This is lovely and perfect and inspires me to my core.

Days like these...

Seriously. They do.

:)

let go

"Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life."

Mary Manin Morrissey

Lovely Ladies: Pelelope Cruz

I have decided to start doing a little post to give the ladies some credit! I adore women, strong, independent and beautiful women! They are so inspiring.  So here is the first one.

I adore Penelope Cruz. She is beautiful and unique. To me she is both a classic and exotic beauty. She oozes sexiness with out even trying. She really seems to have this cool confidence to her. I love her in Vicci Christina Barcelona, she is fierce and fiery and absolutely beautiful. I simply adore her.

What do you think of this lovely lady?

I die for this...

Love this amazing laptop sleeve! So beautiful. By Twelve South.

10 things I learned this weekend...

1. I love staying in on weekend nights, something I never thought would happen.
2. Going to dance rehersal can completely turn my day around.
3. I might be staying in my apartment longer than I thought :)
4. Craftin can lift my day.
5. Avatar is an AMAZING movie, so much better than I expected.
6. I think Ive lost a friend.
7. Naps and full nights of sleep dont necessarily keep you from being tired during the day.
8. Yoga benefits me in more ways than I can explain.
9.  My boyfriend is the most generous and selfless person I know.
10. I am lucky. Immeasurably lucky.

What did you learn this weekend?

Paths...

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

- ralph waldo emerson

Loving...

My new Ipod Phone case! I just love it! Its the wooden case by VERS!

 

 

I love it.

What do you think?

Little O

This is the lovely Little O I get to hang out with everyday.

one day at a time...

There are two days in every week we should not worry about,

two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares,
its faults and blunders, 
its aches and pains. 
Yesterday has passed, forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed.
Nor can we erase a single word we've said 
- yesterday is gone.

The other day we shouldn't worry about is tomorrow, 
with its possible adversities, 
Its burdens, its large promise and poor performance.
 
Tomorrow is beyond our control.
Tomorrow's sun will rise either in splendour 
or behind a mask of clouds but it will rise.
And until it does,

we have no stake in tomorrow,

for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day - today.

Any person can fight the battles of just one day.

It is only when we add the burdens of yesterday

and tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of today that drives people mad

- it is the remorse of bitterness for something that happened yesterday,

and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore, live one day at a time!

dangerous dreamer...

"All people dream, but not equally.
Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind,
Wake in the morning to find that it was vanity.

But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people,
For they dream their dreams with open eyes,
And make them come true."

~D.H.Lawrence~

Words meant for me...

"Go be that starving artist you're afraid to be. Open up that journal and get poetic finally. Volunteer. Suck it up and travel. You were not born here to work and pay taxes.You were put here to be a part of a vast organism to explore and create. Stop putting it off. The world has much more to offer than what's on 15 televisions at TGI Fridays. Take pictures. Scare people. Shake up the scene. "Be the change you want to see in the world."(Gandhi)"

~Jason Mraz


This speaks to every bit of me.
It is as if each word was created simply to reach my ears. 
This is exactly what I need.

my friends. my family. my life.

So I was randomly rereading some old entries and I came across my INTRODUCTIONS post. Its link lives over in the little section to the right "my faves", so some of you may have stumbled upon it already. However, I have been blessed with so many new followers lately (Holy Freakin Thank You by the way) that I though I would just throw out a little arrow to one of my favorite posts. One that describes some of the most important people in my life, and thus, helps describe me!

HERE it is if you are interested.

Check it out!

Look at these amazing and beautiful instalations by Naoko Ito from Tokyo.

Stunning Right?

 I love these.

What do you think?

♥

"A home without books is a body without soul."

-marcus tullius cicero

Im in love...

"For it was not into my ear you whispered,but into my heart.

it was not my lips you kissed,but my soul."

-Judy Garland

Im in love.

And I love it.

We are shaped...

10 things I learned this weekend...

