Snow(less) Day

I apologize, now, for the randomness of this post.  First, today was suppose to be my first day back from Christmas break, but like most of you across the South, classes and work were cancelled today.  Living in Charleston means you can't leave your house when a wintery mix comes through.  Anywhere you need to go is only accessible via a bridge.  Those signs "Bridge Ices Before Road" are true.  There were close to ten accidents this morning before they closed the bridges.  I have accomplished nothing today.  I have been preoccupied with instant movies, online shopping, and Soap Network.  Though it has been nice to lay around the house today, I wish there would have been actual snow.

I would like to give a shout-out to two of my bloggy friends (both named Jen(n)) that currently have giveaways going on.  First is Jen at Slumber Designs (she also writes Bits of Truth).  She is giving away a $75 gift certificate to Emerson Made.  They offer some unique, boutique-style clothing and accessories.  I am just in love with these clutches...

School Bloom and Lucky Clutch

The Big Dandy Clutch

Second is Jenn at Jenn's Journey.  She is giving away Bath & Body Works Wallflower set and a Starbucks gift card.  Who does love a lovely smelling abode and Starbucks??

This past weekend, I wished farewell to a friend who is starting a new journey in her life.  Kitty has accepted her dream job internship with Invisible Children in San Diego.  I wish you the best Kitty! I know you will rock at your new position.

CML, Kitty, EHood, and Me

I love the ladies of Windy!

Last but not least, the 2010-2011 college football season will be coming to a close tonight. *TEAR*  I am not excited about this because it means I will actually have to do schoolwork on Saturdays rather than watch football all day.  However, it does mean that opening day of baseball season is right around the corner.  Despite, my honest dislike of sCam Newton - yes, I do believe he accepted money to play ball - I will be pulling for Auburn in the hopes of the SEC winning a fifth straight National title.

Scammie Wammie, Weagle, Weagle...WAR DAMN EAGLE!

Soulfully,

Ashton

First Blogger Award: Stylish Blogger

My real life and blogger friend Megan (My Two Cents) gave me the Stylish Blogger Award. Thanks Boo!

Megan and I have been friends since before high school.  Her boyfriend and I actually graduated together.

Most of our close friends from high school have all made our to Charleston for work, grad school, and/or college.  It is so nice to have everyone back together and that we have remained close friends since leaving high school.

A few of us out one night

Here are the rules

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award to stylish bloggers you've recently discovered.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about this award.

1. Like every other child in America, I had the chicken pox around the age of four.  I remember getting them after going to the circus.  I had a very mild case of them.  Well, there was one on the middle of my forehead right above my eyes.  It drove my nuts, so of course, I had to pick at it.  This picking left me with a pretty sweet scar.  Even then, my mom was concerned about it.  She talked to my pediatrician and he said that as I grew it would move up into my hairline.  He was wrong!  It now sits near the bridge of my nose right between my eyes.  The summer before my Senior year of high school and prior to taking Senior pictures, my mom said to me that she thought I needed to go to the plastic surgeon to see about getting my scar removed.  I asked her if she was CRAZY!  "Well, Ashton, you don't want that scar in your Senior pictures...I mean you will have those pictures for the rest of your life." My response: "I will have this scar for the rest of my life, too!"

2.  I eat peanut butter by the spoonful.  I am talking tablespoons at a time.  And, it has to be JIF, creamy not crunchy.

3. I have known I wanted to go to law school since I was in elementary school.  Thinking all through high school and most of college that I wanted to become a prosecutor.  That all changed when I started taking classes for my minor, economics.  YES, people I have a sick and twisted mind! I enjoy economics, finance, and accounting.  I have decided that I want to be a tax attorney and go for yet one more year of school to get my LL.M.  A LL.M is basically a Masters of Law and specializes you in a particular area of the law.  I am so cool I want to read tax code for the rest of my life.  What is wrong with me??!!!??

4. So, I am not a very sappy, emotional girl.  I tend not to cry during love stories with the Notebook being an exception.  Even though there is no crying in baseball...

