i run with orange nail polish.

tuesday got sucker punched so hard. i set my alarm for 6 a.m. and by 6:30, i was out the door and running. literally, running.

i know 6 a.m. is not 5 a.m., like jon acuff's version of a sucker punch, but let me just tell you about how my alarm usually goes off at 7 and i never actually get out of bed until closer to 8. so, 6 a.m. is a darn good sucker punch in my world.

also, i ran! it could have been noon and that would still be significant.

basically, i got these new sneaks that are all cute and stuff, while my old ones were all old and, you know, not cute. now i want to go running all the time. because, cute shoes you guys. they are made of pure motivation. and the truth is, i've always been fascinated by people who think running is enjoyable, mostly because running just makes me feel like i'm dying and i fail to see how that is enjoyable. but i want to! i mean, i like the idea of running, and i like the feeling i get after i'm done running. but the actual running part? well, i like to turn the music up so i can't hear how loudly i'm breathing.

i made sure i was in bed by a reasonable time on monday night, set my alarm, and turned it on the most intense shake setting. i use the wake n shake app, which means i have to shake my phone to turn it off. it works you guys, because i'm pretty sure the only reason i got out of bed yesterday morning was because i was awake enough (from shaking my phone) to respond to that voice in my head telling me you don't actually have to do this, you can just stay in bed by saying, but i actually want to even if i can't remember why right now.

and so i ran. and i was pleasantly surprised to find that i  l o v e d  it.

i didn't run the whole time, partly because i would die and partly because there is a massive hill in my neighborhood that feels like a ninety degree incline and i would die, but i ran a lot (and a lot more than i planned to). i'm quite proud of myself.

(relevant: this post about running a 5k. because, yes exactly. especially the part about the mile run in gym class.)

in other news, i've been really into orange lately, which is kind of strange because it's my least favorite color, but i'm slightly obsessed. i've had it on my blog for a while now, but i went as far as purchasing a bottle of orange nail polish this past weekend. which, nail polish is kind of my thing, you know? some people feel good about themselves when they're wearing a good outfit, i feel good about myself when i have a good nail color. and so, orange nail polish. (it's called "sun kissed" by sally hansen xtreme wear.)

it's like i don't even know who i am, wearing orange nail polish and waking up at 6 a.m. to go running. but i don't hate it.

that time T had a baby shower in ct.

photo credit: meg albano.

it was almost two weeks ago, which means we're almost two weeks closer to meeting baby G than we were then. !!

also, better late than never on posting about it, right?

the way it worked out, T and i flew from charlotte to boston on friday, which meant i had to drive from nashville to charlotte on thursday, and then we had to drive from boston to ct once we landed. and all of that in the opposite direction for the way back. it was a lot of travel for just a weekend, but it was so worth it. of course, i would have loved to stay longer (and travel less), but we made the most of it. and the shower helped with seeing so many of my favorite people, even if it was in such a short period of time. heather and my mom did a great job putting it all together.

click for the photos that terribly document the trip. one thing i didn't think to do with all those faces i saw at the shower was take pictures with them. but i did manage to snap a few others.

top five : things i'm listening to.

i've just been really obsessed with this music recently, in that way where i get in my car and just sit for a minute because i can't decide which album listen to, and i feel like it's my duty as a person to share it with you. you can take it or leave it. but i mean, you should take it.

// drew holcomb and the neighbors, good light
this is old news, i know. but i just listened to it again as i was working (another job) today and it still makes me so happy. not just because i work for them and i think my job is the best ever. it's one of those albums where every song that comes on next feels like a win. like, oh yeah, and there's this one. i'm a huge fan.

// andrew ripp, won't let go
the same thing happened with this album that happened with good light in that i was listening to it and LOVING it a few months before its release. i stumbled upon it in the office one day and immediately became obsessed with it. and i thought, people have to wait how long to hear this? "falling for the beat" is my jam, and "when you fall in love" is just, oh. so good, you guys.

fun fact. thirty six percent of the songs on this album include the word "love" in the title. so, yes please.

// needtobreathe, la differencia ep
i'm going to be honest and say the only real thing this four song ep has going for it is the single new track, difference maker. the other three are live versions of old songs. and yet, i am obsessed with it. i listen to these four songs over and over again and i can't skip over any because every time i try, i end up holding my finger over the >> button because, wait. i just want to listen to this one for a second.

and so it goes.

(the bad news is, i'm not sure if you can get the ep anywhere other than at a show. i did some light research and only found that blog post i linked to. eh.)

// KING, breaking ep
did you know the fray's second vocalist, joe king, has been working on a solo project? you probably didn't even know the fray had a second vocalist. it's fine, but you should become familiar with him because he's good. i could listen to isaac slade sing all day long, but it is always such a treat to hear joe's songs on the fray albums.

i was pretty psyched when i found out he would be doing a solo side project, but when it released, i was even more nervous than when the fray releases new music. i wanted it to be good. please be good. i'm pretty sure i held my breath the entire time i listened. and then i listened again. and again. and you know? i think it's one of those things that you could pass right by and mistake for ordinary if you don't listen close enough, but it's really quite good and i listen it on repeat.

// andrew mcmahon, the pop underground ep
oh, andrew mcmahon. you probably remember him from a recent post i wrote about seeing him play here a couple weeks ago? he's good. he was good in something corporate, he was good in jack's mannequin, and he's good as a solo artist. he can do no wrong in music. except for the fact that he is only giving us four songs? i need more, andrew. i am impatient.

but, i will take what i can get. (and so should you.) "learn to dance" is a particular favorite because, dancing. although all four songs are fun and energetic and will put you in a good mood.