50!!

This is my 50th blog entry...and as promised (even though it was like 20 years ago), I am going to be hosting a GIVEAWAY!! So be on the lookout this week for a fabulous prize (c:

In other news, many of you know that I have a travel blog for when I went to Europe this summer.. However, I have extended that blog to my other travels, as they seem to keep on coming. The url was originally katseuropeantravels.blogspot.com, but I changed it to katsworldtravels.blogspot.com because I realized that Europe is so not it for me, and I want to show you where I go domestically and abroad, all over the world!! So head on over there for regular updates, as apparently I am a rolling stone and I gather no moss. Next trip: Philly!!

ok...

I know that drunk driving is bad and everything but look at this video: A man in Moscow was drinking on the job, and ran his forklift into a shelf...which hit another shelf and then another...which made his VODKA distribution center lose 150 grand worth of merch! Is it bad that I found this a little funny and more than a little ironic?



Don't drink and drive, kids!

sorry!

Hey ya'll! I know that it has been ages since I updated...but in the midst of college wrapping up, endless job searching/interviews, my BF visiting most weekends, and a phenomenal football season, I am pretty busy... I promise I will be back with updates soon!! In the meantime...

My sister has a new blog up and it's really great if you love modern design and classic ideas for weddings, flowers, decorating, etc. It's super cute and you should check it out at hownicechicago.blogspot.com

Tell her I sent you (c:

new computer!

For my birthday, I asked for gift cards to Apple so that I might one day be able to replace that wheezing, puffing, dying excuse for a computer that I call Pierre the Dell. Pierre the Dell has been giving me problems since about 6 months after I purchased him. The last straw was when about a month ago he took 35-- 35!!! minutes to start up. So, with a fair amount in gift cards from my incredibly generous and loving parents and sisters, as well as with the money I am making at my glamorous job (read: a dining hall on campus), I went out and purchased a snazzy new MacBook Pro!

It FINALLY came in on Friday, and my excuse for not blogging all weekend is because of football and this new device that I can't quiiiite get over.

But I've finally got her up and running (shall I name her?), and so it is back to the blogging world with me! Satirical Sundays weren't as big a hit as I had hoped, so I've been brainstorming other weeklies that I am planning to test drive.

And i meant 50 this year...

So, soon! I'm silly and forgot to look at...um... Last years's blogs. Giveaway fun is about to begin!!

Never forget

i will never forget what happened 8 years ago.

it's almost my 50th post...

Which means that I'm going to be hosting a giveaway soon!!! It's going to be perfect in time for fall, that's for sure...

Happy birthday to meeee

All of ya'll who think you have the best boyfriend in the world? Sorry, but you were too late! I've got him and he's mine all mine (c:

looooooky at what Mr. Ian gave me for my birthday!!!



I was SO excited- he completely surprised me. I really wanted one, but how often in life does that actually translate to one getting something?

Here's its fantabulous case:


How cute will that be at football games?

I will absolutely write about what I got from my family in another post because this one would be far too fabulous for its own good if I included that!

Now I am off to go play with my new technology...perhaps I will even blog from it!

Prep For Fall Swap Goodies!

Thank you so much, Kathie at My Preppy Purse!! The Prep for Fall swap hosted by Hopsy was so much fun, and I got a ton of great stuff from Kathie. She sent me all of these super cute things that had me giggling with excitement when I opened up this pandora's box of prep!



Ladies, would you just LOOK at all of this fabulous stuff? My favorite is in the upper left hand corner- it's a mini file holder, and it has labels for things like "gift cards", "receipts", "to-do lists", and "coupons"-- all of the stuff that I never have anywhere to put! I LOVE this thing and it's put to use all the time.

I also adore the koozie- on the bottom it says, "I did it!" and Kathie sent it to me for when I graduate in December... this woman is so thoughtful, I tell you! It is so nice getting to know her! I'm already using everything else and it all just brightens my day every time.

Thanks again, Kathie, and thank you, Hopsy, for hosting such a great swap!

I. Love. Football. Season!!!!

"I don't know what a Hokie is, but God is one of them"- Lee Corso

I've spent most of my day so far reading tailgate fever, watching Virginia Tech Football highlights:


and listening to Stick It In (after 50 seconds it's lame):



Tech Triumph,

and Enter Sandman. In case you need to be fired up, you might want to watch this video:


If you can feel your heart beating in time with that entrance, my work here is done.
And Jim Weaver, you remind me of Dolores Umbridge...She's a Killer Of All Fun, too!

Last semester, and when will this stop?

