the sunday currently, volume 55.

today, we celebrated starbucks sunday.

C  U  R  R  E  N  T  L  Y  .  .  .  

R E A D I N G not much of anything, really. Unless you count statistics homework websites. Or anatomy books. Those count, right?

W R I T I N G things similar to those above. Thrilling stuff over here, folks. But, of course, I'm back to writing blog posts again, so there's that, too!

L I S T E N I N G to my fall playlist, as well as the episode of How I Met Your Mother we had on our DVR.

T H I N K I N G today will be a day of scholastic productivity. And house-cleaning.

S M E L L I N G not really anything. Thanks, sinuses.

W I S H I N G I could nap all day.

H O P I N G I breeze through everything I have to do today. Not likely, but why not wish?

W E A R I N G a dress & a scarf, which is kind of my uniform lately.

L O V I  N G the A I got on my first Anatomy & Physiology test. Yep, that's right, folks, I made an A!

W A N T I N G ... see "Wishing" above.

N E E D I N G to stay positive & non-stressed. And to make sure I get in my pilates for today.

F E E L I N G tired & sore. Uplifting, right? I know I'll feel better as the week progresses. 

C L I C K I N G Laura's post on sadness, Jenna's Autumn Writer's Equinox post, & this article on digital etiquette from The Week. 

LSC

photo: starbucks sunday haul | taken this morning | find it on instagram

R E C E N T   P O S T S

the sunday currently, volume 54.

new & improved! plus, thoughts on my september blogging break.

loves lists: september 2013.

thoughts on monday.

thoughts on tuesday.

sidda wears polish: "I Don't Drink Cheap Wine," by Wet 'n Wild's Spoiled line.

sidda wears polish: "Gogo Girl," by Sinful Colors.

photo diary | espresso set.

Summer 2013 Empties
September 2013 Favorites

starbucks sunday: pumpkin spice currents.

today - starbucks sunday - has been a day of early church. of nail polish purchases. of neighborhood runs. of pumpkin spice lattes. of taking two puppies for a walk in the autumn-infused air. of reading on the porch & putting off laundry.

 

-----

 

reading where we belong, by emily giffin. and in reading it, i successfully put off doing laundry for at least 45 minutes today.

writing cover letters. i have to find a job in wilmington.

listening to alt nation with my mom on our mini-road trip friday was blissful. i love the killers' new song.

thinking it's time to slow down & calm down.

smelling fall-time in the air. it's the first day it's felt cool outside & i have dreams of sweaters & tights swirling in my head now.

wishing things would just go back to normal.

hoping this week will be better than last week. i am in need of some low-stress productivity.

wearing work out clothes, which is awesome, because that means i've worked out today.

loving the walk i went on with the puppies today.

wanting the cool air to stay around a while.

needing to go hop in the shower. and finish my laundry. and read more of my book.

feeling a bit anxious, but still rather content.

clicking through new blogs, finding new favorites.

 

-----

 

here's to a week of clarity, comfort, & at least one other trip to starbucks.



 

 

photo: nook & starbucks \ instagram

starbucks sunday: relaxation currents.

OH, HOW i miss starbucks sunday posts!

oh, how i miss drinking starbucks on sunday!

it has been entirely too long since i've enjoyed either one of the above. so, behold: currents brought to you on this lovely, lovely sunday after a truly rejuvenating weekend of rest, relaxation, & productivity. oh, and the drink i'm currently sipping? none other than a tall caramel frap, of course!

reading graceling. still. and i'm getting a bit fed up with myself that i still haven't finished it. i just haven't been giving myself enough time to sit down & read lately. i guess that's what happens when you're working full time, planning the last details of your wedding, & working out as much as possible. it's ok - i'll get back into my reading groove soon!

writing as much as possible. i've really been loving the written word lately, rather than grappling with it like i have been in previous months. i may just be getting inspired...

listening to the hum of the air conditioner outside. it's cold in our house, & i love it. as anna claire has pointed out before, 'you could hang meat in here.' i like bundling up. especially when it's summer, & i'm missing the chilly months, which have grown to be my favorite.

thinking i'm really happy with the way my diet & exercise programs have been going lately. i'm going to add pilates into the mix this week, which always makes me feel so great.

smelling caramel frap. and loving every second of it. i'm also smelling the 'bar hair' that's sitting on top of my head, reminding me of my time in a smoky bar last night. and hating every second of it. the smelling of the hair, that is. i had fun last night!

wishing days were made up of 36 hours.

