Summer Reading Update 1

So far, so good. Here are the finished books with short reviews:

Columbine – eh, it was good. I felt it was a little choppy, as the author constantly wrote about the event, then flash backed to before, then did psych profiles, then fast forwarded, so kinda annoying. I did love the last three chapters that discussed the event minute-by-minute and the updates of the survivors.

We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land – Also a little eh. Again, I think it was Carter’s re-write of his previous book, so nothing was new to me.

Wicked – Just fab. I loved the social justice piece of it, loved the witty language. Just a phenomenal read. Very engaging.

Current List:
The God Delusion – Still going strong with this. Deep man, way deep. The chapter I am currently reading is about morals, how we have evolved to acquire them. Interesting stuff.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – This is a re-read. I read the book two years ago when it came out in eight hours non-stop, thus I have forgotten most of it. The 6th movie made me want to read this again so I can remember what happened.

Kill the Princess – A study of how women still need to conform to societal expectations. Verrrrry interesting.

Science of Good and Evil – An examination of how people live by the Golden Rule, why, the role of religion. A weighty book, but a good one. I am reading little bits of it, but mostly the God Delusion first. It does get odd when these two books quote each other.

Happy page-turning!

CD Storage Complete

So today I finally got to work organizing the massive CD collection. 4 recycle bags of cases, 1 broken nail, and 4 hours later I am finished. I ordered 4 storage cases and sleeves hoping to get my 300+ CDs in order. Woke up at 10:30 and got right to it. Gathered all CDs and divided them by genre. Then alphabetized. Then wrote order down (eventually I hope to put them in a spreadsheet to make easier to update) and began the painful process of separating the CDs from their precious jewel cases. For any CD that had the songs printed on them, they were easily placed in the sleeve. Those without, I had to pry the back of the case off and slice down the song order section.











I did keep all the booklets in a shoe box for now. Also kept all the cool Tori Amos CD cases. And ta-da it is finished.


And feels so flippin cool! Happy weekend all :)

Dwelling in Goodness

I am a total believer in Karma and I think it can only a good thing to spread joy, happiness, and simple goodness around. Can't hurt, right?

So here is my simply good thing for this week. Freerice.com donates ten grains of rice for every question you get right to the UN World Food Program to help end world hunger. You can answer vocabulary, art, english, math, chemistry, and language questions. So you build brain power and help people. Love this.

Summer Reading

So based on a request from the wonderful Kate, here is my summer reading pile. There usually isn't any rhyme or reason as to why I pick such books and you will notice that sometimes huge contradictions exist. Links are to the books on amazon so you too can put them on your wishlist so that when you have to make a purchase for someone else, you can easily add one of these books to get the super-saver shipping when you spend 25.00.

Finished:
Shanghi Girls by Lisa See - I loved reading this account of two sisters as they move from China to Los Angeles. Moving and inspirational, but the ending slightly let me down.

Honky by Dalton Conley - This is SJC's freshman seminar choice and it was a touching memoir of a young white boy growing uo in the projects of NYC where he was the minority. Enjoyed this a lot.

Yes! Attitude by Jeffrey Gitomer - Adored this little book! Totally need to integrate some of the ideas. I just loved the anecdotes and advice.

Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell - I struggle with my faith - A LOT, but Rob Bell's books always speak to me. Bell is a minister in Michigan and this book details how Christians need to reach out to the poor, displaced, disadvantaged. I was blown away by his message.

God is not Great by Christopher Hitchens - I told you, I read contrasting things. This book was a good read, though wouldn't say incredible. I did appreciate Hitchens' criticism of all religions, not just the top three we think of.

Currently Reading:

Columbine by Dave Cullen - I have been reading this for a few months. I like it, but find it a bit disjointed going back and forth in the story. But I love true crime books, so I'll eventually finish it.

We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land by Jimmy Carter - I love this man. The book resembles Carter's Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid that I read a year or so ago, so this is a little boring.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire - Loving this

Open the Door by Joyce Rupp - with my prayer group, we meditate on a day each week. This is a powerfully spiritual book and it is an awakening for me.

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins - I know about evolution, but not enough. Dawkins knows a lot. And so I am loving how he discusses intelligent design vs. evolution in an easy-to-understand way with lots of humor thrown in.

To-Be Read
Simple Happiness by Jim Ryan - A recommendation from Paige.

20-Something Manifesto by Christine Hassler

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy - I have owned this book for so long that the pages are yellow.

Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama - Started it a while ago and need to get back into it.