How lucky am I to go to a school where the buildings all look like this? I have so many memories of this building, going back from when I was 7 and declared that I would be a Hokie, to freshman year when I sat on the steps out front to try and figure out if Virginia Tech was where I belonged, to sophomore year when Ian and I watched the ring dance fireworks from there, and then soon thereafter when we held candlelight vigils. This building holds a really special place in my heart, and when I am old and gray I will look back at my time here and remember Burruss Hall as my favorite building on campus, the one with the most meaning and the one that really represents what Hokie Spirit is all about.


(source)


I feel many different things about my time here, but in the end, it was the right choice. In my very being, I have always been a hokie. To go anywhere else would have been wrong, and I would have ended up transferring here if I had started out elsewhere.

Please keep in your mind/prayers the families of two VT students were found killed in the woods near VT yesterday, as they are no doubt suffering from severe anguish. As far as I know, there is no new news as to what happened, but I do know that the two were found shot in the Jefferson National Forest near our campus. Upon hearing about this yesterday, I felt pretty numb, and I then felt guilty because I don't like being desensitized to terrible things happening here. But then I woke up this morning with an aching in my soul not unlike the one I have felt on 3 occasions since I started here. My heart has broken once again for the young lives lost, this school, and our spirit. That said, please keep the VT community in your mind/prayers, as well. We are reeling from this latest shock, but there is no doubt in my mind that we will, as we have before, prevail. Keep faith, fellow hokies.

Charleston!

So, this post is a little late but my trip to Charleston SC was AMAZING, as I have come to expect from what is now one of my favorite vacation spots.

I went with Lindsey and Jess to visit Bryant, and we had a fabulous time...

This is the 4 of us outside of Taco Boy, which is where Bryant worked this summer. (Jess-Me-Lindsey-Bryant)


We all bought Taco Boy t-shirts, and we practically lived in them the entire time we were in town. Also, we lived in Taco Boy. I'm embarassed to tell you that we went there once a day. Here is me with Bryant, who is clearly just hoping that the 3 of us crazy girls will leave so his life can regain its normalcy:



In our 2 days in Charleston, we did a lot of fun things, including going to local eateries, spending time with Bryant's brother, sister-in-law, and their 2 adorable kids, going to the beach, and catching up with each other. However, the neatest thing we did was completely unexpected, and Bryant surprised us with it. Behind an old grocery store in Charleston there is a graffiti art gallery.

Here is Jess with a painting that I could never have done, and to make it more incredible, it is, of course, done with spray paint:



This one cracked me up, because it's clearly not supposed to be Harry Potter, but it totally is:



There were a ton more pictures but most of them didn't come out very well. It was a really neat place, and one that I never expected to see!!

So, we're already planning a Christmastime trip back to Charleston, do any of you have suggestions for new places to go and things to see?

Satirical Sundays: decriminalizing criminals

There is a new "trend" among lawmakers and rulebreakers- it's called "decriminalizing", and it's making illegal things legal.

On August 21 in Mexico, the government voted to decriminalize the posession and use of small quantities of marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. The official platform for this is that more resources will be available to bring down big-time drug dealers.

My question about this is, and the one I pose to you: if the government has decriminalized the use of these drugs, then how does that incline the drug cartels to stop selling? Those small amounts? Are a part of the big amounts.

But who knows: maybe this new law will boost tourism?

Another situation in which criminals are being decriminalized is in California. Right now, there is legislation going through that hopes to let out between 27-37,000 small-time (non-violent) criminals from state prisons. Ostensibly, this is to free up space due to overcrowding, but also to allow the state of California law-enforcement resources to be used on bigger time (violent) criminals, as well as to save a ton of money (between 524 million and 1.2 billion).

I think that letting out non-violent criminals just because they are non-violent sends out the wrong message. These things are against the law for a reason, and they carry jail time for a reason. It's not like they throw every 14-year old who steals lipstick into juvie. These are bigger law-breakers, they just haven't hurt anyone physically. And to let those people out before their time has been served in order to save the state money kind of makes California a criminal. Would you want to live in a state where law-breakers can say, "well, I didn't hurt anyone" and use that as their get out of jail free card?

Blind Driver Challenge at Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech is one of the best engineering schools in the country. While I am not an engineering student, I count myself among the lucky number who is fortunate enough to call some of these incredible students my closest friends. This video is about the Blind Driver Challenge, the design project which these students have been working on. BDC has introduced a new world of possibilities for the independence of blind people in the world, and as such, BDC has begun to receive a lot of national attention, including ABC, Fox, Wired, USA Today, and Popular Science. I know that this isn't my usual blogging subject, but I just wanted to let you guys know what incredible work is being done at Virginia Tech, where these, and other students, continually strive to Invent the Future.

You should definitely watch this video, which explains more about what BDC is working on and hopes to achieve.




