Spending Birthday Money

A month ago yesterday, I hit the quarter century mark.  Some people freak out about this, yet in the grand scheme of things, my life is (I hope!) still in its earliest stages.

We celebrated my 25th with a big Cubs win!
From L-R: my 2 roommates, me, the boyfriend, and 2 good friends from Purdue. 

I'm not a mother, not married, but I do have a select few grey hairs.  This, in all honesty, is a relief.  The select few part is what makes me happy; my dad was salt-and-pepper around my age and his sister was completely grey in college.  I got their bone structure (ugh- save this one for another day.) but thankfully not their follicles.

Yesterday I finally spent the first half of the birthday money from my grandparents.  Well, I didn't want to see all of it disappear so I used half and then supplemented it with some additional funds from my checking account.  And yes, it took me a month to decide how best to use the money.

The truth of the matter is that I need more work-appropriate shirts.  Please don't assume I'm currently rocking cleavage-displaying, midriff-baring tops (gross!), as I assure you I'm not.  I'm actually quite good at handling the options available in my closet-- pairing a knit tee with a pencil skirt, skinny jeans with a floral top and blazer, turquoise skinny pants with sandals and a cardigan-- but I need more preppy, conservative no-brainers.  I need more button-up shirts.

Carly at College Prepster gave me the nudge I needed to browse my favorite retailer for (first and foremost) the adorable girls' necklace that will be a fun addition to my 4th of July ensemble.  From there I decided to see what color options in the Perfect Shirt were available on sale-- it's birthday money, I want to s-t-r-e-t-c-h it as far as possible!

For under $200-- including taxes and shipping-- I managed to snag the following finds:

The necklace that started it all - Girls' Bead and Star Necklace in Modern Red

Women's Perfect Shirt in Mini Gingham, in Lemon Zest

Women's Stretch Perfect Shirt, in Casablanca Blue

Women's Stretch Perfect Shirt, in Cerise

Now I'm just trying to be patient while my new presents arrive at my apartment :)

Peace

If you ever decide to set your alarm clock for an hour or two before its shrill tones usually jolt you from your slumber, I recommend you grab a coffee, come to Lakeview, and just observe.

You'll see a man, almost ready for his 20-year reunion.  Underneath the sweat-wicking tee from a past marathon and nylon shorts so short your grandmother would blush, his sun-tanned arms and legs show every muscle, every vein as he pounds the pavement at what you assume must be a world record speed.

You'll see a girl, barely old enough to begin a career.  Wearing a colorful tank with a complicated back strap combination and stretchy black pants that show every curve of her former cheerleader legs, her yoga-toned arms propel her forward at a pace that you think looks comfortable for a 4- or 5-mile loop.

Another man, probably with great-grandkids in a nearby suburb.  His t-shirt hangs off a now-bony frame and his shorts look precariously close to slipping off, and even though you could comfortably walk at his running pace, you see him pass by at the same time every day of the week.

A woman runs by pushing a jogging stroller and trailing a preschooler on a bike with training wheels.  Whether both pregnancies took a noticeable toll on her body or she had a few extra pounds to begin with, she's huffing and puffing in her husband's massive tee and basketball shorts, hoping the surplus of fabric will hide the body she hates seeing in the mirror.

All of them run to find some kind of peace.  To erase the nagging feeling they just aren't fast/strong/man enough.  To mentally escape from a difficult home life.  To forget the pain of losing loved ones.  To stop hating yourself.

Personally, I run because I enjoy the peace.  The peace and quiet of a pre-dawn metropolis.  Waking up before my roommates, before most of the city.  Tying on my New Balances at an hour most people hope to never see.  And savoring the unspoken bond that hovers around the neighborhoods, unifying all of us through one simple thing:

Running.