Ten Things.....

1)This picture of Kerry Washington, awesome... She is so pretty & I love her hair ;-)

2)It's too cold for court. I need to invest in winter apparel, but Texas weather is so unpredictable that it doesn't really make sense to buy real winter clothing here.. It could be hot two days from now....

3)I finally figured out how to add a FOLLOW button to my blog... I feel smart.

4)I booked a flight to visit my best friend from college this upcoming weekend! Super excited to see her!!!

5)The downside of trip-taking: I need to pack.

6)It feels great when hard work is recognized... I had my year-end review at work yesterday & it went remarkably well! But despite the review, there is always room for progress so I look forward to setting and achieving more goals this upcoming year....

7)Advice- Don't let others control your happiness. People can only do what you allow them to do & your reaction to their actions makes a world of difference in how you feel in the long run. Know when to hold them & when to fold them.........

8)I want an excuse to wear a ball gown.... I want to get dressed up and go out somewhere fancy...maybe there is a senior prom I can crash......not really.

9)Sometimes, I think too much.....

10)Other times, I don't think enough........

Sunday Social

I'm linking up for the first time... now on with the Sunday Social....

This Weeks Questions: Lets Reintroduce ourselves shall we?


1. What is the name of your blog? How long have you been blogging? Change of Venue, I've been blogging since 2008 and this is my third blog since then...

2. Why do you blog? I started blogging while I was waiting on bar results & got addicted. I don't use it as a business, I just like having an outlet to write and reflect & I enjoy the networking aspect of it.

3. What is the first blog you ever followed? One of the first blogs I ever followed is no longer in existence :-( but I do still attempt to keep up with Autumn & follow her new blog. She's a great writer.... Another first was the blog formerly known as Three Years Down, now titled Where My Soul Belongs.

4. What is your favorite post you wrote in 2012? I don't really have a favorite post from 2012.. Last year was a rough year for me so I'm trying not to look back until I think I am actually ready to.

5. What are your blogging goals for 2013? Be more consistent with posting, work on my writing & try to discover new blogs to read...

6. Top 3 favorite blogs to follow?
Lipgloss & Binky
A Complete Waste of Makeup
Illegally Blonde
Where My Soul Belongs
...I could keep going on and on, but I can't remember the blog titles to my other favorites...I can think of the authors names though..Faith, CeCe, A Brooklyn Mama... and many many more... Wait I guess I technically didn't follow directions, whoops.....

Aside from the Sunday socializing, I am so sad to see the Houston Texans out of the playoffs. Good luck next year & hopefully the Ravens can make it all the way! #teamRayLewis

Confession....

When I woke up Friday morning, I had a text message from one of my besties that simply stated, "Your ignorance of Scandal could affect our friendship." I have a confession to make.... I'm a red-blooded American woman and I have never watched a full episode of Scandal. After laughing hysterically reading her text and her giving me a full synopsis of how many episodes I needed to review online prior to this upcoming Thursday, I realized this was a serious mishap on my part amongst the majority of my peers...but I digress, and laugh again as I sit here and consider scrolling over to netflix.... I guess I finally understand how everyone else felt when I had my obsession over the WB's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but again I digress.

While the majority of my friends were glued to their televisions Thursday night, I was at the salon getting a much needed style update. I gave my beautician full range to do whatever she wanted & when I put my glasses back on I had bangs... I wasn't too sure about them at first, but now I slightly am obsessed.

I went out Friday night for a birthday happy hour, that led to a birthday club outing. The venue where the happy hour occured was so gorgeous! There were antique tiffany lights decorating the entire bar, and the drinks were super potent themed specialty drinks. After we left, we went downtown to a popular night club and I must confess that I am officially over going to actual clubs. I had a blast with my friends, and most importantly the birthday girl had a blast..but on a regular occassion, I think I am over it. Lounges, happy hours, events, that about sums up my desire to be out... unless it is a birthday celebration, then it is likely that I will not be going to many clubs JUST to be going....

