a rare and beautiful mess*

Suddenly [randomly] obsessed with LOL Cats

2009-06-24T00:24:00.005-04:00

Pictures of the Day (I dare you not to laugh!):

[pics from thelolcats.com]

Quote of the Day:

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.
Albert Einstein

Fact of the Day:

A flea can jump 30,000 times without stopping.

Um, yes, please!

2009-06-23T23:26:00.002-04:00

Coolest Slurpees EVER!!!

[well, besides the Simpsons Squishees]

Gotta try the Bumblebee Blast Slurpee!

"Transformers: More than meets the eyes!"

[film quote: "There's more than meets the eye...when it comes to you."
I LOVE Shia :) :) :) ]

My favorites are "Charade" and "Wait Until Dark"

2009-06-19T20:17:00.004-04:00

Picture of the Day:

Quote(s) of the Day {special Audrey Hepburn edition}:

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

“Your heart just breaks, that's all. But you can't judge, or point fingers. You just have to be lucky enough to find someone who appreciates you.”

“People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.”

“A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labor exploitation and disease, and given them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential.” [as a future teacher, naturally, I had to include this one XD ]

“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.”

Fact of the Day:

The number of Japanese living past 100 has more than doubled in the last six years, reaching a record high of 36,000 people in 2008. The country's centenarian ranks are dominated by women, who make up 86 percent of the total.

{could she be any more lovely?}

What's holding us back?

2009-06-17T00:08:00.005-04:00

[image courtesy of Kurt Halsey]

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,
but only what is helpful for building others up according to
their needs,
that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

*******

Let's be good to each other,
let's be kind,
let's be fun,
let's be laughter,
let's be beauty,
let's be song & lyrics,
let's be forgiveness,
let's
be
l o v e.

Last Week in Numbers

2009-06-16T23:53:00.003-04:00

{Happy Birthday, Chloe Darling!}

6.07.09 - 6.13.09

1 - book I finished reading (Impulse)
2 - pitchers of Shock Top for James at Beer Bellies
3 - paintings for Chloe's Birthday
4 - weeks until our lease is up
5 - days of my new summer course "Grammar for Teachers"
6 - times loading/unloading the dishwasher
7 - hours spent training my replacement as store manager
8 - episodes of DVRed "Jeopardy!" watched
9 - bags of frozen grapes
10 - seconds spent not worrying

(I DEFINITELY need to work on #10!)

[blog topic inspired by Naturally Nina]

"I gotta feeling..."

2009-06-11T22:40:00.004-04:00

Picture of the Day:

*oh how i ADORE Kurt Halsey*

Quote of the Day:

Phoebe: Pheobe. That's, P, as in Phoebe, H, as in heobe, O as in oebe, E, as in ebe, B, as in bebe, and E as in... Ello there mate.

(source = IMDB)

Fact of the Day:

The average smell weighs 760 nanograms.

Song of the Day (and week and probably month...):

"I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas

The Office

2009-06-10T22:44:00.002-04:00

Quote of the Day:

Michael Scott: Last week I would've given a kidney to anyone in this office. I would've reached right into my stomach and pulled it out for them. But now, no. I don't have the relationship with these people that I thought I did. I hope they ask, so they can hear me say, "Uh, no, I only give my organs to my real friends. Go get yourself a monkey kidney."

Fact of the Day:
Many of the famous insert shots from the original series such
as the water cooler and copier machine are not used in the show. (source = IMDB)

Picture of the Day:

Delicious

2009-06-09T18:34:00.003-04:00

Picture of the Day:

i say, the more color, the better.

Quote of the Day:

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.
Albert Einstein

Fact of the Day:

Lizards communicate by doing push-ups.

In love with Thoreau...

2009-06-08T23:29:00.003-04:00

Picture of the Day:

{muy caliente}

Quote of the Day:

Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh.
Henry David Thoreau

Fact of the Day:

Mosquitoes are attracted to people who just ate bananas.

Do Be Do Be Do...

2009-06-05T15:34:00.004-04:00

Picture of the Day:

hmm...i'm thinking it's time for a new tattoo...

Quote of the Day:
A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone.
Henry David Thoreau

Fact of the Day:
The first Ferris wheel was built in Atlantic City in 1869.

Picture, Quote, & Fact of the Day

2009-06-04T17:52:00.003-04:00

Picture of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
"Can we change the world? No, but hell, we can all try."
Rupert Murdoch

Fact of the Day:
Florentine artist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) took his favorite painting, the "Mona Lisa" (1503-1506, Louvre, Paris), everywhere with him. One of the most celebrated portraits ever painted, it is also known as "La Gioconda," after the presumed name of the woman's husband. Although there have been many theories about the origin of the inexplicable smile on the woman's face, it was probably just the result of Leonardo's interest in natural "chiaroscuro" (the effect of light and shadow on the subject).

L.O.V.E

2009-06-02T01:39:00.002-04:00

i LOVE this "impromptu gallery"

one of my next projects: updating/decorating an old locket

i can't wait to have kids JUST so i can play games with them and make them fun, yummy meals like this one

i have a new obsession with mobiles

isn't this a SWEET double desk set? i LOVE it! :)

*******
what do YOU love today?

Simplify

2009-05-28T13:51:00.004-04:00

[this family put candles in a banana to show that even the simplest of activities are to be savored and celebrated]

What will or won't you do to save money?

[blog topic inspired by Remodeling This Life]

I don't mind that my fiance & I never go out to eat.

I like being resourceful; instead of buying new clothes, I look at what I have and make new outfit combinations.

I love DIY projects & crafts.

I like printing out pictures from my computer.

I have fun making my own artwork.

I like buying gifts for people I love...

...but I like making gifts for them even more.

I don't mind taking the time to research an item to find the best possible price.

I don't buy designer clothing.

I buy journals & books constantly.

I miss going to the movie theater...

...but downloading movies is quite convenient, too.

*******

On a similar note, I want to simplify my life--that means living more fully, having (and wanting!) less material possessions, and spending more time with people rather than with things.

How will I do this? My goals are to:

De-clutter. I am a huge pack rat so giving and throwing material possessions away is hard for me. My solution? To take pictures of the things that have sentimental value and then either give them away or throw them away. For things without sentimental value, I must really determine if they are worth my time or if I even spend any time using them.
Stop buying so much stuff! My new rule: if I buy something, I must get rid of something else; that way, I'm not adding to my collection of "stuff" but rather replacing and exchanging it. My other strategy, which always works pretty well for me, is to carry the item with me throughout the rest of my journey through the store; I almost always decide against buying the item once I've been holding on to it for a while.
Keep the tv off more often. I generally cannot just sit and watch a tv show or a movie--I have to be doing something else at the same time, whether that's blogging or sketching or painting or looking through a magazine or eating or whatever. I miss most of the tv show anyway, and I don't think either activity--the tv-watching or the other activity--gets my full attention. Instead of having the tv on to fill the silence in the background, I'll make new mixed CDs and download more music onto my MP3 player so that I can listen to music I really like instead of listening to the same old stuff on the radio.
Slow down and savor. This goes for everything in my life, from eating to spending time with my family and fiance to playing with my puppy to relaxing. I think we, as Americans, try to rush through everything--and end up missing the magic of our experiences. I want to try to just slow down and take in each experience, to indulge in every feeling and touch and sound and kiss and sight...
Create experiences. I'm typically not a very social person; I rarely get bored because my mind is full of ideas that I use to create with and write about and entertain myself with. But there is so much that I am missing by not getting outside of my comfort zone and meeting new people. My fiance and I just recently started hanging out with his co-workers--they're so different from me in so many ways but they have such wonderful stories to tell! I work at a tiny little candy shop and my day is made when I really connect with a customer and we have a wonderful, meaningful conversation. I've also started spending more time with my family, all of which live about an hour away; I miss them so much and I've realized that instead of missing them, I should visit them more and make memories with them. These are the kinds of experiences you remember.

