As the days kept turning into night

Well, my friends – 2011 is officially gone and past. For me, it was a “Banner Year.” I made it my goal to end 2011 and my 20s with a bang, and I feel like I succeeded. I know my journalism professors are turning over in their yet-to-be-filled graves by the use of the “banner year” and “out with a bang” cliches, but sometimes cliches feel oh so right. I’m just so full of love, luck and happiness in my life these days, it makes my heart three times its size.

As I look back and say goodbye to 2011, I’m simultaneously looking back and saying goodbye on my 20s since I’ll turn 30 in two short weeks. Oh how, oh how, do you write a post summing up an entire decade?! My general conclusion is that life.is.good. Each year I’ve learned to right a few wrongs, improve just a titch, enjoy new and exciting hobbies, cross off many bucket list items, and really revel in all the joy friends, family and success can bring. I feel like I’ve slowly been growing each year into a better version of myself than the year before, and I’m so excited to jump into 2012 – my first full year living in San Francisco. I have a lot of thoughts around what I want my year to look like, which I’ll also be sharing with you this week, along with the bucket list rundown of 2011/2012. But first, I thought it’d be easier to create a video recap of my year instead of posting a 900 word diatribe with 100 photos.

So, I present to you … a video recap of what I was doing in 2011 as the days kept turning into night:

2011 from Je on Vimeo.You can read my 2010 recap here. 

Currently Feeling: Glad to have finished that video! Has taken me all week, but I’m getting better at iMovie. It’s pretty fun!
Currently Anticipating: Jersey Shore starting this week! Is that bad to admit?
Currently Wishing: I could have just been in Maui with my family over my actual birthday – hate stressing about celebrations. :/

A little peek inside

I thought it’d be fun to show my blog lovelies a peek inside my San Francisco apartment*! (Taken from my iPhone, which is the reason for the video shape):

Humble San Francisco Abode from Je on Vimeo.

After living with roommates my entire 20s (minus one year I first lived alone, post college), I knew I wanted to try living by myself again when I moved to SF. At first I was a bit nervous that I’d hate living alone as much as I did in my early 20s. I’m somewhat of a “social butterfly” and have always liked having someone around to chat with, make dinner and watch reality TV with, or be there if I’m sick or something goes wrong.

But over the past three months (!!!) I’ve been in San Francisco, I’m happy to report that I freakin’ love living on my own and am so glad with the decision I made. It’s not anything against my roommates in the past because I’ve had some great ones who I miss (minus the one absolute crazy roommate off Craigslist who owned more than 20 houseplants and a cat that rubbed its butt across the floor, collected antiques, left all the cupboards in the entire house open and only bought in bulk at Costco).

Ahem, tangent.

Anywho, there’s just something so nice about having your own apartment. I’ve loved decorating it just the way I want, and have gone on many “skies the limit” trips to Pier 1 (my favorite home store) and am constantly perusing Etsy for homemade decor.

I also love only worrying about my mess, and the couch and DVR is always mine! And I can buy flowers for my kitchen every week and play music loudly when I’m getting ready without worrying about someone sleeping, I never have to fight for the bathroom, or who’s cleaning it, and there’s no tempting bad food around to steal and then have to replace later.

My apartment just feels so special, and all mine, and is my own personal oasis to relax. Le sigh.

Do you live alone or with roommates? What do you like/dislike about it?

*You can see the before photos of my apartment here.

Currently Feeling: In love with lulu’s WunderUnder crops – I think I might love them better than the Groove pant now.
Currently Anticipating: A fresh new haircut, a meeting with a potential new (fitness) client, and the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah concert tonight. Great day!
Currently Loving: White peaches. Or summer fruit in general. Been devouring homemade fruit salads left and right.

Here is where I serenade you and offer up a BIG giveaway

Last week, I was given the opportunity to host a Wrapped in Goodness party courtesy of Lean Pockets, which means I was sent a HUGE ass box stocked with Snuggies for my guests, a questions party game, coupons for free boxes of Lean Pockets’ new Culinary Creations, and $100 for additional food and wine. (That was my disclosure part). What ensued was 12 goodnesses wrapped in a party… And yes, I did really make all my guests pose with their chosen number of snacks while I sang probably the crappiest version ever of The 12 Days of Christmas, using a YouTube karaoke video. Oh the laughter! Sometimes I wonder if my life is real.

