blah.

i know it's been kinda quiet over here recently.

y'all, how is it even possible that i have had an easy semester for months, but now all of sudden i've had more to do in the last 3 weeks than i have all year?

YOU'RE KILLIN ME, SCHOOL. 

and admittedly i have been numbing the pain of schoolwork by watching extraordinary amounts of veronica mars (IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, SORRY ABOUT THAT) and more recently, saved by the bell...

but school is still attempting to suck the life out of me.

all that's standing in the way of me and summer is 3 presentations, 2 finals and a paper. 

(only a week and a half left!)

so, here's a playlist of music that's keeping me going this week.

(can you tell i like of monsters and men?)

how are YOU doing, friends?

do you any of you have finals coming up?

shows you should have watched.

if you follow me on tumblr, you may have noticed that i have a running tag called "shows you should have watched."

because y'all, there is little else in this world that is more important to me than television. 

and when i love something so deeply, i have to share it. 

so i'm about to share with you my top 3 favorite shows of all time (plus a few extras)

and you may be asking, "but abbi, i don't see parks and rec on this list? where is doctor who?"

people, people.

i'm talking favorite shows of all time.

and i don't think i can add a show to that list until it is completely over and done.

because a show can start out beautifully, and then in one moment, turn into something twisted and wrong and all of a sudden you're crying into your hands screaming "WE COULD HAVE HAD IT ALLLLLL" 

*coughcoughGLEEcough*

so i don't add shows to this list until they are completed. 

so here are, what i believe, were three of the best shows on television.

PRESENTING: SHOWS YOU SHOULD HAVE WATCHED

(and other stuff)

1. everwood.

rarely ever in the history of the universe has there ever been a show as good as everwood. 

back when the CW was the WB, a little show premiered on monday nights after 7th heaven.

and it stole the hearts of...not that many people because i don't really know too many people who watched it.

BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO WATCHED, IT STOLE OUR HEARTS FULLY AND COMPLETELY. 

kind of loosely, roughly, 0.00000001% based on the area i grew up near, this show was funny and heartbreaking and thoughtful and perfect. 

if you haven't watched this show...run, don't walk, to your nearest best buy or local library, and grab a copy of the first season. 

you won't be sorry.

2. gilmore girls.

75% percent of the reason why i am the way i am is because of gilmore girls.

now i know that some people don't care for this show, because they think rory and lorelai are annoying, or they talk too fast, and TO THOSE NAY-SAYERS I SAY "oy with the poodles already."

but i also say, this show is funny and charming and comforting and has just the right amount of drama. 

i am always in the mood for this show.

if i'm happy? there's a gilmore girls episode for that. if i'm sad? there's a gilmore girls episode for that. 

those of you who watched it know, there is a gilmore girls quote for everything.

so basically, you should absolutely watch this show, if you haven't.

3. friday night lights.

y'all.

this show is above and beyond great television. 

it has the best pilot episode that i have ever seen.

it was consistently good (except for those weird first four episodes in season 2 but it's okay.)

never has there been a show with more heart.

ever.

what completely baffles me about this show is that like no one watched it.

it had super low ratings until the end.

BUT IT WAS THE LITTLE SHOW THAT COULD, YOU GUYS.

really, if you haven't watched it, get yourself over to netflix and watch the pilot immediately.

don't like football?

DOESN'T MATTER. 

honestly, so little of this show is about football. 

it is just about human relationships, and strong families and small town community and UGH Y'ALL I JUST REALLY CANNOT.

RUNNERS UP:

1. the oc.

once upon a time in 2003, fox started a beautiful little show called the oc.

and it took the world by storm.

THE DRAMA! THE MUSIC! THE BEACH! THE ADAM BRODY!

you rolled your eyes at the situations these *SIXTEEN YEAR OLDS* got themselves into but you couldn't help but cry "more more more!"

the first season was flawless (i own it and most of the discs don't even work anymore because i've watched them so much)

but then things kinda started to go downhill.

the second season is still worth your time.

if you can stomach the third season, more power to you.

 when it comes to the fourth and final season i say, "don't bother."

but if you have not at least watched the first season of this show, you are truly missing out on one of life's greatest gifts.