*******

What can't YOU live without?

And, more importantly, what can you GIVE UP?

how to be

2009-05-28T00:31:00.003-04:00

dimly enchanted
and
utterly rare

nothing gives her life
like
having burdens to bear

something inside
her
screams for release

the whirring of her mind
and
the drumming of her heart
will tire and cease
yet
live on through her deeds

My Mother Baked the Whole World for Me

2009-05-22T13:26:00.003-04:00

My mother baked the whole world for me

In sweet cakes.
My beloved filled my window
With raisins of stars.
And my yearnings closed inside me
Like bubbles in a loaf of bread.
On the outside, I am smooth and quiet and brown.
The world loves me.
But my hair is sad as reeds in a drying swamp--
All the rare birds with beautiful plumage
Flee from me.

Yehuda Amichai

Lions, Tigers, & Stingrays! Oh my!

2009-05-22T01:25:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday, James & I took advantage of Lowry Park Zoo's $5 admission day.
[His co-workers at Spencer's thought it was pretty funny that he asked for the day off to go to the Zoo. :) ]

Happy Feet!

:: Flamingos Flamenco ::

This tiger was so cute; apparently, tigers like to play with cantaloupes 'cause they're fleshy and stuff.

I FED THE STINGRAYS...

...AND IT WAS MY FAVORITE PART! This is me EXTREMELY HAPPY because it was so cool! :)

if i could do anything right now, i would...

2009-05-12T00:38:00.003-04:00

[post inspired by Naturally Nina]

1. get some energy--then go outside and play!
2. see "Star Trek" again--and I'm not even a Trekkie or ST fan by ANY means!

3. lie in bed with my two loves (fiance & puppy), listening to the rain
4. recreate my own version of a super cute bracelet I saw at the store the other day
5. get--and play!--the new EA Sports Active game for the Wii
6. buy some Razzles
7. read Crank (a recommendation from my sister)
8. find some fresh new tunes
9. write!
10. sketch

Destroying the shackles...

2009-05-11T23:17:00.001-04:00

"Until everyone is free,

no one

is."

Pictures, please!

2009-05-09T01:11:00.003-04:00

I was terribly sad to learn that not only are Polaroid instant cameras not being produced anymore, but they and their film are extremely expensive! That's why I love Poladroid, which I found online last night! I LOVE it! :)

Today I love...

2009-05-08T00:39:00.002-04:00

...being good to my love, James.

...shrinky dinks.
...abs made stronger by crunches.
...a new episode of "The Office".
...a low-key day at work.
...texting my sister & best friend.
...wearing shorts.
...happy customers.
...ambitions.
...creativity.
...polaroids.

{what do YOU love today?}

Sipahhhhh!

2009-05-06T00:16:00.009-04:00

I'm dedicating this blog to straws, wonderful straws [because I use them everyday, for every drink, and love them so!]:

Awesome party parasol straws

Double functionality: drinking glasses!

Go green with straw furniture!

Crazy straws with logos; who doesn't love to customize?

Build your own unique straw creations!

Do you like this bright idea?

Delicioso!

Enjoy this Bart straw with a Squishee!

Agradecimiento ("gratitude", anyone?)

2009-05-05T20:24:00.004-04:00

James' willingness to drive me to Universal Studios & Ikea today (he never complains)
At the Men in Black ride, the guy let James & I ride together--even though we got in the "Single Rider" line
I actually had a decent score on the MIB ride (167,000 because I got the bonus at the end!) :) I am very proud of this because I STINK at video games usually!
There was hardly anyone at the parks = I walked right on to the Hulk, Dueling Dragons, & Spider-Man
I overcame the urge to spend over 3 bucks on one tiny bucket of cotton candy
The Simpson's Ride--those jokes NEVER get old!
Drink refills for 79 cents
Spending the day with my love
Craft time at home!
No work today
Getting stuff done (like phone calls & bills)
Looking forward to "Fringe" later on tonight...

**What are YOU grateful for today??? :)

i.n.s.p.i.r.a.t.i.o.n.

2009-05-05T00:50:00.006-04:00

[image courtesy of camellie]

from The Happiness Project:

1. Smile. Now, this is no shock, but studies do show that the amount of time you smile during a conversation has a direct impact on how friendly you’re perceived to be. Also, people mimic the expressions on the faces they see, so if you smile, you’re more likely to be smiled at. (Scientists have identified 19 types of smiles, by the way.)

2. Be easily impressed, entertained, and interested. Most people get more pleasure from wowing you with their humor and insight than from being wowed by your humor and insight.

3. Have a friendly, open, engaged demeanor. Lean toward people, nod, say “Uh-huh,” turn your body to face the other person’s body. Don’t turn your body away, cross your arms, answer in monosyllables, or scan the room (or look at your Blackberry! I have seen this happen!) as the other person talks.

4. Remember trait transfer. In “trait transfer,” whatever you say about other people influences how people see you. If you describe a co-worker as brilliant and charismatic, your acquaintance will tend to associate you with those qualities. Conversely, if you describe a co-worker as arrogant and obnoxious, those traits will stick to you. So watch what you say.

5. Laugh at yourself. Showing vulnerability and a sense of humor make you more likable and approachable. However, don’t push this too self-deprecation too far – keep it light. You’ll make others uncomfortable if you run yourself down too much. I met a guy who kept saying things like, "I'm an idiot," "I have the most boring job ever," etc. He was trying to be self-deprecating, but it was hard to know how to respond to that kind of comment from a stranger.

6. Radiate energy and good humor. Because of the phenomenon of “emotional contagion,” people catch the emotions of other people, and they prefer to catch an upbeat, energetic mood. Even if you pride yourself on your cynicism, biting humor, or general edginess, these qualities can be conveyed with warmth.

7. Show your liking for another person. We’re much more apt to like someone if we think that person likes us. Look for ways to signal that you enjoy a person’s company. When I call my daughters’ pediatrician with some health question, she always says “Hello!” as if she’s genuinely thrilled to hear from me, and I’ve really noticed what a difference it makes on my feelings of warmth toward her.

8. Try to remember the person’s name! If you can’t remember it, here are some tips for coping with the situation.

[i used this image the other day but it's so cute i thought it deserved a second appearance!]

*******

[In love with Brian Andreas]:

If I was a spider princess, she said, I would spin webs the color of sky & catch drops of sunlight to give to children w ho watch too much TV & then everyone would remember to come outside to play. If I was a spider princess, she said, things would be different.

*******
::my favorites::
a collection of what makes other bloggers terribly h appy:

eating outside on the patio
late night phone calls from far away best f riends
back rubs from husband
vacuum lines in the carpet
a treat to eat during lost
running through the sprink lers
warm summer nights spent outside
fresh flowers on the mantle
discovering new cities
post-workout burn (makes my blood feel clean
pretending to have a british accent
coloring outside the lines
reading my journals from years ago, i wrote some funny things back in the day
getting cards in the mail
eating cotton candy
getting caught singing my heart out in my car
wearing husbands sweatshi rt

[image: David Garibaldi]

I love you more than...

