on the 12th day of nothing...

I readily admit, I have been remiss in my blog-writing. In an effort to make up for lost time, here are 12 things I am grateful for — one item for each day I've missed.

1) A good haircut: I finally got much-needed haircut. I went to a friend of a friend, who works out of her amazing studio. If anyone needs a stylist, I would recommend her: Tammi Ferrell, #404.771.7660
2) The shore: I was lucky enough to spend a few days up at the Jersey shore with my aunts, uncles, cousins and Ryan (who drove down from Boston). They were renting an amazing ocean front house, with an amazing view, and the weather was perfect. I spent just about every summer of my childhood at the Jersey shore. I hadn't been in years though, and it was so nice to be there again.
3) Luke Mclean Mattocks: My youngest cousin, who just turned 1. The last time I saw him was Christmas... needless to say he has grown a lot. He crawls around a lot but doesn't walk yet, is perfectly content to play with his toys, likes to cuddle, and is about the happiest little boy I've ever seen.
4) Philly: On my way home from Jersey, I had to fly out of Philadelphia. Ryan was taking me to the airport but we had a few hours to kill, and decided to do a speed tour through the city of brotherly love. We made a quick loop through downtown (in the rain), then parked and looked at the liberty bell through a very thick window and scarfed a cheesesteak before heading out.
5) National Geographic Adventure magazine: Recently fell in love with this magazine. I've added it to my list of [wildly optimistic] aspirations to become one of their staff writers.
6) Cheap cable: After months of damning the man, I broke down and signed up for cable. The good news is while I'm paying for basic cable ($18/month for about 20 channels), they accidentally hooked me up with full cable (60 channels). I win.
7) Michael Phelps: The man is a golden god. I didn't think he was anything special before, but since I've been glued to the Olympics, I can't help but think he is incredibly cute. Sorry Ry.8) Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble: I bought McMurtry's "Terms of Endearment" for one penny. And found a hardcover Paul Auster book for $4.98. How amazing is that? (I love a bargain.)
9) NPR: My new morning companion. It's interesting and educational. Not always as entertaining as Q100, but also not nearly as depressing as the local news.

10) Two Urban Licks: A fantastic dining experience, both for the food and the company.

11) D. Lo's safe return: One of my best friends, Danna, was frolicking through Europe for the past month or so. I'm glad she had fun, but for my own selfish reasons, I'm very glad to have her back.

12) The Classic City: Even though I have been out of college for two years, there is a part of me that aches to go back to Athens around this time of year. When the humidity starts to relent, just the slightest bit, and everyone starts talking about football season again, it only seems natural to return to the classic city. Which is why my former roomies [featured below] and I are making a road trip up there next Saturday. Yes, it is only one day. But what a glorious day it will be.