Last week, and for part of this week, I was in Ohio for my cousin’s wedding. I want to talk about it more, but I’m going to hold off until I get some photos that I can share.. because it was very pretty.
It’s been one of those weeks where I have the deadly combination of feeling like I’m spinning my wheels due to circumstances out of my control, and still feeling kind of wiped out from a busy trip. I also feel like I’ve ran out of things to talk about on my blog. Hooray for writer’s block. I don’t want to write about stuff I’m not excited about, so.. I guess I need to do some things that excite me, and then write about them!
But I want to know.. what do you like reading about on this blog? Sometimes I hold off on writing about certain things because I don’t want to be repetitive or bore people.. so I’d love to hear what you’d like to read more about?
I will be back for realsies on Monday. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that I get some inspiration between now and then! Maybe to shake things up I’ll go skydiving.. (ha ha HAA)
This hasn’t been my week. I’m not feeling particularly motivated or inspired on any of my projects, planning for the future (something I try to constantly be working on) has seemed fruitless, my apartment’s a mess, and it’s been a struggle to not be constantly shoving leftover birthday cake in my face. I try not to keep food that is bad for me in the apartment, because the self-control struggle that takes place is exhausting. I’m really fun to live with!
It’s okay. It’s hard to not feel like every day is precious time where I need to hit my ideal productivity and do incredible, flawless work, but I’ve been really big on giving myself breaks lately. Not necessarily breaks from working, but mental breaks. I can’t be incredible 100% of the time. A lot of success is just consistency, right?
Anyway, this week has been blah, but I found some cool stuff on the internet, so it isn’t totally a wash!
+ I thought I was too sophisticated for jello shots, but I guess I was wrong.
+ Feeding my post apocalyptic obsession/terror
+ You read my first guest post on Mint, right?
+ This wedding is crazypants. In a good way. I think.
Today I’m participating in a blogging challenge organized by Ez of Creature Comforts blog. It’s inspired by this post, by Jess Constable, and since I am all about some honesty on this blog, of course I wanted to join in!
Here we go:
1. I am terrible at listening. It is such a struggle to turn off my inner monologue and focus on what others are saying. Not always, but often. I hate that about myself.
2. I don’t feel like I know what I’m doing half the time. The problem with freelancing is that to an extent, you are supposed to be all things to all people. Most people recommend that you don’t start out freelancing, and I get that. Almost a year later, there’s still so much I need to learn. Many of my projects have been first-time learning experiences. I make mistakes in every project. Most of my mistakes only negatively affect me, but sometimes I wish I could feel as confident as I sometimes act.
3. I get really jealous. A simple google search can turn up hundreds of people who are doing what I want to do, except 1 million times better than me. I sound awful, but sometimes it’s hard to be happy for people who appear to have a never-ending string of successes/amazing projects. Logically, I know they are working and struggling behind the scenes. Sometimes I’m not a very logical person.
4. I hate taking showers. I know. I’m so gross. But sometimes I put it off for way longer than is socially acceptable.
Okay, now it’s your turn. Do you have things you’re afraid to put out there? Let me know in the comments, so I won’t be the only one!
Caspian hurt his paw last week. He was chasing squirrels at the dog park, his cutest activity, and he tore his duclaw. I didn’t notice until we got home, and he was licking it a lot. Even though I had high hopes of it just fixing itself, that wasn’t actually the case, and we ended up taking a trip to the vet.
He hates the vet. Caspian doesn’t actually hate a lot of things. I think the list is: The mailman, cats, the vacuum cleaner, when we move furniture, & going to the vet. I don’t really like going there either. It starts when he refuses to get on the scale. Let’s just be clear about something. I am not strong enough to move Caspian when he doesn’t want to be moved. He is 85 lbs, more than half my body weight. He’s strong. I can’t make him get on the scale, a task made more difficult by the fact that it’s against a wall, so when he finally DOES get on the scale, he just kind of melts into the wall, because he’s a dick like that sometimes.
They also always send the smallest vet tech to work with him. I’m sorry, but when my giant dog is thrashing around because he doesn’t like it when you try to stick him with a needle, there is no way your 4’11”, 90 pound frame is going to restrain him.
Anyway, his claw had to be removed, the vet showed me the claw after, and it was disgusting. Caspian had to be sedated, and when I got him home, he couldn’t stand to jump out of the car. David had to come home from work to carry him inside, which was the saddest/cutest thing ever. Caspian was completely limp except for his tail, which he still managed to wag. It was precious.
He’s feeling much better now. Even though his little claw-less thumb looks freakish, it will grow back pretty soon, and he’s feeling pretty peppy. I’m so happy he’s feeling better.
I have some really exciting news today. I am a new contributor at Mint (the design blog, not the budgeting website, OBVS.) Mint is one of my favorite design blogs, so of course I am psyched to be a contributor.
I will be posting artist interviews the first Monday of every month. My first post is up today, so be sure to check it out!
Something else to be filed under ‘Things I Am Excited About’ is the fact that the new and improved Love Citron is almost here. There is a completely new product line/direction, and I can’t wait to share it. I spent the weekend finishing up samples, and taking photos. I have to say, it’s really coming together!
David and I have been having a major Office moment lately. We’ve watched the show regularly for a while – although I have to say, I am hoping the current season is the last – and now that it’s on Netflix, it’s easy to just put it on when I’m cooking dinner, or painting my nails, or cleaning or whatever.