2. o'grady.

okay, i hesitated whether or not to even put this show on this list, because sometimes i am so convinced that this show never actually existed and that i made the whole thing up in my mind.

but it's real, i've just never met anyone else who watched it.

guys, remember the n?

before it was teen nick and when during the day it was noggin?

well on that channel they had some of the best shows ever. 

and the best of those shows was an animated comedy called o'grady.

don't get me wrong, this show is an acquired taste.

but it still slays me dead with how funny it is. 

i have no idea where you can watch it anymore, other than buying it on itunes for dirt cheap, which is what i did. 

but if you ever get a chance, it is, at least in my opinion, worth your time.

3. one tree hill.

my love for one tree hill is deep and endless and knows no bounds.

i know probably a great majority of you have watched this show at one point or another in your life, but if you haven't and you enjoy overly dramatic story lines and pretty people and one of the most hateable characters in television history (DAN SCOTT) then this is the show for you.

seriously though, this show in its early years was SO. GOOD. 

i myself am not a huge fan of the later seasons (1-4 are perfect, they could have just stopped after 6) but really, it's all good. 

so if you've deprived yourself of this show, hop on over to netflix and get caught up the drama that is tree hill north carolina. 

i could go on and on and on and on and on and on and on about other shows, but this post is long enough as it is. 

what are some of your favorite shows that have ended?

have you watched any of these?

*****UPDATE: everyone on twitter has (lovingly) pointed out to me what a moron i am because i forgot ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT AND DAWSON'S CREEK. 

ugh, FOR SHAME. 

(watch those shows too)

*********UPDATE AGAIN: i just remembered that i left what i like about you off this list too. y'all i am a FOOL. that show is one of my most quoted shows of all time and you should watch it. 

ch ch ch ch changes.

my very favorite picture of my roommates and i.

well. 

it's taken me a while to figure out when i wanted to write this, and now seems like a good time.

as some of you may know, it's been a really difficult year for me. 

i've felt unhappy and out of place a good portion of the time.

(now, it hasn't all been bad. i have had some great things happen, but the bad has seemed to outweigh the good.)

i've been going home most weekends, which has been great for me.

but every sunday, i dread going back to school.

(for those who don't know, my school is about an hour and 20 minutes from home.)

and a few months ago, i was driving back to my dad's house on a saturday night, and the thought of going back to school, not just for the weekend but for the next year, and finishing my degree, terrified me.

i sat down with my dad that night and i broke down and i told him i hated school. i hated my school and i hated what i was studying.

and he said, "then do something different."

and so i am.

after these last 3 weeks of school, i won't be coming back to unc.

it sounds completely insane, to leave the university i've been at for 3 years, to change schools and change majors. 

but ultimately, i'm not doing what i love, and i don't ever want to look back at a time in my life and think, "i wasn't doing something that i loved. i had the capability to change it, but i didn't."

i've felt like unc wasn't the place for me for a long time, but i thought it was too late to change anything.

but you know what?

i'm 20 years old. it's not too late.

so in the fall i'll be going to metro state college of denver, finishing up my last 40ish credits.

and after i graduate, i'll be looking to go out of state to get a bachelor's in fashion design and merchandising.

it's a huge jump from the elementary education degree i've been working towards, but i am finally going to be doing something i'm passionate about. 

leaving is bittersweet.

for the first time in a long time, i'm excited, really excited, about what's happening in my life.

but it also means leaving the place that's been my home for 3 years.

i have grown and changed SO much in my time here.

and it means leaving the people who have become my family. 

and that is terrifying.

but here's to a fresh start.

i can't wait.

one thing.

okay. 

it's time to talk about it.

my affection for one direction.

(if you follow me on twitter or tumblr then you have been hearing me talk about it for months and this is now old news.)

but it's never been discussed here.

so let's be real. 

i knew about one direction for a while, because i was like WHO ARE THESE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE I AM SEEING ALL OVER MY TUMBLR DASHBOARD.

 and so i looked them up on wikipedia. and i saw that they were a boy band. 

and i said "no sir i shall not go down that road, no way no how."

because as we all know, when i like something, i don't just like it.

i become a monster about it. 

and i knew one direction would be no exception, so i stayed away.

and then, on february 20th, my best friend paige, who is studying abroad in ireland, sent me message with a link.

and you guys.

i just KNEW.

before i even opened the link, i knew.

and thus began the downward spiral that has taken my life by storm, consumed me completely and made me the laughing stock of those around me.

and i don't even care.

their music is catchy and they've all got that really great hair.

and after much consideration, liam is my favorite. (but niall is a close second.)

i know some of you already listen to them, and if you do i applaud/sympathize with you.

they are beautiful, well dressed, talented life ruiners.

but in case you don't, let me convert you, right here and now. 