The man in the passenger side at the beginning of the video, in the grey tie? That's one of my best friends, Greg Jannaman, who led the team this school year. At 1:37 in the driver's seat, testing out the vehicle, is Kim Wenger, another of my friends, who will continue on with the team during her senior year at Tech. How freaking cool are my friends?

Kristen's Palace Giveaway

Kristen over at Kristen's Palace is doing a really cute giveaway where the winner will receive a tote bag and makeup bag and they will be filled with 6 of your favorite things!! Head over to Kristen's Palace to get onto this train!!

Good luck!

Owning up to my name

So, since "politico" is, in fact, in my blog's name, I figured that once a week I should do a political blog. We're gonna call it Satirical Sundays, because let's face it- I'm pretty sarcastic. Also, most of the time I don't take what the people in Washington are doing too seriously- otherwise I would drive myself crazy.

My hope is that these posts don't offend, and I will always try to be diplomatic. I like to be as objective as I can. I will make fun of things that I find silly, but I also know when to be serious. I'm not trying to lose readers here: I'm trying to educate myself and learn to formulate my own opinions.

This week, let's talk about an event involving that president of ours, Barack Obama. The event was called Beer Summit. Apparently, there were no keg stands, but I can't help but imagine Obama doing one. Obama conducted a gathering between himself, Henry Louis Gates (The Harvard professor who was arrested for trying to break into his own house) and the arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley.
Leading up to this were Obama's comments during a press conference. Obama responded to a question about the arrest by saying that race played a role, and that African Americans and Lations are stopped "disproportionately" by law enforcement, which got US law enforcement pretty upset. To make amends, Obama decided to use this as a learning experience and get the two together for beers to discuss what went wrong, how it could have gone better, and probably to apologize himself for making comments like that to the press.
A press conference held after the event led to both men saying that race should not be an issue, that Obama is a wise and kind person, and that they hoped this experience would lead to education. On all of these points, I agree. Race is still an important issue, and one which I am glad Obama responded how he did, by using these mistakes as a learning experience for the US.
Many don't appreciate what Obama did. I've been on the fence about how I feel about this event, because on the one hand it was a great learning experience and gave visibility to an important issue and is likely to have a large effect on interracial relations in the long run.
On the other hand, he's the president- shouldn't he be doing big things, like getting the war taken care of, working on that health care project of his, etc.?
But then I realized that he's the president. It's his duty to better the nation so that the United States can benefit from his term in office. And his job is to fix the big problems. And in one single afternoon, he did much more than share a beer with a professor and a cop. It was so simple, but led to so much visibility for a problem that I think has been neglected lately, which is equality for all Americans, regardless of race.

Now, this was the first edition of Satirical Sundays, and I would like to know what you want to hear about- whether it be an event, a social issue, anything. I also want to know if you want more or less of my opinion, or if you just want me to tell the story and present facts, or anything you think of.

Boston!

My apologies for not blogging lately, but I just got back from Boston. Read on...

One of my friends, A, from study abroad lives in Boston, so me and another SA friend, S, decided it was high time for a visit.

On Tuesday, we went downtown and had verrrry interesting experiences. It all started when we got on the T (Boston's subway system) with about 40 screaming YMCA children. Then on gets a short man who came up to my friends' chests. Then he proceeded to talk to them, and by "them" I mean "their chests".

We finally escaped, and walked part of the freedom trail, which took us to Boston Common (a park), the Old South Meeting House, and the Boston Massacre site. Here is me and S on the freedom trail: I really wanted to do a duck tour but then we ran out of time because we were heading over to Fire and Ice for dinner with my friend (I guess you could say we dated?) from HS, who also lives in Boston. Here is the chef, A, me, and S at the grill: Me and my HS friend talk to each other a lot, but we haven't seen each other for awhile. Me, A, and S had prepped for every awkward situation we thought might come up, as they so often do in these situations. Well, let me tell you...what we were not prepared for was him bringing his new girlfriend to dinner! Luckily, at Fire and Ice, you get time away from your table because you go up to a bar to pick out your food and have it cooked. When we sat down with our 2nd plates, everything was completely normal. He could have told me, so I could have gotten a table for 5 instead of 4, which led to us all awkwardly standing around while the hostess found us a table. I didn't mind her being there at all, I just would have liked to have been informed before I saw them walk in the door.

Sometime during our post-dinner conversation, A goes to put her cell phone in her purse...which we discover is MIA. A staff member comes over to ask us if she is missing her purse, because they found one in the bathroom, and a really sketchy woman was just seen fleeing the restaurant. A's wallet was gone! We had taken our purses up to the bar with us to avoid this very thing, and it was taken while we all sat right there! Luckily, there wasn't a lot of cash in it, and we were able to cancel all of her cards before anything was stolen. She said the worst part was feeling violated because someone had her ID, which would really bother me as well.