What I’m giving YOU, lovely friends and readers for suffering through my high pitched craziness is a chance to win an entire YEAR’S supply (183 coupons) of Lean Pockets. Heyo! All you have to do is leave a comment here telling me your favorite Christmas song (Here’s hoping it’s my awesome rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas). For an extra entry, you can head over to the LP Facebook page and like it, and let me know here. AND, if you Tweet about it, tag me @jeannabarrett and use the hashtag #goodnessparty & #giveaway, and I’ll throw an extra entry in there. I’ll choose the winners at random by Friday at 5 p.m. and announce by Monday! Good luck!

Currently Feeling: Tired from staying up till 2:30am to knock out that video. Once I get my mind on something, I can’t stop.
Currently Anticipating: Girl Power Hour’s Cocktail Holiday party on Thursday!
Currently Loving: That I can wear yoga clothes to work every day. Love my job.

You little MINX you

Have you seen the hot new trend – MINX nails?! I’ve seen a couple girls here and there with the fabulous, uber shiny nail decals that are rumored to stay on two weeks to a month, and have literally swooned. I totally want a fab set of glamour gold nails for the holidays.

You can get a MINX applied at your salon, or even do them yourself. My fabulous beauty-expert friend (and co-Power Team member), Tricia Mann, created a fun little video talking about the trend. Catch it here:

What do you think – have you seen this trend? Would you MINX?

Currently Feeling: Super excited to embark on an exciting new project this month!
Currently Anticipating: To have a low-key weekend and knock out some work on new projects, and wrap up some old projects, and have a little family time on the side to boot.
Currently Loving: My new bracelet – which is beautiful, and gets tons of compliments. What is it, and where did I get it? I’ll update you this weekend on the new trend you’re totally going to want to purchase!

I’m letting the Crazy Cat Lady out of the bag

I own a quirky little cat – she has tons of personality, she’s a little sassy and a little craaazy at times, but she can also be oh-so-sweet and is absolutely adorable. I think the Cat God gifted me with a mini cat version of myself. Kinda like how your mom says, “Just wait until you have a kid just like you some day!” Well, I had a cat. For those of you who haven’t read since I purchased her in 2006, her name is Stella (middle name Artois). I also refer to her as:

1. Stell-belle (or Bella-Stelle)
2. Bella
3. Stella kitty
4. Pretty girl
5. Squishy face
6. Lover kitty
7. Trouble maker (when she does something bad)
8. Little biatch (when she does something really bad)
9. Needy-little-thing (when she follows me everywhere and meows)
10. Princess kitty
11. Baby-baby
12. Fluffy butt
13. Sweet girl

I think that might be it; do you officially think I’m a crazy cat lady?! If you don’t… read on. Anyway, I don’t know that I’ve ever loved something as much as I love her. I think owning a pet is a really life-altering experience, whether you’re a dog person or cat person, or like ferrets. To me, this is only the tip of the obsession iceberg with how I’ll probably feel some day when I have kids. (Scary). Some of the things she does that are super cute and quirky are:

• She makes Wookie sounds – that’s right; I just made a Star Wars reference. But it’s sooo funny. Every time you scare her, or bump or, or gently push her with your foot, she’ll make a purring Wookie sound.
• She follows me everywhere. If I’m in the kitchen cooking, she’s watching me on the kitchen floor. If I’m watching TV, she’ll plant herself on the couch cushions above me. If I’m in bed, she’s at the foot of it, or on top of the pillows above my head.

• Every time I take a shower, she stands outside and “talks” to me. Like she can’t believe I left her alone for 10 minutes, somewhere that she can’t be right next to me. She does the same thing when I’m out on my patio with the screen door or slider closed.
• She hides her eyes when she sleeps – she’ll press her face against a pillow, or the edge of the coffee table, or a pile of clothes so she can have darkness. It’s like her own personal sleep mask!