2009-05-05T00:43:00.002-04:00

...a pyromaniac loves fire.

http://iloveyoumorethanblank.com/

Lovers & Fighters

2009-05-02T01:58:00.002-04:00

"
i love her…

…so i fight for her. it is what lovers do. there is no dichotomy: lover or fighter? it is lover/fighter both. i fought to get her, so i fight to keep her while i’m with her. i do not understand those who fight only to get back what they have lost. you should have been fighting all along.
"

[from wonderful ellipsis]

Cute or what?

2009-05-02T01:27:00.004-04:00

[This little tale from Bella Sinclair Doodlespot is so cute; it made James & I laugh quite hard!]

The artist doodled the piece of art below, and this is the conversation that took place when her daughter came home from school one day:

"Is that me? Is that me?"
"No."
"I want that to be me."
"Why, you want to be dead?"
*gasp* "WHAT?! She's dead?"
"Yeah, what did you think?"
"I thought she was just looking in there."
"It's a Venus Fly Trap."
"I thought it was a taco plant! And she's looking for cheese! No, no, no, I don't want to be her!"

:)

life is gooooood.

2009-05-01T23:59:00.005-04:00

[image courtesy of Life is Good]

[list inspired by The Green Greek]

20 Little Things to Celebrate in Life

1. Fiances who do lots of chores
(without complaining, too!)

2. Tiny hoodie sweaters for dogs
3. Rearranging furniture
(which makes home feel like new again)
4. Cranium.com
5. New blogging friends
6. Old blogging friends
7. Exciting twists on tv shows (like "Lost")
8. Crafts & DIY projects
9. Saving money
10. Having a job
(actually, this one's something HUGE to celebrate)
11. Home decoration magazines & blogs
(I'm obsessed)
12. Exercise
13. Journals
14. Trying out new hairstyles
15. Biking
16. Planners
17. Bubble gum
18. Art
19. Days off of work & school
20. Late night reading

[so...what are YOUR 20 little things to celebrate in life? leave me a comment & some inspiration! :) ]

10 Things that make me TERRIBLY happy

2009-04-29T23:15:00.003-04:00

{i don't remember where i found this cutie "beard of love" artwork but please comment me if you know so i can give credit!}

[list inspired by http://taza-and-husband.blogspot.com/]

1. Meaningful and perception-altering conversations
2. Our wedding: 10.10.10
3. Rearranging furniture and decor so that our home feels new again
4. Writing/Sketching/Creating
5. Visiting the family back home
6. Intensely productive days
7. Blog-searching
8. James' unmatched love for me (bc I definitely don't deserve it)
9. Days off of work
10. Games!

MOnsteRS

2009-04-29T22:48:00.001-04:00

Harry

David

Frankie

Juliette

nice to meet you.

Jaws

2009-04-26T23:50:00.002-04:00

art courtesy of christina vantzou

*some days, i feel like this.

[do you?]

Late at night, but never late enough...

2009-04-26T00:01:00.002-04:00

art courtesy of mydeadpony

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they go right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart, so that better things can fall together."

Marilyn Monroe

***

so. onward it is.

We could be heroes...

2009-04-24T00:39:00.002-04:00

courtesy of jess gonacha

*I promise I will [go outside and play]
*I promise I will [sketch without abandon]
*I promise I will [dream bigger than before]
*I promise I will [make my dreams come alive]
*I promise I will [write and record the song lyrics of my soul]
*I promise I will [craft and create]
*I promise I will [stop making excuses and make it all happen]

now.

Yes, sir, it was a finnnnnnnnne day...

2009-04-23T00:39:00.002-04:00

*Final class with one of my favorite professors (sad to say bye but nice to leave behind the couse load!)
*No work :)
*Exercise! Yay for walking to class and back (although I maybe cheated by catching the bus when I was halfway home...)
*TONS of work done on assignments and projects (finished with my part of a 4-week unit plan, began and finished a 4-page essay, and e-mailed a literature activity and self-evaluation to my adolescent lit professor). Ah, how I adore productivity.
*James had a super good day :)
*Jessie and his girlfriend Ashley came over; we talked about jobs and tattoos and then admired/showered love on/played with lil puppy Jelly Bean
*Healthy eating! Sometimes I eat too much when I get lonely (James was gone all day at work) but I overcame that and kept myself busy!
*"Jeopardy!" with dinner

*A quick walking break to the mailbox; two observations: one kid playing with a remote control car, another kid playing with a bubble wand...which reminds me--I need to PLAY MORE!!!

*Extra time spent with the Lord this morning (when you start out with Him, how could it be a bad day?)
*Returned my dad's sweet voicemail message from when he called while I was at work the other day

B*E*A*U*T*I*F*U*L

Day

A treat from StoryPeople

2009-04-23T00:36:00.002-04:00

image courtesy of nicholas haggard

The singing on her belly dance records reminded her of the cattle auctions she used to go to with her grandfather & she would sing along softly, fourfiftyfourfiftyfour seventyfivegorgeous gorgeousgorgeous myohmy, she would say & then she would raise her hands above her head & ripple her body like trees in the wind.

Brian Andreas

Movin' on up!

2009-04-23T00:10:00.002-04:00

Yay America! First we get our first black president and now Disney's unveiled their first black princess! Isn't she cute? I'm pretty sure she's gonna be in the new film "The Princess and the Frog"--and I cannot wait! :)

More beautiful than you can imagine...

2009-04-22T01:53:00.002-04:00

i love her…

…heart, that center of her, beating drums and fire pits and starless skies, both fear of the dark and intimacy with it. i ran my hands along her sides to feel the blood pulse like lightning striking when she got anxious and knew the strength there was older than she is.

[courtesy of http://iloveherellipsis.tumblr.com/]

Mambo!

2009-04-22T01:28:00.003-04:00

*Do you also love randomly connecting with complete strangers?

[how surprising life is]

*One week of classes left...
[it's okay for some good things to come to an end]

*Just hired two new girls at work
[what a relief]

*I'm reading Uglies and can't wait to finish
[how homework-filled life is before I can get back to it, however]

*I'm learning to be okay with my body
[it's nice to like yourself, even if just sometimes]

*Loving 90.5 Spirit FM at night, when they play Christian Rock & Rap & Alternative
[good stuff, my friends, good stuff]

****

Ugly

2009-04-19T22:26:00.004-04:00

*Inspired by Scott Westerfeld's novel Uglies; I haven't finished reading it yet, but I certainly recommend it! One of those wonderful makes-you-think and censorship-sucks novels...

Two new creations

2009-04-19T22:21:00.001-04:00

*I miss my family more than I can say :(

*I created my first Wordle! Try it, yo! :)

Whatcha thinking about?

2009-04-17T01:25:00.002-04:00

*Jamal here is thinking about:

only this moment
dreaming big
being brighter than they think
making it better
flying away

*I'm thinking about:

not thinking about all the end-of-the-semester stuff there is to finish up
getting something to drink
"I used to apologize for every little think I said or did, or hadn't said of hadn't done, or fogotten to say, etc.; I used to apologize for living. Now I've given up--I mean, apologizing. Not living; I've only just started that." Cary Grant
hopefully finding relief when I hire two new girls for the store tomorrow
shutting down the computer and laying in his arms...

[What are YOU thinking about?]

Let's make beautiful things out of our mistakes

2009-04-16T01:09:00.004-04:00

*Sometimes I just want to destroy myself--
what do I do with that?

*give in, don't give in, give in, don't give in...

*Brian Andreas' Story of the Day:

More Fair

They left me
with your shadow,
saying things like
Life is not fair

& I believed them
for a long time.

But today,
I remembered
the way you laughed
& the heat
of your hand
in mine

& I knew that
life is more fair
than we can
ever imagine
if
we are there to live it

*Don’t worry about mistakes. Making things out of mistakes, that’s creativity. --Peter Max

He's so great.