The manager comp'ed our entire meal, and my buddy and his GF eventually made their leave. We left the restaurant and called the police to make a report, and A was in better spirits as we head back to the parking garage at the Prudential Center. We headed out of the city, and fell asleep, exhausted from our long day.

The next day, we went shopping at a ginormous outdoor outlet mall, then went to see the Hangover, which is about to eclipse Harry Potter as my favorite summer movie. Then we went to sleep very sad because we would have to say our goodbyes in the morning )c:

All in all, a really fun trip. It was nice to see my friends, both old and new, and it was really fun to see a new city! Some awkward moments, some upsetting moments, but mostly just a lot of fun.

Update

Thank you so much for your comments and advice. I don't really have a ton of girlfriends, because the girl:guy ratio in Blacksburg is like 1:15...which is normally great but not when I have any kind of drama going on.

Since getting your comments, I have been officially invited (via facebook) to the housewarming party. However, I am moving on Sunday, and it was up in the air as to whether my boyfriend could come down for the weekend to help or not. He has since decided to come, and he's getting here Friday. So, the decision was really made for me. Phew.

However, facebookw has intimated that there will be a large reunion around Christmas, when all of us will, in theory, be around. So now I have a couple of months to consider what I plan to do.

In honor of my sister, I will probably do what she always does, and take the high road. Whether that means going to this reunion and making nice, or just politely stepping away from the situation, I don't know.

But I'm not as worried about it now, mostly because you all said the same things, and they really made me feel better. Thank you so much (c:

I wish that I could start this post off with, "well, if you've been reading for awhile you know all about the drama with my high school friends", but I don't believe I've ever mentioned them. So here goes nothing:

6 best girlfriends, 4 best guy friends. I started dating someone outside of our group, and the group began to avoid me. Um, clique much? But, I continued to date the guy, to the continued deterioration of my friendships. I was so upset, but I'm confident I made the right decision- I am still in the same relationship.

In the midst of all of this, my parents decided to move 45 minutes away from my town so my mother could take care of her ailing father. So, we sold our house and left. I figured it would be more or less the same. Get together sometimes while we're on breaks, etc. It wasn't. They get together frequently. I am not called. On the other hand, not a break has gone by without me trying to get in touch.

The last 3 years have been tumultuous, to say the least. And I could have used the help. Not one of them offered support when I was in the midst of my school's biggest crisis, or said anything at all when my grandfather, with whom I have always been close, passed away.

At this point, you're likely thinking, "wow, they must have hated you" (which is what my insecurities say), or "why are you worried about this? Screw them, they suck, move on."

And normally, I pretty much have moved on. Except for one of them recently found a movie we made in HS that I had forgotten about. So he sent a facebook message to everyone involved in it saying, "the next time we're all home, we should get together and watch this." One of my girlfriends responded, "we're having a housewarming party, and you are all invited, we can watch it then."

This feels like two things: A) when you have an ex-boyfriend and all of a sudden he tries to get back into your life, or, B) when you happen to be included, you feel like you were only invited because you were privy to the message. Or maybe both.

I've decided that having 9 ex-friends do this is way worse than if 9 ex-boyfriends did it.

So, what do you think I should do? Forget about them and move on? Go to the housewarming party and mention how I feel? Go and pretend everything is perfect?

Wow, Wow, Wow

Harry Potter? In.Cre.Di.Ble. The magic, as they say, is back. That's all I'll say right now because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it. But here is a little eye candy, if, like me, you find yourself swooning over such a good-looking actor (or two):

Harry Potter!!!!

Harry Potter Theme Song - Movie
FREE MP3 DOWNLOADS @ MP3-CODES.COM

...Tonight at midnight!!

Smith Mountain Lake!

I had a great weekend with my (now graduated) boyfriend and 2 of his roommates. Also one of our friends who (thank goodness!!) hasn't graduated yet came along. I must say, it was a bittersweet event. We had a great time boating, canoeing, fishing, and tubing (though it was also painful), but it is very sad to see their time at Virginia Tech coming to a close.

Because my digi died in March and my only camera is a big one that I use mostly for professional and school work, I didn't take it with me...so sadly there are no pictures of me flying 15 feet into the air after hitting a larger wave than I bargained for on a tube. Nor are there pictures of the bruising from said adventure. I'll just let you imagine that!

But we did have a great time, especially because it was supposed to rain all weekend and didn't! We grilled out, made tacos, drank beer, and just had a great time. There was no TV there, no internet access, and barely a cell phone signal. So we just got to enjoy our time together.

I am in the process of picking out a new camera, does anyone have any ideas? I need one for my upcoming trips to Jacksonville, Boston, Charleston, and Nashville!!

