I was just in the middle of a dream.

Hello! Good morning!

Last Thursday night, Jesse and I were sitting to his grand birthday dinner at a lovely, fancy, expensive steakhouse when I realized that part of the reason we were even there was because of you. Yes, you. To any of those who voted for Jesse and me in Channing Johnson's photo contest - thank you! That gift certificate we won afforded us the night out.

Those pictures are above are of us heading out to dinner that night, and I'm kind of in love with the picture of the birthday boy. It's my iPhone wallpaper, admitted. 

He flew off the next day for some shows in the Midwest, so my weekend was spent galavanting about with my extremely amazing friends. I also made a new blog header! Check it out! What do you think? And how was your weekend? And - and! - again, thanks!

It's just such a trip how you're still my speed racer.

The day has arrived! I received my lovely LAMB ultraviolet absinthe wristlette! I am happy:

But....but what is this....?!

IS THAT A LAMB NIKOLA HOBO?!

YES THAT IS.

Here's how THAT happened. As you know, I posted a GILT invite on my blog and twitter. A few people signed up, a few people bought LAMB bags for themselves, and when those bags shipped, my account was credited $25 for each referral! On Sunday I found out that I could buy this lovely, lovely bag...which retails for $375, was being sold on GILT for $189...and I purchased for $41 after all the credit went through. And so, I did it. 

AND SO - I MUST SAY THANK YOU. 

Because if it hadn't been for you awesome fashionista friends & readers, I would not have this gorgeous LAMB bag to go with my wristlette! I was ecstatic on Sunday. I was ecstatic to have a few people be as crazy in love with LAMB purses as myself. I mean, REALLY CRAZY IN LOVE:

I am feeling quite great and quite wakuwaku suru to carry my new hobo around Japan! Domo arigato!

GAP BORN TO FIT CONTEST!

I know I've been talkin' a lots about the Gap, but that kind of happens when you get sent free stuff in two big boxes. I mean, there's not anything more exciting going on right now...okay, okay, except for me getting married THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW.

But for now, I shall announce a contest as I head out of my office, into the weekend that determines a certain foreverness in my own life -

Please write a haiku about jeans. We all have them. I just want a 5-7-5 poem about 'em. They don't have to be about Gap jeans. Also: I like funny stuff. If you can make me laugh with your poem, you get points. Most of you readers know what I find hilarious. And eloquence counts for a lot, too. So, please, be brilliant.

I have the ability to bestow FIVE PEOPLE with prizes in this particular contest. Four runner-ups will get a gift certificate for a free pair of Gap jeans! The grand prize winner will get a gift certificate for a free pair of Gap jeans PLUS a $50 Gap gift certificate!!

LE RULES FOR ENTRY: please leave your poem in the comments below, WITH your e-mail address. You can enter as many haikus as you want, but there will be five separate winners! This contest shall end next Monday night, August 10th, at 11:59pm EST. I'll peruse the entries, pick my five favourites, and contact winners on Tuesday, and hopefully send out the prizes by Wednesday. Because Thursday? I'm heading out on my HONEYMOON! YEAH!!!!

As a bonus, here is Erica talking about the Gap Always Skinny jeans -

You've made my decision.

As you may remember, last week I wondered if I should even attempt to start reading the Twilight series, so I pleaded for input. And I got it! Quite a bit of it.

Summarily:

Fifteen people told me to read it; of those fifteen, seven suggested I only read the first book, as it is the best. There were very convincing arguments -

Only two people told me to forgo my curiosity and leave it be. One person (who shall remain anonymous) said, "You and I...we don't read those books."

There were a few different reactions - Chris didn't offer any opinion regarding Twilight but suggested I definitely check out the new HBO show True Blood, and thanks to him now I have another freakin' show I've been sucked (ha) into. I kid, I kid, Chris. I dig it, thank you. And Jamie would like to read them together and start our own "internetz book club" - obvs, I'm a nerd, and this idea is fantastic if it doesn't remind me of homework. Jiscilla is also quite interested because she just found out Paramore is doing some music for the film version's soundtrack, and because she dug my last book recommendation, The Time Traveler's Wife.

Then, it all came down to a comment I received this morning from dear friend, Katie Brown: "ps- you can add 'katie brought me twilight for my birthday... now i can see what the hype is all about.' in about 72 hours."

Therefore, thank you friends for chiming in: I am reading the first book of Twilight. Thank you especially to KB for actually making it possible. And, I will obviously be recounting my thoughts here, maybe forming a book club, and most likely adding another fictional character to my list of Dreamy Fictional Characters (which includes Mr. Darcy, Logan Echolls, etc.) And I will go see the movie. BUT! The promos make it look like a lame new CW show, like One Tree Hill meets Smallville, just sayin'...okay, I'll stop my stream-of-consciousness opining now and get to the book!