2009-04-15T01:15:00.002-04:00

Why makes my fiance fantastico?

*he does the dishes and takes out the trash every day (seriously, I don't ever have to do either)
*he tucks me into bed every night
*the tv is mine when i want it--he NEVER says no to "Jeopardy!" or "The Ellen Degeneres Show"
*he refuses to judge me
*i have funny eating habits, but he still doesn't judge me
*he takes the puppy out when it's too cold for me outside
*he drives me and picks me up anywhere/anytime i need him to
*his newest ambitions are really wonderful (to become an EMT and get into the medical field)
*he doesn't buy into weight or hollywood obsessions
*he knows how to not worry and i wish i were just like him in that respect!

What do YOU love???

2009-04-14T23:24:00.002-04:00

*Today, I love sketching random people.
*Today, I love lemon pepper seasoned green beans.
*Today, I love productivity.
*Today, I love "The Office", "Fringe", and "Jeopardy!"
*Today, I love James' newfound fascination with cop and ER shows.
*Today, I love that I started to shop online but realized that I don't need anymore crap and didn't buy anything.
*Today, I love quotes...

Don’t worry about mistakes. Making things out of mistakes, that’s creativity.
Peter Max

To understand what happened at the diner, we'll use Mr. Papaya. This is upsetting, because he is the friendliest of fruits.
Walter, "Fringe"

When I was nine years old, I think I wanted to be a brontosaurus.
Peter Bishop, "Fringe"

It's like she only wants to hook up when Ryan comes around. It's gotten to the point where I get excited every time that little dude walks through the door.
Daryl Philbin, "The Office"

What do YOU love today???

"Educational" Television

2009-04-14T00:29:00.003-04:00

*Important things I learned from watching seasons 1 & 2 of "Hey Arnold!"

Never sign the pages of your diary (or else you'll spend all night in someone else's closet, waiting for a chance to get the diary back)
Grandmas can be super cool and suave (remember when Arnold's grandma helped him bust Lock Jaw outta the aquarium?)
Don't let pretty people use you (those sixth grade girls can be SO manipulative)
Vacant lots make great baseball fields, among other things
The "perfect" Saturday? No such thing...
Take the time to actually LEARN stuff--'cause those fancy smancy electronic devices won't always work when you need 'em to
Stealing = not cool
You and the pigeon man might not be so different from one another after all...
Not getting an "A" doesn't qualify for depression or pity
Don't mistreat your teachers, even if they're too "sensitive"--the alternative might be a butt-kicking ex-army general!
You're never too old to learn how to ride a bike
No one's life is as perfect as it may seem
Plagiarism = statue hauntings and nightmares
Think outside the game board (especially if the game is Chinese Checkers)
Don't believe everything--or everyone, for that matter!--you see on tv
Cheaters never win in the end!
Sacrifice = feel-g00d-deep-down feelings

::what a wonderful world::

2009-04-13T23:19:00.003-04:00

*wonderful weekend =

birthday dinners +
tons of family time +
a visit from the Easter Bunny +
wedding dress shopping +
"Chloe" time +
"Heroes", "Lost", and "The Office" +
excitement in promises for the future +
a living room full of black balloons

Hello, my name is Monster.

2009-04-11T00:22:00.002-04:00

*the world is full of so much beauty and messes at the same time...inspiration is everywhere...but why do i feel so...blah? ->perhaps a revival is in order...

don't be a jerk.

2009-04-09T23:11:00.002-04:00

*life lessons

put people first, always
chill out
move your body
give it everything you've got, every time
make messes
clean up after yourself
create--be original
indulge in inspiration
sing. LOUDLY!

[Inspired by a post from Naturally Nina]

Reach/Climb

2009-04-09T01:35:00.003-04:00

*i know that i'm bigger than my body
*i'm trying to live, this moment, right now, that's all, that's all
*prioritize: people, creations, school, work

*******

Kaizen: Finished most of my LEP (Limited English Proficiency student) project for my ESOL class & wasn't too mean to myself when I messed up my plans for the day. Plus: more doodles finished today and to be posted soon!

sharpie love

2009-04-08T01:05:00.002-04:00

inspiration and beauty from (ellipsis):

"

i love her…

…and i told her i’d write a letter with all the things i loved about her in it. i used her back once, blue Sharpie, and wrote all the words that belonged to her. i ran out of skin before i ran out of words. we left the stains all over her couch in sweat that night. she never read it.

on/off

2009-04-08T00:58:00.004-04:00

there's a delicacy to life that i'll never understand...i only want to live so that every day does not slip through my fingers and shatter to bloody beautiful messes upon the scuffed but sacred hardwood floor...

Let's make something...

2009-04-06T23:13:00.001-04:00

It doesn’t matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said.

―Jackson Pollock

"Speak" Alternative Book Report

2009-04-05T02:39:00.004-04:00

"The Wisdom of Mr. Freeman"

"Welcome to the only class that will teach you how to survive. Welcome to art."

“This is where you can find your soul, if you dare. Where you can touch that part of you that you’ve never dared look at before. Do not come here and ask me to show you how to draw a face. Ask me to help you find the wind.”

“Are words or numbers more important than images? Who decided this? Does algebra move you to tears?”

“If you don’t learn art now, you will never learn to breathe!!!”

"The opportunities are endless."

“You just chose your destiny, you can’t change that.”

"Enough! Please turn your attention to the bookshelves."

“Kahlo, Monet, O’Keeffe. Pollock, Picasso, Dali. They did not complain about subject, they mined every subject for the root of its meaning.”

“Want me to tell you what I see? I see a girl caught in the remains of a holiday gone bad, with her flesh picked off day after day as the carcass dries out.”

“Art is about making mistakes and learning from them.”

“Art without emotion is like chocolate cake without sugar. It makes you gag.”

“The next time you work on your trees, don’t think about trees. Think about love, or hate, or joy, or rage—whatever makes you feel something, makes your palms sweat or your toes curl. Focus on that feeling. When people don’t express themselves, they die one piece at a time. You’d be shocked at how many adults are really dead inside—walking through their days with no idea who they are, just waiting for a heart attack or cancer or a Mack truck to come along and finish the job. It’s the saddest thing I know.”

"I think you have a lot to say. I'd like to hear it."

“You are getting better at this, but it’s not good enough. This looks like a tree, but it is an average, ordinary, everyday, boring tree. Breathe life into it. Make it bend—trees are flexible, so they don’t snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch—perfect trees don’t exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree.”

A modern love story

2009-04-04T02:04:00.001-04:00

So flippin' cute!!!

http://www.monkeemaker.co.uk/page43.htm

MAGNIFICENT post!

2009-04-04T01:20:00.004-04:00

i'm obsessed with creating these crazy doodles; can you tell? :)

PLUS:

love love LOVE this post from naturally nina:

Weekend Wisdom

silly = good.

flossing is better than cavities.

pale is the new tan.

kissing is a great way to burn calories.

drinking water = yummy.

playing scrabble while sipping wine is always a good idea.

doing laundry on a saturday is a no no.

eating slowly is impossible if you're eating the right food.

your mom is the reason you are here. thank her.

being yourself + doing the best you can = okay.

check 'er out at www.naturallynina.com

Church Bulletin Doodle

2009-04-04T01:09:00.002-04:00

mmm. sorry it's so blurry; i'm not so good with taking and posting pictures, but i hope you enjoy it all the same!

p.s. thank you so so so much for all of your super kind comments! you guys rock and i love you! :)

For Chloe, my darling of darlings:

2009-04-03T00:14:00.004-04:00

Very Creative (like my Chloe)...

