I am a happy girl today. Very happy. But more on that later! Right now all I want to share with you is my latest purchase.
Isn't it so pretty? I've been eyeing this dress for weeks, and today the perfect opportunity to wear it presented itself. I couldn't resist!
This gorgeous frock is from one of my favorite sites, ModCloth.com. I wasn't sure about the sizing of this dress - on the site it said it runs a little small - so I called and spoke to one of their representatives and she gave me the measurements. I ended up getting a size up from what I normally would and I think it's going to work out just fine. The girl I spoke to was super helpful, and the dress is shipping out tomorrow so I should have it by Friday. I can't wait to get my hands on it and try it on!
Now make a wish.
I recently had to write a personal statement for a job that I'm applying to. It's a copywriter position at the company I already work for, and I had to write a paragraph or two explaining why I want the job and why I'd be the perfect fit.
I had the hardest time getting started.
Let's just call it a serious case of writer's block.
But, as I sat on my little golden ottoman in front of my little black desk, just staring at my blank computer screen and waiting for inspiration to strike, it got me thinking about writing. About the nature of writing. If I get this job (and I really hope I do - keep your fingers crossed!), that's what I'll spend the majority of my days doing. Which means I'll be sitting at my desk at work much like I sat at my desk at home this afternoon. Knees pulled up to my chest, arms wrapped around them, head cocked to the side, staring off into space. All of these thoughts flying prettily around my head like little butterflies. I observe and examine each one before I reach out and gently close my hand around the one I can use best, pinning its wings to my paper with the words that capture it perfectly.
The act of writing isn't when you put your pen to the paper - or fingers to the keyboard - it's what happens before that. For me, writing is what happens when I'm staring off into space. The trick to being a good writer, I believe, is being able to be alone with your own thoughts. All of the messy and crazy ideas zipping around your brain. Being able to sit and be quiet with them, taking each thought for what it is, and having the ability to determine how you can use it, if you can use it at all, in your writing. The words are, for me, secondary. For me it's always been about the thought, the message, I'm trying to convey.
The problem is that lately my thoughts have been very quiet.
I haven't felt inspired by anything or anyone lately, and it seems like writing (and blogging) has become more of a chore than a creative outlet. I wonder why that is. Because normally this little corner of the virtual world brings me a lot of joy. I know it's just a phase, but I wish it would hurry up and pass on by. Or maybe I just need to keep writing and push through it. Maybe both.
What do you think, dear readers? How do you deal with bouts of writer's block like this?
I've been working a 12-9pm shift at work for the past couple weeks. It ends on the 22nd, and then I'm back to a more normal schedule. Until then I'm stuck eating some weird portable dinners. I've been making full meals at like 9:30 am and bringing them to work to reheat during my break. It's not awful, but it's definitely made me miss being home to make a real meal. Saturdays I'm usually out doing something, so for the last few weeks Sunday nights have become my night to cook myself a nice dinner. It's finally gotten cold here. The leaves have fallen and it's definitely autumn, so I was craving a real autumn meal. Pork chops. Sweet potatoes. Yum and yum.
I made a rub for the pork chops with garlic, sage, a little white wine and olive oil, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper. I let the meat sit for about 30 minutes before I cooked in a pan on the stove top. The sweet potato I cut up into bit size chunks and roasted in the oven with some onion, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Voila! Instant fall comfort food.
A few weeks ago Melanie made the most amazing cupcakes I've ever had. Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream. Seriously. She just found the recipe online and made them...and then we ate them all and gained about 10lbs a piece.
I wanted to bring something to the Halloween party that I went to, so I decided to make them myself. I used the same recipe Mel did and it was so easy! Except I burned the caramel twice before I got it right. Hey, it was my first time! I meant to take pictures, but I had to get my costume on and get to the party. Then I fully intended to take pictures at the party, but everyone ate them. Like, all of them.
Every. Single. One. Gone!
See?
If you want the recipe you can find it here. And if you want to see pretty pictures of the cupcakes, you can look at them on Melanie's blog.
Don't worry, there'll be plenty more opportunities to take cupcake pics as I'll definitely be making these again!
