C is For...

Cooking.

The following is a complete list of the current contents of my fridge:
-A gallon of milk
-5 Jello 60 calories pudding snack packs
-A leftover calzone from a couple days ago that I should probably throw away
-A package of salami
-A half-eaten block of mild cheddar cheese
-A couple of slices of turkey sandwich meat
-3 eggs
-Ketchup
-Smucker's strawberry jelly
-A can of pasta sauce I'm fairly certain I bought in college
-3/4 a loaf of whole wheat bread
-An unopened bottle of champagne

It should be fairly obvious at this point that I do not cook. [Don't let the pasta sauce fool you, I haven't made pasta since I moved to Dallas]. This time of year [aka busy season] I eat all of my meals at a desk. Breakfast at my desk at home, perusing the internet while I wake up. Lunch, which I pack myself [and may very much resemble the lunch your mother packed you as a child, unless she was one of those healthly moms in which case it looks nothing like your elementary brown bag] at my desk at work. Dinner, which we order in every night, also at my work computer. Obviously there's not a lot of time for cooking meals in this schedule. While I'd like to say that outside of busy season I cook meals for myself, I simply cannot lie to you. The truth is, I don't know how to cook.

Unless it involves a microwave, I'm pretty useless in the kitchen. The most complicated meal I've prepared for myself in the past year has been a quesadilla. Pathetic, I know, but no one has ever taught me how to cook. My family was always too busy with work, sports practice, girl scouts, boy scouts, you name it to eat a real family dinner together, so my mom rarely cooked while I was growing up. Then I went to college where I lived off of hot pockets and take out and now here I am as an adult, with a boyfriend whose fridge is even more pathetic than mine[if you can believe that], so clearly he's no help. I think with a little direction in the kitchen, I'd be able to whip up a simple meal, provided I have a nice, easy to follow recipe.

And this is where you, dear reader, come in. What's your favorite simple meal to make? Follow any good recipe blogs? Enlighten me please, my poor stomach is dying for a home-cooked meal!

B is For...

Besties.

I see no point in living without friends to enjoy life with. And, not to brag but, I have some of the most wonderful friends around. Let's meet them.

This is Courtney.

Due to her affinity for all things vampire and my boyfriend's obsession with giving people nicknames, I now lovingly refer to her as Sookie. We met freshman[or was it sophomore?] year of college through an ex-boyfriend. I later ditched said boyfriend, but kept Courtney around. She's one of the weirdest people I know and it's why I absolutely love her. Whether we're traipsing around Europe or sitting on the couch watching Lifetime movies, it's always a good time when she's around.

This is Bob Todd.

Todd and I were co-chair partners in Fish Camp. Being a co-chair was one of the most stressful, yet incredibly rewarding, experiences I had in college and Todd was right there next to me the entire way. Todd is one of the most genuine people I know and also one of the most ridiculous. I love spending time with him and wish I got to do it more often.

These are Alex and Julianne.

I met these two lovely ladies through Courtney and then we all went to Europe together back in 2009. To date, it was the best vacation I have ever been on and it brought me closer to these girls. Being around someone 24/7 for two weeks let's you really get to know someone. Europe was quite the adventure, but even in the States our get togethers are always a blast. And this summer we'll be off to Vegas for a weekend of shennanigans. Can't wait!

This is Caroline.

I met Caroline through Alex towards the end of my college career. Sadly, we don't get to hang out very often, as our 17 pictures together on Facebook can attest to [and if you know Caroline, you know how absurdly few pictures that is]. However, I've grown much closer to Caroline over the past year, mostly through her blog and our occasional visits to each other's cities. She is always the life of the party and I love being around her. She's also coming on our Vegas trip in July and I'm so freaking excited about that!

This is Amanda.

Amanda and I go alllllll the way back to summer before freshman year of college. We were in the same camp, and even cabin, at Fish Camp as freshmen. I didn't talk to Amanda for a couple years after that, but we became friends when we were co-chairs together in the same session. After college Amanda and I both ended up in Dallas and have only grown closer. She's one of my closest friends in this city and I adore her.

And last, but certainly not least, this is Ben.

Ben is my boyfriend and we've been together for just over a year now. Ben is my rock. He lets me be my goofy self and is always there to listen to me vent. He's pretty much amazing and makes me truly happy. He's definitely a keeper.

All of these people bring something special to my life and I'm thankful for each and every one. Here's to friends!