Cozy, cozy

Today is a rainy day.

It took all of my willpower and then some to trudge up to campus for my night class. All I wanted to do was curl up with a blanket on the sofa and watch HGTV. And eat soup.

Now though, after much anticipation, I have escaped the wet evening and am all warm and cozy in my bed.

Rainy night or not, this is the time of day when I feel the happiest.

Note: I was not trying to be artsy here. This photo had to be in B&W due to lack of makeup. This blog is for entertainment purposes, not scaring people

I love washing off my makeup, letting my hair down, changing into my most comfortable clothes, and crawling into bed with a cup of hot tea on my nightstand and either a good book on my lap or a fun TV show playing.

This is the time of the day when I finally get to catch up with friends...online window shop...day dream...whatever I am doing, everything slows down.

I feel calm, relaxed, and content.

And then, I turn off the light and switch on my sleep playlist (songs include Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now," Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," and plenty of Enya).

And even though it's an hour's worth of songs, I've always drifted off after the first two or three (sometimes I don't even make it past one).

Cozy, cozy indeed.

GIRLS is back!

Tonight, HBO is bringing something wonderful back into my life- Girls.

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I started watching the television series last year, and I can still remember closing my Macbook afterwards and thinking, "Oh my God. I'm not alone."

The year after graduating college was a rough one for me.

Living Situation
College: Six-bedroom house near campus, which was always bustling with friends and activity. Whenever I walked in the door, I would throw my purse on the dining room table and just feel like I was home.
Post-Grad: Two-bedroom apartment with a horrible landlord. Went without heat for 10 days (just an example), and the kitchen cabinets always looked like they were on the verge of collapsing. Even after 12 months living there, arriving home never filled me with comfort.

Social Life
College: I lived with five wonderful girls and had a close group of friends. We were out 2-3 nights each week (sometimes more often in nicer weather), and our favorite bar was no farther than a 5 minute stroll away!
Post-Grad: Nearly everyone moved away. Of the friends that remained, everyone's lives suddenly became crazy busy with work and real life responsibilities. Seeing each other once a month was an accomplishment.

Attitude
College: By senior year, I felt confident and sure of myself. I was an English major, and I knew exactly what I was good at.
Post-Grad: While feeling very fortunate to have a good job, it was a career that didn't appeal to my interests or talents. I so often felt lost and unsure of myself, and I was a serious sufferer of the Sunday Night Blues.

Tough transitions indeed.

And while there was plenty of commiserating over wine with friends, Lena Dunham's Girls was the first show that so perfectly explained what it was like to be in your early twenties. It brought such a sense of relief to my life and made me laugh at my own woes and dilemmas.

Even though I'm in a much happier place of my life now, I still feel incredibly comforted whenever I curl up with a new (or old) episode of Girls.

Cheers to Season 3 and new adventures with Hannah, Marnie, Jessa, and Shosh!

Morning Jump Start

Yesterday morning, I was lounging on the couch and eating one of those delicious Key Lime Greek yogurts for breakfast (the kind with the crumbles- seriously so good) and watching Good Morning America when my roommate came inside from the garage.

"I'm an idiot. I left the light on in my car overnight, and now it's dead," she moaned, understandably upset.

"Do you need me to drive you to work?" I asked as we both work downtown (although I'd like to think I'd offer even if we didn't). "That won't be a problem at all!"

She shrugged, "Nah, we'll just jump it."

"Wait, you're going to jump the car?" I set my yogurt down. Sh*t was getting real.

"Of course. Can we use your car?"

"Yes!" Excited for a morning adventure, I followed her outside with the keys to my Corolla.

I forgot how shiny she used to be. This is depressing.

I couldn't believe this.

We weren't going to call someone's dad or brother or Triple A? We were going to be doing this all by ourselves?*

I popped the hood of my car (something I actually did know how to do). My roommate attached the appropriates cables, and then I started the engine when she instructed me to.

In a matter of seconds, her car was up and roaring.

"IT'S ALIVE!" I proclaimed, utterly amazed. "YOU ARE INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!"

It was crazy cool and empowering.

As Rosie the Riveter would say, "We can do it!"

*By "ourselves" I mean "herself."

52 Questions: Week 1

While reading Preppin' Postgrad last night, I came across a really cool post featuring 52 questions for the year ahead.

I thought that this sounded like a fun activity so have decided to answer one question each week, just as Jessica is doing.

Not that I've ever been any good at sticking to weekly posts.

But I'll try anyway.

So here we go with week 1!

What is your full name? Why did your parents give you that name?

My full name is Jenna Elizabeth.

My mum and dad simply liked the name Jenna (I do, too!), and my middle name is after my paternal grandmother (who is one of the most amazing women in this world and who I love so incredibly much).

As for my last name, it's hardly worth mentioning. It is English, and I think it's fairly average as far as last names go.

