Love...oh, what a joy!

I am super smitten with my sweet girl and we are having our commitment ceremony this coming October! I will keep you all posted with plans and ideas!

Yard. A lesson in patience and weeding.

Sleep and Accomplishments

So, the 3-day weekend came and went and the backyard looks anew (well, semi). The gazebo is no longer hideous as I had it painted and had a roof put on. The yard has been landscaped a bit and a wood platform is now hiding the concrete slab. It looks like the yard is coming along! Pics to follow later.


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things. in no particular order. also known as, the disorder of things.

-find out what it feels like to be centered. everyday.
-decipher what it means to be successful in my own mind.
-practice yoga more. and remember the key term is "practice."
-be peaceful in the process.
-write more. start by not paying attention to what I am typing..
-start to love my body more.
-make one new dish per week.

another.

Blood can clot, a toilet will overflow and dough for whole wheat bread will rise all at the same time. I am quite the multi-tasker. I can imagine what life feels like, I can even tell you how everything feels inside of my body, like warm water seeping out of the corner of your mouth. I can tell you these things because it has happened to me. I am an expert of sorts, the person people call when they are researching a project about ontology. I am an accurate example of “being.” I can fall apart and be rebuilt in twenty minutes. Enough time to cry, hyperventilate, wash my face, re-apply black liquid eyeliner, breathe slowly a few times, shove a brownie (maybe two) into my mouth, chug a glass of whatever is closest and then head held high, walk back out into my life.

One from the "oh" poem series.

I want to write miles of poetry on butcher paper so you will always have something to read in the quiet moments. I want to order squid ink from the depths of the Pacific that will never fade so my words would always be near you...crumpled in your pocket next to subway tokens and lint. I draw lines of words that form sentences. You catch glimpses of things I try to hide with smirks and subject changes. Oh..I am a tricky girl with a pen. And it feels good. It feels good to say these things, feel these things, use pens and typewriters until my fingers ache with alliteration and meter...words spill over from one stanza to the next. I break the rules of Villanelles and Sestinas. I give new definition to the sonnet and write your name over and over ten times on fourteen lines and call it a work of art...my best yet.
I came on my fingers and drew pictures on the curb and stopped traffic just so everyone could see the beauty of it glisten in the afternoon sun...they said the portrait was uncanny. I agreed until my jaw unclenched...until I felt you crawl inside of me. Until I felt like a museum.
A candy store full of nickel sweets for the insatiable craving for sugar on my tongue was buried under stacks of acid free paper, cradled between your thighs and mine. Sharp tips of felt markers drag across my wrist as I attempt to show you how I bleed; how it all comes out onto you. A
And you smile because this rhymes somewhere inside your tissue and marrow. Somewhere that no one else has been. Somewhere that science didn't know existed.
And because of this we are pioneers. 

Still flapping and squaking

I'm still here. I'm in DC right now for a work conference and feeling pretty inspired. I'll be blogging again soon about all things that make me tick. Ps anyone listen to the entire new Broken Social Scene album. Good?


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Pain-what is it good for?

I have been absent from blogging the past few weeks for many reasons, all of which, lead to the cause of my pain. Simply stated: I do too much and I don't listen to my body enough. I listen to the constant, silly, coaxing, enticing chatter that goes on in the gray matter between my ears. I like things around me to be perfect. House, school, writing, work, everything, everything, everything. And, apparently, I go to extreme lengths to ensure that perfection has a chance. In reality, I am far from perfect. I am the opposite of perfect, actually. The pain that I have been feeling has forced me to slowwwww downnnnn, to take meds that I hate to take, to stay in one place, to sit still and just be. Ugh, to just be is a task of amazing will power but I have proven to myself that sitting still for 2 and 1/2 days is possible, albeit odd for me, and something that I will be practicing more often in order to nurture my body and mind.

Not so knitty.

(image from http://disenyo.blogspot.com)
I would love to be able to knit but my wrists already ache from hours on the computer...I am thinking that maybe learning to crochet will be something less daunting. Not so sure, but, I want to make this!

Depth and Vainity

So, I have been wanting to buy a matte, red lipstick. It sounds quite silly, but finding the "right" red lipstick is difficult. Not difficult like curing-cancer-difficult, but in a vain-pointless-silly-way-difficult. Believe me, I am aware of the depth of this post. But, this is more for me and Kristin as she helped me pick it out. It took 15 minutes of both of our lives. Oh, and her hubby was a trooper, following us around and around, even offering up a lipstick while saying, "What about this one?!" Ahhhhh, friends!
Whatta think?

Kitchen pictures...

At home, watching a webinar, drinking coffee, trying not to scream at my computer over absurdities...being narcissistic. Can you pick out which picture I have my Oh-no!-I-just-stepped-on-my-cat's-tail face?
p.s. also loving my new favorite sweater. $14.99???!!!! What!?

