10 most irritating phrases

in the English language found via Reader's Digest. I concur, especially the first one.

• At the end of the day
  
• Fairly unique
  
• I personally
  
• At this moment in time
  
• With all due respect
  
• Absolutely
  
• It's a nightmare
  
• Shouldn't of
  
• 24-7
  
• It's not rocket science

(tonight)

I'm going to see (500) Days of Summer, finally! Yes, it came out a while ago but for one reason or another I haven't been able to see it yet. But, tonight's the night and I'm so excited!!!

keys to my heart (and house)

I often get my apartment keys confused because several of the keys on my key ring look identical: same color, same shape, same everything. And since I don't have the time or interest to find one distinctive mark on the cuts for each key to remember which is which, I settled for a yellow paint pen dot on my current apt key (because I refused to use these) But today, thanks to my Daily Candy emails, I found out just how out-of-date my little yellow paint pen dot actually is. These are brilliant...and fun!

it's tape!

I want to create art like THIS!

found via Design*Sponge.

Maggie's getting married!

My friends Maggie and Neal are getting married in October and the celebrations have started! The wedding is just about 6 weeks away and now all the fun is starting. This past weekend, Maggie had her bridal shower, which was a blast. Tons of food, games and presents...and plenty of bubble gum for Maggie when she got an answer wrong about her and Neal. Thanks for planning such a great shower, Kyo!

summer

I love this picture that I found on the Design*Sponge blog. It looks so summery and beautiful and like it's the middle of June somewhere. And, unfortunately, reminds me that summer is almost over...

for old time's sake

During my senior year in college, I watched this YouTube video on average 3 times a day. If I was stressed or having a bad day, I'd pull this up and instantly be mesmerized. I just thought about it again tonight for some reason and couldn't help sharing it. Even if you don't watch the whole thing, make sure you make it to the 1:00 minute mark!

Abbey must not have known this picture was being taken for me...she's smiling?

rifqa bary

pretty amazing to see this girl's courage.

dirty laundry

Thanks to NY Mag (and LA) for such entertainment!

Bill Clinton: So did you call me in here so I could teach you all the lessons I learned from my rescue trip to North Korea? That was pretty great, wasn't it? Kim Jong-Il looks even more like a lollipop in person.
President Obama: I called you in here to tell you that you can never do anything like that ever again, especially without asking first.
Bill Clinton: I meant to, but Gore called me up, and I was joyriding Bingy's jet for the week anyway, and you know how it goes.
President Obama: You could at least have called your wife, the secretary of State.
Bill Clinton: Yeah ... I don't have her number.
President Obama: [Sighs]
Bill Clinton: I brought you back some North Korean cigars?

ultimate forgiveness

This article brought tears to my eyes, more than once. This is forgiveness, from Jenny Sanford on her husband's recent affair with a mistress in Argentina:

For now, the first lady of South Carolina is groping for the high road and trying to keep an open mind. “If you don’t forgive,” she says, “you become angry and bitter. I don’t want to become that. I am not in charge of revenge. That’s not up to me. That’s for the Lord to decide, and it’s important for me to teach that to my boys. All I can do is forgive. Reconciliation is something else, and that is going to be a harder road. I have put my heart and soul into being a good mother and wife. Now I think it’s up to my husband to do the soul-searching to see if he wants to stay married. The ball is in his court.”

Read the whole article, from Vogue, here. Believe me, it's worth it. You will be inspired.

home sweet home

Here are a few updated pictures from my new apt as promised!

My bedroom, above and below. If you saw my old room, you'll see it looks pretttty much the same...

and you can't see it because of the way I took this picture, but there is ANOTHER window just to the left of my desk. Heaven.

The kitchen, above and below. And you can see the hallway (in the photo below) that leads to the outside of the apartment. On the left side of the hallway are the two bathrooms and at the end of the hallway on the right is another bedroom. I can't wait to cook in this kitchen! (Sadly, even after living there a month and a half, I haven't cooked yet. The summer has just been too busy I guess...)