hoping i continue to feel rested, motivated, encouraged, & inspired.

wearing a very long blue & white striped dress. and a brown cardigan. and smoky bar hair, piled on top of my head.

loving that i attended the gem & mineral show yesterday with my parents. not only did we check out all the interesting wares, i also scored some rocky road fudge & more pink sapphire earrings to add to my growing collection. i can't express my love of pink sapphire jewelry - all i can say is, it makes me happy. oh, & i'm also loving the fact that i'm looking forward to going to work tomorrow. that is something that very rarely happens to me.

wanting to be in the same place as justin.

needing to drink more water.

feeling content & rested, but also anxious about what i should be doing. it's a strange feeling, & i don't particularly care for it.

clicking her new leaf's entire blog. i think it's just the amount of pep my blogging step is in need of recently.

care to join in? link up below!

starbucks sunday: easter currents.

on this easter sunday, justin & i saw our visitors - his mom & sister - off, as they are heading back to shreveport today. 

then, we hopped in the car & drove down to new bern for brunch at baker's kitchen, which i've read numerous rave reviews about. while we didn't get to sample their main event item - the french toast - we were equally pleased with our pancakes, eggs over easy, &, in justin's case, a giant belgian waffle. we sipped coffee, discussed life, & just generally enjoyed each other's company. it was quite a perfect easter brunch! 

both before & afterwards, we explored downtown new bern, which is a gorgeous, serene, water-surrounded little town. the church steeples rise high into the sky as the weeping willows fall down onto the brick sidewalks. it's a perfectly peaceful place, one i'd like to return to soon. we also saw some little corgi puppies for sale in the window of one of the shops. i wish we could have played with them, but it was off-limits. they were precious. 

tonight we plan to relax, catch up on our shows, & see titanic on the big screen. a little secret about me is that i've never seen titanic in theaters. seeing it will be a dream come true for this titanic-obsessed girl.

long story short: no starbucks coffee was had today. but warm, fresh coffee poured straight into the mug before my very eyes is a very, very close second.

currently...

reading nothing. and i'm very sad about that. books breathe such a fresh air into my life. they are something i like to have around, constantly. i need something new to get into. well, actually i would like to read the white castle of louisiana, but i have not a clue where i've misplaced it. i am pretty sure it's sitting in a storage unit, 1100 miles away from me. i may order a new one off the internet. and then, i do believe i'll re-read the entire harry potter series. gives me a reason to finally fulfill my lifelong dream of a hardback harry potter collection. <--- nerd alert.

writing many, many blog posts tomorrow. getting caught up in a big way, so that i can work on making this blog the very best it can be. sometimes i get so discouraged, because i lose time to work on my writing, on the skills i feel best about. but tomorrow will be a catch-up day... a day to listen to music, read, & soak up every second of free time i have. 

listening to the soothing voices that announce the masters. golf, while not the most thrilling of sports to view on television, is no doubt one of the most comforting. and justin's commentary is truly priceless.

thinking about my career, & the ever-changing nature of it. and thinking about making a decision very soon, & never looking back. thinking that this time, it has to be for real. no more second-guessing.

smelling marc jacobs' lola. my current favorite perfume. so glad i got it for christmas from my parents. it's sweet & soothing.

wishing for things to work themselves out. with a little help from me, of course. i know effort must be exerted in order to see results. i just wish the path were a bit clearer.

hoping i don't cry a river when we see titanic tonight. but i know i will.

wearing a pink shirt in honor of easter. also, jeans & an old favorite hoodie. if we were outside currently, i'd wear my brand new neon shades, that i am slightly obsessed with. it's love.

loving text messages from family, saying easter isn't the same without me.

wanting chinese food.

needing to research careers, look for jobs, & live in the moment, all at the same time.

feeling good about all of my recent workouts. nothing compares to the post-workout feeling. now to get all that diet stuff in check this week. i'm doing a lot better.

photos: iphone; taken in new bern, north carolina

starbucks sunday: currents + a new 'ing.'

on this, the first starbucks sunday of april, two thousand twelve, no starbucks of the from-an-actual-free-standing-starbucks variety was had. though, a close second, a bottled frappuccino in the flavor coffee was devoured promptly following a sunday evening workout, after the above photo was taken, as well as after a little pop into walgreens to purchase said drink & pick up tower heist from red box.

currently...

reading my april real simple.

writing birthday cards to be put into the mail.

listening to justin put together a bookcase upstairs. about to go help, too.

thinking working only tuesday & thursday will be fun while it lasts.

smelling that clean-house smell.

wishing on a star?

hoping i will work out every single day this week. no excuses.

wearing gym clothes. a stolen borrowed shirt & some yoga pants.

loving the fact that i have some free time to really write tomorrow.

wanting something delicious for dinner tonight.

needing to find a full time job.

