2010: My first full year out of school, in DC, and so much more!

Oh, hello!

I am terrible about updating this thing (as I have mentioned every few months when I go to update it...). Well! A lot has happened in the past year. My lovey-dovey Jessa Havican did a year-in-review post, and I think I may just follow suit!


January 2010:
Chris had just broken his leg (d'oh!) and there was a terrible blizzard in DC. We spent the entire month, pretty much, trapped in my apartment. We watched a lot of West Wing, though. I also got to fly home and be a bridesmaid in a different lovey-dovey's wedding. Kristen's wedding was wonderful, and I was so happy to be there for her special day!























February 2010:
Chris and I took our first trip to VEGAS! We came back unmarried, with most of our money, and no serious injuries--I'd call it a success.



















March 2010:
Work really started to pick up. In my line of work it's important to have the bulk of your fundraising done by March of the election year so the candidates can actually spend the money. I spent a good deal of time in the office. I had never sat in an office working for 14 hours straight, but I did it!

April 2010 - June 2010:
More fundraising. Work, work, work! Between March and June I didn't take a single day off. Not so exciting. I was averaging 60 hour work weeks (at least). It was exhausting, but I seriously believe that we were made for work and we're happiest when we're doing just that.

However, Chris's leg was better and the blood clot was completely gone by June. That made our lives quite a bit better.















July 2010:
I got to go home for the Fourth of July! Seeing my parents always makes me so happy. I got to just hang out at home with the family (which I hadn't really done in almost a year). I didn't even tell my friends I was in town. It was fantastic. My mom and I drank wine, went shopping, and I got to see my daddy and brother and sister and grandparents. So much love!

Later that month Chris and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary as a couple (our anniversary is actually in August) by taking a long weekend in the Outer Banks. It was glorious. We stayed beachfront, played in the water, ate lots of Southern cookin', and climbed to the top of a lighthouse. We also drank a bottle of champagne at 5AM to watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean together (something neither of us had ever done).



August 2010:
I turned 23. Ugh.

September 2010:
Work got even crazier. I would full out take naps at the office afterhours so I could work extra late. I had interviewed a girl I thought would be perfect for the intern position in our office. My bosses agrees so heartily that they hired her as our staff assistant! She made my life so much easier. Thank the Lord for Lida!

October 2010:
Things calmed down a lot. There wasn't a lot more to do work-wise. Chris was out of town for most of the month, which was a serious bummer to me. However, I danced on a bar for the first time on Halloween (WIN!).
























November 2010:
November 2nd. Best. Night. Ever.


















December 2010:
Chris and I took a 2 week trip to Nicaragua where we hiked a volcano, ziplined through the canopy, fed monkeys, ate local cuisine, went horseback riding, and all other sorts of craziness. It was phenomenal. I feel so blessed to have the ability to travel with the man I love all over the world (well, hopefully all over the world--SOON!)




If 2011 can be half as interesting as 2010 I will be happy! I hope to travel more, maybe watch what I eat (gave up on weight--but I eat too much junk), get even better about my finances (thinking about a house...), and celebrate 4 years with my man! Professionally, I think this is going to be a great year for me. I've worked really hard, and I intend to keep it that way!

Transitioning Into Grown-Updom: Feeling Settled

Since college began I have been restless. I went to Westmont, left after a semester, moved out of my parents' house a 10 months after that, moved out of that apartment back to my parents' six months after that, moved into another apartment two months after that, moved back in with my parents 5 months after that, went to DC 5 months after that, and back in with my parents 8 months after that. Then 9 months later I graduated from college and moved to DC. Now, almost a year later, I am feeling restless. Part of being a grown-up, though, is staying put for a bit and only moving for some really great opportunity. It's kind of funny to think, though, that my little apartment is the place I've spent the most time since I turned 18. However, if you know me, you know I love that apartment.

I am realizing how wonderful my life is. I have a good job, the best apartment in DC, a college education, an amazing boyfriend, and the cutest fish ever :) Chris has fallen in love with Percy (my/our fish...he was my fish, and now Chris wants some parenting rights). Chris and I are great. It's almost been three years. WOW! For those who knew me before Chris, settling down wasn't my style. I have finally found someone I don't mind cooking dinner for, who understands my obsession with making the bed and hanging up towels, and who is as silly as I am. He's also stepped up to the plate as my family in DC. It is hard living out here without my family--we are really close. He is doing a great job of celebrating holidays with me, cooking dinner with me, grocery shopping with me, and feeding my fishy. I could not have survived without him out here.

