So, people who have been reading my blog for awhile may know that I take birthdays seriously. Other people's birthdays. My birthday? It's fun, but celebrating other people is even better.

My coworkers didn't get that memo this year.

My 27th was arguably my best birthday since becoming an adult, in large part because of that. To top it all off? Elizabeth got the lab where we both work to write me a birthday post. And she said that I had to post it. After I stopped getting all teary, I agreed. 

Thank you so much, GabLab.

Abbie has two of the best qualities a person can have: she always knows how to make a day ten times better, and she makes EXCEPTIONAL pies. – Keri

Abbie is the best motivator and leader I know. A social prodigy some might say... – Julia

Abbie delights in the sights, smells, and sounds of her native city, exclaiming gleefully, "We live here!" - Sara

You can always tell when Abbie is around because you can hear her laughing. – Livia

Everything Abbie does, she does with kindness and enthusiasm. It comes through in her cooking, her work, and her friendships. (And I get to enjoy all 3!) - Elizabeth

Abbie makes delectable confections that I adore. - Joe

Abbie never stops smiling! – Maggie

Abigail is hilarious and bubbly and happy, and makes everyone in earshot bubblier and happier, too. I think she rocks. –Todd

Abbie gives me treats and introduces me to new little people whose faces I can lick! - Echo (note: Echo is a dog.)

Abbie is the most socially graceful person I know! – Ola

I can always count on Abbie for the essentials in life, like lip balm and snazzy German hand lotion. And also for being my partner in crime when a snack time is needed. - Dorice

Abbie has a contagious laugh.  She is always happy and makes others feel happy too! – Cindy

Abbie makes the best rhubarb pie I've ever tasted. Ever. - John S.

Abbie's amazing at celebrating all the moments contagiously! – Joanna

Abbie is fearless against Frighteningly Loud Computer Sounds and always brings cheer to the office! – Irina

Happy Happy, Abbie!

We are so glad you were born, and some years later became our froworker.

Love, Gablab

Thank you thank you for your good wishes, friends!
The first two days have been wonderful.

In other news, my adorable mother (who lives less than a mile away) sent me this postcard in the mail. It says "Happy first day of your new job, and happy first day of no snow at our house!"

I heart my family and my blog friends.

Eek eek eek!

Today, I start a new job. I'm a little nervous, but really excited. But also nervous.

Wish me luck?

ps So very many thoughts and prayers to Japan right now.

Home Days

Christmas was wonderful.

We opened presents, went to the gym for a workout, and then ate enough food for a week at Cafe Fleuri. (I dreamed about their Chocolate Croissant bread pudding for weeks leading up to Christmas.)

Since then, life's been getting back to normal, sort of. We got snowed in yesterday, so I worked from home, then roomie Emma and I shoveled and had hot chocolate with our neighbors. Afterwards, we went to an impromptu potluck at my mom's house. Every single person brought soup. It was fantastic.



Today I worked from home, starting at 6 a.m. Even with the early start time, it's been pretty great.



I've been able to make as much tea as I want, I haven't changed out of my pajamas, and I'm finally getting to spend some quality time with our Christmas tree.



It makes me happy.

A lunchtime garden

When I left my last job, I was nervous about where I would eat lunch.

See, old, pretend-scientist job was in the South End, so at lunch time, I would sometimes go for walks to take pictures and feel inspired. Now, while I'm much more suited to what I actually do at work every day, there aren't quite as many places to explore in the neighborhood.

Lucky for me, though, one day a coworker took us to this roof garden on top of the library. You can see the entire Boston skyline, not to mention surround yourself with green and sunlight. It's incredibly peaceful up there, and sitting in my favorite spot, eating my lunch and thinking my thoughts, has quickly become one of my most treasured rituals. It centers me, refocuses me for the second half of my day. I love it.

On Roses

I am feeling rather stressed right now.

It's all about silly stuff- job, apartment, money- you know, the usual.

