when inspiration's lacking...

i've never done one of the little questionnaire blog posts before.  kind of a good day to do it since i'm 1) hungover and dying from exhaustion 2) still at work at 4:20 on a friday and 3) i neeeeeeeed to be better about posting, and maybe you'll read a little something about me that you don't already have figured out...

i got this little diddy from Charbelle at Ramblings!  check out her blog here!

1. If you could eat anything without any health repercussions or guilt, what would your meal be?

right now?  i would (and could) eat a giant vat of buffalo chicken dip.  the husband and i are attending a GA/FLA party tomorrow, and if there's no buffalo chicken dip present, i might die.  this reminds me i must get all of the makings for my favorite bean dip.  i'll make a post about the recipe this weekend.  it's a nice healthy dip to take to parties to sit among the cream cheese filled deliciousness.  no worries, it holds it's own in the delicious department!

2. If you could meet anyone living or dead who would it be and why?

i kind of hate this question.  i'd like to meet my great-great-grandmother.  my great grandmother used to say that we're similar in one way or another.  i'd also love to meet the however-many-times-removed grandmother of mine who was full blooded cherokee indian.  she married some irish man, and apparently, it was total dramz!


3.  Why did you start blogging and what did you expect when you started?

jen lancaster actually inspired me and EGIS to start blogging.  we started around the same time, mine under a different name.  then, i started up kindredly and took it public, then decided against that and here we are!  when i first started, i expected to become jen lancaster...kidding.  sort of.


4. What is the one book you could read over and over again?

Dry by Augusten Burroughs is faboosh.  just re-read it again this spring.  one of my faves.  i feel like i should have a classic thrown in or something, but whatever, i don't.  i also loooooved the book by jennifer weiner called Good in Bed..and the sequel, Certain Girls.  my personal opinion is that jennifer weiner is one of the better chick-lit writers...i love her.


 5. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?

I'd like to visit the greek isles a la The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.  seriously - i just want to jump through my TV.  maybe with my new snazzy job, me and the husband can afford to do a trip like that before any kiddos start taking over our lives.....

6. If you could have a TV show on the Food Network, what would it be?

i would never have a show on the food network because me entering the kitchen to do anything other than pour a glass of wine or heat something up in the microwave, is like entering a foreign land.  i dunno?

7. What was the best meal you ever had?

Rathbun's, here in atlanta.  i had a steak, and i swear i still tasted it the next morning - kind of gross, but actually delicious.  me and the hub HAVE GOT to go.

8. Who has been the greatest influence on your love for food and learning to cook?

these questions are really going for the jugular and pointing out all of my flaws... I. DON'T. COOK.
the greatest influence on my love for food is obviously my mom, who introduced it to me and kept me fed my whole life.  i also have her to thank for not teaching me how to cook.  :)  it's all good - the husband's got it all taken care of...


happy friday, folks!  hope you have a safe, happy halloween weekend!

hoping something sticks...& congratulations!

• i've been itching to get a new header up. i kind of like it - for now at least.
• i need to figure out a way to train my body to need less sleep. i've gone to bed early every night this week, and i swear i'm more tired than i was monday. i know it's because i'm getting too much, but i love it sooooo much!
• because of my new love affair with my bed, i haven't been to the gym in over a week. bad bad bad. the beach is two weeks away.
• congratulations to L+L at The Quick + Dirty Dirty Blog! they won Best Local Blog in Creative Loafing! they also won Best Local Bloggers and LK was runner up for Best Local Actress! Congrats, guys! you've made it....and i'm officially kind of jealous but i get all my restaurant picks from you guys. :)
  
• this weekend is fall cleaning at my casa. like - i'm moving furniture, throwing things away - no mercy on this place. craigslist won't know what hit it.
• i've been working on a "fashion" post for dayzzzzzz! literally, it's taking me forever. i want/need everything!!! no tiiiiiime!! no moneyyyyyy!!!! i'll have to warn you guys, it's mostly work wear. why can't i be cool enough to have companies & designers send me free clothes? i was thinking about all these celebrities and their free clothes the other day - they don't spend their money on the clothes. the clothes are GIFTED. barf. if anyone can buy the clothes, it's THEM! gift me the fabulous dresssssss!
  
• i'm lunching with Laughing Lolly and her sweet monkey muffin, Aaron this Sunday. soooooooooooo happppppy!!!
• i'm kind of whiney today. beware.
  

blah blah blah

• abs + legs = jello right now. if i keep up spin every tuesday and thursday morning, i will be good to go. maybe saturdays too. i'm exhausted.
  

• i just booked a beachfront condo for me, the husband and our pups. we'll be in rosemary beach, florida on september 24 through the 27th. thank god!!! short trip, but totally needed. we're also planning a weekend away in asheville in november. this is the year of weekend getaways for me and the husband.
  

