• Holidays with friends–a great stand-in for family! The Beau and I spent both Thanksgiving & Christmas with our New Orleans family this year–that is, our closest friends.  It’s tradition for one friend to have a Misfit Toys Thanksgiving, and this year another decided to pick it up for Christmas!  We play board games, sat around a fire, eat lots of delish food… it’s fantastic and a great way to be with family when we can’t be with our parents.
• Thoughtful (and fanciful) gifts from the Beau! Not only did he get me SHOES…. he got me these beauties… the Irregular Choice ones I fancied! You know it’s true love when your mate buys you shoes you’re excited about and they hate them ;)
• Building new holidays traditions: while the Beau and I have spent the holidays together for, well, most of them, this is the first time we’ve done so as just us–just at home–just building up our life together.  So we’re finding out what traditions we want to build together.  So far they’ve included seeing It’s A Wonderful Life & White Christmas at the Prytania Theater; me making lots of fudge for us to eat; making dinner on Christmas Eve (so we can enjoy dinner with our friends Christmas Day).
• The Prytania! It may not be a drive-in like Bloomington’s Starlite was, but it’s a single-screen theatre from 1915! There’s a  cute old man who introduces the classic films, even on Christmas (he offered for us to join him for cake and coffee afterwards!).  They are THE best place to watch classic films here, and I love catching their midnight movies… the Beau and I are going to see Labyrinth soon!
• Reclaiming my love of the holidays: After my parents split up, the holidays just lost their zest. It was hard to maintain that youthful enthusiasm over the years… and maybe it’s because my “family” feels put together again, this year just feels extra magical.  Christmas songs have that extra sparkle in them, shopping seems more fun (esp from the comfort of the internet), and I’ve been riding that Christmas spirit!

Noteworthy Niblets:

China Glaze polish! (How I looveee it. And their Christmas collection is amazing. As soon as my nails recover, I’ll share!); Lottie’s love of our new Anthropologie bedspread (she shuffles around in the ruffles and actually sleeps with us now!);  the fresh feeling of new socks; changing my bulletin board to have goals, need-to-do’s, wishlists, and expansive pictures of Europe for inspiration (for me AND the Beau); Sarah Palin Gone Vogue!; cleaning out my desk & the office closet; Mad Men seasons 2 & 3 for $9.99 each! On Blu-Ray!; a solid 2 weeks off from work; the New Orleans Public Library (again and again!).

And so much more, I’m sure.  Here’s to a whole lot to love in 2011. <3

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Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans out there– hope your travels are safe, your meals are drama-free, and you have a beautiful day!

Things I Love I’m Thankful For Thursday:

Thanksgiving with Friends & “Family”: the Beau and I aren’t making it home to our parents this holiday season, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be around family!  Today we’ll spend the day watching the Saints, eating delicious food, and enjoying the company of our makeshift New Orleans family– we’re happy about that!  This morning we’ll make rolls and stuff, grab the pie & booze, and head over to our gal Seale’s house.

The Holiday Season: To be honest, I’ve never been much for the holidays through my teens and adult years so far.  This year the game has changed though– I have my two great loves, my friends… and it all feels different.  I’m so happy for the holidays as an opportunity to spend celebrate the things I’m so happy for in my life.

Opportunities, Big & Small: From writing regularly for IFB and having another writing outlet, to my monthly column in Antigravity Magazine in New Orleans, the interview with Papercut Magazine (along with Samantha at The Column of Samantha Tyler, and Miguel at Beyond Fabric), to little things like the relationships I have with people and businesses, I’m so happy that I’m taking initiative and doing what I love.

Having my two great loves, every day: After a tumultuous 5 years, I’m so happy to have the Beau with me, every day and every night. There have been rocky moments during the transition, but it’s been worth every step.  And our Darling Lo! Who is more loved and spoiled every day.

Shit-talkers: Recently a supposed friend of mine has taken to shit talking me at every encounter we have. It serves as a good reminder– we shit talk those who make us insecure and who we are jealous of.  While I don’t go out of my way to rub in people’s faces how great my life is, how happy I am, and how loved I am, that general happiness & positivity must radiate out of me. Someone has to hate on it, and it’s a great reminder that: I’ve grown up above that and my life is good.

Lovely family & friends; a beautiful home and roof over my head; a job and the means to care for myself and those around me; relatively good health; unending happiness and positivity about my life.

New Orleans’ videos have been flooding my life recently, each one lovely and a telling tale of this city I love.

One Square Mile pays a little visit to my neighborhood, the glorious Irish Channel…

I wish there were words to describe what this video makes me feel. Having gone to this Six Flags, my heart feels deep and heavy, seeing this place of fun memories with friends transformed in to a desolate, depressed, dead area. My horror movie filled mind looks at it, waiting for a zombie to crash past, bringing my greatest nightmares to my real life. It’s haunting and beautiful, a constant reminder of what Katrina was and all it took from the city.

© dramatis personae. If you enjoyed TiLT: November, please subscribe at dramatis personae. Company links may be affiliate links; see a full list of affiliates here. Be assured that all products have received that Ashe seal of love, lust, & approval.

Source & Source

Love, Love, Love:  Have I shared my surprise yet? The one that has had me obnoxiously beaming for the past month?  That’s right– this girly isn’t in a long-distance relationship any longer! The fella and I spent a long two days driving from his old home in Colorado to his new home–in with me, back in New Orleans.  We’re both making big plans for cooking, working out, enjoying the city, enjoying the world– and getting to enjoy our lives together again.

It’s been a challenge and tough at times–but when I look over and see his smiling, loving face looking back at me, it makes me feel like we can weather through it.