Tis the season for giveaways!

Kristen @ Kristen's Palace is celebrating her 100th post with a really great giveaway, to go along with her really great blog!! Go on over there and check it out (c:

Thanks, Kristen!!

Crest White Strips

Hey guys, I've been using these Crest White Strips for about a week, and my teeth are starting to get really sensitive- I had read that that is common, so I expected it. My question is, do you know if it gets worse than this or if it stays pretty constant? Also, have Crest White Strips (or any other form of at-home whitening) worked for any of you?

new diet

My mother and I recently decided to start a diet we've been talking about for awhile now. We figured that the start date could be this week, and then the end is when my sister gets married. This is because we figure that's a good timeframe in which to get into shape.

So that gives us until October 2010- 15 months. That's long enough to healthily lose a lot of weight. I've always been concerned with my ever-expanding waistline, because in high school I was pretty thin. Then, in college, factor in the booze, the food, the stress, etc., and I gained a lot.

When I went to Europe, I was eating whatever I wanted (and we ate a LOT), but walking a ton every day, so I ended up losing about 6 pounds-- a little more than a pound a week, without even trying. I would like to lose a pound a week until my sister's wedding. 60 pounds, you may shriek-- but 60 pounds would do me a world of good.

It's really awkward to talk about dieting in a blog and not giving a number! Maybe once I start to lose I'll be more willing to dish... probably really excited, actually. Just know that I'm not at risk, health-wise, or anything...Just really unhappy that I've let this happen.

I am 21- If it's not easy now, then what on earth makes me think it will be easy when I'm 40 and weigh 300 pounds? Enough is enough.

Again, I am behind!!

Miss Sweet Tea, I'm sorry that it's been so long but as I was on sabbatical, I didn't get a chance to thank you for my blog award (c:

And now.... Rules: 1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted it to you, 2) pass the award onto 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. This award is passed on to:

California Born and Virginia Raised
Beaufort Belle
Preppy Paper Girl
Pink Martinis and Pearls
Wonderfully Random
Living Life in the Lowcountry
Preppy 101
This Minneapolis Life
Preppy Gator


I love your blogs!! and you're all in my google reader now (c:

Happy 4th of July!!

Image from myspace.com./shekhark

Happy Independence day, everyone!! I hope that you all have a great day, lighting off fireworks eating hot dogs and potato salad, and enjoying being an American!!

I hope that you also take a minute to remember what it cost this nation to have an Independence and how much of a fight it took to be able to call ourselves an independent nation. Please also keep in mind those who are still fighting to keep us free today. To all of the men and women of our military, thank you!

Thank you thank you thank you!!!

So, I'm a terrible blogger and giveaway winner because Molly Lou Gifts and Erin gave me a GREAT giveaway prize like, a month ago, and because I was gone, I didn't get it until last week, and since then I've been all up and down the east coast...and so now I am seeking forgiveness!

It was a great homecoming present, though!! Here's what I saw when I arrived home:

With the red background it looks like Christmas! Which, I kinda felt like it was (c:

The stationary is on beautiful, cream-colored paper with my embossed monogram:
I. Love. This. Stationary. Thank you so much, MLG and Erin!!

The first of many

Hey everyone! So, I have come out of my blog coma, and will commence updates now!!

First, I promised I would give an updated review on my Kindle, as well as my LUSH solid shampoo and conditioners. Well, there's good and bad news.

The good news is that the Kindle is a joy to travel with. The wireless doesn't work internationally, however, if you bring along your USB cord, uploading new books from amazon.com is a cinch, and the battery lasts for. ev. er. I literally read almost 10 books during the 5 weeks I was gone; I charged the Kindle 3 times. And that was when I was listening to MP3's on it sometimes, too!! Literally, the best gift ever.
The only problem is the twitching that I get when it's out of my sight on trains, planes, and busses. However, I have to look at the Kindle like it's an iPod. Yeah, someone might want to steal it- but they probably won't. And, once I got over my fears, I fully enjoyed it.
The other slight issue was connectivity to the computers in Europe. I have to assume it was something to do with the interface of the Kindle, but the danged thing would not connect to:
1) the computer @ a bed and breakfast we stayed at in Rome,
2) the computer @ a hostel we stayed at in Florence.
However, I attached the Kindle to computers at internet cafes, the airport, and all of our other hotels, with literally no issue. Maybe it was due to slow internet and or obsolete equipment (the computers @ the hostel were overused and kind of old).

Anyway, all in all, I would say a solid 95% for the Kindle.

