ate a lot of awesome free food there, the job took up too much of my time and made me miserable. Needless to say, being a waitress is not up my alley, unless I'm serving coffee only.

Homemade sauerkraut

I also began experimenting with making funky foods at home, like almond milk and sauerkraut. The almond milk was great!  The kraut (above) was good, but way too garlicky.  (Sadface. This may have had something to do with me adding way more garlic than I should have, because I generally love at and believe there's no such thing as too much. Lesson learned!)

I prettied up my apartment with some paperwhites and other new houseplants.

 I made some fun and goofy new friends with Ben,

and cooked lots of yummy foodz!

FEBRUARY
In February I kept cooking new and delicious things, mostly pastas with veggies.

Spicy brown butter fettucine with asparagus.

 I began working regular weekends at the Winter Farmer's Market selling apples, a job I continue to work today.

Jam!

We had an unexpectedly warm winter, and tree buds began showing up this month.

On my mom's birthday (the 18th), we went to the Columbus Zoo and saw the new polar bears!

MARCH
March was beautiful and fun! Flowers started appearing:

Periwinkle

And I hung out with these ever-so-goofy boys.

Sumo-wrestling, duh.

 More deliciousness was to be had:

As well as much needed spring outside-time on my balcony!

Flowers suddenly began cropping up everywhere.

And then it was Ben's birthday...

Ceremonial cheesecake

 And two days later, Adry's!

Goofball. The big oh-four. :)

A few days later, my beloved grandpa passed away. God rest you, you merry old gentleman :)

APRIL
I started off April with some fancy-pants coffee at Stauf's.

 And began planting seeds for my balcony garden!

 My dog morphed into an Easter bunny:

 And I spent some fun evenings with girlfranz!

 I tried not to let Adry eat TOO many dandelions while I babysat him.

Just kidding- he's trying to blow the fuzz off :)

 And I made more yummy noms.

Bacon wrapped dates for book club!

In just a couple of short weeks, my seeds began growing into Little-Shop-of-Horrors style monsters!

MAY
In May, the Friday night wine tastings that my mom hosts started!

Mmm, bubbly + pepperoni + sausage.

 I made a new squirrel friend.

(outside the screen, haha)

 My dog and mom were super cute.

And I found my new favorite lunch/dinner! Avocado and tomato on an English muffin.

And, you know, wine.

I celebrated my 23rd birthday on May 21st by moving all my herb and flower pots outside!

JUNE
In June, my first year of grad school ended, woo!

This little monster joined the boys around the corner :)

Baby Zombie!

My garden became a veritable rainforest of herbs and flowers!

 I found an ironic pot :)

 And Jim was just way too cool.

JULY
In July, my family took our annual 4th of July trip to Northern Michigan.

The view from our little cabin.

A few of the books I brought. Yep.

Ice cream! Also what's up, freckles?

The lazy Platte River

Aand my little namesake :) just kidding, but his name's Sammy and all week, we bantered back and forth: "you're Sam!" "YOU're Sam!!" Stinkin' adorable.

Redneck yacht club at the sandbar. :)

Happy 4th of July!

When we got home, I met John Glenn!

The man himself, on his 91st birthday.

...we saw an amazing sunset in Grandview.

 ...and went to the Ohio State Fair!

'Nuff said.

AUGUST

The day after eating ridiculous amounts of fried food at the Fair, I started running.

Non-makeup-ed, sweaty, tired excited mess after my first day of Couch-to-5K

 My little brother moved into his very first place on his own! (i.e. not a dorm.)

Six of them live here. SIX.

Ben, Jeremy and I took a mini-road-trip out to Prospect Place, a purportedly haunted estate outside Columbus.

...and we had lots of fires on my mom's beautiful patio.

In August, my second year of grad school started. OSU switched to semesters, and I had no idea what I was in for. Hello, stress!

SEPTEMBER
This month, fall started showing up...

 And I walked the dog in the rain!

 I started making cookies...

 ...lots of cookies.

I also started a long stretch of dog-sitting for this adorable little guy.

Gunther!

 And took a trip to the Columbus Zoo to see my favorite animal, the okapi!

 The Farmer's Market began it's late summer transition, full of sunflowers and apples and cider.

 And my dog was still being a goof.

 Yay fall!

OCTOBER
In October, my mom and I went to our annual OSU football game. 12 and 0, baby!!

 I moved some of my garden inside.

 Zombie was unstoppably cute:

 And my mom had my back when school got stressful.

 We enjoyed the last wine tasting of the season!

(They switched glasses, haha)

 And Ben and I made some AWESOME Halloween costumes.

By costume, I do mean mask. But how cool?!

NOVEMBER
In November, it got cold. I finally started doing some schoolwork that was assigned at the beginning of the semester and was due at the end (oops).

The Oval

The Farmer's Market moved inside. Also, note the new mug! I found a new favorite coffee place.

Pretty leaves.

 I had some good beers at some fun places:

 And I discovered the joy of buying used clothes on Instagram (my poor bank account!)

 We had Thanksgiving at my mom's house this year, and it was amazing. My contribution? Roasted sweet potatoes and onions!

At the end of the month, I finally got the tattoo I'd been wanting for a while to remember my grandpa by. A quote from a letter he left me:

This was also a way to congratulate myself on completing (finally) Couch-to-5K! I can now run a 5K pretty easily about 3 times a week :)

DECEMBER
In December, I was running one morning and saw a hawk land in a tree about eight feet away from my face, haha. I love running in the mornings. Fall semester finally ended after what seemed like a lifetime, and I got a teeny cold that derailed me from running... but hey, what's winter break for if not being lazy and eating like a grizzly bear preparing for hibernation?

 We put up a Christmas tree at my mom's house.

 ...and I reminisced about holidays past. Needless to say, I wasn't a big fan of the Santas on whose laps kids sit.

Most fake smile ever. See me clutching my necklace, white knuckled?! Aww. :)

 I put up a Christmas tree at my place!

 And after Christmas, it SNOWED!!

The dogs loved it.

And then we celebrated New Year's Eve! Woo, a new year! I love the turn of the year, it's always a big celebration full of reflection and excitement and resolutions and champagne. What could be better? :)

Mom, Jim and Christy

Mom and me :)

Sorry for the mega close-up, Ben! :) Ben, Loretta and Dave.

So, there you have it. A wayyy too long recap of 2012. I'm sure I forgot tons of things. But hey, I'm looking ahead now. In 2013 I will be getting my Master's degree, hopefully finding my first full-time career-oriented job, and getting into still better shape by continuing to run and lift and eat delicious and kind-of-healthy foods! (My resolutions are pretty classic this year, ha.) I'm also hoping to blog more regularly, and find some fun weekly features to put on here!

*Sigh* only four more days of winter break. I'm off to enjoy them!

--Sammie