• haven't made a single marketing call, and not sure i have any plans to do so before today ends. i'm totally unmotivated and i'm blaming the lack of sleep.

• i'm still bloated. what the f*ck? no, i'm not pregnant.

• my husband is a sleepwalker, and he's been at it hardcore this week. bad. did i mention i'm tired?

• we had dinner with my sweet grandparents last night. my grandmother is adorable and totally outdid herself by making a devils food cake with homemade buttercream icing. the icing tastes like vanilla icecream. then she sent it home with us.
  

• netflix messed up somehow and sent me an email saying they received the mad men disc i was waiting for. this means that i will not be able to watch the premiere this weekend because i'll be spending my weekend at the inlaws. it might have also been the mail person's fault. thank god for dvr.

• i just spent way too much time looking at a friend's pictures of chicago, and now i'd like to visit there. neverending. that will have to wait. my job will hate me.

• meaning to write that post about makeup.
  

• i feel like a hot mess today all around. i'm retiring the pants i have on. they are circa 2005 from the limited (i can't believe my pants are five years old), and they look like they are fresh out of the 70's. super low and bell bottomed. hot. mess. and i might have spilled viniagrette dressing all over my white blazer (balls!). time to go home, people.

• friday please!!!
  

pretty girl swag

all i can say is thank goodness for long waits at the dentist office. i was randomly perusing a self magazine from a few months ago and came across the following gems that i had to share. please know that i will be testing each and every one of these products out.



first up, fuze healthy infuzions. i actually picked this up at the grocery store the other day, and me likey a lot. i opted for slenderize because i read it contains chromium and l-carnitine both promoting a faster and better metabolism (self magazine did have to tell me those things do that, and fuze's website explains it too!). i need that! i've gotten so used to my plain old water that i couldn't finish the whole bottle, which only has 20 calories, by the way. it's suprisingly tasty and sweet and delicious. a-plus in my book! i think this yumminess has graduated to a permanent spot in my fridge. it's also usually always on sale at kroger, so check it out!

l'oreal paris go 360 clean. when i saw this commercial i was excited, then this magazine tested it out and confirms it works and works well. i'm a dedicated user of noxema (make fun - i love the clean smell), so i needed a tester to confirm the little scrubber thing makes all the difference. i just purchased a new bucket of noxema, so it will be a while before i try this. if any of you have used this magic, leave a comment and tell me about it!


tarte multiplEYE primer. ya'll - i can't live without my primer. i usually get the mascara with the primer on the other end, but i've decided i want to just buy a big tube...the mascara always runs out before the primer and i'm forced to be wasteful (another confirmation for you - I am cheap). so...apparently tarte has a whole system, including a serum, for making lashes longer. the primer pretty much does the trick for me, so i won't be spending the $60-something on the serum. i will splurge for this $22 tube of primer and let you know how it goes.

the most exciting thing on my list is this pair of farmacell milk shorts. my problem areas includes my thighs, butt and stomach pooch - these shorts were made for me. i will sacrifice the sexy to experience the proven results from these shorts. blurb from bliss::

You can ‘milk’ these shorts for all they’re worth—and considering they moisturize, smooth, stimulate circulation and detoxify, that’s quite a bit.

Made with a revolutionary natural yarn derived from milk proteins, they’re designed to help diminish the appearance of those dastardly cellulite dents while you sleep. (Hey, who wouldn’t want to wake up looking a bit more ‘skim’?) With a high waist that lets your belly get in on the bod-bettering action.

where have these things been all my life?? they are $69, and i think that's a small price to pay to finally win the battle against thigh and ass dimples.

all of this fab info was found in this issue of self magazine ::



pretty girl in 5....4....3....2......1

currently...

• in an awesome mood. i'll give all the credit to my spin class this morning. i went hard at it (that's what she said) for 45 minutes - i might have left 15 minutes early, but only because a starbucks run was imminent.

• annoyed at my blackberry. why did an update appear on my phone and totally eff everything up? i scheduled the update for the middle of the night, and this morning, none of my junk was there. twitter? facebook? gone. i had to completely reset it. blackberry geniuses, any clue about this?

• excited about possible change. i'm currently throwing around ideas about changing things up in my life, and it's super exciting. i hate to be vague, but i guess i kind of have to be at this point in the game. maybe i'll be filling you in soon!

• loving 3eb. the husband loaded an old school third eye blind cd in my player, and it's totally my jam. i haven't told him yet, but i don't think he's getting it back. current favorite:: "the background." sad but awesome.

