Along with my sudden need to get rid of every possession I own and sit in a pristine white room with nothing in it, I decided last Wednesday to get rid of some things that weren’t a part of the clutter in my house.

Since last Wednesday I’ve not had any alcohol, soda or fast food. Four days isn’t really any sort of achievement to write home about but it’s definately a good start. One day at a time. If I can cook at home instead of giving into the temptation of golden french fry laziness then that’s something. My goal is to not drink alcohol until Christmas. I mean, who doesn’t like a little wine with their open fire roasted chestnuts? The soda and the fast food were just added bonuses. Some have said that perhaps I am going a bit crazy with the ‘everything all at once’ attitude, but really.. I feel it has to be this way. Why not everything all at once? Small changes are good for somethings (Like getting from whole milk that I used to drink years ago to the fat free milk that I drink now… there definately had to be some 2 and 1% in between there).

The thing that I’ve noticed the most is that the more water I drink, the more I crave water. Which I think is a good thing, however it’s conflicting harshly with my usual caffeine consumption and the result is either techtonic plates shifting in my head or a caffeine headache. Both probably feel quite similiar. It’s not that I’ve given up caffeine (yet), it’s just that I want less of it. I want to be able to wake up in the morning without it. I want to clean house and clean myself.

I just wish that water wasn’t so boring to drink.

I’ve written August off. Sure, there are few more days but I feel like summer is over because classes have started so why even bother with the rest of August? Do you hear me August? You’re dead to me. I have huge(!!!) plans for September though.

One of my sister in laws and I email back and forth everyday. I’m hoping that eventually we’ll be able to figure out a way to wire some warm weather and sunshine through email, but as of yet we haven’t figured anything out. She lives in Florida and I live in the annex of Antarctica that is refered to as Pennsylvania.

Lately we’ve been chit chattering about decorating ideas, clutter and just general life disarray. Something which I’ve felt kind of overwhelmed with and by lately. Where do you start? How do you go about it? She thoughtfully sent me a post with some really awesome before and after pictures that were on Design Sponge, and I sent her a link to Ikea Hacker’s website. So much inspiration!

We both decided that September will offically be Get Rid of (sh)It Month! I (embarassingly) have boxes that I haven’t even opened since we moved in 2 years ago and it’s time. I need to make space in my life (and my tiny white box) and get rid of all the old things.. I figure if I haven’t looked at it in 2 years, I probably don’t need it and if for some reason I do then I have to find a spot for it or else it goes anyway. I’m really hopeful that this will help alleviate some of the self inflected stress I feel about having people over.

So, once a week during the month of September I’m going to try and declutter my pad! I’m hoping that if I do some before and after photos it’ll help motivate me further. We’ll see

Summer (for all intents and purposes) offically ended Monday for me. Classes have open again rolled around and reared their ugly head. 

To really wind things down and get back into all things studious, I did the only thing a body could do when one is turning 27. I partied (lightly). My very good friend Dennis prepared one of the best home cooked meals I’ve ever had in my entire life. I am constantly amazed how someone can take basic ingredients and make a complete meal out of them. I would do that myself at home, but that would involve more than just opening and stirring.

After dinner Jason busted out one of the best cakes I’ve had in a long while. It was a white cake with vanilla bean frosting. So good.

It’s really hard to believe that the summer has gone by so fast and it’s time to buckle down again. It’s in these hours and minutes when I realize this that I try to cling to it the most.  As summers go, it was a good one. Not an overly productive one, but a good one.

As much as I don’t want to let go of the warm weather and sunshine, I’m looking forward to sweater weather.

This was in the mailbox waiting to greet me after arriving home today. He tried to bite my face off. Someone should let the spiders know that tampering with someone’s mail is a federal offense.