Pictures of the living room are coming soon! I haven't had time to get photos taken of the latest additions, but hopefully in the next day I'll have them up (although, the living room is still somewhat of a work in progress...) Home is where the heart is though, right?

Harry Potter, praise?

I've always been a pretty big skeptic of Harry Potter, but in the last month have grown increasingly interested in this boy and his story, thanks to Maggie, who is a rather big fan! I'm about halfway through the first book and decided I will re-evaluate after I'm done as to whether I want to continue in the series. But I must admit, so far it is a very intriguing story and fast read because I'm constantly wanting to find out what happens to this little boy who somehow received "grace" from someone (?) and overcame evil and apparently death (I'm only in the first book...), not by his own doing but as a predestined plan, it seems. Anyway, this morning I was reading a new blog on my list, 843 acres, and found a link to this article. If you, like me, had your Harry Potter doubts, it's worth a read.

How the boy wizard won over religious critics - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

books, boundaries & borders

Over the past 2-3 weeks, I've had a rather elevated desire to read. Ever since I moved to New York, it's grown dramatically but even more over the summer. In light of that knowledge, I spent almost 3 hours in Borders yesterday (yes, one of the most beautiful Saturdays all summer I spent inside a bookstore) looking at tons and tons of different books that are on my reading to-do list. But what drew me in was to pick up a book called Boundaries that someone recommended to me last week. This is written by Christian psychologists about how to effectively set boundaries in your life in order to not feel responsible and burdened for things that you ultimately have no control over. I haven't started it yet, but am anxious to read it.

However, the sad realization I came to while in Borders is this: the last time I visited the Christian section in Borders it took up one entire shelf, front and back, and the front side of another shelf, all of Christian books- Christian inspiration, Christian fiction, Theology, etc. Yesterday as I searched for what used to be the "Christian" section, I noticed most of the shelves had been replaced by History sections and Eastern religion sections and other various topics. The Christian section was now squeezed into one tiny side of one shelf.

Sadly I don't have any deep or profound thoughts except that I just felt an extreme and real sadness at this observation as soon as I noticed this yesterday. Not that any of this is new news but it just reminded me yet again what a broken and fallen world we live in. When that becomes evident in such minuscule things as the book arrangements in Borders, I think that is only the mere evidence spilling out of a much deeper root issue. (I'm still hoping I was just confused after the rearrangement, but something tells me I should be less naive.) And what a sad issue it is.

this dog must be from Alabama

(sorry to any Obama fans) but this is the funniest video I've ever seen!

great inspiration

I've recently started on a new project at work that has been "dead" for the last year. I actually helped with some of it last summer when I was an intern, but then when I started full time, the project was cancelled for various reasons. Anyway, as I'm going back and re-familiarizing myself with the project, I've come across the inspiration images that I found for the project last summer. I forgot how much of a "perryn project" this is, right up my alley. These are some of the inspirational images I'm having to delve through:

back to the summer diaries

more of what I've been doing this summer:

Nicaragua Fundraiser Summer Social. A group of 12 of my friends from Redeemer ventured out on a mission trip (this week actually!) to Jinotepe, Nicaragua to do some mission work at a private orphanage. Before the trip there were lots of fundraisers and events to raise awareness and financial support for the group going. I helped organize the "small town Saturday night" themed event...because I have a lot of experience with small towns & Saturday nights, I guess. The event was a blast!

Just one of the many weekends spent "fixing up" the new apartment. Christine spent many Saturdays in Manhattan because our ceilings are 10 feet tall! Beautiful, but somewhat of a pain when you're just short of 5'6" and trying to paint to the top. Thanks Stine for your help!!

Brent and Monica's visit to the city. I never thought I'd say this, but I think I actually wore Mon out! We had a blast though going between NYC and Morristown. And having 3 out of the 4 Pettus kids together in the Big Apple is almost unbelievable. Paige, please come visit soon!!

