Inspiration Friday - The Email

I was having a hard time trying to be inspired this week. It's been rough; I've had some challenges at work and with my allergies. I feel tired, spacey, dizzy at times, and just plain beat up.

I woke up this morning, actually thinking ALREADY about what I wanted to write and just feeling more and more drained with each thought.

I am also more anxious than my "normal" today. I get nervous making phone calls, especially to people I haven't spoken to in some time. I rather have in-your-face contact or write you a letter....both opposite ends of the communication spectrum. The phone seems like Purgatory to me and I don't handle it well. I know...it's just a phone, but I am so in-tune to gestures, stance, posture, etc. that there are too many gray areas for me on the ol' handset, and I DREAD moments of silence. I don't know if you're mad at me, offended by something I said, or just taking a mini-break to wipe your nose. It unnerves me!

Trying to put my emotions and panic in check, I decided to read my emails this morning before my shower. I found my inspiration!

My cousin whom I was very close to for years, but lost contact with except recently on Facebook (ugh, yes, Facebook) wrote me an email. An actual letter to my own private email address, not a random status update or private message. And a WONDERFUL, thoughtful, courageous email at that! I could literally feel the stress melt. I was able to swallow my first dose of Zyrtec without it bubbling back up through the cuss words as per usual.

Her actions put to shame parts of my posting/rant on the evils of social networking the other day. It DOES have some benefits. Apparently my random status updates put a smile on her face and make her laugh. This blog may make her GAG, but I may invite her to join in on the fun as well.

If she could email me out of the blue, then I can make that phone call and get control of the situation. It doesn't faze me a BIT now.

So, thanks, Cousin, for your thoughtful words, for reaching out, and for inspiring me to put my anxiety aside and do the right thing! You'll never understand how much it was needed today:)

How Do I Love Tee?

Let me count the ways...at least FIVE!

It's "I Love it" Thursday! I am hoping NEXT week I will be able to share that I love my new allergy medicine, and I LOVE how I feel. At that point, it will be a week since I started my new meds; I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that everything kicks in and helps me enjoy Spring. Right now, not so much.


Anywho...I am loving cute tees this week and found a vendor on my always-most-favorite-thing Etsy who sells the cutest, feminine-cut tees! Eden Bell a has so many adorable options! I've listed five of my faves (yes, I was able to narrow it down, but with much difficulty as you'll soon understand!)....I may just have to splurge on payday and pick up one..or two..oh, wait, maybe three. They are just all so cute that I can't decide on just one!!

What's YOUR fave or do you have others to share?  Happy Thursday! We've all made it this far..only one more day to go!

My Love/Hate Affair with Technology

I'm torn. Part of me ADORES technology...I'd marry it if I could...or at least have a torrid affair. I love my iPod Touch. It's a God-send. It's my address book, my stereo, my TV, my mail, my games, my shopping, all rolled into one.

I love my laptop. It's enabled me to go back to school conveniently, shop for hard-to-find birthday gifts, keep in touch with friends and family, store my pictures, and do my taxes without having to pay H&R Block.

Don’t even get me STARTED with my digital camera...well, TECHNICALLY I'm doing without right now until I buy a new Cybershot, but anyway....I love the instant gratification it gives me, I loved snapping a gazillion pictures in NYC and DC this past fall, I love capturing special moments and sharing them and then storing them away without all the fuss and muss of stacks of photos that just collect dust.

Photoshop...what can I say???

And now I’ve embraced blogging!

HOWEVER, I've started to cross the line into hate when it comes to social networking and the constant line of communication it has opened. We are a nation that thrives on being overly-stimulated. Why we need to constantly interact and speak our minds, I'll never know. It's opened up a whole world of bullying, intimidation, feelings of inadequacy. That, I DON'T love. Constant status updates, tweets, and interjections feel like an interruption and exhaust me. We, and that does include ME (I’m not immune) don’t know when to turn it “off” at times.

My job has changed and for better or for worse, I've have to take up residence in this world as our online community manager. Unfortunately this includes living in FB and Twitter most of my day. I SEE the constant communication and I've started to ask myself...

WHY?

What happened to saving up for the dinner table discussion or the phone call once a week to mom? What happened to the excitement of sharing the day’s events as something to look forward TO, as in, THE FUTURE, saving it as something special? I think in the process, that little part of our brain that edits what we say and how we say it has also shrunk; we tend to blurt things out quite easily these days, sometimes regrettably, and sometimes with serious consequences. ..and then there’s nothing left as we sit in silence with nothing but lasagna and tossed salad between us. How boring!

