Class

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Love them, pure class.

Fun Way to Waste Time!

Today I stumbled upon this website, it's incredibly fun. The website lists the top 1000 Awesome things.
They are spot on, the things that make the list will either make you laugh, or say to yourself, "That's so true!"

1000 Awesome

Highly encourage you to check it out, if you're into wasting time on the internet, I know I am!  :)

Follow

Follow your passion. Stay true to yourself. Never follow someone Else's path unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that.

Ellen DeGeneres

Summer Time Favorites

No complaints from me regarding this heat wave! I Love, LOVE warm weather. My only complaint is that packing for the move is taking up a lot of my free time, so I have little time outside.

I simply cannot complain about this hot, Hot, HOT weather! Remember, five months ago, when it seemed like we would NEVER have summer!? Well it's here now, and we need to embrace it! Before we know it we will be back to tromping around in snow, wearing Uggs, scraves, hats...YUCK. I'll take a sundress over that, thanks.

I enjoyed the heat today by indulging in these summertime favorites:

 There is NO comparison to Edy's Fruit Bars. Coconut, Strawberry and Lime=Favorites

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A GOOD BOOK! Nothing better! Currently reading- The People of the Book

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POOL!! 

Okay, so my pool time was not long, nor was it insanely relaxing. But it was full of crazy kids and hot mamas. Seriously, I've never been so intimidated by so many hot moms! 

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Finally, what better way to celebrate a Midwest heat wave, than by drinking the BEST Midwest Summer beer?

Summer Shandy anyone? 

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Hope you are enjoying the heat wave, and some of your own summertime favorites!  :)

A Little Kindness, Goes a Long Way

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This week has been rough. It's been one of those weeks when it seems like I just can't do anything right (EXCEPT for Sara Bareilles...hello front row). I was so happy it was Friday, my week of mistakes was finally coming to an end. I walked out of work, ready to go home and have a successful and productive day when....my car would NOT start. Enter panic mode. I seriously lost it. It wasn't even that big of a deal...but you know, everything had been going wrong all week...I was at my wits end. A couple of hours later and with the help of AAA, I was on my way (with the warning it was going to happen again, unless I brought it into the shop ASAP).

My 'down in the dumps' mood persisted, as I headed out to Hastings to get my fingerprints taken. I walked into the Dakota County Courthouse, still in foul mood although--a little mesmerized by all that was going on. Finally, I found the 'Book and Release' room and met a seriously cheerful officer who would take my prints (maybe she was just happy that I was not a criminal, just needing some prints for another teaching license). Anyways, her kindness and cheerfulness rubbed off on me. It was so nice to talk to someone who was in such a good mood, asking me questions about my move with a smile on her face. I left the Courthouse in a great mood. Because of this officer. How weird is that??? And I kid you not, when I left it FINALLY had stopped raining and the sun came out!

SO they point of my seemingly pointless story....

Is that a little kindness goes a long way. It's important to remember to be kind to those who we interact with, even if you don't have to be or do not want to be. You never know what kind of day they are having, or how your kindness will impact their day. I'm sure this officer had no idea I had been crying all morning, and that her kindness would make me feel better, but it did and I am thankful for it.

Cheers to the end of an awful week-the start of a great weekend-and a wonderful week to come :)

Better Daze

 

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Creative Inspiration

 Ok...So I feel a bit weird admitting this inspiration...

So, I've stumbled upon some great quotes from Sylvia Plath. I realize, she may not be absolute 'role model' material, but she was insanely creative and completley interesting. I've enjoyed her writing, and I enjoy these quotations--I think they are worth sharing!

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"Remember, remember, this is now, and now, and now. Live it, feel it, cling to it. I want to become acutely aware of all I've taken for granted".

"And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." 

"I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in life. And I am horribly limited."  

Girl Crush

Last night I was able to see Sara Bareilles for the second time this year ( I am lucky). This time, I saw her at the MN Zoo, an absolutely amazing venue for concerts. The concerts are so intimate, this one especially, as we were able to stand in the FRONT ROW. Literally, like 10 ft away from her. SO cool. I am totally girl-crushing.