*feeling sore from working out a lot. and loving it.

photo: iphone

*the new 'ing'!

starbucks sunday: currents.

on this starbucks sunday morning, justin & i found ourselves in the port city of wilmington. and as we set out on the road to tour places like southport & wrightsville beach, we knew where our first stop had to be - starbucks. with a tall iced nonfat two splenda latte, a peppermint mocha frappuccino, a cinnamon swirl coffee cake, & a blueberry scone in hand, we were ready to tackle all the fun to be had today.

currently...

reading april magazines. i really need to finish them (as well as the march ones... eek!) before may arrives. my magazines of choice? real simple & in style.

writing wedding to do lists. i may bite my tongue for saying this, but things don't feel too stressful. i know what i need to do, & i simply want to do it. i'm enjoying planning the little details & can't wait to see them all come together.

listening... well, we were listening to the BEST radio station EVER during our wilmington weekend. if any wilmington natives happen to be reading this, it is 102.7 - and they were playing the best of the eighties & nineties. it's like they knew we were going on a road trip this weekend, & supplied the best tunes they could come up with. it's like i told justin - 'i think someone wanted me to have a good weekend.' unfortunately, the station is just barely out of reach in kinston - as we passed into lenoir county, that's when we started getting static.

thinking wilmington, southport, & wrightsville beach are my new favorite places. i can't wait to go back... & i want to take some friends & family with us! i got some great shots on my phone as we marveled at our surroundings... i'll be sure to share them in the coming weeks.

smelling like it's time for a shower. we've been running around all day, sticking our toes in the freezing atlantic ocean. i'm ready to freshen up before dinner.

wishing for rain on this dreary sunday evening. justin & i plan to have an evening of yummy dinner & the girl with the dragon tattoo from red box. rain would just make it even better!

hoping to do some shopping in the near future. i want to take a trip to greenville to check out this really cute shopping center i saw for the first time during our last visit over there.

wearing my feather dress, a navy cardigan with brass buttons, & a big, chunky orange-beaded necklace. and a top knot, of course.

loving my life. justin & i were talking on the drive home this afternoon about how grateful we are for all of the opportunities & support we are lucky enough to be blessed with. we are so happy. thank you.

wanting to wrap this post up & take a shower! can you tell i'm ready for that?

needing to really get after it in the gym this week - that definitely needs to be a priority.

we were so happy to be able to hang out with our friends alex & ashley this weekend! it was great to see them & go out on the town. the food was lovely, as were the drinks & company.

photo: wrightsville beach, taken with iphone

starbucks sunday: currents.

today, justin & i got in the car & trekked over to goldsboro, a little town about twenty-two miles west of kinston. why the trip? starbucks, of course! you may not know this, but kinston has no starbucks. as far as i've seen yet, kinston has no coffee shop to speak of, either. this very fact is how i've gone for over two weeks without my confection-laden coffee drinks. imagine my joy as we finally pulled through the drive thru of my used-to-be-weekly haunt.

as we pulled away - me with my tall nonfat caramel macchiato & cinnamon swirl coffee cake, justin with his tall peppermint mocha frappuccino & cinnamon swirl coffee cake - i knew that it was time for a 'currents' post here on my starbucks sunday feature.

currently...

reading timeline, by michael crichton. i hope to finish it this week. i'm so glad i finally listened to my dad & picked this book up. it's thrilling, exciting, educational, & just a fun read. afterwards, i'm reading the white castle of louisiana, by m.r. ailenroc. white castle is a book by one of the daughters of the man who built the plantation home where we're getting married. and after that book, it's harry potter re-read time!

writing via ink & paper methods, then transferring it to this blog. i find that i am a lot more creative with a pen in my hand, rather than a keyboard at my fingertips.

listening to john mayer radio on pandora - post coming regarding that later this week.

thinking that i am falling in love with greenville, the town approximately twenty-seven miles north of us. we have been there three times since i moved here two weeks ago.

smelling the most delicious-smelling soap i've come across in quite a while. it's called black currant vanilla, & it's from the bath & body works aromatherapy line. oh, & justin picked it out!

