After tightening the budget this holiday season, I have decided that homemade gifts may be the best way to go for most of my friends and family. I have been thinking of what to make, how to package, and how mostly,  to make the gifts beautiful.

And thanks to the diligent blogging of my friend Melissa at Biting the Big Apple, I’ve found the best Web site ever for my holiday baking. Bake it Pretty has some of the most adorable cookie cutters, chocolate molds, and baking cups for the inner Martha Stewart in us all.

They also sell great gift boxes, so I will be able to make great little sets. Knowing me though, I’ll want everything they sell and spend more this way than just hitting up the mall. I’ll keep myself in check.. hopefully.

Here’s to a YUMMY holiday season!

I’m trying to figure out what to make for this weekend’s game, considering that I made this Gator Cupcake concoction for the UF vs. Tennessee game. For Homecoming, I want something even more creative, or yummy. Who knows, might just make another one of these bad boys.. and maybe this time… traffic willing, the sun won’t melt all my icing on the way to K Mam’s!

Since I have dubbed this part of my life “The Next Chapter,” figuratively speaking, I’ve got writers block.

This past month or so would be the random chapter you find in the beginning of some books where you are mostly learning characters, or brief plot lines. Nothing too exciting, nothing really juicy. The part where you wonder, should I continue? Did I buy a dud? Maybe I should flip to the back and just save myself the in between.

If only my life were really a book. I would be very tempted to read the later chapters to figure out where I’m going. I feel like my whole life I’ve just been skimming the text and haven’t really taken the time to figure out the nuances of my character. And even though I’m working now, it’s not the kind of work that I’m  passionate about. And the jobs I’m applying for seem to be taking their time to get their ball rolling, which unfortunately isn’t the most optimum for me.

Used to a life jam-packed with meetings to go to, decisions to make, people to meet and groups to represent, my more recent life decisions of what to wear to work and what to make for dinner are feeling somewhat menial. I feel like all of my talents, all of the things I love to do, need to somehow come together and land in my lap as a job.

That’s how things have always happened for me. My life has been more like a game of connect the dots than anything else, each dot pointing me in the right direction to the next. But now more than ever, it’s like a book, with cliff-hangers and all. But since I’m writing this story, I’m stuck. Stuck without a clear direction to go. I know it all comes together. But when? Hmmm…

We’ve all needed one.  We’ve all used one, or two.. We’ve all been poked by one time after time.

What exactly am I talking about you ask? Safety pins of course! Today marks Safety Pin Day. It was invented on this day actually.

“Before buttonholes, the world got dressed with pins. The Romans fastened their robes at the shoulder with a straight pin that had a coil in the middle allowing it to bend. This evolved into a U-shaped pin about 1000 B.C. – and pin makers eventually started to cover the sharp end with wire. During the late Middle Ages, the British decided pins should only be sold on certain days of the year. Women began saving “pin money” to go to the shops to buy their pins.”(hicards.com)

It may be a small thing to think about, but hey, it can be a huge lifesaver!! And since I’ve been slacking on my intention of providing you all with the everyday bizarre holidays of September, I had to go out with a bang for the last holiday on the last day of the month. Hence, my Ode to the Safety Pin.

So throw one in your purse, or put a few in your desk at work. Heck, maybe even put some in your glove box. You never know when a button may break, a strap may pop or a hem may come loose. Because if not, you’ll find yourself in an ode to the safety pin as well, wishing you had this small invention somewhere close.

With all the social networking and social media out there these days, I am a bit late jumping on the bandwagon with my latest addition to this blog. But nonetheless, I am doing my small part and hope that you can help me too!

Socialvibe.com is a great way to fundraise for a charity of your choice and have them be sponsored by a company of your choice, all with the help of your readers (that’s you)!

So each time you come to my page, before, after, or both, make sure that you click on the banner placed on the right hand column. L’Oreal Paris will donate money to the Children’s Miracle Network each time you do.

And the Children’s Miracle Network holds a special place in my heart after being a part of Dance Marathon throughout college. Last year, just at UF, we raised over $413,000. So, I know we can do a small part for CMN  by just clicking the banner each day.

And you can do the same thing on your wordpress.com blog, your Facebook, Myspace, Blogger, etc. Try it out at www.socialvibe.com !

Seeing as I am “on vacation” (that’s what I am calling being unemployed by the way), I am finding many things to fill my days with. Sand beneath my toes, fruity drinks with umbrellas, Cabana boys, dinner with friends…

Ok, so maybe no sand, drinks or men have been a part of my “vacation,” but I did have a fabulous dinner last night. Day one of my vaca was spent at Tire Kingdom (which I will divulge all about in another post once I gather all of my thoughts from that day!), so Day two was destined to go better. And it certainly did. A fabulous group of Chi Omega alum have created a girls-night-out group they call Night Owls. When your symbols are skull-and-cross-bones and owls, its rare to find something cutesy to tie in, but the name and the girls are a hoot! Pun intended.

Anyhow, after a delicious meal at Dragonfly, I came home and Heath was still out with his group of friends and it got me thinking. The only plan I had all week was dinner, and that was over.  My vacation wasn’t really all it was cracked up to be after all. I like plans, I like work, I like being busy. And I am none of those things this week. Or maybe next week. Or for who knows how long?

So, in an attempt to make the days go by faster, I have resorted to finding out all of the fantastic ‘holidays’ that September has. I figure if I am busy celebrating holidays, the days will fly by much faster and eventually I will find myself employed, or at least at the next crossroads of figuring out the next step.