• She has an obsession with soft, fluffy things that are the same consistency as her fur. She used to drag white, fluffy mohair gloves out of my former roommate’s room and carry them around in her mouth. She also does this with a white ski hat and a pair of white petal flower hair clips I own. I’ll come home and always find them in the middle of the bathroom floor. She’s also a big fan of feathers…

• She has a little spot under the bottom left-hand side of my bed that she goes and sits in the dark when she wants to be alone. If she’s not right next to me – she’s in her little hiding spot.
• She tries to burrow her way underneath a pile of clean clothes on my bed, or underneath the covers and pillows because she likes to be in dark “caves.” This also includes climbing into overnight bags, suitcases or paper bags after grocery shopping.
• She is always at the front door when I come home. (I don’t know how she pulls it off).
• She’s obsessed with the smell of my filed nails, I think? Every time I pull the nail file out – she’s on my lap in lightning fast speed, rubbing her face against the nail file and sniffing it.
• She’ll also run from wherever she is, at breakneck speed, if I’m opening a can of tuna and then meow insensitively at me. In fact, I made a mini video of it for you:

• She attacks my feet, or Mike’s too, whenever they’re sticking out from the end of the bed. It kinda hurts and pisses us off when she snags our bare skin, but it’s also a super funny game she plays, and we usually have to dive under or hide our feet if we hear her coming.
• When I clean her litter box, she likes to go and sprawl out in it. Kinda like, “Ahh…finally. It’s clean and this feels sooo good!”
• She sprawls out on her back, with all feet spread out in different directions, and oftentimes she stretches both paws out to the side in a flying Superman pose.

• When she sits on the edge of the bed or couch and watches me, she folds her little paws, one over the other, like she’s prim and proper.
• She let’s me hold her like a baby, and squish her nose, and nuzzle my face into her fur over and over again, and she doesn’t budge. But sometimes, just sometimes if she’s frisky and doesn’t want to be held, she’ll squeak when I do it, which just makes me laugh. I’m always trying to get her to squeak or make Wookie sounds.

The greatest thing about pets, I think, is that they all have their own little quirky personalities like this… and I just find it so damn endearing. I’m gonna be a red hot mess when this little thing leaves my life.

Marshmallows make me smile

It is a well known Je-fact that I am obsessed with marshmallows. I used to eat marshmallow cream out of a jar with a spoon in college (before my figure had to be watched), and I actually own a Marshmallow Fluff cookbook that a former roommate gifted me (you would not believe the recipes they come up with in the thing). My love for marshmallows has followed me around since youth. (You can read my ode to marshmallows, and my complete history with them in a post I wrote years ago).

Anywho – there is a well-known cupcake shop in Seattle that creates a S’mores cupcake. It has a graham cracker bottom, chocolate cake with graham pieces and a marshmallow merigue on top. UM, GENIUS! I’ve been dying to try it ever since the cupcake was featured on Martha Stewart last year.

I finally got my chance last night at a friend’s birthday party and caught it on flim here for you guys:

As you can see, all I’m interested in is the marshmallow topping. Screw the other stuff in a S’more! Viva la marshmallows!

Currently Feeling: Like there’s not enough time today. I need to run so many errands before rush hour hits.
Currently Anticipating: A cabin weekend with all my high school girl friends this coming weekend!
Currently Reading: The White Tiger. Well, okay, I’m not currently reading it cause I finished it yesterday, after only three days. I just wanted to tell everyone how good it was! Highly recommended.

Sometimes I laugh like a hyena

Packing, moving and unpacking all went well this weekend. I missed a Bacon, Bacon, Bacon Saturdays for Breakfast post because I was busy doing the latter from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, so forgive me, all two of you who look forward to those.

I was too busy having mini orgasms from the dishwasher and washer/dryer in my new place this weekend to do anything fun. Or have real orgasms, apparently. My boyfriend now has to fight for my attention. I am in love with my appliances. (He already feels inferior to one “appliance,” so I might just lose him over the new additions. I might end up a lonely spinstress with my cat and my appliances. God help me.) I have been washing things that were always deemed not worth the dollar or time it took in my last place – and everything is so shiny, sparkly and CLEAN. I feel so unlike myself. Dirty is my middle name. But onward and upward! I am a changed woman!