Sorry for my tirade, but it's something I've been struggling with for weeks now. While I see the INSURMOUNTABLE advantages of the technological age (advancements in medicine, safe and reliable transportation, etc.), I also see and feel the side-effects of so much activity.

How do you feel? Do you use Facebook and/or Twitter or any social networking?

Inspiration Friday - "Julie & Julia"

My inspiration choice this week is a PAST inspiration...something that got a hold of me a couple of years ago and never let go and carried me here today:

The move "Julie & Julia". It's the premise of the book/movie that made me want to blog and express myself. Oh, I've ALWAYS expressed myself through English classes and creative writing classes in college, but it was the movie and what Julie Powell did with her little blog (which she started for herself for her OWN motivation) and subsequently what happened that inspired ME to want to start to blog and have that one, beautiful moment when you finally see that SOMEONE, out of nowhere, is following along with you on your journey. It's like it finally all MEANS so much more! It’s about writing about what you KNOW, not trying to fake it!

I think the fact that her blogging started as a coping mechanism of Julie trying to deal with the stress of being in NYC on and after 9/11 and the nature of her job which dealt with the aftermath and stress of that horrible day is something that I can relate you. I by NO means am trying to minimize what she or any other New Yorker went through, but it's just what I can take from it and relate to my own tumultuous world of a couple of years ago. It's like that first crocus bud popping out of the snow. Out of everything that can weigh us down, something light and uplifting can sprout.

While I'm no cook and wouldn't DREAM of attempting Julia Child's recipes (I can barely make a decent bowl of oatmeal), it's my eagerness to learn to express myself more and more clearly that will evolve in this blog. It's getting over that fear of having nothing good or smart to say that will slowly diminish and make way for creativity and clarity, no matter WHAT it may sound like.

(however I WAS inspired to read "My Life in France" by Julia Child and watch her DVDS and LOVED them!)

It's the slow process of accepting me, who I am, what I like and don't like, what I will and won't put up with.

It's that “aha” moment! I finally accomplished something and saw it through and it actually makes sense!! And, honestly, I have to say, this is the ONLY thing I've done in years that gives me a HUGE feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction - it's something that neither school nor work have been able to fulfill in all this time:)

Thanks, Julie Powell!

It's "I Love This" Thursday! - In the Pink

I'm in love with pink this week...the paler, the better (not a huge magenta fan myself).

I was totally inspired by Someone Like You's latest blog post about her prom dress...it's so lovely! I was also inspired by Rachel Ashwell (creator of Shabby Chic at Target) and her "Everything Pink" blog post the other day. Check both out!!

Soft, pale pink that's almost icy is actually a WARM color to me...it invokes love, peace, femininity, softness. And it just OOOZES spring in this dark, dreary, dank Portland I'm living in right now. It can act as a neutral and you can mix so many other colors with it and it still doesn't loose anything; looks fantastic with green, orange, and red! As delicate as it looks, it has a quiet, inner strength of it's own that allows it to stand out from the crowd.

Here are a few of my favorite pink things this week:

Love a pretty little cupcake on a pretty little plate anytime!!

LOVIN' this purse from Shopruche!

I actually think I could make this, but if not, there's always shopping at Lorisshoes.com!

I sadly waiting one week too long to purchase this from Shopruche, but was told they MAY get it back in stock!

Love these pretty little earrings on my favorite site, Etsy!

Okay, one more pretty pink purse from Shopruche. Hoping they get it back in stock soon. A must have for me!!

What colors are you drawn to? Any crazy combinations? 

The Underdog of Superheros

One thing you'll quickly learn about me if you don't know already is that I am Anxiety Girl. I tend to over-think and over-dwell on everything...from what to wear in the morning, to what to eat for lunch, to my resume, etc. I have a hard time putting anything down and accepting that it can't all be perfect all the time. It's something I am constantly working on (hence, the shredder at times).

Right now, I'm at a crossroads about what to do with school and my so-called career. I say "so-called" because I've never really taken ownership of it; it's always just been a job I do in order to eat and keep my closet full. But as I get older, I realize that I need to take ownership and I need to make some choices. What to do? I think my alter-ego is the Masked Procrastinator.....I'm always assuming things will just work THEMSELVES out....

Do I go continue with school? I'm technically a Jr towards my bachelor's degree or do I get a better job in a company with more opportunity first THEN look at school. And if so, where, what and WHY?

