never is a promise and I never need a lie.

CAPES [something empowering] Be careful what you promise. Promises are remembered, cherished, and believed. So before you throw out an "I promise you...", be prepared to back it up.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Winter, Spring, Summer, FOOTBALL. Husky Football season launches this Saturday. The bro and I have season tickets. I bleed purple and gold.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] Sometimes you have to wait for things. I am the kind of girl that can see the outcome of something, and rapidly make it happen. I am used to getting what I want. However, this is not healthy and the rapid pace messes more things up than it does make them work out. To have the patience to wait something out and go at a normal pace takes stamina and will power, but from what I've seen it's worth it in the long run.

oh crap...and life makes no sense yet again.

CAPES [something empowering] If life made sense every day of every week, how boring would that be? Right? Think about it. The hiccups in life keep you going...not the sense-making.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Gilly Hicks underwear sale...and it's no secret that they are better than Victoria's.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] This weekend my good friend is getting married. It has been said that when you find the one that you've been waiting for, you've reached your "finish line"...meaning that when you've found them, you've arrived. But I believe with all my heart that this is no finish line, but a starting line to some kind of wonderful. Congrats to my good friend, you're fast approaching your finish line to singlehood and starting line to a shared life of love, honor and respect as a Butler.

"God loves her more than the Christians do." (Bloodline, Matt Morris)

CAPES [something empowering] Compliments are nice. They may even build your self-esteem a bit. But flattery can only take you so far. Being secure in yourself is far more important than relying on others to build you up.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] This summer, I have mastered my own breakfast of champions: 1/2 c tangerine juice, 1/2 c cranberry juice, 2 heaping tablespoons of plain yogurt, 1/2 c frozen mango, and 1/2 cup frozen raspberries. Smoothie-licious.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] While running the other day, I got attacked by invisible bugs. I describe them as "invisible" because I never saw them bite me...but when I got home, I had bite marks all over my body. The crazy thing about these invisible bugs is that their bites disappeared about 1 hour later. And no, I'm not on drugs. But I am high on life.

Change can be so constant, you don't even feel the difference until there is one (Life as a House).

CAPES [something empowering] Change sneaks up on you. Sometimes, it's so sneaky, that when the change you've been waiting for never arrives, a better change comes along to take its place. I embrace that kind of sneakery.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] The picture says it all.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] Emerald Downs has races every weekend this month. Who wants to go and reenact the scene from Good Will Hunting?

Time will tell you, baby, what you can't hear now (Patty Griffin).

CAPES [something empowering] My mom always says that faith is believing in advance what only make sense in reverse. She's a smart woman. I believe the same can be said about time. To try to make sense of your current situation in present time is hard to do. But when looking back on it in the future, one can usually see what you couldn't in the present. So stop thinking about tomorrow. Thinking about tomorrow won't change how you feel today. But tomorrow, you might feel differently about today.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Not only is orange the color of insanity, it is also the color of freedom, as well as the color of my new watch.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] This fall will bring many amazing concerts: Ray and David, Ben, Sufjan...people better stop coming to town, or else my pockets will be empty.

the "WILL NOT" comes before the "WILL"

CAPES [something empowering] Sometimes you have to say the things you WILL NOT be before you can figure out the things you WILL be...I will not manipulate, I will not be controlling, I will not be self-conscious, I will not be needy, I will not be selfish....I will be myself, I will be sacrificial, I will be flexible, I will be honest, I will be vulnerable, I will be confident.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] I've noticed a trend in my verbal behavior: I speak in more movie quotes per day than the average person. "Nobody puts baby in a corner", "We can't, we're being hunted", "My dog is winning!", "Can I be your date?", "Look at me! Look at me!", "So you're the one?", "Sorry, I had to go see about a girl", "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us"...and the problem is, most of the time, the only one that understands what I'm talking about is me.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] I'm a planner. I love to make plans and then look forward to them. For example, I can't get through a week without already knowing: 1) where I'm gonna go, 2) who I'm gonna see, and 3) what I'm gonna do for the weekend. While I embrace the ring leader in me, this week I'm trying for a touch of spontaneity. It's Thursday, and I have no plans for the weekend and will attempt to let myself happen into fun instead of coordinating it. And if this fails me, I'll just walk down to Palmers karaoke bar (crap...did I just plan that?).

"you must know life to see decay" (M&S)

CAPES [something empowering] I like to think that I was the forerunner for this event. My route was 28 miles. Looks like they figured it out how to trim it to 26.2. Good for you, crew.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Pull-up negatives. I kinda love them.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] After listening to the song "After the Storm" on repeat for the past few days, I've been hung up on the difference between "life" and "decay". For example, why is it that someone can compliment your new haircut, but as soon as a strand of hair is found unattached to your head, it's deemed disgusting? Or fingernails - they can be cute and painted, but as soon as you trim them, their clippings are totally gross. With concrete matter, we shriek away from decay. But abstractly speaking, I think I welcome it more than I should. For example, there are areas in life that I ignore and let decay. Like gross fingernails, I tend to steer clear of the areas that are rotten instead of placing them in the trash where they belong. The trick is to not let death win. "You must know life to see decay."