Look at all those lil peeps!

Do it.

Hehe her favorite movie. We don't know why, exactly. But that's okay.

I think this is cool and we should try it (decorating over pictures and such).

"Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, she'll still be there."
Amy Li

Chloe's a giver and she looooves saving the environment. :)

Hey! Now you can have meatballs AND be a vegetarian! XD

Oh yeah.

...with God, that is...

Ask Why

2009-04-03T00:10:00.002-04:00

Wild Doodle #1 by j.c.duBois

[te amo colores]

"…because watching her face as she recites the movie playing in the background is infinitely better than watching the movie itself."

2009-03-31T00:09:00.004-04:00

"

i love her…

…and those split second fissures where she offers half-understood secrets. the hotel room, seventeen floors above any waking life, two hours to sunrise city traffic. i kissed her tears, silent and small, not to condemn and remove them, but to show i find them precious.

"

"

i love her…

…and the art she makes. her style is a harsh mix; gradeschool idealism with darkerside symbolism. checkers and flatlines, vitals and halos. childlike, disturbing. for my birthday she gave me one of her pieces. it was my favourite gift.

i love her…

…and when we kiss, it still feels the same as the first time, the magnetism, that pull, the way my stomach drops clear out, down to the floor, and she catches me, my breath, and with both hands holds me from falling harder.

i love her…

…because when i bring over a $50 bottle of vodka in the shape of a crystal skull, she knows to laugh. but i love her more because then she puts it in her freezer next to the chicken fingers and takes pictures.

visit http://iloveherellipsis.tumblr.com/ to find a million more beautiful odes from one magical poet to her divine subject of affection.

"That's so sixteen-year-old boy with a cheesy mustache..."

2009-03-30T23:00:00.005-04:00

For the past two weeks in my Adolescent Literature course, we've coordinated to have guest speakers (our group asked my mom to speak for our topic and she was brilliantly articulate) present on "adolescents at risk" topics (such as homelessness, abuse, substance abuse, eating disorders, suicide, etc.). One of the presenters tonight showed us the following clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrJrw5ZZfRU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C277qAKpUaQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEpBYKOs3ys

I'm sure you get the topic by now and you can check out more here:
http://www.thinkb4youspeak.com/

Jai Ho

2009-03-27T23:58:00.004-04:00

Kaizen: Sooo I am totally impressed with myself because I learned the dance that the actors from "Slumdog Millionaire" perform to "Jai Ho"! It's so much fun and it doesn't look the greatest coming from me but I'm happy that I just took the initiative to do it! If a physical activity isn't fun, then it's not for me; but this was totally fun and worth my time!!! :)

Here's a link to the dance performed during the credits on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nOVggxZPL0&feature=related

And here's the video I used to learn it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7AuQKFlhXI&feature=related

And finally, the Pussycat Dolls' version (because yay it's in English and I can understand the words): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVlBrooxcM

Poetry? Dead?

2009-03-27T01:42:00.002-04:00

Not as long as I'm not!

This headline on msn.com caught my eye: "End of the line for poetry?"
Here's the article, if you're interested: http://www.newsweek.com/id/191012?GT1=43002

I searched the web and aha! These people would like to disagree: "Poetry still alive, relevant to youth" at http://media.www.tcudailyskiff.com/media/storage/paper792/news/2008/04/23/Opinion/Poetry.Still.Alive.Relevant.To.Youth-3342226.shtml

And here's a treat, proof that poetry is well and alive and glowing and unafraid:

Peddler

by Sandra McPherson

The man vending needles at our door

Was lucky to greet you.

He looked poor but you acted needle-poor

Where I’d have said, I don’t need ...

He sells needles to prick your heart

And they’ll take small bites

Out of my finger in a layer of skin

Where my feelings are thin.

The old thread knitting together his many wools

Might last another trudge

To our porch: he came last year but I

Refused and barely looked him in the eye.

I’ve lost how many needles since then?

Besides he is mute

And would see how dumb we are to buy

Three hundred needles for relief.

But he supplied us to the end of life.

I’ll give away some.

And you might never use these points

That push through cloth, cut to be made one.

More "Lost" love:

2009-03-27T01:33:00.006-04:00

[Terry O'Quinn/John Locke]

Check out this neat-o photo gallery of our favorite "Lost" characters before they ever even came to the island...

[Josh Holloway/Sawyer/LaFleur]

[Evangelline Lilly/Kate]

[Naveen Andrews/Sayid]

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,1550612_20245765_1192935,00.html

Ah, "Lost"...

2009-03-27T01:26:00.002-04:00

I love "Lost". Last night's episode was pretty good (not the best, but still good, especially since Siyad is such a great character). Anyhow, here's a way cute photo shoot with Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly (I know a lot of people don't care for it but I love Jack & Kate as a couple)...

Check it at entertainmentweekly.com

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-03-27T01:21:00.002-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--N9klJXbjQ

One of the best children books ever--now they're making a movie about it! Oh please oh please oh please do it right...

My own versions:

2009-03-26T23:54:00.003-04:00

**We should k i s s:

on a swingset
in the ocean
on a street corner at night
at a wedding
next to a monument
in the middle of the road
with our arms around each other
in a tree
like butterflies do
upside-down, Spider-Man style
like it'll be our last time...

*******

**I will:

feed the dog
keep the house dust- and dirt-free
make you homemade gifts for every holiday and birthday

You will:

clean the litter box
do the dishes
tell me you love me even when I upset you

*******

Pass it on!

2009-03-25T01:04:00.003-04:00

My Favorite Picture

My Favorite Poem {today}

I am not from here

I am not from here,

my hair smells of the wind

and is full of constellations,

and I move about this world

with a healthy disbelief.

And I approach my days and my work

with vaporous consequence

a touch that is translucent,

but can violate stone.

Jewel

My Favorite Item of Clothing

summer dresses

My Favorite Quote {today}

"The minute you choose to do what you really want to do, it's a different kind of life."

R. Buckminster Fuller

My Favorite Place(s)

1. My home

2. Anywhere I'm creating

3. Anywhere Chloe, Amy, or James is

4. Orlando (Disney, Universal, Ikea)

My Favorite Song {will always be:}

"Your Song" by Elton John

"...I hope ya don't mind,
I hope ya don't mind

That I put down in words

How wonderful life is

While you're in the world..."

Disney Princess

[not technically a princess]

Mulan

Vignette

2009-03-24T19:45:00.003-04:00

Ma took us out to dinner, my fiance and me. It was nice to be treated to a meal out; being in college doesn't allow much room for extras like going to restaurants or the movies.

Before she met up with us, Ma called to ask if she could spend the night--at my apartment. Weird, but how could I say no? She said she had to be in town early the next day anyway so it made perfect sense that she would stay the night instead of driving home just to drive right back up. Besides, it would be pretty rude and un-daughter-like to dismiss the idea. I was afraid of her judgement, though; would she think my home was too cluttered or too dirty or filled with all the wrong stuff? Would she dig through our fridge and our pantry and then criticize our eating habits? Would the guest bed be too hard or would the sheets smell funny or would the cat bother her at night?

That night, after dinner (and 20 ounces of Sangria), Ma asked me to drive back to the apartment. My stomach ached with butterflies the whole way there.

At the apartment, I typed up some homework and my fiance played some video games and Ma read before she announced that she was ready for bed. I made the guest room as comfortable as possible, bringing her extra pillows and my fiance's phone charger (because she forgot her own) and clean matching towels for a shower in the morning. She was both gracious and grateful; I wanted to do more for her but she insisted she was fine.

