Puppy madness, part 2!

Remember earlier when I said I wanted a puppy? Well, the little guy I mentioned in the post got adopted and unfortunately, not by me.

It's probably good that I don't have a pet, because it keeps my budget in line and I can come and go as I please without worrying about them. But getting used to the sounds of my complex is taking longer than I expected and I sort of wish I had some sort of companion. 

I've always had - and loved - dogs. I'd be happy as a clam with a little dog buddy to snuggle with who will bark at strange noises and potentially keep me safe.

Via

However, dogs take a lot of care. They need time, love and attention. They need to be taken outside to do their business at odd hours. They prefer constant companionship to being left alone. They need shots, grooming and lots of food. They take effort. 

Cats have the opposite reputation. They don't crave attention, do their business is a box and do well alone. I've never owned a cat, so I'm not sure how true this is. Plus, my dad is allergic to cats. Especially the furry ones. 

So I'm kind of in a lose-lose situation. Looks like I'll be sticking with pictures of my dogs from home instead!

Do you have any pets? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,

Alyson

Lilly Pulitzer Endless Summer Sale

After logging on and then waiting for a considerable amount of time (too much traffic and not enough bandwidth!) I think I've decided not to buy anything from the Endless Summer Sale, at least for today. 

Why? The prices didn't amaze me, but I think it was more so because the products didn't amaze me. I haven't been too keen on the "new" Lilly and I wasn't in love with the summer line.

I did see a few things I liked (including a tie for my sweetie) that were worth the price and I may buy them later on. The sale does last for a couple of days!

Finally, I felt that some of the other customers were acting very childish and that sort of ruined the fun. People were writing scathing comments on Facebook posts and then when the requests they made were accommodated, they were still mad! I understand this sale is a huge help for those on a budget, but it's just clothes. 

I, too, was disappointed the site crashed so quickly, but I wasn't surprised. Instead of writing nasty messages to the social media team, I closed my computer and did something else. Patience is a virtue that I am working very hard on!

As for today, I think I have enough Lilly to last a while. And if I end up craving something new, I can always A) suck it up and buy it (or put it on my Christmas list), B) scour eBay and Re-Lilly or C) find a similar piece elsewhere. 

How do you feel about the Endless Summer Sale selection? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself (and don't let the sale get your goat!)

Alyson

Uptown girl

I did something really stupid at work the other day. We had a staff meeting and went over some basics with writing, editing and procedure. The boss lady, our news director, went over a lot of little mistakes we've been making. We've got two "newbies" on board, myself included, and some procedure changes so it was more like a reminder session. 

Now here's where I get absent-minded... A few hours after the meeting I was assigned to work on a story, just like every day. And you know what? I made the same mistakes I always make- the ones we had just gone over earlier that day. 

My boss was really nice about it and tried to make it a learning opportunity but I was totally flabbergasted and a little embarrassed. I even took notes at that meeting... Why hadn't this settled in yet!?

The truth of the matter is, this is not the first time this had happened to me and I really don't know how to fix it. (So if you wanted to give some advice today, now is the time!) I have a hard time grasping changes like that and it usually takes a second opinion (or in this case, a proofreader) to help me see what I've missed. 

The weird part about this mistake though was that it made me feel different from before. Usually these things just make me feel a little dumb, but today I really felt like a fish out of water. 

A lot of the things we covered in the meeting were local things that I had no clue about. I didn't know roads and counties or public information officers. It made me miss being home with my parents in the suburbs on the edge of metro Atlanta. We weren't in the perimeter, but a short drive took us to the heart of the city- an urban playground with a daily sense of danger. 

I think the confusion of a local road with one on which my favorite mall is located brought the whole thing on. I was subconsciously missing home so much I wrinkled a news story for two days. 

Dad says the first move is always hard. I definitely believe him... It's nothing like moving to college!

How do you handle mistakes? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself, 

Alyson

Settling in

I've been pretty quiet lately... I've been settling in to my new apartment! 

I got power and Internet hooked up, as well as Netflix, so I've been distracted by that a bit :) Netflix  is probably the best $8 I've ever spent. 

I'm also trying to settle comfortably with the idea of being alone. It's odd being the only one around and I've noticed I've been holding myself accountable for keeping the place nice - putting pillows back in the right place, closing closet doors and making my bed every day. 

I wasn't really like this when I lived with other people... I tried to get used to making my bed every morning but I gave up when I moved home. I guess I'm just really enjoying how nice my new apartment looks and want it to stay that way!

Do your habits change in a new place? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,

Alyson