1. Books are the gateway to my serenity.
2. Spin class is a fucking kick in the ass!
3. I wish I could reach my brother. Really reach and help him.
4. Movie popcorn makes a perfectly acceptable meal in my book.
5. Organized is better than unorganized.
6. Sometimes the issue, is not really the issue.
7. I miss spending time with my best friend Rachelle.
8. This snowboard season sucks right now :(  
9. Its fun to play house, when you are house sitting a real "grown up" place.
10. My dreams and goals are growing exponentially. 

I am...

I am feeling really good lately. Its a nice change having all of the happy and uplifting thoughts flood my mind. They are all coming so quickly and in massive groups, its slightly overwhelming. But wonderful, so wonderful. So much is changing, my days, my thoughts, my reactions. I couldnt be happier about it all.


I am reading like crazy. I have piles of books, new and old, that I cant wait to dive into. And, I am actually enjoying working out. Crazy huh? Dance is great, and always so much fun! I took my very first spin class and, oh my god, it was intense. I literally thought I was going to die.  But afterwards, I felt amazing. And Im doing stuff again, just getting out and doing stuff, just to do stuff. 


I am learning Italian! AH! I am so excited I might just pee myself. I have always wanted to learn Italian, I mean I am Italian after all. But Ive always heard people tell me to take something more practical. So I did, I learned Spanish in high school, and dont get me wrong, I loved it. I would still like to continue to learn more. But Italian...its in me. It has always had this seductive quality about it, luring me in. I want to speak Italian, I need to speak Italian. I am going to speak Italian!


I am content. I like where I am at right now. Yes, I need to keep working hard on my goals and dreams, I know. I am no where near where I would like to be, but for now, right now, I feel content. I feel happy. I feel that I am doing good things for myself. And I dont think it gets any better than that.

How are you? 

Are you happy/content, 

or still working to get there?

I will dare...

"I will dare to do just what I do. Be just what I am.

And dance whenever I want to." -Sabrina Ward Harrison

10 things I learned this holiday season...

1. I have the most amazing family I could hope for.
2. Its the little things that mean the most.
3. I am more appreciative (and impressed) of the thoughtfulness behind the gifts I was given.
4. This year absolutely flew by.
5. Im getting anxious about the future.
6. I am lucky and loved.
7. Its getting harder to keep good and meaningful friendships going.
8. Im tired of not feeling health.
9. Im still the one that organizes all of the plans. :)
10. I absolutely adore the holidays, I honestly didnt know just how much until this year.

What did you learn?

HIGHLIGHTS OF '09

Here are just a few of my favorite highlights of the past year...


I moved to Portland.
Got an amazing apartment.
Rekindled an old friendship/gained a new roomie.
Heard John Maxwell speak.
Fell in love with my bestfriend.
Made tons of new friends.
Made the decision to do it on my own.
Lost a job.
The most amazing job fell into my lap.
Interned over the summer.
Made the photography contact I was dying for, and now we are even friends.
Finally grew out of the bar scene. For the most part.
Grew up, for the first time I honestly feel more grown up.

I cant wait for 2010. 

Its gonna be even better!

My New Years Eve...

The boyfriend and I had our New Years Eve all planned out...


We woke up early and drove to the mountain! SNOWBOARDING! The roads were really snowy and we finally had to chain up for the first time this season. After a much longer trip than usual, we had arrived. Only to realized that the rain had never turned to snow. As we sat in the car, the rain came pouring down more and more. After a short snowball fight in the parking lot we realized that the rain wasnt going to turn in to snow any time soon, and we headed home. Such a bummer.

Outside my apartment building.

So gangsta.

Playin in the car hoping the rain will

turn into snow.

But...things looked up when it was time for our NYE festivities!!! We went to the store and dropped a buncha cash on tons of yummy food and booze! Then it was back to my cozy apartment for the HARRY POTTER MARATHON! Yay! It was really really fun. New years, to me, is always a let down. There is so much build up but its so often a disappointment. So we decided to stay in this year. I didnt get all dolled up. I didnt stress about what to wear. I didnt put on my makeup. I got in my sweats ate way too much food and fully relaxed! I was thrilled with the way it all turned out. I had so so so much fun just cuddling with my best friend at midnight.

Right after our New Years kiss.
First photo of the 2010.

I couldnt have had a better NYE. 

How was your night?