Cross Country Road Trips: One of the great parts about the Beau moving home? Doing one of my favorite things with him– epic road trips!  Colorado to New Orleans is about a 20 hour drive and a great stretch of the country.  We geared up my Supernatural playlist (a road trip favorite!).  You know you’re with a great person when you’re comfortable in the car for long stretches together.  Texas is epically long, big, and boring to drive through, and people in Louisiana are awful drivers…. we nearly got in to 3 wrecks in our home state!

Extra Love from the Universe: My Dr. Marten Regina boots! Even though I have to exchange them for a smaller size, they’re sexy, super comfy and look great with my large calves; Passing Supernatural-esque places of demon looking worship on small Texan “highways” (two lane roads with a ranch–the sign was a big red square with a half black circle & plus sign–what does that mean!?).  “What is that?”… It looks like Jesus holding a baby… “is that an orc? It looks like an orc…. It IS an orc!” … how did I get Jesus holding a baby from an orc? … “Same thing.”  Tasting our way through the Kupcake Factory flavors; a lovely Lottie being loving, affectionate, and happy to have her boy back; quiet mornings while the Beau is asleep, working online, and enjoying kitten snuggles; the hope & soon reprieve from Summer!

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The Unimitable Christina Hendricks in Los Angeles Times Magazine. Swoon.

Denver– Avoiding New Orleans heat & humidity, Lady Gaga, the Beau, 1 week to detox from work.  I’m SO excited.

Big Love– this show is so intriguing– from a more natural view of polygamy, to Nikki’s $59,000 credit card debt and the frustrations of family life.  It’s charming and funny how they’ll say “Gosh, Darn!” and how important secrecy is in the family.  I’m super glad I could pick it up at the New Orleans Public Library too–no rental fees!

Birthday Love– My birthday wasn’t perfect, but I felt an incredible show of love from friends and family, picked up lovely treats for myself, and received goodies and love from friends.  I had delish Thai food and almond cake on my birthday.

Turning 27–The lead up to turning 27 is so weird! I didn’t anticipate this being an age that I would feel anything noteworthy. Instead, I find myself confused– how am I already 27?! How am I in my late 20s already?

A Budget is a Moral Document– I wish I could articulate how much this article impacted the way I’m viewing my budget and financial flow. As I make great strides in becoming an adult financially, I felt that this in an essential read.

I just think that a good way to think about money is as an expression of what you value. I want my money to express my commitment to a more peaceful, enivronmentally healthy, just, and economically fair world…..but I definitely try to think a little harder about what I buy, where it comes from, and who it affects. I also try to put some thought into how my spending habits actually further my internal values and whether or not I am only paying lip-service to the things I say are important to me in life.

So while having something nice is not inherently morally wrong, I like to think that I try to balance the perfectly legitimate desire to have beautiful things (beauty is something that God highly prizes, in my opinion), or things that I enjoy with the reality that the way those things come to me may not be consistent with the kind of world I want to live in. I want my bank statement to say, “I really care about fair trade, and local business, and feeding people with so much less than me.”

Summer Lovin’

Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars (and sequels Seeing Redd & ArchEnemy–MUST reads if you’re a lover of Alice in Wonderland like I am. These are a highly original take on the playful tale.); finishing the Shakespeare Festival (and looking forward to a “leisurely” school year, haha); my new Hayden Harnett Biblio bag (in black) omg how much I love it! so easy to fit what I need in it and not too much more; Le Petit Écho Malade — too beautiful and hysterical for words; The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal SO GOOD!!! Read it now!!! It’s so beautifully written. Like if Gossip Girl had been in the 1920s;  Webcams– a great way to keep in touch in long-distance love; Reaching mini blogging milestones; planning my perfect bedroom (and knowing the beau is behind the design 100%!); 2% cost of living raises.

The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes ‘Awww!’
-Jack Kerouac

(Yum! Featuring the delightful & delicious Joseph Gordon Levitt. Not that he’s the only reason you should watch it– it’s stunning.)

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Did March fly by for you too? Time is sliding through my fingers, and I can’t catch up with it.  I kind of forgot the last Thursday of the month was LAST weekend– so you get this a day early!

The magnitude of great love.  I feel so giddy and lucky to be officially back “together” with the Beau. Each day it thrills me more and more– the simplicity of it, the openness and honestly, the security and safety of it. It’s hard to be in a long distance relationship, but every day I feel more and more secure and firm in us. It’s not easy to be apart and know it may be years before we can be together daily…but it’s in our plans and talked about daily.  Love betwixt me and her fuzzy highness– her happiness to lay in the sunshine everyday, never taking for granted the days it is there.  Blissed out on a fuzzy rug in beams of brightness.

Lady Gaga in July! A mere two weeks after my birthday, I’ll be shipping out to the Beau where we will enjoy Ms. Gaga perform.  I’m ecstatic. What to wear?  “what matters is we are going to the show together. like Duran Duran, doesnt matter where we sit. of course if I can find a guard to bribe (prior to the show of course) I will do so.”

St. Patty’s Day revelry, oysters, champagne all day; shiny new baubles & bracelets; cupcake breaks (wedding cake! lemon raspberry! cookies and cream!); repair work on my walls finished! re-instating my office space; picking up new jeans, new shirts, new housewares; small reminders how loved I am & how many wonderful people I have in my life (aka my students bringing me Sprinkles cupcake mix!); Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease!  (I just ordered discs 1-5 on SwapADVD–awesome!); Tarina Tarantino heart necklaces on Ideeli (my first time shopping with them) & bracelets from Sephora; fabulous dance nights at old haunts; befriending bartenders & caipirinhas.

Sparkly, shallow, and shiny this month– just how I like myself in Spring!

What about you, bijoux? I want to see your loves this month!

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