For instance, tomorrow, September 3 is National Skyscraper Day. Here in Gainesville, maybe I will take a drive by Century Tower. Or spend the day searching for a skyscraper. (I have certainly found a productive way to spend my days…)

September 5 is Be Late for Something Day. Perhaps I will be late picking Heath up from work…

Anyhow, I will keep you posted on all the fun holidays this month. And get excited, because September gives you reasons to enjoy not only cheese pizza, but chocolate milk shakes, popcorn, cream-filled doughnuts, cheeseburgers, apple dumplings and cherries jubilee!! Oh, it shall be a good month!

If you remember from Timmy’s Tightey Whiteys, I told you all about Tim Tebow and his lovely little photo shoot. I actually got a few spam comments saying that I lied. Hmmm? However, I clearly did not allow those comments to be published.

But for those naysayers, all that I will say now is “I told you so!”

Check out these photos posted by GQ. Once recruitment is over, I may just be buying my first GQ magazine ever. Sshhh…Don’t tell Heath.

Eat your heart out Amy Mo… and every other woman out there.

“Tim Tebow, making any other man in Gainesville jealous since Spring 2006.”

If you want more, check out the article and other pictures here at GQ.

WOW! Here’s a side-by-side of Dyan Cannon.. “Then”.. and What appears to be “Relatively-close-to-Then-but-actually-is-Now.”

According to TMZ, this Fountain of Youth actress was born in 1937… in the photo to the left, she is 33. Thirty-nine years later, in 2009, she is 72!

I refuse to buy designer jeans at $200 a pop, but these genes, these I would pay good money for!

As I move forward into the next chapter of my life, I think it only appropriate to take a quick look back at what brought me to where I am today. And what I will be starting tomorrow.. Oh Recruitment…

So 4 years ago… completely clueless about Greek Life, I went through Recruitment. Wide-eyed and naive, I made my way through the process and made one of the best decisions I have yet to make in my life. Without the women I met in this chapter, I couldn’t begin to imagine what my college experience would have been like.

From the first day on this lawn, to the last photo shoot with other graduating seniors, I made some of the best friends, and best memories, that I will have for a lifetime. I also found myself in a plethora of leadership roles from day one, but never would have  guessed  the freshman with no Greek experience or Greek family members would be the President of Panhellenic at UF, assisting in running the Recruitment machine, as I like to refer to it.

I maybe could have guessed that I would have been on Chi O’s executive board, but only because I knew I wouldn’t be happy just accepting choices.  I have to be a part of the decision making process, I need to know details, I love the inside scoop.

Panhellenic President kind of just fell into my lap, as a lot of opportunities have in my life, and I am so glad that it did. My senior year would not have been the same, for the good and the bad. I learned a lot and will take with me many things. Along with the tangible skills I learned, I also learned what I have left to learn, mostly lessons about people. It all comes with time though, and I have realized, I learn things at certain times, for certain reasons, so I am just along for the ride.

I do remember that during Recruitment 2005, as a PNM, looked at my Pi Chi’s and thought, “I wanna do that” – until I saw a blue hat, and then my goals changed to “I could do that”. During downtime, when most PNM’s were obsessing over how to be a Pi Chi, I asked my Pi Chi how to become a blue hat. She told me first I needed to be an orange hat. Little did she know…(and little did I know) I would do exactly what I wanted just 3 years later. Not only would I not have to be an Orange Hat, I would be in charge of them. But I can say that I loved my group. They were pretty fabulous!

But the last thing I would have ever seen coming was what is happening this year. Similar to the position I was in last year as President, with our advisor leaving for a better job opportunity, Panhellenic was advisor-less once again. They have the benefit of the Associate Director, Jack, much more familiar with UF’s process this year than last year, but they still need a little help. And that’s where my role is. Leave most of the advisor stuff to Jack, help the ladies with anything they need. What a job title huh?

Little did I know last Bid Day, (which is obvious by my excitement in this photo), that I would be back for another Recruitment. I thought I was done. And after a rainy, sweaty, long, exhausting Recruitment, I couldn’t have been happier to be done. But here I am again, oddly enough, just as excited as I was last year. Ready to bring in new faces, new leadership and new women into Panhellenic.

I wonder which PNM in PC 2009 will have a story similar to mine? Hmmm…

It’s about time that I post that is. And perhaps, something of value this time. But hopefully you enjoyed a free chocolate bar, or spent some time doodling online.

Anyhow, figured an update was in order. The most recent news in the life of me is a pseudo job change. It is a legitimate job switch, but only temporarily. As Adrienne, the Panhellenic Advisor for UF, has accepted a position with a new university that begins before UF Recruitment, there is a void in the knowledge of the crazy machine we call Recruitment. Seeing as I just played a large role in recruitment last year, and am still in town, I have been hired on as an Assistant to the Office to help out the ladies of Panhellenic.

I guess you never really know when you are done with something huh? As I prepare to thrust myself back into a 24 hour-7 day a week job for Recruitment 2009, I can only use the word anxious to describe how I am feeling. While I am excited to be working with the exec board, and feel prepared to handle the responsibility, I am still very anxious. I may have seen one of the most turmoil filled recruitment processes last year, with lots of wrenches thrown in along the way, but I was a student and ultimately had the assistance of an advisor. And this year, though I am technically an Assistant Advisor, I know that I need to give the women the same security and comfort that I got from Adrienne last year.

So as I walk out of the door of the University of Florida Foundation after almost two and a half years, I am walking straight into the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Affairs for the month of August.

Here’s to a succesful recruitment and to whatever may come after August!