natural.evolution–

my friend “tagged” me with this on her blog on my.space. It’s the questions from the AmEx ads with celebs that are in all the magazines

Name: Christen M

Occupation: Senior Public Affairs Specialist (9-5), Events and Media Director (part time/billable)

Proudest Accomplishment: Completing graduate school in a year

Perfect Day: A morning where I can sleep in late. I get up and have brunch somewhere wwarm and breezy overlooking some water. I then spend the early part of the day shopping and the latter part of the day getting a massage and other spa treatments. I’d end the day with dinner on the beach and watching the surf

Most Unusual Gift: A “magic” wand

Recent Impulse Buy: Shoes from this online boutique in London and the last 3 bottles of this champagne I have been looking for that I happened upon

Retail Therapy: Nordies, BananaRepublic, Bloomies, and various small boutiques in DC MD and VA

Cannot Shop Without: Money, a cute comfortable shoe, a big shoulder/hobo bag (easy to toss small packages in), a bottle of water, and my blackberry (so I can create wishlists or lists of things I think I can get cheaper online)

So I’ve decided to go on a shopping fast
Because shopping is well my major downfall
Particularly shopping in 2 specific stores. Nordies and Banana
If I stopped shopping there I know I could probably save like 5k a year and that’s a shame
I said I’m going to start in the new year
because I REALLY need to find a black bag first lol
I have a NICE Nordies giftcard. But I’m trying to hold on to that for a moment of temptation when I want to shop during my fast
because technically I won’t be spending my own money
But back to the bag
I know what I want but I don’t see it
I have to find it before Monday otherwise I’m short lol

While in Florida a few weeks ago I stopped in Steve.and.Barry’s to check out SarahJessicaParkers clothing line
and specifically the dress Victoryia made on Project.Runway

The dress looked HORRIBLE on the hanger
but because I like torture I tried it on
it actually looked cute
I got the burgandy color and am trying to decide how I want to wear it
I think I may wear it to the JillScott concert with tights and ankle boots
Since I’m a tad vertically challanged I should be able to get away with it lol
and since I’ll be on the shopping fast I’ll have to use whatever I have already have

I wish I could go on a salon fast
but I don’t want my hair looking a mess
I would be the chick to fall in love with a black salon in capitol.hill
but it’s worth the cost to be done in an hour and a half, have bouncy non greasy hair and get a bomb cut/trim without even asking
and the fact that I can drive or metro it there is great

well I have people hovering in my office so its time for me and my coworkers to head to perfectpita
chicken.veggie.hummus pita yumm lol

I hope your holiday is full of blessings and love and peace.

I don’t know why that song popped in my head as I started this random entry.
I’ve been out the office for some health days and just settling back in to the grind.

I finished 98.7 percent of my holiday shopping. I got my moms gift today from blue.nile. I was going to get her one thing but I saw they had a coupon code for ppal that if you spent $100 you got $50 off and you can’t really beat that. So I got her 2 things for the budget I was going to spend on one. Then they had a secret sale you could only see in your shopping cart on a bracelet I wanted to get my niece and the bracelet was marked down to $15 from $75 so I had to get that too.

I’m proud of me. I’ve done all my holiday shopping online. I can’t deal with the holiday crowds disturbing my favorite past time.

This saturday I may go to the mall and observe the foolishness. Since my mom and I have to do our 26 year old ritual of getting new pajama’s for Christmas Eve. So we can be fresh from San.ta

Speaking of shopping my 13 year old nephews jor.dans came in the mail. Why is his foot so big. I got him a half size up and got a 12. I think him and my ex wear the same size shoe and he’s 17 years younger then him lmao.

While being forced to shop with one of my guy friends the other day for a gift for one of the women in his harem we stopped by the fragrance department in Nordies and I smelled this scent that seriously if I guy had it on I’d be like celibacy umm whats that. And I’m so serious lmao. Supposedly its a unisex fragrance. But it was at the mens counter. Let me tell you my friend tried it on and I was like standing there smelling him, like my face in his neck ready to whisper sweet nothings in his metrosexual ear lol. I need someone to get this but if you are a guy don’t wear it around me lol.