PRESENTING ABBI'S GUIDE TO THE MOST IMPORTANT VIDEOS THAT WILL MAKE YOU CRY AND LOVE ONE DIRECTION:

1. the one thing music video:

2. what makes you beautiful (behind the scenes) 

3. the best interview they've ever done

 

4. that time they all sucked on helium

5. the video that accurately describes the first time i saw them

6. the video that accurately describes how i feel every time i see them (and how i feel about zayn)

 i debated whether or not i should just include the link to these videos or the actual videos themselves, but this you know what? 

they're here so now everyone has to look at them. 

sorry not sorry. 

do you like one direction?

(if you don't just take that noise elsewhere, pretty please.)

who is your favorite?

this is a situation you guys.

i don't even know. 

ugh, monday.

a few recent snapshots

oh you guys.

i hate mondays.

especially after having such a great weekend at home.

friday i went and played bingo at our neighborhood clubhouse, and won the most disgusting marshmallow treat known to man. 

it was like a giant peep, in the shape of a heart, on a stick.

and it had spongebob's face on it. 

saturday we went on a bike ride, and i got to go on a easter egg hunt with my darling niece.

and easter sunday we went to church, then had brunch at my sister's house. 

where i ate so much i thought i was going to soon resemble violet beauregard.

it was about as perfect as a weekend can get.

but now i'm back at school, and it's monday, and i have the coughs and sneezes and a little bit of a fever.

monday is always the worst day of the week, i know tomorrow will be much better.

but just in case your monday is as crummy as mine, let's all just take a moment to bask in the glory that is this hilariously confusing video.

if you follow me on twitter or tumblr, you've probably already seen it. 

but even if you have, it's worth watching again. 

i just can't get enough of it.

how was your weekend, friends?

10 books you have to read.

today i had someone ask me, "what are you favorite books that i should read?"

y'all, never ask me that question if you don't want a serious answer. 

i'm like that mouse from if you give a mouse a cookie.

if you ask abbi for a recommendation, first she will want to know if you've read the hunger games.

if you haven't read the hunger games, she'll slap you across the face and then say "come back when you have"

if you come back after this slap, she'll want to know what your favorite genre is.

then she will want to know if you're open to reading YA (since it's her favorite.)

then she'll ask you if you prefer male or female characters.

then she'll ask you if you're open to reading dystopians (since they're her favorite.)

and so on

and so on

and so on.

i love recommending books to people, but when i do i want it to be something that i think they'll love. 

if my friend who loves basketball and family guy come to me looking for a recommendation, i'm not going to tell him to read anna and the french kiss, no matter how good i think it is.

but since i can't ask each and every person in my life all of the above questions, here is a list of the top 10 books that i've reread dozens of times, that have stuck with me through thick and thin, that i will force on you at any given moment. 

(side note: i didn't really provide a synopsis for any of these, because whenever i try to provide one for any book, i basically end up saying something like, "well it's about a girl, and like, man she is...she is just the best, you know? ugh, man. and then so she meets this guy who is just like, I CANNOT EVEN, and then like, you know.)

1. the fault in our stars by john green

i'm sure most of you have read this by now, but if you haven't, please PLEASE do. it is without a doubt one of the funniest, poignant, most heartbreaking books i've ever read. i cannot say enough about it. after i read it i bought the audiobook so that i could "read it" while i was driving, without killing anyone. 

2. the truth about forever by sarah dessen

i was about 13 when i first read this book, and now i've read my copy of it so many times it's nearly unreadable. i absolutely love sarah dessen, she is an unbelievable writer and every single one of her books is worth your time. (and wes is my number one book boyfriend.)

3. my most excellent year by steve kluger 

when this book was first recommended to me, all that was said was "i wish i could live in this book." and after i read it, i understood why. this book, while not life changing or ground breaking, is the happiest book i've ever read, but what i love about it is that it is genuine. it's not cheap, or ridiculous, it's just purely and honestly GOOD. i carried it in my bag for 3 weeks after i first read it, just because i needed it to be near me.

4. the hunger games by suzanne collins.

for four years i have been begging everyone in my life to read this series. if you haven't already, please do. i literally can't say anything more than that.

5. white oleander by janet fitch

some of the best writing i've ever read in my life. i stopped about half way through the movie because it just couldn't convey all the beautifully written detail provided in the book. some of the things in it are not easy to swallow, because the story is so traumatic, but it is wildly captivating.