wishing for an extremely productive week. if you know me, you know that i absolutely detest waking up very early in the morning - and well, my job is eight to five now, & i have to get there right on the dot. and while this is difficult for me, i also take pride in the fact that i am getting things done so early in the morning, & the truth is that i love that feeling of productivity. the problem lies in getting there.

hoping we never have another bee incident, like we did yesterday. there was a huge swarm of bees right outside our back door & kitchen window. it may just brighten your day to know that justin & i were creeping around outside our house, armed with cans of bug spray, taking on what seemed to be a hives-full-worth of honey bees. when we called the landlady, she told us that they would fly away when the queen left. well, as it was, we couldn't just wait for the queen to tire of our neighborhood, as about twenty of her subjects were taking up residence inside our home. she also told us not to try to kill them - that it would just stir them up. we did not heed this advice, and two cans of industrial strength bug spray later, we were mopping up the inside of our doorway, boiling the kitchen sink, & discarding bug bodies in an effort to sweep up the aftermath. you can only imagine how thrilled i was that poison ended up being sprayed all over the kitchen - i just really hope we don't die from it.

wearing pajamas. we took lazy to the next level this weekend. seriously.

loving being in the same place as justin. and our apartment. it's homey & cozy. and also loving that our friend ben called me yesterday, simply to thank me for sending him a thank you note. that's sweet.

wanting our friends & loved ones to come visit us - i miss all of them terribly.

needing hangers. apparently i have a multitude of clothing. well... we already knew that, actually.

photo: iphone; taken by justin

starbucks sunday: the stacks + award.

when i went to visit kara at millsaps in jackson, she pretty much gave me the grand tour. 

and this is where i'm walking when i call you every day, she'd say, pointing to a brick staircase set in greenery. i loved seeing all the places that come together to equal out into a typical day for her, but my favorite place on campus - by far - was the stacks. 

after ascending a rickety metal staircase, you are transported into a world where walls are made of books & there are lights - windows - at the end of every tunnel.

it's true - i do this every time i'm in the presence of a multitude of books - i try to fathom how many volumes - how many words - how very many letters are floating in the air around me. 

this admittedly eerie, though undoubtedly charming, little space left me with the desire to make another trip to jackson - its sole purpose being for me to sit in the stacks & take in as many of those volumes - words - letters, as possible.

--

on a non-book-related note, i am so honored to relate to you that i have been presented with the liebster blog award, twice over - many months ago via memory, & just last week via julia. thank you, girls, so much for such an honor & compliment. 

and now, in keeping with the receipt of this award, i will list ten of my favorite blogs to honor with this award. check them all out if you know what's good for you. you won't be sorry. 

1. melissa, from 53 blonde.

2. sam, from ashore.

3. laura, from a diary of little things and curiosities. 

4. laura, from buy now, blog later.

5. bethany, from rinse. repeat.

6. lindsey, from focused linz.

7. daci, from just dandy.

8. jenna, from leggings love.

9. alison, from {long distance loving}.

10. annie, from annie's musings.

much love to all!

photos: iphone

starbucks sunday: currents + giveaway.

today's drink of choice = tall nonfat caramel macchiato


reading if you have to cry go outside, by kelly cutrone. i am really enjoying it - i think she's inspiring, entertaining, & funny. our book club meets in a couple of weeks & i'm excited to discuss it with everyone. being in a book club is such an awesome way to be introduced to books i never would have read otherwise - i'm a big fan.

writing final to-do lists: my last day at my current job is this thursday! i'm feeling a huge rush of emotions: excitement, sadness, a small touch of anxiety, & lots of hope for the future.

listening to my mom talk to mollie jean, abilene, & hun bun about having 'a little bitta chicken.' we are talk-to-our-dogs people.

thinking you should enter my givewaway! seriously, guys! i never thought hosting a giveaway would be so hard, but no one has entered mine yet. it would mean a lot to me if you'd enter. the software is really great, & since not a lot of people have entered, you'll have a better chance of winning :) the difficulty i've had with this has made me think i may not be cut out to host these things, so i probably won't for a while after this one.

smelling like i just got done working out. it's shower time after i finish writing this post, because in a little while, it's off to church.

wishing for a productive last week of work in the neurosurgery department. also, that i will be super productive in my last few weeks in shreveport before the big move to kinston. also, for safe travels for justin in the coming weeks! and that our road trip east is a lot of fun.

hoping to make some progress on my wedding to-do list this week. i'll have a week of super productivity, then i'll have a week where not much gets done. i'm ready for a productive week!