AACK! I think I just want to hide under my cape!

I've decided to start a list (thanks, Mom) of not only what I am GOOD at but what I actually ENJOY doing....it's one thing to be good at something, but if you're not enjoying it, who cares? I'm looking forward to doing that. It's my next project now that school is over. As trite as it sounds, I need to do something meaningful where I feel like I am really contributing and getting something more out of it than just a paycheck (thought that always helps!). I gotta not only find the right answer, but the variables to the equation as well!

Do you love doing what you do? What do you love about it?

Bet you thought I forgot to explain about the shredder, didn't you?

To follow up to my ode to the delete key, I promised I'd explain sometime about the shredder, another piece of relatively mundane, yet abundantly useful office equipment.

It means so much more to me than shredding the credit card offers, old insurance forms, tax forms older than seven years (let me just make that perfectly clear!), etc. It shreds bad ideas, bad relationships, ruminating thoughts, etc.

I won't waste anyone's time and rehash what a bad 2010 and 2011 I had (well the first part of 2011 anyway; it ended with a SPLASH, thanks to Sherry, NYC, and DC!!). However, I WILL say what a God-send the “big brown box” at work was, and still is, at times.

More valuable to me than ANY amount of therapy, self-help books, or medication, the shredder helped me literally SUCK impurities from my soul...all the bad thoughts, sad thoughts, anxiety, why-why-why's, anger (and PLENTY of it at that), unanswered questions, self-beatings, etc., that were tearing ME to pieces. All I had to do (and STILL do from time to time) is scribble down the obsessive, energy-draining thought, press the glorious green START button, (making sure no clothing or jewelry was in the way; I'd hate to have to explain THAT one), and VOILA! ...out with the bad and with each deep, cleansing breath after that, in with pure GOODNESS.

So many times I sat here at work wondering WHY ME? What did I do wrong? How could I be so STUPID...until one tired day I decided enough was enough. I started by writing down every unanswered question that would NEVER be answered and ran to the machine room, closing the door behind me and enjoying the moment all alone. The proverbial purging didn't work for me; I needed the real thing.

It was the miracle, happy ending I was longing for. Rarely do those thoughts creep into my head anymore...and if they do, I know IMMEDIATELY where they need to go!

My New Favorite Products

I'd thought I'd keep this post a bit light and airy today. It's a Monday after all and I'm home sick with an ear infection. Isn't that only supposed to happen to 12-year olds?? Anyway, I digress.....

I've been experimenting with new products lately...trying to go more "natural" and organic. However, with MY allergy issues, that isn't always easy. I'm allergic to practically every living thing in the Pacific NW and it's bad enough if some of these things in nature TOUCH my skin, let alone put them IN my body in the form of some pill, etc. I have to really watch it.

That being said, here's just a handful of some of the products I've found myself loving these days:

Benefit's Yes They're Real mascara. The brush is amazing...gets ALL of my itty bitty lashes and best of all, no irritation to my sensitive eyes!

Benefit's Posietint...a big Benefit fan these days. Took some getting used to how to apply, but now I'm a pro and I love the soft color that you can use on your lips, too!

Tom's of Maine **NEW** Naturally Dry Antiperspirant in "Powder"..without going into TMI, I've been looking for something like this that actually WORKS and is good for me!

Tom's of Maine Whole Care Toothpaste in Peppermint or Spearming. Love the fresh taste without the added chemicals and I still get great checkups!

Aubrey Organics Natural Sun with Green tea SPF 30+ offer BOTH UVA and UBV protection! Everyone complains that natural sunscreens leave a white cast...not if you rub them in and be patient before applying your makeup. Worth the wait! No irritation, no smells, no burning..I can even use around my eyes!

Any new, favorite products you'd like to share? I'm always open to suggestions!

Inspirations Fridays

Well hello and an early Happy St. Patrick's Day!

It's been a crazy week to say the least. Learning a new job from scratch because my predecessor failed to document ANY processes he did nor how portions of our website work (I am now in charge of not only marketing, but also website maintenance and I manage our online communities) is dizzying....not to mention detrimental to my eyesight! Scrolling through pages and pages of code to find teeny tiny errors has got me seeing double!

On that note, I need a really good brain break this weekend (ugh...I also have to study for a final). I was browsing the aisles of Fred Meyer, our local "chain" everything store, doing some last-minute grocery shopping for work, when I stumbled upon the recent Spring 2012 copy of Romantic Country Magazine. What a breath of fresh air!