My job has been tough. Republicans are going to take back the majority (can I hear some good ol' fashioned hootin' and hollerin'?!) and there is a lot of work to be done to get there. The free market will prevail! Lower taxes! Individual freedoms! This go I think you will see a lot of fresh perspectives from incoming freshman--leaders who believe in fiscal responsibility, who also want to kick government out of the bedroom. I am so excited! Follow the special elections this month--I have worked long hours for those guys, and I'm really excited!

That's my life. I love you all!

Election Year!

Well my dearies, I've decided to let you know what's on my mind lately. As most of you know, I do political fundraising (I am assistant to the two guys who own the firm I work for and their sole employee). Because of my job I have interest in quite a few political races. I have a couple that are really interesting, and I think you should take a little peek at just for funsies!

1. Charles Djou--HI-1
Charles is a really impressive guy. He's in the reserves, has been a state legislator, is a city councilman (in HI a city councilman is a higher position than a state legislator based on the size of the constituency--the only state like that...well, maybe RI), is a law professor, a husband, and a father, and he isn't even 40 yet. He's perfect for Pat Saiki's former district. Hawaii has elected Republicans in the past, so it is not as far-fetched as it may seem. Charles is currently in an open, winner-take-all special election against 3 Democrats (and no Republicans). If you're looking to throw some support behind a Republican, I recommend Charles. He is one of my very favorite candidates. Not only is this an interesting race because a Republican can take a currently Democratic seat, it's the congressional district where Barry Obama grew up.
www.djou.com

2. Pat Toomey--PA Senate
Whoa! This race is dramatic at best. Current Senator Arlen Spector betrayed, yes BETRAYED Republicans and switched parties to cover himself during what seemed would be a liberal landslide. Unfortunately, the oh-so-popular president's rating fell faster than my boyfriend walking home drunk in the snow. Pat Toomey, the man who almost beat Spector in the Republican primary almost 6 years ago has stepped up to the plate. He is a great candidate and it really looks like he's going to take this race. This is another race to support!
www.toomeyforsenate.com

I only have the Republican side (as that is the only side I care about--GO SCOTT BROWN). There are certain blogs/sites that are fantastic to watch as well. I usually don't go straight to the pollsters, because blogs will give you the outcome of many polls at once (and I don't have time to search through everyone's sites).

www.swingstateproject.com (my FAVORITE--huge lib, but he does a good job analyzying polls)
www.realclearpolitics.com

Also, and this is really important, don't get all your information from FoxNews, CNN, Huffington, or anything of the like.

Now you can see what's going on in my brain.

Transitioning Into Grown-Updom: Not disappearing

I was going to blog about this, but work got too busy. I will just put in tags for all the things that I would like right now.

Love, love, love, love, love

My oh my oh my! Two years! It's fast approaching. This upcoming weekend is more important than even Valentine's Day. Yes, it's that big a deal. With all this love in the air I've decided to make a list of the things that I love the most.

10. The Carolines. Good friends, check! Bad decisions, check! The Carolines are my favorite for so many reasons: hills, High School Musical, and Metro pole dancing: The Carolines bring the fun.

9. Nellie's Sports Bar. Best nachos ever, trivia, and drag queen bingo. Need I say more?

8. Washington, DC. The best place in the world. Who doesn't love doing the monument crawl? What could be better than [semi]reliable public transit? No one and nothing. DC is the place.

7. Scratching mosquito bites. I hate the things, but there is such satisfaction that comes with scratching them. Itchy, itchy!

6. Being Republican. Elephants+fiscal responsibility=Beautiful.

5. Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton. True love. True Blood.

4. My Blackberry. I would be lost without it. It acts as my personal assistant, but I love it as my child.

3. The Ashton Clan. There is no stranger family, no family so diverse, and no family so meant to be. Maybe we're crazy, but love runs through these veins.

2. My mother. If you've met her, you know. She's quiet and shy and a little tiger.

1. The reason for the season: My beef, Christopher! I love the boy. Happy anniversary, baby!

Happy August 1st everyone!