Thinking about the backyard...some inspiring pictures

I am in the midst of planning the design for the backyard. For the town that I live in, this house has a big backyard and it is basically a blank canvas which is both exciting and terrifying. Here are some pictures that I find inspiring. I am thinking: overgrown English cottage garden mixed with veggie garden, mixed with Bohemian modern.








What do you think?

(I just realized that I don't know where I collected these photos from over the years. If you ever see a photo on here that is yours, please let me know and I will give you photo credit for it, or I will remove it if you request for me to do so. Thanks!)

Pictures from a Sunday (yesterday)

Me after brunch, reading Arch. Digest at the Ice Cream shop (b/c Shaun wanted ice cream. I ate my fruit tart from the cafe-yummma! See a photo of the tart below)

Anai had a haircut then a bath-she is so cute!

Me walking:

Shaun making her cappucino disgustingly sweet:

My strawberry tart:

Our table at brunch:

A close up of the amazing sandwich (brie with tomatoes, lettuce, and dijon all on a fresh, homemade baguette:


What did you do this weekend?

I feel like a magazine article...

Just a quick post to say:

I just bought THIRTEEN, yes 13, new (not thirfted-shocking, i know!) pieces of well-made clothing for work (everything was on sale except for one item). Now, as much as I love to be comfy and fashionable on the weekends and weeknights, I <3 to be in classy and interesting work attire at my office.
I grew up with a mother who worked in the fashion design/textile design industry and we were in NYC often while she visited her agents and my aunt was the Fashion Director for Women's Day (back in the day on the 80's-Hello, big sunglasses and plastic jewelry galore!), so, needless to say, I was surrounded by fashionable women who used their clothing as art. When I was a kid my aunt would give me items that were left over from photo-shoots: Christian Dior sunglasses, big purses, lace socks, etc. (remember-it was the 80's).
I feel more productive at my office when I like how I look and feel...odd? I don't think so. I am sure that there have been studies (I'm too lazy to google it right now, but, I digress...) that say that people who feel better about themselves perform better.
I feel like one of those magazine articles that has a two page spread to show how you can buy 10 or so pieces of clothing and you have a whole new wardrobe! Maybe I will photograph my purchases later today. Sound good?

Photo projects

I have been consistently taking the same types of pictures since I was a kid. I remember my mom gave me a little camera (110 film?) and I was hooked. Since then, I still shoot with a simple camera but I am still focused on taking pictures of my feet, pictures from over my head, pictures of me in mirrors, and pictures of me drinking coffee. Now, I have added to the list and I take photos of me in my favorite vintage finds or pictures while I am walking and, since I travel sometimes for work, I take photos of myself in hotel rooms.
What kinds of habits do you see in your picture taking? Care to share?

She said, "I've been killing zombies all night."

So, Shaun is home, on the couch, zoned out, playing a Wii video game in which she is killing zombies. Now, I am NOT a fan of video games to begin with, nor am I a fan of violence, but her comments while playing are cracking me up! Now, does she LOOK like a zombie killer?


I just got home from cutting my friend's hair. You know how sometimes you meet someone and then you think, "huh, how did I not have this person in my life before?" I think this often about many of my friends and it never ceases to amaze me that I am so lucky to be surrounded by so many strong and brilliant women. One thing that this particular friend has said to me many times is: "change your thinking." This small sentence has truly shifted the way in which I process things. It is so true...sometimes we just have to alter our thoughts and by doing this, we can create something positive from something troubling and/or painful.
Picture of Marsha and I at an art show last summer:


Every night I go to each of my favorite blogs...Here are some links. Enjoy!!! this one, this one, too, yup-love this one, and I'm a big fan of this, and this.

I am lucky to have a very creative friend, Kristin, who has this blog that I frequent for inspiration. Kristin is an artist, an art professor, a fabulous friend and a wonderful neighbor! She and I both bought our first (and probably forever) homes this past summer and we often get together and talk design, thrifting, art and our ever-crazy schedules and supporting each other in finding balance in all that we love to do.
Kristin and I...At Havana Hideouts, eating tacos and drinking triple berry sangria:

Say Something Sunday

My plan on this blog is to write about things I do, things I like, things I love, people I adore, things that make me tick, peep, squak and flap my wings.

