Tuesday Tunes

Yes, I realize that I am posting this on a Wednesday, but, better late than never.

I've had Jason Mraz in my head today, from playing my stereo on shuffle, and then listening to him on my iPod while getting ready. By far, Jason Mraz is the most talented singer and most dynamic performer I have seen in a LONG time...maybe ever. (Well, there was that Harry Connick Jr. concert in high school...) (No, that was not a joke.)

Ben and I caught Jason Mraz last summer at Starlight, and I was so honestly pulled in by his stage presence that it took me at least a few days to come down from it. I think we all know what it's like to be in that place, and it's electric.

Here's a little accoustic nugget for your Wednesday enjoyment. It's probably not his best vocal performance, but it's a nice live sample.



HOLLA -

Moving Forward - Homework

I recently read this excerpt from Eckart Tolle's book Stillness Speaks. It reads:

Most people's lives are run by desire and fear.

Desire is the need to add something to yourself in order to be yourself more fully. All fear is the fear of losing something and thereby becoming diminished and being less.

These two movements obscure the fact that Being cannot be given or taken away. Being in its fullness is already within you, Now.

This thought greatly resonated with me. I can apply this to my life in an infinite number of ways. For example, "I wish we could get that (fill in the blank) that we want. If we could get it, life would be so much better...so rich and full of joy."

Or, in an alternate context, "If (fill in the situation) happens in a certain way, then (fill in the name(s)) will think that I am (fill in the blank)."

It seems that life is spent running this race that ultimately leads to nowhere, leaving a wake of lost moments and unnecessary thinking. Being here, now, is the only way to truly break this cycle and free oneself from the chains of "want" or "fear".

This is my own personal homework, and it IS working. Thinking about what I don't have leaves me feeling "less than", which is a rediculously horrible way to live. WHO I AM IS ENOUGH. And fear....well, that is my new "F" word.

HOLLA -

Word of the 20's

So, I'm about to leave my 20's in a few weeks. I can't WAIT. I feel that my 30's are going to bring about wonderfun. HA! That was a typo, but I think I'll keep it. Wonderfun. :-)

The other day, I was watching the Today Show, and a guest kept talking about ambivalence, and I thought, "I'm not sure what that exactly means." So I looked it up on one of my favorite websites, and it said "simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings." And I thought, "Well, that was my 20's!"

So here's to the next 10 years (starting in a few weeks). Goodbye to ambivalence, hello to a sure foot and a sound mind.

HOLLA!

p.s. - check out the website for the word game of the day, and the word of the day. Today's word is "burgle". Just saying that out loud makes me laugh. :-)

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Happy Anniversary to the kindest, most gentle, loving, strong, supportive, funny, goofy, helpful, trusting, respectful, amazing, gorgeous (he doesn't like that word!), Godly, wonderful man I have ever met.




Three years ago on this day, my new life began. I can't imagine loving anyone more.

I LOVE YOU, BEN!

HOLLA -

Tuesday Tunes

I've decided that, on Tuesdays, I'm going to post some music that I've been listening to. Maybe I'll blog more consistently if my daily entries have a purpose. :-) I went with my good friend Anne to see Sex and the City 2 a few weeks ago, and this song played at the beginning and end of the movie. I went home and downloaded it, and it's played about 100 times in my car, I'm pretty sure.

There are two reasons I like this song so much: The melody and the beat, which are hella contagious, and the fact that it's about NYC, one of my favorite places EVER. I don't know what it is about New York that I'm so obsessed with, but I always want to go there, and I even dream about it a lot. WEIRD!!! Both times that I've been, it was surreal and magical, like I was in a different country. It's just so overwhelming and kind of scary, but when I leave I always want to go right back (to visit, never to live).

Anyway, Here's some J for you. ENJOY!

Summer Fun

I've been working on a few projects over the last few days. Crafts are a great way to spend time doing something I love, and it's cheap entertainment. :-) Here's a board I made:



I already had a little corkboard that needed sprucing up, so I weaved ribbon over it until it was completely covered. Then I glued letters and other fun little pieces to push pins, and voila! I chose "get up" because those are some of the only letters I've glued so far, and also it's a problem I've been having...getting up. I think I could sleep most days away, because when you don't have anything to get up for, what's better then sprawling out on some comfy sheets and falling in and out of peaceful dreaming? Today I set my alarm for 8:30 and got out of bed at 10:00. I am a sucker for sleep. :-)

I babysat my three lovely nieces last week, and their momma (my SIL) bought a bead kit for us to make stuff out of. How badly I wanted to craft some cute little animal out of them, but I didn't know how! Last night I got to Googling and found some simple patterns for free. I found some beads and string, and in an hour or so, I had these three guys!


I have to say that the gecko is my favorite. Today I'm off to Hobby Lobby for some more beads and string. I have no idea why these are so fun, but I LOVE MAKING THEM!!!

I've also been...coloring. I'm sorry, but you're never too old to color. My mom got me this rad coloring book made by a lady she knows. It's so fun to get out every once in a while and give life to one of the pages. Here's one I finished yesterday:


Love it! I laid the book down on my step where the sun from the window was coming through. Cool effect, huh?

So that's what I've been working on. What will I make today? :-) :-) :-)

HOLLA -

Happy July!

July is HERE! My favorite month of the year is upon us, and I am reeling with anticipation at what it will bring. Here are some foreseen highlights:

4th of July. We have gone to my parents' house for the past few years, and it has always been a great time. Ben has even gotten into purchasing some bulk fireworks from a guy at work, and the show has gotten more elaborate each year!

Our Anniversary. Three years, going strong! It's been hard work so far, let me tell ya. :-) I have no idea what we'll do...heck, we can't even remember what we did last year! (Maybe I should do some digging in this blog to see if I can solve the mystery...) Anyway, this always falls during the week of our church's VBS, much to Ben's chagrin. Regardless, I'll be happy to spend some time focusing on that cute, blue-eyed boy that I married. BLISS!

My B-day! Best holiday of the year. :-) I take it as a true compromise that, since I never got a "school" party, I get to spend my b-day outside in the sun, swimming or doing some other delightful activity. I LOVE my summer birthday. Let's not forget to mention that this is the big 3-0!!!! Joyous party to commence. :-)

All predictability aside, I am counting on July to be fantastic.

Hope yours is, too! :-)

HOLLA -