I tear up at the end of most sports movies, no matter how many times I have seen them.  I saw Remember the Titans in theaters three times and cried every time.  Don't even get me started on Rudy...

And give me a good USA, USA, USA chant...and bring on the waterworks....

5.  With my given love for sports, I was a cheerleader in high school.  I would have thrown on some pads had my mom let me.  During my last game, I took one for the team, literally.  Our squad was facing the stands.  I was on the outside of our formation.  We were not concerned about the play on the field because they were a good 30-40 yards from where we were.  Well, low and behold, we had a breakaway run down the sidelines.  The safety/cornerback is running our guy down and tackles him out of bounds....BUT who does he take out with him as well...ME!  I get nailed in my right side, legs get cut from under me, and land flat on my back.  Luckily, it was grass I was landing on and not a track.  This was near the beginning of the fourth quarter.  I blacked out and came to after a little while.  The trainer tried to check me out and get me to seat down, but I insisted on cheering the rest of the game.  Yet, I don't remember a darn thing between the time I got hit and walking off the field after shaking heads with the other team.  Injuries: minor concussion and a few bruised ribs.

6.  I am a Republican and have always been very active in politics/campaigning.  I attended the 2008 Republican National Convention as a Page.  I was on the convention floor to help out where ever I was needed - handing out signs, distracting the cameras from the crazy Ron Paul people, and advance set-up.  I also participated in various community events in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

With Joe Wilson...Joe is my Congressman

Last night of the Convention...and yes we had to wear the scarf

There are Republicans in Hollywood.

7.  My love for Jimmy Buffett and the island life is borderline unhealthy.  I own and have read all of his books but one, Swine Not?.  Even re-read some.  My dog is named after a character in Salty Piece of Land.  I have over 90 of his songs on my iPod and I know all the words.  I didn't come on this obsession my chance...it runs in my family.  My father-daughter dance will be to "Little Miss Magic."  I am determined to locate the Port of Indecision and the Southwest of Disorder.

Atlanta, April 2009

After one or two not sure how many Boat Drinks (Atlanta, April 2009)

I would like to tag:

Emily From the land of cotton...

Jordon Tupelo Honey

Sara Simple Thoughts From a Simple Girl

Soulfully,

Ashton

Five Question Friday/Girl Night

This is my first five question Friday.....

1. What is your current favorite book, and why?

Other than the my current law books, I am not reading anything.  I started reading the Harry Potter series over Christmas Break and got through the first book.  It was interesting but not a favorite.

My favorite book is "A Salty Piece of Land," Jimmy Buffett.  I have read this book at least three times.  Every time I read it, I discover something new.  My favorite quote from the book is "There is a strange sense of pleasure being beat to hell by a storm when you are on a ship that is not going to sink."  I find this to be a great analogy to life and letting God have control.

2. Do you go to the dentist regularly?

Yes...not willingly, but who does anyway?  I detest the dentist!

3. What is your worst memory from High School?

I enjoyed high school and don't have a horrible social memory.  My school was so small you had to be friends with everyone or you wouldn't have friends.  My worst memory from high school would be when I tore my ACL during my Junior year.  It is a pain that I do not wish on anyone.  The therapy was awful and I get really depressed.  Today, I can predict when it is going to rain or get cold.

4. What do you hope to be remembered for in your life?

Being fun, happy...laid-back...someone who made a difference...not a follower...a friend...loyal...dependable...honest...

5. Are you superstitious or do you have any superstitions?

I am very superstitious, but on the "routine" level.  I don't believe in ghosts, but I do believe in karma and that it can be a b!%ch!  I have certain things I do on gamedays.  I follow the same routine before an exam.  I pray before each exam or major event in my life - though that is not superstitious, that is faith.  

What I am Loving Wednesday

I'm loving that my roommate has returned to Charleston with our new Wii in tow!

I'm loving that I downloaded the original Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Wii and that roomie and I still knew all the "secrets," even though we have not played the game since the age of twelve - however we have difficulty remembering a semester's worth of Criminal Law.