wearing workout clothes... ready to change that. i got a chic black dress & a sweet little navy cardigan from banana republic yesterday, & i have a unique print dress & black pencil skirt coming for me in the mail. i'm trying to build up my work wardrobe. next project = build up of flats collection.

loving my wedding dress! we're going to pick it up on tuesday. lindsey is coming with us! and yes, it's a different dress than the one i thought was the one. after an unpleasant experience with a well-know bridal chain, we went for a local bridal boutique. words cannot possibly describe how happy i am with that choice. everything happens for a reason, people. i should also say, i'm loving seeing results from my diet efforts. like, really loving it.

wanting cookies & biscuits. but i'm not going to eat them. i'm going to continue busting sugar, thank you very much.

needing to really center & focus myself this week. getting in the proper mindset is the key to productivity. at least in this camp.

photos: iphone, designed with my memories

want to win a copy of my memories? enter my giveaway!

starbucks sunday: caramel frappuccino currents.

currently...

reading sarah morgan: the civil war diary of a southern woman. although i'm not even sure if i can claim that i'm reading this currently. it has been sitting on my bedroom floor (along with the laundry version of mount everest) for about a week & a half. i really need to pick up our next book club read,  if you need to cry, go outside. i want the reading bug to bite me - i need an escape.

writing tons & tons of to-do lists. i need to set up appointments, start packing up my room, & countless other activities, many of them wedding-related.

listening to & watching the super bowl with my parents. i'm a little sad i missed madonna's performance. i've heard mixed reviews.

thinking about what i want to do with my life. again. it's a never-ending question which i fear will never be answered. also thinking about the vlogs i want to film with my better camera - YAY!

smelling freshly-baked cookies. 

wishing i could shake this annoyed feeling. today has been less than stellar. 

hoping the week ahead proves productive. and that i will be less of a klutz. you know those days where you can't stop running into things, dropping things, & basically just sucking at life? that was me, all of last week.

wearing jeans & a sweatshirt. and i just came from church. i look awesome.

loving this caramel frappuccino.

wanting to get in a better mood.

needing to get in a better mood.

photo: photobooth

starbucks sunday: justin's iphone artwork.

this particular starbucks sunday is lovely, because right after i pulled out of the drive thru & back onto the open road, i called my sister. 

as i sipped my tall nonfat caramel macchiato (the drink of choice lately, it seems), we talked about millsaps life, things we should be doing but don't feel like, & we laughed about things not fit to be posted on the internet (as per usual). 

this particular starbucks sunday is lovely, because after getting off the phone with my sister, i made a little impromtu pop into walgreens to buy some makeup i've had on my mind for quite some time.

this particular starbucks sunday is lovely, because i am about to share with you some of justin's recent iphone art. get ready, ladies & gentlemen.

perhaps in order for any of this to make sense, you will have had to read this particular post. with my discovery of the emojicons for iphone, a new trend has been born: the moomoo symbol... a little cow. 

needless to say, justin is nothing short of an iphone artist. the barn one has a special place in my heart, because it was the very first i ever received. i find the sailboat particularly impressive, but the tennis depiction is the obvious favorite. i mean, look at their little rackets. how can you say no?

thank you, justin, for keeping me endlessly entertained with your creativity. 

photos: iphone

starbucks sunday: a vlog.

as i sipped on my tall nonfat caramel macchiato on this lovely starbucks sunday,

i thought it was finally time i tried my hand at vlogging.

as a lover of the beauty gurus on youtube, i have thrown around the idea again & again of making my own videos. however, as i do not yet have the appropriate equipment to properly film makeup tutorials & such, i have opted to film the accent tag today. this tag has been floating around the internet for what feels like an eternity, & i have watched what feels like millions of these uploads, but i thought what the heck...

so, there you have it! i hope you enjoyed my forray into the vlogosphere.

starbucks sunday: shreveport bound.

today, i am headed home from kinston, to shreveport. hopefully i will find some starbucks along the way. you'll be mildly horrified (as i was) to discover that the towns i have been frequenting this week do not share my love of this particular coffee company. my week-long visit was a roller coaster ride of emotions, opportunities, & the like. i am tired, but happy. i love our new little town, & i look forward to living there. now is the time to soak up all the shreveport i possibly can before the big move. there is much to do!

--

speaking of much to do, i plan to write a wedding planning update this week, which i'm really excited about. i think getting all my tasks & triumphs 'on paper' will really enlighten me. this week will also see the beginning of the documentation of my carolina new year. i have lots of pretty pictures to share... many all of them taken with instagram. i am a slight instagram addict.

photo: jacksonville, north carolina, taken with iphone