In the morning, she whispered "bye" to me and told me to look on my fridge for a hidden message. When I got up an hour later to take the puppy out, I remembered there was a message waiting for me in the kitchen. I searched the outside of the refrigerator for a post-it note or a piece of paper but there were only magnets. Then I saw it, in the bottom left-hand corner of the freezer door, some of the magnetic poetry arranged as "Hugs and kisses. You are my heart".

I guess she didn't judge me after all.

EverYthinG is worthy of Documentation

2009-03-24T00:45:00.002-04:00

In a recent post, a blogger friend asked for suggestions for spring break activities. Here are some ideas I came up with for her and some more that I added just now and I want to try all of them myself asap!

Enjoy :)

Suggestions for stuff to do: create! Paint, explore your town/city, bike ride, people watch, meet up with friends every day, go to a karaoke bar, dress up, write your own movie reviews, make lesson plans or activities [for those of us who are or aspire to be teachers], de-clutter your home, go through old journals, re-read books from your childhood, record record record [favoring quote of the week is "Everything is worthy of documentation"], listen to music [both new and old and familiar and unfamiliar], journal, write a novel, write poetry, write music, make a movie, write up short-term and long-term goals, make a collage, sketch, draw cartoons, go to the library, take some time away from the computer and tv! :)

Kaizen of the year, maybe...

2009-03-21T00:53:00.004-04:00

[can't remember exactly where I found this pic but it looks like something done by yaelfran on Etsy]

I had forgotten how good it feels to help a stranger without being asked or prompted, but just because you feel like being kind. I think that's what Jesus was all about--serving others without expecting anything in return--and it's quite an exquisite feeling, just to be even a little bit closer to Him.

What's better?

2009-03-20T01:57:00.002-04:00

Seriously, what's better than a good book and a cozy nook?

Mmmhmm. Exactly.

The optimist sees the donut...

2009-03-19T00:57:00.003-04:00

So, I feel like the biggest idiot in the whole world because I got scammed at work today by some dude using an invalid travellers' check (worth two hundred stinking dollars). Amazingly, James walked into the store just a few minutes after it happened so he helped me calm down ('cause I knew something was suspicious and I shouldn't have fallen for this guy's scam) and that was good because I was feeling pretty scared and shitty.

ANYHOW! I was having a SUPERB today before that, so as the optimist, I am focusing on the donut, if you will, and not the hole (for that is precisely what the pessimist would see instead):

At the store, I actually used a coupon that I cut out (I usually just cut them out and forget to use them)
Sharing my breakfast with Jelly Bean and watching an episode of "Jeopardy!"
On the way in to work, I decided I'd turn the radio to a classic rock station today; but when I got there, Karah already had the radio tuned to a rock station!
I woke up early, even before my alarm went off; my mind was racing and ready for me to get up and start doing stuff
I finished reading The Giver by Lois Lowry--and loved it!
I was able to get most of my Adolescent Lit homework done
The Bum wrote to me on facebook--which means she's home!!! :)
Straightened hair + pink-n-black-with-hints-of-skulls outfit = cute punk look

Like Chloe learning from her sunburn, I'm going to learn from this experience. And I'll never ever ever let someone scam me like that again.

Create your beautiful

2009-03-18T01:06:00.005-04:00

last three images courtesy of http://www.sheilavu.com/index.html

AT WAR WITH THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

2009-03-13T23:57:00.002-04:00

Oh, my. I am IN LOVE with this new Sean Kingston/Lil Wayne song called "I'm at War".

Here's a link to the regular version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erP35TQJhAM&feature=related

And here's a link to a "cuter"/had me laughing on the floor for quite a while version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xJdj_jKDFg&feature=related

Peace, yo! :)

Oh, it is love

2009-03-13T00:11:00.001-04:00

Kaizen: Putting James before myself by giving him extra time and love tonight

I love you like Ellen loves Portia

2009-03-10T01:38:00.002-04:00

http://www.gemmacorrell.com/index.htm

This artist is pretty sweet; check 'er out!

*******

Kaizen: Put my heart and soul into my Speak alternative book report; it's really beautiful and I can't wait to post pictures of it (but I had to turn it in today so I can't yet)! :)

Glamour's 70 Years of American Style Icons

2009-03-09T20:43:00.003-04:00

I found this adorable photo shoot/article online that features current stars representing famous American icons. Here's the link: http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-look/womens-history-month/staticslideshowglamour.aspx?cp-documentid=18279904&imageindex=1

Plus, some of my favorites:

Hayden Panettiere as Amelia Earhart

Emma Roberts as Audrey Hepburn

America Ferrera as Dolores Huerta (I didn't know about Dolores before this article but she was a "fierce advocate for migrant farmers" and "cofounded, with César Chávez, what became the United Farm Workers of America")

Alicia Keys as Michelle Obama

Alexis Bledel as Rosie the Riveter

Oops!

2009-03-06T02:04:00.004-05:00

I haven't Kaizened in so long! That's bad! So! Today's Kaizen(s):

...that I remembered to Kaizen! Maybe if I make it a point to make Kaizen goals every day, I will remember...
...listened as my poor co-worker vented about her frustrating evening (even though I should've been doing homework); I've gotta get my priorities straight. The people in my life are more important than working and school. Right now, my priorities are school -> work -> people -- and that is just WRONG. So here I have my NEW and IMPROVED and PICKLED priorities: spending time with/caring for people I love/care about -> my own well-being (taking time to journal and sketch and create and read) -> school/homework -> work. Ugh. Serious, so little time, so much to do [i'd like to spend my days with you]...

Introducing Doodle Bug Cartoons

2009-03-05T01:57:00.002-05:00

check it, yo!!! :)

http://doodlebugcartoons.blogspot.com/

[please]

Speak

2009-03-04T23:33:00.003-05:00

*sigh*

I hope you have read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson; if you haven't you need to. The narrator is quirky and humorous and relatable--and she'll also break your heart. Imagine James' surprise when a little more than half-way through the book I burst into tears and sob uncontrollably and he asks me what's wrong and I cannot speak I am crying so hard so all I can do is hold up the book to try to make him understand. It made me so angry that other people--especially the people who were supposed to be her friends and even her own parents--couldn't see her silence as a cry for help. Also, I'd like to be a teacher like Mr. Freeman. :)

Yeah, it'll break your heart
but it'll plant a new seed in there, too.

i.n.s.p.i.r.a.t.i.o.n.

2009-02-28T23:56:00.002-05:00

Thank you Chloe (via Amy) for showing me this enchantingly innovative music video. And the song itself is quite lovely, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY

Fun Facts:
* The video was shot all stills - roughly 3225 still photos for the entire video, using one camera, hanging from the ceiling for the main body of the movie.
* It took 4 weeks before shooting to create an animated computer generated storyboard for the video, with 3d dummies for the characters.
* It took only 2 days of shooting for the live actors on set to re-create the 3.5 minutes computer sequence, frame by frame.
* Some of the bed sheets used in the video were taken from Oren’s own bedroom and are now considered collectors items, worth at the moment not very much and therefore used as bed sheets. *Each of the wonderfully talented people above have worked on the video for a fraction of their normal rates (except Oren who worked for his normal rate of zero).

[fun facts courtesy of http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=99738779&blogId=467348012]

*******
Kaizen: Actually quite an accomplishment for me today--ate a bit more food than I normally would, except I didn't allow myself to feel guilty! Healthier body, here I come! :)

Somehow, I will make time...