And now, for the bad news. Let me preface this by saying that I hate to give bad reviews. However, if something is deserving of a bad review, then I feel honor-bound to tell you guys about it.
The LUSH products? Suck. I truly want to apologize if you purchased them and they are as bad on your hair as they were on mine. These products worked alright with my city water here in Blacksburg, however, once I got to Ireland, something about the water there and the way it interacted with these products caused my hair to do massively horrible things that it has never done before. My sister, who has the same hair type as me, said that nothing was the matter with her hair, and she was using her normal product. So I know it wasn't just the water. I threw the shampoo and conditioner away. I went to a convenience store once I hit Switzerland, got my normal Pantene, and all was well with the world after a few days- I have to assume that the shampoo and conditioner were working overtime to compensate for the atrocious mess atop my head due to this product.

The grade? A 40%. Something that is made for traveling but then only works when you're not traveling doesn't really get a passing grade in my book. Extra points off for giving me dry, unruly hair during the biggest photo op of my life!

I'm back!

Hey everyone! I am back from across the pond, and will be updating the blog as soon as I can get all of my almost 2000 pictures on my computer, as well as other housekeeping type things!

Monograms and Manicures

Someone please help me out! I know I said I wasn't going to post while I'm away but I was on my reader today and found out that Hopsy/Kappa Prep/Monograms and Manicures went private and I don't have an invite. She doesn't know me I don't think but I love her blog, and it made me so sad. Stupid mean people really cheese me off, and apparently someone was mean to her and that's not cool.

Does anyone know how to get in touch with her so I can get an invite?

I'm off!!

Hey everyone!

I'm FINALLY leaving for Europe today! So, it's likely that I'll be on a posting hiatus here until I get back...but be sure and check out my travel blog (Kat's Travels) for regular updates on Ireland, Switzerland, and Italy!

I hope everyone is having a great summer!

xoxo,

pp

help?

I want to enter a super cute giveaway that Southern Starlet is hosting. However, the first step is: put her button on my page.

How do you do that? I feel like I should know this.

Giveaway Winner!!!

Well, well, well! We have a winner for the very first Preppy Politico Giveaway Extravaganza! I used the old pick names out of a hat trick, and....

Angela at Sweet Tea Diaries is our winner!

Just so you know, I love your blog (c: shoot me an e-mail to let me know which design you would like, and whether you would like your name, a monogram, or a phrase! If you want close-ups or screen shots of any of the designs, let me know (some are so hard to see but they are so cute up-close)

Congrats!

I would like to take a minute to thank my sister, Carolyn, who provided me with all of these super preppy and adorable designs (c:

I won!

MLG and Prep-E Girl, thank you so much! This is the first giveaway that I have won and I am SO excited to have won because the stationary is just so beautiful.

Isn't this stationary just beautiful, everyone? I am so excited! Thanks again Prep-E girl and MLG!!

Angela Moore Giveaway at Nautical by Nature!

Kate over at Nautical By Nature is hosting a giveaway of these adorable bracelets:

Head on over to her blog to check it out! Giveaway ends Thursday May 14!!

stationary giveaway!! Ends May 15!

Hey everyone! My sister and I are giving away great stationary to a lucky winner! The winner will receive the stationary she chooses, along with the monogram or name (in the winner's chosen font), as well as paper style, from the ones shown below!
In order to win, leave a comment on this blog!

In order to get extra entries:
Post about this giveaway on your blog
Post a picture of your favorite of the below stationary on the blog entry

mention the giveaway on twitter
become a follower of this blog
become a follower of me on twitter: http://twitter.com/preppypolitico

You get an extra entry for each thing above that you do. Ya'll that is 6 chances to win! Just let me know about it in your comments! Good luck!!

These designs were custom made by Carolyn, my wonderful sister. I'm working on some designs, but I don't have her talent yet (c: Thanks sis!!!

Giveaway at Lauren Nicole Gifts!

For all ya'll who have to send a belated mother's day gift and you want to make a good impression, head on over to Lauren Nicole Gifts where she is hosting a great Lilly Pulitzer giveaway! It's a cosmetic bag and a bottle of perfume, and I think that it would make a great gift for your mother, a friend, or yourself!

Isn't this great? Go on over and sign up to win!

travel products!

I decided that I wanted to give solid shampoos and conditioners a try for this trip. Have ya'll ever heard of LUSH cosmetics? It's a website that mostly has organic and vegan products, but it specializes in solid shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc. I ordered the trichomania solid shampoo. It's 3.5 oz for 9.75, but it's supposed to last as long as 3 bottles of normal shampoo, which costs me about 6 dollars a pop.

The conditioner is called Junglemania, and it smells soooo good! It was 9.95 for 3.5 oz, but again, is supposed to last as long as 3 bottles of shampoo.

Seriously, you should try these things. They are just one of many things that you can buy in order to avoid those pesky 3 oz. rules on planes (especially for long trips where you don't want to check bags). Go to lushUSA.com to order yours! They have tons of other products, too, depending on your fancy.

