Olive juice

These are my new roomies. Well, Beau doesn't technically live there, but he's an honorary roommate. And he doesn't use our shower, so he's even a welcome house guest. Hailey tried her first triathlon last weekend and they bought these cool helmets for the cause. She didn't finish because she wrecked her bike, but now they're training for a marathon. I don't know how I end up living with these people. It has not deterred me from my jalapeno chip diet.



This is my new friend Kristin Smith. She's Rachael's hometown bff, which makes her my honorary bff. We're both going to be in Rachael's wedding. I'm guessing that Rachael gets engaged in the next month. But I'm bad luck, so I'm just happy that they're still together. Oh, and Kristin is super cool. She has an affinity for Joe Vossen as well.



These are the old school and the new school Manhattan best friends. Rachael is my undergrad best friend, and Amanda is my big kid best friend. She is now an Admissions Rep for K-State and has a job with health benefits. She even has to wear panty hose to work every day. But still, she gets dressed up to go out and she looks like a sixth grader. This is why I love her. Also, she dates people with weird names. Like Ronald, Walter, Bud, and Henry.




This is why Rachael and I are best friends. Her roommate has this fancy Pampered Chef can opener that we could not for the life of us figure out. After twenty minutes we called her roommate and tried to get instructions over the phone. After fifteen more minutes and a very bent can top, we found an old rusty can opener and pried it open with our fingers. This is why we can't have nice things. Who would've thought that there was another person out there who was unable to open a can? This is why best friends are such blessings. It's the olive juice moments.

I spent the last five days in Manhattan. But if anyone runs into Jenny Regier, I spent the last six days in Manhattan, without email access. Thanks for playing along.

So I went to Manhattan and had a wonderful time. Maybe it's because it's the summer and my friends don't have a million club/school/job/greek commitments, but a group of us got together every night and had a great time. I came home today feeling really happy, the happiest I've felt in a long time. I spent the majority of last year wondering if I would ever make friends, and now, after being away a month and getting some perspective, I've realized that they've been there all along. I think that I will continually look back on this summer and find out just how beneficial it has been.

But anyway, we had a splendid time. Friday night we went to McAlister's for dinner, and then the big kids went to Aggieville for drinks. Poor Amanda is not adjusting to Manhattan bars after being in Italy for six weeks. Then Saturday Rachael and I blew off the wedding and had a lounge day full of macaroni and cheese and season one of The Office. Rachael had not been introduced to the employees of Dunder Mifflin, aka, my favorite fictional friends. Nothing gives me greater joy than to introduce The Office to someone new. I've even got Hailey and Beau hooked because there was nothing else for them to watch over lunch. I feel like I'm a messenger of joy, in a way.

Then, Saturday night we were supposed to go the jazz festival, but of course there was a mini microburst right over the park which ruined both of the sound boards an hour before we were supposed to go. So after standing in the Delta Sig parking lot for about 45 minutes, we caught some other disappointed jazz festers and went to dinner. Saturday night was full of Apples to Apples and a new friend was made, so definitely a success. Everyone Derek knows is funny. How can that be?

Sunday I slept for a long time, comforted Hailey when she got back from the triathlon (she didn't finish because she wrecked her bike and the chain broke. It was not fun) and had dinner and drinks with Eddie. Then, I am ashamed to admit it, I watched "Stomp the Yard" with Rachael and her sister and didn't hate it as much as I should've. At least I didn't get sucked in to watching "Material Girls."

Monday was a productive day, and I got to finally hear all of Amanda's Italy stories. All of my friends are either getting back from studying abroad or leaving to study, and I feel so blessed to live vicariously through them. The plan is to be crazy thrifty this year and go to Europe next summer before grad school. If you see me spending money, please stop me. She had an amazing time and came back a much more relaxed person, which will be good now that she is an AR. Half of my friends are also getting big kid jobs, or getting engaged, or going ring shopping. I know that I should be used to it, but it's still weird to talk realistically about wedding colors.

Tuesday was the BBQ, which was amazing, and further proof that this is going to be the best year yet. We have an awesome tailgating group lined up, and Rachael's house is the perfect location. I'm really excited to make the most of this last year.

It's nice to be back, but it was so good to be in Manhattan. School starts in a month and two days, but I don't have anything to do in the meantime. I hope you are all enjoying the last few weeks of your summer as well!