happy new year

happy new year, everyone! i can't believe it's 2011! i'm really excited for this year. i think that a lot of great things are going to happen!

on new year's eve i went downtown to sprinkles and got a couple vegan red velvet cupcakes for steve and myself. later that evening steve, our friend stephen, and i went out for dinner and drinks at the pick-me-up cafe. i had a falafel wrap with fries; it was so delicious! then we headed over to a little new year's party in logan square. it was a fun time. we chilled, talked, laughed, had a countdown at midnight, discussed if 2011 was a prime number (it is), listened to music, danced, had another countdown for the people of california, and played pictionary, using the wall as our drawing board, haha. the ride home was a bit crazy. there were a lot of crazy drunk girls that could barely walk in their heels; it looked pretty funny. a lot of drunk people on the subway ride home. we made it home safe, though! it was a pretty good night all in all. 

here are some of my goals for 2011...

1. keep positive feelings and people in my life.

2. get organized. my goal is for everything to have its own place, so things flow better visually in my apartment and i feel simple and clean.

3. support only companies that don't test on animals. i started doing this a lot more in the last few months of 2010. i've stopped buying animal-tested make up, shampoos, hand soaps, and cleaning supplies. i've already found a lot of great alternatives. i really want to carry this through 2011. 

what are your goals for 2011, if any?

goodbye 2010, part 2

here is a continuation of yesterday's post recapping 2010. 

july: i was all settled in at my mom's house. beach trips. my sister turned 18. held my sister's hand while she got her first tattoo. steve and i took a train to chicago again, but this time to find an apartment. reiche family reunion. steve got a macbook in the mail from a friend as a graduation gift (it was very sweet). helped my sister put on her graduation party. moved to chicago at the end of the month. 

august: we settled into our new apartment! celebrated my 5 year anniversary with steve. went to the art museum a few times. i hit the 100 follower mark on my blog. my family came to visit me at new home. steve's family also came to visit us! went to the john hancock observatory, which took us 94 stories above michigan avenue! i started school, full-time.

september: i attended my first ever renegade craft fair. it was autumn; i made handmade apple pie to celebrate. i met a wonderful new friend. my sister came out to chicago for a visit.

october: steve released his very first chapbook.

november: completed phase 1 of 4 at school. steve turned 23. steve's family came to chicago, again. we went to the chicago symphony orchestra. i started out on the salon floor. 

december: i had my second blog giveaway. went to the renegade holiday craft fair. i experienced my first chicago snow fall. traveled back to michigan to be with my family for a few days over the holiday. 

hope you all had a wonderful year as well! 

goodbye 2010, part 1

2010 has been such an amazing year!

here's a little recap...

january: i celebrated the new year with a few of my friends, outside, howling at the moon. i went to a burlesque performance in detroit called wonderland, starring the lovely roxie dlite. i had little lunch and dinner dates with my friends. got a lot of modeling and senior portrait clients for my photography business.

february: i continued doing a ton of photography work with clients. celebrated valentines day with my darling steve (where i also asked him if he would like to be my boyfriend, again). i was able to celebrate my 21st birthday with my closest friends.

march: i reached the 50 follower mark on my blog...which lead to my first blog giveaway! i went on a lot of walks around my neighborhood. felt very inspired and creative. steve received his mfa acceptance letters in the mail. it became spring (one of my most favorite seasons)! also, more photoshoots...

april: i started the sunday spotlight feature on my blog. i bought two kites and flew them a at the park with steve. steve and i officially decided we were moving to chicago! we traveled on a train (for the first time) to chicago. i toured my school. steve read his poetry at columbia.

may: i picked flowers for my mom and made her a lunch for mothers day. photographed my second wedding. had a yard sale. my sister finished high school!


june: i had a picnic at the park. i changed my blog name from o me, o life to midnight black. my sister had her high school graduation. i joined a journal challenge. went to my sister's college orientation with her and my mom. it was summer! steve completed his undergrad study. i went tubing down the river with my friends. packed, packed, and packed. bye bye mount pleasant and back to my hometown for the summer.

i'll be back with part 2 tomorrow!