Once I've figured out the longer term effects of these products, I'll let ya'll know, but so far, they work like a dream!

3 jobs?!

The second part of my summer is shaping up to be pretty interesting! I get back to the states on June 22, and as soon as I get back it's going to be a flurry of activity and work.

I work for a dining hall here on campus, and when it closes for the summer it sends everyone willing over to another dining hall to work. So, I'll be doing that for 25 hours a week. Plus, I just interviewed for an internship with the department of rec sports marketing department. They seemed to like me, and I REALLY would love to gain the experience, so keep 'em crossed!

That's 2 jobs at 40 hours a week. THEN there's the job that I took for 40 hours for one week transferring a company here in town from their old operating system to the new one.

I'm gonna have my work cut out for me! On the plus side, looks like I won't really have to work that much during the school year.

Rue La La!!

How is it that everyone knew about this place but me?

However, thanks to Preppy Pink Crocodile, I got an invite to this excellent online source!

I am new to the Lilly movement, and the only Lilly Pulitzer I have ever bought was the leash/harness I got for my sister's puppy for Christmas, which doesn't actually belong to me.

Well, I had COVETED this halter top (I found a halter top!) when it was in-season last year, but the price-tag kept me away. But with the Rue La La boutique sale, I got it for $49! I couldn't pass it up!!

Because I've spent this entire year saving every penny for Europe and never once going outside of a strict monthly budget, spending the money gave me INCREDIBLE buyer's remorse, even though I've given myself a shopping budget for summer clothes. Luckily, whenever I look at this picture, I get all thrilled and happy! I hope hope HOPE that it fits well and that my first piece of Lilly turns me into a lifetime lover of it!

What did ya'll buy at the Rue La La Lilly boutique?

European Travels!

Hey everyone-

When I go to Europe this summer, I'm doing a blog about my travels!

Be sure and check it out here. I'll be posting about everywhere I go!

Be appropriate when commenting, my parents are reading! I don't need them knowing about my alter ego, preppy politico

last one today

I joined this new era and added a twitter account! my username is, obvi, preppypolitico. check it out! http://twitter.com/preppypolitico

Where are all the Halter Tops?

Are they not in fashion anymore? I love halter tops and I can't really find them anywhere. It's all flowy tank tops and peasant tops which, and don't get me wrong here, are just not for me. I look preggo when I wear a flowy top, I don't want to leave EVERYTHING to the imagination!
I just want a good halter top in cute summery colors. American Eagle has like, one, but it doesn't come in great colors, and yes, it's all flowy! I don't know who decided that the female form should be camoflaged like that.
For all of ya'll who look adorable in these fashions, I am jealous because I can't buy a damn thing without looking like a freakin Ringling Brother's circus tent.
If you know where to find this ellusive fashion, please let me know!!

the Kindle post I promised...

....about a hundred years ago.

OK, so the Kindle is incredible. I wanted to wait to post on it until I got the hang of it, worked it for awhile, and got all of its faboosh accessories.

So, here it is in its leather case:

One thing I was worried about was what happens to the "romance" of reading a book? Getting lost in its pages? And the cover completely rectifies that- after my first chapter of my first book, it felt exactly the same as reading an actual book.

Another thing was, I like to read in the tub (my family mocks me incessantly, so consider myself mocked sufficiently), and I was wondering how I would do this with an expensive piece of technology. My boyfriend's mom and I did some research to see what other Kindle users do, and they just put the thing in a plastic bag. I take it out of its case for this purpose. Works like a dream!

The last thing I was concerned about was the whole wireless transfer of books in Europe situation. The wireless doesn't work in countries outside of the US and our territories, but you can buy the books on amazon.com, hook the kindle up to the computer, and transfer them to the device that way.

All in all, the BEST present ever- especially since I didn't have any idea it was coming! I can't wait to use this on the train from Florence to Rome!

sorry for the sabbatical!

But this semester, considering all of the capstones and europe preparations and just plain 'ol ridiculousness, I have been so bad at keeping up here.



housekeeping: When I'm in Europe, this will become a travel blog. I will try to update regularly, but I'm not sure of internet access and I won't have my computer, so I will do my best. I leave May 18 and return June 22. I might make a blog that is accessible to family/friends, so if I decide to do that, I will update ya'll on the address.



Secondly, Lauren over at Lauren Nicole Gifts is hosting an incredible giveaway. This Lilly Pulitzer bag is so cute and, of course, I would love to have it but decided to share the info! Just go on over to her site for info on how to win!


To keep this short I'm just going to post my other blogs separately.

oh, my gosh

I'm an avid reader. I read on vacation, when I should be studying, when I should be sleeping, working, shopping, anything. I just love to do it.

