February 11, 2011
“For I Know
the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Happy Friday Friends! Enjoy the weekend. I will be spending time with several of my sorority sisters who are in DC this weekend. So happy to catch up with them, it has been tooo long!!
XOXO,
L
February 4, 2011
Generation Gap
I was having a conversation with some friends the other day about how we seem to struggle with the whole work thing. From just being generally satisfied (or lack of) with our professional careers to figuring out what we want to be doing now, in a year or five years from now. Where do I want to be living? Do I need to go to grad school? Do I want to change careers altogether?
My friend felt that a lot of dissatisfaction related to a sense of entitlement from our generation, that we feel entitled to be happy at our jobs and that everything should be great for us. How is it that our parents’ generation found a job after college, and for so many, work there for most of their life? But I got to thinking, is it really a sense of entitlement or is it something else?
How is it that I have been out of college for three year now and just started my forth job. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think this is normal, there is a lot more shuffling around in politics than other industries. And I would not have changed or taken back any of it. A new job always resulted in a step forward, but always had me questioning what I was doing and where I am trying to go.
Maybe it is Washington. I am sure that is part of it, but I don’t think the blame can fall fully on this city. Why am I so confused about my future? Why am I afraid of making commitment to this city or any job? Why am I always looking for the next thing?
Then I came to the conclusion that all these things were not just a sense of entitlement and lack of commitment, but also a lack of contentment.
How is it that I can be this way when I was given everything in life to excel and do whatever I wanted. I was blessed to be well taken care growing up by my loving parents who gave me everything I ever wanted. They sacrificed so much so that I could go wherever I wanted and do whatever I wanted. And what have a done with it all? I have been anxious in the confusion of it all and remain very unsettled.
It’s not that I am unhappy with my life, I am enjoying life and DC. I have great friends and am having so much fun. But I do hope that I reach a point where I am no longer anxious in my career. Will that day come?
Until then, happy Friday friends!
xoxo,
L
January 10, 2011
The things that keep me up at night
Well friends, happy 2011! I hope you enjoyed the holiday season wherever you were. I had the privilege of spending it at home in California. Not only did I spend some long overdue time in Bakersfield with my family but was also able to spend some time in Napa Valley and LA. Not a bad life. But it has stirred some questions in me that I have yet to answer…
Spending great time with my family only makes it all the more difficult to say goodbye to them, even after extending my stay several days longer than originally planned. Sometimes I wonder what I am doing living so far from home. Why DC and why politics? Will I regret it years down the road that didn’t spend as much time with them as possible? Am I chasing something that is futile? Where do I even want to be in five years? I don’t know. I just don’t know and that scares me a little. I turn 25 next month, and I feel my quarter life crisis coming on a bit early. Well this is just great.
Bakersfield is a humble place, nothing glamorous and nothing more than a middle class town in the Central Valley. I was born there and spend 18 years of life there. I left over seven years ago and since then haven’t spent more than a few weeks there at a time. When I do come home I tend to look around and think this isn’t the beautiful California most people think of. But then I remind myself that this is where I grew up and I don’t regret that. It may not have the best scenery but there are some really great people there and it is because I grew up there that I turned out the way I did. I wouldn’t change that for the world.
Sometimes I ponder going back to my roots but as quickly as that thought comes it is dismissed again because most jobs center around oil and agriculture. So I keep trekking along in DC the only way I know how. And when these emotions of anxiety and fear come over me I have to remind myself that I need to take one day at a time and rely not on my own strength but He who gives me strength.
Signing off for now.
XOXO,
L
December 9, 2010
Brrrrrr Baby it’s cold outside!
Hello my friends!
It was a chilly 23 degrees when I got into my frost-covered car this morning. It has been FREEZING in DC this past week. Unlike other parts of the country that are being pounded with huge amounts of snow, Washington is just an ice box and a sad grey. Last winter,while it was crazy with all of the blizzards we had, at least it was beautiful and magical (and I got to stay home)!
Before I know it, I will be flying home to California for Christmas! I have almost forgotten what everything looks like since the last time I was there was a year ago this time. Yes, this is the longest stretch I have gone not going ”home.” I am ready to cuddle up on the couch at my parents’ house and just veg. Or maybe I will ride bikes and enjoy the outdoors since it is much warmer at home than here!
Hope your holiday is filled with fun parties, the smell of Christmas and lots of joy!
November 22, 2010
Thanksgiving Is Near…
Hello Friends,
My blog has looked a bit deserted from my lack of posting and I have missed sharing with you these last few weeks! Things have been a little crazy around the office as I have been keeping busy after the election, but things are finally starting to slow down now that the holidays are upon us. And now that I realize it, I can not believe that Thanksgiving is just a few days away! This time of year always seems to fly by quickly.
What are you planning for Thanksgiving?
My family is switching it up a bit this year. Instead of flying back to California for the holiday and spending Turkey Day in Bakersfield, like I have every year of my life, we are spending it on the East Coast. My parents, brother and I are spending Thanksgiving at The Homestead in Virginia. This is a very cool resort in Hot Springs, VA with so many activities, I can’t wait! My mom and I have spa appointments- I am soo looking forward to a massage! My dad and brother are going to do some skeet shooting. There are tons of activities such as wine tasting, afternoon tea, horseback riding, carrage rides, falconry to name a few! I think there will be trouble deciding what to do!
