Just Dance

I've been home for a few days.

 I know I've said it a thousand and one times but it means more today than ever.

I love my family.

They are beautiful.

 I don't know who or where I'd be without them.

En particulier vous, papa.

Merci pour tout. Je suis si heureux que de tous les papas du monde, je t'ai.

Lori Ann

The Rockster Diarincles.

You guys,

I had the brilliant idea of spending a week writing my blog like it were the The Rockstar Diaries. As a means of helping me manage my jealousy/bewilderment of her lifestyle.

Unfortunately I don't have the strangely dressed husband and two adorable tots to display. So we'll call it The Rockster Diarincles. Half Rockstar Diaries. Half Spinster Chronicles. 

It just got real in here! 

Each day will have a rockstar diarish theme...today's theme- Self Potraits and Friends. 

Angry, heavily photoshopped
Self Portraits

The real rockstar diaries would more likely be a picture of her dancing in a field.

But I can't dance, find a field, or get anyone to take the picture if I did.

       Friends

This is who I hung out with today.

My friend and co therapist, Jenny.

She threatened to call my mom if I said I was going to live in my car one more time.

The rockstar diaries features pictures of her and her friends strawberry picking or eating crepes by the cherry trees or something of that nature.

Usually Jenny and I play rock band and talk smack on other therapists together. 

But strawberry picking is so next on our list. 

Lori Ann

p.s.- Tomorrow's themes will be "drinking hot chocolate with cute mittens on" and " Looking contemplative while wearing modest sundresses" 

p.p.s.- Just to clarify- I don't mock these bloggers out of a sense of insecurity...I mock them because they are ridiculous :)

My only sunshine

Presenting...

The first public showing of the art work of JJEK!
(aka Jack, James, Elly, and Katy)

Isn't it beautiful?

I am the luckiest aunt in all the world.

How did we get such amazing kids in our family?

Lori Ann

That's not my name

Some Random Thoughts 

This weekend at home was truly EPIC.

Like coke stealing, avant gard art, hiding in the neighbors yard, baking with cats epic.

 As the following pictures will testify.

Remember this gem??

 We bought it at a thrift store purely for the canvas.
(and we wanted to double check and make sure it wasn't a lost Picasso)

And with the help of my favorite local artists

We created this! It will hang in my office.

 It's very thought provoking, eh?  

Weird stuff is available for the kids to play with at my parents house. 

Weird. 

Stuff. 

Jack hid in the neighbors yard dressed like Voldemort and scared me.

 I later stole his last coke. 

 Because karma wasn't moving fast enough for me so I helped it along. :)

There were crazy little girls baking cakes at my parents house.

 Or at least cat entertaining and batter licking. 

I love summer weekends at my parents.

 It reminds me of the things I love about my childhood.

 Although it has been vegetarian hell.

 My dad keeps barbecuing and Jack made grilled chicken. 

6 months and 5 days to go!

Lori Ann

"First the fingers, then the plump little hand!"

Oh yes, it's another crazy Friday night at my apartment.

So far, I've made tuna helper AND browsed on Amazon. 

So yeah,

 I'm pretty much a gangster. 

Anyway, in the interest of self gratification and/or talking about my job even though no one asked, I will tell you this..

This month people have told me some really great things.

 Like how they don't have nightmares and don't want to harm themselves anymore.

 Not since they've been coming to therapy.

It makes me so happy to hear that.

 As much as I lecture my clients on not looking for their value in what other people think of them, I so do.

 Positive feedback from my clients is like gold to me.

Sorry the updates have been so boring lately.

 I really need to take up crafting again.

 That would spice things up!

Lori Ann

p.s.- Erin is planning a Goonies party with the kids tomorrow night! How awesome is that? You can count on me to blog about it! I can't believe we've waited this long to introduce them to it!!

 "First the fingers, then the plump little hand!"

I wanna be sedated

You guys, I did it. 

I spent 36 hours at the office.

 And only about 5 of it was sleeping.

 And let me promise you this...I will never do it again.

 Not only am I now positive the third floor is haunted, but one's office floor is about as comfortable to sleep on as one might imagine.

 I find it ironic that there are at least 12 therapists in my building and not a single couch! 

Anyway,

The takeaway from this is that no paperwork marathon is worth giving up my sweet, sweet comfortable bed!

From Top Left.

1. Me, looking refreshed with the bangs I CANNOT STOP CUTTING

2. The 36 hour list.

I got almost everything done.

3. Just a few of the files that I had to review, assess, or discharge

4. Erin sent me pictures of Sugar to keep me going!

 Isn't she precious?

5. I kinda had this for dinner..and then breakfast.

 Also, a midnight snack.

6. I took the front office's 3 hole punch.

And there was nothing they could do about it!
(of course, I returned it before they even got in in the morning, but still...breaking the law never felt so right.)

7. Me, about an hour before I went home.

 My last few clients could have been speaking Chinese for all I know.

 I was so zoned out. 

Well, I'm off to bed
 (after I eat this orange)

Stay tuned for my next post, tentatively titled..

36 hours sleeping, hiding from my office!

Lori Ann

How to be brave

This is the latest quote I am obsessed with.

