But it's always gonna come right back to this

Apartment shopping.

One of the joys of the single, financially irresponsible life.

While many of you are dutifully paying off the mortgages on your homes, investing in your futures, I am still swinging along, renting strange little apartments.

I kind of like it.

It makes me feel like I can get up and leave whenever I want.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to keep you all updated on my apartment requirements. Let's do this thing!

My apartment MUST HAVES:

A certain element of shadiness.

A big bath tub.

Somewhere to sleep.

So yeah, good luck Southeastern Pennsylvania! Good luck filling those requirements, suckers.

Although I did find an apartment on craigslist today that was on the corner of Gay Street and Potter Alley.

A combination of my two favorite things.

Gay men and Harry Potter.

Perhaps a sign from above?

I should rent it sight unseen.

I'm going to find the number right now...

Lori Ann

Random Thoughts: The late Sunday Night Edition

I tried to watch 9/11 footage today. I can't do it. So I watched them read off the names instead.

I can't stop watching that gay McDonald's commericial on Youtube. I love it!

Today, my dad and I embarked on our 32nd season of Eagles football together. (Well, I was born in the middle of the 1st season, but it still counts!)

I tried to make cinnamon raisin bread but fell asleep while it was rising the second time. My dad imparted the sage words of wisdom that its probably not a good idea to start a baking project past ten oclock at night.

I'm probably moving this week. I. CAN'T. WAIT.

I am more sane when I have my own place. Living with family makes me feel a little bit unbalanced:)

I don't see my nieces and nephews enough. I miss them.

I need an apple cider candle from Yankee Candle. It smells like happiness.

Two weeks and two days until Blaine...ummm...I mean Glee :)

Lori Ann

My 9/11 Story

PRESS PLAY

(and yes, I am aware of how cheesy this is..humor me anyway)

I am always interested to hear people's 9/11 stories.

I guess it's kind of the "where were you when Kennedy was assassinated?" of our generation.

I don't know if I've ever told anyone except my family my 9/11 story, so here it goes...

I was 21 years old.

I was serving a mission in Chicago, Illinois. As a sister missionary that meant that I was; of course, out in the suburbs.

The suburbs of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, to be exact. Our area was called "Addison" and I ended up spending most of my mission there.

I was companions with Sister Shannon Tyler.

We were about to leave our apartment for the day when one of our members;Julio Ceasar, called us and told us that something really bad was happening, and that it looked like a disaster movie, but it was really happening and it was on the news.

We had no tv or radio, so we went to our car and turned on the radio, but still we weren't getting much info. So we set off for one of our new members home. (Los Nunez)

We had to stop for gas on the way there and I remember standing there and spinning in a slow circle, seeing a Burger King (which had already lowered its flag to half mast) and very little traffic.

I remember feeling; in that moment, the same as I had the day I left home after high school.

Like the safe world I had always known was gone.

We got to the Nunez's and spent the next hour watching the Spanish news. Which was horrific as I don't believe they check their facts and they were reporting possible terrorists attacks all over the country.

Finally, they asked if we wanted to watch the news in English, which was an offer we gratefully accepted.

I think it was Peter Jennings and I felt immeasurably comforted to see him.

Maybe it was because my Dad has always loved the news and seeing a news anchor helped me to feel calm, as if I were hearing my Dad through him.

We wandered around the rest of the day. Sister Tyler wanted to go tracting, but I couldn't do it. I remember falling asleep for a few hours. It was not a productive day and I'm sure Sister Tyler was frustrated with me. (I was NUTS on the mission. All my comps deserve a medal, I swear)

I can't remember if it was that day or not, but our mission president let us listen to the news on the radio for a few weeks, to keep on top of things.

A few days later, on the news, that song, "Angels Among Us" came on, but it was a remix, and it had people talking about losing their loved ones and one guy yelling "honk if you're proud to be a New Yorker" and the sound of thousands of cars honking.

I can't listen to that song without crying.

What I took from 9/11 was a greater love for my country.

I am so proud and lucky to be an American. Being American has meant more to me in the last 10 years than it did in the 21 years I lived before 9/11.

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “

President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

Lori Ann

16th generation American

And some things which should not have been forgotten..

 Tonight was another crazy game night with Jack and Danielle. Jack kept saying "That's not good gamesmanship" and Danielle kept trying to convince me to vote for Ron Paul. So yeah, it was kind of a wild night. We're lucky the cops weren't called or anything:)

This isn't the best picture (of course, I was driving at the time. That's when I take the majority of my pictures)...anyway, it's the river and it is raised all the way up to the tree branches!

This picture doesn't do my commute justice. I drive through some of the most beautiful country you will ever see. Its all these winding roads where the trees meet over the top. I can't describe it, but being in Pennsylvania is so beautiful and fills me with such a sense of peace. 

Also people, guess what? I got transferred at work to outpatient therapy! Estoy bien emocionada! And I am kinda hoping to move into my own place this week sometime. Wish me luck!!

Lori Ann

p.s.- This blog will resume being interesting soon, I promise!! (or "start being interesting" might be a better choice of words!)

La lluvia

I spent most of the day yesterday feeling like I was back on the mission.

I was running through the rain with my new work partner, Graziella (who looks A LOT like my mission trainer) and providing therapy to our Spanish speaking clients.

Spanish.

My one super power.

People will always ask "How did you do it?? I've been trying for so long".

I always tell them "just practice".

I guess I should say "Convert to the LDS church, wait a year, put in mission papers, hope you get called Spanish speaking, spend 9 weeks in intensive language training, followed by 1 year of people saying "What? What did she say? She doesn't speak Spanish does she?" while you cry and have semi mental breakdowns followed by about 3 to 4 months of feeling mildly proficient."

Odio mi companera. Quiero estar con Henry; el hombre de mis suenos, hablando ingles y viviendo la vida facil:)

Lori Ann

The old man is snoring

It's going to rain all week. I love/hate the rain. I have the same relationship with rain as I do with snow. LOVE it if I have no where to go and I can stay inside and watch it out the window. HATE it if I have to step one foot out the door. I DESPISE IT WITH THE HEAT OF A THOUSAND BURNING SUNS if I have to drive in it.

This is what it looked like as I drove home last night. Buckets of rain, foggy, trucks passing me and dousing my car with water. I was literally clutching the wheel just following the taillights in front of me. It took me 2 1/2 hours to get home.

I just added this picture because I thought it was cool. It wasn't there the day before so this spider built it overnight. That's industrious!

So yeah, that's the update on my life. Spider webs and monsoon season in Pennsylvania.

Oh yeah...and I've been sneaking the cats extra tuna.

Cause I'm bad ass like that.

Lori Ann

Coach, baby!

Let's be honest.

I know there are a lot of you that envy me.

Whether its my 5 figure salary, my strange new haircut, or the fact that I'm staying at my parents after having moved away from North Carolina.

Right now you are more than likely crying tears of rage and frustration because you are not me.

Well prepare to cry a little bit longer because I just got a Coach bag for work!

Oh snap.

Lori Ann