Scary Storms No More

When I was younger, I would crouch and hide when thunderstorms hit. 

Hands clasped over my ears,

scared of the flashes of lights and loud noises, 

always eager for them to pass on by.

And yet, as a major storm approached last night, 

I found myself on my back porch, 

soaking up not only the rain droplets that blew in my direction,

but also the rush of adrenalin that accompanied 

the excitement of the incoming lightening and thunder. 

As Tom and I watched in awe 

as the sky lit up and the branches danced, 

I felt like a kid again,

a braver kid for sure,

but absolutely reveling in the simple thrills of Mother Nature.

And as the storm passed, 

my adult self sat back and appreciated, welcoming,

the after effects of a terrific storm,

the distinct smell of summer rain 

and the fresh, crisp breeze that carried it

so beautifully through my windows. 

 photo via Pinterest

Practice Makes "Perfect"

It went almost three weeks between my last blog posts, and as I realized this over the weekend, I looked back, wondering where those few weeks went. They were full of celebrations, good food, and not enough sleep or exercise. They were crazy busy, per usual, but also contained a bit too much anxiety for my own good. And with my head in a stressed out scary place, and overwhelming feelings taking over, I found myself avoiding writing, because I was "too busy," unable to even think of where to start, what to write about. There were too many words, and no sentences were forming out of them. 

But in the end, that just added to my ever-growing list of concerns and if I had just taken the time, an hour even, to sit down and devote a little energy to this little site of mine, I might have felt a bit better. I might have turned the worry roller-coaster around. 

How can I expect myself to become a better writer if I don't write? If this is something that I want to focus on for myself and my future, I need to make it more of a priority; I need to be a bit more selfish and give in to my own wants. 

I process feelings and thoughts through my writing, from emails to list making to blog posts, and that alone, makes the act of writing essential to me. And so I refuse to let my insanely scheduled summer steal me away from the act; I'm making writing a daily habit, sitting down and putting pen to paper (or typing fingers to keys) and writing and posting at least four days a week, no less is allowed. 

And while I don't believe in perfection, practice, simply, will make me better. And when I actually do just that, make time to practice what I really enjoy, writing and pushing my creativity, it feels pretty darn great. 

photo via Pinterest

Long Weekend Luxuries

This Memorial Day weekend came at the perfect time. 

After several busy weeks for both myself and the boyfriend, 

we entered into this long weekend with no plans. 

And it has been fantastic.

With the summer ahead already packed with weddings, showers, 

get togethers, and traveling, I've started to feel a bit worried, 

concerned that there was too much on the calendar. 

While I hope to embrace the crazy busy summer for what it is, 

full of wonderful, joyous celebrations, 

I know that staying organized and calm will help me, personally, 

to enjoy it all so much more, despite its schedule, 

and so I've looked forward to this upcoming weekend, 

to kick off the summer season, 

hanging on to the fact that our days were free from plans.

Having that extra day makes long weekends insanely more awesome. 

It allows one to really achieve, so much more fully, the core goal of the elusive weekend: 

mixing productivity with relaxation and pleasure. 

And so this lovely long weekend, I've done just that. 

I cleaned our home, and tidied up our living space. 

We stocked up on necessities for the upcoming week's breakfasts and lunches

 as we grocery shopped, carting home various items to turn into creative dinners. 

I went to the gym,

making up for the lack of time and self discipline 

that reigned over the past couple weeks. 

I have piles of clean laundry, fresh sheets on the bed, 

and I'm slowly but surely making a dent in my towering stack of magazines 

that I can't help but collect. 

Friday night we set out a smorgasbord of taco fixings, 

filling tortillas with shrimp, beans, rice and avocado, 

indulging in one of my favorite types of dinners. 

What use to consist of parties, pizza, cocktails and 

bedtimes that went into the early hours of the next day, 

now ended with a showing of The Great Gatsby and bed by midnight. 

The movie didn't disappoint and neither did the hours of uninterrupted solid sleep. 

Saturday night we cheered on the Bruins with good friends and good food, 

before returning home shortly after 9PM, 

to enjoy the lazy pleasures of hbo's comedians. 

These little long weekend luxuries came together to create a weekend

 that I so badly needed and craved. 

While I didn't cross off everything on my never-ending to do list, 

I feel refreshed and reorganized, 

eager to keep this positive momentum going, 

ready to not only tackle the week ahead, 

but excited for the beautifully busy summer that lies before us.

And so as we wrapped up this weekend with a little hike by the coast

and a bbq with the boyfriend's family, 

I cheers to not only our country's Memorial Day 

but also to the summer ahead.

photo via my iPhone

Last night's Rihanna concert, 

was the perfect way
to kick off my summer of shows.

Sparkle on.

I Believe In...

the power of a freshly cleaned home.

That sweeping, mopping, dusting and overall tidying, 

is therapeutic, 

revitalizing, 

and definitely counts 

as major 

calorie-burning exercise.

I believe that the time and energy that it takes 

to really clean up your space, 

your sanctuary, 

your home,

is worth it

in ways that can't necessarily be measured,

but that the sigh of relief and pure joy

that comes at the end of that day of scrubbing

is pretty darn amazing.

photo via Pinterest

Blues & Browns, Stripes & Splashes

As I explore my late twenties, I've enjoyed discovering my own style, the looks that speak to me the most, those that truly represents my own aesthetic. 

In this process, I've often struggled to find the right words to use to describe my personal style, and in these situations I'm finding it best to take a step back and take in a broader view. 

Someday, in my own fabulous little home office, I will have inspiration boards that I can use to surround myself with images and words that I adore, but until then, Pinterest will have to do. I gather images there, collecting and organizing in the hope of making sense out of the chaotic clutter that is everything around us.

Style is part of our overall evolution, as we figure out our relationships, our beliefs, what we truly want to do for work, figuring out your true style, is just another facet to discover.

In taking a step back, and looking at all the little pieces that make up the style that I keep pinning, the fashions, the designs that I truly love, I hope to be able to better describe my overall vibe. 

Why search for the right words, why is it needed? Because I like to package things nicely, to quantify them and understand myself. I like being able to stamp a label on it, for better or worse. I like the 30 second elevator pitch concept applied to anything.

And so, here are some looks that I am consistently drawn to, no matter what may currently be on trend, these types of outfits I will always choose. 

As I look at this collection, my own trends stand out, and I'm able to put together a language to describe it: I adore stripes, anything with them, but especially blue. I like classic, but not always conservative, looks, clean shapes, not overly girly or feminine but often with a touch of whimsy.  

  

  

What best describes your style and how have you discovered it over time? I'd love to hear :)

all photos from Pinterest