girls in grey cardigans.

Listening To: Rambling Man by Laura Marling

Reading: Mindy Kaling's "Flick Chicks" in The New Yorker. "There are, like, nine people in the entire world who are architects, and one of them is my dad. None of them look like Patrick Dempsey."

31 Years Ago This Weekend: My parents got married. Their ceremony was small; just family and close friends. My mom wore a pale blue, knee-length dress and tan heels. My dad wore a brown suit and a big smile. I love celebrating happily ever after with them. They're the best. 

My brave little roses are still blooming! Take that, Almost-October.

So I’ve decided to take a Facebook hiatus for just a little while. I realize this isn’t blogworthy news. I’m only mentioning it on here because some of you sweet people have said hello recently via The Facebook. That always makes me super-smiley. I most definitely did not want you to think I’d defriended you. I’m just trying to focus-in on something specific. And sometimes I need to go a bit extreme when I’m recalibrating my focus.  (Are you ever this way? Or is it just me?) Much like Frosty the Snowman, I’ll be back again someday soon (probably within the next few weeks). Thumpity, thump, thump, etc.

Speaking of Facebook: I’ve received a few random Facebook messages this year from guys I do not know. And the content of their messages leads me to believe that these gents are not blog readers, nor have they read Paperdoll. In fact, the content of their messages, along with their shirtless self-taken bathroom mirror profile picture, leads me to believe they’re most likely trolling Facebook for chicks.

Their message is usually some derivative of: “U are butifel. We r friends, ok?”

There is a possibility I’m getting pranked by trixy LOLCats. Nevertheless.

This random messaging has only happened a couple of times. As you know, stuff like that is easily remedied. It’s easy to block people forever and always from finding you, or sending you weird messages, on Facebook. The messages aren't pervy. They're just dumb. But it is still kind of funny that these messages are even sent to me at all, even randomly. Because this is my Facebook profile picture:

Nothing says: PARTY ANIMAL HOPING TO CONNECT WITH A FACEBOOK STRANGER …

 … like a girl in a grey cardigan sitting in front of an empty Starbucks cup. I can see where someone might get the wrong impression. So I’ve decided to set the record straight.

I’m about to give you the low-down on what girls in grey cardigans are really like.

Now – obviously – this list of facts that I’m about to share with you does not apply to every girl in a grey cardigan. This is not a universal checklist. These facts only apply to the shorty in that particular picture. Try not to be intimidated by her. *sarcasm*

The Girl in The Grey Cardigan:

- Nearly started a kitchen fire this week without turning on the stove. Apparently, it takes some serious culinary finesse to microwave a sweet potato. Little potato = Whole lotta smoke.  My house still smells like a campfire. (Those less imaginative might claim it smells like an ashtray.)

- Occasionally craves any/all of the following: Fruit Loops, Cherry Coke, sriracha, cold weather, hot coffee and Ryan Adams’ “Heartbreaker” album. But not necessarily at the same time. Not necessarily.

- Prefers wildflowers to roses.

- Loves her freckles. Is still self-conscious about her body, but she’s making peace with the soft places.

- Digs love songs (like this) and lonesome songs (like this) and the way guitar strings feel when she presses her fingertips against them. Wishes she could make music come from those strings, but figures she’ll probably have to learn more than one chord in order for that to happen.

- Is fluent in sarcasm but tries to use her powers for good. (Fears sarcasm is a dying language.)

- Never went through a phase when she thought boys were gross. Has always believed guys are weirdly wonderful. Mostly wonderful. Unless they send bizarre messages on Facebook. IN THAT CASE THEY’RE JUST WEIRD.

- Would wear knee boots and skinny jeans every day of the year if she could. But she lives in the south, so she can’t. Because that would mean excess sweat. Fake leather sweat is no good. Pleather Sweat = Stank.

- Stares at the night sky until she finds the perfect wishing star. Loses all sense of time while doing this, but never loses her sense of wonder. 

- Frequently references Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, Muppet movies, and Friends.

- Is aware of her geekery. Considers it an attribute.

- Has had/presently has a celebrity crush on all of the following: Bo Duke, Chris Thile, Taye Diggs, Han Solo, Conan O’Brien, Bruce Springstein, Neil Gaiman, Enrique (the waiter at Carrabas) and Payton Manning. Go ahead and try to infer something from all that. 

- Gets annoyed when someone corrects someone else's grammar during conversation.

- Likes to write sentence fragments. Just to alienate the grammar trolls. 

- Is allergic to gravity.

- Watched two episodes of She-Ra on Netflix. Was inspired. Asked her family to please begin addressing her as “Princess of Power”. Thus far, they have refused to play along.

- Left her heart in London. Intentionally.

- Threw a guy’s keys in a Wendy’s Trash Can once. Accidentally. (Well … “Acidentally.”)

- Loves Jesus. Loves her family. Considers her dog part of her family. Loves her friends. Mostly, she just seriously loves to love. Being loved back is pretty rock-awesome too. 

- Has a poem by Langston Hughes taped inside her Bible. 

- Has a Chinese fortune folded into her locket. 

- Has a freckle on her lip.

- Has a paint stain on her sleeve. 

- Has a story in her heart.

Here’s what I’m getting at Facebook fellows: The Girl in the Grey Cardigan … she’s probably not what you're looking for. Don’t misunderstand: she’s a cool girl. She doesn't like to cook, but she knows how to put out a kitchen fire. (That's so hot. Zing!) She's no athlete, but she can throw down in a game of Clue. Also, she once made it all the way to Super Sleuth in her Carmen Sandiego computer game. Most men are intimidated by those skills. No shame in that.  

In other news, I  heard a rumor that the weather will hover around 65 on Saturday. I'm giddy over this. I'm headed to the library today to pick up The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, which I'm pretty stoked about. My weekend plan is to cuddle up with my dog, drink lots of coffee, and read. Do you have any fun fall-ish plans? You reading anything particularly snazzy? Happy weekending to you!