In the long run, this stuff doesn't really matter that much. In some way or another, it will work out. It always does. Stressing out about it more than necessary isn't going to help anything at all.

So I'm not going to think about my stress when I don't need to. Instead, I'm going to think about roses. Here in New England, late spring is a glorious time- all the flowers are finally in bloom, the farmers markets are getting started, and there are roses everywhere. They smell wonderful, and look even better.

Right now, rather than dwelling on the things that are freaking me out, I choose to dwell on the roses.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Sometimes I think a personal assistant would be helpful.

{My kitchen isn't quite this bad anymore. But almost.}

Man oh man, you guys.

I have been so busy lately. Work is busy, and for the past week or so, I have been on a cooking bender. Just tonight, I made two cakes, challah, and then my whole dinner (salmon, green beans, asparagus and brown rice). And I didn't even get home until 8.

Sometimes, I am crazy.

p.s. I am a very lucky girl- my dad lent me his kitchenaid. It really does make baking a million times easier! He won't notice if I never give it back, right?

Usually at work, I take a tiny little lunch break, scarfing my food down and saying hi to people, then getting back to whatever I'm working on.

Sometimes, though, when the weather's nice, I like to take my camera out for a little walk. I get a latte or a cookie at Flour, and I go in search of what's pretty.

It's pretty fun. You should try it sometime.

Sometimes at work they talk about things I don't understand.

So then I draw a picture on a post-it note.

(I recommend trying it sometime).

Today and tomorrow I am grateful for:

kind strangers.

friends who would get teeny tiny tattoos with me.

my awesome, completely unexpected (and maybe undeserved) job.

parents who taught me that the most fun part of thanksgiving is taking in as many strays as we can find.

a sister who, no matter how much we fight, wants me to meet her at the finish line of her road race so we can walk home together.

Man, people are awesome, no?

Happy Thanksgiving!

This much I know is true.

I am not naturally a people-pleaser.

I'm not meek, not in the least, and most of the time, I'm too obsessed with how awkward I feel to worry about giving others what they want.

The one exception to this rule? Cookies. At the first job I ever had, I baked cookies so my coworkers would like me, and much to my surprise, it worked. I did it again last year, and I even started accepting requests. Now that I know everyone at my new job well enough that it's not awkward anymore, I can bring cookies into work again. I like it. Especially on Mondays.

Mondays are hard. Cookies help.

One of the nice things about my new job is that it is in a part of the city where I don't usually spend a lot of time.

The South End has all these lovely houses, and most importantly, one of the best bakeries around. (You should try their brownies. And their lamb sandwich. Yummy in your tummy, I promise.)

On Friday after work, I went for a little walk on my way to the bus, and I took lots of pictures. It was raining, so a lot of them were kind of blurry, but I like this one.

My new work neighborhood is so pretty!

I love Boston.

Eek!

I start a new (temporary sort of) job today.

I'm so excited! (and also rather nervous.)

Wish me luck at my new job!

And Boston It Is

I'm moving back. On Wednesday, I fly to California, spend two and a half days packing up my stuff, and then move back here to seek out real employment. I'm super-excited to be back on the right coast again, although I will miss California muchly.

In other news, how to swim like an Otter, courtesy of our Fourth of July camping trip.

How to Swim Like An Otter from Abbiebabble on Vimeo.

I like to think I have become a better worker in the past year, but that is a lie.

I am sitting in a cafe, thinking about writing a cover letter since my job ends in two months and unemployment is not an appealing lifestyle to me.
Instead of actually working on it, though, I do everything I can to avoid actually writing words in a document. I didn't even notice that I had resorted to all of my favorite procrastination tools from college until I started to clean out my inbox. I just deleted 150 emails that I do not need, but I still don't have a usable cover letter. Must work on that.
Shit. I just realized that blogging about procrastinating is yet another old favorite. Expect lots of posts in the coming weeks. . .