On Sundays I will be posting "Say Something Sunday" which will be a weekly post where I will tell you things that you may or may not want to know, or may or may not be interested in, but they are things that I would like to share. :)

So....For my first "Say Something Sunday" I will tell you about my views on vegetarianism. I have been a strict vegetarian for over 16 years. I had decided when I was 14 yrs old that eating meat was something that I refused to do. It was something that I had started thinking about when I was a little kid. I used to love checking out books from my elementary school library and I checked out "What's Inside An Egg" numerous times. The book rocked my world...I never knew that CHICKENS lived inside of eggs...Eggs were full of baby chickens!" I'm sure that I knew that already on some level but the book nailed it all home and it was shocking.
When I was 14 and told my mom that I wanted to become a veggie, she said that I could once I read a book on how to be a teenager and still be healthy as a vegetarian. I read "A Teen's Guide To Going Vegetarian" and shared the info that I learned from the book with my mom. She then cooked meat-free, protein rich foods for our dinners every night.
Since becoming a vegetarian, I strongly believe in my decision for numerous reasons. One of which is that I believe that I make less of an impact on our environment (and there is research to prove this) and I also believe that I am not causing pain or discomfort on any living being in the world around me.

Leaving you with something to think about:
A vegetarian driving a hummer is better for the environment than a meat-eater on a bicycle.
Interesting, huh?

Street Painting Fest!

We went downtown this morning and had breakfast on the avenue at The Pelican and then walked around the Street Painting Festival for a while. We rode our bicycles from our house to downtown and it was LOVELY out. Perfect weather here today. I feel like I need another weekend day since I worked yesterday and Friday afternoon and evening. I am beat.
Shaun is taking a nap right now but I can't sleep. I have loads of laundry to do...I am thinking that I should make an ice coffee. mmmmmmm

How was your weekend? What did you do?

Gifts are good.

As a gift to myself, and Shaun, I have been buying fresh flowers for the house every week. I am actually surprised by how much seeing them everyday affects me. I smile every time I wash the dishes because I put one flower in a small vase by the sink and the rest in vases/pitchers on the dining room table. Some of the vases/pitchers are thrifted, some are from Ikea and some are from TJMaxx...a small investment towards your heart and home.
I suggest that if you need a odd bit of joy, but yourself flowers. Make it a habit!

To do: drink coffee and write

Good morning!
Working from home today, and then writing (revision of a short story due this weekend), and setting up for a conference that I am presenting at tomorrow. Oh, joy! So much to do. And then, this weekend is STREET PAINTING FESTIVAL!
I have gone to the festival every year for the past 15? years. I have pictures on my computer from last year's fest and I will try to post some later today. The handy man is on his way over to give me an estimate for installing the outdoor shower. Shaun thinks I am nuts to want to shower outdoors. Ha! It is bliss I tell you, pureeee bliss!!!!
Any one else like to shower outdoors?

Here is a picture of Zenny in the guest room. The canopy is vintage and I bought it at Goodwill a few years ago, knowing that it would be lovely hung above the bed! Bed spread at foot of bed from Anthropolgie. Book case: Goodwill


Last night we had dinner at my mom's house. She made an incredible salad with kale (who knew?!) and mac and cheese from scratch with Coastal Cheddar cheese...omg, yum! I had cold Stella with a slice of honey-bell orange. Amazing! Thanks, mom!

Two beers equals a too-exhausted-to-link-to-the-resturant-kind-of-girl

Ah-hem....I know that last night I promised to link to the Havana Hideouts page on but I was so tired and full and chilly (50 degrees in SoFla!) and I immediately got in to bed and viola, dream land shortly arrived!

So, here is the link to Havana Hideout

p.s. it just took me 15 minutes to create that link above and now I am off for a POWER walk with my friend, K. I will attempt to create many more links later, b/c Buddha knows, I need the practice!
A picture from a few months ago of my friend, K and me, at Starbuckies, playing scrabble!!!

Tuesday is TACO NIGHT!

In the adorable little downtown that I live in, there is a little place called Havana Hideouts (The restaurant was on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on Food Network-I'll link to the show when we get home from dinner). On Tuesday nights they serve tacos for ONE DOLLAR with the purchase of a drink. I usually order a glass of their homemade Berry-Basil Sangria with two black bean tacos. Yummmmm!

Yoga and french fries (and maybe a milkshake, too)

So, I went to yoga tonight, even though I really wanted to stay home and cuddle on the couch and watch TV or get in my chair and read, but I haven't been to yoga in over two weeks and I thought, "JUST GO!" so I did. And when I left yoga I wanted french fries and a strawberry/vanilla milkshake from Checkers. Now, I guess that I could feel guilty and gross, ok, well I do feel gross, but the guilt is not here. I believe that it is ok that I went and worked my arse off in yoga and left there craving greasy fries. I say, "listen to your body!" And I did. I listened to my body and now my body is telling me that I am feeling full and sleepy and achey and I think that I may have go lay down.
Good night!

A random picture that just made me laugh...mmmmmmmm, Starbuckies!

Introdustions-aka Time to meet the kids

Atwood-old man chihuahua...adopted last February 2009

Bela-5 year old chihuahua-quite the well trained kid-Shaun's kid

Shumi-ugh..he breaks my heart b/c of how cuddily and mushy he is. He just turned 3 on November 1st 2009

Bela and Atwood on a ride downtown

Three more kid introductions to come!