Baxter Bark Twice

Do as I say, never as I do

Posts Tagged ‘TGIT’

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Is this thing on?

Posted by AllieB on March 17, 2016

Hello? Hi. I know it’s been awhile blah blah I’ve got news!

I’m going to business school! In Atlanta! I’m enrolled in the full-time program at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business and I’m moving in July. When I first began considering schools, Tech wasn’t even on my radar because Tech is where nerds go, but then I remembered I’m pretty nerdy. Also, it’s a good and becoming great school doing a lot of cool business-y stuff in ATL and elsewhere, but what really sealed the deal is that Amazon is opening a brick and mortar store on campus this summer. It came down to Tech, Emory, and UGA, but the decision more or less much made itself: when you know, you know – ya know? I’m super pumped to go back to school: I’m excited to learn new things and maybe be president of some clubs, to make new friends and buy school supplies (!!), and I can’t wait to explore ATL – it’s like a completely different city from when I left four years ago. Speaking of: do you or anyone you know own a condo or residence in Midtown/VA High/Inman Park they want to lease to a responsible, easy tenant who can handle many of her own minor home repairs? Yas. Call me. Living in New York is the coolest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m a better person for it, but I’m ready for what’s next.

me in emoji

This is basically who I am now. +2 points to Tech for having a mascot that’s also an emoji – I didn’t even factor that into my decision-making process

I would like to comment on the whole studying/test-taking/application/interviewing/waiting business school process in that it SUCKS. It’s a scary thing announcing your intentions then having no idea how it will all pan out, no matter how hard you work or how many deals you make with The Man Upstairs. The reason I haven’t written in so long is because I was wallowing in depths of the unknown and uncertainty and had nothing but tales of woe to offer. My blood pressure was scary-high, and I was turning into a real betch displaying borderline manic traits. For three solid months I had nightly nightmares wherein I was not only denied by every school – including some schools I hadn’t even applied to – but, in addition to the scathing decision letter detailing said denial, I was forced to sit in front of the Admissions Committee while they literally pointed and laughed at me. The spiral…it was real.

Anyway, I’m totes fine now. Next up: the compilation and subsequent pursuit of my #NYCBucketList. I read the BBT from June 2012 that plotted my #ATLBucketList prior to moving up here, and it turns out I did exactly zero of the things. My 2012 self was really lazy. Who wants to take the tram to Roosevelt Island?!

Besides school stuff – and honestly, there hasn’t been much besides that – things are as ever. Winter was a nonevent. I visited Char and SRM in Seattle and have been to ATL a lot. I lost my medallion status on Delta and now fly all of the airlines which I’ll get into another time if you’re lucky; Southwest has a truly confounding business model. I drew this “map” a few months ago and it took me the better part of a Tuesday to do, so I’m forcing it into the post then we’ll never talk about my commute again. Yeah, that’s a lie. Two to four times/week I board the Metro North to Greenwich, CT, an enclave of wealth northeast of the city that makes Buckhead look like a hole, to work in my company’s Connecticut office. While it really is beautiful and it’s nice to get out of the city, the trek to and from – as my map very clearly illustrates - is not great.

the journey

Get it?? Girl on the TrainS?? On Fridays I treat myself to train beers for the ride home, and, as someone who has had multiple people take pictures of me sleeping, I sometimes like to pay it forward. Also pictured: the office. See – it’s nice, it’s just..not in New York.

Greenwich

This is easily the worst ending of all time, but I’m gonna leave it here with the promise I’m getting back on track. It’s like Senior Spring for me: we’re already hiring peeps for my replacement(s), and I’m on public transit like 12 hours per week - what else do I have to do besides write BBTs and search property tax records of old-mansions-turned-newly-renovated-condos south of Piedmont Park that I’d like to live in but whose units are rarely listed?? Friendly reminder: today is not only St Patty’s Day but also the first day of March Madness, plus it’s Thursday on top of all that, so be careful out there…and don’t you dare pinch me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FLEMBOT!

