We Went Through a LOT of Bramble... and a LOT of Champagne!

Happy New Year! I ushered in the new year at a cabin in West Virginia with friends, flannel, fires, several bottles of champagne, and little cell phone service.  It was lovely.

Notable Quotes from New Years 2011-2012

"We might starve. STARVE!"

"It's been a long time since I've shot a gun."

"Ok, so we make a right on this road, and then we'll pass... and I quote... 'the old barn' on our right."

"This trip just turned into the Oregon Trail. We are now traveling at a GRUELING pace."

"I thought I saw a deer. Turns our it was a mailbox."

"We brought our composting!"

"I can't wait to buy bullets!"

While lost in the woods on a hike. 
"Alright guys. I've seen enough horror movies to know that this is the point in which we should absolutely split up."

- "Are we gonna watch the ball drop?"
- "I think that's some kind of rule."
- "I've never seen it before."
- ::the whole group:: "EVER?!?!"
- "I've always been somewhere partying."

- "What's the verdict on the Hunstman daughters?"
- "The brunette is hot."
- "The brunette is really hot, she looks like her Dad."

When the caviar was served.
"We are seriously the fanciest cabin-folk around."

The Pittsburgh Party Circuit

Precisely: Wait, so what's this event on Thursday?

Me: The Holiday Hootenanny.

Precisely: Didn't we just go to that for Halloween?  Does this happen multiple times per year?

Me: No. That was the Halloween Hooha.  Completely different party.


I love this town.

I will have a green thumb.

"About a month ago I got a cactus. A week later, it died. I was really depressed because I was like 'Damn! I am less nurturing than a desert.'"
- Demetri Martin

The above sentiment pretty much wraps up my experience with plants. It's not that I don't like plants, but I apparently have a hard time remembering to take care of things that don't actually remind you to take care of them. Pets and babies have this figured out, which is why I am an excellent pet/baby-sitter.

Over the summer, Precisely and I had a grand vision of keeping fresh herbs in our kitchen, and doing all kinds of flavorful cooking. He bought a basil plant, and I picked up some parsley from the farmers market.  Approximately 2 weeks later it looked like this:

So we went back to using dried herbs for flavoring, and I once again gave up on the status of house plants. The status that says, look at my grown-up house, where there is so much stability and care-taking that living things grow and thrive here.


While home for Thanksgiving, my extremely-talented-when-it-comes-to-keeping-plants-alive mother found herself with some extra little houseplants, and promptly re-potted them and told me I was taking them home.

I rose to the challenge, going to Ikea and buying shelving for the plants to sit on so they will get sun, as well as more potted plants.  I will have plants, and I will remember to water them, and they will not die.

So far, so good.

Look Mom, they're still alive!!

But the real exciting addition to our home in terms of plant life is the Christmas tree that Precisely got. It's darling, and smells great, and definitely makes the fact that it's been dark for hours before I get home less depressing.

Tis the season.

Typical Tuesday Night in the Halling-Preis Household

Me: What are you looking for?

Precisely: I need a cable that looks like a headphone piece on one end, and those red and yellow pieces on the other end.

Me: Ohhh.  I definitely had one of those at the Bloomfield house. But I don't think I brought it with me when I moved.

Precisely: That's exactly the problem. It's something we all had, but no one lives in those houses anymore.

Precisely: They're like the unicorns of computer cables.

Me:  ::blink::

Ideas Worth Spreading

I just got home from TEDxPSU, an independent TED conference held today at Penn State University.  I went, because the CEO and Founder of Thread, the social-venture start-up I work for was one of the speakers.

It's been a long day, and I'm exhausted, but my brain is swirling, and I need to spend some time on my couch in my flannel pajama pants before I can attempt sleep.  It was a good day. Full of learning, and discussion, and hearing about new ideas, or experiencing a new perspective on a universal truth.  There are a lot of good people doing wonderful things in our world.  Unfortunately, there are so many problems.

It can get kind of overwhelming when you're hearing these talks all day to think about climate change, our current political state of affairs, the rise of women suicide bombers, and how the worlds next wars will be fought over water, and all the other horrible things happening, and mistakes we've made as people, and things we're doing to contribute to the destruction of our world and our societies.  There were times today things seemed quite overwhelmingly bleak.

But there's action that can be taken, and people hopeful and passionate enough about that action to climb on stage and talk about it in front of thousands of people. And there are thousands of people listening, wanting to educate themselves, and wanting to know what they can do to make a difference, and that is hopeful. And inspiring.

And so, when my boss got up on stage to talk about the work we will do being in Haiti, and described the events that lead to the creation of our company, and explained how we exist by seeing resources and opportunity amidst abject poverty and trash, I was so proud to be sitting in the audience knowing that I am a part of that.

Our world is a mess. But the good news is there are actions we can take. The problems are huge, but we're not powerless.  There are people that still want to do good. That is heartening.

If you need inspiration to start making a difference, I sincerely suggest you check out TED talks. There are hundreds of amazing speakers, and concepts, and the content is available for free. We have access to more information then we ever have before, it's a gift we should use.

All the Pumpkin Things!

A couple of years ago in college, my roommates and I started a tradition of a party that consisted of eating pumpkin flavored things in the fall. We called it Fall Fest.  I know, we're like copy-writing geniuses.

We held fall fest last weekend, and it was delicious.

What's cool about Fall Fest though, is that it's started to grow up with us.  We no longer take the bus to Giant Eagle to stock up on pre-made pumpkin flavored treats - this year we made our own pumpkin inspired dishes, with ingredients we bought from stores we drove to in our cars. (Or maybe in our roommates car as is my case...)

This year, the menu included bite sized pumpkin spiced chicken tacos, spicy pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread pudding, homemade pumpkin cookies, a cheese plate, a pumpkin cheesecake, various craft beers, and local cider from Arsenal Cider House, and the best chocolate stout sorbet Precisely has made with his new ice cream maker yet.

I know, right? Fall Fest got fancy!

The best part though, of course was the company.  My friends are simply delightful, and I love them.  We all scatter to spend time with our families over the upcoming Holidays, and it was really nice to carry on our own tradition and spend time together.

In Every Generation There is a Chosen One.

I have spent the past 2 months watching all 144 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I mean, I've done other things too, but in terms of television entertainment, Buffy was it. It's the most addicting, most gratifying tv show I've ever watched, and I loved every second of it.

Obviously I'm super late to jump on this fan bandwagon, but I think the fact that the show is almost 15 years old, and still this awesome, says a lot.

While there were a lot of great metaphors, themes, and subtexts throughout the show's 7 seasons the discussion around fate, destiny, and loneliness of being "the chosen one" has stuck with me.

It would suck, in a lot of ways to be told at 15, hey this is your destiny, what you've been chosen for, what you're meant to do with your life.  And yet, the sometimes paralyzing question, of what the hell am I supposed to do with my life? can seem a lot more overwhelming.

Even scarier, is finding something you do feel drawn towards, and making that leap of faith and throwing yourself into it, without really being sure that this is what you're supposed to be doing.  It would be kind of nice if a council of British men would show up and say, "Yep. This is your destiny. Carry on."

I guess knowing would take all the fun out of it.