• knee socks had on a sports bra today. we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

• on this new cooking kick. and i need some recipes - that are easy. i might have caught something on fire the other night and totally freaked out. i've never claimed to be good in the kitchen, just throwing that out there. any cooking blogs you could direct me to?? Of course, in addition to Mrs. Potts, who i now have a bloggy crush on.

my must reads

i get my must reads from friends who recommend, other bloggers who recommend, and sometimes based on the book cover, but not always. all too often terrible writers get great book cover artists and waste my time, but make my shelf look pretty. at least there's some kind of win.

(i'm also guilty of buying wine based on the label. i do that - a lot.)

behold! my book list until i finish all of them and come up with another one ::

first up - outlander by diana gabaldon. i think this is the first in a series, and we all know how much i love those! this has come highly recommended by two awesome friends of mine, so i'm pumped!


i'm kind of a sucker for memoirs. i am totally in love with augusten burroughs, alice sebold and jen lancaster (i'm sure there are others, but my brain is slow because it's friday), so i was excited to read on a friend's blog about driving with dead people. the title alone sucks me in, and i'm on the edge of my seat ready to read this junk.


there's been a lot of buzz about this book, and i'll admit i stopped for a second when i noticed the bright green book cover in target. it makes my list because of the buzz alone; although, i read a friend's tweet the other day that said it took her quite a few pages to get into it (i had the same experience with water for elephants, but would have been so upset had i given up on it). so, i'll give it my time.


i love jennifer weiner. i'm just like any girl - i love me some chick lit, but i tend to shy away from it because i'm kind of into learning junk when i read. i think it helps to expand my vocab and helps me be a better writer (i. am. five.). good in bed might be in my top five fave books of all time. certain girls? i cried. (also not a crier- i'm sure we'll get to that later). so, a new book popping up by jennifer weiner will have to go on my list (along with several others i've yet to read).


i was in target and saw this book on the shelf. this is one i picked up for its artwork and title, but the husband was over my shoulder making me pick a book to buy, so i didn't have time to read up on it enough to make an educated decision. i ended up reading a blurb on amazon, and apparently, this book is good. it's about someone tightrope walking between buildings in new york, and as the person is walking, he's taking notice of the people beneath him, and the book is made up of not only his story, but the stories of those people living life on the ground. i'm pretty sure i read that the author has since passed but is brilliant. good to know! i'll pick this one up somewhere down the line and let you know (if you've read this, please leave a review!).


after reading loving frank i'm kind of on a history kick. give me a book about times past. it's fun to be learning while doing something you love - i.e. i didn't so much enjoy school because class is so forced, don't you think? these two books are both a bit historic. i'm not so sure about last call. i need a story, and i didn't quite get from the blurb on amazon that this provided a storyline and plot. i don't want to just read information about the time, i need something to suck me in. devil in the white city is supposedly somewhat true - not totally sure about this - and rich with history. it's come highly recommended, so it made the list. it's about life in the early 1900's and serial killers - drama & mystery - fun times!


how many times have i been told to read i was told there'd be cake? countless. so, i'm going to read it. i'm actually tempted to read this after i finish miz lancaster's latest. i'm a cake person, like bad. i think i had three pieces at the last wedding i attended (good cake, ya'll!). i get stabby if there's not a lot of icing... i just feel like this book is right up my alley...


sloane's written another book, and i've made the commitment already because i just feel she and i are going to be great together...

finally - charlaine harris. i didn't discover her until after i'd seen the first season of trueblood. once i became hooked on it and discovered there were something like ten books about sookie stackhouse, i went straight to target to buy. not only are they dirty, sexy vampire reads, they are also tiny, like romance books, and only $5.99. hook it up!!! i've now read all of them, so i'm pretty abreast of what's going on with trueblood unless mr. ball throws in a little something extra, which he so likes to do. once this goes to the $5.99 paperback, my cheap ass will be reading it... i'm pretty sure i might have already forgotten what's happened in the first nine. either way, even if you're not a trueblood fan (i know no one who isn't, really), but you like sexy vampire books, this series would be one for you.

what do you think? if you've read some of these, please leave a review in the comments!

p.s. i'm on goodreads! be my friend and we can exchange book ideas all day! whoo-wee!
http://www.goodreads.com/ashkgillespie

because work can wait, right?

making lists makes me happy. random list posts also seem to generate comments, and i need those. i'm feeling all lonely and "new girly" out here in bloggy land.

• last night i was getting all caught up with perez, and i got to an article about that trainwreck of a teenager, taylor momsen. not only do i hate her stupid character on gossip girl, but i'm pretty sure she's totally hateable in person. where in the hell are her parents? do they not see any need to step in and at least attempt to get her on the right path? where is her mother or any sort of woman influence to say that her eye makeup is absolutely terrible and she completely misunderstood the whole "smokey eye" trend? more importantly, why is a 16 year old walking around in lingerie? i just don't understand. she is the reason why i'm scared of children - they may grow up and turn into her.
  