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My Fall Bucket List (!)

Posted by AllieB on October 8, 2015

True story: if I cancel plans or say I can’t do something because I’m “too busy”, I am lying. The real reason is some combination of the following: I am lazy; whatever activity you suggested sounds dumb; the weather sucks – really any other excuse you can think of, so long as it has nothing to do with being too busy. That is until life started to get in the way – the last several weeks have been filled with actual adult obligations, and if I flaked out on plans there is a 70% chance it was legit, which is a huge jump the usual 3-6%.

I guess saying all that makes this a weird time to be writing one of my increasingly rare posts… so rare one might call me elusive?? Just once I want to be described as mysterious: I imagine someone wondering, “Has anyone seen or heard from Allie lately? Who knows what she’s up to – probably something random yet not sketchy and also awesome…Allie, she’s so mysterious.” No? That’s fine, I will continue to dream my dreams. Honestly, BBT is an outlet, both creative and intellectual, and this week’s post is a selfish attempt to keep my levels at least somewhat level. It’s good to keep your levels level, btw.

Amid all of the busyness – there are 24 hours in a day! – I was able to take a minute and fill out a Fall Bucket List. I didn’t even know I was supposed to have an FBL til I stumbled upon the below via liketoknow.it; I was so inspired by her lofty goals I eschewed all other tasks and immediately put pen to paper to document my own.

Downloads

I can’t believe we BOTH have “bake a pie” on our FBLs – what are the chances?! Great minds for sure think alike

I just realized I am inadvertently plowing through her fall bucket list: wore my Hunters last week, I’m wearing this nail polish right now, and I gave thanks literally two days ago so done, done, and DONE

Please sense the tone. Also, does anyone know where can I sign up for Penmanship 101?

Another reason I’m back on the BBT bandwagon is that I have essays to write for school applications, and the words – they are not flowing. While the essays are more about how and why I am a strong leader and less on FBLs, I’m hoping that writing down the latter will free up space in the ole temple topper to focus on the former.

I am, however, open to other ideas.

Sunrise over Central Park this AM. Photo cred G Force Baxter – she came in town for a night to enjoy Italian food and an evening out at a jazz club with my aunt. I joined them for the food… #apartmentgoals

IMG_0701

RISE UP! Renderings of the new Falcons stadium continue to impress – especially with this large, snaky, awesome bridge. Another thing that’s cool is how the Atlanta Falcons stadium is located in the city of Atlanta. Bad move, Bravos – bad move. (Source)

falcons mercedes benz

Lastly, and I wish I didn’t even have to say it, but some of you need to think long and hard about what you did: 20 Annoying Facebook Status Updates.

10. The “I Post Everything From My Own Website on My Facebook Page”

Wait, I do do that. Hello, Pot, this is Kettle calling! Whatever, I post like once a month it clearly doesn’t apply to me

“Too busy” are ya?

TGIT! Caramel apples for everybody!

Posted in Arbitrary | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Cue the crop tops and denim diapers

Posted by AllieB on April 16, 2015

Yesterday, for the first time since October, it was 70+ degrees in New York. Much as the black bear emerges from its cave after the long winter months, so too do the citizens of NYC.  Everywhere you look, people so pale they’re almost translucent are lighting their puffer jackets on fire and congratulating themselves on surviving another soul-crushing, morale-killing, life-sucking winter season: “so this is why we live here!” Cue the crop tops and denim diapers: HELLO SPRING. Oh yes – now that it’s getting warm I’ve got a whole new arsenal of things to complain about.

It will probably snow next week. Mother Nature has such a great sense of humor!

Bryant Park is trying

Bryant Park is trying… #tryharder

Y’all would tell me if I talked about the weather too much, right?