Son of the Witch by Gregory Maguire - Sequel to Wicked

The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

Prayer by Joyce Rupp

I reallllly want a book club...anyone at all interested. I promise I won't make you read the boring non-fiction I do adore :)

Happy page-turning!

Me Right Now

Outside my window...bright sun, chirping birds

I am thinking...about how to store all my CDs and photos. Checking out storage options at the containerstore.com

I am thankful for...my still-going-strong car

From the kitchen...Zucchini pie for dinner tonight and birthday cake for Patty later.

I am wearing...blue top and paisley skirt with brown wedge sandals

I am creating...design team layouts for the store

I am going...to my prayer meeting tonight

I am reading... Wicked by Gregory McGuire and The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. Wondering why I didn't read these books earlier in my life.

I am hoping...that I can start doing some laundry today. There's a mountain of clothes waiting for me.

I am hearing...The hum of the computer and my mom in the kitchen cooking

Around the house...Dad's watching Cash Cab, Aunt Rita is relaxing, Mom's cooking.

One of my favorite things...was having sushi for lunch today. So satisfying.

A few plans for the rest of the week...work tomorrow, swing dance lessons tomorrow evening, relaxing and cleaning Friday, BBQ Saturday. Loooove 3-day weekends.

A picture to share...My necklace holder basking in the sun

ok I'm back

So yea I took a very long blogging break. I have just not given it the priority it was, but I now realize how much I benefitted from it.

Things that have happened over the past few months:
1. I took ballet and loved it. It pushed me to take the time to care for my body and my instructor Miss Claudia was a true inspiration.

2. I have been reading constantly. Lots of books on lots of topics. Right now I am starting wicked. Yup I'm the only person who hasn't read that.

3. Freddy and I are taking swing dancing lessons. Totally fun.

4. Freddy became a pampered chef consultant so we have lots of cool gadgets. And he is doing something he loves.

5. Wedding planning continues and is going well.

6. Life is good.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Good things

Lots of cool things happened this month, so here's a quick review:

Feb 1 - Polar Bear Plunge!!
This has been one of Freddy's dreams and we plunged for Make-A-Wish. such an exhilarating experience. More photos to come, but this is us getting ready for the dip. Thanks Lauren for capturing this!

Feb. 6,7,8: Donna Downey scrapping adventure
While I am a creative person, I don't tend to go too far out of my box. My weekend with Donna was inspiring and all around amazing. I am very motivated to capture the special moments of my life. Here's me with Donna:

Feb 8: Farewell to Florence. As you know, I have been praying with a group of women for almost 2 years. Florence, a strong, compassionate and affirming woman is moving to Savannah later this month. We had this great surprise party for her, bringing together the many people whose lives she has touched. Florence is next to me in yellow.


Feb 13th Valentine's Day
Enjoyed yummy ramen noodle shrimp pouches prepared by darling Freddy and flowering tea.




Feb 14th Death by Chocolate
My Aunt Barbara and Uncle Brendan hosted a murder party. Freddy was a puppeteer and I was a chocolate maven. A completely funny night.





And then this weekend. No photos, but a lot went on. We celebrated Freddy's grandpa's 70th birthday and attended a benefit for a friend's niece. And today, well I got up at noon and now I am blogging.

I do have a huge recommendation for everyone, though. How I never saw this documentary before is a mystery, but thanks to Patty for suggesting I see it. Unchained Memories on HBO is readings of slave narratives by black actors. I was completely moved and stunned. If you have 73 minutes, watch it.

My favorite things

I thought I would post some of my most favorite essential items in my life right now. And being that it is winter, many of them are posted because they are practical. Just so no one gets offended, people do come first, I totally believe that. This is a simple fluff post.

I adore my Hearthside slippers from LLBean. Warm, cozy, and slightly stylish. When I come home, they go right on.


philosophy's pure grace perfume. Clean, soap and watery fragrance.



My Judith Ripka pearl/Diamonique necklace. Love this for every day wear, can dress it up or down.

My Eddie Bauer 700 down fill coat (mine is chocolate and larger than this tiny available photo). This has been a seriously cold winter and this coat has kept me toasty warm.



Super soft and uber-comfy pjs. a must for me.


Tazo Passion tea. Full flavor, caffeine-free, perfect for evenings reading.



And as all of you probably know, Vera bags. This one, the Gabby bag in Hope Garden is my new fave.

So....share some of your faves with me!!

taking time to create

When I was younger I was never considered artistic. That was my brother. He is an incredible artist and I never had what it took to cultivate that. I was always the crafty one. I made friendship bracelets, lanyards, stamped cards, beaded jewelry, painted clam shells...and all of these I tried to sell as a little kid. My poor family members had to buy all the stuff...my parents still use the box stitch lanyard key chains for the boat :). But throughout high school I lost that crafty side. I don't even remember having many hobbies in high school that involved creating anything.

