Thrift Stores... AKA Spend All Your Money Here Stores

My best friend is getting married in two weeks, which is incredibly exciting! In all of the lead-up to her wedding, there have been a lot of last minute details and errands needing to get done... one of which being constant checking of the local thrift stores for frames we can re-touch, vases for the happy couple's new home, maybe even the occasional Christmas decoration (cause she is gonna need it eventually... right?). Here's the problem with being the bridesmaid to tag along on all of these adventures...

I have no self control at thrift stores. None. Zero. Any sense of self control goes immediately out the window the second I enter a Goodwill or a Unique and even occasionally a Savers. Because that clock is SO CUTE. And it's only $10! But these candlestick holders are amazing and so unique (no pun intended), and only $8 each, which is a total steal, so I have to buy them. To not buy them would be irresponsible as I'll just end up buying a more expensive pair of candlestick holders later when I could have bought this pair for $16. 

And wait, you're telling me that everything is 25% off today? Well then I will get those basically brand new shoes I was looking at but don't really need, and even that vase I was looking at! And yes, that chair is full of cat hair and dirt, but it's only $8, so I can vacuum it and save it even though I literally have no room for a full living room chair in my tiny bedroom... right? 

Yes, that clock is slightly crooked... but it was $10 and has an elephant on it...

Long story short, thrift stores are my crack. I love looking at all of the hideous pictures frames and pieces of furniture and then looking on pinterest to see just how exactly I can make this hideous frame beautiful. I truly love it. But man oh man, does it kill my bank account. 

Being a recent college graduate, I have zero dollars. Strike that, I have negative thousands of dollars (yay private school student loans). Generally, I am pretty good about saying, "I have no money right now. I can't go shopping." But when it comes to thrift stores, all that goes out the window. 

There are two sides to this story... on the one hand, why not look? What's the harm? There have been plenty of days that I go to check out the local Goodwill and find absolutely nothing of interest. And hey, I just killed 30 minutes digging through some shelves with a good friend and had a great time and spent zero dollars. On the other hand.... there are the days that I walk into the store and I think that the thrift store gods have smiled upon me and blessed me with a car-full of kitchen supplies, picture frames, and home decor that is literally going to go home and be stored in a box while I live at home with my parents because I have no money. It's a vicious vicious cycle... but hey, someday, my house/apartment/cardboard box is going to be adorable.

Thrift stores are great. They are a way to get one of a kind items for super cheap. Or a way to get mass manufactured things that look one of a kind for super super super cheap. They are a perfect way
to kill time with friends on a Saturday afternoon and possibly spend no money or possibly spend your entire budget for the week... but you got a lot, so it's okay. They are also a lifesaver when it comes to decorating a wedding! The deals we have gotten my friend have been astounding! My deals have been great too! Whether or not I actually needed any of the things... well, that's another story.

Heads up to all of my thrifters out there.... Monday (Labor Day), all the thrift stores (at least in our area of the Twin Cities) are 50% off. So, maybe try your luck and see how many treasures you can find/how much of your bank account you can spend. As my friend would say, "it's a great deal though, and it's so. you." So it's fine.

Have fun adventuring through your local thrift stores! I know I always do.

Post-Grad Life

So, I have been out of college for two weeks now... and I gotta tell ya, I can't tell if it's the epitome of bliss or boredom. 

So far, my days have primarily consisted of binge netflix and hulu plus watching. I have officially caught up on all my shows, including Revenge, Game of Thrones, New Girl, Parks and Rec, SNL, The Mindy Project and even shows that I fell way behind on, like Once Upon a Time and The Big Bang Theory. But I also started a brand new show after the insistence of one of my college professors... and I'm so glad I did! HOLY SCANDAL. What is this show and how have I not been watching this since its first episode?! If you haven't been watching this show, don't make the same mistake as me and keep putting it off... watch it. Tis a gem.

Other post-grad activities have included starting a serving job at BWW, catching up with friends, seeing Godzilla in 3D (don't waste your money... it's slow and not worth the insane movie theatre prices), laying in bed all day and pretending I am going to read the Game of Thrones books but then just turning on more Scandal, making homemade mac and cheese, doing hair and makeup for high school prom goers,  finding an apartment in Louisville, eating popcorn and kit kats while watching more Scandal, playing frisbee with my big dork of a puppy Clark, constant naps, and even the occasional shower.

Did I mention that while I am writing this I am watching Scandal? And holy heck is it great.

Welp, hopefully post-grad life will pick up here in a bit. Soon I start nannying, actually serving, and rehearsals for The Tempest. For now, I am just going to enjoy these days of pajamas, netflix, and naps whether they are bliss or boredom... because I know they are going to end oh-so-soon. 

Here's to the summer and the adventures to come! Can't wait!

Welp, it's been a while...

Hey friends.

So, it has been a while since my last post. I had planned to just keep the blog up while I was in Ireland, but the world has so much more to explore and observe! So, here we go! Round 2!

Quite a lot has happened since I was in Ireland/my last post. I traveled all across Europe... from different parts of Ireland, to Scotland (Edinburgh and the Highlands!), Prague, Auschwitz/Poland, Budapest, Rome, Florence, Pisa, Valencia, London, and even Liverpool. Whew. It was awesome. I have so. many. stories. from these adventures, and will have many things to post about during my more inactive travels.

After my jaunt across Europe, I returned to the States and finished school at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. I graduated two weeks ago with my degrees in Theatre Art and English Literature. I am currently living with my parents in a suburb of the Twin Cities and will be acting in a show this summer in Hopkins, MN.

Next, my travels will take me to Louisville, KY in August to work at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, a Tony-Award Winning (awesome) theatre company! I will be there for nine months (through next April) working as their Marketing and Public Relations Intern.

Needless to say, I have many adventures to tell you about and many adventures that are forthcoming that I can't wait to both experience and tell you about!

It's been a bit of a break from blogging, but adventures never stop happening. :)

Never stop exploring, friends.