Thinking about that fragrance made me lose focus for a second lol.

Well I’m off to a meeting to pretend I’m important. Ciao

“huh?”
was my response lol
that was randomly said to me by a friend the other night
we’ve known each other 5 years. He’s been there. Through the boyfriends, non boyfriends acting like boyfriends etc. He claims that he is my “boyfriend” whenever I don’t have one lol. Which is kind of true. If I want to go to eat, chill at a quiet spot, go to a concert, disappear for a few days, talk about music or politics or even complain about folks I’m dating… he’s usually who I call. Earlier in the summer I talked about having one of the best dates (that didn’t start out as a date) ever. And it was with him.

So what’s the problem you ask?
Me.
I’m not sure what it is. Like I could see us dating but I couldn’t see us in the realm of this could be my mate forever.
forever is a long time.
and I don’t see him and I as being forever.
I love him to death though.love in the this is someone I enjoy having in my life as a friend and miss when they aren’t around. but not love as in I’m in love and get the butterflies when I see you love.

So anyway I never responded to his statement. Because I didn’t really know what to say.

Over the years I’ve never been able to really articulate how I felt about guys. there have been guys I’ve realllllly liked. But instead of letting them know I built up the defense mechanism and showed no emotions and had up that wall. Now that I’ve freed myself from that and am able to articulate how I really feel towards people. It will be me saying to someone I care about that I don’t know if settling down and “us” with ever happen.

So I guess I know what to say just not how to say it. Or maybe I know how I want to say it and I just don’t want to.

Like my favorite cookwear being 40% off… That is MAJOR lol

finding a baker in DC that used to work at la.duree and is selling the bomb french.macarons (the passion fruit one almost made me crash the car when I tasted it lol)

having a dress I’ve been lusting after for MONTHS be on sale for $85 from $270 and it’s one left in my size

completing my Christmas shopping in 25minutes (gotta love the net)

mentioning to someone in convo that I ran out of my favorite fragrance and it being on my porch when I came home from work

getting paid to sing… thats a blessing

These lou.boutins … they require skill to rock them and are just fly

getting a day of paid leave

I’m in florida
It’s hot
I’m not used to hot decembers
nor humid ones
Winter is the only time I can wear my hair straight in DC
tis not the case in Florida
hearing “winter.wonderland” and seeing shorts on a mannequin is sooo wrong
I love my aunts house though
pool in the back with a view of the lake
I sat in the pool room this morning and ate breakfast with a nice 75 degree breeze
it was quiet and it inspired me to sit out there and just meditate
with my feet in the pool
when we went to the mall though
the heat made me change my mind
they had a reindeer sitting on a bench under a palm tree
it’s not right to see white shoes, bathing suits and flip flops out in December
did I mention it’s hot in florida

Ever had an Aha moment. I have really been struggling with my job situation. For one it’s stifling. Second I don’t feel like I can grow to the level where I need and want to be here. It’s a stepping stone. The struggle is money. I’m overpaid here and I know it. So it’s a tad hard to find a job that has a comparible salary. But I went to tar.get today looking for a birthday card for my aunt and I saw a card that I feel like was written for me. I didn’t even know there were cards on that side of the aisle. But when I read it I swear it was like God had said “pssst Christen since you have a hard time hearing me normally… read this”

Imagine yourself
doing what you love
and loving what you do, being happy from the inside out, experiencing your dreams wide awake,
being creative, being unique,
being you–
changing things to the way
you know they can be–
living the life
you always imagined

sitting here looking out the window in my office. some of the largest snowflakes I’ve ever seen are falling out of the sky.

the food co-op finally got my ginger honey crystals back in. that was perfect on a cold morning like today.

my friend wants me to take a hot yoga class with her. i’m not sure if I really want to do yoga in a room heated to like 105 degrees. because one it’s hot and second alot of folks are coming straight from work meaning thats a days worth of funk.

this whole budget thing is really annoying me. but I blame myself in several ways… I went in LV to talk about getting my bag repaired and saw three things in there I wanted. then I went in burberry with my mom and I feel like I NEED a trenchcoat. then my last stop was barney’s.coop and well that was overwhelming too. I need an intervention

trying to figure out if sunday I want to get of a plane from florida allll the way at dulles and drive to bmore to go see er.ic. rober.son