Every once in a while a quote really hits me.

 Maybe because I am always self analyzing and I have been thinking lately of how powerful it is to be truthful.

First with oneself, and then with others.

On an unrelated side note, I just survived every fledgling vegetarian's nightmare.

 Fathers Day with Dave "I live to barbecue" Hinsdale. 

Holy Hannah.

I came SO close to eating meat.

 Like literally smelling the ribs and almost crying close.

 And my dear brother in law added to my suffering by making black bean and churriso dip. 

But in a week or so I will be officially at the half way point.

 6 months in, 6 months to go.

 It's been a crazy ride so far. 

Sugar has been vacationing at my parents for a week or so.

I miss her. 

Lori Ann

I love you like the stars above

There are so many things I wanted to write for my Fathers Day post.

 I wanted to list a million stories, a thousand words of wisdom, a hundred times my dad has saved me from certain doom!
 (at least in my mind)

There's too much to say and no perfect way to say it. 

So, I'll just keep it simple this year. 

أنا أحبك يا أبي.

Обичам те, татко.

我爱你，爸爸。

Jeg elsker dig, far.

Je t'aime, papa.

Eu amo vostede, papá.

मैं तुमसे प्यार करता हूँ, पिताजी.

私はお父さん、あなたを愛しています。

Kocham cię, tato.

Я люблю тебя, папа.

Te amo, papá.

I love you, Dad. 

Your youngest daughter,

Lori Ann

BEEP BEEP

 You're Welcome.

 Lori Ann

Shots of Patron

Spinster Realization # 391

 Maybe I'm not married because I've been waiting for something exactly like this!

 Don't you dare ignore this link!

 It made me clap my hands and shriek like a 13 year old on pixie sticks!

 Lori Ann

p.s.- Except my song would be Tainted Love.

 Because I'm classy like that. 

We'd like to talk to you about your active wear

From Top left:

a. It was Strawberry Insanity this weekend.

My parents bought 11 quarts and we made jam, strawberry shortcake, and strawberry pie.

 Do not ask about the strawberry cake.

 Do. Not. Ask.

b. Church with my sisters.

 I think its the first time we've all been in the same branch together in years.

Which is why I made the appropriate decision to take a picture during sacrament meeting. 

c. Forget six years of college- I should have gone to cosmetology school.

 Danielle's bangs are SO CUTE.

Dd. Eri and I were baking at our parents house and listening to "Stand by me" and it was kind of magical.

e. There is a video that goes with this picture.

A dancing video.

 Oh yeah.

f. This is the "before" canvas.

 I am having Danielle make me subway art for my office.

 I bought this nice canvas at the thrift store.

The only problem is the hideous painting on it. 

g. View from church.

I love Pennsylvania.

 It's so so beautiful.

Lori Ann

Je suis jaloux

ma sœur est belle.

Lori Ann

You are the only exception

It's very rare for me to take a picture of myself that I like. 

But since I went nuts and cut my own bangs I have been taking a million weird pictures a day.

Primarily while I am driving.

 Because traffic safety is important to me, yo.

And behold, I took this picture. 

It's the first time I've ever looked at picture of me and saw any resemblance to my mom.

Which is probably why I love it. 

So brace yourselves, I'll probably be using this picture for everything for the next 10 years or so:)

It's just got real in here.

Lori Ann

I have loved you for a thousand years

 Weird accidental melting candle art.

Doesn't it kind of look like a volcano?

 My living room looks like Mardi Gras now. 

More strange (but glamorous) bang pictures

The Sugar cookie. 

Cuter and more evil every day.

I signed the written notice that I'm terminating my lease as of August 12, 2012.

So, yeah.

I am leaving this apartment and I don't know what that means. 

I am back at a crossroads in my life. 

Maybe that's why I cut bangs into my hair in the middle of the night. 

Or why I went swimming in the rain today.

 (Most awkward but empowering swimming experience ever! I'll tell you the whole story one day.)

It feels like time for a change. 

Sometimes it's good to be single and mostly obligation free.

For all the moments when I wish I had a husband to fix my car, carry up my groceries, replace light bulbs, shovel snow, keep my feet warm, etc..

It's moments like this when I love having the freedom to make all the big decisions on my own.

Some things in my life are ending.

 Forever this time.

And some things which I've kind of let go, I find myself wanting back. 

(I delight in being cryptic.)

Anyway, I've got about 6 weeks to figure out what I'm going to do.

 I'll keep you posted.

Lori Ann

Hipsters and such

So,

Having my sister Erin stay with me has been so hilarious.

Yesterday she told me that you couldn't be both chubby and a hipster.

She makes me dinner every night. 

She entertains the Sugar cookie. 

It's been so amazing having her here.

She went home to my parents this weekend and I stayed here to hang out with the Sugar and my friend Jenny.

It's not the same without her:)

See you tomorrow for some ice cream and netflix, Eri.

your Irish twin,

Lor

Bang, Bang

 I did it, people.

I murdered a homeless man.

I cut my own bangs.

 Oh man...no one let me have scissors again after 10 pm.

 And don't let me believe when YouTube says it "easy and fun".

Here's to the era of bangs!!

Lori Ann