In college I met Freddy and his mom, Sandra started scrapbooking. I remember seeing her albums and thinking how amazing, cool, fun that hobby looked. Little did I know it would become a huge part of my life. I started taking way more pictures, switched to a digital camera, and started to look for fun moments to scrapbook. I love this hobby because I am creating for me and my family. I am not looking to sell stuff to people, but I am instead preserving memories. I am so fortunate to be on a design team at a local scrapbook store where I get to create even more cool stuff.

So today I encourage you to create something. It can be poetry, a picture, scrapping, some skill you are talented at already and want to develop further.

Here was my creation today. Simple, fun.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

New Year, New Word, New Life

And so 2008 comes to a close. I was trying to think about the past year and reflect upon my successes and exciting moments and I started getting a little weepy (it can happen sometimes). Here are my favorite 2008 happenings:
-meeting wonderful women who are accepting and inspiring. oh, and they are true friends.
-Paying off a HUGE credit card balance by myself and not incurring interest
-singing my concert (and preparing for it, making arrangements for it, etc). This was big for me and something I never thought would actually happen. It built my self esteem and I felt so amazing after it.
-Reading just to read - this was something I previously stopped doing. For a while I was reading just to get better arguments for "my side" and now I am embracing knowledge and relaxing with a good story
-Preparing for my wedding and having fun with it
-fostering a fulfilling relationship with Freddy
-sticking with my 366 photo project

In 2008 my word of the year was peace. And I do feel that I was happier, full of a sense of being ok with me and my life. It was a good word and I thank it.

And now I introduce to you (drum roll please) my word for 2009: CHANGE. There are lots of changes going on in my life this upcoming year. I am getting married. I will be moving out and starting my own life in my own place (wherever that will be), I will need to change how I think about money, food, my lifestyle. I'm not going to lie, I am nervous. This will be a momentous year. And I just have to say to myself that change is good and I will enjoy the ride.

Happy 2009 filled with lots of blessings.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

As some of you know, this is my ringtone at the moment, as I seriously love Christmas time. This year has been a little different, as I decided to be more simple in preparation and gift-giving. Those I love will receive one gift (this excludes stockings, of course, but those are simple, too). Yup, my mom is shocked as she remembers the year of the gap pjs stacked in boxes (no joke) four feet high for everyone on my list. And it just isn't worth it. Too crazy to buy, too much debt to incur, and realizing it is the people that make the gifts helped me realize that it was time to change. And I loved shopping this Christmas. I loved that I was calm and smiling and that I didn't have to trek to Roosevelt Field Mall once (three years ago I was stuck there in snow with Freddy). I thought that it was actually more meaningful to find one gift per person, as I had to really hope this is the perfect gift.

Our family and friends will be spending time enjoying one another, gifts just don't measure up to the joy we share in these moments. So, here are some highlights of Christmas Prep 2008 (since I have again been a bad blogger).

My new slippers and PJs for Christmas (I know fugly slippers, but man are they warm!)


The gals at out office part-ay


At a Christmas Breakfast


Each year Mom buys my brother Christopher and me ornaments celebrating something special from the past year. I received a teapot and Chris got a kiss my bass ornament, as he caught his first striped bass...very bold choice for Mom to buy.


2 of my fave ornaments, always aranged this way (please say it out loud and giggle)


At Rockefeller Center


And skating there (scratch it off the Bucketlist)





The Nativity at St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC (I am obsessed with Nativities, may be another post)



And our new favorite tradition - The Holiday Train Show at the NY Botanical Garden. Everything is made from bark, twigs, leaves and the scenes are famous NYC landmarks.

Peace and Merriment to All!!!!

I am thankful for,,,

-my incredible family for constant acceptance
-freddy for loving me and helping me focus on the joys of life
-the support of all the incredible women in my life (chances are that if you are reading this you are one of them. You have no idea the difference you have made in my life this year and I am so fortunate, for you have been so positively uplifting).
-the gift of life, living it, and experiencing it
-faith and peace, even if sometimes the peace is only in my heart, but I'll take it :)
-my desire to constantly learn and question
-my job and the opportunities it has given me
-health
-finally embracing my voice and using it the way I should
-all the people who included me in their celebrations today. i will never want to miss a Thanksgiving breakfast with my aunt barbara and uncle brendan!
Hope you all had a beautiful thanksgiving...and enjoy shopping tomorrow! I might hit the gap...we'll see how sleepy I am!!!