It used to be so good, you guys. Jim and Pam used to be cool. They used to be so cool! Remember that? Pam had dreams of being an artist, and she even went to Pratt (to learn Flash, Acrobat and Quark in the same class… I guess Pratt doesn’t have a solid grasp on what tools graphic designers need). Jim used to do funny pranks and encourage Pam to do more than be a receptionist.
Somewhere along the way, they lost their ambition, and lost their status as the cool kids who didn’t really belong at Dunder Mifflin. I don’t find them entertaining, I just find them irritating. They’re so smug!
I guess it’s a good reminder to not lose sight of your goals. Sometimes I feel like I’m just kind of drifting from day to day – I have long term things I’m working toward, but it can be easy to lose sight of that. I don’t want to wake up in 5 years and realize I’ve turned into Jim Halpbert, still holding down basically the same job I had 8 years ago, and parenting two unplanned children. The Office is just a TV show – these characters are stunted because if they left the Office they’d leave the show – but I still feel like it’s a good life lesson. Sure, as you grow your goals can expand and change. But once in a while it’s good to check in with yourself and make sure you’re still moving forward because as Gretchen Rubin always says: The days are long but the years are short.
Essie nailpolish, $7.79
Christian Dior sparkly nail polish, $23
Christian Dior sparkly nail polish, $23
Deborah Lippmann lacquer nail polish, $16
Nail polish, $15
Butter London bright nail polish, $14
NARS Cosmetics nail polish, £14
Butter London hot pink nail polish, $14
Essie nailpolish, $13
Sephora Collection nail polish, $9.50
Sephora Collection lacquer nail polish, $9.50
Essie nailpolish, $8
Essie bright nail polish, $8
Essie nailpolish, $8
Essie nailpolish, $8
Nail polish, $6
American apparel nail polish, $6
Forever 21 lacquer nail polish, $2.80
Forever 21 lacquer nail polish, $2.80
When I was growing up I almost never painted my nails. I took piano, and my teacher discouraged nail painting. Later, I realized I was really, really bad at it, and the subsequent mocking that would occur whenever I debuted my painted fingers wasn’t worth the color.
Recently, a switch flipped in my brain, and I decided that this is a skill I have to master. I think it was this picture, taken at a recent bachelorette party (I don’t typically accessorize with Ring Pops) that flipped the switch. The other two girls have beautiful, manicured nails. Mine, in comparison, look gross.
It started with a basic neon pink, and then I moved on to hunting down the perfect minty shade, and now I’m sporting red sparkles. There’s something about plopping down on the couch with my favorite TV show (right now it’s Office re-runs) and just futzing around with my nails for an hour. It forces me to sit still, lest I smudge, and trying not to get it all over my cuticles is doing wonders for my hand/eye coordination. My collection is off to a good start, since my old roommate left her collection behind when she moved (thanks Caitlin!) but I’m becoming obsessed with obtaining new colors.
Side note: Does anyone remember Bon Bons? They were teeny tiny bottles that you could buy for less than a dollar at Wal-Mart, but they were the perfect size, and that color didn’t budge. It was very popular among me and my 3rd grade friends, but they seem to have disappeared. Bummer.
I’m trying to balance my color obsession with being somewhat responsible about what I buy. I try to stay as natural as possible usually, so it doesn’t make sense to put a bunch of formaldehyde and other chemicals on my fingers. Essie seems to have good stuff, and I know certain brands of OPI also are formaldehyde free. Unfortunately they’re also more expensive. Does that creep you guys out too? I hear formaldehyde and I think about pickling dead bodies.
Last week, my friend Laura moved far far away to be with her fiance and start her new life. I’m really going to miss her! Laura and I have known each other since we were 10 or 11. We were bffs growing up, and I have so many great memories of sleepovers, hair dye experiments gone terribly wrong (once we dyed her hair with henna and it turned orange) and lots of cookie baking. We were roommates freshman year, which was great for making it through those first few weeks when you’re getting your bearings, and she is the person who introduced me to David. Although we sort of went our separate ways after freshman year, we have always stayed in touch, and I’m going to be in her wedding this fall.
I really admire her for having the courage to move somewhere and start fresh. That’s something I dream about doing, and here she is going for it! There are only great things ahead of her, and I’m excited to hear about this new chapter of her life – even though I will miss our walks and coffee dates.
A pretty accurate self portrait.
I have recently started going to Zumba classes. For those not in the know, Zumba is a Latin aerobic dance class. I went to a class with my cousin when I was in Ohio, and I had so much fun that I finally mustered up the courage to go to a class at my gym. Now, I’m kind of addicted.
It’s weird, because I don’t think Zumba is particularly cool. The classes at my gym vary – but some of the instructors are pretty dorky, and the songs can be kind of cheesy. I am so, so bad at it – I would die of embarrassment if someone I knew was watching me, and I feel silly even talking about it. But that’s part of the charm. I’m not doing it to impress anyone, and it feels rare to do something that’s just for me. Beyond that, it’s just really fun. It’s impossible to not smile when you’re dancing around like a crazy person, and everyone else is clearly having fun with you. I love to dance, and this is a great outlet for that. Even better, it is a tough workout. I always leave sweaty and out of breath, but when I’m doing it, the time seems to fly.
But the best part is that I feel like it’s something that is making me grow as a person. I don’t think I do enough stuff that puts me out of my comfort zone – and even though I love Zumba, it is way out of my comfort zone. I feel like a moron doing most of the moves – but I do them, and each time I get a little better. It’s a great reminder for me to continue to try new things and experiences.
What’s your favorite guilty pleasure workout? Would people make fun of you if they saw you doing it?