These are the shoes I wore last night. I had been searching high and low for shoes that had some form of spike on them. The ones I originally wanted were way too expensive, so I found these and liked them enough to purchase. I really have to confess that I am beyond happy that I went for the cheaper trend option, because when I looked at my shoes this morning, I saw that somewhere between the walk to or from my car and the club I completely destroyed the heel on the shoe...Now I am having to play doctor to fix them...had I splurged on the original pair I wanted and screwed them up, I would be so hurt right now. so, so hurt........... Now back to enjoying my Saturday.

word.

-21-

I celebrated the 10th anniversary of my 21st birthday this past November, and looking back there are DEFINITELY a lot of things I wish I knew then, that I know now.... and some things that I probably knew then, yet ignored & still continue to ignore now...

Luckily life is all about growth and lesson learning, and these are just a few of the things I wish I had of known back then:

1) It's okay to say no. You don't have to go the same places, or do the same things that your friends are doing. There is nothing wrong with taking the night off.

2) Everybody does not deserve second, third, fourth or even fifth chance. When they show their true colors the first time believe them.

3) You are a pretty girl. Don't settle for the first thing that comes a long. Don't be afraid that this one will be the only one, because he won't......

4) Stop trying to gain weight. Being thick won't be as important when your metabolism slows down and you aren't burning thousands of calories walking across campus and dancing til 3am every day & night.

5) The friends you have now won't necessarily be the ones you will have ten years from now. Appreciate the fact that everyone has a season & a reason.

6) Take time to smell the roses. Yes you are driven, and ambitious.. but don't get too consumed with the goals that you neglect real life.

7) Hang out in the engineering building & library... much better selection of dudes than at the frat house... *shudders*

8) Value you.

9) Stick with the hot comb, because one day everyone will be natural.

10) Don't try to be perfect, just be you.

Click here to see the motivation behind my reminiscing......

1/52

The first week of the New Year has already come to an end, and all I can say about it is so far so good.....

I'm currently missing the above-pictured house guest, as he has gone back home with his owners... Life is so much better with a dog around. At least I got to pretend that he was mine for a couple of days....

My fortune cookie predicted that I would have a lot of successes this year, and I already got one bit of good news that I am so thankful to God for.... beyond grateful.....

On Friday night, I went to Sambuca for a thirtieth birthday dinner... I may have found my new favorite drink, the after dinner mint. It tasted liked my favorite girl scout cookie (Thin Mints) only infused with creamy alcoholic goodness. The live band in the restaurant was also nice. The menu items are kind of pricey, but I definitely wouldn't mind coming back to this restaurant sometime in the near future. I've actually been to the Sambuca in Atlanta before, but thinking back the vibe of that location was slightly different than the one here in Houston. By the time we finished with dinner, it had just began to rain so I headed home....

...and stayed home all the way through Saturday (except for brief outings to the grocery store & to run an errand), and finally re-emerged on Sunday morning for church.

After church I got a nap in, and then went to another birthday dinner for a co-worker. I didn't take too many pictures because I was too busy laughing hysterically and stuffing my face. Good times...extremely good times.

2013

My first day of the new year has been reflective, relaxing and peaceful.

I've spent a lot of time reading, writing out goals I'd like to accomplish and indulging in the Law & Order:Special Victims Unit marathon on television.

Twenty-twelve was definitely not my best year. I am glad that it is over.

I am beyond grateful for new beginnings. I am glad that this year is blemish-free, and untainted.

I am in control of the memories I can make in 2013. I can choose to be happier than I was last year. The new year is full of endless possibilities. The Lord kept me here so I could keep on living.

I plan to actually experience this year. I choose to go places I have never been before. I choose to let go, and move forward. I am going to be a better me than I was last year.

I know it won't always be easy, but at this very moment, on day one of three-hundred & sixty-five, it is still possible to truly enjoy this entire year.