2009-02-27T00:43:00.004-05:00

...for all of these beautiful crafts and oddities and artwork...

lovely lanterns

gift: treats with a "why i love you" list adorning the inside of the box

a way cute organization idea (tea cup organizers)

a branch mobile (i don't think there will be a point except to create)

these are so cute but will probably have to wait to be made till there's some sort of celebration

i'm gonna fill out my own brain :)

i think jars make clutter cuter

also gifts: picture to the left is a bunch of little match boxes made all cute and full of treats for valentines' day

Do you know why the caged bird sings?

2009-02-23T22:27:00.004-05:00

*artwork extracted from http://www.warymeyers.com/warymeyers1.html

What did I learn today???

That you should NEVER pick up your laptop by the screen (like my poor friend did the other day) if you don't like cracks running across your screen.
That graphic organizers can be quite helpful for teaching students about finding themes in literature.
That teachers MUST have a rationale prepared for any potentially controversial book he or she might teach; know WHAT and WHY you're teaching a particular piece of literature!
That no literature is safe from censorship or being banned. Here are a few ludicrous examples of previously banned literature: Where the Sidewalk Ends, Black Beauty, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Don Quixote, Little House on the Prairie, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and The Lorax. By Dr. Seuss. Yeahhh. Oh, bonus! Where's Waldo. No lie, people. Here's a link with explanations: http://title.forbiddenlibrary.com/

*******

Kaizen:

Productivity (way too much homework but it's all good)
Not chewing too much gum :)

*******

this artist is so flippin' talented...seriously, how absolutely ADORABLE is his/her work? check it, yo, at http://apakstudio.com/apak/.

Can I please have a term for the opposite of Kaizen?

2009-02-20T23:29:00.003-05:00

Kaizen: No kaizen. But I suppose destroying yourself, if you turn it into something positive and/or learn from it, is it really as bad as you thought?

Mmmm.

That's what I thought.

Positively Productive and Foreign

2009-02-20T00:24:00.003-05:00

...are the precise words I'd like to use to describe my day. The productive part is easy to figure out, but not the foreign I suppose. So here is my account of two different foreign encounters today:

Guy comes into my candy store and I offer him my spiel ("Hi, how are you today? Everything on the wall's the same price so you can mix and match any way you like. We also have a deal going on if you buy a pound today you get a quarter of a pound for free!"). In his lovely Scottish accent, he asks for the Jelly Bellies, which I gladly and easily show him. I don't really expect him to buy much but then he starts really loading up with every flavor from icky black licorice to yummy strawberry cheesecake. As I'm ringing him up (he bought two pounds and got a half pound for free, in case you're wondering), I ask about who the candy is for, he mentions his nephews in Scotland, I ask why he's in Tampa, he says he comes to Florida every year to SKY DIVE! How cool is that? I asked him if he's ever scared, he said after the first fifty times you get used to it. We talk some more and of course he's charming because he's foreign. :)
Probably not fifteen minutes later, an older gentleman becomes captivated with the chocolates in the front case and tells me in his foreign accent that he could eat everything in there. As I'm ringing his purchases up (a bunch of truffles and vanilla creams), he mentions how the chocolate is not good for his Diabetes (ya think?) and I say that it's probably okay to have a little bit and not go overboard and we start talking about health and he mentions that he's 74 and I say no way! because he really doesn't look 74. I ask him how he stays looking so young and he mentions that he used to dive for the navy and all the extra oxygen and exercise he got helped him out. I told him that I'm a scuba diver, too, and then he was really excited to shake my hand. :)

This is my naughty puppy Jelly Bean who I still love very much because she's too cute not to love otherwise.

Kaizen:

Productivity
Putting up with (and not getting angry at) crazy group members in my expository writing class
Work duties before homework
More prayer time = the best part of the day :)

Why didn't anyone tell me that Demetri Martin has his own show on Comedy Central?!

2009-02-19T00:27:00.005-05:00

Because being mad is more wonderful than you know...

...I dream of a sanctuary like this, a place that weaves its own magical tales...

..."Lost" tonight: perhaps my favorite episode of the season because they revealed so damn much (finally!)...

...and to end this post on a lovely note, my Kaizen for the day: productivity! I took few breaks and did not spend ANY time on the internet like I usually do when I'm on my computer but should be typing up a lesson plan or an essay or something. I finished ALL 3 ESOL lesson plans today! Yay!

*Bonus: Extra time in prayer every day this week so far! Yay for feeling closer to God! :)

*******

...loving you, always and forever...

Owl always be here for you...

2009-02-17T00:19:00.002-05:00

Check it, yo! New plushes on my sister site, http://noplacelikeyoursmile.blogspot.com/

*******

Kaizen: Yay for productivity! I finished my Adolescent Lit project with a teeny tiny bit of time to spare and I even went above and beyond by adding extra elements that were not required! Yay (sometimes) for over-achieving...

***********************

P.S. Chloe, I loved my time spent with you last night. You are my favorite treat, always.

*******
P.P.S. Bum, I am loving you and thinking of you always, too. I must call soon, really, because it has been far too long and you are far too wonderful for me to let slip past without knowing the fantastic details of your life...

all i want is to feel.

2009-02-16T00:08:00.003-05:00

beads of salty sweat kiss his dinosaur spine
he moves and it's beautiful and you can see that he will never stop
running and swinging and jumping and soaring
the show is unscripted yet the performance is flawless
strong movements exude grace
she watches in awe, wishing and willing her own body to stir in such elegant procession
a hungry energy comes alive
and two companions dance with startled passion
every night and far away from sad and ordinary life

i agree.

2009-02-15T02:02:00.000-05:00

http://www.mikemillsweb.com/exhibitions_graffiti.html

so.tired.but.must.document.kaizen.

2009-02-14T02:35:00.003-05:00

Kaizen: When Alicia (my boss) asked me to stay till 7 tonight (which was three freaking hours later than I was supposed to), I did not give in exactly but instead I compromised by agreeing to stay till 5. Ugh, I gotta learn to say 'ABSOLUTELY NO' one of these days. But hey, that kinda stuff takes time, right?

Thank the wOnderful Lord Jesus:

2009-02-12T00:01:00.004-05:00

...for giving me such a beautiful day;
truly, it was perfection because

everyone in my classroom management class loved my chocolate chip Reese's cookie cake frosted with chocolate funfetti icing
I met personally with my classroom management teacher; she's just so cool and has SO much incredibly relevant info for me
the actual class was amazing as always
I got my exercise in (walk to school and back)
lots of "God time" through prayer
MAJOR productivity through homework, project, and paper completions
no more Joe
time with my babe
healthy eating
"Jeopardy!" and "Lost" during dinner
loverly blog comments :)
achieving all of my Kaizen goals
and now "Zathura", blogging, fun fruit gum, and my babes (James and Jelly Bean) right next to me

[And I owe it all
to
Him,
the most lovely of all]

Kaizen: My goals were to

a) complete mass amounts of homework

b) make some time for myself

c) eat healthily and

d) NOT gossip or talk badly about anyone.