I’m going to share some thoughts with you now. Having lived in two different cities post-college, I feel like I have the credibility to say that every city has unique traits and hardships that make you love/hate/love/HATE it, and you, as a resident, must adapt accordingly. New York is the best place on earth but it can also be a real sonofabitch – here’s how we get by in the Big Apple:

Indifference: new “hot” restaurants open every day, it seems. Before you know it, all you’re hearing about is that spot in Alphabet City where you MUST go and definitely get burrata and the burger and the kale salad will literally change your life. So you talk about going with your friends – let’s totally go next week to that new place! It doesn’t matter if they don’t take reservations, I hear the broiled oysters are life-changing, so we will wait for 2 hours in the crowded bar where regardless of where you stand you’re totally in the way. Next week comes and suddenly you’re like…let’s go to the bar across the street.

Then, on top of that, you get so sick of people raving about the new place that you ultimately just end up saying you’ve been and those oysters really are life-changing but somehow never actually go and then it closes. I feel like as much as there is to do and see and eat all over the city, there’s also all of that on your block. I am hesitant to use the word “lazy” – geographically averse, perhaps.

Disclaimer: we do venture to different ‘hoods and boroughs, but we’re also very supportive of our respective neighborhoods. And that’s not indifference, that is loyalty, and New Yorkers are nothing if not loyal.

Whine: we get to complain about the weather; you do not.*

*Unless you live in Boston or Chicago, but you chose your choice so I will still complain.

Denial: people will read things like this depressing AF list of 10 Reasons Why You Can’t Afford to Live in New York City that states then proves with hard facts and numbers that the cost of living here is double the national average, but then qualify it by saying, “but who cares – it’s New York!”

Or, another example: “A rat ran across my foot in the subway this morning then I get hit by a bike delivery guy; it started pouring but I didn’t have an umbrella, and there was a fire at the W. 4th Street station, so no downtown trains were running and the Uber surge was 12%. Oh, and the guy who lives above me is auditioning for STOMP. But I wouldn’t live anywhere else because NEW YORK.”

Basically, we’re all in abusive relationships with this city, but at least we’re all in them together…

Ok, I’m done with the thoughts.

I did not post a picture for Sibling Day last week, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love my siblings!!

sibling day whatever

 Happy Baptism, Jordan! Or whatever. Everyone look at me.

Do you watch Veep? You really, really should – even if you’re easily offended by crass language or your favorite show is Real Housewives of Injectables, you should still watch it. It’s the best show on tv.

IG account of the week: BowenTheLab. He’s like a puppy but also a grandfather and I LOVE HIM.

Don’t forget to take your Zyrtec. TGIT!

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That moment when…

Posted by AllieB on April 9, 2015

That moment when you look at your public blog page on Facebook and realize you actually look like a crazy person:

completely insane

I bet Scott and Tom would just be really flattered if they saw these – flattered and appreciative of my craftiness in Microsoft Word, probably.

And this gem from 2011 that I made myself of myself:

BBT as kate

I wonder if straight jackets come in navy or like a charcoal color? I don’t have the tan to pull off white right now.

For more psychotic renderings like these, follow BBT on FB!

I’m not sure if I’m just totally cool with how batsh*t bonkers I look, or if it’s more that I think I’m so sane I can pull off the occasional foray to LocoTown. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. Either way, I think we can all agree I should’ve been a graphic designer.

Anyhoo, moving along:

~ we asked and FINALLY they listened: there’s going to be a new podcast delving into the unsolved case featured on the first installment of Serial about Adnan Syed and the murder of Hae Min Lee – it’s not on Serial and Sarah Koenig won’t have anything to do with it, but two lawyers who worked with the original team are working on it, plus the lawyer who brought the whole case to light in the first place, Adnan’s cousin Rabia. (Note: I personally think Rabia is a little nuts, but the addition of the two Serial lawyers ups the credibility of the venture.) WE JUST WANT TO  KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

~ update your phone to iOS 8.3 for new, politically correct emojis. That’s great and all, but where are the block of cheese, the taco, and the fingers-crossed sign? Or, if you’re my bud JT, different wine varietals? I will say, the scrolling mechanism is vastly improved.

new emojis

I mean, it took me two minutes to add those three emoji and I was using Microsoft Word (obvs), so these techie “geniuses” really have no excuse.