• i'm going to say it - brace yourself - i think lady gaga's taking it a little too far. i'm kind of over all her antics. i still love her music, and i'll still rock out at her concert (if i can get tickets) but...wow. i'm over it. i know it's hot in nyc and all, but the get up she wore to the yankees game was redic. not only that, but her behavior was a little out of control. while i understand she's pushing the social norm and trying to be all ed-gy, i still see no point in going to a public place, as a public figure and flipping the bird and screaming profanities. let's have some class, lady gg. i'm not a new yorker, so maybe i'm not understanding the hard-edge bitch you must have to be, but enough's enough. you've convinced me that you're a hard ass, and you will say, wear and do anything you want. again, i'm all about the concerts and the performances and pushing the envelope with all of that, but this looney public behavior has got. to. go.

• did anyone see the lead singer of train on last night's home run derby? first of all, i'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he had to be sick. he was straining like crazy to sing "hey soul sister" - i thought his head was going to explode. but seriously, in the words of the husband, he's 145 pounds soaking wet. cocaine much? anorexia? during the whole "drops of jupiter" era he was not sickly thin. he looked ridiculous last night. who knows what's going on with him, but he should really try to pull it together.

• work? what's that? i'm lacking the motivation to sell (which is 50% of my job, btw) in the worst way. today i promise to get on that.
  

• i'm reading jen lancaster's new book. anyone out there reading it too? what do you think? a few funnies, but things just haven't been right with the last two.
  

• i'm on a new diet. it's called quit eating so much, chunk. i'll let you know how it goes.

• have you guys heard soulja boi's new song, "pretty boi swag"? dis? right here? is. my. swag. it's all up in my head, and i walk around the office singing it daily.
  

• i have officially come down with tanorexia. i'll have you know the night of the wedding i blogged about earlier, i bronzed with self tanner, then bronzed with my sephora powder bronzer, then added more make up. i'm straight from jerseylicious. what the hell is my problem? seriously, if i wore more leopard print and a push up bra, i'd be a dead ringer.
  

• i purchased some laura mercier makeup on gilt, and i'm 100% obsessed, like bad. i've been using mac powder for years - like stuck in my ways, ya'll - and i might be dropping all of that for miz mercier. what is your favorite makeup? (i will probably do a follow up post on this as my makeup runs out - i'm thinking a change is a comin')

• finally, followers, i'm going to ask you to do me a favor, if you like my blog, will you link to me? i'm itching for some new followers, and could use some help! thanks!

the energy here is low

i've started three posts and finished zero, so i thought i'd jumble all my unfinished thoughts into this random post ::

• there are some distractions plaguing me right now, and i'm about to throw myself off the nearest ledge.
  
• i made some headway with a client prospect, and i'm hoping... praying something happens at our meeting in two weeks.
• there is a store closing down in my little town square, and all i can picture in it's place is the boutique i still dream about opening. oh money, where art thou? one day, friends.
  
• this whole "starting over" with the blog is much harder than i thought.
  
• i'm bloated and blame last night's decision to have mexican.
• it's 3:40, and it seems i've stopped working for the day - thank you, said distractions.
• my car came with a pretty awesome amp, and yes, i'm thinking about adding a speaker with a box to pump up the jam.
• i'm almost 29, and will be riding around town pumping up the jam. ridiculous? yes.
• today i debated walking out of my office claiming personal reasons and driving straight to the beach. i'd hit up target for necessities.
• running from shit is my first reaction - it's scary, but i've been told it's normal.
• i abandoned my therapist because she started delving into childhood. i have one hour. let's get to the pertinent stuff, please.
• why do the models at urban outfitters look like they need to be somewhere on suicide watch? slouchy, pouty, rail thin child-like creatures do not sell clothing.
• seriously craving an episode of trueblood. i feel like a 4th of july episode would have been fab!
• is lindsay lohan really going to have to spend 90 days in jail? more like 90 minutes.
• i feel bad for her and her daddy situation. he doesn't need to be talking smack - he doesn't know her anymore.
• i miss my subscription to us weekly and am seriously behind on all the award show fashion picks. i want to see some gowns!
• i did score a sweet deal on two years of glamour mag for 15 beans - that should be arriving any day now.
• i scored some laura mercier junk on gilt a few weeks ago, and it finally shipped. joy on this rotten day!
• spin will happen tomorrow. will report back knee sock's choice of undergarment.
• i just got all caught up on cupcakes and cashmere, and want to throw myself off another ledge. really? how can someone be so cute, have so many awesome pairs of designer shoes, and get to design a coach bag? (p.s. i spend too much money on wine or i need her job. also, i want that bag.)