So, when I found out I was going to Europe for a month and a half, I was experiencing a connundrum in the form of trying to figure out where, in that duffel bag and backpack that I have limited myself to, would I put all of my books?

Almost like a beacon of light, the Amazon Kindle found its way into the front of my mind. But, at $359 retail, I just could not justify the purchase, even though I want one more than I have ever wanted any technology, ipod included! (Because, as previously stated, I am a huge nerd and read all, all, ALL the time!)

So, I had reduced my aspirations to taking a few books and just getting over it, but I decided that when I got back from Europe I would work extra hard at the dining hall the rest of the summer to buy one, then use it for all subsequent trips.

Little did I know that my sisters had another plan for me! I was awoken by my sisters this morning at 7:45 to incessant text messages and calls imploring me to check my mail, and check I did and THERE WAS A KINDLE IN THERE!!!!

I was shaking so much I couldn't open the package. My sisters reminded me to take a deep breath and calm down, and to also remember that this is my graduation present, just...early. I am so thankful and grateful to have sisters, and this was so unexpected that I don't even know what to say. One thing I know is this: they may have upped the ante for their birthday presents! I was so surprised and shocked.

My friends, I will be posting later about all of the spiffiness of this incredible gift!

Whitney Caroline Designs Giveaway!

Hey everyone,





If you go over to Whitey Caroline Designs, you can sign up until the end of today to win one of these absolutley adorable message boards! I love the ribbon in the corner, don't you? I would love to have one of these hanging on my door at school!

Be sure to head on over there and check out the other things she has available, too!! (you won't regret it!)

It's time to spruce things up a bit!

So, I have been blogging (poorly) for a few months now, and I want to re-vamp the whole thing.

First, does anyone know of a good blog designer? I want something preppy (duh) and perhaps Lilly-inspired, definitely something springy/summery. Maybe something that combines two of my favorites: Jackie O and Lilly? I think that that would be one heck of a combination, yes? Let me know if you know of anyone who can do that sort of thing.

Second, I realized while perusing other blogs like Lilly P. Wannabe, Preppy Pink Crocodile, and Nautical By Nature (to name a few!) that the blogging community is constantly helping other bloggers find items (clothes, gifts, swap items, etc. etc.) for important events, and I want to be in on that! I have a knack for picking out the perfect thing. Unfortunately, only for other people. I don't like to shop for myself because I am constantly questioning how good this, that, and the other look on me, so I can use some help myself! And who else to take inspiration from than my blogger friends, who seem to have infinite wisdom concerning these things!

My sister and I have started a small stationary design company, too, and I would LOVE to get some of that on here for swaps and give-aways! Everything is Made to order, and your vision for a design is always our priority! Yes, you can have personalized stationary, but where else can you get your very own design, one-of-a-kind, for the lowest fees you will find anywhere?

We're still working on a name. We're not sure, but we like cCk, which stands for C (my sister) K (me) and Custom in the middle, like a monogram, get it?

Anyway, be on the look-out for pictures and a date for the give-away!

And let me know about that blog designer, yes? (c:

And we're back!

Well Hey!

I'm back in Black(sburg) and it's been an incredibly relaxing break. I went to Miami, New York, and Baltimore, and had just a really great break in general. I spent the majority of my break, as you may know, working for my dad and earning money for my summer study abroad. It was worth it, and I learned a bunch from the Hardware Man himself (politics not included).

Tomorrow, it's back to the grind, and I start work again at the best dining hall ever. Don't hate: working in on-campus dining has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my working life. It's rough, and long, but it pays well, my bosses are incredible, I've made solid friends, and I've financed all of the above trips. Not to mention I've got managerial experience under my belt now.

But before I get into that, can I just mention how incredible the Orange Bowl, and the trip in general, was? I know I promised pictures if the weather was good...but I will have to steal those from Twin in order to do that because I failed at taking pictures a-tall. So more on that later. But man oh man, our seats were incredible (right next to the band on the lower section in the 15th row!)

Classes start on Tuesday (inauguration day!!), and despite the fact that my course load has FINALLY fallen from 18 hours a semester to 12 (phew!), it is proving already to be an intense semester. Should be fun.

Re: inauguration. Does anyone know what the Television coverage is going to be for the event? I'm going to be in class/work all day and night but hope to catch the "highlight reel" when I get home...and perhaps some of the inaugural ball (where Beyonce is singing...what?).

At the end of it all, I'm quite glad to be back in Blacksburg. Teeny Town, where my parents transplated me after I graduated high school, just doesn't cut it for me. I can't wait for all of my friends to get back into town and revel this semester, seeing as it is most everyone's last (not me! I've got one more left!).

GO HOKIES!

-K