The resort is a few hours from Washington D.C., so the family is flying in here and then we are driving to The Homestead. I can’t wait and I am sure I will have a bunch of photos to share with y’all after our adventure!
September 9, 2010
Such Is The Campaign Life
I have battled through enough election cycles and been on the loosing end one too many times to know that this industry we call politics is not for the faint at heart. It is all-consuming, high-adrenaline, exciting-in-the-moment and exhausting-till-the-end.
I don’t talk politics in this space much, just because I often use this platform for an escape from the political world. I have lived it and breathed it for the last, oh four and a half years, and know that having a life outside of work is equally important. But being that we are 54 days from November 2nd (for those of you out there- that means Election Day!), I thought I would pause to touch on this for a minute.
This past year has been filled with more ups and downs with work than I have been willing to admit (however I have done my fair share of complaining to my friends) and the energy before an election in what keeps me going and gets me through it. It’s unlike anywhere else.
The stakes are high. The competition is fierce. The hours are long. The work is daunting. The people are crazy.
But, if you win, the rewards make it worth it.
The good and bad of working in campaigns is that there is always an end date. Come the day after the election when everything is over, pretty much so is your job. This was stressful when I first started working in campaigns and my nature wanted to tell me to have everything planned out. However this industry gives you a good dose of reality that there are many things beyond your control. Usually when the dust all settles, something will come your way but you have to know there may be a period of uncertainty.
So, that time is quickly appoaching again where the election will be over and who knows what or where I will be after this. I hope that the experiences I have gained and connections I have made have prepared me for the next big adventure.
But until then, back to work!
September 6, 2010
A Year Of Adventures
Last night my boyfriend Tripp and I celebrated our “One Year”. It’s crazy how time flies and while a lot has happened over the past year, it all goes by so quickly. Neither one of us had ever dated someone this long, so hitting this point in our relationship was new for both of us.
Tripp picked me up and greeted me at the door with some beautiful flowers that are now displaying in my living room, see below.
I had no idea what was planned for the evening, but in an effort to both do something for each other I had made him a chocolate cake and framed some pictures of us together and he was in charge of handling our dinner plans. As we were leaving the house, he mentioned that I might need a sweater because we would be getting drinks outside. So, I brought a sweater along and as we stepped outside he mentioned that we would be heading down to the Georgetown Waterfront for drinks, I was excited because it was such a nice night out.
When we arrived at the Waterfront, he asked what I thought about taking a river boat ride over to Alexandria. I didn’t pay much attention to this question, as I didn’t think this was part of the plans. However at the same time he was putting his hand into his pocket and pulled out a reservation for the boat ride. I was very excited that he was so creative and this had been one of the adventures we had wanted to do, but also because I was genuinely very surprised and proud that he put a lot of thought into this.
Potomac River on our ride over to Alexandria
The weather was perfect and the sun was setting on the ride over. We docked at the pier near King Street and then walked five blocks to a restaurant called Columbia Firehouse.
We shared a bottle of red, fresh oysters and each had an amazing steak! It was a great night and a great way to celebrate a year of awesome adventures.
Some highlights: a wedding in Charleston, Ocean City, A day on Skyline Drive in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Tubing, snow adventures, Bermuda, Nantucket, Visiting Washington and Lee University, New York City, Philadelphia, art galleries in DC, Jamaica, concerts, VA wine festival, and so much more!
Tripp and I, October 2009
September 3, 2010
Bad way to start off the day
Yesterday, when I came out of my house to leave for work I walked around to my car to find a very unsettling surprise.
My car had been broken into.
While I know I am not the first nor the last for this to happen to, that is not a comforting fact when it happens to you. Looking in my car and seeing that my ipod and gps were gone was not the worst of the situation. The broken glass everywhere and knowing that someone had been through my things and uninvited into my space is a very violating feeling.
the neighborhood that I live in has felt safe however I guess it is never a good thing to get too comfortable that you arent safe or smart about things.
I shared this news with my community listserv so that others could be on the lookout and be aware what was happening around them.
shattered window, you can see the trim around the window where they jammed the crow bar
Hope something like this never happens to you!
August 10, 2010
Inspiration Table: Sister’s Bridal Shower Brunch
All-
I am taking some design inspiration from the ever-classy Eddie Ross. I saw this table presentation in more than one place in the blogesphere and couldn’t help but want to re-create it. I love the pale blues and bright pink, print tablecloths and silver details.
Eddie Ross Design Inspiration
My sister’s bachelorette weekend was a little over a week ago and apart of the festivities including hosting a bridal shower brunch at my house. All the girls (who could make it) came into DC for the weekend and we had such a good time.
My interpretation came out a bit differently as the colors of the invites and party were red and blue, but what do you think?
The table spread
I used vintage tablecloths with red and blue flowers, vintage blue glass goblets and cream colored plates. The cream and sugar was antique milk glass.
Quiche, Fruit Salad, Potato Casserole and More!
June 2, 2010
Taylor Swift Concert!!
Last night I went to the sold out Taylor Swift Concert at the Verizon Center in Washington DC! I was so pumped about going and Taylor did not disappoint. She really put on a great performance with her love for the fans and mingling in between songs to the great stage set ups and overall production that the over two hour show flew by!
She plays in DC again tonight for another sold out show. And while I may have been one of the few over the the age of 13 (Taylor’s lucky number!) I didn’t mind singing along with all the young girls around me!