I'm loving my new Netflix account and watching instantly on the Wii.

I'm loving Just Dance 2 and the spontaneous dance parties that will happen this semester.

**Thank you, Nintendo for single-handedly being the reason I will fail out of law school**

I'm loving that Trader Joe's is opening in Mt. Pleasant in July! Two Buck Chuck anyone??

I'm loving my FREE spicy chicken biscuit from Chick-fil-A this morning.

I'm loving that my loan money came through three days early so I can actually go to the grocery store.

I'm loving this all-in-one set from Pixi Beauty.

I'm loving this quote...because it reminds me that I, alone, determine my happiness and/or sadness, and own some people nothing.

via

What are you crushing on this Wednesday?

Soulfully,
Ashton

20% Off and FREE Shipping

Hellooo lovely ladies!  Have y'all ever heard of J. Crew's sister store - Madewell?  It's a little more hipster version of J. Crew, but with the same chic look.  They have a great denim "bar."  Through next Tuesday, its 20% off and FREE shipping of any order.  Not just when you spend $150 like J. Crew's usual shipping special.

Coupon Code: MWCLHMKZ9

chatelaine dress

snowblossom gala dress

Trying to decide between this two dresses myself...

Soulfully,

Ashton

Getting Older but NOT Growing Up

     Let's be honest, the "real" world is going to hit me like a freight train going 100mph in a short year and half.  I can confidently say that I know what I want to do when I "grow up," and that I am somewhat ready to start my career.  But, the responsibilities of full adulthood scare the buhhhgeezzzesss out of me.  For the most part, I am on my own now, but I still have a safety net of sorts.  I, guess, the biggest thing that worries me is whether I will have a job or not when I finish law school.  I just want to be 17 forever...I mean let's be real it is the perfect age of (somewhat) innocence, fun, and optimism.  You are a HS Senior and "rule" your universe, you are naive to world beyond high school, you have no reason to be bitter (minus those Emo kids), and you have little to no responsibilities.

     The reality of it, though, is that I/we are getting older.  All of my close friends (with the exception of us law students) have graduated from college and started their "big kid" jobs.  With that being said, I have noticed a few things over the past couple of months.  I have compiled them into the Top Ten Signs We Are Getting Older....drum roll please:

1. Everyone has changed their voicemail to sound more business like - No more of this "Heyyy, it's Sally. Leave a message!" Said in a super cute voice.
2. I got excited because tupperware was on sale - 50 pc. set for $20, YES I WILL!
3. Looking forward to the Sunday paper for the coupons - then squealing over how much you save after your next trip to the grocery store.
4. My friends no longer have seasonal breaks (and neither will I soon).
5. This will be my last "real" summer until retirement (depressing).
6. More bills than magazine come in the mail.
7. Youngsters calling me "ma'am" - not that I am complaining because it is a sign of respect.
8. Constant alumni mailings asking for money.
9. I asked for a new suit for Christmas.
10. Trends - music, movies, & clothing - from high school are considered old school.

     Hopefully, I am not the only that feels this way or has experienced these things.  But in the words of Meredith Grey, "When did we become adults?  And, how do we make it stop?"

Soulfully,

Ashton

2011 - WILL be a year to remember

     If my New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are any indication of how the rest of 2011 will be, then I will be surrounded by wonderful family/friends and it will be filled with lots of laughter.  Most of you, probably, ate the traditional NYD meal - hoppin' john of black eyed peas and collard greens.  I, however, did not and never have.  Both of these dishes make be gag!  Guess, I will have to get my luck and wealth elsewhere.  I have never been one to make resolutions.  Nonetheless, this year I have decided to make resolutions goals to strive for.

Bits of Truth

     Well, the Christmas decorations are boxed up and 2011 is off to a good start, so that just means life has to go back to "normal."  Luckily, I have one more week before classes start back, but that week will be spent finishing a paper that I have neglected most of break.

Soulfully,

Ashton