ode to the iPhone

Oh, iPhone, how I love thee, let me count the ways:

1. You are pleasing to the eye and you play my music, thus pleasing to the ears, too.
2. I get my email wherever, whenever
3. I get the Today's Special Value at QVC when I need to see it, even if I am in bed
4. THE APPLICATIONS: this is the best feature of the iPhone. I have an Obama 08, to do list, birthday tracker, wedding tracker, urbanspoon, shaazam, and pac-man. The functionality of this thing makes it worth the price tag. I no longer need to drag the planner around. It is in the phone (which goes everywhere anyway).
5. The voicemail - I see who called, click their name, listen, and hit a delete key (no 7 stuff to deal with)
6. I can google anything people need to know. yup, annoyingly wonderful way to end an argument about who stared in that ridiculous movie.
7. texting: I see all the previous texts from a person on one screen
8. less to carry in a nice little machine :)

YES WE CAN

Tonight I am incredibly proud of my country. I am so proud to be an American (I don't think I have ever been more proud of this in my life). I look forward to a future filled with hope, change, and the belief that together we will make this country, this world a better place. I am uplifted, inspired, emotional (I just cried through the entire acceptance speech) and again, so very proud.

Above all, I am honored to have as our 44th President, Barack Obama.

YES WE CAN, YES WE WILL.

A Week in the Life

This is what I am starting today...documenting the week with photos and words. I am really excited to see the end result and I am loving taking shots of my routines, phone moments, tea cups, piles, etc. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in being able to one day look back and see what is important. Read Ali's Blog here to learn more about the project. And I will try to upload some daily photos and notes.

Seattle Recap

So, I am home safe and sound from a 3-day conference trip to Seattle, WA. Funky place, if I do say so myself. WARNING:PHOTO HEAVY POST!

The flight there was pretty uneventful, except for the pain searing down my neck and back from sleeping weird. Delta was very cool to fly with and unexpectedly, had tvs on board. very nice plus.

Upon arriving at the hotel, we learned that the housing dept. booked our one room wrong so I actually got to stay in my own room, which was awesome. These were the views from my room:






Any room that overlooks a Nordstrom and Jcrew is fine with me (i unfortunately, did not have the time to shop, which sucked major for me but was good for the budget.

Day 1 was travel, lunch at cheesecake factory, welcome reception (with very yummy crab cakes, salmon, and squash with corn salsa), and a trip to the SPACE NEEDLE!!! This was a very cool experience. I guess you can't go to seattle and ignore the Space Needle and it did not disappoint. We rode the glass elevator up and had incredible lighting. Here are my fave shots:






Day 2 was attending conference sessions, which was pretty good.

Then came the highlight of the trip: My pilgrimage to the first Starbucks. Flippin amazing. I asked the hotel concierge how to get there and then he told me I only had 20 mintues before the market closed and it was a 10-mintute walk. And so, I put on my race through NYC look and bounded out of the hotel on a mission with my colleagues. And made it to the market. But the Starbucks was all worth it:


It was all I ever dreamed of. The original mermaid logo (she is "exposed," unlike the current, more modest logo), the crowded cafe, friendly baristas, and new mugs. So so so so awesome. Here are my shots (and thanks to Deb for the fun ones of me looking like a kid on Chirstmas morning):











And then we walked through the market at sunset...and the creepy people started coming out. Now, I am totally cool with people wanting to be who they are, but it was just weird to watch an attempted mugging...yup, watched a kid try to steal a backpack and a skateboard. creepy stuff, and once the market itself closed, it started getting sketchy, so we went somewhere else to dinner. Here are the market shots:









and the one of mt. st. helen and safeco field in the background

And the final day was a full day of travel...blech. i did get to watch 5 hours of the Discovery Channel series When We Left Earth all about space travel. Thanks Jet Blue for letting me watch space ships explode as I fly. Truly uplifting.

At the end, I was just so happy to be home and eat some yummy pasta. It was a cool place, man, but again, I felt like it was 1996 all over again. I would take Bill Clinton, but not the dred locks :).

pjs rock

I am going on a business trip to Seattle this week and I usually get verrrrrry anxious about flying, being away from family, talking in my sleep knowing my roomie would hear. Lots of serious stuff, I know. I don't quite know how to totally combat my fears, but I have found something that makes me look forward to traveling a little more...new pjs.


Might sound bizarre, I know, but new pjs give me a little natural high and so this weekend I got Gap body's super soft tee and all I can say is eeek, amazingly soft. so go get some. they are super soft and super flattering and super stay-in-them-all-day.