6. the chosen one by carol lynch williams

i got this book as an advanced reader copy, so it had no summary on it, which usually turns me off. but i could not be happier that i read it. it is the most haunting novel i've ever read. i was a senior in high school when i read it, and it has stuck with me. i'm just gonna say it y'all: i literally cannot even.

7. it's kind of a funny story by ned vizzini

a review on the back of this book says "a book about depression that's not the least bit depressing" and i think that hits the nail on the head. this is one of the most honest books about depression (and life after depression) that i've ever read.

 8. thirteen reasons why by jay asher

phenomenal. i stayed up till 3:30 in the morning on a school night last year so that i could finish it. it's insightful, and completely chilling. 

9. twenty boy summer by sarah ockler

i debated whether or not i should put this one on the list, because this isn't a book i recommend to just anyone. but this book is such an honest look at what grieving after the death of a loved one looks like, and i read it at a time when i needed it most. i have also had the unbelievable honor of having coffee with sarah ockler, and talking to her about her writing, so it holds an extra special place in my heart, as do all her books. 

10. before i fall by lauren oliver

i describe it as "the book that changed my life." lauren oliver is a goddess of writing, and this book is beautiful and haunting and perfect, amen.

have you read any of these?

have you liked them?

what's on your list of must-reads?

"you like stuff"

this week i've found myself thinking a lot about this quote from john green: (one of my top 10 favorite humans of all time)

“…because nerds like us are allowed to be unironically enthusiastic about stuff… Nerds are allowed to love stuff, like jump-up-and-down-in-the-chair-can’t-control-yourself love it. Hank, when people call people nerds, mostly what they’re saying is ‘you like stuff.’ Which is just not a good insult at all. Like, ‘you are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness’.”

and here's the thing:

i. love. stuff.

rarely ever do i have lukewarm feelings on something.

either i deeply, passionately hate it, or i am deeply, passionately, can't-shut-up-about-it in love with it.

part of what's so wonderful about the friends i've made through blogging over the last two years is that so many of them love stuff too. 

a few friends i've known for years understand my love for stuff, but most don't. 

i'm usually compared to (and rightfully so) that girl at the end of mean girls who doesn't even go here- "i just have a lot of feelings."

but you know what?

i am not ashamed.

i may get overly invested in things that seem trivial, but it doesn't matter.

i think it's better to love a million little things, rather than just one.

and yeah, years later i look back and i am often WILDLY embarrassed by the things i was deeply passionate about, but i'm still happy i loved them.

and just because i can, here are some of the things i have loved most in my lifetime. 

chad michael murray.

y'all i don't even know where this love even came from. i was obsessed with him years before i ever even watched one tree hill. but i had a life size poster of him in my room and (when they were married) a folder of pictures on my computer of sophia bush called "sophia bush man stealer." 

degrassi.

i was in middle school when i discovered degrassi, and you guys, i became a MONSTER. i had a poster hanging in my room that i had made, with a tiny picture of each character, then i drew color coded lines between them based on how they related to each other. 

(don't even talk to me about what the show is like now. i cannot even. recently i was reading an article about it in entertainment weekly, and they were like talking about how the new season of degrassi "totally goes there" (OBVIOUSLY) and as i was reading the description of the new season i thought "oh, AIDS, been there done that. drug use, been there done that. love between step siblings OKAY THAT'S NEW.")

lizzie and gordo. 

i shipped the two of them before i even knew what shipping was.

and okay, let's be real, i own all the lizzie mcguire dvds, and i have watched the episode where lizzie dates that skeezy guy ronnie and then gordo sees them kiss like PROBABLY a million times, because he is so obviously in love with her.

when she kissed him in the movie, my sixth grade self burst into tears, right there in the theater.

that kid from a series of unfortunate events.

honestly, i couldn't even remember his name (it's liam aiken) and i just had to look it up, but good lord was i obsessed with this kid.

i went and saw that movie like 4 times in theaters and i was so in love.

*MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD AN AIM SCREENNAME ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVED HIM*

i bought this weird postcard book that was basically pictures from the movie, and i hoarded the ones of him like GOLD. 

and then i made a collage of them right next to my bed so that i could look at it when i fell asleep.

i don't even know, you guys.

i could literally go on and on, but i think you get the point.

and if we're being honest, my behavior hasn't really changed, just the stuff i like has.

my more recent love of things (josh hutcherson, one direction, doctor who, the hunger games, ETC) is just as weird and obsessive as these things.

but no shame.

what are some of the things YOU have deeply loved, or love currently?