Doing my best

So my goal to write more on the blog obviously hasn't happened, but I've decided to put less pressure on myself about writing here, and instead sort of just roll with the ebb and flow of life and write when I can. I don't want to feel guilty about not checking in here. It is the last day of March as I write. March was an insane month that flew by. Actually my life has been quite busy since the beginning of February. Work travel, personal travel, friends and family coming to visit, etc. I literally have not had a free weekend since the beginning of February. I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming one. As the turbulent twenties tend to go, and as I've written about before, change is always in the air. Each week, or even each day, seems to bring change- things to be excited about and things to be not so excited about. I'm trying my best to stick to my New Year's resolution and try to be more flexible. To try and go with the flow more and not get caught up in the little things. Other than maybe a few hiccups I think I'm doing a good job with it. This weekend I'm going to try and write a post about innovative products that combine needs. Come and check back in!

Falling into February

Another new year’s resolution? To blog more. I always think of things to blog about, but rarely ever do it. I also want to make sure talk about different aspects of my life in more balance. Maybe more design and less venting? Haha, we’ll see how it goes…

Here are a few things on my mind that I’m going to note briefly. Perhaps lengthier blog posts about each one in the future:

Corner frames- Whatt?! Did not know these existed, and feel as though they could be made much more cheaply. Corners are always so bare though- I like this idea.
http://www.housedesignet.com/2010/09/aesthetic-corner-picture-frame-by-yvonne-schroeder/

Marriage- I feel like marriage-related topics came up a lot this week. I think the mid-twenties do that to you. I find it both incredibly exciting and stressful to think about. Mostly exciting though.

Royal wedding? --> Lifetime movie http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2011/01/royal-wedding-watch-will-prince-william-marry-in-uniform.html

Future- If you knew where the ride was going to take you, it wouldn’t nearly be as fun. Period. (In all reality I want to continue on about how the future is scary and how change makes me nervous and how all my friends should live closer…but let’s be brave and strong this time around)

Birthday- My quarter of a century celebration is coming up next week! Eek! I want to just have fun and enjoy the company that surrounds me. I’m not planning anything huge, and I think I like it that way. Plans include trying new restaurants and maybe heading to the casino. Perfect.

Until next time, and hopefully more frequently.

I'm still here!

Wow I haven't posted in nearly a month. Sorry about that! Where does the time go?

I think the time goes into moving to a new apartment, getting settled, reaching work deadlines, having visitors, sleeping, trying to have a social life etc.

It's been a roller coaster of a month physically, emotionally, and everything else-ally. I sprained my ankle which has put a HUGE damper on my work-out schedule and has made me feel so out of it. It's been taking longer than I had hoped to get better, so we'll have to see what this week brings, or I may have to go back to the Doctor's.

I will try and get a before and after or some sort of post about the new apartment up in the near future. I really love it. It definitely needs a few final touches to feel like home, but I'm trying not to clear out my savings account to make it that way. I feel like once I feel settled, I want to buy everything for it to make it look snazzy!

Family came up this past weekend to visit, and my sister stayed with me the whole weekend. It was a lot of fun! Definitely made me slow down a little bit, appreciate the smaller things, and not make myself so crazy-busy. I'm lucky to be able to spend time with her like that for sure. I'm always so bummed out when guests leave though. I need to figure out a way to better deal with this (typically) Sunday depression. More visitors!! Haha, but really, this coming weekend a friend is coming up for the state fair. I'm excited! I'm hoping this weekend will be a lot of fun and relaxing.

Things that I already love about living downtown:
1. bagpipes/saxophone playing on the street
2. walking to get food, or things like fresh bread for dinner
3. walking to get coffee, peruse shops, just stroll around
4. festivals downtown

Things that I don't like:
1. bass playing really loud at the bar below me = rough time falling asleep

3 sites I'm diggin'

http://www.reveriecreate.co.uk/
awesome illustrations

http://www.dearblankpleaseblank.com
funny

http://www.birthdaygirlblog.com/2010/07/guest-post-make-your-own-smores-bar.html
gourmet smores

Have a great day!

Blog Stalking

As I've said before, I love reading other people's blogs. It's becoming a lunchtime ritual. I get so many "ups"- inspiration, positive quotes, stories- from them.

If I could divide my brain into visible sections, there would be this tiny section in the back labeled with a neon sign stating, "worry." Or maybe it would be more like, "!!WORRY!!." I always seem to be searching for the way to unplug this stupid sign, but can't. I always tell myself to live in the present, because you never know what's going to happen in the future. But this little part of my brain always leads me to the what ifs/quarter-life crisis/what-am-i-doing-with-my-life type questions.

As one of my new years resolutions noted, I'm trying really hard to pull myself back to the present. But honestly, although this resolution is competing with running 5Ks and making new friends, this might be the hardest one for me to accomplish.

Resolution
* Be more mindful (present). Appreciate what I have.
Complain less. More positive outlook.

I loved #3 on JenLovesKev's Grateful list today. It spoke to me.

"3. Where I am in my life. I am starting to realize just how much I love where I am. I know its always easy to focus on the past and look to the future but what about right now? I love our life and I don’t want to miss out on it because I am focusing on other times. I think 27 has been and is going to be my best year yet!"

Just subsitute 24 for 27 and I'm all set. I realize that some change is good and avoiding all change is bad. I just need to wrap my head around making positive change/decisions for myself in the present, and throw out the worrying about the future. :Turn off that neon sign!: I'll worry about the future when it gets here...and maybe then there won't be anything to worry about.

Love

I love this blog:

http://kindovermatter.blogspot.com/

And I love these:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/claudiagpearson

http://www.etsy.com/shop/maechevrette

Blogging Family

..."sitting with anxiety and uncertainty...but believing that I am right where I am supposed to be"...

I love reading other blogs. They make me happy. I always seem to find bloggers that are feeling similar feelings to me, or positive posts that lift my mood. :)

http://www.heatherlmurphy.blogspot.com/



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