I’m seriously ready to ski. seeing this snow outside has me anxious to find a lodge and tackle the slopes.

really thinking about this particular sitution. a friends ex (well she is more of an associate now) is trying to talk to me. i’m not wondering if I should mess with him because I won’t. ever (I know toooooo much about their situation). I see him as just friends, especially since we work together at my freelance gig (which is tied to a religious group). but now it’s on some whenever he see’s me (which is often) he has something perverted to say i.e. last week “that dress you had on last week made me ____________.” I mean I know I’m cute but come on lol.

I made sushi the other day. it was ugly but it tasted sooo good. I have to perfect my rolling skills. the funny thing is two of my friends were over and one of them rolled it perfectly. wonder if that had something to do with his past activities.

my crew is doing secret santa. I got my friends fiance. he’s always ashy. think he’d be offended if I got him body scrub and a good moisturizer. of course something manly lol

chart.house monday was fantabulous. the food was excellent and seriously that is a great date spot. we were in the back next to the fireplace overlooking the potomac river. too bad I was with my mom lol.

this guy at work gave me a $75 panera gift card. mind you I do enjoy panera but $75. thats like ridiculous. that would have been great if it was for a spa service but oh well.

tris.cuits are addictive

I took my nephew to school late because he had a high school interview and got in trouble. why because the hall monitor or whatever the hayle he is thought I was trying to skip school and leave. I know I don’t look old and didnt have on a face full of makeup and yeah my nephew is taller then me but I don’t look like I’m in junior high. and what junior high kid has on a suit, with 3 inch pumps and car keys in her hand. gotta love the education system

The holidays are fast approaching. I haven’t done ANY shopping except for getting about 10 new CD’s and my mom’s birthday gift (tomorrow) which has nothing to do with Christmas. I just don’t feel like being out in the crowds and the rush. More than likely I’m doing 100 percent of my shopping online this year. Meaning I needed to order like yesterday. Is it sad that I know what I want for myself but have no clue what I’m getting anyone else.

Lately I’ve been such and introvert that people have been asking if I’m okay lol. People don’t realize I LIKE being alone having quiet time… reading, drinking tea, listening to my music, watching football (alot which has been QUITE disappointing) and having me time. I don’t know when folks will realize I do have a ball when I’m out but I really like my quiet time.

Along with asking am I okay. I also am getting asked when is the next event. I throw a party every year. I haven’t had one this year because I’ve been busy. Also because I have a car payment to make on top of those fabulous undergrad and grad school loans lol. Which means the normal fabulous party at Christen’s house amenities are on pause. Everyone claims they’ll be satisfied with a game night and snacks. But when I usually have a stocked bar, entrees, homemade desserts and treats for all my guests will it really be the same? Maybe I’ll have the anti-valentines day party I was going to throw this year (I don’t hate love or relationships lol just the holiday).

Speaking of relationships I think I may start dating again. So what if I’m busy allll the time. I make time for that I can make time for an occasional dinner, a good concert, busboys or a cup of tea.

Keite, Ledisi, Alice Smith, Choklat, Maysa, Coltrane, Roy Ayers- defintely got me through the weekend

Jill Scotts song Cel.ibacy Blues- autobiographical lol

My boss asked me if I’ve been looking for a new job lately. I said no (I’m always looking) and asked why. She said because I haven’t worn my curly afro hair in a month. “Curly Afro hair.” really. lmao. I was like it’s been straight because I have options. Curly afro hair though.

I’m trying to plan another international trip. Where to is the question. If I could I’d quit my job travel for a year and then re-enter society refreshed. I think I really need that.

I’m also thinking about the doctorate again. I need to just go ahead and do it. I wanted a second master’s but I want to be Dr. Christen more

I am looking forward to dinner at the Chart.house tonight. But I think I picked the worst day to go. Dinner on the waterfront when it’s cold and windy may not be the deal. I did get my mom this great cake though.

I hate traffic. But it’s time for me to go sit in some.