Happy Monday. Whether you used this weekend to do all the things you don't have time for during the week, or if you laid around checking more movies off of your Netflix queue than your to-do list, I hope you are ready to face this week head-on. (head on, apply directly to the forehead, head on) Moving on...

To recap my goals from three weeks ago: 

1. Get settled into a routine. Well I have stopped sleeping in until ten on my days off, so that's about as much progress as I could hope for. 

2. Begin my Skillshare class. Check, check and check. I'll be jumping into the wedding invitation business in no time.

3. Finalize a monthly budget and stick to it. Yeah, this hasn't quite happened. And I would guess that my spree at Loft because I had a birthday discount and it was a double points day, would fall into any real budget. 

For this week: 

1. Complete my first readings for my Social Media for Business online class. I graduated with a degree in PR, but no classes were offered specifically on social media. When I found one offered by UGA's continuing education department, I thought it would be a great addition.

2. Find some new lunch options. While I'm always singing the praises for Healthy Choice steamer meals, I'd love to come up with some new lunches that are easy to prep, pack and heat up. Do you bring your lunch to work? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

P.S. There is still time to participate in Jess from Foreign Room's Blog Birthday giveaway! A $25 Modcloth giftcard is up for grabs. May the odds be ever in your favor!

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I have taken to referring to the dining room table as command central or headquarters. 

It's the perfect size to set up shop for a night of homework. I haven't moved from this spot

in five hours. You should congratulate me on my determination and perseverance. Because if you

looked them up in the dictionary, I'm sure this is what they had in mind. It is times like these

that I am excited I only have 82 days left in the land of highlighters and flashcards.

Vacations are always short lived and I end up having to spend the next week transitioning back to reality. What do you mean that I don't get fresh seafood and a walk on the beach every night? But more on that this week.

The main reason for this blog post is the giveaway that Melyssa and fourteen other lovely ladies (including myself) are throwing. Who doesn't want gift cards to Amazon, Etsy and Starbucks? Fall is hopefully right around the corner, which means you have lots of cardigans, scarves and pumpkin spice lattes to purchase.

But before we get to that...a semi-rant on the whole cupcake empire that seems to have swept the country by storm these past few years.

Pros of cupcakes: For a single person, I would much rather be tempted by just one cupcake at a time than a whole cake staring me down every night waiting for a break in my willpower. You also have every flavor combo under the sun to choose from. I am now a maple bacon convert; it's like having pancakes with bacon and dipping everything in maple syrup. What's not to love about that? Also, as an iffy-chocolate lover, cupcakes allow me to get what I want while not raining on all of the chocoholics' parade.

And now for the downside of cupcakes...

Let's start with the price. Because for the price of ONE cupcake, I can purchase a box cake mix and frosting and have a nice large cake for myself and several others. Also, their cake to frosting ratio is extremely off. I know all of the artistry that is associated with cupcakes lies in the frosting, but seriously, I would like to not be in a sugar coma or become a diabetic. And finally, I'm going to steal an argument from Kevin.

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And now for the fun part! May the odds be ever in your favor.

The Nectar Collective | Lost in Travels | Postcards from Rachel | Venus Trapped in Mars | Kayli Wanders

Treasure Tromp | 91 Dash | This Lovely Little Day | Daisy Bisley | The Wellness Doer

Creative Life Antics | Stamp in My Passport | Side Street Style | Growing Wild Ginger | Melanie Fontaine

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Rules

1. The winner will be contacted by email within seven days of the contest's end.

2. Winner must respond to that e-mail within 48 hours. If they don't respond, a new winner will be chosen.

3. This contest is open internationally!