I have found my bit of heaven for the weekend.......and my inspiration! It will inspire me to relax and find some peace away from <div>'s and </br>'s and &nbsp's!!! Phew!

Here's a website I found that belongs to the photographer of the edition above. It's quite lovely and an inspiration in itself!

What's your inspiration today?

"I Love It" Thursdays

Thursdays are such a forgotten day that I thought I'd try to attribute something a little special to it...something it can call its own.

Hence...

..."I Love It" Thursdays!

Here are five favorite things I found myself loving this week:

I love this site! I didn't think I would get that interested, but the more I pin, the more I see and like it!

Lulu's...a new favorite site with cute, little, feminine tops and bottoms and accessories. Great for spring and summer! I've been trying to find unique pieces of clothing lately so I don't see myself walking down the street!

I would LOVE these hanging over the breakfast bar in a retro kitchen or in the breakfast nook someday!! They are adorable!

Posted by my friend from childhood, Mary Ellen. Don't know WHERE this is, but I will go since it's obviously NOT rainy, dreary, Portland this week!!

I can indulge SO many of my little guilty pleasures here! I could literally shop and/or dream for days!!

Why do I love these treasures? I love them because they represent some facet of me, something I had lost for years that I re-discovered...self-expression, confidence, beauty, delicacy, femininity, coziness, simplicity. I just genuninely LIKE these things; if I could wear the teacup lights, I would! That's how much I love them! It's all about the color, the pattern, the age, they all represent. They are assets I try to incorporate into my daily life, if not literally, figuratively.

What do you treasure? What makes you tick, and smile, and get that warm, fuzzy feeling all over?

Oh delete key, how do I love thee?

The hand is mighter than the sword!

There's something sinister, yet so satisfying about the delete key. It gives one a feeling of organization and control; in one fell swope, abracadabra, it's gone. Whatever "it" was.

Even if only temporary.....

The delete key is the original "unfriend" tool. It's simple, yet so effective. It gets the job done in a simple keystroke. Delete a name, a file, a picture, an email. Poof, it's gone.

It can also be a life-saving tool. What would I have done if I hadn't been able to "delete" that email before I sent it or that ranting blog post? I was able to save face with one little "thump" of a finger.

That something so innocuous can be so powerful at the same time never ceases to amaze me.

Along with the "crop" tool, it's a God-send. A match-made-in-heaven. Chunks of my life instantly changed or removed. Everything is clean and tidy again and I can breathe a sigh of relief.

I could go on and on about the shredder, too, but I'll save that for another post.....

Happy Deleting, Everyone!

PS...here's a great little article I came across today, fellow bloggers and blog-readers! No wonder I can't get enough of Pinterest lately!!

Patience Pays!!

I've wanted a new purse and THIS purse for some time now. Low and behold, I was strolling through my favorite Target store (we have SEVERAL here in NE Portland) and I couldn't believe when I saw it ON CLEARANCE!

Suspicious, I meticulously examined the treasure, making sure there were no flaws, missing parts, boobie traps, etc. Nada. It was PERFECT! And 30% off to boot!

I'm not that much of a fan of Jason Wu's stuff, but loving my purchase and hope to sometime soon, acquire the bag below. I'm a cat-lover and would LOVE to add this to my purse entourage!

What's making YOU happy these days? The transition from winter here to spring has been, well...interesting. Anything that makes me smile is worth the small price at this point!

Happy Shopping!

Diving into the Deep End

Spawned from my "Inspiration Friday" post, I decided to venture into our local Fabric Depot, the Portland fabric "Mecca" for just about every pattern and print you can find (my ex-sister-in-law actually used to plan trips from CA to come up here just to shop there). Thinking, gee, I for SURE will be able to find what I want there, I eagerly walked in.

I was completely overwhelmed. Who would have thought that I could possibly have been facing TOO many choices....too many styles, fabric, textures, prints, etc. I almost had a panic attack!

Needless to say I wandered around for nearly two hours like a deer in headlights, ready to cry, ready to give up. I almost did. I almost threw in the inspiration towel and called it a day. I must have looked like a deer in headlights because two different women came up to me to offer me help and a shopping basket. I let them help me, something fiercely independent me normally doesn't do.

It felt good to be helped! I decided to take their cue and started from the beginning at the patterns, remembering where my inspiration stemmed from yesterday. I got redirected and re-grounded.

I started back on a new foot, through the forest of fabrics, trying to see it for the trees (or bolts), took a deep breath and settled on just two simple fabrics to start. I left feeling like I had accomplished something (thought I felt like I also needed a shower and a mojito!)

