5 Things I wish I could blow my tax return on...

 1. Zebra Lovin' - The lovely table you see to your left. Cute and simple. I am going to attempt my own version of this look on some TV trays that I picked up this weekend from a yard sale (Seen on right)
I got a set of 4 (one is broken I will have to see
if I can give it some TLC and bring it back to life). But, I was thinking for colors: coral and white. Look: antiquated and weathered. ZigZags are in!! I am going to be busy in the next couple of weeks, so we'll see when I get around to this...

pic of table via Das le Townhouse
http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com/ 

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 2. Clock Work Orange - Look by Anthropology
Clocks+Random assortment+Indy look = LOVE
Not sure if it will flow with my ideas for my place, but still a very clever way to showcase some retro clocks that would otherwise never have a home. 














3.  Stick a Fork in it -Found at Pier 1 - you can't tell from this picture, but this is made of wood and it's about three or four feet tall, with what seems like contact paper on top and the fork is actually made with chalk paint! I once found a giant fork in a thrift store and my love affair with giant cutlery began. I have always had a soft spot for chalk paint; for some reason it's like a phenomenon to me.

4. Stay a while Coat Hanger - Urban Outfitters-It's practical and girlie without being too girlie and you don't see them too often these days.I just need one end of story.














 5. Bad to the Bone Leather Jacket-  iOffer.com (originally from Banana Republic) is an eBay type site check it out!

I live in South Florida, so this purchase would be a stretch but it's gorgeous and there is a cool breeze about one week a year down here. I wouldn't want to catch a cold, right?





Hope things went well for all of you this tax season! I just keep repeating to myself: Save Save Save...

Like Depeche Mode, I have found my personal Jesus

Like Depeche Mode, I have found my personal Jesus... in running!

The lyrics to this song flashed in my head as I was pounding my feet on the pavement. The sun was rising, I was surrounded by thousands of people, but I could have sworn I was all alone. The air was cool and fresh, as the waves crashed and waved to me. I had one of those great moments when you feel connected with the world and super glad to be alive.

                “Reach out and touch faith
                Your own Personal Jesus
                Someone to hear your prayers
                Someone who cares
                Your own Personal Jesus
                Someone to hear your prayers
                Someone who's there…”

This past weekend my aunt and cousin came from Orlando to run the A1A Half-Marathon with me. It’s a fun course that takes you by bars and restaurants (which are usually full of people trying to get a drink at the bar – myself included), through a shady park, and ends by the shore side.  I hadn’t run a race before or run farther than 8 miles (why would I?) so I was unsure of how I would like it or how my body would hold up. About 30 min into the race, the sun started to rise, as it was about 6:30am, and even though it was slightly cloudy, the sky was filled with a beautiful arrangement of oranges, yellows, and pinks to finally reveal our trusty friend that provides us with a warmth and vitamin D - the sun. I was listening to a great song and felt so happy and SO FREE! There is something about running that makes me feel like the freest person in the world – like I can do anything, go anywhere, or just keep running like Forest Gump and never look back. 

When I finished, my left knee felt like a blown-out tire, my butt was burning, my hamstring was tight and throbbing and somehow I was ecstatic. I kept thinking, when can I run my next race?! Others did not not have had such a pleasant experience; the guy that finished next to me puked about 30 seconds after crossing the finish line and there was a man with blood all over his shirt, which I was informed was from his shirt chaffing his nipples (OUCH!).

For me, running clears my head, relieves my stress, and makes me feel better about everything. For others, this may be spending time with kids, cooking, cleaning, working 60+ hours a week, yoga, shopping, etc. I think the point is, whatever makes YOU happy and works for YOU is what you need to focus on. Running a race was on my bucket list, so now I look forward to whatever my next escapade may be. What's on your bucket list? If you don't have one, you need to make one!

Continuously setting goals (of any kind) is the key to motivating yourself to get out of bed every day with a go-get-em attitude and a pep in your step. Even if you set small goals or make minuscule changes to your routine, they eventually they will add up and you will feel better about yourself. Sometimes you just have to do what makes you happy, even of other people think it’s weird or don't agree.

Be happy and find your personal Jesus!

Not So Great Expectations

“Why didn’t he call me back? He must not like me”

“Why is that shop closed today? The owners must be lazy”

“He was dressed like a bum! I would have never guessed he was the CEO of the company”

From your work to your personal life you carry certain expectations. Why do we have these expectations and where do they come from? Why do we demand things from others or believe that something will be a certain way? Is it something that you read or perhaps it derives from what your parents, teachers, coworkers, friends told you? Did you watch it on Oprah? Idk you tell me.

The reason I was thinking about this today is because I am trying to change my expectations, or rather try not to have any; this is something that may be rather trying since we go through life with so many expectations and it might just be the way our society is set up or how our brains are wired. I think this will help me live more in the moment and analyze my feelings and actions. 

When you send an email at work or call your significant other, when do you expect to get a response? Is an hour acceptable, or what about in ten days? How do you conclude what is acceptable behavior?

For work I recently traveled to Genoa, Italy for a work meeting. It was my first time in Europe, but I managed to pack light with just one bag and few expectations. I expected the food to be good, which it was, but what I didn’t expect was for restaurants and stores to be randomly closed throughout the day and then I got,”Oh, it’s the European way” people said. I also didn’t expect there to be so many people at the meeting (there were about 12) and I expected them to offer me some water, I suppose because that’s what we do here in America (I was so parched!)

 I have learned that expectations are like those last few drinks at the bar – you’re better off without them!  In fact, I can’t think of a single time in my life when I expected something to happen or be a particular way and it play out as anticipated. Take these for example: 

I didn’t expect to go to college; I wanted to go to Cosmetology School, but I ended up studying PR and Marketing and I loved every minute of it.

I didn’t expect or want to move to a cold climate and vowed I never would until one day I moved to the Appalachian Mountains and now that I live at the beach, I prefer the cool mountain air.

I used to be scared of unknown cultures and mysterious lands so I never expected to move to China for ten months or love traveling as an adult. 

Well, you get the picture.  I believe in keeping my mind and heart open because in the end, it doesn’t matter what I believe or expect; what will be, will be! There are so many things I cannot control and I cannot pretend to know what may or may not happen.

I’m not saying expectations are always bad. In fact, having hopes and things to look forward to are essential to staying motivated and leading a healthy life. I just mean to say, before you expect something, ask yourself why and determine if you are being reasonable.

Now back to my trip…keeping an open mind must be how I ended up in Nice, sipping on a vodka tonic      (I don’t drink liquor) at a bar called Wayne’s on a Sunday night listening to a British Band  with two girls from New Jersey that  live in Scotland.