four five six. the two of us a perfect fit

like an apple on a tree hiding out behind the leaves I was difficult to reach, but you picked me.

I would like to first go on the record as saying it is only interesting to catch up with someone you don't really want to see once. Not repeatedly. Not everyday. It's awkward. (Just in case there was any misunderstanding.)

I ate a peach in my cereal that didn't want to separate from it's pit. I turned into quite the mess and now my fingers smell like peach and are sort of sticky. But I successfully mushed it into my new Nature Valley granola cereal which was quite good. It's weird when you get to the little hunks of granola bar though because if it's at the end, then they're sort of soggy. Good though. (Also, this is not a picture of my breakfast - I stole it from Simply Breakfast.)

I love the book Kitchen Confidential. And I can't wait to finish it to truck on through my stack of books to get to Bourdain's next one that Alison so kindly gifted me for my birthday.

To want to own a restaurant can be a strange and terrible affliction. What causes such a destructive urge in so many otherwise sensible people? Why would anyone who has worked hard, saved money and often been successful in other fields want to pump his hard-earned cash down a hole that statistically, at least, will almost surely prove dry? Why venture into an industry with enormous fixed expenses (rent, electricity, water, linen, maintenance, insurance, license fees, trash removal, etc.), with a notoriously transiet and unstable workforce and highly perishable inventory of assets? The chances of you ever seeing a return on your investments are about one in five. What insidious spongiform bacterium so riddles the brains of men and women that they stand there on the tracks, watching the lights of the oncoming locomotice, knowing full well it will eventually run them over? After all these years in the business, I still don't know. -- Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential

The best things about my job: telling people I own it, earl grey tea with amaretto, coffee - all kinds all the time, my employees (most of the time), my customers (most of the time), wild strawberry ice cream, making the order and learning what I'm really made of.

The worst things about my job: being in a place of authority, the schedule, quickbooks, purchasing heavy things in hot weather, when things break, when people are sick, when people lie, hiring - I need to do that, and finding out what I'm really made of.

like a shell upon a beach. just another pretty piece. I was difficult to see, but you picked me.

I'm listening to lots of different things these days... Bob Dylan, Amos Lee, The Kooks, A Fine Frenzy (well, one song. It's adorable and pretty and I need more of that...). Little Grey Girlfriend. Priscilla Ahn. Feist. And still the same three Nelly Furtado songs in my car. Oh, Dave, of course, at work mostly.

so softly, rain against the windows and the strong coffee warming up my fingers in this fisherman’s house. you got me, searched the sand and climbed the tree.

Ryan Adams is coming. The Shins are coming - there is this guy who comes into the store (he's a football coach at the Citadel) who happens to have lots of knowledge on the bands I care about and he tells me these sorts of Shins things. I appreciate him. Also, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costell, and Amos Lee are touring TOGETHER to Atlanta and Clemson. Color me green with envy.

But I'm going to Voodoo with my lovely boyfriend and his newest attachment - the iPhone. Yay! And, speaking of, I am very excited about seeing my boyfriend this weekend. And I'm very excited to meet the hippo he got me for my birthday.

and all i can say is you blow me away.