Although, if I ever get married someday, I am only trading up.

I've never had any nicknames (That's a bit weird, isn't it?), which is all well and fine with me as I believe my name suits me quite perfectly.

I only wish that my parents had named me Genevieve so that when people asked my name, I could nonchalantly shrug, "It's Gena. With a G."

I mean, how posh would that be?

Brrrrr...

Just like millions of other Americans right now, Cincinnatians are very, very cold.

Allow me to be the first to admit- I am a lover of winter and its brisk temperatures.

The following Edith Sitwell quote sums up my attitude quite perfectly.

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.

My adoration for winter may have started on December 19, 1989...a day of record-breaking cold in Cincinnati, Ohio and also the glorious date when I decided to make my appearance into this world. Perhaps my preference for winter began when I was six or seven, and chilly temperatures meant I could stay inside with my books and printer paper (which I used to write and illustrate stories on, commonly featuring princesses named "Lisa" and princes named "Jimmy") rather than be forced to participate in outside activities, as summer almost always demanded. 

Having said all of that, the weather hitting Cincinnati right now?

Brutal.

I am terribly spoiled in my bedroom with its glorious 1919 radiator, which keeps me comfortable and warm. I am further indulged by a roommate who wakes up earlier than me and keeps the hot fan on outside the shower (Our house seriously ROCKS! A hot fan outside the shower = genius) so I get to enjoy a warm bathroom after having exited my bed.

Beautiful, sweet radiator

Unfortunately, nothing could protect me from the walk in and out of work today or the idiotic decision I made to walk four city blocks (eight round trip!) so that I could go to the bank during lunch.

Bloggers. It literally hurt.

My face was throbbing, and my legs ached.

It was just that miserable.

I could even feel the inside of my NOSE freeze up, which is rather disgusting.

My university is amazing and cancelled classes today so instead of spending more time trekking back and forth between campus tonight, I am getting ready to curl up with a book and a glass of orange juice (I feel that vitamin C is imperative right now...I want to ward off any potential illnesses).

Winter, please ease up a little bit.

Bright year ahead!

I am a sucker for New Year's resolutions.

I really, truly am.

I love new beginnings and fresh starts. A new calendar year is like one beautiful blank slate. The possibilities practically make me giddy!

A new planner! A new year!

Here is what I am hoping to accomplish in 2014.

Enjoy better quality "me" time. I am not against binge-watching mindless Bravo television. Sometimes, you really just need a few hours of Patti Stanger and The Millionaire Matchmaker. Having said that, I'd like to spend the majority of my sacred alone time doing things like reading novels, catching up on my favorite blogs (and finding some new ones!), and writing, of course...those sorts of things!

Improve my time management. I want to be honest, bloggers. My first semester being a part-time graduate student on top of a full-time job was not exactly pretty. My poor mom received many tearful phone calls, and there were nights I was so tired I could have just collapsed. In the new year, I hope to practice much improved time management skills so I can avoid these sorts of scenarios!

Drink more water. Healthier body. Beautiful skin. All that jazz.

Focus on the present. Don't worry about the future. This is something I really need to work on. For example, about halfway through my recent New York City trip, I started worrying about my flight home to Cincinnati and that stress kept me from fulling enjoying myself. I need to live in the moment and appreciate the present.

Shop less. Ha ha. Just kidding!

What are your New Year's resolutions for 2014?

A Nora Ephron New Year's Eve

As soon as I walked in the door from work yesterday afternoon, I gracefully popped open a bottle of champagne and took a shower. I sipped on the bubbles as I carefully applied silver eyeshadow and sparkly makeup. I braided my hair in its signature style and put on a pair of glitzy earrings.

Then, I changed into my comfiest pajamas and curled up on the sofa because this New Year's Eve?

I was not leaving the house.

Instead, I cooked some of my favorite stir-fry for dinner, poured myself another glass (or two) of champagne, and watched two of my favorite movies- Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally.

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So not only was it to be a cozy NYE but one filled with Nora Ephron's wit and Meg Ryan's amazing 1980s (and early 1990s) hair.

Kenny (Often thought of as one of my most favorite people in the world but more commonly referred to as my friend) called around 11, and we talked for hours.

"I feel like this is us! You're Harry, and I'm Sally," I said excitedly before pausing thoughtfully. "Except I'm not as choosy of an eater as Sally, and you definitely don't have Harry's same faults."

Kenny mostly agreed.

We wished each other a happy new year at midnight and talked about what we hoped to accomplish in 2014.

By the time we finally hung up, it was 4AM!

While long phone conversations are the norm for us, a 5 hour conversation was definitely a new record.

As I plugged my phone in to charge and drifted off to sleep, I couldn't remember a time I felt happier or more content.

It was a perfect New Year's Eve and undoubtedly one enjoyed in true Nora Ephron fashion.