I learned to start out slower, not jump in with both feet necessarily all the time. Take a deep breath and take in some air and take it easy. The rest will come in time.

This was just more symbolic to me today than just picking up some fabric at the local store. I behaved in Fabric Depot like I behave in other areas of my life...I plunge into the deep end without much thought, only to wind up winded and exhausted in the end with feelings of frustration instead of accomplishment. It's indicative of so many things I do and HAVE done. I don't always know when to step back, sit down, or even say no.

I'm going to take something away from today (besides red and white polka dot cotton)...be patient, be calm, and carry on!

Inspiration works in mysterious ways....

Inspiration Fridays

At times, I honestly need a swift kick in the pants to get me started. Whether it be trying to get up and out to work in the morning, to figuring out what to write in my blog, I find myself at odds sometimes with finding that perfect thing that gets my motor running and keeps it revving all day long.

I've recently found some inspiration to get my wardrobe going in a bit of a different direction than it has been. I've done a complete 180 with my clothes the last 18 months or so. I'm finally seeing myself in a different light and I am becoming my OWN inspiration to get back to the girl I was...vintagey, feminine, and eclectic. The fact that the vintage look is back "in" helps out quite a bit! Now I'd like to be able to find the motivation and inspiration to express the person I am on the INSIDE.

I've taken enough creative writing classes so I should know how to do it, but, frankly, it's been so long that I forgot. It’s something that I unfortunately became so out of practice with and so far out of touch with that it's like starting over from scratch. How DO I write? Where DO my ideas come from? Do I actually HAVE any ideas? Am I writing about anything that holds interest for ME let alone anyone else? And the first and foremost question: where the heck do I START??

Which brings me to my source of inspiration for today....I found this lovely blog, An Ordinary Utopia, which is just FULL of amazing little morsels to sink your teeth into. Under DIY, I found this delightful entry from last week about finding your artistic inspiration and it gave me PLENTY of food for thought. It’s my inspiration for the day, a true little blessing! But, sigh, it just means that I'll have to really sit down and figure out Pinterest which I have yet to do (I'm not in the mood to remember yet ANOTHER password and login!).

So I've decided that Fridays will be "Inspiration Fridays", a good way to kick off the weekend and keep the dwindling energy level of the week going.

What inspires YOUR creativity?

Living the Simple Life (or at least trying)

I am SO proud of myself!

I got rid of the TV in my bedroom. It's just one way I'm trying to bring calm and peace into my life.

It's a slow process for me. My head is ALWAYS spinning with ideas. Some would probably say I'm rather OCD-inclined, but as someone with OCD focuses on some THING, I don't have much focus I'm afraid. My thoughts jump from one to another. I'm always thinking of something new to do, to buy, to read, to research, to make, to try.

Right now, I am fixated on MAKING some skirts. As someone somewhat tall and long-legged (trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be), I have a HORRIBLE time finding pants, skirts and dresses that are long enough for me. So yesterday I decided to give up the shopping and searching world wind and try to MAKE some. Wish me luck!

Last week and for several months, I was fixated on shopping vintage and thrifting. It's kind of run its course with me. I would OBSESS over it; having a computer at-hand and the world of shopping easily accessible anytime and anywhere is NOT a God-send; it's my alcohol at times.

A few years ago it was painting. My friend taught a bunch of us to tole-paint and I went out and bought all the supplies. That lasted maybe a year. Now I have all these fancy brushes I sometimes use for blush and powder!

In trying to live the simple life, at times I create more chaos. I have good intentions, but an element of boredom currently in my life doesn't help. The chaos gives me something to do at times....and I have this nasty creative streak. I always have to "create", whether it be a craft, an idea, something to do. I guess that's why I do what I do for a living: create flyers, brochures, posters, media.

Giving the TV up was an easy, baby-step for me. Now I just need to focus on the rest as long as I don't obsess over it!

I’ve even started obsessing over this blog! Oy!

WHAT did you say??

It always amazes me how the printed word can differ so much that the same spoken words.

I was trying to make my feelings known in an email to someone close to me. Trying to get my point across, I ended up befuddling the my OWN thought-process and, quite frankly, ticking the person off (to put it mildly).After a while I didn't even know WHAT I myself was trying to say. What WAS my point? Did I even HAVE one?