The End of an Era

The final Harry Potter movie comes out this weekend. It is really over. I am SO not ashamed of my OBSESSION with Harry Potter. The Harry Potter books were always there for me (I am a proud book-nerd..get over it). I remember picking up my first Harry Potter book when I was 11, thinking it would probably be childish and not of interest to my sophisticated sixth grade mind. I was wrong. The book captivated me, I felt safe reading about this awkward pre-teen who is new to the world of magic. I cheered for Harry's triumph, all the while understanding the feelings associated with change, and trying to find your place in the world.  These books mean a lot to me, they have become a very weird security blanket.


Seriously, I could go on and on about my love of HP books (just ask any of my close friend),  so I will stop....

On a lighter note--in honor of HP7 Part II coming to theaters...here are some of my fav HP inspirations.

 Readables

 Readables

Readables

Woke up in London yesterday, found myself in the city near Piccadilly…

I love this song. It makes me HAPPY when I hear it. I think I have recently become a little more obsessed because of the opening line, "Woke up in London yesterday, found myself in the city near Piccadilly." Having, just arrived home from London and hearing the word "Picadilly" everyday on the tube (This is the Picadilly line service to Cockfosters), The song makes me think of how wonderful my trip was, and how this really is the "good life."


THIS IS THE GOOD LIFE. I think I am finally coming to terms with my situation. For a while (A TOO LONG while) I whined about how this just isn't how I pictured my post grad life. I whined about how I pictured myself successful and independent, I complained how I did not see myself going back to school or moving to be closer to a boy (that's even hard for me to admit here...oh the inner conflict of believing you are a 'strong woman' and falling in love).

Anyways...today I finally realized this whining I've been doing isn't completley true. Sure, I pictured myself a bit more independent...but I really didn't picture much of anything. I mean, how can you? You can't predict the future, and trying to is a waste of time and energy. The only thing I really knew for sure, is that I couldn't picture myself sitting in an office, and I still can't. More power to all you who can (I am slightly jealous, the businesswoman persona is SO glamorous to me), I just can't I need to be moving and I need to be working with tweens / teens, and I've always known that. I also always hoped, that my post grad life would be filled with fun, friends and travel, so far this has been true. The responsible side of me hates this--the responsible side wishes I had a steady job and salary. BUT the rest of me loves it, these are the things that are important to me. Sure, I feel a bit of a void when I think about how I am not yet a full-time teacher, but that void will be filled. All I can do is continue to work hard, stay focused on my goal, and enjoy the GOOD LIFE-because that's what this is.

Movin' On

the girl in the moon

So, I am moving in a month. A MONTH. This is a stress I have never really experienced before. Honestly I am stressed a lot… anyone who has experienced me studying for a test, knows I can let stress get the better of me. This is a new stress. When taking a test I was stressed, but I think I secretly enjoyed the stress. I would work myself into frenzy, studying like a maniac, all the time knowing it was unlikely I would get anything lower than an A-.

This move is so different; there is no certainty in the back of my mind. I am taking a risk. I am continuing to pursue a dream, but can only hope hard work will finally lead me to achieving my goal. I cannot know for sure. This is scary.

Unfortunately, I think this stress is starting to take over my life. I do not feel like myself, I feel wired all the time as my mind is constantly racing. Luckily, I have great friends and running. I do not think I could make it through this transition without the two.

I keep repeating to myself some great advice I was given when studying in Australia/ New Zealand…

Always focus on what is in YOUR CONTROL. You may not be able to control the situation you are in, but YOU can control your reaction and how you deal with the situation.

So true.

Cheers to focusing on what is in YOUR control.

Wanderlust

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Back from my recent trip to London and I want more. I absolutely love traveling. I cannot get enough of it. It is as if once I start traveling I have an unsettling desire to do more.

"We Cling to our tried and true, and you know we're creatures of comfort, and we find our patterns and stick to what we know best--but there's a big wide beautiful world out there and for those who want it, it's out there" - Matt Costa (The Road)

I want it.