happy halloween!

it is my favorite holiday! last night, co-hosted a costume party :] i dressed up as joan holloway from madmen:

here's how it turned out:

my apologies for the cheesy cellphone-in-mirror, myspace-esque photos. :] i left my camera at home (go figure) and have to wait to get some from friends before i can post real ones! :]

tonight i have to work, and i've encouraged all of my crewmembers to dress up :] we're going to have a little halloween party of our own down at the chicken shack...hehe. since i can't very well run a kitchen in 5 inch heels and a pencil skirt, i've opted to go as a witch tonight. relying on an old classic :]

oh, and ps...photobooth friday a day late...this is what my hair looks like after taking that up do down...a hairspray filled, matted, ratty mess. hah! :]

i hope you all have a wonderful and spooky halloween night!

love!

em

...

guess what i'm working on... :]

ps, the two very best pandora stations ever: (1) interpol (2) broken social scene

pss, can you believe that copeland is breaking up after their spring 2010 tour?!? i'm so very very sad...

working more on some projects that i need to wrap up before surgery...less than two weeks!

lovelove

emjay

style

as i grow older, with each passing day, i find that my personal style continues to unfold. growing up, i never really had style...of any kind. not good, not bad. i was a "bleh" kind of girl. i did what all my friends (or people i wanted to be friends with) did in a desperate attempt to be "cool"...whatever that word even means. for the last year and a half, i have found that i gravitate towards certain colors, patterns, shapes and textiles. i didn't know what it was that was happening at first, but now i realize...it's style...i've learned not to care what other people think is "in" or "out". i've learned to just enjoy what i enjoy and who cares if it's cool. it sounds funny to say that i'm 24 years old and i've only just begun to find who i am and what i like, but it's true. and although it might have taken 20+ years for me to get to this point, now that i am, it's happening fast. every now and then i take a step back and examine the way i live and the things that surround me and i think, "wow. at the age of 18 i never would have thought that i'd know how to put this together" whether it be an outfit, a color combo, knick knacks on a shelf, or a collection of art on a wall. and for this, a big thank you is in order...a thank you to so many inspiring blogs, etsy shops and online friends that have steered me in different directions, helped teach me what i like and what i don't, molding and shaping my thoughts and preferences into what is now defined as my personal style. i appreciate it, really i do.

with that said, here are some things from my latest etsy window shopping spree that make me feel all tingly inside (i've been drawn to housewares lately)...

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link some of your favorite etsy shops or websites in the comment section :]

ok, now i'm off to clean out my junk room (yes, that's right...most have junk drawers or even junk closets...i have a whole room). it's time to pack up some things for attic storage and goodwill donations. if you don't hear from me in a few days, call the police. i'm worried i may not be able to come up for air.

lovelove

em

sup knitta?

if you're a fan of hand knit goodies like i am, then you'll lovelovelove miss indie :] check out herblog and etsy! ps...visit this link here and vote for her twisted candy cowl. here are some of my favorites from her shop...

working on some fun projects for folks and packing up things to ship to friends before heading to work tonight...good day, good day! :]

xo

m

a friend in need...

have you ever checked out my friend jamie's blog? because if you haven't, you're totally missing out. jamie is such an amazing woman. her creativity knows no boundaries, and she is constantly helping others. this incredibly selfless woman is such an inspiration. just about a year ago, she was diagnosed with MS and she has done countless fundraisers and projects to help raise money for different causes...it's time for us to help her this time. please check out her blog for information on a silent auction she's holding, and to read more about her situation. i mean, dude...she's offering a poloroid camera!!! how flippin awesome is that?!? after you make your bid, scroll on down and check out her latest few posts...she has such a beautiful family, and her artwork is so fun!

coming back this week with all of MY favorite cool weather clothing items :] you had your turn, now it's mine! if you haven't watched the video below, you might want to...there are 3 winners who still haven't claimed their prize!

night night...

m

winners!

i really really really wish i could figure out a way to flip the video picture so that everything isn't backwards. sigh...oh well, i couldn't figure it out, so i hope you guys can read backwards! hehe. anywho, take a seat and here we go!

hope everyone has a lovely sunday! see y'all later!

lovelove

emjay

soo...

i really want this:

she's so perfect. if i could have her i really do think i'd be the happiest girl in the whole wide world. yep, i'm pretty positive.

i've decided to extend the giveaway until sunday. i spent 14 hours at the restaurant today, and i have another long day ahead of me tomorrow. plus, i lost my voice! it'll be hard to do a video blog with no voice...so if you haven't entered yet, hurry up and do so! just leave a comment on the post below :] i'm adding two extra winners...one extra winner will receive a cozy autumn scarf and the other will receive....hmmm...maybe both? :] tune on on sunday to see!

ok, it's time for this girl to get some shut eye.

oh, and photobooth friday :]

lovelove

m

i've been so bad at this...