***Hooray for missions accomplished!***

Pure and perfect girl

2009-02-11T01:25:00.006-05:00

"She smelled like soap and ice cream and girl: pure and perfect girl."

p. 37, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

My own versions of "pure and perfect girl":

She felt like strawberry daiquiri and procelain and lacy ruffles
She dances like mariachi music and red hot peppers and tiny flamenco feet
She writes like pink streaks in the sky and song lyrics spilling of your tongue and ice melting in your hand
She looked like golden ink and cascading waterfalls and just-bloomed roses
She tasted like cotton candy melting in your mouth and clean clean teeth and sugar-encrusted lips
She looked like diamonds sparkling in a dark cave and mermaids swirling in blue-green depths and twilight kissing the moon
She walked like paint-splattered maracas and tiny naked pixies and leaves floating to the ground
She sang like cars colliding and waves crashing and little kids fighting--yet he only felt the warmth of beating hearts and magical places and bursting dreams when she belted out the lyrics
She spoke like raindrops splattering the roof and best friends giggling and thoughts zipping past
She dreamed like everything is possible and songs never end and fantasy devours reality
She sketched like castles on sparkling fire and heroes fighting for love and nymphs enchanting innocent passers-by
She lived like shooting stars never resting and iridescent crystals forever glistening and wise men laughing
She cried like rivers gushing and waltzes ending and twinkle lights dimming
She loved like poetry exploding and little dreams growing and tiny hands grasping and love songs blaring and profound revelations glowing and broken hearts mending and splintered souls sharing...

Kaizen:

James' needs over school work (building a better and loving relationship)
Felt down at work but kept kind to customers (well, not the first few but then I got my act together!)
Revelations and reflections concerning some of my "issues" and my yet-to-be-conceived children

Coloring inside the lines is never any fun.

2009-02-09T23:36:00.006-05:00

What did I learn today???

I learned why my Adolescent Lit professor prefers the phrase "Create peace" to just plain 'ole "peace": because peace only exists when we make it ourselves.
A great example that I want to live by: in The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier (which I do NOT recommend you read, by the way), a professor accuses a student of cheating and ridicules him in front of the entire class. Everyone, including the students and the professor, know that the kid is not a cheater--yet no one dares stand up for the poor kid. He stands up for himself, though. And in the end, that's all that matters. Lesson: don't be a CAVEr.

Kaizen:

I refused to "recycle" a previous assignment in order to finish a new one quickly.
I really prioritized my time today by choosing productivity over extra exercise.

Flora's IF Balloon

2009-02-09T23:14:00.003-05:00

This is the "If Balloon", which I found on the awesome blog http://happydoodleland.blogspot.com/.
Check it, yo.

So. IF the rest of the world backs down and lets go, do you follow?

[don't be a CAVEr]

IF there were no "must do"s and "need to"s and "have to"s, what might you do? And who might you be?

IF you had one way to spend eternity, how would you?

my advice: forget about IF. make it

r e a l

::

Craft + Kaizen

2009-02-08T00:38:00.005-05:00

Fun Valentines' Day Craft [inspired by marthastewart.com]

Step 1: Pick a yummy candy. I chose Rolos because they're James' favorite (and they were the first wrapped candy I saw).

Step 2: Get out your super cute cupcake liners.

Step 3: Gather the rest of your supplies (i.e., scissors, paper, buttons, super glue, tiny toys, ribbon, and anything else you can think of to make a cute Valentine!)...

Step 4: Flatten the cupcake liners. Place candy in the middle of the bottom liner and use stick glue to attach the outside ridges of the liners together, so that the candy is in the middle of a little closed cupcake liner pocket.

Step 5: Make cute little Valentines using any material you want. I used poster board (to cut out pink hearts), stickers, ribbon, buttons, and the cut-outs of scented Valentines.

Step 6: Using the stick glue, attach the Valentine to the top of the cupcake liner where the candy sticks up.

Step 7: Share with anyone you love, especially your valentine!!!

*Bonus: This doesn't have to be a Valentines' Day craft! I also made Birthday and SpongeBob versions! So much fun! :)

******************************************************

Kaizen: Self-control. I was tempted to do something that I really felt like doing but knew would destroy my whole day. Instead of giving in, I looked to other outlets--like God, these cutie crafts, and homemade slushes--to get past my selfish temptations and become a better person for it.

Stunning

2009-02-07T00:27:00.002-05:00

Kaizen: Generally, I make a point of getting every drab errand done before I can enjoy myself by doing something I really WANT to do. Earlier today, I took a break from all that work and journaled about some stuff I'm really truly thankful for right now. Sure, I had lots more work to do, but I took time for myself, time to build myself up by keeping a reminder of how wonderful life is...

*beautiful images via http://seaweedandgardenias.blogspot.com

Seriously, I have like three more loads of laundry to go...

2009-02-06T00:39:00.001-05:00

Kaizen: Today I signed up to volunteer at this place called Trinity Cafe, just because. Well, because I need to start doing stuff for other people. There's more to life...

"At Trinity we are all about smiles, laughter, and honor. So in a sense instead of calling it a 'soup kitchen' you can call it an 'honor kitchen', where we treat our guests with the utmost respect because they deserve no less."

Yay!!! For the precious time between work and driving and errands when I can create or read or write or lie close to my darling or read fun & funny comments from my bestests. Life is good, so truly good...

Ah, "Lost" and "Heroes"; since I DVR them I love to watch them with my dinner after work and school. And I love the surprises and the suspense and the characters and the insanity of their lives. But most of all, I love that my very favorite people in the world are watching, too, and I'm glad to be connected to them somehow, even if it's through the naive excitement of a Hiro or the bizarre adventures of the passengers from Ocean Flight 815.

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
Christopher Robin to Pooh

The title's not so important today...

2009-02-05T01:18:00.002-05:00

Kaizen: Walking home from school was painful; the cold--paired with the irony of the bus driving away right in front of my watering eyes--stung and angered me. Seriously, cold is death to me. And yet, I made it all the way home--I sucked up my pride and pulled my hood over my head, I walked faster and faster so that time might do the same, and I thought about how much stronger I would be once I got home because I would indeed survive. Kanye and so many others before him had it right: that which doesn't kill me only makes me stronger...

Looking through old journals, found this:

i remember the way it all began, she said and he replied, so do i but it should've gone differently and she was confused so she asked what did he mean and he told her that when he asked for that first date, he had actually meant to ask her to marry him and she whispered of course.

I love Natalie Dee's art + Kaizen of the day

2009-02-04T01:42:00.002-05:00

listen to the wise lil froggie!

lil shrimps are the cutest!

haha she's sooo right...

*************************************************

Kaizen: My goal was to not put myself down at all today...and I didn't! Yay :)

[in that case, I suppose the next step is to build myself up...]

What did I learn today?

2009-02-03T00:20:00.003-05:00

"Freedom means very little if there is no knowledge to accompany it."

"The best revenge is to live a great life." C.P. Curtis

"When you have knowledge--which is power--you don't have power over other people but rather other people do not have power over you." Dan from my Adolescent Lit Class

Kaizen of the day:
Finally telling Joe how I honestly feel (about some things).

A pulchritudinous day

2009-02-02T02:15:00.002-05:00

[First of all, I must thank Chloe for teaching me that new, incredible word (which means beautiful, by the way)]

From now on, I'll be recording my "Kaizen of the day". My classroom management professor taught us the concept of Kaizen, which is a Japanese term that represents improving yourself--even if just a little teeny tiny bit--every day. So, my Kaizen of the day today: being content with watching tv and being with other people without feeling like I must be doing something else to make myself productive. I'm pretty sure being with people I love, which made me happy, made the time worth it--especially since something that makes you happy cannot be a waste of time.

Also: the Super Bowl game tonight was the first football game that I've seen in its entirety, no kidding. So I'm kinda proud of that but it actually wasn't hard to do since the game was so exciting! And my favorite commercial? Probably the first Conan one. Plus, I really liked the Coke commercials because they're all about happy.

Oh, and another thanks I owe to Chloe: thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for sharing your hilarious cat pee/t-shirt/ewww story. Like I said, I haven't laughed quite that hard in a very long time. I love you.

And I love you, too.