keys.

Keys.

They get you in the door.

They allow you to feel safe when you leave.

And they are quite necessary to keep things private, secure, and away from danger.

They also open up a whole new world.

Today I handed back five keys that have opened many doors for me over the past few years.

The first two I've had since January 2008. My keys for an entire floor at my college. A locked floor that I worked on. A floor that led to incredible relationships, quirky doctors, hilarious researchers, occasional snacks, and a bunch of paper copying. A floor that led to a work family, one that I will miss dearly. A floor that led to much more than a steady income; one that let me use my organizational and editing skills in the most unlikely places. It's a fabulous floor. And I'm sure my experiences here will eventually lead to many more open doors.

The other three keys I've had for exactly one year today. My first year-long lease, ever. This time last year, when I was just getting the keys, I was in the midst of Welcome Week, a week-long orientation for freshmen students. I led 30 freshmen around, exposing them to their new home and school, and quickly moved in to my house during a break I had for a few hours. It was exhausting, physically, mentally, emotionally. But it all led to a room that I painted and loved and a place that I felt comfortable in. On Sunday night, I was cleaning this place, and then my roommates and I watched a couple episodes of a television show on DVD until, all of a sudden, we were all definitely ready for bed. It was the oddest experience as I realized that my bed was no longer there. I couldn't just walk down the hallway and plop down on my fluffy green comforter. I had to go to the new home. Use a new key. Open a new door.

And that's what I'll be doing for the indefinite future. There are a bunch of experiences just waiting for me to explore. New keys are calling. Adventure awaits.

Don't focus too hard on the door you just locked.

There is another waiting to be opened.

Song Saturday - Moving Day!

I've been slowly packing up my room and moving for a few days now, so here are two "moving" related songs for your Song Saturday!

I have brought a couple car loads full of things to the house I'm moving into already, but today my mom is bringing up a trusty pick-up so all of my larger pieces of furniture can make the trek to their new home. While I know it's time to move again (not only is my lease up, but there isn't a reason for me to be so close to campus anymore and, subsequently, pay the price for being so close), it feels much different this time. I usually move every 3-4 months, but I have lived in the same place for an entire year! (Insert big claps for Janae because this is a milestone, people.) It was the first full-year lease I'd ever signed. It was my home long enough for me to paint two walls a dapper shade of mossy green and to put up pictures and shelves and a whole heck of a lot of those 3M hooks to hang things on. I've accumulated things instead of going through a purging session every couple months and getting rid of things. I've invested in suits. Like "I'm going to wear this to a job interview" style suits, not swimsuits. Although come to think of it, I did buy one of those, too. My trusty red suitcase has been hanging out on a top shelf, way out of reach, for months because it's oh-so-handy handle that let's you roll it has been stuck in it's upright position since at least November and that out-of-the-way shelf is the only place that could accommodate such a large suitcase with an erect handle. The dresser that took my good guy friend Alex and I an entire afternoon to realize that we had no idea how to put together has been safely standing and used for months and months. (My mom and I took a crack at it a couple weeks after Alex and I decided it was a lost cause and somehow made it stand and hold things.)

It's interesting that you can graduate and feel like nothing's really changed all the much, but then comes September and you are officially done with the job you've had for 3 years (I've been filling in this last week) and it's time to move and some other random college senior will probably be taking over your room, marveling at the fresh white walls and the fact that it has a bathroom connected to it. (Yes, I've been living in luxury. A room to myself with a bathroom attached. I realize how uncommon that is for a poor college student.) But it is time to move on and get ready for the next adventure and continue putting in job applications and going on interviews and baking when you're scared. At least now I'll have 3 boys to eat all of those delicious treats.

Oh, I didn't mention the part about me moving in with 3 boys?

This is going to be fun.

fast lane.

[you're going to have to listen to this song to understand the first few texts. it's been on repeat in my world for a few days now. no judging.]



[text messages earlier this morning between me and my friend ash]

me: tryin to get my usher on but I can't let it burn
ash: Thinkin bout me, thinkin bout you, who we gonna be!
me: Ahhh love it. Sing me to a happy place nelly.
ash: played that twice this morning! get it nelly.
me: ME TOO! it was my "now you REALLY need to get out of bed" jam
ash: Exactly. Worked like a charm.

[ash is on her way to iowa for her first volleyball tournament of the season. she plays for her college team.]

ash: I can't believe it's here already!
me: I know its so crazy how fast this summer has gone!
ash: Living life in the fast lane. I just sit back and let cruise control do the work.
ash: Just thought of that. Most smartest.

and that is why we are friends.
[Sorry if this makes absolutely no sense to you.]

Fill in the Blank Friday!

prompts from here.

1. The most adventurous thing I've ever done [lately] is zip lining in Puerto Rico!

2. If I were a pair of shoes I would be a cute pair of comfy moccasins. Comfy, casual, but slightly unique. Maybe I'd add a little pop of color, like these mocs that my friend Hanna pointed me to?

3. My preferred mode of digital communication is Skype! I don't use it as often as most other forms (i.e. texting, Facebook) but I always enjoy it so much more. (Skype name is janaetime if you want to add me!)

4. I feel happiest when I am really content in life. Looking at a beautiful view, being with good people, eating delicious food, feeling productive.

5. A little dream I have for my life is to write a book. I've been talking with a very successful woman lately who has taken me under her wing a bit as I go through the process of finding a job, and after I told her everything I'd done so far, she said she didn't think it'd be long before I added "writing a digital book" to my list. I had never thought of writing a digital book before - I've always been in love with real-life paper pages - but now I can't get it out of my head.

6. The one modern convenience I could NOT do without is GOOGLE. Hands down. But I guess that also requires the internet. And a computer. Or phone.

7. Music, movies, TV or books: if I could only choose one to enjoy I would pick... oh man the hardest question is last! For the sake of choosing, I'm going to say music, which is interesting because my majors/minors in college all deal with movies, TV and books.

Happy Friday!

Moments.

Moments from Everynone on Vimeo.

A good friend of mine linked me to this video and I found it so charming, I thought I'd share!

I'm back!

...and I'm about 6 shades darker due to the excessive amount of sun we were in!

...and I'm filling in at work until the end of August!

...and I'm preparing to move!

...and I'm officially caught up on my emails again! (I went entirely off-grid while on vacation - no email, Facebook, Twitter, blogging, Google reader (where I had almost 400 unread posts...yikes!), phone, you get the idea.)

...and I'm trying to stay on top of everything!

It will probably be pretty quiet here until I get settled in at my new home, but I really can't wait to share stories and pictures and fun from our trip. It was so, so nice, and I still wake up in the middle of the night expecting to be sleeping in a stateroom, with the waves rocking me back and forth, saying in their own way, it's okay to go back to sleep.

Song Saturday!

Our trip is (sadly) about to end and we will be home in just a few short days. Here's to going out with a (relaxing, tanned, full of happiness) bang!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!