before and after

So here it is, my new hair! I'm still getting used to it, and the fact that I feel ten pounds lighter. I'm getting used to it, which is good considering I was pretty iffy about it after I left the salon. I have to keep in mind, though, that I won't be straightening it everyday, so it's not always going to look like this. Normally I just put in a bit of mousse or spray gel and let it air-dry. So, once I shower and wash my hair, then I'll see how it looks normally.

ch-ch-changes

See all this hair? In a matter of a few short hours, it will be gone. I'm cutting it all off, finally! I've found a haircut I really like, and am going to donate the majority of it to the Locks of Love program. Then afterwards, it's shopping for clothes and necessities for Michigan with my mom and sister!

It's just a quick-update, photos will be up in the next few days of the new 'do.

nerd alert,

Let the Right One In, movie poster and book cover, respectively. (I posted the Swedish book cover rather than the English one because I like it more. It's more interesting looking, I think)

Finally read the book and watched the movie! I would definitely suggest both, they are amazingly amazing. If I were talented at writing critiques, I would. But, with my writing/critiquing abilities being how they are, it would just turn out like this: "OMG IT WUZ SO GOOD!!!!1!!!111!!!one!! <3" Clearly eloquent. But seriously, they were both wonderful. My only complaint is that I wish the movie included Eli's background. It was very briefly hinted at, but nothing more. I don't think it detracted from the film, though. But that was something I was hoping to see (I always liked flashbacks/back-stories). Oh, and the whole Hakan plot was sort of chopped out, as well. I didn't mind that so much, though.

Anyways, just a quick blog update, nothing new happening. I did clean the house and cook, though, which I consider to be a feat of no small means.

in which Catherine likes to play dress-up

I just joined lookbook! Feel free to friend/add me, or whatever it is you do on there.

The District

I recently went to DC for the first time in about five years. It was a little strange to be back and get my bearings and everything. I probably would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't blazing hot - 100+ degrees all day, brutal sunshine, and humidity that was so thick, you could probably swim in it. I had sweat rolling off of me and must have drank three gallons of water every couple hours. Oh boy, the mid-Atlantic is a lot warmer than I remember. But hey, at least I'm tanning again! After being in Germany for so long, I thought I was incapable of any skin tone other than white.

checking in

I've finished Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, and it was pretty good. A little slow at times, but I liked the story, in the end. I've moved onto Let Me In (Lindqvist), and I'm pretty sure that one will be quite good. Other than that, I have been completely useless. But that is precisely what summer vacation is for, right? Right!

Speaking of vacations, I'm set to visit my family in Michigan this August! I'm really excited, these trips have been the highlight of my summers since I was a kid! All my mom's siblings and their families all travel down and stay in my grandparent's tiny rancher outside of Detroit. We're cramped and usually despise each other by day three, but we love it all the same. It's just so much fun, with all the delicious food (Arabic food is by far my favorite) my aunties and grandma make, the family gatherings (which typically consist of about 40 or so people), the adventures we go on, continuing our tradition of having a massive picnic/barbeque at Lake Eerie while all the kids go swim in the wave-pool and play on the grounds - the list could continue on forever. But I've got so many wonderful memories there, and I'm happy to go back! After all, I haven't spent a summer in Michigan since 2007, I believe.

Anyways, to keep this from being a massive text post, here I am camera-whoring in Target.
And I actually did buy the pair of shoes in the box under my arm. White canvas lace-up's, which I plan on decorating with a punch of sharpies later, for $9.00 is not too shabby of a deal.