When I was able to SPEAK my thoughts to this person, completely different result! I was understood and what I had to say was taken as a positive rather than a negative. I made my point clearly and the animosity of the day faded away as quickly as it came. Phew! This would be the LAST person in the world I'd want to offend.

It just goes to show how we must always pick our words delicately and that tone, manner, behavior, disposition, etc., are missing in the written word and we have to make up for it by our choices in vocabulary. Pay attention to what YOU receive in writing from now on...emails, text messages, and don't jump to conclusions. It's a good lesson. Some of us aren't as well-versed as others and we'd appreciate a little forgiveness. If you don't understand something or have doubts, JUST ASK! You'll notice fewer hurt feelings and less guilt. We've also all gotten so used to "abbreviated text"...instant messaging, text messages, tweets, etc., that we carry it to other areas of our lives, sometimes inappropriately with disastrous results!

Sure, none of us is perfect, but at least we're trying! It's the effort that counts!

Blogging...sigh...and the Perfectionist in Me

Oh to be able to blog like some of the bloggers I follow! I won't even venture as far as to say "fellow" bloggers simply because I cannot compete at this point. I say "this point" because I am trying to remain optimistic and forward thinking that someday I MAY be able to compete!

I have a head full of random thoughts, but as soon as I seem to get them down, I get disgruntled and hit the "delete post" button. I wonder, who would want to read this besides me?

I read a wonderful little blog the other day on one of my new favorite blogger's pages...Someone Like You...Lauren is a lovely girl who reminded us all that bloggers are NOT perfect people; we only see a quick snapshot of their lives and we shouldn't idealize their lives. I do, however, because their ability to self-express IS perfection to me and I find beauty in that, flaws and all. It's something I aspire to do. But I realize they, too, have bad hair days, days when the words just don't want to seem to come together, and days when they just don't feel like communicating at all.

If I can someday express myself only HALF as well as my dear, admired bloggers, I would consider THAT perfection!

A writer at heart, I have made a promise to myself to keep up this little blog, even for an audience of one. It's good for my soul!

If you're interested, here's Lauren's blog post...Real.

Pet Peeves, Vol. 1

Stubbornness vs. Opinions

I respect a good opinion..heck, I've started a blog, haven't I?? However, unyielding opinions, in MY opinion, are a bad habit and cross the line into good old fashioned stubbornness.

An opinion remains open and can change over time. The word itself, to my ears, lends to flexibility. It's not unwavering...at least I'd like to think that most of mine, aren't, anyway. I think the fact that they evolve has helped shaped the person I've become, for better or worse. I’m not saying I’m wishy-washy…there are times when I feel strongly about one thing, learn more about it over time, and actually CHANGE my opinion. Not always, and not always for the best, but hey, it happens. I’ve learned from these mistakes in judgment as well.

I had, for me, "strong" opinions of certain things when I was younger. However, just like I outgrew Salt 'n Pepa and New Kids on the Block (sorry, but I will NEVER outgrow 80s, hard-core new-wave, however), I have outgrown some of the ideas I had about life, style, other people, etc. It's kinda hard to avoid, don't ya think?

But the die-hards who practice "BTTWWADI" (pronounced - "bitwadee") - Because That The Way We've Always Done It, are just limiting and restricting themselves...and probably causing themselves a bad case of heartburn and hypertension, too. Doing things one way and one way only is because it’s of the OPINION that it’s the right thing to do…but isn’t this a form of stubbornness as well?

If I ever grow TOO opinionated and cross the proverbial threshold into the Land of Stubborness, please let me know (although I may be the FIRST to know after I ruminate all night about something I KNOW I shouldn't have said).. I try hard to remain open and see all sides before I pass judgment or pass my "opinion" along. I WANT to hear your opinions, good and bad. I may not always agree with them; some may make me down-right angry, but I want to know. Honesty IS the best policy!

But that's just my opinion.

Dreaming in Color......

2010 and 2011 were NOT my best years. Looking back, I realize how down I was, how out of touch, and how well I managed to hide.

I lived in a colorless world.

As I entered 2012, I realized how much had changed in my life and how well I was adjusting. I felt a renewed sense of strength and resiliency and that if I put my mind to it, I could do anything. With this, the color came back into my life.

Drawn away from the blacks and browns and grays of my wardrobe, I am now attracted to pinks and blues and yellows and whites....trite as it sounds, I feel alive in color! Perusing magazines, my eyes rest on photos of gardens and the great outdoors. I am intrigued by nature's palette and feel warmed by it.

I was always a winter person. Now I crave spring.