LL Cool House

I've been getting really into home decor lately. All I want to do is organize and decorate and fancy up our humble abode but unfortunately that costs a lot of money, so instead I obsessively look at design blogs and tear pages out of magazines and try to figure out how to make it happen one ebay purchase and can of spray paint at a time.

I'm inspired by a lot of different things, from the insanely awesome (Vogue) to the affordable (Real Simple). One thing I definitely want to work on is our art collection. We have a lot of photos, mainly personal and travel related, but I would really like some real art pieces for the walls and cool furniture to make this place personal.

One home I recently found in an old issue of In Style was that of LL Cool J. I secretly love LL Cool J because a) he freaking named himself Ladies Love Cool James and everyone acts like it is totes norm and b) he is pretty good on NCIS: LA which I don't follow necessarily but will watch four episodes in a row On Demand when the mood strikes and not even feel bad.

Also, this:

Cute family, right? But wait, is that? Am I seeing this correctly? Above the mantle?

YES.

There is no portrait in existence more mantle-worthy than this. I've taken the liberty of pointing out some of the beautiful details in this masterpiece (besides the abs, which I feel do not need to be pointed out because LOOK AT THEM). 

Clockwise from the top:

1. That hat. What is that hat?!

2. The formality and stoicism of Mrs. Cool J is something to be admired. 

3. Jesus God that's a large swath of underwear. 

4. The rosary - I assume it is fully diamond encrusted.

5. The veins in his arm. Ew. Chill on the pushups, J. 

So although we are still working on acquiring paintings (artsy friends, I'm talking to you!) and other artwork and funky doodads, I am excited about what will soon be hanging above our very own mantle:

Now THAT is what I call an engagement photo.

missing Millsaps

Lately I've been thinking about Millsaps. A lot.

I miss the instant access of having all my best friendys at my fingertips. For four years I only had to go next door, down the hall or at the most to a building 100 feet away in order to spend time with all my favorite people.

Every weekend was a party (often involving costumes, heaven). Every meal was a chance to catch up with my friends. Every class was an opportunity to exchange thoughts and opinions with people that I respected.

Tait was always there to watch Harry Potter and craft and drink wine. Bonnie was always there to work out, hit the caf, procrastinate in the English house or get dolled up together. Molly was always there to pre-party for any and every occasion. So many friendys meant so many different things to me it would be pointless to try to name them all individually. CMO was there to dance and gossip and laugh. Kappa Delta was there for swaps, formals and post-chapter dinners. Lambda Chi Alpha was there for parties, games and movie nights. Of course Brian was always there, for everything.

And he still is. I love that we get to have this Boston adventure together. I love that we get to figure out how to be adults (and sometimes rebel against adulthood) together.

But that doesn't mean I don't miss the other parts of my old life.

I enjoy BU and I like the friends I've made, especially through being a TA, and I really want to get better at my chosen field... but sometimes I think perhaps I should have taken a gap year or two. It's really weird, and hard too - unexpectedly so - to be technically in college but to feel so disconnected from the whole experience. I think if I had a year in between the feeling wouldn't be so... raw. At Millsaps we worked hard, but we played hard too. Having such close friends around made the work seem easy - or if not easy, then easier. The absence of those connections here makes the work feel so much harder, even when its not.

Then again, I've heard from others that going straight into grad school and knocking it out is the best way to do it. So maybe its just a grass-is-greener kind of thing. Which just makes me think of KD, and the wave of nostalgia washes over me again. Sigh.