signs of snow

i went for a walk downtown today just to be outside and get some fresh air [something i haven't had in a few days!]  and guess what?!? the snowflake lamp post lights are out downtown! I used to get so excited for them every year in undergrad.

and here at penn state, our snowflakes are blue & white...how perfect.

new path

things with school have been way too busy lately...so this morning i made sure that i blocked out time to go on a nice long walk.  i usually walk on campus, but with all of the football traffic today, i didn't want to deal with the chaos.

so i found a new path around the golf course where i live.  it was perfect...quiet, peaceful, and completely surrounded by nature.  now, combine that with the cool, foggy morning air and i was in heaven :)  it was just the kind of break i needed before i jump back into the piles of work waiting for me this weekend [2 weeks until fall break...it cannot come soon enough!].

happy halloween

[see larger photo and poem on flickr]

halloween is always one of my favorite times of year...colorful trees, cool crisp nights, dancing leaves, warm sweaters, hot cider, pumpkins...and of course, lots of candy :)

i didn't get a chance to dress-up this weekend, but i definitely saw a lot of costumes downtown!  there were many jersey-shore characters, tiger woods [complete with mistresses on each arm], and then the tight, short, skin-revealing costumes that the undergrad girls bravely wear while shivering in the 40-degree temperatures.

i had fun listening to some bands on friday night and going to my brother's tailgate on saturday.  then penn state shocked us all with a 41-31 win over michigan!  so it was quite the fun-filled weekend and a much needed break from school work and grading midterms :)

hope you had a great halloween too!

my boots

being back on campus gives me a great, front-row seat for the "young" trendy runway of college fashion.  i've seen skinny jeans, leggings, converse sneakers, patterned hoodies, long necklaces, uggs, colorful nail polish...those crazy ray-ban wayfarer glasses in fluorescent colors [like these...yeah not my thing].

but one trend i really love are all of the great knee-high boots.  not the ones with the four inch-heels or super shiny fake leather [aka: the pretty-woman-ones that were in style in the '80's], but the really pretty suede or leather flat boots.  they are super cute!

so i decided to try out a pair and ordered some online [because the ones in the stores are made for girls who have calves the size of my finger].  i got a pair of faux black suede, and i love them!



and the best part [in the words of nancy sinatra...or jessica simpson], these boot really were made for walkin'!  they are so so so comfortable.

so just wanted to introduce you to my love of the week...my boots :)