*Riiiight*

The move-in went as smoothly as I could have hoped, I suppose. Minus the fact that my beautiful CREAM micro suede couch had to be moved in BY ROPE to the FOURTH FLOOR BALCONY. I managed to catch it on the Flip video cam. You will probably be mostly bored by this video since my videography skills are lacking, and clearly I need to learn how to “talk to my audience.” However, you might want to watch it if you would like to hear me snort like a hyena or a squeeky see-saw. Kinda like this: hahaha HUUUH. HUUUH. HEEE HUUUUH. That happens somewhere around 1:18.

Currently Feeling: In love with my new place – it’s so organized, clean and pretty. I’ll get photos up soon for those of you who requested them.
Currently Anticipating: My honey’s 30th birthday party celebration this Thurs/Fri!
Currently Needing: To decide on a naughty cake decoration for the birthday party on Friday – I’ll be polling you for your opinions, so stay tuned!

Polish Sausage & Wen’s Birthday

Here are the pics I promised of my weekend for your viewing pleasure on Hump Day. Cheers!

Currently Feeling: A little buyer’s remorse. Meh.
Currently Anticipating: Receiving bathing suit #1 in the mail today (the pink one).
Currently Loving: The BCBG black peep-toe wedges with a buckle across the toe that I bought at Ross last night for $35!

Blogoversary rhymes with… nothing. But it sure is fun to say.

Today is my third blogoversary! Everyone join me in celebrating the end of three years – and the beginning of four. Wow. Three entire years of my life recorded – that’s a lot of writing. Keeping in tradition of birthday videos, I’ve created a birthday video for my blog. And yes, in case you were wondering, I do have a career in rap.

And here are a few of my favorite posts from the last year, for those of you who just started reading, or for those of you who care to be reminded:

March 20, “Say No to Hippies“

April 28, “The Day I Peed on a FEDERAL BUILDING“

July 7, “The First OG Gangsta to Go“

September 18, “A Text Message Conversation I Just Had with a Stranger“

October 8, “I Sat Next to a Gold Digger“

October 9, “Man-in-Uniform Syndrome“

November 25, “Hanky Panky“

December 16, “Like Cat Dander, Bee Stings and Peanuts“

December 31, “This Year’s Love Had Better Last” (For the video recap I did of 2008).

January 9, “An Open-Ended Letter to an Important Part of My Future“

January 20, “Mama’s Gotta Eat a Cheeseburger, Officially“

Feburary 6, “Two Tickets to the Butt Show“

February 10, “My Life List – 100 Things I Want to Do Before I Die“

February 23, “Portrait of a Seven-Year Gap“

Currently Feeling: Addicted to Lean Cuisine barbecue chicken pizzas.
Currently Anticipating: A steak dinner and some TV.
Currently Watching: The Millionaire Matchmaker – most of these guys are the biggest douches.

Goodbye Corporate America, Hello Office on the Beach!

SO, I’m applying to The Best Job in the World. Have you heard of it yet?

It’s real! It’s real! It’s not even one of those Internet scams…

Apparently, Australian tourism hatched a scheme to protect their 8 billion dollar industry – tourism – from THE.RECESSION. They are hiring one candidate for a six-month contract to fly to the Great Barrier Reef and discover “what the area has to offer.” You’re instructed to explore, snorkel, swim and then all ya gotta do is blog about it with some entertaining words, photos and vlogs. (Oh, and a little fish feeding, pool cleaning and mail collecting). The person who is hired will be paid $150,000 and a plain ticket from their home country to Queensland, Australia.

For reals?! Yep. I’ve checked it out, and even though the Web site is up and down due to the overload of traffic, the job announcement is all over the news sites, and those running the program are even following their applicants on Twitter. (Now that’s smart recruiting).

Kiss my grits!

So, I’ve started to brainstorm a bit about what my video application might be. (60 seconds or less) to tell them just how amazing, eloquent and charismatic I am. (Perhaps I should avoid the booby shaking from my recent video), BUT, I have become quite skilled as a back-up dancer lately, so that might be an option…

Any suggestions?

Wow. It’s like I’m young enough to apply to Real World all over again! (And they say life is over at 25). Pshaw!

Currently Feeling: Zippity doo dah.
Currently Anticipating: My Moroccan birthday dinner tonight with my parents, boyfriend and bestie. Sunday is the BIG celebration!
Currently Loving: The new wine glasses my coworker bought me with a little chalkboard on the front, so I can write my name, my mood or something fun on my glass!