July 4th! Probably the most fun and unique fourth I've ever had. It started out on a beach in Coney Island, which happened to be the same day as the ESPN-covered International Hot Dog Eating Contest. The beach was...well... an interesting and fun experience and definitely very contrasted from the calm, beautiful white sandy beaches of Florida. Then after our time in Coney Island was done, we crossed the river and ate and watched the fireworks from Jersey City. I think we had the best view!

500 pencils

If anyone is looking to get me a birthday present or a present anytime within the next 20 months, I'll give you a clue what would be one of the most exciting presents ever: 500 Pencils.

happy day to all the left-handers out there!

August 13 is internationally recognized as "Lefthanders' Day"! Click here to read an article from a fellow left hander about the challenges and obstacles we all face on a daily basis.

A blip from another lefthander website stated that this day is set apart to raise awareness of the inconveniences facing us left-handers in a predominantly right-handed world (It's true. If you're a righthander, I bet you've never even thought of this, have you?). It celebrates our "uniqueness and difference"! This nice article also mentions that there appears to be a direct connection between lefthandedness and intelligence. But, I could have told you that a long time ago...

So to all those lefties out there, go celebrate! It's your day. Eat a cupcake today, left-handed, with pride! I know I will.

trouble in paradise

It looks like things are about to get ugly. I'm not sure why I find this so hilarious... but still, I do. Might be partly due to the fact that it is ridiculously humorous and absurd how the media follows Slick Willy and documents his every move, still. and it looks like Hillary has had about enough of it!

first days of school

There are many (many) reasons I can think of to be so glad that I'm not starting school today, or anyday for that matter, and especially kindergarten or second grade. The biggest reason probably being that I don't have to be anxious and worried about who I'm going to sit by at lunch or whether someone will have on the same outfit as me. But, seeing these cutes faces and outfits and knowing that they have all new crayons and school supplies in those backpacks does make me a tiny bit jealous. How can it not?

McKay on her first day of Kindergarten and Mayce (the old pro) going to 2nd grade

Tate, just being like his big sisters

Elliot on his first day of Kindergarten

uniform project

Why can't I ever think of anything cool like this until... it's already been thought of? The Uniform Project is an "exercise in sustainable fashion." (I mean, what ISN'T sustainable these days?!) For 1 year, 365 days, this girl will wear the same dress- every day. just accessorized differently. And the reason? To raise support and funds for an organization called the Akanksha Foundation, which is a program hoping to revolutionize education in India and helping to fund other expenses for school (such as uniforms) for children living in Indian slums.

She started this fundraiser in May 09. This is her 102nd day, and her outfit today:

Check out the website to see ALL of her outfits thus far!

4 vs. 25

(another short break from the summer diaries for this): Yesterday was my week to teach Sunday school, and there's always a funny story to tell by 11 am on Sunday mornings. As soon as Joe walked in (the usual class clown) I had to stifle my laughter. Check out the picture below and see if his outfit reminds you of anything I posted previously in the last 6 months...?

If it doesn't, click here to see the resemblance! It's uncanny. However, keep in mind: Joe is 4. I guess this confirms a lot of my suspicions... :)

happy anniversary gg's!

A short hiatus from catching up on my summer to say, 63 years is almost 3 times my age. I can't really even fathom that long but nevertheless, happy anniversary to the GG's!!!

the new humble abode

welcome to 3E! While the movers continued to load box after box...after box at 14G, I went up to the new apartment to make sure everything went smoothly on the move in. This is a glimpse of the apt pre-move-in or decoration. Even with nothing there, you can still see that it's a pretty sweet pad, with lots and lots and lots of windows!!!

This is my bedroom! And you can't tell here, but it has not only one, but TWO windows.

Our kitchen.

The living room, and there is again ANOTHER window that you can't see in this picture...

Another view of the living room and the couch the guys so generously left for us. But lots and lots of work to do on making this place a home...

the ABC studios from outside our living room window. I look for Kelly Ripa every morning... haven't seen her yet, but I'm still crossing my fingers!