~ book recommendation: A Friend of the Family. I read this awhile ago, but I saw it on my Kindle the other day and remembered how much I enjoyed it. Per Amazon:

Pete Dizinoff, a skilled and successful New Jersey internist, has a loving and devoted wife, a network of close friends, an impressive house, and, most of all, a son, Alec, now nineteen, on whom he has pinned all his hopes. But Pete hadn’t expected his best friend’s troubled daughter to set her sights on his boy. When Alec falls under her spell, Pete sets out to derail the romance, never foreseeing the devastating consequences.

~ I think I should go to business school…

~ I didn’t mention weather ONCE in this entire post.

~ IG account of the week: The Masters, duh. #teamAdam #yeahweknow

Ok, I’m done – short and sweet and to no point. TGIT!

Posted in Arbitrary, Princess Kate | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

You don’t know until you know

Posted by AllieB on March 12, 2015

Oh, hello readers. I know it’s been a minute, but up until very recently I’ve been completely miserable and amid the throes of a serious bout of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder is not a joke; it is real), and my inability to talk about anything but my misery mandated a brief BBT hiatus. But that’s all in the past, there’s no more sludge – I will literally (not literally) kill someone if the sludge comes back, and I learned I am my own hero and my super power is getting out of bed. Join me as we move on from actual hell on earth winter and embrace the joyful pleasures of spring.

It’s always hard for me to jump back in after a lengthy absence, so I’ll go the way of the listicle; I love a listicle with lots of links.

~ I do not love emails from non-humans and have spammed every daily or weekly or even monthly newsletter I’ve ever tried – with two exceptions: The Skimm and, as of last week, The Lead. We’ve discussed The Skimm 100x why do you never listen to me, and The Lead is like a Skimm but for sports only. I like these guys – here’s a partial shot of today’s email:

The Lead

it’s like zing! but also yeah – that is a fair question

Remember kids: knowing stuff is kewl.

~ I am a published photographer!! I never aspired to be a photographer, but now that I am, I’d like to thank my family and friends for all their support…and Camera Plus for their advanced filtering mechanism, and Instagram for allowing me to add filters on top of filters.

Tribeca Citizen

I posted this stunningly artistic and evocative cityscape on Instagram last week, and they asked if they could post on the site. So that’s how that happened.

The below is from a BBT draft that I’d been half-heartedly working on over the last days of Feb/first few of March, and you can see I was not joking about my fragile state – I think this is what they call “spiraling.” Sheesh.

Morale is low. I recall saying, I think it was early January, the following:

<sips wine, touches hair> “Y’all, I don’t think winter’s going to be that bad. I just don’t. It’s already January and it hasn’t snowed yet, plus last winter was beyond awful, and I read some article that said it’s only really bad every other year…so, right? It’s going to be fine!”

Oh really, Allie. REALLY. I need to leave weather to the professionals and stick with what I know, like watching tv or internet trolling (wanna hang out?) – instead I planted this ill-conceived notion of a balmy winter in my head, so when February hit and wound up being the coldest month since 1934, I didn’t handle it well. I’m not handling it well. I’m starting to lose it. Actually, I think it’s already been lost.

Silver lining: new winter boots for BBT!!

My new boots are already stained by the sludge. I hate everything. Send help.

I know it’s cold everywhere blah blah blah but it’s different up here and you don’t know until you know.

Girlfriend needed a chill pill and a trip to Mexi. DO NOT LET ME FORGET TO GO TO MEXICO NEXT YEAR.

death to the puffer jacket

Baxter, out.

Posted in Arbitrary | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

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