these last few weeks have been so busy...between a promotion at work (promotion=longer hours), a trip to california, my bff coming in town (for only 48 hours :[ ) and preparation for my upcoming surgeries, something had to fall by the wayside...and unfortunately it was el blog-o :[

so...

here is my attempt to make it better. first of all, here's what's been going on, in case you're curious :]

1. promotion: some of you know, and others of you may not, but i have been working for the same restaurant company for 6 and a half years. what started out as a cashier and frycook job at 17 (a way to work through college) ended up becoming a career. i have been blessed to be a part of such a wonderful company and operation for many years and have had so many exciting opportunities through them. Raising Cane's is a place where we work hard *and* have fun. oh-so much fun :] here's proof:

i love my store. lovelovelovelove

pigtail day!!

brad, or as he's known around these parts: bradimus prime...gearing up to be egged by the crewmembers :]

we made all the guys wear this at one point i believe :]

defending my chubby bunny champion title at the annual easter egg hunt :]

these mustaches make an appearance somewhere in the store almost daily :]

well, are ya?

walrus, anyone?

Cane, our namesake :]

i started out as a crewmember, working at the base level, but quickly worked my way up and into the elite group of trainers belonging to the NRO team (new restaurant opening) with them, i traveled the country as part of this training team opening new locations all over. at the age of 20, i was promoted to the corporate office after 3 years in the field, where i planned corporate events (parties and conferences), helped to develop new training programs and materials, helped as part of a focus team researching and developing new menu items, contributed to the first few drafts of the company's very first operations manual, and continued to travel as a part of the new restaurant opening team training new managers and crew (my first love)

a little over a year and a half into my stint at the Restaurant Support Office, i started getting that itch...you know the one...where you realize that what you were doing before this great "opportunity" was much more fulfilling. i started thinking about moving back into operations (the actual restaurant field, rather than an office) i started looking into management options, and decided that i wanted to eventually manage one of our locations on my own. i moved back into OPS as a shift manager and worked my tail off for the last year and a half perfecting my management style and incorporating my admin skills into the mix and have finally been promoted to Operations Manager of Raising Cane's #63 :] and this girl couldn't be happier.

but just as any overly ambitious person does, i realize i can't just settle with this. now that i'm here, i want the next step. my journey to this step is over, but it begins a new one...a journey to something greater! and i'm totally ready for the challenge :]

2. "if you're going to san francisco...be sure to wear some flowers in your hair" a month ago, i tagged along with my parents and sister to the beautiful san francisco. let me tell you, it was amazing! i'm still working on getting all the photos rounded up, including two whole rolls of fish eye photos! but here are a few that i do have...

3. for those of you who have been reading along for a while, you might remember a post about moving my very best friend to kentucky back in march. brittany and i have been friends since the ages of 2 and 3, and we have always lived in the same town. we even moved away to college together! this was her first trip back home since the move, and even though she was only in town for a very short 48 hours, we made the most of it and had so much fun! of course, i left my camera, so i have to wait for her to send me photos to share :] so instead, here are some of my recent favorites of us...

4. lastly, the scariest thing happening in my life right now...surgery. :/ it's really not that serious, and it's totally outpatient, however that doesn't make my anxiety level any lower. i've never been under the knife and as the date moves closer (nov 10) i'm freaking out more and more inside. the procedures are supposed to be simple. they will be cutting a slit in the carpal tendon under the palm of my right hand to give my median nerve room to breath. the nerve is currently being suffocated by a tissue growth on my tendon and if left like it is, i could lose the use of my hand. the other procedure is on the ulna nerve in my right arm. the nerve generally runs along the outside of your upper arm, wraps around your elbow and continues down the outside of your forearm down to your hand. they will be moving this nerve to the inside of my arm to reduce stress on it. this is the nerve that makes you feel all numb and tingly when you hit your funny bone. well, imagine having that sensation almost 24/7...that's what i've been dealing with for a while, so yep, it's time to fix that bad boy. the conditions that caused both of these situations are really not that serious, but for someone as young as i am it's pretty rare. my orthopedic specialist laughed and asked me, "are you sure you're not 45? you never see these conditions, especially this advanced, in someone your age." haha...my mom's theory is right...maybe i really do have the body of an old woman!

one more thing before i leave you...we had our first cold snap this weekend, and it's about dang time! it's the middle of october and these mid to upper 80 degree temperatures were beginning to dampen my fall spirit. well, mother nature decided to throw me a bone and gave us all here in south louisiana one glorious weekend of lows in the 40's and highs in the 60's. unfortunately, it all goes away tomorrow :/ it's like the strike of midnight in cinderella...poof! gone. but the three days we were able to enjoy were so worth it. and in honor of this fall weather weekend (and as an "i'm sorry for not blogging in almost a whole month), i will be giving away one of my autumn mini album kits!

just leave a comment with your favorite cool weather article of clothing and i will pick a winner during photobooth friday! (maybe another video??? :] ) entries will be closed friday morning at 10 am central.

love you all!

emjay